Second Blooming

Columbus Day Salute (or My Weakness For Italian Men)

Happy Columbus Day!

I know, Columbus Day is not politically correct. But something about Indigenous People's Day just makes me cringe. And since Jimmy's family is Italian, I like the idea of following the example of most Italian-Americans and using the day as a celebration of their unique and abundant culture.

So here are my personal top 10 most influential Italian-Americans du jour. In no  particular order. And my apologies to anyone who didn't make the list. It's my list and I can put on it whoever I want. And feel like writing about.

1. Frank Sinatra. Francis Albert Sinatra was hands down the best popular vocalist of all time. The Chairman of the Board, baby. The subtlety and depth of emotion he was able to bring to his singing was incomparable.  That man could sing a song. He went through ups and downs throughout his life, both personally and professionally, but he managed to evolve and grow and remake himself and always remain relevant.  In fact, my favorite Sinatra stuff is from the '70's, when he had a few years on him, and his voice had grown rougher, but more filled with passion and experience.

In 1974, Jimmy's parents and their friends had tickets to see Sinatra at Madison Square Garden. It was his big comeback, the Main Event concert. At the last minute, someone got sick, and Jimmy got to use the ticket and go along. He says it was one of the most amazing experiences of his life. Not only seeing Sinatra in concert, but seeing the way his parents and their friends reacted to him. He'll never forget Aunt Rosie losing her mind and screaming "FRAAAANNNKKIE!" like a teenager. And he says that when Ol' Blue Eyes closed the show with "My Way", it was practically a religious experience. Well, thanks to the magic of YouTube, here it is, the exact moment Jimmy experienced...

 

2. Frank Capra - Born Francesco Rosario Capra in Sicily in 1897, Frank Capra directed some of the most iconic American movies of the twentieth century. When I was a little girl, I discovered the films of Capra while watching the late, late movie, and became a little obsessed, memorizing whole scenes of dialogue. "It Happened One Night", "You Can't Take it With You", "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" and best of all, "It's a Wonderful Life" are among the most beloved of American films.

 

 3. Ernest & Julio Gallo - The brothers founded E & J Gallo Winery in California in 1933, shortly after the repeal of Prohibition, and were pivotal in bringing California wines to the world, as well as making wine drinking popular to all Americans. Woohoo!! They are now the largest exporters of California wine, with more than 50 labels, ranging from the sublime to the...well, can you say Boone's Farm?

4. Robert De Niro - Despite his recent silly comedies, and having produced the single worst southern accent on film (Cape Fear), I still think he's brilliant. Plus, I met him a couple of times, and he was very nice, if really shy. Mean Streets, Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Good Fellas, Godfather II and The Deer Hunter are all practically perfect, which is a stunning achievement for any actor. Which leads me to...

5. Martin Scorsese - Born in New York' s Little Italy to parents who worked in the Garment District, Scorsese has always had a passionate love of film. A product of the 1960's NYU Film School, Scorsese became one of the enfants terribles of 1970's Hollywood, who redefined American filmmaking. And directed some of my most favorite movies ever.

6. Joe DiMaggio- Joltin' Joe was a three time MVP and 13 time All-Star. In his 13 years with the New York Yankees, the Yankee Clipper led them to 10 pennants and 9 World Championships. In 1941, he had a 56-game hitting streak, a record that still stands.

The then there's the whole Marilyn Monroe thing. Though they were only married for 274 days in 1954, he reportedly never stopped loving her, and after her marriage to Arthur Miller ended in 1961 and she was basically falling apart from psychiatric problems and pill addiction, he tried to take care of her and clean her up, and supposedly, he was planning to ask her to remarry him when she was found dead. He was the one who claimed her body and arranged her funeral, and he had 2-dozen red roses delivered to her crypt twice a week for 20 years. And he never remarried.

