yes, i have some bananas, i have some bananas today!

Happy birthday to me-e-e-e-e-e!!!!

Yes, it's a bit early, but well-deserved.
For at least twenty-four days this summer, I won't have to be concerned with dinner plans or entertainment.
Got that covered!
And for less than the cost of a play, or the cost of a matinee movie with popcorn and soda, or the cost of a musical attraction.
I am now a proud member of the Savannah Bananas!
For only $15 per day, I'll be dining at an all-you-can-eat-or-drink buffet, wait service included.
Also included is a baseball game, as well as the live music or fiRewORks or comedy sketches.
Also included is a VIP Parking Pass for each game, so I can continue to park where I like to park.
Also included is a snazzy T-shirt of my choice. You heard that correctly: I was able to pick the T-shirt I wanted from all of those in the gift shop! It's a burgundy, girlie, one, too, made of supersoft material.
(smile)
Then there are all the other treats in store! Batting practice with the new boys of summer! Meet and greet fests! Discounts at the Gift Shop!
And, should there be any games I won't be able to attend, I can swap those tickets out for any other game and invite someone to come with me, just as I did as a season ticket holder with the Sand Gnats.
I will miss the Gnats, of course... but baseball is still the game being played... so I'm very much looking forward to that opening game on June 2nd.
(smile)
One more thing.
I have a box seat this time.
Oooohhhh!
Aaaaahhhhh!
That means I could have something written on the back.
I seriously thought about having it say "Fliss of Kickstarter".
I really did.
But then I chose to do something for my brother.
That would be my biggest little brother.
"Smitty's Hardwood", my chair will advertise!
And, as I have a last seat in a fourth row of the box seats, that means everyone walking in the aisle behind me and everyone sitting in the seats in General Admission behind me will see his business name.
I'm really quite pleased about that.
I think he will be, too.
I'm glad that thought for him popped into my head.
(smile)

32 years of purple reign

Many of those in the audience tonight weren't even born when the Oscar-winning movie was released in 1984.
Me?
I was 26, the same age as its star, Prince Rogers Nelson.
Well, not quite the same age.
I was nine days older.
(smile)

His debut movie was really a funkrock concert-film aimed at a wider demographic than The Who's 1975 white-bread rock opera, "Tommy", and having a basis in reality not found in the 1975 campy science fiction musical, "The Rocky Horror Picture Show". Indeed, by 1984, disco had come and gone and glam punk had made its entrance. Hiphop was gaining a wider audience, too, and pop had never left the scene.
Prince gave everyone - and I do mean everyone - a reason, and a beat, for shaking their booties.
The movie also gave everyone - and I do mean everyone - a chance to meet Minnesota's high-heeled purple royalty. After all, "Little Red Corvette" had already made the music scene, so folks knew of him.
The semi-autobiographical story line let people feel they also knew him.
And the intimate club concerts were a definite bonus! They showcased many of his songs very nicely and gave a not-yet existent MTV-generation the video fix they craved.
Yes, that included me.
It also set a high standard for action at his future concerts. The audiences would come expecting to see him perform the same acrobatic stunts seen in the movie. Even as the years passed and his body aged, the audiences still regarded him as the 26-year-old magic man of movie fame.
Yes, "Purple Rain" was an event, not just a movie. It was a concert and a biopic and a romance all rolled up together.
So it was tonight, also.
The Lucas Theatre had arranged to be one of the venues nationwide allowed to screen the movie for this limited re-release. The sudden death of the 57-year-old singer and entertainer warranted the need for his fans worldwide to be able to come and pay homage to Prince's great talent.
Come they did.
It was very nice to be part of this audience tonight. All of us reveling together at Prince's energy and his youth and his beauty. All of us singing along as we tapped our toes and clapped with the tunes.
And me, crying quietly at the end of a row in right orchestra, trying not to bring anyone down as the lyrics of the title song washed over.
I haven't really processed this loss yet.

As the final credits rolled to a close, a cryptic message appeared.

May u live 2 see the dawn.

I wonder if he did.

dairy queen and phone time again!

Heeeeeeeerrrrrrreeee's Ronnie!
Yesterday, he'd shown up at my door, moments before I had to leave for school.
We arranged to meet at 10:30 AM this morning and I went on about my business.

Today, when I showed up at Home Depot, he was there waiting.
Sober, clean, ready to rock and roll!
Very nice.
We walked over to Target, I had him select the phone he wanted - a flip model, not a flat featureless phone - and I bought it, as well as the minutes for the next ninety days.
Then, we sat at the coffee area and waited for it to become active.
After that, I programmed in phone numbers for him: mine, Smitty's, his daughter's, his son's, his friends Sue and Donna and Ramona.
Done, once more.

We sat and had lunch at Dairy Queen, my treat.
I also gave him a $20 gift card for the DQ.
Then, I gave him a hug and went back to my regularly scheduled life, which consists primarily of building and grading tests right now.

He was clean and sober for the sixty days he was in jail.
Near as I can tell, he's been out about a week and still seems to be staying clean and sober.
I sure hope he will stay that way.
I could certainly use his help with my yard.
I would sure like to be able to enjoy his real self a bit longer.

