Replies: 80 Unseemly Comments
First post? Could it be?
My first car was a 1984
Chrysler New Yorker which my
family inherited from my
grandmother when she died.
The license plate # was 632
BBQ, (I swear) so it became
the BBQ machine.
It was a funny old car...the best
part being that it talked.
Seriously, if you left your keys
in and attempted to get out it
would say "Don't forget your
keys." If your gas was on
empty it would repeatedly tell
you "Your fuel is low" and every
time you got in the car it
faithfully said "Please fasten
your seatbelt." This all said in
a very low bass voice, one
you'd expect to hear doing a
documentary on rainforests or
something.
My dear father, who has an
odd sense of humor, used to
inform people who got in the
car that this car told jokes.
They'd look at him like he was
nuts, of course, but he would
calmly "ask the car" "When is a
door not a door?" He would
then open the door, while the
car was moving, and the car
would answer "A door is ajar."
It never failed to get a laugh
from the person in the
car...except me, because I'd
heard it a million times.
My own personal best
experience with that car was
when I took it to take my driving
test at the tender age of 16.
Got in the car with the
instructor, put it in reverse, hit
the gas, and heard my ever
thoughtful car inform me "You
are driving with the parking
brake engaged"
I did pass the test, by the way...
Posted by Ann @ 05/15/2003 09:27 AM PST
What wonderful answers to the questions. Thank you, BK.
Hmmmmmm....the first car I drove was my brother's 1958 Thunderbird which was a terrific car that could really go 135 mph.
The first car someone gave me was a 1962 Dodge with push button transmission. It was also very fast and fun to drive, and it had a square steering wheel.
The first car I bought was a 1968 Rambler American, 6 cylinder automatic transmission. It could barely go 65 mph, but it was fun and easy to drive and take care of.
My worst car story concerns the time my sister and I were in our 1959 Chevrolet (if you remember them, you know what they looked like, if you don't, I can't describe them). It was a three speed on the column. My sister and I drove to the Co-op to get feed for the horse. I took the back alley home, misjudged a turn and ended up nose down off a small bridge. We weren't hurt, but we certainly drew a crowd. After a few minutes, a farmer came by with a tractor and pulled us out. The car, my sister and I, and the feed were all unharmed.
But we never told anybody...until today.
Posted by Jrand52 @ 05/15/2003 09:45 AM PST
My first car was a 1976 orange Volkswagen Super Beetle. My parents bought it from friends of theirs whose daughter owned it and upgraded to a new car, so "Betsy" (her name for the car, I called it an "it") was no longer needed. I drove it to college from Olympia to Centralia and when I went to Western Washington University in Bellingham it came with me. The car had problems (as I'm sure all old Super Beetles do). The engine caught on fire one time and a total stranger driving behind me just happened to have a fire extinguisher and was able to put it out. The heater control wire broke and the mechanic said that he could fix it so that the heat was either always turned on or always turned off. I had it kept on, on the driver's side (ever the martyr) so that my passengers would be comfortable and not have their feet get too hot from the heat being on all the time. The other problem was that in the last couple of years that I owned the car, the defrost no longer worked at all. When it got too cold I had to scrape the inside of my windshield. Ahh, the memories! I loved that car. When it finally bit the dust, I got a used (I bought it when it had only 14,099 miles on it) Subaru Justy.
Speaking of license plates, Ann, the last two letters of my driver's license number are KE and my Beetle license plate was KEH 625! My Justy license plate was 222 DBL. 222-Double!
Posted by George @ 05/15/2003 09:48 AM PST
Bruce, I am shocked, do you hear me, shocked, to hear that you are driving an SUV. Such watch!
Posted by Kerry @ 05/15/2003 09:48 AM PST
My first car: A 1964 Malibu Super Sport (white, w/red interior!).
Hot! Hot! Hot!
It was given to my by my parents in the summer of 1969 as a "you're going to be a college senior" gift.
At that time, most of my friends were driving cars they'd been given as graduation gifts after high school. Modest cars, at that! But they also were students who worked in surrounding towns and needed transportation. So...cars at that time, on the east coast, were not taken for granted by folks in their late teens, early 20s.
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 05/15/2003 09:57 AM PST
BK you never answered my question about the Chet & Eileen Atkins diet. Someone else mentioned that it is YOUR name for the Dr. Atkins diet. And since his name was Robert, and his wife's name was I think (Veronica), then why do you call it Chet & Eileen. You've got me curious now!
As for reading late posts, I must say I sometimes don't read them. If I've read the posts the day before, and if the new day starts before I read the late posts, sometimes I forget to do so. Bad, bad.
Btw, anybody here watching American Idol? Go Clay!!!
Posted by Jennifer @ 05/15/2003 10:02 AM PST
Jennifer - Since I never have watched "American Idol" (the 21st Century version of "Major Bowe's Original Amateur Hour") can you tell me what kind of music these people sing. I have seen photos of the two finalists, a large black man and a skinny white guy. Do they sing rap, current pop, pop standards or what?
Anna- Regarding your late post, the complete Buckley GYPSY (which co-starred a surprisingly good Debby Gibson as Louise) has never been recorded but she does do a few of the songs on her various solo albums.
My first car was the CTA bus in Chicago; my current car is the New York subway.
