Merrell Street

Street Fair Faces

Every year members of my church (Latter-Day Saints/Mormons) around Manhattan throw a street fair to raise money for various childrens' activities like summer camp, and to enjoy themselves and show off their talents.

Here is a montage of faces (mostly children) from that day.

Enjoy.

**I think it's worth viewing in full screen and with some good speakers.  The Mark Abernathery/Sabre Rattlers rendition of this hymn is one of my favorites.**

 

Okay, I had to post this version as well. I had a difficult time choosing between songs. I ultimately chose the above because I like the contrast and I like the song. This one I like for other reasons. I love this version of of "God Only Knows" for one thing. As far as the ads at the bottom, just click them off. I can't do anything about that since the song has separate rights management outside my control.  The only difference is the song.  The photos are all the same and in the same order...

Enjoy.
 

Shameless Ad.

 

www.jburdimages.com

Paris New York

So I haven't seen THE ARTIST yet but it's playing at the Paris Theatre and I'm going to see it tonight.  I LOVE that I get to see THE ARTIST at the Paris Theatre in New York City!

Sometimes living here is like the utter surprise that caught me the first time I took a water taxi into Venice.  I was writing about it today - taking a water taxi into Venice  - and the sheer joy of seeing a clock-tower rising from the sea as I rushed full-spead ahead in a boat to the city.  So, today I was in a boat to Venice, well first I was in a car driving through the Dolomites to Cortina - then I was in a boat.  Tonight I will sit my seat in a cushy old-fashioned theatre chair at the Paris to watch the black and white picture show.

It's heavenly, I tell you.  Heavenly.

Bis fin

Verschoben ist nicht Aufgehoben
-M. S.- 

Poem

So this is a poem?

Yes, yes it is.

Some days you think, no, this is not a poem.

Mmm hmmm.  That's true.

And some days you think, this is rain.

And it was, too.

Then some days you want to pick up

And go.

Then you do.

And some days you swap the mean breeze for gangreen.

Oh yeah, that's not new.

Excerpt and insert.  

Clue.

And some days the mileage is on

and someone sings

You look and find

You

Do

 

Merrell

This is my nephew, Merrell.  He's eight.

Shore

"Once the storm is over you won’t remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won’t even be sure, in fact, whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm you won’t be the same person who walked in. That’s what this storm’s all about." - Haruki Murakami. KAFKA ON THE SHORE

Gotham Cool

 

Walked into first day of writing class today, and what to my wondering eyes did appear, but some great peeps from last class AND some old friends - Brigette, Pat, and Connie (who, among other fabulous roles, played Patty Mayonnaise in DOUG). "Patty!" I squealed. I sat next to Brigette and Pat and across from Connie (which made it possible to stick my tongue out at her). The only thing to make it more perfect would have been if Victor had been there (he'll be there next week); and Grace (she will not be there next week because she's busy exploring her awesomeness at NYU). Was a great first day!

Approach

I shot this from the plane on approach to Chicago.

NDAA

President Obama and most of Congress - including ALL NY representatives - has permanently lost my confidence and my vote. Sixth Amendment? Oh, no, we don't need that. 'I promise never to use this power I am now taking for myself....' Yeah, how many times have those infamous words been spoken by a rising despot. NDAA must be smashed. This is almost unbelievable.

PENGUIN'S CHRISTMAS PARTY or AS YOU LICK IT

by Jason Merrell and True Michael Memmott

Here is the Christmas Puppet play my nephew, True, and I wrote and performed together, along with my sister, Deni, and nephew, Merrell.  

"I want to write a play where all the animals have some sort of miscommunication but at the end they all come together and have a party and dance."  This was True's concept.

"Okay," I said.  "So let's follow that through.  What puppets do we have and who is playing them?"

"I'm going to be the elephant.  Merrell wants to be the Gorilla.  The other puppets still open are the frog and the penguin."  

"Okay, I'll be frog and penguin."  I picked up the frog and put him on my left hand and picked up the penguin and put him on my right.  I noticed immediately that frog had a long, dangly tongue and a fly permanently attached to the end of it.  "Frog must have trouble speaking clearly with a fly on his tongue."

"Hello."  I started spitting with my tongue permanently out. "Thith is fwag.  I'm twying to tew you sohthig but thews a fwy on my wip."

"How about this.  Penguin is throwing a Christmas party and he's very stressed about it."

"Hello everyone, I'm penguin and I'm throwing a Christmas party and I'm stressed."  Penguin has a deep, raspy voice but he likes to giggle too.

"Hewwo.  I'm fwag and I'm penguin's good friend and I wiww hewp him thwow the pawty."

Thus began Penguin's Christmas Party or As You Lick it...

