Happy New Year!

May 2011 be even better than 2010! Start making those resolutions! :)

Merry Christmas!

Christmas is my favorite holiday for a variety of reasons. Unfortunately, I usually work during the holidays. I'm not complaining, however, because I'm very thankful to have a job.

But I fondly remember my childhood when school was out, the family would gather, and the festivities were wonderful: lots of fun, fellowship, and food. The music is so glorious and beautiful. There's just something in the air.

And since I was often lucky enough to have had a white Christmas ... that was the star on my Christmas tree.

I love Christmas!

However you celebrate ... whether alone or with friends and/or family, I hope you have an outstandingly fabulous Christmas Holiday. Merry Christmas!

Happy Turkey Day!

Happy Thanksgiving to all my American friends out there! I hope you have a wonderful day remembering everything you have to be grateful for. My picks:

1. My family.
2. My health.
3. My freedom.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

Out at Sea

Hi friends and neighbors! Unfortunately, my blogs will become less frequent again.

I'm back on the Jewel of the Seas for Royal Caribbean International.

Check out the news portion of my website for more information: www.taitmoline.com

Do You Like To Read?

One of my all-time favorite websites is PaperbackSwap.com. If you're a book lover, like I am, it's an unbeatable way to obtain new books to read.

The free site works like this:

1. Sign up for an account.
2. Post at least 10 books that you are willing to give away. By doing so, you are automatically awarded 1 credit to "buy" a book.
3. Search the database for a book you'd like to receive. When you find one, you "trade" your credit for the book. The system interacts with both parties to confirm the transaction.
4. The "seller/giver" mails you their book.
5. As other people request your books, you'll earn 1 credit for each book you mail that can then, in turn, be used to request other books for yourself. The more books you post, the more credits you'll earn, and the more books you'll be able to request yourself.

And that's all there is to it.

As the title suggests, you swap books with other members. The only cost to you is the postage to mail your books. But, postage is considerably cheaper than buying the book new.

What I really love about the site is all the nifty features they have.


You can set up a Wishlist of all the books you want. You then get put into a queue and when the book becomes available to you, you're notified if you want to accept the request or not.

You can even set it up so that the system will just automatically request the title. I appreciate this feature because you only have a 48 hour window to confirm if you want a book. Since I'm often without internet, this ensures I don't lose my place in line and can still receive the books I want.

I've been able to get sooo many books this way. I love it! It's a great supplement to the library system (if you use it) and a wonderful way to save on books if you happen to be a voracious reader.

Try it out. You won't be disappointed!

Am I Obsessed?

I love Roald Dahl. Love him. Did I say I love him?

I just re-read The BFG for something like the 100th time. So fun to read, everytime!

Surely you've heard of him? Mr. Dahl wrote countless classics. Of course, everyone knows Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. But, did you ever read the sequel Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator? Just as enjoyable as the first.

And then there's James and the Giant Peach. And The Witches. And Matilda.

And many, many more. He also wrote the screenplay for one of my favorite movies of all-time: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang starring the incomparable Dick Van Dyke.

Dahl's language is to die for:

Snozzcumber.
Frobscottle.
Scrumdiddlyumptious.

Come on! Does it get any better than that?!

Who cares if his most well-known works are "written for children". Sometimes adults need a good "children's book" too!

So if you've never read a Roald Dahl book, you should. Pick one up TODAY.

And might I suggest starting with ... The BFG.

Then you'll know exactly what a Whizzpopper is. (Although, trust me. You already know!)

This Too Shall Pass

Okay Go's video This Too Shall Pass from their Of the Blue Colour of the Sky album is insane.

Alright, I know there's some movie magic involved here. But still. The amount of time and effort to put this whole thing together is K-RAZY!

Ciao

Why does the theme of loss and the process of grieving seem to resonate so much with me lately? I have no idea ...

But if you've read some of my past blogs, you know that Next to Normal — the Broadway-musical-masquerading-as-a-somewhat-controversial-electroshock-therapy-show that's really a poignant look at one family's grief and how they deal with it -- is one of my all-time favorite musicals!

