i'm officially a pirate!

"Aaarrrrggghhhh! I'm an official swashbucklin' pirate and I have the certificate to prove it, signed by Captain Sebastian the Black! That's Benjamin the Blue to back me up and the damsel is the singing Princess. Aaarrrgghhh!"

Many thanks to Christina Smith for buying the tickets for me and her and her man and treating me to this exhilarating show!
I had seen the ads for the Pirates Dinner Adventure many, many times on my trips to Orlando, but had never gone.
I must have been waiting to go with family!
After all, this is an interactive adventure, so clap and shout, dance about, and if you get the chance to be part of it, go for it!

Christina, herself, even volunteered to be the morale booster for Jose the Green and all of us on the Green ship!
I didn't even urge her to do so - she just did it!
Have I told you lately how proud I am of the young woman she has become?
(smile!)
Thank you, dear first niece, for letting me invite myself along on your vacation -
much love always!

and all i got was this fingernail

Pretty funny stuff, right?
Christina Ann had a manicure and pedicure at Diamond Nails in Ormond Beach and I was there with her for the two hours of pampering.
That's not to say that I partook, mind.
I was just there for her company, thanks.
(I really don't like having my feet messed with and I have only had fingernails for a brief period of time when I was love-struck.)
She and her man had arrived late last night and the first thing she wanted to do today was to get a mani-pedi. Between her full-time job as a mom of a little one - and her paying full-time job in the furniture rental business - there is little time for such pampering.
During the manicure, the fake nails were applied, then trimmed to her desired length.
I asked for, and was given, this memento of our shared time.
(smile)

Now, we're all three in Orlando together!
The Diamond Resorts Grande Villas has us in Building C, in a two-bedroom suite on an upper floor, with a lovely view of two pools...
two turtle-shaped pools.
Very nice!
i thank You, God.

guess who's back? billy's back, billy's back, billy's back

Not that I, nor the real Slim Shady, were there to witness it on Sunday.
I can't speak for Eminem, but I was on yet another Florida vacation.
(smile)
Admittedly, my church attendance has been fairly nonexistent this summer.
True, I was there for the new Imam's first sermon at Asbury Memorial UMC.

I was also present two weeks ago when Rabbi Haas graced the podium in the sanctuary.
He can always be counted on to give a rousingly good talk, with plenty of humor sprinkled in with the day's lesson. Mary Poppins had that recipe down pat and so does he!
(smile)
With a title like "You're Making Me Angry, You Wouldn't Like Me When I'm Angry", expectations of it being good and entertaining were met and surpassed! I especially liked that he used a well-known character like The Hulk to make his point... and that he emphasized the weak, introverted, human scientist - Dr. Bruce Banner, played so charmingly in my youth by Bill Bixby - who was the alter ego of the larger-than-life rampager.
As Rabbi Haas so ably pointed out, we all have The Hulk lurking inside. When we're driving and a car cuts us off, when we're in quick checkout lane and the person in front of us has a buggyful, when we're bout to pull into the perfect parking space and someone else zips on in there... yeah, I could totally relate.
So could everyone there. Even if they didn't know the Marvel character, they understood the examples. We all understood the lesson, too.
Be patient with each other.

And remember that spoonful of sugar...? How about another cake contest, with entries containing plenty of that sweet substance?
This time, it was the Men's Cake-Baking Contest!
My friend Danny won for his coconut pineapple and quite rightly so!
But that as not the winner in my book. Nope, not when there's pineapple upside-down cake!
(smile)

i thank You, God!

plumbers and dwarves and poison frogs!

I do so enjoy Random Acts of Insanity!

"Have you finally lost your mind and are taking it out on those around you?"

Oh, please, g'friend! You know I'm talkin' 'bout that improv group down in Daytona Beach! I know I talked about them when I took Smitty and Mary to see their show last year. Remember?

"Oh, yeah, that's right. Today is Tuesday and that's their usual day. Very nice! That fellow Andrew Ramos is part of the group, right?"

Yes, indeed! He's been one of the constants for the past twelve years, kind of like Chris Soucy and Justin Kent with Odd Lot. Tonight, he was joined by three others (Minas Fakrajian, George Hanns, and Omar) Reveron, plus a guy who ran their soundboard there at Cinematique.

"Didn't catch his name?"

No. If he had performed with them, I would have heard it a few times. It's like the pitchers in baseball. I hear their name when they first go to the mound... and that's it. With the other players, I hear their names every time they come up to bat, so I learn their names easily.

