Haven't been writing. Busy. Crazy. Everything. So, we'll do the highlights edition.

David: ...lives on the third floor where eLiz used to. He's a sweet guy, 25, and newly out (of his parents' house and the proverbial closet). He's working for our company and is getting acclimated well to the new life with us. He plays violin.

Work: ...there is always so much to do.

Burlesque, before: Had MadonnaNight, which was near and dear and the show went fairly flawlessly. However due to disagreements with the management, it doesn't look like we'll be heading back to Switch. It's a situation of they said/we said and really not worth the aggravation. I just hate not being able clear my name, but there's no real argument to make there, so I'm trying to just put it behind me. But humiliation has never been something I've enjoyed, so I'm left with a bit of egg on my face... and it's probably just going to stay there. Nothing else I can do about it. I just have to remind myself: this happens with artists every day.

Burlesque, now: Goth show tomorrow; should be awesome. No excuse not to be; stellar cast, good songs, and an audience semi-familiar with us via Wicked Faire. We have 2 guest performers (David on violin, Val from Cosplay Burlesque who performed us for MNight) and a sizeable group of regulars. Seriously, busting at the seams, this show. I hope they don't mind if we run over time; I will try not to ramble.

Burlesque, future: Had the potential to do a show in Massachusetts but we got dropped pretty unceremoniously (this is a word I've grappled onto lately) because they ran over budget with their keynote speaker. We were asked first, so it stings, but well... they're in Massachusetts and that's what happens. If it were Jersey, or even Philadelphia, we could possibly negotiate, but there's no way in compromising negative funds when it's more than a state away and we don't have a tour bus. Nothing else I can do about it. I just have to remind myself: this happens with artists every day.

Burlesque, future-future: I don't want to take a hiatus this winter, so I'm going to try to find a replacement show for Massachusetts and see what else is up; maybe I'll guest-perform elsewhere. Genevieve and I have reworked the Wonderland concept. We're still waiting to hear back from the Wicked Faire camp, but I think the show is going to be splendid.

Emilie Autumn: I bought replacement tickets for December 2 after the insanity that went into buying tickets for May that got canceled and rescheduled. They're not at Highland, but it should still be epic.

Matt: ...is going away to France for 2 weeks in November. Jamie left for Nice at the end of August. When he comes back, I think he's leaving again for Atlanta for a search engine optimization seminar. I think we'll be passing ships; the day after he comes back is Emilie's show.


...and that is what's up in Lake Woe-Be-Gone, thus.

Feeling some pressure but getting through it...

Michael's father died on Monday night, much to both unfortunate expectation and yet shock. He had been deteriorating for a while now, and I know that it was very difficult for him and for his family to experience. Frank was a stand-up guy who was very quiet but polite and inviting to his guests. With Frank's passing, Michael, Genevieve, and Danielle have bowed gracefully out of our next scheduled show, Floating World on Friday. Fortunately, we had back-ups that will be in their stead for the appearance; I just wish I could be in two places at once.

Floating World
This is our 3rd year there and we are coming back full force. We appear on Friday. I am very excited and yet terrified by it. I will be performing 2 solos (one I have done many times and one that I have done once, sort of. It's new spin on one I did at Rochester '09 but this time a mash with another song) and a supporting role in Sarah's. Willow will be there, which is lovely of course, and Sandy, Sarah, and Joe very wonderfully have filled with no guff, no dramatics, and consummate professionalism, for which I am deeply grateful. The Floating World has been very good to us, and I know we can deliver on the level they deserve, and even better than we have previously. Even with a late-revised setlist, it all looks pretty good.

Madonna Night
Confirmed, sealed, and set Madonna Night will be officially announced after Floating World, but I'll break the 4th wall and offer an exclusive. We got a very good response for it, are having some divine guest stars that I am thrilled to have since I know that I loved them on their own stages so how lovely of them to share ours. It will be at Switch, which means it'll be a hard PG-13 but I know that we are more than T&A so I trust it. Also, seriously awesome... we are doing Madonna Night. That alone makes me all a-tingle.

October & November
These are still secret, so the wall is strictly in 3s for now, but they are exciting opportunities all the same.

