Queen of Hearts

Singles Groups

2009-10-10T18:50:00.000-07:00

My take on singles groups and ministries

I think that the singles ministries at various churches around the metroplex provide a valuable service to those who have experienced the loss of a relationship whether due to death, divorce or a break-up.

Having said this I think they can also become a crutch. When you first have an injury you try to walk and can't. You get a pair of crutches. At first they feel awkward, it takes forever to get used to them. You finally become comfortable using crutches and when you are healed, you try to walk without the aid of crutches and you feel awkward. Of course you walk some without and some with, always knowing the crutches are at home in case you need them. I have been socializing with the singles ministries on and off for 9 years. I have met hundreds of singles from 5 singles ministries or more and have yet to meet one that would choose an invitation to an event off of their groups' calendar. Now at first when I tell them how much I enjoy a certain event they are enthusiastic about trying it. When the date of this event rolls around and they have a choice of going to another group event where they will see the same 20-30 acquaintances they have known for years or stepping out of their comfort zone to potentially make a new friend, they will choose the comfort zone every time. Now in these groups if the group ever folded they would never see these acquaintences again. Not unless they were to bump into them at some large event someday accidentally. The real friend they could make would still be there.

One way that you form a friendship (real friendship) is you invite a friend to try an event they seem to be interested in, they go with you, they like it, they reciprocate by inviting you to something else, YOU SAY YESand go. You now have the group and a new friendship. The friendship grows from there. Now I am not talking about making a "friend" in a group and having them contact you to see if you'll be there and going because of you. Just more comfort zone.

Now if they took you up on your invitation and skipped a group event they would still get to see the same acquaintances the next time they attended anyway. If a single ever grows tired of seeing the same people again and again they just move on to the next singles group or event. After 9 years of these groups and relying on an arbitrary group of people to plan my social calendar, I want something more. Don't get me wrong, I still love the events to attend but something more as well. It occurs to me if these singles are not willing to miss a group event in the interest of finding a (real) friend how are they capable of forming a love relationship?

I think the groups should be used for a temporary period of time to meet new people (fellowship) and have a support group. When you get to the point in life where all you want for yourself is acquaintances and only do what everyone else picks for you, you need to take a long look at what you want for yourself. I think we all deserve something more real. It could never be more important than when you are single and don't have someone to come home to or share your dreams with.

Emerald City

2009-07-14T21:36:00.000-07:00

UPDATE ON EMERALD CITY

My son Brian, now 23, was terminated from yet another job.This termination was following the second time he went to see Emerald City. This time without me. He wanted to show his girlfriend the band. Brian worked at Nautica in Allen from Sept. 2008-December 2008. There were no signs that the end was coming, quite the opposit - his hours had increased - A sign that he was doing well. The reason given for the termination which was before Xmas Day: they had hired other people. He had open availability and was doing very well there. Brian has pounded the pavement and applied all over town since his UNTIMELY termination and all to no avail. This has nothing to do with the current job market.These are entry level positions. Refer to blog - (What is a Man part 2) for more info.

Blogspots

2008-09-15T16:51:00.000-07:00

My Blogsites would not be an advantage to any particular band or venue that I returned to often, it would have about the same earning potential that a movie critic would if he kept reviewing the same movie. The readers would quickly lose interest in returning to the site.

What is a Man part 2

2008-09-12T18:46:00.000-07:00

The day after the last time I visited Emerald City my son Brian lost his 4 month job at Cheddars. Brian is 22 years of age and had accompanied me to Champps in Addison to listen to the band as he had several times before. Supposedly he was terminated for taking a sick day. Many other staff members had called in sick during the 4 months he worked there but this was his first. He had tried everything including getting others to trade shifts. He was informed that since it was Halloween he would need a doctors note to cover the sick day to keep his job. He thought they were bluffing. When he told Cheddars that they did not pay him enough to see a doctor he lost his job. None of this was the reason for his termination. Leverage was the reason for his termination on Nov. 1, 2007.

What is a Man?

