30th smf, day four

This was not quite what I volunteered for today.
The blame partly lies with an artist, Pokey LaFarge, who purportedly chose the world of Hollywood over his two commitments to the Savannah Music Festival. Living in Los Angeles has evidently left him starstruck.
Fortunately, an Absolute Monster Gentleman stepped up to fill that void.
Even better, this one has a 2016 Grammy to vouch for his musical virtuosity.

That English chap is Jon Cleary, a transplant who has called Louisiana home for two decades.
For this matinee, he performed solo - a very rare event.
He had me with the first song,
"I Hear You Knocking"!
Sure, c'mon in, and bring your dancing shoes, too!
Those "Frenchmen Street Blues" were pretty, but my dancing feet preferred the "Poor Boy Blues".
What an upbeat way to end his gig!
(smile!)

Yes, this is the same photo.
I had thought this was to be a single act, not a double bill.
Kat Edmonson, my first niece's age, performed with her own band.
I certainly liked her slower take on "Just Like Heaven", a much-loved song by The Cure.
However, her spin on "Summertime" was not to my liking at all, bringing dark images of "Strange Fruit" to mind, rather than the heat of July.
I didn't care for any of the songs she wrote, as all seemed to be of a 'poor, poor me" variety.

Oh well.
I had thought I was having a cabaret-style afternoon of blues.
Perhaps I will fare better on that with the Tuesday line-up.
I certainly hope so!
At least I was able to see Erin Muller again, rather than on facebook.
Plus, Tony Clarke gave me a huge and lovely hug!
Lord, that man always smells so good...
(smile!)

30th smf, day three

I can just hear it now.
"Wait a minute, there, girlie! Did you lose count? Where's day two?"
Right?
Well, my dears, I had no ushering responsibilities yesterday.
Ergo, no 'day two of the Savannah Music Festival' events are reflected here.
To tell the truth, the only reason I had that second event on the first day was because someone else canceled their volunteer slot for it.
Good for me that I responded to the festival's call!
(smile)

Tonight's concert, though, was another matter altogether.
When the website opened earlier this month for the volunteers to make our choices, this was the very first one on my list.
Was it because of mandolin-player Chris Thile's show on PBS radio?
No, I'm 'fraid not. (Hear that old pun? Hahahaha hahaha!)
I actually didn't know "A Prairie Home Companion" was no longer on the air.
Was my desire to see the Punch Brothers based on my fondness of their music?
No, I can't claim that rationale, as I didn't know their songs.
Then, what was the reason I so wanted to work this show?
Word of mouth.
I had heard from the other volunteers who had worked the 2009 and 2014 shows here.
My guess was that the quintet must be excellent if folks of all ages were praising them.
Since the group looks to have a five-year periodicity with Savannah, I knew to catch them on this trip... or wait until 2024.
Now, please!
And now it was.
I even had a penny flash down by my feet out in the lobby to confirm I was...
wait for it...
right place, right time.
(smile)
The fans were hungry for the Punch Brothers, too, selling out the Trustees Theatre.
That's one thousand two hundred seats.
With "My, Oh, My", I understood the attraction to these brothers from other mothers.
Like train conductors do with tickets, they were able to punch our hearts with their rhythms, while also punching into our intellect with their lyrics.
Such layered harmonies!
Such intricate tone and speed changes!
Even not knowing these bluegrass-folk-classical tunes, my body responded and I found myself singing along, as if I had heard them in my sleep for so long... incredible.
What really amazed me was this: they have a song about baseball!!!
Actually, "Movement and Location" was inspired by Greg Maddux, the master of both parameters during his pitching career in the 1990's. That made quite an impact (get the joke?) on songwriter Chris Thiles in his teen years.
(smile!)
My favorite tonight, hands down, was "The Angel Of Doubt". Picture this. Everyone is grooving to the tune, including yours truly. About halfway through, I realize how ingenuous the song truly is, as it switches into spoken word format, and then, slickly holding the listener's ear with both hands, launches into full-on rap with demonic fiddle as accompaniment.
Wow.
I mean... Wow.
And to think that was first aired on a PBS show!
I also very much liked their sweet love song of a couple growing older together. In fact, I so enjoyed several of the songs they performed from their Grammy-winning album, "All Ashore" that I just may have to buy it.
Seriously.
I'm so glad I was in the right place, right time tonight!
i thank You, God!

there's a bathroom on the right

Not only can lyrics be misheard, but so can common words and phrases.
That was the theme of a recent crossword puzzle earlier this month.
(My thanks to the writer, Paul Coulter, and Nami for the newspaper.)
For example, here's one that was not in the puzzle, but that I just created.
Here's the clue: "without any other formalities".
*
*
*
*
*
And the correct response?
With no further ado.
However, in accord with the puzzle's theme, that would be:
"with no further adieu".
Nice pun, n'est-ce pas?
Here are the crossword's clues and puzzle responses, along with corrections.

17-across
"Setting-sail cry?"
*
response
"anchors away
*
correction
I recently had to enlighten a friend on this one.
However, as a former sailor, I know it to be "anchors aweigh".

61-across
"Bird whose coos may wake you up?"
*
response
"morning dove"
*
correction
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology does not list that winged animal as valid.
Perhaps someone was hoping a "mourning dove" might enliven the dead?

10-down
"Americans who move to Canada, e.g.?"
*
response
"ex-patriots"
*
correction
That may be true for a retired football player from Boston who relocated.
However, for any other citizens of the USA, the term is "expatriates".

