funny bone

Posts Tagged ‘feeling the pain’

embrace it!

I’m a huge fan of Jason Katims. HUGE. His shows have so much heart they always stay with me after. He was a big part of making two of my all-time faves, the faves of so many… Friday Night Lights and Parenthood.

AS WE SEE IT:  a Comedy? Drama? Dramcomedy? Comdrama?

AS WE SEE IT  on Amazon Prime has the heart and soul of Katim’s trademark, but with lots of twists and turns. I’ve never seen a show quite like it. And you don’t have to take just my word for it, it has an audience score of 100 on Rotten Tomatoes.

It’s about three Autistic Twentysomethings trying to figure out how to fit in. And it’s actually played by three amazingly-talented actors who are on the spectrum themselves. I know it sounds serious, but it’s not. It’s funny and charming and very real and relatable… we all want to fit in, right?

AS WE SEE IT’s Harrison, Violet and Jack

Wants and Needs —

• Harrison (Albert Rutecki) wants to stop being afraid to leave house.
• Violet (Sue Ann Pien) wants a boyfriend
• Jack (Rick Glassman) wants to take care of his father who is taking care of him.
  (And I want it to already be the second season, so there’s more to watch, haha.)

Mandy (Sosie Bacon) plays the Den Mother/Aid with never-ending compassion who’s running away from her own life — or at least trying to figure it out. I first noticed Bacon in MARE OF EASTTOWN. With talent-genes from her parents Kyra Sedgwick & Kevin Bacon, Sosie shows all of the layers of Mandy in AS WE SEE IT.

Adapted from the Israeli comedy series “On the Spectrum,” AS WE SEE IT is lightness and laughter as Harrison, Violet and Jack face their fears —  frequently with catastrophic results (something else I totally relate to).

As I see it, everyone should give AS WE SEE IT a look… It’s that good!

KINDNESS is our secret weapon

Last week I heard very sad news. I’m still in shock. It doesn’t feel real. A friend, a fellow actor I know, I mean knew, ended his life.

It hurts too much to discuss details. And I want to protect his wife and child’s privacy… they’re devastated…

What I, what we, need to figure out is how to help all of the hurting humans in our country who are “on the verge” or already “acting-out” after nearly 15 months in isolation.

Covid did a number on all of us —

It’s no surprise that after all we’ve been through, we’re freaking-out and blaming one another other in crowds, on planes, at games and at home. So many of us are still stuck without a job, without security, without a way out. It’s a mental health nightmare that isn’t getting enough attention. Depression is rampant.

We’ve got to start connecting with each other, hearing each other, putting ourselves in each other’s shoes.

This was then…

I don’t know how humans handled the pandemic the last time. In 1918 they didn’t have TVs or cellphones, or computers. They couldn’t distract themselves with Zoom.

It sounds even worse than what we’ve experienced, but that’s hard to imagine…

…this is now.

If you or someone you know seems depressed or suicidal, or just has a few worrisome warning signs, do whatever you can to offer help.

We tried in the case of my friend. We got him into a facility, but his good acting may have fooled the professionals into thinking he was doing better than he was.

Suicide is one of those decisions you can’t take back, unfortunately. Questions go unanswered… the people you love most hurt the most, creating an open wound that lasts forever after…

Watch for Warning Signs —

Crisis Help —

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

Teen Line Online

Thanks for reading. Take care of yourselves out there <3

xo/evie

It seems craaaaazy to me that humans who see dying rates all over the U.S. are arguing about wearing masks. Come on people! It’s a small inconvenience with a possible big payoff. Huge.

I talked to Dr. A the other day and he’s very worried that our ER capacity is going in the wrong direction. I’m very worried about him. He says it feels a little creepy being at the hospital in the time of Corona. At the end of each work day he takes all his clothes off before he goes into his house and heads directly into the shower.

Spikes — Yikes!!!

Yeah, our hospital and all the others in L.A. are now spiking. California is cluttered with Covid.  It’s hardly a surprise after Memorial Day crowds gathered at beaches, boardwalks and bars. Add to that the gazillion Protests where everyone yelled in each other’s faces.

A couple of days ago I got an email that Volunteers were being called back to my ER, but then today I got another one that said they’ve decided to hold off. To be honest, I’m a little relieved they’re holding off…

High Quality Masks from Etsy

Getting back to masks… if we need to wear them, they might as well be good ones, right?

I like the ones made in Japan. They’re breathable, fit well and they stay on. They also come in different sizes. And some have extra layers.

Here are two excellent sellers:

MaryRoseArtCrafts masks are high quality and fit really well. You can order them in men’s women’s or kid’s sizes. With one two or three layers.

BotanicFolkShop linen masks are so lightweight you forget that you’re wearing them (which is a good thing.) They’re very simple and flattering, plus they come with a separate layer you can add.

If not for you, wear a mask for someone else…

Oh… and when you wear your mask, please wear it the right way — thanks!

Trying to stay up, but feeling down in the time of Coronavirus. As Californians attempt to follow the rules by staying in and binging on TV, Americans in other states have things ass-backwards. They’re distancing themselves from the guidelines and binging on boardwalks and beaches which of course will not bode well 2-3 weeks from now — for any of us. Ugh.

Sorry to be Debbie Downer, but the writing’s on the wall. Just as my hospital is getting things under control, those who can’t control themselves are gonna mess everything up. They’re gonna make it a longer recovery for the rest of us. Sooooo frustrating.

Binge Shows NOT Beaches!

Meanwhile, back at the screen — here are my recommendations for binging shows. My favorites tend to be about female protagonists who keep getting in their own way and who fall in like/love/lust with someone off-limits. Big shock, right? I know, I know…

NORMAL PEOPLE — Warning: it’s addictive. Everyone who watches Normal People becomes obsessed. OBSESSED!!! Heavy emotions, heavy breathing, lots of sex and melancholy. You’ll fall in love with Marianne (Daisy Edgar-Jones) and Connell (Paul Mescal) and want to knock some sense into both of them. Set in Ireland in 2010, it’s gorgeous. 12 half-hour episodes on Hulu.

FLEABAG — I know, it’s not new, but shockingly some people haven’t seen it yet. Second season is by far the best. BY FAR. Phoebe Waller-Bridge deserved every award she received. It’s brilliant. She’s brilliant. She’s the bad girl who is sooooo good. The attraction/seduction between Fleabag and the Priest (Adam Scott) is catastrophic, crushing and electric. 12 half-half hour episodes on Amazon Prime.

NEVER HAVE I EVER –Mindy Kaling’s creation about a first generation Indian family in the Valley is loosely based on her own experiences. It’s a unique, smart, coming-of-age comedy about Devi’s (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan) complicated life. Devi, an overachieving high school sophomore, has a short fuse (like John Mc Enroe, the narrator) that gets her into trouble with her Mom (Poorna Jagannathan), her friends, her crush, her nemesis… basically everyone. You’ll love her “perfect” cousin, Kamala (Richa Moorjani) and her therapist, (Niecy Nash.) Snappy dialogue, clever catastrophes, and lots of heart. 8 half-hour episodes on Netflix.