My wife was on the schedule to work on Easter Sunday. The family made sure that she would be included in the weekend happenings. My sister-in-law hosted a brunch on Saturday, which was just awesome. She had eggs, bacon, sausage, fruit pizza, and biscuits and gravy.
In past years, we’ve filled eggs with candy and coins and just left them around the yard for the kids to get. This year, each kid had their own color basket, which matched their egg color. Everyone got the same number of eggs. It made things so easy for them.
After brunch, we headed back home so that my wife could get ready for work that night. We also had the kid’s baskets out for them so that she could see them get their loot.!
Each of them got a new Tonie for the Tonie Box, a chocolate bunny, a toy, some play dough eggs, and new outfit. I think they both ate their bunny for breakfast!
On Easter Sunday, we were invited over to my in-laws, but my brothers-in-law were sick. With Andrew’s surgery coming up this week, we didn’t want to risk him getting sick (more on that in a sec).
Sam brought home donuts on Easter morning and we all enjoyed them. After breakfast, the kids were off playing with their toys. I grabbed a cup of coffee and tuned in to one of my pastor friend’s church service. It was a tremendous message and I am glad that I had the chance to sit and watch it. The message was on the resurrection of Christ and how it benefits Christian believers. It was a wonderful message that I really needed to hear with all that is coming up.
As I mentioned, Andrew is having surgery to repair the cleft that is between his vocal chords this week. I have taken a couple days off, so I may or may not post on here. I have a few things I might schedule ahead of time, but I will be back as soon as I am able with an update. He will see one of the docs a day before surgery to discuss some other possible diagnoses. We are also waiting to see a neuromuscular doctor. Not sure what we are looking at, but if you wouldn’t mind sending along positive thoughts and prayers, I would appreciate it.
My father-in-law could also use some good vibes and prayers, too. He is post op and needs to have another procedure done this week. Thanks in advance.
I had to do some quick testing a few weeks ago to see how the ADHD medicine is working. I will follow up with that doctor tomorrow. I’m not sure what to expect. You know how it is, in some ways I think it is helping, in other ways, I’m unsure. Hoping for some good news there.
I know this blog was a bit up and down emotionally, so I apologize. Know that I am ok, just thinking a lot.
Perhaps I should have thought twice about using the title “Book Recommendation” to blog about books I’ve read. Why? Because every so often I’ll read a book that I’m not sure whether I’d call my post a “recommendation.” That’s the case with this book. Many of the reviews I read praised this book. I am not sure it lived up to the praise. It’s not that it was bad … I just was left disappointed. I’ll explain more in a minute.
So before I get into it, let me share the Goodreads synopsis:
Some stories cannot be told in just one lifetime. Harry August is on his deathbed. Again. No matter what he does or the decisions he makes, when death comes, Harry always returns to where he began, a child with all the knowledge of a life he has already lived a dozen times before. Nothing ever changes. Until now. As Harry nears the end of his eleventh life, a little girl appears at his bedside. “I nearly missed you, Doctor August,” she says. “I need to send a message.” This is the story of what Harry does next, and what he did before, and how he tries to save a past he cannot change and a future he cannot allow.
Interesting concept, right? It peaked my interest. I have had great success in the past with books that have a neat premise. This book had a lot of potential, but it never really did much. The book tells the story of Harry, who is a man who never really dies. Well, ok, he does, however after he dies, continues to relive his life over and over again. One Goodreads review described it to be like “Groundhog Day,” but instead of reliving the same day over and over, Harry is reborn after death in the same time and place every time.
So basically, he repeatedly has to start his life over as a child even though he has the memories and knowledge of many years and lifetimes. Toward the beginning of the book, Harry is given a message that the “world is ending” and that is happening faster than it should. It seems that he is the one who can stop it from happening. To me, this sets up an exciting read, but instead I thought it was a slow read.
Perhaps it was slow because Harry and the rest of the characters are kind of bland. You’d think that if this guy had fifteen lives, there would be a bit more character development. At the same time, the main character is usually someone you like or are rooting for (unless the main character is evil and then it is sort of the opposite). In this story, I really never felt like there was any character I liked.
I am not sure why I was under the impression that this would be sort of a time-travel type story, and it technically isn’t. There are, however, many time-travel-related plot holes that would come up as I read (Maybe I’ve watched Back to the Future too many times and these things bugged me) that left me with questions.
There were so many good reviews about this book. Maybe I am missing something. I listened to the audio book and found myself re-listening to segments. That’s not odd, because every now and then I will reread a passage in a book to make sure I get what is going on. I really wanted to like it more than I did. I say that because this is simply my opinion. Maybe you will read it and say, “Keith has no idea what he is talking about! This book is great!” If that is the case, please let me know! To me, the book has an very interesting but poorly executed premise that could have been something so much more.
