Rationalization

Since reason does not prevail in other places of the Manilow world, it is here where I can post my thoughts and be received with a measure of rationale and common sense. I don't expect everyone to agree with my opinions but I do know that whomever reads it will at least weigh the opinion and form their own judgments.

One of my favorite movies is The Big Chill. The characters are discussing their lives and the unexpected paths they have taken away from public service and social causes. One of the men says, "Don't knock rationalizations. You can't go a day without a good rationalization." Truer words were never spoken.

Some people can rationalize just about anything: threats, profanity, rude and disgusting comments, and even sexual innuendos. But just because you can rationalize something, it doesn't make it right. You can say that someone "encourages it" or that they "like it" but it doesn't make it right. It's disrespectful on a public forum to treat someone like a piece of meat. It doesn't make someone a "prude" or "holier than thou" to adopt this opinion. And it doesn't mean that someone is a "trouble maker" just because they express their distaste for this behavior.

There is a time and a place for everything. A worldwide public forum is not the place to discuss a respected musician's physical attributes with sexual undertones. Keep it in private chat rooms, personal emails, and telephone conversations. This is where it's always belonged and where you can say, "it's all in fun" because it's between friends. And if you want to keep it between friends then don't make it public.

And that my friends (as they say in the Manilow world) is...JUST MY HUMBLE OPINION!
Texas Fan

Harmony

It's that time of year...time for the annual Palm Springs Film Festival. And as I was reading the history of the festival in the Desert Sun, there was an interesting tidbit in the article about a moment that happened during the 1999 festival:

The moment: Manilow slipped into a lecture hall in the Palm Springs Convention Center to see “The Harmonists,” a film about a pre-World War II German vocal group that Hitler broke up because three of its members were Jewish. Manilow wrote a full-scale musical based on the group and debuted it at the La Jolla Playhouse in 1997. The original group, the Comedian Harmonists, featured Joseph Cycowski, cantor of Temple Isaiah in Palm Springs from 1974 to 1984. Manilow praised the film.

And then there was "Harmony"! "Harmony" has such special meaning to me. There was one very early morning that I was listening to the music and I had an epiphany. It was one of those rare moments where you know without a doubt what the music is saying to you. I still believe that the entire score is God-inspired (lyrics and music) and one day this musical will be a great inspiration to so many others.

The recent news of so many Broadway closings might delay it's appearance. But there is a time and a season for everything. "Harmony" will arrive when the time is right. And when it does, the world will know the hope that this musical brings.

And tonight I'll be listening to it again and reminiscing about that moment when God's voice seemed so incredibly clear.

First..and always...there will be Harmony,
Texas Fan

Playlists

I don't have an Ipod. I might be the only one I know that doesn't. Everyone in my family does. I know..it's an oddity I've yet to understand. I'm the tech geek, and yet I don't own one. My music listening is confined to my MDA Phone (which holds about 250 mg of songs) and my desktop computer. Since I share a car, I rarely get to listen to Barry in it. And my CD player is pretty archaic as far as stereo systems go.

Lately I've been amusing myself by making playlists in Windows Media. It's remarkable how so many of Barry's songs lend themselves to categories. Here are two playlists you might find fun to make yourself.

Dancin'
Dancin' in the Aisles
Dancin' Fool
Dancing in the Dark
Come Dance With Me/Come Fly With Me
They Danced
At the Dance
Why Don't We Try a Slow Dance
Stompin' at the Savoy
Moonlight Serenade
Carless Whisper
Jump Shout Boogie Medley
Copacabana

Duets
I Won't Be the One to Let Go
Baby, It's Cold Outside
The Last Duet
Look to the Rainbow
Fugue for Tinhorns
A Gift of Love
Sincerely/Teach Me Tonight
You've Got a Friend
This Can't Be Real
Stay
Cherish/Windy
Big City Blues
On a Slow Boat to China
I Love Being Here with You
Islands in the Stream

There are certainly other categories: Friends, Relationships, Love (too many on this one), Overcoming. The lists could go on forever. Sometimes it's just fun to group the songs together for a change of pace. When you do that you never know what you will hear or experience!

Give it a try and let me know what categories you come up with,
Texas Fan

(P.S. Let me know if I missed any in these categories...I'm sure I did!)

Looking ahead to 2009

2008 was quite a year in the Manilow world. An exciting time to be a fan. A new show. A new decade album. A Birthday Bash. A QVC taping. A trip to the UK. The premier of Can't Smile Without You. A Holiday Bash. A Grammy nomination. A Christmas single climbing the charts.

2009 promises to be just as exciting, perhaps even more so. With a full calendar of shows scheduled in Las Vegas and already some additional on-the-road shows added, Ultimate Manilow-The Hits will bring us many opportunities to enjoy the music and spend some time with our friends. The Grammys should bring us even more excitement with a nomination and the hopes for a win in the category of Traditional Pop Album.

