Saturday 9

(Link in meme-roll)
I Dream of Jeannie Theme (1965)
... Because Harriet requested it. If you're not familiar with today's song, you can hear it here.

Perk of my job--the complete series package

1) Jeannie was memorably discovered on the beach in an ornate bottle. Have you ever brought a souvenir home from the beach? (It doesn't have to be a genie. A shell or a stone will do.)

Lots of sand, mostly accidental. Some shells and stones. Lots of photos.

2) Major Anthony Nelson, the man who released Jeannie from her bottle, was an astronaut. When you were a kid, did you dream of being an astronaut when you grew up?

I'm was a proper little girl: of course not! Besides, astronauts weren't all that big of a deal when I was a little kid; the moon landing happened when I was not quite 6.

3) Upon discovering Jeannie, Major Nelson's first wish was that she could speak/understand English so they could communicate. If you found a genie, what would your first wish be?

That seems like a sensible wish, actually, right in character for Major Nelson. Let's go with that, since the likelihood of me actually coming across a genie is pretty low.

4) Major Nelson's best friend was fellow astronaut Major Healey. Where did you meet your best friend?

Of my top 3 best friends....My college bestie, Jenny, was in band with me; both of us played flute. I met Beast later that same year, though we didn't get to be actual friends till quite late in the school year. And I met Amy at one of our (old) library system's interminable cataloging meetings and we ended up on a committee together about 12 years ago.

5) This theme song was written by Hugo Montenegro, who is better known for the music he wrote for a pair of Clint Eastwood movies (The Good, the Bad and the Ugly and A Fistful of Dollars). Do you have a favorite Clint Eastwood movie?

I have fond memories of Bronco Billy. And of course Paint Your Wagon because it's hysterical on every possible level.

6) The last episode of the series was titled, "My Master, The Chili King." What ingredients make up your favorite chili recipe?

Ground beef (or steak if I'm feeling fancy), a couple of cans of beans (random) and/or chickpeas, refried beans, some garlic, maybe chopped onions, tomato sauce, tomato paste, some seasoning...all in a crockpot for the day. Cheese and onions on top at the end.
Do not START with me about how chili should (or should NOT) contain any or all of those ingredients!

7) Jeannie was played by Barbara Eden, who was born in Tuscon, Arizona. Summer in Tuscon can get very hot, with the mercury often reaching 100º. What's your favorite season?

I like Tuscon-style heat. I really like autumn where I live now.

8) Anthony Nelson was played by Larry Hagman, who went on to play the villainous JR on the popular Dallas. Can you think of anything else Dallas is known for?

Was that the first time a character from a soap opera made the cover of Time magazine?

9) In the autumn of 1965, just weeks after I Dream of Jeannie premiered, St. Louis' famous Gateway Arch was completed. An estimated 4 million tourists visit the Arch every year. Do you have any summer vacation plans?

Nope. There's a family wedding in September we are hoping to get to.
I was at the Arch for the first time last fall on the same day I later spent 10 hours in an ER with Beast about 2 miles away. I really liked the Arch. Amazing engineering loved the ride up and seeing out over the whole of southern Illinois and St. Louis.