two gallons of eggnog!

Thomas said:
Reasons to definitely come out to our holiday show tonight:

1) It will be amazing and funny and amazingly funny.
2) It's two days until Christmas. No matter what you're trying to deal with, you could use a break this evening.
3) It is our last show of the year. So if you want any sort of Odd Lot show in your life before January, you better come out tonight (Correction... our next to last show. But best to get as stocked up on the Odd Lot as you can.).
4) It is always a huge audience, and huge audiences make for big fun (also note: you should show up early).
5) It is my favorite show, and nothing would be a greater gift to me (or more warming to my heart) than to see you there.

If you need any other reasons, you may want to have your heart checked. You may suffer from Terminal Grinchness. But I believe in you. So come out to the show, won't you?

Well, as he requested so nicely, I did!

What show, you ask?
This one!

And what did I get?
You mean besides the free cookies and
cupcakes and (hot) cocoa furnished by the
Ultimate Pianoman, Chris Stanley?
Two gallons of eggnog!
That item kept making figurative appearances during the show!
Two gallons of eggnog during a blackout in New York City.
Two gallons of eggnog brought to a party.
Two gallons of eggnog to wash down the comedy!
(Thanks, Zach!)

Such a star-studded event it was!
The Rat Pack started the show,
with a tipsy Dean Martin mixing
song lyrics with his martini,
while Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis, Jr.,
tried to sort things out.
No luck there -
thank goodness!

Recognize these celebrities?
Not the adults...
the kids!
Playing "What word was that?"
was the Soucyman's daughter
and Justin Kent's son.
Kudos for the kids in the house!

Then, we had a famous duo to read
"Twas The Night Before Christmas".
Surely you recognize Jack Nicholson,
right? Maybe you need the voice!
And there to provide a counter punch -
I mean, counterpoint -
was Jason Statham, Ultimate Thug!
Yeah - that's the way you do it!

Oh, look, another famous actor!
The incomparable Christopher Walken!
He was in disguise, of course,
to keep from being mobbed
(since Sinatra was there.. lol),
but his voice was undeniable!
He sang ... recited... rhythmically voiced
"Walk(e)n In A Winter Wonderland",
that lovely Christmas standard
about sleigh rides and bluebirds!

Then came the politicians,
making their appearance,
just as they do in parades.
President Obama wanted to give us
a holiday greeting, but former
President Clinton was there
to schmooze us up!
Also, he seemed to be making plans
to live in the White House again...
very funny!

As entertaining as they were,
I was so glad when a real entertainer claimed the stage!
Elvis! Elvis! Elvis!!!
The King (of the Elves arrived with an interpreter to answer questions from the audience about Santa's helpers.
Hahahaha! Quite wonderful to behold the pelvic gyrations and song tidbits!

Then we had some more typical,
non-celebrity-enhanced work
from Odd Lot.
Here, items from the audience
were creatively combined to make...
Art!
Here, Thomas himself is part of
UnHappy Man.
C'mon, Thomas, smile!

Next up was a film noir skit,
featuring Elf On A Shelf as the
sole witness to several murders.
Dorsey was super creepy as the Elf,
made even creepier by the Soucyman's
known aversion to dolls of any kind.
Bwah ha ha!!!
Nothing like a little Christmas creep!

The show wouldn't have been complete
without some new songs, right?
You bet!
And these were from that holiday compilation,
"Songs of the Stocking Stuffer"!
I really liked the duet about
"the orange goes in the toe"
and the country lament about a burned stocking
hung too close to the fire.
And the poems later were aWeSOme!!!
Mistle TOE. MisTLE TOE!

As it is with all good things,
the end eventually arrived.
Sure, two hours had passed,
so that was $10 well spent.
But, who wanted the show to end?
Not me!
But the Ultimate Houston,
clad in a dress coat, no less,
was onstage for the singing of
"Have Yourself A Very Odd Lot Christmas"
to wrap things up with a tidy
melodious bow.

