Circus Night With "The Girls"



My Circus Companions On Our "Night Out"

 Last Friday night, March 25, I had the pleasure of spending an evening in the company of 3 of my favorite ladies. My wife; my 2 daughters in law, Heather and Brandi; and I went to the circus.

The 2011 edition of Ringling Brothers, Barnum & Bailey Circus came to the arena at WKU.Because my sons got to have a "guy's day out" in January (we went to Lexington to see "Spamalot") I promised the girls that I'd take them out some place special as well. They seemed to be excited about my choice of events.

We got into Diddle arena early enough to see the special "all access" preshow. This show allowed spectators to stand around the ring that would serve as the show's performance area and watch some of the acts up close. You could get autographs and pictures taken with the performers as well.  A clown served as the MC for the preshow. He was dressed and made up as a typical circus clown. The only one of the 4 clowns in the show who was.

The preshow was entertaining. It had jugglers, some acrobats and an appearance by the elephants. The humongous animals really filled the ring and were the real highlight of the preshow.

The show was very entertaining and well worth the price of admission. There were quite a few typical circus acts. But it was not 3-ring show that you usually think of when it comes to Ringling Brothers. The owners of this edition of the show also owns the "Siegfried & Roy" show out in Las Vegas. This circus had a Vegas style presentation. It was a combination of a circus and a magic act. The "star" of the show was a magician who performed some good but typical illusions. The most impressive one was when his assistant went through a series of instant wardrobe changes behind small curtians right before our eyes.

Some of the more interesting acts in the show were a guy riding a motorcycle on a tightrope while a pair of lady acrobats did tricks on a bar hanging from the cycle but below the tightrope.

There was a really good trained dog act with several really cute canines. Of course the elephants made a couple of appearances during the show. Seeing such large creatures sit on pedestals and stand up on their hind legs was a sight.

There was a group of about 1/2 a dozen of acrobats who did some tricks on a flexible beam and later did some more complicated tricks using see saw like boards to launch themselves into the air and onto the shoulders of their fellow performers stacked 2 and 3 high. One little girl missed a really high jump but went back and did it successfully a 2nd time.

A pair of Asian guys did tricks with knives and swords including jumping through hoops lined with sharp knives and a ring of fire.

Earlier I mentioned clowns. The clown in make up from the preshow did very little during the main show. There were 3 clowns who did though. The main clown was a young guy with a spiked hair do. The other 2 were clowns/musicians. The funniest routine they did was a when two clowns played Jazz songs on the sax and trumpet and the spike haired guy interrupted them with techno dance music coming from an over sized IPod.

There were a couple of acts that didn't work and they were at the start of the 2nd act. During the intermisson the stagehands constructed a cage for a group of 6 lions. A series of small cages (2 lions per cage) were lined up and connected to the gate of the cage.

As we sat in our seats during the intermission we noticed that one of the lions was a bit upset with something she saw outside her cage. She stared it down and would try to charge it but was of course stopped by the bars of her small cage. Not sure what it was but her fury seemed to be directed toward seats on the floor area in front of us. It made us a bit nervous.

When the 2nd act started the magician had his assistant put him in a straight jacket and hooked him to a wire. He then hung upside down by his feet above the lion's cage. He vowed to escape the jacket. As he was hoisted in the air he hollered, "Release the lions." The gate was opened and out from the small cages came the lions. But it wasn't the least bit dramatic. The lions just kind of lumbered out, stretched and yawned as if they had just been awakend from a nap. They didn't start running around the cage or even look the least bit interested in the man hanging over them.

While the crowd was busy watching the not so impressive lions come into the ring the magician escaped from the straight jacket. It was anti climatic to say the least.

When he was back on the ground the magician introduced the lion tamer. He came into the cage but the lions weren't very attentive to him. They just didn't want to seem to be bothered. The lion that was upset in his cage during the intermission was the only one that would listen to him. She only did that after being offered several pieces of meat on the end of the trainers stick.

