I’ve been thinking alot about telling stories using existing narratives in the context of remixing. How can remixers tell a new, well developed story by re-purposing the originals?

This overlaps somewhat with the ever-trendy transmedia storytelling topic that’s been heavily talked, tweeted and tracked. I found this video from DIY Days LA interesting because Elan Lee (Co-Founder and Chief Designer at Fourth Wall Studios) bluntly admits that the first steps in transmedia storytelling haven’t been good.

Successfully developing a new method of storytelling means time is needed to work out the kinks…but in the mean time, what lessons can be learned from past failures in tranmedia storytelling and can any by applied to remix?

Will the new model of transmedia storytelling make remixing much easier as there will be more readily available content for complex story lines and characters?

I have some issues with transmedia, mostly that it creates media franchises to engage target audiences in new and “interesting” ways to sell products.  I wonder if it’s the spawn of product placement.

DIY DAYS LA: EVOLUTION OF STORYTELLING video.

I’m adding these themes to my working list of the sketchbook project that I have in process right now: 

• you don’t have to be a tree hugger to talk to trees, and it can save the world
• how an extraordinary little girl used every day magic to save the world (series of pages tell the story)
• how “childish dreams” can save the world
• can we be polite and still save the world?
• what unicorns can teach us about saving the world (It’s a secret-this picture is a teaser page!  You’ll have to keep following the story to learn the secret!)
• How what you believe could save the world

I’m using my podcast addition to help me study for storytelling.

I arrange the play list so after every 30 minutes of listening (very approximate — I let Stuart McLean have his entire hour) I hear the story I’m studying.

I tried it a few times before, with recording I had made myself. It worked reasonably well.

This time I had a recording from the author — a New Yorker. She read it at what I call “reading” speed. Six minutes and thirty seconds. It just wasn’t sinking in. I re-recorded it at performance speed. Eight minutes and thirty seconds.

Yes, performance speed is that slow. It sounds painful when listening in isolation, but slower really does work better for an audience. They need time to comprehend and digest.

One would think it the recording speed is irrelevant. Why drag it out when I want repetition?

Two reasons.

First, I don’t want to get used to the high speed, and revert to it while performing. Even with my experience, it’s still easy to do.

Second, it encourages me to think ahead while learning. Performance speed is more than just dragging out the syllables, although that’s part of it. The larger part is pausing between phrases. This story has several lists. After each item, my mind supplies the next, then the recording confirms it. Same with each scene — which is great, because often it’s the first sentence in a new scene that abandons you.

When we learned how to help our speech-delayed first child, one of the techniques was about “closure”. We sang songs with him and did finger plays. They often involved actions, and interaction. After we played the game a few times, we would hesitate before the final line or action. If I sing “Row, row, row your,”, your mind automatically supplies “boat”. You want to hear it. Son would look around as if something were missing.

It worked. Blue, Table and Drawer asked for his help (for the tenth time that week), counted to three, and then he said his first words: Wake up Steve!

So if listening to the a recording made at top speed doesn’t work for you, try slowing it down and leaving those gaps.

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

Julie Sharbutt and other luminous theatre actors -- including several Tony nominees -- perform classic theatre scenes that are invaded by hilarious world-class improvisors tonight at Gravid Water

Tonight’s recommendations for the best in New York City comedy (in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:

6:30 pm & 9:00 pm (no cover, 1-item min.): The perfect show for short attention spans—open-mic stand-up with 4½ minutes per set and 25 comics crammed into 2½ hours—at John Morrison’s Ochi’s Motel

[FREE] 7:00 pm: Stand-ups Mike Drucker, Pat O’Shea, Christian Polanco, Jason Saenz, Gabe Pacheco, and guest host Ray Marshall performing at a free weekly show in the Manchester Pub produced by Phoebe Robinson: Case of the Mondays Comedy

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Broadway & off-Broadway stars Stephanie D’Abruzzo (Sesame Street; Tony nominee for Avenue Q), Jared Gertner (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Ordinary Days), Jonathan Kaplan (Tony nominee for Falsettos), Marc Kudisch (Tony nominee for 9 to 5; Thoroughly Modern Millie, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang), Julie Sharbutt (Shakespeare In The Park: Twelfth Night) mixing it up with some of the best improvisors in the world—Scott Adsit,Tara Copeland, Michael Delaney, and Tami Sagher—as they crash improv into classic theatre scenes at actor/director Stephen Ruddy’s Gravid Water

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Wonderful stand-ups Christian Finnegan, Ophira Eisenberg, Joe DeRosa, Adam Lowitt, Fiona Walsh, and Streeter Seidell, plus musical guest Patrick Salt Ryan, performing in the Lolita Bar with producer Liam McEneaney at Tell Your Friends

9:30 pm ($5): Michael O’Brien (Saturday Night Live) and Peter Grosz (The Colbert Report) debut at UCBT the latest version of their acclaimed 2-man sketch show: Misled

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 11:00 pm: A blowout gathering of some of the most brilliant and hilarious comics in the country—movie & TV comedy superstar Janeane Garofalo, genius beatbox improvisor Reggie Watts, world-class storyteller Chris Gethard, and humor author Bob Powers—hosted by the wonderful Leo Allen (Saturday Night Live, Conan O’Brien, HBO, Comedy Central) at Whiplash

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

Cool vid:

Retell: Patricia Polacco describes a fun-filled family reunion where the adults challenge the kids to baseball games, the aunties make meatloaf and jello salads, and everyone catches fireflies.

Topics: reunions, family, baseball, curiosity, storytelling, fireflies, tradition, parties

Units of Study: Memoir, Personal Narrative

Reading Skills: envisionment, interpretation

Writing Skills: incorporating sensory details, storytelling

My Thoughts: When planning read alouds, I have been trying to create text sets, planning books not just by unit of study, but by themes.  I’m thinking of creating a text set with the theme of ‘traditions’ which may include  When Lightning Comes in a Jar, The Keeping Quilt, and When the Relatives Came.  This book could also be great to read when you are teaching students to storytell to their partners.  Storytelling is a Polacco family reunion tradition.

I was in the car with some co-workers yesterday, and in the midst of telling silly stories about the perils of being in Junior High School, we realized that everyone does have some sort of story to tell. I’ve long been a people-watcher, and there is something fascinating about dissecting people at a distance. I’m not some weird gawker, but I would like to believe I am somewhat stealth at observing others from a distance. The way people talk, walk, interact with others – all actions say things about who you are. And, given the opportunity to dig deeper, learn the history or hear the stories, there is something amazing to be heard, I’m certain.

