performance of THE HALLELUJAH GIRLS at the Asheville Community Theatre . . . it's

a delightful comedy about four women who at the funeral of a friend, decide to stop drifting

and make something of themselves by doing what makes them  happy . . . in this case,

it involves converting an old church into the Spa-Dee-Dah! Day Salon.

 

Everybody in the case was excellent . . . however, in particular, I liked the work of

Rhonda Parker who dons various costumes as she sings a song for every conceivable

holiday . . . Joan Atwood also had us in stitches, especially in one scene where

she lost her voice.

 

Though you won't be able to see this particular show, do catch other productions

at this theatre . . . we've enjoyed everything we have seen there . . . for news

of what's upcoming, please click:

 

 

B. We also got to attend the ribbon cutting ceremony of Asheville 4 Seasons

Realty . . . Suzanne Smith, our friend and favorite local realtor, has opened this

office with Susan Lodato . . . it's located at 4 Sulphur Springs Road, just off

Haywood Road; 828.225.6911.

 

There was plenty of good food, including BBQ from 12 Bones; music; friendship, etc.,

and we are both hopeful--make that convinced--that Suzanne will succeed

in her latest venture.

 

I will tell you this: You won't go wrong if you work with Suzanne Smith as your realtor!

 

C. If you're like me, you celebrate ALL holidays . . . that way there's more

food and great presents, as well as time with loved ones and friends . . . furthermore,

for a fun holiday activity that can be enjoyed by the entire family, drive around

your neighborhood to conduct your own contest to determine the best Christmas

decorations . . . . I've tried to help in this issue by pointing out several homes

that caught my attention.

 

However, I have also tried to be fair to my Jewish readers by giving justice

to that holiday as well . . . so make sure you see Sections 7 and the PS

after Section 12.

 

I truly believe that the more we learn about and appreciate the cultures of others,

the more we can all pull together to make this country--and world, too--an even

better place than it already is.

D. CONGRATULATIONS to Bill Lewis . . . as to why, I quote his lovely

wife Diane: 

 

 

This one is especially great if you're in the search for a cheap way

to decorate for the holidays. Make sure you look at the house

to the right. 

 

_________________________________________________________

4. Reviews

 

A. Do try to see BROTHERS, a powerful drama about two brothers . . . one

of them gets sent to Afghanistan and when his plane is shot down, he

is presumed dead . . . I'm still revisiting in my mind some of the scenes

from the film . . . they'll live with me for quite some time, as will the performances

by both Tobey Maguire and Jake Gyllenhaal in the leading roles . . . though

not specifically an anti-war film, I do think that if you see it, you'll rethink

the wisdom of sending even one American soldier to war in any

foreign country . . . rated R.

 

AN INVITE:

 

Shortly after I saw the above, I read an excellent op-ed piece about the war in

Afghanistan . . . written by Thomas L. Friedman, it got me thinking some

more about the subject . . . you will, too, if you take the time to read what

he has to say.

 

B. JULIE & JULIA is now out in DVD format . . . my review from
BLAINESWORLD #657 follows:

 

JULIE & JULIA  is almost a great movie . . . it's a comedy/
biopic about Julia Child and the woman who attempts to
recreate all her recipes--and blog about them . . . Meryl
Streep is fantastic as Child; methinks she deserve at least another
Oscar nomination for her performance . . . Stanley Tucci, as
always, was great in a supporting role . . . Amy Adams was
cute as Julie; however, her part of the film was just not
as strong as the other part . . . rated PG-13.

 

C. OPEN by Andre Agassi is probably the best tennis
book I have ever read . . . though considering the fact
that I haven't read too many other tennis books (maybe
just one other), that's not saying much . . . so I'll amend
that statement to say that it was one of the best
sports books I have ever read.

It's a gripping account of the tennis star's life that
had me hooked from the very first page . . . there's
some dirt in it, of course; e.g., about his use of
crystal meth that cost him his No. 1 ranking . . . yet
some of the stuff that's revealed is actually funny,
such as his account of the problems with the wig
he wore to hide his premature baldness.

I was also surprised to learn how his father worked
him so hard as a youngster:

* My father says that if I hit 2,500 balls each day, I'll hit 17,500
balls each week, and at the end of one year I'll have hit nearly
one million balls. He believes in math. Numbers, he says, don't lie.
A child who hits one million balls each year will be unbeatable.

Yet, by far, OPEN most came alive when Agassi described in
amazing detail how he thought about actually playing the sport
(he actually hated most of his life):

* I'm winning more often. I should be happy. Instead I'm
uptight, because it’s over. I've enjoyed a triumphant hard-court
season, my body wants to keep playing on hard courts, but clay
season is starting. The sudden switch from one surface to another
changes everything. Clay is a different game, thus your game must
become different, and so must your body. Instead of sprinting
from side to side, stopping short and starting, you must slide and lean
and dance. Familiar muscles now play supporting roles, dormant muscles
dominate. It’s painful enough, under the best of circumstances, that I
don't  know who I am. To suddenly become a different person, a clay
person, adds another degree of frustration and anxiety.

