How I got my college education.

I am not sure how parents do it these days....putting their kids through college. My niece is attending the University of Michigan as a freshman this year. She grew up in Atlanta where my brother and his family have lived for over 20 years. They're paying out-of-state tuition....how? I've never asked....it's none of my business. One assumes it's a combination of resources....my niece is a very intelligent young lady so a scholarship is a likely contributor.

So, I need to get to my point....how did I make it through college? A Pell grant....the originator of the Pell grant, Claiborne Pell, passed away today at the age of 90. He is pictured here with his wife of 64 years, Nuala. The former Rhode Island senator reportedly suffered from the advanced stages of Parkinson's disease. His political career emphasized education, arts, humanities and foreign affairs. He spent the last of his 36 years in Congress as the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. His contribution to my early college career is undeniable and appreciated by me and my mother! Of course, in my junior year of college, President Reagan dramatically cut financial aid for students of middle-income families and student loans became my source of financial support. Regardless, my Pell grant allowed me to worry less about money and focus more on school and social activities.

I'd say my college experience was better and more enjoyable because of Sen. Pell and his remarkable efforts.

Purrrrr-fectly brilliant!

Today we've lost an icon....Eartha Kitt passed away today at 81. She succumbed to colon cancer. As I'm sure you can all predict, my first introduction to Ms. Kitt was as the Catwoman on the mid-60s TV series, "Batman." I thought she was amazing....I was only 6 or 7 years old but I certainly knew a diva when I saw one!

As with most of the legends that are leaving us these days, she had quite a story....she was a mixed-race child back in the days when that wasn't so cool. Growing up in South Carolina couldn't have made that any easier. After getting her start as a dancer-singer, she became known as an international symbol of elegance and sensuality. She was a multi-Emmy winner and was also a Tony and Grammy award nominee. According to an obituary she was a self-proclaimed "sex kitten" because of her signature "prrrrrrrrrr." I don't know about the whole "self-proclaimed" part....I would guess that some ambitious Hollywood reporter coined the phrase and it simply took on a life of its own.

Regardless, time passes and so do the most influencial people of our lifetime. I can't imagine what she might say as she arrives at the purrrrr-ly gates.

The death of Batman??!

No, he's not really dead. It's time for a change....the comics are classic for this, just like soap operas. They re-tell the old stories....I think there's a reason why I'm so attracted to both media. Anyway, I personally love the opportunities this presents to tell stories....retrospectives. They are planning to have a number of prominent comic book writers contribute to the next couple of story arcs before they, potentially, revisit the "death" of Bruce Wayne.

This approach to comic book chronology is not uncommon. This is a similar tact that was taken following the death of Superman. A battle ensues and Nightwing, Robin, and a couple of others connected to Batman make the case of taking over the thone. Both Nightwing and Robin comics will go on hiatus during the retrospectives and following issues.

I can't wait for this to come out in a graphic novel....can you say Merry Christmas??!

"We Can't Elope!!"

Okay, I am loving Kath & Kim on the NBC television network. Now, rest assured, I've seen every episode of the original Kath & Kim out of Australia....I thought no US version could ever hold up. [Buzzer] Wrong! This is a very funny show that has really grown on me since the pilot. The characters are adaptations of the originals but equally as quirky. Molly Shannon and John Michael Higgins are fantastic in their roles as Kath and Phil. Selma Blair has the attitude of the original Kim, but definitely not the body (no offense to the original Kim, Gina Riley). The rest of the characters are effective although somewhat annoying at times...."Dude."

Clearly, there are precedents in this movement of American-izing successful international programming....The Office comes to mind. It seems, lately anyway, that these re-visions are more true to the original style and tenor of their predecessors. That's a wordy way of saying they're just as funny and engaging. I hope these well-cast, well-scripted shows can hang on for some time to come. Now I loves me some reality TV (you know, Top Chef, Project Runway, etc., etc.) but I truly enjoy good quality network television. The definition of "network" television has definitely evolved over the past several years. I honestly don't care what network is carrying the good stuff....I just like the good stuff! Kath & Kim is great stuff.

