a zoom too many, maybe

"Okay, what have you done?"

Well, during the Zoom that passes for 'coffee hour' after Billy's service, I may have offended two of the older parishioners. They have already received both shots of whichever anti-COVID vaccine and had been trying to plan a trip back to Margaret's home in England. However, they had been told by friends there to not do so...

"Because it would be very dangerous for them to be in a plane for that cross-Atlantic flight..."

Oh, no, no, no, mon frere. Because it would be such a financial hardship on them! Not only would they be out the money for the airfare, but they would be required to quarantine for two weeks - at their own expense - at a special designated hotel for such purposes.

"Well, of course, they would. Had they not included that in their plans?"

No, it had not even occurred to them. I think they mentioned it because they were hoping for a bit of sympathy from others - Preston, Chuck, Carol K, Karen and son Ben - in that chat room. Well, they didn't get it! Especially not after I flat out told them that they were being selfish to travel there, so the authorities were in the right to protect the residents from their self-centered carelessness.

"Oh, my... did you really say that to them?"

To them, and to everyone else in that 'room'. [The photo is from last week, but I included it here because it had the two women involved in this conversation.] Margaret and Janet left shortly after, to go have a long-awaited lunch with a friend "now that they all had been vaccinated". I cautioned them that even though they'd had the vaccine, they could still spread the virus. They looked at me incredulously, as if they believed having the vaccine awarded them carte blanche to do whatever their little hearts desired.

"Well, as you may recall, your amiga Barbara acted in much the same way when y'all were emailing back and forth. She and Sandy have been vaccinated and are ready to go out into the world again, virus be damned!"

Yeah, I recall that just fine. She as a bit put out with me for 'raining on her parade', so to speak. She had been trying to convince me to host movie-watching parties at my house, but I let her know that would most assuredly not be happening. Heck, if she had her way, the theatre troupes would be back to performing live shows, now that she was vaccinated!

"I know. It's like the neighbor who is up at 8 AM on a Saturday, mowing the yard and using the blower because 'if he's us, everyone else is' mentality. I realize we are each the centers of our individual universes, but surely we recognize that our actions affect others, right?"

You would think so, but, no. I have been dismayed at the lack of real information out there. In the next chat 'room', I tried to clear up misconceptions about the purpose of the vaccine. This time I was with Cheri, Randy, Rhonda with Miss Virginia, and Carol K. again. Cheri was asking questions, so I was in full-tilt boogie 'teacher' mode, explaining that the vaccine was to prevent COVID - the infectious disease caused by the coronavirus - from occurring in the person who was vaccinated. The vaccine does not keep the virus away from the inoculated person - no, no, no. The vaccine does not keep the virus from being spread by the inoculated person - no, no, no. The vaccine's purpose is to keep an inoculated person infected by the virus from developing the life-threatening disease. Randy was the only one who understood me, likening it to the measles vaccine.

"Wow. These are all educated people, like all college graduates, aren't they? You would expect they might be more knowledgeable about the difference between the virus and the disease and what 'COVID' refers to."

Well, they are not. Nor do I suspect many of those reporting the news to be aware of what the acronym refers to and what the vaccine will accomplish. Just me explaining that 70% meant 'that 7 out of 10 people, if infected, would not be able to have the disease'. So for the virus to make more of itself and spread, it would have to infect the 3 out of 10 people who were still able to have the virus progress to the disease state. I was about to go into more when we got pulled out of that 'room' and back to the big 'room', with different conversations already going on.

"No one tried to continue the thread y'all had been pursuing?"

No, there really wasn't an opportunity for that. Everyone was getting to the 'off to lunch' stage of the session. The Zoom ended just a few minutes later.

"Well, you keep preaching, dear, even if it is to the same choir. I know you keep hoping for some new faces at these 'coffee hours', but at least you do get to interact with others and have your voice heard. I'm sure the message will get around to others."

I certainly hope so. It's not that I don't enjoy being in the choir... I just wish we could sing new songs."

celebrations of life, old and new

The last shall be first, I say!

Born yesterday, I welcome dear Henry into the world and into the loving arms of Keith and Blakely Schaal!

The birth of Henry makes my ex an official Great Uncle on his stepdad's side!

Kudos to him and to his step-sister Kathy, who shall henceforth be known as 'Kiki', with Joe preferring the more common moniker 'Pops'!

What shall I use to mark the new one's entrance into my life?

G'Aunt, of course, as all my greats already know!

(smile!)

Speaking of my ex, he sent this photo of him with his dear Auntie, Mother Pat's youngest sister.

Diane Osinski, born in 1953, was killed by a stranger while she was away at college in 1972.

This photo was taken in December 1969, most likely after she had given her nephew the toy shown for his fifth birthday.

