A Book Review Preview!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                              I was going to review both titles together, at first, but decided to say there is so much to say about each, I would give each its own post.  Right now, I will say that both books, which are riffs on aspects of both the book and film of "The Wizard Of Oz," are worth reading in their own right.  But each is uniquely different.  "WAS," by Geoff Ryman, is multi layered and dark.  "Finding Dorothy," by Elizabeth Letts, is warm, sentimental, but not mawkish.  I would compare it, in tone, to Fannie Flagg's classic, "Fried Green Tomatoes At The Whistle Stop Café."  The last page brought tears to my eyes.

                                             More on both, soon.  But if anyone out there is an aficionado of "The Wizard Of Oz"--book and/or movie--these are a must read!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                             Not recommended for bitter, repressed lesbian spinsters, like Almira Gulch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Only Thing To Assume About "Assumptions" Is It Was A Bottom Of The Barrel 'SVU' Episode!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                 Things have to be built up for tonight's season finale, so when I heard Titus Welliver  was repeating his malevolently creepy performance as Rob Miller, I assumed things would center on him.

                                     But everyone was all over the place.  A Muslim councilwoman is found sexually assaulted on the floor of a Jewish temple.  Two boys, allegedly wearing MAGA hats (making them Trumpers!!!!!!!!!) were said to be seen running from the temple.  Then Olivia finds out Rob Miller is out on bail, and is afraid for what he might do.  But did he do something, already?  Could the councilwoman rape been a Miller hit from jail?  It would not have surprised me!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                     All this contrivance, and then we get to the dumbest thing--it was the husband, who will not accept divorce, and set her up, to take her by force because "she's STILL my wife!"  Uh-huh.  If you say so, Bud, but bullshit to you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  And this episode.

                                      But there was one moment that made it worth it.  Noah and Olivia, are dining in a fancy Italian restaurant.  Is Liv trying to class him up, or what?  Come on!

                                       Anyway, Noah notices a man watching Olivia, and Rob, like a snake, with that beard that only works for him, comes into view, greeting Olivia, conversing with Noah, but we know this is not good.  The tension here sets things up for tonight's season finale.

                                        Someone on this show is going down.  The logical choice is Philip Winchester, as Peter Stone, since he is leaving the show.  I would love it to be Miller, and hope it is, but I think he will be kept around for future menacing.  I would love to see Peter Gallagher as Dodds go down, because he kisses up to every ass there is, including Rob Miller.

                                          But I fear it may be Noah, and I certainly hope not.  That would too much of a downer to end the season on. I have never forgiven them for Sister Peg!  But a child!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                            Really, to get caught up for tonight, the last scene of "Assumptions" is all one has to watch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                              Cannot wait to dish about tonight's episode, girls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Latest On Celia!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                           Celia Keenan-Bolger is clearly this year's TONY favorite, for her stunning performance as Scout in "To Kill A Mockingbird."  And it is about time, as this gifted actress has been on the scene for nearly fifteen years, and has racked up four TONY nominations!  It is high time Celia won!

                                             But, first, I want to bitch out The New York Times.  Recently, they ran a TONY Predictions article, co-authored by Ben Brantley and Jesse Green.  In Celia's category, "Best Featured Actress In A Play," it was said that she WILL win, which made me happy.  But one or both of these bozos said the TONY SHOULD go to one of the girls in "Gary: A Sequel To 'Titus Andronicus.' "  Meaning either Kristine Nielsen, or Julie White.

                                                 Why should this crap play be awarded anything, let alone nominated?  It signals the career demise of over aged and overrated fag Nathan Lane, whose schtick is getting tiring, and who is about due to hit the skids, picking spuds out of ash cans!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                     How dare they????????????????????????????????

                                                      Not only WILL Celia win, she MUST win!  There is not a better performer working on stage this very moment.

                                                        And, hons, Celia has been honored by the National Dramatists, and the Broadway Audience Awards, from Broadway.com!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                         Honors just keep coming in for Celia!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                         She has GOT to win!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                          I'm cheering for Celia, all the way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And Now It Is Time For Bitch Of The Week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                   This picture was taken at Hofstra University.  I knew several people who went there, and I can tell you it was not a place for dummies.  But, now, apparently, it is.  I would have expected this incident to have taken place at some Podunk dumb jock college in the Midwest, but to think it happened in the Metropolitan area!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I am so ashamed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                    I cannot name the actual winners, but I can state they are all male, and members of an on campus fraternity called Alpha Epsilon Pi.  It is a Jewish fraternity, and what with all the recent anti-Semitic incidents happening, we don't need this to justify anti-Semitism.  Which those who are will do.

