MelaniePenelope

Saturday 9: Come On-A My House

 

Hello, S9er pals! I'm coming at you from my new red laptop, which means I can listen to good ol' Rosemary right on here, as soon as Chloë and I are finished with our current episode of "House." Whooooo! I've missed my sound; I'm all about my sounds and my background muzak! I hope you all are feeling good and jazzy today, too.

So, if you're a new kid on the block and you'd like to join in on Saturday 9, link up here. Let's jump in!

~*~*~*~*~

Saturday 9: Come On-A My House (1951)

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

1) In this week's song, Rosemary Clooney offers us candy, peaches, pears, grapes, cake, etc. What tasty treat are you craving this morning?

 

  Bananas!!

I think I'm going to have to eat one as soon as I'm done with this survey, if not before.

 

2) The song was co-written by a pair of cousins more famous for their other jobs. William Saroyan was a Pulitzer Prize winning author and Ross Bagdasarian created "Alvin and the Chipmunks." Tell us about one of your cousins.

 

My three cousins represent the Jewish contingent of my family, which I love for their diversity. And each of the three of them are so different, I think, in every way -- yet by all accounts, they love each other dearly. The youngest, whom I'll call "Lydia," drove around the country hiking and backpacking and climbing and whatnot with her then-boyfriend (he's her husband now ♥), for a while, writing as she went. She's a writer, and she's dope as hell at it. I love it, and her, like crazy.

 

3) The song was inspired by the cousins' recollection of their Armenian relatives encouraging friends and family to visit by promising lots of food. Who most recently invited you to their home? What was the occasion?

 

I don't think I've really met anyone who has invited me/us to their home in the nearly three years (?!!) that we've been living in Maryland. But the kids, Jack and Noah, have certainly had their fair share of sleepovers with school friends. Sometimes the occasion has been birthday celebrations; sometimes the occasion has been 'it's the weekend.'
 

4) This was a big hit for Rosemary Clooney. She got her start singing live on Cincinnati's WLW radio station. Today WLW is an all-news station. When you were a kid, what radio station did you tune into for the hits and new music?

 

I lived in Baldwinsville, a smallish suburb of Syracuse, New York, from age 6 to age 17. Eventually, maybe in junior in high, we discovered the hits station 93Q, which remained my favorite through until graduation. Others popped up in my radar, but 93Q was still the one. 

 

5) Rosemary was also an actress, appearing in motion pictures and made-for-TV movies. The most famous is 1954's White Christmas. Have you seen it?

 

Should I be embarrassed if I say no?

 

5) Yes, Rosemary Clooney is related George Clooney. She was his aunt. She appeared with him on ER and received an Emmy Award nomination. Do you enjoy doctor shows?

 

 

Yah, you betcha, that's why I'm still sticking with Chloë and watching "House," into Season 6, now.

 

7) In 1951, when this song was #1, Yankees superstar Joe DiMaggio retired from baseball. He remained in the public eye, endorsing products and acting as Major League Baseball's ambassador around the world. His second marriage, a few years after his retirement, was almost as legendary as his baseball career. Without looking it up, do you know who his bride was?

 

 

I did not look it up; just from hearing and think-I-knowing, I believe it was Marilyn Monroe. Right?

 

8) Also in 1951, "I Love Lucy" premiered and has never been off the air since. That's right: for 72 years, without interruption, viewers have been entertained by the Ricardos and Mertzes. When you think of "I Love Lucy,"what's the first thing that comes to mind?

 

 

I think for me it's that grape-stomping scene. I know behind the scenes, it was a rough one for her, but it's a standout for me as far as Lucy goes. It's the first thought.

9) Random question -- You're playing roulette and suddenly doubled your winnings. Do you walk away when you're ahead, or do you stay at the table to play your winning streak?

 

 

Oh gosh... I would absolutely walk away. I am not a gambler.

 

~*~*~*~*~

On that note, it's time to put away the beautiful red laptop, turn off Amazon Prime on the Roku TV, and probably deprogram from the day whilst playing a little Words With Friends on my cellular device. Gosh. Tech overload, much? Have a good week, everyone.

 

Fin.

Saturday 9: Wagon Wheel

Hey everyone. I'm in a low-key kind of mood today, so I don't have a lot of preliminary verbiage for you. I can say this: it has been a WEEK!!! Full of thingssss. So I'm glad today is a bit more restful, even if again it means I'm the last one to this party.

Today's S9 is going to be about "Wagon Wheel" and its performer, Darius Rucker...  yes, formerly known as Hootie from the Blowfish fame. He was a cutie then, he's a cutie now, and Hootie will always be a cutie. Link up here if you want to play along this week or visit the other entrants.

And away we go:

~*~*~*~*~

Saturday 9: Wagon Wheel (2013)

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

1) This week, Darius Rucker sings about hitching a ride to reach his lady love. Have you ever thumbed a ride?

 

I have not. But I have picked up people who have - twice, I think.

 

2) Along the way, he loses his money in a poker game. Successful poker players are good at bluffing, or misleading others about about their cards. Are you good at bluffing, whether at cards or in life?

 

I'm really not. I cry and/or giggle a lot. I'm a terrible liar. I can't look at your face if I know I'm going to lie, and there, there's my tell.

 

3) Darius began has career as the lead singer of 90s soft-rock band Hootie and the Blowfish. Today he's a country singer. Let's say you're stuck in traffic and only one radio station comes in clearly. Would you prefer it play soft rock or country?

 

 

Then I'll be picking soft rock all day long, please.

 

4) Darius Rucker will be on tour throughout 2023, playing dates all over the country and making a couple stops in Cancun. Have you ever visited Mexico? If so, where did you go?

Yes, in Y2K, I went to Cancun with my grandfather and other family, and in 2014 I went to a resort near Oaxaca with my husband. So beautiful (where we were).

 

5) Darius has lent his talents to fundraising for The First Tee, a non-profit that teaches children "life lessons, self-confidence, and resilience through golf." Did you participate in organized sports as a youngster? If yes, what did you play?

 

Not really.  But I was a dancer, and a good one at that. I was given opportunities, and I took them. All up until I turned 15, when my stepmother informed me that I wasn't worth the cost of the lessons anymore and took me out.

6) A big sports fan, he has six TVs in his home so he can watch several games at once. His largest set is 70". When it comes to TV screens, do you believe bigger is better? Or are you just as comfortable watching from your laptop or phone?

 

I'd rather watch it on a big screen, too, so there's the chance I don't have to put my glasses on! (The weight of them gives me a headache.)

 
7) In 2013, when "Wagon Wheel" was popular, fans were flocking to the movie theater to see Catching Fire, the second in the Hunger Games series. Are you a Hunger Games fan?

 

via GIPHY

 

YES!!! HUGE fan!

 

8) Also in 2013, the word "selfie" was added to the Oxford Dictionary. Do you take a lot of selfies?

 

Yeah, probably an embarrassing amount, given my age!

9) Random question: If we paid you $5,000, would you get Saturday 9 tattooed on your right forearm?

 

Definitely would. That would put in the patio I want for the backyard!

 

~*~*~*~*~

 

Aww, now I'm yearning for a patio all over again. I hope we figure something out this summer, because I'm longing to get started on our whole vision for our oasis back there. Plus, it'll just be "nice." Heh. Anyway, you guys have a great weekend.

 

Fin.

Saturday 9 on a Sunday: Mahler: Symphony No. 8

Hi everyone, hi, here I am, here I am (she said, breathlessly running in)! I know, I'm a day late and a dollar short.

Skip if you don't want to read a medical complaint.  {I did something to my entire upper half the other day. Thursday. I'm sitting on the edge of my bed, and I turn, and reach at the same time, in apparently just the wrong way, and throw my entire pectoral girdle out of alignment. You know, I have Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, which affects the collagen and other structural elements of the body. So whereas you or most other people might general have organized, intact scaffolding that makes nice, organized building blocks for the body to build on and move around, my my scaffolding ... is like trying to nail Jell-o to the wall.  Anyway, from my right fingers and thumb, up my wrist all the way to my shoulder, throughout my clavicle and rib cage, encompassing both shoulders, down the left arm, and to all five left fingertips, there has been a complete or at least partial dislocation of just about everything in there. The pain has been intense. It still is. I'm amazed I can type this today, because I could barely use my right hand yesterday. I think I'm making progress, but I also know that for the past three days, I should've gone to the Emergency Room and haven't. Eh, well.}

We've had an eventful week besides, mostly with the kids and not a lot I can talk about here, so that's a shame. Ha! If you want to join in with yesterday's (why not? The more the merrier! Better late than never!) Saturday 9, link up here. As for me, I'm jumping in:

~*~*~*~*~

Saturday 9 -- Mahler: Symphony No. 8 (1968)

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

1) Mahler's No. 8 is sometimes referred to as "Symphony of a Thousand" because it was scored for a large orchestra and choral force. Do you often listen to classical music?

I sometimes do. Not enough to really know what I'm talking about. My favorite is Beethoven's 9th. To me, it's an absolute gift to the world, the masterpiece among masterpieces. I cry sometimes when I listen to it, knowing he wrote it and re-rewrote it and re-wrote it until it was perfect, which it was, even though he couldn't hear it. And then he died. I'm so moved by it.

2) This piece has solos for each of the main vocal ranges: soprano, alto, tenor, bass. Do you know which range your voice is in?

I'm a first soprano.

3) Historians tell us Mahler kept fit by swimming and riding his bike along the Alpine trails. What's your favorite form of exercise?

I can't do a lot these days, but when I can, I prefer to do to yoga. If it's summer, I like to try to get to the beach as much as I can.

4) Mahler could be difficult to work with because when it came to his music, he was a stickler over even the most minor details and wouldn't give an inch. Would you rather work as part of a team or on your own?

Not gonna lie, I would much rather work on my own, unless I had an amazing partner who was always on the same wavelength as me. Like Hubs.

