MJ the Musical

On Tuesday night July 29th my friend Kathie and I went to see MJ the Musical at the Center for Performing Arts in San Jose. Normally I try to book matinee performances but I had my son's family coming for a weeklong visit that conflicted with my Saturday afternoon show tickets. After this evening experience, although the show was excellent, I will stick with matinees which are more convenient and easier logistics-wise for traffic, parking, and exiting the garage. UN-parking after the show seemed to take forever!

MJ the Musical is a jukebox musical based on the life of the American entertainer Michael Jackson, focusing on his creative process prior to the Dangerous World Tour. A jukebox musical is a stage musical or musical film in which a majority of the songs are well-known, pre-existing popular music songs, rather than original music composed for the musical. Neither Kathie nor I were as knowledgable about the Dangerous World Tour as we would have liked to have been and vowed to google some stuff in the next few days when were were home to educate ourselves.

Even without back information about the tour we enjoyed the show. The performance was energetic, colorful and extremely entertaining. The cast for the little guy who played MJ as a young boy was incredible. I think that kid, if times were different, could be another talented MJ. The casting for MJ as an adult was great, too. The actor had the moves and the body language and the voice for MJ down to perfection. On the way exiting the theatre we posed for pictures near the MJ poster.

Kathie dressed in character for the outing. She wore a black leather jacket (not shown) and sparkly shoes (shown enlarged in lower photo). It was a fun evening out.

Ponder: Part of Your World

I chose to read Part of Your World ©2022 by Abby Jimenez because I read and thoroughly enjoyed Say You'll Remember Me by the same author. I wrote a 7/14/25 post about Say You'll Remember Me last month giving it four stars. Similarly I rate Part of Your World four stars. I've also read Just For the Summer by Abby Jimenez and rated it three stars in my 7/15/25 post . 

Alexis comes from a wealthy family with a legacy of philanthropy and prestigious hospital associations. All family member are doctors and Alexis is expected to live her life in accordance with the family expectations. Alexis crosses paths with Daniel who lives in a rural setting in a small village where everyone looks out for each other. Money is scarce. Daniel is the mayor and jack of all trades in the community. He is hard working and very skilled but not in the accomplishments Alexis's family is wont to appreciate to any level.

There is definitely a chemistry between Alexis and Daniel that neither of them can deny. She enjoys every moment of the time she can get away to be with him and his quirky, supportive, friendly village members. Humor scattered throughout this book kept me smiling. One of Daniel's friends owns a petting zoo and thoughtfully named the animals. There is a pig named Kevin Bacon, a chicken named Chick-a-Las Cage, and a llama named Barack Ollama. There is an uproariously hilarious scene where Daniel's pet dog generously and ceremoniously presents a live squirrel to one of the guests during a fancy breakfast at an inn Daniel oversees. Alexis's hoity-toity "friends" are very judgmental and outraged. 

The disparity between the two worlds of Alexis and Daniel rears its ugly head time and time again. There is a constant theme of the battle between living one's life as you so chose versus upholding a legacy or commitment that has been forced on you. "Live and let live" requires empathy and compassion, often absent in Alex's parents and acquaintances. This conflict kept me reading, wondering how this dichotomy could be resolved for a happy ending. The tension in Abby Jimenez's books tends to have substance and be plausible as opposed to presenting petty dating skirmishes between flighty females and misogynous males in some rom-coms. 

Part of Your World ©2022 is the first book in a three book series, the third book of which was Just for the Summer ©2024. I do like this author but have to remind myself not to over-read her works and thus lose their freshness. This is the fourth work of hers I have read. I need to give myself space between diving into the books of authors I like. At some point I will go back and read the second book, Yours Truly ©2023. Reading the books out of order has not caused me any problems. Seeing what were secondary characters be developed more in depth in subsequent books is satisfying.

★★★★☆ Really good; maybe only one weak aspect or limited audience

July Trip to OKC

Frank and I visited our daughter and her family in Oklahoma City July 16th through July 25th. This trip was very quilt intensive and had been planned to coincide with Robin's guild's biannual quilt show. This post has an overview of our stay and the highlights that were not overly quilt focused. I published other quilt related posts for those aspects of the trip in my DianeLoves2Quilt blog.

Wednesday July 16: Arrival
Our flight from San Jose CA via Phoenix arrived mid afternoon. Jeremy, Autumn, and Isaiah picked us up from the airport. Jeremy had taken a break from helping Robin tape out the floor areas for the vendor booths for her guild's quilt show. She was vendor chair. 

July 16th was also Isaiah's 10th birthday and so we celebrated with a cake, candles, and opening gifts shortly after getting to their house once Robin joined us.

