Haiku #210 - Safe House

went to the Safe House
I didn't know the password
dum-da-dum-dum-DUMMMMMM!

I won't spoil it for those who haven't been there yet... A whole bunch of our company went last night. Once we got inside, we ordered spy-themed drinks, danced, and looked around at the 007-esque decoration.  Cherie and I eventually left via the secret exit (requires a quarter).

Haiku #209 - Milwaukee, WI

Milwaukee Art Museum - built like a boat, by a park on the lake
I like Milwaukee
there's a lake and a river
and stately buildings*


*also, lest anyone think I've forgotten, beer.


Milwaukee feels like Chicago's kid sister.  I don't mean that in a belittling way, just in that it is situated on a lake, with a river running through it, flanked by elegant architecture.  I took a nice jog between shows today, along the River Walk, and down to the Art Museum and Juneau Park.  Shame we have to leave tomorrow morning; I'd like to explore more! 

Haiku #208 - Greeley, CO

Erin's family drove all the way from NM to see me in Greeley...
...and I'm lame because I kept forgetting to take pictures with the people I saw today!
got to spend time with
quite a few blasts from the past
in my college town

Whew, I am exhausted tonight! It is to be expected and totally worth it after a day of coffee dates, catching up, and conducting.  I had most of the day free before the show, so I got to see some old friends and professors.  I got to conduct tonight's performance, which was cool because I had a lot of people there.  My friend Paul even brought a bunch of his musical theater students from Ft. Collins!

Haiku #207 - Sonora Desert Museum

Kurt and I play Organ Pipe Cactus at the Sonora Desert Museum
Photo by CBT
is it a cactus
or musical instrument?
try it and you'll see!


Trip to one of my favorite Tucson-area attractions, the Sonora Desert Museum! Had a lovely week in Tucson, now in Greeley, CO for a show tomorrow night.  Greeley, home of my alma mater University of Northern Colorado, is as it ever was (that is not high praise). But I am looking forward to seeing some old friends and familiar faces tomorrow night! 

Haiku #206 - Real American: Gumby

Forgot your lunch or
need to clear a football field?
Gumby is your man.
from left: Gumby, Horsehead, 5ive (holding Gumby's lunch box)


Profession: security guard
Etymology of nickname: a supervisor who didn't want to remember his name
Professional triumph: running a guy off a football field during a rainstorm and getting invited to do security at NFL games
Random fact: loves comic books (Batman)

Haiku #201 - Kokopelli Goes Home!

Kokopelli desk lamp at hotel! He's home!
in the arid land
of cactus and big sky where
kokopelli plays


I'm home!  Sort of.  Tucson is the closest this tour will go to my hometown, about a 3.5 hour drive.  My sister went to the U of A, and my aunt has lived here for a long time, so I've spent a fair amount of time in this town.  Looking forward to seeing family and visiting some favorite Tucson haunts!

Haiku #200 - Cousins!

holiday weekends
my cousins and I performed
in the living room


My cousins from San Francisco came down tonight - we had dinner and then they got to see me conduct the show.  Yay!  I have three cousins close to my age on my dad's side, and when we got together on holiday weekends growing up, we'd put on plays (or, as I fondly remember them, whimsical absurdtaculars) in the living room.  Usually twisted fairy tales, as I recall.  One of them is currently in L.A. going to school for animation, and he's the one who designed the playbill for our one-night-only production of Little Red Riding Hoodlum. Good times with family. Ciao, San Jose!

Haiku #198 - Kokopelli Goes to San Francisco

on a perfect day
we'll get in a car and drive
to San Francisco






Kurt, Cherie, Clarkie, and I covered a lot of ground on our day trip - Lombard St., the Fisherman's Wharf and Ghirardelli factory, Chinatown (dim sum for lunch!), Golden Gate Bridge, and the Castro.  The weather was perfect!  A nice outing heading into a five-show weekend - two more days in San Jose, then Tucson next week!

Haiku #195 - Tech Museum

gadgets and gizmos
so many things to play with
at the Tech Muse'm


Went with Kurt, Cherie, and Christina to the Tech Museum this morning - played with hands-on exhibits, experienced a simulated roller coaster and a simulated earthquake, and saw Born to Be Wild at the Imax. It was nice to be reminded what amazing things we are capable of doing, when we choose to use our consciousness for good...


I liked this quote:
"Optimism is an essential ingredient for innovation.
How else can the individual welcome change over security,
adventure over staying in safe places?" -Bob Noyce

Haiku #193 - San Jose

to the city by
the city by the bay - but
do you know the way?


Several people in our company have been singing "Do You Know the Way to San Jose" the past couple days, because that is what artsy nerds do when they're about to go to San Jose.  We're here for a week - looking forward to finding out what it is besides beside the City by the Bay. Looking forward to seeing my Bay Area cousins later this week!

Haiku #191 - Milonga

get your Latin jams
in unexpected places
Milonga, Spokane


Gabe, who plays Piragua Guy, has a friend/previous tour buddy in Spokane with a band called Milonga, and a bunch of us went out to hear them tonight.  Lots of dancing and enjoying the music, and then they made us finish our drinks and kicked us out promptly at 1:30. Oh well...it was fun while it lasted!