More Mother's Day

Earlier this week, I spotted this picture on someone's Facebook profile. My Mom usually doesn't drink, but she will occasionally have a Margarita, so this was appropriate.

Having me come out to visit my parents wasn't the only Mother's Day gifts. I had to show up with a few treats. I think I know now from where I get some of my camera posing.

And it continues with a picture of me.

A few blog posts ago, I mentioned how I bought a frame from Hallmark and had the picture made by Shutterfly. From this look, it looks like it was a hit.

And here's Mom holding the final product. Happy Mother's Day, Mom! I love you!

Happy Mother's Day!

Just had to share the best Mom I know with the world.  Love you, Mom!

I've Looked at Cloud City from Both Sides Now

Odd. The boarding pass said 'Colorado', not 'Bespin'. But what a lovely view of Cloud City.

Fantasia GIF(ts)

I'm glad to see Disney is feeling the need to liven up our computers. I've been in meetings all day long and have no idea who is going to finish all my work. Perhaps that first GIF of Sorcerer Mikey can help out!

Even though I like them all, these are my favorites. Hope you like them too.

 

 

To see the other Fantasia GIFs, click here.

Ruhe Sanft

Ruhe Sanft, mein holdes Leben is a beautiful aria from Mozart's unfinished opera, Zaide, written in 1780. Roughly translated from German, it means, 'Rest in peace, the love of my life'. Treat yourself and watch one of my favorites, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa sing it by clicking here (but come back to read the rest of this post!)

This past Sunday, I was at the Saints Peter and Paul Cemetery in Loretto, MN. Whenever I go to a cemetery, I can't help but think of Mozart's music.

Having traveled throughout Europe, I visited cemeteries where people have been dead and buried longer than the United States has been a federal republic. In comparison, we are young. Even so, we do have some people who go back a hundred years or more. Seeing this headstone, you know why Mozart comes to my mind. And before I get hate posts, yes, I know that it was Johann Andreas Schachtner's libretti for Zaide.

It saddens me when I see younger people buried. Click on the picture below to read the writing on the stone to the right. I can't even imagine this mother's grief, but I can imagine the conversation telling her son to buckle up, and him saying, 'Yeah, don't worry about it, Mom". This is exactly why she worried about you, Luke.

Usually Mozart's Requièm Mass in D minor (K. 626), which was left unfinished at the time of his death on December 5, 1791, runs through my mind, especially when I see images like this. I am reminded of the Zentralfriedhof in Vienna, Austria, where I roamed for hours, where so many famous composers are buried like Beethoven, Schubert, and the Strauss'.

If you're like me and speak, read and write German, you will be able to read the headstone in the foreground. Evoking Mozart's naughty side he is said to have had, as do I, you may notice I purposely included the headstone in the background. There are lot of Germans buried in this cemetery, and I can only imagine the torment the name of this family has received.

For those who don't know German, let's just say the polite and proper translation for the word is to 'receive'. In its most vulgar, crude, and literal translation, well, let's just say it's not a Disney word, or one you'd use sitting around the dinner table.

Who says I don't have a sense of humor? I find myself to be quite...

The Morning After

There's always next year, Luke.

May The Fourth Be With You

It's that time of the year again! May 4th. Not a big deal you say? Well it is if you're a Star Wars fan because it's the international day that honors the Star Wars saga. True, the original movie, or Episode IV, came out on May25, 1977, so why celebrate on the 4th? Well, it's a pun of the famous phrase, "May the Force be with you." Get it?

This has been going on for years, and there are so many clever 'May The Fourth Be With You' memes out there, I had to add a few of my own.  Let me know which is your favorite. You may think my favorite includes a self-portrait, but you'd be wrong.

Be sure to check out the Star Wars website for other fun celebratory ideas. You can even send me a May The 4th Be With You e-card, or to your favorite Wookie, when you click here.