The trainer got the lions to do a couple of rather lame tricks. I don't even remember any applause during the act. About halfway through the trainer brought out a male lion with an all white coat and mane. At first glance you said to yourself, "Aww what a pretty lion." But after a few minutes of looking at the white lion and the way he acted you realized something. The male lion was old. I mean really really old. He had the feline equivilant of grey hair. He didn't want to do anything but lie around. The whole act was lame.

There were a couple of acts that I'd never seen at a circus before that really impressed me. There were trained house cats who did some impressive tricks. Then there was a pair of young ladies who did tricks from a wire above the arena floor. What was unusual about them though was that they did all their tricks hanging by their hair. We couldn't figure out how they did it without pulling their hair out by the roots. We surmised that there was some kind of trick to it. When they first started hanging by their hair I leaned over to Paula and said, "You've got to find out what shampoo they use."

The last act was one of the best. It featured a pair of motorcycles driving at high speeds inside a metal sphere. Not only did they speed around the inside of the sphere. They did it with a young lady suspended by a wire hanging in the middle of it. It was very impressive.


The magician's last illusion was putting his assistant in a cage and "changing" her into a lion. The show ended with a grand finale that included all the circus acts coming out for a bow and then leave the ring waving "good-bye".

After the circus we went to Cheddars restaurant for dinner. It was fun sitting and talking about all kinds of things. Mostly we talked about our sons but not just about them.

It was wonderful night with my 3 favorite ladies. Now that there's been a "guys' day out" and a "girls' night out" the next is probably a family event. That's something I'm looking forward to. I love spending time with my family.

Paula's In The Kitchen

Like most men the way to my heart is through my stomach. Even though in my case it's a "pouch" serving me something delicious to eat definitely wins my gratitude.

While on medical leave earlier this year Paula used her free time at home to get back to doing something she's always enjoyed: cooking.

My wife is an excellent cook and really enjoys it. Ever since our weight loss surgery finding alternative recipes for some of our favorite dishes has been real challenge for her. So far she's been pretty good at meeting that challenge. 

If either of us, mostly me, get an craving for something that wouldn't be good for us to eat as it's commonly made, my wife does her best to find the WLS friendly recipe or comes up with one herself. Even if she does find someone else's recipe she customizes so I'll like it.

This past weekend was the first opportunity she'd had to really do some serious cooking since she went back to work 2 weeks ago. In this case "serious cooking" means making some new dishes she's wanted to try for a while.

On Saturday she made " Chicago deep dish pizza quiche. She used cheese and eggs to make the crust and turkey sausage, turkey peperoni, mushrooms and mozzarella cheese for the toppings. She also made her own low carb pizza sauce using tomato paste and spices. It was very good.

On Sunday she made a chicken stroganoff dish in our new Crockpot. She mixed the ingredients in the slow cooker early in the morning before we went to church. It cooked and simmered all day long. Later that evening she served it for dinner on a bed of blanched zucchini. It was delicious, low carb, and good for us.

During the afternoon she made a no sugar added pineapple upside down cake. She used a sugar free yellow cake mix, no sugar added pineapple and brown sugar Splenda. This was my favorite thing she made all weekend. She knows I've been wanting Pineapple upside down cake for a long time.

She made two 8-inch cakes from one cake mix. We cut one of them into 16 slices. We each had one of those pieces. It was perfectly scrumptious. By the way Paula's sister, Theresa, got the other 8 inch cake.

 Paula still has ingredients to make something called "Pizza Soup". It's also cooked in the Crockpot. She plans on making it one day in the near future. Given her performance in the kitchen this past weekend, I can't wait for her to make it.  

What a culinary treat this weekend was. You know me, I'm all about the food. My wife really knows how to make me smile come meal time. As TV's Mr. Food would say "Ooo it was so good!   

"Orchestra"Post Gets A Quick Response

Last week (actually 2 posts ago) I wrote about the terrific time I had at the Disney music concert presented by Orchestra Kentucky at Van Meter Hall.

I mentioned that I was disappointed that the song "When You Wish Upon A Star" was not played. I also mentioned the name of the orchestra's conductor, Jeff Reed.

