The murals of Lompoc

A tiny town named Lompoc

Lompoc, pronounced /ˈlɒmpoʊk/ LOM-poke, is a city in Santa Barbara County on California's Central Coast. As of July 2021, the city had a population of 43,834. About half of Santa Barbara, which was 87,533 in the census of 2022. Santa Barbara itself is considered a small town. Compare it to the population of San Francisco 808,437 (2022)or San Jose 971,233 (2022)

For a visual comparison, here is a horizontal graph for you

History

The area has a rich history, with the Chumash people inhabiting it for thousands of years. They named the area "lumpo'o̥," which translates to "in the cheeks" in the local Purisimeño language. The Spanish later renamed it Lompoco after Fermín de Lasuén established Misión La Purísima in 1787. In 1837, the land became part of the Rancho Lompoc land grant under Mexican rule. After the U.S. took control of California, several settlers acquired land in the Lompoc Valley, including William Welles Hollister. Hollister sold the land surrounding the mission to the Lompoc Valley Land Company, which established a temperance colony. Lompoc was officially incorporated as a city in 1888.

Today, Lompoc is often seen as a military town due to its proximity to Vandenberg Space Force Base.

The tiny, sleepy town has numerous vibrant, large-scale murals adorning the walls of buildings throughout its downtown area. These murals depict various themes, from historical events, cultural heritage, and community pride to natural landscapes, local flora, and fauna. The Lompoc Mural Society has played a significant role in commissioning and preserving these artworks, contributing to the city's identity and attracting visitors interested in public art and cultural exploration.

I learned about this charming little town while searching for options to entertain my in-laws near Santa Barbara. I love murals. My MIL enjoys both flowers and art. So, I felt it would be a unique experience we both would enjoy.

Unfortunately, the flowers grown commercially in the fields peaked at the end of June this year.  I found a pamphlet for the Lompoc Flower Festival that happened on June 20-23, 2024. The Festival featured carnival rides and games, arts and craft exhibitors, food booths, and commercial vendors - all fun things. But we were a tad late. Here is a glimpse of what we saw- 

Delphinium growing in the flower fields for commercial use. 

It is next to a medium-security federal prison. The prisoners are known to have been involved in agricultural work historically, though I could not find any current data on it. They are given vocational training in hydroponics and construction

This mural interested me because octopuses are often considered "aliens" due to their unique and otherworldly characteristics, which set them apart from most other life forms on Earth. 

(If you are interested, click here to read why they are thought of this way.)

Of course, I had to take a picture of the mural celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Landsat satellite program, which consists of a series of Earth-observing satellite missions, jointly managed by NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). My husband was a part of the Landsat science team during his stint at NASA Ames.

A field of canna lilies

I absolutely loved this flora and fauna of Lompoc valley mural

There were some fun ones like this T-Rex 

And some historic ones like this

A little unusual in the corner here

But the one that made me pause the most was this one, which is obviously about a serviceman who had died in the field.  

A United States flag is provided to drape the casket or accompany the urn of a deceased Veteran who served honorably in the U.S. Armed Forces. It is furnished to honor the memory of a Veteran's military service to their country.

Why are octopuses believed to be "Alien"

This is an addendum to the post The murals of Lompoc to explain the concept behind a mural.

Octopuses are often considered "alien" due to their unique and otherworldly characteristics, which set them apart from most other life forms on Earth. Here are some reasons why they are thought of this way:

1. Unusual Anatomy

Eight Arms and Suckers: Octopuses have eight flexible arms lined with suckers that can taste and feel, which is unlike the limbs of most terrestrial animals.

Three Hearts and Blue Blood: They have three hearts and copper-based blood, which is blue, a stark contrast to the red, iron-based blood of most other animals.

Soft, Boneless Body: Their bodies lack bones, allowing them to squeeze through incredibly tight spaces.

2. Incredible Intelligence

Problem-Solving Skills: Octopuses exhibit remarkable problem-solving abilities, such as escaping from tanks, opening jars, and using tools, which is rare for invertebrates.

Complex Nervous System: They have a highly complex nervous system, with most of their neurons located in their arms, enabling them to perform complex tasks independently.

3. Camouflage and Color Change

Chromatophores: Octopuses can change their color and texture almost instantly to blend in with their surroundings or communicate, a trait not found in many animals and one that seems almost magical.

Mimicry: Some species can mimic the appearance and behavior of other animals to avoid predators.

4. Unusual Reproduction

Mating Rituals: Their mating process is unique, with the male using a specialized arm to transfer sperm to the female. After mating, many species exhibit extreme behaviors like the female guarding her eggs until she dies.

Short Lifespan: Despite their intelligence, octopuses have relatively short lifespans, often only living for a few years.

5. Ancient Lineage

Evolutionary History: Octopuses have an ancient lineage, with ancestors dating back hundreds of millions of years. This long evolutionary history, combined with their unique features, makes them seem like creatures from another time—or even another world.