                                    But they are wrong.  I blame it on dumb jock stupidity.  Gay college boys would NEVER do this!  Only straight men!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                     At a recent fraternity party, its members forced a dog, described as a form of spaniel, to drink beer!  Which can be fatal to dogs!  What's more, one of the fraternity members--perhaps the one who is shown here--owns the dog!  Whether this is he in the pic, or not, he sanctioned this?  What kind of dumb jock nut is he????????????????????

                                       His frat brothers are collectively winners of The Raving Queen Bitch Of The Week Award!!!!!!!!!!!!  But the dog's owner is awarded Grand Prize!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                        How did these dolts get into Hofstra?  And why should it keep them?  They should be expelled, and forced to go to community college!  Which their behavior is better fit for!

                                         At least chapter activities have been shut down, and the dog has been removed from its owner, and is now in the care of the Nassau Society For Prevention Of Cruelty To Animals!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                            The fraternity members could allegedly be charged with violations ranging from animal cruelty to inappropriate university behavior.

                                              When Almira Gulch visited Dorothy, she was doing the child and Toto a disservice.  Now, she should visit these boys and scare them with her total lack of sexuality!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                Scare the testosterone right out of their system!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"Where Cathy Adores The Minuet, The Ballet Russe, And Crepe Suzette..............!"

                                       You know that is me, girls, so I am here to tell you, our Cape May trip on Saturday was far from a minuet.  I am going to chronicle this journey out of sequence, because I want to illustrate, first, the highlight of the trip.

                                          It was on the way home, when we pulled into the Grover Cleveland Service Station, on the Garden State Parkway, near Woodbridge.  I always love stopping at these cheap, sleazy places, because then I get to see truck stops, with real live truckers and prostitutes.

                                          One trip I saw one climbing into, then getting out of a truck. Saturday was even better.

                                            David and I were sitting at a table.  I was sipping a Diet Coke, David had  some of mine, but he did not seen hungry.  I noticed behind us, there was this cheap looking woman sitting behind us, and I knew right away what she was up to.

                                               The blonde hair had not seen a comb, shower, or conditioner, in days.  She was dressed in a slim, orange hooded jacket, and white, unclean patterned toreador pants, with the ankles showing so much they had dirt smudges on them.  And she was not wearing socks, just cheap white sneakers, probably worn.  So, I knew what she was up to.  She never saw me.

                                                 But, suddenly, this trucker guy, not bad looking, clad in a tight blue T-shirt and jeans, with a pretty hard body, came by her, and sat down.  I think I intimidated him, because he looked at me, knowing I knew what he was up to.  Maybe he thought I was an undercover cop. So, he distanced himself, but sort of hung around the area.  Either waiting for me to leave, or to confirm I was a cop.

                                                 I guess he figured I didn't care--I really didn't, I was just fascinated.  What was this better than average looking guy doing trolling around here?  He could have done much better, unlike the pathetic and desperate you usually see at these stops, who have to beg the girls for favors!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                   Eventually, they struck up a conversation, and headed off to the trucks!  But I was happy, to have seen another real live, prostitute!  Only in New Jersey, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now, as for the trip, as Christine Pedi, as Carol Channing might say, "This was a disaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaster!"

We were the last to be picked up, at 8:15, in Bay Ridge.  The best thing was we were the first to br dropped off, on the way home, and I was ready.  We, and especially David, had been looking so forward to this trip, but things went awry.

For starters, we were in a mini bus.  We had a small contingent of thirteen--hey, a coven!-- too bad we did not cast a spell on the tour guide, who was one of the problems.  The bus had no neck support for the seats, so I was in pain, and, since the bus was so small, there were no shocks, and we felt every bump along the way.  People were complaining.   But it gets better.

Our tour guide, whom some people called Ricardo, while others called him Roberto, was nasty and unpleasant.  When we pulled into Cape May, he informed us that we could go into town for a time, but he would not pick us up.  Instead, the bus was letting us off by the start of the trolley tour--really, the best part of the trip--because we were expected to stay on the grounds of the Emlen Physick Estate, on which there was a craft fair, food and music!

Still, I managed to quickly run into Our Lady Star Of The Sea Church, to say some prayers to the statue of the Virgin and Bernadette!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Physick was a homosexual closet case doctor who only got his degree from U Penn, so he could inherit his father's vast fortune,  After that, he never did a lick of work.  He lived there with his mother, and spinster Aunt Emily.  Uhm-hmmmmmmm!  Wonder what, if anything, he did for action, back then?  He had fourteen dogs.  You don't think...……..?   I certainly hope not!  Those poor dogs!

And he was not much to look at, anyway!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, there I was, with David, forced to eat street food, sit outdoors all day, with hot and cold weather alternating with the coming and going of the sun.