I don’t post this to start any kind of religious debate. As a matter of fact, I don’t post much about my faith on this blog. If matters of faith bother you, you may skip this blog entry. If you practice a particular religion or belong to a specific denomination, I am not here to diss on it. I am merely sharing what I found to clear up something.
As an Italian, I was born and raised Catholic. I guess I was around 15 or 16 when I began to question some of the things I was being taught in church. A buddy I worked with was going through the exact same thing and he would often share things he learned in his journey. Long story short, I no longer am a practicing Catholic. I believe in God and I believe in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.
Reading my Bible opened up so many new things to me and also debunked many of the false truths that I had been led to believe. All that being said, Facebook, Instagram, and the internet were full of Good Friday photos and posts. In my Bible classes, the topic of Christ’s crucifixion was examined in great detail. So did Jesus Christ die on a Friday? Not according to Scripture. Here is a brief look at why Friday doesn’t work….
Was Jesus Christ really crucified on A Friday?
by Shawn Brasseaux
Did Jesus Christ really die on Good Friday? Or is that merely church tradition? While some may argue that this issue is insignificant, the fact is that anything that is not in the Bible is not of faith. “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). What if God’s Word did tell us on what day Jesus died? Would we care to know what God says about the matter, or would we be content to merely believe what we presumed the Bible to teach?
In Matthew 12:40, the Lord Jesus Christ said, “For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” During the three days and three nights between Christ’s death and resurrection, His soul went to the heart of the earth. In Luke 23:43, Jesus called the place “paradise.” This is “Abraham’s bosom,” the same place mentioned earlier in Luke chapter 16. Jesus Christ never went to hell’s torments. Hanging on Calvary’s cross, Jesus declared, “It is finished,” so His suffering was complete before He died (John 19:30). After three days and three nights were accomplished, Christ arose on Sunday, victorious over sin and death.
Let us examine Luke chapter 24: “[13] And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. [14] And they talked together of all these things which had happened. [15] And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. [16] But their eyes were holden that they should not know him. [17] And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad? [18] And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days? [19] And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people: [20] And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. [21] But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done.”
Notice in verse 21 that, on resurrection day, Sunday, it was said that that day “was the third day since these things happened [since Christ suffered and died].” If we go back, Saturday would be the second day since Christ died, and Friday would be the first day since He died. That would make Thursday the crucifixion day.
Another way to look at it is like this: Jesus Christ died around 3 p.m. (“the ninth hour;” Matthew 27:46,50; Mark 15:34,37; Luke 23:44-46). The Jews count days from evening to evening (6 p.m. to 6 p.m.), rather than the Roman/Gentile reckoning of time (midnight to midnight). The only way for Jesus to be dead three days and three nights and resurrect on “the third day” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4), Sunday, is to be crucified on Thursday. Thursday is the most plausible day of His crucifixion—a Friday crucifixion would be only two nights to Sunday, not three nights, and this would not fulfill the prophecy of Matthew 12:40. Furthermore, if we consider Jewish reckoning of time, Thursday evening and Friday morning were the first day, Friday evening and Saturday morning were the second day, and Saturday evening and Sunday morning were the third day, and Jesus rose Sunday morning. Three days and three nights from Sunday would be Thursday, and Sunday could only be the “third day” if it was a Thursday crucifixion. See diagram:
So, if the Bible indicates a Thursday crucifixion, why do many people talk about “Good Friday?” The main reason it is assumed that Jesus was crucified on Friday is that the Bible says that the day after Jesus’ crucifixion was the Sabbath day. John 19:31 says, “The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.” However, the parenthetical statement says that that Sabbath day was not the weekly Sabbath (Saturday), but “that sabbath day was an high day.” It was a special Sabbath—“that sabbath”—not“the sabbath.” Israel did not have merely weekly Sabbaths (Saturdays) to observe, but Sabbaths (other days of rest) associated with feasts observed throughout the year as well (Leviticus 16:31; Leviticus 23:24,32,39). The Sabbath of John 19:31 was the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which immediately followed Passover.
A friend posted this on Facebook and it really made me think. I am unsure if this is true, but after trying to research the author, Caitriona Loughrey came up. I hope that is the case, because I want to give credit where it is due.
