Wednesday, July 12, 2006
Poetry
" LET US REMEMBER....that in the end we go to poetry for one reason, so that we might more fully inhabit our lives and the world in which we live them, and that if we more fully inhabit these things, we might be less apt to destroy both." A quote from Chirstian Wiman, Editor of POETRY MAGAZINE.
A dull, damp and terribly suffocating New York grey summer day....summed up best in one word: YUCK.... it is thoroughly vile outside, so that our living room , cool and creative, is an oasis. I will sit at my desk until i must go to an appointment at 3:00...and only leave this cool cocoon if i can get right onto a cool #104 bus...the air is terrible out there today.
Soon, Paul, Steve, Peter and I will leave for San Francisco....we are all very excited. But first, a few things must get done here, like the dinner party we have planned in honor of Paul and Steve's birthday (July 18th)...this will be on Sunday night, and the actual gift will be that Peter and I will cook them both a sumptuous vegetarian meal! Usually, Steve is so wondrously occupied cooking glorious meals for all of us, we decided we would treat him like royalty that evening and not allow him to lift a finger! He really is one of the most generous souls I have ever known...and we want to do this for them. And so we will! My niece Rachel and her gal Alison will come as well. A small family gathering. With food by Peter and Ev! (Keep all fingers crossed...Peter is a wonderful cook...I am a bit rusty...hope I don't poison anyone with my good intentions.)After all , it is the thought that counts, right?
NOW, BACK TO THE ACTORS TIMELINE:
So, we have spent years by now in the stage of SHOWING off what we have...and, to one degree or another, "success" has been the result...and the only true measure of that "success" is simply that the actor has chosen to actually stay on the TIMELINE, and not switch careers to something more satisfying, lucrative and sensible. So, in short, IF YOU ARE STILL ON THE ACTORS TIMELINE AT THIS POINT, YOU HAVE ACHIEVED SOME SUCCESS...one always wants more, but by this time, you have become relatively content with the recognition you have received and are still willing to call yourself an actor!
NOW WHAT? This is where is gets interesting because we're now somewhat experienced , both in the show business and in our lives generally, so we feel as if we are more in charge of the impulses that drive us, and an element of actual thought now goes into the choices we make. We do NOT TAKE EVERY JOB OFFERED US, nor do we go to every audition, since we have learned that most things are not worth our time, nor do they contribute to some sense we have developed that our lives are about more than our work! Romance has mellowed us, ridiculous people and bad artistry have disillusioned us, and we see more clearly, feel more honestly a larger part of what's going on in the world around us. BUT WE ARE STILL HABITUALLY FALLING INTO AN 8-SHOW-A WEEK schedule, because that is always how we have lived our lives: from show to show. This is a period on the TIMELINE I would call: the ERA OF ENDURING...the verb: TO KEEP ON KEEPIN' ON!! We do it because that is what we do. BUT with tht element of conscious choice in it. Sort of.
What could possibly come next?
A dull, damp and terribly suffocating New York grey summer day....summed up best in one word: YUCK.... it is thoroughly vile outside, so that our living room , cool and creative, is an oasis. I will sit at my desk until i must go to an appointment at 3:00...and only leave this cool cocoon if i can get right onto a cool #104 bus...the air is terrible out there today.
Soon, Paul, Steve, Peter and I will leave for San Francisco....we are all very excited. But first, a few things must get done here, like the dinner party we have planned in honor of Paul and Steve's birthday (July 18th)...this will be on Sunday night, and the actual gift will be that Peter and I will cook them both a sumptuous vegetarian meal! Usually, Steve is so wondrously occupied cooking glorious meals for all of us, we decided we would treat him like royalty that evening and not allow him to lift a finger! He really is one of the most generous souls I have ever known...and we want to do this for them. And so we will! My niece Rachel and her gal Alison will come as well. A small family gathering. With food by Peter and Ev! (Keep all fingers crossed...Peter is a wonderful cook...I am a bit rusty...hope I don't poison anyone with my good intentions.)After all , it is the thought that counts, right?
NOW, BACK TO THE ACTORS TIMELINE:
So, we have spent years by now in the stage of SHOWING off what we have...and, to one degree or another, "success" has been the result...and the only true measure of that "success" is simply that the actor has chosen to actually stay on the TIMELINE, and not switch careers to something more satisfying, lucrative and sensible. So, in short, IF YOU ARE STILL ON THE ACTORS TIMELINE AT THIS POINT, YOU HAVE ACHIEVED SOME SUCCESS...one always wants more, but by this time, you have become relatively content with the recognition you have received and are still willing to call yourself an actor!
NOW WHAT? This is where is gets interesting because we're now somewhat experienced , both in the show business and in our lives generally, so we feel as if we are more in charge of the impulses that drive us, and an element of actual thought now goes into the choices we make. We do NOT TAKE EVERY JOB OFFERED US, nor do we go to every audition, since we have learned that most things are not worth our time, nor do they contribute to some sense we have developed that our lives are about more than our work! Romance has mellowed us, ridiculous people and bad artistry have disillusioned us, and we see more clearly, feel more honestly a larger part of what's going on in the world around us. BUT WE ARE STILL HABITUALLY FALLING INTO AN 8-SHOW-A WEEK schedule, because that is always how we have lived our lives: from show to show. This is a period on the TIMELINE I would call: the ERA OF ENDURING...the verb: TO KEEP ON KEEPIN' ON!! We do it because that is what we do. BUT with tht element of conscious choice in it. Sort of.
What could possibly come next?
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