Oh, and for reference, the subject line is a quote from the 4th episode, "Money". Kath is making a fruit salad when Kim suggests that Kath and Phil should elope. Kath turns around holding half a cantaloupe and utters the above-mentioned hysterical line. Cheesy, maybe....funny, yes!

Hurricane Season

I'd posted on my Facebook page about the impending release of a new album by Grace Jones entitled, "Hurricane". I've been a huge fan of Ms. Jones since the late '70s and had the pleasure of seeing her in concert during her heyday at a club in Miami many moons ago.

Actually, it's a great story....

My friends and I got tickets to see Grace Jones perform at the Parallel Bar in Miami Beach back in the late '80s. We were all pretty excited because we had followed her musical career dating back to college and enjoyed her gender-bending sound....we often wondered whether Ms. Jones was actually Mr. Jones. After enjoying dinner and a few drinks, we wandered over to the venue. There were lots of folks already on line so we took our place. It was about 11pm when we were finally allowed in and we found a spot as close to the stage as we could. She was supposed to come out at midnight. Tick-tock, tick-tock....time passes. Midnight comes and goes....1am comes and goes....the crowd is getting restless. Finally, around 2:15am, we get word that Ms. Jones is in the building....well, that's nice. She emerges around 2:45....there's still a decent crowd and we greet her as positively as one could after waiting almost 4 hours. She starts to perform one of her classic songs, "Slave to the Rhythm"....she seems preoccupied. Apparently, one fan, in her excitement to see Ms. Jones perform, gets on the shoulders of her boyfriend. Ms. Jones stops dead in her lyrical tracks and requests that the woman "get out of her light." She was blocking a spotlight pointed directly at Ms. Jones on stage. Well, Miss Fan didn't realize she was being spoken to....Ms. Jones stops the concert again. Only this time she wasn't quite so polite....she comes to the end of the stage, knocks the girl off of the shoulders of her man and yells, " I told you to get out of my f*cking light!!" Snap!! And that took care of that!

We were all a little stunned at the sequence of events, but not surprised. Ms. Jones has always been known as a cantankerous performer....we knew that. I suppose that's why we waited so long to see her.

Now that we have her long-awaited album of new music, I think back fondly on that event and our appreciation for her contribution to music and androgyny. Not even a chocolate version of her can diminish that.

Jack Frost nipping at your nose....

Finally!!! With fall lasting about 3 days, we are in store for some real cool weather. Now, don't get me wrong....I love a nice warm, mid 70s kinda day, but it sure is fun to bust out the sweaters and work the wool look on occasion. Growing up in SoFl and now living in SoCal does numb you to the changes in season, but I make these choices for a reason....ice storms in the Northeast?! Um, not for me.

So with a forecast calling for snow at 2500 feet (yeah, I'm not even close), we'll be getting into the holiday spirit here in Hell-A. Time for me to iron the scarves and learn how to tie a new knot.

The Bonnie Hunt Show

Buh-bye Martha Stewart....helllllooooo Bonnie Hunt!! Honestly, I could barely watch more than 30 seconds of a single Martha Stewart episode anymore. I'm thinking....wait a second, Bonnie Hunt has a chat show. I LOVE Bonnie Hunt!! Holy Mary, Mother of God!! (as she might say in her classic Chicago-Irish accent)....this show is fantastic! I almost feel like it's an homage to the old Johnny Carson show. "Heeeeeeeere's Bonnie!" But it's not trite....lots of fun bits mixed with the classic celebrity interviews. She's good with an audience....a la Carson. And, most importantly, I laugh out loud!!!! I have never understood why the TV viewing public has never totally embraced her sitcoms.

You know, I have no idea how well the show is actually doing, but I sure hope we get at least a year or two of this exceptionally funny daytime chat show.


Now, for those of you who know me....have you ever seen me use this many exclamation points in your life??! (+1)