On Gene Kelly and GRAND Social No. 77

It's Monday, which means it's GRAND Social time! Thank you for coming by for the link party.

Before I kick off GRAND Social No. 77, though, I need to ask for your input on something extra special. I have some great opportunities coming up in the next two weeks — including a Bloggy Boot Camp conference this weekend and the Starz Denver Film Festival which begins this Wednesday and runs through Nov. 17. It's the latter that I need your input on.

As part of the Starz Denver Film Festival, I will be interviewing Patricia Kelly, the widow of Gene Kelly. Yes, that Gene Kelly. Crazy, huh!? She emailed me to introduce herself in advance of the festival, and we've planned an email interview (unfortunately our schedules conflict, preventing an in-person chat) for an exclusive Q&A to be published here for you, the Grandma's Briefs readers.

And that's where you come in: I want to know what questions you would like asked of Patricia Kelly. She will be at the festival to present GENE KELLY: THE LEGACY, so please watch the following trailer for the performance. Then leave a comment below on what you would like me to ask Mrs. Kelly about the presentation, her life with Gene Kelly or about Mr. Kelly himself. You can also email me your questions today, if you prefer. Either way, I'll fit in as many questions from Grandma's Briefs readers as I can when I conduct my once-in-a-lifetime interview with Patricia Kelly.

I look forward to your questions!

And now... GRAND Social No. 77.

How it works:

• All grandparent bloggers are invited to add a link. You don't have to blog about grandparenting, just be a grandparent who blogs.

• To link up a post, copy the direct URL to the specific post — new or old — that you want to share, not the link to your blog's home page. Then click the blue button below marked "Add your link" and follow the directions.

• You can add up to three posts, but no duplicates, contests, giveaways, or Etsy sites, please.

• Adding a mention such as This post linked to the GRAND Social to your linked posts is appreciated. Or, you can post the GRAND Social button anywhere on your page using the following code:

<a rel="nofollow" href="/" target="blank"><img src="http://grandmasbriefs.squarespace.com/storage/GRANDsocialbutton.jpg " alt="Grandma’sBriefs.com" width="125" height="125" /></a>

• The GRAND Social linky accepts posts through Wednesday evening, so please come back to see those added after your first visit.


• If you're not a blogger, you have the pleasure of being a reader. Those sharing a link would be honored to have you visit, read and, if so moved, comment, even if just a "Hey, stopping by from the GRAND Social." Bloggers who link are encouraged to visit the links of other bloggers and do the same.
  

Spooky science experiments plus GRAND Social link party No. 76

With only a few days left until Halloween, it's time to squeeze in a bit more holiday fun with the kids before the creepy occasion has come and gone.

I received some Halloween treats from Kiddie Academy and with their permission, I'm sharing one with you today. It's a booklet of Spooky Science experiments using items you likely have around the house. Click on the following graphic to access the .pdf file (you'll need the free Adobe reader), then print it — or save to your computer — and try one or more  of the Halloween-themed experiments with the kids at your place.

Because my grandsons are far away, I've not tried these experiments with them, so please do share your success stories with me once you sample the spooky science fun with your kiddos. Enjoy!

Time now for GRAND Social No. 76. Thank you for participating!

How it works:

• All grandparent bloggers are invited to add a link. You don't have to blog specifically about grandparenting, just be a grandparent who blogs.

• To link up a post, copy the direct URL to the specific post — new or old — that you want to share, not the link to your blog's home page. Then click the blue button marked with "Add your link" below and follow the directions.

• You can add up to three posts, but no duplicates, contests, giveaways, or Etsy sites, please.

• Adding a mention such as This post linked to the GRAND Social to your linked posts is appreciated. Or, you can post the GRAND Social button anywhere on your page using the following code:

<a rel="nofollow" href="/" target="blank"><img src="http://grandmasbriefs.squarespace.com/storage/GRANDsocialbutton.jpg " alt="Grandma’sBriefs.com" width="125" height="125" /></a>

• The GRAND Social linky is open for new posts through Wednesday evening, so please come back to see those added after your first visit.


• If you're not a blogger, you have the pleasure of being a reader. Bloggers who link up would be honored to have one and all — other bloggers as well as readers — visit, read and, if so moved, comment, even if just a "Hey, stopping by from the GRAND Social."

I'm baaack... as is GRAND Social No. 75

I'm back from visiting my grandsons in the desert. My bottom-line wrap-up: 'Twas a short but sweet time together.

In the four days I had with Bubby, Mac, Megan and Preston (plus Roxy the dog, too), I came away with 2,068 photos and 14 videos on my camera, plus 41 photos on my iPhone.

I'll be sharing those captured moments in months to come — so many recorded as it will be several months before I see the boys again — but today I want to share this one, which I think just might be my favorite of the massive bunch:

Oh, how I love these boys!

