The Week in Review (April 24-30, 2023)

I’m finding myself in the mood to write again, so I’m here on my neglected blog once again. I’m not really sure what this will become.  It might be the beginning of a new start, or it might be a one-time posting.  I guess we’ll all find out together.

Hits and Misses got to be a challenge for me because I sometimes found that there weren’t enough “Hits” in the week to post.  That became really depressing, so I didn’t find myself looking forward to writing each Monday.  This was further made evident when I realized that the weekly post was just a recapping of my daily journal entries.  Who wants to write the same thing twice?  I certainly don’t want to repeat the same activity if I don’t have to. So I put my blogging away and just focused on my journaling. It was the right decision for the time.

So instead of separating things into the good and the bad, the “Hits and Misses” of the week, I’m just going to write a review of the week. Sometimes there will be highlights. Other times, it might just be a purging of negative feelings. That’s fine. I don’t want your feedback or your suggestions to improve my situation, dear reader. Just be a silent observer. I have enough people who feel the need to comment on my life as it is….and quite honestly, they normally just end up pissing me off. So, keep your thoughts to yourself.  If you can’t handle that, then you can just exit my page now.

Whew….

Now that the ground rules have been established, let’s get on with the weekly review for the last week of April 2023.

Baseball season is here! In case you haven’t noticed, the boys are swinging the bats again. That gives me some kind of routine in my life again that is badly needed. Not entirely sure that I am a huge fan of the pitch clock; I get that it makes the pace of the game move along, but I kind of appreciated the calm, languid pace of the game. Now I don’t feel as though I can look away for a moment or I’ll miss something.

Recital hearing success. I’m not playing for many students these days – yeah, that’s a whole different frustration – so I don’t have as many recital hearings in my life as I used to. Thankfully, this year’s single hearing went off without a hitch on Tuesday night.  Now we just keep moving toward the big event on May 9.

Senior moment. I’m such a creature of habit. However, if something doesn’t appear on my calendar, it isn’t going to happen.  Last Wednesday, I played the weekly characterization class for opera workshop. One of the students left a few minutes early because he had rehearsal at the church.  Ok…that’s a pretty normal occurrence around here.  After class, I headed back to my office and sat down at my computer.  I had a nagging feeling that I was supposed to be somewhere else, but my calendar didn’t show anything. I just marked it up to being over committed and needing to rest after several busy days.  Around 8pm, it hit me that it was WEDNESDAY NIGHT….and I was supposed to play choir rehearsal beginning at 6:30! It had completely slipped my mind and there was nothing I could do about it except apologize and make sure the rehearsal appears on next week’s schedule. Getting old is the pits!

Weekend Getaway. Life in Plainview can be stifling at times. It’s a small community with not a lot to do. When I moved here 8 years ago, I found great joy in staying busy with collaborative opportunities and interacting with a thriving community of music students. Now, I have 2.5 hours of fulfilling music making each week (opera is over for the semester!) and the music building is a desolate and depressing barren space. Why? I have opinions about that, but I’ll keep those to myself for the time being.  I needed to get away from Plainview for a little while to find out if the problem was really centered around being in this city or if it’s just me in general.  (For the record, I don’t have a firm answer to that question yet, but I have a better idea now.) I decided to slip away on Friday afternoon and headed south to Midland for the weekend.  I reserved a small condo through AirBnb and got out of town.  Why Midland? It’s a slightly larger place than Plainview – which I like – but there’s not a lot to do and I don’t have any personal connections there.  This was just a time to get away and allow myself to refresh and recuperate. That’s exactly what I did too. I stocked the refrigerator with soda and deli meats. I got some really nice bread from HEB and a package of mini cupcakes. I shut the world out for the weekend and enjoyed the peace. There was time to watch baseball, catch up on some television, do some reading, and lots of writing and meditating. I’ve got to do this more often….for my sanity and my mental health.

Food finds. I couldn’t just stay in the condo the ENTIRE weekend though.  I ventured out Saturday morning to find breakfast and stumbled on Mulberry Café. It is a quaint little café nestled in the back corner of a strip mall. The aromas from the bakery case were wonderful, but I managed to resist their call. (I’m so proud of myself! Even if that slice of chocolate cake was calling my name…) I had a lovely ham and cheese omelet with a side of melon. I arrived at Mulberry Café just before the end of breakfast service and the place was packed! The customer who ordered just before me had found the last empty table in the room, a lovely large square oak table with seating for 10.  I did something very unusual for me – I asked her if I could join her at the table. She was very gracious and laughingly told me that it was far too much table for her to use alone. Another gentleman noticed my request and asked if he could take another corner. Even though we didn’t have a conversation together, it was very refreshing to be in a space where people felt a sense of community. It’s not something I always find when I’m out and about, and I deeply miss it.

