So what did I decide to do during a burn ban?  I made a firepit.  One particular spot in my backyard is notorious for turning brown each summer in spite of watering and other special care, so this summer with the excessive heat and dryness was no different.  I decided that since the grass was suicidal in that area, I would just help it along and dig a big hole in that area and line it with the multitude of flagstone I had lying around from a deteriorating landscaping project by my home’s previous owner.

Here’s a little journey through my project.

The beginning.

The rain finally fell and filled my firepit… I mean swimming pool. I was glad to have the rain soften the ground.

The hole is finished and the sprinkler line is redirected. Next, I dug a one foot diameter by one foot deep drain and filled it with rock. Over the entire base of the pit I first put four inches of rock and then four inches of sand. It really hurt filling in the hole I had just dug.

I covered the four inches of rock at the bottom of my firepit with about four inches of sand to cover the entire bottom of the firepit. I lined the firepit with flagstone to create the walls of the pit.

After building up the rock walls, I topped it with the biggest stones and filled in the outer edges with dirt.

After finishing the firepit, I decided to add a border of pea pebbles around it so I wouldn’t have to weedwhack the grass growing in between the stones. Here I started defining the circular border.

After removing the grass around the firepit, I put in a metal trim that could be shaped into a circle and sunk into the ground. This helps me keep most of the pebbles out of the grass. The metal trim came in eight and four foot lengths. I used three eight foot pieces and one four foot piece. Hard to believe that the circumference of the pit was 24 feet.

Here’s a close up of the final project. That’s a root in the middle of the pit which I plan to burn. It came from a nasty sticker bush by our house. I think it looks cool.

This is a wider shot of the completed project. You’ll notice I also put in four tons of river rock along the back of my house.

Like every project I dream about and then actually take action on, this one took a lot longer than I expected.  When I first thrust my shovel into the rock hard ground, it was mid July and I had a plan to complete the pit in two days.  What could be so hard about digging a two foot deep hole and stacking a bunch of rocks in a circle? Two and a half months later I had the answer… HARD.

I’m a bit embarrassed to say I started this around the weekend of July 14th and finished on September 23rd, but it did include four tons of river rock, laying down a lot of weed block, and a few days off for that thing called work.  Still, it was no weekend project as I had originally imagined.

The best part is that it is complete, and the burn ban has been lifted.  Now it’s time to roast marshmallows.

Here are a few more pictures from the rest of our backyard project.

Staining the playset.

Four tons of river rock.

This is the back of our house before we put in the river rock and cut down the arbor on the left.

We had a lot of sand and stone up close to the house. Part one was to remove all that.

I laid down weed block after removing a lot of sand and dirt from around the back of the house.

That was two bags of river rock from the store, which confirmed that we could get a better deal on a lot of rock from the local rock quarry. Four tons of rock was perfect.

Elisabeth stained our remaining arbor.

Elisabeth standing on top of the ladder.

The fact that she was still smiling after all this.

The final result with stained arbor and river rock put in.

Knowing that the end of IndyFringe 2012 was quickly approaching, I was running out of time.  I kept trying to find a slot in my busy suburban dad/husband schedule (the kids just started school) that matched up with the show schedule.  I decided that the 10:30 pm performance would be less intrusive than the  4:30 pm performance and it would give me a chance to share my thoughts and possibly encourage others to go see Scott’s final show.  My wife and I scrambled out of our Fishers house a minute before 10:00 pm knowing that the show started in about thirty minutes. I knew exactly where I was going, but still The Cook Theatre is difficult to get to when you have to navigate unfamiliar one-way roads and avoid downtown pedestrian life.  All told, The Cook Theatre and Indiana Landmarks Center is a great venue, but for IndyFringe, it is not ideal.  It’s just too far off the beaten path.  I do like the easy access parking however.

When I discovered that Scott Long had a show at this year’s Fringe, I put it on my “must see” list.  I had become aware of Scott a few years ago when I heard him on local radio and was intrigued to know more about this atypical comedian.  And while I have not been a stand-up comedian for the past 20 years like he has, Scott and I have a lot in common with our connections to the Hollywood entertainment scene and our transplanted lives in Fishers, Indiana.

