TODAY IS ELVIS' 75th BIRTHDAY!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAY ELVIS
January 8th, 1935 - August 16th, 1977

Today would have been Elvis' 75th Birthday and I'm posting some links to last year's Elvis week posts and some fun Elvis Trivia to celebrate. If you are a huge Elvis fan you might enjoy reading these posts:

Can't Help Falling In Love With You

The Early Elvis

The 1968 Comeback Special

Ladies and Gentlemen, ELVIS has left the building!

Viva Las Vegas

ELVIS TRIVIA

• Elvis was a twin, his brother Jesse, died at birth. Elvis was the younger of the two boys, having been delivered 35 minutes after his late twin brother Jesse.
• In 1956, Elvis released his first RCA single, had his first television appearance, and his first movie release.
• Roy Orbison recorded a song that he dedicated to Elvis entitled "Hound Dog Man".
• Elvis was 12 when he got his first guitar in 1946, which was a birthday present from his Mother. It cost $12.95 at the Tupelo Hardware Store.
• Elvis liked to read. Two of his favorite books were The Holy Bible and The Impersonal Life.
• The Cryolophosaurus(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryolophosaurus) - a large theropod dinosaur, with a bizarre crest on its head that looked like a Spanish comb - is nicknamed 'Elvisaurus' because it's head crest resembled the pompadour hairstyle of Elvis in the 1950s.
• Elvis was nominated for a "Grammy for Best Soundtrack Album or Recording of Original Cast from a Motion Picture or Television" for G.I. Blues and Blue Hawaii in 1961 and 1962.
• Elvis wasn't always a singer - he worked in his high school library when he was a sophomore. He worked at the Precision Tool Company in Memphis. He also worked as an usher, and as a truck-driver. o Elvis once wrote a letter to then President Richard Nixon, asked to become an undercover narcotics agent. President Nixon responded by providing Elvis with a special agent badge for the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs.
• The FBI has well over 600 pages of files on Elvis.
• Elvis is one of only few artists, include Johnny Cash and Hank Williams, inducted into both The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame and The Country Music Hall of Fame.
• Elvis gave a robe to Muhammad Ali (Cassius Clay) embroidered with the phrase "The Peoples Champion."
• Elvis was offered the role of John Norman Howard in A Star Is Born by Barbra Streisand. Regrettably he did not get to take the role, purportedly because of Colonel Tom Parker.
• Elvis' favorite actors were Marlon Brando and James Dean.
• The book Elvis was reading at the time of his death was The Scientific Search for the Face of Jesus by Frank O. Adams.
• When Elvis was in high school he was cut from the football team by the coach because he wouldn't trim his sideburns and ducktail.
• Elvis received 3 Grammy Awards for his Gospel music.
• Elvis received his first Black Belt in Karate in March of 1960.
• On May 29th, 1967, Elvis and Priscilla had a second wedding reception at Graceland for those family and friends who could not attend their Las Vegas wedding.
• Elvis last Top 20 hit was "Burning Love" which went to #2 on the charts.

HAPPY 75th BIRTHDAY ELVIS!

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13 Things I Want to Do on My Birthday

Next week is my 59th birthday. The last birthday before I turn sixty - SIXTY! If you're like me that is one big, ugly number staring back at you. I still feel like I'm sixteen sometimes and when I was sixteen SIXTY sounded very, very, very, very old to me. SIXTY still sounds old to me but I don't feel old - except for those times when the bones creak, lol.

This being my last birthday before that scary number I am planning on having a great birthday month. I don't just have a birth day, my birthday seems to spread out over the whole month of January because my friend's schedules can't always allow for getting together on my actual birthday. So, I will be having several birthday celebrations and doing a bunch of different things for my birthday. My friends always ask me what I want to do so below is my wish list for my 59th Birthday - don't worry, I'm not putting that Mediterranean cruise on the list in respect of everyone's 2009 damaged wallets, but don't be surprised if it shows up for the big SIXTY next year if 2010 is a great year!

