How To Create A Brilliant List To Maintain A Brilliant Life

I can't imagine my 56th birthday being more brilliant. Spending an entire day in the company of my husband and son while having their undivided attention -  no Sports Center, stock tickers, political arguments or social media - was something I was more than looking forward to.

In our family the birthday girl or boy chooses how they want to spend their special day. More times than not I've wanted to do something cultural in Manhattan. So I gave my husband a list of plays I wanted to see, and he and my son took care of the rest.

Every Brilliant Thing

We went to the small theatre-in-the-round, the Barrow Street Theatre, to see the creative and interactive one-man show, "Every Brilliant Thing." The play is about a young boy growing up who does his best to distract his suicidal mother by creating a list of joyful things that make life worth living.

This hour-long play stars the charmingly funny Brit Jonny Donohoe who creates a character that is bright, funny and engaging, something that's not easy to do considering the subject at hand. Yet Donohoe handily succeeds.

As an emotionally damaged boy who never stops searching for a happier life, we, the audience, interact with the story according to the lines and roles Donohoe assigns us when we first take our seats. His poignant and honest depiction of how suicide affects a family makes us laugh and cry as we remain ever hopeful that both mother and son will survive intact.

(Not to give too much away, but our favorite brilliant thing on the character's list was, "Christopher Walken's voice....and hair." Ha!)

monarch-18140_1920

Like any dedicated blogger, as I sat and watched the play my mind began to race.  How could I write about brilliant lists for my blog? Then it dawned on me: Wouldn't it be wonderful if everyone would create their own brilliant list? A list that would make them feel happy to write and joyful to read?

Your list will never be finished, because as we age and experience more and more life lessons, we add our positive experiences to our brilliant list. Just like the main character in the play, there are thousands and thousands of reasons why every brilliant thing we love - everything that makes our heart sing or brings a smile to our face - makes a positive difference in our lives.

So on days when you're having some self-doubt or perhaps feeling a little sad, you'll have your brilliant list to comfort you. It will serve as a reminder of the things that matter most -  the simple joys that make life worthwhile.

Here are some things that are on my brilliant list. In the comments below I'd love to read what's on your brilliant list. Remember, there is no right or wrong. It's whatever feels brilliant to you!

What's on your brilliant list?

 

Fabulous Friday Fun Because We Deserve It (Video)

Ah, Friday. The end of the week. The end of a long NaBloPoMo week of writing a post a day. Of writing and editing. Publishing and sharing. Commenting and tweeting. Liking and emailing.

Friday

I feel like Bill Murray in "Groundhog Day." Every morning I wake up, grab some coffee and begin writing another new post. Today is a new day.

NaBloPoMo forces me to write more than usual. Not only for the websites I am paid to write for, but also for my blog. Writing a little bit every day is an important exercise toward becoming a better writer. At least that's the theory. It's been challenging, overwhelming, exciting and productive..

So today I'm giving myself a treat because, well, I deserve one! And I think you do too.

Friday

Part of my personal wellness program.

Over the years I found my own wellness program, a way of putting the world on hold by jumping into a fictional Nirvana. So if I'm feeling tired or stressed I do one of two things (aside from eating some chocolate).I read a good book, or I watch something that takes me away. Either a classic film or an old television program.

It feels good when I don't have to think or do anything.

There have been times over the years when my MS caused me to spend many days at home. Books, classic films and TV shows were my refuge. They helped me through some difficult times, becoming good, dependable friends who helped me escape my circumstances for a few hours. I am thankful for that; they are on my gratitude list.

So here's a little Friday fun because we all deserve it.

First is a vintage TV commercial as part of The Donna Reed Show (which I liked) promoting another program I loved, "That Girl" starring Marlo Thomas and Ted Bessell.

Diamonds, daisies, Broadway, That Girl.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4jl_PSS-Ic

Whenever I want a good laugh I turn to Don Rickles. I miss the best talk show host ever, Johnny Carson. If I want to watch my favorite singer, there's no one like Frank Sinatra. Here's an episode of The Tonight Show when Don surprises Frank and Johnny. Classic TV.

I know this movie by heart. It simply makes me happy. It's "The Philadelphia Story" starring Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn and James Stewart about a divorced socialite who is about to remarry when her ex-husband shows up.

