Wednesday, June 29, 2011
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results"
I've just been informed that the girl who succeeded to my position at The Evil Theater of Evilness is quitting. After 18 months in the position. HA! What's more, she's quitting after an incident almost exactly the same as that which caused me to quit, ie, being verbally attacked by the Theatrrr Director.
Her brief tenure, by the way, means that my own record of 32 months as the Marketing Director is secure. A dubious honor for me? Perhaps. Something the organization should be proud of? Certainly not.
I've just been informed that the girl who succeeded to my position at The Evil Theater of Evilness is quitting. After 18 months in the position. HA! What's more, she's quitting after an incident almost exactly the same as that which caused me to quit, ie, being verbally attacked by the Theatrrr Director.
Her brief tenure, by the way, means that my own record of 32 months as the Marketing Director is secure. A dubious honor for me? Perhaps. Something the organization should be proud of? Certainly not.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Seeing Neil Gaiman, by Rae J. Age 35
So, I had the very great delight of attending The Neil Gaiman Experience at Town Hall last night and I promised to blog about it - "an actual blog, not just a status update" - so that Cole could hate and envy me with precision and accuracy. This is that blog.
The Line:
My Experience actually began in the line for Will Call A-M, which was backed up down the block (Will Call N-Z had about 5 people waiting; apparently Neil Gaiman fans tend to have last names in the first half of the alphabet, make of that what you will). Since the active event staff quickly informed us that nothing was going to start until everyone was safely inside, we could all relax and make friends.
One lady in front of us, who had seen Neil at a signing in Portland several years before, was texting with a friend who had the fortune to be already within; and this is how we learned there was going to be an opening act (which seemed very appropriate given Neil Himself's intensely active internet presence).
The second lady (with whom I shared a last name; weird and wonderful) knew a surprising amount about the other event in the building that night (which had a noticeably older fan demographic) - Steig Larsson's Girlfriend Cashes In (I may be remembering the title inaccurately). Naturally this prompted me to give Mr. D permission to cash in on my death, should I be so ill mannered as to die before he does.
The Event:
Billing the event as "in conversation with" was well done, as that is probably about as close as you could come to summing up the quirky awesomeness of the evening in one short phrase. Part interview, part reading, part lecture, part Q&A and, as mentioned, including a bonus opening act; "big, happy geek family gathering" would also cover it, but is perhaps not a phrase a marketing person would be comfortable using.
The Opening Act:
Featured a ukulele (which is, I believe, required by Seattle city ordinance for gatherings above a certain size). A lovely lady named Molly (Lewis. I had to look her name up after the event. The acoustics in Town Hall are occasionally muddy) came out and sang for us, one song a musical triptych about the night Lincoln was shot, the second an open offer to be the host mother for Stephen Fry's baby. So, both firmly in the nerdcore wheelhouse and loved by me and everyone.
The Lecture:
Unpremeditated, I think, though I suppose it could be something he has on tap, Neil politely explained to us all why we should really, _really_, turn off the ringers on our cell phones. He did this at some length after the second phone rang, which happened with cosmically good comedic timing, immediately after his first, much simpler plea to turn off our phones.
And this is as good a place as any to say what so many others already have: Neil Gaiman is a ridiculously charming public speaker. It is astonishing to the point that it almost seems to be a super power. After the second cell phone, where any other Famous Person might have, understandably, gotten a bit annoyed, Neil instead patiently outlined in glorious detail the nature and size of the horrible shame we would feel if our cell phone rang during the remainder of the event. I don't know if it was the Super Charm or that his voice was invariably gentle throughout, but when he said "You will want to die" it was easy to believe he was (in a friendly mocking way) genuinely more concerned for our embarrassment than any of the other side effects of the cell phone interruption.
The Reading:
Once all the noises were taken care of, we proceeded to the selected readings. ("Coming to America, 14000 BC" and the scene where Sam and Shadow go to the bar). I was curious; would he do voices? And: Sort of, yes. Sam had a definitely lighter, faster weight. Shadow seemed to almost leave behind the Britishness. Also? Neil does other voices. Namely Tim Minchin and Alan Moore. I have no idea whether these are accurate portrayals, but I really don't need to know that. It was awesome.
The Q&A:
Best Q - "Have you ever met a god?"
A - No, but there were two people he'd known who maybe perhaps could be designated gods. Alan Moore, who would be the God of Looming (this is where he did the voice) and Douglas Adams, who would be the God of Accidentally Breaking Things by Backing Into Them and Then Seeing Them In a Way That No One Has Ever Seen Them Before That is So Compelling That You Can Never See Them in the Same Way Again.
Worst Q - (though I may just be bitter because my question didn't come up) "Do you have any advice for aspiring fantasy writers?"
A - (and here's the Super Charm at work again. His answer to this tedious question was both lovely and useful)
Write.