5) This week's featured artist, Leonard Bernstein, said his father didn't want him to pursue music. Instead the elder Bernstein wanted his son to either join the family business (a beauty supply company) or become a rabbi. Did your family try to influence your choice of career?

My father did, even though he's complained bitterly about his father doing that to him for his entire life. He's still doing that, at age 80! I wanted to go into genetics when I was in college, and I was talking on the phone to my dad about it one day, and he gave me a stern warning about it basically being against our his religion cult, and I took it seriously enough not to further pursue genetics. I'm still a bit disappointed that I didn't go into genetics, but it's okay because I did get what I wanted: a loving family.

6) Bernstein's best-known work is West Side Story. Without looking it up, can you name a song from this beloved Broadway classic?

I cannot.

7) Born in Lawrence, MA, Bernstein "went home" when he performed with the Boston Symphony Orchestra at Tanglewood in Lenox, MA. Tanglewood has played host to a variety of musical artists. In 2022, Ringo Starr, Bonnie Raitt, and James Taylor all performed there (with James Taylor scheduled to return this summer, as well). What's the first concert you ever attended?

I can't remember if it was Whitney Houston or Bon Jovi that came first. Both were around the same time period. I do remember that Whitney was supposed to be at the Great New York State Fair, but she got rained out and wasn't going to take the chance with her voice (it was an outside venue), so her concert was rescheduled, and we went to that one as a family of six. For Jon Bongiovi and crew, it was just the four of us girls, probably when I was much too young to be learning what a "contact high" was - and getting one.

8) In 1968, when Bernstein released this album, a sitcom called Mayberry R.F.D. premiered. It was a spin off of the highly successful Andy Griffith Show, which ran from 1960 to 1968 and is still broadcast and streamed today. Were you an Andy Griffith Show fan?

Ehh, I guess. I don't seek it out, but if it's on at 3 AM and I'm alone in a hospital bed and can't sleep, it's a good way to pass the time. I'm not an anti-fan, I just dont' seek it out.

9) Random question: When people ask for your advice, what do they usually ask you about?

Usually it's either knitting or crochet, or parenting, especially of LGBTQ kiddos. Other stuff sometimes, but mostly that. Oh, and if they're one of my kids, then doing their taxes.

~*~*~*~*~

Probably no one will read this, but if you did, thanks for stopping by and have a delightful week!

Fin.

 

Saturday 9: Saturday Night's Alright

Hey, everyone! I hope you're all having a good weekend. Right now, it is an exceedingly rainy Friday here on Maryland's Eastern Shore. Not necessarily great for our "anniversary B" date night tonight, but maybe good for the outside plants. I suppose we're seeing the oncoming hints of spring, which I will not ever complain about.

♥ Today is also my mommy's birthday. Happy birthday, Mama. If she hadn't died suddenly at 33 years old in 1984, then she would maybe be 72 today. I miss her every day of my life. ♥

Well, I'm going to get into it with Elton about Saturday Night. Wanna play? Link up here, too. Let's roll.

~*~*~*~*~

Saturday 9: Saturday Night's Alright (1973)

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

 

1) In this song, Elton John tells us it's 7:00 PM on Saturday evening and he's ready to rock with his friends. What will you be doing at 7:00 this evening?

 

 

I'm not sure exactly, but I imagine it will involve a picnic date of sushi and sake with my special someone. How's that for my favorite literary device, alliteration?

 

2) His sister is ready to party, too. The lyrics tell us she looks cute with "a handful of grease in her hair." What haircare products would we find in your bathroom right now?

 

 

I have a hair straightener & curler, heat protectant for those rare days I use those, and various "hair doodles" as I collectively call hair clips and ponytail holders and the like. So, not much.

 

3) He sings that by Saturday, he's had it with the aggravation and discipline of the past week and now he's ready to cut loose. How did last week treat you?

 

It hasn't been bad. I haven't been feeling too terrific because I haven't been able to get three of my migraine meds for weeks and/or months, but we found out they went through today finally! So that's a huge relief, going into the weekend - literally!

 

4) This Saturday night finds Elton and his friends "packed pretty tight" in their bar of choice. Agoraphobics have a hard time feeling safe in busy, crowded places. How about you? Are you comfortable in a crowd?

 

 

It used to not bother me at all. Now, it does a helluva lot more, since I'm in a wheelchair about 95% of the time I'm out of my house. Can you imagine me in that situation, above? In a wheelchair? And the title of the article that I snagged that from was WaPo's "What to Do In a Potential Crowd Rush Situation and How to Survive It." In a wheelchair. Eek!

 

5) The lyrics were written by Bernie Taupin, Elton's frequent collaborator. Bernie ranks this near the top of his favorite Elton John records. What's your favorite?

 

I have to pic a favorite Elton John record?!!!! Oy vey. Okay, I'll be back in a few... weeks.

 

Welp, I'd say it's "Sad Songs," which I adore, or "I Guess That's Why They Call it The Blues," which I love to smithereens, but I think it has to be

 

 

"Your Song," which I dedicated to this itty-bitty, since she was actually itty-bitty. (Well, she still is, but you know.) That was a tough question, Sam!

 

6) Elton has turned his bad eyesight into a hobby, claiming that over the years he has purchased well over 200,000 pairs of glasses. Do you wear glasses? If so, how many prescription pairs do you own?

 

200,000?!!!

 

 

Damn, that's a lot. I own between six and ten pairs of Rx glasses, maybe more. I can't say for certain, because I don't necessarily know whether they all are or whether I've donated some of those already.

 

7) Elton once had to cancel an international tour because of an emergency appendectomy. Do you still have your appendix?

 

 

I think I do, because no one has specifically told me they've removed it for any reason. Medical types who've had imaging done on my abdomen for various reasons have told that no, it's not there. Maybe it's camera shy?

 

8) In 1973, when this song was popular, M*A*S*H was at the top of the ratings. Who is your favorite M*A*S*H character?

 

 

I was six years old when this show ended. Six. The only thing I really remember is that I thought Hawkeye was handsome.

9) Random question: Who is the wisest person you know?

 

I would've said my mother-in-law, but she died a few years back. So did my step-MIL, and my father-in-law, all three of them wise. I'll have to think about that and get back to y'all, because I'm sure there are some pretty terrific candidates, but my head is throbbing too much to think right now.   ...To Be Continued

 

~*~*~*~*~

 Well, I think I'm going to lie down for a while and rest my noggin. You guys go have a fun Friday night that you can't remember come  Saturday morning. No, Saturday noon. Sleep in; why not?

 

Fin.

Saturday 9: Kiss

Hello, people! I hope you are well.

Okay, I am excited, because "Kiss" by Prince is one of my all-time favorite songs and performances. I love it so much, so I'm thrilled to be doing this week's questionnaire on it.

Are you joining us? If not, you should, and link up here, too.  Let's go!

~*~*~*~*~

Saturday 9: Kiss (1986)

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

1) In this week's song, Prince insists there's no particular sign he's more compatible with. Do you take astrology seriously?

No, not at all. I mean, I am a virgo and fit a LOT of the virgo profile, but a lot not. I find it to be fluff, just for fun, and sometimes nonsense. No offense to anyone; my beliefs are often treated the same way and, well, that's life.

2) He tells his prospective lover there's no need to be flirty. Are you a good flirt?

Sometimes yes, and sometimes I'd be a complete dumbass and say the stupidest stuff.

3) He refers to the nighttime soap opera Dynasty. Were you a fan?

I didn't really watch Dynasty, but I did watch Falcon Crest sometimes. Mainly because Lorenzo Lamas was so damn cute.

4) "Kiss" was recorded at Sunset Sound Recorders in Hollywood. Built by Walt Disney Studio, it's the studio where the soundtracks to Mary Poppins and 101 Dalmatians were recorded. When you think of Disney movies, what's the first song that comes to mind?

I first thought of "Kiss the Girl" from The Little Mermaid. I love this song - and the video (and the movie)!

5) Prince said he was "obsessed" with Mozart and read everything he could find about the master. Do you often read biographies? If yes, who was the last one about?

I do not read a lot of them, actually. This one, by Ellen, is probably the last one I read - more than 20 years ago!

6) He loved snacking while watching a movie in the theater and would mix Goobers (chocolate-covered peanuts) with his popcorn. When you go to the movies, do you visit the concession counter?

Often, yes, if I've got the spare Ben Franklin. I usually get a giant Diet Coke, a gigantic tub of popcorn for the kids, and I really like to get Sno-Caps at the movies. 

7) In 1986, when this song was popular, Peewee's Playhouse premiered. While ostensibly for children, this show had many, many adult viewers. Do you ever watch kids' shows today?

Not currently, but I did a lot when my kids wer a lot younger. My favorite was (and still is) Disney's "Phineas and Ferb," which had so many clever lines and jokes in it.

8) Also in 1986, Sears shoppers were painting their interior walls with "Country Clover," a pale beige with a hint of pink. What color is the room you're in right now?

Like most of the house, it's white. White, white, white. Progress moves slowly.

9) Random question: Do you enjoy pressing the pedal to the metal and driving fast?

 I do, and the line of speeding tickets in my wake proves it. Autobahn, here I come!

~*~*~*~*~

Well, folks, that's the end. Hope you all have a great week coming up. kisses

Fin.

Saturday 9: The Christmas Song

Hi everyone! Y'all ready for Christmas? We're almost there. Just a few things left to get, a few ornaments left to put up. I'm not sure we'll have any food that day, but we'll survive. Ha!

This weekend's offering is all about "The Christmas Song" from Ricky Nelson - yes, he of "Ozzie & Harriet" fame. I love this song; it's one of my favorite Christmas carols. What about you?

Link up here if you're joining us this weekend.

~*~*~*~*~

Saturday 9: The Christmas Song (1964)

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

 
1) While this song was published as "The Christmas Song," many people refer to it as "Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire." Have you ever roasted chestnuts (in an open fire or in the oven)?

