Im'ma Be on TV, Maybe.....*

* probably not.  (EDIT BELOW)

Mel gave me a heads up on Thursday that a local TV station would be at the shop that morning; filming a segment on how to have lovely wedding flowers on a budget. Knowing that I would only be in the background, if at all, I nevertheless dressed in slightly better clothes than I ordinarily do (which isn't saying much....lol) and I wore jewelry, which I seldom do for work.

I had barely gotten in the door when the truck, blazoned with WTVD Channel 11 on the side, parked out front. Shortly, the door opened and a reporter came in. Mel had set up his consultation table with examples of how to decorate wedding tables on a budget. The cameraman followed, and the interview commenced. I was in the rear of the shop, conditioning flowers for the weekend's weddings.

As the interview ended, the reporter (Amber Rupinta), came into the work area and was introduced to me. She appears to be a very pretty woman on TV, but in person, she is gorgeous!! (Amber, you should wear red everyday!) Amber spoke with us while the camera man took footage of the flowers I was conditioning, opening boxes, etc. I sincerely doubt that any of that footage will make the newscast, but just in case, it will be shown in the 4pm news segment on WTVD, Channel 11, Raleigh, Durham and surrounding areas, on Friday.

*NOT!   LOL!!   Mel looked good, though. I reminded him that the camera adds ten pounds. I didn't really expect to be on camera, so it didn't surprise me - or bother me - at all.

Blog Fodder?

Do you have some???? I sure need it. I'm at the bottom of an empty barrel when it comes to subjects I can blog about. 

I don't want to talk about that stinker Arnold - others have done that better than I could and the subject disgusts me.  Since American Idol is almost over, I won't discuss that either, or Dancing with the Stars. So You Think You Can Dance is coming back next week after a long hiatus. I love that show. It is fun to watch people who dance for the sheer joy of movement and expression,  especially when they are very good at it. Some of the audition shows are painful to watch, and other are downright funny, but I enjoy all of it, so I'm  looking forward to that.

I get to work with Mel again, which is always good, and then on Sunday, I am going to meet a blogger I have really wanted to meet in person for over 5 years! I know that I won't be disappointed - I just hope that she isn't!! I'll tell you all about it next week.

You Just Never Know...Do You?

EDIT BELOW:  When you put something on a blog, you realize, of course, that it is in the public domain and may be seen and read by anyone. Little do you know, however, how far and wide your little seeds might scatter and where they will ultimately land. 

Today I got an email that I very nearly chucked into the spam file....but something told me to check it out first. I opened that email, and it was from a woman who works for a nationally known TV program, on that peacock network. She had seen a photo of my kitchen on my blog and wondered if I would give permission for them to use it on the show. I couldn't believe it.

I am under no illusions here, and I know that my photo will be used as the "before" kitchen; or as my daughter says, the one they proclaim as the disaster.  Apparently the theme of the segment  will be "how to update old Formica counter tops" and since mine are over thirty years old, they certainly fit that category!

Doubtless it will do no good, but I did mention that if they would like to come and update my kitchen or den, they are most welcome!

They will let me know if my photo is used on the show sometime tomorrow after they tape. If it will be used, I'll post an update here so you can watch the show.

EDIT:   Apparently I misunderstood how it works. The show in which they might use my photo tapes later today and will not be on TV until sometime later. I also heard that they found "a much worse" kitchen than mine, so they may not use my photo.  Seems orange form*ca is worse than yellow.....LOL

Free to a good home.....one handicapped frog; missing one foot and leg. When I was cleaning windows on Saturday, this one slipped out of my hand and fell into the kitchen sink.

Trying to upload photos is tiresome business, especially since Blogger is not cooperating with me. It took four minutes to get this one up. Bah!

When I left the flower shop in Cary yesterday, it was 96* and the forecast for today and the rest of the week shows it hovering around 98*. ENOUGH already!! (A voice crying in the wilderness.....)

