NetChallenge
NYC May 2014- Days Four & Five: Rocking the Political Cradle On Stage
A view on The High Line.
Monday we met with our friends Steve & Amy (from home) who happened to be in NYC this week as well. We had a great time socializing and made our first visit this trip to The High Line with them. The High Line, which runs above Gansevoort Street to 34th Street on Manhattan’s West Side, is a public park built on what was once a historic freight rail line. It was a beautiful sunny day and only took us about an hour to walk the whole park. We’ll be returning with other friends from home later this week and hopefully I’ll get some good pictures to share.
Short on time, the four of us headed back to Times Square and Havana Central (our second time this trip) for lunch before parting ways.
The Cradle Will Rock We actually had tickets for another show that we ended up giving to friends. When we found out that this special, one night only, benefit concert was happening, we couldn’t miss it.
I’m a huge fan of Patti LuPone. Given the opportunity, there was no way I was going to miss the chance to see her recreate her Oliver Award-winning performance in this historic, ground-breaking theatrical work.
The staging was a benefit for The Acting Company, which originally produced the show under the direction of John Houseman. This concert staging directed by Lonny Price, featured LuPone and a number of other original company members, as well as more recent alumni.
This is a work I hope to produce one day. Its political and social message are still relevant today and I have a specific vision for staging the piece.
Tuesday, Michael and I both did a lot of exploring on our own. I’m not sure how much ground Michael covered but I’d traveled over five miles (tracked on my Fitbit) before noon. We initial thought we’d find a new destination to visit and then decided to just explore instead. The great things about a big city is there’s always something new to see, it’s always evolving and there are always things you hadn’t noticed before.
Friends arrived in the afternoon and while I was off exploring 6th Avenue and Bryant Park, Michael accompanied them to the TKS booth to get their show tickets and then to stand in line for the lottery for Kinky Boots tickets (which they won). We had dinner at Yum Yum Bangkok before splitting up to go to our shows.
All The Way “All the way with LBJ!” Bryan Cranston IS LBJ. You won’t see any evidence of Walter White (Breaking Bad) on this stage. From his first breath in a solo spotlight, Cranston gives an incredibly layered performance as President Lyndon B. Johnson, proving his versatility and skill as as actor and showing that a true performer can successfully thrive on stage and screen equally.
Written by Robert Schenkkan and directed by Bill Rauch, All The Way follows LBJ’s journey from the Kennedy assassination through Johnson’s reelection as President. It carefully weaves the personal, public and political struggles LBJ had to juggle while blazing the trail in his fight for civil rights.
The story was skillfully told by an ensemble of veteran actors, supporting Cranston. Some of the other stand out performances were given by Brandon J. Dirden as Martin Luther King, Jr.; Betsy Aidem as Lady Bird Johnson/Katharine Graham/Katharine St. George; Michael McKean as J. Edgar Hoover/Robert Byrd; and Robert Petkoff as Hubert Humphrey.
All The Way is Tony-nominated for Best Play and Best Actor (Cranston), and has already won the Outer Critics Circle, New York Drama Critics’ Circle and the Drama League awards for Best Play.
On the way back to our apartment, we stopped and picked up Concretes at the Shake Shack. (8th Ave. & 44th St.) With multiple locations, this is THE spot for ice cream treats in New York City. The lines are almost always out the door but they move fast and you always get great service.
NYC May 2014- Day Three: Bridges & Body Switching
We had lunch at one of our favorite spots, Havana Central, Times Square (151 West 46th Street) and as usual, the food was excellent. We both had the original Cuban Sandwiches with black beans and yellow rice. As a kid, we used to go to the Silver Ring for Cuban sandwiches in Ybor City, Florida. Lots of places offer Cubans but most aren’t authentic. Cuban bread is crusty and has a specific taste. Most places don’t use Cuban bread. Havana Central is the only place (other than Silver Ring) I’ve found that makes a good Cuban sandwich. We’ve tried many things on the menu and all has been quite good. The service is also fast and courteous.
