Thursday, March 21, 2024

a-list and a legion

I wanted my AMC A*List to have a theme of "spooky goings on" this week, though that didn't quite turn out as expected.
"Arthur The King" was actually based on real events that occurred during an endurance race in the Dominican Republic in 2016.
I would say that it reminded me of my dog, Toffee, that I brought back to the States with me from Panama...
but she had been healthy and well there.
Mark Wahlberg brought a lot of heart to this movie, as he does.
However, the only spooky part was when the dog caught up with them at a checkpoint that was about two days from the one they'd last seen the dog.
That was more a miracle than spooky, though.
"The American Society of Magical Negroes" wasn't spooky, either, but did have some magic.
Nice to see David Alan Grier as the recruiter for the group, ever on the lookout for members who would embrace its doctrine of dispelling fear from white civilians, mostly male.
Here's the thing, though: the movie could just as easily been called "The Society of Sisters, Wives, And Girlfriends".
That was another group who were charged with dispelling fear from men, mostly white, though also some black.
At least that group's moniker had an acronym emblazoned on a funky ring!
And, although SOSWAG wasn't revealed until the end of the movie, I found myself thinking about my time in the Navy as a CTM, doing electronics maintenance alongside the men in the mostly male field, and the steps I would take to make sure they knew I was competent, but not competing.
After all, in the late 1970's when I was new to the field, many men were not accepting of me doing the same work - and therefore earning the exact same pay - as them.
That meant I made sure I worked twice as hard to make sure they knew I was for real...
and not in the field to find a husband.
So, when the big reveal came about the "work wife", I just loved it!!!
Sorry about that little spoiler, but it was absolutely necessary.
There are plenty of others in the movie, so go see it!
(smile!)
Now, what was that theme again?
Oh, yes: "spooky goings on".
"Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire" had that in spades! 
How utterly wonderful to see Ernie Hudson, Day Aykroyd, Annie Potts, and Bill Murray still in on the ghost busting FORTY YEARS LATER - amazing!!!
How glad I am to not have to deal with teenagers, after seeing the selfish, stupid actions of the 15-year-old girl in this movie!!!
My one problem is, perhaps, a silly one - I keep thinking of Paul Rudd as Ant-Man.
I know that character from the Marvel Universe is named Scott Lang, just as I know that the teacher-father figure in the Ghostbusters Universe is named Gary Grooberson, so the two are not the same person...
but both are played by Paul Rudd, in several movies now, and I knew him as Ant-Man first.
Yeah, sounds like a First World problem to me, too.
(smile!)
 
That was all done by mid-afternoon today.
This evening, I had my usual third-Thursday meeting of American Legion Post 36.
There were only seven of us there: me, Doug, Billy, Clark, Michael T, Jay, and John.
That was not quite enough for anything requiring a vote, so it was good that there was no new business to discuss.
Doug brought steak and cheese Firehouse Subs for us, and I made sure to thank him.
Mostly, we spent the first hour chitchatting and the biggest part of the second hour going over old business and Legion protocol.
That let us out early!
I made sure to admire the bar, which now has its protective finish on.
Isn't it absolutely beautiful?
We're realistically thinking it will be six months before Two Firsts Club is open.
First the kitchen has to get done and then approved by the City.
Then, onward with flooring and ceiling tiles, TVs and wifi!
Progress!
(smile!)

Sunday, March 17, 2024

40th anniversary of being a veteran

It occurred to me earlier this year that March 16th would mark the 40th anniversary of the last day that I was active duty military in the United States Navy.
Actually, it was around March 4th, the 16th birthday of my nephew, Conner.
I sent him a gift card to McDonald's, one of his favorite places.
When he texted back his thanks, I started a textversation.
 
me: Remember, you have to eat some French fries for me!
him: "Alright."
me: When I was in the Navy and stationed in Pensacola, there was a McDonald's right outside the front gate. I would go there almost every night just to order fries.
him: "When were you in the Navy??"
me: From '76 until '84. I enlisted in March of my senior year of high school.
him: "How was the Navy?"
me: The slogan at the time was: It's not just a job, it's an adventure! That was true!! Plus, I was always near a beach. That was excellent! I loved all the travel, too! And I still get benefits as a veteran, with health care. They helped pay for college, too.


