Photos of Steve (and Portland Gay Men's Chorus) on Stage at World Domination Summit

Photo credit: Chris Guillebeau.

"I guess I won't depend on somebody's friend."

"We should all be connected to each other."

I do not know what I was saying here. Are there tears in my eyes?

Big head.

"Time to come out! Lazarus come out!
Into the light. Into the light of day."

"You don't need an explanation when you care."

"The day I stopped having diarrhea was the greatest day of my life."

"You can only lift the darkness when you care."

Faces at 2013 World Domination Summit.

#WDS2013

Faces I saw in Portland this past weekend. (Click to enlarge).

Anything Is Possible

Old Timers

FluxFest. (scroll down the page).
July 28, 2013.
Sandbox Studios Brooklyn
154 Morgan Ave, Brooklyn

PrashNYC is proud to present “Old Timers,” starring Jim Brochu and Steve Schalchlin. Written by Megan Stein and directed by Carl Conway Maguire, with cinematography by Grier Dill and production design by Brett Warnke.

Video: "Somebody's Friend" at 54 Below

For #WDS2013 adventurers.

Since I'm performing for the World Domination Summit in Portland Oregon this weekend, I've been getting new readers interested in just what this blog is and who I am and why should anyone care. Here's the short version.

In 1996, when relatively few people were online, I created what was then called an online diary because I was at the end stages of AIDS. I needed to keep track of my symptoms (for my doc) and I wanted my family to know how I was doing because they were all worried and, back then, phone calls were charged a long distance rate. (It seems so long ago).

What I didn't know was that by talking about living with HIV, I was providing, at the time, a service for doctors, nurses and care givers who needed information about this strange new disease. For caregivers in some parts of the world, I was the only case study they could follow in real time.

Later, when I was invited to speak at Harvard University on the subject, which is a big deal for a small town preacher's kid songwriter from the back woods of east Texas, I started to realize that I was some kind of pioneer in the use of the Net.

I didn't say to myself, "I think I'll try to be historic and be the first one online with an AIDS blog," I was simply communicating necessary information that only I could provide for people who needed it. And into my life flowed moms and dads, patients and caregivers, hospice workers, health care professors, leaders in doctor/patient communication, etc. And, because I was gay, closeted people and fearful people and brave people and the list goes on.

I inadvertently was surround by a compassionate, interesting and intelligent Community because I provided a Service. Totally free of charge. But I was also experiencing the Adventure of dying, hooked up to a feeding tube, almost out of time.

But then, when my name was chosen at part of a lottery for a new drug, which began working, and our musical consisting of the songs written as therapy was heading to New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Dallas and, last year, London, and the Adventure took a different turn. The dead guy was suddenly the alive guy.

And I find that the more I put myself in Service to others, the more I create Community, which brings on more Adventures. And that's what life should be about. It's the people around us, the way we take care of each other, and the adventures we dare ourselves take.

I look forward to meeting the other adventurers this weekend. Look for me and tell me all about yourselves.

You may ask me what I'm selling. Well, I have some music, but really, I'm not selling anything. Inspiration, maybe? We'll see. I'll be singing on Sunday and I'm bringing a surprise with me.

See you there.

(And if you are a Bonus Round reader in Portland, Oregon, I would love to hear from you while I'm there. I'm going to devote a lot of my time to the Summit, but I'll have some free time, and I never turn down a meal. I'm flying in Friday morning and leaving Monday night. Gabi and Alec Clayton are driving down with some friends and we're all just gonna hang out that day until my flight leaves at 10 pm.)

Photos: Character Man Last Night.

Jim Brochu with the great character men he adores and praises. I took this photo during the rehearsal.

 On the way there, Jim was thinking intently about the night.

Remember our ol' pal, Jeramiah Peay? Also known as "Jim's rock," as his stage manager, they meet before the show.

The Metropolitan Room was jammed.

Jim shows the photo of himself in his white suit along with his dad and Joan Crawford and her two sons.

