Daughters of the Shadow Men

It was wonderful to see Linda's poetry reading I filmed appear on Doc's computer ready for editing.  I knew if Doc and I tried to do it, the stress would be maximum since neither of us know what we are doing.  It is reassuring to have someone come and help you who has had as much experience with film as Dan has.  Now all we have to do is put the camera in the hookup and turn it on.  Doc knows pretty much what to do from there, and I have just got to rest up so I can try editing and posting on Uncut Video and embedding  a poem or two in my journal. That should be a kick.  Dan said we would probably have trouble trying to do anything with what we have already filmed, but we can move anything up directly from the camera that we film in the future.  I plan to use the camcorder on occasion, as I did with Linda's poetry reading since I have a fourth interest in it. Doc will probably think of projects he wants to do, as he has done in the past.   

Dan made us laugh telling us about the hell his brother Raymond is going through with his truck that got impounded.  Oh not that we don't sympathize, but as long as he doesn't go mad over it completely, we couldn't help but smile uneasily over his great bad luck.  It cost him $350 altogether to get his truck out yesterday, after having to rent a car for two weeks,  And they destroyed his license plate and his driver's license.  When he went to emissions, he told me later, his truck failed emissions for the first time ever!  And every time he talks to another official he has to argue about whose mistake it was, since they naturally assume he was at fault.  He has to keep his proof with him that it was their mistake in not filing his paid ticket with the right court, letting it sit all this time in a 'dead' pile, so a mistaken suspension of his license followed. He did get a speeding ticket to start this comedy of errors, but he surely did not know he would be left on a street corner afoot as a result. I know he will try very hard never to attract the attention of a cop again.    

He says he might be able to get at least$150 back if he fills out the papers just right and the gods are with him, thinking he has been punished enough.  Raymond is also leaving for Utah on the 30th of May, so he must cancel his lease. And move all his stuff into storage for the summer. Dan has no idea where he will land.

But one thing happened.  When Raymond came back to town, I started feeling all this energy coming into my ken, and I thought this sheer physical force will take him to a big break. I knew he was starting to recover, having quit a monster job which he admits he created.  Any of you who see 'Dreaming in Color" will recognize the energy and creative force that went into it  His boss is still saying they can never do again a production of that magnitude!  What?  He still has not adjusted. 

I have seen Raymond create great theater events for many years. He did my Prince of Saturn with all the characters in the play sitting in the audience together one night, in their real counterparts, watching themselves on stage.  Some people who took everything in said they were blown away.  My niece came and said she was sitting by the real Prince from Saturn, a schizophrenic with a learning disability.  When the stage Prince from Saturn howled at the moon in his werewolf mask, he turned to her and said, "When you feel bad, it makes you feel better to go out and howl at the moon!" 

One of his best young actors was dying of AIDs in his early twenties and asked if Raymond would produce his play and let him play himself, dying of AIDs.  That was a theater event that so shook me I could never forget it ever.  It was like the heavens opened up.  And angels came in to weep. It made Vince happy, and that was so very important, since he died a short time later.  

I know it is time for his break to come. He must aim for hundreds to see his work, not just a few in Phoenix.  Raymond has worked for this a long time. I don't feel bad about him leaving this job because I sense he is going to bigger things.  Let us watch and see if I am right, and his star is on the rise!         

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• #2 Comment from chat2missie 
  4/19/08 4:21 PM | Permalink

  I hope you're enjoying your weekend.
  Missie
• #1 Comment from prementity 
  4/19/08 10:01 AM | Permalink

  I watched Dreaming in Color yesterday and am blown away.  It was a great production and why the principal was so nervous about it I can understand since those great themes are just not tackled in high school.  Amazing how the most any school can do is bring in someone who works with drugs and maybe a person at the same time...and then never talk about it again.  The black/white racial theme doesn't come up even if the kids walk off the school yard and live with it until morning each day.  We avoid ... not really talk about the big problems, and hope teaching English, History, and Math etc will do the trick!  We cover our heads in sand...I know, I taught and got in trouble teaching Mythology (I was teaching a new religion).  I groan over my 'controversial' ideas...which were not controversial at all.  I seldom got to the real controversy, but the 'hint' was enough!   I do love this play and what Raymond tried to do.