March 2005 | Editor’s Note
Celebration Time
When American playwright Arthur Miller died last month at the age of 89, a radio commentator said of his passing, “It’s a great tragedy.” Miller was a prolific playwright, with perhaps equal numbers of fans and detractors. But the man lived nearly nine decades, married several lovely women (not simultaneously) including Marilyn Monroe, spent every day pursuing his passion, completed a memorable body of work and achieved fame and fortune. His life seems to have been a resounding success. Why, then, is it a tragedy when it ends?
Perhaps the radio commentator wasn’t speaking literally, but even so, her choice of words illustrates the uneasy relationship the living have with the process that concludes our lives. If I make it to 89 of sound mind and body, I hope it will be a cause for celebration, rather than a tragedy.
Throw me a party! I’d like everybody to dress in bright colors, drink champagne, read poetry and share ridiculous stories about my life. And please, if it happens any time after my 80th birthday, don’t call it a tragedy.
As LA emerges from the dead of winter, nature is dressing up to greet us with renewed signs of life. Northerners scoff at our alleged seasons, but they haven’t seen the delicate blossoms budding throughout our sprawling metropolis. They can’t imagine our magnificent magnolia trees bursting like Hollywood starlets with luscious pink and white flowers. They don’t know about jacaranda trees, which next month will lend a sensuous purple hue to our topography. Southern California is never more beautiful than in spring, and following our unusually prolific rains, she is in her glory. The whole state is at its best, so it’s a great time to load up the Prius for a road trip.
What, no Prius? Nah, me either. I have somewhat of a moral dilemma: Is it better for the environment if I reduce or re-use? I may appease my conscience if I trade my car in for a hybrid, but at the same time I cut my fossil fuel consumption, I’ll have tossed a couple of tons of used metal. Maybe converting to biodiesel is the greenest answer.
Like the flowers sprouting up on highways and byways, new eco fabrics from a slew of up-and-coming designers are brightening the fashion landscape. Do you remember those scratchy, dun-colored hemp sacks that used to be the leading edge in politically correct attire? Now we’re getting great-looking clothes crafted from bamboo and herbs, and a fabric made from crushed crab shells is in production.
My fervent hope is that these products become more readily available and affordable. Designers we interviewed in researching this story find themselves struggling to get a sufficient supply of sustainable fabrics. As usual, it is consumer demand that will drive this market. Although the memorable line from Field of Dreams has merit—“If we build it, they will come”—it’s equally valid to say that, “If we demand it, they will create it. If we expect it, they will provide it.”
Many of us had disappointed expectations after the last national elections. Here’s good news: We have an election coming up where, if you’re a Democrat, your candidate has a great chance of winning. I can say that with great confidence because in the LA mayoral election this month, we are in the unusual situation of having all the major candidates hail from the same political party. And with nearly three times as many Democrat as Republican voters in the district, it’s unlikely that anyone but a Democrat will take this one.
Nor is this a reason to stay home on Election Day. We need strong leadership for our diverse population, and each candidate had his (alas, not a her in the bunch) own strong positions on various issues, so do your homework and then get yourself to the polls. A democracy is made up of people, and it’s important that we keep exercising our precious right to vote. Let’s keep our city as blue as the clear sky that graces us most of the time.
From my heart,
Abigail Lewis
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