Week in review

The Leonard Cohen show was moved to the Tower Theatre by Live Nation. Fascists. I was subsequently priced out of tickets. Tried to pull some strings, and discovered that I have no strings. I did, however, come up with a fun way to highlight the big Cohen show in the Metro. I asked local musicians to share their first Cohen experience. I know mine: my father put a cassette of "The Future" into our Pontiac Grand Am on the way to a soccer tournament in Boston. We were driving over the George Washington Bridge into New York City. The music was somehow a seamless match to the landscape. Ran last Wednesday in the Philadelphia Metro




Last week I discovered a little feature on the Philadelphia Mural Arts Program. They created a special bus tour for the deaf with a non-profit called Art-Reach. I had to hold back my own experience as a tour guide to write this one. Keep it positive.






Metro is now behind on my education series. Two weeks ago I gave them one on criminal justice degrees. Tough to write, since a number sources had strong feelings against the degree. Scheduled to run on Monday in Boston, NYC and Philly Metros





Finally, last week I did a piece on digital video production. Here's what I learned: you don't need a degree in digital video production to work in digital video production. Scheduled to run on Nov. 9 in Boston, NYC and Philly Metros

Week in review

Began the week in a complete panic. My editor called first thing Monday: "Ahh... there's two women from Philadelphia Stories waiting for you in a Center City Starbucks." Add this to the pile of journalistic wisdom: On Sunday night, just before you tuck in, take a peak at your date book. You might have to interview somebody in a Center City Starbucks first thing Monday.

Deepest apologies to publisher/editors Christine Weiser and Carla Spataro, who were more than understanding. Philadelphia Stories is a free non-profit literary journal. Neither editor takes any salary from the publication. I couldn't believe it. It was fun to do a top five list of novels with them. I've got to read Middlesex. Showed up on both of their lists. Scheduled to run today in the Philadelphia Metro


Felt more comfortable with my education piece this week. Fun career to highlight: massage therapy. Philly masseuse, Matt Beck, offered some amazing quotes. Most of them totally unusable. According to the Board of Labor Statistics, massage therapists make 15 - 20% of their income in tips. My imagination is running wild. Scheduled to run Monday in the Boston, NYC and Philly Metros

Did another in the education series last week -- accountants. Well, they weren't as interesting as the massage therapists. Let me put it that way. Ran on Monday in the Boston, NYC and Philly Metros

Week in review

["Anthropocene" by Clark Gibson.]

It was hard to see my teensy-weensy pieces in the paper this week. I'm struggling to work in Metro's new format. Every smudge of newsprint by a freelancer represents a long chain of efforts: contacting the subject, scheduling, interviewing, researching, getting images, fact checking, writing... it can be frustrating to see it all boiled down in this way. On the other hand, I do like creating little pull boxes of information. Plenty of opportunities for that. I'm trying to embrace it as best I can.

On Wednesday I had a great visit with abstract painter Clark Gibson. I needed that. It reminded me what I love about this work. Many days I get to delve into the lives of rare people -- artists that have paid a price for who they are. Often their work has fused with their life, creating a voice profoundly their own. It's never the same story. I was proud of the piece. I hope it runs mostly intact.
Scheduled to run in the Philadelphia Metro on 10/2


Started the week talking to Gina Renzi about the Rotunda's 10th birthday. She's the lone employee of the beautiful venue, which had a former life as a Christian Science church... Saw some great shows there over the years. Seeing the Rock-A-Teens with maybe a dozen people on a rainy night in 2000 sticks out for me.
Ran today in the Philadelphia Metro
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Finished another in a series of education pieces. This week: How to become a plumber! I disobeyed a direct order to make a Joe-the-plumber reference -- hope they forgot about that idea. I'm praying I never have to do a piece like this on freelance writing. There are no answers.
Scheduled to run Monday in the Boston, NYC and Philly Metros
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Week in review

Had a fun phone interview with famed New York jazz singer Jane Monheit on Monday. She loves Howard Stern. Who knew?
This piece ran today in Metro's fall arts preview
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Finally completed the second in a series of education pieces yesterday. This week it was medical assistants and technicians. Anybody need to know anything about becoming a CMA, CNA or EMT? I feel like an expert. I found myself inspired by Michael J. Reilly, a practicing and teaching EMT in NYC. He's made his life's work about helping people in the toughest of circumstances. His comments on the failures of our health care system -- and seeing it everyday in life and death situations -- are something I'm still thinking about... Hope they run your quotes and photo, Michael.
This piece is scheduled to run on Monday in the Boston, NYC and Philly Metro
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Week in review/preview

Had an interview bright and early today -- okay, 10:30 a.m. -- at the Arden Theatre Co. with local acting legend, Frank X. He's playing Hector in the Arden's upcoming production of Alan Bennett's "History Boys."

