stephenschrum

Teapot in a Tempest

How have your political views changed over time? 2024 has all the promise of being a politically tumultuous year. And I can’t say I’m looking forward to that. Just a few years ago, I’d cast my vote and feel pride in having performed my civic duty and participating in the democratic process. Now I feelContinue reading “Teapot in a Tempest”

The Empty Space; Add All Ingredients and Frappé

You get to build your perfect space for reading and writing. What’s it like? My title today is a hidden (?) reference to Peter Brook‘s book in which he defined several types of theatre. It’s a good read even today. As for my ideal space for reading and writing, it would also have to haveContinue reading “The Empty Space; Add All Ingredients and Frappé”

Happy New Year! (I Hope)

Here’s a bonus entry reflecting on some past new years as we look forward to another designated calendrical cycle. Years ago when I worked at the Historical Society of York County as a janitor, I had this terrific crush on Nora the librarian. She was just a few years older than me, but was involvedContinue reading “Happy New Year! (I Hope)”

Scammer’s Delight

The title is misleading; I try my best not to delight them. But I do thank them when they just can’t get it right. On Christmas Day, I received two texts at 11:49am. Both had the exact same message even though sent from different numbers. I assume these were not from the same person, becauseContinue reading “Scammer’s Delight”

Let’s Call It Piquezed948!

What is your all time favorite automobile? First, pronounce the mystery word in the title. I’ll wait. Did you come up with peek-zed? Or pee-quay-zed? How did your brain process that series of letters? That’s what I’m doing sometimes these days when I see car model designations. After the boring names of yesteryear, like “ModelContinue reading “Let’s Call It Piquezed948!”

The Big 3

Who are the biggest influences in your life? During my Basic Terms lecture for my Intro to Theatre course, I would mention, during the course of talking about Ritual and Archetype, “my three heroes.” The first of these heroes was Joseph Campbell, whom I quoted as having called a ritual, “The enactment of a Myth.”Continue reading “The Big 3”

Playing With The Scammers

Don’t get me wrong: offer me $6.5 million and I’ll take it. But that has to be a legitimate offer, and not a sudden out-of-the-blue scammy message on WhatsApp, the top choice of scammers. Here’s a recent “conversation.” I don’t feel the need to add any commentary, other than wondering if it’s a person orContinue reading “Playing With The Scammers”

Way Back When…in ‘57…

Share what you know about the year you were born. While 1957 wasn’t technically before my time, it’s before my memory-gathering kicked in. So I personally have no memories of that year to report. (Any tales of my infancy are just hearsay and therefore inadmissible here!) What do I know historically? The Sputnik satellite wasContinue reading “Way Back When…in ‘57…”

Here Comes the Judge!

Are you a good judge of character? “Order in the court! Order in the court!” “Guacamole with chips!” [Rimshot] So either I need some more caffeine, or I’ve already had enough, because my mind began to free associate on the word “judge,” with memories flashing by as in a flip book. But I do thinkContinue reading “Here Comes the Judge!”

Christmas Time Is Here

Just so you know: I set up this blog post days ago so I wouldn’t have to do it on Christmas Day in the morning; I assume I’ll be otherwise occupied that day. I mean today. However, to continue my posting streak I absolutely needed to have a post for the day, and wondered whatContinue reading “Christmas Time Is Here”