The Resolution.

We have a peculiar tradition in this country. We make New Year's Resolutions. The practice has apparently been around since Roman times in one form or another. We mark the end of one year and look forward to the next. (January is named for Janus, the two-faced god who looks both to the past and to the future.) I find it peculiar because it is a practice that so many of us follow and so few of us keep longer than a month or two, if that. The trivial nature of our resolutions may have much to do with this.

We collectively and individually resolve to lose weight, exercise more, eat less (and in this country, those are near vital resolutions.) We promise to quit smoking or to drink less. We resolve to start each day with a smile or to make up the bed or to keep the house cleaner. We will mow the lawn more frequently or paint the house or learn the piano or a foreign language. We will work harder at school or read more...
These promises are all well and good. I wonder why we need the New Year to add weight to what is essentially self-improvement.

I am all for self-improvement. I just think that it is the daily promise we should make to ourselves. "Hmm. Didn't do so well with that today. Tomorrow I'll do better."

The word itself is peculiar. Resolution. In the tradition of New Year's it is a promise, vow or oath. In another context it can mean the end of an incident or the wrapping up of details... The end of the story, if you will, much like a denouement. Resolution can signify that now it is time to move on.

Back to New Year. Certainly New Year's eve is the end of something... this year the end of some very difficult and tragic times. We come to the close of the year. The resolution of 2012. Perhaps resolution should involve looking back collectively at 2012; at a year that offered up some of the most heart-breaking, harrowing and horrible incidents in this country's history. Perhaps by looking back with thoughtfulness and regret we can then resolve to help each other, look to what our neighbors need and take those important steps together towards a more positive future.

Let us look back so we can look forward with hope and unity and love. Maybe if we promise to each other we will find our resolution to be that much stronger and last that much longer.

Peace.
m.

Have Yourself A Merry...

My sister used to sing,
"Christmas is coming.
The goose is getting fat.
Please put a penny in the old man's hat.
If you haven't got a penny, a ha'penny will do.
If you haven't got a ha'penny, then God bless you."

When we were quite young this song made us laugh and laugh. We finally figured out that a ha'penny is half a penny. That in and of itself was pretty funny. We imagined someone cutting a penny in half!
Why would a goose be getting fat? Oh... some people must eat goose! "Ew" we thought. And how could you eat a goose you knew? The "old man" conjured up pictures of someone like Aqua-lung. ("Snot running down his nose...") We would never give that guy a penny! We'd run away! All in all the song made little sense to us, but it was fun to sing!

I find myself singing the song lately. I ponder, "Christmas is coming. It is illegal in California to fatten a goose on purpose. No more fois gras here. Am I to assume all old men need a penny? Most old men I know are doing quite well in their retirement. I certainly don't have a ha'penny. Well, maybe I do. I'll have to look through my old coins from my trip to Europe when I was 15. Don't know why God would care whether I had a ha'penny or not though..." Silliness! The workings of my brain.

As Christmas approaches I find myself thinking about choices I've made in the past year and choices I've made in my life that have brought me to this point. It is easy to sink into a profound depression regretting decisions made by one's younger self. Did I turn my back on opportunities that could have led me down a different path? I'm sure I did. I'm sure I could have made more money, been more famous... whatever. But then, I have to stop and really look at where I am. It is true that times have been difficult, not only for us, but all over. My under-employment has as much to do with the economic realities of the times as it does with the choices I've made.

And what about those choices? I decided to stay in California, in part, to be close to my mother who was very ill the last ten years of her life. Now I try to stay and work in California because my dad is older and I want to spend as much time with him as I can before I lose him too. California is an easier place for my husband to manage. He can't travel much anymore. Frankly, I prefer the weather here. I like owning and driving my own car. I like how big the outdoors are and I love my plenty big house.

So... attitude adjustment. I found a poinsettia for $2.99 at Trader Joe's. It is beautiful. I've decorated my house with all the ornaments and lights I've had for years. Long ago we bought an artificial tree and it suits me just fine. I'm not allergic to it. The house looks good. I'm baking my grandmother's cookies that only I know how to make and making that the gift I give my family. I am again cooking for most of my family for Christmas brunch, up at my dad's house. This fills my dad with joy! And it is fairly easy.
I have the most wonderful loving husband who takes care of me better than I could have ever hoped when I was that young girl laughing over the lyrics to an English Christmas song. The view out my back window right now of the local mountains swathed in clouds, the rainy day, my husband plucking on the guitar, the glass of cheap chablis I'm drinking all delight the hell out of me. I am lucky and, son-of-a-bitch, I am happy.

I know what a difficult time this can be for some people. My heart goes out. One has to find one's own way out of that miasma of despondency and melancholia that cripples some and brings others so much grief. I have found my way back up and out again. It is the little things we can sometime look to. Family, friends and home. Thank goodness.

I celebrate Christmas, so Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays to everyone who doesn't celebrate Christmas. Happy end of another (insert your own adjective) year. Next stop, 2013. Bring it on!

xo

The Luxury Of Art.

We have been inundated lately with the "loop holes" congress is considering to balance the budget. Gosh, I hope one of them is not my mortgage interest. Then I think... well, maybe they will eliminate the deduction on healthcare. Geeze... that is a large part of our income... hmmm, charitable deductions? Employee business expense? No one is offering any specifics except when it comes to the Arts.

Yes! Let's get rid of the pittance we give to theatre and independent film and dance and music. Let us abolish that! Those (very few) dollars will make up the deficit. Assholes.

Every major country supports the arts. Except this one. Why? Well, most people (except in this country) understand that The Arts is who we are. Not us. No, no no. Not us. We seem to honestly think that if people can have a roof.. and I mean a simple tarp... some food.. and I mean what you can buy with food stamps.. we'll be okay. Some Republicans think supplying that is too much. How then are we to make a case for ART?

Well. I don't think we should offer a piece of theatre when a population is literally starving. I think we need to find a way to feed them first. I think we need to offer more than a tarp as a home. Yes! I get that. But after that then, what?

Why do we live? It is the greater question. One could offer religion though I find that argument specious at best. Art does something else nothing else does. It offers a reason for this existence.

I am a theatre artist. I am proud of it. I teach art. I practice art. I help create art.

I can't imagine living such a mean life without a song or a painting or a poem or a play. Art gives meaning to our existence and more than that exemplifies our hopes and dreams.

Without art we are nothing but apes living in cities instead of trees.

Art mirrors us, teaches us, restores us, entertains us, reflects us and ultimately defines who we are.

