Sunny Side of Life

Hello...It's a sunny Saturday in Sunnyside...where the sunny side of life blossoms. Why, you ask? Because, that's life. You see, to know me is to realize and recognize I am the eternal optimist. My life disposition is positive, upbeat, encouraging, determined, spunky and downright ornery and mischievous too...yes, I admit, I live up to the general stereotyped sassy redhead persona. Well, actually..I like the word syndrome better than persona, so scratch that word. Syndrome describes a state of condition. According to the big merriam-webster.com site, syndrome is a set of concurrent things, (as emotions or actions) that usually form an identifiable pattern. So, let's see, I'm pretty sure the pattern identifying me would be wild and crazy, caring, yet carefree, dangerous at times, yet very safe, whacky sense of humor, yet full of grace, kindness and appropriateness as to when to let the beast out....and we can't forget compassion...I am probably one of the most understanding people in the world. Wanna know why? Simply because my parents taught me to always put myself in someone else's shoes to be objective and to understand their position, logic, perspective, feelings and thoughts. This bred the basic "treat others the way you want to be treated" ethic within me. I love people. I am a total social butterfly. I am curious as to what makes them tick, what their life experiences have been, why they are the way they are and who they are...and most importantly, if they know WHY they are that way. People are my passion. I love watching them and thinking about what their appearance says about them. Confession: it's actually a fun past time game I enjoy playing. People watching. O, here comes a lovely chap in plaid bermuda shorts, w/ a tucked in, Tommy polo - hot pink and collar turned up of course, the hairstyle a "messed up" look, Ray ban shades, fashionable leather belt, as well as KSwiss tennis shoes...what's he saying? I am young. I am hip. I am hot. Ladies, come near if you dare. O and yes, I DO have to get close enough to pick up the scent....MMMMM. It's expensive. I'm guessing Hugo Boss, or Azzaro...no. maybe, Davidoff or Givenchy....Whatever it is, it tantilizes the female instincts...hee hee...I'm so crazy! Now, the point of all this past time play, is NOT pure lust. That to this traditional gal would be considered one of the 7 deadly sins. As Robin Williams recently put it in w/ a swank twist..Covet? Don't love it. See, that's what this game is NOT about to me. It's the Director/Producer coming out in me...to find talent, natural, raw, potential for a character or a role takes a unique ability to SEE people. To see the props they already possess. To discover what talent you can tap into and channel appropriately. For instance, one of my greatest lifetime achievements I would consider was when I met a middle-aged woman who was simple and pretty - nothing special, but not offensive to the eyes either. I needed a sarcastic wife who wanted nothing but to get drunk as her husband of 30 years tried to no avail to surprise her at a dinner party to celebrate their anniversary. She was the kind of woman who had been there done that. So, I discover this lady - Lori was her name. She had the look, she had the natural moves, she had the raw talent. My gut told me I could make her this character...believable at that. Then she opened her mouth to speak....hee hee out came the most squeeky, nasal, high-pitched voice a person ever did hear. I thought I was doomed. What do you do in a situation like this? Go and have a good cry because your gut tells you you've just found your leading lady, only to have your gut be wrong???? Nnnnnnnnnoooooooooo.... Not this eternal optimist gal. So I worked and worked and worked with her. Giving her coaching, training, voice lessons, practicing bringing the pitch down, shouting at times, deliver the line 3 octaves down, PLEASE. Hee hee. Yes, I thought I had really screwed up. Yes, many times I wanted to CHOKE her. and yes, on opening night when she got a serious case of stage fright and forgot her opening lines and was moved to COMPLETE silence, I thought I was ruined....As I held my breath, one-one thousand, two-one thousand, three-one thousand...What's this? She's backtracking in the dialogue? It's actually making sense??? To the layman, there isn't anything wrong? WOW. And, is that actually the voice I have been trying so desperately to get her to use??? HELL YEAH. Woo-hoo. I am in the sound booth doing the happy dance. These moments, these real events are what keep me an eternal optimist. They keep me playing the game. To join another human being in making a connection within themselves that perhaps they never dreamed of, never saw within themselves that they had the potential and yes, even perhaps they kind of got "talked into" (yeah, my powers of persuasion is a topic for another entire individual blog...hee hee). That is the true essence of the beauty of humanity. Man, I love this world and the people in it...So, on this Saturday (not in the park) but in Sunnyside...I will sign off now by simply saying - enjoy it while you can, be good and try to look to the sunny side of life always!