The End of October and Beginning of November

This afternoon, as we walked on the Riverwalk, I mentioned to Dear Husband that I would like to see what a fall without an upcoming election, going off of Daylight Saving time, and Halloween would be like.

October is my favorite month (except in the spring, when April is my favorite month).  Every year, however, these three things drag the end of October down for me.

If elections (...and candidates... and the electorate) were more intelligent, they wouldn't bother me as much.  There's so much irritating stupidity, though.  One of the town council candidates is on a local Facebook group that I'm on.  Her comments are usually not well though out, and often either whiny or sarcastic.  I would decide not to vote for her just based on her comments in this group.  The local weekly had an article about her last week.  She took this opportunity to whine about it on the group, rather than actually refuting any of their points.  

That's just one example.  

Daylight Saving time is just depressing.  I hate it when it gets dark so early.  Dinner is in the dark.  All of my walks during the week with Dear Husband are in the dark.  Any driving around in the evening is dark.  I dread the time change every fall.  The day we "fall back" is the worst day of the year (more on that here)(my favorite line from that post is:  "I also hate doing all the evening driving around totally in the dark - particularly on rural roads with psycho deer:  'Look!  It has lights!  It will be my friend!'").

Halloween is not my favorite holiday.  We were out of town yesterday so, for the first time in about thirty years, we didn't do anything with Halloween.  I like cute pumpkins, black cats, and creative costumes, but I don't like the horror and gore side.  

If I see one more Facebook post about zombies...

The best thing about Halloween the last two years has been the community theater we've seen.  Last year, the High Point Community Theatre did a wonderful production of the musical, Young Frankenstein.  This year, they did an even more wonderful production of the Addams Family Musical (click here to see photos).  Older son played Lurch.

I'm sad for him that today was the last performance.  However, all things being equal, I'm glad that Halloween is over and election day will be over soon.  Waiting for Daylight Saving time to come back will take a lot longer.  

At least I have lots of pansies to plant!

 


Bass Lake - Cone Manor in Blowing Rock, NC: Part 1

We took a number of late afternoon hikes at the Bass Lake in the first two weeks of October.  We were there for our usual fall vacation.  The first two days were foggy and rainy because of the rain system the southeast had for two weeks.  After that, though, we had some of the most beautiful weather we've ever had there.  

 October 4, 2015

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DSC08012They were rebuilding the heart ponds last year so it was great to see them this year.

DSC08017The stream was very full.

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October 6, 2015

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This was the first year we'd ever seen crayfish in the heart ponds.

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DSC08158aThere were a lot of wonderful mushrooms after all the rain.

October 8, 2015

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"A Drop in the Bucket: Big Dreams of Tiny Things" - Paperhand Puppet Intervention

A lot has happened the last few months* so I haven't been blogging.  However, a new, wonderful, Paperhand show can get me blogging again!

Here are some of my favorite photos from tonight's show.  Shows continue on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings at 7 pm (and some matinees) at the Forest Theater in Chapel Hill - through September 7 - with performances at the Art Museum in Raleigh the following weekend.  For more details, check their website.  

DSC07234sSome of the Tiny Things

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* Having a wonderful time being a Hot Box Girl in a community theater production in July and a not wonderful time with a partial thyroidectomy two weeks ago.  I'm healing well, though (so far).  


Tony Awards Tonight!

The 2015 Tonys will be hosted by Kristin Chenoweth and Alan Cumming.  

Kristin Chenoweth is nominated this year for On the Twentieth Century.  She won a Tony in 1999 for playing Sally Brown in You're a Good Man Charlie Brown.  Here she's singing "My New Philosophy" along with the cast singing "Happiness:"

Alan Cumming won a Tony as the emcee in Cabaret in 1998.  Here he is singing "Wilkommen:" 


Tony Awards Countdown (1 Day):

What musical should I post for the last one?  One I've been in?  One of my other favorites?

Or one of my all-time favorites!

I've seen it twice - both college performances (Duke in the early 80's and Elon University last year), and both lots of fun.

It's hard not to have fun at The Mystery of Edwin Drood.  

 

Older son and I both used songs from Drood when we auditioned for Les Misérables (posts about the auditions here and here).


Tony Awards Countdown (3 Days): "Sunday" from Sunday in the Park with George

Two of my favorite actors, Mandy Patinkin and Bernadette Peters, in one of my favorite musicals (by Stephen Sondheim - it doesn't get much better.  

I could write a whole post about how creativity is explored in this musical, but I already wrote two:  By the blue purple yellow red water, and Meme/Saturday Fun Songs:  "Finishing the Hat" and "Putting it Together" sung by Mandy Patinkin from Sunday in the Park with George.


Tony Awards Countdown (5 Days): "Corner of the Sky/Magic to Do" from Pippin

Pippin is one of my three favorite musicals.*  When we lived in upstate NY in the mid-70's, I used to watch Ben Vereen in the Manson Trio in the ad for Pippin on a small black & white TV.  I loved that performance, Fosse's choreography, and Ben Vereen's dancing.  However, I wasn't old enough to see Pippin.

Until recently, Pippin was never revived on Broadway, and I haven't had the chance to see it at local theaters.

Two weeks ago, I finally saw Pippin.  I'd seen this Tony performance, and I wasn't sure what I though of this.  Would the acrobatics be distracting from the story?  They were different performers than I'd seen in the DVD of a 1981 performance.

I loved it!  I was caught up in the whole thing - it was beautiful, and funny, and totally engaging.  There was new choreography so it wasn't as Fosse-esque, but that's what happens with a new production.  They did keep Fosse's Manson trio choreography.

I managed to turn off my inner Ben Vereen after the first few numbers!

2013 Tony performance:

 Manson trio from the Broadway production:

The touring production we saw had John Rubenstein, the original Pippin on Broadway, playing Pippin's father, King Charlemagne.

* She Loves Me, and The Mystery of Edwin Drood.

Other Pippin-related posts: