…Until someone gets hurt. Isn’t that what our moms used to say? I know mine did, and I’d wager that yours did as well. 

Unfortunately, that sage advice is usually offered up after someone (you guessed it) gets hurt. Don’t worry, I’m not about to get all boo-hoo about anything in particular, and while I’m not “hurt” per se, I believe that in light of recent events, a lot of us are indeed hurting, including myself.

As a county, as a country, and as a planet, we’re in a period of tremendous transition—and I for one, am not a fan. I’ve never cared for change, and have always preferred the status quo. Not necessarily an enviable quality, and I’m not proud of it, but I make no bones about it either, nor offer up excuses. It simply is what it is.

The exact origin of the idiom “fun and games” is unclear, but according to  www.crossidiomas.com it was popularized during the mid-20th century. It was “initially used to describe leisurely activities such as board games or sports that were meant to be enjoyed for their entertainment value.”

That said, there are some weeks when writing about a new art exhibit, a musical duo performing in the neighborhood or a fundraiser worthy of attention leave me wanting more than my usual array of puppet shows, plays and parades: the Three-Ps that normally make up my bread and butter as I cover life in the Upper Delaware River region. 

No, I’m not gonna get all political on you, but I do have a social conscience. That same mother who advised me about “fun and games” raised me pretty well (IMHO) and I had a better-than-decent education, so it is with a heavy heart that I observe what’s happening all around us, on a local level and on the global stage as well. 

That same website claims that another variation of “fun and games” emphasizes the “potential danger or consequences that can arise from a seemingly harmless activity,” such as making fun of someone based on their differences, taunting others or making them feel inferior because their definitions of right and wrong differ from yours. And that’s why yet another interpretation “implies a lack of enjoyment or playfulness in a situation.” It’s called irony.

Rather than dwelling in a state of anxiety over the weekend, I put my big-boy pants on and glanced at my schedule of events. That included (you guessed it) a new art exhibit, a musical duo performing in the neighborhood and an organization’s fundraiser worthy of attention—the latter being the second annual St. Paw-Trick’s Party for CARe, aka Catskill Animal Rescue, Inc. 

Operating as a not-for-profit animal welfare organization “dedicated to saving homeless, abused and abandoned animals” and to “protecting animals from cruelty and neglect through education and enforcement of humane laws,” CARe is like a beacon of hope, shining in what could be construed by some as an otherwise dark time. 

Look, I am well aware that there are friends and neighbors out there absolutely delighted with the state of the nation, pleased as punch with how the new administration is handling current affairs, and are happy to crow about it at any given opportunity, but… oops, I sense politics creeping in here, something I just stated wouldn’t happen.

Where was I? Oh right, the animals. Of course I brought That Dog Named Gidget to the party, which was held at Bridge and Tunnel Brewery in Liberty, NY and was presented by the fine folks at Liberty Rotary. A quick glance at the Rotarians’ website informed me that the event was “extremely well attended, with guests embracing the lively atmosphere filled with camaraderie, good cheer and a shared passion for helping animals in need.” 

In other words, regardless of where one sits on the political (there’s that word again) spectrum, it is possible to put our differences aside and come together for the greater good. Or is it? Oops.

As for the musical duo? It was Fisher and Keane, who were entertaining at one of Sullivan County’s newest in my neighborhood—The Woodstock Way Groovy Eatery, located on 17B in Mongaup Valley, and that coincidentally advertises its outdoor seating as a “pet-friendly environment.” Being a teensy bit late for Gidget’s party, I momentarily popped in to say hi to both Fisher and Keane with a wave of my hand and a promise to return. From what I see online, music is quickly becoming an integral part of the Woodstock Way dining experience, so we’ll be sure to return. 

I never made it to the art show, but it has just debuted at the Sullivan County Government Center (and simultaneously at the Sullivan County Museum in Hurleyville) and is titled “Photo Exhibition of Landscapes and Wildlife,” from the folks at Parks and Rec, highlighting said parks throughout the county. I saw several names of photographers with whom I am acquainted associated with the exhibit, and even received a note from the organizers indicating that a couple of my shots were deemed worthy of hanging on the wall as well, so that’s cool. From what I grasped, the exhibit will run through the summer, so even I might make it. After all, art is for everyone, and doesn’t hurt anyone, regardless of their political stance, even if it doesn’t jibe with yours, right? Oops.

For more on CARe, and how you can help, go to www.catskillanimalrescue.com.

Have a humble opinion of your own you’d like to share? Contact me at jonathanfox@riverreporter.com.