We are also keeping our fingers crossed for an original album release, the release of a DVD of the shows in the UK, and most importantly, the opening of the long-awaited Harmony.

With all of these scheduled projects and others on our wish list, we can expect 2009 to be a blowout year for Barry Manilow and his fans!

Happy 2009!
Texas Fan

Learning lessons and moving forward

It's been a month since I've posted here. I'm at a very different place today--emotionally, spiritually and intellectually. I never really thought taking a vacation from all of the Manilow drama would make such a difference in my life, but it has. I've avoided the Manilow Network, the Barrynet, and the other places on the internet where fans spend hours upon hours bashing each other and bickering about things that aren't really important.

While I was gone, Barry visited the UK, appeared on numerous shows as part of his media blitz for his 80's album, released a Christmas single that has climbed to number 6 on the charts, had a Holiday Bash with the fan club and is closing out the year with two marvelous shows. Not to mention numerous fan-related dramas that I happily missed. And believe it or not, life continued as it always does.

I learned a few lessons during this time away. The most important one was that when you strip away all the drama and don't get involved in any of the bickering and mud slinging, you're left with only two things that matter: the music and the friends you've made because of the music. Everything else is temporary and will eventually pass away. When Barry is gone (hopefully because he finally decides to have a life apart from this crazy world he's in right now) his music will be there forever. He's left all of us with a legacy that will unlock emotions and stir our memories and give us joy for the rest of our lives. And even longer if we pass it on to our children [I've done my part there :>)] and our grandchildren. He's given all of us "the time of our lives" and we really do owe it all to him because its been the gift of his music that has done it for us.

Everything else drowns out the music: the jealousy, the envy, the hatred, the bickering, the gossip, the negative fan behavior. It drowns it all out and after awhile you forget why you were drawn to him in the first place. You forget that your very first Barry friend was a 27 year old fan that introduced you to an entire catalog of music you didn't even know was there and has since become like an adopted daughter. You forget that you spent 2 years waiting to meet a friend from Australia, thinking it might never happen, but it did and you made some wonderful memories together. You forget that you traveled to Canada to spend a week with a friend that you bonded with over Barry's music, a scrapbook, starting a fan club and so much more. You forget that you met a fellow blogger through the music and even when your life felt full, she brought so much more into it that you can't even begin to explain. You forget the generosity of a couple that has given and given and touched your heart in ways that you can't even begin to express. You forget about meeting someone from the UK and listening to her tell you about her most agonizing year, and how Barry's music helped her through it all and knowing at that moment that she really got "it" and hoping you could become friends. You forget the friends who you have laughed with, and cried with, and talked hours and hours about that very music that brought you together.

And most importantly, you forget why you were instantly drawn to someone because you felt a common bond and you couldn't explain it, but it was there. You forget you have been to hell and back with her and still standing in spite of it all and that bond, no matter how much has happened, can never be broken or severed because of the music--when we "listened" and let it speak to our hearts we took hold of a dream that some day we will see fulfilled because we refuse to let go or give up or stop believing. And one day, that mountain will move.

I don't want to forget any longer, and I don't want to let anything drown out the music. It's the music that has moved me, healed me, brought me joy, opened the floodgates of tears, and brought me some of the greatest memories and life experiences I could have ever imagined. It's the music that has enriched my life and given me friends that I turn to when I'm hurting, or lost, or even just need somewhere to vent life's frustrations.

Of course I still have opinions and I still find some fan behavior reprehensible, but it's not why I'm here. I'm here because of the music...and I always will be.

To 2009 and moving forward...
Texas Fan

Christmas is Just Around the Corner!

Just a Word

For those of you who are interested, I've set up another blog where I'll be posting some thoughts unrelated to the Manilow world:

My Mortal Musings

Back to my vacation,
Texas Fan

Taking a Break

For those of you who follow my blog, I am taking a break from the Manilow world. I need some personal time, spiritual renewal and much needed distance from the drama.

Have a great holiday season. Hope to be back in 2009.

Texas Fan

The 80's Album-ALL about the LYRICS

I spent my Thanksgiving holiday listening and re-listening to the 80's CD. Musically, for me, it's a home run. The orchestrations in each of the songs are stupendous. The way Barry takes each one of the songs and makes it his own always amazes me. I feel in love with "I Just Called to Say I Love You" and I absolutely detested the original version of that song. There isn't a song on the CD I skip over. They each have their own flavor and appeal and I would have to agree with YBA that this is more than a remake of 80's songs--it's an original work for all intents and purposes. I have my favorites for different reasons, most involving memories that they evoke. Many because of the uniquely genius arrangements.

But for me, this work is all about the lyrics. When he was being interviewed on QVC, Barry mentioned how important the lyrics were in these songs. He commented on how he looked for the lyric to define the arrangement and the orchestration of each of the songs. So, in that vein, I'm going to do something unusual with my review--choose the lyric that spoke to me. It might be possible the same lyric spoke to Barry (emphasis on the "might be").