K. Have to move on to the monetary issue. The small amount of money we get from the government allows us to reach and teach students of all ages. That small bit of money from the NEA allows us to develop new work that can change someone's mind. That bit of money enables theatre companies all over the country to employ hundreds of workers and artists and stagehands and publicists and stage managers and actors and ... All who will pay taxes on this income.

It is just the that very tiny push of Federal Money that makes the difference.

We need this. Art defines us. Art describes us. Art informs us. Art changes the way we look at the world. Art brings us joy and sorrow.  Art is who we are. Without Art we might as well be apes looking out for the next fruit filled tree.

And... We are better than that.
xo

Truth And Fiction.

When I was very little my older brother told me that when you die your earlobes keep growing. I expressed a four year old's disbelief until he told me that when "they open up people's coffins, they find the earlobes have grown down to the feet." The image has stayed with me all my life. I believed this until I was about six or so when I realized it couldn't possibly be true. How could I have believed in the first place? Well, I was four and I adored my brother and trusted him. The extra detail of the visual image helped make it seem real to me.

As we grow older we develop an ability to see through such nonsense. We've learned enough in school and through experience to recognize misleading statements and falsehoods. Or, one would think.

Lately I have noticed a lot of misinformation and outright lies that are disseminated and believed. Am I to understand that some of us have lost the childhood filter of "nyah-uh"? Apparently!

I will give you a few examples.

1. Some people seem to believe anything posted on Facebook. Really. Lately a rumor has been posted by more than a few of my friends. "In response to the new Facebook guidelines I hereby declare that my copyright is attached to all of my personal details, illustrations, graphics, comics, paintings, photos and videos, etc. (as a result of the Berner Convention). For commercial use of the above my written consent is needed at all times!" The post continues for quite a few paragraphs including scare tactics about how you, the user, have completely given up your privacy. This is a hoax and completely false. I spent much of the last two days explaining this to my more gullible friends. How did I discover the truth? I went to google and asked. In seconds I was reading snopes.com telling me not only was the story false but that it has been around for a couple of years. Even if it were true, I discovered, the post itself does not protect the facebook user who had to agree to terms and conditions when he/she signed up.

2. I recently read an article in The Onion designating the North Korean dictator, Kim Jong-un "the sexiest man alive." It was very funny. The next day, China's online newspaper The People's Daily reported the story as true and published a 55 page picture spread of the dictator. Guess they don't know The Onion is satire.

3. Fox News... need I say more? The number of people in this country who get all their news from this mouth-piece of the far right is disheartening to say the least.

The truth of any statement or claim is fairly easy to verify these days. snopes.com is a terrific site that debunks urban legends. FactCheck.org does a great job checking claims made by politicians. Common sense will take care of the rest. So, why do so many people seem to fall for hoaxes, rumors and outright untruths? Well, I think some people are like my four-year-old self. They trust the source and so don't question veracity. (My friend wouldn't post something untrue!) Others may be initially suspicious but when given greater detail are happy to believe. (I used to exaggerate saying, "I saw that movie 14 times!" or "I've tried to reach you 14 times! Where were you?" I used "14" because it sounded more believable than "a million.") My father (who makes things up all the time) used to tell me, "If you say something with authority, people will believe you!" He is right. People will believe if the speaker seems completely confident and clear and offers detail.

Other folk fall into a different category. They believe because they want to. Perhaps a pundit is speaking to a particular group of people who are looking for a reason to discredit the president. Perhaps these folk don't want to be identified as racist. Ah, well then..."Maybe this president is illegitimate because he was born in Kenya! Yeah! Let's go with that!"

Then there are those who will believe anything repeated again and again. The more some individuals hear an untruth the more it seeps into their brains and becomes "true."

Satire reveals truth, as do parables. Yet many people will take satirical pieces and stories as gospel. =).

I have no conclusion to this line of thought. I find the phenomenon troubling. It takes so little effort to discover the veracity of any claim. One just needs to suspend belief a bit and check.

Mary's Vegetable Stew. A Recipe In 26 Easy Steps.

I spent the day making vegetable stew for my dad. It is summer and it is hot, too hot really to have a stew pot on the stove for hours and hours. Well, he asked me for it and he is 87 and I'm leaving soon for 7 weeks and it freezes well. (No fat.) So... my house got a little warm today.

I've been asked for the recipe. I will try. I cook mostly to taste, and to my dependence on available fresh vegetables so this recipe will follow that particular formula.

You will need a dutch oven. If you don't know what a dutch oven is, it is simply just a very large pot. The biggest and deepest you have. With a lid!

A note: The only "not fresh" ingredients are two cans of tomatoes and some vegetable stock. Do not buy stewed tomatoes. Do not buy any other kind of flavored canned tomatoes. Use one can of whole peeled tomatoes and one can of petite diced tomatoes. The vegetable stock I use is "O Organics" organic vegetable stock. The rest of the ingredients are fresh.

I will list the ingredients below. Until then, bear with me!

1. Peel a large russet potato and cut it into small pieces. Eights or tenths depending on the size. You'll see  why later. Put the potato pieces in the dutch oven.

2. Open one can of 14.5 - 15 oz. whole peeled tomatoes and one can of 14.5 - 15 oz. petite diced tomatoes. (Both are readily available at Von's.) Pour the cans over the potatoes.

3. Cut up a normal sized red onion. Add it to the pot.

4. Use a garlic press and press two large garlic cloves into the pot. If your cloves are smallish, use more.

5. Add 9 small bay leaves or 6 large bay leaves.

6. Add a dash of allspice.

7. Add a teaspoon of sugar. (This is important. The mixture is too acidic otherwise.)

8. Add a tablespoon of salt. (I use sea salt.) If you don't use salt just toss a couple of dashes in. (My dad loves salt and this recipe is for him. Personally I cook with little or no salt.)

9. Add a half teaspoon of paprika.

10. Add a half teaspoon of ground black pepper.

11. Add up to a tablespoon of lemon juice.

12. Add 2 teaspoons of Lee and Perrins Worcester Sauce. Use the real thing. It makes a difference.

13. Cut up 4-6 tomatoes. I use a combination of Roma tomatoes and whatever expensive locally grown farmer's market tomatoes I can find. Add them to the pot. If they are small, use more. If they are large, use less.

14. Add 1 cup of vegetable stock. (More or less.) I like the "O Organics" because it is so thick.

15. Add 1/2 cup of water. (More or less. It depends on how much liquid the tomatoes provided. You are going to be cooking a lot of vegetables in this but this is NOT soup. Don't add too much. You want this dish to be thick. You can always add more liquid later. (And I do.)  If you add too much don't worry, you can reduce it later.)

