are you an artist?

That's the question that Cindy Liu - not to be confused with Cindy Lou Who! - asked me.

She's the leader of HA HA HA, a group that holds art workshops for seniors, and perhaps others, too.

One of her assistants took a photo of me, then printed it while I busied myself with a blank 5x7 card, coloring it in spontaneous fashion, as I do.

That means a Spirograph-type pattern emerged, right?

So, when the young woman brought me the sticker with me on it, she expected I would place it in the center of the paper, as most folks did.

Yeah, I'm not 'most folks', am I?

(smile!)

I folded back part of the sticker, then placed it in the lower right corner.

"Me and the Scribble Flower"

I really like it, and so did they, taking my photo with it to post on their Instagram page.

I'll have to look it up!

(smile!)

That wasn't the only 'masterpiece' I created today.

I also "Pansy Through A Rainy Window" in the 'flow' watercolors workshop.

That's one of the many workshop tables that were set up on the second and third floors of the Jepson for the museum's Free Family Fun Day for the PULSE18 exhibit.

I had hoped to be joined by some of my great-nieces and great-nephews, but their absence didn't stop me from participating in the creative bits!

(smile!)

Not that I was the only adult participating, nor the only older person having art there.

This moderated chevron design was crafted by ten senior veterans, using markers, cloth, batik, and paint at the Georgia Sheriff's Office.

What an appropriate image for former military!

 

That's just one of the pieces from this season's "Making Marks" exhibit.

All are fairly large-scale, with the smallest still using six squares of cloth knotted together to form an all-encompassing design.

I missed the opening night for this exhibit in December, due to the weather as I recall.

That's why I made sure to view it on Thursday when I came early for the PULSE opener.

 

The piece that had grabbed me then was this one.

I have to admit, the bright colors may have drawn me to it, but the title kept me there.

"Aphasia Tied Together With Hope And Love" -  remarkable!

How wonderful to be able to use imagery when vocal language skills are lost, n'est-ce pas?

"Making Marks" will be on display through April 5th, so I'll have to visit it again.

(smile!)

Meanwhile, it was 3 PM and time for the event I'd specifically come for today!

Tybee Ballet Theater had created dances to correlate to the works of two of the local artists who were part of the "Certified Humans" exhibit.

 

The first dance, "The Garden", had six dancers in black, descending singly down the stairs to each side within Neises Auditorium, to join together on the stage.

Throughout their descent and dance, Michael Betancourt's piece was projected on three sides of the auditorium.

Very cool!

The second dance also featured his work, but only projected on the front wall.

"La Fee Electricite" featured only a single dancer, clad in white, with enormous, flowing, sleeves that were swirled about in time with the music.

Such very graceful dancing that was, and exactly right for The Electricity Fairy!

That's her in the lower right, with her shadow reflected on the back wall... just follow the image on the floor between the two.

Very lovely dance... and I swayed in my seat the whole time!

(smile!)

Then there's the third dance, with James Gladman's "Cosmodities" projected on the three walls of the space.

That one didn't work for me.

The TEMU-derived imagery was so dominant that the three, black-clad, dancers were fairly well invisible.

Then again, maybe that was the point?

Perhaps.

It's all about perspective.

(smile!)

are we dancing yet?

You betcha! 

Elvis and his six brothers are ready to keep me on the beat, too!

 

There's Wednesday, ThuRsday, and Friday, too, right arm swingin' to catch my attention,

with SAturday, SUnday, Monday, and Tuesday in step right behind them!

 

They aren't quite where they should be, though, so let me take a moment to place them all in a row on that cabinet door.

 

 

So, what's the weather like on this first day of a brand new year?

 

Quite brisk in the daytime it is, and absolutely miserable at night, that's what the weather is.

 

I have groceries, though, so I'm set for staying indoors and keeping busy with activities here.

 

For example, consider this wall.

 

This is what I refer to as the second wall in the dining room, and, as can be seen, it's adorned with programs from cultural blessings yet again.

 

In fact, this is the third time it's held mementos of plays and concerts and musicals from 2024.

