224. James Patterson, Tyler Perry, Alex Cross, Virgin River, Maroon V, And Love Poetry!

                 

                  

1. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Monthly Warm-up!
Blockers Beware…You Won’t Stop Our Creative Ideas!
Every High School and College Senior Should Carry A Copy Of This Poem!
The Poem Should Be Posted On Every Office Cafeteria And School Bulletin Board!

   

Hopefully, you are not in a workplace or situation where your creative ideas or even suggestions are continually blocked. We know how frustrating this can be! Every office should have a Today’s Creative Ideas’ Bulletin Board where any passer-bye or employee can post a new idea, an article suggestion, or recipe for something different. The following poem was sent to us by a reader who said this poem helped her to get the things completed that needed to be completed and to avoid the nay-sayers. The William J. Bennett poem that follows is a mini-eye opener. We added the she/her.

          

It Can Be Done

The man/woman who misses all the fun
Is he/she who says, “It can’t be done.”
In solemn pride he/she stands aloof
And greets each venture with reproof.

  

Had he the power he’d efface
The history of the human race.
We’d have no radio or motor cars
No streets lit by electric stars.

No telegraph nor telephone
We’d linger in the age of stone.
The world would sleep if things were run
By men who say, “It can’t be done.”

        

-William J. Bennett

2. Let’s Talk Philadelphia And James Patterson!
The Alex Cross Movie Stars Tyler Perry, Cicely Tyson, Jean Reno, And Ed Burns!
A Super Buffed Mathew Fox Is The Evil Picasso!

James Patterson has been writing books for 40 years. 5% of all books purchased in the United States are James Patterson titles. The 325 million books Patterson has sold through his 147 titles is an astronomical number. He has been number one on the New York Times’ bestseller list a record 67 times. Add five movies, a television series, a new children’s books series, and a new short reading application format for the computer and IPhone, and you go, WOW!

    

The movie Alex Cross (2012) was the third in the series featuring detective and psychologist Alex Cross. The first two starred Morgan Freeman and Ashley Judd (Kiss The Girls, 1997, $60 million…Along Came A Spider, 2001, $105 million). Alex Cross cost $35 million to make, but only made 36 million in worldwide theater distribution. Patrons leaving the theater gave the movie an A rating. Critics gave it horrible scores. The second movie in the series, therefore, was cancelled.

   

The movie takes place in Detroit where Cross lives with his wife Carmen Ejogi (Maria) and their two children. Stephanie Jacobsen (Fan Yau) is an industrialist who is pursued by and killed by Matthew Fox. Billionaire, Jean Reno, has hired Fox to kill off all his competition.

       

While investigating the murder of Fan Yau, Cross and lifelong friend and partner Ed Burns discover a painting seemingly drawn by the killer. Cross takes the Picasso like painting and rearranges it to reveal the name of another businessman possibly on the hit list. A truckload of murders continue by the demented Fox with Burns and Perry a step away. It was nice to see Cecily Tyson running the Cross family as grandma supreme. The movie can be found On Demand and on Netflix. It will keep your attention as you try to figure the next moves of all the key characters and how you would outsmart the killer.

           

   

3. Let’s Talk Philadelphia And The Women’s Murder Club!
The Women’s Murder Club Should Be Your Next Read!
17 Books, A Television Series, And Counting!
You Will Visit, In Audio Or Hard Cover, San Francisco At Its Worst And Finest!

   

The setting for James Patterson’s The Women’s Club novels is San Francisco. The seventeen book series has won fifteen New York Times #1 seller awards. The books, like David Baldacci’s Camel Club series (men fighting Washington, D.C. crime and using the Library of Congress as their meeting place), follow a five member group of women crime fighters from five different professions.

  

The group consists of lead detective Lindsay Boxer, Cindy Thomas crime reporter, Claire Washburn medical examiner, Jill Bernhardt district attorney, and defense attorney Yuki Castellano. Five intuitive minds, from well versed, ladder climbing professionals meld to investigate crimes and solve murders. Their meetings at their local pub are always revealing as they toss ideas across the table and sip their favorite drinks as the strategize their investigative roles in each case.

          

The themes surrounding their jobs give an in depth look at every phase of life as a medical examiner, criminal investigator, or attorney. Throw in San Francisco’s wealthy, scenic and seedy districts, women’s issues, amazing and not so amazing hotels, pregnancy, blockers at work, the ferry, crime twists and turns, and good looking men, and you have a year of thought provoking reading. An office staff member has a book she is reading at home and a different book on CD in her car. She calls it her Patterson Two-For. It sounds like a good drink or another name for a James Patterson novel. Your local library will walk WMC books and CD’s out to your car if they are closed inside.

       

The television series on ABC lasted one year and can be viewed on ABC re-watch. It starred Angie Harmon and her four member investigative team.

     

If the books are not enough for you, there are five games based on the murder club series. Little Black Lies, Death In Scarlet, Twice In A Blue Moon, A Darker Shade of Grey have been released for the PC. Nintendo features the fifth game: Women’s Murder Club: Games Of Passion.

    

4. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Top Music Pick For The Week…Maroon Five!
Adam Levine’s Backstory Is Nice Reading! C’mon! Nice Reading?!

  

A. Maroon Five’s new song Memories has a half a billion plays since its debut in October of 2019. (www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlPhMPnQ58k)

   

The link above will take you to, Memories, a song that gives you a heartfelt reminder of friends who have just passed away or to happy memories of past relationships with lovers, friends, and family.

    

B. Adam Levine looks like he is having the best of times singing, dancing, and holding hands with 26 of the world’s best singers, dancers, television stars, athletes, and movie stars. The occasion is putting together the video for Maroon Five’s song Girls Like You. (www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJOTlE1K90k). The three billion You Tube plays is certainly a testament to a well liked song and video. Here are the 27 ladies that appear in his video and sort of vie for his affection throughout the song.

      

Thank you Wikipedia for the list of women in the order as they appeared in the video. Camila Cabello, Phoebe Robinson, Aly Raisman, Sarah Silverman, Gal Gadot, Lilly Singh, Amani al-Khatahtbeh, Trace Lysette, Tiffany Haddish, Angy Rivera, Franchesca Ramsey, Millie Bobby Brown, Ellen DeGeneres, Jennifer Lopez, Chloe Kim, Alex Morgan, Mary J. Blige, Beanie Feldstein, Jackie Fielder, Danica Patrick, Ilhan Omar, Elizabeth Banks, Ashley Graham, Rita Ora, Levine’s wife Behati Prinsloo, and his daughter Dusty Rose.

C. After listening to and viewing Memories and Girls Like You, here are three of Maroon Five’s best all time sellers that you, hopefully, will enjoy:

     

Sugar
Moves Like Jagger
Payphone

      

5. Let’s Talk Philadelphia Knows A Thing Or Two About Love Poems!
Two Lewis Carroll (The Alice In Wonderland Man) Critical Thinkers Get The Mind Going!
Can You Determine The Love Poem’s Secret?!

    

I often wondered when I cursed,
Often feared where I would be…
Wondered where she’d yield her love,
When I yield, so will she.
I would her will be pitied!
Cursed be love, she pitied me…

    v

Here is a nice challenge for your homeschooling children or your classroom students to try to duplicate.
See, first, if they can figure out this poem’s format.

A picture which I hope will
Be one that you would like to
See. If your Mamma should
Desire one like it, I can
Easily get her one.

The answer to the two poems will be at the end of this column.

     

6. Let’s Talk Philadelphia Visits The Virgin River And Its Same Named Town!
162 Miles Of Winding Beauty Through Utah, Nevada, And Arizona!
Small Town Medicine And A California Midwife! Will They Mix?

     

If you were a nurse practitioner and midwife from Los Angeles would you move to a backwoods town (Virgin River) in remote California (where everyone knows everyone else’s business). Incidently, Virgin River is filmed in super majestic Vancouver, British Columbia.

Melinda Monroe (Alexandra Breckenridge) wants to leave a suitcase fall of bad in Los Angeles, so she accepts Hope McCrea’s (Annette O’Toole), the mayor of Virgin River’s, invitation to work in Virgin River. Doc Mullins, (Tim Matheson), is the local doctor Melinda thinks she is coming to help. Tim Matheson does not know she is coming to help him. Old and crusty, Mullins does not want any help. It will take some convincing that she can work with him in his classic house of medicine.

   

Melinda is a by-the-book medical expert. The town of Virgin River is not by the book or an expert in anything. Melinda knows medicine, but not country people. Case in point is the abandoned baby left on Doc Mullin’s medical office’s doorstep. Melinda immediately calls Social Services. No one in town would have done that and they let her know. She is beginning to realize small town living is not what she envisioned.

One of the themes of the show is will she change or will the townsfolk change? Jack Sheridan (Martin Lawrence) is the local bar owner and Melinda’s guide. She falls for him, even though, he has a friends with benefits girlfriend Charmaine Roberts (Lauren Hammersley). John Middleton is Jack’s confidant and the chef at Jack’s bar. He, like Melinda, is straight laced. Everyone in town lands in Jack’s bar and restaurant at some time. Their problems follow them into the bar.

   

As Melinda fights her battles and demons in Virgin River, her sister Joey Barnes (Jenny Cooper) is her phone call away advisor in Los Angeles. She wants her sister home.

Each episode of Virgin River is a look at small town living and how family is the key word in everyone’s in the town’s mind. As you watch the show, you ask yourself would your solutions fit better in each character’s performance? There are a large number of lessons the viewer can relate to and just as many that will change your thinking about the scenic outdoors, religion, medical problems, small business ownership, small town politics, and caring. In a television world full of all too contagious shootings and explosions, Virgin River is a nice antidote. g Shui Teacher 1:51 PM g Shui Teacher 1:51 PM

    

7. Let’s Talk Philadelphia And Steve Kodad Know Feng Shui!
Steve Kodad Is A Great Resource In The World Of Feng Shui!
His Feng Shui Newsletter Tips Are Worth Your Reading Time!

   

Steve’s Kodad’s quarterly newsletter on human psychology, color psychology, home staging, buying homes, and Feng Shui tips and techniques has something for everyone. Here is what Steve said about his work:

As a certified Feng Shui professional, Steve Kodad is asked time and time again, “Is my space Feng Shui?” and the answer is not as simple as looking at the aesthetics. A space can be the most beautiful in the world, but ultimately what’s important is how does it make you feel on an intrinsic level? Does it support you, your lifestyle, your goals, and is it a reflection of your best self? Are you operating on all cylinders?

   

Often, we hear, “I feel stuck, lost, uninspired, a lack of focus, misunderstood” and that’s more of an indication that some Feng Shui work needs to be done than anything visual. There are however visual indications that occupants might be struggling in certain life areas: clutter, items in disrepair, unbalance and disharmony in decor to name a few.