28-down
"Dramatists?"
*
response
"playwrites"
*
correction
If only the one who misheard had responded with 'play writers', all would have been well.
Perhaps they never heard of skilled craftsmen, akin to smiths?
If so, they would have known "playwrights".
That's not to be confused with 'play rights', of course.
Just ask any troupe about the need for those prior to performing a theatrical piece!
(smile)

38-down
"Squirrel food? ... or the formal term for any of the starred plausible-yet-wrong answers"
*response
"eggcorn"
*
correction
This would be a good term for Odd Lot to use in "Pants On Fire".
Squirrels have been known to dine on bird ova, as well as corn...
but not even white squirrels of Transylvania could live on imaginary food.
However, they do enjoy cracking open an "acorn" or two...
or hiding one 'safely', never to be dug up in time before it becomes an oak.
(smile)

friday treat!

It's Christina Ann!
What was she doing off on a Friday?
Well, the littlest girl has had an upset tummy these past few days.
The daycare center decided she
had to go after she went
all over her clothes today.
Since one thing leads to another, my first niece suddenly found herself with free time on her hands...
and me on her mind!
i thank You, God!

In fact, here's that almost-two-year-old herself, maybe looking a little the worse for wear.
She's had two clothing changes since she was dressed this morning, in addition to the two reasons for those changes.
That all served to tucker her plumb out, poor little dear.
By the time we finished at Larry's -
which was breakfast for me and lunch for her mom -
she was ready to call it nap time.
(smile)

As for these photos, they're a bit... off, aren't they?
I could say that I was trying to imitate that "Swarm" effect -
honestly, I could say that -
but, in truth, I was in a hurry to get some coffee into me.
(smile)
I've been home for a bit over an hour and I've been debating whether to make more.
No, I'll plan to have cola when I go to a movie later.
Now, which will it be?
"Dumbo"?
"Beach Bum"?
"Gloria Bell"?
Who knows!
Maybe all three!
(smile)

30th smf, day one, concert two (for me)

I had meant to post this one with the earlier show!
As I arrived for my first shift for the first show on this first day, I had paused.
Might it be possible for me to capture a sunshower effect to document the moment?
My aging phone refused to allow me to see what I was shooting blind.
Fortunately, the two photographs turned out quite well!
i thank You, God!

This evening found me at the Lucas for a double bill.
Steep Canyon Rangers were the opening band, a lively six-piece group out of North Carolina.
This was not their first rodeo at the Savannah Music Festival, nor will it be their last, I'm sure.
My favorite song was "Can't Get Home", a tune in the same vein as a thirty-year fave, Steve Earle's "Copperhead Road".
Both have military folk returning changed to a static homeland.
I know that experience myself.

The headliner, the Del McCoury Band, had the bottom of the bill.
The quintet featured the octogenarian with two sons (on banjo and mandolin), plus a bassist and a magnificent fiddle player, who took up the instrument at age 16 after hearing Del sing.
I totally get that.
Del's voice is clear and sweet as mountain air, lifting all who hear it to a higher clime.
"Bluest Man In Town" was his opener, hooking me right away with this tune they've played together since Del's hair was red.
(smile)
They played for about thirty minutes, then asked the audience for requests.
I am absolutely serious!
And the folks who'd come to listen had them perform "All Aboard", a lively gospel song, as well as "Get Down On Your Knees and Pray", a quieter piece with beautiful, mesmerizing harmonizing - oh, my!
One requested ballad - "1952 Vincent Black Lightning" - proved too much for his memory. (But I have it right here for the bfe and anyone else. Inside joke, y'all.)
No such problem for any of the others, even a really long and humorous one like "40 Acres And A Fool" or the ominous murder ballad "Eli Renfro".
I'd like to say I knew this bluegrass-folk band, but I really didn't.
The only song I recognized was "Nashville Cats", a song I hadn't heard since my youth.
I danced along anyway, of course, to all the tunes!
They're definitely on my radar now, as are their bill mates.
Thanks for the show, y'all!
Catch you on the flip side!
(smile)

30th smf, day one, concert one

Top o' the morning to ya!
Nothing like a bit of an Irish lilt - wrapped around ballads of murder, madness, and mayhem -
with John Doyle (who I am sure I danced to in years past at Kevin Barry's pub, with Sue and her parents, Maggie and Ed Boyd)!
What a grand way to begin this first day of the 30th year of the Savannah Music Festival!
How blessed I am to be a volunteer again, too!

Not only was this the first day, but this concert was the first for this year's festival!
I think they wanted to show off the renovations to this venue, the Charles Morris Center.
Aren't these new chairs quite fabulous?
The patrons sure think so, especially compared to the folding ones of years past.
I certainly agree!

Not that chairs are that important to me at concerts.
I stand and I dance, dance, dance!
This pizza pinwheel breakfast, featuring boiled eggs, turkey pepperoni, and mandarin orange, provided plenty of energy for me, too.
I put that energy to good use, too, for songs like the sea-faring man's ballad, "Rounding The Horn", and the love-spurned tale, "Willie Taylor", as well as "Fall Down Billy O'Shea", about a drunken night's revelry leading to a life at sea.
How appropriate for a venue beside The Pirates' House!
(smile!)

cuban cowboys of...charleston?