And then recently I watched the film, Ciao.

You probably haven't heard of it. It's an independent movie revolving around the death of a gay man and the two strangers closest to him.

I was expecting a love story, but instead found a rather moving portrait of death and the awkwardly strange roller coaster ride of emotions those left-behind experience.

I recommend it:

Simple. Slow. Touching.

And ultimately... meaningful.

It's only $4

Denny's has a new sandwich:

The Fried Cheese Melt

It looks delicious and horrendous. I love fried cheese, but this is going a little over-the-top, don'tcha think? Except that if I do find myself at a Denny's restaurant ... I might just have to try it because it looks sooooooo good. And bad.

What am I to do?

Luckily, it's only 895 calories with 34 grams of fat.

iTunes Duplicates

Love me my iTunes.

And I love the duplicate function where I can go through and delete all the songs I have multiples of, for whatever reason.

(BTW ... how does that happen???)

But my wish for Apple is to create a function where I can sort through the duplicates by genre. Do you know how many Overtures, Bows, and Finales I have in my Broadway genre? They're all specific and unique to each individual show, but the songs show up in my duplicates because of the titles. And it takes FOREVER to weed through everything to find the actual duplicates.

Are you listening Apple? I expect this request to be honored in the next iTunes update.

** UPDATE ... At some point, Apple actually listened to me! Thank you, Apple. I can now sort duplicates by genre. Whew!

More Spider-Man, The Musical

This is just more of the same. Confirmation that Spider-Man, The Musical: Turn Off the Dark looks to open this fall/winter.

Julie Taymor, the director, acknowledges the show needs to be on par with the success of The Lion King.

But will it?

Life.

It's a journey, isn't it?

Opportunities come and go.
New people weave in and out.
Jobs begin and end.

Cyclical and linear.

Strange how we move forward. Some people constantly look back. I, myself, do not tend to fall into that category. Regret can often be debilitating, so I try and limit negative hindsight, chalking up my experience to lessons learned.

Right now I'm in a period of transition in my life. A time to ponder and think about the past, the present, and the future.

But what I keep taking comfort in is the fact that when something doesn't quite pan out, the lost experience usually leads to something infinitely better than I originally imagined.

In a sense, a loss can often be a gain. It all comes down to perspective.

So, today begins a new day. Let's raise a glass to a bright future!

Spider-Man Still on Track

Rehearsals are set to begin August 16th for Spider-Man The Musical: Turn Off the Dark. Everything appears to be proceeding towards a Broadway premiere.

Now if we could just get some movement on Phantom 2: Love Never Dies. Or is the Phantom's second incarnation doomed to remain across the pond forever?

Double Rainbow - What Does It Mean?

This is all the rage. Love it!

If you haven't seen them yet, watch the first video and then the second. It'll brighten your day!

No Broadway Magic for the Phantom?

There's trouble in Coney Island.

Looks like Phantom 2: Love Never Dies is losing their creative team, and Hal Prince, Broadway's golden boy, turned down the offer to helm the mega-musical.

Without some direction, will the show ever arrive on Broadway? I've heard the productions' transatlantic crossing has been postponed indefinitely.

Darn. I wanted to see it.

Even if it is crap.

RE: Mel Gibson

I loved you and your movies, Mel, but I don't know if you can ever recover from this latest public debacle.

R.I.P.

I'm A Glow-Worm

It's true.

I'm White.
Caucasion.
Casper-looking.

I do not tan. I burn.

I've tried to tan, but it doesn't happen. I fry, the skin peels (even with nonstop moisturizing), and then I'm back to white again. I've even blistered on a cloudy day when I forgot my sunscreen.

So, please stop telling me I'd look better with a tan. Stop telling me I need color. Stop telling me to get out more. It doesn't work, and I'm fine with it. I don't need any more wrinkles than I already have, and I don't need to answer the siren call of skin cancer.

