Addyman’s Corner

DeLanna is the daughter of movie actor Wes Studi, who starred in "Last of the Mohicans" and made a film himself about The Trail of Tears. He was also the voice of Eytukan in the film "Avatar." DeLanna will hold the stage in her hand from April 4 – 23.

On May 9, Geva opens Rodgers and Hammerstein’s "Cinderella." “It’s a beautiful new production inspired by French fairy tale books from the 19th century, those pop-up books where things come alive,” Williamson said. “I think that will be just magical. The world pops up off the page when you read them.” Shelly Butler will direct.

Geva closes Williamson’s first season with "We Are Continuous" from March 22 to April 9; written by Geva’s playwright in residence, Harrison David Rivers.

A short history

In 1972, William Selden and Cynthia Mason Selden founded Geva in space at the Rochester Business Institute on South Clinton Avenue. Ten years later, Geva bought space on Woodbury Avenue and renovation began. A $4.2 million major gift campaign in 1997 led to the purchase of the building and construction. An $11 million renovation followed in 2016 and 14 studio apartments were built for visiting artists.

Geva has a $7 million annual budget, employs 200 people in season and impacts the local economy by at least $10 million. It is supported by 10,000 ticket-holders. Many noted actors, directors, musical directors, designers and stage managers have crossed the stages and 16,000 school kids visit every year.

Now the theater is in the hands of Williamson, who also serves as co-CEO with Chris Manelli.

“It just feels like a wonderful match,” Williamson said. “As soon as I started talking to the board of trustees here, it felt like we had shared interested and goals. They want Geva to be taking its work to a more national and international stage. Some of the artists we have here are eminent in their fields in New York and London. It’ll be really thrilling to get them here to Rochester and have them making work for a Rochester audience and then we’ll be taking that work out into the world.”

By John Addyman

Email: john.addyman@yahoo.com

You Never Know Where a Blessing is Going to Come From

This is the time of year when those of us who live in the 315 area code start thinking about mice, like the ones who are trying to spend the winter in your house.

But I have a story to share about a certain mouse that became a friend and gave me a lovely experience. And the story is all true.

Many years ago, I made a living as a corporate trainer, teaching good-writing habits to business and technical professionals. My clients — many of them multi-national companies — normally made my lodging arrangements for me. My classes usually took three days to a week.

One fine day I found myself in a brand new hotel in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. I was watching TV, trying to doze off after dinner. It had been a long day of classwork. I was about two-thirds asleep when I realized something was in bed with me; on top of my blanket — looking at me.

I opened one eye, cleared my vision and stared at a mouse that was perched, more or less, on the comforter above my big toe. This was a little hard to believe. The hotel was pretty swanky, but brand spanking new. This guy must have found a hiding place during construction.

He wasn’t hiding anymore. He was staring at me, bemused.

I slid my hand over to the nightstand and picked up the phone. I pushed the button for the hotel operator. The mouse watched me, interested.

“Hotel operator,” someone with a pleasant voice answered.

“I have a small problem,” I told her quietly, keeping my movements as still as I could.

“Yes, sir?”

“I have a mouse in my room.”

“Are you sure?”

“Am I sure it’s a mouse or am I sure it’s in my room?”

She paused. She’d already deduced by my voice that I was a Yankee. “Are you sure it’s a mouse and is it in your room?”

“Yes and yes.”

“Would you like me to call the bellman for you?”

“I don’t think the mouse has any bags to carry.”

“Would you like me to call the exterminator for you?”

“How long do you think that would take?” I asked.

Another pause. This was a new hotel and nothing in the operator’s “How to Be a Good Hotel Operator” training covered this. And, I was a Yankee on top of it.

“To tell you the truth, sir, I think our exterminator is just for bugs and things, you know?”

“Not ready for big game, you’re saying?”

“I don’t know what he’d do for a mouse except set a trap or something.”

The mouse hadn’t moved off my toe. “I don’t think this mouse is the kind who will go for a trap,” I told the operator. “He’s a pretty bold little guy.”

“Where do you see the mouse, sir?”

“I’m looking at him right now.”

“Is he under the bed?”

“No, he’s on the bed.”

“And where are you, sir?”

“I’m on the bed, sort of under the mouse.” I thought she’d enjoy pondering that for a moment.

“Sir, I’m going to connect you with the manager.”

I hear a couple of clicks and then a buzz on the phone. I assume the operator is reporting to the manager and the manager is figuring out what to do. I check on the mouse, and he’s munching on a piece of Oreo cookie I must have dropped on the floor. I’m wide awake now.

“Mr. Addyman, this is Mr. Smith, the assistant manager. Do I understand that you have an infestation problem of some sort?”

Managers of this fine chain of hotels are trained not to use the M-word, I gathered.

“Yes, Mr. Smith, I have a vector on my comforter.”

“Are you in bed, sir?”

“I am.”

“Are you comfortable?”

“I am, sir. This is a lovely room.”

“What behavior is the infestation exhibiting?” he asked. This guy was magna cum laude at some hospitality school.

“My little friend — let’s call him Mickey — is eating what’s left of an Oreo cookie.”

“Does he seem hostile, Mr. Addyman?”

“No, he’s pretty laid back, Mr. Smith. I think he likes your hotel and plans to make it his home. He apparently likes your guests, too.”

I think Mr. Smith sat down. The silence at the other end of the phone told me Mr. Smith was having agita. But he rallied.

“Mr. Addyman, let me assure you we take every precaution to remove and prohibit pest infestation of any sort.”

“Well, you missed one,” I told him. And now I was getting a little fed up. I figured Mr. Smith was employing a tactic from hotel school to keep me on the phone long enough for the problem to solve itself.

