Monthly Archives: March 2008

We can send a man to the moon…

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…but we can’t yadda-yadda. Do you ever say that? I guess it’s an outdated phrase. I remember when everyone said it. I like to say it, because so many things in this world just make me mad. Here’s a short list:

Annoying Things

  • DayQuil packages that require hedge trimmers to open
  • Always – always – choosing the checkout lane where I end up behind someone who has an issue, which takes 15 minutes to resolve
  • The fact that hot dogs (in general) come in packages of ten, but the buns come in packages of eight: a classic case of “Hey, let’s bait consumers into buying more crap – they’ll never notice!”
  • People who work a lot less than I do, but make a lot more money
  • Cigarettes and alcohol are open for anyone to purchase, but my Claritin-D is behind the pharmacy barrier and I have to wait in line and ask for it specifically because it’s potentially dangerous
  • The fact that many people in very high places do not know how to write a simple, complete sentence
  • American Idol
  • People who say, “I don’t use email. I prefer face-to-face contact.” (Insert slapping noise here.)
  • The fact that every time I wash my truck, it rains
  • When I go to Wally or the pharmacy to get one specific thing….and they’re out of it
  • The knowledge that after my show closes, and the adrenaline which has been keeping me alive and functioning on 4 hours of sleep per night drains away, I will become horrifically ill
  • The niggling fear that after I’ve spent 2 years and $40,000 on a doctoral education, I won’t pass the exit exams
  • That my sacred, never-to-be-messed-with daily blog time of 5:15 – 6:00 a.m. goes by way too fast

Annoyed, but not down yet,

RF

Hoofers

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I thought this would be appropriate to post this week. I love to watch young people tap dance (I wonder if you already knew that). This video is of Fayard and Harold Nicholas, wildly popular dancers from the 1930s. They performed with Bob Hope, Fanny Brice, and on Broadway. This clip shows Fayard, only 15, and Harold, 21, singing and dancing a song called “Lucky Numbers.” Check out their vocal style – the kids could sing.

Off to school, and ready for the last 2 rehearsals before we open.I think I’m going to barf.

Get your kicks

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…on Route 66.

Remember that song? It winds from Chicago to L.A….

More importantly, do you remember traveling on Route 66? Having been raised near Chicago, I’ve been on it, I’m sure, but I don’t remember. It would have been in my childhood.

Anyway, as usual, I went a mile deep into a link forest and found the most wonderful sites about this historic roadway, and what it meant to American travelers from 1927 until the late 60s. According to Wikipedia, the highway was decommissioned (shut down and removed from US maps) in 1985, to make room for the interstate highway system. Recently, thanks to a huge effort by preservationists, Route 66 signs are beginning to appear not only on the roadway itself, but on maps as “Historic Route 66.” Nice.

The coolest thing about Route 66 is its nearly endless parade of fabulous vintage diners, gas stations, motels and museums that dot the landscape between Chicago and Los Angeles, where the road officially ends. Check this out – I want to stay in the Wig-Wam Motel, in Rialto, California (click on the picture for a larger view). Is that great or what?? There are pictures of the interiors as well – just 2 beds and a bathroom, with a little window air conditioner and small TV. $40 a night – can you beat it? Don’t think so. You can also bank on repeated sightings of Muffler Men. Eww.

The list of links to sites about Route 66 can keep you busy for hours. Too bad I have to finish a paper for class, and get ready to go to teacher inservice. Yippy.

And back for a minute to the song, “Route 66.” It was written by Bobby Troup – the older guy at the bottom of this photo. Remember him? He played Dr. Joe Early on the 1970s drama, Emergency. His wife (singer/actress Julie London) was on the show, too. She played nurse Dixie McCall. I was in love with Randolph Mantooth (top of the picture), who played EMT John Gage. Didn’t we all think he was completely dreamy? Didn’t you?

Ok, I’m way off the subject. Check out the Route 66 links – you’ll find some cool places & pictures.

Rat Fink, your travel concierge

Hey, Grandpa!

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Your boys the Rolling Stones are in a movie!

I was on the BBC News site, and saw that director Martin Scorsese (Goodfellas, Casino, Gangs of New York, The Aviator) made a film about the Stones. Well, it’s about time someone did.

Mick Jagger has my basic respect, because he can still sing it. Every time I’ve heard/seen recent concert footage, most of the songs he sang were in the same key as he sang them in forty years ago. Their voices may still be in good shape, but cheese ‘n crackers, look at Keith Richards:

It’s been said that as we age, the face we’re left with is the one we’ve earned. Now I don’t claim that three decades of boozing, snorting, injecting, smoking and debauching would give anyone that “Gee, I feel like I’m not at my freshest today” feeling, but hey – the man looks a bit rough, and this photo was taken in 2002.

I guess I should give the guy a break, though. He and Jagger are both 65 years old and still rocking, so you have to hand it to them. Drummer Charlie Watts is 67.

They still consider themselves “the kids from the other side of the tracks,” compared to the Beatles, who were together only one fourth as long but have secured a more legendary status. And, apparently, that’s ok with Mick. He’s happy to be the bad boy, and probably laughed when writer Tom Wolfe said, “The Beatles want to hold your hand. The Rolling Stones want to burn down your town.”

Scorsese (pictured at right with Richards and Jagger) openly admits that the Stones influenced him bigtime in his teenage and early adult years, and that making the movie was a labor of love.

The Stones really didn’t do anything for me in the sixties, although I was a fan of their work in the seventies (“Beast of Burden,” “Miss You,” “Brown Sugar,” “Angie”).

Still, I think I must see this movie when it comes out next month, if for no other reason than to watch Jagger sing “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” for the 25,000th time without appearing to want to leap off a bridge.

Here’s the trailer:

Am I mental?

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Ok, fiends. So I’ve been in a bit of a fog. As you all know, I’m all about looking, feeling and staying younger. Then I saw this picture of Jamie Lee Curtis on the cover of the latest AARP mag. Interesting what she says in the interview, too:

“I want to be older. I actually think there’s an incredible amount of self-knowledge that comes with getting older. I feel way better now than I did when I was 20. I’m stronger, I’m smarter in every way, I’m so much less crazy than I was then.

“I’ve let my hair go gray. I wear only black and white. Every year I buy three or four black dresses that I just keep in rotation. I own one pair of blue jeans. I’ve given away all my jewelry, because I don’t wear it.”

Yikes. I read it twice, then three times. Am I going about this all wrong? Should I let my hair go gray, and give away all my precious dangly earrings and Native American rings, watches and necklaces?

I must say, her hair style looks incredibly tempting. Think of the time I’d save in the mornings…

Should I rejoice in getting older? Becoming more mature; more serious about the beauty of life? Should I stop this insane, smart-aleck behavior? Should I be less cynical, and more docile and agreeable? Should I stop listening to Stevie Ray Vaughan?

I think I should. Ok. From now on, I’m acting more grown up. For real. For good.

Oh by the way…this is flippin’ hilarious.

 

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