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Facebook Messenger: Are You Being Watched? What’s the Hype?
There’s been a lot of talk and concern over the past week about the new User Agreement for the Facebook Messenger app that some feel they are being forced to use. How much of it is actually hype?
Let’s cut to the chase: Are you being watched? The answer is YES!
If you use a computer, cell phone (it doesn’t have to be a smartphone!), book reader (such as a Kindle) or other communication device– Your every move is being tracked. Who you talk to, text, where you are located, websites you visit, what you buy online… all of it is being tracked and is stored on computers somewhere. Law enforcement is increasingly using such tracking to assist in solving crimes.
So what’s the big deal about the permissions required by the Facebook Messenger app? Well maybe, if nothing else, it’s a reality check for so many of us that use technology with blind faith. Most of us don’t read user agreements and some would be quite surprised at the permissions thy are giving devices and apps. Doing so, doesn’t mean that any normal privacy issues will be violated but the possibility of a breach is real and should be taken into consideration.
Agreeing to and installing Facebook Messenger does not mean your every move is going to be recorded and broadcast from your phone. You have to agree to certain provisions just so you can use the technology. If you want the ability to share pictures and contact people then you have to give the app the permission to share those pics (on your behalf) and make those connections. It doesn’t mean a third party is spying on you. But is it possible? Sure it is. Unlikely, but possible.
To better understand this issue, I highly recommend you reading the article on the www.snopes.com website. As opposed to me rehashing all the concerns here, you can view them in a well thought out outline on the site. It gives you a balanced look at the concerns, the reality and the possible consequences of using the Facebook Messenger app. More important, it points out the fact that most of us have given far greater permissions through use of our apps and devices than those being requested here.
I polled friends on Facebook to see how many were using or deleting the FM phone app and the results were split. Twenty-eight people responded and more than half said they would continue to use the app, though some felt forced to use it and some had concerns over the privacy issues they were taking. Some said they would only use the online messenger built into the Facebook site and others were deleting the app because they felt too exposed.
If anyone is truly concerned about what is being unintentionally shared, a bigger concern should be your browser and email provider. Registered Google users should know by now that the websites you visit, your email, your contacts and personal information are all scanned and searched for keywords and then recommendations made, advertising targeted and information shared without your intentional permission.
In some cases, the only way to avoid these invasions are to avoid particularly aggressive developers as much as possible. Free isn’t free. Google survives on selling your information and on referrals it makes based on your account. Your free email account, for them, is a marketer’s dream.
We all have, or should have privacy concerns, especially regarding our personal and financial information. Identity theft and the security of our financial information should be our top priority. This is not in question here. What we have to keep in mind, especially regarding social networking, email and messaging, is that there are legitimate risks to take into consideration.
If you don’t want to share your life as an open book, you really need to actively investigate what you post and share and check any ability you have to limit who views it. Anything you share electronically, even in private conversation, is subject to be shared beyond your control. I’m not even referring to being hacked or having your information used by the app or device developer. The person you are communicating with, could, without your permission, share your pictures, comments or information with someone else.
For instance, a private comment you make to a friend about another person electronically, could be shared by the recipient,with that person, without your permission. Think before you post. If you don’t want your employer to know what you are doing when you are away from work… don’t post it publicly online. It’s that simple. I’ve caught many people in half-truths by looking at their online activities.
I’m constantly amazed by some of the things I’ve seen people post, not imagining that there could be a controversy or some unintentional fallout. Your online persona does matter. There are privacy settings with many apps and devices that can limit who can actually see what you post— BUT you can’t prevent the recipient (friends) from sharing with a third party.
As technology advances and we take advantage of our connectivity, our lives become more and more transparent. If, for what ever reason you need, or want, to maintain a high level of privacy– avoid all forms of social networking. Know the risks, be informed and make the decisions that are best for you.
Is there some big conspiracy by Facebook to use their messenger app for covert activity? Very doubtful– but you can never be too careful.
The bottom line is that Facebook Messenger is as safe to use as most every other app you are already using. I’ve been using it for quite some time now and have yet to experience any drawbacks or bad experiences with it. As Facebook becomes more and more about advertising dollars and less about connecting with friends, it makes messenger more valuable as a connecting tool than the Facebook site (or app) itself.
