BUELLER? BUELLER?

Posted on
6

By Judy Berman

Playing hooky. Taking a mental health day off from work. Did you ever wish you played it like Ferris Bueller? Breaking all the rules. Cool, charming and utterly over-the-top outrageous. That escapism appeals to me.

What would that innocent-looking scamp be up to today? Maybe he’d kick it up a notch when he ditches work.

A short clip of an ad that will run during the Super Bowl on Feb. 5th is already teasing the audience about the prospects of a grown-up Bueller. Matthew Broderick, who played Ferris in John Hughes’ 1986 film, will be 50 in March. (The complete ad was released Monday, Jan. 30th, after I wrote this. Its link has been added below.)

Broderick is at it again. Just like Bueller did in the opening of the movie, Broderick opens the curtains and looks directly at the camera. He confides to the audience, “How can I handle work on a day like today?”

I skipped work once when I was about 21 at my first job. Like Bueller, I also headed downtown. No, I didn’t jump on a parade float as Ferris did and serenade the crowd with Wayne Newton’s “Danke Schoen” or The Beatles’ version of “Twist and Shout.”

But there was a crowd. It was lunchtime, and among those milling about the shoppers was my boss – an older gent.

We briefly exchanged glances. I had on shades and a white winter parka. I continued walking with my friends, hoping – no, fervently praying – that he’d think he must be mistaken.

When I returned to work the next day, my boss never quizzed me about my absence. We never talked about this. But I didn’t repeat that escapade ever again in ANY of my jobs.

I still aspire to be Ferris, to have his savoir faire in dealing with a snooty waiter at an exclusive restaurant. Or in putting one over on the school dean as Ferris did to his, Edward R. Rooney, played by Jeffrey Jones. Rooney is bound and determined to catch Ferris and end the teen’s deception once and for all.

Ferris wasn’t the only one in the film milking an opportunity. He convinced his best friend, Cameron (Alan Ruck), to let him borrow his Dad’s prized convertible, a 1961 Ferrari GT California. (“The insert shots of the Ferrari were of the real 250 GT California,” Hughes explains in a DVD commentary, according to Wikipedia. “The cars we used in the wide shots were obviously reproductions. There were only 100 of these cars, so it was way too expensive to destroy.”)

Someone as devious as Ferris couldn’t wait to get his hands on that hot convertible’s steering wheel. The teens – Ferris, Cameron and Ferris’ girlfriend, Sloane Peterson (played by Mia Sara) – dropped the car off at a parking garage. Then, a scheme worthy of Ferris quickly unfolded. Ferris and friends barely had their backs turned when the garage attendants peeled out of the garage and took the rare car for a joy ride. As they did, Yello’s “Oh, Yeah” blared thru the streets.

An enviable heist. It was returned unharmed. But the garage attendants had racked up several hundred miles on the odometer.

Ferris, whatever you might be up to, I hope it’s another glorious romp. If it is, I’d love to be along for the ride.

Photo: of Matthew Broderick as Ferris Bueller

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferris_Bueller

Snippet of Super Bowl ad – Ferris plans to take a day off from work:

http://tv.msn.com/tv/article.aspx?news=698851

Yello’s “Oh, Yeah” music video:

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Yello+Oh+Yeah+Ferris+Bueller+video&mid=EAB5AA7D103A829F7731EAB5AA7D103A829F7731&view=detail&FORM=VIRE1

The full ad was revealed Monday, Jan. 30th. (This is in no way an endorsement of any product. The reveal is just to show you what will be on Super Bowl on Sunday that was the subject of my original blog.)

http://tv.msn.com/tv/article.aspx?news=699644

Dining in the Dark

Posted on
16

By Judy Berman

First, let’s put this right out on the table: I am not an adventurous eater. When I go to a restaurant, I can be counted on to order the same thing every time. It only varies depending on the type of place we’re dining at.

Boring. I know. So the idea of dining in the dark – first permanently opened in 2004 under the name of Dans Le Noir (French for “In the Dark”) in Paris and recently opened in New York – was surprisingly intriguing. Still, given a rather disastrous experience in a restaurant I’ll call “Murphy’s Law” – whose motto is “anything that can go wrong will” – I’d have some hesitation about making a reservation.

