What happens when you take a timeless classic, toss in a bunch of lesbians, and make the main antagonistic a knife-wielding killer? Well, besides describing most modern Disney films, you get It’s a Wonderful Knife (2023).
Month: December 2023
Lazy Sunday CXXX: Chapel Lessons, Part I
Sometimes I fill in for our chaplain at school, which I always treat as a humbling opportunity to share some bit of biblical wisdom with our students. I can only pray these seeds fall onto fertile soil and bear fruit:
- “Chapel Lesson: Listening” (and “TBT: Chapel Lesson: Listening“) – A short lesson on the importance of listening—truly listening.
- “Chapel Lesson – Taming Your Tongue” – Perhaps the flipside of my lesson on listening, or its complement: we should do our best to tame our wild tongues! Listening more would probably help!
- “Chapel Lesson: Exploring God’s Creation” – God Gave Us an incredible world to explore. We should do that, and in the process, glorify Him by honoring and discovering His Creation!
Happy Sunday!
—TPP
Other Lazy Sunday Installments:
- Lazy Sunday – APR Pieces
- Lazy Sunday II – Lincoln Posts
- Lazy Sunday III – Historical Moments
- Lazy Sunday IV – Christianity
- Lazy Sunday V – Progressivism, Part I
- Lazy Sunday VI – Progressivism, Part II
- Lazy Sunday VII – Deep State
- Lazy Sunday VIII – Conservatism
- Lazy Sunday IX – Economics, Part I
- Lazy Sunday X – Economics, Part II
- Lazy Sunday XI – Walls
- Lazy Sunday XII – Space
- Lazy Sunday XIII – Immigration
- Lazy Sunday XIV – Gay Stuff
- Lazy Sunday XV – Work
- Lazy Sunday XVI – #MAGAWeek2018
- Lazy Sunday XVII – #MAGAWeek2019
- Lazy Sunday XVIII – SubscribeStar Posts
- Lazy Sunday XIX – Music
- Lazy Sunday XX – The Laziest Sunday
- Lazy Sunday XXI – Travel
- Lazy Sunday XXII – Reading
- Lazy Sunday XXIII – Richard Weaver
- Lazy Sunday XXIV – Education
- Lazy Sunday XXV – Techno-Weirdos
- Lazy Sunday XXVI – Small Town Living
- Lazy Sunday XXVII – Bric-a-Brac
- Lazy Sunday XXVIII – World History
- Lazy Sunday XXIX – The New Criterion
- Lazy Sunday XXX – Trump, Part I
- Lazy Sunday XXXI – Trump, Part II
- Lazy Sunday XXXII – Festivals
- Lazy Sunday XXXIII – Virtue Signalling
- Lazy Sunday XXXIV – The Desperate Search for Meaning Series
- Lazy Sunday XXXV – Corporate Grind
- Lazy Sunday XXXVI – Best of the Reblogs, Part I
- Lazy Sunday XXXVII – Best of the Reblogs, Part II
- Lazy Sunday XXXVIII – Best of the Reblogs, Part III
- Lazy Sunday XXXIX – A Very Dokken Christmas Series
- Lazy Sunday XL – Christmas Carols
- Lazy Sunday XLI – Food
- Lazy Sunday XLII – 2019’s Top Five Posts
- Lazy Sunday XLIII – Music, Part II: More Music
- Lazy Sunday XLIV – SubscribeStar Saturday Posts, Part II: The Search for More Money
- Lazy Sunday XLV – Techno-Weirdos II
- Lazy Sunday XLVI – Man Time
- Lazy Sunday XLVII – Winning
- Lazy Sunday XLVIII – Culture
- Lazy Sunday XLIX – Family
- Lazy Sunday L – The Best of Lazy Sunday
- Lazy Sunday LI – Just for Fun
- Lazy Sunday LII – Democratic Candidates, Part I
- Lazy Sunday LIII – Democratic Candidates, Part II
- Lazy Sunday LIV – Coronavirus
- Lazy Sunday LV – Animals
- Lazy Sunday LVI – Movies
- Lazy Sunday LVII – Christianity, Part II
- Lazy Sunday LVIII – Spring Break Short Story Recommendations Recap
- Lazy Sunday LIX – The God Pill Series
- Lazy Sunday LX – Music, Part II: Gigging
- Lazy Sunday LXI – The Tuck
- Lazy Sunday LXII – The South
- Lazy Sunday LXIII – Holidays
- Lazy Sunday LXIV – Grab Bag
- Lazy Sunday LXV – Rioting
- Lazy Sunday LXVI – Video Games
- Lazy Sunday LXVII – Phone it in Fridays, Part I
- Lazy Sunday LXVIII – Phone it in Fridays, Part II
- Lazy Sunday LXIX – Phone it in Fridays, Part III
- Lazy Sunday LXX – Phone it in Friday, Part IV
- Lazy Sunday LXXI – Road Trips
- Lazy Sunday LXXII – Forgotten Posts, Volume I
- Lazy Sunday LXXIII – Forgotten Posts, Volume II
- Lazy Sunday LXXIV – Forgotten Posts, Volume III
