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Friday, July 10, 2009

Friday Blog Roundup

This is an open apology specifically to my father, but also to all fathers with daughters. I am so sorry for the music.

The Wolvog recently decided that he loves Joseph and his Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat. Frankly, it makes me happy too, especially the song "Go Go Go Joseph" when they're chanting "go go Joe, go go Joe" and then the song explodes into the chorus. You know what I'm talking about?

I now own the CD with Donny Osmond (pretty much everyone in their thirties and beyond is probably considering their favourite Osmond right now. Seeing their last name does that to you. And there were so many to choose from. My favourite was Jimmy, especially on that Fame episode), but my camp did a production of the show back in the 80s and until the late 90s, that was the only copy of the music I owned.

And I subjected my father to it on a road trip.

I remember popping in the cassette, promising him that he was going to "love it" because why wouldn't he love it as much as I did, remembering our female Joseph whirling around the stage (there were no boys in camp who could hit the notes). My memories of singing the songs during a shaving cream fight with the other girls cabin were so strong that they must spill out of me and enter everyone in the car through osmosis.

Just to repeat, it was a tape of Joseph and his Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat.

And if that wasn't enough, it was being sung by thirteen-year-olds.

And if that wasn't enough, it was recorded on an old tape recorder that I had placed on my lap during the performance so you could hear me laughing and talking with people over the music.

And if that wasn't enough, it was the entire score. A 90 minute tape.

I'm sorry, dad.

*******
The Weekly What If: What if you could rewind time for one of your teen celebrity crushes and return them to how they looked back during your crush stage? Which celebrity would you bestow this gift on (they'd return to how they looked during their Tiger Beat days. In other words, they'd lose the bloat and receding hairline). Which celebrity do you think would want this gift the most? Which one would you like to gaze at in magazines again? Who just didn't age well and was cuter in youth? And...just for kicks...who aged the best and doesn't need your tremendous powers to restore their youthful looks?

*******
You've probably already seen this because it has been out for four days, but more power to Sons of Maxwell for holding companies accountable.

Dave Carroll writes: "In the spring of 2008, Sons of Maxwell were traveling to Nebraska for a one-week tour and my Taylor guitar was witnessed being thrown by United Airlines baggage handlers in Chicago. I discovered later that the $3500 guitar was severely damaged. They didn’t deny the experience occurred but for nine months the various people I communicated with put the responsibility for dealing with the damage on everyone other than themselves and finally said they would do nothing to compensate me for my loss. So I promised the last person to finally say “no” to compensation (Ms. Irlweg) that I would write and produce three songs about my experience with United Airlines and make videos for each to be viewed online by anyone in the world."





The Chicago Sun Times has the end (for now) of the story which is that they suddenly saw the error of their ways on the 8th after it received almost a half million views and finally apologized to Dave Carroll. It's a great song. I hope he makes the next two in the three-part series.

*******
And now, the blogs...

As I've said before, I just keep a running list each week of things I read that moved me. Some end up Kirtsy'd, some end up here, some end up being emailed to various people with a "read this!" exclamation included. Sometimes, as I'm writing the Roundup, I look to see if there was a theme. And the ones that came onto the list this week are all wistful, all touching, all about the reminders we receive either when we're looking or where we least expect it.

Hold My Hope has a post about her brother. She writes of various online programs: "They all contain something I can’t delete: my brother’s contact information. And they like to post reminders of his upcoming birthday. It’s weird. I remember; I don’t need the reminders. He would be turning 30 in a couple of weeks. But I can’t delete the records." Even though I obviously never knew her brother, I found the post incredibly moving. I don't think I could ever delete a reminder either.

Our Own Creation has a post that illustrates how interconnected we are as the blogosphere crosses into the face-to-face world and back. Preparing for her D&C, sitting in a curtained waiting area, she heard a couple who was having trouble getting an IV started murmuring about this blog. Personally, I like to think that it was fate reaching out its hand, connecting two people through this third. On the same day that Allison was in the office, I was cleaning the rocks I collected for Allison on the beach. Isn't that a strange twist of fate? That we see these reminders of the other person, sometimes right when we need them. And I would like to thank this woman for being the bridge between Allison and I at that moment by quoting some of Allison's words. If you recognize them, the moment comes full circle: "So, to the woman who was sitting next to me on the other side of that curtain Thursday morning, I hope all of your failed IV bruises are healing. My wrist is one big green bruise with a set of two purple fang marks in the middle. At least you can tell the story of the brick! And I hope your fertilization report was a good one. Good luck to you."

Edenland has a post called "Retrospection is for Pussies." It is a post about her war wounds--the days after her son was born, when her husband was in the hospital. One of the greatest exchanges of all time appears in the post:
Finally I cracked the shits. "Look, you know what? No, I'm not bringing him in for a test. He's not deaf."

