Plethora of Awesome Crap

Thinking this morning about how inspired I am by all the people I know who are making wonderful things. I've always fancied myself a "creative" person, even when that just chalked up to having the most radical perspective drawings in Miss Meserve's 1st grade art class at the Willis School. As a creative person I've kind of always been drawn to other creative people and this morning I was reflecting on all of the kind of amazing, driven, and entrepreneurial ladies and gentlemen I have the pleasure of knowing. Here's a short list of creative stuff creative folks are doing:

Cindy Howes loves independent music! And she's managed to make a career out of it. Amazing!

Gus and Ruby: I know I've raved about this brand new small business before, but it bears repeating. Take a look at their website and if you're in NH, check out there store. I'm kind of obsessed with their paper, initiative, and business idea. Seriously, check out their little organizers - adorable.

Jess Barnett: My former co-worker, former roommie, and current friend I don't see enough, Jess, is a brilliant artist and is continually creating and marketing her work. When we lived in an apartment in Central Square she lost a coin toss and ended up with the smaller room which was always packed with drafts of her unique paintings -- hope she's got more room now!

Cut to Hollywood where 9 out of 10 of my Emerson classmates are doing one amazing thing (Ulterior Productions) or another (Easy Bake Lovin'). These folks have taken the reigns and started their own production companies to make the kind of work they want to make. What balls! I'm filled with admiration.

One of my more brilliant compatriots Neil Reynolds created, wrote, produced an original TV pilot, Unbalanced! It was directed and edited by Jeremiah Jordan and stars some of my very favorite people. Needless to say, it's going to be awesome, and Neil is an absolute inspiration for seeing the whole thing through from idea to completion. Go Neil!

And this is to say nothing about all the folks in improvisation and performance/writing in general who continue to tirelessly work and create hilarious, or moving, or ridiculous stuff. I think there actually may be too many of these ones to name. ALSO, the small band of idiot warriors (of which I am one) who have begun the tradition of trying to write a novel in the month of November. Crazy jerks, all of them -- literally, all these people are a little crazy, but there also a lot talented and very unafraid. Check them out! Buy their stuff, watch their videos, go to their shows, or write one yourself.

And hey, while we're at it, the Bastards are putting up a new sketch show in October! Omg!

To cap off today's blog spectacular - something pretty magical I grabbed from Neil's website:

A really good teacher

Mr. Shapiro was my drama teacher from 7th grade until high school graduation. He wasn't the first person to believe in me, but he was perhaps the most adamant. No excuses, no waffling, no bullshit, just do good work and do a lot of it. He died in 2001, and I'm pretty sure that today is the anniversary of his death. There's a whole big crop of us from Winthrop High School who were molded into the people we are today by a our teacher's caring, ass kicking, leadership, dedication, infuriating stubbornness, and weirdo obsession with Sophia Loren.

I thought about him just the other night after Ryan and I saw Fences at the Huntington Theater. Especially in the light of what I'm trying more and more to do, I think he'd give me the OK on my life, and that makes me really happy. I think some of the most interesting people in the world were Mr. Shapiro's drama geeks, and I'm proud to count myself among the jazz squaring, monologue memorizing ranks.

Mr. Shapiro, we miss you and love you. And as for me, I constantly wish you were alive so I could get your take on things. But I guess the only thing to do is just shut up and do good work, a lot of it.

quickupdate

Week by week, I'm attaining employment...working out pretty OK so far! Last week I taught a week-long improv camp for 5-9 year olds at IB and it was kind of amazing. Intense, because there were 17 of them and I almost lost my voice, but amazing. When a six year old nails a joke during "World's Worst"...that's what joy is made of, folks.

Next week I'll be working at Perkins School for the Blind doing some administrative stuff, so that should be fun. I temped there a week or so ago and it reminded me of Hogwarts in a totally delightful way.

We're off to BBQ city right now, so I'm running off. Have a glorious Labor day, especially if you're actually giving birth.

xo
erin