OMG! Broadway Here I Come!

I heard something on the radio the other day and my heart actually fluttered. I mean, I didn't really believe it when I heard it. It was quick. I figured I must have heard in correctly . . . But I checked it out this morning and IT'S TRUE!!!

Xanadu is coming to Broadway!!!

That's right. I said it. Quite possibly the cheesiest and best movie to come out in 1980 - Xanadu stars Olivia Newton-John, Gene Kelley and Michael Beck. It's a movie about Sonny Malone (Beck), an artist who paints album (Yes, vinyl!!) covers to display in record store windows, but wants something more from his life. Enter Kira, a daughter of Zeus and a muse sent to inspire Sonny to make his dreams come true. Obviously, Kira and Sonny fall for each other, obviously a muse and a mortal cannot be together . . . and Gene Kelley is in there, too.

Anyway, there's GREAT 80's music in it - check out this video from the title track - and, oh yes, ROLLER SKATING!! Lots of roller skating!!

I loved this movie as a kid. I was a dancer in my childhood, Xanadu has a tap routine in it which was my favorite because I was a tap dancer, no kidding - and there was nothing I liked more than a musical. (I used to dance with my best friend in her basement to the soundtrack of Annie on a regular basis.) I actually used my Fisher-Price tape recorder to record (by holding up the tape recorder to the speaker of the TV) the songs from the movie.

So if anyone would like to accompany me on a trip to NYC to see Xanadu on Broadway (I'm singing the theme song as we speak!) then let me know! (Cheryl, I know you want to go. Admit it.)

What a great way to start my morning!

Random Facts

I don't want you to think I haven't been learning just because I haven't been posting. Here are just a few random facts I've picked up over the last few days:

Four days ago I learned: that Mother's Day was originally celebrated as Mother's Peace Day. Julia Ward Howe issued the Mother's Day Proclamation in 1870 in response to the impact of the Civil War. (It's a beautiful piece - brief - and I encourage you to read it) Lisse over at the Soccer Mom Vote points out - "Mother's Day was made official by Woodrow Wilson in 1912, but the "Peace" was left out of it. Two years later, World War I began." Chocolates and flowers are great, but as too often happens to women - even in 2007 - our aspirations and ideas are minimized. Mother's Day has gone the way of Christmas with its commercialization when what we could really use right now as wars continue to rage around the world are Howe's words and her inspiration to act.

Three days ago I learned: that bamboo is like, uber-wood, except that it's actually a grass than can be used in more than 5,000 ways! Used in everything from surfboards to furniture, fuel, textiles, food, medicine - even to build homes! - bamboo can be grown on every continent except at the Poles and at alarming rates. Giant bamboo can grow more than three feet in a DAY which means that 60 feet of bamboo can be replaced in 59 days while the same size oak tree would take more than 50 years! Bamboo is also great for the environment - releasing 35% more oxygen and absorbing four times as much carbon-dioxide than an entire forest of trees. (For more fun bamboo facts check out The Ecologist Online.

Two days ago I learned: that my older son is the sweetest four-year-old on the planet (although I previously had my suspicions.) He explained to me, on Mother's Day no less, that "No matter what I do; No matter where I go, I will still love you." Tissues anyone?

Yesterday I learned: dairy cows produce EIGHT gallons of milk per day! (Thank you, Buster Baxter for that fast fact.) It may not seem like all that much when you consider that the average American consumes about 6000 ounces of dairy products annually, but as a mother who breastfed both of her children - That's a lot of milk!!

Today I learned: Pink has a song I actually like. (Thanks, Cheryl!) Dear Mr. President is emotionally raw (although the live version was better) and political and real . . . and it puts my FAVORITE president in a not-so-flattering light :)

My New IPod :)

OK, I'm a Little Slow

So I realize that the following is not news to most of you parents out there in the know. In fact, I've been hearing about this guy for quite some time myself, but never checked him out. I'm referring to the increasingly popular Jack Johnson.

He is responsible for the music on the Curious George soundtrack and after several suggestions from other parents I did some sampling today and found one song in particular which I love. (I liked the "The 3 R's" as well, but couldn't find a sample of it to share) His music is geared toward children but not in an annoying, high pitched, Barney voice sort of way. His lyrics are about real life kid situations like sharing and friendships and if you haven't heard his music then be sure to give him a listen.

This is my favorite (at least from my first listen through) - "With My Own Two Hands." I love the lyrics; I love the melody; I love the message that we can do anything with our own two hands. Something I really need to remember when I'm all down and out about the state of the world these days. We can do it and where we fall short our children will come through with a little inspiration from something called music.

Enjoy . . .

Something a Little Lighter

After my VERY EARLY morning post today, I thought we could all use something a little lighter. Well, this certainly qualifies . . .




This is "Fly, Robin Fly" by Silver Convention. This was, believe it or not, the number one song on the U.S. charts on the day that I was born. A little surprising in that there are only eight words, repeated over and over and over again, in the entire song. But it's got that undeniable disco beat, and well, who needs words anyway!