Then I gave Robin the quilt I'd been working on. I had made it from the T-shirts from her childhood years. My post about Ski's Tees was published on July 17th, the day after I presented it to her.

Thursday July 17: Post Travel Day of Rest

Thursday Frank and I chilled and unpacked at home while Robin and Jeremy did quilt show prep. The vendors would be moving in their wares and setting up their booths at one end of the fairgrounds building. The quilts would be being hung for display on the remaining larger section of the building. One lady fell from a ladder while hanging a quilt, hurt her head (it was bleeding), and also injured her back and part of her hand. Jeremy is still certified as a paramedic from his first responder and fireman days. Another guild member was a retired ER head trauma nurse. Together they went to her aid until an ambulance could take her away. They later heard back that she had a cracked vertebrae, but no brain injury, and is recovering. Never a dull moment ...

Also, while the big roll up doors to the large commercial building were open, a bird flew in. Lots of failed efforts were made to shoo him out. No one wanted to risk bird poop on their quilts, fabrics, or other selling stock. Eventually the bird flew into the men's room and one of the vendors happened to be in there. He contacted security who gave him permission to open the window and let the bird escape. At last! Another non-dull moment ...

Friday July 18 and Saturday July 19: COQG Show +
Both days were heavily involved with quilt show visiting. Robin would go in earlier before opening to handle any potential vendor issues. Friday I attended with Robin and Autumn. In the afternoon Robin got a phone call from Jeremy that she was not supposed to relay to me. Frank had asked Jeremy to take him to an ER with abdominal pain. Not a critical intestinal blockage but strong discomfort never the less. Scans confirmed surgical intervention was not needed and with some medicinal intervention Frank was feeling better by evening. Yet another non-dull moment...

Saturday Jeremy took his mom and Isaiah to the show in the morning. Frank felt better enough to go to the show with me Saturday afternoon. Frank and I stayed till closing and even got to watch some of the take down maneuvers for the quilt displays and vendor booths. Robin and Jeremy were tied up with aiding and organizing a smooth vendor exit. Photos of both our days, with a selection of the quilts and a video of the take down, is available in my August 6 blog post titled OKC Quilt Show. This is the shirt Jeremy wore that got rave reviews. He was a VERY involved husband.

In the hubbub of our arrival I never gave Autumn her special socks. When I did, she wore a big smile, tried them on, and ran off to show them to one of her friends. For a near teenager, this was great praise and a thank-you. She liked being set apart for learning to play the saxophone.

Sunday July 20: Relaxing then Drive to Hennessey
Sunday morning we got up late and relaxed, Robin still busily working away at email business as follow-up from the show. Late afternoon Robin and I left for our three day quilt class in Hennessey, OK. The ride was a 72.5 mile drive north to our hotel The Sleep Inn and Suites.

The drive was across flat, peaceful, lands with views of windmills, cattle, and trains.

The Sleep Inn and Suites was only a few blocks away from where we would be taking our class. We checked out the class venue and were able to drop off our sewing machines and tools and fabric. Folks were still in there sewing late at night. They shared with us an access code to be able to get in to the building at the rear of Prairie Quilts any time of night should the sewing bug bite win out over sleep. We set up our machines and workspace and then headed to the hotel. We'd brought enough food to snack on and had eaten just a couple of hours ago so we were good to settle in for the night. 

Monday July 21 through Wednesday July 23: In Class
Breakfast was provided the next morning so let the quilting begin! After our first day in class with Jacqueline de Jonge at Prairie Quilts, we learned that no restaurants are open in Hennessey on Mondays. We were grateful for the fantastic lunch the retreat services had served. That evening we drove to the "adjacent" town of Kingfisher, 18 miles due south on Route 81, the only road to there, and ate at a place called Stack Grill. Robin's meal was OK, but my fried chicken meal was so dry I told them it was inedible. They comped me for half of it and asked if there was anything else they could do. I said, "Yes. Make the cook try to choke it down." I had assumed that out in the middle of the country, fried chicken would have been a good choice, like ordering seafood at a restaurant with a view of the ocean. My mistake. However, the evening was not lost. After dinner, we did go back to the retreat center, since it was open 24 hours, and did some more sewing.

Tuesday Rooster's
After our second day of class on Tuesday, we asked for eating suggestions. Folks told us that there was a gas station that made excellent burgers, "the best they'd ever tasted".  As a "bonus" there was a fly swatter at every table. We found it a few blocks away and went inside. We then swiftly came back outside and searched for someplace else to eat. 

