"These are a few of my favorite things..."

I've been trying to figure out how to embed a widget so you could, if you choose, listen to some of the songs I currently have on my mp3 player. I decided to try this one on the recommendation of Blogger. Please let me know what you think of the player and what you think of the music.

Some of these you might recognize, even if you don't know why. If you haven't already figured it out - both "Falling In Love At A Coffee Shop" and "Sweet Pea" are the full songs from AT&T commercials. *L* Hey...what can I say, I really like the songs! Just click on each song icon to listen - single click, if you double click it won't play. To hear another song just click on the grey X to return to the list. And don't forget to have your sound turned on!! Hope you enjoy!

"Science fiction.....double feature..."

"Dr X....will build a creature
See androids fighting.......Brad and Janet
Anne Francis stars in........Forbidden Planet
Wo oh oh oh oh oh
At the late night, double feature, picture show"
from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show"

So...we went down to Houston to see Phillip and
Stephanie and Bryan last weekend. Phillip and
Steph were very good hosts and we did several interesting things. One of their ideas was to go to the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in Katy, Texas. Phillip currently teaches at a school in Katy, that's why we chose this one. Anyways - this was truly a unique 'dinner and a movie' experience!

We saw the new "Star Trek" movie - which in my opinion was pretty good, very funny, and quite enjoyable. In each theater there are the usual rows of seats (very comfortable too) but with a bar type table running in front of them. You choose your seat, peruse the menu, write what you want on the order papers and place them in the holder at the front of the bar table. A waiter/waitress comes and gets your order, then brings your dinner to you. It's an eclectic menu - everything from pizza and chicken strips to Asian salads. We all had pop but of course you can order from an extensive selection of beers and wines. The wait staff will come back and check on you frequently but they don't disturb you during the movie. You can order up until last call which is about 30 minutes before the movie ends. During the movie I had the potato skins, which were REALLY good, and the chicken strip dinner. The barbecue sauce was a bit odd - it had a kind of citrus after-taste - but the chicken was good and the fries were wedge-cut steak fries with a seasoning over them. All in all it was delicious! I wish we had something like this in Oklahoma - I would definitely be a more regular movie-goer!

To see more about the Drafthouse Cinema they have a web site at http://www.drafthouse.com/. As I said, we went to the one on Mason in Katy.

"M is for the many things she gave meeeee...."

To the woman who:
- endured numerous choruses of the seven-part harmony of "Are we there yet????",
- received enough macaroni necklaces that, if they were diamonds, she would have been richer than Bill Gates,
- cooked enough spaghetti / bean soup / beef stew to feed an army (and she did! *LOL*),
- worked in enough classrooms to qualify as a teacher,
- baked enough birthday cakes to truly be the "Ace of Cakes",


HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY NANNY!!!

"Oh nothing can stop the U.S. Air Force!"

I don't know if this is only in Oklahoma...but I sure hope not. Awhile ago I was at Wal-Mart picking up a few things. I walked out into the parking lot headed for my car. Directly in front of me was a young Black lady dressed in fatigues - obviously from Vance AFB.

As we walked up the aisle of the parking lot and she reached a battered pickup truck, we both heard a loud rumbly yell, "HEY LADY!!" The young woman almost jumped out of her skin and turned to look in the direction of the roar. I stopped several feet behind the young woman to make sure she would be okay. An older caucasian man, easily 60-65 years old, big and burly, jumped out of the passenger's side of the truck. She looked pretty frightened - then he snatched the hat off of his head and yelled, "Thank you for serving Ma'am! I appreciate it!" I saw all of the tension drain out of her and she stood up straight and faced him directly and said, "You're welcome sir, it's an honor!"

I watched her walk to her car with her head up high and pride in her step. My face was wet by the time I got to my car and I was thinking that I sure hope this isn't the only place that happens. I hope it's happening everywhere!

Please remember - the branch of the military doesn't matter - if you see a soldier, airman, seaman, marine, etc., thank them! These days there is no such thing as "Peace time service".

"My oh my...my oh my..."

*GASP* Oh my poor Sue Sue!! You don't know the song from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show"??? It's near the beginning after Brad and Janet have the flat and walk through the rain to find someplace with a phone. They saw lights a ways back and figure there must be someone there that can help them. They walk up to the castle singing as the song plays:

"Over At The Frankenstein Place"

In the velvet darkness of the blackest night
Burning bright, there's a guiding star
No matter what or who you are.

There's a light over at the Frankenstein Place
There's a light burning in the fireplace
There's a light, light in the darkness of everybody's life.

I can see the flag fly, I can see the rain
Just the same, there has got to be
Something better here for you and me.

There's a light over at the Frankenstein Place
There's a light burning in the fireplace
There's a light, light in the darkness of everybody's life.

The darkness must go down the river of nights dreaming
Flow morphia slow, let the sun and light come streaming
Into my life, into my life.

There's a light over at the Frankenstein Place
There's a light burning in the fireplace
There's a light, light in the darkness of everybody's life.


At the end of the song the motorcycles roar past, Brad and Janet jump out of the way and knock on the door to be greeted by....dnh dnh dnh....Riff Raff!!!! *LOL* Honestly this movie is worth watching for the pure camp of it if nothing else. And in my opinion....Tim Curry made one HOT transvestite! "I'm just a sweet transvestite....from Transexual, Transylvania...." *G* Of course, my favorite song is "Time Warp" and I would love to play Magenta!

