The Play's the Thing...

Currently, I don't have my television hooked up.  I use it strictly for watching DVD's and nothing more.  There are a variety of reasons for this, but namely it's about distraction.  I don't want the distraction of the television.  It's too easy to flit away the hours watching meaningless images on the screen.  I choose not to do this...it's as simple as that. And I'm saving some money as well which is always a good thing!

But occasionally I do miss it so I'll get my fix from watching specific shows on Hulu.  Love Hulu.  Hope it stays free. Anyway, one of the shows I enjoy watching is "Parenthood."  Sometimes I find the show annoying with all the obvious overlapping dialogue and the sanctimonious storylines, but mostly I like it. Mostly.

This week the season two finale aired on Tuesday night, which means the latest episode was available on Hulu on Wednesday.  So this is what happened in a nutshell...I'm not going to try and explain two seasons worth of this show and all the character history, but this is what I want to discuss now--One of the characters, Sarah, is a single mom raising two teens and living with her parents in their beautiful house in Berkley, CA.  She has a drug and alcohol addicted ex-husband (the father of her children, who showed up in several earlier episodes and played by cutie-patootie hippie boy John Corbett).

I'm getting to my point, I promise.  Sarah currently works as a bartender (a noble profession) but is trying to find her path in life.  She stays up all night one night and writes (presumably) a story all about her family. (which is what the TV show is about in the first place.) She takes the story to her daughter's high school English teacher (who she used to have a crush on) and he tells her it's really good writing but it should be a play.  A. PLAY.

Here's where I come in...or rather, here's where the story starts to IRK me. Sarah rewrites the story as a play.  Now it's a play all about her family.  Ok...so writers are supposed to write what we know...but suddenly Sarah seems to know everything there is to know about playwrighting and she knows details about playwrights and suddenly she knows all about the theatre.  And of course her dad knows this quirky theatrical-type director/producer played by Richard Dreyfuss who embodies every stereotype of a quirky theatrical-type complete with ascot, hat and walking stick.

So of course, in this season finale she gets her play read at the illustrious Berkley Rep to a packed crowd and the thing is...the dialogue of the play that we, the "Parenthood" viewing audience are privy to, isn't very good.  It isn't very funny.  It just looks like some mediocre version of the TV show itself.  Which, of course, it is.

All I'm saying is that it wasn't very believable. Up until now, I've been with the show all the way.  But this?  Maybe it hits too close to home.  Maybe it's because I know how hard it is to get a reading anywhere, much less at Berkley Rep.  Maybe it's sour grapes on my part.  Maybe it's because life on television shows is almost always better than the real thing.  Sometimes.  Maybe not. I don't know.  I want a play produced by Berkley Rep.  That's the truth!

So, the show hit a nerve.  And it made me realize, that maybe...just maybe...I'd be better off without television including the shows I watch on Hulu.  And maybe I need to get crackin' on this new play I'm working on (which, by the way, is NOT about my family).  And maybe I'll meet some quirky little man who wears an ascot and walks with a cane and has connections to Berkley Rep or some equally prestigious theatre. 

The Pulitzer Prize Awards were announced on Monday.  I didn't win.  Maybe because I didn't enter.  But maybe it's because I didn't have a worthy submission. 

I gotta go.  I gotta get busy.  I have a play to write.

Everybody has a Story...

I was taking a walk and I found a small cardboard box on the corner of the street filled with somebody's stuff.  The word "FREE" was written in large block letters on all four sides of the box with a red Sharpie.

Inside the box were three psychedelic scarves that were slightly shredded and had cigarette burns throughout. There were four romance novels, yellowed with age, from another time, another place, a different century--the 20th century.  There were two small troll dolls who had seen better days, two pairs of very clean, but not exactly new white socks and a deck of cards from the Riviera Hotel in Las Vegas.  I counted the cards.  There were only 50 in the deck. And no Jokers.

There were some other assorted items in the box.  A weathered coin purse, a stapler (with no staples) 3 or 4 pens and a Hello Kitty eraser.  I stared at the box for quite awhile.  Longer than I should have.  I didn't want anything that was inside, but I couldn't help thinking about who left all that stuff there. 

Once upon a time, that stuff was new.  Once upon a time someone had wanted those items...perhaps even coveted them.  Now, these things were discarded...thrown willy-nilly into a plain box and left out for anyone to take and do with these things as they pleased.

