What a Wonderful World is What I Say to Myself

Image Credit: geralt

Famed American trumpeter and vocalist, Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong, was criticized for recording and singing the 1967 song “What a Wonderful World,” during a time when there was much social unrest and racial tension in the United States. Some felt he was out of touch with what was going on in the real world, and should be protesting the ills that society was fanning up senselessly to divide and conquer, instead of singing happy songs that make us smile.

But this was Armstrong’s form of advocacy, his fight to prohibit the upheaval and the stigma of the adversities to tarnish his hope of possibilities through his music. I admire his decision to continue focusing on the good, the positive, the beautiful, the loving, and not allow the distraction of hate and negativity to shroud his spirit with hopelessness. I believe this is how he and so many others with this same type of mindset survived the cruelty surrounding them. (Louis Armstrong’s Image Source: flutie8211)

It’s so disheartening to see upheaval rearing its ugly head, snarling its poisonous fangs, and the spread of anarchy even coming from within the confines of governmental, and authoritative systems all around the world. The dark side of humanity wants fear, anxiety, and hopelessness to soar. That’s control. But like Armstrong and so many others who are painting pictures of light, joy, peace, and hope, I’m doing my best to walk around with laser-focused clarity that point to the horizon where my advocacy to fight is immersed in infinite possibilities of positivity. So I say to myself, just like Louis Armstrong, what a wonderful world. 🌎

The Write Thing to Do is to Do the Write Thing

Image Credit: Kym Gordon Moore, 2018

As the adage goes, “You don’t miss the water till the well runs dry” holds truth in the world of writing. Today, I am presenting this message from a homophone angle (The Write Thing/The Right Thing). Currently, there is still an ongoing labor dispute between the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the  Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers  (AMPTP). This writer’s strike began at 12:01 a.m. (PDT) on May 2, 2023.

So why is the WGA striking? It isn’t for some vanity attention-getter or an obnoxious money grab. WGA members are fighting for better pay, streaming residuals, mandatory staffing, employment duration, and AI technology safeguards. Now, the domino effect is happening right before our eyes and it isn’t pretty. It is said that this is the largest interruption to American television and film production since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, as well as the largest labor stoppage for the WGA since the 2007–08 strike. 

I resurrected the above image I created 5 years ago because I thought about the power of our word messaging. This craft that all of us writers embrace is what writers actually create, and is not AI-generated, yet. We are passionate about our craft, regardless of our compensation. Once again, we are seeing another fallout from workers seeking better working conditions and better pay when so much falls on their shoulders, and the survival of an institution or company depends on their performance and productivity. Still, we clearly see evidence that a lot of bigwigs, administrators, and execs are reaping residuals, by the millions, while those who are on the bottom working rung (like teachers, healthcare workers, custodians, pilots, transportation workers, etc.) are overworked, underappreciated, and under-compensated.

Yeah, strikes can disrupt more lives than just the people who employ the protesters. No, I don’t think they are being selfish, they are merely trying to make a living. Is anyone really listening and responding to the problem? Sadly, if people are not protected by certain safeguards, they can be easily fired and replaced by another body, not necessarily by better talent. Yeah, these dissatisfied people can quit and find another job somewhere else, but it may not be easy to do. These individuals love what they do, and they are passionate about what they create because it isn’t just a job for them, or us. People want to work. They are only asking for equity and respect, in the workplace and their paycheck. Let’s hope that the write thing to do is for those who have the power to make necessary changes, actually do the right thing and stick to it. Writefully so, is that too much to ask for?

A homophone is a word that sounds the same as another word but has a different meaning and/or spelling.

Alter Ego?

Image Credit: GDJ – Pixabay

Oh, how I needed a reprieve from the weighted-down issues of everyday life. So last night, I was so excited that the season premiere of The Masked Singer aired. But I was even more curious and excited about the season premiere of a brand new show that came on afterward.