Instead, Robin drove 2.6 miles south but still in Hennessey to a restaurant, Rooster's, that we had passed the previous night but it had been closed. It looked pretty shabby from the outside but we were told the food was good and not to let the appearance dissuade us.

Once inside we agreed it was clean plus the decor and table tops were kinda cute. There was a pretty expansive salad bar where we were invited to help ourselves while waiting for our entrées. 

The food was good and plentiful. For one of my sides I ordered corn nuggets, wondering what they were. What they were, was DELICIOUS! They looked like tater tots but they were breaded corn. By goggling corn nuggets I learned that corn nuggets are bite-sized fritters, made from a simple batter filled with sweet corn kernels. They fry up crispy and golden on the outside, with a tender, soft interior. These nuggets likely originated in the South, inspired by dishes like hush puppies and other types of fritters. They must be a middle of the country thing because I looked for them at a store once I returned to California and they were not available in my locale.

On our way out, Robin and I posed for pix of "chicks among the chicks". Rooster's was a fun place and a happy, lucky find.

On the way to Rooster's I had spotted metal sculptures of cattle in a field near the road. After our meal we looked for them on the way back and could not see them. They were in a pasture that was a bit depressed below road level. Robin made a U-turn and humored me by backtracking in the opposite direction so I could take some photos. 

Upon research I learned that this prominent cattle sculpture in Hennessey, Oklahoma is located in Bull Foot Park. Bull Foot Station in Hennessey, once a re-supply stop on the Chisholm Trail, is now a park with a cattle drive sculpture garden. This park holds historical significance as a former supply and watering point for drovers on the Chisholm Trail. The sculpture itself is a representation of the historical cattle drive that once passed through the area. These metal sculptures were quasi-two dimensional and not as powerful and extensive as the three dimensional bronze sculptures in Oklahoma City depicting the land rush. These cattle however, were worth taking note for their historical significance and for the just plain whimsy they provide seeing them scattered across the field. 

For comparison here is a photo of part of the Oklahoma Centennial Land Run Monument. This sculpture was erected in 2019 and features either 45 or 47 bronze statues, each one being "one-and-a-half times life-size". The work depicts "horsemen and wagons racing over the Oklahoma landscape", with a total area slightly "larger than a football field".

Wednesday Final Day of Class and Drive Home
Robin and I told our husbands that three days of quilting in a row was a lot and that we would probably head home early on the final day, if we stayed at all. We stayed. We stayed for the entire three day class.  The following photo shows our progress and the post in my DianeLves2Quilt blog dated 8/7/25 tells more details.

Thursday July 24:  Games and Prep to Leave
Both Robin and Jeremy had to work so Frank and I were at their home with the kids. Autumn was ensconced in her room most of the time as befits someone within months of turning 13. Isaiah had video games to keep him engaged. Frank and I needed to pack. We did take breaks though and played Quirkle with Isaiah; he was within one Quirkle of winning per the score sheet. Later when Robin was home we did a jigsaw puzzle.

Friday Jul 25: Posed Photos and Travel
Robin came home from work on her lunch time to take Frank and me to the airport. We posed for commemorative photos on the front porch: Frank and me with Robin and then Frank and me with Autumn and Isaiah.

Then we present the hug series. Jeremy was at work and so missed out on the love fest but we'd said our goodbyes to him earlier in the morning.

Our flight home was to be direct with only one stop in Phoenix. That changed though and so we had to get off and switch planes. The flight number stayed the same but the physical plane was different and left from a nearby gate. We thought this to be a somewhat weird turn of events, but not an unexpected glitch in travel plans. Apparently there was something wrong with the plane we'd been on initially. Ignorance is bliss. We flew back to San Jose relatively on time and took an Uber home from the airport.

Trip Aftermath
We rested up on Saturday, and on Sunday we were to go bowling with Alex. There was one more lingering memento from the trip. Vintage Crafts & Gifts from Typer TX was one of the vendors from the quilt show. Robin bought a stuffed rabbit for Alex. It was a big hit. The bunny even went bowling with us.

Moulin Rouge

Saturday, July 12, Frank and I went to see the musical Moulin Rouge at the San Jose Center for the Performing Arts. The first half was very colorful and lively but I was so glad we had researched it beforehand to know what was going on. 

We are season ticket holders, but had a new experience this time. Frank was feeling a bit ill, so we did not return to the theatre after intermission. Instead we watched the show from a big screen in the lobby. This set up is for people who are not allowed to return to their seats if they are late and also for ushers to watch and get their cues for actions they must take. True, the situation was not as good as being in the live theater, but it did have several perks. We had more room, comfortable soft seats, and we could eat while watching. Also, it was interesting to observe the behind-the-scenes responsibilities of the ushers. As the saying goes, "If life give you lemons, make lemonade." 