1. Disneyland - I want to go to Disneyland. I would like to make this a yearly tradition. Hey, maybe for the big SIXTY I'll take a Disney Cruise!
2. All You Can Eat Lobster and Crab Dinner - I have been jonesing for seafood. My New Year's dinner was fresh crab and sauteed garlic shrimp with a nice fresh sourdough baguette and a pile of butter for all. I ate until I was full but I guess it wasn't enough because I still want to sit down to a table covered in crab and lobster claws.
3. I want to see Avatar. I want to see Avatar in a movie theater with 3-D glasses. I can see most films on DVD via my TV, but some films just need to be seen in a theater with hi-def stereo surround sound, the smell of theater popcorn and with other people.
4. I want to spend the day around Newport Beach. I spent my teen years burning my skin, checking out the lifeguards and getting sand up my wazoo at Newport and I'd like to just doodle around there for part of the day for a little nostalgia - though I figure the only thing that hasn't changed much is getting sand up the wazoo.
5. Pajamas made from the same stuff as the aloe infused socks I got from a friend for Christmas. My friend Cindy just gave me two pairs of THE SOFTEST SOCKS I have ever felt. In fact these socks are softer than anything I've ever felt. Oh man, you just sit there and stroke them - and the way they feel on your feet! I want that company to make pajamas - no, I want that company to make a full line of clothing. I'd never put anything else on again. I suspect this is a vain wish but there it is.
6. The new Star Trek Movie DVD. I thought this new movie about the original Star Trek characters was excellent. They really got actors that fit - especially Spock. Plus it was greatly entertaining with a good story line, great lines and good fx.
7. High Tea. I fell in love with high tea ages ago when I first went to a high tea at The Fairmont in San Francisco. The Fairmont has been serving High Tea for over 100 years now - they kinda got it down, but since I'm in Southern California I'll have to find somewhere here - anyone know a good place in Orange County, the Inland Empire or the Palm Springs area?
8. A Microwave. My stupid microwave just quit last night. Stupid microwave. That's the cost of a good all you can eat seafood buffet!
   
9. A full day at the movies. I have a few friends who will go to the movies, pay for one then watch two or three! Okay, this is kinda stealing or cheating but I'd like to try it just once to see if I can get away with it. Providing, of course, my aching back can stay the course and they have refillable popcorn and drinks.
10. I want a Gourmet Cupcake Birthday Cake. I just did the most adorable Pop Art Cupcakes for The PopArtDiva Gift Gallery and every time I look at my cupcakes I want to eat them. I want to try a bunch of different flavors of the hot new gourmet cupcakes - mango, spicy chocolate - they got a bunch of them now.
11. I want a Mani-Pedi with sparkly toes. Not a French manicure this time - something with color and dragonflies or butterflies and itty bitty rhinestones embedded - Bling is what I'm looking for!
12. I want the new DROID phone. I love technology and I really love all the cool stuff these newest phones can do. I haven't checked out Google's new phone yet. Anyone wanna chime in on it? No, I don't want and iPhone because I don't want AT&T service and the unlocked iPhones have issues.
13. I want to be thirty again. Oh well, this is a wish list after all. I'd settle for feeling thirty most of the time.

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HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE - May 2010 Be The Year for Peace & Prosperity for Us All

On this last day of the year 2009 I am looking back not just through the last twelve months but back over fifty years to the typical New Year's Eve celebrations of my childhood family. Our New Year's Eves were quiet and usually just our immediate family of my Mom, Dad, my sister Patty, Butthead (my older brother), me and our family dog, Rinty.

If we were very young Mom and Dad would send us to sleep but wake us up just before midnight to usher in the New Year. As we grew older we were allowed to stay up until midnight though we often fell asleep on the floor or the couch waiting for the next year to ring in. We always had a small buffet of cold cuts, my Dad's famous Blue Cheese Dip (served on Ritz crackers) and we toasted the New Year with 7-Up. We had bubbly - it just wasn't 80 proof, lol.

