Memorial Day-Start of Summer

   Sometimes, it's hard to explain how Summer Vacation works. They say it stars when Memorial Day hits and ends when Labor Day begins. Is that true? When did that start? Because summer doesn't really start until the 20th or 21st of June. So....is it now Summer? Because it doesn't feel like summer. Not with all the cold rain we've been getting.

   School is almost over; Graduation has begun with certain schools. College, high schoolers and kindergarteners having their graduations happening. Kids will soon roam the backyards to the playgrounds or even get summer jobs to save for money for college. Back in my day, we spent most of the summers outside. Times have changed with technology taking over.

   The days will be longer, the nights will be shorter, and even hotter. Once August hits, I will see Halloween candy in grocery stores. I don't know why, but they push the holidays closer and closer with each coming year. Now, it's Summer's turn. 

    Going to the beach and spending our days and nights looking out at the stars having a wonderful summer. I know it won't last

   So... why is a day that we remember who we lost in battles in wars the unofficial start of summer? Who knows. We don't even know why Labor Day ends it. It's just strange that summer is almost here and will slip through our fingers. Our Vacations to the 4th of July which will also...become the start of showing back to school ads.

   It doesn't matter what season, it's gonna happen no matter what. Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter have their quirks. Summer being very hot as winter makers you freeze to death. It's just a thing that all of us have to deal with. We complain it's too cold, tne too hot. In between...you either are allergic to certain parts of the season, or not. For me....I'm allergic to Spring pollen.

  June is coming, summer is coming, It will soon be here, then it will be gone. Que Sera, Que Sera. What we should enjoy...is every moment of our summer before the Halloween Candy is seen and the school ads are shown.

   Summer is right at the foot at our doorsteps, and I feel.... we should embrace is. I feel the summer is just beginning.

Has Spring Sprung?-POEM

 

May is almost over

and yet

we still

feel colder

has spring left us yet

or has it extended

for a few more days

The days are getting longer

the nights

are becoming shorter

it seems

summer is coming

Flags everywhere

heroes remembered

for their sacrifices 

during hardship

which we call

war

Once Memorial Day ends

starts 

summer vacation

graduation

and even 

school closing

grill cookouts,

long days,

at the beach,

enjoying time with friends,

while others,

work for their fun

Summer is coming,

and it will leave us,

in a blink of an eye,

once the 4th of July is here,

get ready,

for back 

to 

school

But for now,

enjoy what's left,

of Spring,

from the rain,

to the flowers,

to knowing,

summer is almost here

Has this spring,

really sprung,

out of control,

with the rain,

the cold,

and the allergies

It feels as if,

the allergies,

will stay,

once a new season,

sets in,

summer will come,

but for now,

enjoy what's left,

of spring

Happy Birthday, Tina Fey

 

   Today, we celebrate an SNL writer, one of the first female ones, who would soon become a one of the funniest TV women today. Collaborating with Amy Pohler and other skits, today Tina turns 55. Before the fame and the funny skits, she gave us.... who was she?

Well...first off Tina Fey was born in Upper Darbey, Pennsylvania with her actual name being Elizabeth Statmatina Fey. She is 100 percent Philadelphian despite living in Delaware County. It doesn't matter to me. I too was born in Delaware County. She started getting into acting when she was older and went to Temple University.

  In her early days before SNL, she actually had been writing for SNL as well doing skits. She didn't much of a break till later in the late 90's before becoming a feature player. Around that time, she would be in commercials like American Express and other stuff.

  Later on...she would start becoming a writer for SNL around 97 until the 2000's is when she made her big break.

  She would be seen as an audience member watching certain episodes before starring in one of her first SNL episodes.

  She was shy at the time...but amazed everyone as she stayed longer on the show. Eventually becoming a Weekend Update correspondent with both Seth Mayers and Amy Pohler would team up together in future projects.

   She even wrote some funny skits for commercials like mom jeans or Brownie Husband where you bake a brownie in the size of a human and it has fudge and caramel inside. It does look like something Duncan Hines would create but looks gross too.

    The Mom jeans commercials was funnier where women would dress in jeans only fitting for a mother. LOL

   Jimmy Fallon was on Weekend Update when Tina started. After he left....Amy came around and they made the skit even funnier. Tina did some writing with some episodes she was in until Amy left, and Tina was on the verge of leaving SNL.

    Seth Mayers came around after that and he was pretty funny too. But the chemistry both Amy and Tina were hilarious.

   Around the time Tina was still on SNL she had an idea to screenplay a movie based on a book and title it mean girls.