Well, yes, actually.
That's how they bill themselves, so who am I -
fliss of kickstarter -
to quibble over monikers?
If Gino Castillo and the band prefer to be known as
GC and the Cuban Cowboys, that works for me!
A rose by any other name..., right?
In this case, I can state that the Afro-Cuban jazz
being laid down would still sound as bright and lively

had they chosen any other band name.
They were at the Ben Tucker Pavilion for a CD Debut concert hosted by the CJA and I was there for my free - i.e., prepaid with my membership dues - concert.
What a super-packed event it was, too!
The CD sold out before the show even began!
Great dancing music in between the solos, too.
Glad I had a tiny bit of floor carved out for that!

I only stayed for the first hour of the concert.
When they broke for intermission, I took my leave.
I'd already had a marvelous Sunday out!
At noon, I had met in Bluffton with my stepmom,
the ever-delightful Bonnie, for lunch and a movie!
It's been a while since I had that pleasure.
This time, it was at an old favorite that has changed
its menu for the worse.
So long, Cheeseburger Cheeseburger.

Conner didn't seem to mind the missing items.
He was just happy to be out and about!
Plus, all of the interest was on him this time, as
new-teen brother Merritt had opted to stay home.
Amazing how much calmer a visit this was with no vying for attention by two boys!
"Wonder Park" was the movie selected as part of his belated birthday celebration and he sat calmly right between me and Bonnie!

And just how does this Elvis lunchbox figure into the day's merriment?
It was a gift, to me, from Conner.
He had seen it on a shopping expedition at a thrift store and had told his Grandma Bonnie that he was buying it for his Aunt Tina.
Wow...
that really touched my heart.
I do believe this eleven-year-old is growing up to be a wonderful man.
i thank You, God.

eleven and fifty

I was eleven years old when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the moon, while Michael Collins orbited and awaited their reunion for the return to Earth.
All three men were born in 1930 and turned 39 the year of the Apollo 11 mission.
That was fifty years ago, come the 20th of July of this year.
Almost all of the people who were part of that space mission are now dead.
Almost all of the people who viewed that liftoff are no longer alive.
Almost all of the people who watched the televised portions are not here anymore.

I would like to say that I remember it.
What I remember is the family watching the black and white television.
Notice that I didn't say I recall what we were watching.
I just remember that it was important that we did so as a family, all together.
I knew my parents regarded the events as very important, but I did not understand.
I was only eleven years old.
I do remember being more interested in science afterward, but in a general way.
Later, in middle school, I particularly found myself drawn to biology and chemistry.

When I had watched "Apollo 11" for the first time, on Saturday night, I had the company of one other in the screening room.
We both sat in the first row, though about four seats apart.
After the credits began, I rose and said to him, "I was only eleven years old when that was happening."
He responded that he grew up thirty miles from Wapakoneta, Ohio, birthplace of Neil Armstrong.
I then told him about my visit to the Armstrong Air And Space Museum in summer of 2012; he recommended I see the museum in Dayton on my next trip to Ohio.
We ended by talking about the Kennedy Space Center and my visits there in 2017 and then again last year, for lunch with Brian Duffy, the Saturn and Apollo experience, and learning via a Cosmic Quest.
Then we shook hands and wished each other well.
(smile)



I've been recommending the film to everyone ever since.
Tonight, I saw the movie again, an unplanned viewing with my Tuesday 'date'.
Kevin and I had intended to see a futuristic science fiction piece, but dinner at Jalapenos had gone a good bit longer than we'd planned.
Fortuitous timing, as it turned out, for I'd wanted to see "Apollo 11" again.
Right place, right time.
He had enjoyed it and I had been there to give him extra information, and an added perspective from age and my multiple exposures to the Kennedy Space Center, so that had benefited both of us.
i thank You, God.

just(in) rash(ida) mi(la), se(gel)

"Pardon? What's going on here?"

I've been watching too many movies On Demand, I guess.

"Well, no doubt about it. It seems that only last week you were watching "Bruce Almighty" and "Groundhog Day", followed by "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" yet again."

Hey, now, c'mon! That first viewing of it was research for which island of Hawaii to visit!

"Sure. We tell ourselves what we want to believe..."

Plus, it was two weeks ago, not last week!

"Yes, dear. Could we possibly address my earlier question?"

Oh, you mean about the post title?

"Yes, please."

Well, it's a bit of joke, right? If you omit the parts in parentheses, and say it quickly, it sounds like something Al Capone might have said.

"Just rash me, see."

Yeah, that's almost it, but really slur over that middle part, like 'rush' instead of the 'a' sound.

"So you want I should talk like a gangsta?"

No, but I would like to hear the gangster version...

"Funny girl."

Hey, that's "Funny Lady" to you, buster!

"Okay, okay, fine. Would you mind, ma'am, explaining the names you used above?"

No, I wouldn't mind that at all, especially as you've asked so nicely. No doubt you've recognized Mila Kunis and Jason Segel, both of whom would be top of mind because of the 2008 movie set in O'ahu.

"Correct-o-mundo."

Well, this morning I watched "Friends With Benefits", a 2011 rom-com with Mila and Justin Timberlake. I had started it one day last week, but wasn't in the mood for it.

"I bet it was when you saw the break-ups in the very first scene."

Well, yeah, that, and Andy Samberg. I don't know why, he just creeps me out. Fortunately, when I clicked on the movie, I was asked if I wanted to resume or to start over. 'Resume' it was! That meant I had essentially skipped over that earlier stuff, as if I had walked in a little late to the movie in the cinema. Oddly, I don't recall seeing this one in the multiplexes. Not at all. Isn't that odd?

"Yeah, maybe a little. Then again, you see a lot of movies, but you don't see all of them. Sometimes, you're at baseball games or out of town, n'est-ce pas?"

