If You're Looking for Income Tax Deductions...

As you know, I am a big fan of manhattantheatresource.

In what could have been a ridiculously depressing year for me, the Source provided me with opportunities to direct (Spontaneous Combustion), assistant produce (Estrogenius), and to see my own work staged (and even reviewed!). To have this happen at a venue as well-respected as it is (as evidenced by the list of accomplishments below) was really a dream come true for me. (Or, at least, the beginning of a dream come true--I see even bigger things ahead in 2008.)

On top of that, more than being an organization or a venue, the Source is a community. The friends I've made there (and even some of the acquaintances) have been huge fonts of support for me this past year, providing everything from text messages and phone calls to a free Reiki session.

It's an incredible place. If you've wanted to do something for me this past year but couldn't figure out what (or if you're just looking for an end of year tax deduction), please consider the Source.

Happy Holidays!
*******************************
Here's their letter with all the details of how to donate:

Dear Source Friend:

In 2007, manhattantheatresource was hailed as "one of the top five
Off-Off Broadway theaters" by New York magazine. We enjoyed a
groundbreaking artistic year. Among our successes were the critically acclaimed
productions of Macbeth: A Walking Shadow; The House of Bernarda Alba ,
starring Broadway vet Joy Franz (Into the Woods ); and A Coupla White
Chicks Sitting Around Talking, which Pulitzer Prize-nominated playwright
John Ford Noonan declared "the best production I've ever seen of any of
my plays". Mac Rogers' stunning play Universal Robots was hailed as
"one of the best new works I've seen in the theatre all year" by
NYTheatre.com and selected to be published in New York Theatre Experience's
compilation, Plays and Playwrights 2008.

As we reflect upon our banner year accomplishments in 2007 and plan for
an even more vibrant year ahead, we hope you will join us in our vital
mission as a playground for passion, hard work, cooperation and big
ideas. By making a tax-deductible donation in any amount --
$250�$100�$50�$25�$10, you will be a part of keeping Off-Off Broadway theatre
alive.

We recently placed a new energized Board of Directors � Edward Gatta
(Owner, Damron Company), Andy Holtzman (former Discovery Channel
marketing executive), Fiona Jones (manhattan theatresource founder) and Danny
Smith (Executive Producer of TV's Family Guy). In November, Jim Lawson
and Lanie Zipoy were named as our full time Artistic Director and
Managing Director, respectively. Plus, the capital improvements we've made
to our lovely MacDougal Street landmark space have also had a strong
impact: Again, New York Magazine raved, "Could this place be any cuter?".


The EstroGenius Festival, our annual celebration of female creativity,
partnered with Peace Corps Niger and Friends of Niger to present the
cross-cultural collaboration Voices of Africa, raising more than $2,000
to send young girls in Niger to school. Mohamed Seidou, Executive
Secretary of Niger's Consulate, attended the opening night reception. We
hosted the Inner Circle Theater Company's 90-hour youth theater
internship program in our new, beautifully appointed audition/rehearsal room.

By making a tax-deductible donation now, you can help us realize our
ambitious plans for 2008, including:

* Implementation of the Writers Forum to develop new work with the
assistance from revered playwrights Joe Pintauro and Geraldine Aron.

* A thrilling production of Arthur Schnitzler's classic play La
Ronde, from a new translation, in January.

* Expansion of the extremely popular EstroGenius Festival from four
to five weeks in the fall.

* The launch of our first ever subscription series of programming.

* Capital improvements to upgrade the theater's lighting equipment
and our art gallery.

* Play with Jackie, a test pilot for a new game show starring
Jackie "The Joke Man" Martling.

* A four-part presentation and workshop on the Amelia Bassano
Lanyer Theory, which suggests Shakespeare's plays were written by a Jewish
woman of color and is considered to be one of the top eight theories by
the Shakespearean Authorship Trust.

* Classes on acting technique, financial planning and career
coaching for the artists we serve.

We need your support to continue to bring Greenwich Village and the
entire theatregoing community this type of exciting grass roots theatre.
With your assistance, our 2008 season will be our most innovative yet.
To make a tax-deductible, secure credit card donation, in any amount,
please visit:

https://www.ovationtix.com/trs/store/931

If you'd rather make your donation by check, please make it payable to
"Manhattan Theatre Source" and send it to us at:

Manhattan Theatre Source
177 MacDougal Street
New York, NY 10011

Thank you for your generous support. Every dollar you donate helps us
bring more highly original breakthrough productions.

Happy Holidays. See you in 2008!

