Friday, September 26, 2025

fb flashback from 27 September 2012

Curiouser and curiouser.

I have no idea why the Book of Face chose to show me this "Memory" a day early.

Perhaps the Universe knows tomorrow will be busy for me and didn't want me to miss this sweet post that JinHi made with this photo of me from 13 years ago.

"This is my beautiful friend Tina Smith! If ya recognize her, you must be an actor, singer, musician, community organizer, local business owner, or student, and SHE HAS BEEN THERE, tirelessly SUPPORTING YOU and always having a wonderful time at it! THIS IS HER CAUSE. Toss in a little love, kids! You can donate $1's worth of love and it would be as appreciated as a hundred. LIGHT THE NIGHT WALK: LEUKEMIA AND LYMPHOMA."

Even more curious: that link is still active for my fundraising page.

She had donated a very generous $50 for that walk.

I am so fortunate to still have her in my life!

She has battled cancer, participating in every new-drug trial as they arise, for over a decade for her small-cell lung cancer.

She truly takes science to heart.

So many will have her to thank for the drug that puts their lung cancer into remission.

Yes, the world is definitely a better place because of JinHi Soucy Rand.

Wednesday, September 24, 2025

neighing away!!!

Because of the pain in my right leg, I've been sleeping oddly.
See, I prefer to sleep on my right side, and that has become an issue with my sore hamstring and hip.
What did I do to cause that?
Beats me.
Acetaminophen helps - which is good, as that's the only pain reliever I'm allowed while on Eliquis - but it gets 'all used up' in less than seven hours.
That means I'm up at crazy times to take another so I can finish sleeping.
Thankfully, this time I was able to catch "Bill and Teddy's Adventure"!
 
Hahahaha!
That's my name for this scene!
Nice pun on one of my favorite history movies
Teddy Roosevelt had challenged Bill to a Hobby-Horsin' Hootenanny and it was ON!
That's Bill on the left, with his steed, 'Broomstick'. 
Teddy, astride 'Little Texas', had to split the win of the first two jumping contests, but they managed to beat out the competition in the third round.
Very funny!!!
By the time that was done, and I'd watched two cartoons that featured hobby horses, the pill had kicked in.
i thank You, God, 
for this bit of merriment!
Now, I'm awake again and well-rested, and ready to head off to Suds for laundry.
I'm even tackling the double load of bed linen this time.
Why a double instead of a single?
Well, that's 'cause I've been slack.
I've had a fitted sheet and a flat sheet left over from a few months back when I didn't want to be bothered with folding sheets.
Silly me!
Hooray for quadruple loader machines and 25% off Wednesdays!

Monday, September 22, 2025

thanks, boston scientific

Yesterday was the final day of the study prescribed by Dr. Cobb. 

I had expected that it would end in the afternoon, so I was prepared to ship it all off with UPS after being with Dawn.

Nope!

The heart monitor's phone gave me that message about 8 AM.

Sweet!

I went back to sleep for another hour.

Then I watched "Drew Barrymore", whose guest made 'pierogi pasta' using ground beef, onions, and diced potatoes with regular pasta.

I had onion pierogi, so breakfast was this!

Then to check the WSAV weather song.

For the Fall Equinox, temperatures would be mild, but a return to summer heat was coming up fast.

That meant I needed to break out the Ryobi at least once more.

Drats.

Oh, but here's a funny thought I had!

Some random guy came by a couple of days ago, asking if he could cut the grass.

The next time that happens, I'm going to smile real big and give him a hearty handshake as I thank him for that gracious gift of taking care of that for me!!!

I wonder if the guy might be embarrassed to ask for money after that?

LOL! 

Anyway, after the weather check, I popped the heart monitor and all its paraphernalia into the pre-addressed, postage-paid box, dropping it off at my favorite UPS.

Then to take in "The Long Walk".

Yikes... what a hard movie to sit through.

Maybe I'll have to abstain from Stephen King movies in the future.

Not that it wasn't well made... it was just incredibly brutal.

Ugh.

I decided to go to Planet Fitness to work off some of that sadness.

I'd finally returned to the Purple Planet of Victory last Saturday, kinda sorta starting a reboot of that part of my year.