2008-09-11T07:31:00.000-07:00

What is a Man?

I sometimes ask myself this question. I have raised my son of 20 years as a single parent since he was 12. Before my ex husband moved out we endured 3 years of physical abuse. Abused by a family member living under the roof. My son was too young and helpless to stop the violence. After the offender moved out things were peaceful. We bonded. My son loved Scouting and I felt good that he had strong male role models. His father lived 15 mins away and they did talk some. That did not last long. I don't think his father has called him on the phone or seen him in several months. His older brother still lives with his dad. They are only 2 years apart. Yes, they are both full brothers and sons of the same man. You wouldn't know it tho. My son always gets his father's voice mail when he tries to call him. Since the family split in 2000 I have gone out and made other single friends. I decided I would not date. I did not want to bring a questionable man into our lives. I wanted my son to grow up with the same values I had learned as a child. Unfortunately, while I was going out meeting people I met someone that had an opening for a volunteer. I started volunteering under the understanding that I might eventually be hired. I was never hired. It turned out I was good for business, made him alot of money. Eventually I wanted gainful employment. I applied at a company and was hired. I worked there for about a month and was terminated. I found out that this friend I had volunteered for had caused the termination. He didn't want competition for my time. I stopped volunteering for his company and ended the friendship. Chalked it up to stupidity. Waited a couple months and tried to get another job. This one ended after only 2 days. I was the quickest worker there. I found out this same man had caused this termination as well. I did not need the money. I just wanted to have some independence and feel worth something. I will not be able to get a job now because of the time I volunteered. My son knows who is preventing me from being able to work. I wonder does he think this is what it is to be a man? He attends college. He sees men that are professors. He has an internship. He has worked with these men for 2-3 years. So as long as all a man does is work, then yes he will know what a man is. Unfortunately his nearby Grandfather died when he was preschool age. My father lives in Florida and we have only been able to see him at holiday times. Not enough to be a regular role model. His father and I are only children. No uncles. Being the youngest of 2 sons he and I have always had a strong bond. I was a stay-at home mom. You cannot teach or counsel these things. They have to be modeled. Since I resigned myself to never having a paycheck and that was not leverage enough to get me back into his life this friend has used his connections to take a house my parents once lived in. Since destroyed by hurricanes the house will be owned by the town where this house is in a couple weeks if $80,000 of repairs are not done. Because it is 15 mins away from my parents my ex who has more than enough money will not do the repairs. He owns it. It is worth $300,000. We will lose all the $300,000. So I will not be able to stay in that house while caring for my parents who are 80 now because I volunteered for a friend. All of this because this man can't take no for an answer. Now I ask "What does my son think a man is?"
The only thing I am grateful for is that my son never got to know this man. There has been enough damage done just hearing and seeing the fallout.

Indoor Fireworks

2008-08-24T10:36:00.000-07:00

Indoor Fireworks - Gaylord Texan
Friday, August 22

I took my sons and a couple of their friends over to the Gaylord Texan on Friday night to see the indoor fireworks dispay. It is an impressive show. Although it is only8 minutes long, they are larger than I would have thought possible for an indoor venue. They reach almost as high as the glass ceiling in the atrium. The show is put on by North Texas Pyrotechnics. The hotel also has a fire twirler perform before the fireworks at 9:30. Friday, August 29 will be the last week for the indoor fireworks. Something different to do. There is a daily parking rate of $10.00 at the Gaylord.
www.NorthTexasPyro.com
www.gaylordtexan.com

http://dfwmusic.blogspot.com
http://dfwmusic.blogs.friendster.com
http://360.yahoo.com/dallasmusic

http://www.care2.com/c2c/share/detail/856941

A Little Night Music

2008-08-03T11:50:00.000-07:00

Symphonic Saturdays
Addison's Esplanade Park
Saturday, August 2

A friend and I decided to try the Saxophone Quartet playing at the Symphonic Saturdays series. They were wonderful. They played show tunes - Somewhere Over theRainbow, the Pink Panther theme, some jazz - a Glenn Miller medley, Java Jive, Georgia on My Mind, and a few classical songs. A nice way to spend a Saturday evening. The saxophone quartet was part of the Dallas Wind Symphony. For the August schedule of concerts visit http://www.addisontexas.net/

