letting my voice be heard: part 3

Alrighty then!

Today was the first monthly meeting of the new and improved AARP Georgia group, with Gabrielle in charge.

She started us off with an icebreaker: what was our favorite song, and why?

I gave her "Octopus' Garden", as it always made me think of walking down the street with my childhood BFF!

Then I added "Drift Away", as others had mentioned it, too.

Something we had in common! 

Afterward, she gave us a 15-minute training video to watch.

Titled "Strategic Relationship Building", it was all about determining what community bonds we already had in place for our future community awareness events.

The lecturer referred to building a Win-Win-Win strategy that would benefit the key person at an event, our group at the event, and the community members who came out to the event.

I like that "bigger picture" approach!

 

After the video lecture, we had breakout groups to discuss topics raised.

"Where do people congregate?"

"Where are important landmarks?"

"Where do we have a presence, or where do we need a presence?"

 

My group was a bit different from the others, as it had the blanched almond.

All of us - me, Wanda, Brenda, and Lillian - brought up the senior centers located throughout Savannah and Pooler.

I was the only one who suggested libraries and churches.

I even talked about Sisters In Faith, there at Asbury, who have a monthly speaker visit our luncheons.

I thought for sure they would jump on that as an event opportunity!

However, that didn't happen.

The MLK Civil Rights Museum, the Weeping Area, the NAACP center, those were mentioned by the others.

What I'm sure Gabrielle Richardson and John Strong gathered was that we had some work to do to make this group more diversified.

Let's hope we can be successful, for the good of the community at large, and not just a portion of it.

letting my voice be heard: part 2

Another night, another group of people, this time American Legion members, for the most part.

Yes, it was yet another meeting for the Two First Posts planning committee, but this was well attended.

For Post 36, there was Doug Andrews, Joe Cetti, Billy Cope, and me.

For Post 500, there was John Parker, Larry Jackson, Eric Bolden, Brenda Pough, Sabrina Scales, and Eddie Patterson.

Plus, this time, we had Kat Hancock.

That was good, as the contract for her business to take control of the kitchen and bar had been revised and was the major topic tonight.

Doug had taken the initial contract Mike (Kojik) and Kat had started and rewritten it, along with some cosmetic changes from me.

With Kat tonight, we all of us went through the new version from Doug.

That ended up taking about 90 minutes, especially as Section 3.4 contained items that drew objections from Kat about revenue sharing.

Doug had me rewrite that on the spot!

Then, to further clear up the language about another objectionable clause, he asked me to rewrite it again!!!

I was thrilled to do so, too.

They all waited while I hand-wrote the changed version, then I read it aloud as Brenda recorded me doing so.

I offered to retype it on the contract later, and Doug was only too happy to pass off that duty to me.

Good!

I'm so glad to have found my voice in these meetings!

 

I'm also glad that tangible and visible progress has been made.

The new exterior doors required by the Fire Marshal have been installed, though the jambs are not quite completed.

That should happen in the next day or so.

 

The previous front doors will then be installed into the new wall on the ballroom, which is looking very good, thanks to Eric, our building manager.

He set up all the new LIfetime chairs for tonight's meeting.

They look very nice, don't they?

I think we'll be glad to have renters of this space now!

Hopefully, just one more meeting before we open for business...

and hopefully it will not last four hours, like this one did. 

(smile!) 

lettting my voice be heard: part 1

 

I do so enjoy these lectures out at the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography!

Jackson Schroeder engages some interesting speakers for this "Evenings At Skidaway" series and tonight's was no exception.

There he is, sitting on the left, across from the postdoc, Dr. Sean Anderson, who spoke to us about "Tiny Plants, Big Impacts: Phytoplankton and the Ocean's Microbial Food Web".

I had not realized that these were one-celled flora!

What complex functions they were able to perform with that single cell!

It certainly had me thinking about science, as well as chemistry, and the size of the molecules which exist in every cell of our own bodies.

DNA is huge, as it contains the 'recipes' for every protein that the body has to build, and every cell has a copy of that DNA double-helix.

Like I said, it really had me thinking about chemistry.

That's why I asked two questions afterward.

Let me say this: I usually do ask a question, but I do so quietly, after the Q&A has ended and I can talk one on one with the speaker.

Not this time!

I asked during the session, so all would hear!

Such a change for me!