- Lazy Sunday LXXV – Forgotten Posts, Volume IV
- Lazy Sunday LXXVI – Forgotten Posts, Volume V
- Lazy Sunday LXXVII – Rural America
- Lazy Sunday LXXVIII – Space, Part II
- Lazy Sunday LXXXIX – SCOTUS
- Lazy Sunday LXXX – Big Ideas
- Lazy Sunday LXXXI – Education, Part II
- Lazy Sunday LXXXII – Universal Studios
- Lazy Sunday LXXXIII – The Mountains
- Lazy Sunday LXXXIV – Halloween Hijinks
- Lazy Sunday LXXXV – Elections
- Lazy Sunday LXXXVI – Questions, Part I
- Lazy Sunday LXXXVII – Questions, Part II
- Lazy Sunday LXXXVIII – Questions, Part III
- Lazy Sunday LXXXIX – 100 Week Review
- Lazy Sunday XC – Questions, Part IV
- Lazy Sunday XCI – Questions, Part V
- Lazy Sunday XCII – Christmas
- Lazy Sunday XCIII – 2020’s Top Five Posts
- Lazy Sunday XCIV – My Favorite Things
- Lazy Sunday XCV – The Best of Lazy Sunday
- Lazy Sunday XCVI – More Movies: Movie Reviews, Part I
- Lazy Sunday XCVII – More Movies II: Movie Reviews, Part II
- Lazy Sunday XCVIII – More Movies III: Movie Reviews, Part III
- Lazy Sunday XCIX – Romantic Music
- Lazy Sunday C – Valentine’s Day
- Lazy Sunday CI – Obituaries, Part I
- Lazy Sunday CII – Obituaries, Part II
- Lazy Sunday CIII – Begging
- Lazy Sunday CIV – Time
- Lazy Sunday CV – Grab Bag II
- Lazy Sunday CVI – Adventures
- Lazy Sunday CVII – Easter
- Lazy Sunday CVIII – Spring Break Short Story Recommendations 2021 Recap
- Lazy Sunday CIX – Pillow Talk
- Lazy Sunday CX – Inspector Gerard Reviews
- Lazy Sunday CXI – Bric-a-Brac II
- Lazy Sunday CXII – Responsibility
- Lazy Sunday CXIII – Short Stories
- Lazy Sunday CXIV – More Movies IV: Movie Reviews, Part IV
- Lazy Sunday CXV – Memorable Mondays
- Lazy Sunday CXVI – Delays
- Lazy Sunday CXVII – More Movies V – Movie Reviews, Part V
- Lazy Sunday CXVIII – More Movies VI – Movie Reviews, Part VI
- Lazy Sunday CXIX – Summer Camps
- Lazy Sunday CXX – Animals, Part II
- Lazy Sunday CXXI – MAGAWeek2021 Posts
- Lazy Sunday CXXII – MAGAWeek2020 Posts
- Lazy Sunday CXXIII – Murphy
- Lazy Sunday CXXIV – Bible Posts
- Lazy Sunday CXXV – More Movies VII – Movie Reviews, Part VII
- Lazy Sunday CXXVI – Joy, Part I
- Lazy Sunday CXXVII – Joy, Part II – Music
- Lazy Sunday CXXVIII – Civilization
- Lazy Sunday CXXIX – Friends, Part I
- Lazy Sunday CXXX – Friends, Part II
- Lazy Sunday CXXXI – Friends, Part III
- Lazy Sunday CXXXII – Milestones
- Lazy Sunday CXXXIII – Inspector Gerard
- Lazy Sunday CXXXIV – Friends, Part IV
- Lazy Sunday CXXXV – More Movies VIII – Movie Reviews, Part VIII
- Lazy Sunday CXXXVI – More Movies IX – Movie Reviews, Part IX
- Lazy Sunday CXXXVII – More Halloween Hijinks
- Lazy Sunday CXXXVIII – Friends, Part V
- Lazy Sunday CXXXIX – More Movies, Part X – Movie Reviews, Part X
- Lazy Sunday CXL – More Movies, Part XI – Movie Reviews, Part XI
- Lazy Sunday CXLI – Thanksgiving Stuff(ing)
- Lazy Sunday CXLII – More Movies, Part XII – Movie Reviews, Part XII
- Lazy Sunday CXLIII – More Movies, Part XIII – Movie Reviews, Part XIII
- Lazy Sunday CXLIV – More Christmas Carols
- Lazy Sunday CXLV – Christmas Cheer
- Lazy Sunday CXLVI – 2021’s Top Five Posts
- Lazy Sunday CXLVII – More Movies, Part XIV – Movie Reviews, Part XIV
- Lazy Sunday CXLVIII – The Gemini Sonnets #1 and #2
- Lazy Sunday CXLIX – The Gemini Sonnets #3 and #4
- Lazy Sunday CL – The Gemini Sonnets #5 and #6
- Lazy Sunday CLI – More Movies, Part XV – Movies Reviews, Part XV
- Lazy Sunday CLII – Romance
- Lazy Sunday CLIII – Behind the Songs, Part I
- Lazy Sunday CLIV – Behind the Songs, Part II
- Lazy Sunday CLV – Péchés d’âge moyen Posts
- Lazy Sunday CLVI – More Son of Sonnet
- Lazy Sunday CLVII – Ponty’s Posts, Part I
- Lazy Sunday CLVIII – Ponty’s Posts, Part II
- Lazy Sunday CLIX – Scrambie Eggs
- Lazy Sunday CLX: Fine Arts Festival
- Lazy Sunday CLXI: Easter II
- Lazy Sunday CLXII: Spring Break Short Story Recommendations Recap 2022
