TV And I Are Friends Again

It was the Spring of 2007. Gilmore Girls and Veronica Mars were going off the air for, in my opinion, no good reason. Crossing Jordan was ending. Everwood had been let go way before its time. The tv landscape I had held so dear was crumbling around me and I was taking it hard.

When the Fall 2007 tv season was gearing up to begin I found I just didn’t have it in me anymore. I was disillusioned…disenchanted…sad. I was finally ready to admit it. TV and I were no longer friends. Oh, I guess I had known it was coming for some time. I was leery of the reality tv sprouting up on every network. Storylines on shows I used to love were losing my interest. I had stopped showing up for our regular appointments.

So, for the first time in years I turned my back on the new season and fled to the comfort of my dvds. Happy and content to relive the glory days of my relationship with tv, I spent my nights in Stars Hollow and Neptune. I hung out in 1870s Colorado Springs with Dr. Quinn, 1950s Middle America with Jim and Margaret Anderson and Donna and Alex Stone, 1960s New York with Ann Marie and Don, 1970s Minneapolis with Mary Richards, and 1980s New York with Kate McArdle and Allie Lowell.

For the past couple of seasons my visits to the current world of tv have been sporadic at best (with the exception of The Big Bang Theory which I’ve loved from its inception). I was happy living my tv life in my old haunts, but something happened this summer. I caught a rerun of CSI: NY one weekend and my obsession with television was revived. I loved the characters. I loved the actors. I was completely caught up in the story. It was like old times.

So, this fall I’m back to my graph paper, my schedule calculations, and my anticipation of the new television season.

The shows I’m most looking forward to this season are starting this week…

The Big Bang Theory
I finally got my hands on the elusive seond season dvd set of The Big Bang Theory. They were out of stock all over town. Don’t get me wrong. I’m thrilled the show has become such a hit, but at the same time I feel a little like…hey, this is my show! I’m a little protective and posessive of my gang. We’ve been hanging out since the beginning. They’re my friends, not yours. Oh, okay, I’ll share. Sheldon, Leonard, Penny, Wolowitz and Koothrappali make me laugh out loud – like I haven’t laughed at tv in years. When I put in a dvd I have to be careful not to watch too many episodes in a row. I often don’t realize until it’s too late that my face actually hurts from constant smiling. This show is the perfect combination of the best comedy writing I’ve heard in years and each actor flawlessly embodying their character. The Emmy nomination Jim Parsons received was well-deserved. For me to go into detail about why I love each character would take all day, so I’ll spare you.

I couldn’t wait for the season opener this Monday, and it didn’t disappoint me. I loved the call back to Sheldon’s “soft kitty, warm kitty” song from season one. Hilarious…and infectious. Just today I went to the store with my mom, and after struggling to get something from far back on a shelf I was a little riled up that it had been so difficult to reach. Out of the blue my mom started singing, “Soft kitty, warm kitty, little ball of fur…” I burst out laughing, and it’s been in my head all night. Ah, good times. Like Sheldon settling back into his spot on the couch after a summer at the North Pole, I have gratefully settled back into my favorite comedy after a summer away from my lovable scientists and the actress/waitress across the hall.

CSI: NY
This will be my first season watching the show week by week. I knew this show was out there. I knew I already loved Melina Kanakaredes and Gary Sinise. But, I was never particularly interested in the other CSIs, and back when the show started all my tv viewing hours were booked. Then, as I said earlier, I caught a rerun of CSI: NY and it turned my television life around. I love the entire cast and every character brings something great to the story. The cases are intriguing, the technology is cool, and I love that it’s set in New York. The skyline shots they use between scenes are spectacular. I was so enthralled the first time I saw it, I went out the next day, bought the dvds, and watched four seasons in six weeks. I’m still a season behind because season five comes out a week after season six starts. Thanks (sarcastic). But, I was able to watch a season five recap on cbs.com. Thanks (non-sarcastic). Also a non-sarcastic thanks to Mac, Stella, Danny, Lindsay, Hawkes, Flack, Adam, and Sid for bringing me back to tv!

Castle
I stumbled upon Castle and Beckett a few episodes into the first season. I loved it, but was bummed I hadn’t seen it from the beginning. So, since I found out they had already set a date for the dvd release I made the painful decision to wait (im)patiently for September 22, so I could start from the start. Well, the day has finally come and Nathan Fillion is sitting next to my tv just waiting for me to say the word…er, I mean I’ve got the dvds and I’m anxious to ride along on my first case with Castle and Beckett.

The Mentalist
Again, I’m late to the party, but better late than never. I would gladly watch Simon Baker read a take-out menu from my local pizza joint (read the phone book is so overused). As it turns out, I find he’s solving crimes on tv. I think that’s even better…unless he was sticking around to share the pizza. Anyway, fresh dvds in hand, I’m ready to catch-up with Patrick Jane. Is there a limit to how many crime fighters with charming smiles you can watch in one week? I certainly hope not.

House
Take a lying patient (everybody lies), a few mysterious symptoms, a group of argumentative diagnosticians, a cane and a whiteboard, mix well and you’ve got a perfect medical drama. I used to refuse to watch House because it aired against one of my favorite shows. Nowadays, with my self-imposed sanctions lifted, I love Dr. House and the gang. I’ve got every season on dvd and I still watch reruns on cable. My family is big on medical mysteries. We’re always trying to be the first to guess the illness before the show reveals it.

Grey’s Anatomy
I was a huge fan of Grey’s Anatomy the first couple of seasons. Then I got bored and lost interest. Last season I caught a few episodes on nights when I was home. Now I’m interested again. Interested enough that I bought season five on dvd so I could catch up and start again this season. Don’t let me down Seattle Grace.