But just wait, soon enough you’ll be marketed to on messenger as well.
Stupid People And Social Media
Watch out because today I’m going to rant! Sometimes I get so frustrated I can’t see straight. What in the world is wrong with people? How is it that some people are so gullible, ignorant, or so full of hate that they can possibly believe anything and everything they hear?
Before I offend anyone, if you honestly believe any of the examples I mention here… PLEASE. Don’t take my word for it. Do some research and make an informed decision on your own.
That brings me to my first point: Do you know that some people don’t know how to find answers to questions? Is there anyone out there brave enough to say they have never heard of Google, Yahoo, or even the library? Word of Mouth is great for conversation starters but a terrible way to get factual information.
Judge Judith Sheindlin (Judge Judy) says, “If it doesn’t make sense, then it’s not true.” So if something doesn’t make sense– LOOK IT UP! Don’t be afraid to question everything.
I’m not not going to tell you where to find your answers, for fear of being accused of pushing my own agenda. I will give you suggestions that might help you sort out the truth from fiction yourself. Always, always verify through research with multiple sources. If you can’t find enough information, then by all means, be skeptical.
My second point: I do hope everyone understands the difference between Social Media and what is factual news. I realize the lines are being increasingly blurred– which is just one more reason you shouldn’t believe everything you hear or see.
The purpose of Social Media is to engage or inform others through digital and web-based methods of social interaction. The definition continues to develop as technology evolves. Basically, it is a way to communicate up-to-the-minute activities, ideas and opinions and interact with others about those topics. It is sharing content between users.
Without interaction, social media does not exist. Sharing, commenting, responding, agreeing or disagreeing– are all important to the social media experience. It’s also a way for people to express themselves directly, without necessarily being an authority on a subject. Opinions are not facts. An interpretation is not a fact. Again, this is why I suggest researching anything important or questionable because there are many, many people sharing their opinions and interpretations out there– that doesn’t make them true.
Right-Wing, Left-Wing, Broken-Wing: They just don’t get it. If you get the majority of your “news” from Hannity or Rachael Maddow you are being ignorant. There. I said it. They are talk shows not news programs! There may be facts or current events discussed where there is some factual content; but for the most part, you are being fed opinions and speculations based on their biased agendas.
#Bring Back Our Girls: one of the current idiotic discussions is criticizing Michelle Obama’s #Bring Back Our Girls tweet. It’s a perfect example of how people have no comprehension of what social media is and is not. Obama was voicing her support for the global campaign to draw attention to the 300 Nigerian girls that were kidnapped from their school and are being held hostage, with the promise to sell them into slavery. It is an awareness campaign intended to build support for action in this crisis. This type of action is being referred to as hashtag activism.
Critics are lambasting Obama, saying her tweet and Facebook post was outrageous, pointless, and embarrassing. One critic last night said that it was okay for celebrities to use hashtag activism because they are trying to get the government to act– but NOT okay for Michelle Obama, because she is the government. No one, including Obama, believes the kidnappers will see the posts and let the girls go free. That suggestion is ridiculous. The posts are part of a campaign to build support and awareness of the situation. Common sense should tell you that government action or intervention is best accepted when there is a majority of public support. In this case, the campaign is to engage, inform and build support for action, not an expectation that the campaign, itself, will put an end to the hostage situation.
To carry the idiotic behavior to new levels. Some critics have created their own disrespectful and offensive campaigns in response, such as: #Bring Back Our Country and #Bring Back Our Balls.
Healthcare: Among the many stupid, ignorance comments I’ve heard regarding the Affordable Care Act, I think I’ve finally heard the most ridiculous of all. Some people actually believe that when you sign up for healthcare (insurance) through the ACA, you get an “Obamacare card”. They believe if you get an “Obamacare card” doctors, hospitals and pharmacies can refuse it because they don’t want to accept it.
How can anyone believe this? Is it because of misinformation or just pure hate for the ACA and the current administration? I’m not going to say that I agree that people should be forced to purchase healthcare insurance but I do believe insurance should be affordable and available to everyone that wants it.
