Happy Birthday to My Fellow

Today is my husband's birthday! Happy birthday to my favorite guy!

Melissa Etheridge Live in Concert

Saturday was Melissa Etheridge's 60th birthday. She celebrated by having a concert at a hotel in LA. She had 200 people in a 1800-person venue, and sold tickets to the show for the rest of us to watch online.

So I watched. The concert also was a celebration of the release of her new single, One Way Out. The concert was called "One Way Out . . . of the Garage."

It was a spirited show. She was happy to be back in front of people and happy to have someone bring her guitars instead of having to do things on her own. I suspect being a rich rock and roller had spoiled her, as she had helpers doing all the things she did for over a year in her garage.

I enjoyed her early music and have listened to some of her later albums, but honestly after Breakdown I stopped listening so much. She released a compilation of hits and I thought she was probably done then, but she continues to make music.

I snipped this image while she played her concert.

Watching her off and on during the pandemic, while she played nearly everyday (for free for several months, then switching over to her Etheridgetv.com channel where there was a fee, so I didn't see much after that), I learned that she is quite the business person, too. She has another business, Etheridge Botanicals, which sells cannabis-related items. She also set up a foundation to study drug abuse after her son died of an overdose nearly a year ago.

All in all, it made for a late Saturday night for this not-yet-60-year-old, who finds a 10 p.m. bedtime more suited to her lifestyle these days.

It was good to see someone close to my age doing what she loved, and doing it well. There is hope for us older folks yet.

Her band consisted of 3 members. A drummer,
a bass player, and a keyboardist/guitar player.
Melissa Etheridge did most of the guitar work.

She changed guitars for nearly every song.

Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing

1. When do you feel the world will stop?

A. For me, it will stop when I'm dead. I think humanity will destroy itself within the next 500 years or so. Mother Earth will continue until the sun goes out.

2. What is your personal motto?

A. Do no harm.

3. What is the greatest gift you ever received?

A. Other people's time. I treasure the time people choose to spend with me, because I know they could spend it elsewhere if they wanted.

4. Who is a leader who inspires you?

A. Leaders generally do not inspire me. Hillary Clinton was inspirational for sticking with it even when she was facing a lot of BS from the other side. She should get a medal simply for putting up with BS.

5. What irrationally annoys you more than anything else?

A. My husband. He a "who" and not a "what," but there you go.

6. What small thing can always bring you a bit of joy?

A. A hug.

7. What is your favorite thing to do on a lazy day?

A. Read a book.

8. How often do you take risks?

A. Not as often as I should.

9. Write about your happiest memory.

A. I don't know which memory is the happiest. I don't categorize memories like that. But here's a memory. I learned to read very young. I had an uncle who was in school, and he said I couldn't read, that I was memorizing the books read to me. I am not sure how old I was, but old enough to talk back and know when I was being patronized. I told him to find me a book I'd never read and I would read it to him. He brought home the Cat in the Hat from the school library (my family didn't read much Dr. Suess), and I immediately sat down and read it aloud to him. And he had to admit I could read. I was full of myself for (a) being able to read and (b) proving it to him. People have doubted me all of my life, I feel like I've had to read that Cat in the Hat book every step of the way just to prove I can.

10. How long do you think it will be before we see a female president?

A. A while.

11. Do you think it’s important to be part of a community?  Why? Why not?

A. Yes, it is important to be part of a community. As a citizen, one has a duty to give back to the world, even if it's only a little bit. No man is an island unto himself, we are all connected. We would do well to remember that.

12. What piece of modern technology are you most grateful to have?

A. My computer. I like it better than a cellphone because I can see it.

13. Do you feel anonymous on line?

A. To some degree. It depends on where I am.

14. What is something you’ve always wanted to try but have never gotten around to?

A. I always wanted to travel more, but with a husband who's wed to a farm, that proved more difficult than I ever imagined.

15. What would life be like without the internet?

A. Much better. We would have more community that isn't online; we'd have to meet face to face or over the phone. It's much harder to be mean and nasty in person, although I've noticed some people have completely lost their filters now and can be mean and nasty any ol' time they choose.

