Trav's Thoughts

You get a bonus for Set 14! It's 10 on Friday instead of just five, mainly because I love me some Bad Company and I couldn't narrow it down to just five.

HA!

It's my feature and I'll break the rules if I want to!

Besides, they are really only guidelines anyway. But I do promise that the next time I think I might work outside the guidelines, I'll let y'all know and you can join me in rebellion.

Sound OK?

If you'd like to join us in the musical fun, the guidelines are basic and simple.

1. Grab the banner, make your post title Five on Friday, and be sure to link back here.
2. Go to Playlist.com to make your play list of five songs. You may choose a particular theme to share with us, or post random tunes if that's your vibe for the day. You can simply post the play list, or you can add a little summary about what you are sharing.
2a. Don't feel restricted by the tracks listed on Playlist.com. You're welcome to use any type of media to share your Sets.
3. Be sure to sign Mr Linky so everyone can visit your Set.
4. No tags, but feel free to invite your friends to play along if they need a post topic on a Friday.

Go forth and enjoy music!

I've just finished reading a book called Helmet For My Pillow, From Parris Island to the Pacific, a memoir written by WWII Marine Robert H. Leckie. This is the second book on which the HBO series The Pacific is based.

Mr Leckie was a sports journalist prior to enlisting in the Marines after the attack on Pearl Harbor. He later wrote military history, poetry, and short stories. He fought in every major engagement of the First Marine Division in the pacific theater, except for Okinawa. He was wounded in action and awarded a Purple Heart medal.

There are two passages from this book that I want to share. The first is from chapter two, as Pfc Leckie and his squad mates have completed training with the First Marine Division and await the day when they ship out to the pacific.

We were impatient. We were wound up. We could no more relax than we could think. In those days there was not an introspective person among us. We seldom spoke of the war, except as it might relate to ourselves, and never in an abstract way. The ethics of Hitler, the extermination of the Jews, the Yellow Peril - these were matters for the gentlemen of the editorial pages to discuss.

We lived for the thrills - not the thrills of the battlefield, but of the speeding auto, the dimly lighted cafe, the drink racing the blood, the texture of a cheek, the sheen of a silken calf.

Nothing was permitted to last. All had to be fluid; we wanted not actuality, but possibility. We could not be still; always movement, everything changing. We were like shadows fleeing, ever fleeing; the disembodied phantoms of the motion picture screen; condemned men; souls in hell.

The second passage is from chapter seven near the end of the book. Pfc Leckie has made it through battles on Guadalcanal and Cape Gloucester, and survived the initial landing on the beach at Peleliu with the First Marine Division. After a ferocious battle against Japanese tanks, Pfc Leckie observes,

The Jap tanks had been destroyed.

I got up and made for the airfield. About twenty yards away was a burning tank. Some of the enemy dead were inside. The snipers hung in their nets like dolls stuffed in a Christmas stocking. I turned to go, and as I did, nearly stepped on someone's hand. "Excuse me," I began to say, but then I saw that it was an unattached hand, or rather a detached one. It lay there alone - open, palm upwards, clean, capable, solitary. I could not tear my eyes from it. The hand is the artisan of the soul. It is the second member of the human trinity of head and hand and heart. A man has no faculty more human than his hand, none more beautiful nor expressive nor productive. To see this hand lying alone, as though contemptuously cast aside, no longer a part of a man, no longer his help, was to see war in all its wantonness; it was to see the especially brutal savagery of our own technique of rending, and it was to see men at their eternal worst, turning upon one another, tearing one another, clawing at their own innards with the maniacal fury of the pride-possessed.

The hand saddened me and I offered it a respectful inclination of the head while recovering my balance and making a careful circle around it.

Shortly after this action, Pfc Leckie was wounded by blast concussion and evacuated.

Helmet For My Pillow was initially published in 1957. This is a book not so much about the war in the Pacific, although it does touch on those events and how they impacted young Pfc Leckie. But it is more about ordinary guys who became Marines and went to the Pacific because that was what ordinary guys of their generation did.

They fought. They sacrificed.

To all, I offer my deepest and eternal gratitude.

It's encores and results!



First, we tell you what we liked.

We definitely liked the Swing marathon. But I couldn't find a clip of it.

The judges, Len in particular, didn't think Evan and Anna danced a bouncy party Samba. The music had a slower tempo, but we still liked it.



Louis denied Niecy her cookie during their Argentine Tango. We enjoyed the humor, and we admired the precision in her footwork.



Len didn't like the Samba from Nicole and Derek either, but we thought it was the dance of the night.



Here's the leader board after Monday's performances:

36 Nicole and Damian
34 Erin and Maks
31 Chad and Cheryl
30 Pamela and Damian
27 Evan and Anna
26 Niecy and Louis
25 Jake and Chelsie

Results even before judges encore...Erin and Maks are safe.

So now the judges decide they want to see the Argentine Tango from Chad and Cheryl.