He has fond memories of her teaching him Spanish.

(smile)

After the two above in my morning, I had the event for Geoff Harrison today for my third celebration of life.

A fellow sailor in the Navy, a fellow teacher of science, a fellow beach lover, it is his fellow love of dance that I best equate with him.

His choreography for the liturgical art created for "I Can Only Imagine" for a church service some years ago was so very beautiful that it has stayed with me as one of those crystallized memories in time.

I am so thankful that dance was included in this Zoom ceremony from Asbury Memorial Church.

Oh, had I forgotten to mention that he was a fellow member there?

(smile!)

dishes finally washed!

Go ahead, count the coffee cups, I'll wait.

There's nine of them - NINE!

As they are my measure of days passed since dishes were washed, that means NINE days have elapsed since these racks were last used for drying purposes.

That's because I had to wait for this wound to heal up a bit before I dared submerge it in soapy water.

Yeah, even little dancing Rudolph is aghast at how nasty it looked - and this was five days after the event.

I was cooking butternut squash on the lower oven rack and when the upper rack, at 425 F, made contact.

Now, four days after the above photo was taken, the burn mark as finally healed enough to not have an open site.

Poor little reindeer, he's still quite alarmed, but even he admits it looks better.

Me? I'm just glad to have clean glasses and bowls and forks and pots to use again.

No worry about running out of coffee mugs - I have plenty of those!

(smile!)

laundry, art, and a puzzle just for me!

Curiouser and curiouser, and Alice would say.

This was not the photograph I thought I had taken, but better.

I was at Sandfly Laundry, entertaining myself as April was already gone for the day.

She and I enjoy splashing Spanish and English back and forth at each other and I had expected her to be there, as it was just 4 PM on a Thursday... but, no.

So, like I said, I was entertaining myself.

Naturally, that meant I'd whipped out my camera/phone, thinking to take a shot of my black kitteh cat mask reflected in the dryer, with the clothes swirling behind.

Fortunately, serendipity had a hand in the result.

This more closely resembles the type of collage art that Axelle does.

On the left is the reflection of a shirt, hung up and out of the way on the laundry cart.

The center features a pale woman in a dark coat, with a very long red scarf wrapped across her dark hair and trailing to the floor.

To the right, another woman stands, this one in a black and white bikini top and dark pants, her long hair blowing out to the side in the light.

My hand, holding the cell phone, anchors the lower right.

Tre bien, n'est-ce pas?

I'm actually considering getting it printed and framed.

After all, in "Yes Man", an art gallery had a showing of enlarged pictures snapped while the person behind the camera was jogging in the early morning light... and folks were actually wanting to buy those pieces!

Sure, sure, it was just in a movie, so chances are pretty slim that would actually happen.

Then again, reality can be stranger than fiction, so... 

I say it could most def happen!

Just like it could happen that the universe would make sure that the first Jonesin' Crossword I find in ages has clue references that would be inside jokes for me.

No, really!

The entertainment paper has changed its look, and its content is mostly centered on bars and clubs, but at least it still has Matt Jones' work in it... and the bin down from the laundrette still had copies of the latest issue.

Right place, right time.

I waited until I was home again to delve into it.

He had given it the title "GIMME A REASON... WHEN YOU KNOW...", and, with the Tracy Chapman song pulled up in my mental jukebox, I set about trying my rusty hand on the hints he'd supplied.

 

17-Across caught my attention right away: "a copper-colored coin last minted in 1958".

Hey, that's the year I was born!

The answer was "WHeat pennY", I determined.

Well, I wish I had been aware of that while I was teaching!

I liked to have a mole of copper atoms to show my students, and that is the quantity of the element represented by 23 zinc-free pennies!

I'd always have to check the dates, making sure the pennies were before 1962, the date they began having that other metal in their cores.

I could have saved myself the eyestrain if I'd known to just look at the coin backs.

Aye - you live and you learn!

 

25-Across was the next to grab me: "Alfred E. Neuman line".

Shades of Mad magazine!!!

That had been an influence on my invention, the Elements of Touch Periodic Table.

Determining the answer took a bit of doing, but eventually I got it.

"WHat, me worrY?" - minus the punctuation, naturally.

Hahahaha!

That also cinched it that the circled letters were the same throughout the grid.

 

47-Across was the next one I solved: "never in a million years!"

It took a bit of doing, but I was finally successful: "WHen pigs flY"!

I immediately thought of that whimsical picture at The Pink Pig BBQ, too.

Hmmm... I wonder if it is still in business?

I just may have to check it out next week!

 

Time to go back and try my hand at "sport featured in the 2005 documentary "Murderball" ", the clue for 39-Across. 

That answer was one that spanned the width of the puzzle.

