This past week came up big. I FINALLY got an article that I spent a long time on published. Online.

It’s a “healthy” read and  (I must say) quite informative. I pitched my idea to Paige Brown at SciLogs, and they liked it. Took a while for the Library to approve it, but I feel satisfied at the results. Paige didn’t really edit too much. She could have. But, my ego says, “why?”

I did a reading at the Fells Point Corner Theatre today. It was a historical play about the Palestinian/Jewish conflict. I had fun. Played a Palestinian Diplomat. Something tells me that I could be doing more. We’ll see. Haven’t read somebody else’s stuff in ages. Nicole LOVES when I do outside work, particularly in theatre. Here’s a video I made for the “Welch Library Battle of the Bands.” We only had 1 hr to rehearse (the rules). I bought a used skirt and Nicole cut it short, THUS my “homemade” kilt. We’re so bad we’re good.

Ohhhhh Lawdy…….. we havin BIG FUN at the Welch Medical Library, folks. There are 3 other libraries who’re doing Celtic-Themed songs. I’ll post ours to Facebook on St. Patrick’s Day. Did love the kilt though. The “Lord of the Dance” song is by Sydney Carter. This is the week that I’m taking off for my Birthday. I always feel so full of optimism in March. I always think something good, something special is coming my way. And why shouldn’t I? I don’t know how old I was when I started thinking this way, but it sure stuck. When I say “something good” I mean a creative opportunity. An ARTISTIC opportunity. I’ve been asked to direct another video for the Center for Education Resources at Hopkins University. But I’m aiming for something a bit more grand. “Zulu Fits” was performed in 2011 at the Baltimore Playwrights Festival, and that feels like so many, many ages ago. Unfortunately, I’m too USED to this process. Waiting, that is. I’ve written another play and who knows when Zulu will rise again.

So in the meantime, I apply myself to a little this and a little that. And March is still in full swing. The Video is a regular Hootenanny!

 

I wanted to add this nice, little nugget that fell my way this past week. My twitter pal Kimberley Barker at the Claude Moore Library at Univ. of Virginia asked if I would fill out a questionnaire she’d put together. I did. But, I didn’t know it would fall under a “Spotlighting The Awesome” heading. It did. And here’s what it looks like.

Ahhhhhhhhh. Ladies and gentlemen, it’s good to be king………..

 

I saw this little fella up close in Druid Hill Park on March 9th. A gorgeous & sunny day that took me and my red KONA around the city. I rode through a bit of Mt. Washington, crossed Northern Parkway and got on the new section of the Jones Falls Trail and then came down into Woodberry. Worked my way back up through the park, round the reservoir and then out of the park and up Liberty Heights. 14 miles of what felt like continuous headwind. But this is great preparation for my “official” spring riding for my Birthday. I plan to do the airport ride (50-some miles), along with some long rides in the city and county. Will share pics.

I got close enough to pet him, but he darted away. Next time, lil fella.

Hopefully, I’m not being premature about this project. I’m trying to bring it to Hopkins and I’ve persuaded the Hopkins Office of Cultural Affairs to get involved, and they’ve agreed to pay the cost of bring “Telling” to town. It’s still early, but I could be directing. We’ll see. It’s been a pretty long process and I hope all the logistics fall into place.

I’m working on completing “B-Side Man,” especially now that I’ve gotten a bit more feedback from my friend Katie Kramer who suggested I “go long” (or words to that effect, meaning I needed more). So I am. And here’s a short excerpt about meeting my wife Nicole:

“Here’s what I know. If you’re in a relationship, no matter how comfortable you are, matter how happy you are, matter how alive, joyful and sexed-up you feel…….if you don’t see that person as someone you could take that next step with, then you already compromised. Next step ain’t gonna happen. I felt like I was in a Henry James novel. One where the innocent American traveler goes to Europe, then comes home disillusioned cause Europeans was just gritty and tribal, not classy and elegant. So they reflect on who they were in the past, who they are in the present and who they might could be in the future. I was that traveler.