In case you would like to talk with him, his new number is 912-247-5962.
I'm hoping he'll have it for the three months I've bought for him.

guts and toes and strings with the bfe

Trust me - it's not nearly as grisly as it sounds!
I was going to miss the physicist's Science On Tap lecture, as it's scheduled for the same exact time as my lecture tomorrow night.
The same exact time.
(It does seem the folks in charge of the College of Science and Technology would be aware of evening class times and at least stagger the talk times or the talk days. But, no. The science talks to the community downtown were only scheduled for Wednesdays at 6 PM.
Each and every one of them, all school year.)
Tonight, I got a special preview of the talk!
How did that come to be?
Well, I had finally brunched with him and Lika on Sunday. Even in my neck of the woods, too! We dined at Sunnyside Up and chatted about all manner of things. And I had voiced my dismay that I would not be able to hear his talk because I still had one last class that night.
Not to despair, he assured me! Why not meet on Tuesday and I could give him my recommendations and then we could go have dinner?
Of course I gladly obliged!
(smile)
This isn't the first time he's asked me to preview a talk for the general populace. I'm actually a good audience for such things. I can critique the slides and let him know of ones that are too busy or need clarification or are especially good.
I can hardly critique the physics. I catch bits and pieces, but I last had a physics course thirty years ago. Not that I would say that to him, of course. I try not to emphasize the age difference when possible.
Let's see, where was I?
Oh, yes, having a preview of his talk.
Catchy title he had for it, too!
"GUTS and TOES and the Strings that Connect Them: The Grand Unified Theory"
Apparently, he's had that title mulling around for a while, but this is the first time he's worked up a talk to support it. LOL!
So, in physics jargon, the acronyms are:
Grand Unified Theories
Theory Of Everything s

Cute, right?
As I've said before, he's quite the entertainer!
So, I got to hear the talk after all - wonderful!
I even pointed out a few changes he could make to the slides, changes to help emphasize the important features, changes to eradicate distractions.
After all, the primary focus during a talk should be on the speaker, n'est-ce pas?
He certainly agreed with that!

We dined at a barbeque joint we had tried to hit once before. At that time, it had been closed.
Not so on this Tuesday! Fabulous ribs! There were only four of them, but they were so large that I took two home with me! Excellent collard greens, too, shredded so they could cook faster and soak up more pot liquor - I'm going to try to remember that trick. Yum!

I was almost home, too, after dropping him off. But I was called by a damsel in distress, so to her rescue I rode. Christina was stranded and her new vehicle wouldn't start. A nearby auto mechanic came to help and he couldn't get the car to start, either.
Now, it's two hours since I responded to her call. I took her home, but made sure she knew I was not getting up early to fetch her back to her car in the morning. The guy she bought the car from is meeting her to try to figure out what is wrong.
Me?
In the morning, Ill be riding to the rescue of her Papa.
To bed I go soon enough.

the danish girl, savannah's version

The Celebration of the Life of EmBee-Marie McDaniel was held this morning, after several weeks of planning.
I had made sure to be there.
I even brought jambalaya for the reception afterward.
EmBee had been very active in the choir and in other capacities at "my" religious place of choice, Asbury Memorial United Methodist Church.
I was very glad to see that Reverend Billy Hester was able to officiate over the ceremony.
You see, since AMUMC is part of the "world Church" organization of the United Methodists, he is not allowed to officiate for the same-sex weddings of the homosexual members of the church in Savannah.
Why should that matter for this ceremony today?
EmBee was transgender.
Moreover, EmBee had died as a result of complications during the sex reassignment surgery.
I'm sure she would have felt quite cherished that Reverend Hester was leading the service to honor her life.

EmBee grew up male in Maine in the 1960's and 1970's, went into the military, got married, raised two daughters, and welcomed four grandchildren into the world.
That was all during the first five decades of her life.
Then, in 2010, EmBee revealed that she had been transgender all her life and now wanted to live as the woman she knew she should be.
Her family disowned her.
She had segued in the last eight years of her life from identifying as a gay man to identifying as a transgender woman named Brianna. Her family could not understand or condone that truth. If she was no longer going to be "Michael the Dad", then they were done with her.
This coincided with her move to Savannah. She soon found a new home with the folks at AMUMC, a church known for its open arms to diverse populations. She made friends and became an active member of this new family. Several of the women would come to regard her as their best friends.
About that same time, another Asburian, a transgender man, successfully underwent the several operations for his sex change. He is now happily married and living the dream he always wanted.
I have had the pleasure of knowing him for the years he identified as a lesbian as well as for the years since the surgery. I can assure you of this one ever-constant fact: the person inside the body has retained the same loving identity no matter what sex the physical body was.

EmBee was determined to also have the body she was born into altered into the body she should have had. To that end, she began fundraising, even using a crowdsourcing site to help attain her goal.
She also became more openly active for multiple causes. Last year, when the big news was Caitlyn Jenner, EmBee was interviewed and spoke on behalf of Lesbian-Gay-Bisexual-Transgender issues.
She spoke up the next month on gun violence in Savannah, to reporters covering the ceremony at the church. (I wrote about that event.)
EmBee also had a soft spot for strays, rescuing several cats from local shelters and sharing her love with them.
To her friends, this kind soul was known as one "too gentle to live among wolves", as Jo Poston said in the service. Janet and Kelly, very close friends with Ms. McDaniel, both concurred, sharing remembrances and tears with those of us present.
It's a shame EmBee did not find herself earlier in life. She might have been young enough then to withstand the arduous bouts of sex reassignment surgery her change would have necessitated. My friend was only in his late twenties when he had the surgery.
As the world had seen with Einar Wegener's bittersweet tale in "The Danish Girl", age plays a deleterious role for surviving the rigors of the change. The Danish woman was 48 when she had the final surgery; EmBee was already 62 years old.
At least the story of both women ended the same. Each had undergone the final stage of the change. Each was able to look at their body and see the woman they knew they were.
Each were able to be truly satisfied with their body's appearance for the first time in their lives.
Each woman was truly at peace and happy with the skin they were in at the time of their death.
I can't help but feel happy that their dream came true and their lifelong torment was finally at rest.
I cannot imagine that life.
I am truly blessed.
i thank You, God.

to the land of oz, dancing!