She couldn't believe it. "But how do you KNOW he's not deaf?"

"Because his dad is in hospital with cancer. He can't have a sick dad AND be deaf."
There were actually too many moments that I loved in this post to note here, but the ending is just about perfect. I think this post sums up why Eden needs to produce a memoir.

Lastly, To Baby and Beyond has a post about how she thought life would turn out. She was watching a reality show that was forecasting how the marriages would unfold and it made her consider her own, where she thought she would be with family building ten years into marriage. She writes, "My dreams, year by year, get less and less. At this point I would be ecstatic with 1! What is it you were always told as a kid? Never give up on your dream...never settle for less...if you try hard enough you can have anything you want. HAH I laugh [read cry] at that." The whole post is amazing and moving and contains one of the most profound thoughts I read this week. But you'll need to click over to read the post in full.

The roundup to the Roundup: Sorry, dad, about the show tunes. Answer the Weekly What If in all of its many parts this week. Watch a video for a really catch-y song. And lots of great posts to read.

22 comments:

LJ said...

All I know is that my boyfriend, Mr. Dempsey, has aged like a fine wine...and I want a sip. As has my kiddie crush on Mackenzie Astin, the cuter Astin brother.

I am gonna go with James Spader for going from playing a creep to just looking creepy.

Tash said...

Mark Hamill, poor dude. I'd restore him pre-crash, with the old nose.

I just really dated myself, didn't I.

I loved that post by AMS -- the idea that people outside our computer are in the know about the helpful people within.

Mrs. Higrens said...

Great. Haven't heard Joseph in more years than I can remember and now it will be in my head all day. Thanks. (I made my Dad take me to see a matinee of a local production because it was just. so. awesome. the first time I'd seen it and I too knew he would love it as much as I did. Probably not, but how great was it that he took me?)

I'd like to see Val Kilmer back to his ripped and buff stage instead of the bloated looking thing he's become. And while I'm wishing, can he make a few movies for me to enjoy said body in while I'm recovering from the next retrieval and (hopefully) transfer.

loribeth said...

LOL -- I recently wrote about the Osmonds, & I know I referenced "Joseph" when we did "The Red Tent" for the book club. I was (am) an Osmonds fan from way back. I finally got to meet Donny when he was here in Toronto in the mid-90s doing Joseph. He did an autograph session at the Toronto Eaton Centre, just a few blocks from where I work, & I stood in line my entire lunch hour (& then some). It was worth the wait. : ) I still think he looks pretty good (he's a grandfather now!!), although I've noticed he's started looking a little bit puffier lately.

My other big teen crushes were David Cassidy (pre-Osmonds, & I think he still looks pretty good too) & (erk) the Bay City Rollers. From recent photos I've seen, some of them have aged better than others.

Delenn said...

I love that CD with Donny on it! And that totally cracks me up to think of thirteen year old girls singing that...over and over and over....

Jendeis said...

Neil Patrick Harris (sigh). Doogie Howser (sigh). The only thing I'd change is his gender preference.

Journeywoman said...

I played the Narrator in my HS production of Joseph. I apologize but I must do this.

It was red and yellow and green and brown and scarlet and black and ochre and peach and ruby and olive and violet and faun and lilac and gold and chocolate and mauve and cream and crimson and silver and rose and azure and lemon and russet and grey and purple and white and pink and orange and BLUE!

Thanks

As to my Tiger beat peeps...Patrick Swayze--cancer free.

Io said...

Val Kilmer. My god, he used to be beyond hot.
And I can totally top Joseph - I have a tape in my car of the "Chess" soundtrack in the car that I subject people to. It's a musical set against the backdrop of the 80s cold war with the opposite sides playing a chess match. And there is a love story! It's ten kinds of awful awesome.

JW Moxie said...

For some reason, I used to think that Ronnie of New Edition (Ronnie, Bobby, Ricky and Mike...) was the shizzle from the time I was around 6 up to age 13 when he became the "DeVoe" part of BBD. I went to several New Edition and BBD concerts through those years and spent half the time drooling over him. These days, he's a realtor in Atlanta and he looks like a rat.

Will Smith, however, held a cute, but nerdy attraction when he was the Fresh Prince has grown to be quite yummy as he ages. Rrrrawwwrrrr.

areyoukiddingme said...

I am so saddened by the decline of Mel Gibson - he was so cute in Mad Max and he appeared to be a good, decent family man (on the outside) for many years. The last five years have been a very brutal public mid-life crisis. Sigh. I'd like for him to go back in time to erase his asinine behavior.

