Yesterday’s Doubleheader Was==>A+!!

A+!! Yes my loyal and faithful readers yesterday’s entertainment doubleheader was totally mind-blowing, even better than I had anticipated ... so let’s get right to it ... with the usual ...

Billi Pod’s report card on DANCING AT LUGHNASA, about 5 unmarried sisters set in a small town in Ireland in 1936==>A+.

It is every bit as good as the critics said, plus some. It is amazing what they were able to stage in the cramped confines of The Irish Repertory Theatre. The acting was superb. Had very little difficulty with the Irish brogues.

My only problem with the show was that I had some difficulty in keeping the characters straight in some of the fast moving scenes and dialogue.

And yes, since it is Irish ... there was the usual “Irish Factor” (a phrase which Billi Pod just created) in the interaction between all of the characters. What do I mean by “Irish Factor” you are no doubt breathlessly asking? Well ... this is it ...

"I friggin hate ye ... but I really love ye ... but I still friggin hate ye."

You are welcum.

It ends its extended run on January 29th, so if you haven’t seen this theatrical gem==>do it now!!

The show was over about 5:15 so I had to rush back to PHC to change clothes and have a quick fruit and cheese snack before heading uptown for the second part of the doubleheader ... which was ...

NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA @ Avery Fisher Hall and it also gets the highest grade==>A+<==because of Lang Lang’s blazing performance of the extremely difficult Bartok Piano Concerto No. 2.

He didn’t appear to be as “animated” in this performance as he had been in others I had seen. When it was over he got a roaring ovation, but not a standing one, which was a bit of a surprise to me.

Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 2 was beautifully performed by the orchestra. I don’t remember ever hearing it before.

The only downside of the evening was the opening number, “Feria,” a piece of atonal dreck written by Magnus Lindberg, who is the orchestra’s Composer-in-Residence. Thank God it was only 17 minutes long. It got a very tepid response even when Lindberg came on stage.

When the concert was over I was really feeling good and happy and would have walked back to PHC while reliving the concert in my head ... except for the fact that it was 21º and windy ... no way.

Today’s entertainment event is certainly something different ...

8:00==>A TRIBUTE TO HOROWITZ @ Carnegie Hall. “A gala benefit for the American Cancer Society, hosted by Donald Trump and Julie Andrews, featuring Lola Astanova, who will play works by Chopin, Scriabin and Rachmaninov, all performed on the legendary Horowitz Steinway.” (complimentary ticket)

Now this time I am certain my comp. seat will be way up in the nosebleed section. Yesterday I received an email from my ticket service asking me to pick up my ticket at least 1 hour before curtain time.

I am confident that the reason is ... “they” don’t want the freebies rubbing shoulders with the rich and famous donors. I will, of course, honor the request.

Folks out there in the vast hinterlands ... Billi Pod has already scheduled some AWESOME entertainment events for the remainder of the month and he wants to share the basic details with you now ...

Jan. 19 - Thurs - 8:00==>A TRIBUTE TO HOROWITZ @ Carnegie Hall. (complimentary ticket)

Fri - 8:00==>AMERICAN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA @ Carnegie Hall - Stravinsky Outside Russia (complimentary ticket)

Sat - 7:00==>CEMETERY GOLF (Off Broadway - complimentary ticket); 8:30==>HONOR AND FIDELITY (Off Broadway - complimentary ticket) - at the same theater.

Sun - 3:15==>FALL TO EARTH (Off Broadway - complimentary ticket); 6:30==>GIANTS/49ers on Fox

Mon - 8:00==>YOU ONLY SHOOT THE ONES YOU LOVE (Off Broadway - $9.00 TDF ticket)

Tues - 7:00==>HOW TO SUCCEED AT BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING (Broadway - discounted TDF ticket) - Nick Jonas and Beau Bridges join the cast.

Wed - 8:00==>THE NIGHTMARE STORY (Off Broadway - $9.00 TDF ticket)

Thurs - 8:00==>RENT (Off Broadway - discounted TDF ticket) - FaceBook friend Josh Grisetti joins the cast

Fri - Jan 27 - open at the moment

Sat - open at the moment

Sun - open at the moment

Mon - 8:00==>STONE AND STONE (comedy show - complimentary ticket)

Tues - Jan 31- 6:00==>WAGNER’S GOTTERDAMMERUNG (Metropolitan Opera - full price expensive ticket) - gets out at 11:30pm

WOW!! How about this ... Nick Jonas, Josh Grisetti, Beau Bridges and Wagner ... WOW!!

