spme random photos I've found

I've only had the new camera and computer since the summer,
but already my photos are starting to get disorginized.
Here are some photographs with no particular theme. Just some random junk I don't think I've posted before.










CAT FACE













Colonial singers - Jerry Puma is on the right.










This is one of a pair of birds that hangs around our porch.











This is our lawn. It's pretty.
We have foxes and deer wander by pretty often,
but I have yet to get a good photo of them.










I spent a couple of days a week this past summer as a
colonial gamer. Don't worry, I give the kids a chance to play too.













HAVE A GREAT NEW YEAR!

Santa Mitch two

Santa Mitch, the post was so popular...
BOTH Lynn and Steven left comments.

I think I'll revisit the subject with another photograph.

Doesn't this look like it was taken in the 1970's?

I've been compiling a list of all the jobs I've had.
I'm up to 46, feel free to call me the job collector, or a loser, whatever.

Anyway, being a Department store Santa is definitely topping the most wired category, along with door to door salesman and this fake rabbi m.c. comedian thing I did last year, but that's another story.

Santa Mitchell

What a pretty girl sitting on Santa's lap.
And What a handsome Santa.
He looks familiar...

Mitchell Kramer Resume

mitchellkramer@yahoo.com

EDUCATION
Hampshire College, Amherst, MA
Bachelor of Arts degree, theater and playwriting

Smith College, Northampton, MA
Playwriting competition winner, seminar

Circle in the Square, New York, NY
Professional acting conservatory

New York Theater Workshop, New York, NY
Artistic and literary internship

Dorset Theatre Festival, Dorset, VT
Company photographer and artistic internship

ACTOR
Christmas Village • Santa Claus
Macy’s Department Store, Philadelphia, PA

Our Friend Ben • Storyteller
National Museum of American Jewish History, Philadelphia

Colonial interpreter
Storyteller
Historic Philadelphia, Inc.
Once Upon A Nation, Philadelphia, PA

Acts of God • First Student
New York Theater Workshop, New York, NY

Timothy Leary In Space • Promise Keeper
Theater For The New City, New York, NY

They Come And They Go • Jamie
Dramatists Guild, New York, NY

Midsummer Night’s Dream • Puck
The Bearbaiters (Impov.) • Company member
Waterloo Bridge Theater, New York, NY

Godfather’s Mashug. Wedding • Bernie Goldberg
Sadie Goldberg’s Funeral • Bernie Goldberg
New York Dinner Theater, Manhasset, NY

Hard Times • Multiple Roles
Stanton’s Garage • Ron (u/s)
How The Other Half Lives • Frank Foster (u/s)
Dorset Theater Festival, Dorset, VT

Frankly Scarlet, You're Dead! • Col. Simpson
Without A Cue Productions, Philadelphia, PA

It’s Only A Play • James Wicker
Montgomery Theater, Souderton, PA

The Invisible Dragon • The Prince
After School Players, Bar Harbor, ME

The Art Of Dining • Cal
Village Common’s Theater, S. Hadley, MA

Puppeteer • Multiple roles
Sadecky's Puppets, Pittsburgh, PA

Pink Flamingo Murders of 1933 • Tommy O'Toole
The Centre Bridge Inn, Solebury, PA

BROADCASTER
BEWARE of NEWS • Host & writer
CNN Headline News, WURD 900 AM, Philadelphia, PA

DRAMA INSTRUCTOR/ Workshops
Smith College Theater Lab, Northampton, MA
Grover Washington Jr. Middle School, Philadelphia. PA
Cheltenham Elementary School, Elkins Park, PA
Glenside Elementary School, Glenside, PA
Cheltenham Arts Center, Elkins Park, PA
North East Harbor Elementary School, Northeast Harbor, ME
National Museum of American Jewish History, Philadelphia PA
Mt. Dessert High School, Bar Harbor ME
Pennsylvania Academy of Dramatic Arts, North Wales, PA
Shady Brook Farm, Newtown PA
Mount Desert Island High School, Bar Harbor, ME

TRAINING
Stage combat B.H. Barry
Voice Dr. Lucille Rubin
Shakespeare Edward Berkley
Playwriting Len Berkman, Andrea Hairston, Doug Anderson
Physical acting Mina Yankin
Singing F. W. Russo
Scene Study Maria Tucci
Speech Leigh Dillon
Acting technique Terese Haydon, Jacqueline Brooks

Catshadow

BOO!

HAPPY SPOOKY
SCARY CREEPY HALLOWEEN!






Every year Christine carves an excellent
scary and well crafted
pumpkin.

And I carve one too.

No title today

After I lost my camera in the fire, I bought a new camera.

I went on vacation and took lots of photos of friends and nature.