Melissa Etheridge is in the ballroom! She's got a new CD out and performs the title track, Fearless Love. Chelsie, Tony, Anna, and Maks take the floor as well. That was a fierce song accompanied by some fierce dancing!

More results...Chad and Cheryl are safe.

Spanish flamenco guitarist Benise is in the ballroom with his dancers. I'm usually impressed and entertained by the guests, but not this time. I think part of my disappointment was that there was so much going on and the director kept changing cameras. I couldn't see all of it and I started to get dizzy. A straight on shot would have been much better.

Now that was a fascinating video clip from the Sports Science guys at ESPN. They took measurements of Edyta and Dmitry performing dance moves in Jive, and concluded that dancers are world class athletes. Well no kidding! Didn't we know that already gang?

Melissa Etheridge returns to perform Come To My Window. Will someone please explain to me why I don't have any of this woman's music in my catalog? I must fix that. This time it's Edyta and Alec on the floor.

Results again...Nicole and Derek are safe. Pamela and Damian are safe. Evan and Anna are safe. Niecy and Louis are safe.

That means Jake and Chelsie are out.



There we go...we're past the half way point. That Fabulous Mirror Ball trophy will be awarded in just 5 weeks!

And check it out! So You Think You Can Dance returns for Season 7 on 27 May with a 2-hour premier!



I don't normally like scary shows, but I think we'll give this Happy Town program a look tomorrow. One of my favorite actors, Sam Neill, is in the cast. So I think we'll record it.

It's live from Hollywood!



We've got 7 pairs left...time to get serious! Our remaining celebrities all have strong fan bases and are either strong dancers, or have a charm that carries them through.

Our couples will dance either Argentine Tango or Samba. Plus there is a bonus...we get a Swing dance marathon!

It's time for Pam and I to pick a favorite!

Jake and Chelsie dance Samba. Unfortunately he was a little too stiff and deliberate with his movements. And then he had a stumble against the steps to the judges' table. Samba needs to be free flowing and fluid. Jake seemed a bit too preoccupied with trying to be precise, and so he lost the rhythm and musicality. There is a fun flavor to Samba that was missing. I like his confidence on the floor, but the hip action was lacking and I didn't feel the bounce and party that I look for in Samba. Judges say 7's across for a total of 21. In order to get into the 9's, I think he needs to dial down his energy and refocus it into feeling the spirit of each dance. He still has one or two stumbles every week, and that's going to hold him back from the big scores.

Evan and Anna dance Samba. You know, it's really not a good idea to flip an Olympic champion onto his head. Yikes! Luckily it was just a mild concussion. His lines are fantastic as usual. He seems to be doing much better with his feet. The problem this week is that his hip action wasn't exaggerated quite enough. They were constrained a bit by their music, which had a slower tempo. So the dance didn't have as much bounce and energy as I would have liked. It was precise and elegant, but that doesn't necessarily make for a good Samba. Samba needs to be down into the floor and it has to look less controlled. Sometimes a dancer and a dance just don't go together. I have to agree with the judges on this one. I enjoyed watching the two of them dance together, but it just didn't capture the flavor of Samba. Judges say 7's across for a total of 21. One of the things I like about Evan is that he understands how to take criticism and turn it into points on which to work and improve.

Niecy and Louis dance Argentine Tango. She really focused on technique this week and it showed. HA! They made a dramatic Tango around her comedy. But you know what? She danced extremely well. Her footwork was precise. Her lines were outstanding. They told an excellent story...and Tango is all about story. Instead of being about the drama between a man and a woman, they put the drama into Louis denying Niecy a cookie. Yes, I said a cookie! Bwahahahahahahaaaa! The comedy may have taken the erotic edge out of the dance, but I thought of it like the sweet Rumba they danced a couple of weeks ago. The mood in this choreography worked because that's who Niecy is. That she danced so well makes it even better. She controlled her energy and focused on precision. Well done! Judges say 7's across for a total of 21. I would have thrown at least one 8. But Niecy did get her cookie, so I guess all is well!

Erin and Maks dance Samba. I've lost my enthusiasm for her and that's disappointing because she can really dance. But the rehearsal footage they edit for her bugs me. Pam said that Maks' near strip tease through the routine would get them a few more votes. HA! Mr Cranky Pants took them to task for that. I do give Erin credit for her dancing. The problem I have with her comes from the rehearsal footage. I think next week I'm just going to mute that footage and turn the sound back up when she starts dancing. She can compete with Evan and Nicole as one of the better dancers this season. She just needs to shut it and stop giving Maks such a hard time when he's teaching her the choreography. Judges say 9,7,9 for a total of 25. I was thinking 8's across, but I suppose Carrie Ann and Bruno are shouting out Len.

Chad and Cheryl dance Argentine Tango. This was interesting, because it didn't look like Cheryl gave him much to do. To me it looked like he stepped around the floor and stood while she slithered over him. The judges raved about it, but I didn't care for it. I don't really know what else to say about it. So I'll repeat what the judges said...they thought it was powerful and dramatic, with a touch of sensuality. Well, that's what a good Tango should be. But when I watched it, I thought it was under-choreographed. I don't think he danced enough. Judges say 8's across for a total of 24. OK. I think you can tell that I don't agree with the score. But that's just my opinion. I have tried to get past my general dislike of Chad, but I'm just not a fan and I'm not enjoying him on the show.