16. Stir.

17. Turn the heat to medium-high. Let the entire mixture get to a boil.

18. Lower the heat, cover and simmer up to an hour. Help the potato pieces along. Squash them with a fork. You want them to blend in with the broth and more or less disappear.

19. Wash and cut in half or quarters (depending on the size) 8-12 smallish red potatoes. You do not need to peel them. Just clean them. Cut off the ugly parts. If they are small cut them in half or just throw them in the pot. If they are large, cut them into manageable pieces. I don't know... an inch and a half? 2 inches? Larger? What size do you want your potatoes in stew? Your choice! The larger the pieces the longer you will have to cook them.

20. Add some chopped celery leaves. Add 1 pealed and cut up carrot.

21. After 20-30 minutes check the potatoes with a fork. If you can push through check the consistency of the broth. If it seems thin, add a couple of smaller cut up potato pieces. The starch will add thickness. Resist the urge to taste now. You will think you've over - seasoned if you do.

22. After the potatoes are near done...(you can easily get a fork through) add 1 pound of pealed cut up carrots. I usually add 1 pound plus one carrot. I don't know why. The carrots add a lovely sweetness to the stew.  Take the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to low and simmer 10 min. Check the flavor now. (Cover if you want it to cook faster. Don't if the broth looks too thin.)

22. This is when I will add more Worchester Sauce and more garlic. (Usually just a teaspoon or two more of the Worchester Sauce... and usually garlic powder.)  But be careful. I will also add a couple of turns from the pepper grinder.

23. Clean 18-20 pearl onions. Slice the larger ones in half. Add to the mixture. (Sometimes - like now - pearl onions are out of season. Use white onions. NOT YELLOW. Cut one large sized onion into pieces approximating the size of pearl onions.)

24. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to simmer. Simmer 10 minutes.

25. Clean and cut up... geeze, I don't know... 6 - 10 stalks of celery. About 2 cups. Use the leaves. Dice the leaves. They have GREAT flavor. Add to the mixture. Celery will completely change the taste of the stew.

26. Celery is tricky. It cooks really fast. I will again bring the mixture to a boil and reduce the heat to a simmer.. checking the celery. I don't want it to loose too much color. Just before it gets soft take the stew off the heat. Cover and let it sit for a bit. The celery will continue cooking.

I haven't talked much about covering the stew. Well. If your potatoes are taking too long to cook, cover and simmer. The same is true for all the vegetables. If you've added too much liquid, alternate and simmer without the lid to reduce.

You are now ready to serve. This recipe should feed 6 people. There is no fat in the stew. There is no animal meat and I promise it will taste fresher than stew made with meat. (I've made this vegetable stew side by side with the beef stew and the beef stew tasted a little "game" next to the vegetable. It was a revelation.)

If you want to freeze the stew let it cool first. (This can take several hours.)  I portion it out into those small plastic containers for my dad. At the dollar store you can buy 2 individual plastic containers for a dollar. I just filled 7. I put them in the freezer tonight and will label them tomorrow and put them in my dad's freezer. Again, the food has no fat, so it is not in great danger of spoiling. I know the food is safe for at least 3 months, though Dad has eaten it all well before then.

The stew is loosely based on a recipe in an old Betty Crocker Cook Book. (Brown Stew.) A great cookbook, by the way. I have made a number of changes. The Worchester Sauce was from the cookbook. The increased amount is mine. I think it makes all the difference. I believe this stew is different enough to be called a new recipe. But feel free to compare.

I created this recipe because my dad has developed gout and no one seemed able to help him find foods he liked that did not aggravate the condition. This dish has worked out well for him, though one of the ingredients in the vegetable stock is mushrooms. Mushrooms are not recommended for patients with gout. (I think the amount is so small that it makes no never mind. However.. everyone has a different body chemistry. The stew would work just as well without the vegetable stock. Use water instead.)

Well. I've never written out one of my own recipes in such detail before. I hope it was clear and that your result pleases you as much as it pleases my father!

(Write me with any questions.)

Love!
m.

Ingredients:
1 can 14.5oz - 15oz Whole Peeled Tomatoes.
1 can 14.5oz - 15oz Petite Diced Tomatoes. (You can use plain old diced tomatoes)
Vegetable Stock
1 medium sized red onion
6 - 10 tomatoes
2 or more cloves of garlic and garlic powder
5-10 bay leaves
1 russet potato
8 - 10 red potatoes (or more)
6 or more tomatoes
Dash of Allspice
Salt
Pepper and Ground Pepper
Paprika
1 pound of carrots
Bunch of celery
20 pearl onions (or 1 large white onion)
Worchester Sauce
Lemon Juice
Sugar
Water

I think that is it. I love this stew. I hope you will too.
xo

The 4th Of July.

Happy 4th. An Englishman once asked me what we called the 4th of July. Hmm. What do you think I said? He challenged me. "Isn't is called Independence Day?" I said, "Yes, but we call it "The 4th of July." He was chagrined. Still makes me laugh. (Some of you can guess who this particular Englishman is...)

This holiday belongs to us all. Just like Thanksgiving. The entire country stops (some of us for a small moment) and recognize what we all have in common. We applaud our independence and we are thankful for it. Jew, Muslim, Christian, Catholic, Mormon, Buddhist, Atheist, Druid, Hindu. More, I'm sure! We all in this country celebrate two things together. The 4th of July and Thanksgiving. How wonderful! Whoa! Really! All these people with all these different ideologies and we still have two things and two holidays in common.

Gives me hope.

I take back my flag. I reclaim the flag. Sometimes the stars and stripes seem to have been co-opted by the GOP or the Libertarians. The flag belongs to me too. I too have an investment in what that flag symbolizes. I claim it and dare to display it in the unity that is us all.

Come on! Stop it! We are one country and politics is the art of compromise. Anything else is just masturbation. (Pulling on one's dick.) Let us be a bit more open-minded and listen a minute to what the other side has to say. Let us stop lying to each other. Oh, man.. I'm thinking of John Lennon right now. Imagine.

