Author: Joe White

Stopped in at Schlotzsky’s at Westheimer and Montrose (when will they get wireless???) for some lunch yesterday. I usually park on the back side to avoid the panhandlers, but this
time I parked in front, and am duly approached as I exit my vehicle by a guy asking if I can spare some change, “’cause I’m really hungry.” I say, “No, but I
can buy you a sandwich. Come on in.” He follows me in, says he wants beef, so I buy him a roast beef combo (he asks for it to go), and, for me, my standard #1 combo. I tell him that the combo includes the drink and some chips. We get our drinks and our chips,
and as I’m sitting down, I see him go back to the area where the prepared salads are, look around, then start to snag one. As I get up to tell him that that’s
not included, the manager chases him off. After he leaves, I apologize to the manager, but he says no problem…that guy pesters customers all the time, and
does that quite a bit.

Global Warming…back to where we
used to be
This story highlights a report showing that global temperatures were actually much higher in the Middle Ages than they are today, and that the warming trend of
the last couple of centuries seems more dramatic becuase of our emergence from a mini-ice age that followed the highs from the 900s to 1300s. We humans do
impact the planet, but the hubris exhibited by some at the extent of that impact is remarkable.

  • April 13 (Palm Sunday), 5pm: Bach Society presents J.S. Bach’s St. John’s
    Passion. Christ the King Lutheran Church, Rice at Greenbriar. I’m singing the role of Pilate and the aria
    “Eilt, ihr angefochtnen Seelen”.
  • April 18 (Good Friday), 3pm: Same again.
  • April 18 (Good Friday), 7:30pm: Choir of St. John the Divine Episcopal Church presents Heinrich Schutz’ German
    Requiem. Westheimer and River Oaks Blvd. I’m singing in several ensembles.
  • Last two weeks of July: Houston Gilbert and Sullivan Society presents Princess Ida.
    Cullen Theater, Wortham Center, Downtown. I’m singing the role of Guron and understudying King Hildebrand.

Sitting on my balcony, rehearsing “Eilt, ihr angfochtnen Seelen” for next week, and this drunk guy stumbles into the courtyard.

“Can I come through here?”
“Umm, you can come in and then go out again.”
“How do I get out?”
“Same way you came in.”
“Oh, right. Dude, you have a great singing voice.”
“Thanks.”
“I go back that way?”
“Yes.”
“Then what?”
“You can go either left or right.”
“Cool. Thanks. You have a great singing voice.”
“Thanks.”

He wanders back up the drive.

“Which way do I go?”
“Either left or right.”
“Yeah. Thanks. You can sing really good.”
“Thanks.”

And then he stumbles off into the night.

Come See my Latest Show
The Rice Light Opera Society presents

Iolanthe, or, the Peer and the Peri

by William S. Gilbert and Arthur S. Sullivan
Directed by Jonathan Ichikawa
[I’m playing the Lord Chancellor]

Thursday, March 20, 8:00 p.m.
Friday, March 21, 10:00 p.m.
Saturday, March 22, 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, March 27, 8:00 p.m.
Friday, March 28, 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, March 29, 8:00 p.m.

For directions, reservations, and more information, go to

http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~rlos/iolanthe.htm

Hope to see you there!