The day came for my first Broadway musical journey and it was pouring. I dressed up as nicely as I could and we headed for the bus station. Much to our dismay, it was still raining intensely when we arrived in New York City. Rivers of umbrellas walked down the streets and we tried to merge with them. The two of us only had one umbrella however, so it was a challenge. We were wet and cold. I entered the theater more interesting in getting dried off than seeing the Broadway musical that we had endured this weather in order to see. When we took our seats, I still felt damp and the air conditioning made me feel incredibly cold.

I will never forget the first five minutes of that Broadway musical. I was captivated. I honestly think that my mouth was probably hanging open. Everything was breathtaking. The cast was brilliant and more talented than I could have ever imagined. The choreography was perfect and the costumes were flawless. I forgot about being cold and wet. I knew that this would not be my last Broadway musical, there would be many more. The entire show left me in awe. We walked out of the theater and back into the rain. I barely even noticed it, the Broadway musical had left me with such a warm and happy feeling. On the bus trip home, all I could talk about was going to see another Broadway musical. My dad just laughed. He told me that Broadway was addictive, and I believed him. Everything had impressed me, including the city. While I had once been intimidated by the mere thought of New York City, I found myself in love with it. I never once felt as if I wasn’t safe. The theater district just seemed so sophisticated to me at the time. It still does. I’ve seen more than one Broadway musical now that I’m in my adult years. I must say though, that Phantom, still tops my list as my favorite Broadway musical.

My co-worker approached several of us and wanted to know if we would take the belly dancing classes with her. The classes were two nights a week for five weeks. They were held from 6:30 to 7:30pm. I live quite a distance from the office so I told her that I did not want to be arriving home after 8:30 two nights a week. I thought this sounded like fun, but I declined. Most of the other workers also declined because the time was over the dinner hour and they needed to be home with their children. One very shy introverted worker agreed to take the belly dancing lessons. We were all stunned when she said that she would do this.

After the first lesson they came back to work and reported that they needed to purchase scarves to use in their dancing. The scarves would help them get into the flow of the music. They also had finger cymbals that they were to use to help keep the beat for some of the belly dancing segments. Those of us that declined taking the classes were now glad that we had done so. I could not picture myself twirling scarves and clinking together cymbals. The shy co-worker did not have much to say about the lessons. After three weeks they were talking about going to buy fabric to make outfits for belly dancing. They were going to wear them the last night of class. The instructor was hoping that several of the students would continue with the belly dancing as an on-going source of exercise. She thought having the outfits would motivate them to do this.

Several of us agreed that we would go to the last lesson of belly dancing to watch. We wanted to see our co-workers dressed in their costumes and twirling their scarves. They both had toned their muscles over the course of the lessons, and the shy co-worker has seemed more outgoing. The classes were held in the gym of a local junior high school. Four of us went in the back door and stood in the back of the darkened gym to watch. We could not believe our shy co-worker. She danced with the music with such grace; she was oblivious to our being there. It was amazing how belly dancing lessons had improved her confidence and self esteem.

I’m now one of those people who will drive for miles and miles to find art shows. I don’t always go to purchase artwork since more often than not, I cannot afford anything. However, having culture in my life is something that I credit my father for and I very much continue that to this day. As much as I love theater and opera, that isn’t something that is local and affordable. Art shows are most often free and not only enjoyable, but educational. I love to take my children to art shows and let them see the artists that paint in front of an audience and some of the artists that create pottery while people watch and admire. My children are learning to appreciate art shows because I do insist that they accompany me. I always reward them with something special afterwards, perhaps lunch or dinner at their favorite themed restaurant. They have taken to art shows fairly well and absolutely love when my father joins us. He takes the time to explain how important art shows are to my children, just as he did to me when I was younger. I walk behind them, smiling inwardly.

I have acquired a few exquisite pieces of artwork through my travels to various art shows over the years. There is a beautiful painting hanging in my foyer that I fell in love with the moment that I saw it. My husband thought that it was entirely too much money but I just had to have it. To me, art is not an expense, it is an investment. He doesn’t like when I go to art shows because he fears that I will come home having emptied out our bank accounts. He has come to know, however, that I will not leave art shows with anything in my possession unless it is absolutely beautiful. Lucky for him, spring only comes once a year. And so do the art shows around my house.