Sincerely,
Jim Lawson, Artistic Director
Lanie Zipoy, Managing Director

Daryl Boling, Founder & Operational Committee

Amber Estes, Operational Committee

Fiona Jones, Founder & Board of Directors

Ed McNamee, Founder & Operational Committee

Nancy Sirianni, Operational Committee

Wrist Update, aka, Surgeons Don't Know Everything

I saw the PT yesterday (actually, she's an OT, but that's another story). When I told her the surgeon told me to ditch the brace in a week, she was aghast and appalled.

I have to admit, I was relieved. It seemed really weird to me to have the wrist immobilized for weeks and weeks and then completely unrestrained. Especially thinking about all the potential jostling and bumping involved in travel.

The good news is she gave me lots of exercises to do and I can already see a difference.

I am definitely on the mend!

Since you asked...

KVGoz~ The wrist is pretty stiff. The doc had me try a couple of basic movements before he put the brace on. A couple I could kind of do and I couple I couldn't do at all, which he said was normal. I go to see an OT on Thursday.

jl_strong~ I put the CSA details in a response comment for you. FYI, www.localharvest.org is a great site to use to locate CSAs and Farmer's Mkts all over the US.

Cast Off!

The cast came off my wrist this morning.

The doc x-rayed and said the healing looks great.

And I only need to wear the wrist brace for one, so it'll be off for Xmas!

Now I just need to find an OT that takes my insurance.

The Perfect Petition!

Go here to sign a petition asking Microsoft to reduce the default margin size in Microsoft Word.

To me, this has all the hallmarks of the perfect petition:
1. It's directed at Microsoft, the company we all love to hate because of their insidious control of the software market and, thereby, much of our lives.
2. The freakin' large default margins in Word are a pet peeve of mine.
3. It's good for the environment.

What are you waiting for? Go!

Neil Gaiman Rocks!

I'm a pretty big Neil Gaiman fan, mostly because he wrote this:

(He also wrote a few other things, like the screenplay for Beowulf.)

But, here you can read about how he helped a "regular guy" propose. Really cool story, complete with pictures. Actually warmed the cockles of my heart (and I don't really know what "cockles" are.)

Thanks to my brother for pointing me to this!

"Nothing New" - Taking the $$ out of Chri$tma$

The whole shopping frenzy that is the Christmas season is something I've been trying to come to terms with for years. Here's an idea from a work colleague:

"Our family started a Christmas tradition called 'nothing new under
the tree' - each year we give gifts that are not commercial in nature,
something handmade, a gift certificate for a lesson or some time
together, We have been doing this for 14 years now and it has taken the
consumerism out of Christmas."

Whaddaya say family? Wanna try it next year?

My boots are being held hostage!

About 2 weeks ago, on a Wednesday, I brought my favorite boots to the shoe repair place near work.

The next morning the building was shut down and evacuated by the Dept of Buildings. Apparently, the construction next door dug too deep and destabilized the foundation.

There are currently huge braces holding the building up.

Literally.

I think I'm going to have to go shoe shopping...

Only in NY. Really.

It happened in court:

"One by one, people were called to the front of the room. When someone with an open container violation was called up, the bailiff read their name and, strangely, the brand of alcohol they were drinking.

Middle-aged black men were usually caught with Hennessy, Hispanics always preferred Corona, and a preppy woman blushed with embarrassment when it was announced to the crowd that she was busted for guzzling white wine from Crescendo Hills Vineyards.

The only oddity came when an the bailiff announced “Moet Champagne” and an Asian man with a ponytail strutted cockily to the front of the room while murmurs of “All right!” and “That’s the way to do it, man!” came from the crowd."

Courtesy of Hoboken411.

Where's the Money Lebowski?

Thanks to Laughing at the Pieces for leading me to this critique of the Big L.

(I guess this is way the whole durn blogosphere keeps perpetuatin' itself.)

I'm Done! I'm-done-I'm-done-I'm-done-I'M-DONE!

No more boob-zapping!

Huzzah!

Woo-hoo!

Yippee!

(I tried to find a clip online of "Mad About You," Season 1, Episode 6, but no luck. There's a point in there when Jamie screams, "I won! I-won-I-won-I-won-I-won!" The phrase is a little off, but the triumphant excitement is dead on. I can screen it for you the next time you visit.)

Christmas Song Rant

I read this on one of blogs I follow today and couldn't resist sharing.

Here's an excerpt about that stupid Christmas Shoes song (you know, the one they made a TV movie out of): "if shoes are what impress Jesus, I'm screwed"

Revelation

I just realized something...

To celebrate the end of the major components of my treatment, the hubby and I are jetting off (I love how that sounds) to London the day after Christmas and staying through New Year's.

As you can no doubt appreciate, I'm particularly anxious to celebrate the END of 2007.

What I realized is that, since we'll be in London, we'll actually get to start 2008 FIVE HOURS EARLIER than if we were here.

Woo-hoo! Take that 2007!