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Thursday, May 09, 2013

The Eternal Dream Weaver


I'm going to get to today's Thursday Diary entry in a moment, but before I do, I want to offer up a brief note regarding the passing of a legend in daytime television.



Yesterday morning, the world said goodbye to actress Jeanne Cooper, who died at the age of 84 after being in intensive care over the last few weeks. Most of you probably know her best as Katherine Chancellor from the long running series “The Young and the Restless”. For nearly 40 years, she was a mainstay on that serial, and many of us grew up watching her on television over the years, whether we were soap opera fans or not.

Her passing is a true loss to the daytime community, and she will be forever missed. Sympathies go out to her children, Corbin, Caren, and Collin, as well as the many family members, friends, and co-workers who were lucky enough to have known her.

Okay...so for today's Thursday Diary entry, I'm going to be talking a little bit about dreams. And one could say that Jeanne Cooper completely lived her dream. She had a career that lasted longer than the average person, she loved what she did, and she was rewarded with at least a couple of Daytime Emmy Awards for her contributions to the soap opera genre.



In Jeanne's case, she pursued and lived her dream. And, that's what this blog entry is all about. Dreams. But, while Jeanne's dream of becoming an actress was achieved...my initial dream changed along the way. Lemme explain.

May 9, 2013

I don't care what people say. Everyone has dreams.

We all have the desire to do extraordinary things with our lives, and we all have the need to do something in the world that will make others remember your name. Maybe you want to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Maybe you want to discover a cure for a deadly disease. Or, maybe you simply want to bring a child into the world so that you can enjoy being a mom or a dad. Really, whatever your dreams are in this world, I hope that all of you go for them.

But while we're on the subject of dreams, I should note that sometimes dreams can change as we get older. And, believe me, it's perfectly normal. After all, just because our dream might be to own every teddy bear in the world at the age of five might may not be feasible to have at the age of forty-five!

This is the story of how my dreams have changed over the course of my lifetime.

By now, I'm sure that most of you know what my current dream is. After all, I wouldn't have kept a blog going for almost two years running if I didn't have some passion for it. For as long as I can remember, I've always had a keen interest in writing, but it's only been within the last couple of years that I thought about making it the ultimate career goal.

Over the years, my dreams prior to becoming a world famous writer were quite different. Some of the dreams I had were kind of linked to my current dream, while others were completely different.

So, sit back and stay tuned. You're about to get a little bit more insight into my life and times, and you'll also learn why some dreams that I had were meant to be left unfulfilled.



DREAM #1 – To be a doctor.

Believe it or not, there was once a time in which I wanted to pursue a career in medicine or at the very least in the pharmaceutical industry. I think that may have been spawned by watching one too many episodes of the Cosby Show, where Cliff Huxtable made a really decent living for himself as a doctor.

But it was also right around that age that I began to discover that I have a very low tolerance for blood and gore. It actually took me about a season and a half before I actually could sit down and watch a full episode of CSI because the autopsy scenes and gory murder re-enactments made me physically feel sick to my stomach. These days, I'm more or less desensitized to gory images on television and in film, but I know that I couldn't stomach performing operations on people. So, that was one dream that was completely dashed.



DREAM #2 – To be a teacher.

Actually, this is a dream that is kind of still in the maybe pile, though admittedly at this time, I am not in the frame of mind to actively pursue it. I think my dream of becoming a teacher was born right around my elementary school days. I always used to enjoy playing school with my older sibs, as well as inside the classroom on indoor recesses. I suppose that as I grew older, my desire to become a teacher was fueled solely on making the classroom a better place for a child to learn. I had quite a few teachers that seemed to be completely ill-equipped to handle certain problems that students had in the class, and I was determined to become a teacher so I could make a difference in the lives of children. I even did a brief volunteering stint at my old elementary school between 2003-2004, which taught me a lot about how challenging it could be to teach a class of 25 or more students.

To be honest with you, the only reason why I have my dream of being a teacher on the backburner instead of ditching it entirely is because I still believe that I could find a way to make it happen. It just might not be in the setting of a public school classroom. I have the firm belief that everyone has the ability to teach others a variety of skills in any setting, and maybe I have that ability as well. I just haven't found it yet.

DREAM #3: To become the Prime Minister of Canada.

This was a rather lofty goal that I had in my mind when I was around thirteen years old. A lofty goal that I lost interest in very quickly. Let's just say that I am definitely not the right person to run an entire country, nor do I believe in the whole idea of negative campaign ads. I'd rather hear more about what candidates will actually do.



In fact, I'll offer up a confession. Whenever I go out to vote in an election, I purposely vote for the candidate who has the smallest smear campaign.

Anyway, what was I talking about again? Oh, yeah...dreams.



DREAM #4 – To become the next Dan Rather, Tom Brokaw, or Peter Jennings.

Ah, now this is an interesting one. My dream of going into a career in journalism was born approximately fifteen years ago, when I was sixteen, seventeen. My high school was one that had almost every possible extracurricular activity known to man. Math Club, Key Club, heck, there was probably a club about clubs for all I knew! The only thing my school lacked was a student run newspaper, which sucked because that may very well have been the only activity that I would have been passionate enough to take part in.

