first time

A week ago tonight, I stood on a new beach, in the moonlight, under fireworks... being kissed for the first time. Incredibly romantic, especially for a first-time kiss!

This is not to say I was kissed for the first time ever. I'm fifty years old and I've been married twice, so I have certainly been kissed a time or two. Truth to tell, I'm a big fan of kisses, in all their myriad forms. Quick little brushes of the lips before rushing off to work. Butterfly-light kisses on the face, neck, hands. Migraine-crushing pressure point kisses along the eyebrows and on the temple. And let's not forget those "...long, slow, deep, soft, wet kisses that last three days", as Crash Durham lovingly described.

But, a first kiss is a wondrous thing, a marvel to anticipate and to behold. As Mae West once opined, "A man's kiss is his signature." That bawdy, self-assured 1940's film and radio star, a long-time favorite of mine, could be relied upon to know whereof she spoke. I have certainly found truth in her words. First kisses are like snowflakes, each unique and never to be repeated. Every man puts his own mark on a first kiss, with no two doing it quite the same way. The lip texture and taste, the strength behind the caress of the lips, the duration of that first overture and the quickness of the next. Every man has a unique kiss, one to be taken on its own merits, to be savored and enjoyed, in the moment and later in the memory of that moment.

Oh, yes, first kisses are the ones full of promise, harbingers of the possibilities of future encounters, the delights to come. My singing bird and I shared a first kiss on the beach, in the moonlight, under fireworks... and I smile as I remember.

what a difference a half-century makes... in a game show

Comcast has given me a variety of serial television shows to test-drive this week.

I never would have thought that "Family Feud" would have changed that much, nor had I realized how my perspective toward certain actions have changed in five decades.

I actually found myself feeling a bit squeamish watching those earlier shows!

Wow.

Here are a few examples of those changes, in visual format, as a picture truly is worth at least a thousand words.

 

Here is the part that got to me.

Richard Dawson would kiss all the females on the lips - young, old, white, black, married, single, or even still a child.

Macho entitlement behavior it was, but also part of the culture that still existed in the mid-1970's.

That part I could accept.

Some of those kisses though, like the one above, lingered a little too long.

It's obvious from her husband's expression that he is none too happy about that farewell kiss, but it was the last time Dawson would be kissing his wife, as the team had lost.

But, still, the kiss lasted long enough that I caught the shot easily.

The husband's brother is steadily watching his sibling to make sure he keeps his cool, so there's definite tension.

Still, by the time Dawson made it to the matriarch of the clan, the younger brother was all smiles as he watched mom get smooched.

Like I said, Dawson made sure to kiss all the females, each and everyone, though he did take his time a bit with the PYTs. 

 

How does that compare with Steve Harvey's actions?

In this day and age of "#MeToo", he would be courting a lawsuit to be landing lip smacks on any of them, and he is quite mindful of that.

Harvey may offer handshakes to outgoing teams, but usually only for older players.

 

What other differences were there?

Well, back in the mid-70's to 80's, the central showdown was a small counter space, with the contestants practically in each others faces.

Also, notice the attire of contestants.

Women wore dresses or skirts, men wore suits, and that's exactly the way it was.

The hair was all perfect, too.

Compare that to any episodes aired since the pandemic.

The showdown area consists of two separate counters, with space between.

Players are casual in dress and hairstyle.

During those early years of the show, the contestants would pose in the arched areas, then walk down several steps to the playing area.

Notice the dated color scheme, which would have seemed quite trendy in the 1970's.

Trust me... I grew up then.

The set today seems much brighter by contrast.

The arches to both sides still exist, but serve only to highlight the surnames of the contestants.

When the show opens, the contestants are already in place, awaiting the game host's arrival.

 

 

My guess is the steps were deemed too much of a tripping hazard for eager players, so those were eliminated.

The money has changed, too.

The top prize used to be $5,000, with the contestants facing off in five rounds, and the family reaching 300 points first were the ones who played for that cash.

Today, the top money is $20,000, with only four rounds of questions between the teams, except on those occasions when neither team reached 300 points; then, the fifth member of each team would play a showdown question that determined the winning team.

 

Wondering about that big difference in prize money?

Let me put that into perspective.

In the late 1970's, my paycheck as an E-5 in the Navy netted me about $8000 annually.

That's right: $8,000.

A prize of $5,000 was quite a royal sum of money!

What a difference fifty years makes!

jokes for engineers*

* and those who love them!
My thanks to my outlaw Bunny's mom!

***** ***** *****

Understanding
Engineers #1

Two engineering students were biking across a university campus when one said, "Where did you get such a great bike?"

The second engineer replied, "Well, I was walking along yesterday, minding my own business, when a beautiful woman
rode up on this bike, threw it to the ground, took off all her clothes and said, "Take what you want."

The first engineer nodded approvingly and said, "Good choice: the clothes probably wouldn't have fit
you anyway."

***** ***** *****

Understanding
Engineers #2

To the optimist,
the glass is half-full.

To the pessimist, the
glass is half-empty.

To the engineer,
the glass is twice as big as it
needs to be.

***** ***** *****

Understanding
Engineers #3

A priest, a doctor, and an engineer were waiting one morning for a particularly slow group of golfers.

The engineer fumed, "What's with those guys? We must have been waiting for fifteen minutes!"

The doctor chimed in, "I don't know, but I've never seen such inept golfers!!

The priest said, "Here comes the greens-keeper. Let's have a word with him."

