Thanksgiving's just around the corner Thought I'd start early!!

If someone would have told me 4 years ago that a former friend had serious issues, I’m not sure I would have believed it.
This isn’t the case anymore. I’ve found out about a different person than I saw which just goes to show that you really CAN”T judge a book by its cover. Over this past year, I have seen what a vile, vengeful, uncaring, sick person this former friend is. She has taken the lives of very dear friends turned them completely upside down. She’s made threats on messengers, social networking sites and blogs . She’s harassed my friends to the point they felt they had no other choice but to take a step back and leave sites and take down blogs that have been worked on and cherished for years. She’s been asked by both friends to leave them alone. It’s one thing to love someone and have a close friendship, It’s completely another when you obsess over someone to the point of following them everywhere, copying everything about them She couldn’t back off and give them space instead she made threats upon herself as a vice to try to win. I’ve learned a lot from living through and being there for these dear friends. I’ve learned a lot about myself and about other people.
Now the time has come to say THANK YOU! Thank you for showing me what delusion is. Because of you, I know how to loathe another human being. I know how to be completely self serving. I could be relentless. I could use means of threatening to get what I wanted. You have THAT down to an art. I’ve learned how to make someone so scared that they feel they have to walk away from true friends and places they use to be able to have some faith and trust in. The one huge thing you’ve done for me?? You’ve made me place even more faith in god. God is the one who has given me the strength to hang in there. He’s the one who has made me see the true you because of your actions toward these people who didn’t deserve the likes of you. Thank you for showing me the difference in a real friend and someone who is just there for what they can get. And will use whatever means possible to obtain it. It’s because of you that I have very little trust left for anyone. There is a very small circle I place my complete trust in but because of you, even WE take a second look now and then.
These people deserve peace. They deserve to be FREE of you and your unthinkable actions. You are going to be a bitter old woman with no one someday because you could never see reason. People tried to help you but lets face it. You don’t want the help. You’d much rather wallow in your own self-pity and delusion. You blame everyone else but yourself. You’ve tried to make others responsible for your actions. How dare you?? You are responsible for your own actions. You’re going to have to answer for those decisions and the best thing you can do for yourself now is to leave these people in peace and move on with your life such as it is. They have their own lives as do I and they have the RIGHT to choose WHO they want IN their lives. NO ONE should have to hide because of someone like you. I don’t feel sorry for you. I don’t feel the slightest bit of empathy. All I can feel is hatred. I feel contempt and disgust. Thank you so much for opening my eyes to all these negative things so that I can focus on the positives and continue just as I always have to be there for the friends who need and would like my support

R.I.P. Phillip R.Dennis

those of us who have been manilow fans for many years all know of Phillip Dennis as his wardrobe director for past tours.

I can't say enough about how AWSOME he looked back then and it was not only because of his classy good looks but because of the man behind the scenes who helped create those snazzy designs. This little short blog is just to pay my respects to Phillip, his family, and his friends who will miss him in their lives. As a survivor of quite a few members of my family, as well as friends who have gone before me at the hand of this horrible disease, I know what it's like to watch someone you love go through such pain. It was wonderful to know he went peacefully.

I am including his obituary for those who might not have seen it.


Daily News Salisbury, MD Phillip Robert Dennis April 12, 2009 GRANADA HILLS, Calif. --

Phillip R. Dennis, 51, died peacefully Wednesday, April 8, 2009, at his home in Granada Hills, surrounded by his family after a lengthy battle with cancer. Phillip grew up on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. After graduating from James M. Bennett High School, he studied costume design and retail advertising at Columbus College of Art and Design in Columbus, Ohio, from which he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1979. Phillip had a thriving career in the entertainment business for more than 29 years, where he served as costume designer and/or wardrobe director for numerous feature films, television, music and theatre productions. Most notably, Phillip was the wardrobe director for music legends Barry Manilow and Elton John, respectively. With each of these artists, Phillip traveled around the world many times and remained close friends with both. Phillip touched so many people's lives with his generous heart, quick wit and his love of life. He loved making people laugh, spending time with his good friends and celebrating holidays with his family. He was preceded in death by his mother, Eunice Brittingham Dennis; his father, Manuel Willis Dennis; and a brother, James Richard. He is survived by three sisters, Carolyn Cheek of Savannah, Ga., Jeanne van der Zee of Huntersville, N.C., and Susan Riley (Paul) of Fruitland; six brothers, Willis Lee Dennis (Linda) of Queenstown, Md., George Dennis (Jinny) of Willards, Curtis Dennis (Bonnie) of Pocomoke City, Sam Dennis of Cordova, Tenn., William Dennis (Robin) of Roswell, Ga., and David Dennis (Kelly) of Anchorage, Alaska; and 19 nieces and nephews. A funeral service will be held Friday at 2 p.m. at Bounds Funeral Home on East Main Street in Salisbury, where friends may call one hour prior. Pastor Kathy Hoyle will officiate. Interment will follow in Dennis Cemetery on Powellville Road in Willards.

