MelaniePenelope

Saturday 9: Annie's Song

Howdy-Ho, neighbors! I've missed you, since I was absent last week. I hope you've all been doing well. Feeling a bit out of sorts myself, but I'm hoping this will soon pass.

I can't remember which one of you said the previous font and size were too hard to read, so I'll take feedback on this post, whether it's an improvement or not.

You've come here for some Saturday 9, and that's what you're gonna get. Link up here if you're going to play along with us this week!

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Saturday 9: Annie's Song (1974)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) 50 years ago this month, we were all listening to John Denver rhapsodize about nature. He singles out walking in the rain as a particularly lovely experience. Do you enjoy walking in the rain?

I used to, and puddle jumping, even before I had kids to do it with! But I don't have the health for it now, so I'll just enjoy other people's fun with that.

2) Denver wrote this song on a ski lift in Aspen. He clearly relished the ride, but ski lifts are problematic for those who suffer from acrophobia, or a fear of heights. Acrophobia plagues approximately 5% of Americans. Are you one of them?

You bet your sweet patoot I am!

3) John Denver recalled that this song just came to him as he looked down on the beauty of nature. Can you recall a time when something you saw in nature touched your heart?

(video shared from Manta Trust)

I think I've told the story of the manta ray breaching, right? Stop me if I have, 47 times before. I'm twenty years old. As I was sitting on the beach in Key Biscayne, crying, searching for answers about what to do with my life, if I was making the right choices continuing on with fish, particularly elasmobranchs - the sharks, skates, and rays - this enormous ray completely breached the water and flew above it a piece before slowly making its way back in again at a low, nearly horizontal angle. I couldn't believe what I'd just seen. It was beautiful; I cried 10 times harder than I had before, over the shocking beauty of it!

4) Wildly successful here in The States, John Denver's popularity didn't extend to the United Kingdom. In fact, "Annie's Song" was his only major hit. But it was a big one. Denver's version reached #1 in 1974 and then in 1978 James Galway hit #1 on the UK charts with an instrumental version. Do you have a favorite instrumental recording?

There are probably some instrumental songs I like, but I can't think of them right now. I'm a singer, I want to sing! I don't know what to do with an instrumental - are you supposed to stand aside and clap politely, are you allowed to get in there and sing along to it if you want? I'm so ridiculous; I don't even know the rules here... BUT! I do love classical music. I just don't categorize that as "instrumental." Right?

5) John Denver's first-ever guitar, a gift from his grandmother, was displayed at the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix. Have you visited a museum yet this summer? If not, do you have plans to?

I have not.

I do not.

And I will not.

haha Just kidding, now I will be making it a point to go to one before the summer's out, and will let you know, by golly.

{And I've been listening to a mostly-strings and piano instrumental playlist of Top-40 pop music covers, and it's kinda relaxing!}

6) In addition to the guitar, Denver also played the violin (or "the fiddle," as he called it). If a genie appeared to magically enable you to play the instrument of your choice, which would you choose?

My best bet would be Wintergatan's Marble Machine. Look at that thing! I was going to cello or a harp, but then I found this thing, with this description: "...is a hand-cranked music box loaded with instruments including a circuit of 2,000 cascading steel marbles. As the devices cycles it activates a vibraphone, bass, kick drum, cymbal and other instruments that play a score programmed into a 32 bar loop comprised of LEGO technic parts. The marbles are moved internally through the machine using funnels, pulleys, and tubes." The video is fun to watch; give it a couple of minutes of your eyeballs!

Let's look at the summer of 1974.

7) Elizabeth Berkeley was born. She's best known as Jesse on the Saturday morning teen sitcom, Saved by the Bell. What Saturday morning TV shows do you remember fondly?

I remember a lot! But the Smurfs were the ones we'd fight over the best chair for. 

And there was "Peewee's Playhouse," which we had an absolute blast watching, and imitating, as well.

8) Hall of Fame pitcher and Cardinal great Dizzy Dean died. How is your baseball team doing this summer?

Honestly, I really don't follow much baseball anymore. If Rob tell me his late mom's Cubbies are playing well, then I'm happy for everybody involved.

9) The biggest summer movie was The Longest Yard starring Burt Reynolds. What's your favorite Burt Reynolds movie?

Hmm, upon looking over Burt Reynolds movies I've seen, I'd have to say Boogie Nights tops my list. Great role, great cast, great flick! 

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Well here we are at 10AM on Saturday, so I'm sure I'll be dead last - but I'm okay with that as it's not a contest. I hope you joy and laughter this weekend!

Fin.

Saturday 9: Disco Duck

Hello, ladies and gents! I'm on a Friday morning, hoping to get this "Saturday" post up before I give up on it on Sunday afternoon. This is the first time I've ever heard this duck song, and it is silly fun!

Make sure you link up here if you're joining us this weekend. Have your own silly fun, and let us come read it!

Away we go:

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Saturday 9: Disco Duck (1976)

Unfamiliar with this week's song? Hear it here.

1) In this song, Rick Dees begins by describing a party where he can't resist that disco beat. What's the last party you attended? Was there dancing?

(© Napoleon Dynamite movie)

I can't remember the last time I went to a party. Doesn't mean I haven't been; just means I deal with memory loss. Maybe both, ha!

2) While this record was a massive international hit in 1976, it got off to an inauspicious start. Rick Dees said it took him less than a day to write the song, and more than three months to convince anyone to let him record it. Tell us about a time you were tempted to give up, but were glad you didn't.

(© www.slanecartoon.com)

Lots of times. For instance, when I was taking Geology in college, we had a paper to wrote. I went to my dorm's computer lab with my notes, my interviews (I worked hard and interviewed geologists), all the research I had done, and struggled - but found a way - to cohesively write what turned out to be a 12-page paper. I sent it to print. Did not print. On my way back from checking the printer, the power went out. DID NOT SAVE. Gahhhh$%^!!&%. I was tempted to give up, because there was only about an hour left for the lab to be open that night. But I sat there and rewrote it with my materials and my then-working memory. And I got the A.

3) In the hit movie Saturday Night Fever, students are briefly seen learning to dance to "Disco Duck." Can you name another song from Saturday Night Fever?

One can't ignore all the work on the album by the Bee Gees: "Stayin' Alive," of course, but also "You Should Be Dancin'," "How Deep is Your Love?" "Night Fever, "More Than a Woman".... but I've just now discovered "A Fifth of Beethoven" by Walter Murphy, and I love it! It's funky.

4) Dees was already a top disc jockey in Memphis when "Disco Duck" was released. With the record's success, his radio career soared and he got a better job reaching a greater audience at a radio station in Los Angeles. Are there any disc jockeys you loyally listened to every day?

Back in the day? Sure, as my sisters and I got ready for school every day, we listened to the hosts on 93Q in Syracuse, and also Z89 there, when it came out. I'm having a hard time remembering any individual DJs, though; names are mixing with latter parts of my life.

5) After more than 20 years, Rick lost his regular radio slot to Ryan Seacrest. But he still shares "the hottest music on the planet" through the Rick Dees Hit Music app (available at the Apple App Store or Google Play). What app have you recently downloaded to your phone?

I just redownloaded the Peacock app so that I can watch the Olympics on my phone. Still have to see how to do it on my TV (it's a Roku - it should be free, right?). I've always loved the Olympics so I'm kinda geeked out about it.

6) He used his favorite radio format to create a cookbook called Rick Dees All-Time Top 40 Greatest Desserts. If you could finish a delicious meal with the dessert of your choice, anything at all, what would you order?

(original cheesecake photo © Once Upon A Chef) // Key Lime Pie photo © 2CookinMamas)

Real New York-style strawberry (or cherry, or if it must be, plain) cheesecake. Absent that, real Key Lime pie.

7) In 1976, when "Disco Duck" was a hit, "The Bionic Woman" premiered on ABC. Because of her "bionic parts," Jamie Summers could run super fast, had super-sensitive hearing, and super-human strength. If you could have one of those qualities enhanced -- speed, hearing or strength -- which would you choose?

I think I would choose to have super-human strength, because I haven't been very physically strong in these latter years, and it would be nice to be able to be strong for myself again, let alone anyone who might need my help.

8) Also in 1976, like this year, the world got together for The Summer Olympics. Will you be following the international competition?

YES!

9) Random question: You're bone tired, exhausted, and you have an early day tomorrow. As you wash your face and brush your teeth before bed, one of the two bulbs in the bathroom fixture goes out. Do you 1) change the bulb before bed or 2) promise yourself to do it in a hurry tomorrow as you're rushing around in the morning or 3) decide you can live with one bulb for a while, go to bed, and replace the burned-out bulb when you get around it?

3)

"Spoon theory is a metaphor that describes the limited energy resources and increased energy expenditure of people with chronic illnesses, disabilities, or chronic pain. In the theory, spoons represent both the mental and physical energy required to complete tasks. Healthy people may have an unlimited supply of spoons, but people with chronic illnesses may have to ration them to get through the day. For example, someone with lupus may need to decide which activities to spend their limited spoons on. 

"Writer Christine Miserandino, who has lupus, is credited with creating the theory after using spoons at a diner to explain her illness to a friend. Spoon theory can also be used to describe the challenges of mental health issues

like anxiety or depression, or the exhaustion of caring for a newborn baby."

Definitely three these days. As a spoonie these days, things like that only get done when there are the spoons to do them as the time presents itself; I can't go out of my way do them if I'm going to need the spoons for later. Although Spoon Theory is not my favorite. I forget which one is at the moment, though! I think it's Ticket Theory, but now my head is throbbing and I've got to wrap this up.

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Hope you all have a great weekend Stayin' Alive in this heat!

Fin.

Saturday 9: I've Got Your Number

Hey, guys. This week, we'll be talking about Tony Bennett, a master at his craft who died a little over a week ago. But I couldn't let this go without also mentioning another master (won't call her a mistress of) her craft, who sadly died at only 56 just a few days ago: Sinéad O'Connor. (She later changed her name to Shuhada' Sadaqat after converting to Islam, but kept the original when performing.) I'm so distraught over her death. Please, if you or someone you love is struggling with mental health issues, know the suicide hotline phone numbers, text numbers, and any other available helps. Share them with that person. Watch them. Check in with them. Show them that yes, somebody does care about them. /PSA Thank you.

If you're playing along today, please link up here to have some fun with Anthony Benedetto and pals!

And we're off:

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Saturday 9: I've Got Your Number (1965)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

 

 

Chosen in memory of Tony Bennett, who passed away on July 21.

 

1) In this song, Tony sings that he recognizes his lover's insecurities because she's a lot like him. Are you unsure in social situations? Or do you meet new people easily?

 

I'm very timid and insecure, at least at first. Once I've gotten to know people and am comfortable with them, I can totally let loose. But at first? I'm super uncomfortable.

 

2) While singing was his livelihood, painting was Tony Bennett's passion. What hobby do you participate in with the greatest enthusiasm?

 

 

Well, let's see. I spend the most time on creating Paper Hugs for Mama Dragons, since it's such a constant need. The hobby for which I feel the strongest fervor would definitely be knitting, followed by crochet, both of which I've done very little of since we lived in Florida. Sad to say. But I'm thrilled to say I've got a project going right now. And the project I'd like to spend the most money on? Yarn-collecting. I could spend an absolute fortune at places like Expression Fiber Arts (some of whose yarns are shown here, along with link right here) and then just stroke and rub my cheek on the wool that comes to my house, before I ever start knitting. Heh. Yarn collecting is definitely a hobby, trust me.

 

3) Tony was a proud son of New Jersey. Many singers hail from The Garden State, including Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi and Frank Sinatra. What heroes, heroines or celebrities hail from your home state?

 

 

I'm from New York. Shall we say at least a good 30%? No? Okay, I'll put some work in. Stay right there. I'll be back.

 

Y'all. I got lost. That is a long list! I'm only going to post a small smattering of original-New Yorkers here, who are only names I know.

 

Semi-random draw from that subset: (a) Iron Man himself, Robert Downey, Jr. (b) Scarlett Johansson aka "ScarJo"

(c) the beautiful Kerry Washington (d) ooh! Claire Danes! I've loved her since her "My So-Called Life" days (e) oh, another one I love: Lucy Liu, who I admired on Kill Bill & Charlie's Angels, among other things (f) Diane Lane (g) Ahh, here's the one on this list I was waiting for, who I knew would be there: Alicia Keys (h) Julia Stiles, about whom they're always making false claims (random people online, don't know who or why) that she's out of work, out of money, homeless, you name it. Always liked her (i) another big crush: Lenny Kravitz, and finally (j) (so hard to narrow this last slot down!) Whoopi Goldberg

 

4) Though Tony dreamed of becoming a commercial artist, he had to drop out of school in his teens to help support his family. Looking back on your teen years, what did you want to do for a living? Is that what you ended up doing?

 

 

When I was a tween and a teenager, I wanted desperately to be a marine biologist. At 17, I was accepted to the marine science + biology double major Bachelor and Doctoral program at UMiami. I got the bachelor's degree in three years and always jokingly whined I got my degree before I was "legal." Anyway, by that point, the shark researcher I wanted to do my Ph.D. with had lost his funding for graduate students, which left me up shit's creek without a paddle.

 

I had to pivot. Since I was only 20, I had plenty of time, but I was always in a hurry for everything. I started busting my hump preparing for the GRE, on which I eventually earned nearly a perfect score. I wrote to several professors/labs saying I wanted work with them, etc., even there was really only one. That one wrote me back and told me what I needed to bone up on in order to get into his lab - and I got in. Long story short, I wanted to be a marine biologist,  I was a marine biologist. Until I left to go be wife and mom.

 

5) During WWII, Tony served in Germany. The first time his voice was broadcast was during an aircheck for Armed Forced Radio. For the occasion he sang "St. James Infirmary." That was Tony's first. Let's contrast it with your last. What's the most recent song you sang?

 

 

Chloë, Noah and I semi-sorta-kinda sang "Nothing Compares 2 U," along with Sinéad O'Connor, through our Echo Pop last night. Also this photograph just nearly made me start bawling.

 

6) After the War, Bob Hope saw him perform under his real name, Anthony Benedetto. Hope told him that, no matter how great his talent, his name would hold him back because it was too long for a marquee. And so, Tony Bennett was born. Tell us about a marquee in your town. Is it announcing a movie, play, or concert performance?

 

Well, there are the movie marquees advertising movies, especially Barbie & Oppenheimer, of course. But I'm waiting for something new to come out, or a few things, because the family and I want to drive about 2½ hours to the nearest drive-in theater for a double-header, and they're not so interested in those two. Someone let me know when things change!

 

7) In 2006, he recorded his Duets album, partnering with a variety of singers he admired. Tony said he enjoyed working with Paul McCartney at London's Abbey Road Studios, where the Beatles created their classic recordings. If you vacationed in London, what would you be sure to visit?

 

 

I'm such a tourist! Among other things, I'd have to go to Buckingham palace to see the changing of the guard. That and seeing Big Ben would be on my must list.

