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Personal Blog of Steve Baumber
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The play has finished to sold-out houses on all four final nights. It's enough to make us think we did well! Dad and Kate were here for the closing night performance, and it meant a lot to have them in the audience. I was really touched by the effort they took to come and see me in this play, bridging work schedules and distance. I don't know if anything will ever come of this hobby of mine, but if I have dream, I guess this is it. It confounds me to realize how many people I have in my life who support my effort. A big thank you to everyone of my friends and family who came to see the show - you've supported not only me, but everyone involved who are all doing it for the love of doing it (and the hopes of one day getting paid for it).
As a somber note to the weekend, on Sunday morning Rosemary's uncle passed away, very quickly, from several health complications. The world is one lighter, but her heart is one heavier. The weight of memories, of unfulfilled potential, the dream of what-if's, and the reality of what was. I never met this particular uncle, so my sadness is for those left behind who are working to find their own peace and closure.
posted by Steve @
12:52 PM
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4.27.2004  |
Due to the appalling amount of cheese contained in my most recent song, and my realization that it sounded as though I had my nuts in a vice, it has been pulled from the website (also to avoid contributing high levels of cholesterol to otherwise reasonably nutritious lives). In the spirit of recognizing other good musicians who have produced an unaccountable amount of fromage, I present a link to Colin James' website.
posted by Steve @
3:43 PM
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4.22.2004 |
Ah, it's time for a rant!!
Watched Tibet: Cry of the Snow Lion last night, a why-you-went-to-the-Free-Tibet-concert primer for well-meaning wagon riders. The Dalai Lama was just here in Vancouver as well, so it's aptly timed. Movies raise awareness - just look at The Corporation or Kandahar and you get the idea. But are they any more or less effective than the endless internet petitions that float around? A brief, heightened awareness of a cause, quickly replaced by the next one, or the next lucid thought. Am I cynic? An armchair critic of those out there doing the right thing while I hope for a change for the better but don't really do anything about it? Perhaps I'm on the verge of a greater enlightenment as surely my peaceful self-interest is the least harmful path to achieving world harmony. Or maybe I should write a letter every now and then and show up at the rally to be counted as one who tried? Our causes must become part of popular culture to be heard, and popular culture is the disease of social responsibility. What a funny world we live in. Tee hee.
posted by Steve @
10:14 PM
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4.21.2004 |
Okay, down to 7 days between blogs - not bad eh? Of course it's self-serving because I've got a new song. I dusted off the wah pedal and gave it a go for a bluesy feel. It's a bit plodding, and for some reason the vocals have come across a lot muddier than they sound on the recorder (so much for the second hand Shure? probably the processing), and when it ends, it just, well, ends. But hey, at least the creative well ain't dry yet.
The play has gotten a decent review in the Georgia Straight here in Vancouver. We've had very good houses and I think it's going swimmingly. I quite like the folks in the cast and we have a great time every night, so it's been a very healthy experience.
Going in the Sun Run for the second time in my life. Something tells me it won't be much different from the first time, but this time I'm the Captian of Team UBC Forestry!
I'm currenlty also putting together the 10 year reunion for the Forestry Class of '94 and the 11 year reuinon of the Class of '93. As if I didn't have enough to do. Sometimes I stand outside of myself and think, "What an ass." But then I get back inside and realize I could be getting shot at or bombed or kidnapped, and it just ain't that bad.
Peace be with us all.
posted by Steve @
4:45 PM
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4.17.2004 |
Blogging once a month is a habit. A bad habit. Must try to blog more.
The play has had it's opening weekend and now we're into our second set of nights. So far our "houses" have been excellent and very receptive. The consensus seems to be that we have a good show. However, I'm expecting Easter Sunday night to be a little empty. Apparently a reviewer was in the house last night. My disclaimer prior to the reviews which read "Baumber was adequate as the cheating husband" is that I'm suffering from a cold right now, kindly given to me by Kate and Dad. After all my protestations that their little germs couldn't hurt me, their little germs are kicking my cocky ass.
At the beginning of this week I was back in Alberta to help Mum move into a "retirement" village. Her health is such that she can no longer look after herself in the house in Bragg Creek, and this place offers care and a much smaller place to look after. It was an emotional time when the decision was made, one which she was not wanting to make. It took a lot of convincing but in the end she agreed it would be best. The place is "Scenic Acres" in North West Calgary, which sounds suspiciously false but is actually fairly nice. Think of a lodge with apartment style rooms. I missed most of the heavy lifiting done by Kate and Julie, but arrived in time to be treated with coughs and sneezes by Kate and Dad. Hence my current status. Although Rosemary has a cold too, so perhaps I had it before I left? I just don't know who to blame...
Anyhow, between work and the play there's been no time to record music or write or breathe. Good friend Mike and Jodi are moving from Kamloops to downtown Vancouver. Once the culture shock wears off, Mike and I had better start writing the wee one hour show for the Fringe festival for which we've signed up and plunked down a good chunk of cash. Of course, we're still on the waiting list, so who's to say we'll even get in. Perhaps we can improve a one hour show every perofrmance?
posted by Steve @
12:49 PM
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4.10.2004 |
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