Billi Pod’s Update and Some AWESOME Breaking News!!

Well, my loyal and faithful readers - at last Billi Pod has overcome his writer’s block, runny nose and raspy cough, overall feeling of BLAH, general angst etc etc etc enough to make himself sit down in front of his iMac and attempt to bring you hinterland dwellers up-to-date on the things and stuff in Billi Pod’s World.

Yes, a whole week has transpired since my last posting, the longest period between postings during 2011. My bad.

I am appreciative of the various inquiries via email and texts, even though some of them had an underlying snarkiness, attempting to pass as genuine interest.

In my defense I did post daily on my FaceBook Wall, so some of you know what has been going on.

It is Tuesday morning in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World, and Billi Pod must confess to still being mired in the morass known as BLAH, but he will not let this keep him from posting ... because ...

Last night I made a promise to self ... “self, I promise that I will write something on my blog tomorrow, I promise.”

Well ... self, being totally uncompromising, has held me to my promise ... so ... tada ... we now have this posting, such as it is.

Billi Pod will give you loyal and faithful readers a condensed version of the past week ...

Wednesday - December 21

The dentist appointment went OK - emotionally draining but OK.

Billi Pod’s report cards on his entertainment doubleheader ...

STICK FLY - A Broadway comedy about a wealthy Afro-American family==>B<==wanted to like it more but way too much screaming and cussing.

CLOSE UP SPACE - David Hyde Pierce’s character has a breakdown after a shattering confrontation with his fiery daughter==>C<==actually this is giving it/him the benefit of the doubt.

Dysfunctional family to the nth degree. I am getting more than tired with this persistent theme.

Thursday - December 22

Flight out of LGA to Philly left on time and went OK, then things got weird. My flight out of Philly was delayed until 5:15 for "maintenance" issues. Free WiFi was quirky. Alarms kept going off in the gate area.

We were two hours late getting into Columbia. Certainly glad I was using my new carryon bag.

Dr. John and Kathi picked me up. We stayed in and had salad and pizza.

Friday - December 23

We basically just chilled, waiting for son Bill III aka The Bill to arrive from Orlando. He drove up.

He got in around 7:00pm and then the 4 of us had a great dinner at a trendy restaurant in da ‘hood called “California Dreaming”==>way-too-much superrich food.

Saturday - December 24

Dr. John spent hours and hours preparing our Christmas Eve dinner==>prime beef tenderloin. It was absolutely AWESOME. We exchanged gifts before dinner.

Dr. John gave me a new Swissgear carryon bag to replace, in his words ... “that piece of shit you just bought.” Nice. Thank you Dr. John.

Happily Alex aka Army Guy was able to communicate directly with family and friends.

Sunday - December 25th

Dr. John went to work in the early morning and The Bill and I headed out around noon, him back to Orlando and me back to The Big Apple.

My 2:30pm flight out of Columbia was only 1/3 full but the airport at Charlotte was a madhouse, which was a bit of a surprise. Was unable to get an earlier flight but was able to get an exit row seat on my flight, without any additional fee. Nice.

Flight left basically on time and arrived in LGA on time. LGA was also teeming. Took the express bus to The Port Authority.

It was cold and windy. On the way to the apartment I picked up a couple of slices and was back in Penthouse C aka PHC at 9:30pm.

Man, was I tired. My nose began running and I started sneezing and coughing. Damn.

Scanned the mail, read the 3 daily papers, ate some pizza, had some grapes and then crashed at 1:00am, a bit earlier than usual.

It was great being with family during Christmas. As I have become older it has become more and more important for me to be able to spend quality time with my family.

Monday - December 26

This was Billi Pod’s usual errands and stuff day and he was able to accomplish everything even though his nose was still running and he was coughing and sneezing a lot. He felt very BLAH.

Nothing of any import showed up on his ticket services so he considered a movie, but in the end he just opted to stay in. Yeah, I know ... but this is what went down.

Did watch the Saints/Falcons game to see if Drew Brees would break Dan Marino’s record for most passing yardage in a season (5,084). Yes, he did it on his final pass of the game, a TD, giving him 5,087 yards.