It seems impossible to me that I already know what's coming for October and November... we usually close shop for the December and January months. Hell, I'm fairly certain we're performing at Wicked Faire '10 so even that is on the list of things approaching.

I am glad to have this in my life.

Update: the writer for the Star-Ledger that published the article called me. I had called the SL shortly after it was published to see if the name could be changed to my stage name (since it was fetish-related and the fetish people know me as Viktor). I got turned around in the phone-to-phone trying to figure out who could help me and eventually decided it was a fruitless task.

The writer got a note from who I spoke to, learned what I was initially after, and volunteered to see if she could get it changed to Viktor just for consistency sake. It's not at all her department, but she'll give it a shot.

I have made peace with it either way, but very nice of her to try.

re: this article

"You are the coolest. :)" -- my sister Amy

"I am proud of you for sticking up for your friends and the fabulous community. I am proud you bear my name. Someday, maybe people will mind their own business and people can play in peace." -- my father

"What a great picture! I printed out the print version. I'm going to connect the article to a color printer to get you in color. Any new shows coming up?" -- my mom, Joyce

So, I attended a rally for the BDSM community as Viktor on Monday. I made it to the frontpage of nj.com and to my initial shock and glee, later hesitation and concern, and now who knows, saw that I was identified in the picture. The photo states me as my real full name, something that I've been semi-branding myself as (in fact Viktor's forthcoming website is listed as George Blair IV as Viktor Devonne, as I am very aware Viktor's a character, even if Viktor doesn't). Also, nearly every weburlesque programme says the same.

But this was the first real situation where it was just me. Not "as Viktor" and that's ok. I mean, I pose as him in my LJ icons where it's just me. My facebook... my MySpace. But for some reason this hit me in a particular way. I became somewhat concerned of imaginary fallout, either because of my non-performance work... or my family... or whatever.

But I am going to bed thinking, "fuck it." I was at a rally, and yes, it would have been spectacular if they said in neon lights my stage name and the Society's name but I live and I learn-- the next time I'm on camera, I give only what I want out there. And I'm going to just need to accept that this is something I felt strongly about, and yes, it's a little weird that I am now the posterboy for the cause when I was just there for my friends (and for my job, too--as burlesque is threatened by the litigious and the pious; and the people who hire us and clothe our audience are being directly targeted). But fuck it: I have to own it and realize: it's all part of my master plan. If I'm going to do this for a living, this is going to happen. And more than that, I think it something I need to want to happen. Either I'm a performer or not. And I am a performer.

The cause is this here link and I was merely one of the more colorful to be photographed. I've decided to just go ahead and wear it. Even if they didn't give me context.

And a girl that that I haven't seen since 8th grade recognized me and facebook'd me to tell me she liked the photo. So, dude, it just has to work.

But rude awakening, you know? I gotta get in-character business cards.

But I was (am as of now) on the frontpage of NJ.com in make-up in support of a fetish store getting closed down! Let's see high school post that in their newsletter!

I had a really good weekend. And I'm going to leave it at that for right now.

So, in April, I bought tickets for Emilie Autumn in New York City at the Highline Ballroom. She was supposed to be on tour in the States and in NYC on May 22.

However, Emilie was dicked around by her manager, who scheduled 2 shows on opposite sides of the country with none in-between. Such a schedule would make Emilie no money and cost her a lot to travel. So manager was fired. Shows were put in the kip for rescheduling.

In June I see that the shows are still on, at an undetermined date, because with new management, Emilie will now have a better tour plan. In July, I get a cancellation notice and refund from Highland Ballroom's people and read a blog from Emilie that it just isn't going to work out, and even the European tour is canceled. Not going to lie, that refund came in handy for my bank account.

I see on facebook, Emilie's new poster. Hot. She always photographs well. What's this? "US Tour 2009." Well, gee, guess someone didn't get the memo... wait. What? The tour's back on?

In fact, the tour's back on. At the Highline Ballroom. On October 13.

And now I can't afford to go.

I am sitting in my bedroom, which for the first time in a while I feel I not only "can" say but pretty much have to. When Matt ditched me romantically, we slept in the same bed for several months, platonically. And when he left the sleeping arrangement, he took it all basically with him into his new room (which was the "red room").

