Yes, I am nothing if not prolific...
Dear Lovey has decided to take the plunge and join the blogosphere...well done, my dear!
For a look at Lovey's thoughts on relevant social topics of the day, please visit....
www.texaschick1.blogspot.com
Will let News From The Motherland rest on the third posting. Rule, Britannia!
In honor of Lovey, News From ANOTHER Motherland... Yee Haw!
http://www.dallasnews.com/
OBAMA IN '08!!!
FLT3
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Aboard This Tiny Ship...
Yes, it's time again for one of the seldom-seen SAME DAY POSTS!!!! :-)
This one was too good to hold until tomorrow. My darling Lovey in her infinite knowledge of all things cool and neat, found (and forwarded to me) this article about a certain famous seagoing vessel...
http://www.tvsquad.com/2008/07/31/how-would-you-like-a-ride-on-the-s-s-minnow/
She is a very special lady. :-)
In the second of today's installments of News From The Motherland... a bit more "Potter" for all of us fans...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7535162.stm
OBAMA IN '08!!!
FLT3
This one was too good to hold until tomorrow. My darling Lovey in her infinite knowledge of all things cool and neat, found (and forwarded to me) this article about a certain famous seagoing vessel...
http://www.tvsquad.com/2008/07/31/how-would-you-like-a-ride-on-the-s-s-minnow/
She is a very special lady. :-)
In the second of today's installments of News From The Motherland... a bit more "Potter" for all of us fans...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7535162.stm
OBAMA IN '08!!!
FLT3
Finally Facing My Waterloo...
At least I hope I'm Lord Admiral Nelson and not General Bonaparte...
Lovey and I saw "Mamma Mia" and I am still reeling from the ABBA-fest. ABBA has always been one of my favorite bands (yes, I'm that old) and hearing all this beloved music in an entirely new framework was exhilarating. No, Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan are not A-list singers, but it just didn't matter...they sold the songs, and the entire movie was a joy. I never stopped smiling! I was a bit disappointed when my favorite-of-all-time ABBA song (Waterloo) was not included in the film...and then at the very end, Meryl's character looks directly into the screen (4th wall shattered all to hell, but so what) and asks "Do you want one more?" Guess what...WATERLOO!!!! I was, to say the least, very pleased.
For those who love the song as much as I, a link...funky fashions and dance moves are a bonus treat!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpUz5zXywhY
In today's News From The Motherland... Prince William update.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7534769.stm
OBAMA IN '08!!!
FLT3
Lovey and I saw "Mamma Mia" and I am still reeling from the ABBA-fest. ABBA has always been one of my favorite bands (yes, I'm that old) and hearing all this beloved music in an entirely new framework was exhilarating. No, Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan are not A-list singers, but it just didn't matter...they sold the songs, and the entire movie was a joy. I never stopped smiling! I was a bit disappointed when my favorite-of-all-time ABBA song (Waterloo) was not included in the film...and then at the very end, Meryl's character looks directly into the screen (4th wall shattered all to hell, but so what) and asks "Do you want one more?" Guess what...WATERLOO!!!! I was, to say the least, very pleased.
For those who love the song as much as I, a link...funky fashions and dance moves are a bonus treat!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpUz5zXywhY
In today's News From The Motherland... Prince William update.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7534769.stm
OBAMA IN '08!!!
FLT3
Friday, July 25, 2008
Ersatz Europe
I just read a posting by my friend, Aaron. He and his girlfriend recently moved to Kannapolis, NC (which sounds somewhat faux Greco, but that's not where we're going today...) It seems that Aaron endured a rather grueling (note the cheeky reference to yesterday's post) experience in the dreaded Newark airport. Following said experience, however, he has arrived in Montreal. One can only imagine the rush of overwhelming relief he must have felt upon arrival...
Aaron's blog, btw, is well worth reading. You can check it out at http://www.butdonttrytotouchme.blogspot.com/
Never having been to Montreal (or any part of Canada) I am forced to rely on the rhapsodic praise I have heard re the city from several friends who have visited it. From what I have gathered, it is a very Francofied (sp?) city, with everything from language to architecture mirroring La Belle France (which I have visited several times and love!) I have no doubt that Aaron and Laurie will have a delightful time in such a place.
Now...given my admitted anglophilia, I have started to ponder the case for an American London. Rule, Britannia! (Yes, I just stood, faced Oxford, and sang the first two lines of the song... "Rule, Britannia! Britannia rules the waves!") Okay, maybe I'm lying about that...or maybe not...
Anyway, if Crazy Larry can push to have Birmingham host the Olympics in 2020, perhaps I could get him on board for "West London, Alabama." To wit, my ideas...
. Annex one of the outlying areas just beyond the Bham city limits...preferably someplace with very little development. West London needs to be built from scratch, both literally and figuratively.
.With the exception of "Little Ben," "West Westminster Abbey," and a Harrod's satellite store, any attempts to recreate actual London landmarks should probably be avoided. This is a refuge and an homage, not a theme park. The architecture and overall essence of The City is what we seek to replicate.