All Chemicals are Bad: Have you heard people say, “I won’t eat anything that was treated with chemicals. I don’t care if they say it is safe, all chemicals are bad.”
All chemicals are bad? Really? All foods are chemical. Medicines– chemical. Water– chemical. Air– chemical. Our bodies are chemical compositions.
It’s important to remember that many chemicals that are vital to life are actually deadly in high doses. Many of the chemicals that are quoted in the media as being additives to the food supply– to scare you, are already found naturally in untreated, organic foods and natural resources as well.
Does that mean that all chemicals are good and that we shouldn’t question their use? Of course not. But be informed. Don’t just accept every quack doctor’s comments about what you should be afraid of, or avoid, when all they are really trying to do is push their latest book, product or agenda.
Diet soda makes you fat and the chemicals in it will kill you in the process: It must be true because it’s been said for years, right. Doctors say it and there are many articles that say it. So it’s true. No, not necessarily. If you really research the subject, you’ll see that there have been no studied direct links to chemicals such as aspartame, to serious illness or fatality. That doesn’t mean it’s harmless either.
“But I just read…” Read it again. Articles may say “studies show… ” or “a doctor at this or that school (or lab) says…” but then they don’t provide links so that you can read the study or research it yourself. (But make sure you buy their book!) One article I read recently claiming proof from a University study… did provide a link. It lends authenticity, right? Except, when you clicked on the link… it took you to Google Maps NOT a study. Most of us won’t even bother clicking on the link but would accept the statement because it appeared more information was provided.
When a doctor says, “Studies suggest…” you first questions should be: what kind of study, who and where was the study performed and who funded it? Was the study even scientific? Often, these results are quoted from unscientific polls or questionnaires. How someone feels, especially outside of a controlled environment, is not scientific proof of fact. What were the other factors that could have caused these feelings? You won’t know because it wasn’t a controlled, scientific study.
The fat issue really makes me boil. People that take their news from the headlines and don’t even bother to read below the by line are easily convinced: diet soda makes you fat. No, the actual comments doctors have made are that they fear and are concerned that diet drinks and foods give people a false sense that they can eat as much as they want… because it is a diet product; and that doing so will not affect their weight negatively.
(PAUSE)
After I started writing this, I started to feel guilty for picking on people for their ignorance. Ignorance that I don’t fully understand but that I want to compassionately change. The phrase, You can’t believe everything you hear, takes on a heightened importance in this age of the internet and technology where anyone, anywhere can publish their thoughts. Human nature makes us want to believe what we read and that everyone else is honest and above board, even though we know deep down it’s not true. Everyone has an agenda or spin.
You can’t trust news reporting anymore because they don’t thoroughly research like they used to– before releasing their findings. Anything that might boost ratings or garner an audience is considered news worthy. Whenever you see an expert trotted out on display, like at a dog and pony show– and the first question asked is, “What do you think…..” Beware. Any response from an “expert” that starts with, “I believe….”, “This suggests….” I think that…” WARNING! They are only giving an opinion. These are not factual statements, don’t accept them as truth.
Do I think people are intentionally stupid? No, I don’t. I do believe that there are many people that are so biased, for or against topics, that they willing believe anything they hear that support their own position. What’s really troubling is that some people take sides due to some affiliation or belief that may not even be directly related.
I could go on and on with more examples but I think I’ll stop here.
If social media works— then hopefully the people engaged in this misinformation, will eventually get the right information. It only works if people actively seek the truth.
Can You See Me Now? My Facebook Experiment
Last Wednesday was Cash’s 11th birthday and instead of just posting a picture of him on Facebook to share and commemorate the occasion, I decided to try a little experiment.
I decided to mimic those never-ending pictures on Facebook of people holding signs asking for LIKES of help with something, that flooded Facebook for a while.
Background
A lot of my Facebook friends have been complaining about the newsfeed and not seeing current updates from their friends. Have you noticed? It can be confusing when you see posts popping up from the previous day, when you didn’t see them before, even though you checked. Yes, you can switch between top news and most recent. Still, some friends’ posts don’t show up in either one. So what’s going on?
