REST IN PEACE JACK DAVIS

On Wednesday night I lost my longtime friend Jack Davis of Bartow, FL.

After a long long battle Jack finally found peace when his life-partner, Jeff Clark, made the tough decision that Jack had suffered enough. It was the right thing to do.

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

“Jack Davis, 72, of Bartow passed away Wednesday, March 14, at Memorial Hospital of Tampa from complications of diabetes. Born July 14, 1939, in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, Jack was the son of the late John E. Davis, Sr. and Marian E. Davis of Bartow. He moved to Bartow with his parents from Clearwater, Florida in 1953, and graduated from Summerlin Institute in 1958. Jack retired from the Polk County Clerk of Courts office in 2003 after 40 years of service. After his retirement, Jack volunteered at the Bartow Chamber of Commerce as a Chamber Diplomat, and was named “Diplomat of the Year” in 2007. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Bartow. Jack is survived by his partner, Jeff Clark of Bartow; caregiver, Ruth Harrison of Bartow; cousin, Betty McDonald of Fayetteville, North Carolina; and cousin, Jimmy Davis of Ft. Wayne, Indiana. Jack will be remembered fondly by his many friends and acquaintances for his outgoing personality, sense of humor, and his acts of kindness, generosity and compassion. He loved helping people, and was always willing to lend a hand to anyone in need. Family will receive friends Sunday, March 18, 2012, from 4-6 PM at Whidden-McLean Funeral Home, Bartow. Funeral services will be held Monday, March 19, 2012 at 11:00 AM at the First United Methodist Church, 310 S. Broadway Ave, Bartow. Interment will follow at Bartow Wildwood Cemetery.”

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Our friendship spanned decades. Jack was a career employee with the Polk County Clerk’s office and was well-known and respected by all of us in the local judicial system.

On a personal basis, Jack was instrumental in helping me make the ultimate transition from Bartow to New York City. He would look out after my Bartow house, until I finally sold it in 1998, and, for years and years, forwarded my mail to me on a weekly basis.

I am so glad that I was able to visit with him several times back in January when I was down there for the birth of my great-granddaughter Saylor Falletta. Unfortunately I didn’t get a chance to see Jack when I was at my 60th class reunion because he had been transferred to a hospital in Tampa.

As Jack’s health declined his life-partner, Jeff Clark, was always by his side, placing Jack’s needs and well-being above all other things. The love between these two was what made these difficult times bearable. Bless you Jeff!!

Rest In Peace my dear friend. I know you are in a better place.

Bill

Wednesday’s Doubleheader Was Epic & Some Breaking News

Yesterday’s entertainment doubleheader was terrific in all aspects ... so let’s get right to it ...

My second visit to JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, the revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s dramatized rock-opera version of the last 7 days in the life of Jesus of Nazareth, receives the same A as Billi Pod gave it the first time he saw it on March 5th.

My comp. seat was in the very last row in the rear of the orchestra, the last aisle seat, far house right, but no matter. Seated in the general area were a lot of my theater buddies.

And, also in the orchestra area was ... tada ... Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber, which probably accounts for making seats available to the various ticketing services. Nope ... no empty seats for Sir Andrew.

In the name of fair and unbiased reporting Billi Pod must share that the opinions of his theater-buds were as diverse as the comments have been on the various chat boards. So what ... I still loved it and would see it again in a heartbeat.

When the show was over I connected with Dian Crystal and became the sole member of her posse for the next several hours. We spent the time just wandering around, acting like tourists. The picture of me was taken at Columbus Circle.

We even got a bite to eat and she didn’t order me to have a slice of eggplant pizza. Mainly, I think, because where we ate didn’t serve pizza.

It was amazing how fast the approximately 2 1/2 hours flew by, aided largely by awesome weather and very good company with a native New Yorker.

We then met up with another posse member, Vera Olichney, at City Center to see ...

REGRETS, a drama, set in the 1950s, about a young man who flees Hollywood and heads to a Nevada desert retreat where men go to secure a quickie divorce==>B+

It is a somewhat different story line with excellent acting. For whatever reason, however, I just didn’t connect with any of the characters. Lots of yelling and cussing.