OK, my loyal and faithful readers, you are now basically up-to-date. You are welcum.

Woke up this morning at the usual time, 8:00am, and I have to admit that I feel basically kinda BLAH. The nose isn’t running yet and I am not coughing or sneezing at the moment, but I just feel BLAH and kinda out-of-sorts.

Have nothing planned yet for the evening, so I might catch a movie, either TOWER HEIST with Ben Stiller or THE SITTER with Jonah Hill - we will see.

Damn, though, Billi Pod still feels BLAH at 1:00pm

Well, my loyal and faithful readers, I have also been holding back some breaking news, but now I feel comfortable sharing it with you ... so ...

BREAKING NEWS #1==>the due date for the arrival of my great-granddaughter has been moved back. Unless something changes, Gina will go into the hospital in Lakeland on Friday night, January 6, and labor will be induced (or a C-section) the next day. Awesome!!

BREAKING NEWS #2==>unless something unforeseen happens - Alex aka Army Guy will be physically present for the birth of his daughter. YES!! He will be on leave. AWESOME!!

Once the actual dates are known I will make my plans to head down there to be with them.

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-125

Billi Pod Is Back And All Is Well

Good morning everyone. Yes ... Billi Pod is back and ... man ... does it feel great to be home in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World.

I am happy to report that everything yesterday went well. Son Bill aka The Bill took another sick day due to some stomach discomfort but he was very much OK with The Hovering Nun heading North and ... The Hovering Nun was OK with it too. Trust me, if there had been any indications of problems I would have stayed.

Left his house in the UCF area of Orlando midmorning and gassed up the rental car. This was the first time in a long time that I was reminded of the impact of the hideously high gas prices. Man, what a downer. Had no problems getting to the airport and finding the right rental car return spot.

Checked in @ AirTran and was able to change my seat to an exit row (and at no extra cost) and that was awesome. Cleared security with no problem and was at the gate with plenty of time to chill out.

Got The NYTimes and The NY Post and spent the time reading the papers, working crosswords and playing solitaire on my iPhone. Actually the time passed pretty fast. Got a rather nasty looking sandwich to eat on the plane on the way back to The City.

I like the Orlando Terminal. It is, of course, modern, well-maintained and for the most part very clean. Plenty of food places and stuff. It makes me realize what a pitiful dump LaGuardia Airport is.

We loaded on time and were airborne on schedule. The plane was 95% full, and, again, about 85% of the passengers got off at Newport News (where????), which is still a mystery to me. When the new passengers boarded we were about 75% full.

We had a slight delay on the ground due to traffic in the New York area but the time was made up and we were at our LGA gate right on time. The Norris Travel Curse kept hidden because my checked duffle arrived with me.

Took an express bus to The Port Authority at a cost of $10.00. I gave the driver a $2.00 tip. This same trip with my car service would have been in the $45-50 range, including taxes, tolls, and a tip. As you know, The Port Authority is just a block away from my apartment building.

It was around 7:15pm when I opened the door to PHC. Had lots of mail and accumulated papers. Man, did it feel good to be home.

Unpacked and got settled back in. I thought about catching a movie but really wasn’t in the mood to go out. So ... Billi Pod ... chilled ... fixed a huge fruit and cheese plate ... chilled ... scheduled shows for the remainder of the week ... watched Jon Stewart and the first 30 minutes of Letterman ... chilled ... and then crashed at the usual 2:00am.

This morning was awake at the usual 8:00am. It is a beautiful, sunny, brisk fall day in the high 40s.

Today will be a make up day for Billi Pod’s errands and stuff and then his entertainment event for the evening is ...

8:00==>SILENCE! THE MUSICAL - “Campy, raunchy and mounted on the cheap, this tuneful unauthorized parody of ‘The Silence of the Lambs’ is sweet, tangy and very tasty.” (Off Broadway - complimentary ticket)

Saw this gut-busting-funny musical back in September and LOVED it. It has moved to another venue. Yes, my loyal and faithful readers, this is just the show that Billi Pod needs==>YES!!

I am happy to report that I have been able to schedule entertainment events for the next 4 days/nights, meaning ... Billi Pod is back in his frenetic Big Apple state of mind ... and it feels great.

