"Another Cold One"

Bad news... and good news....

This weekend I had another cold (less powerful than the last one). This one I probably got from my roomate, Scott, who in turn had gotten it from work (retail). Thankfully, however, today seems to be the last day it intends to visit me, and, although I'm not sad to see it go, I can only wonder... With two nearly back-to-back colds, does this mean I'll be immune for the rest of the winter!? :)

Heh. Here's hoping. Odds are, though, it probably doesn't work that way. But, it certainly is a happy thought isn't it!

Have a blessed new week all. Stay well.

Your happily blogging friend,
-Jon
posted by Jon at 4:21 PM  I   I  0 comments

"Thanksgiving (recap)"

I'm back home now after a wonderful Thanksgiving with family. Good times, lots of cousins, family, an excellent turkey dinner (even the fresh apple pies were drool-worthy!). Yes, I definitely have much to be thankful for. But then again, that is what we set aside the fourth Thursday of every November for, right?

Well, here's a word of wisdom we should all take to heart...
[leans in and whispers]....

Let's make Thanksgiving be 365 days a year this coming year. No, we probably shouldn't have a big turkey dinner every one of those days; Might spoil the appetite next November. But, if you're reading this, then there is one thing you've probably overlooked when you give thanks each Turkey Day. Life. Each Thanksgiving, you've been blessed with another 365 days of it.

If you ask me, that's one heck of a blessing worth celebrating!

I pray your Thanksgiving was as joyous as mine. It is my hope that the rest of your year is as well. Have a blessed weekend, and until next time,

Happy Thanksgiving!
-Jon
posted by Jon at 1:32 PM  I   I  0 comments

"Thanksgiving"

Well all, I'm off to enjoy Turkey Day with friends and relatives. Have a Happy Thankgiving, and until next time... Drive safe, and stay warm!

Your happily blogging friend,
-Jon
posted by Jon at 10:33 PM  I   I  0 comments

"Printed and Mailed"

I packed boxes today at work. Now that the church calendars are printed, they get to be mailed. That's what I helped with today. Two large skids worth.

The good part of it, though, is the variety now that my work -- for which I was originally hired -- is completed. I'm still able to get suitable hours each day doing a number of things around the office/company, so I certainly can't complain. The bad part of it, however, is that in less than two weeks, they're going to be letting me go.

With the 2005 calendars done, there just isn't any more work for me. I already knew this when I was hired three months ago, so I don't feel so bad. But, you know how it goes... temporary work is just that, temporary. On the upside, however, I've greatly enjoyed my time here, and for that I am very blessed. Not a lot of people can say that about their job.

Now the next step is securing a new place of employment. We'll have to see how successful I am at it this time around. Wish me luck. That's what I'll be doing this weekend. Fun times. [sarcastic]

Have a blessed day all, and until next time,

Your happily blogging, always musing friend,
-Jon
posted by Jon at 8:04 PM  I   I  0 comments

"Quotes of the Day"

"Perhaps we all give the best of our hearts uncritically - to those who hardly think about us in return." -- T.H. White

"Love is like a violin. The music may stop now and then, but the strings remain forever." -- Unknown

-Jon
posted by Jon at 1:22 AM  I   I  0 comments

"Ozomatli"

For those of you who like a little something different when it comes to music, you might be interested in checking out a band I was introduced to this evening. My friend Diana is over, and she pointed me in the direction of an interesting cross-cultural group called Ozomatli -- whose music she had recently come across herself. The group's website aptly describes them as "Los Angeles’ beloved Afro-Latin-and-beyond style-mashers".

You'll just have to listen to their music and see what they mean by that. Granted, hip-hop is not usually my first choice of music, and I'm not sure if I jump onto their activism bandwagon, but I did find their Middle-Eastern and Latin influences very different, yet catchy.

-Jon
posted by Jon at 11:47 PM  I   I  0 comments

"Sunday: Good Times"

My friend Tricia, who I have not seen in a while, came over this evening for a visit. She brought dessert and a movie. I made dinner. The movie, "Shrek 2".

Now, I've never seen "Shrek 2" until this evening, but I do have to rate it rather highly. I greatly enjoyed this one, and there are few movies that ilicit this much side-splitting laughter. Best character?... Aside from Donkey (Eddie Murphy) of course,... definitely Puss-in-Boots. "Fear me, if you dare."