               INT. PENGUIN'S HOUSE - DAY

               PENGUIN and FROG stand together in Penguin's living room.

                                   PENGUIN
                         Hello everyone.  I'm Penguin.  I'm
                         throwing a Christmas party and
                         inviting all my friends and I'm so
                         stressed!  I need to get everything
                         just right and there's so much to
                         do.

                                   FROG
                         Hewwo Penguin.

                                   PENGUIN
                         Hello Frog.  I'm throwing a
                         Christmas party this year and I'm
                         so very stressed.  Will you help me
                         get everything done?

                                   FROG
                         Yeth of courth.  I'd luthe to helt
                         you lith yow pawty.

                                   PENGUIN
                         Good, well, some friends will be
                         coming over to get their party
                         assignments.  Elephant will be
                         arriving first.  Will you please
                         tell elephant that I'd like it very
                         much if he would trim the tree. 
                         Got that?  He needs to trip the
                         tree.

                                   FROG
                         Yeth.  He needs to twim the twee.

                                   PENGUIN
                         Um... yes.  Please do tell him to
                         trim the tree and bring it to the
                         party.  I need to rush and there's
                         so much to do.

                                   FROG
                         Okay, I on it.

               EXIT Penguin.

                                   FROG (CONT'D)
                             (to himself)
                         Twim da twee, twimm da twee. 
                         Muthst wemembaw twim da twee

               Enter Elephant

                                   ELEPHANT
                         Hello Frog.  Where's Penguin?

                                   FROG
                         He'th pwepawing da pawty and he'th
                         thow thwethed.  He wud wike you
                         thoo twim da twee.

                                   ELEPHANT
                         What?

                                   FROG
                         He would wike you to twim da twee
                         twim da twee.  Now huwwy.  Go on
                         now and twim da twee!

                                   ELEPHANT
                         Oh, okay then.  I'm off. See you
                         soon.
                             (aside as he leaves)
                         He wants me to...hmmm.  Oh yes he
                         wants me to flip the flees!  Yes.
                         Flip the flees.  I do love flipping
                         flees.



               INT. ELEPHANTS HOUSE - MOMENTS LATER

               Elephant grabs a large spatula whose flat is painted in
               circular candy cane stripes.  He beings flipping his flees.

                                   ELEPHANT
                         Weee!  Flip those flees!  I do love
                         flipping you, you flees.  Are you
                         good and flipped?
                             (puts them into his
                              favorite black, flipped
                              flees box)



               INT. PENGUIN'S HOUSE - MOMENTS LATER

               Penguin is standing in the living room entertaining himself. 
               Penguin enters.

                                   PENGUIN
                         Okay, okay.
                             (huffing a bit)
                         Did you tell elephant to trim the
                         tree?

                                   FROG
                         Oh yeth.  He'th gonna twim da twee
                         and con to da pawty.

                                   PENGUIN
                         Oh good. Thank you.  That is such a
                         relief.  Now, Gorilla is coming by
                         and I'd like you to ask him to ice
                         the cake.  Will you do that?  Ask
                         him to ice the cake.

                                   FROG
                         Okay.  I'w teww hin to ithe da kek.

                                   PENGUIN
                         Oh good because I need to prepare
                         for this party and I'm so so
                         stressed!

               Penguin exits and Frog continues humming to himself.  Enter
               Gorilla.

                                   GORILLA
                         Hello Frog.

                                   FROG
                         Hewwo Gowiwwa.  How awe you tothay?

                                   GORILLA
                         I'm... swell.  Where is Penguin?

                                   FROG
                         Oh, he'th pwepawing foh da pawty
                         and he'th tho tho swethed.  He
                         would wike you to ithe da kek.

                                   GORILLA
                         What?  He would wike what?

                                   FROG
                         Da kek.  Da kek.  He would wike you
                         to ithe da kek.  Now he'th therry
                         thwethed and he needs you to ithe
                         da kek.  Pleeth go ithe da kek.

                                   GORILLA
                         Okay, okay.  I'm off.  See you at
                         the party

                                   FROG
                         Duh dye.

                                   GORILLA
                             (as he is walking)
                         So he wants me to... what?  Ah,
                         price the plank!  I do have a
                         fantastic plank.  It's painted with
                         zebra stripes and everything and
                         it's even slappy!  You can slap it
                         around anything and it will bend. 
                         I'll get me that plank and take it
                         to monkey at the bank.  He'll know
                         how to price that plank.



               INT. BANK - MOMENTS LATER

               Gorilla enters where Monkey waits at the bank.

                                   GORILLA
                         Hello Monkey.

                                   MONKEY
                         Hello Groilla.  How may I help you
                         today?

