Author Archives: bradfortier

Rochester, aka “The Pit of Despair”

Let me start by saying that my research here is going great.  Living with family is as you would imagine to be (well maybe better than you imagine if you don’t get along with your family). I haven’t lived in the east in over a decade, and the thing I’m being reminded of is howContinue reading “Rochester, aka “The Pit of Despair””

On being a Jet-setter.

So Monday I drove up to Toronto to see the Catch 23 show (competitive improv with three teams that get 23 minutes over 4 rounds).  I stopped at Niagara Falls for a quick lunch.  I arrived at Kurt Smeaton’s place where Taz VanRassell was hanging out and Kevin Gillese soon arrived.  Kurt runs Catch23.  IContinue reading “On being a Jet-setter.”

Bee Siege at Harmony Acres!

We’re in day 5 of the great bee siege here at my parents’ place in NY.  We won some ground yesterday when we opened a wall and found a HUGE hornet nest complex.  It was like a mini-version of “Aliens” without the machine guns and explosions (but lots of chemical pesticide). The portion that weContinue reading “Bee Siege at Harmony Acres!”

Murphy’s Law of field research

No matter how prepared you think you are… I got to my first show to observe/record.  I brought my video camera, my questionnaires, pencils, notebooks, pens and a digital recorder. I’m setting up my camera, and I realize that I forgot a video tape.  Shit, but oh well I’ve got my digital recorder. The showContinue reading “Murphy’s Law of field research”

Business Card reality.

So I’m leaving Portland soon for 14 weeks of field research.  I’m studying the wild long form improviser in its native habitat, an urban center.  I picked up my Portland State University business cards which read Brad Fortier Anthropologist I giggled a bit picturing myself in a pith helmet in Rochester finding an interpreter whoContinue reading “Business Card reality.”