In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy in his memory may be made to Life Crisis Center Inc., PO Box 387, Salisbury, Md. 21803.

Random Thoughts

I know I should do better at posting here but I just can't write if I don't feel I have anything to say... Right now I have thoughts on a couple of different things so just gonna ramble a bit.

MY FRIENDS:
I have been fortunate to have the most wonderful friends. I'd like to take the time now to tell you all how much I love you and appreciate you and your friendships. YES the friendships might all be different. We might all be at different levels but each one of you mean something very special to me. I don't need to list names, you know who you are just know I love you. I get insecure sometimes! I'm human! I've made mistakes as we all have from time to time but my mom always told me that you can count your true friends on one hand. The older I become, the more I see this is true. Even when there is a difference in opinion or misunderstanding, true friends always find their way back. For those of you who have made your way back into my life I'm so blessed and grateful!

MY HUSBAND
We're getting ready to fight a battle we've unfortunately fought before. CANCER! I've been with Tim since 1982. We met at a church function then and here we are today. I've been married to him 20 years this April 8. He had skin cancer years ago at which time he went to UVA and needed plastic surgery to repair his nose. Now he has found a place behind his ear which we had a biopsy done on this past Friday. The results came in which said this too was skin cancer BUT might have underlying melanoma so more tissue needs to be removed. Once again he will need a plastic surgeon so the scarring will be minimal! One step at a time... One day at a time... and I'm putting my faith where it goes. Miracles happen every day

MY CHILDREN
Have you ever looked at your children and thought "WHO are you and what have you done with my child?" Well that has happened with Heather, my 16 year old. She's always been a tom boy. She's rather go out and play football with the boys then be bothered with doing make up and picking out prom dress LOL WELL she announced to me about 2 weeks ago she wanted her NAILS done!!! UHMM you want your WHAT???????. So we had a girls day out and got our nails done and went and got her class ring ordered. Another big milestone and another small step toward womanhood! She's gone from this defiant child to a pretty cool young lady to just hang with. OH YEAH she still has her moments but they get fewer. Krista who is 9 has the personality of a comedian! She can find a way to make me laugh when sometimes it seems impossible!! My children are absolutely priceless to me

OK I guess that's it for now... I can't think of anything else to comment on but wanted to catch up on things.
HAPPY ST PATTY"S DAY everyone!

NEWS OF AN ORIGIONAL ALBUM!!! YAYYYYY

Music









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Barry Manilow, done with oldies, has album of new songs in the works
01:00 AM EST on Saturday, February 7, 2009
BY RICK MASSIMOJournal Pop Music Writer