Like many Fringe shows, I knew very little about what I was going to see.  My only clues were that it was a one man show by a comedian and the show description talked about changing from an urban hipster to a suburban dipster.  What I discovered was a poignant show about fatherhood that was filled with laughter and soberness.  Scott spoke about his wife and his battle with infertility and their eventual invitro process.  He spoke about their success in having a baby and their concern when they found out she was developmentally challenged.  Ultimately, I found out that Scott is a, “good dad but not a great dad.”

Comedy is therapeutic.  It not only is healing for the audience but even more so for the comedian.  The audience at a comedy club is essentially the unlicensed therapist, and the comedian is the patient.  The more laughter from the audience, the greater the healing.  Scott has a story to tell that offers hope for others while providing meaning to the daily challenges he and his family face.  It also offers healing.

From Hipster to Dipster has one more performance today (Sunday, August 26 at 4:30 pm) at IndyFringe.  I assume that Scott will continue to share this story at other venues, so if you can’t see it today, you should keep an eye out for him.  You will be challenged to become a better person, encouraged to share the blessings you have, and reminded to laugh in spite of life’s difficulties.

Illusionistory: The History of Mystery

This evening I returned to the Fringe for an adventure in magic at The Cook Theatre.  Illusionistory: The History of Mystery is a tour conducted by Madame Esmerelda Fallendo, a gypsy played by Taylor Martin, through the origins of magic.  Madame Esmerelda is assisted throughout the show by MadMen Magic (Jennifer Cavanaugh, Matt Fisher, and Devin Stewart) who offer up a couple nifty tricks of their own.

As an aside, before I talk about Illusionistory, let me tell you that you have to visit the Indiana Landmark Center which is the beautiful home of The Cook Theatre.  While this location is truly on the fringe of all the Fringe stages, it is well worth the excursion to see the wonderful renovation job that was performed.  After seeing the center, you’ll have a good idea what $10 million will get you.

Illusionistory is a fun telling from a historical perspective of how many popular magic tricks came to be.  Madame Esmerelda mixed humor with history as she made balls appear and disappear from under cups, silver rings connect and disconnect, and water become wine.  The show was perfect family fun without and questionable content.  It also offered some fun for lovers of QR codes, which you were invited to scan throughout the show for more historical information

Like many shows at IndyFringe, Illusionistory suffers from one troubling issue.  Overhype. It’s like when a friend recommends a movie by telling you it’s the greatest movie of all time.  As soon as the friend says it, the movie is doomed to failure in your eyes.  Nothing can live up to your expectations.  Illusionistory did just that to me.  I read the line, “Taylor Martin’s 8th Indy Fringe will be amazing,” and I believed it.   I applaud all of the performers for their skill in presenting many illusions that I could not perform even with several years of practice (Needless to say, I’d lose interest in practicing after a week so practicing for years is out of the question), but I had seen all these tricks before and while some were impressive, none were “amazing.”

I’ll admit it. I’m jaded.  A bit cynical. But who isn’t?  In the age of David Blaine, vanishing skyscrapers, and white tigers attacking their magician trainers, a smaller magic show needs a real hook to keep the audience off balance.  I guess the show was meant to be more about story telling with some sampling of magic, and Martin’s gypsy queen does an excellent job in engaging the audience, but I came away wanting more.  More what?  More “amazing.”

I hate being negative, but after seeing one show where I was told that I, “may laugh myself to death,” only to survive without even an minor injury, I really was ready to see something amazing.  Ultimately, I don’t blame the shows or the performers.  I blame myself.  What’s the saying? “Fool me once, shame on you.  Fool me twice, I must really be a fool.”  Now I know.  Actually, I already knew, but I had to remind myself that one of the greatest things about IndyFringe is that you never really know what you’re going to see until the lights go down and the performers take the stage.  The thrill of potentially picking a winner; the aspect of taking a gamble on a show is all part of the IndyFringe experience because the Festival is a “celebration of theatre.”  And Illusionistory fulfills that calling.

Oh, look!   Here’s a show that says it’s, “better than Cats!”  I know what I’m going to see next.

