Shatner Rules!!

November 4/11.

I Shat you not!
What a fantastically fun night!

Couldn't wait to get going!

About to take off for Massey Hall to see William Shatner in action! (Haven't been this excited to see a show since Robin Williams or Burton Cummings, BOTH also at Massey Hall!)

Anyone will tell you, there's just something about Massey Hall!

Such an incredible history.

But, heading for another special spot first. FRAN'S!!

For pre-show dinner and conversation.

Met up with my incredible pal, Pam. We talked all about Shatner and his book (of course!!!!) - Could we laugh any more?? (and yes, I know this is the OLDER book! She bought the NEW one - Shatner Rules, at the merch booth in the basement),

and then surprised me, by buying me his CD! (Thank you SO much Pam!)

NEVER a dull moment (my fave slogan), when it comes to conversing with Pam! Ai carumba!!

(Bart Simpson, what would I do without you??)

I don't spend money on LIVE show tickets unless I feel I HAVE to see the performance, knowing it will somehow, touch my soul. William Shatner has been a part of my family since my Mum discovered him in the '60's, and my Dad knew him back in the early CBC days. It's as though Bill has ALWAYS been connected with my parents and they passed the knowledge of his talent on to me! Yes, liked him in Star Trek (and named my blog after his Captain's Log - "Lain's Log"), but it was MUCH later, with his portrayal of Denny Crane in Boston Legal, that he sent me head-over-heels for his acting.

Could you GET any better than what he did, week after week, opposite James Spader? (Alan Shore). The balcony scenes? I mean, come ON!!!!!!!

Holy Shat!!

Bill's live show, HOW TIME FLIES, was simply a blastola! A longtime acquaintance of mine, Toronto Star entertainment writer Rob Salem, (a huge Shatner fan himself),

did a fabulously funny intro to Bill and his onstage "co-host", radio broadcaster Alan Cross. Rob explained that Shatner changed the world, saying, "I KNOW this to be true, because Shatner told me so!" Salem went on to state, "Bill is the most successful recording artist ever to perform, without singing a single note!"

Alan brings out the best in Bill, corralling him through a scripted story of his life, accompanied by phenomenal photos and vibrant video footage, illustrating the highs and lows of his early days right through his most recent projects and successes.

Photo ops,

and lots of bumph!

Pam & I visited the free Shatner photo booth for a pic! Cool service. (You download the picture when you get home).


We were led into the crazy stories of Shatner's past history, from his SNL appearance when he told Trekkers to "Get a life!" (25 years ago since this sketch first aired!)
Watching it back when I got home, had me in stitches. Some of the lines, just hysterical. "For cryin' out loud, it's just a TV show!!" "Have you ever kissed a girl?" "Move OUT of your parents' basements! Get your own apartments!"
"You guys are the lamest bunch!!"

Bill's mesmerizing voice wavers from a whisper to a bellow, soft spoken to strong, back to mellifluous, then wildly emphatic, reverts to a vulnerable, hushed tone, crashing back again to energetic and passionate. The man is the ultimate story teller, and can make you laugh and cry at the same time. He told us, "Pain & pleasure are side by side." And in the next sentence, "Laughter and grief. Two sides of the same coin."

Bill shared stories about Montreal, McGill, motorcycles; talked about the road of life not being linear, but dusty & dirty; advised us all not to be afraid to take chances, make an ass of ourselves, adding, "I do it all the time, and look what I got!!"

Most touching? His stories about communicating with animals, his Dobermans,

Kirk and Starbuck, among them,
and his beloved horses,

(especially the late stallion, world champion, Great Day),

Bill spoke a lot about love.
"Love permeates our lives. The warmth that love brings. Love sometimes isn't enough", (when reflecting on the drowning death of his wife, Noreen).

"Love is also a continuum. Life is cyclical. There's all kinds of love in the world."

