Back to back jacks!

The Cubs got back-to-back homeruns tonight for the first time this season. Yea! Go, Cubs, go!

And the groom wore yellow feathers in his hair ...

... and a dress cut down to there.

So this man is gay. The news broke this week that Barry Manilow has been secretly married to his manager. A man.

Female Fanilows -- primarily post-menopausal women -- are shocked because they didn't know he was gay. Look at that photo. They didn't know. Okeedokee. Some insist that since Barry himself hasn't officially confirmed the marriage, it's just a filthy lie and the man in this photo is straight. Okeedokee.

I find this very sad.

First, Barry Manilow is now 71 years old. He didn't just "become" homosexual. So he's been in the closet all his adult life. He waited until now -- when he's well over the age to begin collecting Social Security and on his farewell tour -- to finally marry the lover he's been with for decades. And he's still not announcing and openly celebrating his relationship. There's something poignant about that.

Secondly, his fans are pissed. Not all of them, of course. The man has sold a staggering number of records (hell, even I bought one) and many are wishing him well. But others are truly upset.

"I'm unhappy he lied to his fans for 40 years and wasn't honest years ago at the gay bath house he and Bette Midler played. But I'll forgive him & move on and pray that God forgives him too!"

Doesn't look prepared to kick ass, does he?

"Barry is going to sue! Barry needs to get them good for doing this to him!"

"Who's the low life that started this ridiculous story? They're in for it now!"

I've been a fan girl all my life, beginning with my pre-school crush on Little Joe Cartwright. So in a way, I can tap into the Fanilow mindset.* I suppose I understand how they'd feel betrayed. I'm told that onstage he really plays to the ladies, presenting himself as something of a romantic ideal, and every night the competition is fierce to be the CSWY Girl -- the one he plucks from the audience to dance with during "Can't Smile without You."

What makes me sad is the implicit homophobia in some of these posts. Is "gay" really the worst thing you can accuse a person of? In 2015? Maybe Manilow was right to not trust his fans with the truth.  

Obviously Barry Manilow brought these women a lot of joy. His music meant something to him in a very real way. Clearly it's not my cup of tea, but that's not the point. The man who sang the love songs that set their hearts a pitter patter has found love himself.  

I wish they could be happy that he's finally found what he's been singing about.

*Though I insist that Michael Landon is far more attractive than Barry Manilow ever was, and maintain that at age 3 I had better taste, and a more finely tune gaydar, than the some Fanilows.

 

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?

1) This song asks, "Does anybody really care about time?" How about you? Do you pride yourself on being punctual? Or don't you really care? I take public transportation, so I'm used to adhering to a schedule. The only thing I really struggle with is getting to the office in the morning. Nothing really happens before 10:00. All anyone does between 9:00 and 10:00 is wait in line at Starbucks. I can't see racing around the house in the morning to ride and over crowded train to watch people just mill around with cups in their hands. So I get in around 9:45.
 
2) The lyrics refer to a stranger asking the time. When is the last time you

conversed with someone you didn't really know? What did you two talk about? I got a pedi Friday evening after work. The owner's very young son was hanging around me by the UV nail dryer. He showed off his leaping skills by jumping over my shoes. I praised his talents and he wished me a good night ("bye bye") as I put on my coat.

3) According to the Top 40 tracker Tunecaster, this song knocked Tony Orlando and Dawn's "Knock Three Times" out of the #1 spot on the charts in January 1971. Are you familiar with "Knock Three Times?" Yes. It's awful, though not as bad as their more famous and more obnoxious follow up, "Tie a Yellow Ribbon 'Round the Old Oak Tree."

4) Chicago is not only the name of the group but also of the midwest's largest city. Chicago is the proud hometown of such luminaries as Bill Murray, Michelle Obama and Derrick Rose. Does your town have any favorite sons or daughters? Ernest Hemingway was born and grew up here. A rather dreadful girl, currently one of the defendants in a high-profile murder trial in Bali, is also from here, but we prefer to talk to Hemingway.

5) The group Chicago was originally known as The Chicago Transit Authority, after the city's public transportation system. When is the last time you were on a bus or a train? I take the train every day, twice a day, to and from work.

6) Four of the original seven bandmembers are still with the group … after 48 years! What's the longest you stayed at the same job? I've been at this one 10.5 years. That's really unheard of in advertising. I'd like to hang onto it as long as I can.

7) Lead singer Rob Lamm confessed that, at times, being in a band has been hard for him because he is by nature a loner. How about you? Are you more introverted or extroverted? Introverted. Being around too many people too long exhausts me. I need alone time to recharge.

8) This summer, Chicago will be touring with Earth, Wind and Fire. Have you seen/will you attend any concerts in 2015? I'm going to see old what's-his-name at Lollapalooza this summer. Gulp. Talk about being around too many people! Oh well, it's Sir Paul. Plus my 14-year-old nephew is the envy of all his friends because he's going to Lolla with the coolest aunt in the world.

 9) Random question: What's the last mess you cleaned up? I scooped the litterboxes. That counts, right?

Vacation prep

Soon I'll be off for a long weekend in Los Angeles. While it's not my first choice for a spring vacay, it's certainly not the worst thing that can happen to a gal, either. My oldest friend and I will go shopping, go to the movies, and take in some sites I just can't see here in Chicagoland -- maybe

Hollywood, maybe the ocean. We'll see.

To help me get my head into this trip, this evening I got my spring pedi. Essie Tart Deco. It's a light shade of coral. I think I like it. I'm still not 100% used to the brighter look, but change can be good and soon Los Angelenos will be gazing at it.

And I got a portable DVD player. ORD-LAX can take (gulp!) four hours. That's just too damn long for a white-knuckled flyer, like me. Books, magazines and meds can't keep me calm. So I'll let this little 7" screen distract me and keep me sane. Also, with more and more people streaming videos and the new MacBooks not having a slot for DVDs/CDs, I figured I'd better snap up a DVD player when they're still being manufactured. The one I chose is by Philips, new and not refurbished, and still just

$60. I have to remember to pack DVDs (I always forget to pack something!) and that the TSA wants me to take it out of my carry on when I go through security.