Can you match the President and the money denomination that they appear on? Answers are at the bottom of posting below.
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Happy red, white, blue and green!

With the 4th of July weekend quickly approaching I got to thinking about what holidays mean and how we as Americans celebrate the our country's birthday. Now that I am an official Maryland resident, with 13 months under my belt, I can actually say that I live in the state which is home to Ft. McHenry, birthplace of our National Anthem.

Penned by Francis Scott Key on September 13, 1814, "The Star-Spangled Banner" was originally a poem. In 1931 the Congress of The United States of America enacted legislation that made "The Star-Spangled Banner" the official national anthem. It is a mainstay of American life as we sing it at scout camps, baseball games and town parades from coast-to-coast.

But there is more to the 4th of July than the "The Star-Spangled Banner" and our flag of red, white and blue. These days we have to add a little green to the mix. We spend money to travel to be with friends over the holiday weekend, overindulge in skee-ball and milk can games on the our ocean's boardwalks and stock-up on the latest "must-haves" at the ever growing number of sidewalk sales that dot the landscape of our local strip-stores and shopping malls. Our flag may be comprised of our infamous red, white and blue but green comes in a very close 4th on our list as one of our national colors.

We work hard to earn the greenbacks that fill our ATM accounts. We pay bills, indulge from time to time, treat ourselves and try to just plain enjoy the rewards that having a few bucks in our pockets offer us. Did you know that the color green was chosen for our money in 1929 because it tended to be resistent to chemical and physical changes? And probably more importantly, there happened to be a large supply on hand at the time to get the job done. Really. Other fun facts about our money include;

1. On the dollar bill, the word or number "one" appears 16 times, front and back.
2. Our so-called "paper money" is actually a 25% linen and 75% cotten blend. Red and blue synthentic fibers run through it too.
3. The average life of paper bills increases as the denomination does.
   - $1 bills last about 22 months
   - $5 bills about 24 months
   - $10 bills about 36 months
   - $20 bills about 48 months
   - $50 & $100 about 108 months
4. There is a game called "Liar's Poker" where participants pull money directly out of their pockets and use the 10-digit serial number as a guide for luck as to how they play.

Good ole' moolah. As American as Apple Pie and writing your name in the air with sparklers. Happy 4th of July All.

Answers to the President Money quiz - -
Washington - $1, Lincoln - $5, Hamilton - $10, Jackson - $20, Grant - $50, Franklin - $100

*Money facts from Finance - Potlatch McCoy Field Study Series
© 2002 - printed by Sappi Fine Paper North America

Now that is one big ass ship!
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I feel sorry for anyone named "Bobby".
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Good day, eh? Yes, very good day!

Too bad it is not the same in the states. The Canadian government has passed legislation to legalize gay marriage and extend legal rights to same-sex couples in all provinces of the country. It is anticipated that the legislation will become law by end of July. Click here to see the complete USAToday article.

Funny how this legislation passed on the same day Americans watched a president, who is adamantly against the concept of gay marriage, justify a war in Iraq that just won't seem to end. Maybe Mr. Bush needs to take a road trip to Toronto so he can ask Prime Minister Paul Martin for some much needed advice on how to run a country.

Meet me in St. Louis.

Come join me for a fun filled weekend in the birthday of the first ice cream cone. Yes, at the St. Louis world fair, in 1904, the ice cream cone was invented. An ice cream vendor ran out of cups and asked a waffle vendor to help roll up waffles to hold ice cream. Okay... enough of that.

Bruce Springsteen is bringing his Devils + Dust acoustic tour to the Fox Theatre in St. Louis and what better reason to make a weekend road trip. Persistence played to my advantage as I was able to secure an 11th row, just off center ticket for his show on August 6th. Metrotix is the ticket service for the St. Louis metro area and I was a little anxious because it was all unfamiliar to me. Years of concert going has me well versed in the likes of Ticketmaster but it is very different than that of the Metrotix system. Regardless, the ticket angels and consistently hitting F5 got me in the door and into a great seat.

I am looking forward to squeezing in visits to The Arch (which I have always wanted to see), as well as the St. Louis Cathedral (to see the largest mosaic in the world) and some time at Six Flags St. Louis (to ride their wooden coaster aptly named, The Boss). It is all too good to be true. And to see another one of Bruce's solor efforts at the only smaller, theatre stop on this leg. Plus my hotel offers free popcorn too. Shit, does it get any better?

