~ Like the ripples in a pond, the work of one man spreads out and touches the lives of others ~

From The Soul of One ~ To The Hearts Of Many
TAYLOR HICKS MY IDOL
Taylor Hicks "The Distance"


Monday, June 30, 2008

People Get Ready For A Capitol 4th








What:
Capitol Fourth Concert on the Capital lawn

When:
July 4th, 2008

Who:
Taylor Hicks, Jerry Lee Lewis, Huey Lewis, Brian Stokes Mitchell, classical stars Hayley Westenra and Harolyn Blackwell, Choral Arts Society of Washington, U.S. Army Herald Trumpets and the U.S. Marine Drum and Bugle Corps.
The event is hosted by Jimmy Smits and includes an Olympic tribute from Scott Hamilton.

Where:
PBS (check your local listings)








May we always remember the ones who brought and continue to bring us these liberties and freedom.

Proud Of Our Troops Drive
Join us in lifting spirits at the Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington, D.C. For Part 5 of the Troop Drive, we are asking that you send copies of 'Heart Full of Soul', Taylor Hicks' inspirational autobiography to Soldier's Angels, who will then forward them to the soldiers at Walter Reed.




He was a gentle man who stood with pride,
His body was ebbing like the outgoing tide.
His walk was slow, for age took its toll,
To live but one season was his goal.
Passing two lads in the park,
He noticed something, though almost dark.
There was a cloth on the ground,
A cloth that the boys had recently found.
With cold gray eyes he looked their way,
Then tears fell as be bowed to pray.
God, give me strength, show me what to do,
To teach them respect for the red, white and blue.
Mister, why are you crying, what did we do?
It's just an old rag that's red, white and blue.
That cloth you call just an old rag,
Is Old Glory, our nation's flag.
There's 13 stripes and 50 stars,
Blood was shed for those bars.
Each star represents one great state,
Pick up the flag, it's not too late.
But mister, why are you angry, oh what did we do?
It's still just a rag that's red, white and blue.
He bent is head and closed his eyes,
Then looked at the boys and said with a sigh,
This is your flag, a sight to behold,
A symbol of freedom worth more than gold.
Our freedom to speak and think as we choose,
For this our ancestors paid their dues.
They fought in wars, and gave their lives,
Fever took their children and their wives.
These were your families as well as mine,
We put their honor on the line.
So our flag can fly for all to see,
Symbolizing freedom for you and me.
Mister, we're so sorry, what can we do?
We'll brush off the dirt from the red, white and blue.
And put up a pole here in the park,
Fly her with pride from morn' til dark.
The three stood still and silence was strong,
The boys knew now why they were wrong.
As they gazed upon that tattered flag,
Their hearts told them this was no rag.
Though dirty and torn, she flew that day,
"That's our flag," he heard them say.

Poem written by Pat Odiorne, Brandon, Florida.





Today's cup:

You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness.
You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism.
~ Erma Bombeck ~










Detroit/Windsor Int'l Freedom Festival (thanks Karin!)


Friday, June 27, 2008

Two Scoops Please

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Last night, at about midnight, as I was polishing off a bag of White Castle hamburgers, I was wondering if Taylor had yet succumbed to a bag of sliders??

Was he now a member of the luv em club?
Or the leave em club?
There's seems to be no sittin' on the fence, you either love them or hate them!


Not surprisingly visions of malt shops, diners, burger castles and giant ice cream cones have been dancin' through my head recently.

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Miss LuLu (Lugracianna), my 4 year old granddaughter, is absolutely mesmerized by the site of the giant ice cream cone containing Taylor Hicks.
(can you tell she is definitely a two scoop?)

The first thing she asks for when visiting is for me to play the Taylor video with the ice cream cone in the sky.

We have to play it over and over (not a problem for me) so she can watch the big ice cream cone open and come to Earth (her words).

Like Frenchy, she dances in her chair when he begins to play his harp .... it's just too cute!

Having a full tummy at midnight, I decided to stay up and begin a blog for today revolving around my dancin' thoughts.

Little did I expect how nicely it would tie in with this morning's article from The New York Post.


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photo caption:
As Teen Angel, "American Idol" winner Taylor Hicks is helping draw crowds to "Grease."

HICKS IGNITES 'GREASE'
DESPITE PANS, REVIVAL GETS BOOST FROM 'IDOL'

The New York Post
by Michael Riedel
June 27, 2008

TWO shows that shouldn't be making it - but are - must be given their due today.

First, "Grease" - which vaulted right over the critics to box office glory.
It's playing to sold-out houses and is grossing nearly $800,000 a week.

It got a little lift from the Tonys, but its real draw this summer is "American Idol" winner Taylor Hicks, who's playing Teen Angel.

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(Isn't this just perfect?)
An insider says Hicks is worth at least $150,000 in extra ticket sales a week.
(Make a note of that, Mr. Agent.)

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Whenever Hicks whips out his harmonica, the audience goes nuts.

They're having such a blast that the "Grease" megamix at the end of the show - this is where the critics ran screaming from the theater - now runs 10 minutes, with Hicks singing the title song and then playing it on his harmonica.

Meanwhile, the producers of the show are no longer flinching from the critical blows but are starting to have fun with them.

Charles Isherwood recently wrote: "Are the Tonys going to open up the lines so viewers at home can phone in their votes for their favorites?

In which case perhaps 'Grease' would have been the year's big winner."

Look for a newspaper ad that will say: "If the audience had voted, "Grease" would have been the year's big winner!"
Charles Isherwood, The New York Times


Speaking of audiences and voting ....

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Do you remember this?
The Taylor Hicks inspired ice cream flavor .... Soulful Sundae Cone
(vanilla and chocolate light ice creams swirled with chocolaty coated peanut and cone pieces)


And I'm wondering ....

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Will there be a revival of the American Classic Malt Shop float for Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade this year?
The cast of "Hairspray" rode the float last year, but I'm thinking it should be the cast of "Grease" this year, led by one harp blowin Teen Angel!

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And an absolute show stopper would be to incorporate Taylor's giant ice cream cone into the float, can't you just imagine the crowd response if he was riding in the cone!
(To quote: Whenever Hicks whips out his harmonica, the audience goes nuts ... oh yeah!)



I wish I had a good photo of his dazzling ice cream cone to share, but I haven't run across one ... yet ... so in the meantime ... two scoops please!

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In keeping with the flavor of today's blog, instead of my usual cup of Karma coffee, here is today's scoop, or I should say scoops!

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"I doubt whether the world holds a more soul-stirring surprise than the first adventure with ice-cream."

"Life is like an ice-cream cone,
you have to lick it one day at a time."