When I went away to school, and the opportunity came to write for a campus newspaper, I immediately jumped at the chance. I even made communications my major in university! That's how passionate I was about becoming a journalist.

Unfortunately, if you click here, you'll see that my dream kind of hit a roadblock. It was a combination of being screwed over by the organization that ran the student newspaper, as well as not meeting the required grades to stay in my program. In my case, the drive was there, but not the timing.

It's just as well, though. I still have some people telling me that I could have a great career as a journalist, and that I should pursue it, but the more that I think about it, I don't think I want it as bad as I initially did. Being a journalist does allow you to travel the world...but in a lot of cases, you're visiting places affected by war, or natural disaster, or something else that is devastating. Not exactly something that I would be emotionally equipped to handle. I know that to some extent, journalists are supposed to remain impartial at all times, and that would be absolutely difficult for me to do, as I do have some rather strong opinions about a lot of topics. I would find it extremely difficult to not become emotionally attached to heartbreaking stories. Some reporters have the robotic personalities to make a career out of sharing the news, but I can't be that bland.

And, don't even get me started on my opinions regarding the paparazzi. You really don't want me to blow up in this blog, do you?

(Well, okay, maybe some of you do. Today won't be the day though.)

Truth be told, I think I would be a better columnist than a news reporter.

And, that leads to my current dream of being a writer. I love expressing my thoughts in a way that captivates people, makes people laugh, cry, or think about things they never considered before. I get a high out of being able to share my innermost thoughts through words, and I am better at expressing myself through pen and paper than I am with my tongue. And, at some point, I do want to have a career doing what I love.

At this point, I'm not exactly sure how I can bring my love of writing into the Garden Centre area...but I suppose I can build my vocabulary of words used to describe flowers...if ever the opportunity does arise.

I suppose in some way, my love for writing has formed the base for all of the other dreams that I had over the years. In order to be a great journalist, you have to write the articles published in the paper, or the copy notes that you read off at the anchor desk. In order to be a great teacher, you have to have a good grasp of the English (or whatever language you speak) in order to do the best possible job educating students. While the ability to write isn't really necessary to become a doctor, I would imagine that some instances of writing are needed if you're putting together a medical presentation or a seminar. And, let's face it...how can you be a politician if you can't write a decent speech whenever the need arises?




I guess the point I'm trying to make is that we all have dreams...and sometimes the dreams change. But, if you have a solid base on which all your dreams are born from, then keep chasing those rainbows and hold on to those dreams. Who knows? Maybe a dream that you didn't know you had will come true!

Wednesday, May 08, 2013

The Shackles of Skipping Ropes


I'm not sure what it is that is making me commit myself to so many events, but lately I've been finding a need to get more involved with the community through charity events and seminars.

For instance, here are just a few of the things that I have gotten involved in over the last few years.

I've participated in the Walk for Miracles for a three year period between 2009 and 2011 to raise money for the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (or CHEO as it is affectionately known as). Unfortunately, I was unable to participate in the 2012 edition, as I could not get the time off of work to do so.

I'm going to be taking part in the 2013 Relay for Life event in my hometown beginning June 14 and ending June 15. Let's see...walking around a track for a grand total of 12 hours straight without any sleep? I suppose that I could make it happen.

(Take that, all you gym teachers who kept giving me a C- in class, and telling me that I would never become an athlete!)

I also took part in a bowling tournament for CHEO a few years ago, and despite the fact that I bowled one of the lowest scores out of all, it was a fun experience. Also see the 2012 Bowling Event that I took part in for Big Brothers/Big Sisters.

You know, I have to tell you something. Community involvement is quite rewarding. And, you know, I'm almost kicking myself that I waited so long to do my part for events like the Relay for Life, the Walk for Miracles, and other events. I really should have gotten involved in community fundraising events a lot earlier in my life, and I really have no explanation as to why this is. But, I suppose that I am making up for lost time now, and that's all that matters.

Truth be told, I did a little bit of fundraising in elementary school as well. You know those little booklets that you would get every holiday season filled with samples of wrapping paper, as well as brochures for chocolates, ceramic figurines, and other Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa goodies? Lucky for me, I had a lot of relatives who loved stuff like that. And, in turn, those people knew people who loved stuff like that! Of course, there were prizes given out as an incentive for those who raised the most money for the school, so that helped. And, for about five years running, I ranked within the Top 10 for most dollars raised.

(Well, barring that one year in which the teacher forbid me from doing fundraising. But, I've already talked about that story ad nauseum. No need to revisit that chapter today.)

There is, however, one charity event that took place at school that I never took part in.

It was an event that the vast majority of my classmates took part in, but I never did. It was an event in which everyone that took part had a lot of fun, but I couldn't find it in myself to join in the fun. In a surprising twist, for an art project that I did for school in the sixth grade, I actually designed a poster for this charity event which was framed and hung in the student art gallery, and despite all this, I still did not have the heart to sign up for the event!

You see, the event required the people who participated to perform a repetitive motion for several hours, and the money that they raised for doing this activity went towards the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. A noble cause indeed. And, to sweeten the deal, depending on how much money a child raised, they could win a prize pack with items designed to help a child get more physical activity. Again, a noble cause.