Nicole and Derek dance Samba. Oy...more drama in rehearsal. Too much! But wait a minute...whoa! She put her frustration into the beginning of that dance. Derek put a bunch of difficult content into it and she was up to the challenge. Outstanding! It had heat, sensuality, a bit of raunch, and mega high energy. That was one hot Samba. It also had aggression...they tore up the dance floor. Mr Cranky Pants hated it. Now I'll admit that I reacted to the performance, which was terrific. Len said the choreography was missing two key elements by which he judges a proper Samba. He said this didn't measure up without those elements. Judges say 9,7,10 for a total of 26. I don't know about the 10. But I sure did enjoy the performance.

Pamela and Damian dance Argentine Tango. So the character this week appears to be Sophia Loren. I really wish she would just go back to being Pamela dancing with Damian. This was certainly a sensual Tango. But her footwork in places was poor. And it seemed like she kept pulling her hips away from Damian. Tango is supposed to be about that connection in hold, and I thought it was a little sloppy. It was a decent dance, but I didn't really enjoy it as much as I wanted to. I thought the hold could have been better. Her legs were wobbly and it seemed like her upper and lower body weren't always connected in the movement. Judges say 7,7,8 for a total of 22. I don't necessarily disagree with that score. I think I would have thrown 7.

Here's our leader board prior to the Swing marathon:

26 Nicole and Damian
25 Erin and Maks
24 Chad and Cheryl
22 Pamela and Damian
21 Evan and Anna
21 Niecy and Louis
21 Jake and Chelsie

Now these group dances are tough for me to judge because so much is going on. I'm not even going to try. I'm just going to watch and then report how the judges ranked everyone.

OK?

Here's how it goes. Everyone dances at the same time. Lifts are allowed. Couples will be eliminated one at a time until one pair is left. The points go 10 to the winner, 9 to second place, and so on down to 7th place. And they keep dancing until the last pair is standing.

Ready....go!

Jake and Chelsie are out for 4 points. Niecy and Louis are out for 5 points. Evan and Anna are out for 6 points. Chad and Cheryl are out for 7 points. Pamela and Damian are out for 8 points. Erin and Maks are out for 9 points. So Nicole and Derek are the winners for 10 points.

Stamina was the key in this marathon. Nicole and Derek kept their energy up for the entire 3 minutes with so many tricks. Wow! That was so cool!

Here's our final leader board after Monday's performances:

36 Nicole and Damian
34 Erin and Maks
31 Chad and Cheryl
30 Pamela and Damian
27 Evan and Anna
26 Niecy and Louis
25 Jake and Chelsie

The order didn't change after the Swing dance.

I can report that Pam and I have settled on our favorites. I voted for Evan and Pam voted for Nicole. I'm still a fan of Niecy and Pam still enjoys Jake, but we've decided to go with who we think are the better dancers.

Melissa Etheridge is in the ballroom for results! Check it out!

Take This Tune is a feature hosted by my pal Jamie at Duward Discussion. Jamie puts up a video prompt complete with lyrics to the song, and the task is to find another song or to write something inspired by the title of the song or something in the lyrics.

I really enjoy participating in Jamie's feature because of where the prompts take my thoughts and emotions. I get to take credit for this week's prompt. I suggested a beautiful song from an oddity...an Andrew Loyd Weber musical that was not outrageously successful. The song is Whistle Down the Wind, from the musical of the same name.

I'm including the lyrics, but I encourage you to listen to the song as well.

Whistle Down The Wind
Andrew Lloyd Webber

Whistle down the wind
Let your voices carry
Drown out all the rain
Light a patch of darkness
Treacherous and scary

Howl at the stars
Whisper when you're sleeping
I'll be there to hold you
I'll be there to stop
The chills and all the weeping

Make it clear and strong
So the whole night long
Every signal that you send
Until the very end
I will not abandon you my precious friend

So try to stem the tide
Then you'll raise a banner
Send a flare up in the sky
Try to burn a torch
And try to build a bonfire

Every signal that you send
Until the very end
I'm there

So whistle down the wind
For I have always been
Right there

Howl at the stars
Whisper when your sleeping
I'll be there to hold you
I'll be there to stop
The chills and all the weeping

Make it clear and strong
So the whole night long
Every signal that you send
Until the very end
I will not abandon you my precious friend

So whistle down the wind
Let your voices carry
Drown out all the rain
Light a patch of darkness
Treacherous and scary

Every signal that you send
Until the very end
I'm there

So whistle down the wind
For I have always been
Right there.



I continue to be visited by a flood of old memories. I'm grateful for it, because it helps me gain more perspective about where I reside in this moment of my life.

