It Always Pays To Look Up A Word.

Thanks to Wikipedia, I just saved myself from the misuse of a word. I was going to title this posting " A Pyrrhic Victory For Hillary," making reference to her win in Florida which produced no boost in delegate count. It was my (mis)understanding that the term made reference to a contest in which the victor won nothing beyond the joy of winning, (ie no prize.) I was not sure how to spell "pyrrhic" so I looked it up. Upon reading the definition, I learned that it actually means "a victory at a tremendous and devastating cost."

Okay, I'm an English nerd...I thought it was interesting. :-)

At any rate, Hillary did indeed win a prizeless contest, but one which may bring a bigger prize later on. The boost from the much-publicized Florida win can only help on Super Tuesday. If Edwards will endorse Hillary, I think we will be home free...

Obama is also helping our cause, in my opinion. He has amped up the negativity, especially in the face of the much-circulated photo of his obvious snub of Hillary at the State of the Union speech. Today he drew a negative comparison between Bill's "bridge to the 21st century" and Hillary's campaign. I am hopeful that the backlash will be enough to give our girl a boost next Tuesday. If we can command a decisive lead after Tuesday, I think we have a clear sail to the convention and (please, God) The White House.

In today's News From The Motherland... another well-deserved honour for JK Rowling.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7215772.stm

Hillary in 08!!!

FLT3

Looking Ahead To February 5...

Well, Saturday did not turn out quite as well as we had hoped in South Carolina. Hillary came in a solid second, picked up some delegates, and still retains a comfortable lead over Obama in the delegate count. However, Obama is admittedy charismatic, exciting politically, etc. The endorsements (of Obama) from Caroline and Ted Kennedy did not help matters, but I still think she will win the nomination. "Super Tuesday" should bring big wins for Hillary in some delegate-heavy states, such as NY and California.

Tom Sawyer opens tomorrow at BCT. The show is in good shape, and should come off just fine. Other theatrical projects are going well, also.

This weekend was fun. Saturday was rehearsal for Into The Woods, followed by a visit with my parents. Yesterday I went to Atlanta with some friends to see the national tour of The Drowsy Chaperone at the Fox Theatre. The show was a charming, fun, light-hearted confection which I enjoyed thoroughly. It should be a staple of smaller theatre groups as soon as the rights are released.

Today from The Motherland... a nice new job for Tony Blair.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7213355.stm

Hillary in 08!!!!

FLT3

Sweet Carolin(a)...

Well, tomorrow is the long-anticipated South Carolina primary...I think Hillary has a good shot. Obama has started to come off as snide and imperious, which I think (and hope) will work in her favor. I just received the Hillary buttons I ordered last week (www.hillaryclinton.com for those who are interested.) I started to wear one a day or two ago, but decided it was a bit early...

Since I am on a political tear (which is far from unusual) I took great interest in the fact that Dubya is going to deliver a very abbreviated State Of The Union speech. Thank God. The shorter the better. That man has been a national/international/global embarassment for seven years, but at least he seems willing to slither off into the sunset quietly. Only one more year...

Actually, I shouldn't be so hard on Dubya...bless his heart, he's just dumb. He can't help it. I would guess he's probably a decent enough guy to have a beer with, and he could certainly sit around and swap BS stories, but he's just not presidential. Granted, he would probably be an amusing small-town mayor, but still...

Not much else to report...it has been positively arctic here for the past few days, but for whatever reason it just hasn't bothered me. I have actually kind of enjoyed it for reasons stemming purely from vanity...I got a black pea-coat (which I really like) for Christmas, primarily to wear in London (which was freezing.) I had assumed it would be too warm to wear it very often in Alabama, but so far, I have gotten quite a bit of use out of it.

Tom Sawyer (BCT) I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change (VST) and Into The Woods (CenterStage) continue to progress nicely towards their respective openings. Family and friends are all doing well, and my girl Hillary is going to win big tomorrow. I can feel it! :-)

Today from The Motherland...a noble bear...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/south_of_scotland/7208505.stm

Hillary in '08!

FLT3

A Quick Hello

I realized that it had been a few days since last I posted, so I figured I would check in with all of my readers who now allegedly number in the low double-digits...woo hoo!

