Music and CatsTuesday, October 19, 2004
Unwritten rules
Doesn't everyone have them? You know, the rules that you somehow grew up knowing, even though they were never written anywhere, and perhaps never even spoken? Some of my unwritten rules tend towards the neurotic. A few of them veer way over in that direction. While some unwritten rules are part of my family system, the one I'm going to let you in on now is my very own personal rule. My sister does not share this one (I've asked), nor, I believe, would my parents claim that they had anything to do with it. I have no idea how this one got into my head. This rule, I will confess, made my former therapist laugh out loud. So, after that build-up, here it is:
If you aren't already in your seat at a theater or concert hall by the time they flash the lights, you're late.
Go ahead, laugh. Everyone else does. Even I do... after years of therapy. And Paul still teases me about this one - sweetly, of course - when we're at a theater. Now you can, too, as long as you remember to be sweet about it.
Update: After a couple of comments, I want to make something clear: I'm not talking about when the lights are dimmed right before the beginning of a performance. Everyone knows that, if you're not in your seat at that point, you are late. You do know that, don't you? As far as I'm concerned, theaters are completely justified in not seating people after that point. What I'm talking about is the flashing of the lights that happens in theaters and concert halls five minutes or so before the lights go down for the performance to start. I do still try to be seated before the lights flash, but I no longer feel bad if I don't make it 'til just after they have.
If you aren't already in your seat at a theater or concert hall by the time they flash the lights, you're late.
Go ahead, laugh. Everyone else does. Even I do... after years of therapy. And Paul still teases me about this one - sweetly, of course - when we're at a theater. Now you can, too, as long as you remember to be sweet about it.
Update: After a couple of comments, I want to make something clear: I'm not talking about when the lights are dimmed right before the beginning of a performance. Everyone knows that, if you're not in your seat at that point, you are late. You do know that, don't you? As far as I'm concerned, theaters are completely justified in not seating people after that point. What I'm talking about is the flashing of the lights that happens in theaters and concert halls five minutes or so before the lights go down for the performance to start. I do still try to be seated before the lights flash, but I no longer feel bad if I don't make it 'til just after they have.
