tamara, tamara, i love ya, tamara

Honestly, you'd have to be a fan of "Annie" to get it...

does that help?

So, just what the Sam Hill am I talkin' 'bout this time?

Watching tv with my first niece, of course!

Or else why would that song from one of our favorite musicals have been cued up on the jukebox in my mind?

Indeed!

(smile!)

So, here's what you need to know right now: Tamara and her husband Joe were the contestants on "The Wall".

Christina and I have added this show to our repertoire of ones we watch 'together'.

So, that makes three: "Weakest Link", "The Wall" and ... one to be named in a few moments.

(smile!)

We've been watching that first one for several months now!

That's not to say we catch it every week, but we try to keep up with it.

And now that "The Wall" has started its new season, we're there with it, too.

The latest one, on Sunday, had a brother and sister trying for the money...

and us trying to match wits with them.

(smile!)  

One multiple-choice question asked which two first names are brothers who have been in space?

me: "I know this one! Mark and Scott. They are identical twins. Scott was on ISS for a year to study effects of space on genes. His DNA is no longer identical to his brother Mark's. I watched a two hour special on Scott Kelly during the summer. It was fascinating."

Christina: "Wow, that is cool about the twins!"

Another question wanted to know where Fort Knox was.

 

me: "Oh, i would have missed that question. I thought for sure it was Tennessee, not Kentucky."
Christina: "If Covid ever allows normalcy I would Joe Biden to go to a trivia night sometime."
me: "Say what?" 

Christina: "That text was not meant to say anything about Joe Biden..."
 

me: "Spooky ether body snatching your phone?"

 

Christina: "Not sure if it is my phone's fault. Michael did something to my phone last night. My only clue to what he did was I might get to know Joe Biden better..."

 

me: "I have no idea how that would work."

 

Christina: "So strange. Like changed to Joe Biden...."

I still have no idea what her brother could have done to her phone.

Maybe it's one of those "predictive text" things.

Anywho....

tonight, I found a new show for us to watch: "Name That Tune"!

It's a bit like "Beat Shazam", which I really like, but involves contestants wagering how many notes they need to figure out the song title.

Fun!

She was done with her homework in time to watch the second half.

That meant she missed the first two contestants, but was right on time for the next pair!

Perfect!

So that meant that we were trying to guess the songs, too!

her: "Don't speak."
me: "No Doubt. Lol! You just got punned!"
her: "I like Gwen in general."

me: "Me, too!"
her: "You're punny tonight."

her: "ALL.OF.ME. John Legend."
me: "I think it is perfect as it is so true. No one is perfect and that is what the song celebrates."

her: "I think that too."

me: "Hahaha! Barbie Girl! I remember Sam Johnson singing that at karaoke one night. To raise money for his new kidney."

The blond young man then won a shot at $100,000 by guessing seven titles in 30 seconds.

 

her: "I can't believe he passed on 9 to 5."
me: "Yeah, we knew it, but he is very young."
her: "Can't fight the moon light was another he passed on."
me: "LOL! He's led a sheltered life."

 

So, he guessed four correct... 

 

her: "72k. That will buy him a car for sure."
me: "That will buy several cars!"

Hmmm...

maybe she and I need to go on these game shows!

LOL!

Yeah, maybe not, but it sure is fun to 'watch' them with her!

(smile!)

at least today is warm

I have been a bit bummed out today.

Yesterday's mail in late afternoon had brought the latest JEA newsletter.

I had eagerly awaited it, as I knew from Barbara that the Jewish Film Festival was soon, but I didn't know yet the dates.

Before I could even open it, the front page headline grabbed my attention.

"The Davids & Me"

Liking their nostalgia pieces, I lingered...

and found out the OB/GYN that gave me my own Polar Express had died.

The news caught me completely off-guard.

Yes, I was aware that he had retired a couple of years ago, as had his wife, Peggy Byck, who had been my GP for years before I started using the local VA center.

Somehow, I had thought they were both older than me.

I'm not sure about her age, but he was only 60 years old when he died in November.

That means he was born the same year as my brother Smitty.