Cold Case
I love Cold Case, but I always used to miss the first half of the show because I never knew what time it would be starting when it followed football. This season it should be starting at a reliable time, so I’ll be there reliably too.

Bones
My friends are always insisting I would love Bones, and I’ve always intended to make the time to watch it. But, what with the my recent tv apathy and all, I just haven’t tuned in. This year I really mean it. Consider me there.

Ghost Whisperer
I love the small town setting of this show. I love Jennifer Love Hewitt and David Conrad. Not so crazy about the ghosts, actually. I can handle the slightly-creepy stories, but the super-creepy stories aren’t really my thing. In the past I’ve watched it when I’ve happened to be home. This season I’m going to try it on a regular basis and we’ll see how it goes.

NCIS
I’ve been a faithful fan of JAG and Magnum PI, but up til now I’ve been AWOL from NCIS. This year I’m finally reporting for duty.

Nine and a half hours of tv a week is ambitious for me, considering I still plan on taking regular tours to the land of tv past, but as we fans know…with television anything is possible.

Adventures In LibriVox: Journey Of A Listener, Days 75-76

Day 75

Sat down in an armchair next to a woman I met the other day. We stared at a mark on her wall trying, with much difficulty, to determine what it was. Well, all that contemplation naturally led to a discussion of Shakespeare, botany, and Whitaker’s Table of Precedency. You know how those things go. Oh, and trees. We spent a few of our minutes together in the discussion of trees. She said something I found quite insightful, “…trees grow, and we don’t know how they grow. For years and years they grow, without paying any attention to us, in meadows, in forests, and by the side of rivers…” Interesting visit. And how odd what that mark on the wall turned out to be.
[The Mark On The Wall by Virginia Woolf]

Passed by a room where there seemed to be some sort of lecture going on. I couldn’t exactly tell. It sounded a bit like Oscar Wilde spouting maxims. He made some interesting and amusing points. “It is a very sad thing that nowadays there is so little useless information.” So true. Well, I could only stay a few moments. I had to get going.
[A Few Maxims For The Instruction Of The Over-Educated by Oscar Wilde]

I then traveled what I can only assume was back in time to bear witness to a great historical event…from a very different perspective.
[Reluctant Genius by Henry Slesar]

Day 76

Checked in with Sally Nicholas. Was a bit of a trying day for her today. Her brother Fillmore is in the process of making some ill-advised business decisions. She and Fillmore’s wife-to-be have been attempting to talk sense into him. On top of that she was told some rather unsettling news about Mr. Carmyle and some rather shocking news about Gerald Foster. When it rains, it pours, I guess.
[The Adventures of Sally by P.G. Wodehouse]

- the classic story collector

Visit my LibriVox page for further Adventures.

Adventures In LibriVox: Journey Of A Listener, Days 63-65

Day 63

Attended a going away party for Miss Sally Nicholas today. Seems she has come in to a rather large sum of money. A large sum in my terms anyway, not so large in the estimation of our fellow partygoers. Enjoyed the party and wished Sally well on her new adventures. Delightful girl. Shall have to check in again with her soon.
[The Adventures of Sally by P.G. Wodehouse]

Stopped in at another Community Podcast get together. Number 22 I believe it was. Ran into Mr. earthcalling. Joined him and his brother for a cup of tea and a discussion of Dickens. Charming chaps. Funny thing, though. Left the meeting hours ago, but am still haunted by a chorus sung by several LibriVox members. “You can listen to it more than once if you like.” Catchy…too catchy. Brain can’t seem to let it go. Perhaps this is some sort of ancient LibriVoxian brain infiltration technique? They do seem to acquire members at an unusually high rate. Hmm. Will require more investigation on my part. Maybe if I listen to it again…
[LibriVox Community Podcast 2007]

Day 65

Wandered over past a large colonial mansion today, you know one of those old ancestral halls. As I passed by I could hear someone through a window on one of the upper floors. She was muttering to herself something about color and pattern. You know, I don’t think she was very fond of her wallpaper. Oh well, that can be changed easily enough. I’m sure her husband can help her.
[The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman]

Spent an extended period of time with Sally Nicholas today. We took a trip abroad. Enjoyed the sightseeing, ran into several new characters. In fact, we were stuck in an elevator (a lift they call it over there) for quite some time with a bungling lift-attendant and an interesting young man by the name of Ginger Kemp. Well, eventually I had to leave, but last I heard Sally was back in New York. Promised to get in touch with her again soon.
[The Adventures of Sally by P.G. Wodehouse]

After Sally went back to New York, I went off to Mars for a bit to visit with Longtree and Channeljumper. Nothing like chatting it up with a couple of musically inclined, chameleon-like, Martian grasshoppers to clear your head. Longtree told me their big Music Festival was coming up and he had been trying all day to get the elusive final note for the symphony he had created. He seemed rather frustrated, so when, on top of everything else, we found out another space rocket was due to arrive I decided to take my leave and let him get back to his preparations for the festival. Maybe the approaching aliens can help him find the missing note.
[I Like Martian Music by Charles E. Fritch]

- the classic story collector

Visit my LibriVox page for further Adventures.