Big Band Blowout

2008-07-29T02:13:00.000-07:00

Plano Community Band Swings
Big Band Blowout
Haggard Park
Monday, July 29

Plano Community Band played all those great swing hits from one of the best eras of music. Stockton Helbing, a drummer, the guest artist for this particular show was incredible. There was one couple swing dancing to most of the songs played. They were fun to watch. Last night's show was the Big Band Blowout and concluded the summer series of 2008. I recall them performing the Big Band Blowout last year as well. Let's hope they continue the tradition next year.

www.planoband.com

Natural Change in Addison

2008-07-20T15:47:00.000-07:00

Natural Change in Addison
Upbeat Jazz
Saturday, July 19

Natural Change performed on Saturday night in Addison's Esplanade Park. They were incredible. They played Grover Washington, Earth Wind & Fire, Norah Jones & yes, even Prince. They had a sax, keyboard, drums, and guitar and the keyboard player did some vocals.

I have attended many of these outdoor concerts in Addison and except for the occasional couple dancing to a slow song I have not seen such a large group of dancers out there in front of the stage. I was grooving with all the parents and kids. I think there must have been 30 people dancing free style at once. They stayed out there for at least 3 numbers. If you have a chance to catch Natural Change go. It was mostly jazz, but upbeat jazz, and they closed with Purple Rain. This was more like a party than a concert. Great fun.

Natural Change plays most Friday nights at Brooklyn Jazz Cafe in Dallas. Go to http://www.brooklynjazzcafe.com/ for the performance calendar. The band's website is
http://www.naturalchangeband.com/

Choreomania

2008-07-14T09:50:00.000-07:00

Anxiety Disorders:
What is Choreomania?

A Dancing frenzy or mania.
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_choreomania

Edwin McCain

2008-07-12T01:21:00.000-07:00

Edwin McCain
Taste of Dallas
Friday, July 11, 2008

I heard Edwin McCain perform at Taste of Dallas tonight in West End. I enjoyed all of the songs he played, most of which were new to me. He performed familiar "I Could Not Ask For More" early in the show, about halfway through. Two songs I particularly liked were called "I've seen a Love" and "Lost in America". Those were new to me. When I thought we had come to the final number and he did "I'll Be" he did not stop there. He closed with 2 cover hits - "Your Eyes" and"Unless We Get a Little Crazy". All in all, a great concert. Since McCain performed from 10:30-12 the weather was perfect, a nice breeze.

I Could Not Ask For More

Cinemark Hollywood Theatre

2008-07-01T01:00:00.000-07:00

Do not go to Cinemark Hollywood Theatres in Garland

Well last night I tried to "Meet the Browns" It has not been shown at the Cinemark theatre closest to my home but is showing at the Cinemark in Garland, a half hour drive from my home. Unfortunately because it was a slow night they had the box office shut down and were only selling tickets at the concession stand. One employee behind the counter. I walked in and walked up to the counter. The one and only employee was waiting on another customer or set of customers to be exact -3 of them. All of course ordering as much as possible that would take a while. During all of this there was another employee behind a nearby door that looked to be management. She could not have been unaware of the wait. During about the10 minutes I was waiting another customer had walked in and was also waiting to purchase movie tickets to another movie starting right when she walked in. I am sure that she and young son missed the start of their movie which started 10 mins after mine did. I would have also missed that one. This is just waiting for one family of customers - no line. As I walked to my car I saw another teen employee sweeping sidewalks. The other woman and I would have been quite grateful to have one extra pair of hands just to sell tickets to walk-up customers. Would it have killed the manager to sell both of us movie tickets? I walked out and drove home not wishing to miss the beginning of a movie. I have never had this problem at the Cinemark Movies 10 in Plano. Most times I go are slow nights and their box office is also closed. They always have more than one employee manning the concession stand in case there are customers walking in. I complained to the teen sweeping the sidewalk but when I asked to speak to the manager, he said "I think she's a little busy right now".