The Dans Le Noir restaurants in New York, Paris, London, Barcelona and Saint Petersburg, Russia, as well as elsewhere across the globe, are staffed by blind waiters who guide you to your table. Then you have a “surprise” menu that offers one for meat-eaters, one for fish and seafood diners, one for vegetarians and a fourth that is truly a surprise.

“Guests can choose only among a limited choice of surprise menus. The idea is that each guest should not know exactly what he or she will be eating…just the general category. It’s all about the flavors, the textures and the seasonings. It is an old principle often used in the industry, called ‘blind tasting,’ ” according to the Dans Le Noir website.

That’s where my experience eating at “Murphy’s Law” rushes in. “Are you sure? Something new?” Concern is deeply etched on its face.

What happened? Well, the night was an aberration, to be sure. We’d dined there before – no problems. This night was – to put it kindly – an off night.

First, my daughter, Danielle, ordered a steak. She asked if it could be sent back to the kitchen, as it was very rare. The waitress informed her that the heavy abundance of red juices she saw on her plate “was just the lighting.” Believe me, the meat was so rare it was practically galloping off the table ready to return to pasture. (She is now a vegetarian. I’m sure this experience had nothing to do with her change in eating habits.)

Then, we noted that the sweet potatoes were undercooked as well. So they also were dutifully returned to the kitchen and then back to our table. But the waitress at Murphy’s Law got the orders mixed up and gave mine to my husband.

How do I know? Mine had fork marks in it from where I taste-tested it. Thank goodness we’re all family. It could have been worse.

As a gag, I’m sure, we saw someone lick one of the rolls and return it to the basket at their table. By New York state law, restaurants are supposed to throw out unused bread. Apparently, that was not the case at Murphy’s. We learned later from a family friend who worked there that leftover rolls from one table are frequently recycled to other tables.

Yikes! How unsanitary. We never returned.

So, should one disastrous experience influence all of my dining decisions? Absolutely not. Time to stop being skittish. It’s comforting to have all five senses engaged when dining. But how deliciously decadent to savor your meal sans lighting. Already Dans Le Noir has drawn more than 1 million people to its restaurants.

To them, I say, “Bon appetit!” (“Enjoy your meal!”) Go for the gusto. Someday, I might be there at a table near you.

To learn more about Dans Le Noir in New York and to book a reservation, click on this link:

http://newyork.danslenoir.com/

Photo credit: filet mignon (http://commons.wikimedia.org/)

The Envelope, Please …

Posted on
13

By Judy Berman

… and the winner is … How often does any one get recognized for something they love doing?  I recently got a pleasant surprise when I opened my email. MJ “Michael” Monaghan wrote that he had nominated me for the Versatile Blogger award.

That’s quite an honor coming from someone who I admire. I’d like to thank him for his support, encouragement and comments on my writing. I’ve enjoyed MJ Monaghan’s stories because he has a wonderful sense of humor and terrific insights into life. His blog is at:  http://mjmonaghan.wordpress.com/

I began blogging in September 2011. Since that time, I’ve met – virtually – many creative, wonderful people who share my passion for writing and life. It was a delight to discover such a beautiful community.

If you are nominated, you’ve been awarded the Versatile Blogger award. From the VBA rules, here is what you do next:

  • Thank the person who gave you the award. That’s common courtesy.
  • Include a link to their blog. That’s also common courtersy – if you can figure out how to do it.
  • Next select 15 blogs/bloggers that you’ve recently discovered or follow regularly. (I would add, pick blogs or bloggers that are excellent.)
  • Nominate those 15 bloggers for the Versatile Blogger Award – you might include a link to this site.
  • Finally, tell the person who nominated you 7 things about yourself.

