a*list and another French anime

Oh, yeah: it's Tina Tuesday, and another double header was in play.

I seem to have baseball on the brain of late.

That's the fault of the Eagle Scout, the Great Scott.

He keeps posting photos of him at different ball parks, watching the Braves' teams as they win, lose, and get rained out.

Yes, I do miss baseball...

but that is not the topic at hand, now is it?

Nope!

Movies, that's what this post is all about, movies in Savannah!

What do these three movies have in common?

Well, "Civil War" and "Hard Miles" were both 1 hour and 49 minutes long.

For real!

"Spy x Family Code: White" was 1 hour and 50 minutes long.

I'm serious!

In addition, each would have cost me $10.49, if not for my A*List membership.

Viewing them at AMC cost me nothing, except the monthly fee, which is less than $25.

So, for all you math fans, the three movies would have run $31.47, not including the prices of the three movies from last week's viewing. 

That means, with my savings, I have money to burn on popcorn and such, like this ultra-cool, color-changing cup!

I got that one on Friday, with a special coupon that netted me a cameo popcorn and that sturdy, reusable, plastic cup for only $7.

I like it so much that I bought another today, instead of opting for the Tuesday $5 cameo special.

I think I'll give the cups to Alyssa and Leila... maybe.

They really are nice cups!

What about the movies?

"Spy x Family Code: White", from 2023, was a delightful Japanese anime, watched in Japanese, of course, and with Carolyn!

It features a "dad" who is a spy, a "mom" who is an assassin, and a foster 5-year-old girl who can read minds.

Oh! There's also a dog that can see the future!

I really would like to see that one again.

"Hard Miles", also from 2023, would be worth a second take - get the joke? - if only for the fabulous roadside views along the 726-mile bike ride to the Grand Canyon.

Matthew Modine has one of his best roles ever in it, as a counselor of troubled teens.

Remember me saying that every counselor I've ever known has their own childhood issues that they're working out?

Well, his character certainly fits that model.

Oh, and it's a true story!

What about "Civil War"?

From all the hype, I was expecting something akin to the real-life war zone that erupted in Washington, D.C., on January 6, 2021.

I had actually avoided the movie, fearing that would be the case.

Nope.

It was a battle between war-zone photographers of all ilk, but concentrating on that of a jaded veteran and a naive newbie.

In other words, lots of action with hardly any character development.

I take that back.

We get to watch the newbie transform from a person with heart into a crazed zombie who will risk all for that "perfect" photo, for that money shot.

Sure sounds like "Nightcrawler" to me, just in a different locale.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, no, thanks, never want to see that again.

As for "Pattie et la colère de Poséidon", I'd gladly watch it again!

Given the lackluster "Epic Tails" instead of directly translating the French to "Pattie and the Wrath of Poseidon" probably didn't help this 2022 anime version of a last voyage of Jason with his decrepit (and dead) crew.

I've always enjoyed Greek mythology, and so apparently did Miss Julie's bunch of seniors from an elderly home down the road.

Brought by the same film company - TAT - that gave me "The Jungle Bunch: Operation Meltdown" two months ago, this one had much nicer-looking animals, except one seagull who must have been a pirate at some time, with his peg-leg, half-wing, and blind eye.

Sure did have a great story, though!

I also liked that it promoted libraries and theatre and imagination.

I'll be looking forward to more of their movies!

a luncheon, a dinner, and a brunch... plus pizza!

The luncheon was back on April 9th, a regular Tuesday rather than a Tina Tuesday.

The time and place had originally been noon at Olive Garden...

so that meant the meal was with Yvonne...

(smile!)

However, she was detained by family in the hospital...

a situation I have experience with...

so delaying lunch (by only an hour)...

and changing to a closer locale (Kayak Kafe Midtown)...

fit our needs perfectly.

Add an adorable, and humorous, Hunter waiting on us, and we both left with smiles!

(smile!) 

The dinner was at the Smiths & Kamerons Friday Fiesta, the first one I've been to since the Savannah Music Festival began.

How wonderful to see everyone again!

My biggest little brother greeted me with quite happily, especially as I brought him a list of golf matches that are fundraising for the Georgia Sheriffs Association.

He and his buddies can help that organization raise money, and maybe awareness, too, for the Youth Homes they operate.

That'll be great!

(smile!)

