Greatest Showman ( #AtoZChallenge ) ( #BOTB Results )

I've got an idea... I'm gonna write a show for us and put it on right here in Seaport.  Why, it'll be the most up-to-date things these hicks around here have ever seen.
                                Mickey Moran (played by Mickey Rooney) in Babes in Arms (1939)







       
        My A to Z theme for 2019 is "This Is Me" which some of you might recognize as the Oscar nominated song from the 2017 musical The Greatest Showman.  This film is not a Barnum biopic, but a musical fantasy based on the life of 19th century eclecticist entrepreneur. P.T. Barnum. It's one of those dreams come true through imagination, innovation, persistence, and belief in oneself to succeed, while discovering the heart and soul of what is important in life.  If you are looking for a fun, uplifting, and inspirational film then no need to look farther than this film which I now rank as my favorite film of all time.

         When I was a child P.T. Barnum was one of my heroes.  It's probably no wonder since my family had a juggling act and that put us in contact with the world of circuses and their performers.  My father, using good judgment, always had a regular job so we never toured with any circus, although we played some large Shrine Circuses during the 1960s and 70s.  We all dreamed about being on tour with a circus full time, but went the more sensible route of my dad working an office job, us going to school, and my mother maintaining a traditional household. 

         Show business has been in my blood all my life.  I still have this yearning to be on tour performing on stage on a regular basis. This was the life I led on my own and then with my own family for some fifteen years or so from 1975 to 1991.  I can make a good case that these were some of my best times of my life--years that I think of often.

         Herein lies part of my future dream that has been my focus since the beginning of this year.  No, I'm not going to run away with the circus, but I'm not necessarily looking homeward, angel, but I'm looking somewhere.  Maybe in a sense it is homeward.  In a way, being on the road does seem like home for me. But it can be complicated too.  Especially as I grow older.

          In my A to Z posts I am presenting clues to my current state of mind. I don't want to come right out and say what I'm thinking, but I'm hinting at it.  Yeah, I've got an idea, but for now it's a work in progress.

         Maybe these posts I'm doing for April will bring some clarity to my thinking...


Battle of the Bands Results

           My April 1st Battle was between two Mexican artists--Alicia Villarreal with her song "Capricho Loco" and Thalia with her hit "Sangre".  This Battle produced another surprise outcome for me.  I had kind of expected to see Thalia sweep this contest because of her more pop sound as opposed to the more Mexican Norteño sound of Alicia Villarreal.

         I was pleasantly surprised to see the number of votes coming in for Alicia because her performance and her song were my favorites.  I'm a big fan of Thalia and especially like her song "Sangre"--check out some of her early rock videos and you'll probably see why I like her so much. However, in this showdown of a Battle, as much as I am smitten with Thalia and her performance style, Alicia's sassy delivery of one of the more interesting songs I've heard in my lifetime demanded my vote.  I was happy to see that many preferred Alicia for whatever reason which turned this Battle into another close race to the finish.

 Final Vote Tally

Alicia Villarreal         11 votes

Thalia                        12 votes

 *********************************************

Next Battle of the Bands on Monday April 15th

         My upcoming Battle will once again be an international one with music from all over the world. This one might be one of my crazier Battles, but it's music that I like and hopefully you will enjoy as well.  But in the meantime, there will be lots of A to Z action between now and then so try to stop in as often as you can.


             Who were some of your childhood heroes?  What about those heroes had the most influence on your life and do you still admire these people?   Do you think you would like to live and work on the road?

Hammond Song (#BOTB)

           My wife and I have been gone for 24 days and it's good to be back.  It was a fun trip back east.  We only put about 6200 miles on our van and it was about the most perfect trip we've had yet.  I had been apprehensive about my solo portion of the trip in which I would drive from Houston to New Jersey.  It was a breeze and I found the entire journey to be relaxing.

          I spent one day at my sister's house in Maryville, Tennessee.  From there I took an extended trip to New Jersey.  Friday-my first night was spent at an old restored hotel in Marion, Virginia.  For so many years I had been intrigued by that town so I finally figured I'd stop.  It was too cold to enjoy the town, but the room was comfy and I enjoyed a peaceful evening of TV.

