The grey zone

[shereads]

Is it only the depression, or is life suddenly, terribly grim? And is that even a valid distinction?

Brain mud.

 

[TE999]

Is it only the depression, or is life suddenly, terribly grim? And is that even a valid distinction?

Brain mud.

Hey waiter! Another martini for the lady. Make it a double.

 

[SEVERUSMAX]

I hear that dictatorships like a lot of gray, so I hope that you're not having a premonition about Obama.

 

[Guest]

Is it only the depression, or is life suddenly, terribly grim? And is that even a valid distinction?

Brain mud.

We're the same.

I thought it was the weather, the economy, the time of the year, too many hours working, simple exhaustion, recovering from the flu or the fact that the Shrub still has not vacated.

That, or it is Vermin attempting to unleash his evil powers upon the world.

Sic 'em, Daisy. Save us.

 

[slyc_willie]

We're the same.

I thought it was the weather, the economy, the time of the year, too many hours working, simple exhaustion, recovering from the flu or the fact that the Shrub still has not vacated.

That, or it is Vermin attempting to unleash his evil powers upon the world.

Sic 'em, Daisy. Save us.

I'd prefer the latter, since it's easier to fight.

Yeah . . . *sigh*

 

[sr71plt]

Yes, it can get depressing--even when you are personally pretty well insulated from it.

Two art galleries here closed this week. A New Orleans jazz concert we went to played to a hall that was only one-third full. Barnum and Bailey's Circus is here and has had to cancel two of five shows for lack of ticket sales. It's not just that people are having trouble covering the basics. There are rumblings coming from the publishers I work with of curtailing book projects. All the art/entertainment that enriches life is fading as well.

 

[slyc_willie]

Yes, it can get depressing--even when you are personally pretty well insulated from it.

Two art galleries here closed this week. A New Orleans jazz concert we went to played to a hall that was only one-third full. Barnum and Bailey's Circus is here and has had to cancel two of five shows for lack of ticket sales. It's not just that people are having trouble covering the basics. There are rumblings coming from the publishers I work with of curtailing book projects. All the art/entertainment that enriches life is fading as well.

Similarly, we have a production of The Nutcracker, hosted by the Moscow Ballet, that has apparently canceled a couple of shows due to lack of patronage.

I'm thinking they would do better to lower their prices than cancel shows. But I suppose the Moscow Ballet has a certain reputation to uphold.

 

[incubus666]

We're the same.

I thought it was the weather, the economy, the time of the year, too many hours working, simple exhaustion, recovering from the flu or the fact that the Shrub still has not vacated.

I think you may be mostly right. The giving season is upon us and I believe a lot of us are cutting back and feel a little guilty about it. The economy is very bad with the possibility of additional Dominoes toppling.

We have been hearing gloom and doom for over a year from the media. Finally they have been proven right. Consumers are cutting spending, kinda "cocooning, like they did when the tech bubble burst.

With the increase in unemployment a lot of people are worried about how they can make it if they loose their jobs. Will they loose their homes?

It is the end of the year and for what ever reason I agree most of us feel tired no mater what I may have or have not done. The weather is cloudy, overcast and rainy. Not something that makes you feel good.

Had Pres. Bush vacated the White House you would most likely have Dick Cheney as the President for the next month.

You might want to be careful what you wish for. <G>

 

[cantdog]

With the increase in unemployment a lot of people are worried about how they cam make it if they loose their jobs. Will they loose their homes?

No. They may lose their jobs or their homes, but they can surely rest easy about loosing them.

 

[sr71plt]

I'm thinking they would do better to lower their prices than cancel shows. But I suppose the Moscow Ballet has a certain reputation to uphold.

I'm singing two concerts with the Oratorio Society of Virginia on Saturday and only half the tickets have been sold. (It's always been a sell-out in the past.) the big reason assumed is the price of the tickets in the current economy. Unfortunately, the orchestra and theater were booked this time last year, when "who knew?" And, of course, the director's salary and the rehearsal costs are already expended. Neither lowering the ticket prices nor canceling shows at this point will stem the hemoraging. We stand to lose $50,000 on this concert alone--and the companies have cut back drastically on their support for the arts too, so there are no sugar daddies out there to cover the loss. A longstanding musical organization could fold on just a year of what we are now experiencing in the economy.

 

[slyc_willie]

A longstanding musical organization could fold on just a year of what we are now experiencing in the economy.

And more than a few probably will. A buddy of mine runs a local theater, which he refurbished himself thanks to some very generous investors. It took him a year and a half to completely renovate, inside and out. Opening night was a year ago, with a production of Hair. He followed through strongly with Polyesther, Grease, Little Shop of Horrors, Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat, and a couple of his own originals (one was based on the styles and music of the eighties. It was incredible ).

For the past two months, however, he's been barely breaking even on the attendance to his shows, and he now lives in the theater.

 

[SEVERUSMAX]

Speaking of gray, that's my only qualm about modernizing our infrastructure. The technocrats will probably redo everything in shades of gray.

 

[slyc_willie]

Speaking of gray, that's my only qualm about modernizing our infrastructure. The technocrats will probably redo everything in shades of gray.

