I had my solo performance class today and aye- the writing process is soooooo messy! I am still fumbling around, trying to piece together memories to make some sort of cohesive story. I continue to vomit on paper, so to speak.
During the height of shelter-in-place, I started going through family photo albums and reading letters written from my great grandmother and grandmother on my father’s side of the family and I was inspired. You see, a few years ago, before the pandemic, my sister and I were at Union Square in San Francisco during the busy holiday season when a guy on bike practically ran me over and then yelled, “tourist!”
TOURIST?
My family has been in the Bay Area since the 1800’s and boy- did I get triggered. And then I started reading all those old family letters in 2020, and thought, I must get a story out of this.
Bay Area Natives
In other news, I’m heading north tomorrow to visit a friend for the rest of the holiday weekend. Maybe I will see a firework or two – who knows. I definitely won’t be seeing any in my neck of the woods with all the cloud cover we’ve been having lately, (but I will hear them, that’s for sure).
Alright, back to Downton Abbey.
Saturday, July 2, 2022:
Theresa Donahoe 