 

Busy, vibrant, woman, indeed!

Time to clear the walls of all of those and make way for the events in 2025!

 

First, however, the time had come to replace the Renoir with something else.

 

My choice was Mama's Dollhouse.

 

I had done all of this embroidery for her while I was stationed in Okinawa, and I'm certain I sent it to her for her 44th birthday in 1981.

 

I knew I would not be home for that, so I had spent many and hour making the myriad of stitches that were needed for this two-story house with attic.

 

So very much love is in this piece!

And so very much love was written in the two-page letter to my future self, too.

 

At 3 PM this afternoon, I attended the Anticipation and Bowl Burning Ceremony, as I did last year.

 

Being greeted by the Tulip stationery was delightful; being acknowledged by Cheri as the source of that paper made me feel cherished!

 

My letter held congratulatory words to my future self, about specific changes and specific actions.

 

At the end of this year, when that letter arrives and I next see those flowers, I look forward to realizing that those things foretold had occurred.

That's what I found to be true when I read last year's letter as my gift to open on Christmas Eve.

 

Now, I'm going to rent "Violent Night" for a dollar, since I've been rewarded from Comcast.

 

Time to get my David Harbour fix...

and get ready for sweet dreams!

off to Mount Sinai for Christmas!

This scene of the young couple paying taxes is certainly something everyone can relate to.

They don't even live in Bethlehem, but because Joseph was born there, that's the locale to which they had to travel.

Did it even matter whether they lived there anymore?

Nope, not even.

Did it matter whether Joseph still had relatives there or not?

Nope, not even.

He was on the registry as having been born there, so that is where the Romans expected him to come for tax-paying.

In this scene, they have submitted their money and now are leaving the site to find a place to stay the night, as darkness is falling and Mary is too far along for travel.

Of course, we know the story, but it was good to get another perspective on it.

I haven't seen Langston Hughes' "The Black Nativity" for several years.

The first time was at Muse Arts Warehouse, back in 2011, when Albeni Arts presented it.

Now, that dancing group has grown into the Performing Arts Collective Savannah and the venue this season is First Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist Church.

So good to see Muriel Miller still dancing, thirteen years later!

So good to see her son, Josh Miller, still active on the stage and in the band as the Drummer Boy, literally and figuratively!

My guess is all of the "Senior Ensemble" have been part of the troupe all these years.

Kudos to Darrren Deloach, Devan Cokley, Jenique Williams (with her clear, pure, singing!), Laurent White, Lorenzo Daniels, and Veron Jackson.

The play itself was contained in Act One, but I stayed after intermission.

I wanted to see what would come next in this church that kept tambourines in the pews!

I'm glad I stayed.

For almost an hour, Darren Deloach and Sharon Aikens held a service that glorified what came next in the life of the boy born once he'd had three decades as a man.

Much singing accompanied the personal stories of salvation and the sermons about God's love.

I grew up in a Southern Baptist church, knowing that my mother had been raised in the house of a traveling Baptist minister, so I welcomed this look back into my history and this church's present.

Yes, I felt like I must have gone fast-forward through Saturday and into Sunday during this chilly afternoon, but it was a trip through time I was glad to take.

i thank You, God.

up to the highest heights!

"Oh, let's go, fly a kite!"

I do so love that song from "Mary Poppins" and was thrilled to hear it tonight!

Moreover, every child on the stage had one and each waved their colorful paper diamond enthusiastically!

I just know Barbara would have loved it, too.

She's the reason I was there, as she was the one who introduced me to these plays by the students of Rambam Day School.

She knew I would enjoy them as much as she did.

Two of the teachers who knew her greeted me, having seen me with her at these holiday plays for the past few years.

In keeping with tradition, this year's offering was also a musical.

"A Spoonful Of Sugar" was a take-off on the flying nanny (there's a little joke!) and contained several familiar songs, including both of the ones that the chimney sweeps sing - and there must have been a baker's dozen of them doing it!

There was a line of elementary-aged boys the length of the stage, as all wanted to be in on those dance routines!