As I read the article, filled to overflowing with fraternal love from one of that band of four 'brothers from other mothers', I found myself weeping.

I pulled up the obituary and read it twice, realizing that he had battled cancer several years.

How very sad that this man known for a wonderful sense of humor had been forced to deal with such pain for an extended time.

Needing to feel some sense of closure, I checked the link for the graveside service.

Was the video still available online?

It was... i thank You, God.

I thank you, too, Rabbi Haas, for loving words of comfort, not only for Peggy and their three grown daughters, not only for those few at the graveside during this pandemic, but for the hundreds that have watched this video from the safety of their homes, either on that day or months later.

David Byck touched many lives during his career.

I'm glad our paths intersected for a brief moment.

What a lasting impact he had on my life.

i thank You, God.

dancing in the dark as the credits roll by

I didn't even have to suggest it!

As the words started rolling on the screen, Miyah and Chloe headed to the front apron, ready to dance!

Woohoo!!!

They don't quite have an understanding of rhythm and beat working for them just yet, but they make up for that with enthusiasm and vigor!

I'm so glad I looked up the movies at the Liberty GTC yesterday.

I thought it'd be a nice change of pace for my first niece if I were to drive out to Hinesville instead of her coming here or to Pooler.

She'd met my query with an unequivocal "Yes!" when I'd suggested "Despicable Me".

We two have a history with Minions!

Traffic on I-95 made me thirty minutes late for the movie, but not to fret!

As I walked toward the cinema, a glitter of copper called for my attention -

I swear, I think it materialized from the air in front of me!

The 2018 penny gleamed so brightly...

and it's message was clear.

Right place, right time.

i thank You, God.

touch: not only from fingertips

I like this photograph.

It hangs on a wall at the local VA Center and I always enjoy its image while I wait.

When I was there recently, a title for it sprang to mind: Up From Desolation.

It does have a post-apocryphal vibe, with the sienna tinge, but also a hopeful, bright spark of life right there in the center.

That lone, intact, daisy draws me close, like a flickering fire radiating warmth in the darkness of the world.

I acknowledge that I know that darkness.

The pandemic has become yet another layer of sadness and loss, taking away much of the comfort I had derived from the company of friends and strangers and acquaintances at the cultural events for which I volunteered.

Talking with mi amiga last night after the movie, I realized how much I missed sitting in a restaurant and discussing the film over a meal with her, rather than standing in the cold parking lot for over an hour.

At least the cinemas here are still open, affording me that pale facsimile of the rich and varied life I led until April of last year.

I want that life back.

(Sigh.)

Eventually, it will be my turn to get the vaccine to protect me from the coronavirus, for some unspecified time.

SARS-CoV-2 is still simply so new and there is yet so much to learn about it.

Meanwhile, I do the right thing and try to protect myself and others...

and wait for my real life to move out of freeze-frame status.

One of the Boomers, Jackie Frant, posted the following on fb and it resonated with me, though at the time I thought it was simply because of the 'baby steps' that it listed for finding one's way out of the sadness of the world.

I awoke this morning with the realization that its focus on touch was central in almost every item on the list.

Touch.

I think folks overlook how many different varieties of that sensation there are and how important every one of them are.

The feel of water as it cascades over the skin, the snuggle of favorite clothes against the body, the almost audible drinking of the water in lotion by thirsty flesh, the warmth attained from holding another living creature: touch.

The entirety of the skin is a living organ, inundated with nerve tissue, and all of it needs to be nurtured for us to have a spirit which is satisfied and whole.

Touch.

***   ***   ***

"DEPRESSION TIPS
Shower.
Not a bath, a shower.
Use water as hot or cold as you like.
You don’t even need to wash.
Just get in under the water and let it run over you for a while.
Sit on the floor if you gotta.

Moisturize everything.
Use whatever lotion you like.
Unscented?
Dollar store lotion?
Fancy 48 hour lotion that makes you smell like a field of wildflowers?
Use whatever you want, and use it all over your entire dermis.

Put on clean, comfortable clothes.

Put on your favorite underwear.
Cute black lacy panties?
Those ridiculous boxers you bought last christmas with candy cane hearts on the butt?
Put them on.