So, why did I not join? Simple. I couldn't skip rope to save my life.



The event is known as “Jump Rope For Heart”, and it has been an annual tradition in elementary schools for as long as I can remember. Every year, kids would gather in their school gymnasiums (or playgrounds if the weather was warm enough) and skip, skip, skip with a skipping rope. The more they skipped, the healthier they became.

But, as someone who admittedly lacked coordination and agility in his youth (complicated by the fact that my feet were slightly deformed with my inability to walk flat-footed for the first eleven years of my life), skipping rope was hard. I honestly only remember owning one skipping rope in my entire life, and I didn't even use it for skipping. I even owned one of those Skip-It toys (I requested one for my 9th birthday after seeing the commercial on television and thinking that it looked easier than I thought), and by the end of the summer, it was stuffed in a corner, collecting dust.

I was never really any good at gym class, despite my best efforts. I was a chubby tall kid who simply couldn't move as quickly as the other smaller kids in my class. Oh, sure, I did my very best, but my best simply wasn't good enough. I was almost always the last kid picked for the team, and if we were playing dodgeball, I was almost always the first one knocked out.

(I was tall and chubby. I was an easy target.)

Still, there were some gym classes that were better than others. Whenever they brought out those wooden scooters with the wheels on the bottom, it was a great gym day. Whenever they brought out the broomball nets and equipment, it was a great gym day. And, whenever they brought out the bowling balls and pins, it was a great gym day...

...well, aside from that incident in fourth grade when a kid whipped the ball at my hand and broke my pinky finger.



But when the teacher brought out the bin filled with skipping ropes, I absolutely cringed. I hated skipping.

For one, trying to find a way to get the rope to move at the right speed and frequency so that you could skip continuously was a science. It's actually a theory of physics, but I don't really want to get into which one it is because A) I don't want to bore you, and B) I'm actually worse at understanding physics than I am skipping rope.

Needless to say, I never did quite get that rhythm going exactly the way I wanted it. I couldn't even do one full skip. Either I got tangled up in the rope, or I would trip over the rope and fall on the floor.

It really made me feel a little bit insecure, when I stop and think about it. I was having a lot of problems with the skipping rope, but nobody else did. Everyone else could skip rope without any problems whatsoever. The fact that I couldn't made me feel bad that I could not do an activity that everyone else could.

But don't get me wrong. I did give jump ropes the good old...erm...second grade try. It was just one of the things that I couldn't do. Not everyone is good at everything in the world, and that's something that as an adult, I completely understand. As a kid however, it was something that was really hard to swallow. Every kid strives to be the best at everything they do. Or, at the very least, they want to be in the position where they may not be the best, but are far from being the worst. Nobody wants to be known as the worst anything.

And yet, I was the worst jump roper.

So, you can maybe understand why I was so against signing up for the Jump Rope For Heart event every year while I was in elementary school. I didn't want to sign up for the event only to be the one kid in the whole school who couldn't skip rope. Why would I subject myself to that kind of humiliation?

It actually wasn't until recently that I looked back on the whole thing and realized just how much I cheated myself out of the opportunity.

Okay, so my skipping abilities were in the range between “Rotten” and “Don't Quit Your Day Job”. That still didn't mean that I wasn't welcome to come out and show my support for the event. Sure, I likely couldn't skip as fast as some of the other kids (or at all), but it still didn't mean that I couldn't try. Who knows? Maybe some of the kids would have taken pity on me and attempted to try and teach me the finer art of rope skipping.

Unfortunately for me, those Jump Rope For Heart events were opportunities that were forever lost, and I can't go back in time to fix that.

But I still have the ability to make up for that with future events. And, believe me, the Relay for Life is one such event that will force me to be at my best physical shape. But, you know something? Whether I last the entire twelve hours, or whether I can only make it twelve minutes, at least I know that I will have given it my all for a noble cause. And, I won't have to worry about making a fool out of myself, because I will be doing it alongside other people who have also made a commitment to the cause!

Though, I must make one confession before I end this note off. I'm nearly 32, and I STILL can't use a skipping rope! Good thing the Relay for Life doesn't use skipping ropes!  

Tuesday, May 07, 2013

May 7, 1939


All right, everyone. I'm gonna start this edition of the Tuesday Timeline a little bit differently than I have in the past. I'm going to provide you with some background music, courtesy of British singer Paul Young.



(No, the subject of this blog entry is not Paul Young...but the song happens to be related to the real subject of this Tuesday Timeline.)

So, let's get into it. Today's the seventh of May, and there are quite a lot of historical events associated with today. The day is linked to the Hundred Years War, World War II, and the recovery of a famous piece of artwork. Don't believe me? Have a look at the list of happenings for May 7...

