The Wiz Live! - A Review

I liked it. I enjoyed the music, the characters, the messages. Being familiar with the movie, I was most concerned about the Scarecrow (who can compare to Michael Jackson?), but Elijah Kelley did the part proud. I want to see this live on stage – it looks like a lot of fun.

Understand The Wiz is not based on the 1939 movie The Wizard of Oz, but on L. Frank Baum's novel. Thus, like the book, none of the witches are green and the shoes are silver. It is, as it ever will be, a story about a girl finding her way home.

One issue I had with this production was that there seemed to be a lot of close ups. Too much like T.V. and not enough like Theater, for my taste.

Here are some of my real time observations – they may be a little spoilery if you haven't seen the show, so proceed with caution:

--Toto ain't got nothing on Nanny [the dog in last year's Peter Pan Live!]

--"What had happened was…" is one of my favorite expressions of all time.

--I shouldn't be surprised that David Alan Grier can sing, but I am.

--Love that snarl! Love the costume! Love David Alan Grier!

--Okay, so in the movie, were the accordion things that terrified me as a child supposed to be shape shifters?

--I really really really don't like Halo (mandarin orange) commercials.

--You're excited for The Wiz so you're quoting The Wizard of Oz? Oh, SNL.

--Are they voguing?

--That Rihanna commercial? Nope.

--"Ain't nobody givin' us nothin'"

--I love you Mary J. , but that cackle was a little weird.

--I do like the Walmart commercial with the boy picking out a gift for his (soon to be) step sister.

--Yay! Taraji, Mary J., and Kerry are back! Listening to salsa! Marc Anthony, if I'm not mistaken. Which I probably am.

--"That's right - Nothing wrong with being a woman" Love it!

--"The places you wind up when you don't look where you're going" Preach!

--There is something about Glinda the Good being dark skinned and proclaimed beautiful. So wonderful.

--I shouldn't be surprised that Uzo Aduba can sing, but I am.

Misc.

Auto-correct doesn't like you so much as it likes to laugh at you.

We already know there are fewer Oscar buzz films with people of color in key roles than there were last year. So when the nominations come around, let's not complain. A simple shrug, a roll of the eyes, at most a Well, what did you expect? Of course they dug in. Hollywood's not liberal at all, you know.

Then back to work. We've got stereotypes and stigmas to destroy. Bring me my 50+ year old female action heroes.

If the horrific atrocities perpetrated by law enforcement (as captured via cell phone and body cam), are not representative of every police officer,

Then why would every Syrian refugee seeking to escape the bombs of Assad and the terror of ISIS be representative of ISIS-sponsored terrorism?

Are you sure you believe All Lives Matter?

It wasn’t until Season 2, Episode 3 of The Librarians that I realized the character Ezekiel Jones is British, not Australian. Unless he's really Australian. In which case, never mind.

If armbands or ID cards for Muslims are enacted, best believe actions segregating and identifying others will follow. Given this recent rhetoric, Trump sounds like the Hitler of my high school text book. First Muslims, then who?

Sikhs, naturally, because everyone's afraid of turbans. Buddhists so as not to anger China. Catholics, to reinforce the notion of a sectarian society. Remember when Trump made fun of Ben Carson's religion? Could certain branches of the Protestant tree be included? Latter-Day-Saints, definitely, and 7^th Day Adventists, for sure. Perhaps Southern Baptists, just because, and Pentecostals, because they're too loud anyway.

And after the IDs? Are back to redlining neighborhoods and forcing people to live in specified areas? And after that?

You know the McDonald's commercial with Mike Ditka & Jerry Rice? Why isn't Ditka wearing Bears gear and Rice wearing Niners gear? Ditka in Packers gear does not look right. At All.

Was it this bad after 9/11? The rush to political punditry? Or did the absence of Twitter (and my failure to regularly check my Friendster account) allow me to grieve and process in peace?

Peach Blueberry Crumble

Ingredients:

3 large peaches, sliced
6 oz of blueberries
1/2 cup of butter, cubed & cold
1/2 cup of brown sugar
1/2 cup of flour
1/2 cup of oatmeal

Process:
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine peaches & blueberries. If you must, you can add a bit of sugar, maybe no more than a 1/4 cup. Set aside.

Put the brown sugar, flour, and oatmeal into a bowl, mix together.

Add the cubed, cold butter.

Use a pastry cutter to combine the butter with the dry ingredients (Or use your hands, like I did).

Gently spread the oatmeal mixture over the fruit.

Bake for ~30 minutes, or until the top is crunchy and to your liking.

Salad Dressing Hack

I watch The Kitchen on Food Network, where I saw this recipe for Goat Cheese and Blackberry Vinagrette.