In this scene drunk newspaperman James Stewart visits with ex-husband, Cary Grant. Watch Grant's face when Stewart improvises with hiccups. Cary Grant later said he almost broke out laughing.The Academy must have liked it because Stewart won the Oscar for his performance.

"The Philadelphia Story" was later remade into the musical "High Society" starring Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly and Frank Sinatra. I loved the music (of course) but the movie was no comparison to it's predecessor.

What unique wellness plan do you have?

What Do Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby And The Loew's Jersey Theater Have In Common? Magic

The moment we walked toward the entrance of the movie palace I stepped back in time. It was the first time in over 45 years that I’ve been at this theater. I was a child again, holding my grandfather’s hand as he purchased two tickets to see the latest show.

Loew's Jersey City theater movies Frank Bing

As I stepped into the main lobby I’d forgotten the grandeur of the old theater, and how beautiful and glamorous the walls and ceilings were decorated.

Loew's Jersey City theater movies Frank Bing

We were at the original Loew’s Wonder Theater located in Journal Square in Jersey City. When it first opened it was a series of flagship theaters located in the New York City area.

Originally opening in 1929, I wondered if men and women got dressed up in tuxedoes and gowns for the premiere of the first film, Madame X, and its accompanying live music on the “Wonder Pipe” organ.

Loew's Jersey City theater movies Frank Bing

I was jolted back into the present when our guide, Paul Melia, the person who invited my family and me to the theater, introduced himself and gave us a backstage tour of the theater.

We were amazed as we walked down, down, down the stairs and into the bowels of the theater. I once again stepped back in time, into the 1930’s as we peered into old dressing rooms, rehearsal halls and a trap door.

This building is steeped in history, and was built for live performances as well as movies. Renowned vaudeville acts and great crooners like Bing Crosby performed here.

This was the place where a skinny kid from Hoboken decided to become a singer.

It was the 1930’s and Bing Crosby was performing at the Loew’s. In the audience that night was none other than Frank Sinatra who was so mesmerized by the great vocalist that he declared that evening to make his life’s goal to become a great singer. (NOTE: Nancy Sinatra confirmed this story.)

I think Frank Sinatra made good on his promise, don’t you?

Back upstairs, we found ourselves in back of the stage. I was ready to do what I’d come to do.

Step back into time again.

I took a deep breath, then slowly peered around the curtain to look out into the audience. After taking my first look the memories came flooding back.

The ghosts of the past were on my shoulder, and I felt it. I hoped the gathering audience knew how blessed they were to be able to share in the experience of this extraordinary venue. Because the Loew’s is not only a landmark, it’s also a piece of art history. Harking back to a time when going to the movies was more than seeing loud blockbusters, 3D technology and paying ten dollars for popcorn and a soda.

This building is steeped in history, and was built for live performances as well as movies. Renowned vaudeville acts and great crooners like Bing Crosby performed here.  This was the place where a skinny kid from Hoboken decided to become a singer.

The Friends of the Loew’s, the group who lobbied to save the building from being torn down, have worked tirelessly to restore the deteriorating building to its original Baroque-Rococo style.

Last night seeing the first movie to celebrate the theaters 85th anniversary was a treat. You can imagine how thrilled I was that the FOL decided to show classic films, and use the theme “movies about movies!”

We saw “Barton Fink” and today “Singin’ in the Rain” and “Sunset Boulevard” will be shown.

I’d like to thank Paul Melia, Colin Egan and The Friends of the Loew’s for providing a magical evening for my family and friends, and for me. It’s not every night we are treated to the music of a pipe organ that appears and disappears through the floorboards while we wait for our movie to begin.

Best of luck on continuing the restoration, with the hope that concerts, movies and theater at the Loew’s will bring more and more people to discover what I’ve always known.

 That this is a special place.

"Gene Kelly: The Legacy" And An Exclusive Interview With Patricia Ward Kelly On The Life Of Her Late Husband

PROLOGUE

Here’s an easy question for you: Can you name a legendary dancer and innovative choreographer who also successfully directed movies, and whose athleticism, masculinity and exuberance won audiences’ hearts the world over each time his magical gifts leapt onto the silver screen?

Gene Kelly

There’s only one correct answer: Gene Kelly.