I don't want to wax on about how ironic it is that the "christians" in this country pay no attention to their own doctrine. I don't want to get into the sad sorry beliefs the tea party has about taxes and mandates that would in fact help their families. I don't even want to talk about how those same people can spend afternoons protesting things they don't really understand. I'm over trying to convince my poor trodden real Republican friends that they are drinking the kool-aid and how easy it is to find out the truth. Why do none of my friends do the simple internet search I do? Frustrating. It is so easy to find the truth and too easy to believe the easy lie. Liars abound. Stop listening to them. Or.. at the very least, do a little research. Please. Here is a little link that will check out all claims: Factcheck.org. They will answer your question about the validity of any claim.  I'm giving you the link.
 http://www.factcheck.org/

My oh my I apologize. These men don't speak for me. I emphatically disagree. http://youtu.be/JaMkwSVRr5g

There is so much good, here. Can we at least agree to grant every one civil rights? Can we do unto one another good instead of screwing them? How much money do you really need, dude? You do know you can't take it with you, don't you? How about leaving a legacy instead?  (Duh.. my money pays for the fire dept. and the road you drive on too.)

We combine. We join together. We don't make money independent of each other. We support each other. We CARE. We help. We make jobs and we donate money, food and clothing. Come on! I don't get the lack of compassion! I honestly don't understand it.

Republicans... I invite you to explain this to me. How can we live in a world with no compassion? How can you call yourselves Christians when you don't help your fellow man? How can you call for less government and then insert yourself into my body? Have you no respect for women? Women Republicans: Have you no respect for yourselves?

The Republican Party has lost its way. Makes me sad. The Democrats are pussies. They don't know how to stand up to the NRA. Really? Yeah... let's all get guns and just shoot each other. Good plan.

ObamaCare, RomneyCare, yeah, whatever. Both plans are just a start. I've spent a lot of time in union negotiations. A start is all we need. We have to change health care in this country. I know first hand.

I'm rambling.. again.

But I'm back, my dear readers. And I have more to say.

xo
m.

It Is Time.

Down to just a few days here in Hartford. I make mistakes. I'm human. (Oh! Gosh! I'm Human! Hate that!)
I want to be perfect. I strive to be perfect. What does one do when one makes mistakes? One accepts responsibility and tries to take it all with a modicum of grace. The past is un-re-doable. That is it. Move on.

Moving on.

4 more shows and I'm home. The shortest performance schedule since we started. (6 shows this week.) The longest week ever. It is all about perception.

I've a cocktail party I need to attend tomorrow night. I'd like to get my nails done tomorrow. Think I will. For those who know me.. my eye is getting better.  (I banged it on the bathroom sink and got a huge black eye.) I need to be in the folds of my home. I need to be wrapped in the goodness of my husband. I need to be enveloped by my California. I miss home so much sometimes it just hurts.

I satisfy my longing for California by investigating prices at Yosemite hotels and Big Sur hotels. I'm always looking for bargains. We'll never go, but the dream keeps me a little more sane. My husband and I will take trips to the local mountains. To the San Gabriels. It will be beautiful. We will spend the day and return home. It always feels like a vacation. No hotels needed.

Work is turning around. Things are looking up. But. I just want to stay home. I need to somehow translate the need for me on the East Coast to the West Coast. Can't quite figure out how to do that. Enormously grateful for the confidence and support and continued employment in the east. Thanks! y'all.
Love working for you! I just would like to spend more time with my family. Yikes! Don't stop hiring me... just accept that I will get a bit homesick at times. Love working for all of you out here so far from home. Love the work.

Love the work!

xoxo
m.

The Hartford Stage.

Again.. I am writing on my IPad. Difficult. My show is wonderful. Highlight "wonderful." we are getting standing ovations every night. Yay!

I am beyond exhausted. Can't wait for rehearsals to end. We open Friday, so.. Not much longer.

The schedule is a bear. Student matinees all the time. But it is just 3 and a half weeks and then I will be home. Ah.. Home.

6 weeks home. Then... I travel to D.C. 7 more weeks away. Alas.

And then it all starts up again. Where is my next job? I am hoping to find work closer to home. But.. We take what we are offered. It is our life. We are gypsies.

Missing my fine husband. Missing our time together. Missing my Dad. Missing my family. Alas. And alas.

I keep saying to myself... "tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow." it helps.

The show is wonderful. I'm happy to be at Hartford Stage. Love the ovations. Missing home.

xo

Strange Dreams.

There I am. And Here I am. I'm in Connecticut. Oh, gosh.. I love typing that. I am doing the Tempest with Darko Tresjnak and the wonderful Sara Topham and the glorious Daniel Davis. The rest of the cast is marvelous... Jonathan Fried, Michael Spencer-Davis, Bruce Turk, David Barlow, Shirine Babb, Christopher Randolph, Joshua Dean, Patrick Riley, and the most wonderful Nobel Shopshire. I have a few extraordinary students.. Ben Cole as Caliban and Alex Saffer as the Boatswain. My cast includes a couple of more students: The wonderful Mark Ford and my beautiful dancers, Jane Cracovaner, Jillian Greenberg and Ananstasia Duffany. I love my most beautiful ladies!

Oh, there is the part of me that has to admit... I lost my last big job because the new artistic director thought I was too proprietary about my company. Can't help it. The company is MY company. I take care of them. They are my charge. I don't know how to do it else.

I had a dream last night. It was very vivid and very real. A dear friend of mine... let's call him Tom, came to visit me. We went with a group-load of people to a restaurant.. oddly an Asian/Russian what-ever you can eat kind of place. I started for the borscht... odd choice for me.. looked around and my friend was gone. Everyone was gone. So, I went home. Apparently I lived with Rosanne and her sister, played by Laurie Metcalf. I got home and Laurie was having a breakdown. A full diva breakdown. I found myself dragging Laurie Metcalf on my shoulders across Rosanne's living room. Okay.. not Rosanne's living room, but the one in Death Becomes Her. I can see the wooden floor and the glorious carpet. Rosanne started yelling at me. Screaming. I dropped Laurie Metcalf to the floor and left. Rosanne's screams echoing in my ears. Weird dream. Took me a while to wake up from that! Oh, and where o where was my friend who left me in an Asian/Russian restaurant with a bowl of Borsht?

So, clearly, I have some issues, my dear readers. I was feeling abandoned.. a bit.. at least in the dream... and ... well I will leave the rest to you.

xo
m.

I Will Miss What I Miss.

In Connecticut.

So cold, then so hot! So humid. My heater worked really well. My air conditioner worked really well... until last night. Oh, my! So hot and so humid and no relief. Impossible to open the window more than about 2 inches. No fans... no nothing. Just very little clothes and zero comfort.

Because it was Friday and maintenance had more to do... my air will get fixed sometime next week! Yikes. I got company management to bring me a couple of fans. At last! Some air flow!

Ah. It is all good here. I am working with some wonderful new people. I am working with some lovely and well-met old friends. I belong in this rehearsal room. It is right.

