The Daily News

1  For those of you who have been out of the loop, Jenny Valdez gets married this Saturday . She's marrying Jeff Ramirez and they are going to be making their home in Spokane. If you were invited, it's THIS Saturday, so get ready for a celebration! Congrats to the bride and groom!

2  Okay, so who feels old out there?

3  Personally I can still prance and prowl with the best of them. As long as I don't have to walk too far to do it.

4  Anyway, break-a-leg Jenny and Jeff. I'll say a bit more on Friday if I can still remember what is happening Saturday.

5   Moving on: This Thursday night at 6:30 p.m. the Christian Warriors present a benefit rock concert. Here's all the information I got from Lynnie's MySpace:

6  This is a benefit concert. All proceeds go to the American Red Cross. So come on out and enjoy the evening, and help contribute to a good cause.

7  Moving on: here's a little MySpace stuff.

8  tblkwjwtmfw_kf a friend has posted a new comment for your approval on MySpace sent on May 162006 12:01 a.m.

HEY TOM! WHAT'S UP WITH THIS JAMMING EVERYONE'S E-MAILS WITH YOUR STUPID TBLKWJ STUFF? WHAT'S THAT ABOUT? LOVE WHAT YOU'VE DONE WITH YOUR HAIR. YOU LOOK SO DIFFERENT. LEAVE MY MOM ALONE YOU GEEK. HOLLA BACK.

~H~

9  JAY-zuss.

10  Frickin' Tom.

11  Now what's HELLSA cool is that my MOM now has a myspace. Tom is the first guy on her top 8. Yeah.

12  PEEPING Tom.

13  Little freak.

14  jk

15  lol

16  roflmao

17  : )

18  You know what's weird? You understood every one of those things even though they are old school.

19  I'm old school.

20  I always have been, and always will be.

21  Retro rocks.

22  I'm outta here.

23  Rocket ship.

24  Blast off.

25  Outer Space.

25  Out.

 

~H~

 

 

 

www.xanga.com/bharrington

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Daily News

       Straight gangsta.

1  Yesterday's YB website had this to say on its little traveling marquee: Sunday, May 14, 2006 Early release schedule today...totally gangsta.

2  So they're starting to give Sunday school to kids in hopes they might earn their halos.

3  On MOTHER'S Day yet. Gangsta.

4  JAY-zuss. JAY-Z!

5  I think it's pretty cold making kids have Sunday school on Mother's Day. At least it was early release.

6  So things again are winding down like a tired old clock. I have no idea whether today is a collaboration day or not. The marquee switched last night to Monday, May 15, 2006 Early release schedule...Huh? Straight gangsta.

7  I love how confused I get at this time of the year. Everything is always in disarray because of the weirdness of the time of year, the heat, and my own tendency to be gangsta. Straight up.

8  Moving on: We had a successful High Notes music festival which midway through I realized was NOT the Music in the Parks festival. If I would only read my own DN sometimes I think I would have known that.

9  Then we had the Pigeon Players' Saturday night show, the one in which The Philadelphia just tore it up. I laughed so hard I had tears rolling down my face. Great job on the whole show, I swear. I enjoyed it.

10  I wore a tux to the show, met Nicole and Jonathan, and we enjoyed it together, plus I looked straight gangsta sitting there.

11  I then took off for the Senior Ball, where the kids looked stunning! I looked pretty too, I must say. This is where the story turns gangsta. So here goes. It ain't much, but here's my SENIOR BALL gangsta story:

12 No sooner had I gotten there than I had to run to a 7-11 for some allergy medicine. This was at the sixth street 7-11 downtown. You could hear this loud hip-hop music playing as I moved to the front door. I was chillin' in the TOONDRA booming some serious beats. G-UNIT, U KNO!!! I had shined my gold teeth for prom, 'cuz I wuz a straight up PIMP. I got out cracked my knuckles and flashed my bling. LOVE/HATE-Do-the-right-thingOH-GEE. Yee-uh.

