Twigs Spot

While in the grand scheme of things, I know i’m not that old, there are times when I definitely feel the passage of time. Often, this awareness presents itself to me around large events taking place in my life. One such event was this past weekend, as I attended the wedding of my friends Devon and Carey in Indianapolis. It was a great weekend, filled with dancing, drinking, music and food galore, not to mention dress wearing and competitive game playing!

Upon arriving home from Indy, I found myself taking stock of my own life. While many of "the boys" who attended this weekends festivities are now married with kids, have houses and jobs they love, and seem genuinely happy with their lives, I am facing a bit more uncertainty in mine. Being a performer doesn’t tend to lend itself to a "normal" life, or any form of stability. But as my therapist often remarks when I tell him I wish I was had a normal life, "what is normality?"

I suppose this is the age where I should be wrapping things up in New York, looking for that steady "grown up" job and settling down. Well, sorry mom, I think you are gonna have to wait a little longer! There are things I still want to do, goals to reach, many things I know I am capable of…and just because I have a few grey hairs (i found them last week-fine with me as long as they don’t fall out!) doesn’t mean I have to drop everything and go to law scool- although, the salary, benefits and job security would be nice! But I know now that I do have that option, that I can choose another career without fear of admitting to failure. It’s not about that for me any more, it’s about what I love to do. I love performing and teaching, creating art and choreography. I hope they will always be a part of my life, no matter how old I get, no matter how sore I am after a fierce dance audition (Chorus Line today!) or a game of football in Astoria Park. It’s fun to think about where you’ll be and what you’ll be doing when you’re 70. I think I’ll be happily married, in the burbs, tapping and playing golf, still doing shows, still wondering what I’ll be when I grow up…

Wink if you’ve ever slept in the same room as someone who has done one of the following, while asleep: talked, yelled, hit you, thrown something at you, laughed demonically, made really wierd sucking noises, or snored so loud you thought they "must be joking!" If you winked to all of the above, you are in the same boat as me. And every time something like that happens, my reaction is always the same-it freaks me out! I know that it’s most likely perfectly normal, a natural human function. But what really freaks me out is that I may do it too, and I have no idea what I do or say when I’m asleep! None of us do, but it’s kinda creepy to think about, the fact that your mind is clicking on all cylinders even though your body is enveloped motionless in a swirl of blankets and pillows. For all I know, I could be revealing my innermost thoughts and ideas, and someone could be spying on me in my sleep, trying to get the inside scoop on "what derek’s doing in his dreams." Hey, it happened on Alias.(BTW, Jennifer Garner is the hottest pregnant woman ever, and I hate Ben Affleck.) What’s even scarier is sleep walking, or people who have night terrors, where they run and scream in their sleep- are you kidding me?! It doesn’t suck to do that, so much as it must suck to sleep next to someone who does! It must be like living with a zombie. I hear a scream 2 feet from my head while i’m sleeping, I do one of two things: 1) run, or 2) start punching things, in the direction of the noise. I make no apologies, you’ve been warned. While I am writing this, my sister has been mumbling some form of jibberish in bed. All I could make out was givamasluntter and something about no, i forrwilssinthe hrrott. Makes no sense to me, but that’s typical of heather. I’m just glad I don’t talk in my sleep…or do I?

For Info on all things sleep related, check out www.sleepeducation.com

Rap music. Hip-Hip. That’s what’s hot! Thats what people crave. Many people, many cities, many ages, many races, they all want the "hot new joint." As a musician, and someone who enjoys all types of music, I enjoy listening to rap music. It’s actually part of my job, as a hip-hop dance teacher. Like any other genre, there are good, talented artists, and there are a whole lot of idiots, who somehow manage to get a recording contract. I guess a lot of it is about the image they project. I mean, it seems like it would be relatively simple to write a legit rap song. Right?

Well, don’t be so sure. While anyone who can rhyme and keep a beat can write a rap, writing a good song is a different ballgame altogether. There are many factors to consider: rhyme, rhythm, meter, tempo, intonation, melody, and most importantly content. Just like any other form of popular music, there are a lot of variables, and once the mix is right on paper, the artist must bring their unique vibrancy to the song. I would argue it is actually harder to write a good rap song than many other genres(i could write a good blues song in 10 minutes, although I couldn’t play it!) A good rapper has the power to move and inspire, as well as entertain (check out Kanye West and Talib Kwali), but  a 50 Cent type will get equal playtime on the air, because his songs are really freakin catchy! Simple, easily recognizable, and utterly requestable at a club or party. Don’t be surprised if you see me bouncing to one of those mindless songs like "In Da Club!" I can’t help myself when the beat takes over!  Over the next week or two, i am going to write a rap song. That’s right, twigs is gonna lay down a track, ya heard?! Then we’ll see just how easy(or difficult) it really is!

The idea of having a washer and dryer in my living space sounds so good right now, especially with the excessive amounts of rain over the last week. I think if I had the machines in my apartment, I’d run them every day, immediately cleaning whatever items I used that day. Just because I could. Yeah I know, "electricity, water, blah blah blah!" It’d only be temporary, just my way of saying to the cosmos, "screw you, I got around you, and you can’t stop me from doing laundrey in my boxers!" My stuff is in multiple dryers as I write this, and I’m formulating a game plan, figuring out the best way to get me and my clothes back to my place while keeping both of us dry. I think the old "garbage bag over the laundry bag" rule is in effect, but i may also have to resort to the "umbrella in the crook of the neck" method, since my bag requires a "2 hand carry." Ronald McDonald had the right idea, just pick one good outfit and get like 300 of them made. Probably came up with that idea doing laundry in the rain, after his makeup ran. And look where it got him, he’s a national icon,  a hero, a great man who is probably doing laundry in his undies right now…

