The Taller, Thinner Scott Simon

Little did I know that creating caricatures of people would go so far.

In a previous blog I'd written how the idea for "Muppet" characters for the "Simon in the Morning" team got stuck in my head.  Wouldn't go away until I did something about it.  The "something" was to create the caricatures, using Paint Shop Pro 7.

Once they were done, I sent the caricatures to Scott, Jolynn and Jake.  That's when Scott noticed that his caricature was shorter and wider than the other two. 

It's been kind of a running joke since then about Scott being shorter and wider.  Well, last Saturday I decided to do justice to Scott, and make his caricature taller and thinner.  While I was at it, I decided to throw in a bonus for Scott, a little something that I noticed he didn't have; but Jolynn and Jake did; HAIR!

Take a look and see what you think of the "new" Scott Simon.

Uncle Kracker @ the Bing Lounge-7-23-11

The first time I’d ever heard of Uncle KRACKER, I was watching a “Dick Clark’s New Year Rockin’ Eve” special.  Uncle Kracker came on and began singing one of my favorite songs, “Drift Away”.  During the song, the original artist to perform it, Dobie Gray, came out and sang with Uncle Kracker.

Fast forward to Saturday, July 23, 2011.  Later in the evening Uncle Kracker would be performing in front of thousands of Kenny Chesney fans, as part of Kenny’s “Goin’ Coastal” tour.  At the moment though, it was noon, and Uncle Kracker, along with his guitar and keyboard players, was set to perform a short set for a capacity crowd in the Bing Lounge.  I was thrilled to hear “Drift Away” as the first song done that day.

In addition to singing his hits, Uncle Kracker also answered several questions from the KUPL DJ’s and others in the audience.  He also took a dare from TicTak that he wouldn’t perform a certain song for the crowd.

TicTak offered up a pizza if Uncle Kracker would do Kenny Rogers’ “The Gambler”.  Uncle Kracker said that was one of his favorite songs, and of course he’d do it; and he did.

When the show was done, those wanting to stay for autographs and photos with Uncle Kracker did; and everyone was also treated to Hot Lips pizza.

My friend Patty, (who’d gone with me to the Bing Lounge), and I got our autographs and pictures; then had some pizza, before deciding to head to the Rose Garden and KUPL’s Kenny Chesney pre-show party. We didn't have tickets for Kenny's concert; we just decided to go check out the party anyway.

Once we were there, we signed up for drawings, and just kind of hung out waiting to see if we’d win…we didn’t…but we had a great day anyway.   

We both agreed, even if we didn’t go to Kenny’s concert, we’d had a great time seeing Uncle Kracker in the Bing Lounge.  He really did a great show at what’s fast becoming my favorite place to see performances.

Eau De CornNuts

Monday’s “Simon’s Celebrity Soup” had a bit about Taylor Swift coming out with a new fragrance, “Wonderstruck”.    It got the morning team to wondering what fragrance they’d be.  My immediate thought for Scott was, “CORNNUTS!!!”

Sometimes my thoughts just come and go; other times they hang around until I actually do something about them.  That’s the case with my CornNut idea.  I kept trying to think how I could create something to describe Scott’s fragrance. 

After a day or so, I realized I was over thinking the whole process.  I was trying to be too precise with my thoughts.  Once I simplified things, it all finally came together.  Rather than bottling Scott’s new fragrance, just use the real thing!  One cornnut should be just the right amount to rub on your face and neck.

Of course, for it to be Scott’s fragrance, the packaging would need to be altered; like putting Scott’s face on the bag.  And the price would have to be much higher than the regular price of CornNuts; after all, this is a “fragrance” that’s being promoted, not a snack item.  You can get cornnuts almost anywhere; Scott’s Eau De CornNuts would be sold in places like Macy’s and Nordstrom’s. 

Why stop there though?  Heck, Scott could have a whole line of Eau De CornNut fragrances.

ORIGINAL

This would be your every day fragrance, perfect for the office, or just hanging out at home.

BARBECUE

What better way to get in the mood for a barbecue than with Scott’s Eau De CornNut Barbecue fragrance?  Whether you’re grilling in your own backyard, at a tailgate party, or going to a barbecue somewhere else, Scott’s Eau De CornNut Barbecue makes the perfect accompaniment to any cookout.

RANCH

Sometimes you just feel like leaving the city behind and getting back to nature.  Maybe go horseback riding, or have a picnic in the wilderness.  For those times when you feel like being a man’s man, there’s Scott’s Ranch fragrance.