I saw X in "Ghosts" at the Lantern back when I was a freshman at Temple -- way back. It was one of my first weeks in the big city, and I had such a powerful reaction to the play -- both Ibsen and X. It's a production I remember like yesterday. This is the second time I've interviewed X. I was nervous both times.
This feature is scheduled to run in the Metro's Fall Arts Perview on Sep 17
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Looking forward to tomorrow's interview with dancer/choreographer Jumatatu Poe. He wants to meet at 11 a.m. What's up with all of these early rising artists?

I love writing about dancers. I find myself so thoroughly cleansed of cynicism when I sit in a dance rehearsal. I have found no other place with such unabashed generosity.
This feature will run in Metro's Fall Arts Preview on Sep 17
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Started the week working on a new series of pieces for Metro's Education Guide. Every week I'm set to profile a different trade degree. This week: Hotel/Restaurant Management. It was tough going at first, as it is with any new beat, but Heather Flemke and Kamila Piszczek from the Restaraunt School were kind enough to point me in the right direction.

I think this assignment may be part of my karma for being the worst waiter in Philadelphia history. (Seriously, ask anybody at Davio's.)

My assignment for next week: Medical/Nursing Asst, Nurse Aide/Tech.

First question: what is a medical/nursing asst, nurse aide/tech?
These pieces are set to run on Thursdays, I think

Inspiration!

This is fast becoming one of my favorite books of all time. I hope one day to work for the Uncle John's Bathroom Reader team. They really know how to PUNCH! a sentence.

Through Uncle John Corp, I've finally realized the kind of baseball story I'd love to write. I don't want to write about the game or the pennant chase -- borrrrring. I feel drawn to more practical stuff, like a piece on how not to swallow your chewing tobacco during a headfirst slide. Hell, I could give ya 16,000 words on pine tar alone. Any editors out there? Tell me that doesn't sound like amazing copy.


My favorite novels if they were a baseball lineup:

1. Wildlife by Richard Ford, CF
2. The Crazy Hunter by Kay Boyle , SS
3. The Road, 3B
4. Moby Dick, RF
5. Lady Chatterley's Lover, 1B
6. Affliction by Russell Banks, C
7. Uncle John's Bathroom Reader Takes a Swing at Baseball, LF
8. Catcher in the Rye, 2B
9. Rubican Beach by Steve Erickson, P

No designated hitter in my lineup! The DH is a moral crime against humanity.

The week in review

I started the week getting down to business with Philadelphia Live Arts Festival Producing Director, Nick Stuccio. I met him at the fest's new digs in Northern Liberties, and I was thankful that he was so candid about the not-so-pretty side of the non-profit arts world -- fund raising. Would he take money from Haliburton?...
As I was leaving, photographer extraordinaire, Chris Gabello, was setting up for a portrait, so the article will have a great photo at least. I found myself already pining for the days of Metro's recently axed Art's and Culture section, when Chris and I worked together on these pieces weekly.
This article is scheduled to be the cover of Philadelphia Metro's entertainment section on Thursday, Sep 3.
Click here for article.


Today I did a fun Q&A with actor/creator/performer Geoff Sobelle about his latest creation with Pig Iron Theatre Co.. Geoff is always a hilarious interview, and I hope he doesn't mind my including some of his sass-talk in the piece.
This is scheduled to run in Metro's entertainment section sometime next week, I think.
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Upon my editor's request, tomorrow I have a phone interview with local "Top Chef" contestant, Jennifer Carroll -- a conference call with about eight lawyers, so she doesn't give away the show's ending. I hope they carry "Top Chef" on Hulu, never seen it.
I think this will run Wednesday, Sep 9, somewhere in the Metro -- news or entertainment.
Click here for article.