Good Living 123

“Freedom of opinion can only exist when a government thinks itself secure.”

— Bertrand Russell (1872 – 1970)

British philosopher

(Photo by Andrew Martin)

If something wonderful is starting or happening in your life, bravo!!!! Relish the time… the sharing… the marvelous memories you are making. On the other hand, if something not-so-wonderful is happening… or something wonderful has ended, please do not lose hope. Your heart may be broken into thousands of pieces. You may be living in a manner that makes you feel utterly off balance. Your world may even feel totally shattered.

We all go through changing times. Some let us feel light, confident, and happy… but at other times shifting shadows deepen the darkness beyond our recognition. Perspective grows more difficult in those shadowed times. While no one else can truly understand how someone feels during those lowest points, we can be powerfully helpful. We can always listen, offer support, and genuinely care. Take heart. Don’t lose faith. The sun will shine again.

  “Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.”

— Theodor Seuss Geisel (pen name Dr. Seuss) (1904 – 1991)

American children’s author and cartoonist

First recognized in 1973 by the U.S. Congress, this day commemorates the 1920 certification of the 19^th Amendment, which granted women the right to vote.

“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” 

—Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962)

First lady of the United States 1933-1945

“A woman is human. She is not better, wiser, stronger, more intelligent, more creative, or more responsible than a man. Likewise, she is never less. Equality is a given. A woman is human.” 

–Vera Nazarian (1966 –  )

Russian-American writer

“Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could do only a little.”

— Edmund Burke (1729-1797)

Irish-born British statesman & philosopher

“In matters of principle, stand like a rock; in matters of taste, swim with the current.”

— Thomas Jefferson (1743 – 1826)

Founding Father; 2nd US Vice President & 3rd US President

(Thanks to Julius Silver for the photo taken in Portugal.)

“What if I told you 10 years from now your life would be exactly the same? Doubt you’d be happy. So, why are you afraid of change?”

— Karen Salmansohn

American self-help author

(Image by Gerd Altmann)

“The human heart, at whatever age, opens only to the heart that opens in return.”

— Maria Edgeworth (1767-1849)

British writer

I am in the demographic group known as the Baby Boomers. We are those born between the end of World War II (1946) and 1964. Baby Boomers are known for “rejecting and redefining traditional values.” So true…  I mean, the Flower Children live here. We took pride in being informed citizens and questioning government.

While being very capable, we do now feel the pinch of age discrimination. A bizarre slice of poetic justice for the generation that said not to trust anyone over 30… and now we are all well over 30.

While we are often cast as the scapegoats for political jousting and social ills, some fine accomplishments are credited to the Baby Boomers coming of age.  For example, safer driving evolved with seatbelt laws. We are the generation of crazy road trips, dedication to public service and volunteerism, and standing up for gender equality. We protested against war, ended the Cold War, ushered in an era of freedom, and we worked for environmental protection. We launched Saturday Night Live and turned movies into culturally iconic series.

Baby Boomers invented the Internet (noooooo…. It was not Al Gore), personal computers, the USB port, screen time, the Flex-Foot prosthesis, text-to-speech technology, the automated external defibrillator, the disposable cell phone, and Viagra. Baby Boomers also made great advances in areas such as forensic science, including DNA fingerprinting. And New York-born and New Hampshire’s own “Einstein,” better known as Dean Kamen, racked up a number of important inventions. From the ambulatory infusion pump and the portable dialysis machine to the Segway and the iBot, I believe he will be easily recognized and remembered as the greatest inventor of our time.

We Baby Boomers also became the American “sandwich” generation, caring for both youngsters and elders. We have a legacy in social attitudes. And, oh, yes! Baby Boomers put the “rock” in rock & roll music, as it became central to our teen subculture.

See it all as good, bad, or indifferent. That is fine. But with life expectancy dramatically increased, we are not done yet!

(Image by Christian Dorn)

The classic film “Wizard of Oz” debuted in Hollywood, California on this date in 1939. It opened across the United States on August 25^th. While she started as a fictional character in L. Frank Baum’s children’s novel, “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” in 1900, it was actress Margaret Hamilton who breathed life into her in the film. Actress Gale Sondergaard was originally cast as the Wicked Witch of the West, but withdrew when the sly role turned sinister, the green glamour gown was replaced by black, and her skin would be green.

The character had terrified me greatly as a child. However, I also found Hamilton’s portrayal to inspire something I call a rather dark side of human nature. When she would come on the screen, I would cover my eyes with my hands. BUT, I would leave one little crack so I could peak. That translates into so many times in our human existence when we say that we can’t look! And yet, we also cannot quite look away.

As primarily a musical and comedy actress, I have been blessed to play all my favorite roles, and all my favorite “witches.” This includes good ones like the Fairy Godmother in “Cinderella” and nasty ones like Rosina Dainty Mouth (English translation) in the Engelbert Humperdinck (no, not the British singer) opera “Hansel and Gretel.”

When cast with one of the only 2 Equity contracts in Manchester’s Palace Theatre production in the 2000s, some actor friends were shocked. They thought I was “too nice” to play her in the Margaret Hamilton manner. No way! “I was born to play this role,” I recall telling them. As a Margaret Hamilton devotee, this was the one missing role from my repertoire.

I remember the director imploring, “Please tell me that you don’t get along with children or dogs.” Sorry, but I do. (Um…. That’s why they call it acting.) The children playing the munchkins made large, colorful paper flowers and decorated the walls of my dressing room with them. They also changed the name on my dressing room to read WWW, rather than Witch. On Opening Night, they added the words “and Toto, too.” The dog portraying Toto had no space in which to rest backstage, so I invited her owner to share my room.

(Ah, yes… the photo is backstage at The Palace, where we actresses playing the wicked one and the good one could be friends.)

“Anyone who does not believe in miracles is not a realist.”

— David Ben-Gurion (1886 – 1973)

First Prime Minister of Israel

(Photo by Jimmy Conover)

“There can be no doubt that our Nation has had a long and unfortunate history of sex discrimination.  Traditionally, such discrimination was rationalized by an attitude of “romantic paternalism” which, in practical effect, put women, not on a pedestal, but in a cage.”

— William J. Brennan (1906-1997)

US Supreme Court Justice 1956-1990; justice in NJ Supreme Court from 1952-56

It’s been said many times in many ways. Our true character is reflected in our integrity.

“Integrity is doing the right thing, even if nobody is watching.”

— C. S. Lewis (1898 – 1963)

British writer

“A little integrity is better than any career.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803 – 1892)

American essayist, philosopher & abolitionist; aka The Sage of Concord

“Character is what you are in the dark.” 

— Dwight L. Moody (1837 – 1899)

American evangelist & publisher

“The true test of a man’s character is what he does when no one is watching.”

— John Wooden (1910 – 2010)

American basketball coach & player

(Photo by Trimisu)

Nic“Begin challenging your own assumptions.  Your assumptions are your windows on the world.  Scrub them off every once in a while, or the light won’t come in.”

— Alan Alda (1936 – )

American actor

“To reach a port we must sail, sometimes with the wind, and sometimes against it. But we must not drift or lie at anchor.”

— Oliver Wendell Holmes (1841 – 1935)

Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court 1902 – 1931

(Photo by Renan Brun)

“It is easy to take liberty for granted when you have never had it taken from you.” 

Richard “Dick” Cheney (1941 – )

46^th Vice President of the United States