A Litany for Leslie

Hmmm...three days in and I'm at a loss. 'Twas a pretty tame day and I don't really have much to report. But Leslie reads my blog while she drinks her coffee in the morning, so I'll be damned if I'm going to stop writing again and disappoint her!!

Although, I imagine she finds it hard to follow on occasion. She and Gloria got in a discussion today and now Gloria and I think Leslie's pop culture references begin about six years ago!

Gloria was discussing the Jackson 5 and when she got to Randy -- Randy Jackson -- Leslie's ears perked up and she became more enthusiastic about the conversation. As soon as Gloria said that, I knew why: Leslie thought Jackson 5 Randy Jackson was..........American Idol judge, Randy Jackson.

Then they segued to Lou Ferrigno signing on as Jacko's trainer for the "This Is It" tour (foreshadowing?) and Leslie didn't know who that was. When Gloria explained that he was the Incredible Hulk, Leslie went to the first movie.....and then the second. And then imagine her surprise when Gloria told her there was an Incredible Hulk TV show. "There was a TV show??"

Sigh.

Those pop culture references seem to make or break relationships for me. I don't know how people with tremendous age differences do it. Even Voldemort and I were only 4 years apart, but because of her disdain for television {shudder} we were light years apart. I will never ignore this seemingly silly, yet ultimately crucial, trait again! Now I know there are outliers. I myself am an 80-year-old in a 40-year-old body. My musical, theatrical, filmical, and televisionical (ok, those last two might be grammatically incorrect) references begin in the 20s, crap out for a spell in the 90s, and then continue through today. So I know there are other people out there like me who may not have lived through a particular time, but can still discuss, even "reminisce" about such subjects.

I don't know why that's important to me, but it is. It's part of the click. When you bring up a topic and you see that spark of recognition in another person and then you both immediately start gushing or complaining or laughing about it, it's magic. Silly collective consciousness magic. And I adore it.

Leslie's goofy enough that I think we're all willing to cut her some slack. She seems eager to learn -- ok, tolerant of our lectures -- so I guess we'll let her stick around. And honestly, we have gotten some great laughs out of her questions and comments. So keep up the good work!

And here's your coffee blog. Didn't know when I started that it would be about you, but that's how this thing works on occasion. Which reminds me of an old "My Favorite Martian" episode. You know, the show that starred Bill Bixby. He went on to play the doctor version of the Incredible Hulk before someone made him mad -- you don't want to see him when he's mad -- and he turned into a green Lou Ferrigno. But then he went on to direct "Blossom," before he withered away from cancer and ultimately died -- wearing a GIANT pair of glasses because what's the point of buying new frames when you're terminal? "Blossom" starred Mayim Bialik after she played the young Bette Midler in "Beaches" and Joey Lawrence, who at the time had a huge head of hair and air and said "Whoa" a lot. You may know him better as the bald dancer on one of those "Dancing with the Stars" seasons. Of course, most people remember him as a youngster on "Gimme a Break," starring Nell Carter (who started doing TV after a successful run on Broadway in "Ain't Misbehavin'") and that old white guy who also withered away from cancer during the course of the series. Nell's best friend on the show was played by Telma Hopkins who had achieved fame as one of the two ladies of "Dawn," as in "Tony Orlando and Dawn," famous for various songs, including the upbiquitous "Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Old Oak Tree" which became an anthem for the American hostages held in Iran in 1979.

Now, where was I? ;)