The Arts Are Upon Us!

“The Diary of Anne Frank:” This classic play about a Holocaust story is being produced by the WVU School of Theatre & Dance, October 18-21 at the Met Theater. I tried to find out if they would be putting body mics on the actors but have nothing to report. I strongly urge you, if you want to go, to make sure to get seats as close to the stage as possible, or you may find yourself not hearing the play and leaving angry.

It reduces itself to this. You have to be in the right place at the right time, but when it comes, you better have something on the ball. [Comedian Groucho Marx]

Met in HD Operas: Tomorrow we’ll have a new production of “Samson et Delila” by Saint-Saens, composer of the wonderful Organ Symphony. This one will feature Elina Garanca and Roberto Alagna, so it should be fabulous. Curtain time is 12:55 PM. On October 27, we’ll see “La Fanciulla del West” by Puccini. The special part of this production is that it brings back to the Met Jonas Kaufmann, the glorious Bavarian tenor, playing with Eva-Maria Westbroek. Curtain is 12:55 PM. All Met in HD presentations are at the Regal Hollywood cinema.

Mountaineer Week! Today begins the annual celebration of Mountaineer crafts, food, music, quilts and what not. The craft fair begins at noon and continues through Sunday in the Lair Ballrooms. See you there!

The young Man who has not wept is a savage, and the old man who will not laugh is a fool. [Writer George Santayana]

The greatest dignity to be found in death is the dignity of the life that preceded it. Hope resides in the meaning of what our lives have been. [Surgeon Sherwin B. Nuland]

Sum Wyzdum…I hope: A couple of weeks ago Bonnie and I attended the annual meeting of our church association. We had been asked, nearly a year before, to consider what the greatest sins or issues facing the world might be, and then to consider how we might effect healing. I wouldn’t normally share any of this with you, but near the day’s end, the teacher gave us this: Many of us had put political polarization and global climate change at the top of our lists. BIG problems, eh? What I came away with—what really hit me between the eyes was this idea: start by wiping the slate clean, clear the decks for action, if you will. Then, recognize the person or persons you most blame for the sin/issue and realize that they are as much a perfect child of God as you are. Once you are clear about that, what would you do—how would you react—if this person called you and asked for spiritual healing? I will leave you to think about that one…I believe this wisdom works for any of us People of the Book: Jews, Christians and Muslims. We have our work cut out for us.

Oh, and…VOTE!

Reporter: “What do you expect the future to be like?” Very Old Woman: “Very short.” [One of the oldest women in France, spoken during a birthday interview]

Peace, Jim