Mockingbird Hill Cottage

The David phlox I planted many years ago is in bloom. Just like coneflowers, it self-seeds, so I get to see it spring up here and there in the big garden bed. It’s a tall version of phlox so it has a lot of impact.

Speaking of impact, the crazy weather has had an effect on some of my hanging plants, and has yellowed some leaves on the limelight hydrangea. Here and there on the property, I can see some changes due to the extreme heat we had as well as all the rain. There’s nothing I can do, of course, but observe it.

Yesterday, much to my surprise, the sun came out in the afternoon. I couldn’t believe my eyes! And it’s out again today. We’ll make sure we appreciate it while it’s here because the dreaded ‘chance of thunderstorms’ is back on the docket for the next five days.

I’m over it.

I didn’t get any painting done yesterday. I guess I just wasn’t in the mood. And it was very hot and humid early on, so the a/c had to be turned on and I tend not to paint when it’s blowing air throughout the kitchen.

Don and I were talking about cell phones this morning and I’ve decided that I’m going to start turning mine off for a chunk of time every day. They’re too addictive. I’ve done it in the past, but I always fell back into old patterns. Really – how important do I think I am? Aside from phone calls and face time with my sister and nephew, the rest of it is designed to be addictive; instagram, twitter, games, photos, apps, social media. I managed to get by without any of it for over half my life. I don’t think I got a cell phone until my late forties and in that case, I bought it to be able to communicate with Don on our cross-country move. (We were driving separate vehicles.) When I was teaching I used to say the last thing I wanted was for my students to be able to contact me during my down time. Now, if you’re teaching anywhere, but especially at a university, students can text you and email you all of the time. I can’t imagine anything worse.

The cell phone has ruined much of the experience that is live theater. I’ve written about that before on this blog. It’s appalling. Not only is the experience ruined for the audience, but let me assure you, actors can see the light from the phones when they’re onstage. I remember when our biggest worries were someone coughing a lot or opening up a candy wrapper. Now, it’s the constant buzzing and ringing of cell phones because apparently no one can turn their phone off for two hours.

It used to be that the rehearsal room was an almost sacred space – a space for the actors and the director. No one came into the room who wasn’t part of the creative team. It was a space in which to create, to feel free to take risks without anyone else there. Now, every show has a social media team and those people are constantly invading the space, asking actors for a photo, for a quote, and then, once the show is open, there is the whole ‘takeover’ thing. The Instagram Takeover by so and so – whatever actor has been drafted into doing it for that night. It happens on every show nowadays. It happened on Margaritaville. I finally had to stop following some cast members because they were being sucked into generating social media content that looked exactly like it was – a hyped-up performance backstage. Another actor in the dressing room! Look at this actor backstage! Some of the dancers are warming up! I’m going to ask all the actors a question and share it with you! Aren’t we fun and silly!!

Oh, my heavens.  I know I’ve officially become an old fart with this post, but why does everything in the theater have to be hyped on social media? Why can’t the actors and crew and production staff just do their work? It isn’t right. Furthermore, it strips the magic right out of the experience.

If you were in the room with me, you’d have heard a big sigh just now. Some days I long to go back to a simpler time. I certainly long to go back to the kind of theater experience I had for most of my career. It seems almost quaint now.

I have so much more to say but that’s enough for now.

Anyway. My phone will be turned off for a few hours today. I’m going to make myself stick to that.

Stay safe.

Happy Thursday.