You Must Watch/Hear This Jennifer Hudson/Sir Tom Jones Performance From The Voice UK

Jennifer Hudson and Sir Tom Jones performed an epic
duet during an episode of The Voice UK 

Jennifer Hudson and Sir Tom Jones are judges on this season of The Voice UK in Britain.

The Voice, for those who don't watch reality shows, is one in which accomplished singers act as judges and pick worthy contestants based on their voices, not their looks. (The judges listen to contestants' auditions facing away from them.)

Once contestants are selected as the show's season progresses, contestants pair off in "battle rounds" in which the judges pick one of two contestants who perform duets.

During a break in The Voice UK, fellow judge Olly Murs was asked what his dream battle round would be. He responded he'd like to see Hudson and Jones go at it.

So they did, with "It's A Man's Man's World," you know, the Etta James classic.

The result from Hudson was what you'd expect out of her: Just incredible vocals that will blow you away. The surprise, at least to me, was Jones, age 78. He totally knocked it out of the park, too.

It's totally worth watching and listening to this "battle round." Here it is:

This Got Talent Clip Is REALLY Magical

Marc Spellman on "Britain's Got Talent" seemed low key, but......

As anyone who reads this blog thingy knows, I am a fan of those "reality" talent shows in which people sing, dance, do magic, do something weird for fame and fortune.

This season's "Britain's Got Talent" has started, and the first coveted "Golden Buzzer" has been bestowed. Deservedly.  

The Golden Buzzer is given to contestants who wow the judges durin their auditions. It forwards the contestants on to later shows, without having to compete with earlier hoi polloi and earlier rounds.

This Golden Buzzer contestant is a magician names Marc Spellman. Be patient with the clip, because frankly, this guy starts out a little sluggish and low key, and you wonder what the hell he's trying to do.

But it's totally worth the watch:

"Black Panther" Opens To Boffo Reviews And Big Crowds, But Racists VERY Unhappy

It seems like everybody loves the new film "Black Panther,"
that is except a small group of pathetic little white supremacists.

The superhero movie "Black Panther"  is setting box office records for an opening week.  Critics LOVE the movie. I haven't seen it yet, but I will. It sounds terrific.  

However, this being the United States, the racists are trying to spoil the party. They always do. They very often fail, of course, so it makes it fun to mock these morons.

Still, it's incredibly disgusting we have to live with these white supremacists idiots. And I'm being understated when I say it like that.

It's important to check in with these odious morons, though, remind ourselves that we always must keep our guard up, and always resist the Nazis among us.

These scumbags started with Rotten Tomatoes reviews. They tried to make the "Black Panther" reviews really negative. I'll get into that first, then tell you even something worse.

Rotten Tomatoes is the online web site in which you, yes, you, can review movies. In general, Rotten Tomatoes is a fairly good indication of how much or little the general public likes a particular film.  That makes it a not bad guide to help you decide which movie you're going to see tonight.

Most Rotten Tomatoes critics, including the professional ones, thought "Black Panther" was terrific. In fact, it got the highest Rotten Tomatoes score for any superhero film.   As of Thursday, "Black Panther had a very nice 77 percent viewer approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Which means the racists failed again. They're so stupid.

As reported by CNN and numerous other media outlets, there was a move among the white supremacists among us.

Notice how the white supremacists tried to be cute. "Black Panther" is a Marvel Comic franchise. A lot of other popular movies come from the DC Comics franchise. The racists tried to spin this as just a friendly rivalry between Marvel and DC fans.

That element was probably in there, but I haven't heard of other organized movements on Facebook or elsewhere to discredit a superhero movie because of a comic book franchise competition.

As CNN says: "But given that "Black Panther" has an all-black cast and the storyline includes themes of race, many saw the move as more nefarious thatn just a friendly rivalry."

Then, of course it got worse.  As numerous outlets like Vox and  Huffington Post reported:

"Since Thursday, numerous false reports have bubbled up on social media claiming that white viewers were physically attacked by black fans at showings of the movie. Twitter and Facebook users have been taking images from unrelated incidents and reposting them, falsely claiming that they are photos of themselves or loved ones after racially motivated attacks."

I'm not sure of the purpose of these social media postings, other that to stir up the basest base of racists and Nazis, and to dupe the most gullible. And only the very most gullible, apparently.

The photos white people supposedly "beaten" by African-Americans at "Black Panther" showings come from such strange places and its so easy to trace them to their original, non-fake news sources.