It looked to be more work than I am willing to put in for a salad (after all, I just started eating salad sort of regularly), so I hacked it:

1 tablespoon of crumbled goat cheese + 2 tablespoons of lite raspberry vinagrette = dressing for a few baby spinach leaves.

A few notes:

• I've only made this once, but I will likely do it again before the end of the week
• I didn't use a whisk because I didn’t want to wash it (lazy alert)
• I didn't leave the goat cheese in very crumbly, but instead mashed it a bit as I whipped with a spoon
• According to the bottle, 2 tablespoons is a 1 serving of salad dressing

All in all, it was yummers.

Jurassic World: A Review

Jurassic World shows us what we have learned since the failures of Jurassic Park. John Hammond's dream has come to life, and is plagued with all of the promise and problems of a live animal theme park. There are people who respect the dinosaurs (Chris Pratt), people who learn to (Bryce Dallas Howard), and people who don't (Vincent D'Onofrio).

It's a competent sequel to Jurassic Park, referencing and recognizing the source in many ways, including the presence of BD Wong.

Yes, it is irritating that Bryce Dallas Howard's character runs around in heels. I kept wishing the screenwriters would have Romancing the Stone'd the shoes (i.e, lopped off the heels with a machete). Others have illuminated issues with this character; suffice to say, the franchise needs another Dr. Ellie Sattler.

And the relationship between the leads is a little bit cheesy. When they kiss, it's hard not to say What? Really? Now?

Jurassic World has earned its PG-13 rating with mostly bloodless violence and the maximum allowable number of specific cuss words. I'd say its kid-appropriateness is a little higher than Iron Man 3.

Overall, I enjoyed the movie. The more I think about it, the more eager I am for a Jurassic Marathon: Jurassic Park followed by Jurassic World. The makings of a lovely lazy Sunday afternoon. I might even pay money to see it as a double feature in a movie theater. 

A Trip to the Beach

I took a route through the Santa Monica Mountains, putting along in fourth gear, winding through several short tunnels,

past a winery,

It's Livermore South! Or Sonoma County...
(Malibu Rocky Oaks Estate Vineyards)

to the PCH. Pacific Coast Highway. Northbound, to the Zuma Beach exit, which took me down and around and under the highway to the ocean.

The day was overcast, beautifully complementing the grey blue green of the ocean.

There were teenagers/young adults playing volleyball in their bikinis, families with tents and blankets reposing on the sand, surfers, wet suits zipped, strolling to the water.

As I walked to what would be my resting spot, a flock of kids* in black swimsuits swarmed into the water. I was nearing the main life guard station, where men in that familiar BayWatch red stood observing and commenting among themselves. The kids in black swam to a buoy and back to shore, picking up their knees in a high goose step as they waded through the surf. Lifeguard Trainees, perhaps?

I settled in, unpacking my chair, putting water in the cup holder, perching my reading glasses on my nose.

It was cold.

Out came the beach towel to do duty as a blanket; up went the hood of my hoodie; into the sand I dug my toes. Now I was ready.

Like a Boss...who left her bifocals at home

I finished reading The Little White Bird (the first novel where Peter Pan appears), as kids played in the surf and surfers tried to catch waves (Unfortunately, surfing conditions were terrible.) A young man from one of the groups camped nearby went out to where the waves were cresting, boogie board in hand (the boogie board/body surfing conditions seemed excellent**).

A helicopter, which had flown by earlier, made another pass. And another. And another, getting closer not only to the shore, but to those of us sitting there.

Hello!

 Yep. My spot to relax was in front of the Sheriff Department's helipad.

The kids in black once again swarmed to the water, this time with bright yellow buoys.

And flippers. They goose-stepped into the surf, flippers in hand, slung their buoys over their shoulders and dived into the ocean.

As they came ashore, two (or was it three?) peeled off from the group and headed towards my stretch of beach. One stood on the shore and held his buoy in the air, like a signal. The other(s) went back into the water. I realized they were surrounding the young man who had gone out with his boogie board. All were able to swim safely back to shore, though the young man's board was no longer tethered to his wrist. It was several feet away, being pushed and pulled as the tide came in.

Those were no trainees.

I won't be getting rescued from the water by any handsome, well-cut lifeguards   ever. Because that water is cold.

Though still overcast, the air began to warm. I pulled my toes from beneath the sand; the sand itself was comfortable and cozy. My nose had become accustomed to the salty ocean scent, my ears to the rhythm of the waves.

I think I know where I might spend the 4^th of July.

*These would be teenage/young adult kids, not elementary age or toddlers. Though some did look like they could've been in 8^th grade.

**I know little to nothing about boogie or body boarding. Or surfing for that matter. But the waves seemed just big enough to be thrilling with those short boards, but far too small to stand up and ride on a surf board.

Late to the Party

As you may be aware, it takes me a while to comment on happenings. But it doesn't mean I haven't thought about them. I’m a tortoise, not a hare.