Joy To The Red, White and Blue

2008-06-29T14:59:00.000-07:00

After an afternoon of rained out activities Allen USA resumed the day long festival with a live concert by Three Dog Night. They were excellent and played all their hits they are famous for - Shambala, Easy to Be Hard, Black & White, Out In The Country, Never Been To Spain, and many more. The final song they played was "Joy To The World" and while most of the song was performed in its original fashion the lead singer donned a chain and baseball cap and rapped part of the song. It was great.

The evening concluded with one of the best fireworks displays I have seen. Light showers came and went during the concert and during the fireworks. The best part - the showers brought cooler temperatures and it was about 75 degrees. I am glad I didn't let the rain keep me at home.

Nim's Island

2008-06-24T00:12:00.000-07:00

I just experienced Nim's Island tonight. Nim's Island has everything - laughs, thrills, beautiful scenery, and unusual characters. My favorite part of the movie was that it showed how self-reliant an 11 year old could be. She knew how to take care of herself in alot of situations most adults wouldn't. I have a soft spot for Jodie Foster and still love Nell and the Brave One. I have not found myself laughing at any of her characters before and Nim was funny too, this movie was a treat. Try to catch it.

Hawaiian Dance

2008-06-23T23:49:00.000-07:00

Saturday night, June 21st was the annual St. Rita Singles Hawaiian Dance. This year they had over 400 singles from around the metroplex. The DJ, Robin Dredge with Party Elite, played alot of good dance hits. Some of the familiar hits were remixed with extra dance beats. That just added to the fun for everyone. Loads of great food - including rich Chocolate Cake and Cheesecake shared by the folks in charge of the Singles Conference.

If you missed this dance I recommend you try to attend their Retro Dance in January. The St. Rita dances always draw hundreds of singles and it is fun to see people dressed up in disco or hippie attire. There are always new people to meet at each one and some familiar friends to dance with.

Shine a Light

2008-06-17T23:29:00.000-07:00

My son and I took in a late show at Plano Movies 10 tonight. We saw Shine a Light. Martin Scorcese directed this movie about the Rolling Stones concert at The Beacon in New York. I was a little concerned at the beginning when it started slowly with Mr. Scorcese checking out the stage and set and discussing pre-production with the set staff. But when we finally got to the concert it never slowed down. I have attended a number of concerts in my life but haven't had the pleasure of seeing Rolling Stones live. I don't think I have ever seen a performer move around the stage as much as Mic Jagger did. He moves so fast and dances so much you know what a good time he is having. Now Buddy Guy performing Champagne and Reefer was awesome and Christina Aguilera gave a nice performance as well. I have not heard Rolling Stones do Just My Imagination. Mic's version is now my favorite. For presentation and vocals Pleased to Meet you was the best song in the movie. I know the sound was not what one would enjoy at a live event but I did enjoy this movie. Seeing Bill & Hillary hobnobbing with the Stones before the concert was fun. Shine a Light is at Plano Movies 10 tomorrow and Thursday. It has only played this week at Movies 10. Catch it if you have a chance - if not hopefully it will be out
on DVD.

Mighty Marvelous 4

2008-06-16T19:49:00.000-07:00

Mighty Marvelous 4 gets their groove on at Allen Summer Sounds
Monday, June 16, 2008

I just came back from an outdoor concert at Allen's Summer Sounds. Mighty Marvelous 4 performed. They played a wide range of motown hits from Marvin Gaye, the Temptations, and other artists. I first saw these guys in Lewisville last year during the Sounds of Lewisville and have been looking for them ever since. They do the choreography and the vocals just right. You think you're at a Temptations concert. They do not have a website. They don't play alot of public concerts. But I was glad to hear them again. Its like a dance step back in time. They did get the audience up on their feet and dancing. If you ever see them scheduled to perform I recommend going and bringing your dancing shoes.

