Barry Manilow.

Time/evolution really changes the way we do things, doesn't it?  Right now I am thinking about scrapbooking. 

Remember when scrapbooking and Creative Memories first came on the scene?  What a fun idea that was!  And then it changed a little ... the style of scrapbooking changed ... the color schemes, paper and embellishments changed - so much that then it looked like all those books you had put together already looked dated.  I didn't like that part.  In fact, my first two scrapbooks that I ever made (Creative Memories style about 22 years ago) are so crazy/goofy with way too many stickers, way too many "puppet people" (as my sister Spring calls them) that I have every intention of taking them apart and doing them again.  With lots less stickers, lots less cutting out my peeps, and much more clean, classic pages.  (I have learned that lesson, by the way.  I tend to be much more classic and simple when I scrapbook.  But does anybody still scrapbook?  Because then along came digital and BLOGGING and with that, you store your pictures online, you can create scrapbooks online, and can even have your blog made into a book ... which I do plan on doing one of these days.)

But heaven forbid we get rid of our scrapbooking supplies.  As I have been clearing out and organizing (don't worry, one of these days it will be all done and I won't have to keep harping about that subject ... but for now, and maybe for a little while, I have every intention of continuing and that is partly what this post is about),  I have realized that I have so many scrapbooking supplies.  At one point I had actually signed up to be a Creative Memories consultant so I had bought the consultant's kit with all its goodies and excess.  I bought every cutter they had and extra albums and die cuts.  I wanted to be completely prepared for classes.  Then I found out I was pregnant with my 5th baby and I was already overwhelmed with my terrible two year old and I thought, How in the world do you think you can do this, Polly?  So I decided against the whole consultant idea, but I had sure acquired a lot of stuff just thinking about it!

Last weekend, I bought a fabulous shelving unit from IKEA.  I am so completely in love with it, I wish I had more wall space to buy some more.  It holds so much ... maybe even all of my scrapbooking stuff along with all of my boxes of photos.  (I say maybe because it is still in the process.)

Kay, wow, what was I going to post about?????

Oh yeah, Barry Manilow.  So back in the days of scrapbook classes, one of the little tips they taught us was how to preserve all those fun school items that your children bring home (you can't keep them on the fridge forever).  Storing all of those paintings and projects just isn't feasible so they suggested that you take a picture of your child with that wonderful art project and then toss it.  A picture is worth a thousand words, right?  I thought it was a great idea.  So when I came across this Barry Manilow poster, which has never been hung, and has probably been in my storage room rolled up for over a decade, I had the brilliant idea to take a picture of it and then toss it.

Why?  I don't know.  But I figured I would document it since I had had it for so many years.  And it did remind me of the good old days and how in love I was with Barry Manilow, and I can't even believe that I have never blogged about him before when he surely must have been on my original list of happy little things!

My first Barry concert was when I was about 16 or 17.  My friend Marilyn, my brother Drew, and my cousin Mandy and I all went to see him on Long Island.  He was a tiny little speck on the stage and we didn't even have binoculars.  His mother was in the audience that night too and Barry had her stand up and wave.  We all waved back and were just so happy to be there.

Another time he was coming to BYU. There was a concert Friday night and one Saturday night.  I went to both of them and could have kicked myself for not joining the choir that year since he had the BYU choir sing on stage with him.

A good friend of mine and I had the same wedding anniversary, so we took our husbands to see Barry Manilow together, twice. 

I have seen him with Diane at the Greek Theater in Hollywood, here in Salt Lake a few years ago too, but the last time I saw Barry Manilow in concert, I must say, was the best time I saw Barry Manilow in concert. It was in Las Vegas, with my friend Tracy.

She called me up one day and said that she had been comped a few free nights at the brand new Palazzo Hotel and would I like to join her for the weekend.  "Let's go see Barry Manilow's show at the Hilton.  I can get really great seats, like second row!"

Yes please.

As we were standing in line waiting for a taxi to take us to the Hilton, Tracy suggested that we take a limo.  She said, "I have never riden in a limo before.  I don't want to wait in line.  It'll be my treat."

Yes please.

She flagged the limo, we rode (all of) the ten minutes down the few blocks it took to get to the Hilton in style, and walked down the isle of the theater to our second row seats.  Part way through the concert I leaned over to Tracy and said, "I can not believe that after all these years of loving Barry Manilow, and all these concerts later, I am this close to him.  I could reach out and touch him."

Now that is the way to see a concert.