1956

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1956#Events
Here is a few highlights:

June 29: Marilyn Monroe marries playwright Arthur Miller
July 4: The Ant Farm was invented at a picnic
August 17: West Germany bans the communist party
April 19: Grace Kelly marries the Prince Rainier III of Monaco
Feb. 26: Elvis enters the American music charts with Heartbreak Hotel

Born this year: Joe Montana, Tom Hanks, Judy Davis

Died this year: Alfred Kinsey, Bela Lugosi, A. A. Milne

50 Years

This is my lovely grandparents on their wedding day. This year they celebrate 50 years of marriage. Can you imagine? I can hardly imagine being alive for 50 years, not to mention married!! What does it take to be married that long? I am guessing they will say a good sense of humor, but I will ask them and report back. Last night, they had a celebration in their retirement park for all the 50 year anniversaries. There were 8 couples celebrating. They also have another party for the 60 year couples. It's just amazing to me that these are annual events at their park. Every year they have a party to celebrate the people who are nuts enough about each other to stick it out for 50 and 60 years.

We will go visit them in Arizona this Friday for 10 days. 80 degrees, sunny in the desert. Grapefruit growing in the backyard and water aerobics every morning!

Music High

I am currently addicted to the Wailing Jennys. The album is called 40 days and it is the sweetest. For anyone who cared.

My parents are here for the weekend to visit. It's nice to have them.

Hold on for next week's adventure to the land of the exotic snowbirds!

Colder than Cold

Only in Wisconsin and maybe Minnesota could it be 53 degrees on Tuesday and now minus 5 (windchill -10) on Friday. That's just too much for a body to handle. I am about to venture out into the cold to a dance party at a friend's house, a few blocks away. I think people weren't really built for this weather. I plan to bundle up and wear boots and even despite my preparation, I will likely swear and complain about it most of the way there. I just can't let cold like this pass by easily. Not that cursing at it makes one feel any warmer. Even the warmest thoughts I can conjure can't touch how cold it is. Sunbathing in Mexico, saunas in Germany, hot springs in Colorado....all the places I would rather be. Remind me why I live here????

Snow and more Snow

Snow Day here!! I bundled up to shovel and take pictures. Everyone was out and about...I saw a many people cross country skiing down the street. That was the only sensible way to be out and about. As a personal rule, I don't get in a car on days like this. I don't need to go anywhere I can't walk to. We have over 12 inches and it's still snowing.

Sweet Days

Sunday we took the day to drive out into the country and head to Devil's Lake. That is such a sweet, sweet place. Carved out by glacial ice so long ago, it remains untouched in a way. It was just us and the ice fishermen. We ran across the frozen lake and I only fell once, banging my knee hard. It's OK now. Nice to get out of town once and awhile.
On Highway 12 is the famous Dr. Evermore. Drive through and you will discover the inner workings of a madman genius. His sculptures are both eloquent and big pieces of junk to be appreciated.

The Snow Bird

Soon we will journey to the land of the exotic snowbird, Arizona. Flocks of these rare birds gather by the dozen around swimming pools and shuffleboard tables in the desert each year. They are known to have youthful qualities, some possessing the ability to hike many miles in the desert despite being an ancient species. They do strange dances with each other, the polka, daily water aerobics. The "I just got a new knee" walk is particularly characteristic of many of these snowbirds.

Keep your eyes and ears peeled for more reports on these rare birds.

Internet boredom

I'm bored. Sitting on my computer attempting to be entertained by the internet. This is what I've found.

Celebrity Mugshots are always funny.

Check out Noel Bush, she was just trying to get something for the pain of being the niece to our dear president! Too bad her daddy Jeb couldn't write her a real prescription.

Even Bill Gates has a mug shot! I'm starting to feel left out!

Where I ate lunch today. I had a burger. It was quite tasty.

A Madison favorite has hit the road for a tour. The Kissers are touring Texas and New Orleans!

Now, onto something funny. Cats have hilarious antics. Maybe you prefer dancing dogs...??

There in my garden!

There was a virgin siting in my backyard! Isn't she lovely? She is so inspiring for my garden. She looks as if she is willing the flowers to grow (which they are!). It's cold again now here, so winter is the season, for now. And the flowers will have to wait.

Slipper Club

Every Thursday night at the Slipper Club (just off the square) is the Caberet show worth seeing. Everything about it is infectious, the crowd, the band, the singing...What a fun show. Everytime I go, I wonder, why don't I do this more often?? It was started by Joy Dragland, a stunning performer who has moved onto bigger and brighter things in NYC. We miss her dearly here in Madison.





This is the only thing you should know before you go:
Sing with me!! (it helps if you sway with the music)
I love this song. Que Sera Sera....

