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September 27, 2007

Back to Blogging about "Funny Uncles"

Peter DiMuro - Liz Lerman Dance ExchangeIt has been a while....read posts from last year.

I am typing with one hand and reaching with the other for some errant gumdrops that fell out of the bag. These are generic brand gumdrops but still good. I thought it fitting to begin writing and communicating again after so long surrounded by split gumdrops.

For those of you who have written, wondering what was up with the Funny Uncles site, thank you. We come back after a hiatus refreshed, looking forward to telling you what's up with development of the work. For those of you who happen to be here by some unexpected turn, we'll catch you up as well.

Highlights of the past year or so:

Debuted an in-progress version of "Gumdrops and the Funny Uncle" at Theatre Alliance in Baltimore and at Kennedy Center of the Performing Arts, Millennium Stage (Dec 06)

Engaged puppeteer Molly Ross in dialogue and action to make an initial start to our collaboration on the work. Engaged the dancers in group and one-on-one

Stewed on how to develop the work in the studio and out of the studio

Hunkered down for a July rehearsal period where the piece made a great shift, almost as if by magic (and some intense work and dancing and thought and...)

I became a funny uncle again - this time to a Boston Terrier named Madeleine. She is ten months old!

Highlights of the next few months:

October 31:

Official LIVE party and celebration of the Funny Uncle Blogging Experience at Busboys and Poets in Washington, DC. Live entertainment, laptops to blog on; fun to be had

October - November:

On-going contributions to the website accepted (needed!) for text, audio, video. Contributions available for mash-up possibilities to re-create your own Funny Uncle, Funny Family Member, Funny Pet, Funny Anything

December

It's Funny Uncle Month - with performances in metro DC, Baltimore and Los Angeles.

This series of performances will include items contributed to the website, as well as live interactive workshops for everyone

NEXT ENTRY:

No really, what is a Funny Uncle?


Posted by Peter Dimuro on September 27, 2007 2:59 PM


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5Comments

dance fan in DC said:

Two years in a row our family oven was broken, and while this could be thought of as a blessing on a day to day basis, it posed quite a conundrum come Thanksgiving day.

My mother is French and so Thanksgiving is an adopted holiday for her - her initial instinct was to prepare a special meal, but not one necessarily revolving around turkey. Remembering a thanksgiging fiasco a few years prior (mom had prepared a lebanese feast to dad's disrguntlement) as the youngest daughter I decided to intervene. Surely the internet would have solutions to our problem?!

After a few internet searches I was left with three options: microwaving, boiling or grilling. For those who don't know, you can actually microwave a sizeable turkey in a microwave oven for over 4 hours - the result though is quite chewy!!

Surprisingly for some - and very typical to my family - come November the next year we were again faced with the same problem. This time I opted for a boiling/grilling combo which was far more successful than the microwave.

Now that my sister's married - we're able to avoid the fiasco by bringing French cheeses to her husband's family gathering.

Added: October 31, 2007 6:12 PM | Permalink

a Fin in cold DC said:

This is completely on topic - but while we're on the topic of quirky families - I thought I might as well share this pearl.

My dad is half Finnish, half Czech and a strong Finnish tradition to which he holds is that of the Sauna. For those not too familiar with the Finnish sauna, it goes something like this: after collecting laurel leaves from the nearby forrest, you strip down to nothing, sit in a steamy hot room, beat yourself with the laurel bunch to get circulation flowing and eventually run outside naked and jump into freezing cold water. The sensation steals your breath for a split second --- and once you've regained normal breathing, you return to the hot room to do it all over again.

My dad, a firm believer in his Finnish roots, actually brought an authentic sauna back after a summer trip to Helsinki - wooden lats in one box and sauna rocks in another. He put it all together on the rooftop of his San Francisco rooftop and was able to enjoy the sweltering dry heat as he watched the sunset over the San Francisco bay bridge.

But something was missing...

the cold water.

To keep this short - I'll spare the details, but after rounding up a few of his friends at the neighborhood Roma cafe, dad actually had a claw footed tub hoisted up to the roof through a system of pulleys, levers and friendly neighbors promised booze after accomplishing the mission. I personally prefer to stay in the dark as to how they managed, but dad was able to hop naked from his rooftop sauna to the clawfooted tub for several good years.

Hope the neighbors didn't mind!

Added: October 31, 2007 6:23 PM | Permalink

Peter Dimuro Author Profile Page said:

The neighbors had there binoculars out! Thanks for the story.

Added: November 10, 2007 7:06 PM | Permalink

Peter Dimuro Author Profile Page said:

The holiday meal is going to figure big in the Funny Uncles show - regardless of your background, most families end up having in common some traditions around food.

I am so glad that (this is going to be sick of me!) didn't involve French poodles as the mascot to a Thanksgiving Day Parade, all dressed up like little turkeys with those little white puffy sleeves they put on chicken and turkey legs on the dogs legs instead.

We used to dress our cocka-poo (cocker spaniel and poodle mix) Cricket in my brother's baptism gown - complete with little bonnet hat, white lacy dress. This was usually on a Sunday night, as we would be gathered around the television, during a commercial break from Mission:Impossible or the Ed Sullivan show....or way back, when Bonanza was on.

THanks for the story...

Added: November 10, 2007 7:12 PM | Permalink

John Wilson said:

I am an uncle to two teenage boys -- both jocks. I'm also step uncle to a niece and nephew (30somethings) who live in the Bay area of CA.
I grew up in northern Iowa on a farm (so I know about jello), and after college moved to Baltimore so I had room to explore my "funniness". I came for a summer job at the Baltimore Theatre Project, and one of the first shows I saw there was Liz Lerman's Dance Exchange....
My younger brother Richard (father to my nephews) charged me with their cultural education. As small kids I would give art supplies as Christmas and birthday presents. Always got great resistance to taking them to an art museum or a play. Thought about giving the whole family tickets to "Angels in America" for Christmas last year -- but figured they might never speak to me again.
Memorial Day 2006 my brothers and I gathered in Iowa to inture my mothers ashes. This was the first time we were all together without either of our parents, and since mom's house was now empty we all stayed at my brother's house. My older brother Tom, who lives in Chicago, brought his girlfriend (who is 20 years his junior and totally self-centered). She drove everyone crazy, and Tom did little to buffer the situation. Tom is a throwback to the 60s -- still a political activist, always ready for a good protest ralley. He is rather bohemian, and his bathing habits leave something to be desired. So my nephews have begun calling him 'uncle stinky.' My nephews spent the weekend avoiding Tom & his girlfriend -- staying at their friends houses. After my brother had left to return to Chicago, the eldest nephew returned home and reported to his father that it was strange when your gay uncle is the normal one. Ironically, I wasn't the 'funny uncle.'

Added: November 15, 2007 9:33 PM | Permalink

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