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[DERBRUCER]

 

MAKING THE BEST USE OF YOUR MONEY

Extracted from an AP Newstory:

SAN FRANCISCO  — A company that unveiled the world's first cloned cat nearly three years ago now says it is ready to start filling orders for cloned pets, a newspaper reported Thursday.

Genetic Savings and Clone [Oh That Groaning were allowed], a firm that wants to make a business out of cloned pets, now has Tabouli and Baba Ganoush, 8-week-old Bengal kittens who are the world's second and third cat clones.
…
Five customers are paying $50,000 each for a clone of their own cats, which the company expects to have available by December. The company also said it has several hundred clients paying $150 a year plus an initial $900 to preserve tissue from living pets for future cloning. The first cloned cat — a calico named CC for Carbon Copy — cost the company $200,000 to produce.
…
The company declined to say how long it took to create Tabouli and Baba Ganoush. Both cats are said to be healthy and do not face any of the common clone health problems, such as organ malformation.

But critics say there could be hidden defects and that the cats may have curtailed lives.

Cats with "curtailed" lives? I would think "kittytailed" lives would be more like it.

And if you can't afford to clone, you can always freeze-dry.

der Brucer (contemplating 5 dogs @ $50,000=$ ¼ million - that's almost a downpayment on "Avenue R" - a Sequel.

[JoseSPiano]

...Of course, nothing could beat all the practice and preparation time spent preparing singers and instrumentalists for end of the semester juries in college - and when I was on staff after - or not on staff - after college.

I would normally have about 10-15 students a semester.  Each student would have a minimum of six songs ready for each jury.  And if they were a junior or a senior, they would have to have at least a half-recital's or recital's length of material prepared.  Then, the kicker, of course, would be that since the juries were only scheduled in 8-10 minutes slots, we would only be asked to perform two or three selections.  So, what it came down to for me at least, was preparing anywhere from 80-100 songs (thankfully, there was usually some overlap between voice majors), but only having to "perform" 20-30 of them for the teachers at the juries.

And then there was my one true "hell week" when I was playing for the Musical Theatre Department at Catholic University.  I had six recitals to accompany in six days.  Two in one day, in fact!  And one of them was a classical voice recital with some pretty advanced repertoire.  But I survived.  *It was just the way the scheduling happened to turn out since there were only certain windows of time when recitals could be scheduled and when the hall was available.  And I received some very nice compliments from the faculty too.

All in all, I had a great time.  And since my "day job" was also my "night job", I never had any real complaints.  Adrenaline can be your friend at times.

-What would wear me out the most were the techs(!) for the Musical Theatre recitals.  These were more or less fully staged personal cabarets - dancing, costumes, lighting - sometimes even a small back up band.. and even multiple sets!  There were more than a few times when I would be called in to tech a recital from 11:00pm-1:00am!!!

[Ann]

Good afternoon all

Happy Birthday DerBrucer!!  

Welcome back Jenny!  We do miss the young people around here... Anyone heard from Maya or Laura II lately??

I am having a lazy Sunday...playing Myst III, watching TV, and currently eating Wheat Thins.  I think soon I shall have to get out and enjoy the beautiful day outside...but how to do it? hmmm...

[JoseSPiano]

So...

I know what you're going through, DR Noel.

Stay sane!

Enjoy!

*And I hope you get to enjoy a cocktail or two afterwards! -Or at least a nice piece of cake or some other goody if you are so inclined.  

[DERBRUCER]

As BK will attest to - and even I will readily admit - my "ear" is not the best.  It's gotten lazy since I graduated from college -

... I just hated being put on the spot like that by my mother - but I think that's typical for any 10-11-year old boy being asked by his parents to "show off" for their neighbors and relatives.

I think you ears make very nice bookends for your haircut.
And don't complain about "lazy" ear, it could be "lazy" eye.

You could probably have solved the "Let Me Entertain You" problem by lauching into a rousing rendition of "The Spinning Song". (My poor Jewish schoolmates kept ripping into "Finlandia" or "Sabre Dance", or an occasional "Warsaw Concerto" and always were on the carpet to "Play some more!"

der Brucer

"Can you please play some more."
"Can you hum a few bars?"

[JoseSPiano]

OOH!!  But nothing would beat some of the Classical Instrumental competitions I would play for.  Again, they would hardly ever schedule enough time to hear the whole piece and/or concerto - just ask for excerpts...

"Can we hear from where the solo violin comes in at the beginning?"

-So I would start a few measures before the solo "exposition"...