Let me close with a big shout-out to grandson Chris Falletta aka Topher and his girlfriend Ashley Goebel==>great seeing you guys Tuesday night==>looking forward to seeing you two at Christmas, in Columbia ... jus sayin ...

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-71

Thursday Was A Funky Day & My Travel Plans

I have to admit that Thursday was one of the longest days I can remember. To begin with, it was ugly, nasty, gloomy and raining for the entire day and into the evening and that in and of itself made the clock slow down.

Frankly, I was still processing the loss of my dear friend Gil Goshorn and I spent a lot of time just staring into space and emotionally sucking my thumb.

Yes ... while I will admit to being in a funk for the entire time I am also pleased to report that I was able to make all of the necessary plans for my trip down to Florida for Sunday’s Memorial Service.

When all of the plans and stuff were completed, it was around 4:00pm and it was still very nasty out. I had a New York Philharmonic concert scheduled for 7:30pm in the evening. My ticket was a comp., as part of my season ticket subscription series, meaning it was free.

As my departure time arrived it was still raining and I made the decision that I would not brave the elements. Yes ... yes ... I know ... I know ... but folks I just wasn’t in the mood, I just didn’t want to leave the cozy confines of PHC.

So, Billi Pod settled in and watched Game 6 of The World Series and, man, what an exciting game it was as The Cardinals kept battling back to send the game into extra innings. They ultimately won in the bottom of the 11th inning on a walk-off home run by David Freese.

Game 7, the final game, is tonight and Billi Pod predicts that The Cards will win.

OK, now ... my plans are as follows:

Saturday 10:30AM - depart LGA

Airtran # 782

02:21PM - arrive Orlando

William A. Norris, III

4339 Watermill Ave.

Orlando, FL 32817

407-657-8586

Sunday Drive up to Gainesville

2:00pm - MEMORIAL SERVICE

Baughman Center

982 Museum Rd

Gainesville, Fl 32611

Overnight in Gainesville with Chuck and Ramona Chance.

Monday Drive from Gainesville to Orlando Airport

02:19PM - depart Orlando

Airtran #785

06:00PM - arrive LGA

And, of course, looming over all of this is the forecast for rain and possibly snow tomorrow in The Big Apple. Please, God==>keep The Norris Travel Curse away - PLEEZE!!!

Tonight Billi Pod will meet up with John Scott Reed for the 8:00pm performance of The Tiger Lillies @ St. Ann’s Warehouse in Brooklyn.

Justin Vivian Bond will participate in “Sinderella Songs,” sardonic and sexually explicit songs about the classic fairy tale. (Off Broadway - discounted TDF ticket)

After the show we will catch a bite in the ‘hood and then I will come back to PHC, finish my packing and, hopefully, get a few hours sleep before the 7:15am pickup by my car service. I am providing extra time because of the potentially bad weather, just to be safe.

In closing I want to report that I have talked twice with Linda and she is doing well.

Those of you loyal and faithful readers who know her understand==>she is one tough and very emotionally strong lady.

Also I want to thank everyone for the thoughtful emails, posts and texts. They really meant a lot to me.

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-65

Billi Pod Is Back In The Big Apple==>WHEW!!

Oh the drama and the nail-biting times leading up to Billi Pod’s successful return to The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World.

I spent most of the day and evening yesterday trying to access the Delta website to checkin for my “confirmed” 6:05am flight this morning and to get a seat assignment. Man, was it frustrating because the site was obviously overloaded and it just didn’t work. I even had the help of my trusted Travel Agent, Blanche Bryant, but she was unable to gain access even though she tried until her 11:00pm bedtime. Thanks, Blanche, you are indeed a professional and a friend.

Finally around 1:30am I was able to checkin but was unable to get a seat assignment. Was advised that I would have to see an agent at the airport.

Finished packing and got about 90 minutes of sleep. When I woke up I checked the flight status and it was a go for the scheduled 6:05am departure. At 4:15am son-in-law Dr. John drove me to the airport, only about a 15 minute trip at this time of the morning. Thank you Dr. John!!