1429 – Joan of Arc ends the Siege of Orleans returning with a shoulder wound caused by an arrow to lead the final charge, marking a turning point in the Hundred Years War

1664 – The Palace of Versailles is inaugurated by Louis XIV of France

1718 – New Orleans, Louisiana is founded by Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Baptiste

1824 – Vienna, Austria hosts the world premiere of Ludwig von Beethoven's Ninth Symphony

1846 – The oldest surviving weekly newspaper in America, “The Cambridge Chronicle” publishes its first edition

1901 – Hollywood legend Gary Cooper is born in Helena, Montana

1919 – Argentinian actress and First Lady Eva “Evita” Peron is born in Los Toldos

1945 – V-E Day – Germany's participation in World War II ends following General Alfred Jodl's unconditional surrender in France

1946 – Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering is founded with 20 employees, but you might recognize the company better by its other name, “Sony”

1952 – The concept of the integrated circuit (the basis for all modern computers) is first published by Geoffrey W.A. Dummer

1986 – Canadian Patrick Morrow becomes the very first person to climb each of the Seven Summits

1992 – Space Shuttle Endeavour is launched on its first mission

1994 – Edvard Munch's “The Scream” painting is recovered undamaged after it had been stolen three months earlier

1998 – Mercedes-Benz purchases Chrysler for the hefty sum of $40 billion dollars, forming the merged company DaimlerChrysler

2002 – Famous Triple Crown winning racehorse “Seattle Slew” dies at the age of 27

And, I also want to wish a very happy birthday to the following famous people...Jim Lowe, Terry Allen, Richard O'Sullivan, Robin Strasser, Thelma Houston, Randall “Tex” Cobb, Amy Heckerling, Peter Reckell, Michael E. Knight, Adam Bernstein, Traci Lords, Eagle-Eye Cherry, Breckin Meyer, Katie Douglas, Mark Furze, Natalie Meija (Girlicious), and Alexander Ludwig.

Oh, and I also want to wish another gentleman a happy birthday as well.



And, this man was born 74 years ago today on May 7, 1939.

Now, here's an interesting piece of trivia in regards to today's Tuesday Timeline subject. You know the song that you heard at the very beginning of this piece? Well, that particular song is entitled “What Becomes of the Broken Hearted?”. As you have heard before, the song was covered by Paul Young, and used on the soundtrack to the 1991 film “Fried Green Tomatoes”. What's interesting is that when Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner were filming the 1992 movie “The Bodyguard”, Whitney was originally going to perform that song in the film. But when word got out that “Fried Green Tomatoes” was going to use that same song in their film, Whitney instead ended up singing Dolly Parton's “I Will Always Love You”, which became one of Whitney's biggest chart-toppers.

Anyway, I'm sure you have already noted that Paul Young's version was NOT the original. You see, the original version of the song was recorded by today's blog subject. The one that turns 74 today. Do you want to hear the original version now? Let's have a listen.



ARTIST: Jimmy Ruffin
SONG: What Becomes of the Broken Hearted?
ALBUM: Jimmy Ruffin Sings Top Ten
DATE RELEASED: June 3, 1966
PEAK POSITION ON THE BILLBOARD CHARTS: #7

(For comparison's sake, Paul Young's version barely missed the Top 20.)



But, that's fine. Today's subject is Jimmy Ruffin, and arguably, the song above was his most famous single. But there's more than meets the eye when it comes to this Collinsville, Mississippi native.

Jimmy Ruffin was the oldest of two children, and appropriately enough, his younger brother David also found success in the music industry (David Ruffin was a member of The Temptations between 1964 and 1968). When Jimmy and David were children, they began singing with gospel group “The Dixie Nightingales”, and by the time Ruffin was in his early twenties, he had gotten the attention of Motown Records, in which he began recording singles for its subsidiary Miracle Records.

Ruffin was forced to put his singing career on hold for a couple of years after he was drafted for service in the United States Army. Ruffin served in the Armed Forces until 1964. In a surprising twist, that was the year that Motown Records actually asked Jimmy Ruffin if he wanted to replace departing Temptations member Elbridge Bryant. But before Jimmy could respond, the band had heard David sing, they hired David instead of Jimmy!

Gee, I hope there wasn't any sibling rivalry because of it...

But you know what? As bad as losing the opportunity to sing in one of Motown's biggest success stories was, he managed to get over it. Because just two years after the younger Ruffin was given the greatest opportunity ever, the eldest Ruffin was offered a song that was meant for another band altogether.

The song “What Becomes of the Broken Hearted?” was originally meant for “The Spinners” to record.



(The Spinners, of course, being the band that recorded the big hits “It's A Shame” and “I'll Be Around”.)

Well, the story goes that Ruffin was so enamored with the song that he persuaded the writers to record it himself. After all, the song's subject is one that many of us have lived through...unrequited love.

Believe me, that song could possibly act as a potential theme song for this blogger. Well, either that one or Kylie Minogue's “I Should Be So Lucky”.



So, you already know that the song peaked at #7 on the Billboard charts. But, the song also reached #6 on the R&B charts, and peaked within the Top 10 on the UK charts. Ruffin also scored at least two more hits on the charts between 1966 and 1967.

However, by the time the 1970s rolled around, Jimmy Ruffin was finding that his popularity was waning, and he moved to England to further his career and establish himself to the United Kingdom audience. The tactic seemed to work, as he had several huge hits, and had a thriving career there during the 1970s and 1980s. And, although his brother David died in 1991 from drug related complications, Jimmy became an anti-drug advocate in his memory.

