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Key City Public Theatre

Resolving Cinderella

December 10, 2014 by admin

Last summer, my good friends at Bazaar Girls Yarn & Fibre Emporium approached me about helping them sponsor Key City Public Theatre’s December production of Cinderella. Being a fan of Bazaar Girls as well as KCPT, I saw this as an opportunity to support two of my favorite local organizations.

There was just one problem: Cinderella?

Cinderella bugs me for multiple reasons. First, there’s that whole handsome prince thing. I worry about little girls internalizing the message that we need a prince to rescue us. Love is a nice thing to have in our lives, but we are not “less than” if we don’t have it.

Second, I can attest that the myth of the wicked stepmother has permeated our culture. Nine years ago, as a new stepmother, trying to support two kids through the painful divorce of their parents, I often found myself suspected (even by therapists) as part of the problem. It’s not easy to come in to a new family, with its shared memories, experiences, and culture, and those early years were tough enough without the extra baggage the wicked stepmother stereotype provides.

Still, seeing KCPT’s production, which is bust-a-gut funny, I feel good about my decision to sponsor the show.

Gosh darn it, when Cinderella’s slipper fits, and wins the prince, we were all crying. No matter the message, we love her and want her to win. Cinderella is that hard luck, hard-working young woman who just needs a little help. We are swept up in the story because we can relate to her in some way. If she ends up happy, there’s hope for the rest of us, too.

The fairy godmother, in my view, is an older and wiser version of Cinderella. She has the empathy of someone who has been there and is grateful enough for her own life to want to pay it forward. We women could learn from this, lifting each other up and supporting each other’s dreams. We also — and I can’t stress this enough — be our own fairy godmothers. Watching the production, making a public debut as a sponsor, I realized I need to do more to finish my books and promote them properly. I sometimes work harder for others than I do for myself, and that has to change.

The prince, in my view, is whatever our dream come true is. Back in the day, all a girl could hope for was to marry well. These days, we can have different dreams. We can have love, but we can also have careers and aspirations. I suspect that Cinderella, in her happily ever after, would want to work to better conditions in the kingdom.

In the end, Cinderella is gracious and forgiving to her stepmother and stepsisters. Perhaps we, too, can forgive the parts of us that are selfish and cruel. When we do that, we can find our own royalty.

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: cinderella, fairy tales, kcpt, Key City Public Theatre, Port Townsend

Gratitude Continues After Thanksgiving

December 3, 2014 by admin

Mason is ready for his Thanksgiving dinner.
Mason is ready for his Thanksgiving dinner.

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I love picking up the turkey from a local farm that grew it for us. I love making the menu and trying new recipes. I love the smells wafting from the kitchen. I love the relaxed feeling after enjoying a hearty meal. I really love the leftovers.

I make a full Thanksgiving dinner, even when it’s just the two of us. Fortunately, though, we had company: my stepdaughter Sarah, her fiance Neil, and Mason the dog. Mason, a Maltese/Shih Tzu mix, is a rescue dog who, just over a year ago, didn’t know how to play or walk on a leash. Now he’s flying cross-country.

We had some snow over the holiday, which is unusual for us. On Sunday we drove out to the Olympic National Park, which was a true winter wonderland, and enjoyed a pleasant, though chilly, hike in the woods. I’m grateful to live in such a beautiful place.

Lake Crescent area, Olympic National Park
Lake Crescent area, Olympic National Park

This week, the opportunities for gratitude continue to pile up. Some are small — I am back on Weight Watchers and lost weight, even on Thanksgiving week. More important, I feel better and more empowered now that I’m back on the program.

When a Grandchild Dies is almost ready to return to print, thanks to on demand publishing. I am checking the proof and making some final changes, and it should be available in a few more days.

When a Grandchild Dies gets a facelift.
When a Grandchild Dies gets a facelift.

Tomorrow I will turn 56 years old, but I am in good enough shape that when I use the book Eight Weeks to a Younger Body by Joan Pagano, I can use the weight program for the 35-44 age range, and the flexibility program for 26-35. I am grateful to be strong and healthy.Bazaar Girls Yarn and Fibre Emporium

This week, our local playhouse, Bazaar Girls Yarn and Fibre EmporiumKey City Public Theatre, is presenting Cinderella. KCPT offers fine productions, and I am proud to be a co-sponsor this year as “Nadine Feldman, Author.” It’s my way of starting to come out more as an author while supporting a fine organization. Henry participates from time to time as both an actor and playwright, and I am grateful for the relationships we are building there, especially with Denise Winter, KCPT’s artistic director. I am sharing sponsorship with my good friends at Bazaar Girls Yarn and Fibre Emporium.

And finally, yesterday, with a swipe of a pen, a judge ended a lawsuit against us. I am cautious about getting too excited about this, because we didn’t “win.” The plaintiffs withdrew the suit without prejudice, so they could re-file the lawsuit. However, for now, at least, a two-year legal battle has ended. We can go back to enjoying life in paradise.

What are you grateful for?

One more Mason photo to add joy to your day!
One more Mason photo to add joy to your day!

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: books, gratitude, hiking, independent publishing, Key City Public Theatre, Olympic National Park, Port Townsend, self-publishing, Thanksgiving, weight watchers, writing business

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