There were a handful of childhood toys that remain with me; Incredible Edibles, Jane & Johnny West dolls, Astronaut G.I. Joe.... But Hot Wheels left one of the most indelible impressions on me. I had the yellow suitcase with all the square compartments for each car. I would constantly rotate the favorites week to week as I'd take the box over to neighbors to play. It was always a special treat to grab a new model off the rack at KMart where they had an entire aisle of them hanging in their small 8 inch boxes. And it was a revelation when they came out with the looping bright orange track - although more often than not, my cars would hesitate on the lift and then fall flat to the floor. This dizzying display is a world of wonder. With lanes & lanes of traffic and a huge conveyor belt lift. It looks like the L.A. freeway. Amazing. Lego Village, Erector sets, or even my sister's Easy Bake Oven didn't hold a candle to my Hot Wheels.
After a few days, here is the official list. I do this every year, not so much to show others, but to keep myself accountable. I always find that when I put something down in writing, it gives me a clearer course to chart along the way. Although I will admit I have become a bit more forgiving of myself. Rather than plead guilty in another month when the good intentions become bad efforts, I am more lenient about giving myself small gold stars for at least trying. I have also made the list shorter. I tend to be over ambitious and thus set myself up for failure. So instead of a major 10 goals, I am keeping it realistic at a mere few. We are also trying a new concept of "joint" resolutions for both Jeff and I. Of course, I pressed the point. But we shall see how these play out. And something else I added a few years back that has proved essential is the "bump" policy. In addition to something cumulative, each year I make a conscious choice to get rid of an obstacle in my life that is creating chaos or a dead weight. #1- Postcard a Day. I have always been an avid writer. Journaling while on vacation, sending a postcard from travels or even simple birthday cards. This year is a twist on that. I picked up a huge box of art cards and will send out a simple note each day to keep in touch with something more personal than a Facebook message or text. Expect one coming your way soon! For a $.32 stamp - you are worth it. #2 - Mindfulness & Wellness. I am lumping them all into one blanket statement so each day I at least stumble on some aspect of it. It can be as simple as a yoga class, a stretch before bed, or making sure I grab that piece of toast in the morning with the coffee. #3 - Game Night once a month. I have tried in vain on this one for 2 years now and am hoping third time is the charm. I love board games and have a whole closet full of them. All it takes is a few days planning to invite friends over with a bottle of wine. Make it happen. #4 - Baking once a month. I think this is a given and usually met. But I got a fabulous new candy apple red Kitchenaid mixer for the holidays and am making darn sure that the motor is going to be running at least once a month. #5 - Cabaret gigs. I managed to get one produced last year - my Coming Out Swinging set. It is monumental from digging up charts, arranging them, working with a new accompanist and then the huge task of finding the space and getting an audience there. I have at least 4 projects in the works that are sorted in binder by the piano. So I need to make sure I step it up and get at least two them on stage LIVE coming to you. Joint Resolutions A - Respecting each other's space. This house is barely big enough for one. Both Jeff and I are collectors - everything from record collections, books, photo albums, cookware, cookie cutters, sweaters... So we will try to make sure there is personal room for both of us and the pets in the midst of all the other clutter we flood our life with, B - Doable House projects. There is the VAST bucket list of major things like a new bathroom and kitchen, new windows and siding on the house. But we also need to look at smaller projects that can feasibly be done to make it seem like we are moving forward in some way. We are heading off to the Reuse It Center today to see where that can all start. C - Fish Bowl Dating. One of the first things we did when we started our relationship was come up with a fish bowl where we both jotted down unusual options for dates to keep things fresh. You know, instead of the usual Netflix and Chill! We always see things and new places and think "we should do this." So we are bringing it back. I know exactly where we left it in the dining room cabinet. Getting Rid Of %&^ - Bad Friends. This isn't a dissing choice. But you know how we all have that small pocket of people on the Christmas card list that you keep reaching out to year after year - and they never bother trying to reach back? I'm not pressing a delete button on them. But just making the wise choice to invest in that closer circle of friends whom you never seem to have enough time with. It's a two way street.
