Love Yourself

Saturday 9: Love Yourself (2015)
 
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

* A disclaimer from Stacy:  I currently have bronchitis and last night in desperation I took some cough syrup with codeine leftover from my husband's own case of bronchitis. I slept, but codeine and I don't really get along and it doesn't seem to be fully out of my system this morning so if there are any funky answers or incoherent rambling, that's why.

1) In this song, Justin sings that he doesn't like to admit he's wrong. When did you most recently cop to a mistake?

I don't know what it was, but it was probably today.  I freely admit that I make mistakes daily...well, at least minor ones, that is.  I try not to make big ones on a daily basis.  Not that it always works out.

2) He also complains that his girl doesn't like his friends. Who is someone that you've met recently and liked? 

A woman my daughter used to work with.  She is my age and when she and my daughter worked together, my daughter was having a very rough time with some of her co-workers, but this woman showed her kindness.  I was always thankful for that, but now that I've met her I found her to be very nice....someone I could be friends with if we ever saw each other, which we don't.

3) Justin first performed this song live on The Ellen Degeneres Show. Who is your favorite talk show host?

I don't watch any talk show with regularity, but when I do, I like to watch Dr. Phil and Dr. Oz.

4) Young Mr. Bieber recently had his credit card rejected ... at a Subway Sandwich Shop. Think about your last trip to a fast food restaurant. Did you pay with cash or plastic or your phone?

Plastic.  It was rainy and miserable so I just zipped through the drive-thru at Arby's on the way home.

Even though we're featuring a lack-of-love song, this is the last Saturday  9 before Valentine's Day and so this morning we shall focus on the upcoming holiday.

5) In Victorian England, it was considered bad luck to sign a Valentine. Have you ever received an anonymous card from a secret admirer?

Not in recent memory, if ever.

6) Retailers report that approximately 3% of pet owners buy Valentines for their furry friends. Have you ever purchased a gift for a pet on a special occasion?

They get a few presents at Christmas.  For other holidays, maybe just a special treat.  

7) It was once believed that if a maiden ate a heavy meal before bed on February 13, her dreams that night would reveal the identity of the man she would eventually marry. Do you find that eating too close to bedtime disrupts your sleep?

It depends on what I eat.  If I give in to something overly processed I'll be in for a wild night of weird, weird, WEIRD dreams.

8) The postmaster in Verona, Italy, reports that Shakespeare's Juliet Capulet still receives love letters. Without looking it up, can you give us a quote from Romeo and Juliet?

Thus, with a kiss I die.

9) Necco's Sweethearts -- those little candy hearts that say things like "Be Mine" -- are Valentine Day's top-selling confection. Sam never could stand eating these candies. Do you like them?

They are fun to read, but no, I don't eat them.  They are awful tasting.

That's it for today's Saturday 9.  Please visit Sam over at the official Saturday 9 blog to find the "rules" of play and the prompts as well as links to others who are playing along. 

Saturday 9: Some Guys Have All the Luck

Saturday 9: Some Guys Have All the Luck (1984)
 
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) Do you consider yourself lucky?

I don't really believe in luck, but if I did, I'd say I'm the person who will be at the airport the day their ship finally comes in.

2) When did you last risk money in a game of chance (lottery, raffle ticket, slot machine, etc.)? How did you do?

I don't know yet.  I've risked a whopping $3 on a football pool at work.  I'll let you know how it went after the Super Bowl.  Before that I may have won a couple of bucks on a scratch-off ticket.

3)  There's a major football game this weekend. Will you be watching? Do you have any money riding on the outcome?  

Yes, I'll be watching, but it will be for the commercials since my beloved Steelers fell one game short.  Sigh.  As for money on it...I answered that in the last question.  I'm rooting for Atlanta just because I'm no Tom Brady fan.

4) The composer of this song, Jeff Fortgang, is an interesting guy who's had two disparate careers: first pop musician, then Yale-educated clinical psychologist. It's possible that many of the patients who see him for help with anxiety or depression have no idea that he wrote this song. What's something your coworkers (or, if you're not working, casual friends) would be surprised to know about you?

I can't think of anything about who I am now that would surprise them, but it would probably surprise them to know that before I got married I was a pretty serious party girl.

