Saturday, November 26, 2016

Day 178-A Christmas Story (Musical) –stories and traditions



Photo by Jesse Scheve

When I heard that the 1983 film, “A Christmas Story”  was adapted  into a musical, I thought that it would be a great way to kick off the holiday season with my son.  It’s a tradition for us every year to watch the movie that takes place on Cleveland Street in Indiana in the l940’s. We laugh over and over again at  Ralphie’s  quest  to get a Red Ryder, carbine action, two-hundred shot BB gun for Christmas!  The holiday movie, "A Christmas Story” is so appealing to the masses and we never get tired of watching it over and over again because it  fuels our memories of  our own holiday stories. We all can remember a time when we worried that all the “bad stuff" done that year would keep Santa from giving us that one special, must have, childhood toy. My coveted toy was a Barbie convertible.

Wednesday, November 23, 2016

Day 177 Joe Beretta Foundation-Story of Family-Giving Thanks


I have seen many of my friends use an unexpected adverse experience to  catapult them into some type of positive action (see Day 60- Skully's Wish, Day 28-Support A Friend, Alzheimer's, Day 57-Ovarian Cancer).  We  participate in various causes because we are affected personally, because of friendship, or because the story behind the action makes us want to help. It’s the story behind  my childhood best friend’s loss of her husband to heart failure and her family’s  amazing dream to make things better for others in similar situations,  that fuels my desire to help and share the cause of the Joe Beretta Foundation. (see TheJoeBerettaFoundation.com

Thursday, November 17, 2016

Day 176 Try Running/Never Thought I Would



The days are getting shorter and it’s a race to get some activity in before the sun sets. Jogging gives you a work out in a short period of time.  I have to admit that I hate to run and I  would do anything to avoid any type of running.  I would joke that  I would be the first one in a group to be eaten by a bear because I am so slow.  

I never  thought that  I would even attempt to run  at my age, especially because I need to save my knees for skiing. However, I was inspired by my college friend who finished the Boston half marathon. She also hated to run and her efforts fueled a  competitive nerve that I did not think I even had. I thought that  if my friend can master a marathon than I can at least try to run a 5k. Conquering a weakness is a quality of a being self- actualized or  reaching  your  personal best, so  I started to jog.

Monday, November 14, 2016

Day 175 Red Hot Chili Pipers- A Bagpipe concert?




This empty nest period has been filled with an explosion of new music experiences ranging from  Jazz (Day 15), banjos (Day 54), alternative Rock (Day 137),  to Rap (Day 170 ).   However, I did not expect my new music exposure to  include a  bagpipe concert!  I must admit that I never imagined  listening to  bagpipes without attending a St. Patty’s Day celebration, some type of memorial, or watching clog dancing, until I heard The Red Hot Chili Pipers, (not peppers but pipers).

Sunday, November 6, 2016

Day 174-Salome, Pittsburgh Opera-regretful lust



When I ask most of my friends to go to the opera I often get a polite, “no thank you. ”   I would like to point out that  opera is all about the overall experience and this blog is about the overall experience of trying new things  especially in the midst of a life change (see Day 143).   I say go for the hyped up  experience of the opera with the symphony, singing, dancing, extravagant sets, costumes, and drama.

 You really don’t have to follow every detail of the story to understand what the show is trying to convey.  Pittsburgh Opera's   Salome,  is all about uncontrolled lust and desire fueling one to behave in an unusual or in a bizarre manner.  We all have performed  regretful acts birthed from something that we think that we need or must have!