- Lazy Sunday CLXIII: Friends, Part VI
- Lazy Sunday CLXIV: Friends, Part VII
- Lazy Sunday CLXV: Friends, Part VIII
- Lazy Sunday CLXVI: Friends, Part IX
- Lazy Sunday CLXVII: Friends, Part X
- Lazy Sunday CLXVIII: More Movies, Part XVI: Movie Reviews, Part XVI
- Lazy Sunday CLXIX: More Movies, Part XVII: Movie Reviews, Part XVII
- Lazy Sunday CL: More Movies, Part XVIII: Movie Reviews, Part XVIII
- Lazy Sunday CLI: Frederick Ingram, Part I
- Lazy Sunday CLII: Frederick Ingram, Part II
- Lazy Sunday CLIII: MAGAWeek2022
- Lazy Sunday CLIV: More Movies, Part XIX: Movie Reviews, Part XIX
- Lazy Sunday CLV: More Movies, Part XX: Movie Reviews, Part XX
- Lazy Sunday CLVI: More Movies, Part XXI: Movie Reviews, Part XXI
- Lazy Sunday CLVII: School, Part I
- Lazy Sunday CLVIII: School, Part II
- Lazy Sunday CLIX: More Movies, Part XXII: Ponty’s Worst Films, Part I
- Lazy Sunday CLX: More Movies, Part XXIII: Portly’s Worst Films, Part I
- Lazy Sunday CLXI: More Movies, Part XXIV: Ponty’s Worst Films, Part II
- Lazy Sunday CLXII: More Movies, Part XXV: Portly’s Worst Films, Part II
- Lazy Sunday CLXIII: More Movies, Part XXVII: Ponty’s Worst Films, Part III
- Lazy Sunday CLXIV: More Movies, Part XXVIII: Portly’s Worst Films, Part III
- Lazy Sunday CLXV: More Movies, Part XXIX: Ponty and Portly’s #1 Worst Films
- Lazy Sunday CLXVI: More Movies, Part XXX: Midweek Myers Movie Reviews, Part I
- Lazy Sunday CLXVII: More Movies, Part XXXI: Midweek Myers Movie Reviews, Part II
- Lazy Sunday CLXVIII: Video Games II: Ponty’s Picks
- Lazy Sunday CLXIX: Even More Halloween Hijinks: The Musical
- Lazy Sunday CLXX: Cozy Time
- Lazy Sunday CLXXI: Veterans Day Posts
- Lazy Sunday CLXXII: Myersvision, Part I
- Lazy Sunday CLXXIII: Thanksgiving Week Posts
- Lazy Sunday CLXXIV: Solo Cover EP, Part I
- Lazy Sunday CLXXV: Solo Cover EP, Part II
- Lazy Sunday CLXXVI: 2022’s Top Three
- Lazy Sunday CLXXVII: Review[s] of A Christmas Carol (1951)
- Lazy Sunday CLXXVIII: The Worst of 2022
- Lazy Sunday CLXXIX: More Movies XXXII: Portly’s Best Films, Part I
- Lazy Sunday CLXXX: More Movies XXXIII: Ponty’s Best Films, Part I
- Lazy Sunday CLXXXI: More Movies XXXIV: Portly’s Best Films, Part II
- Lazy Sunday CLXXXII: More Movies XXXV: Ponty’s Best Films, Part II
- Lazy Sunday CLXXXIII: Péchés d’âge moyen Picks
- Lazy Sunday CLXXXIX: Arizonan Sojourn, Part I
- Lazy Sunday CXC: Portly’s Best Films, Part III
- Lazy Sunday CXCI: Ponty’s Best Films, Part III
- Lazy Sunday CXCII: The Beach
- Lazy Sunday CXCIII: Walks
- Lazy Sunday CXCIV: Paintings
- Lazy Sunday CXCV: Arizonan Sojourn, Part II
- Lazy Sunday CXCVI: Hono[u]rable Mentions
- Lazy Sunday CXCVII: Easter III
- Lazy Sunday CXCVIII: Spring Break Short Story Recommendations 2023
- Lazy Sunday CXCIX: Ponty and Portly’s #1 Picks
- Lazy Sunday CC: Myersvision, Part II
- Lazy Sunday CCI: Myersvision, Part III
- Lazy Sunday CCII: Myersvision, Part IV
- Lazy Sunday CCIII: Myersvision, Part V
- Lazy Sunday CCIV: Myersvision, Part VI
- Lazy Sunday CCV: Myersvision, Part VII
- Lazy Sunday CCVI: Intergalactic Nonsense
- Lazy Sunday CCVII: Stories
- Lazy Sunday CCVIII: Original Music, Part I
- Lazy Sunday CCIX: Original Music, Part II
- Lazy Sunday CCX: MAGAWeek2023 Posts
- Lazy Sunday CCXI: Greatest Hits Recap
- Lazy Sunday CCXII: Ponty Week 2023
- Lazy Sunday CCXIII: D.C., Part I
- Lazy Sunday CCXIV: D.C., Part II
- Lazy Sunday CCXV: TJC Deep Cuts
- Lazy Sunday CCXVI: Weird Piano Music
- Lazy Sunday CCXVII: Cinema
- Lazy Sunday CCXVIII: Monarchy
- Lazy Sunday CXIX: Sandwiches
- Lazy Sunday CXX: Skeletons
- Lazy Sunday CXXI: Myersvision, Part VIII
- Lazy Sunday CXXII: Myersvision, Part IX
- Lazy Sunday CXXIII: Festivals II
- Lazy Sunday CXXIV: Two Cryptid Tunes
- Lazy Sunday CXXV: Ghostly Doings
- Lazy Sunday CXXVI: Veterans Day Posts II
- Lazy Sunday CXXVII: Indie Musician Rants
- Lazy Sunday CXXVIII: 2023 Releases