The brunch was today.

Yes, it was to have been a luncheon...

and for Dawn it no doubt was.

But I'd had a nightmare involving 'Nancy', of "Ghosts" -

she's one of the ghosts in the basement that had died of cholera -

having hold of my arm and trying to move my furniture out...

only, we weren't at my house but at my brother Tony's...

and I'd slept until 11 AM trying to get loose from her.

Crazy!

But having refried beans with queso, and fajita shrimp, was wonderful!

I'm so glad we were at Cancun this time around!

(smile!) 

And what's that about pizza?

Saturday, as it was the 3rd such day of the month, was designated BOGO day by Papa John's, and I've been looking forward to it for two months!

Somehow, I missed it in March.

Not this time!

I had it on the kitchen cabinet for Elvis to alert me to the event!

The one on the left is pepperoni and banana peppers.

The one on the left is Canadian bacon and pineapple.

Both have been delicious!!!

I ate pizza for lunch and dinner on Saturday, then for Sunday breakfast!

I'll have pizza for dinner tonight, then breakfast the next two days.

Ah...

live is good!!!

(smile!)

 

Now, I have a documentary, "Canary", on AARP as a MFG.

(smile!)

for Jean Marie, and for Samuel Marquieth

She was the first I visited at Greenwich today.

Jean Marie Morgan would have been 38 years old on this date.

I made sure the dragonfly paver was cleared of leaves, then I placed five shells onto it.

That niece sure did love going to the beach, too, just as I do.

After, I sang "Happy Birthday" to her and took my leave to visit Mama.

That visit was cut short by rain, but not before I sang "The Trees of The Field" to her.

Then I went home and washed my car in the rain, after changing into shorts.

She even looks blue again without most of the oak pollen caked on, doesn't she?

After being outside with that task for about 40 minutes, I had to change clothes again.

Not so much because I was wet, but that the temperature had dropped 15 degrees F.

That meant it was time to stay inside and deal with the 15th anniversary of Sam's death.

I'd been in receipt of text messages since before my alarm went off from members of his family in Atlanta and in Virginia.

The first one had included the photo of my friend.

That was followed by someone who wrote: "May his spirit always rest in peace. Thank God for giving us a brother who brought us all laughter. To God be the Glory!!!!!"

I certainly know that sentiment well.

Then, in mid-afternoon, came remembrances of his tastes in food.

"I remember those thick peanut butter and jelly sandwiches."

"Lord!! A jar of jelly!!"

"And they would be double-decker sandwiches!"

"Not one egg sandwich but 5!"

"And don't forget all the comic books!"

Very nice to have been included in all of that.

I just wish I knew who the phone numbers belonged to... and how they included me.

Now, I'm going to catch "Young Frankenstein" down at Club One.

Thomas Houston is in that musical and I feel the need to see him today.

He knew Sam Johnson, too.

earth day celebration, a la asbury

What was waiting to greet me as I walked across Waters Avenue at Henry Street?

Roses, warmed by gentle kisses from the sun.

Right place, right time, they assured me.

The rose in the foreground, and the rosebud in this shot of the threesome, are deep red.

The middle bloom has a purplish cast.

Very cool.

Here's Reverend Billy Hester, with a guy who purports to be the "biggest fan ever" of musicals.

Nice joke, as everyone knows that's me!

They were doing a big reveal of the third musical to be performed with this year's God On Broadway series: "Avenue Q".

I remember seeing that in 2019, when the Bay Street troupe performed it at Club One - sweet!

Then it made sense why that guy had been chosen to help with the reveal: he's the biggest fan ever of gay musicals!

I admit to having limited knowledge of those, but I've expanded that knowledge greatly over the last decade.

Speaking of me, there I am!

I'm sitting near the window, wearing my "it's spring" dress!

That's because it was already in the upper 70's at 11 AM!!!

Hallelujah!!!

Why were children in motion?

They were off to Godly Play, so they missed the panel discussion with Ellie Covington, Bill Anderson, and David Alley, which was in lieu of Billy's sermon.

So, why are we all standing now?

We were applauding Susie Williams, who has spend much of her life living "green" and helping to make sure the garden space at Asbury Memorial has been lovely for so many decades.

Then we were all standing again to sing "The Trees of The Field", that Jewish song I so love!