He said, "Hello George, what's wrong with that group ahead of us? They're rather slow, aren't they?"

The greens-keeper replied, "Oh, yes. That's a group of blind firemen. They lost their sight saving our
clubhouse from a fire last year, so we always let them play for nothing any time they want."

The group fell silent for a moment.

The priest said, "That's so sad. I think I will say a special prayer for them tonight."

The doctor said, "Good idea. I'm going to contact my ophthalmologist colleague and see if here's anything she can do
for them."

The engineer said, "Why can't they just play at night?"

***** ***** *****

Understanding
Engineers #4

What is the difference between mechanical engineers and civil engineers?

Mechanical engineers build weapons.

Civil engineers build targets.

***** ***** *****

Understanding
Engineers #5

The graduate with a science degree asks, "Why does it work?"

The graduate with an engineering degree asks, "How does it work?"

The graduate with an accounting degree asks, "How much will it cost?"

The graduate with an arts degree asks, "Do you want fries with that?"

***** ***** *****

Understanding
Engineers #7

Normal people
believe that if it ain't broke,
don't fix it.

Engineers
believe that if it ain't broke, it
doesn't have enough features yet.

***** ***** *****

Understanding
Engineers #8

An engineer was crossing a road one day, when a frog called out to him and said, "If you kiss me, I'll turn into a
beautiful princess."

He bent over, picked up the frog, and put it in his pocket.

The frog spoke up again and said, "If you kiss me, I'll turn back into a beautiful princess and stay with you for one week."

The engineer took the frog out of his pocket, smiled at it and returned it to the pocket.

The frog then cried out, "If you kiss me and turn me back into a princess, I'll stay with you for one week and do anything you want."

Again, the engineer took the frog out, smiled at it and put it back into his pocket.

Finally, the frog asked, "What is the matter? I've told you I'm a beautiful princess and that I'll stay with
you for one week and do anything you want. Why won't you kiss me?"

The engineer said, "Look, I'm an engineer. I don't have time for a girlfriend, but a talking frog - now that's really
cool."

must have been whle you were kissing me

... you took the words right out of my mouth!

The next man I ever kiss needs to see the romance in the Meat Loaf.

The next man I ever kiss needs to believe Steinman wrote some of the best love songs ever.

The next man I ever kiss has some pretty big shoes to fill.

luna pier

A new beach for me! This little town of less than 2000 inhabitants was incorporated in 1963 and is a beachside destination for folks in Detroit and Toledo. Me? I saw the name of the town as I was traveling south and decided to visit.
How could I resist? The name lured me in, tempting my imagination, snagging my interest. Caught by my curiosity, I allowed myself to be reeled in, offering no resistance at all. And I landed on a shore arching contrapposto to its crescent of pier, linked only by a red beacon pointing skyward.
The upcoming full moon is part of the reason I ventured there. All summer, full moons have encouraged me to walk toward craziness. There's a quote somewhere about actions not taken being those regretted most and the moon reminds me that I missed an opportunity for a kiss not taken.
Perhaps, indeed, no kiss was intimated that evening three months ago. Perhaps I was besot with the moonlight and jellyfish lightning and merely imagined the taste of kisses in the air.
Perhaps.
I do know the thought of missed kisses has brought many a bout of insomnia and cast a restlessness on my spirit. And every month, as the moon waxes full again, I lose myself to crazed longings.
How ridiculous.
No more!
Besides, I've already pledged big kisses and not yet delivered.
And I am a woman of my word.

copernicus kiss

Earlier, my ex sent me a message about the doodle of the day at Google. He does that from time to time, if it's one he knows will appeal to me. I always enjoy those doodles and, also, that he is looking out for me in that way.
Very nice.
Anyway, here is the transcript of out "conversations" concerning that day's doodle. Jump onboard the train of thought and hold on!

Tuesday, 19 February:
him: Today's Google doodle is really nice. It's an honor of Copernicus. It's animated but not interactive.
me: How cool! Nice planet action!
him: Please excuse the grammar. The dictation mode doesn't always work well. You should have seen what it originally called "Copernicus."

Wednesday, 20 February:
him: I have a new phone and your pic is you eating Buddy's pizza.
me: Good times! I'm glad I was able to see you this summer.

him: Yesterday, Copernicus was "caipirinha kiss" ... I was shocked to find that this knew what a caipirinha was.
me: My bff was just telling me how her smart phone has spelling problems, too, with odd words instead of more common.

him: Yes. Speaking of Sam, I had my first caipirinha when we all went to Fogo de Chao.
me: Okay, I just looked that up. It sounds like a mojito made with something called cachasa.

him: Very close. Cachasa is a raw Brazilian rum that tasted of banana oil, last time I had one.
me: I don't recall that at all. Where?

him: Yeah, Atlanta after we decided the line was too long at the aquarium.
me: Oh! That's been a long time! Did you ever make it back to the aquarium?

him: No, that was my one and only time there.
me: You should make a trip of it sometime. It's a very nice place, though the one in Chattanooga is still my favorite.

him: Oh, that was a good time! Remember when Z broke that squishy toy and got goo all over himself? We all laughted and laughed at him!
me: Oh, I remember that! Poor little boy!

him: Yeah, but he had been warned. Then BOOM!
me: hahaha!

