Orchestra Kentucky Brings Music To Life

Last night Paula and I went to the symphony. Actually it was a concert by Orchestra Kentucky. An organization of local professional musicians who perform concerts several times a year. Their concerts are held in Van Meter Hall on the campus of Western Kentucky University.

This concert, the orchestra's first for 2011, featured the music of Leroy Anderson (pronounced "Lah-Roy" not "Lee-Roy") a composer/arranger famous in the 1950's & 60's.

I am familiar with Mr. Anderson's music for several reasons. When I was a kid and I used to to our local movie theaters (there were 2 of them: "The Boyd" and "The State") I would hear Leroy Anderson records being played over the sound system before the movie started.

In addition the most vivid memory with Leroy Anderson music came at Christmas time; again when I was a kid. From the time I was 5 until I was about 12, every Christmas, I would go to a special "private" Christmas party given by the Ingersol Rand company; a local manufacturer of industrial pumps. They employed a lot of people at that time and party was given for the children of the employees. My dad didn't work for them but friends who did always gave us a pair of tickets to go.

The party was a variety show with different types of acts. Each year the show usually included a magician, an animal act and a novelty act such as acrobats, a juggler or a ventriloquist.

There was a small band that included a trumpet player giving musical accompaniment to the acts. They would also play when the MC led everyone to sing a Christmas song or two.

The start of the show was signaled when the band would play Leroy Anderson's most famous song: Sleigh Ride. The instrumental version of the song still brings back memories of those great Christmas party shows. There's also another special connection between the song Sleigh Ride and me that has to do with my dad. You can read about that in my blog post titled "A Father's Encouragement. Posted on December 19, 2009.

Anderson's novelty composition "The Typewriter" is one of my favorite parts of one of my top 5 favorite Jerry Lewis movies, "Who's Minding The Store". You can see several versions of Lewis' comedic pantomime of this song on You Tube.

As you can see I'm very familiar with Leroy Anderson's music. I looked forward to this concert since last summer when I first heard it was on the Orchestra's schedule for 2011.

Paula went with me to the concert. However a bit of miscommunication on my part led her to believe that she seeing Mr. Anderson perform and not just going to a concert. That would have been an extremely unique experience due to the fact that he died in 1995.

Despite getting something totally different than she expected my wife said that she "enjoyed it more than she expected" and that she wouldn't mind having one of the songs played during the performance, "Forgotten Dreams", added to her the music library on her I-Touch.

I knew I would enjoy the concert. It was my first live orchestral experience since high school, I think. But I didn't expect the night to impact me to the degree that it did. Let me try to explain.

As I've mentioned Leroy Anderson's music was something I'd been hearing nearly all of my life. It was music I'd known as being from the past. I had it on my Ipod but when listening to it it only evoked memories and wasn't the least bit engaging. It was novel and entertaining but something from my parent's generation not mine.

But when I heard the music in that beautiful concert hall and saw the musicians actually playing their instruments; I experience the Leroy Anderson's talents in an all together new way. Watching the violinists plucking the instrument's strings during "Plink Plank Plunk" and seeing that the melody line of "Trumpeter's Lullaby" was made by 3 different trumpet players playing in harmony made the music come to life for me. It was an incredible feeling of something that I perceived to from the past, becoming real to my senses.

I likened it to the scene in the movie "Jurassic Park" when the paleontologist, Ellie Sattler and Alan Grant( played by Laura Dern and Sam Neil) saw the real live dinosaurs for the first time. They were awed over the experience of something they'd only imagined becoming real.

That's what the concert did for me. It made the music real. It was a thrill that I've only experienced before at Disney World. Surreal.

Leroy Anderson's music will from now on have a new spirit for me. That may sound strange and I may not be communicating what I mean very well. But the way it felt being at that concert was something I'll remember as a truly unique experience.

Disney Podcast Script Writer

My first "15 minutes of fame" for the year 2011 came by way a pair of my favorite things: writing and a Disney Podcast.

Each week I download to I-Tunes and listen on my Ipod about 6 different podcasts about Disney stuff. One of them is called "Mouse Guest".