I would have loved dancing with them!

There were also a few songs that touched on Judaism and even one about the man that the school is named for, set to the tune of the Beach Boys' "Help Me Rhonda" - making learning fun, just as the nanny did!

I think my favorite of those was "Soup and Challah", to the tune of "Supercali" -

"Soup and Challah, Candlesticks, Kiddush it is delicious / Every Shabbat meal we eat is really quite nutritious / Can I have some chicken served on Irma's special dishes / Soup and Challah, Candlesticks, Kiddush is is declicious!"

Guaranteed to bring a smile!

After the free show was over, I knew to stay for the free dessert: a Krispy Kreme doughnut.

Many thanks for making me welcome, y'all!

i thank You, God, for this gift from Barbara.

ballet and hotdog hotrods!

"Hotdog hotrods? Like, race cars shaped like hotdogs, like the Oscar Meyer Wienermobile?"

LOL! No, these were paper models of classic cars that served as the serving dishes for the kids meals at Hwy 55. Chloe kept hers, but Miyah let me take her paper toy home. There is even a sheet of decals that I can apply to personalize it!

"Oh, wow, that looks really cool! So, you were in Hinesville to have dinner with your first niece and her girls?"

Yes, and no. We did dine together, but that was after the dance recital at Liberty County Performing Arts Center. I just love the name of the group: Life Moves Dance Studio. 

"Very nice name!"

Right? Christina had mentioned the show to me on Thursday night, though she called it "Scrooged" by mistake. The actual title was "Scrooge" and it had elements of "A Christmas Carol" at its core, but also music and dances from "The Nutcracker" as well as the story of the birth of Jesus.

"That sounds like a bit of a mishmash to me."

Actually, it was beautifully choreographed, with a beautiful story and excellent music, all beautifully performed. That's what I wrote on their event page just a few minutes ago.

"And this scene is with Scrooge and Jacob Marley?"

It is! And that's Brian Rich playing the title character! He's with the Richmond Hill Community Theatre! He was fabulous in this nonverbal, nondancing role. The dancers are the Ghost of Christmas Present (two-toned dress), the Ghost of Christmas Past (in white), and the Ghost of Christmas Future (in black). Absolutely fortuitous that all three spirits happened to be in this shot!

"So that was one of your point-and-click photos?"

You got it!

"Well done! And I see in the program that others from RHCT were in this, too. Eddie Hodge played 'Marley', Elijah Winchester was 'Tiny Tim', and his dad, Greyson Winchester, was 'Joseph' in the nativity scene."

Yes, I saw that, too. I didn't even realize that was Brian Rich until I was able to read the program here at home. If I had known, I might have gone up and said hi to him. As it was, we were all hungry, and the two little blondes had lost track of the story after intermission, so we skedaddled.

"I see. And you didn't spend the night?"

I had packed my butterfly tote with my meds, as well as a nightgown, then left it on the couch. I didn't even realize I'd done so until I pulled up at Christina's and went to grab the bag... and it wasn't on the car seat. I knew I had a bag in my hand when I went out, but it was the trash bag.

"Maybe next time, dear. And how cute the girls look in their matching outfits!"

Yes, they do, and they insisted on posing with Lucy and Mousse. Yes, that's d-o-g-s, plural. That's a topic for another post, not this one.

"Heard. Well, I'm glad y'all had such a nice evening together as the girls went to their first dance performance! Maybe they should have been read "A Christmas Carol" so they would have had a clue what was going on."

Good suggestion. I'll make sure of that before we have another show! Now, I've used my Comcast reward to watch "Scrooged", the 1988 movie with Bill Murray, and I'd forgotten how much fun it was, with its cavalcade of stars! Like Carol Kane as the zany Ghost of Christmas Present - what a hoot and half!

two holiday dances in my trio!

Just one word of warning before I reveal my dance card: the order is wrong.

Yes, again.

I honestly do not know why AMC has listed them this way, but, there it is.

 

The one at the end was the first one viewed, not the third.

You'll notice that it's listed as if it were part of a double header today, too.

