Can you tell a reader lives here? This coffee table is the perfect size for stacks of books, a vase of flowers, remotes, a Kindle, and a radio.
Those flowers are no more, but they lasted about a week and had a lovely scent. They’ve been replaced by this bouquet of alstromeria:
I was in my friend Charlie’s apartment yesterday. Charlie is one of the finest actors I know; I worked with him several times at the Old Globe. He’s playing Friar Laurence. We walked home together from rehearsal and he wanted to introduce me to his cat, Joe. Joe is a gorgeous black cat with green eyes that Charlie rescued. What an affectionate boy he is, too. I stroked his head, even though I’m not supposed to as I’m allergic, but I couldn’t help it, he was so sweet.
Anyway, I noticed that Charlie also had a vase full of flowers on his windowsill. See? Actors know. Flowers make a difference. I also find what individual actors and staff do to make their temporary digs their own fascinating. In the case of Charlie and the rest of the cast, they’ll be here twice as long as I will, so it’s even more important for them to make things homey. A thrift store afghan covered the sofa, where we found Joe happily nestled into a corner. Maps functioning as art were hanging on the wall. Candles (another must) were on the counter. Charlie had moved the desk and the dining table to new positions that worked for him. The ottoman/coffee table had been moved against the wall and Joe’s heated bed was positioned on top. It was very, very cozy. It’s such a wonderful peek into the person living there. Theater actors, especially, are adept at making something temporary cozy. Charlie and another actress in the company, my dear friend Kandis, went to thrift stores when they first arrived to find little touches that cost next to nothing, but make their digs more like home. (I told Charlie I want to go along next time they go thrifting!)
Having lived in so many apartments and very, very small ones at that, moving every year when I was in grad school, moving twice while I lived in Boston, twice while I was in San Diego, twice since we’ve been out on the East Coast, as well as 10 week, 5 week and six month long jobs out of town, I am also an experienced ‘adapter.’ I can transform a room in no time. I’m not bragging, truly. It’s a skill you have to learn if your environment is important to you and if you need to feel ‘at home’ quickly. I’ve mastered it. Charlie has mastered it. Most likely, every actor I know has mastered it in his/her own way, even if what is done is minimal. It’s still what makes that person happy while on the road.
A friend of mine used to do national tours of Broadway musicals and she had a list of things that she had to have : a throw or a large scarf, scented candles, framed photos of loved ones, music. She would insist on having her hotel room changed if she didn’t like it. She would demand – nicely – what she needed. You have to do that if you’re trying to live as normal a life as possible while living out of a suitcase.
It’s so important to be able to come home after a long day of rehearsal or after a performance and feel like you’re in your safe and cozy place. You’re home.
Seeing all of Charlie’s touches made me think I should hang my quilt. I just might do that today.
I’m almost finished with In the Dark Places by Peter Robinson. He’s a very good writer, but the book has been slow going for me. The pace itself is slow, a little too slow for my taste, but mostly it’s been slow going because much of the storyline has to do with slaughterhouses/abbatoirs and descriptions of that, to me, absolutely horrific process. As a vegetarian, you can imagine my reaction. I’ve had to skip over huge paragraphs because I simply couldn’t stomach them. One of the characters is also a vegetarian and her reactions to it all are much like mine. Frankly, I think anyone would have trouble with what goes on there, meat eater or vegetarian.
I’m making myself finish it. It’s a good book, but even taking the slaughterhouses out of the equation, I’m not so entranced that I want to read the whole series. Good writing, good plotting, but it isn’t grabbing me.
My cup from Blue State Coffee – I think it’s meant to be a latte cup, but I used it for my hot chocolate yesterday. It’s perfect.
More one-on-one coaching today, which I find very satisfying. I get to know the individual actors and we get to explore the text together.
Weather report: We might only get a 3 or 4 inches…or if the track changes by as little as 50 miles, we’ll get walloped. The jury is still out.
Happy Thursday.
Claudia, I think we can learn that we have to much stuff in our homes that we don’t need to be happy. A lesson I am working on.Doris
Very true, Doris, though I miss all my things that I love seeing when I’m in my real home. But I’m doing just fine without them!
Making a space you live in for several days, weeks or even months is so important. You and I would guess most actors are adept at it. I know when I’m away I miss my home so much. My things, my bed and my sweet Charlie. I’ve been in for several days with this cold but the view is wonderful of my new pottery on the shelves. Sunshine today, maybe I’ll take some photos to share. Fingers still crossed for the weekend.
hugs,
Linda
I hope you feel better soon, Linda. Colds are no fun, but a view of beautiful pottery sure helps, my friend!
