FALL REPORT

So what have I been up to? Well, apart from nursing a very bad back that decided to play havoc with my life late in August, which includes lots of physical therapy and even acupuncture, I've been attending local events and writing about them. Here's me on "Listen Here," a series of readings from short stories by well-known writers at New Haven coffeehouses, and here's me on local collegiate drama: the Yale Cabaret's show of Euripedes' "Orestes," and two one-person shows, called Alter/Egos, and, here, on a multimedia show at the Cab and a production of a Tony Kushner play at the Yale Dramat. There's also a poem of mine from grad school days up at The Dirty Pond, a new online journal established to showcase New Haven locals. 

With a back this bad, going any further afield than "local" doesn't seem likely any time soon; thankfully, there's some interesting stuff close to home. I just checked and it's been over a year since I posted anything about my dear CD collection -- which has grown a little since -- and I really should do something about that soon. Badfinger, The Band, Bauhaus, Syd Barrett ... how long before I get to The Beatles? 

And then there's that "Whatcha Readin?" series which I really should finish before the year does. This year there's no Cinema at the Whitney as a regular, weekly occasion, so no posting about film-going from me. Gee, when's the last time I saw a new release film? But I did have an opportunity to write about the upcoming showing of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid at Yale, in honor of its 40th anniversary, and in honor of the fact that its director, George Roy Hill, Yale '43, donated materials about the film to his alma mater. I'll post the link when that's up.

But I've also been watching a lot of films at home from the 1970-72 period. I have this somewhat ambitious plan of trying to write commentary on the '70s: films, music, novels, poetry. No drama? Nah, for that I'd rather talk about what I actually attend. The advantage of those other forms -- two I consider narrative, the other two lyrical -- is that one can always return to them at will. And that, at present, is what I'm most willing to do. My working title is: Wish You Were Here: the '70s Revisited. 

As Dr. Seuss might say: I'll make a list, it will grow and grow, will I ever write it? I don't know.