We are creating a very magical show and everyone is contributing to Darko's vision. We have easy joyful days and are just starting to spend some evenings together. We work hard to imagine and actualize our director's vision. So much fun!

The nights are less long than they were a week ago. I look forward to each new day.

Homesickness: Well, I can tell you it is worse the first 2 weeks. After that, I seem to level off and focus on the job at hand. I talk to my dear husband 3 or 4 times a day. He helps me a lot!

After the first couple of weeks I find I can "stand" it. I hate being alone but I talk to myself so I have some company... After that, I'm so involved in the production that it occupies near every waking thought. This helps! I'm too busy to be homesick. The feeling will come back again after we've teched and I've some time to reflect again. This is the way it always is, whether in town or out of town. I miss what I miss, then I don't. Then I miss what I miss again.

Those of us on the road count weeks. We can't help it. We love the job we are doing. We feel lucky, together. We miss what we miss. We want to go home. We want to stay and play. We love to play. We want to go home.

The job makes us all a bit schizophrenic. We lean on each other and become better friends than we would in some other civilian job. We have to. We are here, alone, together.

We all have a date tomorrow night. We are all going to watch a video at the director's home. I'm going. I'm part of this now. My other world. My wonderful other world. Still missing home.

But it gets better.

And. The Show will be wonderful!

And.. I will miss what I miss. And.. that's okay.

xo

To My Husband. The Daffodils Are Ready to Bloom.

36 years ago today I met my husband. 36 years! A lifetime! And a lifetime filled with joy and support and happiness. He makes me happy.

Who knew when I woke up that morning so long ago I was to find the love of my life. I don't remember the day, how it went. I'm sure I was in class at UCLA. That evening I remember saying to my roommate, " I'm gonna find a boyfriend tonight." I went to a local bar. He picked me up and I picked him up. Oh, gosh! he was SO cute! Beyond the pale. I went home with him. (My roommate was worried and gave me a quarter. You know, for a phone call. The cost of a phone call had recently gone up. We didn't have cell phones all those long years ago.)

I took him to breakfast the next morning along with his best friend Arthur. He got a parking ticket in Westwood he never paid. We have it framed in our office. My roommate told me he'd never call me because I'd paid for breakfast. (Sexism was the norm in 1976.) Well, he did call. We became great friends. We became lovers. We became two people alone who could not live without the other.

I celebrate the man who became my husband in 1994. Yes.. we lived together for near 17 years before we got married. The two of us were uninterested in society's idea of commitment. "We don't need no piece of paper from the city hall keeping us tried and true." But, ultimately, reality sets in and life becomes easier for two people trying to make a life together to be married. We saw that and got married in 1994. We've now been married almost as long as we "lived in sin." LOL

It never mattered to the two of us. We were finally just looking at easier ways of taking care of each other.

My dad was so happy too. Phil was no longer "our friend," he became "my son-in-law" and part of his protected family. So weird what a piece of paper will do. Although I've kept my maiden name, my parents always insisted on calling me Mrs. Hilow. Kinda funny. Kinda cute. Kinda wrong. Though I use it myself when it helps me navigate the health care system.

Feel free to call me Mrs. Hilow. I am. It is fine. I don't care what you call me. But I'm not changing my legal name for anyone. Not even for you, my darling man!

My Eyenee. Happy Anniversary of our very first meeting! I love you! I think the daffodils are ready to bloom! Look at the kitchen table.

xoxo.

Making The Case.

Like many Republicans, I think the government has a little too much to say about how I live my life. Apparently, today, unlike many Republicans, I don't think I should answer or be required to act on a belief system that is not mine.  More and more I see Republicans trying to legislate how I should think. Not only do I resent that. I will battle that.

So, my question is.. When I agree with Republicans.. less government.. why do I find a tenet of contemporary republicanism forcing its way into my body? How do true Republicans support this? There is in fact a separation of Church and State. It is in the constitution. Christian ethics are now supported by nearly everyone in the Republican Party (as far as I can tell) at the expense of the Constitution. I don't understand this. Sorry, but this country is not "Christian." It is an amalgam of many religions and many do not believe in "Christ, the Savior." We have spent generations supporting our Jewish, Muslim, Mormon, Buddhist, Atheistic and Pagan cultures. People in my country are free to worship or not. It is the major tenet of Americanism. We are Americans together. We are not individual churches pushing one agenda over another. We are not.

This is in part why we have laws protecting minorities. The constitution guarantees protection for people who do not quite conform. This is the glory of our country. We will take in all. Or we used to. Or we used to say we would... we would at least try...

Now we seem to be in a battle that was fought long ago. I was part of that battle. At the time the fight  was ultimately about looking at women and respecting them as people. There is a group in the Republican party that want to take away my hard-won rights. I won't stand for it. (By the way, The Equal Rights Amendment has never passed. Women are still second class citizens in this country.)

Something I've not heard anyone say or admit. I will say it. I do believe life starts at conception. So what? Really, so what? That fact does not change the right to control what lives or does not live in my body. The potential child you are so driven to give "person-hood" rights to relies on my body to live. Do I or do I not have control of my own body? Really? I don't? Then I am just a slave to you and you might as well call me nigger. (As John Lennon said, "Woman is the Nigger of the World.")

Back to the Catholic Church. The Church will not baptize an unborn child. I know. I helped bury a child in a secular cemetery...heart-breaking... Because he was born dead the Church wouldn't baptize him. He couldn't be buried in a Catholic cemetery. I watched his father carry the smallest casket I'd ever seen to the cemetery that would take this poor dead baby. The Church won't grant heaven to an unborn child. The Church did not recognize the in utero life of that particular child. Look at that hypocrisy. It hurt the father so much. I will never forgive.

I am not going to give specious arguments about sperm or eggs. I think somehow we have generated the most uncaring generation in many many years.

When will someone finally believe that women are people too and are intelligent enough to make their own decisions? Trust me. Not only do I know my own body better than any religious leader, I am probably exponentially more intelligent.

xo.

Very Peculiar Times.

My neighbor likes to hug me. In grocery stores. K. I'm not a very touchy person and he smells like he hasn't washed his hair today. I don't want to hug him, but he has an insistent type of come-on and it would be rude not to "give him a hug." I do. I like him. I like his wife. I just don't really want to hug him.