"Ummm... Thank You... Can you just jump to the solo cadenza?"

-Then I would sit there and listen for a few minutes while the soloist did his/her thing...

"Thank You... Can you now jump to the cadenza in the last movement?"

-Listen, listen, listen...

"Thank You... Next contestant please."

-But, again, that was par for the course.  And there were times when the judges would hear more accompanied sections - you just never knew.  But there were some pieces where I spent HOURS practicing and practicing certain sections, but, in the end, never had to actually peform them in public.

The one "comfort" came in the form of the check from the soloist after the competition.  Not a bad dollars to minutes(!) - sometimes even seconds(!!) - ratio!

[MBarnum]

I was E & T yesterday for I was at a birthday party for my buddy Terry's kids Zack and Nicole. It was a lot of fun and boy did those kids get a LOT of gifts! Holy cow. I think Terry is making up for the fact that he is divorced from the kids' mom! Fortunately he and his ex-wife (who was also at the party) have remained the best of friends...she is one heck of a gal!

Today is is HOT and I am just flopping around the house...watched last nights Big Brother (which was excellent!) and will now finish watching my Bollywood movie and (hopefully) finish up the William Reynolds interview changes/additions.

[MBarnum]

DR Jane, I am planning to tape Tiger Cruise tonight and I will be happy to put it on DVD for you! I should be able to get it done up this week1

[MBarnum]

Happy birthday to you, Happy birthday to you, Happy birthday Der Brucer, Happy Birthday to you!!

[George]

Well, I have to go to my parents' house for a while.  I'll be back before chat.  And MBarnum, check your In Box!  Gotta go!

[Emily]

Welcome back Jenny!  We do miss the young people around here... Anyone heard from Maya or Laura II lately??

Sandra, I think the two of us have officially been added to the "old" column...

[JoseSPiano]

Oh, and courtesy of a scan by Dear Cast Member, Paul Haber, here's the post card for the show:

[Jenny]

Thank you all for the welcomes and the vibes and the what nots!

Anyone heard from Maya or Laura II lately??

I believe that Miss Maya is working multiple jobs this summer while trying to visit DC and NY as often as possible and seeing shows.  She's transferring to a new college this fall, but I'm not sure what the new school is.  All in all, I think she's doing well!

I'm about to head into the city to see Noel's cabaret.  Have a lovely evening/day (depending on your time zone), DRs!

[Jrand74]

Thanks DRJOSE!  I have just made it my screensaver!!!

[Jrand74]

Good vibes to DRNO-WEL - I am sure he will be fang-tastic!

[Jennifer]

Welcome back DR Jenny.  You were defintely missed.

Hey DR Jose, do you guys have any extras of those postcards.  I have a very large postcard collection and would love to have add one of those to my collection.

BK, great pic!  Ooh and I love the name, Kritzerland Entertainment.

[JoseSPiano]

Welcome back DR Jenny.  You were defintely missed.

Hey DR Jose, do you guys have any extras of those postcards.  I have a very large postcard collection and would love to have add one of those to my collection.

BK, great pic!  Ooh and I love the name, Kritzerland Entertainment.

Do we have "extras" of the postcards?  Hmmm...

Just PM your snail mail address, and I'm sure I can send out something to you.

[Sandra]

Sandra, I think the two of us have officially been added to the "old" column...

We're just not little and cute any more.

I realized today that I haven't had cake in a long time. Now I want some cake.

[Tomovoz]

Birthday greetings for Der Brucer from the land of Down Under (leave it!).

I shall be absent for much of the day - it is not a lazy Sunday here - a hectic Monday.
I hope I don't have to add 50 posts when I return this afternoon -(Late night for you)

There is an unseemly absence of posts for me to read - my usual pre-breakfast exercise.

[Matt H.]

I can make a tape or DVD copy of TIGER CRUISE, but I'd ned to know in advance to record it since I haven't recorded it during any of its other plays. I always caution making DVDs for people because some DVD machines have trouble with homemade DVDs since there are so many different recording formats for DVDs, and not every player reads every format without trouble. I made a DVD-R of NOTORIOUS C.H.O. for a friend, and the DVD jumped around in his Zenith DVD player as if it were a record skipping. It played fine on my DVD players here and also on another friend's Sony player. So making DVD-Rs for people is a risky proposition. Tape is usually a safer bet unless you're sure your equipment is compatible with theirs.

[Matt H.]