The Bridges of Madison County How do you critique one of the most gorgeous shows Broadway has seen in years? First, I should probably say that I have not read the book nor seen the movie, so I wasn’t bound to any comparisons.
Bridges is the perfect marriage of story and song, beautifully told through wonderful staging and exquisite vocals. The entire cast is brilliant. I do have to single out Kelli O’Hara (Francesca) and Steven Pasquale (Robert), supported through outstanding performances by Hunter Foster (Bud) and Cass Morgan (Marge).
In my opinion, this is O’Hara’s best performance to date. Her character is beautifully layered and she sings Francesca with such a committed, passionate skill. Passquale’s vocals moved me like no other male vocalist has done in many, many years. His voice literally lifts the score and raises it through the roof.
Marsha Norman has expertly adapted the book to weave and intertwine with Jason Robert Brown’s lush score producing a work that grabbed my soul from the very beginning and didn’t release it even after the final bow. Brown’s orchestrations are so full and magical I can’t find the words to describe their beauty. Show show completely envelops you.
Most shows, or their respective productions, have not had the ability to reach me the way this did. It is the most passionate, romantic production Broadway has seen since probably The Light in the Piazza or Stephen Sondheim’s darker, Passion. I was so moved, I had tears in my eyes for nearly the entire performance, from the very first notes.
The Bridges of Madison County final curtain call with Marsha Norman and Jason Robert Brown.
We saw the closing performance, adding to the electricity in the theater. It is a very sad statement that a show this incredible could not find a Broadway audience. Worse still, is that it was snubbed by the Tony committee in the Best Musical and Best Actor categories— which, at the very least, is a travesty.
Under My Skin I’d hoped we were in for a good old-fashioned comedy after the emotional matinee.
I chuckled.
I don’t have a whole lot to say about this, other than it is a rather amateurish male-female, body-switching comedy that is entertaining but completely predictable.
Written by the married writing team, Robert Sternin and Prudence Fraser of Who’s the Boss? and The Nanny fame. Their sitcom influences are readily apparent here. The only thing missing were the commercials and a badly needed laugh track.
This was not what I expected from a professionally produced (Off Broadway) production but can see the show having an active life in the community theatre circuit in years to come.
NYC May 2014- Day Two: Bunnies, Boxing and Crowded Streets
I tried to sleep in but after waking a up a few times, I found myself heading to Starbucks at 5 AM– after I realized I forgot to get ground coffee for our room. Times Square is always so peaceful early in the morning. I love experiencing the drastic changes in the energy as the day progresses. Even though I try to walk the perimeter of the area going to and from shows to avoid the crowds, it’s still a fun vibe to be in the heart of — just in small doses.
We relaxed most of the morning, staying near our apartment, knowing it was going to be a long day. We left around noon, took a walk and did some exploring before our matinee. It was a beautiful day in the upper 60’s and sunny.
Of Mice and Men I don’t get too many opportunities to see professionally produced classic dramas. Choosing OM&M was more about the show itself than seeing James Franco. Sometimes star power works for a production but actors still need to prove they belong there.
The first act was pretty solid, only to fall apart in the second act. I don’t understand why anyone would think it was a good idea to sanitize the most dramatic moments of the show, leaving them void of emotion. How can characters completely disassociate themselves from feelings where death is concerned? That is exactly what happens in this production.
Chris O’Dowd is wonderful as the simple-minded, Lenny. His character, gestures and mannerisms are all fully developed and well acted. James Franco gives a strong first act performance as George but then fails to find any real emotion in the pivotal moments of the second act. He fakes vomiting at one point and wipes away a few imaginary tears but that’s it. Based on the overall tone though, I’m not sure how much of it is Franco’s or director Anna D. Shapiro’s choice. It just didn’t work for me. What should have felt tragic was left feeling rather mundane.
