At least this one does not seem to pack the wallop of last week’s storms.  But we did have something in our little village that did not occur a week ago: the tornado siren went off just after 8PM.  Dad was out most of the day (failed to come home for mass as he said he would) and got home just in time as the brief but heavy storm let loose.  After the siren wailed, I went to the back porch to see what was happening… the sky did not look that bad.  The radio was no help… all I found was an Indians game and a remote from a C/W station.  Now if a local station was out and about you would imagine that they would say SOMETHING.  So, we found all kinds of info on the Toledo news.  Warnings and Watches but no actual tornadoes reported.  By this time, we had the neighbors, sister and kids, and sister-in-law and kids to keep us company.

And now, the storm has moved on to the east and is breaking up hopefully before it reaches the communities hit last weekend.  Hopefully, all y’all are safe out there, too!

Last weekend, while in Chicagoland headlining at the Horeshoe Casino, Regis Philbin did NOT partake of the deep-dish Chicago pizza.  He apparently likes thin crust.  He did make a stop at a West Side hot dog stand.  Felony Franks is unusual in that it hires only former felons after they have served their time behind bars and are out looking for a job.

The menu is centered on crime: misdemeanor weiner, custody dog, probation burgers, etc.  No mention of justj’s mentioned Chicago style dog.. is that a crime?  A stand in Chicago that does not feature the Chicago-style version?

What do you think about the new stand?  I would say that I would be hesitant to purchase a hot dog from a former child molester or murderer.  And apparently, the press has been rather heated on the venue.

“Smile Darn Ya, Smile.” Ok… combining two song lyrics from two different musicals:

• “Put on a Happy Face” from the just revived for the very first time on Broadway…Bye, Bye Birdie starring John Stamos.. not as the title character which 20 years ago, I could have envisioned given his character Uncle Jesse from Full House and his status as a drummer in the Beach Boys

• The second is from some other show I must have forgotten somewhere along the line… if it comes to me, I’ll list it in the tags.

Ok, a few weeks ago we had Talk Like a Pirate Day.  Today, just happens to be World Smile Day.  What is it that makes me smile?  Just a few things, really.

• I love to be with my friends and family no matter what the occasion: game nights are always fun and road trips are a blast, watching crazy fans enjoy watching their favorite teams play (I thought my mom got wild when she watches Yankees baseball but seeing Chris watch a Bears game… now THAT is a sight that could bring a smile to anyone).  However, just being with them to lend a hand, ear, shoulder, foot, eye, back, or finger really is great, too.  Sometimes, even more rewarding than the frivolous.  On occasion, I have also used them for guidance and support, as well.
• Coming in very close to number one is… well, most people who regularly subscribe to my rantings and ravings know this.  Even when I am being constructively (of course) criticized, I can always find something to smile about on stage.  Except of course, when the moment does not call for it.. that’s when acting (for me) is difficult.  I guess in the moment when the unforseen happens and (perish the thought!) I donut get a part, I do tend to be optimistic and try to learn and try to move on.
• In a big way, music can be an extension of my love of the stage.  Musicals are of course my favorite genre of theatre.  I do enjoy most types of music but there ARE exceptions (c)rap being chief among them.
• A great, big scare.  Ok.. maybe the adrenaline getting the heart racing, the blood rushing creates a nervous smile and chuckle but I love to be scared.

Ok… that’s three things. that can usually make most of my nothing days all seem worthwhile.  So remember…. Light up your face with gladness and hide every trace of sadness because I feel sad when you’re sad I feel glad when you’re glad.

YES… it has been a mere 8 days since I have been able to access the internet.  Our connection via Verizon went down for the umpteenth time so my very Trekkie er… techie brother recommended that we make the switch to Time Warner high speed.  So, for a week I have been getting phone calls from ardent fans asking if I have been abducted  by aliens, fallen off the face of the earth, or just kidnapped by our friend from you-know-where.  Actually, I have gotten a bit accomplished in the past few days: watching the Yankees slip a game or two, memorizing some lines, checking out the county fair, playing some softball (now 3-0, thank you very much), reading a 600+ page book of which I have less than 200 to read, and song lead in church.  I did manage however to go out one day last week to borrow my brother’s computer to read my 81 emails and read a few posts from my co-tangenteers.  Minutes ago, I read another 81 emails (ironic) and am anxious to see how far I have fallen behind in the ranks of tangents.  Wonder if I get to read a take on the EXCELLENT  season premiere of The Office.

Warm weather, baseball, county fairs, amusement parks, and Torn Up Streets.   Yesterday morning, I was informed that I needed to move my car.  I usually park across the street in front of the old school house to save on parking.  However, yesterday began the inevitable tearing up of the pavement and resurfacing… right on North Michigan Avenue (aka ST.RTE 49).  This morning, I debated whether to drive in the pouring rain or endure the flag lady even after I went around the block to avoid the machinery going up and down the street.  I decided to stay dry.  Fortunately, the wait was not too long.  I was not needed at work right away this morning anyway since the truck was at least 2 hours late (good thing it was a small truck or I might still be there… then again a little overtime couldn’t hurt… me, anyway).  So…. if you are passing through NWO on OH RTE 49 be prepared for the red flags and revolving stop sign.