5) Similarly, fans are often surprised to learn that this week's featured artist, Rod Stewart, is a history buff who loves reading about WWII. Is there a period of time or historic event that has captured your interest? 

I've always been interested in the very early days of our country...as in from the days of the Pilgrims up to the Revolutionary War.  The Civil War period, the Plains Indian War, and the Depression era are pretty interesting, too.

6) Rod met his current wife as the result of a dare. Penny Lancaster, then in her 20s, spotted the decades-older celebrity in a bar and only approached him because her friends bet her she didn't have the guts to talk to him. Are you, like Penny, vulnerable to peer pressure? Can your friends talk you into doing things you might not otherwise do?

Maybe when I was younger, but not now.  I've learned to stand my ground.

7) Rod vividly recalls being 11 years old and going to see  Little Richard perform in a film comedy called The Girl Can't Help It. When you were a kid, did you enjoy going to the movies? What do you recall seeing? 

Of course I enjoyed going!  Going to the movies was a major event and took all afternoon or evening.  There were cartoons and newsreels before the movie and and intermission break.  Often there was a double feature.  I even remember a few Saturday afternoons when the theater would have a live stage show between movies...like either the cartoon characters or once when I went to see classic monster shows they had the monsters!  Going to the movies just isn't nearly as fun as it used to be.

8) The lyrics tell of when Rod's car overheats and he calls a friend, who doesn't come through. Tell us about a time recently when you were there and helped a buddy out.

I don't know specifically...I'm always up for helping a friend out.  I give rides, take care of pets, bring dinner when you're laid up, help you move (though I actually HATE that one).... 

9) The lyrics mention that "some guys do nothing but complain." Who do you know who is like that? Do you have a friend, relative or coworker who just always seems to find fault?

I know several.  I just try not to spend any more time with them than I have to (which is hard with family members) and I try to let it roll right off my back when I am around them and not let it get to me.  I'm not always successful, but I try.

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The Saturday 9 is Brokenhearted

Saturday 9: Brokenhearted (2012)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) This song is about a girl who is eager and anxious for her new lover to call. Do you owe anyone a call? An email? A text? 

Not really.  There are a few people I should probably call just to say hi, but I don't owe anyone a call, email or text.

2) The lyrics are peppered with the informal English exclamation, "cheerio!" What pops into your head when you close your eyes and think of England?

The royal family, horses, dampness....not really much else.  I've never thought much about England.  It's not a place I have ever been drawn to.  I don't know why.

3) This week's artist, Karmin, is a husband/wife duo who met at college, and that meeting changed the course of their lives and careers. Think of someone who has had a huge impact on your life. Did you know, as soon as you met, that this was going to be a life-changing relationship?

I guess no one has had a bigger impact on my life than my husband and yes, I knew the moment I met him that he was the one.

4) Though she sings about consuming tequila, the female side of Karmin, Amy, is a big proponent of healthy eating. She recommends organic foods that are free of pesticides, hormones, food coloring and added sugar. Think about your most recent meal. Was it a good example of "healthy eating?"

Bahahahahaha!

5) Husband Nick has his own Twitter account (@NickKarmin), but he doesn't use it often. His last tweet was back in August. What's the last thing you posted to social media? (No, your blog doesn't count.) 

Something about the weather on Facebook?  I haven't used my Twitter account in at least a year...probably more.

6) Karmin performed "Brokenhearted" live on Dancing with the Stars. DWTS is  very big business for ABC-TV. So many people vote for their favorite couples each week that their phone and text systems often overload. Have you ever voted for a contestant on American Idol, DWTS, The Voice, etc.?

Yes.  I've voted for American Idol contestants in the past and I voted for Sadie Robertson when she was on DWTS.


7)  In 2012, the year"Brokenhearted" was popular, the average cost for a gallon of gas was $3.91. In 2016, it had dropped to $2.40. When it's time to fill up your tank, do you shop around for the lowest price/gal.? Are you brand loyal and always return to the same station, regardless of price? Or do you just buy gas from the nearest station when you're running low?

It doesn't seem to matter what brand it is around here.  The price is usually the same at all stations.  The only difference is if you have their fuel perks card to get a 3-cent discount or if you collect fuel discounts from one of the local grocery stores...we've filled up for free using those and you have to go to their gas stations to use them.