"The POWER of saying YES. It's so easy to say NO to life, to love. Saying YES to life, to opportunities, leaves you open & vulnerable. Do it. Ultimately, things will get better. Life is so short. I can tell you, with great authority, life is short. It's over very soon. Say yes! The consequences of saying yes to life. The energy, the passion, is there"!!

Shatner & Halloween aftermath!

November 3/11.

Tonight, I'm boldly going where I've never gone before! - To see William Shatner's one-man show at Massey Hall!

Bound to be entertaining in every way! The man is magic.

Whether he's Captain Kirk of Star Trek,

T.J. Hooker,

or my favourite character, Denny Crane, (Boston Legal), Shatner is bound to beam me up no matter what he does! At age 80, he has more energy than most men half his age, and his current mantra is, "Just say yes to opportunity!!" (I need more of that in my life). GIVE it to me Bill!

I'm going to meet my pal, Pam at Fran's for dinner, beforehand, so she can tell me all about Steve, the fantastic new man in her life!

And about her son, terrific teen, George, and their wild Halloween weekend at Fern Resort (where Pam & I first met, poolside, a number of summers ago). Check out George's killer carved pumpkin with a dagger in its head! (George CREATED this and won the award for scariest pumpkin!) LOVE it, - but maybe that's just me, - (Queen of horror movies since the age of 13)!
Are you following in my footsteps, George?

(Where's Freddy Krueger when I need him??) Robert Englund was always one of my fave interviews! Who KNEW??

Or Jason Voorhees?

Or Michael Myers??

Pam with her screamer Fern pal! EEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!!!!

Scary Halloween characters aside, Fern Resort in Orillia is gorgeous in any season!

My stunning 19-year-old daughter, Kate, dressed for Halloween as a va-va-voom-vampy gothic gal!

(purple hair, fishnet stockings & all! - YES!!!)

She and her adorable boyfriend, Damian, did "door duty" on Halloween, giving candy to all the kids. (this pic taken B.C. - before costumes!)

Meanwhile, my son, Max went cinematic as Danny Zuko from Grease, with gorgeous girlfriend, Robyn, as sweet & sexy Sandy! Wow! (Hardly recognized you as a blonde, Robyn!!! - Systematic! Hydromatic! Electrifying! - GO greased lightning!) Insert wolf whistle here!!

Sunset on Halloween evening. - (Appropriately orange)!

Here are a few of the scary houses decked out in our neighbourhood!

Then, there's MY door! No time to go all-out, but at least there was a skeleton doing a dance, a few tiny decorations and one rather lame pumpkin! Boo!

The day after Halloween, met up with my old high school pal, Dean Rogers at The Friendly Greek for lunch. Always great company and the food, better than ever. (yes gang, I actually had lunch!!!)

Thanks for coming downtown Dean! I like our colours together. Very "pastel-ish"!

And speaking of colours, hard to believe they're still so vibrant in early November. Took these shots at Withrow Park, just down the street from our house. Beautiful!

This one shot at the bottom of our street, one of the loveliest avenues in Riverdale!

I hate saying goodbye to fall. Always my favourite season. (still wearing open-toed, pink sandals? Why not? You only live once!)

On Wednesday, went for a visit with the fabulous Auntie Ray at her condo. Raided her hat collection for this pic. She will be turning 92 on November 12th! We had a three-hour visit, talking about everything under the sun. The woman is a true wonder with so much insight into any subject you can name. She gave me plenty of advice and lots of love. She calls herself my surrogate Mother, (filling in for the love I'm missing from my late Mum, her sister). What would I do without her? We talked so long, she almost missed the meal in the diningroom, but I managed to get her there just in time for soup!

Then, later, onward to the "over-the-top, can't-handle-it, grocery excitement", - shopping at No Frills! (be still my heart). $120 later, home to cook something-or-other for the kids and watch an episode of House on DVD - a gift from a friend. (thank goodness for Hugh Laurie, who managed to spice up my evening quite nicely)!