A little idle talk of this and that, as Sancho sings in ‘Man of La Mancha’. Sancho, faithful servant as Don Quixote rides forth to tilt at windmills; faithful and caring to the end, as the musical depicts him. Wouldn’t that be nice, to have someone to follow us, to pick up the pieces when the windmill wins. Lynne keeps saying that she needs a slave and Monica and I keep telling her she’s already got us. I’d have a servant clean this disgusting house – after, of course, I got things put where I want them. And got rid of a lot of stuff that doesn’t need to be here. Maybe I’ll get to it someday, but for now, sorry, Sara, that’s still up to you after I’m gone, as of now anyway.
For now – that’s what I’ve been saying about where to put things in the new costume storage space. Yes, I know it means moving boxes twice or maybe even more times, but for now I need them out of the way so I can see where things might end up going. That’s going real well, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, almost without my binoculars.
Speaking of cleaning out, I have managed to weed out some things from the costumes that we don’t need that many of. Furs. Bridal gowns. Fabric. We get donations of things that other people are cleaning out. We use a wedding dress maybe once a season, and then it’s usually something we build to get the designer’s right look, but still get donations or offers several times a year. Furs –same thing, maybe once or twice a season, but people want to give them to us. I pulled a lot out over the past few days, and put them on Freecycle. One response said ‘just a suggestion...................if no one responds you might try contacting the MacHaydn Theater in Chatham to see if they would be interested in any of this stuff for their costume department’. Um, maybe not. . . . . . .
I had a lot of people come to get fabric, again from donations, of things we won’t use. And a desk there won’t be space for at the new storage. I love Freecycle – I’m happy that others will get use out of what we don’t need any more.
Ever notice that when you put a cup of something in the microwave to warm it up, when the turntable stops the handle will always be on the side away from the door?
My friend Noreen is getting better, at last report. I am so glad of that. I don’t know what her husband, Michael, would have done. She still has a ways to go, and still needs heart surgery, but as of a few days ago was doing better. Hopefully she gets to sit by her little backyard pond and watch the fish again this summer. Hopefully I get to go down there and sit with her.
There are not enough radio stations that play good jazz music.
We’re almost done with auditions – the local kid’s one is today, then we will have callbacks for the kid’s roles this summer, and then done, except of course for ones during the season. Almost two months of auditions. Sigh.
It is hard to type when you are holding a cat on one arm.
If you do a lot of shopping on line, check our Mr. Rebates. You get rebates by going through that site to the places you shop. Now if I can just figure out how to go through that to get books for my nook; it probably can be done, but the nook wants you to use it to get to the books you want.
There have been several ads on the radio urging people to fill out and send in their census form. There were three mailings for that, a card saying it was coming, the form itself, and then a mailing saying it had been sent. And they claim these are still cheaper than sending people around to do it in person. I guess. But three? Wouldn’t people catch on when the form came that it had been mailed to them – do they really need to be alerted to the fact that it will be and has been? OK, yeah, some people would.
Think I’ll treat myself to breakfast out today. Since I don’t have a servant to make it.
Ah, shoot, I promised gossip and I don’t have any – let’s see - - - nope, you’ll have to look elsewhere for that. Maybe I’ll get some when I go to breakfast, I’ll pass it on if I do. But I hope I gave enough chat for a while. As Amos says in ‘Chicago’: ‘hope I didn’t take up too much of your time.’
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
For a friend
My dear friend Noreen is gravely ill. Each time the phone rings I fear it is her husband, Michael, calling to tell me she is gone. She’s had health problems for many years, and this seems to be the culmination of them all: heart, asthma, I don’t know what-all else.
Noreen and Michael are friends left over from a failed ‘relationship’ of years ago. Noreen and Jerry were cousins; they had not been in touch for years and reconnected during Jerry’s and my time together. When Jerry and I separated, I ‘kept’ Noreen’s friendship for which I will always be grateful and pleased. Jerry gained another lady friend after our split, and those two couples did not get along; this caused a rift between Jerry and Noreen that she and I often discussed; after his death she despaired over it, that they had missed times together.
She’s opinionated, outspoken and fun. She had some hard times, but kept on past them. She loves her animals, and friends, fiercely. She has a special love for wolves, and has an online ‘pack’ of friends that share interests and thinking.