Not much to report...all is going well with Tom Sawyer, I Love You You're Perfect Now Change and Into The Woods. The weather has been extremely cold, but even I have kind of enjoyed a few days of winter.

The election cycle continues apace. I am hopeful that the recent kerfuffle over caucas voting in Nevada will work in Hillary's favor...a backlash, if you will, against what some may see as unethical advantage given to the votes of the hospitality workers.

In keeping with the election theme, a look at a very special flight attendant in today's News From The Motherland...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7193296.stm

Hillary in '08!

FLT3

Playing With The Big Kids...

Well, it's a little before 6, and I am sitting in a friend's office at Virginia Samford Theatre...(thanks, Lucas!) Since he does not know I am here, I will refrain from spitting on the floor or stealing things. I never do either of those things anyway, but I will definitely not start right now. :-)

Above me I can hear the kids rehearsing for the Les Miserables:Student Edition production, which is coming up soon. I love the show and know several of the young people in it, so I am sure I will enjoy seeing it.

I am hanging out here waiting for my 7:00 rehearsal...I am at Bham Children's Theatre until 5:00, so it makes little sense to go home between the two. I am in rehearsal for I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change, which is the subject of my headline today...

ILYYPNC is a 4-person show, and my three co-stars are Jan Hunter, Kristi Tingle-Higginbotham, and Howard Green. For those who do not know Birmingham theatre, these guys are the cream of the crop. I have done shows with each of them, but never all together. I am, as I said, definitely "playing with the big kids." It is going to be a wonderful show...very funny with delightful music (most of which has a 50's-ish doo-wop feel.) We open on Valentine's Day, for those who are interested. I strongly recommend it...it's going to be a great show!

On the political front, it appears that Obama is pulling slightly ahead of my girl Hillary in the Nevada polls, but she is still within the margin of error. I think this contest will be hard-fought, but I have faith...she can do it...HILLARY IN '08!

Not much else to say today...it's cold outside, but even I have to admit it's kind of nice. I have enjoyed actually getting to wear sweaters and coats for a few days.

Today from The Motherland...you're never too old to dance...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/cambridgeshire/7185908.stm


FLT3

Polite Chimp

Today from The Motherland...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7180661.stm

...a very polite chimp. :-)

Not much to report today. God's in His Heaven and all's right with the world.

HILLARY IN '08!!!!

Cheers!
FLT3

GO, HILLARY, GO!!!!!

Today, I will lead with the News From The Motherland, which tells of the AMAZING victory last night in New Hampshire...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7178168.stm

I will confess to having been a total theatre nerd and popping My Fair Lady into the cd player last night and playing "You Did It" a few times, in honor of Hillary. Our girl has, indeed, "found her voice" and I predict a hard-fought contest with Obama...ending in Hillary's nomination and election. (At least that's what I hope will happen.)

It was easy to recall the excitement that surrounded Bill's election in 1992. I was at UA at the time, clustered with several friends around the TV on election night. I remember the sheer joy, energy, and HOPE that came into the Oval Office with our last Clinton. At the time, I was glad to get rid of the then-President Bush...who would have guessed his son would have made him look so good, so wise, so presidential?

We've had eight years of the evil being led by an idiot. We've had eight years of winter...and now it's time for spring. If Bill was going to "force the spring" a decade and a half ago, Hillary can welcome the warmth and blossoms that come with the season.

It's easy to get caught up in the heady wind of victory...I have already been thinking about how wonderful it will be to return a sophisticate to the White House. After eight years of a semi-illiterate bumpkin, we're starved for some culture. After eight years of a semi-theocracy, it's time for some seperation of Church and State...and it's time to cast off the shackles of a hidebound, reactionary, puritan administration.

Yes, I believe in God, and I go to church (okay, not as often as I should, but still...) I am not some godless heathen, and I do not advocate crack deals at grade schools or sex in the middle of the Galleria...I just think many issues of morality are best left to the individual, which is exactly the message Hillary is sending.

The last Clinton brought eight years of economic prosperity. Bush II has done his best to run that into the ground.

