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Merry Christmas !

Annual Barb & Gordon Data Dump – December 2024


GORDON: I’m writing this as the Thanksgiving holiday recedes and we start gearing up for Christmas. As the picture shows, we’re letting Amazon and Lands’ End do our wrapping for us. The season will be a little less hectic this year, since we won’t be singing in Christmas concerts. The church where we provided extra voices fired our friend Jim the choirmaster, and since it’s across town (and there are only a few voices that we enjoyed singing with), we’re not going back. But I’ll always be grateful that Jim realized what a musical genius Barb is, and was able to surround her on occasion with professional singers who echoed his respect for her talent. He also drove her crazy, attempting to lead the choir while playing the organ/piano (and occasionally dropping a note or two), and assuming that everybody got the music on first read. Now I’m the only one who gets to sing with her as we warble down the road harmonizing to the oldies on the radio. I’m just grateful she’s willing to sing with me.


One big change in our lives this year was Barb’s decision to buy new kitchen appliances. Our old ones were still working but getting a little creaky, and Barb wanted nice new stainless-steel appliances. She produces magic in the kitchen, and while I claim input on decisions regarding all the other rooms in the house, what Barb wants in the kitchen, Barb Gets. We’d had new sheet vinyl flooring installed prior to getting the appliances, so of course, the appliance installers managed to put a few dings in that, but we learned to live with them. What’s been harder to adapt to are the differences in how the appliances work. All of the recipes had to be revised to deal with a stove that automatically changes temperature when the convection option is turned on, and there were some delays in mealtimes as the stove took its time cooking. But the real killer was the refrigerator – I discovered it ran cold when my coffee creamer came out solid, so I dialed it back a bit. Apparently not enough, because the Thanksgiving turkey, which had been in the fridge for a week, came out on Thanksgiving day rock solid. Barb saved the day by baking a to-die-for apple pie, so our Turkey Day feast was two slices of apple pie and ice cream. We left the turkey in the sink overnight and ate it with all the fixings on Black Friday.


We went sailing again in May, but I’ll leave that for Barb to discuss. The only other semi-major excursion this year was a trip back to South Dakota. My high school class of 1970 missed its 50th reunion due to Covid, but luckily a group of alumni from several classes created a 60s-decade class reunion and invited us 70s kids to join in. Putting 11 classes’ worth of alumni together allowed for a pretty big wingding, and also allowed both Marty, my 7-years-older brother, and me to get to SoDak at the same time for the same party. When my oldest brother’s daughter found out about it, she decided it was time to bring his ashes to be buried in the ancestral graveyard, so we wound up having a mini family reunion. It turned out that oldest brother had not made arrangements for interment, so that had to be dealt with on site, and since Barb & I will probably wind up back there too, we splurged and bought our burial plot. We now own land in SoDak. As for the reunion, it was a major success, and there’s already talk of a future multi-class party. I’ll take a little bit of credit – I booked the band.


BARB: The calendar pages are flying past and our bodies are showing it. Gordon and I spend an unprecedented amount of time at doctors. I’ve been having MRIs, x-rays, and CT scans on my feet (all on different days but that’s another ugly story). After all that, they told me I have arthritis. I’m in my 70s, I could have told them that without all the testing. I got a shot and an offer of an ankle replacement. I passed. Not really enthused about being on crutches for months. Been there, done that. Gordon says he feels the same way about his knee. We’ll put replacements off until they’re the only option.
Our eyes are also going to hell. The doctor joked that if you put us side by side we’d have 20/20 vision. The same could be said for our lower extremities. I don’t know what our infirmities qualify us for. A three-legged race? Our height differences would make that interesting. And putting our eyes together? We’d look like a Picasso painting. Or a flounder. Boy, gittin’ old ain’t for sissies.


