I work at a crazy place: where a full forty hour week is completed in 4 days by most people -- and extends well beyond forty hours for all the people who work there --- and somehow it all makes sense to the State of Georgia.
Some state governments are efficient and pro-citizens; some are not. Georgia, for reasons of cost-cutting well beyond human understanding; has laws, regulations and stipulations that create inefficiency and delays.
There are lots of other inefficiencies built into this state system --- but no one human has time or energy enough to understand or even find them all.
Friday, February 28, 2014
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Weather, Whither, Whether...
Not having a title for today -- I just invented something. Today is a rain soaked day, complete with falling temperatures and a nod over the should to winter. Some parts of the country will be belted by cold, snow, sleet, etc. But not here in Savannah.
Here it will be damp, chilly and cloudy -- sort of like Ohio most of the time.
I dreamed last night of people I have known. I wondered what would have happened if I had done such-and-such, instead of what I did do. I pondered what changes might have been wrought if I had followed my instincts at the time and perhaps held someone too tight, or touched them too softly, or kept them too close. In all I have lived a fairly moral life -- but those temptations were always the "points of no return." Could I have become a "bad person," a "user" of others, a jerk? Yep, I was, many times, one moment, one decision away from becoming an evil person. Did I stand up and do the right thing? I would have to say -- in hindsight-- yes. I think.
Here it will be damp, chilly and cloudy -- sort of like Ohio most of the time.
I dreamed last night of people I have known. I wondered what would have happened if I had done such-and-such, instead of what I did do. I pondered what changes might have been wrought if I had followed my instincts at the time and perhaps held someone too tight, or touched them too softly, or kept them too close. In all I have lived a fairly moral life -- but those temptations were always the "points of no return." Could I have become a "bad person," a "user" of others, a jerk? Yep, I was, many times, one moment, one decision away from becoming an evil person. Did I stand up and do the right thing? I would have to say -- in hindsight-- yes. I think.
Monday, February 24, 2014
Thunderous Weekend
Lots of epoch-hardening news over the weekend: the NBA finally hires an openly gay athlete, the revolution in the Ukraine seems to have found a stasis-point, the Sochi Winter Olympics are complete, and the rain/snow may return to soften the great California drought! All these stories are good news -- and are accompanied by a spate of thunderstorms in my own hometown Savannah, GA.
Not much else happened over the weekend -- lots of laziness as I watched basketball and did my laundry -- but not my many other major tasks. Tsk, tsk! I need to find the energy to chip away at those tasks before they actually do bury me.
Not much else happened over the weekend -- lots of laziness as I watched basketball and did my laundry -- but not my many other major tasks. Tsk, tsk! I need to find the energy to chip away at those tasks before they actually do bury me.
Friday, February 21, 2014
Consternation
Some time ago in my life I chose to "live well" rather than to "just live." That means taking some chances, trying out some opportunities that the shyer me might have avoided; it means understanding that without pre-knowledge of an afterlife, we need to make the best possible use of our time -- while we live!
Living well doesn't mean "living high on the hog" either. It means enjoying the moment (carpe diem) and understanding just why that moment is so important and wonderful. It means true and full enjoyment of every small pleasure; deep and complete experience of every small pain as well.
It is useless to descry to pains of age or even just the pains of everyday life. It is much better to realize that such pains make us human, such pains make us alive. I work to live up to such a standard of "enjoyment" but sometimes fail at doing so -- even those failures are meant to be acknowledged, experienced, and made a living part of our story. We are what we are, after all, and could be much worse -- if we tried to be other than what we are.
Living well doesn't mean "living high on the hog" either. It means enjoying the moment (carpe diem) and understanding just why that moment is so important and wonderful. It means true and full enjoyment of every small pleasure; deep and complete experience of every small pain as well.
It is useless to descry to pains of age or even just the pains of everyday life. It is much better to realize that such pains make us human, such pains make us alive. I work to live up to such a standard of "enjoyment" but sometimes fail at doing so -- even those failures are meant to be acknowledged, experienced, and made a living part of our story. We are what we are, after all, and could be much worse -- if we tried to be other than what we are.
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
Do Women Overthink More...
Interesting speech in my class today about "overthinking?" I am still not sure what "overthinking" really is, especially in the mind of my student who gave that speech.
But all the females in my class seemed to agree that women "overthink," that they are inclined to see any situation from multiple angels, that they have difficulty deciding on nearly everything; that because of "overthinking" other problems ensue: procrastination, lack of progress, bad decisions, etc.
