Thought for the day

Today, when i woke up, i knew i was not going to have much ability to function.  i don't know why or how i knew, i just did.  It is taking every ounce of energy i have just to be.  Period.  i hate these days.  i have so many things i need to be doing and i cannot make myself do any of them right now.  No motivation at all.  i get tired so easily.  i wish there were people in my life.  Not just acquaintances or online friends or true friends that i only keep up with online because they're not around anymore.  It is hard to explain.  i feel isolated and depressed today, which sucks because it is a beautiful day and i really do not want to waste it. Oh well.  This too shall pass....i hope.

Recipe of the week - King Ranch Chicken

This is a recipe that i copied from Mom years ago.  i am not sure, but i honestly think my brother gave it to her.  i don't remember her making, which doesn't mean that she didn't, i just don't remember.  Anyway, i made it for Michael and me about a month ago and we both really enjoyed it!  Hope you do as well!

1 (3.5-4 lb) boiler/fryer, cut up
1 10 oz pkg corn tortillas, cut into quarters
1 large onion, thinly sliced or chopped
1 large green pepper, chopped
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 & 1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 10.75 oz can condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 10.75 oz can cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 10 oz can diced tomatoes and green chiles, undrained

Cook chicken in boiling water for cover 45 minutes or until tender.
Remove chicken, reserving 3 cups of broth in dutch oven.  Let chicken cool.  Skin, bone and cut into bitesize pieces.  Set aside.
Bring reserved broth to a boil.  Dip tortillas in broth 5 seconds to soften.  Set aside.
Place half of tortillas in a lightly greased 13x9x2" baking dish.  Layer with half each of chicken, onion and green pepper.  Repeat layers.
Sprinkle top with cheese, chili powder and garlic salt.
Combine soups and spread over cheese.  Top with tomatoes. (Mixture will be wet on top)
Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until thoroughly heated.  Serves 6 to 8.

Instead of a fryer, i just used 4 lbs of boneless breasts and they worked out great!

Note to self

Try not to be too sensitive about after thought invitations.  i know, it's like saying try not to be yourself, but there you have it.  Even though most likely you cannot accept the invitation, because you are in fact poor and going out is not a viable option, at least you were invited at some point this time.  Most times, you get over looked, which is even worse.  So, just be happy someone got around to inviting you and be gracious. 

Note to self

The things that have power over you only have that power because you have given it to them.  They can only rule your life if you let them.  Being affected by them is one thing but allowing them to take control is quite another.  Do what you have to do to get that control back.  It will be hard, but you can do it.

records

The other night, Michael saw my records stacked in the living room and asked me about it.  Why?  Because they are stacked in a definite pattern.  There is a method to my madness.  As i was explaining it to him, i realized that i am very OCD in my music listening habits at home.  i will attempt to explain :)

Years ago, Michael got me a record player.  Yay!  It also has a radio and a cd player in it.  Once we moved into our house, i put it in the living room to enjoy throughout the house.  It's nice to be in the office or the kitchen or the living room and having my music playing.

When i listen to music, i like to listen to different mediums.  i have lots of cds and records and do not limit myself to only listening to one kind or the other.  And radio.  If i can find a halfway decent radio station that does not play two songs then ten minutes of bad commercials, i will listen to that.  It is normally a college station, or something genre specific i find on itunes!  So, the way i spread the music out is one hour of radio, two cds and three records...then repeat.  And now, here's where it gets tricky so pay attention.  The kind of medium i begin with on a particular day depends on the numerical date.  1=radio, 2=cds, 3=records.  So, if it is the first of the month, i start out with radio...same on the 4th, 7th, 10th, etc.  Crazy, i know, but it works for me.  i am not really sure how i got this way with my music, but there you have it.  i like things organized in a particular way.  i may not always be neat with things, but when i have some sort of pattern, i tend to do better with whatever is going on at the moment.

So, back to the record stacking.  The table i have the record player on has a small footstool underneath it.  That is where i stack my records after i listen to them.  i stack them 3 at a time, so i can remember how many i have listened to.  Then, when i have listened to the next set of 3 records, i stack them on top of the previous records, but turn them a quarter.  And once the stack reaches close to the top of the underside of the table, that means it is time to shelve them alphabetically according to genre (but that's a whole nother blog lol)

There you have it.  My odd OCD music listening system.  Hey, it works for me!

Note to self

Even as young as you feel on the inside, going back to school helped with that, keep in mind that your body is 40 not 20.  You do not recover nearly as fast as you use to.  Give yourself time to heal.  Moving a refrigerator by yourself was probably not the smartest move in the long run, even if it did make you feel better to have the kitchen back in a somewhat organized manner.  Ouch!

Oh, Tony Awards....you were great!....oh sorry that was a typo

i sat through the entire show last night and parts of it were....what is the word.....painful.  i have watched this awards show every year since 1987 and last night's telecast was probably the worst one i have seen.  And, judging from Facebook, i am not the only one who feels this way.  There were some very nice moments throughout the show, just not enough.  i did think, though, that it was great how most of the winners got to give decent speeches without being cut off.  i just wish the production had used the rest of the time more wisely.