On Guiliana and Zendaya

1. I have no problem with the beginning of Guliana's comment, that Zendaya's locks were too thick. It was the intimation that Zendaya looked like a pot-smoking hippie that didn't make sense. You have never seen a lock wearing pot smoking hippie who looked as polished as Zendaya did; such a creature may not exist. It was as if Guiliana saw a completely different person on the red carpet.

When I hear pot-smoking hippie with dredlocks I picture a white person, hair dyed blond with dark roots, and a hair texture seemingly incompatible with the nature of the style. So Guiliana's comment really confused me.

2. Kelly Osborne has since left Fashion Police, because Zendaya is her friend and Guiliana insulted her. But have you seen the clip, or transcripts of the clip? The person who verbally makes the marijuana link is purported to be Kelly Osborne. So if she was so offended, why did she consent to saying it in the first place?

3. Oh, hey. Guiliana probably doesn't write her own stuff. So as ignorant as she appeared in speaking, even more ignorant are the writers and producers who put it in the script to begin with.

On the Justice Department's Ferguson Report

1. Now know why Michael Brown was stopped for walking in the street. Revenue!

2. That police departments are commonly seen as municipal money makers surprised me. Does this go way back, like how back in the day, the candidate who bought a round (or three) at the local tavern often won the election? Or is this one of those newfangled 20^th century things? Yes, I know this is the 21st century, but I understand this practice gained traction in the 80's and 90's.

3. The report noted systematic racism exacerbated by the use of tickets and fines as a municipal funding source. Which makes the sniper attack on the Ferguson officers that much more uncalled for.

Yes, many officers harbor racist views which directly conflict with the responsibility to protect all citizens. But officers who truly have a heart to protect and serve work in a system where one is rewarded for harassing people for minor infractions. Neither protection nor service is involved. How do we fix the system so that those who have such a heart can more easily follow it?

The report, the actions of the ex-SAE chapter at Oklahoma U, even Starbucks' attempts to start honest conversations remind me of something Jay Smooth, who often blogs about racism, points out: it is possible to do racist (or sexist or other –ist) things and not be a racist. You may be acting in way you don't realize is racist, purely out of ignorance or lack of awareness. And that doesn't automatically make you a bad person. It just means like everyone else, there is room for improvement.

Now understand, this takes work. A conscious effort to see, consider, and take corrective action. Of course, it's as simple as applying the Golden Rule. With such application, you'll discover that simplicity is rarely synonymous with easy.

On the Indiana Religious Freedom Law and the Pizzeria in the Eye of a Social Media Storm

Warning: I’m about to cuss a bit.

1. If you feel the need to threaten someone simply because they have an opposing view, stop. Don't be a dumbass. The type of person who threatens death or rape or arson or other forms of personal harm or injury are part of the problem. If you're so busy flaming people because they don't agree with you, you're just as closed-minded and intolerant as you're claiming them to be. Don't be that person.

  

2. On a side note, you've heard of Muslim cab drivers refusing fares at the airport when they see people carrying alcohol? Has that ever been resolved, and if so, how? Yes, I'm too lazy to look it up.

3. A nice post for those who want a better understanding of the original law (it's since been revised), and its implications.

There and Back Again

I washed my hair,

Combed it, 

ooo, poufy...

Dried it with a blow dryer,

Sometimes I have a mind to walk into one of those blow dry only hair salons just to see their reaction.

Straightened it,

 

And curled it. 

On Monday, one of my co-worker's encouraged me to take another pass. My hair is unaccustomed to being straight, so it takes a bit more for it get there. So I

straightened

 and curled it. Again.

My hair turned out to be longer than I thought. If I get to bodacious levels of afro, it might go past my shoulders.

After a week of oil buildup,

I was ready to wash

And go back to my natural hair texture.

MythBusters – A Review

It's a new season of MythBusters, and as forewarned, the beloved trio of Kari, Grant, and Tory are no longer a part. The result?

--More on-screen graphics, from the basic physics of a particular mechanism to the Don't Try This At Home admonition. Be prepared to read (mostly relevant) information during the guys' scientific explanations.

--Myths from the world of entertainment. Each episode is a special – the Simpsons Special, the A-Team Special, etc. Unfortunately, because the sources of the myths so far have been fictional, the results can only be plausible or busted.

--A shot of the M5 Industries, Inc. sign after every commercial break. Now you know the name of Adam & Jamie's company.

--Adam in costume.

--Increased "edginess" in the form of occasional bad jokes and camera shots (Who wants to see someone's (fully clothed) butt from the inside of a toilet? Twice?).

While the changes may have brought about an arguably a "sexier" show, the core is the same. After a thing has been blown up, the data is still crunched before a result is decided upon.

If you're curious about whether you could use a whip to swing across a chasm, or slice airborne fruit with a samurai sword, the new season of MythBusters has the answers.