Since I am a thinker and a planner --- always giving myself three completely different choices about anything --- the "problem of overthinking" doesn't exist for me. I do procrastinate, but for other reasons than overthinking. I take extra time to make the "full choice" -- the "best choice" -- the choice that will yield me the most fulfillment.
After today's speech I still don't know what "overthinking" could be -- it seems to me that there is too little "real thinking" going on in most people's lives these days. Am I wrong? Don't overthink it!
But all the females in my class seemed to agree that women "overthink," that they are inclined to see any situation from multiple angels, that they have difficulty deciding on nearly everything; that because of "overthinking" other problems ensue: procrastination, lack of progress, bad decisions, etc.
Since I am a thinker and a planner --- always giving myself three completely different choices about anything --- the "problem of overthinking" doesn't exist for me. I do procrastinate, but for other reasons than overthinking. I take extra time to make the "full choice" -- the "best choice" -- the choice that will yield me the most fulfillment.
After today's speech I still don't know what "overthinking" could be -- it seems to me that there is too little "real thinking" going on in most people's lives these days. Am I wrong? Don't overthink it!
Friday, February 14, 2014
A Serious Valentine's Day Wish
To all the women I have loved, or thought about, or helped, (or even hurt), I wish you my heartfelt love and respect. Especially to Mary Sheila Nassif Mrochinski --- who was only with me for a brief second in time, but has impacted my life to the core always.
If there is an afterlife I hope to share it with you Sheila; and if there is an end to rivalry, competition, hate, jealousy, stupid envy, and all other distracting human emotions -- I hope to have all the women (and men) I love there with us.
If there is an afterlife I hope to share it with you Sheila; and if there is an end to rivalry, competition, hate, jealousy, stupid envy, and all other distracting human emotions -- I hope to have all the women (and men) I love there with us.
Thursday, February 13, 2014
A Cold, Hard Coming...
Today is cold...again. It's like a real winter here in Savannah: days and days of clouds, cold rain, sleet, even icing. Just like the Midwest. Just like the Mountain States. It's not why we live here in Savannah....for the cold. We live here for the sun, the warmth, the end of winter -- not its dastardly continuity.
This is "getting sick" weather: colds, flu, ague, sniffles, pneumonia, etc. It's not a fit place for men nor beasts when Savannah turns wintry.
This is "getting sick" weather: colds, flu, ague, sniffles, pneumonia, etc. It's not a fit place for men nor beasts when Savannah turns wintry.
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
On the Internet in Total
The Library of the World; the nexus of all knowledge; the compendium of all books that have ever been written! Is that the truth? Or someone's zealous and overblown description?
It is the truth -- and it is now -- and it is now going forward. The Internet has phased its way into every part of human life, every transaction that involves distance and time, and every part of the way we think! It is the "big pencil" that we can use to make our lives better, or hurt others continually. It is the tree of the fruit of knowledge of good and evil -- it is our test -- our temptation -- our ultimate victory.
It is the truth -- and it is now -- and it is now going forward. The Internet has phased its way into every part of human life, every transaction that involves distance and time, and every part of the way we think! It is the "big pencil" that we can use to make our lives better, or hurt others continually. It is the tree of the fruit of knowledge of good and evil -- it is our test -- our temptation -- our ultimate victory.
Monday, February 10, 2014
Crimes of the Heart
Tosha is interested in directing "Crimes of the Heart" for the Mary-Arrchie theatre company in Chicago. She has considerable "push" in determining the schedule being the heir-apparent to Richard Cotovtsky as artistic director. And yet -- is this the right time to be doing "Crimes..."?
When first staged it was a powerful family drama-- not just a sentimental summer play which overuse by community theatres and summer stock companies have made it out to be. It can be powerful; it requires powerful non-sentimental actresses to play the roles; it probably needs more time to "cure" (be forgotten) by all those of us who have seen in too often in bad stock performances.
I link all the way back to the original since Sheila knew one of the three ladies -- and I knew (noddingly) Bill Hurt, who was a former husband to same. I remember seeing the play on Broadway and being a bystander to a Bill Hurt tirade to his former wife backstage. Made me underappreciate his work as an actor for years, considering his ridiculous lack of compassion as a human being.
I just don't think it's time for this play of hope to be set up for American audiences
again --- we crave the sentiment it could provide and that would not do justice to "Crimes..." as a real play.
When first staged it was a powerful family drama-- not just a sentimental summer play which overuse by community theatres and summer stock companies have made it out to be. It can be powerful; it requires powerful non-sentimental actresses to play the roles; it probably needs more time to "cure" (be forgotten) by all those of us who have seen in too often in bad stock performances.
