Obesity has become a real problem in this country; we all know that. I’ve heard a lot of theories about why that is. Some of them make sense, but I have my own theory that I haven’t heard voiced elsewhere. I believe people began getting fatter in direct proportion to the length of commercial breaks on television. Think about it! We all have to do something to fill the one-third of airtime that is now devoted to advertisements. Makes sense to me.
I didn’t say anything about the passing of Robin Williams yesterday, because it was news to me when I was updating this page. I just didn’t know much. Plus, I knew there’d be a lot said by others, and I was right. There was a third reason, maybe. I didn’t want to make any comment that might be construed as negative at such a time. That comment would have been: I have always thought Robin Williams was best as a dramatic actor. Of course, that isn’t a negative thing to say, but with so many emphasizing his original and frenetic approach to comedy, I just didn’t see going into it. Also, let us remember Betty Bacall, who left us yesterday.
334 responses to “Back after This…”
So instead of the cat having a feeding tube in him, he is in a feeding tube himself! Clever. Glad your friends went to the extra trouble, as the cat is obviously worth it to them.
Lady Mindy, instead of the comment without the link, it might have been fun to post the link without any comment, just to see what everyone said. 🙂
Well actually I am rhythmically challenged. I come in early or late all the time, but somehow God forgives me. My accompanist is a wonderful cheerleader that encourages me and has helped me grow. I came from a very musical family that loves to sing. I really wish that I could have developed my voice more, but then we always hear every note that is off. I did have a lady that gave me the most wonderful compliment and then said “You sing SO much better than when you first started”. Which made me think: “Gee did I stink that bad before?” lol
I may have told this story here before, but I do have one brother that never really sang that much. I told him that because he enjoyed music, that it was OK if he did not sing. He told me that wasn’t true, that he sings every week. Sometimes he has to in self-defense!
Well, bless their hearts. A loving and ingenious solution to the problem. I hope the cat lives a long, happy life.
I love hearing good music, and for years have greatly enjoyed singing in an amateur chorus of women and men; never enough of the latter of course! It’s awfully hard to find men to sing regularly with a group; they are out there, but how to lure them to rehearsal! Anyway, I don’t have much of a special voice, BUT I can listen, and follow directions; don’t whisper while the other parts are practising, can read music, and will look at the conductor instead of burying nose in music book. These are very important in a choristor, folks!
We have a Priest that is Professionally trained who will sometimes begin his homily by singing. We have at least 7 men who cantor. 15 yrs ago when I cantored, I was the only man.
FYI a Cantor is someone who leads the congregation and not a manner in which horses trot/run/
And Ghost: No You Tube videos of you in the shower, or if you have to, from the chest up!
Steve, you’re such a spoil sport! LOL
Steve From Royal Oak – Ghost doesn’t need to, it’s already on YouTube. 😀
http://youtu.be/SWR4cyZx0IY
Good bass voice [not yet diminished by age], stay in tune well, but cannot read music. Can do harmony only if surrounded by music-literate basses. Sing to the cat, often G&S. Play CDs and FM radio, no instruments. Have been UMC since before the U got added, am a dedicated non-Trinitarian who is not worried by anyone’s salvation because of the doctrines they hold. James 2:18 [I’ve cited that often.]
Older son is a UMC pastor, sings well, and plays piano decently, actually owns an upright. Younger son is a credentialed Methodist skeptic, sings in two church choirs [lives in 2 places] and plays French horn in the town band. Both basses. Daughter rarely attends church, but 3 of us were at the same church last Sunday morning. Younger son and wife arrived about 1400, and all had wife’s/mom’s braised beef and Yorkshire pudding at the parsonage for supper. All 3 are good cooks, thanks to wife/mom.
Steve, my daughter persuaded the priest who conducted her wedding in the cathedral (filling in for bishop who was off electing a new pope) to sing her mass. He had beautiful voice but she also had a cantor who sang with the St. Louis opera in the ceremony.
Sideburns, how lovely that you said Kaddish for your uncle. Being in the wine business for almost 30 years we had many (mostly) Jewish friends and I did know about the Aramaic prayers which is why I guessed synagogue first.
The Maronite church my son in law’s grandfather attended did their services in Aramaic and they also had a Roman Catholic priest come in as guest (or vice versa? forget which) and they did a joint funeral mass. That was MOST interesting funeral, as I had converted earlier in life to Catholicism but never been confirmed and they did a Latin Roman and an Aramaic Eastern Rite service of death, so I could follow service more or less.
Anyway, Lily going from Anglican to Roman Catholic and then back to Episcopalian is not a big stretch. Except being raised by a Southern Baptist grandmother, who declared to me that “Hell’s full of Episcopalians!”
Please know that I truly believe that all religions are the RIGHT RELIGION! This is one area where I believe we are free to practice any form of worship or belief in an almighty or not that we wish.