The art is an appreciation of architecture, colors, shapes, textures, symbolism and personalization. Feng Shui helps make this world a more beautiful place for those who practice it, and it all starts at home or in the workplace.

    

Steve Kodad has been training people in Feng Shui for over 15 years and trains new consultants in the school: Intrinsic School of Feng Shui. The website is http://www.IntrinsicSchoolofFengShui.com.

    

8. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Knows Advertising!
30,000 Readers On Five Continents Are A Great Audience For Your Ideas!
Two Paragraphs About Your Occupation/Avocation And Six Pictures!
Our Connections Are Surely Worth Thirty Minutes Of Your Time!
Join Lewis Carroll And Tyler Perry As Our Next Article Writer!

     

Our Let’s Talk Philadelphia column has emerged from classroom discussions at Philadelphia’s University Of The Arts in 1994, to a one page newsletter handed out on the corner of Broad and Walnut Streets, to a column now read by 30,000 plus readers and 450 re-listers across five continents. Send your ideas to tjpalumbo@aol.com or call 215-262-9986 for additional direction.

  

9. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Answer Center!

       

The two featured poem’s are types of acrostic poetry. The ABC’s are hidden in the second poem. The first poem is a perfect acrostic with the same lines written down and across. The second poem is easy to duplicate in a wealth of formats from names to months of the year. The second starts with writing a short first sentence across and then downward. Complete each sentence with any group of words across that follow your original sentence’s theme. In this case Carroll’s format would be overwhelming. The form suggested is challenging and does somewhat follow Carroll’s poem.

The beach is a marvel and wonder,
Beach sitting at the water’s edge,
Is
A
Marvel
And
Wonder what mysteries tomorrow will bring.

    

223. Charlize Theron, Edvard Munch, Schooling Help, Shoes/Socks, and Phillip Carroll’s New Movie The Honeymoon Phase!!

      

          

1. Let’s Talk Philadelphia Knows Charlize Theron!
Charlize Is A Good Fessik And Great Action Heroine!
The Old Guard Movie Is A Very Different Theron!
Can She Be Better In The New Princess Bride, The Movie?!

Charlize Theron has an Academy Award (Monster 2004) and two Academy Award nominations (North Country 2006, Bombshell 2020). Charlize’s display shelves have 20 other awards for acting in and producing movies. Her two latest 2020 projects are The Old Guard and The Princess Bride, The Home Movie.

     

The Old Guard is a comic book written by Greg Rucka. The movie is directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood. Charlize Theron (Andy), Chiwetel Ejiofor, Matthias Schoenarts, Van Veronica Ngo, Harry Melling, and Luca Marinelli are a team of 1,000 year old warriors and the present day doctors who want to capture them and their secret of long life and regeneration. Wounds and death are quickly whisked away by the warrior’s powers as they help people throughout the ages. Modern scientists want to know why! Revealing historical flashbacks from The Crusades to the Revolutionary War to the Civil War to World War II to the present are joined by the team’s (Andy, Joe, Booker, and Nicky) images in old time classic art and grainy photos.

       

Looking to make a difference in the present day, the ageless team of Avengers thinks that if they work for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA, Copley) they can continue to assist the helpless worldwide. Their first CIA mission is to rescue a group of children taken hostage in the Sudan. The team’s meticulous planning goes for naught. They are ambushed, killed, and maimed, but manage to regenerate and kill their attackers. They are now after the traitor Copley and, he, after them for testing and dicing. At age 44, Theron handles the action battle sequences better than Bruce Lee and Jet Li. Six months of training and practice makes perfect.

    

The movie’s quick segue to Afghanistan introduces a new immortal. Marine, Niles Foreman, has her throat is slit in battle when taking down a military target…and then she is immediately healed. Soon after, she shares a disturbing dream with the other immortals, who are then alerted to her existence. Andy tracks down and rescues Freeman before military personnel can abduct her for testing. Charlize has her join their team and the Copley mission. Theron is superb, once again, and you wonder at movie’s end if there is a sequel in the making. Netflix and On Demand have this exciting history directed/skirting movie.

 

2. Let’s Talk Philadelphia Continues With The Princess Bride, Home Movie!
They Have Done It!  Can You Re-create Comic Perfection?!
A Remake Of The Princess Bride Thirty-three Years Later With Thirty New Actors Was An At Home Challenge And Adventure That Had To Be Taken!
Even The Guys Wanted To Be Buttercup!

        

Charlize Theron (playing Andre The Giant’s part), Jennifer Garner, Hugh Jackmn, Joe Jonas, Sophie Turner, Neil Patrick Harris, David Burtka, Fred Savage, John Hamm, Patton Oswalt, Jack Black, Beanie Feldstein, Keegan Michael Key, and Andy Serkis are just a few of the cast members playing multiple male and female parts in the Princess movie from their homes, back gardens, and personal studios during the last two week’s quarantine. The new product is hysterical as the classic scenes are recreated in serious and camp form. Make-up and costumes are put together with home findings on the fly. Starting Monday, the Quibi channel is the host of this, as of now, 10 part series. They should have a voting site for recreations and jobs well done. One reader, who had not seen the original, was wondering if there were any funny lines in the original? Humor Digest has at least 25 listed. Have fun storming the castle and seeing these episodes.

      

3. Let’s Talk Philadelphia Knows Art!
The August Born Painter’s Paradise!
Edvard Munch Is A Nice Lead-in To August!

     

August and September are the months with the most birthdays with September leading by far. It seems only natural, then, that a large number of painters were born in August. In passing Emma and Liam are the number one birthday names for boys and girls for the second straight year. Edvard Munch, our August art highlight, is a Norwegian artist best known for his Scream (1893), The Madonna, and The Sick Child.

    

The Scream which was called The Scream of Nature by Munch while Norwegians in his day called it The Shriek. The painting is one of the most iconic paintings of all time. Five copies of it were made by Munch with two as pastels. One of his pastel paintings of the Scream sold for the fourth highest price ever received for a painting.

    

Munch said The Scream was brought to fruition when he saw a blood red sunset while walking near a fjord near Oslo, Norway. He thought it was nature calling out in pain. We are in the process of researching where the two versions in paint and the two in pastels, as well as his lithograph in stone, are located. You might have fun researching his multiple Madonnas and multiples of The Sick Child or another August painter listed below.

     

   August Artists           

4. Let’s Talk Philadelphia Knows New Movies!
The Honeymoon Phase Should Be Your Next Movie Watch!

         

A Psychological Thriller For Young And Old Alike!
Movie Trailer   https://www.youtube.com/embed/5swzeRJMUj0

Here Is What Director Phillip Carroll Shared About His New Movie!

      

Local Bucks County (just outside Philadelphia) native Phillip G. Carroll Jr.’s first feature film, The Honeymoon Phase, produced by their production company Aspire Motion Pictures, is being released by Dark Sky Films in limited theatrical release, as well as, on digital home video/on demand on August 21st, 2020. The Honeymoon Phase, is a sci-fi psychological thriller following Tom and Eve, two struggling young lovers who lie about their relationship in order to enter The Millenium Project, an experiment for married couples run by the mysterious Director and Handler.

     

With the promise of $50,000, Tom and Eve must survive 30-days isolated together in a futuristic smart home, while the researchers attempt to determine why couples fall out of love. Over the course of their stay, Eve begins a violent decent into madness as she questions if her lover really is the man she thinks he is. A paranoid sci-fi thriller about the nature of trust in relationships, The Honeymoon Phase, is as much classic Twilight Zone as contemporary Black Mirror, and an all-too-terrifying answer to the question, “How well can you ever really know someone?” Jim Schubin (Boardwalk Empire, Law & Order), Chloe Carroll, Tara Westwood (The Grudge) and Francois Chau (LOST, The Expanse) star. You can view the trailer here: https://youtu.be/5swzeRJMUj0

   

Writer/Director Phillip and his wife, Chloe Carroll, fell in love making short films together. When they decided it was time to create their first feature film, they wanted it to be a labor of love between the two of them, melding both of their passions into a singular story. The marriage of Phillip’s love of sci-fi/dramas and his wife’s love of horror films lead to the birth of The Honeymoon Phase. As newlyweds, Phillip and Chloe wanted to capture the ecstasy of being in their own honeymoon phase while also exploring what can lead a relationship to fall apart. What slithered out of their ruminations was the idea of facade. For Phillip and Chloe, honesty and trust are at the heart of their marriage.

    

The Honeymoon Phase, sows a lie into the fertile soil of Tom and Eve’s relationship… a thought so horrifying that once it took root, Tom and Eve’s love would deteriorate – memory by memory. Phillip and Chloe’s hope is that as you watch The Honeymoon Phase in the comfort of your homes, the film plants that same seed of doubt in your mind… “What if the person I love isn’t who they say they are?” Phillip and Chloe would like to thank the countless talented, devoted, and supportive people who helped bring their first feature film to life. From the incredible cast and crew to the local Philadelphia and Bucks County community who threw their support behind the movie – Phillip and Chloe are forever grateful to them all for helping to make their dream come true. If you’d like to help support the film, please share the trailer and consider checking out the movie on August 21st!
Follow Phillip and Chloe on Twitter @PhilCarrollJr and @CloCarroll

Phillip G. Carroll Jr.
Director
The Honeymoon Phase
Aspire Motion Pictures
(215) 378-2644
phillipgcarrolljr@aspiremotionpictures.com
www.AspireMotionPictures.com

     

5. Let’s Talk Philadelphia Knows Left Of Center!
Way Left Of Center!
The World Of Shoes And Socks Explored!

     

Melanie, our favorite, left brained, office intern, came up with an outlandish research project last year in our column for her girlfriend who was looking for a redheaded, left handed boyfriend. Ten percent (10% ) of the world’s population is left handed. Two percent (2%) of the population are redheaded. This means that less than one percent (1%) of the world’s population would be red headed and left handed. Melanie’s girlfriend, after we completed our search, then threw in good looking and intelligent. We did not research those areas!

     

Melanie’s new drive us crazy, research request involves how you put on your shoes and socks. Her questions are as follows:

1. Do right handed people put their right hand sock or stocking on first?
2. Conversely, of course, the same question is turned around for left handed people?
3. Do you put on both stockings first or one stocking and one shoe at a time?
4. When you put on your children’s shoes and socks which side is first because as you are facing them your right hand would be on their left foot side…if you are right handed?
5. Take these same questions/arguments and see how they apply to taking off your shoes and socks at night.

We are sure these questions are going to drive you crazy every morning and night at shoes’ and socks’ time!

              

6. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Knows Education, Parents, And The Internet!
10,000 Educational Websites Are Out There For Your Children/Classrooms!

