Olivia Newton John

P.S.41 - The Greenwhich Village school- had a 5th grade talent show- and I got to lip sync 2 songs by Olivia Newton John. I wanted to be her! Grease had come out the year before, and all the kids said I looked like her. Boy Did I want to believe that. Grease! What a great movie, and growing up watching my dad perform in Dance With Me- a play all about the 50's greasers and excellent music. I always learned all the lyrics. It felt natural. Grease was like Romeo and Juliet in a way. I loved the Drama. All the characters- Teenage life in the 5th grade, so intriguing. I must have watched that movie a 100 times. I knew every word to every song, so naturally I picked one song from Grease and one song from her personal album "OLIVIA" ; "A little More Love."

That was a good year for me in Mr. Smiths' Class, I had loyal friends and I felt secure in my world. It took me years to get that back after my dad left when I was about three years old. Funny to look back, because now that I am thinking about it in 6th grade I did a night club act for my dads friend Seth Allen, and I really sang "One way or another" by Blondie- with a live band- at the 42nd st Cafe and Susan Tyrell was in it too, Said she would try to have her friend Debbie Harry come to see me- but that never happened. I did see Debbie a few times walking along Bleeker st. and I smiled really big. And in 10th grade at The Mcburney Talent Show - I lip synced Madonna's "Lucky Star". I truly wanted to be a rockstar , however I couldn;t sing for shit. We often put on shows for my parents and the neighbors. I always loved music since really little. My mom told me once that my dad had this cassette deck with speakers in a leather carry case, it was fancy - a Sony. My dad would set me in the middle of the two speakers blasting the Beatles, the Moody Blues and the Doors. My entire life has a sound track. Olivia will live in my soul for ever. SO much going on these days as far as loss, cancer and life. It truly is about living for the day. There are no guaranties for anyone. My husband of 30+yrs has been recieving chemo treatments every three weeks now since late March. He had lung cancer about 5 yr.s ago and he beat that. I have faith he will beat this one- but we never know do we - how it all pans out is something of a great mystery in this wild world we live in. My father left this world too soon, 73 feels young to me! Forever Young. Rest In Peace Beautiful Woman- Olivia Newton John.