Fandango asks us to reach back into our archieves and find a post on this day in a past year to share again. Maybe you have seen it before and maybe it is new to you, but it gets the dust off of it for a bit to see the light of day again.
This week I am lucky enough to have a poem I wrote a few years back for St. Patrick’s Day that I will share with you today. This was written in 2017.
Fandango asks us each Friday to share an older post from this date in a previous year. This week we are jumping back to 2018 to a poem I wrote for the daily word prompt “above.”
Our Walk
Taking a walk I glance above, At the blue sky, And wonder what The skies look like Where you are. Could it be possible We are both enjoying A walk in the sunshine, At the same time, Feeling the same warmth Radiating down on us; Connecting us for a moment On an mystical plane, Together once again?
I am technically a little over an hour late for Friday, but it has been ages since I have done one of these and really wanted to join in. Fandango asks that we reach back into our archives and find a post from this date in a previous year. I am stepping back to 2017 for this one I did for the daily prompt slur…
This should be easy, right? I mean who knows more about what I like the best than me? So, I sat down to answer a FPQ post with my own response. But favorites I find to be a little hard. Bear with me and I will try to narrow down my likes to just a few for this list. Fandango asks…
Let’s have some fun this week. Or what I hope you’ll think is fun. My question is simple. It’s all about favorites. If you were asked to name your absolute favorite in each of the following categories, what would they be:
Song
Musical artist or group
Book
Author
Movie
Television show
Movie or TV actor (male & female)
Stage play or musical
Live concert
Remember, I’m looking for your all-time favorite in each of these categories.
I have to say, even though the marriage ended “You Made It Beautiful” by The Oak Ridge Boys was our first dance song and holds a special place in my heart. But there are two others. I wrote some lyrics a friend put music to and sang. That CD is so special. My all-time favorite though, for more than thirty-five years, is a song by a regional band who I would go see play in my late teens and twenties. The song is “Too Old To Cry” and sadly it does bring tears on occasion. The writer and lead singer has lost a fight with cancer so I will never hear the song performed in an auditorium like I have always dreamed. But Tasty Nickel will never die in my heart!
No band can ever knock Queen out of my number one place in my list… I don’t think anyway.
So many good books out there. The first one that really had a physical reaction from was No Language But A Cry about a girl horribly abused by her father who could not speak for many years. I cried too. The Xanth series is just good fun. But the one book I really remember being drawn into and hard to put down lately was Heart Shaped Box by Joe Hill. And a friend or two have had books published… those are very special too.
Consistently the author that draws me in and keeps me entertained and on the edge of my seat would be Dean Koontz.
Here again there are so many. Short and sweet answer… The Color Purple.
I have a few series collections on DVD and watch them from time to time. I would have to say though the one that had the best laughs, drama and powerful messages was M*A*S*H.
I don’t have to think too hard for the actor… Robin Williams. He could do comedy so well, but also did some great dramas… his One Hour Photo character gave me the shivers. As for the actress, this one is harder. It is kind of a toss up between a half dozen women. I will just randomly pick… Sally Field. Once again, a comedy and drama range. I will never forget her Norma Rae performance.
I have had to pleasure to see a few shows live – Wicked, Cats, Rent, Hamilton… if I have to pick just one it would be Wicked – costumes, music and performances were all top rate.
Who can narrow down live concerts to just one favorite? I have the concert I went up on stage during, the once in a lifetime Farm Aid all day concert, seeing a Beatle live – Paul McCartney. If I have to be honest, the one that stands out the most is the one where we saw the Oak Ridge Boys from the front row, and I spent half the show “flirting” with the guitarist Steve… he handed me his stage towel after the show. That was a lot of fun!
If you made it to the end of my rambling and are still here thanks for reading! Sorry this is late posting for the prompt, but as usual I am behind on my reading. Thanks for the fun and challenging questions Fandango!
*****
Written for Fandango’s Provocative Question (FPQ) #188
This week Fandango has asked an interesting and potentially fun question, it is all in how you take the question – “What will your last day on Earth be like?” Obviously, no one knows when will be there last day, well, most people don’t know.
There was a dark time when I would have said my time was soon, but that has thankfully passed me. So, no last day wrapped around a big tree for me. But do I revert back to that essay I wrote in high school about my death in my 30th year just having had a song I co-wrote hit the top ten? Nah, that is well past me in years and ambitions now.
I have seen one person die in front of me and although Dad was having a bit of difficulty breathing, I don’t think he suffered. I don’t want to suffer. And my Mom passed in her sleep so I imagine just like how life can enter a dream, she just dreamed to peace and quiet.
Now for a little honesty. Not that my Mom and Dad’s deaths were not like that, but how do I think my last day will be? I do not live a glamourous life. I currently live alone (but hope that may change someday) with my three cats. I only drive minimally, so I think the car crash option is off the table. Will I eat meat that is expired and suffer terrible stomach pains? Will I see my cats turn on me and slowly bleed to death with scratches head to toe? No, I think it honestly will be a heart attack doing something that is a minor thing but can get my heart pumping. I think maybe running up and down the stairs with laundry … someone will find me half on a step with laundered clothes everywhere.
How would I like to spend that last day? In love’s bliss with someone I care very deeply for. In and out of bed acting like a teenager and loving every minute of it. Ah, what a way to go!
I do want to mention one other possibility. My last day “on earth” could be headed to a remote colony on the moon or Mars, but I honestly think that is another generation or two down the line, if we don’t kill the planet first. I need to go get the clothes out of the dryer now… wish me luck.
I think this is a first for me. I have answered Fandango’s Provocative Question in the comments before, but this week there was just too much to the question(s) to put in the comments so lets just into it.
This week Fandango asks:
For this week’s provocative question, I’m going to ask you about your TV viewing habits. My questions are below if you care to answer, either in the comments or on your own post. Ready?
What country do you live in?
How many televisions do you have in your home?
On average, how many hours a day do you watch TV?
What kinds of programs do you typically watch (e.g., news, sports, movies, dramas, sitcoms, reality shows)?
Do you watch programs as they are aired or do you record them and watch them at other times?
Do you mostly watch “network” TV? Premium cable channels (e.g., HBO, Showtime)? Streaming channels (e.g., Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, Disney+, Apple+)?
How often, if at all, do you use other devices than television (e.g., computers, smartphones) to watch programs?
First of all I am in the middle of the United States with only one TV in my house. From here the questions get a little grey. Used to be I would have the TV on 24/7, but barely watched it. It was “company” in an empty house.
I am in the process of changing things a little. I am slowly getting into streaming what I want to watch as opposed to what is on cable. I have been listening to Amazon Music during the days at my computer and doing things around the house as pain allows me to. But usually I watch the local ten o’clock news and then it is more like background noise again until morning as I find it hard to sleep in a quiet house… although through the years I have learned no home is ever truly quiet, especially with three cats. So, as the set may be on about 10 to 12 hours depending on how late I am up (I am a night owl) I maybe only watch 2 to 4 hours.
I watch the local news and a mix of old shows I loved (Quantum Leap and The Carol Duvall show this week) and new discoveries (Squid Game and Downton Abbey) and the occasional movie I have on my to watch list (the original War of the Worlds and Forbidden Planet). So, I watch a mix of “live” and on demand shows. I rarely record anything.
As for the last two questions… all of the above. Local news (TV), movies (Starz, HBO, Disney) and streaming channels I am starting to discover more and more. However almost all of these are watched on the TV, with an occasional viewing on my computer. The phone screen is just too small. But music still reigns number one in my house – computer, tv music channels or the good old fashioned radio. How do you view?
Leigha Robbins 