The opera is part of THE RING SERIES being staged by The Metropolitan Opera Company. I have seen the complete RING SERIES twice and had no interest in doing it for a third time ... but ... I very much like the music from Gotterdammerung, the final piece in the series, so I thought I would give it a shot.

And yes ... it starts at 6:00pm, has two rather long intermissions and gets out, hopefully, at 11:30pm. No need to say any more.

In closing ...

As I write this posting my oldest grandson and new father Alex Falletta aka Army Guy is on his way back to Kuwait. Gina and Saylor were at Tampa International for an emotional farewell ... just the three of them.

Hopefully he and his unit will return in late April or early May to be deactivated. MAY GOD BE WITH YOU ARMY GUY!!

LOVE TO ALEX, GINA AND SAYLOR.

Bill aka Great-granddaddy.

ALEX-149

Timmy and The Broncos Get Cold Cocked!!

Burrrrrrr!! It was 17º @ 7:30am in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World. Wind chill makes it even colder - estimated to be down to 4º. Burrrrrrr!!

And ... speaking of cold==>the Patriots cold cocked the Broncos last night. WTF!! Where was the defense? I mean ... Brady passes for 5 TDs in the first half? Get real people.

It was an embarrassing loss for Timmy’s team. At halftime I just turned the tube off and did crosswords until it was time for SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE.

So ... on to other things ... like ...

Billi Pod’s report card on the Tennessee Williams so-called “comedy” PERIOD OF ADJUSTMENT==>NF<==as in Not Funny.

Yes, as I had predicted in yesterday’s posting ... there was an over-abundance of anger, frustration and yelling from the opening lines to the final bit some 2+ hours later.

Not sure why I didn’t leave at intermission but I didn’t. The theater was so cold that at intermission I had to put on my heavy jacket.

Now I know why Tennessee Williams wrote only one so-called “comedy.” So ... my loyal and faithful readers in the Tri-State area ... see this at your own peril.

Billi Pod’s entertainment event for today is ...

2:00==>PSALMS AND SONGS FOR THE NEW YEAR @ Avery Fisher Hall - “An afternoon of choral masterpieces, featuring John Rutter's magnificent ‘Mass of the Children’ and Leonard Bernstein's colorful ‘Chichester Psalms’.”

(complimentary ticket)

Even though it is still very cold out I am lucky that this event is at Lincoln Center because the only time I will be out in the elements is walking from PHC the block and a half to The Port Authority Bus Terminal. The subway exit uptown is in the bowels of Lincoln Center ... so no exposure to the cold.

When the concert is finished I will return to the cozy confines of PHC to watch the GIANTS/GREEN BAY game @ 4:30 at frigid Lambeau Field.

The Packers, behind Aaron Rogers, who is having an awesome year, are 7.5 point favorites. I think this will be a shoot-out with the Packers winning by a field goal in the final seconds of regulation. We will see ...

Totally enjoyed SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE, hosted by Daniel Radcliffe. The funniest skit was the one about Radcliffe being unable to leave Hogwarts, even some 20 years later.

Wow!! It is hard to believe that little Saylor Elizabeth Falletta is now one week old. It’s even more difficult to believe that her father, Army Guy, hasn’t already traded her in for a newer model.

GO GINA! GO ARMY GUY!! GO SAYLOR!!!

Billi Pod

“Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he’ll just kill you.”

ALEX-145

Billi Pod Says==>TGIF To All Of His Worker Bee Friends

Good morning all of my loyal and faithful readers out there in the hinterlands and in the wilderness known as cyberspace.

I want to start this posting with a major TGIF shout out to all of my Worker Bee friends who are eagerly awaiting the 5:00pm bell so they can begin their weekend festivities/chores/whatever.

Just remember==>Worker Bees can’t start the weekend until the FINAL bell rings. It is your duty to remain active and productive until the very end of the your work week, but, of course, most of you Worker Bees know this ... but ...

Billi Pod feels it is necessary to specifically warn ...

Worker Bee #1 - whose name rhymes with==>Peed;

Worker Bee #2 - whose name rhymes with==>Beers;

Worker Bee #3 - whose name rhymes with==>Cypher; and

Worker Bee #4 - whose name rhymes with==>Bris

that he has received information from reliable sources that each of you have been attempting to leave your employment sites early on Friday afternoons. This is totally unacceptable so you are each warned that further transgressions will place you on Billi Pod’s Time-Out List and, trust me, you don’t want this to happen. So ... you are each warned, and ... you only get one ... so ...