Posted by William E. Lurie @ 05/15/2003 10:19 AM PST
Before I get to the Topic of the
Day, let me thank the buff,
toned, with buns and abs of
steel, and charming BK for
answering my questions
about TFNM. But I hasten to
add that I would never have
actually put the digitalized
graphics on the screen. Oh
no, that would not do at all.
Only to see John Smithee et al
discussing the software with
the technician, looking at the
monitor and reaction shots,
reaction shots, reaction shots.
But eet's so beeeeg!
No, there is quite enough
gross humor in Wyan
Brothers movies. It is no
longer possible to shock a
teenage audience anymore.
Soon, one will actually
expected to be funny in
a comedy again.
Posted by William F. Orr @ 05/15/2003 10:24 AM PST
Re: American Idol and what they sing
There are two contestants left: Ruben (the big black guy you mentioned) and Clay (the skinny white guy).
On most shows they do not have a choice of what style they sing. For instance they've shows where everyone had to sing: Burt Bacarach songs or BeeGees songs. Or they had one show where they had to sing songs from the movies.
This week they had to sing 3 songs (pull one from a hat, have the judges choose one, and choose one of their own).
You should watch it. It's very addictive!
Posted by Jennifer @ 05/15/2003 10:32 AM PST
Well, you can see by the
skinny paragraphs that I am
not at my regular computer. I
am at an Imac (hate'em,
hate'em) in the computer lab,
where my students are taking
a final.
The first car I drove regularly
was my parents' 1954 Chevy,
their "second car", which I
totalled in my senior year
(1962) picking up my tux for
the prom. As a consequence,
I was forced to double-date
and returned at 4:00 am to the
unmitigated wrath of my
maternal progenitor. Oy! And I
was the "good kid".
The first car I actually owned
was not until I was in graduate
school in Madison WI. A dear
friend (very dear) was
transferred to Korea by the Air
Force and sold me his
second car, an ancient VW
Bug for jaunting about town,
which I had theretofor done by
wearing down my shoe
leather.
Such a car it was. Red. No
gas guage. No heater. In the
winter I drove with an ice
scraper in one hand, and that
was my defroster. The car
could not reach 50 mph no
matter how hard the little dear
tried.
But when it was buried by a
blizzard, and I waited two
months until the snow melted,
it started right up. Happy
memories. (And I paid
$200--that's certainly a happy
memory, although I thought it
was a fortune at the time.)
Posted by William F. Orr @ 05/15/2003 10:38 AM PST
"Funny" comedy? What a great idea. WFO, you're such a visionary! ;)
The first car I owned was a candy apple-red '78 Mustang hatchback. Bought it when I was 17, $800 cash on the barrelhead and the title was MINE. It looked fantastic (when people saw it for the first time, they invariably complimented me on my "hot" (guys) or "cute" (girls) car), but underneath that nifty paint job the body appeared to be rusted clean through. There were other little probs, too...like the fact that the air vents were stuck in the "on" position (not such a problem in the summer, but in wintertime...hoo boy!) and the driver's side seat (buckets) was loose on the track. It would slide back and forth with acceleration and deceleration, except I jammed a screwdriver into the track on one side. That fixed *that* problem.
I especially loved the steering wheel on my 'stang...it had three wide chrome spokes with holes going down them...am I explaining this in a way anyone can understand? Like the steering wheel of a racecar.
I kept it until the muffler blew out. It was going to be a LOT of money to replace it, and there were a lot of other problems with it, besides. After the muffler blew, in the lower gears my beloved car sounded like a 747 coming in for a landing. I traded it in on an '85 Renault...THE disaster car of my life!!! A story for some cozy night in front of the fire.
Posted by Lulu @ 05/15/2003 10:41 AM PST
Ahh, Ann's BBQ machine, I
remember it well. And, yes,
her father did have the car tell
it's joke the first time I rode in
the thing. :-)
As for car stories, I've had
more than my fair share. For a
bit of background, my father
used to work in an auto
wrecking yard, so both my first
two cars were ones he got
cheap... "All it needed was a
new (fill in the blank) and it
works just great!" Famous
last words.
Car #1 was a 1985 Subaru
hatchback. It actually ran
reasonably well, but was
rather junky otherwise. Had it
from the time I was 16 until my
high school graduation. My
grad present was...
Car #2, a 1986 Pontiac
Sunbird. Got the car June '98,
and one July night I was
driving the 60 miles home
from my summer theatre gig.
The most ungodly noises I'd
ever hear started eminating
from beneath the hood, and
then the car just died totally.
Turns out it had thrown a
couple pistons clean out of the
engine. Luckily, there was
another theatre commuter just
a couple minutes behind me
who picked me up. I went
back to Car #1 for a couple
months while my father took
his time getting Car #2 fixed.
In August, I was taking Car #1
up to the theatre, when the
clutch went out! I was cursed,
I tell you, cursed!
Flash forward to July '99, one
year to the day that Car #2 first
died on me. It dies again,
coming home from the theatre
just as the year before, only
one mile from the first spot.
Radiator issues this time.
August '00... I elected to move
the 60 miles north that
summer, no commute
necessary. So I'm driving the
2 miles from my apartment to
the theater, and (surprise
surprise) Car #2 dies for the
THIRD SUMMER IN A ROW!!!
