Falling In Love & Yes!! |
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Thirty-five years ago, my girlfriend (Hilary) and I got dressed up and went to try out a fondue restaurant which had opened in town (Walnut Creek, CA)… It was also her birthday! | |
I had written to Hil’s father (in advance) asking his permission for her hand and he gave his blessing. We had just met (a little over five months earlier) in May. | |
We were (and are) very much in love. I got down on one knee in-between the tables and I asked Hil to marry me… | |
She said: “Yes!“, and we were married in early December. Thirty-five years later, the rest is history (and the unwritten future…) | |
[Happy Birthday, Hil !! | |
All my love, | |
— ALWAYS — | |
Your Kev | |
(XXX – OOO – XXX) ] | |
PS: The fondue restaurant is no longer there. It is now a Greek restaurant. We will be going there (for an early dinner) to check it out. | |
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On This Day In: | |
2018 | Forever |
2017 | Too Good To Be True |
Plain Speaking | |
2016 | She Is Still Singing |
2015 | Don’t Complain |
2014 | Nothing Is The Same |
Orange October (XII) – Giants Win Game 7 (3 To 2) And World Series (4 To 3) | |
2013 | Hours, Days, And Years |
2012 | In Kev Are In Hil |
2011 | No Game, Didn’t Really Happen |
A Good Post | |
Posts Tagged ‘Music Videos’
Proposing A Happy Birthday
Posted in Faith Family and Friends, Family and Friends, Family History, Included Video, Pictures, Videos, tagged 1984 Engagement, 1984 Proposal, Can't Help Falling In Love, Chad Brock, Elvis Presley, Fondue, Happy Birthday Hil, Music Videos, Pictures of Hil And Me, Walnut Creek, Yes! on October 29, 2019| 4 Comments »
I Asked My Family Doctor Just What I Had
Posted in Faith Family and Friends, Family and Friends, Included Video, Videos, tagged 2019 Trip To Liverpool, Family, Good Lovin', Hil Comes Back To Me, Music Videos, Spring, The Young Rascals, Winter, YouTube.com on April 21, 2019| Leave a Comment »
This year, my wife has spent seven long (to me anyway) weeks visiting her family back in Liverpool, England. She is coming back to me today. | |
If my life can be described as a tree with all of the branches and leaves as my personal choices and experiences, then our marriage has been the tree’s trunk and my Hil has been the tree’s roots, binding us to the good earth. Winter is over and Spring has arrived! | |
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On This Day In: | |
2018 | You Have Just Begun To Climb |
2017 | Equal Protection Under Law |
2016 | A Stubbornly Persistent Illusion |
2015 | Or You Don’t |
2014 | If You Ever Fall… |
2013 | Glory Days (part 2) |
2012 | They Follow A Pattern – If You Know What I Mean |
What I Live For (Precis) | |
2011 | Giving |
Respect For My Sister
Posted in Faith Family and Friends, Family and Friends, Family History, Included Video, Videos, tagged Family, Happy Birthday Sis, I Can Do Hard Things - included video, Jennifer Nettles, Music Videos on April 5, 2019| Leave a Comment »
[Happy Birthday, Sis! Keep fighting the good fight! I’m proud to have a sister I can still look up to. LOL!! — Love, Kevin] | |
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On This Day In: | |
2018 | I Trust Cows |
No Boundary | |
2017 | Don’t Sink Now |
2016 | A Burning Passion To Teach Freedom |
2015 | Before Debit (And Credit) Cards |
2014 | Herding Cats |
2013 | Ooops! |
2012 | Understand A Great Truth |
2011 | Start Here… |
2010 | Random Acts of Vandalism On Easter Weekend… |
Hopefully, Closer To Noon
Posted in Education, Included Video, Movie Review, Movies, Reviews, Science and Learning, Videos, tagged Arthur Chipping, Becket, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Education, George Baker, Germany, Golden Globe, Goodbye Mr. Chips -- movie review, Greece, Greek, Included Video, James Hilton, Katherine Bridges, Katherine Chipping, Latin, Lawrence of Arabia, Lord Sutterwick, Max Staefel, Michael Bryant, Michael Redgrave, Music Videos, Musicals, Oscar, Peter O'Toole, Petula Clark, Pompeii, Rom-com, Siân Phillips, TCM, Ursula Mossbank, Very Highly Recommended Movie, World War II on February 5, 2019| 2 Comments »
“Goodbye, Mr. Chips” (1969) — movie review | |
This movie is a musical adaptation of the novel about the life of a schoolteacher, Mr. Chipping, written by the James Hilton. The book was first adapted into movie form back in 1939 (also a great movie). This version is a modification of both the novel and the original version. It’s placed later in history – around World War II instead of WWI; Chipping is married longer; meets his wife differently; and, it’s a musical (instead of a “normal” drama / romance movie). I have not read the novel, but I have seen the 1939 version several times before. Hopefully, I’ll be able to find it somewhere and watch it again so I can do a review from a fresh viewing. This was my first viewing of this movie! | |
