Getting in the Halloween Spirit

So, I started re-watching Buffy Halloween episodes to get me into the Halloween spirit.

And tonight, I'm hitting the Depot in Hillsborough for open mic night. . .

There will be some witchy tunes for you to enjoy. . .





And either a surprise for B, or this one:



See you tonight. And I'll put up video if there is anyone there to record. Spooky times for all. . .

Sing Down the Moon

If you are open next weekend. . . .

We used to play the same pizza-parlor pinball

Went with B to Vienna Teng on Saturday night, and it was amazing. Emerson Hart opened for her, and he was fantastic, too (I was able to re-live this high school moment--oddly, I still remember all the lyrics perfectly).

My friend S introduced me to her shortly after I moved to NC--over 10 years ago now. I mistakenly thought she was from North Carolina, due to a line in the only song that I really wanted her to play.



And when she played it, I was supremely happy. But all the songs she played were an experience. I've been meaning to see her in person for years, and I am extremely glad I did. If only for a few of these:








And my favorite Encore which was amazing live:



I am definitely going to have to see her again. It was so worth it.

Book of Mormon Scripture Mastery Yoga

I know it has been awhile. I'm the seminary teacher for the NC School of Science & Math this year and we're a little over two weeks in (1 Nephi 8). It's still early morning, but I get to wake up at 5:00am instead of 4:45am. But for those of you waiting--Book of Mormon Scripture Mastery Yoga is here.

Thanks again to AP for being a wonderful Yogi.

Edited: To fix 2 Nephi 25:23, 26

Last year's: http://thegirlimeantobe.blogspot.com/2012/07/scripture-mastery-yoga.html?m=1

An ode to a bumble bee

A tizzy tempest in the house.
Buzzing wildly but from where?
Stuck in the window?
Bumping against the bathroom mirr'r?
Screeching throughout the house.
To be found nowhere.

Giving up, head for the couch, relax into--
Stabbing pain, tiny swords from somewhere near.
Low light, jump up, search for the source.
Wretched agony. Giant bumble. Quarter-sized, maybe bigger.

Death to the creepy crawly. Stuck me twice.
Not remembered since summers at twelve, massive pain--sore and rare.
Stupid fuzzy bug, now I have two giant welts.
One the size and shape of a pear
Upon my derriere.

Follow-up Saints

St. James Infirmary and St. Louis Blues by some random guy in the Depot last Wednesday.



A whole capture of Georgia.

Bathing Beauty

Esther Williams died yesterday. She was a treat to watch. And though many of her films were formulaic, there was something about her spunk that I adored. I've probably seen everything she ever made. I love her intro scene in Take Me Out to the Ballgame (swimming laps and singing Take Me Out to the Ballgame).



Million Dollar Mermaid is a family favorite (and I think one of B's favorite's growing up). This is obviously not the music from the movie, but a lot of the swimming bits from that movie. There are a lot more.



Neptune's Daughter introduced the Oscar-winning Baby, It's Cold Outside (not a Christmas song).



And though completely ridiculous (Hannibal of Carthage! Elephants! Swimming!), Jupiter's Darling is a favorite. The movie starts with the note "The history which describes Hannibal's attack on Rome is very confusing; this story will do nothing to clear that up." It's sappy and ridiculous. If you have a chance, take the opportunity to reconnoiter.

 



There are a bunch of others I enjoy, too, but there are a few. She was supposed to be in the Olympics, but instead she is something I will always think of when I think of the parlor in Bear Lake, my cousin A, and B & I at the pool. Until we meet again, Million Dollar Mermaid, you were fantastic!

Free Again*

So, seminary is out for the summer, and I am going out in the evenings and not in bed by 9:30. I can already feel it, and I want a lot of sleep. But here are two debuts from last night at the Depot. Chip, John, and I have never played together before last night--or even before we stood up on that stage. Because we had a long sound check at the beginning, you only get a tiny clip of Georgia, and none of St. James Infirmary or St. Louis Blues. But here are Autumn Leaves (people danced!) and Georgia on My Mind. You can tell I haven't done it in a while, but whatever (It was filmed on my phone, so not the best quality).