Although I haven’t had time to fully digest the movie, I can tell you it is a "must rent" movie! You must be in the right mood, as the story leads to contemplation and self examination, and you are left feeling somewhat down, although there are moments of hope and humor. I am impressed by two things; one, the way the characters lives intersect, which is skillfully crafted and does not feel forced. Only once during the whole film did I feel a moment of predictability, and even so it was an effective and affecting scene. Two, this film tackles the issue of racism head-on, making no apologies, in a blunt and straightforward manner. The issue is never skirted, and in moments where it would have been easy to sidestep awkward or difficult dialogue, the director/writer decide rather to dive into the issues head first, lending respectability and realism to the movie. A lot of thoughts have been stirred up now that I’ve seen the film, so you may see a future blog on the issue of racism as I process what Crash presented to me, in superb fashion. I’d love to hear your thoughts on the movie, so if you’ve seen it, feel free to comment!

NYC forces one to accept certain facts, certain unavoidable truths. I experienced a few today: FACT #1: Your landlord will not turn on your heat until it is absolutely, positively necessary, until they face possible jail time for gross negligence and endangerment of life, usually around the first signs of hypothermia. FACT #2: Going to the Post Office takes a Minimum of 45 minutes, an average of 65 minutes.  Unless you roll the dice and, using your credit card, get the necessary postage stickers from the aotomated machine. But you STILL have to wait in a line to use this, and you run the risk of doing it wrong and getting it sent back to you, in which case your out another hour. FACT #3: Umbrellas will be lost, left behind, and broken at an alarming rate. This leads many, including myself, to only purchase umbrellas that cost less than $5. They will not provide the necessary coverage and wetness protection, but you won’t curse as much when you lose it or it crumbles in your rainsoaked hand. Another downfall is the mismatch in sheer size. Walking down the street with a tiny, flimsy umbrella is like walking down Main St in Bahgdad with your naked chest painted red white and blue, yelling "Don’t mess with Texas!" - very dangerous. And what’s with these freakin guys who feel they are so important, they can carry a beach umbrella? It’s ridiculous how big some of these umbrellas are! Hey you, your knockin the rest of us off the sidewalk, and you almost poked my eye out! Although I do envy the fact you are dry from the waist up…rich bastard!

It has been a little over 4 years since the tragic events of 9/11, and New York is still on edge…but only occasionally. When the recent threat emerged, described by a "credible source" as a serious threat to terrorize major subway hubs by sneaking explosives into the trains, hidden in baby strollers and briefcases, I shuddered. But, like the cold chill i felt upon rolling out of bed today, it was a fleeting thought, a brief physical reminder that we are living in uncertain times. In fact, on one of the days proclaimed to be "the day" the attacks would happen, I didn’t think about it at all, until I had already ventured about the city, taking several different trains, and landed safely back on my couch. My actual thought was: "phew, i made it. what am i going to eat?" 

Now the FBI is stating that the threat may have been false, and you know what? It doesn’t matter. If someone wants to attack the city of NY, they will. We can try our best to stop them by blowing up their friends and relatives thousands of miles away, but our energies may be better spent making peace, our money better spent shoring up defenses at home and training police officers and national guardsman in anti-terrorism measures. It almost makes me chuckle when i enter Penn Station, and the first thing I see is a group of 18 year old kids in fatigues holding machine guns, like someone just shouted "the British are coming!" Even more comical is the thought of President Bush standing along side them, with "steadfast resolve" to gun down the next Al Queda member to come down that escalator! Power breeds ignorance, and no M-16 can protect you from that.

Stay tuned in the coming months for news regarding the next big project !!  In the meantime, be sure to check out www.suvthemusical.com  for updates and showtimes for my next NYC gig, performing the role of BINDAR in SUV the Musical, due to go up in December. See me strut my stuff on stage as a Suadi Arabian Sheik, singing and dancing my way into the american economic infrastructure! Oh, and I get it on too.

Well, this evening I participated in my first Fantasy Hockey draft. Why you ask? I am trying to figure that out myself. My first indulgence in the fantasy underworld occurred last year when Devon asked me to join a football league. I hesitantly accepted the offer, all the while pledging not to become like him: an addict. That’s right Devon, you and I are addicts, along with varney and countless others! We have the need to feed our habit, and it has grown into a three sport fantastical adventure! Is it the burning sensation in the eyeballs after a 3 1/2 hours of drafting? Is it the dozen’s of dollars spent on sporting news, rotowire and other mags in search of "expert" advice? Is it the chance to hone our trash talking skills without fear of getting punched in the yambag? Nay, say I. It is something much deeper, much more profound. It’s the sense of community, of harmonizing our human spirits in pursuit of common goals! Or maybe it’s too much free time. Well, it may have started out as such, but this addiction has grown, and im sorry to say my friends, that they have not yet invented a fantasy patch. Til then, play on!

Well, I’ve officially joined the 21st century and started my own blog! I mean, let’s face it-I have a lot to say, and some of it is even worth hearing! I’ll keep it light on my first entry, as i’ve had a long day of being consistently and thoroughly soaked! That’s right, one of unique pleasures of life in New York, running 9 blocks in the pouring rain to try to catch the subway, all the while trying to angle your $2 umbrella to keep at least a few key area’s dry. If your like me, it’s a hopless endeavor, and you end up making a run for it, almost making it to shelter with some semblance of a dry foot, only to be foiled by the small pond collecting at the intersection, which you tried to leap OVER but didn’t quite clear!! Anyhow, there will be much more to come, and at least 16% of it will be mildly amusing or insightful. Have a dry evening!