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I encourage you to visit other participants in Sunday Stealing posts and leave a comment. Cheers to all us thieves who love memes, however we come by them.

Saturday 9: If You're Reading This

Saturday 9: If You're Reading This (2007)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

Memorial Day is the federal holiday designated to honor American service people who died in battle. 

1) Memorial Day was introduced after the Civil War. War memorials, as well as graves of veterans, are to be decorated with flags and flowers this weekend in a show appreciation. Is there a war memorial in your neighborhood?

A. Yes.

2) Here at Saturday 9, we regard everyone who served -- veterans and active military -- as heroes. Have you, or has anyone in your family, worn the uniform of our armed forces? We want to hear about them.

A. My father and his two brothers all served in the Army either as the Korean War ended or after it had ended. My paternal grandfather served in WWII. One of my maternal uncles served in Vietnam and another served in the Air Force.

3) Similarly, we're grateful to those who served on the front lines during the Covid 19 pandemic. Tell us about anyone you know who was an essential worker, a first responder or administered vaccines. They deserve a shout out, too!

A. I know many firefighters and first responders who served during the pandemic, too many to name, since my husband is a retired battalion chief.

4) Memorial Day is the traditional kick off of the summer season. Have you packed away your winter clothes yet?

A. Yes.

5) What's your favorite picnic food?

A. Watermelon.

6) As you answer these questions, is there a fan or an air conditioner cooling your room?

A. The heat pump is on today as it is very hot outside.

7) This week's song is about a heartbreaking situation. The lyrics are a letter from a soldier to his family, which was only to be sent in the event of his death. What's the saddest song you have ever heard?

A. I have always thought Vincent (Starry Night), by Don McLean, was a sad song, but so is Seasons in the Sun, by Terry Jacks. I would chose one of those two. 

8) This week's featured artist, Tim McGraw, has a star on Hollywood Walk of Fame. It's near those honoring William Shatner and Julie Andrews. If you could have lunch with one of those luminaries -- Tim McGraw, William Shatner or Julie Andrews -- which would you choose?

A. William Shatner, because of Star Trek.

9) Random Question: Think of the last thing you bought. Was it a wise purchase?

A. I bought groceries. Everything was wise except I tried a new berry flavor of Tic Tacs and they are awful. So that was not a wise purchase but I don't know how else one would find out they taste terrible without making the purchase. So I learned something from the purchase (i.e., don't eat this flavor of Tic Tac) so maybe it was wise after all. (I am making my head hurt with that.)

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I encourage you to visit other participants in Saturday 9 posts and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however. 

Thursday Thirteen

Wonder Woman Trivia

1. Steve Trevor's timepiece is a pocket watch, adapted to be worn on the wrist. Pocket watches, usually worn on a chain, were the norm in the early 20th century. They proved impractical in front line action. Because timing was critical for coordinating large-scale action (such as the use of infantry maneuvers in conjunction with artillery barrages), soldiers began wearing timepieces on their wrists. This fashion spread to civilians after the war, turning pocket watches into wristwatches, which became the preferred fashion of timepieces in the latter 20th century.

2. Some of the Amazons in Wonder Woman (2017) have flesh colored cloth over one side of their chest, almost seeming like one breast was uncovered or nonexistent (this is very apparent in the opening sequence when young Diana watches the training and Antiope walks over to talk with an Amazon so clad). This may be a reference to the fact that Amazons are often depicted in art as having one breast exposed. Ancient sources even state that Amazons cut or burned off their breast on their dominant side so that it wouldn't interfere with combat, especially with a bow. Some ancient sources suggest that this is the source of their name; "a-mazos" in Greek means "without breast".

3. In Greco-Roman mythology, the Amazons of Themyscira and the Greek hero Heracles share a rivalry, since Heracles seduced Queen Hippolyta and stole her enchanted belt. This carried over into both DC and Marvel comics. In the DC Comics, Hercules (who is the Roman version of the Greek Heracles) is a misogynistic and villainous character who was punished by the Amazons for defiling them; he later became an anti-hero who sought redemption for his actions.