That’s why I wanted to pay a little tribute to all songwriters out there. I was recently sitting in The Carlton, in Halifax, listening to Dave Carroll perform – it was amazing – and best of all that night, was the way he story-told both through his songs and the snippets of information that he wove into the evening between his songs. Most of all, I appreciate the way that great songwriters – who are always crafty storytellers by design – can tell a story in a few select words that create an image lyrically against the painted backdrop of the melody. You get emotion, story and an image, all in one.

Every song he performed has a story behind it; every song started somewhere because of some emotion, some moment in time and he freezes that moment, turns it sideways and looks deep inside the slice of time to tell the listener more. And, when you get the bonus of Dave telling you about the song and the moment, you get a bit of extra meaning through his thoughts and memories.

I appreciate the way every songwriter has this ability to focus on moments. Good storytelling – and in turn, good songwriting – alway is about the moments in time that must, without a doubt be appreciated, remembered and revered.

nu stiu daca este de vina criza economica sau doar ceata totala din mintea mea, dar ideea de baza este ca I’m LOST … in acest moment tind sa cred ca este si ceva definitiv tinand cont ca sunt asa de ceva timp pur si simplu nu-mi pot da seama de directia in care trebuie sa merg pt a-mi atinge obiectivele, chiar ar fi buna o harta sau un fel de crack pt viata. nu mi-ar place sa stiu fiecare pas, in nici un caz, si stiu ca fiecare actiune oricat de mica e are repercursiuni, dar ale mele intarzie sa apara =)) well, in asteptarea mea care incepe sa-si atinga limitele ma bucur de placerea de a sta care mai nou nici asta nu mai e placere e doar o maaare plictiseala

P.S.: cine a zis “things can’t buy happiness” era clar ori nebun ori indragostit lulea =))

Picture @ Chloe's Website

Oui c’est vrai

j’adore ce qu’elle fait Chloé parce que ça prend par les pieds et ça remonte le long des jambes du ventre de la nuque de la tête.

Ca me fait soulever le crâne et fermer les yeux.

Et quand je ferme les yeux j’ai l’impression d’avancer sur un bout de terre en construction au milieu de rien dans un coin. Je fais mon petit big bang dans la tête à coup de pelleteuses et d’échafaudages qui pendent dans le vide. Ca prend le temps de se construire et de pousser. J’ai soif mais je n’ai pas encore inventé l’eau ni même la vapeur. C’est le désert et même le sable se casse la gueule dans le vide. Sur ce bout de terre y a que dalle, même pas un panda ( c’est une idée de qui le panda ?). Y a pas un rade, pas une clope, pas un troquet, rien la zone. Elle est nulle ma terre, il faut que j’attende pour la peupler. Que j’attende qu’elle nous relance du son. Quand elle nous a bien fait mariner, qu’on est suspendu à ses basses et qu’elle rebalance un putain de rythme, à ce moment-là elles apparaissent sur mon bout de terre: deux femmes et pas n’importe lesquelles , des femmes allongées l’une sur l’autre. Des femmes qui baisent des femmes qui s’aiment à s’en user l’épiderme, des femmes grandioses ( j’ai le droit, c’est mon texte)

quand je ferme les yeux et que tu joues Chloé, ce que je vois c’est vivant. ça prend forme.

Je suis contente que tu sortes un nouvel album.

Oui c’est vrai.

Croquette.

Dan Wieden from Wieden & Kennedy is one of these people you wanna listen to, don´t you?

Brand
We want to know about the people within a company. Who are they? Why do they do what they do?
We don´t trust the companies “business process”, we want a human relationship.

Idea
Management of ideas is like gardening. And sometimes you don´t know immediately what is a weed and what is a flower.

Clients & Agencies
In a productive relationship you don´t know who is agency and who is client. They both sit there and try to find out together if this thing will be working.

Passion
Today everybody seems to be passionate. At least, it is expected. Make sure it is more than just words.

Future
As simple as in the past around the campfire. Are you a good storyteller or a bad storyteller. Make me cry, make me laugh, make me do something. If you do it on the internet or on a mountain hut, I don´t care. Just move me Dude!

Act I

The main character walk to the black door feeling the atmosphere and sound of his mind came echoing around the scene. Flash of the events in the story came flashing in every second he stepped.

Setting

A dark hallway, with door along the way. in the end was a black door with light came flashing like that they will be broken soon.

Shots

Shot 1 – close-up, on the floor, foot step on the floor.

Shot 2 – medium shot, shot on the chest, walking toward the camera while the camera track back.

Shot 3 – P.o.V. shot, he look around the path as he walk.

Shot 4 – long shot, from the back of the character, tracking shot.

Shot 5 – long shot, in front of the character, he walk toward the camera.

Shot 6 – door’s P.o.V., he reached the door

Transition

flashback of the whole story

Act II

The character wake up at his bed, he dress up in the office uniform, pick the key, and leave the room.

Setting

His room messy, dark.

Shots

Shot 1 – wide shot, in front of the bed, he pull himself up from the bed.

Shot 2 – wide shot, walk pass the camera, dressing.

Shot 3 – close-up shot, hand pick up some keys.

Shot 4 – wide shot, shot at the door from inside the room, he walk to the door open the door, lock it and close.

Transition

Cut out.

Act III

He walk down the street and heard the noise from the alley. He turned, looked in the alley, and walked in.

Setting

On the street, with alleys along the path.

Shots

Shot 1 – wide shot, the character walk down from the from away and closer to the camera, act like hearing something, he turn his head.

Shot 2 – close-up, the head of the main character turned to face into the alley.

Shot 3 – medium close shot, from in front of the character, designed to walk into the alley.

Shot 4 – wide shot, from the back walk into the valley.

Transition

Cut out.

Act IV

He walk in the alley, he saw something, then he hid next to the things lied in the alley.

Setting

In the alley.

Shots

Shot 1 – wide shot, the character walk down, hand-held tracking shot from the character from right.

Shot 2 – medium close shot, at the chracter face, he looked at something, and hide.

Shot 3 – wide shot, from the threaten person P.o.V. seeing the character hiding behind the wall.

Transition

Cut out.

Act V

He saw the threaten of the two men. He hide then tried to sneak away (‘run away’ eacho in his head) but he change his mind.

Setting

In the alley.

Shots

Shot 1 – P.o.V. shot, a man turn his back to the character P.o.V., the other guy next to the wall behind the man turning his back to the P.o.V.

Shot 2 – medium close shot, at the chracter face, he move toward the camera and off the camera.

Shot 3 – wide shot, the character walk up, hand-held tracking shot from the character from right, he ran for a bit them stop, turned back toward the two men.

Shot 4 – close-up, a metal on the camera, the character picked it up.

Shot 5 – medium shot, low angle, at the chracter, he hold a metal stick, looked down on the floor, picked the stone up, turned his back like looking the two men.

