March Goes In Like a Lion

Got a rare chance to sleep in on a Sunday. When I did roll out of bed, I made quick buttermilk whole wheat pancakes while listening to the 1961 musical Carnival. This full-musical version of the film Lili features Anna Maria Alberghetti as Lili, the naive French girl who performs with the puppets in a carnival and thinks they're real. She has a crush on Marcus (James Mitchell), the dashing magician, but he's really romancing his assistant Rosalie (Kaye Ballard). The puppeteer is Paul (Jerry Orbach), a bitter former dancer who lost his career to an injury in World War II. He's grouchy to most people, including Lili, and only shows his kinder nature through his puppets. When Lili realizes what a cad Marcus is, she claims she's going to leave the show...but the puppets manage to remind her of how much they and their friend loves her.

This is a lovely and charming show, with some sweet music by Bob Merrill. The most famous number is Lili's hit solo "Love Makes the World Goes Round," which is one of the four song she performs with the puppets. Paul also gets three excellent solos, "Everybody Likes You" as he admits how he can really only be kind through the puppets, "I've Got to Find a Reason" in the beginning, and "Her Face" as he admits he's falling for Lili. It's too bad this is another one that doesn't often get revived. There was talk for a while of an Encores! concert with Anne Hathaway moving to Broadway, but it never happened.

Headed off to work shortly after the record ended. It started off well. I spent almost the entire morning and early afternoon outside, enjoying the beautiful sunshine. While it remained windy, it had also gotten a bit warmer, probably into the mid-upper 40's. I did briefly end up in the registers at least twice when we needed help, but I mainly bagged for the rest of the day. We were busy, but never overwhelmingly so, especially for the first of the month. People likely either took advantage of the nice weather, or will get their money during the week. I grabbed scrubbing cleaner and baking powder before rushing home.

When I got in, I went online, but I didn't write. I found tons of lists on Pinterest with sites you could check out for part time online jobs or quick writing jobs. Some have changed names and/or goals since the lists were released, but I did get some interesting leads, The sites that pay for random lists looks especially interesting.

I texted Jodie and Dad during my break at work about the raise in rent. Dad's text when I got home said that Dana and Jesse are currently looking for a house and may be moving out in 3 to 4 months. He and Jodie would be willing to help pay my rent until I can move into the apartment attached to their house. I really need to talk to them face to face about the whole thing - I'll see if I can get around there sometime this week.

Unfortunately, I also heard from my landlady Willa. She wants the rent tomorrow and to know whether or not I'm going to sign the rent. Dad's text indicated that he'd be willing to help me with the rent until I can move. Frankly, I intend to text or call Rose tomorrow and let her deal with Willa. I wish she'd at least try to understand that I don't have much money. She doesn't have to raise it 100 dollars. Yes, Charlie did fix the windows and the porch, and I appreciate it...but he hasn't done anything since then, nor will he be able to. I saw him hobbling on crutches outside about a week or two ago. It'll be a long time before he can do anything for anybody.

Finished the night with leftovers for dinner, three Match Game syndicated "premieres" on YouTube, and another Broadway cast album. Applause, a musical version of All About Eve, debuted in 1970 as a vehicle for Lauren Bacall. Bacall played Margo Channing, an aging stage star hoping to make a comeback in a play. She takes on an assistant, Eve (Penny Fuller), who claims to be her biggest fan. Eve, however, is more devious than she appears, but Margo doesn't want to believe it...until the young woman attempts to take over her roles and her life.

Like Carnival, this is a show that doesn't turn up often today. I suspect it's too associated with Bacall, who apparently appeared in a TV version with Larry Hagman in 1973. Like Carnival, it turned up as an Encores concert (this time in 2008) and hasn't been seen since. Too bad. The show may be very much of it's time, but there's some good songs. Bacall can't sing, but she does no harm to the showstoppers "But Alive" with Fuller (in a gay bar) and "Welcome to the Theater." Bonnie Franklin of the sitcom One Day at a Time gets to belt out the title song and "She's No Longer a Gypsy" when Eve snubs the other struggling actors at a local watering hole.