It's really nice to have people who have known me for such a long time.
I need those roots to bind me to Earth.

one last time with young Elvis

I even had a Post-It on my kitchen cabinet to remind me to visit the "Elvis At 21" exhibit this week. Its final day at the Jepson will be this Sunday, October 2nd.
As you may recall, I had looked forward to seeing these photos ever since the start of this year. I had even organized my schedule to make sure I would be present for the Opening Lecture and Sock Hop during the busy spring. But I had not actually visited the exhibit for the first time until June.
I had wanted to have plenty of time to absorb every word and every image.
After all, I had saved every photograph that graced the pages of the museum's quarterly newsmagazine. Every single one.

This was the cover,
both front and back,
of the late spring volume,
Issue 25.

Titled by Alfred Wertheimer
as "Two Guitars",
the photo included Elvis
with his guitarist.

Notice the knot tied in the rope Elvis used as his guitar strap.

I really like this part of the above photo.
It graced the front cover and was the first thing I saw.

Alfred took the photo at the CBS Studio recording session in New York City.
The date was March 17, 1956.
It was Saint Patrick's Day in the home of the largest celebration in the USA of that event.
I wonder what the newly-turned 21-year-old thought of all that?

Here, Elvis tries to entice the girl
to kiss him.
Taken in late June, 1956, he was with an unnamed lass that he had met at a lunch counter.

Oh, are you wondering if he was successful in his attempt?
(smile)
Yes, he was.

This is another of the photos from late June.
Here Elvis is, literally singing "Hound Dog" to an actual hound dog!
How did that come to pass?
Well, the song, which would soon be Number 1 on the US pop, country, and R&B charts, was being performed on a television show. Concern about Elvis' swiveling pelvis led to the dog on an elevated surface, to keep the gyrations on a leash.
Funny, and true, story!

This is one of my absolute favorites.
Alfred snapped this one on the train, as they traveled back toward Elvis' home in Memphis for the 4th of July.
The trip took a couple of days and Elvis was undoubtedly ready to be back among those who knew and loved him.
I can absolutely relate to that.
There's nothing that compares to home and family...
and being able to shuck Sunday clothes for jeans and a T-shirt.

Here he is, stretched out on the seat, trying to catch a few winks as the train meanders through the southeastern countryside on the long journey.
Do you know who took this photo of the photo in the exhibit?
I did!
I had asked if I was allowed to take pictures and, to my delight, was told I could!
Wonder of wonders!
(I used the privilege sparingly, though.)

At long last, Elvis had arrived home and had a dip in the pool.
Shirtless, he and his high school sweetie listened to his album.
He was then able to convince her to dance with him...
but no, no kiss this time!
(I wonder if she ever regretted that? Surely she did!)

Later that day (still the 4th of July), he was onstage at Russwood Park in Memphis for a benefit concert.
(Such a busy day!)
Alfred titled this one, appropriately, "Starburst".
Serendipity led to its creation, as he acknowledged.
Had not a fan's flashbulb gone off at the same moment that Alfred's shutter was open, the photo would have been much more subdued.
What a wonderful coincidence and what amazing timing!

Still, I do believe this may be my favorite of them all.
Taken during a snack break at the recording studio in NYC, back in late June of 1956, the young man is having a tasty beverage and relaxing with his session mates.
I think Alfred had titled it "Taking a Break", or some such.
My title for it?
"A Coke And A Smile."

Maybe I'll go see it one more time this weekend.

decade-anniversary of horror

My dearest cousin sent me a PowerPoint file today, titled "World Trade Center." The following is my reply to her.

"I couldn't bear to watch it. I am surrounded by invitations to 10-year anniversary events for the horror of Sept 11, 2001. I despise hearing it trivialized as 9/11, some catchphrase coined by the media. I remember well where I was when I heard the news: I was at work, having a normal morning, when one of the guys called to tell me the news. The next thing I knew, the word was all over the radio, the airwaves, all around. The tv kept showing the horror over and over that evening, so I left it off. I simply could not keep those images from my mind and crying, yet I was surrounded by media cashing in on the bad news.

I tried to concentrate on the outpouring of love from THE WORLD during that time. So much heartbreak being soothed by those who did not live in the USA, so many words of concern and hope for a better tomorrow, so much reassurance that we were not alone in this distress and terrible loss of life.

THAT is what I would dwell upon, NOT the evil wreaked by twisted minds."

That said, I may attend one of the events tomorrow. The film is titled "Rebirth" and features five stories of lives forever changed. Brought here by the Psychotronic Film Society, for a one-day-only showing at a favorite venue run by folks I love and trust, and attending with friends I consider family, I tentatively intend to attend the early showing. Should the film prove to be too much for me, I'll leave and flee to the beach, to allow the sound of the waves and the embrace of the sun and the kiss of the sea breeze to comfort and restore my soul.
Actually, I shall PLAN to go to the beach afterward. As a favorite quote by Isak Dinesen reminds me, "The cure for anything is saltwater - sweat, tears, or the sea."

i was 1 of 5 again!

"Was there another special meeting at the Savannah VA Center?"

You do realize this is Monday, right? And that I was one of five last week for Music Bingo here at the Midtown Sports Grill?

"Pardon me if I don't count how many folks you list."

It's alright, dearie, I know you have other things on your mind than math. As for me, I like to have fun with numbers. You know this is the 250th anniversary of the United States of America being a country, right?

"Well, of course I know that. It's also the 50th anniversary of your graduation from Jenkins High School, though I haven't heard of a party for that yet."