Bookworm returns. I am finally finding joy in leisure reading again. Sometimes it just takes the right setting and the right book to snap me back into my reading. This week, I had a finish and made progress in another novel. My finish this week was To Sir Phillip, With Love.  The novel is the fifth installment in the Bridgerton series by Julia Quinn. I don’t read a ton of romances, but I have found these books charming, fun, and humorous. Sir Phillip focuses on Eloise, the spinster sister of the Bridgerton clan whose journey to love begins with a series of letters to a botanist who recently lost his wife. Little does Eloise know that Phillip is really looking for a mother for his two 8-year-old twins (who are regularly described as “monsters”) and someone to manage his neglected homestead.  I am also reading The Stepford Wives on my Kindle.  One of the prompts on my reading challenge is to read a book published in the year you were born. I’ve heard the novel referenced throughout my life and am familiar with the basic premise, so I decided to read this short one that I’ve heard so much about.  I must say that I am really enjoying the book thus far.  I’m only about a third of the way in (Thanks, Kindle!), but I am finding the satire very amusing and an enjoyable read.  When I have a moment, I’ll start a new paperback.  Up next is I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou. I don’t know why I’ve always avoided this one that has received such high praise. I guess this is the time to find out for myself what I think about it.

National Geographic History

History was never one of my favorite subjects as a young student. I didn’t like memorizing facts about dead men. The battles of war had little impact on my imagination. Things finally began to change during graduate school.

Suddenly, I began to understand that events impacted people across eras and across disciplines. How had I missed the fact that politics directly impacted the arts that I loved so dearly? I suppose it had something to do with finally encountering teachers who were passionate about world history rather than simply looking at trends in their minute area of interest.

Now I found myself wanting to learn more about historical figures and events. I wanted to consider their impact on future societies and understand the reactions created in literature and the arts. I felt that I had missed the opportunity to learn more about history since I neglected these courses during my academic career. There was no time to enroll in a class…and my interests were wide-spread. That’s why I was so happy to discover the premiere edition of National Geographic History on a recent trip to the newsstand.

The magazine is filled with exquisite images and carefully researched articles that address history in such a way that the layman can easily understand the circumstances and impact of the dedicated issue. The first edition of the journal includes articles related to the American Civil War, the destruction of Pompeii, Leonardo da Vinci, and the Dead Sea Scrolls. After reading the first few pages, I immediately knew I was holding a great resource that needed to be added to my personal library; I promptly subscribed to the magazine so I wouldn’t miss an issue. Now I have finally found a way to appease my hunger for a better understanding of history.

The Diet Center

This year, I have set a goal for myself to lose ten pounds. I know that it’s possible and that there are plenty of ways to do it. I decided to get some help and joined The Diet Center to see if I could have a little more success. Here is the brief story of my experience with the program.

When I was first introduced to the Diet Center, I thought this was going to be the easiest program ever! Basically, you are to eat 3 meal replacements daily in the form of either a bar or a shake. At least 64 ounces of water are consumed daily along with fiber tablets and supplements. The day ends with a sensible dinner.

For the first week, life was great! The program was manageable. The water I was consuming was flushing my system and I experienced rapid weight loss. Then life returned to normal and I found that I wasn’t getting the promised results. The meal replacements were bland and unsatisfying. (This is not to say that I was hungry while eating the bars; I just grew to hate them.) I was lucky to lose a pound each week. It was rather disappointing to put myself through the program’s expense and frustration without seeing consistent results.

I also found the weigh ins annoying. I didn’t object to visiting the center twice each week to step on the scale and replenish my supply of bars, supplements, and shakes. I grew to detest the sugary sweet ladies that worked there who could turn into a nagging monster on a dime. I became frustrated as it became clear that false statements were made about the program’s ability to work in light of my personal relationship with food (since I am a picky eater who refuses to eat veggies). It became rather evident to me that I had gotten taken in by a well-played sales pitch. I don’t know if the science the Diet Center proclaims actually supports their claims or not. I really don’t care. I just know that the program was a joke for me personally.

I know that the solution to weight loss for me is eating sensibly and getting back to the gym. The reality is that my current lifestyle does not include the luxury of free time. But now I know that the Diet Center is clearly not the way for me to go.

The Lion King: A Review

 

Last Wednesday evening, I finally had the opportunity to see the national touring production of Disney’s The Lion King. I had a blast getting to see the show through the eyes of my teenage nieces and my mother. The musician and theater-lover in me, however, left the show rather disappointed.