Well, evidently, he's not coming back, so it made sense to remodel a bit to give myself some space, switch it up, and basically reclaim. I haven't had a "my room" sine 2003, so the feeling's a little strange. It's still epically lonely, of course, but it's quite livable. Danielle, Genevieve, and I worked very hard to get it into shape for me.

The bed's switched places (now against the wall, like it was in West Paterson), the dresser's stocked and organized... I have clothes hangers up the yin yang, a mostly clean floor... It's infinitely better than it has been. The bed is clean (I developed the same illness that Joyce did post-divorce where one side is clogged with reading material, clothes, and random stuff), and I am even sleeping in the relative middle (as opposed to the right side--my side).

I feel when I'm in here that I'm back in high school (but with Amanda Palmer posters instead of X-Men). And it still needs work (I have a lot of stuff that's just in storage that needs to live on a shelf or two) but I'm surprised every time I open the door how relaxed and chill it is.

One thing is that I have had nightmares every night since last Saturday, the day we overhauled it all. I don't know if it's related or if I'm simply equally stressed as before but now more clear-headed so it's more obvious to me in my dream state. I had some very tough times in dreams, actually... and everyone's been invited; Matt, the burlesque people, former clients, my parents, just everyone.

But developments, you know... it's working for now.

Tomorrow, I leave the solitary room for a weekend of getting fucked up amongst friends. In a few weeks, we have Floating World... few weeks then, another 2 (or 3?) shows... one of them being all Madonna-themed, something I've wanted to do for 4 years.

Breathe it in as it comes. If it's poisonous, you'll die anyway, so just keep it going.

"the time, it slips away. but i'm glad i spent it."
-- Amanda Palmer

"The final track listing for Celebration is not out there yet and "won't be available until much closer to the release," I have confirmed from a source so powerful she could drop any Madonna fan should she so choose."
-- Matthew Rettenmund, Boy Culture

So you fans of "Live to Tell" and "Who's That Girl" hold on--we're still not confirmed.

As for the source, I'm gonna go with Liz Rosenberg as my guess.

According to DrownedMadonna.com, this is the tracklisting for the new Madonna best-of:

2-CD Edition
CD1: Vogue / Express Yourself / Into the Groove / Papa Don't Preach / La Isla Bonita / Everybody / Lucky Star / Holiday / Like a Virgin / Borderline / Material Girl / Crazy For You / Open Your Heart / Cherish / Like a Prayer / Justify My Love / Deeper and Deeper / Erotica / Rain

CD2: Celebration / Music / Get Together / Frozen / Hung Up / Ray of Light / Beautiful Stranger / Don't Tell Me / Hollywood / Human Nature / Secret / Take a Bow / American Life / Die Another Day / Sorry / 4 Minutes / Give It 2 Me / Revolver

1-CD Edition
Vogue / Express Yourself / Into the Groove / Papa Don't Preach / La Isla Bonita / Lucky Star
Holiday / Like a Virgin / Material Girl / Crazy for You / Like a Prayer / Erotica / Music / Frozen / Hung Up / Ray of Light / Don't Tell Me / Take a Bow / Sorry / 4 Minutes / Celebration


I can't say that I am shocked and appalled by the omissions. Everything up there makes complete sense. It just shows that perhaps Madonna's in need of a 3rd disc.

Although in this iTunes world, perhaps best-of's are really the way of the dinosaur.

I've already read commentary that some songs don't deserve placement because "they weren't hits in the US" or something, ignoring that albums traditionally aren't made just for one location in the world and nearly everything up there is Top 10 or above with the exception of "Everybody," which happens to be her first single.

My earlier ramblings on what should've been on there...

Naturally, there'll probably be iTunes and Amazon bonus tracks.

via my facebook,

"haven't seen it as yet....but i like your unbiased review...your right its a movie- not an activist documentary...good going blair...."
-- Billie Myers on my Bruno review


Awesome!

