Monday is Quote Day *Christmas Edition*

I forgot to post on Monday and Christmas Day but here's a few extra quotes that make up for it!

I hope all had a beautiful, merry Christmas and I wish all a Happy New Year!


Christmas doesn't come from a store, maybe Christmas perhaps means a little bit more. -Dr. Seuss, How the Grinch Stole Christmas

When we recall Christmas past, we usually find that the simplest things - not the great occasions - give off the greatest glow of happiness. -Bob Hope

Christmas is a day of meaning and traditions, a special day spent in the warm circle of family and friends. -Margaret Thatcher

Gifts of time and love are surely the basic ingredients of a truly merry Christmas. -Peg Bracken

There's nothing sadder in this world than to awake Christmas morning and not be a child. -Erma Bombeck

Christmas, my child, is love in action. Every time we love, every time we give, it's Christmas. -Dale Evans

Irving Berlin's White Christmas (1954)

 

"Vermont should be beautiful this time of year, all that snow!"

This is one of my favorite movies of all time, not restricted to just Christmas time. I can sit down, the windows open with the sun shining, in the middle June and watch this film. I know this because I have done it and I'm not ashamed to admit it.

Growing up, we were not a family that HAD to watch many holiday films around Christmas and New Years. "It's a Wonderful Life" and "Miracle on 34th Street" are wonderful films, but I don't remember seeing them every year, unless we caught them on television. The only film we were required to watch was "White Christmas".

Of course I welcomed this because I loved old movies and musicals, but I'm not sure how much my brothers really cared for this film. I do remember my sister enjoying it because she's classy and knows a good thing when she see's it. The one person that really loved it, other than me, was my Dad. It seemed to be the only movie besides "McKlintock" that he could watch over and over without it ever getting old. I loved to watch this film with Dad because he always laughed so hard at Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye. Also, being a military man, he probably saw himself and friends in the guys on the screen. He maybe even knew his own "General Waverly".

Let's move on to the music!

I can't remember ever skipping any songs. From "Count your Blessings" to "Choreography", they were all utter perfection. Thank you Irving Berlin!

My favorite songs (in no particular order):

"The Best Things Happen While You're Dancing": It's basically the first big dance number and it's very acrobatic and fluid. Laura (sister) and I used to call the Vera-Ellen "Barbie" because she was so skinny. I've since seen her in many other films and am genuinely a big fan. She was an amazing dancer!

"Gee I Wish I Was Back In The Army": This song is catchy and visually stimulating. There's another element about it that certainly stands out but I will leave that too myself as not to spoil the movie.

The "Abraham Number": This song is really quite random and doesn't seem to go with a holiday theme at all. It's more of a dance in which to showcase the immense talent of Vera-Ellen. She's in a very short, yellow dress and her hair is down, instead of pulled back. She's beautiful and quite a force to be reckoned with. The dance, unlike the rest, only last a few minutes but it always seemed to be the one that stood out.

"Mandy": Very-Ellen once again is the star of this dance. Though the other three, Rosemary/Bing/Danny also appear in this with a wonderful little "minstrel" thing, she's the focus when it comes to the dancing. It's full of bright colors and dance moves that makes you question your flexibility. The best part may be at the end of this big production number, when you find there are only two people watching. Of course this is on purpose, because it's a dress rehearsal, but still.......it's hilarious! "This'll bring in business, Grandpa!"

"Sisters": Rosemary and Vera-Ellen perform this one. If we were being technical, my sister Laura, being older, would have been the Rosemary character and I would have been Vera-Ellen, but I always wished and pretended I was Rosemary. She had such a beautiful voice that was unique and smokey and unmatched by anyone else.

"Love You Didn't Do Right By Me": I've basically mentioned or described every song in this film and this is definitely not one you leave out. Rosemary SLAMS this song out of the park. It's personal and revealing and beautiful. She wears a beautiful black dress with long black gloves up past her elbows and she's surrounded by young men all dressed in black. It's simple and elegant. 'Nuff said.

I feel it's my duty as an avid lover of this movie to encourage you all to watch it. There really are no excuses that are at all acceptable in my book.

I don't care if you don't like old movies.

I don't care if you don't like musicals.

I don't care if you don't like snow.

I don't care if you don't like X, Y or Z.

