was bestowed by the Fresno City Council... click here to see it!

Pictures will follow later in the day.





None of the pics of me turned out... actually they looked like crap so... this is what you get for now.

This time from the city paper The Fresno Bee that gave us front page in the "Spotlight" section.

Article 1

Article 2

Now back to the prep and panic.

... but here are three articles from a local entertainment/arts/culture rag, Get Out! (HNT is featured in one and there is a picture of me in another.)

ARTICLE 1

ARTICLE 2

ARTICLE 3

With all the massive prep and the sheer panic of getting the show up... you may not see me till Monday. Have a great weekend!

My new camera. Now all is well with the world again... at least for the next 5 minutes.

We are about a week away from the Rogue opening and featuring HNT as a "Cyber Gallery" exhibit.

For those of you who want to get in... check out details at the HNT @ the Rogue blogsite. Remember, ONLY THOSE ON THAT BLOGROLL will be featured!

For those of you who are planning on making it to the Rogue... hotel info can also be found at the HNT @ the Rogue blogsite. A little inside track... if you are booking at the Best Western village Inn... mention the Rogue and ask for the Corporate Rates ::wink:: BTW if you are planning on turning up... email me and I will give you my cell so that we can arrange for a munch and slurp when you're here. It will be great to meet you! :)

I'm not sure if I'll be able to put together something new for the rogue... I may just post links to a few of my favorite ones. Following is an example:




Happy HNT all! Thanks again to the Mighty Os for coming up with this and keeping it going. To find out why I'm half nekkid.... click nifty button in the sidebar.

Labels: hnt

I think UPS has lost the package with my new camera in it.

Little or no writing was accomplished today.

EDIT: I did however speak with Zonthar (who will be helping on directing the show) on the phone... and that was a good thing.

I'm actually blogging from the Revue Cafe at the moment. Writing here and 3 games of freecell has been my routine to rev up ye ole write engine for this project. Momentum is what it's all about. The physical act of typing - hitting the keys so that there is a direct flow from brain to finger tips. Freecell on the other hand is a means to orientate the mind to fall into some form of organization. It's one of the few solitaire games where the player can actually win with every play... and it's all about placement... really prepares me with structure on an intuitive level.

I've always been quite astounded just how we have to trick our brains into performing the way we want it too. I am also amazed how a physical action like typing activates the creative flow... for writers. I suppose it's akin to the physical act of playing an instrument for musicians. I use to edit as I wrote but found that it actually hampered the process... sort of like the start and stop of a football game... the loss of momentum just jerks me out of the zone.

UPDATE 10:21 PM: A good writing day. More than half the show is completed. I was way laid by a meeting in the evening that I called that was unavoidable but I do have tomorrow to finish off the first draft... and I do think I can. Sure, it still needs (a lot of) work but it's actually turning out better than I expected. Then it's a matter of development through rehearsals. Zonthar, if you are reading this... you will receive the show via email by tomorrow evening. Email me your "free time" schedule and we'll get this puppy fleshed out. If any of you are reading this in the morning... Happy (I so don't want to go to work) Tuesday!

So, my digital camera died and as a result, pictures of the new Rogue t-shirt will have to wait a bit. I was the culprit as I had used and abused the poor thing until it just gave up the ghost. Services will be announced later.

My students are rehearsing their show in my driveway. Several members were no-shows and I will be reading them the riot act tomorrow. They open their show in less than 2 weeks. (So do I.)

Once their rehearsals are over I plan on taking the laptop and heading out to the neighborhood pub to continue writing my show. On this particular project I find that the "white noise" of the pub is actually condusive to the creation of this piece. The other reason being (never thought I'd ever say this) there are just too many distractions at home.

Since I'm off tomorrow... (Some would maintain that I've been off for years.) I think I may do the same thing. Hopefully I'll have a good first draft by the evening.

