5LISSENUP5 (v. BYOKleenex)

pictured here: the saddest horse in west texas. a fine though purely symbolic pictoral representation of "hinterlands," the story that will be featured at the next (and first of 2006) LISSENUP which in fact has nothing to do with lonely horses, but everything to do with sadness. it's one of the most beautiful and memorable radio stories i've ever heard in fact, somehow blending fiction, radio theater and documentary more effectively than you might imagine possible.

this may seem an odd way to kick off the new year, but for some reason it just feels right. hope to see you then, for delicious snacks, fine company and benign melancholy. oh and...i should mention - it's a 45 minute program. so you might want to bring a cushion to sit on too, you'll want to get comfortable.

5LISSENUP5
sunday, january 8
7 - 10 pm, listening at 8:15
email for directions or more information
bring an aforementioned delicious snack or beverage and friends are welcome too

so far, so texas

here's a list of some 'sounds of texas,' or more accurately 'sounds heard while traveling to and spending a day in texas,' compiled in houston near the end of my first day here.

1. a man's cough, painfully contained and self-conscious, every two minutes. (this was on the plane, provided by the passenger to my right.)

2. cat-calling whistle, triggered by a motion sensor and coming from a white, stufffed animal gorilla, at this amazing 'five and dime' store called variety fair where we spent about an hour walking up and down crammed, dusty aisles filled with just about any and everything you can imagine. latch hook kit depicting noah's ark? check. blown glass dreidels? check. very eager-to-help proprietor? check. necco wafers? check.

3. the sound of stillness, absorbed during a several-minute-sit in the rothko chapel, (floor plan pictured above - it's worth clicking on to see more details) and then the sound of footsteps trying very hard to not sound like anything at all, when the docent tiptoed over to assure me that since it was only myself and my friends in the chapel it was ok that i was laying down on one of the eight wooden benches, staring at the ceiling...but if anybody else entered the room, would i please sit up?

what would [do] rothko's paintings sound like, anyway?

TCF + APS = TX

heading to texas for a week on monday, as a willing ambassador of the third coast festival, to join forces with the inimitable audible picture show's equally inimitable matt hulse for a small tour of audio screenings in darkened cinemas. we'll be hitting austin (12/13), marfa (12/15), san antonio (12/16 ) and houston (12/17, followed by a screening of matt's own work on 12/18), bringing short audio works of all stripes, made by artists and filmmakers from all over the world.

now i don't know a ton of (or even a dozen probably) people in texas, so please do pass along the good word about these shows to anyone geographically and/or dispositionally inclined to show up. it's gonna be fun - check back here for tales of sonic adventures in the lone star state.

(the best) tv (ever) on the radio (sort of)

if you know me then you know that i'm not a big tv-watcher, (i even had one of these on my car back in my politically-charged (or so i thought) college days in colorado) and can rarely keep up with those conversations about the latest cable-generated-weekly-sitcom-with-integrity. i hear a lot of "i know you don't like tv, but you'd REALLY like this series!" and usually i agree that yes, maybe i would, then make some noise about eventually renting the dvds, and that's that.

if you've talked with me in the past three months however, then you probably also know that i finally made good on my threat and watched both seasons of 'the office' AND the holiday special over the course of a couple weeks and became, almost four years after the fact, an annoyingly obsessed fan of the show.

which is why i was so overjoyed to receive some great news yesterday (thanks wilcox) - the fine folks behind 'the office' (ricky gervais and writing partner stephen merchant) are starting a weekly podcast on 'the guardian unlimited." and it starts monday december 5th!! that's so soooon!! it's the best news ever, and i am very pleased to share it with you. (though given my track record with these things, chances are you probably already know.)

update - here's the address to subscribe to the podcast - i'm downloading episode #1 as i type this!!! : http://www.guardian.co.uk/podcasts/rickygervais/mp3.xml