Overnight temps are in the 70's, so that means that the swimming pool has already cooled to below 80* - even though it is hotter than Hades during the day. I won't get anywhere near the pool unless the water temperature is over 83*, so that's it for the remainder of the season for me. My grandchildren don't mind, though, and one of them will swim until the water gets down to 70*. Too bad they don't live a bit closer so they can swim more often.

I'm working every day this week except Tuesday.....and grateful for it!  The economy may not have picked up where you are, but around here, people are buying flowers for weddings, birthdays, illness, etc. The shop was really busy yesterday - especially for Monday. Mr. kenju doesn't like it much when I am gone, but we need a break from each other now and then....and the pay doesn't hurt either.

Are you looking forward to your favorite shows coming back in the fall?  I am, and a wee bit interested to see some of the new ones as well. Dancing with the Stars will start its 11th season, I think. Why they had to ask that Palin kid to come on the show is beyond me. She's NO star!! They must be scraping the bottom of the barrel at this point. I'd almost rather watch Kenny Mayne dance....LOL!  (Edit: after watching the announcement tonight of the "stars" on the show this season, I am singularly unimpressed!)

American Idol will come back with new judges (at this point we don't know who, for certain). Will you miss Simon? I do hope that whomever they choose to replace Simon doesn't think he/she has to be just as nasty as he was sometimes.

Survivor will have oldies facing off against young people. The last time they tried that it wasn't very interesting. Maybe these groups will be different. Can you tell I watch a lot of reality TV?    I love fictional dramas, nature shows and science/medical stuff too, but I enjoy watching "real" people and seeing the psychology of it all (even though they are sometimes obnoxious!)

What's your favorite TV show? 

In Southern Pines, NC last weekend, we read the local newspaper, The Pilot, and found two things that may be of interest.

I am hoping that you will be able to click and enlarge the articles about "The Fonz" and the new Andy Griffith/Mayberry Museum in Mt. Airy, NC.

Wes, Jim, Oprah and Me

Tuesday on Oprah, there was a man named Wes Moore, who has written a book titled "The Other Wes Moore". He learned about a man who grew up in the same neighborhood, with the same name and got to know the guy years later - when he was in prison for murder. There were many parallels in their lives; deprived childhoods, no father, surrounded by drugs and crime, but the Wes Moore who wrote the book was saved by a determined mother and loving grandparents who sent him off to military school. He eventually became a Rhodes Scholar and has become very successful in his life. I am planning to read that book (which came out today) and maybe it would appeal to you too.

The second half of the program was about a man named Jim Killeen, who googled his name and found 24 other men named Jim Killeen - all over the globe. He corresponded with many of them, and eventually six of them decided to meet - in Killeen, Texas. They all felt an instant connection (with some more than others). One of them is an Irish Catholic priest, one is a father of eight, one is from Australia. There was quite an age range as well as ranges in weight and other stats. I thought several of them looked remarkably similar, although the only one who turned out to be distantly related to the original guy, does not. It was fascinating to me and I hope that the first Jim Killeen - the one who gathered them all together - will also write a book about his experiences .

You may remember reading my tale here about the time I first tried to join Facebook. It wouldn't let me join with the name (short version) I use daily, because there was already someone else with that name on Facebook. That intrigued me, so I sent her a message (she lives in another state) and found out through subsequent communications that she has a sister who lives a mere 20 miles from me. We haven't met yet, but I am hoping that we will this summer.

Having googled my names before, I know that there is a third one in Chicago and the fourth in Florida, and I suspect there may be more of them who simply haven't shown up on the webs yet. I would love to meet all of them and to get them all in one place like Jim Killeen did with his namesakes. Wouldn't that be interesting ?? Jim Killeen had a list of 30 + questions that he asked all of the men who cooperated with him. They didn't go into it enough for me on Oprah's show - because I would really like to know how they are alike and how they are different. I wonder if a chart could be developed to show how much and in what ways they are similar and where their differences lie and to what each difference could be attributed. I think I should have been a sociologist!!

Have you ever met or known of someone with your same name (who wasn't a relative?)

Rest in Peace, Dixie...

You were a fine example of womanhood.