         Saturday was a meandering day that ended up in Winchester Virginia.  There had been a sizable snow so things were a bit of a mess. After settling into a very nice hotel I went out to a nearby Italian restaurant and had some pizza before returning to the room at about 8 PM.  Scrolling through the television channels I discovered that YouTube was available and that was the final word for me.

         My request went for a relaxing song from the seventies.  At the end of that video a recommendation came up for "Hammond Song" by the Roches.   I'd heard of the group but didn't know that much about them other than they were strange--at least from what I'd heard. I dismissed them as a novelty folk group.  I figured that maybe I should listen to this "Hammond Song" to see what I've been missing for the past forty years. 

         Talk about obsessions.  This song cast a spell on me as I spent the next three hours listening to every version of "Hammond Song" that I could find on YouTube.  They were all good in some way--or least  interesting.  I'd fallen into one of those black internet holes.  As I descended into the world of song versions, two versions kept showing up.

          Forget that Battle that I'd had scheduled ahead of time.  That one can wait as a new Battle shoves to the forefront.  I'm not sure why I became so engrossed in this song on that Saturday night.  Perhaps it reflected the mood that I was in on that evening.   Or did the song express something I could relate to?  To me there is an ethereal quality to the music with good story-telling lyrics. 

          This has become my new favorite song.  Is it just me or do you feel it too?  In any case let's get down to the business of Battle...

Battle of the Bands

Battle of the Bands is the blogging event started by Far Away Series and now hosted by StMcC Presents Battle of the Bands.   This event happens each month on the 15th and on some blogs there is also a Battle on the 1st of the month.  My blog is one of those with a second Battle on the 1st of the month.   The premise is simple:  Listen to the songs presented below and then in the comments vote for your favorite and tell us why you liked it.  Then visit the links listed near the bottom of this post for more Battle action.



The Colourfield  "Hammond Song"  (1985)

        This English New Wave pop band was new to me, but on hearing this cut I'm interested in hearing more from them.  This exquisite cover of "The Hammond Song" comes from their album Virgins and Philistines.

          A YouTube sampling of this group's work as well as videos by artists related to the group tells me that I like the talent behind this.  How did I miss them back in the 80s?   See what you think...




The Roches  "Hammond Song" (1979)

        I've had an awareness of The Roches since the release of their first album in 1979.  I'd just never listened to their music other than catching their appearance on Saturday Night Live in that year of their first album's release.  I own a couple of compilation albums on which the Roche sisters appeared, but can't recall what songs they sang.  They have a sometimes quirky sound, but using their voices as instruments they can create amazing sounds.

      "Hammond Song" tells a story that could come from true life--probably did in fact.  The intricate vocals with a steady rhythm backing of guitar and triangle are interlaced with tasteful synthesized guitar work by King Crimson's Robert Fripp who also is the album's producer.  The following is the first version I heard of this song...





Time to Vote!

        This song might not be your cup of tea, but hopefully you can pick a version that you like better than the other.  Which song version do you like best?   You don't have to know about music to have an opinion since it all comes down to your own personal taste.  

        Please vote on your favorites by letting us know your choice in the comment section and tell us why you prefer the version you chose. Then after you've finished here, please visit the other blogs listed below who may or may not be participating this time around. And if you've put up your own BOTB contest let us know that as well so we can vote on yours.


Here are some other places where you might find BOTB posts:

 StMcC Presents Battle of the Bands

 ‘YOUR DAILY DOSE’ 

 'MIKE'S RAMBLINGS'

'Curious as a Cathy'

Sound of One Hand Typing

The Doglady's Den 

Angel's Bark  

Jingle, Jangle, Jungle 

Cherdo on the Flipside 


Winner of this Battle Announced on Monday January 22nd.

         No posts on this blog until next Monday.  Please vote and leave whatever other comments you'd like to make.  I've had a long break and I'll have to get back into the swing of this blogging thing.  Your comments will help.

            Have you ever gotten obsessed with a song to the point that you play it repeatedly?    Why do you think certain songs stand out for us?   Do you enjoy traveling alone?  

Why Did You Like That?

Why do we like things that we like?  I often wonder about the answer to this question while at other times I can bring some of the answer into focus...

Photo by Arlee Bird

       
           We'd left at daybreak after a divine night's sleep at the Holiday Inn of Poplar Bluff, Missouri.  It had been quite some time since I'd stayed at a Holiday Inn and my wife and I were pleasantly surprised by the amenities of this location.  We had retired early after another wonderful day of our vacation which was now within a couple days of ending.  Our home beckoned, and though our trip had been nearly perfect in every way, we were now anxious to get back to our own bed.   Beautiful as it was, vacation was now over aside from the remaining days of intense driving.

