Happy Thanksgiving!

I am grateful for all of my friends and family and hope that you all have a wonderful holiday. :)

It's cold outside, there's no kind of atmosphere...

Yes folks, I have the "Red Dwarf" theme song stuck in my head. I'm all alone more or less. I just can't seem to stop singing it. I want to fly, far away from here. Of course, that could have something to do with the fact that I've watched 6 episodes of the show in the last 3-4 days. Fun, fun, fun, in the sun, sun, sun.

For those of you who have Absolutely (Fabulous) no idea what I'm gibbering on about, "Red Dwarf" was a BBC show that lasted eight seasons during the 1980's and 1990's. I want to lie, shipwrecked and comatose... It was a hilarious science fiction comedy series starring Craig Charles, Chris Barrie (The actor who played Lara's butler in "Lara Croft Tomb Raider" and who might just have been the best part of both movies.), Danny John-Jules, and Norman Lovett. Drinking fresh mango juice. The basis for the series is that a slobby, normal, space-going, guy named Lister awakens from stasis, where he was confined for 18 months because he refused to turn in his contraband cat for dissection ("With all due respect sir, what's in it for the cat?"), to find he's been asleep for 3 million years and that everyone else on board is dead. Goldfish nose nibbling on my toes. His only companions on his journey back to Earth are the ship's AI (Holly, that has an IQ of 6000), a cat-man descended from the cat he refused to turn in (and to whom he's now a deity), and finally (and causing the most laughter) a hologram of the person who annoyed him the most prior to his extended stay in stasis (his roommate, Arnold J. Rimmer, Technician 2nd Class *insert goofy wobbling salute here*). Fun, fun, fun, in the sun, sun, sun.

If this post makes no sense to you whatsoever, watch this (it's a slow build, but worth it):

Congratulations! Now you too can have the "Red Dwarf" theme song stuck in your head. (Btw, who knew there was a third verse?!?)

"Parallel Lives: The Kathy & Mo Show"

I thought this play (written, and originally performed, by Mo Gaffney & the amazing Cathy Najimy) was hilarious when I first saw it during the summer of 1994 or 1995 in the black box at the theatre where I was an intern. It was groundbreaking then---dealing with abortion rights, coming out, age & race relations, and feminism in ways both funny and poignant (but mostly funny)---and still made me laugh when I saw it again last night.

Times have changed, however (for the better in terms of acceptance of sexual orientation), and parts of the play didn't impact me as much as they did fifteen years ago. Some of this is also because I've changed for the better as well. Yesterday, I found that I couldn't identify with the alcoholic single mother who shares about the empty place in her spirit because I don't feel that way anymore. I believe a few minor rewrites were done in attempt to make the play more relevant to this decade and our local area.

The show's producer, a former neighbor who started her own theatre company in order to provide roles for women onstage and off, is very cognizant of her audience and the fact that they are accepting, open, vocal, and exuberant. There was much cheering and laughter in the audience when a local spiritual retreat was mentioned by name.

I'm really glad that I went to see this play last night. I went on my own but ended up sitting with an old friend who was there. It was also nice to support theatre by women for, mostly, women. Those of you in my local area will soon be getting an email from me encouraging you to see this show. It's well worth seeing.

Happy 40th Birthday Sesame Street!

As I was driving home tonight, "Fresh Air" was replaying interviews with key writers and creators who worked on the show. Some of it was funny, while other parts were sad. I was nostalgic and melancholy but grateful to have heard this retrospective. I grew up watching the show, have many fond memories of it, and am glad it's still around educating a new generation. Here's to you Sesame Street!

:)

Ballgame over, World Series over, Yankees win, the Yankees win!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (I was too tired after the game last night to post this)

Read My Friend's Book!

Chelvanaya Gabriel recently published a book on skin care that looks very interesting. I haven't read it yet but I'll be buying a copy soon, from a local bookstore---not a chain, I might add. As I told her in an email, skin care wasn't really something I cared about until a year ago or so. I was having trouble with my face drying out and have been using moisturizer ever since. I used to think that was something only hoity-toity women who wear makeup do. Anyway, her book is called "Mindful Beauty Is In Your Hands: Natural Skin Care Tips and Recipes". Please support her, and take care of your skin, by buying her book.

Yankees Win!

Yay!!!!!! They lead the World Series 2-1. Since I happen to be on the computer right now, and I just finished watching the game, I thought I'd share. :)