I’d like to share the love with the following 15 blogs/bloggers and recommend you pay them a visit:

  1. Mostly Bright Ideas – http://mostlybrightideas.wordpress.com
  2. Ollin – Courage 2 Create – http://ollinmorales.wordpress.com/
  3. Everywhere Once – http://everywhereonce.com/
  4. Amiable Amiable – http://bighappynothing.wordpress.com/
  5. Love thy bike – http://lovethybike.wordpress.com
  6. hugmamma’s Mind, Body and Soul – http://hugmamma.com/
  7. Sarah M. Lawton – http://adventuremom.wordpress.com/
  8. Main Street Musings – http://mainstreetmusingsblog.com/
  9. Good Humored – http://goodhumored.wordpress.com/
  10. Deidra Alexander – http://deidraalexander.wordpress.com/
  11. Cdeminski’s Blog – http://cdeminski.wordpress.com/
  12. WatchingthePhotoReelsGoRoundandRound –      http://watchingthephotoreels.com/
  13. Chris Donner – http://chrisdonnermysterywriter.wordpress.com/
  14. arbohl – musings of a twenty something – http://arbohl.wordpress.com/
  15. Katecrimmins – http://coffeekatblog.wordpress.com/

There is one other I’d like to recognize. Five Reflections has requested that he be given no awards, but his poetry is exquisite. He can be found at http://fivereflections.wordpress.com/

Seven little-known facts about me. (I told Michael that under the Witness Protection Program covering me, I can’t reveal too much.)

  1. So now you know one thing about me – I have a warped sense of humor.
  2. John Steinbeck’s “Grapes of Wrath” made a lasting impression on me about righing wrongs and speaking for those with no voice.
  3. Love the irreverent cartoons of Bill Watterson’s “Calvin and Hobbes” and Matt Groening”s “The Simpsons.
  4. My favorite suspense film director is Alfred Hitchcock, especially “Rear Window” with James Stewart and Grace Kelly.
  5. When we visited Paris, we went to many of the places shown in the movie, “Charade,” starring Cary Grant, Audrey Hepburn and Walter Matthau.
  6. My favorite musical group is The Beatles and I believe I have nearly all their albums and CDs. We visited their studio when we were in London.
  7. Last, but certainly not least, my best friend is my husband, Dave. We’ve been married 27 years. We have two daughters (both married), two grandchildren and two cats.

D’oh, A Simpsons Marathon Challenge

Posted on
6

By Judy Berman

Irreverent underachiever Bart Simpson and his Duff-beer guzzling Dad, Homer, would love this: a contest to watch The Simpsons’ shows and break an old Guinness World Record.

It’s a call this couch potato finds hard to resist. A chance to win $10,500. Starting Feb. 8th, in Los Angeles, contestants in The Simpsons Ultimate Fan Marathon Challenge will watch up to 500 continuous episodes of The Simpsons in an attempt to break the current record of 86 hours, 6 minutes and 41 seconds.

The 500th episode, “At Long Last Leave,” will air Sunday, Feb. 19th (8  to 8:30 p.m. ET/PT) on Fox. In this show, “the Simpsons are evicted from Springfield and join an off-the-grid community outside of town. But when Homer and Marge try to sneak back into town,” they are met with hostility.

The scrapes and shenanigans that The Simpsons get into are legendary. In the 23 years it’s been on the air, they’ve skewered the classics of Edgar Allan Poe’s, “The Raven,” (in “Treehouse of Horror“) and parodied “Goodfellas” (in “Bart the Murderer”) and “Citizen Kane” (in “Rosebud”).

But some of their finest hours were when they were just being themselves. Bart, in a role that Ferris Bueller would have loved, slips away from a class field trip and sneaks into the television show where “The Krusty the Clown Show” is taped. This is where, in “Bart Gets Famous,” he makes the catchphrase, “I didn’t do it,” said after he trips over a prop and nearly causes a disaster. The audience went wild, and Bart became an instant celebrity.

My youngest daughter, Jenn, swears she never had a social life in the early 1990s when The Simpsons’ shows ran on Thursdays. Her duty? She had to stay home and tape the shows for me. As Bart would say, “Don’t have a cow, man!”

