BLOG=Been Laboring Or Gone

Wow! Has it really been that long since I've posted something here? A lot has been happening-- but not the sort of grand announcements that make everyone excited. It's been the sort of methodical one thing after another that keeps you occupied, in my case very occupied.

Gatti*Town
First things first: I am back at Gatti*Town! It was a while back that I was the Gatti*Town magician. I am happy to say that magic is alive and well again every other Tuesday night from 6:00 - 8:00 PM. To see the dates I'll be there look at my calendar. These shows are all designed for families with an emphasis on the kids. It's fun and you'll get to see it all for the fabulously inexpensive price of the buffet.

Catching Up On Travels
Since Moscow I've been to Beijing as well. I actually had the chance to see a few things while I was there.

The first was the Forbidden City. It was a magnificent mixture of meditative spaces and grand ostentation. I was caught off guard by the stories about all of the visitors that came to the palace under different emperors. I had always understood that the Forbidden City was a place of deep isolation. While there clearly was not the same level of access that we enjoy today there were clearly a great number of visitors who came in and out. My favorite discovery was that one emperor hosted a party in honor of senior citizens including entertainment and food. I could easily wander the Forbidden City every week just to think. There was so much spirit there.

After that experience I stumbled across a teahouse for lunch. As an added surprise they were going to have a live shadow puppet show complete with muscians. Unfortunately I didn't get a good picture of everything in action (curse you cell-phone camera) but you may get the idea. The story was about a crane and a frog. No words were spoken and none were needed to enjoy the beautiful artistry of the puppeteers.

I also took in an elaborate dance program with a Kung Fu theme. It seemed like it was geared to a younger audience, but it was fun anyway. I almost made it to the Peking Opera, but not quite. My schedule just did not permit me to get there in time.

My final destination was the Summer Gardens in Beijing. This was a huge elaborate area of gardens, temples and palaces that overlook a lake. Again I found areas that I could just walk through and meditate. They were beautiful and inspirational.

I enjoy the opportunities to see other places and other approaches to thinking. I especially enjoy seeing different approaches to entertainment. I always learn something in these places and they all find their own way back into the things that I create. I often say as part of my shows that "If you don't believe in magic you will never see any." visting these magical places helps me to believe.

I apologize for leaving you out for such a long time. Next I'll fill in some details about upcoming Spirit Theatre excitement and my trip to St. Louis.