The first question was: "Has a study been done on the effect of introducing parasites into areas blighted by algal blooms - like Red Tide - to help clear up the phytoplankton overpopulation?"

He had told us in some detail of certain parasites that were capable of consuming multiple phytoplankton at a time.

Dr. Anderson responded that a group of researchers in Spain were working on that very problem, but cautioned about introducing non-native species into an area and causing an even greater problem.

[For instance, the planting of Japanese kudzu to control erosion around highways and that species now rampant over native trees.]

My thought on that issue is to use the parasites as if they were living enzymes, so that control the ratio of the parasite (enzyme) to the phytoplankton (substrate) would prevent any extra harm to an environment.

Chemistry!!!

My second question: "What research has been done of the effect of major hurricanes on the phytoplankton populations and, subsequently, on the populations of those species that rely on phytoplankton for food?"

Dr. Anderson replied that scientists are trying to study that, but it's a tricky subject, as major hurricanes impact such large areas for a prolonged time.

Heard that.

After all was said and done, Jackson gave me a gift: food for home!

He always has a nice spread of fruit and cheeses for the reception.

It's like a little party!

That was my plate before the lecture... then I had even more after!

Happy birthday to me!

Those cheeses and that peppercorn-crusted salami will be nice on salads.

Thanks, Jackson!

peter pan and the lions!

It's a good thing the SCAD play was a matinee, or I'd never have gotten that many lions wrestled to the ground!

This was another bday68 treat for me, of course!

I'd invited Kathy Mayin to this one and yesterday's musical, but she told me she would only be going to the one next weekend at Tybee.

I had hoped this one at the Lucas Theatre would be a musical, but no.

It was silliness piled on silliness, and the house was full!!!

Oh, have I not yet said its name?

Here it is: "Peter Pan Goes Wrong", composed by the same folks that penned the Christmas mashup two years ago. 

So how did this rendition work?

Well, the boy playing 'Michael' was supposedly a last-minute addition to the play - much like the girl in the last Hive musical - and had a voice in his ear instead of a script in his hands.

'Michael' was not nearly as adept as she had been, as he tended to repeat anything and everything that came through the headset.

Hilarity ensued, naturally!

There were lots of physical gags, too, with trick triple-tier bunk beds playing a role as well as fly-wires that had the actors upside-down most of the time when they weren't crashing into walls and such.

Plus, the stage crew had to keep coming on to fix things, most notably the doggie door when 'Nana' got stuck in it - that was funny!

The most impressive thing for me, though, was the set itself.

With at least three different views that rotated into place, they were works of art and must have been the most time-consuming part of this production.

The scene at the top was of the bedroom for the three children of the Darling family and had two doors, the double windows, the collapsing bunk bed, and other furniture.

The scene above was the opener of the second act and portrayed the Lost Boys' forest and it had collapsing bits, too!

Plus there was one stage that was the outside of the Darling's home, so we could see the children flying off with Peter Pan.

Then there was another stage for Captain Hook and his crew!

Like I said, those were quite impressive.

As for the actors themselves, the online program isn't much help.

It has the names of the characters they are playing, who in turn are playing 'Peter', 'Wendy', 'John', 'Michael', and company.

Still, it was enjoyable... and only $15 for seniors like me!

Oh, did I mention there were lions?

I did... but I never said they were in the play, did I?

That's because they were all part of my MGM+ Film Festival!

I didn't even know Comcast gave me that channel this week until Friday.

I started that day with "Overboard", the 1987 version with Goldie and Kurt - nice and light and perfect for breakfast!

I followed that with "Roofman", the Channing Tatum bit from last year, with him portraying the lovable bandit who lived in a Toys'R'Us store.

Upon my return home from the dinner with my brothers and others, I cued up "A Fish Called Wanda", as I love that 1985 romance!

Yesterday was pretty busy, so it wasn't until after nightfall that I could grab another from the premium channel.

"Novocaine" was the perfect romance-action flick to cap my day!

Today has been busy, too, but I came home from downtown wanting a musical... and there was "Hair", with its 1973 cast of hot actors.

I even managed to dance a little bit.

Then, before the clock ran out on this reward, I grabbed "To Live And Die In LA", just to watch William Petersen in those skintight jeans...

and Willem Dafoe artistically counterfeiting money...

and to listen to the Wang Chung soundtrack... 

yeah, that will do nicely! 

Sweet dreams for me! 

saying "SUMMER!!!" with Sven and Olaf!