 

8) "I've Got Your Number" was performed by Dick Van Dyke and Mary Tyler Moore on The Dick Van Dyke Show. According to Dick, they were so believable as a married couple that he received glares from a hotel clerk while checking in with his real-life wife, Margie. What TV or movie couple do you feel had "chemistry?"

 

 

Hmm... what about Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie in Mr. and Mrs. Smith? Whaaaaat? Too soon?

 

9) Special summertime random question: Would you have more fun at a pro baseball game or an art museum exhibit?

 

 

I could have a lot of fun at either. I love going to a baseball game, but it's kind of sunny and hot for me (bad for me to be out in for hours, with my autoimmune problems), so maybe I should stick with an art museum for now - like one of these 3D museums? I've always wanted to go to Lisbon, Portugal!

 

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Well, I hope you all have a tremendously wonderful weekend. If you have plans outside, stay safe and wear sunblock. TTFN! (Haven't said that in centuries, haha)

 

Fin.

Saturday 9: Mercy

Hey, everyone. Been looking through pictures of Shawn Mendes for the last little while for the right one to share with you, and let me tell you, it's been difficult. I mean, yeah, I'm a cis-het reddish-blooded American woman with eyes, and as far as I know, Shawn is a cis-het Canadian man who looks like that... And that's the problem. A. I'm married. B. There's a significant age spread. And C. my oldest daughter is one of his biggest fans! Needless to say, he's a good-looking specimen who can carry a tune. Where even was I?!! 

I'm just going to drop the link here if you want to go read the entries of those far wittier than I, and get right innit.

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Saturday 9: Mercy (2013)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

Or here!

 

 
1) In this song, Shawn Mendes pleads with the girl he loves to be careful with his heart. Clearly he feels she's more important to him than he is to her. Do you believe that, in every relationship, someone always loves more?

 

Probably. But I think it likely goes back and forth in waves. Sometimes it's one, sometimes it's the other, sometimes it's more equal (probably at the beginning, or in times of crisis, at least for the couples that aren't torn apart by it).

2) He says that he'd willingly drive through the night just to be near her. Do you enjoy your time behind the wheel? Or do you consider driving necessary but not necessarily pleasurable?

 

I love driving my red "spaceship," Ruby. But I get so tired so easily, now, I either have to bring my back-up driver, Rob, at all times, or we know I'm never going to drive on a particular trip at all. Even if it's just around the corner. It sucks. My 2021 Honda Odyssey Touring has so many fun bells and whistles, and I still haven't learned some of them!

 

3) He acknowledges that she has good intentions, but she hurt him anyway. Can you think of a time when you unintentionally hurt someone's feelings?

 

 

All the time. I am constantly sticking my foot in my mouth. I'm pretty dumb that way.

 

4) Shawn Mendes was a serious skateboarder during his high school years. Crazy Sam admits she's never even been on a skateboard. How about you? Are you more like Shawn or Sam, or are you somewhere in between? 

 

 

I was friends with some skateboarders back in my college days, and I always admired what they could do on a board. And what that board could do to me! So I never got on. And then our youngest youngster asked for a skateboard couple years ago, so of course I decided to see what was so scary. I'll tell you what: there is no braking about it. Those are my favorite feature of any moving object. Except maybe a ball. In fact, you know what, a ball should look into brakes, too, insurance rates being what they are. So anyway, I put one foot on there, it started to move, and I got off and noped right out of that situation!

 

5) While in his teens, he taught himself to play guitar while watching YouTube videos. Do you spend a lot of time on YouTube? If yes, what type of videos do you watch most often?

 

I've spent about 5/8ths of my time watching various types of musical videos, 3/8ths of my time watching some sort of craft tutorial, a minute smidge of a sliver in there watching random other stuff. Note, though, that this all doesn't amount to a huge amount of time: I hate videos. I do my best to accomplish 38 things at once, and 

 

6) When he's traveling or busy working, Shawn eats cold cereal for every meal -- breakfast, lunch and dinner. He says it's fast, tasty, and better than the fast food he'd grab otherwise. Will you be getting any meals "to go" this weekend?

 

I've got a bit of an upset stomach from doing that very thing yesterday, so I don't know that I want any meals right now! Take that kind of naughty talk somewhere else.

 

7) In 2016, the year this song was popular, Game of Thrones was TV's hottest show. Were you a fan?

 

 

Never watched a moment.

 

8) Also in 2016, a German shorthaired pointer won Best in Show at the Westminster Dog Show. Tell us about a dog who holds a special place in your heart.

 

 

Oh, my gosh, how much time have ya got? Paco has got to be my favorite dog ever, and we've had a few. He's going to be NINE YEARS OLD in three days, and he's definitely greying up now. But he still runs around playing with his toys with the energy of a puppy, tears up and down the stairs like nothing hurts him (maybe it doesn't? Blame good nutrition and DNA, I guess), and makes us laugh constantly. He's cute as a button - look at him! Amirite?! - and always makes mom and dad feel special, too. I made up that last part just to say because I needed to finish out that list of three things!

 

9) Random question: What's the subject line of the top email in your spam folder?

 

It says: "Adam Schiff is *concerned* Melanie"

 

Well, someone go help the lad out, will ya? I'm over here clutching my tum.

 

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Have a great weekend, every last one of you!

 

Fin.

Saturday 9: Big Spender

Hey kids! Where's the party? (Probably anywhere I'm not, if history's anything to go by!)

I was sad I missed you guys completely last weekend, so I'm getting an early (for me) start on Friday night this week. Hoo-rah!

Link up here to play along with us!

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Saturday 9: Big Spender (1966)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

 
1) In this song, Peggy Lee invites a gentleman to join her for fun, laughs, and a good time. What will you be doing for fun this weekend?

 

Hm, I don't know that "fun" is what you'd call it. We've still got two dozen trees to plant, and time is of the essence now. With both of us disabled, nothing's getting done in a hurry. I need a team of volunteers to get these trees in the ground, sadly... And I need to set up my auction group on Facebook. I haven't done it since we lived in Boise, and I'm rusty! But I'm sure I'll get ride back on that bike and goooo.

 

2) Peggy was blessed with perfect pitch. It's estimated that just 1 in 10,000 has this gift. Tell us about something that comes naturally to you. 

 

I have Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, which affects the collagen in the body. All the connective tissue has gone awry. Anyway, long story short, I can easily dislocate and relocate many of my joints. It's not always great, but it can be when I'm trying to put on complicated bras!

 

3) Peggy was an influential performer whose fans included singers as diverse as Carly Simon, Petula Clark, and Joni Mitchell. Bette Midler even did a Peggy Lee tribute album. What songstress do you listen to most often?

 

Oh, I don't know about most often, but I listen to Billie Eilish, Taylor Swift, Melanie Martinez, Adele, Halsey and the like.

 

4) Paul McCartney was also a big Peggy Lee fan. In the 1970s he was invited to meet her in her London home. He arrived with a carefully chosen hostess gift: a bottle of champagne and an original song ("Let's Love") which she recorded and he produced. Have you more recently given or received a gift?

 

I have more recently received a gift.

 

5) Cy Coleman wrote the music to "Big Spender." Unlike Peggy Lee, who never took a music lesson, Coleman was classically trained and studied composition, conducting, and orchestration at New York City’s High School for the Performing Arts and at the New York College of Music. If you could take classes in anything that interested you, what would you choose to learn more about?

 

 

I would take classes in art, design, décor, and I would finally finish the Master Knitter class.

 

6) Coleman met lyricist Dorothy Fields by chance, at a party. Though Fields was more than 20 years his senior, they hit it off immediately and he invited her to work with him. Their collaboration resulted in two Broadway shows including Sweet Charity, which featured "Big Spender." Think about the person you spent the most time with last week. Were they older, younger or about the same age as you?

 

Well, that would be Rob, and he would be a greaaaaat big four years older. The difference seems even greater now that he's 50, and I'm "only" 46!

 

7) In 1966, when disc jockeys were playing this record, consumers were discovering garage door openers. These transistorized devices weren't cheap. Typically about $150 in 1966, that would be more than $1,000 in today's dollars. These days garage door openers are far more affordable and common. Can you think of something that was a luxury item when you were a kid that today you take for granted?

 

 

A PC, for sure. Headphones, and whatever device you use them with. Remember the Walkman? I had that. Loved it! Cell phone, Gaming systems.

 

8) 1966 found Jacqueline Susann atop the best seller list with her steamy novel, Valley of the Dolls. Though it was savaged by critics, countless Americans enjoyed the book. Do you have a similar guilty pleasure? Is there a book, movie, TV show or song you enjoy, even though you know it has little artistic merit?

 

 

Yes. My guilty pleasure are the entirety of works by Sidney Sheldon.  When I was pregnant with Chloë 22 years ago, and unable to work, I decided to get caught up on the classics that I hadn't read. So when I got to Shakespeare in my list and headed to the library, Shakespeare found himself right next too Sheldon, Sidney on the shelves. I was intrigued and rented a book or two to see what this was all about. I stayed up all night, day after day, night after night, reading the works of "Shitty Sheldon," as I call them. They're just SO GOOD, though!!

 

9) Random question: When at a Mexican restaurant, what's your go-to order?

 

 

I just always order off the vegetarian portion off the menu, every time. Whatever's there is good. Tortillas, beans, and cheese in all their various formats; that's what I order.

 

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Okay, so Rob and I are finishing up a break from We're The Millers, and now it's time to get back to it! Have a great weekend, y'all!

Saturday 9: Easter Parade

Hey blogosphere friends. I've missed you. I've been really, terribly tired lately. Hopefully that gets better with this new-to-me lupus med I'm on now.

I hope you are all well? I do, really and truly. I'm looking forward to this Easter holiday, the last one where I still have a minor child. Our youngest kiddo has an 18^th birthday on April 13^th!

If you'd like to join in the shenanigans, be sure to sign up here! And let's go:

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Saturday 9: Easter Parade

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) This song is best known from the 1948 movie of the same name, but it was originally written for a 1933 Broadway play called As Thousands Cheer. In the play, a young man reads about the parade in a New York newspaper and decides to go and show his lady love off to parade goers. What's the most recent parade you attended?

 

 

Ohhh, we'd be going back a few years, probably all the way back to 2018, when the kids were in 4H and Noah's ... group? ... was on a float in the Christmas Lights parade. I got to ride on the float with them, which was super fun, though I don't know what Noah thought of that!

 

2) On Broadway, the song was performed by Clifton Webb. He'd had a busy stage career, appearing in musicals as well as plays by Oscar Wilde and Noel Coward, but when he was in his mid-50s, he was considered too old to be a leading man. Broadway offers stopped coming. He was unexpectedly cast by Otto Preminger for the film noir Laura and a new career was born. He worked steadily in Hollywood for 20 years and earned three Oscar nominations. Tell us about a time you were grateful your life took an unanticipated turn.

 

Rob and I eloped two months after we first met online. So it was even less time after we met in person. Because of this, we'd planned to wait at least about two years before starting our family. But life, the universe, and everything had other plans, and about 2½ weeks after said elopement, I was having funny feelings. Lots of funny feelings. I sent Rob to Walmart in the middle of the night, and shortly after that, I was looking at a positive result: I was pregnant with Chloë (seen here with an order of Girl Scout Cookies I had sent to her from my friend's daughter)!

 

I wandered around dumbly for several days; I was in shock! Now, though, I can't imagine things any other way. I can't imagine my life without our

♥ Chloë Raine. ♥

 

3) Today he's fondly remembered by the students at UCLA who have benefited from The Clifton Webb Scholarship of the Arts. If you could give an endowment to a school or charity, what would you like it to be used for?

 

 

Because of my background, I think it would be cool to have a scholarship  for the University of Miami, for a grad student who wishes to study the ecology and evolutionary biology of sharks, skates, and rays.

 

4) According to Forbes magazine, the average American household will spend upwards of $150 on Easter dinner, candy, and decorations this weekend. Do holidays strain your budget?

 

No, not Easter nearly so much as Christmas!

5) The biggest chocolate Easter egg was made in Italy, measured 34 feet tall and weighed a staggering 15,000 lbs. Do you think it's possible to have too much chocolate?

 

 

Having tried, I can definitely say that yes, you can.. Yes.
  

6) After chocolate, the top-selling Easter candy is Peeps Marshmallow Chicks. They're so popular that they were once the subject of a Jeopardy clue. Do you often watch Jeopardy?

 

I haven't watched at all since Alex has been gone.

7) Jelly beans are also popular this time of year. In a 2020 poll, jelly bean fans responded that cinnamon is their favorite flavor. Do you have a favorite?

 

 

I do not. I do not like any jelly beans; never have I, ever.

8) We've been talking a lot about sweets this morning. The only holiday that generates more candy sales is Halloween. When do you eat more candy: Easter or Halloween?

 

 

I try not to overdo it at either time, but probably Halloween. I'm thinking, at Halloween, it's more freely sitting out, ready to be given out on demand, whereas on Easter I've bought it with the intention of being put into someone's specific basket.

9) Easter is considered the season of rebirth. What makes you feel refreshed or rejuvenated?

 

 

When I take a shower, I like to stand under the water on as cold a setting as I can stand for a few moments, repeating an affirmation to myself. I love the cold water; it really wakes me up after taking the shower tires me out.

 

~*~*~*~*~

 

All right, you guys, have a happy Easter tomorrow if you're celebrating, and a good weekend if you're not!

 

Fin.

Saturday 9: Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head

What's happening, friends and loved ones from all around? Are you still buried under any snow at this point in the game? Or are you having a dreary, rainy Saturday like we are? Lucky enough for sunshine? ☼

We're having an eventful Saturday already. Aside from it being the 20th anniversary of our son Robby's death and our current need to shop for a new urn to replace the one that one of our cats just smashed to bits, we had to place a call this morning to the sheriff of a nearby county to request a wellness check for one of Noah's friends who did not sound well. There's a serious threat of self-harm, and we're waiting with baited breath for any return information. Hopefully to the good. I'm going to set that aside and work here, though, because stewing is unproductive.

If you'd like to join us today, link up here. We'll be in cahoots! Here we go:

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Saturday 9: Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) In this week's song, BJ Thomas sings that he knows it won't be long until he finds happiness. What are you looking forward to today? What's going to make you smile?

 

It's Chloë's day off, so she'll be coming over later. I expect we'll be watching House as usual, too. We've been having an ongoing House marathon from Season 1, Episode 1 through, currently, early Season 4. Yay! We've watched other series together, including the first (and only, so far) season of Wednesday, and everything aired on Netflix of Anne With an E. Both of those were so good!

 

2) BJ Thomas met his wife Gloria at a bar. She was there with his drummer, but BJ let his friend know he felt a connection to Gloria and was going to drive her home. BJ and Gloria were married for 50 years, until his death. Have you and a friend ever found yourselves attracted to the same person? If yes, how did you handle it?