UPDATE: 9:49 PM
I am actually very pleased with what I wrote tonight. I actually exceeded my projected goal. Now if bill collectors and any other "real life" distractions do not way-lay me... I think I'll be able to get a lot more accomplished tomorrow. I'm planning on an early start tomorrow but I'll keep you updated on my progress. For all of you who have commented... a MEGA thank you for your support... I'll send you to the link to the raw version to my show soon! :) Oh yeah... my new camera (that I promise not to abuse too much ) will arrive on Tuesday.

I really can't wait to get out of work today. I felt that way the first thing this morning when I got to work. I have so many errands to run for the Rogue.. I'm thinking I should have taken the day off. I have 6 more days to burn... and am using most of them for the upcoming Festival.

T-shirts should be ready today. I'll make sure to post pics. I'll also see about making them available to you out there in blogland if you want to make a purchase or two.

Thank you to those of you who came by and left comments yesterday. :)

UPDATE: 11:15 AM
Thank God we have short periods today. I am so hating my students today... OK, actually they've been irritating the whole week. Once the Spring hits thay begin bouncing off the walls... the hormones kick in and they become raging horny lunatics. Then at 2 PM there is an assembly... not one of my favorite things as I am the "default AV guy" at work. Can't wait for the end of the work day... even though I have tons to do... it will be a welcome break.

I'm picking up the t-shirts at 3 PM. There is a press photoshoot at 4 PM. I have to send stuff to the printers between that... then perhaps I'll have a drink for Happy Hour. A scotch soda sounds so good right now.

more to post later... perhaps.

EDIT: This is a re-post of my HNT # 4. Just to goose up the newbies on what is posible. My first few had long involved stories... that I kinda liked. I think the point is not so much skin- though that is good too but it's more about getting to know the person. So there! Read it and weep. It was first featured Aug. 25.

The rogue is fast coming upon us... so if you still want to get in on HNT @ the Rogue... send the lovely Paul an email with your link and you will be added ti that blogroll. His email is nekkid@roguefestival.com.

Other than that... Cheers and Happy HNT!

Oh p.s.... there are new Rogue banners for the stealing at the Rogue site! And Foxy won the "name the eye contest"! Armin!

Posting this HNT contribution early, as I have three and a half weeks more of gainful employment left and I want to leave on my own terms - instead of getting fired for going in late. My last 3 posts included pics and stories of Jimmy, Audrey and Stan. Don't have a name for my bloodshot left eye... maybe you can help me name it.

Right now, most of you are jumping to the obvious conclusions as to why my eyes are bloodshot. My eyes have been bloodshot since I was 10 years old. This was the result of swimming. Swimming in chlorinated pools. Swimming in the sea. Swimming in jungle streams.

In fact, many a birthday as a boy in Malaysia was spent swimming in jungle streams. Most kids had birthday parties - I had birthday picnics in the jungle with my friends. My parents would pack up us kids (friends and cousins) into a couple of cars and drive out into the jungle outside the city.

Getting there was half the fun. A hard left off the main highway, there would be a dirt road that veered into the jungle for about half a mile. When the dirt road ended, we tumbled out of the car and hiked in several hundred yards heading toward the sound of a jungle stream. Monkeys would be jibber-jabbering in the trees as we hurried down the jungle path. The closer we got, the louder the sound of the stream... the less jibbering of monkeys.

Finally, the thick jungle around us would magically seem to open up on our intended destination. A picnic spot would be picked on the banks. Mats spread and us kids excitedly jumped into the cold clear waters to frolic. My father would always caution us with the same instructions. "If you need to kenching (pee) go downstream... don't do it in the jungle." If one of my not-yet-hip-to-the-jungle friends would quizz "Why not the jungle?", my father would launch into a gentle lecture about "respecting the spirits." This would instantly ignite a barrage of "What spirits? Why?" among the kids. His eyes would twinkle and with a sly smile he would say, "I'll tell you after lunch." He always kept his word.

