Blithely enjoying the weekend in high spirits

It is difficult to imagine a world without Noel Coward. English playwright, composer, director, actor and singer- known for his wit, flamboyance and what Time Magazine once called “A sense of personal style, a combination of cheek and chic, pose and poise,” Cowards’ spirit was in the house this past weekend as the Sullivan County Dramatic Workshop (SCDW, scdw.net ) kicked off its 60th anniversary season with one of his most beloved drawing room comedies, “Blithe Spirit.”

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From Humpty to Harpo

A few days ago, I had a great time for a good cause, portraying Humpty Dumpty for an “Alice in Wonderland”-themed fundraiser for the Wayne County Arts Alliance. (You can see photos and video of the event on WCAA’s Facebook page.) We only performed brief excerpts, of course, so I didn’t get to use Humpty’s most famous line from “Through the Looking-Glass:”

“When I use a word, it means just what I choose it to mean—neither more nor less.”

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A subway fable

The Impatient Man waited for the train with as much patience as he could muster. He paced back and forth on the platform, he re-read the magazine he had with him, he shuffled songs on his iPod. He glanced at his watch. If the subway didn’t come soon he would, unfortunately, be late.

The Impatient Man thought that he could tell a lot about how his day would go by how easily and on time he got to work. He hated being late, and found that he wasn’t able to get as much done if he started his morning playing catch-up.

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Impending change is the impetus for proactively planning

Sometimes a threat to your way of life can be a good thing. It can be the catalyst for building strong communities and protecting the environment. My vision for the Upper Delaware River Basin includes cohesive communities that are supported by a strong economic base, well designed in a way that is based on sustainable practices and protective ordinances, and surrounded by the magnificent natural areas that attract people to the region. Of course, the major feature that binds the region together is a healthy Delaware River.

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