Search This Blog

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

April 21, 1977

It's time for another edition of the Tuesday Timeline, and this week, we're going to be looking at a topic that is very close to the theatre scene.

And admittedly, my knowledge of the theatre scene is quite limited.  I've only ever seen one production of "The Phantom of the Opera".  And that was in May of 1995. 

But, when you live four hours away from Toronto (the place where I saw Phantom of the Opera) and about nine hours from New York City (the place where Broadway comes to life almost every night), it makes it hard to enjoy the theatre scene.  And, high school productions of "As You Like It" and "Bye Bye Birdie" just don't have that same effect - although both of the plays that I watched in high school were acted quite well.

Anyway, today's Timeline is all about Broadway musicals.  But before we get started with that, we have some other events to look at first.  Shall we have a look at some of the things that happened on April 21?

753 BC - The date that Romulus founds the city of Rome

1509 - Henry VIII ascends the throne of England

1918 - "The Red Baron" is shot down and killed over Vaux-sur-Somme, France during World War I

1934 - "The Surgeon's Photograph" (which showed a photo of the legendary Loch Ness Monster) is published in "The Daily Mail" (the photo was declared a fake sixty-five years later, in 1999)

1952 - In the United States, Secretary's Day is first observed

1962 - The Seattle World's Fair - the first World's Fair to be held in the United States since World War II - opens

1970 - Elton John makes his solo debut as a performer when he opens for T.Rex at a gig in London

1982 - Rollie Fingers of the Milwaukee Brewers becomes the first pitcher to record 300 saves

1989 - Over a hundred thousand students gather in China's Tianamen Square to commemorate Chinese reform leader Hu Yaobang

2003 - EMI and Universal Music sue Napster for copyright violations

2012 - Two trains collide head on with each other in Amsterdam, injuring at least 116 people

And, well...that's it.  Apparently, April 21 was one of those days in which not a whole lot happened.

So, let's have a look at celebrity birthdays, shall we?

The following people are turning one whole year older today; Queen Elizabeth IIElaine May, Angela Mortimer, Charles Grodin, James Dobson, Iggy Pop, Patti LuPone, Tony Danza, Steve Vickers, James Morrison, Andie MacDowell, Robert Smith, Cathy Cavadini, Roy Dupuis, John Cameron Mitchell, Robin Meade, Toby Stephens, Nicole Sullivan, Eric Mabius, Jamie Sale, James McAvoy, Tony Romo, Brianne Davis, Terrence J, Shayna Fox, Robbie Amell, Christoph Sanders, and Princess Isabella of Denmark.

How cool that we start the celebrity birthday segment with a royal and end it off with a royal?  (Well, okay, I find it neat.)

And today's date for the Tuesday Timeline is also a neat one.



We're going back in time thirty-eight years in the past to April 21, 1977.

And for what it's worth, a lot happened on this date.  We said farewell to Gummo Marx, who died on this date.  We said hello to Canadian figure skater Jamie Sale, who was born on this date.  And Frank Sinatra and Friends first aired on ABC with special guests Natalie Cole and John Denver.

But it was also a big day in the world of Broadway, as it was on this date that a famous musical first debuted.  It was a musical that ran for nearly six years in its original run on Broadway, and won a total of seven Tony Awards during the show's first year.

And the Broadway show even spawned a hit movie!



No...not this version.  I don't even want to talk about the 2014 version of this movie, which in my opinion should have never been made.  And it's nothing to do with the actress who played Annie - I think that Quvenzhane Wallis did a fine job as Annie.  My issue was with the changes that this version made to the plot. 



No, I'm talking about the more superior 1982 version of "Annie", which starred Aileen Quinn.  That version was always one of my favourites.



And of course, the movie was based from the Broadway musical of the same name which debuted - you guessed it - thirty-eight years ago today!



Of course, anyone who has seen the show "Annie" probably can tell you where the idea originally came from.  Years ago, there was a comic strip called "Little Orphan Annie", created by Harold Gray.  Beginning in 1924, the comic strip detailed the life of a little curly haired girl named Annie who along with her dog Sandy struggle to make it in a world of cruelty and coldness - likely spawned by the fact that she was an orphan who lived in an orphanage run by a cruel woman who hated kids (the comic strip gave her the name of Miss Asthma, but in the Broadway play and movie, she is known as Miss Hannigan).  It wasn't until she crossed paths with the wealthy, but kind Daddy Warbucks that Annie begins to find her place in the world.

