The Amazing Video Weekend

We planned it a month ago, maybe a little more. My friend Court Stroud was coming to Boston to make some videos for my website. We had four definite projects to complete in less than two days.

It was just the three of us. Me: the “talent.” Sheriden: the director and producer and crew. Court: the videographer and editor and producer, and crew.

What could have been a nightmare of bumping heads, bruised egos and general dissatisfaction turned out to be sheer, unadulterated pleasure as we three found a way of communicating, a rhythm of working (and taking breaks) and a creative groove that left all three of us feeling fulfilled and pleased as punch with ourselves.

How did we do it?

By planning what we wanted to get done, talking just a little in advance, and agreeing to experiment with our creative impulses together. We planned . . . but not much. Instead, we planned a little and showed up a lot.

Each of us took turns leading and following.

We were all considerate of one another.

We used our eyes and ears to tune into one another’s states of being.

We took breaks when one person wanted a rest.

No one made anyone wrong; instead, we practiced making one another right.

We ended up with all the videos we wanted, shot in less than twelve hours.

You’ll see them on the susancorso.com website soon. I’ll keep you posted.

Now Married on a Social Networking Site Near You

Okay, I’m no longer a Facebook virgin but I may as well be. Things startle me on Facebook all the time. I suppose I could be called a noob, a word I stared at for a long time before I spoke it aloud and heard what it meant. Noob, as in newbie, novice, innocent.

Today I got an email from a former student of my sweetie’s. From India. Maybe I’m showing my age, but it used to take weeks to get a letter from India in the United States. Now, it takes nanoseconds. I’d had no idea he’d gone to India. This sort of surprise thrills me.

The one that really got me going was an email from Facebook asking that I confirm my marriage to Sheriden Thomas. I laughed out loud. Who puts someone they’re not married to in that name slot on Facebook? And why? Or is it to prevent people from publicizing their crushes?

After I confirmed that I was indeed married to Sheriden Thomas, my Profile on the site changed itself. It read:

Susan Corso is now married to Sheriden Thomas.

I laughed again. Now married? Yes, according to Facebook. In fact, we’ve been married for several years and counting. We met four years ago August 10th, had a pagan pre-marriage ceremony with a dear spiritual teacher that October 31st, got our legal “permit” (we live outside of Boston) October 13th the following year, and had a small, private ceremony on our gorgeous porch October 31st of 2005. So, we’ve been married three or four years depending upon which anniversary you pick—always on Halloween.

Facebook’s pronouncement that I was NOW married made me think, as I so often do, about what makes marriage work. I think that NOW is one of the great keys to successful relationships of all kinds.

Can I remember the good stuff from the preceding four years? Forget the “bad” stuff? And stay present to Sheriden? I make a sincere attempt so to do, I promise you that.

One of the reasons we chose Halloween for our wedding was to remind ourselves of a standard pagan practice with regard to marriage. Witches marry for a year and a day, and then they decide whether to re-up or not. I think successful marriage requires the daily, sometimes hourly or minutely, decision to re-up.

In a very real way, Sheriden and I get married every day, so thanks, Facebook, for the reminder.