Theatre review: King Lear

I’ve seen a lot of productions of Lear over the years; perhaps most memorably the one where Ian McKellan got bare-ass naked during the mad scene. But this is the first one I’d seen directed by Adrian Noble, former artistic director of the Royal Shakespeare Company. He’s directing two of the three offerings at the Old Globe’s 2010 Shakespeare Festival in San Diego.

Like all of Shakespeare’s plays, Lear involves a number of subplots. But the main story is the most poignant. Lear, an aging king, wants to divide up his kingdom among his three daughters. But he asks them to prove which loves him the most. The oldest two, Goneril and Regan, offer pretty and flattering speeches; the youngest, Cordelia, merely says she has no words to describe how much she loves him. Lear flies into a rage and disowns her. Goneril and Regan begin to scheme and plot to undermine what little authority remains to Lear. Without his favorite, Cordelia, and unable to handle the betrayal of his other daughters, Lear goes mad. At the end of the play, when he discovers Cordelia has been hanged, his heart breaks, and he dies in her arms.

Refreshingly, Noble didn’t try to set the play in Nazi Germany, or Stone Age-era Ireland, or France during the Revolution, or Cold War-era Russia, or anywhere else that I’ve seen directors try to place Shakespeare. He let Lear be Lear. Which is entirely appropriate for an outdoor festival; in an outdoor setting, artifice is just that—artifice.

Because of the production’s simplicity, the acting shines. This is an ensemble that’s done its homework (as one would expect under Noble’s tutelage), that understands every word, every nuance of Shakespeare’s elevated language. I especially enjoyed Bruce Turk as an uncharacteristically melancholy Fool; Jay Whittaker and Jonno Roberts as Edgar and Edmund, the feuding half-brothers; and Charles Janasz as Gloucester. They were every bit as riveting as Lear himself (Robert Foxworth). He was very regal, if slightly unconvincing as a madman.

Ralph Funicello’s set is a simple wooden platform, set on a platform deep with fallen leaves. Two wooden staircases stand to either side; two enormous Japanese-style sliding wooden doors in the back. That’s it. And that’s really all you need. Lighting (Alan Burrett) and music (sound design, Christopher R. Walker and original music, Shaun Davey) take care of the rest, differentiating the various locations. Even the famous storm scene is relatively low-tech, mostly fierce storm sounds punctuated with swirling snow. (But the snow is really beautiful.) Deirdre Clancy’s costumes are simple but lush; the three daughters’ dresses in the opening scene are her best.

While most of the country swelters under a heat wave, San Diego’s weather remains constant. Between 65 and 75 degrees, all year round. However, as befits a semi-arid desert climate, the nights get chilly—even in June. At the opening night outdoor performance of Lear, most of the audience was bundled into blankets, braving 59-degree evening temperatures. But no one fidgeted, no one left, even as the blanket supply ran out. Animal sounds from the nearby San Diego Zoo provided an eerie soundtrack of their own. Despite the chill, it was one of the most enjoyable outdoor performances of Shakespeare I’ve seen. Just remember to bring a blanket.

Directed by Adrian Noble
With Robert Foxworth (Lear), Emily Swallow (Goneril), Aubrey Saverino (Regan), Catherine Gowl (Cordelia), Donald Carrier (Albany), Michael Stewart Allen (Cornwall), Ben Diskant (France), Christian Durso (Burgundy), Charles Janasz (Gloucester), Jay Whittaker (Edgar), Jonno Roberts (Edmund), Joseph Marcell (Kent), Bruce Turk (Fool), Andrew Dahl (Oswald), Steven Marzolf (Curan), Adrian Sparks (Old Man), Craig Dudley (Doctor); and Ensemble, Shirine Babb, Andrew Dahl, Grayson DeJesus, Ben Diskant, Craig Dudley, Christian Durso, Kevin Hoffman, Andrew Hutcheson, Steven Marzolf, Jordan McArthur, Brooke Novak, Ryman Sneed, Adrian Sparks and Bree Welch
Set Design: Ralph Funicello
Lighting Design: Alan Burrett
Sound Design: Christopher R. Walker
Costume Design: Deirdre Clancy
Original Music: Shaun Davey
Running Time: Three hours with one fifteen-minute intermission
The Old Globe; 1363 Old Globe Way, San Diego; 619-23-GLOBE
Tickets $29 - $78
Schedule varies
June 12 – September 23, 2010

