Tag Archive for Entertainment

Entertainment, Mathnet, Social Media, Square One TV

Square One TV and Mathnet – A Comprehensive Fan Rundown

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Head’s Up! Upcoming Blog Series!

Coming soon to this blog, a multi-part series focusing on the numerous media articles, blogs, podcasts, and artwork by fans of Square One TV (and Mathnet). There’s been a lot of buzz on Twitter alone in recent years, which has me thinking it’s time to put everything in a central location so everyone can read and enjoy the myriad of fan tributes and the like. And hey, maybe Sesame Workshop is paying attention and will eventually do something about it (and seriously, they are actually paying attention).

Anyway, please be patient and stay tuned – I’ve had my crack team of die-hard fans helping me find the various articles, interviews, and so forth – some of the finds have been hidden gems that people may have missed, while others received tons of comments and likes on social media, even a few from VIPs (including actors, writers, and others who were involved with the show). 

Tide Yourselves Over, Dear Fans

In the meantime, if you haven’t already, why not check out the Mathnet fan community on Facebook or have a look at the new Square One TV Wiki project that’s looking for contributors. (Shout out to fan Christopher Mallow for its creation.) Or maybe you just want to share in the joy that is all things Classic PBS? There’s a community for that, too. (Shout out to fan Lori Shirley for creating it!) 

The cast of Square One TV.
(RIP, Reg E. Cathey.)

Entertainment, Mathnet, Social Media, Square One TV

Coming to NYC: A Square One TV/Mathnet 30th Anniversary Tribute Show!

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Hey, Square One TV/Mathnet fans! 2017 marks 30 years since Square One Television first debuted on PBS! My, how time flies, eh? There’s so much that’s been going on within the fandom over the years that I need to take some time to point out all the amazing projects and social media posts I’ve found, although today, let’s just focus on this upcoming event.

The PIT’s Square One TV/Mathnet 30th Anniversary Tribute Show! Happening in NYC at the People’s Improv Theatre on Thursday, January 26, 2017 at 8:00 p.m. Tickets are $5 – call ahead to reserve yours!

Square One TV 30th Anniversary Tribute Event

This is totally a dream fan project of sorts, so grab your 80s fashions and travel back in time, mathematics-style! One of the performers is an old Mathnet fandom friend of mine (hi, Heather!), so please do go and support all the hard work and talent behind this special event!

But Who’s Going?

Will I be there? I wish! Although if anyone attends and grabs video, pictures, etc., feel free to post here and/or share online! Go! Make me jealous! Maybe if it goes over well, they’ll do future performances…you never know!?!?! (PSST! Rumor has it some former cast members, writers and crew may also be in attendance.) I have been fortunate enough to keep in touch with many of the actors and behind-the-scenes crew over the years, so if anyone has a chance to meet any of them in person, tell them hello and shake their hands for me!

Connect With Fellow Fans!

The fan base has sort of migrated throughout social media over the years, starting on Usenet back in the late 90s, but for the time being, Facebook is the place to find many fans. Here are a few Square One TV-related groups/pages where you can post memories, pictures, stories, etc., at that:

Square One TV Page on Facebook (Like the page; it seems to be a semi-official one.)

Mathnet – “To Cogitate and to Solve” (Public group)

Square One TV Math Fans (Closed group – request to join!)

Should any video and pictures materialize from the event, I’ll update this post to reflect it!

Enjoy! And until next time, “May the Math Be With You!“

Art, Entertainment, Feelings, Life

My Take on Depression and Suicide: We Need to Talk.

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Depression. Suicide.

Such harsh, powerful words. Words nobody wants to speak of, ever. That is, until something major happens, usually when a celebrity opens up about their battle, or succumbs to it. As terrible and tragic as a life lost this way is, the best time to talk about it is when it’s fresh, having opened up our wounds, broken our hearts, and affected us so deeply.

Robin Williams as Patch Adams

Robin Williams as Patch Adams. (Image Credit: Universal Pictures)

The one-and-only Robin Williams, an actor and comedian eager to entertain the masses, who made us all laugh, always ready with a joke or prank to brighten someone’s day, no matter their struggle, lost the battle to this cruel, ruthless beast we know as depression and by way of suicide. It hits hard, sharply, to hear those words together, yet it is the tragic reality, and we need to able to talk about it without fear, shame, or judgment. Robin isn’t the first, and sadly, won’t be the last entertainer (or singer, or artist…) to lose their fight with depression.