Anyway ... moving on ...

Last night’s NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA concert earns another grade of==>A.

My discounted TDF ticket seat was excellent, in the orchestra, row S, seat 20. The performance, Bruckner’s Symphony No. 8, clocked in at 83 minutes and when it was over the audience gave the orchestra and guest conductor, Zubin Mehta, a roaring ovation.

We had hoped for an encore performance ... but ... alas ... it didn’t happen.

I am happy to report that no cellphones went off during the performance. The New York Times had a very interesting story about the culprit, who was ... tada ... a senior citizen ... with a new iPhone. Check it out ...

“Ringing Finally Ended, but There’s No Button to Stop Shame”

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/13/nyregion/ringing-finally-stopped-but-concertgoers-alarm-persists.html?_r=2

Interestingly, the people seated around me were all talking about the incident and everyone, including moi, double checked to make sure our phones were silenced. Now ... if we could only silence coughing and sneezing ... oh well ... one thing at a time ... I guess ...

Tonight’s entertainment event is ...

8:00==>INSTINCT - “Four cohabiting epidemiologists fight to contain a potentially devastating virus, while trying to keep their relationships from unraveling - but nothing is more contagious than human desire.” (Off Broadway - $9.00 TDF ticket)

Without a doubt this show will fall into the “love-it or hate-it” category. It is playing at a theater on my block.

Looking forward to the weekend==>Billi Pod will be in a pro-football couch potato mode, without a doubt. Will make all of my entertainment plans around the BRONCOS/PATRIOTS game on Saturday night and the GIANTS/GREEN BAY game on Sunday afternoon.

Now before you get too judgmental I need to report that the weather in The Big Apple over the weekend is gonna be frigid. On Saturday the low will be 19º and on Sunday it will be 21º. I rest my case.

I am happy to report that Christian and Kelly Smith of Columbia, SC, and their posse, will descend on Polk F**king County aka PFC this weekend to visit Gina, Army Guy and Saylor. Nice!! Have fun!!

GO GINA! GO ARMY GUY!! GO SAYLOR!!!

Billi Pod

“Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he’ll just kill you.”

ALEX-143

My Gift From Army Guy

This is the document that accompanied the flag that Alex aka Army Guy gave me yesterday ...

********************

This is to Certify that this flag, bearing the Colors of the

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

was flown in honor of

William “BilliPod” Norris

AKA

Granddad

This certifies that on 28 November 2011 this flag was flown over the skies of Iraq in an AH-64D Longbow Apache Helicopter, Tail #95109, of the 1-151st Attack Reconnaissance Battalion. This flag was flown by the crew of “GUN 41” for 5.1 hours while conducting Combat Operations during the final and historic phase of Operation New Dawn.

Signed:

CW2 ALEX FALLETTA

Pilot in Command

SPC AARON DUNHAM

Crew Chief

CW2 CHUCK HAMLETT

Co-Pilot/Gunner

************************

Not one thing that I can add to this except a heartfelt THANK YOU to Alex aka Army Guy.

Bill

Billi Pod And His Awesome Great-Granddaughter

Good afternoon my loyal and faithful readers.

Yesterday Billi Pod went to the hospital to visit Little Falletta and her parents (who have now taken a back seat on the importance scale) where I met up with Bill III aka The Bill, who drove down from Orlando.

The picture pretty much says it all==>little Saylor and her Great-granddaddy. Folks ... it doesn’t get any better than this.

The hospital has a 4-visitor-at-a-time post-birth limit, so while I was there it was me, The Bill, and Chris aka Topher and his girlfriend Ashley. It was awesome to actually have this day-old baby in my arms and to see all of her tiny features and stuff. We took tons and tons of pictures.

This picture is The Bill and Saylor.

Gina was doing well although she was still experiencing some stomach discomfort. All of the guys agreed that there was no way a male would be able to handle what the female goes through during the birthing process. This is why, of course, God is a male.

When our visiting time was over we split and went our respective ways. Billi Pod came back to The Holiday Inn Express in Bartow, FL, located in Polk F**king County aka PFC and settled in to watch the BRONCOS/STEELERS game.