.Strong financial incentive should be offered to hire as many British expats as possible to work in the community. Hearing the dulcet tones of The Motherland will be part of the experience.
.West London would be the obvious locale for Alabama's arts and cultural center (The Western West End?) With all due (not much) respect to the City of Montgomery, the ASF should be relocated. Toss in a couple of first-rate local performing arts groups and a healthy touring schedule, and we're set. A lovely museum along the lines of the V&A would be nice...not sure what Larry's wife is named, but we could easily call it the "L& (whatever her first initial may be.)
. Pubs. Lots of them. This is not to say that West London will be some sort of lawless college-bar metrop. On the contrary, civilized drinking and social interaction will be the order of the day. The requisite brass and red-curtained "look" will be in place, as will the more civilized Euro-views on alcohol consumption. (Hand to God, the only drunks I have ever seen in the UK have been Americans... those of The Motherland are raised with fewer taboos, and therefore far fewer instances of gross overindulgence.)
.Fish and Chips stalls and Kebab vans. Enough said.
. While American Law will certainly still prevail, West London judges will wear powdered wigs in the style of their British counterparts. Attorneys will, of course, be called "barristers," while paralegals will be "solicitors." (The comparison isn't exact, but close enough...)
.British holidays will be observed, including Boxing Day and 5 November ("Remember, remember the 5th of November, gunpowder, treason, and plot...") 4 July will be a bit awkward, but good will and civility will certainly prevail.
...and the list goes on. This idea has about as much chance of ever happening as the 2020 Olympics in Birmingham, but Crazy Larry has taught us Birminghamians to think big. If nothing else, it's been a fun way to start the morning...
In other news, Lovey and I both auditioned for the commercial/tv show/whatsit yesterday, along with Thurston IV. I enjoyed the audition, but there was something decidedly sketchy about it. Nobody in authority seemed able to explain exactly WHAT the show was/is. All we gathered was...
. It has something to do with the environment.
. There are significant corporate sponsors (Coca-Cola and Nike were mentioned.)
. There is a large green bus that travels the country promoting "green" activity.
...and that's about it. The people in charge were extremely nice, very welcoming, and seemingly sincere. They just seemed unable (or unwilling) to tell us if this was an audition for a tv show, a live performance, or something in between. Oh well, we'll see if we hear back from them...
In today's News From The Motherland... The RSC and Sci-Fi fans collide...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7523210.stm
Obama in '08!!!
FLT3
Aaron's blog, btw, is well worth reading. You can check it out at http://www.butdonttrytotouchme.blogspot.com/
Never having been to Montreal (or any part of Canada) I am forced to rely on the rhapsodic praise I have heard re the city from several friends who have visited it. From what I have gathered, it is a very Francofied (sp?) city, with everything from language to architecture mirroring La Belle France (which I have visited several times and love!) I have no doubt that Aaron and Laurie will have a delightful time in such a place.
Now...given my admitted anglophilia, I have started to ponder the case for an American London. Rule, Britannia! (Yes, I just stood, faced Oxford, and sang the first two lines of the song... "Rule, Britannia! Britannia rules the waves!") Okay, maybe I'm lying about that...or maybe not...
Anyway, if Crazy Larry can push to have Birmingham host the Olympics in 2020, perhaps I could get him on board for "West London, Alabama." To wit, my ideas...
. Annex one of the outlying areas just beyond the Bham city limits...preferably someplace with very little development. West London needs to be built from scratch, both literally and figuratively.
.With the exception of "Little Ben," "West Westminster Abbey," and a Harrod's satellite store, any attempts to recreate actual London landmarks should probably be avoided. This is a refuge and an homage, not a theme park. The architecture and overall essence of The City is what we seek to replicate.
.Strong financial incentive should be offered to hire as many British expats as possible to work in the community. Hearing the dulcet tones of The Motherland will be part of the experience.
.West London would be the obvious locale for Alabama's arts and cultural center (The Western West End?) With all due (not much) respect to the City of Montgomery, the ASF should be relocated. Toss in a couple of first-rate local performing arts groups and a healthy touring schedule, and we're set. A lovely museum along the lines of the V&A would be nice...not sure what Larry's wife is named, but we could easily call it the "L& (whatever her first initial may be.)
. Pubs. Lots of them. This is not to say that West London will be some sort of lawless college-bar metrop. On the contrary, civilized drinking and social interaction will be the order of the day. The requisite brass and red-curtained "look" will be in place, as will the more civilized Euro-views on alcohol consumption. (Hand to God, the only drunks I have ever seen in the UK have been Americans... those of The Motherland are raised with fewer taboos, and therefore far fewer instances of gross overindulgence.)
.Fish and Chips stalls and Kebab vans. Enough said.
. While American Law will certainly still prevail, West London judges will wear powdered wigs in the style of their British counterparts. Attorneys will, of course, be called "barristers," while paralegals will be "solicitors." (The comparison isn't exact, but close enough...)