Even the Odd Lotters were captivated
by his song!
Zach, Darren, and Doug listened
from the comfort of the couch,
while Marshall stretched out
his frame on the lounger.
Behind the couch stood the emcee,
Dorsey, and the Soucyman,
soaking up the final words.

Ha!
Captivated?
Soaking up the words?
No, they weren't!
They were simply poised calmly,
waiting for him to finish
so they could surround him with hugs!!!
Most excellent!
What a great comedic family
they all are!

And they weren't the only family
there at Muse Arts!
My nephew, Michael,
and his dear Melanie,
parents of my twin great-nieces,
were there with me!
What a delightful surprise for me!
(smile!)

blacklists, roman holiday, souvlaki, and baklava!

Today, Barbara did the driving, so I was able to sit back and enjoy the Christmas lights and decorations. What a lot there were over in Hilton Head, too!
Our first stop was at a fancy shoe store. Mama would have loved it! My friend has difficult feet to fit, so this was a shop of necessity for her, not a luxury outing. Miraculously, she found a lovely brown pair that would work and be a pretty addition to her wardrobe! Success!
Next stop: the cinema!
We had gone to Coligny Theatre for a South Carolina doubleheader, but the second film never showed up. That's okay! We were still able to see "Trumbo", a film never screened in the Savannah area and on its final day there. (You can read my thoughts about it here.)
Such an uplifting tale!
Time for some dinner!
But where to go? This was the off season in this beach-loving resort community. What was close by and still open after seven o'clock?
Tasty would be nice, too.
The Frosty Frog was open! Bright lights, covered patio area! But we couldn't seem to catch the eye of the waitstaff.
Strike one!
She recalled Gringo's Diner, so we walked over there. Dark enveloped the place. They now only serve breakfast and lunch.
Strike two!
But the next one we tried was the grand slam!
Hooray for It's Greek To Me!
Such incredible service!
(Thanks, AJ!)
Such spicy eggplant!
(Ya gotta try the Melitzanosalata!)
Such lemony Avgolemono soup!
(I can still taste it just thinkin' 'bout it!)
Such savory lamb gyro and pork souvlaki! Both were served in copious amounts, sans pita, with green beans and Greek potato barely making it onto the plate.
(I had plenty of each meat for take-home!)
And such fabulous, flaky, honey-drenched Baklava to round out our meal!

Ah, yes... success!
And a lovely soft rain to blur the holiday madness as we wended our way back home through the light traffic.
Thanks for a great Tuesday, Barbara!

bollywood doubleheader!

Woohoo!!!
Today, Barbara and I journeyed to Pooler. It was a rare occasion: two fresh new movies from India were screening during the same week!
Hallelujah!!!
It was a Christmas miracle!
The two films couldn't have been more different in appearance or setting. That was good, so we didn't overdose on the experience! But both were romantic at their hearts and both preached about acceptance of others, regardless of family rivalries or difference in religion.
Hallelujah!!!
Both featured absolutely incredible dance numbers, too!
"Dilwale" had a fairly contemporary setting, with lush use of color. It was another romantic pairing of Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol, as the star-crossed lovers Kali and Meera. The timeline jumped back and forth fifteen years, between their ill-fated romance and that of their younger siblings. Very nice!
Here's a video of one of the most romantic musical numbers, ever!



After that lush overload of testosterone and estrogen, some real food was needed to restore our energy. In the scant hour between the two, we dined on shrimp ceviche around the corner at Jalapenos. Refreshing and tangy and loaded with protein - just what we needed!

Back to the Royal Cinemas for our second dose of Bollywood! Set in the mythic times of legends, "Bajirao Mastani" was a different vision in every way. Set in the 1700's, the tale followed Bajirao I and his love of two women who he called wife: Kashi, a Hindi, and Mastani, a Muslim. The bfe would have loved it: no happy ending here. Bajirao and Mastani died, he on the battlefield, she by the hands of his older son.
But from the very beginning, the opulence and use of gold was almost overwhelming present! Lavish sets with subdued tones, fierce battle scenes, even fierce dancing!
Seriously! I had no idea that Indian cinema had cock rock!
But here is the proof, y'all!