 

 7.  Joseph Barbera - Forget Walt Disney. I was always a Hanna-Barbera girl. The Flintstones, The Jetsons, Huckleberry Hound, Atom Ant, Scooby Doo - they were my absolute favorites. The very first movie I ever saw in a movie theater was "Hey There, It's Yogi Bear!". I was three, and I distinctly remember sitting on Mama's lap and watching Yogi and Boo Boo drive poor Park Ranger Smith crazy. One of my great joys as a parent has been sharing all things Hanna-Barbera with Jude. I remember the first time I put on The Jetsons for him, he came running in hysterically laughing saying "Mama, you have to see this, it's the funniest thing!" then proceeding to act out George Jetson running on that outer space treadmill screaming "Jane! Stop this crazy thing!" Good stuff indeed.

 8. Louis Prima - Louie Prima personified cool. Absolutely cool, man. My first memory of anything Prima was when he was the voice of King Louie of the Apes in The Jungle Book. I remember playing my little movie soundtrack album over and over, dancing around like crazy singing "I Wanna Be Like You" and trying to scat.  Prima was incorrigible and exuberant, a New Orleans jazz daddy, a hepcat hipster, the ultimate swinger.

Prima scored early on as the composer of "Sing, Sing, Sing", which was most famously recorded by Benny Goodman, and became synonymous with the Swing Era. But he really became the ultimate cool daddy during his "Vegas years" of the '50's, when he teamed up with his wife, singer Keely Smith. Louie and Keely had this wonderful, wild, deadpan, funny banter. Crazy, man, crazy.

 

9.  John Fante- The quintessential L.A. writer. Big brother of the beats. Idol of Charles Bukowski. While never a popular novelist, his work has now taken on cult status. The literary movement he spawned has become known as "dirty realism".   If you haven't read him, you should. Start with Wait Until Spring, Bandini, then work your way through the Bandini Quartet. You won't be disappointed.

10. Francesco Scavullo- When I was in high school, I became obsessed with the photography of Scavullo. I remember Kaysie and I spending hours on the floor of book stores pouring over the pages of magazines and books of his work until I finally saved up enough money to buy Scavullo on Beauty. Yes, we were odd little girls. But we knew good stuff when we saw it...

 
 
 
So gorgeous, so '70's.

Okay, that's my list. And yes, I realize that I skipped both Pacino AND Coppolla. Shame on me.

Looking back over it I've realized that it's all men. And all Italian bad boys. Hmmm. What does that say about me? A weakness? Heh. Probably.

Alright, I'm going to go make pasta and serve it to my Italian-American men to celebrate their day.

10 Blog Carnival Themes I'm Considering

I keep thinking that I should start one of these "Blog Carnival" thingys. I mean, I've always considered myself an excellent hostess, and you'd all certainly be cheap guests. I could put out a lovely virtual spread for next to nothing.

But what theme should it be? We all know that the success of any gathering hinges on it's theme. After much pondering, I've come up with a few suggestions. Treat them as seriously as they deserve.