 

A few times, yeah. We did them in our fireplace when I was a kid. Pretty good!

2) Ricky Nelson sings that turkey helps make the season bright. Many of us just had turkey last month for Thanksgiving. Do you enjoy turkey all year around? Or do you consider it a seasonal dish?

 

I no longer eat the turkey, but I would definitely consider it a seasonal dish.

 

3) He wishes "Merry Christmas" to kids from 1 to 92. Who is the youngest person you will celebrate the holidays with? Who is the oldest?

 

Physically in our house with us? I think it'll be Rob (Hubs) as the oldest at 50, and Ashe's friend Charlie is supposed to come over at some point. He's 15. We've got prezzies for him.

 

4) "The Christmas Song" is a perennial favorite and gets lots of play this time of year. Is there a holiday song that you think is overplayed, and that you hope to not hear again (at least not until December 2023)?

 

No, but I haven't been in stores much and have only listened on demand, so I'm fine with the amounts I've heard.

 

5) This version of the song is from The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, the sitcom that ran from 1952 to 1966. There were 435 episodes in all. Is there a series whose every episode you've seen?

 

Probably several. Maybe Friends, Seinfeld, Frasier, ummm... Phineas and Ferb. What? It's a brilliant show!

 

6) Life magazine coined the phrase "teen idol" to describe Ricky's popularity. In your younger days, did you have a crush on a teen idol?

 

 

 

I had a crush on Matt Dillon for the longest time after The Outsiders came out, even though I was teeny-tiny when that came out and shouldn't have seen it. I'm sure I had a torrent of crushes on "teen idols" after I saw an interview with Dillon and realized I didn't find him all that interesting. But another Matt D. - Damon, that is - is my enduring crush. He's so cute! Not to mention decent.

 

7) Do you have a funny/ugly holiday sweater?

 

No, I never did get on that trend.

 

8) Have you received many holiday cards this year? Did you send many?

 

We sent out about 65. We've gotten about 2. Which is okay; it's not about the numbers for me. (Which reminds me, would any of you like one? I still have plenty more supplies. DM me if so.)

 

9) If you were Santa, what cookie would you like kids to leave for you on Christmas Eve?

 

 

I can't stand snickerdoodles, I'm really and truly not a fan of sugar cookies, and I could do without red velvet. For me, the perfect cookies will always be chocolate chip. I love them. Even the bad ones are good. AMIRITE???

 

~*~*~*~*~

Until next time, dear friends! And don't forget to drop me a line here or on FB if you'd like a Christmas card! I updated my list this year because I lost previous lists, so if you've gotten one in the past, that's why it's not automatic now. Love y'all.

 

Merry, merry!

 

Fin.

Saturday 9: Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows

Hey everyone! I was up late doing volunteer work that I do here at home, and I crashed and burned right in the middle of it. So it's after noon on Saturday, now, that I'm getting into S9. As a result, I'm sure I'll be getting dead last. No worries, though; I'll be glad to be getting in at all.

This week we have Lesley Gore teed up for you. I was surprised I know a number of her songs. I mean, I know her name, and I know these songs, but I didn't know these songs were hers. So now I've got YouTube doings its thing and hitting me in the eardrums with the vocal stylings of the late, great Lesley.

If you'd like to join us this weekend, be sure to link up here. Away we go:

~*~*~*~*~

Saturday 9: Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows (1965)

 

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

1. In this song, Lesley Gore sings that sunshine is wonderful. It's hard to argue with that. Is it sunny where you are today?

 

It's sunny as hell, but decidedly not warm.

 

2. Tootsie Roll is the world's #1 manufacturer of lollipops, and cherry is their most popular flavor. Do you have a sweet tooth? If yes, what's your favorite sweet treat?

 

 

I always have love for Ferrero Rocher chocolates - who doesn't? - and Lindt chocolate truffles. Recently, we were in Michaels for some supplies, and we discovered these Peppermint Cookie milk chocolate truffles, and they are so amazing. YUM. Big yum. Get yourself some.

 

3. According to myth, you'll find a leprechaun's pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. If you suddenly, unexpectedly came into $100,000, what is the first thing you would buy?

 

 

You mean I can't pay bills? Okay, I'd buy some travel plans for Hubs and me. Two of the kids are grown, and one is all-but. I'd schedule the travel for when they're all grown. There. No guilt. I'd love to go to Japan and then more of the Asian continent.

 

4. She feels brighter than a lucky penny. Abraham Lincoln was the first person to appear on a U.S. coin, when the 1909 penny was struck in honor of his 100th birthday. Thomas Jefferson is on the nickel, George Washington is on the quarter, and John F. Kennedy is on the half dollar. Without looking, do you know which President is on the dime?

 

I want to say Jackson? I'm going to have to go look now, b/c I feel like that's wrong. Going to look... Oh, wow. I was way off. Really, FDR? I completely forgot that information. Thanks for making me re-learn! Jackson must be on the tenner then, right? Please say yes. (Answer: No, that would be Hamilton; Jackson is the 20.)

5. Lesley Gore was very popular in the 1960s, with 11 Top Ten hits. Most people don't know that, while she was making records, she was also attending Sarah Lawrence College and graduated with her BA in 1968. What's something most Saturday 9ers would be surprised to know about you?

 

In 2oo4, after an infant loss the year prior, I established a modest non-profit. But the things is, I'm extremely frugal and didn't want to spend the money to have a CPA or a tax attorney do the paperwork for our 501(c)(3) (nontaxable) status with the IRS. So I looked and I learned and I read and I studied, and I did it all (pages and pages, y'all!) myself. We were awarded our 501(c)(3) status right from the beginning! I was so proud of that.

 
6. She performed "Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows" in the movie Ski Party. Do you plan to ski this season?

 

 

Ohhh nooooo. I used to be able to cross-country ski. Never downhill. Neither, anymore.

 

7. This song was written by Marvin Hamlisch, who would go on to win three Oscars, four Grammys, three Emmys, a Tony, and a Pulitzer Prize. That's quite an impressive list! But we believe our Sat 9-ers are impressive, too. So give yourself an award this morning. (For example, Crazy Sam is now Meme Mistress of the Year.)

 

MOST BREAKS TAKEN BY A BLOGGERESS: MELANIE PENELOPE

 

8. In 1965, when this song was on the charts, I Dream of Jeannie premiered. This supernatural sitcom, about an astronaut who finds a genie on a beach, competed for viewers with Bewitched, which was about an advertising executive who marries a witch. Do you prefer Bewitched or I Dream of Jeannie?

 

 

I enjoyed them both, but I prefered Jeannie just because I always found Barbara Eden sooo beautiful.

9. Random question -- Which would you rather have, tacos or pizza?

 

 

Oh, that's an easy one. Nine times out of 10, I'm picking a (vegetarian) pizza.

 

~*~*~*~*~

 

I finished within an hour! That's something of a miracle!

 

Y'all have yourselves a good week now, y'hear?

 

Fin.

 

 

Saturday 9: Forever Your Girl

Hi everyone! First, do we like the new blog design, or no? I'm not so sure. I might let it grow on me for a week or more before I make any decisions. I'm not (ever) happy about summer ending and autumn being here, but this year I decided to just try to let that go and embrace things as much as possible.

Second, I love me some Paula Abdul! I had this album back in the day and still remember most, if not all, of the words. I was soo happy to see her perform at - what? Billboard Music Awards? - a couple years ago. She was fantastic, especially considering her age and physical health. So two thumbs up from me for this week's choice!!

Which gets me to that. Link up here if you're playing along this week, because here. we. go!

~*~*~*~*~

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

Saturday 9: Forever Your Girl (1989)

1) In this song, Paula Abdul tells her boyfriend he's got to remember, she's forever his girl. How's your memory? Do you remember things easily or do you leave yourself notes and reminders?

My mind used to be pretty much like the proverbial steel trap, to the delight of many a professor and the chagrin of my husband, because I made heavy use of mnemonics and other memory devices and 'games.' But that is no more. My ability to remember my mnemonics - or even to use them at all - has weakened greatly, and I'm not only forgetting exactly what I needed to remember, but sometimes, that I needed to remember something. I mostly blame the combo of Lyme/fibromyalgia/lupus. They've done some mighty damage.

2) Paula reassures her lover that she can't be swayed by another man, even if he gave her diamonds or pearls. Tell us about a piece of jewelry that means something to you.

Well, Chloë gave me that "mama" bracelet and matching "mama" ring for this past Mother's Day, along with the other bracelet, which she had engraved with sentiments of the occasion. She may have given me the anklet with hearts on it, but - eek! - I can't recall!

3) Paula is best known as one of the original judges of American Idol. Without looking it up, can you recall the men who sat on either side of her?

Sure, but no picture, since I can't look it up: Simon Cowell & Randy Jackson

4) Paula has been dancing since age 8 and moves very well in heels. Tell us about your favorite shoes.

First, I'll tell you what I really want to get - a pair of Keens like these:

I do have a similar pair with similar colors from a different brand, and I'd show and tell except that it's downstairs and I can't remember. Of course. So I'll show and tell about the Jambu Jsport Regatta shoes that I have, which are semi-similar and which I wear often and really like:

Really comfortable no matter what I'm doing, easy to put on, and especially convenient if I haven't painted my toenails! ahahaha

5) A lifelong dancer, Paula admits she's not a trained singer. For this record, she worked with producer Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, who won accolades for his work with singers including Madonna, Kelly Clarkson, Toni Braxton and Janet Jackson. Who is your all-time favorite female singer?

 If you had asked me this about 5 years ago, I would have told you:

But this young human continues her growth in that space, and  I think someone has finally managed to edge out Whitney in that spot for me:

Jewel came very close, too. I don't know, I love a lot of female singers. But I may be borderline #obsessed with Billie Eilish's voice.

6) She advises young girls to "keep the faith and don't lose your gut instinct." How about you? Are you more logical or instinctive?