     

Seventy-five percent (75%) of the world’s students will receive some type of home schooling this year. Parents and schools everywhere will be scrambling for the best resources to use at home whether they are using Google Classroom, Blackboard, Zoom, K-12, or some other educational service provided by their school system.

   

Here are six things that should happen at all schools to promote at home study.
Do not pay for any additional services. Everything is out there for free.

1. The first online workshop should be for parents as your school outlines their home study contact information, services, and resources.

2. The book company that your school uses was selected for their texts, guides, learning centers, resources, and, hopefully, for an outstanding array of on line information that is continually up-dated. Parents need an additional walk through of this information and how to use the company’s site with their child/children.

3. Mini-parent calling chains should be organized, so parents don’t seem isolated and can share ideas and helpful hints. These parents will, probably, not know each other in the beginning. Please stress the importance of these chains.

    

4. Libraries, closed inside, are now offering curb side services. Put a list together of the books you and your child would like to explore and call for a scheduled pick-up. Remember to get educational CD’s and audio books at every level from the library, also.

5. Every author that you read from K-12th grade has their own resource site easily found in a Google search or by typing in their name as a .com as we have shared in our recommendations below.

6. Explore what the local community centers, churches, city offices, and YMCA’s are offering as part of their help and educational outreach programs. This takes some doing, but with a sharing network the best resources can be located, shared, and used.

Here is a small segment of the on line resources we recommend. Sign up for their newsletters.

The American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/parents

   

National Women’s History Column
http://www.womenshistory.org

Jan Brett’s Early Childhood Resources
http://www.janbrett.com

    

Maya Angelou’s Multi-cultural Resources
http://www.mayaangelou.com

Parent Teacher Resource Compilation
http://www.atoztecherstuff.com

Disney As A Schooling Resource
http://www.disney.go.com/disney/learning

     

Awesome Historic Research
http://www.findagrave.com

     

Your Opinion Matters! Sometimes!

     

7. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Knows Advertising!
30,000 Readers On Five Continents Are A Great Audience For Your Ideas!
Two Paragraphs About Your Occupation/Avocation And Six Pictures!
Our Connections Are Surely Worth Thirty Minutes Of Your Time!
Join Phillip Carroll As Our Next Article Submitter!

       

Our Let’s Talk Philadelphia column has emerged from classroom discussions at Philadelphia’s University Of The Arts in 1994, to a one page newsletter handed out on the corner of Broad and Walnut Streets, to a column now read by 30,000 plus readers and 450 re-listers across five continents.

 

A Once Again Reminder: Every Let’s Talk Philadelphia column encourages readers to contribute their photography, art, fashion, travel, education, sports, food, book, and local business news to this column at tjpalumbo@aol.com. Everything is FREE and the column is a great connector for a contributor’s two paragraphs and six pictures to tjpalumbo@aol.com. 30,000 Connections count toward success for your business, new book, art, or photography!

   

If you read past columns, you will see 20 different contributions and writing styles like Phillip Carroll’s new movie, The Honeymoon Phase, as well as, those highlighting the above topics and more. There is definitely a place for your ideas in the Let’s Talk Philadelphia column.

     

222. Kevin Costner, My Spy, Black Girl, Yellowstone, And Lovely’s Hair Care!

   

       

    

1. Let’s Talk Philadelphia Applauds The Worldwide Sport Re-openings!
European Soccer Was First! Followed By Nascar, Golf, and Now Baseball!
Check Your Television Listings And Lean Back With Your Popcorn!

   

The golf and soccer seasons for 2020 have begun and the baseball opener between the New York Yankees and the World Series winning Washington Nationals on July 24th-27^th is not too far behind. It seems only right that we kick off the baseball season with a baseball movie selection and our annual baseball sport’s puzzle. We are featuring Kevin Costner in his series Yellowstone on the Paramount Network in another article, so we won’t be reviewing his memorable baseball movies Bill Durham, For The Love of the Game, Field of Dreams, or Fastball for your viewing pleasure.

    

We are going, instead, with Robert Redford’s The Natural (1984). The Natural can be easily found in your On Demand listings. It is an entertaining must watch pick for the sport minded and all time movie favorite watchers.

The Natural (circa 1939) was written by Bernard Malamud in 1952. Its four Academy Award nominations attest to a great story and one of the best casts of award winning actors working in 1984 (Robert Redford, Glen Close, Kim Bassinger, Robert Duvall, Barbara Hershey, Darren McGavin, Wilford Brimley, Richard Farnsworth, and Robert Prosky).

   

Robert Redford (Roy Hobbs) is a 19-year-old farm boy and baseball pitching star heading to Chicago for a tryout. Along the way, he meets Barbara Hershey on a train and then her hotel room. Hershey is the angel of death and has already killed three sport stars. Fast forward 17 years and Hobbs is trying to make it into the big leagues as a right fielder with 17 years of baggage. The New York Knights’ team managed by Wilford Brimley, that he is sent to, is in last place and doesn’t want to play an old relic. Can Redford transform this team into a winner when he gets his chance is the story’s big question? Glen Close, his childhood sweetheart, appears in his life and joins the battle as current girl friend Kim Bassinger wants to bring Hobbs down, so a losing team can be sold. Yes, the movie is about baseball and its inner workings, but the four non-baseball subplots add a number of interesting, watch-worthy developments as the story progresses.

  

2. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Puzzle Of The Month!
Baseball Classics Will Challenge Your Baseball Acumen!
You Might Need Help On This One!

         

Baseball Classics
Each set of clues below will generate a term found in baseball. Score a run with each correct answer. Place this sheet on the office bulletin board and invite staff members to write in an appropriate answer. Give a copy to family and friends and see have many runs they can score with each correct answer. Answers will appear at the end of this column. Don’t look right away. You can come back to this quiz at a later time and be amazed at the new answers that have jumped into your mind. Item 7 below has the quiz’s answers.

    

Clue Word                           Baseball Term

   

1. Example…Found in some women’s stockings     Runs
2. Cinderella’s ride
3. Airmen and airplanes reside here
4. Place for cattle
5. Early type of canoe
6. A twin
7. A musical composition for a movie

        

8. Factory worker’s walkout
9. IIiad maker
10. Not married
11. A horse refuses to jump
12. Ocean depth measure
13. Tar
14. A meadow

         

15. A night flyer
16. The king’s dance
17. Car tire composition
18. An IHop pancake order
19. STOP is one
20. Multiple television episodes
21. A New state

       

3. Let’s Talk Philadelphia Found My Spy But Not The I Spy Original!
Spies Big And Small Doing Their Job With Trickery And Explosions!
Amazon Prime Has A Secret No More!

   

If you were training a female spy, at what age would you start?
Is nine too young? Where could she pack her gun? Is there a gun?

JJ (Dave Bautista) is a Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) operator who seemingly is not very good at his job. He has just botched a Russian nuclear product’s recovery assignment and now has been assigned the lowly task of secretly watching Sophie (Chloe Coleman) a nine year old and her mother Kate (Parisa Fitz-Henley). JJ’s boss David Kim (Ken Jeong) wants JJ to take tech specialist Bobbi (Kristen Schaal) with him to set up surveillance in and around Sophie’s apartment.

  

Sophie and her mother have returned from Paris to Wicker Park, Chicago after her father’s death. Neither mother nor daughter knew dad was selling plans for mini-nuclear devices when he was killed. The CIA figures Kate’s brother-in-law is in on the dirty dealings, also. Hence, the surveillance and future clashes with arms dealers and a mini-array of bad guys.

     

Sophie finds the hidden cameras in her apartment and traces the signal down the hall to Schaal’s and Bautista’s apartment. She blackmails JJ into being her friend, companion, and spy trainer. Bobbi wants out of surveillance and into spy training, too. Not going to happen!, JJ chimes in multiple times!

       

The fight scenes, show and tell scenes, ice skating scenes, pinky swearing scenes, and scenes where Bautista falls for Sophie’s mother are good. Your rankings would be appreciated after seeing the movie?

     

My Guy quick notes:
The movie made its debut in Australia in January.
It was supposed to be part of a series.
Amazon Prime purchased it because of the theater virus shutdown.
Kristen Schaal is a multiple award winning comedian for her movie work, comedy specials, and support of other comedians. (www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYMbJFC33f8).

    

              

4. Let’s Talk Philadelphia Visits Montana (Yellowstone) For Three Seasons!
Paramount Television Grabbed Kevin Costner For This Action Loaded Series!
What Is More Important Than Family?!

   

Just like Ozark with Jason Bateman and Laura Linney, Yellowstone with Kevin Costner is starting its third season. The fourth year of Yellowstone has already been booked. Yellowstone has won the American Heritage Award in Drama the last two years. John Dutton (Kevin Costner) is the owner of one of the largest cattle ranches in the United States. Dutton’s ranch encompasses 5,000 acres or 8 square miles of pristine land, forests, waters, and mountains.

     

The Wrangler Award For Television Drama

Costner (Dutton) has four older children, three boys and one girl…and one eight year old grandson. Like the ranch, they are under attack from every group that the resides on the ranch’s borders. There are land developers who want to make billions building towns, resorts, and shopping malls on Dutton’s and adjacent properties. Lumber, gas, and oil developers thinking this area is a potential undiscovered goldmine want in. A bordering Indian reservation and casino have all sorts of bogus claims to this land. Even politicians and a National Parks’ consortium add to the property grab and ownership headaches. All these competing interests make running a ranch with family, ranch hand, horse, and cattle troubles even more difficult.

      

Everyone of these opposition groups have the best and worst of employees and owners.
They are all ready for and preparing for a fight and massive land grab. Yellowstone has more shootings, killings, fights, bruisings, and maimings than John Wick and Lethal Weapon put together. There is even a hanging that John Wick and Lethal Weapon haven’t added to their massive money making series, yet.

     

     

Kayce Dutton’s (Luke Grimes’) wife Monica Long Dutton (Kelsey Asbille) is an American Indian girl. They are not accepted on the reservation where they lived in season 1 or in the local community. Kayce has provided John with a grandson Tate (Brecken Merrill). John is grooming Tate to be a ranch hand or anything else he wants to be. Some of the best non-shooting scenes feature granddad and grandson.

        

Our favorite Yellowstone character is Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly). She is a super intelligent, sophisticated, wild childish, financial wiz. She manipulates everyone at the ranch and in town. She could charm the bees out of any hive in spite of being an alcoholic and drug abuser. She is great at howling at the moon, but always has her father’s back. Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) is John Dutton’s loyal to a fault ranch foreman. Rip is in love with Beth, but too often just his play thing. Their sparing is unique and adds to the mystery and romantic elements of the show. Ride over to the Paramount Network and take a look at this modern western tale. Season 1 and 2 found On Demand should be your start before delving into season three at 9PM Sundays.

