Saturday 9... and The Last Five Years Again

One of the lyrics in "Climbing Uphill" (from The Last Five Years, yes I'm obsessed this week...) is Cathy during a theater audition:

...Why am I working so hard?
These are the people who cast Russell Crowe in a musical...

First of all - LOL. Right.

But also, the Les Mis film (which oddly, I also referenced in yesterday's post) was released 2012, while The Last Five Years opened in 2001. Did someone cast Russell Crowe in a musical before that??? So I looked, and he actually started his career in musical theater in New Zealand in the 80's. Wow! He got hired out of theater into the film industry in 1990. 

Saturday 9: Silent Night (1957)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) How well do you know "Silent Night?" Without looking up the lyrics, could you sing along with Elvis?
I can sing the first two verses without looking. Are there more than two? I don't know without checking. Ha!

2) The Christmas with Elvis album hit the stores in October 1957. Were you already preparing for Christmas back in October?

Nope. I used to, but I haven't planned so far ahead for a while.

3) Clearly Elvis liked a flocked white Christmas tree. Is your tree flocked, aluminum or pine green? Real or artificial? Or do you skip the whole tree thing altogether? 

Fake, pine green. Gotta have a tree!

4) Back in the late 1950s, Elvis left his hair its natural brown color. In the 1960s he began having it dyed black. Do you have a salon appointment scheduled between now and year end?
No, but I should. My hair is long, yo.

5) Have you ever peeked, looking for a Christmas gift you know is hidden for you somewhere in the house?
Nah. I want to be surprised.

6) Which do you prefer, candy canes or gingerbread? 

gingerbread 

7) Is anyone receiving a home made or do-it-yourself gift from you this year?

No

8) Do you wrap holiday gifts in paper, or do you take the gift bag route?

I wrap in paper if at all possible. Gift bags aren't as fun to open.

9) This time of year is big for charitable fundraising. Here's your chance to plug a cause or organization that's near and dear to you.

MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston- Donate money, give blood, or buy cards designed by children who are patients there though the Children's Art Project.

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Will You Share Your Life With Me...

...for the Next Ten Minutes...?

Reading a bit about The Last Five Years musical and learned that Samantha Barks (Eponine in the film version of Les Mis) played Cathy in the West End production last year! Would love to have seen that.

Here she is singing "I Can Do Better Than That" from The Last Five Years at an unrelated solo performance in New York City...



Her voice is AMAZING.

Lyrics du Jour

Cathy: ...I want to be your wife
I want to bear your child
I want to die
Knowing I
Had a long, full life in your arms...

Jamie: ...Will you share your life with me
For the next ten lifetimes?
For a million summers...

Both:...'Til the world explodes
'Til there's no one left
Who has ever known us apart...

"The Next Ten Minutes" from the musical The Last Five Years

Happy Friday!

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I Am Your De-eentist

I did something to the outside of my gum within the past few days. It's really red and painful. I would say it was a popcorn hull injury, but I haven't had popcorn. It's also a pretty large area.

I had my dental checkup today (of course!) and the hygienist and dentist both said, "It looks maybe like you gouged it with a tortilla chip."

If I lived in Utah or Connecticut, would that be the assumption? Are tortilla chips the only food or non-food item around the world that gouges your gums, or is this just a Texas thing?

(Yes, I did have tortilla chips this weekend. Still!)

In other news... CONGRATULATIONS SENATOR DOUG JONES! And really, congratulations Alabama, because the world was watching to see what happened there, and in my opinion, you came through. A lot of people voted against their lifelong party, which gives me hope for humanity. Love to see people thinking and not blindly voting party lines.

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Vegan Cows

Read through this vent, or skip to the end, where I've provided a great Aggie joke!!

I just spent all afternoon- 5 hours- programming database updates from user acceptance testing for a new study. I got through the first ten tabs of a shared Excel doc in that time, and then, all of a sudden, the document saved and asked me whose updates to save- mine or the lead's.

I went ahead and allowed her updates to overwrite mine, because I figured there were minimal changes to anything I had done. Well, it turned out the data lead was working from her own copy of the document, so she didn't see that I had already done a bunch of what she was working on! 80% of what I had entered was overwritten.

What a waste of time and duplication of effort for all of us. Why on earth would you make your own copies of a shared tracker, to merge later? If you want everyone to work from their own copy of the doc, to merge later, you have to assign tabs to each programmer up front, so we don't overlap.

I. CAN'T. EVEN.


So here's your Aggie Joke-- I honestly thought "vegan leather" was made from cows that were vegan.

Ha!