As a man now in my mid-50’s, this was so powerful to me:
Barely the day started and… it’s already six in the evening. Barely arrived on Monday and it’s already Friday. … and the month is already over. … and the year is almost over. … and already 40, 50 or 60 years of our lives have passed. … and we realize that we lost our parents, friends. and we realize it’s too late to go back… So… Let’s try, despite everything, to enjoy the remaining time… Let’s keep looking for activities that we like… Let’s put some color in our grey… Let’s smile at the little things in life that put balm in our hearts.And despite everything, we must continue to enjoy with serenity this time we have left. Let’s try to eliminate the afters… I’m doing it after… I’ll say after… I’ll think about it after… We leave everything for later like ′′ after ′′ is ours. Because what we don’t understand is that: Afterwards, the coffee gets cold… afterwards, priorities change… Afterwards, the charm is broken… afterwards, health passes… Afterwards, the kids grow up… Afterwards parents get old… Afterwards, promises are forgotten… afterwards, the day becomes the night… afterwards life ends… And then it’s often too late…. So… Let’s leave nothing for later… Because still waiting, see you later, we can lose the best moments, the best experiences, best friends, the best family…
The day is today… The moment is now…
We are no longer at the age where we can afford to postpone what needs to be done right away.
I’m adapting this post from a few years ago because of a couple recent articles on MSN about TV theme songs. I clicked on one about the Top 30 best TV Theme songs, and that lead to MSN offering up many other “TV theme song” articles and lists, naturally. At any rate, back when this blog was in its infancy, I wrote a blog about them and I thought maybe it was time to revisit since I have many new followers.
Today, many shows don’t even bother with a theme song. You see the credits scroll on the screen while the show is in progress. This is sad. To me, a TV theme song kind of sets the mood for the show. Usually, it will be a song with catchy lyrics or a melody that you can hum along with. Using that as my criteria, lets go back and look at some of my favorite theme songs from TV’s past. When we’re done – tell me your favorites that I may have missed.
The 50’s
Two of the earliest themes on my list come from shows considered classics. First, The Andy Griffith Show. This catchy tune is one that you can whistle along with. Even without looking at a screen, whistling it makes you picture Andy and Opie walking with their fishing poles to the lake.
Second, The Dick Van Dyke Show. What’s not to like about this one? You only have to wonder whether or not he’s gonna trip over the ottoman when he walks in the house.
Then there is the Twilight Zone. The haunting guitar part that plays those same four notes over and over is scary as hell! As a kid, I remember freaking out when it was on. Today, as I listen to it, it is perfect for the show. It was the perfect music to play while Rod Serling explained that we were entering another dimension. I can’t tell you how many times something obscure happens and I start humming the theme song!
One of the great 50’s themes is also one of the most recognizable is from the master of suspense, Alfred Hitchcock Presents. He is known for his movies, naturally, but his TV work was right up there with the aforementioned Twilight Zone.
Another one of my favorites was the theme to Perry Mason. It was written by Fred Steiner who said he wanted to capture Perry’s sophistication and toughness. The song is actually called Park Avenue Beat and it is a bluesy “piece of symphonic R&B”. The song was re-recorded for the Perry Mason TV movies and was used by the Blues Brothers band while out touring.
Another theme song that I absolutely love, has a Blues Brothers tie in, too. Peter Gunn is a private eye. The initial base line accompanied by low brass instruments screams sleazy private eye. It’s a great piece. The song actually plays in the first Blues Brothers movie as the brothers are driving through Illinois. They do a fine cover of it.
The 60’s
The shows of the 60’s and 70’s had some of the best theme songs!
The theme to Mission: Impossible is instantly recognizable. It was composed by the great Lalo Schifrin. What’s neat about the song is that it is in 5/4 time. From the opening note – you can see the fuse light up and begin to burn. It’s such a cool piece of music. I was glad that they used it in the movies with Tom Cruise (even though I disliked them).
Wanna sing along with the theme to Batman? You only need to sing the word “Batman” and you got it! Neil Hefti, who was a composer and arranger, composed the theme with it’s simple guitar lick and vocal. It was a hit for Hefti, The Ventures, and the The Marketts.
William Dozier, creator of Batman, also created the Green Hornet. Even though the show didn’t last long, the theme song is memorable for a few reasons. First, it is based on the classical piece, The Flight of the Bumblebee. Second, playing the trumpet on the song is the great Al Hirt! Classic! One that you will hum for days.
Who can forget the theme to the Monkees? “Here we come, walking down the street. We get the funniest looks from, everyone we meet….” Hey! Hey! They’re the Monkees! For this show, they gathered 4 guys with little or no musical experience and made them a band. The show appealed to kids and adults alike. It was fast paced with quick jokes and 4 lovable characters who featured many of their hit songs on the show.
In the 60’s the guitar played a big part in theme songs. Think about this, The Munsters theme had such a catchy lick that was sampled for the song Uma Thurman by Fall Out Boy. It was cool enough to sample for one of today’s hit songs.
One of those great guitar theme songs was to Get Smart. The opening sequence changed a little from season to season, but it always included Don Adams walking through a corridor with sets of doors one right after another until he finally makes it to the payphone that gets him into CONTROL headquarters. Love this song and it never fails, if I am ever walking down a long hallway – I will almost always start to hum this song.