Adventures In LibriVox: Journey Of A Listener, Days 56-62

Day 56

Spent some time today stranded on a frozen snow slope with Matt Hennessy, from Farside Observatory, back of the Moon. We talked about the crash of his ship and his visit to a planet where the cat-like natives have a penchant for chess, table-tennis and practical jokes. Nice guy. Hope he makes it.
[Accidental Death by Peter Baily]

Heard there was some sort of animal resembling an inflated gas-bag with wings loose in the skies. Giving The Office of Continental Defense a bit of a pain trying to decide what to do about it. Seems it keeps flying from city to city to have a look around. Citizens aren’t too crazy about it. Afraid it might fall out of the sky I guess.
[The Good Neighbors by Edgar Pangborn]

Day 62

Attended a series of informal get togethers hosted by various members of the society of LibriVox. The sign out front said LibriVox Community Podcasts 16, 17 and 19. Host of these sessions was a Mr. Cloud Mountain. Most entertaining fellow. Had an excellent time. Hope to attend again soon.
[LibriVox Community Podcast 2006]

After the Podcasts, headed one million years into the future to a land of intelligent super prairie dogs speaking English through a black box. Met up with Ned Vince. Told me he had run his car off a slope, into the inky waters of the Pit, and ended up here. Wherever here is. I wished him luck with the super prairie dogs, and went on my way.
[The Eternal Wall by Raymond Z. Gallun]

Finished off the day by dropping in on Mr. Stanley Rapp. I dig his crazy TV set, man. The picture’s always upside down. Other repairmen have tried to fix it, but given up. Today a bearded poet from Lightning Service, TV and HI-FI showed up toolbox in hand to give it a go with the idiot box. Wonder if he can turn things around? Crazy.
[Something Will Turn Up by David Mason]

- the classic story collector

Visit my LibriVox page for further Adventures.

Dear LibriVox: A Fan Letter

Dear LibriVox,

One day as I worked at my computer, tired of listening to music, caught up on the podcasts to which I subscribe, not in the mood for an old time radio drama, I thought I’d like to read a book. But, I had work still to do on my computer. What about audio books? Maybe something of Austen I haven’t read? I wonder if you can get any sort of free audio books on the internet? So, information divining rod in hand I wandered ’round the ‘net until I found myself at librivox.org where a hidden spring of stories was waiting to be found. (Okay, in actuality I just Googled “free audio books”, but I like the underground, flowing water metaphor.)

***Note to non-LibriVox eavesdroppers (eavesreaders?): For those not in the know, librivox.org is a web site run by volunteers who record public domain written works and release that audio back into the public domain where grateful listeners can download them for free.***

It was a bit overwhelming for me at first, all these books and authors of whom I had never heard. I can rattle off movies and actors from the 40s, you can name a song from the 60s and I can tell you who sang it, but I admit my knowledge of books and authors is not as wide ranging. Reading a thick book is such a time commitment, I have a tendency to re-read favorite books rather than explore new.

So, not knowing quite where to start, and too cautious to jump headfirst into the sea of unknown authors, I dipped my toe in with someone I was at least familiar with, Jane Austen. Then with the safety of a familiar author to buoy me, I bravely picked a book I had not read, and quickly downloaded the first chapter of Northanger Abbey.

I was hooked from the first moment. I wasn’t hooked so much on the book as I was on LibriVox itself. Not that I wasn’t enjoying the book. I was. It’s just my persistent curiosity problem. If I was enjoying this book what else was out there I could be enjoying? Thus began my unfortunate habit of skipping from story to story.

Why just recently I was standing watch in Limmeridge House as Walter Hartright said goodbye to the Misses Fairlie and Halcombe in The Woman In White when who should come waltzing by in the New Releases RSS feed but Ruth and Alice, The Moving Picture Girls, with their story of working in the silent movies. Well, I couldn’t help it. I apologized politely to Walter and the gang, promising to return shortly, and off I went into the streets of New York with Alice and Ruth.

I’m incurable. While perfectly content in the story I’m in, I still rifle through the forums where I inevitably trip over some intriguing title or plot. A fine place, the forums. A wealth of information and entertainment at your fingertips. A buzzing factory of helpful, enthusiastic volunteers all united for the common good. Each department methodically churning out stories, poems, and the occasional chocolate cake recipe.

My favorite haunt is the Completed Projects forum. The first thing I do after finishing a story is run off and look for that project’s topic. It’s like a behind the scenes featurette. Did the folks involved have fun putting it together? Any major production dramas occur? (i.e. My computer ate my file and I had to re-record.) Were the chapters flowing at a blistering pace, or did the director have to coax a player out of their trailer? (i.e. Could the PL barely keep up, or did the BC have to gently nudge anyone to get a move on?) Even things as humdrum as the proof listener telling the reader they’re going out to dinner and they’ll post their findings later that evening, I find fun and interesting. I just really enjoy feeling “in” on the process of creating the finished product. Then there’s the gag reel (er, Bloopers topic). A twist of the tongue, uncooperative cat, or fit of giggles always brightens my day…but then I’m not the one at the microphone.

I may not be at the microphone, but I do feel part of the LibriVox community. Though not an official user-named member, I happily lurk about the friendly forums (I admire and appreciate the “Be Nice” mandate, something sadly lacking on the web these days) and enjoy the Community Podcast. I love a good podcast, and this certainly is one. Always well assembled, amiably hosted, full of interesting topics and tidbits, it’s a great way to get to know more about the community and the microphone wielders within.

Speaking of the readers, that is one aspect unique to the LibriVox experience – the variety of voices. While it’s great to discover a new author you love, it’s even better when you discover a new reader you love. Everybody who reads for LibriVox brings something different to the table, and when you find a voice or a style that clicks with how you want to enjoy a story it’s like meeting the fellow traveler assigned to your rental car and finding out you both like the air conditioner at the same temperature. I mean if you’re planning to listen to a solo recording of a 500 page book, you’re going to spend hours with this person. It makes the journey more enjoyable when the person in the other seat is a friend. Plus, if you love this person’s voice or their style or enthusiasm for the story you’ll find yourself seeking out other works they’ve read. That’s another great way to discover new stories.