Only a few minutes after I published that post, while I was still sitting at my computer, I received an email from Mr. Reed.

I don't know how he knew that I published the post. I can only guess that he has something set up on his computer that alerts him to anything that's put on the Internet which mentions him or Orchestra Kentucky.

He wrote to me to explain the reason the concert did not include the Disney theme song. It was not an artistic decision. Like most things in the arts business it came down to money.

Mr. Reed explained:

 "Like you, I believe that “When You Wish Upon a Star” is the quintessential Disney song. When I planned the concert, I wanted to use it. When I inquired about the song, I was told by Disney that it is not available. Disney told me that they don’t own the copyright to the song. Apparently, it was sold, preventing them from licensing its use. In order to use it, I would have had to get a separate license from another company, adding to the $5,000 we were already paying for the music and video from Disney. We just couldn’t afford it.


I wrote back to Mr. Reed thanking him for reading my blog and sending an explanation. I told him that I understood how finances can effect what you want to do as an artist. I also suggested he read my January post I wrote about the Leroy Anderson concert.

Mr. Reed is the most "famous" person to ever repond to this blog. I was impressed. The other thing that impressed me was the immediacy of his response.

It reminded me of just how instantanously and permanent things posted to the internet can be and how they can effect others. It's something that I try to always keep in mind when I decide to write a post. It doesn't hurt to be reminded every once in a while. Thank You Mr. Reed.

Alternatives In Exercise



Here's a post on something I haven't written about in quite a while: losing weight and becoming healthier. As I work toward my goal of finally losing 65 pounds and reach my personal weight loss goal. I'd like to do it by Thanksgiving. I have been focusing on 2 elements. Eating the right foods, in the correct portions, with a limited number of calories, and exercise.

The nutritional  is very important. I mean it's true that you are what you eat. I'm trying to limit my daily caloric intake to under 1000 as my doctor recommends. The majority of those calories should come from protein (at least 60 grams a day) and very few carbs (under 20 a day). Also drinking at least 64 ounces of water each day is very important. Most days I drink more. Taking my vitamins and nutritional supplements is also vital.

Those are my personal daily nutritional goals. I must remind all my readers that I am a weight loss surgery patient and the diet I am on was set for me by my surgeon and nutritionist. If  you want to know what diet is best for you consult your personal medical professional. That's a good recommendation for anyone who is considering starting a diet or exercise program.

The 2nd part of my weight loss focus is exercise. In the 20 months since my surgery my means of exercising has been walking. Specifically, walking my dogs through the streets of our quiet little grove.

 Late last summer right before I went to Disney World I got a little "bored" with walking. I should have looked for an alternative way of getting exercise but I didn't. Once the clocks were turned back to standard time and I had to start walking my dogs after work in the dark I just stopped walking completely. 

At the start of 2011 I set a goal to begin exercising again. Because of the bad weather we had over the winter, the shorter days, and lack of motivation I didn't start walking again on a regular basis until the beginning of March. I never realized how much I missed it or how not moving had effected my energy level and attitude. I feel much better now. My weight is down and my dogs are very happy.

Also at the start of the year I decided that I needed at least one or two alternative means of exercising so I wouldn't get bored with walking again too soon. I decided on two things. One was to try roller skating again. I even found out what the operating hours were for the local skating rink. But after thinking it over I decided that because of the limited movement I have with my left foot and the balance problems it creates perhaps roller skating would only be a means of getting injured and not a good alternative exercise.

I was still looking for alternative exercise in late January my wife suggested we get an exercise bike. I was all for it. We made it our Valentine's Day gift to each other. Pretty romantic huh? Its taken me a while to start using but as of last week, I have. I'm using it to prepare myself for another exercise alternative.

I've always enjoyed bike riding. One of the first things I bought when I got my first full time job was a 10 speed bike. I used to ride to and from work on nice days in the summer.

More than 30 years later, I was reminded of how much I liked riding when I took my sister-in-law's bike for a trip one day last summer. Although it wasn't very long but it was enough to make me want to get a bike of my own again. Last week I bought one.