One of them was a previously widely distributed photo of Rob Porter's ex-wife with a black eye.  Porter, you might recall, is the White House aide recently forced out of a job because of history with abuse of women.

Another fake photo was a still from the show "The Walking Dead." Another was a stock photo of a bloody paper towel.

The best revenge against this tiny army of small minded racists is how well "Black Panther" is doing at the box office.

As of Thursday, "Black Panther" is raking in the dough at the box office, and is destined to be one of the most lucrative movies on record, says Variety and many other media reports.

I'm sure almost everyone who goes to see "Black Panther" is not thinking about sticking it to the white supremacists. But in this context, it's still wicked fun to see this movie's popularity surge.

Don't Expect The Trump Inaugural To Be Entertainment Event Of The Year

Donald Trump will have trouble grooving to the music
during his inauguration. Practically nobody wants to perform there

Usually, during the inauguration of a new American President, there's usually lots of parties and entertainment in addition to the pomp and circumstances.

Seems this year, though, the incoming administration is having an incredibly tough time trying to book the entertainment.

During the two Obama inauguratios, we had a few people you may or may not have heard of, like Aretha Franklin, Beyonce, Jay-Z, Mariah Carey, Sting, Mary J. Blige, Sting, Alicia Keys, Katy Perry, Brad Paisley, John Legend, Marc Anthony and Smokey Robinson.

This year, for Trump, let's see... we have Jackie Evancho, who took second place in "America's Got Talent" a few years ago. (She is good.) Oh! And the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

As the Boston Globe points out, incoming Republican presidents rarely get the star power during inaugurations like Democrats do.

But you'd think with all the glitz and glitter that comes with the "Trump brand" for lack of a better term, you'd think things would be more dazzling during the parties.

It doesn't seem to be the case this year, despite the attempts from the Trump team.

Earlier this year, the Trumpsters said Elton John would perform, but that turned out to be news to Sir Elton. So, no "Rocket Man" at this  year's inaugural."

Though in my opinion, it would have been fun if Elton John showed up at the Trump gala to sing just one of his hits, namely "Funeral For A Friend/Loves Lies Bleeding." That would have fit nicely.

Andrea Bocelli, the tenor, declined Trump's invitation to perform, too. They were going to have the Radio City Rockettes, but they and the internet rebelled, so no Rockettes kicking up the heels. Again, though, it would have been nice seeing the Rockettes kick Trump in the butt, while Elton John sang "Funeral For A Friend."

I'd pay good money to see that!

Garth Brooks and Celine Dion sent their regrets to the Trump team, too, so I guess we won't hear from them.

However, Trump Inc. has booked the band The Reagan Years (America's Premier '80s Tribute Band!)  and the Star Spangled Singers.

This whole situation is delicious.

As Renee Graham wrote in the Boston Globe:

"It doesn't matter whether stars are declining Trump's request because they oppose his rhetoric ad proposed policies or because they just want to avoid backlash from their fans. This is tangible defiance that Trump can't ignore, because it makes him look foolish and ineffectual. And you don't have to be Alec Baldwin to recognize ow deeply that kind of thing wounds the petulant manchild who will be president."

Not to mention paragraphs like that which would also bother our Beloved Petulant Manchild.

Trump's team is of course spinning this. Trump advisor Boris Epshteyn said "You know, this is not Woodstock. It's not Summer Jam. It's not a concert. It's not about celebrities. As Donald Trump tweeted himself, it's about the people. That's what we're concentrated on."

Meanwhile, another HUGE concert might be brewing to compete with the Trump inauguration.  Nothing's confirmed yet, but a promoter says he's organizing a big, multi-star concert on inauguration day.

I don't know if it will actually happen, but it sounds fun!

I'm A Sucker For America;s Got Talent Surprises: Re: Linkin Bridge

Linkin Bridge wowed 'em on "America's Got Talent"   

The 2016 summer season of "America's Got Talent" debuted last night, and right away I was suckered in as always.

The story lines are always cliched. They introduce you to an act, and try to set them up in a certain way, based on their looks, appearances, etc. and of course they are completely different in reality.

Such was the routine when they introduced a four-man group called Linkin Bridge. Four very tough-looking guys who sauntered out onto the stage, all cool, dressed in dark urban wear clothing, with tattoos and don't-mess-me-looks on their faces.

A rap act, is the expectation, of course. Which of course wasn't what Linkin Bridge was up to at all.