   

5. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s People Of Color Resource!
Make Room In Your Favorites’ Files For Black Girl Culture!
This Site Rivals Last Month’s Thrillist Endorsement!

     

Black Girl Culture (blkgirlculture.com) is the new go to site for girls and women of color. There is something there for everyone as the topics below that their column features will attest: Music, Opinion, Pop Culture, Health and Beauty, Politics, Activism, Entertainment, Sex and Relationships, Sports, and Lifestyle.

   

When the website opens you will see the newest topics by scrolling right on their Black Culture blog bar. After looking at these selections, scroll down to blog posts section at the bottom of the page and you will see interesting posts from previous years. Singer Lauryn Hill and basketball player Dwayne Wade are two of the famous and not so famous everyday people that contribute thoughful insights to the column. Our four favorite articles were:

1. Why “Selah and The Spades” Still Isn’t The Black Coming-of-Age Film We Need

2. A Lesson in Acceptance Taught the Wade Way

3. How Lauryn Hill Redefined The Way We Look At Black Motherhood

4. Blackity Black Reads: 5 Books by Black Women to Read This Month

            

Let’s Talk Philadelphia has reached out to the writers of Black Culture for future contributions to our column. We are hoping they will, also, refer additional writers, ground breakers in all subjects, and community leaders to participate on our column as well as theirs.

    

6. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s…Help An Entrepreneur Section!
Anita Lovely Has Hair Help For Men And Women!
You Can Be Her Next Success!

    

Here is what Anita Lovely shared with Let’s Talk Philadelphia about her hair discoveries:

After a career as an economist I went back to my first love during the 2020 COVID-19 quarantine. That is developing hair care products like I used to do when I was younger. I cut my hair down to a couple of inches while grieving the death of my mother and the sudden death of my oldest sister. After the grief subsided I realized I missed my long hair, and that it wasn’t growing as quickly as it did when I was young.

     

So out of necessity, a love for dabbling in organic essential oils, and numerous hours of research, I formulated a hair serum that cleansed, nourished, and stimulated my hair follicles so that my hair started growing an inch a month. Before using my new formula my hair was growing about a quarter of an inch a month. I was so excited about the results I decided to share my formulation with others who are experiencing hair growth problems.

  

My beta testers were equally excited about the Super Hair Grow Serum results and the fact that it was all vegan and organic. They liked it so much that they convinced me to develop a deep conditioning hair mask with similar organic and vegan ingredients. As a token of my appreciation for support of my small online business I decided to gift my customers with a proprietary blend of aromatherapy organic essential oils. The Serum, Mask, and Aromatherapy make up the Super Hair Grow Kit that is available online at SuperHairGrow.com.

Thanks Tom.
I do appreciate this opportunity.

Kind regards,
Anita Lovely
SuperHairGrow.com  

After checking out Anita’s hair care products, you might want to catch a read on her book Betrayals. Here is what Anita shared about her most successful authorship.

Short bio: My novel, Betrayals, caught the attention of The Oprah Show. I was interviewed about Betrayals on ABC TV, on the radio, and by reporters for newspapers in the New Jersey/Philadelphia area. I had forty successful book signings. Two of my professional articles were published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Research in Pharmaceutical Economics. I won a First Place prize from BET Books/Arabesque for a short romantic story, and I placed in other writing contests. I’m acknowledged for editing assistance in the Chicken Soup for the African American Soul book.

      

7. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Baseball Quiz Answers!

Clue Word                           Baseball Term

     

1. Example…Found in some women’s stockings     Runs
2. Cinderella’s ride…Coach
3. Airmen and airplanes reside here…Base
4. Place for cattle…Bullpen
5. Early type of canoe…Dugout
6. A twin…Double
7. A musical composition for a movie…Score

   

8. Factory worker’s walkout…Strike
9. IIiad maker…Homer
10. Not married…Single
11. A horse refuses to jump…Balk
12. Ocean depth measure…League
13. Tar…Pitch

      

14. A meadow…Outfield
15. A night flyer…Bat
16. The king’s dance…Ball
17. Car tire composition…Rubber
18. An IHop pancake order…Grand Slam
19. STOP is one…Sign
20. Multiple television episodes…Series
21. A New state…Jersey

        

8. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Call-Out For Column Submissions!
30,000 Readers On Five Continents Are A Great Audience For Your Ideas!
Two Paragraphs About Your Occupation/Avocation And Six Pictures!
Our Connections Are Surely Worth Thirty Minutes Of Your Time!
Join Anita Lovely As Our Next Article Submitter!

      

Our Let’s Talk Philadelphia column has emerged from classroom discussions at Philadelphia’s University Of The Arts in 1994, to a one page newsletter handed out on the corner of Broad and Walnut Streets, to a column now read by 30,000 plus readers and 450 re-listers across five continents.

   

A Once Again Reminder: Every Let’s Talk Philadelphia column encourages readers to contribute their photography, art, fashion, travel, education, sports, food, book, and local business news to this column at tjpalumbo@aol.com. Everything is FREE and the column is a great connector for a contributor’s two paragraphs and six pictures to tjpalumbo@aol.com. 30,000 Connections count toward success for your business, new book, art, or photography!

     

If you read past columns, you will see 20 different contributions and writing styles like Anita Lovely’s hair care ideas as well as those highlighting the above topics and more. There is definitely a place for your ideas.

     

221. Queen Of The South, Choir! Choir! Choir!, Thrillist, Desserts, And The New Puzzle!

    

         

1. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Binge Music Watch And Listen Suggestions!
Three Venues Are Hosting A Wealth Of Creative Music For The End Of May!
June Music Tune-ins Are Included, Too!
Golden Duets, Pub Choir, And Choir, Choir, Choir!

Since this column originated at The University Of The Arts, the Music Making Capital of Philadelphia, it is only natural that we kick off this issue with some new worldwide music favorites.

The Toronto based Choir, Choir, Choir, is a musical idea started by Nobu Adilman and Daveed Goldman in 2011. They said: Let’s invite 200 people (strangers) to Clinton’s Bar, rehearse a song with this group for an hour, sing the song, record the song, and then upload it to the Internet. Worldwide recognition soon followed as their groups increased from 200 off the street singing strangers to 2,000 strangers in an airport hangar. Then, Choir 3 was off to concert halls throughout Canada and the northeastern United States to make must watch, amazing, spur of the moment music.

             

It wasn’t long before music stars were invited to their various performing locales with Nobu and Daveed, then, being invited all over the world to perform with put together choirs. There are over twenty of their song selections and performances on You Tube, Vevo, and Spotify. Our two favorites have Patti Smith (age 73) in a powerful performance singing Power To The People (www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6Wz3i_BYUc) and Rick Astley singing Never Gonna Give You Up (www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJRsWJqDjFE).
Hopefully, you will find one of your song favorites in their various cover song renditions.

        

For those meeting Patti Smith for the first time, Patti has been described as the Poet Laureate of Punk Rock. After hearing Power To The People, you will want to hear more and will eagerly explore her 50 years in music for a number of outstanding selections to add to your play list. She has duet…ed with all the rock superstars.

Rick Astley featured with the link above was number 1 in 25 countries with Never Gonna Give You Up. Astley has sold over 40 million records and was voted Best Act Ever by the MTV Europe Music Awards in 2008. His most recent album 50 debuted at number 1 in the United Kingdom. Don’t give up on him! You will enjoy his music portfolio!

       

The Pub Choir concept was put together by Astrid Jorgenson and Megan Bartholomew in Brisbane, Australia in 2017. Their thoughts on forming Pub Choir was similar to the ones that created Choir, Choir, Choir. They, too, have taken a small idea practiced in New Zealand and Australia and have grown their music into a worldwide phenomenon. Astrid, Megan, and their quickly formed three part harmony choirs have performed with over 20 of the top singers from their region. Pub Choir’s participation ticket is one of the most sought after tickets in Australian entertainment.

          

Don’t forget to visit Adele’s Take Fire From The Rain (www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjqYTpE6Qdg).
Adele sings Fire on five different stages. The song is super smooth. Very few people notice the five different outfits she is wearing from the different performances of the same song. The song has no glitches and the five locales are stitched together perfectly.

    

Golden Duets has present day music stars singing with deceased musicians from Freddy Mercury to Elvis Presley to Michael Jackson. The duets are coordination magic. We follow with the Queen duet and encourage you to explore the ten others on YouTube.
Golden Duets Queen…(www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cH5htm6T4E). It unique to see how present day performances are stitched together perfectly with past performers.

          

3. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Binge Watch Suggestions!
39 Queen Of The South Episodes To Help Pass A Rainy Day Away!
Alice Braga Leads 10 Worldwide Drugs Cartels With Guns, Doubles Crosses, Exotic Travel, Jewelry, Fashion, And Intrigue!

 

Alice Braga (age 37) and her aunt Sonya Braga (age 69) are Brazilian award winning and acting royalty. Between the Bragas, they both started performing at age eight, Alice and Sonya have appeared in over 60 television series and movies.

    

Queen of the South would have been really special if Alice and Sonya starred in the series and batted heads like Alice Braga (Teresa Mendoza) does with Veronica Falcon (Camila Vargas) Mexican cartel ruler.

Queen of the South is the story of drugs in Mexico, drugs in the United States, and drugs internationally. The Vargas cartel leadership consist of Camila and her husband Don Epifanio Vargas (Joaquim de Almeida). The Vargas husband and wife team are competing with an alliance of five other Mexican cartels and each other for control of the Mexican and and Texas drug trade.

      

Teresa’s boyfriend was a pilot and Vargas drug mule. He was murdered for skimming from the cartel. Teresa was immediately taken from a life of riches to a poor person on the run from the cartel. The cartel catches her and gives her a choice of prostitute or drug mule. Queen of the South is the story of an epic climb from drug mule to cartel head. Throw in drug carrying drones, the DEA, the FBI, Interpol, and the CIA and you have covered it all. No animals were harmed in making this show. The human toll, however, is catastrophic.

     

It, also, is the story of two strong women who know how to run a business, create alliances, overcome obstacles, out-smart competitors, and out-tough everyone that has dealings with them. New faces like Mark Consuelos (Kelly Ripa’s husband and the cartel’s money man) are added each year as session five is about to begin. Each season becomes more picturesque and brutal as the business stretches to France, Monaco, and Malta.

   

3. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Binges On Thrillist!
A Great Morning Read For Your Favorite’s List Or A Thrillist Sign-up!
Do You have Time To Read A List Of Everything You Need To Know About Everything?!

         

Thrillist is an online compendium of everything you wanted to know about food, fashion, drink, entertainment, travel, education, and the arts. It was founded in 2004 by college friends Ben Lerer and Adam Rich. Housed in New York City, it recently had a staff of 200 with a starting salary of $50,000.