If you are an American inventor, however, not all is just smarts, dough, and glory. As an American inventor you have to take careful precautions to safeguard the work that you do, or else it could be stolen by one of any number of other people. This is no joke. In this world of evil multinational corporations which are willing to steal anything from anyone, your only possible safeguard is to patent your invention. And even that might not be enough to keep you safe from these robber barons. Many an American inventor has seen their life’s work ruined, turned to another’s profit, or even worse, because they did not bother to do a patent lookup and to get appropriate legal protection for all of the hard work that they did getting their invention to run. It seems like a shame to me for an American inventor to not go through the work to do this, when you can often get a patent it yourself kit for under 30 dollars.

But then again, American inventors, like all inventors, have always been a quirky bunch. They will spend all of their time thinking up new, sometimes brilliant, and sometimes utterly bizarre devices, but will often not give any thought to how to market them, or turn them to a profit. That is why the American inventor, in spite of his brilliance, is often the first person to get ripped off by ruthless profiteers. They all have faith that, if they are a talented enough or an innovative enough American inventor, everything will work out right for them in the end. The reality of the world, however, is that things do not always work out for the best. Even an American inventor sometimes has to face the music.

My cousin was one of the first people in line when the American idol mall tour stopped by her home town in Saint Louis. My cousin is no fool. She is a typical Midwestern mall rat, who has all the clothes, the attention of all the boys, and of course is always up on the latest celebrity gossip. So when she learned about the American idol tour, she was one of the very first of the kids to get there to get tickets, and try to meet the idols. She even signed up to audition for the American idol tour. Although she did not quite sing well enough to make the cut, the judges told her that she had talent, that she should come back next time, and that she should buy as many tickets to the American idol tour as she could, and take all of her friends. As I said, she is no fool – she did just as they asked her, without a second thought.

Of course, if you are going to see the American idol tour, it is probably best to brush up on your tv trivia before you go there. On the off chance that you can meet a star on the American idol tour, you do not want to make yourself look like a fool by not remembering all of the important details about their career. On the contrary, you should probably know every outfit that every star on the American idol tour has ever worn, at least in each public appearance. Talent is for jazz musicians, if you ask me. For American idol stars, what makes them big is their beauty and sense of fashion. Who needs to sound good when you can look good on the American idol tour on tv? That is the ticket to success.

Of course, buying a ticket to American idols live can be a lot harder to do than you might hope or think. In fact, I have stood in line sometimes for hours just to get an American idol live ticket, and that is no laughing matter. After all, I have a job, as well as classes to attend. Although I could never dream of doing something with my life as great as American idols live, nevertheless, I am still trying to do something with my life. Spending six hours waiting in line for a pair of lousy concert tickets that are way up in nosebleed because of some scalper buying up the good ones, does not sound like a whole lot of fun, if you know what I mean.

Still, the American idols live concert was definitely worth it. I got to see all of my favorite American idols live at one of my favorite, intimate giant arenas. The sound was amazing – the echoes from each and every pop song took a full 8 seconds to dissipate. I am not kidding, I timed it. That is how big a fan I am of the American idols live. I could not go away from the American idols live show without knowing every single detail so that I could share them with my desperately jealous friends.

The nature of how we obtain our music has changed so much. With the coming of Internet downloading, we can compile our own albums by selecting the tracks we want. Traditional album music bought in the record stores may contain tracks we’d rather not have. This is becoming more and more influential, as download sales are being included now in record charts. Some songs are becoming big hits on the strength of their downloads alone, as in UK band, the Arctic Monkeys. Will album music, as we’ve always known it, continue to sell? It’s difficult to say, as fans take more control over what they listen to. Everyone is their own DJ, with their ipods glued to their ears.

Albums give performers the chance to experiment in ways they wouldn’t consider when producing a single. They can try out different kinds of music which fans may not be familiar with. In the 1970s, concept albums were in fashion, with arty gatefold sleeves and poetic lyrics. It was a far cry from the three-minute single. A lot of artists, then and now, rely on album music sales and don’t bother to promote singles much. Singer songwriters are an example of this. Artists such as Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell and Neil Young have made little impact with their single releases. Bands like Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and Deep Purple could fill big stadiums without good singles success. They shifted tons of albums instead.