In the Marvel comics, it was the reverse. Hercules was a superhero (and Thor's best friend) and Hippolyta and the Amazons were villains. Hippolyta's daughter was called Artume, and she was a parallel to Wonder Woman.

4. Diana Prince's scenes in London are an homage to Superman (1978), where Superman encounters urban life for the first time: the protagonist gets a disguise of a formal bespectacled attire, stops a mugging attack and has some trouble with a revolving door.

5. In the 2017 film, Wonder Woman's tiara is an heirloom from Antiope. In both the comics and Wonder Woman (1975 TV show), it can be used as a weapon, something Diana does in Wonder Woman 1984 (2020).

6. In the comics, Wonder Woman got the alias of Diana Prince during World War II from a U.S. Army nurse who was very similar in appearance to her and from whom she bought her identity.

In the 2017 movie, while Diana is posing as Steve Trevor's secretary, he interrupts her introduction of "I am Diana, Princess of..." and re-names her as "Prince. Diana Prince".

7. Wonder Woman (2017) was the first female-dominant superhero film in twelve years (since Elektra (2005)).

8. The role of Queen Hippolyta was offered to Nicole Kidman but she passed. She wanted to be part of the film because of the director, Patty Jenkins, but scheduling conflicts with Big Little Lies (2017) prevented this. Kidman later starred in Aquaman (2018) as Queen Atlanna, mother of Aquaman/Arthur Curry (who is Wonder Woman's ally).

9. The scene where Diana eats ice cream for the first time and praises the vendor is an event from the "New 52" DC Comics (2011), which was also adapted in Justice League: War (2014).

10. Wonder Woman (2017) was part of a set up for Justice League (2017), and the start of a planned trilogy for Wonder Woman. It was the fourth film in the shared DC Extended Universe.

11. Wonder Woman (2017) was the first female-directed live-action film to have a $100 million+ budget. The film's estimated budget was $150 million.

12. Diana is introduced as Capt. Steve Trevor's secretary in World War I England. This is an homage to the first season of the TV version of Wonder Woman (1975), where she served as a clerical officer (United States Navy Yeoman, Petty officer, first class) to U.S. Army Maj. Steve Trevor during World War II.

13. In Wonder Woman (2017), Diana briefly wears glasses as a disguise, but Etta Candy points out their ineffectiveness and they are soon broken during a street fight scene. This is an allusion to Diana wearing glasses in her civilian guise throughout the first season of TV's Wonder Woman (1975), similar to Superman's Clark Kent.

More Wonder Woman trivia can be found here. I made minor changes but unfortunately yes, I swiped most of this from that website.

Thanks to my brother for the idea!

Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while and this is my 708th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Revisiting Wonder Woman 1984

When Wonder Woman 1984 debuted at Christmas, I watched it on HBO Max. 

My review is here. I gave it three stars and had multiple complaints about the film.

All of those complaints are valid, but we watched the movie again Saturday night, when it came out on HBO.

And I liked it.

It wasn't as good as the 2017 Wonder Woman, but the movie was better than I remembered it being. Perhaps this was because I'd already seen it and had lower expectations.

Or perhaps this time I watched for the nuances that made the movie better, and found them.

All I know is, I like this movie much better than I thought I did. I still give it 3 stars, but as movies go, I have seen much, much worse.

I have read that the director, Patty Jenkins, is no longer on the writing team for the third film. I suspect this is a good thing. She may be a great director, but she's not an action film writer.

Iris

 

Trey's Engagement Party

My nephew is getting married in October. My brother threw an engagement party for him and his bride-to-be on Saturday.

 

Valerie and Trey

The bride's father John and my brother, Loren.

Cutting the cake.

More cutting the cake.

The bride-to-be's mother.

Bride and groom.

My brother giving a speech.

My step-sister and my father.

My brother with his stepson, his grandson, &
the stepson's fiancée.

My step-nephew, his daughter, & his fiancée.

My father and my niece, Zoe.

Goodies at the table.

The cake!

My father.

Trey, my nephew

Tasha, my brother's girlfriend, and my brother.

Crowd shot.