Shot 6 – medium close shot, at the chracter face, he took a deep breath (close his eyes), he rushed out of his hideout.

Transition

Cut out.

Act VI

He throw the stone at the man, then swang the metal into the man head. He ran picked up the man gun. Pointing it toward the man.

Setting

In the alley.

Shots

Shot 1 – Wide shot, continuous actions, from the behind of the character, he turn and throw the stone at the man with the gun, the gunned man was hit and went blur for a second, the character follow swing the metal into his head.

Shot 2 – Medium-Close-up, on the floor, the gunned man just fall down into the shot his head is the closest to the camera seeing the character at the back of the shot, turn his head to face the character a bit.

Shot 3 – Wide shot, tight feeling, the chracter rush himself to get the gun and point it at the gunned-man.

Shot 4 – Wide shot, normal, in front of the character, he point the gun at the man (point the gun to the camera.)

Transition

Cut out.

Act VII

The man that was help, ask him to kill that man, and join him.

Setting

In the alley.

Shots

Shot 1 – Medium Shot, from behind the gun seeing the victim in the background standing up, walking toward the camera.

Shot 2 – Medium-close-up, the victim looking at the right of the corner, saying something.

Shot 3 – Medium-close-up, the character’s face, looking at the left.

Shot 4 – Medium Shot, from behind the gun seeing the victim in the background

Shot 5 – wide-medium shot, camera facing the two characters, victim on the left and main character on the right (still holding the gun), the victim walk toward the camera out of the shot.

Shot 6 – wide tight shot, from over the left shoulder of the main character, victim walk from the right go further and further formt the camera passed the gunned-man on the ground.

Shot 7 – medium shot, front of the character looking at the left of the scene, dropped his left arm (which is holding the gun), look at the left.

Transition

Cut out.

Act VIII

He walk to the building that man ask him to come

Setting

In front of the buildind.

Shots

Shot 1 – wide shot, low angle, front left of the building, he walk and stop in front of the building.

Shot 2 – close up, on his face, he look up.

Shot 3 – wide shot, high angle, from inside the building looking at the door.

Transition

flashback (reverse)

Act IX

The main character walk to the black door feeling the atmosphere and sound of his mind came echoing around the scene.

Setting

A dark hallway, with door along the way. in the end was a black door with light came flashing like that they will be broken soon.

Shots

Shot 1 – close-up, on the floor, foot step on the floor.

Shot 2 – medium shot, shot on the chest, walking toward the camera while the camera track back.

Shot 3 – P.o.V. shot, he look around the path as he walk.

Shot 4 – long shot, from the back of the character, tracking shot.

Shot 5 – long shot, in front of the character, he walk toward the camera.

Shot 6 – door’s P.o.V., he reached the door

Shot 7 – medium shot, low angle, under the door knob, he reached his hand to the door knob while looking at it, turn the door knob, pushed the door in, small smile appear on his lips.

Transition

black out

Actors

Main Character – Bank 1

Gunned-man – Bank 2

Man Threaten – Gap

Locations

1. Bank 1’s dorm
2. Front of the mall valley

I actually never thought of how I choose to live. Never thought of how or what path I would be chosing. If it was me, as before, I would stand still and wait for the path to choose me. To say that I have grown up? No, I guess not, it’s just that I learn how to grow and walk straight ahead with my own feet.

I walk slowly through the door opened in front. The cool breeze of wind blow from the right side of me, sending shivers down my spine. I cast the coolness aside and step over the edge of the door. I look inside seeing a hallway with doors along its trail. I look in front, a door stands right at the end of the hallway. It is a door painted black. It was pinned with the gold letters higher up on its eye-level. The rust are gathered over letters. The air in the hallway is so humid and stale. Its smell is musty that I am nauseated by it as I walk through that hallway. I hear my heart beating louder and louder as I approach the black door. The sound of me breathing disorderly ecoho around the hallway. It is laughing at me, trying to aggravate my insecureness. The broken light bulb flashs swiftly. The shadows from the bulb are creating a reflection of the shadow of darkness. The demon shades appear on every second the bulb flash. I soon reaches the front of the black door.

The door was so old. The old paint seem to be casting off revealing the wood inside. There are marking and scatches on it. The stench smell from the old black wood came diffuse into the air. I reach my hand forward to the doorknob. The cool metal touches my hand, I startle the same time coolness touches me. I iterate myself once again. I am sure of my decision now. I close me eyes thinking of how I was until the few moments ago.

A few days back I walked on the street as my old self, doing what other tell me so. I looked around seeing lifeless people on the street following the direction following rule. I was one of them, life trapped. I worked just like others, in the building believed to be in the city with civilization.

I was suggested to enter this work by a well-wisher. Doing office job, wasting my life’s temptation sitting alone in the dark corner. In here, I’m just as the same as other, no different. Just like the chess pieces placed to fill each board in the ‘world’ system. Day by day doing the same things living in the same cycle of every minutes, every hours. Waiting for my piece to reach the point where it would be promoted into a bigger piece and walk on another board set for that certain pieces.

I sat on my little area every single day. I typed some records of the company into its database for a while. Then, I would looked at the clock hanged on the right side of my desk. The time moved so slow. Sitting for only 20 minutes but felt like sitting there forever. My hands would be filled with fatigue from typing the works, eventhough I started my works only for a few minutes ago. I leaned my body on the back of the chair seat and turned the chair around to see how otherd are doing. I saw each of them concentrating on the works they’d got, minding their own business and paid no attention to others. They are just like robots, dolls, liveless organics, or pieces of chess board. To be in the same position doing same things as them, this is pointless. I would sat there still for while then continue my works. At my apartment, I sat opening the television looking at the same program over and over. Not because I liked or wanted to see the show I opened it just to company me, kept me from loneliness. By tomorrow they would all happened again.

This morning I started my life as same as normal doing everything in a same pattern. I finished my shower, and went on the have my breakfast. Looking at the clock on the table, I focused at the black pin of the clock, watching at every ticking of the its seconds hand. Wishing for some sign to be shown, or at least the time would goes faster. I continued my breakfast, then put the dishes in the sink that are so filled with other plates and used kitchenware. Soon they would flood out from their silver cavity. I turned to find the clock again, the pins were lined on top of each other now. It was twelve already. I picked up my cloth hung on the stand next to the door of my apartment. I opened the doorknob with my left hand as usual, put the door open, and went to my work.