It began with a text from my first niece: "What are you doing on Friday?"
My response was :"Whatever you are doing!"
Amazingly, we were both free on a Friday night! i thank You, God!
That meant we were able to attend the Savannah Ballet Theatre's world premiere of "The Wizard of Oz" - together!!!
I've mentioned before that this story is special to me, as it was special to Mama. We watched it every fall, without fail, cheering for Dorothy and the Scarecrow and the Tin Man and even that Cowardly Lion to make it to Oz and have their dreams fulfilled! Oh, yes, we did!
Then, when my first niece was born, she was introduced to this dreamy musical, becoming immersed in its songs and dances, just as I had been as a child.
We know that every time we see this fairy tale that my mother is right there with us, in every note and with every footstep as the tale unfolds.
Tonight, in the beautiful Lucas Theatre, Mama was certainly there.
(smile)
What incredible costumes! Thanks to David Poole, of Collective Face Ensemble, and to the folks with the magic ropes, the witch and her monkey army flew across the stage! Glinda, the Good Witch (Olivia Boyd), flew, too!
And those trees! Those twisted, foul-tempered apple trees! What marvels they were!
Even the tiniest children with the dance troupe had roles upon the stage, dancing ever so sweetly! Altogether, there were at least thirty children of varying ages participating in the show. What a treat for them!
Avery McGee, Sam Chester, John Cronin, and Caleb Roberts, the ballet members serving as the traveling foursome, interacted magically with each other. I definitely look forward to seeing them in the future!
And afterward, we even met the Wicked Witch (aka Shannon Lowery) and one of her monkeys.
That was definitely fun!
I always have such a wonderful time with Christina Ann!

SciEnCE and the running bear

I do believe I have "spoken" with the psychologist every day this past week, including once face to face.
Sure, I saw him on Monday night, over at Chili's.
Then we texted briefly on Tuesday.
But it began seeming like a steady thing when I sent the above photos to him on Wednesday night.

running bear: ???

me: What i drew in class tonight! [Taught inhibition of enzymes.] I think i did quite well!

running bear: I don't speak science. :(

me: Not yet, dear, but keep practicing. :-)

running bear: Did you just patronizingly pat me on the head like the Grinch did to Cindy Lou Who?

me: Me? Your fav aunt? :-)

running bear: Pat. Pat.

me: You know i love you. :-)
me: You up for Jungle Book tonight?

running bear: I'm settled in to watch this here Kirasawa movie. It's supposed to be pure genius.

(then he sent a huge photo my old phone couldn't process...)

me: Say what?

running bear: It was a photo of a sea critter called Aristotle's lantern. He's basically made of pure science. Ya know, scientifical stuff.

me: :-) Which movie are you watching?

running bear: Seven Samurai.

me: Fabulous movie! Enjoy!

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

Then, on Thursday, he initiated a conversation that shows he truly does listen. It was about movies, naturally!

running bear: I think I found our next movie!

me: Do tell.

running bear: Elvis and Nixon!!! It looks hysterical. And fits nicely into my daydream of Danny and I one day completing "Watergate: The Musical".

me: I did happen to espy that earlier today. Should be fun!

running bear: Indeed. The Elvis actor usually plays real creepy roles so it should be really colorful. Kevin Spacey is Nixon. :-)

me: Who is playing Elvis?

running bear: Michael Shannon. He was the lead in "bug". And the crooked prohibition agent in Boardwalk empire.

me: Not familiar with either of those roles, but i know who he is. Should be good!

running bear: I hope Kissinger makes an appearance. And Nixon's heart goes pitter pat. :)

me: As opposed to thump thump?

running bear: You could see the forbidden longing in his jowls. :)

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

Then, earlier today, I sent the ball flying to his side of the court, showing that I truly do listen to him.

me: Going to a movie while the snowflakes sleep?

running bear: Not today. I'm having science for lunch.

me: Crunch brunch!

running bear: Yep.

me: The moles are especially tasty... and loaded with nutrition!

me: But be mindful of those ionic compounds - some are very salty. :-)

running bear: Glare.

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

Well, that's been fun, but I need to get other things done before my first niece and I go to the merry ol' land of Oz tonight.
Later!

Elvis is in Savannah!

Mark Streeter had posted this in the paper yesterday.
He was even in the audience today, sitting two rows back from my first-row seat.
Where were we?
At the Jepson Center for the Arts.
Why were we there?
For a talk I've been awaiting since I first read about it in the January edition of my newsletter from the Telfair Museums.
Totally worth the wait.
Christopher Murray was the guest speaker to introduce the exhibit, "Elvis at 21: Photographs by Alfred Wertheimer". Christopher Murray is the man responsible for recognizing the treasure in these photographs... and in the personal remembrances of the 26-year-old Alfred who had taken them.
Christopher Murray pointed out the knotted string Elvis was using as a guitar strap.
Incredible.
He directed our attention to the shot of Elvis at work during the train ride, listening to the tape he had recorded that day, selecting the best version of the songs.
Incredible.
He told us of the young woman Elvis had met at the soda shop, the young woman later documented kissing the singer in the stairwell, the woman still living today.
Incredible.
He showed us the departure of Elvis into the streets of his hometown, no throngs yet forming to block his path or slow his travel.
Incredible.
What an amazing few days, crystallized in the still-life black-and-white moments of time.