I paid top dollar for a "vegan leather" product for someone's Christmas gift this year. Very disappointed to find out it's plastic. Just another reason to hate all things vegan. ;)

Just stop naming veggie things animal names. Veggie burgers. Veggie sausage. Vegan cheese. None of those things are what they say. *shudder* Truth in advertising! I would never have paid that much for something plastic.

Jeff: Aren't all cows vegan?

That question gave me an idea for a horror movie with carnivorous cows, y'all. Skeery!

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Movie, TV and Musical Weekend

This weekend was an unplanned, fun movie and television extravaganza. Friday night we went to the Amazon Prime preview of Jumanji. It was good. I would swear I saw Kirsten Dunst's name in the acting credits, but evidently that's impossible, so...  And keep in mind, I had no idea she was in the original film. Why did I think I saw her name? SUPERweird. I did look up on my phone whether we were supposed to sit through the credits to see any outtakes or other scenes, so maaaaaaybe I saw her name in my search or something. I dunno. Strange.

Saturday we watched Opening Night on Netflix. Enjoyed it! JC Chasez and Taye Diggs? Yes, please. It was funny, too!



Next up (because we watched Opening Night and followed up with "other musicals we might like," we discovered the musical comedy TV show Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, also on Netflix. OMG. That is one of the funniest shows ever! How did I miss it before? We binged about 6 episodes of that. Can't wait to continue all the way through Season 2 on Netflix. Season 3 started in October on the CW.

There are one or two very-well produced, hilarious songs per episode. Most of it is regular sitcom, with speaking characters. The songs go a little somethin' like this...



We watched Born in China, the Disney animal film of 2017. So cute!



Then last night, we watched The Last Five Years, which is also on Netflix. It's a two-character musical from 2014 (the play was originally in Chicago, then off-Broadway in 2002) covering a five year relationship and marriage. Cathy starts at their breakup at the end of the story and moves backward in time to the beginning, while Jamie starts at the beginning and moves forward to the end. They alternate songs all the way through, moving towards each other on the timeline, meeting in the middle, then moving ever away again. The final song is brilliant! I could listen to Anna Kendrick and Jeremy Jordan sing all day long. I really loved it. The reviews are very middle-of-the-road, but take a chance on this one.



Years ago, Lauren had "If I Didn't Believe In You," a song from the play, on one of her car CDs. Jamie is frustrated with Cathy during the song, and addresses her by name throughout. We used to laugh when it came on, as he seemed to berate me for four minutes straight. Ha!

The Buffalo game was crazy yesterday, right? Football in a blizzard!

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Andy and Anderson Road Trip!

Laura and I went to Houston for last Saturday night's AC2 Live: An Intimate Evening with Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper. So fun! My favorite moment at the show was during the audience Q&A portion, when this happened...

Audience Member: What celebrity gave you butterflies and maybe made you... "bone up" when you interviewed them?
Audience: Oooooooh!
Andy: (I think he related a story about interviewing David Beckham here... sorta forgot when Anderson said what's coming up..)
Audience Member: ...I was thinking maybe *forgotten hot male celebrity* or John Hamm.
Andy: Oh, yeah!
Anderson: Well, when I was mediating the Presidential debates last year...
Audience: Uhhhhhh....
Andy: [wtf?!]
Anderson: What?
Andy: What are you about to say?! He is asking what celebrity gave you a boner!
Anderson: Oh. I thought he meant the person gave you butterflies, like they made you nervous, so you "boned up," like you did research on them.

Bwahahaaaaa! Oh man.

I only wished the show was a little longer, because it really was like hanging out at a bar, chatting with the two of them. Very interesting, and hilarious.

In other news... I just found out this afternoon that JC Chasez was in a musical comedy last year called Opening Night, with Topher Grace and a bunch of other big names. I watched a few clips online. I'll have to rent it. Last I had heard, he was going to play Pontius Pilate in an arena tour of Jesus Christ Superstar with a bunch of cool music people, but then it never happened:

Anger for 'Jesus Christ Superstar' Cast and a Black Eye for Its Promoter

Bummer! At least I didn't miss it. I've been missing things lately- must pay more attention to my Ticketmaster emails!

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Sexual Misconduct

Well, I'm glad I didn't speak too soon. I was going to blog earlier this week about the odd defense of only certain men involved in sexual misconduct of late, but people have come around to holding them accountable, I think.

There was a well-deserved worldwide reaction of disgust and anger when people like Weinstein, Ailes, O'Reilly and the next many others were accused. Recently though, when Senator Conyers and Matt Lauer were outed, even women were defending them, because they are "good people" and "have contributed so much" via their professions.

What the what?! That is probably true of all the other men as well. People are multifaceted, and can be successful and respectable contributors to society, but also be despicable A-holes in other areas. You don't get a pass for being a good person outside of your sexual misconduct/assault/harassment.