This sonnet was composed using a Shakespearean rhyming scheme.

This has been an original poem by Travis Cody, copyright 2010.

For Set 13, I thought you might enjoy five of my favorite songs from musical theatre.

If you'd like to join us in the musical fun, the guidelines are basic and simple.

1. Grab the banner, make your post title Five on Friday, and be sure to link back here.
2. Go to Playlist.com to make your play list of five songs. You may choose a particular theme to share with us, or post random tunes if that's your vibe for the day. You can simply post the play list, or you can add a little summary about what you are sharing.
2a. Don't feel restricted by the tracks listed on Playlist.com. You're welcome to use any type of media to share your Sets.
3. Be sure to sign Mr Linky so everyone can visit your Set.
4. No tags, but feel free to invite your friends to play along if they need a post topic on a Friday.

Go forth and enjoy music!

Quoting directly from Mimi Lenox, founder of Blog Blast for Peace...

Welcome to the 7th launch of BlogBlast For Peace aka Dona Nobis Pacem in the blogosphere. It's inception began in 2006 with one single post and a cry for peace in our world.

A small group of bloggers answered that challenge and it began to spread across the internet in ways that humble me still. It reaches across political lines and religious creeds, abides in corners of unrest and places of hope, gives voice to individual beliefs and promotes tolerance for diversity. It celebrates the genius in each one of us, found in sparkling conversations of passionate pleas for change in the earth. It is that hope for change that motivates us.

It was the Internet's first ever online movement of its kind to invite bloggers to post the same message on the same day. From blog to blog it has moved and continues to grow. We have been amazed to see the power and passion shown each year displayed on pages across the world. We visit each other with our prayers and scribbles, prose and poetry, art and angst, heart and hilarity - and we are moved by it. From one post to thousands of others in fifty countries and almost every state in the United States, something rare and wonderful happens on BlogBlast For Peace day.

I am privileged to witness it.

I invite you to experience it.

It's time.

Join us!

Bloggers from all across the globe will blog for peace. We will speak with one voice. One subject. One day.

Mimi has some new templates this year and I really like them. She's gone vertical...







Or you can choose one of the standard templates like this one...



You can find more details about the movement and how to participate by clicking any of the links at the top of my sidebar, or by going to Mimi Writes. She's got all the links and info you need to get set up. And she'll have updates and reminders, and plenty of special posts over the next six months leading up to the big day.

And remember that I and several of my Worker Bee hive mates stand ready to assist with the crafting of Peace Globes. Just shoot me an email or leave a comment and we shall buzz adroitly to your assistance!



So come on! Join us on 4 November 2010. You know you want to.

I believe that words have power, so this matters!

It's results live from Hollywood!



But first, we have some encores from Monday's performances.

We liked the Jive from Niecy and Louis.



We liked the Cha Cha Cha from Jake and Chelsie.



We loved the Rumba from Evan and Anna.



The Tango from Nicole and Derek just edged out Evan and Anna for dance of the night.



Here's a reminder of our leader board after Monday:

29 Nicole and Derek
27 Evan and Anna
23 Jake and Chelsie
22 Erin and Maks
21 Pamela and Damian
18 Niecy and Louis
18 Chad and Cheryl
15 Kate and Tony

Straight to results...Nicole and Derek are safe.

The judges select the Cha Cha Cha from Jake and Chelsie as the encore...and Pam is happy to see Jake in his underwear again! I like that the judges spread the love around instead of only focusing on Nicole and Evan as the best dancers of the bunch.

Musical guest tonight is Grammy winner Maxwell, accompanied by a couple of pros I didn't recognize. Tom introduced them, but of course all we caught were the first names...Teddi and Todd. They were really good, and I enjoyed the music as well.

More results...Niecy and Louis are safe.

It's Macy's Stars of Dance...and Debbie Allen! It's a tribute to four movies, and Ms Allen reprises her role from Fame to take the dancers through their paces. WOW! That was fantastic! The only problem with it was that it didn't last nearly long enough.

Debbie Nova is in the ballroom now in her American TV debut. She's a Latin singer/songwriter, and she gets on the floor with Derek, Dmitry, Damian, and Tony. Pam says "Lucky girl!" I kind of liked that music too.

Hey! Next week in addition to the individual dances, we get a first ever Swing dance marathon, and the celebrities get to design the costumes. Cool! I should give you a video demonstrating Swing dance...it's Benji Scwimmer and Heidi Groskreutz from 2005!



If you've been reading my dancing reviews here for any length of time, you know that we are big time Benji fans in this household. That was actually West Coast Swing in the clip. But we could see all kinds of interpretations of swing dancing next Monday, from Lindy Hop to Carolina Shag to Lindy Charleston to Boogie Woogie to...well, let's just say that we're gonna see some Jitterbuggin' in the ballroom!

More results...Evan and Anna are safe. Erin and Maks are safe. Jake and Chelsie are safe. Chad and Cheryl are safe.

Kate and Tony are in the bottom two, joined by Pamela and Damian.