8) In 2012, the Space Shuttle Endeavor was retired and placed on permanent display at the California Science Center, a Los Angeles museum dedicated to encouraging excitement and enthusiasm about air and space travel. Let's say you had a long weekend to spend in Los Angeles. Would you go out of your way to see The Endeavor? What else would you like to do during your time in the City of Angels?

I probably wouldn't go out of my way.  I've been to the Smithsonian's air and space museum and the space museum at Wright Patterson AFB.  They were interesting but not something I'd really seek out.  If I was in LA I'd be more interested in seeing the La Brea tar pits.

9) While we're thinking about aviation ... Statistics show that it's still a predominantly male field, and less than 10% of commercial pilots are women. Would you be nervous flying with a woman pilot?


Not any more nervous than with a man.  At one time I wanted to be a pilot myself and considered joining the Air Force.

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A Summer Place

Saturday 9: A Summer Place (1960)
 
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) This song highlights the soundtrack from the movie A Summer Place, which is about two teenage lovers named Molly and Johnny.Did you ever have a youthful summer romance? If so, what was his/her name?

Oh yes!  Met a boy, cute as can be...we stayed out till 10 o'clock...he got friendly just holding my hand.  Wait that's Danny and Sandy from Grease.  No, no summer romances for me.  We never went on vacations.

2) The "summer place" of the song/movie is a resort along the Maine coast. What "summer place" are you day dreaming about this winter morning?

I am always dreaming about Chincoteague and Assateague Islands.  They are my happy place.  I'd move there in a heartbeat if I could get the hubby to go.

3) In the movie, Johnny was played by Troy Donahue, who is remembered as nice looking but not terribly talented. Can you think of one of today's actors who you could describe as "nice looking but not terribly talented?"

Channing Tatum

4) Molly is played by Sandra Dee, a perky blonde who was one of 1960's bankable movie stars. Two other blondes -- Doris Day and Debbie Reynolds -- joined Sandra Dee in the Top 10. The only brunette to sell a lot of movie tickets that year was Elizabeth Taylor. Do you believe men find blondes more attractive than brunettes or redheads? 

I think it's a matter of what media tells us is hot at the moment....blonde, brunette, stick-thin, curvy, straight hair, curly hair, long skirts, hoochie-baring skirts, etc.

5) "A Summer Place" was by far the best-selling record of 1960. Also in 1960, two brothers in Ypsilanti, Michigan, opened a pizza place called Dominck's. That was the beginning of a chain now known as Domino's. What's the last food you had delivered to your front door?

We've been picking it up ourselves lately, but I think it might have been Chinese.

6) In 1965, one of the brothers sold his share of the business to his brother for cash so he could buy a VW Beetle. Tell us about a time you had buyer's remorse.

I can't really think of anything.  Now if you ask if I have buyer's remorse over some of the things my husband has bought over the years....that's a different story!

7) In 1960, novelist Ernest Hemingway returned to the United States from Spain and settled in Ketchum, Idaho. Tell us about the last book you read. Was it a novel or non-fiction?

I just finished reading The Fixer Upper by Mary Kay Andrews.  It was sort of a romance, but more about a young woman who was "thrown under a bus by her Washington, D.C. boss" learning to stand up for herself and take back her life. Bonus, there was a recipe for barbecue ribs at the end that sounds amazing and easy (I am all about easy) that I am going to try this weekend.

8) In December, 1960, John F. Kennedy, Jr. was baptized in the Georgetown University Chapel. His godparents were Charles and Martha Bartlett, the couple who originally introduced young John's famous parents. Do you have godparents?

Nope.  Methodists don't really do that.  Plus, given the circumstances of my birth (it was positively scandalous that my mom was an unmarried mother in 1964) the normal conventions weren't really observed.

9) Random question: You're at dinner with a married couple who begins to fight. Would you intercede and try to make peace? Or would you just sit back stay out of it?

I might initially make a light-hearted comment to try and diffuse the situation, but if it became a full on fight I'd just stay out of it...and probably try to find a way to make an exit.

Visit Sam @ Saturday 9 to play along!