Down the street people were less now. Most of them left this hook since the morning to fulfilled their duties. The buildings around these blocks were so old. They were cracks and marking on the side of every building. The walls around were cover with dust. Paintings, graffities, and symbols were painted on top of each other from time to time. Some paints were starting to peel of from where it was belonged. Pieces of shattered paper were place on every wall. Torn pages were brew across my face, my head turned along with the torn pages. My eyes fixed on the paper as it flew. It was until my eyes met with the objects in the valley next to me. Between each of the buildings, in the alleyways, were many junks and abandon objects lying around with the pathes. Shards of the mirror and glass were everywhere along with the trash in each valley. From the distance, a sound of an adult come flowing into my ears. A slide of anger was hiding within it. The voice seem to be so harsh and cruel. It was all coming from the alley where my eyes stop. I turned my body to faced this path. The path seem to get darker and darker as it was on deeper.

My heart was pounding while I set my first step into the alley. The smell stink smell of the trashes were filled in the atmosphere, its smell just like a corpse. There was no wind around here, it was dry. The air around were so tight like that I was now trapped inside this valley. The shading were making it darker in this valley. The sound was getting more and more clearer now, it was the sound of an arguement. I accelerated my pacing to where this sound is coming from.

In front, there were this two men arguing each other for something. I looked at them from a distance, hidden. The sound from those two were getting louder as I stayed. The man at the right hand side reached into his pocket, searching for something. He stepped back then pull out a silver pistol. The gun was pointed right at another man opposite to him. Stress were crawling into my nerves. I slowly turned back, giving no sign to both of them. I still hear the noise of the man with the gun shouting. My head were so hot. I felt so confused with what behind me. I wanted to help him, but if there were others they would say “just run away” I wanted to run but I felt guilt, to know about it and let it goes.

I stopped, standing still judging what path should I take. Back to help or forward to run. Air were so less, more tighter it is. I turned back. Walking as quiet as I could, picking up a piece of metal from those trashes aside. I saw them now, both lying in the same spot as before. Seeing the back on the armed one. I held the metal stick on my right. I reached out my left hand to the floor picking up rock size of a fist. I closed my eyes, taking in a deep breath. I stood right up confronting the man. Within that second I threw the rock aimed it right at the back of his head. The stone hitted the back of his head. Losing the balance, he swayed to his right as groggle as a drunken man. I ran in swinging the metal right into his left temple. He fall down with the pain in his face. I picked the gun up soon as it reaches the ground. Blood were spatter from his head to the floor. The stench of blood diffused into my sense. I stopped my every movement.

I stood still looking at my craft. He was lying there with no movement. The blood was exude from his head onto the ground like a juice leaking from a cracked coconut which was fallen from it branch to the ground. The blood embrued everywhere. I turned my tauten face to the other one, who had been intimidated. He was a white man dressing in a grey suit. The shirt were sticking out tie and button were inproperly dress. He had a nice looking face but his silver hair was messed. He looked alike to those crazy being.

“What a relieve, finish him off,” he said with his comfort face looking right at me.

“No”

“He will come back for you if you don’t him kill, it’s your choice”

“No, I am not going kill him”

I hold myself still. I won’t do it, I though. The man looked disappointing but he is stil smiling with laughter inside his head. He turned to tighten his suit up preparing to leave this place.

“I like the way you are. Already got a job eh? Quit it and come working with me. Brownstone place, Upper West Side, 491 Columbus Ave. On the second floor, black door. Decide for yourself. Have a good day”

He started to walk out of this valley.

“Wait, what do you mean? What job”

“Come see for yourself”

With the smile in his face, turning his back to me and left me here with questions in mind. So confuse, so lose, I threw the metal back into the trashes and buried the pistol right next to it. The armed-man is still unconscious. His white jerkin was turned brown by the blood. The wound on his head was bleeding no more. My head was so hot thinking about what I have done.

What would I choose? I walk aimlessly through the city for hours with my head boiling by feelings. I stopped walking and look up high to the building in front. It isn’t my office. I wasn’t in downtown. I look around. A small laughter grew into my head. I decided; walking into the door and up the stair reaching the opened door with “2nd Floor” symbol engaved on it.

I walk slowly through the door opened in front. The cool breeze of wind blow from the right side of me, sending shivers down my spine. I cast the coolness aside and step over the edge of the door. I look inside seeing a hallway with doors along its trail. I look in front, a door stands right at the end of the hallway. It is a door painted black.

Yesterday I was watching Devdutt Pattanaik talk on TED about East vs. West – The Myths that Mystify. I am a big believer in the power of stories and actually going through a process of understanding my own cultural mythology and basic stories these days. In a world that is turning more and more global where cultures clash almost on a daily basis, the understanding of our differences and the respect for the other is becoming more and more important. Pattanaik does a wonderful job in explaining some of the basic concepts that shape the Indian culture, and while theses are generalizations, I do believe that there are some truths in them (especially after reading Outliers). I highly recommended you watch this talk whether you plan to work in India and with Indian people or not as it casts a light on our own perceptions, assumptions and what shapes them.

However, one point resonated with me more than any other point in the talk. In the beginning of his talk Pattanaik tells about an Indian legend where the gods Ganesha and Kartikeya enter a contest. Who is the first that will go around the world? While Kartikeya flies around the world, Ganesha goes around his parents seven times. The he declares himself winner. When asked to explain, Ganesha says: “Kartikeya went around the world but I went around my world”.

The message that Pattanaik is trying to convey is that there is a difference between Indian and western cultures. While the west looks for rules and truth (the world) Indians have several truths (my world). We have to understand how these differences present themselves when these two cultures clash.

I think the idea of my world, your world and the world is even more profound and common. We actually deal with it every day. People tend to see the world through their own eyes. They perceive themselves and their actions as more important than they actually are. And they perceive things through personal lens. When they meet somebody else with the same disposition, they have a hard time to accept that there is a different world from theirs.

As managers, we try to create “the world”. An organization or team with culture, rules, assumptions and yes, even stories and mythology. This “the world” that we are creating is not only in a clash with our own personal world, but with other people’s world. Every day we experience a clash of cultures and worlds. Creating “the world” of an organization or team is a difficult job. We have to let go of our own perceptions of how things should be done. A world cannot be forced. It has to be developed. It has to be co-created. It has to grow out of partnerships.

As managers we need to remember that each employee has a world of his own.we need to remember that his world is different than ours and different than “the world” we are trying to create. And that is not necessarily a bad thing. Different does not mean wrong. The challenge is to acknowledge the differences and find similarities and connections between the worlds in order align them.

So, next time you talk to an employee try to think about this war of worlds. Ask yourself – what is my world, your world and the world.

Elad

On Thanksgiving this week, Dave and I started a potential new tradition with a 5k turkey trot in Pinole. It was a small but really fun race in which Dave won (woohoo!) and I almost broke the top 3 in my age group (yes it was really small). Regardless, it’s fun to see our names in the same window (and not because Dave slowed down to run my pace).

 tripp, tripp, tripp, det sa. Med den nye PC’en trippet han så glad! 