 

Here the three of us are, 

mouths wide open 

for that first syllable!

 

'Sven' is brought to life by the very talented Trey Wilner, and I thank him for giving me the strength to have my photo taken on the Starcastle stage.

Had it been anyone else, I might well have abstained.

 

Between the still-healing scab on my right cheek and the enormous bruise on my upper left arm from the ER visit, I've been feeling more self-conscious about my looks.

 

However, I'm trying to not let those temporary blemishes interfere with my social calendar.

 

How crazy would it be if I let those physical issues, like the above or my still-halting gait from the hitch in my giddy-up, detract from maintaining my mental and emotional health? 

 

Hence the partial reason for me being at the matinee today of "Disney's Frozen: The Broadway Musical"!

The real reason, of course, is my upcoming birthday, as this has long been planned as part of my bday8 celebration.

 

Above, 'Olaf' (Brett Bowling) stands with 'Anna' (a delightfully ditzy Camryn Cothran) and 'Elsa' (Isabella Schmitz, whose voice soars!) and someone's mom.

 

Here, 'Prince Hans' (the ever-handsome Desmond Chaney) poses with a fan, while others chat up the two princesses after their photo session.

The only photo I wanted was with the reindeer and the snowman, and I patiently waited for all the line of children to have their turn after the show.

 

That meant that I missed seeing all the other cast members in the lobby, so I didn't get my hug with Danielle this show.

 

I'm sure she understood.

 

I'll have to share with her my "inside joke" reason for this photo, which I call "reaching for the mustache"!!!

 

See the face in the painting?

It resembles an aging Italian.

The receding forehead in the hairline, 

the bushy mustache covering up the lips, 

the blue eyes...

see it?

I don't know if the volunteer set painters did the design on purpose or if serendipity had a hand in guiding the paintbrushes, but every colonnade featured the face.

I wonder if anyone at Savannah Children's Theatre has noticed...

or maybe it's just me, and my cockeyed sense of humor?

Perhaps I'll see it again and conduct a survey?

But I'll do so after the musical, so no one is distracted by the mustache.

(smile!)

friday birthday fiesta in sandfly!

"Oh, my! Where y'all early celebrating your bday68?"

Nope, but good try! After a month away from Jalapenos, the S&K Friday Fiesta was back on again for two reasons. First, Laura had her bday59 last week, but she didn't get to wear the sombrero and she very much wanted to do that. Second, our favorite waitress had returned from her vacation to Mexico and we all wanted to put money back in her pockets! We really do love Claudia!!!

"Oh, hooray! I know there are some in the party who don't think anyone else can serve us quite right..."

You got that right. See the fellow who took this photo of our group? He's the owner of this particular Jalapenos and he was thrilled that we were back. After all, our table probably accounts for at least 500 bucks of drinks and food every Friday. Smitty and Mary, Laura, Betsy and Jimmy, Mark, and Robin all have at least two drinks apiece, on average. Tony and I both abstain, as we drive. I'm glad I'm there to support him in that abstinence.

"I see everyone except Mary in that shot."

I hear ya. The guy must have taken seven photographs and Mary managed to be hardly there in all except two of them. And in those, Mark was the one invisible! Still, I knew they were there! Neither of the young ones - Addison and Becca - were present this week. However, they were at Molly McGuire's for last Friday's gathering! That was partly in celebration of Addison's graduation from Georgia State University. 

"What a lovely deck for dining!"

Yes, it was, and the guy on the lower patio was playing some good tunes for us! Lots of stuff from the 70's and 80's, but a few more recent hits, too. We were all jamming out to them! The best part is they weren't too loud, so we could still talk.

"Very good. Nothing worse than going out with family and friends and not being able to carry on a conversation and catch up. Did anyone ask about your facial mole at that one? And where was Mary for last week's gathering?"

Betsy did, but I expected that, and she didn't keep on about it. And guess what? Tony and Laura gave me a ride there! It's out on Wilmington Island and they know I'm not keen on driving in the dark. Smitty isn't, either, and he had debated about whether to come or not. Mary was out in Louisiana, visiting her brother Steve, and stayed for a week to catch the last of the graduations of those nieces and nephews.

And guess what else Tony and Laura did? They bought my dinner!!! Tony insisted, so I told him that could be my birthday present. And so there's my bday68 gift, the Cumberland Chef Salad, with Parmesan Peppercorn dressing!!! It was so very delicious!!!