I must say though, I absolutely love the one you recommended, "There's a lighthouse on the hillside, that overlooks life's seas..." Have to find the rest of the lyrics for that one! Thank you thank you! *HUGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGS*

"There's a liiiiiight...."

Okay fine...so the rest of this line is actually, "...over at the Frankenstein place..." but the first part of it was very appropos. *LOL*

In case you couldn't get the emails I sent or couldn't open the pictures due to size - here they are just as I promised:

First - the pencil sketch - matted in deep blue velvet:


And now the oil painting - matted in maritime red textured and tufted velvet:


So what do you think about the pictures themselves and the matting and frame choices? I found the "driftwood" styled frames at Hobby Lobby and thought they were just what I needed.

Let me know what you think guys! *G*

"Do an arabesque...now a big plie..."

"...this is the way we do ballet..."

Anyone remember that song from the Kate-sters ballet recital? *L* Well...I came across another reason to remember it...the famous "Flight of Spirits" mural at the Oklahoma State Capital building. I have seen this mural and it is absolutely gorgeous. I also find the ladies in the mural fascinating as well. I found the information and pictures below on various web sites and hope you find it interesting as well. My apologies for the size/quality of the pictures - these are the only ones I could find.


Between 1920 and 1929, five extraordinary women came into the world from the Cherokee, Choctaw, Shawnee, and Osage Nations. They were destined not only to change the face of Oklahoma, but the world of ballet as well.

They are, officially, Oklahoma’s treasures: Yvonne Chouteau, Rosella Hightower, Moscelyne Larkin, Maria Tallchief, and Marjorie Tallchief. These ballerinas all danced during the 1940's with the Ballets Russes and the Grand Ballet de Marquis de Cuevas.

On November 17, 1991, these five friends enjoyed a rare reunion during the dedication of the Flight of Spirit painting of them in the State Capitol rotunda.


Flight of Spirit merges the tragic history of Native Americans with the hope and renewal of modern accomplishments. Behind the illuminated ballerinas is Larson’s depiction of the Trail of Tears. Five geese soar over the displaced Native Americans. The geese symbolize the grace and spirit of the five ballerinas. Mike Larsen's depiction of the ballerinas is strictly representational in that the painted figures have analogous facial features and proportions.

Flight of Spirit is located above the fourth floor rotunda of the Oklahoma State Capitol and can be seen from both the fourth floor and the fifth floor gallery.

First born in 1920, Choctaw Rosella Hightower came from a large family in Durwood, close to Lake Murray. Hightower toured internationally and was engaged in an enormous repertory, including the “Black Swan” pas de deux with Rudolf Nureyev in his 1961 London debut. A year later she started l’Ecole Superieure de Dance in Cannes, which integrated jazz, contemporary dance, and classical ballet. She later served as Director of the Marseilles Opera Ballet and the Ballet of Paris Opera. In 1975, the French government named Miss Hightower a Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur, the country’s premier honor. Sadly, Ms. Hightower passed away on November 4, 2008.

The next oldest, Moscelyne Larkin was born in Miami, OK, in 1925, to a Shawnee-Peoria Indian and a Russian dancer, who trained her. She joined the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo in 1948, dancing many leading roles, and later enjoyed being featured as the prima ballerina at Radio City Music Hall.

Betty Marie (later Maria) and Marjorie Tall Chief were Osage sisters born only a year apart. In fact, Maria’s birthdate was only ten days after Larkin’s, on January 24, 1925. Upon high school graduation, Maria became an apprentice with Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. Later, as she was headed toward becoming the highest paid prima ballerina of the era, the company requested that Maria change her name to Maria Tallchieva. Proud of her Osage heritage, Maria refused, but finally compromised on “Maria Tallchief.” She married famed Russian choreographer George Balanchine, who created her signature roles in “The Firebird,” “Swan Lake,” and “The Nutcracker,” among others. Today she is still popularly known as “Oklahoma’s Firebird.” Even though the marriage to Balanchine ended, their artistic collaboration continued for many years through the New York Ballet.

Maria’s younger sister, Marjorie, born in 1926, became the first American Indian to become premiere danseuse etoile with the Paris Opera. Known for her classic, dignified style, she worked with the American Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, the Grand Ballet du Marquis de Cuevas, Ruth Page’s Chicago Opera Ballet, and the Harkness Ballet.

The youngest of Oklahoma’s ballerinas, Shawnee Yvonne Chouteau, born 1929, descends from Major Jean Pierre Chouteau, who established the state’s oldest white settlement in what is now Salina, in 1796. Only 14, Chouteau was the youngest American ever accepted by the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. In 1960 they established the University of Oklahoma’s ballet program, the nation’s first accredited dance degree. They went on to organize the Oklahoma City Civic Ballet in 1963 (now Ballet Oklahoma), which they ran for ten years.

So...this is the way that these marvelous ladies "did ballet". I couldn't find any pictures but there have also been 5 bronze statues, one of each ballerina in costume in a signature role, created for the Vintage Gardens of the Tulsa Historial Society. These statues are called "The Five Moons". There was also a ballet created especially to honor them titled "The Four Moons". It contains 4 solo dance parts to honor the heritage of the ballerinas - since Maria and Marjorie Tallchief are both Osage, their heritage shares one solo dance part, hence the 4 instead of 5.

One day I hope to be able to see the sculptures in Tulsa. I also hope you enjoyed this little bit of Oklahoma history.