♦ A week ago, we had over a foot of snow on the ground.
Yesterday:
There’s even less this morning as we had another 2 inches of rain overnight. It’s in the 50s this morning, but the temps are going to plunge about 20 degrees during the day.
I can’t keep up with it.
♦ Today I’m going to grab some things at the store that I’ll need for the trip to Rochester. I’m not taking the scenic route this time, just straight up the I-87 to Albany and then west on I-90. It’s all business this time. Plus, it’s not so pretty out there right now. As always, even though I’m frustrated by the lack of time with the actors, I’m grateful for the work. Don said he’s going to write a book called, The Way it Was: The Way Working in Theater Used to Be. He’s not, of course, though I thought it was a great idea. We were lucky, starting out in professional theater when we did. We worked with so many incredible talents, regional theaters were thriving and they were doing exciting and excellent work. Subscribers flocked to the theater. There were realistic periods of time allowed for rehearsals, tech, and previews. Don, working in theater since the age of 19, could tell you so many stories. He could have a subsection about working in television and film – something that has also changed dramatically and not for the better. I know that I will write about this off and on as I watch respected regional theaters struggle to stay alive.
♦ Speaking of Don, he has a habit of running a hand through his hair in a circular motion. It’s comforting and almost meditative for him. At times, I catch a glimpse of the hair configuration that is the result of this “swirling” and I laugh out loud and promptly take a photo. I’m collecting them.
Here is yesterday’s.
Don has more than a few weird photos of me that he trots out every now and then and we laugh ourselves silly looking at them. Same with these.
♦ Blog etiquette – I ran this by Don before I addressed it here, just to get a second opinion. He agreed with me, so here goes. I’ve noticed something lately in the comments. First of all, you know I don’t expect you to comment on every post, but I am grateful when you do. And I like that you share comments with each other as well.
What I don’t like is when you leave a comment on a reader’s comment but ignore me, the writer of the post. I’m the one who wrote the post that the commenter you are now addressing is referring to in their comment. It’s like going to a party and never once acknowledging the host. Frankly, it’s rude.
If you read and never comment, no problem. If you read and sometimes comment, no problem. But if you read and decide you want to comment on something someone said, but can’t take the time to leave me a comment, that is a problem.
Be polite, please.
Stay safe.
Happy Saturday.
Good morning, Claudia. We’re having interesting weather here, too, just not as extreme. Yesterday at this time it was 39°, right now it’s 47°. Don’s idea for a book about working in theater sounds very relatable. It’s sad to see some things change when it’s not always for the best. I think quality is a word that is just not appreciated as much as it once was. Claudia, I understand your concern about the comments, good that you brought it to everyone’s attention… it’s kind of difficult to have a conversation in this format. Brr… it’s supposed to be a rainy day here… perfect for a good book and a cup of tea!
Actually, I think it’s fairly easy to have a conversation, given the limitations of answering comments with comments. I do it all the time, but maybe that’s because it’s my blog! That’s why the comments are built with indentations to show the comment is referring to the comment above.
Thanks so much, Barrie. It’s cold for your area!
Stay safe.
Good Morning Claudia. I am one of the ones that read your blog and not comment except once in awhile. Most often because of being clueless what to say. I enjoy your dolls. Earlier this week was wet and windy. Knocked a section of the fence over and my husband had to do temporary repair. I don’t care for the fence but it is a necessity where we live. The trees in our yard are confuse. I see buds on our maple. I agree about things changing and not for the better. I think I would like to read Don’s stories. I bet you have stories you can tell too from working with theater. I hope you have a lovely day.
Trina, I saw buds on my climbing hydrangea the other day! It’s crazy, this weather.
Sorry about your fence.
Thank you for reading,
Stay safe.
I read your blog every day and enjoy it very much, but it is rare that I comment. I should let you know more often how I value your blog. I hope Don will write that book.
Thank you so much! Don’t worry about not commenting, Cristina.
Stay safe.
your blog is one of the first things I read in the morning, and have for ages. I don’t often comment but always enjoy reading you.
Thank you for your kind words, Jan. Glad you’re here!
Stay safe.
Hi Claudia, point well taken about leaving comments on your blog. I understand. Was wondering, I know you don’t moderate the comments before they are posted. How do you avoid trolls and spam? I’ve never seen any. I was able to find the vendor you bought Chloe’s sweater and hat from on Etsy. My, she’s got some beautiful littke cardigans. I particulary liked the pastel coloured striped one – so pretty for Easter. I may just have to go shopping. Hugs, Elaine
I have a spam app on the blog that eliminates 99.99% of spam. When I sign into the blog, I stay signed in all day and I am always aware pretty quickly of any trolls and I block the IP address and delete the comment. Believe me, I’ve had plenty of mean, negative comments- especially from Trumpers.