I don't recall actually seeing the movie, but once I started working on the other hints and revealed that physically-disabled equipment was involved, I remembered hearing of it.

"WHeel chair rugbY" was the game, and those guys were tough!

I've seen clips of it, but I'll see if I can rustle it up for my next Sports Film Festival.

Time for the final clue with the circled letters!

This time, though the three circled spots were sequential, not of the same pattern.

What might that mean?

Well, 58-Across had a wordy clue: "discover (or how to determine what the four circled answers have in common".

Then, the answer popped into my mind: science!!!

Woohoo, he was singing my song!

Sure enough, he was, with his urging to "find out WHY"!

Marvelous!

(smile!)

goth girl blog day: update

Hard to believe I was once this person.

Married three years now, a mom with our second daughter soon to arrive, my teenaged self seems like someone else, not me.

I wonder if all young women experience this disconnect?

Perhaps the fact that I will become a quarter of a century in age also has bearing.

Hard to believe I was once this person.

short sleeves and sandals day!

Yes, yes, yes!!!

What blessed relief to not have to wear a coat, to not have to wear socks or real shoes!

I even felt like I was on vacation - hence, the turquoise bracelet to let the world, and my mind, know that I was officially on holiday!

After I came home from my grocery shopping expedition, I even had a lunch that required no heating!

Fiji apple, eaten with thoughts of island adventures!

Baby carrots for crunch, crunch, CRUNCH!

And chicken breast that didn't need to be prepped or cooked, just drained!

All with the house wide open, drinking in the warmth and sunshine from the great outdoors!

And what had led to this glorious round of rejoicing in this month of February?

One of my neighbors had seen my gorgeous tree, this Japanese magnolia, in full tilt boogie BLOOM after days of rain and cold and had been moved to take a photograph, as I have done countless times, and to post it on fb in our neighborhood group!

I had seen it, just an hour or so after she posted it, as I had popped on that social site - right place, right time!

I'd promptly posted her shot as my cover photo, then I was off to enjoy this day that God had granted to me!

When I jumped back onto the site this evening to grab the link for the PFS film of the week, my fabulously pink tree had garnered 48 likes and loves and even a wow!

Then, Patrick Young made me laugh out loud with this bit of silliness: Every single thing that exists in this infinite universe is either a duck, or not a duck.

Hahahaha! Hahahaha!

just for expanding his horizons

I woke to an alarm today, as I have done on Tuesdays for almost a year now.

That's because this is the day that Mayor Van Johnson gives his televised update to we citizens of Savannah about our progress during this time of pandemic.

It's usually at least thirty minutes in length, with questions from the media after.

Today, he didn't do that.

Not any of it.

I have no idea why, but it didn't happen.

So, instead, I pulled up a tv show I haven't watched for a while: "Beat Shazam".

That provides me a bit of entertainment and music, a winning combination, right?

Absolutely!

And I got that in spades today!

(Give it a minute and you'll know why I  went and fetched that definition.

I don't want anyone thinking I''m being racist with my choice of words.

Go ahead, look up the phrase, I'll wait.

*

*

*

Just a reference to a centuries-old game of cards, naught else.

Okay, forward we go!)

So... where was I?

Oh, yes, watching Jamie Lee Fox and his daughter, Corinne, this morning.

Episode 1 of Season 3 featured three pairs of teachers vying for the money.

One of the pairs, two brothers, did poorly the first round, scoring no money.

Then, for the second round, in which they were able to choose the song categories (they opted for 80's rather than 2010's), they continued to fare poorly...

until the final two songs, which they answered correctly...

preventing them from being dismissed and allowing them to continue playing.

They had gone from zero dollars to $9,000, putting them in second place.

For the next round, which was Corinne's choice, the artist was Shania Twain.

Let me allow that to sink in a moment while you recognize who that is.

Got it?

White woman, Canadian, the Queen of Country Pop.

Honestly, I know, possibly four of her songs, primarily because my husband was working at "KIX 96 and a half" during our first few years of marriage in the 1990's.

Two of those tunes I knew showed up in the game; I didn't know the other three songs that showed up at all.

I mean, I'd never even heard them and they were supposed to have been some of her top hits, as only those are used for the game.

The contestants - the two brothers versus a pair of female friends - had to correctly guess the title of the six songs and score the most money in order to continue to play for the truly big bucks in the final round.

"That Don't Impress Me Much" was one of the two I knew and the fourth one in the set...

and the one that cinched their lead.

After the last one in this set, Aaron and Martin, two African-American men, had $64,000 and had won the chance to play, versus the machine, for a million dollars.

Wow, what a Cinderella story, right?

From absolutely zero in the first round to almost losing out on the second round and missing the Motown song, then knowing all that country music that few would regard as culturally relevant for them and going to the final round - wow!