Nope, neither have I. But I did hear that this was the 150th anniversary of Anheuser-Busch! They're touring the Clydesdale horses around the USA at various historic sites and they were here in Savannah last Saturday. They were at at Grayson Stadium for its 100th anniversary!!! Well, kinda sorta. They were adjacent to the baseball stadium, but the Bananas had a game there, so it would have been too crowded for security of the horses.

"I would think so! And you forgot a personal anniversary for you. This makes 30 years since you got your PhD at FSU!"

You're right! Nice that it falls where it does with these other numbers!

"Yes, indeed. Now, what's this about '1 of 5' for Music Bingo?"

Well, there was me. Elissa came with Sandy. Plus Amanda brought Merritt along. That made five of us, so we were at a table again, instead of a booth. I like that much better, as I can stretch my legs. It also helps for dancing in my seat, which I did a lot tonight! Such great music Russ was playing all night!

"Very good!!! It's always more fun with good tunes!"

This was my card for the first game. Just look at that diagonal!!! What a story that bingo would tell!!! "Call Me" to be "Flirtin' With Disaster" over a Free Space, then there'll be "Dancing In The Dark" while I "Kiss You All Over" - mercy me, I'd have had to go home for a cool shower if those had all come up as a winner for me!

"Hahahaha!!! Yes, I know you would have!!! You can be such a sailor!!!"

Hey, I just can't help it... or just won't... take your pick! (smile!)

"So, did Sandy win again tonight?"

No, she did not. I was the only winner at our table and that was for the second game. It was "New School Rock Mix #1" and had a lot of tunes I was singing at the table. That prompted Merritt to suggest we have a karaoke night some time!!! I know Sandy would be down for that, too.

"Hey, doesn't his band have a gig at Tybee Post Theater this month?"

Yep, but I can't go. It's on June 28th, and, as I told him tonight, I have colonoscopy prep that day and night, so I'll be at home. Certainly can't be spewing body fluids all over town! LOL!

"For sure. So, what did you win?"

The second game's prize is always a free appetizer, so that's mine now! I didn't have food tonight, just a lemonade, made fresh by Chris. Really good, too! Nice and tart, but not sweet, and ice cold.

"That does sound good!"

It was, as was the music. My bingo was on the opposite diagonal to that above, starting with "Glycerine" in the lower right and ending with "Kryptonite" in the upper left. BINGO!!!

"Good one! You've even heard Three Doors Down perform that in concert!"

Right?! It was just perfect! And the couple sitting near us clapped for me! The guy told me I 'deserved to win because I was singing along to all the songs"!!! That really made me feel special!!!

"Well, it sounds like you're doing well at carrying a tune these days. That's very good! I know you've always enjoyed singing. I hope you and your friends will do some karaoke in the near future. That will be great fun!"

Yes, it will, most definitely. Now, I'm going to enjoy my House Salad along with this new "Game With Balls". In honor of the FIFA tournaments, they're using giant soccer balls to bop folks into the water for wrong answers. Tonight, the USA is taking on England for fun and dips in the channel! Later!

how kids perceive their grandparents

I received this as an email and thought it was great fun with a dash of truth. Enjoy!
1. She was in the bathroom, putting on her makeup, under the watchful eyes of her young granddaughter, as she'd done many times before. After she applied her lipstick and started to leave, the little one said, "But Grandma, you forgot to kiss the toilet paper good-bye!" I will probably never put lipstick on again without thinking about kissing the toilet paper good-bye....

2. My young grandson called the other day to wish me Happy Birthday. He asked me how old I was, and I told him, 62. My grandson was quiet for a moment, and then he asked, "Did you start at 1?"

3. After putting her grandchildren to bed, a grandmother changed into old slacks and a droopy blouse and proceeded to wash her hair. As she heard the children getting more and more rambunctious, her patience grew thin. Finally, she threw a towel around her head and stormed into their room, putting them back to bed with stern warnings. As she left the room, she heard the three-year-old say with a trembling voice,
"Who was THAT?"

4. A grandmother was telling her little granddaughter what her own childhood was like. "We used to skate outside on a pond. I had a swing made from a tire; it hung from a tree in our front yard. We rode our pony. We picked wild raspberries in the woods."
The little girl was wide-eyed, taking this all in. At last she said, "I sure wish I'd gotten to know you sooner!"

5. My grandson was visiting one day when he asked, "Grandma, do you know how you and God are alike?" I mentally polished my halo and I said, "No, how are we alike?'' "You're both old," he replied.

6. A little girl was diligently pounding away on her grandfather's word processor. She told him she was writing a story.
"What's it about?" he asked.
"I don't know," she replied. "I can't read."

7. I didn't know if my granddaughter had learned her colors yet, so I decided to test her. I would point out something and ask what color it was. She would tell me and was always correct. It was fun for me, so I continued. At last, she headed for the door, saying, "Grandma, I think you should try to figure out some of these colors yourself!"

8. When my grandson Billy and I entered our vacation cabin, we kept the lights off until we were inside to keep from attracting pesky insects. Still, a few fireflies followed us in. Noticing them before I did, Billy whispered, "It's no use Grandpa. Now the mosquitoes are coming after us with flashlights."

9. When my grandson asked me how old I was, I teasingly replied, "I'm not sure." "Look in your underwear, Grandpa," he advised "Mine says I'm 4 to 6."

