Hypes and Gripes

• Gripes to a growing number of local bloggers who appear to be jumping the self-publishing shark. As pointed out by Larry Litle of Simple Thoughts of a Complex Mind, many of Springfield’s high-profile blogs have dried up, cut back or dialed it down of late, including Minutia, The 2 Dollar Bill and even Ron Davis’ Chatter. Was blogging a fad, or is this just a (rather surprising) weeding-out process?

• Hypes to the Springfield Shakespeare Festival for making high-quality theatre available, free of charge, in an under-utilized space. The two-weekend run of A Midsummer Night’s Dream was a top-quality local production, and made Shakespeare available (and, thanks to a nifty plot synopsis in the playbill, accessible) to more than 2,000 people, many of whom would never darken the door of a traditional theatre venue. It wasn’t highbrow, but it was high-concept. Well done.

• Gripes to douche bags who feel compelled to shout at—and spit on—anyone holding a sign on the corner of Walnut and South during Art Walk. We think the “Party Ends in Hell” guy is a bit absurd, too, but he doesn’t deserve to be shouted at. And, oh yeah, fat frat dawg? The people you spit on weren’t religious zealots like you thought, but making fun of them. One sign said “The Party Never Ends,” another said “Read Your Nietzsche!” But wethinks you’d have enough problems with “Elmo Goes to School.”

• Hypes to 20 Under 30 honoree Crystal Hartin, who organized the recent Sex and the City movie premiere event at Parlor 88 and Campbell 16 (GO was a sponsor) which raised almost $4,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

• Speaking of 20 Under 30, Hypes to all of our honorees and everyone who attended our May 29 party at Highland Springs. Hypes, too, to the Highland staff, the Springfield Symphony and all of our sponsors for making it an evening to remember.