Every item in that box had a story behind it.  Perhaps not a riveting story, but a story nonetheless.  People are their stuff.  Even if you're a minimalist, it certainly tells a story about who you are.  You don't want any stuff.  How come?  What's that about? I sometimes wish I could be a minimalist...but, alas, I like stuff too much.

Stuff is important.  I have certainly done my share of throwing out my stuff--selling it, giving it away, tossing it out, and once or twice leaving it behind, abandoned on a city street, not unlike this current box.  I would like to think I am more than the sum of my stuff...but the truth is, I mourn things I no longer have every day.  It's just who I am. I hope someone out there is enjoying my old stuff as much as I did.

I left the box behind.  Kept walking.  On the return trip the box was gone.  Did someone take it?  Did the owner have second thoughts and retrieve his or her beloved items?  Those troll dolls definitely needed a home.  I can't help but wonder.  It's my nature to wonder. 

Every piece of stuff we see every day, well, they all have their own story, don't they? What about your stuff?  What tales could it tell? Would you be willing to leave it all behind? Hmmm...I wonder...

A Little R&R to Soothe the Soul...

Photos by Damian Arvetis

Yup...that's me in the upper left corner of the above photo--looking out the window of the Old Wheeler Hotel and enjoying the incredibly fresh air out

on the Oregon Coast.  The wonderful photographer of this picture whisked me away for an amazing, much-needed romantic getaway to a town called Wheeler on Nehalem Bay.  For two and a half days I was able to turn off my cell phone, shut down my computer and escape into the magical world of ocean and forest.  The Oregon Coast is amazing.  I'm so used to the beaches of Southern California and it's nothing at all like that.  It reminded me much more of the beaches of Cape Cod.  A mixture of woods and sky, trees and ocean.  I loved it.

The Old Wheeler hotel is quaint and charming filled with antiques and old-world elegance.  The proprietors treated us like old friends and the room we stayed in was quite luxurious, complete with a stunning view of the bay,  and a large and inviting Jacuzzi tub to soothe our aching muscles from  all that hiking......Ahhhhh......NICE! Here are some photos of the beautiful sitting room at the hotel.

The view from our room

We went on a really long hike in Oswald West State Park. The beauty there was breathtaking. Here are more astonishing photos of our trip from the very talented Mr. Arvetis:

 It was muddy, but totally WORTH IT!

Happy girl on the Oregon Coast!

In addition to our spending some quality time in Nature, we also enjoyed the quaint town of Wheeler itself, as well as the neighboring towns of Manzanita and Nehalem, where antique shops are plentiful as well as the town's colorful characters. 

The trip was so enjoyable and I had such a wonderful and relaxing time it was hard to return to the realities of life.  We were only gone a short time, but we were a world away and it felt like the trip lasted much longer than it actually did.  We ate very well and breakfast being one of my favorite meals of the day, I'm including this photo of my fabulous meal at the Big Wave Cafe.

On the way home, we stopped at the Tillamook Dairy for delicious cheese samples and the most incredible ice cream I have ever tasted.  If you get the opportunity to sample any Tillamook product...do it!  Their cheese, ice cream and yogurt are bursting with flavor and they didn't even pay me to say that.  It's truly remarkable.  If you live on the West Coast, look for it in your local grocery store.  Sooooo delish!

I hope you enjoyed the photos of my mini vacation.  Now, I'm back to business as usual...but the Coast is calling and I know we will be going out there again soon.  I cannot wait!

Guest Posts

I am thrilled to have recently had the opportunity to write posts for other people's blogs.  It's a lot of fun and it's been a wonderful way for me to meet fellow bloggers/writers.

I've written on a variety of topics that include dating, relationships, perimenopause and exercise.  Additionally, I am happy to say that my own blog, the very one you are now reading, has been spotlighted on the blog Healing Morning.  Dawn Sievers is the writer of this blog and I am extremely flattered that she chose to spotlight me and my Confessions of a Cluttered Mind.  I hope you will all check out Healing Morning, in addition to the other blogs where I have had the privilege of guest posting.

Slowed Down by the Common Cold!

I was doing my best to keep this cold at bay.  I took precautions, preventative supplements, tried my best to remain healthy.  But ah...it got me.  First cold of the year--hopefully it will be the last.