I also used the hip abductor to try to stretch out my hamstrings.

My right leg has been a problem all month.

After I was done with the machine and treadmill, I still had energy - and daylight - on my side.

Time to tackle the front yard, armed with a fully-charged Ryobi!

I know this photo doesn't show my progress very well, but progress I made!

I got most of this half of the front yard mowed, as well as a good portion on the left side of the frame.

I'll try to catch the rest in the next day or two.

Now, time for an evening of relaxation!

The two Janes are on tonight, and they'll be a nice distraction from the echo of carbines in the movie earlier. 

Sunday, September 21, 2025

screwdriver time!

Halloween is coming up, 
as is the 15th Annual BYOP 
of Georgetown! 
Know what that means???
 
 
Yep, that's right!
It's high time 
for all the little ghouls 
to get fresh batteries - 
and maybe a good thump 
on their backsides - 
to bring them back to life again!
 
This mariachi skeleton 
is one of my favorites.
 
His batteries go 
into his shoes, 
lending him a bit of 
extra stability 
for his antics.
That's physics, baby!
Weird science in action!!
 
Now, he can sing
and dance
as he flashes his eyes
at all the ladies!
 

And all I needed
to help make him mobile again were new batteries and two tools:
my hands and my Philips-head screwdriver.
 
Yes, this year I brought my own screwdriver to this party!
As I told Dawn and the Koz, mine has a better handle that fits my hand perfectly, making the task proceed much faster and easier.
Dawn and I had at least half of her motley crew installed with fresh life within the first hour of operation... and that included pulling them out of the six storage bins!
Impressive, right?
Then we took a water break and the Koz took a break with us!
He even brought out a book he's made with all the fossils he's collected at Tybee.
Yes, indeed, fossils of sloths and megalodons as well as several types of common sharks and local fish and other marine life.
Then, he let me visit his "Death Room" which holds the actual physical specimens he's collected over the years - wow!!!
I've been invited to come out on the boat for one of these forays.
Very cool!!!
Afterward, Dawn and I finished up the ghouls in another hour.
Then it was fish - and turtle! - feeding time with Susan and Terry on their deck by the lake out back.
What a lovely way to spend the day!
Right place, right time!
 
How did I know for sure?
AARP's "Right Again!" trivia had an index fossil as the puzzle beneath the clues.
Wow!

Saturday, September 20, 2025

3rd new year of 2025 - hooray!

"The third new year? Oh, that's right, you started 2025 over again after Ezra whited everything out for a week. So, which country's new year is this one?"

Not a country, but a culture. Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, begins sundown on Monday, 22 September. Tonight, we celebrated the Eve of New Year's Eve! We had to celebrate a night early because Sandy always spends Sunday with her mom and stepdad.

"Family time is very important in this ten-day string of High Holy Days. My guess is they won't be going out to Music Bingo on Monday."

That's right, so I will be free to do whatever that evening. I do wonder if the following Monday might also be available for me to have alternate activities? I'll have to check and see. I really don't see any purpose in going on my own, as I have no smart phone to look up the song titles.

"Sure, I get that. So, what did you and Sandy do tonight?"

Oh, it wasn't just me and her! We went to several different places, with the J. Crew dropping in number as we traveled. We started off at Sushi Hana, the new place on Abercorn where B&D Burgers used to be. I guess neither of the sons it's named for wanted to take over.

"Yes, that has happened a lot around this seaport in the last few years."

We seven completely enjoyed ourselves at this new place! That first photo is of the painting that faces the sushi bar. I love it!!! Such a Japanese classic! You know, I have a magnet of "The Great Wave Off Kanagawa". So gorgeous to see it taking up an entire wall!

"It does have fabulous coloring and curves! I bet that was nice to look at during the meal, too."

Oh, we couldn't see it, but the chefs could. I spotted it while returning from the bathroom. Stopped me in my tracks, it did!

"I know it did! So, you mentioned there were seven of you?"