Drink cold water.
Use ice.
If you want, add some mint or lemon for an extra boost.
I always use lemon.

Clean something.
Doesn’t have to be anything big.
Organize one drawer of a desk.
Wash five dirty dishes.
Do a load of laundry.
Scrub the bathroom sink.

Blast music.
Listen to something upbeat and dancey and loud, something that’s got lots of energy.
Sing to it, dance to it, even if you suck at both.

Make food.
Don’t just grab a granola bar to munch.
Take the time and make food.
Even if it’s ramen.
Add something special to it, like a soft boiled egg or some veggies.
Prepare food, it tastes way better, and you’ll feel like you accomplished something.
 
Make something.
Write a short story or a poem, draw a picture, color a picture, fold origami, crochet or knit, sculpt something out of clay, anything artistic.
Even if you don’t think you’re good at it.
Create.

Go outside.
Take a walk.
Sit in the grass.
Look at the clouds.
Smell flowers.
Put your hands in the dirt and feel the soil against your skin.

Call someone.
Call a loved one, a friend, a family member, call a chat service if you have no one else to call.
Talk to a stranger on the street.
Have a conversation and listen to someone’s voice.
If you can’t bring yourself to call, text or email or whatever, just have some social interaction with another person.
Even if you don’t say much, listen to them.
It helps.

Cuddle your pets if you have them/can cuddle them.
Take pictures of them.
Talk to them.
Tell them how you feel, about your favorite movie, a new game coming out, anything.

May seem small or silly to some, but this list keeps people alive.  

*** At your absolute best you won’t be good enough for the wrong people. But at your worst, you’ll still be worth it to the right ones. Remember that. Keep holding on.

*** In case nobody has told you today I love you and you are worth your weight and then some in gold, so be kind to yourself and most of all keep pushing on!!!!

Find something to be grateful for!

**copied and pasted, feel free to do the same** "

 

 ***   ***   ***

Now, I'm going out into the sunny, though chilly, day to feel its warmth on my face.

While I'm out, I'm visiting Greenwich again, this time with a plastic bag to pick up trash and shattered floral arrangements while I'm there.

Then I'll come home and make one of my favorite meals, my take on Wonton Tacos.

I contacted my first niece earlier and have a cinema date for tomorrow with her, this time in Hinesville so she won't have to drive for over an hour.

As for lotion, I took care to moisturize my legs and hands this morning before I was even out of bed or dressed.

I even cooked Pepperoni Omelet Pizza for breakfast!

As for the touch of a pet... well, I have managed to keep my Peace Lily alive and have been known to caress its leaves from time to time.

That definitely counts.

Touch.

yet another crabtree!

Apparently, that surname is more common than I had realized!

This character is a Crabtree, though not a Kevin, and he's being interviewed for a job too good to be legit in "Help Wanted".

It all worked out well for him, though not for the fellow who hired him, as the wrong man ended up thrown out a window.

 

 

Then, on a different channel right after, Dr. Becker was "The Wrong Man" when a past flame, still wed to another, tried to blaze bright - good for him for dousing that light!

Those were both in the wee small hours this morning - a little light viewing before bed.
 

Tonight, Barbara and I watched Liam Neeson try to keep the wrong man from a little boy, enjoying the road trip onscreen along the way.

She made sure to wear the face covering made from this favorite photo of hers, to show how much she enjoyed the birthday gift from me last July.

She now has the calendar from Ocean Conservancy to brighten her life with dreams from the seashore.

As I told her, it's a little miracle that no one chose it last weekend - it must have been intended just for her!

So many coincidences...

little miracles of timing...

including inside jokes for me...

i thank You, God.

wasn't even looking for a wayward elf named wayne

And yet, there he was, lounging around, watching television, instead of getting the roof and the house ready for Santa's arrival.

Worse yet, he was gnawing away at a cookie that had been intended for the jolly man in red!

But, perhaps worst of all, he was neglecting his duties of training a new elf, one that was a bit of a klutz.

And just why was it that "Prep And Landing" was on my screen instead of the music special?