Theatre review: Surf Report

The stereotype of Southern California is that everyone is blonde, everyone is a professional surfer, everyone smokes pot, and that life is one big ongoing episode of Entourage. In reality, the San Diego-Los Angeles megapolis is far more intellectual than most people realize. It's a scientific and engineering hub; oceanography, biotechnology, computing, with world-renowned research centers. Playwright Annie Weisman grew up in San Diego, and when she moved East, she realized that the image of California in popular culture extended no farther than Malibu Barbie. That realization stuck with her, and became the genesis for her latest play, Surf Report.

In Surf Report, Bruce (played by Gregory Harrison) is a very wealthy venture capitalist specializing in biotechnology. His assistant Judith (Linda Gehringer) is his right hand. She's been working for him for so many years that she knows every detail of his life. She's an excellent manager, but a bit obsessive. She's so fixated on making Bruce's life run smoothly that she's neglected her own family: husband Hal (Matthew Arkin) and adult daughter/aspiring visual artist Bethany (Zoe Chao), who now lives in Brooklyn and hates her mother and her SoCal upbringing with a passion.

Naturally, worlds collide. Hal's failing health forces Judith to re-examine her priorities, while bringing Bethany back home for a few days. Bethany is desperate to return to New York where she's gunning for a prestigious internship with an internationally famous photographer, but finds separating from her roots is harder than she thought. Especially when Jena (Liv Rooth), an old acquaintance from high school, insists on becoming her friend. When Judith comes to Bruce with a proposal, she's shocked to discover that she's somehow crossed a line, and that she isn't indispensable after all.

Interwoven into this is a careful and lovingly textured view of surf culture: the daily surf report, Bruce's obsession with surfing, Bethany's old high school boyfriend who taught her how to read the waves. The play is more character than plot driven, focusing on how the worlds of the various characters overlap and collide, and what happens when they do. A metaphor for the two sides of SoCal—laidback surfer culture vs. the high-stakes business world. It's a dark play, without the rapier satire of Weisman's earlier hit, Be Aggressive. It is, however, quietly beautiful and an excellent snapshot of modern Southern California.

The actors make a fine ensemble. Gregory Harrison stands out as the eerily charismatic Bruce, as does Liv Rooth as Jena who is a breath of fresh air and a charaxcter I wanted to see more of. While meant to be comic relief, Jenna is also Bethany's exact opposite and as such the only person capable of helping her realize that she's not such a misfit after all. Harrison's Bruce and Linda Gehringer's Judith have a great chemistry together. Their story is heartbreaking. Judith wants so much to be a guiding force in Bruce's life and to be as powerful in her own way as he is in his. Becausev Bruce is completely self-absorbed we know from the beginning that he will never see Judith as anything more than an assistant, and it's sad to see Judith struggle to arrive at that same conclusion, realizing that so many years of her life were spent for nothing.

Director Lisa Peterson does a great job of highlighting the play's complicated emotions. But the star of the show, as far as I was concerned, was the production itself. Rachel Hauck's set managed to be both lush and spare at the same time; a large mural of a breaking wave, bisected by a stark modern balcony staircase with an undulating blue-green wave-pattern floor. It could have been the lobby of a high-end condo building, or a plastic surgeon's office, or almost anywhere in Southern California. John Gromada's sound design was similarly expressive and lingering.

Surf Report deals with a number of weighty issues, but Annie Weisman is a fine writer and able to capture the complexities of life in Southern California in a way no one else can. You might need a martini before and after this play, but it's definitely worth it.

