I don't know why/how this happened to me again, but I wrote a one-act for the local One Act Theatre festival which starts on Monday. We (of course) are ready in spite of minimal rehearsals, and in spite of the fact that this play was supposed to have been a result of a series of meetings over the course of 4 weeks, with survivors of loss, which never happened. Instead, I met individually with moms who lost children, moms of young children who lost husbands and my own personal experience of losing a childhood friend. The play touches on losses due to cancer, the pipeline explosion, and random accidents. My favorite part is that I incorporate the positive power of MySpace, as the kids use their blogs to tell their personal stories.
(Just an aside to this, when I log out of Blogspot, I sometimes watch the Blogs scroll as they are updated. Last week, I happened upon a blog of a family who are still reeling from the suicide of their 20 year old daughter/sister/cousin/aunt the year before. And they all react differently. Just like in the play. Coincidence? I think not.)
All in all, "Good Grief" is not a slap-happy show, but I expect it to be powerful. Another one of my "Weepy Shows" I know, but I feel that teen grief is an issue that is swept under the carpet because no one wants to deal, and if they do, they don't know how.
I have a great cast of nine males and females, ages 14-65. It's good to work with talented friends, and equally talented actors I have never met before.
I just found out a non-profit group in town is finally having a workshop to talk about this issue. I tried to get my old place of employment to do a group on grief last fall, and my supervisor said to "wait." OK, I'm done waiting now....
I'm inviting theatre and school district acquaintances to come and see the show, with the hope that they will invite us to tour at their school. Of course, I'm expecting this will prompt lots of desire for a grief group, and I'm hoping the void is filled quickly, before someone lives to regret their procrastination....
Thursday, April 20, 2006
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
Stupid people happen in threes (and groups thereof)
Today was apparently Stupid People Day. It wasn't on my calendar, not on the front page of Google where I learn that most days are to be celebrated. I guess no one would want to acknowledge/celebrate being stupid. Unless of course, they covet the opportunity to be listed in the Darwin book.
First on the Stupid People List (SPL) was "Moron Guy" on Lakeway in the oncoming car who decided that the lane I was driving in was his left-turn lane. (BTW and FYI, if you are not from here, there are no turn lanes on Lakeway. You just block traffic if you need to turn left.) And when he saw me, he didn't move back to his lane. And yes, I am alive, I was lucky to not be Stupid today.
Second entry actually consisted of three guys who, when they saw me turning into the driveway at the bank, RAN into the driveway, in front of my car, and then WALKED across the driveway. I wondered if I was being Punk'd.
Finally, just a few moments ago, not to single out stupid men, two girls were standing on the high school side of Cornwall, no-where near an intersection. They watched me as I drove towards them, for a moment, and decided, just as my car reached them, to step into the street to cross. I would have understood if their destination was a drive-through/walk-up coffee stand across the street, but no. They were just Stupid.
Stupid People Day, in conjunction with the Centennial of the SF Quake "the big one" filled my day with agitation. I'm glad to be home.
First on the Stupid People List (SPL) was "Moron Guy" on Lakeway in the oncoming car who decided that the lane I was driving in was his left-turn lane. (BTW and FYI, if you are not from here, there are no turn lanes on Lakeway. You just block traffic if you need to turn left.) And when he saw me, he didn't move back to his lane. And yes, I am alive, I was lucky to not be Stupid today.
Second entry actually consisted of three guys who, when they saw me turning into the driveway at the bank, RAN into the driveway, in front of my car, and then WALKED across the driveway. I wondered if I was being Punk'd.
Finally, just a few moments ago, not to single out stupid men, two girls were standing on the high school side of Cornwall, no-where near an intersection. They watched me as I drove towards them, for a moment, and decided, just as my car reached them, to step into the street to cross. I would have understood if their destination was a drive-through/walk-up coffee stand across the street, but no. They were just Stupid.
Stupid People Day, in conjunction with the Centennial of the SF Quake "the big one" filled my day with agitation. I'm glad to be home.
Thursday, April 06, 2006
Let's go to the movies!