13 I walked in there in my street tux with purple vest and BLING, and the guy behind the counter yelled, "PIMP!" I just paused staring at the collection of cold pills and aspirin. I looked over and he said, "YEE-UH! WHAT IT DO!" The world stopped.

14  I looked over, poker faced. The place fell silent.

15  Bitch, what it do.

16  I looked around like a King-Hell baddass, and set the bottle of children's Dimetap on the counter. I reached in the pocket of my PIMP jacket to get my ATM card. When I pulled my hand out, blood rushed up and down everyone there. I tossed my card on the counter like a poker chip. The place froze.

17  I stared that guy down. "Need my EYE-DEE?"

18  The guy shook his head. He looked pretty nervous. "IT'S OKAY MAN! I BELIEVE YOU!" I walked out to whispers. I started up the TOOOONDRA, cranked some G-Unit, and bounced.

19  I checked the rear view and five guys gathered, pointed, and covered their mouths with their hands.

20  Children's Dimetap. Straight-up gangsta. 

21  I took off for prom, disappearing into the fearful night.

22  Straight up gangsta, foo.

23  I made it back to prom with a huge smile on my face.

24  Straight gangsta.

25  Payce. See ya again.

26  Out.

 

 

 

 

 

www.xanga.com/bharrington

The Daily News

1  Wow...

2  Just...wow.

3  Looking back.

4  Looking forward.

5  The Wheel's turning and you can't slow down.

6  You can't let go and you can't hold on.

7  You can't go back and you can't stand still.

8  If the thunder don't get you then the lightning will.

  Won't you try just a little bit harder?
Couldn't you try just a little bit more?
Won't you try just a little bit harder?
Couldn't you try just a little bit more?

Round round robin run around
Gotta get back where you belong
Little bit harder, just a little bit more
Little bit farther than you than you've gone before


The wheel is turning
and you can't slow down
You can't let go
and you can't hold on
You can't go back
and you can't stand still
If the thunder don't get you
then the lightning will

Small wheel turn by the fire and rod
Big wheel turn by the grace of God
Every time that wheel turn round
bound to cover just a little more ground

The wheel is turning
and you can't slow down
You can't let go
and you can't hold on
You can't go back
and you can't stand still
If the thunder don't get you
then the lightning will

Won't you try just a little bit harder
Couldn't you try just a little bit more?
Won't you try just a little bit harder?
Couldn't you try just a little bit more?

---Robert Hunter/The Wheel

9   Sigh.

10  Have a nice weekend everybody.

11  Peace.

 

~H~

 

 

 

www.xanga.com/bharrington

 

 

The Daily News

1  Sometimes I just have to brag.

2  Last night my beautiful daughter Nicole received the top scholarship of $3000 awarded by theEvergreen Valley Retired Teachers.

3  This was a group of retired teachers awarding cash prizes to four final candidates. They were amazed that Nicole has wanted to become a teacher since she was a small child, and has never wavered.

4  Nicole received three letters of recommendation, with teachers talking of how she would always lead class discussions, group projects, would assist with grading, and would always watch over the kids who might be struggling.

5  Her dance instructor, Mara Williams, called her one of the most natural teachers she has ever seen, often showing up with crayons, paper and all the rest just so kids who were waiting for their moms to come and get them would have something to do.

6  She has carried at least 14 units each semester and has worked two jobs, maintaining a 3.9 GPA the entire time. In addition to that, she was able to keep up with rigorous dance rehearsals up until last year when Adage School for Performing Arts had to close their doors. She became a teacher for that group, working with small kids and always finding time for  anyone who needed extra help.

7  She's also just a great friend.

8  I wrote this to the EVRT:

"In short, this girl, this absolute jewel of a daughter of mine, was simply born to teach...The most important thing about Nicole is that she has had a passion to teach since she first entered school, and she is now on the verge of stepping into the world of education and contributing all her talent and love, and as a teacher reaching the sunset of his teaching years, it's good to see someone so dedicated moving into the profession."