I think with me, they both vie for attention, so there's an equal rise over run, resulting in a 1:1 slope. #mathnerd

7) Paula is excited that Richard Branson has chosen her song, "Straight Up" as the theme for his Virgin Galactic Spaceflight company. Would you like to orbit above the earth?

Hell, yeah, I would!! No qualms there. No ifs, ands, or buts, either. It just occurred to me: if I'm asked to go straight up into space, and I say "hell yeah," there's some irony there, is there not? I know, I'm so clever these days.

8) In 1989, when this song was a hit, the Sears Holiday Wish Book was big on bathrobes. Men and women alike were tempted with brightly colored, belted robes with hoods and patch pockets. Tell us about your bathrobe.

I don't currently have one, although I would love one. So instead, here is 21-year-old Chloë on our recent trip to the Ritz-Carlton, Philadelphia, wearing the robe they provided to her in our hotel room. She loved it and said it was so cozy. I thought about buying her one for Christmas, but she must have smelt my wheels churning, because she reminded me she already had one, perhaps two!

9) Random question: What do you consider your best quality?

For better or for worse, I am an extreme empath. And a deep feeler. So when I'm empathizing with someone, it often physically hurts (if what they're feeling are negative emotions). I can't turn that off, so sometimes I have to completely avoid the situation to save myself some "spoons" (see "Spoon Theory," for the uninitiated). I hate doing that, though, because that sends the opposite message. I'd rather be there for someone no matter what it takes from me in the short or long run: it's my superpower.

~*~*~*~*~

Take care folks, and if you're in Florida, I'm sending all my positive vibes, very best throughts, prayers, and good juju your way. Likewise if you've been in the path of Ian in states north of Florida - we're getting some hard rains right now, ourselves. To everyone: be safe, remember what's important to you in the world, and nurture that.

Fin.

Saturday 9: Too Ra Loo Ra Loo Ral

Hello, ladies and gents and maybe those of another bent! How's it going?

I have a bit of news:

The good news: after labs were run of my psych meds and levels were found to be low, things have been adjusted, and I'm already feeling way better.

The better news: after ~7 months of hotel living, this will be coming to an end, finally... in May. We've signed a contract on a yet-to-be-built house here in Salisbury, and we're super happy with the way things turned out (except that it didn't "turn out" in, say, October!)

So cheers to better moods and not being homeless much longer!

Link up here if you want to play along with the S-9ers this weekend.

~*~*~*~*~

Saturday 9: Too Ra Loo Ra Loo Ral (1944)

Selected because this Wednesday is St. Patrick's Day. Unfamiliar with this week's song? Hear it here.

   

1) Bing Crosby sings that he learned this song from his mother. Can you recall a song from your early childhood?

 

 

Well, it's not like a favorite song or anything, but I remember being very little while I sat in my mother's lap. She would sing this hymn, "O Gentle Presence" when I needed calming from a nightmare or some such.

 

2) Bing was NBC's first choice to play TV's Columbo. He turned down the role because, by that time, he was in his 60s and just didn't feel like working a full week anymore. Peter Falk eventually got the part and played Det. Columbo for 10 seasons. Do you enjoy detective stories, whether on TV, in movies or in books?

 

 

Heck yeah! All the iterations of Law & Order were made expressly for me, don'tcha know?

 

3) Bing could trace his family back to County Cork. While it's said that on St. Patrick's Day everyone is Irish, can you honestly claim Irish heritage?

 

Well, and this was news and kind of a complete shock to me, according to Ancestry DNA, I can claim about 8% Irish ancestry. Never knew!

 

4) Other than St. Patrick, what is Ireland famous for?

 

 

Castles! the Blarney Stone! the amazing coastline! Guiness! Corned beef and cabbage! all those pubs! Step dancing! ...and soo, so much more. I would love to go someday.

 

5) "The wearing o' the green" is one way to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. Will you wear something green in honor of the day?

 

 

Eh. Green isn't really my color, and the tradition isn't that important to me. Now, things might be different if I looked as amazing as these fine lassies...

6) Have you ever had green beer?

 

 

I have. ONCE. Once was enough. In 1998, when I was 21, my friends Shannon, Melisa, and I went out drinking with some friends from the marine lab where Melisa and I worked. Or maybe they were from the catering gig where we also worked; I forget. I wasn't going to go, because drinking beer and playing isn't really my thing, but I decided to go be a joiner. I'm not even sure I had one full beer, let alone more than one, but man, later I was soooo sick! And then next day, and into the next day, too. So sick. That was enough.

7) Have you ever ordered a Shamrock Shake from McDonald's?

 

 

I cannot say for sure, but I do not think so. Maybe once, ages upon ages ago.

8) A four-leaf clover is considered good luck. Do you have a lucky charm?

 

 

No. I don't really give much credence to these types of superstitions, although I do find it fun to play along and read the fortune cookie, pick up the penny, and stuff.

9) Speaking of Lucky Charms, they are magically delicious.  What brand of cereal is in your kitchen right now?

 

 

I think right now, all we have is Cream of Wheat. My son loves that stuff! No one else does, though. Guess I've gotta go shopping.

 

~*~*~*~*~

 

Okay, y'all have a lovely weekend and cross your fingers my body decides it's up to taking my daughters to Assateague & Chincoteague to try and spot some wild ponies this weekend, as promised!

 

Fin.

Saturday 9: Cry

Welcome back, S9 friends and the world beyond (since I have such a significant following)! Am I the only one who is shocked we're nearing the end of February already?!!

Link up here if you're joining us this week.

~*~*~*~*~

Saturday 9: Cry (1952)

Unfamiliar with this song? Hear it here.

1) In this song, Johnnie Ray assures us we'll feel better if we cry. Do you agree?

 

 

 I totally agree! I take meds that usually inhibit my ability to cry, so when I feel like crying, and am not able to, I actually kinda feel worse. Oh, and the other day (Wednesday) would have been my mother's 70^th birthday. Since we lost her when she was 33 years old, my mom at 70 is almost unimaginable for me. I was looking at a picture of her:

 

 

... and just thinking thoughts, and the next thing I knew, I was sobbing my wee heart out. It was cathartic.

2) He also mentions waking from a dream, believing it was real. Has that ever happened to you?

 

 

YES! All.The.Time.

3) Because this record was such a massive hit, Johnnie Ray was nicknamed "The Prince of Wails." Without looking it up, do you know who is currently the Prince of Wales?

 

 

Oh, yes. No hesitation.

4) To cash in on the success of this single, 20th Century Fox cast Johnnie Ray in a big-budget musical, There's No Business Like Show Business. Today it's best remembered as a Marilyn Monroe movie. Have you seen many of Marilyn's films?

 

 

Nope. I don't think I have seen a single one. I might have to remedy that. Where should I start?

5) After graduating from high school, Johnnie worked at low-paying jobs, including bus boy and soda jerk. He found he made better tips when he began playing piano in restaurants. Have you ever worked for tips?

 

I was going to say no, but I did get a few now and then when I worked in high-end catering... and then I remembered I made MAD tips working at the ice cream shoppe on St. Pete Beach! How could I forget? By the way, José Canseco is an asshole and a non-tipper.

 

6) In 1969, Johnnie was in the news a lot again because he performed with Judy Garland during her European tour and was best man at her wedding to Mickey Deans. Tell us what you wore to the most recent wedding you attended.

 

I haven't been to a wedding since my BFF Lisa got married in 2002! I was in the wedding, and all of us girls wore different style but same maker silver bridesmaid dresses. I was still breastfeeding 9-month-old Chloë then, so I had to take that situation into account when I chose mine!

 

7) In 1952, when this song was a hit, Mr. Potato Head made his debut. It was the first toy advertised on television. What TV commercial have you seen recently?

 

 

I really had to think about this one, since I don't really watch much TV, but then I remembered the Cheetos commercial with Mila Kunis, Shaggy, & Ashton at the Super Bowl. I probably wouldn't have watched, except for the Chiefs. Hubs is from  Missouri, so two in a row?! He was lovin' it. (Except, you know, for them not winning this one, and Brady, and all that.)

 

8) Also in 1952, chlorophyll was all the rage for banishing bad breath. Colgate led the way by adding it to their toothpaste. Do you use gum, mints, mouthwash, or breath strips?

 

Very occasionally mints or mouthwash, but rarely even those. Chlorophyll?! I was not aware of that.

9) Random question -- Congratulations! You won a free three night/two day weekend for two in Las Vegas! The weather is predicted to be sunny and 65º each day you're there. It's 12:00 noon on your first day. Are we most likely to find you: a) gambling in the casino or b) having breakfast in bed or c) outside, enjoying the sun and the sights?

...or d. Taking in a show. I particularly love Cirque du Soleil - saw "O" once, years ago, there. I don't gamble and probably already did (b) by that point. I'll work on (c) after the show.

~*~*~*~*~

Okay, now that I did a thing, I think it's time for my first nap of the day. I hate these damn naps! Be well, y'all.

Fin.

Saturday 9: My Valentine

Hey there, bloggy friends! I hope you're doing well and that maybe your weather isn't as overcast and gloomy as ours has been the past four days or so! This next week marks six months that we've been living in a hotel - except our eldest child, 19-year-old Chloë, who is now in her own apartment - and we are all OVER IT! Home after home has fallen through, and so the search continues. Send good thoughts this way, please!

As for you, I hope you're all doing amazingly well, keeping your distance and wearing those masks. Link up here if you're playing along this weekend!

And let's get to it...

~*~*~*~*~

Saturday 9: My Valentine (2011)

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

 

1) Paul McCartney sings that he won't let a day go by without remembering why he loves his valentine. What blessings are you thankful for today?

 

 

Well, I mentioned how frustrated we've been with our housing situation, but I have been cognizant the entire time that we are fortunate to be able to have shelter these past six months of hotel living, plenty of food, warm clothes, and all that. Our bottom three levels of needs on Maslow's hierarchy are pretty much covered, and I'm thankful for that.