Well, I guess I only have one thing left to say, and that is thank you. My thanks to all of you generous, public-domain-lovin’ souls in the LibriVox community. To those working behind the scenes and those working behind the microphones all over the world lending their time, energy and talents to bring these great works to life, you make my day brighter. Keep up the good work.

Gratefully Yours,

The Classic Story Collector

even a cottage library needs upkeep

I’m not an actual librarian, but I play one in my house. And even a cottage library needs upkeep. I’ve been rather lax in posting new articles of late, but for the last few weeks I’ve been spending my spare time updating my inventory spreadsheet and card catalog.

I have an openoffice.org spreadsheet where I have always kept track of the details of my classic movie collection (title, year, run time, description, cast, where it’s stored). As of this moment I have 644 classic movies. Recently I started the major project of adding columns for black and white or color, genre, and a rating if I’ve watched it. I am also color coding each row by the genre. This requires research on the internet for the movies I have, but haven’t yet had opportunity to watch. Then as I go I am handwriting an index card for each movie to place in my card catalog box. So far I’ve got 157 rows updated and 78 cards written.

I also started a separate spreadsheet tab for my modern movies, something I had never cataloged before. It turns out I have 103 of them, but all I have in my spreadsheet so far are the titles. I still need to catalog my Christmas movies, of which I’m sure I have at least 30 or so.

As if that wasn’t a big enough project, last week I woke up to a cold, rainy Saturday morning and decided today was the day. I had been thinking about a major reorganization of my library shelves for weeks. Soon I was surrounded by stacks and stacks of dvds and books…it was glorious. As techie as I am, I could never be happy with a digital only collection of movies, music, and books. Being physically surrounded by my books, movies and music is both soothing and exciting for me. Hundreds of stories just waiting for me to pick them up, and get lost in their world.

That Saturday I fought the enticement of the stories and stayed on task. So, now my favorite books are together, my tv show comedies are grouped by decade, my tv investigators are all playing nicely together (JAG next to Remington Steele next to Magnum, P.I. next to Veronica Mars next to House next to Crossing Jordan), and all my movies are alphabetized. What a lovely way to spend a day.

While the upkeep of my little cottage library is joyous and never-ending (I just reorganized last week and I already have 15 new movies sitting on the floor waiting to be shelved and cataloged), I do have lots of ideas for articles rolling around in my head, so I will get back to posting soon. As soon as I’ve quelled the organizer in me.

- the classic story collector

tcsc recommends books: and if i perish

And If I Perish

And If I Perish: Frontline U.S. Army Nurses in World War II
by Evelyn M. Monahan and Rosemary Neidel-Greenlee

Here is an excerpt from one of my favorite passages…

(pages 228,229)

Off-duty personnel had returned to their tents from quiet New Year’s Eve parties and were either fast asleep or just drifting off when sleet, snow, and gale-force winds struck all along a twelve-mile area where hospitals were set up to support the Winter Line Campaign…
As if summoned by a call to their battle stations, nurses, corpsmen, and doctors of the 33rd dressed in whatever clothes they could get their hands on and rushed into the blackness of the night to make sure patients were safe. For hours, the men and women of the 33rd, dressed in bathrobes, boxer shorts, undershirts, or pajamas, stood in the freezing rain struggling to hold down tent ropes and chains to keep canvas over the heads of the nearly one thousand patients while an evacuation operation was quickly put in motion.
“We were sidestepping tent poles and jumping over fallen electrical wires,” Jessie Paddock recalled, “while we were getting the patients to trucks and ambulances. Nurses crawled through the mud from patient to patient, disconnecting intravenous lines and Wangensteen suctions so the patients could be moved.”
After several hours of backbreaking work, all but twelve of the one thousand patients had been moved several miles away to the safety of a warehouse. Now the real battle was about to begin. Each of the twelve remaining patients was critically wounded and could not be moved without serious risks to their lives. They would have to remain in a tent in the eye of the storm. Whether they lived or died was literally in the hands of the men and women who were holding tightly to ropes and tent-pole chains as the canvas was whipped by the cyclone-force wind and freezing rain…
The battle for the lives of these twelve boys continued throughout the night. A group of eight nurses, corpsmen, and doctors stayed behind. They spent the night holding on to the tent chains and ropes to keep the tent standing. In spite of suffering severe rope burns and lacerations, no one let go. As the first rays of daylight fell on the hospital, the winds subsided. For the first time in hours, the men and women could loosen the grip they had maintained on the tent through that long, cold night. Slowly, individuals got their first look at their comrades and the scene they had struggled through…

the classic story collector says…
I have a great interest in the lives of women during World War II. The stories of the women in this book are fascinating. I consider them an inspiration in my own life today. There have been numerous times where faced with a worrisome, uncertain, or difficult situation I have said to myself, “Well, if those nurses could handle that, I can certainly handle this.” So, thank you to the nurses of World War II, and thank you to Evelyn M. Monahan and Rosemary Neidel-Greenlee for bringing their stories to me in such a well written book.

tcsc recommends And If I Perish : amazon . barnes and noble . borders

- the classic story collector

tcsc counts down music: 101 favorite swingin’ songs

Frank. Dean. Rosemary. Three names that instantly bring a smile to my face. This list of my 101 Favorite Swingin’ Songs begins, but in no way ends there. As a thirty-two year old in the year 2008, the fact that the term swingin’ is part of my general vocabulary is a testament to my immersion in movies and music from the 40s, 50s, and 60s. That may seem odd to some, but how can you put on “Almost Like Being In Love”, listen to that bass, those trumpets, that rhythm, that band, Frank’s vocals, and not come out of it thinking…swingin’. Of course, not all of these songs are swingin’ in rhythm, some are lovely ballads, but they’re swingin’ in spirit.

