The biggest honor in life...

Is to be mimicked by someone else.

The second is to have a blog dedicated to your work by someone else:

Unfortunately it has temporarily been earmarked as a spam blog, so hopefully it will be up in a few days.

Please see:

http://kevinreaderchangedmylife.blogspot.com/

Breakfast Butterflies

I wrote this piece a few weeks ago. Wow. It's about morning. Or maybe it's a list of things it takes to wake up on the right side of the bed. Watch out Winnie the Pooh. I'm looking to take your job. If you need a reference point for this joke please see:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yD8lwirO1FM

Pooh corner!

But read this instead:

4.24.2008

my breakfast consists of the following:

an alarm clock blaring
classical music

a yawn
a blink
a stretch

a smile
a kiss
a nuzzle

a stumble down
the hallway

a yawn
a blink

a brief look in
the mirror

a smile
a kiss





kevin m. reader

I was MAY-ed for you

Or, made for you....or a maid for you...you kinky fox!

So much to tell...and I haven't written in a while.

So. The low down about the high ups. Not sneakers friends. But good things and happenings and missed happenings by all of you. That's right....my life, in a nutshell or rather on a computer screen for your enjoyment!

Confused yet? Well catch up!

I graduated...please see my future sister's (in law, but sister is good enough for me) blog for fun pictures of my being a dork: http://sweet-pea-photography.blogspot.com/

Amanda and I are headed soon soon soon to Europe. I'm finishing up odds and ends here, starting to pack and the like. We leave June 3rd. But before that happens we need to have a wedding ceremony on June 2nd. I need to audition on June 1. Put up a sketch show on May 23rd, and Amanda has like 3 bridal showers somewhere in there as well. But that's alright...because in like 4 days I won't have to work anymore....well...until we get back from Europe and are completely and utterly broke. However, we'll be in love. Heavy good love. Like jumping in a kiddy pool that is full of tapioca pudding love. No dirty thoughts people!

A few poems from here and there that have been written, but nothing of note right now. In the next few days I might get around to putting up some stuff. We'll have to see!

Tonight, is a beautiful night

So...its warm once again in Champaign, Illinois.

Central Illinois. Flowers blooming, trees greening.

It's sunny.

I deposited my Master's thesis today. I'm done. I have an M.A. in Theatre from the University of Illinois. YES! Thank goodness.

April is Sexual Assault Awareness month. I'm performing in a show regarding said issues. It's always an emotional rollercoaster that I go on when I perform this show...but I know it is a good thing to be doing for society.

I'm engaged. In love. And getting married, soon. I can't wait!

I'm going to head to a poetry writing workshop on Thursday, which I am also excited about!

Way to just list everything I'm up to.

Here, with you.

4.11.2008 Here, with you.

We spend a lot of time,
preparing.
For things in the future
and living for the days to come

But we need to be here today,
live for today,
experience now,
and love this moment.

I turn to you,
and speak,
I love being here,
with you .



Kevin M. Reader

3.25.2008

i got here about ten
i was thinking about taking a shower....
but the bathroom was occupied.
i laid awake in this half dreary state awaiting an alarm to rouse me from my sleep

i'm poetic this morning
i'm in love this morning
dash it all
i'm in love every morning

you're always in a half dreary state
mmmmmmmmmmm

lately yes



Kevin M. Reader

Ring a ding ding

Well,

It's that time of the year again. April fool's day. I really feel like making a prank or something along those lines, but I'm coming up short for good ideas. That's alright though. However, joking aside the following things are true:

I recently went to California.
While there I proposed to Amanda!
We set a date: July 26, 2008.

Friday is my birthday: I'll be a quarter of a century old.
We're going to have a party at my apartment.

I put up my master's thesis play last thursday/friday. It was really well recieved, now all I have to do is actually finish the writing portion of it.

Malignant Humor 2008 just wrapped up, Potted Meat and Spicy Clamato performed. We were a smashing success.

There's about a million things that I could write and express right now.

Europe is still on. Amanda and I are headed to London on June 3rd to July 15th. So that doesn't leave too much time to get everything done for our wedding, which will be 11 days after we return. We're focused, in love, and dedicated to making it all happen.

Out and about

I sent an email to my uncle, and in the tag line, I wrote Coming Out.

Turns out the email was all about how Amanda and I are going to Cali to visit him. He pointed out in the email that I only used pronouns, and alluded to how I wanted to make her an everlasting partner. Which is just befuddling! He then said, there's only one letter difference between a he and a she.

I laughed.

I love Gay Rights. I'm teching a show entitled Open Season, and Marga Gomez is Pretty Witty and Gay right now. It explores queer identities and issues.

Sometimes I fear I'm not PC enough, and then I call someone out for using the term gay in a derogatory way, as in someone saying "That's gay." And then I think, I just said, I call someone out. Double entendre...?

Dunno, but I'm pretty sure I spelled that last word wrong.