Wake Me Up Before You Go Go

I was 16 years old and working as part of the Youth Conservation Corps in the Pocono Mountains the summer today's song was a huge hit.  I can't hear it without remembering those days.  Good times and good memories.

Saturday 9: Wake Me Up Before You Go Go (1984)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) This song was inspired by a note WHAM! partner Andrew Ridgeley left for his parents. He accidentally wrote "go" twice. What was the last handwritten note you left for someone?

I don't remember, but it was probably just something mundane to my husband or daughter about something that needed done.

2) Born Georgios Panayiotou, George Michael was the son of the Greek restauranteur in East London. When you think of Greek cuisine, what comes to mind?

Lamb, hummus, stuffed grape leaves, gyros.

3) He was a terrible driver and admitted his license was suspended a number of times. Have you ever lost your license? 

No.  My job is dependent on my license.  I'm very careful about it.

4) WHAM! partner Andrew Ridgeley, on the other hand, is a talented driver who got to live his fantasy by racing Formula Three in Monaco. There are companies that sell racetrack driving experiences that allow you to spin around the track at dizzying speeds. Is this something you like to try? 

No.  I just don't get into racing.  Give me a Mustang and an open stretch of highway and we'll talk.

5) In 1990, Frank Sinatra famously gave George Michael advice. Ol' Blue Eyes told the younger man to enjoy his fame, to remember all those lean nights traveling from gig to gig by bus and, now that he's successful, "loosen up and swing, man." Who last gave you advice? Did you take it?

I think it was my tax preparer and yes, I took the advice.

6) Mr.  Michael's neighbors have reported since his passing that he seemed to live rather quietly, and that they usually saw him when he was out walking his three dogs. Tell us about the last time you spoke to one of your neighbors.

Most of my neighbors are older women (who, by the way, are all related...sisters or cousins) and I've known them all my life so I at least say "hi" every day.  My other neighbor is my mom and stepdad so I obviously talk to them.

7) Fansites tell us that George Michael's favorite cereal was cornflakes. What breakfast cereals are currently in your kitchen?

My husband loves oatmeal, Cheerios, and Rice Krispies.  I don't eat much cereal, but when I do I like Golden Grahams and chocolate Lucky Charms.

8) In 1984, when "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" was popular, Murder, She Wrote premiered on CBS. Today it's still seen in reruns all over the world. Are you a fan?

I loved the show when it was on and I recently bought a puzzle at a used book sale that features a "Murder, She Wrote" mystery.  You have to put the puzzle together to solve the mystery.

9) RANDOM QUESTION: What's your secret to a good night's sleep?

I don't know...what's yours?  I could use the tip.  I have no trouble falling asleep.  I think that's due to exhaustion, but no matter what I can't seem to sleep more than about 5 hours.  If I make it to 6 it's a miracle.

Want to join in the Saturday 9 fun?  Visit Sam to sign up or just find links to the other players.

In My Hometown with Saturday 9

Saturday 9: A New Day Has Come (2002)
 
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

Welcome to the first Saturday 9 of 2017!

1) This song is about a new day. Here we are celebrating a new year. What do you hope for in 2017?

Better health for my husband and financial stability are at the top of my list.

2) Ms. Dion has said this song was influenced by the events of 9/11, and how a new day dawned after tragedy. Looking back on 2016, did something happen that you're glad to leave behind and move away from?

Pretty much everything that went on with my husband's truck.  Unfortunately, the financial fallout will be with us for a while.

3) In the video, Celine serenades us from billowy white clouds. Describe the sky where you are as you answer these 9 questions.

Black.  I'm cheating and answering these on Friday night.  No stars or moon are visible.

4) This video was shot in West Palm Beach, FL. When settlers arrived in the late 1870s, the town was called Lake Worth County. OK, your turn. Tell us something about your hometown. 

My hometown is also Mr. Roger's hometown, Arnold Palmer's hometown, the birthplace of the banana split, and home to the Pittsburgh Steelers' training camp.  Among other things.

5) Celine Dion's native tongue is French. Dites-nous quelque chose en Français.

Three years of high school French and I have no answer for this.