I was hooked from the beginning of the show. That’s when Bart’s chalkboard punishment was on display (“The Boys’ room is not a waterpark”). Then, he’d jump on his skateboard, survive several close calls and make it home before Dad. After the family all jumped on the couch, the real fun began.

What keeps viewers returning? The show’s never boring. In a parody of “Dallas’ Who Shot J.R.,” a cliffhanger in May 1995 arranged a similar fate for the despicable CEO of the town’s nuclear power plant. “Who Shot Mr. Burns?” kept viewers in suspense until the show returned in September. The infamous chalkboard read: “I will not complain about the solution when I hear it.”

So, let me check. Just how long do I have to watch to win? More than 86 hours? Ay, caramba! Not even for Bart.

Photos: Who Shot Mr. Burns? (May and September 1995)

For more information on the contest, go to The Simpsons’ official Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/thesimpsons or visit http://www.thesimpsons.com/ to receive news updates, including the exact date and time for open registration.

Apocalypse … Later

Posted on
10

By Judy Berman

Mayan Calendar Doomsday folks are convinced that there won’t be a Dec. 22nd. But they’re wrong.

If you can’t believe Marty McFly of “Back to the Future,” who traveled to 2015, well, then who can you believe? But, suppose for just a nano-second that the Doomsday Sayers are right. What would you do differently? Quit your job? Jump out of a plane? Mend old fences?

Some might want to throw or attend an ongoing party until Dec. 21st. That’s the end of the Mayan Long Count calendar which some believe signifies the end of the world. Or, maybe they want to pack their bags for an out-of-this-world experience by hitching a ride on an intergalactic ship to a new galaxy.

“According to the ancient Mayan calendar, next year’s winter solstice marks the end of a 144,000-day cycle. This cycle, which begins at the mythical Maya creation date, has already been repeated 12 times. The 13th will end in 2012, capping a full 5,200-year Mayan cycle of creation,” according to Space.com’s Charles Q. Choi.

Apocalypse … now … in 2012? I don’t buy it. Astronomers’ findings support my lack of concern. Mayans also say that Dec. 21st only ends one cycle and then a new one begins.

But to get back to the question I posed: If … if you thought this was true, what would you do or change in your life? You don’t need the threat of the end of the world to shift gears and get going. Actually, this could be motivation to make that transformation you’ve considered, but hesitated to follow thru on.

Here’s some thoughts on life-altering decisions and bucket-list activities:

  • Don’t just follow thru on your desire to run into the boss’s office and shout, “Take this job and shove it,” before running off to see the world. This bold move takes money or ingenuity – or both. If you have a short supply of either, you can plan      now on how you can fulfill that dream.
  • Does skydiving top your lists of things to do before you die? Or kayaking on a raging river? If you have a fear of flying or drowning, there’s still time to work this out. Be fearless.
  • Chuck out old grudges. Let go of the past. That way you’ll have fewer – or no – regrets when that person is no longer a part of your life. Hurt feelings often melt away once communication begins. Mend fences now.
  • Reach out to someone you haven’t talked to or seen in a long time. It’s amazing how time flies by. I once went to write a thank-you note to a teacher who had been very supportive of me in high school and learned that he had passed away. So I wrote a letter to his widow telling her about what a great teacher he was and what he meant to me as I set out on my own. She was delighted to hear from me. I only wish I could have said those things to him. Don’t delay.

The end of the world shouldn’t be trivialized. But I think it’s a great beginning for all of us to start thinking how we want to live our lives now.

Unlike Marty McFly, we can’t change the past. But we can swap out for a new, improved future.

Photo credit: Wikimedia  

Michael J. Fox (as Marty McFly), Christopher Lloyd (as “Doc” – Dr. Emmett Brown) and the DeLorean Time Machine in “Back to the Future:”

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:DeLoreanmachine.jpg

Titanic: Final Destination

Posted on
12

By Judy Berman

Do you want A Night to Remember? A night on an ill-fated cruise ship?

I’d bail on this “voyage of a lifetime.” But others apparently are eager to board the 100th anniversary 12-night Titanic Memorial Cruise. The cruise on the MS Balmoral will follow the same route as the RMS Titanic.