The rest of the posse give it an A- and a B+. It is worth seeing with a discounted ticket.

Tonight Billi Pod has an interesting followup to yesterday’s JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR. What, you are no doubt breathlessly asking? Well ... how about this ...

8:00==>THE LAST DAYS OF JUDAS ISCARIOT - “Set in a court room somewhere between Heaven and Hell two attorneys and a parade of famous witnesses – Mother Teresa, Sigmund Freud and Pontius Pilate – argue over the fate of Judas Iscariot, known for his betrayal of Jesus.” (Off Broadway - complimentary ticket)

Several of my theater-nut friends have highly recommended this show, which clocks in at 3 hours and 15 minutes, including one intermission.

BREAKING NEWS==>Have some more interesting information to share with you loyal and faithful readers and here it is ... several of my "Musings from THE MIND OF BILLI POD (a memoir in progress)" have been accepted by the Meme website

http://memegenerator.net/

for Philosoraptor, The Pontificating Velociraptor of Our Time, and I will share them with you in the next several postings.

So, the first is ...

Think about it ... you know it’s true.

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-205

The Rolling Stones Tribute Concert Was Terrific!!

Good morning everyone. Let’s get right to the important stuff ... like Billi Pod's thoughts and comments on last night’s entertainment event ...

The Rolling Stones tribute concert at Carnegie Hall was terrific. It started @ 8:10 and was over at 10:30, with no intermission. The pic is of the curtain call.

The opening song was “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” and the closing song was “Wild Horses.” There were a total of 21 songs, plus 2 encores.

Dozens of excellent performers. Art Garfunkel and Jackson Browne were the best. No member(s) of The Rolling Stones showed up. Awwwwwww!

A female performer, Rickie Lee Jones, give an extremely bizarre rendition of “Symphony for the Devil.”

The house was sold out and Billi Pod was not the oldest person in attendance. Bottom-line==>Great time, well worth the expensive ticket.

Billi Pod has yet another entertainment doubleheader for today ...

2:00==>JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR - “The Broadway revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s dramatized rock-opera version of the last 7 days in the life of Jesus of Nazareth.” (Broadway - complimentary ticket)

When this showed up on one of my ticket services I instantly booked it. I mean ... how could I pass up this Broadway show with a comp. ticket?

Yes, I am going to see it again, snarky chat board critics be damned.

Then for this evening is something new ...

8:00==>REGRETS - “A drama, set in the 1950s, about a young man who flees Hollywood and heads to a Nevada desert retreat where men go to secure a quickie divorce. A tale of friendship, loss and finding the courage of one’s convictions. (Off Broadway - complimentary ticket)

This show is in very early previews and has generated little, if any, advance buzz.

At this point I am unsure whether I will come back to PHC between shows. The weather is just awesome so I will probably just walk and wander. Hopefully, at some point I will be able to connect with Dian Crystal and her posse.

Need to post this and get ready to head out ... have to pick up my matinee ticket early and not at the box office.

Will close with yet another thing for you loyal and faithful readers to ponder ...

Really .... why?

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-204

Billi Pod’s Activity Report for February 2012

Yes, my loyal and faithful readers, I know this is late ... but ... I am posting it now because it also serves as my own record of my things and stuff during the month.

If you will take a moment to read further I hope you will agree that February was another interesting, event-filled month for Billi Pod ... so ...

In checking my daily log (log, not diary - real guys don’t keep diaries) I find that during February 2012 Billi Pod attended/saw/did the following:

2 Broadway shows (The Phantom of the Opera and Venus In Fur); 29 Off Broadway Shows; and, 6 classical music concerts (including my 3 series subscription to the New York Philharmonic).

During the month there were 10 doubleheaders and 1 tripleheader.

I wasn’t away from The Big Apple during the month.

Perhaps one of the most amazing/awesome stats is the fact that during the month there was only 1, repeat, 1 time that I stayed in PHC without attending some entertainment event either during the day or the evening.