That's right! Sandy, Elissa, Marcia, the regulars for our Monday nights. Then we had Kathy, Devora, and Joel, as the lone male. Plus me! We all had something different for dinner, too! Several of us had sushi rolls. That photo is of my Hana House Roll, consisting of spicy crabmeat and avocado, topped with tuna, salmon, miso sauce, spicy mayo, and toasted onions. It was delicious! I even ate part of the orchid! That led to others eating their flowers, too! Maybe I'll see some of them at the Wicked Wednesday Film Fest or the Fall Family Fun Fest. I made sure to pass out those movie listings to everyone there.

"What a great idea!"

Right?! I had just enough that all of them got the mini-posters of each. I hadn't realized that Joel was such a fan of scary movies. We got to talking about "Sinners" and I expect to see him at NCG in two weeks. That would be great! Oh, and Kathy likes plays and she's going to join me in two weeks for the new one with Savannah Children's Theatre! We talked about their bid to take over the Star Castle, too, and what a perfect site that will be. The fundraiser is already two-thirds of the way to their goal!

"I do hope they succeed! It's certainly boding well! Okay, back on track, dear. What was next after dinner?"

Then there were six. All of us - except Devora - convened at Companions & Lovers for drinks or desserts. I had the carrot cake, which had to be sent back because it was decked out in strawberry slices. For real!!! They actually got out a fresh cake for my slice. Kathy had dessert, too, choosing the chocolate torte. Wanna guess what decor it wore? And these weren't even red strawberries, they were those 'white' ones.

"Everyone else had drinks?"

Yep! Elissa had her bay Breeze, Joel had his Old-fashioned, Marcia had a glass of wine, and Sandy got their concoction of a Toasted Almond. She liked it, too!

"What's with the painting? Oh, wait, this is the place with all the odd art, right?"

Right!!! By the time we got around to discussing this one, Kathy and Marcia had left. I said it was a woman wearing a scallop-necked wrap dress that she had open on the left, so that someone kneeling beside her had access to that left breast. What did I think she was so inclined for that kind of action? She'd dyed her coochie bright red to attract lovers! That really cracked them up!

"Oh, my, not even having alcohol and still carrying on like a sailor!"

Seriously, I'd said that to Joel while the other two were at the bathroom and he loved it!!! Then he made me repeat my take on the painting when Elissa and Sandy returned! And they were right: the woman did look like Liza Minelli and she would have been up for that kind of story line for sure! Remember "Cabaret"? Just sayin'!

"Yes, dear. Let's move along to the next locale for you four, shall we?"

Yes, let's! (smile!) Actually, we had a couple of false starts. Joel was the driver and he first took us to Aqua Velva, or whatever it was. Nope, we didn't even park as it clearly had a younger, more pigmented, crowd that we were. On to Steeds-cum-Deb's, to see if they had karaoke! Yeah, the street was packed with cars and the overflow crowd in the front had a strong resemblance to the other crowd. Wow, that place sure had changed!

"Yikes. Sam Johnson and Danny Torres would have been amazed."

No doubt. Joel took us on over to The Palace Diner on Abercorn after that. Coffee and bagels for the two women, french fries and Sweet Potato Pound Cake that I split with Joel. The cake was very interesting. It was kind of like a spice cake, but much milder in flavor. I don't know that I would have it again, but it was fine for a one-time thing. I'd wanted the Pineapple Upside-Down Cake, but Joel was very firm in his anti-pineapple stance, so I'd opted for the other. Next time, I'll get the Sam Johnson special for sure!

"Heard."

We stayed there a bit longer than I'd expected. That's because Elissa had to call her son in Italy to make sure he got up and didn't miss his flight to Atlanta. She's going to meet him in the ATL to celebrate their holidays.

"Italy??? How very cool! Is he stationed there?"

Oh, he isn't military. He has a buddy who just got married there. It was one of those 'destination weddings', like cuz'n Jeff had in the Caribbean some few years back. I'd wanted to go, but just didn't have the money. Now, I guess it's just as well, as that marriage didn't last but a year or two.

"That's too bad for him. He's such a sweet guy."

Yes, he is. I look forward to seeing him and my blue-sky cousin next summer. That's when the next trip to St. George Island is scheduled. Fun! Okay, time to wind down!