Back when Designing Women was on hiatus, and CBS was planning to cancel it, I wrote a letter asking them to reconsider. I guess a lot of other people did too, because CBS brought it back from the dead, so to speak. In thanks, they sent this letter, and at Christmas, I received this postcard from the cast. It is too bad that the letters were not signed personally, but appear to be copies.

(originally posted at Just Ask Judy in 2006)

What to write?
Where to start?

I've no ideas or plans tonight.
Let's see what happens, shall we?

The day started with a haircut for me; one sadly needed, since I had begun to resemble a Q-tip. I persuaded mr. kenju to go with me so he wouldn't have to spend the day by himself. I'll be working tomorrow and Wednesday, and likely be gone all day. After my haircut, we went to Penney's, the Post Office, Costco, Trader Joe's, the gas station, two banks, Chick-Fil-A for lunch, then he got a haircut* too, (different place) and on to the pharmacy for yet another prescription.

* Mr. kenju was blessed with good thick hair, but as it grows, it gets curlier and curlier. Because I've been working so much, he hasn't been able to get out for a haircut. I told him this morning he looked like "Luigi" who just landed off the boat from the old country! Luigi and the Q-tip really needed haircuts today!

Getting into and out of the car all those times made my hip hurt. I don't usually like leather seats in the car, since they burn me up in summer and freeze me in winter. But now I'm beginning to see the beauty in being able to slide in and out instead of dragging my (increasingly large) butt over the velour upholstery.

Remember when I ranted about the digital conversion fiasco? On Thanksgiving I asked my son to take my TV out of the garage and put it upstairs in my office. It is a newer and better TV and I was hoping that it would get more channels than the old one did (with the digital converter box). Today I finally removed 4 years worth of dust and grime, plugged it in and did a new scan. I now get two more channels, (bringing the total to six) although still not the one I want - WTVD (ABC). I'm trying to be grateful for small advances. The next move is to get a cable splitter and more cable and hook this TV up to that. I'm fearful that it might make for difficulty in keeping my computer connection, but I won't know if I don't try. I can always switch it back.

I love my cats, but one of them is driving me nuts. She constantly sticks her paw into the water bowl, knocks it about until some or all of the water spills and laps the water off the floor. She does this even when the bowl is clean and freshly filled. I don't understand why. I surmised that she may have cataracts and the only way she can test if there is water in the bowl is to stick her paw in it, but that doesn't really make sense. I am at my wits end. The hallway off the kitchen where I keep their food and water is also home to their litter pan. They track clay litter into the wet spots that are always on the floor and it leaves an icky residue that I have to mop everyday. I've looked for heavy, flat-sided bowls that wouldn't tip easily, but I haven't found any. The other idea I had was to get a wide board and glue the water and food bowls to it so it can't be tipped over. That would make cleaning and refilling a pain, but at least the floor wouldn't always look so bad. What would your solution be?

Ear Wax, Fallen Leaves and Cable Remotes

When I get to the point that I can't hear well even with my hearing aids turned up, it usually means I have ear wax in abundance. Tuesday, I went to C*stco's hearing aid dept., to get my ears checked. The manager there, who I liked lots has flown the coop and a woman has taken his place. She checked my ears but neither had any wax, which was a big surprise to me. At the time she checked it, my right ear was completely stopped up. She advised me to see my doctor, who, she said, would put me on some sort of antihistamine or other sinus meds. My reaction: "Oh, joy, just what I need - more meds." She also made an appointment for me to get my hearing tested again in the middle of December, just in case the sinuses were not the cause of the problem. I may cancel that if I see it's not necessary. I took a Cl*ritin tonight. Wish me luck!

***

Our yard men came today to blow 14 days worth of fallen leaves; some of which were still wet from the steady rains last week. Six men, either wearing back-pack blowers or pushing air blowers on wheels worked for at least 40 minutes to corral the leaves into the natural areas of our yard. An hour after they left, you could barely tell they had been here. I wish a front would come in that had winds high enough to blow all the leaves off the trees at one time - but not high enough to blow limbs off or uproot trees. Who do I have to call to order that?