- Lazy Sunday CXXIX: Civilization Series
SubscribeStar Saturday: Boring Politics
Today’s post is a SubscribeStar Saturday exclusive. To read the full post, subscribe to my SubscribeStar page for $1 a month or more. For a full rundown of everything your subscription gets, click here.
Has anyone else noticed how boring politics has become? I don’t mean to imply that nothing is happening—I mean, we had a Speaker of the House fired for the first time in American history a couple of months ago—but it all seems so… dull.
If everything was hunky-dory, it would be fine for politics to be boring. Indeed, it would be great—we want to live in a world where the issues that face us are so miniscule, we can elect boring people to administer boring, predictable law and order.
But the opposite is the case. Everything sucks. Our government is wildly oppressive. Our institutions can’t pave the roads adequately, much less govern the country. People aren’t allowed to say anything reasonable in public without losing their jobs. Inflation is through the roof. Wages are stagnant. China owns everything. Our leaders want to drag us into wars in Eastern Europe and the Middle East that involve ancient clans battling over ancient grievances. Peaceful protestors—actual ones, not progressives robbing their local Wendy’s—are in federal prison without trial because they were invited to walk through the Capitol Building.
In spite of all of that, politics is boring. I think I know why.
To read the rest of this post, subscribe to my SubscribeStar page for $1 a month or more.
Phone it in Friday XLIV: Christmas Concert 2023
Today is the day of our big Christmas Concert at school. It’s incredibly fun and incredibly stressful, but if everything has gone according to plan, it should go smoothly. It’s worth it to see the kids singing and playing and having a good time.
As I’ve grown older and, arguably, more professional (and almost certainly more ornery and ill-tempered), I’ve scaled back a bit of the theatricality and bombast of the Christmas Concert to something a bit more manageable. Gone are the days of singing while standing on a piano (I did that once, years ago). I also strive to make the concert focused on the kids and Jesus.
One big change this year is that our Dance and Choral students won’t be performing, because they had their performances as part of the Middle School Play last Friday. The Foreign Language Students will still get up there and belt out Christmas tunes in various languages.
I’ll be doing a full write-up one Saturday (possibly tomorrow) covering it, but for today, just pray for yours portly. I’m confident it will be a good concert, I just gotsta get through it!
As a preview, here’s what my students are performing:
- Middle School Music Ensemble
- “Silent Night“—first slow and in 3/4, then fast and in 4/4!
- “Joy to the World“—in a more traditional setting
- High School Music Ensemble
- “I Wish You Love” by Icelandic jazz songstress Laufey
- “On Christmas Day”—a piece that one of my students wrote and arranged himself!
- “O Holy Night“—the best Christmas song ever written
Merry Christmas!
—TPP
TBT^16: O Little Town of Bethlehem and the Pressures of Songwriting
My students have their big Christmas concert tomorrow, and while we’re not performing “O Little Town of Bethlehem” on this year’s program, there’s quite a bit of pressure to get everything sounding and looking good! Like most folks, I don’t like stress, but it’s amazing how it forces us to get stuff done—and to make it even better!
The story of “O Little Town of Bethlehem” is relatable to songwriters, but I think speaks to all of us who have had to create or complete something with a ticking clock and high expectations. “It takes pressure to create diamonds,” they say, and the frantic, last-minute composition of “O Little Town of Bethlehem” is a testament to that principle.