So many blessings for me, thanks to the decision of my 17-year-old self...
and the permission of Mama, as I was not yet an adult in the eyes of the law.
Wow.
I still had this voucher that I'd received on Veterans Day.
Elvis of the kitchen cabinet marked it to honor this anniversary.
Then I got sick earlier this week, with me still coughing yesterday.
That turned out to be for the best.
 

The delay allowed me to change my perspective to something more positive.
Today, feeling well again, I headed out to Texas Roadhouse to cash in the voucher.
I was celebrating the 40th anniversary of the day I became a veteran...
how's that for a good vibration?
(smile!)
My upbeat mood must have been part of the reason why David was so good to me.
He was my server, and he not only timed the courses beautifully, he gave me extra!
 

Along with my juicy, grilled pork chop, house salad, and steak fries, I got dessert!
I know, it looks like a little brownie with whipped cream, but...
it sure is special to me.
Thanks, David!
Thanks for the extra rolls, too, fresh and hot, for my to-go order.
 

Yes, knowing I didn't have cash, I ordered two kids meals for later.
Each have grilled chicken, along with green beans for one, fries for the other.
Thanks to David, that will make two very nice meals for me!
What a wonderful way to extend the celebration of this anniversary!
 

Now, I'm home and have Ray Stevens to entertain me...
what fabulous timing!
First he had the Riders In The Sky band and now he's doing a tune from my youth: "Running Bear", a Native American "Romeo and Juliet" tale!
Pardon me while I sing along!

Saturday, March 16, 2024

200th anniversary of parade in Savannah!

The event has been hyped ever since last year - for real!

There are expectations of more than 500,000 visitors just for this one event.

It's the 200th Anniversary of the first St. Patrick's Day Parade in this seaport and it began at 10 AM.

I think I most remember the parade from 1984.

March 16th that year was my final day as an active-duty member of the US Navy.

[This is the 138th entry of 309 groups participating in the 2024 parade. Two hours have already passed.]

I spent the day getting the necessary signatures from the doctor, from the optometrist, from the dentist, from the administration.

The "i"s were all dotted and the "t"s all crossed to verify I was fit to leave.

[This is the Naval Junior ROTC group at Jenkins High School. We didn't have that when I was a student there. The time is now 12:30 PM.]

Then I had last good-byes with my friends and colleagues in San Diego, and at NSGA Imperial Beach, on the West Coast before catching the red-eye flight to Savannah on the East Coast.

[Here are the members of the Savannah branch of the Navy League, right on the heels of the high school group.]

Mama and my soon-to-be stepdad, Frank, met me at the airport and we went straight downtown so as not to miss a moment of the parade to welcome me home.

Hahaha! That's a little joke, y'all!

[These sailors are with the submarine base at Kings Bay, just south of Brunswick. They were the third, and last, of the Navy entrants.]

I can't say I remember a lot of that 1984 parade, but I can definitely say this: it was considerably shorter than the one this year.

[Here's one of my favorites every year: the bellydancing man with the Alee Shriners! This year, he seemed a bit tired by this point in the parade. That's certainly not surprising, as he's been walking and dancing almost three and a half hours... and the parade isn't done yet.]

I kept watching, flipping back and forth between WSAV and WTOC.

When WSAV stopped, I stayed on WTOC, who, bless them, kept going to the very end, at 2:30 PM.

Four and a half hours of parade: wow.

[Here, as they are signing off, the trio sent greetings to Jimmy Ray. Hey! He's in Post 36 of the American Legion, with me! Very nice!]