Now one of my favorite modern movies is Avatar. Oh my gosh, for me, this film has a magical and mystical “je ne sais quoi” that makes you fall in love with the storyline and the artistry James Cameron created and directed. Oops, so sorry…I digress. Where was I? Oh, yes…

It seems like there are so many singing competitions that look too similar in their programming. For my love of theatrical performances (The Lion King is one of my favorites), I was smitten when The Masked Singer appeared on the scene a few years ago. Oh, the pomp, pageantry, the voices, and the elaborate costumes got me hooked. But this new show was a pleasant surprise with a slightly different twist. It combines a love for singing, science, and technology.

Alter Ego serves up real-time performances of singers who are given the opportunity to show how they always wanted to be seen, by creating their dream avatar, while showcasing their performance style through motion. It was incredible to see how these singers contributed to the creation of their avatars and the reason why they do it. Last night, listening to the stories behind why the performers chose to select the avatars they created broke my heart and made me cry. 

Performers often say they are totally different on stage than they are in person because they become a different persona when performing (like Michael Jackson, for example). People have stories, and all too often their stories are swept under the rug because folks don’t want to hear them for a variety of reasons. Either they are ignored, marginalized, bullied, discriminated against, they may be suffering from a debilitating condition, or their stories may not be sensationalized enough based on certain opinions.

Part two of the season premiere for The Masked Singer and Alter Ego come on tonight on FOX. If you’re interested, check your local listing for the time in your time zone.

Is it Possible to Stay Entertained Without Electronics? 📴

Image Credit: Ola Dapo

Sometimes, I often wonder whether the rapid pace of technology keeps us from turning our on switches off. How many times do we see parents handing their children in strollers their smartphones to keep them entertained while they shop? What happened to rattlers, or teddy bears, or trucks, or dolls or maybe crayons with coloring books?

Now, call me ancient, old-fashioned or a Neanderthal for that matter, and quite frankly that’s okay with me. Trust me I can find so many ways to stay entertained without constantly feeling trapped by high-tech gadgets and “smart” devices that raises an eyebrow to their smart aleckness. It can be quite harrowing when the background noise of electronics invades the stratosphere of your brain. We’re losing sleep, we’re stressed, we’re overwhelmed, and we’re taking hyperactivity to a whole new level.

Now, as summer approaches, vacations are on the horizon, and kids are getting out of school, how do you plan their summer activities to keep them engaged in something beyond their electronics and gaming consoles? First, ask yourself, what can you do to step away from your high-tech world and find manual ways to be entertained? Can you do it and if you can, would you be willing to do it? 🤔

Chatting Loud, Saying Nothing

Image Credit: freepik.com

Oh how humorous those chattering  teeth chomp

wound up, making noise with nonsensical purpose

toy jaws, baseless distractions with aimless direction

winding down, chit-chatting with a faceless smile.

Image Credit: RawPixel.com

Image Source: Annhua

Image Source: rawpixel.com

Will Drive-In Movie Theaters Make a Comeback?

Image Credit: KIRKIKIS/Getty Images

The outbreak of COVID-19 has clearly interrupted our daily, leisure, and entertainment routines. Growing up, drive-in movie theaters were all the rage when new movies came out. Popular in the 1950s and 60s, the whole family would load up in the car for a night of family entertainment. Of course, it was also a popular place for couples and friends to congregate.

Since there is a great concern about the welfare and safety issues of theater patrons with our indoor cinemas, what do you think about the resurgence of drive-in movie theaters in this new time of social distancing? Will you be comfortable returning back to watching movies shown indoors or do you think we will see more drive-in theaters popping back up around the country and around the world?

Stubs to Prove I Was There in a Moment in Time

Image Credit: Julie Gentry

Indicators that I was there

special events I once attended

premier appearances, encore performances

memories of entertainment from a ticket stub.

While the stubs from these concert tickets in the above photo aren’t mine, I found a small box of old ticket stubs from concerts, movies, sporting events, and other happenings that I attended with my husband, family, friends or while on a date from way back when. I look at the venue where these special events were held, some of them no longer exist, and many of the performers have since passed away.

Yet as I sorted through these old stubs, I’m reminded of times when I had fun and when I felt incredibly exhilarated from simply being there, in attendance during times that will never again be, evidence that I was admitted to be me.