I had to special order it so I won't get it until April 20. But I'm excited about being able to ride around town and on some of the back roads in our area.

My third choice for exercise is what I call a "guilty pleasure". It's not something that we do and hide purposely hid from others because we know it's wrong. That's called "Sin."

Usually there's nothing wrong with something that's a "guilty pleasure." It's just something you enjoy but generally don't want most people to know you do. They exist in all areas of our lives. We all have guilty pleasures.

One of my "guilty pleasures" involves aerobic exercise. To be more specific aerobic exercise videos. I have a collection of Richard Simmons exercise DVDs. I've always found Richard Simmons products and encouragement to be helpful whenever I've seriously tried to lose weight.

Ever since I read his first book, "Never Say Diet" in my late teens, I have used his weight loss programs including "Deal A Meal" and " The Food Mover" to lose weight. At one time I subscribed to his website. I even met one of my best friends, who lives in California, in his chat room. I've actually met him in person.

So I guess you can say I am a Richard Simmons fan. I believe that he's been sincerely interested in helping people lose weight and get healthy for almost 3 decades and is still doing it today.

I own all the "Sweatin To The Oldies" DVDs and a dozen more of his exercise videos. I've collected them over the last 20 years. My sisters and I used to exercise together to these videos when I lived in Pennsylvania.

Recently I started exercising to them again. Over the last month I've worked out to "Sweatin 2" and "Sweatin 3"; my favorites. A still shot from "Sweatin 3" is at the top of this post.

Since I started doing them again I've discovered that I really don't have as much coordination and flexibility as I used to. I guess the wear and tear on my body from having weighed over 400 pounds and now being over 50 is responsible for that. 

Nevertheless I do enjoy the music and the moves of the "Sweatin DVDs." I will continue to use them as one of my exercise alternatives.

If I use exercise and diet as tools to continue to live my life as a weight loss surgery patient they will be effective. They will help me continue to get healthier, enjoy spending time with my wife and family, and most importantly find and do God's will for my life. And more specifically they will help me achieve my goal weight by Thanksgiving.  

Orchestra Kentucky: The 2nd Concert

This past Saturday night, March 19, Paula and I attended our 2nd concert presented by Orchestra Kentucky.

The first one was back in January and featured the music of composer/arranger Leroy Anderson. You can read the details of that concert in January 14 post.

While I really enjoyed the that concert the audience that evening only filled about 1/2 of Van Meter Hall on the campus of Western Kentucky University. Last Saturday's concert filled the hall to capacity or close to it. The reason for this increase in attendance was, of course, the selections to be performed: Disney Music.

The show was entitled "Tale As Old As Time," a line from the academy award winning song from"Beauty & The Beast, featured songs from the long and rich history of music from Disney movies and theme parks. It was a completely different type of production than the  January concert.

The first major difference was the location of our seats. At Paula's request we decided to sit in the balcony this time. We were in the very last section of the hall's 2nd floor, which gave us the best overview of the entire orchestra and the video screen as well. The videos played on the screen throughout the performance were a key part of the program. The picture above was taken from our vantage point.

The next major difference was the featured vocalists. Not just any vocalists but 5 singers who have actually recorded for Disney records.  Publicity articles for the concert referred to these vocalists and some of the guest musicians as "Disney Talent". There was also a chorale of singers who provided back round vocals. This group of a dozen or so very talented singers also sang unique arrangements of some of the songs including: "That's What Friends Are For" as part of a medley from the "Jungle Book".

The program featured medleys of songs about Disney heroes, dreams, villains, and climatic moment of classic Disney movies. Of course interwoven throughout the concert were the songs of Richard and Robert Sherman.  

The only flaw in the entire concert was the fact that the quintessential Disney song, "When You Wish Upon A Star" was not played. Or at least it wasn't featured. It could have been part of the opening medley but I don't remember hearing it.  I thought for sure it would be played as the encore selection.

At the end of the concert I waited in anticipation when, amid the applause and standing ovation, the vocalists reemerged from the wings to offer the encore. But when conductor, Jeffery Reed, described the "one last selection" to be played as "a song that will get stuck in your head", I realized it was going to be "It's A Small World", not the signature song from "Pinocchio". It was the only disappointment of the evening.