That's also wrong.

I watched "Weekend In Taipei" on Tuesday at 2:05 PM, before seeing "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" at 5:15 PM that same day.

So, I did have a double header... just not the one AMC says.

Both had a lot of action, though that was all they had in common.

I enjoyed "Weekend In Taipei", but I had hoped to maybe see something that I might remember from my USO tour there in 1981.

Besides the colorful restaurant and store signs that spoke of that Asian environment, one sight was instantly recognized: a shrine.

 

I had a souvenir photo of me, taken in front of that very place, enclosed in a thin encircling frame of etched black marble.

Wow.

That denim skirt had been one of my favorite items of clothing.

The photo has yellowed in the forty-plus years since it was taken, and I don't recall the name of the shrine, but this image is crystal-clear in my mind.

The movie itself, about an American narc and a Taiwanese driver of drug cars, was pretty engaging, even if it did err on whether it had been 13 years or 15 years since they were once lovers and he was once living there undercover.

Oh, well!

I wouldn't have noticed but they kept bringing the time line up in dialogue.

As for the holiday movie, I watched it with another couple in the screening room.

They were from Missouri - same as my sis-in-law Laura! - and their daughter had seen the play in Rincon the same year I had!!!

How about that!

Right place, right time.

Very nice!

I had company at the movie today, too.

That would be the movie in the middle of my A*List, "Red One".

 

I specifically chose this date so I'd be in the running for that trip to Aruba!

Sandy watched the Big-D screening with me, which was a nice change of pace.

The movie, with J.K. Simmons as a possibly-extraterrestrial entity known as Santa Claus, was absolutely fabulous and had a story with all kinds of twists!!!

If not for other movies next week that I really want to see - including a Screen Unseen on Monday!!! - I'd be using all three dances for this one!

Perhaps I'll do this one as a trio the following week... we'll see!

even i know that isn't so

At WNS tonight, we were to dine on baked ziti.

I was a little late getting to Asbury, but I still made it there before the meal arrived.

That meant the salad course would be separate from the dinner, not alongside.

No worries, that's the way it is at restaurants!

So I sat with Sherry Giddens and her husband, as well as Emily Garrard and her husband, plus Barb Gooby, sans husband.

By 6 PM, the entree had arrived!

Time to put my Lactaid pill to use!

 

Or not, as it turned out.

I told Kathy Hodges, "Even with my post-amnesia brain, I know that isn't baked ziti."

She had looked at me, perplexed, and asked, "When did you have amnesia?"

Then it was my turn to be perplexed!

Yikes!

"That's my post-anesthesia brain at it again! I didn't even realize I said the wrong word!"

She thought that was pretty funny!

But it was absolutely true.

Post anesthesia, I have learned not to trust my brain.

It's still on the numb-dumb drugs for well over a week after that juice is turned off.

I liken it to going on a bender and still being drunk from tequila.

That's why, when Dr. Cobb wanted me to go in for surgery on November 1st, I'd told him I needed more time to get things in order before I went under the needle.

That's why he'd waited until the following week.

And the reason he had the ablation on a Thursday instead of a Friday?

That was because he listened to me when I told him I preferred not a Friday, so that if I needed to call his office about pain, he would be there.

Yeah, he's definitely a good one!

I know he's had lots of experience since he first worked on me in February of 2022.

I could tell this time that everyone in EP had done this cardiac ablation procedure many, many times in the 32 months which have elapsed since my first one in March of that year.

How fortunate for me that they are such experts now!

I'm glad to have had the cardiac ablation instead of the other procedure.

I'd had nightmares after the DCC with its accompanying Transesophageal Echocardiography.

Dr. Cobb had suggested the DCC-TEE when I'd seen him for my last 6-month check up.

That had been the last Monday of October.

I explained to him that I'd rather have the ablation again, and why.

So, that's what I had last Thursday.

Good for me for speaking up!

Now, it's not even been a week and I've been almost back to my busy, vibrant self!

Well, all except the logic circuits of my brain.

