What's the buzz?  Tell me what's a happenin... Here is the latest news in the life of our boy Dain... okay, it's not news so much as it is random thoughts...

CCM GALA

It’s hard to believe, but 25 years ago, the drama program began at CCM… and our boy Dain was in that very first group of students.  Why did it take him until 1992 to graduate, you ask?  Nobody knows.

To mark the important date, Richard Hess (A.B., Dolly, Ralph and Julia Cohen Chair in Drama) planned a gala to celebrate the people and accomplishments of this program over the years.  Dain was asked to be on the planning committee, along with fellow alums (and beautiful women) Jodie Linver and Shannon Rae Lutz.  Though Dain felt that he didn’t really DO much on the committee, he did get to wear a tiara at meetings – so that added something to mix.

So on a rainy day in October, CCM more than 50 Drama alumni back to Cincinnati for the CCM Drama 25 Gala Reunion Alumni Celebration.  The day started with alumni panels for current students on Acting in Los Angeles, Acting in New York, Actors Who Sing and Physical Theatre, followed by Alumni Tours.  The celebration culminated in a GALA Celebration in the Patricia Corbett Theatre attended by more than 50 CCM Drama alumni, 55 current students, the CCM Drama faculty, and 100 friends and supporters of the program. The After-Show-Party lasted past 1:00 a.m.  Dain didn’t last that long… Below are some photos with Dain and some of the gang from college days…  It's amazing that even though the current students look SO YOUNG, Dain's friends from college days look EXACTLY THE SAME!!

Teresa Mattimore and Dain... they look like siblings, don't they?

Jodie Linver, Philip Solomon, Teresa Mattimore, Dain, Gary Anaple and David Adams

Teresa, Jodie, Dain and Philip

CHICAGO TRIP

They call it the Mega-Bus.  You pays your money… and you gets on the bus.  They pick you up on the sidewalk at Fourth and Race in Cincinnati, drive through Indianapolis, stop at a truck stop, and then drop you off at Union Station in Chicago.  So for very little money, you can travel in relative style (it’s a charter bus with horrible eighties fabric everywhere, but it’s fairly clean and comfortable) without having to drive yourself or fly.

So what could be more fun?  In September, Dain and John decided to visit Brian and Steve, imposing on them by staying at their house… again, what could be more fun?

As they waited on the sidewalk, the crowd grew bigger.  Anxious looks all around, as people were wondering just how MANY passengers fit on a Mega-Bus.  Then the boys learned that there would be two buses.  The first would go directly to Chicago, bypassing Indianapolis, the second would stop in Indy to drop off and pick up passengers.  Well, certainly direct would be better… until the boys realized that a gaggle of “women of a certain age” in horrible sweaters and cropped elastic waist jeans were going on the first bus.  Yuck.  Luckily, bus two was reasonably quiet, with only one blowhard (wearing Tommy Bahama shirt and an air of white middle class male superiority) who told stupid jokes and then laughed at them.

Upon arriving in the Windy City (we can’t believe we used that phrase… we have NEVER used that phrase… it’s dorky)… Okay, upon arriving in Chi-town (MUCH better), Dain and John did some shopping in the afternoon and then met Steve and Brian for dinner.  The next day was taken up with wandering around the Chicago Cultural Center (The Tiffany glass dome is amazing) Millenium Park (MaryBeth joined up with the boys) and some shopping.  Dinner that night was at a tapas restaurant to celebrate Steve’s birthday… we think he’s somewhere in his early-to-mid thirties… we all are.

Sunday was brunch, and then the boys took the bus back home.  At Union Station, there are something like 742 Mega-Buses that depart from the same sidewalk… okay, maybe not 742, but a LOT.  There was mass confusion and annoyance all around, with several “women of a certain age” complaining that there was no organization, and that if THEY were in charge, things would be run better.  Finally, the boys got on a bus to Cincinnati and made their way home.  This bus, sadly, had loud-mouth Marge, who spent most of the trip trying to figure out who owed whom what amount of money for the trip.

It was lovely to spend time with Brian and Steve.  Though we are certain that they think Dain and John are huge sloths, as they wanted to simply hang out and talk…

MaryBeth, Dain, John and Steve at Millennium Park

Steve, Brian and Dain

What did MaryBeth do to deserve that look from Dain... and what did Dain say to deserve that look from Steve?

THE DAY JOB

Things at Dain’s job are lovely… the people he works with are lovely, the office is lovely, most of the clients are lovely… lovely, lovely, lovely.  However, there are a FEW clients that are just the teeniest, tiniest bit annoying.  There is the woman that calls Dain the “Office Boy”.  And there is the gentleman that neglects to pay his bill, but always says, “Okay Dain, here’s what you can do for me today…” when he telephones. There is the stalker from a Plains state that calls at least four times a week to talk to David… oh, there are so many more.

But this tax season should be interesting… the team has come up with some new systems and plans to effectively get through the mountainous work flow.  Hopefully, Dain will be there to see it in action (the cancer thing… see the health article).  As 2008 ends and 2009 begins, things are going to start ramping up at the office… so if you need your taxes done by Alex and Company, get your stuff in early!

THE HOLIDAYS...

Thanksgiving was spent with the folks in Fort Wayne this year.  Tammy and Kenny were in from Akron, and John came up as well.  It was great to have the whole family together… and the food was excellent! 

We call this the "Witness Protection Thanksgiving Portrait"... something is wrong with John's camera...

Christmas was also in Fort Wayne.  (Dain’s father once said that his sons would have to marry orphans so that they would have nowhere to go but his house for the holidays.)  Sadly, Ken and Tammy had to spend Christmas in New Jersey with her family (the trade off years).  John was able to come up with Dain, and then went to see his father in Maysville right after the weekend.

Again, it was just nice to spend time together… many games of Quiddler were played in the evenings.   Much time was spent either reading or napping (especially during movies)… exactly what a holiday should be about.  There was one day when FOUR meals were scheduled.  Mom and Dad wanted to take the boys to a great restaurant, but could only get a reservation at 4:15.  That meant getting up early in order to eat breakfast… in order to have an early lunch… in order to eat dinner at 4:15… in order to have another meal of hors d’oeuvres at 8:30 or so… whew!

Dain got a digital camera for Christmas… here are some shots he took while learning to use his new toy.

Dain's cutey-patooty Mom

Dad reading instructions for something...

This is how John spent most of the time at Christmas... 

Dain's favorite Christmas ornament... they affectionately call her the "Christmas Weasel"...