1.  2 hosts are better than one....NOT
        Multiple hosts rarely work on any awards show.  The only time i have seen it be successful was when Glenn Close, Nathan Lane and Gregory Hines cohosted the awards years ago. Alan Cummings and Kristen Chenowith did not work.  They appeared to have chemistry, but their routines were very forced and the repartee had absolutely no spontaneity.  And if Alan Cummings is going to spend 3 hours speaking in that soft, creepy "i've been playing the Emcee in Cabaret for the last 25 years" please turn up his microphone!

2.  Do a single number, not a medley
        While i do enjoy a good medley, trying to squeeze too much into the 4 or so minutes you have to perform on the Tonys does not give me much of a sense about your show other than there is a lot going on.  i found Fun Home and Something Rotten! more interesting to watch because they focused on one number and i got a taste of what their shows were like.

3.  Is it about the community members who've passed or about Josh Groban
        As much as i like Josh Groban, i think that vocals in any "in memoriam takes away from recognizing those who have passed.  And slow down!  You sped through those people so fast that it was hard to keep up.  If i blinked i would've missed like 10 names.

4.  Don't keep telling us who's coming up next
        Please stop this.  We don't really care.  Those of us who watch this show are NOT watching to see Jennifer Lopez or Nick Jonas.  We're watching because we love theater.  And if you're going to do this, at least tell us who actually is coming up next and not 2 hours later.

5.  Without the composer, lyricist and book writer there would be no musicals...give them their moment in the sun.
        Last night, history was made when the first female songwriting team won the Tony award for Best Score.  It would've been nice to see that being awarded.

6.  Put the awards in a better order
        Best Actress in a Play is the first award?  Best Play comes halfway through the telecast?  Really, people, get with it!

7.  Lifetime Achievement Award...Let us watch that
        When someone is given the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Tonys, chances are it is a theater icon that we all are familiar with.  We want to watch them get acknowledged.   The brief clip of Tommy Tune's speech was FAR more entertaining than that wretched medley salute they glued together.  And, with the icons, how often do we see them anymore...all the more reason to broadcast their award.  How sad it would have been had, when the first Lifetime Achievement Tony was given to Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn, it had not been aired.

8.  Give the plays more time
        There were some great plays on Broadway this year.  Would an extra 5 minutes have killed you?  Yes, it is hard to get a sense of a play from only a small scene, but a little more than 3 lines from each show would have been nice.

9.  Use actual theater people as presenters
         Again, those of us who actually watch have a vested interest in theater.  Hollywood has the Oscars.  Let theater have the Tonys.

10.  Do not gloss over potentially moving things.
         A lot of actors get their start in regional theaters and their inspiration from their teachers.  When Corey Mitchell was awarded the first award for Excellence in Theatre Education, how great would it have been to let him give an actual acceptance speech.  This is a once in a lifetime moment....let them bask in the glow.

Like i said, there were good things last night.  Just not enough.  The Tonys have always been one of the classiest shows on television.  It's time to return to that standard. i will watch again next year and hopefully see some improvements!

thought for the day - Sunday lunch

Growing up, our family Sunday activities almost never varied.  Church, lunch, rest and for me, add homework and church youth activities in the evening.  But, admittedly, Sunday lunch was my favorite.  It was a time to sit around the table with the family and sometimes some friends and reflect on the church service that morning, the week that preceded and the week to follow.  It almost never changed, except the venue.  We either had Sunday lunch at our house or at Grandmother's.

Lunch was normally between 1 and 2pm.  Church let out at noon, so then it was time to get things ready.  Cooking, setting the table, socializing.  When lunch was at our house, the time between getting home and lunch usually included playing the piano.  The food was always good, Mom and Grandmother were both excellent cooks.  Sometimes i'll make Grandmother's 3 hour chicken, which she made a lot, just for old time's sake.  Bill can't even stomach that dish now because we ate it so much.  Honestly, it did tend to be on the dry side...she put it in the oven before church and took it out 3 hours later after church.  i now know you do not have to cook it that long and it's still pretty good LOL

When lunch was at Grandmother's, that is when friends would come mostly.  Sometimes it would be one of the ministers and their family.  Sometimes people from the choir.  The Herrells came a lot.  It was always a good time.  Just to sit around and share a meal and fellowship.

Anyway, sometimes i really miss having that tradition in my life.  i don't call it a routine, because it was never routine.  It never felt that way.  To have that circle of people close to you that you know you will see at least once a week is something to cherish.  i think i would love to start getting together with people every Sunday to simply share a meal and be together.  Of course, i cannot afford to cook for a crowd every Sunday, but maybe potluck would work hahaha!

It is not the food that is on the table, but the people seated around it that make life wonderful.

Musical Theatre Thought - My top ten list of musicals that lost the Best Musical Tony Award

In honor of the annual Tony Awards Ceremony coming up this Sunday, i decided to come up with my own list of the the top ten musicals that failed to nab the big prize.  i did read a similar list somewhere, probably on Playbill, and it inspired me to do my own version.  In most of these cases, i think that both the show that lost and the one that won are great and both deserving of the prize, but only one can win.  In other cases, i think that clearly the wrong choice was made.  See if you agree.  i would love to know some of your choices.