Just before the clock struck twelve we would all go outside - coats over our jammies - wait for the local church bells to signal the New Year had come and then we would all yell "Happy New Year" to world. Believe it or not, this was not unusual on our block and we would often be hollering along with many of our neighbors. We'd stand there and shiver while we watched the fireworks from a nearby park, then we would come in, grab home made cocoa and cookies to warm up, and Mom would play her original 78 recording of Guy Lombardo's version of "Auld Lang Syne". Mom would send us to bed when the needle hit the last note.

So, to me it's not officially a New Year until I've eaten a little Blue Cheese Dip, had my bubbly (nowdays the adult versions), watched some fireworks (these days on TV), wished Happy New Year to my family by lighting candles, and then listened to Guy Lombardo's version of "Auld Lang Syne".

At the bottom of this post are the lyrics to Auld Lang Syne in modern English so you can sing along to welcome in the year 2010 with a little bit of big band nostalgia:


Mom and Dad, there isn't a New Year that passes that I don't play this song on New Year's Eve in your memory. This post is dedicated to you, Patty and all my "old acquaintances that shall not be forgot".

To my readers, thank you for reading and joining me on my little journey through nostalgia during 2009 and the past 3 years.

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OF YOU
May 2010 Bring Us All
Peace, Prosperity and Hope
WELCOME 2010!

Auld Lang Syne
originally written by Robert Burns - 1788

Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and days of old lang syne?

CHORUS:
For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we'll take a cup of kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

And surely you’ll buy your pint cup!
and surely I’ll buy mine!
And we'll take a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

REPEAT CHORUS

We two have run about the slopes,
and picked the daisies fine;
But we’ve wandered many a weary foot,
since auld lang syne.

REPEAT CHORUS
We two have paddled in the stream,
from morning sun till dine;
But seas between us broad have roared
since auld lang syne.

REPEAT CHORUS

And there’s a hand my trusty friend!
And give us a hand o’ thine!
And we’ll take a right good-will draught,
for auld lang syne.

REPEAT CHORUS

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ALVIN!!!!! The Chipmunks celebrate their 51st Birthday!

I really don't know if Alvin, Simon and Theodore had birthdays, but fifty one years ago a little song called "The Chipmunk Song" (which you will probably remember better as "Christmas Don't Be Late") hit number one on the music charts. So, even though their birth occurred in the mind of Ross Bagdasarian sometime in 1958, I kind of think of today as their birthday.

The very first record I ever owned was The Chipmunks Album which included this song. I got it for Christmas along with my first little record player and I'm sure my parents were a bit sorry they had given those two gifts to me after I played that album over and over and over.

The Christmas Song from the 1961 cartoon:

If you're planning on taking your grandkids to see "Squeaquel", here's a little historical background on The Chipmunks you can pass on to your grandchildren when they go on about these "new singing chipmunks" Alvin, Simon & Theodore:

Alvin, Simon and Theodore were created by Ross Bagdasarian, Sr. in 1958 and Mr. Bagdasarian did all the voices of the Chipmunks as well as the voice of their manager/father figure, David Seville. David Seville was Bagdasarian's stage name and each of the Chipmunks was named after an executive at their original record label, Liberty Records: Alvin Bennett (the president), Simon Waronker (the founder and owner), and Theodore Keep (the chief engineer). You might also be surprised to learn that Bagdasarian also wrote "The Witch Doctor"!

The famous high pitched voices of the Chipmunks was created by speeding up Bagdasarian's own voice recordings - a method he had used in The Witch Doctor. His exceptional use of this technique for The Chipmunks earned him/them two Grammy Awards for engineering.

