songbird's crazy world

A bonus post for a "bonus" day.... February 29.  It happens once every four year. Ever wonder how people born on February 29 celebrate their birthday? It was a plot point in Gilbert & Sullivan's Pirates of Penzance .  Our hero, Frederic, is apprenticed to a pirate until his 21st birthday.  Poor Frederic, however, was born on February 29, and though he's lived 21 years, he has not celebrated 21 birthdays.... The musical was adapted into a film in 1983,  starring  Kevin Kline ,  Angela Lansbury ,  Linda Ronstadt ,  George Rose , and  Rex Smith. Here's the song where they describe Frederic's "problem": And a few more highlights from the movie.

It's time for  Saturday 9 Saturday 9: On the Radio (1979) Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it  here .   1) The action begins when a letter falls out of the pocket of a brown overcoat. What color is your coat? The one I wear most of the time is olive green.  I have a very heavy black coat for extreme weather, and a black lighter-weight coat. 2) The lyrics ask if it "kinda strikes you sad when you hear our song." We don't want to be sad this Saturday, so we're asking what song makes you happy. Most music makes me happy.  Pick just one?  Oh, OK.  Today I'm thinking of this one: 3) Right before this song hit the charts, Donna Summer hit the cover of  Newsweek . Are there any magazines in your home now? If yes, who is on the cover? I've gone digital, so no magazines at home.  The last magazine I loaded to the nook app on my iPad didn't have anyone on the cover. 4) Donna wrote the lyrics to this song, while producer Giorgio Moroder wr

The sign says "points east".... though I think the sun pretty much lets you know the direction.... I wonder what train he's trying to catch.  Wouldn't it be easier to fly? #skywatchfriday

It’s so good to see men in blue and orange uniforms on a baseball diamond...so good to hear Gary Cohen, Ron Darling and Keith Hernandez in the broadcast booth...even if it’s only spring training.  Let’s Go Mets! Last week there was a clue on Jeopardy! about a catcher discovered by Tommy Lasorda in 1989 who wound up in the Hall of Fame.  Drew and I both shouted “Mike Piazza” but none if the contestants knew the answer. How embarrassing for the contestant from Queens, NY... There’s a new restaurant Drew has been dying to try, so on Saturday we ventured out to.   Fogo de Chao , a Brazilian churrasqueria.  You can order an entree from the regular menu, or you can go for the “experience”, an all-you-can-eat feast of flame grilled beef, lamb, pork and chicken.  The meats are brought to your table, and you also get the salad bar (which has an interesting array of fruits and vegetables: I tried star fruit for the first time), feijoada ( the Brazilian national dish, it’s a stew of blac

So what can you say about Allan Sherman?  A nice Jewish boy, a TV comedy writer/producer who hit it big in the 1960's with his very ethnic parody songs. You've probably heard a few of his songs.  Even if you haven't, you should listen...you'll laugh. Let's start with "Harvey and Sheila". "My Zelda" In his autobiography Sherman mentions that even JFK was singing this one: And we close it out with his best-known work:

Sunday Stealing 1. What is your favorite color? Bet you can’t guess. Hint, I’m using it right now. Yes, I’m a purple girl. 2. If you could get on a plane tomorrow and travel anywhere, where would you go? Oh, so many possibilities!  Spain.  Morocco.  Japan.  Jerusalem.   3. Were you closer to your mother or to your father Definitely my mother.  I loved my father dearly, may he Rest In Peace.  But I was always closer to my mom.   4. What is your favorite meal (savory and dessert) Again, so many choices.  Last night we went to a Brazilian churrasqueria, ate all sorts of barbecued meats, salads, etc.  I’m always happy to go out for Chinese, or Japanese, or Italian, or Greek ... A good steak with a baked potato, shrimp cocktail for an appetizer, and I’m quite content. Set me loose in my favorite bakery and I’m likely to bring home cheesecake or cannoli or rainbow cookies or chocolate mousse cake. 5. Can you wink with each eye?  (How about curl your tongue) Y

Buttons and Bows Saturday 9: Buttons & Bows (1948) Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it  here .    1) The lyrics extol the beauty of "rings and things and buttons and bows." When you're getting dressed, do you give much thought to accessorizing?  I do like to wear jewelry.  I have some very good jewelry, but also a lot of costume pieces.  You’ll never see me without earrings . 2) Dinah Shore sings that she doesn't want to live where the cactus hurts her toes. Sam can sympathize, as she has a blister on one of her toes from where her winter boots rub. Do you have any aches and pains to report this morning? You don’t want the full list.  Let’s just say My Stupid Knees are acting up. 3) Dinah was such a popular entertainer that people were surprised to learn she earned a degree in sociology from Vanderbilt University. What is something we'd be surprised to know about you? I took a class in atmospheric science in college, and for a

#skywatchfriday

So my birthday has come and gone.  The big milestone birthday.  And you know what?  60 does not feel any different than 59.  No, wait...it does feel a bit different.  We've been doing too much celebrating....far too many restaurant meals.... So let me introduce you to my new best friend: Seriously, the honey vanilla is to die for. 

How I spent my time yesterday.

So, the theme I chose for this week is: Songs that tell a story.  Example, “The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia”  by Vickie Lawrence is a story about a murder and a trial (and even has a plot twist). Let's start with the example I gave when creating the topic. This one sounds like a Civil War folk song, but was actually written by Robbie Robertson, a Canadian. This next one is by Jimmy Buffett. He  wrote the song about musician Eddie Balchowsky,  a one-armed  Spanish Civil War  veteran he met while playing in  Chicago .   Nitty Gritty Dirt Band had the hit, but I like John Denver's version of this song: Another "folk song", this one composed by Jimmy Driftwod and made famous by Johnny Horton. I was always a fan of the late Harry Chapin.  The first time I saw him perform was at my high school.; he had a habit of performing free concerts at Long Island public schools.  The night he died (July 16, 1981), he was supposed to give a

It’s time for  Sunday Stealing Have you ever 1 . Broken a bone ? Yes, I broke a bone in my pinkie.  Didn’t realize it was broken.  It healed, but the finger is now slightly crooked. 2.  Broken a window ? Nope. 3.  Been on TV ? Yes.  It was 1980, and Long Island was inundated with gypsy moth caterpillars.  Local cable news station did a story on it.  And they interviewed me. 4.  Had a friend who shared the same birthday as you ? No, but ... My father’s birthday was February 17 and mine is February 18. And I have a “cousin”...my aunt’s stepson ...whose birthday is February 19; he is one day younger than I am. 5.  Locked your keys in the car ? My boyfriend Drew is famous  for locking his keys in his car.  Over the years he’s done it more times than I can count.  I’ve done it twice.  It was not fun. 6.  Accidentally sent a text or email to the wrong person ? Yes, more than once.  Nothing terribly embarrassing, but... the worst is when

It's time for the  Saturday 9 . Saturday 9: Secret Valentine (2008) In honor of Valentine's Day. Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it  here . 1) The lyrics talk about a song that's so romantic it "turns out the lights." Are the lights on in the room you're in right now? Yes.   2) In the video, our heroine's Valentine's Day adventure begins with a note slipped into her pocket. What's in your pocket right now? I don't have any pockets in this outfit.   Normally I'd keep Chapstick and Kleenex in my pocket, if anything at all. 3) This week's band, We the Kings, are proud sons of the state of Florida. Bradenton, to be exact. They even called one of their CDs  Sunshine State of Mind.  Have you ever been to Florida? If so, where have you visited? I've been to Florida many times.  The first time was when I was 12 and I went to Miami with my grandmother.  My in-laws used to live near Ft. Myers, and we visited se