So, how did "Annie" go from a comic strip to a Broadway musical?

Well, the story actually begins in 1976.  The production was jointly produced by Charles Strouse (music), Martin Charnin (lyrics), and Thomas Meehan.  It held its unofficial debut in August 1976 at the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, Connecticut under the direction of Michael P. Price.  And originally, the actress who starred as the title role was Kristen Vigard.  Vigard lasted a few days in the role, but producers didn't quite feel as though she didn't quite fit the part.  See, Annie was supposed to be this gritty orphan who had a "Hard Knock Life", but Vigard proved to be a little bit too sweet.  She was kept on as understudy, but the main role then went to Andrea McArdle, who would eventually play the role for another year.  But don't feel too bad for Vigard - she landed a role on "Guiding Light" just a few years later.



TRIVIA:  Andrea McArdle would play another role in the musical as an adult.  She played the role of Miss Hannigan for a couple of performances of the play in 2010.

It wouldn't be until April 21, 1977 that the play made its official debut on Broadway.  It opened up at the Alvin Theatre in New York (which has since been renamed The Neil Simon Theatre), and featured the cast of McArdle, Reid Shelton as Daddy Warbucks, Dorothy Loudon as Miss Hannigan, and Sandy Faison as Grace Farrell.  The show closed in January 1983.  At the time, it was the longest running musical to feature at the Alvin Theatre/Neil Simon Theatre until 2009 when "Hairspray" broke the record.

Since then, the show has been periodically revived in several places around the world such as New York, London, and Sydney.



I guess it always goes to show you that no matter where you are, tomorrow is always a day away. 

Monday, April 20, 2015

What Not To Wear - First Date Edition

You know, four years ago when I had my gall bladder removed, I was pretty much incapacitated for eight weeks.  I needed to do something in my off time to pass the time while I healed.

One way I did that was by reading lots of stuff, either in book form, or in online articles. 

A couple of these articles were on first dates, and specifically what men should never wear on a first date.  Being someone who has trouble securing second dates with people, let alone first dates, I read with interest, wondering if maybe I was subconsciously doing something wrong.

Turns out some of their suggestions I tend to agree with.  Some I'm indifferent on.  Some I outright disagree with.  But, I figure that I'd let YOU be the judge.  Of course, I'm going to pipe in with my own two cents on each of these articles of clothing and whether I agree with the idea of them being worn on a FIRST date...but I'm interested in reading some of your comments, because really, how they came up with this list is something I find entertaining. 

Ready?  Let's go!



1.  Pleated KHAKIS - Apparently the person who wrote the first article said that khakis are okay, if you were going to a junior high school dance, but not for a first date.  I kind of have mixed feelings about this.  If I were to go on a first date, I'd probably end up wearing dark wash jeans without holes or tears in them.  But, that being said, if my khakis were neatly pressed (and did not have pleats in them), I don't see any reason why my date wouldn't like them...of course, I am just a typical man here...what do I know?  I say that they're fine...but again, I prefer flat front.  Pleated makes you look bigger than you really are, and that I know from experience.



2.  JOKE TEES - You know the shirts I'm talking about.  The ones that have cartoon characters on them, or the ones that have swear words on them.  Yeah, I agree that those shirts are probably not a good idea to wear on a first date.  Could you just imagine taking a girl out on a date to a nice restaurant and wearing a T-shirt that says "I'm With Stupid"?  Yeah, there's a deal-breaker there.  Mind you, I happen to own a couple of T-shirts that have cartoon characters on them, but I only ever wear them as sleepwear or loungewear.  Certainly not for a night on the town!  I completely agree.