I'll be going straight to Greenwich so I can sing it to Mama as I clap my hands over and over!

I may even share the Prayer of Four Directions with her and Frank.

I liked that so much that I asked Billy for a copy of it.

He said this went so well that we'll have "Part Two" next week!

Hooray!!!

Such a wonderful Sunday this has been!

I just may watch it sometime!

i'm a who do what??

First, kindly understand that I don't particularly like history.

It was truly one of my least favorite subjects in school, at all levels.

Second, kindly note that I don't tend to take on positions of authority within a group.

Sure, I did volunteer myself at SERMACS in 2019, and that turned out to be fun and, surprisingly, a good success.

All of that said, guess what I did tonight?

I volunteered myself as the new Historian for Post 36 of the American Legion.

Doug had sent around a list of positions that needed to be filled and that was the one that had appealed to me.

Perhaps it spoke to the writer in my head...

yes, that's probably the case.

He'll send me a description of the post, as it won't be official until next month.

Meanwhile, the Two Firsts Club is coming along!

Look at those lovely, blue, high top chairs for the bar!

We're hoping to have a liquor license in time for Veterans Day.

That's a worthy goal!

(smile!)

a*list and spring fling are flung!

"Well, alrighty then! 

I figured you weren't going to movies any more!

It's been about three weeks, right?"

 

Nope! 

I just had too much else going on while I was dancing and volunteering.

In addition to the SMF35, and impromptu visits with blondes, I also had petsitting duties.

 

"So I see!

Dane and Frosty time!"

 

Not quite.

Frosty has died, so it was just me and the dog.

Tony was off for his "Walk To Emmaus" and Laura had a conference in Florida.

I was supposed to have Dane for the 11th to the 14th, so I changed my schedule at the Savannah Music Festival so I'd be home with him at night.

Well, mostly.

Laura came home Saturday night, though, as she was homesick...

so I was back to my bed that night. 

I'm glad I'd washed my sheets Thursday night while I was there!

(smile!) 

"Good for you, girlie!

So tell me about your movie fun."

 

The only new one is "Monkey Man", the one Dev Patel wrote, directed, produced, and starred in.

It's quite good, along the same lines as the "John Wick" movies.

Here's a funny thing: when his character goes to buy a gun, he's shown one "that John Wick used".

"Shrek 2" gave me a joke, too!

As they pass the fairy godmother's house, Donkey says she has plenty of potions.

The Ogre rejoins: "Why don't we pop in for a spell?"

Oh, and let's not forget the science pun in "Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire"!

A photon is checking into a hotel and the clerk asks, "Can I help with your bag?"

The photo replies, "No, thanks, I'm traveling light."

Of course I adored that one!

At least that 15-year-old was good for jokes!

(smile!)

 

"True! Otherwise she was just another teenager."

 

That's right. 

 

"So, what's the deal-ee-o with the odometer?"

It's special, don't ya know!

I hit that mileage on Monday after seeing Ghostbusters.

I'd promised myself that if it rolled over to 234,000 when I got to Jason's Deli, then I would stop and buy slunch and dinner there...

and it did!!!

2 3 4, 0 0 0

"Nice round number you have there!

But why Jason's Deli?"

 

That's the last place I had such a nice round number, back in December.

Makes the math easy, right?

So, I've traveled a measly 1500 miles in roughly four months.

As Jane Lynch would say, that's a pitiful 375 miles per month.

No wonder I've had wanderlust eating at me lately!

 

"For sure.

You need to wake up somewhere different, my chickadee.

Meanwhile, what'd you get at the deli?"

 

The usual kid's meals of pepperoni pizza and chicken penne alfredo, both obtained nearly for free, as I had $10 in Deli Dollars.

Sweet!

Plus, I tried out the new Alamo Wrap, as it came with chips and salsa.

 

"Hey, maybe you'll win the trip to the Alamo in their sweepstakes!"

 

Maybe I will, maybe I will.

I had not even heard about that sweepstakes until I got the email afterward.

 

"I sure hope you do!

Meantime, what was the Spring Fling all about?

Baseball and picnics and such, like the one in Okinawa?"

 

It was kid movies at the NCG Cinema down the street.

I had hoped some of my nieces and nephews would bring their kids, but... nope.

That's okay, I still went to two of the four $2 movies.

I'd never seen either of them, as it turned out.