I'm eating some Tex Mex that my lovely co-worker brought in. Black beans, chicken, beef, rice, chips, the works. The greatest ten minutes of my day thus far for sure!

My Thesis, is coming along

Here's the beginnings of a detailed description of my staging process:


I went through a very rigorous process of trying to inform myself about this piece before I ever thought I wanted to stage it. I spent a semester working on an independent study project that focused on the contemporary literature in Mexico. What started off as an overall look at identity in Mayan literature, refocused itself to the discussion and analysis of many perceived feminist Mayan plays.
I found this play hidden in an anthology of many others. At times it seemed disjointed with mixed messages. After reading it through a number of times, I began to fall in love with it. So, I took a risk and asked my department if I could focus my thesis around a production. They stepped behind me in full support. So, I began taking the script with me wherever I went. Coffeehouses, parties, bars, bathrooms, car rides, doctor’s offices. This play hasn’t left my side or mind since I picked it up in the fall of 2007. Luckily, with the deposit of this thesis, I can finally put it to rest. However, there are a few key moments that I decided to engage other people with this play as to help inform me about all its idiosyncrasies. I held four separate staged readings of this play before I held auditions. There is more to come on that later. The first was a rough read through with some friends, in which we laughed at how poorly some of their pronunciations were. The next step was to invite some people out to read through this play who didn’t know me or the script as well as others. With the advent of technology, emails, and facebook postings, I was able to compile a group of ten people to read through this script with me. We sat for about an hour after its reading discussing vision, themes and characters. This was a very helpful brain storming session for me. After that, I decided to explore more. I wanted to know how audiences who have little to zero knowledge of Mayan culture would interpret this play. I wanted a more innocent view. So, I decided to take this play into a High School. With two separate Junior Honor’s English classes I managed to squeeze in two cold staged readings with them. I also spent much of that same day reading Romeo and Juliet with the Freshmen English classes that allowed me to dazzle them and expose them the lighter side of Shakespeare. Although, hardly theatrical, these students provided me with the insights of what should be drawn out of this piece, how to capture a bit of innocence in its seemingly hopeless world and how to make it clearer for my audiences.

it fell upon this paper, a muddied river

2.13.2008 [at eaps]

it fell upon this paper, a muddied river

and with each lettered word
that falls upon this paper,
I spell response

I respond to life that
calls out to me and I
am flooded with whispers

before me lay
a muddied river that flows
stronger than any wind that blows

the river that leads and ends
with some unknown destination

I built this raft to ride upon
I gave myself this single oar

from the river’s source I am carried
with only a pole to guide me

as I near the rivers end
the water becomes clear
and the water becomes salty

the sun shines bright
I, with my bleached shirt

waves splash upon my raft
I, with my salty hair

the ocean before me is vast
I, with my single oar

my raft is tightly bound
as the oar turns to mast
and shirt fashioned into sail

the muddied river lay behind me
and I call back,
flooding her with whispers

for each lettered word
that fell upon this paper,
I spelled response.




Kevin M. Reader

This is a square.

The Moments of your Life

5.13.2007 (2) [Café Kopi] The Moments of Your Life.

birth

[insert your moments here]


death





Kevin M. Reader

-----------------

I really like to challenge preconcieved notions of what is and is not art, poetry, etc. I really want to challenge people and make them create. Invoke a personal response. That sort of thing.

The Sis realized

Mayamerica

Trendsetter, mold-breaker, poster child. Call me what you will. I'm going to be putting up a show all about being Mayan. It's going to be a thesis project. There will be informed materials. But it is all accessible, and I know what I am doing. Oh wait, I don't have a clue what I'm doing, but I know where to fill in the gaps. I know how to pretend like I know what I am doing.

The scary part is that I am not Mayan and I want it to be well recieved. There will be hardships and frustrations, but I will endure and overcome.

Here goes nothing and here goes everything.

Blessful

Rhymes with stressful.

I'm blessed with a wide array of wonderful special people in my life.

I'm blessed with doing many wonderful wonderful things in my life, right now.

However, the added pressure of extra things causes one to stress out. I've never been that great at time management. I'm a procrastinator if I want to be. Although, I can be proactive. I go out and do things on my own when inspired.

Speaking of which, I think I've got this thesis thing figured out. As long as my chips fall into place and not off of my plate, then all will be in order. If not, its back to the proverbial drawing board. Problem is, my lead is broken, and I'm out of ink. If I can't do what I want, I'm going to have to play by the rules and do what someone else wants. Which is alright. I mean, we play by the rules to get ahead within a given system. However, when we challenge these rules and step outside of our normativity, we really begin to create. That's what I am out to do, create. Then re-create. Then recreate. Enjoy myself through relaxation and restore myself physically and mentally.

Oh yeah, Minneapolis was awesome. Takes a lot out of a person riding in a car for 18 hours out of a given 36. It was worth it, and the people made the experience all the more worthwhile. A lovely performance was given. In spite of this, it is always nice to come home to the person that you love.