With that, here is 15 December 2022’s “TBT^4: O Little Town of Bethlehem and the Pressures of Songwriting“:
Guest Post: DEI Hard
Good old Ponty has graced us with some Christmas cheer this year with an uproarious and penchant sendup of one of my favorite Christmas movies—and, yes, it is a Christmas movie.
I can’t reveal much more in this intro, so I’ll hand it over to Ponty, who reviews a film that would make Kathleen Kennedy week in the knees:
Open Mic Adventures LVIII: “Kartofelsalat”
Amid last week’s chaos I managed to squeeze in a little composing one night. I was messing around with yet another waltz in my music journal, which I then edited quite a bit once I got into Noteflight and started putting in the notes.
I did not start out with German potato salad (the meaning of “Kartofelsalat”) as what I hoped to portray musically. I was just scribbling around, and when it came time to assign my little piece a title, “Kartofelsalat” popped into my head. It perhaps makes sense: it sounds funny, it’s vaguely German (this waltz has a bit of a German flare to it), and it’s a mix of various musical ingredients, much like the delicious side dish.
Monday Morning Movie Review: Napoleon (2023)
Hollywood is in a weird place right now. All of the major franchises and studios are bombing at the theaters. The Marvel Cinematic Universe used to be a money-printing machine; now, it’s dropping like Iron Man in Avengers: Endgame (2019). Disney is sinking faster than The Little Mermaid‘s hometown. Star Wars is exploding as if a couple of proton torpedoes hit its reactor core.
At the same time, there have been some major prestige films that have done well with critics and audiences alike. Oppenheimer (2023) became a cultural phenomenon due to its release alongside Barbie (2023). Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon (2023) is earning accolades.
Now there’s another nearly-three-hour-long flick charging cinemas, and it’s quite good: Ridley Scott’s Napoleon (2023).
Lazy Sunday CXXIX: Civilization Series
Yours portly is in the midst of his busy Christmas performance season, and wistfully dreams of blowing hours of his life conquering the world as various historical leaders. I haven’t had much time for world conquering, but I’ve certainly written about the legendary Civilization games for years now. Here are my posts about this beloved franchise:
- “Game Review: Sid Meier’s Civilization Revolution” (and “TBT: Game Review: Sid Meier’s Civilization Revolution” and “TBT^2: Game Review: Sid Meier’s Civilization Revolution“) – My review of the Nintendo DS Lite port of 2008’s Sid Meier’s Civilization Revolution.
- “Civilization Series: Slayer of Productivity” – My post about the destructive fun of the Civilization series.
- “Giving Thanks… for Civilization VI” – My ode to Civilization VI.
Happy Sunday!
—TPP
Other Lazy Sunday Installments:
- Lazy Sunday – APR Pieces
- Lazy Sunday II – Lincoln Posts
- Lazy Sunday III – Historical Moments
- Lazy Sunday IV – Christianity
- Lazy Sunday V – Progressivism, Part I
- Lazy Sunday VI – Progressivism, Part II
- Lazy Sunday VII – Deep State
- Lazy Sunday VIII – Conservatism
- Lazy Sunday IX – Economics, Part I
- Lazy Sunday X – Economics, Part II
- Lazy Sunday XI – Walls
- Lazy Sunday XII – Space
- Lazy Sunday XIII – Immigration
- Lazy Sunday XIV – Gay Stuff
- Lazy Sunday XV – Work
- Lazy Sunday XVI – #MAGAWeek2018
- Lazy Sunday XVII – #MAGAWeek2019
- Lazy Sunday XVIII – SubscribeStar Posts
- Lazy Sunday XIX – Music
- Lazy Sunday XX – The Laziest Sunday
- Lazy Sunday XXI – Travel
- Lazy Sunday XXII – Reading
- Lazy Sunday XXIII – Richard Weaver
- Lazy Sunday XXIV – Education
- Lazy Sunday XXV – Techno-Weirdos
- Lazy Sunday XXVI – Small Town Living
- Lazy Sunday XXVII – Bric-a-Brac
- Lazy Sunday XXVIII – World History
- Lazy Sunday XXIX – The New Criterion