I accidentally deleted all the vacation photos while taking a picture of a covered bridge.

I don't blame the bridge.

Damn bridge!

I guess I just have to start over.

It seems that starting over is becoming a theme - a recurring theme.

Here are some photos of autumn.

A new season

Well, I have a new apartment, a new computer, a new camera, a new view
and some new free time.

I guess it's time to post again.

I don't have anything to say.

FIRE!

We had a fire - but everyone is fine, no one is hurt and we had too much stuff anyway.

But we don't anymore.

another bird

Anyone who has perused this blog knows, I seem to like photographing birds. Why? beat me. I have many bird feeders on my porch, and even a birds nest in our beams. I guess I just like birds. So here are some photos of a seagull eating a horseshoe crab.

Well, anyone who has visited my blog has noticed that I've not posted for a while. I'm sorry to say the interest just wasn't there.

Don't get me wrong, I'm happy to entertain my fabulous brother-in-law and Lynn, but I think I would rather just talk on the phone or by email.

Also, I'm super busy with managing the museum and old city tours on the weekends and being a colonial character during the week, so time is a little short.

So, instead of leaving messages on the ol' blog, you'll just have to email me.

Maybe after the busy summer season, I'll start posting again.

Until then,
Thanks.

Mitchell
mitchellkramer@yahoo.com

WIFE

Pretty Wife





















Weird Wife

TOM DELAY READS MY BLOG!

That's the reason he's stepping down. I've embarrassed him.
Now, let the healing begin.

Maybe a political rant will attract web surfers

Maybe a political rant will attract web surfers!

I AM NOT POLITICAL! Sorry to shout.
By Mitchell Kramer

Look, I’m a big fan of the good ol’ U.S. of A.

I’m an 18^th century history buff. I work in an American Jewish history museum and really appreciate the principles of our country. Equality – not just class equality, but religious and racial equality. That’s the point of this country. It’s never been perfect, our treatment of the Native Americans and the practice of slavery are embarrassing. It’s taken a long time, but slowly, so slowly it’s gotten better. The civil rights amendment is right up there with the best things our country has done. The Geneva Convention is pretty great too.

I can even admit that I’ve agreed with a couple of our president’s recent policy decisions. Allowing a company from Dubai to run a few ports and work visas for the migrant workers, these seem compassionate… and conservative.

But come on, the scandals and behavior of the republicans in the House and Senate and most disturbingly in the White House is well, just icky.
Very very icky.

I have a hard time accepting that because we have a republican majority in every branch of government, we can’t more seriously investigate questionable practices and make it stop. Well, at least stop making scandalous behavior so common, so regular, and so seemingly acceptable in our halls of power.

You know, I hate to say it, but the international reputation and national pride of the United States seems in short supply right now…

But I’m not political.

So having said all that…

here is my list, affectionately titled…

EMBARESSINGGATE

Tom Delay with your gerrymandering, redistricting, and illegal use of contributions

John Ashcroft, illegal use of contributions.
Not to mention that the singing is really embarrassing.

Karl Rove- Winning at any cost.
I wonder who he has the deed to his soul? That’s right, I said soul.

My unsolicited advice to Antonin Scalia.
I have the feeling that anyone who has ever gone hunting with Dick Chaney is corrupt. Don’t do that anymore, you’re a Supreme Court justice.

What did Valerie Plame ever do to you?
Revealing the secret identity of a political opponents wife is mean and dangerous.

Dick Chaney’s energy-policy task force secret.
Inquiring minds still want to know.

Jack Abramoff and his cronies.
Who didn’t they bribe?

Let me say that lobbying is not intrinsically bad. A lobbyist for the American Heart Association or the NAACP is getting the word out for causes and organizations that need a voice. But political influence and cronyism is obviously sleazy. The people who do it know it’s wrong, don’t they?

Halliburton’s No bid contracts.
War profiteering is evil. Bribery is unethical.

Weapons of mass destruction
The whole going to war on a false premise thing

Abu Ghraib Prison
Photographing torture is gross.
Don’t do that.

Guantánamo Bay
Torture – the United States. And not just a little bit of torture.
Apparently, it was a whole lot of torture.
I’m pretty sure the whole point of being the guys in the white hats is not doing that.

Illegally holding prisoners of war –
Who, more and more, are looking less and less like terrorist masterminds.

The opinions are mine, if you want a little more detail and less biased opinion, I would refer you to the article, “The Scandal Sheet” By Peter Dizikes, it was very helpful in compiling my list.

Spring continues to emerge

BIRD HOUSE

YELLOW












BLOOM

The history post

So since nobody ever visits this site (except Steven and Lynn) I think I'll put some boring work stuff here. Well, it's not boring to me.