I also thought Jim Norton was miscast here as Candy. He’s a great actor. I just felt he lacked the earthiness needed for the role, making him seem out of place.
It’s sad to see a production with so much promise, fall so flat.
9th Avenue International Food Festival
The 9th Avenue International Food Festival Fifteen city blocks of food and beverages. A sea of people mixing tourists, families and a neighborhood crowd. The festival reportedly draws an average of 200,000 people over the annual two day event. We spent a couple hours walking around and sampling some of the food between shows. Most visible: Roasted Corn, Fresh Lemonade, Beer and Crepes. What is it about standing and eating crepes outdoors? I don’t really get it.
It was definitely bustling but no worse than Times Square and not hard to weave in and out of the crowd. There were a couple of blocks dedicated to children’s entertainment and for the most part, it was the typical mix of vendors you’d find at any outdoor festival anywhere in the world.
Rocky the Musical I always cringe when I hear another movie is being made into a musical. Is there no original source material anymore? Sometimes we choose shows for the spectacle and wildcard potential. Rocky was pretty much panned by the critics but we don’t always agree with them and we took a chance.
There’s a lot of money up on that stage and some actors that are giving their all. Unfortunately, all that effort doesn’t hide the major flaws in the material. Rocky is an iconic movie and story. I just can’t figure out how it could be told so poorly. Even with the spectacle, I thought it lacked energy and electricity.
Set in the 1970’s, as in the movie, costumes weren’t always period appropriate (skinny and stretch jeans) and the use of modern technology IN the story just added confusion. Particularly in the final fight scene, live video used “in the arena”– multiple screens used as part of the action and others used at the same time so the audience could see what was going on– all created a chaotic atmosphere.
Andy Karl (Rocky), Margot Seibert (Adrian) and Terence Archie (Apollo Creed) are all up there trying to do the best with what they’ve been given. I just did not understand the casting of Dakin Matthews as Mickey. I just didn’t buy it.
Basically, the set is the show. It moves, turns, twists and spins. The book and music are not that memorable– A huge disappointment coming from one of my favorite writing teams Ahrens & Flaherty.
NYC May 2014- Day One: Get There, Get Settled, Get Going
Leaving Cash was especially hard this trip and I stressed out a lot over it. He’s in good hands but he’s old and lonely and barely leaves our side. We got up at 2 AM to finish last minute packing and head to the airport for our 5:55 AM flight. In typical, O’Hare fashion, they only had one checkpoint open and the line was ridiculously long– and not moving. Luckily, they opened another checkpoint and we rushed down to it, making it to our gate with about five minutes to spare.
Michael and I sat across the aisle from one another on one of the bumpiest flights I’ve ever flown. It was like riding through Chicago’s pothole-filled streets towards the end of winter. The guy next to me, though wearing headphones, treated a good section of the plane to his Beyonce playlist for most of the flight. I didn’t feel comfortable saying anything but was really surprised the flight crew didn’t tell him to turn it down.
Morning traffic was a little heavy at 9 AM and our impatient taxi driver rode the tail of every vehicle we followed, slamming on the brakes multiple times to avoid a collision. There were more than a few close calls as the driver refused to let anyone merge in front of us. Somehow, we managed to arrive at our destination safely.
Our Living Rm/Kitchen at AKA.
Home Away From Home AKA Times Square, is primarily an extended stay, apartment & condominium building and was a perfect choice for us. It was in the same price range as some of the regular hotel rooms we were looking at and it is actually larger than the average NY apartment. We have a full kitchen, washer and dryer and all the other amenities you’d hope for. I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves. Suffice it to say, we absolutely love it. In addition, there is a penthouse lounge, terrace and business center open for our use, with free Wifi throughout the building. Believe it or not, most places still charge a daily rate for WiFi. Having it on premises, means I won’t be spending nearly as much time at Starbucks, using theirs, as I have in recent trips.