9  That's my kid.

10  She finally got the recognition that she deserves.

11  Sorry, but I just had to brag. Because I owe it to this beautiful child of mine, who will now move into this gloriously insane career.

12  We need people like Nicole now, more than ever.

13  Every teacher in that building was awed by my child last night.

14  And I was awed the most. Sheer grace, style, and class, that child. And passion beyond belief. 

15  Nicole, congratulations. You are clearly on your way. Education will have a new superstar within two years.

16  I guess I'm just lost in the stars tonight.

17  Sorry.

18  I  just happens sometimes.

19  I love you Nicoley. This was my greatest moment as a teacher.

20  You'll challenge and inspire kids with all your heart and soul.

21  And that, my child and my friend, is what makes a great teacher.

22  Look at the stars.

23  Look how they shine for you.

24  And all the things you do...

25  Peace.

 

love

 

~daddy~

 

 

 

 

http://www.xanga.com/bharrington

 

   

The Daily News

1  Ever wonder why we spend so much of our lives waiting?

2  I just thought of that tonight.

3  This week, for example, there are people waiting or all sorts of things.

4  Every week, actually.

5  People are waiting for Thursday, for example, because they have a Pigeon Players closing weekend coming up. Their show is called All in the Timing, and it goes up this weekend, Thursday and Saturday nights at 8 p.m, and Sunday at 3 p.m. It is a David Ives smorgasbord, with such great pieces as Variations on the Death of Trotsky, Universal Language, Captive Audience, Sure Thing, The Philadelphia, and Words, Words, Words. These shows are superb, professionally handled, and pretty darned funny!

6  AND they are essentially free, but a donation would really show a lot of class. Especially if it's a handsome donation! The show runs almost exactly 2 hours, from start to finish, so it's just a great time!

7  Waiting.

8  People are waiting for Friday, because on Friday we are turning the entire theatre around to host a Music in the Parks festival as a fundraiser for our awesome musicians at the school. That event goes Saturday morning as well.

9  And waiting.

10  Saturday night is the big one. People are waiting for the Senior Ball, which takes place at the downtown Marriott this year. What a night! Always memorable, and always one of the best nights of the year. The stress of asking people to go, of being asked, of getting the money together, of getting dressed, making plans, doing hair, nails, hairspray, glitter and all the rest makes up for it in a razzle-dazzle time. Good luck to everyone on that; I'll never forget ours last year. What a night!

11  So...we're just waiting. And waiting. And waiting.

12   Some people are waiting for the school year to end, and for long-awaited summer to greet all of us with a huge smile.

13 Some are just waiting for the end of each day.

14  Some are waiting for happy things.

15  Some are just waiting to find something out.

16  Some are waiting for the sunset.

17  We just spend so much of our time waiting, it seems.

18  A lot of the time, I just look up at all of it and smile a small smile.

19  I guess I'm just waiting too.

20  Have a great day.

21  Peace.

 

~h~

 

 

 

 

www.xanga.com/bharrington

 

 

 

 

The Daily News

Much madness is divinist sense
To a discerning eye;
Much sense the starkest madness.
’Tis the majority
In this, as all, prevails.
Assent, and you are sane;
Demur, – you’re straightway dangerous,
And handled with a chain.

                                              ---Emily Dickinson

1  Right now there is some sports station that is blaring some commercial for Viagra, while the television in my sunroom is blaring some cop show, and I'm surrounded by a cacaphony of brash, loud television.

2  Every now and again this happens. I had the baseball game on, but there was other television that simply NEEDED to be on, so that's the basic formula.