Interestingly, Alvin, Simon and Theodore made their first public appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show as puppets! Below is that appearance in a wonderful Chipmunk History video hosted by Will Smith/The Fresh Prince. The Sullivan clip appears around the 2:30 time marker:

You can view Part Two and Part Three of this fun Chipmunk special which includes them doing songs of some of the greats of music from the baby boomer generations at YouTube.

A few years later The Chipmunks showed up on our television consoles as animated characters in The Alvin Show, originally filmed in black and white and later colored for reruns. The Alvin Show aired from 1961 - 1962 and was one of a very few animated series that were aired in prime time - which is probably the reason for it's short life. I always found it interesting they named the first animated series after Alvin alone - to me what would Alvin be without his second, third and fourth bananas - Simon, Theodore and David? By the way, does anyone else out there remember the other characters featured in this first series - Clyde Crashcup and his assistant Leonardo?

Today, even though the Chipmunks are almost old enough to be baby boomers themselves, they are still rockin', making movies and bringing joy to another generation of children. Like all of us the Chipmunks have gone through some changes over the last half century, but I have to admit I am partial to the look of them back in my day, if only for the sake of nostalgia. However, I am happy to see that Alvin still has his signature cap tilted at that cocky angle!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALVIN, SIMON & THEODORE
& David Seville too!
Thanks for half a century of childhood music and laughs.

Visit The Official Chipmunks Website

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FROSTY THE SNOWMAN - History of the most famous snowman of all.

I was out browsing through a small second hand store and I found this 58 year old copy of Little Golden Books Frosty The Snowman. As I picked it up and opened the cover I could caught that musty "old book" smell - what a flood of memories that brought back! As I leafed through the little book I was taken back fifty years to all the Little Golden Books we had in our home.

The inside front cover was exactly like the ones in my books - remember this iconic yellow graphic inside all your "Little Golden Books"? Honestly, between the smell and seeing the inside front cover with a little place to write your name I was instantly transported back to the mid 1950s. If you look close you will the two children's names written in pencil - Darcy and, in bolder scribbling underneath, Liz:

Well, Darcy and Liz, we had the same taste in books as kids I guess! I wonder, did the both of you have a favorite figure on this yellow page? Mine was the fun little yellow taxi cab, though I did have a fondness for that little artist kitty with the beret and paintbrushes too!

Frosty The Snowman was first written as a song by Walter "Jack" Rollins and Steve Nelson and was first recorded by Gene Autry and the Cass County Boys in 1950.


The song inspired this book, as well as a three-minute animated short entitled "Frosty" which appeared regularly on WGN-TV.


In 1969 a thirty-minute animated television special of Frosty the Snowman premiered which featured the voice of Jimmy Durante as narrator and Jackie Vernon as Frosty.

It's always interesting to me to see how the commercial art of different eras changes with each generation. This little book's illustrations are a perfect example of the style of the late 40s and early to mid 1950s. You will see this same look in advertisements and fashion illustrations of the day. You can see the changes in art styles when you look at the full length cartoon with Jimmy Durante singing the title song. You can see today's styles by visiting Little Golden Book's "Books and More" page.

Little Golden Books turned 67 this last September. When their books first hit bookshelves in 1942 they cost twenty-five cents! Today new versions sell for around $2.99 each. I paid fifty cents for my lovely, well preserved 1951 copy of "Frosty The Snowman" at the thrift store and I think it was the best investment I've made in a very long time. That fifty cent expenditure has given me back some wonderful memories of my childhood and my love of reading. It has the added advantage of being created the same year as I was, 1951, so we are the same age!

Right now that Little Golden Book on "Frosty The Snowman" is sitting next to my little Christmas Tree. It is now a treasured member of my favorite Christmas ornaments and will come out every year to bring me joy - just like Frosty comes back again some day!

I wish you all the
HAPPIEST of HOLIDAYS
& a Very Merry Christmas!

