The Saturday Post: Jim, Jimmy & Elvis edition

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I'm in the desert and although I'm loving my time with Bubby and Mac, I wish only that Jim had been able to join us. So this one's about Jim. For Jim. Because, as Bubby says, we don't want PawDad to feel "alonely" while Gramma's away.

I hope this video of the <cuss> earworm my husband inflicted me with before I left song Jim's been singing the last few days will let him know we're all thinking of him.

And I hope everyone else will appreciate this brief glimpse into the wackiness otherwise known as My Life With Jim. Just imagine him twanging it up singing this tune. It happens. Often. Quite often. I usually groan when he starts it up; today I sort of miss it...and Jim. (All together now: "Awwww...!")

Feel a little less alonely now, PawDad? Bubby and I hope so!

Today's question:

What Jimmy Buffet song(s) do you know all the lyrics to?

The Saturday Post: Dear Photograph edition

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Not long ago we discussed profundity for our New Word Wednesday word.

The website Dear Photograph is pure profundity.

In pictures.

"Take a picture of a picture from the past in the present."

Visit it.

Enjoy it.

Maybe even contribute to it.

Photo: Screen shot of Dear Photograph website

Today's question:

If you could go back and take one picture of someplace from the past, where would it be?

The Saturday Post: Be Strong edition

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For most of us, the March 11 tsunami and earthquake that hit Japan was a heartbreaking but now distant story. For the mothers, children, and others of Japan, though, it remains a reality from which they're still working to recover.

HoriPro Entertainment Group singers Matt Palmer and Pascal Guyon, along with children ages 3-13 from the Los Angeles HoriPro Music Academy, created the following inspirational video to raise awareness of the continued need for relief aid for the mothers and children of Japan.

The Be Strong campaign offers three options for donating to charities focused on aiding mothers and children—UNICEF, Save the Children, or JOICFP—with 100% of net proceeds delivered to the organization of choice.

Today's question:

What is the worst natural disaster you have personally experienced?

The Saturday Post: Zeppelin wedding song edition

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As of tomorrow, Jim and I will have been married 29 years. When planning our wedding all those kajillion years ago, we knew right away that we wanted "Thank You" by Led Zeppelin as our wedding song. Our pastor, on the other hand, said, "I will puke if you play that song." Seriously.

So we relented and simply had my sister read the lyrics to "Thank You" as a poem during the ceremony. Our official song ended up being the generic but still lovely and fitting "The Wedding Song" by Paul Stookey...played on guitar and sung by our non-puking pastor.

In honor of our anniversary, here is the song Jim and I consider our real wedding song, albeit a more recent, more mellow version than the original. Just so no one will puke.


Happy 29th anniversary, Jim!

Today's question:

What was your wedding song?

Saturday Post: Sharing too much edition

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I love the enlightening videos from TED. I found this one especially inspiring, despite its silliness, because it makes me consider that we...okay, that I...may be sharing far too much — and too often — online.

Time for me to stop sharing, back away from the screens, and spend my Saturday outside!

(I originally saw this on TED, but the TED player embeds wonky so I grabbed the YouTube version.)

Today's question:

What are your Saturday plans? (Do share!)

The Saturday Post: Inspiration from a wee one edition

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As I noted earlier in the week, Bubby recently got a big-boy bike and is working diligently on mastering the two-wheeler. The youngster in the following video has apparently done exactly that and, considering his success, offers wise words for Bubby and other bike-riding novices. They're also wise words for anyone — young or old — needing a reminder that practice and belief in oneself are all it takes to accomplish great things.

Today's question:

When do you feel most "happy of myself"?

The Saturday Post: Baby Girl edition

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Graduation season is nearly over. We have our last graduation party to attend tomorrow, for several nieces and nephews. With so many kiddos celebrating their commencements, the graduations of my own daughters have been heavy on my mind, as has one particular song.

When Megan and Andrea were away at college — they went to the same university — they joked about the following song being their song to Jim and me. Andrea, who used to make me CDs of new music she thought I'd enjoy, added it to one of the CDs despite my typical aversion to country music. I did end up loving it, mostly because it always made me think — and still does — of my baby girls. (Although I'm no dummy: I know the "playing here at the bar tonight" line had a completely different meaning for Megan and Andie than what the lyrics intended.)

Oh, and in case you're wondering — or in case my baby girls are reading — I'm still waiting on that letter announcing they'll send us money now that they're "so rich that it ain't funny." Just sayin'...

Today's question:

What genre of music do you listen to most often?

The Saturday Post: Fave Flix #21 edition

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Before I proceed, let me first say that, no, you didn't miss my postings of 20 favorite movies before this one. I just had to start somewhere, and if I marked today's offering #1, it would seem like the movie below is my No. 1 favorite film. Which it's not. But it's in my top 100, and #21 seemed a good place to start. At least to me.

So ... on with the show ...

When life gets a little rough around the edges, my favorite way to escape is by watching a movie. Which is why I love this movie so, as in it Mia Farrow does the very same thing — with very unusual results.

I never figured myself a huge Woody Allen fan until this, Purple Rose of Cairo. If you haven't seen it, do. If you have seen it, see it again. I very rarely watch movies twice, but this one I've watched more times than I can remember. It makes me smile!

Today's question:

What is your favorite mode of escapism?