Born to be Wild at IndyFringe

IndyFringe is back for its 8th season.  It’s a great event for Indianapolis and the Mass Ave. corridor and one of many examples of how progressive this city is as it continues to develop its credibility as a place for the arts and cultural events.  Yes, Indianapolis is not just a sports town.

One of the greatest aspects of IndyFringe is that it offers such a vast amount of theatrical diversity.  There is truly something for everyone.  From burlesque to magic, one man/woman shows to ensembles, and adult content to family fair, IndyFringe has something you’ll like on one of the seven downtown stages.  And if you don’t like the show you chose, don’t worry, it will be over in about an hour and you can cleanse your dramatic palette with something more delectable.

As I scanned the catalog of shows, I was in the mood for something tame, so I chose to see Born to be Wild.  And it did not disappoint as a show that was suitable for all ages.

Born to be Wild by Bryan Starchman is a series of sketches featuring possible interactions among animals.  Each sketch offers a little insight into what cats say to dogs, spiders to flies, or female praying mantises to their doomed counterpart.  While the concept is not particularly innovative (the personification of animals), the performance is still entertaining thanks to the actors embracing their animal characters with enthusiasm and filling the small stage at Theatre on the Square with energy.

Like many Fringe shows, I knew very little about my selection, which is why the warning labels and descriptions for all the shows are very important.  Born to be Wild was labeled as a family friendly comedy, so I felt safe in  making that my choice.  When I read the warning which said, “You may laugh yourself to death!” I was ready for the life threatening challenge.  Of course, the use us such hyperbole may be counteractive to the desired result because creating such high humor expectations will most likely lead to disappointment.  And considering that I am now writing this post, I did not, “laugh myself to death.”  For this show, I would suggest labeling the warning as “amuse yourself to somewhere not remotely near death” because I did find it amusing and occasionally laughed out loud.  However, at no point during the show was my life in danger. Better yet, I would suggest keeping the warning within the animal theme such as, “You’ll laugh so hard, you’ll embarrass hyenas,” or “May cause snort inducing laughter.”

If you’re looking for a fun and simple laugh that won’t offend any of your senses, then Born to be Wild is a great choice.  There was nothing offensive about the show, yet there was also nothing cutting edge either.  It was just straight forward theater.  I give it two and a half oinks.

My vision was to create a one stop shop for everything situation comedy.  I’m gathering information about current, old, and new shows for the site.  I’ve started reporting some of the vital news about sitcoms and will include commentary from fans across the country.  In addition, the site will provide information about how to write a sitcom as well as tips from professional writers working in Hollywood.  One of my favorite parts of The Sitcom Lab is the Spotify widget that includes a playlist of many sitcom theme songs.  I can’t seem to get enough of The Beverly Hillbillies theme song.

I’ve had a great time creating the site.  And I think it will prove to be a popular resource for writers and sitcom enthusiasts.  I hope you enjoy The Sitcom Lab, and if you have a favorite show that you’d like to write a blog post about, send me a note and I’ll find a way to share it with the world.

Ten minutes later I was sitting on the couch engrossed in the ABC Family show.  It may have been that I was intrigued to see Cameron (Alan Ruck) from Ferris Beuller’s Day Off back on screen.  It may have been my interest in the West Coast location.  Maybe it was my connection to theater and the arts.  Whatever it was, I was very intrigued by the show.

I’m pretty sure this is the first ABC Family Channel show I have ever watched.  I wouldn’t say that I avoid the channel but have never found any shows of interest on the channel except in December when the run all the Christmas shows ad nauseum.

Actually, I’m a sucker for a good story.  I liked the characters.  I enjoyed the premise.  And I was drawn into the conflict.  I can’t say that Bunheads will be on my weekly viewing schedule, but I am intrigued to see what will happen next since the writers killed one of my favorite characters at the end of the episode.  Knowing

But that’s what I had to do.

As I wrote almost ten months ago, I decided to jump into the political arena and run for Congress.  “How’d that go?” you ask.  As well as can be expected considering I didn’t raise enough money, my campaign manager had some form of a mental breakdown, and my wife had to step in and show the world why she is the best wife in the entire world.  The truth is, we came in fifth out of eight candidates and garnered about 5% of the vote.  While that wasn’t where we intended or wanted to finish, a variety of factors put a damper on the final result.  I’ll write about that later though.