Natalia makes beautiful sweaters!
Stay safe.
Happy Saturday, Claudia. Can’t believe your snow is gone now. Ours came last night but not so much as predicted, but still, with rain and ice on top. More is due today but they say lighter so fingers crossed. And I love the picture of Don. And his expression. I think the book idea is a great one. Wish he would!
That’s a really good observation about comments and well worth holding in mind. With mine, I moderate and don’t have the reply on comments but reply individually (except to no reply bloggers when I can’t find a personal email, in which case I’m sure to visit their site, if they have one, to acknowledge the comment. So that kind of thing hasn’t happened to me. But it’s an excellent point.
I respond to every comment and I have a great spam widget that eliminates any spammy comment. It just knows. I don’t need to moderate because of that. If a troll gets past the spam, they are blocked and the comment is deleted.
It’s now very, very windy and getting colder by the minute.
Stay safe.
I can’t believe your snow is gone! Our big snow yesterday is/was quite the doozy to clear. Part of it was wet and heavy…then as the temps dropped it was lighter and swirly due to the wind. The temps are dropping, so whatever isn’t cleared will freeze in place, until the big thaw.
I hope Don does writes a book….or at least a series of essays on Subtrack or some other platform. So many things are definitely not as good as they used to be for various reasons…and it might help to call attention to it,
Your reminder about comments is a good one…lest we all forget. Enjoy your day! ;)
We were fortunate that our snow was light and powdery. I hate it when it’s wet and heavy – I’m sorry yours is that way.
I’ll tell Don what you said.
Stay safe.
were you expecting to see such green grass under all that snow and rain you’ve had?!? it sure is pretty (and might get a person thinking a lot about spring)! your entire property is beautiful.
glad you’re getting prepared early for the work trip and will take the safest route there and back home. hope those travels and the work go well. and that don writes that book (or maybe an essay for an industry magazine/website … better yet, someplace public, too, so we all get reminded about the wonder and benefits of the arts). i’d read it!
glad you spoke up about the blog commenting issue, claudia. i don’t have a blog, but can imagine how that would feel, and agree with what you said and have asked of us today. politeness is important!
the snow stopped falling here around 10:00 last night, but has been blizzardly blowing around
for hours, thanks to lots and lots of wind. don’t know what the wind-chill is right now and don’t really want to know (yes, it can get too cold for me), but the air temperature is 2 degrees and dropping. we’ve shoveled the deck five times in two days, in part to make a clear space for or uncover seeds and peanuts for earl and the birds and in part to avoid even higher drifts and harder work. because the front steps were covered in waist-high drifts, we tossed out packages of cookies to the crew plowing the streets, driveways and sidewalks in this townhome group (would have offered hot chocolate but don’t have any cups we could give them … feel bad about that so will be better prepared for next time. also, there’s no place for them to put the snow … all visitor parking spaces are now mountains of snow at least ten feet tall). otherwise, i’ve been doing some laundry, cooking, knitting, watching lots of birds and visiting with family, in person or by phone.
i am writing this on family members’ computer as my phone continues to have a problem (the keyboard sticks after one letter gets typed, then i can’t do anything with it). will likely have to get a new phone next week. also need to get new brakes on my 2012 car. not looking forward to either purchase, but at least it will make things better.
hope you, don and everyone else have an easy day, stay safe and warm.
kathy
ps … my sister and i haven’t started reading “war and peace” yet. copies ordered on december 30 have been delayed by the snowstorms. we will have some catch-up reading to do at the start, but are looking forward to it!
You’ve really been walloped in Iowa, Kathy! I’m glad you’re safe and that you have shelter and family surrounding you.
This must be impacting the Iowa Caucuses, I would think.
Stay warm, stay indoors.
Stay safe.
thanks, claudia. me, too! may everyone have that.
barring any more snow, the roads should be clear by caucus night and not interfere. the well-below-zero wind chill temperatures (and the high winds that are bringing them) are a different matter and likely will impact caucus attendance and that’s too bad. also understandable … safety first.
came back to say “thanks”, claudia, in part because your posts always include something that keeps me thinking long after i’ve signed off. in this case, as i was finishing laundry, your words about blog commenting etiquette led to thoughts about etiquette in general (i’d like to read emily post’s and bill bennett’s books about this) and then into my head popped a phrase from long ago that, i think, remains pertinent to this topic and life … “dance with the one that brought you”. :)
keep being you.
xo,
kathy
Thank you. I just had someone leave a mean comment about me being self-absorbed and whiny. I shake my head at that one. Since the blog is about my life, it’s sort of hard to avoid ‘me.’ If complaining about things that trouble me or I feel are wrong is whiny, then so be it.