"Stuart Little" came out in 1999, a live action film dealing with adoption of older kids as well as diversity.

I very much enjoyed it, especially as it had Geena Davis and Hugh Laurie!

The next week, I saw "Monster House", an animated film from 2006.

It also dealt with diversity, as well as bullying, and told the tale of a love gone wrong.

You know how much I lean toward such things.

"I do, indeed.

Well, I'm glad you've found another to add to your collection."

Thanks!

Now, let me tie this up, as tomorrow is a day of chores.

You know - dishes, yard work, taking out the trash, sweeping...

"Okay, okay, let me go before you put me to work!"

tina tuesday... and there was flan!

Seriously!

I was in Pooler,

with mi amiga, 

Barbara,

for a double header

at the Royal

and our luncheon

at Jalapenos -

of shrimp ceviche

for each of us -

included

this delightful

dessert!

(smile!)

I had carefully selected the movie times to allow for a leisurely dine at Slapfish, but it was gone.

That's okay, we still had seafood!

We had two fabulous sports movies, too!

Both were set in the 1950's, though we hadn't realized they had that in common.

The first was "The Long Game", featuring a a group of teenaged, Mexican-American, golfers, in Texas, called the San Felipe Mustangs.

They won the State Championship in 1957, a year before I was born.

I told Barbara I'm going to recommend that one to my brother, Smitty, as he loves golf.

The second movie, "Maidaan", was an Indian film.

Nope, no Bollywood in this one, just futbol - i.e., "soccer" - and lots of it!

The focus was firmly on the football coach, Syed Abdul Rahim, who was under constant attack for using players from all over India, rather than only choosing those from the state of Bengal.

The film begins in 1952, with the Indian team being soundly defeated, 10 -1, in the Asian Games, leading the council to want a new coach.

Instead, he convinces them to allow him full rein to choose the best players from all over India, with him being solely responsible for their losses.

The movie then followed him on his scouting trips, on the training of the players, and on their trips to the Olympics in the intervening years (a feat no other Indian team has managed in the last 62 years).

The film ends with their successful - Gold!!! - entry at the 1962 Asian Games.

Very exciting... but also a bit sad for me.

The coach had lung cancer for several years, and died in 1962.

1962.

That was the year my brother Ronnie was born...

and he died of lung cancer...

and would have been 62 years old in July this year.

I snapped the photo of the sun setting as we were done, with the palm trees lending a tropical flair and reminding me what a special day this has been.

i thank You, God.

not for another 6 months!

Yes, that was the news from my cardiologist today -

he'll see me in six months!

Not in three, or four - 

nosirreebob!

Six months!

(smile!)

I really did try to tell him that the warm weather was the reason my heart beat on time.

Just look at how steady that line of temperatures is that started yesterday!

In the eighties!!!

Oh, I do so love it...

and so does my warm heart.

That calls for a bit a poetry -

no, even better, a haiku!

Even better than that

is a knock knock joke haiku!

Here's just the thing, 

courtesy of Danny Beam!

"Knock knock!!!"

Who's there?

"Hike"

Hike who?

Unsuspecting son,

Dad waiting with bated breath,

Sets the perfect trap.

 

Hahahaha!!! Hahaha!!!

blonde flowers bloomin'

If I'd gone to Hilton Head, I would have missed them...

and watching their delighted faces as they ran the spiral

around the base of the Japanese magnolia.

If I'd gone to Hilton Head for a movie... 

I would have missed seeing them dancing

in and out of the rows of tiny purple flowers

that run vertically in my front yard.

If I had gone to Hilton Head with the physicist...

that bag of blackberry brambles and sticker vines,

that brown bag with withered lantana of 2023,

that stepping stool would not have been there

for the blonde flowers in Mrs. Ansley's tree.

If...

then...

what tiny words for perspective.

If I had gone to Hilton Head...

I would not have been here...

right place, right time.

i thank You, God.

God is ... LOVE

I reposted this on fb, from Bob Bueling's page.

Here it again, for those not on that social media.

----------------

When Einstein gave lectures at U.S. universities, the question students asked him most was: Do you believe in God? And he always answered: I believe in the God of Spinoza.