You should watch this movie if only to better yourself as a person!

"Let's just say we're doing it for a pal in the Army."

Merry Christmas!

From cradle to tomb, it isn't that long a stay!

About a week ago, I stayed up way past my bedtime because I just couldn't turn off the video I was watching on youtube. I was mesmerized by the songs and stories and GRAND personality. She certainly is quite a dame!

Liza "with a Z" Minnelli!

I had my laptop sitting on top of me, while in my pajamas and under the covers of my bed. I was watching "Inside the Actors Studio: Liza Minnelli" and I couldn't stop it; I had to finish it!

Liza is someone, for me, that seems familiar while at the same time being such a stranger. I discovered how little I actually knew about this amazing woman. Before last week, I could have told you her name, big movies or things she's done in her life, and who her parents were, but beyond that................not much.

Plain and simple: I'm a fan of Judy Garland, not Liza. That by no means implies that I do not like Liza. Quite the contrary. Instead, she's just always been "Judy's daughter" to me. Nothing more and certainly nothing less.

Of course I know that she's appeared on Broadway, television, movies, and wow'd audiences for years with concerts and appearances. She's won an Oscar, Tonys, Golden Globes, Emmys, Grammys and a BAFTA and I'm assuming I'm even missing some more. She's decorated with all this recognition and that is just as it should be.

Despite all this fanfare, I've still only really ever seen her as "Judy's daughter" only because I haven't actually dove into her own work to really see her in a separate way. When I'd watch an interview with her, it was just to see what she'd say about her mother, knowing it was a matter of time before she'd be asked those personal questions. I was always fascinated how she remembered her mother and also how she'd share stories having to do with both the good and bad times. I'd only see "Judy's daughter" sharing stories.  


That is until now. 

Last night, watching "Inside the Actors Studio" with her as the guest, I finally saw Liza Minnelli in an interview. Of course she was still the daughter of Judy Garland and Vincente Minnelli (basically royalty in the Golden Era of musicals), but she was also her own person. She was very gracious in answering questions about her parents, family struggles and her own demons, but I respect her immensely in how she chooses her words when speaking of her family. She speaks with a dose of blunt honesty but also an air of protection. She knows if she admits, "yeah she/I had some problems", that people won't push the buttons anymore. And she is always quick to finish up any story on a positive note.

She told a wonderful story of Judy and her concert at the Palladium in the 60's and described how Judy was a hard worker and loved the spotlight. Liza ends the story saying she (Liza) could "work with anybody after that, because I worked with her; the greatest there ever was!" Talk about a wonderful note to end on.

Here's a quote from Myrna Loy about Liza, who also knew Judy well from MGM and just being in show business. It's a wonderful quote.

"I love Liza. She is so original. People speak of her in terms of her mother, but she is herself, very definitely. A good, strong, unique person."

So true! I can finally see that.

Monday is Quote Day *Christmas Edition*

He went to the church, and walked about the streets, and watched the people hurrying to and fro, and patted the children on the head, and questioned beggars, and looked down into the kitchens of homes, and up to the windows, and found that everything could yield him pleasure. He had never dreamed of any walk, that anything, could give him so much happiness.

Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol

Monday is Quote Day *Christmas Edition*

Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmas-time.

Laura Ingalls Wilder

Well, Where Have You Been?

I recently received some new music from my cousin. Though we have similar taste in music, she often has music I have never heard of and for the most part would never come across. She's kind of like a hipster in this way that she always has new music but could care less if it's popular or everyone knows. So, I guess she's nothing like a hipster. Instead, she's just someone I'm related to that likes good music and is always happy to share.

Yeah, that's it. 

Though I could list the 20 or so songs I received from her, the one that stood out was "Between The Raindrops" by Lifehouse featuring Natasha Bedingfield. I like Lifehouse. I have one or two songs of theirs and they have a good sound. I do not however LOVE them to the point I feel a need to find more songs. One or two will suffice. This song stands out, however, because of Natasha Bedingfield.

She happened into my life in my first year or so of college around when the song "These Words" came out on the radio. The song was energetic and lively and clever. I fell in love immediately. I bought the album Unwritten, which is where you'll find that song among many others that I loved just as much. One by one, more songs from the album were put on the radio and released as singles. I loved them all.