A woman I'd never seen before today felt it was her responsibility to compliment the fact that I was walking for exercise and then criticize my footwear. (I Always wear flip-flops.) She said, "Great that you are walking, but you should always wear tennis shoes. Otherwise, your feet will swell up." I informed her that I'd spoken to both my internist and my podiatrist who had looked at my flip-flops and they both said, "Fine." She left a bit chagrined. (Why was this stranger talking to me about my foot-ware anyway?)

A man dressed very much like a clown whom I'd seen before walks up to me and says "Can I have a hug?" I said, "NO." I veered to the other side of the sidewalk.  He walked on.

I guess I need people to stop trying to touch me or criticize my flip-flops. (We used to call them "go-a-heads." Really. )

These are the real subjects the average folk are spending their time thinking about.

By the way. Spring has come too early here in California. We are blooming away and tomorrow and all this weekend. Later... snow is coming. Weird.

We live in very peculiar times, my friends.

xo

See You In September. Or...

Tomorrow is my first free day since Christmas. Ah.

Oh. Yeah. Forgot.. Up next: Taxes.

I have to call Cigna, now that I have the time. (Some of you are aware of my endless discussions with our health insurance company and why.)  I need to shop for groceries and see my Dad. After two heart surgeries, one of them an emergency open heart surgery that saved Dad's life in the moment and then two more procedures, he seems to be good for now.  So scary.

3 people want to have lunch with me before I go. 3 people want to have lunch with me when I arrive. How nice! I want to spend time with my husband.

My bathroom could use a good scrub. Oh and I've put off writing a couple of letters of recommendation for my students that need to be done this week. Hm. Gotta make that mammogram appointment and see my gyno and my hematologist.

I need a haircut. I need some clothes that fit and are not black on black. I've boxes to pack. And I NEED to walk. I miss that. I've been too obligated, too busy or too lazy.

There is no such thing as free time! There is always something to be done. How could anyone ever be bored with so many obligations to meet and so many discussions to be had?

Maybe I'll just sleep in tomorrow and make a list later.

I need the "ahhhh." I need the deep breath before I travel yet again far from my husband and family, working the best job I can find. I am lucky. I have two really great jobs upcoming. Both on the East Coast.

My mentor once told me, "We are gypsies. We go where the work is. We wander and work." I argued with him at the time. As ever he was right. It just took me a bit to get it.

Yes. History has proven my dear mentor, Frank Bayer was right. We are gypsies. We chose this. We wander and work.  The sacrifice is great. The personal, professional and monetary reward is great too. This is what some of us have to do to continue working in a business we love (and sometimes hate) and is the only business (after all) we really know. I accept that. You know what? I embrace that. I've come to understand this is who I am.  I find I am equally excited about the work ahead as I am nauseous at the thought of leaving. The good and the bad. The joy and the sorrow. (The yin and the yang?)

So... 4 weeks here and gone. Back in 10 weeks. 6 weeks home and gone again for 7 weeks. See you in September (or lose you, to a summer love.)

{smile}

xoxo

Save Our Souls Later.

I watch the news every night. I watch and read and am involved. I research things I don't understand so I can comment intelligently about the topics we should be talking about. I want to have a concrete understanding of empirical fact. Here is what I've discovered.

Gas prices are not controlled by presidents. As much as I'd liked to, and wanted to, I didn't blame George W. Bush for the incredibly high gas prices in 2006 and 2007. Prices are controlled by Wall Street speculators looking at "futures." All of that has to do with betting against enough oil (there is enough oil) because of the Middle East instability or some other potential future shortage. Speculators are betting against us. Those same speculators are American Citizens. They are throwing all their cards where they think profit lies and that drives up gas prices. The pipeline from Canada to the Gulf is so Canada can export oil to China. It is not about oil for the USA. We won't get that oil. China is offering a better price. We will sacrifice so much natural wonder to make yet another deal with China. Yeah, such a good idea!  

I love wind farms. I know a lot of people object. I think wind farms are beautiful. Republicans might find it interesting that some of the most ardent opposition to wind farms are progressive Democrats. Well, I think you are all wrong. Wind has great power and we should use it!

I am for nuclear power. When regulated and actuated correctly it is a wonderful source of power. Caveat: Regulation is key.

Drill baby Drill! Let's talk about that. Well, aside from the fact that we'd destroy our greatest resource, the beauty of our country, it would take until 2030 to find enough oil to offset our oil dependence. Bush couldn't do it in 8 years. Neither could his dad. I am not really shilling for Obama, I'm just saying we are stupid if we don't look for alternate energy sources. And POTUS has nothing to do with it.

We have to take care of our planet. We have to look out for ourselves too. We have to stop being distracted about who has rights and who doesn't. We all HAVE EQUAL RIGHTS. Get over it.

Really, just today, Santorum said we shouldn't try to send our kids to college!!? He wants to keep us all pliant and ignorant and unable to compete in the wider World Economy. Who is this guy and why is anyone paying any attention to him?

Education is the key. Let us show the world as it is, let us show the truth, or at least the facts{!} to all, and trust the people to understand. Then... when they've been educated.. oh what a world.

By the way, I've not heard one Republican candidate talk about the wider world view. We have a crisis in the Middle East. Americans are killed nearly every day overseas.. and yet, these candidates prefer to talk about my body. How out of touch is that? 

Oh. I am so less concerned with my reproductive rights right now than I am concerned about Syria and Afghanistan.

Really. Do I have to say it? Wake Up!

People are dying. . Let us help them and rescue them. We can save their souls later.
xo

A Love Letter. A Stage Manager's Reflection.

I love actors. I love them. I love their commitment to their dream. I love their perseverance in the face of overwhelming odds. I love the tenacity and sheer inventiveness, recreating themselves for each and every audition. I love the self-absorption, because I get it. I find I want to take care of them. It seems to be my mission.

The actor is the most important element in every show I do. I endeavor to support and encourage. I try to read and understand each actor's need and ability to take a note. I am not always successful, but my intent is to give a note that helps the performance and makes the performer perform better. I spend time in rehearsal getting to know my actors and my director so I can give notes that stay true to the director's vision and so the actors will trust my commitment to them. I talk to them before each and every show and check in after each show.

My job as a stage manager is to take care of the show. The single best way to do this is to take care of my actors. (Calling cues and knowing I am performing with them is another blog. That is about my art.)

Supporting the actors is not my only responsibility. I am also interested in the welfare of the crew so I  endeavor to create a work environment that supports and protects them. I will take full responsibility to effect this end. The crew needs to know how much I appreciate the mostly un-thanked work they do too.

Honestly... I think this is all about management. All about people. Take care of the people and you take care of the show.

My philosophy in a nutshell.