Written by Annie Weisman
Directed by Lisa Peterson
With Linda Gehringer (Judith), Gregory Harrison (Bruce), Matthew Arkin (Hal), Liv Rooth (Jena) and Zoe Chao (Bethany)
Set Design: Rachel Hauck
Lighting Design: Ben Stanton
Sound Design: John Gromada
Costume Design: David Zinn
Running Time: Two hours and five minutes with one fifteen-minute intermission
La Jolla Playhouse; 2910 La Jolla Village Drive, La Jolla, CA; 858-550-1010
Tickets $31-$66
Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 7:30 pm; Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm; Sundays at 7 pm. Matinees on Saturdays and Sundays at 2 pm
June 15 — July 11, 2010

We got a new car!

Yes, we are now the proud owners of a metallic forest green 2011 Camry. We weren't really expecting to buy a car this weekend, we were just starting the shopping process, but the dealership was offering 0% financing for 60 months, plus 2 years free maintenance, PLUS $750 below invoice (not below MSRP--below invoice). Then they offered us $800 on the truck trade-in, so we hurried up and bought it before they realized that the truck was actually worth about $1.25. Consequently we weren't able to put as much down as I would have liked, but hey, it's 0% financing.

Now that the wedding and the car are dealt with, we can buckle down and start paying off some stuff. Hooray! Plus now we have a reliable means of transportation, and one that won't consume $120 worth of gas every month. Which means we'll be doing the cross-country cannonball run for Christmas this year again, and for pretty much every year in the foreseeable future. It's still cheaper than flying.

It was actually a pretty busy weekend. I started by hiking Torrey Pines State Park with some church ladies, and I can't imagine why I haven't been there before. It's really beautiful. I also saw two plays; reviews to be posted shortly. I feel all cultured and stuff. Plus car buying, plus farmer's market, plus all the other random weekend stuff. I'm glad there's a three-day weekend coming up. I really need to catch up on my sitting-around time.

The new BoomerMobile!

My brother is pregnant!

Well, ok, HE'S not, his wife is. Still, I'm reproductively behind the curve here.

Funny story: apparently my dad is unable to tell a pregnancy test from a rectal thermometer without his glasses. Why my brother would hand him a rectal thermometer is beyond me. Then again, I question the wisdom of giving my dad something my sister-in-law had peed on in the first place.

Vegas redux

A year ago today I hit Vegas and met (well, "met") my husband. :-)

Happy one-month anniversary to me!; and, Church

Look at us, married a whole month. :-) I celebrated this morning by putting the wrong kind of contact solution in my eye and searing off my cornea. Well, not really, but that's what it felt like. It was like putting acid in my eye. See, this is why I'd pretty much given up on wearing contacts. My DH is celebrating by having to work late tonight, so apparently this day is a wash all the way around.

On Sunday, I did something I never thought I'd do. I went to church. Voluntarily. Remember that "Who's Jesus?" conversation I had with my stepson some months ago? Well, if we're not going to be able to raise him ourselves, we're going to have to sneak some parenting in on the every-other-weekend we see him. You know, stuff like how to comb his own hair, how to make his own bed, how to make his own sandwiches, how to interact with other kids his own age. You'd think a ten-year-boy would already have learned that stuff at home, but not this one. So I figured if I got him to church once in a while, I could kill two birds with one stone: basic religious training plus hanging out with other kids his own age. If he made a friend or two here, even better.

There are two churches on the corner near where I live: an Episcopalian one and a non-denominational Christian one. I picked the non-denominational one. It was actually nice. Everyone was super-friendly, there seems to be a bunch of stuff always going on (hikes, dinners, field trips, etc.), and no one made me drink the Kool-Aid. I spoke to the guy in charge of the kids' programs and got a good vibe from him. And the congregation was suitably mixed (not all white people).

I've had a, shall we say, complicated relationship with organized religion. Growing up Baptist left a bad taste in my mouth--so much of what I got in church was exclusionary, misogynist, and needlessly dogmatic. Here are some direct quotes:

"Catholics will go to hell because they're idol worshippers."

"Women can't be preachers or deacons because they're inferior. Plus Jesus only had male disciples."

"Gay people can choose not to be gay if they really want to."

"The Bible says, 'Worship God in everything you do.' That means if you listen to regular rock music and not Christian rock music, you'll burn in hell."