I have not yet been to the exhibit.
I want to be able to take my time, not be rushed, read all of the words, when I see it for the first time.
That means I have to wait until school has finished its mad path through these next few weeks.
But soon, my precious.
Soon.

take my stuff - please!

That's what Christa El Dorado said! Really! It was even the title of the gathering at her place tonight!
But let's start with the rest of the story, shall we?
(smile)
Barbara and Sandy and I had decided to make a day of it there in Pooler.
First, we all went to see "Fan", which I had thought was Bollywood, but it wasn't. Even though it starred Shah Rukh Khan, who I dearly love, and who is most known for his romantic singing and dancing, it wasn't.
"Well, then," you ask, "just what was it?"

It was a thriller!
A possessed fan (Guarav)
of a mythical movie
sensation (Aryan Khanna)
sets out for vengeance
when his advances
are rebuffed by his idol.
The storyline wasn't new,
as elements of it echoed
from "Play Misty For Me",
just from another culture
and another milieu.
The truly incredible aspect
was that both men were
played by the same man:
Shah Rukh Khan.
Wow.
Our congratulations to the make-up folks for an incredible job of transforming the actor into a younger, softer man with definitely different facial features.
Our congratulations, also, for the actor, for imbuing each character with a unique essence and different mannerisms, from the sweet clutziness of the young man to the jaded choreography of the older star.

Afterward, we had a little time to kill before the party. Walking around the new mega-sized outlet mall is what the other two wanted.
I went, albeit reluctantly.
Surprisingly, I was the one who shopped!
I came away with a blouse, two sweaters, and a nightgown, and a bill less than twenty-five bucks.
Amazing!

Then it was party time!
Christa and Elise had plenty of snacking foods and adult beverages. I even indulged in one of the hard ciders - pretty tasty! We chatted and ate and chatted some more before the movie of the evening.
Now, you should recall that our squirrel mistress has a crazy thread loose when it comes to movies. When you come to her place for a movie, you should know two things: A) it will be one you've never seen before, and B) it will be one you will most likely never see again.
"Mega Shark versus Giant Octopus" was the sushi platter on the small screen tonight. Featuring pop's Debbie Gibson, thirty years later and all grown up and portraying a marine scientist, the whole thing was pretty laughable. Hooray for the lack of gore!
Our hostess sent us away with as much stuff as we could carry. I left with a basket (for nephew Michael), lots of superhero movies (and a few others), a Mr. Coffee machine, a very nice plastic storage bin, and two excellent glass jars. Oh, and some clothes hangers, too!
And guess what greeted me on the telly?
Try to guess, please!
Here's a clue: it was time for the Saturday late-night creature-feature fest with Svenghoulie.
Here's another one: the movie was set in 1960's Japan.
*
*
*
*
*
It was "Kingu Kongu tai Gojira"!!!
You may know it better as "King Kong vs. Godzilla".
(smile)
Okay, gotta go! Commercial break is over!

welcome to my world!

As the song says, welcome to my world, my newest great-niece!
Miracles do indeed still happen now and then!
She was born to my nephew Stephen, and his lovely wife Sarah, to join her big brother Mason in their growing family, early this morning.
Blakely Elizabeth Morgan.
What a sweet face she has!
I do look forward to making your acquaintance, dear young miss.

i thank You, God, for her safe arrival to Earth!

superheroes and bollywood

Superheroes! Bollywood!
Well, sort of.
What I had thought was to be a Bollywood film actually only had a few dance segments. I think that final tally was three, but then again, it might have been four.

It was a spectacular event, though. "Sardar Gabbar Singh" was a Western-kung-fu-romance about an orphaned boy who becomes a kick-ass law man.

Barbara and I decided to not take it seriously and simply settled back to enjoy the ride. I think Jim Reed would have enjoyed this, perhaps one night for a Psychotronic Film screening!
Afterward, we sped back to Savannah from Pooler. Time was of the essence! Her school's middle grades were presenting a play and I had been invited, too... and I had accepted!

As she had suspected,
the title hooked me.
"Supercomics" was a hoot and half!
The laughter has been hijacked in Comedyville, turning it into Seriousburg at the worst possible time. A television agent was in town to scout for talent for her show...and she was finding absolutely none.
Oh, no!
Would a cure be found in time??? Would the pratfalls again bring laughs and not injuries?
The answer to both questions was a resounding YES!

I laughed and laughed! I loved the vaudevillian skits and corny old jokes! I loved the costumes on these pint-sized actors and actresses!
And my absolutely favorites were a brother and sister who played beautifully off each other! He was the nefarious Vladimir von Vladerick of Vladysburg (Vlad The Exhaler) and she was Gobsmacker Solemn. Well, that's what her name was supposed to be! But Vlad never once used it, instead calling her things like Jawbreaker Candy and Lipsmacking Clown - what a hoot!
Thanks for the invite, Barbara!
Guess what? Some proud mom has posted the play for all to enjoy! Sure, it's a few years ago, so it wasn't these kids... but the jokes are still there, at least in the five segments she posted.
And this version even has an Elvis Tribute Artist!
I'm telling you, folks, this is the year for Elvis! Be sure to find something to do that's related to The King, okay?
(smile)

the circus and bollywood!

Another double shift for the Savannah Music Festival!
Another double-bill at the North Garden of the Ships of The Sea Museum!
Another gloriously blue-sky day!
What a fine way to close out the festivities!
And the two bands?
Fabulously lively, with lots of brass...
and I don't mean just their instruments!
(wink and a smile!)