2) Paul directed the video of Natalie Portman translating his song into American Sign Language (ASL), which is the third most commonly-used language in both the United States and Canada. British Sign Language (BSL), commonly used in EU countries, is very different. Do you find it easy to learn new languages?

 

 

I do, actually. I pick up accents quickly as well, and so do my daughters. In high school, one of my best friends said I should become a linguist, because I just pick up the languages so, kind of, seamlessly. At one point, I was learning several at a time (Spanish, Japanese, Italian, Arabic...), but now I am quite rusty.

 
3) The song is on Paul's Kisses on the Bottom CD, for which he won one of his 18 Grammy Awards. What compliment or accolade have you recently received?

 

 

Well, dismissing the obvious typo, this Chinese fortune cookie seems to think I've done something worthy.

4) Paul is an honorary NYPD detective. He was given this designation for performing a charity concert after 9/11. Do you know anyone in law enforcement?

 

 

Yeah, in college I had a boyfriend who was a security guard, and we met when he was assigned to the store where I worked. He's now a member of the Miami PD. We keep in touch here and there on Twitter.

5) Bob Dylan has said of Paul, "I'm in awe of McCartney. He's about the only one I'm in awe of. He can do it all. He never lets up. He's just so effortless." Tell us about someone whose talent you admire.

 

I really admire our youngest child, Sophia. She excels at whatever she decides to put her mind to, whether it's art, music, horseriding, or whatever. She's got a talent for being talented, that one!

 

This is the last Saturday 9 before Valentine's Day and so this morning we shall focus on the upcoming holiday. 

6) The holiday is also known as The Feast of St. Valentine. Do you have a special meal planned for February 14?

 

 

Dudes, we're living in a hotel. Would you settle for a feast of St. Taco Bell?

 

7) The phrase "wear your heart on your sleeve" began in medieval times. On Valentine's Day, men would celebrate the holiday by displaying their lady love's name on their sleeves. If you were going to adopt this custom, whose name would you wear?

 

 

That's the one!

8) Women buy and send more Valentines than men do. Who received the last greeting card you sent?

 

 

A baby dragon. ♥ I'm a member of the Paper Hugs group in the Mama Dragons, which is an affirming and supportive group for moms of LGBTQIA+ children. Most of the Paper Hugs I'm assigned to send are for the kiddos that need support or are having a birthday or just need a kind "hello." I think I sent out seven yesterday, and I love being a part of this program so much.

9) Men buy and send more roses on Valentine's Day than women do. What's your favorite flower?

 

 

Tiger lilies are my absolute favorites, but since they're not always readily available, yellow roses or any color of tulip would delight me.

 

~*~*~*~*~

 

Well, then, back to the house-hunting search I go. Ughhhh. Come on, Maryland. Give up some addresses!

 

Have yourselves a lovely week, and if you don't have a loved one to throw all your affection toward tomorrow, make that person be yourself! You deserve it.

 

Fin.

Saturday 9: Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy

Heyyyyyy, everybody! Long time no... read? Type? Meme? Blog? You get the picture.

Happy 2021! Link up here if you aren't already meming along with Crazy Sam and the rest of the gang, and with that, I'm gonna dive right in:

~*~*~*~*~

Saturday 9: Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy (1973)

Unfamiliar with this song? Hear it here.

1) Bette Midler sings that the bugle boy wakes up Company B every morning by playing Reveille. What awakened you this morning (phone, alarm clock, sunrise, etc.)? Or did you wake up on your own?

 

 

I almost never wake up to an alarm, or on my own, or when the sun shines. It's ridiculous. I'd be Rip van Winkle if I didn't have Hubs here to rouse me. It's really a pain in the neck sometimes - but probably even more for him than for me!

2) This single was produced by Bette's arranger/piano player, who went on to have a successful singing career of his own. Do you have a favorite Barry Manilow song?

 

 

Hmm, I used to be mildly obsessed with "One Voice," that's for sure.

3) Bette was named after Bette Davis. Her sisters, Susan and Judy, were named for Susan Hayward and Judy Garland. So now we know who Mother Midler's favorite actresses were. Who are yours?

 

 

I have a lot of favorite actors, including these two: Winona Ryder and Parker Posey. Love! ♥

4) Bette has been married since 1984 to artist Martin von Haselberg. She was 39 years old, already a star, and had never married before. Yet within six weeks of meeting him, she was so sure Martin was "the one" that they tied the knot. Have you found that love takes time, or, like Bette, have you fallen in love quickly?

I suppose "quickly" is the answer to this question for me! Two months from the time Hubs and I met online until we eloped... and we just had our 20th anniversary, so it was definitely a case of "when you know, you know"!

 

5) When their daughter Sophie was growing up, it was Martin who taught her to cook. What was the last thing you prepared in your kitchen? Did you use the microwave, stovetop, convection oven, blender, coffee maker ...?

 

 

I haven't done any cooking in quite a while, myself, and I miss it like crazy. After five months of hotel-hopping, I just bought us one of these Hamilton Beach air fryer toaster ovens, which the kids broke in with a frozen pizza. Not sure what's next to be cooked. Maybe some Easy Mac? Real haut cuisine, you know?

 

6) Bette says that listening and compromise have been the key to their happy marriage but adds, "Compromise is hardest of all." On what have you compromised recently?

 

Seems like lately it's nothing but, so I'd be hard-pressed to tell you what the latest one was. And I'm in pain, so thinking is out. I'll tell ya later. ;)

 

7) Bette and Martin have a farmhouse in upstate New York. She enjoys feeding the chickens (whom she has jokingly named The Kardashians) and puttering in her garden. Do you have a green thumb?

I don't. I really wish I did, but I do not. I'm going to keep trying, though! Mostly with succulents... At least they took longer to die.

8) In 1973, the year this song was popular, actor Neil Patrick Harris was born. He's best known as Barney on How I Met Your Mother, which ran from 2005-2014. Were you a fan?

 

 

On and off - casual fan. I wasn't glued to it, and I never did learn how "he" met his mother. (I know "he" wasn't NPH.) But it was entertaining when nothing else was on. 

9) Random question -- How often do you put crackers in your soup: Always, often, seldom or never?

I would have said "sometimes," but I'll go with "often" as it's one of the choices. That, up there, is some vegan bean soup that Hubs has made for me a few times. Delicious - even better with Nooch It, which is like a vegan Parmesan cheese but made out of cashews. Delish!

~*~*~*~*~

Well, y'all have a great weekend, and hopefully I'll swing through and make the rounds. I have some studying up to do as I'll be lobbying with the Maryland Sierra Club next week, but I'll need downtime as well! 

Fin.

Saturday 9: Do You Want To Dance?

Hello, hello! Welcome to Crazytown. Since the last time I "saw" you, my husband, son, and our pets (kind of a zoo) have arrived in Ocean City. Househunting is still very much under way, but we've found a few favorites. Meanwhile, our realtor is still working on priming and prepping our house in Idaho for sale, which should go live this coming week. I. Cannot. Wait!

Let's get into Sat 9. Link up here if you're playing along today!

~*~*~*~*~

Saturday 9: Do You Want to Dance? (1972)

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

This week, we're inspired by The Divine Miss M's plea for a definitive answer. Here are nine random "yes or no" questions. Naturally you're welcome to elaborate, but if you want to zip through with a "Y" or an "N," that's fine, too.

 

1) Do you check your cellphone first thing in the morning?

 

 

Yes, I usually do. I always have a million notifications.

 

2) Are there dirty dishes in your sink right now?

 

 

There are five of us. Someone's always eating or just getting done eating. Like the laundry, the dishes are never fully done.

3) Have you laughed yet today?

 

 

Yep. I'm watching the appropriately-named Shameless on Netflix, and it causes me to erupt in all kinds of laughter and shock. Sometimes both at the same time.

4) Have you written a check in the last week?

 

 

No. That's so 20^th century; I hardly ever write a check anymore.

5) If you met someone who shared all your strengths and weaknesses, would you like him/her?

 

 

I doubt it. I don't know anyone with the amount of neuroses I have, and I'm glad... And that's just for starters!

6) Is a bride ever too old to have a big wedding?

 

 

No? Yes? How should I know? Hubs and I happily eloped, and while it's sometimes fun to daydream about a big wedding I might have had, then I add up the bills of that wedding and am seriously glad we chose elopement all over again.

7) Do you put potato chips in your sandwich to make it crunchy?

 

 

Yes, but while I have been known to do so, I can't remember the last time I ate an actual sandwich.

8) Have you ever taken a nude photo of someone (not a baby)?

 

 

Now we're talking 21^st century. Yes, of course I have. Ha!

9) On Monday, will you be playing Bud and Mimi's cool new meme, Monday Madness? (Our last shameless plug, I promise.)

 

 

I cannot commit to that. I might? I will try if I remember, but remembering is a weak point for me these days.

 

~*~*~*~*~

 

Well that was fun, y'all! Thanks, Crazy Sam. ♥ Back to Shameless for me, while I contemplate Team O's next move. Over and out!

 

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: I See Love

Welcome back, kids of all ages! This week I'm coming at you from Salisbury, Maryland, in complete confusion about where I am and where I actually belong. This isn't a bad thing. It's that necessary reset that happens whenever we find ourselves in new surroundings that are at once familiar and completely unknown.

So because of the crazy of the last few days (my girls and I flew in on Wednesday), I totally forgot it was Friday and there were questions to answer. Must get into it. Link up here to play along this week!

~*~*~*~*~

I See Love (2010)

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

1) This is the theme from Mike and Molly, a TV show that ran from 2010 to 2016. Were you a fan?

I wasn't a fan; I wasn't a non-fan. It was the kind of show I call "filler," something I watched if nothing else was on.

