Mar 10

It’s International Bagpipe Day Again!

international-bagpipe

Mar 04

March Forth on March Fourth

 

Today would probably have been a better day for the Music Man post since it’s about marching forth on March Fourth.

 

 

In honor of dedicated musicians and performers of many diverse styles and backgrounds, Marching Music Day celebrates all varieties of the art forms bringing us “music on the move.”

For centuries, the beat of a drum has kept military units moving in unison. From the training field to the battlefield, the football stadium to the Broadway stage, small gyms, auditoriums and grand arena spectacles, fifers, pipers, buglers, drum corps, marching bands, parade groups, drill teams and color guards bring music to life to the delight of millions of performers and spectators.

 

The military roots of the drum corps have evolved into an art form which moves us during somber memorials and thrills us with their ability to perform delightful music while executing intricate routines with exact precision. Drill squads, marching bands, drum lines, and drum corps name but a few of the many styles of marching music which have developed over the years, engaging hundreds of thousands of performers of all ages, abilities and experience levels.

 

 

We see marching music in schools, military units, community celebrations and local auxiliaries. The music is as varied as the ensembles themselves. Instruments may be limited to brass in some settings or may include woodwinds and electric guitars in others. Dance teams, baton twirlers and color guards perform to soundtracks ranging from traditional, standard marches to rock and roll, jazz, contemporary and electronic dance music.

 

 

And marching music keeps changing! Spectacular string bands incorporate their own unique sound and elaborate costuming. Technology has brought about the production of lighter, electronic and digital instruments making it possible for musicians to march with violins, cellos, basses and synthesizers to entertain crowds in unique and creative new ways.

 

 

Today, March 4 (“March Forth”) is also National Grammar Day. In past years, the National Grammar Day organization promoted the annual date as follows: “Language is something to be celebrated, and March 4 is the perfect day to do it. It’s not only a date, it’s an imperative: March forth on March 4 to speak well, write well, and help others do the same!”

 

 

 

Mar 03

Oscar Winners: The Music Man

 

 

TCM is currently doing 31 Days of Oscars.  I first sort of noticed this a couple years ago when I looked ahead in the scheduling and noticed that all TCM shows were alphabetized.  At first, I thought maybe that this scheme was some sort of placeholder before I realized what they were doing. Personally, I preferred when 31 Days grouped films by nomination category, by studio or by actor. Alphabetical is easy for them but hard on me, looking through every entry to see what to record.

 

Today, Tivo faithfully recorded (The) Music Man.  When I watched it on Sunday, I was most pleased to realize that I remembered all the words.

 

 

Remembering all the words is no small feat.

I first started collecting records (yes, records!) of musicals when I was in high school in Springfield, MA.  Our library had an outstanding record collection, but I could only check out one (or 2?) at a time.

I would bring my record(s) home, and listen to them like crazy.  Then I’d save my allowance and any work money I had and go to the local department store to buy my favorites.   I always bought musicals and they were nearly Original Broadway Cast.  Years later, I still have all these records, even though I usually listen on Spotify or on one of my carefully curated playlists. (I also can’t listen to any of the music out of order.)

As the years roll by, many of these musicals, like The Music Man, have gone on to become films.  I am not usually a happy camper when the music is changed from what I remember of the OBCs and the film, but The Music Man film made the cut for me  🙂

 

 

Mar 01

Spring, 2018

Feb 16

Happy Chinese New Year!

 

Our wonderful daughter-in-law is Chinese, so we are celebrating the Year of the Dog.  (Mimi likes that, too and thinks that every year should be about and for her!)

 

 

 

Feb 04

Sean Connery and Bagpipes

 

This video just came up on my Facebook feed this morning but I hadn’t seen it before.  Even though Washington is misspelled, this is still a fantastic performance for Sean Connery in 1999.

Sean Connery was honored at the Kennedy Center for lifetime achievements. The music consists of the Washington Pipe Band, Alasdair Fraser, Davidson School of Scottish Dance, Mairi Campbell and Dave Francis.

 

Feb 02

Happy Groundhog Day!

 

Groundhog Day is observed on February 2nd, each year in the United States and Canada.

For a nice welcomed break during the winter, on this day the groundhog awakens from his nap and goes outside to see if he can see his shadow. It is believed by many that if the groundhog sees his shadow that there will then be six more weeks of winter. If this is so, he then heads back into his den and goes back to sleep. If he is not able to see his shadow, the groundhog remains outside and, supposedly, spring is just around the corner.

Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania has been chosen as the site for the annual Groundhog day event. Thousands of people come to the town of Punxsutawney on Groundhog Day for this day of celebration.

Although already a well known day, Groundhog Day received widespread attention as a result of the 1993 film Groundhog Day, which was set in Punxsutawney, PA.

 

 

 

Feb 02

Today’s “Who Knew?”

 

Interesting factoid from the Who Knew category…

Italian anatomist Antonio Maria Valsalva was born on this day in 1732. He is credited with developing the Valsalva maneuver, the process of trying to blow air out of your nose while it is plugged in order to clear the airways of the ears.

He also coined the term Eustachian tube and he described the aortic sinuses of Valsalva in his writings, published posthumously in 1740.

If you want to say read this during dinner tonight, here’s the correct pronunciation:

 

Jan 27

Happy Anniversary, 2018!

 

I wasn’t home this year on our anniversary – the first one I’ve missed.  I was in Southport, NC for the memorial celebration of our church’s former music director.  Tom would have gone with me, but he was dealing with house issues that I’ll be posting about in the near future.

Another anniversary rolls around, the 45th, to be exact.  

I always like to check out this picture of our wedding expenses.  We have it framed and sitting on our mantle.

 

Tom paid $50.26 (blood tests and wedding ring!) and my costs (I made my own dress) were $29.25.

We were lucky.  My dad was the minister at the Barre (MA) Congregational Church so he didn’t charge us to perform the service.  The women of the church provided the reception in the parsonage.  My mom chipped in the flowers.

Well worth the cost!

 

Barre Congregational Church

 

Our honeymoon was in upstate New York so Tom could look for a job.  My only memories of that trip were the snow coming in under the door of our motel and Tom not getting a job.

After that, we drove back to Boston where we rented the bottom floor of my mother-in-law’s house.  In Dorchester, many of the homes were triple deckers and families could have one, two or three floors.

This isn’t where we lived, but a very similar look to her house.

 

We got all moved in and painted everything (we decided to paint my sewing room a cheery yellow.  The walls just sucked in the yellow paint and we had to use many, many coats). So, Tom got a job in Washington, DC.

So, we packed up and found a small apartment in Alexandria, VA.

That apartment was so small…when my parents came to visit, they slept on cots in the living room with their feet under my newly-acquired piano.

Then we moved to Holmes Run Parkway (also in Alexandria), Silver Spring, MD, Wilmington, DE, and finally settled in Fairfax, VA.

Five years ago to celebrate our anniversary, Tom had a heart attack.  I wrote a lot about that here: https://maryomedical.com/2017/01/27/giving-thanks-day-3/

 

I am hoping for a nice, quiet day today!

Jan 24

National Compliment Day

compliment

 

National Compliment Day.  Give an extra compliment on National Compliment Day which is observed annually on January 24.

A compliment has a powerful effect. It can instill confidence in a child, or validate someone’s hard work.

 

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