Mr. Chipping is a staid and stern housemaster at an English public school. (That’s a “private” school to those of us in the U.S.) The boarding school is where the upper crust of society send their boys to learn to be proper British gentlemen. Chipping teaches Latin and Greek. He gets talked into going to a play to see the future bride of a friend. The lady doesn’t realize this is the “arrangement”. Chipping unknowingly embarrasses himself and his friend. Chipping goes on his holiday (vacation) to Pompeii, where he coincidentally meets the lady again. As he is an expert on Greece, she asks him to be her tour guide for the day – which he does. They hit it off and she falls in love with him (and he her). Blah, blah, blah. Mild comedy and laughter ensues. They marry and she returns to school with him. They become popular at the school. She dies during the war. He spends the remaining years of his life at the school. | |
The movie stars Peter O’Toole as Arthur Chipping (“Mr. Chips”), Petula Clark as Katherine Bridges / Chipping, Michael Redgrave as The Headmaster, George Baker as Lord Sutterwick (the wealthy donor who is at odds with Chipping due to his own previously sordid background), Siân Phillips as Ursula Mossbank (a famous actress who has a “background” with Lord Sutterwick), and Michael Bryant as Max Staefel (a German teacher who “must” return to Germany). Phillips is “simply marvelous” in her take on being a famous actress. Bryant is also impressive in his subtle expressions. In fact, I repeated several scenes just to re-watch his facial reactions. | |
So, is this movie any good? Does it work as a musical? And, did I enjoy a rom-com musical? Yes. Mostly yes. Emphatically yes! I know I’ve seen Peter O’Toole in other roles (obviously “Lawrence of Arabia” and “Becket“), but I really think this is my new favorite role for him. He was nominated for the Oscar and a Golden Glove for Best Actor for this role. One of his eight Oscar nominations for Best Actor. (He holds the lifetime record for nominations without a win.) Interestingly, his wife (Siân Phillips) at the time was also nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress for her role (Mossbank). He won the Golden Glove. She did not. | |
As a musical, the movie is not “great” – in my opinion. With the exception of “Fill the World With Love” (see videos below) only a couple of the other songs were entertaining, let alone memorable. This is partly why the movie was panned by the critics on its release. In fact, I understand several of the songs were removed from the theatrical release because initial audience reviews were so poor. The songs have been re-added for the “TCM” version which I watched. The result is the movie is a “classic” movie with an introduction, intermission and exit production which add almost 15 minutes to the viewing time. The total run time I watched was over the 2hrs 35min of the “official” run time. But, it is worth it!! | |
Final recommendation: VERY highly recommended. While at one level, this is the story of one man’s struggle with the apparent mediocrity of his life, at a more profound level it is a love story – personal (husband and wife) and general (Chippings love for knowledge, teaching, manners and character). I am sure some will find this a bit of a “chic flick” and a tear-jerker. I did not find it the former. I did find it the latter. But then, I often find movies about character and integrity (and love stories) to be tear-jerkers. So, get the Kleenex ready. | |
As a “bonus” for this review I am including two videos. The first two verses of this song are performed by: Petula Clark (from the 1969 musical: “Goodbye, Mr. Chips”). The last verse is performed by Peter O’Toole and is slightly different from the “actual” lyrics as he is singing to his deceased wife at the end of the film. (Listen for the “Shhsh” and watch for Bryant / Staefel’s expression during Clark’s singing. Priceless!!) | |
I sang this song many times back in my senior year of high school. It was the first year of our high school choir – and they were taking anyone who was willing to volunteer to sing in public. LOL. I did not know the song was only a few years old. Nor did I know it came from a movie / musical. But then, I had not seen either version of this movie – 1939 or 1969. I think I’m better for now having seen both. If you can find them, I highly recommend them! | |
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On This Day In: | |
2018 | Stock Market Sets Another Record Under #DumbDonald |
#LyingDonald: About That Special Prosecutor Testimony | |
2017 | We Ain’t Seen Nothin’ Yet |
2016 | But You Have To Learn It Feels Good |
2015 | Never Stop |
2014 | Caution |
2013 | Treat Her Like A Lady |
2012 | Build New Worlds |
2011 | I Grok Elegance |
Standing Relish | |
Happy 34th Anniversary, Hil!!