Food was usually of the street variety. Nasi Lemak, coconut rice topped with cucumber, eggs and a good hot sambal, served on a banana leaf. Drinks - iced home-made lime juice. Papaya with a squeeze of lime for dessert.

After lunch and tired after swimming, we would lay on the mats under the shade. My father would then tell us about how each living thing had a spirit living in it. That if you did not respect the trees and the rocks and the jungle you were being disrespectful to the spirits... and you would have to pay. This was usually his cue to dive into a couple of jungle "ghost stories" that would scare us even on a sunny afternoon.

These excursions would usually begin at about 9 in the morning and we would leave the jungle by 3 in the afternoon. The cars driving back usually packed with sleepy tired children. I onced asked my mother what inspired them to organize these birthday picnics. "Economics.", she would say quite simply. "None of those birthday picnics cost your father and me more than 50 ringgit."

And the bloodshot eyes? Our family doctor informed me years later that it was a part of a protective coating developed naturally to protect my eyes from the different waters I swam in as a kid. The salt of the sea, the chlorine of the swimming pools and the minerals plus some animal pee in the jungle streams. Someone should have told them where to kenching.

For more half-nekkid thursday visit the great Emperor Osbasso's site.

And more importantly it's my friend Kien's birthday! Go over and wish him "Selamat Hari Jadi"!

If you want to read a post halfway related to the day click here. If you want to check out the new Rogue site click here.

EDIT: ** If you live in the Fresno Area - There is a "work day and potluck" this Saturday, March 18th between 10 AM & 2ish at Ashtree Studio, 1035 N. Fulton. Always a fun time! Whar follows is from our PR department.

The Rogue Festival is coming -- faster than you think. The fifth
annual Rogue Festival is just around the corner, opening on March 2
-- the next Art Hop -- and continuing through March 12.

This year's Rogue is bigger than ever: nine days of over 200
performances from over 70 companies in 15 different venues.

To make this exciting community event happen, the Rogue needs your help.

The Rogue needs volunteers, lots of 'em -- to take the incredibly
reasonable ticket fees (no show over $7!), to gently direct our
esteemed patrons to their seats, and to generally make the Rogue
experience a pleasant one.

Every year our fantastic volunteers are the key ingredient to making
the Rogue Festival a success.

If you've volunteered for the Rogue before, we need you again. If
you've never volunteered before, we want you. And don't forget to
volunteer your friends as well.

Volunteering for the Rogue is a great way to see shows, help your
community and get a stylish Rogue 2006 T-shirt for free. Plus, we
throw lots of parties.

Interested in volunteering for the Rogue? Send an email with your
contact information and the subject line "I want to be a Rogue" to
roguevolunteer@roguefestival.com.

A COUPLE OF NEW ROGUE BANNERS

Most of the Rogue site has been updated. Any dead links will be fixed by Monday. I'm still working on it ... but swing on by and check it out! You may have to "refresh" the page before hitting enter.

I was having an amusing conversation the other day with a friend about this very subject. This is how the conversation began.

"You ever notice how useless people get when they get hooked up? You don't see them anymore. They don't call... or return your calls. They never want to do anything anymore. And if by chance you do run into them... they are with their "other" enraptured in their sickly, sweet bliss. Just makes you want to puke."

I once had a theatre instructor who would refuse to give tech duties to anyone who was in the throes of early passion.

"I know he needs the assignment but he's gonna be useless for at least 3 to 8 weekss... I won't be able to trust him to do the job well enough." he would mutter. "Not to worry, it'll even out in a bit... then we'll have a crack lighting designer again." And during my entire time in college... he was right.

This has got very little to do with the one night stand or the odd fling. It's more about the hook up with the "potential long termer". Look we've all been there before... and it is bliss. (Good God, is it bliss!!) But being the observer on the outside looking in does pose it's own set of challenges. The sudden and uncontrollable need to puke... just to name but one. LOL!