Even so, I can still recognize things that are patently untrue, like beef stew not being the same thing as baked ziti.

Or "Phantom Of The Paradise" not being a musical.

I rented that one because Danielle Houston had said on fb that it was one of her favorite musicals.

Although the 1974 movie was entertaining -

and a mash-up of "Fame", "The Phantom Of The Opera", and "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" -

it was not a musical.

Like "Fame", it was a concert movie.

Had it been a play, it would be like "Once".

Most def -not- a musical.

Every time anyone sang it was because they were performing a song in concert.

Any time anyone danced it was because they were doing so at a concert.

No spontaneous singing or dancing by anyone, ever.

Still, I'm glad to have seen it and look forward to talking about it with her the next time I see her.

And the photo?

That's the "Phantom", wearing the mask after melting off half his face when he fell into an album printing machine.

He's hard at work completing his musical masterpiece, having signed a deal - in blood - that guarantees it will be a success.

Paul Williams is fabulous as the orchestrator of that Faustian contract.

I'll watch it again, as I've rented it, though I had thought it was to be a $1 Movie Night reward from Comcast.

Apparently not, as I must have used that for "Enchanted" and not had another.

That means this movie cost me $3.99.

Yep, a second viewing is needed to justify that.

Silly post-anesthesia brain.

halloween party? dance? art show?

Yes, yes, yes, and more!

"Kick And Scream Savannah: A Graveyard Smash" had intrigued me with its title, just as Tomasz' vampire film had last week.

That's why I've had my ticket to it since September 19th.

For real!

Of course, it helped that it was free!!!

I didn't know just what to expect, but I knew it would be fun, so that was for me!

Plus, the phrase "a graveyard smash" made me think of the song "Monster Mash", so I expected to see some dancing... and that's my jam for sure!

What it turned out to be was a celebration of the different classes taught there at the Savannah Cultural Arts Center.

Yes, there was dance!

But there were also charcoal drawings and sketch comedy and even a couple of women keeping up with it all via sign language for anyone hard of hearing!

 

The highlight, and star of the show, was "Boris", which happened to be the nickname of the guy who wrote "Monster Mash" in 1962.

Coincidence?

Perhaps!

I'll have to ask Cameron Frost about that.

He's the one who designed and sculpted "Boris", using ceramic for his head and hands, with three people operating the puppet behind its black cape.

He told me about it when he greeted me while I was in the line of folks waiting to get in.

What a treat to see my former student again!!!

I always enjoy our encounters so much!

 

He even came up to me after the show, too! 

Isn't he such a sweetie!

I just loved that he gave me that great grin and thumbs-up while posing for that photo!

(smile!)

So, here's the plot: "Boris" has commanded that his minions - Winston with the purple head, Paul with the green head, and Cynthia in the tutu - to gather a crowd for his feast.

 

They enlist the aid of a Brazilian drum corp, who lure us in with their "Skeleton Samba".

Very nice, with different tempos to satisfy everyone!

 

Then came a series of dance troupes, with a variety of moves to entice us.

First came a bit of musical theatre about "The Whole Being Dead Thing" - very funny, with shades of Beetlejuice in their clothing!

 

Next up was a hiphop group, having a "Monster Block Party" right onstage!

I very much liked that!

A ballet followed with a "Requiem For Forgotten Souls", then came a contemporary set that proclaimed "I Am Human", before another ballet brought "Me And The Devil".

A former Hospice nurse came after all that activity and told us the story of one of her clients from a few years back.

That had been the case of the woman who would not die, taking a breath every four or five minutes for over four hours, before finally expiring.

That had been very startling for the nurse, as she had not encountered such behavior yet in her career.

It had certainly been startling for many in the audience, too, but not me.

(I had remembered when Mother Pat was dying that she'd resisted going until her son and I had departed to a shop for a book of poetry to read to her.)

A jazz dance version of "Conga" followed to liven things back up.

Then... surprise!!!

Jayme Tinti, of Savannah Stage Company, was on the stage!!! 

That's her, in the middle, between the bearded man and the trio of others.