But it wasn't the two of them that knew the songs...

oh, no, Aaron didn't have a clue and was openly surprised that his brother knew them.

Seriously.

He was in open-mouthed surprise by the third Shania song.

Even the two white women they were playing against were in awe.

But Martin had it down pat.

I was thrilled!

I always am when people venture outside their comfort zone and open their minds.

That's what I do, trying out new ideas and concepts from different cultures, embracing the activities in the Savannah Black Heritage Festival, in the Jewish Film Festival, in the Clergy Talks by Zoom on Wednesdays, in the Savannah Music Festival, in the Telluride MountainFilm on Tour, in the Savannah Jazz Festival, in the Savannah VOICE Festival - most of which is free, by the way, so there really is no good reason to not attend.

Seriously.

Some folks may think I'm "just going to a lot of movies", but that isn't how I regard it.

Movies are the fastest way to 'read' a story about another person, another country, another culture, another way of thinking.

I've been a bookworm since I was young, eagerly reading of other's adventures, and I credit books with opening the door to travel, with the military, and on my own afterward.

I know so many who do not venture outside their circles, staying around only those who look like them and think like them.

How wonderful to watch this show this morning and see another adventurer!

And what were Martin's plans with the money?

His daughter was going to college to become an immunologist and he wanted to be able to help her with that so she wouldn't have loans to repay.

Wow.

So, how did their story end?

The two brothers won the million dollars, that's how it ended...

with Martin answering all the questions, correctly naming all six songs before the computer could.

The first was Taylor Swift's "22", a song I have never heard.

The second was an oldies tune that I did know: "Good Vibrations" by the Beach Boys.

Third was a pop-rock hit, "Hey, Soul Sister" by Train, a song I love!

The category for the fourth song had him worried, but Martin recognized Harry Chapin's "Cat's In The Cradle" before I did, and, more importantly, before the machine did, too.

The penultimate song was rhythm & blues and one I didn't know: "Nobody Knows", from the Tony Rich Project in 1996.

I suppose I might have been too busy trying to finish my doctoral dissertation...

but Martin knew it.

He knew it justthatfast, too, as he had known all of these songs.

His knowledge had brought them $189,000 and to the point of no return -

hmm, I wonder if he might recognize the pun-titled song by Kansas? -

(I'm guessing he would) -

meaning, they would need to decide if they wanted to opt to leave the game and to keep the money amassed, or risk losing half of it if they continued to play.

That final song category was "90's".

After the commercial break, Aaron had convinced Martin they should continue.

Aaron's wife had been in a recent car wreck and had not worked for some time.

Aaron told the audience that their mother had always told them to never give up...

so they kept playing, gambling that the adventurous brother would know the song.

And he did!

So did I, incredibly.

The Gin Blossoms' "Found Out About You" was, literally, the million-dollar tune for these two Pennsylvania teachers.

Wow.

He had a moment of uncertainly after, wondering if it should be "I Found Out About You",

as he said in an aside to his brother, then he had shaken his head -

no, he'd said it right the first time.

And he had.

Wow.

Good for Martin!

Being adventurous truly paid off for him, literally and figuratively.

I hope his daughter is just like him...

and I hope his brother will try to follow his lead.

What a wonderful way to start my day!

i thank You, God!

looking in the mirror

I might almost believe the pandemic was over, as busy as I have been of late...

almost, but not quite.

That's because all of the events have been via a 15-inch screen, not in person.

Even those events which have been live, like the performance of "Alice In Wonderland" a few weeks ago, have left me feeling as though I were watching television...

but with people I know on the screen.

Since then, I've deliberately scheduled more zoom events, hoping to acclimate my mind to this facsimile of reality, as the pandemic will be persisting longer than hoped by many.

I'd like to be proved wrong on this, I really would.

Sigh.

C'mon, folks, get the vaccines when they become available for your age group!

Even then, continue to practice the three W's, bearing in mind that vaccinating 70% of the population of the USA is going to take most of the year, as it all has to be done one person at a time, one dose at a time... and then has to be repeated for each person.

So, for 328,000,000 people, that means there will have to be 656,000,000 vaccinations, with each person taking up roughly 15 minutes per visit... so, for 70% of the total to be made safe by the vaccine, that will require 15 minutes X 459,200,000 visits, for a total of 6,888,000,000 minutes. 

Don't like the look of that number?

Okay, let's make it hours, so that would be: 114,800,000 hours.

Now, let's say the vaccination visits are being scheduled for 12 hours per day, that means the process would take 9,567,000 days to accomplish, if only one place was doing the shots.

Fortunately, there are many more places that are doing so.

However, to get the necessary herd immunity benefit going in our favor by June - and to prevent the massive increase in infections seen last year - just how many places would need to be dishing out anti-COVID shots?