I love this photo!
It's only about half of the guys in Fanfara Ciocârlia, but it was definitely the louder half! Such a range in ages and body types and instruments - a smorgasbord for the senses!
Balkan Brass they were, in every sense of the phrase!
Bold and witty and and lively and loud...
and a bit too much for the mostly timid afternoon crowd.
But not for me!
I loved that crazy-hyper Gypsy circus fairgrounds music!
I was the Green Door Wench for Frances and I was ready to shake my groove thang, you hear?
I'm glad I did, too!
A young woman and her mom joined me, than some other lasses joined us on the opposite side of the dance area.
(No worries. Management wised up and removed the first five rows of chairs before the evening show began. Dance, dance, my jollies!)

Red Baraat had taken notes from the wings.
With their first song, they exhorted the crowd to stand and dance, knowing that most would remain dancing for the full set.
Smart young men from Brooklyn!

We were graced with Bollywood show tunes!
Indian-tinged rock and jazz and hipster!
Of course I danced!
Of course the two who had danced with me before danced!
But so did so many others!
What a marvelous sight!!!

All too soon the sousaphone was laid to rest on the verdant green,
to await its revival for the night crowd.
It must have had very sweet dreams!
From my position as Gate Wench again for the second half of my shift, I could hear its voice echoing into the stratosphere!
Well, perhaps I exaggerate...
but I think not.
All of the brass instruments seemed to have caught their second wind!
When I was able to near the stage for the Romanian act, dancers surrounded the stage and were everywhere!
The crowd never tired, they danced and danced, possessed by the beats!
Oh, what a night!
Such an amazing end for this international feast of a festival!
Thanks for allowing me to be a volunteer again!

up above my head i hear music!

How was it that these two disparate bands were paired together?
Serendipity, my dears.
For each group, when they were contacted with the dates of the music festival, April 8th was the date that worked for them.
Rather than have to decide which group to invite, the powers that be invited both to play in Savannah.
What a fabulous bonus for us!
Especially as they were each playing twice on this day!

Mokoomba
was first to play for each set.
These young guys were fabulous!
I don't think
I stopped dancing even once!
They were certainly in constant motion, too.


They even had several synchronized steps thrown in for good measure!
All they played were great dance tunes, but I did not catch any of the names of the songs, sadly.
Try to catch them before they return to Zimbabwe!
Your feet will thank you!

Rhiannon Giddens
and her ensemble were the closers for both the afternoon and evening.
She started with "a country set" trio:
1 - a Bob Dylan poem, "Spanish Mary";
2 - a Dolly Parton song, "Don't Let It Trouble Your Mind";
3 - Patsy Cline's "She's Got You" - awesome!
I especially loved that she liked to do things in threes!
Then she brook out the bluegrass with "Louisiana Man" and Odette's 1960's "Water Boy".

Woohoo! What a range that woman has!
And she was just warming up for the late 1800's-inspired songs on her 1858 replica banjo.
"I'll Wait for You in Tennessee", her very own song she sang, as well as an old Scottish air, "Donalee".
The crowd really good and loose, though, when the gospel tunes pealed!
"Up Above My Head I Hear Music In The Air"! Riproaringly good, especially when done as a sing-along in the last show of the evening!

How do I know about who did what and which sets?
Because I was there for all of it!
I had signed up for a double shift, partly because it was open, but also because I wanted to hear as many artists as possible at the Savannah Music Festival.
Remember, I signed on for shifts almost a week late, so many events were already filled with volunteer hands.
Lainie was the house manager tonight.
She assigned me to bathroom director for the first show.
Rats, I thought.
Not really the position I would have preferred to work.
Good that I was there!
If not, I would not have known the bfe was in the house. I saw him when he came by to release some beer and that was a great surprise for both of us! If I had not been working right there (he'll get the inside joke!), then I would not have gotten so many hugs from him! He just happened to be there with Erica Cooper because she was such a huge fan of Rhiannon (formerly of the Carolina Chocolate Drops).
How very fortunate for him and me!
i thank You, God!

Later, I volunteered to work as the Gate Wench on the garden gate for second show. That's the entrance for the VIP crowd, but it's rather removed from the stage, so only the music can be heard.
And guess what? I got a big hug from Frances when her group came in! So good to see her!
Gate Wench duties were done about the time that Mokoomba was just finishng their evening set. Lainie let me go get dinner at Carlito's! How very nice! I had promised her I would only be gone about 30 to 40 minutes and would return to help close out the venue.
And I did! I was back in plenty of time to hear "Water Boy" again! Lots more dancing at the top of the stairs!

Then, I got to say hi to Ruth and Tis on their way out! I was standing next to an usher they knew - also named Ruth - so they had slowed to tell her goodbye.
Right place, right time!
I even found a penny during the second cleanup!
(smile!)

4-8-16

Dear Tony,

This bear looks lost, doesn't he? So many flowers and no ice in sight!

Yesterday, Daddy would have been 80 years old. I told folks he would have been 79. I guess I kept thinking of 1937 as his birth year, but that was Mama's. His was 1936.

I've been very busy with school! Last week, I wrote and graded Lab tests for my three Lab classes at Savannah Tech. This past week, I wrote and graded tests for all four of my lecture classes, including the one at Armstrong. Whew! I had to get help grading because my hands have hurt for most of this week. The weather has cooled off again and the arthritis is so painful it wakes me up at night and keeps my hands numb and cramped during the day. Yikes. I meet with my doctor next week (Wednesday), so I'm hoping for better days and nights soon.

