another cabaret at the UUC!

There were two differences, however, from the one yesterday.

First, I was the only volunteer usher for "Night And Day: Cabaret with Samantha Talora", as the other three had opted for the salon event later tonight.

Yesterday, I'd worn my green, flowing dress, with my hair in a high ponytail.

Today, I took my hair down after I arrived.

I wore Mother Pat's summery Hawaiian dress with the golden dolphins.

Nice to give the audience something different!

Second, this event was actually double-billed, as it also featured Assaf Gleizner on the piano, as well as his talented arrangements of some of the music.

Remember, this event was titled "Night And Day".

Well, it turns out that the singer knew of two songs with that title, but different lyrics.

When she'd asked Assaf which one he'd prefer, he replied, "why not both?"

So that's what they'd done, blending the Cole Porter oldie with a much more recent one by Roxanne Seeman and Billie Hughes that Bette Midler sang about 30 years ago.

Magnificent fun!!!

When I talked about the mashup afterward with Assaf, I just had to share the one I'd done some years back!

He thought "I Feel Pretty" and the James Brown funk was an exciting idea!

Maybe I'll hear that being played at a future SVF concert?

That would be grand!!!

Samantha wove a story for us from the songs tonight.

She mentioned that she'd been on an episode of "Stories From The Stage", one of the short PBS programs I enjoy.

I'll have to see if I can find the one she was on!

That was early on in her time of saying "Yes" to scary things.

My guess is that change in quest began after her younger brother's death from cancer in 2013.

I know very well how that can change one's perspective.

Her story in song carried us from childhood ("Little Voice") to a change in attitude ("I'm Not Afraid Of Anything") to a realization that there will always be differences between people ("The Other Man's Grass Is Always Greener" and "The Secret Of Happiness").

Those last two made me think of Erma Bombeck and her humor!

After that biographical intro, she then sang a song for her dog, a song for her husband (that involved a gender swap from the Ray Charles version), and a song in memory of her brother.

Those were all straight from the program... but then came a change!

Instead of the listed tune, she sang one of my favorites: "You'll Never Walk Alone" - oh, yes, so beautiful it was, too!

Then she performed the next listed one... and encored with "Oh Shenandoah" instead of the posted Simon & Garfunkel song.

Nice change, y'all!

Yes, this has been a pretty amazing day, with plenty of lovely surprises!

(smile!)

hello, gorgeous!

"Hey, hey, girlie! You flashing back to that sign in Las Vegas?"

Oh, wow, I'd kinda sorta forgotten about that one. Good memories!!! No, I'm referring to the words spoken to me this morning as I was hobbling through the heat to enter the Savannah VA Center. I'd made it through the outer door and had taken a pause in the middle to cool off. Then this lovely man opened the door wide and said, "Hello, gorgeous!" Surprised, I smiled wide and thanked him, of course. Then he added, "Have an amazing day!" "You, too!"

"My, oh my! That was a nice surprise!"

It really was! After I checked in for the lab appointment, I sat and let that random act of kindness sink in... and almost started to cry. That's a real rarity, to have a stranger offer such words. When I was younger, I'd have sailors say such things, but that's been fifty years ago, or close to it.

"What's that meme you just flashed up? Something from fb?"

Yes, it's something that the ex's Andy posted. '8 Things You'll Probably Never Know' has a lot of truth to it, and that stranger's goodness made me remember it. That guy's kindness wasn't the only wonderful thing that happened at the VA Center, though. Kim, the nurse that saw me today, kidded around as she wrapped my right hand after the blood draw. "Just because you look like a boxer now, don't be doing what LL Cool J said." I laughed and sang, "Mama said knock you out!" Hahahaha! We both got a kick out of that, her for referencing the song and me for picking up on it. (smile!)

"Hahaha! That reminds me of the purple panther moment you had!"

Oh, yes, that was fun! A bright moment during that first year of the pandemic. Taking the time to cut up with the young clerk at the grocery store. I wonder if #5 might pertain to that time and place for that young man?

"Beats me, dear. He'd be 24 or 25 now, wouldn't he?"

Probably. I feel sure he was in high school 6 years ago. Maybe #5 actually refers to me talking about him? His name was Sam.

"Well, see there? You did do a #5! Let's go ahead and list them, for folks who don't want to zoom in on that picture."

1. Someone out there once fell for you... and never told you.

2. A stranger noticed you and smiled, you just didn't see it.

3. Someone still remembers something kind you did years ago.

4. You've been the reason someone didn't give up.

5. Your name has come up in conversation you'll never hear.

6. Someone defended you when you weren't in the room.

7. There's someone who checks your messages and smiles.

8. Your life inspires people who never say a word.

"There! That will make it easier for all to read and enjoy!"