True enough, I don't catch them all on the big screen. This one was fine for the little screen, though. It was mostly just soft porn, people making love like sea otters, that sort of thing.
(smile)

"Hahahaha hahaha! I love that line! That was spoken by Bill Murray! I also like the 'Do you ever have déjà vu?' bits!"

Did you know that question was spoken three times in the movie? It was! My favorite response was from Mrs. Lancaster, that she could "check with the kitchen."

"Hahahaha hahaha! Just wonderful!"

Yes, yes. I'm so glad I was able to catch that one twice, too, in the last week or so.

"But weren't you talking about the Mila-Justin flick of today?"

Sure, you betcha. So, where was I? Hmmm... oh, yeah! As I was watching it, I kept getting all these déjà vu vibes about Mila's character. Seriously, it was as if someone saw her in "FSM" and said, hey, let's keep that and just pair her with someone new.

"You got a 'for instance' to go with that claim?"

Not only do I have one, but I have several! In both movies, she's the initial point of contact at a prestigious place for the guy who has just come to a new place. In "FWB", she's the headhunter greeter for GQ; she's the concierge for Turtle Bay Resort in "FSM". In both, she has no boyfriend and she had a bad break-up, so she's available for love, but quite skittish. In both, she knows everyone and she knows the best places to go and everyone thinks she's fun. Both movies also have great music, scenic locales, and famous funny side characters, like Woody Harrelson in this one, as an openly gay coworker. Get this: he even uses the phrase "strictly dickly" for his sexual preferences!

"Wow! That's one of your favorites! You've been saying that for decades! Like, ever since you were stationed at Imperial Beach!"

I have! But I couldn't find it's true origin when I google'd it. They had it showing up in print around 2010. Odd, right?

"Yes, it is, especially for a phrase that's been in rotation for at least three decades. So, what else did the two movies have in common? Anything?"

Jason Segel!

"You're kidding! What role did he have in FWB?"

Get this: Mila and Justin are watching a movie on tv and the movie has Jason and Rashida Jones in a romantic comedy where he ends up proposing to her. So, after the movie, I look up what movie that was... and it didn't exist! It was just made up as the movie within "Friends With Benefits"! Jason and Rashida had both been in "I Love You, Man", but her love interest in that was his buddy.

"Whoa... freaky! Are they together in real life, maybe?"

Not that I know. They were in three movies together, over about a three-year span, and that seems to have been all. You know how it is, sometimes you'll have a carryover of crew from one film to another. Like the imaginary band, Infant Sorrow, being in FSM and then "Get Him To The Greek", both written by Jason Segel.

"Oh, yeah, I'm familiar with that phenomenon. The Marvel Universe is all about interconnection and carryover of characters."

How funny that you mentioned those movies! You know how they always have little snippets during and after the credits, so you have to stay after the movie itself is done?

"Well, sure. That's when they give you breadcrumbs to chew on and whet your appetite for the next movie in the series."

Exactly.

"So you're saying this rom-com did that?"

It did! It was quite amusing, too, and really surprised me! So, the credits have finished and I've read all the music in the soundtrack, which, as you know, is pretty much the last thing listed.

"Yeah, yeah, I follow."

And as I was waiting for the screen to fade to black, it doesn't! Instead, there's Mila and Justin, sitting on the couch and watching the same scenes again in the imaginary Jason and Rashida film, and talking about it... that was hilarious!

"And..."

That's all, it just struck me as so funny that a rom-com would have a dénouement after the credits.

"Odd, yes, but not unheard of. Remember the one for "Ferris Bueller's Day Off", with Matthew Broderick admonishing the audience to go home? That was adorable!"

Oh, yes! Most delectable!

"Indeed. Now, let's wrap this up, shall we? You have a Tuesday-with-Kevin, don't you?"

That I do! Okay, later, chica!

"Hasta la bye-bye, as they said in Panama!"

(smile)

odd gnight out

It's a real gnovelty for me to get out of the house.
Actually, it's a rarity to gnot be on the tv stand.
Gnot that I'm complaining, gnaturally.
Elvis the Singing Penguin is the best friend I've ever had.
He's gnever been your average guy, that's for sure.
Gnormally, we just keep the woman company and try to act gnatural -
gno fuss, gno noise.

I'm gnot sure, but I think she took me to the Loft to leave me.
Instead, she let me watch the Odd Lot improv show with her - gnice!
Gnumber one favorite for me was the gnifty half-life skit.
The duo were tasked with dancing "The Gnutcracker" in one minute.
Chase, on the right, tried to give the right gnotion to Travis,
the one gnabbed in full spin during the fifteen-second iteration.
Gnicely done, my gnarly chums!
Gnext time, suggest the woman whistle "The Dance of The Sugar Plum Fairy" - she's got that one down pat, gnote for gnote!
Gnow, this gnome is glad to be home.
Time for tuna gnachos!

from india to ireland on st. patrick's day

Seriously, where else to dine on such fine foods as corned beef and cabbage, and on such a day as today, except on the bonny Emerald Isle?
And where else might I have found an authentic Irish public house such as Fia Rua, complete with a waitress named Erin, except over the sea in the land of leprechauns?
(Not to be confused with gnomes. Remember? LOL!)

In truth, closest I came to being in Ireland was via
this photo, shared by JinHi on fb.
She and Mark are in Wicklow, a town about two-thirds
down the east coast, visiting friends.
Where I dined, the Red Stag pub, is located in Richmond
Hill, so that still qualifies as a 'vacation' trip for me.
Had I driven out there for any special reason?
Yes, I did - for corned beef and cabbage!
I could have gone to the Cracker Barrel... but this
place-new-to-me was truly Irish!
(smile!)

