Saturday 9

(Link in meme-roll)
American Pie (1971)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) In the lyrics, Don McLean refers to having once been a paper boy. When you were a kid, what job or household chores did you do for spending money?

My family didn't work this way. Everyone did chores as requested/assigned because we were part of the household. This meant we always had to ask for money from Mom & Dad. Yes, it pretty much sucked. I started babysitting at 12 for other people's kids for money.

2) Them good old boys were drinking whiskey and rye. What's the last drink you ordered?

It's been months since I've had a drink of any kind. I would assume the last time I got one at a bar/restaurant was a Stoli tonic, lime twist. It's my usual. I may snag a glass of wine at a meeting this Tuesday night, but it always makes me overheat and turn bright red, and it takes about this much booze to get me tipsy anymore so maybe not.

3) He drove to the levee but it was dry. When is the last time it rained where you are?

Yesterday/overnight. It's "unseasonably cool" today and they can't decide what the weather is going to do for the weekend. Even within the same forecast online there are multiple answers.

4) When McLean was working on the song, he wrote the lyrics out in long hand. It took him 16 pages of lined notebook paper. Today it's a laptop/smartphone/tablet world, and Sam can't remember the last time she hand wrote anything longer than a sign on her front door that read, "Bell broken. Plz knock." What about you? What's the last thing you wrote with pen or pencil?

I take notes regularly at meetings which serves the benefit of keeping my mind occupied so I don't fall asleep AND keeps my mouth shut. I write, in pencil, in books daily at work. I write notes to people on scratch paper, take reserve requests and spell words for people to copy and write people's login information down.... I hand-write a lot. Not in big chunks anymore, but a lot. And still practice my penmanship. I'm such a throwback!

5) McLean's most recent CD is called "Addicted to Black," in reference to Olivia in The Twelfth Night. Quick! Without looking it up, name another character from Shakespeare.

Polonius.

6) Don was born in New Rochelle, New York, which was named one of The Best Walking Cities in America by the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA). What about your neighborhood? Is it easily walkable?

There are no sidewalks in my neighborhood, but also minimal traffic. We're one of those island subdivisions that you wouldn't drive through unless you're visiting someone or live here. And our house is at the very back, so there's literally NO reason to drive on our street unless you live on it or are visiting (or lost--quite likely). It's walkable. People here walk it, with and without dogs. I've walked it. But it doesn't go anywhere, just circles. On the other hand, we have two parks in the subdivision and people drive kids to them.  smh

7) In 1971, the year this song was popular, Walt Disney World officially opened. Have you ever been to DisneyLand or Disney World?

Been to both. Would like to return to Epcot and Animal Kingdom since the latter was brand-new when we were there and not quite finished, and the day we went to Epcot I felt very ill and we bailed at lunchtime after "Germany." Zero, or less, interest in seeing anything else.

8) Also in 1971, Mattel introduced Malibu Barbie. This doll was a "sun-loving California girl" and had a distinct tan. Have you ever used a tanning bed?

Well that's not where I thought this question would go! I had a Malibu Barbie as a child, but I will never, ever use a tanning bed. I have stark white northern European skin and have done enough damage to it with the, yknow, actual sun.

9) American Pie is also the name of a 1999 movie. Have you seen it?

Yuck. No.