"It doesn't matter that Jesus drank wine, good Baptists don't drink and don't cook with wine. Drinking is a sin."

"Jesus doesn't want women to work. If you want to make Jesus happy, you'll get married and have lots of babies."

And my personal favorite: "We don't have black people in our church because they have their own church. They're happier with their own kind."

There were many, many more reasons why I ran screaming, but I'll save those for another rant.

So far this church seems much more open-minded. Maybe it's a California thing, but I'm sure it also helps that it's non-denominational and not Southern Baptist. The sermon was on that old Baptist chestnut, "Wives, submit to your husbands"; and the pastor took it and gave a rational, contextual, historically accurate sermon on why that was politically revolutionary at the time and a big fat piece of crap now. So, so far, so good.

A year ago today

...I hit the West, as I left Austin, TX on my way to Santa Fe, NM. One of my favorite segments!

Retrenching

So, retrenching this week. Not getting stepson means we don't have to worry about finding a new bigger apartment, which means we can go back to our slightly cheaper lease here and quit paying month-to-month. We'll still need a new(er) car, but Toyota is running 0% financing on new Camrys. With 0% financing, we might actually be able to afford a brand-new car. With the aim to keep it running for the next 18 years until it hits 250,000 miles, like my sister's Camry. I crunched some numbers and if we kick ass and take names, we could pay off a couple of credit cards by the end of the year and a couple more next year, meaning that theoretically we could be completely debt-free (student loans and all) in six years. Ass-kicking to commence immediately.

Speaking of ass-kicking, I've been doing a huge round of doctors' appointments lately. It's the first time I've been able to get any kind of check-up in the last two years, due to my losing my insurance 18 months ago. The dentist was not happy with me. Nor was the dermatologist. (And let me tell you, hearing the words, "Oooh, I don't like the looks of that. Let's razor that off and send it to the lab," from your dermatologist is not a good way to start the day.) However, I'm getting new specs soon, and--hooray!--prescription sunglasses for the first time ever! I'm also trying a new kind of contact lens, which will hopefully get me back to wearing contacts every once in a while.

So for the both of us, this summer will be about 1. doctors' appointments and routine maintenance, 2. new car, 3. ramping up the exercise another notch. Exciting, right? Certainly less exciting than last summer. But hey, new car and all.

Also, I've remembered that spin class is a great way to take out some aggression. I'm going tonight.

Warning: rant ahead

People suck.

Most of you are probably aware that Darling Husband and I have been hoping to get custody of DH's son by the end of the summer. We thought this would be a straightforward process. DH had a number of conversations with his ex-wife, in which she agreed that Son should come live with us. We spoke to DH's lawyer and she said it would be a cut-and-dried process. Draft up a new custody agreement, everyone signs off on it, a judge stamps it, away we go. Simple. Not time-consuming. And much, much better for Son in the long run, as his mother agreed.

Until she didn't.

As I feared, when push came to shove, she didn't agree. She couldn't even admit that she had once agreed. As far as she was concerned, she didn't agree to shit. Which she told us, repeatedly, in a number of extremely heated phone conversations. Which meant we went back to the lawyer, who told us basically that we were screwed. If she didn't agree, we couldn't do anything. No judge would yank him out of there unless we could prove physical harm. (Note: PHYSICAL, not psychological.) So now we're stuck paying an exhorbitant amount of child support to an emotionally unstable and psychologically immature woman who will no doubt raise her child to become exactly the same. We can't even request additional visitation without her consent.

I had to wait a couple of days to write this post because otherwise I would have filled it with all sorts of identifying details, including direct quotes from her, to show you all exactly how unfit this woman is to raise a child. Especially a boy. But I will attempt to take the moral high ground and not. The one silver lining in this cloud is that a close reading of the original custody document revealed that we retain the right to claim all federal and state dependency exemptions. Meaning we can file an amended tax return for this year, and get a big pile of money back.

Let this be a lesson to all of you: don't get divorced. Ever. Better yet, if you have any reservations about marrying a person, don't. And if you have even the tiniest shred of a tickle in the back of your mind about the other person's ability to raise a child, DO NOT REPRODUCE WITH THAT PERSON. UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.