 

 

Yes, we have, and I didn't handle it well when he started to change interest from me to her. I had a large bottle  of Goldschäger (how, I don't know, as I would have been only 18 or 19 years old at the time) in my dorm room, and when this happened, she was visiting me for her college's Spring Break. She was  in my room with me, therefore, and decided to go to bed.  I drank a good half of that bottle of Goldie - far, far too much for me. I barely remember what happened next, but I know I was sobbing like no tomorrow, and then I was also banging my head into the hard floor, and then I was also screaming at the top of my lungs. My friend eventually answered a knock at the door that turned out to be a police check-in initiated by a mate on my same floor's wing. Whether she was annoyed or concerned, I don't know. I don't remember what my friend told the police, but they left, and then I think she got me to shut up and get into bed.

 

My head hurt like hell in the morning. And no more drinking. And I got over my jealous nature just like that. Mostly.

 

3) This song is from Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid, which has been called "the most entertaining Western ever made." Do you enjoy Westerns?

 

Nope. No. Uh-uh.

 

4) Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid is one of the most popular movies Paul Newman made, but he liked to say his "favorite role is philanthropist." He raised an amazing $500 million for children's charities through his Newman's Own brand. The most popular Newman's Own product is salad dressing. What flavor of salad dressing would we find in your kitchen right now?

 

 

Not sure what else you'd find right now, but I know we have the Good Seasons Italian dressing with the free cruet! I love me a good salad. I haven't used it yet, though, because often I buy the salads with the packets already in there. I haven't had a cruet in my house since I was a kid. Seriously, who even says "cruet" anymore?

 

5) Burt Bacharach won the first of his three Oscars for this song. Yet 20th Century Fox originally wanted to cut the song from the movie, maintaining that that song and the famous "bicycle sequence" between Paul Newman and Katharine Ross were anachronistic and made the movie too long. Burt and the movie's director George Roy Hill fought for it, insisting that it helped define the optimistic character of Butch. Tell us about a time you were glad you stood your ground.

 

 

When I was working to try to get into my PhD program, I had to win over the professor and mentor running that lab. Dr. Professor insisted I start by taking a couple of his classes, one of which was very involved and included doing a big study or experiment and defending your data and analysis. We had to have a whole discussion about this with the class. Dr. Professor fired a number of questions at me during my discussion, when I was up in front, but I was able to be firm  on my data about the anoles lizards I had studied. I knew my work inside and out. And then when a friend had her turn, I pitched a few math-heavy suggestions that might-ve informed her data analyses, and Dr. Professor looked over at me with an expression that, if I'd dared look over at him fully, seemed liked "impressed." But standing my ground must have worked, because I got in! Not that it matters now.

 

6) Edith Head also won an Oscar for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. She said that Robert Redford, who played Sundance, presented a wardrobe problem. His jawline is too strong so she had to create special wider-brimmed hats to balance it. If you could magically change one of your physical features, which would you choose? And which feature would you never change?

 

I'm just going to talk about my face, because below that, there's too much to count. I would change my chin. I basically have none. So please, kindly give me a strong jawline, too. I would never change my eyes, ears, nose or lips.  Oh, and my hair! I would definitely need to change my hair. With all the autoimmune stuff and my hair always falling out all over the place, I would love some magic in that department, too.

 

7) In 1969, when this song was a hit, The Beatles played their last concert on the roof of Abbey Road Studios. When did you last climb onto the roof?

 

Does the roof of a research vessel I was on count? I think it had to be way back in college, so, 1997. Man. I need to get on a roof!

 

8) Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys mysteries sold at a brisk pace at Christmastime 1969. They're still popular today. Were you a fan?

 

 

Huge fan - of both! I had so many!!

9) Random question: Do you consider yourself old fashioned?

No! I don't think so. I don't know everything that's up-to-date with the kids, but I'm reasonably well-versed in all the thingzzzz that are going on. Until I'm not and then I learn all over again while the kids giggle at me! The point is, I make the effort, and I think that's the deciding factor. Don't you?

I'm sorry if there are a billion errors in this post. My eyes are jumping around and not focusing, so I'm having the WORST time seeing what I'm posting. Feel free to point out my errors in the comments below!

~*~*~*~*~

Fin.

Saturday 9: Walkin' After Midnight

Howdy, folks! Since I missed Ms. Patti LaBelle last weekend, I decided I'd better not also skip out on Ms. Patsy Cline, here. Who among us can not hear "I go walkin'... after midnight..." the moment they see her name, and that title? Show yourselves!

I'm up in the middle of the night (it's 3:30 am right now) nursing an upset tum, so I figured now's as good a chance as any to get to do my S9! If you're joining us, link up here. Let's go then, shall we?

~*~*~*~*~

Saturday 9: Walkin' After Midnight (1957)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

 

1) The lyrics tell us Patsy Cline was out walking after midnight. Where were you at midnight last night?

 

Well, whether you mean Thursday night or Friday night, my answer's the same: home in bed.

 

2) She's sure she hears the night winds whispering to her. Is it windy, breezy, or still outdoors right now?

 

 

We're getting residual rain and wind gusts from Hurricane Nicole, so you could say it's quite breezy!

 

3) When she was 13, Patsy came down with a fever and throat infection so severe she ended up in the hospital. She believed the illness changed her vocal chords and enabled her to sing in a lower key. How are you doing this cold and flu season?

 

We're all sick with some tenacious bug. I've actually been sick straight through since the end of August, but this is nothing new for me. I have several inherited immunodeficiencies, which I passed down to my kid, Chloë, so the poor thing has also been quite sick. It has not been a kind Autumn to us!

 

4) Patsy is well remembered today not only for her voice but for her generous spirit. Loretta Lynn, Dottie West and Barbara Mandrell all considered Patsy a trusted personal friend and professional mentor. Have you ever been a mentor?

 

 

Yes, multiple times. One way: I was named to the President's 100 list as a Senior at the University of Miami, and I was assigned a rather large group of incoming Freshman in marine sciences to take under my wing, show the ropes to, and help them sort out the ways and whys of working through their first year in that field of study and beyond while living the college life. It was challenging but rewarding. Wait, that's what they all say, right?

 

5) Patsy had a tough side, too. While traveling by bus and playing one-nighters, she found she and her band sometimes never got paid for their efforts. So she began demanding payment -- in cash -- before they would take the stage. She'd insist, "No dough, no show." Tell us about your tough side.

 

 

It's hard for me to stand up for myself. I tend to be a doormat. But do something shady against one of my kids, and this Mama Bear's claws come out and I'm thirsty for blood!

 

6) Patsy became the first female country star to headline at a Las Vegas showroom. Who is your favorite country performer?

 

I don't even really like country. I'm supposed to pick a favorite?

 

7) In 1957, the year this song hit #2 on the charts, embroidered cotton handkerchiefs were a popular present for the ladies on your gift list. Do you own any handkerchiefs?

 

 

Not currently, embroidered or otherwise. Once, as a teenager, I was friends with a Scottish lass who embroidered me a hankie, but I've long since misplaced that. It had pretty purple flowers in the corners. And after I graduated high school, that summer, I befriended a Japanese neighbor who made another one for me, which I've also misplaced. Grr at myself!

 

8) 1957 was a banner year for Elvis. He released four hit records, two top box-office films, and his TV appearances topped the ratings. 65 years later, he is still recognized the world over by his first name alone. Can you think of another performer for whom one name is all that's required?

 

 

I  can think of two: Cher. Madonna.

 

9) Random question: What's the most embarrassing story your parents (or siblings) tell about you?

Don't know. Don't care.

~*~*~*~*~

Listen, y'all have a splendid weekend, and I hope to continue to visit at least a few of y'all before my newly-diagnosed ADHD brain forgets what it was doing! With or without me, forge on.

Fin.

Saturday 9: In And Out Of Love

Hey, party people! What's the haps? It saddens me to say that this will be our last meeting of Summer 2022. It's Bike Fest weekend down at the beach right now; some 100,000+ motorcycles are deafening the wildlife in Ocean City right now, so I'll have to wait until that's over to attempt one last summer beach trip down there. Cross your fingers for me?

One thing I feel like I must address: some of you may have noticed some "off" comments on some of my posts. I'm being cyberstalked, cyberbullied, harrassed, you name it, all of the above. I don't know who the person is, but on many other platforms as well as this one, they are leaving unkind, often lewd messages for me. I unpublish them as soon as I see them, but please don't pay them any mind. I do not know who the person is, and I don't want to give them any more attention than I have to. Thanks!

Moving forward, let's get to today's song, which I just listened to for the first time. Link up here if you're playing along, too!

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Saturday 9: In and Out of Love (1967)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) In this song, Diana Ross is disappointed that she hasn't yet found lasting love. Do you think you can fall out of love? Or do you believe that if you fell out of love, it wasn't true love to begin with?

 

 

I believe for sure you can fall out of love. If you can fall INTO love, you can fall out. Love is something you have to work out, you have to nourish and tend to. But both parties have to commit to doing so, and if one isn't, then it's possible the love will be neglected and wither away.

2) When is the last time you literally fell, tripped, or stumbled?

 

 

Probably today. I have balance issues, so I fall or nearly fall daily!

 
3) This record was a hit with American Bandstand viewers. For weeks it was voted the song they most wanted to dance to. Did you watch American Bandstand?

 

 

Hmm. My sources tell me it ran until 1989, which would have made me 13, but I can't specifically remember watching it. I was a fan of Dick Clark and know I watched him on Pyramid, listened to his various countdowns on the radio and watched the annual New Year's Eve one, but I can't remember watching Bandstand.

 

4) This is one of the last Supremes songs that featured the most successful hit-making line-up: Diana Ross, Mary Wilson, and Florence Ballard. Florence's great-nephew, Christian Ballard, was a football star at University of Iowa and briefly played pro ball for the Vikings. The 2022-23 NFL season just kicked off. What team do you root for?

 

 

I don't really have a horse in the race when it comes to pro foot ball. Everyone knows my team is NCAA level. Soo, I root for the team Hubs roots for: Patrick Mahomes. I mean Kansas City Chiefs. But they're doing pretty well together, so it's fair to say.

 

5) Mary had a connection to sports, too. She donated her time and talent to raising money for Figure Skaters of Harlem, an organization that helps young people train for the Winter Olympics. Tell us about a charity you support.

 

 

One that is near and dear to my heart is the Center for Biological Diversity. Biodiversity on Earth is a critical measurement of how healthy life on Earth, in general, is. So it's critical to support rehabbing those species whose numbers are dwindling and on their way out, as well as those whose numbers are approaching that line. Remember, humans are animals too (yes, we are), and what affects them also affects us.

 

6) There's a children's playground in New York's Central Park named for the last surviving member of this trio, Diana Ross. It has swings, slides, a rope bridge, and a fountain that kids are welcome to splash in. If you were suddenly little again, which would you play on first?

 

 

That's Chloë a week ago on our birthdays (hers is on the 7th, mine is on the 8th) in Love Park, in Philadelphia - in the fountain park area. I'm just like her; I'd go for the splash park first, 10 times out of 10, if I was a kid. Hell, if I wasn't in a wheelchair, I still would!

 

7) Diana owns an estate in Greenwich, CT, with lush gardens, a tennis court, and a pool. While the grounds are spectacular, she maintains the house itself is "nothing special" because the kitchen hasn't been renovated in more than three decades. Could your kitchen benefit from a makeover? Or are you fine with it as it is?

 

 

Heh. crickets. Our kitchen is smallish, and generally untidy. I don't think I've taken a single picture of it since the day we moved in. And since we're STILL unpacking and moving in, kinda, a  lot of the boxes and packing materials end up around it, making things look generally awful. Makeover? I don't know about that. I'm eager to do something to it, once I can see it, maybe.

 
8) In 1967, when this song was popular, the best-selling camera was The Polaroid Swinger. When did you most recently take a photo? What was it of?

 

 

On Thursday, I took my son hamster shopping, and there was this one little dude just hunkered in his little habitat, looking chill but also looking at us like, "You wanna piece o' me? Eh? You wanna piece o' me?" So I took a picture because I did not, in fact, want a piece of him.

 
9) Random question: Come clean! Are there dirty dishes in your sink right now?

 

Absolutely. But Rob is actually doing them right now.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~

 

Welp, that's the week that was. And now the water closet is calling my name. See y'all!

 

Fin.

Saturday 9: Blue Collar Man

Here we are, September now. Can you even?

September has historically always been my favorite month: August just ended, which means we just - just - celebrated my hubs' 50^th birthday(!!). Which means in four days, we're going to celebrate our eldest's 21^st(!!) birthday and school is restarting, which means we're going to celebrate my birthday the day after that. Then comes all the rest of the year and next thing you know it, the ball drops. Crazy.

I don't want to say too much more in case it ends up being the answer to a question! Haha... so let's get to it.

~*~*~*~*~

Blue Collar Man by the Styx (1978)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) In this week's song, we hear a job equated with security. Tell us something that gives you a sense of security.

This is going to sound anti-feminist, but it's really not, because I know what I need, and I'm holding onto it. My answer: my husband. My partner in life. I used to charge through life alone, gettin' it done, whatever "it" was that I wanted. I wanted that undergrad program? I went for it and I got it. That internship? Got it. That grad program? Got it. That job? Got. It. Then I eloped, and I can't imagine my life having turned out ANY other way. Especially now that I am so sick and often spend full days, sometimes several in a row, in bed. He hasn't ditched me, he's doubled-down to take care of me. In every way. Financially, with his time, with his energy. This now, to me, is security.

2) Lead singer Tommy Shaw hopes someone will make him an offer he can't refuse. That's a reference to a famous movie quote. Without looking it up, can you name the film?

Of course, that's The Godfather. I finally watched those movies when we lived on Guam, while I was pregnant with our twins and there wasn't much else to do. I went to the AFB library and rented whatever I could!

3) Shaw recalls that this song was inspired by a friend of his, a blue collar worker who had been laid off and was frustrated by the process of job hunting. His friend wanted to work, not fill out forms and job applications and wait days for a response! Do you quickly become impatient?

Oh, most definitely. That's my trademark personality flaw, I think.

4) The name "Styx" wasn't the top choice of anyone in the band. As founding member Denis DeYoung recalled, "It was the only name none of us hated." Tell us about a recent compromise you made (which TV show to watch, toppings on your pizza, etc.).

(Was this a recent question or did I vividly dream it, #1?)

For Hubs' birthday, I usually get him a bunch of scratch-off tickets. This year, I sent Chloë (the 20yo) out to get them, a lot of them, but she came back with instant lottery tickets. I know Hubs loves the literal scratching-off part of the tickets, so when she presented them to me on the way to dinner, at a stop when he was out of the car, and they were NOT what he likes, I actually gasped and needed "a minute to take a moment," as we say. I thought it through and decided for this year, we would just do something different for him. So I put Chloë's tickets in his card and he went through them at home later, after dinner. He seemed to enjoy himself, and he won $35. Phew.

5) Labor Day was introduced to celebrate the achievements of the American worker. How many different employers have you had?