3  I really feel that the sannozay police ought to come in here with clubs swinging and whistles blowing.

4  It's a special on the Red Sox/Yankees rivalry. Brought to you by Viagra.

6  The other television is brought to you by Levitra.

7  It's like this house guest with a HUGE mouth that just keeps going, jawing on and on, LOUDLY.

8  And Joe Morgan seems to be sifting through all the noise with comments about the Yankees and the Red Sox.

9  Some guy on the cop show has softened his voice, but there are now echoes all over the place.

10  I'm online as all this occurs.

11  A symphony of noise brought to this place by Viagra and Levitra.

12  Who knew?

13  My left ear has grown to the size of Virgin Records store in San Francisco, and my finger just froze on the nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn
on my computer.

14  The guy on NEWS just came on HOLLERING THE NEWS STORY>...................

15 I THINK that's a martini glass, sideways, but I don't
think I did that on purpose. This place is outta control!

16  The guy on the news show sounds like he was drunk while announcing an item about a "stragedy", whatever the heck THAT means.

17  I'm suddenly rocking back and forth, semi-aslip with a silly little grin on my lips, having no idea that I shoulda been aslip. I'm maintaining in a vortex of madness and loud televisions everywhere.

18  That's a risk I'm willing to take. I'll sally forth through the muck and mire of this insanity.

19   So far, nothing of any substance going on around here. I feel like I'm right smack in the midst of a monstrous nightmare, with LOUD echoes and craziness bombarding my senses to the point of sheer oblivion.

20  I think I'm going to slow all of this down, and then start hurling televisions out my windows and onto the street. There are times when implosion isn't altogether a bad thing.

21  Bad craziness tonight. Trying to sleep; trying to stay awake. May madness. Insanity. I swear. I nid some slip.

22  I think I'll just push the ignore button on all of this.

23  Or just push the computer button and hold it until it all goes away.

24  Out. <poof!> Bluescreen.

 

 

{{{{{{{{{{{~H~}}}}}}}}}}}

 

 

 

 

www.xanga.com/bharrington

The Daily News                   1  Regular schedule today, regular schedule tomorrow. 2  To alumni, remember those days? In May we would suddenly move from having collaboration schedule for the entire Spring to regular schedules the last month of school. 3  And most of us would groan at those words, because they would translate to a long opening for the week. We would know that each period was to be an eternity until maybe Wednesday. A sleepless deathlike state would come over us while the sun would smile and the birds would chirp for those outside the prison gates. 4  But I'm guessing there are alumni out there who would love to trade places with a lot of us right now, and would love nothing more than to hear those words once more in their weird, changed lives. 5  Regular schedule today, regular schedule tomorrow. 6  So simple. Life sometimes can just be capsuled that simply. It's so reassuring, when you think about it. We take that so for granted.           We spent all our money on stupid things but if I look back           now I'd probably give it all away, just for one more day...                                                      --Simple Plan, Everytime 7  Indeed. 8  Regular schedule today, regular schedule tomorrow. 9  How innocently lovely. What a peaceful thought. 10  For the students now, reading this won't make too much sense. That's because you have no clue. And I don't mean that as an insult, just as a barometer. You won't get this unless you are pretty perceptive. You have to have lived a little. 11  But to all the rest, I send this out to you. As you cram for that midterm in college, or crank over your beat up car to get to work, or sit and ponder how you ever came to be where you are right now, it's a fun thing just to pause a moment and think of how sweet things used to be. 12  Regular schedule today, regular schedule tomorrow. 13  Ah, if only life were that simple. 14  So I'm going to go in today and have long-ass periods all day, and just like most of the students, probably keep my eye on a VERY slow clock this sunny day, awaiting the day's end in agonizing torture, knowing that tomorrow will be much the same. 15  And others who are reading this will go off in their cars, or into their daily insanity, look up, and smile as they pause and reflect on how lovely those words really are. 16 Regular schedule today, regular schedule tomorrow. 17  So lovely in its simplicity. 18  Regular schedule today, regular schedule tomorrow. 19  Have a beautiful day. 20  Peace.     ~h~

~Note: For some reason, this didn't publish on Friday May 5 , 2006. So for all you DN addicts, don't trip. Here it is in all it's splendor~

~h~

The Daily News

1  Happy Cinco de Mayo!

2  Well, I'd love to dwell on that, but last night Xanga decided to upgrade their entire operation, and the DN I had written disappeared this morning!