That poor kid. This whole thing just breaks my heart.

To name change or not to name change?

...That is the question.

My first, and default, stance on the name-change issue is, "He can change his own name if he wants it so bad." I never saw the point, and usually viewed it as a gross inconvenience perpetrated by a needless and paternalistic/misogynist tradition.

However.

Now that I've seen close friends come down on either side of the name-change issue (some changed their names; some didn't; and in fact there's a third wrinkle, in which her husband's last name got either tacked on at the end or hyphenated onto her own), I have to somewhat revise my previous position. I still think name-changing is dumb; but it does make things so much easier when you have kids. Especially in emergency room situations.

So, because we're hoping to welcome my new stepson into our home by the end of the summer ("hoping" being the key word there, as his mother has suddenly realized that the end of the summer is nigh and that a costly custody battle might not be such a bad idea after all), I will bite the bullet and change my name so that we all have the same last name and I don't have to explain to endless teachers/officials/authority figures that no, really, I AM this kid's stepmother.

The question is, in what form? Do I stick my new husband's name onto the end, giving myself four names? Do I hyphenate? (No, that's pretentious.) Do I just give out my name as first name-previous last name-new last name? Which might be easiest in the long run, but then I will officially have the weirdest name ever. I have sentimental attachment to my own name, I don't want to drop it completely.

For the meantime, I'm not changing it. I don't see any point in filing the paperwork until H comes to live with us/I get pregnant, whichever happens first. But you've all been warned. Start practicing saying it now.

The wedding playlist

In order, 10.8 hours:

Ain't No Mountain High Enough: Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
Love Rollercoaster: Ohio Players
You Dropped a Bomb on Me: The Gap Band
You Should Be Dancing: Bee Gees
You're The First, The Last, My Everything: Barry White
Let's Go Crazy: Prince
Where Is My Mind?: Pixies
It’s The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine): R.E.M.
Waiting For Somebody: Paul Westerberg
St. Elmos's Fire (Man In Motion): John Parr
Tonight She Comes: The Cars
Always On My Mind: Pet Shop Boys
Dare: Gorillaz
Burning Down The House: Talking Heads
I Melt With You: Modern English
Space Age Love Song: A Flock of Seagulls
Lips Like Sugar: Echo & The Bunnymen
The Look Of Love: ABC
Tonight, Tonight: Smashing Pumpkins
Sex On Fire: Kings of Leon
Mr. Brightside: The Killers
Suffer Well: Depeche Mode
Just Like Heaven: The Cure
Shout: Tears For Fears
Tainted Love: Soft Cell
Relax: Frankie Goes To Hollywood
Best Of My Love: Emotions
Starsky & Hutch: LL Cool J
Stomp: George Clinton
Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough (2003 Edit): Michael Jackson
U Got The Look: Prince
Play That Funky Music: Wild Cherry
Love Machine (Part 1): Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
Get Up Offa That Thing: James Brown
I Gotcha: Joe Tex
Crazy In Love: Beyoncé Feat. Jay-Z
Love Train: The O'Jays
ABC: The Jackson 5
Canned Heat: Jamiroquai
Supersition: Stevie Wonder
Get Down On It: Kool & The Gang
Got To Give It Up: Marvin Gaye
Shining Star: Earth Wind & Fire
Too Funky: George Michael
Staying Alive: Wyclef Jean
Fire: Ohio Players
Erotic City: George Clinton
Bamboleo: Gipsy Kings
Smooth: Santana Feat. Rob Thomas
El Matador: Los Fabulosos Cadillacs
What You Waiting For?: Gwen Stefani
Pour Some Sugar On Me: Def Leppard
Livin' On A Prayer: Bon Jovi
Don't Stop Believin': Journey
Don't Change: INXS
Don't Dream It's Over: Crowded House
In Your Eyes: Peter Gabriel
Sweet Virginia: The Rolling Stones
Why Don't We Get Drunk: Jimmy Buffett
You're the Reason Our Kids Are Ugly: Loretta Lynn & Conway Twitty
Why Don't We Do It In The Road?: The Beatles
She Is Beautiful: Andrew W. K.
Let Me Put My Love Into You: AC/DC
Boogie Wonderland: Girls Against Boys
I Want You To Want Me (Live): Cheap Trick
Paradise By The Dashboard Light: Meat Loaf
The Time Warp: Richard O'Brien, Patricia Quinn, Little Nell & Cast
Feel Good Inc.: Gorillaz
Suga Mama: Beyoncé
(Don't) Give Hate a Chance: Jamiroquai
Jungle Love: The Time
Super Freak: Rick James
Dancing Queen: ABBA
I'm Your Boogie Man: K.C. & The Sunshine Band
Rock & Roll Part Two: Gary Glitter
Do It 'Til You're Satisfied: B.T. Express
Flash Light (12" Version): Parliament
1999: Prince
Smooth Criminal: Michael Jackson
867-5309 (Jenny): Tommy Tutone
Hold On Loosely: .38 Special
Love Is Strong: The Rolling Stones
Rebel Yell: Billy Idol
The Stroke: Billy Squier
Do You Wanna Touch Me? (Oh Yeah!): Joan Jett
Scotty Doesn't Know: Lustra
Sharp Dressed Man: ZZ Top
Saturday Night: Bay City Rollers
I Can See Clearly Now: Johnny Nash
If I Had $1000000 Barenaked Ladies
When I'm Sixty-Four: The Beatles
Sit On My Face: Monty Python
Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now: Starship
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun: Cyndi Lauper
Holding Out for a Hero: Bonnie Tyler
Always Something There To Remind Me: Naked Eyes
Don't You (Forget About Me): Simple Minds
We Live For Love: Pat Benatar
Maria: Blondie
Your Love: The Outfield
Love Will Tear Us Apart: Joy Division
More Than This: Roxy Music
Everybody Have Fun Tonight: Wang Chung
Everybody Wants To Rule The World: Tears For Fears
Something About You: Level 42
Something So Strong: Crowded House
Mixed Emotions: The Rolling Stones
Modern Love: David Bowie
Just What I Needed: The Cars
Bust A Move: Young MC
It Takes Two: Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock
Fight The Power: Public Enemy
Baby Got Back: Sir Mix-a-lot
Nasty: Janet Jackson
Jump: Kris Kross
Pump Up The Volume: M/A/R/R/S
The Humpty Dance: Digital Underground
SexyBack: Justin Timberlake & Timbaland
Gimme More: Britney Spears
Gett Off: Prince
Make It Funky (Pt. 1): James Brown
Is This Love: Bob Marley & The Wailers
Let's Get It On: Marvin Gaye
Your Song: Elton John
You're My Best Friend: Queen
State Of Love And Trust: Pearl Jam
Somebody Told Me: The Killers
Land Of Confusion: Genesis
Need You Tonight: INXS
I Wanna Sleep With You: The Psychedelic Furs
Head Over Heels: Tears For Fears
Africa: Toto
Use Me: Al Jarreau
Hang Up: Madonna
SOS [Radio Edit]: Rihanna
Give Up the Funk: Parliament
Shake Your Booty: KC & The Sunhine Band
She Drives Me Crazy: Fine Young Cannibals
Real Wild Child: Iggy Pop
Let Love Rule: Lenny Kravitz
Here Comes My Girl: Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
I Found A Reason: The Velvet Underground
(Night Time Is) The Right Time: Ray Charles
Sexual Healing: Marvin Gaye
May This Be Love: Jimi Hendrix
Change: Tracy Chapman
I Want You: Tom Waits
No Ordinary Love: Sade
Unchained Melody: Righteous Brothers
Fever: Lisa Hindmarch
I Want To Be Loved By You: Sinéad O'Connor
It Had To Be You (Big Band And Vocals): Harry Connick, Jr.
Love Reign O'er Me: The Who
Under The Milky Way: The Church
Drive: The Cars
Faithfully: Journey
I'll Stand By You: Pretenders
New York State Of Mind: Billy Joel
Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen
What a Wonderful World: Louis Armstrong

The wedding playlist: Saturday, pre-game

In order. Total running time: 2 hours.