I wasn’t surprised that there were already lines at the Delta checkin area but it didn’t bother me because all I had to do was print out my boarding pass and baggage ticket at one of the self-serve kiosks - no problemo, right? WRONG!! None of the machines were working, none of them, so everyone had to check in with a live (and obviously stressed-out) agent.

Nothing I could do about it and, fortunately (ahem Dr. John) I had gotten there a bit early. When I was finally checked-in I wasn’t given a boarding pass with a seat assignment, rather, it was called a “seat assignment request” to be given to the agent at the gate. OMFG!!!

This made my heart begin to pump. Had no problem clearing security although the lines were again long. Was at the gate at 5:00am. When I presented my “seat assignment request” to the agent she told me that she hadn’t figured out yet what to do with the 9 of us who were booked on this flight following yesterday’s cancellation and would I ... “like to volunteer for a later flight?” I told her no and then she said she would get back with us once the boarding process began. Now my heart was really pounding. But, nothing I could do about it.

Well, let me make this a bit shorter ... in summary, all of us were given seats and I had an excellent one, 1A. The plane was full, of course. We were delayed in taking off in order to de-ice but were airborne at 6:40am.

The flight up was uneventful and we made-up time. As we were approaching the New York area we could see the results of the blizzard.

We touched down at LGA at 8:10am, or only 15 minutes past our scheduled arrival time. Man, LGA is still covered with snow as the picture taken from my window shows.

The terminal was packed. Picked up my duffle and got in line to catch the next “express” bus into the city, with stops at Grand Central Station and then Port Authority Bus Terminal, which is only 1.5 blocks from my building. It is not a bad deal at only $10.00. The lines for cabs were unbelievably long and out in the blowing cold. I was on the bus at 9:20am.

Well, my loyal and faithful readers, in the name of fair and unbiased reporting I have to state that from this point it took as long for me to get to PHC as it had for me to fly from Columbia to LaGuardia. The Delta terminal was the first pickup and we had 4 more and that took forever. Then when we finally were headed into the city the traffic was very heavy and very slow moving, but, honestly, I was expecting that, so ... I just sorta relaxed.

Then came the killer -- when we finally got to Grand Central the driver announced that this would be the last stop for this bus, that the dozen or so of us headed to The Port Authority would have to wait for a shuttle bus. Man, everyone was really angry, including moi. Lots of cussing and yelling, to put it mildly. We huddled together in the freezing cold. No one would tell us how long we would have to wait for the next shuttle bus to arrive.

At this point Billi Pod said Fuck It and went out to 42nd Street and hailed a cab, which cost an additional $9 with tip.

Anyways ... it was 10:51am when I opened the door to PHC. I silently thanked my Higher Power for bringing me back to The Big Apple.

Was hungry, tired and just a bit out of synch. Unpacked, checked the mail, paid the last of the first of the month bills and then went to the grocery store for fruit and stuff. Man, it was/is very treacherous walking in the snow, ice and slush, especially at the crosswalks. I was very very careful.

Bottom-line==>Billi Pod had an awesome time in Columbia with family: Kathi and John, Bill, and Alex and Gina.

A special shout-out to Kathi for hanging-in-there despite some major pain and discomfort from her slip and fall on Thursday.

Now Billi Pod can return to his Big Apple life-style, despite the nasty weather, so he will end this much-too-long posting with the highly anticipated ...

Musings from THE MIND OF BILLI POD (a memoir in progress):

“A platypus never puts the seat down.”

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.”

Billi Pod Is In Columbia, SC.

Good afternoon my loyal and faithful readers.

Yesterday LaGuardia airport was an absolute nightmare. The lines for security were very long and it took me 45 minutes to clear and, no, I didn’t get picked for a scan or a pat-down.

Happily the flight down to Columbia, SC, went OK and we were only 30 minutes late.

As I was waiting at LGA I got a call that made my heart run cold ... my daughter Kathi had a slip and fall as she was leaving a church following a funeral service for a friend. She was in the ER. OMFG!!

Long story short ... thankfully, she is OK, at home and mobile. She is, however, badly bruised in unmentionable places and in pain and discomfort.