- Lazy Sunday XXX – Trump, Part I
- Lazy Sunday XXXI – Trump, Part II
- Lazy Sunday XXXII – Festivals
- Lazy Sunday XXXIII – Virtue Signalling
- Lazy Sunday XXXIV – The Desperate Search for Meaning Series
- Lazy Sunday XXXV – Corporate Grind
- Lazy Sunday XXXVI – Best of the Reblogs, Part I
- Lazy Sunday XXXVII – Best of the Reblogs, Part II
- Lazy Sunday XXXVIII – Best of the Reblogs, Part III
- Lazy Sunday XXXIX – A Very Dokken Christmas Series
- Lazy Sunday XL – Christmas Carols
- Lazy Sunday XLI – Food
- Lazy Sunday XLII – 2019’s Top Five Posts
- Lazy Sunday XLIII – Music, Part II: More Music
- Lazy Sunday XLIV – SubscribeStar Saturday Posts, Part II: The Search for More Money
- Lazy Sunday XLV – Techno-Weirdos II
- Lazy Sunday XLVI – Man Time
- Lazy Sunday XLVII – Winning
- Lazy Sunday XLVIII – Culture
- Lazy Sunday XLIX – Family
- Lazy Sunday L – The Best of Lazy Sunday
- Lazy Sunday LI – Just for Fun
- Lazy Sunday LII – Democratic Candidates, Part I
- Lazy Sunday LIII – Democratic Candidates, Part II
- Lazy Sunday LIV – Coronavirus
- Lazy Sunday LV – Animals
- Lazy Sunday LVI – Movies
- Lazy Sunday LVII – Christianity, Part II
- Lazy Sunday LVIII – Spring Break Short Story Recommendations Recap
- Lazy Sunday LIX – The God Pill Series
- Lazy Sunday LX – Music, Part II: Gigging
- Lazy Sunday LXI – The Tuck
- Lazy Sunday LXII – The South
- Lazy Sunday LXIII – Holidays
- Lazy Sunday LXIV – Grab Bag
- Lazy Sunday LXV – Rioting
- Lazy Sunday LXVI – Video Games
- Lazy Sunday LXVII – Phone it in Fridays, Part I
- Lazy Sunday LXVIII – Phone it in Fridays, Part II
- Lazy Sunday LXIX – Phone it in Fridays, Part III
- Lazy Sunday LXX – Phone it in Friday, Part IV
- Lazy Sunday LXXI – Road Trips
- Lazy Sunday LXXII – Forgotten Posts, Volume I
- Lazy Sunday LXXIII – Forgotten Posts, Volume II
- Lazy Sunday LXXIV – Forgotten Posts, Volume III
- Lazy Sunday LXXV – Forgotten Posts, Volume IV
- Lazy Sunday LXXVI – Forgotten Posts, Volume V
- Lazy Sunday LXXVII – Rural America
- Lazy Sunday LXXVIII – Space, Part II
- Lazy Sunday LXXXIX – SCOTUS
- Lazy Sunday LXXX – Big Ideas
- Lazy Sunday LXXXI – Education, Part II
- Lazy Sunday LXXXII – Universal Studios
- Lazy Sunday LXXXIII – The Mountains
- Lazy Sunday LXXXIV – Halloween Hijinks
- Lazy Sunday LXXXV – Elections
- Lazy Sunday LXXXVI – Questions, Part I
- Lazy Sunday LXXXVII – Questions, Part II
- Lazy Sunday LXXXVIII – Questions, Part III
- Lazy Sunday LXXXIX – 100 Week Review
- Lazy Sunday XC – Questions, Part IV
- Lazy Sunday XCI – Questions, Part V
- Lazy Sunday XCII – Christmas
- Lazy Sunday XCIII – 2020’s Top Five Posts
- Lazy Sunday XCIV – My Favorite Things
- Lazy Sunday XCV – The Best of Lazy Sunday
- Lazy Sunday XCVI – More Movies: Movie Reviews, Part I
- Lazy Sunday XCVII – More Movies II: Movie Reviews, Part II
- Lazy Sunday XCVIII – More Movies III: Movie Reviews, Part III
- Lazy Sunday XCIX – Romantic Music
- Lazy Sunday C – Valentine’s Day
- Lazy Sunday CI – Obituaries, Part I
- Lazy Sunday CII – Obituaries, Part II
- Lazy Sunday CIII – Begging
- Lazy Sunday CIV – Time
- Lazy Sunday CV – Grab Bag II
- Lazy Sunday CVI – Adventures
- Lazy Sunday CVII – Easter
- Lazy Sunday CVIII – Spring Break Short Story Recommendations 2021 Recap
- Lazy Sunday CIX – Pillow Talk
- Lazy Sunday CX – Inspector Gerard Reviews
- Lazy Sunday CXI – Bric-a-Brac II
- Lazy Sunday CXII – Responsibility
- Lazy Sunday CXIII – Short Stories
- Lazy Sunday CXIV – More Movies IV: Movie Reviews, Part IV
- Lazy Sunday CXV – Memorable Mondays
- Lazy Sunday CXVI – Delays
- Lazy Sunday CXVII – More Movies V – Movie Reviews, Part V
- Lazy Sunday CXVIII – More Movies VI – Movie Reviews, Part VI
- Lazy Sunday CXIX – Summer Camps
- Lazy Sunday CXX – Animals, Part II
- Lazy Sunday CXXI – MAGAWeek2021 Posts
- Lazy Sunday CXXII – MAGAWeek2020 Posts
- Lazy Sunday CXXIII – Murphy