I listen to this music every day. In addition to my collection, we also have a great AM radio station in town that plays these tunes. One of their sound bites is “Where the Rat Pack will live forever. Magic 1490.” The other day they actually said, “…and coming up after the break we’ve got Dino, Frank, and Bobby Darin. Stay tuned.” How cool is that?

One of the great things about these songs is their adaptability. I am constantly discovering versions I’ve never heard before of songs I’ve heard a million times. I may have heard the song a million times, but not by this artist, and that makes it new. Everyone interprets it a different way. That doesn’t work with other genres of music. I can hear five versions of “I Get A Kick Out Of You” or “Come Rain Or Come Shine” and they’re all different. You can speed ‘em up, slow ‘em down, rearrange them, and they always sound great. Rearrange “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” and I’d be shouting, “Who screwed up Sgt. Pepper?!?” But, Tony Bennett’s slow version of “The Way You Look Tonight” and Frank’s faster version of the same song just make me think, “Great. A version for every mood!”. Granted, that doesn’t really hold true when a standard is strongly linked to a particular singer. Much like The Beatles, rearrange “Tenderly”, and I’m sure I’d be shouting, “Who screwed up Rosemary’s song?!?”.

Now about my list. The first 25 are ranked in order of my favor with my favorite at number one. The other 76 are in alphabetical order. It was just too hard to rank them. The artist listed is the person who does my favorite version of the song. You’ll notice there are a couple of songs where I couldn’t make a decision, so I listed my two favorite singers of the song.

Lastly, instead of writing about each song as part of the list, as I’ve done before, here are just a couple of quick notes.

“Come Fly With Me” is my go-to song. Havin’ a crummy day? Tryin’ to push that annoying commercial jingle out of your head? Just plain bored? Take off in the blue with Frank and your mood is instantly lifted. I play his song in my head whenever I need it. I can hear the music, his voice, and I don’t need speakers. It’s all in my mental jukebox. “…weather-wise it’s such a lovely day. You just say the words and we’ll beat the birds down to Acapulco Bay…”

I started to put “At Long Last Love” from one of my Sinatra cds onto a mix cd for listening in my car, when I realized that version just isn’t the same for me anymore. In my mind that song is concretely associated with the movie “Return To Me”. I can’t enjoy it without hearing “the boys” from the movie singing along. So, I took the audio from that part of the movie and put it on my mix. The cd now starts with the boys arguing about what music to put on. “She likes Dean or Frank…” “…Frankie Sinatra. The one and only. Back in style, though dead.” Oh, I love those boys. What a great, great movie.

Sometime I’ll write an entire post about how much I love Rosemary Clooney’s music, but for now I’ll leave it at this. The last note she sings on “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” (from the compilation cd “This Ole House”) is one of the clearest, most perfect notes I’ve ever heard.

You will also notice not all of the singers on my list are from the time period. That is another beautiful thing about these songs. They are still relevant and still sound great today with a new singer’s interpretation. Carly Simon, one of my favorite singer-songwriters of all time, made the list several times. She always nails the feeling of the song, regardless of the era it originated. How many people have recorded Danny Boy over the years? And my favorite version is Carly’s.

Well, enough rambling on from me. Here is the list. If you see some old favorites, I hope you’ll revisit them. If you see a song you know, but not by the singer I’ve listed, I hope you’ll take the time to check it out. Enjoy!

- the classic story collector

1. Come Fly With Me – Frank Sinatra
2. Almost Like Being In Love – Frank Sinatra
3. Good Mornin’ Life – Dean Martin
4. Beyond The Sea – Bobby Darin
5. At Long Last Love – Frank Sinatra
6. Moonlight In Vermont – Rosemary Clooney
7. Tenderly – Rosemary Clooney
8. Ain’t That A Kick In The Head – Dean Martin
9. More – Bobby Darin
10. He Was Too Good To Me – Carly Simon
11. Stardust – Rod Stewart
12. Buona Sera – Dean Martin
13. I Get A Kick Out Of You – Frank Sinatra / Rosemary Clooney
14. Midnight Sun – Ella Fitzgerald
15. I’m In The Mood For Love – Julie London
16. In The Still Of The Night – Carly Simon
17. What If I Loved You – Joey Gian
18. Sway – Rosemary Clooney / Dean Martin
19. It Could Happen To You – Rosemary Clooney
20. Time After Time – Carly Simon
21. Magic Is The Moonlight – Rosemary Clooney
22. All I Do Is Dream Of You – Dean Martin
23. Catch A Falling Star – Perry Como
24. The Way You Look Tonight – Tony Bennett
25. The Best Is Yet To Come – Frank Sinatra

