While traveling up and down Route 22 in New Jersey, I was struck by the number of scary-ass cheap motels.  These places look straight out of The Sopranos.  So here I present a brief selection of…

New Jersey motels along Route 22 that have undoubtedly been the site of multiple mob hits.

Jared is coming soon to a city near you.

I’m on tour again, and I’d love to reconnect with old friends scattered across the country.  I may not have that much free time in these various cities, but could probably at least get together for a meal or at least a drink.

I’m stage managing a tour with LA Theatre Works.  The show is a Science Fiction double feature (no, not of the RHPS variety) of live radio drama.  War of the Worlds and The Lost World, hence the “Worlds” Tour.  What it is exactly is hard to explain, but the short version is that it’s a live presentation of a radio play that got out of hand.  It’s a radio play with lights and staging, but still with microphones and live sound effects.  It’s a fun evening.

So, if you live in or near any of the following cities, let me know at jpatrickcox at gmail dot com (obviously, fix that before you send).  I can’t promise anything, but I may…MAY…be able to wrangle you tickets to the show.

2/26 - 2/28 - Modesto, CA
2/28 - 3/02 - Anchorage, AK
3/02 - 3/04 - (Back in L.A.)
3/04 - 3/06 - Fayetteville, AR
3/06 - L.A. Again
3/07 - 3/08 - Escondido, CA
3/08 - Cerritos, CA
3/09 - Palm Desert, CA
3/10 - 3/13 - Somerville, NJ
3/13 - 3/14 - Bethlehem, PA
3/14 - 3/15 - Great Barrington, MA
3/15 - 3/17 - Concord, NH
3/17 - 3/19 - Springfield, MO
3/19 - 3/21 - Omaha, NE
3/21 - 3/23 - Glen Ellyn, IL
3/23 - 3/25 - Green Bay, WI
3/25 - 3/26 - Wasau, WI
3/26 - 3/28 - Lewisburg, PA
3/28 - 3/30 - Rochester, NY
3/30 - 4/01 - Jacksonville, FL
4/01 - 4/02 - Gainesville, FL
4/02 - 4/03 - Palm Beach, FL
4/03 - 4/05 - Bellingham, WA
4/05 - Return to L.A.

I could say something snarky about Alaska, what with all that’s come out if it in the 6 months… but take a look at this:

Beautiful.  Freaking unbelievably beautiful.  It really does look like that.

We didn’t have much time here, unfortunately, but we were here at the right time.   This weekend was the 74th annual Furrondy.  Which is short for fur rendevous.  I know, fur is murder.  Whatever.  It’s also warm, which comes in handy up here.  It began as a trading rendevous when all the fur traders would meet up to…trade fur, I guess.  So there was a fair amount of fur (that’s what she said) and men wearing funny fur hats:

But there were also sled dogs.  Sled Dogs!

Granted they weren’t huskies or malamutes, which was only disappointing for a minute, because…comeon…SLED DOGS!

And no Cuba Gooding, Jr. to be seen, which made it even better.

Unfortunately, we weren’t able to see the Running of the Reindeer because our show was scheduled at the same time.  It was even more disappointing when I later found out that the Running of the Reindeer is exactly what it sounds like.  It’s pretty much the Arctic version of the Running of the Bulls.  Seriously.  They release reindeer into the streets and people run away from them.  You can’t make this stuff up.  As far as I’m concerned, Alaska is hereby redeemed.

One day, I’m coming back for the Running of the Reindeer.

Oh, yes… one day…

More pics at Flickr.

But they sure do turn out for the theatre.  We had at least 400-500 people at our first performance.  That’s a huge crowd for us.

I’m on tour again, and am again going to try to blog regularly.  If you look at the entries below this one, you’ll see how well that worked out last time.  My plan of action this time is to start small, not write much and instead rely heavily on pictures and short updates.

So, pictures:

These and more at Flickr