What I should do is move to the Eastern Hemisphere where pale skin is desired. Think how popular I'd be.

But until then ... please don't call me pasty.

I prefer being referred to as transluscent.

Embrace Life

New commercial out of England. Well-done and poignant, I thought, without being overdone.

So buckle up y'all, and EMBRACE LIFE!

Pass the Can, Please

Have you heard about the Candwich, the new "sandwich in a can"? Sounds gross to me. Requires no refrigeration. Long shelf-life. Ugh.

I don't really get how it works. Is it like Pillsbury Crescents? You flip the top and the can pops open?

Comes in three flavors, too: PB & Strawberry, PB & Grape, and Barbecued Chicken. Ewwwwwww ...

Maybe I'll eat it in the post-apocolyptic world that's coming. But for now, I think I'll take my fruits and vegetables for lunch, thank you very much.

With a real peanut-butter and jelly sandwich from time-to-time.

It's still on!!!

The latest report (from Ireland's Herald, no less) says that Spider-Man the Musical is still on schedule to open on Broadway this November.

What? It's still coming to Broadway? In 2010?

I'm holding my breath.

But now the question to ask is:

Which will be worse ... Spider-Man or Phantom 2?

Missed? Opportunities

You know the cliche "Everything happens for a reason"?

Well, I believe that, even if it's hard to swallow sometimes.

I was just offered an opportunity that would have been so perfect for me, but I couldn't make it happen within the confines of my schedule. So I had to let it pass me by.

I'm bummed but, at the same time, realize something better will come along.

The reality is that this opportunity could still come back around again and work within my schedule. But if it doesn't, then I shall move forward knowing that it wasn't the right thing for me.

It's just frustrating to be offered a tantalizing treat only to have it ripped away from you.

Oh, well.

Maybe I'll just go eat some dark chocolate.

And The Rockets Red Glare

To all those in the armed services serving their countries throughout the world, thank you for your sacrifice in helping to make this world a safer place to live!

And to all my fellow American patriots:

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!!!

Calorie Counting

When I finish my current Royal Caribbean contract, I'm going to start counting my calories.

Why, you ask? Good question, gentle blog reader.

I've always been against calorie counting. I thought it was too much hassle. Too much stress. Too much everything.

But about two years ago, I was privileged to have a personal trainer for a short time, and I loved it. If I could afford it, I'd use a personal trainer all the time.

During that time, my trainer had me doing a food log and, essentially, counting calories. And you know what? I liked it.

Yes it was a hassle. Yes it took time. But I learned a whole heck of a lot.

Besides discovering that some foods were more calorically-dense than I'd previously thought, I learned a very important lesson:

I can eat A WHOLE HECK OF A LOT of food if the food is healthy. Healthy foods tend to be low in calories while unhealthy foods are usually higher in calories (DUH!)

But I'm a hungry guy, and I like to eat a lot. So having three pieces of Pizza Hut pizza, while delicious, means I can't eat anything else the rest of the day.

Uhm, no.

I need to eat. Often.

So when I have more control of what I can eat (i.e. when I leave the ship), I'm going to count my calories. That way I know just what I'm putting into my body.

It's not something I'll do forever. It'll be more of an educational exercise to remind myself of what I should and shouldn't be eating.

Because after all, food is good! And I want more, please.

Sookie Stackhouse

I am OBSESSED with Charlaine Harris's Sookie Stackhouse novels, aka the TrueBlood books.

So far she's written ten books, but I'm almost done with the last one, Dead in the Family. What am I going to do when I finish? I've flown through them so fast.

Vampires! Shape-shifters! Witches! Fairies!

It's all so exciting!

Season 3 of TrueBlood started this month, and since I'm currently sailing with Royal Caribbean, I'm missing it. But, I've heard it good.

I'll have to catch up when I return to the Continental US.

But until then I had my books. Now what?

Charlaine ... please, please, PLEASE ... release a new one soon! I'm dying to find out what happens to Sookie next!

(Although, I guess I can't complain. Dead in the Family was just released in May. It'll probably be another year before a new one comes out. Boo-hoo!)

