089 Thanks, Richard & Oscar

Getting to Know You

                    Getting to Know All About You

I have recently seen a television commercial that uses a familiar show tune from The King and I.

For me, Instant Ear Worm!

But with a twist.

I had listened to the cast album so many,many times (many, many years ago) that I now run through the entire show in my head over and over again--from "I Whistle a Happy Tune" to "Hello, Young Lovers" to "We Kiss in a Shadow" to "Something Wonderful" to, of course, "Shall We Dance?" 

My favorite Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals appeared on Broadway from 1943 to 1951 with the movie versions, which was what I saw, from 1955 to 1958. I watched them during my pre-teen years. We owned the cast albums for Oklahoma, South Pacific, and The King and I, and maybe a few others.

They influenced me in many way. There was a message of tolerance in the musicals. For instance, from South Pacific:

I think many of the romantic ballads gave an unrealistic view of romantic love that worked very well in the pre-teen world. I remember walking down the street where the boy with whom I was fixated lived --just in case I might see Him or lingering by his locker, looking about for Him! "You fly down a street on the chance that you meet, and you meet, not merely by chance." Actually, Lerner and Loewe in My My Fair Lady captured adolescent love most accurately:

I have often walked down this street before,

But the pavement always stayed beneath my feet before.

All at once am I several stories high,
Knowing I'm on the street where you live.

   

                  Even more unrealistic

Some enchanted evening

When you find your true love,

When you feel her call you

Across a crowded room,

Then fly to her side,

And make her your own

Or all through your life you

May dream all alone.

At that age, I did not appreciate how romantic mature love can be:

He will not always say what you would have him say.

But, now and then he'll say something wonderful.

The thoughtless things he'll do will hurt and worry you,

Then, all at once he'll do something wonderful.

Then there are times when one of those great songs just pop into your head:

Who hasn't walked outside and thought:

Oh, what a beautiful morning!

Oh, what a beautiful day!

I hear it over and over again--how this or that is the greatest, earth-changing invention. Often a certain ditty comes to me:

Everything's up to date in Kansas City.

They gone about as fer as they can go.

They went an' built a skyscraper seven stories high--

About as high as a buildin' orta grow.

Everything's like a dream in Kansas City.

It's better than a magic lantern show.

You can turn the radiator on whenever you want some heat.

With every kind of comfort every house is all complete.

You could walk the privees in the rain and never wet your feet!

They've gone about as fer as they can go.

It seems the songs from Oklahoma provide good comic relief. When I am being "convinced" to volunteer for something I really don't want to do:

I'm just a girl who cain't say 'no'
I'm in a terrible fix!
I always say 'Come on, let's go' just when I aughta say 'Nix.'

Although it is a bit to schmaltzy for me, I cried buckets when hearing it in Carousel, and I imagine it has given many people comfort:




Whatever your favorite and however these songs come to you--

Thank you, Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein. Your songs Walk On.

                                                   Trish

088 This drug?

Do I Really Want To Take This Drug?

Do you have one of the many viruses prevalent right now? OR is it a virus? Is it an infection that could really use antibiotic help? Do you have some chronic medical problem that requires prescription meds on a daily basis? 

If your answer is YES to any of these questions, do NOT listen to the mild-voiced narrators on drug ads on TV who lists all the problems that could arise from the advertised wonder drug while the ad runs. 

You may never want to take drugs again!

So, I repeat: is the cure worse than the problem? This blog is meant to be “tongue-in-check” humor, yet the contraindications of well-advertised drugs are true and are scary.

  
With many, many, many viewings of said TV ads, it is easy to become a bit paranoid . . . or if you are comedian, (like Steve Martin or Jeff Foxworthy--Google their monologues), you may have created a whole comedy routine on medication side effects.

Here is some basic information, dear readers.

Medicine (pharmaceutical drug) is the use of a legal drug to treat or cure an illness. A note (prescription) from your doctor is required.

There are also OTC drugs (over the counter) which you may choose yourself. Penicillin is not one of them. (Sadly!)

Dosage is also important. This tells you how much to take. If you take too much, it is called an overdose. An overdose can damage your liver or kill you.



Indication is the reason why the medicine is given. Some drugs have more than one indication - e.g. acetaminophen is for both pain and fever.

Contraindication is why a drug should not be given. Almost all drugs have contraindications. These contraindications are also called “side effects” and we do not want these. 

Read your prescription bottle and any accompanying information. 

Read the warning labels. 

Ask your doctor about side effects.

If I were really clever or quick enough at memorizing, I would try to make this list into a song with a familiar tune. Please let me know what music would work! 

And isn’t it ironic that constipation and diarrhea are on the same list!

Stay well! Glenne      

087 Shoes and shoes

If the shoe fits or not!

Shoes, shoes and more shoes--I recently cleaned out various parts of my wardrobe and discovered shoes I didn’t know I had. 

They were tucked away in the attic, some still in the original boxes, as well as in every nook and cranny of several closets. I seemed to have a penchant for buying the same style in every color available.