Rude Parrot Joke

2008-06-10T02:05:00.000-07:00

RUDE PARROT:
A guy named David received a parrot for his birthday. The parrot was fully grown, with a bad attitude and worse vocabulary. Every other word was an expletive. Those that weren't expletives were, to say the least, rude. David tried hard to change the bird's attitude and was constantly saying polite words, playing soft music, anything he could think of to try and set a good example. Nothing worked. He yelled at the bird and the bird yelled back. He shook the bird and the bird just got more angry and more rude. Finally, in a moment of desperation, David put the parrot in the freezer. For a few moments he heard the bird squawk and kick and scream. Then suddenly there was quiet. Not a sound for half a minute. David was frightened that he might have hurt the bird and quickly opened the freezer door. The parrot calmly stepped out onto David's extended arm and said, "I believe I may have offended you with my rude language and actions. I will endeavor at once to correct my behavior. I really am truly sorry and beg your forgiveness." David was astonished at the bird's change in attitude and was about to ask what had made such a dramatic change when the parrot continued, "May I ask what the chicken did?

Lover's Lane Jazz Band

2008-06-02T22:16:00.000-07:00

I attended a concert fit for jazz lovers at Lover's Lane UMC on Sunday evening. The Lover's Lane Jazz Band, now celebrating their 16th year, just keeps getting better every time I hear them. They opened with "All Of Me", one of my all time favorites. Also the name of a funny movie with Lily Tomlin and Steve Martin. They played pieces like "Take The A Train" by Duke Ellington, "A Foggy Day" by Gershwin, and "Laura" by Stan Kenton. "Caravan" originally performed by Duke Ellington and later covered by Chicago was fun and upbeat. Now "Soul Vaccination" by Tower of Power was introduced as a song to lift all sin from your soul and I don't know about that but I did feel my chest lighten during that number so maybe it worked. I love any concert where you feel uplifted and happier when you leave than you did going in. I left with a spring in my step - just right for a spring concert.

If you missed this concert the Jazz Band will be performing again on Sunday, June 29th at Lover's Lane UMC 5pm for God & Country an old fashioned patriotic concert and pie auction. http://www.llumc.org/ I will definitely be looking for the cd of Chicago covering big band favorites that they played "Caravan" from.

Light and Dark

2008-06-02T00:05:00.000-07:00

The professor of a university challenged his students with this question.
"Did God create everything that exists?" A student answered bravely,
"Yes, he did".
The professor then asked, "If God created everything, then he created
evil. Since evil exists (as noticed by our own actions), so God is evil. The
student couldn't respond to that statement causing the professor to
conclude that he had "proved" that "belief in God" was a fairy tale, and
therefore worthless.
Another student raised his hand and asked the professor, "May I pose a
question? " "Of course" answered the professor.
The young student stood up and asked : "Professor does Cold exist?"
The professor answered, "What kind of question is that?...Of course the
cold exists... haven't you ever been cold?"
The young student answered, "In fact sir, Cold does not exist. According
to the laws of Physics, what we consider cold, in fact is the absence of heat.
Anything is able to be studied as long as it transmits energy (heat). Absolute
Zero is the total absence of heat, but cold does not exist. What we have done
is create a term to describe how we feel if we don't have body heat or we are
not hot."
"And, does Dark exist?", he continued. The professor answered "Of course".
This time the student responded, "Again you're wrong,Sir. Darkness does not
exist either. Darkness is in fact simply the absence of light. Light can be studied,
darkness can not. Darkness cannot be broken down. A simple ray of light tears
the darkness and illuminates the surface where the light beam finishes. Dark is
a term that we humans have created to describe what happens when there's lack
of light."
Finally, the student asked the professor, "Sir, does evil exist?" The professor
replied, "Of course it exists, as I mentioned at the beginning, we see violations,
crimes and violence anywhere in the world, and those things are evil."
The student responded, Sir, Evil does not exist. Just as in the previous cases,
Evil is a term which man has created to describe the result of the absence of
God's presence in the hearts of man.
After this, the professor bowed down his head, and didn't answer back.
The young man's name was ALBERT EINSTEIN.