Narnia

I super-duper love CS Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia. I always have. Read them over and over and over throughout my life-time.

I thought both movie adaptions (The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and Prince Caspian) were extremely well executed, faithful to the books and entertaining.

However, I was under the impression that the second movie had underperformed and that neither movies became the behemoth phenomenon the studio was expecting hoping. Thus, no more Narnia movies.

So it was with great excitement that I have just discovered the third movie adaptation: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. It looks just as good as the previous movies!

Release date is December 10, 2010. Can't wait!

NOTE TO THE STUDIO HEADS: Please film the final movie now so the Pevensie kids don't grow up before you get there.

(For those of you who haven't read the series ... the intervening books don't include the same children.)

I Heart Seth Rudetsky

I'm absolutely obSESSed with Seth Rudetsky. He wrote Broadway Nights and The Q Guide to Broadway which (I'm ashamed to admit) I haven't yet gotten around to reading ... but I WILL! I promise, Seth!!!

He does these funny deconstructions of singers where he breaks down certain things about how a singer forms vowels or riffs or changes their vibrato. Check them out on YouTube if you're interested in music. And more specifically ... musical theater.

His Playbill.com blogs are HI-larious. He discusses his New York experiences with auditions, benefits, interviews, and such and is very self-deprecating. I love him ... cubed.

His website is here.

But ... what ... is ... this ... ?

My bestie Patrick met Seth at an Only Make Believe benefit and asked him to say hi to me. So I had to post it for you. Enjoy:

Book Review: Jeffrey Overstreet

It's been a while since I last discussed my reading thoughts ... so today, I thought I would recommend the excellent Jeffrey Overstreet's Auralia Thread series.

The series begins with Auralia's Colors where the Four Houses of the Expanse are gifted with the presence of a unique and mysterious girl who brings color and light wherever she goes and threatens the kingdom with an unimaginable revolution.

Auralia's Colors, in my opinion, struggles somewhat with focus. The land is inhabited by many, many people and Overstreet has too many chapters jumping from one character to the next, never to return. As a reader, it's difficult to keep track and sympathize with anyone. However, the story definitely kept me turning the pages.

But, it is Overstreet's second novel Cyndere's Midnight that truly captivated this reader. Taking the themes and characters from the first novel and greatly expanding them, I was drawn into a delightfully imaginative and wondrous world on par with Tolkien's Fellowship series or C.S. Lewis's Narnia series.

Thankfully, someone decided to include a character breakdown at the back of the second and third books, so it was much easier for me to figure out who-was-who.

Then there's Raven's Ladder, the third book. This one felt like a bridge to me; both a continuation and an explanation of things to come, it nevertheless captivated me and made me hungry for the conclusion.

By now the Four Houses are in various states of disarray, the Seers are more maniacal than I would have originally dreamed, and the people are ready to fight.

What will happen to the Expanse? What of House Jenta? What will the Seers do? And I'm dying to learn more of The Keeper.

I've been told that Overstreet is hard at work writing the fourth (and final?) book in the series. I don't know, but I'm anxiously awaiting to see how he brings all the different plot threads together and concludes the story.

If you enjoy fantasy with a side of ethical and moral themes, try Overstreet's Auralia Series. The prose is quite beautiful; the characters intriguing; and the plot unusual.

Perfect for some not-so-light summer reading.

Sad

The iPhone is not coming to Verizon this year, it seems.

Guess that means I'll be getting and Android when my contract runs out.

*sigh*

We Need the FairTax!

This video is a concise explanation of what the FairTax is about. With the US still struggling economically, I think this could be an excellent solution to our money woes:

More Next to Normal fun!

Love love love these videos:

How did we let this happen?

The BP Oil Catastrophe in the Gulf of Mexico is absolutely heart-breaking on so many levels. We must work to develop cleaner energy sources.

Here is a pictorial story on the horrific results of this disaster. Please take a moment to look at the pictures and remember ... this was in May. It will only get worse until the oil flow is stopped.