Oh, I don't know. Over a dozen, many of which were various grocery stores. I have to say, with all my education in marine biology, working in grocery was still one of my favorite things to do. I loved interacting with the people, I loved the work... it really brought out a different persona for me that I enjoyed. Very different for this normally-introvert!

6) The first Waffle House was opened on Labor Day, 1955. What's your preference: waffles or pancakes?

(Was this a recent question or did I vividly dream it, #2?)

#TeamWaffles here.

7) Labor Day mattress sales are a big business. Experts tells us we can expect to spend $1,000 for a good-quality queen-sized mattress. Will you be buying a new one -- or perhaps making another big ticket purchase for your home -- before year end?

Probably not, we bought our mattresses last year, and I'm committed to putting as much pre-loved furniture in this house as possible if we can't use what we already have. (Moving a lot sure takes a beating on some pieces!) I'm going to try and get some trees in the ground this fall if possible, though. Anyone have some advice for that?

8) Will you be attending a Labor Day picnic or barbecue? 

I'd love to go to a picnic, but it's highligh unlikely as we don't really know anyone! Still Maryland orphans at this point. (The parents, that is. The kids all have friends.)

9) Labor Day is the unofficial start of fall. Have you had any pumpkin spice yet?

Nope. None of the madness for me. Yet. So far. No plans. Probably at Thanksgiving. Thanks for checking in. Hee!

~*~*~*~*~

Y'all have a great extended weekend, if you're getting one (hope so). Chloë and I are headed to Philly for a couple of days to celebrate our birthdays, lord willing. We tried once before and I had to cancel. This time I feel much more ready.

Same time, next week? Yes.

Fin.

Saturday 9: Diamonds

Hey, y'all! I'm hopeful I'll get this post all done and on time this week. So many times, last week included, I'll start the post well in advance, get two or three answers written, and then need a nap. By the time I have the energy to come back, Saturday's all but over. Last week, and many times, it's a pain or migraine issue, but more and more lately it's straight-up fatigue.

Anyway, I can't wait to see what questions Rihanna and Crazy Sam have for us. Link up here if you're playing along with us this week.

~*~*~*~*~

Saturday 9: Diamonds (2012)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) In this song, Rihanna sings that when she looks at her lover, she sees the light in his eyes. The internet is filled with makeup tips for making your eyes look brighter. Drugstores sell eye drops that promise to get the red out. Are you bright-eyed this morning?

 

 

I suppose, but I do have these eye drops right here on standby. They work great!

2) She likens him to a shooting star. Astronomers tell us that shooting stars aren't that rare at all. They occur when dust, asteroids or comets enter the earth's atmosphere, and are often visible on clear, pollution-free nights. Have you ever seen a shooting star?

 

 

I think I have; I'm sure I have.

 
3) In ancient Rome, shooting stars were considered good luck, especially for those going into battle, while some tribes in East Africa believed shooting stars were a harbinger of doom. Are you superstitious?

 

 

Maybe, but only mildly. I'll cross my fingers or knock on wood, but I know that what's going to happen is already going to happen.

 

4) The singer of "Diamonds" hosted a lavish Diamond Ball to raise funds for education programs in Malawi, Senegal, and the country of her birth, Barbados. Rhianna named her charity initiative the Clara Lionel Foundation after her grandparents. If you were to name your foundation after your grandparents, what would it be called? What would you ideally like to do in their honor?

 

 

Both of my (maternal; I did not know my paternal) grandparents used tobacco. Grandpa smoked a pipe, but when his dentist told him there were warning signs of cancer, he quit that day and got rid of his entire extensive collection of pipes. Some very valuable.  (And when he had a mega heart attack a few years down the road and was told to lose weight, eat healthier, and get more exercise, that is exactly what he did. He even bought a Sony Walkman so he could listen to Sousa, and he would take that to different parks and do his Sousa march around the various pathways! So cute.) So he was super... "obedient" to doctors' orders when he got bad news.

 

My grandmother, on the other hand, smoked for many years and just could not get out from under that beast. She was told to quit smoking for many years, but she could not. I don't think she tried, but I was very young then, so that probably isn't a fair assessment. But when she was put on oxygen at some point, due to the emphysema, she was still unable to let it go. I remember seeing her pull out the tube and hold it far away with one hand and smoking with the other hand, or hiding a burning cigarette in a closed drawer, and other things. We all held an intervention, but it made no difference.

 

So in their honor, I would do something like, The Art and Ruth Center for Tobacco Use Prevention, Education, and Cessation.

 

5) Rhianna recently had her first baby, a boy. According to the Social Security Administration, the top names for baby boys in 2021 were Liam and Noah. Is there a Liam or Noah in your life?

 

 

No, not currently, but this did give me a chance to look at Liam Hemsworth again, and that ain't bad.

 

6) When she was still in her teens, Rhianna entered a beauty pageant on a dare, and won! Can you recall a time you acted on a dare?

 

 

Oh. Heh. I've been known to accept a dare or two in my time. I remember once, either right before Chloë was born (she's 20 years old now, will be 21 in September), or right after (so I still had the belly!), I was doing laundry late at night. Maybe 10 PM. But our washer and dryer were in a separate building from our house, maybe 100 or 150 yards and outside the fence, through the gate, down the driveway, and in another door. As soon as I'd put the load of clothes in and gotten back to the house, I realized I still had the clothes I was wearing to put in. Aack!

 

So Hubs dared me to dash out there right away, throw my clothes in, and just streak back. I thought about it for a quick second, looked out there... it's dark, no lights, and I could run pretty fast at the time. So I did it. BUT. When I got up the porch steps to our back door, Rob was there, laughing. And he had turned on the porch light. And he had locked the door on me!

 

7) While on tour, she likes to sneak out into the audience, just to get the vibe from out there. To disguise herself, Rhianna slips on a black oversized hoodie. Are hoodies a staple of your wardrobe?

 

 

Well, I have my green one right here next to me, but I'm not photo ready quite yet, and I can't find me wearing it anywhere in my photo gallery.  So here are Hubs and Chloë each wearing one.

  

8) In 2012, the year this song topped the charts, London hosted the Olympic Games. If you won a trip to London, what would you like to see?

 

 

Are we having a raffle here? But me in for 10 tickets. But seriously, I think I would have to be a total tourist if I were to go to London. Double-decker bus, Tower of London, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey... Yes. Everything. But I'm really interested in venturing out and seeing some proper English gardens, too. Very much so. ♥

 
9) Random question: Did either or both your parents go to college?

 

 

As far as I know, they each did a semester or two of community college there ^ at Harriman Community College, in Monroe, New York (my origin).

 

~*~*~*~*~

 

L00k, I did the whole thing! Add me another ticked to the raffle!

 

Fin.

 

Saturday 9: Yesterday

Well hello, everyone! I trust you've been well. I just learned that my email (yahoo)'s been tricky about the way it's showing me my messages, and I didn't know several of you had responded to my previous posts. I'm going to try and get around to those after this message tonight. Sorry about that!

If you're looking to join this group of fun Saturday bloggers, look no further than right here.

Gonna jump right in here.

~*~*~*~*~

Saturday 9: Yesterday (1965)

Unfamiliar with this week's song? Hear it here.

{Chosen because June 18 is Paul McCartney's 80th birthday.} 

1) Paul McCartney sings that yesterday all his troubles seemed so far away. Can you recall a time when your life seemed carefree?

I can say there were pockets of time here and there, or even pockets of time each day where things seemed fancy-free... but I'm not so sure I could claim there were any long stretches.

2) He has always insisted the melody to "Yesterday" came to him in a dream. Did you dream last night?

Yes, I dreamt for the umpteenth time about all these big birds I didn't know I had suddently flying away from me. It's very disconcerting!

3) The lyrics were inspired, in part, by the death of Paul's mother when he was 14. Thirteen years later, he named his daughter Mary after her. Are you named after anyone? If you're a parent, did you name your children in honor of anyone?

No, I was almost named Eleanor after my dad's mother, but while he out of the room, she grabbed the birth certificate paperwork and put in the name I have. We did name our son, Robert Wiliam's, first name after my husband, Rob. My father, another Robert, thought it was for him, but no, man, c'mon with that. That was just a terrible coincidence! William was not for Rob but rather for his late friend, Bill Rose, who was a mentor in fly-fishing and in life. Sadly, that's the kidlet that we lost.

4) Over the years, Paul has performed on bass, acoustic and electric guitars, keyboards and drums, but not the first instrument he owned: the trumpet. A present from his dad for his 14th birthday, he exchanged the trumpet for a guitar because, "you can't sing while playing the trumpet." Have you more recently a) exchanged a gift, b) donated a gift you didn't want to charity or c) regifted?

Gosh, I really can't remember doing any of those lately!

5) Paul grew up seeing how much his dad enjoyed placing a bet and then listening to the horse race from his favorite armchair in the living room, so he took his salary from making the film A Hard Day's Night and surprised his father with a racehorse. After father and son proudly watched Drake's Drum win at Liverpool's Aintree Racecourse, the horse retired to Paul's farm in Scotland. If money were no object, what gift would you give a loved one?

I'd probably gift each of my three kiddos with a car that befits them. Sophie can probably enjoy anything, but for the older - and also much smaller - two, I would need to give them a car made for or adaptable for very short folks. Reaching the pedals, sitting back in the seat while not clinging desperately to the steering wheel, and being able to see out the windshield, are just the beginning goals for them!

6) Paul is considered one of the world's wealthiest entertainers, worth an estimated $1.2 billion. This month, as he approaches his 80th birthday, he is winding up a 16-city North American tour, during which he performs 30+ songs in a 2 hour, 40 minute show. If you had all the money you needed, would you continue to work? Or would you kick back and relax?

 

Dude, I wish I could work!! I'm not even reliable for working from home or self-employment anymore. I'm sad and it sucks and what was the question, again?

7) Paul first joined the Beatles when he was recruited into the band by John Lennon. They met as teenagers when Paul showed up at a church picnic where John's band was performing. Paul recalls pedaling over on his bike to hear them, his guitar flung over this back. When did you most recently ride a bike? 

That's me, and according to my records, it was May 29, 2014 - before the world (my good health) came crashing down.

8) Paul met his first wife, Linda, at a London club and then again four days later when she was a photographer at a press party for Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band. Think about one of your romances. Where did you meet?

After having several classes together, J and I were not partners, but my partner and I were linked across the table with him and his partner, so we all did a lot of chit-chatting together. Mostly me. We got to know each other better, so sometimes that chattering, between him and me, turned flirtatious. Eventually, he asked to walk me back to my dorm, and... I'm going to stop right there. Heh. 

9) TV journalist Barbara Walters played matchmaker for Paul and his current wife, Nancy. During the summer of 2007, when Paul was vacationing in The Hamptons, Barbara repeatedly and intentionally invited them to the same parties and picnics. Have you had any success in a matchmaking scenario -- as either the matchmaker or one of the dates?

Not that I'm aware of, I can't think of anything I've done or benefited from in that regard!

~*~*~*~*~

Okay, I'm out. Y'all have a fantastic weekend! 

  

Fin.

Saturday 9: Let Me Love You Tonight

☼

Hi, everyone! How are you doing? I hope all are well.

Guess what? After nearly two years of living on Maryland's Eastern Shore, I was finally able to get not  just to the beach, but down to the water yesterday! I had my husband and my daughter's assistance, along with that of my new four-footed cane that I bought specifically for the sand, and took rests when I needed to. And then Hubs found this information about free beach wheelchairs posted:

So I probably got up to my knees or so. I would've gone much farther (let's face it, I would've let it envelop me and pull me all the way back to my mermaid family, haha), but the water was too cold for Rob and I wouldn't have wanted to make him have to rescue me in it! So other than being exhausted after, I was elated!

Anyway, let's do it:

~*~*~*~*~

Saturday 9: Let Me Love You Tonight (1980)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

 

☼

 

1) Pure Prairie League was a country rock band signed by Casablanca Records in 1980. The label, known for disco hits, wanted to expand their client roster in case disco died. (Which it did, and Casablanca ultimately went bankrupt.) Disco can be a polarizing topic among music fans. Do you love it or loathe it?

 

 

I lean heavily toward... neutral. I have no strong feelings either way.

 

2) In this song, lead singer Vince Gill encourages his girl to hold him tight. Who did you most recently hug?

 

 

I  hugged my son Jack. He woke up and came upstairs to greet me and give me a hug. He's 19. I'll take it!

 

3) Vince Gill left The Pure Prairie League in 1982 and went on to be a solo success. Tell us about a job you were glad you left.

 

 

"Where Shopping is a Pleaure" I probably could've stayed at Publix forever if I'd wanted to, but I'd worked at Publix all through college and now I wanted to put that degree to use. So I got off my duff and did my biology internship, took my GRE which got me into a top lab, started my PhD, and... realized something was missing. Not long into that, I met and eloped with my husband. May some of that could've happened if I'd stayed and worked at Publix, but probably not!

 

4) He says his favorite song is the country classic, "He Stopped Loving Her Today." Do you often listen to country?

 

via GIPHY

 

5) Vince joined The Eagles on tour after the 2016 death of Glenn Frey, taking over Frey's guitar solos. Do you have a favorite Eagles song?

 

 

I love a lot of their discography, but I think "Peaceful Easy Feeling" might be my favorite.

 
6) Vince met future wife, singer Amy Grant, when she performed on his Christmas TV special. Have you ever had a workplace romance?

 

Yes.

 
7) In 1980, when this song was popular, The Love Boat was a hit. Have you ever taken a cruise? If yes, where did you go?

 

 

I've been on a few. 

 

When I was 14, I went with my family aboard the Carnival Ecstasy, above, to San Juan, PR, to a private island in the Bahamas, to St. Thomas in the USVI.

 

I was very much bitten by the cruising bug at that time!

 

 

But I spent an awful lot of time on THIS type of cruise - that R/V stands for "research vessel," and I am thoroughly familiar with the ins and outs of the Coral Reef II, with which the University of Miami and Shedd Aquarium frequently partnered - whilst in college. Don't get me wrong; I loved  these cruises. But I love all cruises.

 

 

And then, between college and grad school, my grandfather took several of us on another -- outrageously beautful --  Christmas cruise. We visited Cozumel, in Mexico. Grandpa knew that I wasn't taking the medications I needed for the acid reflux disease that I was (and still do) suffering from, so he took me to a farmacía in Cozumel and bought me a year's supply of those prescripitions I wasn't taking - over the counter, for far, far below their cost in the States.

 

We also visited Montego Bay in Jamaica, which was beautiful and fun. We stopped in Grand Cayman Island and visited Hell there (yes, partly so I could send postcards marked from there). And we visited a market in Limón, Costa Rica, which was fabulous. I adored that - and so did Grandpa, I think. And then finally, for the pièce de résistance, our ship went through the Panama Canal, Panama. Grandpa was really emotional about that. Shoot, he was born in 1926; was it even fully done then?