We decided we had better travel while we can still walk. And we’re doing it in style. We now fly Business class on the long hauls. My Midwestern soul is horrified at spending that much money to sit on my dead butt for 13 hours. But I’ve spent those same hours in Economy and I’m willing to pay the money. There’s no point in arriving at our vacation destination so exhausted that it takes a day to recover. Besides, we get to use the VIP lounges. They’re not any less crowded—it seems like everybody is a VIP and, boy, don’t they act like it—but the chairs are more comfortable and not only is the food better, it’s FREE!
Our last trip was an Adriatic cruise on Viking. We met our travel buddies, Billie and Dawn Williams, in Athens, Gordon and I played it safe and stayed at a Marriott but we Ubered to meet them at their boutique hotel in the Plaka (Athen’s Old Town), where we dined and shopped. We might have missed the Plaka if left on our own. I loved Athens. We saw the historic sites including and especially the Parthenon. I’d seen the replica in Nashville (the Greek tour guide didn’t look pleased when I brought this up) but this was the real deal—only three times bigger and falling apart. It’s now become a UNESCO site, and several countries are paying for the preservation. . We toured the site where the Olympic flame is kindled (it’s just a spot in the road). We toured Corfu, Montenegro, cities in Croatia (loved Diocletian’s palace in Split) and ended the cruise in Venice. We got lost in the dungeons of the Doge’s Palace, took a motorboat tour of the canals, and shopped the Rialto Bridge area. I always wanted to have an aperitif at St. Mark’s Square so that’s off my bucket list. Venice is amazing. You take boat taxis to go anywhere. I managed not fall in the lagoon between the taxi and pier but it was a close thing. It’s a beautiful place. Glad we saw it.


Re: traveling in style. I forgot to mention that we were upgraded to a suite when we got to the ship. This is how rich people travel. The suite included room service (which we never used) and free laundry (ditto). It’s going to be hard to travel like a normal, cheap person again.


Gordon talked about our South Dakota trip. Our fellow re-unies were impressed when we told them we bought South Dakota property. They were less impressed when we told them it was a burial plot. I’d rather buy a lake cabin. I’m tired of dealing with decrepitude and death. I think I’ll get back to work on another futile artistic endeavor. Have a Happy, and a Healthy, and a Ho ho ho.

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Back to the Future, the Musical

Gordon and I went to Back to the Future, the Musical at the Pantages last Wednesday. I didn’t know what to expect. The movie is tech heavy and I had no idea how they’d tell the story. They pulled it off. Some minor points had to be changed, of course, but they stayed true to the story on the main points. The staging was brilliant. Lots of good effects. I still haven’t figured out how they did the flying car at the end but it’s a great effect. Music and lyrics were written by Alan Silvestri, the Hollywood score composer. It worked but it wasn’t memorable. The Huey Lewis tunes from the movie were used so I was happy. The actors were all good and seemed to have fun camping things up. I particularly liked Burke Swanson as George McFly and Ethan Rogers as Biff. Swanson had incredible body movement. He’s either a great dancer or a yogi. Biff is a thankless part but Rogers made him amusing. He’s got a great voice. I’m sure we’ll see him in lots of future stuff.

We were talking to the people behind us at intermission and they pointed out the actress who played the pregnant mother sitting next to them. We all had a nice chat. It was opening night so at the end of the show Bob Gale, the producer of the movie and the musical invited the people who contributed to both productions up on the stage. That included: Frank Marshall (produced the Indiana Jones movies too), Robert Zemeckis (original movie director, also directed Forest Gump), the British director of the musical (don’t know what he was doing in Hollywood, maybe looking for a job), the actress sitting behind us (can’t remember her name), and some other actors from the movie. The crowd went wild. It was a fun night. You’re not going to come to earth-shaking revelations about the universe but it’s an entertaining show and we all need to be entertained these days. Go see it. Lotsa fun.

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American Idiot at the Taper

We had tickets for American Idiot at the Taper on the 29th but switched them to the 31st. I’d seen a version of American Idiot at the Ahmanson years ago and didn’t like it. So, I certainly wasn’t going to miss a Dodger World Series game for some stupid political play whose views I didn’t share. I suggested to Gordon that his life might be easier if I just skipped it altogether. I even told Gordon if they started all that anti-American, anti-Republican bullcrap I’d walk out and wait for him in a bar someplace. My whining didn’t make a dent. He just looked at me. So I went.