Great movie. Wonderful company. Good food. Good Sunday.

Have a blessed new week all. Until next time,

Your happily blogging friend,
-Jon
posted by Jon at 10:36 PM  I   I  0 comments

"Stone Trekkin'"

Stone Trek celebrates Star Trek. (Flash movie)
The Star Trek fan in me got a hearty chuckle from this one. Enjoy!

-Jon
posted by Jon at 9:55 PM  I   I  0 comments

"An Evening of Perplexing Thought"

I don't know why, but I'm feeling a little down this evening. I usually try to look on the bright side of things, and thus am actually rather happy. But tonight, that oddly doesn't really seem to be the case.

Maybe it has something to do with some of the things on my mind lately -- love and the unspoken recipient of those feelings; the remaining sadness over my latest theatre show coming to a close and my overwhelming desire to return to the stage; or maybe just some of the various other life-related uncertainties that have popped up here and there. I don't know. Combine them all, though, and I am once again reminded of the affliction my college theatre professor diagnosed me with... "Jon, you think too much." I'd have to agree with her on that one.

But my theatre professor's comments are merely a side note.

What I do find interesting lately, with all my confidence and faith in knowing what I believe, is that I still can't seem to fully accept the simple nature of the greatest of all emotions -- love. It bewilders me to no end sometimes, and I do think about it more than I really need to. But then again, thought or not, maybe it's supposed to be that way. They say struggle builds character. Perhaps in some ways, so can perplexion and bewilderment.

When I consider this perplexity, however, I am constantly reminded of a situation from my past that doesn't really help me much. When I was a Junior in college I had a female friend who took a strong romantic interest in me. She was a close friend, and suggested dating at one point, but I just couldn't return her same level of feeling for me. And I felt bad about that. To this day, I still can't quite explain why that was. But I don't dwell on that so much anymore. What does concern me now -- years later -- is the fear that I may be in that same situation once again, although this time, I'm the one in her shoes.

The woman friend I have an interest in (and perhaps have for some time) is troubled by her romantic past, and being a bit of a cutie, finds it frustrating to have the male populace hitting on her all the time. Hitting on her is the farthest from my mind, certainly, but her friendship and companionship is not. She's a strong Christian woman, with a good heart, and a creative personality. We have a lot in common, yet there is a lot that perhaps we could learn from each other. Looks and troubled romantic past aside, many might say she's "a good catch".

I find myself drawn to her creative witty charm, yet also hesitant to not overstep the line and become one of those guys hitting on her just for her good looks. Sadly, I fear I may have inadvertantly already done so. Now I'm the one interested in a friend who cannot reciprocate the same feelings.

Just my luck. I realize -- for the first time in my life -- that there is someone I could truely care deeply for if a relationship was in the cards, and that's the time when my past finally turns the tables on me.

I tell you, matters of the heart can be very confusing indeed. I know patience, hope, and trust go hand in hand with love, and I strongly support all of them. I just hate being afflicted with "You Think Too Much Syndrome". It bugs the heck out of me.

But I guess I just keep learning how to hope, trust, love unconditionally (a challenge mind you!), and remain patient in life. My prayer is that God uses this to strengthen something in my life, or the life of someone else, and perhaps, God-willing, someday I can look back on this and say... "You know dear, I sure hated being perplexed back then, but I'm glad I was. It certainly taught me a few things about what love really is, and for that I'm eternally thankful."

Yep. The truth of it is, there is an important lesson here. Life is not merely a brief earthly journey towards our eternal home, no, it is also a textbook on faith, hope, and love... with the greatest lesson being love.

Until next time,
Thoughtfully yours,
-Jon
posted by Jon at 9:49 PM  I   I  0 comments

"Fractals"

Mmmmm. Purdy. :)

Fractal World Gallery

-Jon
posted by Jon at 9:41 PM  I   I  0 comments

"And That's a Wrap"

The day has finally come, and it's a rather bittersweet one at that. Eighteen performances and one preview later, "To Kill A Mockingbird" has come to a close. The curtain has fallen on a highly praised run, the bows have been taken, and the cast has broken up and gone their seperate ways -- many to new projects already. Nowhere else can you put together a group of people from varying career fields, come together as a family for two months, rehearse and perform an award-winning stage show, and then part ways never to be that family again.