Facebook is supposed to be a way for people to connect and friends to stay in touch. Many people have been sharing important news on Facebook, as their primary form of communication, instead of spending hours making phone calls or sending email. This is especially beneficial when time is an issue, or the news is something that you really don’t want to have to repeat over and over again. Sometimes though, and more frequently now, those posts aren’t showing up. I’ve known people to get hurt or angry because friends didn’t respond, LIKE or comment on their news. They trusted Facebook as a reliable forum to share their news, only to be let down by the current, unpredictable algorithm that is mysteriously sorting what we see.
So how are you supposed to stay in touch when you can’t see what your friends are posting? First, this isn’t entirely true. You can always go to your friends’ page and see everything they are sharing. The problem comes into play when users have many friends and pages they follow and rely on the newsfeed and notifications to keep them informed. That used to be pretty efficient. Now, the wizards at Facebook are controlling what you see and frequently pushing things your way you have no desire to see. Ads and recommended pages and products are here to stay.
Have you also noticed, if you access Facebook from different computers or your phone app, you get different results? The other day a post showed up on my phone from a friend that I hadn’t seen any posts from in awhile. (I had just figured he was busy and taking a break.) Then I saw it had actually been posted a few days before but was showing up now– presumably, because it received new comments. I checked my computer again and it definitely was not showing up in either my newsfeed or notifications. I went to his page and saw he had posted quite a bit, some important stuff– but somehow Facebook decided I shouldn’t see that information. My own family’s posts don’t show up half the time!
On the other hand, there are some people’s posts that never seem to stop. A few I haven’t messaged, LIKED, or commented on, in over a year. Yet, I see everything they do! It just makes no sense.
My personal message to Facebook is : Please, stop censoring what I see. I chose to be friends with these people (or follow a company, group or fan page)… Let me decide if I want to read their content! Just PLEASE stop blocking it and making that decision for me.
Results
Here are the results of my experiment. Realize this isn’t very scientific but it gives you an idea of what all the confusion is about. It might also give to a look into the reach of your audience. The LIKE and SHARED numbers included the measurable friends and friends of friends, viewable on Facebook.
The picture was posted with the PUBLIC setting at approximately 9 am, Wednesday April 23, 2014
My current number of Facebook friends: 873
Number of People that LIKED in the first 10 hours: 248
Number of People that LIKED in the first 24 hours: 465
Number of SHARES in the first 24 hours: 166
Number of LIKES to date (approximately three days): 811
Number of SHARES to date: 711
Number of LIKES from the SHARED List: 1182
Number of Friend SHARES: 16
Number of Friend of Friends SHARES: 215
Number of Friends that said they used Facebook on 4/23 but did not see my original post: 10
As I said, this wasn’t very scientific, so some of the numbers don’t match up. I suspect there could be overlaps and some may not show accurately based on people’s privacy settings.
Another thing I noticed was that it took more than 24 hours for the info to update and combine the totals on the picture. The total number of LIKES and SHARES changed by about 10, as I was writing this.
Favorite SHARED comments from friends of friends (and beyond):
- Awwww… if he won’t give you a steak, just bite him. You need a steak!
- At 77 yrs old who can deny you!
- At 11 you should have steak every night for dinner!
- Omg, I just fed my two doberman’s steak for dinner, and they are no where near 11…bless his heart visit me, I will feed you steak!!!!!!
- Le ne maradjon a steakről!!
- FERST FATWA OF DAYE! YOU SHARE, GET DOG STEAK! IS PERMIT!
- A steak for an 11 year old dog would probably kill his pancreas. (This is a terrible thought… but it made me laugh anyway.)
- If he put up with u for 11 yrs. lol! Buy him a steak any way!!
The last one was my favorite!
From what I can tell, quite a few of my friends never saw the original post. I’m also sure many scrolled right by it without LIKING or SHARING it. In either case, don’t depend that your friends are seeing your posts. I’ve started tagging people in the comment section, or sharing with them directly, if I want to be sure they see it.
And YES, Cash got his steak.
2013 in review
The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2013 annual report for this blog.
Here’s an excerpt:
A New York City subway train holds 1,200 people. This blog was viewed about 4,900 times in 2013. If it were a NYC subway train, it would take about 4 trips to carry that many people.
