Fall is around the corner...

If you know me, you know that I LOVE Autumn. I think it's the best season out there, and something about it always makes me feel alive. Whether it's the crispness in the air, the colors in the trees, football season starting, wearing hoodies (I love that), or that phantom smell of smoke in the air - I just love everything about the Fall.

Now, it's certainly not here yet, but as I walked out to my car this morning to go to work, I could feel it coming in the air. Kind of like a Phil Collins song. Cue the huge drum fill. Anyway, when Fall comes I always feel better, but somehow I always feel sadder. It's like the Death Cab lyric, "Sorrow drips into your heart through a pin hole, and like a faucet that leaks there is comfort in the sound." Something about Autumn is melancholy, but in a comforting way.

Another reason I'm pumped about Fall is Alabama Football! Finally we've cracked the top 25 in the pre-season polls (at number 24 - take nothing for granted...)! I'm excited to take Ellen to see some more games this year, and I'm hoping we continue to improve. Mark my words: in 2 years, watch out. We're coming to get you.

Anyway, one of my favorite poets is James Wright, and I figured I would post one of his poems here. It just so happens to be about Fall and football season.



"Autumn Begins in Martin's Ferry, Ohio"

In the Shreve High football stadium,
I think of Polacks nursing long beers in Tiltonsville,
And gray faces of Negroes in the blast furnace at Benwood,
And the ruptured night watchman of Wheeling Steel,
Dreaming of heroes.

All the proud fathers are ashamed to go home.
Their women cluck like starved pullets,
Dying for love.

Therefore,
Their sons grow suicidally beautiful
At the beginning of October,
And gallop terribly against each other's bodies.




Happy almost-Autumn everybody.

-matt

So long...farewell...auf weidersehen goodbye...

So a couple of weeks ago I had to say good bye to an old friend of mine, Katie. Its time for her to start college in T-town so we went and got some ice cream before she had to leave. Every time I hang out with Katie or her brother Ben I know I am going to have a great time. I am sad to see her go but know she is going to do great!

The first post from Mr. Godfrey

Well, as Ellen has already mentioned, she is obsessed with the Olympics. No matter how exciting or emotional they are, I just will never be quite so interested in them. We have the great God-given blessing of Tivo, and with this blessing comes the curse of having every second of the Olympics saved on my TV. I must admit, even though I find the Olympics not as interesting as everyone else, this Michael Phelps fellow seems to be quite the dude. Nothing says "America!" quite like leaving the French in dust, and Michael is the man who can do that. I like him.

While Ellen has been diving into the Olympic world (thanks to everyone who smiled at that terrible pun), I've been diving into theatre. Nothing new there, except that I've moved from educational theatre to professional theatre. I just finished a short run of a new musical by Mark Allen and Tommy Newman called Tinyard Hill. It was an amazing experience for me, but certainly a difficult one. The music was extremely difficult for me to learn, but in the end I felt proud of the final product. We still have two more shows to go (August 15th at Troy University and August 30th at Samford University), so if you're in the area and interested, check online for tickets. To everyone who came to the show, thank you so much for the support.

Next on my plate is another show with the local Shakespeare company Muse of Fire. It's a showcase of short scenes, where I'm playing Lysander in A Midsummer Night's Dream. If you're interested in this theatre experience where the audience is moved around Sloss Furnaces for the different scenes, tickets are available here. If you're concerned with the high ticket price, it may make you feel better to know that food and wine are provided.

That's all for my shameless self promotion. Right now I'm feeling pretty sick with a sore throat, congested/runny nose, sinus headaches, and dizziness. So for now I'll leave you to go blow my nose, but I'll leave you with this shot after the American swim team kicked France's girly butts:

AMURICA!

Summer 2008 means...

THE OLYMPICS! I cannot tell you how excited I am.  For an idea, I cried during the opening ceremony. yeah...

Free Publicity

So for the past two weeks my husband has disappeared. It has been for a good cause though; he got the leading role in Tinyard Hill a new play being put on by Red Mountain Theatre Company, and he has been in rehearsal until 10:00 every night. They have only had two weeks to rehearse what Matt claims to be the hardest musical he has ever had to do so it has been pretty stressful, but it has given him an in in the theatre scene in Birmingham and a great thing to put on his resume.

So if on Friday or Saturday night you are just sitting around wondering what to do: come!

Red Mountain Theatre Company's Cabaret Theatre

August 8-9

7:30

get tickets at: www.redmountaintheatre.org