- Lazy Sunday CXXIV – Bible Posts
- Lazy Sunday CXXV – More Movies VII – Movie Reviews, Part VII
- Lazy Sunday CXXVI – Joy, Part I
- Lazy Sunday CXXVII – Joy, Part II – Music
- Lazy Sunday CXXVIII – Civilization
- Lazy Sunday CXXIX – Friends, Part I
- Lazy Sunday CXXX – Friends, Part II
- Lazy Sunday CXXXI – Friends, Part III
- Lazy Sunday CXXXII – Milestones
- Lazy Sunday CXXXIII – Inspector Gerard
- Lazy Sunday CXXXIV – Friends, Part IV
- Lazy Sunday CXXXV – More Movies VIII – Movie Reviews, Part VIII
- Lazy Sunday CXXXVI – More Movies IX – Movie Reviews, Part IX
- Lazy Sunday CXXXVII – More Halloween Hijinks
- Lazy Sunday CXXXVIII – Friends, Part V
- Lazy Sunday CXXXIX – More Movies, Part X – Movie Reviews, Part X
- Lazy Sunday CXL – More Movies, Part XI – Movie Reviews, Part XI
- Lazy Sunday CXLI – Thanksgiving Stuff(ing)
- Lazy Sunday CXLII – More Movies, Part XII – Movie Reviews, Part XII
- Lazy Sunday CXLIII – More Movies, Part XIII – Movie Reviews, Part XIII
- Lazy Sunday CXLIV – More Christmas Carols
- Lazy Sunday CXLV – Christmas Cheer
- Lazy Sunday CXLVI – 2021’s Top Five Posts
- Lazy Sunday CXLVII – More Movies, Part XIV – Movie Reviews, Part XIV
- Lazy Sunday CXLVIII – The Gemini Sonnets #1 and #2
- Lazy Sunday CXLIX – The Gemini Sonnets #3 and #4
- Lazy Sunday CL – The Gemini Sonnets #5 and #6
- Lazy Sunday CLI – More Movies, Part XV – Movies Reviews, Part XV
- Lazy Sunday CLII – Romance
- Lazy Sunday CLIII – Behind the Songs, Part I
- Lazy Sunday CLIV – Behind the Songs, Part II
- Lazy Sunday CLV – Péchés d’âge moyen Posts
- Lazy Sunday CLVI – More Son of Sonnet
- Lazy Sunday CLVII – Ponty’s Posts, Part I
- Lazy Sunday CLVIII – Ponty’s Posts, Part II
- Lazy Sunday CLIX – Scrambie Eggs
- Lazy Sunday CLX: Fine Arts Festival
- Lazy Sunday CLXI: Easter II
- Lazy Sunday CLXII: Spring Break Short Story Recommendations Recap 2022
- Lazy Sunday CLXIII: Friends, Part VI
- Lazy Sunday CLXIV: Friends, Part VII
- Lazy Sunday CLXV: Friends, Part VIII
- Lazy Sunday CLXVI: Friends, Part IX
- Lazy Sunday CLXVII: Friends, Part X
- Lazy Sunday CLXVIII: More Movies, Part XVI: Movie Reviews, Part XVI
- Lazy Sunday CLXIX: More Movies, Part XVII: Movie Reviews, Part XVII
- Lazy Sunday CL: More Movies, Part XVIII: Movie Reviews, Part XVIII
- Lazy Sunday CLI: Frederick Ingram, Part I
- Lazy Sunday CLII: Frederick Ingram, Part II
- Lazy Sunday CLIII: MAGAWeek2022
- Lazy Sunday CLIV: More Movies, Part XIX: Movie Reviews, Part XIX
- Lazy Sunday CLV: More Movies, Part XX: Movie Reviews, Part XX
- Lazy Sunday CLVI: More Movies, Part XXI: Movie Reviews, Part XXI
- Lazy Sunday CLVII: School, Part I
- Lazy Sunday CLVIII: School, Part II
- Lazy Sunday CLIX: More Movies, Part XXII: Ponty’s Worst Films, Part I
- Lazy Sunday CLX: More Movies, Part XXIII: Portly’s Worst Films, Part I
- Lazy Sunday CLXI: More Movies, Part XXIV: Ponty’s Worst Films, Part II
- Lazy Sunday CLXII: More Movies, Part XXV: Portly’s Worst Films, Part II
- Lazy Sunday CLXIII: More Movies, Part XXVII: Ponty’s Worst Films, Part III
- Lazy Sunday CLXIV: More Movies, Part XXVIII: Portly’s Worst Films, Part III
- Lazy Sunday CLXV: More Movies, Part XXIX: Ponty and Portly’s #1 Worst Films
- Lazy Sunday CLXVI: More Movies, Part XXX: Midweek Myers Movie Reviews, Part I
- Lazy Sunday CLXVII: More Movies, Part XXXI: Midweek Myers Movie Reviews, Part II
- Lazy Sunday CLXVIII: Video Games II: Ponty’s Picks
- Lazy Sunday CLXIX: Even More Halloween Hijinks: The Musical
- Lazy Sunday CLXX: Cozy Time
- Lazy Sunday CLXXI: Veterans Day Posts
- Lazy Sunday CLXXII: Myersvision, Part I
- Lazy Sunday CLXXIII: Thanksgiving Week Posts
- Lazy Sunday CLXXIV: Solo Cover EP, Part I
- Lazy Sunday CLXXV: Solo Cover EP, Part II
- Lazy Sunday CLXXVI: 2022’s Top Three
- Lazy Sunday CLXXVII: Review[s] of A Christmas Carol (1951)
- Lazy Sunday CLXXVIII: The Worst of 2022