   It came out in 2004, and I don't have to tell you about this one. Lindsey Lohan tries to fit in and ends up with a click of girls called 'The Plastics'. The movie is very memorable and quotable as well.

  Around the time Tina was leaving SNL, she came up with a show called 30 Rock. I don't know the show that well, but it starred her, Tracey Morgan, Alec Baldwin and a few others. It was pretty funny memorable moments, but I never got into the show which is sad since it's no longer on the air.

   Tina did most of the writing and directed a few episodes of the show. It lasted a couple of yeras.

  Not only was she responsible for that show, but there was another show she wrote and sort of starred in called Unbreakable Kimmy Schmit. A story about a young woman that escaped a cult and had to find out more about what happened while she was gone.

   It was funny and good. Tina also did a skit on SNL when the Eagles were against the Patriots in 2018 in the Super Bowl. Wow that skit was hilarious. 

  Tina has not stopped acting or writing. She does some SNL appearances, making a perfect Sarah Palin in skits with Amy Pohler as Hilary Clinton. She even co-created another show called 'Only Murders in the Building.'

   Now, being 55, I don't think she's stopping anytime soon. Only to have a piece of cake and thank everyone, like me, wishing her a happy birthday today.

Are influencers going too far?

    When I was young, there was no such thing as YouTube or TikTok or even Facebook. The internet was just starting up, so people had to get regular jobs to make money. Now....It's like nobody wants a job and all they wanna do....is become an influencer just to get likes. What is wrong with this world?

 

   Becoming internet famous didn't really start until the birth of YouTube. When people wanted to send videos of themselves or other people and hope they either get paid by sponsoring a company or likes by people who just wat chem for views. I guess I'm not into that trend, but I don't mind watching a few people that are influencers by TikTok or YouTube or any other streaming site that becoming famous

  However, some influencers are going a little too far with certain pranks that is illegal or can get them killed. Most TikTok pranks can be harmless like an ice bucket challenge to cure an illness or daring someone to drink a certain beverage for more likes.

  Now....stupider people have joined these sites and making people either drink bleach, run into walls like the Kool Aid man or do other stuff that can be dangerous to themselves or others.

    There are some positive influencers out there that have entertainment by mocking at movies or doing silly challenges that they don't want their viewers to do. 

    Rhett and Link are two men that started out on YouTube back in the late 2000's. They started getting popular and still strong today almost twenty years later. I watch some of their videos and they are harmless. They even have guest stars sometimes.

    But when there are positive influencers.... there are negative ones too. One of them being a TikTok star who was seen stealing clothes with her child in a target. She was arrested and charged. Other TikTok stars have been arrested for battery, rude behavior and other stuff.

    Other times stars that have an Instagram account would end up posting something they would soon regret after it's done.

   Even certain TikTok pranks can go way too far and end up either killing someone or arresting the parnker.

   I've watched a few Influencers on YouTube watching TikTok videos. Sometimes....I don't find them that funny and wonder when TikTok will end. 

   I guess with TikTok still around.... people that have it are getting stupider (not all of them though) as more people do stupid things as influencers try to get food for free. I have seen that happen. I don't give a shit if you have influencers or are famous on-line. Unless I know you.... you are not famous and should pay for things you buy like food.

     I feel that some influencers have gone so far feeling that they are famous and believe because they have a TikTok or YouTube account...that means they are famous. Yeah right. There are even certain TikTokers that would go on TikTok just to make a fool of themselves. 

    TikTok was even close to getting the plug pulled thanks to people thinking China might be spying on them through TikTok.

   So.... in conclusion, have Influencers gone too far? It depends on which Influencer. Some are just entertainers trying to make their lives better on camera when behind the scenes.... it's a whole other picture. 

   With others that just want a free meal or to be seen as a celebrity in their own insane minds...then yes. I have a YouTube account and I'm on Instagram...but I don't use TikTok because.... I don't need any more insanity in the world today.

Is Wonka a psycho?

 

   If you remember the book or the movie of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate factory, you know the whole story of a young boy and his journey to a factory. Watching it a couple of years later, it got me to thinking...is Wonka secretly a killer?

  Think about it, four kids end up either in a chocolate river, in a garbage chute or even blow up like a balloon. What happens to them after that? Well, they never tell us in the 9171 version, but in the Johnny Depp version, they're seen all coming out with a change.

  But has Wonka done this before? Who knows. Maybe the Oompa Loopas are sworn to secrecy on what happened before Charlie and the four others end up touring the factory. Even wondered why there were only four seats on the boat ride, and then two seats on another machine? It can't be a coincidence that this didn't happen before.

