America's Pastime

 

pastime - noun - an activity that someone does regularly for enjoyment.

Traditionally, the end of October marks the official last stand of the boys of summer as it is when the World Series happens. This year, there is a bit of a "subway series" taking place as the Los Angeles Dodgers were once ensconced in Brooklyn, New York, and the Yankees' home base is still in the Bronx. Although tickets to the games are extraordinarily high, fans are still flocking to the ballparks to see their heroes hit and field baseballs. But based on the above definition, courtesy of Google, can we say that baseball is still America's pastime? 

No, golf is. 

Yes, it is undeniably golf. Other than the pros and Little Leaguers, who plays baseball? I'm telling you. The pastime is definitely golf. Okay, okay. Maybe the televised PGA tournaments don't win any ratings' wars, but middle and upper-middle-class people of all ages are migrating to the public courses, taking golf lessons that run about $150 an hour for a private lesson, buying expensive clubs (some at $2,000 a driver), and flocking to try them out just about anywhere green, even in desert locals, like the irrigated Las Vegas. I know all of this since I follow the crowd. In fact, just last Monday around 3 p.m., I took a drive over to Alondra Golf Course, which is in the neighborhood of Torrance, California and found myself waiting in line (yes, in a long line) just to drive a few balls on the range. I have never before encountered such enthusiasm for a sport that is not only expensive, but terribly difficult and often exasperating. 

The pastime of golf is practiced regularly, yes. We who play find ourselves competing in leagues, playing regularly in quartets, in trios, or in duos on courses that are challenging and even dangerous – yes, dangerous because a little hard ball soaring at 120 m.p.h. can go in any direction, right at other players sometimes. And a "Fore!" cried out quickly won't stop the ball mid flight. My father had to get four stitches in the back of his head once because he was in the wrong place at the right time on a course. He was lucky the errant number 3 Titlelist didn't kill him. 

That's the thing, though. It is rare for the weekend warrior to be consistent at the game. No amount of lessons can cure this ill either. Look at the pro golfers, for instance, Phil Mickelson. Once during the PGA held at Baltusrol in 2005, I saw his ball strike the side of the pro shop and land just beneath it. Steady, yet unpredictable Phil had to hit the ball off of the macadam cart path alongside the eighteenth hole. Of course, he got it in the hole and won the tournament. Clearly, he didn't earn the moniker "Phil the Thrill" for nothing.

Is golf enjoyable? Hmmm. I would say it is if you are having a good game. It isn't if you aren't. And you are lucky if you do have a majority of minuses as opposed to pluses on your score card by the end of eighteen holes because in golf, it is all about the lowest score, getting the ball into the hole via the fewest strokes, which is almost impossible if you play by the rules. And very few do.

What does all of this say about those of us who run the risk of being totally frustrated more often than not on the course? It says that we are risk takers, that we are brave enough to accept failure, and willing to allow tenacity to be a best friend. Golf, like baseball, can be a metaphor for life. If you play the game well, you reap rewards. If you don't or if you cheat, you stand to be discontented. 

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Take A Hike

 

ambulatory - adj. - able to walk about

Years ago, when we wanted to rid ourselves of someone's presence, we used the creatively idiomatic, "Take a hike!" as opposed to the current pithy, degenerate, "Fuck off!" which has fallen into overuse, losing its profane punch. But this article isn't about verbal expression albeit it could be. It's about the value of being ambulatory, taking literal–not figurative–hikes. 

If you live in California, like I do, you don't think twice about hiking miles as the occasion presents itself constantly. In the past week or so, the digital odometer on my ubiquitous iPhone has clocked over twenty miles, which for a senior over 65 is pretty impressive. Along with one of two partners in ambulation, I traversed Mirror Lake in Yosemite (seven miles), the Hollywood Reservoir (3.5), Huntington Gardens (five), the Baldwin Hills (2.5), and the streets of West Los Angeles (two). In short, we covered swaths of some very beautiful ground and took in some outstanding views along the way. What was even better was that we treated our bodies to some outstanding exercise. 

Just what are the health benefits of taking a hike? According to the U.S. National Park Service, hiking builds strong muscles and bones, which we seniors tend to need in particular as our bones become more brittle as we age. It also improves balance (although I personally keep clear of edges on the way up the sides of steep inclines), heart health, and minimizes the risk of some respiratory problems. It also reduces stress, high blood pressure and cholesterol, the incidence of some cancers, excess weight which could lead to diabetes, and boosts mental health. Unlike meds, it won't rob your wallet. Pretty darn good. 