The winning show is in parentheses

In no particular order:

1.  1982 Dreamgirls (Nine)

This show was nominated for 13 Tonys, winning 6 including 3 acting awards.  It was a powerhouse production noted for Michael Bennett's staging and Jennifer Holliday's legendary Act One finale.  While Nine has some lovely music in it, i think that Dreamgirls, which ran much longer and its film adaptation was far more successful, was robbed of the Tony Award that season.

2.  1964 She Loves Me (Hello Dolly)

Bock and Harnick's jewel box of a musical was under appreciated in its original run. Nominated for 5 Tonys, winning one.  i have always felt that the book for this musical is about as perfect as one can get and that, along with its charming score, makes it one of the greats.  But, there was just no stopping the powerhouse that was Hello Dolly that season.

3.  1988 Into the Woods (The Phantom of the Opera)

One of the great debates when it has come to the Tonys is substance vs. spectacle.  Into the Woods won 3 Tonys including best score and book, so just because something is deemed the best written show does not translate into the Best Musical Tony.  Not that there is no substance in Phantom, just a lot more spectacle there...and ticket sales.  i like them both, but it's apples and oranges.  Woods has lived on in productions all over the world and any other year it would have taken the prize.

4.  1984 Sunday in the Park With George (La Cage Aux Folles)

Here is another good example of substance vs. spectacle.  Both of these shows were deserving of the top prize, but i truly think that it came down to people wanting to see something splashy and fun that had not been on Broadway in a few years...and there is nothing wrong with that.  i most likely would have voted for La Cage as well.  Even though i think Sunday in the Park suffers from a poorly written 2nd act and it sometimes, as Sondheim can do, likes to show you how smartly written it is, it is still a great show that could have one.  Guess it'll have to make do with its Pulitzer.

5.  1957 The Most Happy Fella (My Fair Lady)

No one was going to beat My Fair Lady that year, and deservedly so, so i will get that out of the way now.  The Most Happy Fella, to me, is Loesser's masterpiece.  It is, by far, his most honest and beautiful score.  Groundbreaking in its subject matter, an adaptation of They Knew What They Wanted, it is a stunning piece of theater in the same way that Carousel is.  Any other year, it definitely could have and should have walked away with the prize.

6.  1960 Gypsy (The Sound of Music & Fiorello)

Here is the mother of all Best Musical travesties. Literally.  2 musicals tied for the prize that year and neither one of them was Gypsy.  The Sound of Music and Fiorello!  Bleh!  Gypsy is one of the most beloved musicals of all time with the rarity of having a better 2nd act than 1st act.  In its original run, it was 0-8 at the Tonys.  Unbelievable.  While i love The Sound of Music film, the stage version leaves A LOT to be desired.  And Fiorello!?  Really?  That one did not leave much of a footprint on the history of musical theatre.  And what's more shocking is Jule Styne's score, one of his best, was not even nominated.  But, as Ms. Merman said after losing to Mary Martin for best actress, how can you buck a nun?

7.  1991 Once On This Island (The Will Rogers Follies)

In a season dominated by spectacle and flash, there was this small intimate musical that far surpassed its competitors.  While Will Rogers, Miss Saigon and Secret Garden are all fine shows, Once on This Island is a much tighter overall package.  Had Once On This Island come along in the next few decades, when smaller musicals started getting more recognition, it definitely would have claimed its victory.  But, in 1991, Tony voters got it wrong.

8.  1976 Chicago (A Chorus Line)

A Chorus Line, there was just no getting around that one and rightfully so.  It is one of my favorites.  But, Chicago could have taken the top prize in another season.  One of Kander & Ebb's better works, it has a great score and benefited from Bob Fosse's style.  i just think that it was more accessible to audiences in the 90's than the 70's.  With the rise of social media, people enjoyed the manipulation of the media more when the revival, that is still running, came along.

9.  1972 Follies (Two Gentleman of Verona)

This groundbreaking musical provided theater goers with some of the best music ever written for the theater.  Yes, it had problems with its book and many people just did not get the concept of the show.  People either loved it or hated it.  And no one has ever been able to afford to recreate the original production...it was that lavish.  But, seriously, Tony voters....Two Gentleman of Verona?  Think again!

10.  2004 Wicked (Avenue Q)

i could put this in the spectacle vs. substance category, but this spectacle has a lot of substance in it.  It is easier to relate to Wicked than to past spectacles on Broadway.  Both Wicked and Avenue Q are wonderful shows but again, apples and oranges.  i think, partially, that Wicked lost because people were throwing support to a small show that needed the boost more.  But, Wicked will go on for years and was definitely worthy of the top prize.

So, that's my list.  What would you add to it?

Honorable Mentions:  West Side Story 1958 (The Music Man), Ragtime 1998 (The Lion King), The Secret Garden 1991 (The Will Rogers Follies)

Honorable Mentions (were not even nominated):  Camelot, Aida (don't get me started...won the Tony for best score but was not nominated for best musical.  That went to Contact, which used pre recorded pop songs...bleh)