Sacha Baron Cohen has been the darling of the pre-release press ride of a lifetime now twice in an industry where you are lucky to get a billboard on Melrose. Cohen excels at the flamboyantly vicious, whether hamming it superbly in "Sweeney Todd," thugging out and auditioning in vain for Madonna in her 2000 "Music" video clip, or most famously, pushing the boundaries of immigrant acceptance in "Borat."

But while "Borat" was controversially celebrated, "Bruno" is faced with an unfortunate dilemma: it is in danger to not be liked simply because it is not cool to like it.

As much as I have read in other reviews or blogs, there is a plot and a fairly consistent one. Despite the fact that there are clearly chapters (others have called them a string of skits) to Bruno's story, it follows an exact one: Bruno would like to be famous (again, actually) and has come to America to achieve this dream and overextends his welcome in each scenario by being that irritating, irrational, or inept.

( spoilers but I don't think for anything past the trailers or press releases )

I like greatest hits albums like warm blankets and cool breezes, so when I hear one is coming out for an artist I like, I bounce around a little.

Aqua, who I loved while in middle school and throughout high school, just released their best-of:
Back To The 80's / My Mamma Said / Live Fast Die Young / Happy Boys And Girls / Barbie Girl / Around The World / Doctor Jones / Aquarius / Cuba Libre / Lollipop (Candyman) / Cartoon Heroes / Be A Man / My Oh My / Freaky Friday / We Belong To The Sea / Roses Are Red / Halloween / Turn Back Time / Goodbye To The Circus

Because Aqua is a group with 2 albums, it's not surprising that more than half of it are not actually singles. However all of the singles are in fact represented with the exception of "Bumble Bees," which sucks hardcore. Add 3 new tracks, and life is good. What they chose as best-of-worthy album tracks (Happy Boys, Aquarius, Cuba Libre, Be a Man, Freaky Friday, Halloween, Circus) are mostly top notch, although the last two are gimmicky and especially "Circus" is rife with over-concept. All this said, tho, you could've simply hit "random" for 16 of their previously released songs on iTunes and come up with the same tracklisting.

Most exciting today is the announcement that Madonna's next greatest hits collection is double disc. ( unnecessary Madonna rambling )

So. Twilight the movie.

Apparently Peter Facinelli had to do several takes where his character sires the lead character. To break up the monotony, he said different things before he bit Robert Pattinson's neck, in his ear (inaudible)... things like "I'm sorry" and "My son."

The final take they used (as evident by Rob's quick smile in the final version) is when Facinelli said "You're sexy."

It's my favorite (albeit 1 of maybe 4 I know) Twilight factoid.

I don't get the Twilight hullabaloo. I finally did see it and I thought it was amusingly bad. Like Lifetime movie of the week kind, where it's still totally watchable. It's a D class film that is actually very amusing and entertaining.

I may need to see it again in a group so that we all may enjoy it and laugh at it.

And then all the sequels.

Mollie Sugden, who played Mrs. Slocombe in Are You Being Served? and Oscar-winner Karl Malden, who will forever be the Walrus in my favorite version of Alice in Wonderland died today.

Genevieve and I just watched the Rosalind Russell Gypsy this past Friday, wherein Malden plays Herbie.

At 86 and 97, respectively, neither is a shock.

But it's still sad to see that people I've heard of have died.

It is very sad that Michael Jackson died. He died on the same day as Farrah Fawcett, who I must admit I knew very little about and was aware she was sick; it was still sad to see someone in the news deteriorate the way that she had.

Michael Jackson however always was an icon to me. He simply is, whether I bought every cassette or casually knew a song of his on the radio. It actually really, really bothers me when people laugh at his legal troubles or worse, condemn him for them when you either have to decide that the legal system works and he was acquitted so shut-the-fuck-up because it was not proven, or that he was a man with terrible choices and no one will be 100% honest with what happened with him on the nights he was accused of molestation.

Or, a third option: a troubled man does not negate genius. If it did, Lewis Carroll, Tolstoy, Lennon, Hemingway, TS Elliot, Walt Disney, and Picasso's legacies would mean nothing. The cheap shots irritate me; they aren't anything newer than 1993, and to me they imply child molestation is hysterical as long as the perpetrator is famous. I know, I hate generalizations too, but I could have had a drinking game to death if I continued to read some of the cynical TMZ or Twitter responses to his death, or my own friends' facebook statuses.