September 11, 2013 : Twelve Years Later
I didn’t wave any flags this year or post any inspiring patriotic posts on Facebook or Twitter. In fact, for the most part, I tried to avoid social and new media coverage. It’s twelve years after the 9/11 attacks that claimed the lives of nearly 3,000 innocent people and the images of that day — the feelings of loss and mourning — are still fresh in my mind.
Instead of letting others tell me how I should feel, remember or memorialize those events, I chose to grieve privately. I chose to focus on the memories of the lives that were lost, the families that were broken apart and the heroes that will not live to see another day.
I chose to remember the husbands, wives and children whose lives have been forever altered by that single moment in time– loved ones suddenly stolen from them. Their lives will never be the same — our world will never be the same.
In the days leading up to this anniversary, I heard people suggest that maybe it was time to move on. Tell that to families. Yes, it’s true that life goes on, must go on… but to suggest that we can, or should, put that day behind us, is not only insensitive but also ignorant and disrespectful.
History repeats itself when we choose to forget.
Last January, I was privileged to accompany a group of students to New York City and that visit included a visit to the 9/11 Memorial. A handful of those students had been in my play, September’s Heroes, a docu-drama surrounding the events of 9/11 in the fall of 2011. Even though we spent two months working, researching and then performing the play– I think it was still somewhat distant to them.
Visiting the 9/11 Memorial brought that all together.
Standing on that hallowed ground, realizing that the two massive pools were the footprints of where those two towers once stood and reading the names etched around those pools made it real for them. It was emotional. It was extremely emotional for me, seeing that link come together. It brought history to life for them– a moment in time that they were almost too young to remember.
There are now school-aged children who weren’t even born when those towers fell. They need to know what happened.
They need to know why we are talking about our rights to privacy, why there’s an ongoing war on terror and why they have to remove their shoes at airports. They need to know.
We are the memory of those that were lost. We are the link to that moment in history that has led to significant changes in all our lives.
We are the storytellers.
Friends: I Take You With Me
To All My Friends:
I take you with me.
Though we may not share every moment of our lives,
Though years may pass without our sharing a single day,
I take you with me.
You are with me, and you are loved.
Michael and I have already mentioned, probably more than a dozen times, people in our lives, past and present, that we’ve thought of on our trip. You see, friends, you are always in our hearts and minds.
People I meet, share time with, develop relationships with– impact me daily.
Even thousands of miles from home I can’t help but think of many people along the way.
*Walking the streets of Old Town in Stockholm, I immediately thought of Gay and her love of European life and culture. I pictured her here, remembering all the many students she exposed to the world with her many trips to Europe.
*When we visit Danzig, how will I not think of my cousin Ginger, whose character in the musical RAGS escaped from there?
*When we visit the Stutthof Concentration Camp, how will I not have my friend Kathy, close in my thoughts? She and I shared a close bond and understanding of the events of the Holocaust and the importance of telling the stories to future generations.
*How will I not think of Jason after our frequent Patti LuPone conversations, while she performs on our cruise?
Yes, my friends, I have brought you all with me. I carry you with me every day of my life. Your impact and importance in my life goes far beyond the times we might have shared or the experiences we encountered. I think of you often.
Rejoice and celebrate every connection you make. You’ll be surprised how sometimes the most unexpected people influence you the most.
One Year Healthier
70 pounds lighter than one year ago.
It’s been a year since I completely changed my diet. I’m 70 pounds lighter and I’m happy to report that I’ve been able to stick to it and it’s now just a way of life. I visited the doctor this week and received a clean bill of health. All my numbers checked out… so for those of you who buy the false claims that a low carb, high protein diet is unhealthy — think again.
Suit pants I wore to a wedding last year.
Now that I have more free time, I’m back to working out and hope to at least tone up, if not build a little muscle mass. I still have some sagging skin from the weight loss and hope working out will help eliminate that too. I’m cautiously optimistic as I know I can’t completely fight the aging process.
I can’t even begin to describe how much better I feel– and even more important, how much better I feel about myself. I accomplished an important goal and feel good about my ability to stick with it.
I introduced a few more carbs in to my diet without any weight change but I’m still avoiding any regular consumption of bread and potatoes.