I'm one of those who actually gets quite a chuckle out of observing the whole thing. Usually it's with my "strong" women friends who suddenly begin sounding like the helpless belle from a bad romance novel in their conversations. For the most part I'm happy that they are getting love... or at the very least getting laid. It's just that at least 3 months before the same person wouldn't go past 5 minutes without trying to prove how "independent" they really were (and saying so)... and now they are all peachy jello with the need for constant amorous attention every mili-second.

What totally cracks me up is the bordering on asshole arrogance "Oh, you wouldn't understand" attitude that they project. (Often they will even proclaim it.) Like they are the only people to EVER experience such total bliss. Well, I guess each and every experience we encounter should be unique... or we'd like to think so. It does put a value to the little time we inhabit this mortal coil.

So, to all of you out there who are in love, think you are in love, etc... your day is coming up. Enjoy it with gusto! Hope it all takes and works out great. Just remember that the word is LOVE... and it's really about the active and selfless act of giving.

... and there is a long weekend ahead. It will be long and busy for me. There are meetings and work... lots more work.

At 9 PM last night I turned off the computer and laid down in my bed watching whatever dribble was on network TV. My mind and body retaliated against my will to continue work on the website. I creatively just shut down. Perhaps I just needed to get away for a while. I start back up today.

There is a pre-meeting tonight, a volunteer meeting tomorrow and a core meeting on Monday. Plus my students are rehearsing all weekend in my driveway. (BTW their show is finally beginning to gel.) I also have begun on my own show. I'm hoping that by Monday a working draft will be completed. Then I continue rehearsing, developing and shaping it for a paying audience.

More later perhaps...

My friend, Solitaire breezed by and decided to be my guest for this week's HNT. So here she is! She is new so go over to her blog for more pics and show her the LOVE for handling my puppets!

HNT @ the Rogue is coming on well. If you want in.... send an email to the lovely Paul who is our HNT Rogue Coordinator. We are still trying to score more laptops for the project. I'm busier than I want to be... but pre-work is what makes for a successful Rogue... and in this state I'm not really in shape to be half-nekkid.

See ya on the upswing... and Happy HNT!

EDIT: BTW shadow puppet theatre is called "Wayang Kulit" in Malay... Translated ... "Skin Theatre" (because the puppets are made out of bovine hide and horn.) So, one could say this post really puts the "kulit" back into the "wayang."

... you are riding a bicycle and talking on your cell at the same time. Case and point... I'm stealing some time away from work to jet off home to check on the upload status. As I'm driving the truck I pass (we shall call him Dude) riding his bike and talking on his cell. I come to a traffic intersection and slow to a stop for the red light. Dude, (busy still chatting and riding) bumps into the back of my truck and falls off his bike. Even though he is suffering from a bruised ego (furtive looks all around) Dude picks up his cell and resumes the conversation... gets on his bike and continues the way he was. And they say us humans have the capacity to learn.

I was too "designed out" last night to even work on the website. I'll get to it tonight.

The good news is that the upload was successful! Yay!

EDIT: Wow! I just noticed that I'm close to my 25, 000 visitor!

... to get the Rogue Map finished by this morning. I stayed up until 3 getting anal about details. I wake up this morning about 8 and saunter back to the computer to put some finishing touches before uploading it to the printer in Montana. I call them to ask some questions. I begin the upload which was going to take over 2 hours. I decide to go to the local coffeeshop to get a boost of caffeine. I get back and the upload has TIMED OUT! I call up the printer and discover that their entire system has gone down. OY! Now to get the website up.

... at least it was at`work for most of today. Yes, I do use it a lot at work but it was actually amusing to watch my co-workers walking around with lost looks in their eyes. Some were even muttering "... it's down... it's down.." Perhaps we have become too dependent on it.

UPSHOT: Due to (exit exam) testing... I only have to show up at work at 11 AM tomorrow. I think I may just treat myself to some conversation and java at the local coffeeshop in the morning. Haven't been able to do that in some time.