.British holidays will be observed, including Boxing Day and 5 November ("Remember, remember the 5th of November, gunpowder, treason, and plot...") 4 July will be a bit awkward, but good will and civility will certainly prevail.
...and the list goes on. This idea has about as much chance of ever happening as the 2020 Olympics in Birmingham, but Crazy Larry has taught us Birminghamians to think big. If nothing else, it's been a fun way to start the morning...
In other news, Lovey and I both auditioned for the commercial/tv show/whatsit yesterday, along with Thurston IV. I enjoyed the audition, but there was something decidedly sketchy about it. Nobody in authority seemed able to explain exactly WHAT the show was/is. All we gathered was...
. It has something to do with the environment.
. There are significant corporate sponsors (Coca-Cola and Nike were mentioned.)
. There is a large green bus that travels the country promoting "green" activity.
...and that's about it. The people in charge were extremely nice, very welcoming, and seemingly sincere. They just seemed unable (or unwilling) to tell us if this was an audition for a tv show, a live performance, or something in between. Oh well, we'll see if we hear back from them...
In today's News From The Motherland... The RSC and Sci-Fi fans collide...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7523210.stm
Obama in '08!!!
FLT3
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Gruel To Go...?
Having spent the past few days working on a children's theatre script adaptation of Oliver Twist, I am in a decidedly Dickensian frame of mind... fair warning that today's posting will most likely be verbose, flowery, and follow the "why use one word when ten will do" philosophy... (for those smartasses among my readers who were considering posing a question along the lines of "why should today be any different," too bad...I just beat you to it... ;-)
With said Dickensian bent firmly established, I have allowed myself a few minutes of silly reverie before starting the day... I have an image in mind of a Dickens-based fast food place... "Gruel To Go." It could easily be twinned with a bookstore (excuse me...it's Dickens Day...I meant to say a book-shop) along the lines of the cafe in Little Professor (a Bham book-shop for those out-of-town readers.) The menu could feature Oliver's Gruel (oatmeal,) the Cratchit Special (very little food for those watching their waistlines,) Uncle Pumblechook's Wine List (a bottle of port and a bottle of sherry, if memory serves,) and the Sydney Carton Health Plate for those who wish to be oh-so-virtuous (" 'tis a far, far, better thing I do...") And the list goes on... Little Dorrit's Kidney Pies... Miss Havisham's Wedding Cake... and the requisite Budget Deal (for those who have fallen upon Hard Times.)
Okay, so the place would probably not have a huge initial appeal beyond English nerds and academic types, but isn't that sort of wonderful? I think a little exclusivity is good for the soul, but that's just me...
As I forge ahead with this idea, I am envisioning a Tex-Mex establishment immediately adjacent. (The Brits and The Texans tend to mix rather well.) Perhaps a large advert of Charles Dickens arm-in-arm with Sam Houston would make for an interesting image... or possibly Annie Oakley (was she Texan? Oh well, if she wasn't, she should have been) holding a gun on Ebenezer Scrooge... oh the tie-in... "Did my 3-Alarm Texas Chili cause you to have heartburn and acid indigestion? Well, pard, get rid of the "Ghost Of Christmas Past" with new and improved Rolaids!"
This is getting bizzare, but I am following the lead of Mayor "Crazy Larry" Langford... sometimes you've just got to think outside the box...
Not much else to report from Lake Wobegon... I am auditioning today for a television show in the making...something about environmental concerns, etc...not sure if anything will come of it, but I figured it was worth a shot. Darling Lovey is going to accompany me for moral support. Perhaps I can convince her to audition as well...
In today's News From The Motherland... Nazis and orgies and hookers? Oh my...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7523034.stm
Obama in '08!!!
FLT3
With said Dickensian bent firmly established, I have allowed myself a few minutes of silly reverie before starting the day... I have an image in mind of a Dickens-based fast food place... "Gruel To Go." It could easily be twinned with a bookstore (excuse me...it's Dickens Day...I meant to say a book-shop) along the lines of the cafe in Little Professor (a Bham book-shop for those out-of-town readers.) The menu could feature Oliver's Gruel (oatmeal,) the Cratchit Special (very little food for those watching their waistlines,) Uncle Pumblechook's Wine List (a bottle of port and a bottle of sherry, if memory serves,) and the Sydney Carton Health Plate for those who wish to be oh-so-virtuous (" 'tis a far, far, better thing I do...") And the list goes on... Little Dorrit's Kidney Pies... Miss Havisham's Wedding Cake... and the requisite Budget Deal (for those who have fallen upon Hard Times.)
Okay, so the place would probably not have a huge initial appeal beyond English nerds and academic types, but isn't that sort of wonderful? I think a little exclusivity is good for the soul, but that's just me...