So your words coming along right after that really, really help, Kathy.
much love.
i am sorry that you had that experience, that someone was mean to you, claudia. calling you whiny and self-absorbed is not true or nice. and is kind of like going to a donut shop and being mad that they have donuts (best example i could quickly come up with … you and, hence, mhc, are more than just one thing. also, i haven’t had anything sweet since new year’s eve and am hungry … haha).
glad if you can block that person from mhc and just let that comment go.
thanks for your kind words, too.
xo,
kathy
xoxoxo
It is pretty amazing that you are still getting work. Not because you aren’t great but as you said, not as much time or money these days. You have a very loyal following of students.
Good luck traveling.
The only work I ever got from a student was the movie and play that Jim was involved in.
My work has come from word-of-mouth and from former and present day colleagues and positions I’ve held as a faculty member and resident voice coach. From my peers, not from my students, who are good friends, but not colleagues. Jim was the exception.
Thanks, Kay.
Stay safe.
By student I meant the people you coach. Yes your colleagues.
Got it!
xoxo
It would be great if Don wrote that book! Everything is changing, not always for the better. We have had a family business for over 20 years. Yesterday, an Amazon salesperson called the office to talk about using them. Why would we do that? So we don’t make a living? So bizarre.
I’ve got so many plants and trees with buds on them. It’s making me nervous about the timing of spring and birds flying north to us. Huge. malicious black clouds all day today. More rain coming, hard to keep sane and cheerful while walking through mud and puddles with my pup.
Enjoy your time coaching.
I don’t understand why Amazon would think that you would take them up on that!
I’m nervous about the buds, as well. That shouldn’t be happening.
Take care when you’re walking your dog, Betsy. Stay warm.
And stay safe.
Oh, my gosh, I hope it hasn’t been me who’s been inadvertently rude! I’ll try to be highly aware of how I comment. Sometimes I get interrupted by something happening in the house and come back to the computer when I know I wasn’t finished reading and/or commenting; I could’ve had a lapse. I’m so sorry if so. I’m having a really hard time right now with my arthritic hands (since November) such that I constantly interrupt myself as well, having to shake out the hands, take a break, then come back to what I was doing, and therein could leave some holes with my keyboarding for sure; unfinished business. Again, I’ll try to be really careful about courtesy.
No, sweetheart, it isn’t you! You are always courteous.
I’m so sorry about your hands and the pain they are causing. Don has this problem, as well, so he can empathize with you.
Don’t worry for a second, Vicki.
Stay safe.
Okay, but I’m going to worry (a little) about you on that Rochester trip. You’re a highly-capable woman in all things, but the weather is so iffy. I know you’ll be well-prepared. You know the drill; you know snow; you know how weather conditions can change.
Mostly, too, I hope you can just feel good about the job; that you’ll come home feeling good about how things transpired with the face-to-face (in person) communication. You’re a professional and I think somewhat of a perfectionist (that’s a good thing) in wanting to coach the best out of your actors, so I’m trying to understand what it means for you when you don’t get all the tools in the toolbox you need to do the job in the thorough way to which you’ve been accustomed.
Such a shame about the theater. Such a thing of excellence which deserves to be kept excellent. My husband has been mulling the fate of broadcast television (network, cable; all programming, even newscasts) for some time, as it’s all going to streaming; has put a lot of people in the industry out of work. The ‘ol thing like machines replacing humans.
Anyway, safe travels for you on Monday; will look forward to your post on Weds when you can tell us how things went for you (and Don, in your absence!).
Claudia, in terms of work for pay, do you think you could ever substitute teach in the public schools, as in kids, like up to high school if not the elementary/middle-school grades? I had an ex who did that, a thousand years ago, in times of unemployment; it resulted in some good, temporary gigs. One time, a teacher was on leave for two months, so my ex got some handsome pay for those eight weeks; and he knew it wasn’t forever, like getting locked in. The subjects always varied; wasn’t always his specialty of biology or zoology, instead sometimes English literature or history classes and the like, but that’s what made it challenging (fun, interesting), too (for a little while at least; til he got full-time employment again [which had nothing to do with teaching]).
I’ve tried to recommend this to my husband but he says in Calif that, in these days, his BA isn’t enough; that he has to get a teaching credential. (Does that entail a whole lot of something? Is it so much to do for the opportunity?) But I’d just thought, well, could be close to home, no commuting, easier than manual labor at this age. Unlike you, he doesn’t like to teach, so he wrinkles his nose at the idea. But hey, work is work. If it’s there, you take it. What does a school do when a teacher wakes up sick, can’t come in, and there’s an 8am classroom with thirty students waiting for their direction? I think the school system NEEDS their list of available substitute teachers to call! I’m a dinosaur with how schools work today, but it can’t be THAT much different from when even I was a kid.
