Cathy Burnham Martin's Blog, page 78
July 13, 2023
International Rock Day
Three of the world’s major rock groups are igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic. Oops! I just know you thought I was going to say the Beatles, Rolling Stones, or Led Zeppelin.
(In an interesting twist, July 13th is also “World Rock Day” which does celebrate rock music. The date was selected in reference to the request made by Phil Collins at the July 13, 1985, Live Aid concert to raise funds for fighting famine in Ethiopia.)
But International Rock Day is recognizing that the Earth’s outer layer is made of rock. Whether you are talking about quartz, feldspar, or biotite minerals, rocks have been vital to human civilization ever since they became tools during the Stone Age.
Recognize rocks today. Paint a rock. Climb a rock. Or talk to your pet rock. (Okayyyy… please don’t “stone” me for that one.)
July 12, 2023
Spread the Light
“There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.”
— Edith Wharton (1862 – 1937)
American writer
July 11, 2023
It’s a Miracle!
“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.”
— Albert Einstein (1879 – 1955)
German theoretical theorist, physicist, & creator of the theory of relativity
July 10, 2023
National Pizza Day in Brazil
In the US we celebrate National Pizza Day on February 9th each year. However, in Brazil, National Pizza Day is celebrated annually on July 10th. Sao Paulo is considered Brazil’s pizza capital because of its large Italian population. Sooooo…. We can celebrate with them today! I mean, we all can use an extra excuse to eat pizza! Enjoy a slice or share a whole pie!
July 9, 2023
Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes
“They always say that time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself.”
— Andy Warhol (1928 – 1987)
American artist & leading figure in the pop art movement
July 8, 2023
Courage!
“Have the courage to say no. Have the courage to face the truth. Do the right thing because it is right. These are the magic keys to living your life with integrity.”
— W. Clement Stone (1902 – 2002)
American businessman, philanthropist & author
July 7, 2023
The National Day of Rock ‘n’ Roll is here!
This is the day to champion the pioneers of music, many of whom changed the norms and directed the history of music. My eclectic career path… from theatre and teaching to business and broadcasting… brought many opportunities in music, which I love!
I pinch myself when I recall some special moments. For example, I sang with the Beach Boys in a concert, did a one-on-one interview with Ringo Starr (sitting in a limo with him and his wife), emceed for Tony Bennett, and shared a dressing room with Ella Fitzgerald.
From my years hosting Easter Seals Telethons & Celebrations
Rock pulled from several earlier genres and still enjoys the widest audience of all music types. I have enjoyed interviewing and meeting many rock ‘n’ rollers… from Pat Boone, Bob Marley, and BB King to Chuck Berry, Buddy Guy, and Tom Jones. Among my earliest interviews were Harry Belafonte and then Lionel Hampton.
Interviewing Mike Love of The Beach Boys
Sitting with Carole King, 1984
Others included Carole King, Arlo Guthrie, Levi Stubbs, Dave Mason, Beach Boys Mike Love & Bruce Johnson, The Righteous Brothers (Bill Medley & Bobby Hatfield), Tommy James, Livingston Taylor, and more.
Interviewing Roy Orbison, 1985
I also got to meet and interview several times a person who may well have been the sweetest rock ‘n’ roller ever… Roy Orbison.
I did the onstage concert introductions of some super groups, including Rock and Roll Hall of Famers. That list is long, but includes Hall & Oates, The Beach Boys, America, John Cafferty & the Beaver Brown Band, Huey Lewis & the News, and The Moody Blues.
This is one of those days when we can revel in the concerts we have attended over the years, too. An early fantabulous memory was seeing Jimi Hendrix from 4th row center in his last concert at the Boston Garden in 1971. Among the other memorable concerts over the years have been The Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, Billy Preston, Jackson Brown, James Taylor, Chuck Berry, Jethro Tull, Temptations, Steve Miller Band, Rod Stewart, Aerosmith, Cher, Blood, Sweat, & Tears, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Johnny Cash, Kenny Rogers & the First Edition, Metallica, Bob Seger, John Kay & Steppenwolf, Journey, Jefferson Airplane, Neil Diamond, Tom Petty, Billy Joel, The Doors, Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Ravi Shankar, Mountain, The Doobie Brothers, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Gary Puckett & the Union Gap, Johnny (and Edgar) Winter, and the Allman Brothers. This summer we just saw Chicago… again… still featuring 3 original members!
The favorite artist I most wish I had gotten to see in person is Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble. Who’s the “one that got away” for you? Today’s the day to remember… and always!
July 6, 2023
Potentially Amazing!
“Treat people as if they were what they ought to be and then help them to become what they are capable of being.”
— Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832)
German poet, playwright, & novelist
July 5, 2023
Pet Remembrance Day
If you love pets, you have surely lost them, too. But our Furrrever Friends do leave those footprints on our hearts… footprints that never fade, nor wash away.
Among my treasured losses, are Miss Money (aka The Divine Miss M) who graced my life for 22 years…
…the gentle-giant Miles (yup, author of the comical “Miles-Mannered Man”)…
…and 7 pounds of fun, fur, and fury, also known as Bandit, the maltipoo who wrote the hysterically relatable “Dangerous Book For Dogs: Train Your Humans” book and audiobook.
No invitation to remember your beloved pets is needed. We all do that naturally. We will never forget all the joy, love, and learning they brought into our lives.
July 4, 2023
Happy 4th of July!
Independence Day, 2023 also happens to be “Thank You Day,” a day of gratitude and appreciation for unsung heroes in our communities. That seems fitting as on this date in 1776, the 2nd Continental Congress voted to ratify the Declaration of Independence, declaring freedom from Britain’s King George III. Those men and their families risked everything to establish the United States of America… true heroes in our communities. Enjoy your celebration, whether it be with friends, fireworks, family reunions, or favorite foods on the grill.