We ended up with a gorgeous acapella rendition of "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" from these guys, the must-watch video is below.

Yeah, the set up before they actually opened their mouths to sing is a bit much. It's summer network TV after all.

Linkin Bridge, from the Louisville, Kentucky area, uses this schtick a lot. This video and this video, among others circulating from last Christmas, shows the group, wearing clothes people associated with street gangs, menacingly confront people in wealthy, largely white suburbs and then break into carols.

Which is wonderful because they're breaking apart racial stereotypes.

Here's Linkin Bridge's America's Got Talent performance in case you missed it:

Sweet Animated Short Film "The Present" Is Absolute Joy

A cute animated puppy in the short film "The Present"
is stealing millions of hearts, including mine.  

Yesterday, CBS Sunday Morning featured a short film that I absolutely love and want to share.

Apparently, so do a lot of other people, for good reason.

The animated short film is called "The Present" and starts with a boy playing video games, and his mom arriving home to bring him a cardboard box containing a gift.

At first, the boy hates the gift, which is a cute puppy.

Intense animal lovers like me will wince at what happens next, as the boy harshly shoves the puppy away as the little dog turns out to be quote, unquote, imperfect.

But keep watching as the film's messages of persistence, positive attitudes and solidarity unfold.

"The Present" was created by Jacob Frey and Markus Kranzler in 2014 as a graduation project while they were students at Filmakademie Baden-Werttemberg in Ludwisburg, Germany, says SFGate.com

At last count, "The Present" has won something like 60 international awards in several countries.

The great work on "The Present" certainly didn't hurt Frey and Kranzler. They now work at Walt Disney and Pixar, respectively.

Here's the video:

A Ridiculous But Oddly Happy Video For Your Friday.

The elderly lady in pink dances and parties it up
like a boss with the odd but fun guy in gold.  

Over in England, I guess they know how to have a good time.

In case you haven't seen it yet, this viral video shows an odd scene in Brighton, England, in which a guy in what looks almost like skin tight gold lame dances with a bent over elderly woman.

The woman is having such a good time you can't help but enjoy the music along with her.  She Twists and Shouts with the best of them.

The guy in gold is identified as Pablo Woodward, who calls himself an "actor and party-starter" who busks in Brighton, England.

Passersby look a little mystified in the video, but oh well, they don't know how to have a good time.

The video has racked up more than half a million views on YouTube alone, and has been seen in a lot of other places, including more than 3.6 million views on Facebook.. Maybe the video has been spread too far and wide, but I can't resist it anyway. If only for the elderly woman's sense of fun and spirit.

Watch, and happy Friday!

Josh Daniels Finally Brings Simon Cowell To His Emotional Limit On X-Factor

On X-Factor Josh Daniels,  left, turned in such
a good audition that he made Simon Cowell cry.  

I usually don't watch the singing talent/reality show X-Factor, but one contestant caused a HUGE stir this week with his audition.

The most telling reaction was a silent one from the show's longtime curmudgeon Simon Cowell.

Josh Daniels, 21 performed the song "Jealous" by Labrinth. He reinterpreted the lyrics to sing about the jealousy he has that his best friend, who died a couple years ago, is happy in heaven and left Josh here on earth.

Daniels' performance was breathtaking, and he more than deserved the vote to move on to the next round.

Simon Cowell, for once, was speechless, and overcome with emotion. His mother recently died, so that was surely a factor.

Any singer like Daniels who can move an audience for any reason deserves success. See for yourself with this clip:

Trump Is Trumping Everything In An All Trump All The Time World

Donald Trump is clickbait and a media ratings winner.
So we get all Trump All The Time.  on

Last night, CNN was scheduled to air what I thought might be a pretty interesting program. Anderson Cooper, the network's flagship personality, was going to do a 10-year retrospective of Hurricane Katrina.

Cooper was going to check in on the people still trying to rebuild their lives, examine their struggles and their triumphs.

Nobody got to see it. The show was trumped by Donald Trump.

Yep, Donald Trump was holding a news conference, so CNN postponed Cooper's Katrina show until tonight. Unless of course Trump holds another news conference, in which case the Katrina piece will be postponed again. Possibly until the 20th anniversary of Katrina.

I know I'm contributing to the problem by writing this, but since when does Donald Trump become the main focus of everything?

Sure, he's clickbait and he's a ratings bonanza for the news networks. Everybody wants to see and hear the next stupid thing Trump says next, and wants to marvel at the mystery as to why so many people still want him to be president.