When I met that 20-something world-beater I was just standing in a doorway. As the weekend progressed I felt destiny pushing me into the room. She knew me as a guest who arrived with his girlfriend. She could have turned out the lights on the enterprise. I should have turned out the lights. But this traveler had instincts that Henry James could only dream about. No stranger to indecency, I slipped away and found moments with her. She didn’t think I was that disgusting male who did this everywhere he went. I slipped away and saw that our eyes could meet, and gave us each such strange, piercing sight. Needing to push it all down, I lingered. What kind of world we living in where someone staring back at you, can bring you to a crisis point. I came to her in such a wrong way—-and she didn’t budge.”

 

Yessssss, it’s a play. But “B-Side Man” is a story-telling EVENT, my friends. It gets pretty juicy along the way. I’m very proud of it. It tackles Alonzo front to back.

I usually like to bring a picture or two into my posts. Here’s one that I hope to repeat this summer. It’s the 2010 MS ride on the eastern shore of Maryland. I’m doing it again this summer. This picture brings me back to that feeling I had when the ride was over. A hot day, long ride but the successful sensation of DOING IT was like riding the crest of a big-ass wave.We’ll see if I can top that in 2014.

Before the snow came, I was enjoying riding sooooo much. It seemed as though I’d be able to ride all the way through “winter”. But, then real winter came and it’s been touch n’ go with snow. (I gotta admit, that Gary Fisher of mine is so hip it’s not funny). We were working our way back to our meet-up place on 33rd St. It was a brisk day, but as you can see, it was delightful conditions for riding.

It’s been a month or so since I’ve written and I’ve tried spending my time wisely. Have RELIGIOUSLY applied to lots of submission opportunities, reading and thinking what the next project will be. What shape it will take. I spoke to the Dept. of Anthropology class about “East Side Story” and that was a blast. They were very engaged, and I certainly enjoyed composing my thoughts and reflecting on the process of putting that all together. I’m hoping something comes along. Something that tackles my senses. I don’t know if the “Telling” Project will get off the ground at Hopkins.

Meeting this week with several MICA students and my old friend George Ciscle (who used to teach me art at Cardinal Gibbons H.S. waaaaaaaay back in the day) to see if they’d like to be involved. This is all the longest of long shots, at this point. I know that when my mind is working on something I’m a different person. Whether it’s work or personal. But the more I see opportunities I think that I’m just hungry to fasten onto something just for the sake of doing it. Nicole mentions to me that I should take advantage of anything I can get my hands on since I have the a “platform” (Hopkins) that could allow me a definite sense of freedom. But I have a fondness for performance and not, say, digital humanities which involves alotta time in front of the computer. Maybe there’s a way to attach both of those elements together. If there is I can’t find my way to including both.

As my birthday month (March!) approaches, time will tell if I’m spending summer riding and letting all thoughts of doing any projects or plays just go to the wind, or if something crosses my intellectual horizon and takes me on a new journey.

I won’t complain about 2013. There was some good stuff that came up along the way. But, as always, it could have used a little more artistic vroom-vroom. A lot more, if you ask me. Not that you are, but I’m telling ya, 2013 left me cold. I did (just recently) finish another draft of “B-SideMan”. Something I would send out, for sure. So happy about that since it kinda brought up all sorts of sore spots, fragility and downright weaknesses regarding yours truly. It’s storytelling, not a straight drama. It’s an extended monologue that I’m hoping captures everyone in it’s tale. We’ll see how the world receives this piece of Alonzo. Also, sometime this winter (Jan/Feb) I do believe I’ll be directing a Baltimore production (for Hopkins) of “The Telling Project”. This should be exciting and I think that being performed at Hopkins will make it even more memorable. Some details to be worked out, but so far I’m getting “that positive vibe” that’s so much in demand.

Also, I’ve been asked to come in a teach a session at Hopkins in a Dept. of Anthropology class! How great is that. It’s a course that explores ethnography and they want me to speak about how “East Side Story” came about. You never know how, down the line, these opportunities come along and sprout wings. That project was over a year ago, but someone wants to investigate the process. As they say, “how cool is that.”

And since I always get sentimental this time of year, I always reflect HARD when I come across the picture below…………..

The photo was taken ages ago right here in South Baltimore. That’s me, and that’s a microphone dangling from my hand. That’s a garbage dump where I found a desk and a chair. I thought it all fit. As far as “eye-catching” PR was concerned. People who’ve seen the picture today wonder “who’s the guy in the chair?” The Baltimore Playwrights Theatre had just opened, but it’s long since closed —– unfortunately, I think “Life Go Boom” helped forward that action. I still LOVE the play, but audiences didn’t seem to know what to think about it. It was also produced in the Old Vat Room at Arena Stage in D.C. It was hilarious.