Our Bathroom at AKA.
Our room wasn’t ready when we arrived, as we’d expected, so we checked our luggage and grabbed breakfast at Cafe Un Deux Trois next door. I’m sure I’ll probably mention it again later– we’re also staying next door to Hedwig and the Angry Inch, starring Neil Patrick Harris. Some of the people watching opportunities have already been interesting as this show draws a much more diverse crowd.
AKA Bedroom
We spent the remainder of the time before our room was ready, shopping for some supplies and relaxing in the penthouse lounge and terrace. When we got to our room, we unpacked and check out our view which includes a clear shot of the crystal New Years’ Eve ball, high above Times Square. We took a short nap and then we were off to our first show.
A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder– You know the saying: Save the best for last? Well, we may have made a huge mistake and may have seen the best, first. Not that it’s an entirely bad thing– I mean, what a way to start a show binge! No matter what I write here, I won’t be able to fully capture my true feelings and appreciation for this show. The best I can do is to say that once in awhile, a show comes a long when everything about it is just right… and everything about this production of A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder is seamlessly delightful.
The solid book and score by Robert L. Freedman and Steven Lutvak captures the music hall style but they didn’t allow themselves to get trapped by the genre and produced a thoroughly engaging, funny and rich work. The music here is essential to the plot and there are some simply gorgeous moments. Most shows I’ve seen have at least one moment, song or scene where I find myself wanting them to hurry up and move on. Not here. I was completely drawn in from start to finish.
Director and Choreographer, Darko Tresnjak and Peggy Hickey have done a superb job staging this wild romp with moments of inspired genius. Their work together is a seamless blend as is their guidance of the tremendous cast. When a production is this good, it’s impossible to tell where one person’s work begins and another’s ends.
Jefferson Mays and Bryce Pinkham are equally brilliant in their roles. They are both Tony-nominated this year but what gives Mays the edge over Pinkham is that he plays eight roles, sometimes leaving the stage as one and re-entering as another in just seconds. The featured women: blonde vixen, Lisa O’Hare; the lovely, Lauren Worsham; and I can’t leave out, the adorably funny, Jane Carr– are all perfectly cast.
All the technical aspects are perfect for this production but I have to single out Linda Cho’s costume design. Her costumes are not just appropriate and highly functional, they are flawless. Her use of color and especially the exquisite textures in her period designs should place her as a top contender for a Tony Award this year.
We had terrific front row, left orchestra seats last night… thankfully, we were not front row center. both Mays and Pinkham are spitters. Needless to say, the audience in the front center seats were showered with more than a good view of the stage.
I would definitely see Gentleman’s Guide again… and I’ve added it to my list of shows I’d love to do in the future. It’s just bloody good fun!
New Years Eve Ball from our window at AKA.
Another Rainy Day in New York City We’ve often experienced rain in NYC but it was a literal downpour last night– to the point of streets and sidewalks flooding. We left the theater, sans umbrellas but in water resistant jackets, made it a few blocks and stopped under cover to see if it was going to let up. In doing so, we ran into Mare Winningham, currently starring in Casa Valentina, also avoiding the rain. There is always a bright side to every situation if you look for it!
The rain let up a bit and we picked up pizza on the way back to our place and turned in around midnight. Tired, full and happy.
New York 2014: Broadway Here I Come!
Times Square, December 2012.
If you know me really well, then you know that New York is my city. We try to get there at least once a year and this will be Michael’s and my longest stay yet. Ten days in the Big Apple… tickets to 17 shows and lots of other exciting activities planned. We started booking our trip a couple months ago, looking for the best deals on rooms and show tickets.
This year, in addition to visiting friends that live in NYC, two of our friends from home will also be in New York– part of the time– and joining us on some of our excursions, adding a different dimension to our trip.