Thanks to Jellybean for making this up. Just when I thought my brain could go on vacations, she makes me wrack it again. And to Krizzer, Stennie and Flipsycab, who love some of the same movies I do. BTW, I hate going to the movies now. I'd rather wait until the Academy Awards have been nominated and presented, rather than listen to some dork behind me ruin the movie because he read something in the newspaper about the scene we are watching, or, OMG, can I run over and get all Naomi Campbell on the guy who lets his phone ring three times before he answers it and then CARRIES ON A CONVERSATION!!! Stay home. If you don't, I will.
1) Movie that you can watch over and over “Connie and Carla” My latest guilty pleasure. For an older movie, it would have to be “Ghostbusters” since I have seen it about 10 times.
2) Movie that you liked more than you expected to “Fight Club”
3) Movie that you liked more than it deserved “Ishtar”
4) Movie that you wanted to like but couldn't “American Beauty”
5) Movie that you were excited to see when they first came out, but never saw There were two…”Finding Nemo” and “Toy Story 2” I know, my kids have seen them a million times.
6) Movie you love but can't watch “Monster’s Ball”
7) Movie that you liked when you were 5-8 that you still like “Bye Bye Birdie” (see, I’m really old!)
8) Movie that you liked when you were 12-15 that you still like “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid”
9) First movie you saw in the theatre without your parents “Oliver”
10) First movie you saw on a date “The Sting”
11) Favorite literary adaptation “Pride and Prejudice” I can’t help it. I actually enjoyed it.
12) Favorite TV adaptation. It would have to be one of the Trek movies, probably the one that was supposed to be in San Francisco, but, if you know The City, then you know that it is IMPOSSIBLE to get from one place to another the way they did as quickly as they did, AND that you can’t see the golden gate bridge when you are walking by golden gate park. PUUULLLEEAZE!
13) Favorite movie from a genre you don't usually like “Spaceballs” But I LOVE LOVE LOVE Rick Moranis.
14) Favorite obscure movie
The Girl in the Café. I saw this by accident when on a weekend away with cable TV
15) Movie you watch when you're home sick [ed - this is when you're taking a sick day, not when hankering for home]
Unconditional Love
16) Movie you wouldn't want to watch with your parents Pretty much anything rated R. My mom makes faces.
17-20) Four favorite movies you haven't already mentioned
17 Master of Disguise (so clean, so funny)
18 Finding Neverland (so romantic)
19 Don Juan DeMarco (again, I have my Johnny Depp issues)
20 Mystery Men (do not watch this while you are eating.)
1) Movie that you can watch over and over “Connie and Carla” My latest guilty pleasure. For an older movie, it would have to be “Ghostbusters” since I have seen it about 10 times.
2) Movie that you liked more than you expected to “Fight Club”
3) Movie that you liked more than it deserved “Ishtar”
4) Movie that you wanted to like but couldn't “American Beauty”
5) Movie that you were excited to see when they first came out, but never saw There were two…”Finding Nemo” and “Toy Story 2” I know, my kids have seen them a million times.
6) Movie you love but can't watch “Monster’s Ball”
7) Movie that you liked when you were 5-8 that you still like “Bye Bye Birdie” (see, I’m really old!)
8) Movie that you liked when you were 12-15 that you still like “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid”
9) First movie you saw in the theatre without your parents “Oliver”
10) First movie you saw on a date “The Sting”
11) Favorite literary adaptation “Pride and Prejudice” I can’t help it. I actually enjoyed it.
12) Favorite TV adaptation. It would have to be one of the Trek movies, probably the one that was supposed to be in San Francisco, but, if you know The City, then you know that it is IMPOSSIBLE to get from one place to another the way they did as quickly as they did, AND that you can’t see the golden gate bridge when you are walking by golden gate park. PUUULLLEEAZE!
13) Favorite movie from a genre you don't usually like “Spaceballs” But I LOVE LOVE LOVE Rick Moranis.
14) Favorite obscure movie
The Girl in the Café. I saw this by accident when on a weekend away with cable TV
15) Movie you watch when you're home sick [ed - this is when you're taking a sick day, not when hankering for home]
Unconditional Love
16) Movie you wouldn't want to watch with your parents Pretty much anything rated R. My mom makes faces.
17-20) Four favorite movies you haven't already mentioned
17 Master of Disguise (so clean, so funny)
18 Finding Neverland (so romantic)
19 Don Juan DeMarco (again, I have my Johnny Depp issues)
20 Mystery Men (do not watch this while you are eating.)
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