"Okay, enough of all that. How was the show tonight?"

Fabulous! So much fun for only five bucks!
One of my suggestions was in their very first skit!
Minas and Omar started in "Redneck Alphabet", with my choice - "plumber" - as the profession.
Then, as the game progressed and one would flub the letter to be used, that one would switch out, allowing George and Andrew to play, too.
As you might surmise, it was quite hilarious!!!


"Oh, I'm sure, with butt crack jokes getting an opportunity to show..."

Hahahaha! You said it, sister! Nice inside joke for us, too!

"You betcha! So, what happened next?"

How did you guess the name of the next skit?
Wow, good guess!
Here's how it worked: Andrew and Omar were a father and son on a fishing trip.
George took suggestions from us about what the son brought (meat grinder), what the son did (drew on walls), what the son wore on his head (colander)...
ending with what the dad gave his son to go swimming (my "anchor", as well as a weight belt and bricks) before they both jumped off the stage!

"Whoa... that one got a bit dark at the end..."

That's what George said! Hahaha haha!
But it got lightened back up again with "Click". Remember that movie?

"Yeah, that was the one where the guy with the tv remote kept fast forwarding through his life. Was that what this was about?"

Nope; when Andrew said "click," Minas and George enacted the tv shows suggested.
They got quite a workout, bouncing from "family Feud" to "Mr. Ed", "Cops" to "That 70's Show", "Dr. Phil" to "The View"... and then came the mash-ups!
"Family Feud" and "The History Channel" had Abraham Lincoln against Napoleon!
"Animal Planet" and "Dr. Phil" had two lemurs questioning their sexuality!

"Hahaha hahaha! I might actually watch those made-up shows!"

Hey, don't give television programmers any ideas...

"No worries, dear. I'll make sure your "Family Feud" doesn't get distorted. Well, at least no more than it usually gets. :-) "

I appreciate that! I admit it's one of my guilty pleasures, much like "Snoop Dogg Presents The Joker's Wild". Frankly, I liked it better before he got the cohost...

"Um... hate to interrupt, but we haven't finished with the Daytona show yet."

No, there's still Andrew as psychic "Madame Zelda"!
With the help of spirit guides (George and Omar), 'she' had to 'see' things about Minas.
Little things, like him winning an award for writing a "Western" novel for me -
and becoming a tennis coach in the near future -
and dying one day because he kissed a poisonous frog!
Yes, I'm claiming the frog, as I had been asked for the first letter of my name and someone else said that "f" was for "frog"!!

"That's fine, you claim it, girl! I know you were thinking about those colorful little toxic ones in Panama, weren't you?"

You know I was! I couldn't get the image out of my head during that skit.

"I'm sure. You always had to be on the lookout for them when you took Toffee out for her walks. The poison was on their skin..."

... and we're back to the improv, this time with another new game that I really like!
"One-minute musical" had Andrew, playing poker (in my "Las Vegas") as Minas dealt the cards, as well as the consequences when Andrew grabbed the money and ran.
First, they ran through it straight, then they turned it into the musical -
so... much... fun!!!


"Oh, major coolness! You and your love of musicals!"

You know it!

"What about Omar and George? Didn't they play any more?"

But of course they did!
They were in supporting roles in the musical, but they owned the stage in "Parallel Universe".
They were tasked with switching back and forth between being on a first date and making a jail break.
Hey, that even rhymes!
(smile)
Minas was on as a minor character for them, serving as a waiter and as a warden.

"Whoa, ho, ho! Nice little alliteration there, toots! But I noticed you didn't have a suggestion in that one... right?"

Hey, I made up for it with a doozy in the "Fractured Fairy Tale"!
When Andrew asked for favorite movies, I jumped in with "The Shape Of Water"... and he ran with it!
The Merman Creature (enlivened by Minas) was substituted in for Snow White and hilarity ensued!
Omar was the Evil Queen/Witch, Andrew was Doc Dwarf... and George was Dopey and Sleepy and Bashful and Happy!
What an absolute delight!


"Wow! That's sounds amazing!!!"

Oh, it was! I wish I could have recorded it! Maybe a smart phone might be in my future...

"Oh, please, you don't want one of those flat, featureless phones."

You are correct. I do not... but maybe I would like a camcorder, if they even make those now.

"Maybe. Anywho, was that the last skit?"