Multiplatinum pop star Barry Manilow comes to the Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence Wednesday night.
AP / Chris Pizzello
Barry Manilow had surprising success in the past few years with recorded retrospectives of the greatest hits of the ’50s, ’60s, ’70s and ’80s, but he says he’s through looking back.
“I’ve gotta get back to writing my own stuff,” the multiplatinum-selling singer says. “This has been a lot of fun, and it’s great that it’s always been successful, but I’m done.”
Manilow’s The Greatest Songs of the Eighties came out in November, and it followed the criteria for the previous retrospective albums — the songs had to have been number-one pop hits and they had to have melodies that stuck out for Manilow. So the ’80s compilation features Manilow’s takes on classics such as “Open Arms,” “Never Gonna Give You Up” and “Time After Time,” with mostly straightforward productions and Manilow’s voice, which is as strong as ever.
Manilow says that the whole idea of doing that kind of looking back wasn’t his, anyway; it was label head Clive Davis’ — “I would never in a million years do anything like this,” he says. “I’ve fought [Davis] on every single song he’s given me,” Manilow says, but since Davis was the one who encouraged Manilow to record a little ditty called “Mandy” back in 1974 — you may have heard of it — Manilow always gives Davis’ ideas a listen.
That’s how The Greatest Songs of the Fifties came to be, and when that disc was a smash, it made sense to keep going. But no more.
Manilow says that as he has worked through the decades, he’s found that melody gradually took a back seat to the rhythm. “The rhythm got much more aggressive, as people got into computers and drum machines. But what I kept looking for was the melody. Little by little, the melody kept taking a back seat.”
He adds that “I doubt very much that I [could] go into the ’90s, because there was very little melody in the ’90s,” and although he admits he thought that about the ’80s before he started wading into the music, he’s also done with looking back simply because he’s ready to do a record of his own songs.
Next up for Manilow is a new original album, and while he’s still writing the songs for it, he says of the tunes he’s done so far that “It’s more of a rock ’n’ roll album than I’ve ever done. …
“If you dig into my earlier albums, you’ll see that there are a lot of moments where I try to break the rules and go away from the adult-contemporary world, into some aggressive, guitar-driven songs. I really loved writing them, and I don’t think I sound too bad on them.”
Now, though, the priority is another road jaunt, which have been getting shorter and scarcer over the years.
Manilow’s been doing a greatest-hits show in Las Vegas for three years, and he calls Vegas “home.” He doesn’t go on the road for extended jaunts anymore; short trips are more his speed. He recently got back from four nights in London, and says, “As long as it wasn’t a month-long tour, I was able to handle that.”
Sure, but at age 65 and with a successful show in your adopted backyard, why go on the road at all?
The key, he says, is in the titles of the Vegas show and the road show. The Hilton shows are called “Ultimate Manilow: The Hits”; the road show is called “Ultimate Manilow: The Hits … and Then Some.”
“The audiences in Vegas, it’s finally gotten to what they warned me about: no fans, or a handful of fans, and the rest are strangers. Sold out, but strangers. And they want to hear the hits. So I can’t be too inventive at the Hilton.”
On the road, he says, he gets to play for more dedicated fans, so he can stretch out beyond his 39 Top 40 hits. “They know my work, but they can’t afford to drag themselves to Vegas. So I can be more inventive in my shows on the road. And I will. And I do. I sing songs on the road that I don’t do in Vegas.”
But that’s not all Manilow is working on. “I’ve got such a list of projects,” he says. “It’s always been excellent for me,” and some of them may finally be bearing fruit.
Manilow says his latest musical, Harmony, about the true story of the Comedian Harmonists, a German singing group that found international acclaim before being forced to break up by the Nazi regime, is progressing apace. He’s found a producer who has the show booked in three theaters outside New York this fall. When it’s pointed out that he said the same thing in an interview five years ago, he agrees and says, “I’ll believe this all when I see it.”
Manilow’s other passion these days is his Manilow Music Project, a charitable foundation that, among other things, brings musical instruments back into public schools. Recently, he bought $500,000 worth of instruments for every school in the Coachella Valley, and he hopes to have a similar effort at each of his road stops starting later this year.
“It was so rewarding to all of us.… You wouldn’t believe the letters I’m getting about these bands in these schools — playing music again!”
Getting musical instruments back in kids’ hands is crucial, Manilow says; he remembers his own childhood when he testifies to the importance of music.
“I don’t know what I would have done if I hadn’t had some of that. Forget about becoming famous or making records; I don’t know what I would have done as a person if I hadn’t landed in the band. That was my social life. My other grades got better! I know that’s what happens to these young people.”
Barry Manilow performs at the Dunkin’ Donuts

FINALLY!!!! A REPORER who GETS IT!!!!

Those of you who know me know I've been a Manilow fan since "Mandy" I wouldn't have that any other way, but it hasn't always been easy, not just for me, but for ANY of us. It definately hasn't always been easy for Barry. He's been the butt of countless jokes and has been criticized byt more critics who haven't given him a chance than an;y one human being should ever have to endure. I use to wonder how he got himself through all the ridicule. How do you pick yourself up and dust yourself off when you're getting bashed from what seems like every direction.

Those of us who hve loved the music and and stuck around all these years "get it" I've made so many friends by this man being the catalyst. We all have one common thread. We're all different in our views. Some of us obcessed by the image to the point it's psychotic, some overwhelmed by fantasy and forgetting reality, and then there are a chosen few who see Barry as two very different people wrapped up in one person. Even though we don't know him personally, some of us able to separate the two. It's that Gemini thing right???? NO it isn't it's just being able to see the hints of reality he gives onstage. He lets his light shine through and those few of us still out here who can distinguish between fantasy and reality can see it and take it for what it's worth. Each one of us connects with Barry on different levels. For some, it's just the music that keeps bringing them back. For others it's all of it. He's an entertainer and that's what he does best. He's been here so long because he's learned his trade. He knows what works and what doesn't. By the time you've gone through a show if you have ANY heart at all, you feel each and every emotion possible because BARRY believes in musical abilities. I've watched him grow from this scared little "shy guy" who didn't know the first thing about what to do on a stage to a grown man who now knows what to do without a thought. He just does what he does, and he knows we'll be here for as long as he is.