Blown head gasket this time. I
was totally fed up at this point,
and just signed the title over to
the auto shop. Bought my
1984 Honda Accord a week
later, and have been quite
happy since.
Posted by Jed @ 05/15/2003 10:43 AM PST
Our HHW clock has been
fixed! Huzzah huzzah!
Posted by Jed @ 05/15/2003 10:46 AM PST
Jed, you almost can't go wrong with Honda or Toyota. I suppose they've occasionally had less than reliable individual models, but generally speaking those two makes of car are the best in terms of reliability. That's why our last three cars have been Toyota Corollas!
Posted by Lulu @ 05/15/2003 10:47 AM PST
Well, as I'm in nostalgic whimsy mode, my first car, circa late-70s, was a 1969 red mini-cooper, straight out of the "original" Italian Job. I loved that car, tooling conveniently around the crowded side streets of central London, parking anywhere one felt like it, including often on the pavement itself ("sidewalk" of course over here.) On one particular occasion, I stopped off at my favorite record shop to pick up the latest Led Zeppelin album, and, as was my custom, parked half on and half off the road. A mere ten minutes later I returned to find the car stolen! Calling the police, I reported the terrible news only to be dryly informed by the officer on duty: "Yeah, and we know who did it--us!" A heavy fine and towing charges later, I learned to modify my parking habits. With the remake of The Italian Job upon us, (amusingly set in LA), I'm once again in love with those Minis, and may have to pick up one of the new little blighters to relive my mis-spent youth.
Posted by Nick R @ 05/15/2003 11:10 AM PST
My first car was a 1990 Toyota Tercel sedan. I loved it. I had just graduated from high school and since I was going to college it was decided that I needed a car. Half of it was a graduation gift...I paid for the other half and my parents paid my insurance payments as long as I was going to school full-time. That ended when I went to graduate school. I thought that was MORE than generous for a graduation gift.
Anywho, I was a huge Elvis nut back in those days (this was around 1994/95), and some friends of mine and I went to Memphis to visit Graceland. Oh, what a gloriously tacky event it was! I have since returned to the King's domain three times. While I was there, I bought a license plate that read "ELVIS1" and I attached it to the front of my Tercel. From that point on, it was the Elvis-mobile.
The car was a standard, and I only had driven an automatic, so I was forced to learn how to drive it, since it was, after all, my car. One Saturday afternoon I had a hankerin' for some Golden Grahams and decided to be bold and drive my car to the Piggly Wiggly by myself! I got to the intersection coming out of my neighborhood (which was only about 2 blocks from the P.W.) and I stalled the car. Now, this was a fairly busy road, and there I was, stuck in the Elvis-mobile nearly wetting my pants because I didn't know what to do and cars were coming at me from three different directions. I eventually got the darn thing started and forwent the trip to the Pig and went straight home. I've never been so freaked out in my life.
Posted by Jason @ 05/15/2003 11:11 AM PST
BK: Re. replacing Ms. Loudon... Are your references to a "WICKED" idea and Ms. Chenoweth's CD clues as to who you're trying to get as a replacement? You know, Kristi and I went to the same school...and I sang for her in a masterclass and she said I was "mesmerizing" (her words, not mine...). I can't wait to see her in WICKED.
Posted by Jason @ 05/15/2003 11:16 AM PST
Sad news...Mr. Robert Stack has passed away. Click on my name for the link to CNN.com.
Posted by Jason @ 05/15/2003 11:21 AM PST
Since it has worked for Jason, maybe it will work for me, too...
Can I make a big request for your positive vibes as I audition for RAGTIME tonight? We had our first auditions on Monday night, and I did pretty well. Tonight, the director will be narrowing down the field for the principal roles. I would LOVE to play Tateh, and I think I have a real chance at getting the part. I did a decent job sing "Gliding" on Monday, plus I practiced some more last night, and I feel ready. I also sang for Younger Brother on Monday, and will likely be singing for Father tonight.
Any words of encouragement are most welcome.... ;-)
Posted by Dave @ 05/15/2003 11:24 AM PST
~~~Good vibes~~~
Posted by Jason @ 05/15/2003 11:26 AM PST
My worst "car" would be any of the mini-motorhomes that transported us around the country visiting in-laws. Oh, how the kids and I enjoyed sight-seeing in the small towns whenever we'd get stranded.
Posted by Laura @ 05/15/2003 11:27 AM PST
~~~~~Good vibes for Dave!!
Posted by Laura @ 05/15/2003 11:28 AM PST
My first car was a 1957 Chrysler that was originally my parents. It was a big, blue and white car with huge pointy fins in the back. Since I really had no say in the choice, I drove that monstrosity until I bought a 1964 Dodge Dart. It was practically brand new and had been driven by this elderly woman for only local shopping trips. I loved that car and even named it. "Danny Dart" had a slant 6-cylinder engine and got good mileage. IMO, Chrysler had a real winner (pity they don't make them anymore). Mechanics always commented on how easy it was to work on, although it rarely needed any repairs. People were always coming up to me in parking lots and asking if I would like to sell it. I finally parted with it when Union Oil had this special campaign to get smog inducing cars off the road. They paid me $700 for it and I had to drive it to a wrecking facility, where I tearfully watched my beloved being crushed to a pulp and heaped onto a pile of other unfortunates.