        Could we have asked for a better morning than that last Saturday in July 2017?   Sure, but I don't know what improving a fine morning like that one would look like.  The temperature was in the mid-seventies at five in the morning, promising another hot day that we would mostly experience in the air conditioned comfort of our van.  A McDonald's near the Holiday Inn was already opened so that we could grab some breakfast at the drive through.  They didn't have have the coffee drink that I had wanted so I settled for a mocha frappe.  Adding a hash brown and a sausage biscuit made it a combo.

        As I negotiated my way to Highway 60, I nibbled on a hot greasy block of the potato substance they called hash browns.  After I'd found 60 I attempted to consume a rubbery sausage biscuit that apparently had been sitting around far too long.  I managed my way through half of the biscuit before stuffing in the bag my wife had saved for trash.  No matter though, since the quick breakfast was mostly a matter of keeping my blood sugar stable.  And the drive looked like it was going to be a good one.

         U.S. Highway 60 was a far nicer road than I had expected--a divided four lane highway with little traffic on this Saturday morning.  A perfect morning for driving, yes it was, and we were passing through the beautiful rolling hills of the Missouri Ozarks.  Like most of my days driving I started out by listening to the news on satellite radio.  After about an hour into the drive I decided to see what I could pick up on regular AM radio.  There were was a local trading post type show where people would call in to sell things.  Next came some sports show where I had no idea what the guys were talking about.  Then came the music that has been my fixation for the past two weeks.

        Like synchronicity, the song started right at the beginning and from that start I was captivated.  The instrumental ensemble had an orchestral sound though it was probably a septet.   It was my kind of music.  After a very short lead-in, a smooth female voice entered with the lyrics.  For  a moment I thought the song might be a Contemporary Christian song, but I soon decided it was not.  There was a jazziness to the music.   Through the static and radio distance--I'm guessing the station was coming from Springfield--the song sounded old--well, like certain music from the sixties.  The song was one that I had no recollection of ever having heard.

        As the song played on the radio, a vast panorama of scenic wonder surrounded us and the day was as beautiful as any best memory of childhood.  My thoughts turned to the extent that my life was blessed and all of the potential that might be still ahead.  My wife too seemed to be in a reverie.  I mentioned how beautiful I thought the song was with a side hope that someone would tell the artist and song title at the end.  I got the artist at least.

         I figured that if I still remembered the song when I got home I could look up the artist and figured that on YouTube I'd find the song even though I'd forgotten the lyrical content.  It didn't take me long to find it, but that's not the point of this post.  My point is to pose the question of why that song suddenly appealed to me so much that in that one listening it became a part of me.   Now that song is part of  my life soundtrack.   I will always associate the song with an amazing moment in the time that I've spent on this Earth.

         Certainly I was attracted to the type of song as well as the style of music.  The players were good and I really liked the singer.  But the song seemed to connect well with the sentiments of that particular morning--going home after an extraordinary vacation.  And there was the weather, the geography, road conditions, and good company.   It was just my wife and I driving through the Ozarks on our way home.  And now I have a song that plays behind that scene.

          What was the song? you might ask.

          Ah, that's what this is about.  In researching the song I found a surprise that might reflect how out of touch with more recent music I am.  Anyway, the song will be revealed in my upcoming Battle of the Bands post next Tuesday August 15th.  The surprise that I found in my research demanded that this song be my next Battle.  I'm so obsessed with it.

           What is a song that you became obsessed with for a period?   Do you still ever listen to AM radio?    Does listening to music through faint static or distortion affect your perception of what you are hearing?  






     

My Main Reason for Travel

Why Do I Travel?

       Traveling to see the world is a lot of fun, but this is not my main reason for doing so.  My wife and I truly enjoy experiencing different parts of the country and if that were our only reason to travel then I'm sure we'd do that.   However our biggest reason for gallivanting about North America is to see people--friends, family, and most of all, grandchildren.