I mentioned the Ventures earlier, and they have one of the coolest theme songs – Hawaii 5-0. It was a huge instrumental hit for the band. It’s a great balance of guitar and horns. The use of the tympani drum and the pyramid effect by the horns in this song is masterful! It’s one of those theme songs you instantly crank up.
Maybe it’s the marching band guy in me, but I always loved a good march. That’s what you get as the theme song for Hogan’s Heroes. We played this in our alumni band one year.
The 70’s
Disco was in and some theme songs were just “funky”. Two examples of this are Barney Miller and it’s spin-off, Fish. The funky bass in the two theme songs is prominent and sets the tone for the them. The guitar melodies blend in and make them two themes that you could listen to over and over. The horns in Barney Miller continue to crescendo to the end of the song itself. It started slow and funky and ends in such a way that when it’s over you are disappointed cause you want more. The Twin Towers stand proudly in the opening scene as well.
It’s funny to listen to the Fish theme song again, because I realize how much it sounds like the theme from Night Court.
Norman Lear was a staple of 70’s TV. He created All In The Family, Maude, The Jeffersons, Sanford and Son, Good Times, and the list of his credits goes on and on. I have featured the Sanford and Son theme as a separate blog before, because it is one of my favorites. Here it is again, just because.
The Jeffersons was a spin-off of All In The Family. George Jefferson is “moving on up” to a bigger and better life and that’s where the theme song sets you up. It tells you the story. The theme song was written by Ja’net Dubois (of Good Times) and Jeff Berry and sung by Dubois and a gospel choir. Her vocal is amazing and so is the song.
How do I describe the theme song from What’s Happening!!? As the show opens, the main characters are running down a sidewalk bouncing a ball. The music kinda sounds like a ball is bouncing and then the soprano sax jumps in. It’s odd, but it’s catchy. It’s also written and composed by one of the most respected men in music – Henry Mancini!
The 70’s introduced us to the superhero Wonder Woman. I do not know a boy alive who did not have a crush on Lynda Carter. Much like the Batman theme, this theme repeats the character’s name a few times, but then expands on how wonderful she is. There is a funky little bass line that drives the song and I can’t really remember much more because I was watching Lynda Carter run ….
Welcome Back, Kotter was the show that introduced us to John Travolta. It was a comedy about a guy (Gabe Kaplan) who goes back to his old neighborhood to teach. The show was originally going to be called Kotter. The title was changed, however, because of the theme song. It was written and recorded by former lead singer of the Lovin’ Spoonful, John Sebastian. The song hit the charts and went all the way up to #1. This song give you the feel of the “folksy” 70’s.
Ok, I have to include the theme from a show that I watched faithfully every week as a kid. I was introduced to many stars and a lot of songs by watching this show. How can I not include The Muppet Show
The 80’s
There are so many great theme songs from the 80’s! Let’s start with Night Court. Night Court’s theme song throws me back to the 70’s because of that funky bass open – even more so now that I have listened to the Fish theme! You also have that soprano sax melody. It’s not a long theme, and when it’s done, you wish that you could find somewhere an “extended club mix”.
I just wrote about this next show for a Blogathon and did an entire blog on it as well. Police Squad only produced 6 episodes and it was cancelled. It starred Leslie Nielson as Lt. Frank Drebin. At the time, the network didn’t think that a show like Police Squad would be something an audience would want to watch (so they could catch all the jokes – remember, this was done by the guys who gave us the movie Airplane!). The theme song was accompanied by a voice over announcer reading the credits. He would also announce tonight’s guest star (who would always die during the credits) and give the name of the episode (which never matched with the title read on the screen). Thankfully, when the Naked Gun movies were made, the kept the theme song.
In 1980, Urban Cowboy hit theaters and country music was all the rage. It only made sense that we’d have a country comedy show on TV. That show was the Dukes of Hazzard. Talk about big name singers – Waylon Jennings sings the theme song, and he was also the show’s narrator. The song was released as a single in August of 1980, and it went to #1 on the Billboard Country Charts! Yee-haw!
The 90’s
It is here that we begin to see the decline in the use of the TV theme song. As a matter of fact, it became a habit to edit them down to 10-30 seconds from the already short 60 seconds. There are some that stand out for me though from this decade.
Tim Allen’s Home Improvement was a show based on his comedy act. His grunts and vocalizations intermingle through the theme song, almost as if they are a part of the musical score. The theme song almost sounds like a “work” song, both in sound and in tempo.
Seinfeld was one of those shows who used a theme song for a while, and used it at the end of the show, but often times especially in the show’s later seasons, it was shortened. The bubbly, poppy, twangy bass, and silly feel will forever be associated with the show about nothing and it’s silly characters.