If you follow Grandma's Briefs on Facebook, you likely already saw this precious shot of the snuggle-bunny brothers. You may have even seen it in my sidebar (over there to the right), as I couldn't help but make it my new "Who's Who" shot of Gramma's favorite boys. Call it overkill, if you will; I call it a perfect picture I simply had to share again and again.

I hope your time while I was away was equally picture perfect, and I thank you again and again for joining me for this week's GRAND Social No. 75!

How it works:

• All grandparent bloggers are invited to add a link. You don't have to blog specifically about grandparenting, just be a grandparent who blogs.

• To link up a post, copy the direct URL to the specific post — new or old — that you want to share, not the link to your blog's home page. Then click the blue button marked with "Add your link" below and follow the directions.

• You can add up to three posts, but no duplicates, contests, giveaways, or Etsy sites, please.

• Adding a mention such as This post linked to the GRAND Social to your linked posts is appreciated. Or, you can post the GRAND Social button anywhere on your page using the following code:

<a rel="nofollow" href="/" target="blank"><img src="http://grandmasbriefs.squarespace.com/storage/GRANDsocialbutton.jpg " alt="Grandma’sBriefs.com" width="125" height="125" /></a>

• The GRAND Social linky is open for new posts through Wednesday evening, so please come back to see those added after your first visit.


• If you're not a blogger, you have the pleasure of being a reader. Bloggers who link up would be honored to have one and all — other bloggers as well as readers — visit, read and, if so moved, comment, even if just a "Hey, stopping by from the GRAND Social."

• For another grandparent linky, visit Connie's Say It Saturday Link Party each Saturday.

GRAND Social No. 74, plus a 'Shrek The Musical' discount

Welcome to GRAND Social No. 74. That's seven four... SEVENTY-FOUR.

For 74 weeks running, I've hosted a link party for grandparent bloggers and readers. And the surprising thing? For 74 weeks, bloggers and readers have joined me! Meaning super posts from super grandparent bloggers have been shared then read by equally super readers.

Very cool. Thank you all very much for making the GRAND Social such a success. And thank you for showing up once again for today's GRAND Social.

Before kicking off GRAND Social No. 74, though, I'd like to share with you a great deal for those who are already working on their holiday shopping. Or for those who just plain like Shrek and would enjoy this Broadway production that received eight 2009 Tony Award® nominations including Best Musical, winning Best Costume Design of a Musical and received a Grammy Award® nomination for Best Musical Show Album.

Shrek The Musical, from DreamWorks, is out on Deluxe Blu-ray and DVD tomorrow. I honestly had no idea until being contacted that there was such a show, but I've been promised I have a review copy on its way to me and I will soon post my review. But in celebration of the DVD going on sale tomorrow, Tuesday October 15, I have a discount code to share with you in advance of my review — just so if you planned to get Shrek The Musical, you get the deal.

Here it is... a code for 20 percent off Shrek The Musical when purchasing from FoxConnect. Just note the corresponding code below, then click here to purchase either the single-disc DVD ($12.99 before discount) or the Blu-ray Deluxe Edition ($18.99 before discount). Note: Those are not affiliate links.

Stay tuned for my review of Shrek The Musical, coming soon to a Grandma's Briefs page near you.

And now, for today's main attraction ... drum roll ...

GRAND Social No. 74!

Again, thank you for joining me.

How it works:

• All grandparent bloggers are invited to add a link. You don't have to blog specifically about grandparenting, just be a grandparent who blogs.

• To link up a post, copy the direct URL to the specific post — new or old — that you want to share, not the link to your blog's home page. Then click the blue button marked with "Add your link" below and follow the directions.

• You can add up to three posts, but no duplicates, contests, giveaways, or Etsy sites, please.

• Adding a mention such as This post linked to the GRAND Social to your linked posts is appreciated. Or, you can post the GRAND Social button anywhere on your page using the following code:

<a rel="nofollow" href="/" target="blank"><img src="http://grandmasbriefs.squarespace.com/storage/GRANDsocialbutton.jpg " alt="Grandma’sBriefs.com" width="125" height="125" /></a>

• The GRAND Social linky is open for new posts through Wednesday evening, so please come back to see those added after your first visit.


• If you're not a blogger, you have the pleasure of being a reader. Bloggers who link up would be honored to have one and all — other bloggers as well as readers — visit, read and, if so moved, comment, even if just a "Hey, stopping by from the GRAND Social."

• For another grandparent linky, visit Connie's Say It Saturday Link Party each Saturday.

Running for chocolate and GRAND Social No. 73

I woke up early Sunday morning, still shaking my head in disbelief at having been hugged by Andy Garcia. Two of my daughters, though, were up even earlier — and were off and running in the Hot Chocolate 15/5k in Denver before I even rolled out of bed.