Posted by Donna @ 05/15/2003 11:58 AM PST
First car...a 1971 red Toyota Corolla purchased in '74. My parents chipped in on the down payment as a graduation present, so it also was my first bank loan ($900 as I recall).
Worst car story? Just happened last fall. My 9 month old PT Cruiser was parked in our driveway (which sits at a 45 degree angle to the street). One of our neighbor's kids was going out for her first time behind the wheel. She drove all of 4 houses to the corner, gave their Jeep too much gas, oversteered as she went right, bounded up our driveway and hit the gas (again!) instead of the brake. Suffice it to say my PT was the shock absorber between her Jeep and my house. $5000 and two weeks later, it was back in my driveway.
BK - thanks for the invite. Would you please email addl info when it is available (song, studio location, etc). Look forwards to seeing you again and meeting Jason & Ms. Kaye!
And to my fellow H/K's - I would appreciate any/all the good karma you can provide, as I open in a production of "Rodgers & Hart" tomorrow night (my featured songs include "My Romance" and "Johnny One Note"). If anyone wants to meander out to Long Island, please email me for ticket info.
Posted by Phil @ 05/15/2003 12:03 PM PST
Go for it Dave!
Posted by Phil @ 05/15/2003 12:11 PM PST
Re: DEBBIE REYNOLDS
I liked Debbie in ...
Susan Slept Here
Mary, Mary
Goodbye Charlie
Posted by Donna @ 05/15/2003 12:33 PM PST
Good vibes headed Dave's way.
And whatever ♦♦good karma♦♦ I may have is on its way to Phil. :)
☺☻
Posted by Lulu @ 05/15/2003 12:37 PM PST
Darn! Such cute little symbols they were...and they just didn't work.
Posted by Lulu @ 05/15/2003 12:38 PM PST
~~~~~~~good vibes to Dave~~~~~
Such wonderful car stories! Lulu, I think I passed you once on I-465 when you were driving the Mustang!
Great Debbie movies, Donna. Have you seen THIS HAPPY FEELING?
Posted by Jrand52 @ 05/15/2003 12:41 PM PST
Cars that have bars take you there....
(a Miss Saigon reference)
My first car was a 1985 Isuzu I-Mark
that my grandparents bought me
when I was 18 and moved in with
them. I suceeded in crashing the
summer after that, they were more
than gracious in fixing it, then, I hit a
bus. Yes, you heard me, a bus. I
never saw that car again.
I had a 76 VW camper, which I
loved, until I traded it in for the
money pit of a car, a 1985 Ford
Bronco II. That car was a headache
and a half. (FORD - Fix or repair
daily, FORD - found on road dead)
In bought a 78 VW bus after that,
and never had a probelm with it. I
love that car, I still have it, but not for
long. It won't pass the DAMN
California State smog test, it's a
gross poluter. So, it's getting
donated soon :( I'm heartbroken.
I've also owned a 1976 Ford
Mercury Cougar, and a 1989 Isuszu
Tropper. RIght now, I own a brand
new 2003 Honda Element. It was
time to invest in a brand new car that
guarenteed low maintenance and
good milage, and it's the best thing
I've ever done.
Oh, and Jason, I have tickets for
"WIcked" in SF, I'll fill you in :)
Sorry to take up so much of your
time. (oh, a Chicago reference)
Posted by Matthew @ 05/15/2003 12:51 PM PST
Free musical theatre in New York. You don't need tickets. Just walk in and see...
G R A N D K N O W I N G Y O U
Songs of Sheldon Harnick and Jerry Bock
Conceived and devised by Noel Katz & Sara Louise Lazarus
Sunday, May 18 at 8
Monday, May 19 at 2 & 8
Circle-in-the-Square (Uptown)
50th Street, West of Broadway
Posted by Noel @ 05/15/2003 12:58 PM PST
LOL! Jrand, EVERYONE passed me when I drove the Mustang...I forgot to mention that despite its sporty exterior, it only had a 4-cylinder engine!
Posted by Lulu @ 05/15/2003 01:00 PM PST
I had a car a few years ago that would overheat when I turned on the air conditioner. Then it began to overheat without the air conditioner, and I'd have to run the heater to keep the temperature needle from hitting the red line on the meter -- pretty rotten when you live in Phoenix, Arizona, and it's 115F outside.
Posted by Laura @ 05/15/2003 01:01 PM PST
Dear esteemed, kind, and patient BK,
I bow in supplication as a mendicant at your rhythmic little toes, and beg forgiveness for my rude jumping the gun on your "CD technical info" question that you were asked by Arnold Brockman. Please, no lashing or bitch-slaps mem sahib......I forgot that it was directly asked to you, oh sage of the soaring glissando!
bad MusicGuy!
The first car I drove was loaned to me by my dear grandmother, and it was a 1948 4-door Chevy sedan, that had a metal sun visor over the front windshield. It was SO uncool and strange looking, that I actually kind of enjoyed it. The first car I purchased was an incredibly beat up 1952 Chevy 2-door sedan. Once you got it running it would go fairly well......it was a standard transmission with clutch and gearshift. However, the gears were all so badly worn and the teeth rounded off, that you could actually shift through any of the forward gears by merely letting up on the gas! Thankfully, our cars have gotten more interesting over the years.