I don’t deprive myself of anything, just really careful to limited my intake or large amounts of carbs. It’s all about moderation. A binge is even okay as long as it doesn’t lead to daily abuse of the rules.
A few months ago I got a Fitbit One, a little monitoring device that can measure your steps, stairs, calories and sleep pattern. I absolutely love it! Even though I’m not measuring my calorie consumption, it does help monitoring my calorie expenditure combined with my daily activity (steps) and stairs climbed. You can sync it with the phone app or your computer to monitor your progress and it’s all stored online for free.
In the suit a year ago before changing my diet.
One huge difference I’ve noticed is that since losing my job (and the stress), my sleep pattern has greatly improved. My boss had made things so miserable for me, I was waking up an average of 11 times a night! That has dropped down now to 3 times a night. A huge improvement! Just goes to show you how stress can have a negative impact on your health.
I feel good now and have so much more energy than I did before. I sleep less, waking up naturally without that groggy morning feeling I used to get. All in all, it has been one of the best decisions in my life.
I still get so many people asking me how I lost the weight and if it was hard. It really wasn’t… and it’s not that hard to maintain either. You just have to make the commitment… to yourself and to your health. Excuses will never equal results.
Anyone… and I mean ANYONE can do it!
Caught with my pants down. 70 pounds lighter. I lost ten inches off my waistline!
Happy and healthy!
How Do You Measure… A Day in New York?
125th Street, Harlem, New York City.
The Marquee at the historic Apollo Theatre in Harlem.
How do you measure a day in New York? Sixteen Thousand Eight Hundred and Sixteen (16,816) steps according to my fitness tracker. I’m not sure how accurate it is but I’ve been wearing it for about three months now and that’s my one-day record. I got the tracker to help measure my weight loss and work outs. Even if it’s not completely accurate, it has definitely been a motivating factor in my daily activities, measuring my work out progress, calories burned and daily steps taken.
Yesterday morning was our time to explore New York, this trip. Every trip to the city, we try to explore some place we haven’t been before. Having friends here gives us a chance to get a New Yorker’s view of the city and things to see and do. Yesterday we explored Harlem’s 125th Street and then worked our way down past Columbia University.
The world famous Cotton Club in Harlem.
Honoring a legend– outside the Apollo Theater.
Harlem isn’t the supposed frightening place it was years ago. In fact, it looks pretty much like many other parts of New York and even Chicago. Of course no other city has the legendary Apollo Theater or the Cotton Club. We got to see both of them on our rather frigid walk.
The men’s room at Dinosaur Bar-B-Que.
We stopped at the end of 125th where it meets the Hudson River, at Dinosaur Bar-B-Que and met friends there for lunch. We shared smokey wings, pulled pork and brisket… all were absolutely delicious! (I know it may seem like I’m starting an obsession but I had to post a picture of the unique men’s room.)
After lunch, we walked down through Columbia University and past The Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine. I played there (with the youth orchestra I mentioned in the previous blog) when I was in high school. Then we jumped on the subway to head to our matinee performance.
Chicago, the Musical. I got a special deal on tickets so we had great house seats to the show. In all the years it’s been running, Michael and I had never seen Chicago on Broadway. I have to say I prefer the movie to this long-running revival production. Still, it’s a solid production, strong performances and the choreography is still executed with tight precision– something that could easily be missing from a show that’s been running for so long. (I’ll be seeing it again in January when I come to New York with a group of students from school.)
Subway Train Tracks near the Hudson River.
Chaplin the Musical. What a surprise treat! The reviews of Chaplin weren’t good and partially as a result, it is closing next week. Michael and I both found it to be our favorite show this trip, so far. Everything about the production is good. The staging, choreography, sets, costumes and performances are all top-notch. Rob McClure as Chaplin is a whirlwind of talent and fully embodies the character. Definitely a Tony contender. Even though Michael and I both agreed Billy Porter (Kinky Boots) will probably give him a run for his money in a very tight Tony race, McClure deserves the prize.
Chaplin’s story can be considered part tragedy but was skillfully told in a way that didn’t become too dark and focused much of the show on the good that existed in Chaplin’s tumultuous life. It has a great score with a number of songs, sure to become standards in the musical theatre repertoire.