No, this one was, with all four singing in turn!
It was very much like that "Hoedown" rhyming skit that's on "Whose Line Is It Anyway?".
They had asked if anyone was celebrating an anniversary and there were actually several who were!
They selected a couple who'd been wed for 52 years and made a very sweet song about them -
well, sweet except for the part about farts and passing gas around each other!

"Aw, c'mon, you know that was still sweet! You were married for fifteen years, you remember y'all being comfortable with gases being emitted from all orifices!"

True dat.
(smile)
That's one of the benefits of being part of a couple. Gases are going to evolve, so at least you don't have to be concerned about trying to hold them in.

"Nor do you have to worry about such things living single."

Nor do I, either!
(smile)
On that note, time to say good night, dear.

"Good night, dear!"

And sweet dreams, too...

who thinks of others on their vacation?

My nephew, Zach, is the one who posed that question.
I had sent Kobe one of the wooden puzzles from the Myrtle Beach.
Zach had been so surprised that I'd done that, not only for that great-nephew, but for all of my greats.
Me? Well, it isn't something I do all of the time, but when I see something that makes me think of someone else, no matter where I am, I like to make sure that person knows they were on my mind.
They're always in my heart.
Doing something to show that to them makes my heart happy.
(smile)

On this vacation, I had brought several items to mail along the way.
First was a card mailed on Sunday to Mister Willie, as I was headed to the baseball game. He was in the hospital for just over a week, due to issues with his heart. I had gone to visit him on Friday and they were getting him ready to vacate the room! I hope that means he'll be okay for a while.
I can't wait to tell him about the Tortugas' last home game!


I also mailed the first of three cards to the Smith boys in Beaufort. The cards were bought in Saint Augustine many years ago, to send to ... who knows. Yes, it's been that long. So, I resolved to not have them languish in my possession anymore. Each card has part of an alligator and part of a poem and I think they will enjoy them.
This second one will be mailed tomorrow.

"Two-thirds I am here,
in body and soul.
The next is the last,
and the Gator is whole."
"Tomorrow I'll be going to the Museum of Arts and Sciences again, this time for the Art Deco exhibit. I love that fashion of art!
Did you notice that I said I was going to MOAS again? That's because I went on Monday, too. I saw a lot of art pieces from Cuba and some fossils from Florida's past. One of the fossils was an alligator skull. My favorite, though, was the prehistoric Giant Sloth skeleton that was actually found at Daytona Beach. How cool!"

Here, I have a card for my BFF. Her birthday was about two weeks ago.
This will be mailed tomorrow, on my way to the Random Acts of Insanity show.

"Dearest Sam,
I've enclosed a crossword puzzle that especially brought you to mind.
Gee, I wonder why?
I'm in Ormond Beach, Florida, having a little "waking up somewhere different" time.
Since the GA BOR had all the adjuncts terminated, I've been "at the beach" - so now I really am!
I categorize myself as "retired" and received my first draw the the teachers' retirement funds earlier this month.
I'm glad I'd started the SIMPLE-IRA while working with Smitty!
I rolled that over into the teachers' fund when I was fulltime in 2010 and that investment is - literally - paying off now.
Not that my days as an adjunct are over at Sav'h Tech, and I may be there in spring.
Meanwhile, I'm doing what I want, when I want... and enjoying the sound of the surf.
Hope you are well!
with much love always!"
(The crossword puzzle, by the way, was from June 7.)

The bfe? Sure, I have something for him to be posted, too! It's a Jumble from August 16, so that's quite recent! And why does the that make me think of the physicist? Well, the clue was "After upgrading to lodging with two bedrooms, they would have..."
"Suite" dreams!
Nice pun on the two words that I associate with him, n'est-ce pas?
"Howdy, J-Dawg, from Ormond Beach! I know where the post office is down here and I'm making use of it with cards and letters to hither and yon - oh, yeah! So, each day when I head to events at Daytona Beach, I carry along several pieces of mail, too, already addressed and stamped at home.
Tomorrow I'll be taking in another show at the Planetarium at MOAs, plus going to the Art Deco exhibit. Today, I saw two - that's right, TWO - laser shows there! The first was music I didn't know for the first half, but it featured two songs that had spaceships in the laserwork. Very nice!
The second show was "Laser Retro" and had music from the 1980's, starting with "Lunatic Fringe" - totally aWesOMe!!! I had seen Red Rider do that one live - the arena SHOOK.

