It’s the theee-ah-ter dahling

The other night I saw “The Drowsy Chaperone” at the surprisingly beautiful 5th Avenue Theater in Seattle. It's a very tongue-in-cheek commentary on musicals, and the woman who played Georgeanne in "Mary Tyler Moore" is in it. It’s really a cute, quirky little play and if it comes near you I highly recommend it.


The first live play I saw live was “The King and I” at the Fisher Theater in downtown Detroit. Yule Brenner was in it and I still remember sitting on the edge of my seat, enchanted and entranced. I was hooked on the stage.

I was almost an actress. I sang in choir and preformed in school musicals and acted in plays at the Farmington Community Theater. My parents used to call me Helen Hayes sometimes, but I later found out that was due to my tendency towards tears and the overly dramatic, and not necessarily my acting abilities.

Instead of acting, I went into something safer...radio broadcasting. Theater of the mind they call it. Life is a stage and we are all actors, said Mr. Shakespeare. Heck, waiting tables was acting. Showtime began when my first table sat, turn on 'da charm to rake in 'dem tips.

Everyone loves watching people singin’ and a swayin’. Don’t believe me? Then why are “Dancing with the Stars” and “American Idol” consistently number one in the T.V ratings?

That’s showbiz kid, that’s showbiz. ☺

Bugs Bunny Lunch Box

Song of the Day: Borderline-Madonna

Today is the birthday of a dear dear friend of mine. I’ve known her since I was around 6, so I’ve known her most of my life. We have not lived in the same state most of our adult lives, but she is always there, on the phone, online via IM or e-mail, and I just got her started on Facebook.

We are very different people- different values, different lifestyles, and different hair color. But we both loved the Bay City Rollers, and Madonna and Bonne Belle lip-gloss and all kinds of food.

Our shared loves have evolved into "Seinfeld" and "Lost", and Bonne Belle lip-gloss, and all kinds of food. And we love each other, no matter what. I think we both know that now, we’re stuck with each other; after surfing wave after wave of events; sometimes together, and sometimes apart, good and bad.

We met very innocently, (I think she hates when I tell this story). It was first grade at Longacre Elementary. I had already done kindergarten there, so I was in the loop. She was new. She looked scared, as all the kids pretty much knew each other from last year and had already begun to form their clique’s.

She stood on the outside the circle, head down a bit, biting her lip, blond wavy hair swirling around her face. I'm betting she was wearing a matching sweater and skirt ensemble as sweaty hands grasped a Bugs Bunny lunch box, that I thought was exquisite. Even in first grade I thought in big words, Ha Ha.

I did not have a Bugs Bunny. I think I had some stupid plaid lunch box, or maybe one with monkeys. Lunch boxes were the designer bags of our time, and I didn’t have a Canal Street connection back then.

So, I went up and talked to her. I couldn’t tell you what was said. (This is why I could never in good conscience write my memoir’s, who can remember?)

At any rate, the die was cast for our lifelong friendship. We have so many memories together from grade school through high school, through marriages, and deaths, through losses and triumphs.

Now, we are as different as salt and pepper, as moon and sun. Our lives have taken completely different routes. I used to say, if I met her now, I probably wouldn’t be friends with her.

But that’s just plain silly you rascally rabbit.

We judge people so quickly; you never know what kind of inspiring person might be hiding behind that lunch box. You may miss out. If I hadn’t taken a chance and said hello, who knows…I might not be writing today about blonde haired first-graders and Bugs Bunny lunch boxes.

Plane Thoughts

Song of the Day: "Jet Airliner" Steve Miller Band

Thoughts from the other night, while flying SEA-EWR...

I think I’ve mentioned before, when talking about cities or traveling, I write in "airport talk" sometimes. SEA- is Seattle obviously; EWR is Newark, which is not so apparent, etc, etc) Chalk it up to the fact that I am easily influenced by others and have several friends who work in the airline industry. Plus, I honestly think any sort of code or abbreviate is cool. I am all about LOL or BRB or my fave TTYL.

We were in our old ‘Joisey neck o’ the woods over the weekend, attending the wedding of some friends of ours, a good Polish girl from Bayonne, and a good ol' Irish Jersey City firefighter. Yes, full Catholic mass and do the math on how much liquor was consumed. Ha Ha.

Another story for another day, but you can take the girl out of Jersey, but man, that Jersey does not budge from the girl.

At any rate, when I'm flying, especially on the long flights, I tend to write a lot, and usually come up with some pretty good ideas. I have bushels of things started; the rub is getting them finished. It's amazing how much gets done while wedged in a plane. Perhaps having nowhere to go for hours on end settles me into the mode. Something I try to replicate when on the ground, but I'm not able to get the same affect. The phone and internet work down here, and I can open the fridge.

I feel important while writing on a plane. I know people are glancing at me now and again, wondering if I am working on the next great American novel. Truth is, I am probably writing about them, because another thing flying causes in a lot of people is the “Center of the Universe” syndrome.

Which leads me to:

Recovering DJ’s Top 3 Flying Pet Peeves

• People who hog up the aisle while fussing with their massive luggage

It never ceases to amaze me how someone will hold up all the passengers behind them while they fuss for eons with their luggage, for hours (ok it’s only minutes, but it seems like forever.)

• People who lean to far back in their seat

Your head is in my knee lady, and seriously I will kick your seat like a two-year old if this continues

• People who talk soooo loud to their seatmate

Dude, she’s right next to you and even she doesn’t care about your exploits on the golf course, let alone the whole plane. You're why we don't want cell phones allowed.

I know only 3? Well, the middle seat was vacant!!!, so the ride was much more luxurious than usual, so I’m feelin’ a bit generous.

It’s the little things that keep us going.

And speakin' of keepin' us going, like to give a shout out to all the Veterans out there today, new an old. We should all have a quick happy thought for the the brave peeps who keep us safe, so we can sit and blog about minutia.

Cheers!