Guess what? The guys blew Stella the spider away! Mr. kenju noticed at dinner time that she was not in her usual spot. I opened the door and saw the remnants of her latest web creation (which really had been a beautiful sight) blowing in the breeze and Stella was no where to be seen. I hope she comes back and I'll let you know if she does.

***

Monday night the cable TV remote quit working. I turned it off in the afternoon and when mr. kenju turned it on after dinner - nothing happened. I turned on the TV and the cable box manually and proceeded to re-program the remote, but nothing worked. I had done it many times before and had no problems, so I called the local cable trouble-shooter for help. Either she was watching a sit-com or she was at home herding her children, but I distinctly heard kids in the background. LOL

I told her my tale of woe; she re-booted the box, to no avail. She told me to return the remote and get a new one, which I did the next day. Guess what? It doesn't work either. Pooh. That means I'll call them back and they'll tell me when their guy can come out to the house and install a new cable box**. I'm sure it will be three weeks from next Tuesday, between the hours of midnight and midnight, give or take a few.....

Update: Glory Be!! The cable service people will be here between 1pm and 3pm today!! According to the woman I spoke with last night, we have "low signals"; meaning a new cable box is in order. YAY!

** My younger daughter will say..."I told you so!" She's been telling me for months that we needed a new box.

More from Ecuador + The Vast Wasteland

More from my daughter's trip to Ecuador - mostly of Quito in this batch. I have no idea what we're looking at, so I'll just offer them for your viewing pleasure.

To the two new followers over there in the sidebar: I wish I knew who you are, but you didn't leave a comment and there is no icon for you. Delurk, please, and let me know who you are so I can thank you and return the favor!

*****

The statement that television is a "Vast Wasteland" was never truer at any other time of year than in the month of August. Here are some excerpts from Newton Minow's speech. What are you watching this month?

Vintage North Carolina

Click to enlarge - I hope. These are a few places I've been privileged to decorate for weddings and other events. Top: The Greystone Inn, Wilmington, NC.

"Oakview" in Raleigh, NC. Sadly, it is no longer available for weddings.

A private home in Wake Forest, NC. In case you can't read the sign, it says:

"Who would turn back 2 Hundred yeare, Let him A-light and Enter here.

This place has some interesting history; Dudley Moore stayed here in the 1980's with his then wife, who was from the Durham area. The original owners told me how Dudley began playing the piano in the parlour one evening, to the delight of all the guests. I wish I'd been there. I loved Dudley Moore!

====================================================================

Did you see Boston Legal tonight? I am so glad to know that Denny Crane "crossed the aisle"! Seldom does a fictional drama allow its characters to set forth political views in the way that this show does. While it ended in a silly paint-ball spat between Denny and Alan, the actual dialog was masterful. That is also true of their courtroom closing arguments, no matter what topic they are debating. I am sad to know that this is the final year for Boston Legal, and hopeful that re-runs will be shown somewhere forever.

NOTE: at least five of you have told me that you cannot leave a comment on my blog. I just changed back to the older style of comment box - please let me know if you still cannot comment: kenju99@gmail.com

Click to embiggen!

This show was one of my all-time favorites. When the powers-that-be decided to cancel it, I was one of the thousands of people who wrote to the network in support of keeping the show. This is the letter I got in response. I doubt it would be worth anything because the signatures (although real) were copied.

Two years later, I got this postcard from the show. Below is the reverse side. I don't know why the scanner didn't copy the postmark. It was December 13, 1989.




Have you ever written to a network in support of a TV show?

Typewriter Art....Believe it or Not! (Plus TV)

Here's another of the amazing emails going around. Would you believe that these art works were made on a typewriter? Scroll down for the text of the email.

Paul Smith, the man with extraordinary talent was born in Philadelphia on September 21, 1921 with severe cerebral palsy. Not only had Paul beaten the odds of a life with spastic cerebral palsy, a disability that impeded his speech & mobility but also taught himself to become a master artist as well as a terrific chess player even after being devoid of a formal education as a child.