The show was visually stunning. The costumes were amazing! I especially liked the parade of animals. The music was very rhythmic and evocative of the story’s African setting. That’s where my positive feelings for this particular night of the tour stopped. On this evening, the understudy for the young Simba took the stage. He never quite found the pitch on this night. It’s not fair to say that he was flat; he was consistently under all night long…..and I was miserable. The actress playing Nala could have used some help with diction and enunciation. It was difficult to tell when her lyrics were in English and when they were in an African dialect.

Thankfully, there were some really nice voices and characters on stage in this performance. The actor who played the adult Simba had a smooth, lyrical voice that was a joy to hear. The comedic pair of Timon and Pumbaa were a welcome relief at the end of a long opening act. The truth is the show should have ended after the team’s stunning performance of “Hakuna Matata”; sadly, the audience had to suffer through a lack-luster second act.

I really don’t like being Debbie Downer after seeing a show. I know all about the hard work involved in putting on a quality performance. What I have found is that the two Disney shows for Broadway that I’ve seen (Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King) simply can’t stand up to all the hype. Do I regret going to the show? No….I wanted to see the visual spectacle. I’m just disappointed that there wasn’t much else to support the beautiful images.

The Art of Carroll Cloar

A few weeks ago, I made my first visit to the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art. I was less than thrilled with what I saw of the permanent collection and immediately thought there was a reason that I had never visited this museum. Since I had paid the admission fee (a very reasonable $7), I decided that I needed to at least check out the featured exhibit of the summer. I’m very glad that I did!

“The Crossroads of Memory: Carroll Cloar and the American South” will be on exhibit in Memphis through September 12, 2013. Cloar (1913-1993) was a native Arkansan who grew up in the rural farmlands of the state. Much of his work depicts the images he encountered while traveling throughout the state and working the land. Cloar studied English at Rhodes College in Memphis before heading to New York City to pursue a career as an artist. In his final years, Cloar returned to Memphis.

I’m not an art critic by any stretch of the imagination, but I know what I like. Cloar’s paintings are filled with color and amazing technique. I found it interesting that his style morphed throughout his life, embracing the various art movements as they made their mark on the American landscape. Not only are Cloar’s works beautiful, they also speak of the struggles faced in the American South.

One of the first techniques that caught my eye and amazed me was Cloar’s ability to create ghost-like figures (which he will also use to portray reflections in water) in the midst of the scene. I don’t recall the title of the painting that astounded me as I entered the gallery, but I can certainly describe it. The scene is of a train station in Eureka Springs, Arkansas that Cloar had encountered while traveling. In addition to the waiting passengers, ghosts of those who had travelled in earlier trips are also present. I loved the idea that our presence leaves a lasting mark on our environment and those we encounter.

The technique described above can also be seen in one of my favorite paintings in the exhibit: Charlie Mae Practicing for the Baptizing. Charlie Mae was a African-American girl that Cloar befriended in his childhood and she became a recurring subject in many of his pieces. In addition to the beautiful purples and greens along the river’s bank, I loved the faint reflection of the scene in the murky waters of the river.

Charlie Mae Practicing for the Baptizing, Carroll Cloar

To fully appreciate the significance of Charlie Mae’s presence in Cloar’s work, it is important to know that Cloar was a white man. Growing up in the country, friends were a luxury; the color of their skin was not of primary concern to children. Throughout Cloar’s career, he provided commentary on race relations in the American South, featuring both whites and blacks in his images; rarely did Cloar include people of both races in a single painting though.

The other painting that made a lasting impression on me was Halloween. In the foreground, a child is seen wearing a mask and carrying a jack-o-lantern through the autumn grass. Her joy and innocence is a direct contrast to the adult men wearing white hooded robes in the painting’s upper right who are leaving the home to reek havoc on the black community. The contrast between youth and adulthood in the piece is stark and speaks volumes.

Halloween, Carroll Cloar

Whether you are a fan of museums or not, if you are in the metro Memphis area, do yourself a favor and check out this fascinating exhibit before it leaves. Wear a pair of comfortable shoes, leave your driver’s license at the front desk to get the audio tour of the exhibit, and allow your mind to be swept away into the world of Carroll Cloar. I’m looking forward to returning to the exhibit to learn more about this fascinating man and his work.

The Memphis Brooks Museum of Art is located in Overton Park. Visit their website at www.brooksmuseum.org for hours and additional information.

P.S.   I plan to enjoy the rest of this week with my family as we celebrate our nation’s independence. Livin’ Life will return to its regular schedule on Monday, July 8.