 

 

 

My Welch Library colleague and friend Victoria Goode and I wrote an article about the joys of Podcasting. (What can I say — I love that picture of Alonzo). We’ve been Podcasting for Welch just about 2 years now and the more we do it, the more we totally ENJOY the process. We’ve had several Hopkins “celebrities” stop by —- hey, you never know if the President of the University or the President of the School of Medicine will be a guest —-unless you ask. 

Anyway, our Podcasts are picking up steam and you can see the entire list AND SUBSCRIBE on iTunes. When I first started out, I enlisted a friend of mine (I didn’t understand any of the techno-stuff to do it myself) who set up his computer in our mail room and my first guest was the Director of the Library. Humble beginnings. But now we operate out of the Audio/Visual studio in Hopkins School of Public Health. Very state of the art. So Victoria and I are a little like the Jeffersons, cue the “moving on up’ theme.

The other night I caught my friend Roger Guenveur Smith on TV. He was on BET, “In Sickness and In Health” a made-for-TV movie. Most people who know me and my history know that Roger and I crossed paths waaaaaaay back when “That Serious He-Man Ball” was being done in New York. The play closed and Roger swore that he’d get it produced in Los Angeles. HA! I said. (Cause when has an actor ever said anything like that and it turned out to be true). Well, that turned to be true indeed. Roger did get “He-Man Ball” produced in LA. and from that I did get hired to write for “A Different World,” and from that Roger got hired to ACT on “A Different World. Small world. I’ve seen Roger off and on since our “heyday” and he treated me like a King when I was working in Los Angeles. Took me to see his family, and took me to more than a few of his stomping grounds. And stomp we did. Congrats to Roger for having such a long illustrious career. Something tells me there’s more ahead for him.

Last weekend I did my 5th Century ride and it was such an inspiration. Nicole and I stayed in Onancock, Va. at a lovely “home and away” house. Fabulous house, 10 seconds from the water. The whole area is the Delmarva Peninsula and it’s a different way of life out there. I like it alot. We stayed from Friday till Sunday and took our dogs Winnie and Ray-Ray. The ride was such a thrill. Some knee problems over the years had me wondering if I had another Century ride in me. But lo and behold, I had a strong ride and my knees held up like champs. I loved the scenery and it was a sunny, sunny day. Man-oh-Man, it was a delight. I did it on my red bike that I did my first Century.

 

Nicole was there at the end —- that’s salt on my face. And gatorade kept me going all day. I have on about 4 layers because it was VERY CHILLY when I started out. To say the least. But I knew the sun would show up, and lucky for me it did. One of the best parts of the day the lunch stop (below) where a “roving” accordian player and violin/fiddle player serenaded us with a variety of classical tunes, along with some R&B. Very serene and eclectic……..

 

You don’t usually run across this kind of musical variety on rides. I can’t tell how good they were. But it seems I just have. And the violinist sang his butt off! Also, along the way I ran across this hot little yellow number that I saw several times along the way.

 

The owner says he averages 26 mph. I’m not surprised. But SERIOUSLY could anybody ride this anywhere but on some rural roads in the county? I think not. You don’t get any style points with this baby.

 

The satisfaction of finishing is amazing! Me and Nicole had a great dinner out and I’m set on riding at least 2-3 more Centuries this summer. As you can see I’m on a slightly “muscular” ‘cross bike (bigger tires, frame). No one rides one of those on a Century ride. They’re perceived as being too slow. Well they’re a tad slower, but so the heck what?! You can still pound n’ ground. Usually on organized rides you’re surrounded (as I was) by tricked-out-lycra-clad guys on 17-18 pound bikes. Pussys! You can do a ride on any bike, cause as I’ve heard over the years—“it ain’t the bike, it’s the rider.”

It was a great day to be a rider…….

This morning over coffee Nicole and I were talking about stories she’s heard me tell. These stories were about a variety of stuff. She’s heard me laughing about them over the years, and since they haven’t gone away — she suggested I make them into short plays. Maybe I will. Maybe I won’t. But the first one that ALWAYS comes to mind involves a baltimore city bus along with my friends (twins) Mark and David.