Today though, it seems people are finally coming around to realizing that Conyers and Lauer are no different from the others, and should be out of their jobs at the very least.

Kevin Spacey and Roy Moore are on a whole other level, with underage accusers. It's sad that the statutes of limitations have run out on those for criminal charges. Hopefully the accusers coming forward will help current victims of other people to come forward while charges can still be leveled against their attackers.

On the other side, I do think a few men have been accused of things that we can all agree are more flirting than sexual harassment. We have to be careful not to dilute the uncovering of real crimes by dragging every sexual advance into the discussion. If no one ever made a move, no couples would exist. I think we're all pretty clear on what constitutes misconduct or criminality, rather than flirting or kissing/touching someone when you honestly think the other person would welcome it. Sure, it can be a gray area, but not typically.

We were wondering the other day when ABC would fire someone for sexual harassment. I think they are the only network unaffected so far.  I said that it won't be Stephanopoulos (OMG, I actually spelled that correctly on the first try!), and Jeff and I both said together that if he even thought of doing anything like that, Ali Wentworth would kick his ass. Ahaha!

In other news, it's December 2017, and Megyn Kelly still sucks at talk shows. She is the most unrelatable, insincere, self-centered host ever. When is she going to be shuffled to a better fit at NBC? She should do the nightly news or something more cold and sterile.

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Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving weekend! Hope your day was full of family, friends, tradition and great food.

On the subject of my ongoing research of our family tree... I found that one of Jeff's relatives is Ireby Barrow, who is buried with his family in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, where a lot of big time famous Hollywood stars are buried (for those of you who don't watch a lot of TMZ). I was thinking that he might be the father/grandfather of some famous actor or studio magnet or something, so I researched his history in a bit more detail. Turns out he was an early Los Angeles settler in the 1870's. His farm was bounded on the north and south by Rosewood Ave. and Beverly Blvd., between Vermont Ave. and Normandie, currently right in the middle of the city. Interesting!


Saturday 9: The Man in Black (1971)Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) Black is this week's signature color, because Friday, November 24, is "Black Friday," when retailers cut their prices and consumers flock to the stores. Did you score any "Black Friday" bargains?

Not yet. If I do, it will be online. I don't like to be in stores on Black Friday, unless it's with others for a "shopping adventure" activity.

2) Among the biggest the Black Friday advertisers are Target, Kohl's, Macy's and Best Buy. If you could have a $100 gift card to any one of those stores, which would you choose? What would you buy?

Target. I would buy the same random $100 worth of stuff I always seem to buy when I'm there.

3) Feasting and football are also popular Thanksgiving weekend pastimes. Do your Thursday-Sunday plans include pigging out or watching a game?

Definitely pigged out for Thanksgiving. If Scott's cooking, you've got to pig out! We watched the Dallas game yesterday. We'll watch at least the A&M/LSU game on Saturday.

4) Thanksgiving weekend is a major time for travel. How far did you venture from home for the holiday?
Down the street to Scott-n-Julie's. Kirsten is visiting, along with her boyfriend and his mom. Super fun! Lots of amazing food.

5) This week's song, "Man in Black," is about a singer who refuses to wear bright colors. What color are you wearing as you answer these questions?

purple

6) Johnny Cash first performed this song at Nashville's Vanderbilt University.When were you last on a college campus? What brought you there?

Kathy and I were at Bass Concert Hall on the UT campus in April to see Phantom of the Opera.

7) The average American man wears a 10.5 size shoe, the average woman wears a 7.5. Johnny Cash wore a size 13. Are your shoes bigger or smaller than the national average?

Bigger. I have the hands and feet of a tall person. Just missing the height.

8) He preferred his coffee very strong. To make sure what he was drank was to his liking, he carried a jar of instant coffee with him and would ladle it into his cup in restaurants. What about you? What's your standard coffee order?

I like it strong with sugar and a little milk. 

9) While in the air force, Cash wrote short stories under the pseudonym "Johnny Dollar." Make up a pen name for yourself.

I gotta go with "Effie Tidbits" here.

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Wait.

I'm supposed to "string" celery before serving it? Have you all been doing this or is it just a crazy rumor? I've never done such a thing. I guess it would make for a more pleasant experience... if you can call eating celery "pleasant."

Hmm.

I've finally come across a sliver of fame in my family tree! Joseph J. Mansfield was in the U.S. House of Representatives 1916-1947. (There's a big ol' dam named after him here in Austin.) Well, back in the late 1800's, he was the county judge for Colorado County, down the road, Columbus way. Also - a pallbearer for my great-great-great grandfather's nephew at his funeral. Hmm! I'm surprised I even made the connection when I read it. Interesting!