     

After a sign-up, a colorful and informative issue of Thrillist arrives in your mailbox every morning. It usually contains five lists and unique stories about people, places, and products in quick list form. The lists sometimes have five suggestion on a topic or thirty. It is a fast read or an extensive read if you are looking for the best of the best or want to plan a visit to all the top bars, pizza joints, fashion salons, museums, or state parks throughout the world or in your city. Your taste palette will enjoy the food and drink selections.

    

Past issues of Thrillist are easy to access and contain an all encompassing packet of material on everything that might interest you. Try Thrillist for a couple of days before dropping your email in their sign-up box. A box for your research suggestions is on the horizon. Putting Thrillist to work for you would be a hoot.

         

     

4. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Dessert Favorites…
The Dessert Is The King Even In Our New Take-out Only World!
Chocolate Everything And Key Lime Pie Step Forward!

Our staff’s dessert top five:
1. Chocolate chip cookies
2. Ice Cream Sundae
3. Key Lime Pie
4. Fudge anything (cookies, cakes, chunks, candies)
5. Cheesecake/Cinnamon apple pie

      

As our office staff trains and prepares for our annual July 4th pie eating and hot dog eating (hope Philadelphia’s city and region-wide color changes twice by then so we can distance and get together) contests some conflicting news and research has come down the eating pipeline. One study says that 50 percent of Americans do not order dessert at a restaurant while another survey says that even in the toughest times dessert consumption does not wane. Who to believe!

       

The local Cheese Cake Factory’s restaurant manager estimates that 90 percent of their customers order dessert and most would skip the meal to get to the dessert. Should a take out business be part of the survey was a good point. Dessert doesn’t appear as a purchase on the check, but a visit to the delight counter on the way out of the restaurant shows a big time fill-up of sweets and pastries. Chocolate cake and fudge lead the at home dessert menu. Cheesecake and apple pie lead the most restaurants dessert choice’s list.

   

Hot dog statistics are even crazier. If you divide the number of hot dogs sold yearly by the population of the United States, it comes to 1,000 hot dogs being eaten every minute in the US. This can’t be true! Edith the winner of last year’s office eating contest ate three hot dogs to win: two with sauerkraut and one with some type of taco like covering. The Coney Island World Wide Championship is Edith’s next stop, if we can raise the funds for her trip to New York. Division does not lie in the world of hot dogs!

    

5. Let’s Talk Philadelphia Wonders!
Does History Repeat Itself Every Hundred Years?!
A Timeless Poem Written In 1869 Or Maybe Not!

The Pandemic
And people stayed at home
And read books
And listened
And they rested

       
And did exercises
And made art and played
And learned new ways of being
And stop and listened more deeply
Someone meditated, someone prayed

       

Someone met their shadow
And people started to think differently
And people healed
And in the absence of people who lived in ignorant ways
Dangerous, meaningless, and heartless

    

The earth began to heal
And when the danger ended and the people found themselves
They grieved for the dead and made new choices
And dreamed of new visions
And created new ways of living
And completely healed the earth as they were healed.

      

6. Let’s Talk Philadelphia Will Stump You With Its Latest 2 Minute Puzzle!
You Do Not Have To Be Artistic To Solve Our Art Word Clues And Puzzle!
Set Your Timers To Two Minutes And Begin!

     

Can you use the clues below to find the word ART in the beginning, middle, or end of words. The answers are in item 8 in this column.

What art is:
Example…Intelligent…smart

1. A large group of weapons…
2. Creative…
3. A group fishing boat…
4. Means to prevent…
5. A bold color…
6. Gives you complete freedom…
7. To bargain…
8. To begin…

   

9. A woman’s undergarment…
10. A boy’s name…
11. A girl’s name…
12. A map…
13. 2 different body parts…
14. An old remnant…
15. An achy disease…
16. Money…

       
17. One who takes a role in something…
18. A skin growth…
19. A bakery item…
20. A type of store…
21. A deer…
22. A law firm goal…
23. An alcoholic drink…
24. A Phoenician city…
25. Underground snakelike creature…

    

    

7. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Call-Out For Column Submissions!
30,000 Readers On Five Continents Are A Great Audience For Your Ideas!
Two Paragraphs About Your Occupation/Avocation And Six Pictures!
Our Connections Are Surely Worth Thirty Minutes Of Your Time!

  

Our Let’s Talk Philadelphia column has emerged from classroom discussions at Philadelphia’s University Of The Arts in 1994, to a one page newsletter handed out on the corner of Broad and Walnut Streets, to a column now read by 30,000 plus readers across five continents.

  

A Once Again Reminder: Every Let’s Talk Philadelphia column encourages readers to contribute their photography, art, fashion, travel, education, sports, food, book, and local business news to this column at tjpalumbo@aol.com. Everything is FREE and the column is a great connector for a contributor’s two paragraphs and six pictures to tjpalumbo@aol.com. 30,000 Connections count toward success for your business, new book, art, or photography!

    

If you read past columns, you will see 20 different contributions and writing styles highlighting the above topics and more. How about the rarest fish in the world, Queen Elizabeth of England owning a Mac Donalds, or tree house hotels, or the musical style…ings at Daryl’s House? And you thought you have heard it all!

       

8. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Answers To Art Words Its Latest Puzzle!
What Was Your Puzzle Solving Time In Minutes And Seconds!
How Many Did You Miss! How Much Help Did You Need?!

   

Have someone read the clues to you to find the word ART in the beginning, middle, or end of words if you haven’t completed the puzzle yet.

What art is:
Example…Intelligent…smart
1. A large group of weapons…artillery
2. Creative…artistic
3. A group fishing boat…charter
4. Means to prevent…thwart
5. A bold color…chartreuse
6. Gives you complete freedom…carte blanche
7. To bargain…barter
8. To begin…start
9. A woman’s undergarment…garter
10. A boy’s name…Martin/Carter/Artemis/Bart
11. A girl’s name…Martina/Marta/Martha
12. A map…chart

   

13. 2 different body parts…arteries and heart
14. An old remnant…artifact
15. An achy disease…arthritis
16. Money…quarter
17. One who takes a role in something…participant
18. A skin growth…wart
19. A bakery item…tart
20. A type of store…department
21. A deer…hart
22. A law firm goal…partner
23. An alcoholic drink…martini
24. A Phoenician city…Carthage
25. Underground snakelike creature…earthworm

9. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Weekly Humor Share!
There Are 100’s Of These Being Shared Across The Internet!
Here Are Our Two Favorites!

          

220. Grace Potter, Jessica Chastain, Mary Shelley, Titus Welliver, Robert Frost, And The Monthly Survey!

        

        

There is but one solution to the intricate riddle of life; to improve ourselves, and contribute to the happiness of others. (Mary Shelley)

   

1. Let’s Talk Philadelphia Salutes Poetry Month (April)
Mary Shelley And Robert Frost Are Two Keepers!
Don’t Miss The Movie Mary Shelley With Elle Fanning!

    

Yow!
What person keeps her husband’s heart in a shroud and carries the heart in her purse for thirty years? Further, on her death from a brain tumor, she gives the heart to her son who then has the heart for thirty more years before it is buried with him.
You can’t make this stuff up!

Mary Shelley, wife of poet Percy Shelley, Mother of Science Fiction for her novel Frankenstein (1818), and writer of The Last Man (1826), a story of how a plague destroys the human race, is the heart keeper.

   

After losing three of her four children in childbirth and to diseases, then her husband in a boating accident, Mary Shelley goes on to make her husband famous by posthumously publishing his poems in Posthumous Poems (1824) and Poetical Works (1839).

The books History of a Six Weeks’ Tour (1817), Valperga (1823), The Fortunes of Perkin Warbeck (1830), Lodore (1835), and Falkner (1837) add to her legacy. Rather then highlight these works and an amazing life story, we borrowed her poem Spring from the twice weekly publication Brain Pickings (another great sign-up) to start our April poetry salute.

       

Winter passed away;
And spring, led by the months, awakened life in all nature.
The forest was dressed in green;
The young calves frisked on the new-sprung grass;
The wind-winged shadows of light clouds sped over the green cornfields;
The hermit cuckoo repeated his monotonous all-hail to the season;
The nightingale, bird of love and minion of the evening star, filled the woods with song;
While Venus lingered in the warm sunset, and the young green of the trees lay in gentle relief along the clear horizon.

    

2. Let’s Talk Philadelphia Two Poetry Questions!
What Poet Would You Select To Highlight During Poetry Month!
What Two Poems Of Your Choice Would You Share? (A Great Family Activity)

 

Robert Frost’s 88 year history is a revealing research project.

A. The Britannica Encyclopedia (www.britannica.com/biography/Robert-Frost) seems to be the on line leader in reviewing Frost’s career, works, and awards. A brief peek at this site will take you into Frost’s writing and, then, links to the lives of writing award winners like Frost in 8 different categories. Remember to sign up for Britannica’s daily newsletter when on their site.

B. Frost’s (1874-1963) first forty years depicts his struggle as a father, New England farmer, and a writing failure with just two poems in minor publications. He married his high school sweetheart (Elinor White) and had six children with her with two dying in early life.

 

C. In 1912, at age 40, and with no perceptible writing outlets in the United States wanting to publish his works, he picked up his family, a tome of his poems, and sailed to England. He was told by other writers that England would be much more receptive to his type of writing and his rural themes. His immediate success their and three year stint publishing in England lead to word of his works traveling back across the Atlantic to America. When he returned to the United States in 1915, his new acceptance and writing skyrocketed.

  

D. Four Pulitzer Prizes For Poetry and the first poet to ever present at a presidential inauguration (John F. Kennedy, 1961) are nice caps to his early struggles and to his writing history.

E. Most reviewers of Frost’s works would feature his The Road Not Taken and Stopping By The Woods On A Snowy Evening. We chose Fire and Ice and Nothing Gold Can Stay to give readers another glimpse into his poetry. What two poems of Frost’s other than these four would have been your choices to add to your story of Robert Frost if you were writing for this column?

Fire and Ice

Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I’ve tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.

  

But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.

Nothing Gold Can Stay

Nature’s first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf’s a flower;
But only so an hour.

 

Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.

         

3. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Monthly Survey!
Time Well Spent Or Something Or Other!
How Has Your Stay At Home Time Changed?!

       

In this time of stay at home that is being practiced throughout the world, we sent home an email survey to office workers, family, and friends. We asked them to rank the percentage of increase of television watching, book reading, listening to music, audio book listening, exercising, and game playing (not on a computer) at home. They were to be ranked 1-5 with 5 being the most change. We were not interested in hours participants did these things, just the estimated percentage of increase. We knew the hours watching television (not our interest in the survey) would lead by miles. Everyone wanted to put sleep in the survey, but we were looking for active activities.