From the opening guitar of “I’ll Be There for You” by the Rembrandts, you are in New York with Ross, Rachel, Chandler, Joey, Phoebe and Monica. The theme to the show Friends was an international hit. It was a song that was requested on radio and used at wedding receptions to introduce bridal parties. The song is heavily influenced by the Beatles (I Feel Fine) and the Monkees (Pleasant Valley Sunday). It was originally just one minute long, but the band went in an recorded an extended version, which became a radio hit.
Who could forget It’s Garry Shandling’s Show? The show, in itself, was silly. Garry interacts with the cast, but often will interact with the studio audience as well. It was just so weird. The theme song is just as weird. It’s a bouncy song that basically references itself (this is the theme to Garry’s show) and tells you how it came to be (Garry called me up and asked if I would write his theme song) and then asks how you like it (we’re almost halfway finished how do you like it so far?). The melody is so catchy, you can’t help but want to sing (or whistle) along with it.
One that I loved singing along to was the theme to That 70’s Show. The first season’s version was done by Todd Griffin, but from season 2 onward the group Cheap Trick sang the theme song. It rocked a bit more that season one.
2000-2010
There were only a few shows that I really enjoyed watching by this time. One that made me laugh out loud all the time was Arrested Development. This ridiculous silly theme song seemed so out of place, but I loved it
I really loved the show House MD. The theme song is actually a song that has a vocal called “Teardrop” by the group Massive Attack. If you hear the vocal version, you wonder how or why anyone would think to use this as the theme to a medical show…
The medical comedy Scrubs was a very good show which reminded me a lot of MASH. The theme on the show is only like 20 seconds long. However, I found the full version by Lazlo Bane called, “Superman.”
Another really short theme which I loved came from another show that made me laugh. 30 Rock. This cast was so good and the theme conveys the craziness that the characters experience while trying to put on their show. There is a couple full versions of the theme which can be found on the official soundtrack, but here is the TV version.
Wrapping up
I know I’m going to go back over this and think about many others I forgot to mention, but for now, I will stop here. So think about this for a minute:
With the TV theme song becoming more and more absent from TV…what are your thoughts? Which ones did you love growing up? Which ones do you still sing? Which ones did you hate?
Now it’s your turn – I look forward to seeing your comments.
Today is the 80th birthday of Diana Ross! She was born in Detroit, Michigan and naturally is one of the greatest artists to come out of our state! Fun fact: when she was born, she was named Diane, but a spelling error on the paperwork led to Diana.
As a member of the Supremes, they enjoyed amazing success and a dozen number one records, including the song I picked to feature today. What’s the connection between the Supremes the Lee Marvin/Ernest Borgnine movie The Dirty Dozen, and the hit TV series The Brady Bunch? The answer is film and television composer Frank DeVol. He was behind those theme tunes among many others, and joined Holland, Dozier and Holland as the co-writer of the Motown trio’s tenth US pop No.1, “The Happening.”
The song was written for the Anthony Quinn film of the same name. The film flopped, but the song soared to the top of the charts in just 5 weeks! They have the honor of bumping Frank Sinatra out of the top spot (His duet with Nancy, “Something Stupid”). Admittedly, the song is a bit more “peppy” and less “soulful” than many Supreme songs, but I think that’s why I like it so much.
According to Songfacts.com:
This was a milestone song for The Supremes. It was:
1) Their last hit released under the name “The Supremes.” Later in 1967, they became “Diana Ross & the Supremes.” They reverted back to “The Supremes” in 1970 when Ross left the group.
2) The last of their 10 #1 hits written by the Holland-Dozier-Holland team. They left Motown a year later in a dispute over royalties.
3) Their last hit with Florence Ballard, who was fired soon after and replaced with Cindy Birdsong.
For you music lovers who like to hear things a bit differently, I will post two versions of the song. First, from the 20th Century Masters collection:
Now listen to the 2003 remix from “The Number 1’s” collection. What I love about this remix is that the background instruments are much more clear. You hear the playful call and answer between the vocals and the background in an entirely different way. If you can, listen in headphones.
Happy 80th Birthday, Diana Ross!!!
The Happening
Hey, life, look at me I can see the reality ‘Cause when you shook me, took me out of my world I woke up Suddenly I just woke up to the happening When you find that you left the future behind ‘Cause when you got a tender love You don’t take care of Then you better beware of the happening
One day you’re up, then you turn around You find your world is tumbling down It happened to me, and it can happen to you
I was sure, I felt secure Until love took a detour Yeah, riding high on top of the world It happened, suddenly it just happened I saw my dreams fall apart When love walked away from my heart And when you lose that precious love you need To guide you Something happens inside you, the happening
Now I see life for what it is It’s not all dreams, ooh, it’s not all bliss It happened to me and it can happen to you
Once Ooh, and then it happened Ooh, and then it happened Ooh, and then it happened Ooh, and then it happened
Is it real, is it fake Is this game of life a mistake? ‘Cause when I lost the love I thought was mine For certain, suddenly I started hurting I saw the light too late When that fickle finger of fate Yeah, came and broke my pretty balloon I woke up Suddenly I just woke up to the happening
So sure, I felt secure Until love took a detour ‘Cause when you got a tender love you don’t Take care of, then you better beware of the happening
We had quite a bit going on this week and even into the weekend. Andrew had a doctor appointment on Friday and I am still trying to process all that came of it. I went to work late on Friday and only worked a half day, which was probably a good thing.