This means, my loyal and faithful readers, that Billi Pod remained on his frenetic Big Apple schedule of attending some entertainment event 9 out of 10 nights. Actually for you number crunchers the percentage is 96.7%. AWESOME!!!

I posted daily on my FaceBook Wall and 31 times on this blog website.

The blog had 1,661 page views during the month, bringing the total for the past 12 months to 17,790 (Awesome !!)

During the month I was able to have time with friends, including: John Scott Reed and Justin Allen Pifer; and, some of my AA buddies (you know who you are).

Also during the month Billi Pod was again with Dian Crystal’s posse on several occasions, along with Marty Kosarik, Vera Olichney, Julie Miller and others. Thank you so much, My Lady!

Oh, it was also while serving as a member of Dian’s posse that I was forced into eating a slice of eggplant pizza. The image of that event has yet to leave my mind and the taste recurs in my dreams. If it doesn’t leave by next week I will probably seek therapy of some sort, somewhere.

So ... there you have it. Not bad for a soon-to-be 78yr old guy ... but ... it is up to you loyal and faithful readers to determine 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.”

ALEX-203

Billi Pod Says==>See FOR PROFIT!!

It is wonderful to report that we are experiencing Spring-like weather in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World. The high today is predicted to be in the low 70s and the same for Wednesday. Unfortunately it will drop back into the 40s and 50s for the rest of the week. Oh well ... we will just handle it one day at a time, won’t we.

Yesterday was the usual errands and stuff day but, honestly, I didn’t get as much done as I had wanted to because ... well ... because ... I just didn’t. Spent way too much time in front of this ‘puter scheduling future entertainment events and, of course, working on this blog for you out there in the hinterlands and boondocks.

And, speaking of future events ... one of the things I did was head over to The York Theatre, in the basement area of Saint Peter’s Church, on the Eastside, to purchase a ticket package for their upcoming Musicals In Mufti Series, 5 shows, all with music and lyrics by Tom Jones.

As you loyal and faithful readers will recall ... “Mufti (MUFF’tee) means - in street clothes; without the usual trappings.” By purchasing the 5 show package I not only got a decent discount, I also got a free ticket to a show on April 4th called STORY BY STORY, which will be a conversation between Tom Jones and York’s Producing Artistic Director James Morgan.

Speaking of Jim (who is a Gator) ... I ran into him in the theater lobby and we had a nice but brief visit ... and ... he told me how much he had enjoyed reading this blog. Man, did that make me feel good.

Billi Pod’s report card on last night’s entertainment event ...

FOR PROFIT, about the dilemma of an Admission Advisor at a for-profit University==>A<==extremely well written and performed by Aaron Calafato. Informative and very very thought-provoking.

This is a one man show and is based on the playwright/performer’s personal experiences after he graduated from college with a massive student loan debt hanging over his head. In his new job as an Admission Advisor for For Profit University (we are never given the true name) he quickly learns that his job is not to “advise and/or counsel” but to “enroll” new students in his for-profit University, thereby burdening them with mind-numbing debt that will ultimately impact them for the rest of their lives.

Did you know that there is currently 1 trillion dollars in student loan debt? No, I didn’t either.

Folks ... in Billi Pod’s opinion, this is one of those rare works that cuts right to the heart of an issue no one wants to discuss and/or deal with ... how predatory enrollment tactics, which result in massive debt, are undermining our higher-education system nationwide.

To my loyal and faithful readers in the Tri-State area - Billi Pod says==>see this show.

The remaining show schedules are as follows:

Tuesday - 3/13 @ 7:30pm

Sunday - 3/18 @ 7:30pm

Monday - 3/19 @ 7:30pm

Tuesday - 3/20 @ 7:30pm

Check out the website for tickets and more info ...

http://www.seeingplacetheater.com/shows/3-forprofit.html

Moving on ... as I posted yesterday ... tonight is going to be an epic event ...