His magic was palpable every time he dazzled us on the screen. Classics such as “On the Town”, “An American In Paris” and the musical of musicals, “Singin' in the Rain” were phenomenons yesterday and still are today.

After hearing that Gene Kelly’s widow/biographer, Patricia Ward Kelly, was finally bringing her unique show, GENE KELLY: THE LEGACY - AN EVENING WITH PATRICIA WARD KELLY, to New York City I was ecstatic. I couldn’t wait to buy my ticket to learn more about the man and the performer from the person who knew him best.

After my friend and fellow blogger Lisa Carpenter of Grandma’s Briefs reviewed this event last year, I became excited about seeing Mrs. Kelly using her mix of rare and familiar film clips, unreleased audio clips from conversations with her husband, while adding her own thoughtful commentary to give us a behind-the-scenes look at her husband.

This would be the stuff my dreams are made of.

The first time the Kelly’s met was in 1985, when Patricia Ward was 26 and her future husband was 73. She was hired as a writer for a television special. Her husband, as she tells it, was a last minute replacement for Gregory Peck. On her way to the bathroom, dressed in work boots and a typical “big hairstyle” of the 1980’s, she ran into a dapper gentleman who simply said hello.

She had no idea who he was.

He eventually invited her to join him in California to help write his memoirs. They fell in love and married in 1990. They remained married until his death in 1996.

When Patricia agreed to a telephone interview a week before the event, I was thrilled. Our conversation started off by talking about family, film and the genius of Gene Kelly. It felt comfortable to speak with her, and her amiable manner made it easy for us to chat for forty-five fascinating minutes.

Gene Kelly

Photo Credit: The Gene Kelly Legacy/Facebook Photo/Stand for the Arts/Symphony Space

THE GENE KELLY LEGACY/INTERVIEW WITH PATRICIA WARD KELLY

Gene Kelly has been gone for almost twenty years, yet his body of work is timeless. He has influenced countless performers with his innovations in dance, choreography and directing.

His dream was to become a shortstop for his hometown Pittsburgh Pirates. Instead he became a classically trained ballet dancer, and studied modern dance with Martha Graham and Doris Humphrey. A trained acrobat and gymnast, he could even walk a tightrope

He fell in love with in jazz, and also enjoyed American composers such as Cole Porter and Irving Berlin's music to dance to. After the crash of 1929 he began to choreograph dance to win prize money for his family.

Eventually he landed in New York.

Searching for work as a choreographer eventually led him to a minor role in a Cole Porter play, then onto his breakthrough role in, “The Time Of Your Life,” and finally Broadway stardom as the lead in “Pal Joey.”

But Hollywood kept calling, and he answered the call with his screen debut in, "For Me and My Gal" opposite Judy Garland. Soon after, he appeared in his breakthrough role as a dancer on film in “Cover Girl”, co-starring Rita Hayworth, where he created an innovative routine dancing against his shadow at a time, as Mrs. Kelly points out, when there were no computers to edit the scene.

That’s when he decided to challenge himself to change the way dance looked on film because it was, as his wife said, two-dimensional. He illustrated the best of dance by choreographing dancers to move towards the camera, using light and color to add a third dimension, and insisting that dancers’ full figures be filmed instead of close-ups of arms or feet.

Using inanimate objects such as a mop, a newspaper, a cartoon character named Jerry or dancing with his shadow, Gene Kelly successfully won his own challenge.

Part of the reason Patricia Kelly created her show was to illustrate how relevant her husband’s work is today. She’s traveling around the world, and makes a point to introduce his work to younger audiences. As she told me, “It continues to resonate with them, and they see he is cool and relevant and he still doesn’t seem dated."

“I am taking it to universities and high schools so young people can get a different appreciation. Then when they look at contemporary musicals they’ll see it differently, that they are chopped up. It’s really body parts, which is what Gene really disliked.

“He’s still the go-to guy for choreographers, dancers, cinematographers and directors. He set a standard. They’d learn quite a bit if they’d study why he did what he did. That’s what I hope to do with this show. I hope to educate people in an entertaining way."

She entertained us for three solid hours, and showed us how authentic she is by personally greeting us as we arrived at the theater.

English: Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds and Donal...

Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds and Donald O'Connor in Singin' in the Rain trailer (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Her one-woman show felt as if she had invited us to “sit on the couch” with the Kelly’s. (A phrase she repeatedly used. It was a favorite spot for the couple to sit and chat while they listened to some of Mr. Kelly’s favorite songs, including songs by Mr. Kelly’s dear friend, confidante, and three-time co-star, Frank Sinatra.)

“I had the privilege of recording him (Gene) nearly every day for over ten years,” Mrs. Kelly told me over the phone, “so I have a story that no one else has. But I do tell people that Gene’s is an extraordinary legacy to represent in any fashion. He doesn’t need any help because it stands on his own. When we talked about it, Gene was explicit in how he wished to be remembered. It is for being behind the camera, and for the innovations with the choreography and the use of the camera and capturing dance.

“Many people who know of his work don’t think about him in those terms. They think of some glorious man up on the screen, and don’t understand how radical it was in what he was doing with Jerry the Mouse and "Cover Girl."

“Unlike a singer, you can look away for a minute but don’t miss the song. But with a dancer if you look away, you just interrupted the whole sequence; you missed something.

“His whole thing is that the camera had to stay on the dancer. I think sadly that today it’s the editors and camera operators who are making the choices of the shots, as opposed to someone who really understands the dance. And so I encourage a lot of today’s choreographers to direct and call the shots like Gene did. Maybe they will start to do that and start to turn things around.

"It’s funny because Gene was more contemporary 60 years ago than what we see today. He was newer and fresher than the stuff we’re seeing now.”

English: Gene Kelly portrait smiling

Gene Kelly portrait (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

EPILOGUE

Patricia Ward Kelly talks to me about Gene Kelly exclusively for An Empowered Spirit:

On his influences:

“As far as tap it was Bill (Bojangles) Robinson. He knew him before he was “Bojangles” and spoke of him a lot. And a guy named Clarence Dancing Dotson, who he saw in Pittsburgh. A lot of traveling acts that came through Pittsburgh influenced him.

I just wrote a piece for "Biography" that you see Bill Robinson in “Moses Supposes” in the "Singin' in the Rain" number itself. Bill had a style that Gene just loved. He loved the perfection and precision of his taps and the clean sound. He thought he was the epitome of tap dancing.”

On having to repeatedly answer the same questions (and promising I d ask fresh and never-before-asked questions):

“Well, no, that's okay. I think it’s good to get it out. I think you make a really good point and this is again, the method to my madness in this show because people don’t realize Gene had such breadth in his dancing and in his choreography. What I try to do subtly is to let people see the different styles of dance, so they can see the dimensions. That’s really important because I think that is what distinguishes him."

On what Gene Kelly would want dancers to be working on today:

“Instead of creating new material, they are doing stage versions of, for example, ‘Singin' in the Rain.’ They kind of go back and redo the stuff that’s been done, and that’s not what Gene wanted. He didn’t want people to imitate what he had done, he wanted them to take it and make it their own.

One of the dancers for the American Ballet Theatre, Herman Cornejo, was deeply influenced by Gene, and has become this extraordinary classical dancer who also plays a role as he’s dancing, so he really embodies Gene, as does the Italian dancer Roberto Bolle.

And a lot of the dancers at The New York City Ballet and a lot at ABT and a lot at San Francisco Ballet and Joffrey. They are doing it in a slightly different way, but they definitely are absorbing it and taking it forward.

Then there are a lot of these choreographers that I meet, and they’ve memorized all of Gene’s stuff and are trying to incorporate it, taking and doing things with it and experimenting. A lot of them need to move into the director’s role so that they have the control over the work, otherwise they’re creating things but it’s not executed quite the same.”

About the demographics and love of the show:

“I’m seeing audiences from ages 9 – 90, with half men and half women, which is unusual. It cuts across all economic divisions. I am still continued to be amazed with the letters I get after the show, and what aspects of his career has touched someone.

"I get just as much out of doing this as the people who see the show. I’d do this every night if I could. I’d do it every place in the world if I could.”

On directing movies such as "Hello Dolly", "Cheyenne Social Club" and "Guide for the Marrying Man":

“He preferred to direct and choreograph. He’d just as soon not be in front of the camera, but the studio wanted him to perform. He much preferred to be in the creative seat, and he directed several things just primarily for the people who were in them. "Cheyenne Social Club" is a great example with Jimmy Stewart and Hank Fonda, and "Gigot" with Jackie Gleason.