 I couldn't figure out why the song was not played. The only other reason I can think of is that it was included in the orchestra's first Disney music concert last year.

It goes without saying that I really enjoyed this concert very very much. I mean it's Disney music. It has universal appeal. I won't go into a discussion of that subject here but look for and expanded exploration of the universal appeal and "magic" of Disney music check out my "Disney specific" blog: http://www.goofyguyoffworlddisneyblog.blogspot.com/. There should be post on this subject published soon.

What I want to do in this post is point out the contrast between the 2 Orchestra Kentucky concerts I've been to this year. The "Leroy Anderson" concert had a very specific target audience. As I've pointed out the attendance at that concert was evidence of that fact. 

But the 1000 who attended the orchestra's 2nd Disney concert in the last 2 seasons included children and adults of all ages. The demographics for each concert couldn't have been more different.

Still I can safely say that I really enjoyed both of them. Based on the announced concert schedule I don't believe I'll be going to any more of the orchestra's concerts the rest of this season.

But based on my first two concerts, the next time there's an Orchestra Kentucky concert that appeals to me I won't hesitate to go again. It's one of the few local entertainment options that I can be sure to enjoy. The cost is not much more than the price of an evening at the movies. That makes it a real "value" to me.

Return To The Opera House

Last Friday my wife and I went on an overnight trip to Lexington. The main reason for this quick one night getaway was to go see the road company production of the play "Cats" at the Lexington Opera House.

We were excited about going back to this theater because between us we'd been there twice in the last year. We saw "Beauty & The Beast" together last May. In January I went with my sons to see "Spamalot". Both very enjoyable and memorable experiences.

We left home about 1PM with plenty of time to check into our hotel and get to the theater by 7PM. We stopped at the Cracker Barrel in the town just a few north on I-65 for a quick lunch before starting toward Lexington.  

As with any road trip I take with my wife it was a very enjoyable ride. This in spite of having to drive on my least favorite stretch of road in Kentucky, the Bluegrass Parkway. It's a long and boring stretch of highway that has virtually nothing interesting anywhere near it. But that's a subject for a different post.

We got to our hotel, a Sheraton, with about 90 minutes before we had to be at the theater. It was just a 10 minute drive to West Short street in the downtown area.

We arrived at the door about 6:20. That's when the ticket taker told us that the "house" would open for seating about 7PM.  I realized that the curtain went up at 7:30 not 7PM. We had an hour and ten minutes to wait for the show to start.

I apologized to Paula for my mistake and we took a seat in the lobby to wait. We talked with several of the other patrons as we waited. The conversation included: past theater experiences; visiting New York City; and, the ultimate subject for me, Walt Disney World.

When it came time to be seated I discovered my 2nd mistake of the night. I thought I'd purchased seats in a lodge box on the side of the theater. Instead our seats were in the front row of the left side of the balcony. I was really embarrassed about this mistake. I'd been bragging about the locations of our seats for months.

We passed the time before the play started by chatting with a very friendly older woman sitting next to us. She enjoyed telling us about her experiences as a horse owner. At about 7:30 the 3rd mistake of the evening would come to our attention...the play started.

Now let me step back and state that our experience with "Cats" may very well be mostly our own fault. We decided on seeing the play based on the fact that it's so well known.

Its 18 year run was the 2nd longest run in the history of Broadway when it closed in the year, 2000. We didn't do any research about the plot or the nature of the production. That was our mistake. We had no idea what to expect. We assumed (always a bad thing) that this would be a typical Broadway style play. It wasn't.

As soon as the lights went down we realized there was one big production problem. There was no live orchestra, so the music was played back from a recording. The volume level of the music was much louder than the level of the actors' microphones. You couldn't understand what they were saying, or should I say what they were singing.

The "cats" came on stage and began to sing. There was nothing unusual about a show opening with singing. After the first song, they continued to sing. For the entire first act they sang. There was no dialogue whatsoever. The story was told through the music and the lyrics, which we couldn't hear well enough to understand. When the characters weren't singing they were dancing. Why were they dancing? I had no idea.