Spider-Man The Musical. Oh, how I love you.

I didn't realize the Julie-Taymor/Bono saga is currently estimated to cost $22 million more to produce than The Lord of the Rings musical flop.

Reports now say rehearsals for Spidey will begin this summer with previews in October and an opening in November.

Will it happen? Oh, yes, my friends. Spider Man will open, and I have no doubt it'll be stunning.

But will it be a good musical? That remains to be seen.

Will people go to see it? Definitely.

Will it break even or make money? Doubtful.

Do you like Celine?

I do, and I think this is funny.

Ouch.

So, I was galavanting around Trafalger Falls in Dominca, an island in the Caribbean last week. Beautiful, beautiful place BTW.

But I slipped on a rock and gouged my shin. Deep.

I rushed back to the ship and had to get seven stiches. I've never had stitches before and now I have seven.

It was also a show night so some of the dance numbers had to be reblocked to prevent the wound from reopening. The cast was great and took it all in stride.

Luckily, I can still dance some so the changes to the shows haven't been too major. The doctor just didn't want me going down to my knees or doing too much jumping.

But, the doctor also said I'll have a nice scar to show for the ordeal.

Great. No more swimsuit modeling for me!

Tony Nominations 2010

The Tony Nominations have been announced. Sucks to be The Addams Family. Have you seen the show?

Nominations for the 2010 American Theatre Wing's Tony Awards®
Presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing

Verizon vs. Apple

Is Verizon getting an iPhone?

Rumors persist with the optimists believing the announcement comes this summer proclaiming a fall release.

Well, you know what that means for me? If true, I'll be getting an iPhone this fall when my contract with Verizon runs out. Whoo-hoo!

BUT ... if the rumors turn out to be false (and there are a lot of people who think the hype is just hype), then I'll be getting an Android. Both my sisters have one.

One raves about it; the other hates it.

I don't want to leave Verizon, so I have a few more months to see.

Unfortunately, I think if Apple doesn't produce an iPhone for Verizon this year, the'll have missed the boat. Already, their market share is sliding as the Android grows in the US.

There's still a lot of unknown variables in the whole Verizon/Apple quagmire, but I'm crossing my fingers for that iPhone. We shall see.

Phantom 2

I finally got to listen to the soundtrack for Phantom 2: Love Never Dies, and the verdict is ...

Not as bad as I expected.

I actually like some of the music. There are hints of Sunset and another show ... Aspects, perhaps? I forget right now. And of course, the title song was originally heard in The Beautiful Game (though with different lyrics).

However, the whole thing sounds much more entertaining than I had thought possible. I also forgive my initial reaction to the Coney Island setting. I think it works.

Obviously, this is no critique of the show (which I haven't seen, and whose Broadway arrival has recently been postponed.)

I still think the show is probably going to be disappointing, if not completely awful. Why?

Raoul's character is a full 180 degree turn from the original. While that may happen in a real-life span of ten years (the time elapsed since we last saw him), audiences don't like to see such vastly different characters.

The Phantom, too, has lost most of his mystery ... his anger ... his devilishness ... that makes for such an intriguing character. Originally we pitied the Phantom for his situation, and yet were scared of him at the same time. But in the new production, he seems (on the soundtrack) to be just ... meh.

Overall the production appears to be lacking the pathos and horror that made the original such an entertaining phenomenon. The Phantom story is more than just a love story, it's a Gothic horror story surrounded by romanticism. I love the original set design for just such a reason: beautiful drapery could quickly create claustrophobia while the ornate Opera House was really just a facade for the dungeon below.

But perhaps the most egregious error is the plot point the entire show hinges on: Beneath a Moonless Sky is completely laughable in its total disregard for the original story. Listen to the song and then return to the cast recording of Phantom 1. No where can I find a plausible explanation for the events that transpired between Phantom 1 and 2.

And perhaps, ultimately for me, that will be the downfall of the show.