Pamela and Damian are safe, which means Kate and Tony are out.



Hey! Remember to mark the date, 4 November 2010 for this year's Blog Blast for Peace. You can find details about the movement and how to participate by clicking any of the links at the top of my sidebar.



I believe that words have power, so this matters!

It's live from Hollywood!



And we return after taking last week off for vacation!

Tonight our remaining 8 pairs dance to songs from the movies. I don't know about y'all, but I kind of like theme nights.

Niecy and Louis dance Jive to music from La Bamba. Now Niecy can get her jiggly bits moving! However, she could have some trouble with stamina because Jive is all about high energy. Now La Bamba is a little slower on the tempo than the producers could have given her, which allows her to hold her energy and keep up with Louis. She's a bit loose in her technique and her footwork wasn't very clean. There were issues with precision and a bit of rubber arms. I'd like to see cleaner flick kicks and tighter legs. But I gotta say...that was a fun Jive! It had plenty of personality. She definitely nailed the performance part. And she gets points from me for outstanding bazoombas! Judges say 6's across for a total of 18. I have to agree with that score. She lacked precision and sharpness in her lower body, despite the excellent shake, rattle, and roll going on with her top half. And props to Louis for taking responsibility for a little stumble in the steps on his part.

Chad and Cheryl dance Quickstep to music from Disney's Jungle Book. Uhm. Of all the movie music we could select for a Quickstep, we get Bear Necessities? Don't get me wrong...it's got the right beat and tempo for a Quickstep. But for Pete's sake y'all! I'm already getting tired of Chad's act, and I can't possibly take this seriously. It's just too silly. It's tough to be sophisticated and elegant dancing to this music, and that's not their fault. This is a mistake by the producers. I've seen Cheryl overcome this kind of music before, but not this time. In terms of the dancing, they did carry some energy and his posture was better. I will admit, my problem with this dance was the music and the celebrity. Judges say 6's across for a total of 18. I have to agree with that score as well. The music didn't sound right and the dance didn't look right to me.

Erin and Maks dance Jive to music from Pulp Fiction. Here's another thing I'm getting a bit tired of...the way the rehearsal footage is being edited to emphasize the drama. Enough already. I like Erin's dancing, but her whining about the heels she had to dance in was a complete turn off. Now the one thing I can't complain about is the music because Chuck Berry's You Never Can Tell is a perfect Jive tune, although it started scary slow and I was worried for a moment. Erin was a bit unsteady on her feet during the first half of that dance, and I would suggest to her that if she hadn't been such a whiny baby about the shoes during rehearsals maybe that wouldn't have been in her head. Still, she did seem to find her center as the dance progressed. I liked the energy and the story with the costuming directly from the film. Although with her dancing in pants, many of the issues with her legs and footwork were evident. But the choreography was outstanding and difficult, and overall the dance was strong. I'm still wanting more extension and better lines from her, because I think she's capable of it. And I'd like for her to back off in rehearsal and just learn the dance without all the extra garbage. Judges say 7,7,8 for a total of 22. I think that score may be reflective of some of her issues with her legs. She's not completely graceful and that costume emphasized it.

Brief interlude: Yes, you're reading correctly. I'm getting just a little cranky with the rehearsal footage. I've always enjoyed this program because it was fluff and silliness, and refused to take itself seriously as anything other than light entertainment. All this crap in rehearsals is sucking that vibe right into reality hell, at least in my opinion. We have decided that we will not be voting for anyone who's rehearsal footage has this BS in it.

Jake and Chelsie dance Cha Cha Cha to music from Risky Business. HA! He starts the dance in his underwear to mimic the Old Time Rock & Roll scene from the film. Pam would like to tell you that she is impressed by his hip action and she would have preferred that he dance the entire Cha Cha Cha in his underwear. I would like to tell you that I thought that was an excellent Cha Cha Cha! He managed to put on his pants after that beginning without too much issue...and when would you ever read that kind of sentence in a DWTS review? His musicality was on point. His footwork was very good. He had high energy and his performance was terrific. He had a little mistake, but I'm not going to hold that against him. He needs to work on keeping control of all the energy so he stops making those little stumbles though. That will catch up to him at some point. But there really wasn't that much to complain about with this dance. It was cheeky...yes I said cheeky about a guy who started a Cha Cha Cha by dancing in his underwear...and lots of fun. Judges say 8,7,8 for a total of 23. Well deserved!

Pamela and Damian dance Quickstep to music from 9 to 5. A couple of weeks ago, Pamela took on the character of Marilyn Monroe, and this week she becomes Dolly Parton dancing Quickstep to Dolly's song 9 to 5. I like the song and the idea of the dance, but I can't understand this dance to this music as a Quickstep. There was a clever and difficult trick at the end as they danced up a couple of chairs and a table. But I saw issues with her posture in hold as her arms and shoulders kept dipping. And it looked to me that Damian was pulling her through several of the turns. I think it's a good move for them to capitalize on her ability to characterize, but I found myself wanting just more Quickstep and less frippery. I agreed with Mr Cranky Pants this week that there was too much emphasis on props and staging and not enough on the dancing. I wanted to like it, but I just didn't. Judges say 7,6,8 for a total of 21. I guess that dance is a like or don't kind of thing, but I don't think the producers did this pair any favors with that music selection.

