On Masks

“Hiyo Silver!” Most people my age, nay all of them, recognize that cultural reference very well. Many children of a certain era had a first exposure to classical music with the accompanying and rousing William Tell Overture. (the cartoon-infected Light Cavalry Overture also had a delicious effect). The mask of The Lone Ranger barely hid his identity but every episode moved along with everyone pretending that he was an unidentifiable hero. Now masks have become a necessary safety accessory rather than as a costume fashion. The more willfully obstinate among us operate under the delusion that not wearing a mask is a sign of freedom when in fact they are being simply antisocial.

Be that as it may, face masks fundamentally alter our interactions and it is now very difficult in conversation to judge the mood of the wearer. Eyebrows and frown lines don’t act as adequate substitutes for facial signals. The whole picture is so important. If wiggling your ears could replace oral motion there might be some hope. Alas, we are left to assume the disposition of a person with whom we communicate. Having only part of the picture is really quite limiting when it comes to judging another’s frame of mind, which is exactly the purpose of masks in Un Ballo in Maschera where the titillation of not knowing is part of the game. Even the Phantom of the Opera was famously misunderstood, much to the detriment of his musical career. You know lots and lots of literary references to masks: The Masque of the Red Death, The Man in the Iron Mask, etc. Popular culture revels in the fascination for disguise. The imagination (not just juvenile) soars with comic book super heroes and now that movies have absorbed this potency, masks are clearly entrenched in modern western civilization. The ancient Greeks sensed the fascination with alter-egos in their theatrics well before any Freudian interpretation of behavior and maybe that is a hint for the revival of the theater arts. Who knows?

Many societies have long used masks for diverse purposes but this new worldwide trend cuts across all social, political, religious and ethnic lines. Many traditional masks, whether full-face or partial, have remained unchanged for centuries. We are struggling with the new protocol. I have observed many imaginative design interpretations and I have to give high marks to some of the creators. There is a mask for every mood and intention. There are diverse styles: medical, “outré fashion”, Day of the Dead, space age, cowboy, scary Halloween, bank robber and more with or without added venting. Their attachment passes over the ears, under the ears, over the head, around the neck in all sorts of tethering permutations. Ingenuity is riotously and imaginatively expressed.

What I would like to see is something functional and feminine. By that I mean a covering that is clearly a gender indicator. I know such distinctions are out of fashion and while gender bending is rampant, I don’t consider myself a fuddy-duddy on that topic. To me that term describes a crabby and unswerving traditionalist. Pas Moi. When it comes to this sort of distinction, I hope there must be plenty of room under the tent for one such as myself. I am not condemning anyone for their choices. Unisex has its place in modern living and I pride myself for my sense of discernment. I am wishing for some mask adaptation that is medically effective but which also has a lacy, even frilly, signature without looking like a repurposed doily. Maybe there are lots of them out there. I am certainly on the hunt. Sequins are appropriate, feathers may not be necessary.

All the hugs,                            Celeste

Isolation

            Everyone is distancing! Is that really a gerund or what? I thought that was what politicians did when they aver that they mis-spoke or when they’re caught by the press and cornered in their own shallow hypocrisy. That kind of distancing is back pedaling of the highest degree. More’s the pity that the public is so inured to this kind of flimflam talk that it is soon forgotten.  The other kind of distancing we practice now is life saving. We are asked to go even farther, to isolate.

Isolation has its medical consequences but I wonder about the artistic side. Does solitude enhance creativity? The creative impulse is a basic human trait. I don’t dismiss the inventive and calculating energies of animals who are seeking food in a world of scarcity. I am thinking of squirrels and crows at the moment. Speaking as one who has little instinct for imaginative innovation, I can only observe and remark as an outsider. Table settings may be my only forte. Hospitality is my game.

It seems to me that enforced isolation can work in mysterious ways to impede or promote artistic productivity. It takes a special artistic imagination to relish being alone. For solo creators it is a mixed blessing. Some of them rely on personal withdrawal, in addition to excessive alcohol consumption, for heightened consciousness. There is a long tradition of that and maybe it has a liberating effect on awareness but it can lead to all sorts of personal travails as well as declining originality. The trick is to know when it’s not working as it should. On the other hand, if a soloist is a performance artist then the loss of a valuable observer may impair the fulfillment and purpose of rehearsal and preparation. The immediacy of helpful guidance is sacrificed. Sometimes it’s just plain nice to have someone else in the room.

Creating at a total remove from social contact obviously allows unimpaired focus, freedom and concentration. Sabbaticals and “retreats” imply this. At the same time, this does not refute the fact that all creative efforts are ultimately intended for people. The primal urge to show off your crayon drawings to your parents never really goes away. Solitude is not a requirement but it may serve as an enhancement to the process. In this age of so-called social connection, the refreshment of purpose provided by isolation is what some artists have been begging for: no distractions. That may be an idealistic concept since the worries associated with the economic collapse remain and sheltering with a menagerie of creatures isn’t easy. Still, to have an eye on the prize of approval and reward all the time has to be crippling for the creative process; not that great works do not come from that intention, but that they might have been even better.

Maybe the highest value in isolation is the opportunity for reflection. This can lead in all sorts of creative directions and may lead to the ultimate fulfillment of that good old exhortation: Carpe Diem.

Domestic Science

Home Economics is now Domestic Science. That might not seem like big news to you but that subtle modification means the world to modern women. For those in the last thirty years who endured the derision of their peers because they had an interest in this field, vindication probably comes too late. During the dark ages for women and girls not so long ago the professional prospects for them were dim and Home Ec. served some as the “go-to” choice for life direction. Even into the twenty first century, training in skills that their mothers and grandmothers had embraced seemed to many girls and women to be unavoidably dowdy. This was a dismissive social relegation that schools did little to counter. That’s shocking in itself but to think that these lasses experienced a sort of Victorian era social imprisonment (you could always be a governess if teaching didn’t suit) is a downright disgrace.

We simply don’t accept this kind of degradation now. There ought not be any sniggering in the back row. In case it escaped your notice, the categories of Domestic Science include sewing and textiles, child development, health and hygiene, budgeting/economics, education and community awareness, and food preparation. Holy smokes! In this current situation don’t all of those skills seem to be highly important? These are critical talents to possess at any time. These are only general headings for extremely wide-ranging subjects that, when taken together, have a holistic quality as applied to managing a home. Not only does the course of Domestic Science have the cachet of serious study but it has practical value in how to do stuff and to get things done under stress or deadline or worry. Who wouldn’t appreciate that training?

For those of us who were suddenly thrust into home isolation with partners, children and pets, the vital skills promoted by the new science probably helped smooth the way. Remember that there are stoves and ovens in expensive urban condos that have never ever been fired up! How do you suppose those folks faced the prospect of cooking for themselves? A lot of the most basic domestic knowledge has been dropped from the life curriculum for many reasons. We are not talking about survival skills such as hog slaughtering, just ordinary tasks such as ironing, sewing a button and making tomato sauce for pasta.  It has probably been an eye-opener and quick course for those who found themselves without the simple proficiencies to fall back on.

I do have to say I positively adore the idea of community awareness as something to be taught and passed along. Isn’t that something to seriously ponder right now? The ethical and moral dimensions of this category are immense and so needed today along with lessons in civics (but that is another discussion). Active involvement, charity, compassion, volunteerism and tolerance are a few of the attributes that come to mind for exploration in this single category of Domestic Science. Let’s show these young people how to live. And graciously at that!

Hugs coming soon                       Celeste