CHILE PICANTE

Maybe you have a hot date this evening, or just want to spice the night up a bit; Scott’s Chile Picante fragrance is sure to do the trick.  If you really want to get wild, dab a little Chile Picante cornnut dust behind your ears…Spicy!

CALIENTE

If you’re looking for a bit more than just a spicy time, and want variety, Scott has you covered with his Caliente CornNut mix.  Not only will you get that spicy fragance you crave, it’s enhanced with red pepper and sesame stick among other things. Caliente also makes the perfect gift for that man in your life who may need something to spice things up and bring the variety back to your romance.

NACHO CHEESE

We’ve all known guys who can only be described as “cheesy”.  The one’s who tell the bad jokes, schmooze everyone they come in contact with, and generally act like big shots around the office.  Well, next time you draw that person’s name for the office gift exchange, Scott has the perfect present; Nacho Cheese Eau De CornNuts.  You, and the whole office will always know when that guy is coming around; allowing everyone to make a quick exit.

Don’t accept cheap knock-offs you can find at almost any corner store.  When you want to give the best, give Scott’s Eau De CornNuts.

Thank you for taking the time to read this blog.  It helped me get one more thing out of my system.  

A Confession

 Following is an email I sent to Scott, Jolynn and Jake this morning.  It's an example of what they get from me on a somewhat regular basis. The only thing I've done different, I've added pictures for this blog.


One thing I must explain also are the smiley faces...I like to make mine backwards, because it's different, and I can.  With that said, here's this morning's email:  

Hello, my name is Nola, and I’m addicted to the radio.

At first, I was in denial.   I didn’t HAVE to listen every weekday morning from 5 to 9, it was my CHOICE to be awake by then, on days I had off…Or if I was sick, of course I’d want to have the radio on while just laying there feeling miserable.

 Even when my hours were changed, I was in denial.  There was some slight panic as to how I was going to hear the whole show from 5 to 9, what with needing a daily shower, etc.  Found a solution to that, so all was well, I didn’t have a problem…Just an obstacle I had to find my way around.

At work it’s just routine that I do what I can in our department while wearing my headphones…On the earlier shift, there was some anxiety when I had to go on a cart run…No headphones, music, radio allowed outside the department while working.  Even then, it was only half an hour, and usually during a time where I wouldn’t miss as much as at other times.

 On the later shift now, I do what I need to in our department until 9…Then I’ll go down to our lower level to finish my filing…Can’t get the radio to work that far down (3^rd sub-basement).   Still no problem here…Just having to be more creative in how to get my work done. 

I’ve hit bottom today.  I can no longer deny my addiction.  The day started normally enough…Up at 4, showered, dressed and listening until 5:30…Leave during a commercial…Get to Gateway Transit Center…Put headphones on, turn on mp3 player to the radio…Go to the MAX…

WAIT!!! WHAT’S THIS?!  I veered away from my routine last night…Put my mp3 player and headphones in my bag on the way home, because I was talking with a friend on MAX…Took my bag in the house…Didn’t need it this morning, so left it home…Got to Gateway…NO MP3 PLAYER, OR HEADPHONES!!!!...AAAAACCCCCKKKKK!!!!!

No time to go home, (24 miles one way is a long way to go!), all I could think was, “thank you that you repeat the “Celebrity Soup” later in the show"…Beyond that, I had no idea what I was missing…A half hour trip downtown with no radio…NOT COOL!!!   And it’s not pretty…Wanna know what happens when I don’t have my radio on MAX on my way to work?

THIS!!!  This is what happens!!!  I’m reduced to having to admit to my addiction!!!    ):    I can no longer deny it, or pass it off…I’m truly addicted to “Simon in the Morning”!!! 

As part of my healing process, I’ve written this out and sent it to you.  I will admit however, I’m not looking for a cure…I just wanted to share what developed in my head because  of the lack of radio.   (: 

For today, I just have to do stuff at my desk until 9, THEN do my filing, etc.  Then I just have to make it through the MAX ride home, and all will be well….I’ll make sure my mp3 player and headphones are where I won’t forget them tomorrow!  (:

As a side note, as soon as I got home this evening I put my mp3 player and headphones where I will NOT forget them tomorrow!!!

The Final NASA Space Shuttle Mission

On July 8, 2011, the space shuttle Atlantis launched on it's final mission into space.