I Just Keep Dancing

2008-06-01T22:48:00.000-07:00

I Just Keep Dancing

"Body, heart and mind, unified as one- that is thesoul. It's not abstract. It's real energy, a realpresence that thrives when people are connected- allsystems kick in- the psyche is fluid.

My practice is to keep moving. By being responsiblefor my own energies, I can be responsive to others.Every day I empty out the past. I have a lot of pastto empty out; some parts of it I will be letting go offorever, some parts won't let go of me. I just keep dancing.

I dance to give myself permission to be—to be real,honest, raw, vulnerable, and all the things I havebeen told not to be. I dance till I am empty. Idance till I am full. My dance is my prayer."

- Gabrielle Roth, from "Dance of the Wounded Heart,"Handbook for the Heart- Original Writings on Love,edited by Richard Carlson and Benjamin Shield, © 1998.

Black Crowes - Taste of Addison

2008-05-20T02:19:00.000-07:00

Black Crowes
Saturday, May 10
Taste of Addison

Alright it is time to write about Saturday night at Taste of Addison. My son and I returned on Saturday night for Black Crowes. I was looking forward to hearing "She Talks to Angels" and "Hard to Handle" but did not remember any of their other songs. Most of their performance was instrumental rock not many vocals. Nothing noteworthy. They played "She Talks to Angels" about halfway through the concert and it did not even sound like the version you hear on the radio. The music and vocals sounded fuzzy and unclear. After waiting through a number of instrumental songs everyone was dissapointed that they skipped "Hard to Handle". There was no explanation from the band for the omission. The crowd was booing and only dispursed when they saw the festival crew cleaning up the stage area. I think everyone assumed the band would return to play their big hit as an encore.

Needless to say, Saturday night was a big let down after Fridays' performances were so good and such a crowd pleaser. The only reassuring thought is that if they had played their hit, it would not have sounded anything like the originally recorded version. A big thumbs down to Black Crowes. They have proven that they are Hard To Handle.

EDS Jazz Band

2008-05-19T19:43:00.000-07:00

EDS Jazz Band
Monday, May 19
Allen Parks & Rec

Well I just returned from a concert at Allen's Joe Farmer Rec Center. I had never heard theEDS Jazz Band. They can really swing. There are 23 members of the band. 4 of them are vocalists. The rest heavy on brass. They performed alot of old big band/jazz selections. Blue Moon, Day by Day, At Last, even a Beatles hit I can't remember the name of. They played "It Might As Well Be Spring" but a different more uptempo version. All in all a great concert. If any readers remember a song I haven't listed please comment.

On my myspace, I have the concert lineup for Allen listed. It wasn't as hot as I thought it would be. We had a nice breeze. I wish it could last all summer.

Switchfoot & Gavin DeGraw

2008-05-18T00:22:00.000-07:00

Taste of Addison Friday, May 9, 2008

My son and I attended Taste of Addison 2008 last weekend. I will devote this one blog to just Friday night when we saw Switchfoot and Gavin DeGraw. Out of the 2 acts I would say Switchfoot performed the best. Every popular hit they performed sounded as good or better than the recorded version. The lead singer also came out into the audience several times - a very brave deed - had you seen the number of people. They really played to the audience and drew the crowd in. Gavin DeGraw gave a terrific performance as well playing "I don't Wanna Be" about halfway through. After holding Chariot off until the end he sang acoustic versions of SilverBells? and other songs while holding the audience past their patience and lost a little love in the process. At least we were able to hear all the hits that brought us out and kept us there. Saturday night still smarts, another blog about that later.