We talk online, and I called her a couple of months ago, maybe more than a couple now. I visited several years ago, travel has been hard for her. We planned to go to a town in southern New Jersey called Shellpile, and to meet at a wolf sanctuary, but those were scrapped by one of her health issues. I keep saying I’d try to get down (Jersey Shore) to see them again, but as we all know how those things go, hadn’t made it. Or called again.
Now I hope I get another chance to.
Here’s what I think: that we should make the call, make the trip, when we can. Don’t put it off, because the chance might be taken away. Tell people now, when they can hear you. Because feeling like ‘I should have’ when it’s too late sucks.
Fly, fly, wolf-spirit friend
Through the forest
Over the fields
Stop, stop and stare
At what is ahead
Do you race on alone
Or stay with your pack
For more time
Only a greater spirit than ours knows
We pray he lets us have you longer
And hope to understand if he does not
Fly, fly, wolf-spirit friend
To the destiny best for you
Noreen and Michael are friends left over from a failed ‘relationship’ of years ago. Noreen and Jerry were cousins; they had not been in touch for years and reconnected during Jerry’s and my time together. When Jerry and I separated, I ‘kept’ Noreen’s friendship for which I will always be grateful and pleased. Jerry gained another lady friend after our split, and those two couples did not get along; this caused a rift between Jerry and Noreen that she and I often discussed; after his death she despaired over it, that they had missed times together.
She’s opinionated, outspoken and fun. She had some hard times, but kept on past them. She loves her animals, and friends, fiercely. She has a special love for wolves, and has an online ‘pack’ of friends that share interests and thinking.
We talk online, and I called her a couple of months ago, maybe more than a couple now. I visited several years ago, travel has been hard for her. We planned to go to a town in southern New Jersey called Shellpile, and to meet at a wolf sanctuary, but those were scrapped by one of her health issues. I keep saying I’d try to get down (Jersey Shore) to see them again, but as we all know how those things go, hadn’t made it. Or called again.
Now I hope I get another chance to.
Here’s what I think: that we should make the call, make the trip, when we can. Don’t put it off, because the chance might be taken away. Tell people now, when they can hear you. Because feeling like ‘I should have’ when it’s too late sucks.
Fly, fly, wolf-spirit friend
Through the forest
Over the fields
Stop, stop and stare
At what is ahead
Do you race on alone
Or stay with your pack
For more time
Only a greater spirit than ours knows
We pray he lets us have you longer
And hope to understand if he does not
Fly, fly, wolf-spirit friend
To the destiny best for you
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
The Crandall Theatre
Speaking of movies, in our little village there’s been a movie tragedy. Not a tragedy movie. The Crandall Theatre is closed. The Crandall started life as a vaudeville house, back in those days. When vaudeville lagged, it converted to a movie theatre. I’ve been going there since I was a little kid. I remember seeing “War of the Worlds’ there, my grandmother took us, and in my memory, on the way home there was a full moon and we looked out the windows to see if we could spot any alien space ships. I remember going there on dates in high school, and after the movie going to the Boston Candy Kitchen for ice cream. I took the kids there – we went to a Disney movie and I was laughing so much they were embarrassed and went to sit somewhere else, not with me.
The tragedy is a true one, the owner, Tony Quirino, unexpectedly passed away in January. The theatre is closed while the family recovers.
As one merchant put it ‘We look like a ghost town at night now’ – there were always cars parked on Main Street, every night of the week, while people went to the Crandall.
Tony had been in negotiation to sell the theatre. The Chatham Film Club, an active group that the Crandall helped by giving space for an annual film festival and an ‘art’ film every month, had been trying to raise the money needed to buy it. I heard last night that they are still trying and might be able to close the deal. I hope so, as they have pledged to keep the Crandall – ‘the Crandall’. I hope it happens.
I’m not anti-movie, despite being anti-excess for some things connected with movies. I like movies, I just don’t go often, especially now with the Crandall closed. It’s handy, 2 minutes away, as opposed to half an hour for other theatres. And, the best part, it was only $5.00 for admission and $1.50 for popcorn – not the $10.00 and $5.00 the big chains rip you off for. So I am hoping that the film club can complete their deal, and keep the Crandall in Chatham. It’s a needed part of the community.
Anybody around here reads this, give a donation! Please.
The tragedy is a true one, the owner, Tony Quirino, unexpectedly passed away in January. The theatre is closed while the family recovers.
As one merchant put it ‘We look like a ghost town at night now’ – there were always cars parked on Main Street, every night of the week, while people went to the Crandall.