I always miss my actor friends after they are gone; after the show ends. I always look forward to seeing and working with them again. Coffee is good too.

xo

No More Sex.

I'm so done with the Republican Party Platform. I am a thinking, hard working woman. I think of myself as middle class, but I am probably low middle class based on my income and their own evaluation.  I'm beyond distressed at the attack on women now coming from not just Tea Party Republicans, but Republicans in general. I used to think we had an honest discussion going on. I have never voted along party lines just because someone was a member of my registered party. I'm disgusted. I'm disillusioned. There is no discourse in this country anymore. EVERYONE is INTRACTABLE! 


I do and will continue to have control of my own body. Period. (Yeah.. ha ha, double entendre.. you are an idiot.) When will Republicans believe liberals are NOT for abortions. We want to prevent them too. But, we are facing a reality here where illegal abortions KILL women. So.. to safeguard living human beings we made a compassionate choice (way back in the 70's) that women didn't need to die using coat-hangers.
We tried to spread the word about birth control. And, in case you weren't listening.. not having sex. It was called "Sex Education." Banned in a lot of places! I went to a Catholic Girls School. My sex education was called Christian Marriage. Fortunately the Nuns found a woman doctor to teach the class. Thank goodness! We actually learned something!


Right to Lifers always think we are "for killing babies." Not true. Never true. We are looking to save the 13 year old incest rape victim from having to spend 9! months reliving that rape. What man can say the same thing. This is NOT a discussion for men. Sorry. It is NOT. This is not your body. Step out of the conversation. We are NEVER looking to call abortion a method of birth control. It is too devastating. No one should have to have an abortion. Sometimes it is the only option. Who are you, you man asshole to say it is not necessary? You have NO say in this. This is my body. I will smoke and drink and do with it as I please. That is between me and my god. Wait. are you saying I can't practice my religion too?


Really. This debate is about Women's Rights. Women.. will you stand for this? Have we once again become second class citizens? I am too infertile to care, yet I do. I fought this battle and won. You, you need to fight again against the oppressive nature of the New Republican party. It is not your Dad's party anymore. It is trying to take us back, pre- 1950's.


Do you know about the ERA amendment to Congress? Equal Rights for Women?  From the 1970's? It still hasn't passed.


Tell me about how some men think of you.


My Call, specious as it is: Stop having sex with men who don't support your civil rights. Do this and they will change their tune.


xo.

Parades In Our Future.

I love a parade. Not the big ones.. not the New York Macy's Day Parade or even the Rose Parade.. though that one is very pretty! I love the little home grown parades that show up on the 4th of July or Memorial Day. I love the local color.

My parents gave us kids a tandem bike many years ago and my sister Kris and I dressed it up with balloons and crepe paper and entered the Chatsworth, California parade. I believe my brother Joe helped us and my other two sisters, Dedie and Jenny cheered us on. I remember I felt so proud as I rode past my 5th Grade teacher, Mr. Y. Yes, that is what we called him. He waved to us and I was so happy. Simple things. Simple rememberings.

In Sunland, my current and probably forever hometown does parades. Phil and I used to go. The police do this wonderful demonstration of motorcycle maneuvering... really amazing, blaring sirens the entire time.. horseback riders come through and little kids come after in go-carts. Government Congressmen ride past in cars waving to all the people who did not vote for them. It is so much fun and so ... local. Love it. (So funny too.)

Don't know why, but in the middle of winter I am thinking about 4th of July Parades! (An English Man whom I do not like once asked me.. "What do you call the 4th of July?" I said, " We call it "The 4th of July"." and I thought... "you idiot.")

Ah.. It may be the middle of winter... but there are parades in our future!

Allergies, Remedies.

I can't tell you how hard it is to be as allergic as I am. Out of nowhere I will start sneezing, then coughing, then sneezing again. It is more disconcerting to the people around me... I am used to it, as uncomfortable as it is.

I have tried Allegra, Claritan, Alavert and so on. Yeah. They don't work. The most effective medicine is Chlor-tri-meton with Singular. Or, just giving up and using steroids. I just had an attack. The attacks don't last very long, but are noisy filled with coughing and sneezing and lots of nose blowing. Then over.

Oh, and what do I do about the hives? The itching skin and rashes and hives? Well, the best drug I've found is Benedryl. It actually works. (Solves the allergies to grasses and walnuts.)

How about the allergy to fish? No remedy! None. Don't eat fish. Period.

I have lived with this all my life. I've made adjustments. Last time I mowed the lawn and got hyper allergic I went to my doctor and he prescribed a gardener! I am not allowed to mow the lawn any more. (Alas for my husband.)

It is all okay.. one does learn to adjust... but, out of nowhere the sneezing will start. It hurts. Not like a usual sneeze. Don't say "God Bless You" all 6 times I sneeze. It just pisses me off.

xo

Mensa.

I dreamed last night that Mensa sent me a bumper sticker. It was the word "Mensa." I was surprised but thought, "What the hell." It was a punch out version of M E N S A and I very carefully punched it out. I put it on my car. I thought... "yeah." I woke up and thought... "Yeah.". Hmmm, wondering what that says about me.

Coyotes And Disinformation.

I saw a coyote the other night in Burbank, just willy-nilly crossing the street. Now, I know what you will say. "It was a dog." No. I have lived in California most of my life and I know what a coyote looks like. This animal was just walking across the street on Glen Oaks and was perfectly at home. The problem and the remarkable nature of this was that he was many blocks from wilderness and in fact in a heavily populated area. Stunning, always. I slowed down for this coyote and wondered. I loved seeing him. How fabulous!

My tech is going well. My actors are able to rehearse while we tech. The crew is fantastic... Love them. First performance is Wednesday. We'll be ready. This is always so much fun. Looking forward to an easy lovely run.

The wind here has been just ferocious and awful. We lost some of our roof.. Bummer. Phil is all ready to fix it but the winds need to die down first. So dry. So windy. Such angry angry wind!

The climate has changed since I was a girl, many long years ago. I don't know how one can deny it. It is the middle of winter and we are already on "fire alert." Really? Scary.

I know. The world is flat and evolution is a theory. And man lived with dinosaurs and the world is only 6,000 years old... and we did not have a common ancestor with the apes... And we are "god's" creatures... And the Tardis is real and unicorns just didn't make it onto the ark, and the moon is made of cheese. Tell me more, please.

Wondering where we are all headed.. Wondering if disinformation is ultimately what we will all believe. A little frightened by some of my fellow Americans. Looking for the truth and not the faith.

Looking Up.