RIP - Paul Winchell

Ventriloquist Paul Winchell died this week at the age of 82. Widely known as one of the leading ventriloquitsts of his time many are not aware that he was also the voice of the beloved Tigger. Mr. Winchell supplied Tigger's lispy voice for years and years in scores of animated features and shorts. His resume of voices also included the likes of Gargamel of the Smurfs and Marmaduke. His credits also include inventing the first artificial heart. Check out www.paulwinchell.com for more information.

How can you not love this guy?
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It was 1977, all over again.

I finally succumbed to the pressure and saw Star Wars Episode III - Revenge of the Sith. Growing up, I loved episodes 4-6 (AKA the first Trilogy) . I still do. They opened my mind to great storytelling and creative expression. I was hooked from the first moment I saw the Star Wars logo dominate the theatre screen in 1977. John Williams' powerful score and Main Title Theme gave me goosebumps as my eyes widen to take in all of the visual feast that George Lucas threw at me.

But I lost a little faith after Episode I, which I really did not care for. I totally opted out of seeing Episode II in theatre. It seemed as though the films had lost their focus while gaining their polish. Modern movie making technology had allowed George Lucas to create movies he only dreamed about in 1977. But to me, those polished movies came with a price. It was almost like the evil Empire that Luke and Han had fought against years ago had been replaced by the marketing Empire that seemed to drive the Star Wars world in its later years. But, I had heard so many good things about Episode III that I thought it deserved a try.

So I shelled out $6.50 for my matinee ticket. Geesh, I only paid a buck to see the original in 1977. But upon hearing that familiar Main Title Theme as the logo came at me off the screen, my love of Star Wars that I found in 1977 all came rushing back. The movie itself if much more visually stimulating than the first trilogy but this time around the story held up. Thank god Jar-Jar Binks only made a non-speaking cameo at the funeral for Queen Padme Amidala. The security droids provided just enough bit of humor to not become annoying (and the fact that they reminded me of Crow from Mystery Science Theatre 3000 was a cute aspect too!).

And it is just me or was Yoda sporting a half-decent head of hair? Granted it was a good number of years before he came around in Episode V (The Empire Strikes Back). How come they didn't throw him a "I am not just a Jedi Master, I am also a client." line. It would have been worth the chuckle. Oh, and Chancellor Palpatine gave me the creeps. Big time.

George Lucas and company did their job well this time around. Great story lines and I was put through a full range of emotions. I laughed and bit my nails and was saddened inbetween. It was great fun and now it all makes sense.

"May the force be with you. Always" - Obi Wan Ben Kenobi

Flower power!

See the pictures below of a few of the wonderful flowers around my complex.

Mellow yellow! These are all over the complex.
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Tree flower.
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Pretty in purple! We have an iron archway covered with these.
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I love these orange lillies! A neighbor planted these off her patio.
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You want some candy little boy?

"I cried when I had no shoes, until I met a man who had no feet. Then I laughed... really hard." — Jerri Blank

Having been a fan of the short-lived cable show Strangers With Candy I was very excited to hear that it had been made into a full length movie. The off-the-wall Comedy Central series was created by in part by Amy Sedaris, younger sister of writer David Sedaris. When I stumbled upon David's writing a few years back, I was immediately attracted to his style of humor and extremely off-centered family. It hit too close to home not to like it! And when I the made the connection of Amy to David (I had seen her on SWC as well as Sex and the City), it all made sense. They are both hysterically funny.

In Strangers With Candy (the movie) Amy reprises her role as 40-something high school dropout whore Jerri Blank. She continues her crazy antics in the halls of Flatpoint High School after her return from a stint in prison. I will just leave it at that for now and let the movie speak the rest of the story.

Ms. Sedaris is joined by a wonderfully talented supporting cast. Stephen Colbert returns as Flatpoint's science teacher Chuck Noblet. Any of you that know Stephen from the The Daily Show are familiar with his perfect comedic timing and style. Other cameo appearances are made by the likes of Sarah Jessica Parker, Matthew Broderick, Ian Holm, Allison Janney and Philip Seymour Hoffman.

My mind is all over the blackboard trying to imagine that trouble Jerri stirs up this time around. I guess I'll have to wait till SWC opens October 21st to find out.

I will never look at a gumball the same way again!
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It was bound to happen!
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On the road again.