Dette er en visjon om lærer Nordmann en helt vilkårlig dag på skolen - i dag hadde jeg lyst til å skrive en helt annerledes tekst enn jeg vanligvis gjør.

Lærer Nordmann er snart femti og har vært lærer i grunnskolen i en mannsalder – bokstavelig talt. Overgangen til den digitale tidsalderen var vanskelig, men nå skjønner han nesten ikke lenger hvorfor det var så stor motstand – lærer Nordmann har adoptert den nye teknologien og oppgradert seg selv til Nordmann2.0 (og snart er han Nordmann3.0 også). 

Lærer Nordmann er på vei til skolen. Han har på seg et headset – han hører på en forelesning han har lastet ned som podcast på iPhonen sin. Tidligere hadde han en mp3-spiller, men nå har han funnet ut at det er greit å bare ha et verktøy – et verktøy han kan bruke til så mye. I tillegg til at han selvfølgelig kan ringe bruker han mobilen til å sende meldinger – og den fungerer som en liten mobil PC når han er på farten. Da søker han informasjon, sender og mottar epost, sjekker reiserute, sjekker kalenderen (som er synkronisert med den han har på PC’en).

Han tar noen bilder og videoer av og til også – disse sender han rett på nett, enten til Flickr eller til YouTube – han synes det er hensiktsmessig å lagre dem der (og tenker på riktig gamle dager når han gikk i fotobutikken for å fremkalle og få papirkopier. Det ble alltid en stor bunke usorterte bilder som ble liggende i en skuff i påvente av å bli satt i album – et arbeid som aldri ble ajour). Av og til synes han nesten at han er altfor avhengig av mobilen, men det er vanskelig å legge den vekk – han har verden i sin hule hånd (i alle fall er det slik han ser på det).

Forelesningen han hører på akkurat i dag er faktisk fra det lokale universitetet, der har de kommet godt i gang med å ta opp undervisningstimene via mikrofon og publisere dem som podcast – det er ikke bare foreleseren de hører, de hører også diskusjonen blant studentene. Lærer Nordmann synes det er en god ide og har lyst til å prøve det i sin klasse også, men han innser at den bør nok ikke publiseres bredt – kanskje det holder at han legger den i LMS’et…da kan elever som ikke har vært på skolen høre den i etterkant og de som har vært tilstede kan få en repetisjon. “Ja, hvorfor skal ikke foreldrene få høre den også – det er sikkert mange som kunne hatt godt av å følge litt mere med når det gjelder ungenes skolehverdag” -denne ideen svirrer rundt i hodet på lærer Nordmann i det han passerer skoleporten, dette skal han skrive på bloggen sin.

Bloggen til lærer Nordmann er bare en av mange lærerblogger på skolen. Alle lærerne skriver blogg regelmessig. Det er ikke det at det er noe krav, men når flere hadde skrevet en stund fulgte de andre liksom med på lasset…de så hvilken nytte de faktisk fikk av både å skrive selv og lese andres innlegg. Lærerne skriver mest om egne fag og tanker de har rundt dette, men de skriver også om hva de skal arbeide med den nærmeste tiden – ikke minst har mange blitt flinke til å forklare hvorfor man må jobbe med disse temaene og det har vist seg å være effektivt i forhold til motivasjonen hos elevene…det er enklere når man vet hvor man skal og hvorfor.

Av og til viser det seg at et tema passer i fagene de flere av de andre også. Det har blitt mye bedre koordinering og samarbeid på tvers av fag enn det var tidligere. De kan skrive om hva de vil og nå har det blitt slik at alle også skriver ned hva de har lært på kurs de har deltatt på, de forteller om gode erfaringer og gir tips om nettsteder.

Elevene skriver også blogg på skolen og bruker den til å skrive oppgaver – denne kaller de elevblogg. En stund hadde skolen tenkt at elevene skulle bruke den til refleksjon over egen progresjon, men fant ut at det ikke ble helt rett i forhold til at alle kunne lese det som stod der – da er det kanskje ikke så enkelt å være ærlig og oppriktig…og det bør man jo være hvis man skal reflektere. De skal fortsatt reflektere, men nå skjer det i et lukket miljø hvor bare den enkelte elev og lærer kan lese  - og denne skrivingen danner utgangspunkt for vurderingssamtalene de har jevnlig.

I elevbloggen som er offentlig skriver elevene kommentarer til hverandre – lærer Nordmann fordeler oppgaver slik at alle elever skal kommentere en annens elev innlegg hver uke, og man skifter hver uke slik at alle har kommentert noe i alle blogger i løpet av et semester. Det viste seg å være vanskelig å få elevene til å skrive kommentarer til hverandre så lærer Nordmann har kommet opp med en variant; de får i oppgave å kommentere enten som om de er enige eller som om de er uenige i det som er skrevet – og det er varierer om de skal være for eller mot. På denne måten vet alle at det man kommenterer ikke nødvendigvis er elevens egen oppfatning, men at dette er lekse. Det er en god måte å jobbe på  - det er i alle fall lærer Nordmanns og elevenes erfaring så langt. Siden alle har satt opp bloggene til hverandre med RSSfeed i Google Leser viser det seg at de fleste leser både artikler og kommentarer til alle de andre selv om de ikke skal kommentere……det oppfattes som interessant – kanskje særlig når noen skal kommentere som om man har motstridende syn. Det er god skrivetrening, de må sette seg inn i stoffet og de lærer seg å skrive god argumentasjon – nesten uten at de er klar over det selv…

Rektor skriver også – han skriver mest om skolen; nyheter, hvilke planer de har for framtiden, nye skriv fra departementet og han fremhever ting som skjer på skolen hvis noen har gjort det spesielt bra eller har kommet med nye gode ideer. Det har nesten blitt litt konkurranse i å prestere i klassene slik at de kan komme på rektors blogg.

Uka før var det klassetrinnet over som hadde laget en flott gjennomgang av den norske litteraturhistorien i skolens wiki – komplett med tidslinje, bilder, tekster og biografier. Men denne uka var det klassen til lærer Nordmann som prydet førstesiden på rektors blogg – de hadde laget en flott opplæringsvideo for foreldrene som viste hvordan de kunne bruke RSS for å abonnere på lærernes blogginnlegg. En av foreldrene hadde allerede kommentert videoen Kjempeflott. Dette var virkelig nyttig. Lærer Nordmann hadde sett kommentaren mens han rettet oppgaver kvelden i forveien og hadde med en gang tenkt  ”Snakk om motivasjon for elevene“  – og siden han rettet oppgavene i LMS’et skrev han raskt en nyhet i sitt eget klasserom der ; “Foreldre har allerede kommentert opplæringsvideoen – sjekk rektors blogg!”