Arlee, Thomas, Lillee, Grace, Betty (my wife),  and Celeste
(Marley was at her music class)

         In the photo above you see my wife and I on the boardwalk along the beach at Asbury Park, NJ with four of our grandkids.  I had donned my A to Z 2016 tee shirt to parade up and down the Asbury Park boardwalk with my family.  Unfortunately our plans were sidetracked by a massive thunderstorm that came along and caused us to make an early retreat to the sushi restaurant where one  of our daughter's husband works.  Since that had been part of the plan then that was okay even though we had to spend more time at the restaurant than we had anticipated.

         The oldest of the grandchildren was around the corner from the restaurant at "rock and roll school" which is the prestigious Lakehouse Music Academy.  Marley, who will soon be eight, has been taking a regimen of various music classes geared toward learning the skills of singing and playing instruments as well as practical experience in performing.  Their recitals take place at the famous concert venue The Stone Pony which is where many famed artists such as Bruce Springsteen and Bon Jovi got their starts and which showcases many well known and lesser known acts throughout the year.  Not a bad place for a kid (or anyone for that matter) to hone their chops for a potential future career in music.

My daughters and their spouses along with all five grandchildren.

      

      A number of years ago I would never have expected that I'd be eventually making so many trips to New Jersey, but then one daughter moved there and then the next until three were living there.  The other moved to Houston, Texas which makes for a bigger circle of travel when we set out to see everyone.  With our girls and their families so far away from us out here in Los Angeles we feel the obligation to make massive road trips just for those few precious days each year when we can spend time with all of them.  Maybe after my wife retires the situation can be changed, but for now what have what we have.

Then There's Tennessee

        After I moved to Los Angeles from East Tennessee, I made it a point to try to come back at least once a year to visit my mother and my siblings who still lived there.   My mother passed away in 2014, but going back to Tennessee still seems like a necessary ritual for me.  My brothers and sisters still live in that beautiful part of the country and we have such a darn good time when we all get together.  If I'm going back east anyway, then it just seems like the natural thing to pay a visit to East Tennessee.   After all, millions of vacationers go to that part of the country every year because there's so much to see and do in that area.    When we go, we try to get out and around, but mostly we just hang around and talk and enjoy the wonderful summer evenings in Tennessee.  

        This year we did take a couple of day trips around nearby counties and into neighboring Georgia and North Carolina.  As usual I forgot to take photos most of the time, however I did manage some shots at a Bible based attraction called Fields of the Wood outside of Murphy, North Carolina.  We'd already had a full day by the time we'd gotten there and since it was getting late we didn't stay long.  Just long enough to take a few photos and then move on down the road. 

      In the above photo you see my sister-in-law Hallie, my brother Jay, me and my wife, and my sisters Joni and Joy.   We are posing in front of what is likely the world's largest depiction of the Ten Commandments which are written on the side of a mountain.   There was so much to see at this park that we didn't have time to take it all in.   This is one of those places that I want to go back to visit one day.

        After driving to the top of the Ten Commandments mountain, my wife and I posed for one more photo.   Take note that I once again wore my A to Z shirt to be a walking billboard for the event.  Be watching the Blogging from A to Z Challenge Blog for news.  We've slacked off on that site during the summer, but activity will be stirring soon.    You won't want to miss some important announcements that are to come.

          Also, I have what I think is an interesting Battle of the Bands post scheduled for this coming Thursday September 1st.  Might be musically educational to you and I hope some fun.  It's a song about hair, but it has nothing to do with the musical Hair.   In fact on first hearing the song you might never even guess it was about "hair".

         Do you travel to visit family?    What is your ideal vacation?   Any idea about the song I'll be using for my next Battle of the Bands entry?

Related articles

• "Hand Me the Mic" Rock Star Birthday Party
• Asbury Park, New Jersey: Where to eat, hang out and stay
• The Go-Go's & Best Coast played Central Park (setlist) & The Stone Pony (pics)
• The Bouncing Souls / Beach Slang / Cayetana - The Stone Pony - Asbury Park, NJ - 7/28/16

Wings of Love (BOTB)

No Flying for Me

       If things are going according to schedule I'm now in Tennessee.  Though I may have been flying down the highways, my wheels (and my feet) have been planted firmly on the ground.  It's not that I don't like flying when I travel--actually I do enjoy the experience of flying.  It's the process that I don't like.