You ask what all this is leading up to??? Why do I feel the need to say all this now??? WELL! An article from a Wilkes Barre PA paper came to my inbox today that brought me to it. I've read good reviews in my time, I've read some that were so bad I couldn't finish them, but for some reason THIS ONE stood out amongst any I've read in a very long time. This reporter looked beyone the craziness that might have been in the audience around him and LISTENED to and WATCHED BARRY!!!! As you will see from the article, he appreciates the music!! He respects the entertainer! He just GETS IT!! I found this to be refreshing and it made me smile.

I'm so proud to call myself a MANILOW fan!!! NOT a FANILOW!!! I'll shout it anywhere !!!!

Here's the article.


Manilow-mania takes over Wachovia Arena
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BY ALEXANDER CHOMANCITIZENS’ VOICE MUSIC CRITIC
Published: Friday, February 6, 2009 4:06 AM EST
WILKES-BARRE TWP. — Pop music’s most prolific crooner of the post-Sinatra age returned to town Thursday night and this time proved what happens in Vegas doesn’t always necessarily stay in Vegas.Pop music’s quintessential singer/songwriter Barry Manilow, brought his Las Vegas show, “Ultimate Manilow,” to the Wachovia Arena at Casey Plaza before an audience of 6,500 people and proved why he still maintains such broad appeal in a concert that featured material from his “Greatest Songs of the 80s” along with a collage of Manilow staples.It was Manilow-mania all over again as the Brooklyn-born performer proved why Northeastern Pennsylvania is one of his “favorite places to play,” offering up many of the songs that have reached gold for him in four different decades. He’s been writing the songs for sure and a whole generation of listeners have been buying them up since “Mandy” first hit the airwaves.The always congenial host wasted little time belting out the favorites as versions of “I’m Coming Back,” “Miracle,” “This One’s For You” and what he called the most romantic song in his catalog “Weekend in New England,” wooed the Wachovia Arena audience. Manilow croons his hits with an unapologetic sincerity whether they are odes to loves lost or romance realized. In either circumstance, few can translate the emotion as well as Barry.
Manilow worked the spacious arena stage with three female and one male backup singers. Musically, the 65-year-old entertainer was supported by a talented 10-piece band.Manilow is the definition of audience friendly. He laughs, smiles, brings audience members on stage and seems to do all of the right things that make an audience feel like he has come to sing for each one of them personally. And that’s not an easy feat either folks. This guy is something special.Manilow’s offering of power ballads ignited the crowd like few others can. Renditions of “Can’t Smile Without You,” “Could It Be Magic,” “Bandstand” and, of course, “Copacabana,” proved his register has maintained an artistic quality envied by artists half of his age. Manilow’s songs have stood the test of time quite nicely, thank you.The audience also was content to look past his youth-wishful Botox treatment complete with spiked hair and glitzy tie. After all, when “Daybreak,” “Ready to Take A Chance Again” and “Looks Like We Made It,” sound this good, who really cares, right?In addition to his catalogue of hits, Manilow also showed reverence for his predecessors delivering hits from decades gone by. Whether it was his versions of “Chattanooga Choo Choo,” “Anyone Else But Me” or “Love Is a Many Splendor Thing,” Manilow took his historical patronage to a whole different level.He may not be the darling of the critics, he might not be eclectic enough to grace the cover of the hip, arty music magazines, but Barry Manilow is positively adored by his core audience. Something he never ever has lost sight of.Barry Manilow is a consummate entertainer. He works hard at it and his audience acknowledges that effort. So do his fellow artists like the late Frank Sinatra and the legendary Bob Dylan. Before you write him off as the sultan of smaltz, listen to this guy closely. Of melody and rhyme, he knows quite a bit.Just ask his fans.

Just One Of Those Days

Did you ever have one of those days when you just wish you didn't exist? How about if you could just be invisible and see if anyone who says they love you missed you even noticed you weren't around? Forgive me for the tone of this blog today, but it's how I feel.