2) Molly was played by Melissa McCarthy. Today she's one of Hollywood's best-paid actresses, but when she began her career, she was barely scraping by. She recently recalled the time when, as a struggling actress, she was rejected at the ATM because it only gave out $20s and she didn't have even that much in her checking account. How often do you visit the ATM? Several times a week? Several times a month? Never?

It's probably been close to a year and a half since I've gone to an ATM, but it was monthly or so before that.

3) When she was broke, Melissa couldn't afford blueberries and avocados. Now she savors them. When you're a few bucks ahead, what do you splurge on?

We're not that different. Even my daughters agreed, "food," when I asked them what we splurge on if we can. That may be when I get organic produce, concentrating especially on EWG's Dirty Dozen.

**** INTERMISSION while I fall asleep and then forget I didn't finish this until 2:42 PM EST (oops!) ****

4) Mike was played by Billy Gardell. He was working at a comedy club, cleaning the bathrooms and answering the phone. He used to crack jokes with other employees and finally one of his coworkers dared him to go onstage on "open mic night." A comedy career was born. Tell us about someone who pushed you to make the right move.

Honestly, there aren't many such instances. Maybe people realize that I'm just going to do what I want to do no matter what they say? I don't know. But the one push I needed, after multiple attempts to cut my dad out of my life over the years, came from the man himself. He said, on Facebook, "Oh, just leave me alone!" and I haven't talked to him for a year and a half. It feels great. I don't miss him. WE don't miss him. And we definitely don't need him.

5) On the show, Mike's best friend was his fellow officer, Carl McMillan. Carl was not especially motivated and still lived with his grandmother, well into his 30s. How old were you when you moved out of the house for good?

I was 17 when I finally escaped the hellish torture chamber that was my house in Baldwinsville, New York, for good. I graduated high school one day and moved out of New York the next.

6) Mike's and Molly's mothers are different as night and day and frequently did not get along. Have you ever had in-law trouble?

Things have not always been easy.

7) This week's song was written by Keb Mo. He switches among several different guitars when he works -- electric, acoustic and resonator. Can you play guitar?

No way. I wish!

8) In 2010, when this show premiered, Apple introduced the iPad. Do you use a tablet?

No. I really don't feel the need. I have my celly (Samsung S20 Ultra), my desktop, and now I have a laptop (ASUS VivoBook). The kids each have a Samsung tablet, though. We defected from Apple a while ago.

9) This week's random question gives you an opportunity to brag: What's something you do better than most people?

Oh, I don't know that I could say I do anything better than anybody, but I'm not bad with sticks and string, and I'm a pretty good "hooker," too. I'm trying to get my mojo back. I've been saying that for a while...

~*~*~*~*~

Okay. I've been coughing pretty badly lately, but I've got to try to get up and get out of this hotel today. No promises, children (mine, not you guys).

See you all on the flip side.

Fin. 

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.

Saturday 9: Mad About You

Welcome back, pals. I hope you've had an interesting week that leans to the good side.

I wish I could say I have. Still waiting impatiently for things to start to budge on the move back East, but we're still languishing in the house. (The house I love so much is still for sale at least, so that's good.) We're constantly up in the air about what to do about sending the two younger kids back to school. And now, I have a particularly bad case of pneumonia. This is frustrating. I'm on tenterhooks about the right moment to go to the ER, but I'm not there yet.

But, I am absolutely delighted to be doing Mad About You this week. I used to watch it weekly back in the day, and both Helen Hunt and Paul Reiser were among my favorite TV actors then. Love it! Link up here if you're joining us this week.

~*~*~*~*~

Saturday 9: Mad About You (1992)

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

1) Mad About You was a sitcom that ran from 1992 to 1999. Are you familiar with the show? Were you a fan?

Yes. And yes!

2) The show was rebooted in 2019/2020 on the Spectrum streaming service. Do you have any streaming services? If so, which ones?

Yep. We have Netflix and Amazon Prime. We may have more than that; I really don't know. Our Smart TV shows me things I didn't think we owned, so... LOL!

3) The series revolved around Manhattan newlyweds Paul and Jamie Buchman. They met at a newsstand, where they were both purchasing The New York Times. With so many publications online, newsstands are now uncommon. When you want to purchase a printed newspaper or magazine, where do you go?

Y'know, I don't think I've ever stopped at a proper newsstand. I have tons and tons of magazine subscriptions across a wide variety of genres, but I didn't pay anything for those. I rarely buy a newspaper anymore to read the news, but I do usually get the Sunday paper for the coupons. Walmart, Albertsons, whatever store has the paper that I'm near to, that's what I do. I know, boring.

4) Paul is played by Paul Reiser. He created the series because he believes marriage is a tough but satisfying adventure. He and real-life wife Paula have been married for more than 30 years. They met when she was a waitress at the comedy club where he was performing. Have you ever waited tables?

Yes, but not in a restaurant, per se. I think I mentioned it last week, I was in catering at a resort in Florida while I did my Mote Marine Lab internship. I worked with a friend doing an internship in the same program, and we had a blast. Made good money, too. I often wore a tuxedo, and it was very ritzy. I did huge company getaways, family reunions, weddings... I loved it so much that later on, about four or five months, when I moved back up there to St. Petersburg, I got a job in catering at the Vinoy Renaissance in St. Pete Beach. My first day on the job there, I had a big tray of soup to serve to guests in for a company luncheon. They were all wearing fine suits. At one gentleman's side, the wrist holding the tray up gave out, and I spilled hot soup all over his new suit. It was god-awful! I ran off and cried as soon as I could, and then I was so embarrassed and upset with myself, I just quit. I think I was 21 then.

5) Helen Hunt won four Emmy Awards as Jamie. Over 10 million people watch the Emmys each year. She also won an Oscar, which has an annual viewership of twice that. Therefore huge audiences witnessed Helen's acceptance speeches. Are you comfortable speaking in public?

Noooooo! I have major glossophobia. I have been known to have panic attacks. Big, ugly ones. And I get the tell-tale beet red flush. So not fun for me!

6) During the opening credits, Paul and Jamie are sharing an ice cream bar. When did you most recently have ice cream?

It was almost today, but I didn't. Rob was out, and I had asked him to get me a Chipwich. I have fond memories of my grandma giving my sister and me money for the ice cream truck, and I'd usually get a Chipwich. But here in Podunk, they have some cheaper knock-off version, which he brought home. I'm a snob, and I didn't eat it, so I gave it to my kid.

7) Paul and Jamie's best friends were another couple, Fran and Mark. Eventually Fran and Mark divorced, and Paul and Jamie worked at being friends with both of them. Have you been friends with a couple who split? Did you manage to stay friends with both of them?

I can think of several friends we've had who have split up. I can't think of a single case where, if we didn't stay friends with both parties, we stayed friends with the dude. Always stayed friends with the woman. So far...

8) In 1992, when Paul and Jamie were playing New Yorkers, real New Yorkers were following the trial of mobster John Gotti. Mr. Gotti acquired many nicknames, including The Teflon Don, The Dapper Don and Black John. Is there anyone in your life that you call by a pet name or nickname?

Okay first of all, one of my best friends knew John Gotti through her grandmother. (They were Italians in New York; go figure.) As for the question, I have nicknames for everybody. Not mean, non-cerebral ones like Trump doles out; more cutesy ones. I have about a thousand nicknames for Rob, and they're all pretty silly. I just call him any other "R" name I can think of. "Rudolph? Rodolfo? Randall?" and so on. I call our eldest, Chloë Raine, a variety of things but "Chloë Rainebow" is probably my most frequent. Jack doesn't get too many now, because he doesn't like it (and since he's got ASD, I don't like to mess with him that way too much), but occasionally I'll just call him Jackson. Sophia gets "Soapy" or "Foofy," which comes from the second Madagascar flick.

Our dog Tapioca gets "Coon Pig" or "Chunky Weiner" (because she's got a racoon mask around her eyes, because she's a little porky, because she's part Dachschund), and our dog Paco gets "Doodle." I have no idea why I named him that. I think a lot of times I call people silly things because I can't think of what I meant to say at that moment!

9) Random question  -- What subject do you wish you knew more about?

Gardening. I have a total black thumb, but I try so hard... I want to KNOW it all already and skip the learning part!

Oh, and photography. I really want to get better and better at it. I just really haven't taken the time.

~*~*~*~*~

Well. I just started watching The Wolf of Wall Street on Amazon. Have y'all seen it? I've been meaning to watch it for a while.

See you on the flip side!

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 [email protected]$$ 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: The Love Boat

What's going on, my friends? Anything exciting and new with you?

Here, we have decided to sell the "perfect" dream house and move back to the city. Frankly, it's me. I can't take it out here in the sticks. Small town = small minds. I've always known that, yet I thought I could "handle it." I couldn't. So, our house is officially going up for sale. On the one hand, I hate it, because I absolutely love this house. On the other hand, every time we go into Boise, I get a little giddy inside about coming back, so I know it's the right thing to do.

So let's love us some boat, shall we?

~*~*~*~*~

Saturday 9: The Love Boat (1977)

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

1) The Love Boat ran from 1977 to 1987. It was in the Top 10 for seven of those 10 seasons. Are you familiar with the show? Were you a fan? 

I was young then. I remember it was on, and I remember watching it. I remember very few details from the show, though.

2) Every week, viewers followed The Pacific Princess as she set sail to a glamorous destination. Have you ever taken a cruise? If so, where did you go? 

 I have, and I absolutely love cruising. So far I've done these:

• In 1991, at 14, I took my cruise with my family on the new Carnival Ecstasy. We went to San Jan, Puerto Rico, Saint Thomas, and the Bahamas.
• I did a series of scientific cruises - shout out to the Coral Reef II crew - in college and grad school, but I'm thinking those don't count here.
• Also in grad school, my grandpa took family on a Princess cruise. I went to Mexico, Jamaica, Costa Rica, the Cayman Islands, and Panama.
• In 2006, Rob and I took the kids to Disney World and then on a short Carnival cruise. We only went to the Bahamas.
• In 2008, Rob and I went on a Mediterranean Cruise aboard Holland America's ms Zuiderdam. We started in Barcelona and also visited France (Nice and Eze), Monaco, Italy (Lucca, Pisa, Civitavecchia, Rome, Sicily, Venice) three stops in Greece, and Croatia (Dubrovnik), before finally ending up in Madrid, Spain.
• We were going to go on an Alaskan cruise this September, but the pandemic had other plans!