Which version did you even prefer? Well, I guess I liked the original since it was very good and the story was pretty close to the book. Although the original author didn't like it, and his widow was not a fan of the 2005 version.

   I don't mind that one. I guess I like the visual since the original chocolate river looked gross and the Tim Burton version, that river looked delicious.

   In the 1971 version, they have tunnel scene which freaked everyone out. Even the actors had no idea what was going on and if Gene Wilder was acting out of character. I feel this is something Wonka would do. Wouldn't you think so?

  At the end, Charlie wins the factory. We know how it ends and all, but in the 2005 version, Johnny Depp Wonka only wanted Charlie and not his family. Charlie declined until Wonka made peace with his own family.

  Even though that version wasn't amazing, it wasn't horrible either.

   I think sometimes Wonka is a sadist when it comes to the safety of the bratty children. He doesn't stop them from doing any harm, mutters under his breath for the kids to stop what they're doing but...well you live, and you learn.

   

  Even if we don't know what happens to those four kids after they are out of the factory, I still feel Charlie was spared for being polite and kind while the other kids were greedy assholes. Some of the parents wanna sue Wonka, but I don't think it's the first time he's heard that.

  Even if there is a dark side to Willy Wonka...I still feel this movie, both original and Tim Burton are good. Although I prefer the original. Both versions are worth a watch. Beware of Wonka though...he has dark secrets hidden in his factory.

Happy Birthday, George Clooney

 

   I might have talked about him before, but since it's his birthday, I guess I'll talk about him again. Today is George Clooney's 64th birthday, and it seems he's been in a lot of movies. Some boog, and some he needs to apologize for. 

   I won't mention which, but he knows. 

  George Clooney was born in Lexington, Kentucky to a mother who used to be a beauty queen and a father who was an accountant. He didn't get into acting until he was older. Starring as an extra in Centeneal around 1978, he wouldn't be known until the 80's with tv shows as a minor character or a cameo. 

  He became known in the 80's in an episode of Golden girls as he played a minor character when the four ladies find out their new neighbors are actually jewel thieves. 

    Clooney plays a small role as one of the officers that want to use their house to investigate. He ends up getting shot but survives. He later would be known very well for two little letters: E...R...

   After portraying Dr. Doug Ross for a few seasons in a show I sadly never saw but wish I did, George Clooney decided to go into movies. Some good and... well...here are some of the good ones. He was in The Peacemaker.... From Dusk till Dawn...Three Kings...The Perfect Storm and a few more. But there is one movie he regrets saying yes to. I think I agree with him on this one; happily, it didn't end his career.

    When the late Val Kilmer had no desire to come back after having arguments with the director, Joel Schumacher, George Clooney said, yes to the Batman and Robin movie which was a sequel from Batman Forever. I hate to say this...but this was a trainwreck of a movie.

   From horrible puns to bad writing to even Arnold Schwartzaneger making an embarassing villain as Mr. Freeze. George has apoligized constantly for his portrayal of the worst Batman since.... Val Kilmer

  Something else you should know. When South Park was becoming a hit...or something like that, George Clooney voiced Stan's dog in an early episode. Not many people knew that. All he did was just bark.

   He even voiced other characters like Fantastic Mr. Fox in a Roald Dhal book that became a movie. 

George has also become a producer in some films like Midnight Sky and the Boys on the Boat. He has also been in coffee ads for an espresso when he was with Danny DeVito in a Super Bowl ad a few years ago.

   Now, he's still acting and producing a few films that are good or bad. You'd have to see for yourself. But for now, Happy Birthday to him.

May Day-POEM

Today is the first day,

of a month beautiful,

called May,

celebrating the start,

the Spring when summer,

is right around,

the corner

Twirling a ribbon,

around a pole,

and dancing the day away,

as if spring,

is near its end,

and summer 

will soon

begin

The maypole dance,

as its called,

has its traditions,

from long ago,

and today,

we celebrate

with dancing 

around the maypole

Beautiful flowers,

are garnished,

around the pole,

as the sum,

beats down,

and makes them bloom

April showers

do bring

the May flowers

as it's not just 

a riddle

anymore

An old joke,

where they say,

May Flowers,

suggesting the ship,

the Mayflower

bringing pilgrims 

and smallpox

Flowers blooming,

as May arrives,

and always the first day,

you see more flowers,

than ever before

Enjoy the month,

for it will soon be gone,

and the heat,

will soon arrive,

as summer,

is waiting,

just around the corner