As I forge ahead with this idea, I am envisioning a Tex-Mex establishment immediately adjacent. (The Brits and The Texans tend to mix rather well.) Perhaps a large advert of Charles Dickens arm-in-arm with Sam Houston would make for an interesting image... or possibly Annie Oakley (was she Texan? Oh well, if she wasn't, she should have been) holding a gun on Ebenezer Scrooge... oh the tie-in... "Did my 3-Alarm Texas Chili cause you to have heartburn and acid indigestion? Well, pard, get rid of the "Ghost Of Christmas Past" with new and improved Rolaids!"
This is getting bizzare, but I am following the lead of Mayor "Crazy Larry" Langford... sometimes you've just got to think outside the box...
Not much else to report from Lake Wobegon... I am auditioning today for a television show in the making...something about environmental concerns, etc...not sure if anything will come of it, but I figured it was worth a shot. Darling Lovey is going to accompany me for moral support. Perhaps I can convince her to audition as well...
In today's News From The Motherland... Nazis and orgies and hookers? Oh my...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7523034.stm
Obama in '08!!!
FLT3
Saturday, July 19, 2008
#X!@* - ha ha ha
I started to title this "Feet: An Addendum" but the peals of profanity followed by laughter inspired an alternate header...
Darling Lovey continues to have pretty feet...however, one "pinky" has become somewhat disfigured due to a toe-stubbing incident. Such cutting-edge medical inplements as scotch tape are being utilized. (I might have suggested scotch as a viable anesthetic, but it is only 9am...anything heavier than a Bloody Mary would just be...well...tacky.)
She will live.
In today's News From The Motherland... Python ban lifted...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/mid_/7514423.stm
Obama in '08!!!
FLT3
Darling Lovey continues to have pretty feet...however, one "pinky" has become somewhat disfigured due to a toe-stubbing incident. Such cutting-edge medical inplements as scotch tape are being utilized. (I might have suggested scotch as a viable anesthetic, but it is only 9am...anything heavier than a Bloody Mary would just be...well...tacky.)
She will live.
In today's News From The Motherland... Python ban lifted...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/mid_/7514423.stm
Obama in '08!!!
FLT3
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Feet
I have been thinking a lot about my feet lately. I am just reaching the point in life (40 looms imminent...oh God...) where the statement "my feet hurt" is starting to pass my lips with alarming frequency. I have never given a great deal of thoght to my pieds before now, and it's sort of amazing when you consider just how much our feet really do...assuming I learned to walk somewhere around the age of 1, my feet have been picked up and put down thousands of times each day for the past 37 years. That's a lot of punishment for a body part.
In one of his finest moments on "Hollywood Squares," the late great Paul Lynde was asked the following:
"What is the most abused and neglected part of the body?" (The answer: the feet.)
Lynde's response: "Well, mine has certainly been abused but never neglected..."
Perhaps it loses something in the re-telling in typeface, but insert Lynde's delivery and nasty snicker and you've got a comedic bon mot of epic proportions. The fact that he was wearing a leisure suit somehow made it even better...
Lovey has very pretty feet. Just thought I'd mention that.
My own feet are unremarkable, but slightly large. (Size 10 1/2) They are certainly not freakish, but just large enough that my shoes have been compared to boats on occasion.
Enough about feet. In today's News From The Motherland...those noisy scouts strike again...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/leicestershire/7509198.stm
Obama in '08!!!
FLT3
In one of his finest moments on "Hollywood Squares," the late great Paul Lynde was asked the following:
"What is the most abused and neglected part of the body?" (The answer: the feet.)
Lynde's response: "Well, mine has certainly been abused but never neglected..."
Perhaps it loses something in the re-telling in typeface, but insert Lynde's delivery and nasty snicker and you've got a comedic bon mot of epic proportions. The fact that he was wearing a leisure suit somehow made it even better...
Lovey has very pretty feet. Just thought I'd mention that.
My own feet are unremarkable, but slightly large. (Size 10 1/2) They are certainly not freakish, but just large enough that my shoes have been compared to boats on occasion.
Enough about feet. In today's News From The Motherland...those noisy scouts strike again...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/leicestershire/7509198.stm
Obama in '08!!!
FLT3
Friday, July 11, 2008
Reefer Madness and Fried Food
I suppose today's header sounds like a party from just about everyone's college days... however, the real story is a bit different...
Last night Lovey and I saw "Reefer Madness:The Musical" at TNT, one of Birmingham's outstanding local theatres. My good friend Jan was in the cast, and I must admit that my initial impetus for seeing the show was to be supportive of her. I had seen the made-for-Showtime (HBO?) adaptation of the stage musical, and found it mildly entertaining, but it never really grabbed me.
I have no idea whether the show just works better on stage, or if I was just tired/distracted/etc when I watched the dvd, but wow...this production was HYSTERICAL! The staging was tight and fluid, the performers all bought in to the silly "over-the-top" quality of the script, the musicians were superb, etc etc etc...I could go on, but will settle for saying "this is an outstanding and entertaining show." Kudos to the cast and director, Carl Stewart.