Posted by MusicGuy @ 05/15/2003 01:10 PM PST
Break a leg, Phil!
Ahhh... Mr Nick R - when I was in London a decade ago, I saw for the first time the infamous yellow "boot" that was put on cars that were parked illegally. I also saw an argument between a driver and a policeman about the whole thing. It was interesting to hear the argument in perfect English accents.
The other argument I saw in London was between another officer and a "lady" who had just been asking for directions and was not happy about being hauled off on more serious charges.
Posted by Jrand52 @ 05/15/2003 01:24 PM PST
I love today's topic, since I love cars! My first car was a brown Pinto - yes a Pinto! My mother had a Honda Prelude and she had just purchased a BMW. On my 16th birthday, I thought, for sure, that I was going to get that cute little Prelude. I get my present, and yes, it was a set of keys. I hurried to the garage to unveil my new cute little Prelude. To my surprise, there was a brown Pinto in the garage. Imagine the shock and horror!! Was I spoiled or what?! Anyways, I was happy to have a car, but go figure, it blew up after 3 months. Who knew you had to put oil in it? My favorite car was a 63 Ford Falcon. What a beauty - all original! I saw it sitting a gas station with a for sale sign on it. I immediately pulled over and found out it was a mere $1995. I called dear old dad and asked if I could borrow the money. Of course, he said yes, and I had the car the very same day. I didn't even test drive it and I never had a single problem with it (until I crashed it). My boyfriend at the time had a 67 Chevelle Malibu - completely restored. This car was loud and fast and really fun to drive. I think we had the 2 hottest cars on the block.
Posted by JB aka JK @ 05/15/2003 01:47 PM PST
Ciao tutti - just back from Italy. Buono, buono.
My first car was an automatic VW Golf - I was so excited that the first day I got it, I drove approximately two minutes to nearby shops, then drove back home again. The car I'd been driving before this (a friend's car) was much smaller, so the brake and accelerator were in a slightly different place. When I came to park the car I put my foot on where I thought the brake would be. Unfortunately, this proved to be the place where the accelerator was, so I went flying through a hedge, crashing sideways into another car on the way.
Then I panicked and tried to brake but, yes you guessed it, I just slammed on the accelerator even harder and landed further in the hedge.
I gingerly reversed and then found I couldn't get out of the driver's door as the other car I'd crashed into had damaged the door so much.
So, on the first day of owning my first car, it had to go back to the garage for repairs.
Oh, the ignominy!
Posted by Allan @ 05/15/2003 02:16 PM PST
Jennifer, you and I share a passion for AMERICAN IDOL. It IS addictive in that you begin to invest real interest in the contestants and feel genuinely sorry when they are voted out of the contest. And these are people who CAN sing, they can actually carry a tune, and seem to enjoy melody. Such a change for so much "music" one hears blasting at you as cars drive by, stuff I'd never in a zillion years sit still for, much less pay to own.
My first car was a 1967 Chevrolet Chevette, a high school graduation present from my uncle. It had a horrible blue sprayed-on "vinyl" roof, no air conditioning, and no power steering or brakes. But it was MINE. I loved that car. When I was involved in my first and only car wreck three years later, I was sorry to see it go. The car was totaled in the wreck. I miraculously emerged without a scratch from that accident.
Posted by Matt H. @ 05/15/2003 02:27 PM PST
Jennifer, I, too, watch "American Idol."
I think any one of the three going into this week's show would have been worthy. I'm sad Kimberly didn't get the votes. I'd have been sad had either of the other two been the loser, too.
Clay's voice is phenomenal and I'd love to see him win to SPITE Simon Cowell who constantly picks on Clay as the "wrong type" -- not "superstar" material, whatever THAT is. Since it's the public that decides who its superstars are, it galls me that "insiders" like Cowell think they know what a superstar can or cannot be. What Simon hasn't explained is why he can see it in Ruben, but not in Clay. I, personally, think Simon is biased against Clay's "sensitivity" (Simon having NONE, himself).
Last night's show had a most distressing cass of classlessness in its showcasing of the limited vocal talents of Jason Guarini and the totally classless performance by him of "Unchained Melody" which Clay had sung "in competition" the night before. It may not have been intentional, but it seemed to be "someone" saying "Here is how the song should be sung" and then suffering in dramatic comparison since there is a vast difference in quality between the contestants in this show and the ones in the first.
It was tacky and should not have happened.
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 05/15/2003 02:38 PM PST
First czar story? Do I look that old, or that Russian, to you?
Oh, first CAR story! Never mind, I don't drive.
Posted by S. Woody White @ 05/15/2003 02:47 PM PST
Start spreading the news..
I have arrived safely in NYC and am in the process of unpacking...
More later when I can feel my shoulders again LOL
Posted by Craig @ 05/15/2003 02:56 PM PST
My first car was a hand-me-down from my Dad, a 1970-something Buick Electra four-door sedan, in baby blue with a black vinyl top. It was a huge boat of a car, totally inappropriate for a 22-year old graduate student, which is what I was at the time.
Of course, I didn't know that you had to do anything to maintain a car other than by filling it with gas. After a while, I ruined the guts of that car but good, oh yes I did.