Not here. We've got highways flanked by walls of russet, cream and green, with neat little bas-reliefs.

Makes for nice scenery when one is crawling along at 15 mph . . . .

 

[sr71plt]

And more than a few probably will. A buddy of mine runs a local theater, which he refurbished himself thanks to some very generous investors. It took him a year and a half to completely renovate, inside and out. Opening night was a year ago, with a production of Hair. He followed through strongly with Polyesther, Grease, Little Shop of Horrors, Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat, and a couple of his own originals (one was based on the styles and music of the eighties. It was incredible ).

For the past two months, however, he's been barely breaking even on the attendance to his shows, and he now lives in the theater.

Our local stage theater should hang on for a while. Its angels include Sam Shepherd, Jessica Lange, Sissy Spacek, Dave Matthews, and John Gresham. As long as they are still good draws, I guess that money will be there.

 

[slyc_willie]

Our local stage theater should hang on for a while. Its angels include Sam Shepherd, Jessica Lange, Sissy Spacek, Dave Matthews, and John Gresham. As long as they are still good draws, I guess that money will be there.

Jonathan's venture does have some good pedigree, but he's still struggling. I don't doubt he'll survive and continue the tradition he resurrected, but for the time being, he is the epitome of the starving artist.

Woodlawn Theater

The website is quite a bit more optimistic than reality. Still, I'm proud of Jonathan, and more proud to be able to call him a friend.

 

[sr71plt]

Jonathan's venture does have some good pedigree, but he's still struggling. I don't doubt he'll survive and continue the tradition he resurrected, but for the time being, he is the epitome of the starving artist.

Woodlawn Theater

The website is quite a bit more optimistic than reality. Still, I'm proud of Jonathan, and more proud to be able to call him a friend.

Looks interesting. "Joseph/Technicolor" is one of my favorites. I've played the narrator a couple of times and directed it twice. Jonathan may have heard of our theater--Live Arts--in Charlottesville, VA--or the theater I trained in--Arena Stage in Washington, D.C. (One of the first in-the-round theaters). I haven't played in anything at Live Arts, but they've produced one of the plays I've written.

 

[slyc_willie]

Looks interesting. "Joseph/Technicolor" is one of my favorites. I've played the narrator a couple of times and directed it twice. Jonathan may have heard of our theater--Live Arts--in Charlottesville, VA--or the theater I trained in--Arena Stage in Washington, D.C. (One of the first in-the-round theaters). I haven't played in anything at Live Arts, but they've produced one of the plays I've written.

I'll ask him, next time I see him. He was locally trained, which, admittedly, could work against him. But anyone who hears him sing or perform on stage would swear they were in the presence of a student of Juilliard.

On a related note, I just wondered how the Domes Theater outside Elmira, New York, is doing. Being the true home of Samuel Clemens/Mark Twain, they put on a hell of a show about Ol' Sam's life and works.

The last time I was at the Domes was in the early 90s. Man, that brings back memories.

 

[DeeZire]

I hear that dictatorships like a lot of gray, so I hope that you're not having a premonition about Obama.

Speaking of gray, that's my only qualm about modernizing our infrastructure. The technocrats will probably redo everything in shades of gray.

I've heard of rose colored glasses, but never gray colored glasses, which, apparently, you are wearing these days. The chances of an Obama dictatorship are nonexistent, my friend, and the technocrats around here seem to be under pressure to put up aesthetically pleasing structures - you know, all earth tones and lizards and saguaros. We've got a brand new pedestrian bridge that looks like a freakin' rattlesnake, satisfying the curmudgeons who would complain if it was gray, but pissing off the same curmudgeons who are now complaining that it cost too much because it looks like a rattlesnake. I guess that's the beauty of being anti-government - there's always something to bitch about, no matter what they do (or might do.)

Back OT - a good way to cure depression is to drive down to where the homeless are camped out and drop off some food and clothing - makes you appreciate how lucky you really are. Getting over the flu also helps, especially when you wake up one day and realize it's gone. It's like getting a second chance at life.

Yes, these are grim times, but compared to other places in the world, we're doing pretty darn good.

 

[Edward Teach]

Is it only the depression, or is life suddenly, terribly grim? And is that even a valid distinction?

Brain mud.

It's grim right now, hon. However, I think there may be a more positive outlook when Obama takes office. I just hope the Cons will give him a few months to try to breathe some fresh hope into the economy before they start talking impeachment. Fuck the Cons. They caused this and we must never forget it.

Eddie the Weary

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Looking in my crystal ball, its going to get worse.

Entertainment was popular during the Great Depression, it was the Golden Age of Hollywood. Radio was equally popular. And both made money. Publishers made money, too. People bought newspapers.

As of now, all of these industries are in trouble. Serious trouble.

Detroit did okay during the Great Depression. The big 3 were never in any serious financial trouble.

Farmers, teachers, construction, bureaucrats, and the military suffered the most back then.

PREDICTION: State-local government hasnt really crashed and burned yet, its coming. The medical industry is due to get slammed hard as unemployment rises. College enrollments will fall when student aid dries up. Airlines will fail as all kinds of travel ceases.