The term “Pet Peeve(s)” is a small yet distinctive annoyance that can get on one’s nerves. Some of these little minor irritations can come from a person, a place, a thing or object, or any form of stimuli that can bring one to tears, frustration, or sheer madness.
What are some of these little traps in domestic life that bring out the worst in somebody? It all depends. It can be simple as something as where one opens a print magazine to find those subscription cards falling in one’s lap. (Those cards, by the way, are called “blow in cards” because they tend to blow into somebody’s lap!) While glancing at one of those mags (usually in a waiting room situation), one can be reading an article that continues on to another page, only to find that page torn out! And if one is in that waiting room, somebody is gabbing away on their phone speaking rather loud. Or if going to the movies (in a theater, ‘natch), during the feature, somebody is using their phone as the hall is dark and the film is playing. And if one is driving, somebody ahead of the driver is going too slow and you can’t pass ‘em up. Or they are on their phone while driving, or texting while driving, or doing something else that has nothing to do with driving! You get the idea!
This writer can spend an entire article just listing typical and agreed upon little episodes where somebody will find rather obnoxious. However, every person’s annoyance is somebody else’s vague passing moment. A person may not think twice about how one may react to an instant. For those folks, this minute installment may be of no big deal, or “no biggie” in post modern speak!
There are those peeves that have nothing to do with a fellow person’s actions and reactions. (The “blow in card” episode for instance, is something that just happens!) These are the kind of peeves where nobody is to blame. Sure, you can wash your car to get rid of the bird droppings, park that same car under a tree only to get more bird droppings! Can you blame the birds? Sure you can, but what are they gonna do about it? Go and poop somewhere else? What about dropping a pile of coins on to a hard surface? You can stoop over to pick them up, even chasing a few that rolled away to far off corners! But you can’t cuss at the coins! Ditto for having some round object roll under one’s car at the exact middle of under the vehicle. Again, it’s a lot of stooping, reaching, and perhaps not reaching! (Silent comedies use a lot of these type of episodes as sight gags since they don’t require dialogue to make ‘em funny, and they never become outdated. They were funny back in the 1920’s, and they still bring laughs nearly one hundred years later!)
Some people treat such pet peeves in many ways. The best and basic way to handle this kind of frustration is to laugh it off and move on. For a few, one will show a mild form of anger by gritting their teeth, rolling their eyes, or curse under their breath–and move onward! And there are the ones that refuse to tolerate it. They may get angry from sporting a mild fume to becoming a raging nut case. Those are the type of peeves one wants to avoid, let alone desiring to get away from those that can’t (or won’t) take it! This form of anger can lead to bigger and harsher consequences.
There is a unwritten rule (one of many) that floats around in the worlds of business and social life. The rule in question, keeping to the theme of this article is “Never piss anyone off!” What those words of advice states is the fact that if somebody makes another person (or persons) a bit bothered, if can become a blot on the wall, a tale of doom, or generally, the end of fill-in-the-blank! It doesn’t matter what the pissed off moment is, just as long as somebody knows that one got to somebody’s pet peeve.
But life as it is, will host a number of peeves for the taking, or not for the taking. And as one can face the fact that life isn’t perfect (whatever “perfect” means), then it’s going to become another time of passage.
However, we here at Accessibly Live Off-Line will ask you what’s your pet peeve. We’d love to know what gets your goat. If could be any form of simple annoyance that is based on the result of another person or through circumstance. Just send those annoyances out our way by dropping us a line at AccessiblyLiveOffLine(at)gmail.com. (You can also post those bits of temperament through our Facebook page or by way of a Twitter tweet @AccessiblyLive. We’ll collect a random sample of what irks you to be later posted in a future article. Of course, we here will reserve the right to edit them for clarity and for practical standards.
And remember, we didn’t do ‘em! Honest!!