Kate and Tony dance Foxtrot to music from Breakfast Club. She did have a breakthrough last week about half way through her dance. Forget About Me is another odd musical selection, especially when the dance is a Foxtrot. She was back to walking through the steps this week and nothing was connected. She got her feet in the right places, she made the steps, she was fine in hold, but there was absolutely no connection between her and Tony or her and the music. And her body language and attitude while she was listening to the judges was very off putting. Last week I felt pleased for her that she finally seemed to be enjoying herself. But this week it was back to the Kate that I just don't like. I couldn't even work up a decent feeling of embarrassment for her. Judges say 5's across for a total of 15. And I'm sorry, but she needs to stop using the "I'm a mother of 8 and that's where I put my energy" excuse. If her kids wear her out so much that she feels like she can disrespect the competition by yawning her way through the routine, then it's probably time for her to go home.

Nicole and Derek dance Tango to music from Pretty Woman. Any residual nerves are completely under control this week. She came out and attacked that Tango. She was confident, dramatic, precise, sassy, and elegant all at once. I didn't realize the song Pretty Woman had a Tango tempo, but it sure does. Derek's choreography was fantastic. Everything about this dance was spot on. Nicole demonstrated how far confidence will take a celebrity on the ballroom. It helps that she's about as close to a ringer as this show gets. But last week we saw that a lack of confidence can trip her up. This week, her technique and lines were just fantastic. Every step was clean. Judges say 10,9,10 for a total of 29. Those 10s are well deserved this week. I think her bug-a-boos are going to be her own confidence with each dance, and whether viewers are going to vote for "the ringer". Past seasons indicate that they might not. But in my opinion, she's deserving of a shot at that Fabulous Mirror Ball.

Evan and Anna dance Rumba to music from Armageddon. OK...the song I Don't Want to Miss a Thing is cheesy and over-dramatic. But it's a perfectly acceptable love song in this context. Evan could be difficult time for the rest of the show, because he is also performing with Stars on Ice. So he's going to have to be able to switch back and forth between his skating technique and his dancing. One thing he doesn't have to worry about is making exquisite lines when he dances. He uses every inch of his height and Rumba shows that off. I think the only thing that was missing from the dance was a romantic connection between the two of them. It was more like the sweet and sophisticated Rumba that Louis choreographed for Kelly Osborne last year. Evan is still working to connect the movements and stay fluid, but his artistry and musicality are both outstanding. This was really a beautiful dance, as good as the Tango from Nicole and Derek. Judges say 9's across for a total of 27.

Here's our leader board:

29 Nicole and Derek
27 Evan and Anna
23 Jake and Chelsie
22 Erin and Maks
21 Pamela and Damian
18 Niecy and Louis
18 Chad and Cheryl
15 Kate and Tony

Our main favorites are Evan and Nicole. We think they are distancing themselves from the rest of the field just in terms of the dancing. Of course, there's no telling how the viewers are going to vote.

We split votes again this week, and that's going to have to stop soon. I voted for Evan and Niecy while Pam voted for Nicole and Jake.

Results tonight!

And please remember to mark the date, 4 November 2010. You can find details about the movement and how to participate by clicking any of the links at the top of my sidebar.



I believe that words have power, so this matters!

Take This Tune is a feature hosted by my pal Jamie at Duward Discussion. Jamie puts up a video prompt complete with lyrics to the song, and the task is to find another song or to write something inspired by the title of the song or something in the lyrics.

I really enjoy participating in Jamie's feature because of where the prompts take my thoughts and emotions. This week's prompt is called places in the rear view mirror. There are three songs offered with lyrics that talk about home towns or small towns, or places left behind on the road to somewhere else.

I think what I'd like to convey today is the sense that although we may leave a place or a time behind because the events that happened there are too painful to live with every day, the place or time is still part of us. Some people can move forward with the memories tucked securely away. Others hold the memories close in heart and mind, never wanting to lose the nearness.

It's been 15 years since the domestic terrorist bombing of the Alfred P Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on 19 April 1995. Whether you were a distant observer on that day or a much closer witness to it, please spare a moment to remember the 149 adults and 19 children killed in the attack.



Please also give thought and thanks to the emergency first responders and the rescue workers who did their best to find and help survivors.

Think as well of the investigators who processed the evidence in order to bring the perpetrators to justice.



May the families and friends of those taken away find peace, today and in all the days to come.

Mimi of Mimi Writes has announced the date for the next Blog Blast for Peace. If you're a veteran of the movement, make sure you mark the date, 4 November 2010, and stay tuned for more details. Also feel free to grab this graphic to fly on your sidebar.