When I got home, I still had a lot on my mind. As per usual, when I want to avoid thinking about things, I find something to do. Thankfully, the pictures we printed had arrived, so I went to work on our living room wall. We had not been good about printing pictures to hang, so we had like 4 years of photos to go through. Sam wanted to have four rows of five photos each. I wasn’t sure if I was going to like it or not, but in the end, it looks good.
There are a couple canvas photos on the way for another wall. The older family photos will move into the front hallway.
Sam took Daisy to the groomer Friday morning. She was shaggy and Sam wanted her shaved. I wasn’t sure about that, but she truly looks good!
Since losing our one cat, our older cat Maizey has become more and more snuggly. I can always count on her jumping up on the bed at bedtime to be petted. She will often flop right next to me as I pet her. Many times, I fall asleep while I am petting her, but she’ll stay right there. She’s a good cat.
And finally, some junior high school humor to wrap with …
I was folding clothes today and stumbled on a pair of my son’s underwear. I joked that he either has some really bad toxic gas OR their is something wrong with our washer/dryer!
Of course, in reality, the dog probably chewed them up!
This blog is my contribution to the 10th Annual Favorite TV Show Episode Blogathon which is hosted by A Shroud of Thoughts. I have taken part in this Blogathon in the past and have missed a couple of them because of…life. I was glad to have had some time to prepare for it this year and participate.
Back in 2022, for a TV Show Draft, I posted about the entire series Police Squad. The “entire series” consists of only 6 episodes (and only 4 actually aired). If you are familiar with the Naked Gun movies, this series was the predecessor. It was the seed that grew into the movie series. The series itself spawned from a 1980’s classic comedy movie – Airplane!
In 1980, Airplane! was a major hit at the movies. One of the reasons I think it was such a hit was the fact that you had actors and actresses known for playing dramatic roles in this comedy film, playing it completely straight! Watching Lloyd Bridges, Robert Stack, and Peter Graves saying completely ridiculous lines as serious as possible only added to the humor of the film. How they kept a straight face with everything else that was going on in the background always amazed me.
To me, Leslie Nielsen was perfect for this movie. His role as Dr. Rumack is fantastic. His booming baritone voice saying those lines in all seriousness is just hilarious. No wonder he was the one who David Zucker, Jim Abrahams and Jerry Zucker approached him to play the lead, Detective Frank Drebin, in this TV series.
The series was basically a TV version of Airplane! There would be straight dialogue, silly jokes, word play, and all kinds of sight gags to watch for in the back ground. It was going to spoof cop shows. As a matter of fact, much like Airplane! (which was almost a line by line copy of the movie Zero Hour), Police Squad lifted a plot and even dialogue from the TV show M Squad. It also drew from the show Felony Squad. The opening credits are very similar to M Squad (which starred Lee Marvin).
The Naked Gun movies were direct spin offs of the TV show. Alan North played Ed on the show, while George Kennedy played him in the movies. Peter Lupus (who is brilliantly funny on the show) plays Norberg on the show, while OJ Simpson plays Nordberg (yes, spelled differently) in the movies. Many of the scenes from the movies were adapted from scenes from the show.
Honestly, each of the episodes of the series makes me laugh out loud no matter how many times I have seen it. To pick just one was difficult, but after thinking about the gags in each episode, I picked Season 1 Episode 2.
One of the running gags of the show was that the title of the episode would appear on screen (in this case “Ring of Fear”) and the announcer would call it something different (“A Difficult Assignment”). The title of the episode would appear after the episode’s special guest star was introduced and then dies before the episode even gets underway (another running gag).
This particular episode opens with a boxing match. The boxer is reminded that he is to “take a dive” because the fight is being fixed by a gang of criminals. Instead of taking the dive, the boxer knocks out his opponent, which is the catalyst for the remainder of the episode. When the fight is over, the manager informs the boxer that the boss isn’t happy and he’s in for it.
When the manager leaves the boxer’s locker room, a big man carrying guns, and axe, bombs, and all kinds of other weapons tries to get in to see the winner of the fight. A security guard with bad eyes tells him no one is allowed entry, to which the big guy says he is a member of the press. He goes in and there are gunshots, explosions, screaming, and such (The guard obviously is hard of hearing, too!). After all of that, the big guy exits the room (which is billowing black smoke) and whistles as he walks away.