6) Celine's mother, Therese, is known in her Quebec neighborhood as a terrific cook. Think about your own domestic talents. Where do you excel? (Food prep, house cleaning, laundry, scheduling, etc.)

Cooking, at least when I put any effort into it.  I do like to cook and I enjoy experimenting, changing recipes up a bit and now and then I will create something new on my own.  I just don't often have the time or see the reason to make the effort with our schedules these days.

7) Growing up, Celine and her siblings often performed in her family's piano bar. Where did you most recently enjoy an adult beverage?

On my sofa.

8) In 2002, when this song was popular, Kmart was in the news because the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. What department store to you shop at most often?

I wouldn't call Walmart a department store, but if you're calling Kmart one then I guess it qualifies.  It's not my favorite store, but it's only 3 miles from my house and....they have EVERYTHING!

9) Random question: It's time for a midnight snack and you have your choice of one of these three -- a slice of sausage pizza, a bagel with lox and cream cheese, or a piece of carrot cake. Which will you have? And what shall we bring you to drink?

The pizza please!  I've had the flu all week and today was the first day I ventured back into the world of real food that wasn't bland or semi-liquid. Tonight I pigged out on our favorite pizza...something I had been dreaming of for at least three days as my stomach protested its emptiness.  I am stuffed to the gills, but I will still be wanting more tomorrow (I love you leftover pizza!). Oh, and I would like ice-cold Coke with my pizza.

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& THE GANG HERE.

A New Year's Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Tammy (1957)
In celebration of Debbie Reynolds

Unfamiliar with this week's song? Hear it here.

1. In this song,Tammy sings of being able to hear "the breeze from the bayou." What sounds can you hear as you answer these questions? 

Last Man Standing, Tim Allen's latest comedy.  We've been binge watching while we've been on vacation. I also hear the furnace running and my hound dog snoring on the sofa.

2. This week's song was the theme of a popular movie about a girl who grew up on a houseboat in Mississippi. Looking back on 2016, did you spend much time on or around water?

I didn't spend any time on or around water.  We didn't go anywhere this year and we took the pool out so I didn't even have that.

3. In addition to being an Oscar-nominated actress, this week's artist, Debbie Reynolds, was a big movie fan. She amassed an amazing cache of movie memorabilia. Do you collect anything?

Books, cookbooks, Santa figurines, and figural ceramic flower pots.

4. Though she never won a competitive Oscar for acting, Debbie Reynolds was awarded the Academy's Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award earlier this year for 60 years of charity work. While she supported many causes throughout her life, one she was closest to was The Girl Scouts. She was not only a Scout herself, she was a leader when daughter Carrie was young and a fundraiser throughout her life. Were you ever in Boy or Girl Scouts?

Nope.  I guess it works for some, but I've never been a fan.

6. The New Year's Eve fireworks celebrations in both Disney World in Florida and Sydney, Australia coordinate pyrotechnics and music. Are you expecting either fireworks or live music on your New Year's Eve celebration?

No.  We're going to be with friends at their home.  We'll probably play cards or a game until midnight then yell "Happy New Year!" call our kids and wish them the same, eat something and then come home.

7. According to the National Insurance Bureau, more cars are stolen on New Year's Eve than any other single day. Are you confident your vehicle(s) will be  safe and sound this Saturday night?

Pretty confident.  Our friends live way out in the boonies.

8. Do you have any New Year's Resolutions for 2017? 

Nothing specific, but I have to get serious about my health and weight.

9. Looking back on 2016, what surprised you?

I honestly can't think of anything that "surprised" me.  With the exception of our daughter getting engaged, moving out, and having a baby, 2016 was a pretty sucky year....and I say that even though my candidate won.

Here is hoping 2017 is much kinder to all of us....and that we are all much kinder to each other.

Join in the fun with Sam & the gang here.

Do You Want Fries With That?

I don't know if this is the last Saturday 9 before Christmas or if there will be one next week on Christmas Eve, but this is the last one for me as our family will be getting together and having our Christmas on Christmas Eve Day.  Now if there's a Sunday Stealing on Christmas Day...I'm free for that!

Saturday 9: O, Holy Night (1967) 

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) This beloved carol takes its lyrics from a French poem. What else can we thank the French for?

Fries, berets, snails as food??

