Project Life - August 2025

 

December 2024 Project Life

Another month has come and gone...heck, another year has come and gone!  Can you believe it is 2025?  Remember all the Y2K hullabaloo? That doesn't seem like it was 25 years ago! Wow!

Well, this month was good and busy...but busy in a good way..

I attended many holiday events...my friend Pam's annual party, Rudolph the Red-nosed reindeer puppet show, Alecia Witt Christmas show, a sing-a-long around the Christmas tree, a Christmas concert by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, saw the Hot Toddies (a local Christmas band) and I even sang in the choir at our Church's Lesson's & Carols service....which you can watch HERE, if you want to.

I found out that I purchased what turned out to be a FAKE Christmas Vacation Advent calendar, but I decided to just enjoy it and go with the flow.   tfzxghgb411

I saw The Castellows, Sugarland and Little Big Town in concert (not a Christmas show).  I hadn't seen the Castellows before and I just loved them!

I visited my mom for Christmas and we had a nice, small Christmas together.  On a somber note, I had another MRI and didn't get the best news but I guess I will know more when I see the Neurologist.  

As always...click on the photo to enlarge

Project Life ~ November 2024

 Can you believe November is over & there is only one month left in 2024?

This month, I crocheted a Cat Christmas tree for my sister, America elected a new president, I sang in the choir during Sunday services, sadly lost my friend Anita’s sweet pup, Tito, moved out of our office building, visited my mom & cooked Thanksgiving dinner, saw Home Free & met Maggie Baugh.

You can click on the photo to enlarge 

Project Life - July 2024

July was a fairly quiet month.  Highlights were going to the Center for Puppetry Arts, visiting mom (even though it was because she had been sick) and going to the New Kids on the Block Concert!

I want to create some layouts for the concert.  In fact, I thought I had, but I couldn't find them so maybe I just had a dream that I made the layouts. Ha Ha!

I worked more hours than usual, hence a lot of kitty cat pictures this month.

You can click on the photos to enlarge.

September 2023 Project Life

 September was still a warm month, and I am about ready for some cooler temperatures. I attended some great end of summer concerts, including Sting, Squeeze and the Psychedelic Furs. I traveled again. My friend, Anita and I rented a mountain cabin for a few days.  It was beautiful and peaceful,

Click to enlarge photos.

 

Indigo Girls - Bonus Pages

 More photos from the Indigo Girls Drive In Concert 

Squeeze - 2019 Tour

I had the joy of seeing SQUEEZE at the Tabernacle Sunday, September 22nd

They were so great!!  The L.A. punk band "X" opened up and they were very good but just were on a bit too long for me.  I don't think a band like Squeeze should have an opening act but I did enjoy "X"

Squeeze mentioned that they first played Atlanta in 1978 at Rose's Catina (a former Tex-Mex bar).  They sang all their hits - it was awesome!!!

 

Gary Numan at The Masquerade

I love Gary Numan...I have since 1979 when I was given "The Pleasure Principle" album by my friend Susan.  Now most people will say "who?" and when I say he sings "Cars" - many people then know who I am talking about...but only my friend Susan and I know all his other songs.  His music is so electric and different than most artists.  While I like "Cars" - it is not my favorite song of his. 

My favorite is "I Die, You Die" followed by "Down in the Park"

Anyway...I never had a chance to see him back in the day.  I was thrilled when his new album "Savage" was released several months ago (it is fantastic!) and was even more excited when he announced he was coming to Atlanta!!  Finally, I would get to see him - LIVE!!

So, the day gets here and it is at The Masqerade which relocated to Underground Atlanta less than a month ago.  The Masquerade use to be 3 levels ... Hell (which was a dance floor), Purgatory (which was mostly a bar and sitting area and Heaven (which was where the musical acts performed).

Since the move, they are not 3 levels anymore but they still have 3 room with the same name and of course Gary Numan was performing in Heaven (I didn't get to see the other rooms since they are close to each other but all have separate entrances).

The new Heaven location is much bigger than the old one and they state it holds 1,000 people but I swear to you there were a lot more than 1,000 people at the show.

