Random Tune for Tuesday 4/7/15

And so the countdown comes to an end.

Oops ... wait a minute ... that's *next* week.

*This* week is track *38* of 39 (of the collection of tunes that appear on that two cassette [yes, I said cassette] mixed tape from my college era).

And the penultimate song was the ultimate choice back in the day (before Facebook co-opted the title word for its own nefarious purposes) for recognizing that those to whom you are closest in a season aren't necessarily going to be around forever ... except for the memories you hold in your heart ... forever ... or until they're knocked loose by something like ... well ... like a 39 week countdown of songs that meant something to you during those heady and hearty soul-finding personality-tuning times.

Of course, the youtube link below isn't exactly the same as the one that appeared back then, but who could pass up a "live" duet between Michael W Smith and the one and only Amy Grant.  Sappy .. sure.  But I'll be damned if I might not have teared up upon hearing the song anew again tonight.

A LIFETIME'S NOT TOO LONG TO LIVE AS FRIENDS:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0Zaevi3IUw

Random Memorial for Monday 4/6/15

Gone but not forgotten:  Mary Virginia Skinner.

Not too familiar with the name (or the face)?

Well ... if you laughed at all to Mama's Family (as seen on the Carol Burnett Show or later in syndication) or to The Facts of Life ... then you were laughing at things that Mary co-created.

Except, Hollywood being Hollywood, Mary worked under the name of Jenna McMahon, and was half of the comedy duo "Clair & McMahon" (seen at the link below, which is from before my time).

Mary/Jenna passed away just over a month ago (remember ... I get my news a few weeks late most times), but she who formed the likes of Eunice and Mrs. Garrett, now that I know who you are and what you did, rest assured that you will be missed.

A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MARY/JENNA:
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/jenna-mcmahon-dead-facts-life-780279

A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT MARY/JENNA:
http://thecomicscomic.com/2015/03/11/rip-jenna-mcmahon-performer-and-co-creator-of-the-facts-of-life-mamas-family-its-a-living/

THE COMEDIC STYLINGS OF CLAIR & MCMAHON:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFwpXW630Po

Random Scandal Sheet for Sunday 4/5/15

What southern Florida is talking about this week:

The holiday, of course!

And by "of course", I mean "maybe" ... depending on your affiliation.  I tried to cobble together some data off of the interwebs, and it seems like only about a third of the residents in the county "affiliate" in the first place.  (Although I'm guessing that a majority of the other two thirds were likely to bite into chocolate bunnies at some point today regardless of the religious overtones to the weekend.)

As to *which* religiously overtoned holiday was celebrated, the numbers still seem to speak to lots and lots of Easter folk ... and a much smaller percentage of Passover peeps ... but, for context, that smaller percentage in the county is the largest percentage of such a classification in the state due to the large numbers of the Jews in the southern Florida environs.  (Not that there's anything wrong with that ... it's just that I have a hard time relating to any group who banded together to ban bacon.)

So whether you're chowing down on the Easter ham at your dinner table tonight or you were noshing on the matzo at your Seder last evening ... here's to a happy holiday Sunday to you and yours from me and mine.

2002 RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION BREAKDOWN:
http://www.city-data.com/county/religion/Broward-County-FL.html

THE UPDATED LISTINGS FOR THE COUNTY:
http://www.bestplaces.net/religion/county/florida/broward

IN THE CONTEXT OF THE STATE:
http://www.answers.com/Q/What_are_Florida%27s_main_religions

Random Soapbox for Saturday 4/4/15

I don't mean to go off on a rave here, but ...

... it's soon Watchathon Week (for those of you with Comcast/Xfinity like me).

Lookit -- I claim my addiction.  That way it doesn't control my life (too much).  And my addiction is television.  I've managed to reduce some aspects ... for instance, I only read one TVGuide instead of the three or four I used to cross-reference.  And I only watch History, H2 or PBS specials if they show up on demand, so I'm not trolling the channels at the beginning of the week to fill up the DVR.

On the flip side, though, there is the fact that the DVR is in a perpetual state of 98+% capacity (the watching of things is just to make room for more things).  And there's that spreadsheet I maintain of programs with their on-demand expiration dates (if relevant) that is color coded and keeps track of that which is currently airing and that which I'm hoping to find.