2) How well do you know  "O, Holy Night?" Without looking up the lyrics, could you sing along with Ella?

It's one of those songs I could probably sing along with, but I don't know it well enough to sing it on my own.

3) In order to get this record into stores in time for Christmas 1967, Ella had to record this in late July. So let's reverse that. Now that it's Christmastime, what do you miss most about summer? 

As I sit here by the window looking out at yet another dreary gray sky and freezing rain that is covering everything in a thick layer of ice...let's go with sunshine and warmth.

4) Sam is crazy about the open toed pumps she'll be wearing to holiday parties, but that means she needs to get a pedi. Will you be at a salon between now and year-end?

No.  I'm not going to any celebrations that require being fancy.  I wouldn't have time to go to the salon anyway.  I am working till 3:00 on the 23rd and then rushing home to start cooking for our family Christmas the next day.

5) Will you be consuming any egg nog this holiday season? And if you do, will it be spiked?

I will most likely have some egg nog.  It won't be spiked...it will be the base for my hot chocolate.  If you haven't tried that, do!  It is so rich and creamy!

• 4 cups eggnog
• 1/2 cup chocolate syrup
• 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
• Whipped cream and additional ground nutmeg
• In a large saucepan, combine the eggnog, chocolate syrup and nutmeg; heat through over low heat, about 15 minutes (do not boil). Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla.
• Pour into mugs. Top with a dollop of whipped cream and sprinkle of nutmeg. Yield: 4 servings.

  
6) Thinking of holiday cuisine, what's your favorite Christmas cookie?

My mom's little bite-sized nut, poppy seed, and fruit-filled rolls.  I'm not getting any this year, though.  She didn't make them and I just don't have the time (they are very time consuming).

7) Sam knows she will get a bottle of red wine from her boss, because that's what he gives his staff every year. Is there a gift you can count on receiving?

A box of really expensive handmade chocolates from the owner of the company I work for.  They are from a local store and absolutely divine.  I don't eat much candy, though, so I usually re-gift it or put it out for the family to enjoy.

8) What one gift would you most like to receive this year? Do you think anyone will get it for you?

I'm not hoping for anything.  My husband and I have decided not to exchange gifts this year.  He took the week from Christmas to New Year's off (that is a gift!) and we are going to take what we would have spent on gifts for each other and put it into the house.  I'm hopeful we will finally finish the bathroom and buy a new freezer to replace the one we have that requires defrosting (why would they even still make those...and why would my mom have bought us one???).  Beyond that, I don't know what the next house project is.

9) This time of year is big for charitable fundraising. Here's your chance to plug a cause or organization that's near and dear to you.

We are big fans of both St. Jude and the Shriners hospitals because they give completely free care to children in need.

I am also a supporter of Compassion International and the support they give needy children.

Another favorite is Heifer International.  They give livestock to sponsored families, teach them how to breed and raise them, how to run a successful business.  They build co-ops and schools and improve the whole community based on the principal of give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, but teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.

I wish you all a very merry and blessed Christmas!

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Saturday 9: Snowbird

Saturday 9: Snowbird (1971)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) In this song, Elvis wants the snowbird to fly away and take the snow back with her. Have you seen a measurable snowfall yet this season?

No, but it's been snowing off and on since last night. Just a dusting, but maybe we'll get more.  I think they are calling for a couple of inches this weekend.

2) Drivers in snowy climes are encouraged to keep salt, sand or kitty litter in the trunk because those items can help a car regain traction in the snow. Do you have an emergency kit in your car right now? If so, what's in it?

I don't keep those things in the trunk, but I do have an emergency kit.  I don't know what's in it.  My daughter has used a few things over the last couple of years and she never put them back...like my jumper cables.  Gone.  I know there's one of those folding shovels and maybe a shiny silver space blanket...has anyone ever used one of those?  Are they really warm?

3) Back in 2007, North Dakota set the world record for the most snow angels made at one time (8,910). Do you enjoy playing in the snow?

I did when I was a kid. These days I prefer to enjoy the snow through a window while I'm all snug and cozy inside.

4) Chionophobia is the fear of snow. Astraphobia is the fear of thunder and lightening. Lilapsophobia is the fear of tornadoes and hurricanes. Do you have to cope with any of these fears?