NASA has been exploring space for over 40 years total, with the space shuttle program having started some 30+ years ago.  On July 20, 2011 the space shuttle program will come to an end.

Seeing the date of Atlantis' return, I don't think it's a coincidence that the last space shuttle mission coincides with the first moon walk.  Neil Armstrong took those first steps on the moon July 20, 1969; 42 years later, when Atlantis lands back on earth, the space shuttle program will no longer exist.  It's a sad thing really; though all good things must come to an end sometimes I suppose.

They were discussing Atlantis on "Simon in the Morning" today, and Scott thought it was cool that one of the songs played during this last mission was Keith Urban's "Days Go By". 

Of all the songs in the world, Scott loved the fact that it's a country song that was played.

Jake agreed, though kiddingly found it ironic that the American space program chose a song by an Australian.

I didn't really think about it at the time; however, later I had a weird, random thought, (most of my thoughts are), that I've decided to share here.

The thought I had was, "it could be worse, the crew could have woken up to David Bowie's "Space Oddity".  Seeing as it's the last mission and the crew is supposed to be coming home, that particular song, (though I love it), would have been kind of creepy.  Just my thoughts of course.

I'll end this blog with that song and let you decide for yourself.

WORDS, WORDS, WORDS

Until last April, I'd never written a blog in my life; I'm finding I like it.  I like being able to write out my WORDS and whatnot, then find pictures or video to accompany them.  I've learned that pictures and video make a blog more interesting, rather than just having a lot of WORDS. 

It's also fun to be able to track where the blog is being seen.  I never even thought before now just how many countries people may be in that look at this blog.  It's kind of cool.

I also like that I can write as much or as little as I want, about anything I want to write about.  WORDS are there for the using any time I need them.

By now you've probably noticed a couple of things about this latest blog.  One, there are no pictures, (this one time is the exception to the rule.)  Two, every time the word "WORDS" appears in this blog, it's in all caps and red.  There's a good explanation for this.  Starting now, every Tuesday and Thursday, KUPL Nation members can come to this blog to find a word that will be worth a certain amount of points.

Every Tuesday and Thursday, look for the red word in all caps; that will be the word you're looking for to get your KUPL Nation points.

I'll end this blog of all WORDS and no pictures now.  Please keep checking in, as there will be blogs posted at any time; and definitely check here Tuesdays and Thursdays to get your KUPL Nation word.

Thanks and happy reading!

Cartoons-Voices-Winnie the Pooh & Tigger Too!

Friday’s “Simon in the Morning” show featured an interview with Jim Cummings.  Mr. Cummings is the voice of both Winnie the Pooh and Tigger in the new movie, “Winnie the Pooh”. 

 When the interview was over, Scott, Jolynn and Jake were talking about cartoon voices they could do.  They also had listeners call in and do their best cartoon voices. 

At some point, one of the morning team mentioned something about the Muppets, and it gave me an idea.  I had this vision in my head of the “Simon in the Morning” team as cartoon characters; kind of like the Muppets. The idea stuck with me until I finally tried to create the characters. 

 While I was making each character, I was thinking what kind of background they had.  I decided the “Simon in the Morning” team do radio by morning and fight for justice at night.  I never fleshed out any real story line, just bits and pieces about the characters.  Somewhere along the line I added chipmunks also.  It’s because I thought of how Scott likes corn nuts, and how there are these chipmunks at Starvation Creek rest area in the gorge, (going east), that also love corn nuts. Following is what came to mind.

 Scott is the leader of the group; the one to hunt down trouble.  His only weakness is chipmunks.  The furry little creatures have an affinity for corn nuts, and we all know Scott does too.  When chipmunks see Scott, they come running, knowing they’ll find corn nuts.  This makes Scott laugh and laugh, rendering him weak and unable to work sometimes.  At the least, all the laughing makes his tummy hurt.

 Much like her day job, Jolynn covers all the details of any case the team is on.  She makes sure to get all the facts, and get them right, so inquiring listeners will have the full scoop of what’s going on in their fair city.  The only thing Jolynn doesn’t cover when on a case is the times chipmunks show up.  It was cute the first five or ten times; now it’s just routine.

 That leaves Earthquake Jake, a true defender of rules.  While Scott looks for trouble, Jake makes sure everything turns out the way it should at the end of the day, (or night as the case may be).  The only drawback to Jake’s job is when he has to bust his own team members.  A true stickler for rules, Jake has been known to call foul on anyone walking on a “don’t walk” light, even at 4 am, when there’s no one else around. The only thing Jake hasn’t been able to do is stop chipmunks from going after Scott.  He did try at first, with no luck; so he gave up.  Besides, the chipmunks are just so darned cute!