I later found out that was her mom and her brother and two others up there with her, for a sketch called "Electric Chair".

How electrifying it was, too, with a great light show!!!

 

Another series of dances followed: "Play With Me", involving acrobatics; a pair of "Mummies", doing amazing tap dancing; and a risque troupe in high heels and not much else for "Call Of The Coven".

Wow!

That's when I understood the PG-15 rating for the show!

A delightful skit followed, featuring Jayme's mom as a soothsayer with an "Eye Into The Future", as she helped her gold-digging son land a wife.

I laughed and laughed at that one!

 

Next was another hiphop number, "Succubus Frenzy", before a comedian came out.

What is a skeleton's favorite jazz instrument?

A trom-BONE.

Where is a skeleton's favorite place to go?

Anywhere that's a real HIP JOINT.

Hahahaha!

He had two "knock knock" jokes, too, but I can't remember them.

 

That was all designed to buy time for the final number, "The Bloody Feast", with all of the dance troupes on stage together!

How magnificent!!!

And Jayme came right up to me and gave me a huge hug!!!

She'd heard me laughing and had searched me out!!!

(smile!)

Then Cameron came right up to me and posed with "Boris"!

(smile!)

And I was amazed to find that two hours had gone by in a flash!

Time does fly when you're having fun!!!

oh what a beautiful morning, oh what a beautiful day!

All he was missing from the first time was that blue gingham shirt he'd worn!

He had the cowboy hat and the jeans and the leather vest still, but not that shirt.

That's okay...

the last time he'd entered singing that song was October 2, 2005.

It's quite likely that shirt doesn't even exist anymore!

"Oklahoma!" had been the very first God On Broadway (GOB) production here at Asbury Memorial, and Jeff and I were still newcomers at the church.

This musical had convinced me that this was the right place for me!

I remembered watching the movie version of the play with Mama several times over the years, with us singing along with the songs.

How wonderful to have heard those songs again in 2005, then again today!

Here, I was the only one turned around in my seat, awaiting his entrance, at 11:15.

Everyone else soon caught on, but I was the first!

"Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin' " as Rev. Billy "Curly" Hester entered...

"The Farmer And The Cowman Should Be Friends", with the choir members up on the stage all in costume and dancing...

"I Cain't Say No" from Cheri "Annie" Hester, with hair in two ponytails...

and, of course, the title song, "Oklahoma!", as a rousing finale by all!

Nice to hear "The Surrey With The Fringe On Top" and "People Will Say We're In Love", even without the words!

Yes, I just may have to watch the video of today's GOB service again!

What a blessing to have that option!

(smile!)

Oh, one more thing: a photo of me from the Sing & Swing!

I can't say which song I was doing at the time, but how cool that someone took a picture of me doing karaoke!

I found that little surprise in this month's church newsletter.

Hope we'll have another of those events sometime soon!

(smile!)

flashback to 1920's chicago, plus

Even when the days are full of televised football, there is still something worth watching.

Last night, Comet gave me the one episode of "The X-Files" that was almost a musical.

For real!

Not only was "Improbable" filled with songs that Mark Snow had nothing to do with, and that made it a quite unusual show, but there were also dance numbers! 

 

For starters, there were seven Italian songs from the 1950's or earlier and one English song written in 1936 by two American black artists.

Why had those songs been chosen?

Did Burt Reynolds suggest those tunes from his youth?

After all, having been born in 1936 - the same year as my Daddy, Harvey Goodwin Smith - and growing up in southern Florida, near Miami, Burt would have been in his teens and 20's when he heard much of that music.

No doubt it's as familiar to him as Jim Croce is to me.

Then again, it may just be that Chris Carter is a fan of the French singer, Karl Zéro, and wanted to include his latest album - "Songs for Cabriolets and Otros Tipos de Vehiculos" - full of bossa nova tunes in that 2002 episode of "The X-Files".

After all, he is the writer/director/producer, so he has that option.

(smile!)

All I can say is, that's one of my favorite non-Mulder episodes!