3  It's a long story, but in short, I got home late last night from having visited my mom for her birthday AND after having spent time at the Pigeon Player's final dress for tonight's opening of All in the Timing. I checked a few e-mails and then rolled up my sleeves to crank out a late-night edition.

4  I love that kinda talk.

5  AnywayZ, Xanga was closed for the evening,  like a storefront with white shades half-drawn over the window. You could make things out, but overall, it was pretty dark inside.

6  I kept going to the site, but it kept saying "Website not responding." Or were "Web" and "Site" two different words?

7  Can't remember.

8  AnywayZ...

9  I was going to share the joy I had visiting my mom and giving her the DVD of our spring musical My Favorite Things. Darryl and some folks put this really fun DVD together for my mom, and I brought it to her yesterday, last night in fact.

10  She was really touched by the whole thing. She hadn't been to a play in years and said she felt that by watching our little show, that she was at a live performance, and when she saw that it was dedicated to her, she felt pretty special.

11  The amazing thing about my mom was that even though it was all for her, she felt happy because all the kids would now be able to love and cherish those songs forever.

12  That's my mom!

13  Of course when I sang Look to the Rainbow, I thought I caught a tear sneaking down her cheek, but she hid it pretty darned well.

14  You can't hurt steel.

15  When she saw the kids singing All Good Gifts and bonding at the end, and the subsequent flowers and cheers and hugs, she thought it was one of the best gifts she ever got because my students were given such special memories.

16  That's my mom.

17  So.

18  AnywayZ...

19  It took me into the night to get last night's DN written, and when I awoke, it had all disappeared. I could get only one picture up anyway, because Xanga decided to completely re-vamp its operation, hopefully in a dramatic bid for a comeback.

20  Meanwhile, I had a lovely, lovely night with my mom and dad last night. And then we got a phone call from my awesome niece Amy, all was well.

21  And even though Xanga erased it, it can't be erased.

22  Memories aren't made to be erased.

23  And someday, if they are erased, it won't matter.

24  Because they are all real. They will always be there somewhere. They are all real. No matter what.

25  And they always will be.

26  That's the beautiful part.

27  They always will be.

26  Peace. 

 

~h~

 

The Daily News

The Krugman.

Was Freddie on the Grassy Knoll that day?

Some think Freddie might be the cop running
toward the hill.

1   I'm officially into my annual JFK assassination probe, always a fun time. "I've saved my best hits for last!" I told a group of afternoon vegetables recently gathered in my room to lay out sleepily and ripen in the afternoon heat.

2  When I told them that Kennedy was killed on Elm St. in Dallas, one kid popped up and said gleefully, "I'll bet Freddie Kruger did it!"

3  Yep.

4  You got it man.

5  Ah, nothing like tripping across the lunaverse.

6   Jay Leno spoke last night of Keith Richards falling out of the palm tree the other day. Richards, he said, refused medication, saying he refuses to take drugs of any kind for non-recreational purposes.

7  Leno must have some graduates on his show. He did a fake game show with real contestants, asking one girl who wanted to become a teacher, "Who wrote Romeo and Juliet?"

8  The girl hesitated, and then said, "William...something...Shakes..."

9  "William Shakes..." he prodded.

10  "Shakesbean," said the girl.

11   "Shakesbean!" said Leno. "William Shakesbean!"

12   There's a reason I have a job.

13   It was the Battle of the Jaywalk All-Stars.

14  Jay asked, "What does the Panama Canal connect?"

15  The girl who WON answered excitedly, "The Atlantic ocean!"

16  Not to be outfoxed, the crafty Leno threw a follow-up jumper her way: "With what?" he queried.

17   "Water."