I spend a good deal of my time speaking to groups about the Jewish communities in the thirteen colonies around the time of the American Revolution. Where I work is right in the center of Independence National Historic Park and I'm creating a tour of the neighborhood that focuses on the Jewish community.

Here's a map I made with some notable Jewish sites marked.

A big part of my talks involves the Jewish people who were active in the Revolution. I discuss the Jewish soldiers and others who helped shape the country. Here are some portraits of some of the people.



This is Gershom Mendes Seixas, the only Jew among one of the 13 American religious leaders invited to invoke a blessing at George Washington's inauguration in 1789.

The first American-born leader of a Jewish congregation. In 1768 he became minister of Congregation Shearith Israel, the oldest synagogue in what would become the United States.

When the British occupied New York in the Revolution, he served as the religious leader of Congregation Mikveh Israel in Philadelphia.

Seixas sat on the board of trustees of King's College, later renamed Columbia.


Benjamin Gratz was a soldier and lawyer who fought in the War of 1812 and was an early settler in Kentucky. The Gratz family was filled with amazing people who were involved in early American History. They supported the Continental Army, explored the western frontier trading with Native Americans, helped create many lasting institutions in Philadelphia and along with Daniel Boone, helped settle Kentucky. Most notably was the families commitment to charitable work.

Rebecca Gratz may be the most famous and influential member of the Gratz family. Her story is remarkable, check out this site for her biography.
http://www.jwa.org/exhibits/wov/gratz/

Do you want to know what I want to know?

Who is the mystery person from the Franklin Institute who is visiting my modest blog?

Leave a comment.

Everyone, leave a comment and visit often.

Thanks.

SPRING IS COMING

Right in our very own yard
Signs of spring

Frank E. Hahn Jr.

Lawyer, 94

Frank E. Hahn Jr., 94, who spent his entire career as a lawyer - 63 years - with the same Center City firm, died Saturday of heart failure at the Fountains at Logan Square, where he had lived since March. He was a longtime resident of Elkins Park.

A 1928 graduate of Northeast High School, Mr. Hahn earned a bachelor's degree in English in 1932 and a law degree in 1935, both from the University of Pennsylvania.

"How can you practice law if you can't write?" Mr. Hahn questioned his daughter, Judith Kramer, when explaining why he earned a degree in English.

Immediately after graduating, Mr. Hahn joined what is now Obermayer, Rebmann, Maxwell & Hippel. He became a partner in 1949. Mr. Hahn stopped working full time in 1986, and worked part time until 1998.

Mr. Hahn was active with the Boy Scouts, serving as president of the local council in 1976. He also was a member of the Cheltenham school board for 12 years.

A member of the board of the Albert Einstein Medical Center, he was chairman of the nursing committee. He also was an active Penn alumnus, serving as president of his class group from 1987 to 1992.

In addition to his daughter, Mr. Hahn is survived by his wife of 70 years, Margaret Berg Hahn; a son, Frank E. 3d; four grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.

Burial was Monday.

I MISS LYNN

I MISS LYNN!

Here's a little drawing I did for you..

Out back

I'm in a weird funk, a strange place, depressed, down, restless. There's this hole, this empty feeling in my chest. My head hurts, my dreams are sad and dark.

I am not feeling well.


Here are some photos I took out back

My thoughts are far away.

In

Bar Harbor
Ann Arbor
Los Angeles
Louisville
New York.

What the hell are we doing in Philadelphia?

ERMINEY POST

Ahh ermines. They are so... erminey!

Feelin' hostile

The I don't mean too be mean post

I mentioned once on this post that most of my artsy good photographs are of nature or animals or stuff, while my photographs of people are more snapshots.
Well, recently I was at a party and took some photos of people there and I think they capture a certain something.
Here's why.
The photos are all of woman or girls, one is a child, one, a teenager, one is my wife who is thirty-one and the last is of two grown-ups, very nice mother and daughter.
Now, I think the photos capture a certain something but they are also unintentionally less then flattering.
So. I'm sorry I'm posting photos that don't flatter, but the variety is interesting.
Once again I have to say, I hope I haven't offended anyone.
ENJOY!


YOUTH IN MOTION



SHY TEENAGER



A WIFE



MOTHER AND DAUGHTER



I know... I know.

Jesus in New York

Ok, we are well off course, but I want to keep up with the posting. So here is the brief beginning of a short story I'm writing. Feel free to leave a comment. I know it's short. It's just the beginning. I also realize that I'm Jewish and this little story features Jesus. All I can say is... I found it amusing. Hope I don't offend anyone, but if I do... shit happens. Enjoy.

Jesus Christ was sitting in a Starbucks in New York when he decided he might like to stir things up again. It's true that this was an often occurrence for Jesus. Every fifty or so years he would become gloomy and nostalgic for the old days and go on a localized bender of healings and miracles before an angel showed up and calmed him down.