         Security and the entire hassle of getting to and through the airport before even getting on the plane is something I don't much enjoy.  I can deal with it all, but preferably I'd rather be behind the wheel of my van driving and enjoying the scenery and having the luxury of going where I want when I want and doing what I want to do when I want to do it.

           Planes can be so uncomfortable as well.   A long flight cramped into a small seating area is something I find unpleasant.  Now if I had a luxury jet to myself it would be grand.  I do enjoy looking down on the land as I pass over it.  Seeing the world from several thousand feet up can be rather spectacular.

           As long as I can make the trip across country driving in my own vehicle that's the way I'll do it.   Well, unless I get that private jet.   And someday if I have to fly commercially in order to see my loved ones then I'll deal with the inconvenience and discomfort of the experience.

          Or better yet, maybe one day I'll live closer to my children and grandchildren where I don't have to deal with airlines or marathon driving trips.   They can visit me easily and I them.   Just wheels of love in short doses.  Not wings of love.   Someday maybe that will happen.  Then I hope I can still make long driving trips, but for the love of the travel and not the necessity of travel for the love.


Battle of the Bands

       Battle of the Bands is the blogging event started by Far Away Series and now hosted by StMcC Presents Battle of the Bands.   This event happens twice each month on the 1st and 15th.   The premise is simple:  Listen to the songs presented below and then in the comments vote for your favorite and tell us why you liked it.  Then visit the links listed near the bottom of this post for more Battle action.


Nirvana  "Wings of Love"  (1967)

         Don't be confused by the name--this is not the grunge band Nirvana from the 1990's.  Instead this Nirvana was a psychedelic band formed in London, England in 1965.  In 1967 they released a narrative concept album called The Story of Simon Simopath which predated the Who's Tommy by two years.  I first discovered this album in the cut-out bins in the early 1970's and still own my copy.  It's light orchestrated rock music--a style that I still enjoy hearing.  "Wings of Love" comes from this concept album.





Herman's Hermits "Wings of Love"  (1968)

        Another English band, Herman's Hermits was part of the English Invasion of the 1960's.  Initially fronted by pretty boy Peter Noone, the Hermits had a string of popular songs on the charts.  "Wings of Love" was not among them though it was featured on their Best of Herman's Hermits Volume 3 album released in 1968.





Time to Vote!

         Same song with very similar presentations--but they are slightly different.  Can you notice the differences?  Let us know what you think about these two recordings. Is there one that you prefer over the other?    If you're visiting a Battle of the Bands post for the first time then let me briefly explain.  Please give each song version a fair listen to decide which one you enjoy the most.  If you don't like either then at least tell us which recording was least innocuous to you. This comes down to your preference and it's as easy as that.

     Please vote on your favorite by letting us know your choice in the comment section and tell us why you prefer the version you chose. Then after you've finished here, please visit the other blogs listed below who may or may not be participating this time around. And if you've put up your own BOTB contest let us know that as well so we can vote on yours.

Here are some other places where you might find BOTB posts:


 StMcC Presents Battle of the Bands

 ‘YOUR DAILY DOSE’ 

  'MIKE'S RAMBLINGS'

'Curious as a Cathy'

Sound of One Hand Typing

DC Relief Battle of the Bands

The Doglady's Den 

Angel's Bark  

Cherdo on the Flipside  

Jingle, Jangle, Jungle 

Janie Junebug Righting & Editing.
  
J. A. Scott  

Quiet Laughter

Holli's Hoots and Hollers

Be ReInVintaged


Winner Announced on Monday August 8th

          I'll try my best to make my voting rounds and tally up votes for my Battle before Monday August 8th.   There shouldn't be much problem doing this, but life (and vacations) can happen so bear with me if my intentions aren't carried out as I have expressed them.   Hope to be back next Monday.

           Do you like flying on commercial airlines?    What is your favorite airline?   Do you have to go very far to visit family or do you prefer not to visit them?


Question of the Month

The Question of the Month is hosted by Michael G D'Agostino from A Life Examined. The first Monday of each month I'll be answering a question posed by Michael prior to event day. Click on the link to his blog for more participants. 

This month's question:

“What’s your favorite beach?”
         
One thing that is fairly certain for me that is if I were to travel anywhere be it by air or otherwise, a beach would not be my primary destination. I've never been a big fan of going to the beach. I like to look at the ocean or even walk along the beach at sunset or on a cool day, but going into the salt water, languishing on the sand, or baking in the sun is not my idea of a good time. My favorite beach is probably the one I see in a picture or from a distance. During my visit to New Jersey we took a stroll on the boardwalk at Asbury Park. That beach looked okay, but I wouldn't say it was my favorite. I guess I really don't have a favorite beach.