"Gene was disappointed in "Gigot" because he thought Jackie Gleason had the right of final cut and it turned out he didn’t, and they both were extremely unhappy with what the Seven Arts people did.

"In the archives there are wonderful black and white photographs of the two of them shooting that. And again it isn’t well known of the relationship between the two, and there’ll be quite a lot about it in the book, when I finish it.”

About co-starring in "Inherit the Wind" with film heavyweights Spencer Tracy and Frederic March:

“It’s really a superb performance, and as I say in the show, he went to the rushes the first day and never went back. He felt he did the best he possibly could with two giants.”

Kelly as Hornbeck in Inherit the Wind

Kelly as Hornbeck in Inherit the Wind

On retiring:

“He was very conscious of his own image, and in retiring, when he knew he couldn’t jump over the tables the way that he used to, he retired.

"I think Gene was very right to end his career so he stays kind of evergreen. He’s kind of always preserved in this contemporary manner and I think that was very smart on his part."

On working on his legacy:

“After his house fire in 1983, many of his letters and photographs survived. There is an extraordinary collection that I inherited from Gene, and I think he knew I was a trained archivist. I’m working on cataloguing everything, documenting it, and putting everything in archival sleeves. It will all ultimately go to a public institution.

"I don’t believe it should stay in private hands. I believe it should be available to the world and I’m kind of working on a virtual exhibition of it so that people can access it around the world if they can’t travel to a particular place.

"He and I went through a lot of things together, the photographs for example, and he would comment on them and I annotated them.

"The same with the letters. We went through those, so I have a lot of his responses to the letters. It’s a huge volume of material, and I’m still going through a lot of it, and I discover new things every day.

"I’m kind of looking forward to getting back into that. I’ve been on the road so much with the show I haven’t had as much time to get in and work on the archives.

"It’s exciting because it’s an extraordinary collection of the history of the 20th century through correspondences. He was so connected to so many different types of people, not just dancers and filmmakers, but politicians, historians, writers and artists.

"I try to connect all the dots wondering what play did he see that night and what are they all commenting on? What was the date and what theatre?

"But talk about great work, if you’re going to be passionate about something, this is a pretty great thing to be passionate about!"

What Patricia said that made me feel even happier:

“I think you have a very broad and appropriate understanding of him and his work. Some people have much less knowledge of his real contribution, so I think he would certainly appreciate that”.

I certainly hope so!

END NOTES

 

Why I Want To Remember Cary Grant On His Birthday

The other day as I was driving into Manhattan, I turned on my favorite XM radio station called Radio Classics.  I instantly recognized the actor speaking and thought to myself, “Perfect timing.”

Cary Grant

My copy of a 1971 LOOK Magazine featuring Cary Grant

Despite bumper-to-bumper traffic, crazy drivers and torrential rain, nothing bothered me.  That's because I was listening to an episode of Suspense starring my all-time favorite actor, Cary Grant.

In honor of Cary’s January 18th birthday, (I feel funny calling him Mr. Grant because he seems so familiar to me, and also because readers might be confused by thinking I’m referring to Mary Richard’s boss) they were playing back-to-back episodes of his radio appearances.

I’d like to briefly explain why I’ve always been in love with Cary Grant.  I know there are millions of others who are in love with him, but I’m the one who has, in all honesty, loved him the most.

At first, it was his dashing good looks that caught my eye, and of course his wit and charm as well.  But as I got older, I recognized there was so much more to him.

He is, and always will be, the greatest comedic actor of all time.  Let me prove it to you. Watch his performances in His Girl Friday or Arsenic and Old Lace.  His comic timing is pure genius, and his pratfalls and back flips (perfected during his youth when he was an acrobat) are adeptly intertwined into the movie dialogue with rhythmic precision.

You can’t help but laugh.

Cary Grant Movies

My collection, so far, of Cary Grant movies.

There’s also his dramatic acting.  I can watch him, over and over, in any Alfred Hitchcock film and notice something new, some tiny nuance, that I hadn’t noticed before.