First of all, this heartbreaking news bulletin: Neither Jack Dawson nor Rose DeWitt Bukater will be on board to greet you. Both characters in director James Cameron’s 1997 movie, “Titanic,” were fictional. There is, however, an effort to resuscitate Jack for a sequel. More on that later in this story.

While the Balmoral is already full, chances are there might still be some seats left on the eight-night Titanic Anniversary Cruise aboard the Azamara Journey. That’s set to sail from New York on April 10, exactly 100 years to the day the Titanic departed Southampton,England.

For a mere $14,850 a person, you can book a Club World Owners Suite. Some space still remains in the less pricey Interior Stateroom, for $4,900 a person.

Why the interest? The “Titanic” movie renewed fascination with the ship’s maiden voyage. Walter Lord, author of “A Night to Remember,” also portrayed the wrenching, human toll taken. He wrote that there were only 20 lifeboats for the 2,207 passengers aboard. Of those, 1,517 passengers and crew sank along with the ship after it hit an iceberg.

No word on how many lifeboats will be available for this trip. One flaw aboard the original cruise that I’m certain will be remedied this time around will be communications. Wikipedia states that, in 1912, the wireless radio operators were “paid primarily to relay messages to and from the passengers. They were not focused on relaying ‘non-essential’ ice messages to the bridge.”  (Read: also known as “iceberg ahead.”)

The cruise has booked Titanic historians and lecturers, offers a chance to experience the same dining pleasures offered in 1912 on the Titanic, and a chance to wear period costumes.

There will be a time for reflection to honor the victims on the Atlantic Ocean. “On April 14 at ll:40 p.m., Balmoral is scheduled to arrive at the spot where Titanic struck an iceberg, and a memorial service will be held at 2:20 a.m. on April 15, to coincide with the time the massive ship went down,” according to http://failuremag.com.

The Azamara Journey also will have a memorial service.

I don’t know about you, but I’d rather watch the movie and avoid a freezing trip aboard a ship.

As for a movie sequel, there’s a fake trailer of “Titanic 2: Jack’s Back” or “Titanic 2: The Surface.” Clips from various movies featuring Leonardo DiCaprio are used to update the original. With the help of modern science, Jack comes back from his watery grave only to discover that much has changed since the ship he was on went down in 1912.

To read more Titanic facts and to see the fake movie trailer, click on:

http://www.titanic-facts.com/titanic-movie.html

A “Reel” Christmas and Cherished Moments

Posted on
2

by Judy Berman

Are your Christmas memories based on “reel” life or real life?

When I think back — w-a-y back — a golden-brown turkey is roasting in the oven and a freshly baked apple pie cools on the kitchen counter. Their scents waft thru the house down the corridors of my mind. They stir up memories of my Mom fixing our holiday meal.

The plate of cookies and glass of milk I left for Santa are both empty. Only his note to me remains. A treasured memory.

Lately, I’ve begun to question these idealized moments.

This might be the result of one-too-many reruns of the 1983 classic film, “A Christmas Story.”

Parts of this movie, set in the 1940s, bear more than a passing resemblance to some events in my life. One example, take the kid’s tongue stuck on the freezing flagpole. Our youngest daughter, Jenn, did that, and I don’t think even a triple-dog-dare was involved. But there were similar unfortunate results.

In the movie, 9-year-old Ralphie (played by Peter Billingsley) wages a relentless campaign to get “the Holy Grail of Christmas gifts: a genuine Red Ryder 200-shot Carbine Action Air Rifle.”

His Mom shoots that idea down with “the classic mother BB gun block: You’ll shoot your eye out.”

Ralphie, who’d been scheming for weeks to get his “mitts on one of these steel beauties,” is not easily discouraged. He just switches tactics.

Fortunately, I don’t recall our girls bombarding us with pleas for a special toy. I do remember a frustrating 2-year search for Cabbage Patch Kids just before Christmas. Each time, no luck.

Then, after one Christmas, after we’d paid exorbitant prices at a flea market … Then, the dolls are flooding the stores.