Insecure Writer's Support Group

Join us on the first Wednesday of each month in Alex J. Cavanaugh's Insecure Writer's Support Group--a forum of writers who gather to talk about writing and the writer's life. For a complete list of participants visit Alex's Blog.




Speaking of Flying

        Here I am with another year over half gone and none of the writing goals I had set at the beginning have been accomplished. Not many at least. But it's been a good year otherwise and I've had some good times. I don't guess it's really insecurity that I'm talking about here. It's just that time flies and I keep missing planes.

Eating My Gruel

Tom kha gai, a Thai coconut chicken soup, made with lemongrass, galanga, Thai chiles, Kifir lime leaves, cilantro, and canned straw mushrooms. Photographed in the Oakmore neighborhood of Oakland, California, USA. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 
        Gruel, to me, has always sounded like a pretty nasty thing to eat.  I've always associated it with food served in dank dungeons or orphanages.  Visions of Oliver Twist pleading for "More" come to mind.  We often refer to something tedious, difficult, and wearying as "gruelling".    I've never thought that I would want to eat gruel.

        Yet looking up the word I find that gruel is merely a thin watery cereal--watered down oatmeal, cream of wheat, grits, or the like.  It's not something I normally crave, but this week it's been high on my list of things I wanted to eat.   Nothing has sounded very good over this past week.  Not even pizza.

        When you're on the road it seems that simple foods like gruel are not always widely available.  Grits maybe, but I didn't think about grits since it's never been a favorite food substance of mine.  The Radisson Resort where we were staying in Orlando didn't have any gruel on the menu in the Bistro.  They had fried egg sandwich concoctions and the like, but none that sounded too good to me.  There was oatmeal on the twelve dollar breakfast buffet and we actually did have that buffet one morning.  It should have been free with the room.   That's a breakfast buffet that deserves a bad review on Yelp.  I may still leave that review at the risk of being sued.

      I've been doing a lot of nibbling on crackers and such.  Chicken broth would have been better, but restaurants seem to prefer soups that are thick and creamy or spicy with a tomato base and nothing like that was sounding very good to me.  Granted on the trip home we made our regular stop in San Antonio, Texas to have breakfast at Mi Tierra Cafe and Panaderia.   If you haven't been to this famous restaurant in the Market Square area it's well worth a visit if you like Mexican food served in a festive gaudy atmosphere.   My wife and I love it.  The food was great as always that morning, but for the next 500 miles of driving that day my stomach was chastising me for such reckless eating under my conditions of illness.

      The food that I seem to crave most when I'm experiencing flu-like symptoms is Tom Kha Kai, a Thai chicken soup made with coconut milk, mushrooms, and an array of assorted vegetables and spices.  Not always easy to find, but I managed to consume three bowls over the past week.  They were not as spicy as I normally have them, but the stuff sure appeals to my taste.    After today's bowl from my favorite local Thai restaurant I feel the healing powers at work.  And now with no driving (or riding--my thanks to my wife for all the driving she did on the trip back), I should be able to rest properly in my own bed and get well.

       I've been eating my gruel in a figurative sense over the past week--it's been a gruelling time.   But I tell you, I sure love those cross country road trips.   I can do without the sickness part and fortunately I usually don't get sick when I'm travelling.   I'll still keep stopping at Mi Tierra in San Antonio and now when I'm not craving barbeque when I'm passing through Phoenix, I've found a fine little Thai restaurant on Chandler Road that serves some decent Tom Kha Kai.   Next time maybe I can call Larry Cavanaugh and Stephen T. McCarthy to meet me for a quick lunch.

        I should be back to blogging normalcy on Wednesday.   What is "blogging normalcy" anyway?

        Do you like Thai food?   Have you ever been to Mi Tierra Cafe in San Antonio?   What food do you think has the most healing properties when you're ill?  

Related articles

• Farina or Cream of Wheat
• Quaker Old Fashioned Grits
• Trying Oatless Oatmeal
• Do You Truly Help by Describing Your Grueling Day?
• Tom Kha Gai (Coconut Chicken Soup)