In fact, Jimmy Ruffin, at the age of 74, is still recording and performing music today. In fact, according to a couple of sources, he has a new album of material in the works that is estimated to be released in the near future! In fact, one source stated that the album was set to be released today! May 7, 2013.

Again, I can't confirm or deny this story...but if it did happen to be 100% truthful...then, what a great birthday present for Jimmy Ruffin!

Happy birthday, Jimmy!

Monday, May 06, 2013

Stepmom


I thought that for today's Monday Matinee, I would choose a movie that had to do with the subject of mothering. Since Mother's Day is this upcoming Sunday, I wanted to make sure that I had at least one film spotlight that focused on a mother raising their family.

Well, you happen to be in luck, because today's film features two mothers.

Well, okay, it features a mother and a stepmother.

But I'm sure most of you won't mind. After all, stepmothers are mothers too. And, contrary to popular belief, not all stepmothers are as wicked, cruel, and evil as the one portrayed in the classic tale of “Cinderella”. Still, I can't imagine that becoming a stepparent can be a job that is easy. Sometimes it can take months, years, or even an entire decade for children to accept a stepparent into their lives.

Now, I can't really claim to have much knowledge on families that have stepparents and stepchildren. I am not in a relationship with anyone who has had children from a previous marriage or relationship, nor am I a part of a stepfamily (my parents have been married since 1965). But, I have known several people who are part of a stepfamily, and in most cases, they have gotten along swimmingly. There are always exceptions to every family, but I just wanted to point out that not all stepfamilies are destined to fail.

In the case of today's Monday Matinee flashback, this is especially true. I would imagine that in the case of a divorce, it would be hard enough to deal with life as a newly single person, trying to do the best job they can to raise their kids in an uncertain situation. Now, imagine having your ex-spouse getting involved in a relationship with another person, and finding out that they are getting married. And, then imagine that something devastating happens to you in your own personal life, and before you know it, your whole life is thrown into freefall, all the while knowing that although you might not be ready for it, your spouse's new partner might be the very key to holding the family together.



That was the situation that the key players in the Chris Columbus film, “Stepmom” were faced with.



Stepmom” was released on Christmas Day, 1998, and featured the acting talents of Susan Sarandon, Julia Roberts, and Ed Harris. The film did make three times its budget, but had lukewarm reviews from the general public. Regardless of this, Susan Sarandon won the San Diego Film Critics Society Award for Best Actress, and Ed Harris won the National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actor.

As for Julia Roberts...well, she didn't win any awards for this film...but don't feel too bad. She would win an Academy Award just a couple of years later.



Okay, so as I explained before, divorce is never an easy thing to deal with, especially when you have a family. For formerly married couple Jackie and Luke Harrison (Sarandon and Harris), their separate lives are intertwined with trying to help their kids deal with the situation. However, Anna (Jena Malone) and Ben (Liam Aiken) are not making it easy for either side.



To complicate things, while Jackie is trying to cope with her divorce, it seems that Luke has moved on a lot quicker than she, as he is already dating fashion photographer Isabel Kelly (Roberts), a woman who happens to be almost twenty years his junior.

One of the things that Isabel attempts to do is establish a relationship with Anna and Ben. After all, if Isabel and Luke were to get married, she would be their stepmother. While Ben seems to be receptive of Isabel's intentions (despite the fact that he could be a bit of a mischievous urchin at times), Anna wants absolutely nothing to do with Isabel, and freezes her out at first, frustrating Isabel immensely. Still, Isabel loved Luke, and was determined to keep trying to reach out to the kids.



Of course, making the situation even more intense for Isabel is the reception that Jackie has given Isabel since their first meeting. Jackie gave Isabel more than just a cold shoulder...she gave Isabel such a deep freeze that if you looked really closely at Isabel's face, you may see traces of freezer burn!

Though, to be fair, Isabel is not the only target of Jackie's frosty attitude. Jackie seemed to have some simmering feelings of anger and disdain for her former spouse either. All of the frustration and in-fighting between Jackie, Isabel, and Anna does not sit well with Luke, and he decides to let everyone know where he stood by proposing to Isabel, right on the spot!

So, imagine being Jackie, trying to process this information. It was bad enough that Isabel would soon become a permanent part of the family whether she liked it or not. But then she would receive the news that nobody ever wants to hear.

Jackie had cancer. Terminal cancer. Untreatable cancer. Nobody knew just how much longer she would have, but the hourglass was almost out of sand, and Jackie would soon have to come to terms with the fact that she only had a few months left.

And, of course, Jackie is angry, devastated, and wants to blame everyone around her for her latest setback...especially Isabel. But as the film progresses, Jackie and Isabel begin to understand each other, and...well...that's all I'm gonna say right now!

I can't reveal EVERYTHING, can I?

But, did you know that “Stepmom” was not the original title for the film? Other names for the movie that were rejected were “Goodnight Moon”, “Promises Kept”, and “Always, Always”.

Come to think of it, “Stepmom” was probably the best title of them all.