Anyway, following the performance, Lovey and I joined a group of friends for a bite to eat. Obviously, most food readily available after 10pm is going to most likely be fried bar food. Okay, no problem...I can eat onion rings and other fried things and go home to bed with no problem... I did it all the time in college...sure, pass me the hot sauce, it'll make my sandwich taste soooo good!
Ugh.
The British have the most wonderfully evocative term... "gyppy tummy." My tummy has been beyond gyppy this am. Clearly, my days of eating a whole Domino's pizza washed down with a few beers and then drifting off to blissful sleep are left waaaaay back in the distance, along with "Don't Worry, Be Happy," Crocodile Dundee, neon clothing, the first President Bush, The Spice Girls, and "Matlock."
Enough about my digestive issues. Today is slightly cloudy, a little muggy, and bears the aura of a comforting, soft, reassuring blanket. If one has to feel a bit less than top drawer, this is the sort of day that will accomodate and soothe.
In today's News From The Motherland... apples and pears...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7501420.stm
Obama in '08!!!!
FLT3
Last night Lovey and I saw "Reefer Madness:The Musical" at TNT, one of Birmingham's outstanding local theatres. My good friend Jan was in the cast, and I must admit that my initial impetus for seeing the show was to be supportive of her. I had seen the made-for-Showtime (HBO?) adaptation of the stage musical, and found it mildly entertaining, but it never really grabbed me.
I have no idea whether the show just works better on stage, or if I was just tired/distracted/etc when I watched the dvd, but wow...this production was HYSTERICAL! The staging was tight and fluid, the performers all bought in to the silly "over-the-top" quality of the script, the musicians were superb, etc etc etc...I could go on, but will settle for saying "this is an outstanding and entertaining show." Kudos to the cast and director, Carl Stewart.
Anyway, following the performance, Lovey and I joined a group of friends for a bite to eat. Obviously, most food readily available after 10pm is going to most likely be fried bar food. Okay, no problem...I can eat onion rings and other fried things and go home to bed with no problem... I did it all the time in college...sure, pass me the hot sauce, it'll make my sandwich taste soooo good!
Ugh.
The British have the most wonderfully evocative term... "gyppy tummy." My tummy has been beyond gyppy this am. Clearly, my days of eating a whole Domino's pizza washed down with a few beers and then drifting off to blissful sleep are left waaaaay back in the distance, along with "Don't Worry, Be Happy," Crocodile Dundee, neon clothing, the first President Bush, The Spice Girls, and "Matlock."
Enough about my digestive issues. Today is slightly cloudy, a little muggy, and bears the aura of a comforting, soft, reassuring blanket. If one has to feel a bit less than top drawer, this is the sort of day that will accomodate and soothe.
In today's News From The Motherland... apples and pears...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7501420.stm
Obama in '08!!!!
FLT3
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
Hot, Hot, Hot...
Great...I thought that was a clever title that I could tie into the fact that it has been hot as all-get-out for the past few days, and now I have that song stuck in my head...oh the bane of every wedding reception...the conga line to "Hot, Hot, Hot." There's always at least one (usually amusing) slip and fall, generally from an inebriated octogenarian. Bonus points if said oldster bounces up and says something wonderfully anachronistic like "whoop de doo" or "23 skidoo."
No, I have never seen this happen, but I'd like to.
The week is going well. I have been teaching at the CenterStage summer theatre camp, and all is going smoothly. We have a large group of very good kids...even the extremely hyper ones are good natured, sweet souls...not a mean spirit in the group, so they're just fine.
My best friend, Brent, is getting married next month, and plans are underway for the wedding. I got the info today on getting measured for tuxes, etc. That should be fun. (I will have to find out how one goes about acquiring a drunk 80-year-old who hollers epithets from the jazz age.)
Not much else to report...have spent some time with Lovey, which is always delightful. I had lunch yesterday with a good friend at a little drug store which still has (hand to God) a functioning soda fountain/lunch counter with the best hand-pressed limeade on Earth. If you ignore a few of the more modern amenities (which are few, indeed) it would honestly be possible to imagine a scene from the early 1950's. Cool place.
In today's News From The Motherland...churchgoers shamed by sham.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/north_east/7497411.stm
Obama in '08!!!
FLT3
No, I have never seen this happen, but I'd like to.
The week is going well. I have been teaching at the CenterStage summer theatre camp, and all is going smoothly. We have a large group of very good kids...even the extremely hyper ones are good natured, sweet souls...not a mean spirit in the group, so they're just fine.
My best friend, Brent, is getting married next month, and plans are underway for the wedding. I got the info today on getting measured for tuxes, etc. That should be fun. (I will have to find out how one goes about acquiring a drunk 80-year-old who hollers epithets from the jazz age.)
Not much else to report...have spent some time with Lovey, which is always delightful. I had lunch yesterday with a good friend at a little drug store which still has (hand to God) a functioning soda fountain/lunch counter with the best hand-pressed limeade on Earth. If you ignore a few of the more modern amenities (which are few, indeed) it would honestly be possible to imagine a scene from the early 1950's. Cool place.