Our farm house was used most of my life for prayer meetings and Bible study groups, along with being a voting precinct. Before that it was where my grandmother’s church began, out in our seed house long before I came along. My family gave speakers for the church’s organ as my grandmother loved the church and music so much. She played and sang along to a wheezing old pump organ my entire life.
Going back to sleep now.
Love, Jackie Monies
Ghost, you would get the same reaction from me as usual. Lily doesn’t click musical links. Too annoying.
Charlotte, you are telling me. I am always getting in trouble for not looking at the director. “Susie, watch me!” I don’t whisper though I might giggle every once in a while. Don’t know why y’all have trouble getting male choristers, though. Our choir is over half male.
Dear emb, your musical life skills are very fine. I love hearing a bass voice … so rich and beautiful to the ear. What a nice family you have! You must be very proud of them. I love the French horn too.
Lily, I am so envious of your choir having all those men! Wonder why you have lots when we don’t. Maybe it’s a North/South thing. As for looking at the director, you can do it! Get in the habit of looking down at your music, see a few notes or words ahead, then up at the director — up and down, up and down.
Only time I sing publicly is in church where I am blessedly drowned out by the rest of the people around. One problem I have in a Pentecostal church involves the clapping while singing. Some people can’t walk and chew gum, well I can’t clap while singing and keep time. So I sing and let the others clap.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqm-S9J1s_k
Enjoy!
Mark, I’d gladly welcome any of those guys to my choir. Today at rehearsal we had 5 altos, 8 sopranos, 2 basses and one lonely tenor. Too many of our guys are being asked to fulfill other duties during choir rehearsal time!
Charlotte, maybe so. All I know is that we have a whole lot of men: nine basses & four tenors, against four altos and five sopranos. And they are always there at rehearsal, too. I hear them “And this is where we come in” while we women giggle and gossip
Dang! And I was already trying to rig a waterproof case for my Canon from a Ziplock bag. Anyway, thanks for the vote of confidence, Gal. 😉
Oh, and “my Canon” being a video camera, of course.
Have a 100 year old piano that neither one of us can play, but it’s been in the family since new and it’s been refurbished so I have to keep it.
Good morning Villagers………….
Loooonnnggg day yesterday..11 hours. Rained all day, and the condensation was heavy. Hen house was mucky….just a really bad day in all. The Boss and I both were having panic attacks as we couldn’t get much done. The teens were driving me nuts. Came home and took TWO anti-anxiety prescription meds. Still awake at 1ish.
But, today is another day…..
GR 😉 thanks for the ‘birthday video’. And thanks for the compliment. I try.
Now to try and wake my son up….I think I would rather have a tooth pulled.
Never sang in a choir, but I did do children’s services.
When I sing at work, they’ll ask me who sings that song…I tell them, and they say “let them sing it”!
“All by myself, don’t wanna be all by myself” 🙂 Hate that song
gotta go……teens can only work from 4:30 until 8….school nights.
GR 😉 Pokies 🙂
devil made me do that……
Indy Mindy…you have a valued friend there. So, got those boxes packed yet????
Just wanted to say “thank you” to everyone. This is an interesting group I keep saying. Because of you, I learn new things, me and my computer! I learned about Jewish funeral customs, the difference between the Eastern Rite and Latin/Roman Catholic churches, the Aramaic and Syraic languages and services, the Chaldean Christians being persecuted in Iran right now, the Anglican order of Jesus the Sower and any number of other interesting and informative subjects.
Why? Because you all mention something I realize I don’t know about, I go “Wow, that is interesting!” and I look it up and read about it. Same with music, I hear new music and things I’d never hear around here.
Did I mention I used to love dictionaries, encyclopedias and anthologies, books of quotes? I read them like novels. Now Wikipedia and the internet give me information. And yes, I know Wiki isn’t all that accurate sometimes!
Thanks again,
Jackie Monies
“Atica”…… Janis trying to get distance…. 🙂 Jimmy, thanks for making me laugh!
Did anyone notice in 9CL that Martine experienced comic strip time lapse and managed to take off her vest or change her top AND get her hair cut or styled?
So, I am apparently right about the mystery gunman being her old lover, the triple crossing spy/agent whatever. But how did she get out from under Bill without waking him up?
And will they ever get out of that wheat field? Plus, I have walked in wheat fields and you leave a path where you tromp through and theirs seems to close behind them like water.
Love, Jackie
Jackie, it must be “cartoon wheat.”
Since Monday is my day to “catch up” on 9CL, I noticed the same things about it, my first thought being one installment (or more) had been dropped from the sequence. Between Saturday and Monday, Martine not only put up her hair and got partially undressed (granted, she does seem to have a preternatural ability to get undressed quickly), she lost her Luger as well.
She also seems to have a preternatural ability to walk right up to men pointing rifles at her without suffering harm and/or to wrap them around her little finger by assuming revealing positions while nude. Is the portrayal of her character beginning to strike anyone else as at least vaguely sexist?