Little doo-dads on the table.

My niece.

Gift table.

My brother and his son.

My step-nephew & his daughter.

The sign-in table.

The in-laws to be.

Greeting the new in-laws.

My stepmother was happy to see us.

Crowd

Crowd

Decorations

Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing

A - Annoyance: Questions like these that aren't actual questions.

B - Best Friend[s]: My husband is my closest friend, but I have a number of other dear friends, including my brother.

C - Car: I drive a Toyota.

D - Day or night: Day, now that I'm old.

E- Easiest person to talk to? A stranger.

F - Favorite Month: June.

G - Gummy Bears or Worms: I don't eat either one.

H - Hair Color: Brown with lovely lines of soft white.

I - Ice Cream: I don't eat it.

J - Jewelry: I have some.

K - Kindergarten: I attended.

L - Longest Car Ride: A trip from Virginia to California and back.

M - Most missed person: Someone I never knew.

N - Number of Siblings: One.

O - One regret: Not taking better care of my body when I was younger.

P- Part of your appearance you like least?: Feet.

Q- Quote: Be kind.

R - Reality TV Show: We've been watching The Voice. Is that a reality show?

S - Shoe: Sneakers.

T - Time you woke up: I get up before 7 a.m. every morning.

U - Unpredictable?: Sometimes.

V - Vegetable you hate: I can't think of one.

W- Worst Habits: Bad self-talk.

X - X-Rays: Plenty.

Y - Year you were born: I'm older than dirt.

Z - Zoom: Um, cars?

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I encourage you to visit other participants in Sunday Stealing posts and leave a comment. Cheers to all us thieves who love memes, however we come by them.

Saturday 9: The Way You Look Tonight

The Way You Look Tonight (1936)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) They lyrics tell us that no matter how low the singer feels, it will raise his spirits to recall the way his lover looks tonight. Share a special moment in your life that brings a smile to your lips, no matter what.

A. Remembering the day my husband proposed. We were in the restaurant Coach & Four, and he dug the wedding ring out of his cowboy boot. The booth where he proposed is still there. Last year was the first year we missed eating there on our anniversary.

2) This song was introduced by Fred Astaire in the 1936 movie, Swing Time. It won the Oscar for Best Song. What's your favorite movie song?

A. Hopelessly Devoted to You, by Olivia Newton John, in Grease.

3) Though today Fred is revered as a Hollywood legend, producers had to be convinced to give him a shot. The initial notes on his screen test were: "Can't act. Slightly bald. Also dances." Tell us about a time when someone underestimated you.

A. My mother never thought I could make a living writing. But I did.

 

4) Fred's legion of fans includes Jackie Chan. The martial arts star says Astaire's movies influenced the way he choreographed the Kung Fu fight sequences in his films. Mr. Chan is one of the most popular film stars in the world. Have you seen any of his movies?

A. I have seen bits and pieces but I've never sat down and watched one of them.

 

5) Fred was always fascinated by new things. In the 1970s, when he was in his late 70s, he took up skateboarding and became so good at it he was awarded life membership in the National Skateboard Society. Have you been skateboarding? If not, is it something you're tempted to try?

A. I used to skateboard when they became popular in the 1970s. I was never good at it but I did well enough to stay on the thing.

 

6) Fred's friends were amused by his passion for daytime soap operas. In the days before video recording, he would call home from the club house at the golf course and ask his maid what had happened that day on his favorite "story," As the World Turns. Is there a show you try not to miss?

A. Not really. Anymore I record the things I want to watch and view them whenever it suits me. Some things I think I want to watch I never do.

7) In 1936, the year this song was popular, the US patent office issued a patent for the Zippo lighter. Beginning in WWII and for decades after, Zippo lighters were issued to our soldiers. During the Vietnam War, troops had their lighters engraved with personal mottos. What's something you have had engraved or personalized? What did it say?

A. We gave my mother-in-law a blanket that said her name and "hands off" for Christmas last year.

8) Also in 1936, a killer tornado struck Tupelo, MS. Have you ever been in a tornado? How about a hurricane or an earthquake?