When I was in college and living at home, my dad was retired. We spent quite a bit of time together. Given our relationship, we were always seeking out funny ways to irritate each other. He would talk to me in the mornings, when all I want is to be left alone. My revenge? Every afternoon for about 3-6 months, HBO would play Dirty Dancing. Every afternoon when I didn't have class, I would be home watching it on our one TV (and I don't even like the movie, but it holds a special place in my heart). Dad especially liked the part when the sister was trying out for the talent show. He would usually retreat to his bedroom for an afternoon nap. Hee hee hee

Lori Lavender Luz said...

I produced "Joseph" for the K-12 school we worked at in the middle east. Poor Rob was in the same boat as your dad!

I liked substance abusers: Willie Ames (8 is enough) and Danny Bonaduce.

Donny, too. He's stayed pretty clean.

Chelle said...

You must read about a million blogs a week. That's incredible.

I too had the Joseph CD with Donny Osmond. I'm not old enough to own it (barely 30), and it apparently felt the same way, so it got lost somewhere a couple of years back. I have yet to replace it and miss it dearly. It is on my wish list for Amazon. One day I'll get Donny back.

That is incredible about the woman who ended up on the other side of the curtain from someone talking about this blog. Its amazing how small the world can be sometimes. Its also amazing that sometimes the world hands us small comforts like that in times of need.

Lollipop Goldstein said...

The what if came from seeing pictures of Michael Jackson this week in his youth. I had a folder with his picture on it that I carried everywhere. I had such a huge crush that I would wear penny loafers with white socks just to feel close to him. Then I got a Prince album and my fickleness began.

But I don't think MJ would have wanted me to use this gift on him.

Johnny Depp has aged well. I think Michael J Fox has aged well too. I'd probably use it on Kirk Cameron. I feel like there are better ones out there, but I can't come up with names right now. Maybe Ralph Macchio?

loribeth said...

Of course, in show biz, you never know what's "aging well" vs a good plastic surgeon. ; ) Or the flip side. :p

Queenie. . . said...

There are a lot of parts to this! My biggest crush was on George Clooney when he was on the Facts of Life. I thought he was so hot. But a year or so ago, I saw pic's of him from that timeframe, and he looked ridiculous! He's so much hotter now. He's aged amazingly well.

Not sure who I'd give it to. Tom Cruise, perhaps? He was so much hotter back in the day (now I find him too skinny and too angular), and he was less of a freak.

sunflowerchilde said...

Johnny Depp has aged amazingly well. I'm having a hard time decided who to restore, though. I agree with Val Kilmer and Mark Hamill. Also Jack Nicholson and William Shatner (I'm not old enough to remember them when they actually were young, but I can definitely say they've declined).

Lisa said...

First of all, when it came to the Osmond's, I was all over Donny and, well, frankly, still have to admit to a crush on him! I also had a thing for Scott Baio (Oy) and, the weirdest of them all, loved Alan Alda, for some reason. I think Hawkeye was funny to me!

I saw Joseph on Broadway with Michael Damian, but, still think that Donny is the best!!

OppositeOfOops said...

Like many others, I would not change a thing about Johnny Depp over the years. He was yummy in 21 Jump Street, and he's delicious now.

I never had a crush on him, but have you seen Corey Haim recently? Oh my. He's one that could use a little time-turner.

A big crush of mine was Patrick Swayze. I was just watching Dirty Dancing recently & wishing - as usual - that I was Baby. ... and I owe it all to you ...

Jess said...

Someone who aged well: Mark-Paul Gosselaar. Oh Zach.

Hmmm...not sure who I'd want to restore to the youth. I'm sticking with Zach. He's good enough for me!

Eden Riley said...

What the FRICK. I saw the Friday Blog Roundup, though, oh goodie, maybe that will help me out of my big fat funk .... and you had rounded ME up!!! And I had the word "pussies" in the title and blushed and thought, oh my God it's like I have no underwear on at school.

Am having worst day .... thank you so so so much Mel. I swear, when you get mentioned on your blog you feel all famous.

Now, as for the celebrity crush .... Michael Jackson. I was in LOVE with him as a teen. Looking at his brothers sitting in the front row of his funeral, I thought wow, that's what he would have looked like, had he stoppped fucking with his face. Sad.

XOXOXXOXOXOXOXOXOOXOXOX

Bea said...

Oh wow. The whole ninety minutes... recorded from the audience on a tape deck...

Bea

Baby Smiling In Back Seat said...

I second Corey Haim, and add Cary Elwes. You seriously wouldn't even recognize Westley now.

My favorite crush way back when was Andrew McCarthy, who's aged pretty well. And River, who never got the chance to age.

Thanks and apologies to my father for putting up with all of that Debbie Gibson and Belinda Carlisle.