Attending these events has become routine for us. We have this parking spot pre-purchase-on-your-cell phone system in place now, so the stress has gone from the "Where do we leave the car?" scenario. FYI, Frank recovered sufficiently that the drive home was uneventful. 

Ponder: Great Big Beautiful Life

Great Big Beautiful Life ©2025 is by Emily Henry, a New York Times best selling author. The novel was also a recommended selection from Reese's Book Club, which usually aligns with my reading tastes. Amazon readers rated this book 4.3 out of 5 stars. I read this book while on a trip and it was engaging enough to keep me drawn in, despite travel distractions. The overview presented on the front flap of the book cover is:

Alice Scott is an eternal optimist still dreaming of her big writing break. Hayden Anderson is a Pulitzer-prize winning human thundercloud. And they’re both on balmy Little Crescent Island for the same reason: to write the biography of a woman no one has seen in years—or at least to meet with the octogenarian who claims to be the Margaret Ives. Tragic heiress, former tabloid princess, and daughter of one of the most storied (and scandalous) families of the twentieth century. 

Despite all the preceding accolades, I rate this book only three stars. Following are my misgivings about this novel that led to my somewhat average rating.

The interactions between Alice and Hayden are first amusing and later unbelievable. Initially jealously eying each other as competition for a juicy job, they grow to admire and appreciate each other's skills. Then they appreciate each other sexually - sort of - but not really - but, then again maybe - but perhaps, maybe not - really? - is that it?...

The early background of both Alice and Hayden is alluded to but never explained fully. Alice has/had an ill younger sister but the medical cause is never fully revealed. It is hinted that Hayden has a mother who possibly suffered from depression but hid it well. Perhaps these aspects of each of their lives were presented to give causality for each's actions and hesitancies. Yet I felt they were loose ends the novel never fully addressed.
 
The family background of Margaret Ives is convoluted, complicated, and hard to follow. Alice herself admits in Chapter 15.

"Right." It's going to be tricky keeping all of this straight. The book will need a family tree up front, with dates, for easy reference. "So, Frederick is1904, Francine is 1905, and then  Ruth Allen is born in secret in..." I check my notes. "Nineteen twenty-eight or twenty-nine?"

But once I could beat down my obsessive compulsive side that needs to understand all, I could let go and enjoy the story without absorbing the familial details. Future readers, your grasp of the family history is not critical for reading enjoyment. Learn to let go earlier on than I did.

The big reveal was a so-what for me. Not to reveal any spoilers here, but the climax was just a hillock in the foothills and not a mountain peak that had been summited. I was disappointed with the ending.

I will admit, that despite the challenging environment traveling often presents for reading, I was eager to soldier on and finish the book. Nevertheless, I rate Great Big Beautiful Life three stars.

★★★☆☆ Better than average; not a waste of time

Ponder: Just for the Summer

The premise of Just for the Summer ©2024 by Abby Jimenez follows the philosophy of opening a jar of pickles. The first person ties with all his strength, unsuccessfully, to open the jar. The next person who tries, twists if off easily. So it seems to be with Justin and Emma. Every person each of them dates, once they breakup, finds his/her true love with the next relationship. So here is a thought... What if Emma and Justin date each other? Then each is sure to find true love with the next person after they break up with each other.

Emma is a traveling nurse, staying only for short periods at each assignment. This arrangement suits her fine. As a child, she had a mother who would periodically abandon her for long periods of time and consequently she had learned to not count on people. Justin is a techy type guy and wants to recapture the conditions that have prevailed when each of them broke up with a former boyfriend/girlfriend. His spreadsheets of data to replicate situations — how many dates, type of kissing, favored activities, meal preferences — are amusing. The trouble is, he starts to fall for Emma and does not want to conclude the dating plan because it might end in them splitting up. Justin has commitments to his younger siblings that do not leave him unfettered to follow Emma in her shifting job locations. She can't stay; he can't go; hence the dilemma.

A fun twist to the plot is that Emma is staying on an island during this present assignment; access to and from it is limited to transport by a rickety pontoon boat. Each date is carefully planned and timed — and often thwarted. As the final date nears completion, Justin stalls and does not want to fulfill the agreed-upon-terms to end their relationship. This book. although enjoyable, did not appeal to me as much as a previous book I read by this author, Say You'll Remember Me, reviewed in my blog post for 7/14/25. Just for the Summer had more comedic situations that made me smile, but it dragged a bit for me in the middle. I cared about Emma and Justin. I just wanted them to get on with it already!

★★★☆☆ Better than average; not a waste of time