Rumor has it, the show will be undergoing major revisions before the Broadway transfer. Many have especially criticized the musical's lyrics.

Yes, okay. But I'd rather see some major retooling of the characters and their story.

We shall see what happens.

Until then ... I'll continue to enjoy the cast recording, for I actually rather enjoy the music.

More Spider-Man News

I think Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark just has to come to Broadway now. There's too much invested: emotionally, financially, publicly.

But with the loss of Rachel Evan Woods, Alan Cumming and the increase in budget ... I don't know ... is it headed for colossal failure or ultimate triumph?

I think a lot of people in the Broadway community are secretly hoping for a flop, but personally, I have mixed feelings. On one hand, I want it to succeed and be a boon to the NY community.

But, the other side of me worries this show could put another nail in the coffin of traditional musical theater, instead paving the way for more Cirque-like spectacles.

Of course, who knows what the show will look like until it premieres, but by all accounts, it sounds to be a Vegas-style show: heavy on style and lean on substance.

Regardless, one has to admire the chutzpah of the investors and creative minds putting this thing together.

Now if it would just get here!

N2N Fan Video

I love the Pulitzer Prize-winning Broadway musical Next to Normal, and I love this video. If you've seen the show, you might get a kick out of it, too:

Traveling to St. Marten

Some of the cast and I went to Airplane Beach in St. Martin, officially known as Maho Beach.

The airplanes literally fly over the beach and land on the other side of the road. One of a kind experience and very fun!

** SIDE NOTE ** Don't worry. I wore 85 SPF to protect my virgin skin.

Love Never Dies. Or does it?

I'm dying to see the Phantom sequel: Love Never Dies.

I thought it was a hideous idea at first:

*A sequel to one of the most famous and successful musicals of all time?

*A continuation of the haunting, gothic, mysterious Phantom's life?

*Coney Island? Really?

And the reviews are all over the place.

However, one thing is for sure. There's lots of buzz.

Will it be as successful as the original? Doubtful. But if it flops I want to be there! And if it does succeed, I want to cheer it on!

Why? The idea of a successful sequel intrigues me. It's practically uncharted territory. Not that I want the musical sequel genre to gain traction. I'd rather see some new shows being developed.

But I give Sir Webber credit. He's willing to take one heck of a calculated risk!

What do you think? Want to see Phantom 2: Love Never Dies?

UPDATE: here are a few articles that kind summarize the Phantom sequel experience. The Daily Mail review and The Telegraph review.

Tell me a secret

I'm IN LOVE with Post Secret.

I discovered the Post Secret blog about a year ago, and I'm addicted. Every Sunday new secrets are published. Some are sad and heartbreaking and some are funny and whimsical. There's usually always a wide variety.

Some are probably fake, but maybe not. If you lie about a secret and it's true for someone else, is it a lie in this kind of forum? Besides, the creativity itself is always entertaining.

I have yet to send a secret in, but I want to. Now it's time to think about what kind of secret I should tell ...

Back on a ship

Just a quick note to say:

Yes, I'm out on another ship. This time it's Royal Caribbean's Serenade of the Seas.

Blogging is difficult when I don't have internet access. But never fear, I'm still around.

And my website has been updated so if you haven't checked out www.taitmoline.com recently, you should!

Whew!

So much time passes so quickly ... Christmas ... New Year's ...

Before you know it, we're already into the second month of 2010!!!

I've been hard at work rehearsing for a new contract with Royal Caribbean: the Serenade of the Seas. We still have another month to go before we join the ship, but that day will come sooner than later, I'm sure.

But last weekend, I finally decided to see what all the hoop and holler was about Avatar.

What the heck?? Did James Cameron actually strike gold twice??

Indeed, he did.

I have to say, I give the movie an enthusiastic 2 thumbs up! I was not expecting to like it as much as I did. A wonderful blend of science fiction, CGI, and emotional impact. Excellent movie.

Definitely go see it if you haven't. And make sure to see it in 3-D.

In other news ... anyone think Spiderman the Musical will ever open??? I'm dying to find out.