10. A second grader came home from school and said to her grandmother, "Grandma, guess what? We learned how to make babies today." The grandmother, more than a little surprised, tried to keep her cool. "That's interesting." she said. "How do you make babies?"
"It's simple," replied the girl. "You just change 'y' to 'i' and add 'es'."

11. Children's Logic: "Give me a sentence about a public servant," said a teacher. The small boy wrote: "The fireman came down the ladder pregnant." The teacher took the lad aside to correct him. "Don't you know what pregnant means?" she asked.
"Sure," said the young boy confidently. 'It means carrying a child."

12. A grandfather was delivering his grandchildren to their home one day when a fire truck zoomed past. Sitting in the front seat of the fire truck was a Dalmatian dog. The children started discussing the dog's duties.
"They use him to keep crowds back," said one child.
"No," said another. "He's just for good luck."
A third child brought the argument to a close."They use the dogs," she said firmly, "to find the fire hydrants."

13. A 6-year-old was asked where his grandma lived. "Oh," he said, "she lives at the airport, and when we want her, we just go get her. Then, when we're done having her visit, we take her back to the airport."

one (dinner) leads to another, yeah, yeah, yeah

Rosa, Take 1, Tuesday, 28 Feb, a little after 8 PM:
Cue visual:

me: Salmon and capers pasta with asparagus and Rosa

bfe: That looks so good!
bfe: And with Rosa! I've missed her so much!
bfe: Would you give her a kiss on the cheek for me?

me: Hey man I will lick her wet self clean!

bfe: That sounds very dirty Faustina!

me: I had been saving her for a flight but i don't want her to languish any longer.

bfe: Wait... Rosa... that's not a person is it?!?!

me: :-) thought you might get a tickle out of that
me: Not a person. 4 sure.

bfe: That's smart of you... and you do not want her to go bad... when girls go bad!
bfe: Hey I listened to your cd Saturday! It was like evey famous jazz song that you knew but didn't know!

me: I know! really good tunes.

bfe: Ha ha!
bfe: So what nights do you teach?

me: M and W

bfe: Do you have plans next Tuesday?

me: I seem to be free. I just checked my schedule.

bfe: Your secretary let you know?!?!? That's what I always joke with my students! ;)
bfe: Well how about you come over Tuesday and I will feel you and we can watch the found footage festival DVD you got me a year or so ago? Would you be up for that?

me: Sho nuff.
me: You're going to 'feel' me? lol. Make that 'feed' and can do.

bfe: That sounds awesome. I will check with you on Sunday that the meal will be ok with you. Does that sound good?

me: :-)

bfe: Ha ha. Autocorrect you are so funny. Sorry, feeling you requires payment of service and I only do that behind the dumpsters at Forsythe!

me: Hey, what you do on your time is your biz. So a flight on Tuesday it shall be.

bfe: I look forward to Tuesday and sorry how you had to learn about my part time job to make ends match :(

me: :-) easier and more money than hawking wares on ebay.

bfe: :) just you lose a little more dignity with each passing blow. *ahem*

celebration of women

I know this would be a project Mama would have supported. The book will chronicle the stories of twenty strong women, women who did what they had to for their families and their communities and their selves.
The book is titled "Celebrations in the Garden" and that reminds me of a piece of embroidery Mama had made when I was a kid. The embroidery consisted of a poem, with flowers and birds and a sun. She had framed it and it hung in the hallway of our home. The poem went like this:
The kiss of the sun for pardon
The song of the birds for mirth
One is nearer God's heart in a garden
Than any place else on earth.

never alone...

Not even when I am somewhere that wasn't frequented by them, someone I love is there.

This evening, it was Mama and Ronnie.

We had reached the time in the Taize service for "silence and reflection", and I paused briefly to glance over my left shoulder to catch the kiss of the sun...

having shared that poem moments earlier with Margaret Clay while taking a moment in the garden with the song of the birds...

but when I glanced at the photo and saw what I caught, I spent that time in tears, full of thoughts of Mama and of Ronnie.

Right place, right time.

I hadn't even remembered about 

this special service today.

The Wednesday Night Suppers have begun and my only reason for showing up at Asbury Memorial had been to allow someone else to cook dinner for me.

Chicken fricassee was the entree promised, and I could not recall what that might be.

Gravy-soaked, breaded, chicken, that's what, and I got a leg.

Very tasty, especially with the wild rice and the green beans, and that pumpernickel roll.

Plus, I made myself a nice salad on the side.

For dessert, I had one of the few slices of coconut custard pie!

I chose to sit with Charles and Bernie.

Before long, Bill Anderson joined us.

Within ten minutes, our table was full, with both Prestons,

Kaye Deffley, and Danny Lewis.

Very nice!

Then Reverend Billy came by and reminded all of the Taize service.

After I'd explained that it was a time of meditative reflection to several others, I found myself going toward the sanctuary, with just a pause in the garden to watch the dipping sun...

and found myself still in the company of those I love.

i thank You, God.

three couples and a bunch of girls

I could have easily
named this post
"three plays and
a movie"
or possibly
"two plays, a musical,
and a movie".
Another choice could
have been
"four weddings and
a funeral"
or maybe even
"almost five weddings
and definitely
three funerals".
So very many options!
The montage I fashioned
by chance
settled the matter
as soon as I saw it.
Most definitely!