3.  TOO SHORT PANTS - I just want to say right now that while I agree with this one too (I mean, what guy wants to look like Steve Urkel on a date?), I also want to say that as someone who stands at over six feet tall, finding pants is always a challenge for me.  More often than not, I have to wear pants with a 34-inch inseam, and most stores only seem to carry 32-inch.  Different brands offer different interpretations of what a 32-inch inseam really is, and in some cases, I make it work...but it takes a lot of experiementation.  If ever you see me with too-short pants, it's likely an experiment that didn't quite work.  But, yes, I will reserve my 34-inch inseams for the first date.

4.  TURTLENECKS - I guess they'd work if your first date was at a ski resort, but my personal preference is that I really don't like them strangling my neck.  Definitely not a fan.



5.  TIGHTY-WHITIES - Now, here's one that I question.  I get that to many women, tighty-whities are anything but sexy, but to some guys, they bring comfort and support.  And, I mean, it's underwear.  Whatever you wear underneath your jeans is really up to the wearer's preference.  But, again, these are suggestions for what not to wear on a FIRST DATE.  The chances of having sex on a first date...well, I would think that they'd be pretty darn slim.  And, if that's the case, one could wear tighty-whities, boxer shorts, even go commando, and nobody would care because unless you're totally drunk out of your mind, the chances of a first date ending in a motel room are SLIM at best!  Again, some women may not find it sexy, but it's the FIRST DATE...who's gonna know?
As for what comes between me and my...um...Levis?  That'll have to wait until at least date #2.  ;)



6.  BOW-TIE - If you're best man at a wedding, they can work.  If you're Drew Carey, it can work.  If you're Archie Andrews in the 1950's, it can work.  Personally, I don't like bowties.  Will never wear 'em.

7.  NOVELTY TIES - I'm also the type of guy who hates wearing ties in general...but if I have to wear one, I must agree with this one.  Wearing a Sylvester & Tweety tie to a first date is almost as bad as wearing an "I'm With Stupid" shirt.  Just my opinion though.

8.  TUXEDO - Don't most guys RENT these things?  And, even if you do own one, where would you wear a tuxedo?  Though, I must admit, it'd be pretty hysterical if a guy wore a tuxedo to impress his date and the first date was mini golf.  Mini golf in a tuxedo...yep, there's a YouTube video right there.



9.  TOUPEE - This is news?

10.  MAKE-UP - I guess I'd have to know what their definition of make-up is.  If it were up to me, I'd say things like blemish cream and face moisturizer are acceptable enough, and quite possibly Chapstick, if your lips were dry.  That being said, I don't think women tend to go for guys who wear more make-up than THEY do.  Unless, of course, you're Gene Simmons from KISS...



11.  SELF-TANNER - I'd only recommend this look if you were a cast member of Jersey Shore.  Personally, I'm fine with being pasty white, and I would hope that my date would feel the same way.

12.  SLEEVELESS SHIRTS - I only put this in because I don't know where there would be any sort of instance in which wearing a sleeveless shirt on a first date would be appropriate.  I suppose it may work if you had your first date on a beach...or possibly a gym.  Somehow, I don't think it would be very romantic of a first date to jog on a treadmill while listening to a Sweatin' To The Oldies soundtrack.

13.  VEST - This is one I will fight you on.  I mean it.  My personal style when I'm outside of a work environment is something I like to call economic prep.  In short, I kind of dress like one of those Yuppie type people who can't afford Starbucks.  Would that make me a Guppie?  Who knows?  The point is, I have this really awesome looking argyle vest that looks really great with jeans and a plain T-shirt.  It's also an outfit that I have been complimented on by several people.  Therefore, I completely disagree with the idea of a vest being inappropriate for a first date look, because I've found a way that I can make it work, and still look good. 



14.  SKINNY JEANS - It really all depends on what your definition of skinny jean is.  If your definition of skinny jean is strangling your midsection and losing the feeling in your legs...they're TOO TIGHT.



15.  DIRTY CLOTHES - Unless you got abducted by a garbage truck, or slipped in a mud puddle on your way to pick up your date...this should be common sense!



16.  WIFEBEATERS - Again, a classic tank top style shirt (which is also known as the stupid term wifebeater - seriously, I hate that term) is fine...provided you wear them as underwear like they were meant to be.  I'm pretty sure that if I arrived for a first date just wearing one of these shirts, my date would run the other way!