After the show, we headed over to John’s Pizza on 44th street for a quick bite before midnight. Delicious as always, John’s is one of the top rated pizza restaurants in New York.
My friend Amee met us in Times Square for my birthday countdown and then Michael headed back to the room, while Amee and I went to the Cranberry Deli next to our hotel for a red velvet cupcake. Even though I was pretty wiped out, I still stayed up until almost 3 AM, responding to early morning birthday wishes on Facebook, Twitter and email. It was a pretty terrific day.
The Library at Columbia University.
The Cathedral of St. John the Divine.
Cathedral Window.
Statute in the park next to St. John’s.
The REAL Christmas Vacation
We started planning our two week vacation, six months ago. Five days in New York, a seven day cruise on Norwegian to the Bahamas and finishing back in New York for one final full day of shows. Pretty straight forward. We booked our cruise, flight, hotel and also booked all our shows in advance. Done.
Michael spent hours watching all the YouTube videos people posted of the cruise ship, rooms similar to ours and read all the reviews of the ship the possible excursions, etc. We both lost a lot of weight so we had some fun shopping for new clothes. Everything planned ahead, ready to go… simple, right? Then the real fun started.
Show Tickets. You have some options if you want to see Broadway shows, you can purchase your tickets in advance, get better seats depending how early you buy– but you pay full price for most of them. Sometimes you can get discounts in advance and we got a few but for the most part, we paid full price. Your other option is the TKTS booth in Times Square. You can get tickets for up to half price based on availability but we would be in NY, Broadway’s busiest week of the year. So instead of taking chances, we booked all our shows in July. Done.
Or were we? Turns out, one show never opened, we re-booked it, that show closed quickly after opening, we booked another, that one cancelled that specific performance, so re-booked it again. Then the show the were to see that same night, open and closed and we found ourselves re-booking shows five times on the same day! (Wednesday, December 26th, 2012)
Packing or “Do you two communicate?”. Thinking we were ahead of the game, we started packing two days before we left, only to discover two things: 1) Packing wasn’t as easy as it seems and 2) We kind of had our wires crossed about what we intended to wear in New York. Oops!
Michael bought us new luggage: we each had a large suitcase and a new carry on sized bag. In the first sound of packing, we found the large suitcase easily held way more than the 50 pound limit of the air and cruise lines. So, we had to unpack. Then, somewhere in round two, we discovered. somehow we had different ideas on clothing for New York.
Usually we go to New York for five to seven days and each just take a carry on and re-wear what we have, dressing comfortable, casual the whole time. Usually jeans and whatever else we threw in the bag. This time, since we would be gone two weeks and needed to dress for both warm and cold weather and needed to have at least some dress clothes for the cruise, we knew we’d be checking luggage and taking more. I had commented several times how it would be nice to dress for the theatre for once BUT I guess it didn’t translate. Michael didn’t hear that and had planned on dressing as we normally did– casual only in New York. I, on the other hand, planned to wear suits and sports coats to the theatre and casual during the day.
It may not sound like a big deal but it was. We went through what we had, what we needed to swap out and what we needed to buy. After a quick analysis, some hair pulling and stressing out, a quick trip to the store Christmas Eve morning….. <sigh> we were back on track. We crammed as much of the weight into the two smaller bags, relieving some of the weight from the big bags and we were ready to go. We were sure we’d crossed our T‘s and dotted our I‘s …. and of course, we were even more certain we were forgetting things. Folks, I actually brought FIVE pairs of shoes!
Unedited self portrait in the bathroom of Cafe Bar in Astoria. I could resist the mirror tile of unusual wallpaper and lighting.
Off we go. We made the decision to travel in style and were flying first class. When you figure in the additional checked luggage costs, early booking advantage and convenience…. and the fact this was my 5oth Birthday trip…. it all made sense to add this luxury. We got to O’Hare early, breezed through the Priority security line and the rest of our travel to New York was as smooth as possible. No delays, traffic was light from the airport to the city. Perfect.
We checked in to Hotel St. James (where we stayed in March) and got a surprise. Our room was slightly bigger than last time and they old-style hotel which previously was still using actual room keys, had upgraded to scan keys.