8:00==>THE MUSIC OF THE ROLLING STONES: Hot Rocks 1964-1971 @ Carnegie Hall. “Performers include: Rosanne Cash, Steve Earle, Jackson Browne, Art Garfunkel, Marianne Faithfull, Rickie Lee Jones, Ronnie Spector, Carolina Chocolate Drops, The Mountain Goats, Glen Hansard, Rich Robinson, Jackie Greene, Taj Mahal, Peaches, Marc Cohn, Jovanotti & Members of TV on the Radio, Angelique Kidjo, and Gomez” (rock concert - full price ticket).

I am so charged about this show and I am already in a countdown mode even though it is only early afternoon.

Yes ... yes ... I know ... I haven’t posted the February entertainment stats ... thanks for reminding me ...

Tomorrow is going to be another entertainment doubleheader for Billi Pod ... and ... can you believe it ... for the matinee will be ... tada ... JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR. It showed up on one of my ticket services. Yes ... I’m gonna see it again ... this time with a comp. ticket. Yes ...

The Broadway musical GHOSTS, in very early previews, was briefly on one of the services, but ... dammit ... the comp. tickets were taken in virtually a nanosecond and I missed out. It will probably show up later ... hopefully.

OK, everyone ... still have a few things and stuff that I need to do ... so I will close with something for you to think about ...

Well ... what do you think?

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-203

Sunday’s Classical Music Concert==>AWESOME!!

A big==>Happy Back to Work Day<== goes out to all of Billi Pod’s Worker Bee friends out there in the hinterlands and boondocks.

I am most happy to report that my classical music doubleheader yesterday was AWESOME. Yes, I know that I use that word, AWESOME, way too much but it really conveys how I feel.

According to my thesaurus, I guess I could use other words, like: astonishing, beautiful, breathtaking, grand, impressive, magnificent, majestic, mind-blowing, stunning, stupefying, wonderful, wondrous, or zero-cool (what is “zero-cool?”).

Hummmm ... maybe I will give it a try on Billi Pod’s report card on ...

DRESDEN PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA @ Avery Fisher Hall==>it was an astonishing performance that was both beautiful and breathtaking. The orchestra had a grand presence on the stage. Cellist Gautier Capucon was impressive in his 40-minute performance of Dvorak’s magnificent Cello Concerto.

But the highlight of the afternoon was Beethoven’s Symphony #5, which was majestic and mind-blowing, especially the stunning 4th movement.

Yes, my loyal and faithful readers, the orchestra was stupefying in its wonderful presentation of wondrous works.

When the concert was over the lady next to me said ... “that was zero-cool” ... and I had no clue WTF she meant.

Hummmm ... still think that AWESOME sums it up best.

Anyway ... it was 5:00 when the concert was over, rendering it impossible for me to catch the one movie, FRIENDS WITH KIDS, I wanted to see at the AMC theater in the Lincoln Center area. Oh well ... no problem ...

I decided not to return to PHC between shows, so I spent the next several hours just walking and wandering in the Upper Westside area, spending time, of course, in The Apple Store salivating over all of the stuff that Billi Pod wants/needs to buy.

I walked up Broadway to 72nd Street, found a nice cafe and had some fruit and a Coke Zero, then I walked over to Central Park West and from there down South to Carnegie Hall located at 57th and 7th Avenue.

It was 7:30 when I picked up my ticket for the 8:30 performance and I was astonished that it was in the orchestra, row Q, house left. For those of you unfamiliar with Carnegie Hall, that location is about halfway back from the stage and is awesome. The face value of the ticket was $90.00.

Had time for coffee and something sweet at my favorite cafe.

MASTERWORKS FESTIVAL CHORUS AND NYC CHAMBER ORCHESTRA @ Carnegie Hall==>AWESOME<==an evening of choral works by a talented group of ensembles from all over the US of A.

It was 11:00pm when I got back to PHC and I have to admit to being a bit tired. I later calculated that I had walked 2.75 miles, which is a high point for the last several months due to the cold weather. Was also bordering on sensory-overload. Not sure that booking classical music doubleheaders is what I want to do in the future ... I mean ... sometimes you can have too much of too much, even if it is good stuff ...

Anyway ... since this is Monday I will do my usual errands and stuff after I finish this posting.

Billi Pod’s entertainment event for this evening is ...