In today's News From The Motherland...churchgoers shamed by sham.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/north_east/7497411.stm
Obama in '08!!!
FLT3
Monday, July 07, 2008
Back In '58, I Was Hell...
Home again after a delightful weekend getaway with Lovey. Details on said junket to follow, but first a story which bears repeating...
We encountered one of those delightfully nonsensical "snapshot of life" moments that make life worth living...imagine, dear reader, if you will, an elderly gentleman on the street. While slightly scruffy around the edges, he held no menace or threat...perhaps a bit tipsy in a sort of "livin' large and lovin' life" way...a 75-year-old man about town who may have gone a bit down at heel, but retaining an affable charm that most likely served him well back in the day...if Redd Foxx and an aging Richard Pryor could have borne a child, this would be him...you get the picture...benignly naughty and infinitely endearing.
Said gent was holding a pineapple. This is not a euphemism. He was literally carrying a whole pineapple.
Engaging in conversation with said chap was an attractive young woman of 25 or thereabouts. She was shapely, and slightly provocative in an appropriate way...a little plump in the best of ways...sexy/cute with just a hint of hoochie mama tossed deliciously into the mix.
These were not sketchy people...just worldly.
I can't remember what the fellow's exact words were, but he was clearly after the girl in a harmless, old-timer sort of way. I would hazard a guess that the flirtation was his end goal in and of itself. The girl never really stopped walking, but she slowed her pace, spoke back, and gave "Pops" a winning smile. He was apparently offering the pineapple as some sort of prelude to courtship...and amusingly so.
This was a very heartwarming scene which could have broken bad in so many ways, but it didn't. The old man was mildly lecherous but lovably so. The girl was rebuffing his advances but with a coquettish twinkle. No threatening aura here, and no broken hearts...just a dirty old man and a sweet young thing exchanging lighthearted words on the street.
In continuing the script after witnessing the moment, Lovey & I decided that somewhere in the conversation, the old gent had uttered...
"Damn baby! Back in '58, I was hell!"
Indeed he was.
In today's News From The Motherland...Mr. Brown encourages food conservation.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7492573.stm
Obama in '08!!!
FLT3
We encountered one of those delightfully nonsensical "snapshot of life" moments that make life worth living...imagine, dear reader, if you will, an elderly gentleman on the street. While slightly scruffy around the edges, he held no menace or threat...perhaps a bit tipsy in a sort of "livin' large and lovin' life" way...a 75-year-old man about town who may have gone a bit down at heel, but retaining an affable charm that most likely served him well back in the day...if Redd Foxx and an aging Richard Pryor could have borne a child, this would be him...you get the picture...benignly naughty and infinitely endearing.
Said gent was holding a pineapple. This is not a euphemism. He was literally carrying a whole pineapple.
Engaging in conversation with said chap was an attractive young woman of 25 or thereabouts. She was shapely, and slightly provocative in an appropriate way...a little plump in the best of ways...sexy/cute with just a hint of hoochie mama tossed deliciously into the mix.
These were not sketchy people...just worldly.
I can't remember what the fellow's exact words were, but he was clearly after the girl in a harmless, old-timer sort of way. I would hazard a guess that the flirtation was his end goal in and of itself. The girl never really stopped walking, but she slowed her pace, spoke back, and gave "Pops" a winning smile. He was apparently offering the pineapple as some sort of prelude to courtship...and amusingly so.
This was a very heartwarming scene which could have broken bad in so many ways, but it didn't. The old man was mildly lecherous but lovably so. The girl was rebuffing his advances but with a coquettish twinkle. No threatening aura here, and no broken hearts...just a dirty old man and a sweet young thing exchanging lighthearted words on the street.
In continuing the script after witnessing the moment, Lovey & I decided that somewhere in the conversation, the old gent had uttered...
"Damn baby! Back in '58, I was hell!"
Indeed he was.
In today's News From The Motherland...Mr. Brown encourages food conservation.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7492573.stm
Obama in '08!!!
FLT3
Thursday, July 03, 2008
Honoring A Giant...
While today is a very happy day (leaving for a weekend with Lovey, sun is shining, birds are chirping, etc.) it is also twinged with just a hint of sadness. It was today, 3 July, 1989, that James Gilmore Backus went to that great deserted island in the sky...
It's always sad when our childhood idols start to pass away, and Jim Backus was the first true "celebrity loss" I experienced. (Two years later, at the death of Rex Harrison, I experienced the second.) I remember being sad, but my first thought was "man, was he still alive?" Due to complications from Parkinson's disease, Backus had been out of the public eye for some time.