We get an endless loop. The networks and media correctly perceive their audience wants more of Trump. So they give it to them. And Trump delivers. So people want more. And we get more. On and on it goes.

I don't know when or how we'll manage to get off this Trump train. Will people finally, somehow get sick of him? Trump knows that he can only step up the game to hold the audience interest. He's a showman, after all.

Which is why he's been constantly flogging his distaste for Megyn Kelly long after anybody else would have just moved on. He'll say more outrageous things to keep the audience perked up.

Meanwhile, we're not hearing much from the other candidates, because they don't know how to play to an entertainment audience. They play to a political audience. Since it's all Trump all the time, none of us get a chance to know what else is going on.

Trump the entertainer trumps everything. Including Anderson Cooper's Hurricane Katrina report. All we get is breathless updates on Hurricane Donald.

I just hope we collective realize Trump is all bluster, no brains before he gets to a position of being dangerous, like President of the United States.

Sean, "The Dancing Man" Gets The Big Party, And The Girls

"Dancing Man" Sean O'Brien gets down
at the Avalon nightclub in Hollywood
over the weekend. Photo from Reuters.  

Dancing Man got his dance party over the weekend.

Back in March I wrote about a guy named Sean, who was cyberbullied by idiots on the social media site 4chan for having the audacity to dance and have a good time while overweight.

Apparently, in the twisted world of some 4chan and other social media fans, you have to be about 20 years and have a perfect body to have a good time in a nightclub. Or anywhere for that matter.

So the 4chan bullies posted a unflattering pics of him, including one of him looking understandably sad as these idiots laughed at him.

As expected, Sean O'Brien got the last laugh over the weekend.  After the cyberbulling, other groups of people on social media, including an activist named Cassandra Fairbanks of the Free Thought Project, hunted Sean down and announced a big dance party would be organized for him.

That party happened this weekend at Avalon, THE iconic nightclub in Hollywood. Moby, arguably the world's top DJ, kept the music going.

The nightclub was full of beautiful people, and by that I don't necessarily mean fashion models.

Before he got to the party, O'Brien made an appearance on The Today show, where he spoke of the good people of the world who outnumber the cyberbullies.

The Today Show also surprised O'Brien by having him meet Meghan Trainor, who's song "All About That Bass"  a 2014 smash hit and a catchy tune about the being proud and sexy no matter who you are.

Dancing Man with Megan Trainor on The Today Show. 

Sample lyric:

"Yeah, it's pretty clear, I ain't no size two
But I can shake it, shake it, like I'm supposed to do."

So, O'Brien did the same, shaking it with Trainor on The Today Show, and dancing up a storm at Avalon, just like he was supposed to do.

Because if you wanna have fun, you gotta have fun.

The event was also designed to raise awareness of bullying and so called fat shaming, and as a rebuke against these bullies.

As far as I know, nobody has tracked down the 4chan bullies that started this whole thing off with O'Brien.

But I bet O'Brien had a MUCH better weekend than the bullies who originally tormented him.

Against All Odds: Martha Stewart KILLS It Roasting Justin Bieber; Laugh Out Loud

Martha Stewart does maybe the best, and crudest
celebrity roast ever, and it is laugh out loud funny. 

Perhaps my least favorite famous person is Justin Bieber.

When a celebrity roast of Bieber was due on TV the other night, I practically ran screaming out of the room in terror at the thought of it.

Then I learned Martha Stewart was going to be one of the people doing the Bieber roasting. She is also on my Least Favorite List of celebrities. This was going to be grim.

Then, somehow, I caught a clip of Stewart doing the roasting of Bieber, and all the other comics and famous people sitting there on the stage.

It was brilliant! I found myself laughing out loud. Really loud. Enough to scare the dogs out of the room.

Yes, I know somebody wrote the script for Stewart, but she had the gall to deliver it.

Stewart's comedy routine was profane and big time crossed the line past good taste. The video is totally NSFW, and if you're easily offended, the video you'll see below is definitely not for you.

But for those of you who like a bit of crude, wildly funny humor, Martha Stewart absolutely killed it. At let me tell you, at age 73, she certainly seems to have some street cred.

I actually find myself liking her a bit more. Maybe she's off my list of Least Favorite Celebrities.

As for Bieber, well, go away.