Well, including tomorrow, we have 98 days until June 1st.

That means the United States of America would require 97,623 locations to be distributing the vaccines into arms, 12 hours per day, weekends included.

Now, what if each site had three people administering the shots, working those 12-hour shifts, how many vaccination locations would be required?

Well, then we're down to 32,541.

Of course, all of that would depend on the manufacturers of the vaccines keeping up with production in order to keep those sites fully supplied.

It would also depend on the people with appointments arriving timely and departing just as timely so the next people can get in.

Even so, each center, with three people administering shots, every 15 minutes, for 12 hours per day, would only be able to vaccinate 144 people per day...

and that's hustling, keeping a steady flow of people in and out...

with the manufacturers producing 4,685,904 doses per day....

and getting them distributed to those 32,451 vaccination sites.

It is truly a logistical nightmare.

That's why I know, as a scientist and analytical chemist, that the pandemic will be persisting through the summer months and into the fall.

The numbers bear that out. 

Please, someone, prove me wrong.

I'm not saying that vaccinating people is not a good thing...

because it truly is a most wondrous thing...

but, it is a slow process when there are so many people.

Patience is still needed before life can ramp back up again -

before concerts, theatres, and sporting events can have live audiences again -

before bars, gyms, salons, and restaurants can be full and profitable again -

before students can have teachers close enough to touch again...

patience.

So, I continue interactions with others via Zoom and Vimeo and YouTube and facebook.

Patience.

That's not particularly a trait I am known for possessing...

but, I am trying to acquire more of it.

Sigh.

sbhf32: fabulous finish

I would have gladly watched this pair for the entire program on Friday!

Not only do I love Nina Simone's "Feeling Good", I also dearly love couples dancing, whether on the floor, on an ice rink, or underwater.

I want that.  

The SBHF32 had this number at the heart of its "New World, New Life, New Change" show from the SSU Obsidian Dance Repertory, a group I enjoyed at 31SBHF.

The troupe began with another Nina Simone song, "Four Women", performed ingeniously by Kalisha Credle removing an article of clothing for each character - brava!

I also very much liked "Metamorphosis", with two women evolving, as well as "Suite 125", with its cast of six busily going through stages of life and work.

In addition, "This Is America" and its lone male dancer was eloquent far beyond the words of the rap song. 

However, after the program had run its course, this was the segment - near time-stamp 19:20 - I returned to again and again.

Alonzo Boschulte and Toni Renee Johnson reminded me of another couple - Lorenzo and Cree - that I had so enjoyed, years ago.

Such grace, such synchronicity, such pure joy in movement exhibited by this pair - yes, that reminds me of my disco days and dancing close with another, and I definitely want that again, still, always.

Saturday brought two gospel singers, listed as 'the headliners'.

I don't know that I would have referred to them as such, since the programs of each consisted of only three songs.

Koryn Hawthorne is shown here performing "Sunday", which, even though it was religious, reminded me very much of The Cure's "Friday I'm In Love".

How so? The litany of days at the heart of the chorus of both songs!

India Shawn was the other songstress and she was obviously right at home, literally, with her shoes off and her demeanor casual - very nice!

Although her tunes were nice, it was the art on the wall that really held my attention.

What an interesting take on the old maxim, "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil"!

It was too large to have had a space in my house, but I liked its boldness!

I liked the boldness of tonight's program, too - plus the fact that it was on tv!!!

That meant I could watch it on my Element instead of a small screen - hooray!

I made sure before we all left the Asbury Memorial Zoom "coffee hour" that they all knew WSAV would have this treat, just as I'd told my first niece and her family at lunch yesterday.

How wonderful to know folks I love were watching and dancing along with me!

Oh, had I not yet mentioned that this was another dance program?

Yes, yes, it was, with the Hiplet (pronounced HIP-lay) Ballerinas, a troupe that has combined hiphop style and en pointe to create Sugarplum Fairies like no other!
Not that they were performing that December treat - not at all - but that remembrance is what popped into my head while they danced this portion of "The African Suite".

Another bit during that fifteen minutes involved a quartet that may well have been speaking a new type of sign language!

Does it not seem that they are forming letters of hieroglyphs with their movements?

I wonder if that was a subliminal intention of the choreographer or merely my mind's interpretation?

I do know this: littlest girl was digging the groove and dancing along, as was I!

It occurred to me, while I was watching them, enthralled during the oh-too-short, thirty-minute show with its four suites, that some of this felt very familiar to me. 

Then I realized - between "Chain Of Fools" and them dancing on their toes I was harkening back to my disco days again!

I had done this very move, in three-inch heels and a mini-skirt, on a lighted dance floor in so many clubs - ah, good times!