Oh, the seventies . . . like it or not they will live in infamy.

Anyway, a fellow MySpacer tipped me off about this website called This Day in Music where you can plug in the day and year of your birthday and it will tell you what the number one song was in either the UK or the U.S. It was quite amusing, really, and when I saw the unfamiliar title I had to hear the song for myself.

Give it a try if you like - I plugged in my wedding day ("I'm Real" by J Lo), and both my son's birthdays (Nelly's "Hot in Here" and "Burn" by Usher - somehow appropriate if in title only) and it was a good laugh.


Attention Ms. Kookaburra: I found out that "Love Hangover" by Diana Ross was thee song of the moment on the day of your birth. (I was hoping it would be something by Anne Murray) But if that isn't enough to bring a smile to your face today, then here's hoping my video post was. *HUGS*


P.S. My sister's song was "Too Much Heaven" by the Bee Gees . . . Who doesn't love the Bee Gees?! Now heres was cool . . . what's so great about "Fly, Robin Fly - Up, Up to the Sky?" Oh well. (Happy Almost Birthday by the way!!!)

My other sister's was, hold on . . . aaaahhhh!!! "Billie Jean" by Michael Jackson!! Great song!! Once again I get the shaft because I'm the oldest.

Day Thirty One: A New Year Filled with Hope

I heard this song the other day and the lyrics really caught my attention. I didn't even know what song it was or by whom, but thanks to the power of the Internet, I found out. Nothing profound, I suppose, but a nice reminder on this New Year's Eve. It's a song by the Goo Goo Dolls and it goes something like this:

Better Days

And you ask me what I want this year

And I try to make this kind and clear

Just a chance that maybe we'll find better days

Cuz I don't need boxes wrapped in strings

And desire and love and empty things

Just a chance that maybe we'll find better days

So take these words

And sing out loud

Cuz everyone is forgiven now

Cuz tonight's the night the world begins again

And it's someplace simple where we could live

And something only you can give

And that's faith and trust and peace while we're alive

And the one poor child that saved this world

And there's 10 million more who probably could

If we all just stopped and said a prayer for them

So take these words

And sing out loud

Cuz everyone is forgiven now

Cuz tonight's the night the world begins again

I wish everyone was loved tonight

And somehow stop this endless fight

Just a chance that maybe we'll find better days

So take these words

And sing out loud

Cuz everyone is forgiven now

Cuz tonight's the night the world begins again

Cuz tonight's the night the world begins again

P.S. I just want to point out that I did it! I managed to post thirty one times during the month of December. I didn't skip ONE day! I actually set a goal and followed through and while this may not sound like much to some of you - it's HUGE for me. I've not been known in the past to be a closer. I tend to lose interest or find some excuse not to cross the finish line. But not this time.

And what I'm most proud of is the fact that there were days when I didn't feel like writing; when it was late and I wanted to just go to bed and say "To hell with it!" But I didn't. I followed through and I wrote something everyday for the last month.

I guess my next goal is to continue this writing trend, probably not everyday on the blog, but everyday in some way, whether it be my fiction, my blog, writing prompts - WHATEVER!! I've set the precedent now. There's no going back.

Day Nine: Fresh, Crisp Evergreen Scent

I'm pretty tired right now, so I think this will be a quick one.

Today we got our Christmas tree so my house is filled with the fresh, crisp scent of an evergreen tree. (I used that phrase in an email I just sent and I couldn't help recycling it!) My four year old was disappointed because he wanted a "fake" tree this year. Apparently since his grandparents got a fake tree this year he thought we should have one. I told him that real trees are great because of their smell, but he didn't buy it. He still wanted a fake one. Hopefully when we decorate tomorrow he will change his mind :)

We also went to a great birthday party today. There were lots of kids and my boys were actually social, as in I didn't see them for most of the two hours except to help in getting them cake and juice boxes. I was glad though. It was so nice to see them acting so independent of me and making friends. That's where preschool has really helped out my older son. He used to be very shy and now he's really opened up to people, especially people he doesn't know.

And finally, my day was made complete when I put together a Christmas soundtrack of my own on my Myspace page. (Thanks to my sister Julie!) I open up with a stellar rendition of NKOTB's "Funky, Funky Christmas" followed by (in no particular order) the theme from the Grinch, a couple of Chipmunks Christmas songs, Old Blue Eyes singing "I'll Be Home for Christmas," the ever popular "Feliz Navidad," Nat King Cole's "The Christmas Song," and for Cheryl, Anne Murray's "Can I Have This Dance." (Yes, I realize that the last one is not a Christmas song, but Cheryl and I have this running joke about Anne Murray, which believe me wouldn't be as funny to you as it is to us, and I couldn't find a Christmas song by Ms. Murray anywhere on the music site I was on.)

So that about does it. I am grateful for all these things and so many more. I'm really just grateful that I'm alive and well enough to enjoy my daily life and this sitting down at the end of the night to think about the good things in my life each day have really helped me to avoid all the stress and hustle and bustle of the season. (You're right, Shani. I am starting to sound like Pollyanna!! Oh well!)