184 Everybody loves ROCKY!

Everybody loves ROCKY!

What is it about Rocky Balboa that is so endearing? He is quiet in his demeanor (except in the boxing ring), somewhat sloppy in his attire, and unpretentious at best. Does he remind us of a cousin, uncle, or other relatives that exude love and comfort? Possibly this is the reason, but there is much more.

My husband and I fell in love with him with the first Rocky movie, starring Sylvester Stallone, decades ag--who could ever forget his impassioned call for Adrian (Talia Shire) after he won the big fight and searched the crowd for the love of his life.

While our children were too young for the first movie in 1976, they soon caught up with the series, Rocky II to V. The family including our son and daughter couldn’t resist the shy, awkward athlete. Our son even portrayed Rocky in a variety show his junior year of high school. Even though he was a little on the skinny side, he did a pretty good imitation.

The sequels up through Rocky V added to the epic love story as well as the rise to boxing fame and fortune with the rags to riches storyline. Even Adrian’s brother Paulie (Burt Young), who was a little too real, took part in the drive from the unknown to star stature.

Our children would rent the movies and have a Rocky marathon when the mood hit. Thus, continuing the family obsession with this story. 

Somehow, we never tired of the come-back theme even when he had to get in the ring to avenge the death of his enemy turned friend--Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) by a Russian.

On a visit to New York City, we waited to get tickets to a Broadway play late in the day so guess what was available-- Rocky: the Musical, based on the first movie. The play didn’t run very long but we enjoyed it. The audience was made part of the action as the boxing ring moved off the stage into the audience. It only lasted six months but we were glad we got to see it – true Rocky fans.

Several decades passed without a Rocky fix, and then the rise of Creed’s son, played by Michael B. Jordan, as a boxer brought us back to the big screen with Rocky Balboa as a mentor, uncle, dad, coach, or whatever he is considered to be in the first Creed movie.

We really didn’t have much hope that this new movie would rival the old but it absolutely did. The acting, the message, the emotions, all fit into the true Rocky mode of the fan base. 

Creed II came out the end of this year and it did not disappoint even with the return of the Russian and his son. Rocky’s love for his wife is still evident as he named his restaurant for her and he visits the cemetery regularly to talk to her, even taking a folding chair to sit and ponder the latest events in his life.

Rocky makes an attempt at the end of the movie to reconnect with his son who is played by none other than the actor Milo Ventimiglia, who stars in the TV hit series, “This Is Us.” Milo had played the part of the son in earlier movies, and Stallone had made a cameo appearance in Milo’s series.

That gave me hope for another sequel with the son taking a bigger role. Who knows!

While I know some people may consider Rocky frivolous and unimportant, there is something about the whole saga that whets the appetite for this type of story. The fight scenes can be a little bloody and disturbing, but the human angle draws the viewer into a life story that should be celebrated. It may seem somewhat simplistic and maudlin to some but not to others.

The plot pretty much remains the same with the underdog coming to the surface, but who doesn’t love that storyline!!

Rocky-Savvy Frances                    

183 New tricks

New tricks for Tootsie

I have a dog that loves to do tricks but hates to learn new ones. Well, Tootsie is 8 but I don't think that is the issue.

Tootsie can do many of the normal tricks--sit, stay, leave it. But she has never learned to shake or sit up. She barks enough so Speak is not a trick for her!

She also will roll over, high five, and circle around or through my legs. She can balance a treat on her nose but rarely can catch it. I think that trick might be easier for a dog with a bigger nose such as a labrador.

One of her favorites is to dance. It was her first trick because whenever she is excited, she makes lots of tight little circles. So she gets rewarded for being excited. Little kids love to see her dance!

Two of the hardest tricks to teach her were the ones in which she has to stay still. When I say Bang!, she is supposed to play dead until I say She's Alive! Sometimes I have to shoot twice saying, Did I miss? with a second bang, to get her to go down and stay completely down. She is so excited that she is shaking which only adds to the realism. I have to be really fast with her release because she doesn't stay down for long.

I also require her to stay in the down position and NOT eat the treat that is on the floor directly in front of her. She has to retain eye contact with me until I say Okay.

Tricks Tootsie has not been able to learn are Say your prayers and walking on her hind legs. The problem with learning new tricks is stopping her from going through every trick in rapid succession so she can concentrate on learning the new one. She loves her treats and becomes frantic to get them.

The book I own on dog tricks states that you can add another trick by building on one she knows but Tootsie gets stuck on the original one! I do better by starting a new trick that is different from others she knows. I did try to get her to use a skateboard, but that was too scary. Probably a dog has to grow up around kids using them to get started.

So what should we try next? Crawl, limp, jump through a hoop, or walk the teeter-totter? I'll let you know what works!