 

The twins and I were coming home from Cardinal Gibbons High School (which just ended it’s long history this past year or so) and we were on the very back seat of a crowded bus. We’d been playing b-ball after school and we were just relaxed and, like everyone, just getting bumped up and down by another seemingly “shockless” # 51 bus winding it’s way through the city. David started to complain, somewhat loudly that he went over to see the cute girl who lived across the street, but he was “interrupted” in his quest by her “intruding” father — who came to the door. The father proceeded to carve David a fresh new one because he thought it was too late to be stopping by, that no decent boy would stop by at that time of night and what kind of girl did he think lived in his house to be keeping some boy’s company past 9 o’clock at night! David then added his x-rated description of the father, making judicious of the famed “M” word so frequently extolled by young black men. Well, surprise, surprise. In the very seat in front of us, who should turn around anger written all over his face. The girl’s father. “Yeah, that was me!” Is what he started up with. And he carved David a new one AGAIN. Only this time, the entire back of the bus was witness to the embarrassment — to say the least. That girl’s father looked David dead in his eye and dared him to say another word. Repeating most of what he’d said the night before.

So what did we do? I’ll tell you what we did — we got the HELL offa that bus. And when we hit the sidewalk, we fell down laughing! We couldn’t stop. We drowned in it. We laughed and laughed and laughed. What are the odds, ladies and gentlemen?! What are the odds of THAT man being on THAT bus, the very next day after THAT incident occurred? Oh it was rich. The look on David’s face as the father unleashed on David was jaw-dropping. To this day, I can’t re-tell this story without having that same kinda laughter in my voice. I ask you again, “what are the odds?”

The look on David’s face……………

I’ve got a couple more stories to add. But for now, I’m happy this one came to light.

 

Me and Me buddy Dwight ONCE AGAIN made our way to donuts a couple Saturdays ago. That’s Dwight, and that’s my pretty red Kona. Dwight had NEVER had a hot donut. Well we changed all that. The Fractured Prune is a fanciful hot donut place. Anything you want on a donut, they can put there. And they come out hot and delish. It’s on Harford Rd, and we motored on up there from our starting point — Barnes and Noble on 33rd St. This ride was a bit longer and hotter than our excursion for donuts. But was it ever worth it. And with a hot ride back, we felt earned our meal.

I’ve had that red Kona for the longest time. And it’s created an “emotional memory” that I fall back on. See, just when I think I can ignore it FOREVER, it wears me down with all the memories of the rides we’ve shared. So I just can’t let it go. We’ve had some fun over the years. I love the red and black trip, and being a cross bike it can take me anywhere. I’m thinking of riding it for my next Century Ride (my first Century Ride inna long time), coming up at the end of this month. I’m hoping the red Kona get me through 100 miles.

I didn’t know that by simply leaving one of my bikes in the basement, it would cast such a spell over me. Wonder if that happens to other riders?

Recently, I did a Welch Library Podcast with the Dean of the School of Medicine and CEO of Johns Hopkins Medicine, Dr. Paul Rothman.

Of course since Alonzo was the one who wanted the picture the most — Alonzo was the one who got left in the dark. Literally. What can I say, sometimes social media don’t always work out in your favor. Dean Rothman is a big sports fan, and an alumni of my alma mater — the Univ. of Iowa. But, he was quick to admit his allegiance to his native New York. We talked Library business (metrics for assessment, future direction and progress, etc…). Just another day at the office. People are always surprised that we are able to get such high-ranking Johns Hopkins folk to spend some time with us. You never know till you ask, sez I.

 

 

Ahhhhh…….the joy of finding a review I didn’t even think existed. Sometimes you just have to google up a play title (I only google up MY play titles – what can I say) and you never know what’s gonna show up. So, I hadn’t really heard anything much from the “Fade To Black” Theater Festival in Houston a couple months back. But this Sunday evening I happened to run across some very nice words from a review I hadn’t seen. Jeepers Gee Whiz, sometimes you just never know how or when serendippity, karma—-or whatever you want to call it —- comes into play. Never underestimate the power of some online praise to a Playwright.

In-Person works almost as good…….