But there was menace, afoot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As soon as we hit the festival grounds, we could hear pleasant folk music in the distance.  I recognized a couple of tunes, such as "Both Sides Now,," and, I think, one of Carole King's songs.

Eventually, David and I sat by a table,  near the gazebo, where the singer stood, and listened to her.  Her name was E. Lynn Smith, and she wasn't half bad; her voice being midway somewhere between Janis Joplin, and Bonnie Tyler.  She even did "Me and Bobby McGee," and it was good, though nothing like Janis.  Eventually, we began to notice all these butch women gathered around us, and the gazebo, listening to her, like groupies.  The woman at the same table carried on like a groupie--and she  had to be in her late Forties, early Fifties.  David saw her point to another woman, saying that was the singer's wife!

Wife!  Oh, my God!  We were infiltrated within a group of lesbians!  I truly feared for our safety!  And our gonads.  While we got no "What are you MEN doing in our territory?" look, as one would at Henrietta Hudson's in New York, we feared for our safety, and our gonads.  But these lesbians seemed more settled and downbeat.  The ones in New York, back at Henrietta's, would have ripped off our gonads, minus anaesthetic, and forced us to eat them!!!!!!!!!!!  If they get a male pet, they fix him right away, so they can be in control.  Who wants to be part of that?

Fortunately, these ladies were more classy than what I am used to.

Wish the same could be said for our driver.  He would not be flexible about anything, and all he did was berate the customers.  This came to a climax on the way back, when a woman on the bus had a meltdown.  As David has said, "What would be an L And M Bus Tour without someone having a meltdown?"  Though, usually, it is a woman.  The one in question complained the driver was going to fast, and she was getting sick, afraid she would throw up.  I was afraid she would, and the stench would make the rest of us sick!  

Then other passengers started berating the guide for their disappointment in the trip.  He fired back, nastily, "Well, if you don't want to come, don't come!"  This, in the middle of nowhere, with no place to go?  This guy's days are numbered with L And M, let me tell you.

His bad attitude is what heightened my anxiety, which I had already.  I had "Final Destination 2" anxiety, but with all the histrionics, it only elevated.  When I got off the bus, I was a wreck, like Kimberly, above.

I related to Kimberly the entire trip.

Sorry, I cannot get you the premonition scenes.  But these pics give the point.

So, that was our trip to Cape May.

But I hold out one hope!

I still have my eyes on this pink house, in Cape May.  And I heard a rumor it is for sale!

Should I start a Go Fund Page, darlings???????????????

"Your Mama Told Me She'd Say To You, 'This Isn't Exactly What We Had Planned' "!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                     Girls, I am telling you, my mother said that a lot.  Let's examine those times.

                                      The morning, when I was 4 or 5, after having seen "The Wizard Of Oz" for the first time, and I took a toy broom, jumped off the top of one of our love seats, and flew for a few seconds, yelling, "To the Emerald City, as fast as lightning."

                                        The afternoon when I climbed up on our fireplace mantel, to go through the looking glass, like Alice, only to find I could not, and fell back from the mantel.  Miraculously, I was not injured.

                                           When I was photographed at High Point, in New Jersey, doing Dorothy Provine's end dance pose, from "The Roaring Twenties" TV show.

                                              When we went to San Simeon, and I said, "I want it."

                                               When I told them my goal in life was to win the Academy Award.  And look how that turned out.

                                                 When I graduated college--42 years ago, just two days ago--and had a hard time finding my niche.  But, when I did, I took off.

                                                    No, what was planned for me was college, with a degree in business administration, and then a three piece suit, a briefcase, and a downtown office job in corporation America, because, what else was there?

                                                      Not to forget my earlier ambition of being a scientist and recreating Frankenstein's experiment.  But eighth grade science took care of that.

                                                         I found my niche, but it wasn't quite what my parents had planned.

                                                          Is it ever for parents?  I wonder about kids who follow their parents' program to the max.  The parents are happy, but are they?

                                                            Had I followed their plan, I would have failed miserably, and maybe hit some sort of rock bottom, in trying.

                                                              Today, I am not a lonely boy who goes home alone.

                                                             So, kids, don't let these plans derail your own!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Congratulations, Celia, On Your Outer Critics Circle Award!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                Celia is gaining, darlings!   This morning, I just discovered that Miss Celia Keenan-Bolger won the award for her iconic performance as Scout, in Broadway's "To Kill A Mockingbird.  This is the performance of the season, as noted, and one people of our generation will be talking about to our successors, as we get older, and live on our memories.

                                   I am cheering Celia on for that TONY Award!  It is high time, and this seems to be the time!  Besides, she is just so radiant and enchanting!

                                   But, Celia, I still want to know who does your hair!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                   Congratulations on an award justly given to someone who justly deserves it!!!!!!!