This long running Disney Podcast that's tagged every week as "the place where Disney fans get their fix" has been running weekly for more than 5 years. It's hosted by a trio of Disney enthusiasts named: Eric, Cathy and Dan. Their podcast is one of my favorite because they are just regular 30 something working stiffs who simply share their love of Disney World and all things Disney.

I like these hosts and feel so comfortable listening to them that I frequently call their special phoneline and leave a voice mail with my comments or questions for their show. They play them as part of the "listener feedback" portion of their podcast nearly everytime I leave one.

The Mouse Guest podcast for the two weeks over the holidays was a prerecorded 2 part program that included some discussion of music, a lyrics quiz, a Harry Potter quiz and other things both Disney and non Disney related.
On December 30 I wrote a 7 page email in response to the things discussed on the 2-part holiday Mouse Guest podcast for the last 2 weeks of December.

The MG hosts liked my email and the subjects that I wrote so much about that they read nearly every word of it over the course of their first and second shows for 2011. I was honored by the fact that Eric & Dan (Cathy was not on due to illness) thought my opinons and choices for discusson topics were good enough to use on their podcast. Not just for 1 show but for 2.

So I guess you could say that not only do I have a claim to fame as the writer of this blog but I am a podcast script writer, now, as well.

If you are interested in hearing what I wrote about and how Eric & Dan respond to it you can log on to www.mouseguest.com and click on the podcast link. Or you can search for the podcast in the I-Tunes store, subscribe to it then and download and listen to them there.

Most of what I wrote about has to do with Disney but I also included stuff about my TV and music preferences as well. So there you have my first memorable moments of 2011. My debut as a Disney podcast script writer. Thanks Eric & Dan.

Trio Of Technology

I am not a techno geek. I am not up on all the latest technology that's part of the popular culture of the day. I'm not a caveman living in the dark ages by any means either.

I do have a Facebook page but I don't "tweet" on Twitter. I use it to keep in touch with family, friends and co-workers. I have an Ipod but it's a "classic" that serves as a portable jukebox for my music collection. It's also a means of listening to the podcasts and sermons I enjoy while I'm driving in my car or out walking my dogs.

I have a cell phone but I only use it to make calls. I don't send text messages or connect to the Internet. I use my personal technology but don't take advantage of all the conveniences they offer. However I'm trying to expand my horizons.

I'm considering getting a new cell phone with a QWERTY keyboard and complete Internet capability. One of my goals for 2011 is to start using programs on my computer to record my Rewind shows as MP3 files so they instantly digital. I currently record onto CD's then import them into my I-Tunes library. Learning to use the recording program, Audacity, on my computer will eliminate the CD part of the process. In addition I have now gone digital with another important area of my life: my reading habits.

I had debated for quite a while before the holidays about asking for an electronic reader for Christmas. After doing research I went back and forth about which version I wanted: Kindle or Nook. I decided to ask for the Kindle.

I think it was the fact that my son, Michael owns one and really likes it. Also there was that catchy little song that they use on their commercials. I couldn't get it out of my head; still can't. But then that could be because it's playing on I-Tunes as write this post. (singing) can you fly me away. Take me away with you my love.

Where was I? Oh yeah. The Kindle. My generous wife gave it to me as a gift this past Christmas. I really like it. The convenience of being able to shop for books in an instant is a great feature I'm going to appreciate for a long time.

However I can tell from just browsing through the user's guide that I'm only ever going to use a fraction what it's capable of doing. I'll search for, download, and read books. That's about all I plan on using it for. I may make notes and create collections but that's about all I see myself doing with it.

So now that I have a Kindle every day I take my trio of technology with me to work. Should you look in on me while I'm in the Shop NBC break room eating my lunch you'll see me with the technology triplets. I'll be reading my Kindle, listening to my IPod, just after checking my voice mail on my cell phone. Am I a slave to technology?

Don't get me wrong I love the fact that I'm blessed with all these modern digital gadgets. They have help make life a little better. They keep me "in touch". But I sometimes wonder how I got through my first 40 years of life without any of them?

If they were gone tomorrow would I miss them? I don't know the answer to that question. I really don't want to know the answer.

So if you'll excuse me I'm going to finish this post and go start reading my new book. I just heard about it on TV and downloaded it to my Kindle. I'll sit on the couch and listen to my "one hit wonders from the 70's" playlist through my ear buds while my cell phone sits on the table next the lamp in case I get a call.