Sunday Stealing: First Things First

{1} First thing you would do/buy if you won the lottery:
I would move to a smaller house with lower taxes.

{2} First person you call when you get amazing news:

Other than Jeff/Lauren, probably Laura

{3} First thing you do when you've had a bad day:

turn up the music

{4} First movie you went to without your parents:

Wow. I can't remember exactly which one was first. We went to sooooo many movies! Can't believe I don't know.

{5} First sport you played (Little League-style or in school):

basketball, then volleyball

{6} First major injury:

Stepping on a nail when I was about 5, through the shoe and almost through the top of my foot. It was sticking up through a 2x4 piece of construction wood I was walking on at our apartment complex.

{7} First product I use in the shower:

shampoo

{8} First apartment or house on your own (away from you parents!):

my grandparents' garage apartment in College Station, where I lived rent-free through undergrad

{9} First Roommate(s): 

I've never had a roommate!

{10} First Time Living Away from Home: 

at Texas A&M in College Station when I was 18

{11} First magazine subscription:

Seventeen, although I had been buying every single Tiger Beat and Teen Beat for years at the store before I had an actual subscription to a magazine

{12} First real piece of jewelry you owned:

My mom and dad bought me a pretty gold necklace with a pearl pendant when I was a freshman in high school. I lost it (or it may have been stolen) my senior year at senior musical practice one night. I thought I had put it in my purse, but it wasn't there and I never saw it again. So sad!

{13} First time staying home alone:

I don't remember. This question does remind me of the time I was home with a babysitter and we were watching a scary movie when we heard a noise in the attic. My mom was the Homeowners Association treasurer, so I knew all the association board members, one of whom was a district attorney or something, who drove the "community watch" vehicle around and checked out reports of mischief and such. I called him and he came over and checked the attic. All the neighbors came outside with us when he was there. It was fabulous. Mom about died of embarrassment. No more watching scary movies when an adult wasn't home. Ahaha.

{14} First thing I reach for in the fridge:

tea

{15} First car accident or traffic violation:

My registration sticker (or my inspection sticker) was out of date. I was about 20, in College Station.

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Hello World

Holy moly, it's been forever since I blogged. Greetings!

Was just working on indexing genealogy records for FamilySearch. (That's taking historical document images and entering the data that is on them into digital format, for searching and attaching to people online.) I find it to be super interesting. I just entered a record for a woman from 1927 named Effie Tidbits.

EFFIE TIDBITS!

What a great stripper name. She wears a dirndl and stilettos.

Okay, it was Effie Tibbits, but I read (and typed) it as Tidbits and about coughed up a lung giggling about it. THAT is entertainment, folks.

Another amusing thing is little 5 and 6 year old kids from the 1920's, with names like Oma and Grady. Heh.

Anyhoo... I was working a lot last month. Also indexing and family tree-ing. My tree is pretty filled out, but there are definite holes I need to research.

We went to the Texas Museum of Science and Technology in Cedar Park (or TXMOST, for the cool kids) last weekend. It is deceivingly small. It took us about 2.5 hours to really go through it and see one of the planetarium shows. The current exhibits are "Leonardo da Vinci: Machines in Motion" and "Drugs: Costs and Consequences." Nifty machines were built from some of daVinci's drawings, and you can interact with them. Fun for kids, and grown-ups as well. The drug exhibit didn't look great online, but it is actually very interesting. There is a ton of information, and we learned a lot.

The planetarium shows are every hour and they are different each time. The one we caught was about dark matter. The museum is in an interim facility in an industrial park at the moment, but it's worth a trip for sure.

I went a whole week without checking Facebook recently. I only ever get on there anymore if someone specifically addresses me, or I wish someone a happy birthday, or I'm checking the neighborhood group for entertainment purposes. Otherwise, I'm pretty much over it. I'm the person who used to drive me nuts, who has an account, but doesn't ever do anything with it. Annoying! Right? It's like visiting an out-of-date website. What is the point.

Speaking of FB, here's a Couples Survey from there this afternoon:

Who's older? me
Age difference: almost two months
Who was interested first? me
Who's taller? him, by 8 inches
Worst temper? him
Most sensitive: me
Loudest? him
Funniest? me
More social? me by a slight margin
Most stubborn? him
Falls asleep first? me
Cooks the best? I'm the only cook, so me!
Better singer? me
Most adventurous? him
Who enjoys traveling the most? me
The most organized: me
Stresses the most? him
Better driver? we're the same quality drivers, but he has way more tickets
How long have you been together? 31 years in January, married 28 years next May

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