Posted by Jay @ 05/15/2003 03:01 PM PST
Good vibes of the Oz kind to Dave.
First car: I first started to drive in 1968. My grandfather's car was given to me. It was fifties model Austin Lancer (very English). Cars are not me. I like to have one but do not care too mcuh about them except as a means of transport. I backed my own car into a tree two months ago - outside my own front gate!. The tree is still fine but my car is still waiting for $600 of repair work. fortunatley the car is still quite driveable. My own stupidity really hurts.The tree has been in the same place for thirty years or so. (We have lived here for 22 years). I don't usually back out of the drive - now I know why!
Posted by Tom from Oz @ 05/15/2003 03:01 PM PST
Just read through the posts from the past few days (and you'll see from the time difference between my two posts how long it took) - Ann - yep, got all 4.
MusicGuy - what's your CD label? Is it 'our' kind of music?
Posted by Allan @ 05/15/2003 03:13 PM PST
My first car was a 4-year-old TR-6, which I got in 1970; it cost $2400. It was beautiful British-Racing-Car Burgundy, with a rag top and a detachable hard-top. My husband and I drove it out West when we moved to Las Vegas in 1972. I remember we had to hold a pencil-point in the windshield-wiper switch, because the knob was missing. This wasn't a problem (much) til we got to Denver and got caught driving in a hugh blizzard around Vail. I had to sell the car after one summer in LV, because it wasn't factory-air-conditioned, and it was too hot here not to have a car w/AC. An add-on AC would have blown the engine, we were told. I loved that car!!
Posted by KT @ 05/15/2003 04:18 PM PST
Sorry being errant and truant yesterday... The time just got away from me. Last night I did my pit observance for 1776 at Ford's Theatre, and I played the noon matinee today. Went well, and now I have a few days to go over the book again to double check and practice some of those "uh-oh" spots. ;-)
Catching up:
I have all four of those CDs - and in mutliple versions too.
As for first car: I had two of them: A Datsun 510 (small station wagon) (1982 - ?), and a Ford Mustang LX (1983 - ?). They were both my parents cars, and depending which one was not in use at the time, that was the one I drove. Oh, but I also did drive the big ole tank, a.k.a. Chevy Impala for a few years too.
The first car I actually bought and owned is still the same one I'm driving today, a 1993 Ford Escort Wagon. Currently, it has around 185,000 miles, and besides the usual up-keep and maintenance (tires, breaks, etc.), I've only had to put about $1500 of work into it. It's been a great car for me, and, apparently, other Escort Wagons from the around that period have had long lifespans. *The mechanic who does my oil changes has been wanting to buy it from me for the past year or so... he wants to use it for his newpaper deliveries. And since he wants it, I'm keeping it for now. -And she loves the highway - in fact, her mileage has seemed to have gotten better over the years.
Worst car story: Driving the Datsun back to school, and it just died about 15 miles from Richmond. Thankfully - and luckily - I was able to get it off the highway and into a service station lot. The "energy" just seemed to be draining. Well, I called my father, and he decided to come and get me... So, an hour and half later... At least I was near a KFC and a Dairy Queen! -And to think that my father actually drove all that way - and then back!
-And it was the alternator... Come to think of it, I had similar experiences with the Mustang and the Impala... Hmm.... well, maybe when I get my oil changed next week... And mufflers always seem to fall off the car about two miles from my driveway too...
Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 05/15/2003 04:29 PM PST
Excellent posts today - we are cookin' with gas and soon we will be the most popular site on all the Internet. I can't really remember, but I think I did not own a car until I got married - and then I think it was my ex-wife's car - a Volkswagon bug that eventually blew up on the freeway (she was in it, not me - and she was not harmed). We then drove her father's 50s Nash Rambler for awhile, before finally buying our very own car - a brand new Toyota Corolla in 1971 - total price, $1700.
As to worst car story, I've got some doozys, but you'll have to wait until Kritzer 3 for the best one.
Posted by bk @ 05/15/2003 04:38 PM PST
Well, well, the car I had in
Florida was also a Toyota
Corolla -- a silver coup -- a
1979 model... Worked fine
except for the AC system that
had me spend lots of dough
before it broke down
completely......
Now, living in Paris, I don't
need and have a car, while,
with the recent strikes, it might
have been convenient. Too
expensive for my small
budget....
This very morning, on National
French Radio, Michel Legrand
was the guest of some
talkshow, and was asked
WHY the DEMOISELLES stage
version to open next
september has modernized
orchestrations and a very
young cast, with a slightly
modified book....
He proudly answered that all
modifications were HIS, and
that HE had wanted all of what
seemed to puzzle the people
on the radioshow; he violently
said: "This is a new show for
the new generation; I know
Jacques Demy would have
loved it! If you want to stick to
the other version -- the film --
get the soundtrack !"
To which all answered : "Well,
we have it and like it better"
Posted by Franois @ 05/15/2003 05:02 PM PST
I watched "Carousel" last night. I was only eleven when I first saw the movie and I certainly cried then.(1956/7) At 57 I still cry in the same scene. (When Billy "meets" his daughter and knows that Julie has "seen him". Now I am listening to the soundtrack - wonderful to have the Louise Ballet sequence added etc. I could try and relate all that to a car story but I did not see "Carousel" at a Drive-In movie theatre.