Not really, but isn't anyone with a lick of sense at least a little afraid of tornadoes and hurricanes?  Especially, if they live where they occur on a regular basis?  I've been through a couple of tornadoes.  I don't live in fear, but I could live without doing it again...and we just get little F1's around here.
  
5) Elvis' daughter Lisa Marie split her childhood between Memphis and Los Angeles, so she seldom saw snow. When she was a little girl, she was whisked her off to Denver in her father's private plane so the two of them could spend an afternoon playing in the snow. If you could take off and spend the afternoon anywhere in the world, where would you go?

I don't know, maybe Seattle.  A guy I graduated from high school with lives there and he's always posting pictures of the market and the restaurants and stuff.  I wouldn't want to live there, but I think I'd enjoy visiting.

6) At home and onstage, Elvis refused to wear jeans and only wore denim if a film role demanded it. This is because when he was young, classmates teased him for "dressing poor" in jeans and coveralls. What did you wear to class when you were in grammar school?

Girls still wore dresses to school when I was in grammar school, plus I went to a private school for the last 3 years and was required to wear a uniform.  Funny to hear Elvis thought that way because I was never allowed to wear jeans to school even in high school.  My dad was older and grew up in a time when jeans were for working on the farm, doing chores or just bumming around with your pals on a Saturday.  I had to hide them in my bag and change at school.

7) Elvis and President Jimmy Carter are distant relatives (the President is the sixth cousin of the King's great grandfather). Your turn: Tell us about one of your more interesting relatives.

Going way back, John and Priscilla Alden, of Mayflower fame, are my 11 or 12 times great-grandparents.  Currently, I have a cousin who is a songwriter in Nashville.  He has won a Grammy and I believe he is the current CMA (or maybe it's ACM) songwriter of the year.  He is way younger than me and my family moved away from the area when I was 7 so we don't really know each other. I re-met him at a family reunion a couple of years ago.

8) In 1971, when Elvis released his recording of "Snowbird," You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown was a hit on Broadway. Who is your favorite Peanuts character?

Snoopy.

9) Random question: You receive a gift certificate from a gourmet food company that can be redeemed for one of these three things: 1 lb. of caviar, 5 lbs. of steak or a 10 lb., live lobster. Which would you choose?

Lobster!  I am all about the sea food.

That's it for this Saturday.  Be sure to pop over to see Sam at the Saturday 9 to check out everyone's answers or to link up your own.

Me?  I'm just going to be here snoozing and watching Christmas movies while I battle this stupid cold.

Don't Ask Till I've Eaten

Saturday 9: Baby's in Black (1964)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) Black is this week's signature color because Friday, November 25, was "Black Friday," when retailers cut their prices and consumers flock to the stores. Did you score any "Black Friday" bargains?

Nope.  I never left the house.  Didn't even shop online.

2) Feasting and football are also popular Thanksgiving weekend pastimes. Do your Thursday-Sunday plans include pigging out or watching a game?

Well, they definitely include pigging out, but no more football.  We just did the deed....we eliminated cable/satellite service and are going to live with only Netflix and Hulu.

3) At Thanksgiving dinners, Crazy Sam's homemade gravy is always a hit. (Probably because she's so generous with the cognac, which gives the gravy a nutty taste.) What was particularly delicious at your Thanksgiving table?

Well, my daughter can't eat turkey so usually we make a little something on the side for her, but this year since she's 8-months preggo my mom indulged her and made her favorites....ham, funeral potatoes, corn spoonbread (the recipe is on my recipe page), and pumpkin pie.  It was all good.  Maybe the pie was best. 

4) Among the biggest the Black Friday advertisers are Target, Kohl's, Macy's and Best Buy. If you could have a $100 gift card to any one of those stores, which would you choose? 

Kohl's, please.  The nearest one is far enough that I rarely go, but I love it when I do.

5) This week's song, "Baby's in Black," is about a girl who wears black because she's in mourning. Do you find that the color you're wearing reflects your mood?

I don't think so.  I wear black when I'm in a great mood and hot pink when life sucks. There's really no rhyme or reason.  