It was Halloween and I thought of wearing my vampire fangs, just to add a little entertainment value to an evening I was dreading. But vampire fangs would make me look weird—well, weirder than usual—and get in the way of drinking wine. I grumpily followed Gordon to our seats where I discovered a shortbread cookie with frosting showing the CTG (Center Theater Group) logo. Normally, we get a treat at the beginning of the Ahmanson season. And last year a woman grabbed our treat and gave it to her kids which I thought took a lot of crust. She also planted her kids in our seats. We had to get the usher to move them. I felt bad for the kids, it wasn’t their fault. Their entitled mother put them in that position. But they already got my treat; they weren’t going to get my seat too. But that’s another ugly story

 I was still determined to walk out if things got political. I’ve had it. I’m not familiar with most of Green Day’s music but I the images used in the early version were all “GOOD Far Left; BAD everybody else”. This version, put on by the Deaf West company, stayed balanced. The anger seemed to be directed at the media and the influence it has. And, of course, I agree with that. The lyrics were displayed in a multi-media format so I understood what the actors were singing about. Three deaf actors signed the lyrics and their shadow-partners sang them. It was interesting. I actually liked the show. The music was about how hard growing up is. The young make life-changing decisions and terrible mistakes. It’s not particularly profound but the staging was imaginative, the dancing was energetic, and the singers were effective. Kudos to the young lady whose costume came apart. She didn’t miss a beat and belted out her song. Good job.

It’s an interesting show. Glad to see the Taper management is trying to produce plays not political rallies. This needs to be encouraged. Ge see it.

I have to add: the shortbread cookie was beautiful but tasted like cardboard. Gordon is SO lucky I can bake.

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Kimberly Akimbo

We went to see Kimberly Akimbo at the Pantages last night. It’s always an adventure going to Hollywood. You have to dodge the homeless, crazy traffic…even the sidewalk was closed to through pedestarian traffic last night. We paid $28.50 to park across the street (when the most you pay to park all day is $25 but what the hell), navigated our way through sidewalk blocks, the security line, and the mobs in the lobby to get to our seats. A couple who has been behind us for years introduced themselves. I think they were feeling a bit lost. The couple who sat next to them for the last ten or so years quit their subscription because they lived out in Westlake and the drive was just too much for them. So I guess we’ll have to hang together as the last old-timers standing.

I didn’t know anything about Kimberly Akimbo. The title comes from an anagram made by a fellow student on the main character, Kimberly whatever her last name was. Kimberly has porphyria, a genetic condition that ages her. She’s 16 but looks much, much older. She’s new to town for reasons that come to light in the second act so she’s lonely. The show starts with her at the skating rink wistfully watching the other kids and waiting for her father to pick her up. Turns out the kids she’s watching are outsiders too. They all know there are parties all over town but they’re not invited to any.

The kids finally find each other and get strong-armed into a check stealing scam  by Kimberly’s crazy, criminal aunt. Kimberly’s dysfunctional family plays a major part in Kimberly’s decisions. Her father is a hen-pecked drunk, her mother is a narcissist, and they both blame Kimberly for their lousy lives.

People with Kimberly’s condition don’t survive long past their 16th birthdays and on Kimberly’s Sweet 16 party (she finally has a party!) she decides to quit letting her toxic family stop her from living. She and her lab partner, who’s another abandoned child),take off for an adventure with the aunt’s ill-gotten gains.. Good for them!

It’s an enjoyable, life-affirming show. None of us knows how much time we have so we should live our best lives and not be dragged down by negativity. I think the moral of the story is: If you have to run to save yourself, do it. We all deserve some happiness

I enjoyed the show although I think it would have been more effective in s smaller venue, like the Taper. There are only 9 people in the cast, and they’re all great, but they get swallowed up in a theater the size of the Pantages. But it wasn’t politics and that’s worth a lot.

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The Fountainhead meets Quo Vadis in Megalopolis