I came into it straight out of seeing "Chicago", the musical I chose as my $1 Movie Night reward from Comcast for the month.

"Improbable" was set in Baltimore, but sure had a "back in the day" feel to it, so that was actually a good segue for me.

Then, I watched "Chicago" again with my breakfast.

Perfect!

A little bit of burlesque...

as the lawyer "rode" to the prison in his makeshift Ford Phaeton!

That reminds me of the "Crazy Horse Paris" show I saw in Las Vegas in 2010 - ooh la la!

 

 

A little bit of ventriloquism and puppetry...

as the lawyer puts words into his client's mouth, while also orchestrating the spin that all the media folk will put on the "little jazz killer's" murder story.

 

A little bit of softshoe comedy, and a little bit of tap...

the first as performed by the ignored husband of the murdering blonde, the second done with much "Razzle Dazzle" by the lawyer in the courtroom.

Oh, yes, this one hits all the high notes of vaudeville!

Come to think of it, so did "Sherman And The Mint Juleps", didn't it?

Yes, yes, indeed.

Time to watch that again... and perhaps invite the physicist.

He's always up for vaudeville and burlesque!

(smile!)

usher and the a*list

What a fabulous time that was last Friday morning: dancing with Usher in France!

Such good fortune on that Friday the 13th!

I was the only person in the screening room for "Rendezvous In Paris", so I took full advantage of that to dance with him to the music!

Imagine that: a private concert for only $15 - wow!!!

Not that it was a concert so much as a story told in five chapters, with music.

Chapter 1: "DJ Got Us Fallin' In Love", set in a club with lots of sexy dancing!

Chapter 2: Straying to another, a lone skater on a foggy bridge, with the concert section featuring him on skates, plus burlesque pole dances!

Chapter 3: Seduction, dancers with cane and hat and chair!

Chapter 4: Break up, solitude, death!

Chapter 5: Redemption with his first love!

Very nice to have gone on that ride with the 46-year-old Usher!

 

Very nice to have seen Paris again, too.

The last time was during the opening ceremony for the 17th Summer Paralympics there.

That was just over two weeks ago, on August 30th.

Because there were fewer participants for that part of the Summer Olympics, the athletes and their contingents were allowed to march down the Avenue des Champs-Elysees in downtown Paris to the site of the opening ceremony at the Place de la Concorde.

How very exciting that must have been for them!!!

It was certainly exciting, and quite beautiful, to watch!

 

So, back to the here and now and the A*List, shall we?

Yes, that's "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice" in the line-up once more.

Yes, it was a fun movie, one that I had planned to see again, though maybe not so soon.

So, why had I?

Points, my dear, great lovely bonus points, 1000 of them specifically.

(smile!)

Then, today, for Tina Tuesday, I had a double header of dances to complete the trio.

I totally enjoyed "The Killer's Game", with Drax of "The Guardians Of The Galaxy" as an assassin who finds love just before being diagnosed with a deadly disease.

Yes, I realize Dave Bautista is known more for his wrestling  career, but not by me.

This movie, which had languished for two decades before getting made, was a lot of fun and had the flavor of "Kill Bill".

Oh, but what was really cool was that he'd gotten another GOTG star, Pom Klementieff, cast as the diabolical Marianna Antoinette, his arch nemesis!!!

Yes, much fun was had by all I'm sure!

Not so much, though, for the second film, "Am I Racist?", which I'd gone into not expecting much and was delighted to find myself laughing out loud several times.

Truly!

I don't think the scenes were meant to be humorous, but they sure tickled me!

He was trying to poke fun at diversity training and groups that promote such, but I found his very dominating white-male actions to be the source of inside jokes for me.

The final scene in the diner is the most hilarious!

I started laughing and couldn't stop!

That definitely rattled the two other viewers - both older white men - into leaving quickly.

Will I check out the podcasts of the "star" of that mockumentary?

Not hardly.

This one dose of his finger-pointing antics was quite enough.

But I do recommend watching it once for laughs!

Even better: find the segments on youTube.

No need to sit through the pandering in the rest of his piece.