Toward a Gonzo Theatre: Part 6 - A Tidbit and an Anecdote

 A Personal Tidbit

When I do a production, I assume that everyone is whole when we start working. I don’t even want to be the director. I want everything collective, natural, organic. Best laid plans… Inevitably, one or two people break down at some point because they’re not whole (they don’t know they’re whole, that is), and the lack of a parental figure makes them feel unsafe. They not only lack someone to follow, they lack someone to blame. Convenient, isn’t it? 

When I see this breakdown start to occur, I smile kindly and wait for them to answer their own question. We all have the right answer inside us. Sometimes a problem needs a companion to work with to find a solution. Ask for one instead of pouting or breaking down. That’s called adulting. If you do have to pout for a minute, or even throw a temper tantrum, do it and get past it fast. Be embarrassed by it, and stop it next time before you embarrass yourself again and make yourself look unhinged. Take control of your emotional state. It’s not only more effective for getting things done: it’s empowering to know that you can solve it. You can self-soothe. And once you can self-soothe, you’re now capable of helping others learn to do it, too. 

Anecdote

I built a guest house in my backyard. I ordered a shed kit online and it showed up in a bunch of pieces on a pallet and now I had to figure out how to build the damned thing. I’d never built a building before. My father in-law, a very talented builder, was gracious enough to help me get the structure up. Then he flew back to Pennsylvania and I had to figure out the rest. I’d never done plumbing. I’d never done electric. I’d never put a sink in a dresser all shabby chic style before. I did it anyway. I made a bunch of mistakes. I asked my experienced friends for help which they generously provided. I looked at videos of how to do things myself. Well, a year and change later, I had a fully finished guest house with a bathroom in it that worked. I still have repairs on the thing that I don’t know how I’m going to fix when they break. I’m not some genius carpenter, I’m not all that handy. And I’m not all that spiritually enlightened, either. I freak out a little, I flail about in my head wondering if I’m screwed, and then… I just figure it out. That’s adulting, as far as I can tell.