1. Menopausal Monday. Night sweats? Nasty mood swings? Bring 'em on! Whether you're just starting perimenopause and want to share the story of that wacky time when you ovulated for two full weeks, or if you're deep in the thick of it, and want to regale us with hilarious tales of ill-timed hot-flashes, this is the place for you. Because misery truly does love company.
2. Wasted Wednesday (alt. titles - Trashed Tuesday, Tipsy Tuesday, Fucked-Up Friday). It's a 3 drink minimum to join the fun! Everybody stays up really late, gets drunk then starts typing! You know you're at your funniest and most charming when you're loaded, so just let the words fly! Think of how embarrassing Thursday morning will be! Drunken Vlogging highly encouraged!
3. Talk Like a Pirate Tuesday. Arrr, Maties. Tie on your eye patch and wooden leg and run your entire post through the "Pirate Speak Translator". What could be wackier? Ye'll ne'er get me buried booty!
4. Therapy Thursday. Can't afford to go to a real therapist? No problem. Talk about your deepest issues in extreme and intimate detail, then open yourself up to "therapy" from  your commenters. Oh wait. That's what we bloggers do every day. Never mind.
5. Whiny Wednesday. Got a bad back? Cramps? Sick headaches? Bring all your ailments here and complain to your heart's content. This would be the perfect place for my mother-in-law's best friend Cathy to tell us all about her gas.
6. Think Tank Thursday. We all think that bloggers should rule the world, right? Well here's a chance for us to pool our collective knowledge in a productive way. Every week I would throw out a topic, say...World Hunger. Or...Global Warming. And we'd all figure out how to save the world. Easy, right? Eventually the powers that be are bound to pay attention, don't you think? 
7. Bloggers Got Talent Tuesday. Here's your chance to reveal your secret talents. Tap dancing? Magic tricks? Stand-up comedy? Let it all rip. Vlog your talent and post it here, then each week we can all vote on who's the best. I gotta warn you, I can peel a banana with my toes, and it's pretty impressive!
8. Turning Green Tuesday - Are you green with envy over another blogger's success? Get so mad you could spit when somebody gets 53 comments over some stupid post of a Precious Moments cartoon? Or some silly picture of their kid? Vent it all right here. Who knows? Maybe you're not the only one who thinks that way?
9. Fat Tuesday (or Mardi Gras, if you will).  Diet ideas, Weight Watcher's recipes, exercise plans. Let's link them all up here and bring all our weight issues, either real or imagined, to a big virtual OA meeting.
10. Prescription Drug Swap Saturdays. You know that half full bottle of Vicodin you have left over from your C-Section? That Paxil in the back of the drawer from when you had that bout of postpartum depression? Don't let them go to waste, swap them! 12 Prozacs for 15 Xanax? Sounds fair. I've got a third a bottle of Ativan I'd love to trade for some nice Ambien.

So what do you think? Ready to sign up for any of these?

And swing by Anna at ABDPBT  for other Listless Monday lists!

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Spin Cycle/Monday List: 10 Things That Make Me Happy

1. My creams. My friend Belinda, who I have always said was the most beautiful woman I've ever seen in real life, started me on Annemarie Borlind many years ago. It is not cheap. But the joy it gives my face is totally worth it. This stuff is amazing - rich and nourishing. Mmmm. I've gone through particularly broke periods of time when I've switched to an inferior cream, and I can actually see the difference on my skin. I would rather give up buying new clothes and coffee than give up my creams. Well, maybe not coffee. Crazy good.

2. My neti pot. I know. The thought of pouring hot salt water through one of your nostrils and watching everything in your head drain out the other side seems disgusting. Okay...it is disgusting. Really. But everybody with sinus issues who starts using one quickly develops an almost religious attachment to theirs. I like to get in the shower and steam for a little while, then neti pot myself while still in the shower. It's like a spa for my head.

 
3. My iPhone. I lusted for it for years, but it was definitely worth the wait. I love it. Deeply. It's everything I wished for. I'm app mad. I carry it around with me all the time, clutching it to my heart. I'd have sex with it if I could. Wait...it vibrates when it rings...I COULD have sex with it! Okay, that was creepy. Sorry.

4. Sci-Fi Fridays. I still can't bring myself to call the Sci-Fi Channel "Syfy", the ridiculous name they've recently "rebranded" themselves with. "Syfy" my ass. But regardless of what they want to call themselves, it's where I am every Friday night. Which, I admit, is pathetic. And sharing this with you all is definitely letting my freak flag fly. But, what can I say? I'm a geek. When I was a kid I had every episode of Star Trek memorized. Especially the "Spock in love" episodes, oh yeah. I was convinced that if I were to meet Mr. Spock, I would certainly be able to get him to forget all that logic stuff and fall madly in love with me. If I lived in the future. In outer space. And wasn't 11. I got hooked on the SciFi Channel back when Battlestar Galactica (the new one, not the silly '70's show with Lorne Greene) was on. Battlestar is one of the best shows in the history of television, which I realize is a pretty bold statement. But true. Now there's this new BSG sequel, Caprica. And there's always something fun - Stargate Universe, Doctor Who, Sanctuary. These weirdo sci-fi shows tend to be pretty intelligent, and well-written. And I find them comforting and exciting at the same time. Kind of the tv equivalent of a hot toddy.