3) Gavin MacLeod played Captain Steubing. Born Allan See, he came up with the stage name by combining the first name of a fictional character he admired, and the last name of a teacher who influenced him. Using his formula, give yourself a stage name. For example, Sam would be Hermione Hart (Hermione from Harry Potter; Hart for her Kindergarten teacher).

Alrighty, I'll be Katniss O'Toole.

4) After the series ended, Fred Grandy (aka "Gopher") went on to become a Congressman from Iowa and then CEO of Goodwill Industries. If you had a bag of gently-used items to donate, where would you take them?

We would absolutely take them to ReStyle thrift shop in Boise, which benefits animal shelters and humans alike. We've donated many times there, and we've shopped many times as well.
 
5) Ted Lange is best known for his role as the ship's bartender, Isaac. But he began his career performing the classics, and appeared at Colorado Shakespearean Festival and London's Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Let's class up this joint. Give us a little Shakespeare. 

My favorite has always been "A Midsummer Night's Dream," and my favorite character was Puck, that mischievous sprite. I'll say it simply: "Lord, what fools these mortals be!"

6) Bernie Kopell played the ship's doctor, Adam Bricker. Kopell first appeared on TV in 1961 and was a regular on Get Smart and That Girl, and he's still acting today. But Love Boat was, by far, his favorite role. Working on the show was "absolute heaven" because he was paid to travel the world and meet his acting idols, like Oscar winners Greer Garson, Joan Fontaine and Eva Marie Saint, who appeared on the show. When you think of the best job you have ever had, what made it so good: the pay, the location, the people you met, or the work itself?

I probably have a definite favorite, but I can't pinpoint it at this moment. I'm extremely shy and introverted until I get to know people, but somehow working in customer service turns me rapidly extroverted, and I love talking to and helping customers. So I think an amalgamation of my customer-oriented jobs would be my "favorite" at the moment. I worked in an ice cream parlor, Larry's Scoop Shop, on St. Pete Beach before I entered graduate school. I think all of the above - the pay, the people, the job itself, and definitely the location - were pretty sweet at this job. I met José Canseco - which I keep forgetting whenever we have one of those "most famous" questions - and, by the way, he was a real asshole and a non-tipper.

7) Lauren Tewes played Cruise Director Julie McCoy. Today she lives in Seattle, appearing in local theater and -- between acting assignments -- working as a chef for a catering service. Have you hosted dinner for more than 8 people? If yes, do you remember what you served?

No, I haven't. I'm not really "host"material; I get too flippin' nervous. I really am a pile of neuroses. But I did work in catering - often in a tuxedo, sometimes on a ship - at Longboat Key's now-demolished The Colony Beach & Tennis Resort. It was very high-end and fancy back in the '90s, and then sometime between my working there and my going back years later to show the fam, I found it had been abandoned. But that was a great job, with lots of fancy foods for fancy people.

8) For the first nine seasons, the theme was sung by Jack Jones. The Grammy-winning singer says one of his career highlights playing Sky Masterson onstage in Guys and Dolls. In his late 50s at the time, had had to go outside his comfort zone, dancing and acting as well as singing before a live audience. Tell us about something new you tried recently.

Really? Are people doing new things right now? I'll be interested to find out. About the only new thing for me was getting an infusion of the latest-and-greatest migraine biologic, Vyepti, on Wednesday. My doctor has great hopes for this for me. So far, I'm not thrilled.

9) Random question  -- Which would you rather receive as a gift: one $500 wristwatch, or five $100 wristwatches?

You know, I really had to think about this. I don't ever wear a watch, except for this Seiko dive watch I bought secondhand for twenty bucks back in 1998, after I became a SCUBA diver. It runs on my own motion, so of course, it still runs. So I thought, well, would I like to give five people a decent watch, or would I like to give one person a pretty nice watch? In the end, I decided that one person would appreciate his or her watch a bit more than the five people would combined, and for me, that meant fewer precious resources being used and possibly wasted if those watches don't get worn. So I'll take one if I may gift it, please.

~*~*~*~*~

All right, folks. Don't have too much fun quarantined in your bunkers, now. I've gotten some new wool, so I am hoping to get a bit of knitting done this weekend - but don't hold me to it.

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.

 

Sunday Stealing: Thursday Thunks On Sonntag

Hey there, Thieves! Welcome back! I couldn't get my post up at all late Saturday afternoon or in the evening because the plague that are migraine headaches, but better late than never, right?

Link up here to play along this week!

~*~*~*~*~

1 If you could be a Muppet, which would you be?

I think Hubs and I jointly would be Statler and Waldorf, the two old guys who sit and make dumb jokes about everything around us, cracking ourselves up. I'd be whichever one was cuter!

2 Why is a chicken crossing the road in the first place??

Well, as anyone who has ever kept chickens, as we have, can tell you, these are not the most brilliant animals on the planet. Also as anyone who has been to Key West even once - let alone multiple times - as I have, can tell you, they will go wherever they want to go, often in a hurry, including the middle of the road. So as for why? Clearly, the answer is: because.

3 What's your favorite muscle?

Well, that depends. In babies? I like the glutes. In a guy? I like arms - big biceps!

4 Cheerios or Rice Krispies?

I love Rice Krispies. I do not enjoy Cheerios; they smell like baby diarrhea to me. Blechhhh!

5 Is summer ever going to get here?

I mean, between intense climate change and the coronavirus, what are we really going to do with it? I think Earth deserves to take its time on this one.

6 Have you ever had a utility turned off by mistake or some other reason besides weather or nonpayment?

No, and like this fortune, that is oddly specific.

7 What was your "last day" of something?

Hm, let's see. September 6^th, 2019, was my last day of not being a parent to an adult child! (This one, that is - I never told Chloë she could grow up!)

8 If you had to be trapped in a TV show for a month, which one would you choose?

I'd love to be stuck on The Big Bang Theory! At least I'd feel like I was where I belonged.

9 Did you have any type of class trip, band trip, etc., in high school? Where did you go, what did you do?

I know there were others, but my favorite class trip was our 9^th grade one to Darien Lake, in New York. We did a fundraiser, and I raised the second most, so I got a bonus from that, too!

10 Do your feet smell?

No; they do not have a nose.

11 Do you know how to french braid?

Yes, and I can both French-braid and Dutch-braid on my own hair, too. I really want to learn to do the fishtail braid, though!

12 Two guys are walking down the street. One drops his hat and reaches down to pick it up, the other kicks him in the ass. Do you laugh?

That depends; am I "the other"? If not, then hopefully involuntarily at least, but I'm sure I would snort!

13 You wake up one morning and dogs are meowing and cats are barking - what are fish, elephants and crocodiles doing?

Have we run out of "real" questions, then?

14 You are going to your high school reunion. What award are you going to win?

Hammiest family!

15 You find yourself stranded on a deserted island. Soon you find a laptop with a lifelong battery & internet connection, then you find a cave with an endless supply of food and a spring of fresh water. A cruise ship comes along to save you - do you get on it?

If I get to take that laptop with me and it's not during the days of COVID, then heck, yes!

16 How many shortcuts do you have on your desktop?

Five. But in my defense, it's a new laptop.

17 I offer you a pie... the most delicious pie you have ever seen. You either have to eat the entire thing in one sitting or allow me to slam it into your face, which do you choose?

I guess I'm getting a pie in the face, because I'm working with that gastric pouch on the right!

18 Are you a pen stealer?

Not usually! My pens are all the different colors of the rainbow. Everyone else? Blue or black. ::snooze::

19 A dude from China comes up and offers you German chocolate cake, French fries and a Boston cream pie... what color is your car?

Black, and her name is Phoenix. But a little birdie told me I might be getting a new car this year, so... I'm game!

20 Sometimes you just have to tap your foot to your favorite song - which TV series season finale are you watching?

Modern Family is still in the DVR, waiting for me!

~*~*~*~*~

All right, y'all. I've got to get ready for the week ahead. Have a good one!

Fin.

Saturday 9: Uncle Albert/Uncle Halsey

Hello, hello! Happy Saturday. I cannot believe that the next time we meet, it will be June. This novel coronavirus situation has at once seemed to make time slow to a crawl, and simultaneously it has flown by. It is the same as being a parent.

I do not know this song at all, so I am looking forward to giving it a listen after I watch the NASA/Space-X launch today. Fingers are tightly crossed 🤞 that that goes well!

Link up here if you're joining us today!

~*~*~*~*~

Saturday 9: Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey (1971)

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

1) The lyrics tell us Paul believes it's going to rain. How's the weather where you are today?

It's  actually quite lovely! The city pool is/was supposed to open today, which would have been nice, but I don't think Idaho is in that level of re-opening just yet.

2) Paul sings that he is sorry because he hasn't "done a bloody thing all day." What do you hope to accomplish this weekend?

Well, it's a payday/bill-paying weekend, so I've got to get that done. We're also finally starting to work on decorating this giant new house of ours, starting with our bedroom, so I'm interesting in doing more work and planning on that. I've bought the bedding (this "Ava" set from Fiesta), so that's my inspiration. And I am on the Paper Hugs team for the Mama Dragons, sending love and support to the "baby dragon" LGBTQ kids out there, and I'd like to put a lot of envelopes in the mail today! Aside from that, walking the dogs and maybe cooking something - anything - for my first time in this house is a goal.

3) He also references butter pie, which is made primarily with potatoes (with onions and, of course, butter). That dish is not popular on this side of the Atlantic. Last time you had potatoes, how were they prepared (baked, mashed, hash browned, french fried ...)?