Then she came out with another album near the end of my college career and I bought that too. Listened to it from start to finish and though I didn't love them all, there were a good many that still became favorites, but it just didn't capture me like the first album. And that's okay. But with the second album being a bit lackluster, I didn't really follow her much after that.

Then this new song with Lifehouse was brought into my life.

Her voice brought me back to my first year in college when she was still so new to me and the music world. Her voice in this "Raindrops" song is strong and filled with personality just as I remember it to be. It also has an energy and positive chords that are very much associated with her for me.

I don't mean to make this seem like a love letter to Natasha or even her music; rather it's a love letter to music in general. It can transform your emotions or make you recall not only a memory of a different time but also of a different self. Of course, I've changed in many ways from my first year in college, but it's amazing how much of that same girl/woman/person is still inside me somewhere that is no longer on the surface. It's amazing that the simple act of hearing Natasha's voice brought me back to that person, even if only for a moment. It was a wonderful feeling of home that has changed in many ways. The feeling of home has changed just as it should. Seasons change. Cities change. People change. Relationships change. Change is not a bad thing, but that doesn't mean it can't be difficult.

There's a wonderful image I was told once of a clever way to think about your past. Imagine you're in a boat, rowing across a lake to the other side; you are facing the shore you left behind, but moving toward a new shore. That is how I visualize my past. It's not bad to look back at your past, the good and bad, while still always moving toward to the future. Do not stay stagnate in the past but instead, remember everything while moving on.

Hearing Natasha's voice brought into focus a time in my life that made me smile while recalling many different emotions: sadness, friendship, frustrations, fear, excitement and love. It's a wonderful gift to have been given! A chance to remember everything while continuing to move on.

It's fun to glance back!

Monday is Quote Day

This isn't as much a quote as it is lyrics, but no matter; take them in and never forget them. You can be reminded on a clear, Summer night when the moon is full just how beautiful our world is and how "The Best Things In Life Are Free". Or even when the sunbeams come shining through the clouds and sprinkle their rays on the ground that....well you get the picture. The version I have on my iPod showcases the incomparable Lena Horne. It's a wonderful rendition and I highly recommend it!


The moon belongs to everyone. The Best Things In Life Are Free.
The stars belong to everyone. They gleam there for you and me.

Flowers in Spring. The robins that sing.
The sunbeams that shine; they're yours, they're mine.
And love can come to everyone. The Best Things In Life Are Free!

Few and Far Between

Other than the "Monday is Quote Day" posts, I have not posted about anything in quite awhile.

Without sounding too "hippie", my interests and behaviors have always been pretty organic. I've never been the type of person to force an interest or behavior in my life. If I want to like this or that, I will. If I want to act or not act like this or that, I will or won't. It's pretty simple. I try and surround myself with a minimum amount of stress, so simple is my mantra.

Of course with that being said, my behavior for this blog is to go in and out of posting many entries to barely anything at all. The frustration in this for me is that I genuinely want to write more but it goes against my organic way of facing life. In order to write a blog post, most days, it will involve me forcing myself to sit down and write. And as I described, this goes against my natural inclination. However, when it comes to writing, I long to go against my natural inclination of just "going with the flow" and instead write until it becomes a natural behavior.

Growing up, I always wanted to be an actress or a singer, just like all the stars I loved. I mean who wouldn't want to be Doris Day or Julie Andrews! They always made everything seem like such fun that, naturally, I wanted to do that too. They always seemed so happy!

Now that I'm in my late 20's, I've recalled that childhood dream. I'd still love to try my hand at acting but I have also longed to become a writer; which is why I began this blog. I figured it would give me a chance to write about anything I'd want, when I'd want, with the hope that people would enjoy it. As you may have already noticed, I love to watch movies and then talk about them. I wish that I had more interests that I want to put to paper write on my blog, but I truly LOVE to write about films. But my point is this: sometimes, you have to write about other things and you may even have write when you don't feel like it. That is what makes you a writer. You actually have to write. It's quite simple. It's common sense.

So not every blog entry will be a grand slam, home run, or even me getting on base. Maybe it will mean I strike out but as I recently read as advice for writers, "fail magnificently". So with that, I will write and fail sometimes but I will do it with charm and pizazz. And hopefully, you'll still come back for more! 

And if you don't........I will still write.