26. All The Things You Are – Carly Simon
27. Baby, It’s Cold Outside – Rod Stewart and Dolly Parton
28. Beat Me Daddy, Eight To The Bar – The Andrews Sisters
29. Beer Barrel Polka – The Andrews Sisters
30. Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen – The Andrews Sisters
31. Bewitched – Carly Simon
32. Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy – The Andrews Sisters
33. Boy From Ipanema – Rosemary Clooney and Diana Krall
34. Bye Bye Blackbird – Rosemary Clooney
35. Chances Are – Johnny Mathis
36. Cheek to Cheek – Frank Sinatra
37. Chicago, That Toddlin’ Town – Rosemary Clooney
38. Come Rain Or Come Shine – Rosemary Clooney
39. Danny Boy – Carly Simon
40. Dream – Rosemary Clooney
41. Dream A Little Dream Of Me – June Hutton
42. Embraceable You – Sarah Vaughan
43. House Of Blue Lights – The Andrews Sisters
44. How About You – Rosemary Clooney
45. How Long Has This Been Going On – Carly Simon
46. I Can’t Get Started – Dakota Staton
47. I Could Write A Book – Margaret Whiting
48. I Get Along Without You Very Well – Rosemary Clooney / Carly Simon
49. I Got It Bad And That Ain’t Good – Carly Simon
50. I Only Have Eyes for You – Rosemary Clooney
51. I Wish You Love – Keely Smith
52. I’ll Be Around – Rosemary Clooney
53. I’ll Be Seeing You – Rosemary Clooney
54. Isn’t It Romantic – Rod Stewart
55. I’ve Got A Crush On You – Carly Simon
56. I’ve Got My Love To Keep Me Warm – Rosemary Clooney
57. I’ve Got You Under My Skin – Carly Simon
58. Jump, Jive and Wail – Louis Prima
59. Let’s Face The Music And Dance – Frank Sinatra
60. Little Girl Blue – Carly Simon
61. L-O-V-E – Wayne Newton
62. Love Is Here To Stay – Dinah Shore
63. Love Won’t Let You Get Away – Rosemary Clooney
64. Mack The Knife – Rosemary Clooney
65. Makin’ Whoopee – Rosemary Clooney
66. Mambo Italiano – Rosemary Clooney
67. Mangos – Rosemary Clooney
68. Mean To Me – Rosemary Clooney
69. Memories Of You – Rosemary Clooney
70. Moon River – Andy Williams
71. Moonglow – Carly Simon
72. More Than You Know – Kay Starr
73. My Blue Heaven – Rosemary Clooney
74. My Funny Valentine – Dinah Shore
75. Nice Work If You Can Get It – Frank Sinatra
76. Night And Day – Rod Stewart
77. Our Love Affair – Rosemary Clooney
78. Over The Rainbow – Rosemary Clooney
79. Return To Me – Dean Martin
80. Shine On Harvest Moon – Rosemary Clooney
81. Sing, Sing, Sing – Benny Goodman & His Orchestra
82. Someone To Watch Over Me – Linda Ronstadt
83. Someone Waits For You – Carly Simon
84. Something Wonderful – Carly Simon
85. Something’s Gotta Give – Rosemary Clooney
86. That’s All – Mel Torme
87. That’s Life – Frank Sinatra
88. The More I See You – Carly Simon
89. The Nearness Of You – Norah Jones
90. The Very Thought of You – Nat King Cole
91. This Can’t Be Love – Rosemary Clooney
92. Too Marvelous for Words – Rosemary Clooney
93. Unforgettable – Nat King Cole
94. Until The Real Thing Comes Along – Dean Martin
95. Up A Lazy River – Rosemary Clooney
96. Where Or When – Carly Simon
97. You Belong To Me – Jo Stafford
98. You Do Something To Me – Rosemary Clooney
99. You Took Advantage of Me – Rosemary Clooney
100. You’ll Never Know – Rosemary Clooney
101. You’re Just In Love – Rosemary Clooney

the power of the tv marathon

Ah, four days off from work. I had big plans for this Thanksgiving vacation. There were new curtains to hang, mounds of laundry to do, and maybe I would finally have a chance to organize and put away that pile of dvds.

Then it happened. My television comes on as an extra alarm every morning. Most mornings it wakes me with the last few minutes of JAG on cable before I switch to Good Morning America and drag myself out of bed to get ready for work. Thursday, however, was a holiday, and you know what that means? TV Marathons. An unusual number of people are home on holidays. Cable television is vying for your attention against family, friends, mashed potatoes, football, and giant, helium filled cartoon characters floating past department stores. They can’t just put any old thing on.

So, this is how it started for me Thursday morning. My television blasts on at way too loud a volume and at way too early an hour. Eyes closed, I fumble around the table by my bed, find the remote and turn the volume down without actually waking up. I lay there in a state of semiconsciousness, half listening to the tv and half still dreaming I’m pushing a cart through this surreal grocery store searching for the last elusive item on a list that seems to be growing exponentially. Then just as I turn down aisle nine again, my brain finally picks up on the voices from the television. Is that Dr. House? One eye cracks open. That is House. What’s he doing on? And so it begins.

It starts out innocently enough. Oh, I’ll just watch the end of this episode and shut it off. Then, when the episode is over the station distracts you with flashy graphics and ads for their other shows on the left of the screen while the credits slyly flash by all squished up on the right of the screen. By the time you realize it’s time to pick up the remote they’ve gone right into another episode. Before you know it some normal looking guy in some normal looking situation is suddenly and inexplicably racked with a pain so bad he falls to the floor. Whamo! They’ve got you for another hour. You can’t shut off the tv not knowing why this guy’s got blood oozing from his ear. House and the docs are going to figure it out within the next hour while you’re off somewhere eating a sandwich. You’ll just watch this one more episode. Right?

After seven episodes of House I finally broke free. Don’t get me wrong I had a great time watching it, and I did manage to swap my winter clothes in and my summer clothes out from my closet during the commercials, but I do have two seasons of House sitting on my shelf that I can put in anytime I want.