(For what it is worth, I prefer a V-neck myself.)



17.  COLOGNE - I'm not entirely against cologne or perfume.  A couple of spritzes or dabs are perfectly fine.  Dumping the whole bottle over top of you...yeah, that's never good.



18.  EXCESSIVE BLING - I'm very basic when it comes to jewelry.  I just wear a watch, and that's it.  So, when I see guys that have watches, gold chains, piercings, rings, earrings...I'm tempted to hold up a magnet just to see if they'll stick to it.  That would be entertaining.



19.  PAJAMA PANTS - They're okay if you're sick, recovering from surgery, or if you're sleeping.  Not for a date.

So, there you have it.  Now it's your turn...do you agree?  Disagree?  Have any other suggestions?

Of course, this is all for fun here.  The real lesson is that in my opinion, while I feel it best that you do make a great first impression on a first date, once you meet the one that you love and fall in love with, then it shouldn't matter what you wear or how you look.  As long as she loves you, she'll accept your joke tees, your novelty ties, and your tighty-whities. 

Or at the very least, you can compromise.  :)

Sunday, April 19, 2015

In Defense of Millennials

I'm going to be really honest.  My generation is getting a really bad rap due to the actions of a select few people who happen to be a part of it.

Unfortunately, these people also happen to be some of the loudest and self-absorbed people to ever grace the public eye.

And, well...as much as I hate admitting to partaking in hypocrisy, in this case, I'm going to have to make an exception.  I hate giving these people more publicity but at the same time, I can't help but give examples - just to prove to everybody that not all people who were born in my generation are like this.



The generation, of course, is the Millennial Generation.  And I suppose in some way, I fit the description of a millennial - a person who grew up around technology for most, if not all their life and who values the need for social networking and flexibility in jobs to find what best suits them.  Typically speaking, a Millennial is the son or daughter of parents who were a part of the Baby Boomer generation - or, in my case, parent.  My father was one of the first Baby Boomers, born in 1946.  Mom missed being a Boomer by two months.  Though, given that 2001 seems to be the end date of the Millennial Generation, I suppose some can claim to have parents from Generation X as well.

(Well, technically, I'm kind of on the cusp between Generation X and the Millennial Generation.  Most sources list the end of Generation X as 1980 and the beginning of the Millennial Generation as 1982, meaning that the year I was born (1981) is kind of like that delicious cream filling inside of a generation gap Oreo.)

Anyway, there's been a lot of talk over a couple of separate, but unrelated news stories that despite their differences have one thing in common.  The main subject in both articles are women who are part of the Millennial Generation. 



The first tale we'll talk about is the story of ESPN reporter Britt McHenry (b. May 28, 1986).  Or, I guess I should say "suspended" ESPN reporter.

But what could she have possibly done that could have gotten her suspended from the job she has worked at since the spring of 2014? 

Well, give this video a watch.



Now, I should probably clarify that this video does appear to be edited, as we don't really see any clips of the person behind the service desk of the towing company that this was filmed at.  But either way, the one thing we know is this.  We know that McHenry knew that she was on camera after the attendant pointed it out to her.  After all, we saw the gesture.

And we also know that despite knowing that the camera was on her, she continued to behave in a condescending manner towards the person behind the desk, even going so far as suggesting that her job is something that she should be ashamed of and even takes pot shots at the person's looks.  Again, it would be nice to see the other side of the tape so that we know what could have sparked these comments, but regardless of which, she had absolutely no right to take on an aura of superiority towards someone else who is trying to earn a living.

In fact, watching that video made me cringe.  I can't believe that anyone would act that way and treat someone else with such disgust just based on where they were and who they are.  It's so foul.

Now, to McHenry's credit, she later issued an apology towards the woman at the towing company.  Time will tell whether she has learned anything from this.  I certainly hope she has.

At the very least, I have more faith that she would have learned a lesson from her tantrum than story number two...a story that is more chilling and disgusting than the first.  And surprise, surprise...the star of this tale is a member of the Millennial Generation.

Now, the first thing you need to learn about Kristen Lindsey is that she is a VETERINARIAN.  She is a medical professional whose job includes taking care of sick animals and bringing them back on the road to recovery, or if the animal is too sick, her job is to put them to sleep in a HUMANE manner.  Remember this for later.