Islands in the Stream
"Everything is nothing if you've got no one, and you're just walking the night, slowly losing sight of the real thing ."
One of my favorite lines of all time is "To love is to live." Having someone to love is the real thing.

Open Arms
"Living without you, living alone; this empty house seems so cold."
Loneliness plagues all of us at one time or another. We can even feel lonely when we have someone. We can feel lonely surrounded by people. My father used to say that even though I lived within a few feet of him, he was so lonely without my mother.

Never Gonna Give You Up
"We know the game and we're gonna play it."
I have a friend who is playing games with a guy. They are both adults, and yet they can't seem to tell each other how they feel. It's sad to me, but I guess we all play those games with the people we care about.

Have I Told You Lately
"You fill my heart with gladness, take away all my sadness; ease my troubles, that's what you do."
Kindness is something we all need and something we should all be willing to give to others. When we receive kindness, it eases our pain and trouble and brings happiness to our hearts.

I Just Called to Say I Love You
"But what it is, is something true--made up of these three words that I must say to you..."
Some of us find it hard to say those three words: I love you. We all need to hear them, however; and those three words can make all the difference in someone's life. I say them as often as I can to the ones I love.

Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)
"You're the only one who really knew me at all."
We all wear masks. Usually, there aren't many people who know us. If we find that person we can trust with the good and the bad of who we are, we should never let them go.

Careless Whisper
"Tonight the music seems so loud, I wish that we could lose this crowd."
Sometimes it's hard to get lost in a crowd, and then sometimes you are never truly seen.

Right Here Waiting
"I wonder how we can survive this romance...but in the end if I'm with you I'll take the chance."
Any relationship involving love requires work. It requires commitment and perseverance. It's so much more than just romance.

Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)
"When you get caught between the moon and New York City..."
New York is one of those places that evokes the best of emotions and the most pleasurable memories for me. I'm a city girl at heart and New York brings out the best in me. While this song is about finding love in the most unusual place; to me it is about the love affair I have with New York.

Hard to Say I'm Sorry
"It's hard for me to say I'm sorry..."
It really is hard to say I'm sorry. And honestly, those two words are the most healing words anyone can hear. It means you recognize that you've hurt someone and you want them to know that you are repentant. Hopefully, with that comes forgiveness.

Time After Time
"You're calling to me, I can't hear what you've said..."
I find myself finding it hard at times to express what I'm feeling. The person I am speaking to is not hearing me because they have either closed themselves off to me or they aren't listening. It's frustrating and leaves me feeling like my words (and my feelings) don't matter.

(I've Had) The Time of My Life
"I've had the time of my life...and I owe it all to you."
There are people in my life that have touched me in ways I can't begin to explain. Some are no longer living; some have come and gone; and some still continue to do so every day. This song reminds me of all the wonderful times I've had with the music. I owe that all to Barry--in the good and the bad, I've had the time of my life!

Listening to the lyrics,
Texas Fan

A Thanksgiving Story

(Disclaimer...those with weak stomachs might want to stop here)

About six years ago we had a full house for Thanksgiving. That rarely happened since my brother and his wife usually traveled to my sister-in-law's family's home in Dallas. My father and great aunt with Alzheimer's were both still alive. For those of you who haven't lived with an Alzheimer patient, it's always a challenge and you never know what to expect. This day was like every other day--the unexpected happened.

We were all sitting around the kitchen table after a huge feast. I had gotten up to prepare the whipped cream for the pumpkin pie. I'm not sure when it happened without anyone noticing, but my great aunt got up from the table and wandered off. I guess everyone was talking and since I was busy she was able to slip away.

I digress for a moment. When I got cancer, my friends got together and bought me a bassett hound named Lightning. Lightning was my great aunt's baby. She fed him everything. One Christams she received a box of Godiva chocolates and sat it on the floor. When she went to eat one, the entire box was gone. You guessed it...Lightning actually lived up to his name. He could steal food so fast you never knew he was there.

Back to the story...my great aunt had gotten up from the table. She had decided to avail herself of the ladies room. Not a good thing. Why? Alzheimer's patients frequently lose control of their bowels. So my aunt was wearing a diaper. She got into the bathroom and neglected to shut the bathroom door. When she removed the diaper, Lightning was right there to snatch it up.

Everyone is sitting in the kitchen talking and Lightning comes charging around the corner with my aunt's diaper and slams through the dog door as fast as he can go. And right behind him comes my great aunt, unclothed from the waist down, chasing him and yelling for him to "bring that back!"

After a satisfying meal, some good conversation, and some live entertainment, we thanked God for the blessing of family and a sense of humor that found us laughing at one of life's most embarrassing moments.

Here's hoping you have some wonderful (diaper-free) Thanksgiving memories,
Texas Fan