Enter Leslie Neilsen as Frank Drebin. He arrives on the scene and is filled in by his boss as to what happened. He is told that they are currently “dusting for prints” and upon entering you see a French maid with a duster (one of many sight gags.) The police captain asks Frank to go under cover because there is talk that the fights are being fixed.
Frank arrives at a gym and finds a boxer named Buddy Briggs, who is shadow boxing. He tells him he wants to be his new manager. Buddy tells him he’ll have to talk to a guy named Cooper who holds his contract. Cooper is in the back room playing poker, so Frank goes to have a chat with him. As he walks away, Buddy knocks out the shadow on the wall he is boxing (another funny sight gag).
As Frank walks in the back room, he is asked by Cooper what he wants. The following conversation takes place:
Frank: I’m a manager. I wanna take over Buddy Brigg’s contract.
Cooper: What are you, some kind of a wise guy?
Frank: Yeah, I’m a wise guy. With a lot of long green.
Poker player: You manage Lorne Greene?
Cooper: I’ll trade Buddy for Lorne Greene.
Frank: No, no, I mean I got cash.
Poker Player: You manage Johnny Cash, too?
Cooper: Wait a minute. Who are you?
Frank: Kelly. Bob Kelly [puts a roll of cash on the table]
Frank: Mind if I sit in a few hands?
Cooper: Your money’s good here.
Poker Player: Goodyear? You got the blimp, too?
[Playing poker, the pot has grown very large]
Cooper: That’s a lot of dough-re-mi, Kelly. I’m outta cash. What about these?
[Holds up fuzzy dice]
Frank: No dice. But there is something else I’m interested in.
Cooper: What’s that?
Frank: Buddy Briggs’s contract!
If you look closely at the above photo, you will see an uncredited Tony Sirico (of the Sopranos) as one of the poker players.
Frank wins Buddy in the poker game and goes to see Buddy to get him a fight against the current champ. He lives is a dumpy apartment and he seems disinterested in what Frank is telling him.
During his visit, Mary, Buddy’s wife played by Tesse Richarde, stumbles in drunk and tells Buddy they are through because he will do whatever the crime gang tells him to do. She knows he’s better than that and should stop throwing fights.
She tells him they are through and stumbles out the door. After she leaves, Frank asks Buddy about the champ.
Frank: [as manager Bob Kelly] Now do you think you can beat the champ?
Buddy: I can take him blindfolded.
Frank: What if he’s not blindfolded?
Frank tells him that he’ll get Buddy a fight with the champ and he’ll help him and Mary “get out of this sewer.” Which leads to Frank leaving the apartment ….
After the fight is set (with newspaper headlines that read “Chump to fight Champ”) we see Buddy in his locker room playing a saxophone. Frank pulls the sax away and reminds Buddy, “No sax before a fight!”
The crime boss, Martin, comes in and tells Buddy that he needs to take a dive and throw the fight because they have kidnapped his wife.
Martin: We’ve got Mary.
Buddy: What?
Frank: [still posing as Kelly the manager] You’re bluffing.
Martin: Oh yeah? [pulls out a scarf]
Buddy: Mary’s scarf!
Frank: You could have gotten that anywhere. [grabs the scarf and throws it away]
Martin: How about this? [pulls out a knitted purse]
Buddy: Mary’s purse!
Frank: There are millions of purses like that. [grabs purse and throws it in a corner]
Martin: How about this? [pulls out a toaster]
Buddy: Mary’s toaster! [two slices of bread pop out]
Frank: Oh my God…
Not knowing where Mary is, Frank goes to Johnny the Shoeshine guy. Johnny has all the answers to everything (heart surgery, how to put out a chemical fire, etc…). He even helps out Tommy Lasorda, Dick Clark, and Dr. Joyce Brothers!
With the help of some money, Johnny tells Frank where Mary is and he is off to rescue her. Frank finds the big guy (Luca) who killed the boxer at the beginning of the episode guarding Mary. Frank busts in and a chase through the gym ensues. The climax of the chase ends in the gym’s steam room with a shoot out (which contains some very funny dialogue).
In the meantime, Buddy is fighting and he is getting beat pretty bad. He is knocked to the ground and as the ref is counting him out, Mary and Frank enter and she screams his name. At this Buddy leaps up and knocks out the champ.
The epilogue of each episode always ends with a freeze frame as the credits roll. The joke, however, is that only the main characters “freeze.” They continue to blink and things continue happening in the background as the credits roll. In this episode, they bring in Martin. Here is the credits from this episode:
The entire series is available on DVD and remains my “go-to” when I really need to laugh. It is a shame that it only got 6 episodes. Why was it cancelled? The dialogue is so quick, and the gags were so frequent on the show it is one of the reasons people believe the show was cancelled. Nielsen once said in an interview, stated that ABC said “Police Squad! was canceled because viewers had to pay close attention to the show in order to get much of the humor.” In other words, people had to WATCH the show to get it. TV Guide stated that was “the most stupid reason a network ever gave for ending a series.”