But first, watch Martha Stewart be just perfect, but not the brand of perfect you're used to from her:

"Dumb" Miss Utah Is A Lot Smarter Than We Thought

Practically everybody and their brother, and their dog and cat, derided Miss Utah Marissa Powell after she really stumbled and bumbled and acted like a total moron when she was asked a question about equal pay for equal work for women during Sunday's Miss USA pageant.

Miss Utah, Marissa Powell
isn't nearly as dumb as many
of us first thought

The initial consensus was she was dumb as a brick, as she made a very untasty word salad out of what should have been a straightforward answer.

She became an instant viral sensation within hours of her disaster, and she'd go down in history as that dumb woman who couldn't think and chew gum at the same time.

Never mind that we couldn't really tell if she was stupid just from that one botched moment during the pageant.. Maybe she had a brain fart. Or she's just crummy at public speaking. Or she was thinking faster than she could speak, and the result was a train wreck of an answer.

Powell said afterward she was nervous, caught up in the moment and thus could not formulate a coherent answer to the question.

Well, who's laughing now?

I'd hire Powell as a PR consultant in a heartbeat, as over the past couple of days she's done a textbook performance of how to manage a public relations disaster.

She did the obvious, which many PR experts somehow don't understand is the best policy. Powell deployed what seems to be her substantial sense of humor, didn't blame anybody for the snafu, and politely answered any questions celebrity journalists tossed her way.

On the Today Show, host Matt Lauer gave Powell a chance for a do-over. Granted, Powell knew she'd be asked the question again and had plenty of time to find an articulate answer when Lauer asked about the idea that men still make more money than women.

Her answer to Lauer came off as perfectly reasonable, coherent and concise:

"This is not OK...It needs to ber equal pay for equal work It's hard enough already to earn a living, and it shouldn't be harder just because you're a woman."

The best thing Powell did to redeem herself was to appear on the Jimmy Kimmel Live show, where she sang her really, really bad answer to the tune of "My Country Tis of Thee"

Her body language during, and especially after the performance tells me Powell is just fine, and will continue to be fine. She's probably no rocket scientist, but she's sure as hell not dumb enough to be a menace to society.

Watch the YouTube video and see for yourself. And have a laugh along with Powell:

Great Idea for Your Next Party!

Found this on BoingBoing. Call and make a reservation for your next party! I'm sure demand is high, so call early!

Muppets Vs. OK Go

Readers of this blog know that I'm obsessed with the excellent videos from the band OK Go.
The music is good, but they do make the funniest, most innovative videos.

Well, recently they just teamed up wtih one my other obsessions. The Muppets.

The Muppets and OK Go have teamed up to do a video of the theme song for "The Muppet Show" with hilarious results.

Watch this:

Cool Fun With Bodies

Today I offer you two videos of some pretty incredible effects people created with dancing and music.
The first is a music video from OK Go, who teamed up with Pilobulus for the video. OK Go is famous for their innovative videos, including a Rube Goldberg routine that is simply amazing.

The other video comes from last night's America's Got Talent, which features a group called Team Illuminate, which use glow lights, dancing, music, computer technology and acrobatics to really give compelling performances. They wowed the judges and the audience with their best performances yet. The videso are below, with OK Go first.

He's America's Got Talent's Hero

Landau Eugene Murphy, 36, a car wash attendant from West Virginia, is surely a hero in the minds of the folks over at America's Got Talent.

The other night, he provided just the kind of television that producers of AGT surely want. I was among millions who ate up his appearance. I loved it.

You can watch the seven minute clip in the video in this blog post. It is worth watching. It's great TV, especially once they get out of the preliminary stuff he Murphy goes on stage.




As you can see in the video, Murphy ambled out onto the stage with his unruly dreadlocks and his kind of shabby clothes. He was chewing gum. He seemed like a nice guy, but also a little awkward. He didn't seem ready for prime time, really.

Judge Piers Morgan ordered Murphy to put the gum away. Murphy did so by stuffing it into his jeans pocket.

Sharon Osborne asked what he was going to do. He said he was going to follow his dream. She looked doubtful. So did Morgan and fellow judge Howie Mandel.

Then Murphy opened his mouth to sing, and out came this gorgeous Frank Sinatra voice.  He brought the house down.

The three surprised celebrity judges heaped praise on Murphy. "Your life is never going to be the same," Mandel told Murphy, a prediction I have no doubt will come true.  Mandel's remarks, and the enthusiasm coming from the audience so overwhelmed Murphy that he burst into tears.

Will America's Got Talent greatly help, or hurt
Landau Eugene Murphy?

