Tom Kim

I just came back from Wittenberg, a play by David Davalos being premiered at the Arden Theater.

This is the marketing synopsis of the play:

Set during late October of 1517, this smart, sprightly and audacious battle of wits features university colleagues Dr. Faustus (a man of appetites), Martin Luther (a man of faith), and their student Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark (a youth struggling not only with his beliefs but also with his tennis game). Playwright David Davalos brings us the story behind the stories in a highly entertaining and accessible exploration of reason versus faith, starring Scott Greer as Faustus and Greg Wood as Luther.

It looked interesting enough for me to go, but I didn’t have particularly high expectations for it. I’ve had bad experiences with first-run productions, and despite the play being billed as a comedy, I was afraid it might be a little high-falutin’ and staid.

Boy was I wrong. It’s an extremely clever and smartly funny piece of work. If anything, it can come off as a little too clever and precious at times, wink-winking every five seconds or so. Nevertheless, I had a really great time and never felt even slightly drowsy over the two hour period.

I was also impressed because I had naturally assumed the playwright had a pretty good understanding of Hamlet and Dr. Faustus, but I was skeptical how deep a knowledge he had of Martin Luther and his theology. I’d have to say, however, that his portrayal of Luther’s apologetics was very fair. I’d encourage all of my friends, both sinners and saints, to go see it and, one might hope, discuss it with one another.

What I’m most thankful for this Thanksgiving: Elijah Jae-Duk Kim, my firstborn, and Dana, my wife.

My school is requesting any recommendations of visiting artists (actors, authors, craftsmen, poets, dancers, visual artists, musicians) to host for the current academic year.

The Quaker principles are being highlighted this year with a special emphasis on stewardship, so you may want to consider how a visiting artist might support and enhance this theme or another aspect of your curriculum.

Recommendations are to be considered on a first-come, first-serve basis by an Arts Council committee.

Anyone want to throw a shout-out to someone you think might fit the criterion?

• Funky Fridays followed by YRock at XPN. Makes me love being stuck in traffic on Fridays.
• Kanye West’s Graduation. There can be worse things to dominate the airwaves right now. Don’t be hat’n.
• Myriad Harbor

Okay, it’s only now that I can catch my breath to report on last weekend — possibly the most jam-packed, enjoyable weekend I’ve had all year.

Warning: This post gloats at how great and charmed my life is right now, so if that will make you hateful, don’t go past this crease.

(more…)

To celebrate the waning days of summer, and the announcement that MTV has elected John Ashbery as its first poet laureate, I give you this poem:

Popular Songs
by John Ashbery

He continued to consult her for her beauty
(The host gone to a longing grave).
The story then resumed in day coaches
Both bravely eyed the finer dust on the blue. That summer
(”The worst ever”) she stayed in the car with the cur.
That was something between her legs.
Alton had been getting letters from his mother
About the payments — half the flood
Over and what about the net rest of the year?
Who cares? Anyway (you know how thirsty they were)
The extra worry began it — on the
Blue blue mountain — she never set foot
And then and there. Meanwhile the host
Mourned her quiet tenure. They all stayed chatting.
No one did much about eating.
The tears came and stopped, came and stopped, until
Becoming the guano-lightened summer night landscape,
All one glow, one mild laugh lasting ages.
Some precision, he fumed into his soup.

You laugh. There is no peace in the fountain.
The footmen smile and shift. The mountain
Rises nightly to disappointed stands
Dining in “The Gardens of the Moon.”
There is no way to prevent this
Or the expectation of disappointment.
All are aware, some carry a secret
Better, of hands emulating deeds
Of days untrustworthy. But these may decide.
The face extended its sorrowing light
Far out over them. And now silent as a group
The actors prepare their first decline.

Yay, I feel special. Only Partially Insane tagged me for the 8 random things meme going around, which only proves that… well, that she’s only partially insane. [Sorry, Leah, I didn't notice you tagged me until now!]

Rules

1. We have to post these rules before we give you the facts.
2. Players start with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
3. People who are tagged write their own blog post about their eight things and include these rules.
4. At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged and that they should read your blog.

Eight Random Things About… Teacher Tom

1. I have athlete’s foot on my left foot. Not on my right.
2. My niece took a look at the tufts of hair on my feet, pointed, and said, “Ashy’s feet.” Ash is their family dog, an enormous Shiloh Shepherd.
3. I once hitchhiked across the Midwest.
4. I use a yoga ball as my office chair at home.
5. I worked the night shift at Star Market, a supermarket chain in Boston, while courting my then-girlfriend-now-wife.
6. I once shaved my eyebrows off.
7. I once won an award for a short story I wrote in middle school… about vampires.
8. “I love it when they call me Big Poppa.”

A lot of the WordPress circle has been hit so far, so I think I’ll tag a bunch of Xanga folk:

• The Cat and The Hen
• NatureGal
• Chef Boyardee
• Moo and Boo
• Smelen
• Reconstructed
• Matthews the Younger
• The Schantzes

So I got up at 5:30 this morning, did a little busywork, hopped on my bike (still drizzling outside), rode to the end of the block,…

and turned right back around.

Suffice it to say my groin was buzzing yesterday and now it’s screaming. I’m a little “saddle-sore.”

Tomorrow it is, then.

On my other blog (Skunkworks), I’m starting a series of posts on how I created some lullaby mixes for our impending kid.

So I showed up half an hour late to the NE Philly Bloggers meetup last night. At Chickie and Pete’s. Looked around for you guys for about ten minutes then headed straight back home. I barely slept the night before, and the whole experience left me crabby.

1. Chickie and Pete’s is an awful place to meet. Long lines. Overcrowded. Noisy. Bad themed restaurant vibe. Suburban vulgarity and desperation. Lots of people seemingly pretty intent on getting on drunk.
2. No indication of who or where you were. There were loads of small crowds of people, and none with laptops or other geek accessories.
3. Didn’t realize how out of the way the place was for me. Not familiar with the northeast, and I feel pretty content right now to keep it that way.

Instead, I got home, ordered pizza from Rustica, and conked out.

I definitely like meeting at the Ten Stone better, but not really by all that much. Food’s not exorbitant, but still feels pricey. No wifi that I recall. And they don’t seem to really value that we bring a group of customers every month. Any suggestions for a better locale?

[I just read Owen's experience with Independents Hall. Would be perfect and might be good marketing for them.]