My husband and I decided this Lenten season to put at least one item a day in a bag to donate rather than giving something up as in past years. It really worked well as our closets have become leaner and lighter. This cleansing made me realize how I had not purged my shoe possessions for quite some time.

But back to the shoes--I know some of them I kept for sentimental reasons--heels that I can no longer wear and colors I would never be seen in ever again. What feeds this obsession to seek out the perfect addition to a wardrobe or to update something I have?

Research reveals that shoes are definitely an obsession for men and women and are a talking point that doesn’t become a sexist remark. You can tell someone you like his or her shoes without appearing to notice any taboo part of the body.

In addition, shoes seem to give the buyers a rush of adrenalin that propels them into a cloud of bliss. I know I have felt something similar to this but mainly when I find a great sale--50 percent or less off the original price. The mark-up on shoes must be over the top as the final price can be nowhere near the asking.

The ultimate shoe story that changed a life is of course is the Cinderella fairy tale that thrust her out of the cinders into the castle of her prince charming. That glass slipper may be behind the love and compulsion that many of us have for shoes.

As I took inventory during my recent shoe de-cluttering, I found I also have an intense attraction to boots – short, tall, practical, or totally useless styles. I couldn’t part with any of them at this time but maybe next year. 

I did not dare count the pairs of footwear that I own. I know I could not handle it, and my family and friends would use it against me if I ever revealed my total. It has to be in the hundreds, but I did reduce it some with this spring’s purging.

As I have matured, my shoe buying has progressed somewhat into a realm of comfort. I used to buy a size close to the one my feet measure--if the store was out of my size, I would try a smaller or larger size--not a good idea. One dear friend of mine remarked at a particularly good sale--doesn’t matter if it fit, if it is a good price! That type of logic is probably why so many of us now have troubled feet!

A modern convenience has made it even easier to buy shoes--the Internet. If I see a pair of shoes I can’t live without and my size is not available, I immediately Google it, and most of the time I can find it. Often I will look for coupons or discounts to make it a little easier to justify.

While a great deal of research and time have gone into the world of shoes--determining personality traits by the type of shoes--as well as special exhibits, calendars, books, and other publications that try to understand a woman’s and sometimes a man’s shoe obsession, I can only speak for myself as I sort by color and style ---- I really like shoes! 

As a notepad given to me by a dear friend exclaims, “You can’t buy happiness, but you can buy shoes!”

Shoe Savvy Frances      

086 Reveal Codes

Why Not Reveal Codes?

Every so often, I get frustrated with Word and wish it had "Reveal Codes" that I had enjoyed back when I used Word Perfect.

The formatting symbols that appear in the text in Word when I click the ¶ icon in Word do not give me enough information.

I probably remember "Reveal Codes" in a rosy glow--giving it much more value than it had. It has been a while!

When I googled "Reveal Codes" and "Word", I discovered that the two word processing software programs are configured radically different, and the Word software is incapable of having a feature such as Reveal Codes. I also found much advice about using Styles in Word to have more control, but the learning curve seems too steep for me.

But,Wait! I am not going to devote this blog to bitching about Microsoft. After endowing "Reveal Codes" with such great power, I wondered why it isn't available elsewhere.  Think of the situations when Reveal Codes would be invaluable:

People are impossible to read which is what makes them so fascinating! So I guess I will keep grumbling and using Word.                                                                                                                                 And Rory, the Reveal Codes Superhero won't be making an appearance any time soon!                                                               Trish                                                               P.S. I am too cheap to buy Word Perfect when Word comes with the computer!

085 Movies

Movies:If you haven’t seen these….

Hello, there, Facebook friends and fellow movie buffs. 

The Oscars and other awards shows are over. Following nominated films closely and seeing as many as we can is a semi-hobby my husband and I adopted over the years. On awards nights, we discuss our critiques with that of the movie industry. Yes, we even talk back to the tv screen. I do wish, however, the winners would just shut up, accept the award, say thank you, and go sit back down.

Over the past few years, I have been collecting a list of movies under general categories which I find worth watching. Should you be looking for something to stream or order from Netflix or use your on demand, here are my recommendations for the category HISTORY – Fact and Fiction from the Revolution through the Civil War. If you like this listing of what Glenne recommends, periodically I will slide in different lists.

I selected this arbitrary time period because this is often the way schools teach U S History. The Civil War ends the first semester and the second semester gets all the rest. Not all are good movies, not all stay true to the facts, but together they give an overview of how to remind oneself or educate your family and friends about the high and low points of our history.

U.S. History--The first half

1776  
The beginning of the nation. This is a fictionalized account of the 2nd Continental Congress and the debate about whether to declare independence. The film makes John Adams obnoxious, but the singing is wonderful. This is a great movie that makes one want to google historical facts. If you want a comparison, try HBO’s 2008 John Adams miniseries which covers the period from the Boston Massacre to the Revolutionary War. I still love the Broadway show and the movie although I know its faults.                                                                           

The Crossing  
Sad to say but this little movie is not very entertaining. It does, though, give a realistic portrayal of Washington crossing the Delaware and how the course of American history changed because of it.         