Savvy tricksters Tootsie and Trish

A good height to start!

Ha Ha!

182 Another holiday?

Good Grief! Another Holiday Already?

Dear Readers, would you like to help me redo the holiday schedule? I wish we could spread our celebrations out over the year. I feel like, in spite of trying to be vigilant about calories, I am on a food high from Halloween through New Year’s Day. 

Then we need to address the marketing and merchandising of these holidays earlier and earlier each year. The Neiman Marcus “The Christmas Book 2018” arrived on October 30. 

Yep, the day before Halloween. I was at the mailbox retrieving a CVS coupon for 25% off candy and there was the catalog. Of course, I still felt obligated to buy a bag of mixed mini candy bars just in case we had a trick or treater come by. [We didn’t! and the candy is gone!]

Then three weeks later it is Thanksgiving. We don’t do the sweet potatoes and marshmallows but mashed potatoes and gravy are a necessity with turkey. Calories!!

We do NOT do Black Friday. I am not setting a foot in a retail store that day. My sanity and my lower back can’t take it. Besides, what is the internet for? Just Google it (you know by now, I am addicted to surfing the web). Sometimes I buy, usually, I do not.

So…. We have had a sugar high, followed by two fattening meals with our nearest and dearest and the year is not over. Our anniversary is December 31. That date--though fiscally responsible tax wise [one can claim married for the year] seemed for many, many years to obligate us to do SOMETHING. 

About ten years ago, we realized we like to watch the many comedy specials and the NYC ball fall in the comfort of our easy chairs. Maybe a drink, but maybe not! Even our New York City friends and family do not go to Times Square to be (and I quote a near and dear relative) “herded and prodded and stuck in barriers like cattle with strangers in the cold” and should you leave your spot – too bad – “you move, you lose.”

About ten years ago, we realized we like to watch the many comedy specials and the NYC ball fall in the comfort of our easy chairs. Maybe a drink, but maybe not! Even our New York City friends and family do not go to Times Square to be (and I quote a near and dear relative) “herded and prodded and stuck in barriers like cattle with strangers in the cold” and should you leave your spot--too bad--“you move, you lose.”

Yes, I am getting to be sort of a Scrooge. I admit to mixed feelings about the whole holiday experience. Sometimes, I feel like a martyr--I want the bank open; I want the mail to come; I want to get my daily diet Coke at McDonald’s (still only $1). Other days, I enjoy the holiday experience as I use it as an excuse not to do anything but play on the computer and read or, if we are really energetic, we might take in a movie.

Now a few words last words about retail marketing and advertising. For a society moving away from print--HA! How come every newspaper has a tree worth of ads inserts? Some of the ads are for stores I never heard of. These go straight to recycling. The ads for Christmas start before Halloween and get more and more frenetic as the days pass. No, I have not done all my shopping. I will get to it soon. AND, lest we forget the “reason for the season,” we should not be dreading all we have to do. Sometimes it really irritates me; other times it seems merely amusing. I love this cartoon: 

And this one, too:

I have decided to say to NO, thank you for thinking of us, to that which I do not enjoy. We now buy one thing we both want. This year’s gift is a decent am/fm radio that actually gets the stations we want. We have created an EXIT PLAN for all events. This is probably the critical one that gets us through the various events. On arrival we let the hosts know that we have another commitment. [Oh, dear, I’ve let out our secret.] 

The other commitment may be that we want to watch Jimmy Kimmel or give the dogs a pat and a treat. How can we leave Max and Bogie too long? Just look at these faces!

However you celebrate, the Savvy Broads wish you health and happiness!

Glenne            

181 Music madness

A month of music madness

Christmas music fills the month of December with traditional and not so traditional carols and jingles. The airwaves are flooded with the familiar words of the holy and commercial season. No one can escape it and I am one who doesn’t want to--I love the music.

As I think of the holidays, various songs seem to resonate with each phase of life. Their lyrics sticking with us for decades no matter religion, language, or ethnicity.

The buying frenzy is infiltrated with tunes by Perry Como and Bing Crosby crooning about a picturesque holiday “White Christmas” with snow as well as family gatherings “No Place Like Home for the Holidays” that can’t be missed. Lovely sentiments pour out of the speakers with hopes that all will come true as projected-- I’ll Be Home for Christmas.”

As children, the magic was palpable as we eagerly awaited Santa propelled by his trusty reindeer. “Rudolph, the Red Nose Reindeer.” 

Plus making a list to send Santa was on our minds, making sure we behaved at least for the weeks leading up to the big day, “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” and “Here Comes Santa Claus.”

As we aged out of the Santa phase, the holidays became more about what we were doing over the holidays, such as short-term jobs, buying for that special someone, parties, and appropriate attire -- “Blue Christmas,” “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” Music gave us more incentives to handle what was coming, “Sleigh Bells” and “Deck the Halls.”