That's life in the theatre. It's always a bittersweet parting. That's just how it is.

Now all that remains of "Mockingbird" are photos and memories. By the end of the week, even the set will be in pieces. But, it's been a great ride, and one to remember. Time to move on to the next project. Time to start the process all over again. Auditions, here I come. :)

Have a blessed day all, and until next time,
Your happily blogging, slightly teary-eyed actor friend,
-Jon
posted by Jon at 11:58 PM  I   I  0 comments

"Sona si latine loqueris."

Translation: "Honk if you speak Latin."

Unfortunately, I don't. But, I did find this collection of Handy Latin Phrases very amusing. Perhaps you can use it to translate my favorite quote:

"Sentio aliquos togatos contra me conspirare." :)

Yep... Or perhaps the quote I should say whenever I find myself in trouble:
"Ita erat quando hic adveni."

Ah, the fun one can have with a dead language.

Have a blessed day all! Until next time,
-Jon
posted by Jon at 11:17 PM  I   I  0 comments

"Americana Oddities"

America certainly has its share of strange and unusual buildings. For example, these offbeat or wacky attractions include buildings shaped like binoculars, a flying saucer, an elephant, or even my favorite, the Wonderworks building -- a three-story tall, classically-designed building that appears to have landed, upside down, atop a 1930s era brick warehouse. (And yes, it is a real building.)

I can say one thing for sure, there was certainly no shortage of creativity when these architects went to work! :)

-Jon
posted by Jon at 10:47 PM  I   I  0 comments

"LOST"

There are very few television shows that suck me in completely, and turn me into a hardcore fan after only a few episodes. ABC's new drawa, "LOST" has done just that. It reminds me a lot of one of my favorite sci-fi series -- "Earth 2" -- sadly long dead and gone from the airwaves.

Now,... if only I can get caught up on episodes 1-6 of "LOST", which I was unable to see thanks to my own current stage drama.

Hmmmph. I tell ya... Life, always getting in the way of the good stuff... like tv. :P

-Jon
posted by Jon at 10:37 PM  I   I  0 comments

"Monday: A Day Off"

I must have been a little too efficient at work on Friday because they gave me the day off today. I had finished all my projects last week, and there wouldn't be anything new until Tuesday. So, with an entire day to myself for a change, I hung around my apartment, relaxed, put my feet up, ....and even did a bit of remodeling to this website. Feel free to take a look around. I'm certain you'll find some new content to keep your eyes busy. There'll be more coming in the next few days. So, sit back and enjoy, courtesy of me.

I love days off! :)

Your happily blogging friend,
-Jon
posted by Jon at 8:08 PM  I   I  0 comments

"Performance Slide Show"

For those of you who are interested, and may not have had the chance to see "To Kill A Mockingbird" in person, Sunset Playhouse has uploaded a slide show presentation to the web. See photos taken from the October 18, 19, & 20 dress rehearsals. The sound is from the October 21 preview performance.

To view this you will need Macromedia's Shockwave player. Enjoy!

To Kill A Mockingbird Slide Show

-Jon
posted by Jon at 3:33 PM  I   I  0 comments

"Moved... yet again."

Excellent performance this afternoon!

We had a talk-back after the show -- as we've had after the first performance every Sunday -- and a third of the audience stuck around to comment! Usually we've had a few dozen remain the past two Sundays, but this talk-back crowd was much larger, and full of questions and compliments for the cast. It's a great feeling to know that a show like this is able to move people so much that they feel compelled to stick around and let us know. It's one of the best rewards a successful theatre cast could ask for, and I'm honored to be part of it.

I really am going to miss this show when it closes next weekend.