This hardly seems like a holiday blog posting, and is also not meant to stir discord in what should be a season of joy. But sometimes it seems our house is surrounded by the worst of neighbors. Luckily, across the street are the family with cute kids who play with Waylon, rake their leaves, decorate with carved pumpkins and even offer the occasional cold beer in the summer. But on our side of the block - not so much! We are blessed with not ONE, but TWO lumps of coal. One beside us with a rickety wood fence and the other abutting our kitchen in the rear. The first is a young couple that have been handed down the house for 2 generations since I have lived here - so they are obviously not going anywhere soon. I feel sorry for him, for he is certainly pussy-whipped by her. She is not a quiet one and her constant tirades are always an earful for all the rest of us to hear. She is a not a happy camper and when momma isn't happy, no one is apparently happy. I want to smack him like Cher in Moonstruck and say "Snap Out of It!"
Behind us is Party City. Drug deals constantly happening in the back alley - why does no one use the front door? Fire pits, loud guitar jams, firework displays and tons of loud cackling. The smoke; cigarettes, pot and bonfires is so bad we have to seal up the windows. This wouldn't be bad if the parties were within normal confines. But they usually begin around the midnight hour and continue on into the next morning. And season does not seem to matter - they are there for New Year's, Summer Solstice, Labor Day, Arbor Day..... I bring this up because 911 has now been added to my speed dial. I have tried with polite MN notes in the mailbox or on the car windshield. But when that does not work, and daddy is not a happy camper - 911 gets the job done. I'm not even shy about it! Yesterday was the car horn alarm. It had been going off continually for the last 2 days and NIGHTS, every hour. Am I the only one that can hear it within a single block radius? So I left yet another note on the dashboard and sure enough, just like a moth to a flame, it was gone within an hour. But the horn continued to blast on cue. Funny how a squad car took care of the problem very easily. I feel like a Gladys Kravitz, but come on! We live in an dense urban neighborhood where we have to live together despite our differences. That being said, I am not afraid to put my city tax dollars to work with a simple phone call. Ho Ho Ho!
This little tidbit in my morning news gave me a chuckle. Some needed satire and humor amidst the political climate. Turning things on its head for the common good.
The character in play is Glen Pannell, a handsome man of middle age from NYC. Who also bears a mild resemblance to Mr. Mike Pence - Vice President elect. The saga began when he chose to dress up as his alter-ego for Halloween; prior to the election results. Fast forward to the current outcome and his choice to make a difference. In all honesty, Glen is a bit more dashing than his actual counterpart. Especially in the physique department. So part of his persona is to wear sexy shorts aside the corporate attire on his torso. Also being a gay man, he chooses to walk the streets of New York in "costume" with a bucket raising funds for civil causes that are directly affected by the political repercussions of Mr. Pence. Organizations like Planned Parenthood or the Trevor Project. How cool is that!
I used to enjoy shopping for gifts. I would itemize a list of special names and give thought to each and every one to find something perfect and unique. Even my wrappings became a work of art and creativity with yearly themes. But for the last decade, the mere mention of a Mall brings on anxiety attacks for me. I'm not sure when things took a turn for the worse. But I get overwhelmed and start shutting down. Perhaps in the new era of BIG, it all becomes sensory overload for me, and with my OCD I can't find a point of entry. The idea of waiting in line in the wee hours to grab a bargain on #BlackFriday baffles me.