In fact, I passed by the Cracker Barrel in Pooler as
I headed southeast down I-95.
That was after 'visiting' India while I was viewing
"Badla" at the Royal, of course.
Sadly, none of mi amigas were with me, as they had all
seen it a week ago Friday, when I was at the Lucas.
Not that I was alone for this tale of murder and revenge.
There were quite a few people there to see the renowned Amitabh Bachchan, now in his 70's, in his role as Badal
Gupta, a witness preparation specialist.
What a superbly done thriller!
(smile!)

Now, I am much more satisfied and more quiet in spirit
since my little adventure "out of town".
After all, this holiday coincides with Spring Break,
a time when I am usually off to Florida or somewhere.
Soon, I have promised myself, soon.
Meanwhile, me lads and lassies, don't be runnin' with
yer bagpipes, lest ye put an aye out or get kilt.
(Hey, a little pun never hurt anyone!)

they call me pollen yellow, quite right-ly

Lake Murray, of South Carolina, has certainly seen better days.
That's tree sperm - I mean, pollen - all over it, making it look to have an odd algae bloom.
I know we've had the trees around here spurting sulfur-hued mists twice already, rather than once and done last month.
That's why I know Donovan wouldn't mind my borrowing his lyrics.
(smile)

So, what's a girl to do when it's too yellow to go out and play?
How about a bit of house clearing?
Nope, that is decidedly not a typo!
My house is not dirty, but it does have piles of stuff waiting to be cleared away.
In one of the piles from my former office at Armstrong, I found... Jumbles!
Some have not yet been completed, so I have set them aside -
into a new pile, so to speak -
whilst others are destined for the recycle bin.
But first, let's go pun-mining, shall we?
Yes, yes, yes!!!
(smile!)

Asked if there'd be morning mist, the weatherman didn't have the foggiest idea.

The doctor would eventually feel at home in the new town, if he had enough patience.

The antisocial octopus welcomed the unexpected visitor with open arms.

The calendar factory produced calendars day after day.

After spitting out his bubblegum on the sidewalk, the teen was chewed out.

The math teacher liked teaching addition and subtraction equally.

A miser is a man of rare gifts.

When the hen bought the new two-door sports car, she bought a chicken "coupe".

The driver with the bad cold trapped in the traffic jam wasn't happy with the congestion.

When it came to choosing wrought iron or chain link, the homeowner was on the fence.

When the wedding planner needed lots of flower bouquets, he made arrangements.

The bounty hunter's slogan was a catchy phrase.

He wanted to tell the masseuse that he didn't like his massage, but he thought it might be a touchy subject.

The number that equals four plus four didn't exist until it was "cre-eight-ed".

The bread company's top secret recipe was "knead" to know.

He wanted to open a junkyard in the neighborhood, but he had to scrap his plans.

He wanted to get the skunk out of his garage, but the skunk put up a stink.

The customers at the fireworks store were baby boomers.

Before handing her husband the orthodontist's bill, she told him brace yourself.

Making stir-fried vegetables at the cookout was a "wok" in the park.

Her husband had made plans to build her a new bookcase today, but he shelved them.

The hen couldn't find her eggs after she mislaid them.

To start his new job at the nuclear plant, he needed to get up and "atom".

The crane loved her new phone and really enjoyed the call "wading".

The guitarist's favorite pants were his "chord"-uroys.

The calico didn't get along with the dog that was kitty-corner.

The farmer with all the junked cars on his land had a bumper crop.

The atmospheres of Venus and Earth are worlds apart.

They thought their new garbage can was animal-proof, but the raccoons trashed it.

Her mom's sister had a lot of old furniture, which she considered her "Aunt-iques".

He worked for a while as a tailor, but he decided the job wasn't suited for him.

The documentary about the history of skyscrapers was riveting.

Regardless of when the Olympics were held, for the high jumper it was a leap year.

The glue factory employees planned to start a labor union and stick together.

She knew she wanted to be a chef after her first course.

Driving people from place to place allowed him to bring home his "fare" share.

When you combine "the" and "IRS", your money becomes theirs.

King Kong went to see the new Godzilla movie because he was a big fan.

With the ham and cheese omelets on sale, her breakfast was "save-ory".

The tug-of-war was going well until he pulled a muscle.

His heirs all wanted a piece of his fortune, but he was unwilling.

The professor's explanation of infinity seemed like it was never-ending.

Digging a tunnel connecting NYC to New Jersey was a big undertaking.

For the Beatles, a drum was a "Starr-struck" object.

One ghost didn't fit in with the rest because he was a free spirit.

The cow who was always borrowing money was a moocher.

Trying to eat outside with a thunderstorm approaching was no picnic.

When neighbors helped them install their new landscaping, they had a shindig.

Not charging as much on their credit cards paid off.

When Donald and Daffy teamed up to make a movie, it was a huge "pro-ducks-tion".

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

Th-th-that's all, folks... for now!
(smile)

happy 36th, my dearest first niece

I am so blessed.
Today was one of those days when I needed a little tender loving care.
Today was also Christina's birthday.
I called her after she was to leave work, to sing "Happy Birthday" to her and 'keep her company' on her drive home to Hinesville.
Instead of driving, she was running an errand and would be in Savannah a while. Would I like to have dinner with her?
Of course I would!
So, I joined her at Verizon, where they had to order a new phone for her.
Then, we were off to one of her favorites: Olive Garden!
By the time we got there, it was half-past seven.
I suggested we invite Kevin, as it's been months since they've talked.
And so the running bear was texted and agreed to come along, too.