Posted in Faith Family and Friends, Family and Friends, Included Video, Quotes, Videos, tagged Faith Family and Friends, Happy 34th Anniversary, I Can Love You Like That - video, John Michael Montgomery, Music Videos, Quotes, Relationships, Steve Maraboli, Unapologetically You: Reflections on Life and the Human Experience, YouTube.com on December 3, 2018| 6 Comments »
When in a relationship, a real man doesn’t make his woman jealous of others, he makes others jealous of his woman. | |
― Steve Maraboli | |
From: “Unapologetically You: Reflections on Life and the Human Experience“ | |
[Happy 34th Anniversary, Hil | |
You are still everything which is precious to me… | |
Love Always, Your Kev XXX 00 X |
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— KMAB] | |
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On This Day In: | |
2017 | Happy 33rd Anniversary, Hil!! |
2016 | Happy 32nd Anniversary, Hil!! |
2015 | Happy Anniversary Hil!! |
2014 | 30th Wedding Anniversary |
2013 | Number 29 (And Counting) |
2012 | Hammer ‘N Roses |
Happy Anniversary | |
2011 | I Can Hear It Now |
Passed Too Swiftly
Posted in Included Video, Lyrics, Poetry, Videos, tagged Bohemian Rhapsody, Brian May, Freddie Mercury, John Deacon, Lyrics, Music Videos, Poetry, Queen, Roger Taylor, These Are The Days Of Our Lives, These Are the Days of Our Lives -- song lyrics, We Are The Champions, We Will Rock You, YouTube on November 12, 2018| 2 Comments »
There is a recently released biopic of Freddie Mercury out now, which means there are numerous social media links to the music of Queen. Now, there is (IMHO) little doubt Queen was one of the most significant rock bands of the 1970’s – 80’s. Everyone has heard of “Bohemian Rhapsody“, “We Will Rock You” and “We Are The Champions“, but I’ve recently been listening to one of the bands last releases: “These Are the Days of Our Lives” – over and over again. I hope you enjoy the video (and the lyrics below) as much I do… | |
These Are the Days of Our Lives | |
Sometimes I get to feelin’ | |
I was back in the old days, | |
long ago | |
When we were kids, | |
when we were young | |
Things seemed so perfect, | |
you know? | |
The days were endless, we were crazy, we were young | |
The sun was always shinin’, | |
we just lived for fun | |
Sometimes it seems like lately, | |
I just don’t know | |
The rest of my life’s been, | |
just a show | |
Those are the days | |
of our lives | |
The bad things in life | |
were so few | |
Those days are all gone now but | |
one thing is true | |
When I look | |
and I find | |
I still love you. | |
You can’t turn back the clock, | |
you can’t turn back the tide | |
Ain’t that a shame? | |
Ooh, I’d like to go back one time | |
on a roller coaster ride | |
When life was just a game | |
No use in sitting and thinkin’ on what you did | |
When you can lay back and enjoy it through your kids | |
Sometimes it seems like lately, | |
I just don’t know | |
Better sit back and go, | |
with the flow | |
These are the days | |
of our lives | |
They’ve flown in the swiftness of time | |
These days are all gone now but | |
some things remain | |
When I look | |
and I find, | |
no change | |
Those were the days of our lives, | |
yeah | |
The bad things in life | |
were so few | |
Those days are all gone now but | |
one thing’s still true | |
When I look | |
and I find, | |
I still love you | |
I still love you | |
Performed by: Queen | |
Written by: Brian May, Freddie Mercury, John Deacon, and Roger Taylor | |
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On This Day In: | |
2017 | On Our Wall (Part 1) |
2016 | Or The Ripples From A Good Life |
2015 | Titles And Reputations |
2014 | Unfolding |
2013 | Again |
2012 | Needs |
Damned | |
2011 | Potter & Prejudice |
Blink, Blink | |