That second show was part of MOAS After Hours, so I was there until 7 PM, exploring exhibits and listening to a solo guitarist in the main exhibit hall. That was very nice, too! Okay... later, man!"

My little niece in Alabama will also have a little something put in the mail tomorrow for her.
I wrote a letter about my trip to the Coca-Cola exhibit in the Root Family portion of MOAS.
I'm including this postcard with the story of how the bottle got its shape, too.
She's six years old and I think she'll like that design aspect!

Well, let me go and take a last look at the beach before I go to bed.
Later, y'all!

looking for the bunny ears

Truthfully, I wanted the post title to be "a reflection on art and my Daddy's Playboy magazines", but that seemed a bit long.
"Looking for the bunny ears" conveys the same message and lacks pretension.
Honestly, I think that's what's wrong with how the art world is seen.
Art is not just for rich, smart, folk - it's for everyone, in all walks of life -
and not just as models.
(smile)

This topic was brought to mind directly by this painting.
"SURF DOGGIE, POWER, PEACE AND HIS PET RABBIT" is what John E. Thursby, a local artist, named his 1995 piece.
I would have called it "Breaking The Rules", as it reminds me greatly of my middle brother, Ronnie.
In fact, I think my brother would be quite pleased that this painting had brought him to mind.
I'll have to make sure to mention it the next time I see him.

Let's go back to the painting of this character, going in for the close-up.
Apparently, he goes by the name Surf Doggie, no doubt patterned after a late night show host.
His right hand is clenched in a "power to the people" fist, while his left is flashing the "peace" sign.
So far, so good.
So, where is the bunny?
I had looked all over the painting, past the discarded beer can, around the parked car... No rabbit.
Then, I noticed the shadow from his left hand...
AHA!
Found it!

And that little exercise reminded me of the game with the Playboy magazine.
On every cover, the image of the Playboy bunny is hidden.
Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to find the bunny.
(smile)
I first found out about the game when I was a teen.
You see, there was a basket of magazines in my family's one bathroom. Most were Mama's: "Good Housekeeping", stuff like that. But, one day, while looking for something to satisfy my voracious reading appetite, I found Daddy's stash under the others. Oh, my! Dirty jokes! Funny limericks! Interviews with celebrities!
And I discovered the "find the bunny" game when I read the blurb inside about the cover art.
Oh, cool! A puzzle to solve! Like with the "Mad" magazine's back page!
Very nice!

Back to today, shall we?
MOAS was having its "After Hours" viewing party, a monthly event with two extra hours of viewing pleasure. Part of the event is a special show at the Planetarium - what a treat! This time, it was "Laser Retro", featuring music from the 1980's - totally my jam! That period covered my last few years in the Navy, my time as a student at Armstrong, and part of my time as a doctoral student at Florida State. Woohoo!!!
And I was thrilled with the song choices! From the opening notes of Red Rider's "Lunatic Fringe" to the last tones of the Eurythmics' "Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)", I was dancing in my seat!!!

Right in the middle of the show, a sweet surprise was waiting for me.
Sandwiched between "How Does It Feel" and "Life In A Northern Town", was "Rio"...
and, captured in bright laser colors,
was a series of miniature portraits
based on the famous 1983 album cover for Duran Duran, a cover inked by a Playboy artist, Patrick Nagel.
How super cool!
I had so enjoyed his modernized drawings,
with their crisp Art Deco lines and
bright anime colors!
I had wondered what happened to him,
if his contract had expired at Playboy.
After all, it was just a year after that
album cover that he disappeared.
Sadly, he was the one expired, dead at 38.
What a loss.

Two artists who truly reveled in the beauty of the female form, dead within two years of each other.
Alberto Vargas was the man who illustrated my Daddy's Playboys, as well as later editions.
Imagine how thrilled I was in 1979 when he did the cover art for the Cars' "Candy-O"!
I still have that album, even though the turntable is long gone.
As for his art, anytime I go to Betty Bombers, I get a Vargas Girl to mark my order - very nice!
i thank You, God, for the memories!

tor-TU-gas!

