Reduced Shakespeare Company

The complete abridged works of Shakespeare!

A Fun Way to Review


The Reduced Shakespeare Company is a three-man comedy troupe that takes long, serious subjects and reduces them to short, sharp comedies. While the videos cannot replace reading the plays, they are a fun way to review, or to get a sneak peak at future plays you will read.

Warning! This show is a high-speed roller-coaster type condensation of all of Shakespeare’s plays, and is not recommended for people with heart ailments, bladder problems, inner-ear disorders and/or people inclined to motion sickness. The RSC cannot be held responsible for expectant mothers or people who plan to pass a test without having read the plays!

Be Kind to Our Web-footed Friends

On the evening of July 10, I watched as usual the carp in our Thread Lake lagoon splashed around in the shallows. One particular fish caught my attention. When it surfaced, it looked just like a small duck. I watched closer and realized it was a duck. What the heck?

My daughter and I waded out into what we thought was knee-deep water, that quickly turned into muck and waist-deep water, that quickly filled our boots. Just as we reached the duck, it went under and disappeared into the murky water and lily pads.

We wanted to reach into the blackness with our bare hands but what if the thing that was trying to eat the duck was a snapping turtle? Can snapping turtles snap off human fingers easier than drowning a duck? My daughter gingerly started poking a stick around when the duck resurfaced. I immediately scooped it up under the breast with one hand. One, two, three, four, five. All fingers accounted for.

Totally exhausted, it didn’t even flap its wings. It just hung its head and let me carry it ashore. There was a nasty gash on the duck’s thigh and a few feathers missing from its backside, but its feet and the rest of it seemed fine. (The cell phone I forgot in my pocket did not make it, however.) After taking a picture, we let the duck go in another, hopefully safer, part of the lake

The next day at about the same time, another flock of immature wood ducks was in the same spot in the lagoon. When they saw us, they all swam or flew away--except one. It started to flail in the same manner and in the same spot as the duck from the previous day. This time the duck got away before we could get on our boots and put down my new cell phone

What was the predator? So far, the only fishes we have seen in the lake have been carp and blue gill. We once had a good-sized snapping turtle lay eggs in our yard. She was probably the culprit.

At the time, I thought it was a female mallard, but my dad and daughter thought it was a wood duck. Well, my dad wasn't sure. He said he could only identify ducks that were dead and floating upside down in the water. That was his sick hunting joke.

Curious myself about its species, I did an Internet search and found the Wood Duck Society website. A quick email response from Steve Straka confirmed that it was a wood duck. He also asked if he could put our story and picture on their website. I have to admit I was flattered in a I'm nobody kind of way.

Even if he doesn't publish the story, it was fun. We still feel like heroes.

Hugs, the Real Kind

Our two year old grandson stayed with us for a week. Before he arrived, I expected that the week would be hectic and exhausting. And it was, but not in the same hectic and exhausting way that just dealing with work and a busy lifestyle is. It was hectic and exhausting filled with stress relieving cuddles and hugs.

Two year olds don't love unconditionally. At least my grandson doesn't. I have noticed that his genuine hugs (the ones kids give freely without being told to by their parents) are only for those to whom he feels an attachment. I love that kind of hug. His little arms clasp around my neck and he lays his head on my shoulder, his entire body relaxes into me, and we meld for a moment. Exhaustion and stress disintegrate.

Not that I'm against teaching kids to be affectionate, but why do some parents make their kids hug and kiss every relative? I always feel sorry for the kid and try to duck out during good-byes to avoid the demonstrative ritual that demonstrates nothing but an obligation. Do I think the kid likes me because his or her parent made them prove it? No. Do those parents think my kids like them less because my kids don't pass out hugs and kisses like sticks of gum? I don't care.

I want my kids to know what a real hug is. What real affection is. No one taught my grandson how to give real hugs, he just knows. And he knows when to give them. This he learned by just being loved.

Mr. Fox Stares at Goats

I recently watched "Men Who Stare at Goats" and "Fantastic Mr. Fox". George Clooney did two seemlying opposite movies but manage to pull off being exactly the same character. And I still liked him in both movies. Go figure.

"Iloveyougrandma"

My grandson has been staying with us this week. Wow. He is super super kid, but where did I ever find the energy to raise my own kids? It's a good thing two year olds are so darn cute and lovable! He says, "Iloveyougrandma," like it's one word, and I'm ready to go play again.

The fact that he is fun to have around is probably the best proof that his parents are doing a wonderful job raising him. He's happy and content most of the time. When he's not, it's easily remedied by a meal or a nap. He got it from his grandmother. I get crabby, too, when I'm hungry or tired.

Pictures vs Pics

Sunday, 29 November 2009

While speaking to a group of high school students recently, I told them that I used to work in a photo lab that developed pictures for all the Kmart stores in Genesee County before digital cameras. I told them our lab developed thousands of pictures per day. The response was a collective "aw" which I understood to mean that they were impressed by the shear number of pictures.

Over coffee this morning, I realized that they were probably amazed at how young I looked for my age. They probably don't remember the time before digital cameras and therefore were sure that I was at least 90 years old.

Now I'm thinking, great! I looked half my age.