If you don't know what I'm talking about, then scroll to the top of my sidebar and click on some of those links. Then visit Mimi. Trust me, you don't want to be left out.

And remember that I and several of my Worker Bee hive mates stand ready to assist with the crafting of Peace Globes. Just shoot me an email or leave a comment and we shall buzz adroitly to your assistance!



I believe that words have power, so this matters!

Sometimes a post hits it right the first time, and so I am returning to the commemorative essay I wrote last year to honor the 79 men who flew to Tokyo with Lt. Colonel Jimmy Doolittle to prove that the Japanese homeland was vulnerable, and to give the US a morale boost after a series of devastating defeats in the Pacific.



On 18 April 1942, 68 years ago, Lt. Colonel Jimmy Doolittle led 16 B-25 Mitchell medium bombers off the carrier deck of USS Hornet in a raid against Toyko. Although damage was modest, the impact on American morale was immense. Click here to read a complete account.

Lt. Colonel Doolittle and his 79 volunteers proved that the Japanese homeland was not invulnerable to attack. They also forced the Japanese to recall a number of fighter squadrons to protect the island from further incursion.

The sleeping giant Yamamoto feard was awake, pissed off, and fiercely determined to take the fight to the Japanese.

Today I pay tribute to the 80 men who accepted the challenge to fly those bombers, knowing that they would barely have enough fuel to make it to China to land after the raid. Because the task force was spotted by a Japanese picket boat, the flight launched 10 hours early and 170 miles farther away from Japan than originally planned.



Plane 40-2344, 34th Squadron, 17th Group
Bailed out over N Chuchow, China

Lt Col James H Doolittle, pilot (14 Dec 1896 - 27 Sept 1993)
Lt Richard E Cole, co-pilot (Born 7 Sept 1915)
Lt Henry A Potter, navigator (Died27 May 2002)
S/Sgt Fred A Braemer, bombardier (Died 2 Feb 1989)
S/Sgt Paul J Leonard, engineer-gunner (KIA Africa 5 Jan 1943)

Plane 40-2292, 37th Squadron, 17th Group
Crash landed Ningpo, China

Lt Travis Hoover, pilot (21 Sept 1917 - 17 Jan 2004)
Lt William N Fitzhugh, co-pilot (Died 31 Aug 1981)
Lt Carl R Wildner, navigator (Died 7 Mar 1994)
Lt Richard E Miller, bombardier (KIA Africa 22 Jan 1943)
Sgt Douglas V Radney, engineer-gunner (Died 28 Jan 1994)

Plane 40-2270, 95th Squadron, 17th Group
Bailed out over SE Chuchow, China

Lt Robert M Gray, pilot (KIA enroute India to China 18 Oct 1942)
Lt Jacob E Manch, co-pilot (Killed bailing out of T-33 Nevada 24 Mar 1958)
Lt Charles J Ozuk, navigator
Sgt Aden E Jones, bombardier (Died 9 Mar 1983)
Cpl Leland D Faktor, engineer-gunner (KIA bailing out China 18 Apr 1942)

Plane 40-2282, 95th Squadron, 17th Group
Bailed out over SE Shangjao, China

Lt Everett W Holstom, pilot (Died 2 Dec 2000)
Lt Lucian N Younglbood, co-pilot (Killed 28 Feb 1949)
Lt Harry C McCool, navigator (Died 1 Feb 2003)
Sgt Robert J Stephens, bombardier (Died 13 Apr 1959)
Cpl Bert M Jordan, gunner (Died 3 Apr 2001)

Plane 40-2283, 95th Squadron, 17th Group
Bailed out over SW Chuchow, China

Capt David M Jones, pilot (deceased)
Lt Rodney R Wilder, co-pilot (Died 7 June 1964)
Lt Eugene F McGurl, navigator (KIA Burma 3 June 1942)
Lt Denver V Truelove, bombardier (KIA Sicily 5 Apr 1943)
Sgt Joseph W Manske, engineer-gunner (Died 4 Apr 1998)

Plane 40-2298, 95th Squadron, 17th Group
Ditched off Wenchu, China

Lt Dean E Hallmark, pilot (Executed by Japanese 15 Oct 1942)
Lt Robert J Meder, co-pilot (Died in Japanese POW camp 1 Dec 1943)
Lt Col Chase Jay Nielsen, navigator (Died 23 Mar 2007)
Sgt William J Dieter, bombardier (Drowned 18 Apr 1942)
Sgt Donald E Fitzmaurice, engineer-gunner (Drowned 18 Apr 1942)

Plane 40-2261, 95th Squadron, 17th Group
Ditched off Shangchow, China

Lt Ted W Lawson, pilot (Died 19 Jan 1992)
Lt Dean Davenport, co-pilot (Died 14 Feb 2000)
Lt Charles L McClure, navigator (Died 1 Jan 1999(
Lt Robert S Clever, bombardier (Killed in US 20 Nov 1942)
Sgt David J Thatcher, engineer-gunner

