The elaborate question mark tattoos below belong to Jesse Smith, who struggled for a long time with doubts about his Christian upbringing. The uncertainties were so great that they almost drove him to suicide — until he discovered the hallucinogen DMT. Although a widely banned substance, one church in Santa…
Interview 63: A Night On The (Old) Town
Living in Washington, DC, means it’s only a short subway or car ride to Old Town in Alexandria, Virginia. It’s a nice place to visit and has a host of wonderful restaurants serving everything from soul food to fine dining. But I don’t get there enough. So I was glad…
Interview 62: How To Get To Sesame Street
Anyone who grew up watching the incredibly popular children’s show Sesame Street recognizes the theme tune immediately. Several kids sing the question “Can you tell me how to get, how to get to Sesame Street?” After my latest meal with a stranger, I know the answer. Turns out the puppets…
Interview 61: My Dinner With Matt Bauman
There’s a pretty straightforward headline for you: today’s update is interview 61, my night out in New York City with actor/realtor/website owner Matt Bauman. Click on the picture above or on this link to read about our dinner at Italian restaurant Locanda Verde in the city’s Tribeca neighborhood. During our…
Interview 60: Behind The Craft
Writer Dave Barry once quipped, “Without question, the greatest invention in the history of mankind is beer. Oh, I grant you that the wheel was also a fine invention, but the wheel does not go nearly as well with pizza.” Brendan Kelleher would likely agree. He runs Behind The Craft,…
Interview 59: Chatting With A Cellist
During my visit to New Orleans last month, I had a couple of fun interviews. First up was retired high school teacher and now dedicated zydeco dancer Mary Burns, and I’ve already posted part one and part two of my lunch with her. The day after my time with Mary,…
Interview 58: Zydeco People
Last Friday I uploaded part one of my interview with Mary Burns, an outgoing and energetic woman who used to be a catholic school teacher in New Orleans. These days she teaches dancing to zydeco music. She had so many stories to tell that I figured the best option was…
Interview 58: All About Mary
During my recent trip to New Orleans, I had lunch with Mary Burns. Click on this link or on her picture below to read the first part (details below) of my interview with her. Born and raised in the Big Easy, she’s a retired Catholic school teacher who now teaches…
Interview 57: Louisa Hall Is Your Friend
Ukulele-wielding singer-songwriter Louisa Hall carries her instrument most everywhere she goes. She’s prone to taking the ukulele out and strumming a few chords or singing a song in public from time to time, as I found out when we got dinner in Washington, DC. A lover of awkward humor and…
Interview 56: The Costume Technician
Edwin Schiff doesn’t quite know what his future holds, but he’s certain that it will be something do with working as a theater costume technician. During a recent dinner in Washington, DC, Edwin told me how a technician is different from a costume designer and what the job involves.