Hopefully, next year, I may venture down to experience the parade in person again.

I'm sure I can go with Tony and Laura!

That will be very nice, indeed.

Wednesday, March 13, 2024

i won a prize? from a survey??

Indeed, I did!

When I first received the email with "library survey" in the subject line, I'd thought it was a solicitation to answer questions about Live Oak Public Library, the system here in Savannah.

That was back in the third week of February and I put it off.

Last week, I finally read the email.

Apparently, I'd done the survey at some point in the past... and I won the gift card!!!

No, seriously.

And it's a substantial prize: $100!!!

No, seriously!

So, today, I made myself leave the house to pick it up.

The pollen has been kicking my sinuses, hard, and so I've been staying home, especially at night, when the symptoms are worst.

That means I've missed several events, like the Navy Brass Band on Monday, down at Tybee.

I had really wanted to be there, too.

But I know when it's best to let my body heal; that's why I won't be venturing down to Tybee for the SavArtsAcad Modern Band Showcase, either.


However, I did go southside to the Southwest Chatham branch of the library to take possession of my reward!

I also bought some meds to relieve my sinuses, and some sushi to relieve my soul.

Yes, I do believe I'm feeling better already.

(smile!)

Sunday, March 10, 2024

just look at all those signs!!!

The crazy signs - literally, not figuratively - that keep popping up are one of the reasons I so enjoy "Bruce Almighty"!
 
Bruce's reads "Whatever He Said", with an arrow pointing at the homeless man's sign.
 
And just what does it read?
"God Bee Good Honey"
 
Hahahaha!
 
This was already on when I got home from Kung Fu'ing, so I watched every bit of the rest of it.
Signs, right?
 
So it thought I'd share a few others that I've been blessed with this week on fb.
 
Andy Pena posted this one:
"Be Gone
Satin
You Have
No Power Here"
 
Seriously???
What do they have against that lustrous fabric?
 
Hahahaha!
This next one seeks to teach, not entertain.
 
Betsy Kameron's post about the USA's fiscal cliff can be summarized thus, using more normal numbers:
"Annual family income: $21,700
Money the family spent: $38,200
New debt on the credit card: $16,500
Outstanding balance on the credit card: $142,710
Total budget cuts so far: $38.50"
 
I replied that the "balance on the credit card" wouldn't be so overwhelmingly large if people that had received loans would simply repay the "family".
 
She totally agreed with me on that.
Nice!
This next one is a more heartfelt sign.
 
My oldest niece, Christy Ward-Parker, had this:
"You Never Know
How Long Your
Words Will Stay In
Someone's Minds
Even Long After
You've Forgotten
You Spoke Them.
Be Kind."
 
That's thanks to the tape recorder in our brains.
Sometimes, the words go straight to the soul;
sometimes, they go to the heart;
sometimes, they make us laugh.
That's what this last sign will do.
 
Rather, that's what it made me do!
 
Patrick Young, now living down in Jacksonville, can be counted on for some gems.
 
The sign reads:
"English
Tooter" 

Seriously, I can't make this stuff up!

Are they offering help with a language or are they selling a British car?
(smile!)

kung fu fighters, for less than 5 bucks!


"Sweet!!! I take it that Comcast rewarded you with some free tickets?"

They did, them and Fandango! Comcast gave me a magic code for two free tickets from Fandango, so I used those to get 1 adult and 1 child, for Christina and Chloe. I did have to pay two cents, but what a deal! Then I went to AMC and got my A*List ticket, plus 1 child, cashing in five bucks of reward money with them. So that covered me and Miyah. And we all went to a brand-new movie for less than 5 dollars for the four of us!

"Woohoo!!! Gotta love when that happens!"

Yep! And even though I had already seen "Kung Fu Panda 4", I enjoyed it even more so in their company! And of course we got up and danced during the end credits! I was a little embarrassed when I saw that Tom and Aliscia were standing there watching, but I got over that and kept dancing up there on the apron! I don't think Chloe even noticed them.