——————————————————————————————————————————————–
NEWS AND REVIEWS
Theatre Palisades opens their 2014 season of plays (and one musical) with Jane Martin’s WALKING WITH…, all about eleven different women with eleven different means of living inside their worlds
There is no plot per se seen within this production. The audience hears in life long stories (as told within a ten minute period) of nearly a dozen women that speak about who they are, who they were, and where they believe they are going within the domains each one tries to subsist in. These same woman do not know of each other, and mostly likely will never become aware of their existence. In fact, they do not carry names; Just personalities and “adventures” that live on for only one tenth of an hour. There’s the actress that’s ready to go on stage no matter what it took to get there, the woman who may be slightly emotionally unstable who adores wearing patchwork if not smothered in the stories of L. Frank Baum, the gal who is a die hard baton twirler, the fundamentalist christian who handles snakes to make her point, a hard ass former rodeo rider, the wayward woman who craves french fries from McDonalds, and seven others whose lives speak for happiness, somberness, and for hilarity, making this production a true “dramity”
The show presentation is very simple. Each performer speaks for the characters they represent within a barren stage, standing within a ring similar to what one would find in a three ring circus. The ring is festooned with deep blue colored light bulbs as designed, along with the stage lighting, by Sherman Wayne. Outside of a few props to emphasize the individual characters, it’s the performers themselves that take stage right, left, and center, giving what they have to say one step (and bestower) at a time!
Philip Barolf directs this stage piece that features (listed in the order of their appearance), Analeis Lorig, Laura Goldstein, Rosie Mandel, Lindsey Huchowski, Azar Mazarei, Joette Marks, Silva Toval, Julie Urbanek, Zoe Lillian, Julia Whitcombe, and Kate Moran.
TALKING WITH… is ideal for those that enjoy their theater in small bites. Although the portions may be petty, there is a lot to chew upon. Perhaps one may know of these kind of people, or possibly that character on stage may be speaking for you! Whatever the outcome, it all makes up for the millions of souls that are out there that have their own sagas to tell, as long as it takes that ten minutes of one’s time.
TALKING WITH… presented by Theater Palisades, performs at the Pierson Playhouse, 941 Temescal Canyon Road (off Sunset Blvd.), Pacific Palisades, until February 16th. Showtimes are Friday and Saturday nights at 8:00 PM, and Sunday matinees at 2:00 PM. For more information, call (310) 454-1970, or visit online at http://www.TheatrePalisades.com
——————————————————————————————————————————————–
BECKY’S NEW CAR, Steven Dietz’s comedy about a middle aged woman whose life make a quick virtual left turn driving into something she never experienced before, opens the Kentwood’s Players’ 2014 theater season.
Cherry Norris is Becky Foster. She lives a so-called normal life. She’s been married to her husband Joe (Bob Grochau), a roofer by trade, for nearly three decades. Their one and only child, twenty six year old Chris (Jaymie Bellous) is attending grad school-while still living home in the basement-as a psychology student. Becky holds two jobs; one taking care of her homestead and the other as a receptionist at a new car dealer. With her son living at home semi slacking off and her marriage with Joe is somewhat tiring, it appears that Becky is heading toward a dead end while driving upon the highway of life. That is, until one day, a somewhat mysterious man appears. Walter Flood (Dylan Brody) wants to buy a car, or actually, nine cars! Seems that Walter is a local billboard tycoon, and the cars he wants are to be used as gifts for some of his staff. Walter is also a recent widow, still grieving on the death of his spouse. He believes that, through some misunderstanding (and miscommunication) that Becky is also a widow. He also finds her rather appealing! Before she can correct him over this error, she receives an inkling that Walter just might be a way out of her rather bland life. But there’s more to what’s behind this opportunity. What will she do? Should she say no to Walter and continue on through a tedious routine, or should she say yes to live on a new life and the lifestyle behind it all? Becky has more to pick upon in this twist of fate, and the twists get tighter at each traveling moment!
This is not unlike a standard comedy where a plot thickens, a few comical lines are exchanged, and all ends well as one would find in a TV sitcom. This play is rather quirky that offers plenty of witty banter while still holding on toward a humorous ring. Cherry Norris as Becky is the standard middle aged woman looking forward toward the road of life ahead while glancing at the rear view mirror of the same road from behind. The character she plays is very upbeat in spite of what happens, or what could happen! Bob Grachau as Joe is as engaging, but not too much to write home about. (The reason why Becky life is dull, no doubt!) Jaymie Bellous as Chris is the prototypical nearly forever student that lives at home with mom ‘n dad while doesn’t seem to have a promising life ahead, but still means well in spite of things. Dylan Brody as Walter Flood is a man of means that takes things for granted, although he has everything he wants except one; Becky!
The rest of the cast appearing also features Craig Brunell as Steve Singletary, Becky’s coworker who is also a widow as well as a mid aged milquetoast; Jacqueline Borowski as Kensington “Kenni” Flood, Water’s young daughter, and Maria Pavone as Ginger, Water’s neighbor that falls within his same status class.
Susan Stangl directs this play that offers more irony and plot turns one would ever find in a comedy! Her direction talents brings these characters to life, especially Becky that fulfills a fantasy she never thought she would live, let along conceive.