Johnny Tremain  
The young adult novel turned into a Disney movie in 1957. This is family movie of an apprentice silversmith who becomes a patriot and joins “The Sons of Liberty.” Also, this is a good introduction to Paul Revere.                               

Hamilton   
This is the hit Broadway show I am sneaking in to see if you are paying attention. Good luck on getting tickets, but this show covers Hamilton, Burr, Adams, Jefferson, Washington, Lafayette, Madison and the early 1800s. Even King George III gets to ask “what happens next?” [Tickets start at $177/person]                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

                  

The Buccaneer   
Produced in 1958, baby boomers will like this old movie of the War of 1812. Charlton Heston plays Andrew Jackson and Yul Brenner is the flamboyant pirate Jean Lafitte. It is based on true events and, even if a bit campy, it’s worth watching.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

The Alamo 
The John Wayne one, not the 2004 remake. It’s 1836 and the Santa Anna’s Mexican Army is invading Texas. Learn about General Sam Houston (Richard Boone), Jim Bowie (Richard Widmark) and Davy Crockett (John Wayne). The resistance at the Alamo mission spurred Texas toward freedom.            

Amistad  
In 1839 the slave ship Amistad sets sail from Cuba to America during which there is a slave uprising. The slaves are held in prison in Connecticut.  Free slave Joadson (played by Morgan Freeman) recruits a property lawyer (Matthew McConaughey) to help with the case. Powerful! Foreshadows the Civil War.

Note: Selections 8, 9, and 10 are my Civil War choices. The movie database (IMDb) lists 71 Civil War era movies. The three following are my favorites. I look forward to hearing from you as to why I should have chosen others or that you agree.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

                                                             

Gone with the Wind   
Okay, okay! I know it’s very fictionalized, but the characters are so memorable – Rhett, Scarlett, Mammy, et al. The burning of Atlanta and the wounded on the railroad tracks are forever etched in my mind.                                                                                        

Lincoln   
The Spielberg 2012 movie I believe to be the best portrayal of Lincoln I have ever seen as he works to obtain passage of the 13th Amendment banning slavery. Daniel Day-Lewis is superb in the role.                                                                                                                                                                                          

Glory  
Apparently this sad movie is factual. It tells the tale of the first official black regiment in the Civil War. Following the Battle of Antietam, the 54th Voluntary Massachusetts Infantry fights their own battles to be allowed to move from menial tasks to war. With Morgan Freeman and Denzel Washington, this is a powerful movie.

Pop the popcorn! Enjoy. We’d love to hear from you.

Glenne             

084 Civility has left the room

Civility?

Really--can this be happening in the U.S.A.? Racist, bigoted rants by those who want to lead this country continue almost daily as they spew hateful messages through the air waves. 

What happened to basic manners and the adage, “if you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything”?

I cannot believe this is the state of affairs in the United States in 2015. It actually is beyond any realm of belief for me that this is what we have had to listen to for weeks and weeks from presidential candidates and that we have sunken to a new low.

My mind cannot comprehend what I am hearing--racism and bigotry in its ugliest forms from people who want to lead this country. I don’t think I have really heard these things said in this way before in my almost seven decades of life. I know people have deep seated resentment, rooted in insecurities, fear, and the unknown, but to hear it loudly and clearly is surprising and shocking.

How did we get to this? What went wrong that the most vile of emotions towards certain ethnic groups has reared it ugly head?

And especially to hear so-called political leaders or those who want to be leaders dishing out such hateful rhetoric is sickening and disgusting. They should not lower themselves to this dangerous dialogue just for votes but rise above and pull people together.

It is most disturbing to watch crowds of people cheering as these nasty sound bites pollute the air waves. “We want our country back” is heard and read on placards. What does that really mean? The country belonged to Native Americans before explorers from other countries took over and claimed the land. Are these crowds part of tribes who were here for thousands of years?

I don’t think so--then what could they mean? Do they want to go back to times of slavery, repression, discrimination, and when at least half the population was not allowed to vote. I certainly don’t--I like to vote, enjoy having choices, and meeting diverse people.

Going backwards is never healthy and actually is virtually impossible. Why not get our country to move on not back and forge new relationships with those seeking what our ancestors came to find in America.

As a child of the ’60s, I bought the whole peace and love philosophy. I really thought the world would be a more peaceful place as I matured into adulthood. But here we are at the end of 2015, and I feel all we worked for and believed in are seriously threatened.

We cannot let this happen. We must value each other for our differences as well as our similarities. How boring it would be if we were all alike--same ideas, same looks, same religion, same lifestyle. Diversity is crucial to moving on and finding a peaceful coexistence with our fellow man.

Join me in this pursuit. When someone starts ranting and you have the opportunity, say something nice about the people they are discrediting. Give an example of someone you know who is not at all what they are saying but are from that ethnic background. I know this may seem simplistic to some, but I truly feel we have to try to turn the tide.

We must raise the level of discourse to a civil tone whether spoken or written. Answer these allegations with truth in a factual manner. It may not be greeted the way you would want but don’t give up. We must continue to work together and keep peace and love always in the forefront. And vote for those who want to work for a better America not take it back to where it shouldn’t go, but where everyone has fought and worked to take it.

Frances