- Lazy Sunday CLXXIX: More Movies XXXII: Portly’s Best Films, Part I
- Lazy Sunday CLXXX: More Movies XXXIII: Ponty’s Best Films, Part I
- Lazy Sunday CLXXXI: More Movies XXXIV: Portly’s Best Films, Part II
- Lazy Sunday CLXXXII: More Movies XXXV: Ponty’s Best Films, Part II
- Lazy Sunday CLXXXIII: Péchés d’âge moyen Picks
- Lazy Sunday CLXXXIX: Arizonan Sojourn, Part I
- Lazy Sunday CXC: Portly’s Best Films, Part III
- Lazy Sunday CXCI: Ponty’s Best Films, Part III
- Lazy Sunday CXCII: The Beach
- Lazy Sunday CXCIII: Walks
- Lazy Sunday CXCIV: Paintings
- Lazy Sunday CXCV: Arizonan Sojourn, Part II
- Lazy Sunday CXCVI: Hono[u]rable Mentions
- Lazy Sunday CXCVII: Easter III
- Lazy Sunday CXCVIII: Spring Break Short Story Recommendations 2023
- Lazy Sunday CXCIX: Ponty and Portly’s #1 Picks
- Lazy Sunday CC: Myersvision, Part II
- Lazy Sunday CCI: Myersvision, Part III
- Lazy Sunday CCII: Myersvision, Part IV
- Lazy Sunday CCIII: Myersvision, Part V
- Lazy Sunday CCIV: Myersvision, Part VI
- Lazy Sunday CCV: Myersvision, Part VII
- Lazy Sunday CCVI: Intergalactic Nonsense
- Lazy Sunday CCVII: Stories
- Lazy Sunday CCVIII: Original Music, Part I
- Lazy Sunday CCIX: Original Music, Part II
- Lazy Sunday CCX: MAGAWeek2023 Posts
- Lazy Sunday CCXI: Greatest Hits Recap
- Lazy Sunday CCXII: Ponty Week 2023
- Lazy Sunday CCXIII: D.C., Part I
- Lazy Sunday CCXIV: D.C., Part II
- Lazy Sunday CCXV: TJC Deep Cuts
- Lazy Sunday CCXVI: Weird Piano Music
- Lazy Sunday CCXVII: Cinema
- Lazy Sunday CCXVIII: Monarchy
- Lazy Sunday CXIX: Sandwiches
- Lazy Sunday CXX: Skeletons
- Lazy Sunday CXXI: Myersvision, Part VIII
- Lazy Sunday CXXII: Myersvision, Part IX
- Lazy Sunday CXXIII: Festivals II
- Lazy Sunday CXXIV: Two Cryptid Tunes
- Lazy Sunday CXXV: Ghostly Doings
- Lazy Sunday CXXVI: Veterans Day Posts II
- Lazy Sunday CXXVII: Indie Musician Rants
- Lazy Sunday CXXVIII: 2023 Releases
SubscribeStar Saturday: Showtime!
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It’s the busy Christmas season for yours portly, and last night I made it over the first of two major humps before Christmas break: the Middle School Christmas Play. The next hump is the Christmas Concert for my own students, which is this Friday, 8 December 2023, in the morning.
There is a tremendous amount of work that goes into the play, as our school particularly loves to stage light-hearted musical comedies. You wouldn’t think that a musical would involve substantially more tech setup than a typical play, but it makes the work exponentially more challenging.
The Drama teacher this year did a fabulous job, and created one of the most tech-heavy productions I’ve been involved with so far. It was a multimedia extravaganza: songs, choreography, videos, backing tracks, lights, around twenty-five microphones (stationary/hanging mics, floor mics, individual headset mics, wireless handhelds, etc.), and more.
Here is a panoramic view of my sound booth about ninety minutes before the play:
The astute observer will note two sound boards/mixing consoles, plus a lighting controller, as well as my $80 refurbished laptop, which does fine if I’m just cuing backing tracks, but otherwise runs like a potato powering a lightbulb. There’s also the spotlight, two lighting trees with around ten lights each, and a projector screen. During the production my student assistant and I had to move a projector into place, along with a auxiliary cord running to a DI box, which fed via XLR (microphone) cable to a “snake” onstage, which ran all the way back to us at our booth. We also had to move a baby grand piano (don’t worry—it was on wheels)!
Setting all of this stuff up is stressful, because it’s usually done in fifty-minute snippets of planning periods. But the finished product is worth it.
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