Ok kids, here's your mission for today. It's sort of a "feed your head" mission. Today your job is to go learn something that you don't know. It doesn't have to be big, just something that maybe you've wondered about in the past. Maybe you want to learn what Spam is made of. Perhaps you've wondered about the mystery behind Glenn Miller's death. What's the best f-stop for early evening low-light photography? I don't know. You tell me. You've got the internet at your fingertips. And I know that you know how to use it.
Ok. Got it? Good. Now go out and learn something new today. Trust me. It'll be fun.
Today, I've chosen to learn why Jimmy Durante always said "Good Night, Mrs. Calabash--wherever you are!" at the end of every broadcast.
Care to know about this yourself?
From http://www.skypoint.com/members/schutz19/durante.htm
"GOOD NIGHT, Mrs. Calabash--wherever you are!"
For years, Jimmy Durante ended his radio and television shows with that unusual sign-off. Most people thought the mysterious Mrs. Calabash must have been some fictional character that Durante dreamed up just to tease his audiences. But longtime residents of Calabash, North Carolina believe otherwise. The folks in this town will tell you she was a real person with a real name--and a fascinating story to boot. They claim that Mrs. Calabash was really a local woman named Lucille "Lucy" Coleman.
In 1940, Lucy was 28 years old and running a restaurant in Calabash, then a tiny seaside community bordering South Carolina. Durante and his touring entertainment troupe are said to have stopped in for supper one night. It may have been the genuine homespun friendliness of the young restaurant owner that prompted the gregarious Jimmy Durante to beckon Lucy over to his table for some short chitchat. "I'm going to make you famous," vowed Durante, thinking she recognized his well-known face. (In fact, at that moment, she didn't even know who he was!) Lucy's daughter, Clarice Holden, says she will never forget what happened next.
SECRET SIGN OFF
"As Mr. Durante and his group were walking out the door after their meal," Clarice recalls,"he turned to my mom and said, 'Good night Mrs. Calabash.' " It wasn't long afterward that this popular entertainer began signing off his radio shows with a similar message. For years, audiences enjoyed this rather lighthearted farewell mystery. By the time of Durante's death in 1980, it had become one of his trademarks, almost as recognizable as his big "schnozzola". But while that sign-off may have remained a mystery to most folks, Calabash residents believe it was Durante's way of saying to Mrs. Coleman, "Hi, Lucy--I remember you, if you're still out there now."
Lucy Coleman passed away in 1989, nearly 50 years after her meeting with Jimmy Durante. Calabash residents note that Lucy recognized the significance of Durante's little secret message but preferred to stay out of the limelight. She had no desire to claim credit as the real "Mrs. Calabash." "Mom was a very private person," recalls Clarice, "She didn't speak much about her 'Mrs. Calabash' entity, and declined all interviews and all invitations to appear on television."
Apparently, Durante's popularity was so great that he could immortalize a prim Southern restaurant keeper. But neither he nor anyone else could get her to talk
Posted by Buzz at August 14, 2003 07:23 AMheh.. I'll take the Buzz challenge..
But what don't I know.. Hmm lemme see..
Ok.. I am going to learn how to say
'hello, my name is Sonia and I love to blog'
in 10 different languages...
I'll be back later when I have had my lesson hehe
Even though it's WAY too early to actually be thinking, I'll take up the challenge. I'm going to research the history of the Perseids Meteor Showers, which are currently happenening.
Posted by: judi at August 14, 2003 08:28 AMI'll take you up on that challenge... but I'll let ya know my subject later.... for now... I have to get two kids out the door and myself to work.
-d
Posted by: d at August 14, 2003 08:58 AMMy subject is going to be to find out why Michigan is in the Eastern time zone when geographically we should be central.
Posted by: Alexia at August 14, 2003 09:18 AMI'm going to find out if my dad is trying to kill me with all this hammering and lifting and shoveling, etc.
Nevermind, I know he is...
Today, I'll learn about building a patio. Now that I am deckless I need to think about the patio that I want and I have NO CLUE what goes into building a patio. I am going to learn some patio building basics and hopefully find some interesting designs along the way.
And Buzzy...I LOVE THIS IDEA! This is right up my alley...thanks for suggesting it!
Posted by: Kathy Howe at August 14, 2003 09:43 AMI cheated, and sent my question to the Library of Michigan's reference librarian. Too much crap to go through most of which is useless. Contrary to popular belief, Google (nor the other "search engines") are not good, at least not from a librarian's point of view. Give me controlled vocabulary searching any day of the week!
Posted by: Alexia at August 14, 2003 10:31 AMI'm on my way to work - it's a 30 minute drive, I'll take the challenge on and think of what I need to discover today. I think it better be positive, because I'm not feeling that right now and I need some spunk right now before I hit bottom.
Posted by: Susan at August 14, 2003 10:31 AMI'll take up your challenge, but I've gotta think about it. The only thing I can come up with right now is that I'm going to learn how much I have to spend on school supplies today, and I don't think that's quite what you had in mind.
Posted by: TW at August 14, 2003 10:56 AMI read this very early this am and I'm still thinking about something to learn..... let ya know later.
Posted by: etherian at August 14, 2003 12:42 PMOk - inspired by Empress, I've written a post on what I learned. I better get an "A" for this.
Posted by: etherian at August 14, 2003 01:59 PMLEARNED! ENJOYED IT! POSTED IT! TRYING NOT TO FORGET IT!
lol
-d
Last week we flew in to LAX (Los Angeles Airport), and I really wanted to know what the X stands for.
I think I found out that it's just a letter to make the LA airport into a 3 letter code. No one had any better answer. If you know a better one, I'd like to know.
I'll research again, but I really thought that people who work there should know!
Posted by: Cassie-B at August 14, 2003 04:22 PMI wussed out. I learned nothing today, and didn't want to. My last hope is to watch Judge Judy and maybe run up on some strange state statute or something.
Posted by: TW at August 14, 2003 04:25 PMI studied other MT users' comments forms, and think I've figured out how to include smileys / emoticons into my own blog. Don't be surprised to see any of yours or Empress' over at my site in the next few days.
I also learned that I can do only one very small productive thing at work today, and still charge eight hours to the project for it, cause the developers haven't fixed all their bugs, yet.
LAX - Los Angeles Express. Yea. Thanks blogger with the answer (Megan at MegChem)
Posted by: Cassie-B at August 14, 2003 06:19 PMI'm way off base, but mine was self discovery... I learned more about myself today - a new lesson every day.
Posted by: Susan at August 14, 2003 07:06 PMSuch a great idea Buzz!
It's a little too easy for me since I learn new things every day - nature of my work.
I'll choose the coolest thing I learned today and post it.
:)
Posted by: Mala at August 14, 2003 07:13 PMThanks sooo much! I finally got off my but and taught myself something I wanted to learn.
Posted by: Adelle at August 14, 2003 08:18 PMWOOHOO! I'M SMARTER TONIGHT THAN I WAS THIS MORNING!
thanks buzz...this was fun...and a great idea that really inspired me on my patio project. Go read kazoofus for the details.
:)
Posted by: Kathy Howe at August 14, 2003 10:23 PM
-d: How do you feel about being Governor of Indiana?
[Buzz it]
Global Warming, my ass!
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