Live Theatre It's sad to think of all the closed theatres in the country. In May, I read that our own Alley Theatre in Houston, laid off about 100 staff members and cut its budget by 7 million. It's mid July and things have only gotten worse. Hamilton Back in April, I figured Broadway and other regional theaters would open again by summer. Seems like everyone (but me) had tickets to see the touring production of Hamilton. Those shows have obviously been cancelled, but something nice happened. Recently, it became possible to watch Hamilton from our very own couch. Ordinarily, that would sound like a lousy way to experience the award-winning musical. But, right along with about a zillion people, Don and I signed up for "Disney Plus", so we could stream the recorded play (with original cast!) at home. Comic Relief We turned off all the lights and turned the sound way up. It actually felt like we were looking up at a real stage... except that I was wearing pajama pants. I found myself grinning as I absorbed the incredible music. The rhythm and energy kept me totally delighted. No nodding off for me. I was on the edge of my... couch. In fact it was hard to sit still. If I'd been a kid, I would have gotten up and danced along. Although, thinking back to watching plays as a kid... I was pretty good at sitting still. I learned very young how to be reserved in my theatre seat. No foot tapping. Not whispering. It actually felt really nice to watch this production and squirm and sway and tap and laugh. And man, it felt so good to howl with laughter, at King George lll ! What comic relief! Mix of Joy and Grief This production was filmed about 4 years ago. No one knew then, how many people would experience Hamilton for the first time, on their TVs, during a pandemic. Feeling all the emotions of the play, was just what the doctor ordered. For most of us, these past months have been filled with big ups and downs. It was such an escape to watch the uplifting choreography and to hear the talented voices. But it also felt good to absorb the grief and despair, in some of the wrenching scenes. We need to just feel, sometimes! Catharsis I learned about catharsis, when studying Greek plays in high school. I understand a lot more about the power of catharsis today. I was 7, when my sister and I played roles in a production of Oedipus Rex. It was quite an introduction to the emotions of Greek Tragedy. I didn't know the word catharsis then, but I knew I was supposed to cry. My dad directed the play and I remember him trying to explain the story. This is how I remember it. Our mother was a queen and she killed herself. Our father (Oedipus) was so upset that he just stabbed out his eyes in grief. I don't think I ever asked why our father (Oedipus) had black skin and my sister and I didn't. Funny, because that was probably a really big deal in 1964.
So I've rambled on this blog post long enough. I'll just say, I enjoyed the catharsis of Hamilton. I enjoyed the fun of being reminded of my childhood theatre memories. Strange that I will always associate Hamilton, with this pandemic period.
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BP in the Morning I'm one of those people who has to keep an eye on blood pressure. I do a few things to keep it under control, without meds. Lately, I've been sort of bad about checking my BP. But I this morning, before I had a sip of coffee, I got out my little Omron and crossed my fingers for decent numbers. Well, that wasn't wise of me. The news was on and the president was looking into my personal space, from the big TV screen! Good Morning Dr. Fauci Hmmm? I took my BP again, just a couple minutes later. Dr. Fauci was on, wearing his mask. I guess that comforted me. I dropped from 130/81 to 112/72.
What does this tell me? Too Connected I need to put my cell phone out of reach. When I just take a peek, I see things like this. I don't like this little update about my county. No Texts Either So I'm staying away from social media and news apps. But then I got this little alert, as a text. I wasn't searching for this! My son Scott, also got this alert on his phone in Sacramento. He's got his own issues in California, but he's still getting alerts from TX.
I'm feeling kind of like I did back in March, when the world suddenly felt mysterious and eerie. Back then, we had so many questions and no clues about the future. This is getting old. What's This? This made me smile. Everyone gets it. Disney World? But I actually think a Coronacoaster might the new name of any of the rides in Disney World. The gigantic Florida theme park reopened this past weekend. I admit, there's a tiny part of me that is a little jealous of the people who are hitting the theme park and enjoying small crowds. But then I picture the rides, with the wind whipping masks off faces and squealing riders, splattering the virus.