"You're talking about Tom and Aliscia of the AMC? They had clean-up detail?"

They did. I told them about getting the girls started with that dancing routine post-movie back when they came for their first movie with me. I knew they had a long ride back to Hinesville and this was a way to kick out the jams, as Blue Oyster Cult would say.

"Yes, dear. Like anyone would know who that group was these days."

Heard. I haven't seen anything about them doing any "remember us" tours, but I haven't honestly been looking.

"Did you and that first niece get to chat at all?"

We did. And guess what the topic was? Her Papa! Amazing, right? So I told her about his name being said on Friday night... and she knew that line of his, too! And I told her about having lunch with him on Sunday and the gnats leaving me alone while I talked to him. That was about the time the gnats noticed us in the AMC parking lot. Those flying teeth are obviously hungry!

"I'm sure she appreciated those good stories about Ronnie."

I know she did. She said he's been on her mind lately, too. I'm glad I had fun tales to share.

"Good move on your part, changing your plans about the SCAD musical to last night instead of this afternoon."

Thanks. I completely agree.

(smile!)

Saturday, March 9, 2024

balloons! swans! beautiful!

Right place, right time!
I had intended to go to the newest production at the Savannah Children's Theatre last night, but the family fiesta ran long, which was a good thing.
That meant that I got to see the matinee of "Honk: A Musical Tale Of The Ugly Duckling" today...
with the Amazing Balloon Man, Bruce Carr...
who had played "Ugly" twenty years ago...
in SavChTh's very first show ever.
Wow!
So, I was there to talk with him before the show...
to say how much the colors of the balloons he was using reminded me of Easter...
and for him to thank me for noticing...
as that had been his intent!
Wow!
And I was there to tell him how much the wall of blue balloons of various hue resembled the lattice structure of a salt crystal...
and he thanked me again, saying how incredible it was that I had seen that in his art...
and I mentioned that I was an analytical chemist, and he found that incredible, too.
Wow!
Here he is, at the table full of balloon ducks and swans that he crafted as giveaways after the musical.
The young man in the white tux is the gorgeous, elegant swan that "Ugly" transformed into - nice!
I thought it rather fortuitous that I captured the former "Ugly" and the current "Ugly" in one photo -
pure serendipity!
Right place, right time
I have to wonder what Bruce would have thought about this.
I bought my show ticket last night, but I had this in my cartoons this morning.
"I Love To Singa" featured a jazz-singing Owl Johnson (nice pun!) hatched into a family of classical birds - an ugly owlet!
They had kicked him out, but came around when he won a music contest.
That prepped me well for the musical!
(smile!)
I had planned on another musical tomorrow, but I have plans with my first niece instead - hooray!
That pushed me out the door tonight and downtown, as I would have no other chance to see "Beautiful: The Carole King Musical".
This weekend was the only time that SCAD would have performances, all at the Lucas Theatre.
Ah, yes, a favorite singer from my youth, with her songs gracing my favorite venue!!!
I wish I could have met with the cast afterward and told them how tiny the woman really was!
Meeting her in 2004 had been momentous for me!
Hearing her music tonight, looping around the story of her life being played out on the stage, was wonderful, even though it was not a musical.
Like "Once", this was a play with concert interludes.
No one "burst into song" here...
the songs were mostly sung by the musical groups for whom they had been written.
And that was wonderful, for sure!
 
But I think my favorite parts of the play were at the beginning, when it was just her and the piano in the spotlight, while she sang "So Far Away"...
and the last song of the play, with her singing "Beautiful", one of my go-to karaoke tunes.
Oh, and this post-curtain bow number: "I Feel The Earth Move", which I will forever see her doing on the tiny stage at the Sentient Bean on a cold February night in 2004.
(smile!)

Friday, March 8, 2024

friday fiesta, plus two!