5. Tim Gunn. I want Tim Gunn to be my friend. I already put him on my Fantasy Dinner Party guest list. I have always felt particularly joyful and cared for when in the company of smart, witty, elegant gay men. And luckily, partly because of the career I have chosen, I have a number of dear friends who fit the bill. Plus I feel that Tim would enjoy dressing me. Throughout my life I've had a string of gay friends who want to dress me, I'm not sure why. Maybe it's that I'm very tall and leggy. Anyway, if it was Tim I would LET HIM. And I bet he could get me a nice discount on clothes from Michael Kors. 

6. Suburban Matron. I'm sure this will embarrass her, but reading what Becky has to say over at Suburban Matron always makes me feel happy. For one thing, she hysterically funny and insightful, and has a brilliant way of seeing both the ironic and the touching in simple things. But also, I have come to love all her "characters" and feel that I know them all well, which is a tribute to her ability to tell a story. From her family to her kids to her crazy neighbors, I'm always eager to hear their latest adventures. 

8. Venti Nonfat Caramel Macchiatos from Starbucks. I know, I know. Starbucks is "the man", the giant corporation that has taken over our world. But when I'm feeling puny (a Texanism for "not good"), nothing gives me the little pick-me-up I need like a giant paper cup filled with three shots of espresso, vanilla syrup, steamed milk and a butt-load of caramel. Mmmmm.

9. My iron skillet.  For years, my Grandmama's iron skillet sat in the bottom of my skillet drawer. And I mean years and years. I moved it from apartment to apartment to house, and NEVER used it. I think I must have felt daunted by the whole "seasoning" thing. Then one day, I got a wild hair, dug the thing out and Googled "how to season an iron skillet". Easy as pie. I now use the thing for EVERYTHING. I mean, I use it every single day. I honestly don't know what I'd do without it. It cooks so much more evenly than any other skillet I've ever used. And it is actually really easy to clean. Love, love it.

10. My choir. I know that I talk about the church choir I sing in all the time, but I just can't leave it off this list. It brings me joy for so many reasons. a) The people - the coolest and most eclectic and spiritual group of people I've ever been a part of (not what you think of when you hear "church choir". b) The music - we sing really good music. Mostly "good" music, if you know what I mean. I kind of hate all that "Jesus Goes Broadway" kind of poppish music that most churches have. We sing the classic hymns and great composers, as well as the occasional spiritual. There is an amazing, powerful thrill that comes with singing beautiful music with beautiful people. Singing powerful music sends chills up my spine. I can be having a terrible, terrible, overwhelming day, then walk into a rehearsal, really wishing I didn't have to be there,wishing that I was curled up at home with a big glass of wine, then the music starts and my spirit is truly lifted. Music really does have amazing power to heal and inspire.

Look at me, I'm a two-ring circus! I'm not only throwing this into the Spin Cycle at Sprite's Keeper, but also into the Monday Lists at Abdpbt.

Christmas Book Season is Officially Open

One of the things that Jude and I look forward to most about the month of December is that on December 1st, I always decree Christmas Book Season to be officially open. "Let the holiday reading begin!"  Somehow, we seem to have collected an entire shelf of Christmas themed kids books and we love, love, LOVE them all. We laugh, we cry. And though it's a bit difficult to play favorites, I have narrowed it down to a Top Ten, which I am now sharing with you. In no particular order....drumroll...