 

There were two more cruises after that, and I don't think I'm done!

 

8) 1980 also gave us the Post-It Note. What did you most recently write on a Post-It?

 

 

Oh, yesterday or the day before. I use post-its in my planner pretty frequently.

9) Random question: You find yourself one of three strangers trapped in an elevator. Would you rather the other two people be a man and a woman, two men, or two women?

 

 

I think a man and a woman. We would bring our various strengths and weaknesses and hopefully gtfo of there!

 

~*~*~*~*~

 

All righty. Two and a half hours into the afternoon and I'm finally finished. Y'all steer clear of that COVID-19 and the Monkeypox now, y'hear? (And Lyme, ugh.) Be safe, be well.

 

Fin.

Saturday 9: Livin' La Vida Loca

Hey, hey, ladies and gents! Happy Saturday! Thank you, Hostess Sam, for bringing us these questions.

I'm excited for this week. Ricky Martin and Livin' La Vida Loca were a huuuuge part of the space between my college years and the doctorate. I loved it and always blasted it in the car. I didn't know Enrique Martín Morales during his Menudo days, but I've loved him ever since La Vida. ♥

Let's go.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Saturday 9: Livin' La Vida Loca (1999)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) Ricky Martin sings that he and the girl dance in the rain. Do you feel like dancing this morning?

 

 

If dancing from the hips up counts, I already have while sitting here listening to Sting and Shaggy start off with "Englishman in New York" on NPR's Tiny Desk Concert. So fun!

2) The lyrics tell us the girl prefers champagne. When did you last enjoy a glass of the bubbly?

 

 

Oh a verrrrry long time. I have three reasons for that: (1) I have Mast Cell Activation Syndrome, and I kept having reactions to alcohol, even when I was down to maybe two drinks a year, so that was enough of that (and Sophia asked me to stop since the reactions freaked her out); (2) I take far too many medications that don't play well with medication; and (3) tomorrow, I'm starting disulfiram, aka antabuse, for my Lyme disease. Since it was intented for alcohol abuse, I will get a nasty set of reactions if I touch alcohol - including cough medicine or rubbing alcohol! - and that seals the deal for me.

 

3) When Ricky first heard "Livin' La Vida Loca," he imagined  the subject of the song was a "Bond girl," the glamorous love interest of James Bond in the movies. Since 1962, there have been more than 20 Bond films. Have you seen any/many of them? Do you have a favorite Bond?

 

 

I've seen 1983's Octopussy with Roger Moore (I was 7; interesting parenting choice) and 1995's Goldeneye with the sexy-as-hell Pierce Brosnan and his equally stunning co-star, Famke Janssen. I like them okay; I don't know why I haven't seen more of them. Just not a huge priority. I suppose.

 

4) Ricky tells interviewers that when he was very young, he'd sing in the family kitchen, pretending a wooden spoon was his microphone. Crazy Sam admits to lip synching into a black Magic Marker. When you gave imaginary concerts, what did you use as a microphone?

 

 

Whatever was available - usually a hairbrush

5) Ricky began working at the tender age of 9, performing in commercials. How old were you when you received your first paycheck?

 

 

I was 15 and working as a cashier at the Big M in "B'ville," in New York.

 

6) Ricky does yoga to stay in shape. Have you ever tried yoga?

 

 

Oh, sure. I had been practicing mostly "gentle" yoga - not these advanced asanas - from high schools until I got really sick, just before we moved to Boise in 2017. I still kept trying, but it became clear that my Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Hypermobile Type, among other issues, was too much for that right now. Everything is dislocating because I can hyperextend everything. I don't stretch to sooth my aching bones and joints and muscles - I hyperextend and hold that for as long as I can. So yoga is now a different animal for me.

7) Ricky is of primarily Spanish descent, with a little French mixed in. When you think of French cuisine, what comes to mind?

 

 

Oh, lots and lots of things, but lately I have had soufflé on the brain. Yum, yum.

 

8) Ricky once had his own restaurant, Casa Salsa, in Miami Beach. Have you ever worked in food service?

 

 

I have, but not a lot. While I did my fisheries internship, my co-intern and I decided to moonlight in catering at the now-defunct The C0lony Beach and Tennis Resort on Longboat Key, Florida. That lasted 10 weeks, as long as our internship, and we had a blast. I loved it, and I loved the clients. We had a lot of fun! So when I later moved up to St. Petersburg, I secured a job at the expansive Vinoy Renaissance Resort & Golf Club there. Oh, my God, it was beautiful.

 

But on my first day of actual work after orientation, I was serving in a dining room full of businessmen wearing fancy suits. We were delivering bowls of soups to their table. and I approached one particular man. As I was about to set his bowl down, my hand gave out, and I dumped the soup ALL. OVER. HIM. Holy shit. It was mortifying, and that guy stood up, using his napkin, and dressed me up and down, up and down, and up and down once again. I was so embarrassed, my pride so wounded, I went across the hall and let my captain know what happened and promptly quit.

 

9) Random question: What is your best quality?

 

 

Empathy. I can say that with absolute certainty.

 

 ~*~*~*~*~

 

Have a swell day, y'all. Namaste. 🙏

 

Fin.

Saturday 9: Vision Of Love

Hey, friends.  I hope you are doing well. We're in something like our 9th week of hotel-living, and I can tell you, we are so over it!!!

But, the sale of our Idaho house is going well, and we should be closing at the end of the month. I'm thrilled it was picked up so quickly. Now, I just hope we can find a new one here in Maryland (or possibly Delaware) at such a great pace!

Link up here if you're playing along with us this week!

~*~*~*~*~

Saturday 9: Vision of Love (1990)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) The lyrics refer to "sweet destiny." Do you believe in destiny?

 

I don't really know what I believe there. But like this meme here, I tend to think it's some parts chance and some parts making intentional moves.

 

2) This week's artist, Mariah Carey, has something to fall back on. She studied cosmetology and worked as a hair sweeper in a salon. When you get your hair cut, do you socialize with the stylist?

 

At first, as little as possible. I have to be comfortable with someone before I can get chatty; I'm an extroverted introvert. When my sister gets ahold of my hair (she's a stylist in New York; that's her up there in the purple), then of course it's a non-stop chatterfest.

 

3) She isn't likely to turn to cosmetology any time soon. Mariah is currently on the best seller list with her autobiography, The Meaning of Mariah Carey. Was the last book you finished fiction or non-fiction?

 

 

I've got White Fragility still in my laptop bag, and a few others I really need to get started on.

 

4) So far, more than 800 people have reviewed Mariah's book on Amazon. Do you review products/services online?

 

 

I really don't do that many reviews, and when I do, I find I usually do write more negative ones - the really negative experiences - than positive ones. So I've been working on changing that. I don't know how often I'll get to the middle-of-the-road reviews, though!

5) When she was a high school student, she was nicknamed "Mirage" because she skipped class so often. Did you ever play hooky?

 

School and work? Almost never, if not never. I never played "hooky" unless being too sick to go counted. But now that I'm sick, I'm completely unreliable. And I hate it.

6) Mariah doesn't apologize for spoiling her dogs, who have been known to travel by limo. Do you know anyone who treats their pets like people?

 

Oh, yeah. Like, my 19-year-old daughter treats her cat here, Pepper, like her son. He's her absolute baby. She lives for that boy!

7) In 1990, the year this song was popular, Martina Navratilova won the Wimbledon Women's Singles Tournament. How's your tennis game?

 

 

I liked playing, but I was never very good. I've got poor depth perception. Pretty important for tennis!

8) Also in 1990, Pope John Paul II toured Mexico. Have you ever visited our neighbor south of the border?

 

 

Yes. Twice. The first, time, I was on a cruise, and my grandfather took me aside when we were in Cozumel. I don't remember anything about the location (other than that it was beautiful), because he took me to a pharmacy or two to get cheap drugs. Heh. I was a poor, struggling graduate student then, and Grandpa knew I had no health insurance but needed a lot of  meds. He'd learned that you could get them cheap in Mexico, and so he bought me a year's supply. (He seriously was the greatest.)

 

The second time, Hubs and I were on a retreat to somewhere, shortly after his brain surgery. We had a lot of semi-relaxed fun, drank a lot, and enjoyed each other's company. I know we were in Mexico, but I cannot for the life of me remember the name of the resort or the region!

9) Random question(s): There are Gofundme campaigns for many purposes. Have you ever solicited funds online? Would you?

Yes. For my kid's art supplies for a great class she was taking, of the Masters. (Hat tip to Sam.) Otherwise... it hasn't always gone well. I'm out of that game.

~*~*~*~*~

Hope you all have a pretty decent weekend! I'm hoping we get to look at a couple houses and maybe take a day trip somewhere. Where will the road take you...?

Fin.

Saturday 9: Buttered Popcorn

Welcome back, my lovelies! This weekend finds us at a different hotel than where we were during my write-up of last week's Saturday 9; not only that, but we are in our third or fourth room in the current establishment! Things have gotten a little ridiculous with the room-jumping, and we are exhausted. So, we're not too terribly disappointed over the thunder and lightning going on for the past several days, keeping us from the beach. Maybe we'll go tomorrow?

This week, Crazy Sam brings us the Supremes! Little before my time, but I'm a fan nonetheless. Link up here if you're playing along this weekend!

~*~*~*~*~

Saturday 9: Buttered Popcorn (1961)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) This Saturday, the treat's on Sam. Will you have buttered popcorn, caramel corn or cheese popcorn?

I'm not a huge fan of popcorn, actually. Maybe I'll have some popcorn shrimp instead?

2) This record represents the Supremes as they are seldom heard. Florence Ballard is singing lead, with background vocals provided by Mary Wilson, Barbara Martin and Diane Ross. That's right, "Diane." Her parents meant for her to be named "Diane," and that's what old friends and family still call her, but the hospital mistakenly put her name down as "Diana." Motown execs thought "Diana Ross" had a better sound and the rest, as they say, is history. Do you often make typos? Or are you careful and precise at the keyboard?

I find myself making far more typos lately than I ever used to. My mind is just going faster than my fingers can keep up - always a problem, has just gotten worse.

3) Barbara Martin left the Supremes in 1962, before they reached stardom, because she was a new mom and wanted to stay home with her baby. Have you ever found yourself in the difficult position of having to choose between your personal and professional lives?

Certainly. I left the world of marine biology to be a wife and mom, with my husband and I having the fullest intent that I stay home to raise the kids and not miss many - or any - "firsts." It was a tremendous sacrifice for us in many ways, and I still feel the pull of the rip tide out to the sea, but I know we did the right thing for our children. It was worth it.

4) Florence Ballard's cousin, Hank, wrote the famous Chubby Checkers dance record, "The Twist." When did you last get on your feet and dance?

I'm not able to do too much of that these days, between balance issues with my left inner ear, and problems with POTS and low blood pressure. But I heard some merengue music in the store yesterday and very slightly moved to the rhythm. I learned to dance the merengue from my many Latinx friends during my college years. Hard to resist!

5) Mary Wilson stayed with the group until it disbanded in 1977. She has said that one of her most memorable moments came in 1968, when the group performed for Princess Margaret. Mary recalled that the Princess loudly asked if Mary's hair was real or a wig. Mary was shocked, expecting better behavior from a royal. Tell us a time when someone's behavior shocked you.

I'm a fully-active anti-racist and an ally accomplice to the movements supporting all marginalized and disenfranchised populations. So I've seen and heard a lot - as have we all over the course of this terrible year. Yet every highly-publicized police shooting of a Black person, such as Jake Blake most recently, shocks me again. And then the scumbag 17-year-old kid who crossed state lines with an AR-15 to hunt down peaceful protesters, then subsequently be let walk away by the police, took the cake. I keep thinking, "What else?" and then knocking the hell out of whatever wood is nearby.

6) In 1961, when this song was released, the TV show Hazel premiered and was a top 5 hit for NBC. Oscar winner Shirley Booth played the title character, a very capable and lovable maid. If Crazy Sam could have a maid for just a few hours today, she'd love to have her refrigerator cleaned and kitchen cabinets organized. If you could have a pair of helping hands around your house this afternoon, what would you ask the maid to do? 

Well, living in hotel rooms for the past 10 days with very few belongings, our room can only get so untidy. It feels like the above picture to me, a bit of a neat freak, but in reality looks nothing like that. Housekeeping staff are not allowed in guests' hotel rooms during their stays these days, so we're on our own with fresh towels, emptying garbage, and so on. It's not so bad. Honestly I'd rather say F- it and just take a long nap!

7) Also in 1961, President John F. Kennedy appeared on the cover of Time as their Man of the Year. Are there any magazines in your home right now? If so, who is on the cover?

I've got a few magazines in my laptop backpack, including this issue of People with Kelly Ripa and her family on the cover. I've always thought her husband, Mark Consuelos, was soooo hot since way back in the day when they first starred together on All My Children. And that hasn't changed!

8) Ernest Hemingway died in 1961. Have you read any of his works?

Certainly. I think The Old Man and the Sea was one of my favorite of his writings. I've toured Hemingway House in Key West two or three times, most recently so my feline-crazy kids could admire the six-toed cats.

9) Random question: How many pancakes are in the perfect stack?

Oh, I can only eat about two or three at a time these days, so not very many... but please make it with whatever kind of fruit(s) you've got!

~*~*~*~*~

Okay. I think I may actually take that nap right now. Enjoy your weekend!

Fin.

P.S. My grandfather adored the show Hazel. If it was on, he was watching it!

Saturday 9: CSI: Who Are You?

Hi guys - I'm going to get right into it today as I'm tired and have a migraine pressing really hard on my frontal lobe. 

Link up here if you're playing along!

~*~*~*~*~

Saturday 9: Who Are You? (1977)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) This song, originally recorded by The Who, was the theme of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, which ran from 2000 to 2015. Did you watch it? Were you a fan?

I was a much bigger fan - and more frequent watcher - of CSI: Miami. I'm just drawn to that place, dammit! I did watch the original now and then, but it just didn't grab me the same way.

2) When the show premiered, Gil Grissom (William Petersen) was the CSI team's supervisor. Gil's mother was deaf, and so he was fluent in American Sign Language. Can you communicate using ASL?

No, I really can't, and I feel bad about it. My husband has some hearing loss, partly due to being born with the genetic Noonan Syndrome, and partly due to lifestyle and career choices. He learned SEE-Sign when he was a kid. Our oldest, Chloë, and our son, Jack (and presumably his late identical twin) also have Noonan Syndrome and also have hearing loss. When Jack was a toddler, we started him in speech therapy, because he really didn't start to speak until age three. His therapist taught me some basic ASL so that I could communicate with him in order to understand his needs. Chloë's hearing loss from the syndrome is perhaps the worst, and it has progressed significantly over the past year. She's taken it upon herself to learn ASL, and she's become quite proficient at it. I've floated the idea to her to become a sign language interpreter someday.