You would think after falling for the House marathon I’d be more aware, more adept at avoiding the marathon syndrome on Friday. As it turned out, I was no match for what my tv had in store for me that morning. I was up late Thursday night watching Christmas movies, so when I woke up after just four hours of sleep Friday morning I intended to get a drink of water and go right back to sleep. Exhausted, but perhaps fearing another strange grocery store dream, I tossed and turned for a few minutes before deciding to turn on the tv, you know, just to lull me to sleep. As I flipped higher and higher through the stations I was completely unprepared for what awaited me on channel 53. Catastrophe of all catastrophes. MORK. AND. MINDY. I believe I actually gasped audibly. Mork and Mindy is on? Well, there was no way I could not watch an episode of Mork and Mindy. Ten minutes left, then I’d go back to sleep. Or so I thought, until I heard this at the end of the commercial break. “After Thanksgiving, put down the fork, and pick up Mork. Our 24 hour Mork and Mindy Marathon continues on SciFi.” Six hours later I was still awake and still in my pajamas.

Around episode fourteen I checked online to see what stores in town had Mork and Mindy dvds in stock. Assured I would soon be able to get a fix of one of my favorite childhood sitcoms whenever I needed it, I did manage to get out of the house for a few hours Friday night. The brilliance of the 24 hour marathon, though, is…it’s still there when you get home. When I came home and turned on the tube, there were Mork and Mindy, right where I left them. It was a season or two later, Mork had shorter hair, the title graphics included an egg, and at the end of the opening credits Mork and Mindy were now standing on top of the goalposts at the football field instead of underneath them, but other than that they were the same. A few hours later I finally decided to record the rest and go to bed. At 2:00 a.m., despite the fact I was recording, there I was back where I started, exhausted, in my pajamas, and still watching. You can’t blame me. The Jonathan Winters episodes were on. All I had to hear was the way Jonathan said “Mommy. Daddy.” and I was hooked. I mean a grown man popped out of a giant egg. Come. ON. That’s great tv people.

So, my vacation is almost over. My new curtains are unhung, I’m running out of clean clothes, and my dvds still mock me from their pile on the floor, but in the course of two days, I diagnosed seven dread diseases, (okay, one guy had only swallowed a toothpick, but we didn’t know that until the end of the episode), watched a full grown man hatch from an egg, and traveled to Ork. In short, I had fun, and isn’t that what vacations are all about.

- the classic story collector

off the shelf: now, voyager

I love classic movies. I hope my love for these movies comes through in my writing. In the interest of encouraging you to watch the actual movie after you have read my synopsis, I’ve opted keep the ending to myself.

title: now, voyager
original release date: 1942
starring: bette davis [charlotte vale], paul henreid [jerry durrance], claude rains [dr. jaquith], gladys cooper [mrs. vale], ilka chase [lisa vale], bonita granville [june vale], john loder [elliot livingston]

the classic story collector’s synopsis:
As we sweep into the Vale mansion we find the renown Dr. Jaquith tapping his pipe into the planter and preparing to tap into the complicated mind of Charlotte Vale. He has made this house call at the request of Charlotte’s sister-in-law, Lisa. Now, as they wait for the subject of their surprise intervention to arrive, Charlotte’s mother, Mrs. Vale, fills Dr. Jaquith in on just how unimpressive she feels her unwanted daughter is. In an effort to keep Charlotte from clamming up, Lisa begs Mrs. V not to spill the beans that the great doctor is a doctor. Moments later, looking scared to death just to be walking around, the topic of conversation appears. Complete with crazy eyebrows and frumpy dress. Not one to mess around with niceties, mom gets right to the point. They think Charlotte is on the verge of a nervous breakdown, and guess what, this guy’s a doctor with a sanatorium. Charlotte’s ensuing panic attack prompts a quick one-on-one therapy session with the doc. It’s no surprise she can sum up the bane of her existence in just one word, and that word is mother. Dr. Jaquith leaves her to compose herself while downstairs he reads Mama V the riot act for destroying her daughter’s life. Finally, just as things seem to be smoothed over, Charlotte’s niece June pops in and torments dear Aunt Charlotte into an outburst that guarantees her a few relaxing weeks at Dr. Jaquith’s Cascade.

Now those weeks have passed and though Lisa has arrived to spring her, Charlotte is still wary of life outside the safety of Cascade. Anticipating a hesitant Charlotte, Dr. Jaquith has had a Walt Whitman quote typed up for just such an occasion. The gist of which gives us our title, “…now voyager sail thou forth to seek and find.” And sail forth she shall, on a beautiful cruise ship to South America under a false name and false wardrobe. A newly fancy Charlotte, from her stunning heels to her dramatically gorgeous, swooping hat, sits alone on deck waiting for the ship to dock in the next port. As luck would have it, she won’t be alone for long, because here comes the cruise manager with a handsome stranger by his side. It seems the ship has only one shore vehicle left and since she’s traveling alone and the handsome stranger is traveling alone would they mind sharing? Charlotte thinks back on Dr. Jaquith’s advice to take an interest in things while she’s traveling. Deciding a handsome stranger is as good as anything in which to take an interest, she agrees. They dine together, he sends a cable to his wife, while she confesses she’s not the person everyone on the boat believes her to be. She took a friend’s place at the last minute and hasn’t corrected the misunderstanding. She is really Charlotte Vale of the Boston Vales. His friends call him Jerry. As he shows her a picture of his wife and two daughters, Charlotte recognizes the youngest as a fellow family nobody. Jerry admits Tina does have self-esteem issues, but he is trying to help her. He presents Charlotte with a box of perfume in appreciation for her help in shopping for the girls, and they agree to meet for drinks before dinner.