Friday's List

Here's a list of stuff that I need to do:

• Ropes
• Oil
• Gas
• Air

Wow, that sounds really vague, or dirty.

See, I'm headed up to Minneapolis for 1.5 days with some friends to see some other friends in a performance. I think it's going to be in a bowling alley/theatre...maybe. I'm intrigued, none-the-less. 8 hours each way. Leaving Saturday morning.

My brother is coming in Thursday night to visit the U of I as a hopeful transfer student. A non-traditional. Then he's hanging out Friday for that stuff. That night, I'll be attending a formal with the 4H house as I will be accompanying Amanda. I'm excited to break out my dancing shoes and dust off a tie. There is something really romantic about slow dancing under some colored lights on a wooden floor.

Scones to pick with you

No, this isn't some crazy adventure through a mystery land where baked goods grown on trees like ripened fruit.

My boss made scones today, and they are lemon poppy seed. But for some reason they kind of taste like corn to me. However, they are delicious and I want them in my mouth. Then in my stomach.

I'm in an improv troupe. We perform every Monday. I'll be gone from this place called Champaign next year and won't have that anymore. That makes me sad. However, the prospects for growing up are exciting. I love to perform and hope I will have the time, outlets and opportunities to do so while I mature or deture, whichever way you look at it. So I say, seek it out, and make it last.

I think I was listening to a song by Beck just yesterday and the line, "You'll never find true love unless you look for it" rings prominantly true in my ears today. And that makes me want to book some flight tickets to celebrate true love.

The Sis

So, I'm attempting to write a Master's Thesis this semester for school. Needless to say, I'm a bit frightened. It's a big undertaking, and I don't have a clue what I'm doing. I've written things in the past, and I'll write things in the future.

So I was thinking about the word. Thesis...if you break it down. It is literally the sis. So, it is like your little sister. Except, she's an infant and has been dropped off on your doorstep and you are left to care for her by yourself. And you are forced to breast feed, even though you are a man.

On the Reading list:

I, Rigoberta Menchu: a telling story of a Guatamalan Maya Woman who is left to represent herself in a society and through a language that is not her own. Hopefully it will be helpful to me.

Results!

If you are lucky enough to be an up and coming resident assistant on the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign's campus, you will see some version of this:

Suicide prevention training, Round 2. Daniel, photography.

1.23.2008

Life is about perspective. What I see is completely different than what someone else sees. I just recently changed majors from business administration to photography. Needless to say, my parents are worried. I'm their only child. I suppose they have a right to be worried. But not smothering. Five-six times a day I get phone calls from my mother. My dad, seven emails between the hours of 9 am and noon. It must have been a slow day in the office. But I don't need any more friends in my life, I need parents. Did you go out last night? When I went to school down there, I went out five nights a week. The tuition bill came in that will be $8,000, jkol, don't worry son, we paid for it. Going to the game later tonight? No, I didn't go out last, and no I'm not going to the game later. I understand that my parents love me. School is different nowadays. It's a competitive market. The hungry wolves pick out the weak sheep and thin the herd. I thought changing majors would help. Explore myself a little bit more. But the more I do, I realize that I know less and less about this world. It is just clear to me that the world is a huge place, and I'm always in competition with the people around me. I'm tired. I just want to sleep. I want the problems to fade away. What happened the other night was no accident. My roommate was going out with some people, and asked me to go. I said no thanks. The bars just aren't for me. So later on that night, a couple of people from down the hall decided to play some drinking games. Code name: DDR. Drink drink run. Take two shots and then run around the building and come back. Repeat. So, I thought I'd play a few rounds with them.t. After awhile I decided I'd had enough and went back to my room. I thought it was a good idea to take out a self portrait project to work on it a little bit. I must have passed out and went to bed. Next thing I know is my roommate comes home wasted and acting weirded out. I just rolled back into bed, and the next thing I know I'm waking up the bang on my door from my RA.

My night tonight

So, this is my night:

Writing a monologue for suicide prevention training

Listening to NPR's Car Talk with Click and Clack

Eating Heath Ice Cream in Memoriam of Heath Ledger

Honestly, it's a really great night...although it sounds morbid. Don't worry, I have a candle lit to brighten up the room both visually of olfactarily(?). Funny how as a person I spell things out even if they aren't words. Clearly I know what I mean, and hopefully others do to.

When this happens:

Sometimes, I notice other people's lives. Then it makes me write stuff down.

1.8.2008 Out

It seems so simple at first.

Another forlorn story about a girl and a guy missing out,
missing someone
but you’re missing the point.

You are a strong piece,
this is about calling,
calling out.

This is about reaching,
reaching out.

Not putting up with ,
but putting out,
putting yourself out;

out there,
just one more time,
for a change.

Just one more time,
for a chance.


Kevin M. Reader