My mouse was getting bored, too. He jumped off the bed and headed for the heating–air conditioner unit, where he lived, I gathered.

Then he changed direction.

“Uh-oh, Mr. Smith,” I said as I waved good-bye to my companion. “Mickey has bolted; he’s heading for the door and the bottom of that door is high off the carpet and I’m sure he can squeeze under it. Yep! There he goes, Mr. Smith! Off he goes down the hall to visit other guests!”

“Oh, my goodness!” shrieked Mr. Smith.

“Don’t you have a group of Baptist Bible women holding a prayer meeting down the hall, Mr. Smith?”

“Oh, my GOD!!” Mr. Smith was now shouting orders to people. He was, I was sure, rounding up all the busboys and bellhops and front desk staff to run up to the second floor, where I was, to catch the mouse.

I was one step ahead of him.

“Tell you what, Mr. Smith,” I told him. “I’ll run out into the hall and corral ol’ Mickey for you before he gets to the ladies.”

“Oh, thank you, Mr. Addyman!” “…of course, I’m just getting out of bed. So I’ll be chasing Mickey down the hall in my underwear…”

“Oh, NO, Mr. Addyman!”

“…at least I THINK I have my underwear on. It’s so hot down here and the room is so warm…”

“Mr. Addyman, please stay in your room. PLEASE! I’m sending people upstairs right now to catch the mouse.”

Wait a minute…what did he say? What were his people going to catch? Did he use the M-word to a guest? There was silence now on the phone. He was hoping I didn’t notice him using that word.

I could hear people in the hall now. Somebody — this I couldn’t believe — had his fingers under my door, feeling for the mouse.

Stepping over to the door quickly, I gently pinched one of his fingers.

“YIKE!” came the sound from the other side of the door.

In a second, Mr. Smith was knocking on my door.

“Mr. Addyman, you must open the door so we can catch the, uh…so we can have a talk with Mickey.”

“Just a second.” I quickly put on my tie, stepped into my pants and shoes and opened the door. For the next five minutes, six people looked high and low in my room for Mickey. They found nothing. Mr. Smith was the last one to leave, apologizing profusely. He offered me the rest of my stay on the concierge floor. I accepted.

The bellhops returned and took my stuff to a much nicer room. I lingered one last minute after everyone had left. I took a cookie out of the bag in my briefcase and put it under the heating–air conditioning unit. “Thanks, Mickey,” I said. I thoroughly enjoyed the rest of my stay at that hotel.

last page By Melody Burris

Ted Fafinski, 82

Retired Farmington town supervisor describes himself as 'a retired person who is living the dream'

Q: Of your many career achievements, which has been the most fulfilling?

A: Several that come to mind — I’m proud of my 22 years in the Air Force and the two tours of duty (about 10 years) with the US Air Force Recruiting Service. We faced some big challenges during the Vietnam War with all the protesting and antiwar sentiment. I remember one protester standing with his sign outside the Armed Forces Examining and Entrance Station. I felt sorry for him, alone in the cold. I invited him in to warm up with a hot cup of coffee. I think he appreciated it because from that point on he always greeted me with a friendly ‘Hi Sarge.’ I later found out he was a veteran with some medical issues.

Then years later, on my first day as Farmington town supervisor I thought to myself, ‘OK, now what should I do?’ My secretary came in with the morning mail and we reviewed the correspondence as she made some suggestions. I started the process of routing the mail with notes on actions. That secretary who guided me on the office routines is the elected town clerk today.

By the time I left office, the town’s general fund had no debt and we had approximately $5 million in the bank. We were able to pay cash for capital projects other towns might normally have to finance, like a highway garage that will last for decades, a state-of-theart town court facility, an upgraded wastewater treatment plant that serves Farmington, Victor and parts of Canandaigua, and an expanded salt barn that provides ample enough local storage to carry us through the most difficult winter.

Q: How has your own life changed since

retiring?

A: “The pace in which I go through the daily routines has slowed down. I still have appointments and we are lucky to have our children and grandchildren in the area so we can watch the grandkids grow up. In retirement we thought it was too quiet at times so we adopted a cat from a local cat rescue organization and she has taken a prominent place in our home and our hearts.

Q: What was one unexpected retirement

challenge you encountered, and how are you dealing with it?

A: When you are a town supervisor, you’re used to working 10 to 12 hour days with meetings, dinner events, training sessions and roughly 20 to 40 incoming or outgoing phone calls a day. When you retire, all of a sudden that stops. I didn’t realize that and knew I had to find a way to transition somehow.

Before I became a town supervisor, I taught at community colleges, so I applied for an adjunct faculty job at Finger Lakes Community College teaching in the business department. The lesson plan preparation, composing quizzes and examinations, arranging for a guest speaker now and then and, of course, teaching twice a week kept me busy. It was a great transition for me, and I enjoyed it.

I also did some training sessions for area county governments and notfor-profits off and on for several years. And I sit on the board of a veterans’ organization and serve on the board of ethics for a local government.

Q: What advice would you give to others entering and looking to thrive in retirement?

A: Have a plan ready for after you’ve rested for a while. How are you going to adjust? All the things that were part of your daily life are not there, so what are you going to do with all that energy? Slowing down can be very difficult.

Q: What’s one core value that has

served you well through your career

and into retirement?

A: Never stop learning. Continue to improve your knowledge base and don’t be afraid to explore an unfamiliar subject or course or discussion.

Also, my dear wife, Rosalie (Rosemary), has been at my side helping, coaching me, advising me and, yes, even prodding me throughout ‘our’ career. She was my campaign manager when I first ran for town supervisor and was elected. I remember when I was in part-time grad school while working full-time she would always make sure I was ready for class.