Enjoy! I did.





* Streisand Song

Seminary year one

All last night I was singing:

One Day More

Another day another destiny

This never-ending road to seminary...

- September 4, 2012 - May 31, 2013

- Twenty-seven books of the New Testament

- Twenty-five scripture mastery

- 11, then 9, then 6, then 5, then 4.5 regular students

- A zombie-like existence as i got up at 5 (5:15) and went to bed at 9:30 (10 when I was bad).

We started and ended with scripture mastery yoga (thanks, Abby!). It was a nice cap to the year. 

I'm going to miss them dreadfully. Maybe we can meet up at the Waffle House. 

Next year, Book of Mormon.

Nashville Last Night: Postcard from Mexico

I love this show. I am addicted to it. Mostly, the music. But also Deacon. And Rayna (I want her shampoo--it has to be Angel's Tears, right?). And how good Hayden is as Juliet (no one was more surprised than I). And Deacon. And the duets! And Deacon.

I don't love what they've done with Gunnar and Scarlet, and if Avery and Scarlet get back together, I will scream. But if I those little girls can sing a little more often, and I can have Deacon smoldering and giving sage advice on my TV all the time (and doing lovely things in the elevator), I'm a happy girl.

Here was my favorite from last night. That made Deacon all sorts of upset about his current situation.

Can't Help Singing

When she was 13 she became a singing sensation--funny enough she and Garland tried out together. Nobody remembers Deanna because she didn't die tragically or party too hard.

I met her one spring break on a TCM Deanna Durbin Birthday celebration when they showed a bunch of her movies in a day, starting with Three Smart Girls. Instead of reading on the beach or in the hot tub (my favorite Florida vacation staple), I stayed in by myself all day and listened to her sing. It was perfect.

Not even close to pop sounding, she was very operatic. But from 13-27 she was the highest paid actress in Hollywood. Then in 1948, at 27, she quit everything, and went to live in Switzerland. Not many people remember her.

But in college, they did a chat and showing of It Started With Eve (one of my favorites), and I was hooked again. I bought a VHS copy and took it up to Grandma's. And that is when I started my Deanna collection. She loved it. I brought a few new movies each time, and Grandma was in heaven. She remembered going to the picture show years ago and watching "the singer," and she loved her.

I loved the sweetness and cheer that got the country through the last few years of the depression and all of WWII. From Girls (the original parent trap), to 100 Men and a Girl (which made my Grandpa cry) and had her singing with 100 out-of-work musicians, jumping over chairs in Eve, the semi-noir of Lady on a Train, the days of radio in Something in the Wind, or the ridiculousness of the entire supreme court messing with your love life in For Love of Mary. There is a Cinderella story, a mother-daughter story, sisters stories, rags to riches, a snobby senator's daughter crossing the plains, and plenty of singing--only a few in color. I found out a few years ago that she was still alive and living in Switzerland and seriously contemplated writing a fan letter.

Today, my heart hurt a little when I saw the notice that she died. Partially because I will miss her, but partially because that means that I've lost a little bit of Howard and Dawna Larsen again. College weekends with just us (or sometimes with A) watching a Deanna in their living room. A Deanna for Grandma and an action movie for Howard. Those were my Saturday nights in Fish Haven, ID--once a month in college. I love them dearly. And I love her, too. It made me feel like we would have been friends if we grew up at the same time. And I knew that for a short time, I was their fourth daughter. The singer lived a long, full life, Grandma. I think Dawna'd be pleased.

Thanks, Deanna, for years of delightful movies. You can still catch them on TCM, or sometimes Youtube, and Amazon has the first collection for cheap, but the second group (the one I don't have on DVD) is always a little too pricey for me. Someday. I'm still trying to get His Butler's Sister on DVD somehow. Watching a pack of butlers fall for her charms is super darling. How can you not find her a treat?

Here are a few musical moments to sample.