Plane 40-2242, 95th Squadron, 17th Group
Landed in Primorsky Krai, Siberia

Capt Edward J York, pilot (Died 31 Aug 1984)
Lt Robert G Emmens, co-pilot (Died 2 Apr 1992)
Lt Nolan A Herndon, navigator-bombardier (Died 7 Oct 2007)
S/Sgt Theodore H Laban, engineer (Died 16 Sept 1978)
Sgt David W Pohl, gunner (Died 18 Feb 1999)

Plane 40-2303, 34th Squadron, 17th Group
Bailed out over S Nanchang, China

Lt Harold F Watson, pilot (Died 14 Sept 1991)
Lt James N Parker Jr, co-pilot (Died 19 June 1991)
Lt Thomas C Griffin, navigator
Sgt Wayne M Bissell, bombardier (Died 9 Jan 1997)
T/Sgt Eldred V Scott, engineer-gunner (Died 31 July 1978)

Plane 40-2250, 89th Recon Squadron
Bailed out over NE Chuchow, China

Lt Richard O Joyce, pilot (Died 13 Feb 1983)
Lt J Royden Stork, co-pilot (Died 2 May 2002)
Lt Horace E Crouch, navigator-bombardier (Died 21 Dec 2005)
Sgt George F Larkin Jr, flight engineer (KIA India to China 18 Oct 1942)
S/Sgt Edwin W Horton Jr, gunner (deceased)

Plane 40-2249, 89th Recon Squadron
Bailed out over NE Chuchow, China

Capt C Ross Greening, pilot (Died 29 Mar 1957)
Lt Kenneth E Reddy, co-pilot (Killed in US 3 Sept 1942)
Lt Frank A Kappeler, navigator
S/Sgt William L Birch, bombardier (Died 18 Nov 2006)
Sgt Melvin J Gardner, engineer-gunner (KIA Burma 3 June 1942)

Plane 40-2278, 37th Squadron, 17th Group
Bailed out over NE Chuchow, China

Lt William M Bower, pilot
Lt Thadd H Blanton, co-pilot (Died 27 Sept 1961)
Lt William R Pound Jr, navigator (Died 13 July 1967)
T/Sgt Waldo J Bither, bombardier (Died 25 Feb 1988)
S/Sgt Omer A Duquette, engineer-gunner (KIA Burma 3 June 1942)

Plane 40-2247, 37th Squadron, 17th Group
Bailed out over N Nanchang, China

Lt Edgar E McElroy, pilot (Died 4 Apr 2003)
Lt Richard A Knobloch, co-pilot (Died 13 Aug 2001)
Lt Clayton J Campbell, navigator (Died 17 Nov 2002)
Sgt Robert C Bourgeois, bombardier (Died 13 Nov 2001)
Sgt Adam R Williams, engineer-gunner (Died 30 Nov 1993)

Plane 40-2297, 89th Recon Squadron
Bailed out over SE Shangjao, China

Maj John A Hilger, pilot (Died 3 Feb 1982)
Lt Jack A Sims, co-pilot (Died 9 June 2007)
Lt James H Macia Jr, navigator-bombardier (Died 21 Dec 2009)
S/Sgt Jacob Eierman, engineer (Died 16 Jan 1994)
S/Sgt Edwin V Bain, gunner (KIA Rome 19 July 1943)

Plane 40-2267, 89th Recon Squadron
Ditched off Shangchow, China

Lt Donald G Smith, pilot (KIA Britain 12 Nov 1942)
Lt Griffith P Williams, co-pilot (Died 14 July 1998)
Lt Howard A Sessler, navigator-bombardier (Died 9 Feb 2001)
Sgt Edward J Saylor, engineer
Lt (Dr) Thomas R White, gunner (Died 29 Nov 1992)

Plane 40-2268, 34th Squadron, 17th Group
Bailed out over Ningpo, China

Lt William G Farrow, pilot (Executed by Japanese 15 Oct 1942)
Lt Robert L Hite, co-pilot
Lt George Barr, navigator (Died 12 July 1967)
Cpl Jacob DeShazer, bombardier (Died 15 Mar 2008)
Sgr Harold A Spatz, engineer-gunner (Executed by Japanese 15 Oct 1942)



At each reunion, the surviving crew members perform a roll call and then drink a toast to the Raiders who have passed since they last met. Each man has a special silver goblet engraved with his name. The goblets of those Raiders who have passed are turned down. As of Dec 2009, there were eight Raiders still living.

A final toast between the last two surviving Raiders will be with a bottle of vintage Hennessy cognac from the year of Colonel Doolittle's birth, 1896. The bottle and the goblets have traveled to each reunion since 1960.

Gentlemen, you have my profound gratitude for your service and your sacrifice.

Let me also recognize the 57 US Army maintenance crew, without whom the planes could not have been properly prepared to succeed.



And lest we forget...the crews of USS Hornet, USS Enterprise, and Task Force 18 cruised into harm's way with the precious tonnage of an American Navy still reeling from the attack on Pearl Harbor just a few short months before.