(smile!

fabulous february frivolity!

This is how it all started: 

Miyah was making faces at me...

so I made one right back!

Then her Mama made a face, too!

Right there at Cancun restaurant!

Even Daddy Chris joined in!

And look at that - 

even a 'thumbs up' of approval!

Her little sis wasn't left out  -

no sirreebob!

Tongue out from Miss Chlo, too!

Woohoo!!!

a priest, a rabbi, a minister and a preacher log into a zoom room...

"What are you going on about this time?"

It's a Zoom series I've enrolled in called Clergy Talks that meets on Wednesday afternoons. I had thought about going to them last year, but I don't know that I did more than once.

"So, they get together and discuss the similarities and differences between their religions?"

Not hardly, dear! Let me introduce the players. Going counterclockwise from bottom right, that's Michael Chaney, Robert Haas, Dave Messner, and Billy Hester. That's in order of their clerical titles, by the way.

"Okay, I can understand why you went to at least the first 'episode' of this series. I know Reverend Billy from your church and I know Rabbi Haas from a few comedy shows and those tri-faith services."

That's correct. So, knowing two of the four, I signed up for the 13-week series. I very nearly didn't go to the first one, but I'm glad I did. It was a safe haven to discuss the day's events that I had just fled from. They had not been aware of the riot at the Capitol until I 'spoke' of it. The conversation then dealt with answering my question to them.

"Which was?"

What are y'all's perceptions of being able to have these discussions and their worth to you? There ensued a discussion about 'hot' media versus 'cool' media, with one requiring interaction and the other not so. However, there was an answer that evolved, too.

"And that would be...?"

The beauty of learning through dialogue back and forth, either between the four of them or with 'viewers' like myself. The downside of using technology is the loss of being topical in their sermons, which are all recorded several days prior to release to their congregations. For example, Billy's 'Sunday' service is actually finalized on Friday and then waits to 'premiere' at the usual time that Asbury Memorial holds church.

"I see. And just what is it that you get out of these Zoom sessions?"

Quite frankly, it's the live interaction with them. Well, that's mostly with Rabbi Haas in the 'chat', but frequently he will bring up my topics to the others to involve them, too.

"It looks like y'all are just talking about cartoons right here, and rather old ones at that."

Well, that's what was being discussed by them at the time, so I was just trying to be topical! LOL! This photo, by the way, was from the session on January 13. That's when I started loosening up around them; they were already pretty casual with each other.

"Very nice for you! As the only daughter of four kids, I know you have hung out with guys your entire life. I'm glad this quartet has welcomed you into their midst."

I think they welcome my female perspective. The third session followed the Inauguration and I brought up some points they had missed - like the color of the tie and the coat of the newly-sworn in President and Vice President. Plus, I gave my perspective on the meaning of a woman in power at the White House. I'm so glad the Haas man 'talked' to me about that! He liked my choice of words, too, about earlier events, regarding the need for "debate, not debacle." I must say, I do enjoy trotting out my vocabulary for this Zoom!

"Well, you can thank your Grandpa for that. Such wordplay you and he once shared!"

So true, so true. I am sure that repartee here is part of the attraction I have for Clergy Talks. For instance, on 27 January, the topic was 'ambition', but it quickly became a lesson in semantics, with 'altruism', 'goal', and 'aspiration' all having a turn in the discussion. Pretty meaty for a talk that strayed initially onto horseshoe crabs, platypus, and possums! As I told them, "Y'all are a hoot! Proof positive that clergy are 'just folks', too!" Rabbi Haas really liked that observation!

"I'm sure he did, and the others as well. That's akin to your gratitude when a student acknowledged you as a person with a life, not just as a teacher."

Hey, nice segue! The next week's session on 3 February was focused on higher education! David had just helped his kid apply for college and was having 'launch anxiety' about the situation. So, the foursome of aging white males were discussing such things, including the anxiety not only of kids leaving the nest, but also, during this year of pandemic and lost jobs, of kids having to return to their parents' homes to leave. Of course, I weighed in with my tale of living briefly with Mama after I PCS'ed from the Navy, where I had most def lived as a liberated woman. So David Messner read that and the topic opened up for include life changes for military folks!

"Well, it probably was not a topic that touched home for them. I doubt any of those men served in the military. Only Billy and Michael are of an age that they could have grown kids that went that route, but neither said aught of that."

No, they didn't, but they did get onto "Planet of the Apes" and possibly re-enacting that for the next week's session! So, I had tuned in on February 10, eager to see costumes... but Billy - no surprise! - was the only one to do so, donning a wig as "Nova" near the session's end. Perhaps the others don't have easy access to a theatrical closet full of props and clothing? Probably not!