The second thing that you need to learn is that Dr. Lindsey has a side hobby of archery.  Or, at least she owns a bow with several arrows.  And that's perfectly fine.  Lots of people practice archery and lots of people do target practice in a safe area to enhance their skills.

And the third thing you need to learn about Dr. Lindsey is that she apparently has no idea how to tell the difference between a feral cat and a domesticated cat.  And that she apparently has keyboard diarrhea.

You see, the good veterinarian decided that she would practice her archery skills on an orange and white cat that she claimed was a feral cat, and when the arrow made contact with the cat, she couldn't resist...ahem...bragging about it.



And no...I will NOT include the image.  It is disgusting and makes me want to vomit.  Actually, the first reaction I had when seeing the photo was pure sadness.

I mean, it would be one thing if the cat was known to be a rabies carrier, or was infested with other incurable diseases.  That would be the only way that this would make a lick of sense whatsoever.  And even so, using a bow and arrow seems to be one of the least humane ways to kill an animal.  Mind you, guns and bear traps are definitely more brutal, but a bow and arrow to kill a cat?  Come on.

And the photo showed her taking pleasure in holding up the arrow with the cat still attached to it with a great big smile on her face and exclaiming that she's the best vet ever.  Oh, yeah...did I mention that she's a VETERINARIAN?!?  How would you feel knowing that your vet that took care of your dog goes around shooting random cats that pass by her yard?  It sort of develops a conflict of interest, doesn't it?  Especially when she takes so much pleasure in bragging about how "the only good feral tomcat is one with an arrow through its head".

The picture was just the disturbing, tainted cherry on top of the ice cream sundae of blood and disgust.

In this case, the vet was let go from her position - despite her claiming that nobody could get rid of her because she was "awesome".

Oh, yeah.  You're "awesome" all right.  And the tragic part?  The cat she murdered wasn't a feral cat at all.  In fact, it could have belonged to a family in Dr. Lindsey's neighbourhood whose cat went missing TWO DAYS BEFORE SHE POSTED THE PICTURE ON FACEBOOK! 

So, why do these two stories rile me up so much (aside from the self-entitlement and psychopathic tendencies that were displayed in each story)?  Well, I found both of these stories on my Facebook News Feed, and sometimes when I see a story that interests me (or in this case, shocks me to the point where I can't believe there are people who really are this vile), I take a look at what some of the comments are underneath.

And well...what made me mad was that some people were commenting that because of these two women, an entire generation of people were rude, crude, sociopathic, idiotic, and not even worth knowing.  They did everything they could do say that the Millennial Generation was the worst generation ever born.



To which I say...hold up.  These two people are NOT a true representation of us.

Believe me, I've heard it all before.  A couple of years ago, I used to belong to a website forum where there was one person who consistently insulted everybody on the board who happened to be born after 1980.  And when I say insulted, I mean they really raked us over the coals and made cruel jokes at our expense.  I took it for a little while, but eventually I had to ignore this person's garbage entirely because I could not stand his negative attitude towards an entire group of people based on the actions of a select few. 

See, I don't take kindly to people who make preconceived judgments on a whole generation of people just because they don't like one or two people within it.  That would be like me declaring that every single man born in 1964 is a serial killer and rapist because Paul Bernardo was born that year.  It sounds absolutely silly when I put it like that, right?

And it sounds really silly to judge the Millennial Generation negatively because of two women who clearly didn't act too swiftly or professionally.  Truth be told, I've known a lot of fellow Millennials who have gone on to do some fantastic things and who have shown that our generation does have a place in the world and is capable of creating some great things to make the world better.  So, stop judging us because of the actions of a couple of people.




And for that person who kept insisting that people born after 1980 were useless and not worth knowing?  Yeah, keep in mind that those people are going to play an integral part in your golden years from filling prescriptions to serving you coffee to even giving you life-saving surgery to keep you alive.

Just think about that the next time you badger and badmouth the youth.  These two women are exceptions, not the norm.  Trust me on this one.