I won't go into a lengthy essay, but it should be noted that the man who gave us Thurston Howell III and Mr. Magoo was also a celebrated and talented golfer, who could have easily gone pro. He also suffered from depression and spent some time in a treatment facility, helped back "into the light" by his loving wife, Henny. (Did I mention that Henny Backus played the overbearing Native Mother in the episode "Gilligan's Mother-In-Law?" Okay, enough showing off...) Backus was also a great raconteur whose nightclub act never failed to draw capacity crowds...he got his start in his hometown of Cleveland, first on radio, and then as (no joke) a rabbi in a hassidic stage play. His Howell character was based on a similarly mega-wealthy character he created on the radio...Hubert Updyke III. (There was also clearly a large dose of Updyke in Mr. Magoo.)
Enough trivia. Today I celebrate the life of one of the great character actors of the mid-20th century, who also happened to have been a personal hero of mine. Rest in peace, Jim Backus...I am sure that somewhere up there on a cloud you are making everyone laugh. :-)
In today's News From The Motherland... oh happy Dane! (Okay, that was bad...)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/7487143.stm
OBAMA IN '08!!!
FLT3
It's always sad when our childhood idols start to pass away, and Jim Backus was the first true "celebrity loss" I experienced. (Two years later, at the death of Rex Harrison, I experienced the second.) I remember being sad, but my first thought was "man, was he still alive?" Due to complications from Parkinson's disease, Backus had been out of the public eye for some time.
I won't go into a lengthy essay, but it should be noted that the man who gave us Thurston Howell III and Mr. Magoo was also a celebrated and talented golfer, who could have easily gone pro. He also suffered from depression and spent some time in a treatment facility, helped back "into the light" by his loving wife, Henny. (Did I mention that Henny Backus played the overbearing Native Mother in the episode "Gilligan's Mother-In-Law?" Okay, enough showing off...) Backus was also a great raconteur whose nightclub act never failed to draw capacity crowds...he got his start in his hometown of Cleveland, first on radio, and then as (no joke) a rabbi in a hassidic stage play. His Howell character was based on a similarly mega-wealthy character he created on the radio...Hubert Updyke III. (There was also clearly a large dose of Updyke in Mr. Magoo.)
Enough trivia. Today I celebrate the life of one of the great character actors of the mid-20th century, who also happened to have been a personal hero of mine. Rest in peace, Jim Backus...I am sure that somewhere up there on a cloud you are making everyone laugh. :-)
In today's News From The Motherland... oh happy Dane! (Okay, that was bad...)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/7487143.stm
OBAMA IN '08!!!
FLT3
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
The Lights Of Long Ago...
I'm sure I have expounded upon the "music can take you back" theme before, so apologies in advance if some of this is familiar ground...
Had a delightful day yesterday, which included an afternoon visit from Lovey for cocktails... I am sort of proud of myself for having created a "Tangerine Sublett," an homage to the great actress of the same name. It makes a lovely and refreshing summertime treat...
One half jug orange/tangerine juice
One bottle dry champagne
One healthy slosh of gin
One twist lemon
Pour into ice-filled glasses and garnish with lemon slice, leaving a little room in the glass. Top off with Perrier. Enchanting!
Now, back to the story...while mixing said Tangerine Subletts, I put on some background music...Sheryl Crow, for the record, but that's immaterial... later on in the evening, I started to flip through the cd folder and came across a blank, unlabeled cd. When I played it, I realized it was the soundtrack from the Alan Mencken version of A Christmas Carol, which I directed a couple of years ago. For whatever reason, (Christmas in July?) I decided just to let it roll.
There is a particular song in the show, "The Lights Of Long Ago," which is sung to Scrooge by The Spirit of Christmas Past...the tune is very sweet and pleasant, but the lyrics of one verse spoke to me...
"...a child! Is this who you used to be?
A scene shining from your past?
The vast vistas of a memory?
The shadows you cast?
Mr. Scrooge, hold fast......
Onward through the night!
Onward towards the light!
Onward, to a place your heart will know...
Come remember the lights of long ago..."
At first glance, simple...but oh so significant...
I grew up in the same house from the time I was 6 years old, the house in which my parents still live. Whenever I contemplate the lights of long ago, they always seem to surround that house. While listening to the song, there was a rushing wave of memory that can only be described as a tsunami... birthday mornings from the 1980's...huge cookouts with my dad dutifully cooking enough bbq to feed an army...quiet Sunday afternoons that seemed hideously boring to a 15-year-old but now seem idyllic...sitting way out beyond the trees in the backyard drinking a "stolen" beer (from my parents' fridge) with my best high school friend...thousands of regular, normal school nights that seem so cozy in retrospect...a big family dinner the night before I left for 6 weeks at Oxford...the occasional snow from childhood, where muddy snowmen and sloppily-executed snow forts dotted the front yards...and so forth...
This story really has no point. Consider this a free-flowing observation as opposed to a plot-driven short story.
In today's News From The Motherland...elementary, my dear Borat...?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7484948.stm
Obama in '08!!!
FLT3
Had a delightful day yesterday, which included an afternoon visit from Lovey for cocktails... I am sort of proud of myself for having created a "Tangerine Sublett," an homage to the great actress of the same name. It makes a lovely and refreshing summertime treat...