While I never got farther than brief little synopsis’ of the morning team, I did manage to create a cartoon character of each.  If only I could figure out how to animate them!  That’ll have to wait for another time though; too technical for me!

Paul Revere & the Raiders

As a little girl, the music I remember hearing the most at my house was country; Johnny Cash, Buck Owens, Marty Robbins, and many others.  My parents did listen to other types as well however.

The first music I remember asking to have was Paul Revere & the Raiders.  It was the summer of 1968, and a friend and I happened to see this show on TV one afternoon called “It’s Happening”.  The Raiders were the stars of the show and had different guests daily.  I loved the show, loved the music, and was instantly hooked, and have been ever since.

I never saw the Raiders when Mark Lindsay was the lead singer, though I’ve seen both Mark and the Raiders separately, several times.

It was Raider member, Freddy Weller, who kept my interest in country music, as he had a solo career in country, aside from being with the band.

When my friend and fellow Raider fan, Denise, her sister, Shauri, and I heard the Raiders were playing at Seven Feathers Casino in Canyonville, Oregon we HAD to go; especially since the band had recently gotten a new lead singer.

The 3+ hour trip was well worth it.  Not only did the Raiders do their hits, they did cover songs of other artists as well.  Of course, the show was filled with Paul’s comedy also, which is always fun.  You’d never know he turned 73 years old this past January.

Bass player, Ron Foos, guitar player, Doug Heath, and keyboardist, Danny Krause have all been a part of the Raiders for 30+ years.  All three are as great now, as they were all those years ago.

Drummer, Tommy Scheckel was with the Buckinghams for 27 years before joining the Raiders. To say the guy can play drums is an understatement; Tommy really gets into what he’s doing onstage.

Then there’s the newest member of the current Raiders, lead singer, Darren Dowler.  Darren is an entertainment renaissance man for sure.  He’s sung with the Lettermen, the Righteous Brothers, and the Fifth Dimension, to name a few acts. He was also the original guitar player for the Backstreet Boys.  Musically, Darren also does impressions of other artists, like Sammy Davis Jr. 

Besides his extensive musical background, Darren has appeared on Broadway, in television and movies, and has written two novels.

Though the Raiders have had several good lead singers since Mark Lindsay’s departure in 1975, I have to say, Darren is definitely one of the best from the last 36 years.

Even with the 40 to 50+ changes in band members over the years, (Paul is the only original member of the band left),  the sold out concert in Canyonville is proof Paul Revere & the Raiders are still definitely a fun band to see and hear. 

Declan Turns 1 Year Old!

It's been said, the older you get, the faster time goes by.  It's true, it doesn't seem like it's been a year since Jake and Shannon had their baby, Declan.

I remember when Jake first let KUPL's listening audience know he and Shannon were having a baby; he was so excited.  That excitement never died either.  Like any expectant parent, Jake couldn't wait for his baby boy to make his appearance. 

Then little Declan decided it was time to enter into the world.  Jake called in to "Simon in the Morning"  to let everyone know he and Shannon were waiting to have the baby any time; and abruptly had to hang up when Declan was ready to be born.

Because of Declan's birth, Jake was unable to go up against champion eater, Joey Chestnut that day on "Studio 6".  Given the circumstances, I'm sure he was okay with that. 

After a few days off, Jake returned to "Simon in the Morning", and told listeners about Declan being born; about missing the challenge with Joey Chestnut; and about how when he brought Shannon and Declan home that Saturday, he got them in the house and literally turned around and headed out the door to the coast to compete in a rib eating contest.  Yes, Shannon was okay with it.

One of the pictures Jake posted on his KUPL blog when he returned to work was of Declan and himself, when he was a baby.  You can definitely tell Declan is his daddy's little boy!  (Declan's on the left.)

The past year, listeners have been able to hear how Declan's grown, the milestones of crawling, walking, everything. In addition, those reading Jake's blog, (on KUPL's website), have been able to watch Declan grow, through pictures and videos Jake's posted. Every time Jake talks about his little boy, you can hear the pride in his voice.

Declan at six months old.

One of my favorite pictures Jake posted of Declan is this one...He's such a cute little boy!!

