Twitter - What Are You Doing Now?

A new craze I have found online: Twitter. Chirping away like mini-bloggettes of occasionally happenings in the dail lives of those who twitter. Twitter is the new found blogger's dream of tiny tidbits of what they are doing now. It's been around for awhile and became popular. I discovered Twitter like two weeks ago and found it to be addicting. I am enjoying the limited box to type limited text of the "going-on's" of Gilberto Garcia. Yes, the blogs I write on "The Chronicles of Gilberto" has been updated, but not as much as I like to. Sometimes I can't figure out what I want to write about! So with Twitter, the limited amount of characters one can type has been mainly challenging, and mostly fun. I found it to be an addicting website and I constantly feel like I have to keep it up. Unlike this Blog, where I have to sit down and think of what to write. Twitter allows you to "follow" someone on Twitter that they too can update. Somtimes you can send "tweets" as much as you want. Simply put Twitter is a journal of what you been doing but in a limited amount of space on the page. As you post your tweets, anyone who is allowed to follow you on their own Twitter pages will constantly keep up with what you are doing.

Sometimes hitting the replies to, on the Twitter page, you can communicate with people. The website allows one to know another is following your tweets on the page. I think it's an awesome website that you can just daily post what's up with you and follow other people as well. Obama has his Twitters and other celeberties as well. The cool thing about this Twitter page is that you can send your tweets through your cellphone or any instant messaging tools. To be able to keep up with what one is doing, the keep the constant daily tweets posted is kind of fun -- not to mention a bit addiciting. I have posted here my page if you want to check out my tweets. I have been posting from my Yahoo! Messenger and it allows me to send my tweets through Yahoo.

Check it out: http://twitter.com/Gilbert_Garcia

I think if you read my blogs, you can "follow" me on Twitter as well! Have fun "tweeting!"

http://www.twitter.com/

Pippin Rocks!

Center Theatre Group and Deaf West Theatre knows how to put on a great show!

Since Deaf West and Center Theatre Group merge to create Deaf-musicals, they have been successful at what they do. The previous Sleeping Beauty Wakes got huge reviews and the first one that I saw at Mark Taper Forum was Big River. starring Tyrone Giodran. He again does the role of Pippin and Ty Taylor (picture shown below) as the scene stealing Lead Player – Both actors did a great job at this Deaf West and Center Theatre Group collaboration.

The songs and the music was awesome and it was such a great time to watch the musical numbers in ASL from both the Deaf and Hearing actors. The whole cast worked the play fluently and they seem to be having fun playing their parts. The minimalistic stage and props give the actors room to stage their ASL as the play itself. Watching the motion of the hands and arms, and the body placing themselves around the stage was such a spectacular feat in itself.

Stephen Schwartz who created the original Pippin was excited to have Pippin reproduced by Deaf West Theatre after the success of Big River by the same theatre companies, and the successful hard work by the cast and the crew displayed that this was indeed a new genre of ASL Broadway style productions. I was so impressed by the dazzling costumes, the actors and actresses who flaunt themselves on the stage and the role of the Player by Ty Taylor was very magical experience as he went from location to location singing and signing the lyrics to the musical beat of Pippin. It was such a magical experience that I enjoyed every minute of it. Let’s not forget the timing of the humor was on spot and the pace of the play was quite awhile, but worth every minute of it.

Here is a great critical review from the Schwartz website:

Pippin Finds a New Voice

By Suzy Evans

Stephen Schwartz has been waiting a long time for a revival of Pippin like the one at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles. “Over the last several years, I've periodically been approached about a revival of Pippin and for one reason another the circumstances didn’t really make sense,” Schwartz explained in a January interview. There had to be enough of a reason. “And then when Jeff Calhoun called me about doing it with Deaf West, immediately that seemed the ideal way to do it.”

Deaf West is a Los Angeles-based company that casts deaf and hearing actors in their productions. Working with Center Theatre Group, they had already staged Big River with great success, and it was time for something new.