Fair Use Rationale: Please see this page on Wikipedia for an explanation of my Fair Use rationale. I use these images as commentary illustration of a wonderful line of children's books from my childhood. I have provided only low resolution images & have provided a link to Little Golden Books. All the images link to the Little Golden Books website as well: http://www.randomhouse.com/golden/lgb/story.html. If you are the holder of any of the involved copyrights and wish me to remove these images please contact me through a comment and I will immediately remove them from this blog in respect of your intellectual property.

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IT'S A VERY BEATLES CHRISTMAS - Beatles Christmas Recordings from 1963 - 1969

Did you know The Beatles sent out special Christmas recordings to their Official Fan Club every year from 1963 to 1969? Only members of their Official British Fan Club got all of these, those of us who lived on the other side of the Pond got edited versions or just postcards!

They're a mixture of the typical irreverence, humor, talent and creativity that was unique to The Beatles. I was lucky enough to have a friend in England who signed up for me there so I got copies of all the British releases and they were wonderful. I also signed up in the States. I wish I still had them - any of them, even the few U.S. edited records - but I don't.

These are not your typical Holiday Greetings so if you're a traditionalist listen with an open mind because you are not going to hear a traditional Jingle Bells or standard carol among them. Oh, you'll hear Jingle Bells but not in any way you've heard it before, lol. You will also hear - maybe for the first time - a Christmas song written by the Beatles. You will also enjoy a surprise or two.

In 1970 The Beatles' Christmas Album (U.S.) or From Then to You (UK), was released as a compilation album of these Christmas records and was released to the general public.

So, have a very Beatles Christmas today with these rare Christmas recordings from the Fab Four:

Here's The Beatles 1963 Christmas Record sent to their Official Fan Club Members. The first of 7 sent out. U.S. fans received an edited version.


The Beatles 1964 Christmas Record. In America we got an edited version of this with the record on cardboard. Guess we were sort of the poor white trash cousins of British fans!


The Beatles 1965 Christmas Record was recorded on November 8th and Released on December 17th, 1965. U.S. Fans did not receive this record! Such a bummer! We got a postcard instead!


The Beatles Fourth Christmas Record (1966) Pantomime: Everywhere It's Christmas is based on the Goon Show comic skits they'd grown up on as kids. (Another stinkin' postcard for us U.S. fans!)


The Beatles 1967 Christmas Record- Christmas Time Is Here Again! Recorded November 28, 1967 contains a new, real Christmas song by them. (Yup, we Yanks got shortchanged again!)


The Beatles 1968 Christmas Record was pieced together with separate messages from each Beatle as they were not speaking at the time. Tiny Tim guested! (Finally,we got a record - an edited version but better than a postcard!)


The Last Beatles Christmas Record from 1969 includes Yoko and Ringo designed the cover with the back cover done by by Zak Starkey, Ringo's son. (This last year of the records we American fans finally got an unedited version of the record!)

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13 SANTA CLAUS JOKES for a MERRY HOLIDAY SEASON

13 MERRY LITTLE JOKES FOR THE HOLIDAYS

1. The main reason Santa is so jolly is because he knows where all the bad girls live ~ George Carlin
2. Let's be naughty and save Santa the trip ~ Gary Allan #Christmas
3. The Bermuda Triangle got tired of warm weather. It moved to Alaska. Now Santa Claus is missing ~ Stephen Wright
4. Santa's elves are just a bunch of subordinate Clauses - Unknown
5. A cynic is just a man who found out when he was about ten that there wasn't any Santa Claus, and he's still upset ~ James Gould Cozzens
6. I once bought my kids a set of batteries for Christmas with a note on it saying, toys not included ~ Bernard Manning
7. Santa Claus has the right idea. Visit people once a year ~ Victor Borge
8. Santa wears a Red Suit, He must be a communist, & a beard & long hair, Must be a pacifist. What's he smoking in that pipe? ~ Arlo Guthrie
9. Why is Christmas just like a day at the office? You do all the work and the fat guy with the suit gets all the credit ~ Anonymous
10. You know you're getting old, when Santa starts looking younger ~ Robert Paul
11. Anyone who believes that men are the equal of women has never seen a man trying to wrap a Christmas present ~ Anonymous
12. Merry Christmas, Nearly Everybody ~ Ogden Nash
13. A lovely thing about Christmas is that it's compulsory, like a thunderstorm, and we all go through it together ~ Garrison Keillor

