Lyric to song "Stupid Mouth Shut" by the band Hem.

(Dan Messe)

The sidewalk bends where your house ends
Like the neighborhood is on its knees
You're surrounded by a chain-link fence
That keeps me out but lets me see

Well I come by most every night
The shutters pounding in the breeze
A clothesline strung like paper kites
That blow my words right back at me

But someday when my heart exhales
I'll tell you everything
These sweet words spilling all about us
I'll say please please be with me
And I'll breathe so easily
But instead I'm turning blue
I look at you
And keep my stupid mouth shut

The hall light streams out through the screens
And the shadows capture me in webs
Just tangled up in what I've seen
And every word I have not said
I have not said

Cuz the sidewalk bends where your house ends
Like the neighborhood is on its knees

Happy Pre-Halloween! Here's a picture of me and my favorite vocal trio in the world - THE WEIRD SISTERS from Chicago!

LITTLE MISS MCDOWELL AND THE DEADBEAT CLUB

This slideshow that I created celebrates my 40th birthday and Emi's 35th birthday to the tune of DEADBEAT CLUB by the B-52s. It features photos from our trip to Kate's Lazy Meadow Motel in the Catskills. Kate Pierson is a member of the B-52s. Pix are by me, Ari Salomon and Stephanie Foerster.

The LITTLE MISS MCDOWELL image was lovingly created (as a birthday present!) by artist David E. Johnston - thank you, David!

Lilli and Jed's wedding


Another one


And yet another


OK here's the last one!

40th birthday coming up

In honor of my 40th birthday, coming this Sunday, I have posted a copy of my slideshow EVIL TWIN to YouTube.








See it at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGVXvcoqgWU

It is a tribute to the joint birthdays of me and Emi Takahara.

We are evil twins!

My new friend

IMG_7622.JPG
Originally uploaded by pforbesmcd.

A lovely lady whom I met whilst in Montreal in May, 2007.

Salvage, Part III, Coast of Utopia

Tonight I just saw part 3 of Tom Stoppard's epic COAST OF UTOPIA at Lincoln Center. I saw part 2 yesterday and part 1 last week. I'm really glad I went. My short review is this:

The subject matter is interesting
The acting is excellent - especially Brian O'Byrne whom I now love.
The production is brilliantly directed and designed
The play is OK; some witty and moving moments, but not enough.

Still, really glad I went!

Pic on the left is O'Byrne the way he really looks; to the right is him in the play with silly wig. Billy Crudup was really good too, of course. And so were Jennifer Ehle and Amy Irving.

Peter at The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Peter at The Met
Originally uploaded by Spinderella1000.

Lilli made this lovely photo montage of me with my signature "any scarf's a turban" look...

Thursday night Emi and I went to a wonderful concert of my friend Michelle Areyzaga from Chicago at the New York Festival of Song. The programs was called AMORES NUEVOS and featured four singers and a pianist. It was held at Weill recital hall at Carnegie Hall. Afterwards, Michelle invited us to a private party at the home of Jamie Bernstein, daughter of Leonard Bernstein. It was truly wonderful to meet her and I told her what a hero her father was to me. There were many pictures of Lenny all around the apartment as well as honors, medals, etc that he has won during his life. This Midtown west condo (near Columbus Circle) was apparently an "event space" that the Bernstein family had for entertaining functions such as this. Here is a picture of Michelle Areyzaga (left) as well as a picture of Jamie Bernstein the way she looks now (above) as well as when she was a kid with her father (top of page). Totally great New York experience! I didn't take any pictures but was able to find these pictures on the web.

So I'm not sure what the crazy rectangles are at the beginning and end of my last post. But eventually I will figure it out.

Yesterday, Emi and I went to Camp Hill Farm (where John and Alex and Luna live). Here are some pictures.

First, to the right, you will see the many girls. Front row left to right: Luna, Lelia, Talula. Back row, Clelia and Chio. I like to call them TaLuCleLeChio for short. I also said there must be a sixth girl missing named Ukelelia. And if there were three more on top of that they could be the Nine Postmodern Muses! Which would be great because I LOVE the Greek muses.

Now you will see the dog named Rosie and a stuffed animal. They look remarkably similar. Rosie is ill but was a very good sport yesterday. Rosie belongs to Palma, John and Alex's friend who is on vacation in Paris now with her husband Pierre.

Next we will finally see pictures of the muffins referenced in the previous post. You will also see Luna who is super cute. The muffins are, and were, the best muffins ever in humanity. Ever. From Blue Sky Bakery. Alex looks like she is not wearing pants, but she actually is!

Next we see the cute Easter figurines that Alex arranged on the table. And also the magnificent spread!

Finally we see my new bald head with a new friend on top of it. For some reason this text is now blue and underlined!

New Head, New Blog

This is my first blog entry ever in my life. I am very excited because today, like the freshly shorn Easter Lamb, I shaved my head and face and am all squeaky clean-looking. Tomorrow is Easter and I am soon leaving to take the bus to Camp Hill Farm - home of my brother John, my sister in law Alex, and my niece Luna. My friend Emi will come with me.

I am also very excited because I had a great yoga class this morning followed by a delicious BLUE SKY BAKERY muffin this morning and bought some extras to take to my brother's . They are delicious!

I guess this blog is sort of going to be a countdown-to-forty for me. I will turn 40 on June 10th, about 2 months from today.

That's all for now. I'm excited about my blog!