Baruch de Spinoza was a Dutch philosopher considered one of the great rationalists of 17th century philosophy, along with Descartes.
According to Spinoza, God would say: 

“Stop praying. I want you to go out into the world and enjoy your life. I want you to sing, have fun and enjoy everything I've made for you."
“Stop going into those dark, cold temples that you built yourself and saying they are my house. My house is in the mountains, in the woods, rivers, lakes, beaches. That's where I live and there I express my love for you."
“Stop blaming me for your miserable life; I never told you there was anything wrong with you or that you were a sinner, or that your sexuality was a bad thing. Sex is a gift I have given you and with which you can express your love, your ecstasy, your joy. So don't blame me for everything that others made you believe."
“Stop reading alleged sacred scriptures that have nothing to do with me. If you can't read me in a sunrise, in a landscape, in the look of your friends, in your son's eyes — you will find me in no book!"
“Stop asking me, ‘Will you tell me how to do my job?’ Stop being so scared of me. I do not judge you or criticize you, nor get angry or bothered. I am pure love."
“Stop asking for forgiveness, there's nothing to forgive. If I made you, I filled you with passions, limitations, pleasures, feelings, needs, inconsistencies, and best of all, free will. Why would I blame you if you respond to something I put in you? How could I punish you for being the way you are, if I'm the one who made you? Do you think I could create a place to burn all my children who behave badly for the rest of eternity? What kind of god would do that?"
“Respect your peers, and don't give what you don't want for yourself. All I ask is that you pay attention in your life—alertness is your guide."
“My beloved, this life is not a test, not a step on the way, not a rehearsal, not a prelude to paradise. This life is the only thing here and now—and it is all you need."
“I have set you absolutely free, no prizes or punishments, no sins or virtues, no one carries a marker, no one keeps a record."
You are absolutely free to create in your life. It’s you who creates heaven or hell."
“Live as if there is nothing beyond this life, as if this is your only chance to enjoy, to love, to exist. Then you will have enjoyed the opportunity I gave you. And if there is an afterlife, rest assured that I won't ask if you behaved right or wrong, I'll ask, ‘Did you like it? Did you have fun? What did you enjoy the most? What did you learn?’ "
“Stop believing in me; believing is assuming, guessing, imagining. I don't want you to believe in me, I want you to believe in you. I want you to feel me in you when you kiss your beloved, when you tuck in your little girl, when you caress your dog, when you bathe in the sea."
“Stop praising me. What kind of egomaniac God do you think I am? I'm bored with being praised. I'm tired of being thanked. Feeling grateful? Prove it by taking care of yourself, your health, your relationships, the world. Express your joy! That's the way to praise me."
“Stop complicating things and repeating as a parrot what you've been taught about me. Why do you need more miracles? So many explanations?"
“The only thing for sure is that you are here, that you are alive, that this world is full of wonders.”

------------------

To the above I added:

Thank you, Reverend Billy Hester, for making Asbury Memorial Church a place open to all.

a familiar face from SMF26 in 2015

I don't usually research the groups or musicians before my volunteer gigs.

I'd rather form my own opinions by experiencing their music for myself, right?

All I knew going in to the event at the Trustees Theatre was the concert was titled "Island Prayers", so I expected something along the lines of gospel.

That was not correct.

When I saw the name "Turtle Island Quartet", I assumed that these were local fellows who had named themselves for the nearby hammock of land.

As it turned out, they didn't realize that Georgia had a real Turtle Island.

Honestly, I probably wouldn't have known about that place either if not for the Muralcle on Habersham project that I supported on kickstarter years ago.

So, I was incorrect on that score, as well.

However, I'm glad I was there, for what turned out to be upscale bluegrass.

I'm glad that when I saw the volunteer slot open up a few days earlier, that I'd grabbed it.

It had been one of the events I wanted to usher from the beginning of this year's Savannah Music Festival, albeit based on faulty reasoning.

However, the concert had been reserved for the Student Ambassador volunteers.

Fortunately, some of them had to cancel, so... good luck for me!

This was my only bluegrass event this year, and I do like that music, thanks to Pete Derby, one of guys at Okinawa with me.

(smile!)

So, why were they named "Turtle Island"?

It all had to do with a creation myth that David Balakrishnan had taken a fancy to, naming his quartet in 1985 for that life-giving sea creature.

He's a violinist, as well as the only constant in this quartet, by the way.