Baby I Love You: Aretha Franklin
I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch) [Stereo]: The Four Tops
Here I Am (Come and Take Me): Al Green
(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love And Understanding: Elvis Costello
We Are In Love: Harry Connick, Jr.
Pennies From Heaven: Louis Prima
Lover's Lane: Squirrel Nut Zippers
Higher Ground: Red Hot Chili Peppers
Shout: Ronald Isley-Rudolph Isley-O'Kelly Isley
I Want To Take You Higher: Sly & The Family Stone
With A Little Help From My Friends: Joe Cocker
Landslide: Smashing Pumpkins
What's Going On: Marvin Gaye
Son Of A Preacher Man: Dusty Springfield
I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do: ABBA
Live It Up (Pt. 1): The Isley Brothers
Get Down Tonight: K.C. & The Sunshine Band
Get Up (Sex Machine): James Brown
Don't Stop Me Now: Queen
Let's Dance: David Bowie
Be My Baby: The Ronettes
You Can't Hurry Love: Diana Ross & The Supremes
(Love Is Like A) Heat Wave [Single Version]: Martha Reeves & The Vandellas
Love Man: Otis Redding
Could You Be Loved: Bob Marley & The Wailers
Never, Never Gonna Give You Up: Barry White
Someday We'll Be Together: Diana Ross & The Supremes
Let's Stay Together: Al Green
Some Unholy War: Amy Winehouse
Stand By Me: John Lennon
America: Simon & Garfunkel
Chariot's Rise: Lizzie West
I Will Follow You Into The Dark: Death Cab For Cutie
At Last: Etta James

The wedding playlist: Friday night

In order. Total running time: 9.8 hours.