Who cares that the guys were all wearing skirts? Such masculinity leaped right off the screen and dared to be questioned!
Hot damn!

Fabulous way to end a Monday!
Thanks, Barbara!
Good to see you, too, Carolyn!
Enjoy those videos... I sure will!
(smile!)

family gathering!

Somehow, I selected the same date used for the family gathering last year!
This time, though, the date fell on a Sunday. The gathering was a little smaller, but we all had a loving time together!
I had opted not to put up my tree, as the 1-year-old twins would be here and I didn't want to tempt them unnecessarily.
(smile)
Rudolph and company still laid siege to the top of my entertainment center, though. Not out of reach, as it turns out...all the girls had to do was point and their Aunt Chelsea would grab for them!
Very funny!

Or their cousin Caitlyn would
place it in their hands!
Such helpful kinfolk!
That's okay, I had left plenty within reach for their entertainment!
Here, Leila is dancing to the 'Bominable's tune while the yellow star in his hands flashes to the beat!
"Have A Holly, Jolly Christmas", indeed!

Alyssa preferred Yukon Cornelius
and his song about "Silver And Gold"!
How very nice that the girls
didn't fight over the boys!
(smile)
How glad I was that I put
fresh batteries in them!

Here, Leila is checking out the calendars and holiday-themed note pads on my Panamanian coffee table.
(That table is older than their parents!)
Alyssa is looking at Chelsea stretched out on the couch, trying to catch a nap.
She is probably wondering why her young aunt didn't check out the quieter guest room instead!

Great-Uncle Smitty!
Or should that be
Great-Uncle Harvey?
Leila thinks he's
just fine either way!
Such good ham he and Great-Aunt Mary brought!
And yummy cookies, too!

And look what else Great-Aunt Mary and Cousin Christy brought???
It's a kitchen just for the little girls!
The doors to the oven and fridge
even open and close, open and close,
open and close!
Caitlyn once enjoyed it, but she's a big girl now - she'll be NINE in just ten days!

Hooray! Mama Melanie arrived!
First, she had some of the ham,
a bit of Christina's macaroni-n-cheese,
and a big spoon of the squash
dressing casserole!
And a piece - or two! -
of Christy's soft pecan brittle!
Very yummy!
Then, time to play with the girls!

Was that a yawn?!
Oh, no, another big ol' yawn!
Time for Leila and Alyssa
to go home and have
little naps, y'all.
Bye, G'Aunt Tina!
Thank you for the calendars!
Thank you for the party!
(smile)

christmas with the bfe! party at connie's! the black nativity! ugly sweaters at club one!

Such a event-full day
I have had!
The bfe and I had our Christmas dinner at Carlito's, as that seems to be "our" spot.
(smile)
His treat, too!
And there were presents!!!
His theme was:
"F-Grrl's gotta
have coffee
...cups!"


He even gave me an Elvisware set, with a cup and a saucer! There was even a Christmas ornament!
I gave the J-Dawgg an Arbor Day Foundation tree...which he envisions being planted in a favorite National Park in Virginia.
(smile!)

I was home briefly before heading out again!
This time, it was a Christmas cheer gathering at Connie's on Isle of Hope! Kevin made it before me and was so glad to see me there - everyone else was so much older than him! Honestly, I think he forgets the two-decades I have on him.
(smile)
I had some lively conversations with an older neighbor and his wife, who had spent some time in Panama in the mid-1960's. Then there were other get-to-know-ya talkings with others there while having some munchies. Very nice little party!