Saturday, April 18, 2015

Strange Plot Devices Used In Daytime Television

You know, if there's anything that I have learned in this life, it's that when something terrible happens, it makes you re-evaluate your life a lot more.  And certainly, the news about someone passing away certainly causes one to think about how they live their lives.

And one thing that I've been reflecting on is trying to make a living doing something that I love.  Not that I don't love mixing paint at a hardware counter.  That's actually kind of fun.  But after writing a blog for four years, having something published recently, and having thoughts of starting up a sign making business, it's got me thinking...life is way too short to keep procrastinating about making dreams come true.

So, I've been trying to come up with a way that I can keep my dreams alive, and I'm thinking that starting a short story is a great way to do that.  And if I'm really in the groove, I think that I could turn that short story into a novel.

But sometimes one of the hardest things that one can do is come up with the storyline behind the novel.  Coming up with a plot can be one of the most difficult things in the world, especially when you consider that you have to make the plots work with the rich character development that you give to your main protagonists and antagonists.  Believe me, it's a lot harder than you think.

In fact, I want to show you one tool that I've used in recent weeks.



This is a site called "The Writer's Plot Idea Generator", and what it does is simple.  Click the button on the site, and it will come up with a random plotline.  Go on.  Try it!  Here.  I've already done one below.



Yikes!  That sounds really outlandish, don't you think?  I mean, a manipulative nanny preparing a bankrupt holiday resort that is apparently set to get blown up real good anyway?  Why, that's even more outlandish than some of those plot lines that you see on soap operas!

Say.  That's a fantastic idea for a plot...ahem...blog topic!  In fact, let's play a little bit of a game here. 

I'll post a list of...oh...let's say...a dozen plot lines.  And you will have to make a decision as to whether the plot line really happened, or if it's just a figment of my own imagination.  I'll reveal the answers at the end of this blog, just so I don't keep you hanging like a Friday cliffhanger.

And trust me...it might be a challenge.  After all, soap operas are getting stranger and stranger.

Okay, let's begin.  And remember.  All you have to do is tell me whether the plot is true or false.

1.  In the spring of 1995, a plot unfurled on one soap opera which saw one of the show's main characters become possessed by the devil himself.  Or, should I say...the devil HERself.

True or False?

2.  Have you ever wondered what one of the strangest ways to die on a soap opera is?  Well, how about getting crushed to death by a gigantic letter "c"?  The death took place in the last half of 1986.

True or False?

3.  In August 1979, one soap opera made history by having two children tie the knot with each other.  Apparently arranged marriages begin really young on this sudser.  The bride and groom were both only ten years old at the time!

True or False?

4.  In the summer of 1999, a soap opera made its debut, and two of the stars of the show were a three hundred year old witch and her companion...a talking doll named Timmy.

True or False?

5.  How does one cope with the news that their sister is really their mother, and that their father was their uncle who raped her mother when she was just thirteen years old?  It's a family affair as one teenager finds out that her sister is her mother and her uncle is her father in the autumn of 2001.

True or False?

6.  One soap opera supercouple (who were united through a rape, surprisingly enough) had to do whatever it took to save their city from being completely frozen over by a madman.  The final confrontation happened in September 1981, and by November they were married.

True or False?

7.  What do you do when your wife is presumed dead in a plane crash?  Well, you take some of the eggs that she harvested for IVF and create an exact clone of her.  The storyline aired throughout 1998, and it likely was inspired by the sheep cloning incident that made everybody exclaim "Hello, Dolly!"

True or False?

8.  It certainly was a spectacle on one soap opera during the winter of 2012 when a character not only came back from the dead, but also brought home a pet dinosaur!

True or False?

9.  One of the most controversial storylines of 1996 involved a fashion model who posed for pictures, smiled for the camera, and became involved with a man she had a crush on in high school.  The only thing that could go wrong?  If people discovered she was born a man.

True or False?

10.  Someone probably didn't tell this woman one cardinal rule.  Never chase after your daughter's husband.  But she did, and the daughter found out about their tryst after overhearing a conversation between the two of them over a baby monitor!  To make this scandal even more shocking?  Mother became pregnant with son-in-law's baby.  Talk about keeping it in the family.

True or False?