It could have been so much worse. Bless her, she is determined that this “glitch” (her words) will not interfere with her/our Christmas plans, and so far it hasn’t.

Son Bill III aka The Bill of Orlando arrived OK.

We will do our family Christmas dinner and present opening tonight ... so ...

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EACH AND EVERYONE!!

I will close with ...

Musings from THE MIND OF BILLI POD (a memoir in progress):

“Forget about it,” said every Tom, Dick and Harry.

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.”

Billi Pod's Awesome November 2010

Good evening my loyal and faithful readers. Yes, you are right - Billi Pod is staying in tonight, so there is no excuse for not posting the entertainment stats for last month. My nose is still running and I am coughing a lot.

Frankly, preparing and posting this will prevent me from lying on the couch, sucking my thumb and moaning as I process the breaking news about Urban Meyer’s resignation as Gator football coach. I will deal with that later ... I guess ... I hope ... so ... anyway ...

Here are Billi Pod’s entertainment stats for November 2010 --

In checking my daily log (log, not diary - real guys don’t keep diaries) I find that during the month of November 2010 Billi Pod did/saw/attended the following:

4 Broadway shows (Brief Encounters; Elling; Rain-A Tribute to the Beatles on Broadway; and, The Pee Wee Herman Show.); 16 Off Broadway shows; 2 New York Philharmonic Orchestra concerts; and, 1 movie (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows).

Was out of town for 8 nights in Paris with my fraternity brother and former roommate, David West, who now lives fulltime in Paris. He also sorta lives in Gainesville (at the moment).

The highlight of the month was, of course, the time with David, which included an awesome 3 day road trip to Normandy where we visited the D-Day landing sites, solo, and with a small tour group.

Also high on the highlight list was the wonderful Thanksgiving Dinner with my AA buds (you know who you are) and their families. Thanks guys and gals.

There were downsides to the month also, the major one being the nationwide ass-kicking the Democrats received and the obvious spanking given to Obama.

Gator football was also high on the list, with their record a dismal 2 wins and 2 losses, the losses being humiliating defeats by South Carolina and Florida State - barf and double barf.

The most amazing stat, in my humble opinion is the fact the during the time I was in the City there were only 3 days/nights when Billi Pod didn’t attend some entertainment event, and each of those were because of important sporting events on TV.

I posted regularly to my FaceBook Wall http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?ref=name&id=100000655659050 and 26 times on this blog, although in a somewhat abbreviated format.

So, my loyal and faithful readers, there you have it. I think it remains pretty awesome for a 76+ year old guy, but then ... it is up to you because ...

I report - you decide.

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.”

Billi Pod's Paris Adventure Schedule

Hi my loyal and faithful readers, this is Billi Pod’s schedule for the upcoming Paris (aka The City of Smelly People) Adventure, beginning on Monday, November 8th and ending on Tuesday, November 16th:

**********

Monday - 05:55pm - depart JFK AA #44

Tuesday - 06:30am - arrive Paris CGD

I will be staying with my former law school roomie, David West, formerly of Gainesville, FL, in his very nice apartment on The Left Bank, directly across the Seine River from The Louvre.

Wednesday - 08:00pm - Mamma Mia

Thursday - Armistice Day (a very important day in France, I am told)

Friday - 08:00am - pick up our rental car and drive to the Normandy area where we will overnight in Bayeux at HOTEL LE BAYEUX. No Billi Pod will not be driving.

Saturday - 8:30am to 5:30pm - American Highlights Tour, which includes: Sainte Mere Eglise (the first town liberated by US troops); Airborne Museum; Airborne Drop Zones; Utah Beach; Pointe du Hoc (infamous German gun position); Omaha Beach; and Colleville US Cemetary (resting place of 9,387 US service personnel)

On Saturday night we are not certain where we will overnight.

Sunday - return to Paris in the evening via our rental car

Monday - 2:00 - Monet Exhibit (dammit I can’t remember the location)

Tuesday - 09:55am - depart Paris - AA #45; 01:15pm - arrive JFK

**********

I will have my iBook with me and will have internet access while in David's apartment. Not sure about when we are in Normandy. Hopefully I can post both to my FaceBook Wall and to this blog.

