Skip to main content

The Thing I've Done

 Let's qualify the title by adding the word, Lately.

My friend Micelle and I attended the opening night performance of New Age. The Rep is presenting the world premiere written by Dael Orlandersmith and directed by Jade King Carrol. It features four actors on stage representing women of various ages speaking about their experiences, conclusions about the effect of these experiences, and what matters.

We meet the older black woman, who is a writer. Then the middle high society woman (her definition, not mine) who was rejected by her husband because she looked too old. Onward to the forty-something vamp who needs affirmation for her many attempts at being something other than what she is. Finally, we meet the gritty, emerging, the newly adult musician who has a message in song for the world.

The characters perform monologues that flit between them with the speed of a team playing catch with a ball. Sometimes one woman ramps up on the previous story, or they put a new thread into the tapestry of their own story. It was a compelling and entertaining hour of snappy dialogue and measured movement by the cast. So many of us left with smiles on our faces and a song in our hearts.

Just an aside here. Isn't March supposed to begin like a lion and end like a lamb?

It seems the animals are coming out of hibernation. I've connected with several friends in the last week that, sadly, I haven't talked to in a while. We claim that the threat from COVID is not as significant and therefore responsible for the hiatus from socialization, but I'm going to blame the weather. 

I do this for a couple of reasons. First, the weather has been harsh this month. (Note my comment above.) We experienced a couple of days where the optimistic among us went without jackets, and some even flashed their bare arms by wearing short sleeves. 

But the biggest reason to blame the weather is that it is without defense. Most people stoop to blaming the weather for all kinds of reasons. We complain because of sore backs from shoveling snow, allergies from all kinds of stuff in the air, slipping and falling on ice, or rain that soaked clothing because we forget our umbrella or raincoat. We complain that it's too hot, cold, windy, or humid. 

The point is we blame the weather, or in my case, Mother Nature, for all of this grief and do they ever defend themselves? No! We talk about not allowing bullies to act out in our society, yet when things go south, we blame the weather. Sometimes we have to take a deeper look at ourselves people.

Shameless attempt to increase and please my readers by using a picture of two of my great-grandkids. 




Charlotte and Boden. Photo by Mom or Dad.



Finally: Did you hear about the German vegetarian? He feared the wurst.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Diversity

As we look forward to celebrating the Pride we have in our Gay population, (Yeah, I couldn't resist the pun.) I'm pleased to report that diversity in the mix of our residents here in the Fox River Valley continues to surprise me. Example: As my wife and I waited for friends, in the lobby of the Marcus Hollywood Theater on the west side of Appleton, I witnessed three AfricanAmericann ladies buying snacks. Behind them was a Latino couple. At the end of the line, behind was an Asian fellow with three kids. We represented the WASP's. This is in a community that when I first visited in the nineteen sixties, if a black man walked down the street, he more than likely played football for Green Bay. After that, there was a rather pronounced immigration of Hmong and quieter arrival of Latino's. For a while, the worst keep secret was that the new Italian restaurant was actually owned by Mexican's. Since returning to the Valley, I've grown use...
Post a Comment
Read more

A rustle in the hustings

I am trying to stay away from politics on my blog. I know that some of my intended readers do not share my feelings. As well, I don't entice dialogue. Occasionally my readers will address something I've written about. For the most part, they are merely saying something like, "Oh yeah, I felt that way too," regarding some experience, that I related. However, I have to share these particular feelings about the new Ryan Healthcare proposal that is sailing through the House of Representatives. Market-driven healthcare provision: This concept proposes that if put on the free market health care insurance will become more affordable. The theory is there will be competition among insurers to gain market share and lowering the prices will be a possible outcome. None of the insurers want customers who are old people or people with a pre-existing health problem ( heart disease, cancer, etc...) Older people, who are not on medicare, have more health care ne...
Post a Comment
Read more

Ring The Bell

 It appears there is a tradition in the radiology department at Ascension Hospital that patients, upon completing their course of treatment, ring a bell. ( We know not for whom this bell tolls.) Ring the Bell with My Sweetheart Jeanne. Jeanne drove me to all but two of the appointments. Pam Frautchi took me to the other two. Today, after being zapped thirty-two times, I rang the bell. This begins a roughly one-month recovery period where the effects of the radiation abate and, I'm assured, a return to normalcy occurs. In my case, I anticipate more energy and greater awareness. Books, Books, & More Books I am simultaneously celebrating the end of the third year of volunteering for the All Saints Hunger Book Sale. Next week, we will wrap up the preparation for the sale and open our doors on August 3 for the public. I ran into this humourous but quite accurate cartoon on a T-Shirt that shows most of the volunteer's sentiments at this point. If you think the printed and bound p...
Post a Comment
Read more