-Jon
posted by Jon at 6:53 PM  I   I  0 comments

"Third Weekend Off-Broadway"

This weekend my parents were in town for a visit. Their main reason was to come down and see my show on Friday, which they thoroughly enjoyed. My dad has a way in which he rates good movies. If he's emotionally moved, he'll rate the film by the number of tears shed. Usually he seems to have a scale somewhere around one to four tears. This stage performance of "To Kill A Mockingbird" rated at a three. In other words, he was moved. That's the sign of a very good show. :)

The other bit of good news.... My cold isn't as bad as it was on Thursday. It's Saturday now, and the symptoms are starting to decrease. We had our last double-header performance day today, and I made it though with little trouble. My voice is back and much stronger again which was much appreciated, and the only challenge yet is a small one -- ridding myself of the last of this nasal congestion. Bah.

Tomorrow is our last Sunday performance, and thankfully, not another double-header as it has been past two weekends. Just one performance, number sixteen of eighteen (not counting our preview performance), then two more next weekend, and this show comes to a close. It's been fun. I'll miss the performance schedule, the cast, and the star treatment, but there's always the next show, right?

Here's to an excellent Sunday performance, and a blessed final week of the show.

Until next time,
Your happily blogging, not-so-cold-afflicted friend,
-Jon
posted by Jon at 11:49 PM  I   I  0 comments

"A Cold One Coming On"

You know, having a bad cold on a performance night is not fun. Blech.

I woke up this morning with all the symptoms of the common cold. The bad news... I had a performance this evening. But, there's an old saying in theatre, "the show must go on," and it did. Thankfully, though, despite being physically under the weather, I was able to make it through.

I guess it was inevitable that I finally caught what's been going around the cast lately. I'm not the first of us to perform while unhealthy. When you spend this much time in close proximity with the same people night after night, contagious viruses are always a possibility. The good news is, though, by Saturday I should be back to full form again. Until then, I guess my character will just have to have a cold.

Heh. Art immitating life. How amusing. :P

Have a blessed day all, and until next time,

Your happily blogging, yet ever-sniffling friend,
-Jon
posted by Jon at 11:17 PM  I   I  0 comments

"Election Results"

Ok, it's about 3am Wednesday, and I've been up watching the election coverage most of the evening. The good news? George W. Bush has won a tight race for the White House securing a second four-year term, and the Republicans have an expanded majority in Congress as well as the House of Representatives.

Prayer works.

Unfortunately, it's been a long night, and I'm tired. I do know one thing, though, I'll sleep well tonight knowing that there is strength in our national leadership. My prayer now is that those who have secured these leadership positions continue to govern wisely.

"Election 2004 Results"

Have a blessed Wednesday all. I'm off to bed.

Your happily blogging friend,
-Jon
posted by Jon at 3:23 AM  I   I  0 comments

"Election Day 2004: President John Kerry?"

There was a certain amount of excitement in the air today -- It's election day here in the United States. By early tomorrow morning, we could either have a new President, or an extended term awarded to our current President. Unfortunately, it's a very close race this year, and predicting a winner at this point is impossible.

At work today, conversation about the election seemed guarded, and very little was discussed, yet I am certain it weighed heavily on the minds of most of my co-workers. After work, as I was walking home, I saw a large number of eager Kerry supporters holding up signs on street corners illiciting honks from passing vehicles. I even saw an airplane pulling one of those airbourne banners -- also promoting John Kerry. Then there were the abundance of bumper stickers, the yard signs, and even the animated conversations I overheard about how great a leader John Kerry would be for America. With all this evidence of support for John Kerry, I couldn't help but wonder, what if he does win? And how can a man with such low integrity be garnering such strong support?

I'll be honest, when it comes to politics, I'm a strong conservative Republican, and a firm George Bush supporter. When I think about the strong likelihood of an unstable John Kerry presidency, it frightens me. He's not a leader, has no political morality, and he isn't even running on a steady platform. He may be a nice guy, sure, but if he wins the election, the facts seem to point towards America heading down a road of instability, vulnerability, and weakness... and I don't want to imagine that scenario. I love my country, but I don't think John Kerry is the man to lead it.

So, I've been praying a lot lately... Praying for God's will in this election, and praying that whatever the outcome, God will use it to strengthen the Christian Church here on Earth. The election results are now firmly in the hearts and minds of my fellow American voters. I truely do hope the best man wins.

I'll be watching the election coverage on television this evening... Here's hoping my fears can be laid to rest. Pray that America votes wisely. Our future depends upon it.

-Jon
posted by Jon at 6:32 PM  I   I  0 comments