Some of you know that I have been experimenting with using the public transportation system in Los Angeles. Now before you make your "do you speak Spanish?" jokes and your snide "aren't you afraid of catching head lice?" remarks, I must tell you that after a trial month, I'm very pleasantly surprised with the results so far.
Have you seen the film An Inconvenient Truth? Everyone needs to see this Oscar-winning film, but more importantly, everyone needs to do something towards solving the global climate crisis. As an educator, I felt a personal responsibility to serve as a role model for the young people who learn from me. Since I live only a block from the bus stop, I decided to try commuting to work on the bus.
At first I had reservations about it: how often does the bus come? Will it be on-time? How many times will I have to transfer lines? Will the bus ride fit my schedule? All my worries proved unnecessary. The bus ride takes only a few minutes longer than driving and the bus stops right in front of my work place. I don't have to deal with traffic, parking, or the rising cost of gasoline (we're up to $3 a gallon again). And best of all, I have at least an hour a day to myself when I can catch up on my reading, take a nap, or just space out for a while. It's been great!
It has also increased my physical activity since I have to walk to the bus stop. I take a slightly alternate route on the way back which includes a longer walk -- about 8 blocks -- to my apartment. I've even experimented by getting off a few blocks earlier to increase the walking distance for more exercise. Now I can walk a brisk mile or two without even breaking a sweat. It's really an enjoyable lifestyle. Besides the work commute, I've used the bus to go shopping, run errands, even to go the opera downtown. And I've seen a lot more of my neighborhood and my city than I ever did driving a car.
They say that nobody walks in LA, and that even fewer people ride the bus. What they mean is no white people take the bus. That's simply not true on either account. I've seen the complete range of nationalities, age, and social classes on the public transportation system, and more and more people are choosing an environmentally responsible approach to their daily transportation and leaving the traffic headaches behind. If you're going to sit for an hour in a slowly moving vehicle, wouldn't you rather leave the driving to someone else?
Los Angeles recently earned an award for Outstanding Public Transportation System, and though I was skeptical at first, I'm not now. This system works and it's the right thing to do. Once people realize the benefits to society, the environment, and personal health, I think this city will change its reputation as the smog and car capital of the world. Go Metro!
Friday, March 09, 2007
Tannhauser at LA Opera
So my new favorite thing is to buy $20 rush tickets for the L.A. Opera at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Last night I scored big time with an excellent seat, third row center! Not only could I have practically reached out and touched the back of the conductor's head, I could also make eye contact with the singers on stage! Now I know how the other half lives.
Wagner's magnificent Tannhauser created quite a spectacle early on because of the explicit eroticism of the Bacchanale sequence in the goddess Venus' domain. My God, they found some absolutely beautiful young dancers to strip naked and writhe around stage humping each other. It was glorious: boys humping girls, boys humping boys, girls going down on one another, simulated blow jobs, groping, kissing, nuzzling, and oh yeah, more humping! It was quite graphic and extremely erotic. Talk about schwing!
After that opening scene, the real drama began and I really enjoyed hearing the music and seeing this spectacular production on stage. Some people love Wagner, others hate him. I don't know his work well enough to form a complete opinion, but so far I love him. The colors he created musically and the never-ending melodies full of chromatic harmonies...Wagner truly defined the Romantic period.
I sat next to a charming older woman who engaged me in conversation during the intermissions (there were two -- it's a long-ass opera!). She reminded me a bit of Carol Channing, just because of the sound of her voice and some of her mannerisms. She also resembled Channing a bit, except with dark hair. Perhaps they go to the same plastic surgeon? I don't know how old this woman was; she looked quite good facially, but her wrinkled and spotted hands spoiled the illusion. Nevertheless, it was a pleasure to enjoy the music with someone who apparently frequents LA Opera -- she's seen dozens if not hundreds of performances there -- and we shared similar opinions on the performance of Tannhauser.
If you're a Wagner fan, you must check out this production; and if you're new to opera or just want to test the waters, I also recommend this production. The story is much easier to understand than some other operas, and the music is majestic and memorable. It also helps to attend the pre-concert lecture by our excellent new maestro, James Conlon. He's like our resident Leonard Bernstein, a man dedicated to educating the public and sharing this great cultural heritage with the world.
I can't wait till the next performance!
Wagner's magnificent Tannhauser created quite a spectacle early on because of the explicit eroticism of the Bacchanale sequence in the goddess Venus' domain. My God, they found some absolutely beautiful young dancers to strip naked and writhe around stage humping each other. It was glorious: boys humping girls, boys humping boys, girls going down on one another, simulated blow jobs, groping, kissing, nuzzling, and oh yeah, more humping! It was quite graphic and extremely erotic. Talk about schwing!
After that opening scene, the real drama began and I really enjoyed hearing the music and seeing this spectacular production on stage. Some people love Wagner, others hate him. I don't know his work well enough to form a complete opinion, but so far I love him. The colors he created musically and the never-ending melodies full of chromatic harmonies...Wagner truly defined the Romantic period.
I sat next to a charming older woman who engaged me in conversation during the intermissions (there were two -- it's a long-ass opera!). She reminded me a bit of Carol Channing, just because of the sound of her voice and some of her mannerisms. She also resembled Channing a bit, except with dark hair. Perhaps they go to the same plastic surgeon? I don't know how old this woman was; she looked quite good facially, but her wrinkled and spotted hands spoiled the illusion. Nevertheless, it was a pleasure to enjoy the music with someone who apparently frequents LA Opera -- she's seen dozens if not hundreds of performances there -- and we shared similar opinions on the performance of Tannhauser.
If you're a Wagner fan, you must check out this production; and if you're new to opera or just want to test the waters, I also recommend this production. The story is much easier to understand than some other operas, and the music is majestic and memorable. It also helps to attend the pre-concert lecture by our excellent new maestro, James Conlon. He's like our resident Leonard Bernstein, a man dedicated to educating the public and sharing this great cultural heritage with the world.
I can't wait till the next performance!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
