Empty Voices

When considering the history of ancient Western cities such as Rome, Italy, there are a few things that frequently come to mind. Generally, when thinking of ancient Rome, many people will associate it with Jesus Christ, Roman mythology, some of the ancient architecture such as the Colosseum and a few of the major political figures such as Julius Caesar. The other common aspect of the ancient culture that is typically remembered today is the drama of the time. And while the way plays were presented and how they were incorporated to society is entirely different from the way it is today, many of the plays from the time are still produced on today’s stage. Theatre is one of the popular attractions for many of the guests staying in one of the hotels in Rome and it’s particularly inviting when they have the chance to see one of the ancient plays onstage.

This is the age where the two genres of theatre known as Comedy and Tragedy were in effect and Tragedy had been written about as the perfect form of drama by the Greek philosopher Aristotle. However, the comedies were generally hits with audiences and Rome had its favored comedy writers. Plautus and Terence were the two primary comedy playwrights in Ancient Rome for which we still have existing scripts.

Plautus lived from approximately 254-184 BC and most, or all, of his comedies were based on earlier Greek plays from the New Comedy format. His plays were popular and generally expressed stories from Roman middle and lower classes. Terence was alive from either 195 or 185 to 159 BC. The most likely date is around 195 because his comedies had begun being performed around 170. He was bought as a slave by the Roman senator Terentius Lucanus who educated him and later freed him due to his literary abilities. He didn’t live long and wrote six plays during his career, all of which still survive.

One of the best pieces of advice I have ever gotten in my life came from my Grandmother. I was in a situation that I was not sure how to deal with, and I was a bit stressed out, when she told me over the phone, to “just breath” . This was not coming from a woman who spent time in yoga classes, her advice pre-dates the yoga craze, peaceful speak. This was advice from a woman who had lived a life, and who knew how it felt to be overwhelmed by that life from time to time.

My situation was that I need to find a new place to live . And moving can be stressful enough on it’s own, but I was dealing with the fact that my beloved dog had just died, I was splitting up with my boyfriend, and my move was not simply to a
new apartment , it was a cross county move to be made in a Chevy Blazer with 200,000 miles on the odometer. Moving during the best of times is stressful, and when major life changes are occurring, that stress can add up. when you move because you have to move, it is a completely different experience from the one in which you move because you want to move. At this time it is best to take note of just what you really need to bring with you.

I looked through my things, and gave away those which I hadn’t used in the past year. This cut down the load for my Blazer quite a bit. I called my grandmother a few times while I was packing, just to hear her voice and to consider the various things that I thought I “needed”. Turns out though, in the end all I did really need to do, was just breath, like she said. I drove the Chevy across the country, from Chicago to Phoenix, and I made in one piece, breathing the entire way.

There are many entertainment and cultural attraction options available for tourists who visit Long Beach, California and of course these same attractions continually entertain and satisfy the city’s residence. It’s not far from the greater Los Angeles area and while there is plenty to do in that major neighbor, Long Beach has a great performance scene of its own and there’s no need to travel to LA for a great evening out. Tourists who visit the city and enjoy a great stay in one of the Long Beach hotels frequently ask about the local theatre scene and consequently enjoy a performance at the Long Beach Playhouse.

And for those lucky enough to currently be staying in the city, or have near future plans to visit it they will be able to attend a performance of the company’s current production of Our Town by Thornton Wilder. This production is directed by Sharyn Case and includes a full cast of extremely talented and committed actors. Our Town is probably the most famous play by this exceptional playwright and it is also one of the more difficult ones to produce. Most of the audience members will likely already be familiar with it and make the production original and fresh as well as contemporarily meaning takes some major dramaturgical efforts. However, what it has going for it, other than the fact it’s a great play, is that it touches with essential human aspects, which seem to remain timeless in significance.

The script is also a long one, it’s three acts, which can sometimes put pressure on the production when playing for an audience who has gotten incredibly used to two act plays that wrap up neatly in a two hour time period. However, once again the quality of the production and the strength of the script can be combined to create one of the most powerful theatrical experiences on today’s stage. Wilder received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for his work on this play.

Singapore is a splendid place to get introduced to the rest of the world.  There may be things here that are familiar to some, especially those who have traveled a bit in Asia, but even if you’ve been to Singapore many times before, there is always something new and interesting.  A thriving metropolis with millions of people, this is a very rich place, with a lively population that is always on the move, and always changing.  There are many interesting traditions here, as well as some dazzling innovations, especially in the arts, in science, business, and in technology.  It’s a wonderful place to go to get away from the usual daily grind, and an excellent place to get familiar with new ideas about life and community.

Singapore has a very substantial Chinese population, and in fact the majority of the citizens here are of Chinese descent.  Singapore is a magnificent place for food, because of its history as a major world port.  There are thousands of wonderful spices and other ingredients available here that are very difficult to find in other places, as well as a ready supply of fresh seafood, and this makes it a chef’s paradise.  Innovation is the rule of the day, but there are plenty of places to find very traditional meals as well, and there is a particularly sumptuous supply of Chinese restaurants in Singapore.

One way to get to know a culture is through its food.  Taste can provide easy, fast, and delightful access, and it opens up the possibility for curiosity that can lead to real cultural understanding.  Visitors who want to look more deeply into Chinese culture may want to pay a special visit to the Chinese Heritage Centre.  This is a very fascinating place, and some of the most cutting edge cultural theorists have done interesting projects through this organization.  They’ve recently hosted the International Conference for the Study of the Chinese Overseas, where professionals from all over the world gathered to examine contemporary issues from local and global perspectives.

The Multiculturalism Act is just one bit of evidence that Canada is a progressive country.  There are many people moving to the country each and every day, in search of better living and working conditions, and the country is becoming a mix of various races and cultures.  Most of the people moving to the cities are self employed and not only do they need a place to live, they need to find work spaces as well, which is where TransGlobe Property Management steps in.

The level of customer service and care is unbeatable, and the staff go out of their way to make new tenants feel comfortable.  With more than fifteen years of experience the team will find the property that is just right for you, one that is well maintained and suitable to your needs.  Each of the Canadian cities are experiencing tremendous growth as a result of this immigration, and for those who are not self employed, finding a job is relative to your skill level.  The one thing to take note of is the certification levels for certain jobs, as they may differ in Canada creating the need for you to further your studies in order to be viable in the work force.

The cities of this country are metropolitan, however there are many opportunities to get out and enjoy and explore nature.  And should you think of immigrating from the United States, don’t worry as most likely you will never be too far from home.  Most of the cities in Canada sit within one hundred miles of the US border, giving you much opportunity to ease a bit of the home sickness.  TransGlobe Property Management,  however, will make you feel right at home, whether you are renting work space or living quarters, so know that although your own home town may seem far away, your new home town will welcome you with open arms.