All the world is a stage....

And the props necessary for the production:

The top picture is the award I gave myself, a basket of sticks and old boards. It represents how we look at things in the middle of a crisis. We perceive our world as old and decrepit, full of rusty nails and beaten up driftwood. It is the state of self-pity and broken hearts. Fortunately, that wood can be easily burned in the fireplace.

Then, some good soul comes along and drops a banner at our door. It reads: creative blogger award. Darn, I can't wallow in my misery any longer. I must carry the banner in the house, make room on the coffee table, clear the clutter so this prized symbol can be appreciated and invite others to join in the celebration.

The Creative Blogger Award was joined by The Friendly Blogger Award and the One Lovely Blogger Award. They came at the right time too, between the despair of winter storms, and the splendor of Spring blooms. To the lovely ladies who appeared in my life at just the right moment, thank you.

Six months ago I did not know so many women had such strong hearts, and determined spirit: Cheryl, Angela Regada, Lola, Meredith, Tessa, Karen, Angela from Usedom, Mandy, Linds, Reya, Mary, Sarah Lulu, Lori ann, Fhina, Cherie, Martha, Kikit, Mervat, Shadow, Delwin, Natalie, Renee, Helen, Saretta, Valeria, Valerie, Erin, Janine, Beth, Siobhan, Michel, La Belette, Sallymandy, Boots, Carol, Polly, Edith, Rose Marie, Katherine, Elizabeth, Ribbon, Shadow......and many more with generous hearts and kind words.

I apologize if you do not see your name among those listed.

Some of you follow me regularly; some are followed by me. We see and hear each other in the blogosphere, reading each other's comments. We are celebrating birthdays, anniversaries and all sorts of occasions with each other.

You know me as Lakeviewer. My real name is Rosaria. But the part I play is not to be confused with anybody else. Humans are good at these things; identifying characteristics that differentiate us enough to be remembered. And we are good at working together toward common goals. There are bloggers with vision and passion organizing campaigns everywhere.

These awards are free and available. Take one and all, click and save. You know what to do.

However, the sticks and boards, are strictly seasonal, for another time, another stage.

I've left out the men. On this stage, few men can compete. Those who do, have charm, intelligence, endurance and other appealing qualities. I'll have to dedicate a whole post to you guys, and produce appropriate awards as well.

This stage, unlike those where auditions can be senseless, cruel and depressing, this stage is warm and accepting, and offers equal opportunities. to people across the world. Many languages and cultures are shared through words, pictures, symbols and stories, adding new expressions to our vocabulary, new information to our knowledge pool.

Albeit a global recession, a crisis of confidence, and a collapse of many industries, blogger continues to produce the plays we're all so engaged in.

Now. I need to pop in and see what has been posted last night.

Play On!

SAG and ACADEMY Awards Thoughts

Last night I watched the SAG awards. I had not seen any of the movies, but I did have something to go on. It is a personal essay one of our Bandon Writers shared with us last week. Anne Mattingly is a long-term member of the Screen Actors Guild, American Mensa Society, and the Bandon Writers.

Am I Alone Here?
by Anne Mattingly

When did it become acceptable to watch people micturate, vomit and defecate on screen? Recently, I watched two of the most highly rated films of the season, Slumlord Millionaire and The Reader. In the former there was a lengthy scene of a young boy defecating then jumping into a pool of feces. In the latter, we saw the most graphic course of vomiting ever filmed. I find these bodily functions to be disgusting and difficult to watch.

I understand that films today are meant to be more realistic than ever before. Would the films be lessened in verisimilitude if the lead up to the act of vomiting were captured but not actually seen? Could we not be watching the sick boy's back? Or perhaps we could cut away to the empty street? As for the little Indian boy in the public toilet, could there not have been someway to give us the information without shoving our faces in the feces?

Among my favorite films are Cavalcade, Citizen Kane, and Gone with the Wind. Does anyone complain that these films were lacking because we were not treated to human evacuations? Did we think Kane less of a man because we did not watch him urinate? When Scarlett swore she would never go hungry again would you have preferred to watch her in the midst of the drive heaves which so often accompany starvation? In Cavalcade, when the sons grew up in late 19th century England, would it have improved the story if we'd have seen them sitting on chamber pots then observing the servants dropping the contents into the gutters?

The heroes, villains, and supporting casts of films need only make us believe they are who they are meant to be. They have many tools to accomplish this. They have their voices, their expressions, their make-up, their talent in breathing life into the words of the screenplay. The director has music and editing to add to his vision. Can we not merely assume that the characters micturate, defecate, and, on occasion, vomit? Do we really need to see it? ( February 17, 2009)