18   Jay, I  gotta tellya.

19   He asked how many pints in a quart. One guy said, "Aren't there four quarts in a pint?" Followed by guesses by the three contestants: "FIVE!" "SEVEN?" "ELEVEN!"

20  Nothing explained a lot of what has been happening lately in my life more than that.

                          Oh well the touch of grey
                                 Kinda suits you anyway,
                               That is all I have to say but
                                         It's all right...

21  I'm just tiptoeing throught the tulips.

     

                                     22  I'm just tripping across the lunaverse.

23  It's a lovely Spring day.

24  La-dee-dah, La-dee-dah.

25  Peace.

 

Against stupidity
the very gods themselves
contend in vain.

--Friedrich Von Schiller

 

Peace.

 

~H~

 

 

Happy birthday ma!

 

 

www.xanga.com/bharrington

 

 

 

 

 

The Daily News

1 Oh, my.  Sometimes time grabs you by the wrist...

2  Let me get this straight. Anna Nicole Smith was 27 when the obvious love of her life, kajillionaire J. Howard Marshall II, 90, took off for that great cattle range in the sky, and within no time, she took her battle for his millions all the way the Supreme Court, where all nine justices agreed that she deserved the $474 million.

3  She so obviously was in love with him for HIM. Who would even begin to doubt that?

4  Some people have absolutely no shame.

5  Ah well.

6   Life is for learning. Seems the wrong people always seem to get stuff they don't deserve.

7  Speaking of which: the magic number of 714, meaning home runs, is now moving over to Barry Bonds. He's about to break Babe Ruth's record.

8  He deserves it. Anna Nicole Smith deserves the $474 mill.

9  Life just sends up these messages.

10  I'm a perfectly nice guy. I'm not going to have $474 millions any time soon. I don't do steroids. I don't lie to people. I especially try not to lie to myself. I'm a nice guy. At least I THINK I'm a nice guy.

11  Nice guys.

12  Is there any point to being honest and goodly anymore?

13  I guess my heart says that yeah, there really is.

14  Nice guys might finish last, but they finish first in other areas I imagine.

15  Yesterday Robert Morse, who played Seymour in Little Shop all those years ago, came and visited with his wife Angie and his beautiful son Nathan. I had been talking with Nik Baeza who appears this weekend in Macbeth at City College, and the three of us just talked of the miracles and memories we all have shared in our Theatre.

16  I had recently been going through a tremendous amount of personal angst, insecurities, you know, the usual everday insecurities and heartaches that are a natural part of living, when these guys, a good generation apart, met and chatted as though they had known one another forever.

17  The Theatre stories were shared and were remarkably similar, and we laughed and enjoyed the afternoon, as though all three of us had worked on the same show.

18  And when I finally got home from a long day and a long rehearsal, I just sat down and read about Anna Nicole Smith, and about Barry Bonds, and some of my personal sadness returned, and I sat down to crank out today's DN.

19  And then I thought of Nik. And I thought of Robert. And I thought of how Robert remembered Evelyn who remembered Robert, and who is now the Artistic Director of the Pigeon Players, who directed our Fall show, and I think to myself...

20  Robert, Nik and I, and later Kara Hatin' <ha!> stood outside the Theatre and talked and laughed and looked in, and time stood still.

21  I just looked in the door and saw kids from the musical on stage practicing dancing, and I said, "This place is just one huge memory factory, man!"

22  And Anna Nicole Smith with her $474 million, and Bonds with his record for guys who use juice, will never have those genuinely real and fun things, ever.

23  And I came home, thought of the sadness, the deep, deep sadness, and soon realized that in many ways, many of us are richer.

24  I thought of my family, and of my mom and dad, and of everyone I love, and looked again into the Theatre, the memory factory, and my heart lit up.

25  Somewhere in this DN there appears a shade of wisdom

26  Some how. Some day. Somewhere.

27  Peace.

 

~h~