Man ... you couldn’t have scripted a more exciting ending than Timmy’s 80yd TD pass to win the game on the first (and last) play of overtime.

Folks, as Billi Pod has repeatedly said in this blog==>BELIEVE!!

Now ... about today ...

I have just gotten back from having a great lunch with my former law partner Buddy Campbell. Buddy retired from The Second District Court of Appeals and became “of counsel” to a law firm in Lakeland that deals mostly with personal injury litigation. He is well, happy and healthy. He is also 3 years older than moi. We had a lot of catching up to do and I am soooooooo glad he took the time to track me down and invite me.

I might add that he proclaims to be an avid (actually avid is my choice of words) reader of Billi Pod Blogs.

Tonight will be another entertainment event. My dear friends Maggie and Jim Vandewalker are hosting a dinner party in my honor and I am really looking forward to seeing some old friends. Billi Pod hopes they will all be wearing name tags.

Tonight is also the TIGERS/BAMA BCS Championship game, finally. Billi Pod will be pulling for Bama because The Bill is a huge Bama fan (why is it though ... I can root for his teams but he can never ever root for The Gators??) and Billi Pod also hates Tigers. ROLL TIDE!!

BREAKING NEWS #1==>Saylor and Gina have just been released from the hospital and they are heading to Winter Haven. I will drop by there tomorrow on my way to Tampa International for my evening flight back to The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World.

BREAKING NEWS #2==>I have just renewed my Yankee 41-game season ticket package. Was able to finally get a seat under an overhang ... but ... unfortunately, it is in a different section ... this time on the 3rd base side. Will miss being with my buddies but ... I am happy and very satisfied with the new location.

GO SAYLOR! GO GINA! GO ARMY GUY!

Billi Pod

“Don't pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he'll just kill you.”

ALEX-139

Billi Pod Says==>Welcome SAYLOR ELIZABETH FALLETTA!!

Good morning my loyal and faithful readers out there in cyberspace.

I am happy to report that Saylor (yes, that is the correct spelling, Saylor) Elizabeth Falletta came into this world at 11:30pm on Saturday, January 7th, at Lakeland Regional Hospital in Polk F**king County aka PFC. YES!!

It was a long and laborious (pun intended) process but the birth was natural and the baby is healthy, cute and weighs in at 7 lbs. and 9 ozs.

Dr. John, Kathi and I arrived at the hospital around 2:00pm where we joined other friends and family members in the waiting area. The waiting area was crowded and people were constantly vying for the limited number of seats. I could write a separate posting just about this, but I won’t.

Periodically we were permitted to go back to Gina’s room for very brief visits. Alex aka Army Guy assumed complete control over that part of the process. Gina was, obviously, experiencing discomfort as the number and intensity of the contractions increased. Army Guy gave us updates on her status via text messages.

Around 10:00pm Chris aka Topher arrived and we actually learned of the baby’s birth when Alex texted his brother than he had just become an Uncle. It was 11:30pm. It was then that we learned of the baby's name ... they kept it a secret until the very last moment.

Yes ... Billi Pod was now, officially, a Great-granddaddy. AWESOME!!

As might be expected everyone got very emotional. After about an hour we were all permitted to go back to Gina’s room to meet our newest family member. I think there were 10-12 of us.

We kept the visit short because, obviously, Gina was physically and emotionally drained. Frankly, she wasn’t the only person who was physically and emotionally drained.

It was about 1:00am when I got back to The Holiday Inn Express. I took the time to post on FaceBook and then send a brief email notification to the internet mailing list.

I was very tired but still on a euphoric high. It was around 2:30am when I finally crashed.

What a day! What an experience!! What a blessing!!! Thank You Higher Power!!!!

This afternoon Bill III aka The Bill will drive down from Orlando and we will meet up and then go the hospital to visit Little Falletta.

GO SAYLOR, GINA and ALEX!!

Billi Pod

“Don't pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he'll just kill you.”

ALEX-138

The Gators Win!!

Yes, my loyal and faithful readers, John Scott Reed aka Fabson was indeed with me from the opening kickoff to the final knee during the Gator’s 24-17 win over Ohio State in The Gator Bowl.

This photographic evidence will serve as confirmation because I am confident that in the future he will deny his involvement in this “sporting” event.

Actually, we ate Domino’s pizza and wings as the Gator’s special teams rose to the occasion to lead us to victory, thus ensuring a winning season, pathetic though it may have been.