"Don't forget! Chaney was barefoot! And David kidded about them being 'the monkeys you got!' at the top of the show."

True, all true, but I had hoped for a bit more fun. After all, this quickly turned into a talk about Valentine's Day, so I nearly tuned out. But then I'd posed a question, then rephrased it when it was misunderstood, to ask if they felt, as married men, that their wives would expect them to talk on that topic and would be disappointed if they did not. Billy was the only one who said he'd be afraid to find out! The other three kind of hemmed and hawed, and the topic was changed to memories of that 'holiday' as a child and the paper valentines at school.

"That sounds like it might have been rather fun! You know, reminiscing about the old days of childhood, before you had to be coupled up to get a valentine's day card or memento. Not that the day was ever a big deal to you. As you used to tell folks, only half-jokingly, you expect your husband to treat you like every day is special, not just on the commercially promoted ones!"

Yeah. I must admit, I get that from Mama, who got it from Grandma. Unlike them, I never had a passion for roses. Give me daisies or pansies any day!

"Yes, dear. Are you about done here?"

Yep, I just want to say a couple of things about the session this week! They had another Unitarian - which is what Dave is - as a guest. Kate Landis has a new book out, so they were helping her promote it. It was Ash Wednesday, so Father Chaney was marked up, but the others were not.

"Well, of course the rabbi wouldn't be. I don't know if Unitarians do so... but Billy was waiting for the service that night." 

No bout a doubt it, as my Daddy would say. LOL! Let's see, where was I? Hmmm... so, the topic was mental health, with each person weighing in with their life. I talked of making sure I vary my meals, to stay out of a rut, and incorporating different video events into my days. I even brought up the SBHF and the upcoming film festival!

"Good for you! That showed you were trying to stay in your groove thing, the schedule of culture that you've been enjoying for years now!"

Hey, I'm trying. Like the four clergy, I'm not yet eligible for the vaccine, so indulging virtually is in my best interest. One thing for sure: I am so blessed to be retired from teaching. These guys have to keep the congregation alert and engaged, just as I did in the classroom, but they have to do it through the one-way lens of the virtual world. That means more work on their part and less reward. At least they don't have to grade lab papers!

"Indeed! That was truly the worst part about teaching! Well, most of the time, though it could be pretty hilarious from time to time!"

Yes, indeed! As for these clergy talks, I do plan to finish out the series. I truly enjoy interjecting my two cents' worth into the discussions and actually having them take notice and respond. I especially appreciate Robert Haas carrying on a side-bar conversation with me as he does. I look forward to the next five or six sessions to come!

two plays in as many days!

Before you get too excited, you should bear in mind that neither was live.

"Oh, that's too bad. It seems like forever since that there was anything live in the theatrical world."

Well, hold on, g'friend. You had "A Charlie Brown Christmas" in December from the SavChTh, and they recently did "Elephant And Piggie's We Are In A Play". Remember? Danielle was in that remake. You saw it several years ago and liked it.

"Oh, yes, that was fun!"

That's right. And just last month, the folks at SavStageCo gave you a live one, too, "Alice In Wonderland", streaming in from fb.

"Yes, but that 'venue' sucks long green ones. I always get dropped audio and missed video segments there. Even with the Odd Lot shows on fb, I'd have to leave the page and log back in, missing part of the comedy. Ack."

Heard. I've tried to make sure folks know that 'venue' is problematic. YouTube is much smoother for streaming video.

"For real. I never have to leave the church service and log back in on that site. "

That's correct... but we seem to have wandered off topic. We were talking of live theatre and I was trying to remind you of what you've seen of that form of entertainment since the pandemic took over. As you will recall, the SSU Players By The Sea gave you "Oedipus" in the fall. That was totally live!

"It was very well done, too! I hope they will bring more live theatre soon."

Well, I have good news! They did!!! Yesterday, as part of the SBHF32. They put one what is termed a Reader's Theatre, in which everyone has the script before them and are reading it aloud. You know, much like you do when you're reading a book to a child - they liven it up, but each person only reads their part, not all of them.

"Oh, but it's more fun to read for all of the characters! LOL!"

Yes, I'm sure it is, dear, for both you and the children you're reading to, but that's not how it was done for this production. You see, the actors were actually doing a play, one called "Color Struck", written by Zora Neale Hurston when she was about 34 years old. I think you would have liked her. Here's a quote from a letter she wrote. "I have the nerve to walk my own way, however hard, in my search for reality, rather than climb upon the rattling wagon of wishful illusions."

"Good for her! And that was back in the 1920's? Yes, I think I would have liked to meet her. She sounds like she was a woman like me, a woman like Nichelle Nichols, a woman who did not see her options as limited by gender or race."

That's my take, too. This play tackles the subject of racism within the black community. That's actually what the title refers to: the mistaken belief that the color of one's skin limits what one is allowed to do and to have.