Here's another interesting piece of trivia. Did you know that there's a particular scene in the film where Isabel sings a song to Ben entitled “If I Needed You”? It's actually a song that was recorded by Lyle Lovett...a man who married Julia Roberts in 1993. The marriage did not work out, but I'm guessing that the relationship between Lovett and Roberts is still somewhat amicable.

The film was dedicated in memory of Irene Columbus. Irene was the mother of director Chris Columbus who passed away from cancer the year before the film was released.

And believe it or not, this was the first feature film to premiere on the WB Network!

So, yeah...”Stepmom” may not have been a box office favourite, and it may not be known as one of the best films of the 1990s, but I will say that I've seen the movie, and I thought it was decent. If anything, it is a tale of friendships that you wouldn't expect, heartbreak that could be indescribable, and strength that people might not expect others to have in the time of crisis.

In my opinion, this film has every emotion presented within it. And, I think that to have a great movie, you have to have that emotion so you can get involved with the characters and plot.  

Sunday, May 05, 2013

Spotlight on Santana


Good morning, everybody, and a very happy Cinco de Mayo to everybody here!



Translated from Spanish to English, Cinco de Mayo means...well...the fifth of May!  And, Cinco de Mayo is a very important day in Mexican history.

No, contrary to what many believe (including myself up until very recently), Cinco de Mayo is NOT Mexico's independence day.  That day doesn't come until September 16.  But it was on this date in 1862 that Mexican armed forces pulled off an upset of sorts and won the Battle of Puebla against the French.  Since that victory, no European country have made an attempt to invade North and South America since, and over the years, the date has become a huge celebration for people all over the United States.

In short, Cinco de Mayo is a great excuse to kick back on a lounge chair in the warm spring breeze sipping a mojito.

So, considering that today is Cinco de Mayo, I came up with the idea to make the subject of this blog for today Mexican themed.  After all, there are quite a few popular entertainers, actors, and media figures who hail from Mexico.



They even have Mexico's Next Top Model!  Geez, does EVERY country need to have a modelling competition?  I tell you...

Anyway, since Sunday is the day in which we spotlight musical artists and groups, I thought that I would choose someone who has been in the music industry for almost fifty years!  And, he still happens to be going strong.  Though, admittedly you might not realize just how many songs he was a part of.  You see, even though he didn't really do much singing, his legendary guitar skills could be heard in songs from the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s!  



Yes, today we're going to be taking a look back on some of the biggest success stories of Carlos Santana.

Now, Carlos Santana became a full-fledged American citizen in 1965, but he was born in the community of Autlan de Navarro, Jalisco, Mexico on the Viente de Julio, 1947.

(That's July 20, 1947, for those of you who were wondering.)

Right off the bat, Carlos Santana proved that he knew how to play a musical instrument.  His first instrument was the violin (which he began playing at age five), and moved on to the guitar three years later at age eight.  At the time he began playing music, Carlos was initially disheartened over the lack of Latino artists in American rock music, but later cited the late Ritchie Valens as a strong influence on him.

When Carlos was a teenager, he moved to San Francisco, California with the rest of his family (who had moved beforehand), and he graduated from high school in 1965, the same year he received his American citizenship.  He did have the opportunity to pursue higher education at a couple of schools, but he opted not to go, believing that he could pursue a full and rewarding career in the music industry.

In 1966, it seemed as though fate was determined to make Santana a star, as a series of interesting coincidences helped Carlos get his career started.  Being one who loved music, Santana was a frequent spectator at Bill Graham's Fillmore West (a popular San Francisco music club at that time).  On one particular Sunday, a performance was supposed to take place with blues artist Paul Butterfield as the main headliner.  Unfortunately, Butterfield was too intoxicated to go on with the show, and Bill Graham had to think quickly to come up with a replacement act.  He tried to assemble a band with musicians that he had gotten connected with through previous bands that had played there, but as luck would have it, Carlos' name was suggested to Graham via Stan Marcum (who was then the manager of Carlos Santana), and once Santana took to the stage, everyone, including Graham, were blown away at his talent.

Some time later, Santana formed the band that was named after his last name, "Santana", and one of their biggest breaks as a band came at the legendary Woodstock music festival of 1969.  In the case of Santana, their appearance at the music festival was unique, as they were invited to perform before they had even released their debut album.  And, this had actually worked out to their advantage.  Their debut album was released just weeks after the festival wrapped up, and the album immediately went to the #4 position on the Billboard 200.

No longer were they just a popular San Francisco club attraction.  They had hit the big time, and Carlos Santana was loving every minute of it.



And, well, here are just four of the many hits that Carlos Santana had a hand in.  Not all of them became #1 hits, or even Top 5...but they are some of the songs that most everyone probably knows.



BLACK MAGIC WOMAN
Album:  Abraxas
Year Released:  1970

Believe it or not, the band "Fleetwood Mac" had released this single two years earlier, in March 1968.  Though it was a mild hit in the United Kingdom (peaking at #37), the arrangement by Santana performed much better, peaking at #4.  The version by Santana was actually recorded as a medley, along with Gabor Szabo's single, "Gypsy Queen".  The song blended a variety of genres which included jazz, Latin, and Hungarian folk music!  I know, the combination is kind of weird, but for whatever reason, it worked like a charm.  