Watch his eyes carefully, and the way he reacts to the other actors.  Don’t take your eyes off of him for one second. You’ll not only learn about good acting, but also why he was so successful at his craft.

You’re never quite sure if he’s trying to kill Joan Fontaine.  You're unsure if he'll stop harassing Ingrid Bergman while she’s being secretly poisoned by Claude Rains.

No matter what the outcome may be, you'll remain on his side because he's always a likable character.

That’s why he’s the consummate performer.

I’ll never understand why he never won an Academy Award, or why he was only nominated twice (Penny Serenade and None but the Lonely Hearts) despite his long and varied career.

In 1970, the Academy awarded him with an Honorary Oscar for, “his unique mastery of the art of screen acting with the respect and affection of his colleagues.

After Frank Sinatra presented him with his award, he wiped the tears from his eyes as the audience continued with their standing ovation.

He was a private man who would never grow old in his movies, quitting Hollywood at the age of 62 to focus on fatherhood for his newborn daughter, Jennifer.

In the age of YouTube I sometimes catch glimpses of Cary at various tributes, like The American Film Institute or The Kennedy Center Honors.  He’s always smiling, always laughing, and still handsome with his silvery hair and black glasses.

He seems kind, sweet and gracious.

There’s one last reason why I’ve fallen more in love with Cary Grant with each passing year.  His performances take me away, to a place where I can forget the demands and stresses of my world and place me smack in the middle of his.

When my husband or I have a bad day, we have a ritual that’s evolved over the years.  We watch His Girl Friday and laugh out loud while marveling at Cary’s brilliant rapid-fire repartee with Rosalind Russell.

So a very Happy Birthday to Cary Grant.  I hope that, wherever you are, you know how much you’ve meant to millions of movie lovers over the years.

But remember that I loved you the most.

Who is your favorite actor?

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The Summer Songs That Have Shaped My Life

My friends at Generation Fabulous are having their monthly Bloghop today with the theme “Summer Songs We Love.”  I didn’t think I’d have time to write my own entry, but after reading the first post, I knew I had to jump in.  

playing records

Ah, summer, how I'll hate to see you go.  I eagerly anticipate your arrival each year.  And though summers are not the same as they were during childhood, they still conjure up memories of lazy days, laughing with friends and enjoying nature’s beauty and longer days.

The senses of smell and sight have the power to bring back memories. But sound, well, sound can quickly transport you with the first note of a song.  It’s magical.  It’s memorable.  It’s remarkable.

In our town we had a Community Pool where, when all of the neighborhood kids were younger, our parents would bring us for swimming lessons.  As we got older, our parents would drop us off in the morning, and pick us up before dinnertime.  In between those hours we met new kids, and together we swam, lay in the sun, had new crushes every week, and were always cool when we sang the lyrics of the songs playing on the loudspeaker.

"Build Me Up Buttercup" by The Foundations (1968)
(with clip from "There's Something About Mary")

Songs have always been a big part of my life.  There's aren't many genres I don't care for, so it's hard to narrow down my favorite summer songs.  Here are a few that stand out the most for me.

James Taylor's "Smiling Face" (1977) reminds me of saying good-bye to my boyfriend before leaving for college.

Any song from "Saturday Night Fever" (1977) reminds me of freshman year at college. I saw the movie in Boston, before summer vacation began, with a friend from Brooklyn.  He screamed every time they showed his beloved city on the big screen.

Planning my wedding and accompanying songs for the ceremony in the summer of 1988 was fun. My father made me a cassette tape of suggestions, including Antonio Vivaldi's masterpiece, "The Four Seasons" (including this concerto for summer.)

I grew up in a house where music was always playing.  My father loved classical and mom loved swing.  My two brothers exposed me  (they are older and I got to listen to their albums) to jazz, rock, show tunes and blues.  Our parents brought us to summer concerts in places such as Saratoga Springs, the Berkshires and Manhattan.  Two performances stand out in my mind. One was with my favorite female singer, the incomparable Ella Fitzgerald. The other was Gene Krupa's last performance in 1973, with a reunion of the original Benny Goodman Orchestra.


You thought that was my last song, right?  Ha!  I can't talk about my favorite songs without mentioning the one and only - Frank Sinatra.

Snap your fingers, sing along and enjoy the rest of your summer!

What is your favorite summer song?

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