               

We totaled the survey and found that these were the percentage of increase rankings:
game playing (a large number started playing games which they had not done before)
music listening
television watching
book reading (five people said their reading would be more if libraries weren’t closed)
exercising
audio book listening.

Sixty percent of those surveyed put sex at the top of the list thinking they would be the only joker to do so. What would your pick six or seven list look like? Can you think of another survey for an at home period of time (phone, eating, writing not texting, cleaning, house or apartment repairs or new work, meditating)?

   

4. Let’s Talk Philadelphia Researches The Last Is First Binge Watch!
Bosch Season Six Might Be A Good Choice For Your Start, Too!
Harry Bosch Is A Los Angeles Detective That Will Pique Your Interests!

      

An office staffer shared, a while ago, that he watches the most recent year or last year of a binge watch series rather than the first year. He said the characters are better formed, the story line is crisper and more varied, and the quality of the show or movie tells you if you want to go to year one to see how the journey started. At first, this seems silly because you don’t see how characters develop and change nor do you see how story lines develop and change. Then, it started making sense to some staffers. Some is the optimum word here.

        

The Amazon Prime series Bosch starring Titus Welliver and introducing newcomer Madison Lintz as his daughter, reviewed here when it premiered six years ago, would be a good test case for the last season theory. Bosch, a Los Angeles detective is a character created by author Michael Connelly and developed for television by Eric Overmyer. The television series features Harry Bosch as he appears in Connelly’s books The Concrete Blonde, City of Bones, and Echo Park.

      

Each episode in the ten part series has four different scenarios going on at the same time. This multi-focus gives supporting stars Mimi Rogers (the super slick defense lawyer for the worst criminals), Lance Riddick (the police chief now running for Mayor), Jamie Hector (Bosch’s partner chasing the killers in new and cold cases), Amy Aquino (Bosch’s boss looking for respect as a woman on a male dominated police force), and Madison Lintz (a school student and a potential lawyer looking for direction after her mother’s death) give a chance to let Bosch interact with a strong supporting cast and help the departments members fight demons in all directions.

We think Bosch 6, that just opened this week, is a good test for the last is first theory. Season 6 has four different new and old murders to solve, nuclear waste going missing with the FBI getting in the way, wives killing their husbands for giant sums of money, missing daughters, gangland rivalries, and the worst coffee and doughnuts a police station can offer. Season 7 will be the series’ last year and the season debuts in April of 2021.

5. An Actor Binge Is Let’s Talk Philadephia’s Next Television Trial!
Please Write Down The Three Female And Male Actors You Enjoy The Most!
Then Fellow Irene’s Directions Below! Good Luck!

       

Irene, an officer staffer who seems five times smarter from home than she is in the tight confines of an office, suggested and explained an actor binge. She said the AB binge is a basic part of her television regime. She outlined how it will take hours off  your searches for good shows and movies. You can type your favorite actor’s name in the search function of Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu Plus, Apple TV, or any other service and all the films with that person in it will appear (usually in alphabetical order). The other site she uses is Internet Movie Data Base (IMDB). On this site, every movie and show that actor has been in and their life history shows up in chronological order. If they are still alive, you can see their first venture into film or television, their most recent work, and any future projects. Irene’s last three binges were Idris Elba (Luther series is a good start), Jessica Chastain, and Corey Haim. We stole Jessica Chastain from Irene to start our new binge watch routine. Chastain’s newest projects from IMDB appear next. Ten more years of quality work and a myriad of awards are listed on the IMDB site.

        

Jessica Chastain has received over fifty movie awards. Even though everyone remembers her for Academy Award nominated roles in the Help (best supporting actress) and Zero Dark Thirty (best actress), she is by far more screen stealing, interesting, and enigmatic in Molly’s Game and Miss Sloane.

           

In Molly’s Game, Molly Bloom’s expertise is poker, not playing it, but organizing poker games for the richest, best, and many times the dumbest poker players looking for cash and the rush. We think, however, that poker may be illegal in your own suite at the fanciest hotel in your town. Did Molly know this? The trial will quickly ensue! She will need Idris Elba’s help!

                       

Miss Sloane takes place in Washington D.C. where Jessica Chastain is a high priced and ruthless lobbyist who practices winning at all cost for the groups that hire her. Her company headed by Sam Waterson (George) and David Wilson Barnes (Daniel) want her to embrace the gun lobby and work to make mothers and women love the guns that have been killing their children and family members. She laughs at the million dollar business the gun lobby would bring her firm and decides to leave for the other side (Mark Strong, Rodolfo) taking members of her staff with her.

       

Here we meet a column favorite, Gugu Mbatha-Raw (Esme), who hid in the school closet while 20 of her high school classmates were being gunned down. Esme becomes the face and voice of the anti-gun lobby while working with Jessica. The Senate bill that they want to pass makes gun checks mandatory, but does not take the right to bear arms away from anyone. Enter John Lithgow (Senator Sperling) secretly working for the gun lobby and with the help of Alison Pill (Jane) a past associate of Jessica’s they will do anything to bring her down…even a trumped up federal trial!

    

In the movie’s opening monologue, Chastain explains her role as a lobbyist. She emphasizes that she and her opponents use their best maneuvers until the opponent plays their winning trump card. She lays, then, in wait to play her best gambit over theirs. There are a number of great moves in this movie, but Jessica Chastain may be out of moves in the end!

     

6. When Was The Last Time Let’s Talk Philadelphia Was In Iceland?!
We Would Not Be Any Help In Their Murder Solving Department!

      

The Valhalla Murders were filmed in Reykjavik the capital of Iceland. Valhalla is a true story updated from 1940 to the present with added killing and slashing. Here is what you should know about Iceland before your foray into a number of the murder scenes in Reykjavik and surrounding areas. Its population is 365,000 which makes it the smallest populated country in Europe. Two million tourist visit Iceland each year despite it being one of the the most expensive countries to visit in Europe. Hotel stays are often $400 a day. Valhalla watchers will probably cause a nice uptick in tourists to the island.

    

Most visitors come to Iceland in the summer when for two weeks there is 24 hours of daylight. Volcanoes, geysers, lava fields, glaciers, hot springs, and breathtaking landscapes are, also, an attraction. Even though Iceland is just below the Arctic Circle, its winter temperatures in the south of the 40,000 square mile island average a surprisingly 32 degrees. The north of the island is a far different story in the winter. Sometimes the north is the king of below zero temperatures in Europe. Because of the surrounding ocean, the weather is entirely unpredictable at any time everywhere on the island.

     

The Valhalla Murders stars Nina Dogg Filipusdottir (Kata, an accomplished Icelandic detective overlooked for promotion) and Bjorn Thors (Arnar, a quirky Norwegian serial crime expert brought in to help on this serial murder case.). The Valhalla Murders was selected as the best of the overlooked shows on Netflix and has been renewed for another eight part series for season 2. A children’s home that has been closed for years seems to be the center of the murders. Bodies with slashed eyes are appearing all over the island. It is not as grisly as it sounds and definitely worth watching. Family and work clashes don’t seem to hinder the investigation in this series as much as other true crime stories. Let us know about Netflix’s first journey to Iceland and maybe your visit there, also.
        

7. Let’s Talk Philadelphia Opens With The Sounds Of Spring!
The Vocal Style…ings Of Grace Potter Should Be Added To Your Listening!
How Can A Music Fan Not Watch Live From Daryl’s House!

    

Before we introduce Grace Potter, it is important to introduce stuck at home music fans to the best music show on television and you tube, Live From Daryl’s House. The show features 82 in home concerts from Daryl Hall’s actual house and a local bar in Pawling, New York. Daryl Hall was for years the second member of the legendary, multiple award winning Daryl Hall and John Oates duo.

       

Daryl and his crew of six musicians and technicians play with new and established single performers, duets, and groups. The setting is informal but the collaborations and music discussions in the studio and at dinner following each performance are enlightening. Musical styles, performer histories, family, and food are just some of the topics discussed. 50 million people have watched these hour long shows featuring performers from all over the world. Our favorite shows highlighted the O’Jays, Smokey Robinson, Grace Sewell, Kenny Loggins, Daughtry, and Aaron Neville. Daryl and his musicians sang along with their songs while together they did different renditions of his. There are seventy six other performers with every style of music imaginable. They are all ready to perform for you and share their world of music. What a musical binge watch!

      

We met Grace Potter in 2011 on the 45th edition of the Live From Daryl’s House show. Her song Goodbye Kiss was playing in the office long before we saw her on television. Our office Grace kept on playing Grace Jones, Grace Slick, Grace Potter, and recently Grace Vanderwaal the America’s Got Talent winner from four years ago.

       

Here is the link to Grace’s Goodbye Kiss (www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJSn8i5rJ9M). Baby you will never work for me is a great lyric from Goodbye Kiss that everyone in the office used while pointing to an unsuspecting person  We think you will watch the whole Daryl’s House show featuring Grace after seeing this three minute clip. Low Road is our second favorite from the show.

            

I Shall Be Released (www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyLcyqrmF3o) from her most recent album is linked here, as well as, a 53 minute clip from here 2016 show in Red Rocks Amphitheater in Denver (www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kqbbm7P8Wxk). Grace’s songs are soothing, smooth, and great bed listening selections. However, the Denver Post said Potter screamed like Janis Joplin, worked the brazen sass of Joan Jett, strutted like Stevie Nicks on steroids and sang powerfully as that other members, the Nocturnals, gave great back-up support. Hey, if we could hear someone that was all that Denver, we would stop and listen…a lot!

    

8. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Call-Out For Column Submissions!
30,000 Readers On Five Continents Are A Great Audience For Your Ideas!
Two Paragraphs About Your Occupation/Avocation And Six Pictures!
Our Connections Are Surely Worth Thirty Minutes Of Your Time!

    

Our Let’s Talk Philadelphia column has emerged from classroom discussions at Philadelphia’s University Of The Arts in 1994, to a one page newsletter handed out on the corner of Broad and Walnut Streets, to a column now read by 30,000 plus readers across five continents.
      

Every LTP column encourages readers to contribute their photography, art, fashion, travel, education, sports, food, book, and local business news to this column at tjpalumbo@aol.com. Everything is FREE and the column is a great connector for a contributor’s two paragraphs and six pictures to tjpalumbo@aol.com. Connections count toward success! If you read past columns, you will see 20 different contributions and writing styles highlighting the above topics and more. How about the rarest fish in the world, Queen Elizabeth of England owning a Mac Donalds, or tree house hotels, or the musical style…ings at Daryl’s House? And you thought you have heard it all!