Lærer Nordmann tenker fortsatt på dette med podcast når han kommer til arbeidsplassen sin og skrur på den bærbare PC’en, og han skriver et notat til seg selv for at tanken ikke skal gå i glemmeboken. Det neste han gjør er å sjekke om det har kommet ny epost – det har det ikke. Deretter sjekker han RSSfeeden i Google Leser for å se om det er noen som har skrevet noe nytt siden i går og han kan se at flere av lærerne har skrevet nytt fagstoff – det er som regel slik, det er mandagene de fleste skriver…..og der var jammen det en som har vært på kurs og som vil informere om nye tips han har fått til i forhold til den elektroniske tavla som nå er standard i alle klasserom.

Dette blogginnlegget vil lærer Nordmann se nærmere på senere i dag og han stjernemerker innlegget med en gang slik at han ikke glemmer det – han liker godt å bruke slik tavle, noen av de litt eldre er litt mer nostalgiske og tenker tilbake på når kritt og svamp var det som var tingen. Lærer Nordmann husker også den tiden og er ikke lei seg for at tidene har endret seg, han husker t.o.m tilbake til sin egen skolegang – han var nok litt hissig den gangen (nå ler han litt for seg selv) for svampen gikk av og til rett i tavla så krittrøyken stod.

Plutselig ringer en klokke og river lærer Nordmann ut av sin egen tankeverden – han tar PC’en under armen og haster avgårde mot klasserommet. De fleste elevene har kommet på plass, noen er på vei inn – “det er de samme som er sist hver dag” tenker han i sitt stille sinn. Klasserommet er lyst og trivelig, og han er glad for at skolen har investert i gode fasiliteter. Alle elever har fått gode skrivepulter og gode stoler – borte er de gamle pultene og stolene som ikke kunne reguleres. “Det var jammen på tide man skjønte at dette faktisk er elevens arbeidsplass” tenker han mens han ser utover. Alle pultene har også fått på en arm med plate hvor PC’en kan stå – den ligner litt på en gammeldags konseptholder, men den fungerer kjempeflott siden de kan trekke til seg PC’en når den skal brukes og skyve den til side når den skal være av. På denne måten har han god kontroll på når den er i bruk i alle fall – og så slipper den å være i veien når de skal jobbe mer analogt.

Han setter sin egen PC i dokkingstasjonen og kobler opp slik at han kan legge dagens oppgave opp på den elektroniske tavla. Han har ikke lagt den åpen i LMS’et ennå – han vil de skal følge med i gjennomgangen av teksten først så skal de heller få tilgang litt senere.

De bruker PC’en til mye i hans timer, av og til er lærer Nordmann litt bekymret for at de ikke skal lære seg å skrive med penn – skjønnskrift er vel ikke akkurat noen styrke hos de fleste av elevene (lærer Nordmann blir et øyeblikk litt nostalgisk han også og tenker tilbake på tiden de fikk utlevert fyllepenn og tegnet sirlige border og så fram med trekkpapiret slik at blekket ikke skulle grise til utenfor linjene). Lærer Nordmann kommer tilbake til nåtiden og tenker “de er i alle fall noen racere på tastaturet, så får vi heller øve på skrift i avskrivninger..selv om de ikke synes det er noe særlig stas“.

Alle har kommet på plass og er klare. Det er geografi som står på timeplanen – timeplanen ligger forøvrig i LMS’et slik at det ikke er noen som kan si at de ikke vet hva som skal skje. Siden de underviser i bolker endrer timeplanen seg hver 6. uke (dette henger igjen fra tidligere tider). De har ofte prosjektdager hvor de jobber tverrfaglig og det er alltid litt problematisk hvis noen elever ikke er tilstede – da går de glipp av mye pensumstoff selv om skolen legger vekt på å få dokumentert så mye som mulig av det som skjer gjennom skoledagen gjennom å bruke LMS aktivt med notater, presentasjoner, videoer (av og til hentet på nett, av og til tatt opp i timen).

Alle foresatte har også tilgang og lærer Nordmann har sagt at de må følge med på hva som skjer – her legger han inn beskjed hvis det er ulike aktivitetsdager også. I alle fall hvis de er planlagt litt i forkant – er det hastebeskjeder sender han ut SMS direkte fra LMS’et til både elever og foresatte. Dette er en av tingene lærer Nordmann liker med teknologien – før i tiden var det å skrive ut og kopiere for så å distribuere…og enda var det flere som aldri fikk det med seg og møtte uten ski, men med ransel på skidagene.

“Nei, nå var jeg på vei ut i geografien selv” – lærer Nordmann tar seg sammen og starter undervisningen. Han sier at i dag skal de snakke om Europa og at oppgaven skal skrives i det virtuelle klasserommet de har i LMS’et – de skal skrive om en eller annen av de europeiske storbyene. Elevene skal jobbe i grupper på fire og må bli enige om hvilken by, hvordan det skal presenteres og hvem som skal gjøre hva. Å samarbeide er også en del av skolehverdagen – og lærer Nordmann er litt stolt over hvor flinke hans elever er blitt (de jobber visst sammen når de gjør lekser også – og lærer av hverandre).

Han sier at de skal ha noen nyheter fra og informasjon om byen, de skal ha med hvordan været er, de skal ha med en annonse med valgfritt produkt som er priset med lokal valuta og et intervju med en person. Basert på det de har i presentasjonen skal hver gruppe i tillegg lage 10 spørsmål om storbyen – lærer Nordmann kommer til å lage en prøve med utgangspunkt i spørsmålene til elevene i slutten av uka og det vet elevene. Lærer Nordmann bruker ofte å lage selvrettende tester – han ser ingen hensikt i at han skal sitte med 30 mer eller mindre likelydende besvarelser, og så får elevene umiddelbar respons også. Men han er flink til å variere oppgavetype – og ofte blir det til at han skriver inn kommentarerer og retter selv også.  Det er alltid litt stas å få sine spørsmål brukt så de pleier å legge litt arbeid i utforming og vanskelighetsgrad.

Elevene står fritt i hvordan de vil skaffe seg informasjonen og presentere den – det eneste kravet er at presentasjonen skal være digital (det er nesten unødvendig å si, de fleste ønsker å levere den slik likevel – og så er det enklere å få full oversikt når elevene skal vurderes også).

Mens elevene setter seg sammen og begynner å diskutere benytter lærer Nordmann tiden til å registrere om det er noe fravær. Dette gjør han elektronisk – og det gir både god oversikt og god dokumentasjon.  Takk og pris er det ingen som er borte i dag – men det visste han egentlig fra før. Vanligvis pleier de å sende en melding på epost hvis de er forhindret fra å komme, og det var jo ikke kommet noe i innboksen tidligere på dagen.  