One half jug orange/tangerine juice
One bottle dry champagne
One healthy slosh of gin
One twist lemon
Pour into ice-filled glasses and garnish with lemon slice, leaving a little room in the glass. Top off with Perrier. Enchanting!
Now, back to the story...while mixing said Tangerine Subletts, I put on some background music...Sheryl Crow, for the record, but that's immaterial... later on in the evening, I started to flip through the cd folder and came across a blank, unlabeled cd. When I played it, I realized it was the soundtrack from the Alan Mencken version of A Christmas Carol, which I directed a couple of years ago. For whatever reason, (Christmas in July?) I decided just to let it roll.
There is a particular song in the show, "The Lights Of Long Ago," which is sung to Scrooge by The Spirit of Christmas Past...the tune is very sweet and pleasant, but the lyrics of one verse spoke to me...
"...a child! Is this who you used to be?
A scene shining from your past?
The vast vistas of a memory?
The shadows you cast?
Mr. Scrooge, hold fast......
Onward through the night!
Onward towards the light!
Onward, to a place your heart will know...
Come remember the lights of long ago..."
At first glance, simple...but oh so significant...
I grew up in the same house from the time I was 6 years old, the house in which my parents still live. Whenever I contemplate the lights of long ago, they always seem to surround that house. While listening to the song, there was a rushing wave of memory that can only be described as a tsunami... birthday mornings from the 1980's...huge cookouts with my dad dutifully cooking enough bbq to feed an army...quiet Sunday afternoons that seemed hideously boring to a 15-year-old but now seem idyllic...sitting way out beyond the trees in the backyard drinking a "stolen" beer (from my parents' fridge) with my best high school friend...thousands of regular, normal school nights that seem so cozy in retrospect...a big family dinner the night before I left for 6 weeks at Oxford...the occasional snow from childhood, where muddy snowmen and sloppily-executed snow forts dotted the front yards...and so forth...
This story really has no point. Consider this a free-flowing observation as opposed to a plot-driven short story.
In today's News From The Motherland...elementary, my dear Borat...?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7484948.stm
Obama in '08!!!
FLT3
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
Crazy Larry
Given that several of my handful of readers do not live in Birmingham, I have decided to devote a posting to the adventures of Larry "Crazy Man" Langford, who continues to make headlines on a daily basis. Larry is entertaining. Larry is zany. Larry is whacked-out.
He is also the mayor.
Having risen to his lofty height following the two-term administration of the sleepy, affable, but ultimately do-nothing Bernard Kincaid, Larry made the following statement during last year's mayoral campaign...
"Birmingham needs a crazy man to run this city...and I am that crazy man!"
Larry Langford was elected without a runoff.
In the less-than-twelve-months since his term began, Larry has...
.Placed inexpensive laptop computers in the hands of every public school child in the city. (Good Larry)
.Gotten indicted by the SEC for alleged financial wrongdoing. (Bad Larry)
.Proposed that the Olympics be held in Birmingham in 2020, made the statement that "a good old fashioned butt-whoopin' " would curb gang violence, fought with the city council, refused to speak to anyone from The Birmingham News, campaigned for the oft-defeated domed stadium, and flashed his trademark toothy grin at anyone who will stand still. (Crazy Larry)
I do not live within the city limits of Birmingham, so I do not, as the saying goes, have a dog in this fight. I can sit back and enjoy Larry's antics yet remain oddly untouched by them. This is a good place to be, in the reviewing stands, so to speak.
Long live Crazy Larry. Long may he reign.
In today's News From The Motherland...those wacky Swedes...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7482551.stm
Obama in '08!!!
FLT3
He is also the mayor.
Having risen to his lofty height following the two-term administration of the sleepy, affable, but ultimately do-nothing Bernard Kincaid, Larry made the following statement during last year's mayoral campaign...
"Birmingham needs a crazy man to run this city...and I am that crazy man!"
Larry Langford was elected without a runoff.
In the less-than-twelve-months since his term began, Larry has...
.Placed inexpensive laptop computers in the hands of every public school child in the city. (Good Larry)
.Gotten indicted by the SEC for alleged financial wrongdoing. (Bad Larry)
.Proposed that the Olympics be held in Birmingham in 2020, made the statement that "a good old fashioned butt-whoopin' " would curb gang violence, fought with the city council, refused to speak to anyone from The Birmingham News, campaigned for the oft-defeated domed stadium, and flashed his trademark toothy grin at anyone who will stand still. (Crazy Larry)
I do not live within the city limits of Birmingham, so I do not, as the saying goes, have a dog in this fight. I can sit back and enjoy Larry's antics yet remain oddly untouched by them. This is a good place to be, in the reviewing stands, so to speak.
Long live Crazy Larry. Long may he reign.
In today's News From The Motherland...those wacky Swedes...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7482551.stm
Obama in '08!!!
FLT3
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