Here, Brianna, Andrea and Andrea's beau, Matt, prepare to run:

And here they enjoy their spoils from having crossed the finish line in "America's sweetest race."

 

Nothing better on a cold day than hot chocolate, right? Great job, guys!

While I don't have chocolate to offer for your participation, I do hope you'll join me for GRAND Social No. 73. On your marks, get set, go...!

How it works:

• All grandparent bloggers are invited to add a link. You don't have to blog specifically about grandparenting, just be a grandparent who blogs.

• To link up a post, copy the direct URL to the specific post — new or old — that you want to share, not the link to your blog's home page. Then click the blue button marked with "Add your link" below and follow the directions.

• You can add up to three posts, but no duplicates, contests, giveaways, or Etsy sites, please.

• Adding a mention such as This post linked to the GRAND Social to your linked posts is appreciated. Or, you can post the GRAND Social button anywhere on your page using the following code:

<a rel="nofollow" href="/" target="blank"><img src="http://grandmasbriefs.squarespace.com/storage/GRANDsocialbutton.jpg " alt="Grandma’sBriefs.com" width="125" height="125" /></a>

• The GRAND Social linky is open for new posts through Wednesday evening, so please come back to see those added after your first visit.


• If you're not a blogger, you have the pleasure of being a reader. Bloggers who link up would be honored to have one and all — other bloggers as well as readers — visit, read and, if so moved, comment, even if just a "Hey, stopping by from the GRAND Social."

• For another grandparent linky, visit Connie's Say It Saturday Link Party each Saturday.

On books, dogs, cars and the benefits of age

Yesterday was a jam-packed day at the Life@50+ Expo. My day started bright and early as I volunteered with 700 or so other Expo attendees for the Community Day of Service, kicked off by James "JB" Brown, Dan Marino and Pepper Schwartz.

Several Atlanta-area organizations were on the slate for us to help out. As promoting literacy has long been a cause near and dear to my heart, it was quite fitting that my service project turned out to be helping sort books for Books for Africa, whose mission is to "collect, sort, ship, and distribute books to students of all ages in Africa. Our goal: to end the book famine in Africa."

 

My day ended with cars and dogs — in the Exhibit Hall. Now, I'm no car enthusiast, but how could these vehicles not catch one's eye?

 

I am a dog enthusiast, though, and one serendipitous moment among the masses was running into pit bull companion dogs and their trainers as I was leaving the hall.

I was tired and I just wanted to hop on the shuttle and head back to the hotel. Instead, these precious pits lured me into a presentation from UnitedHealthcare on the many ways dogs play an active role in keeping humans healthy. Because I own a pit bull-pointer mix and have first-hand knowledge of the bad rap the sweet dogs get (because of irresponsible owners), I was delighted to see pit bulls as the companion dog models for the talk.

 

And in between the books and the cars and dogs, my day was filled with the primary reason for my attendance at the Life@50+ Expo: to learn about all the great offerings from AARPDiscounts.com.

There are far too many discounts and benefits AARP members get for their $16/year membership fee for me to list them all here. Besides, there's an entire AARPDiscounts.com website dedicated to disseminating that information... and in a far fancier manner than what I can offer. There are a few I learned about, though, that I thought might be of particular interest to my Grandma's Briefs friends, including:

Michaels — Save 10% at Michaels Stores on Tuesdays. Every Tuesday.

1-800Flowers.com — Save 20% off or $20 off $79.99 or more.

The UPS Store — Members receive 15% off eligible products and services and 5% off domestic and international UPS shipping services. (Great news for long-distance grandmas shipping gifts for the holidays.)

Movies Unlimited — The long-time video retailer offers rare, classic movies and hard-to-find TV shows on DVD or Blu-ray. As an AARP member, you get an extra 10% off Movies Unlimited’s already reduced prices.

Live Nation Concerts — Get four concert tickets for the price of three.

Ancestry.com — Get free shipping on the results of the $99 DNA test that will reveal your ethnic roots. Enter coupon code AARPDNA13 (expires Oct. 31, 2013).

The AARP Travel Center powered by Expedia — All kinds of deals and specials. All kinds. Click and see.

Norwegian Cruise Line — Through Nov. 1, 2013, get up to $250 to spend on board fleetwide; up to $500 to spend on board when you book a Cruisetour; or a special $100 offer on our newest ship, Norwegian Getaway. Also enjoy up to $1000 in Air Credits; 50% reduced deposit; up to $100 off select sailings. Plus, when it comes to cruising, you can't cruise any cooler than on a Peter Max-bedecked vessel:

 

Getting older definitely has more benefits than I was previously led to believe.

Disclosure: My trip to the Life@50+ Expo was sponsored by AARP Member Advantages, though that takes away from the authenticity of my opinions above not one whit.

Today's question:

What was the highlight of your week?