The others are all fairly new, having joined in 2012 (Benjamin von Gutzeit, on viola), 2018 (Gabe Terracciano, violin), and 2021 (Naseem Alatrash, cello).

 

But, wait a minute... 

what's that middle name?

Gabe Terracciano... sounds familiar.

That's him, violin bow raised.

My goodness, he even looked familiar!

And didn't David just say something about Gabe having been here as part of a workshop, once upon a time?

So I promised myself I'd look him up on my blogsites, on the off chance that I'd written of him...

and I had!

The year was 2015, my first year as an SMF volunteer, and Gabe had been one of the 14 students in the Acoustic Music Seminar headed by bluegrass mandolin guy, Mike Marshall.

The students were all part of the Stringband Spectacular, showing off their original compositions and having one last chance to play with their classmates.

Gabe had been 22 then, and just 25 when he joined the Turtle island Quartet.

How wonderful to have that link with him on my tenth year as volunteer!

Now, I've found a video of him playing a Steely Dan song I love, "Home At Last"...

and he's singing it, too!

I'm going to listen to that again!

(smile!)

o, b a fine girl, kiss me

Believe it or not, a female astronomer - Annie Cannon - is the one who came up with that mnemonic to help people remember the Harvard Scale for stellar energy, which is based on their spectral characteristics.

We even watched as the actors used diffraction gratings to look at the images captured on the photographic plates by the telescope at the Harvard Observatory.

That's where they were working in the first twenty years of the 20th century, as a time when women were fine as computers - i.e., ones who compute values - but could never actually use the telescopes themselves.

Who were "they"?

Well, the aforementioned Annie Cannon, who was the one in charge of the computers; Willamina, the former housekeeper of the man who ran the telescope, made a computer when the men given the task failed abysmally; and Henrietta Leavitt, the one who wanted the job in astronomy so much that she convinced her father, a minister, to give her the money set aside for her dowry, as she planned to devote her life to science.

That's pretty much what happened, too.

That's according to Lauren Gunderson, author of "Silent Sky", the play I watched tonight from my seat, right beside Mama's, in Jenkins Hall at Armstrong.

 

Henrietta left home, and the one sister she had, for life at a desk, doing research.

She only returned home after the father had a stroke and her sister needed help...

but she brought her research home with her.

That was a happy coincidence, as it turned out.

While listening to the religious symphony her sister had composed, Henrietta had an insight into the puzzle she'd been trying to solve and suddenly realized the pattern between the luminosity and the period of variables related to pulsing stars (the Cepheid variables) in the Small and Large Magellanic Clouds.

Right place, right time... for her then, for me tonight.

It took her sitting still for long hours, for years, to compile enough data to see that pattern.

Without her patience, humanity might never have had the proof that out Milky Way was not the only galaxy in space.

Nor would there have been a way to determine distances to those other galaxies.

Science takes much time, and much patience, to produce viable truths.

Amazing.

Here's another coincidence: Henrietta Leavitt died of cancer at the age of 53, just as Dorothy Ashby - the unseen, but still heard, star of the noon30 - had done, years later.

As I said, right place, right time, for me.

i thank You, God.

you're a girl for one man only

That song was written by harpist Dorothy Ashby for a play she and her husband authored and staged in 1967.

Dorothy was 35 years old then.

Today, I listened raptly as Brandee Younger played the song on Harold, a borrowed harp, at the Metal Building at Trustees Garden.

Brandee was born in 1983, like my first niece, and will be 41 in July.

I liked her sense of style and femininity, as marked by that flowery dress and silver ankle boots.

However, that stylishness made it feel odd that Brandee believed that she had to apologize for the song's title as something "from another time when sensibilities were different."

Why did she think that apology was needed?

The Younger harpist - get the pun? - then proceeded to play several songs composed by Ashby, as well as a tune from Stevie Wonder, called "If It's Magic", on which Ashby was the harp player (as well as sole instrumentalist besides Wonder!).

Very nice!

Brandee Younger also played several songs written by Alice Coltrane, the harpist married to jazz legend John Coltrane for the last two years of his life.

Alice Coltrane was a contemporary of Mama's, born in 1937 just a few months before her, but wrote much of her music in her 20's and 30's.

How's that for coincidences?

Links to two of my people, in one place.

Right place, right time.

i thank You, God.

My favorite of this jazz-scented SMF noon30, though, was an original piece by Younger.