I'm not gonna go into the lengthy story that would give a background to these feelings because it's too much to write and i don't wanna bore anyone. Let's just suffice to say the following.
1. I met my current husband in 1983 at church. You'd think that would be a wonderful place to meet someone right??? You'd think that someone would prove to be a good person right??? WELL WRONG!! He use to be this wonderful caring even tempered man who would do anything on earth to make anyone happy even ME!! I never saw any signs of the slightest bit of mallace. No temper HECK rwe rarely even faught. If we did disagree we talked about it and it was done!!! That is until I married him in 1989 and things have gone downhill since. He's become this person I don't even know anymore. I have come to realize over the past few years that I'm here merely for convenience and now I'm not even sure I'm here for that anymore. We have two beautiful children together, They are priceless to me and I'd never leave them. Not if I can help it anyway. He's become angry, mentally abusive to all of us and today is just one of those days Ijust wanna crawl in a hole and ceace to be. My oldest daughter hasn't been to school in 5 days because she's been ill. I didn't tell him she didn't go yesterday because i just didn't want him to yell. He's forgotten how to talk. He's forgotten how to express feelings without screaming them and last night I was told that my daughter would be sent to jouvy and he didn't know where I was going... I'm called everything from bitch to God knows what He looks at other MEN and says he's KIDDING when I know differently but I just want him to admit it..... WHY am I stillhere you ask... I dunno. I really can't find that ONE reason anymore. Kinda reminds me of an old Reba McEntire song "You're the first Time I've Thought About Leavin" The only difference is that in the song she finds another man and that's her reason. My reason is merely to find peace for me and my girls. No more yelling, No more disrespect NONE OF IT.

I don't know what I'd do without my friends. My TRUE friends. The ones who have been there through everything. If I ever lost any of them, well I'd truly feel like I'd lost everything. There's already ONE who has slipped away but my hope is that one day she'll realize that I truly dolove her and I'd do anything on earth for her, and if I did, I never ever meant to hurt her. I hope that somehow she one days knows that and will find her way back in my life someday.

I just feel so unneeded. I feel like I should have done so many things differently in my life to change the course of it and now I really don't know where to start. I know the first place will be with God because HE is the one who will bring me through all the rest, no matter how bad it gets. I know we have to suffer through the bad to feel and appreciate the good, and i know that he is the one who will help me handle all of it. Then there are my friends who are always there for undying support.

Thank you to each and every one of you who have been there for me through everything. My mistakes, my laughter, and my tears. I love each and every one of you, I'm just very sad today. I'm sad and feel very alone and scared. That happens sometimes when you've been hit with a dose of reality.

Just For Laughs

I got this in my e mail today and since I know a LOT of people need a laugh right now hope this gives one!



I am sure you will be laughing your head off!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! after reading .....

Have you ever spoken and wished that you could
immediately take the words back...
or that you could crawl into a hole?
Here are the Testimonials of a few people who did....
FIRST TESTIMONY:
I walked into a hair salon with my husband and three kids in tow
and asked loudly,
'How much do you charge for a shampoo and a blow job?'
I turned around and walked back out and never went back
My husband didn't say a word...
he knew better..
SECOND TESTIMONY:
I was at the golf store comparing different kinds of golf balls.
I was unhappy with the women's type I had been using.
After browsing for several minutes,
I was approached by one of the good-looking gentlemen who works at the store.
He asked if he could help me.
Without thinking, I looked at him and said, 'I think I like playing with men 's balls .
THIRD TESTIMONY:
My sister and I were at the mall and
passed by a store that sold a
variety of candy and nuts.
As we were looking at the display case,
the boy behind the counter asked if we needed any help.
I replied, 'No, I'm just looking at your nuts.'
My sister started to laugh hysterically.
The boy grinned, and I turned beet-red and walked away.
To this day,
my sister has never let me forget.
FOURTH TESTIMONY :
While in line at the bank one afternoon,
my toddler decided to release
some pent-up energy and ran amok.
I was finally able to grab hold of
her after receiving looks of disgust
and annoyance from other patrons.
I told her that if she did not start behaving
'right now' she would be punished.
To my horror, she looked me in the eye and said in a voice just as threatening,
'If you don't let me go right now,
I will tell Grandma that I saw you
kissing Daddy's pee-pee last night!'
The silence was deafening after this enlightening exchange.
Even the tellers stopped what they were doing.
I mustered up the last of my dignity and
walked out of the bank with my daughter in tow.
The last thing I heard when the door closed behind me, were screams of laughter.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST TESTIMONY:
This had most of the state of Michigan laughing for 2 days
and a very embarrassed female news anchor who will,
in the future, likely think before she speaks.
What happens when you predict snow but don't get any!
We had a female news anchor that,
the day after it was supposed to have snowed and didn't,

turned to the weatherman and asked:
'So Bob, where's that 8 inches you promised me last night?'
Not only did HE have to leave the set,
but half the crew did too they were laughing so hard!
Now, didn't that feel good?
Pass it on to someone you know who needs a laugh
and remember
we all say things we don't really mean,


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