Thanks, that was a good idea. Oh, and hears another kindness from Kim! She needed to have a urine sample from me, too. When I said I'd try, "but I don't know how much will make it into that little cup," she asked if I'd like a hat. Say what? Apparently, there's this wide-brimmed bowl that goes below the seat, so it catches the urine without a woman having to get pee all over her hand trying to find the stream. Hooray!!! I'm going to mention her name every time I need a urine test in the future!!!

"I'd say this is shaping up to be a rather amazing day..."

Yes, I do believe it is! i thank You, God!

i would pay good money to hear her as the phantom...

Those are the exact words I spoke to Liz Lang after the cabaret tonight.

I was there at the Unitarian Universalist Church downtown, having my second stint as a volunteer usher for the Savannah VOICE Festival.

This had been a surfeit of sopranos!

Titled "Queens Of The Night: Sopranos On Stage", it featured three women who had all won the American Traditions Vocal Collection - Milnes American Opera Award.

Those would be Kyaunnee Richardson, Liz Lang, and Nia Drummond.

 

They had made a grand entrance, all brandishing swords and storming the stage, as "The Ride Of The Valkyries" swirled in the air - huzzah!!!

I had to smile, remembering the quest on TBBT to retrieve Sheldon's stolen battle ostrich from some guy named Todd Zarnecki.

(smile!) 

Once they attained the stage, though, their demeanor changed!

"Three Little Maids From School Are We" they sang, coyly peeking from behind swords that had become colorful parasols!!!

Hahahahaha!

There followed a string of songs, some solo, some as a trio.

My favorite from the youngest, Nia, was "Ride On, King Jesus" - I'd never heard it before and it was fully of energy and happiness!

My favorite from Kyaunnee was "Summertime", from the musical, "Porgy And Bess" - I do so love that song!!!

But my favorite from the entire hour-long concert was that done by Liz.

You could have heard a pin drop, as everyone in the sanctuary paused their rustling and shifting to listen.

It was "The Music Of The Night", with her as the Phantom of the Opera!!!

Wow!!!

The three women had talked onstage about the roles they had yet to play, the roles that were their dreams.

Nia had said Maria, from "West Side Story".

Kyaunnee wants to be Sweeney Todd, from that musical.

And Liz wants to be the Phantom.

Yes, please!!!

As I told several, there's no reason the ingenue couldn't be a man, which would certainly set her up in the eponymous lead. 

Yes, I would pay good money to be in the theatre for that...

girl scouts, sciifi, and pizza w a*list

Why didn't I just include those first two items in the A*list genres?

Because they weren't seen as part of that AMC dance card, silly!

The first was seen at NCG Cinema, as AMC had shown me the preview, but never, ever, brought the movie to its screens.

I guess I'll have to clarify that issue for Trey!

"Cookie Queens" followed four girls in different troupes as they set their goals... and met them... and surpassed them!

The documentary was also a realistic look at the stress not only on the girls, but on their parents.

I would have loved to have shared that with the Girl Scouts in my life!

As it was, I almost missed it.

Had I not looked at the listings on Monday night, I would have!

Glad I was able to squeeze it in on Wednesday.

Tuesday I already had "Super Troopers 3" on the menu with the bfe.

As it's rare for him to see a flick with me, I not only agreed, but I treated him to the screening!

I must say, I'm not as familiar with the Broken Lizard comedy team as I am with others (Monty Python, Firesign Theatre, Second City, or even Random Acts Of Insanity), but he is a huge fan of their first movie.

That one is a quarter-century old now, by the way.

This third one is subtitled "Farva's Wedding", and that offered something for me: a touch of Bollywood, complete with elephant!

That was a very nice Tina Tuesday treat!

I was to have a meeting on Montgomery Street, so no second movie for me, except on paper I 'saw' the oldie, "Practical Magic", from 1998.

It made a showing because there's a new one coming out... and I hope to be the lead volunteer on that AARP-GA screening event here!

Got my fingers crossed!

(smile!)

Then my Wednesday was slam-packed with movies!!!

As well as the sweet one at NCG about Samoas and other cookies, I had a double-header at AMC!

Those were repeats of earlier dances, but with a difference.

This time, "Toy Story 5" was seen with a young family also there, with a dad who laughed at the same places that I did - very nice!

And this time, "One Night Only" was seen with quite a few others who braved the hot screening room with me!

Lack of air conditioning couldn't keep us away from this rom-com!

I also had myself a little inside joke with the movie: a pepperoni pizza!

