stephenschrum

Cleric! Pass the Elixir of Health!

There’s an old quotation, sometimes credited to the movie The Princess Bride, that says, “If you haven’t got your health, you haven’t got anything.“ I recently had a bit of a health scare. Waking up in the middle of the night, I rose to go to the bathroom. Suddenly I found myself off balance andContinue reading “Cleric! Pass the Elixir of Health!”

Let’s Speculate!

Episode #57 of Audio Chimera contains the third episode of my audio drama series Kid Again, about a man who suddenly finds himself young again and back in high school. The series asks the question: What can he change about himself and his experiences that will make this time around more fun? Having been aContinue reading “Let’s Speculate!”

Why Actors Are Scum

Right up front: I totally disagree with the title. But that has been a long-held belief by those not in entertainment. And so, as a follow-up to my last blog post, I wanted to delve a little more into why actors and theatre people have often been, according to an Ordinance by the British ParliamentContinue reading “Why Actors Are Scum”

From Terminally Shy to “Watch Me!”

In Episode #56, I try to find an explanation for how someone (me), who exhibited what I have called “terminal shyness” (see Immaculate Misconceptions, page 16, where I explain why I don’t sing in public), can transform into a college professor of performing arts who has presented at national and international conferences and who hasContinue reading “From Terminally Shy to “Watch Me!””

From the Cabbage Patch

In Episode #55 I talk about working at Toys “R” Us. There’s a lot more detail there for another time, but I’d rather talk about my strange work history. Here are a few of the highlights. Some of my early jobs were gas station attendant (I lasted only three hours—really not my thing), and telemarketerContinue reading “From the Cabbage Patch”

The Ever-Growing CV

As I am quick to point out to everyone, I recently retired. But this doesn’t mean I have stopped doing things. I have mentioned before the online presentation for Nachtkritik. I also was asked to review a couple of journal articles (but apparently I was too soft; one was rejected and the other was returnedContinue reading “The Ever-Growing CV”

Push Button 2 Cross

In the summer of 2021, Latrobe, PA and Greensburg, PA suddenly had workmen everywhere, installing new crosswalk signs. I just saw them last week in Pittsburgh, PA as well. A quick look shows why I think they are a bit overkill: Seeing it, I was immediately reminded of the signs about how to wash yourContinue reading “Push Button 2 Cross”

When I’m 54…or 65…

This is the companion blog to Audio Chimera podcast episode number 54. It’s about my retirement, which happened at 65—in case you couldn’t figure out the title… I’ve heard about people who retire, and then they have nothing to do. Work was their entire life. They waste away and die. Not me. Now, as anContinue reading “When I’m 54…or 65…”

Malapropisms

In Podcast Episode #53, I talk about malapropisms. This term comes from Mrs. Malaprop, a character in Richard Brinsley Sheridan’s 1775 play The Rivals. Another character says of her that she uses “words so ingeniously misapplied, without being mispronounced.” We have seen this with comedians, such as Norm Crosby. I used to show a RedContinue reading “Malapropisms“