I know, I know: it sounds like an old-fashioned car horn, right?
Nope, it's the Single-A MLB team for the Cincinnati Reds!
As good fortune would have it, these boys of summer were having their final home game on the first day of my stay in Ormond Beach!
i thank You, God!
The game start time was 5:35 pm, so I forewent church - Billy's first day back from his summer vacation. That's okay, though. The service is just a click away!
(smile)

By the time I bought my Senior VIP ticket ($8) and a chicken finger combo and found my seat, the game was in the bottom of the third inning.
The Daytona Tortugas had scored a run by Bruce Yari in the second inning; the Tampa Tarpons were scoreless.
I had snagged a front row seat in Section A, right behind home plate, on this blue-sky day!
i thank You, God!

By the bottom of the fifth inning, a little distraction from the score was needed.
The Tarpons had just made two runs, despite a change in pitchers by the home team.
Now,the visitors led by one run and tensions in the crowd were mounting...
Sheldon the Tortuga to the emotional rescue, hugging a baby and parading through the stands!
Nice one, y'all!

Two innings later, more distractions were needed,
as the score hadn't budged a bit and was stuck at
2 to 1, Tarpons' favor.
Time for Sheldon and Shelly to nestle up together and
do some canoodling!
(I just love her pigtails!)
Next thing you know, they're tossing little green
turtle eggs to the kids at this Sunday game!

Then, what to my wondering ears did sound?
That's my man, Elvis Presley!
A moment ago "Burnin' Love" played for the mound
and now it was "Viva Las Vegas", baby!
Right place, right time -
I heard the message clear as day!
And now it's best for this rhyme
to go its merry way!
(smile!)

Then it was nail-biting time.
Bottom of the ninth, and the first man struck out.
Morgan Lofstrom got a single and was switched out with Stuart Fairchild...
who took advantage of a pitcher's trowing error to advance all the way to third base...
and then to home on Randy Ventura's single!
As Sam Johnson would have said, "BOOM!
There goes the dynamite!"
On to the tenth inning for free baseball!

That's when things started looking pretty dark, literally and figuratively.
The Tortugas had started a new pitcher for the inning...
and the Tarpons used him for batting practice, scoring run after run after run after run after run.
Yes, that was five iterations of the word "run" for the five runs brought across home plate.
Sure, the International Rule had allowed them to begin with a man on second base, but that was not the reason for the score to now stand at 7 to 2.

Now, tell me the logic of this next move: the Tortugas had changed pitchers and gave up five runs...
and the Tarpons still changed pitchers at the start.
How many runs might that benefit the home team?
Well, remember, they could - and did - start with a man on second base, ready to trot.
That man was John Sansone and he would soon get to trot on in!
(Spoiler alert: that's him, doing that very thing!)

The Tortugas' first man at bat grounds out, but the pitcher himself makes sure that Taylor Trammell gets on first base by walking him.
Nice one, that!
(Another spoiler alert: that's Taylor on home plate with John, while the umpire and Tarpon catcher stand idly by, simply allowing them to bring in runs 3 and 4 for the home team.)
Brantley Bell, the next man to bat, is there at home, too, to welcome in his teammates.

So, we all know what that lack of defensive action portends, don't we?
Oh, you betcha!
Some boy of summer has hit a home run, and had the good fortune to have men on base when he did it!
There's that talented man trotting in from third - let's hear it for Ibandel Isabel and his mighty bat!
Suddenly the home team was within two runs of
another tie!

But those two runs never materialized.
The game ended with the Tarpons' seven runs
besting the Tortugas' five runs.
The kids still got to run the bases -
since it was a Sunday game -
and I bought this nifty sun visor as a keepsake -
partly for the turtle, too.
(smile)

An hour later, I was back at the condo,
refrigerator stocked with milk and salad,
out on the deck under the full moon,
eating newly-bought Chunky Monkey ice cream
and listening to the waves roll to shore -
bliss!
i thank You, God!