My initial thoughts upon hearing of his death (taken from my Facebook status):

Regarding suicide: Please don’t criticize a suffering person who has (possibly) taken their own life. Know that it is a deep, dark, struggle and not usually a selfish decision, but one made by a person desperate to be free of their pain.

I had already been planning this post before reading an article by Katie Hurley on the Huffington Post that nails a lot of my sentiments, but it can’t be said too many times when the issue of openly discussing depression and suicide is so important, now more than ever. There are many more great articles out there; take the time to read as many as you can – this isn’t a time to “conceal, don’t feel.”

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Art, Crafty, Design, Entertainment, Feelings, Life, Social Media

2013 – My How You’ve Flown.

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Well how about that, the year’s over, just like that. The past few months have been busy for me – finally opened up my Etsy shop – here’s a little preview – go check it out when you have a chance!

JillthePillDesign on Etsy

Just Joshin’

In October, I got to meet Josh Groban at his Seattle show (these pics come from my Instagram):

The Breaking Bad inspired Meet & Greet Pass.

The Breaking Bad inspired Meet & Greet Pass.

 

Me, Josh Groban, and a Box of Salonpas.

Me, Josh Groban, and a Box of Salonpas.

 

Sorry, you had to be there to get this joke. ;)

Sorry, you had to be there to get this joke. 😉

It was a brief meeting & greeting, but he was a hoot to talk to, and is always witty and entertaining during his concerts. For those of you wondering why the box of Salonpas, check Josh’s Twitter archives for background on that. 😉 Thank you, FOJG – it was a pleasant surprise to be one of the Seattle M&G drawing winners! Also saw his show in Salt Lake City, thanks to an online friend!

Old School Memories…

I revisited my old stomping grounds to say goodbye to the “Little Theater” that’s being demolished for the new FWHS, which was bittersweet, like stepping back in time where little has changed, venue-wise, but in other ways nearly unrecognizable elsewhere on campus. It was a great opportunity to say hello to my former drama teacher and let her know I’m still keeping the creative endeavors going to this day. If you ever have the chance, you should go back and thank those teachers who left an impression on you in life; it means a lot to them!

On the Creative Front…

Creatively, I’ve been juggling various projects in these final months of 2013 – new items for the Etsy shop, for one, and lots on the table for the coming year! I didn’t get everything I wanted to accomplish done just yet, some things shifted on the burners a bit, but I guess I should pace myself instead of racing myself. This has been a good year for taking time to nurture my creativity, learn new things, and journey ahead without looking back. It started out with greatly mixed feelings (as earlier posts indicate), but I’m glad I took this leap of faith. If I hadn’t taken a chance on new adventures, I know I wouldn’t be on the path to where I’m meant to be in life, so no regrets there. 🙂

That’s really about it – details on the mundane things in life aren’t worth going on about anyway, so these are just a few highlights until I post again. (This is mostly for me anyway, to look back and see the growth in myself, and share how life’s treating me for those stalkers curious folks out there.) 2014 has more in store, and I look forward to it!

May all be well with those reading this – and remember, it’s never too late to drop everything you know in favor of new, enlightening life adventures. 😀

Until we meet again – Happy New Year!

Creative Writing, Design, Life

Leaps of Faith (Whee!)

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Oh hey there, it’s been awhile, hasn’t it? Well (deep subject), I’m still juggling a whole bunch of stuff at the moment: helping put on an auction (see my previous post about Gloria’s Angels), plus the big screenplay rewrite (we’re on track to be done by year’s end, with casting to begin in early 2013), and just plain working at the ol’ jobby job. Plus, I have been mulling over and finally decided to take the plunge and strike out on my own, full-time, by starting my own freelance design/copywriting business. I’ve been dabbling in design more as a hobby with little projects here and there, and using my skills on the job for many years, but I want to give it my full focus now, while continuing to follow my various creative pursuits. Never a dull moment; I can’t imagine just doing any one thing forever; I’m a free spirit who wants to embrace as much as I can while I still can. It’s requiring a lot of leaps of faith, but I am at a point where I feel I can trust my abilities and believe in myself, knowing I will land on my feet.

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