I'll begin with the "bunch of girls", down at the bottom.
These five sisters were in "Mustang", a Turkish film brought here by Cinema Savannah. (Thanks, Tomasz!) This is where three weddings of the four weddings occurred, as well as one of the funerals. Why? All because the girls were having unsupervised fun on the beach with some male classmates. Be grateful for American life, y'all!
Continuing clockwise in my photo spread, the next is a musical! And it's populated by high school thespians! "Bye Bye Birdie" is also loosely based on Elvis' story, too... so you know I had to see it! This is my year of Elvis, after all!
The play was great fun and was a glimpse into marketing. The fan club had been contacted to select a member to receive the "last kiss as a civilian" before Birdie became active duty military. Special kudos to the talented performers of Rose "Rosie" Alvarez (the secretary at the music studio) and Harry MacAfee (the father of the fan club's girl to be kissed) - fabulous work! I wish I'd gotten there earlier so I could have received a program and known the students' names. Those two should definitely be headed to Broadway!
Next up are star-crossed lovebirds whose tale we all know. Yep, I'm talking about Romeo and Juliet, featuring a wedding and two funerals. This time around, it's Savannah Stage Company's sparse set, allowing Shakespeare's words to shine and the emotions to perfume the air.
And... there was even a real-life marriage proposal after this final show! Dylan, who played Juliet's nurse (among other roles tonight!), was called to the stage by her boyfriend... then he told of how they met and got on one knee right in front of me!
Wow...
Perfect happy ending after the Bard's tale of love!
The final couple in my entertainment clock are Linda and Willy Loman. All she ever wanted in life was a family and a house that was paid in full ("free and clear"). To that end, she had forced Willy to remain in a job he detested, leading eventually to the "Death of a Salesman". Sad how couples can fall into such a pattern that they don't see each other as individuals with dreams but as adversaries to overcome.
Thanks to Joe's Catering for a wonderful opening night party, full of meatballs and apple tarts and barbeque-coleslaw sandwiches. Very nice! And thanks to Barbara and Kay for coming with me to Collective Face's enactment of the drama tonight.
Such a busy weekend I've had!
Now, to settle back and watch the Oscars...

such good fortune at the sound!

"At the sound of what?"

No, you misunderstand. "The Sound" is the name of the band I just heard after seeing "Good Fortune" with Carolyn.

"You went to hear a band? Was that over at Savannah Arts Academy?"

Nope. "The  Sound" is the name of one of the ensembles that are part of the Gretsch School of Music at GaSoU. They performed tonight at the Fine Arts Auditorium on Armstrong - and the concert was free! I tried to get Carolyn to go, but she wanted to see "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" at the cinema. We didn't have time to grab dinner between the end of "Good Fortune" and the start of our next events. I had hoped we would. She still had something to eat, though - I finally remembered to bring her the two bottles of Butter Pecan Ensure that I told her about months ago! She loved them, too!

'Very good. You've had those saved for her since the spring."

Yes, I know. This time, I knew she would be at AMC, so I made sure to bring them."

"And how was the concert you attended?"

It was fabulous!!! Three women and one man did most of the singing for the seven-member band. Olivia did those songs requiring a deeper tone, like "Living For The City" and "Live And Let Die". Elizabeth had a higher voice that worked great for "Black Velvet" and Toto's "Africa". Anna had just one solo, "Running Up That Hill", sung while she played guitar. Christian also strummed as he sang Jackson Browne's "The Road".

"Wow, what a great variety of songs! Stevie Wonder, Paul McCartney And Wings, Alannah Myles, Kate Bush!"

Yes, it was, and I sang along with almost every tune they did! I think I surprised them with that. They stumped me twice with new artists. The very first song was Yola's "I Don't Wanna Lie", then again a couple of songs later with Laufey's "From The Start". I recognized the Joni Mitchell song, but I had to look up its name: "In France They Kiss On Main Street".

"Yeah, I don't think I would have known that one."

 Yes you would have, just not that funky name. I know you would have been singing along with Bonnie Raitt's "Angel From Montgomery", as well as Steely Dan's "Peg" - two of my favorites! Plus, they sang "Stop Dragging My Heart Around" - classic Tom Petty!

"Wow. That's quite a set list for a bunch of twenty-first century college students."

Right? I was so impressed! Can't wait to hear them again! Right place, right time!

another summer's eve at skidaway!

 

"You were at Skidaway Institute of Oceanography again? Most excellent for a Tina Tuesday! What was the topic this time?"

This was a history lesson, given by Dr. Herb Windom, the first person hired for the fledging site back in 1967. I think my favorite point in the talk was the one with the photo of the North Atlantic Bight, color-coded for water temperature. That made for a very nice tie-in to the OHM talk a few months ago. I think I impressed him that I knew about the five rivers feeding into that site. (smile!) Right place, right time for me!

 

"Very cool! Did you say 1967? That means Skidaway Institute is the same age as Dood!"

 

That's true! Jackson, the young man in charge of this public outreach activity, had sent the email invite to me twice, so I knew I had to be there. Then, once the talk started, I understood why. I know what it's like to be the first one hired at a site, the lack of organization and the need for changes almost daily. That's how it was when I was stationed at Galeta Island in Panama, when I was the first woman ever to be there. That meant there was only the one bathroom in the building. We had to put a sign on the door that let folks know when there was a woman aboard!

 

"I remember those days! Wow, that was so long ago, g'friend."

 

Yes, I got to Panama in April of 1978. So very long ago!

 

"Herb didn't run into any issues like that, though. Right?"

