DUST UPS AND PANTALOONS

April 30, 2016 (addendum below)

Although there has been a 'dust up'.. I can't come up with a reference to pantaloons, except that I liked the sound of it.  Each day I (started to write 'marvel' but.. not marvel..  umm ) enjoy.. yes.. that's it..  I enjoy the moment that I open the front door, hold the screen back and take the shot of the other side of the hill.  When the sky is interesting, I like it best.  Today.. the  overcast and the slight chill add a bit to my rather gloomy awakening.  

I am sometimes outspoken.  If I see an issue that seems to be correctable ..  I'd like to be an influence to correct it.  There is a production of a well known play going on locally.  I opted to pay to see it because I had a reason that I did not want to review it.  A personal reason.  The theater is located in a shared space with a church and has been producing there for what I believe is a long time.  The show is one that probably has a hundred productions going on around the world right now and I've worked on it, seen the movie, enjoyed it at different venues over time.  The daughter of a friend is doing it in New York right now!  I love this show.  

A week ago I went to see this production and though this is not a review for my onstagelosangeles site, I must say that it was a marginal performance.  I referred to it here a few days ago.  What a shame to charge folks thirty bucks for lackluster performances.  Not really awful... Just not very good.  When I read a glowing review of the show, my first instinct was to write my impressions of the same production and post it.  The gushy writing that went on for over a thousand words made me wonder if the writer had seen the same performance that I had.  He had!  No accounting for taste, of course and maybe I expect too much?  But!  That was not the issue so much as another issue that I have always had.  Being around people who use tobacco can make me physically ill.  Not barfy, retching, headaches.. well, maybe headaches.. but just feeling not well.  As I exited the theater, a group of people associated with the show were all sitting in the patio area and a cloud of smoke filled the rather small space.  It smelled bad. I was on my way out, but it still left me with a bad feeling. That, of course, may be on me.

Later, I mentioned to the producer of the show that it may be against the City of Los Angeles civil code to allow tobacco use in that area.  Of course, I never mentioned my friend's name in my complaint to the producer, but they were upset.   I'm writing this to  mostly cleanse myself of the bad feelings.  Are we supposed to apologize for someone's being upset when there was no intention to harm the other person?  

I do believe that I owe someone an apology if I did something to deliberately hurt them. Their feelings, their person.  Otherwise,  we may discuss the issue and figure out how to fix it... or not. 

A tempest in a teapot! Life goes on.  And, then, it doesn't. 

April 30, 2016

michaelsheehan 
P.S.  After browsing this day, reconnecting with a former friend who did not remember me, my spirits are lifted.  Carol Lay.. a very creative artist whom I met maybe in the eighties?.. came to mind when the arts maven, Tracey Paleo, did a mailing reminding of a film coming out soon, Art Bastard, about the life of a Warhol contemporary, Robert Cenadella.  Cenadella's images on a Google search showed a crucifixion image that reminded me of Carol's painting, "The One Who Got Away" that featured animation hands and feet left on a cross. I decided to find Carol and she responded with the information that she is learning to play the "Irish tune."    The tune she is learning to play?  Hah.. Sheehan's Reel!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgH10MQiU5Y 

  It's too fast for me right now, on the penny whistle but I've been trying it. I can only learn by ear.  Just the serendipity of the internet and my mood is elevated substantially. Thanks, Carol.