I substitute taught when I first got out of college. I also did it when we first moved out here. But education has changed a great deal and the tools used have also changed. It’s been over 20 years since I last did it. I have a teaching certificate but it’s a different world now. It was hard and most often fruitless work then. Imagine what it would be like now?
xo
Imagine being an actor in a play where a dialect is part of your character. You eagerly look forward to sessions with the coach. In the middle of your supposed first of at least a few one hour sessions, you hear her say that this is the only session you’ll have, save for some notes on two run-throughs. I see this all the time in these sessions; the disbelief and disappointment. So it’s not just about me, it’s more about the actors. I feel like they’re getting cheated.
Thanks so much, Vicki. Wednesday is the day I travel home, so I’m not sure I’ll blog that day. We’ll see.
xo
I, too, enjoy your blog so much! I used to comment more than I do now … I think, because my life has become more limited, it often feels like I have nothing to contribute to the conversation. But I 100% agree with what you wrote about commenting. If I do comment, I have the habit of writing my comment before reading the other comments. Doing that makes it feel like my own comment is more authentic. I rarely comment on other comments, but if I do, it’s after I’ve made my own comment.
Something I really miss on your blog … photos (and commentary) of the little nooks, crannies, shelves, etc. in your cottage. I was, initially, drawn to your blog by your various collections and your knowledge on so many of your collections/items. To you, seeing it everyday, seems same old, same. But I LOVE when you revisit “all. the. things”! Yes, it’s me who looks forward to your egg cup collection tour every single year. Anyway, just my 2 cents.
Be safe on your drive to your coaching job.
P.S. Don’s “hair-do” is hysterical!
It is, isn’t it?
xo
Thank you for your kind words, Debbie, both about commenting and the blog.
I have been adding a few nooks and crannies photos here and there, but you’re right – it seems to me like I’ve done it so many times before that I shouldn’t repeat myself. I’ll try to add even more photos like that in the future.
Stay safe, my friend,
I think Don’s idea for a book is outstanding. The loss in the arts/theater community is a loss for us all. I have always appreciated local productions both in theater and music. Would he consider writing an article for a newspaper?
I come to your blog to read “you.” I do not read comments often unless it is about books.
Be careful and be safe driving to Rochester,
Kaye
We have had feet of snow this week and expecting another 12-17 inches tonight. Not happy.
Oh no! Too much – way too much – snow!
I think – if Don were to do it – it would be more like essays on Substack or something like that. I’d love to see him get his stories down on paper, real or virtual.
Thanks so much, Kaye.
Stay safe.
I can imagine a book abut working in professional theater being very useful at the college/university level?
Your upcoming trip sounds logistically challenging, especially combined with the frustration of not having time to make your best contribution. Doing more with less doesn’t work after a while. It will be good to hear that you are safe back home with Don and the girls.
Cheers, Cecil
I think it would more likely be essays of some kind. Mind you, this is if I can persuade him to do it!
Thanks so much, Ceci!
Stay safe.
Hello Claudia,
I’m still here reading and wanted to let you know that. I’m very much still enjoying your lovely blog.
I’ve been in and out of the hospital the past couple years, most recently for heart surgery in November. Frankly, I almost didn’t make it, but am feeling much better now. I am youngish too, only 66 year old ;-) but I was born with a congenital heart condition that was only recently discovered and it had caused a lot of damage. I don’t think I’ve commented here on your blog in a very long time and just wanted to let you know why…
Life is so precious!
Take care Claudia and Don,
Lily
Oh, Lily, I’m so sorry you’ve been going through all of this! My thoughts and prayers are with you and it’s very good to hear that you’re feeling much better now.
Don and I send our love and prayers for healing.
Much love,
Claudia
Last night my husband and I were watching The Good Wife (really like it; don’t know why we didn’t watch it when it was first on TV) and I saw someone who looked familiar. . . I said to my husband, “Rewind! I think I recognized someone!” This is our favorite game to recognize actors and figure out which shows/movies we’ve seen them in, and we google them while we’re watching and read their bios to each other. — It was Don in a courtroom scene (very good acting!) From reading your blog for a while, it makes me feel as if I know him. Anyway, enjoy Don’s hairdo! ha!
Yes, that was Don. I believe that’s the episode where he got to work with Michael J. Fox. Don loved working with him; he admires him so much.
Glad you saw him!
Stay safe, Carrie.
Welcome to Rochester! At least you didn’t have to drive to Buffalo. 😉