 

Correct. Only men were out there at SkIO then, but the buildings were prefab and the boat for research held only three or four people. It took a while to get funding so they could get a bigger boat - marine research joke alert! - but the one they now have lets six or seven researchers and equipment go out on the ocean, with a full crew, too. Overall, "The History And Early Days Of Skidaway Institute" was a lovely trip down the memory lane of the retired professor. He kept it light and casual, much like my lectures were when I was teaching. I highly recommend viewing his talk!

 

"Thanks, I'll do that sometime, but not right now. Bounce had "The Long Kiss Goodnight" on earlier and I recorded it. I love that movie with Geena Davis and Samuel L. Jackson! What an excellent flick!"

 

Most def it is! You go ahead and enjoy that. It'll be nice to be able to fast-forward through all the 'mercials!!! I'll catch you on the flip side!

I could have talked, talked, TALKED all night!

(You have to sing it, to the tune of "I Could Have Danced All Night".)

Last night, I went to a play at Muse Arts with my new physicist friend.
For the past few months, I've been trying to get to know him better by getting him more involved in the things I like, such as No Kidding!. We had already gone to three of those events, in March and April (dinners at Crystal Beer Parlor and Toucan Cafe, high tea at The Gryphon Tea Room). Honestly, I think I was trying to let him meet some folks who were not employed at Armstrong, maybe find a new girlfriend along the way.
During our frequent talks in his office or mine, between outings, I had picked up on his liking of finer culture and had suggested earlier in the week that he might be interested in seeing this Jean-Paul Sartre play, "No Exit". He had agreed and so we had gone, with me picking him up for the trip across town and down Louisville Road.
We sat in the very front row and were able to watch ourselves watching the play, thanks to the video monitors. Rather a different experience, one which really accentuated the voyeuristic bent of the play. Afterward, we stood in the parking lot, decompressing and talking... and talking... and talking... as the other audience members and the actors and the staff of Muse all eventually left, while we stood in the grass, looking at the size of the full moon with our thumbnails and talking.
I didn't want it to stop. That moment in the moonlight, talking to him - I didn't want it to stop.
As my car became the last one parked, I said, "I am having so much fun talking to you! Can we go somewhere and keep doing this?" And, to my surpise and delight, he enthusiastically agreed! To the IHOP? Waffle House? The Diner? No, we weren't hungry - except for words - so off to the beach we went!
And the talking went on and on, as we drove out there, as we walked and stood and sat on the pier. While the waves rolled beneath us and the full moon beamed and the jellyfish lightning jumped horizontally from cloud to cloud before our eyes. Talked and talked for hours, until we were both so very thirsty but reluctant to leave the pier, reluctant to lose the magical spell cast by the moon and the surf and the charged air.
But we relented to our thirst and found a nearby bar still open and sat knee to knee on the barstools, talking with faces so close, so close... I thought several times that we might kiss and then I was afraid we would not... then it was closing time and the generous barkeep ushered us back out into the moonlight.
I drove him home, with both of us talking still, not wanting the night to end, so tired I could hardly keep my eyes open.
Then we hugged good night and I came home.
Oh, my.
What an incredible night.
Now I hope he doesn't find a new girlfriend.

such a surreal end to this day...

First, let's hit hit the highlights, shall we?

I started off with pizza for breakfast, as well as a second viewing of the double episode of "Ghosts" from Thursday.

Titled "It's A Wonderful Christmas Carol", it very nicely paired up two of my favorite traditional holiday shows.

Remember how much I liked that in the show at Tybee last year?

In this TV show, 'Sam' finally has enough after 'Thorfinn' zaps her and lets his hippie girlfriend take over her body as a Christmas gift, to satisfy her munchies.

It completely trashes an important TV interview, resulting in 'Sam' declaring "I wish I'd never been able to see and hear the ghosts!'

Poof! Her wish is granted, and next thing she knows, 'Carol' appears and takes her on the rounds of how her life would be without them.

Eventually, 'Sam' realizes her life was pretty good as it was, so she takes back the wish, waking up on the couch.

Was it all a dream?

Had that really happened or had it all been in her imagination?

Then she found the candy cane that 'Carol' had given her.

Wow.

It wasn't Zuzu's petals, but it still made me cry.

(smile!)

Soon it was almost high noon and time to head off to The King & I!

Dawn and I had our Christmas luncheon scheduled and that's our place!

She even broke out her camera for those Lamb Chops!

Such a grand meal we had, starting with soups and ending with crab cakes.

No, that isn't some new dessert - hahahaha!

Plus, she gave me her veggies and rice to take home, and I used those in a soup I had for dinner.

I'm so glad we both had two hours to spend together!

Then, as I was taking care of things on the computer, I had the TV tuned to the Kennedy Center honors for some musicians.

 

A familiar voice made me pause.

Was that the POTUS introducing Gloria Gaynor???

Surely that was not anything Trump would do... right?

I took it as a ploy to butter up female voters.

Then he was back to give the intro for KISS.

How totally surreal.

I'm glad the cameras panned over to the honorees to catch their reactions.

Gene and Paul both had flat expressions on their faces, leading me to surmise they were also aware of the surreal nature of the event.

Good for them for staying cool.

They got lively, though, a little later!

Cheap Trick paid tribute by performing "Rock And Roll All Nite" and they jammed!

I'm talkin' 'bout Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley, and even Peter Criss, were up and dancing and smiling!

That's pretty cool, as they're 76, 73, and 80, respectively.