I remember, I suppose in 1992 or so, that my sister Sharon and I were talking about famous people dying. I don't remember exactly what the scenario was that brought this on; maybe Michael Jackson was on TV. Sharon said to me that the world would lose its mind when Michael Jackson died. We both pictured it, I think, as happening relatively soon (as who could imagine Michael Jackson at 94 on his deathbed, done up in epaulettes and rhinestones) and at a certain height of his fame (this was right after Dangerous where he had music video after music video of epic proportion). MTV was perhaps was running one of their weekend-long special programming of his tour, I think. I thought about it; yes, that would be weird.

Admittedly, I think Michael Jackson's best work ended in '92, but that's neither here nor there. There are a lot of retired individuals who will (and have) rocked the nation with their death 20-some years after their last visible success. I just remember listening to the Thriller album on vinyl, taping to cassette, being fascinated by some of his music videos, and above all, being aware he was simply alive. I still remember snatches of his bio on TV interviews or footage (one comes to mind: when he performed before Prince Charles and Lady Diana, he intended to not perform "Dirty Diana" out of respect, until she requested him to do so because it was her favorite of his songs).

He was a freakshow, make no mistake, but he was a humbling one all the same. I do not understand nearly a minute ten of his personal life, but his professional life, even in decline (2.1 million sold for his last album--his last album wherein no one can recall an actual hit single's title) is beyond respect.

Occurrences:

- Performed "Mack the Knife," "Missionary Man," and "Money Changes Everything," at Switch for their Prom Night yesterday. I was awarded Prom King (not for the singing, I am sure).

- My high school crush, Mike, is apparently getting married next August (I don't know if that means this upcoming, or in 2010). That just puts my head in a spin. Yes, I realize in no uncertain terms that one of my dearest and closest friends, Danielle, is getting married and she is younger than I am (altho will be my current age by the time it happens), but it's those Other People in the World That Aren't Me and My Bubble of Associates that surprise me. It is becoming increasingly unlikely that he will realize that he was also in love with me in high school.

- I have set all my LJ entries previous to January 1, 2007 to private. The me from 2002 needs to sit the fuck down and realize it's not that serious.

The awesome:
- Amanda Palmer was incredible, as per the norm. I also spent a brief amount of time with her and 20 others in the venue's bathroom. She sang my two favorite AP songs, "Astronaut" and "Guitar Hero" (the latter I'd never heard solo before), 1 of my favorite Dresden songs, "Delilah" (utterly gorgeous), and other simply wonderful songs, "I Google You," "Gravity," (again never heard it solo before!), "Missed Me," "Runs in the Family," "Oasis" (with band!), "Ampersand," "Thirty Whacks." She also did a relatively new song, I'm going to guess is called "Smaller Heart." Neil Gaiman was at the show, in the audience; they're dating. The Lisps opened the show and were charming. Jack Palmer, her dad, came out for the second encore, doing a cover of Leonard Cohen's "One Of Us Cannot Be Wrong." Gorge. Seriously. While they were allegedly planned, neither "Boston" nor "Glass Slipper" made the cut (it's ok-- she may've run out of time.), but we did get a random as awesome hell "Yakkety-Yak."

- WEBS show in Asbury Park for NJ Foreplay was extremely well-received and went off without a single hitch (pre-show issue included a challenging parking situation only). Applause, laughter, an unofficial invitation to next year's event... Seriously fantastic. Yay bears!

- Seeing Michael's parents and gorging myself on entirely too much food.

- General comradery of Michael, Danielle, Genevieve, and George that ran parallel to the early 2000's.

- Going to Dan's graduation party and seeing him, Katie, Esmeralda, and variety of other people I did not know but who were nice. Also amazing food and drinking love. I learned I liked alcoholic cider. And it likes me too.

--

The suck:
- Didn't get to see the Tony Awards.

- My legs, from their raw-rub like 2 weeks ago, are still sore but healing. Now just itchy and annoying... at least not extreme pain... but still, I'm about done with this shit.