Last night in Geezerville, the SOTU was on every major TV station with right, left and center commentary. I should have been doing my civic duty and been one of the geezers watching the State of the Union address...but I did something fun instead. As a geezer, I have done my civic duty all of my life...I needed some fun first. After I had a "shot" of fun, I buckled down and saw the SOTU. I needed to get some bliss in my system. BTW, I'm a non-partisan viewer regarding SOTUs. I tend to not agree with the lofty promises, rants and raves any prez says during that event.
For Ignorant Bliss this geezer watched the 1945 film -- Anchors Aweigh. The movie starred a very young and callow Frank Sinatra, a bit wiser but still young Gene Kelly and the beautiful soprano Kathryn Grayson. Both Frank and Kathryn sang their hearts out. Kathryn sang both classical and modern songs of the time. Gene waltzed, tangoed and tapped in courtyards and streets and a dormitory. He danced with an animated mouse, a cute little girl and Kathryn. He flew to a rooftop swinging on a long drape. No one can dance like Gene Kelly. The story was forgettable. You know the story -- boy meets girl and falls in love, boy does something stupid, girl falls in love with boy even after he does something stupid, and it ends implying they will get married and live happily ever after. None of this is real life. It's just ignorant bliss. It's fun. It's escapism.
In between, Jose Iturbi and a cast of "thousands" played grand pianos in the Hollywood Bowl. The Navy band, conducted by Iturbi, played Anchors Away and other marching music on a ship and in the Hollywood Bowl. You have stereotypes that are no longer "vogue"... it's still old- fashioned ignorant bliss. Don't get caught up in the lack of wokeness or unvogue stereotypes, enjoy the exuberance of the music and escape with the dance. That was then, and this is now. Don't confuse the issues. We cannot go back and change things, even if folks tear up the pages of the script. Anchors Aweigh is not woke and will never be woke. It has girls playing girls and boys playing boys. It has Kathryn crying to tug at your heart strings...how trite. This geezer chooses to forget that stuff. It is fun to get in the movie and dance with Gene, sing with Frank, and listen to Kathryn hit high C above C with perfect pitch and clarity. Sure there are better movies, but for pure bliss, this is one of the good ones for me.
After seeing the movie and feeling blissed out...I watched the SOTU. Read the other DrCs blog for his response. But, if you are a geezer like me, prepare for a hard task by doing a blissful one before. See a happy movie, read a fun book,do whatever it takes, and enjoy the high. Then, do your civic duty. The civic duty will "go" better as you are relaxed and at ease. Remember, we're in this together.
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