3) His assistant is blood-splatter analyst Catherine Willows (Marg Helgenberger). Catherine's family moved often, which made it hard for her to get traction in her studies. She finally just dropped out of high school. She later got her GED, and even graduated from college. Have you ever considered going back to school?

Yes, definitely. I am actively researching options.
 
4) Though set in Las Vegas, most of CSI was filmed in Santa Clarita, CA. Santa Clarita is also home to Six Flags Magic Mountain amusement park. Do you enjoy roller coasters?

That would be a resounding NO! from me!

5) The vocalist on the CSI theme, Roger Daltry of the Who made a cameo appearance on the show during season 7. Do you have a favorite Who song?

I haven't really thought about that too much. Maybe Baba O'Riley?

6) CSI became a franchise, followed by CSI: Miami and CSI: New York. If we could organize a Saturday 9 field trip, which of these CSI cities would you prefer we visit: Las Vegas, Miami or New York?

This was a tough one for me. Not Las Vegas; I am not a fan of that city at all. But I do love both New York City and Miami. I really had to consider this one, and finally I just went with my gut: if a trip was organized here vs. there, which trip would make me jump to attention? The answer was clear: Miami.

7) In 2000, the last original Peanuts comic strip was published. How many Peanuts characters can you name?

Apparently about 80% of them, according to this little quiz I just took.

8) Also in 2000, media giant Time Warner merged with America Online, the email provider. It's estimated that 74% of us check our email at least once/day. Are you one of the 74%?

Absolutely. I'm surprised there are even that many who don't do so!

9) Random question -- Did you more recently cut and paste, or delete?

The former, for putting these meme fotos into my post. Deleting usually applies to my own photo and doc files.

~*~*~*~*~

Alrighty, I know it's almost 9 am, but I'm heading back into bed, under the covers. I've had a bagel, which puts me into a carb coma. See y'all soon!

Fin.

Sunday Stealing: League Of Extraordinary Penpals

Hey there, hi there, ho there, thieves! I'm watching the documentary series "Diagnosis" on Netflix right now - and of course, now my husband and I are going, "You need to get on that!" regarding all of my health issues - so forgive me if my answers become disjointed from distraction. I have a habit of going back later and finding I've done that!

I trust you are all well.

Link up here if you want to steal some shhhh--- today! Let's go:

~*~*~*~*~

1 What are your plans for August?

Well, August is kind of a big month. We bought this big, beautiful, modern house last June. It's in a very small town in nowheresville, Idaho. I love the house. I do. I love my freakin' house. But I hate where it is. I've tried for 14 months to just be okay here for the sake of everybody else, but I just cannot do it anymore. I've got to GTFO of this state.

So, four of us are moving into an extended-stay hotel in Boise on Monday. Chloë, who will be 19 next month, is moving out into a place of her own and staying here. (Not gonna lie, I'm having a very hard time with that.) Rob's hiring movers that will come in and pack us up, then we'll have a move-out cleaning, and then the realtor who sold us the house is going to put it back on the market for us.

The average time for a home in our area to be on the market is 9 days, so I'm crossing my fingers for good luck like that. (Please cross yours, too!)

As soon as that happens, we're paying off the remainder of our car loan and gifting the car to Chloë. Then we'll hop a plane to Maryland.

Watch for what happens next...

2 Review the first half of 2020:

🔼🔼 There you go. 🔼🔼

3 A place you’d go if money were no object:

Oh, I'd definitely go on a space flight and realize my childhood dreams.

4 Who was your childhood best friend?

Well, it seemed like in elementary school I had a different best friend every year. Victoria... Thea... Shannon.... Ellie... different Shannon...

But from 6^th grade on, I had a group of friends that pretty much stayed together. I count two of them (Lisa & Shana) as my best friends to this day. I'm lucky to have them. ♥

5 The city or town you love most?

Can I just say the entire Miami-Dade County? There are soooo many things there that I love, I couldn't pick just one municipality! Of course, I love my alma mater in Coral Gables. Then there's South Beach, of course. Then Coconut Grove... the quick drive to the Keys. I love everything about Miami!

6 How do you spend hot days?

That depends... am I still in Miami, or am I stuck in Idaho? Is it a COVID year, or just an El Niño year? Given my druthers, I'd be at the beach every day, all day.

7 Are you a skilled cook or baker?

Well, I'm no expert, but I do all right. I used to have a baking business when we lived in Virginia Beach, but after one exceedingly frustrating disappointment on an order I worked terribly hard on, I kinda just... stopped.

8 One thing you wish you could currently do:

Hmm... Speaking of Virginia Beach, I wish I could go to the Oceanfront there right NOW! Where's King Neptune when you need him?

9 A time when you learned your lesson:

Oh, I definitely learned my lesson from buying this house here in Mountain Home: no matter how much you love the house, if you hate the town, it's not the perfect house. There are some things you just can't compromise on. So now I have my eye on this house (center, foreground) in Maryland...

10 What consistently makes you laugh?

My husband, an old sailor, has an endless supply of filthy jokes. I try to act shocked, but he knows I'm amused.

11 Routines that bring you calm and peace:

Communing with nature

12 Who annoys you the most?

It's definitely this husband of mine - but I'm sure it's mutual!!

13 Describe some of your favorite household items.

Last September, we drove up to Washington to visit Great Wolf Lodge for Chloë's 18th birthday. Here are our three kids' wristbands from their first visit to Great Wolf Lodge - in Williamsburg, Virginia - over a decade earlier. ♥ (Our orally-fixated pup, Tapioca, has since eaten one of them.)

Here are all the pet tags from all the dogs and cats we've had who are no longer with us. ♥

Here is the tape of "Wonderful Tonight" that my friends from graduate school, Heather and Mason, rearranged and did on guitar and vocals. They gave it to us at our wedding reception. I have got to get it re-recorded digitally! ♥

And finally, here is just a small fraction of the pennies we've pressed over the years. We press pennies everywhere we go and have many books full of them! ♥

14 What have you gotten better at?

I mean, what was the starting line? I've gotten a whole lot better at walking and talking since I started about 43 years ago, I'll you that much!

15 Share a random memory.

When I was very young, probably under three years old, my family visited a zoo of some sort. We stopped at a kiosk somewhere, and my mother bought herself a drink. She was carrying me on her hip, so when she took a sip, I begged for a sip, too. It was delicious!!! Today I might describe it as sort of a virgin piña colada. When Mom got near the bottom of the cup, she said I could have the rest of her drink. I was so excited. Then, as soon as I had the cup in hand, Mom pivoted away from the camel pen we were standing right next to. I had the cup in my hand, and then suddenly it was snatched away from me! I looked back in shock to see the camel not only finishing my drink, but eating the cup to boot! Oh, how I sobbed. That is the only thing I remember from that day.

16 How many pairs of shoes do you have?

Oh, maybe about a dozen, give or take. I'm really not sure. I do know that more than half of those are Crocs, though!

(I need those green and turquoise pairs!)

17 Who do you go to for encouragement?

It depends on what I need encouragement for. I have a team!

18 References you make that others don’t get.

Well, if I told you about them, you would get it, and then they wouldn't really be inside jokes anymore, right?

19 What are 10 things you consider essential for you?

a Erin Condren Lifeplanner

b colorful Tul pens

c Versace prescription glasses

d Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra

e Mint & Argan lip balm from Grove Collaborative (it's seriously the best)

f inhaler, definitely

g lotion, always gotta have lotion

h hairbrush, especially now that Sophia's making me grow it out long

i some kind of hard candy, because I go hypoglycemic fairly often

j jewelry - always have a necklace and hoops of some sort on at least!

20 Is there any accent you wish you had?

Australian. I tend to pick up accents and languages fairly easily, but I cannot for the life of me do an Australian accent. I just can't!

~*~*~*~*~

Okay, I'm posting this really late because I was at the ER all morning, so no one will probably read it. But if ya did, thank you and have a great week!

Fin.

 

Saturday 9: Moonlighting

Welcome back, ladies and gents! What a week. What a week!

Forget about what's going on in this crazy country.  Some women (myself included) may have had an online countdown to their baby's due date. Or to their wedding date (not guilty; eloped). And so on. I'm sure I'm not the only one counting down the seconds until election day. Amirite?!

Personally, even more upheaval than I talked about last week. Last time, I said we were going to sell the "perfect house" in the country and get back to the city (aka Boise). Now, we're going to sell the house in the country, the eldest child is going to stay here and carry on with her live, the rest of us are going to move back to the East Coast, and we're going to buy another house. It's crazy town.

Meanwhile, with all of my myriad health problems going on for the last several years, my doc has run a bunch of blood tests and determined, among other swell bits of news, that the mononucleosis I had back as a freshman in college has been reactivated. Which explains why I need a nap every day just to recover from the nap I just had. And then maybe another nap.

Everyone's in a tizzy about moving and packing and house-selling and house-buying, and my sleepy-@$$ is of absolutely no use to anyone. I'm doing what I do best: I'm making a whole lot of lists.

So, let's get on with things. You didn't really come here to listen to my life. Link up here to play along!

~*~*~*~*~

Saturday 9: Moonlighting (1985)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) Moonlighting was an award-winning comedy-drama that ran from 1985 to 1989. Are you familiar with the show? Were you a fan?

I watched from time to time. I would have been 9-13 years old then. It wasn't a huge priority, but if it was on and nothing else was, I might've watched. I'm not a huge fan of Cybill Shepherd.

2) The series revolved around The Blue Moon Detective Agency in Los Angeles. There have been countless TV shows and movies about detectives and their cases, yet Crazy Sam doesn't know anyone who has ever hired a private investigator. How about you? Have you ever had anything or anyone investigated?

^^^ That would be me. I haven't hired a PI, but I have called the police to file a report a few times. I can quickly think of at least three. Fortunately for me in these situations, I'm white, so I didn't get murdered.

3) The agency was named Blue Moon because one of the owners, Maddie Hayes, was a model known as The Blue Moon Girl, famous for promoting Blue Moon Shampoo. If we were to rename their detective agency based on the shampoo you most recently used, what would it be called?

Well, I guess it would be the Soapbox Detective Agency. I love my Soapbox shampoos and conditioners, which I get from Grove Collaborative. (If you use that link, you'll get a free gift set.) Soapbox is great for so many reasons, from being environmentally-responsible to being philanthropic: for every product purchased, they donate a bar of soap to someone in need, either state-side or internationally. Aside from all that, it works great on my thin, baby-fine hair!

4) Cybill Shepherd played Maddie Hayes. Cybill believes we can all find romance many times and said she considers the concept of one true love as "dramatic treacle." Do you agree?

I do agree with her. I think any given person can have many different soulmates throughout their life. I never subscribed to the idea that a person only found ONE "the one" in their life, and that was it.

5) David Addison was played by Bruce Willis. At the beginning of his career he couldn't support himself as a actor and held down part-time jobs as a security guard, shuttle bus driver and bartender. How many different occupations have you had?

Dude. I think I've had just about every part-time job there is. When I got my first full-time job, as a legal secretary, I finally felt all grown up! Of course, my status has been "stay-home mom/homemaker" for the better part of the last 20 years, so it's almost time to shake it up again there, too.

6) The Moonlighting theme was co-written and performed by Al Jarreau. While in college, Al planned on being a career counselor. Yet once he began performing with a jazz trio, he knew that music was where his heart was. Tell us about a time you found joy from an unexpected source.

Oh, I find simple pleasures all around, all the time. I have to, maybe, as a self-preservation mechanism or else I'd go insane! ...Lately, I've been making these bookmarks to include in cards I'm sending as part of a program of support for LGBT youth. A lot of the others involved in this program have raved about how beautiful they are and have asked for one/some. I never expected that and got a nice dose of warm fuzzies out of it.

7) Moonlighting was created by Glenn Gordon Caron. ABC gave him the opportunity based on his work on Remington Steele and Taxi. Of these three shows -- Moonlighting, Remington Steele and Taxi -- which would you prefer to binge watch?

Need I say more? I mean, Pierce Brosnan. SEXY!
 
8) In 1985, the year Moonlighting premiered, Coca Cola introduced The New Coke. It was not successful and disappeared from store shelves quickly. What's the most recent beverage you drank?

I'm still loving and sucking down my Cirkul water! (That link will get you $5 off your purchase.) They have a ton of tasty flavors, many different lines/formulations, and just something for everyone! I'm so happy Cirkul has helped me kick WAY back on my Diet Coke habit.

9) Random question  -- Each day, do you put more time into improving your mind or your appearance?

Ha! When you're as sick as I've gotten, your appearance is generally an afterthought. I rarely have the energy to care about that. I do, however, experience brain fog and memory deficits, so I'm always working on improving that. I rely so heavily on this brain; can't have it crapping out on me!

~*~*~*~*~

Well, I hope you all have the day ahead that you're hoping to have. When things go according to plan - or better than we imagined - that's just the best feeling, isn't it? I wish that for you today.

Fin.

Saturday 9: Flipper

Hey hey, whaddaya say? Anyone else hearing the squeaky flipper noises already? Am I the only who tried to emulate that as a much younger person? (Also maybe older, no telling.)

Link up here if you'd like to play along with us this weekend! I had to take a break and skip last weekend; more health-related BS that no one wants to hear.

So let's get on with it, shall we?

~*~*~*~*~

Saturday 9: Flipper (1964)
 
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) Flipper ran for three seasons, from 1964 to 1967. Are you familiar with the show? Were you a fan?

My sister and I used to watch it as kids, but I guess it must have been in re-runs, then. I don't remember that being the case, but it must have since I wasn't born until nearly a decade after it ended.

2) Brothers Sandy and Bud consider a bottle-nosed dolphin, named Flipper, their pet. Do you currently share your home with any animals?

Yup! Here are two of our four cats, Pepper and Sugarplum. 

Here's one of our two dogs, Paco, who turned 6 years old on the 11th! ♥

And...  here's one of our two bunnies, Benji, with another of the cats, Periwinkle. Quite a zoo we've got going on here!

3) Bud and Sandy's dad was Chief Warden Porter Ricks of the fictional Coral Key Marine Preserve. In reality, the show was filmed in Miami and Key Biscayne. When were you last in the ocean? Which ocean was it?

Last time we were in the ocean was in February 2017, in Key Largo (Atlantic Ocean side), before we moved away from Miami to come here to Idaho. Gawd, I miss my seas!

4) There was no one single "Flipper." In close-ups, the role was played by a dolphin named Susie. While Susie was good at interacting with people, she had trouble with stunts, and sometimes a male dolphin named Clown was brought in for action sequences. Do you consider yourself more social, like Susie? Or are you more athletic, like Clown?

Welp, I'm not a whole lot of either, but I'm definitely not athletic, so I guess I'd have to be more like Susie!

5) Without looking it up, do you know the difference between a dolphin and a porpoise?

Well, I have a degree in marine biology, but I didn't spend a whole lot of time on the marine mammals, so... I'd have to go by memory. I know there is a general size/body proportion difference (I think the dolphins are bigger?), which corresponds to difference in behaviors as well. But what about the  narwhal, y'all? Do you know what that is? ;)

6) Flipper wasn't just a TV pet. He was an industry! During the show's run, Flipper comic books, coloring books and puzzles were very popular. As an adult, do you entertain yourself by reading comics, coloring, or completing jigsaw puzzles?