But I was doing some reflecting of vintage shopping from my childhood and memories that I still cling to. Certainly at the holidays. Our version of Black Friday was going over to the Murphy's in North East to scour their penny candy bins so that we would use things on our gingerbread village decorations. One year I built a small theater with a marquee and Candy Corn light bulbs. There was always the palatial Boston Store downtown with grand holiday decorations and Santa. I fondly remember Grants for their sales on 45RPMs where I had a membership card and would get punches for every new single that I purchased. And of course the Kresge's on State where my grandmother Mary worked. My cousin Frank and I would sometimes pull up a counter stool and she would offer us up a free cup of soup in the deli. As I got older the MilcreekMall became the go-to destination where I fondly recall the early chains of Hickory Farms where we got samples, Spencer Gifts for blacklight posters in the bedroom, or Chess King when I was wanting that really cool polyester shirt for homecoming dance.
Occasionally a book store gives me pleasure. Or even grocery shopping! But I need to get back in touch with that spirit of giving and find a way to make Holiday Shopping still be that exciting experience that it once was!
This viral music video seemed a good fit to share for this holiday about being grateful. I know I am a huge fan of OK Go and have shared their incredible work prior. I am sure I am drawn to them because of they way they are able to balance creativity in both music and visual art all while making a statement as well as expression. To me it becomes a total package. Technology is always at the forefront of their videos - to the point of amazement! In this one they employ a series of chain reactions that result in explosions of color - from tubes, balloons and even guitars. And even more stunning is that the sequence itself takes place over a mere 5 seconds from act to act. The art comes from slowing it down to sync up with the meter and lyrics of the song. I'm sure some extensive editing is involved, but the end product is seamless. And I cannot even fathom the precision of the performers to ensure that all marks are hit on the single shot of the sequence! The profoundness of the piece is also represented in the lyrics to the song. "The song 'The One Moment' is a celebration of (and a prayer for) those
moments in life when we are most alive," the band says in the video's
credits. "Humans are not equipped to understand our own temporariness;
it will never stop being deeply beautiful, deeply confusing, and deeply
sad that our lives and our world are so fleeting. We have only these few
moments. Luckily, among them there are a few that really matter, and
it's our job to find them. (We had no idea when we wrote the song that
we'd be releasing its video in such a critical moment for our nation and
the world. It's one of those moments when everything changes, whether
we like it or not, so the song feels particularly relevant)."
This post originated almost 6 months back - honoring the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death. That is a monumental number celebrating a monumental figure. It called for a celebration and the Globe Theater, original site where many of his works premiered, took the helm. It is also fitting that this recently renovated theater sits only 750 feet from where the original was constructed back in 1599! The project is called the Complete Walk and ambitiously sets all of his works as short films of 10 minutes, utilizing some of Great Britain's most esteemed actors. Even more astounding is the attempt to set many of these films at sites around the world where the original scenes were set. Dominic West portrays Coriolanus at Ostia Antica, the harbor city of ancient Rome;
Jonathan Pryce as Shylock in the Merchant of Venice at Banco Rosso in
the Jewish ghetto of Venice and David Harewood as Othello in Famagusta
in north Cyprus. They also filmed at the Red
Pyramid in Egypt for Antony and Cleopatra, the Tomba di Giulietta in
Verona for Romeo and Juliet, Glamis Castle in Scotland for Macbeth and
the Acropolis in Greece for Timon of Athens. How monumental is that? The intent was for them to play as a looped walking exhibit at stations along the Thames where pedestrians could stroll from one on to the next. The traveling Fest played both Liverpool and London, as well as cities in Spain and even Poland and Egypt. But no plans of a US installation. There are a few scattered clips on YouTube of Timon of Athens, King Lear and Richard II shown here. But sadly, there is currently not a vehicle to expose this great project to other masses eager to see them.
There were a handful of childhood toys that remain with me; Incredible Edibles, Jane & Johnny West dolls, Astronaut G.I. Joe.... But Hot Wheels left one of the most indelible impressions on me. I had the yellow suitcase with all the square compartments for each car. I would constantly rotate the favorites week to week as I'd take the box over to neighbors to play. It was always a special treat to grab a new model off the rack at KMart where they had an entire aisle of them hanging in their small 8 inch boxes. And it was a revelation when they came out with the looping bright orange track - although more often than not, my cars would hesitate on the lift and then fall flat to the floor.
