People in Pictures from the 90s

20somethings in pictures from the 90s look so fierce and joyful. And a bit like slobs.

There's a PostSecret this week with two 90s college friends jumping, estactic. The caption, "And in this moment we were infinite." I believe it.

Photobombing a touching graduation memory in 2012.

Photos were still rare then, but not so rare you would need to sit still holding a parasol to pose for one. The disposable was king. You never knew how it would be. At this point in my life I've seen more pictures of myself this year than those grunge-os saw in a decade. There's something careless about the poses. Most likely they'll rattle around in someone's car for a few months after being developed at the drug store, flutter out the window on a brisk day.

Anything could be seen by quite literally everyone now. There must be a part of us that knows, even when we're not fixated on the fact. Just someone holding a phone vertically is a threat. "What are you doing? Reading something? Likely story." We sit up straight and add the tiniest smile to ourselves. "Now I look lovable," one might think. "And thin."

And I thought I'd live forever, but now I'm not so sure.

Leaving the Last Frontier

So. The final conference gala is in two hours. I've been here for exactly one week. My jaunt up north has cost seven days of my life and a couple thou from the grad and theatre schools' budget. What am I taking home? (A partial list):

-What are we ever taking home--a nice consideration.

-Transactions. Give the characters something to do. Move the stage.

-"Why is this a play?" is a good question.

-It's not hard to make it serious. Make it enjoyable.

-We know the end: we die. So, what's so important in the middle?

-I don't care enough about playwriting maybe.

-I don't care enough about having fun maybe.

-Get personal.

-A stupid idea, written well, is often better than a new idea.

-I can eat a lot of Cap'n Crunch if there is a Sex and the City marathon.

-You can judgit or you can lovit.

-React as if nothing is personal. It actually never is.

-If you don't want to be concerned, don't be concerned on behalf of someone else.

-Pretty much everything can be overanalyzed by some loser as a metaphor about gender in society. And that is me. I am that loser.

-Music.

-It might be beautiful objectively, but it's still okay if you don't like it.

-You also don't have to have a reason to have your taste.

-Or to be you. (Barf, but, y'know?)

-Audiences need some built-in discussion time. I believe this, but I'm not sure how it can happen.

-I need to perform periodically to keep myself unblocked.

-Feel guilty or don't about shutting down when you need to shut down?

-Say the real thing.