National September 11 Memorial & Museum My most anticipated event this trip is attending the National September 11 Museum on the official opening day, May 21st. 2014. I’ve been to the memorial twice before but anticipate that the museum will be a heightened emotional experience. I’ve already contributed a few images to the museum’s Artists Registry and hope to add more after this visit.
Broadway & Off Broadway Shows I know it sounds insane, 17 shows in 10 days…. but this is what we do. We always try to get a mix of plays and musicals, throwing in a few Off Broadway shows as well, if our schedule permits. This year’s line up includes: A Gentleman’s Guide To Love & Murder, Of Mice and Men, Rocky, The Bridges of Madison Country, Under My Skin, The Cradle Will Rock, All the Way, The Cripple of Inishmaan, Casa Valentina, Phantom of the Opera, Bullets Over Broadway, If/Then, Act One, Mothers and Sons, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Violet, and Heathers the Musical.
Something Old, Something New Each time we come to New York, our main goal is to see lots of shows and I think a lot of our friends think that’s all we do. But, we always try to experience as much of this amazing city as possible– time and weather permitting. Of course, we have a few restaurants and neighborhood destinations (sights) we try to visit every year, like Central Park— but we always try to add at least one new destination each trip and mix new restaurants in with a few old favorites. This year, we’ll be visiting The High Line for the second time, and will be venturing to the far north reach of Manhattan to visit The Cloisters and its surrounding Fort Tryon Park.
We’re also hoping to make it to this year’s edition of the annual Stars in the Alley concert, several street festivals and a (new to us) historical sight or two.
I hope to be blogging daily about our NY adventures– that is, if we’re not too busy out doing.
Lower Manhattan. December 2012.
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.
First, Last and Everything In Between
I took advantage of the weather early this past week and began the arduous task of prepping the flower beds and started mulching around the trees and shrubs. This is something I really love doing, even though it takes a lot of time and effort to do it all.
I couldn’t help but think of the Frances Hodgson Burnett children’s book, The Secret Garden, which is one of my all-time favorite stories. Particularly, when Mary discovers the hidden garden and begins clearing away the brush and leaves allowing the tiny buds of spring to catch their first glimpses of sunshine. In the story, the garden symbolizes healing and rebirth. Often, when I’m doing this, I’ll find the song, A Bit of Earth (from the musical version of the book) playing over and over in my head.
I’d had cleared a good-sized area, pulled out hundreds of maple tree seedlings and was spreading mulch as Cash came sauntering over to me, sniffing around the damp soil and butting into my space. He got right in my face, grabbing my attention and looking in my eyes, he snorted and started licking my face. When he was done, I gave him a couple quick pats and rubbed his coat. Then he was off, settling nearby in a warm spot, enjoying the sun.
It was a moment.
This wasn’t the first time this has happened. In fact, I can’t begin to count the number of times Cash or Roxie had done this over the years. No matter how often it happened, it has never ceased to touch my heart and make me smile. For that brief moment, it brings me back to reality from my daydreaming and we connect. Then off they’d go to explore.
Having lost Roxie a few months ago, these precious little moments are especially dear. I couldn’t help wondering as Cash wandered off the other day, would that be the last time? Sad? Yes. Morbid? Maybe. The point is that it was just one of those seemingly common occurrences that we don’t always appreciate or think about until they’re gone.
This started me thinking… of all the important events in our lives, we naturally tend to remember the firsts and lasts the most. First meeting, first kiss, first concert… graduating, closing night of a play or saying goodbye to someone special— What we really risk missing are all those special moments in between.
We are always in such a rush to get from Point A to Point B that we miss, or fail to appreciate, everything in between.
The in between is the journey. We experience so much in our travels and often learn so much—there can be many successes and failures along the way– it would be a shame to forget what got us to our destination.
We meet new people and sometimes instantly click. In other instances, friendships build over time. In either case, the in between becomes the history that can bind us together or eventually drive us apart.
I spent many years working with students in high school theatre, the goal, of course, is to put on a good production. Many students would prefer to skip right from audition to performance but it’s the rehearsal process that hopefully teaches them skills and develops their abilities to portray their characters convincingly. During rehearsals– the in between— Friendships and trust often develop along the way. The in between colors, not only the resulting performance but potentially the rest of their lives.
I’ve worked so much on the the technical end of productions, my in between was consumed with many hours building and painting scenery and sometimes unexpectedly, building some important friendships. You learn a lot about a person working with them side by side. There’s often a lot of laughter, stories and maybe a few tears mixed in with all those hours of hard work. In the long run, the by product of the experience can be more valuable than the impact of the performance itself. There are in between moments I remember now, quite vividly, for productions that are all but gone from my memory.
I’ve found, especially when I’m feeling stressed, how important a quiet moment of reflection can be. Stopping what you’re doing, taking a breath and taking a look around can be very cathartic. It is surprising how different everything can look in a simple, quiet moment. It’s often brought me a calming peace and sometimes a pure moment of clarity.
An unimportant, simple moment— in between— can suddenly seem like the most important moment of all.
I moved my computer out to the table on the front porch while I was writing this. Cash just came up on the porch after barking at a passing dog and his owner and has now settled down. He is laying with his head resting on his paws, eyes closed, on the welcome mat.
He’s sleeping now.
There’s a light breeze and birds are chirping noisily in the background. A relatively unimportant moment— but a moment that feels so precious and alive.
Don’t miss those moments. Those moments in between.
Embrace them, cherish them… and don’t let the rush to Point B blind you to what is really important…
This moment.
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.
PEEPSHOW: A Photo Essay
Like them or not, PEEPS are a pop culture icon.
Can you really think of Easter candy without them popping in your head?
PEEPS have been around since the 1920s when they were hand formed, later (1953) to be mass produced by machine as we still know them today. Here’s a little photo fun to enjoy this Easter holiday.
NOTE: No PEEPS were harmed or unethically treated during this photo shoot.
Although, they were eaten afterwards.
If I Only Had A Peep
To Peep Or Not To Peep
Acoustical Peep
Enchanting Peeps
Me and My Shadow
Am I Supposed to Juggle These?
Are You My Mother?
Twin Peeps
A Peeps’ Gotta Eat
They’re Hatching!
Happy Peepster!
The GMO Skinny: What You Need to Know about GMO: Genetically Modified Foods
You’re already eating them and most people don’t know it. Some of the food on your table has been altered to produce toxins— toxins that are entering your body. It’s not on the label and it may not be safe.
GM or GMO foods (Genetically Modified Organisms) are now making their way to grocery shelves, in restaurants and into your home. The biggest concern for consumers should be the results of studies showing the adverse affects of GM foods on the digestive system, liver, kidneys, and reproductive organs of the animals tested. They have also been linked to premature aging. The studies show the consumption of certain GM foods have caused allergic reactions to other normally non-allergenic foods that didn’t previously exist.
What are GMOs?
To put it in the simplest terms, GMOs are plants and animals that are genetically altered by inserting or splicing the genes of different species with the goal of a specific result. For example, combining the genes of a fish and a potato. Scientists are crossing species barriers set up by nature. They are creating hybrids that would be impossible to occur naturally. It’s also known as Genetic Engineering.
Why GMOs?
The official reasoning behind genetic modification is to produce crops that offer improved yields, enhanced nutritional value, tastes better, have a longer shelf life, and are resistance to drought, frost, or insect pests.
Unfortunately, to date, there is no proof of any increases in the quality of GM foods either in yields, taste or nutritional values over Non-GMO foods. Modified GMO crops that have increased primary pest tolerance, start to be attack more readily by secondary pests, requiring further engineering and genetic modification. Herbicide tolerance in GMOs, allows and encourages the higher usage of chemical herbicides on food crops to kill weeds, increasing their overall toxicity. The most common used herbicide is Monsanto’s Round Up.