From what I was able to surmise from the printed program, and what I was seeing on stage, the show was based on a collection of poems by T.S. Elliot. It was a series of stories of about different types of cats. Out of the cats, whose stories were being told through song and ballet style dance, one would be "chosen" to be reincarnated into a new life.

The first act was a style of theater that's was not what I expected or could possibly enjoy. It was unpleasant and confusing. I was miserable until the first act was over.

Paula was confused as well but understood what was going on a bit better than I did. This helped her get a little more out of it but she still found it difficult to follow.

At intermission we stood in the lobby and discussed how "lost" we were in regard to the story and what an awful time we were having. The couple who sat next to us (the "horse lady" and her husband) left as soon as the house lights came up.

In the 2nd act the story continued in the same style as the first. But the audio levels had been adjusted so the words were a bit easier to hear. My bewilderment continued as I watched actors dressed like cats dressed as pirates and singing operatic style arias.

But after that scene was over the play changed. There was actually some dialogue. It was in the style of poetic recitation but for all intents and purposes it was spoken, not sung.

Next the cast started singing "Magical Mr. Mistoffelees" a song that extols the feats of a cat who is a master magician. Some special effects, purposeful dancing and "tricks" were taking place on stage. Just that quickly the play had changed and became rather entertaining in a way that could be identified as your typical Broadway style.

From then on the show was good. It ended in marvelous way with some drama, a signature ballad ("Memory", which is considered modern musical standard), a transformation of the set, and some special effects.

At the end I was more than willing to stand up and applaud with the rest of the audience. The play had redeemed itself in the last half of the 2nd act. We left the theater with a good feeling.
I didn't completely hate it. I wouldn't want to sit though the first act ever again. But all's well that ends well. "Cats" ended well.

In an effort to try and understand "Cats" a bit better I did do some research about the show online and confirmed its plot. But even after reading the detailed story on Wikipedia I'm still a bit confused.

In a slow drizzle Paula and I drove back to our hotel. There was a Cracker Barrel at the end of the road. We decided to go there and have some breakfast for dinner. As we ate our meal through the windows we saw the drizzle turn into a downpour. We were glad we were inside. Even though it was our 2nd Cracker Barrel meal of the day it was good.

We spent the night in Lexington and drove home the next morning. We were back at our house by 1:30 in the afternoon.

It was a fun trip because we got to spend some time together relaxing and enjoying ourselves; for the most part anyway.

And even though we were back home, the best event of our weekend was still to come. But I'm saving that for the next post. Come back next time to find out what we did on Saturday night. Here's a hint: it was a "magical" evening.

Extended Spring Break

Well it's that time of year again. For the 2nd straight year I've been "laid off" from my job. Now because of the company's strict and restrictive Internet policy regarding what employees post on any and all social media I can't go into details. Just let me say that starting March 20 through April 30 I am not working. I will be eligible for unemployment during this time though; so that's good. 

What am I going to do with my time off? Well I haven't decided yet. I have been planning to go to Wrigley Field to see a Cubs game this year. But going to Wrigley Field in April doesn't seem like it would be a good idea. The weather will be cold and I won't enjoy it. I'll wait until summer.

I guess I'll just be doing things around the house and working on some of my personal projects. I have a Rewind show that I'm about ready to start recording. I'll be working on that for sure.

With Spring arriving today I'm sure the weather is going to improve. I've had my eye on buying a bike this year so that may be a possibility as well.

One thing I'm sure that I'll be doing is going to church on Sunday mornings. I've been asking to have my schedule changed so that I'll have Sundays off for a while. But that hasn't happened. This time off gives me at least 6 Sundays to go to church with Paula. I'm going to take advantage of that for sure. I may even try and help out a little bit in children's church.

This time off is a major event in my life and I just wanted to let my readers know what's going on. I'm sure I'll be posting about what I do and what happens to me over the next 6 weeks; so you'll find out what I've done on my extended Spring break then.