getting ready for big love

Every now and then, I need another healthy dose of something I had loved in the past, something now absent from my life.
I have found that action to be quite helpful for my perspective.
This time, I'm looking to the theatre for new joie de vivre.
I know my recent actions may indicate a desire to trod the boards... but I've had at least three opportunities to audition for parts in plays and have found one reason or another - i.e., some lame excuse - to not go.
Clearly, my residual shyness from my teen years is at play.
(Pun intended! Woohoo!)
I've only been onstage twice in my life.
The first time was in my senior year of high school. My English teacher (Mrs. Thorne) was also the drama coach. She tasked us with selecting a passage in "MacBeth" and bringing it to life for the class. We could work in groups or solo for the project. I chose Lady Macbeth's sleepwalking scene, clad in nightgown and carrying a lit candle on an old-fashioned candle holder. My hand trembled so much! But my classmates thought it was part of my act. I was just relieved it was over!
(To this day, I credit my familiarity with that play to my senior English class. My knowledge of "Hamlet", though, is from Dr. Killorin's class at Armstrong, back in 1985.)
There are some who would say that did not count as an "onstage" performance, as it was in a classroom. To them I say, "Bah!"
But those naysayers can have no quarrel with my second time as an actor. Dr. John Suchower was short a person for a performance one night. I was the Prop Mistress for the play and he convinced me to go on as the housemaid for that one show. I relented and did so, but I cannot recall the name of the play nor my two lines - just the fear of letting down the Masquers and the relief when my brief scene was done.
Behind the scenes was where I preferred to be!
I'd first become involved in set work when I was stationed in Okinawa. I was not quite 23, newly divorced and in need of something constructive to do. Janet Leary and Mark Engler put me to work, literally, building and painting for A.C.T.O.R. at the Army Community Theatre. What fun! What a great way to meet new people!
So that's what I did for the two years I was there on the rock.
In 1984, my time in the Navy was up and I started college. I was home again in Savannah, but knew no one except family. The Armstrong Masquers and "Sooch" welcomed my construction enthusiasm and I welcomed the activity. Such fun after two years away from being part of theatre! So many new people to meet! And such a feeling of accomplishment each and every quarter! As I told Abery and Davonte last night, theatre helped me feel like I was progressing at college. Starting a play from scratch at the beginning of the school term, completing the work and showing off the play, then taking the set down to bare stage again - exhilarating it was! Especially when compared to the slow pace of completing a baccalaureate degree, play production flew!
What was I doing last night that I was speaking of such?

Well, flash back to the Bananas game on August 4th.
Eric of Collective Face had posted on their fb 'volunteers' page that folks were needed to wrap boxes for the upcoming show.
Wrapping gifts? I love doing that!
And so I went to the Kennedy Building at SSC to partake of that brand of fun prior to the game.
See that top left one shown here in the promo?
I did that one for sure! That's the "bow" I designed!
(smile)

After that experience, I was hooked.
When the call went out last night for set work, I came and stayed for three hours - and the time flew by!
First, I sanded all the edges of the teeth on these nine wooden "saw blades".
Then a brief break to turn my clothes inside out.
I certainly did not want "flat black" spray paint on them... just on these surfaces!
In between coats is when I had told the two students of my experiences with college theatre.

Tonight, I was back to (w)rapping for Collective Face, this time with Lindsay (TVR friend of my first niece!) and actress Julie (who was practicing lines).
Lots of boxes needed ribbon!
Lots of boxes still needed to have paper!
So, that's what we worked on until David approached with a special task.
Three of the boxes had to be wrapped in such a way that they could be opened during the show.

Could we figure that out and do it?
Why, yes, yes we could... and did!
I took care of the two smaller boxes, one for the toaster, one for the mixer. Lindsay took care of the large box for the flat-screen tv.
Each "gift" had to be capable of being opened quickly and have easy access to the kitchen tool so it could be grabbed and flourished, preferably without a need to rewrap the three boxes each night.

After all, the play would have nine performances, not to mention the action during the remaining rehearsals until opening night on September 7th.
That's a lot of "gift" openings and closings!
I think Lindsay and I did quite well!
My two small boxes needed something to distinguish them from the plethora of others, so I only placed a single ribbon on them for decor.
The tv's huge box needed no such differentiation!

What a successful three hours of work with my hands... and what a satisfying creative outlet for my mind!
Now, I'm off to a rare comedy from Tomasz and CinemaSavannah.
Later, y'all!

patting bottoms

This "Pickles" cartoon started the wheel turning in my head, two weeks ago.
In it, Grandma is confronting her grandson, Nelson, while the family dog looks on.
The topic was the patting of bottoms, i.e., rear ends, tushes, derrieres.
Grandma told the boy that he should not pat her bottom "or anyone else's bottom" because it was an act of disrespect.
The dog telecommunicated that the boy was welcome to pat his bottom any time.
In this age of #MeToo, I can see it being difficult to be a human male.
In the world of sports, bottom-patting by coaches and teammates is a common occurrence. Male to male, female to female, or mixed sexes, it's all taken as a congenial gesture for a good play.
However, in any other venue, that would be grounds for a civil suit.
When did that become a real option?
Why do the women of today act so quickly to condemn all men because of one?
Do these women interact with so few males?
Did these women grow up without a father, without brothers?
I'm beginning to think that is the case in many of these situations.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not condoning unwanted bottom-patting.
Not at all.
I'm just saying it shouldn't be used as a weapon by either sex.



