Big World, Little People.....

Well, Bloggers, I have to say that the world is pretty big, but the people, not so much. I was on my way from Bali to Jakarta this morning and I saw a guy with a Cushing Academy t-shirt. I stopped him and found out he used to teach there and was a graduate of Worcester State College. Crazy! He was an English teacher/lecturer who had lived abroad for the past 10 years. It just goes to show that home is never very far away; at least pieces of it, that is.

I am now in Jakarta gearing up for one last week of shows, nine in three days to be exact, and the week couldn't move fast enough for my taste. The crew have been here for a few days dealing with the challenge of mounting a full scale musical in a tennis stadium. We have been blessed with a very capable and well tempered crew, which is not always the case in this business. Good folks, all around.

With tour coming to and end, I am looking forward to sipping a few cocktails on the Fourth while woofing down a few well sizzled dogs. I would have to say a good weenie is the thing I have missed the most as far as food goes. Due to the fact we are in a very Muslim area and pork products are not always available, bacon and hot dogs are not quite what they are at home. And Ham....finding a Ham Sandwich is more difficult than finding a needle in a haystack. Actually, harder-at least you know the needle is in there.

OK, bloggers, I will write again before I leave the Archipelago of Indonesia, hopefully a few more times, as the Internet is a bit more accessible here in Jakarta. Selmat Datang!
-Steve

Sooner Than Later.....

Well, blog dogs, it seems like the party is coming to a close for good in a few short weeks. I am in Bali until the beginning of next week, then on to Jakarta for about a week and then home-For good, that is. We found out recently that the New Zealand/Australia legs of the tour are officially off and we will be returning home permanently after our engagements in Jakarta. Oh well, that's the nature of this business- Easy come, easy go. Back to the grind of auditions, but this is the life I have chosen, so I know how this craziness is.

As always, I very much appreciate all the readership of this simple blog. I hope it was as much fun to read as it was to write. Sorry again for the sporadic nature of my posts, but this is the other side of the globe and certain un-forseen obstacles kept rearing their ugly heads(i.e. no internet, expensive internet, connection problems, restrictions on what I could write, etc....) Even with these roadblocks, this has been a fun blog to keep/continue, and the tour, however short, has been a blast. The people have been great, the show is fun as hell, and the experience has been educational, to say the least.

So, I leave you sitting on my balcony overlooking the pool at our Bali resort with hopes I can blog at least a few more times from Jakarta. Either way, I'll wrap things up from home, so rest assured that I will blog again before long. Happy Talk and Happier Dreams, my faithful blogians. Til next time!
-Gags

By The Beautiful Sea........

Well, bloggers, it seems there is Internet life in Bali, for here I am blogging. I am in Bali for a little bit before closing in Jakarta and flying home to celebrate the Summer. Unfortunately, I cannot blog long, as I only have so much data to down/upload per day, so I'll have to be brief.

Things are well, although it's very much like the Caribbean(so I'm told) where every other minute someone is trying to sell you something or massage something, like it or not. The beach is nice,the hotel is super and the entire country is Uber-Cheap, so our per-diems are going a long way.

Well, enough for now, so I'll leave you to picture me watching the sun go down over heavy surf, sipping a beer and thinking of seeing everyone I love sooner than later.

Later!
Gags

Bali-Hi....

Hey there bloggers, it's me and, per usual, the news is ho-hum. We've been off for almost a week and will be off for another two. We are off to Indonesia tomorrow for two weeks of frolic and a week of crazy 3 show days. No more info on going Down Under, but it looks like I'll be home in time to celebrate the Fourth.

Things have been kind of strange here, as we have been trying to fill our days with not-too expensive activities and sight-seeing, but everything costs money. We are staying a bit off the beaten path(per usual) and the bus. although efficient and clean, is still @$1.50SD for one way. I can't complain, though, as I have seen some really beautiful sights for next to nothing.

The other day I went to the Singapore Botanical Gardens/Orchid Gallery and they were outstanding. Anyone who has a love of parks, flora and fauna, this would have been your paradise. The grounds were immaculate and the trees, plants and flowers were to die for. The only drawback was that the temperature was close to 95 degrees with <85% humidity. I suppose I can't expect anything different from the Equator.

Well bloggers, I cannot guarentee I'll blog again before I am home so, I'll leave you with the thought that it has been an educational trip so far(to say the least) ,that this business has been pretty good to me so far, and that the only thing better than bieng abroad is bieng home.

Blog ya later!

Steve

Me Tube, You-Tube....

Hi there blog-dogs, it's your pied-piper here letting you know I'm well and still in the land of no spitting, no Jay-Walking and where chewing gum is as scarce as a cab willing to bring me back to my hotel from the other side of the bridge. I've got 1 show left this week, a 2 week lay-off(or thereabouts) and a few more days of shows to follow. After that, I'll be home for a bit, so, if anyone needs a gutter unblocked or a dog walked, let me know, as I will be seeking employment for the remainder of the Summer.

Things are still the same from last blog, except for the fact that I learned a couple of Moms in the audience uploaded a few scenes from their cameras to Youtube.com. If you search spongebob live, there are at least 2 clips where I can be seen(one as the pirate, one as grandpa). But get there quick, because it might get pulled off at any minute by the powers that be. The quality is very grainy, but it gives you a taste of the show.

Sorry if I've been lax in my blogging, but things have obviously been rather strange lately and
in a constant state of flux, so nothing could really be written. Also, the usual "mums the word" edict is still in effect. So, as I write, we are soon off to a place close to where the 2004 tsunami wreaked havoc, so I'm sort of nervous but at the same time, glad to spend a few dollars helping the local economy.

With that said, I hope I can write form the next locale, but, it is possible the next blog I write will be from the good 'ol USA, so we'll just have to see where the wireless signal takes me.

Thanks, as always, for reading, and thanks for giving me your eyes, ears and hearts. Blog to you soon!

Steve

The Light At The End Of The Tunnel.....

Hi bloggerinos- it is with mixed emotions that I write this installment of blog theatre. As you know, I cannot go into too much detail, but suffice to say, I will be home sooner than I thought and for longer than I thought. The tour has shortened significantly and I will be home in early July and will not return until the Fall, if I return at all. The show is open and going well- the kids are loving it- but, as this is a fickle and rather unstable business, the future is cloudy for this endeavor. So, sadly, this is probably one of a few final blogs, at least for a while. I'll keep you updated as much as possible, but as this unfolds, it is a tricky thing to write about, so I'll do my best.

Sorry so short and sad, but that's how the Sponge gets wrung out. Bye for now, more to come soon....

Steve