I always look at the album charts first to see what’s happening. It’s more interesting to me than the singles charts, which feature a lot of one hit wonders and passing trends. Another reason for buying albums is to hear a good band captured live. A sustained stereo blast of live rock for forty minutes is just what the doctor ordered.

There are many different kinds of drums, which lay down the rhythm for the other African musical instruments. Djembe drums have grown out of the tradition of talking drums, used to communicate messages in remote areas and for religious ceremonies. They include Slit Gongs, which are made from one hollowed log. Many African musical instruments can be considered works of art as well as having their practical function. The basketwork which goes into the making of African rattles is very impressive. These are used in ceremonies and dance.

In West Africa, the Double Bell is used as the rhythm accompaniment to drums. They are hand made from iron cowbells and give two musical tones. The Kora, a harp like instrument made from cowhide, is another African musical instrument popular in West Africa. It has twenty-one strings, which are plucked. The Mbira is an unusual instrument with keys, which are played by the thumbs. It’s used in ritual, dance and story telling. African fiddles are used in African music and can be heard in contemporary jazz.

Some instruments bear names, which we are familiar with, outside of Africa, but appear very different from instruments we are used to. The African flute is carved from one piece of wood and is blown across the end of the instrument. The African trumpet is also made from one piece of wood and the player has to be very skillful. There is no valve for changing the pitch; this has to be done by using the lips. African musical instruments contribute greatly to the cultural life there and have also influenced the music of other countries. Africa is the place where music was born, transferring to America through the transportation of slaves. The blues and rock music owe Africa a great debt.

There are many people who are always looking for a great piece of antique wood furniture. They scour shops and flea markets to find something they love. I can see why this might be a lot of fun, but I haven’t really had the inclination to do it myself just yet. The best deals are the ones you can find in flea markets, and if you know anything about antique wood furniture, you can spot a bargain. What might look like a beat up old chair might be worth much more than the seller is asking.

If you find a beat up piece of antique wood furniture, you have two options. You can restore it yourself, or you can pay someone to do it for you. The first option can be a lot of fun, but it is also a lot of work. I had an old table once that I loved, but it was coated with three layers of paint that I needed to remove. I worked long and hard on it, but I never got the paint off. The table is now in my mom’s garage. This wasn’t even a complicated piece, so I can see where more intricate pieces might need professional help.

You can take your old antique wood furniture to an antique dealer. Many of them have people on staff that are trained to restore old pieces. I know there are many in my small area, so I would imagine you can find them almost anywhere. You can take a nicked and worn piece of antique wood furniture in and bring it home looking like it is new. These people can also repair the pieces, and if something is missing, they can build a new part that looks so good you won’t know the difference. They can also restore modern furniture that may have broken or if it just looks worn down.

The characters are probably best known through the television series of the 1960s, which has been repeated ever since its original run. The producers had the clever idea of presenting them as if they were a family in a typical suburban sitcom, with familiar sitcom storylines. The only difference was that the Addams Family was anything but typical. They lived in a Gothic pile with some very strange artifacts. The head of the household was Gomez Addams, a dapper man with a neat moustache and pinstripe suit. Gomez was independently wealthy, which was fortunate as he failed at his chosen profession of law. His wife Morticia was a stunning vamp of a woman, given to wearing long, black, evening gowns.

The couple had a son, named Pugsley and a daughter named Wednesday. Pugsley looked like a miniature Dracula and Wednesday kept pet spiders. Other eccentric Addams Family relatives were Uncle Fester and Grandmamma. Gomez also had a cousin, called Cousin Itt, who would visit from time to time. He was completely covered in hair. The two servants were strange too and added a lot of humor to the show. Lurch was the loyal, lanky butler, who had superhuman strength and gave surprisingly good recitals on the harpsichord. The other servant, known affectionately as Thing, performed menial tasks around the house. Thing was in fact, a disembodied hand.

The TV show was successfully turned into a movie, with two sequels that weren’t as good as the first one. The new actors kept the spirit of the original characters and a younger generation was turned onto the Addams Family. There was a nice message attached to the lighthearted, ghoulish stories. The characters reinforced the idea that it’s ok to be different and you shouldn’t judge by appearances. In their strange, weird way, they had family values. They also lived in a really cool house.