11.  Welcome to the year 2003, a year in which a teenage girl fell in love with an Internet pervert and contracted an STD.  Teenage girl's best friend ends up confronting pervert, and he locks friend in a walk-in cooler at a restaurant and sets the place ablaze.  To make this story even more unbelievable, ten years later, Internet pervert ends up being an assistant to the city's police force!

True or False?

And finally...

12.  What does one do when a show is set to end?  How about flood the entire town and kill off some of the dead weight in the process?  After all, if the show is being cancelled, why keep the sets around?  The show wrapped up its soggy run around the Christmas season in 1986.

True or False?

Okay, I'll give you a few moments to think about it a little.

Time's up.  Let's see how you did.



1.  The storyline is TRUE.  In 1995, "Days of our Lives" made history by possessing the character of Dr. Marlena Evans.  Don't believe me?  I have proof!



2.  This is also TRUE.  1986 saw the death of Mary Duvall on the soap opera "Santa Barbara" by having a letter C fall on top of her.  I don't see this scene being shown on "Sesame Street" any time soon.

3.  Sorry.  This plotline never happened.  It's FALSE.



4.  This is TRUE.  Mind you, "Passions" was always known as the show that never really made sense during its whole run.  But the Tabitha/Timmy plotline was one of the show's first, and it ran until actor Josh Ryan Evans passed away in 2002.



5.  You may have gotten stumped with this one.  It is absolutely TRUE.  This plot featured Kat and Zoe Slater on the international show "EastEnders".  Have a look.



6.  Yep, this was the storyline that aired just before Luke and Laura's 1981 wedding.  And yes, Mikkos Cassadine really did plan on freezing the whole world on "General Hospital".  Mark this one as TRUE.



7.  Cloning may seem farfetched.  But Josh Lewis really did try to clone his deceased wife Reva on "Guiding Light".  It's 100% true.  Of course, Reva ended up surviving anyway, and the clone...well...you'll have to see for yourself how that ended.

8.  No soap opera has ever had a dead character bringing back a dinosaur with them when they come back from the dead.  FALSE!

9.  This storyline did happen.  Though "The Bold & The Beautiful" is currently doing a transgender storyline, "The City" was the first soap to tackle the issue, which saw fashion model Azure C have her past life exposed...as average male Lee Chen.



10.  And speaking of "The Bold & The Beautiful", this plot happened on this show which saw Brooke Logan have an affair with Deacon Sharpe, who was married to her daughter Bridget.  That love affair produced Brooke's daughter, Hope.

11.  Once upon a time on "The Young and the Restless", Lily Winters fell in love with Kevin Fisher.  Kevin gave Lily an STD, Lily's friend Colleen told him off, and Kevin set a restaurant on fire with Colleen still inside.  Now, Kevin works for the police (!!), Lily married someone else, and Colleen died.


12.  Finally, this plot is TRUE.  And you have to admit, flooding the whole town is definitely one way for "Search for Tomorrow" to go out!

Friday, April 17, 2015

The Green Marker Poetry Sessions



Sometimes, my inspiration for blog topics can come from the most unusual places.  Sometimes, inspiration may come from playing a video game.  Sometimes, I get inspired by watching a really funny movie on television.  I even think that I probably was inspired to write a blog entry after seeing a jar of mustard on a shelf.  

I know, bizarre.  But that goes to show you that sometimes you can be really be inspired to write in almost any circumstance.

Even when those circumstances are really tragic ones.

Yesterday, a very special person was taken away from us far too soon.  Her name was Christina, and I guess you could say that I've known her a long time, even though we only really worked together for a few months at the most.  But there are several things that I can probably say about her.  I always saw her as being very pleasant to everyone who had the pleasure of working with her, and she really did her best to make sure that the people she served left happy.

And perhaps one of my favourite memories of Christina came at one of our store fun days.  I seem to remember that the theme of the party was Caribbean Day or Hawaii Day, or some other tropical paradise day.  And I remember that she would not let me leave until I had the chance to try one of her drink cocktails.

(Keep in mind that these were "virgin" drinks, as it did take place at work.)