She composed it in two parts, one for just the harp, the other for harp, bass, and drums.

Nothing against Rashaan Carter or Allan Maynard, but "Unrest I', with just the flowing, urgent, pandemic-inspired notes from the harp, was sensational.

I was even swaying along with it...

not quite dancing, but in motion.

Yes, I think I'll take a listen to it again now.

and then there were five...

At first, the Lucas Theatre stage held only two bluesmen.

This concert of SMF35 was titled "Muddy And Wolf Revisited: A Tribute To Muddy Waters And Howlin' Wolf" and was one I'd wanted from before the very first day.

Fortunately, someone who'd snagged one of the volunteer positions had bailed, so I had snapped up the gig!

Never lose faith!

The North Mississippi Allstars were the two starters.

That's Luther Dickinson on the guitar and doing most of the singing.

His brother, Cody, is the man on the drums, keeping that bluesy beat bangin'.

Take a listen here, as they jam away on Rollin' and Tumblin', a Muddy Waters tune.

They were up there solo for awhile, getting the crowd moving.

 

Then two more blues players came up, off to either side of the two brothers.

Over on the left is Joey Williams, the bassist for the Blind Boys of Alabama.

I always credit them with introducing me to "Amazing Grace" sung to the music of "The House Of The Rising Sun", back at a past Savannah Music Festival - oh, yeah!

[Here's a more recent video of that, with Joey on the bass and singing, too.]

On the right is Danielle Nicole, also on bass, and singing with that rasp in the voice that all good blues singers possess.

She put it to fine use on "Spoonful", a song made famous by Howlin' Wolf.

Then she belted out "I'd Rather Go Blind", which can be heard here.

 

So, we had two, then added two more... time for the fifth!

Once Bobby Rush took the stage, he was all over it!!!

It was immediately obvious why the others had their time first, because all eyes were on the 90-year-old blues veteran as he grabbed the spotlight and held it tight!

Not that he was greedy about it, as he kept interacting with the younger ones on stage.

It's just that he was constantly, constantly, constantly in motion!

He didn't stay up on the stage, either - oh, no!

Like Renee Fleming had done, he called for the houselights to come up so he could see us.

Unlike her, he then came down into the house, joking around with the folks up in the Gold Circle seats, then heading up the aisle with his harmonica for a closer look at the crowd.

And the crowd went wild!!! Wow!!! 

Kermit the Frog would have been beside himself with glee, as I was!

Surprisingly, I did have the presence of mind take advantage of a rare opportunity.

I managed to snap a couple of shots of the photographer - outlined against that decorative wall - trying to catch frames of the nonagenarian - standing up left of center stage - as he literally bounced from fan to fan, like a large, graceful, dark butterfly trying to grace as many flowers as possible.

Recognize that man behind that long lens of the camera?

That's none other than Frank Stewart, the fellow with the exhibit at the Jepson!

He really hadn't recognized me at the museum, but he's made sure to talk to me at every one of these concerts that he's worked!

(smile!)

And Bobby Rush?

The man played almost thirty minutes longer than scheduled!

He especially had fun with his Grammy winner, "Porcupine Meat", even getting the crowd involved with the refrain!

My many thanks to whoever it was that gave up their slot so I could be here!

(smile!)

washing day!

Yes, I do realize there was a partial solar eclipse visible to us, and I even did a bit of watching that in the hood of my car, as I had the last time.

Mostly, though, today was a day of getting things washed.

That included me, of course, starting the day fresh from a shower.

Nope, no picture of that!

But I do have a quite nice shot of my clothes swirling in the washer!

Looks like some kind of abstract art, doesn't it?

I wonder if Owen Wilson's character had that thought as he looked at the machines?

Most likely not, as he had not been in need of a laverie in Paris at the time.

He was trying to find the bar that existed in that space 90 years earlier, only he didn't yet realize that he had slipped out of that time and space.

Where was I?

Oh, yes, getting things washed, and getting them dried as well.

That's what the dishes are doing, as a matter of fact.

They're drying in the broken dishwasher, after being hand washed by me.

There were five coffee cups, which means five days since I last washed dishes.

There were also two pots that were washed, but they dry in the oven.

And now what to do?

Write about it!