But first, I had her all to myself
for a little while - so very nice!
We talked about the lovely luncheon
she'd had with Christian and the
sparkly necklace and earrings he'd
gifted to her.
Plus, our waiter, Andre, was so very
charming and attentive and happy
- what a bonus!
He gladly granted her all of my
cheese on her soup!
He graciously gave her even more of
my cheese for her pasta!
(smile)
Then Kevin came along and Andre had
him caught up with us in no time!

About fifteen minutes later, Miyah
was dropped off by Ebony, after their
circus adventure...
and when she saw me,
she held out her arms and had
such a big grin...
oh, how I love that littlest girl!
I allowed Christina and Kevin to
chat and catch up while I played
with the girl, chasing her around
and tickling her and just generally
being a silly G'Aunt with her!
All of that reminded me of how much
fun I used to have with all of my
nieces and nephews when they were little,
choosing their company in Frank and
Mama's back yard over the 'adult'
conversations in the house.
Good times!

I'm so glad those good times are here again with new little ones!
Miyah is even talking more, ever since she had drainage tubes placed into her ears.
Here, she and Christina are saying "toodle oodle oo" - or something like that - I was laughing so much I'm not sure just what they were chortling in that silly voice!
Good times, such good times, with more to follow tomorrow, at the cookout at her mom's house!
i thank You, God!

pi day with rembrandt and frogs

These were no ordinary amphibians, not quite!
The "Roswell Frogs" feature wart dots in various neon hues, from a hot pink to a lime green and several more in between!
The 2008 glass structure fascinates me, calling me near every time that I visit the Jepson.
I think part of the attraction is knowing the artist, Charlie Miner, crafted it when he was my age.
The power of birthday60, folks!

This beautiful mobile draws my attention on each visit, too.
I notice how "katniss" looks in different lighting, at different times of day, with different skies above.
It's practically a living work of art!
I've probably taken more photos of this one piece than I have of any other piece in all the years I've been going to the Jepson.
Oh, wait... I'm sure that honor belongs, hands down, to "Swarm".
(smile)


After all, I've been attracted to that technological work ever since I first saw it as part of the PULSE exhibit in 2012. Now, every time "Swarm" shows up on a wall, I can be counted on to be standing in front of it, striking poses for it to re-imagine, with my camera then capturing those ever-shifting images.
We'll have to wait and see how many more photos I accumulate of the floral piece during the year that "katniss" reigns on high!

And just what had drawn me to the Jepson on this Thursday evening?
A lecture and reception, of course!
This one, titled "Rembrandt And The Jewish Experience", it was a rare members-only event...
so I simply had to be there to see what all the fuss was about!
I'm so glad I was!
Shelley Perlove was an absolute joy to listen to and to watch!

I could tell she truly loved her subject matter - and so can you, courtesy of the recorded lecture.
She was so lively and animated!
Honestly, she reminded me of my friend Barbara, when she is having a truly fun day, like when we were in the mountains in 2017.
How very nice!

And afterward, Thrive had an
extra-special treat waiting for
us at the reception!
In addition to the truly luscious
fresh fruit and vegetables...
in addition to the skewers of
grilled chicken and mushroom...
they had dutch-apple pie!
How good of them!
(smile)

What a fitting finale for this
STEM girl on Pi Day!
I speak of myself, naturally,
as I do not know of the harpist's
affinity of science and math.
I do know she played a beautiful
rendition of "Dream A Little Dream
Of Me", a favorite tune.
Many thanks to all for a splendid
evening... and good pie!
(smile)

egg custard pi is my favorite

Just an ordinary
pie chart
on this Pi Day!

No
punchline
needed!

curiouser and curiouser

So, you know my penchant for doing little experiments?
Like, with pasta (after the 2012 trip to Italy) and with cherries (after Barbara's 2017 trip to the West Coast) and, more recently, with apples?
Well, my latest has been on social media.
I've been updating my profile photo for the last few weeks, usually allowing a week or so to elapse between changes.
The 'experiment' began on February 21.

"Me and Daddy, way back when. <3"
The photo garnered 49 likes/loves.
There were also quite a few comments.

Barbara Narcarti: "Those were the Days."
Venita Johnson: "So sweet"
Sandra Karlin: "Very sweet photo!"
Faustina Smith: "Being the first child - and only daughter - I couldn't help but be a Daddy's girl."
Marcia Ford: "Ronnie looks just like him. I always wondered what he looked like. Christina looks a lot like him. Very handsome. Now I know where you all get the Lookers. So sweet. I love you too. Thanks for loving our family so much."
Gene Perrone: "Nice photo....very sweet!"

Christina Smith: "You look so much like me."
Faustina Smith replied
· "Um... that's the other way around... I was before you."

Then, on February 28, I changed the photo.

"March 18, 1978, when I was two months shy of 20. This was here in Savannah, at the square with the gazebo, on the day of my first wedding. Mama was 41. Within the week, Keith and I were on our drive from training in Pensacola to NSGA Galeta Island in Panama. Good times!"
This photo did pretty well, with a total of 40 likes/loves.
Several comments were made, too, mostly by long-time friends.

