World By The Tail (or is it Tale?)

I've done a lot of talking about "someplace else" and "other places" and even the world.  And, you know what?  This past Thursday, we brought intelligent and well versed people into our little part of the world for some widespread education and inspiration.  The Historical Society sponsored an event "The Arts Mean Business", teaming with Marjorie Maas from Nebraskans for the Arts, Local teacher/artist Greg Holdren, Twyla Witt from the NE Tourism Commission, Sarah Imus, UNL Theater prof and actress, and Kristy Hayek from the NE Humanities Council.  The theme of the evening was to impress upon the crowd that supporting the Arts... of all kinds... brings dollars to rural communities.  The added plus was that each had toured our gem of an Opera House, and they all were able to tie their messages to show the audience how this project will benefit Friend and surrounding towns as well.  Regardless if it's a theater performance, a musical event, opening the Mary Mary for an art show, filming a movie, or giving historical tours, tax dollars and recreational spending that creates tax dollars will follow our agenda! And those visitors will shop, eat, buy gas, drink wine... you get the idea.  It was clear from the expression on each face that, well, some did get it, and they were the folks that want to pursue closer working relationships between communities to promote the arts and this project.  Others looked to be unimpressed.  Indifferent, I suppose.  Frustrating, to say the least.  BUT, for those from Friend, Beaver Crossing, Milford, Exeter, Wilber, Lincoln, Geneva, York and Seward who were all right there in the "zone" with us, it was fulfilling.  And, having a new "super" that believes in the project, sees the reasoning behind restoration and is driven to show his new students how taking ownership can result in great things, was the icing on the cake.

It reminded me of a quote that the late Steve Jobs used... something about creative people being able to take in their surroundings and add their life experiences to connect the dots.  And once the dots are connected a vision is created.  And, those creative people sometimes feel badly because this just happens.  Easily.  It's a part of their fabric.  Others just don't even realize that dots are out there waiting to be connected.  Cest la vie!  This Warren building holds every dot/opportunity there is.  We've got the world by the tail.

And, on to the next opportunity for our beautiful building... today at 3PM they are casting for "Butch & Sundance- a Ghostly Tale"!  My little short screenplay is going to have real people as Butch & Sundance... the girlfriend, our creepy lady and the shadow and boots of Frog Winslow!  Looks like, right now, it will be filmed upstairs in the Historic Warren Opera House, sometime over Christmas break so we can accommodate the young actors who are in school now.  As I told the Producer, Susan Engel... it's gonna be "colder than Billy shxx up there" but it's still going to be fun!  So, today I can report that we indeed do have "THE WORLD BY THE TAIL / TALE"! 

I leave you with a thought from Mr. Albert Einstein...  "Logic will get you from A to B.  Creativity will take you everywhere!"  Cheers to that!