Recently noticed I'm smoking less. Wow. Not even trying. This is a good thing. Encouraged by the most recent run-through of my current project, am beginning to see why this play was nominated for the Pulitzer. The music is grand. I am so excited about teaching my class tomorrow I don't know if I can really sleep. I can't wait.

I have the gift of looking at life with pure optimism, most of the time. It is truly a gift. I could spend a lot of time complaining about what is wrong on this blog..and I do sometimes, but mostly, I CHOOSE to be happy. I choose to wake up with a smile and look at the new day as a NEW DAY.

The world is in a dangerous state of flux. My friends have issues and problems I will not discuss here.. I am always looking for a job. But. But. The morning light is so beautiful. The coffee tastes so good. Okay, I'll eat oatmeal for breakfast and save my heart, but really, how hard is that? I like oatmeal.

You may have noticed I've included some songs written by my gorgeous husband on my blog. I actually had to have him put them there. I am not as adept as he with scary code. Take a listen when you have the time.

This is all to say... Good luck to you all. I believe things are looking up. Just a feeling, but I have very accurate feelings.

Another Story Of A Lazy Imbecile.

I am writing this on my iPad that doesn't seem to like blogger.com, so we'll see how this turns out....

Trying to come home this evening I was stopped by a blocked road... Okay, I'll take the route chosen for me. I truly tried. I got lost in Shadow Hills and ended up back on the street I'd just left, only earlier in the route. I finally decided to ask the "parking enforcement officer" who was positioned in his car, for directions. It was nearly midnight and very dark. I was on my way home from rehearsal. There were traffic cones everywhere; not wanting to cross them, I stopped my car where the cones wanted me to turn left. Immediately, I was yelled at by a parking enforcement officer who did NOT get out of his car - to move my car to the side of the road. Okay. I went through the cones and parked. This officer sat in his car and talked to me from afar. I asked him how to get home. He said, turn left and you will reach Wheatland. I'm not stupid, I knew Wheatland was around there somewhere, but I'd just driven, in the dark, and couldn't find the correct turns to get there. He said, again, still in his car, "Everybody else has found it!" I said, "No. Everyone is driving around in the dark, lost, backing up, stopping and looking confused." He said " Just follow the cones." K. There were no cones past the initial left turn. I asked him to give me directions.. What street? He said," Bluebell, turn left. I said, "That doesn't work." I asked why I couldn't get through, He said..."There was a traffic accident. Do you think I just get up in the morning and decide to close the road? Yeah, that's what I do in my spare time..." He actually continued being a smart ass. I pointed at him and said, "Fuck You!" I walked away, back to my car and headed off into the dark, a 57 year old woman trying to get home at midnight. I got to Marybell, not Bluebell, as he'd said and turned right, not left, as he'd told me, and finally found my way home. I was pissed. Along the way I saw.. both times I went through Shadow Hills, lost people, backing up, parking and looking around, coming out on the wrong side, as I did.
Is it any wonder so many people are frustrated with government workers? This man's job was to help me. Well. He failed. I fended for myself.. Again. His only thought was to prevent me from passing. Okay, safety issue, I get it. But I was in potential danger too. I was ignored and looked on as a crazy lady. I was in need of some real help. Really. What the fuck! Who are these people we are hiring who are supposed to protect us. Fuck him and the horse he road in on. I want these people replaced with people who will serve the public good. This goes for congress too. I am sick to death of arguing with lazy imbeciles.

The New Year. 2012.

So the New Year Celebration has come and gone.. I am always grateful that we witnessed no terrorist attacks.. can't help it. I get a bit apprehensive when all those people congregate in Time's Square.  You know, the world has changed since 9/11. I never worried before. There is a new fear felt by many. It may be driving a lot of the current divisiveness in the country right now. Fear. I don't know. Just a thought.

Phil and I spent most of the day together. I went out for a bit.. I had to. The day was so beautiful. I bought a few things for dinner and wandered the supermarket aisles talking to my neighbors. It was kinda lovely. I dressed up!

I made BLT's for dinner, along with deviled eggs and cole slaw from KFC. Sorry.. but I think KFC makes the BEST damn cole slaw! I make a special stop just to buy it.

We drank mimosas all day.. lazed on the couch trying to find news, and ultimately ended up watching a movie starring Colin Farrell. I like him. The movie was good. We watched the ball drop. My neighbors set off fireworks and many came outside with noisemakers. Joyous! Really.. cool!  All very old-school. I love where I live.

The decorations all come down tomorrow. The year is over. Time to start fresh. I used to keep every decoration up until the "Feast of The Epiphany." No one seems to know what that is anymore and it just looks like I'm lazy about getting the damn Christmas lights put away. So... I've abandoned that and now start the New Year unfettered. Day One.

I enjoy taking down the Christmas decorations as much as I enjoy putting them up. I get to see them once again. I don't really look at them once they are on the tree. I have some beautiful pieces. Some I've bought, but most are presents. Each one is special and reminds me of a person or a time. They are precious. I take great care and put each in its special box. I don't put decorations up willy-nilly anymore. Each decoration on the tree has a special meaning and has to have a special place.

In the next year we will all face challenges.. we have an important election, we have to find meaningful work, we have to remember to help each other through it all and we have to experience more ART. Really. Art changes and teaches and makes life meaningful. I want to read more, this year. I want to go to a museum now and again. I need to see more theatre. My resolutions.

Let us share. Let us learn from each other. Let us find the common ground and grow and change and together discover the divine. (Leave the suspicion, the arrogance, the anger, the divisiveness in 2011.)

We are one person. We are two alone. We are three together. We are four.. each other. (Crosby, Stills, and Nash)

I am unfettered by religious constructs. I do not have the intention of challenging your faith, though I do think you should take a good look at it and at the original intent of that faith. I am tolerant of many things and most beliefs, but I will no longer tolerate beliefs that do not tolerate me. There is an end.

Open your eyes and see the wider more wonderful world of glorious people around you. Your "God" loves "everybody." Why don't you?  Look to your own scriptures. Then, look to your politics and "render to Caesar." Why are you all so stupid?

No, that is unkind. But, know this. It is 2012! For Goodness Sake! WAKE UP! I'm done with your archaic beliefs that only support your prejudices. The planet and its people are suffering. Money means NOTHING. Help and understanding and education and art are everything. It is about who we are. Societies are judged by how the least are treated. Take a good look.

If you are looking for heaven, you may be on the wrong track.

My most sincerest wish to all my readers for a Happy New Year. Let us all hope that some sense comes from all this conflict.

xo
m.