Saturday 9

BIRTHDAY (2014) 

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

1) In this song, Katy Perry sings that she wants to give her lover something good to celebrate every day. What is making you happy this fine Saturday? I'm getting my hair cut! Yea! My hair has been cowlicky all week.

2) The video is all about baking a birthday cake. When did you most recently enjoy something home baked? Were you the baker? I can't recall the last time I had something home baked.

3) Tell us a memory from one of your birthdays. A few years back, a dear friend gave me a Guatamalan worry doll. I'm terrified every time I get on a plane and my fear touched his heart, so he advised me to bring her with with me every time I fly. Supposedly if I tell her my worries, she will share them and help them go away. It was a thoughtful gift and she does travel with me.

4) This week's song shares nothing but the title with a Beatles song. (Here's a video of Paul McCartney performing it live.) Can you think of another title that's been used by more than one song? "Best of My Love" by The Emotions and "Best of My Love" by The Eagles. Very different songs, but I love 'em both.

5) Similarly, this week's featured artist was born Kathryn Hudson and called Katy Hudson until she changed her name to Katy Perry to avoid confusion with the actress Kate Hudson. Have you ever met anyone else with your same name? Not in person. But someone else with my exact name has a profile on Facebook.

6) Katy and actor Orlando Bloom became parents to a baby girl in 2020. Bloom is best known for his work in the Lord of the Rings and Pirates of the Caribbean movies. Are you a fan of either of those film series? Nope. Haven't seen a single one of those movies start-to-finish.

7) In 2014, the year this song was popular, Prince William toured the United States and attended his first NBA game (Nets vs. Cavaliers). What's the most recent sporting event that you watched? Cubs spring training baseball. Oh, how I love the crack of the bat!

8) Also in 2014, Joan Rivers died. While best-known for making us laugh, she was a very successful entrepreneur, selling jewelry on QVC. Have you ever ordered anything from TV? Kinda/sorta. I googled "waterproof boots" and ended up on HSN.com, watched a video and purchased. But I don't have the patience to watch the shopping networks.

 

9) Random question -- Have you ever been told you talk too much? Only constantly.

From grumpy to happy

I was having one of those days when nothing felt quite right. I was unsettled. Annoyed. I went out in the sun and ran some errands but the clear blue skies didn't improve my mood. While I was at the bank, I saw a bin filled with books. The local children's welfare clinic was accepting donations for the waiting room and to distribute to patients in need. This clinic does wonderful work, providing medical, dental and behavioral care and charging fees along a sliding scale, depending on what the family can afford. 

I had a gift card from the local bookseller in my purse. I'd been carrying it with me since December. My friend Mindy loaded it with $25 for my birthday and it had $6.00 left on it. Not enough for any book I wanted. But almost enough for Who Has Wiggle-Waggle Toes?, a board book for toddlers and pre-schoolers.

I supported a small business and helped a worthy charity. It lifted my mood. That's what I have to do when I'm like this: I have to get out of my own head and help others.

Love this, love this, love this.

One of the highlights of the 2019 Turner Classic Film Festival for me. So very happy that it's available online. All four of these people have such affection for the film and clearly know it frame-by-frame. It was wonderful hearing Gone with the Wind discussed with the clear-eyed respect it deserves.

The fuckheads who believe TCM, or any movie lover, wants to ban or censor problematic films (like GWTW and Breakfast at Tiffany's) should watch this. It's exciting to hear films we love discussed as both art and artifact. Things can be complicated. We can feel conflicted. It's OK to talk about it! Honest conversation won't hurt you!

 

PS I read Molly Haskell's From Reverence to Rape back when I was in high school and it rocked my world. It was a thrill to see her in person.