Meanwhile, I've been greatly enjoying serving as an usher at the Savannah Music Festival! Irish, Danish, Swedish, bluegrass, and even flamenco! Wow!

with much love!

happy birthday, Daddy, from the swedes!

The Savannah Music Festival is known for its pairings of musicians, sometimes because of similar genre, sometimes due to similar geography.
For this concert, both reasons were at play!
The four-man Danish String Quartet held sway the first half of the show. This was their first time in Savannah and they were featured in three shows in the SMF. The 8 PM show tonight was their third one of the day, but their energy was still light and bright.
Many of their pieces had a classical background; all were instrumental. I know some were old Nordic wedding tunes. All were rather lovely, too. I imagine their noon30 earlier was quite well-received by those who love the music of the masters.
I was working the front curtain, outside in the lobby, but that was fine. I was still able to listen and felt free to twirl and slide to the beat!
Oh, and here is a neat bit of trivia. The quartet actually consists of three Danes and one Norwegian (the fellow playing the cello).
(smile)
The Swedes were a three-man string group called Väsen, making their second appearance at the SMF. They were so glad to be here, too! Quite a talkative trio they were! They certainly live up to their name!
Their forte was Swedish folk music, both that passed down through the centuries and new tunes they had composed. One of the latter was a song for their man who turned 50 last year, called "the man who liked beer of a certain kind too much", or some such. (I think it may have been "Kludd'n".)
Then, that man (Mikael) did a spiel about the next song, which he claimed was about his dog! "Hundlaten" was certainly lively and I could just picture a man and his best friend cavorting about on a country lane!
Very funny!
Lots and lots of polskas because that's what they like! I really liked those dance numbers, too!
They ended with "a birthday song for their neighbor", titled simply "Polska for Tom Morrow".
Then again, maybe that was a bit of humor...
(smile)
I had some wonderful experiences with the folks I worked with tonight. As we were getting organized and writing out name badges, I had told them that today would have been Daddy's 79th birthday. Such nice responses I got from opening up to them!
Our house manager, David, shared that he was married to another house manager, Kim. What a nice couple they are!
Steve, the guy who has been volunteering for ten years with the music festival, shared that his is married to the niece of Johnny Mercer. that johnny Mercer, Savannah's own composer of show tunes!
And guess what else? Steve's younger son is the bassist for Widespread Panic... and the great-nephew of Mercer. Pretty cool!
And after the show, Tricia, the one who had given me a ride last Saturday, caught up with me to check my ride status. As it turned out, we walked to our cars together, by the "big tree" on East Broad - very nice!
Happy birthday, Daddy.
Hope you enjoyed the fancy fiddle music, too.

kind words from an angel

So, there we were, at a slow point in the Chem1211 lab.
Yes, you guessed it: we were waiting for water to do something.
In this case, we were waiting for it to evaporate.
I was doing my usual thing, circling through the lab stations, giving encouragement, checking on progress.
One of my male students posed a question for me.
Then, he paid me one of the best compliments ever.
He told me he had learned more in my twenty to thirty minute lecture on intermolecular forces than he had in the two lectures of his AP Chemistry teacher in high school.
Wow...
Believe me, I took that as the high praise he had intended it to be.
This is the one student in the class who consistently scores in the upper 90's on all assignments. This is the one student who has aced not one, but two of my lecture tests.
Thanks, Angel, for the kind words.

no banjo deficiency on this nice carpet!

What a fabulous night this has been!
The house manager, Frances, told me she was so glad to see my name on the list! She knew she could count on me to keep things going smoothly!
I worked as left aisle usher with a Lucas buddy (Cindy), as well as a fellow from Gulf Stream (Chris). Steve, the 10-year-SMF-guy, worked the left balcony stair.
I didn't know anything about the Dave Rawlings Machine when I signed up for this gig, but my thanks to the Savannah Music Festival for allowing me this chance to learn!
Such great song lyrics! As you know, I have poetry in my heart and absolutely love a good phrase!
"I want to go back in time to when you were mine" from "Wayside" has such a wistful cast, especially with the harmonica!
"Said the soothsayer to the candy cane, let me try you again and see if you taste the same" was laugh-out-loud fun in "Sweet Tooth"!
Their advice to the lovelorn? "Don't go chasing wild ponies, they're half crazy and they run" is a line straight out of "Short-Haired Woman Blues". Good advice for sure! Very nice rhythm line, too.
(smile)
Then there were the songs which were funny through and through. "Stewball", about a race horse with a name to bet against! "Keep It Clean", with its laundry list of items for good love! "It's Too Easy", about the fun of just being good!
And on "days the rain would fall your way", remember that "To Be Young (Is To Be Sad, Is To Be High)". Then, you might want to hear the "Bells Of Harlem" after some time has passed.
One of my favorites, though, had a dark cast to it. "Get back to body snatching", it repeatedly said - incredible and spooky song!!
So many songs they did! Such a great variety!
And they loved the carpet on the stage! Apparently, they like a "living room" feel to a stage and had requested a rug. Gillian said it was the nicest rug they ever had!
Hooray for Savannah!
In return, the band gave us three encores!
First was "I want to do right, but not right now", or something like that.
(smile)
That was followed by a totally a capella "Go To Sleep You Little Baby" from "O Brother Where Art Thou" - wow! Wow!!!
Then, they ran back on stage one more time! This time it was "The Weight" to "put the load on Fannie". Woohoo, y'all!!!
What a night!
But that wasn't all, folks!
Rob and Lindsay were there, too!
As I mentioned earlier, I was working left usher. The show was about to start and I had moved to the outside of the left door. They had tickets to balcony left and were running late, so I saw them as they passed by and we all managed a quick hi. Then, Rob came down during intermission, looking for... me!!! Very nice! I happened to spot him and caught his eye over in the right aisle. He came over and we spent the whole intermission catching up, just me and him. I also shared with him about the Hot Sardines' French version of "I Wanna Be Like You" and that it had made me think of Lindsay.
How very nice for him to visit with me!
i thank You, God, for having me in the right place at the right time!

farewell to a soldier of love

birth name:
Marvin Castle

born:
July 18, 1953

---

chosen name:
Maajid Faheem 'Ali

died:
February 27, 2016





If ever there was a man who knew how to pack that dash with life, that man was Maajid.
The dash?
Perhaps you don't know the reference?
Well, here it is, a poem, written by Linda Ellis, in 1996.