My next stop: the 7 PM performance of the Performing Arts Collective's 6th annual production of Langston Hughes's musical, "Black Nativity"! I think I last saw it at Muse Arts, in 2011, with just Abeni Dance in it. This time, the stage at Savannah Arts Academy was full of dancers!
The performance of "Mary Did You Know?", in which several of the cast took turns singing the query, was especially poignant.
Great job, by all!

Ugly Christmas Sweater Party! Of course, that means I got more mileage from my ugly sweater, as well as half-price admission to watch the girls sing and dance at Club One. Ooh la la, y'all!

christmas cabaret and chewbacca!

What a fabulous "Throwback Thursday" this has been!
What?
Not familiar with that term?
Check it out!
I was able to travel back in time twice
in a single evening!
It all started at the Lucas, at the Christmas Cabaret.

The first half of the show was Christmas standards, but the second half delved into the 1980's for some... well...
unusual holiday songs.
Like Trae Gurley in 1984-era Michael J. Fox mode, singing Wham!'s "Last Christmas" and tossing hearts around!
Hilarious duo with Jenny Woodruff!
They both have such great comedic timing!
Speaking of timing, I had made a list -
and checked it twice! -
prior to my shift as usher tonight.
What was so important?
Why, the screening times of "Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens" at the four (of five local) cinemas offering it on Thursday night.
I wanted to see the movie prior to its official opening today, to get a jump on the crowds. After all, it's been 38 years since the saga first hit the silver screen, lighting up the world with its New Hope.
38 years.
That's two generations, y'all, of folks steeped in the legendary tale of Luke and Leia and Han Solo... and Chewbacca, the ultimate 'bominable!
I was all of 19 years old when "Star Wars" opened in Great lakes, Illinois. The guy who took me to see it had already seen it six times.
It had only been open for a week.
He had insisted that we sit in the very first row at the cinema.
Excellent advice! I was absolutely absorbed into the science fiction tale, soaking up its mythology like it was part of my psyche! Ultimate GOOD versus Ultimate EVIL - wow!!!
And here it was, back again, with the old players again active in their roles! This time was different, though. They had aged, much as had we in the audience. But now, the sense of awe they had brought to our lives for all these years was also evinced by the other actors in the new film.
Repeatedly, the questions were reverently asked. "You know Han Solo?" "You know Princess Leia?" "You know Luke Skywalker?"
How very nice for that sense of awe to be intact after all these years!

hello KISS kitty!

At last!
I have held onto these four KISS kitty tins ever since I saw them two months ago!
I had $10 to 'spend' at Toys-R-Us, in return for using their card to feed my movie habit. I spotted some excellent Halloween cards, then...there they were. 'Hello Kitty's wearing masks!
KISS masks!!
How perfect for my ex!

Did they have the masks of all four of the band members?
There was Gene the Demon... several of them.
And there was Paul the Starchild! Only two of them!
What about Ace the Spaceman? Got him!
And Peter the Cat?
What about that?
One!
Only one!


That's okay, one was all I needed to complete the set!
And they were on sale, too!
So, I bought the foursome for the ex, as well as two more Demons for the bfe and Jim, the PFS guy.
Those latter two were delivered by the middle of last month.

The full band, though,
had to await proximity
to December 20th.
Today was close enough!
Into the mail they went,
to pounce down
in Saginaw by Friday!
This card was deemed
the perfect companion
for the cats!
I had written inside:
"Hope your new year
rains (birthday)
cats and dogs
for you!"
Hahaha ha ha!

Even the Christmas card
continued the running gag
I had created!
Timing, folks,
it's all about the timing!
That birthday dog
and this Christmas card
just happened to be
in my stash of stuff
when my brain started
pulling things together
this morning.

But what coincidence brought this back to mind?
Clearly, I had ripped this "Mother Goose & Grimm" panel about "Hello Kitty" from the funny pages back in May.
Seven months ago.
How did it happen to come into my hand for inclusion in the package?
Serendipity? Good fortune? Timing?
Coincidence?
As long as it brings good cheer to his 51st!

i thank You, God!