Mama's Chance to Dance

Today I filmed a promo for CMT (Country Music Television)'s "Your Chance To Dance" It is an upcoming TV show where people will compete doing choreography from their favorite music videos. I auditioned to Beyonce's "Single Ladies" which was a b-l-a-s-t, but when I got cast I thought I was going to be filmed in the Beyonce leotard and put myself on a total emergency carb-free diet! Then I found out that I would be dancing to another video in a little more clothing and got to start eating again! I danced to a short routine with four other women to Leann Rimes "Nothing Better to Do". The women were all great; a couple of totally with it young pros, a Titan cheerleader and a Miss Senior USA! Always neat to get to meet new people on these things. We were supposed to be 1920's style jailbirds (in thigh high stockings), got to love playing dress up and getting paid for it. And a man who I did a stage production of "To Kill A Mockingbird" with a few years ago at TPAC was there in a Billy Ray Cyrus costume (read mullet) doing the Achy Breaky Heart dance (along with some other hysterical Billy Rays) Little Man got to have a rare week day out with his Daddy. It was a fun day!

By the way, this show would probably be a hoot to compete on if anyone feels so inclined to have their own "chance to dance"! Will post info as I find it out for anyone who may be interested.

Here's one for my inner flower child ...

When I was about my little boy's age one of my favorite songs was "Brand New Key" by Melanie Safka. It was just such a happy, hooky, fun, innocent feel-good song that totally embodied being a little kid in the seventies.

"I got a brand new pair of roller skates / You got a brand new key / I think that we should get together and try them out you see / I been looking around awhile / You got something for me / Oh! I got a brand new pair of roller skates / You got a brand new key. / I ride my bike, I roller skate, don't drive no car / Don't go too fast, but I go pretty far / For somebody who don't drive / I been all around the world / Some people say I've done alright for a girl..."

Later, as a singer/songwriter I delved into Melanie's music more and so appreciated her clever songs and messages of love and humanity and was very flattered when I was compared to her as an artist.

I had an opportunity to hear her the other night when she did a benefit concert for a musician friend of hers whose daughter is a school friend of my sons. Brother Don Henry was my "date" and we loved getting to meet her. What an amazing night!!

You've got a friend in me

We went to the opening night of Toy Story 3 and I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it! The whole family did. I was a little concerned about going on opening night, but we got there early and got good seats. There was actually a fun energy surrounding it. The audience applauded when the movie first came on and when it ended ... I love that! The 3-D was pretty amazing, the plot was entertaining and, in parts, heartwarming and sentimental. (The little boy, Andy, growing up tugged at my heartstrings.) These films are really good about tossing little humor-nuggets in for the adults while still keeping it sweet for the kids. All in all it was very fun. I love having an excuse to see Pixar films!

Wild things

My five-year-old boy is obsessed with zoos. Out of nowhere. And now he IS a "Zoo Man". He insists that we go to nashvillezoo.com (funny to hear him refer to it that way) all the time so that we can make lists of all the animals there that are also at HIS (imaginary)zoo. He has a location for his zoo picked out too. It is at Centennial Park ... speaking of 'wild things', he has no idea that his mommy, as a rebellious teen, once innocently hung out and swilled tequilla with the reknowned folk-punk band the Violent Femmes into the wee hours at that very location, but I digress. He is obsessed! When I put him to bed I say "I love you, Little Man" to which he responds "Say I love you 'zookeeper'". "Okay, I love you zookeeper ... goodnight Little Man", "Say goodnight 'zookeeper'!" He has given jobs to everyone he knows at his zoo (I think my job is to either answer questions or swim with the dolphins and his dad is the ticket man) I love his wild imagination, and I hope that all of his wishes come true. However, I am not sure about the potential of owning a zoo. I speak to him about the importance of kindness to animals and have discussed the virtues of having an animal sanctuary instead. And we are going to visit one such place on our trip to the Jersey Shore this summer .. Popcorn Park Zoo, a refuge for abused or abandoned exotic animals and wildlife who get released back to their environment whenever possible. How cool would that be as a family venture?!

Sex and the City II, spoilers!

Okay, so I wanted to come back to actually write about the movie. I have heard it getting panned some, but, gotta tell you--I thought it was a really good time. Yes, it helped that my buddy Leslie and I were all festive and into it in a sold-out theater with women all festive and into it, who applauded at the end of the film, but I must say that I did enjoy it every bit as much as the first one. They even dealt with the subject of aging (rather than ignoring it). Kim Catrell's character is quite a bit older than the others, and she wanted a little number for her ex-lovers film opening. The salesgirl said "don't you think it's a little young?" to which Samantha snapped "I am 52 and I am going to ROCK this dress!" I loved that. Of course she ended up having the same dress on at her event as Miley Cyrus!
Anyone who knows me knows I enjoy a good pun and this movie was chock full of them. The best was when the girls were lounging in a Dubai desert after a camel ride (don't we all have girls outings like this?) and, in a mirage of sorts, a sexy Dutch man in a four wheeler comes riding up and leaves shortly thereafter. Samantha, who has been going through menopause and was not feeling much south of the boarder without her confiscated hormones, is obviously feeling something from this gentleman. She asks who he is and is told that his name is Lawrence to which she retorts "Lawrence of my labia!" Also funny was the "gay wedding" with the glee club singing in which Liza Minelli manifests as the officient("whenever there is this much gay energy in a place she spontaneously appears." I am paraphrasing that, of course) Afterwards Carrie and Big are trying to sleep at the Inn and are caught somewhere between wild sex in one neighboring room(Samantha's) and a crying baby (Charlotte's) in another. Big said he didn't know which was worse to which Carrie responds "Samantha ... the baby will tire eventually". And yes, I loved seeing Aiden again, sigh. (Sorry, dear). Though Big was pretty cute in his silk jammies (Sorry, dear). But, Carrie's walk in closet was about as sexy as any man in the film.
As a mom the scene that was most poingant and really got to me was the scene in which Miranda gets Charlotte to actually admit how HARD motherhood actually is. They had me a little teary and that takes a lot. And they toasted the moms who do it on their own without nannies (unlike them). Soooo, here's to all those hard-working and hard-loving moms and to those SATC chicks, still fabulous, fashionable (except maybe for that one red number with the spikes on it) and totally fun to hang with!