***** ***** ***** ***** *****
​The Dash
by Linda Ellis, copyright 1996

​I read of a man who stood to speak
at the funeral of a friend.
He referred to the dates on the tombstone
from the beginning…to the end.

He noted that first came the date of birth
and spoke the following date with tears,
but he said what mattered most of all
was the dash between those years.

For that dash represents all the time
that they spent alive on earth.
And now only those who loved them
know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not, how much we own,
the cars…the house…the cash.
What matters is how we live and love
and how we spend our dash.

So, think about this long and hard.
Are there things you’d like to change?
For you never know how much time is left
that can still be rearranged.

If we could just slow down enough
to consider what’s true and real
and always try to understand
​the way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger
and show appreciation more
and love the people in our lives
like we’ve never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect
and more often wear a smile,
remembering that this special dash
might only last a little while.

​So, when your eulogy is being read,
with your life’s actions to rehash…
would you be proud of the things they say
about how you spent YOUR dash?

​Copyright 1996 Linda Ellis
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
***** ***** ***** ***** *****

Today was the Celebration of the life of Imam Maajid Faheem 'Ali.
The social hall was packed with politicians, family, friends, reverends, rabbis, ministers, priests, social workers, former classmates, neighbors.
People of all ages had come to bring tales of his life's intersection with their lives.
People of all races had come to share the love and understanding he had brought to their lives.
People of all religions had come to share the love of God he had in common with them.

His beautiful wife, Sakinah, walked through the room before the testimonials began. They would have had their 38th wedding anniversary in March, had he lived another two weeks.
Sakinah was sure to speak with everyone there, to thank them for their presence, to make a personal connection.
When she came to me, she asked me my name and who I was affiliated with. I responded and told her that I went to Asbury Memorial. Justthatfast, she recalled sitting with me at the dining table at that tri-faith service, TWO YEARS AGO. We gave each other a big hug, me with tears in my eyes.
I cried off and on as the politicians past and present, his religious colleagues, and his old-time friends came up and spoke.
I had not known that he attended Savannah State College and had graduated with honors and a degree in Political Science.
I had not known that it was while going to college that he had converted to Al-Islam at the age of 21.
I had not known that he had changed his name when only 22 years old.
"Maajid" refers to "glorious" or "noble glory" in Arabic.
[I love that it's pronounced to rhyme with "majic".]
"Faheem" means "intelligent, judicious" in Arabic.
" 'Ali" refers to one who comes from "the high exalted one" in Arabic.
From that moment on, he lived his life in accordance with being a man of faith. At the young age of only 23, he was elected as Imam to serve the local mosque, Masjid Jihad, Inc. He continued to hold that position until his death, almost forty years later.
During part of that time, I remember him on the public access television channel, trying to educate Savannahians about the Muslim faith. He always wanted to share its message of love and peace and honesty.
I wish I had paid more attention to the show.
I wish others had paid more attention to the show.
Perhaps more people would have lived as he had, talking the talk and walking the walk, straightforward and true to the end.

The celebration of his life was to only run from 5 to 7 pm. Instead, it continued on until 9 PM and could have gone on even longer. But his family needed a break after four hours of emotional moments.
In closing, Maajid's five-year-old granddaughter sang part of "Man in the Mirror". That had been one of his favorite songs.
Then, another favorite, "Soldier of Love", was sung by his nine-year-old granddaughter.
What a beautiful way to close the night of love.

And what a nice thought to provide all who came with a practical and caring memento: a hot beverage for comfort.
Sheldon, and his mom, would have approved.

Then I went home to comfort food from my mom -
tuna chowder -
and...
something comforting to watch...
and there it was, on a limited run..
"Mirror, Mirror", for free, On Demand on my tv...

i thank You, God.

night songs and malian bluegrass

Such an international buffet tonight at the Charles Morris Center!
My thanks to the Savannah Music Festival for broadening my horizons once again!

Robert Sadin's "Night Songs" concert featured a collection of musicians from around the globe! The ensemble included trumpeter Etienne Charles (Trinidad), bassist Ira Coleman (Sweden), percussion wizard Cyro Baptista (Brazil), and clarinetist Patrick Messina (France). The USA was represented in the sextet by two from New York City: violinist Mark Feldman and cellist Erik Friedlander.
My favorite was the percussionist! So inventive!
The pieces arranged by the world-renowned conductor were so romantic and lovely! "Siciliano"! "Rosa"! "Trance"! "Mysteriosa"! A fabulous Romanian wedding song!
I danced and danced!