Starting with shows in Ottawa and Toronto July 13 and 14, Bruce Springsteen will continue his Devils + Dust tour in North America with 17 additional shows. In between the Canadien shows he will hit US cities that he has not yet played this time around. This leg will close in Vancouver on August 13. Talk is still out there that there will be yet more dates later this year but we will have to wait and see.

Talk about a Swingdig!

Just returned from the Ram's Head and seeing Swing Out Sister. Talk about fantastic. First off, the venue is great. Three levels of viewing space with lots of railings to lean on and lots of space to dance and enjoy the music. Large LCD panels lined all of the bar areas so there was never a chance to miss a beat of the show.

The only dissappointment was that the show was no where near sold out. If there were 150 people in attendence there were a lot. But the enthusiasm of the crowd matched that had it been a standing room only crowd. A nice eclectic group, the audience cheered and sang along with Corrine, her two backup singers and 4-piece band. Wonderful stage presence is putting it mildly when it comes to describing Corrine's persona. Warm and friendly, she enhanced that sultry voice of hers with an infectious smile and spider-leg like finger motions. Highlights included an extended version of "Circulate" with the bass player switching to a second set of drums for a 2 drummer backbeat sound. My night was personally capped off by a rousing version of one my favorites, the Laura Nyro penned "Stone Soul Picnic". "Love Won't Let You Down", from the 2004 SOS release "Where Love our Grows" was a solid encore (along with "Breakout") and will surely remain in the setlist for years to come.

Overall, a wonderful night. Thanks to my friend Gary for joining me and sharing the people watching with me too. Let's hope SOS keeps true to their promise and comes back to Baltimore soon.

It's swing time, sister!

Actually, it is more like Swing Out Sister!

At least that is what is on tap for this evening at the Ram's Head Live at the Baltimore Inner Harbor. A staple of late 80's and early 90's pop/jazz radio, Swing Out Sister burst onto the scene in 1987. Their breakout hit "Breakout", from their US debut "It's Better to Travel" earned them an instant fanbase. Even when someone says they have never heard of SOS I tell them they have. They just don't know it. "Ever waited for more than 45 minutes in a doctor's office?" If you have, they you have heard "Breakout". But seriously, SOS goes way beyond that.

A wonderful blend of jazz, swing and pop, the music of SOS is what happens when the exquisitely smooth voice of a singer like Corrine Drewery's collides with the musical talents and explorations of keyboardist Andy Connell. It is truly one of the great musical pairings out there.

This is will be my first time seeing them live. Having only toured sporadically in the US in the past, I am very excited that they have included Baltimore on their itinerary this time around. Hugely popular in the likes of Japan and parts of Europe, their shows in the states are too few and far between so I won't let this one pass me by.

"Spock.. I'm your father!"
Without his helmet, Darth Vader is forced to use a voice-altering microphone.
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Vertigo Hits Europe...

U2 begins the European leg of their Vertigo World Tour this evening with their first stadium show in Brussels, Belgium. Not usually a fan of stadium shows myself, U2 has a tendency to make the transition from smaller arenas to massive stadiums better than most bands who attempt it. Bruce Springsteen was more successful at doing it two years ago than many expected but U2 has a little more to their advantage when they bring their live show to stadiums.

U2 is a great live band and their shows are always an extravaganza of sorts. The music is accentuated with over the top lighting, non-stop video and gargantuan staging that physically reaches at least little bit into the huge audiences that fill these places.

Check out Vertiblog to see photos of the stadium and the technology, in both the lighting and the video, that is being used. There is also a link to one song from the last night's dress rehearsal. Thinking I was going to see "The Electric Co." being played by the band it was actually a video of fans mulling around Koning Boudewijn Stadium while the rehearsal was taking place. It was fun to watch the small group's reaction to the music and to see their expressions as they listened. But moreso I was very impressed by the sound. It was phenomenally clear. For such a large venue I could not believe how great it sounded.

While U2's latest CD, "How to Dismantle An Atomic Bomb" is far from my favorite by them, I am still excited to see their show in Philly when they are back in the States this fall. Let's just hope Bono's ego can fit back in arenas after what will be a hugely successful summer tour!

"Hello, hello. I'm at a place called vertigo..." Can't wait to hear that!

I guess it is time to buy a Brucemobile!
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Give me an H, give me a T, give me an M, give me an L.