He was ahead of schedule, and if one didn't know him better they might think this was unusual. However, unusual was the norm for Jesus, he liked to keep things lively.

The last time he had revealed himself to the world, all be it, just a small part of the world, was in the 1980's during the run of Oh God. The movie stared George Burns as a rumpled God who liked fishing and watered down country music. Though he had liked George Burns in his early radio and television shows, Jesus knew that his portrayal of god had fallen far short of the mark. How do you play a being that enjoys spending millennia in the form of a giant spiraling cloud of dust anyway? Maybe George Lucas could make a passable go at it, but not Carl Riener.

Jesus liked the idea of God revealing himself to a prophet, something he hadn't done in a while, and had never done as often as some stories claimed. So Jesus spent the last part of the 20th century going from person to person, country to country, choosing folks more or less at random, wowing them with some simple tricks, and sending them on either missions of peace or vengeance, depending on the local situation.

No one in heaven who was assigned to control this kind of thing did anything, even after some British tabloids reported on the increase of modern prophets. It wasn't until one of the recent disciples wound up being satirized on SNL's Weekend Update, that heaven decided it was time to pull the plug.

In that particular case, the Jesus situation as it was known, the angel assigned to go to Earth and put the kibosh on Jesus' activities was a former human being named Russell Fein. Fein had been a British expatriate who died on the New Jersey turnpike in 1973, when a junkie in a pickup truck smashed his 1969 Volkswagen Rabbit, a sure way to enter heaven in good graces. It was believed that Russell and Jesus might hit it off, both having been relatively friendly guys when alive, though both suffered severe bouts of depression that came on quickly and lingered for weeks. In addition, both Russell and Jesus had suffered for hours before dying young, both were guy guys, boisterous with their pals but extremely shy around women, and both were the products of over-protective Jewish mothers.

It was a conversation between the women behind the counter and a customer that set Jesus off. Jesus was like that. One moment quietly sipping an Espresso Macchiato with chocolate and whipped cream, thinking about nothing more then the pleasant hum of a pair of flies on the empty table next to him, the next planning a biblical firestorm in midtown Manhattan.

Russell walked over to the table and before sitting down called out, "Jesus Christ, is that you?" loud enough for the dozen or so people inside the coffee shop to hear.

Russell sat down with Jesus and asked him, "do you hate me Jesus?"

"Of course not, I don't hate anyone." So sayath Jesus Christ.

"What about the Romans" Russell asks

"Oh those bastards I hate" responded Jesus, "but I don't hold a grudge. That's not my style."

sick day

Greeting to all in the wide world of cyberspace,

I guess it's time for another post. However I haven't taken too many photographs this week. I've been busy with work and performing plays.

So today I thought I would just talk a little bit about what's been happening in my life and maybe all of you who visit this self indulgent blog will take the opportunity to share your recent comings and goings in the comments section.

So let's see... well first of all, I performed on Saturday night and the audience was very loud so I hurt my throat trying to be heard. Then on Sunday I took two student groups through the museum's exhibition and once again had to speak loudly and so this morning I find myself with a very scratchy throat and very little voice. Anyone who knows me knows that talking is really my number one activity. It's true, I'm a talker, but not today. Orange juice, hard candies and hot tea is my big plan. I know, I know, what an exciting life I lead.

Last night I went out to dinner at a hip newish Malaysian restaurant in Chinatown which was very good. Before dinner I visited my grandfather who just turned 94 years old and has more or less lost his mind. It's beyond sad. This is a man who drank, cursed and told dirty jokes as well as the most salty sailor and now he... well doesn't. Ok, enough about that.

Other then work and this pesky sore throat life has been pretty status quo. I've taken to playing poker online lately, not for money, just for fun. I am tempted to try my hand at some poker for real money, but frankly, I'm not the best poker player around, so I'll only play with what I can afford to lose and that would come to approximately thirty three cents.

The wife is good and the dog and cat are the same as usual. I haven't seen any sign that they miss Bandit which shouldn't surprise me but kind of does.

What else can I share with all of you. Well not much. I guess it's time to go curl up in my warm blanket and read this weeks New Yorker, my second most guilty pleasure. Though the subscription is about to run out and it was a gift from none other then the previously mentioned grandfather, so I won't be reading that in the near future.

I'm really not as apathetic as I sound right now, just feeling under the weather. I suppose I will post one or two photographs just so this post isn't so depressing.

I will finish by reminding all that the point of this little blog is not just to send my photographs out into the world but also to hear from you. So please, leave a comment, send an email, start a blog of your own and I will visit it often. Until the next time I have something to share...

Bye.

little Statue

BIG STATUE