Finally Friday Fun Memoir

I'm on a bit of a memoir kick as I visit my local  library. This one jumped out at me - Stories to Tell by Richard Marx.  I think I've established I like pop cheesy songs. Richard Marx, an accomplished song writer, had a ton of Billboard Hot 100 hits in 1987, 1989, and has written lots of Grammy winners with other artists (think Luther Vandross, NSYNC, Josh Groban, Keith Urban, Barbra Streisand, et al). 

The hair, the videos on MTV, the falsetto (I like guys that can sing high). Richard Marx was/is awesome. 

His memoir was interesting and was a lot about the actual music making and  writing. As he even says, he had a very normal childhood with parents that loved him and each other.  He married young and had three boys and a twenty-five year marriage. That's a good run. It did not end in scandal.  He is currently married to Daisy Fuentes. 

He was not a party boy. He just loved music, loved writing music, loved working with his band, with other musicians, and he seemed to keep connections and not piss off people.  He has a whole chapter on working with Barbra Streisand, and he questions the "bitch" reputation. He said she was a perfectionist, yes, but also generous, thoughtful, and just freakin' talented. They are good friends  to this day. 

Richard Marx, now 57 or so, seems like a stand-up dude and his Stories to Tell were very interesting in regards to the music scene.  I enjoyed this memoir. 

 

Wednesday Whoa - Big Summer by Jennifer Weiner

 Big Summer by Jennifer Weiner is a perfect beach read about friendship and forgiveness set during  a disastrous wedding on picturesque Cape Cod. (cover blurb). It's breezy, gossipy, trendy, and good brain candy. You don't have to think much. Just enjoy the characters and Weiner's ability to keep summer plots swirling with rumors, failing businesses, infidelity, and a fatal hot tub incident. 

Daphne Berg, a plus-size Instagram influencer, has moved on from college and ex-best friend Drue Cavanaugh. Thus she's shocked when Drue contacts her, begs to meet, and then asks her to be her maid of honor. It's tough to resist Drue, and Daphne is pulled into Cape Cod drama, amidst hooking up with a really cute guy. 

I won't say more. Social media. Society life. Money. Jennifer Weiner creates a frothy cocktail swirl that's easy to swallow. Relax pool or beachside and dive into Big Summer. 

Monday Moment - Forever Young by Hayley Mills

 What a treat!  Another great library find - Hayley Mills' memoir Forever Young.  I grabbed it off the shelf as my mind floated back  to the joys of Disney classics - Pollyanna, Parent Trap, That Darn Cat!

I loved Hayley Mills (now age 74) - so pretty with those big blue eyes and that delightful accent. Her book reads as if she is talking to you and telling stories. What a  life. Her father, John Mills, was quite the actor in his day, and her  troubled mother was a screen writer. Her sister, Juliet, was also an actress, and there was a younger brother, Jonathan. 

When she met Walt Disney, her life changed. She writes fondly of her days at Disney and her respect for Walt. She grew up there with a seven movie contract, and Walt was quite the business man. It was tough  to escape or film something not "suitable" to the Disney image. Hence, no Lolita!

Parties, dinners, awards ceremonies, vacations - this book is a name dropper's paradise, but Ms. Mills is not bragging. This was her life and it's fun to read whom she was in awe of, and the time her mother fixed her up with George Harrison. Oh my! She also writes of normal teen issues, but alas, she was always being scrutinized. Family life had its turmoil, and  finally she had to battle for her money that had been put in a trust, but not done to her favor back in the day. 

Forever Young is well written and quite interesting as a peep into old school Hollywood. I enjoyed it immensely, and fortunately Hayley Mills came out of it on the good side, now happy with two grown sons, a respect for the positivity of Pollyanna, and a sense of humor about her life. I'm glad she wrote her memoir. 

Finally Friday Fun - Happy Birthday David

Today is my brother's (David Crowther) birthday.  Here we are many moons ago. He's five years younger than me. 

Here he is - a happy retired man.  What will you do with your time, David?  Turns out he spends a lot of time helping our 90+ year old father. He's a good son!!!

David is always happy when he visits Charleston SC.  His daughter Lisa lives here. This picture was from an anniversary party for Lisa.   (David, son Jeff, daughter Lisa, and wife Cherie)

 Sail into another year, David. Stay healthy and have a Happy Birthday!   Cheers!

Local Theater Laughs

 Time to venture out last Friday and catch some local theater. Onstage Bedford presented a one woman show Erma Bombeck: At Wit's End.  The authors, Margaret Engel and Allison Engel, had done another show I liked about the columnist Molly Ivins, so I had high hopes. And they did not disappoint. 

In ninety minutes, the actress (Judy Sizemore) gave us Erma - the housewife, the writer, the syndicated columnist, the book author, the feminist, the wife, the mom, the everybody's next door neighbor. The actress gave us the wit and  wisdom of Erma all while folding laundry, ironing, dealing with kids and husband, and answering the door to life insurance salesmen. 

Laugh out loud funny and also poignant too. This was a tight little production and kudos to Onstage Bedford. I was happy to "shop  local" and was entertained. My mom loved Erma Bombeck and I have too. She's one for the ages and this show, At Wit's End, does her justice. 

Monday Movie Review - The Lost City

 Last Thursday began as a cold blustery day. I decided I needed some sunshine and stupidity in my life, so off to the movies. The Lost City starring Sandra Bullock, Channing Tatum, Daniel Radcliff, and Brad Pitt filled all of my goals. 

This is old fashioned rom-com fluff with no redeeming  value. But those of us in the theater laughed out loud and enjoyed the ridiculous situations. Sandra B plays a burned out romance novelist. Channing is her cover model, Dash. Daniel Radcliff is the wacko billionaire who kidnaps her from her book tour,  to help translate some ancient parchment.  He's convinced that from her books, his lost city on an obscure island, actually has treasure in a tomb. Are you following this?

Channing/Dash is sure he can save her, but he enlists an old buddy of his, Jack, who's military trained. Jack (Brad Pitt) is a real-life Dash - handsome, daring, and rom-com ready for anything. 

I won't go into more. It's convoluted but all plays well to the casts comedic skills. Sandra Bullock is a treasure and she was awesome in this movie. The cast looked like they had fun with it. The Lost City romp was exactly what I needed. I came out smiling  to a sunny, still blustery day. It was worth my five dollars and worth you streaming when it hits your television. 

Sing into the Weekend - Come From Away

The Day the World Came to Town. I read this book and reviewed it two years ago. I was prepping before seeing a Broadway touring production of Come From Away     Alas, my tickets were for March 2020. Whoops!  Pandemic shut down the world. 

Two years later, here's my Playbill for Come From Away. I enjoyed it two Sundays ago. This was a glorious production. Very clever telling of September 11, 2001 when thirty eight planes landed in Gander, Newfoundland. They were diverted due to airspace closures and an American shutdown due to the terrorist attacks. 

The population of Gander (7000) doubled in size and everyone worked  together to care for, feed, shelter, and help strangers who were scared, worried, and stressed. Multiple languages, cultures, food needs, and more needed to be addressed. 

This Broadway show is a complete ensemble - no major standout songs or stars. There is no intermission. It's a small cast that transforms in different  scenes with a clothing change and movement of chairs and tables. There is humor even in dark times. The love and care shine through some catchy tunes and good voices. 

Come From Away is a show with heart that shows the goodness of people in  a tough time. The lessons from 9/11 shine through and are applicable today. It was worth the two year wait to see. Live theater is just SO fun.