Thursday, September 18, 2025

in defense of keith


My friend Sherry Giddens posted this meme yesterday, cracking wise about how much older Keith Richards looks compared to others in The Rolling Stones and insinuating that he'd had to wait many years for them to come of age.

Timely, right?

After all, I'd just done my little piece on the aging of Michael McKean.

So, I checked to see just how old the ax wielder is.

Holy smokes, he's actually five months younger than Mick Jagger!!!

Mick was 82 in July this year; Keith won't be 82 until December. 

Bill Wyman, Charlie Watts, and Brian Jones were all born before them.

That meant Keith was actually the youngest boy in the band back in the day.

And, yet, the man looks rode hard, doesn't he, and has for as long as I can remember.

Now I have a different perspective on his place with them. 

Nice to be able to use my skills as an analytical chemist to clear that up!

(smile!)

Wednesday, September 17, 2025

musical, concert, musical... all at a cinema!

What a marvelous time I've been having at NCG Cinema this week!
I have been there for three days in a row - that's unprecedented!!!
Monday was just a 'mystery' movie a la Jim Reed's PFS, right?
Tina Tuesday was a double header with Carolyn, which was a great treat!
I'd invited her and Sandy to come see "Hamilton" with me at the matinee... and Carolyn responded to my invite!
Hooray!!!
I've wanted to see this musical for five years.
I know so many of my theatre friends who subscribed to Disney+ that first year of the pandemic, when the filmed Broadway show was released in July of 2020 on that streaming service.
I'm so glad to have seen it on the silver screen!!!
I felt like I was right there at the Richard Rodgers Theatre where the original Broadway cast was filmed over three performances in 2016.
WOW!!!
Lin-Manuel Miranda is so incredibly gifted!!!
He wrote the lyrics, the music, and the book for this historical, modern, musical, about events that actually occurred from 1776 to 1804, when the United States Of America was a brand-new country made up of immigrants from around the world.
How incredible to have finally seen this Tony-winning production as the 250th Anniversary of that start approaches!
My very favorite song was "Hurricane" - that one scene captured beautifully both the fury and the energy that represented Alexander Hamilton.
WOW!!!
Utterly astounding!!!
I could watch that one scene over and over and over and still be captivated.
Carolyn was as taken by the musical as I was.
We both intend to see it again next week!
Meanwhile, we  popped out for some Zaxby's, as it was across the street, then back into the NCG Cinema for a bit of silly fun.
Yes, I'm talkin' 'bout "Spinal Tap II: The End Continues" with those wacky musicians from forty years ago!
 
There's Michael McKean from that 1984 farce, "This Is Spinal Tap", when he was 37 years old.
 
And here he is from his turn as Lenny in "Laverne & Shirley" at 31 yo.
 
Plus, he was that dispicable Area 51 agent, Morris Fletcher, whose body gets switched with that of Fox Mulder.
McKean was 51 years old in that 1998 episode of "The X-Files".
 
And now he's 77, back to being David St. Hubbins, lead singer of the band.
His 78th birthday will be October 17th.
Except for the increased wrinkles of human aging, he really hasn't changed, has he? 
Of course, Christopher Guest is 77, too, while Rob Reiner is 78, and Harry Shearer is the oldest of them all and will be 82 in December.
Yet, when they perform their classics - "Big Bottom" and "(Listen To The) Flower People" and "Stonehenge" - the movie really pops!
I was so amazed how familiar I was with those songs, even though I doubt I've seen the original movie even once in about two decades.
T'was very nice to see, and hear, Sir Paul McCartney (83 yo) and Sir Elton John (78 yo) performing with the band, too.
What a totally twee Tina Tuesday... and for just $12 total!!!
 
Then, today, I was back again at  the NCG for their 'Wicked Wednesday' $5 treat - that 1986 musical that I so love that I've done one of its songs in karaoke on multiple occasions: "Little Shop Of Horrors"!!!
Apparently I share that love with Jimmy Fallon - major coolness!
Plus I've seen - and danced in my seat! - to the live musical versions at least twice during the last decade, including once in a TV show!!!
Yes, I have been well and truly blessed this week by NCG Cinemas - and they have just started two discount movie festivals this week.
Many thanks, y'all!