     

 

219. Bad Boys III, Steve McQueen, Aeronauts, Global Warming, David Baldacci, And Nancy Watson Art!

               

       

1. Let’s Talk Philadelphia Celebrates The Super Bowl!
Miami Hosts This 54th Classic!
There Is No Off Week To Rest And Recuperate!

    

Congratulations Andy Reid for taking the Philadelphia Eagles to the Super Bowl and now the Kansas City Chiefs. The Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco Forty-niners are waiting to bang helmets next week. Everything surrounding the Super Bowl on January 26, 2020 in Miami, including Jennifer Lopez’s and Shakira’s halftime show, is massively staged and upscale. The international viewing audience of 114 million is an enormous number. The Fox Network that is broadcasting the Super Bowl is garnering 11 million dollars a minute for advertising.

   

All that is the good news surrounding the Super Bowl!

        

The bad news is that the next day, Super Bowl Monday, 18 million employees will miss work. That figure amounts to 14 percent of the American workforce and a five billion dollar loss in productivity.

              

The workforce company Kronos, Inc. that is commissioned to compile these work statistics calls it their Super Bowl Fever Survey.

  

We think, as do others, that Super Bowl Monday should be a national holiday.

          

2. Let’s Talk Philadelphia And The Bad Boys III Phenomenon!
100 Million Dollar Was More Than Bad Boys I and II Combined!
Philadelphia’s Will Smith Shoots and Explodes With Another Winner!

    

What made Bad Boys III such a huge unexpected hit?

1. Bad Boys III has tripled the gunfights, explosions, and super fast car driving scenes in BB IV. Its two predecessors are tame compared to this shoot-fest.

    

2. Will Smith, Martin Lawrence, and Joe Pantoliano  added a great support cast to their new adventures into the world of crime and drugs.

3. Paola Nunez (the Captain), Alexander Ludwig, Vanessa Hudgens, and Charles Melten form an independent, four person task force that saves Will Smith and Martin Lawrence twice. We are hoping their roles will be expanded in Bad Boys IV. Their shooting skills, computer skills, and tracking skills are mind boggling. There is no kissing in Bad Boys III, so hopefully Nunez and Smith will take their playful connection to dating then kissing in Bad Boys IV. Lawrence is a new grandfather and retired, committed to family man. Smith is too old not to have a female connection.

         

4. Miami is just a great location for fast car sequences, fast guns, great ocean views, and sunbathing. All those points are played to the maximum in Bad Boys IV.

       

5. Kate del Castillo perfectly plays a murderous witch with sacrificial candles, devil beads, death cards, and more. She brutally escapes from prison and flees to Mexico City, Here she, then, dispatches her son to Miami to kill everyone involved in sending her to prison. A cadre of judges, lawyers, policeman, and court personnel are killed in quick succession by her son (Jacob Scipio). It takes the Bad Boys a while to catch on. The movie intensifies threefold when the search for Scipio begins.

     

Note: Don’t leave the movie early. There are two outtakes of what is to come in Bad Boys IV. The new movie is reported to, already, be in the planning stages.

       

We think Vanessa Hudgens, Paola Nunez, and Gabrielle Union should make the spin-off movie Bad Girls: What You Gonna Do. They shoot and fight better than any female actor we have seen. It will make an excellent addition to the Jerry Bruckheimer, Sony, and Bad Boys franchise.

      

        

3. Let’s Talk Philadelphia Celebrates Another Anniversary!

   

Let’s Talk Philadelphia is celebrating its 26th anniversary while Elvis Presley is celebrating his 85th anniversary.

           

Here is Let’s Talk’s story! You can read tomes of writing about Elvis on the Internet or see his movie Elvis Presley: That’s The Way It Is now showing at your local theater. It shows Elvis recording and rehearsing in the studio without any of the tech help that is used now. The studio session featured in the movie is 30 minutes and it is followed with an hour of one his Las Vegas concerts.

          

Two great listens at the office this week were the duets between Elvis Presley and Helene Fischer on Just Pretend (www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbmeRP116jw) and the Andrea Bocelli and Helene Fischer duet on If Only (www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZDBTAdRV1o). Listening to these two dynamite performances and seeing their inspiring locales will make your week!

          

In 1994 Joan Rivers had a part of her concert where she asked the audience…Can We Talk? We, at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, thought Can We Talk Philadelphia would be the good name of an international themed entertainment column until we found Can We Talk was copyrighted by Rivers.

The Let’s Talk Philadelphia column then emerged and went from classroom discussions, to a one page newsletter handed out on the corner of Broad and Walnut Streets, to a column now read by 30,000 plus readers across five continents. Every column encourages readers to contribute their photography, art, and local business news to the column at tjpalumbo@aol.com. Everything is free and the column is a great connector for a contributor’s two paragraphs and six pictures to tjpalumbo@aol.com.

            

Everyone in the office wants us to enter into the spheres of religion and politics, but the vote still says, no.

   

4. Let’s Talk Philadelphia And The David Baldacci Dimension!
The Five Book Camel Club Series Is One Of His Best Works!

     

David Baldacci is turning 60 in 2020. His 20 books and 15 movies have racked in  close to 60 million dollars in sales. Baldacci writes mysteries, love stories, and now science fiction. If you have not met him yet, his Camel Club series in hard cover and audio CD are a nice start.

     

The Camel Club is a four member group of eccentric friends that gravitate to and work in the Library of Congress in Washington, DC. They seem to be in the middle of everything political and criminal that is happening in Washington. They have friends with ears and eyes everywhere that always pick up on that rare find to help solve a mystery or political undertaking. The Camel Club is lead by Oliver Stone an X-federal agent who is joined by a computer genius, a member with perfect memory, and a literary guru. Their housing from tents to a graveyard cottage are just as eccentric as their physical and mental characteristics.

Baldacci’s stories rapidly take you to the final solution from three or four angles at a time. You will not fall asleep waiting for something to happen. Read the series in order. It will help you to understand the connections of all the characters and the history of newly elected members to the Camel Club.

   

5. Let’s Talk Philadelphia And Weather!
The Aeronauts Introduces The Unknown Concept Of Weather Forecasting!
Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones Tame The Skies In A Balloon!

    

Aeronauts, an Amazon Prime movie, is the story of the advent of weather predicting. Eddie Redmayne, a dreamer of the skies’ scientist, and Felicity Jones, a hot air balloon pilot are attempting to break the 28,000 foot accent record in a balloon.

   

Redmayne tries to explain to his scientific society friends that it is possible to predict climate and climate change. Just like the hurricane chasers of today, he believes a little know balloon concept will lead the way to weather forecasting. The laughter from this lock minded scientific group resonated blocks away from their meeting hall.

    

Eddie Redmayne is an Academy Award winner (The Theory Of Everything, 2015) and Felicity Jones is an Academy Award nominee (The Theory Of Everything, 2015). Felicity was awarded the Best New Actor Award in Great Britain to go along with her six other best actor nominations.

Redmayne’s and Jones’ first meeting is at a carnival that is the launch site for this exploratory balloon. The movie has this mismatched duo flying into a handful of unknown dangers as they fly to heights not attained before their attempt.

    

The science and the actors in this movie are a great match as they were in award winning The Theory Of Everything.

     

5A. Do You Believe Global Warming Can Be Stopped Or Prevented?!
Let’s Talk Philadelphia Thanks Silvia Levy For Sharing This Must See Video Clip!
Young Greta And George Will Have You Planting A Tree After Seeing This Video! (https://youtu.be/aUCD_24cygQ). Please Watch The Video And Help!

      

     

6. Let’s Talk Philadelphia And Nancy Watson Art!
Art Teachers And Beginning Painters Unite!
Thank You Nancy For Brightening Up Our Column!

    

Dear Tom,

       

Thank you for asking me to submit some art work. My name is Nancy Watson and I grew up in Catonsville Maryland, Long Island, New York, and currently live in Orlando, Florida. I am primarily an art teacher, so my personal art is more of a hobby. I love to capture the places I have visited and try to express the feelings I had being in that place. I love to paint nature scenes, especially in watercolor. Lately I have been producing pet portraits for friends, very carefully as pet owners know every whisker on their pets.

           

After teaching art classes for many years at ASM Studios in Orlando, I have switched to private art lessons for all ages. I have found that I can tailor the lesson to the interests of the student and by letting them explore different mediums they can use to achieve their ideas which were once only in their minds. The private format works especially well for students who may be shy, there is less pressure to perform and this relaxes them. It is also effective for students with learning disabilities and developmental disabilities. Many of my students have worked on art portfolios and are now in art schools around the country.

      

7. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Steve McQueen Salute!
Car Clues And The Bullitt Auction!

    

Steve McQueen’s original Ford Mustang that was used in the movie Bullitt (1968) just sold for 3.4 million dollars. The chase scenes are worth the admission to the movie, if you can find somewhere it is playing in an old movie house. To salute this movie and car sale Tom Palumbo has designed a two-minute puzzle called Car Clues. The clues below generate a word that has CAR in it in exact order. The word CAR can be in the beginning, middle, or end of the answer. See how many answers you can get in the two minutes allotted.

     

Car Clues

       

Example:
1. This car is Mickey Mouse related…Cartoon
2. This car is not plentiful…
3. This car is a movie award…
4. This car is an Egyptian medallion…
5. This car is a box

    

6. This car goes with ox…
7. This car is an exquisite jewelry make…
8. This car is an ace…
9. This car is a fish…
10. This car is a hard worker…
11. This car is a fighting ship…
12. This car is an ace…
13. This car is a British author that writes spy novels…
14. This car is an American president…
15. This car is a neck helper…

    

16. This car is a sweater…
17. This car is a cemetery worker…
18. This car is a vegetable…
19. This car is a bad arrest…
20. This car is in a ship’s hold…
21. This car is a writing mark…
22. This car is an ace…
23. This car is a drive-ins waiter…
24. This car is a boy’s name…
25. This car is a girl’s name…

       

 

218. 21 Bridges, Turmeric, Office Bonding, Judy Viorst, And The Knight Before Christmas!

             

Happy Thanksgiving And Holidays To One And All!

 

1. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Annual Holiday Poem Of Wisdom!
May The Holidays Bring You Friendship, Understanding, Joy, and Wisdom!
Thank You Nick Kenny For Your Wisdom Poem!

    

The troubles that beset us,
Along life’s winding road,
Are sent to make us stronger,
To share another’s load.

     

We cannot share a sorrow,
Until we grieved awhile,
Nor can we share another’s joy,
Until we have learned how to smile.

    

Sweet mysteries of music,
Great masters and their art,
How well we understand them,
When we have known a broken heart.

      

Let tyrants lust for power,
Sophisticates be wise,
Just let me see the world, Dear God.
Through understanding eyes.