I link all the way back to the original since Sheila knew one of the three ladies -- and I knew (noddingly) Bill Hurt, who was a former husband to same. I remember seeing the play on Broadway and being a bystander to a Bill Hurt tirade to his former wife backstage. Made me underappreciate his work as an actor for years, considering his ridiculous lack of compassion as a human being.
I just don't think it's time for this play of hope to be set up for American audiences
again --- we crave the sentiment it could provide and that would not do justice to "Crimes..." as a real play.
Thursday, February 6, 2014
Crime and Punishment
Crime and Punishment, a theatrical version of Dostoevsky's classic novel, opens today in Chicago, with my wonderful daughter Tosha Fowler as Production Manager.
I know what this has meant for her -- because even though the production was directed by the company founder (link to the past), the people (and Tosha's influence) are mostly new and come from a different kind of mystique. The "store front theatre" syndrome, which was popular not only in Chicago but in multiple urban areas back in the late 1960's still echoes in this company's work.
The style is what theorists would call "rough theatre"--popular theatre, theatre of the people, theatre packed with ideas and feelings but just as likely to erupt in violence. The "store front" brand of theatre showed America that you could make theatre anywhere, in any size space, just by intensifying the experience. I hope this production succeeds beyond everyone's best hopes.
I know what this has meant for her -- because even though the production was directed by the company founder (link to the past), the people (and Tosha's influence) are mostly new and come from a different kind of mystique. The "store front theatre" syndrome, which was popular not only in Chicago but in multiple urban areas back in the late 1960's still echoes in this company's work.
The style is what theorists would call "rough theatre"--popular theatre, theatre of the people, theatre packed with ideas and feelings but just as likely to erupt in violence. The "store front" brand of theatre showed America that you could make theatre anywhere, in any size space, just by intensifying the experience. I hope this production succeeds beyond everyone's best hopes.
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
On February in General
Not such a good month -- cold generally, too short to be a real month, has Groundhog Day and Valentine's Day -- that's pretty much it. Oh yeah, they try to sneak in President's Day (the fake national holiday) which we don't get "off" anyway at STC.
Not much of a month. It's the cold -- or rather, the whiplash nature of weather in February in Savannah, that is the most blah. Students are grinding their way into the term -- hoping for a day off (anything: national tragedy, terrorist attack, weather, etc--but no we've used up that during the last week of January). So, not much to look forward to. That's the way it is.
Not much of a month. It's the cold -- or rather, the whiplash nature of weather in February in Savannah, that is the most blah. Students are grinding their way into the term -- hoping for a day off (anything: national tragedy, terrorist attack, weather, etc--but no we've used up that during the last week of January). So, not much to look forward to. That's the way it is.
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
Are We Pawns?
There are many people who believe in a kind of determinist universe -- "what God wants," "the will of God," "what Jesus wants from us," etc. I am not such a person. I believe in free will, as a human right and privilege -- given, perhaps by God, perhaps by nature, or Karma, or luck, or chaos.
Free will means that we are responsible. Philip Seymour Hoffman overdoses on heroin -- who is at fault. First and foremost, he is. Second, those who knew he was in trouble with heroin and failed to intercede (because that is a duty we owe to each other). Third, his business associates, who for personal gain or stability, refused to question the man they worked for or with.
The death of Philip Seymour Hoffman is a tragedy -- talent wasted, a family with its children broken, a culture -- cracked by its own self-indulgence. The fact that we can't or won't do something to help those who need it is the real tragedy in each of our lives.
Free will means that we are responsible. Philip Seymour Hoffman overdoses on heroin -- who is at fault. First and foremost, he is. Second, those who knew he was in trouble with heroin and failed to intercede (because that is a duty we owe to each other). Third, his business associates, who for personal gain or stability, refused to question the man they worked for or with.
The death of Philip Seymour Hoffman is a tragedy -- talent wasted, a family with its children broken, a culture -- cracked by its own self-indulgence. The fact that we can't or won't do something to help those who need it is the real tragedy in each of our lives.
Monday, February 3, 2014
Winter is OVER
It was 80 degrees and rainy today in Savannah, where the temperatures have returned to their senses, hopefully never more to stray into the teens or twenties -- at least for 2014.
I am happy about that change, believe me; and I hope to take advantage of it in multiple ways from now -- through our extended spring, and into our very extended summer. No matter what the "ground hogs" of PA and GA said yesterday -- summer is over!!!! Over!!!!
I am happy about that change, believe me; and I hope to take advantage of it in multiple ways from now -- through our extended spring, and into our very extended summer. No matter what the "ground hogs" of PA and GA said yesterday -- summer is over!!!! Over!!!!
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