More important - I have just ordered "Kritzerland". I hope you found a copy of the last CD for your daughter BK. I am looking forward to another genuine Haines recording.
Posted by Tom from Oz @ 05/15/2003 05:07 PM PST
My first car was an Olds Cutlass. It had been my mother's car and my parents gave it to me when I graduated from high school. It was a nice little car. To go with the car my parents gave me a Shell credit card. At that time I believe gas was 33 cents a gallon.
Worst car experiences were the cars that kept stalling when I had babies in the car. We had a Buick Regal from California that didn't like the move to the East Coast. It stalled every time it rained. I became a pro at drying out the spark plugs or whatever it was that caused the problem. I finally just had to stop driving in the rain, not an easy feat to do in the east. I had that car for five years. We had a car in Pennsylvania that kept blowing out tires. One night this happened on a busy road and I refused to stop. We drove into the gas station trailing smoke. My boys thought it was really cool and we had to save the tire to take to "show and tell" at school.
Bruce SUV's in Los Angeles seem a bit ridicules to me. We have one out of necessity. Days when there is snow or ice we need it to drive on our dirt road. I do enjoy the view from up high.
Posted by Jane @ 05/15/2003 06:00 PM PST
It has been reported that that splendidly splendid actress Wendy Hiller, she of Pygmalion, I Know Where I'm Going, Toys in the Attic, etc. has passed away at the ripe old age of ninety.
Posted by bk @ 05/15/2003 06:15 PM PST
At long last, I have ordered my
very own copy of Kritzerland!
Gotta love tax refunds. :-)
Posted by Jed @ 05/15/2003 07:11 PM PST
Dave and Phil, I have been thinking good thoughts for you both, just forgot to mention I am doing so.
Jason, thanks for the link to CNN.
Bruce, any worst car stories I don't know about?
Posted by Jane @ 05/15/2003 07:45 PM PST
Oh my Wendy Hiller and Robert Stack - who will be the third?
It is 9:55 pm CST and the eclipse is in full view...no clouds. How wonderful to see this phenomenon! Almost as exciting as watching the comet a few years back.
I love my telescope!
Posted by Jrand52 @ 05/15/2003 07:49 PM PST
Cloudy and rainy here in Richmond...
No moon at all..
Or no eclipse at all...
Which I guess means no "no moon" at all..
Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 05/15/2003 08:01 PM PST
Ohh... and to complete the trifecta...
June Carter Cash died earlier tonight.
Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 05/15/2003 08:13 PM PST
Oh, sorry... that trifecta comment was very crass.
Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 05/15/2003 08:14 PM PST
Just came across the screen, Jose.
That was quick!
Johnny Cash had a weekly tv show for a few years on ABC and always had good guests. And when he and June married, I only knew her as the man-crazy commedienne of the Carter music family. She was a talented singer and songwriter as well.
Elliott Ness, Eliza Doolittle, and JuneBug Carter....sad.
Posted by Jrand52 @ 05/15/2003 08:17 PM PST
Ben,
I know, i know you're on
vacation.... but I'm saying that
for all the other Dear Readers
here;
Just HEARD your musical
vignette about NINE on
RadioWhales' SHOWTIME...
SO proud of you, and Beverley
Humphreys, the show's host,
is quite happy to have you part
of the team: that's what she
just said !!!
Here, on my internet sound
system, you sound like Jerry
Herman!
Have a great time in Key West!
Posted by Franois @ 05/15/2003 08:22 PM PST
Slight little correction to BK about that Debbie Reynolds horror film. Its title is WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH HELEN? I have it on DVD. It's indeed creepy and a BIG departure from anything she had done up to that time in her career.
Posted by Matt H. @ 05/15/2003 08:48 PM PST
Well, I have heard the Sherman Brothers album. I will have my full report tomorrow. Both Todd Ellison and myself listened to it and we both came to the same conclusions about it. Stay tuned.
Posted by bk @ 05/15/2003 09:17 PM PST
I totally forgot about the eclipse, but, now that I've been reminded, I feel it necessary to do this:
Turn around...
I had to get it out of my system.
Go back to whatever it was you were doing...nothing to see here.
Posted by Jason @ 05/15/2003 09:29 PM PST
Thanks "bright eyes".
Posted by Tom from Oz @ 05/15/2003 09:42 PM PST
My first motorized vehicle was a Vespa scooter that I named Claudia. It was very Italian looking, very "Rome Adventure."
My first CAR was a used (very used)1965 yellow and black VW Karman Ghia named Boris. I loved Boris, and when he bit the dust, I got a newer (but still used) electric blue one (also named Boris).
I have too many Car horror stories to choose from. Let us say that all my cars had "Character" and quirks (like Boris whose radio wouldn't work unless the ashtray was pulled out). Probably one of the most horrible and yet funniest (after the fact) occurred in a very broken down VW Beetle that my stepfather loaned me after some woman ran into Boris. Her insurance company would not pay for a rental car. This VW had so many quirks (you could see the road through various holes in the floor; the horn was mounted on the driver's side door; the window would not roll down on its own-- you had to push it down, etc.) Among those, the front seat would not stay up on its own and had to be propped up in back to stay upright. Well, one day at 5:00 pm at one of the busiest intersections in town, the piece of wood used to prop the driver's seat slipped. the whole seat fell backwards with my legs in the air and me staring at the ceiling. Not the greatest position in which to be driving. Somehow I was able to sit up (despite the seat) and pull off somewhere to fix the seat. God only knows why I didn't hit anything when I was flying down the street with no access to the steering wheel, brake or gas. This is but one of many such incidents.
