The Columnist by David Auburn

This past week has been Chicago Theater Week. I have gotten to a few events and have been reminded that I am able to both find the time and the resources to see more theater than I do. As part of this new passion for seeing theater; I went to see The Columnist by David Auburn at the American Blues Theater. It was an amazing production and I got to go with a friend who challenged me to explain the time frame of the play.

As I later wrote:

The Columnist by David Auburn

(Author of the Play Proof)

And I’m Trying to explain Vietnam To a friend

And I’m Trying to explain the Cold War To a friend

And I’m Trying to explain the 60’s To a friend

I should be more articulate

Courses in this have been taken by me

But how do you explain Why Vietnam

But how do you explain Why Anti-Communist

But how do you explain Why we walked chin deep into a mucky, mucky mess

Where is the fine line between

A world of back room gentlemen (and gentlewomen) agreements

A world where every single personal detail is run through the Mud

The press is fundamental

The press is amazing

The press is important

There are details that matter

There are details which are simply used to cut and bleed

Where is the fine line between

What do we do when there are Multiple truths

We are winning, We are losing, 

We are both at the same time

What is truth?

Why is the role of the press?

What does it mean to be an American?

What do you do when you are picked up by the tornado

And everything is changing?

My heart goes out to those who face the changes with fear and hate

But this world is changing

We are reviving the 60’s

Everything is changing

I did not live in the 60's or 70's but I see parallels to today. The past decade or so has been full of positive social upheavals in this country. And the population is falling into Us vs Them camps. The walls have fallen down: 

Camp A: Let's color completely outside the lines and make beautiful art.

Camp B: Let's rebuild the walls and paint them in neutral tones and believe with all our hearts the walls never feel down in the first place

But it has always been easier to find a monster under the bed to blame for our failures and problems. It is easier to focus on the ever-changing "Other" than to do the much-needed self-reflection. 

So the people march in the streets, so the students stand up for something greater themselves, so the press tells the story. It has never been the people vs the government vs the press. It never will be that simple. Celebrate the press. Celebrate the arts. Think and ponder and dream.

What do I stand for?

What do I stand for?

The Pen

Which has been mightier than the sword

Since the beginning of time

Is my power

Is my strength

Is what I shall pick up 

Here in our time of need

I stand with

The Weapons of Love

The Weapons of Creativity

The Weapons of a Writer

The Weapons of a top notch Dreamer

I stand for

Black Lives Matter

Hispanic/Latinx Lives Matter

Asian Lives Matter

Native American Lives Matter

Flesh Of My Flesh

Muslim Lives Matter

Hindu Lives Matter

Jewish Lives Matter

Bone Of My Bone

Immigrant Lives Matter

LGBTQA Lives Matter

Refugee Lives Matter

Woman Lives Matter

Blood Of My Blood

I take this pen

I take these words

I take my story

And dedicate them 

To fighting for Justice and Love

Join Me

Join Me

Join Me

You Shall Not Stop Me

I will write #NonStop on Love

I will write #NonStop on Justice

I will write #NonStop on Compassion

This is where I stand

This shall be my legacy

This is how I write myself into the story

Those standing with me

On the side of Justice and Love and Compassion

Thank You. Thank You. Thank You

Those standing before me

I suggest you move

Or you will find exacly how sharp a pen can be

I will make Hamilton's pen
Seem dull and slow
In comparison

Hope in three stories

It was the 1970's and my future congregation wanted a women pastor. We asked for one and were told "Nope, that would be too hard to do". We went "That was not a suggestion". We refused to pay. We had a lock-in. We protested long and hard enough that finally the regional church leadership called uncle and sent a woman. And today church leadership still remembers. As new issues have come up, when they find themselves between us and justice, they step aside because they are a bit afraid of what we can do.

It was the 2000's and a popular priest on the south side of Chicago who was known for rabble-rousing for justice was told "So move along, get along, Move along, get along, Go! Move! Shift!". And the priest said No. He is still in his congregation working on issues such as Gun Violence and Drugs and Community Safety.

It was the 2000's and a congregation in Chicago housed a woman and her child for a whole year within the church to protect them from deportation as a modern day continuation of the Sanctuary movement from the 1980's.

I share the above stories because last weekend I promised family members that I would make them feel better not matter the outcome of the election. 

I believe that the above stories show that while hate can be supported. hate can be legalized, hate can be normalized. Love is always stronger and No one can force us to hate. Let's build communities like my congregation where those on the wrong side of Justice and Love are a bit afraid and leave us be.

Now I am not bragging per say but in the past 4 days, I have found multiple ways to be on the side of Justice and Love. 