Hiking is better than ambulating on a treadmill in a gym because it allows for time in the fresh air and provides limitless space. And if you are constantly moving forward, you don't have to worry about any intrusive insects although I would recommend bug repellent if you are planning to hike in some of the national parks as gnats can be a problem. In addition, it is an inexpensive form of socialization, often recommended as a second date–providing you hike in a well-visited area–as it enables you both to enjoy nature, be physically active vertically (before any talk of the horizontal), and chat quietly without distractions.

Wow! Taking a hike is a lot more than I thought it could ever be. Back when we used the idiom in the derogatory sense, we didn't take into consideration all of the pluses of the literal act, which is perhaps why we don't hear the expression used anymore. If you told someone to "Take a hike!" today, the person might understand it to mean that you care deeply about him, her, them. Which is not bad. Hmm. I like it when things change for the better, something you don't see too much these days.

So what are you waiting for? Get out there and take a hike! 

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What It Takes to Make It in Hollywood

 

veracity - noun - truthfulness; fact as opposed to opinion.

Although I have only lived in the vicinity of Hollywood for six months, because I already know and am still meeting many in the entertainment industry, I am learning what is safe to label "unreported veracity," facts that reporters would be afraid to unleash to the general public. Ironically, it is the individuals who work in Hollywood who shed the most light on the goings on in Tinseltown, and they don't seem to care who knows the truth. 

If you have ever had the dream of having your own star on the Hollywood walk of fame, it takes a lot more than talent. A lot more than talent. Sometimes talent doesn't even matter if you happen to have everything else. Based on conversations I've had over the past few months with friends (a TV/movie actor, a TV/film director, and a highly decorated documentarian), talent is the least of it. 

Okay, so other than talent, what does it take? The following:

1. The right look: most who are successful in the business are considered "attractive" by modern standards; however, if you have an idiosyncratic appearance that makes you stand out, you may get more work than the Ford model sitting next to you at an open call. Why? You are unique, a quality that defies competition.

2. The right personality: if you are extremely shy and generally introverted to a fault, chances are you will get buried. The squeaky wheel always attracts notice. It also helps if the wheel has a sense of humor to which others react favorably. Despite what most think, divas don't last long in Hollywood. They wind up making a lot initially, but later wind up financing their own projects because no studio wants to work with them.

3. The right connections: it always helps to know someone on the inside. This almost goes without saying. Even though it is frowned upon, nepotism is rife in Hollywood. For example, the Coppola family, all twenty-something of them, have had a great deal of say in the business for years. Many have avoided judgement by changing their last name to something less redundant, opposed to the dynasty. For example, Nick Cage is a Coppola. But you probably already knew that. 

4. All of the above to attract the right luck to get you where you want to go: luck is usually a factor in celebrity. It doesn't hurt to have what it takes in addition to timing. For instance, Charlize Theron was discovered while on line at a bank. This kind of luck is rare, most likely up there with winning the lottery in terms of probability. The odds are usually not in your favor, but you never know. You might just be standing in the right place at the right time and have exactly what the casting director is looking for.

5. The right attitude: plan on being indefatigable and industrious, keeping your nose to the grindstone for a long, long time. As Churchill once said, "Never, never, never give up." In short, you will need tenacity and thick skin because you will have to endure much rejection in Hollywood in order to secure that star. 

6. The right support: It doesn't hurt to have devoted stage parents, a boyfriend, a girlfriend, or just a friend with a lot of #7. The world's darling Taylor Swift would have never secured fame sans her financier father, who stood adamantly behind his daughter's efforts while tossing bags of cash to all of the right people. (I know this because a close friend of mine–also an actor–is one of Mr. Swift's friends.)

7. MONEY. MONEY. MORE MONEY: without #6 and #7, most likely #5 may tarnish rapidly. A friend of mine who was a largely successful TV/movie actor had to give up the craft for practical reasons. Without an agent (who usually doesn't do much for you due to the competition), a personal manager, and public relations executive (the latter two require payment up front from your wallet), you can only get so far, not far enough to support a spouse and family, or if single, pay all of your bills. Because he couldn't tow the mark, my friend stopped auditioning altogether and now sells Anderson windows. 

Nothing in life is easy. To get what you want is difficult. Even if you feel as though you have what it takes, there are no guarantees. But not trying at all will only cause you to regret what you didn't pursue in the years to come. After all, Hollywood was built on dreams. They don't call it La La Land for nothing.

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