Ultimately, I wanted to say, “I’m back.”  I will be posting on a more regular basis again and the themes will pretty much be the same.  That is to say that I’ll be writing about whatever I want.  So I may be talking politics, religion, life, and anything that strikes me at the moment.  Enjoy.

Let’s face it.  Just like Peyton Manning lifted the Colts as well as the NFL to greater heights, he can do the same for web traffic.  A mere mention of his name on Twitter with a link it to my latest blog post will increase my traffic exponentially.  And I’m not complaining.

I definitely will  miss Peyton for his football heroics.  I have a feeling some upcoming Colts games will be pretty difficult to watch.  Indianapolis will always be indebted for the positive attention he brought to the city which led to a new stadium and the opportunity to host the Super Bowl.  But I won’t have to miss his ability to attract a crowd on the Internet because he will always be able to play for my blogging team. Best of all, I don’t have to worry about the salary cap or future injuries.  In fact he’ll always be able to play hurt for my team.

So, thanks Peyton for everything you’ve done here in Indy including increasing my blog traffic. With a little Luck, maybe it will keep going up.

Image by Sigurd Decroos

But there is such a thing as semantics.  Words mean things.  But we try and attribute new meaning to words so they don’t sound so bad, or we try and frame them in a more positive manner.  The word failure is one of these words.

I just wrote a post about allowing ourselves to fail and how failure is required to truly reach success as a creative being.  Of course, I don’t think we should go around calling ourselves failures and we shouldn’t revel in our failure.  Instead, we need to understand that failure or whatever is the opposite of not succeeding is what takes us one step closer to success if we let it.

In our culture today we are taught to be afraid of failing and shown how to avoid failure.  I believe this only prevents us from reaching our highest potential.

So whether you call it failure or something with a more positive spin, we all know that what we are talking about is something that makes us stronger and better prepared for reaching our ultimate goal – SUCCESS.

Photo by Dagney Scott

Our schools have forgotten to teach kids how to fail.

They are too busy scaring our kids into getting A’s and keeping a 4.0 GPA that our kids aren’t willing to meet failure face to face.

I was a mediocre student in elementary school.  In junior high I figured out the system and started getting A’s.  By the time I was in high school, I could get by in class with hardly cracking a book.  And the classes that looked like they might be too challenging, I avoided.  What I found was that I didn’t really need to learn in order to get good grades and graduate.  All I had to do was be ready for the test and as long as I knew those answers, the rest was fluff.  What had happened was that I was conditioned to perform for a letter grade instead of performing for excellence.

The result of teaching our children to perform for a grade is a diminished quality of work over the long term.  Our kids come out of school with a sense of how to get by at work and not excel.  We teach our kids to be afraid of failure because if they get a bad grade, it will be reflected on their report card and those grades will stay with them the rest of their lives. They learn that risk taking is considered a bad thing because it may lead to failure.

I remember being told in 7th grade that all my grades would be in my academic record for  the rest of my life.  I was scared.  I was scared of failing. Yet to this day, I’m not aware of anyone examining my junior high transcript.

Sometimes the only way to find success is through failure.  Thomas Edison conceived of over 3000 lighting systems.  Lincoln lost bids for Vice President, U.S. Senate, and U.S. House before  becoming President.

How do we teach our children to be willing to fail?  It comes back to really allowing our children to be creative.  Our schools are stealing our children’s creativity when instead our schools need to be encouraging creativity and modeling a way of integrating art/creativity within all academic disciplines.  Math, Science, and English do not exist in a vacuum in the real world.  They are deeply connected with creative thoughts and practices.  So why are we rarely practicing this in our schools?

So again, how do we teach our children to be willing to fail?  We let them know that as humans we are creators and to fully excel at creating we have to be willing to fail.  And then we allow them to fail so they can see the reward in failing.  What is that reward?  Another step closer to success.  In fact, for anyone who wants  success, failure is the only option.