GRAPHIC UPDATE: Completion target tonight! yay.

SHOW UPDATE: I actually began committing words to a file today... when I think it's shape has become defined enough to share... you'll be able to get a little peek at it.

GENERAL STATE: I'm feeling a little tired today... though I still have loads to... and most of it has to be completed by tonight. Perhaps a nap would be a good idea when I get off work.

more later perhaps...

I get up this morning. Head over to the computer to surf some blogs and all sorts of shit is happening. Os, (mighty creator of HNT) is pissed at someone... a group, I think. Addict has some situation in her life... that I'm assuming isn't pleasant. Sasha, is giving up and starting over. All somewhat disconcerting as all these posts were somewhat cryptic. That'll teach me to stop surfing for a week.

Actually it's strange and wonderful how through blogging we connect as deeply as we do. It's one of the aspects of blogging that I quite enjoy... being connected. That a circle is developed and created outside of my physical social circle who I actually give a damn about. I have learned much about many individuals through reading their blogs. Their loves, lives and their pain. And just as in life... "regulars" float in and out of our lives. Some who were fervent commentors in the past have stopped... new ones emerge. All are appreciated.

For those who have been stopping by with well wishes and support during my present "busy time"... please know that your comments are very much appreciated and have been a source of energy that I have been able to harness to spur me on. This year is turning out to be a longer haul than the past because the Festival has grown even more. Read the updates below.

ROGUE UPDATE:

• HNT @ the Rogue has added another exhibit date. So now this "cyber gallery" will be featured at the festival from 5 - 9 PM, March 2, 9 & 10 at Javawava. If you live in the California and surrounding areas and intending on gracing us with your presence... here is a link to a post on hotels. EDIT: If you are flying in from elsewhere I will list some other fun things to enhance your stay here... but then again... what is more fun than the Rogue??? As stated before, I would love to meet you, break some bread and raise a glass or two while you are here. Feel free to email me. And remember the "closing night party" is always a hoot and a half... and will feature the Beatles cover band, Ticket To Ride (who BTW are playing tonight at the Starline) .
• I got an email the other day from the City Council and the Rogue Festival is being given a Procamation by the city. So, Feb. 28th will be Rogue Festival Day! Woo Hoo!
• There is a glimmer at the end of the sewer pipe on the graphic work. I should be done by this weekend. Yay! I will finally be able to create my new show! EDIT: This also means that I'll be on the prowl like a caged animal in heat as the creative process makes me oh so horny!
  
• I was interviewed by the press a couple of days ago and I double booked myself today. There is a photoshoot and a participant meeting happening at the same time!!!
• For the first time (this season) I feel we'll be able to pull this off... with some style.
• The Rogue this year will feature over 70 performing groups and artists in 13 venues with close to 200 performances. Not bad for something that began as a joke... namely my own mid-life crisis! LOL! (If it happens again... I'm opting for the red sports car and the young babe.)
  

So, that's it from me for now.

Cheers!

... once again for not having a HNT post up for those of you who came by. I know I've been a very bad boy. So, spank me... please. LOL! Circumstances were just beyond my control... and will continue to be for a while more. Bear with me.

On the upshot... we have added the 10th of March as the 3rd date to feature HNT @ the Rogue! So you bloggers who are intending on turning up... that would be a great weekend to do so.... catch some shows and join me at the Big Rogue Party on Saturday the 11th! I would dearly love to meet and hang with you! (I'll be the one walking in a stupor.) Now ::crack o the whip:: back to work. Cheers!

EDIT: So, on Good Morning America this AM they gave a nun a trip to the Super Bowl. I'm not a football nut... but for some reason this touched me to tears. Way to go, Sister!

Due to unforseen circumstances... I won't be able to post an HNT tonight. Hope I am forgiven but check out the HNT @ the Rogue site anyway... there is an update there.