Marriage and children added another dimension as we went back to the Santa days we go--hiding gifts, adding a few surprises, and trying to keep the true meaning of the holiday in the forefront, “Silent Night,” “Joy to the World,” and “O Holy Night.”

Who could ever forget Gene Autry singing “Here Comes Santa Claus” in his very distinctive manner, or Roy Rodgers crooning a myriad of carols and jingles?

The music continues as children leave home and return with their children and we go back to Santa, doll babies, festive clothes, trees, food, etc. “Deck the Halls” and “The Little Drummer Boy.”

Even special stations are named Holly and the like and play the holiday music non-stop. And some of the songs are not so traditional as “Momma Got Run Over by a Reindeer” and “Grinch.” Plus, we find the very young entertainers performing renditions of the more traditional versions of the songs – often as good but not always. Elvis’s “Blue Christmas” and the Hawaiian Christmas song just aren’t the same without his soulful crooning.

But Willis Nelson has a knack for singing any of the traditional songs and they sound great no matter how he does it.

And so it continues as we see a cycle of holiday traditions come back with the music scrolling through it all – in the stores as we shop, on the radio and electronic devices, and streaming through many different sources. Certain ones will bring back a particular or place where we remember hearing it or dancing to it--“Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” with Brenda Lee. I personally prefer her version as I remember it as a teen, but others have made attempts that are admirable.

Or a church service where “Noel” and “Adeste Fideles” were sung with heartfelt gusto. The words come back to mind as we hear the familiar renditions. I often can’t remember what day of the week it is. but the lyrics of the carols come rushing forward.

Of course, Alvin and the Chipmunks have brightened the holidays with various renditions of many songs. I guarantee a smile will grace your face when the little rascals start to sing.

No matter what the preference in music styles and artists, holiday songs can be found by almost every artist. The only bad part of all of this is the day or week after Christmas, it all fades away until next December. Sometimes I would like the music to stay a little longer but then it might become ordinary!

                                   Frances

180 Manuscript estate planning

What about your papers?

A few blogs ago, I talked about estate planning but the frustrations I have encountered in my research about Judge Richard Parker, the judge who sentenced John Brown to hang in 1850, made me realize that I had overlooked an important topic.

Judge Parker's will made me wonder what kind of a lawyer he was! His will is dated July 24, 1888. Parker died five years later in 1893 so perhaps he was not at his sharpest when he wrote the will although he does follow the legal niceties well (from my limited knowledge, that is).

He does allocate certain items such as family china, silver, Bible and prayer books, and photographs to specific relatives. He had no children and his wife had died in 1887. He states in the will, "The residue of my property is of such small worth that it would be of but little help to any." So he divided it among his sisters' children and the children of his wife's sister. "Share and share alike," said Parker in his will. With so many heirs, all they could do was to sell everything and divide the proceeds.

But, Richard Parker, what about your correspondence, your journals and diaries, your ledgers, your business records, your books? Gone, all gone!

I have been tracking down his papers. Fortunately, one man made it his mission to collect everything related to John Brown, including Judge Parker. Boyd B. Stutler, 1889-1970,

created one of the most important John Brown collections in existence, and the West Virginia Archives acquired the collection in 1977. They received a grant from the federal government to digitize over 20,000 pages of the collection and make the digitized documents available to the public. 

Stutler also published an article on Parker in the Magazine of the Jefferson County Historical Society in 1953. Unfortunately, he provided no footnotes or bibliography in the article, but I was able to locate most of his sources in the West Virginia John Brown/Boyd B. Stutler collection.

The Handley Archives has a copy of a manuscript Civil War diary by Parker that is owned by the Library of Congress that purchased it in 1984. 

The University of Virginia owns the twelve-page catalog of Parker's books, so about 280 of his books were sold at auction. But having the list is a bonus! 

There is also a large collection of Richard Parker materials at the Chicago History Museum. Other items that I have not yet seen are at the University of Maryland and Stanford University. I am still searching to find more manuscript materials!

Maybe our personal papers would not be as valuable as those of Judge Parker, but I bet all of us have something that might be useful to future historians. Even If your children and grandchildren are getting all your photographs--can they identify all the relatives and friends pictured in them? Local archives might also like one or two of you and all your ancestors--of course, everyone should be identified. 

Diaries, journals, and business ledgers are often useful to historians. Letters describing war experiences and other important events are another item. Even if you don't want to give local archives originals of these materials, they would be happy with good copies.

I realize too that we did not specify in our will who gets our research materials about Civil War relics, Frederick County Courthouse history, and Judge Parker materials. More estate planning--and photo labeling to do!

So what about your papers? Don't forget to get them in order, labeled, and mentioned in your will!

Trish