If you are interested, the projected weather patterns in Paris almost mirror NYC this time of year.

Billi Pod is very charged, to say the least.

Sunday is the New York Marathon. Did you know that Billi Pod (actually that wasn’t his name back then) ran in, and successfully completed, the 1978/79 Marathons--no joke==>got pictures to prove it. No big deal back then. Only about 10,000 runners and all you had to do was pay your entrance fee and show up. You didn’t even get a T-shirt or anything at the end of the race. Not that way now, that is for sure.

Have a theater double header for tomorrow that I will post about in the morning.

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.”

Ceremony For "The Boss" - And Breaking News!!

The memorial ceremony for “The Boss” last night was very moving. It wasn’t too long and it wasn’t “gushy” and that was good.

Really great to see Joe Torre and Don Mattingly at the stadium and it was really classy of them to come back for the ceremony considering how unfairly the Yankee ownership treated both of them 3 years ago.

The Yankees won 8-6 but the game was much more of a nail-biter than the final score indicates and Mo had another shaky save.

Tonight’s game will have Hughes on the mound. He has not done well in his last several outings. Billi Pod will be there, of course.

Breaking news-->Billi Pod will be heading across the pond to Paris to spend time with my former law school roomie David West, formerly of Gainesville, FL. Will be there November 8-16.

Am also debating flying to California for a few days over Thanksgiving to be with my sister Ann Parker, who now lives in Palm Springs.

The Paris trip is a done deal - still pondering the Palm Springs trip--> whether it would be better to schedule a longer visit later. Stay tuned...

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.”

BMS-38

Monday - Billi Pod Is In A Holiday Mood

Good evening my loyal and faithful readers. I hope that each of you has been able to get into the holiday spirit/mood because Christmas is fast approaching. I can honestly say that Billi Pod is now in a yuletide frame-of-mind, a Holiday Mood. Yep, I am. Bring it on!!

I am happy to report that Sunday afternoon’s concert with the Brass Quintet of The New York Philharmonic Orchestra and the Brass & Percussion sections of the West Point Military Band was everything that I had wanted it to be and then some. They were terrific and the sold-out audience was really into the program. No, it wasn’t like the prior concerts with The Canadian Brass. This one was much more classical music orientated. I can sum it up by saying - “I left Avery Fisher Hall in a very festive holiday mood,” and that is what I wanted. Ah yes ...

Today, Monday, has been a major errands day and some Christmas-related chores in anticipation of my up-coming trip down to Columbia, SC, to be with family for Christmas.

I have a very diverse entertainment schedule booked for the upcoming week - 1 Broadway show; 3 Off Broadway shows; 2 classical music concerts; and, 1 ballet. The details are --

Tuesday - 12/15 - 7:30 - New York Philharmonic Orchestra @ Avery Fisher Hall. The program is: “Handel - “Messiah.” Performing with the orchestra and soloists is the Gachinger Kantorei Stuttgart Chorus. (subscription series).

As I wrote in a previous posting, this is a holiday staple for Billi Pod and I am really looking forward to it

Wednesday - 8:00 - “The Toxic Avenger” - Off Broadway. This is an edited version of the press blurb: “He's New Jersey's first Superhero and he takes to the stage in this rock 'n roll monster of a comedy. Thrown into a vat of toxic goo by two bullies, a mild-mannered science student named Melvin Ferd the Third is reborn as a one-of-a-kind environmental crusader, The Toxic Avenger! Armed with superhuman strength and a heart as big as Newark, he's out to save New Jersey, end global warming and woo the prettiest, blindest librarian in town.” (complimentary ticket).

I saw this show about a year ago in very early previews and loved it for what it is ... funny gross-out humor, very well performed. It it closing in January, I think, so when it showed up on one of my ticket services I immediately booked it.