We arrived at 6:00 because the tickets said the show started at 7:30.  There was no mention of an opening act.  I thought that was early but I did what I was told.  Well..the doors opened at 7:30, and luckily Susan and I got right up at the stage (it is a Standing Room only venue - there are no seats anywhere, even at the bars).

After standing up for 3 hours, the opening act, "Me Not You" finally came on at 9:00 (trust me it is hard to stand in the same spot without moving for that long in a PACKED shoulder-to-shoulder venue...so we were more than ready for the show to get started.

We did not care for the opening act at all.  They were not what I would say "bad" but they were not "good' either.  Plus, at this point, no one cared anything about them, we were all getting tired, frustrated and hot and just wanted Gary to come on. 

Finally, he hits the stage at 10:00 pm (we have been there 4 hours by now and it was a Monday night) but it was worth the wait because as expected, he was incredible. 

I have no photos to show because there were just too many people and plus you were packed so tightly (when he came on, people pushed us even closer up and pushed in more on the sides) - that there was no way you could even get your camera/phone out of your pocket if you wanted to.  That is okay though - I didn't need photos - I just wanted to hear and see him.

I am so glad I finally got to see him!!

Here is what he sang......

Ghost Nation
Metal (loved, loved, loved hearing this live)
The Fall
Everything Comes Down to This
Bed of Thorns
Down in the Park (a favorite of mine)
Pray for the Pain You Serve
Here in the Black
Films
Mercy
Love Hurt Bleed
My Name Is Ruin
Cars
When the World Comes Apart
A Prayer for the Unborn

ENCORE 1
M.E.
Are Friends' Electric?

ENCORE 2
I Die: You Die

The two encores were my FAVORITES

I think Gary really enjoyed himself and the next day, he put this on Facebook..it is the first time I have seen him post something like this so I truly believe he was sincere.

Thank you Gary for coming to Atlanta !!!  I didn't like the venue but I loved you!

Brian Setzer Orchestra

 

I have had the pleasure of seeing the Brian Setzer Orchestra every December for the past several years.  We are so lucky that he comes to our town every year.

Last night, they performed at the Woodruff Art Center, which is the home of the Atlanta Symphony, so you know the sound was amazing.  Of course it was very nicely decorated for the holidays.

Brian Setzer is one of the most amazing entertainers.  He just gives it his ALL - as does the entire orchestra.  I just can only imagine the hours and hours and hours of planning and rehearsal that goes into this show to make it all seem so flawless.

This year, before the show, we got to see some of his guitars up close and personal -very cool!!

 They started out with the classic Glen Miller hit, Pennsylvania 6 - 5000.

 

He sang a great mixture of Christmas songs, Stray Cats songs and other Rock-a-Billy hits!

The orchestra always takes a small break (union rules I believe) and he is left on stage alone to play/sing "The Christmas Song" and then he was joined on stage by the infamous bass player Johnny Hatton and Bernie Dresel on drums.  While I love the entire orchestra, this is one of my favorite parts of the show...He sang "Fishnet Stockings" and sat on the bass, stood on the bass, stood on the drums - it is just an incredible performance!

The show just leave you feeling high and puts you right into the Christmas spirit.  This year was extra special because he did a tribute to Glen Campbell by singing "Witchita Lineman" and Tom Petty by singing "Running Down a Dream"

If you ever, ever, ever have a chance to see him, trust me - DO IT!!!

Here is the set list:

Pennsylvania 6-5000
Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree
Hoodoo Voodoo Doll
Stray Cat Strut
Boogie Woogie Santa Claus (one of my FAVES)
Gene & Eddie
Angels We Have Heard on High
The Dirty Boogie
Jump, Jive an' Wail
Here Comes Santa Claus (complete with Santa Claus on stage, throwing out candy canes)
Wichita Lineman (Glen Campbell Tribute)
Runnin' Down a Dream (Tom Petty Tribute)
The Christmas Song
Fishnet Stockings (another Fave)
Rock This Town

Encore:
The Nutcracker Suite - major highlight of the show!
Jingle Bells

This video is not from last night's show but I just have to share because it is so wonderful






I think he must have really enjoyed the energy of the audience last night because he posted this on Facebook after the show.

 

Thank you Mr. Setzer for the amazing show - you are one of a kind!!