Soooooooooooo ... Billi Pod and Fabson say==>CONGRATS to The Gators and Coach Muskrat!!

In the name of fair and unbiased reporting I have to admit that I have reached college football overload. I can’t believe I was glued to the tube from 1:00pm, until after midnight - but I was.

Great games but ... enuff is enuff until the BCS Championship game on January 9th, when I will be down in PFC aka Polk F**king County.

Billi Pod has a Broadway show scheduled for this evening ...

7:00==>RELATIVELY SPEAKING - “Three one-act comedies about mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, parents and children, written by Ethan Coen, Elaine May and Woody Allen.” (Broadway - complimentary ticket).

This show has received very very mixed reviews and my theatre-buddies are equally divided.

Despite this I thought I would give it a shot ... I mean ... a Broadway show for $4.00 ... why pass it up? Right?

Moving on ...

Folks ... I don’t know about you, but Billi Pod doesn’t give a rat’s ass about the results of the GOP caucus in that pathetic hinterland known as Iowa.

Does anyone ... and I mean ... anyone ... actually believe that the results of this will have any influence whatsoever on who is ultimately the Republican nominee?

That decision will ultimately be determined by the power-brokers in the party, behind closed doors.

Trust Billi Pod on this ... he knows how the political process works. Been there - done that.

Anyway ... in closing ...

As I write this ... oldest grandson Alex Falletta aka Army Guy should be about to arrive in Tampa, ending his long trip from Kuwait.

His wife and soon-to-be Mother, Gina, has elected to meet him at the airport, alone, so they can have some time together before the wave of family members and friends descend on them. Good! Billi Pod totally agrees!

See you guys soon!!

GO GINA AND GO ALEX!!

Billi Pod

“Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he’ll just kill you.”

ALEX-132

A Friday Night Report From The Big Apple With BREAKING NEWS!!

Thank God last night Billi Pod felt well enough to go to his show ... so his report card on ...

THE MAN WHO CAME TO DINNER, about a recovering critic who turns a helpful family’s life upside down==>A<==incredible performance by Jim Brochu and a stellar cast. Dated? Yes, of course, it is set in 1939, but it is still gut-busting funny.

See it!! It closes on Sunday.

I felt a bit better this morning and did things and stuff and then had an entertainment event for the afternoon, kinda different for a Friday ...

2:00==>NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH - “A well-intentioned neighbourhood watch scheme soon develops into something altogether more sinister ... and hilarious.” Yes ... that is how the Brits spell neighborhood ... with a “u.” (Off Broadway - complimentary ticket)

This is playing at the 59th Street Theater Complex and is part of their Brits Off Broadway Series. The playwright is Alan Ayckbourn and it is his 75th play. It has gotten generally good reviews.

Billi Pod’s report card==>B<==at least 15 minutes needs to be cut and I had a bit of a problem at first with the accents, mostly because I was seated pretty far back. At intermission I moved to a front row seat and that helped a lot.

It is worth seeing.

When the show was over I took a subway down to 34th Street to the shopping madness known as Macy’s and The Manhattan Mall. My purpose, you are no doubt breathlessly asking since I had previously reported that my Christmas shopping was done? What?

Well, I needed to purchase a carryon suitcase. What? Yep, that’s right ... a carryon. In the name of fair and biased reporting Billi Pod has to admit that in his entire traveling experience he has never ... ever ... ever ... carried on. He has always checked his luggage.

Why the change at this late date? Easy ... he is pissed off at the $20-25 fee for checking bags and he is tired of the baggage carousel drama, especially on short or connecting flights.

I am happy to report that I did some online research (thank you John Scott Reed for your "good intentions" ... but ... I couldn’t wait any longer for your report) and found a suitcase that had a list price of $80, on sale for $29 ... and with a special $10 discount coupon in today’s paper it was only ... $19.00. Awesome!!

But ... OMFG! It was an absolute madhouse down there. A nightmare.

Got back to PHC around 6:30. Had nothing scheduled and all of the offerings on my services were closed so Billi Pod decided he would stay in for tonight.

Hold on now out there in the hinterlands and vast wilderness known as cyberspace ... remember ... before you rush to judgment ... Billi Pod had already attended one entertainment event for today and ... most importantly ...

When you are retired, like Billi Pod ... every night is a Friday night ... there is nothing special about any night ... so calm down and go back to watching your 42” plasma TVs and eating your Domino’s pizza.