I so want Murphy to succeed, but I worry a bit that his appearance this week on AGT will be the best part of his radically changed life.  I worry about people who are plucked from obscurity and made into instant stars.

There's money to be made from talented people like Landau Eugene Murphy. And why not? He can make a living singing, and the record companies, the promoters and all those other people in the industry can share in some of the wealth.

But a lot of big industries, including the talent industry, are full of sharks. People will take advantage of Murphy, take more than their share of his money, overwork him, make him do things he has misgivings about, chew him up and spit him out.

Yes, I'm cynical. And I don't mean to be patronizing toward Murphy. From what little I know about him, he seems smart enough. Even so, this has hit him like an avalanche. Nobody can be fully prepared for it, especially since he has no experience here. AGT was the first audition and his first public performance as a singer. He can't know all the tricks of the behind the scenes trade yet.

Plus, no human is perfect. I'm not. You're not. Murphy is not.

The Landau Eugene Murphy story arc will be familiar. Somebody gets a big notice and they're celebrated. Then the entertainment reports dig, and find the skeletons in the closet. And you know everybody has them. They'll dig up a prior arrest, something he did or said that was stupid, a failed job, a failed relationship or any other failure and play it up.  Build him up, tear him down.

They do that to everybody. Everybody hungers for such an arc, and there's money to be made constructing the story arc.

Now that AGT has got me and many others firmly in Laudau Eugene Murphy's camp, I really hope he has the wherewithal to withstand the greedy people circling him. Unexpected success like Murphy's is like blood in the water. Right now, Murphy is the last person I want to see become shark food.

Who Needs Dancing With the Stars?

I admit I've been watching "Dancing with the Stars." and have been impressed by how much the finalists have improved.

The final four stars performed last night, and I guess we find out who might get axed tonight. (I'm guessing Ralph Maccio, but what do I know?

But who cares about Dancing With the Stars when there are even better dancers out there. Like in the following video of a street dancer in Paris. I didn't know any human can control every muscle in his body like this. It's amazing. Watch:

Vermont Stage Co.'s "Sylvia" And My Future With Dogs

Last night, I saw the excellent preview performance of the Vermont Stage Company's latest production, "Sylvia," and it got me thinking about my inevitable future with dogs.

"Sylvia" is about a guy named Greg (played by Stephen Bradbury) going through a mid-life crisis who finds a dog named Sylvia. He brings Sylvia home, much to the dismay of his wife Kate (played by Melissa Lourie)

The dog, Sylvia, is played hilariously by Kathryn Blume.  She articulates the thoughts of the dog as she becomes established in the household and changes the relationships with everybody involved.

Vermont Stage Company is presenting
the excellent play "Sylvia" through May 8

Go see this play. It's sweet and funny and touching. It's cleverly written, and, as usual for Vermont Stage, it's done just beautifully. It runs through May 8.

The whole play is deceptively simple, but it really gets you thinking about how something as seemingly simple as an ordinary dog changes people and their relatonships in complex, sometimes scary ways.

Jeff, who by the way, is the set designer for "Sylvia,"  and I are thinking about getting a dog, and the play made me think about how this future dog will change us. I don't think it will be anything as dramatic as in "Sylvia." I won't give the play's plot away, but there are scary moments within some longstanding relationships in the production.

I haven't had a dog in decades. Jeff is an expert at dog companionship.  When a dog moves into our home, I first and foremost want to do right by the dog. The dog needs to be loved, safe and happy. I want to ensure the dog trusts me, and knows that I have his or her best interests at heart.

At the same time, I don't want to let the dog take over my whole life, or change my relationships in any negative way.

I told Jeff he'll have to train the dog, and train me to be a great companion to the dog.

It goes without saying the dog will change my relationship. At the intermission of "Sylvia" I was growing fearful about what a dog might do to my life.  Will it be a grenade that blows up everything I've established in terms of my domestic bliss? But at the end of the performance, however, I was reassured. I just have to be open to change and love, at least if "Sylvia"'s playwright, A. R. Gurney is correct.

A dog is without guile. He or she won't really try to undermine my life, or my relationships, my sense of balance. He or she will just want to join my "pack" and be happy.

Just by being there, the dog will have effects on my life. It turns out it's up to me, not Fido to ensure the dog will change my life in a positive way.

I don't know what kind of dog we'll get or when we'll get him or her. The more I think about it, though, the more I find the challenge of having a dog companion incredibly appealing. I can't wait to meet him or  her.