It was hot yesterday, and I wanted popcorn, so Gordon and I drove over to the Burbank AMC to see Coppola’s Megalopolis. I wanted to see why the movie opened so poorly. The trailer was spectacular; what could have gone so wrong? Well, it’s a fable comparing the United States with the Roman Empire at its decline. I think it’s based in New York because they showed the Chrysler Building. It opened with a party scene. Lots of drugs and sex, showing how decadent the age is. Rich people partied and poor people watched from behind fences. Adam Driver played the Howard Roark/Elon Musk genius-type who dreams of building a utopian city (Megalopolis) with a material of his own design. But he spends his time when he’s not designing stoned to the bone and having sex with a TV news personality. The city is controlled by two families who are basically oligarchs, and everybody is fighting for power. I picked up lots of Ayn Ran themes (( think) and lots of references to ancient philosophers. There’s a murder of our genius’ wife, or maybe it’s suicide. Not sure. The daughter of the mayor falls in love with the genius and has a baby with him but they can’t marry because it would cause problems with her father. The ‘news’ woman leaves our hero to marry the aging head of a rival family and screws his son. Or maybe it’s his grandson. Anyway, she’s in it for the power and the money. She’s killed off and all the bad stuff turns around—which is a comment on the current state of journalism, IMO. At the end, they all decide the world would be a better place if they all worked together for the future of the baby. It was sort of a kumbaya moment. Anyway, that’s what I came away with. I was confused. My husband is a very smart man and he didn’t get it either. His comment was, “You owe two films for that one.” So I’ll probably be at a shoot-‘em-up soon.

On a positive note the sets were stunning, the trailer didn’t lie, and I loved the costumes. Adam Driver delivered a lovely Hamlet’s soliloquy although I’m not sure why it was included. The actors did the best they could, but the script was a self-indulgent mish-mash of philosopher’s quotes. I know the script writers probably wanted to show off how smart they were (“See? I’ve read all this stuff!”) but the movie would have been better off with a coherent plot.

Oh, and the popcorn was fresh. Only problem was the A/C. I forgot to bring my sweatshirt and I almost froze to death. Gave me an excuse to cuddle with Gordon. We made out in the back row like teenagers! That was more fun than the movie.

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Floor Refinishing–or Not

I was buzzing around this morning, busily washing a large portion of the living room floor, collecting my sander and sandpaper, stain and varathane. Gordon halted me in mid-bustle to ask what the hell was I doing? I pointed out an area in the floor that we had replaced and refinished a long time ago—25 or 30 years. We’d hired a floor refinishing company because the owner was deaf. It was a pity hire. I’ll never do that again. The crew he brought in did a terrible job. He only showed up to collect the check and didn’t respond to any of our complaints. I’m still trying to fix some of the stuff his crew did. Some of the new flooring buckled when they finished it. I’m told they didn’t let the wood acclimate or whatever the word is. So, I was planning on sanding down the buckled part, staining it, and finishing it. Gordon pointed out that if anything when slightly wrong (like the stain not matching, the varathane slopping into a new area, etc.), the mushroom factor was terrifying. He reminded me of the time he told me not to saw through a support beam in the kitchen many moons ago when we were starting to redo the house. He referred me to the phone call he got at work. Me: “Hey, you know that beam you told me not saw through and what would happen if I did? Well, you were right.” I remember I couldn’t even get the saw loose, it was stuck in the beam. He had to come home early and prop up that part of the kitchen. I pointed out that it made us get to work on the kitchen but he wasn’t happy with me. I got a good scolding and I couldn’t argue back. He was right. So, when he sees me wandering around with tools he makes sure I’m doing the right thing. Today he talked me into calling a professional and having the floors refinished. It’s time I guess. And these floors are 100 years old. There aren’t many sands left in the them. I need someone who knows what they’re doing. And it saves me time and energy. Good deal.

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A Cool Night at the Hollywood Bowl

We were invited to the Hollywood Bowl by one of Gordon’s business buddies. She has a box and said food would be provided but suggested that if I wanted to bring a pie for dessert (hint, hint) it would be welcome. So, I made a lemon meringue pie. It’s easy to carry and you don’t to pack ice cream. I like to keep the schlepping to a minimum. It was a perfect for the Bowl. We’d just gotten over a heat wave and the weather was pleasantly cool. June, Gordon’s friend, has a deal set up where she valet parks and someone hauls our crap to the box. They set us up with wine and food and cleaned up afterwards. I’ve never been waited on like that at the Bowl. I could learn to live that way—if I could afford it. The food was so-so but the pie was a big hit. People in the surrounding boxes stared enviously. There’s something to be said for not growing up with much money. You learn how to do stuff. And if I do say so myself, my pie crust is almost as good as my Danish grandmother’s. We divided up the pie for people to take home for breakfast. Then the staff cleaned up after us, got rid of the tables, and turned our chairs for the concert.