When I was just a little girl
I asked my mother
What will I be
Will I be pretty
Will I be rich
Here's what she said to me
Que sera, sera
Whatever will be, will be
The future's not ours to see
Que sera, sera
What will be, will be
When I grew up and fell in loveI asked my sweetheart
What lies ahead
Will we have rainbowsDay after day
Here's what my sweetheart saidQue sera, sera
Whatever will be, will be
The future's not ours to seeQue sera, sera
What will be, will be
Now I have Children of my own
They ask their mother
What will I be
Will I be handsome
Will I be richI tell them tenderly
Que sera, sera
Whatever will be, will be
The future's not ours to see
Que sera, sera
What will be, will be
Que Sera, Sera
This song was written for Alfred Hitchcock's 1956 re-make Of his 1934 film "The Man Who Knew Too Much" Starring Doris Day & Jimmy Stewart

Yoga for Cats

I know what you're thinking. I photoshopped in the cat. Nope, he crawled up onto my shoulder and sat on my back. It's the second time this week. He is so strange. He would still be sitting there but I can only hold that pose for so long. It reminds me of a calendar I saw of people in actual yoga poses with the cat sitting on them. With a little training, Jackson and I are on our way! There are actually videos you can purchase, and they might be worth it, just for the entertainment value alone! Check it out: http://www.yogakitty.com/yogavideos.html You have to watch one of the videos. Hilarious. First of all, this guy has a cat named Ovaria. Who does that?!? Oh, you just have to watch it.

Madison at night

Last night I attended a poetry slam at the Union Theater on campus. 15 local high school kids had advanced to this show, and then from there 5 were picked to move on to the competition in NYC. Anyway, from the mouths of these teens came such eloquence and big deep thoughts spoken with such rhythm. They tackled every topic from new orleans to suicide to abortion to feeling like a geek. Some of the one liners they came up with were so profound. So, now there will be 350 teens like them all together in NYC for a national competition. Madison is well represented.

After that show came a hip hop group of three men from Senegal, called Daara J. They really raised the roof. They came out charged with a relentless desire to pump up the crowd and they left us no choice but to obey their every command of waving our hands in the air or jumping up and down. We sat in the balcony and while I'm sure it was a blast to be part of the front row dance party where all our friends were, I enjoyed seeing the audience from above, moving together. Hundreds of hands waving, heads bobbing all in sync. That was great to see.

Cheers to Madison!

Procrastination

Here is where I will ramble on about Procrastination.
Later.

Fabulous Facepaint

My neighbor has taken up a new trade: Fabulous Face Painting. Evidently, she has had two real gigs where she painted kids for 4 hours with no break. I think that's insane, but she seems to enjoy it. I got to paint a few kids and it really is fun--just not 4 hours of it with 50 kids standing in line. Also, it is fun to get painted although Jackson didn't think so. Have you heard of this book, "Why Paint Cats?" It's very strange. There is also a Why Cats Paint. I cannot tell you that this book is authentic, although I think it's a possibility because I'm such a dork about cats.
The warm weather seems to be confusing the geese. They are flying north as if it's spring. I hate to be the one to break the news to them.

Today we went kite skiing, well actually Markus had skis and I made snow angels. I flew the kite a bit and slid around on the ice. What a beautiful day.

Peter Sellers

I have watched this movie twice in the last week: The Life and Death of Peter Sellers. Such a character he was! Now I am going to go on a Sellers binge with the Pink Panther, Being There and Dr. Strangelove. The biography style movie is told in a bit of a different way than most other movies in that genre. They don't just feed it to you, but show you parts all through his life and you fill in the gaps. It's a great screenplay. Minus Charlize Theron and her very bad Russian accent, the acting was all good. But even that may have been intentional as one of Peter's lines is: "God woman, you're a terrible actor and you can't stop."

I am so into movies right now. Winter has set in for sure. What else are you going to do??

Fly Over Madison

Today I worked with a pilot who had been in a motorcycle accident. I was telling him about this day, my only ride in a small cessna. Markus surprised me with a trip the local airport for a little fly over Madison. The capitol looks even more regal from the air.

Loving my Job

I want to share a little about how happy I am at this moment with my state of employment. I just started working part time at a nursing home as a therapist. I will work 3 days a week and I think it will be really good. I've been in a state of employment limbo for a few months now (6). I was starting to get a little annoyed with it because the hours were so unpredictable. I still have to think about my long term future, but for now...I'm getting paid like I should, it's part time and I get to make a difference in the days of old people. How great is that!? Although today a catheter bag dumped onto the floor and I kneeled in pee, but hey, at least it's just pee. It could be worse I think. Ha ha ha. Bet you all wanted to know that. Job requirement #1: Good sense of humor. #2: A change of Pants

List

So, I never wrote about the rest of my Minnesota trip but in a quick list form overview:

This was fun:
*playing with kittens
*wandering around the banks of the mississippi
*eating at taste of thailand (my favorite place)
*hanging with my friends Mary and Ken, I can't get enough of them
*seeing my family
*seeing my lovely cousins who are growing up too fast
*eating at the Panera where my sister works
*getting her employee discount
*getting a massage from my mom
*eating at taste of thailand (again! I got to go twice!)
*playing with kittens

Minneapolis, here I come!

Today, I drove down to Minneapolis to visit some good old friends and experience the Nile River on the Omni Theater. The only interesting thing I saw in the science museum was a life size picture of the man who was the tallest man ever, 8 ft 11 in. He was from Illinois. I was with my tallest friend who couldn't even reach the man's head when he put his arms in the air. How wild is that!? Later, we met up with some friends for some fun at Nye's Polonaise Room, a classy old joint and dancing at Ground Zero in NE Minneapolis. I danced my heart out and spun and grooved until I could no longer. It was most excellent to be with old friends, especially my friend Gnu.