We had to have THREE tables this time for the Smiths & Kamerons Friday Fiesta!!!

Two just would not do.

As well as having the full contingent of Kamerons - that would be five, as Addison was down from Athens - and the full set of Smiths - that would be five, including me - we also had two guests down from north Georgia.

Yes, indeed, John and Sherry Schomburg were in town for the 45th Annual St. Patrick's Day Rugby Games at Daffin Park!

That's him, in the green shirt, next to Smitty, with Sherry sitting next to Mary, and Addison on the end.

On the other side of the three-table spread at Jalapenos of Sandfly were Tony and Laura, Betsy in green, Becca beside her, and, as always, Addison on the end.

(smile!)

But wait, you say, were are the Kameron men?

Sitting to either side of me at this end!

On my right was Jimmy, with his margarita.

On my left was Mark, with his beer.

Hey, I didn't want to cause a fuss, so these were candids, right?

At least they're represented with beverages!

(smile!)

But did you notice something different this time?

Almost all the women are at one end, and all the men are at the other.

I'm the only female down with all those guys... and I loved it!

As well as letting me get to know more about Mark and Jimmy, I was treated to their tales of glory that ensued after Schomburg finished his meal. 

That was great fun!

As I told them afterward, I miss hanging out with men.

I had men in the STERI program in high school, I had men at the Savannah Science Museum, I had men in the Cryptologic Technician Maintenance field in the US Navy, and I had men in chemistry classes as well as while teaching chemistry.

Yep, this was a very fun evening for me!

And we were there an hour longer than usual, so everyone there was having fun!

Very nice!

And that's what the FedEx man had to say about my lawn, as he stopped to take a photo of it.

Yes, he did!!!

He said he's going to do his like that!


We both agreed that it was much better looking than the bland yards that my neighbors have.

(smile!)

Yes, a fun day that even my odometer wanted in on, with this cool mileage:

233445

so... what is the kiva of which you speak?

Kiva.org is a group that helps micro businesses get funding, $25 at a time, by crowd-sourced loans that must be repaid.

I have been part of Kiva for over a decade.

I belong to the Nerdfighters group, ever since July of 2012. It is thanks to them that I know about Kiva.

I had been doubtful of how it worked, but I took a chance, as it would not cost me anything to try it out. An angel in the Nerdfighters was offering the opportunity to bring awareness of Kiva to others.

Seeing how easy it was, I volunteered twenty-five dollars of my own money in support of a loan to another stranger working to better their lives and their community. Just $25. That's no more than most raffle tickets.

By September of 2013, that $25 I had lent was fully repaid to me. I had the option of withdrawing that money from Kiva and calling it quits... or helping someone else better their lives and community by investing that money in another loan. I chose to help another.

By November of 2015, I had relent that same twenty-five dollars seven times. Every time the loan I made was repaid to my Kiva account, I turned it around to help someone else. No further investment was made by me, just that initial $25, and I'd leveraged that money into helping make seven more dreams of a better life come true.

August of 2020 marked the 9th anniversary of me being a Nerdfighter. I had made a total of 26 loans, to 19 countries, to help people better their lives and the lives of their families and communities. All I had invested by that time was $175 of my own money. That would only have covered seven of those loans; the remaining 19 loans that I've made have been using funds repaid by those who had borrowed. That means I was helping them help others.

Since that time, my total loan count has ratcheted up to 51 loans. For those who understand how compounding works, this is a sterling example. The more money I've lent to others, the more that has been repaid to that 12-year-old Kiva account of mine, and the more money I can lend out again. 

It really brings solace to my soul, just as donating blood once did. That avenue of helping others is closed now, as I have atrial fibrillation, but not before I reached a total of fourteen gallons donated. As each pint helps up to 3 people, and there are 8 pints in a gallon, then I was able to help support the lives of 336 folks in need... just by rolling up my sleeve.

See how easy it is to help make the world a better place?