By now, the sneezing and runny nose has slowed down to a minimum...but it feels like little imps are throwing a party in my head.  This will not be a long post...I tried to get some writing accomplished today, but it was all for naught!  I feel like crap.  In the meantime, I'm drinking tons of OJ, and trying to rest as much as possible.  Tomorrow, duty calls, so I need to get my energy back within the next 12 hours. I can do this! With Zipfizz, echinacea, Advil and ultimate determination that I can and will get through the day. 

For now, I'm going to sleep.  Hoping somehow, that in the morning, the little germs who are wreacking havoc will have left my body only to go set up house in some other poor unsuspecting person's head, nose and throat. 

Stay healthy everybody!

Theatre in Portland

Jack Goes Boating at Artists Repertory Theatre

I went to see a play yesterday that I didn't know anything about.  I like when that happens. What I like even more was the fact that the play was delightful.  Simple in its construction.  I appreciate that.  As a writer I realize that simplicity in a play is not always easy to achieve.  I've said it before and I'll say it again:  Less is always more. 

What was simple about Jack Goes Boating was that it didn't need a large cast or tons of set pieces or special effects...it's a play about relationships--real people dealing with the ups and downs of life and relationships and interpersonal connection.  I saw myself in a couple of the characters--I like it when that happens too.

I found the piece to be quite enjoyable and afterwards I found out it originally premiered Off-Broadway in 2007 at the LAByrinth Theatre Company with Philip Seymour Hoffman and John Ortiz. And apparently, Mr. Hoffman went on to make his directorial debut with a film version of Jack Goes Boating. I saw the movie trailer and I'll probably wind up renting it...but nothing compares to seeing live theatre.

So do yourself a favor if you live in Portland and go over to Artists Repertory Theatre and see this show.  You'll leave the theatre with a smile on your face, and these days it's nice to have something to smile about!  I'm really loving the theatre scene here in Portland...I'm very glad to be here!

The Great Outdoors

Well, dear readers, this has been quite a gnarly week.  Life can be...well...it can be gnarly for lack of a better word.  And life sure can get the best of us, even the strongest of us. I realized I had to do something to blow off some serious stress that was literally eating away at all the acids in my stomach.  Yuck!  Not fun.

I already know this---you already know this---it has been heavily documented by all sorts of people in all sorts of magazines and such, but here goes:  NEVER underestimate the power of nature. It is truly balm for the soul.  Not to mention combining nature with good old-fashioned exercise. Gets those endorphins flowing every time.  And it makes you and your mind and body feel oh so much better.

And that is exactly what I did this weekend.  Nature and exercise.  A delightful combination to say the least! So now, on this Sunday evening...which is usually the very night of the week that causes the most anxiety for me...I'm feeling pretty darn good.

I took an amazing hike on Saturday afternoon, which was loaded with magical scenery, clean and breathable air, and laughter and good conversation with a terrific hiking partner at my side. It's amazing what a little perspective can do to lift the spirits.

The only thing that was missing was a pair of good strong shoes.  I love the obvious metaphor here.  Life gets better when you're wearing the right shoes.  So, again with the help of a kind-hearted soul, I was able to make a purchase and acquired a great hiking boot.  I got my new shoes at REI, the greatest store for items needed for the great outdoors.  Want to see my new shoes?  I was hoping you'd ask.  Here they are...aren't they beauties?

They are Keens Pyranees.  They fit my foot like a glove, great ankle support, and provide the much-needed bounce in my step.  I love my new Keens.  And now, having these beauties, I hereby make a commitment to using these boots to the utmost advantage.  The hiking trails around here are plentiful, and every fitness expert and psychology expert will tell you until they are blue in the face the advantages of exercising. 

Now, do not be fooled...I am not tossing away my cycling shoes...no way!  But I really do like the feeling I get when I walk these trails.  On Saturday, I felt like I had  left this world and entered a new one...I know that sounds all hippy/dippy and all, but it really was an amazing feeling... I felt like I had entered some type of fairy tale world and all my worries instantly faded for the time I was there.  I mean, look at this place....isn't it beautiful?

 I certainly look forward to discovering more magical trailways here in the Pacific Northwest, but what I really look forward to is wearing my new shoes on this new path.  I look forward to changing my perspective and moving forward.  I will release endorphins, let go of bad mojo and allow the joy and laughter that I seek to resume their normal place in my life.  I like joy and laughter.  Who doesn't?  I have made a definite resolve to have more of it in my life!