For Deaf West productions, hearing actors are required to learn their lines in American Sign Language (ASL) while the deaf actors must learn how to keep in time with the music while being voiced by hearing actors.

Schwartz thinks Pippin is a natural choice for this kind of presentation because elements of Pippin’s original production can be used to accentuate Deaf West’s interpretation. "The original production for Pippin and most of the revivals that I’ve seen involve the use of hands in various ways, gesturing etc.,” he said. “Obviously when you’re dealing with speaking with your hands and with signing then that adds a whole other element to it.”

Pippin is a story about discovering who you are, and Schwartz, who started writing the show for an extracurricular group in college, called the show “semi-autobiographical.” However, Pippin’s journey of self-discovery takes on a new meaning as these two distinct cultures merge. Schwartz wanted to play with the idea of having people who speak with their hands find their "voice." He comments, “There are ways in which certain concepts of the production and specific moments specifically speak to that issue.”

Musical Schwartz - March 16, 2009

LA TIMES is the best newspapers for Theatrical reviews as well. This one link will lead you to the Review of Pippin:

LA Times Review of Pippin from Deaf West

I am so glad I went to see this play. Since I missed Sleeping Beauty Wakes by the same Theatre Companies, I was so relieved to finally have seen Pippin. It was such a great evening with Kaisa, Candice and I. Later in the evening over a glass of wine before entering the theater at Mark Taper Forum, we met with Alex and his friend. I hoped everyone enjoyed their first Deaf Musical production if they never seen one before. But for Candice and I, this was our of of many and hopefully many more to come!

Here is a clip from Broadway World .. you can see the opening night party, rehearsals and more. And the Lead Player of Pippin Ty Taylor takes you on a backstage tour. ENJOY!

http://www.broadwayworld.com/videoplay.cfm?colid=40144

Hope you all enjoy this review of the Musical of Pippin for it was indeed a magical experience to watch it.

Friday the 13th!

Hello everyone, today is Friday. The 13th Friday of March 2009. Usually the superstitious people are freaked out by this number and on this day, Friday. Anytime I hear the term “Friday the 13th” I think of Jason with the hockey mask chasing people with a machete.  Oh so scary! Nevertheless, today has been a great day so far, (to the superstitious – I will “knock on wood” when I say that) beautiful outside, and blue sky. The dogs are up and about, Paris who has been not feeling well, seems to be better now. And tonight I am headed to Los Angeles to the Mark Taper Forum to see Pippin. So, with this being the next to last show, we are actually LUCKY to get some tickets and good seats to boost. I am excited about going tonight to see Deaf West Theatre production of Pippin. Should be a nice evening out with a show filled with music and American Sign Language.

Now, as I look back at all my Friday the 13ths; I never really had any bad ones. So far, I think the tradition of Friday the 13th for me has been good. So far, I am having a good day, and the history of Friday the 13th dates back to Biblical times: the Last Supper Jesus had 13 Disciples, and the 13th one is the one that betrayed Jesus; 13 suffers it’s position after the number 12, which is a complete number and since there are 12 months in a year, 12 signs in the Zodiac, 12 gods of Olympus, 12 tribes of Israel, 12 days of Christmas, and 12 eggs in a dozen – thus 13 suffers after the number 12.

You can read more about Friday the 13th from the Yahoo Page through this link: Yahoo! News Web Site on Friday the 13th

Well, so far, so good. A Good Friday for me, and now I am off to see Pippin tonight at the Mark Taper Forum. Until next time, have a Happy Friday! And also a Great weekend!

I'm Going to See Pippin!

Deaf West Theatre Production of Pippin at Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles, California is Friday Night and I am going! I am excited to see this neat Musical featuring both Deaf and Hearing Actors. The Link to the Show's Web Page: http://centertheatregroup.org/tickets/productiondetail.aspx?id=7702

Friday night, Candice, Kaisa, and I are going to see the show, "Pippin" -- a musicl featuring both Deaf and Hearing actors at the Mark Taper Forum. I am excited, and looking forward to a night of Theatre once again. The last Deaf West Production I went to was Big River at the same place, and it featured both Deaf and Hearing Actors with voice and American Sign Language. The production was Mark Twain's vision of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. Keep an eye open for the personal review of the production when I come back. Probably around Saturday or Sunday. Saturday I am headed to Deaf Awareness Day at Disneyland. And since I work there, I will get in for free of course! See you later everyone.. I'll keep blogging, and you keep reading.