Robin Ritenour Jenkins: "I remember it. I was there!!"
Kevin Crabtree: "Gaaaaw! Weren’t you just radiant?"
Dianna DiBenedetto: "Aw, that is beautiful. Sybil is and always will be so beautiful inside and out. Miss her. Would you mind if I save this for Hope and the grandkids?"
Jo Coleman-Williams: "I remember."
Hokie Davis: "I was married in Whitefield square in 86!"

On March 9th, I changed the profile photo again.

"Okay, one last photo from March 18, 1978. Here, I'm with my one and only Grandma (Lorena) and Grandpa (Dick) Lee, in Savannah at Whitefield Square. He died of pancreatic cancer just a few years afterward, while I was in Okinawa. He and I had AMAZING debates! Grandma was the reason I chose Florida State for my doctoral studies, to let me be closer to her. She passed away in 1997, one year after seeing me walk across the stage in my graduation robe. Good times!"
In the five days that it was up, it had 32 likes/loves.
There was only one comment, by one of the Boomers group members.

Kathy Butler: "There is nothing better than grandparents! Mine were so special and I still miss them."

From these results, it's clear that people love photos of babies.
(smile)

Then I threw a monkey wrench into the works.
Last night, I watched "Captain Marvel" for the second time, on "Tina Tuesday" with Kevin.
I again changed the public photo of me.
The time was just after midnight.

"Me at 23, in 1981, sitting in my barracks room on Torii Station in Okinawa. This is one of my favorite photos of me EVER. Thanks, Rick Putt, for the shot!"
The response has amazed me.
The photo has already gained 67 likes/loves - and even a 'wow' -
in only 18 hours.
Quite a few friends from this past decade (or two) have also commented.

Jeri Monroe: "It’s a beautiful photo!"
Roy Wood: "23? Looks more like 13."
Frank Dinan: "Are you a former ‘jarhead’, Tina?" I replied: "A former sailor!"
Yvonne Pizzo Roach: "Look at that Baby Girl!"
Bill Cooper: "Swellness........BC"

Seriously, I don't quite know what to make of the results of this experiment.
I'll let this latest photo be for a week, then see what may be surmised.

I truly do love this photo of me.
That's why I have it on one of the bedside tables.
It gives me a sense of peace to remember that version of me...
the one before death began claiming so many pieces of my heart.

leapt ahead to wrecked mornings

My first niece and I were texting just a little while ago.
She was wondering if I wanted to get some lunch and I had responded that I was just getting up, so it would be breakfast for me.
"This time change is wrecking my mornings," I'd told her.
She said it was her nights which had been affected by the leap forward this week.
"That's exactly what I mean," I responded. "I find myself going to bed around three or four AM and not awaking until noon!"
Pretty "Wicked", I say!
(smile)

penny for my marvel

That's me, in 1981, sitting in my barracks room at Torii Station, wearing my t-shirt from boot camp, festooned with balloons which proclaimed that "Life is a Breece!"
That pun was based on my boot camp commander down in Orlando.
This picture of me, at 23 years of age, taken by Rick Putt, is one of my favorites.
I'm happy and hopeful and confident and I knew I was loved as I was!
(smile)


That feeling of the world being open for exploration and adventure, and me being just the person to do so, was absolutely magical.
Join A.C.T.O.R. (the theatre group) and be their biggest fan?
Yep, you know I'm your girl!
Jump up on the bar with my best friend Lizz and dance to Pat Benatar?
You know I will, even with my boots on!
Sing along to every song on the jukebox, getting Beau and others to join in?
"Hit Me With Your Best Shot" while I "Whip It"!
Go down to Kadena and hang out at Club Pianissimo and the strip clubs with Mikey?
Oh, man, that was soooo much fun!
Stay up all night during a typhoon, drinking beer and playing pool by flashlight?
You betcha! Gotta drink 'em while they're cold!
Check out the sushi and Mongolian grill with Ralph and Jim and everybody?
Sounds like a lip-smacking thing to do, y'all!
I even went by myself to Hong Kong and to Taiwan.
Sure, they were USO-sponsored trips, but I was still solo.
That meant that when I found the woman from Okinawa who ran the tea shop in Taipei, and her brother invited me to go see "The Gods Must Be Crazy" with him, I went. He even took me to see some beautiful gardens there! I still have the jade ring he gave me.
(smile!)

All of those fond memories and feelings came rushing back to me in the darkened cinema tonight.
The movie was set in 1995, but fly-girl Carol Danvers was searching through her jumbled-up memories for clues to her identity.
There she was, singing karaoke! Playing pool and flirting with the fly-guys! Dancing with her best friend!
That's when I had the odd realization that I was watching myself in BigD.

No, I am definitely not saying I am Captain Marvel,
or that I ever was.
I'm just saying that Brie Larson has made her so realistic that I can see myself in that character.
See those hips on that almost-30 body, and those full thighs and fuller breasts?
Those are features of a maturing woman, not a girl.
Moreover, those are the features of a woman proud
of her curves, at peace with her body.
In the movie, the music is from the 1990's, and I could certainly see "Carol" eagerly moving out onto a dance floor for "Just A Girl"or "I'm Only Happy When It Rains" (two of my favorites).
Thank you, Stan Lee for so much, and thank you Roy Thomas for this character.
This 21st film of the Marvel Cinematic Universe shows that we've all come a long way, thanks to y'all's help.

