Home ... is where I want to be ...

Private note to Erin: Just ran through the Park, everything is in good hands.

I recent reunited (via Facebook, of course) with my voice guru from O.U. We only had him for one year - there was a voice/movement coach my first year who was of the coffee & cigarettes school of warming up. She stepped down right after receiving tenure. Louis Colaianni was brought in as an emergency replacement.

Jesus, he must have been 26 or something, really young. He came to us right after mentoring with Kristin Linklater. He was hardcore, dedicated, taught me a lot of discipline. I would like to say I applied this discipline to my work or my life and maybe in some small way I did. There is a lot of him in me when I am teaching anything, I am serious about that, there are one, two, maybe three people who have inspired me so much that is has changed the way I think or speak, and he is one of those people.

He sent word on an upcoming workshop in New York. Unfortunately for me, it is the weekend I am leaving the Fringe. I strongly suggest anyone in town take it - or get there to do so.

The Joy of Phonetics Workshop
August 22 - August 23, 2009, New York, NY
A two-day workshop

This very popular workshop, featuring "Phonetic Pillows," is accessible to students, professionals and teachers. Louis Colaianni has taught this workshop throughout America and in Europe. Compatible with Linklater Voice Training and other vocal disciplines, many training programs have adopted this innovative approach to phonetics, speech and stage accents.

The workshop invites participants to revitalize their experience of language by: exploring and embodying virtually all of the sounds of the English language, as well as some foreign sounds; exploring the expressive attributes of vowels and consonants; learning exercises and games using Phonetic Pillows; considering alternatives to traditional "standard speech;"learning a phonetic warm up; training the ear to hear subtle phonetic variations; transcribing spoken language into phonetic symbols; learning the nuances of individual accents; and deepening the connection to spoken texts. (more info)

What's On Pengo's iPod?


Miles Fisher - This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody)
(Thanks for asking.)

CruiseLife means a steady diet of caffeine, alcohol, salt, fat and sugar. Yesterday when doing the dishes I had a sudden need to dump a shot of whiskey into an iced glass of Sprite. There's a word for that, but I don't want to hear it.

Distance: 4.35 miles
Temperature: 69º
Weather: warm & humid
Weight: 155.5 lbs.

I gained two pounds? That's it?

Gotta love that Cleveland Heights humidity. Yep, really missing that Mid-Atlantic breeze this morning. Oh well, maybe again in forty years.

2009 Birthday Playlist
This Must Be The Place - Miles Fisher
F***ing Boyfriend - The Bird & The Bee
This Is How We Do It - Montell Jordan
Sugar - Flo Rida ft. Wynter
Boom Boom Pow - Black Eyed Peas
Shot in the Back of the Head - Moby
Jai Ho! (You Are My Destiny) - A.R. Rahman ft. Pussycat Dolls
Breathe In - Frou Frou
Don't Stop Believing - The Kids from Glee