Later that evening, a dashing Jerry in his white dinner jacket and Charlotte in a beautiful evening gown enjoy their drinks in the nightclub. As Jerry admires the butterfly design on her wrap he discovers a note pinned to the back. The jig is up. Lisa and her friend have labeled her borrowed wardrobe to avoid any unsightly mismatches. The ever-charming Jerry doesn’t mind. “Oh, I see. Your wings are borrowed. Well, they suit you just the same.” Embarrassed nonetheless, Charlotte runs out to the deck with a confused Jerry right behind. She pulls out the family photos and defiantly points out she’s the frumpy one with the heavy brows. She’s old spinster Aunt Charlotte alright, and she’s been in a sanitarium, and she’s still not well. So, what does he think about that? He thinks he’d like to have breakfast with her in the morning. She thanks him for all the events of the day and for helping her almost feel alive. They part ways for the night with a handshake on the deck.

Jerry and Charlotte enjoy their days onboard ship shuffleboarding and knitting with another couple Jerry knows from back home. From the comfort of their deck chairs the female half of the couple from home, Deb, gives Charlotte the lowdown on Jerry’s family situation. Seems his wife snagged him against his will, made him give up architecture, forced him into a job he hates, then they had two kids she didn’t really want. Now he is miserable, but too much of a gentleman to leave his controlling wife. Charlotte takes this news in stride as they dock in Rio Harbor and embark on a tour by car. The driver doesn’t speak English and in the confusion of deciding which way to go he drives the three of them over a rather large cliff on a steep mountainside. Miraculously, everyone is in one piece, except the car. So, after a brief bit of cross-language pantomime the driver heads off for another mode of transport, leaving our two characters to find shelter from the rainy night in a conveniently placed abandoned cabin. The next day finds them rescued and arranging for transportation. Rio is Jerry’s stop, but Charlotte must meet the cruise ship in Buenos Aires. Jerry explains with a twinkle in his eye there is a plane leaving in the morning or another one leaving in five days. It seems a shame to rush down to Buenos Aires to sit around by herself waiting for the ship to catch up. His business can wait, and after all they never finished their tour of Rio. He asks, “If I promise to sit at a different table in the dining room and say, ‘Good morning, Miss Vale. I hope you slept well.’, so people will hear me and never guess that I’m head over heels in love with you? Don’t say no. Say I’ll see.” She says I’ll see, and they proceed to paint the town red. The night before her plane leaves he surprises her on the balcony of the hotel. He lights two cigarettes at once then hands one to her as they discuss life and happiness and how it would all be different if he were free. At the airport the next day he brings her flowers. They share another pair of sultry cigarettes and a kiss goodbye. They agree to go their separate ways and miss each other every moment.

When the boat docks again in New York, Lisa and creepy June are there to meet it. This time when June gives her the business Charlotte gives it right back to her. At the Vale mansion nothing has changed. Nothing, that is, but Charlotte. Her mother disapproves of everything about the new and improved Charlotte and has no qualms about letting her know. Dejected, she is about to give up and fall into line when a package arrives. Flowers. The kind only Jerry would send her. With a renewed strength she stands up to Mama V. In fact, she turns her entire Boston crowd on its collective ear. As time passes mother and daughter manage to coexist under the same roof. Charlotte even becomes engaged to the eligible Elliot. All is well until Charlotte runs into Jerry at a party. They keep up the pretense of having met casually on a pleasure cruise once. With a mix of conversation and whispers, they manage to catch up with pleasantries for the partygoers to hear and specifics to each other under their breath. Jerry lights another pair of cigarettes for them to share, right there in front of everyone. He admits he’s still horribly in love with her as the rest of the crowd shuffles them off to a concert. She attends the concert on eligible Elliot’s arm, but agrees to meet Jerry later to talk. Jerry doesn’t show after discovering Charlotte and eligible Elliot are engaged. He calls to tell her he is leaving town on the midnight train. She rushes to the station to explain she’s not really in love with eligible Elliot. Not like she and Jerry are in love. He calls himself a cad for getting involved with her when he’s married, and now his wife is sick and depends on him more and more, plus he loves his daughters. She tells him she knew he was married and went into it with her eyes open. They agree despite the heartache their relationship has been mutually beneficial. Jerry has gone back to architecture and has more understanding for Tina because of her. Charlotte has gotten the courage to make her life her own. As the all aboard sounds, Jerry tells her he will look for her around every corner, they kiss, and he hops aboard as the train rolls away.

Back at the manse, Charlotte and eligible Elliot good-naturedly decide they shouldn’t get married. That news doesn’t sit well with Mrs V. She and Charlotte quarrel and Mrs V slumps in her chair. With mom gone and Charlotte feeling responsible, she heads for another nervous breakdown at Dr. Jaquith’s resort. When she arrives she runs into none other than the famous Tina, youngest daughter of the love of her life, having her own little nervous breakdown. Charlotte and Tina form an instant kinship. Tina needs a mother figure to take an interest in her, and Charlotte needs someone to need her. Tina loves her father and wants nothing more than to make him happy. Well, that makes two of them, but only one of them knows it.

Will Tina discover Charlotte knows her father? Can Charlotte turn Tina into a happy child? Will Charlotte and Jerry see each other again? Will they ever share anything more than a pair of cigarettes?

That’s for me to know and you to find out, so find Now Voyager and enjoy it today!

the classic story collector’s commentary:
Now Voyager is one of the most romantic dramas I’ve ever seen. I nearly said THE most, but then I thought of Random Harvest and decided I better go with one of the most. Bette Davis and Paul Henreid are brilliant. They look at each other like there is no one else on the planet. Bette Davis is always great, and this role is no exception, but this was the first I had ever seen of Paul Henreid. I was impressed. Not just with his lovely accent and how dashing he looks in his white dinner jacket, but with his acting as well. Although, I really did love him in that dinner jacket. My aversion to dancing has been documented, but if I were sitting with Paul Henreid in a Rio nightclub in 1942 and he asked me to “…try it. Just this once.” I’m pretty sure I’d say yes.

- the classic story collector