Wildflower Festival - Richardson Texas

2008-05-18T00:06:00.000-07:00

Friday night I attended the Wildflower Festival in Richardson. I was able to hear Loverboy, Pat Benatar, Eve 6 & Everclear live and in person all in one night. Although $15 admission is not as easy to swallow as the $5 I paid last weekend at Taste of Addison it was a nice concert. At least every band there played all their top hits. I heard AM Radio, Father of Mine, Heartbreaker, Working for the Weekend, and We Belong to the Night as well as many other familiar songs. Everyone at Taste of Addison was bummed when Black Crowes played everything except Hard to Handle. At least these acts remembered their fans. The people and the songs who got them where they are today. The weather could not have been sweeter. Cool and dry, jacket weather. Couldn't ask for anything more, except maybe a discount.

A big thumbs up to the City of Richardson and all the above mentioned artists. Thank God for the heavenly weather.

Visit www.myspace.com/dfwevents

2008-05-15T20:09:00.001-07:00

Also visit www.myspace.com/dfwevents

My MySpace page

UTD Jazz Band

2008-05-15T18:52:00.000-07:00

UTD Jazz Band
JAZZ CONCERT REVIEW - UTD Spring Arts Festival

On Friday evening, May 2, I attended a phenomenal jazz band concert at UTD. Every time I attend one of these concerts they surprise me. During "It Might As Well Be Spring" I wanted to get up and dance in the aisles. I haven't heard that song in ages. As usual, I refrained, wanting to hear the rest of the concert. For those unfamiliar with the twice yearly UTD arts festival, for one weekend in the fall and again in May, you can see art and performances all weekend long: Jazz Band, Chamber Orchestra, Chorale Singers, Dance concerts & visual art. Moving from venue to venue on the campus, you will be entertained and enlightened.

Miss Pettigrew

2008-05-15T05:11:00.000-07:00

I went to see Miss Pettigrew on Tuesday night at the discount theater.
It was fun to see Frances McDormand again. She is such a great
comedic actress. Amy Adams was hilarious as the boy crazy actress. I had no idea
how funny this film was. You must go to see it if you can. It is set at the beginning
of WW2 in England. When the movie was finished I stayed in my seat
to see the faces of people leaving. Everyone left with a smile on their
face. I did too.

Richardson Senior Center Concert

2008-05-15T04:59:00.000-07:00

I attended a wonderful concert of the Richardson Community Band on Wednesday night
at the Richardson Senior Center. They always play such uplifting music. And of course
there are always George's jokes. Always fresh. Always exciting. Keep em rolling in the
aisles George. Well enough about that. The Mary Poppin's medley was great. I thought the parasol/umbrella that the conductor whipped out was a little unnecessary but I guess he wanted to keep the audiences attention. And then the Irving Berlin medley was memorable. I did
know all the tunes in the medley just like they said I would. The cookies and punch and friendly people. It doesn't get any better than that. Everyone had enough cookies to last at least a week. I know the Wellington place brings them - I wonder who makes them. They are so yummy. Did you know that there was a special arrangement written just for George Jones and the Richardson Community Band to commemorate their 25th "Silver" Anniversary this year? John Wasson composed Silver Celebration Overture in honor of George Jones and the Richardson Community Band. We were the second audience to ever hear Silver Celebration Overture performed on Wednesday night. WOW!

Baby Training

2008-05-15T04:34:00.000-07:00

Today was another interesting day in my job search. Yet one more employer lost out on an
opportunity to grow her business. I was told she needed 2 extra people in the Plano area. After we spoke she said great. I was to come and meet with her and the other chosen one for
a short training session understanding I had been hired. I drove more than a half hour
in each direction for the meeting and was instructed as to how to do the job and that I would hear from her when I was to pick up the materials. 2 weeks passed as I continued to try and call and find out when I needed to pick up the materials and had my calls dodged by her husband. I finally get a voice mail that she has realized that she did not need the extra people after all and sorry for the time spent. And sorry for not returning my calls. Forget about the time spent - at today's gas prices that meeting cost me 10 to 15 dollars. Not money easily spent when unemployed. I was the best dressed one at the meeting. The other brought her baby with her to the meeting. I was the one who wasn't going to get the job? I would have gladly paid to babysit if I had known I might get the job bringing a 1 year old along. Interesting? I have to say that is the first interview or training session that I shared with another - much less with baby in tow.