(smile!)

owen wilson's theme song

When Stephane Wrembel said on Friday that he had a song in the 2011 movie "Midnight In Paris", and that the soundtrack had won a Grammy, I thought, "Very cool!"

What he should have said was that his song, "Bistro Fada", was used every time that 'Gil Pender' was out strolling solo on the Paris streets.

Every single time!

 

The first time "Bistro Fada" is heard, Gil is taking a walk in the night air after a somewhat stressful dinner with his fiancee and others.

She had advised him not to do so, saying he would "get lost" on the winding streets.

He went anyway, as the jazz two-step played, and ended up in the company of Cole Porter and the Fitzgeralds...

transported back to them alive and well in the  1920's when he caught a ride in a Peugeot.

He excitedly told his disbelieving fiancee about his experience and insisted she come with him the very next evening.

But no "Bistro Fada" music, and no magical transportal back in time occurred, so she left.

He stayed, as he'd even brought his manuscript as Gertrude Pound had promised to read it.

And as he paces and the music begins, the clock struck midnight... and the car came!

After that, he was doing the Patsy Cline bit, but walking just before midnight, not after.

Partly it was because of Hemingway and Picasso and all the other writers and artists in Paris in 1920 that he had adored for so much of his "born at the wrong time" life.

 

Mostly, though, he went back in time to see Adriana.

She, however, was not fond of her life in 1920, as she was enamored of La Belle Époque, so he shows her the trick place to transport.

And they go, but her choice is to stay in that time period... and he realizes, during "Bistro Fada" on a night stroll, that current-day Paris is where he wants to stay.

Choices and perspectives -

what a wonderful movie!

Thanks, Comcast, for this "$1 movie night" reward!

Thanks, also, to Stephane Wrembel, now half a century old and gladly sharing his decades of music, and stories, at the noon30 concert on Friday with his Quartet!

This photo is one I snapped off a fundraiser on youTube, as my phone stayed home instead of going to the Metal Building with me.

Stefane is the one in the front left.

Ari Folman-Cohen is the guy wailing on the bass behind him, and Nick Anderson has charge of the drums.

The three of them saw me dancing to quite a few of their tunes - including "Ecce Homo", "Lascaux", "Train de Enfar/ Carbon 14"- throughout their 75-minute set.

(The other guitarist, Josh Kaye, had his view of me blocked by a pillar.)

However, the song I most enjoyed dancing to, up on the stair platform, absolutely was that lively, jazzy, two-stepping waltz called "Bistro Fada".

I even danced to it every time it came up in the movie, as I watched it again this morning.

Yes, most definitely!

(smile!)

raise your blade up high, Sweeney...

The first time I ever saw this musical was at least thirty years ago.

The Savannah Community Theatre was putting on "Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street", at their playhouse on Broughton Street.

I actually convinced my husband to go, being that several of the folks at his weekly trivia game at Sam Fink's Deli were part of the show.

That included the Soucy siblings, JinHi and Chris, with the latter having helped to create the huge structure that recreated Mrs. Lovett's Pie shop on one side and Sweeney Todd's barber salon on the other.

Talk about love gone wrong, that play was full of it!

Just like that other musical I am so enamored of: "The Phantom Of The Opera".

And, so, every time I hear that someone is staging one of these, I must go.

Seriously.

This time, it's the Savannah Children's Theatre, and, incredibly, I made it there five minutes before the curtains rose.

Right place, right time!

I must have had an angel steering me there from Hinesville!

Here's Ben Templeton, 

as Sweeney, 

post-play, 

with his white shirt gone crimson.

Notice that dark,

and grim,

makeup on his face,

signs of a heart

gone cold

and life 

gone bitter.

Wow!

 

And here is his lost lady,

his Lucy,

gone mad,

who had been

so beautiful

before the Judge

took her,

and the daughter, Joanna,

mistreating the mother

and essentially imprisoning

the baby,

after banishing the barber.

 

Here is one of the townspeople,

made up dark and grim,

just as Sweeney and Mrs. Lovett are,

yet another who has lost hope

and lost their dreams

in this dreary place.

The whole town could have been

part of a zombie apocalypse,

save two:

the sweet virgin, Johanna,

and the bright-eyed sailor

who loves her.

Their faces are clean of grime,

the visages are hopeful for a future.

 

Wow.

 

I sure hope I can see this once more...

but am so grateful to have seen it this one time!