Well, I haven't been doing a lot of any of that recently. I did by the above jigsaw puzzle at the beginning of this pandemic, around early February, but I have yet to crack open the box.

7) The Flipper lunchbox was also a big seller. It came with a Thermos topped with a red cup. Do you own a Thermos?

No, not per se. Hubs uses a lot of Nalgene bottles and Coleman "thermoses," but I don't believe we have any actual Thermos products. I could be wrong on that, though. As for me, I'm doing all my hydration via several of these Cirkul bottles nowadays. (Have you tried these? I love Cirkul!!!)
 
8) In 1964, when Flipper premiered, it was up against The Outer Limits and The Jackie Gleason Show. If those were your only viewing choices, would you watch the family show about the dolphin, the sci-fi anthology show, or the comedy-variety show? (Or would you rather flip through a magazine?)

I might "flip" (I see what you did there, Crazy Sam!) through a magazine while I watched Flipper. I did love the movie The Toy, but I wasn't a huge fan of Jackie Gleason and have never really been into sci-fi.

9) Random question  -- Which would you be more comfortable explaining: how a car engine works, the current IRS tax brackets, or the rules of baseball?

Oh, yeesh. D: None of the above, I think I'm gonna have to say! Couldn't I explain something like Calculus, Chemistry (as in Avogadro's Number, described in the song above), or the Carrying Capacity of a given ecosystem? That's more my comfort zone. Now I'm going to have to go learn some things so I don't feel like such an idiot. Hee!

~*~*~*~*~

I hope youse guys have a lovely weekend. It's heading up toward about 98ºF here today, and it's been at, near, or above 100ºF for days now, so I'm staying indoors. Hopefully I'll manage not to pass out at Sophie's equestrian show tomorrow!

Fin.

 

Saturday 9: You're A Grand, Old Flag

Welcome back! How is it the weekend again already?! I swear I've been saying, "I'm going to blog more during the week," for about five years now. At least.

Hasn't happened for a multitude of reasons, but I could probably pave a path from here to the moon with those excuses, so I won't belabor the point.

Link up here if you're joining with us this weekend, on the 244th anniversary of the founding of the USA.

~*~*~*~*~

You're a Grand, Old Flag

Unfamiliar with James Cagney's 1942 version of this song? Hear it here.

1) The flag we currently fly, with 50 stars and 13 stripes, was designed by a high school student. When Alaska and Hawaii were added, President Eisenhower invited Americans to submit designs for how best to incorporate the two new states. Ike chose 17-year-old Robert G. Heft's submission from more than 1500 entries. Tell us about a contest you entered and won. (Or really hoped to win.) 

Oh, gosh. It's been a very long time since I've entered a contest requiring any sort of real talent or effort. However, a couple weekends ago, our local library notified me that I'd won a drawing I didn't remember entering. My prize was this blow-up dragon. Woo!

🤣🤣🤣

2) The government also has another of Mr. Heft's designs waiting: one that incorporates a 51st star if another state is added. When you were in school, did you memorize the states and their capitals?

Yes, of course. Definitely. I remember playing a game of that in 5^th grade. My ginger teacher, Mrs. Scolaro, had us all lined up against the back wall, with our backs to the wall, and she'd go down the line and ask for the capital if she gave the state name, or vice versa. If you got it wrong, you had to sit down. I was among the last three standing, I remember that, but I can't remember beyond that.

On another note, this map amuses me. Being in Idaho now, where Napoleon Dynamite took place, we had a neighbor on our way to our old house in Boise that had a "Vote for Pedro!" sign out front. If you haven't watched this indie movie, it's time to give it a look.

3) Six American flags have been planted on the surface of the moon. Those are undoubtedly the flags farthest from you this morning. Where is an American flag flying near you today?

Six? Isn't one enough? Do we really need to clutter  up the moon with six American flags?

Anyway. Ours is furled up in the living room right now, because Hubs forgot to put it out. He assures me he'll put it out tomorrow morning (on the 4^th).

4) This version of the song was performed by James Cagney in the 1942 classic, Yankee Doodle Dandy. Have you ever seen it?

I have not.

5) In that film, Cagney portrayed George M. Cohan, the composer of this week's song. In 1940, Cohan was honored with a Congressional Gold Medal. In presenting him with the award, President Roosevelt specifically thanked Cohan for "You're a Grand Old Flag," "Yankee Doodle Dandy," and "Over There." What's your favorite patriotic song?

Oh, there are several. America's Independence Day has always been my favorite holiday. Ask me today, and I'll tell you it's Lee Greenwood's "God Bless the U.S.A.," and tomorrow I might tell you it's Springsteen's "Born in the USA."

6) Though a performer his entire life, Cohan disliked listening to recordings of his own voice. How about you? Do you like your singing and/or speaking voice?

God, no. I hate my own voice. I sound like Minnie Mouse. People still call me, at 43 years of age, and ask to speak to my mother.

7) James Cagney won the Oscar for Best Actor his performance as George M. Cohan. Also nominated that year was Gary Cooper, who portrayed Lou Gehrig in Pride of the Yankees. Tell us about another movie about a great American.

Have y'all seen the movie Hidden Figures? I took my daughters to see it when it came out in December 2016. It's a story of three true-life American Black women who were pivotal mathematicians in the 60s' space race for NASA. Janelle Monáe plays Mary Jackson, Octavia Spencer plays Dorothy Vaughan, and Taraji P. Henson plays Katherine Johnson, who calculated the trajectory around Earth for John Glenn, first American to orbit our planet. A most inspiring movie. See it. (It's still one of my daughter Chloë's very favorite movies.)

8) As a teen, Cagney juggled high school with a variety of jobs, including bell hop and delivery boy, and gave all his earnings to his family. Looking back, Cagney was grateful that he had to begin work early, saying, "I feel sorry for the kid who has too cushy a time of it. Suddenly he has to come face-to-face with the realities of life without his mama and papa to do his thinking for him." Do you agree?

Yes, I do. 100%.

9) Cagney had a rebellious streak. His boss, studio head Jack Warner, nicknamed Cagney, "The Professional Againster." Cagney joked that he enjoyed earning the title. What about you? Are you rebellious?

I was not rebellious until I was in college and on my own. Before then, I was too afraid what would happen if I was anything less than the good "yes, Daddy, anything you say, Daddy" girl that I appeared to be. I'd like to think I've only gotten more rebellious the longer I'm alive.

~*~*~*~*~

Welp. We've reached the end. Hat-tip to Crazy Sam. I think I will ask my younger daughter to walk the dogs with me. G'night!

Fin.

P.S. Have any of you watched Hamilton on Disney+ today? That's what I'm hoping to do with Sophia and Chloë tonight, as soon as the latter gets home from work!

 

Sunday Stealing: Would You Rather?

Hey there, y'all. Me again. I  hope you're doing well on this June Saturday evening.

I am troubled, but I am doing as well as can be expected.

You see, I am an extreme empath. I want to be an ally for everyone who is marginalized. And of course, this is the month generally allocated for Pride celebrations, and I have two LGBTQ+ daughters. And of course, we are seeing nationwide international protests and demonstrations to bring more light to the causes of white privilege and institutionalized racism. For my entire adult life and then some, I have been an ally for the Black Lives Matter movement even before it was named such a thing. I don't want to be "just" an ally anymore. Nor an accomplice. I want to be a co-conspirator.

And so that means, you might ask, why I am I doing this meme, right now, in this time, with this frame of mind? It is because, as I said, I am an extreme empath. I generally feel all the human emotions more strongly than not just the average human, but even more than the average empath. Sometimes all at once! And so I can tend to get overwhelmed and need a mental break.

This is that break.

If you are not already locked in to some part of this current movement, I ask that you find out how you can become involved. Learning about privilege and prejudice is important (if you are white, generally), and here is a good TEDx Talk to get started. But it's only a start. And I cannot promise there is an endpoint.

But for now, link up here to join in on Sunday Stealing, and I promise I will try not to make my post so heavy.

~*~*~*~*~

Would you rather work in a group or work alone?

I would, by far, rather work alone. I care far too much about the grade to trust anyone else to do any parts of the assignment. I don't know what's worse: having them have to make some contribution and therefore, I can count on my grade to go down because of shoddy work, or doing all the work myself and getting an excellent grade that I then have to share with someone who did nothing.

Would you rather be stuck on an island alone or with someone who talks incessantly?

I am the person who talks incessantly. (You can ask literally anyone who knows me.) If those are the only two choices, I'd rather be alone. Both would drive me crazy, but I think constantly being interrupted would edge out the other one!

Would you rather be too hot or too cold?

I really can't answer that. Neither is good for me. Ever since my gastric bypass surgery in 2009, my internal thermostat is broken (common), and I cannot regulate it myself. If I get too hot, because I have Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, I can quickly overheat and will pass out. If I get too cold, because I have Lyme arthritis and other joint issues, it becomes more painful to exist. But I don't know what that "perfect" temperature might be, and regardless, there are four other people in my house who will certainly be uncomfortable if I find it!

When you’re old, would you rather die before or after your spouse?

Seeing that "simultaneously" is not a choice, I'd rather go first. That man aggravates the absolute crap out of me, but I don't want to live a moment without him. And we want to turn into trees when we become old, with trunks intertwined and forever together.

Would you rather have a cook or a maid?

I'd rather have a maid. I like to cook.

Would you rather be the youngest or the oldest sibling?

I've never been anything but the youngest child, so I'm not sure. I think in any other family, it would have been great. In my case, it meant I was held captive the longest and received the most brutal treatment.

Would you rather get rich through hard work or through winning the lottery?

That's kind of a loaded question for me, because I have no real desire to be rich. On the other hand, I love a lot of things which, unfortunately, I need money to do and obtain. If I were get rich, I would prefer it to be through my own blood, sweat, and tears, and not through some way I did not really earn. And I would love to then become philanthropic. But money itself, and the accumulation of a lot of it, has never been an interest for me.

Would you rather have a 10-hour dinner with a headstrong politician from an opposing party, or attend a 10-hour concert for a music group you detest?

I could not handle ten hours of dinner, an occasion I try to keep pleasurable and peaceful, with such a politician. Of course, I imagine Trump. Nope, no thanks. Not even if you paid me with all of his proclaimed wealth. But I think that there is always something I could find that I enjoy with most any music. I do not like heavy metal. I do not like death metal. But in October 2019, when I was driving my mostly-sleeping family home from camping at Craters of the Moon National Park, I accidentally found myself listening to the newish song "Unsainted" by Slipknot. I definitely despise their music, for the most part, but I made myself listen to it and found that this song, these lyrics, really struck a deep chord within me. So there's that.

Would you rather be an Olympic gold medalist or a Nobel Peace Prize winner?

If I was born with any athleticism whatsoever, my answer might be different, but I  wasn't, so it's not: Nobel Peace Prize, please!

Would you rather have a desk job or an outdoor job?

Oh, I'd easily pick an outdoor job, 100 times out of 100. That's one of the reasons I eventually left my PhD program: I realized I'd be behind a desk working on papers, grants, etc. far more than I'd actually be out in the field. I'd rather be in the field.

Would you rather live at the top of a tall NYC apartment building or at the top of a mountain?

Can I please have a penthouse in Manhattan?

Would you rather have Rambo or The Terminator on your side?

Neither. I'd rather have Linda Hamilton's Sarah Connor from Terminator.

Would you rather be proposed to in private or in front of family and friends?

Either way is fine, as long as I still end up with my guy! ♥

Would you rather have to sew all your clothes or grow your own food?

I've tried both and wasn't instantly great at either, so I kind of gave up. I think I'd be more motivated to grow my own food, though, and I'd love to start with a stunning vertical garden.

Would you rather hear the good news or the bad news first?

I'd rather get the bad news first, so I can quit fretting and worrying and get on with the good news.

Would you rather be your own boss or work for someone else?

It would depend entirely upon what I'm doing. In either case.

Would you rather have nosy neighbors or noisy neighbors?

At this point, I'd rather have nosy neighbors. Our little dogs bark at anything that moves outside, and that gets to be too much, y'know?

Would you rather be on a survival reality show or dating game show?

Oh, the latter, I guess. I'd never survive the first one, although I'd prefer it in theory!

Would you rather be too busy or be bored?

I'm never bored. I don't know how to be bored, and I prefer it that way.

Would you rather watch the big game at home or live at the stadium?

Live is so much more fun!

Would you rather spend the day with your favorite athlete or you favorite movie star?

I don't have a favorite athlete, so...

Would you rather live where it is constantly winter or where it is constantly summer?

I've done both and definitely prefer the "always summer" plan. Can I please go back to Miami now?!

Would you rather travel the US and see the sights in a motor home or by plane?

If this can be our RV, then I'm all-in!

Would you rather be a little late or way too early?

I despise being late. I'd rather be early every single time, please!

Would you rather have an unlimited gift certificate to a restaurant or a clothing store?

I think I'd take the one for clothes. A restaurant typically has a limited menu, and I have a very limited, specific diet. On the other hand, fashion is constantly changing, and I could never get bored. (I'd prefer it be to a thrift store, though, so I'm not supporting the environmentally-irresponsible textiles and fashion industry so much.)

Would you rather date someone you met online or go on a blind date?

Well, I've done both, and the I'm in my 20^th year of marriage to the last guy I met online... so I'd say it worked out!

~*~*~*~*~

Thanks for the diversion, Bev & gang! I'm going to try to swing back around later and visit y'all.

But for right now, I've got to prepare for the week ahead. Stay safe, stay well, stay abreast of current events and try to give a damn. Love y'all.

Fin.#

Saturday 9: When Love Goes Wrong, Nothing Goes Right

Heyyy, there. I don't know about you, but here in the US, we've been watching and/or participating in the many protests around the nation, precipitated by the murders of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and George Floyd. It's been frustrating to me to once again be physically unable to join in person, where I feel I need to be. I don't want to be just a keyboard warrior. But as that is where I am able to be right now, so I must act.

I'll be compiling a list of links to read, to donate to, to act on, in the coming days. Whether you read it or not, please don't ignore this very important fight.

Let's get busy.

~*~*~*~*~

Saturday 9: When Love Goes Wrong (Nothing Goes Right) 1953

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) This is from the movie Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Have you seen it?

In fact, I have not.

2) The lyrics tell us that, when love goes wrong, "a match won't light." When did you most recently light a match?

Oh, recently enough, I'm sure, as our son and younger daughter both recently had birthdays. Matches suck, though, so I ended up buying this Zippo flex lighter for their cakes. Ah, much better.

3) The duet is performed at a French sidewalk cafe, where Jane Russell and Marilyn Monroe are (literally) sharing a cup of coffee. With whom did you most recently have coffee?