Thursday - 8:00 - “Sister’s Christmas Catechism” - Off Broadway. “Retelling the story of the nativity, as only Sister can, she poses the burning question, "We know what happened to the myrrh and the frankincense - Mary used them as a sort of potpourri. They were in a barn after all. But who was the culprit who made off with the gold coins and left Mary, Joseph and the infant Jesus in that lousy stable without any chance to upgrade to a suite?" Employing her own scientific tools, assisted by a local choir as well as audience members, Sister creates a living nativity unlike any seen before.” (complimentary ticket)

Oh yeah, this is going to be fun. The performer has done several other “Sister” shows and they were all gut-busting funny, unless, of course, you are The Pope or a Cardinal, then ...

Friday - 7:00 - “The Nutcracker - Joffrey Ballet School” - “The Joffrey Ballet School returns with a new production of The Nutcracker to Tchaikovsky's beloved score. Generations of audiences have enjoyed this charming tale of holiday adventure that follows a little girl's journey through a fantasy world of dolls, toy soldiers, an army of mice, snowflakes, princes and fairies in the land of sweets. The production features the students of the Joffrey Ballet School performing all of the traditional roles including the Sugar Plum Fairy and Cavalier.

(discounted TDF ticket)

It has been years since I have seen a production of The Nutcracker. I am not a huge ballet fan, but I have always liked this show, so ... why not? Again, just right for my Holiday Mood.

Friday - 8:00 - “Ragtime” - Broadway. This is the press blurb for the revival of this Tony-winning musical: “At the dawn of a new century, everything is changing... and anything is possible. Set in the volatile melting pot of turn-of-the-century New York, RAGTIME weaves together three distinctly American tales -- that of a stifled suburban mother, an inventive Jewish immigrant and a daring young Harlem musician -- united by their courage, compassion and belief in the promise of the future. Their compelling stories intertwine to form a rich tapestry of hopes and dreams, struggles and triumphs, rhythm and rhyme.” (discounted TDF ticket).

I saw the original production back in 1998 and remember liking it but not being totally blown away. This revival has received generally favorable, but mixed, reviews. I thought I would give it a shot to see for myself.

Sunday - 7:00 - “Basically Brandenburg” @ Symphony Space. “Bach is Back! Chosen from among New York City's finest musicians, the triumphant Symphony Space All-Stars celebrate the holidays with a festive and joyous performance of the complete Brandenburg Concertos of J.S. Bach. Among Bach's most often-performed and best-loved works, the six joyful, exuberant Concertos make for a holiday treat for friends and family alike!” (discounted TDF ticket).

Oh yes!!

Monday - 8:00 - “Altar Boyz” - Off Broadway. “Chosen as 2005's Best Off Broadway Musical by the Outer Critics Circle, this musical comedy portrays a struggling Christian boy-band's first visit to New York City. Riding the wave of America's latest fascination with religion and armed with catchy melodies, freaky moves and product in their hair, the self-anointed apostles of pop (Matthew, Mark, Luke, Juan and Abraham) bring their soul-saving tour to New York City with all their hits like "Girl, You Make Me Wanna Wait" and "Jesus Called Me On My Cell Phone." (discounted TDF ticket)

This has been one of my favorite Off Broadway shows over the years and I have seen it numerous times and have sent lots of out-of-town folks to see Matthew, Mark, Luke, Juan and Abraham do their stuff. It has had a long run but, unfortunately, is closing, so I just had to see it one last time. You Guys Rock!!

Tuesday - 12/22 - 4:00pm - depart Laguardia for Columbia, SC; 6:10pm - arrive Columbia, SC. (hopefully)

! will be in Columbia, SC, for Christmas with my daughter, Kathi Bendeck, and son-in-law Dr. John; son William A. Norris, III, aka Billyboy, of Orlando, FL; oldest grandson Alex Falletta aka Lex and his wife, Gina, of Elgin, SC; and, youngest grandson Chris Falletta aka Topher and his fiancé Sally Goldman, both of Gainesville, FL. It has been a long time since we were all together at the same time in the same place and I am really charged about it.

You know, one thing Billi Pod has learned while getting old and older - “family” matters more and more and more with each passing year.

Sunday - 12/27 - 7:00am (yep, that is the correct departure time) - depart Columbia, SC; 9:03am - arrive Laguardia (hopefully).

Happy Holidays 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.”