Last week, this video was posted on the facebook pages of several of my friends.
Seth Meyers had used the video on his late-night show, touting it as "The Kind of Story We Need Right Now: Waitress Body Slams Groper".
My friends had recognized the waitress as one working at Vinnie Van Go-go's, a favorite local pizzeria downtown.
That's downtown here, in Savannah, a place I've been to often.
The waitresses there have always been good at handling the customers.
I'm remembering one in particular - Bernadette? Brigett? Brenda? - who dressed in black and carried a whip.
(smile)
Anyhow, this particular pizza slinger wasn't willing to let a customer pat her bottom, just because he thought he could.
She took care of the situation then and there...
as she had every right to do, as he had accosted her first...
and someone had filmed it with their phone.
I wonder if she gets better tips now that the video has gotten national exposure.

No one was around to video my response to a similar situation.
I was probably about her age, in my twenties.
I think I was in Okinawa, at the NCO Club on post, and had been dancing.
Thirsty, I'd headed to the bar for a libation and that's when it happened.
A guy walking past me had put his hand firmly on my butt and lightly squeezed... and then continued right by, as if he'd done nothing.
(That's pretty close to what happened to the pizza waitress.)
I had chased him down and slapped him, in front of all there, while telling him to never touch my butt again.
He had apologized profusely and then we'd both gone our separate ways.
The situation had occurred and was handled and was done.
Finito.
If that had happened today, the guy would have probably found himself shamed out of a job and possibly spending a night in jail.
What an over-reaction that would be, wouldn't it?

not my Elvis, not an ETA, again

Well, the PFS didn't show the movie I had hoped for, and quite frankly, expected.
Tonight was a celebration of the upcoming 66th birthday of Declan McManus and the movie title had been kept secret, as Jim likes to do.
That name, Declan, not ringing a bell?
Well, that's because he uses a stage name.
"Elvis" - for Elvis Presley, of course - was chosen for the first part, with "Costello" having him following in his father's musical footsteps.
Jim Reed is a big fan of this Elvis' music.
For our viewing pleasure, he'd chosen "Club Date: Live in Memphis" from 2004.
The movie consisted of two parts: live concert footage from Hi-Tone, a 200-seat venue in the title town, and candid footage from a road trip in a 1955 yellow-tone classic.

That segment seemed endless, much like another road trip film.
It consisted of Costello and his drummer, Pete Thomas, chatting about stuff and nonsense mostly as their driver took them on a tour of old recording studios in the south.
I was trying to rationalize an early exit when this scene appeared.
"Let Elvis rock you to sleep" was the message... and Costello, at one point, looked at the wall and then back to the camera - hey, hey!
An inside joke from the Universe for me! (smile)
So, I had stayed.
After all, if that sweet surprise had been there, perhaps others were, too.
And guess what?
There was another one, a big one, tucked into the concert footage!



The concert was meant to promote a new album, "The Delivery Man", but he made sure to sprinkle some older hits around, here and there.
After the road trip portion, it was very nice to have tunes for dancing in my seat. "Radio, Radio"! "What's So Funny 'Bout Peace, Love, and Understanding"! "Pump It Up"!
Plus, he and Emmy Lou Harris did a beautiful duet of Johnny Cash's "I Still Miss Someone".
(Nice side note: "The Delivery Man" was based loosely on a concept story for Johnny Cash, so it was very nice to hear one of his songs.)
Still, my favorite was the mash-up of two songs: Elvis Costello's, "Alison", and Elvis Presley's "Suspicious Minds" - wow!
The song is above, just as it appeared in the concert film, too!
See that purple jacket and purple shirt Costello is wearing?
He bought those on the road trip.
(smile)

After transforming the viewing room back into a coffee shop,
the few of us there had gone outside to continue our talks of
stuff and nonsense and the music documentary seen tonight.
Somehow, we had separated into a trio of women
- me, Carolyn, and Terri -
and a trio of men
- Jim, Jordan, and Will.
We were conversing on the sidewalk and
they were in the parking lot.