I don't really drink much coffee, much less with someone. When we lived in Miami, though, we discovered the girls and I shared a fondness for Starbucks Java Chip Frappuccinos, so now it's like, I'll go get a grande or vente one for me to "share" with them, and then often just hand it over with even taking a sip for myself. This holds true even though they like the way I have it made - with coconut or almond milk and other such subs.

4) The tune was written by prolific composer Hoagy Carmichael. He was influenced by his mother, who earned extra money for the family playing piano during silent movies. Who in your life influenced your career choices?

I can't say that anyone I've personally known influenced me to go into biology as a career. But I fell in love with the work of Gregor Mendel and Charles Darwin as I learned about them, and more than anyone, I'd say the two of them provided that influence.

5) Jane and Marilyn shared something beyond movie stardom. They were both married to Hall of Famers. Marilyn Monroe was married to Joe DiMaggio, who was inducted into the baseball Hall of Fame in 1955. Jane was married to quarterback Bob Waterfield, inducted into the football Hall of Fame in 1965. Which sport would you rather watch: baseball or football?

It depends on who is playing, to be completely honest.

6) Jane and Bob Waterfield were high school sweethearts at Van Nuys High. The Southern California school was used as a set for the 1982 movie, Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Tell us something about your high school.

Well, speaking to current events, I went to a very upper-class school in an excellent school district, and I graduated very near the top of my class. But it was not a diverse district, and I think I graduated with probably fewer than five minority students. I didn't even know that there were so many Black people in nearby Syracuse, New York, until I met someone from there. I was astounded. So I was very sheltered, very naïve. I think that has changed considerably.

7) Marilyn and Joe DiMaggio met on a blind date at a Hollywood restaurant called Villa Nova. Have you ever arranged a blind date? If so, did the couple hit it off and end up dating?

I don't remember setting up anyone else on a blind date, ever, even though I myself have been on several (and married one of those). Speaking of blind dates, I just finished binge-watching Netflix's Love is Blind when I needed a mental escape from the pain and heartbreak our chaotic nation is experiencing right now. What a continuous roller coaster!

8) In 1953, when Gentlemen Prefer Blondes was released, a tornado did severe damage to Waco, TX. Tell us about a major weather event that you endured (tornado, hurricane, flood, blizzard, heat wave, etc.).

Oh geez. I've been through several hurricanes, the Blizzard of '92 in Central New York, earthquakes, and so on - but the one natural disaster that really stands out to me is Supertyphoon Pongson'a, which hit Guam (where we were living) on December 8th, 2002. I was pregnant with the twins and also had a 15-month-old daughter. The supertyphoon, which was the worst on record at the time, didn't stop with just the storm. This really high-lighted what a third world island this US territory was and still is.

Not only was there no electricity, but the ports were all on fire and so gas was also extremely limited. We once stayed in a line of cars for 4+ hours (husband, pregnant wife, and tiny toddler) to try and fill up our car. We couldn't cook. We had no refrigeration. We had no ability to do laundry. We had to take ice-cold showers and baths. We were fortunate enough to be able to afford a generator eventually, but many were not. Electricity was not restored for months unless you were lucky enough to live on base. It was really a rough time, though we were some of the lucky ones.

9) Random question: You see a filthy puddle. Floating on top are cigarette butts, a leaf, and a $1 bill. Would you bend over and rescue the dollar?

Of course. I wouldn't waste a penny! And I'd probably through away those butts, too. Eww.

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Arrighty, I'm watching Queer Eye Season 5 while I write my Paper Hugs, and so I must get back to it.

BlackLivesMatter

Fin.

Sunday Stealing: Keeping The Conversation Going

Hey there, hi there, ho there!

If you were anything like us on Saturday, you were transfixed by the NASA astronauts' launch into space by the SpaceX rocket, Dragon. I swear I held my breath for a very long time (by an asthmatic's standard's, I suppose), thinking of the Challenger and the Columbia. I've always wanted to go to space. What an exciting day!

Link up here if you want to join up with the rest of us thieves this weekend!

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Stolen from Two Drifters

1) What do you think is the greatest television show of all time?

Oh, I couldn't say that. People like what they like. I myself like something one day in one mood and an entirely different thing the next day, maybe. But I tend to lean toward more subtle, cerebral humor. I've long called Larry David from "Curb Your Enthusiasm" my 'boyfriend,' if that's any indicator!

2) Would you rather win a Nobel Prize or an Academy Award?

Oh, I would absolutely love to win a Nobel. I use to imagine that I would win one in science by age 30. I was foolish, haha! But I guess it's not too late. Maybe I could win for Literature, and join the ranks of Pearl Buck, Ernest Hemingway, and Bob Dylan, to name a few.

3) What one food would you banish from this earth if you could?

I mean, there's haggis, there's foie gras, balut... you name it! If you want to look at more disgusting foods, have a look here or here.

4) What’s the scariest story you’ve ever heard?

This one!

5) Who is the most famous person you have ever met?

Well, I typically say Dave Barry, but this time I'm going to say my daughter Chloë. She's seen here in the short SAG film, Boom, and has acted on TV, modeled in national ads, and so on.

6) What’s something you’ve done that most people wouldn’t know or guess about you?

When I was nine, I started dance lessons in central New York. After my first year, I was invited to attend Dance Olympus in New York City for training from some famous, international choreographers. Janet Jackson and Paula Abdul were supposed to be there that summer, but both had family matters keeping them from going. But I did get some great training from Jimmy Locust, who was my favorite choreographer there. Lots of fun!

7) You’re strapped in a rocket ship about to go to the moon. Are you thrilled? Or terrified?

Oh, I'd be thrilled. I wouldn't need to accomplish anything else. That's the ultimate.

8) What is the correct way for toilet paper to sit on the roll?

Hubs and I both agree it's the way on the left, above. I think we're in a very small minority of couples who agree on that!

9) Talk about a mistake you made, or something you regret.

Um, well, I guess I don't know that I truly believe a "mistake" is a mistake unless you learn nothing from it. But after I got my bachelor's degree,  I was recruited by a researcher at RSMAS to do a Master's degree on copepods, but after a few weeks in her lab I rejected the idea because I'd always planned to skip the Master's and go right for the doctoral, and I wasn't ready to give up that goal. And then, I wanted to do my internship at Mote in shark fisheries, but they were pushing hard for me to do the internship in chemistry. I have a strong chemistry background (that was my minor), but I just couldn't see myself being a chemist for life. I held out, and I got a fisheries internship. Sometimes my bullheaded, stubborn persistence has paid off, and sometimes my insane, rash, spontaneity has paid off. And sometimes they haven't. I've tried to learn which way to be in which situations.

10) What would be the best gift I could give you?

Inner Peace

11) What makes you feel better when you’re sad or stressed?

These guys. They're it. They're everything.

12) What is the most romantic movie you’ve ever seen?

Oh, there's so many. One of the first rom-coms that has really stayed with me all my life is Splash. I love those two!

13) What is the worst date you’ve ever been on?

Back in Miami (the first time, not the second time with my family), I went on a blind date in Coconut Grove with a guy who was really weird, really not my "type" appearance-wise, and then he told me he was a devil worshipper. No second date, obvi.

14) What is the glue that keeps couples together?

Communication is absolute key.

15) What was your first crush?

When I was really young, about five years old, I had the biggest crush on Matt Dillon. I think my parents were watching The Outsiders, and I saw him and was just in love. ♥ Ha! Then much later on, I saw him in an interview with Dave Letterman, and he sounded like such an idiot. Illusion shattered.

16) When did your parents talk to you about the birds and the bees?

They did not. Ever.

17) What is your greatest achievement?

Still being alive. Still being married. Having all my children truly love me as a mother. I've been knocked around, taken a lot of shit in my life, wanted to be dead many times, self-sabotaged a lot of things that were good for me... and yet I'm still here, things are still clicking, and it's hard.

18) Were you close to your parents growing up?

I was raised in a cult. "A cult for the cultured," they called it. So, no. No, I was not.

19) What was the most life-changing event you’ve ever experienced?

There have been a lot of, like, BIG things in my life that I could pick, and I wish that I could say something else... but it was when my son died. That was pivotal. And it was definitely what kicked the bipolar disorder into becoming clearly evident, I believe.

20) Have you ever had a falling out with a friend? What happened?

Oh, of course. I'm hot-headed, I have a fiery temper, and I do a lot of really stupid things without thinking first. This one time in 1994, when I was a freshman at Miami and when my BFF Lisa was a freshman at SUNY Geneseo, we were both getting into and getting used to email and the internet for the first time. Her school used LINUX, and mine used something else. I don't even remember what else... but they were completely different systems. We were trying to describe and explain to each other over email what our systems looked like, and I didn't understand hers - and all our other friends who had also stayed in New York and had LINUX-based email systems - at all.  So they teased me and dared me to try to hack into her account and read her email, because I "couldn't do it." Only, she and I had some code words, and I got right in and figured things out. She and everyone were so pissed at me, but I was only fulfilling a dare! I still feel bad about it to this day. Silly way to end the post, right?

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It's 0522 on Sunday morning, the last day of May. I can't believe we're entering the 6th day of 2020 tomorrow. This has been the strangest year...! Can we maybe have a redo?

Enjoy your Sundays. I hope it's sunny and warm where you are!

Fin.

Saturday 9: Always Remember Us This Way

Hey, everyone. Bit of a somber mood here in the Odette household, as my father-in-law passed away yesterday. I wasn't going to join in at all this weekend, but then I decided my mind could use a short respite. 

I hope you'll all kink link(!) up here if you're joining us this weekend.

And now:

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Always Remember Us This Way (2018)

Unfamiliar with this week's song. Hear it here.

1) In this song, Lady Gaga sings about the Arizona sky and California gold. Have you visited many of our western states?

Yes, well. We live in Idaho now, so there's that. I've been in and out of Utah, California, Oregon, and Washington several times. This is Chloë hailing a cab in downtown Hollywood, in the middle of an acting convention we were out there for her. I have been to Vegas. But I have not yet been to Arizona or New Mexico.

2) She sings that she's overwhelmed and can't find the words to express herself. Do you find it easier to share your feelings verbally or in writing?

Oh, definitely in writing. I am very like the Oxford professor William Archibald Spooner, constantly, absent-mindedly, and unintentionally mixing up the consonant sounds in a phrase or sentence to make rubbish. This is also like Shel Silverstein and other comic writers, although theirs were intentional.

3) Her real name is Stefani Germanotta. She took her stage name from the Queen song, Radio Gaga. Do you have a favorite Queen song?

Oh, I love Queen and enjoy, I think, their entire catalog, so it's very hard to pick! I do remember one of my BFFs, Shana and I were in her family's canoe on the Seneca River, and we were just kind of drifting along and using the oars to do the three-beat riff of "We Will Rock You." That's always been a fun memory. Probably not for the fish.

4) Her dad is Joe Germanotta, president of GuestWifi, a company that enables hotels and restaurants to offer high-speed wifi to their customers. Do you consider yourself tech savvy?

I read something recently that said those of us in Generation X (that's me!) were probably the best-prepared to handle tech issues, as a general rule. That's because older generations often don't want any of it and refused to be bothered with it - now, mind you I'm saying some, not all, and just reporting on what I read. And the younger generations never had a time in their lives when there wasn't an internet, and everything has been easier and easier for them as time went along. Think "smartphones." But my generation, we grew up largely without computers and the internet, and so in order to function online, we had to rely on ourselves a lot - and yes, sometimes those maddening IT phone calls - to figure things out. I would say for myself and those I know personally, this is pretty accurate.

5) Early in her career, Lady Gaga performed songs for a children's audio book called The Portal in the Park. Tell us about the last book you finished -- did you listen to an audiobook, or read a download to an electronic device or a bound book with pages?

I've been listening, here and there, to the audiobook of Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult, but honestly it's slow-going for me. I never, never could stand to be read to in my entire life, and so over and over, I've tried and failed to get into the trendy audiobook thing. I think I'm just going to abort and read the bound book instead. I can't handle it.

[Speaking of books, I read Wally Lamb's book I Know This Much is True somewhere between doing my bachelor's and my doctoral degree. It's a humongous book, with over a thousand pages, but I dove in and loved every minute of it. I just saw in Us Weekly that there was to be a miniseries based on the book on HBO on Sunday - this past Sunday. It's last week's issue of Us. Aw, mannnn! I hope it's being replayed, so I can watch it. It would be a must-see for me.]
 
6) She prefers dogs to cats and tea to coffee. Do you agree with her?

Largely I do, I think yes. I mean, I'm an extreme animal lover, married to another animal lover, and we've raised a houseful of more animal lovers. I honestly do love them all - with ticks and mosquitoes possibly loved the least. And I do prefer tea to coffee, though I rarely drink either. Of animals, I'm a dog person first, but I'm hard-pressed to turn down any animal. The zoo we've had over the years... it's ridiculous.

7) Back in 2015, she appeared at the Academy Awards, performing a medley to celebrate the 50th anniversary of The Sound of Music. The movie's star, Julie Andrews, graciously came onstage to thank Gaga for her showstopping performance. Whom did you most recently thank?

I think maybe it was this girl, Sophia, now 15. She brought me my medicine earlier.

8) In 2018, when this song was first released, retailer Toys R Us closed all its stores and went out of business. What's the last toy you purchased?

I bought two packs of these cat-nip filled mice "Skitter Critters" from SmartyKat, for our four cats. They were on sale for less than half-price, and felines everywhere give them rave reviews. That counts, right?

9) Random question: How has social media made your life better?

Well, in multiple ways, I've benefitted from social. I was a young newlywed of 24 when I really started getting going on message boards. I started out on the one for now-defunct Jane magazine, formerly called Sassy when I was reading it in high school. Those were not my community, so I left after being told how to make my own hummus. Then I joined the Twins e-List when I was pregnant with our twins, after our older daughter was born. When we were living on Guam, I asked the TwinsList a million and one questions during my pregnancy. Once we moved to Virginia Beach, I kept them posted here and there. My last post was to say good-bye to the list after they were born and one twin passed away; staying and hearing all about what their twins were doing was far too painful. I stayed friends with one of the moms, though, and met her and her kids in Norfolk, Virginia. We're friends on Facebook to this day. I joined the message board for Parents magazine a year after the twins were born and stayed through trying to conceive our younger daughter, that pregnancy, and maybe half of her first year. Eventually I joined MySpace when it was new, before skipping over to Facebook. I'm all over now; such a social media whore darling.

So one thing I gained from all of that was the power to be more discerning about who my "real friends" were. Through the ups and downs of our roller coaster life, people have come and people have gone. The ones that have gone, sometimes that hurt. Sometimes. But I did become, I think, more resilient because of that and figuring out how to "act" online. It's hard for me, both online and in real life, since I have absolutely NO filter. And people don't always want or need to hear my every thought!

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Thanks Sam/Gal. I appreciated this week's questions immensely, and like I thought, they provided a stellar diversion.

♥ RIP, Allen B. Odette ♥

Fin.