Sunday, August 27, 2017

Sunday, August 27, 2017

Tonight's picture was taken in August of 2005. I think it was taken while we were touring Legoland, but I honestly can say I have NO IDEA where this photo was taken. It could have been in Legoland or somewhere in Los Angeles. What I do think is interesting though is the cut outs were of sunflowers. A flower which has come to symbolize so much to me, because our Mattie care team gave me SO MANY sunflowers while Mattie was battling cancer. To me it is the ultimate flower that reminds me of Mattie and our bond. 


Quote of the day: When you shine your light, it may hurt the eyes of those who still live in the dark and they may not like it. ~ Jane Lee Logan

Last night, I went with my parents and their friends to a dinner theater to see Susan Anton. First of which I must say I had to google her because I had NO idea who she was. For those of you who are as clueless as me, here you go..... By the mid-1970's, Anton developed a following for her Muriel Cigar commercials where she sang, "Let Muriel turn you on / That is my desire / Muriel lights a flame in me / Where there's Muriel smoke, there's fire." Later in the 1970's, Anton appeared approximately 30 times on Merv Griffin's TV show. She was frequently seen and heard in television, print and radio ads for the Perfect Sleeper mattress by Serta. In these ads, she announced her name and sang the company's jingle. I should also mention she won Miss California and was a runner up in the Miss America contest. 

All that being said, I went into the event with an open mind. Would I be running back to hear her perform.... NO! To me all her songs sound exactly alike. She definitely connects with her audience, and some of her banter between songs was touching. 

She definitely has a stage presence, has a great deal of energy for 67 years of age, and on stage does a very good job at talking and singing about the importance of connections, relating to others, and making time for these meaningful relationships. 

However, what saddened me is her talk doesn't match her off stage demeanor. She came out to see her friends and family in the audience after the show. At this dinner theater it isn't unusual for the performer to interact with guests after the show, so we went up to her and asked for a photo. You would think a performer would relish this time and attention from 'fans,' but this was not what I found at all. I felt she couldn't wait to get rid of us, which was in total conflict to her on-stage message. I was taken aback by her attitude and frankly this behavior clouded my entire impression of her show. To me the person behind the performer is almost as important as the performance itself. 

Comparing last night's performance to the community production of Footloose today was like a night and day experience. I hate to admit it, but I have never seen the 1984 classic movie, Footloose. Yet what I realized today is I knew all the songs from this musical. Songs that have become a part of our pop culture..... Almost paradise, Let's hear it for the boy, Holding out for a hero, and Somebody's eyes!

Footloose was performed in the round and the majority of the cast ranged from 18 to 35 years of age. This was an incredible group of young talent that executed a great performance on a small stage. Two hours went by quickly and after the show, EVERY cast member greeted audience members in the lobby. They literally shook hands and wanted to hear from us. It was a wonderful and classy experience and what this showed me was these actors appreciated all of us and truly wanted to connect and share their skills, art, and passion with us. I am not sure I would have had this astute perspective and insight today, if I hadn't had the interaction with Susan Anton last night.