'When typing, Paul used his left hand to steady his right one. Since he couldn't press two keys at the same time, he almost always locked the shift key down and made his pictures using the symbols at the top of the number keys. In other words, his pictures were based on these characters.... @ # $ % ^ & * ( ) _

Across seven decades, Paul created hundreds of pictures. He often gave the originals away. Sometimes, but not always, he kept or received a copy for his own records. As his mastery of the typewriter grew, he developed techniques to create shadings, colors, and textures that made his work resemble pencil or charcoal drawings.'

This great man passed away on June 25, 2007, but left behind a collection of his amazing artwork that will be an inspiration for many.

~~~~~~~~~

Boston Legal has been one of my top favorite shows for five years and I anxiously awaited the first show of this season, purported to be the last. Okay.......I watched part of it tonight and I am here to report that Boston Legal has officially 'jumped the shark.' Stupid fantasy sequences, interspersed with idiocy about Denny Crane's dangling "parts" served to put me in a daze - and not in a good way. They will have to forget the nonsense and get back to basics before I will spend another minute watching that drivel.

TNT has the best new show of the season, so far.......Raising the Bar.......and they saw fit to place it on the schedule opposite Boston Legal (Monday 10:00 pm) At first, I was upset about that. Now I see that I needn't have worried. It's "Raising the Bar" for me!


Dancing with the Stars started off with a bang. I think Lance Bass shows great promise, as does Cody Linley (I think I got the name right) a boy with more poise than most teenagers have. Cloris Leachman was on a comedy roll, but made the show run long. They'll have to keep her under control if she gets voted back. I wanted to see Susan Lucci (mr. kenju's fantasy girlfriend), but I inconveniently fell asleep. I think it is odd that she is the only dancer I didn't see. What did I miss? Was she good?

Money, Money, Money..........Money!

Do you ever feel like you might as well do this with your money? Pretty soon, this may be all it is good for!


MONEY.......used in new and artfully wondrous ways! Go see. REALLY! GO SEE!

%%%%%

While watching the Emmy's tonight, I was struck by how many awards were won by 30 Rock and the people on it. I guess I ought to start watching it, huh? I have never seen it, nor did I ever watch CSI or Law and Order or West Wing. It's a good thing I don't have a DVR because if I recorded all the shows I'd like to see, there'd be no time for anything else.

What are your favorites, and what do you plan to watch in the new Fall season?

Dance, Eye Shadow and a Birthday

The reason for this photo will become clear in the third paragraph.

I watched the finale of "Dance Wars" last night; what a waste of two hours that was. Filled with flashbacks from the first 4-5 episodes, plus interviews with Carrie Ann and Bruno which proved to be embarrassingly repetitive (and boring). To top it off, the wrong team won, IMO.

During the show, they announced the new contestants on the next series of "Dancing With the Stars", and my reaction to the list was "ho-hum". The only 2 worth mentioning are Marlee Matlin and Kristi Yamaguchi. Kristi, married to a Hurricanes Hockey player, lives near us and has been seen shopping at stores around here. Mr. kenju saw her at a local restaurant recently, but I've never had the pleasure. She was a favorite of mine in the skating world and I am sure to root for her in the dance show as well. At least she will look good in the outfits. Also in the show is Priscilla Presley, age 62. Can she keep up with the younger ones? Kenny was heard to wonder if she will object to wearing skimpy costumes.....LOL. We will see.

This question came to me during the show....."Who in the world thought it was a good idea to put blue eye shadow on Kenny Mayne?" He looked surreal! And another thing....."Why does Lisa Rinna think her lips need to be the size of a grouper (see photo above) before she stops adding collagen?"

Note to Blogger: You would do us all a big favor if you would enable click and drag for photos, so they could be placed exactly where we want them to be in the post!!

*********

Exactly 42 years ago today I gave birth to our first child; our son, our joy, who made us burst with pride and pleasure. I remember it as if it were today - a cold, rainy night....a quick trip to the hospital (mr. kenju ran red lights and drove faster than he should have). I cannot believe it has been 42 years, and I wouldn't take a trillion dollars for him. Happy Birthday, Sonny Boy!