Christmas Night. Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Our first show. It was a good, strong production but the first act was much stronger than the remaining two acts. Instead of building to a final climax, I felt it lacked, or failed to build and maintain the intensity needed to sustain a powerful ending. The acting was good but I’ve never been a fan of the ‘Chicago-style of acting‘– you are always aware they are actors playing parts, as opposed to actors assuming roles and becoming the characters. I’m pretty sure Tracy Letts will be, at the very least, in the running for a Tony for his portrayal of George.
Wednesday 12/26. In the morning, we headed out to Astoria, Queens for brunch with a friend of ours. Always a favorite part of our New York trips. Then back in to Manhattan for our first two-show day. This was the day that gave us all the problems with our show tickets. The matinee was Golden Age Off-Broadway at Manhattan Theatre Club. All I really can say about it is: Not interested. I thought it would have a similar feel to Amadeus based on the description and subject matter– mostly, I was just bored.
The Other Place with Laurie Metcalfe was our wild card show. It was one of our replacements and has turned out, so far, to be our favorite. Metcalfe is sure to be Tony-nominated for her role of a 52 year old woman slipping quickly into the grips of Dementia. The play is well crafted, beautifully acted and emotionally devastating. I’ll be anxious to see how the critics review it after the official opening.
Thursday 12/27. Four shows in one day! Okay, one movie, two shows and a cabaret act. I’ll try and be brief with my descriptions and reactions here. Michael had been insistent on seeing Les Miserables while we were here. I’ve been skeptical since I saw the first previews. The power and beauty of the stage production, brought to the big screen, was… to put it kindly, disappointing. I think it was poorly directed and filmed. The way it was filmed really annoyed me. Despite the dedicated efforts of Jackman and Hathaway, I felt their performances were hindered by the way they were filmed. The only two actors I thought came across well were Samantha Barks as Eponine and Aaron Tveits as Enjoras. Russell Crowe neither acted or sang in the film. I cringed every time Marius and Cozette were on screen. It was actually worse than I expected.
Our matinee performance, Grace with Paul Rudd and Ed Asner, was also a disappointment. It had an interesting framework but failed to deliver any real content. Just a meandering conversation about Christianity and Faith that really didn’t go anywhere.
In 1979, I was lucky enough to be invited to go to New York and perform with the Florida Camerata and then join the Winter Haven Youth Orchestra in several Manhattan and Long Island concerts. It had a huge impact on my life. It was during that trip that I saw my first professional concerts, my first Broadway show and… The Nutcracker. I can still vividly remember the moment in the Nutcracker when it began to snow on stage. I think it was that moment that hooked me on the stage for life. The first Broadway show?….. was Annie with the young Sarah Jessica Parker. No matter what the show, or how good it is… I think your first always holds a special place in your heart.
So last night, 33 years after my first encounter, I saw the new revival of Annie. I think its a good strong production. I can’t say it’s phenomenal but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I appreciated that all the bells and whistles were blown early in the show and it felt like it continually built to a big finale. My favorite moment in the show, one that could easily be boring or ignored; was Daddy’s Warbuck’s song, Something Was Missing. It was very well staged and beautifully performed, creating one of the shows most touching moments. Even though it wasn’t over-played (or over-staged), I still couldn’t help but get a big old lump in my through when Annie made her first appearance at the top of the stairs after her transformation. It still gets me, even after all these years. Annie remains on my short list of must-do shows to direct before I die.
As if three weren’t enough, I had made reservations to see cabaret performer, Sirius XM host, and my Facebook friend, Christine Pedi’s show, There’s No Bizness Like Snow Bizness at the West Bank Cafe. It was the perfect end to the day. Pedi’s blend of humor and holiday reminiscing was just what I needed. Michael and I had a delicious meal and really enjoyed the performance. Pedi was a part of the Forbidden Broadway franchise for years with her amazing ability to accurately impersonate dozens of performers. Her final number, The 12 Divas of Christmas, in which names of 12 stars were drawn at random from a hat, was hilarious perfection.
I apologize in advance if my editing is bad. I started this post yesterday morning and just don’t have enough time to write all I’d like. Today we’re off on a Harlem adventure and lunch with friends… then more shows of course! Until next time.
How Do You Measure 525600 Minutes? 