Toss it Up, Catch it, Flip it, and then Take a Bow

Circus Vargus Pirate juggling balls

Juggling reminds me of multitasking. I was always fascinated by balls, bowling pins, plates, and fire which are typically objects we see tossed in the air repeatedly by a juggler. The manipulation of such objects as extreme as knives and chain saws is the art of precision, skill, and bravery of this performer. Keeping several objects in motion in the air at the same time by alternately tossing and catching them impeccably and without hesitation is entertaining, fun, and quite a talented recreational sport.

Image credit: Ingram

I suspected the act of juggling began with a woman (no I’m not being sexist), because of the myriad of duties a woman has to typically perform, literally simultaneously and practically every day. That’s a lot of eye-and-hand coordination which is worthy of enthusiastic, awestruck applause.

According to juggling.org, the earliest record of juggling is suggested in a panel from the 15th Beni Hasan tomb of an unknown Egyptian prince, showing female dancers and acrobats throwing balls. Juggling has been recorded in many early cultures including Egyptian, Nabataean, Chinese, Indian, Greek, Roman, Norse, Aztec (Mexico) and Polynesian civilizations. Some kings’ and noblemen’s bards, fools, or jesters would have been able to juggle or perform acrobatics, though their main skills would have been oral (poetry, music, comedy, and storytelling).

Do you juggle and if so what do you juggle, and how long have you juggled? Do you do it as a form of leisure recreation or perform for an audience? What goes up must come down, but when you’re juggling your ups and downs go round and round! 😀

All-Points Bulletin: Be on the Lookout for Common Sense

Image Credit: Gerd Altmann

Calling all Cars…Be on the Lookout for Common Sense!

Yes, I know I was a teenager for…what…7 years and I admit I did some crazy and daring things sometimes. I look back on those wild and crazy days and from time to time wonder, “What in the heck was I thinking?”

Yet somehow the crazy insane things I thought were crazy and insane at that time pale in comparison to some of the ludicrous and unthinkable things people are doing right now. Yet, ‘someone’ has thought about it, then it began to spread like viral wildfire, and now the consequences leave us scratching our heads in utter bewilderment.

So let’s talk about some of these video challenges that have derailed the train of common sense. Now, clearly, I understood the cause behind the ice bucket challenge, albeit extreme, it was intended to raise money and awareness for a good cause. Yet, now I am seeing reports of people bandaged with severe burns from taking the “Hot Water Challenge” or recovering from extreme serious injuries by jumping out of their moving cars for the “In My Feelings” challenge. Huh? You mean you really have to tell people not to jump out of moving vehicles for the fun of it or they can get hurt or killed?

After looking at how many insane challenges there were, I was absolutely appalled by how much people want to ‘up the ante’ in the danger zone. So that you know I’m not making this stuff up, click here to read more of the article “15 Of The Most Dangerous Online Challenges Teenagers Have Ever Done.” Thank goodness social media was not around when I was a teen because the production of the next two generations would be very low in representation.

Talk To Me

Image Source: Newsday

Do you watch daytime or late night talk shows? Who is your favorite TV talk show host? Well, today we observe National TV Talk Show Host Day, which is celebrated on the birthday of Johnny Carson (October 23, 1925-January 23, 2005) who is best known for the successful thirty-year run of “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.”

Talk shows make us think, talk about and react to the subject matter that is discussed, no matter how bizarre the topics may be. From TV pioneers like Jack Paar and Johnny Carson to David Letterman, Jay Leno, Arsenio Hall, Phil Donahue, Oprah Winfrey, Jerry Springer, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, and James Corden just to name a few, like them or hate them they are definitely a part of our entertainment culture. Even though talk shows feature the most recognized personalities and current events, you may also see those occasional, hilarious wild animal kingdom segments that will leave your mouth open from the unrehearsed snafus.

TV Talk Show Host

Here’s a topic, grab a chair, let’s sit and chat
we may laugh, disagree or even get into a spat
monologues, news and jokes to entertain
from serious topics to sometimes the insane

comedians, politicians, and well-known celebrities
public figures, athletes and recognized personalities
in the morning, afternoon or on late night TV
without TV talk show hosts where would TV be?

© Kym Gordon Moore