 

Well, partly I blame my lascivious nature and my memory.

When I'd turned on the telly and seen which "Quantum Leap" episodes were airing, I made a command decision to watch this one (s2e15) at 7 PM.

Of course my reason for doing so is quite obvious, n'est-ce pas?

A 'Sam Beckett wrapped in a towel' is a hand that rather soundly bests anything with fully-clad folks.

I'm rather glad I stayed for it.

 

 

When I checked On Demand afterward for "Celebrating America", it was gone.

No longer was it listed in the ABC specials, nor in the CBS specials, nor even on NBC.

I even checked FOX, not expecting it to be there as it had not aired on that channel last night - nor was it there now. 

The only place it still existed was in the list of shows I'd recently watched.

But when I clicked the title, an error message was all I received.

How very odd.

I'll go ahead and watch the 2011 follow-up for the little 2009 Christmas special with the Dave Foley-voiced wayward elf.

And what is that one titled?

"Prep And Landing 2: Naughty vs. Nice" - sounds like fun!

More elves to tickle my funny bone!

(Yes, I'm making lemonade!)

(smile!)

celebrating america with music and bonefish!

What a wonderful way to start this new day in American history!

ABC On Demand had last night's special, "Celebrating America", listed and I jumped at the chance to see it!

A spoken Spanish interpretation had horribly marred the presentation on all three channels, so I had hoped to catch it... success!

How good to have it begin with The Boss, Bruce Springsteen, at the Lincoln Memorial, singing of this being the "Land Of Hope And Dreams"!

That was followed by several people who read portions of the inaugural addresses given by Abraham Lincoln, Franklin D. Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, and Ronald Reagan.

What inspirational, patriotic, and unifying messages those are!

I really liked having Tom Hanks as the Master of Ceremonies for the event; he has such a reassuring presence and is so calm and uplifting.

That was exactly what was needed for the segments that celebrated those who keep America going, those who feed us, those who take care of us, those who light us up with inspiration, those who teach, and those who break barriers.

Each of those segments highlighted one person as a representative, with that person then called upon to introduce the musicians who followed.

Very nice!

For example, Anthony Gaskin of Virginia, a delivery driver, was selected as one that "keeps America going" and he then introduced Bon Jovi, playing on a pier in Miami.

And the song?

One of my favorites: The Beatles' "Here Comes The Sun"!

Best of all, as they played the ever-hopeful tune, the sun rose behind them, illuminating a blue-sky day!

Wow!!!

What other songs were part of this?

Well, in Memphis, TN, Justin Timberlake and Ant Clemons sang "Better Days", a song new to me.

Next, from Seattle, WA, the Foo Fighters gave such a stirring version of "Times Like These" that I wanted to go sing it at karaoke somewhere!

Tom Hanks was the one who introduced Demi Lovato, who performed a beautiful rendition of "Lovely Day" - yes!

And the final performance was from Katy Perry, at the Lincoln Memorial, singing the song I've heard so often at the baseball stadium... but this time, "Fireworks" was sung live, as a constant barrage of lights of many colors lit up the night behind the Washington Monument.

Wow!!!

Yes, there were stirring words from President Biden and Vice President Harris, as well as a trio of former Presidents (Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama)... but the draw for me, as always, was the music.

I look forward to watching it again in a few minutes, with the remainder of the celebratory dinner I had at Bonefish Grill.

And what was I celebrating?

That was the query of the waiter.

"The first woman elected as Vice President of the United States of America", was my joyful reply to him.

He made sure I had all I needed to make the evening perfect, including this ever-delightful house salad with its perfect complement of kalamata olives to grape tomatoes - such a flavor explosion!

I ate every bite, of course!

But before I was done, the true reason for my dining there came forth: the Ahi Tuna Sashimi!

I'd opted for the large, wanting to be sure to have some for later tonight -

then I had to be careful to not eat every bite of it!

Actually, I ended up with five lovely pieces to carry home, as well as most of the loaf of bread, so that will make a fine meal to accompany a second viewing of "Celebrating America"!

Perfect!

Now, to get that cued up on the Element tv!

Ciao!

(Yes, pun intended!)