3648 Days... or 5108, Depending On How You Look At It

Hey all

So, what the heck does that title mean? Well, I'll get to that in a minute... first a couple of updates:

>>Remember that beach trip I mentioned in my last post? Our friend Kate and her dog Hariett joined Trish, Buddy, Baby and I on a trip to Arcadia beach on the eleventh, and we had a wonderful time wandering the coastline. We brought our camera and got some photos of the trip, which I've posted here. Check 'em out!

>>Sum of the Parts (http://www.sumoftheparts.com) shooting is going really well. I've shot two scenes to be used in the "flashback" sequence that will end the film, and I've got a couple more location shoots to do for a scene earlier in the movie. We've still got to do dialogue looping, but the project's nearing completion. I posted a couple of still photos from the flashback scene on my Myspace Profile - stop by and check 'em out. I'll also post them on haroldphillips.net... when I get around to finishing the design of that site :)

>>The Chuck Mee Challenge is coming together, too. You remember... that's the play Trish and I will be appearing in on Monday, June 26th. The one featuring me as a large coke bottle? But I'm so much more than just a large coke bottle... I'm a true artist inspired by Lawrence Olivier locked in a struggle with a rock and roll rooster... who just happens to be a large coke bottle. Now, how could you miss out on that?

Here's the official listing that RACC posted in their monthly newsletter:

6/26 The Chuck Mee Challenge. Scenes written by Francesca Sanders for noted playwright Charles Mee as a professional collaboration and personal challenge. Some of the Portland directors participating: Olga Sanchez (Lorca in a Green Dress, Clean), Kristan Seemel, (Dr. Faustus Lights The Lights) Kerry Sorci (Artistic Director Integrity Productions, studied with Anne Bogart and the Siti Company) Andrew Golla (Artistic Director, Portland Theatre Works) Barbara Kite (Speaking and Acting Coach and director) Devon Allen (currently directing Big Love at Portland State). 7:30pm, Theatre!Theatre! Arena Stage, 3930 SE Belmont, Portland, 503.493.2955. Free Admission.

Be there or be... not a large coke bottle, I guess... Seriously. We hope you can make it.

>>Trish will be appearing in the staged reading of a new adaptation of Hamlet by Portland playwright and director Connor Kerns. She's off at her first read-through this evening. The reading will preview on August 10, and perform the 11th and 12th at the Mago Hunt Performing Arts Center on the University of Portland Campus. Mark your calendars!

>>Trish's sister is doing much better now. Here's the low-down: she went to the emergency room last week with chest pain (she's had some cardiac issues in the past). They weren't able to control her pain, or determine what was causing it, so they admitted her to the hospital. After a week or so of tests and in-patient care, they're still not sure what caused the episode... but she's much more comfortable now, and back at home. We logged a lot of miles going back-and-forth to Salem last week... it's nice to have things down there somewhat stabilized. Speaking of the Salem area...

>>Trish's Brother Pete is back in town from Idaho. For those of you who don't know, Pete's a guitarist, and he'll be performing on Friday the 23rd at the Steam Heat Coffee House in Keizer this Friday, June 23rd. If you just happen to be in Keizer on Friday, stop by and give him a listen. He'll be playing from 8 - 10 PM.

>>Now, about that title... Trish and I have some more traveling on the horizon. You see, Thursday is the tenth anniversary of our marriage, and the fourteenth anniversary of our first date (as near as we can figure it). It's a real milestone, in very many ways. I can tell you in all honesty that fourteen years ago I couldn't have imagined that I would be marrying such an amazing, talented, wonderful woman... and I had no idea what an adventure our life together would be.

So, to commemorate our fourteen years together (and ten years of officially-sanctioned-married-filing-jointly-status), we're going to keep our adventure going... by jumping in the car and driving. In some direction or another, with no destination in mind. We're just going to head down the road together, hand-in-hand, facing the excitement and possible bumps in the road together. It seems somehow fitting.

Hold on to those you love, folks... it's worth it.

Be well.

-Harold