1. Mortimer's Christmas Manger by Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman - Little Mortimer mouse is tired of living in his cramped and creepy hole, and when he discovers a Nativity Scene set up in the living room, decides to move in, kicking that silly baby statue out of his cozy little manger bed.  Eventually, he hears the story of who that baby is, and how there was no room for him at the inn, and Mortimer gives up his newfound home for the baby Jesus. This makes me cry EVERY time we read it. Oh look, I'm tearing up right now just typing about it. Really beautiful.
2. The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg - Jude's favorite book in the world. The child actually obsessed over the story for a year before I even told him there was such thing as the movie. Who can resist a magical train ride to the North Pole? Another tear-jerker. It took me ages before I could get through the last page without sobbing. I BELIEVE!
3. Asleep in the Stable by Will Hillenbrand - Baby Owl wakes up one night (owls being nocturnal) to find that some people are staying in the stable where Baby Owl and his Mama Owl live. Baby Owl asks all the questions that any kid would ask, and Mama answers him in a gentle and wise way (she is, after all an owl). "Who is that baby?" "That is Jesus, the Holy Child. He is the gift from God." Super sweet and simple explanation of the whole Nativity and God-sent-his-Son-to-us thing. Love, love, love this book! Makes me cry every time I read it. Okay, clearly I cry when I read EVERY ONE OF THESE BOOKS. What can I say?
4. The Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore - A classic, of course. We actually read it from an ancient edition that I've had since I was a little girl, complete with groovy '60's artwork. I'm not even going to give the Amazon link for this one, because there are about 50 editions, all with different artwork. Warning: Before reading to a curious 21st Century child, prepare yourself by knowing what a sugarplum is, why Mama is wearing a kerchief to bed, and what the hell "threw up the sash" means.
5. Two Christmas Mice by Corinne Demas, Illustrated by Stephanie Roth - Charming and beautifully told story about two little mice, Annamouse and Willamouse who have never met, and live in cozy burrows in different hayfields. They each get snowed into their burrows, and prepare for a lonely, solitary Christmas Eve. Little do they know, that their burrows share a back wall, and when they eventually find each other they have a new friend for Christmas. The illustrations are delightfully detailed. This is a book that always makes Jude and I happy. We read it over and over, and still get just as excited when they finally meet each other.
6. The Legend of Old Befana by Tomie DePaola - A beautiful retelling of the classic Italian legend. Technically, if anyone's getting nitpicky,  this is an Epiphany book, not a Christmas book, as Old Befana is an Italian version of Santa Claus, who brings treats to children on the Feast of the Three Kings, January 6th. Old Befana is a cranky and compulsively tidy old woman (the compulsively tidy part totally reminds me of my Italian in-laws!). One day, the three kings show up, following a star and searching for a miraculous baby. They urge her to come along, but she's too busy with her housework to leave her house. The more she thinks about it though, the more the idea of a baby king who "comes for us. He comes for the poor." appeals to her "Well, heaven knows, Old Befana is poor." and she decides to bake a gift of goodies and bring them to the baby king. Unfortunately, she takes so long getting ready, that she never catches up with the kings, and dies looking for the Baby Jesus. The story goes that she is still searching to this day, and brings gifts to all children because she never knows "which child might be the Baby King". Which sounds kind of creepy and frightening in my cryptic retelling here, but when DePaolo does it it's much better. 
7. Santa's Kwanzaa by Garen Eileen Thomas, Illustrated by Guy Francis - In truth, I think that the relative who gave this book to Jude meant it as a joke. Little did he know that Jude would LOVE it. I'm afraid the book is a little odd, but sweet nonetheless, and it's the first time I've actually understood what the hell Kwanzaa really was. Here Santa (who just happens to be black) returns home to the North Pole exhausted by his 'round the world flight on Christmas Eve, and Mrs. Claus and the elves surprise him with a rollicking Kwanzaa party ("Welcome Home, Santa Kwaz" - I know, pretty hokey). Santa changes into his kente, and they all party for the next seven nights to show "their deep pride in their roots". Santa's elves are each named for one of the 7 principles of Kwanzaa (with names like Kujichagulia - try pronouncing THAT one). It's a clever combination of two holiday traditions. 
8. How the Grinch Stole Christmas! by Dr. Seuss. - Every time I read this, I find myself doing the voice of Boris Karloff. Which I think is okay. Because, you know, Karloff told the story so iconically in the tv special. Jude asked me this morning why his music teacher at school hasn't taught them how to sing "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch", because "it's a Christmas song, Mama". I told him that most Christmas songs don't have lyrics like "stink, stank, stunk". Which he thought was pretty funny. But anyway, I recommend reading the book too, because it's the original, and Dr. Seuss rules.
9. Snowmen at Christmas by Caralyn Buehner, Illustrated by Mark Buehner - I must confess that we actually love Snowmen at Night even more, so I suggest checking them both out. Did you ever wake up to find that your snowman was a little droopy, and maybe his carrot nose had slid slightly to the left? Well, this book tells you just what those crazy snowmen have been up to during the night. All sorts of fun and wacky snowman Christmas festivities. Big fun.
10. The Christmas Story by Kay Chorao - An elegantly illustrated adaptation of the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. The pictures really are beautiful, they remind me of Renaissance art. The other night we were reading it, and we got to the big two page layout picture of the heavenly host visiting the shepherds and Jude said "Whoa. Mama. Imagine seeing THAT!" Which, I think, is kinda the point. A good book to have for keeping the "Christ" in Christmas.