BEA ARTHUR ON BROADWAY was released on CD a year or two ago around the same time that ELAINE STRITCH AT LIBERTY was released on CD. I bought both of them. Like others, I felt Bea's show, while interesting and fun, didn't have the depth or passion of Stritch's masterful monologue. Still, glad I got to experience it even just on CD.

[JoseSPiano]

OK - Well, it's time for me to take the now clean sheets out of the dryer, make my bed, and then sally forth into the rest of my day.  I'm still not exactly sure what I'm going to be doing... But isn't that what a day off is supposed to be for?  Oh, and there is the Unseemly Chat tonight, so... Hmm...

Laters...

[Matt H.]

Have had a busy day thus far, and am glad to finally be home and able to relax a little (laundry will be calling soon). It's tax free weekend here in the Carolinas, so that's why my friend wanted to buy a computer today. It's the last day you can get it without sales tax being added to your purchase. Some states aren't burdened with this, but we have 7.25% sales tax in NC.

[Matt H.]

My hope is that after I finish on the internet, I'll head toward my den and watch at long last . . . . (wait for it) . . . . .THE ITALIAN JOB.

[George]

Have had a busy day thus far, and am glad to finally be home and able to relax a little (laundry will be calling soon). It's tax free weekend here in the Carolinas, so that's why my friend wanted to buy a computer today. It's the last day you can get it without sales tax being added to your purchase. Some states aren't burdened with this, but we have 7.25% sales tax in NC.

Sales tax in Thurston County is 8.4%.  In Seattle, I think it's as high as 8.8%!  No sales tax can be a nice savings...so when amazon.com charges sales tax (for me) and other Internet sites don't, I take that into account when I'm Internet shopping.

[George]

I may not make it to chat tonight.  I have some errands to run and don't know how long they'll take.  Also, my sister, her boyfriend and my niece are all going to Vancouver, BC for the week!  They didn't ask if I wanted to go.  As usual, they ASSUMED that I would be available to house and pet sit for them.  UNFORTUNATELY, I don't have any reason not to...other than I don't really want to...and I couldn't afford it.  I have to save my money for Portland in two weeks!!  But I can eat all their food and stay in their well air conditioned house!  So it's not all bad.  I just have to walk the dog (not the yo-yo trick) and make sure that the cat is inside before it gets too late.  And they live right next door to me, so there's no travel time.  Anyway, that's going to be my week.

[bk]

Got motivated and saw The Manchurian Candidate about which I'll have plenty to say in tomorrow's notes.  It's not a disaster or anything, it's just a victim of the way they do movies these days.

We have been very good about our rehearsal breaks - at least one every seventy minutes, but usually one an hour.  Plus on our long day, full lunch and dinner break as well as the every-so-often break.

[Danise]

Good late afternoon/Early Evening all!

I spent a lazy day as well.  It rained most of the day.  Sometimes very hard and with many lightning flashes.  Since I didn't want to fry the new computer, I stayed off and watched some DVD's.

I bought my Star Trek DVD with The Inner Light and enjoyed it very, very, very (that's 3 verys much).  I also bought the Conan DVD I always wanted.  Last but not least, I discovered that  Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella.    I remember I loved that as a kid.  Still do.

[move=left,scroll,6,transparent,100%]Happy, Happy, Happy Birthday, Der Brucer![/move]

I dreamed about you guys at Joe Allens.  In fact, I dreamed about Bruce.  You were not there but they named a dinner after you on the menu.  I read it quite plainly.  Bruce Kimmel  $30.00 in white lettering.    I don’t know what it was—chicken, fish, beef but it would be fun to know, what would you want it to be if you had a meal named after you at Joe Allens?  I think it’s cool to know that I dream in stuff that can be read as well as in color, with sound and special effects.  

I shall try to be at chat tonight but I do have a request.  Instead of Pacific Mean time, can we have it at some other kind of time?  How about  Pacific Nice time or Pacific Waltz time or Pacific BK time?  I’ve had enough of Mean for one week.  

I’m so sorry to hear that you rehurt your back, Elmore.  Good healing vibes to you!

My ear continues  to be plugged up,  I’m starting to get worried about my hearing.  I have to go for my post operation x-ray tomorrow.  I think I shall also be giving the doctor a call about my ear.

[Danise]

Before I forget, I received the CD from DR Ben!  Thank you so very much for sharing with me.  I enjoyed listening to it very much.  It was nice to hear your voice.  You have a announcers voice.  

I also liked the What If poster as well.  Nicely done.  Wish I could see the show.  Is it going to be taped?

[Ben]

Thanks for the kind words Danise. It was great fun to put together and I'm proud of the final product.