The last Clinton had a consentual liason with another adult, (which should have been a private issue between The President and his wife.) The most recent Bush lied to start an illegal, immoral war where thousands have been killed. You tell me which one is more immoral...

Hillary wants us out of Iraq. I could not agree more.

Looking ahead, we've still got some work to do. Obama is still a formidable opponent, but in many ways I think he's the most formidable. Once Hillary has the nomination, she should find it easier to defeat any Republican in November. McCain is to mean-spirited...he will snap at the wrong time...Romney is too smug...Huckabee is a buffoon...Rudy might be a little harder to beat, but our girl can take him. I am cautiously optimistic about November.

Go Hillary!!!!

FLT3

Hillary in '08!

As we head towards New Hampshire, I am enthused but concerned about my girl Hillary... I still think we can win the nomination, but Obama is making it a bit more difficult than the walkover we had all envisioned. I am still confident, but it's going to be a slugfest. If memory serves, Bill lost Iowa and came in second in New Hampshire in '92...perhaps history will repeat itself...

I could live with Obama, and will certainly vote for him if he gets the nomination, but my heart is with Hillary. The Clinton years were good ones for me, and the thought of Clinton II brings me joy...if nothing else, however, the reign of Georgie the Second is almost over. We have survived.

Today from The Motherland...a comment upon Mrs. Clinton's campaign.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7174536.stm

FLT3

Home Again...

Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home...

I must confess that even though it was hard to leave The Motherland, I am glad to be back. After an excruciating wait at the Atlanta Airport (which has to be the most inefficient airport in the country) our happy group arrived back in Bham around 8:00 or so Thursday night. I was, of course, exhausted, and slept a great deal. Last night was not much better, although I did make it to rehearsal, falling back into bed around 9:00 and almost sleeping the clock around. I think jet lag is almost vanquished now, and I should be back on a normal sleep pattern by Monday.

Our trip was delightful. I spent almost all of New Year's Day in Oxford, showing my friend Raymond around the town. We visited Wadham College, where I spent a glorious month as an undergraduate through the "Alabama At Oxford" program. The porter was nice enough to let us wander freely, and I revisited some old haunts. We then had lunch at The King's Arms Pub (next door to Wadham) and strolled the city. Like all walks down memory lane, it was a touch bittersweet, but mostly happy. I will, of course, be back...

The West End theatre scene was hoppin', of course. We saw 4 shows, MARY POPPINS, SPAMALOT, and AVENUE Q (all of which I loved) and THE LORD OF THE RINGS (which I have no plans to ever waste time on again.) I noticed that GONE WITH THE WIND:THE MUSICAL is set to open next summer...not sure if it's a new script or a revival of the 1970's flop. As a GWTW fan, I would be interested to see it if for no other reason than as a curiosity.

Since Raymond had never been to London, we hit most of the touristy spots, which was kind of nice. It had been a long time since I had seen The Tower of London, and I enjoyed seeing it again. Harrod's was crowded but fun, and The British Museum was just as grand as I recalled. My favorite spot will always be Westminster Abbey, and we went to Evensong there. Breathtaking...

Covent Garden remains another favorite, and I made my traditional pilgrimage to St Paul's Covent Garden, where Henry Higgins first met Eliza Doolittle. It was nice to see that the cart called "Eliza's Sweetie Shoppe" was still up and running. Continuity is sometimes a good thing.

Made a stop at King's Cross Station, where an "official" Platform 9 3/4 has been set up for us Harry Potter fans. There is a sliced-off luggage cart attached to the wall, which creates the illusion of entering the wizarding world...I also picked up a copy of Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone (called the Sorcerer's Stone in the USA.) I was tempted to buy the complete hardback boxed set of the British editions, but at almost 200 pounds (400 dollars) it was a bit out of my price range...oh well, maybe next time...

Etc...etc...etc... I won't bore my readers with excruciating details. Suffice it to say a good time was had by all. I believe a New York excursion is a real possibility for this year. I will start looking into it next week, as allowing a year to plan seemed to work well for everyone.

In today's News From The Motherland...an old man who has clearly taken leave of his senses...perhaps I could "take his place" in England...?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7172925.stm

Cheers!
FLT3