But hey, if I weren't so devoted, I might have missed the uber-talented Lennie James when he drops by *any* show to improve the quality of *any* production (currently on The Walking Dead ... but there was Hung and Jericho before that) ... or I might have missed the recent uber-creative episode of Modern Family that took place entirely on i-products (although I still refuse to drink the i-kool-aid, so take *that*, product placement).

I've said it before ... I might miss the latest movies to hit the megaplex, but give me characters who stick around in whom you can become invested (note to self:  I might have unexplored abandonment issues), being able to watch them in the comfort of your own living space ... and I'm hooked.

So ... if you need to reach me for anything, please delay your contacting of me until April 13th.  Much appreciated ...

THE 2015 LINE-UP HAS BEEN REVEALED:
http://xfinity.comcast.net/blogs/tv/2015/02/23/watchathon-week-2015-coming-april-6-12/

LENNIE JAMES ... MAKES *ANY* SHOW BETTER:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/my-secret-life-lennie-james-actor-age-42-829091.html

THE MOST MODERN MODERN FAMILY YET:
http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2015/02/26/modern_family_iphone_episode_connection_lost_and_storytelling.html

Random Flashback for Friday 4/3/15

What was happening twenty years ago in April of 1995 (on or around the 16th, according to the interwebs ..)?

The Easter Bunny was coming to town ... of Lebanon ... and he (or she?  but I'm pretty sure this was Travis H again) was stopping by Hills, where little ole me was happily employed.

So of course I stopped whatever I was doing that day to pause for a Polaroid (note:  things people don't really say any more) with the in-demand bunny.  (Actually, I was likely testing the set up, since we provided these to our customers as part of a holiday celebration back in the day.)

Two decades later ... it just seems like the perfect photo to which I should flashback this Friday of the Holy holiday weekend.  To those who celebrate ... Happy Easter to you and yours from me and mine!

(And to those who celebrate the other holy holiday that isn't about candy in baskets ... Happy *that* to you and yours from me and mine as well!)

Random Thought for Thursday 4/2/15

To those of you who celebrate and are getting your Maundy on, "happy" (?) Maundy Thursday to you and yours.

To those of you who live in Indiana ... would that certain law have permitted Jesus to say "not *your* gay feet" during his "“Love one another as I have loved you” command/feet-washing activity (John 13:34)?  Because, if you run the numbers (hey -- it's just statistics ... one out of 12 comes out to 8.3%, which isn't that far off from the gay percentages), I'm guessing at least one of those disciples didn't like fish (meaning, of course, the overabundance of tilapia that was being served at the Last Supper, of course).

To those of you aren't into the Holy Week festivities (for whatever reason), here's hoping you can still latch on to today's biggest takeaway ... "love one another"!

A MAUNDY PRIMER SO YOU CAN GET YOUR MAUNDY ON:
http://www.al.com/living/index.ssf/2015/04/five_things_to_know_about_maun.html

LOTS AND LOTS OF TILAPIA:
http://www.travelujah.com/articles/entry/What-did-Jesus-eat-at-the-Last-Supper-

IN INDIANA, YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO PASS OVER CERTAIN FEET:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m47pqJ6X9cU

Random Wordplay for Wedensday 4/1/15

The boy who cried move.

Used in a sentence:  "Ok ... for those of you who didn't figure it out, it is true that my Facebook post earlier today about having to move yet again here in Florida was indeed my attempt at a 2015 April Fools' Joke -- so it was just me being "the boy who cried move".

Of course, I will say ... to those who reached out privately to offer comfort or publicly to offer support, my sincerest appreciation for your caring gestures (and here's hoping that you didn't mind too much being "gotcha'd").

To that end, here's *also* hoping that this place in Florida ends up being a bit more long-term than the last one was ... and here's to fools everywhere (present company included).

CAN'T GET ANY BETTER THAN THE ORIGINAL:
https://www.storyarts.org/library/aesops/stories/boy.html

THE HISTORY CHANNEL TREATMENT OF THE HOLIDAY:
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/april-fools-tradition-popularized

THE 20 BEST COMPANY TRICKS:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/robertszczerba/2015/04/01/april-fools-the-20-greatest-corporate-pranks-of-all-time/