"Wow, that's a bit of a different tack, isn't it? To look at how folks of color can have prejudice views toward other folks of color, just because of skin tone?"

I thought it a very admirable tack. Most groups only look outside their own ethnicity when they talk of racial bias. I found it refreshing to have this glance within a single ethnic group.

"Is this the play? I didn't expect them to be in costume for a reader's theatre."

I had not either, but I'm sure the actors jumped at the chance to dress up. The play is set two time periods, with this first one in 1904. These folks are all traveling by train to a cake walk where John and Emma - the couple in the red coat and blue dress - are to compete. The others in the scene, from the left, are Ada, Effie, and Dinkey. Off to the far right is a woman with a typewriter, representing the author, and narrating the expository.

"How marvelous! Did you get to see them dance?"

Well, no, because Emma refused to enter the contest, thinking that John preferred Effie's light color to her dark color. Even though he tried to convince her, Emma remained color struck and did not budge from her erroneous belief. Eventually, she and John parted ways, though he would continue to love her.

"And is that romantic conjecture on your part?"

No, that is what becomes obvious in Act Two, which is set 20 years later. John, now a widower, has tracked her down, hoping for a joyful reunion. He finds her alone, tending to her very ill daughter, a mulatto daughter born to her out of wedlock. John still wants to marry Emma, but when she finds him giving water to the dying daughter, all Emma sees is John choosing a light skin over her dark skin. John leaves after her tirade and the daughter dies, making Emma all alone now.

"Oh, my, how very sad. Even though Emma brought all that heartache onto herself, it's still very sad. Plus, I thought you said this was a 'live' play."

Nope, I did not say that. In fact, I had cautioned you against thinking that.

"What?! Wait just a minute... oh. Yes, you did alert me, at the very start. Good thing you wrote it down as proof."

Hahaha! Yes, dear. And you just gave me proof positive that people hear what they want to hear and read what they want to read, regardless of the words actually in place.

"Yeah, yeah. You also said there were TWO plays. So, do tell, please."

You betcha. By the way, the first play was roughly an hour long. Feel free to mosey on over to the site and watch it. It's free! Well, not really, as the City of Savannah, as well as Savannah State University, footed the bill for it. This second play, however, is not free, nor is it funded by anyone, but the cost of admission is just $20. Contact SavRepTh and get set up with them.

"So, this is not part of the Savannah Black Heritage Festival?"

No, it is not, though it is certainly appropriate for winter viewing. It reminded me strongly of "Land", which I saw just last weekend. As in that movie, grief figures prominently in "Brilliant Traces". Of course, we don't know that right away. What we do know is this: a stranger in a dirty wedding gown has burst into a man's cabin during a terrible snowstorm, awakening him not only by her action but her nonstop talking. After downing several shots of whiskey, she passes out and the man emerges from where he has been silently standing since her arrival.

"Oh, my! With nary a greeting or anything?"

He didn't even have an opening to speak until she passed out. Then, he did the right thing: made sure she was alive, transferred her to the one bed, cleaned her up, covered her with blankets, and waited for her to wake up. That she didn't do for two days. TWO DAYS. Can you imagine having a stranger in your house for two days and knowing next to nothing about them?

"Well, he knew she was a runaway bride who had been walking in the snow in satin slippers. She could well have been a mental patient."

Exactly. As I said, next to nothing. So, she finally wakes up and they start this awkward conversation, with her knowing she has imposed and him trying to be gracious about it, sharing names, struggling for bits of real information. And we find out that she has driven from Arizona, living on candy and cola, not even stopping for the night anywhere, probably not wanting to think of the groom she left at the altar and aware that a stop would bring him to mind and her actions into question. She might well have continued driving if her car had not died in the snow. She didn't even know she was in Alaska!

"I see. So, she could very well be mental."

In a way, she was. Her father had failed to recognize her at the wedding, just as he was to escort her down the aisle, and she was overcome with the grief of having been erased from his diseased memory. As for why the man was living alone in a remote cabin, well grief was playing a role in that, too.

"I am so blessed to not have dementia or Alzheimer's in my family. I have several friends who have had parents with the diseases and the effect on them is heartbreaking."

Yes. That's all I'm going to say about this one, as I don't want to give away all of the play. What I appreciated was that this was a husband and wife in real life, who took on Cindy Lou Johnson's play and had it staged in their garage. I don't know how long it took to get it all done, but considering that they are both professors at a local university, with all the extra effort that entails during a pandemic, they must have tremendous grace. I certainly hope to see them in future works here in town, hopefully in person.

"Well, thanks for introducing them to me, and for telling me of this theatrical work still being done locally. Kudos to all involved in both plays!"