Tony had been in negotiation to sell the theatre. The Chatham Film Club, an active group that the Crandall helped by giving space for an annual film festival and an ‘art’ film every month, had been trying to raise the money needed to buy it. I heard last night that they are still trying and might be able to close the deal. I hope so, as they have pledged to keep the Crandall – ‘the Crandall’. I hope it happens.
I’m not anti-movie, despite being anti-excess for some things connected with movies. I like movies, I just don’t go often, especially now with the Crandall closed. It’s handy, 2 minutes away, as opposed to half an hour for other theatres. And, the best part, it was only $5.00 for admission and $1.50 for popcorn – not the $10.00 and $5.00 the big chains rip you off for. So I am hoping that the film club can complete their deal, and keep the Crandall in Chatham. It’s a needed part of the community.
Anybody around here reads this, give a donation! Please.
The Oscar's and Excess
I didn’t watch the Oscars. I admit it. It may be un-American, but there it is. I know, especially since I’m in the ‘entertainment business’, I should. But, there’s just too much hype and folderol with them, and too much talk for too little action. Plus, I haven’t seen and probably won’t see most of the movies; or know most of the people nominated. Just doesn’t make any difference to me.
I understand it was a pretty good show this year, according to the people who did watch. That the thanks given by the winners was limited – that’s another reason I don’t watch, I mean, it’s nice that they want to thank everyone from Mom and Dad to their hairdresser’s neighbor’s cat groomer, but that doesn’t interest me a bit. I understand that one winner thanked the men and women in the armed forces and I think that’s great. Otherwise, blah-de-blah, de-blah, de-blah. Should have thanked those people in person when they did the job for you.
And this year, maybe subconsciously it was my own private protest. Look at the Oscars. First there’s the movies themselves, costing how many millions of dollars to make. The stars making how many millions of dollars. The ‘goody bags’, the gowns, the speakers and presenters, the security, the press – the excess of it all. It’s a show that many enjoy, but it’s all about excess. The winners sell more tickets so the movies can make more money, that goes where? Now that’s a good question-gotta go into somebody’s pockets and I wonder whose-no doubt someone who already has quite enough there. All about excess.
Meanwhile, all over the country, live theatres are closing because they don’t have enough money to keep running. Not to say that the Tony Awards aren’t their own little exercise in excess, but not to the extent of the Oscars. But those theatres provided entertainment to thousands of people too, enriched the lives of thousands, provided employment, enhanced the quality of life in their area, contributed to the overall economy. They don’t deserve to close. How about sending some of that excess their way, our way?
Yeah, right, like that’s gonna happen. There’ll be another Oscars extravaganza next year and the year after and so on. And more theatres will close.
Here’s what I think – the Oscar for helping cause that goes to, in part to – the award excess. Is there a way to even the playing field? Nope, not that I can see happening. Sad, but true.
I understand it was a pretty good show this year, according to the people who did watch. That the thanks given by the winners was limited – that’s another reason I don’t watch, I mean, it’s nice that they want to thank everyone from Mom and Dad to their hairdresser’s neighbor’s cat groomer, but that doesn’t interest me a bit. I understand that one winner thanked the men and women in the armed forces and I think that’s great. Otherwise, blah-de-blah, de-blah, de-blah. Should have thanked those people in person when they did the job for you.
And this year, maybe subconsciously it was my own private protest. Look at the Oscars. First there’s the movies themselves, costing how many millions of dollars to make. The stars making how many millions of dollars. The ‘goody bags’, the gowns, the speakers and presenters, the security, the press – the excess of it all. It’s a show that many enjoy, but it’s all about excess. The winners sell more tickets so the movies can make more money, that goes where? Now that’s a good question-gotta go into somebody’s pockets and I wonder whose-no doubt someone who already has quite enough there. All about excess.
Meanwhile, all over the country, live theatres are closing because they don’t have enough money to keep running. Not to say that the Tony Awards aren’t their own little exercise in excess, but not to the extent of the Oscars. But those theatres provided entertainment to thousands of people too, enriched the lives of thousands, provided employment, enhanced the quality of life in their area, contributed to the overall economy. They don’t deserve to close. How about sending some of that excess their way, our way?
Yeah, right, like that’s gonna happen. There’ll be another Oscars extravaganza next year and the year after and so on. And more theatres will close.
Here’s what I think – the Oscar for helping cause that goes to, in part to – the award excess. Is there a way to even the playing field? Nope, not that I can see happening. Sad, but true.
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