"Another chef salad? You seem to be on a kick with those."

I am on a salad kick, in general, and those are just packed with protein! Ever since I had that inguinal hernia repair surgery, I've tried to bulk up my fiber intake at each meal.

"That's definitely a good move."

I totally agree. Now, before I get distracted by the free movies on MGM+, I've got a piece of news! My younger nephew in Alabama, Conner, has graduated high school!!! That was at 7 PM and Bonnie told me she watched it on a special channel. I am so glad!!!

"That's marvelous news!!! I remember he was talking about dropping out earlier this school year. I'm so glad he stayed the course!"

All puns intended? (smile!) I am, too, and thrilled that he had that special cord for attending lineman class. I told my stepmom that my Uncle Bob had made a good living as a telephone lineman. Bonnie said that Conner is more interested in fighting, MMA style. I suggested that he search for grants and scholarships to help with training in mixed martial arts. She thought that was a great idea! She'll keep me posted on any progress. Now, to the free premium movies from Comcast I go. Happy early birthday to me!

burger at bingo in a booth!

"Say what? You ate a hamburger tonight???"

 

I did!

It was the day's special, and it sounded so good that I took a chance.

And it was good, too!!!

Wagyu beef, topped with chili and pickled jalapenos - wow!!!

That was some kind of tasty, let me tell ya.

Sandy had one, too, but she usually gets burgers.

She opted to skip the jalapenos, but those served as a tasty counterpoint to the chili, so I'm glad I choose to the burger as listed.

 

"I really can't believe you ate a burger at a burger joint."

 

In truth, Midtown Sports Grill is more than that.

They have spaghetti specials and other stuff, too.

In fact, their pork chops are pretty good.

 

"I'll take your word for that, dearie. So, who all was there for Music Bingo?"

 

It was our usual trio, plus Elissa this time, and in our usual booth!

That's three booths away from the Bingo Jockey's table, just in case you're curious or plan to drop in some time.

That "90's Mix #3" was our first game and I was just one away from a win!

The second game was "60's & 70's Mix #1", and all I needed was Eddie Cochran's "Summertime Blues" for a win there.

Then, for the 4th game, "Michael Jackson Mix', I was just one off from getting the $50 gift card!!!

All I needed was "Remember The Time".

Sounds appropriate, like it might be a joke, doesn't it?

 

"Yes, it does! A joke from the Universe for your birthday while you were out with friends, singing and dancing in your seats!"

 

Hahahaha!

Yes, that just may be right.

My blue-sky Penny texted me with a bunch of photos of flowers, so I got to share those with the others and tell them about her horticulturist husband.

This Gallardia Spintop, complete with bees, was our favorite!

Guess what the color is?

Mariachi Red!!!

That reminded me of one of my favorite "Will Trent" episodes.

Titled "Mariachi Shelly's Frankenstein", it was crammed full of puns inspired by two things: the Mariachi band trapped at the police station during a blackout and the book report that Ormwood had been helping his kid write about the 1818 book.

"We have to be strong and MARIACHI on."

"Jesus, MARIACHI, and Joseph!"

 

"Hahahaha!!! Oh, yes, I loved that one! Very serious moments, but interspersed with moments of puns as three of the guys struggled to get a generator up the stairs. I wish I could remember more of them, as they were delightful!"

 

That's for real!

And here's a bit of fun that was starting just as I got home.

"The Quiz With Balls" was having a swimsuit edition, with lifeguards taking on a bunch of beauty queens.

Those guys may be a bit young for a purple panther like me, but I can still enjoy the view!

 

"Incredible!!! What great fun! And how did the lifeguards fare?"

 

That guy in the middle, wearing the glasses?

That's Reigh, who had a delicious sense of humor and good smarts.

He graduated with a mechanical engineering degree!!!

He was the last man standing and he made it to the third question in his bid against the Golden Balls for the $100,000.

He chose "Famous Scientists", getting right the first two.

The third question was "Which one was an oarsman at Oxford?"

I give him credit for knowing it had to be an Englishman...

but he was too young to have ever thought of Stephen Hawking as being capable of such a thing.

Into the water he went!

 

"Ah, yes, the misconception that a disabled person was always so."

 

Indeed.

Still, it certainly was a nice dessert after my dinner with the girls!

(smile!)