Listeners have also been included in helping Jake with questions he has about parenting.  Today for example, the show took calls, and Facebook posts giving Jake advice on what mistakes not to make with raising Declan.    

It's been fun listening about and watching Declan grow through Jake's eyes. Again, it's hard to believe it's already been a year; it really does seem like it was just yesterday.  It's funny the things one remembers when it comes to certain events.  This blog is what I remember of the time leading up to Declan's birth and the year since then. 

So, happy 1st birthday Declan!  Keep up the great job of giving your daddy something to share with KUPL listeners!



ANYONE LOOKING FOR A CUTE, CUDDLY KITTEN TO ADOPT?

A week or so ago, Jolynn told listeners of “Simon in the Morning”, that her 8 year-old cat, Killian, had disappeared.  She’s fairly sure Killian won’t be back, despite Psychic Alice telling her he will be.  Jolynn thinks a coyote got her cat.

Because of this, Jolynn went looking for a new kitten, and found a Manx one in Colton, Oregon.

Since then, she’s been trying to figure out a name for the kitten.  The subject was even a part of this morning’s “Simon in the Morning” show.

One name Jolynn thought of was “Colton”, for where the kitten came from.  Listeners called in with other possible names, Like “Roadrunner”, (in reference to the coyotes around Jolynn’s place). 

In the end, Jolynn has five names she’s leaning towards:  Colton, Bob Jr., Stubby, Rumpy Stillskin, and Coal.  No word yet on what the final name will be.

In the meantime, the person Jolynn got the kitten from, Terra, still has six other kittens that are looking for homes.  Only Jolynn's is a Manx cat; the rest all have tails.

Anyone wanting a kitten will have to travel to Colton, (near Molalla), to pick it up.  The cost is $10 per kitten, with the money going towards getting Terra’s mama cat spayed.

If you’re interested, contact Jolynn at jolynn@kupl.com, and she'll help you.

For Caylee

Normally I try to stay on lighter subjects in this blog; fun, interesting things I think others may enjoy also.  However, for this blog, I'm making an exception.

I'm not a dumb person by any means.  I just don't have a clue though how anyone could find Casey Anthony not guilty in the death of her daughter, Caylee.

What was it the jury heard, that the rest of us didn't?  Or was it something they didn't hear, that the rest of the world did?  I have no idea; all I know is, I think the jury was wrong.  From everything I've been seeing on Facebook, Twitter, and other places, I know I'm not the only person who feels this way.  In fact, I'm beginning to think the only people who *don't* see Casey Anthony as guilty is the jury who acquitted her, her attorneys and herself.  Heck, even her parents thought she was guilty!

As I said, we probably will never know the whole story of what happened to Caylee.  Truthfully, my feelings are based on being a mom.  To me, any real mom would be worried sick if their child went missing.  Casey Anthony didn't even report Caylee missing for a month.  I'd be on the phone to the police as soon as I even suspected my child was missing! 

Then there are all the lies Casey told about Caylee's whereabouts.  What mom is not going call the police when their child is missing, and on top if it lie about where the child is?  Why did Casey Anthony have to lie at all?  I know she said it had to do with being abused and whatnot, but how can anyone believe that?  I mean, if the woman is going to lie about where her child is, and not seem concerned the child is missing, how can anyone believe her excuses for what she did?  I for one am skeptical, to say the least.

I could rant, rave and theorize this thing forever, and still not find an answer to what I feel is an injustice to the memory of an innocent child.  I won't though, because it won't change anything.  I did feel the need to express my sadness over the verdict though, so I have.

What you've read is the tip of the iceberg of how disappointed and angry I am about how this trial ended.  It's a blog that I've written from the heart and from the top of my head, unedited, except for spelling.  It was something I had to do, because I feel helpless for this poor little girl who never got the chance to live a full life, because someone decided to be selfish and rob little Caylee of that chance to grow up.

I'll end this blog now, before I start rambling again.  I'll try to limit my "downer" posts from now on.  Thank you to anyone reading this, for allowing me to express my feelings about this case.

THE GREAT 4TH OF JULY FOOD FIGHT

Everyone knows that America celebrates its independence on July 4^th.  We celebrate all the freedoms we have; all the choices we can make in this great nation. 

  Freedom of choice was the main topic of this morning’s “Simon in the Morning” show.  It started over a debate whether burgers or hot dogs were the “official” food for Independence Day.  Jolynn said they needed to add chicken to the vote, since that’s what she prefers.  Jake insisted that the 4^th of July means burgers, rather than hot dogs.  He really didn’t want to add chicken into it, but grudgingly did. 