HOLD ON
Album:  Shango
Date Released:  August 14, 1982

I think that the main reason why I loved this song so much is because of the music video, which is kind of surreal, and a little bit creepy (that mime guy that appears periodically kind of gives me the creeps).  I think that the celebration scenes could also kind of mimic a Cinco de Mayo celebration, which also works for the theme of this blog.  But the song is one of my favourite Santana songs, and it peaked at #15 on the Billboard Charts in 1982.  But, did you know that the song was ALSO a cover version?  The original version was recorded in 1981 by Canadian singer/songwriter Ian Thomas.  I don't recall Thomas' version, unfortunately.  Whatever the case, Santana proves his guitar playing skills in spades in this video clip.  

By the way, if you have ever wondered who the main vocalist is on "Hold On", it is Scottish born singer Alex Ligertwood.



SMOOTH
Album:  Supernatural
Date Released:  June 29, 1999

Do any of you remember just how popular a band Matchbox Twenty were back in the late 1990s?  Matchbox Twenty seemed to be a popular band back when I was in high school.  I think that when I turned on my radio in my room to listen to while I did homework assignments, you could pretty much count on at least two Matchbox Twenty songs being played.

These days, you don't really hear too much from them, but back in 1999, the band was at its peak.  And, when lead vocalist Rob Thomas teamed up with Carlos Santana in 1999 to release a collaboration called Smooth, they were doing it at just the right time.  1999 was the year of the Latin explosion on the pop charts, as artists like Ricky Martin, Enrique Iglesias, and Jennifer Lopez all had huge hits in 1999.

"Smooth" was no exception.  The single helped net Carlos Santana several Grammy Award nominations (he ended up winning EIGHT in 2000 alone), and the song stayed on the top of the Billboard charts for TWELVE weeks between October 1999 and January 2000...making it not only Santana's longest running #1 hit, but his very FIRST #1 hit!  Now, that's definitely something to celebrate.



THE GAME OF LOVE
Album:  Shaman (Santana)/Hotel Paper (Michelle Branch)
Date Released:  September 17, 2002

Ah, can I share with you something?  I love Santana, but I also liked Michelle Branch as well.  I don't know what it is about her, but she was a huge part of my life soundtrack in the early 2000s.  So, for Michelle Branch to team up with Santana on a single, that was like frosting on the cake for me!

And, it remains another favourite song of mine.

The song peaked at #5, and was another big success for both Santana and Branch. The song could also be found on each of their individual albums, which likely doubled the sales of the single.  I'd call it smart promotion for both parties to put their duet on their respective albums.  It worked for Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan in their native Australia, after all.

NOTE:  On the Adult Contemporary Charts, the song performed even better, peaking at #1 on two separate occasions!

So, that's my own personal list of Santana favourites for this Cinco de Mayo.  Do you have any favourite Santana songs?

(And, yes, I deliberately showcased one song from each decade to illustrate his career longevity.  What can I say?  The man's a guitar genius!)

Happy Cinco de Mayo, all!


Saturday, May 04, 2013

Sharon, Lois & Bram's Elephant Show


As far back as I can remember, my life has always been filled with music. I am very seldom without my iPod - which is a bold admission to make considering that before I received one as a Christmas gift, I boasted that I didn't need one to make me happy!

But, hey...what's life if we can't admit that sometimes we can be wrong? I STILL refuse to get an iPhone though.

Anyway, as I said before, I am very seldom seen without my iPod, and whenever I am in a location in which there is no music playing, I feel a slight bit uncomfortable. My clock-radio is even set so that when the alarm goes off, it is set to my favourite radio station.

Really, I couldn't imagine a world without music. That's why I will be the first one to support the arts in schools. As someone who was more creative than mathematical, I loved the fact that there were lots of choices to express my creativity.

It's really hard to pinpoint when my love of music really began, as I was surrounded by it for as long as I can remember. When I was a baby, my parents always had their record player going, with classic country albums and songs from the seventies (weirdly enough, two styles of music that I don't really listen to much these days). One of my sisters really liked classic rock and blared it from her bedroom...and the other had a mad crush on one of the Taylors from Duran Duran and on the guy from Wham that was not George Michael, so I frequently heard their songs playing as well.

As I said, I heard a lot of different kinds of music from a variety of different genres, which could explain my eclectic tastes in music these days.

I think that my love of music sort of gravitated towards my television viewing habits as a child. To me, a children's show was incredibly dull and boring if there wasn't a healthy dose of musical interludes mixed in with it. That's why my earliest childhood memories involved a lot of “Sesame Street”, “Mr. Dressup”, and “Today's Special”.

And, today's blog entry is a show that I watched religiously from start to finish. I was three years old when it debuted, and was seven when it ended, so I was definitely within the core target audience the entire time. Of course, the trio of musicians who hosted the show had been entertaining children for years prior to the creation of their own television series. They released their first album together in 1978, and over the years released a total of more than 40 albums overall! And, even though all three members of the trio are now in their seventies, they still regularly perform concerts all over Canada and the United States.

One of my very first memories was listening to their 1981 album (which coincidentally happened to be released the same year that I was born). And, here it is below.