New episodes of MythBusters air on the Discovery Channel Saturday nights at 9:00 p.m. EST, with the prior week's episode airing at 8:00 p.m. EST.

Gum Graft: Post Op Instructions

1. Drink something cold and slushy within 30 minutes of the surgery

Yay! Jamba Juice!

But no citrus, as the acid might aggravate.

Oh. No Mango a Go Go. I settled for a Matcha Green Tea Freddo.

2. Eat only soft foods, like eggs, noodles, rice & beans, pasta

This seemed easy, until I checked my fridge and pantry. To the store for box mac & cheese and a few packs of ramen. Who knew that dental surgery would have me eating like a college student again?

On a brighter note, it was an excellent excuse to buy pudding.

3. Keep your blood pressure down, no rigorous exercise

Apparently, the higher the blood pressure, the slower the healing.

Ha! Like I do anything rigorous! I just walk at lunchtime often arriving back at the office slightly out of breath. . .

Rats.

* * * * * * * *

It's been a week and all feels well. No more horse pills, and the medicinal mouthwash no longer stings when I swish. There is sometimes pain around where the tissue was taken, but that’s getting better too. Even the silly putty band aid (seriously, the band aid looks like silly putty) is less annoying. It only feels like I have something stuck on my teeth every two hours instead of every 5 minutes. The follow up appointment's on Friday.

Gum Graft

There I was, sitting in the dentist's chair, successfully swallowing (by the grace of God) a horse pill of ibuprofen.

The procedure was a gum graft, where a bit of healthy tissue from behind one of my molars was transplanted to a thinning area above one of my incisors.

It wasn't that bad, really. Thirty-two percent of my ability to endure certain levels of pain and discomfort comes from having my hair combed as a child.

The rest of my ability came from the local anesthetic. Truly an amazing discovery, anesthesia. The backbone of modern medicine, I dare say.

At one point during the procedure, strings as light as corn hair brushed across my lips. What in the world? Oh, those must be stitches. I'm getting stitches?! Yay?

There was also a rhythmic thumping, like a small, plastic, hand held bellows was being pumped. I'd write a song to that beat if I were a lyricist.

And then it was over. I was given a prescription for more horse pill ibuprofen, and a bottle of medicinal mouthwash. "Don't eat 30 minutes after rinsing with it," said the receptionist. "It'll make whatever you're eating taste horrible." The bottle itself says,

NOTE: To minimize medicinal taste, do not rinse with water immediately after use.

That's right. Water only makes it worse. Robitussen tastes like fruit punch in comparison.

Chatted Up

I have a Nordstrom gift card burning a hole in my wallet. So I went to Westfield Topanga – the giant mall in Woodland Hills with a Tesla showroom and a carousel – to try to find a pair of heels.

(Unfortunately, the heels I'm most drawn to – a pair of classic black pointy toe beauties – are Manolo's. Outside of my budget doesn't begin to describe  )

As I trekked through the 2^nd floor maze of the mall, a man who looked old enough to be my grandfather crossed my path.

Happy New Year! he greeted with a smile.

Happy New Year! I returned, then paused. He looked like he wanted to say something else. And, as I had already dubbed him The Octogenarian, it would've been rude to brush past him without letting him speak.

Do you work? I thought he meant, was I working today?, so I replied no. He looked sad and distressed by the news. Did he think I was unemployed? I attempted to clarify.

Well, I work Monday through Friday, 9 to 5. A bit of relief,

That's a long time to work, 8 hours. But concern for my welfare.

Well, I have a lunch break.

An hour? What time?

Yes, an hour. Well, I usually leave around noon, take a walk, then eat.

Where do you walk? which I heard as Where do you work?, for he had a bit of an accent.

Brentwood.

Where do you walk?

Oh – by my office.

Hmm, yes. It's safer that way.

I sort of shrugged. I don't think about safety when I walk – I think about going out and getting back in roughly 30 minutes so I have some time to eat. I believe I said something to that effect.

Will you be here tomorrow?

No. This was a surprising line of questioning.

He was sad again. Where do you work?

Brentwood *

Ah, that's far away. I wish you could be here tomorrow. Do you like sushi?

Yes, I do like sushi. Wait, what? Is he chatting me up?

It's too bad you won't be here tomorrow

Well, we'll see how I feel after I go to church, knowing full well I would not be in the mood to drive to Woodland Hills to have lunch with an Octogenarian apparently interested in a woman who looked more than half his age.

I wish I could see you tomorrow.

<Smile> Well, it was nice talking to you. Happy New Year! At least, I think that's how I got out of the dangerously spiraling loop.

Happy New Year!

Yeah. It was kinda of weird.

* I just now realized he thought I worked in the mall. There's a reason I identify with turtles and tortoises.