Also ... Billi Pod has to admit that on the way back from the 34th Street madness his nose began to run and he began to cough and sneeze. He just didn’t feel like going out again ... so he thought he would take the opportunity to bring you loyal and faithful readers up-to-date.

Anyway ...

BREAKING NEWS==>I am pleased and extremely relieved to report that grandson CWO Alex Falletta aka Army Guy and his Company are no longer in Iraq. Whew and double Whew and Thank You Higher Power!! Unfortunately, however, they are still overseas and will be until probably May.

The countdown to the date when Billi Pod becomes a great-grandfather is getting closer and closer. The expected delivery date is January 19th and Gina has been a real trooper. I may have some additional good news to share as soon as she gives me permission to post it.

On these happy notes I will close this Friday night posting with ...

GO YANKEES AND GO GATORS!!

Billi Pod

“Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he’ll just kill you.”

ALEX-114

VETERANS DAY==>WE MUST NEVER FORGET!!

I was part of the Universal Military Training generation, where basically every physically fit guy ultimately served in some branch of the military, unless he qualified for an extremely difficult to get exemption.

I was in the Army in 1955-57. Basic training at Fort Jackson in Columbia, SC, then US Army Intelligence School at Ft. Holabird in Baltimore, MD.

Then was in Washington, DC, as a member of a Counter-Intelligence Corps (CIC) unit. We were basically undercover since we were outfitted in civilian clothes (paid for by the Army) and our rank was classified. I had a Top Secret Clearance. My unit mostly did background investigations for security clearances.

We were required to live “off-base” so 4 buddies and I rented a house in Arlington, VA.

I only put on my uniform to get the weekend $2.00 round-trip tickets from DC to New York City. Me and 2 of my buds would head up to NYC about twice a month.

I got an early release in order to return to the University of Florida, as a 23yo Sophomore. There was no GI Bill at that time. It was later restored but not made retroactive if you had already received your degree(s).

I was in the Inactive Reserve for 8 years and then received my Honorable Discharge.

I am very proud of the time I was in the service and, of course, am busting with pride over the willingness of my oldest grandson, Alex Falletta aka Army Guy, to place himself in harms way in order to protect this great Country of ours.

GOD BLESS AND PROTECT YOU ALEX AND ALL OF YOUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN ARMS. WE MUST NEVER, EVER, FORGET!!

Man ... it is extremely difficult to segue from this into my usual reports on my entertainment schedule etc etc, but ... it has to be done for you loyal and faithful readers out there in the vastness of cyberspace ... so ...

Billi Pod’s report card on last night's LOBBY HERO==>A<==great acting and a powerful story line about a hapless security guard who gets caught in a power struggle between his boss and two police officers investigating a murder.

My only quibble is that there was just a bit too much yelling. The characters were either briefly happy or screaming and cursing at one another.

The Off-Broadway house was sold-out and the audience was really into the performance.

It runs through Nov. 20th==>see it if you can.

One extremely positive note==>I ran into my friend Dick Brukenfeld from Dobbs Ferry just before the show began. He was there without his wife Mimi. I hadn’t seen Dick in a long long time so it was great to have a little catching-up time.

Tonight’s entertainment event is ...

9:00==>QUEEN OF THE MIST - "The world premiere of a musical based on the astounding, outrageous, and haunting true story of Anna Edson Taylor, who, in 1901, set out to be the first woman to shoot Niagara Falls, in a barrel of her own design.” (Off Broadway - discounted ticket)

Yep, the 9:00pm time is correct. The show has received basically favorable reviews and those of my theater buddies who have seen it have all had very positive things to say.

Speaking of favorable reviews ... Hugh Jackman’s one man show, HUGH JACKMAN, BACK ON BROADWAY, has received uniformly positive reviews, the majority of which are raves.

As I was preparing this posting the thought hit me that I had better get off my butt and see if I could score a ticket before the limited run sells out so ... immediately went online and ...

I am happy to report that I have a decent seat in the front mezzanine for the Wednesday matinee on November 23rd. Awesome!. It is, of course, full-price.

I hope all of my Worker Bee friends have a great weekend.

OMFG!! The thought of what is going to happen to my Gators tomorrow makes my heart pound and makes me want to puke. Spurrier is gonna try to grind us into the ground, trust me on this ... he will. OMFG!! Anyway ...

GO GATORS!!

Billi Pod

“Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he’ll just kill you.”

ALEX-79