Ciao! Until next time in the Chronicles of Gilberto. . .

Happy Birthday to me!

Let’s break into a birthday song: “Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday Dear Gilbert!” *Blow out the candles"* Yay! Wow, 33 candles on the cake. That’s how many years I have lived. Born in Apple Valley, California on this 6th day of March 1976. 33 years ago I war born to lovely parents: Annabelle and Michael. Who couldn’t ask for such better parents than these. It was 33 years ago that my life began and was raised in Barstow, California. So far, it’s been a great life. I am enjoying every minute of it. The long road from babyhood to adulthood was not quite long, I am still young! 33 is nothing. 33 is a number only in gaining the experience and memorable life so far has gained a lot of confidence in my life. I have such great confidence in my job and I am enjoying every bit of my job at Disneyland. The road from beginning and continuing onwards has given me a positive outlook on everything around me. I feel so confidence that I can celebrate many more birthdays ahead of me.

Looking forward to tomorrow when my family comes down to see where I live in Costa Mesa, California. They will come down to celebrate my birthday. I am glad to be off tomorrow. Tonight, I will work at Disneyland and still he happy for another day of celebration is still ahead of me. I am looking forward to my parents, sister and her husband, my brother in law, and my nephew, Jake to come down and spend the day with me. I am looking forward to showing them where I live. This will be a fun weekend! I am so looking forward to it.

Now, I am pondering the many adventures ahead: Baseball and Football are going to start soon. Baseball will start because it’s springtime baby! I love baseball season. The spring air, the green grass, and the ball players with the sounds of the crack of the bat as it hits the ball and the sound of the ball punching into  the gloves. SMACK! Beautiful, and the game itself – America’s Game will start up again and I am looking forward to Mannywood. It’s going to be a great season, once again, for the Dodgers. And Football, my beloved 49ers has gained a lot of players, and lost some great ones due to free agency, but the team is still intact, but a new offensive coordinator will bring back Frank Gore’s running prowess. Hopefully good things will come for the 49ers. My team, forever Gold!

Well, here we go, let’s celebrate my 33 years of life and let all these balloons go! Ready? One, Two, Three! Let them go… fly, fly away to the sky!

Thanks for reading my blog today, and continue to look forward to even more and don’t worry soon there will be stories and other things coming soon…

Enjoy your day and your weekend. Until Next time. . .

Manny's Back!

Courtesy of Yahoo! Sports, March 4, 2009

Manny is baaaacccckkkk!!! Just in time he finally signed a 2 year offer for $45 million. After a lengthy back and forth banter of yeses and nos. The agreement finally came down to signing the contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. So this means that Manny Ramirez can start the spring training with the Dodgers, working out, and polishing that old maple bat and start hitting those home runs out of Ravine Park at Dodger stadium. Now all the Dodger nation dubbed Manny Ramirez as Mannywood. Of course, he's the one that brings the electrifying fans and brings the Dodgers some big explosive at the plate. I am finally happy he agreed to play for the Dodgers and not some other baseball team out there. This only makes the Dodgers stronger to overcome Arizona Diamondbacks and the San Francisco Giants. With a reliable hitting team, the Dodgers can now go all the way from start to the finish of the season. With such big playoff hopes now in the books, we can hope to face anyone, anywhere with a reliable at bat from Manny Ramirez. (I just hope toward the end of the season our pitching will not go through injuries or at least they can hold on and go out strong to make it through at least one playoff team.)