Well I have almost two weeks of class under my belt and the cryptic language of HTML is actually making sense. I like the quick pace of the summer session because we are forced to learn the material without hesitation. My lunch hours and free time at night have been spent practicing HTML tagging and exploring the effects of using different tags and tag combinations. I guess it is just the geeky side of me coming out! Once I have my first project live on the web I will post the link here.

For all of the catlovers out there.
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37 Candles?

I'm still on the fence about this one but USAToday is reporting that Molly Ringwald is in discussions to film a remake of the teen classic Sixteen Candles. (I guess her bankroll from being in Cabaret and ... tick, tick, boom! and from appearing nude in Playboy is running low!)

Not sure what storyline John Hughes has in mind but Long Duk Dong would have to return as at least the owner of a local Chinese take-out. And if Carole Cook is willing to reprise her part as Grandma Helen and serve Entenmann's donuts in her classic style then it will all be worth it. Think the Geek Twins can still get $1 a pop to see Samantha's panties?

And the Tony goes to...

Unconditional love!

Actually, Doubt, Monty Python's Spamalot and The Light in the Piazza were big winners at last night's Tony Awards but it was the acceptance speech for best Choreography for a musical that got me excited. (Actually, I also got excited when Dan Fogler won for 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. His foot spelling antics are just hysterical!)

I am a big fan of the theatre. I see far too few plays and musicals to my liking but I appreciate every opportunity that comes my way to be part of the wonderful live experience that is theatre. Being "live" entertainment makes it even more meaningful to me as plays and musicals evolve and tell their stories before a live audience. There are no cuts and retakes and every night, while following their scripts and dialogues, actors hit their marks, look into the light, and sing in concert with the notes of the orchestra. And every night is unique. Sometimes not by much onstage but unique in that the audience is always different. No two audiences are ever the same. Each night brings something similar, yet different, to the ever changing faces that the actors play to. That is what I think makes live theatre such the wonderful artistic mechanism that it is.

So, to be able to watch the Tony Awards live follows suit to watching a play unfold on stage. The spontaneity of a surprise win or a perfectly timed pun provides for an evening of unpredictable fun.

When Jerry Mitchell graciously accepted his Tony Award for Choreography for La Cage aux Folles his sincere words of gratitude boldly hit home. While accepting an award for a play that focuses on unconditional love, Mr. Mitchell thanked Harvey Fierstein, who penned the play's book, for having the vision years ago to plant a seed that still is still fighting to grow.

The concept of unconditional love is presented with unconditional challenges on a daily basis in our country. Too many are focusing on who and when someone is allowed to love another person as opposed to just letting it happen. Cities, states and the nation are trying to apply laws to love. Laws for for how to love someone. Hmmm. I find that a bit bothersome and confusing. I know all the laws about driving 55 mph, paying my taxes by the 15th of April, or not walking out of Target without paying for the stuff in my cart. And I know the penalties should I not comply.

But laws about love. What's that all about? Can I get arrested for loving the wrong person? All this broo-ha-ha about laws regarding love is just a big waste of time. The smokescreen of family values hides the true meaning of what love has come to mean today. One can only define family values after they have defined a family itself. And that in itself is a whole other topic of discussion. In La Cage, Georges and Albin make up a family based on the simplest of ideals. Love. True, unconditional love.

Unconditional love. Sounds like to best way to let love be, whether in the theatre or in our lives.

Just in case you get locked in your truck. Thank god the instructions seem pretty easy. And good thing the tag glows in the dark too.
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Ladies in Lavender update...

Go see this film. Calling it one of the most beautiful films I have seen in years does not do it justice. It is a wonderful love story. Love of people. Love of music. Love of life. Judi Dench is just phenomenal as Ursula. The awesome cinematography is further enhanced by Joshua Bell's original score that plays a key part through the entire film. I just love a film where the special effects are simply the words, music and images that feed our hearts and souls. Go see this film.

Comforting to know it has an alarm too. Can only imagine what the front door to this guy's house looks like.
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A-P-P-O-G-G-I-A-T-U-R-A

Appoggiatura. Now what the hell does THAT mean?

Regardless of what it means, it was the 18th word spelled correctly by Anurag Kashyap, the winner of 78th (2005) Scripps National Spelling Bee. I never cease to be amazed by these kids and their ability to spell words. Since I neglected to repeat a correctly spelled word in the 5th grade and was ousted in the first round of my grade school's spelling bee, my enthusiasm for these events has since shifted to that of an entranced spectator. My palms sweat, I grind my teeth and I repeat "Please use the word in a sentence" over and over in my head as these future copy editors, chemical engineers and Barnes & Nobel district managers wiz through word spellings quicker than an Atlanta bride-to-be looking for the local bus terminal.