Finish what you write.
Read everything but fantasy.
Don't try to rewrite Lord of the Rings. It's already been written and far better than you ever could. Write the things that only you can write.
Without question, it was one of the more satisfying live events I've ever gone to. It is downright enchanting to discover that one of one's heros is as eloquent and entertaining as you always hoped to find them. Apparently he might be back in town in November (with Amanda Fucking Palmer no less; double plus good!). If at all possible, I will be in the audience. And next time I'll remember to bring my camera.
So, I had the very great delight of attending The Neil Gaiman Experience at Town Hall last night and I promised to blog about it - "an actual blog, not just a status update" - so that Cole could hate and envy me with precision and accuracy. This is that blog.
The Line:
My Experience actually began in the line for Will Call A-M, which was backed up down the block (Will Call N-Z had about 5 people waiting; apparently Neil Gaiman fans tend to have last names in the first half of the alphabet, make of that what you will). Since the active event staff quickly informed us that nothing was going to start until everyone was safely inside, we could all relax and make friends.
One lady in front of us, who had seen Neil at a signing in Portland several years before, was texting with a friend who had the fortune to be already within; and this is how we learned there was going to be an opening act (which seemed very appropriate given Neil Himself's intensely active internet presence).
The second lady (with whom I shared a last name; weird and wonderful) knew a surprising amount about the other event in the building that night (which had a noticeably older fan demographic) - Steig Larsson's Girlfriend Cashes In (I may be remembering the title inaccurately). Naturally this prompted me to give Mr. D permission to cash in on my death, should I be so ill mannered as to die before he does.
The Event:
Billing the event as "in conversation with" was well done, as that is probably about as close as you could come to summing up the quirky awesomeness of the evening in one short phrase. Part interview, part reading, part lecture, part Q&A and, as mentioned, including a bonus opening act; "big, happy geek family gathering" would also cover it, but is perhaps not a phrase a marketing person would be comfortable using.
The Opening Act:
Featured a ukulele (which is, I believe, required by Seattle city ordinance for gatherings above a certain size). A lovely lady named Molly (Lewis. I had to look her name up after the event. The acoustics in Town Hall are occasionally muddy) came out and sang for us, one song a musical triptych about the night Lincoln was shot, the second an open offer to be the host mother for Stephen Fry's baby. So, both firmly in the nerdcore wheelhouse and loved by me and everyone.
The Lecture:
Unpremeditated, I think, though I suppose it could be something he has on tap, Neil politely explained to us all why we should really, _really_, turn off the ringers on our cell phones. He did this at some length after the second phone rang, which happened with cosmically good comedic timing, immediately after his first, much simpler plea to turn off our phones.
And this is as good a place as any to say what so many others already have: Neil Gaiman is a ridiculously charming public speaker. It is astonishing to the point that it almost seems to be a super power. After the second cell phone, where any other Famous Person might have, understandably, gotten a bit annoyed, Neil instead patiently outlined in glorious detail the nature and size of the horrible shame we would feel if our cell phone rang during the remainder of the event. I don't know if it was the Super Charm or that his voice was invariably gentle throughout, but when he said "You will want to die" it was easy to believe he was (in a friendly mocking way) genuinely more concerned for our embarrassment than any of the other side effects of the cell phone interruption.
The Reading:
Once all the noises were taken care of, we proceeded to the selected readings. ("Coming to America, 14000 BC" and the scene where Sam and Shadow go to the bar). I was curious; would he do voices? And: Sort of, yes. Sam had a definitely lighter, faster weight. Shadow seemed to almost leave behind the Britishness. Also? Neil does other voices. Namely Tim Minchin and Alan Moore. I have no idea whether these are accurate portrayals, but I really don't need to know that. It was awesome.
The Q&A:
Best Q - "Have you ever met a god?"
A - No, but there were two people he'd known who maybe perhaps could be designated gods. Alan Moore, who would be the God of Looming (this is where he did the voice) and Douglas Adams, who would be the God of Accidentally Breaking Things by Backing Into Them and Then Seeing Them In a Way That No One Has Ever Seen Them Before That is So Compelling That You Can Never See Them in the Same Way Again.
Worst Q - (though I may just be bitter because my question didn't come up) "Do you have any advice for aspiring fantasy writers?"
A - (and here's the Super Charm at work again. His answer to this tedious question was both lovely and useful)
Write.
Finish what you write.
Read everything but fantasy.
Don't try to rewrite Lord of the Rings. It's already been written and far better than you ever could. Write the things that only you can write.
Without question, it was one of the more satisfying live events I've ever gone to. It is downright enchanting to discover that one of one's heros is as eloquent and entertaining as you always hoped to find them. Apparently he might be back in town in November (with Amanda Fucking Palmer no less; double plus good!). If at all possible, I will be in the audience. And next time I'll remember to bring my camera.
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