Filling in the gaps 07/30/2013 11:40pm

Our First Date So here goes my first confession: I’ve never done this before. Maybe that scares you. If so, maybe you should peruse a different blog. Or maybe you can give me a chance and lean that fatigued, malnourished, overstimulated, narcissistic bod against a solid surface and scroll through this blog with me. My first Fringe ever was an accident of sorts, as was my first MN Fringe, as was this Fringe blogging gig. Luckily, I happen to believe ‘accidents’ from a distance become meaningful with time and memory loss. I was game and so, apparently, are you. Thinking ahead to this Fringe, I admit I’m nervous. Scared, even. Scared that I will be too out-of-shape to arrive in good time to performances via the Greenway. Scared that I will then reek too much to engage audience members/performers/directors in conversations for this blog. Scared that I will then doze off (more so than usual) at my day jobs the next day and never cut it in the ‘real world.’ Any of this sound relatable? Combating this sort of analysis paralysis, then, arise questions and curiosities that buoy my excitement. The Fringe sparks the Twin Cities in a flurry of sweat, make-up, and beer stains for 11 beautiful days--11 beautiful days devoted to plays, performers, and partyers before the drudgery of the 9-5 reclaims us for the fall. But not yet! There is greatness among us and, at least for minds like mine, endless streams of questions flow forth with little regard for sleep schedules or social niceties or sanity itself. So when asked to pick an overarching theme for this collection of thoughts, I reasoned that questions are a good place to start. A combination of schooling and living have convinced me that there is an art to asking the right questions. They reveal an awful lot about both sides of the conversation and often unearth tidbits long thought irrelevant. I can’t map this journey out for you. I really, really, really wanted to. Creating a schedule of shows and rationales and transportation was legitimately on my To-Do List. In my DNA. But then a family reunion reminded me that parties rely upon energy, that accidents are happy, and that laughing your way on through works wonders for your stress level (and sometimes terrifies the little ones). So have a little faith, friends, and trust in the process as I am trusting in my flying fingers, whizzing bike, and cups upon cups of coffee. Fine, some more confessions: Although I have not fully examined the program, I plan to see Cecilies; The Critic and the Concubine; These Old Shoes; and Wanderlust. Expect some more dashed notes here and there. Welcome to my ride. Want to hold hands?