That makes all of them contemporaries of Trump, with only Peter Criss being older than the current POTUS, who is 79

Honestly, that all makes it more surreal.

 Must be time for bed!

power of the pen

This is all about the one film I saw today.
"Trumbo".
I had especially wanted to see it because it starred Bryan Cranston, one of my favorites from "Malcolm In The Middle" (the white kids' version of "Everybody Hates Chris"). The film was about a dark decade - starting in the late 1940's - of American history, when Hollywood went after writers, actors, and crewmembers for being members of the Communist Party USA. Blacklisting, it was called, instigated by fear after Congress started blaming the film industry for begetting spies. Crazy, right?
But true.
Dalton Trumbo, a highly praised novelist and screenwriter, had to use pseudonyms and write schlock for a small studio for a decade because his name had been trashed by scaremongers like Hedda Hopper. To his credit, he made sure to spread that work to other blacklisted writers, so all were able to stay afloat.
In spite of the difficulties of writing under such conditions and in such times, the man still wrote award-winning material. Not once, but twice during this period, his scripts won Academy Awards! Perhaps you've heard of "Roman Holiday", the gem starring Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck? That was the first one, though his family did not receive the trophy under his name until 1993, more than a decade after his death.
The other was "The Brave One", based on a scene he had witnessed years earlier while on holiday in Spain. The Oscar for Best Story was presented to Trumbo in 1975, when he was 70 years old and still alive to enjoy it. (He died the next year.)
How did that terrible time come to an end? Kirk Douglas and Otto Preminger, and even President Jack Kennedy, are the ones to thank. By officially naming Trumbo as the author of "Spartacus" and "Exodus", respectively, and by the President publicly attending the screening of "Exodus", Hollywood had to kiss its blacklist goodbye.
How very appropriate that two tales of justified rebellion won the freedom of so many. One was the tale of a slave's fight against the Roman use of slaves as gladiator fodder. The other told of a fight by Holocaust survivors against British interment and for a return to their religious homeland.
How very appropriate that a man imprisoned by fear was able to craft such incredible tales of empowerment to gain the freedom of himself and others.
Hallelujah!
Such an uplifting tale!
It was also entirely appropriate for this holiday season, when the birth of Jesus is heralded. In two of the world's major religions, Christianity and Islam, Jesus is a game-changer, born of virgin birth, striving for the acceptance of all peoples on this planet we call home.
Amen, sister.
Amen, brother.
Amen.

thanks, Betsy Kameron, for the invite to dance!

The Magnetic Mary's was the band's name, and, true to their fb page, they played a quite diverse mix of tunes!

From Garbage to Fleetwood Mac -

from Leonard Cohen to Hole -

from The Go-Go's to Fiona Apple -

and those were just some of all the tunes I knew!

Actually, I take that back: I didn't know "Malibu" at all.

 

I'd even 'fessed up to that to a fellow who came up to me when the band took a break.

I had been dancing, of course, even getting in front of the band to do so and to sing along with that favorite Garbage song!

No one else was dancing at all, but I saw several women who would have, if they'd just worked up the moxie.

I had been dancing 'lightly' on the sidelines, along with Betsy, ever since the band started.

Just swaying a bit, right, with a few moves of my arms and feet, nothing that might really catch anyone's attention.

But all bets were off when the Magnetic Mary's struck those first notes of "Only Happy When It Rains"!!!

I absolutely could not help myself!!!

Then they followed that with "Kiss Me" which I adore!

Then they said "Don't Stop" and I kinda sorta did as they said in the song...

I didn't stop dancing.

How could I not dance?

Just ask the Magic Rocks, they'll confirm that I can't stop until the band does!

(smile!)

 

Anyway, as I said, a fellow came up to me when the band took five.

He asked me if I was familiar with the band.

"Nope," I told him, "I came out tonight because my friend Betsy invited me. Her daughter and the singer have been friends since they were 6."

Surprised, he said, "I wondered because you sang along with all the songs!"

"Not all," I replied. "I didn't know the Hole song at all."

"You sure looked like you were having fun," he then said. "Hope you have a great night!"

Then he walked off into the night.

Betsy asked me if I knew who he was.

"Was he someone you know from the music festival?"

"Nope, never saw him before!"

(smile!) 

 

Now, as I write this, I wonder about that, though.

Was he perhaps Mr. Lundin, the guy I always see at the SavArtsAcad theatre events?

Hmmm... Perhaps.

It's just hard for me to recognize folks out of their usual settings, right?

I'll have to ask him about that, the next time I see him.

(smile!) 

And who else was at this concert at Tubby's Tank House?

Surprise, surprise, Smitty and Mary were!!!

They were the first of our group to make it there.

I sat and talked to them for about 15 minutes before the Kamerons came.

Betsy and Jimmy and Mark arrived with two friends from Tennessee.

I tried talking to that couple during the break, but the woman was just not interested in anything I had to say.

Every question I asked was met with a terse reply.

No followup, no questions asked of me.

That's okay by me!

Back to the dance floor I went until the food came!

(smile!) 

 

That's right - I had chicken nachos for dinner!

Mary was hungry, too, so she'd asked if I wanted to order something to maybe share, so I did.

I'm glad she is talking to me again!

My brother treated me to dinner, but it was Mary that wanted to make sure I got safely back to my car as we were leaving.

She even stopped to wave bye before she got in their vehicle!

Very nice!

(smile!)