7:30==>FOR PROFIT - “Faced with the pressure of a new city and student loan debt, Aaron Calafato, as the new Admissions Advisor at For Profit University, finds himself in the midst’s of the McDonaldization of America’s Higher Education System. (Off Broadway - complimentary ticket)

I think this sounds pretty interesting ... but wouldn’t you know it ... as soon as I booked the show something else showed up on one of my ticket services that I really wanted to see ... HAND TO GOD. Damn!!

This show, about a Devil-possessed sock-puppet, is returning after a very successful run. I loved it and want to see it again. Oh well ... hopefully it will show up later.

As you loyal and faithful readers know, yesterday I posted about an awesome event I have scheduled for tomorrow. I know you have been breathlessly awaiting the details ... so ... calm down now ... here they are ...

How about a tribute concert to The Rolling Stones, playing at Carnegie Hall. Yes ... that’s it and here is the press blurb ...

8:00==>THE MUSIC OF THE ROLLING STONES: Hot Rock 1964-1971 @ Carnegie Hall. “Performers include: Rosanne Cash, Steve Earle, Jackson Browne, Art Garfunkel, Marianne Faithfull, Rickie Lee Jones, Ronnie Spector, Carolina Chocolate Drops, The Mountain Goats, Glen Hansard, Rich Robinson, Jackie Greene, Taj Mahal, Peaches, Marc Cohn, Jovanotti & Members of TV on the Radio, Angelique Kidjo, and Gomez” (rock concert - full price ticket).

Yes, Billi Pod has a stupefyingly, wonderful seat in basically the same area as last night’s concert. Magnificent.

OK ... time to post this, start my errands and then do some walking and wandering because the weather is really really beautiful.

So ... why don’t you ponder this ...

Yeah, I know ... think about it.

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-202

Billi Pod Has A Classical Music Doubleheader

Good morning everyone.

I am happy to report to you loyal and faithful readers that Billi Pod is no longer in a funk or in a bad mood because last night’s entertainment event put him back to where he belonged ...

Yes ... last night’s NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA @ Avery Fisher Hall concert featuring Beethoven’s 4th and 8th Symphonies was absolutely wonderful. Sublime.

Between the two Beethoven symphonies was an outstanding performance by cellist (yes, that is correct ... it is cellist, not celloist ... look it up, I did) Alisa Weilerstein performing Barber’s Cello Concerto. She received a roaring ovation from the audience.

The house appeared to be sold out and there were a lot of young people in attendance, something I always like to see at classical music events.

I left the concert with a smile on my face and all was well in Billi Pod’s World in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World.

It is a beautiful day, bright but still cold==>39º @ 7:30am.

I have another doubleheader scheduled for today, this time all classical music ... starting with ...

3:00==>DRESDEN PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA @ Avery Fisher Hall. “The program is: Weber - Overture to Der Freischtz; Dvorak - Cello Concerto; and, Beethoven - Symphony No. 5.” (discounted TDF ticket)

While this is not officially part of the New York Philharmonic’s Modern Beethoven Festival it does provide one of the Beethoven Symphonies that the Festival omitted. They elected not to perform 5, 6, or 9.

I anticipate the concert will be over around 5:00 and that will present a bit of dilemma for me, because I will have about 3 1/2 hours until my next event, at Carnegia Hall. Do I come back to PHC, do I just walk and wander, or do I, maybe, try to catch a movie?

We will just have to wait and see how things work out ... anyway .. the next concert will be ...

8:30==>MASTERWORKS FESTIVAL CHORUS AND NYC CHAMBER ORCHESTRA @ Carnegie Hall. “The program will include works by John Rutter, Haydn, George Shearing and others.” (complimentary ticket).

As usual with comp. ticket performances at Carnegie Hall I have no clue where my seat will be. Actually, that is kinda part of the adventure.

I think I will close this out and finish reading the 3 daily papers.

Oh, I have an awesome event scheduled for Tuesday which I will tell you about tomorrow, and, hopefully, I will also post the entertainment stats for the month of February either tonight or tomorrow==>they are awesome.

Now, my loyal and faithful readers ... something for you to ponder ...

Think about it ...

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-201