• I have donated to 6 different charities
• I have written anonymous notes saying "Know you are Loved. Let others know they are Loved, Fill the world with creativity, justice, compassion and Love" which I left for every department at my place of employment, 
• I also handed out these notes at various restaurants I have gone too, to CTA employees, to Theater Volunteers ....)
• As I walked home from downtown I danced to a street corner marching band and was honest and said: "I don't have anything to donate right now but can I give you a Hug" and gave all 5 members a Hug.
• Later in my walk I ran into someone collecting for charity and I gave them a hug too
• I ate dinner at a Family Run Mediterranean Restaurant, using my money to support communities I care about.  
• I wrote a letter to my faith traditions regional leadership calling them out for not speaking to the pain and fear that so many are feeling right now as a result of the election.
• I am finding ways to use my pen as a weapon for Justice and Love (see my next blog post)

I hope these give you ideas on how to be on the side of Justice and Love Too. While hate is a large multii-tentacle creature acts of Love can be small but meaningful. This is good news which should make us all feel better. Now go out and Love

Yes Indeed, You Are A Writer, Yes You.

A Lin-Manuel Tweet from September

For many writers the month of November means NaNoWriMo. A month-long writing challenge. 

I am not participating this year, (I seem to participate every other year), because I am working on multiple writing projects and word count is a poor metric right now for me to use. 

But I love the idea of NaNoWriMo, and it is cool to have a novel draft, or a novella draft, completed in a month. The key to NaNoWriMo is to simply write without editing or second guessing your word choices.

On the other hand, NaNoWriMo can be daunting. It is important to remember that while 50,000 words is the goal, any writing you write is a victory.   

In light of NaNoWriMo, this is a time of year filled with posts about  NaNoWriMo, and writing in general.

One I found particularly interesting is:

  

"NaNoWriMo and looking at some terrible advice" by Mary Robinette Kowal

I love her wisdom around some of the common writing advice given

Write Every Day

Being a writer, or being anything else , means you have to pay attention to self-care. Sometimes for a variety of personal, work, or societal reasons you just can't write for a period of time. And yes you may Feel like a failure (I often do), but YOU ARE NOT A FAILURE.

A Writer Writes

I find what I write and how much I write varries a lot. Sometimes I write all the time. Sometimes I take long periods off either because I don't have ideas or more often because life means I don't have time to write. No matter what obstacles come up, which keep you from writing, you shall aways be a writer. "They can't take that away from (you)". 

You must submit your fiction

Personally, I love this distinction between "writer" and "author". There have definitely been times where others described me as a writer and I have felt the shock of imposter syndrome. But using these definitions I am clearly a writer, because I write. 

So as this post is titled "Yes Indeed, You Are A Writer, Yes You.". Go forth and write. Go forth and tell your story. Go forth and celebrate that you are a writer.

Music to make you feel better

This week is simply a playlist to make you feel better about the world.

All of my Friends

What the World Needs Now

All Mixed Up

Picnic Of The World

Plenty of Room

Big Rock Candy Mountain

Library Song

Ghost of Bleak House

Stone Soup

Element Song

I forgot I had to blog: A Poem

This is a poem

Explaining that I had forgotten

That I still needed to write a blog post

This week.

And no this will not be as funny

As the Neil Gaiman book review 

On a similar topic

This blog does not have a golden cover

And no one will publish my name and address

And say this is who is to blame for the lack of a review

(Or in this case a blog post)

But my dear reader

I am sleepy

And Morpheus calls 

(Well the new one 

Since Dream just died

Or was reinvented

Or was rencarnated

In the book

The Kindly Ones

 I was reading)

So have a good week

And I hope to have a better blog post 

Next week

Pondering Purpose

I have been Pondering Purpose

Or maybe Purpose Pondering?

Or maybe simply being inspired to see life from a different angle

I am grateful

For the writers who write me and define my passion

"Keep Pursing your passion for writing"*

And those who say

"Hey Lisa, what a super sweet note thanks for sending!

Now that song is stuck in my head lol.

I have the honor to be your obedient servant."**

Juggling the truth of Harry Chapin

"But music was his life, it was not his livelihood,

And it made him feel so happy and it made him feel so good.

And he sang from his heart and he sang from his soul.

He did not know how well he sang; It just made him whole."

With the wisdom of Lin Manuel

And Neil Giaman

"Write" 

"Make Good Art"

I want something more then my Job

A Career some would say

But one where I can 

Continue with my Calling

And no my Calling won't necessary be my Job

Since Poets who live off their earnings

Are as common as Leap Days which fall on Full Moon Sundays

I do not know where my path may go

But I was sorted Into Thunderbird

The house of Adventure and Soul

Sure sounds like a house of writers and other creative types

And I go forward 

With self imposed 100 daily Poem Challenges  

With great plans for pieces for this years holiday gifts

With writing as a way to process what I feel and think and experience

And I remember

I Got This

I Got This

I Got This

Hay Lin Manuel Said So

So it must be true