I probably grabbed someone else's french fry from somewhere. I haven't been eating a lot of potatoes lately, but now I want to make these!

4) Linda McCartney is credited as co-writer and performer on this recording. Paul and Linda were partners in real life, too; married 29 years, they raised four children together. They often said they tried never to spend more than a few hours apart. Do you enjoy a lot of togetherness, or do you value your personal time? Has your experience with Covid-19 and quarantine changed how you feel about this?

I think we're a lot like Linda and Paul. We're a pretty tight family. Sometimes I think there must be this perception that we don't fight or our kids don't act up, which certainly isn't true, of course. But above all, there is love and togetherness and support. Now that Rob is retired and both of us are disabled, we spend a lot more time together than I thought we would at this stage - but that's not a problem! Ultimately, I think we're most comfortable being our authentic selves in front of each other, and I am thankful for that.

5) Paul and Linda came from very different backgrounds. His family was lower middle class, lived in Liverpool's public housing and received government aid. She grew up in affluent Scarsdale, the daughter of a wealthy theatrical attorney. Do you think it's more important for a couple to share a common background, or to share common interests?

From personal experience, I'd say you need to have some of both. Of course each should have their own interests and hobbies and will come from different backstories, but if you don't have any similar ground that brings you together,... then what will keep you together?

6) Paul is known for his work ethic. At age 78, he's still making music and performing live. What's your favorite Paul McCartney song?

Oh gosh, ask me to today and I'll tell you one thing; ask me tomorrow, and I'll tell you another! Five years ago, Paul wrote "FourFiveSeconds" with Kanye West, which they then performed with Rihanna. I really loved that collab.

7) In 1971, when this song was a hit, Bobby Fischer was the world's most famous and highest-rated chess player. Do you play chess?

You know, I have never learned. I've never been taught, I've never sat down in front of a chess board to teach myself, I don't know how. It is on my bucket list, though, so maybe I oughtta just get myself together and do it!

8) England's Princess Anne turned 21 in 1971. The occasion was commemorated by a formal portrait, taken by celebrated fashion photographer Norman Parkinson. Who took the most recent photo of you?

I guess I did! My girls and I were fooling around, playing with Facebook's new "Rooms" feature, and we were all making different silly faces with its filters. This one tickled me, so I snagged a screenshot. Hee!

9) Random question: Do you find it more satisfying to work with your hands, or your head?

I like both. I loved Big Bang Theory, of course, as so many of us did, and I could see myself in that environment. I often wondered whether I'd be happier being the theoretical physicist or the practical one. I like being the idea "guy," but I also like being the one to execute them. Maybe I'm a start-to-finish person, y'know? Here's a sweater I knitted for my all-grown-up-now son way back in the day. Lyme arthritis has waylaid my knitting hobby, but I've now ordered yarn and buttons and am determined to get back to work!

~*~*~*~*~

Happy weekend to you all. May you be safe and healthy.

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:

~*~*~*~*~

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!

~*~*~*~*~

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

♥ RIP, Allen B. Odette ♥

Fin.

Saturday 9: I'll Always Love My Mama

Welcome back, y'all! It's a royal ball, with hip-hop clubs and concert halls! (Sorry. Every once in a while my mind belts out that old 90s rap lyric.)

Hope you guys are still hanging in there and not going absolutely stir-crazy. I'm gonna jump right in here and get going, so make sure you link up here if you're playing along with us this weekend - and we hope you do!

~*~*~*~*~

Saturday 9: I'll Always Love My Mama (1973)

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

1) This week's featured artists, The Intruders, sing that they don't know how their mama made it through the week without ever getting a good night's sleep. How did you sleep last night?

 

 

I had a few hours. My sleep schedule is so erratic, I never know whether I'll get any at all - or more than 12 at a time. It's ridonk.

2) The Intruders performed this song on Soul Train, a syndicated show that ran for more than 3 decades. What show do you try never to miss?

 

 

I don't watch much TV at all these days, now that The Big Bang Theory has ended its run. I have about a billion episodes of dozens of shows recorded on the DVR right now, but I never just sit down to watch!

 
3) On Soul Train, the Intruders wore solid black shirts beneath their brightly colored jackets. Black, white, khaki, navy and gray are considered neutral colors, because they go with everything. If we were to check your closet, which would we find you wear most often: black, white, khaki, navy or gray?

 

 

I probably wear equal parts black and navy as my neutrals. And now that I've just upgraded to a big, bold, bright red purse kinda like this one, I foresee even more neutrals in my future!

4) Especially for Mother's Day: Access Hollywood named Carol Brady of The Brady Bunch TV's #1 mom. Who is your favorite TV mom?

 

 

Ohhh, I think Sophia Petrillo of The Golden Girls could give Carol a run for her money!

5) Mother Winters always gave Sam peppermint tea to calm her stomach. Do you have any tried-and-true home remedies to share?

 

I'm pretty sure I shared this photo in January 2017, when I had badly burned my left hand and arm while cooking.  I had just recently learned that lavender oil would take the pain out of a burn injury, so I was grateful I had some on hand to put it to the test - and it worked! Once I doused this wound with liberal amounts of lavender oil, the entire thing was completely painless. It's something my family and I have since put to the test many times, always with excellent results.

6) Sam's mother always tips 15% in restaurants. Sam has worked in food service and is more judgmental, tipping between 10% and 25%, depending on the quality of the service. What's your tipping policy? Are you more like Sam or her mother? How do you handle tips for carry out or delivery during this Covid-19 crisis?

 

 

I'm definitely more like Sam in this regard. As for tipping during COVID-19, well, I guess it's pretty much been a non-issue. I don't think we've ordered food since it began.

7) When the tip of her shoelace becomes frayed, Sam's mother snips off the end and then paints the tip with clear nail polish. Good as new! Sam thinks that's crazy because you can just buy new laces for less than $2. Are you more frugal like mother or spendthrift like daughter?

 

 

I'm somewhere in the middle. I absolutely despise waste, but I also don't mind spending money for good, new things if they're worth it.

8) Mother Winters loves how french vanilla smells and burns her Yankee Candles all year around. Do you use scented candles or air fresheners?

 

I would rather burn candles - but only non-petroleum based ones. And never vanilla; it's a migraine trigger for me. My girls and I started an eco-conscious candle company about a year and a half ago, with only soy and beeswax candles, natural fragrances, organic cotton wicks, and so on - but it didn't catch on fast enough for the girls' liking, and so we folded altogether too quickly.

 

9) Sam is celebrating Mother's Day with her mother's favorite, Hershey Bars. Would you prefer classic milk chocolate, dark chocolate or chocolate with almonds?

 

 

I'd eat any of it - just no white chocolate, please! That's too much of an oxymoron for me (and also, it's yucky). I prefer Green & Black's Organic Milk Chocolate with Almonds bars, but they don't seem to be sold anywhere here in our podunk little town, so I can only get them when we go into Boise - where I invariably forget about them. Sigh...

 

~*~*~*~*~

All righty. Now I'm off to see what chocolate we DO have in this house, and assuming I'll come up empty-handed, I think I shall take a nap. Have a great weekend, y'all!

 

Fin.

Saturday 9: Could've Been

Heyyy, everyone! Welcome back. This song was one of my favorites when it came out; I was a YUGE Tiffany fan back in the day. So obviously, I'm wicked excited for this one!

Link up here if you're playing along with us this weekend.

And now, I bring you:

~*~*~*~*~

Saturday 9: Could've Been (1987)

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

1) This wistful song is about a love affair that ended. What song reminds you of a long-ago love?

 

 

I used to sing this song, "When I See You Smile" by Bad English, on the phone often at the end of my conversations with my high school boyfriend, Ben. Always brings me back!

2) It was written by Lois Blaisch, a singer-songwriter who performs at clubs around Los Angeles and has sung outdoors at Disneyland. Would you prefer to attend a concert indoors, or outside under the stars?

 

 

I'd rather be outdoors. When Chloë was an infant (she's 18 now), we lived in Panama City, Florida, and regularly attended outdoor concerts and things. I know she was far too young to remember, but we've always tried to expose our kids to different cultural things as much as possible. And early.

3) This week's featured artist, Tiffany, appeared on the TV talent show Star Search when she was just 14. She came in second. Though she was disappointed, she admits she learned from it. She studied the singer who won and says it made her a better performer. Can you recall a time when you weathered a tough time and came through stronger?

 

 

Oh yes, lots of times - my whole life! Recently, we celebrated our twin boys' 17th birthday. Losing Robby was one of those times for me. I was definitely broken - but stronger for it now.

4) Early in her career, she toured Alaska, opening for country legend George Jones. Have you ever visited our 50th state?

 

 

Not yet. I was going to take Rob and the kids on an Alaskan cruise later this year, but of course we canceled that now.

5) Tiffany provided the voice of Judy Jetson in 1990's Jetsons: The Movie. Which cartoon did you enjoy more: the space-age Jetsons or the pre-historic Flintstones?

I didn't know that! Oh, man... I liked both shows. Maybe The Jetsons had just a slight edge, because I've always wanted to be out in space.

6) In 2007, she appeared on VH1's Celebrity Fit Club and lost 28 lbs. Are you making an effort to stay fit during this stay-at-home period?

No. Not at all. I can barely walk around so... I'm gaining weight and hating every ounce.

7) In 1987, when this song was popular, Aretha Franklin became the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. What's your favorite Aretha song?

I hate being cliché, but it really is "RESPECT."

8) Also in 1987, third-generation race car driver Marco Andretti was born. Are you a race fan?

No, not at all. I don't understand why anybody cares about this.

9) Random question: Do you find it easy to sit still, or are you fidgety?

Oh, I fidget constantly. I'm pretty good at it, so why stop now?

~*~*~*~*~

I do hope you're all safe and sound and remaining covid-free! Thinking of you all in this mixed-up, crazy world we're in!

Fin.