"It's unreeling, un-real! "It's Showtime!" 

"Lights (out), camera (off), action on!" A slight modification on reality, on what happens in the actual theatres, the experience of what are termed "theatre go-ers...ticket holders, paying public", and, in my days working as a theatre ticket taker, a few who snuck in the exits... The transition from reality, what has transpired throughout the busy-ness of your day (or night shift) and what begins, most often when one attempts to "go off to slumber...get a few winks...catch some zzz's..." When you finally try to un-wind which, all-too-often, finds you going in a different direction, as in "reeling" and instead of a nice, gradual unwinding, "settling down to sleep" you may find yourself feeling completely, "unwound😞" While Hollywood distorts reality on our behalf, to the degree we may walk away with exclamations of "Unbelievable, they managed to outdo themselves...the graphics and audio technology is incredible...to the point they actually had me, for a few minutes, believing...for real!" It's what we paid for, isn't it? This and even those, earlier "jump scenes" performed by stuntmen (who closely resemble the paid actor but who Hollywood can't afford to get taken out of the action) and now, the ever popular, "jump scares" which we may raise our bp even more if alerted ahead of time, by those "spoilers" among us. Whereas for the rest of us, whether it's getting prepped for such scenes after paying the fee, buying popcorn (one of the biggest mark-ups I discovered while working in the industry) and settling into one of those "incredibly!" comfortable easy chairs, which make us feel "at home😊" or you are trying to unwind, avoid getting "wound back up", you may want to take a few minutes to...

Em-Brace Your-Self: A spin-off of the older term "brace yourself" for this which, in my experience, from a distance (thank goodness), took on a whole new meaning when I read and saw a documentary on Ernest Brace's book "A Code to Keep" which detailed his seven-year captivity during the Vietnam War, most of it under severely restricted conditions, confinement -- even early on, given his personal history with the US military (which officially ended with being dishonorably discharged and then flying some missions under the guise of...) and where he had landed ( a place which was deemed "off limits" for US even during this war-time) Ernest was convinced no-one would come looking for him, he was on his own, had to pre-occupy himself through "incredibly" (my word, how I experienced it, vicariously) creative means, mostly in his mind, to not lose it...as well as how best, while on  starvation diet and no space to move around in, day or night, to maximize, engage his muscles...with an eventual meet-up with the Senator-to-be John McCain (who himself, of course, after being subjected to brutal treatment, was a subject of several documentaries). Combine all this, what these two men accomplished even while in a state of severe solitary confinement, with what our gen is trying to convince young-sters, who are still stirring, even after our best attempts to settle them, after so much visual and auditory stimulation, let alone that which has over-stimulated our adolescent brains via the un-social media -- that their own imaginations, even in 2023, are still unmatched by all the technology of Hollywood (takes some convincing eh, mom and dad?) As we all pull ourselves away from technology, un-plug, go off the grid just for some slumber, it's now time for a whole new show, as we cross the threshold, enter...

The Theatre of Our Minds: "Welcome to the show...choose your own adventure...Field of dreams..." These as sneak peaks into your HUGE archive of experiences, both real and imagined, that can, if not properly casted, directed, take you in an unwanted direction, resulting in either INSOMNIA😟😫 or, at best, "fit-full" sleep (and perhaps "night terrors" for parents of cherubs) -- or, if prepped, scripted, a bit ahead, become, at least an accompaniment to the usual fare of bedtime stories read and said. The ones that you may, as either a last resort or to expand your bedside library, go online -- which, in the form of written word may help to lubricate your imagination, whereas if you get really desperate, and start watching trailers of upcoming shows, you risk waking up your visual cortex, unwittingly keep you up "all hours of the night"😟😫. Best to rely on your own internal resources here, whether on behalf of your youngster, a teen who has come to your bedside, or even when you are trying to gain some "shuteye" for the long day ahead, what started out as a relatively solitary activity, is more of a...

Full House! A packed theatre, even in the case of "Me, myself, and I" let alone when children are now nestled in, or you have been called into theirs, where you are likely to find a crowd, given all the stuffed animals and now, with the advent of "plushies", leaving minimal wiggle room. In any case, regardless of who has joined you as the viewing audience, it's your show, yours for the choosing: a vast array of categories, like the ever-expanding ones at the Oscars -- something for everyone, Stardom! But here, in the quietude of your own theatre, yours is the only vote that matters. I'll leave it up to your imagination but just to get you started, just reflect on the experiences you've had that you would like frozen in time (shy away, steer clear of those regrettable ones; that's for another day and time) as well as those you have lived vicariously through, such as the ones the stars on the screen seem to be enjoying, and the ones you yet yearn for...The possibilities are almost endless, limited only by your imagination and willingness to unleash it, after you have cleansed your palate from social and other media, and come into this theatre. You can even engage in an ongoing adventure that could even become one that others might enjoy, which you could start logging, even blogging about...Becoming a multi-media event, complete with...

Musical Accompaniment: Again, it's up to you to come up with your own preferred versions of those you may have overheard, which may match up, sync well, with what you are visualizing...Once again almost an endless number of categories, such as those represented at the now numerous musical awards shows that themselves may leave you sleepy eyed, if you bothered to stay for the last "big hit" or find yourself, on the other hand, searching the online musical assisters who might help you find that "one hit wonder" you're trying desperately to call up...a distant memory...Or perhaps a montage, mash-up that may elicit, prompt pleasant thoughts, as you try to try to "Let it Go𝅘𝅥𝅮😔😖" or as Julie Andrews came first into the lives of several scared Von Trapp children, even on her first night on the job, frightened by the storm, soothed us all in the audience with the reminder, we can always "Think about a few of your favorite things..." A grand message brought home once again by Grande herself, in a nicely contemporized version...Or perhaps you prefer just enjoying the simplicity, after so much audio input, of the "Sounds of Silence" (brought to you by two mellow fellows, Simon & Garfunkel). Speaking of musical notes...I leave you with a few of my own, as in...

Pre-cautionary Notes: Just a couple, so that I don't 'dis'courage, take away from your viewing pleasure. First, when you are choosing, calling up some favorite tunes, just be informed that this may come with an unintentional side effect, of becoming a source of resonance during your waking hours ("how come I can't get that song out of my head?!") and second, if/when you allow your imagination to "run wild", re-engage your "inner child" you may end up finding all the media you have been relying on, less pleasing to the eyes and ears, including the stuff that is meant only for "mature audiences" (if it's not fit for our precious children why do we digest so much?) -- just so that you are forewarned...Now, "without further ado..." (as they used to say in showbiz)...I sign off with a strong musical message proper for the occasion...it's as if they wrote it just for ME...and YOU:

🎝"Welcome back my friends to the show that never ends..." Emerson, Lake, and Palmer - 1974

Be Mind-full: while your mind has a mind of its own, you can at least provide some direction😕😔😉...