Kassé Mady Diabaté, a 60-year-old singer, hailed from the Republic of Mali, located in West Africa. His voice - and dancing! - was accompanied by the talents of kora master Ballaké Sissoko, ngoni player Badjé Tounkara, and balaphon great Lansiné Kouyaté.
When we had arrived earlier, some were doubtful that this music was danceable by Western feet... but I sure did prove them wrong! LeeAnn even came up to me afterward to admit I was right!
(smile!)
As I always say,
all you need is a beat
to sway those hips
and move those feet!

a (don't) lego (tm) wedding!

There he is, clad in top hat and black Converse!
I do wish his Papa could have been there with me.
I know Ronnie would have been quite happy for his son.
(I'll be sure to show him the photos I've taken today.)

And here comes the bride!
Melanie wore this gorgeous, Medieval-era dress,
complete with lacing up the back.
She wore a beautiful tiara, too.
And her shoes....?
Black Converse, of course, to match Michael's!
They are so perfect for each other!

Afterward, here's my nephew posing with their darling daughters.
Aren't the girls beautiful?
That's Alyssa in his right arm and Leila in his left.
At least, I think so!
(smile)

And where do the trademarked interlocking toy pieces come in?
They were on the cake...
and they were giant lollipops for guests to take...
and they were in baskets for eating there...
and they were made of chocolate and in bright colors!
Michael has been a fan of the imaginative toy for most of his life.
It's only appropriate that he have them appear at the wedding, too!

Here's to many years of happiness, y'all, building your future together one brightly colored piece at a time!

four trombones on a night train! wooooo hoooo!

What an incredible night!
These young musicians competing in the Swing Central Jazz Finale were so very gifted! I would gladly go hear them play again... and again... and again!
In particular, the Ellington Jazz Ensemble were from the Lovett School in Atlanta, so they're homeboys! In particular, I would gladly dance my way - again! - through their four-man-trombone version of Etienne Charles' "Night Train"! That dirty piano was absolutely spine-tinglingly luscious! This was their director's final year and they did him proud, placing third in this national competition. Bravo! Please know that you were first in my eyes and ears and heart!
The other two contestants in this final round of the Savannah Music Festival competition were out-of-towners. One was from the West Coast, the other from West Palm Beach.
(smile)
Agoura High School must have an intense music program. They were the only ones to field not one, but two jazz groups to the competition. (Bear in mind that only twelve bands total were invited to compete.) Their Studio Jazz group placed second this year, offering their California spin on Thad Jones' "Quietude". Bravo!
Dreyfoos School of the Arts, of southern Florida, won this year! Their Jazz Ensemble 1 graced us with Oliver Nelson's "Blues and The Abstract Truth". The piece was a bit too discordant for me, but was still danceable. That's all that really matters, isn't it?
(smile)
Then... oh, my! Then we were all in for a real treat!
Many of the professional musicians who had performed during the music festival were part of the 9-piece pit orchestra tonight. What was the occasion?
Glad you asked!
The 1920 film by Oscar Micheaux, "Within Our Gates", was screened, with Wycliffe Gordon providing the soundtrack! He had composed the music after his third consecutive viewing of this film which had been lost from the world for almost sixty years.
Where was it finally found?
In a old film vault in Spain.
Wow.
This is only the second time ever that the soundtrack, "Within These Gates of Mine", has been played live while the film was screened. We are so blessed to have this special event here in our little town!
The jazz students in the audience certainly recognized how special this was.
At the end of the film, as the last notes sounded, they simultaneously gave a standing ovation.
Remarkable!
They were truly paying attention to this ancient silent story of a young, black, female teacher trying to raise funds up North for a poor school in the South, and her finding love along the way.
In this day of instantaneous communication in a world lit by individual blue screens, the act of solidarity and appreciation by these young musicians did my heart good.
i thank You, God, for allowing me to bear witness!

And, should your curiosity be aroused and you want to see what it was all about, you may view the complete film here.
You can even buy the soundtrack I heard tonight!
That will be close to what I experienced tonight.
Close.

burn my biscuits brown!

Such an odd light configuration for the noon30 today!
Do you see bunny ears all over the place?
Good! I thought it might have just been me!
(smile)
I had lucked into this concert by the Brianna Thomas Quartet, as they needed help at the last minute and I was able to answer the call. Hooray!
I expected some old-timey music and I got it! She also treated us to two sing-alongs and two original songs by her!!! And, as if that weren't enough, she sang for another thirty minutes for free! Seriously, what a treat from this young woman!
"Young" is definitely the operative word. Like the folks in the Hot Sardines, she's a twenty-something in love with the music of her great-grandparents. How about that?! Thanks to them, and others of their ilk, that music will continue to live!
With her smooth voice and scat-tastic riffs, Brianna held us in the palm of her hand in the intimate setting of the Charles Morris Center. Perfect for her style!
"Day Dream" with me, please, "In A Mellow Tone", to some Duke Ellington tunes.
Then ride Jobim's "Wave" over to "Rooms Full Of Love" in my house, singing with me, of course!
(smile!)
There followed two originals of love lost and soul searched. In "I Should Have Known", she berates herself for not recognizing her lover was a cad. Then, in "How Much Forgiveness", she tries to determine the depth of the well of forgiveness in her heart. Very good pieces!
"Bye Bye Blackbird" was done at a slower pace than usual, followed by "Never Dreamed You'd Leave In Summer", one that was new to me, surprisingly. After all, Stevie Wonder did it back in the early 1970's, so I should have heard it a time or two.
Ah, "Why Didn't You Stay"?
Well, I don't want any of your charcoal if you can't burn my biscuits brown!
Hahahaha! haha!
I sure wish I knew the title of that last one!
You better believe I'd sing that one and "Kitchen Man" at my next karaoke adventure! What a perfect pairing that would be!