Tom Dobes (dot com) - Powered by two nine-volt batteries!

Do you know the way to San Jose...

Thu, 26 Oct 2006 01:46:07 -0500

So I was downloading a copy of Firefox earlier today at work and I noticed this advertising screenshot on their web site:

Is is just me or is that a song cue? I wonder how many people have been to the Firefox site and not even noticed that screenshot.

Surprise!

Wed, 07 Sep 2005 05:14:18 -0500

So I got my sister something fun for her birthday... (clicky) I wonder if she'll see this before then.

Anyway, if you know her, don't forget to wish her a happy birthday next Tuesday!

Sure... the Vision's Hazy

Thu, 21 Sep 2006 03:48:26 -0500

I'm making an attempt to put together a list of all the various theatre productions in which I've been involved. This is primarily for my own benefit so that, someday years in the future, I can look back and actually remember where all my time went in high school / college... but it also might be useful to use as a resumé-type-thing for any theatre-ish people who might want to hire me / check my credentials / whatever.

Anyway, I quickly discovered it's a task which is far more difficult than originally anticipated. I've helped out in a ton of productions, many of which I only faintly remember. After digging through folders of old programs, searching what sparse Internet resources are available for the theatre companies with which I've been involved, and looking through a bunch of all photo/web archives on my computer, I think I've put together a fairly thorough list.

If anyone has any corrections or remembers anything which I didn't mention, I'd like to hear about it. Also, if you remember anything at all about the shows surrounded by question marks, let me know.

I'll go back later and add a description of my involvement with each show.

If you have a few minutes, take a look and let me know if I missed anything.

More Photos

Wed, 07 Sep 2005 04:53:24 -0500

I put photos from a few more productions I've been involved with online. You can take a look over in my photo gallery.

Among them are:

Beauty and the Beast (Ross Music Theatre)
Peter Pan (Northwest Indiana Youth Ballet)
Scrooge (Ross Music Theatre)

Check it out, yo.

Long-overdue Update

Sat, 30 Apr 2005 20:30:08 -0500

So... I've been really busy lately doing musicals and driving for hours and hours and stuff. I also changed the company that hosts the choir sites (and this site). Twice. I also had to spend some time updating to the latest version of Drupal (the software that runs this site). So... all these factors combined to the fact that I haven't made a real update in a long time.

Now it's time to give this site and the choir site some attention.

In other news, I recently ran sound for a production of Jesus Christ Superstar in Lebanon and designed lighting / ran sound for a production of Aladdin in Fishers. I've put photos from both of those productions online over in my own little photo gallery. Yes... that's right. Now that we're on a new host, I actually have room to put up new photos. Watch out... yours will be on here next!

If you're bored, you can also look at the photos from the choir's trip to Branson. I wasn't on the trip, so the photos were taken by Mr. Emig... but they're still interesting if you're curious as to what any of those crazy high school choir kids are up to.

Now I'm off to do a few updates on the choir site. See y'all soon!

Up, Up and Away

Tue, 25 Jan 2005 00:33:08 -0600

Humorous enough that it was worth stealing (from Matt's away message):

Why am I experiencing the stress of college to end up doing the news in a town smaller than the one I am currently living in? Needless to say I am going to drop out of school, start my own video production company / community theatre, and cast myself in all the lead roles. I wonder where I got that idea from?

Gee... I wonder who he's talking about?

My so-called graphic design skills

Sun, 12 Dec 2004 19:11:48 -0600

We have a winter concert rapidly approaching, so I whipped up a couple of posters to use as advertisements. I'll be the first to admit that any graphic design skills I have are purely illusionary, so any comments (good or bad) about these would be appreciated.

Take a look (click for larger version):

Also: If you're at that concert, you'd better be stopping by the booth and saying hello!

A bit much? No way!

Wed, 01 Dec 2004 02:34:59 -0600

People always accuse the choir of going overboard with Christmas decorations. (I believe the exact phrase used was, "It's vomiting up Christmas in here!") I wonder if I went a bit overboard over on the choir site. Nah!

Pictures Speak Louder than Words

Tue, 23 Nov 2004 21:49:11 -0600

(which is good because my ears are still ringing)

Matt and Laura posing for a cute picture after DJ'ing... awww

Last weekend, Matt and I had a DJ job for a couple's wedding at this hall in Illinois. It was... well... an interesting experience. We ~~conned~~ persuaded Laura into coming along as a "classic rock consultant." (Matt has been quoted as saying "uh... what's classic rock," to which we all responded with laughter.)

Just write, already!

Thu, 18 Nov 2004 14:51:58 -0600

So I put a link to this blog in my AIM profile. If you came here via. that link, you should bug me to update this more often. I have this problem with "laziness." Hopefully, if I get motivated to write in this thing on a regular basis, my composition skills won't atrophy any more than they already have.

See, that's the problem with being an engineering/technology major. Your math skills get exercised so much they look like Schwarzenegger while your English skills wither away to nothing. Believe it or not, at one time I really enjoyed my English classes. Sure, composition was a drag because I'd always procrastinate till the last minute, but being able to express one's thoughts in a coherent and creative manner was fun. (Well, at least, it seemed fun... it could have something to do with the sleep deprivation due to writing all those papers at 3 AM. )

Anywho, sometimes I wonder if it might have been a better idea to go into a more "creative" major... probably not an "English" major exactly, but something more like communications (tele?) or theatre. I guess I'd have the opposite problem if I had made that choice, though... I'd be able to express myself creatively, but I'd never get a chance to do the cool "play with electronics"-type stuff from this degree... and I'd miss it just as much as I miss having a real creative outlet.

So, instead, I try to use my work at MHS with the choir as a creative outlet... and what happens there? I get stuck dealing with administrative BS to try to get equipment fixed/replaced. That's not creative. That's not even interesting. That's the type of stuff that makes me want to quit... so, I'm looking for somewhere else to pretend that I'm creative. Maybe it'll be this page... maybe...

'Tis election day!

Thu, 02 Dec 2004 16:15:46 -0600

Yup... and today I passed some guy whose shirt said (I kid you not): "VOTE OR DIE." I mean, I feel as strongly as anyone that lots of people should vote... but I seriously had to struggle to keep a straight face while walking by.

In other news, I maintain a computer lab at Purdue for students studying to get A+ certification. Basically, the job is to test all the computers and fix whatever the students broke. Pretty easy work and decent pay. Anywho, sometimes I find students have done stuff that's actually entertaining. Today for instance, I found this gem:
(clicky clicky)

General info

Tue, 15 Feb 2005 02:51:28 -0600

I'm Tom Dobes, a Purdue student in the electrical and computer engineering technology program. I spend a great deal of my spare time working at a local theatre doing lighting, sound, and video projection design. During the 3-4 minutes each day that I'm actually home, I also work on the open-source CMS Drupal (which is running this site).

Helpful information for would-be stalkers:

Phone number (cell): (219)-793-4279
E-mail address (one of them anyway): tom@merrillvillechoir.com
AIM Screennames: TomD405 (computer at home), TomDobes (laptop)