In addition to the acting on the floorboards, Drew Fitzsimmons’ set design shows the three sides of Becky; her messy living room (complete with a oversized love seat right next to a mini fridge for easy beverage access), her office cubicle (not much there besides a messy desktop and a bland message board affixed on a back wall), and Walter’s domain located along the coastal waters!
BECKY’S NEW CAR is a post modern jocularity stage piece that offers laughs and comical wallops. It may not place one on the edge of one’s seat as to a mystery, but as a comedy that holds the same kind of thrills! This production drives fast and drives hard with plenty of milage to spare! It’s worth the actual drive to catch this show since the theater itself is near the 405 freeway and far from the construction gridlock! Keep your seat belt buckled, watch the road ahead, and enjoy the ride!
BECKY’S NEW CAR, presented by the Kentwood Players, performs at the Westchester Playhouse, 8301 Hindry Avenue (at 83rd Street), Westchester, until February 15th. Showtimes are Friday and Saturday nights at 8:00 PM, and Sunday matinees at 2:00 PM. For tickets or for more information, call (310) 645-5156, or on line at http://www.KentwoodPlayers.org
——————————————————————————————————————————————–
Currently performing at the Moving Arts Hyperion Station theatre space, Michael Kass performs his solo showpiece CEREMONY, a personal saga about his transformation from one depressing episode after another to a unique spiritual awaking that he finds in the deep regions of Peru.
At an early age, Michael first encounters what life will bring him when he attends a screening of Albert Lamorisse’s The Red Balloonat, the story of a child in Paris that finds the titled object, at a local public library. As time progresses, he finds and loses his version of red balloons through failed relationships, jobs, and other factors. Through fate, he discovers that he could visit a retreat located within the Peruvian Andes to find his inner self. WIth nothing more to lost, he leaves Los Angeles (where he has been living for a number of years) where within this region, an elixir called ayahuasca is taken that is a form of hallucinogen. The taste is powerful, but not of a good sense. Its properties as he learns, are another factor.
Michael Kass’s performance conducts his tale in a very rapid stance. Although he is in his middle 30’s, his journey is crammed with enough events that would be completing enough. At first, it seems that he’s just another guy that has his own share of bad luck. But his trip to South America changed him for the moment and for good! Diana Wyenn directs this show that holds more drama than comedy, although some of his routines contains humorous elements throughout. And outside of a few props seen on stage (various plastic buckets), it’s just Michael and his journey that only a few selected people have come close to encountering.
CEREMONY is Michael’s form of celebration as he has his life back on track, and this show is his narrative to confirm it all!
CELEBRATION, written and performed by Michael Kass, performs at the Moving Arts Hyperion Station, 1822 Hyperion Avenue, Los Angeles, on Mondays, January 20th, 27th, and February 3rd at 8:00 PM. The January 27th presentation will feature Ceremony and Deanna Fleysher’s Butt Kapinski, another solo performance, as a double bill
For tickets and for more information, call (323) 666-3259, or via online at http://www.MovingArts.org and http://www.CeremonyTheShow.com
——————————————————————————————————————————————–
TIFFI’S FRIENDS SAY…
(As posted on her Facebook “wall”)
So my husband wakes up at 4:30 and prowls around. I wake up. He goes back to sleep while I continue to stay awake. Oh well.
-Sue
AWESOME movie!! The full audience all stayed in the theatre through the credits A great movie to see, if you haven’t.
-Pat
New yogas from cables with my gift card from Christmas! Just plain black cause I couldn’t afford the browning ones but they work and are comfy
-Sarah
Husband asked for hamburger stroganoff with homemade egg noodles for his birthday dinner. That’s what I made him. It was tasty.
-Carol
Well I have been warned…….I can’t send any friend requests from fb……
-Lisa
As of January 13th, Tiffi has 1,987 Fabebook “friends” and counting!
——————————————————————————————————————————————–
WRITE TO US!!
ACCESSIBLY LIVE OFF-LINE
is a presentation of Linear Cycle Productions
AccessiblyLiveOffLine@gmail.com
http://AccessiblyLiveOffLine.wordpress.com
http://www.LinearCycleProductions.com
(Look for us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!)
ACCESSIBLY LIVE OFF-LINE (C) 2014 Linear Cycle Productions.
All rights reserved. The views and opinions are those of the writers, and not necessarily of the staff and management. ‘Nuff said!
-30-
ACCESSIBLY LIVE OFF-LINE 