Thank you, Mama and Daddy, too, for continuing
to bless me with your love and guidance.
Pennies from heaven, shimmering with a bright
gleam as they suddenly appear in my path...
right place, right time...
and exactly what i needed, when i needed it...
reminding me that i am still loved.

keeping it real

Today, I'm giving my sinuses a break from the pollen. I've been doing that a right good bit since being out in it, and the cold night air, for so long during Jim's tour.
Last night - and the night before - I was out in it. The Lucas Theatre had me for two of the three shows of "Newsies The Musical". I had seen the filmed professional production a couple of years ago and had very much enjoyed that slice of history through song and dance.
Hey, it was a musical! I'm peanut butter and those are my jam!
()smile!
Anywho, I had a realization tonight while watching the fine actors of Savannah Christian Preparatory School.
I much preferred the story when 'told' by actual children.
I'm not saying the actors at the Pantages Theatre didn't do a very good job...
but the story was about newspaper delivery boys, not men...
and having children in those roles breathed real life into the recount.
That made the event even more amazing, that children would come together to right a wrong done to them by adults.
Children are doing that again, now, though mostly in other countries. I credit Malala Yousefzais and her speech to the United Nations, back in 2013, for allowing young people to know that their voice against discrimination matters.
Greta Thunberg, a fifteen-year-old, has now taken her fight for climate change action to the United Nations' floor, tasking the world's political leaders to correct the misdeeds of the past three decades. It is only a matter of time before other youth heed that call and react. After all, it is their future on the line.

How about a little lighter bit of "real" now?
There's still a combative atmosphere, but it's all carefully orchestrated.
No, not another musical!
Instead, I'm speaking of a movie about wrestling, "Fighting With My Family".
Yes, I said "wrestling", and I mean the theatrical professional entertainment version, not the sport itself that my boyfriend Mike Young participated in at the post in Okinawa.
Those were fun bouts back then, involving several folks I knew.
This movie, however, was of much more recent vintage and I had never heard of Paige.
My watching of professional wrestling was limited to televised, late Saturday night events, watched with my Daddy and my three brothers in the late 1960's to early 1970's. The Assassins, The Bruiser and Crusher, the Fabulous Kangaroos, and other tag team artists, then André the Giant, Gorilla Monsoon, The Sheik, Ric Flair, Buddy Rogers, and others of that time period. All had catchy names and cool outfits.
One of the reasons I liked "Nacho Libre" were the magnificent wrestling costumes!
Maybe that's one of the attractions of superheroes for me?
Quite possibly.
(smile)
But what did I like most about this movie?
It had real professional wrestlers in it. I'm talking The Rock. I'm talking John Cena.
There were at least a dozen others in the group shots for the training sessions.
That was impressive.

Another recent film that kept it real was "Gully Boy".
This time, the wrestling was with words on a stage, in the form of rap battles.
Yes, I realize that this film is Indian.
No, that matters not one whit.
I know that Americans like to think rap is only performed here, but artists around the world have embraced this simple - and inexpensive - form of musical expression.
Japan?
Oh, please, of course they have it.
Germany?
Yes, even in Deutschland, folks.
Ireland?
Just click right here.
Australia?
Russia?
France?
Yeah, mate!
Ty eto znayesh'!
C'est vrai!
Truly, all that's needed for rap is someone who can write and speak poetry.
Shakespeare would have been known as a rap artist if he'd had a beat box.
I've even done it, right?
The movie seen at the Royal of Pooler...
which was also based on real people, rappers Divine and Naezy...
highlighted their 2015 song, "Mere Gully Mein"...
and had US rapper Nas as an executive producer.
I'm sure some of the rappers, including Dub Sharma, were real, too.
Thanks for keepin' it real, y'all.
(smile)

jumble solving

I've mentioned my affinity for scrambled word games, I know I have.
Usually, I post about them because of the punny nature of the solution of the puzzle's answer.
That's been the case since late 2014, when I had a subscription to the local newspaper. My posting of the puns continued in February, March, and even April of 2015.
Then, like many trends, that pretty well ended in December of 2016, primarily because I let my subscription lapse.
I still do the Jumbles, but I rely on those papers left lying around at Wash Plus.
i thank You, God, for laundry day!
(smile)
I guess all of that came to mind because of the post earlier about puns.
Then I remembered I had a Jumble I had saved for about three weeks.
Was it because the joke in it was special for someone I knew?
Well, actually, yes.
I intended to give it to the running bear - who is now a 'bi-polar' bear, but that's another tale for another day - when I originally set it aside.
The cartoon image has four people on a racing oval. Three are runners, now standing around the fourth person.
The caption reads, "When the track coach's stopwatch wouldn't work, it was___."
The answer? "Bad timing".
Hahahaha!
However, I just mention that in passing.
(Yes! A joke from me!)
What I'm here to talk about is how I solved the scrambled words of the puzzle.
Let's take "i-n-a-p-o".
I tried writing it as "o-i-p-a-n"... definitely not a word in English.
Moving the letters to "n-a-p-i-o" really didn't help.
My third attempt, "o-p-i-n-a", doesn't look very helpful, but it sounded better...
leading me to "p-a-i-n-o", which sounded even better...
resulting in "p-i-a-n-o".
Another scramble that had me stymied was "m-l-u-t-e-b".
Yikes, right?
My first attempt, "e-m-b-l-u-t", symbolized nothing.
(See that? I've punned again!)
Rearranging gave me "t-u-l-b-e-m"... not quite... then "u-m-b-l-e-t"...
and the correct word rolled on out for me: "t-u-m-b-l-e".
(Somebody stop me before I pun anymore!)
So, my dear reader, looking for advice, I advise sounding out the words created.
As I always told my organic chemistry students, "If it doesn't feel right in the mouth,
it won't sound right to the ear. Try again!"
(smile)