I guess my interest really hit full stride when Rebecca Sealfron won the 70th Scripp's Bee a few years back. Her spastic spelling of EUONYM was the highlight of the evening news for a few solid days after she won and really did more for exposure to the Bee than any good black tie affair could. Plus the fact that ESPN has been carrying the finals live for a good while does not hurt either.

And Rebecca's winning only proved to be a springboard for more to come. The wonderful documentary Spellbound provided intriguing insight and background to 7 participants in the 1999 National Bee. I was very P-I-S-S-E-D when it did not win the Oscar that year.

But it did not stop there. Spelling has finally hit the Great White Way with The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Nominated for 6 Tonys, it is sure build on it's off Broadway reputation and become a fun theatre classic for all to enjoy. I hear that theatre attendees are pulled onstage to take their stab at, what else, spelling. I need to put in some O-V-E-R-T-I-M-E so I can buy a ticket to the show!

From www.m-w.com

Appoggiatura - ap·pog·gia·tu·ra
Pronunciation: &-"pä-j&-'tur-&
Function: noun
Etymology: Italian, literally, support:

an embellishing note or tone preceding an essential melodic note or tone and usually written as a note of smaller size

I will try to use it in at least two conversations today. (Sure!)
Congratulations Anurag.

My new favorite website.

The photo below is from www.Engrish.com which basically gathers photos that depict the gross misinterpretation of the English language in just about any way you can imagine. Most of the photos are from Asia, some are adult oriented but all will make you laugh in some way.

When I got there today they said my reservation would only be good if I came back tomorrow when today would become yesterday.
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Shades of Lavender...

Even with my classes and studying taking up a good portion of my non-work hours I still have the need (yes, need) to make time for a good movie. While I have avoided seeing the latest Star Wars film just because it will probably be around for months, I am jumping at the chance to see the latest release (2004 actually) with the wonderful Dame Judi Dench and Maggie Smith starring. Ladies in Lavender was released in the UK last year and is finally getting its due here in the states. From what I hear it is a wonderfully visual period piece with a great story. Ms. Dench and Ms. Smith will surely not disappoint. I am viewing it this Friday when it opens at The Charles Theatre in Baltimore, a cinema that I am glad is so close as well as willing to fill their screens with such wonderful films. I will let you all know how it was.

Oooh, oooh... pick me.

Well, I survived my first night of class. Eighteen of us are giving up 8 weeks of the summer to take a class in Hypermedia, one of the required courses for the Masters program. Basically we will learn to design for the web using strictly HTML code and tags. It is a great approach since we will be getting into the nitty-gritty of hard coding webpages. There are many software programs out there that allow you create webpages without having to code in HTML. But when it comes to tweaking the page to exactly what you want you have to delve into the code and specific tags. It will be a lot of fun to see how we can create really great looking web pages with only the PC Notepad application and lots of imagination.

All I can say is "Tag... you're it!"

Hats off to you.. Actually.. keep them on.

I am a wearer of many hats, both figuratively and literally. My daily work as a graphic designer has me switching hats constantly as I flip-flop from one task to another or from a layout design program to a photo manipulation one. But I also love hats as attire. I like the look of a hat, the feel of a hat and the functionallity of one. I love when a hat sits on my head and protects my folically challenged scalp from the beautiful, warm sun I love so much. And this past year they also kept that same bald head warm and toasty during those cold NE winter days I missed so much. (Sure.. Missed so much. Right!)

But a hat as a conversation piece? I never really thought of that way till I ran across the following article on the Frommer's travel website. Take a look. It is short and sweet and good for a chuckle. And why DO they call it the World Series anyway?

... and speaking of dogs.

The photo below really depicts the good life. Just kicking back, relaxing in the sun, dreaming of freshly painted fire hydrants. Too bad his tan looks a little spotted. (Sorry about that one!)

Do they make sunblock for dogs?
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Please pass the Grey Poupon...

I snapped this photo last year in Key West. Those of you who know my culinary likes know I am a fan of mustard. A good mustard makes the hotdog any day and this vendor on the waterfront made sure I had every option to top my dog.

Uh... mustard on that?
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