Han vandrer litt rundt i klasserommet og ser hva som foregår – noen har tydeligvis allerede bestemt seg for fordeling av oppgaver og har begynt søk på nettet (“det er jammen bra vi har vært gjennom dette med søk og søkeord tidligere, det sparer mye tid nå“) mens andre grupper fortsatt diskuterer valg av by. Han hører diskusjonen går på at det er enklest å ta London for det er et språk de skjønner, og at Warsawa blir vanskelig fordi ingen skjønner polsk (“egentlig et veldig godt argument“). Det er ikke noe problem hører han en i gruppa sier, vi bruker bare en oversettertjeneste så er det løst. Noen nikker, andre er mer tvilende – og så ender det hele med at de bestemmer seg for London likevel.

Romagruppen har tydeligvis fått fordelt oppgavene seg i mellom og starter jobben. Noen går inn på Google Earth og nærmest flyr inn mot byen. Her finner de noen bilder som de lurer på om de kan og om de skal bruke dem i presentasjonen – de sjekker opp om det ligger noen lisens på dem som kan si noe om rettighetene. Noen kan visst brukes – lærer Nordmann er nøye på dette med opphavsrett, men det har vist seg at dette nærmest har blitt en vane for elevene å sjekke. Andre gruppemedlemmer har tatt en titt på Google Streetview og har visst bestemt seg for å lage en liten skjermbildevideo mens de “vandrer” rundt Colosseum. Lærer Nordmann er litt spent på hvordan de har tenkt seg å viderebearbeide videoen og blir stående å se litt lenger.

Å legge på lyd har vært litt problematisk i klasserommet fordi det ofte er så mye tilleggstøy – så klassen har blitt enige om at dersom noen skal lese inn lyd kan de gå inn i et tilstøtende rom som egentlig fungerer som lagerrom for klassen. Her har de bøker de ikke bruker, noen har ekstra tøy liggende – nå om dagen er de akkurat i brytningstiden mellom det å kle seg varmt, men ikke for varmt så det kan være greit å ha en ekstra genser hvis det skulle bli kaldere utover dagen.

I en annen gruppe har de startet med å skrive tekst om byen sin etter å ha søkt rundt på nettet, de har opprettet en tag på Delicious og etterhvert som man finner informasjon tagger man sidene samtidig med denne taggen slik at alt blir samlet på et sted. Da er det lettere når man skal henvise senere også. Dette er en standard som er så innarbeidet at det ikke er nødvendig å minne dem på det engang. Lærer Nordmann tenker med skrekk og gru på hvordan de var nødt til å kopiere sider fra bøkene på skolebiblioteket for å ha referanser. Teksten blir skrevet i et samarbeidsdokument kan han se, og de bearbeider teksten til hverandre etterhvert som ny informasjon kommer på plass.

Londongruppa har tydeligvis bestemt seg for at en av gruppemedlemmene skal være den lokale innbyggeren og de holder på å skrive ned tekst til intervjuet – både spørsmål og svar…på engelsk. Tre av dem forsvinner inn i naborommet for å ta opp intervjuet ved å bruke mobilen. En “filmer” mens de to andre er hhv journalist og intervjuobjekt – de snakker engelsk til hverandre, de tar noen opptak før de er fornøyd og laster over videoen til PC’en. Dette er en litt teknologisk gruppe så han ser fasinert på mens de legger på subtitler med oversetting av intervjuet til norsk.

Parisgruppa har tydeligvis funnet noen franske aviser og jobber med å forstå hva som står skrevet der. Det finnes oversettingstjenester online, men ikke alle er like gode – de limer teksten inn, men det er ikke alt som gir like mye mening for elevene….noe stoff finner de i alle fall. Han hører en foreslår at de skal forsøke å nå noen lokale innbyggere gjennom å bruke Skype eller MSN slik at de kan få hjelp med oversettelsen.

En gruppe bruker valutakalkulator for å finne hva pris er i norske kroner for ulike typer valuta, og bruker Google Spreadsheet for å sammenligne de ulike lands valuta opp mot norske kroner. Imponerende hvordan de klarer å framstille tallene på en grafisk måte. En av elevene har tydeligvis sett noen som har presentert tall slik før og foreslår for de andre at de kan vise prisutvikling over tid – det er tydelig at inflasjonen har vært stor i byen de har valgt seg.

Romagruppa har en original vri på annonsen de skal ha også – mens de har filmet “live” gjennom å bruke streetview har de gått forbi et butikkvindu og zoomer inn en salgsplakat. Lærer Nordmann er fornøyd med aktiviteten, her er det kommunikasjon og dialog – og han hører også noen fremmede tungemål, det er visst noen som ser på video på YouTube (han må huske å minne dem på å bruke headset).

Han er spent på resultatet. Det viktige her er jo ikke teknologien, men at de faktisk har et læringsutbytte. Han er i alle fall overbevist om at denne måten å arbeide på er mye bedre enn slik han underviste tidligere – nå ligner arbeidsmetoden mye mer på den virkelige verden og han har hele verden her…i sitt klasserom.

Today, on my morning walk, I saw this sign on the steps of a brownstone on East 10th street.

Although, “Please take, kids stuff. Clean!” is only five words it’s not unlike Hemingway’s famous, sometimes even considered best work, six word short story–”For sale: baby shoes, never worn.”

In 2008 Smith Magazine put together a piece called Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six-Word Memoirs by Writers Famous and Obscure. Click here to see an excerpt by NPR.

Smith Magazine is an amazingly cool online magazine devoted to storytelling.

       ODYSSEY STORYTELLING      Thursday, December 3, 7 p.m.
      Club Congress, 311 E. Congress St., $7  
get your reserved seats on our website www.odysseystorytelling.com 

      Kitchen Confidential What really goes on in the hub of the house or in the rear of the restaurant?  Stories about food, cooking and eating.    ** see recipe for amazing Mardi Gras cake below ** 

      Storytellers: Author and PCC teacher, Patricia Fagan; social justice activist, Bruce Cole; baker, Buck Bannister; linguist, Erin Cizina; Food Network fan, Diane Lopes; and Tucson Farmers’ Market manager, Roxanne Garcia.

       Bring a friend and have dinner at the Cup Cafe (reservations recommended: 798-1618) in the historic Hotel Congress OR at the new Maynard’s Market and Kitchen on Toole Ave in the Historic Train Depot (reservations recommended: 545-0577), let them know you’re going to Odyssey, and they will reserve a seat for you at the show. 　 　　

      Doors open at 6:30. Free parking on the street after 5 p.m.