Posted by Kerry @ 05/15/2003 09:50 PM PST
The lunar eclipse was quite lovely from Phoenix. Very good ((((((((((((((((vibes)))))))))))))))) to Dave and to Phil (and to all of you).
Posted by Kerry @ 05/15/2003 10:04 PM PST
Tom: Just wanted to chime in and second your Carousel sentiment. I too cry every every every time I see that same scene -- when he says "I love you Julie! Know that I loved you!" I just start bawwwling. Even knowing the moment's coming, even knowing I'm going to cry, knowing how ridiculous I'm going to feel, doesn't stop it. I get like a waterfall. It's just such a magical moment.
Posted by Anna @ 05/15/2003 10:05 PM PST
Dear readers....He's not kidding!!
Posted by MusicGuy @ 05/15/2003 10:06 PM PST
***makes note to self to always drive when going anywhere with Dear Reader Kerry.
Posted by Laura @ 05/15/2003 10:18 PM PST
Thanks Anna. Good to know it's just not me. I don't cry at Billy's death scene. I am just a mess for the last 10 minutes of the movie - I have even cried when I have seen the scene perfomed without anything before it. (I think it may have been a Royal Command performance from the UK or maybe it was the Mr Producer special.)
Dear Readers: What happened to Gordon McRae after Carousel? He surely can't have just disappeared or not found work.
Posted by Tom from Oz @ 05/15/2003 11:04 PM PST
Phil:
Where are you performing on Long Island. Although I doubt Joe and I will be able to get there, we will send vibes from Huntington, and they might arrive fresher than those that have to traverse the continent.
Posted by William F. Orr @ 05/16/2003 05:33 AM PST
After OKLAHOMA! and CAROUSEL MacRae made a few lesser films, toured in stock, did nightclubs, and had a one-man concert all over the country. And he drank a lot. He died in 1986 of cancer. His name lives on in 2 of his daughters: Heather and Meredith. I don't know what Heather has done recently (she was on sitcoms in the 60s), but Meredith was in FALSETTOS on Broadway, THE HUMAN COMEDY at the York, gives concerts in NY and was a semi-regular on "One Life To Live".
Posted by William E. Lurie @ 05/16/2003 06:49 AM PST
WEL:
You mentioned yesterday that Donna McKechnie had played Phyllis, Sally, and Carlotta in Follies. Where did she play Carlotta?
Posted by William F. Orr @ 05/16/2003 07:11 AM PST
WEL - Actually, it was Heather who was in Falsettos (including the recent concert version at Playwright Horizons. Meredith died of cancer in 2000.
Posted by OM Time @ 05/16/2003 08:01 AM PST
WFO - She played Carlotta recently in a production in Michigan that featured the "young" 4 leads from the original Broadway cast as the "mature" versions of their younger characters. There is an article about this production in the current SONDHEIM REVIEW - the same publication that returned their review copy of BK's Sondheim album because they were so upset with the Dame Edna track.
Old Man Time - Thanks for clearing me up on the MacRae sisters. Even though they are totally different types I always got them mixed up. I had forgotten that one of them died.
Posted by William E. Lurie @ 05/16/2003 08:51 AM PST
As Bill said, Heather did some sitcoms in the 1960's and even spent some time as one of the Bradley sisters on PETTICOAT JUNCTION.
There is a nice story about Meredith and her family on a site that is a bit gruesome, but does have some interesting anecdotes:
www.findadeath.com
I only mention it because - it is the only place that mentions that Nancy Kulp was in the service during WWII and was married at one time. Also Madge Blake (Larry Mondello's mother, the aunt in Batman) had top secret clearance during WWII because she and her husband worked on the atomic bomb. Blake was the first choice for Aunt Bee in THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW, but because she had a contract with the LEAVE IT TO BEAVER show - recommended instead her friend, Frances Bavier.
Posted by Jrand52 @ 05/16/2003 08:57 AM PST
Wrong again, Jack. MEREDITH was Billie Jo on PETTICOAT JUNCTION.
Posted by Jrand52 @ 05/16/2003 09:01 AM PST
I have a message from Craig that he wants me to pass on:
"make sure the hainsies send me vibes at 3pm!"
He has an interview at that time right here in the Big Apple.
~~~~~~~~~~VIBES TO CRAIG~~~~~~~~~~~
Posted by Jason @ 05/16/2003 09:27 AM PST
(I think BK overslept).
Posted by Jason @ 05/16/2003 09:28 AM PST
Obviously no carpenters or lawn mowers today.
Or maybe he is writing LOTS of notes about the Sherman Bros. Cd.
Posted by Jrand52 @ 05/16/2003 09:51 AM PST
Obviously no carpenters or lawn mowers today.
Or maybe he is writing LOTS of notes about the Sherman Bros. Cd.
Posted by Jrand52 @ 05/16/2003 09:51 AM PST