I’m a meat eater, but I can’t stomach slaughterhouse scenes either.
I’m surprised more people don’t turn to vegetarianism after reading about what really happens to those poor animals!
Glad you are settling in! Hope the storm does not wallop you or Don!
Me too, Dottie! Me too!
I think it’s WONDERFUL that you make your space; wherever it may be, your own. I too am like this. I only work 3 miles from my home, but I still NEED to personalize my desk space. For those 8 hours I’m there, it FEELS like me! GREAT post! Thanks for sharing!
I just hung my quilt on the wall, Mamey. I’ll show it on the blog tomorrow.
Hi Claudia, I am a meat-consumer as well as Debra, but I would not be able to read that book! I can’t stomach veal after a documentary I saw 30+ years ago!! But I do enjoy my meat (not every day). It was fun to have a “peek” into another’s apartment. How sweet that he brought his cat with him. I’ll look forward to seeing your quilt tomorrow. Stay warm…for my area it looks like about a foot of snow (the majority of the forecasts). I’ll be inside knitting/reading/baking/napping. I enjoy a day like that. Oh! And tonight I am going to make your Cloud Biscuits — can’t wait to have them.
Stay warm and dry, Vera! I have to make some Cloud Biscuits while I’m here!
Yes, I read that Peter Robinson novel also. It was very hard to hear all about slaughter houses. Truthfully it almost turned me off meat. At the very least it made me rethink it.
Love the homey decorations. I haven’t been on the road very much so I never really thought about it that way, but strangely enough I could apply it to the different office settings I’ve worked in. In fact, I just picked up two bags full of stuff I had taken to my temporary job. Even things like my favorite pens and my Edward Gorey (Mystery) mouse pad. They were the things that made that desk mine. So yes. Very interesting to understand why I carry those things around.
I did that when I worked in an office many years ago. Absolutely, you can apply it to an office – it’s your space and you spend many hours a day there!
I agree about transforming offices. When I worked in an office, staff liked coming into my office because the walls and shelves were full of art, both little purchased pieces and my children’s art, lots of family photos, and some momentos and gifts from my travels and this of friends. One of my co-workers went so far as to slipcover her boring office chair. We do what we have to when we spend so much time in one place.
I would have done the same thing – slipcovering a chair – why not? Such a good idea!
I love having this little glimpse into the life of actors. It’s such a different world than what I’m used to.
I’ll try to give you more glimpses as continue through the rehearsal process.
I enjoyed visiting the other apartment t with you and hearing about the homey touches. Especially that he brought his cat! I adore that. My husband called it “nesting” and that I always have to have my nest around me.
Blessings,
Betsy
Another younger male actor in the show also brought his cat, Betsy.
I am truly a nester!
I consider myself a Phi Beta Kappa nester too. Doubly-so because I get the cozy need for both my home AND office. The first 25 years working were easier, because classrooms are always for the kids. But then I went to my university job and got my very own office, where the most fun was selecting artwork. I’m a bit of a savant about finding free or incredibly low-cost things to frame and hang [or set out on shelves]. I still have a group of 3 vintage fruit prints from an old country store here in upstate New York. Beautiful colors, perfect in my office. Cost me 10 cents a piece to buy, and $147 to have professionally-matted and framed. With a coupon too !!! But they look great and I’d rather put the $$ into the display since there’s no way I could have DIY-framed them that nicely myself.
PS – Sounds to me like Joe the Cat has the best deal of all – a HEATED bed! Actually if I had a cat that had to be alone all day while I was at work, I’d get him a heated bed too. You can keep the thermostat turned down during the day, but still provide Kitty with a toasty snuggling place. I’m guessing cats sleep 90% of the time their humans are away anyway. ?
A heated bed is a good thing – especially for a cat or dog!
What fun to visit your friend’s apt!! And I was happy to hear you hung your quilt. Sweet kitty with his own heated bed! I imagine he is also adept at moving and establishing his own spots in new places, too.
I also decorated my cubes and offices as I worked as well. I even changed out the decorations for the seasons. I spent more time there than I did at home, so needed some “stuff” around me.
Thinking positive thoughts for you to travel this weekend, but it surely sounds like a horrid storm. Maybe it will be centered mainly south of you so you can journey home so you can see Don and sweet Scout…oh, and also use your own W & D!!
Yes, and Charlie helped him by positioning the dining table so that Joe could jump up to the chair, jump up to the table, and then jump on the kitchen counter! They’re saying we might avoid the brunt of the storm, but as of tonight’s news…they’re STILL hedging! We just won’t know until Saturday.