Ah yes, technology is like the brain. Having it is good; even if you're only using 10% of it's potential.

Christmas Memories Pt. 4

Meet The Awesomes

This final "Christmas Memories" post is about T-shirts.

This year I gave everyone in the family a T-shirt. Five of the them were shirts from the TV show "Cake Boss".

It's the TLC channel realty show featuring baker Buddy Velastro and his family, who own and operate "Carlo's Bakery" in Hoboken, New Jersey. My son, James and his wife, Brandi; my sister-in-law, Theresa; along with Paula and I each discoverd the show and became fans sometime during the year. We talked about it every time we got together as a family. Brandi even started making cakes herself. I think she was partially inspired by the show.

As a themed Christmas gift I got all 5 of the Cake Boss fans a Carlo's Bakery T-shirt. I had intended to take a picture of all of us in our new bakery T-shirts on Christmas day but didn't. It's something I'm going to try and do sometime in 2011.

My son, Michael and his wife, Heather, were not great fans of the show. Still I wanted to get them a T-shirt that they would like.

During the summer at a get together at our new favorite local restaurant, Cheddar's, to celebrate a family member's birthday (can't remember if it was Paula's or Theresa's birthday) Heather talked about how Michael has started referring to himself as being "awesome". Michael added that he only said that because he was. She said that, as his wife, it was her "job" to constantly bring him back to "reality" in regard to his misconception of his self perceived "awesomeness" by continually denying it. The issue was a running joke between the two of them and they let the whole family in on it.

So, when it came time to order everyone shirts for Christmas I decided to get them each a T-shirt to promote their on going debate. The shirts turned out to be one of the more popular gifts of the day.

Michael told Heather that she would be "required" to wear her shirt in public at least once. Something Heather vowed never to do. The picture you see at the top of this post was put out on Facebook later on Christmas Day.

Now the on-going debate is whether or not this constitutes Heather wearing her shirt in public or not.

Anyway, I thought I'd do my part and introduce you to "The Awesomes" the 4th and final memory I going to post about Christmas 2010.

Christmas Memories Pt. 3

A Tale of Two Magnets
This Christmas story is about a surprise that I spoiled for myself.

The two Walt Disney World magnets you see in this picture look the same but they have different stories.

One was purchased off of Ebay by someone who couldn't wait and spoiled his surprise (me). The other was given as a gift by a very thoughtful someone (my lovely wife) on Christmas. Here's the story.

Back in September while we were in Disney World, my wife urged me to by a Disney World magnet (I get a souvenir magnet whenever we go on vacation or do a "touristy" thing) with a "2010". For some reason, and I can't remember exactly why now, I kept saying that I didn't want one.

Once we returned back to Kentucky and I started reviewing the items we purchased as keepsakes of my 50th birthday trip. It was then that I realized that I regretted not getting a magnet with the year on it. This was sometime in October, I believe

Well, at the time a couple from our church was at Disney World for a business conference. The woman was one of Paula's friends on Facebook. I had Paula send a message to her asking her to bring back a 2010 magnet from "The World".

I waited a couple of weeks and didn't hear anything from the friend so I figured that she didn't have time or had forgotten to get the magnet for us. I decided that I would have to find one myself somehow.

Paula very subtly tried to get me to wait. The friend had brought back a magnet because she had given it to my wife one Sunday in church. Wanting to surprise me, Paula put the magnet aside for a Christmas present.

Mr. "I want what I want when I want it" went out on Ebay and got a 2010 magnet; thus spoiling the Christmas surprise. Not only that but I got the EXACT same magnet.

I want Paula to know that I appreciate her thoughtfulness. Sometimes I'm my own worst enemy; especially when it comes to buying things that spoil surprises planned for me on Christmas.

It started back when I was 12 or 13 years old. I really made my mom mad when with my own money I went out and bought a very cheap electric football game 2 weeks before Christmas. My parents had gotten me a rather expensive deluxe model of the same electric football game as one of my "big gifts". I made my mom so mad that she took the present back. I never got it.

You'd have thought I'd learned back then but, as my wife now knows, I haven't yet realized that I shouldn't buy myself anything in the weeks before Christmas.