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New INSPIRATIONAL POP ART DESIGNS from The PopArtDiva Gift Gallery

I just uploaded these new designs to The PopArtDiva Gift Gallery this week. They are part of my Inspirational Series and were inspired by a line of hand painted t-shirts I created some years ago. I always liked the loose abstract brushwork style of these shirts - they reminded me of fireworks mixed in with hearts, stars, butterflies and dragonflies.

I took the concept and created new digital designs using the same style, added some of my original poems & prose, then created a great line of colorful posters, t-shirts, cups, hats, aprons & other fun gifts.

Below are the four playful & inspirational designs - simply click the design to see the t-shirts, posters and other gift items you can purchase it on (there's still 2 days left for FREE Ground Shipping on Orders of $50 or More! Use code: ZAZZLEGROUND):

All Designs, Images & Poems are Copyright 2009 by PopArtDiva. All Rights Reserved. No permission given to copy, share, distribute, print or reproduce. To license one of these images please contact PopArtDiva.

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ROLLING STONES "ROCK AND ROLL CIRCUS" from 1968

Today in 1968 The Rolling Stones filmed their famous "Rock and Roll Circus", creation and brainchild of Mick Jagger. Though originally it was set to air on the BBC it never did. It was finally released nearly 30 years later (1996) as a film.

The Rolling Stones stated they did not release it for viewing in 1968 because their own performance was "substandard", they were exhausted from having been on stage since early morning. It has long been contended that the real reason it was not released was because The Who just rocked the show and upstaged The Stones. We'll probably never know but at least it's now been given back to the fans and below are Parts 1 through 7 from YouTube.

This was the last public performance of Brian Jones playing with The Stones. This is also the only footage of Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi performing as a member of Jethro Tull. John Lennon performs with Yoko Ono as part of a group called The Dirty Mac. Also performing are Eric Clapton, Taj Mahal, Marianne Faithfull, and Jethro Tull.

PART ONE


PART TWO


PART THREE



PART FOUR - Yoko "sings" you might want to turn off the volume. . .


PART FIVE



PART SIX


PART SEVEN

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THE POP ART DIVA CHRISTMAS COOKIES

TO DOWNLOAD THE RECIPE CARDS simply right click and save as (PC) or Ctrl + Click (Mac) or simply drag the image to your desktop!

These wonderful sugar cookies are my own personal Christmas Tradition. I've been making them for over 20 years and today I'm sharing the recipe and techniques with you. There's a story behind how these cookies turned into Pop Art Diva cookies. When you cut out traditional Christmas cookie shapes on a rolled cookie you get a lot of left over cookie dough in a weird shape. Most people will take that and re-roll it out BUT each time you re-roll you add flour and the cookies become drier and tough. I'm a real fanatic about perfect cookies, especially when I go to this amount of work to make them and that bugged me. One day I was looking at the shapes and saw some interesting designs so I just cut them up with a small knife, painted those up like abstracts and baked them that way. People loved those more than the traditional shapes AND it was actually easier than using cookie cutters so from that point on I called them Picasso cookies. When I trademarked my brand name Pop Art Diva I then started to call them Pop Art Diva cookies and my brand cookie was born! I've tried to be as detailed as possible about my procedures and the painting techniques but a recipe card is a small (5"x3") area so if you have any questions just post them as a comment here and I'll try to help you out with your creative cooking adventure! Enjoy! And let me know how you like them!

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