      January 7 the theme is Money Clips:  the economy and you.    Do you have a tale of woe a story about what good things have come out of the economic slow down or a tale of woe?  Contact Penelope@odysseystorytelling.com, 520-730-4112.

 collected at the Omni New Orleans August 1988 by Frances O. Bannister

3/4 Cup Nestle Butterscotch Morsels
1/4 Cup water
2 1/4 All Purpose Flour (sifted)
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
1 1/4 cup Sugar
1/2 cup shortening (may use 1/4 cup butter and 1/4 cup shortening)
3 eggs (unbeaten)
1 cup Buttermilk

      Directions: 

      Melt butterscotch morsels in water in saucepan and let cool slightly. Sift together flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda and set aside. Combine sugar and shortening. Blend in eggs one at a time beating well after each addition.   Blend in butterscotch.   Mix well. Add dry ingredients alternating with buttermilk and beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Mix well on low speed. Pour batter into two 9-inch greased and floured cake pans. Bake at 375 degrees F for 25-30 minutes. Let cool and spread filling (see below) between layers and on top to within 1 inch of edges. Frost with Sea Foam icing (see below).

      Butterscotch Filling

Ingredients: 

1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. Cornstarch
1/2 cup Evaporated Milk
1 Beaten Egg Yolk
2 Tbsp. Butter
1 Cup Shredded Coconut
1 Tbsp. Chopped Pecans
1/2 Cup Water
1/3 Cup Nestle’s Butterscotch Morsels

Directions: 

Combine sugar and cornstarch in 2 qt. saucepan. Stir in evaporated milk and water along with butterscotch morsels and beaten egg yolk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened. Remove from heat. Add butter, coconut, chopped pecans and stir until blended. Set aside and let cool.

      Sea Foam Icing

Ingredients: 

1/3 cup Sugar
1/3 cup packed Brown Sugar
1/3 cup water
1 Tbsp. Corn Syrup
1 Egg White
1/4 tsp. Cream of Tartar

Directions: 

Combine sugar, brown sugar, water and corn syrup in saucepan. Cook on medium heat until mixture forms a soft ball. Beat egg white with cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Add syrup mixture to egg mixture in slow steady stream, beating constantly until thick enough to spread on cake. Remove from heat and allow to cool until just warm and spread on cake.

Note: You can enhance the vibrancy of the colors by using a touch of green food coloring for the Sea Foam Icing and a touch of yellow or blue and red (to make purple) for the filling.**

Sam has just finished another Harry Potter book, so it’s time to catch up on a few picture books. Last night it was this one, full of interesting yiddish words (there are lots in English now)and great little tales.

I blogged Simms Taback before once or twice, but I’m coming back to him, because I like the warmth and generosity of his tales and illustrations. His website’s got better too.

So, one of the smaller tales (in my own words):

§ § § § § § §

Once there was a farmer, he was a bit of a shmendrik, who had two chickens. One of the chickens gots sick, and he couldn’t stop worrying about the sick chicken.

So, he killed the other chicken and made chicken soup for the sick one.

§ § § § § § §

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

Star stand-up Lynne Koplitz headlines with Pete Correale tonight at the Comix Comedy Club

Tonight’s recommendations for the best in New York City comedy (in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10) and 9:30 pm [FREE]: UCBT’s signature improv comedy extravaganza, which typically includes stars in the improv world, and sometimes even TV & movie stars such as Amy Poehler and Horatio Sanz: ASSSCAT 3000

[FREE] 7:30ish pm: Typically superb stand-ups performing at a free weekly LES show at Pianos hosted by Greg Johnson: The Comedians

[$] 8:00 pm ($25 & 2-item min.) Star stand-ups Lynne Koplitz (NBC, Comedy Central Presents) and Pete Correale (David Letterman, Comedy Central special The Things We Do For Love, Sirius Satellite Radio) headlining at Comix

[FREE] 9:00 pm: NYC comics Sean Donnelly, Allison Castillo, and Dan Mintz, and Ronald Reagan (80’s Sax Attack from Boston), performing in the East Village’s Beauty Bar at Vince Averill’s & Jesse Popp’s free weekly show Beauty Bar Comedy

[FREE] 10:00 pm: Stand-ups Ali Wong, Jessimae, Susan Alexander, and Danny Siegel performing at a free weekly gay-themed show at Therapy hosted by Brad Loekle: Electro Shock Therapy Comedy Hour

[$] 10:00 pm ($31.25 & 2-drink min.) A provocative comedy star who’s written for Richard Pryor, Red Foxx, and Saturday Night Live, and performed on Chappelle’s Show and David Letterman, headlining at Carolines: Paul Mooney

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

Yesterday my wife and I recorded an interview with StoryCorps. Fran interviewed me. I talked about my childhood memories of religion, my spiritual awakening at age 16, my entry into and eventual disillusionment with the charismatic renewal, and my adult journey from Episcopalianism to Neopaganism to Catholicism, always with the foundational interest in Christian and world mysticism impelling me forward.

It was quite a lot of fun. StoryCorps is set up at our local public radio station, so we recorded my story using broadcast quality equipment. We were there for about an hour, and recorded for about 40 minutes. We received a CD of the talk, which I haven’t had the courage to listen to yet, but I think it will sound pretty good. All StoryCorps recordings are archived at the Library of Congress, so a copy of our session will be archived there, presumably forever. All that the good folks from StoryCorps asked from us in return was an optional $25 tax-deductible contribution. What a bargain.

I want to go back and record another session, this time with Fran as the storyteller and me as the interviewer. She certainly has some tales to tell, particularly about giving birth to, and raising, a profoundly handicapped child. But she’s not sure she wants to do this. She’s not as much of a showoff as I am!

If you live in Atlanta, StoryCorps will be here through most of 2010. I’d encourage you to set up an appointment and go tell your story. I’d love to do it again, but I won’t hog time as a storyteller — although I sure would be happy to interview others, and if my wife won’t take me up on the offer, maybe someone else will.

If you don’t live in or near Atlanta, be sure to check the StoryCorps website to see in what other cities around the nation StoryCorps recordings will be taking place. It’s such a beautiful thing: telling our stories, and listening to others tell theirs. We need more of this in our world. Hats off to the StoryCorps people for facilitating such a wonderful thing.

Maybe I have been playing too much Dragon Age over the last few weeks (surely not!!!), but levelling a Death Knight through Dragonblight at the moment is a frustrating experience in comparison.

As Horde, you encounter Koltira the blood elf death knight in Agmar’s Hammer where he has some quests. I thought, “Hey! I saved your life in my origin story, you’re going to recognise me now and we can chill out together and bitch about what a jerk Arthas was and how much better things are now, right?” Nope. He treats you exactly the same as a death knight as any other class.

I should know better than to expect more, but I think the damage has now been done. The bar on my expectations has been raised.

Fellow DAO fans, do you think playing that game is going to change your expectations of MMOs?