6. Lack of Relatives

Unique Evolution: They are mollusks, but they are vastly different from their close relatives, such as snails and clams. Their distinct evolutionary path gives them a mysterious and alien-like quality.

All these factors contribute to the perception of octopuses as alien-like beings, making them a subject of fascination and mystery in science and popular culture.

Kittonkhola - a transformative experience

Some things in life transform you in ways that you never imagined. Some time in March, I had auditioned for a role in Kittonkhola (while still rehearsing for Chini, my stage debut, directed by Raj Ray, founder of Yatraa). 

I received an email from BAAT saying that I had been selected, and the kickoff meeting for the entire cast was scheduled for March 8th at 9 pm PST online on Google Meet with Partha Pratim Deb (PPD) and his wife Rupa Deb from Kolkata. The idea was that we would be cast via virtual meetings, read our lines online once a week with Partha Da and Rupa di (on Thursdays), rehearse in person (on Fridays), and then, when PPD arrived, we would have daily rehearsals from May 9th to the day of the show. (Memorial weekend- May 25 and 26 at Spangenberg Theatre, Palo Alto)

It would be difficult, and I was rethinking before committing to such a rigorous rehearsal schedule. There were a lot of unknowns- 

• How long would the daily rehearsals be, 
• How far was the location for the rehearsal going to be, and 
• Was my character duration on stage worth the effort I would put in?

I got all my answers in due time. 

The original "Kittonkhola" is a legendary drama written by the renowned playwright Selim Al Deen (সেলিম আল দীন), set in rural Bangladesh, and delves deep into the duality of joyous rural cultures and life’s harsh realities.  As homework, I decided to watch a movie adaptation and found that the script we were reading lines from was a lot different from the movie storyline.

PPD adapted the script and made some adjustments to accommodate actors like me into the script. For example, there is no love triangle between Shonai (played by PPD), Banashree Bala (played by Rupa Deb), and Dalimon (played by Pinka Di) and there was no one named Anandi Amma (my character) in the original script either. What struck me most was how accurately PPD had cast each character just by meeting us online. 

Scenes from the May 25 Performance 

 

My first day of rehearsal with PPD

The eagle had landed, and we were all excited to meet him. I had offered my house as the rehearsal location, and there were both pros and cons. The pros were that I could be in the comfort of my house and act as the occasional host, even though everyone took turns bringing in dinner and helping clean up later. The cons were that we had to clean up every day after rehearsals, and it was no small offering. My husband Sangram seemed more excited than me, ensuring everyone felt at home.

 Celebrating Anindya Da's birthday after rehearsal 

I remember feeling so good 😊 

I realized that I was experiencing a great bonding exercise. I have made friends for life, and I will do everything possible to help them out if needed. Even now, when I chance upon them, I feel good to see them. We take a lot of goofy "Kittonkhola" cast pictures at every social event, be it the 10th Anniversary of Dishari Public Library or Bay Area Band Fest- there are always familiar faces to greet and hug you.

Some of the amazingly talented people I met during Kittonkhola

So, yes, the answer to my question- was it worth reducing your social life to zero and committing to rehearsing for the plays from 7 to 11 pm on weekdays, having a full-time job, and then rehearsing again from 10 am to 6 pm on weekends? Totally.

This has also allowed me to push myself and be surprised by what I am capable of both physically and mentally. 

The biggest takeaway was probably from the June 1 and 2 workshops with Partha Da and Rupa Di. We learned a folk song, did improv acting, and even developed a skit called "The Merchant of Venice of Bay Area"- a modern-day take on the Shakespearean version. I lost my marbles almost when I got to redo the courtroom scene. We had that in the syllabus for ICSE English Literature when I graduated in my Sophomore year. And this time, I got to play Portia instead of Antonio. ;) 

Sometimes, you have to wait 24 years to play your dream role. 

Returning to the workshop, two fun-filled days were an extension of my learning experience. But what stayed with me were the lines both Partha Da and Rupa di hammered into our brains- loosely translated - 

"Theater is an aesthetic (নান্দনিক) art

Your body is a part of that aesthetic. How you present yourself on stage will influence your audience.

If you are overweight, slow to move, and low on energy, your audience will sense that too and you will fail to entertain them to the fullest."

Without fat-shaming, they managed to tell us why you should not let yourself go.

I am lazy, and I always have more potential than kinetic energy.  But I decided to change that. They are several years our senior, but the way they move with energy, how they started rehearsing the very day they landed in San Francisco  after traveling long hours of international flights from Kolkata, and how they always impressed us by being prime examples of vitality themselves is what I will remember the most about my "Kittonkhola" experience. 

Yes, I learned more about acting, voice projection, and scales. But most importantly, I learned to take better care of myself—so much so that my boss noticed my visible change in energy level. I do feel better, and I hope I will continue this growth. Movement is life.