The big issue from this deal is that Manny was being too greedy to say yes to original Dodgers offers and not be too boastful in wanting more money. A lot of people agreed with this economic times that Manny should just take whatever offer was given. But he was right about one thing, with A-Rod being the top player in baseball, the Yankees give A-Rod a big deal and he is the top paying player right now. (Yankees can afford A-Rod and his issues of if he should be playing after the mess with the 'roids issue. If the steroids issue is true, then A-Rod shouldn't be playing at all! Thus, making Manny the top paid player) Manny just wanted to earn his keep and be worth the stuff he is made out of. I think that he is made out of a lot of stuff and even more, and I think the Dodgers can give him more money, but the Dodgers organization blames the economy. I don't think that's what Manny is concern about, and he is not greedy in some respect. With the economy we like to think people who are suffering from job losses and being laid off and wanting more money for themselves should be able to think that Manny Ramirez is just being greedy. I think the Dodgers can afford him and should give him his money worth. Why? After all, the electricity of Dodgers fans have improved so much. The fans are fired up when Manny is there, and it's become such a paranoia and a pandemonium. In other words its gotten crazy in Dodgertown. Dodgers are now embracing a new type of Hollywood. Manny fits with this team and he deserves to be here in Los Angeles, for the power of the West has shifted to the True Blue team and with our reliable hitting and somewhat inconsistent pitching, we are able to be the best in the National League. If only we can get over the hump of playoffs and get through our pitching, then we become Dodger-nation.

What can I say? Manny's back! Better than ever, because at least he'll start the season off with a bang and hopefully he will play for his money's worth. After all, the Dodgers are worth the show and Manny's the one in the spotlight, for he wants it as much as the Dodgers want that pennant and the World Series can be a reality if Manny keeps his bat polished and his swinging swift and powerful. Welcome back Manny!

Another Monday, Another Week

Today is Monday, March 2, 2009. This morning was a nice cool morning, and the morning brought a gloomy overcast. The clouds had grayness for it was laden with rain. The weather report on KTLA 5 news said it will rain this week. Well, I don’t mind the rain, but what I do mind is getting a few more hours of sleep. No, but our two dogs needed to get out and to do their business. Nevertheless, I got up and took them out and  realized it wasn’t that bad of a day. It’s Monday, a new week and this is the first week of March and of course, the week of my upcoming 33rd birthday. Man, the sound of 33 still rings confusedly in my ears. I am going to be 33 already! Time has flown fast and with the age going up and up, I’m thinking where has birthday 13 gone? How about 23? Long gone are these numbers, and a new one approaches – 33! Double Three. Wow, so March 6, is coming up this Friday and I am going to be one old man. Nah, age is nothing but a number and I don’t feel old at all. I feel all right and I feel good.

So I got up today, walked the dogs, and came back in had my coffee and Candice, along with her Mother, went to UCI and dropped her off, and Monica and I went to meet our friend Sara and her boyfriend at Disneyland. I let them in with my pass and we all went down to a Small World ride together. I tell you, it was a nice day out – no crowds and no lines. Monday seems to be great days to stop at Disneyland and get on rides and stuff. We went on the new boats and soar through the songs of a “Small World” and saw the new features that were added there. The dolls were improved, and they added recognizable Disney characters throughout the worlds. Lilo and Stich for the Hawaiian theme, Donald Duck in some various places, and Mulan for China, and so forth. It was worth the ride and I enjoyed it. It is still one of the most relaxing boat rides at Disneyland. The songs, of course, were still catchy with small changes to the songs for the added characters. But the view of all the “Small World” was amazing. I enjoyed this ride a lot.

Afterwards, we went to pick up Candice and we went home for lunch and now we  came here to Borders bookstore to study, write, and browse around. I am enjoying a nice cup of coffee while i write this blog. So far, it’s been a good day. So far, so good.

At Borders Bookstore, I got a good book titled “American Short Story.” I am reading greats like Ray Bradbury, Shirley Jackson, etc. And I bought this book for my reading adventures outside on our balcony for the upcoming Springtime season. I know I will enjoy these short stories as much as I want to keep striving to write my own short story. I am working on one now and perhaps in future blogs, I will be able to post some here. Look forward to my blogs in the future and just maybe you will see one posted.

Until then, later!