I'm glad I'm not there. Masked President! This morning, I sat down to watch CBS Sunday Morning. It's been an enjoyable Sunday routine, for months. But before I eased into the show, I spotted this on TV. I grabbed my phone and took a crooked photo of this historic moment. For the first time, President Trump allowed himself to be seen in public wearing a mask. He has refused for months and suddenly he surprised us with his new look. I so wish I could actually hear the true and honest answer, if I were to ask. "Why Mr. President, have you now decided to wear a mask?" Kind of Late I wish Trump had worn a mask months earlier. He could have modeled a little cautious and courteous behavior and helped others catch on. Our numbers might have been lower in Texas, if more people had been taking this pandemic seriously. It's nauseating to stop and think of how many people have been following Trump's lead. National Numbers It seems like just yesterday, we passed 100,000 fatalities. Where is this really going? Local Issues We first worried most for people in China, than Italy, then New York. Now the it's all so close. And this is what's happening in Houston. We live just miles away, in Fort Bend County, where hospitals are at pre-surge levels. We are averaging about 1,000 covid tests per day, with a positivity rate of about 10%. Our hospitals are intertwined with Houston's. I'm staying home. I watched Sunday Morning. The show didn't exactly ignore the pandemic. But it was a nice break from the news. 100 Degrees It's that time of year when Don and I often try to get out of Texas. It's not exactly a safe time to head off on vacation, but we did get away from the Sugar Land. Yesterday we headed to our cabin and enjoyed the scenery for a few hours in the car. It was quite a bit hotter, in Sunrise Beach. Sometimes I complain about the extra chores that come with owning this cabin. But the jobs are totally different, than our house chores. It was nice to have a change in routine. I battled some cobwebs and dust. Don had some "fun" with the mower and weed-eater. It felt good to do "chores". Hummingbirds and Flowers In the early morning, we went on a walk and I spotted 9 little fawns, along on our route. When we got back, I put up the hummingbird feeder and stuck a flowering branch into a jar of water. That was actually a lot of entertainment. I moved the jar from place to place and snapped photos. I thought about painting the rusty table. Next time. Evening The second evening, we were determined to sit outside. The air was still, but we iced down a couple of bandanas, in "Florida Water" and sat on the deck. We brought the ukuleles out and I didn't have to worry about embarrassing myself with my sloppy playing. There were no people around to laugh at us. We saw no one. Even the lake below, was quiet.
We played for the hummingbirds! Gas Time In the past 10 years, Don and I have stopped about a million times at Weikel's, for gas and coffee. It's on TX 71, about halfway to our cabin. Pumping gas is pretty low risk, on the covid safety list, but using the rest room is more worrisome. Today, we stopped for gas and restroom. There's no one in this photo, but I watched many. It was very entertaining. This is not an area where you expect to see everyone wearing masks, but they are now required in Texas! Big Signs There were huge signs outside of both entrances. I was thrilled! Before I headed inside, I watched a few unmasked characters heading towards the building. I watched a blond woman, with shorty shorts and a sparkly tank top, strut up to the sign. She paused and then fooled me, by digging in her purse for her mask. I saw a man exit his dusty truck and clomp over to the entrance. He turned around and headed back to his truck. I thought he was going to leave, but he reached for where a paper mask and returned to the store.
It was my turn. Once inside, I grinned behind my mask. It felt so good to see every single customer and employee, wearing a mask! The place was clean and orderly and every face was covered. I don't plan to start shopping and dining out and socializing like crazy, but this just made the world look more possible! We can all just do this. We don't have to make a mask decision. We don't have to worry about anyone judging us, because we all "have to". I am so happy. At least for now. July Birthdays I was the first in our family to have a pandemic birthday, in April. At that time, I really didn't think we'd all be hunkering down at home for the next family birthdays... in July. In the first week of July, we had 3 birthdays. I kept thinking about when our family of 6 last gathered. It was October, in Sacramento. We put on tiny party hats and celebrated Heidi and Don's birthdays. Two days ago, we Zoomed and sang for Jamie, Scott and Chali's birthdays. It was wasn't quite the same as celebrating in person, but it was fun. Together! We have all been missing each other so much. Coronavirus is not going away quickly and none of us will be flying anywhere, soon. So, we stay connected with Zooms and texts. I love this text, sent by my son in law! Six cell phones suddenly jumped in on an amusing text thread. We were all having fun with the fantasy of escaping the pandemic. We could safely share this double house in Oregon! Our texting was a fun escape on a quiet afternoon. How About California? A few days later, Scott sent this text. Suddenly we were imagining our group living on 10 wooded acres, in California. Again the texts were flying. We teased about coming up with a name for our family compound. We were being playful, but you could tell the pondering was half serious. None of us anticipated the pandemic when both couples moved west, 2+ years ago.
