1) In this song, Aretha's ideal car is a pink Caddy. What's your dream vehicle? I'm currently in the midst of making a decision about buying a new car or not. I've been obsessively researching. Unfortunately, the car of my dreams - the glittery brown Infiniti FX50 - is no longer being made and its facelifted 2015 version isn't as pretty as it used to be. Plus, it's SO expensive. But in my dreams, this is my car.
3) Aretha longs to "drop the pedal and go." Are you a careful, conservative driver? Or do you enjoy going fast? My lead foot keeps me driving fast, but I am also careful. It could be described as efficient driving.
4) Aretha's grandmother Rachel helped raise her. Tell us about one of your grandparents. My maternal grandfather was a butcher for years. He and my grandmother owned a couple of grocery stores in Los Angeles in the 60s and early 70s. In the last few years of his life he got into horse racing. His horses ran at Santa Anita and Del Mar, as well as the Caliente track in Mexico. He passed away less than a year after I was born. I think I would have enjoyed knowing him.
5) Aretha played a waitress in the 1980 movie, The Blues Brothers. Have you ever worked in food service? Waitressed at Red Lobster in high school and bartended for about 4 years just out of college. I didn't like waitressing all that much, but really enjoyed bartending.
6) Aretha was a chain smoker for decades and had a terrible time giving up cigarettes. What habit do you wish you could break? Caffeine! Just when I thought I was out, it pulls me back in.
7) A sculpture of Aretha is at Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum in New York City. What's the last museum you visited? I'm a member at the Norton Simon in Pasadena and took in a visit over winter break. It is a fantastic little museum - my favorite in the city. I've never been to the wax museum here...it kind of creeps me out.
8) Since Aretha has many honorary degrees, it would be appropriate to refer to her as Dr. Franklin. Who is the last person you addressed by his or her title (Officer, Father, Pastor, Dr., etc.)? My school district's superintendent just retired in January. He is a Dr.
9) The daughter of a minister, Aretha enjoys singing "church music" and her 1972 CD Amazing Grace is one of the best sellers in gospel music history. Do you have any gospel music on your phone, iPod or MP3 player? There isn't any. I would't say I was a fan, but who doesn't like a good rendition of Amazing Grace?
Listening to the beginning I'd have said Michael Jackson so that shows how much I know.
ReplyDeleteRed Lobster ?. I saw Howard and his Mom goes there in TBBT. I thought it was a fake place. So fake in fact I never bothered to inject into google to see.
Yep, it's real! :) It's a casual type dining chain that would be on par with a Chilis or an Olive Garden (I'm not sure if you are familiar with those). You don't go there for an above average meal - they are fast, cheap, and serve loads of food. I happened upon the job as some friends of mine worked there and they got me in. It beat pounding the pavement and turning in applications. The ironic thing is I can't even eat seafood. "What do you recommend?" a customer would ask me. And my reply was always, "The chicken." On the weekends we'd be slammed, and I'd come home after a shift and pass out. I'd dream that I was locked in the kitchen after they closed because I fell asleep from waiting so many tables. Ugh, and the smell! Well, it's imprinted on my brain forever!
Delete80's pop has such a "sound" that a lot of it sounds very much the same, musically. Even so, I'm a sucker for a good 80's mix every so often.
What were you listening to in the 80s?
I love this meme and I love Aretha! Your responses were quite interesting and I think I would have enjoyed knowing your grandparents as well. They sound like a fascinating couple! I'll admit I'm a fan of gospel and contemporary Christian music and have quite a bit of it in my collection. It actually comes in a wide variety of styles, just like other music. I've never worked in the food industry, but I did tend bar a few times at my cousin's red-neck beer joint, if that counts! And while I try to obey speed limits, I can have a heavy foot at times. ;)
ReplyDeleteI have a heavy foot most of the time. :) But I'm always aware of what is going on around me, so have stayed out of accidents...knock on wood.
DeleteI think a red-neck beer joint counts double for bartending. :) Those dives are the best places.
Wouldn't you say though, gospel and contemporary Christian music are not really even similar? I fell like gospel has its own sound and the latter sounds like contemporary music.
My thoughts on Gospel... You might not be familiar with some of these comparisons, but take someone like Kirk Franklin. He sings what I would call Contemporary Gospel. It's definitely very modern and makes you want to get up and move. Then there are groups like The Melody Boys or the Gaithers that sing the kind of Gospel most folks think of. Then Aretha does the kind of Gospel I associate with Black churches. (maybe not PC, but most of the African Americans I know around here still refer to themselves as "Black"). Then there's Country Gospel. I have a Ricky Van Shelton CD I would put in that group (and have no idea why I got that CD in the first place, tho I do like it). Then, believe it or not, there is Christian Rap which is exactly what it sounds like. Rap that has a Christian message and no profanity. But we're bleeding over into Contemporary Christian there (which is filled with mainstream, like Casting Crowns or Jars of Clay...Praise & Worship, like Michael Smith....Hard Rock Christian, like Red or POD, etc., etc.). It all gets lumped into that broad realm of "Christian music". There! Aren't you sorry you asked? :D (music is another subject I can get carried away with, just like dogs)
DeleteOh...and I do have a soft spot for those beer joints. That happened to be where I met my husband (of almost 30 years). ;)
DeleteAretha and the like are who I think of with gospel. I'm not familiar with the others.
DeleteI am not a gospel fan, though there are a few songs that I will listen to or even play on the guitar. However, I have to really be in a particular mood for that.
ReplyDeleteI do like guitar music!
DeleteWaitressing is hard work! Bartending does sound much more fun, and you can actually talk to patrons in a friendly way. About Gospel. I love Gospel. I would like to see it in more churches because of the Joy it brings. But that's just me.
ReplyDeleteSince the bar I worked at had tons of regulars it was such a social job. After awhile I felt like I was hanging out with me friends AND getting paid for it. :)
DeleteI test drove a used car like that one but it was in black. It was very spacious
ReplyDeleteOh spacious macious, I just think it's pretty! :)
DeleteBlue mustang convertible! What a great car for a kid!
ReplyDeleteI can see being creeped out by wax museums. I'm not sure they should even count as museums. I mean, does anyone ever learn anything at a wax museum?
Your Grand Dad sounds awesome. I have been to a wax museum once and that was enough. There is a creepy element to them.
ReplyDeleteGet the car you love. Life is short.
ReplyDelete