It is interesting that the creator of The Simpsons, Matt Groening said, “If Police Squad had been made twenty years later, it would have been a smash. It was before its time. In 1982 your average viewer was unable to cope with its pace, its quick-fire jokes. But these days they’d have no problems keeping up, I think we’ve proved that.”
Thanks to Terence over at A Shroud of Thoughts (https://mercurie.blogspot.com/) for again hosting this blogathon. I’m excited to read the entries of the other participants!
I have rarely heard anyone say a bad thing about Henry Winkler. This book was a joy to listen to. It was, of course, read by the author. This in itself is quite a task, because Henry has been very open about his dyslexia in recent years. You’d never know it, though, as you listen.
As I listened to this book, I felt like he was just sitting next to me telling great stories and sharing some very deep stuff about his life. You hear his excitement and his fears as he tells his stories. It was quite a journey for him and worth a read or listen.
Here is the Goodreads synopsis:
From Emmy-award winning actor, author, comedian, producer, and director Henry Winkler, a deeply thoughtful memoir of the lifelong effects of stardom and the struggle to become whole.
Henry Winkler, launched into prominence by his role as “The Fonz” in the beloved Happy Days, has transcended the role that made him who he is. Brilliant, funny, and widely-regarded as the nicest man in Hollywood (though he would be the first to tell you that it’s simply not the case, he’s really just grateful to be here), Henry shares in this achingly vulnerable memoir the disheartening truth of his childhood, the difficulties of a life with severe dyslexia, the pressures of a role that takes on a life of its own, and the path forward once your wildest dream seems behind you.
Since the glorious era of Happy Days fame, Henry has endeared himself to a new generation with roles in such adored shows as Arrested Development, Parks and Recreation, and Barry, where he’s revealed himself as an actor with immense depth and pathos, a departure from the period of his life when he was so distinctly typecast as The Fonz, he could hardly find work.
Filled with profound heart, charm, and self-deprecating humor, Being Henry is a memoir about so much more than a life in Hollywood and the curse of stardom. It is a meaningful testament to the power of sharing truth and kindness and of finding fulfillment within yourself.
I loved listening to this book. My love and respect for Winkler doubled after reading this book. Did you know that they wanted to change the name of Happy Days to “Fonzie’s Happy Days” and he flat out refused because he knew it was an ensemble show and he didn’t feel it would be fair? Did you know he and the late John Ritter were really close friends? Did you know that Henry played a key role in MacGyver getting on the air? Did you know that he is the author of the critically-acclaimed Hank Zipzer series, which follows the everyday adventures of a bright boy with learning challenges? These are just a few of the things I learned from the book.
In speaking about children with challenges in the book, he said something that really hit me square in the eye:
“It has always struck me that our emphasis on the top 10 percent of a class says they are more valuable than the bottom 3 percent. If this country is going to remain strong, we need every child to be great at what it is they can do.”
Amen, Henry! Amen!
Let me know what you think if/when you read this one.
Yesterday was our 6th wedding anniversary. Sadly, we didn’t get to spend much time together. My wife worked the night before and came home and grabbed a nap while picked the kids up from their sleep over at Nana’s house.
I came home and got the kids their lunch, showered and shaved, and got ready for work. I waited until the last minute to wake her up so that I could head into work. I quickly gave everyone a kiss and left. What my wife didn’t know was that I had ordered flowers right down the road and I had to go pick them up and bring them back home so I wouldn’t be too late for work.
The florist did such a wonderful job! I think in this day and age, we tend to go t he “easy route” too often and grab a simple bunch from the grocery store, but those flowers really lack the touch of a florist! These were simply beautiful!
According to the “anniversary gift list,” the gift for anniversary number six is iron. It is supposed to represent the fact that you have made it through the first five years and the iron represents the strength of your marriage. So I wanted to get her something along those lines.
Years ago, I bought her a small wind chime that a nice windy day destroyed. I found a simple metal wind chime that sounds so pretty. She loved it.
The inscription reads, “A house is made of walls and beams. A home is made of love and dreams.”
The original plan had been to go into work early and leave early so we could have some time together. However, a week or so ago, they scheduled the farewell party for our director at work on that same night. My wife insisted that I be at the work party because our director has always been a big supporter of me. My wife has never been the “take me out to an expensive dinner and buy me expensive gifts” kind of person. She is happy just getting time together. So we will find a day to spend together in the coming week.
I am so thankful to have been married to my soulmate for the past 6 years. I cannot wait for the years ahead! I love her now and forever!
Various Ramblings of a Nostalgic Italian 