Julie Budd with director Robert Bartley.

Jim Brochu with performer/producer Jamie DeRoy.

Jim Brochu with comedian/club owner Bernie Furshpan and Joanne Camilleri-Furshpan.

Jim Brochu with singer K.T. Sullivan.

Jim Brochu with legendary vocalist Marilyn Maye.

Jim Brochu with songwriter Ervin Drake and his wife, Edith.

Jim Brochu, playwright/performer Charles Busch, Broadway star Lee Roy Reams.

Legendary cabaret performer Julie Wilson caresses Jim Brochu's face.

Guess who.

Meeting An Old Pal.

Had lunch with a dear out of town acquaintance today -- a hideous veggie wrap. The lunch, not the friend.

In his own life, he felt completely pointless and he felt very much alone. He had no direction in his work and wasn't doing what he really wanted to be doing, but because he was running out of money, he was going from job to job.

Since that describes pretty much everyone I know, we just used to the time to be in each other's presence.

At one point, I told him that I've had to just reduce my life down to what keeps me alive -- and that is making music, following my diet and staying completely in the moment, not in some future, even though I enjoy fantasizing about it. I know it won't make me any happier than sitting here with my friend for a short 45 minutes -- and then, he's off to who knows where.

At our meeting, the main topic of conversation was all the bad news and frustrations. But what really happened in that little cafe was two old friends reconnected on a heart level.

The kind you can only do when you're in the same room, after you've had that first embrace.

We didn't solve each other's problems, but I came away refreshed and reinvigorated.

You can live every day
You can die every day

Jamming with Nicholas.

Nicholas Perry, violinist.

In prepping for my next assault in the recording studio, I came across this young man over at Mark Janas' house. They were playing some ridiculously complex piece of classical music and I just sat there kind of stunned. When it was over, we got to talk and I found out Nicholas is new in town, and that he's not just a classical musician, but is also a very soulful improviser. So, I invited him over to see if we could click on any of the songs. There was one I had in mind, especially, a song about an addict, called "The Craving."

And how do you not love that smile?

Nicholas Perry's smile.

Lori Tan Chinn poses with Playbill.

Anyone who is a fan of great comedic movie scenes knows the "YOU EAT COOKIE!" scene from the movie "Mickey Blue Eyes" starring Hugh Grant. The uncredited actress in that scene is the great Broadway performer Lori Tan Chinn. Jim and I met her at the Polish Tea Room for lunch where he gave her a pre-Broadway Playbill of the musical "Lovely Ladies, Kind Gentlemen."

She told me the story behind the scene:

Actually, I read somewhere on some Comedy Hall of Fame, the scene made the list of memorable performances. Hugh Grant and producer went on every talk show with that clip - it was the only contained comic portion of the film that showed something funny. They never mentioned my name, although Conan O'Brian, Jay Leno, and some other hosts suggested he & I do a "buddy movie" together. And to think, they never wanted me in the first place - they were looking for a very old Chinese lady, but after I thought I had lost the role, discovered that mine was the performance to beat. The producers never even called to tell me I had the role. I just got a call asking if I would be available to shoot on a day that was rained out on a previously planned shoot day. They gave me scale and no billing. Unfortunately, you can't take that to the bank....

Manhattan Bonus Round Video Diary: May 2013, Pt. 2

See all the rest of the fun, including a brand new recording of "Rescue," live in the studio.

One WTC and Firehouse.

One WTC and Hook & Ladder 21, Engine 34.

Now, I've discovered that the sun hits the firehouse, in June, right about 6:50 AM. 

Manhattan Bonus Round Diary: May 2013 Pt. 1

As we take our "almost 2 seconds at a time" tour of Steve and Jim's, we find a great singer, Marilyn Maye, singing better than she's ever sung in her life -- and taking New York by storm. Steve and Jim sing for a fundraiser, take their daily walks, plus choir on Sunday and all good things.