So, I opted for my favourite of the bunch (the pina colada), and she served it to me along with one of those little beach umbrellas.  And I think she watched me closely to make sure I drank every drop!  But for what it was worth, looking back on it, it was the best damn virgin pina colada I've ever had.


Christina, you may not physically be a part of this world any more...but the lives that you touched along the way.  Those people will make sure that you live on forever.  I will definitely miss you, as I am sure everyone out there will.

So, because of this, it prompted me to grab the first writing implement out of my pocket (which ended up being a green Crayola marker) and a notepad and just write down what was going through my mind.  And, well...this is what I came up with.



Please, everyone...keep Christina as well as her family and friends in your thoughts today.

Thank you.

Thursday, April 16, 2015

Celebrity Lookalikes and Dopplegangers

"Has anyone ever told you that you look like that guy from Ghostbusters?"

It was a random question that I was asked by a couple of ladies whom I was ringing in pellets for a paint gun for at the sports counter at my workplace, and I admit that it was a really random question.  So, being the friendly sort that I am, and being a little bit curious about what they were talking about, I pressed them, hoping that they wouldn't think that I looked like the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man.

Luckily, it wasn't Stay Puft.  They apparently thought that I looked like Dan Aykroyd.  They even claimed that I sounded like Dan Aykroyd.

Which, admittedly was something that I had never heard before in all my years on this Earth.

Now, just a little background here.  Dan Aykroyd is a Canadian actor and "Saturday Night Live" alumni who starred in a slew of hit films over the last four decades from "The Blues Brothers" to "Christmas With The Kranks".  In "Ghostbusters", he played the role of Ray Stantz.

Now, "Ghostbusters" was released in 1984.  At the time, Aykroyd was 32.  I was only three.  So, needless to say, I didn't get exposed to "Ghostbusters" until much later in life.

But yet, two women thought I looked just like him.

So, I thought to myself...do I really look like Dan Aykroyd?

Well, let's put it to a test, shall we?  I found a picture of Dan Aykroyd circa 1984, when he was 32 years old.  And I will compare it to a photo of myself taken in January 2014, when I myself was 32 years old.  Let's see how close I really resemble Mr. Aykroyd.



Hmmm...actually, you know...I do kind of see some resemblance.  I mean, we both have the same hair and eye colour.  We even kind of have the same exact nose, which I admit I never really noticed before.  But Dan's teeth are a lot straighter than mine are.  I have been blessed with an overbite, what can I say?

But yeah...I admit that I never quite saw myself as being a Dan Aykroyd lookalike until those two women pointed it out.  And hey, maybe they're on to something.

Though, I maintain that I don't think I sound like Dan Aykroyd.  His voice is deep and cool.  Mine is geeky on a good day!

But when I was a lot younger (like in my teen years), the celebrities that people said that I looked like were quite different.



Do any of you remember the group "The Barenaked Ladies"?  Well, they began their career here in Canada circa 1991 with their cover of Bruce Cockburn's "Lovers in a Dangerous Time", and exploded on the Canadian pop charts in 1992 with their debut album "Gordon".  It took some time for them to make it big in the USA, but they did in 1998 with the songs "One Week", and "It's All Been Done". 

Well, the former lead singer of that band was Steven Page, and many people seem to believe that I look like I could be his twin.

Again, let's compare a recent picture of Steven Page with a recent photo of me.



Yep.  Now, see, I think I look more like Steven Page than I do Dan Aykroyd.  In fact, I agree with some of people who think I could be his twin (which is impossible since he's like a decade older than I am, but if we were the same age, I think it could work).

And then there are the comparisons that were made between myself and the current host of "The Price Is Right" Drew Carey.  Apparently some people thought I looked like him, and I can't really see it now.  After all, Drew Carey doesn't look a thing like me now.

Ah, but back in 1995 (the year I entered high school), Drew Carey had his own sitcom that aired on ABC, and he looked a lot different twenty years ago.  Have a look at an older picture of Drew Carey and compare it to a newer photo of yours truly.



Yeah, I can definitely see a resemblance, albeit a faint one.

So, here's my question to all of you.  Do you have a celebrity doppleganger?  Is there someone who is famous that you think you look like?  Let me know in the comments, if you like!