Last Looks

In television, "last looks" is the stage manager's cue to the hair, makeup, wardrobe, scenic, and lighting teams to do their final touch ups before a scene is shot.
 
Tonight was a "last looks" of sorts at our house. After what felt like an endless (mostly in a good way) summer, it is back to school time, meaning lockers to be decorated, first day outfits for good first impressions, and just enough paper, pens, and folders to keep track of all the things we're all expected to know. Pretty much all the bases covered before the scene shoots--from wardrobe to props, we're trying to get it right.
 
For me, "last looks" also means the last day I will spend many hours hanging out with people less than half my age. Starting tomorrow, they will be gone for many hours, and probably holed up doing homework for many more on top of that. So today was my last look at them before they start new grades and new experiences, and my last look at these recent weeks, when my being between gigs coincided with their being on vacation (a situation that may never happen again).
 
"Going to tape" is an exciting thing, so "last looks" should have a similarly upbeat energy. While there is a melancholy feeling about this transition, I know that this figurative "going to tape" will be good for us all. So, as we do our "last looks," and I take a few pictures (for continuity--no, sentimentality), I'm ready--well, almost ready--to count down, and make this the best new show ever.