Celtic Thunder

I fell in love with Celtic Thunder this week. If you haven't seen them on PBS, it's a group of five guys, all solo singers, who were brought together like the Il Divo group. It's an interesting group as they range in age from 14 to 39. The oldest guy, George Donaldson, is a Scot, Paul Byrom of the classically trained tenor voice is from Dublin, and the other 3, Ryan Kelly, Keith Harkin and young Damian McGinty are from Northern Ireland. Ryan Kelly (love that name, so Irish) comes across as a sexy, bad boy. He describes his on-stage persona as "evil" as you can see in his solo Heartbreaker and in the duet of That's A Woman. Damian's version of Puppy Love brought the house to its feet. What a big voice he has for a fourteen-year-old.

I made a pledge to my local PBS station so I'll be getting a CD eventually. (Probably could have bought it cheaper, but I like to support PBS.) I enjoyed the concert so much, I watched it twice, recorded it the second time, and watched part of it again while I was working on author information forms for my latest story. If you like Celtic music, check your local listings for the concert.

I've long been a lover of Irish and Scottish music. I adore the pipes and nothing beats a raucus pub song. Back in the 1960's, when my friends were caught up in Beatlemania, I was more into The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem and the Irish Rovers. Not that I didn't like the Beatles, I just loved folk music more. I come from a long line of Scot Irish Presbyterians (the orange part of the country), but the stories of rebellion always appealed to the romantic in me.

I'm embedding this video of Ireland's Call from YouTube. This was one of my favorites; in fact, the first time I heard it, I was ready to sign on to the rebellion, lol. Guess I don't have Celtic blood for nothing. I love the way they lit up the stage in green and orange. I wonder if Ireland will ever be re-united.

Does anyone else like Celtic music?

Linda

My Town Monday: Modjeska Park, Anaheim

I live a few blocks from Modjeska Park in west Anaheim, and I've often gone there to walk the winding paths when I'm in the mood to exercise, alas, a mood that doesn't strike often. It's a really nice park, with large shade tress, and it's larger than it seems: 24 acres in all. It includes a children's play area, basketball court, and a lighted softball diamond, complete with concession stand. There are picnic tables and barbecue facilities sprinkled throughout and the park is well-used, though it's hard to tell by the picture I took early Saturday morning. (It was still a little on the cool side.)

The park is named after the famous, 19th century Polish actress Helena Modjeska who lived in Anaheim for a time in the latter part of the century. Helena Street is also named after her.

I expect the park to be full for Memorial Day, though I won't be there. I'll be home writing. That may not seem very patriotic on a day designated to remember our veterans, but in fact, I think about them and our men and women in uniform a lot. I have ever since the two wars we're currently engaged in started. I'm really happy the new G.I. Bill passed Congress and I hope it will become law soon. Our veterans give so much and they deserve to be taken care of once they come home. That means good health care and opportunities to attend college and find good jobs.

What will you be doing on Memorial Day?

Linda

My Town Monday comes to us via Travis Erwin. Thanks, Travis! Click on his site to read his latest post and find links to the other participants.

Happy Birthday, Gemini

I'm a couple of days late with this and Mercury isn't even retrograde yet! Not until May 26 anyway.

Gemini is symbolized by twins, and the dual nature of those born under the sign is legendary, though not always obvious. I did have a Gemini boss once, though, who exhibited this quality. Whenever one of the engineers needed to talk to him, he'd first approach the boss's secretary to inquire: "Who's in today, Dr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde?"

Most Geminis aren't that schizophrenic, though some are. Take Gemini Marilyn Monroe, for instance, a sex goddess with a vulnerable, "little girl lost" quality. Men wanted to make love to her; women wanted to take her home and mother her. Her death saddened all of us. Another example is Angelina Jolie, another sex goddess known for her humanitarian work.

Gemini is a mutable air sign ruled by the planet Mercury, and the word "mercurial" was invented for people born under this sign. They are clever, versatile, changeable, impatient and easily bored. Geminis tend to think and talk fast, and just try keeping up with them when the ideas get to flashing quick and fast. Theirs is often a restless nature, and stick-to-it-ive-ness may not be a strong suit. Mercury rules writing and communications, and there seem to be an unusual number of writers in this month's list of famous personalities. Mercury's birthstone is variously listed as the aquamarine or the agate, both of which reflect different colors, in keeping with Gemini's changeability.

Famous people born under the sign include Johnny Depp, mobster John Dillinger, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Bob Dylan, the Duke of Edinburgh, Senator John Edwards, Ian Fleming, Errol Flynn, Michael J. Fox, Morgan Freeman, Judy Garland, Paul Gaugain, Thomas Hardy, Bob Hope, Angelina Jolie, Al Jolson, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Paul McCartny, Marilyn Monroe, Cole Porter, Rosalind Russell, Brooke Shields, Wallis Simpson, director Michael Todd, Rudolph Valentino, Walt Whitman, Frank Lloyd Wright and Brigham Young. More Gemini personalities can be found here.

Gemini is considered to be most compatible with the other air signs, Libra and Aquarius and with the fire signs: Aries, Leo and Sagittarius. As always, much depends on the individual's chart.

Do you have a Gemini in your life?

Linda