Way too close to home…

So last night, after running about a mile and a half and entering my “cool down” walk, I came across something unexpected. This lady police officer parks next to another police car and proceeds toward the house kiddie-corner across the street from me holding a gun and using her police car as “shelter.”

Part of me wanted to hide behind a bush and watch the action, but the (perhaps wiser) safety pro in me decided maybe I wasn’t tired of running after all considering how far stray bullets can travel (I actually started thinking about the Kent State shootings). Well, I booked it for about ½ a block until I landed on my knee wrong, then I just walked fast and endured the pain. My knee is doing just fine now, but the situation I had walked into was definitely one worth getting away from.

Reading the news this morning I got the story. It’s not a good one. This guy who lives about 3 blocks from my condo had shot his wife, with his daughter watching. He had been momentarily resisting arrest at the time I stumbled upon the scene.

I wish I could say this is the first time something so tragic has happened. Well, this is the first time I’ve ever scene a cop go in to lock and load, but domestic violence has been close by at least two times before while living in the Tooele Valley. When I first moved to Tooele, I lived about 3 blocks from the court house when a guy bludgeoned his wife to death with a screw driver in the courthouse parking lot. Then, when I lived in Grantsville for a while, this guy had chased his wife into a nearby restaurant (about 3 blocks away from where I lived) and shot her and the restaurant owner before turning the gun on himself.

Tooele is a really nice place to live…but apparently not if you have issues with your spouse and live within 3 blocks of me.

Solamente diez dólares en Walmart-Only 10 Bucks at Walmart!

Goddess of the Goddesses-Diosa de las diosas

I thought a post of the above title would be about Sarah Brightman, who I worshiped for years, and still regard as a goddess (even if her voice is nowhere what it used to be). However, I realized that I was overlooking the woman I believe truly does deserve to be called goddess of the goddesses…at least in the world of musical theater. And, when it comes to personality…the woman I truly love.

Patti LuPone

In case you haven’t heard of her, let me share some of her major roles:

First of all. EVITA. Hands down she was the best. Her raspy voice makes her Don’t Cry for Me Argentina perhaps a bit disappointing, but she understood what Madonna unfortunately missed. Eva Peron was a BITCH!

Perhaps you’ve heard the London cast soundtrack to Les Miserables. If you haven’t, you should listen to it. Or at least download her version of “I Dreamed a Dream.” Yes, Patti was the original Fantine.

She was also the original Norma Desmond. When Andrew Lloyd Webber wrote the most soaring melodies of his career (not Phantom) he knew who should sing them. Glenn Close…I don’t think so. Sunset Boulevard was Patti’s baby.

But, where Patti gets really cool is in her concert musical performances. She was the definitive (and hilarious) Mrs. Lovett in the concert version of Sweeney Todd (which is much better than the movie, and I really liked the movie), and of course at the Sondheim celebration, she showed that Being Alive really was best sung by a woman.

Okay this has gotten a little long. But as you can see, I really like Patti LuPone!

Diosa de las diosas Pensé que un puesto de título anterior sería sobre de Sarah Brightman, que he adorado durante años, y todavía considero como una diosa (aunque su voz está lejos de lo que solía ser). Sin embargo, me di cuenta que me olvidé la mujer que creo que realmente merece ser llamada la diosa de las diosas ... al menos en el mundo del teatro musical. Y, cuando se trata de la personalidad ... la mujer que realmente amo.

Patti LuPone

En caso de que no has oído hablar de ella, quisiera compartir algunas de sus funciones principales:

En primer lugar. EVITA. Era absolutamente la mejor. Su voz ronca le hace Don't Cry For Me Argentina tal vez un poco decepcionante, pero entendía lo que Madonna, lamentablemente no entendía. Eva Perón era una perra!

Tal vez usted ha oído la banda sonora de Les Miserables London Cast. Si no oíste, debes escuchar a la misma. O por lo menos descargar su versión de I Dreamed A Dream. Sí, Patti fue el Fantine original.

También fue la Norma Desmond original. Cuando Andrew Lloyd Webber escribió las melodías más crecientes de su carrera (no el fantasma) que sabía quién debe cantarlas. Glenn Close ... Yo no lo creo. Sunset Boulevard era bebé de Patti.

Pero, donde Patti se pone realmente interesante es en su concierto de actuaciones musicales. Ella fue la Sra. Lovett definitiva (y graciosísimo) en la versión de concierto de Sweeney Todd (que es mucho mejor que la película, y realmente me gustó la película), y por supuesto en la celebración de Sondheim, mostró que el Being Alive realmente era mejor cantada por una mujer.

Está bien. Esto se ha vuelto un poco largo. Pero como puedes ver, realmente me gusta Patti LuPone!

How Very Cute!-¡Qué Lindo!

This week an unusual “safety concern” was brought to my attention. After this crazy big (and long) site-wide training meeting we had on Tuesday (most boring training in the world I’ve ever had to develop…but…went over surprisingly well), someone returning to our admin building noted a bat just above the entrance and made the comment “we say we care about safety, but wait until that bat bites one of us and gives someone rabies.”

So, of course, we have to respond to the employee concern. Our security chief volunteered to go smack it with a shovel, but, I just don’t have the heart to order that done. Personally, I suspect a PMS moment may have influenced the employee to make the comment, as it is the cutest bat I have ever seen in my life. Our answer for now: LEAVE THE BAT ALONE…AND HE WILL LEAVE YOU ALONE. As of this morning, the bat is still there. He is alive, and has switched positions a few times (apparently at night), but just above the door to our admin building seems to be his declared home sweet home.

¡Qué Lindo! Esta semana un "problema de seguridad" inusual fue traído a mi atención. Después de esta loco grande (y larga) reunión de capacitación para todo el sitio que tuvimos el martes (el entrenamiento más aburrido en el mundo que yo tenía que desarrollar ... pero ... se desempeñó sorprendentemente bien), una persona que se vuelve a nuestro edificio de administración tomó nota de un murciélago sólo encima de la entrada e hizo el comentario "decimos que nos preocupa de la seguridad, pero espera hasta que el murciélago muerde uno de nosotros y le da rabia a alguien."

Así que, por supuesto, tenemos que responder a la preocupación de los empleados. Nuestro jefe de seguridad se ofreció a ir golpe con una espada, pero, simplemente no tengo el corazón a fin de que hacer. Personalmente, sospecho que de un momento de SPM pueden haber influido en el empleado para hacer el comentario, ya que es el más lindo de murciélagos que he visto en mi vida. Nuestra respuesta por ahora: DEJÉ EL MURCIÉLAGO SOLO ... Y TE DEJARÁ SOLO. A partir de esta mañana, el murciélago sigue ahí. Está vivo, y ha cambiado de posiciones a veces (al parecer en la noche), pero por encima de la puerta de nuestro edificio de administración parece ser su casa declarada domicilio dulce.