A. I was in a tornado around 1977 or so. I was in Bristol, TN at the time with the high school band for a competition. I have had to evacuate the beach several times because of incoming hurricanes; we seem to have the worst luck with scheduling beach vacations. We had an earthquake here but I didn't feel it. I was on the road in the car when it happened.

 

9) Random question -- We're creating an action figure of YOU. What two accessories should we be sure to include in the box?

A. A book and a guitar.

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I encourage you to visit other participants in Saturday 9 posts and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however. 

Skeeters Making Baby Skeeters

 

Thursday Thirteen #707

1. I am tired of the question, "Will you still wear a mask?" on social media. How is this anyone's business and what difference does it make? Do what you need to do to be safe. If that means leaving a store because you're uncomfortable with or without masks, just leave. Why must people fuss over a piece of cloth?

2. While social media is much quieter with the former guy off of it, I find that I am moving further away from it anyway. I have nothing I want to say there. I will say it here, where it isn't in your face unless you've come here to read my words. Many people on social media are simply rude, crude, and abusive. I don't need that in my life.

3. Yesterday, my doctor informed me that I am retired. I kind of knew that, but the confirmation was nice. I didn't retire on my terms. I retired on my body's terms, when it said, "I'm done."

4. Someone I know recently had gastric sleeve surgery. I'm not quite sure what that is, except it is to force you to lose weight by making your stomach small so you can't eat. This person is now on a "500 calories a day" liquid diet. So of course the weight will fall off. I would never consider doing this to myself and people I do know who've taken this action have all eventually gained the weight back. However, I wish this person much luck and success in this endeavor.

5. I wonder if it wouldn't have been easier to simply go on a liquid diet of 1000 calories a day. I know dieting is hard, but if it's fast weight loss I'm after, then I'd give that a go before I'd let some doctor cut me open again. But that's just me. 

6.  Let's bring back the word "nice." As in, be nice to your neighbor, your friend, your lover, your spouse, your cousin. Let's be nice to one another because we're all fighting some battle, unknown to others, and we all need a certain amount of love and kindness. If all it ever says on my tombstone is, "She was nice," I think I will consider that a win.

7. Some call that political correctness. I call it being mannerly and polite. Nice people are mannerly and polite. They have empathy and offer sympathy. Why is that so bad?

8. I am more than a little appalled that a certain segment of the population does not believe January 6, 2021, was an insurrection. Or that it shouldn't be investigated thoroughly. How does one distort reality to that extent?

9. This pandemic has changed me. It has made me more introverted and less tolerant in some ways, and more tolerant in others. I am ok with being home. I don't need trips inside stores. I know I will never see the Egyptian pyramids. But I can read about them.

10.  If more people would simply mind their own business, and leave others to do what they will so long as what they're doing doesn't harm anyone, what kind of world would this be?

11. Yesterday, I was told I am tough. I don't feel tough. Do you feel tough?

12. I have a friend who in an unreliable narrator. I find this disconcerting. I don't like books with unreliable narrators. I like this person but I am cautious around them.

13. New journeys are on the horizon for many folks as the times are a-changin'. Some of them aren't going to like the trip. Others will embrace it. Which will I do, I wonder?

*This is my 707th TT, but it doesn't feel like a jet engine. More like a tired jalopy!

Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while and this is my 707th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

A Smile from the Moon

 

The Bear Who Came For Lunch

Had a little company at lunch time today!

 

She or he wasn't very big, and from the looks of the ribs there, probably needed more sustenance than my empty trash cans provided.

They Masked Up!

In spite of my trepidation about going to the store, I slipped out to Food Lion this morning. I went early in hopes of avoiding crowds.

The signs saying to wear a mask were gone, but there were still signs about keeping 6 feet away from people.

The staff all had on masks, and while I saw some customers without masks, the majority still wore a mask.

This made me feel much better about being in the store.

I spoke with my father today, who said he and his wife intend to continue to wear masks, too, when they are in a place that requires close proximity to others or a business that requires masks.

So some people are paying attention to their well-being and the well-being of others.

What a strange state of mind I am, where I want to wear a mask now.