Sharon, Lois & Bram's “In The Schoolyard” was frequently heard at my house in the early 1980s. After all, with songs like “Peanut Butter & Jelly”, “Punchinello 47”, “Matthew, Mark, Luke & John”, and “Love Somebody/A Bushel and a Peck”, it was just the perfect soundtrack to keep me from screeching my head off at all hours of the night! And, yes, the album was actually in record format!

But it wasn't until 1984 that people would be able to invite the trio into their homes every week on CBC and TVOntario.



That was the year that “Sharon, Lois & Bram's Elephant Show” debuted on television. For the first couple of years, the show was originally broadcast to Canadian audiences only, but beginning in September 1987 (when Canada was broadcasting season four), the Nickelodeon network began airing the series as well, so American audiences could experience the fun of the Elephant Show as well.



But, just why was it called the “Elephant Show”?

It's very simple. It was named after one of the trio's most famous songs, “One Elephant”. Here's a clip of the song below. You'll quickly figure out that the song was also used as the theme for the show during its entire run.



It was just one of the hundreds of songs recorded by Sharon Hampson, Lois Lilienstein, and Bram Morrison. Sharon and Bram were Toronto natives, while Lois was originally from Chicago. And, their mascot for the entire duration of the series was a gigantic dancing elephant. Paula Gallivan was the woman behind the elephant costume, while Scott Irvine supplied her “voice”, courtesy of a tuba.

Each episode of “The Elephant Show” featured at least three child actors. Some were only there a few episodes, but others became recurring characters. I'd say that Marlow Vella, Cara Pifko, and Fayez Muhtadie appeared on the program the most of them all.



Singer/songwriter Eric Nagler was also a regular fixture on the program, also appearing in all sixty-five episodes of the series along with Sharon, Lois, Bram, and Elephant. After the series wrapped up in 1988, Eric would end up getting his own television series, “Eric's World”, which ran from January 1991 until January 1996.

TRIVIA:  I met Eric Nagler once when I was five years old.  For the record, he was a very nice guy, and had so many interesting tales to tell.  Even called me by name, which was an added touch!

And, what made the show even more interesting was the fact that on almost every episode, there would be a special guest star who would come in to share stories, songs, and good times with the group. Some of the most well known stars to appear on the program were actress Jayne Eastwood, comedienne Andrea Martin, Royal Canadian Air Farce performer Luba Goy, mime Bob Berky, children's entertainer Fred Penner, and singer Taborah Johnson.

Each of the episodes dealt with a specific theme, and educated children on various topics over the show's five year run.

Some of the examples of the show educating children are...

  • When it is raining outside and the gang is stuck inside the house, they come up with ideas on how to pass the time inside.
  • The gang spends the day at the Metro Toronto Zoo, where they learn about animals...as well as the importance of staying together in a public place after Elephant and one of the kids get lost.
  • Sharon, Lois, and Bram swap places with the children, who quickly learn that adult responsibilities aren't quite as easy as they thought.
  • Elephant learns that there are other foods to eat besides peanuts after the gang take a tour of Toronto's legendary Kensington Market.
  • Kids were invited to solve the mystery of the missing cookies, when all but one of Lois' batch of cookies disappear.
  • The kids learn all about the joys of cooking, and the adults learn what the best cleaning solution to use to get whipped cream off of the living room furniture. Just have a look below.



  • The kids even get a behind the scenes look at how a record is made when they get invited to the studios courtesy of Sharon, Lois, and Bram.

The show also dealt with social issues as well, devoting a whole episode towards raising awareness for UNICEF, a cause that the trio began championing since 1988.



Even after the show wrapped up production in 1988, Sharon, Lois, and Bram continued to perform concerts and make public appearances all over Canada and the United States, including one coveted gig at the 1994 White House Easter Egg Roll & Hunt, where they had breakfast with President Bill Clinton and First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton. The trio even started up another television series for CBC, “Skinnamarink TV”, which aired during the late 1990s.

Sadly, personal events took place in the trio's later years, which caused one member to retire from the group, and health issues threatened the futures of the other two. In 2000, Lois Lilienstein decided to leave the group. As the eldest member of the trio, and still reeling from the loss of her husband a short time earlier, Lois decided to part ways with Sharon and Bram, although the group has since reunited for benefit concerts and film festivals.



Sharon Hampson also dealt with the loss of her spouse, Joe Hampson in 2006, in which Lois filled in for her concert dates while she dealt with her grief. Hampson is also a breast cancer survivor, having beaten the disease three times.

As for Bram, he too had to take a leave of absence from performing after experiencing some hearing loss around the mid-2000s. It turned out that the hearing loss was caused by a benign tumor, and underwent an experimental procedure to prevent further hearing loss.

But, Sharon and Bram have persevered, and are still well respected in Canada. In fact, Sharon, Lois, and Bram were given the Order of Canada in 2002, an honour that was doubly special given that Lois Lilienstein was American-born, making her one of the only non-Canadians to receive the accolade.



All in all, my childhood would not have been complete had it not been for Sharon, Lois, Bram, and a giant dancing elephant. And, I can't think of any other way to end this blog off than with the epic closing song at the end of each episode.