Ketch-up Entry

I’ve got some things rattling up inside my brain skull. Too much really and I keep taking my sweet time with writing blog entries so I am way behind here, bear with me. Been busy living life, I guess.

Nov 19- Went to see Ani DiFranco perform in Town Hall. Had a great time and I’m a bit peeved that my little cheap camera phone took crap pics. As in, unable to see anything really. So no uploadable shots. Security guards were also being annoying with people taking pics and kept removing people. *rolling my eyes* I will say that Ani D. was in rare form that night on her guitar. Every time I listen to her play, I want to pick up a guitar and learn how to play (just like her). Oh and who opened for her but none other than Melissa Ferrick...sweet Jesus can she rock! And it doesn’t hurt that she’s really hot in her tall gangly way. Ferrick just came out with her new album: She’s Still Right Here  It was a fantastic show.

Anyway, as I was walking to the train, I overheard some VERY young women talking about how disappointed they were that Ani D. didn’t sing more of her old material. But I totally get it. As a creative person, you move forward and showcase your newest material. Not to discredit the old material but a person has lived some life, gained new experiences, has created all this new work to showcase and that old material is done and over with. I really liked hearing her new material and she’s gone back to her home grown roots of political songs. Check out her new album: Which Side Are You On

Over Thanksgiving weekend-Went to see a couple of movies:
Melancholia by Lars Von Trier is gorgeous . It unfolds very slowly...so slowly in fact that there were several theatergoers near me leave the screening halfway through it. But when the movie hit the halfway point it seemed to blossom and pick up speed. After all, it’s about the end of the world and the way two sisters (Justine and Claire) fragmented by the impending doom come to grips with it in their own ways. The cinematography is phenomenal. The dialogue sparse. The emotional content wavering along tense and taut, on the brink of shattering. It’s stark. But the movie has stayed with me for days on end afterwards. I love when movies affect me that way.

The Dangerous Method written by Christopher Hampton, filmed by David Cronenberg is about the relationship between Carl Jung, Sabina Spielrein and Sigmund Freud (drawn from true events). Keira Knightly is raw and delish to watch playing fragile intellectual Sabina. Knightly is raw and painfully exposed in this role. Viggo Mortensen, as Freud, seemed a bit out of his depth at first but as the movie progressed, the ambition of the man seemed to take on a more “dangerous” quality, Mortensen crackled electric when that element came through. Michael Fassbender as Jung was restrained and subdued but when his own desires began to diverge from the “norm” he came alive. Both the internal struggle (personal desires) and the external power struggle with Freud made Fassbender’s performance layered and piercing.

Icarus Magazine I continue to be involved with Icarus Magazine in my capacity as reader. Always looking for that stand out story in a pile of submissions. If you’d like to submit your work to this magazine, please check out their guidelines at http://lethepressbooks.com/guidelines.htm#About_contributions_for_Icarus. Literary magazine guidelines are different from Lethe Press Books so please read carefully. Hey! I just realized my name’s not up on their website...I’ll have to go bug them about that too. Just add it on to my perpetual to-do list that seems to be growing by the minute.
 
Enjoy for now and I'll have more for you shortly.
 
Peace,
 
L~
 
All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2011 Liliana Almendarez unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Liliana Almendarez.

I’ve spent the better part of the day working on one component to a grant application. I’m bleary eyed and bored of it. How does one come up with a narrative bio that doesn’t bore the reader to tears? Ergh! I wrote one up but it doesn’t seem quite right yet. It just feels like something is missing. I have time before the deadline but I was hoping to send it in this weekend. So I can move onto the next application for a playwriting contest. *yawn* I’ve bored myself with my own writing, never a good sign. Hehehe

It’s a grey rainy day in New York Sitty and I’m cold and achy despite the many cups of tea I’ve had so far. I’m listening to Bon Jovi’s, Living on a Prayer. Great rock song!! Wish I could belt along with it but I think my co-workers would not appreciate my off-key version.

I wanted to share this Broadway tidbit: Seminar written by Theresa Rebeck. A comedy about four young writers and their private instructor played by Alan Rickman. I laughed so hard, I was crying. I went to see it last Saturday while it was still in previews. Rebeck captures the stereotypical young writers so well and is so on point that I could hardly breathe. Rickman is stellar as a jaded writer, I’ve always been a big fan and his cast mates really played well against him. Hamish Linklater really captured the tortured writer. I think the only character that fell flat for me was Izzy. The actress, Hettienne Park, did well with the material that she had but I wanted the character to have a bit more dimension. Other than that, it was an amazing show and I’m glad I went. Also, it gives me hope knowing a woman wrote this piece…hoorah! A woman playwright can be produced on Broadway. Halleluiah!!

Okay, that’s all I’ve got for today!

Rock on people, rock on!!



L~


All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2011 Liliana Almendarez unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Liliana Almendarez.

Cassidy’s Back!

I went to hear Cassidy (former lead singer of Antigone Rising) last night at HousingWorks. She was in rare form as she belted and rocked her way through a set. She may as well have floated up to the rafters, she was on fire last night. Her current singing project goes by the name of Boheme. (Apparently, there is a rapper out there in the music world by the same name as Cassidy). Do I love the new name? Not really. But who cares about that, Cassidy’s growled through the music but when it slowed down to ballads, her voice was crystal clear and she sounded fantastic. I didn’t realize how much I’ve missed her until I heard her again. She is by far one of my most favorite singers. And last night Cassidy sang “Broken” and I was overcome with big soppy tears. It was amazing!! Unfortunately, I didn’t take any pics…otherwise I would have uploaded them here. However, she has a few songs online from her new album that folks can check out.
On fuze music: http://fuse.tv/music/free-music.html?artist_id=605
or here on her website: http://bohemeartist.com/

Rock on people…rock on!!

L~

All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2011 Liliana Almendarez unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Liliana Almendarez.