Well… after a long and blessedly eventful weekend, I had my regular Monday off.  I usually spend an hour or two cleaning my mother’s beauty shop.  I did not mind today since the weather outside did not look to inviting after a decent Saturday and Sunday was a blah one, too (I guess the old adage that if it rains on Easter Sunday you can expect 6 Sundays of the same does not mean the same if it is opposite… meaning: If it does not rain on Easter Sunday, you can expect 6 Sundays of no rain.  Kind of like a groundhog predicting the weather).

So after spending some time chatting with a sick friend hoping to dispel some of her dreariness and getting to see a teaser of rhe short film we began shooting on Saturday, I read a bit while the suds were on television (YUCK) and found that the Yankees were on tv tonight.  After the first series at the new stadium with the Indians ended in a 2-2 split (we WILL NOT mention the happening of Saturday afternoon.  Remarkably, they now stand at a 7-6 record), I was looking forward to the beginning of a new round with the Oakland As).  Hopefully, the announcers would be a bit more even in their commentating than the seriously one-sided announcers on the Cleveland net.  I may sound biased but those announcers were terribly pro-Indian.  Unfortunately at 7PM, ESPN announced the bad news: The NY/Oakland game has been postponed due to rain.  Guess I should have kept a better eye on the weather in the Bronx: at 2:00, it was cloudy, but rain was forecasted.  I was in the same predicament as Taylhis last night.  Maybe I will catch up on some of the 70+ Simpsons episodes I have waiting on the DVR.  Honestly, who has time for regular tv viewing anymore?  Well… the occasional Thursday night from 8-9.30 but aside from that…

I see by the ol’ tangents homepage, that there are two blogs which have yet to see any posts.  I am certain that these two very talented and resourceful individuals can come up with brilliant things to pique our curiosity.  One of them has vowed to make her first posting AFTER April 1st.  It is now nearing April 7th.

As for my day, I spent a few hours typing the script for a new version of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.  The only things I know about the original movie musical is that it featured the original Catwoman (Julie Newmar) as one of the brides and there is a lot of dancing involved.  Obviously, it deals with a group of seven brothers in search of seven brides.  This version transports the action to  twenty-first century Alaska and the age of laptop computers among other phenomena of the day.  There is music and very little dancing (none that I could not handle, anyway) involved.

Then, I WAS looking forward to opening day.  The outcome was not pleasurable at least for the Bronx Bombers and their multi-million dollar lead off pitcher, C.C. Sabathia.  Four and two-thirds innings.  Six runs, eight hits, five walks, two wild pitches in one inning, and no strikeouts.  The Yanks’ second big money hopeful, Mark Teixeira did not fare well either going 0-4 at the plate.  Teixeira was also eyeballed during the off-season by the Baltimore Orioles and the Orioles faithful showed their disaproval as they booed the Maryland native unmercifully at each at bat.   The pressure for any new Yankee must be immense.  It was a good thing that opening day was not at the new stadium because I am sure that the reaction would not have been pretty by fans in the Bronx.  Ah, well one game down. Can only go up from here.  At least the Cubbies were victorious.  Sorry j, I see the Tigers were unsuccessful on opening day as well.

While watching the Jay Walking segment on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, I was chatting with a friend about a device that most people use everyday.  In junior high, I was taught that a gentleman named Sir Thomas Crapper invented the flushing toilet.  I found out today that that bit of useless trivia is in fact incorrect.  It seems that Mr. Crapper was not a knight at all and only has patents that improved upon the device already invented by Sir John Herrington.  Sir John was a 16th Century author who installed a functional prototype in the facilities of his godmother, Queen Elizabeth I.

As for the brilliant contestants on Jay Walking, here is one sterling question and answer:

What did Alexander Graham Bell invent?

A BELL

And another:

What was the Iron Curtain?

The Pittsburgh Steelers offense

Still another:

What is kept in Fort Knox?

Change

Finally:

What U.S. President had polio and needed a wheelchair to get around?

OH… the president in Pearl Harbor…. Churchill (not only a bad answer but another movie that we knew the ending to before it began only with the sappy love story attached)

I could have added this post to increase the genius blog, but hey… I needed one of my own.  And I was seriously fishing which is something I could have done nearly anywhere I looked in our little corner of the world today with all the flooding.

flibberdegibbit

As taylhis pointed out in her recent post, today is the first anniversary of our foray into the blogging world.  I have found it to be a very fun yet therapeutic experience in recalling the good and otherwise events of the last year.  Memories that will be enshrined in this site forever unless something totally unfortunate occurs.  Truly fantastic times spent with friends on and off stage, on vacation (still one of the greatest weeks I have ever had), and some family experiences thrown in.  Then, one of the hardest times I have ever had to endure in my 35 years.  I think about Ma2 everyday.  I just know that she is in a far better place looking down on all of us who loved her so much and is there giving me a good swift kick everytime I fail to meet my potential (or maybe it is just me, but knowing Emily as well as I do… I don’t think so).  So… here’s to taylhis, Derek, admin, and I.  The rest of you tangential posters are just as good, too.