Okay, that's my list of favorite kids Christmas books. What's yours? I'm always looking for another one to add to the season!

I hearby submit this humble list to ABDPBT's Monday list carnival. Go check out all the other listmakers.

 

Fantasy Dinner Party Guest List

I love this stuff. Here is my Fantasy Dinner Party Guest List. I decided to leave off all of my obvious personal favorite people (husband, child, best friends, dead parents) and just go with famous faves. They are listed in no particular order:

1. Bill Clinton - Uber smart. Great conversationalist. I thought of Obama (who is also these things), but thought I should only have one US President. And Bill seems more likely to flirt with me, which is always fun.

2. Jesus Christ - Aside from the obvious "I'd like to ask him a few questions" bit, he seems like he'd get along with anybody and always had something insightful and thought-provoking to say. And if we ran out of food he could probably come up with some loaves and fishes.

3. Eleanor Roosevelt - My personal fave and inspiration. Gracious, well-bred. Imagine the discussion about human rights she'd have with Bill and Jesus!

4. Benjamin Franklin - Renaissance man and another notorious flirt. I've had a thing for him ever since I played him in my Seventh Grade production of "1776".

5. Oscar Wilde - I'd definitely want a wonderfully witty Brit. I considered Ricky Gervaise, Hugh Laurie and Eddie Izzard. Then I though, oh hell, just go for the ultimate, the original Brit wit.

6. Tim Gunn- I want Tim Gunn to be my friend. Doesn't he just seem like the perfect dinner guest. So genteel and well-mannered. Gracious. You KNOW he'd bring the best hostess gift. And he'd make Eleanor feel comfortable with her own natural beauty.

7. Ann Richards - The late, great Governor of Texas is another personal hero. I actually knew her kids growing up, they lived down the hill from my best friend, Kaysie. Famous for saying George Bush was born with a "silver foot in his mouth". And every party needs an outspoken Texan.

8. John Lennon - I'd love to hear him and Jesus discuss the lyrics to "Imagine".

9. Woody Allen - Though he seems like he might be a picky eater, I couldn't do it with out Woody. I feel like he'd be full of fascinating questions for Jesus, Franklin and Sinatra.

10. Dorothy Parker - Imagine the banter between her and Oscar Wilde! Actually, I probably ought not to seat them next to each other. Might be too overwhelming. I could put her between Benjamin Franklin and Woody. That would be lively.

11. Frank Sinatra - I've always had a thing for the bad boy. And maybe I could talk him into singing after the meal. 

12. Whoopi Goldberg - Easy going. Another person I'd just love to have as a friend. Seems to be able to talk to anybody, and excellent at smoothing over an argument. Would be good to have around if a tussle breaks out between Sinatra and Oscar Wilde.

People I considered, but nixed -

Marilyn Monroe - All the men would flirt with her and pay no attention to me. Well, not Tim or Oscar. Or I guess...Jesus.

Marlon Brando - Though he would probably be a good eater, it seems like he would be likely to start a fight at the table just for fun.

Henry VIII - Another good eater and certainly a good flirt, but would definitely try to monopolize all the attention. Not enough ego room for both him and Sinatra.

Okay. I've been working on this list for years, and it changes and evolves constantly. The permanence of committing it to blogdom is a bit scary because I know I'll change my mind...now. No...now. And...now. I'd better just hit "publish" or I never will...

I'm joining this list to Anna at ABDPBT.com for her weekly Monday List carnival. Please check out Anna's blog!

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