Singing in the Bathroom

Earlier this week, on her daytime talk show, Ellen Degeneres announced her 'Singing in the Bathroom' contest. She had discovered a couple of young, beautiful women on youtube who sing pop songs in their bathroom and then post the performances.
(you can see their Ellen bathroom performance:
http://www.youtube.com/)
Since then, Ellen has sung in the bathroom with several of her recording artist guests. The prize for this contest is a trip to Hollywood to sing in the bathroom with Ellen.

When she made her announcement I immediately thought about the first time I discovered the art of singing in the bathroom. I was in 4th grade and had been given a solo in the chorus concert at school. I practiced and practiced that song. I'm certain that it sounded better in our downstairs bathroom than anywhere else.
I just had to submit an audition, so I asked my friend Patti to help. This is our video. It is a recreation of me singing that then-contemporary song. Patti sings the chorus part. (no, the chorus was never in my bathroom, but...)

When I hear it now, the song, "One Tin Soldier" seems so serious for a 4th grader. At the time, I'm pretty sure I didn't pay any attention to what I was singing, just that I got to sing a solo.

Hello Ellen, here we come!

Be good,
Scott

Everything old is new again

This past fall as I was cooling down from one of my morning runs, I came across 'free stuff'. You know, the pile of stuff by the side of the road with the handmade sign saying 'FREE'. One of the houses in the neighborhood was being renovated and each day something new, rather old, was put out for the taking. This particular day I found a piece of furniture that had been a built-in desk. I liked it but couldn't really justify taking it. What was I going to do with it?
But, that afternoon I was still thinking about it. So, I got into my car and loaded it into the trunk.
It had sat in the garage for the last 5 months, in pieces.

I finally decided to tackle it. My friend Elynne had sent me an electric fireplace insert, which I ahd used as a heater, but it lacked character. The desk would become the new home for the fireplace insert.

After getting the desk back together, I still had a bit of work to box in the sides, build a 'hearth', make an inner frame and paint it, antique it (there was no way it was going to ever look new and fresh) and wax it.
It turned out beautifully.I used the scalloping of the leg and drawer shapes to dictate the design. I selected a print of one of my paintings that has similar shapes and covered the inset frame with it. I was even able to maintain a working drawer.
Be good,
Scott