Kristin: Research Pitfalls

It’s a fine line between ‘research’ and ‘procrastination’…

Kristin: A Good Technology Day

While most days I think that technology is making us faster but not necessarily happier, there are days when I thank the big circuit board for it. Like this morning for instance. I logged off my three-times-a-week online call with Wade and thought about how cool it was that I could pull out my laptop, sign onto a free little program, and ‘call’ Wade. We can talk for as long as we like without worrying about the wrath of $.45 a minute when those coveted ‘anytime’ minutes deplete. We can drag and drop pictures and documents and they just magically appear across the country. We can even see each other if we want.

It’s no substitute for the real thing, but it’s definitely one in the ‘technology working for the good of the whole’ column.

Kristin: I HEART PORTLAND, OR-E-GUN

Writing a musical where the collaborators live on opposite coasts is challenging. There’s something about face-to-face ideas and energy that help the work take shape. But after a productive and exciting two weeks in NYC, my Metro Card expired. My credit card, too. I was so grateful to come home to Portland — home to my squishy bed, crazy cat, bike lanes, farms full of peaches, mountain views, three-dollar beers, and above all, some personal space and quiet. The constant noise and elbow rubbing of the Big Apple is inspiring, but here in my Pacific Northwest hideaway is where I can get my work done.

And the work IS getting done. The first act is kicking some serious ass, if I do say so myself.

Pivotal Scenes by: Kristin

Pivotal scenes are often the ones you don’t see coming. They sneak up on you when you think you’ve gotten them wrangled, and reveal themselves to be so much more than you’ve ever imagined. Once they explode like that, the smaller pieces also crack open. The sound is beautiful and deafening all at the same time.

And there’s no way out of it, but through.

Another cup of coffee please, I’m going in.