Our daughters still have the dolls, and we have another great story to tell.

What I wish is that everyone finds their own special moments linked to this holiday season. Ones that will linger long after the wrapping paper has been ripped from the gifts and trampled underfoot.

May they be quiet, joyous moments that sneak up on you and leave you grinning throughout the year.

Photo: family/Nutcracker Suite performance

Jimmy Stewart’s Bedford Falls Comes to Life

Posted on
14

by Judy Berman    

The actors packed up long ago. The cameras and props are no doubt in storage. But I believe the setting for “It’s a Wonderful Life” remains intact.

Many believe that Seneca Falls, N.Y., is the inspirational backdrop for Bedford Falls. That iconic movie is now celebrating its 65th anniversary. As I walked the streets of Seneca Falls with my family one Christmas evening, I was convinced it was as well.

Amid a gentle snowfall, angels playing trumpets light up the village’s main street. Streets named “Bedford Falls Blvd.” and “George Bailey Lane” reinforce the connection to the movie.

Another indicator that George Bailey and his guardian angel, Clarence Odbody (played by Henry Travers), might be just around the corner is the village’s steel truss bridge over the canal.

We took this road trip – about an hour from our home – to stroll along the streets that we believe Jimmy Stewart (George) ran down in the movie. We stopped on that bridge and looked over the icy-cold water below. There, it’s easy to feel Stewart’s/Bailey’s anguish about wanting to end his pain. George, who had always put everyone else first, now feels the world would be better off without him.

It’s Christmas Eve, and it’s up to Clarence to change George’s mind. If he succeeds, Clarence will earn his wings. Clarence’s plan is to show George what life would be like if he’d never been born.

As Clarence tells Stewart, “Strange, isn’t it? Each man’s life touches so many other lives, and when he isn’t around, he leaves an awful hole, doesn’t he?”

George comes to realize that, despite some bad turns in life, there really is much to enjoy. The movie’s message – since it first came out in 1946 – is that we just need to stop and consider what we really value. For George, it was his family and friends.

What a wonderful legacy for a community to have. While some dispute that Frank Capra had Seneca Falls on his mind when he made this movie, there are some amazing coincidences.

The script mentions Rochester, Buffalo and Elmira. They are close to this village which was – like Bedford Falls – a mill town back in 1945 when this movie was shot.

There’s one other intriguing note. On that bridge that I stood on, there “was a plaque honoring Seneca Falls resident Antonio Varacalli, who had leaped into the icy waters of the canal in April 1917 to rescue a girl who had just attempted suicide by jumping off the bridge. Varacalli saved her but was overcome by fatigue from the rescue and drowned,” according to The Real Bedford Falls website.

That’s not a huge leap for a director to make from one heroic gesture to George jumping in to save Clarence, who pretends to be drowning.

Whether or not Capra did, we felt like we were part of movie history when we were in Seneca Falls. That night, we felt that Jimmy Stewart and Clarence were there with us. Maybe it was just wishful thinking, but I’m sure it was him who shouted “Merry Christmas” as he ran by.

Photo credit: Margaret McCormick

For more information on The Real Bedford Falls “Too Many Coincidences to Ignore,” click on the link below:

http://therealbedfordfalls.com/therealbedfordfalls.php

“Downtown” and December

Posted on
4

by Judy Berman  

There’s a jukebox in my head. When a certain tune plays on that virtual soundtrack, it takes me back.

Some songs are like worm-holes. They take you to a time and place you don’t want to return to. I won’t mention them for fear that they will be like an endless tape-loop in your brain. Oh, what the heck. “It’s a Small World After All.” I’ve seen grown-ups run from the room screaming in anguish, knowing that they will be mindlessly humming that tune all day because it’s now imbedded in their head.

Others may stir up memories that deposit you gently in a nostalgic setting and lift you out of a bluesy-funk. For me, December and Petula Clark’s “Downtown” will be forever intertwined. Both link to my first apartment when I moved away from home. The tune was upbeat. It made me feel less lonely and very hopeful about my new digs.