                                   GORILLA
                         Well, Penguin is having a Christmas
                         party and he wants me to price the
                         plank.  Will you price this plank
                         for me?

                                   MONKEY
                         But of course, Gorilla.  Nothing I
                         like better than pricing a good
                         plank and my that is a good plank.
                             (stamps it with a sticky
                              price tag)
                         Happy Christmas, Gorilla.  Your
                         plank is now priced.

                                   GORILLA
                         Why thank you, Monkey.  That'll do
                         fine.



               INT. PENGUIN'S HOUSE - MOMENTS LATER

               Frog is still in the living room humming.  Penguin enters
               again.

                                   PENGUIN
                         Oh, this party is going to be grand
                         but I'm so so stressed. 
                         Okay, frog, now lion is coming over
                         and I would like you to ask him to
                         mix the punch.  Will you please ask
                         Lion to mix the punch?

                                   FROG
                         But uth cuthe, Penguin.  I would
                         luth to athk hin to lix da dunce.

                                   PENGUIN
                         Mmm.  Good.  That will be
                         wonderful.  I'm so so stressed.

               Penguin exists and Frog continues humming.  Enter Lion.

                                   LION
                         Hello Frog.

                                   FROG
                         Hwwo Lion.  How awh you tothay?

                                   LION
                         I'm fantastic.  Where is penguin?

                                   FROG
                         He'th pwepawing foh da pawty and
                         he'th tho thwethed.  He would wike
                         you to lix da dunce.

                                   LION
                         He would?  He would wike me to...?

                                   FROG
                         Lix da dunce.  Lix da dunce.  He'th
                         tho thwethed and he wanth you to
                         lix da dunce.  Now go lix da dunce.

                                   LION
                         Alrighty then.



               INT. LION'S HOUSE - MOMENTS LATER

                                   LION
                         Penguin wants me to.... Hmmm.  He
                         wants to lick the lunch!  Oh, that
                         is a fine idea.  I usaully have
                         such a lovely bit of Gazelle but
                         for Christmas this year I have this
                         delicious pink sprinkles doughnut. 
                         I would be more than happy to lick
                         that lunch.
                             (pulls out his giant pink
                              doughnut and begins
                              licking it with vigor)



               INT. PENGUIN'S HOUSE - MOMENTS LATER

               Frog is still singing in the living room and Penguin enters
               again.

                                   PENGUIN
                         So so so.  Oh oh oh.  How stressed
                         i have been but now have have
                         everything in hand and all will be
                         just perfect for this, my Christmas
                         party.  Frog, thank you so very
                         much for helping me.  The guests
                         should be arriving at any moment. 
                         Will you help me push this planter
                         into the center for the tree?

                                   FROG
                         But uth cowth, Penguin.

               Enter Elephant.

                                   ELEPHANT
                         Hello, Penguin.  Hello Frog.  I'm
                         so happy to be at your party.

                                   PENGUIN
                         Welcome, Elephant.  Did you trim
                         the tree?  We can put it in this
                         planter.

                                   ELEPHANT
                         I brought my favorite black box
                         full of flipped flees.  I flipped
                         the flees just like you asked.  Oh
                         yes, those flees are good good and
                         flipped.

                                   PENGUIN
                         Flip the flees?!  What?

                                   ELEPHANT
                         Oh yes.  And I also brought my
                         favorite spatula just in case you
                         thought those flees might need just
                         one more flip. 

                                   PENGUIN
                         What?

                                   ELEPHANT
                         Oh yes.  I flipped those flees
                         good.

                                   PENGUIN
                             (panicking and panting)
                         Okay, okay.  So let's see what
                         you've got.  Oh, Elephant.  These
                         aren't flees.  These are Christmas
                         lightening bugs.  But they do look
                         good and flipped, yes.  Bring them
                         here with me and let's see what we
                         can do.

               Both exit together with the box and flees and Elephant's
               spatula.  Frog continues humming.  Enter Monkey and Gorilla.

                                   FROG
                         Hewwo Gowiwwa.  Hewwo Montee.

                                   GORILLA
                         Hello Frog

                                   MONKEY
                         Hello Frog.  Happy Christmas.

               Enter Elephant and Penguin.  The have decorated the spatula
               with the sparkly, jewel-like Christmas tree bugs and both
               plant it in the planter together.

                                   PENGUIN
                         Hello Monkey.  Hello Gorilla. 
                         Welcome to the party.  We've been
                         making some adjustments.  Look at
                         this lovely flipped flee tree we've
                         constructed.

               Lots of oohs and aahs.

                                   PENGUIN (CONT'D)
                         So, did you ice the cake?

                                   GORILLA
                         I price my favorite plank.  See,
                         I've priced the plank just as you
                         asked; with monkey's help, of
                         course.

                                   MONKEY
                         Oh, yes.  That plank is good and
                         priced.  It is a lovely plank.

                                   PENGUIN
                         Priced the plank?!  What?  How? 
                         What?

                                   GORILLA
                         Isn't it lovely.  It has zebra
                         sripes and everything.

                                   PENGUIN
                         Oh my goodness.  Oh....  Well,
                         let's take a look at it.  Oh yes it
                         is a lovely plank.  Bring it here
                         and let's see what we can do.

                                   GORILLA
                         If you slap it, it will bend and
                         fit around everything.  It is a
                         very flexible plank.

                                   PENGUIN
                         Hmmm.
                             (Penguin takes the plank
                              and slaps it around the
                              bottom of the Flipped
                              Flee planter)
                         Well, would you look at that.  What
                         a lovely Christmas Flee skirt that
                         makes, Gorilla.

                                   GORILLA
                         Oh yes, it really is a great plank.

                                   PENGUIN
                         Indeed.

               Enter Lion

                                   LION
                         Oh, hello Penguin!  I'm so happy to
                         be here at this your Christmas
                         party... Hello Elephant.  Hello
                         Frog.  Hello Monkey and Gorilla. 
                         I've brought my lunch and it's good
                         and licked.

                                   PENGUIN
                         Welcome Lion.  Did you mix the
                         punch?

                                   LION
                         I licked the lunch just as you
                         asked. It's a good good lunch and
                         it's good good and licked.

                                   PENGUIN
                         Licked the....  What?

                                   LION
                         Oh yes, and here it is.  It's my
                         favorite pink sprinkles Christmas
                         doughnut lunch and believe you me,
                         it's good and licked.

                                   PENGUIN
                         I can see that.  Oh oh oh... Okay. 
                         Bring here that licked lunch. 
                         Well, everyone.  How stressed I was
                         about preparing Christmas.  And
                         frog.  Oh frog.  How glad I am that
                         all of you could come to my party. 
                         Look how much we've done with what
                         we've got.  We have Elephant's
                         Christmas Flee Tree and a zebra
                         striped plank skirt.  

               Everyone oohs and aahs.

                                   PENGUIN (CONT'D)
                         And now, with your permission,
                         LIon, I think we should all lick
                         the lunch.  And then dance!

                                   LION
                         Oh yes, certainly.  Let's all lick
                         that lunch.

               All gather around and lick lick lick that lunch.  Then they
               dance around.

               The End.
 
It may sound a little silly but it's loads of fun to perform.  
There's room for lots of improv and everyone has fun in the end, too.
Happy New Year, everyone!

Not 'ever-seeking' but Seeking

"Seek not to declare my word, but first seek to obtain my word, and then shall your tongue be loosed; then, if you desire, you shall have my spirit and my word, yea, the power of God unto the convincing of men."  -D&C 10:21

OscarLady

Let me get this on the record right now before all the awards start coming and the banter gets buzzing.  Meryl Streep WILL win the Oscar for IRON LADY.  I'm basing this on nothing more than intuition.  

I haven't seen the movie.  I have seen the trailer and it looks like it could be a terrible film or really great.  I'm not usually thrilled when she plays political roles but I stand by my prediction.

She will win.  

I'll be happy and count it as a belated win for JULIE & JULIA and countless others in between.

Moths Break

There's soot on your nose from the times you said
Yes

There's hype in your house from the curls and the
Swagger

I heap the hurrays onto my own cup and 
Forget

To check.

"The song is over isn't it."  You say this and pull
a tissue from your
Pocket.

To nights of singing and refregerator
Jokes.  And Jigs.

I speak this don't I?  I think I speak this now.

"Love envies itself sometimes."
This I do say and drop the ring to the
Floor

Then close the door.

Deck the Balls

So yesterday marked the end of a ten-year public singing silence for me. The last time was just over ten years ago at my father's funeral.  My offering wasn't Fritz Wunderlich (yet) but I was happy enough with it. As were others.

My friend, Scott, came up to me afterwards and said, "I had no idea. No idea you could sing like that."

For me, the best post-singing advice came from my good friend, Kristin - a woman who has one of the most gorgeous lyric soprano voices I've ever heard. Without batting an eye, she said, "Jason, you have a beautiful and powerful instrument in that voice of yours. I still want to hear more 'testicular fortitude!' Do you hear that?"

Ha! Yes, Kristin. Yes I do.

So here's to that. Three cheers to testicular fortitude! Not the kind that uses a femur bone to crush a foe. But the kind that delights, dances, and fills the room with a voice of one's own.