 Listeners had to choose from one of those three choices.  Even then, people were calling in with other options, besides the original three.  Someone pointed out that brats are different than hot dogs; so which was it that the morning team meant?  Someone else said they have pulled pork sandwiches at their 4^th of July celebration.

 It was pretty funny to listen to, especially when anyone voted for chicken.  By the time the show was almost done, Jake said it really didn’t matter which food won the fight, as long as it wasn’t chicken.  At that point that was his goal, for chicken to lose.  Of course, it was all in fun.

 I really liked Scott’s solution best; make all three.  Why not?  Isn’t that what freedom is all about?  Why limit it to just burgers, hot dogs and chicken?  What about steak, or fish and seafood?  Heck, anymore, you can make an entire meal on a grill, the main dish, side dishes and dessert. 

 So, my thought is, on this day of celebrating freedom, why put limits on what kind of food to serve?  Enjoy the day and the freedom to eat anything you want

MARY POPPINS

I remember seeing the Disney movie, “Mary Poppins”, as a little girl, and loving it.  Everything about it, Julie Andrews as Mary; Dick Van Dyke as Bert; all the songs, dancing, everything.  It truly seemed like magic to me back then.  And of course as a child, just trying to say “supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” was fun. 

When the Broadway touring production of “Mary Poppins” came to Portland, I was excited.  A friend of mine, (who’s a big Disney fan), and I decided we had to see the musical on stage.  We got tickets for the second night of the run, and waited for the magic to begin.

And was there magic?  All I can say is, WOW!!!  The story grabs your attention from the start, and things just take off from there.  Not only were the actors excellent, all the props, music and special effects were fantastic as well.  You really felt like you’d been transported to England, and were right there with Mary and the Banks family; going through everything they were going through.

Usually I’m pretty up on where things originate from.  For instance, I knew the play had been adapted from the movie, “Mary Poppins”.  For some reason though, I never realized that there are books where the movie actually came from.  I found this out when reading the booklet for the play.  It’s adapted from the movie, and the first three “Mary Poppins” books.  In some ways I wish I’d known that before seeing the play.  On the other hand, not knowing made the experience new for me, all over again.

As a rule, movies and plays of things, like “Grease”, “The Lion King”, “Mary Poppins”, etc., usually differ in a lot of ways.  Scenes are rearranged, songs added or deleted, any number of things are changed.  A lot of times this has to do with what can and can’t be done on a stage, as opposed to a movie set.  Other times, it has to do with what’s portrayed in the movie, to give that movie a certain appeal, or whatever. 

“Mary Poppins” is like that.  As I said, I remember it as a little girl, all magic and fun.  The play, having been adapted from the movie and the books, took on a bit of a darker tone.  A perfect example of this is the character, “Miss Andrew”, who was George Banks’ nanny when he was a child.  The other name Miss Andrew was known by was, “The Holy Terror”, because of how strict and cruel she could be.

There was a scene when Mary explains to the children, Jane and Michael, why they should take better care of their toys. The toys come to life, full grown, and taunt Jane and Michael.  As my friend said, it was kind of creepy to watch.  I remember thinking at the time, if I was a little kid, I’d be afraid to go home to my toys.  

The scene that features the song, “A Spoonful of Sugar”, is also different from the movie.  I don’t know if it’s because I’m an adult now, or what, but I found myself watching the play, hearing the song, and watching Mary give the children and Mrs. Banks medicine, and I suddenly had the thought, “that’s Mary’s secret, she just drugs the family!”

The scene featuring the song "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" made me feel like I was watching a 1900’s version of “YMCA”, crossed with the Macarena; at least that’s what *I* was seeing.  It made me giggle. I couldn't find a clip of the cast with the current "Mary Poppins", Steffanie Leigh, so I've put a clip from the Broadway production here.

On a side note, Steffanie Leigh is a native Oregonian, having grown up in Talent, in the southern part of the state. Steffanie joined the touring cast earlier this year, and makes a "practically perfect”, Mary Poppins.  (I say that, because in the play Mary is “practically perfect” in every way.)  

Over all, despite the darker tones of the play, it was well worth seeing.  It made me want to read the books to see what was left out of the play. 

If you’re interested in seeing the show during its Portland run, it’s playing at the Keller Auditorium through July 10, 2011.