         

2. Let’s Talk Philadelphia Has Met Some Famous Knights!
Josh Whitehouse May Be The Best Of All!
Time Travel, Love, And A Great Book For Gift Giving!

   

If you have seen all 20 of the Hallmark Channel’s Christmas movies and still need more commoners meeting soon to be kings and then falling in love fare, then Netflix’s The Knight Before Christmas is a winning book and movie you will enjoy.

   

Josh Whitehouse (Sir Cole, 1334 Norwich England) is a 14th century knight that is sent to the future by a friendly witch to learn the most important secrets of knighthood. Sir Cole, in his knightly garb, lands in the middle of a carnival and then on an Ohio road. Josh is hit by Vanessa Hudgens’ car. A trip to the hospital, a crazily shared medieval story, and a diagnosis of brain trauma quickly set the stage for Vanessa (Brooke) bringing a somewhat nice/deranged person, with no memory, home to her parent’s guesthouse.

 

The minstrels, horseback riding, no longer empty guesthouse, verbal jousting, mistletoe kiss, and family festivities for Christmas rival all of Hallmark’s offerings. The question, of course, at the movies’ end, is Sir Cole going to stay in the future with Brooke or go back in time. The old lady that sent him to the future (only to midnight on Christmas eve) said he was only going there to become a better knight. If he goes back in time will he take Brooke with him. What happens if he is whisked back in time before he wants to go and without Brooke? There are more questions, but we are running out of space.

      

3. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s New York Connection!
21 Bridges…If He Counted Them All!
Maybe Chadwick Boseman Will Fight Crime In Philadelphia Next!
Hopefully, He Will Bring Sienna Miller And J. K. Simmons With Him.

      

Andre Davis (Chadwick Boseman) is a New York police detective. His father, also a policeman, was killed in the line of duty. In past movies Chadwick has, always, played the superhero. In 21 Bridges he is a character your not sure if you want to root for or not. He is violent and the police force and Captain McKenna (J. K. Simmons) use him every time violence is needed in getting a job done.

       

The 21 Bridges’ story revolves around seven police officers and 1 passer-bye that are killed by two thieves in a botched cocaine heist. Ray Jackson and Michael Trujillo played by Stephan James and Taylor Kitsch are the thieves. A massive manhunt lead by Boseman ensues with five subplots and five backstories, even those of the thieves, dotting the movie landscape.

       

Sienna Miller, as a narcotics detective, brings a nice female presence to a male dominated police force and male dominated movie. How helpful, good, or evil is she as the manhunt progresses? Just a question! The Internet has some nice interviews with Miller and Boseman talking about their just released crime movie (November 21).

       

In pursuit of the killer, Detective Davis thinks that closing Manhattan’s 21 Bridges for a night will prevent the killers from escaping. We think there are other ways in leaving an island that doesn’t include crossing a bridge. If we weren’t afraid of flying, we would take a helicopter or tunnel. Maybe they will be manned and closed, also?

    

   

4. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s And The Ultimate Office Bonding Experience!
Was It The Dinner Dance?
Was It The Weekend Splash The Beach Retreat?
Was It The Company Softball Game Victory?
Or Was It Backward Hat Monday?

            

If you said this is the one to any of the suggestions above, you will get a chance for correctness in our next issue. The winner, by far, this year is Dress Down Friday with an office lunch in Chinatown (a block from the movie), and a trip to the new Terminator, Dark Fate movie. You, too, can make it happen!

    

In a quick review:
1. Linda Hamilton (Sarah Conner) at age 63 just knows how to kill terminators.
2. Gabriel Luna the REV-9 and most sophisticated of the plastic like terminators is a challenge for everyone. He just keeps coming back…as if you didn’t know or suspect.
3. Arnold Schwarzenegger Is Back as both an anti-hero and hero. He will need assistance from everyone to permanently bring down Rev-9.
4. Mackenzie Davis is a newest addition to the Terminator franchise. She is half robot, half human. She was created to protect Dani Ramos from all obstacles…terminators and their sidekick robots included.
5. Natalie Reyes (Dana Ramos) is humanities only hope in the future. Her leadership will destroy the Terminator program when she reaches adulthood, if she ever grows up and gets there. The Rev-9 has been sent to prevent this.

    

Don’t worry newbies. Flashbacks will help first timers and Terminator fans, alike.

   

5. We Again Repeat…Let’s Talk Philadelphia Is Good For Your Health!
We Continue Our Medicine Watch!
Our Turmeric Trials Continue!
Is Turmeric The Wonder Elixir?

   

Every medical and cooking show in the last six months has extolled the virtues of Turmeric. It seems to cure at least ten maladies of the young and the old. Memory enhancement, weight loss, and body inflammation seem to be the big three of the ten benefits we always see listed.

       

After ninety days our staff has seen the memory and body benefits, but no one has lost any significant weight. Staffers have reported being far less stiff in the morning and Jennifer, our always late new staffer, is finding being on time a thrill…a thrill…her words? Was it Turmeric? Maybe Turmeric’s memory enhancing properties do eliminate tardiness?

   

Turmeric comes in tablet and powder form. Black pepper seems to be an ingredient that activates the Turmeric. Some bottles say you have to take it with black pepper, but don’t provide the pepper. We bought the supplement tablets that already had black pepper in them. Cooking shows show a dish of Turmeric and a dish of pepper next to it to be added together. That is good for cooking later but not for rushing out in the morning. Two to four a day caplets were our main choice. PS…Be careful to wash any spilled Turmeric off your counter tops. It does leave a tough to remove stain.

     

6. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Holiday Book Suggestions!
Poetry…If I Were In Charge Of The World!
Judy Viorst’s Comical Dynamite For The Mind…And More!

     

Ten different writing projects can be generated from the creative content in Judy Viorst’s poem If I Were In Charge Of The World. See what your family members or classroom would do if they were in charge of the world. Poem Hunters (http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/if-i-were-in-charge-of-the-world) is a great Internet site to find that poem you couldn’t place that was sticking in the far reaches of your mind. The site has the great feature that every poem (5,000 and counting) in their collection is spoken to you when that particular poem is highlighted.

     

If I Were In Charge Of The World By Judy Viorst

If I were in charge of the world
I’d cancel oatmeal,
Monday mornings,
Allergy shots, and also Sara Steinberg.

If I were in charge of the world
There would be brighter nights lights,
Healthier hamsters, and
Basketball baskets forty eight inches lower.

     

If I were in charge of the world
You wouldn’t have lonely.
You wouldn’t have clean.
You wouldn’t have bedtimes.
Or “Don’t punch your sister.”
You wouldn’t even have sisters.

     

If I were in charge of the world
A chocolate sundae with whipped cream and nuts would be a vegetable
All 007 movies would be G,
And a person who sometimes forgot to brush,
And sometimes forgot to flush,
Would still be allowed to be
In charge of the world.

    

        

7. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Christmas Puzzle!
The Mas In Christmas Will Be A Challenger!
Two Minutes Isn’t Very Much Time!

    

Here is the latest two-minute puzzle from Tom Palumbo. The business and education site LinkedIn, also, has a slew of his creations. Each clue below will generate a word that has MAS in it in exact order. The MAS may be in the beginning, middle, or end of the word. See how many clues you can solve in two minutes then go back and finish the ones you passed on immediately solving.

       

Example…An American state…Massachusetts

1. To gather a large amount…
2. A big four golf tournament…
3. A record completed again for the better…
4. Something really big…
5. Famous 1800’s French author…
6. One of the three musketeers…
7. Gaining a good hold over a subject…
8. A disguise must…
9. A shot in pool…
10. Medical relief giver…

   
11. To crush…
12. A Catholic ceremony…
13. A type of dog…
14. To hit really hard…
15. Sideline symbols for sport teams…

      
16. A type of woman’s make-up
17. Male property…
18. Person that like to hurt themselves…
19. Pretending to be someone else…
20. A rubdown giver…
21. No more in Spanish…
22. Part of a ship…

2017. Falling Inn Love, Frozen, Maren Morris, Eating For Beauty, And Dyslexia!

             

        

You Really Should Visit Amazing Philadelphia In The Fall! Please!

     

     

1. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Call-out For Articles And New Ideas!
Join The Discussion With A Unique Idea Or A Creative Project!

    

   

Let’s Talk Philadelphia, now, has over 27,000 followers on LinkedIn and five hundred re-listers. Your submitted project and work ideas will reach a large local and international audience. Please join our 25th Anniversary (1994-2019) as we salute outstanding writing, art, photography, businesses, and creative discussion. You can contribute a story, book review, movie critique, art piece, award notice, your photography, a challenging game, business tidbit, multimedia overview, travel tip, or theater write-up that world-wide readers will enjoy. We hope!

    

Your ideas make us look better as Cigdem Knebel (item 6) did below with her article on combating dyslexia. Your ides should be sent to: Tom Palumbo at tjpalumbo@aol.com. Please send six photos with your two-paragraph description of your work. Please look at past column contributors to see how the wrote up their books, businesses, vocations, and avocations. Remember to include the links where you and your ideas can be found. Thank you for your contributions!

Here Are Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Best Bets Of The Month!

1. Let’s Talk Philadelphia Says Everyone Needs Falling Inn Love!
Move Over Hallmark Channel! Netflix Is Getting Better With Kissing Movies!
New Zealand May Be Your Next Destination After This Netflix Feature!

   

Christina Milan (Gabriela Diaz in the movie) has just lost her job in big city USA. Her boyfriend was next to go. Gabriela sees this Win an Inn contest on the Internet. Why not enter, flashes through her mind! A five hundred word entry essay and a bit of entry fee money later, she miraculously ends up in New Zealand as the new owner of a really run down inn (Bellbird Valley Farm). Naturally, she didn’t expect run down and the old love letters (1916) in the wall, either…….PS…Gilbert the goat is a scene stealer!

   

Luckily for Gabriela, the best contractor in town is Adam Demos (Jake in the movie). He is gorgeous and even more so 35 minutes into the movie when he takes off his shirt on the Inn’s construction site. Gabriela makes Jake a partner on the inn, because she is quickly running out of renovation money and could use his free labor. He gives Gabriela and the audience some great lessons on the beauty of small things in every house as he tries to help restore the inn and create a relationship.

             

The mystery of the hundred year old love letters (1916 and the house’s talisman), the contentious relationship between Gabriela and Jake, and the beauty of Thames, New Zealand where the movie was filmed, will make a great sit in bed and think feature. Tourism in Thames, New Zealand will definitely increase after this movie!

     

2. Let’s Talk Philadelphia’s Staff Visits Frozen In New York!
The St. James Theater Hosts Elsa And Hordes Of Anxious Children!
The Best Let It Go Singers Are Featured Below!