Sligo Creek: Al Petteway
Main Theme (From "Thelma and Louise"): James Fitzpatrick
Gotta Serve Somebody: Bob Dylan
Sweet Little Angel: B.B. King
Champagne & Reefer (featuring Buddy Guy) [Live]:The Rolling Stones
I Put A Spell On You: Buddy Guy Feat. Carlos Santana
Since I've Been Loving You: Led Zeppelin
Summertime: Janis Joplin
Voodoo Chile Blues: Jimi Hendrix
'Til I Fell In Love With You: Bob Dylan
I Want To Get Married: B.B. King
Boom Boom: John Lee Hooker
I Just Want To Make Love To You: Muddy Waters
To Know You Is To Love You: B.B. King
Mustang Sally: Buddy Guy & Jeff Beck
When The Levee Breaks: Led Zeppelin
Roadhouse Blues: The Doors
Baby Did A Bad Bad Thing: Chris Isaak
Ball And Biscuit: The White Stripes
I Like To Live The Love: B.B. King
I Found A True Love: Buddy Guy
Melissa: The Allman Brothers Band
Free Bird: Lynyrd Skynyrd
Let Me Love You Baby: Stevie Ray Vaughan
Thing Called Love: Bonnie Raitt
Surrender: Cheap Trick
Hold Tight: Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich
Love Her Madly: The Doors
Long Cool Woman (In a Black Dress): The Hollies
American Woman: The Guess Who
Slow Ride: Foghat
Let It Ride: BTO
Feel Like Makin' Love: Bad Company
Feels Like The First Time: Foreigner
More Than A Feeling: Boston
(Don't Fear) The Reaper: Blue Öyster Cult
Bang A Gong (Get It On): T.Rex
Black Magic Woman: Santana
Edge Of Seventeen: Stevie Nicks
Honky Tonk Women: The Rolling Stones
one bourbon, one scotch, one beer: George Thorogood & The Destroyers
When Love Comes To Town (7" Version): B.B. King
Trampled Underfoot: Led Zeppelin
American Pie: Don McLean
Into The Great Wide Open: Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
Love the One You're With: Stephen Stills
City Of New Orleans: Willie Nelson
Peaceful Easy Feeling: The Eagles
Can't Keep It In: Cat Stevens
Tiny Dancer: Elton John
Brown Eyed Girl: Van Morrison
You Can Leave Your Hat On: Joe Cocker
Old Time Rock And Roll: Bob Seger
Go Your Own Way: Fleetwood Mac
Running On Empty: Jackson Browne
Born To Run: Bruce Springsteen
Come Together: Aerosmith
Start Me Up: The Rolling Stones
You Shook Me All Night Long: AC/DC
Rock You Like A Hurricane: Scorpions
You Give Love A Bad Name: Bon Jovi
Fight For Your Right: The Beastie Boys
Smalltown: John Cale & Lou Reed
Small Town: John Mellencamp
Only The Good Die Young: Billy Joel
Summer of '69: Bryan Adams
Only The Young: Journey
High Enough: Damn Yankees
Jump: Van Halen
Midnight Show: The Killers
It's A Sin: Pet Shop Boys
Blue Monday: New Order
You Spin Me Round (Like A Record): Dead Or Alive
Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This): Eurythmics
Rapture: Blondie
Sex (I'm A ...): Berlin
I Want Candy: Bow Wow Wow
Once In A Lifetime: Talking Heads
Danke Schoen: Wayne Newton
Oh Yeah: Yello
White Wedding: Billy Idol
Obsession: Animotion
Venus: Bananarama
Bad Girls: Donna Summer
Lady Marmalade: Labelle
Whip It: Dazz
Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now: McFadden & Whitehead
Lovelite: O'bryan
Boogie Wonderland: Earth, Wind & Fire & The Emotions
Ladies Night: Kool & The Gang
Jungle Boogie: Kool & The Gang
Hot Pants: James Brown
I Can't Get Next To You: Al Green
Atomic Dog: George Clinton
Stronger: Kanye West
Breathe On Me (Jacques Lu Cont's Thin White Duke Mix): Britney Spears
Don't Stop The Music: Rihanna
Hella Good: No Doubt
Maneater: Nelly Furtado
Honey: Erykah Badu
Labor Day (It's A Holiday): Black Eyed Peas
Pump Up The Jam: Technotronic
She Drives Me Crazy: Fine Young Cannibals
Love Shack: The B-52's
It'll Chew You Up & Spit You Out: Concrete Blonde
I Get Wet: Andrew W. K.
1999: Prince
Final Countdown: Europe
We Built This City: Starship
Bohemian Rhapsody: Queen
(I Just) Died In Your Arms: Cutting Crew
Invincible [Theme From The Legend Of Billie Jean]: Pat Benatar
Addicted to Love: Robert Palmer
Maniac: Michael Sembello
Safety Dance: Men Without Hats
How Soon is Now?: The Smiths
Burn You Up, Burn You Down: Peter Gabriel
Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic: The Police
Waiting For A Star To Fall: Boy Meets Girl
Like A Virgin: Madonna
Freedom: George Michael
Pump It Up: Mudhoney
The Power Of Love: Huey Lewis & The News
Hungry Like The Wolf: Duran Duran
Just A Girl: No Doubt
Never Say Never: Romeo Void
The Politics Of Dancing: re-flex
Cars: Gary Numan
She's A Beauty: The Tubes
If You Leave: Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
True: Spandau Ballet
Total Eclipse Of My Heart: Bonnie Tyler
Hold Me Now: The Thompson Twins
Can You Picture That?: Dr. Teeth And The Electric Mayhem
Crazy Little Thing Called Love: Queen

A year ago today

Another trip in the way-back machine! Last year on this day I was covering Savannah, GA and Tampa, FL.

A year ago today

...I was in Charleston, SC, starting the epic road trip! As we all know, without that road trip, I would not be married right now.

Take a trip in my way-back machine, here.

I'm still having wedding anxiety dreams

Isn't that the darndest thing? I'm STILL having dreams about the wedding. That a bunch of people show up at my parents' house, and I'm trying to find room for all of them, or I'm trying to figure out how much food we'll need, or the wedding is about to take place and I'm looking for something. The other night I dreamed that somehow the marriage didn't take the first time around, so we had to go back and do the wedding all over again, and I was trying to get everyone back for it.

Have gotta-get-married-again dreams officially replaced the gotta-repeat-the-last-year-of-high-school dreams? Crazy.