Trust me, that was certainly a better choice than popcorn this time.

(smile!)

What about the scifi?

Well, technically, that was science fiction, as it occurred in a future time, though not too distant from now.

However, "Dark City" is the one I meant.

That's another from 1998, with Kiefer Sutherland as a doctor helping an alien race as they try to discover what makes humans tick.

Much as I liked him in "The Lost Boys", it wasn't the Sutherland that drew me in... it was the 31-year-old Sewell man, with his bedroom eyes.

Yes, Rufus Sewell - not only did he have those eyes, but he had a dream, much like 'Neo' did in "The Matrix".

He found out he was not in a real world and he set about to find it.

Here's the thing, though.

There was no real world.

He, and every other human, was living in a dark test-tube environment, where the landscape, and their memories, got 'tuned' every midnight by the humanoid aliens.

No daylight, no water, not even a beach, as the aliens hated those.

Here's the other thing, though.

Although Shell Beach didn't exist, advertising for it was all over the place: on billboards, on postcards, even on the route on the subway.

Well, if 'John Murdoch' could not find that beach, then what?

Blogspot didn't exist that long ago, so he couldn't just create his own beach, like I have done. 

Truly was an excellent movie - thanks, Comcast, for the $1 movie reward!

Now I'm going to watch "Beat Shazam" and try to identify those songs!

party of 1 at 2FP

Even though it was announced last week that this week's meeting would be on Tuesday, not Wednesday, no one seemed to have listened except me and Brenda.

She had even updated the google calendar to reflect the change, but she never made it there, due to weather where she was.

As I told her, it wasn't even raining there at 5511 Montgomery Street, at the Two First Posts of Georgia building.

I should know.

I'd arrived just a few minutes before 6 PM, hoping that the American Legion space would be already open from the summer swelter.

Ah, silly me.

I sent out texts to make sure others were on the way.

Brenda Pough was the only one who responded.

So, I set about to wait them out.

That meant walking around and taking photos, naturally.

I am, after all, the Historian for Post 36 and I've been documenting the progress of work at this building for several years. 

The following are what I noted during the 45 minutes I was there.

 

First, the dumpsters have been delivered, so that's good.

Republic will be handling waste management, as they are the company of choice for JKLM, LLC, the canteen managers.

I thought there was to be one dumpster for recyclable materials, but maybe not?

These both seem to be for trash. 

Justin has been busy with this change order from a month or two ago.

He's poured the concrete pad behind the dumpsters, as well as the long concrete walkway that runs up to the back door of the canteen.

The rain almost every afternoon had slowed him down, but at least our few days of just sun have allowed the work.

Next up will be a gated fence to keep out anyone who might illegally use those dumpsters or the forthcoming grease trap!

That means yet another key on Eric Bolden's key ring, as Building Manager.  

So far, he has the keys to both the front and back doors of both 5509 and 5511, as well as to the offices of Post 36 and Post 500, the storage closet, the conference room, and the event ballroom.

That's 9 keys so far.

Glad that's not my responsibility!

I've done my duty, and then some, this evening.

At 6:48 PM, I sent out the following to the other TFP members.

"As no one else has yet arrived, I am taking my leave. 

Hoping to see all next Tuesday."

Anyone else hear those crickets?

what's the perfect amount of ice, ice, baby?

What else would be on my mind on such scorcher summer days?

Remember, Savannah has lots of humidity, so add 10 degrees to those highs.

I run that dining room air conditioner at night, which manages to get the living areas of the house down to about 77 F, which is fine by me.

That means those areas get to the mid-80's in the afternoons.

Again, that's fine by me, and keeps my electric bill below $100 each month.

But part of the reason it's fine by me is I drink a lot of iced fluids.

Ivan Shreve, my fellow member of the League of Savannah Bloggers, posted the above meme on fb to take a poll about that.

"What's the perfect amount of ice?"

In true form as an analytical chemist, I didn't give him just one number. 

"2 usually, sometimes 3, unless it's cold outside. Then it's 1."

He liked that response.

Why not 4 as one of my preferences?

That's too much ice, making it difficult to drink without getting liquids running down my chin or onto my clothing.

Speaking of "perfect", tonight at Music Bingo, Andrew, the new bartender, took my drink order at the table.

Marcia was already in the booth, and the others had not yet arrived.

Andrew asked what I wanted and I said "water", as that's my usual.

He asked, "With or without lemon?"

"Surprise me," I responded... and he did!

I was the only one at our table of 4 that had both lime and lemon!

Sandy and Elissa ordered their drinks from our waiter, and just got lemon.

