Keep On Smilin'

It was gloomy and damp when I awoke this morning. This week's American Top 40 re-run cheered me up immensely. I would have been about 3 years old in late February 1983 when this episode was first run. I have fond memories of many of these numbers. We heard pop, R&B, and quite a few classic duets. Hits included "Shame On the Moon" by Bob Seeger and the Silver Bullet Band, "Stray Cat Strut" by the Stray Cats, "Just You and I" by Crystal Gale and Eddie Rabbit, "Down Under" by Men at Work, "Goody Two-Shoes" by Adam Ant, "Pass the Dutchie" by Musical Youth, "You Are" by Lionel Ritchie, "Hungry Like the Wolf" by Duran Duran, and the first hit for Culture Club, "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?" That week's top song was also a duet, the lovely "Baby Come to Me" by James Ingram and Patti Austin.

I ran two rain-themed cartoons as I finished breakfast. The Cat In the Hat is a crazy feline who turns a house upside down on a rainy day in search of what he insists is a family heirloom. The kids who were left alone for the afternoon don't know what to make of this odd fuzzy stranger. Their pet fish does - the cat and his helpers doesn't belong there, especially when their mother isn't home! The cat finally shows the kids and the fish that fun is wherever you are, whether you're outside or in.

The Tiny Toons have a better time with rainy day fun. While Buster deals with a bored Montana Max who keeps renting friends to drive crazy, Babs discovers that all it takes is a little imagination to spice up a rainy afternoon. Both rabbits flee to the South Pole when they get tired of the weather and find themselves rescuing a baby seal from a crazed female poacher who wants his fur for a hat.

I headed out to run my errands after the Toons ended. It was sprinkling lightly, nothing heavy. The temperature was probably in the lower-mid 40s, nowhere near cold enough for snow. I had no problems heading to the thrift shop at the Logan Presbyterian Church to drop off two big bags of stuffed animals, records, cassettes, and a few other knick-knacks. I found two interesting records (a studio cast recording of The Student Prince and the original cast of Flower Drum Song, the latter a cassette replacement), but bought nothing else. There wasn't enough room to buy anything else. The main room with the clothes in particular was jammed full. Evidently, they were selling all the clothes one could stuff into a plastic bag for a dollar.

Next considered a treat at Desserts By Design, but they were so busy, I just headed back to Oaklyn instead. Did a short volunteering session at the library. No Lego group today, but there were quite a few kids looking for books. I was able to organize the DVDs and take a look at the kids' section. I also made a quick stop at Doria's Deli, but the Dorias were busy, too. I bought a roast beef hoagie and Diet Wild Cherry Pepsi and went home.

I had lunch, then started a loaf of Cinnamon Oatmeal Bread while watching O Brother, Where Art Thou? George Clooney stars in this unusual tale of three convicts (Clooney, John Tuturro, Tim Blake Nelson) who travel through rural Mississippi in 1934 looking for the gold one hid, before the area it's buried in is covered by a new dam. Their journey leads them from a blind prophet on a railroad car to a one-eyed bible salesman (John Goodman) to a group of sexy young women in wet clothes who sing like sirens to a corrupt senator (Charles Durning) and to many, many others. Along the way, they record a hit folk single, rob a bank, chase hair gel, get chased by a local sheriff who may or may not be a devil in disguise, and break up a KKK rally. In the end, it's the music - and a little watery and possibly divine intervention - that saves them all...

The world of the Coen Brothers is usually too strange (and sometimes too violent) for me, but I couldn't resist a Great Depression retelling of The Odyssey. Yeah, it's still pretty weird stuff, and while there's no major blood, there is a little adult humor (though probably not to the degree that the Coens are known for). As good as the performances were (especially Goodman's memorable Cyclops-like bible salesman), the real stand-out here is the soundtrack. The folk and blues songs were so well-done and memorable, the soundtrack was a best-seller that won a Grammy and an Oscar and spawned two follow-ups. This is worth seeing for the music alone, as well as for fans of the Coens, Clooney, mythology retellings, or comic road trip stories.

I puttered around online for a little while after the bread went in the oven. I pulled it out with no time to spare. I had just enough time to hurry off to work. I probably didn't need to rush. Work was quiet as can be all night. It got really, really boring, especially later, when all the little things up front were done, and there was nothing left to do.