The genetic engineering of plants often requires the alteration of more than one single trait, when that trait fails to completely fulfill its intended purpose or when multiple results are desired. Stacked traits in one particular GM corn hybrid has eight GM traits to alter insect resistance and herbicide tolerance.
GMOs are rapidly changing the natural balance of our ecosystem, causing a chain-reaction effect that cannot be reversed. The environmental effects of these changes may not be felt immediately but will take years to accurately measure and understand. Geneti modification cannot be undone. To better understand this, look at the serious long term affects the Japanese Beetle and West Nile virus are creating after being artificially introduced into other parts of the world other than their origin. They affect all elements of the environment (i.e. plants, animals, humans) directly, as well as the effects caused by the use of new chemicals introduced into the ecosystem in an attempt to combat them.
The genetic engineering of plants often requires the alteration of more than one single trait, if that trait fails to completely fulfill its intended purpose or when multiple results are desired. Stacked traits in one particular GM corn hybrid has eight GM traits to alter insect resistance and herbicide tolerance.
“Most studies with GM foods indicate that they may cause hepatic, pancreatic, renal, and reproductive effects and may alter haematological [blood], biochemical, and immunologic parameters, the significance of which remains to be solved with chronic toxicity studies.” – Dona A, Arvanitoyannis IS. Health risks of genetically modified foods. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2009; 49: 164–1751
– Dona A, Arvanitoyannis IS. Health risks of genetically modified foods. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2009; 49: 164–1751 – See more at: http://earthopensource.org/index.php/3-health-hazards-of-gm-foods/3-1-myth-gm-foods-are-safe-to-eat#sthash.Du1Kv9fg.dpuf
“Most studies with GM foods indicate that they may cause hepatic, pancreatic, renal, and reproductive effects and may alter haematological [blood], biochemical, and immunologic parameters, the significance of which remains to be solved with chronic toxicity studies.”
– Dona A, Arvanitoyannis IS. Health risks of genetically modified foods. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2009; 49: 164–1751 – See more at: http://earthopensource.org/index.php/3-health-hazards-of-gm-foods/3-1-myth-gm-foods-are-safe-to-eat#sthash.Du1Kv9fg.dpuf“Most studies with GM foods indicate that they may cause hepatic, pancreatic, renal, and reproductive effects and may alter haematological [blood], biochemical, and immunologic parameters, the significance of which remains to be solved with chronic toxicity studies.”
– Dona A, Arvanitoyannis IS. Health risks of genetically modified foods. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2009; 49: 164–1751 – See more at: http://earthopensource.org/index.php/3-health-hazards-of-gm-foods/3-1-myth-gm-foods-are-safe-to-eat#sthash.Du1Kv9fg.dpuf
GMO labeling is not regulated or required in the United States. Legislation to require labeling is being fought by the major corporations that use GM ingredients in their products. Currently, 60 countries around the world, including the European Union, have very strict laws regarding GMOs, if not completely banned altogether. You can see a list of countries and what is banned: here.
The genetic modification of animals foods is best explained by the wide usage of antibiotics, growth hormones and outright genetic engineering; in addition to GMO feed used in animal production.
Currently, the largest commercialized GM crops in the U.S. include: soy (94%), cotton (90%), canola (90%), sugar beets (95%), and corn (88%). This has resulted in GM ingredients invading 80% of our prepared foods.
The production and human consumption of GM foods is still in its infancy. Very few studies have been done to even begin measuring the effects it has on people and the environment. The limited studies performed on animals show potentially dangerous and life-threatening consequences.
For More Information:
I highly recommend you download the full GMO Myths and Truths PDF file and read it carefully.
Here’s a detailed list of GMO Health Risks.
Here’s another link: Former Pro-GMO Scientist Speaks Out On The Real Dangers of Genetically Engineered Food.
You can find and download a list of vertified Non GMO Product here.
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