(smile!) 

None of us won any of the games tonight, but we sure had fun!

"House Party Mix" and "Modern Country Mix #2" were both good music, but it was that first game, with the "Covers Mix", that had us all pleasantly surprised.

Fergie sang Heart's "Barracuda"?

The White Stripes covered "I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself"?

Diana Ross singing "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" was a cover?

Like I said, it was a fun evening with my friends!

Now, it's time for "The Quiz With Balls" and guess who they have tonight?

Star Wars Nerds versus Models - that should be good for a few laughs!

eye of the hurricane...

"He does look a bit like the center of all activity, and all he is doing is sitting on that comfy couch at the back of the Telfair Rotunda."

 

Exactly!!! I'm so glad you see that, too.

 

"Hey, the eye cannot help but be drawn to Sherrill Milnes. As well as being world-renowned for his opera prowess, he's a tall fellow, and holds himself with quite a regal manner."

 

I agree. I do hope some of the others with cameras caught that. Then again it was serendipity that I took the shot. He and I kept catching each other's eye, as we do, and I'd pointed the Alcatel lens at him a time or two. But someone would come up and ask me something and I'd get distracted. As for him, there was a steady current of people headed toward him for a few words, or away after they'd shared a moment. I finally just clicked the shutter!

  

"So, just why were you at this offering of the 14th Annual Savannah VOICE Festival? I know you don't have that kind of money at hand."

 

I was a volunteer usher!!! I dared myself to sign on for some shifts, after Torlef Borsting, the Executive Director, contacted me to see if I was available. I only signed up for this one this weekend, to see how it went, but I have a full slate at the end of next week.

 

"Whoa, girlie! Even with that hitch in your giddy-up still?"

 

In spite of that!!! I'm not sure that anyone much noticed my hobble, though if they did, they didn't say anything. I was so proud of myself for keeping that on the down low! I'd taken an acetaminophen around 3 pm, then another around 5:30 pm, an hour before showtime. That near double hit worked pretty well! Though it was starting to wear thin by show's end at 8:30 pm, making that trek back to my car a bit rough. But I persevered!!! I am so proud of myself!!!

 

"I'm proud of you, too, honey! I know it really hurt your psyche to not be a volunteer for the Savannah Music Festival this year."

 

Yes, but a good bit of by absence there was due to that inguinal hernia repair surgery and the recovery period after. I didn't even drive for a week! For this festival of opera, I was determined to try to be a volunteer again... and I have succeeded!

 

"That's great news! Even better that no one commented on your lameness. And just what was this show tonight?"

 

"A Night Of Rising Stars"!!! This was the first show of the festival, too! They've already had two of the "Masters In Voice" programs this week, with those during the day on Wednesday and Thursday. But Maria Zouves made a big deal of this being the inaugural event for SavVoice14! This was primarily a showcase of the new talent from this year's singers, but there were a few from last year sprinkled in. Like Juan Johnston-Chavez!!! Remember that sweet, and oh-so-helpful, baritone? He finished up the first half of tonight's program with "If Ever I Would Leave You"... and I could swear he was singing it straight to me! How about that? We even talked about the musical "Camelot" which was the source of the song, and it turns out neither of us have ever seen it! Maybe I need to arranged a movie date so we can remedy that. I wonder if comcast has the movie version of the musical?

 

"Oh, girl, you are too funny!"

 

Hey, I can be his dear Auntie while he is around here.Though I would imagine he has a few of those already. Get this: he remembered my name! Like, early on, well before the show began. It took me a minute to recognize him, but when I did, I totally did. You know?

 

"I do. Did you have any other moments with folks there?"

 

Well, sure! Lani Winskye, the VP of Operations, was super glad to see me volunteer again! She made sure Ashley Nunez, in charge of Patron Services, knew she could count on me, and put me to work at once stuffing programs. It wasn't even 5 PM yet! (smile!) But I think one of the favorite people I saw tonight has to be Jessica Ann Best. Remember her?

 

"Hey, that's her curly blonde mop in the center of that group shot, isn't it? I'm so thrilled to see her performing still! What was the song?"

 

"The Sound Of Music", of course!!! (smile!) They were finishing the rehearsal and I just couldn't stay downstairs any longer! So I was lipsyncing along with her, hands in motion, and she smiled at me the whole time - fabulous!!! And that's 22 other singers up there with her for the kind of ending that brought everyone to their feet at the end of the second half of the show. Talk about a showstopper!!! Wow!!!

 

"Well, I'm so glad this has been a good first venture back into the volunteer life!"

 

Me, too, g'friend, me, too. I have so missed this!!!