Eventually, we all headed toward our cars,
meaning I found myself over by the guys.
So, I was standing at the end of Jim's van,
much as I am in the above photo -
got the picture?
(smile)
Then, Jim says, "Tina, you're a bachelor, aren't you?"
And, justthatfast, I had pranced my right leg forward
and thrown my right hand up and, tossing my hair,
I coquettishly posed, saying
"I'm a bachelorette!"
hahahaha hahaha!
They were so flummoxed! Party over!
I guess I should be a girl more often!
(smile)

i think i'll keep it

Back in July, Smitty had given me this air conditioner.
He had someone who was moving out of a rental and no longer needed it.
"Was I interested? Would I use it if he installed it?"
I had answered "yes" to both questions.
So, I have had the GE Energy Star 115-volt window air conditioner ever since.
I have kept it on the "ECO" setting, which allows the fan and compressor to shut off periodically for a respite.
I'd hoped that setting, as well as having the thermostat at 78 °F (at night) to 81 °F (during the day), would keep my electric bill from getting jacked up.
After all, I'm 'retired' now and on a fixed income.
(smile)
It seems that I've been on a fixed - and very low - income ever since the central air conditioning failed on me.
That was about this time of year, back in the fall semester of 2013.
My third year as a temporary full-time instructor had ended in May of 2013, after the spring semester had done the same.
I had hoped for a fourth year extension, as Will Lynch had granted such to Jon Sanborn... however, none was forthcoming in my direction.
Anywho, that's all old news now, isn't it?
Yes, indeed it is.
So, as I was saying, I've not had central AC for some few years now.
The Peace Guy had gifted me with a portable unit when he left. It was an LG 7000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner, good for cooling small rooms of 200 square feet or less.
I had used it in my bedroom at night, but I had a problem with water leaking under the box I had it on. In fact, it ruined one portion of my carpet and probably the wood floor beneath. So, after 2014, I let it be.
The physicist made use of it last summer when he stayed with me. I know his girlfriend didn't care for the heat, but she was here almost every weekend. They only had the AC when they were in the guest room.

I truly have to thank the bfe for those four months of his company and his financial input to my income. Oh, and thanks, too, for the modifications to the off-the-floor setup for that portable unit. Placed atop a sturdy wooden crate, with a large plastic container under the water drain, I've enjoyed its power in my dining room. True, it didn't keep the room quite comfortable during the day, but it certainly took the edge off the summer's heat.
I still use it to dehumidify at night.
So, here's the big question: how much is this window unit costing me?
The answer: not as much as I had feared!
I've received the new bill from Georgia Power for keeping my house at a comfortable temperature. It's only about twenty-two dollars more than I had been paying!
Hallelujah!
Hallelujah!
I'll see how the bill is next month, just to be sure...
but, hallelujah!
Thank you, Smitty, for thinking of me with this gift of cool.
Thank you, Smitty and Tony, for installing it for me.
Thank You, God, for this blessing.

Elvis at 33

I had such a wonderful time watching "Elvis" at the Regal Cinema tonight with Carolyn!
I had expected more of a concert, but the special reminded me of those fun variety shows back in the late 60's and early 70's that I had so enjoyed when I was growing up.
"Hee Haw", "Carol Burnett", "The Muppet Show", "Mac Davis", "Sonny & Cher" - all were formatted in this same manner, with comedic skits interspersed with musical numbers.
Those were all fabulous fun - and so was this!
The skits also reminded me of the delicious sense of humor Elvis had - very nice!
Plus, as a bonus for this 50th anniversary of the television event, an exclusive look at the making of the special was included, featuring insights from producer Steve Binder and from Priscilla Presley. For instance, I had not realized that the show was not filmed in live time, but other the course of four days. That's a long time in black leather!
I had also not realized that "If I Can Dream" was written for Elvis after the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. The use of the song as the finale for the television special was to emphasize the importance of its lyrics.
That's how much the song meant to Elvis.
Fifty years ago, this Southern man was preaching about harmony between the races.
Fifty years ago.
Wow.

After the movie, Carolyn kept saying she had forgotten how handsome Elvis Presley had been.
I told her I always thought he reminded me of my Daddy.
Both men were close in age, with Daddy just a year younger.
Both had been Southern-born, to poor church-going families.
Both had similar genetic backgrounds, with dark, wavy hair and blue eyes and good cheekbones and chins.
But I was Daddy's girl and Daddy was the one I knew first, Daddy was the one I heard sing first, Daddy was the one.
Elvis reminds me of my Daddy...
and I only realized that today.
i thank You, God.