I doubt we will all ever live in the same home. But I absolutely love knowing that my kids and their spouses have fun fantasizing about it, even for a moment. Miss these guys! Communicating While Wearing Masks I'm all for wearing masks! I'm glad Texas is requiring them. But it's harder to communicate. I find myself talking louder and using my hands more. I try harder to smile, but I'm not always sure my eyes are cooperating. It's exhausting. It's really hard if you're trying to talk to someone with a mask AND sunglasses. Why would anyone want to talk to someone who looks as unfriendly as this guy? Phone Communication I talk with my dad on the phone daily. He talks on his landline. Since he doesn't have a smartphone, we talk and listen, without seeing each other. I'm used to communicating without seeing his face. But it made me sad when we talked yesterday. He had just returned from his first real outing in 4 months. His check up went well, but he was frustrated when he saw his doctor in a mask. Dad was wearing his mask and he certainly knows the importance. But he said he couldn't recognize him and it was hard to hear his voice. I told him I understood. We compared our recent outings, with masks.
I told Dad that I had gone to the polls to vote. I described my encounter with a poll volunteer, who had tried to lighten the event with her humor. "I couldn't hear her well, so I asked her to repeat. I couldn't read her face, to tell if she was being funny. It was just plain awkward! I just wanted to vote and get out of there." I told Dad that he's had more practice talking to people in masks, than me. For 4 months, his meals have been delivered to his room at his assisted living facility, by masked staff. Dad told me he doesn't really talk to the staff much. He just says thanks. I told him that was crazy. He needs to enjoy these little moments each day, with others. After I questioned him more, it became more clear. He's just not comfortable conversing with someone, when he can't see the face or hear the voice. I get it. So that makes me sad. But I'm glad to to remind myself that my dad has pretty darn good hearing at age 91. And thank goodness, he like the phone! Dad in the World I was thrilled today, to learn that Dad's first official outing to the doctor was a success. I was also happy that he had a visit with his brother. After almost 4 months of being confined to his assisted living apartment, this was a big day. My uncle texted this photo. Dad's eyes are closed, but I thought he looked pretty snazzy with his quarantine beard and longer hair. He looks like a professor (which he is) or a writer. My cousin and uncle are pushing for a trip to the barber. I'm like a fretting parent. I'm not sure I'm ready for Dad to get out and be exposed! But I also feel like Dad should be able to make a decision! He's been cooped up for months. He hasn't been able to decide anything about his life for a long time. If he's feeling like he's ready to mask up for a haircut and his facility okays that, then I'll agree. But if Dad is enjoying his scholarly appearance and he's content staying away from salons, then I hope he can make that choice. |
Not-So-Happy List
Cancer, Covid & Coronary... I started this complaining list/blog, in May 2016. I posted 200 gripes about my breast CANCER and then I was done. On March 13, 2020, I started venting all over again, when another disease (starting with a C) interfered with my life. This time it was the invasion of COVID and it affected every person. I ranted for a year, until I got my COVID vaccine in March 2021. CORONARY Artery Disease was the reason I restarted this blog on September 26, 2021. This time it was my hubby Don, who was dealing with a worry that started with the letter "C". Coronavirus and Cancer, Coronary Artery Disease! All are evil, but none can totally get me down... if I vent! I usually end up feeling a little more positive at the end of each post! Navigating This Mess! The most recent post is at the top, from coronary posts in 2022, back to cancer posts in 2016. To find past posts, look below the "Archives" section, to find "Categories". Archives
January 2022
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