6) The woman who inspired this song, Astrid Kirchherr, has been friends with Paul McCartney since he and his bandmates (John Lennon, George Harrison, Stu Sutcliffe and Pete Best) met her in Hamburg back in 1960. Tell us what you believe are the components of a strong, lasting friendship.

Love, respect, loyalty, honesty, common interests, forgiveness, and a great sense of humor. I'd say that works for pretty much any relationship.

7) In the early days of the Beatles, Paul McCartney and John Lennon began writing a play but abandoned it. Do you have a novel, painting, play, song or poem that you're going to finish "someday?"

I used to think I'd write a book one day, but I don't think that any longer.

8) When he was 16, George Harrison dreamed of moving to Canada, Australia or Malta. In just a few years, he would visit all those places with Beatles and eventually decided there was no place like home and stayed in England. Have you ever thought about moving to another country? If so, where?

I used to dream of Australia.  These days I watch movies like Under the Tuscan Sun (I'm watching it now) and My Life in Ruins and think I could like living in Italy or Greece.

9)  Random question: Finish this sentence -- If you want me to give you "yes" for an answer, the best time to approach me is _____________________.

After I've eaten so my blood sugar isn't low.  I tend to get really cranky when it is.

Visit Sam @ Saturday 9 to join in the fun.

Life (and the Saturday 9) is a Cabaret

Saturday 9: Cabaret (1972)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) In this song, Liza Minnelli encourages you to put down "the knitting, the book and the broom." Which of those three were you most recently doing: knitting, reading or housework?  Reading.  I've always been recently reading no matter when you ask.

2) She sings that we shouldn't allow "some prophet of doom to wipe every smile away?" Do you know anyone who reliably looks at the downside of life?  Oh my yes, but I'm not naming any names.  It really is a shame.  I've done some reading about the subject and the thinking is that negative thinking is often a habit. You fall into it and the more you do it, the more you rewire your brain to do it. You can UN-do it by making a point of thinking positively...a retraining of your brain.  By the way, I'm not poo-pooing depression...completely different thing.

3) In 1972, when this recording was popular, so was The Brady Bunch. In the two-part season premiere, The Bradys went to Hawaii. Do you have any warm weather vacation plans this fall/winter?   I wish.  By the way, that was my favorite Brady Bunch episode(s).

4) Though not her uncle, just a friend to both of her parents, Liza always called  Frank Sinatra as "Uncle Frank." Is there an older person in your life who isn't a blood relative, but who refer to as "aunt" or "uncle?"  All of the older people who lived in the houses immediately surrounding my grandparents' (then my parents' and now just my mom's) home.  All the adults were pretty much best friends and just like family.  I grew up calling all of them "aunt" and "uncle" because I knew them too well to use Mr. and Mrs. and back in the day it wasn't polite for children to call adults by their first name.

5) Liza collapsed onstage during a Christmas concert in 2007. She says she'd been nauseous before she went on and simply fainted. Sam has never fainted. Have you?  Nope.

6) People are often surprised when they learn Liza is good friends with Gene Simmons -- the KISS member with the long tongue. Tell us about one of your good friends.  My "bestie" is older than me but a dynamo that often leaves me exhausted in her wake.  I don't think she ever runs out of energy.  She can be the warmest person I know, but she doesn't suffer fools well and loses patience quickly.  She is always up for fun and life in her presence is always an adventure.  She is creative and artistic and completely sold out to God. Something that most don't know and that explains her sometimes short temper and tendency to massacre words is that she was in a horrible accident in which half of her brain basically died.  She had to relearn how to do everything afterward.

7) Liza told US Magazine that she loves to eat at Olive Garden. Do you? Sure. I could live on their "Zuppa Toscana."

8) She keeps apple juice and yogurt in her refrigerator at all times. Would we find either in your refrigerator right now?  No, there is usually yogurt, but I'm out at the moment.

9)  Random question: Which would be a more frustrating dinner companion -- someone who won't shut up, or someone who won't say a word?  Give me the talker.  That could be somewhat annoying, but I am terrible at small talk so a silent dinner companion would leave it up to me and it would be horrible.  I need someone who is comfortable talking to kind of lead the conversation...at least unless it is someone I know well and am comfortable with.

Thanks to Sam for coming up with the questions and hosting the Saturday 9.