Envision this: I moved from the country into an apartment in Syracuse, N.Y. At night the old, run-down house looked like the one behind the Bates Motel in the movie “Psycho.”  Uninviting, foreboding. I would have to share the bathroom with some stranger – some unknown tenant who would live across the hall from my third-floor, walk-up apartment.

Why was it, again, that I was making this move? That question, among others, raced through my mind that December evening as I trudged up the stairs carrying my belongings.

At a small table, in my sparsely decorated one-room apartment, I watched sadly as my Dad backed up his Volkswagen. Snowflakes fell more furiously as he drove off. It was about two weeks before Christmas, and my parents would be moving to another state in less than two months.

A tiny snow globe on the table was my only holiday decoration.

I was 21 and eager to be on my own. But I was torn between celebrating my newfound independence and leaving the security of my parents’ home. It’s the flight that most of us feel we have to take to really be considered grown up.

The thought of partying the nights away sounded exciting. But I also was savvy enough to know I’d pay for that as I sleep-walked, bleary-eyed around the office the following day.

Yeah, that sure would get old real fast.

As I sat there, considering the abrupt change in my life, a song on the radio intruded into my thoughts.

“Just listen to the music of the traffic in the city, linger on the sidewalk where the neon signs are pretty,” Petula Clark sang.

“Downtown, where all the lights are bright. Downtown, waiting for you tonight. Downtown, you’re gonna be all right now.”

I dismissed the nagging thought that I might be spending Christmas alone and began to sing along. Downtown was less than a mile from my apartment. Time to view the brightly decorated Christmas trees.  I cheered up as I began to weigh the endless possibilities and adventures that lay in wait.

Now, when I hear that tune, a wave of nostalgia floods over me. While it dredges up some sad times, it also reminds me that opportunity beckons. All I need to do is open the door, remember the wonder of discovering something new and embrace the change.

What song sparks a special time of year for you?

(Click the link below to hear Petula Clark’s “Downtown”)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZSklx9wKdY

Tap Into the Kid Inside Us All

Posted on
2

By Judy Berman

The rain subsides. People began to shed plastic raincoats or peek out from protective awnings before they continue their stroll thru the park.

One man runs his hand along the railing, brushing aside tiny pools of water. My daughter, Jenn, said: “That’s funny. I thought that’s something that only kids do.”

Sometimes, the daily grind wears us down. A mental – or physical – escape is a way to really appreciate the day and use it the best way you can. To recharge, just tap into that kid inside us all. Look at the world again thru new eyes.

So, what triggers your inner child to bust loose? Swinging high above the treetops? A light-as-air, sticky- sweet pink cotton candy that takes you back to a fun-filled day at the circus? For me, it’s sledding downhill on a tiny disk.

One crisp, cold winter day, my husband, Dave, and I grabbed our daughters’ plastic flying saucer sleds and headed for Onondaga Lake Park in Liverpool, N.Y.

While many adults shivered on the sidelines, we did a full-body slam on the sleds and squealed with delight each time we sped downhill. At the bottom, we’d playfully toss a few snowballs at each other.

We told the parents that our girls were off at college and the sleds were all we had left. They laughed. Soon, some joined us on our short ride down the hill. We swapped sleds and we’d race back to the top of the hill for more.

Exhausted, our faces tinged red by the cold and exertion, we decided to return home and said our good-byes.

A hot cup of cocoa sounded mighty good. Maybe even a fire crackling in our fireplace.

Then, we relaxed and admired the view of a fresh blanket of snow from the warmth of our kitchen.

In my time machine, that snowy day is just a memory away. When I reach for it, I can easily recall the kid inside me and the exhilaration I felt.

So, whether it’s having a nostalgic look at the old TV show, “Happy Days,” or skipping stones across the lake, get your kid on.

Come on in … the water’s fine. You’ll feel recharged after your brief escape and ready to tackle and conquer any challenges that might lurk in the shadows ahead.

 

 

 

Photo credits: photos of girl swinging and boy skipping stones taken by Danielle Wallace; man sledding from Morgue file.com