A Dazzling Christmas

Posted by Jennifer

Disco may be dead, but I don’t care. I can’t resist the funky brass, schmaltzy strings, and driving rhythms that make you wanna dance, dance dance.

I don’t even try to hide this embarrassing infatuation. In high school I drove around in my powder blue Ford Tempo to the tunes of K.C. and the Sunshine Band on a mixed tape I dubbed from one of my mom’s records. In fact, I was the one who requested “Get Down Tonight” at my senior prom. (Well, actually I requested “I’m Your Boogie Man” but the D.J. didn’t have it- go figure!)

Maybe I was born too late- not only did I miss Disco, I missed out on Roller Disco. I love to roller skate and got a beautiful pair of skates from David last Christmas- but it’s just not the same to skate under a glitter ball to hip hop or country music at the local rink.

Piecing my interests together in the insightful way only he can, David suggested one day, “You know, you’d probably like to read Dazzler.” Having read a lot of comic books when he was younger, David knew about this rather obscure character and hit the nail on the head when he said I’d like to read about her adventures. We picked up a few issues from comic book stores and antiques stores and I was instantly hooked by all the 70’s kitsch.

Dazzler, aka Alison Blaire, is a Marvel mutant who can transduce sound into light. Her lifelong dream is to be a singing star and she uses her super power as special effects for her stage act. If that wasn’t enough, she also roller skates across the stage in a silver outfit complete with disco ball necklace and beautiful blue face paint. She doesn’t want to fight super villains but invariably ends up engaged in battle one way or another, even if it's only a night club brawl with a team of mean Roller Derby gals. Of course, this is all much to the chagrin of her father, Judge Carter Blaire, who envisioned his daughter following his footsteps toward a prestigious law career.

Reading Dazzler is one of those silly little joys in my life, but it takes time to collect all the issues from a series which ended long ago. My sweet husband found the Essential Dazzler collection and gave it to me for Christmas. All of the Dazzler issues are reprinted in these two volumes. Needless to say, I was excited!

But the surprise factor there hardly compares to the surprise I got from the next gift. When I first pulled back the wrapping paper I was scared. It looked like the sort of enormous character bust that only obsessed comic fans or extreme collectors would have- and have 100 of. But I bravely forged onward and was pleasantly surprised to find that the sculpture was modestly sized, about like the top half of a Barbie doll, complete with disco ball necklace and swirling light super power in action. So now I am the proud owner of a resin bust of Dazzler even with a certificate of authenticity. Look out, world; we’re two Disco Divas who never say die!

Mæander Television Debut?

Posted by Jennifer

You may recall that back in the summer we were lucky enough to get tickets to attend Antiques Roadshow in Raleigh, NC. Well, programming for Season 14 of Antiques Roadshow has been scheduled, so mark your calendars, dog-ear the pages of your TV guide, do what you must to remember to tune in!

We have no guarantee that we’ll be on the show at all, but you may see us in the background with our instruments or, if we’re lucky, they’ll air our quick remarks from their feedback booth at the end of one of the episodes.

Tune into PBS on Monday nights at 8:00pm EST on the following dates for your opportunity to see Maeander on TV!

• Monday, January 4, 2010
• Monday, January 11, 2010
• Monday, January 18, 2010

Remember, even if we don’t make it on the air, there are lots of good surprises in store. Antiques Roadshow’s visit to Raleigh was a record-breaker, both in terms of attendance, and in featuring the most valuable item ever appraised on the show!

Riders in the Sky

Posted by David

It’s the end of the year and you’re very much in need of some good ole western tunes with some Christmas cheer sprinkled throughout. Who do you turn to now that Gene Autry and Roy Rogers have moved on to greener pastures? Why, you call Riders in the Sky that’s who! For over thirty years the two-time Grammy Award winners Riders in the Sky have continued to carry the flame passed on by great western cowboys, Gene Autry and Roy Rogers. All these years of performing, recording movie soundtracks, staring in their own Saturday morning television show, hosting their own XM radio show, and winning Grammy Awards have finally lead them to Washington, North Carolina.

We had the privilege of watching the Riders in the Sky at the newly renovated Turnage Theater in downtown Washington. The air was crisp and cool on the waterfront, but a slice of pizza from La Bella helped warm us up as we sat at one of the outside tables in front of the restaurant. Even an hour before the show, the streets were busy with cowboys and cowgirls of every age. Little saddle pals dressed in their best western digs accompanied by older cow hands lined the sidewalks of the cozy waterfront town. We haven’t seen that many handlebar mustaches and five gallon hats together in one place before. The Riders gave us many western and Christmas standards to enjoy along with their wacky humor and Western wit. The concert was even educational; we learned what Santa does during the summer, what kind of shirt looks best with a ‘cac-tie’, and now we know who really started the rumor that ‘Paul is Dead’.

After the show, the audience had the opportunity to chat with the Riders and have their pictures taken. As you can see by these photos, we left feeling like true saddle pals with the Riders in the Sky.

III Century Singers

Posted by Jenny

This year we finally got to enjoy a performance by the III Century Singers. And enjoy it we did! Our colleague and friend, Dr. Diane Kester, has invited us many times to hear the group of which she is a part to perform, but other social engagements had always gotten in the way. We were determined not to miss out on their Christmas concert this year and so it was with great joy we were able to attend the performance on Sunday, December 6 at First Baptist Church in downtown Goldsboro.

When we walked in and saw the crowd gathered inside to hear the singers, we knew we must be in for a treat. As the orchestra came out to tune and warm up we were delighted to see that Querida Thompson, a member of our church and the clarinetist at our wedding, was performing as well. After the orchestra was settled, out came the singers. We didn’t realize how many people were involved; it was a large group full of baritones and tenors and altos and sopranos all dressed elegantly in black amid the warm glow of the church.

The group performed a variety of Christmas carols and religious songs before the orchestra departed at intermission. During the second half, the singers performed with piano accompaniment and violin on one song which merged Pachelbel’s Cannon in D with a familiar Christmas tune. They finished off with lively songs about St. Nick and fully deserved the encore the crowd demanded. It was truly a treat to be there and to be filled with the Christmas spirit through song!