Once again, I'm sorry Honey, perhaps I've learned this time. You really have given me a gift that I needed without realizing it. Because now I have a visual reminder about an area of my life and a time of the year that I should exercise some self control. And I see it every time I look on the refrigerator at those two 2010 Walt Disney World magnets.

Christmas Memories Pt. 2

Nipper Bookends

Another moment of surprise for me on Christmas morning is captured in the picture you see to the left.

The pair of little white dogs that are cast iron bookends. They are sculptures of "Nipper" the little dog in the logo that used to be on RCA records.

If you're over 40 years old you know what I'm talking about. If you're under 40 go "Google" the name "Nipper" and you'll see what I'm talking about.

The hand and red shirt to the left, halfway in the picture, belong to my sister-in-law, Theresa. She was the mastermind behind this surprise.

As you can tell from the smile on my face I am rather pleased to have these little puppies. You see I'm holding them for the first time. But it's not the first time I'd seen them. Here's the story behind the surprise Christmas gift. A story that took 4 months to unfold.

Back in the summer, sometime in August, while I was walking my own two "nippers", Dory & Angel, through the part of our little town that's home to a series of antique shops I saw the Nipper bookends on display on top of a roll top desk near the windows of one of the stores.

The shop was owned by a local woman who was rather elderly and delicate health. Because of her condition the hours she open her shop were limited to Saturday mornings between 8 & noon.

From the moment I saw the cast iron doggies I wanted them. They represent 2 of my favorite things, dogs and music. I worked during the store's limited hours so I had to find someone to inquire about the items for me. I didn't want to ask Paula to to get up and go out of the house early on her only day of the week to sleep in just to ask about a pair of bookends I might not be able to afford.

So I decided to ask my sister-in-law, who always an early riser, to go to the antique shop and find out how much the little Nippers cost. She told me she'd to it. That Saturday passed and I didn't hear anything from Theresa about the bookends. I figured she'd forgotten about it and would ask her to try and remember for the next Saturday.

Well, when I walked past that same window again the next time the bookends were gone. I was really disappointed. Who knows how long they had been sitting there waiting for someone to buy them? Then, it figures, as soon as I notice them they get gone. I lamented the fact that even though I really wanted them I would never see the Nipper bookends again.

Now, what I didn't know was that Theresa, who knows everybody or knows someone who knows everybody (she reminds me a lot of my mom in that aspect) knew the woman who owned the antique store.

That same Saturday I asked her to inquire about them she called the store owner and told her to put the bookends aside for her she wanted them.

To make a long story short Theresa kept the Nipper bookends for 3 months, wrapped them in December, put them under the tree, and, much to my delight as you can see, surprised me with them on Christmas.

The doggies now sit on a bookshelf in my living room guarding a bunch of new DVDs I yet to watch. Every time I look at them from now on I'll always remember what a great Christmas surprise they were. Thanks to my favorite sister-in-law, Theresa.

Christmas Memories Pt. 1

Happy New Year Everyone. It's 2011 and I've decided that it's time to start posting blog entries again.

Since my favorite time of the year (Christmas) was just last week I thought I'd start off by posting some of the pictures that capture some of the best moments and memories of this year's holiday season. Don't know how many there will be but I promise to make them short and sweet.

Facebook Post Turns Into A Gag Gift

On December 16, 2010 I put up this post on my Facebook page:
"Gotta give the "it seems like a good idea but it still won't work" award to the guy who decided that making it in an army camouflage colors would make guy's decide that it would suddenly be "manly" to wear a Snuggie. What were they thinking? Camouflage or not it's not going to happen. Nice idea try though."

Of course my wife Paula read this post on Facebook. It came to mind while was out shopping one day.

Standing in line at CVS she spotted a camouflage Snuggie. According to Paula it was the last one on the shelf and was "calling to her". She just couldn't resist buying it and giving it to me as a gag gift on Christmas morning.

It really surprised me and I was very amused that my wife had pulled off a very funny joke.

She knew that I would get a laugh out of it but also knew I really would not ever ware it. The Snuggie has been returned but the memory of Paula's Christmas morning gag gift will always be part of my memories from Christmas 2010.