And the vivid accounts of his battles with such tennis greats
as Jimmy Connor's, Pete Sampras and Roger Federer had me
feeling almost as if I was on the court, right beside him . . . for
example, there was this description of a match he had with Xavier Malisse
from Belgium:

* He moves admirably well and has slingshot of an arm. He features
a meaty forehand and an acing serve, but he’s not consistent. Also, his
backhand is mediocre: it looks as if it should be great because he’s
so comfortable hitting it, but he’s more interested in the way it looks
than actually executing it. He simply cannot hit a backhand up the line,
and if you can't do that, you can't beat me. I control the court too well. If
you can't hit a backhand up the line, I'll dictate every point. An opponent
has to move me, stretch me off the mark, put me in a position where I'm
dealing with him, or else he'll have to play on my terms. And my terms
are harsh. Especially as I get older.

The book concludes with an account of what did happen to Agassi as
he grew older and eventually retired from competitive tennis . . . I was
touched how he has turned to philanthropy, and I was also gladdened
to read of the happiness he has found with his second wife (Stefanie Graf).

 

D. I heard MAESTRO by Bob Woodward . . . it's the account of Alan
Greenspan's role as chairman of the Federal Reserve from 1987
2000.

Though the book was not about a subject that I ordinarily would
seek out, I found it quite interesting . . . in addition, I was
appreciative of the fact that it explained economics in a way
that I could understand too.

What I liked best about it, however, was the fact that I got
to understand Greenspan's role as a maestro . .. though he ruled
by consensus, he did so with a firm hand that was able
to get support from both political parities in what were
some very turbulent times.

I also got a kick out the story behind his proposal to his wife . . . it
turns out the he had to propose twice to her, the violinist-turned-TV
news star Andrea Mitchell, before she understood that:

* His verbal obscurity and caution were so ingrained that Mitchell didn't
even know that he had asked her to marry him.

And this account of how Greenspan made decisions was most insightful:

* It turns out that for all his awesome knowledge of monetary minutiae, the
Fed chief literally relies on "a pain in the pit of my stomach" to make decisions.
"At times, he found his body sensed danger before his head," writes Woodward.
The Fed chief also adapts Einstein's technique to economics, hunting for
discrepancies as keys to deeper theories. 

Actor James Naughton handled the narration duties . . . his familiar
voice added to my enjoyment of the book,

_________________________________________________________

5. TV alert

 

A. BAM MARGERA PRESENTS: WHERE THE #$&% IS SANTA? airs

on Friday at 10 p.m. on MTV . . . the JACKASS alum assembles his

motley crew and heads to the Arctic Circle in search of the big guy.

 

B. CHRISTMAS IN CANAAN stars Billy Ray Cyrus as a widower

who devises an unconventional plan to ease the tension between his son and

a neighborhood boy . . . Kenny Rogers wrote the story . . . Saturday

at 8 p.m. on HALLMARK.

 

C. THE PEOPLE SPEAK is a 90-minute civil-rights documentary, inspired

by the books of historian Howard Zinn . . . Matt Damon is the executive

producer and is one of the voices . . . he is joined by such others as

Morgan Freeman, John Legend, Sean Penn, Pink and Bruce

Springsteen . . . Sunday at 8 p.m. on HISTORY.

even though I had more people coming up to my house than

ever. 

B. Cathy in Pennsylvania (with a list of holiday peace events planned by the Princeton regional

office and several of our chapters:

 

On Friday, December 11, CFPA's South Jersey affiliate is co-sponsoring a Peace Vigil

from 5:30-6:30 PM in Woodstown, NJ. 

.

Next Tuesday, December 15, our CFPA Regional Office is having our annual 5 PM Vigil at Palmer

Square, 6 PM Potluck and 7:00 PM Peace Concert at Nassau Presbyterian Church, 61 Nassau

Street (right across from Palmer Square in Princeton). The Vigil will feature a large sign with the

message, "President Obama: Fulfill the Promise of Peace." All CFPA/peace supporters throughout

the region are urged to come. 

.

Finally, on Monday, December 28, CFPA's South Jersey affiliate is co-sponsoring a Peace Vigil

starting at 1:30 PM and going until after dark at the Monument in Atlantic City, NJ. The Vigil will

be led by high school students. 

 

For more information, please click:

 

I'm inviting you to:

 

WHAT: Open House for the Decorative Arts Program at AB Tech

 

WHERE: Ivy Building on the Main Campus of AB Tech

 

WHEN: Sunday, December 13, from 2-4 p.m.

 

We are in the final week of school and getting spiffed up to show off what we have learned. 

I hope you can come see what I have spent the past year doing!

 

The Ivy Building is off Victoria Rd. on the main campus of AB Tech. Once you turn onto

Victoria (from either Biltmore Ave. or Meadow off Amboy Rd.) follow the signs to the Pines

Building.  Ivy is the large red brick building directly across from Pines. Let me know if you

need more specific directions.

 

Hope to see you there! 

_________________________________________________________

PS. Happy Chanukah to all those who want to make it so  . . .  and to get you in the