It was a lovely program. Dudamel conducted Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms which was nice but the real treat was after intermission when the LA Phil performed Beethoven’s Ninth. It was quite a production. The soloists were wonderful and the LA Master Chorale was spectacular—but then, they always are. I noticed that the strings were miked but that didn’t distort the sound. I grinned through the whole thing and the audience stood and roared. Who knew that the LA Phil were rock stars?

We collected our stuff and June led us to her car which had been parked near the exit. Then the staff escorted us out the parking lot before anyone else. I have never felt so privileged. June says it’s her treat to herself. Better to give the money to the Hollywood Bowl than the guvmint. I agree. I’d pay anything to avoid that parking lot mess. Anyway, it was a special night at the Bowl. We’re going to miss Dudamel but I think it’s time for a change. I hope we get the next wunderkind. The LA Phil seems to specialize in finding them. And New York needs Dudamet. They’re struggling.

And if June wants to invite us again, I’m always up for it. And I’ll make the pie.

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Clue and Company

We had a big week at the theater. Last Tuesday, we went to Clue at the Ahmanson. Super cast. It was a masterclass in timing. Mark Price, playing Wadsworth, stopped the show with choreographed recitation. The whole show was carefully choreographed and the cast worked with it seamlessly. I suppose I should point out specific performances, but they were all wonderful. If you’re looking for an action-packed, comedic who-dunnit, this is your show. It runs for an hour and a half without intermission so pee before you go. What a relief to laugh again…

Wednesday night we saw Company at the Pantages. The twist on this version is: Bobby is a girl! And the character change isn’t labored; it actually works. Bobby enters with balloons celebrating her 35th birthday-accompanied by the sound of a ticking clock. This Bobby has a biological clock to motivate her to make some decisions in her life. Briitney Coleman is a charming Bobby. She’s a wonderful comedic actress with a terrific voice. I really enjoyed her performance. Another change is, it’s no longer Amy, it’s Jamie. And gay men are just as nervous about getting married as straights. Matt Rodin plays a manic Jamie and does the patter song brilliantly. Very funny. I enjoyed the three guys who sang You Could Drive a Person Crazy. The song was changed from an Andrew Sisters sound, which would have been strange with men, to more of a chorus boy sound. It worked but I wonder what it would have sounded like if they’d reworked it into a doowop thing. Hmm. Anyway, the whole cast was great, as was the staging. I enjoyed it. So did the rest of the audience. It got a standing ‘O’. Of course, you get a standing ‘O’ in Los Angeles if you don’t fall off the stage, audiences aren’t very discerning, but this show earned it. Lots of fun. Go see it.

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50th Anniversary Showing of Blazing Saddles

Gordon and I went to the Peacock Theater downtown last night to attend the 50th anniversary showing of Blazing Saddles with an hour and a half Q&A with Mel Brooks afterward.

I hadn’t seen the movie in years and I’d forgotten how completely politically incorrect it was. The audience was laughing helplessly at the fart jokes and the double entendres. We all gasped at the free use of the “N” word but it’s just a word, for goodness sake. Rude, crude, and not to be used in polite company but just a word. Brooks makes fun of everyone and everything. I guess that’s why the mockery is accepted. No one is spared. And I’d forgotten that Brooks had written the songs too. I loved Madelein Kahn when she sang “I’m Tired”. I loved all the performances. Lots of fun.

In the Q&A Mel mentioned that Cleavon Little adlibbed a lot and Brooks used a lot of them. He said the one he couldn’t use was during the blackout scene when Kahn says, “Is it true about your people’s gifts? Oh it’s true, it’s true.” Brooks said Little quipped, “I’m sorry to disillusion you, ma’am, but you’ve been sucking on my arm.” Mel said it was too dirty. THAT  was too dirty? I’d have left it in.

Brooks mentioned that his real name was Melvin Kaminsky and I wondered if that’s where they got the title, The Kaminsky Method”. Or is it spelled differently? Guess I’ll never know. Anyway, Brooks was asked if he do a sequel to Spaceballs. He said he love to. He even talked to Rick Moranis and Moranis was on board as Dark Helmet but MGM (owned by Amazon now) owns the rights so he’d have to see. Brooks is 98 years old and still sharp and ready to work. I hope I age that well.