moonieandme | adventures with my nude lil' dude | Page 4

PCL Rally

Posted on March 24, 2016 by annierhodeisland

The Providence Community Library serves nine different neighborhoods across Providence. It formed in 2009 when the Providence Public Library lacked the resources to keep all of its facilities in operation; a dedicated group of people worked hard to seek support to keep these branches open under a different name and leadership, and it paid off. Nearly seven years later, the nine branches of the PCL serve hundreds of thousands of people, making a difference every day. But they are facing a $100,000 shortfall in the next three months and are seeking $250,000 from the City of Providence to operate.

Here’s where Moonie comes in.

Moonie, you see, is a big fan of libraries. He loves all those rows of books and magazines and DVDs and computers, and he loves even more how kids and adults of all ages can access those resources to learn and laugh and grow. So Moonie led the way today where he planned on being front and center at PCL’s rally at City Hall to ask Mayor Elorza for funding for our important libraries.

Top o’ the Saint Paddy’s Day to You!

Posted on March 17, 2016 by annierhodeisland

This morning, I awoke to a voice in my ear:

“Why don’t you iron four-leaf clovers?”
I rolled over and looked at the clock, which said 5:20 a.m.
“Ugh, Moonie, couldn’t you have waited another hour for the alarm to go off?”
“Because you don’t want to press your luck!” he shouted, undaunted at my morning grumpiness.

He had more.

“What do you get when you cross a shamrock and poison ivy?”
I sighed, stretching. “What, Moonie?”
“A rash of good luck!”

I turned on the light, resigning myself to being up for the day, and was greeted with this sight:

“What is that in your hair?” I asked.
“Saint Patrick’s Day!” Moonie shouted. It was green, and it was shiny. It’s all he needed.

He had more jokes.
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Greg Andreozzi

Posted on March 15, 2016 by annierhodeisland

Moonie’s pal Greg Andreozzi is a sweet, soft-spoken man in person but a sparkplug on the music scene. Greg plays in all kinds of bands, including the KC Moaners and the Juke Joint Blues Band, but he’s most recognizable dressed in red, white and shiny, playing the rubboard and sometimes drums as well for none other than –

“ERB! ERB! ERB!”

Sorry about that; Moonie, who is reading over my shoulder, got a little carried away and started hooting. Yes, none other than Moonie’s favorite local street marching troupe, the Extraordinary Rendition Band. Moonie and I are used to seeing Greg in his badass sunglasses and gloves, strapped into a rubboard, turning his torso into walking percussion in a midst of merry musical misfits. But last Tuesday, at Joanne Lurgio’s wonderful weekly open mic at Pub on Park in Cranston, Moonie got a different view of his ERB pal. We’re used to him handling beats, but this time Greg, a multi-instrumentalist, chose strings – specifically, the autoharp.

And he played two absolutely beautiful instrumental tunes. Moonie’s eyes widened and his mouth dropped open in an “oh” as his normally rockin’ and rollin’ bud sat down to caress his corded zither, coaxing out lovely chords.

LOVE

Posted on March 7, 2016 by annierhodeisland

“LOVE” is a famous pop art sculpture by Robert Indiana that has iconically been reproduced in everything from stamps to album covers. I’ve seen the one in NYC and someday will see the one at the Indianapolis Museum of Art.

Moonie, well, he doesn’t need to travel. He finds love everywhere he goes.

Even Moonie-sized shiny Robert Indiana love.

Marty

Posted on February 28, 2016 by annierhodeisland

Just as Moonie has a human best friend (me), his crow buddy Marty has a human best friend, Greg Klabon. Greg can be spotted managing sound at dozens of live music events each year for the Rhode Island Songwriters Association – and Marty can be found right alongside Greg, headphones on, concentrating on enhancing all the talented singers and songwriters who perform at Brooklyn Coffee and Tea House.

Moonie recently had a chance to catch up with his good pal Marty, who gave Moonie a tour of Marty’s special little set of sound equipment. Soon the two buddies were giggling over music jokes.

Marty

“Why did the musician get arrested?” Marty asked.
“Why?” Moonie asked.
“Because he was in treble!”

They both hooted.

“Did you hear what happened when an E-flat walked into a bar?” Moonie asked.
“No, what happened?” Marty asked.
“The bartender said, ‘Sorry, we don’t serve minors in here!'”

They cracked up.
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MDB at Sneekers

Posted on February 21, 2016 by annierhodeisland

In the 22 months Moonie has lived with me, he’s gotten used to seeing live music three or four times a week. We’ve been slipping making it out to so many shows lately, and when I got home from work on Wednesday he gave me a stern “stay there” look, ducked into his little Moonie workshop, and then came out wearing his fanciest footwear:

“What’s up, little dude?” I asked.
“I’m wearing sneakers ’cause we’re going to Sneekers!”
“We are? What’s at Sneekers?”
“Emmm Deee Beee!” he shouted, running up and down the hallway in his comical kicks.

Moonie has been a big (for his size) fan of Marc Douglas Berardo – or MDB as I call him, or Emmm Deee Beee as Moonie even more enthusiastically calls him – since Moonie got to stay in his very first hotel room and dip in his very first pool when we saw MDB play Tupelo Music Hall in New Hampshire last spring. Since then, he’s seen MDB play everywhere from Waterfall Arts Center in Maine to the Providence Folk Festival to at least a half-dozen shows at MDB’s home base, Perks and Corks in Westerly. But to get to Sneekers, Moonie and I would have to cross state lines into Connecticut. It was rush hour and the show started in less than two hours.

“Let’s roll!” I said.
“Whee!” Moonie hooted, and then promptly tripped on his shoelaces.
“Um, buddy, I don’t think you actually need to wear sneakers to go to Sneekers,” I said, and Moonie happily kicked off the kicks, freeing his teeny toes. Read More

Providence Children’s Film Festival

Posted on February 14, 2016 by annierhodeisland

Brrr. Baby, it’s cold out there!

Fortunately, the Providence Children’s Film Festival is in full swing.

As you saw from his recent post, Moonie attended the PCFFRI’s fundraising pizza night at Flatbread last month. And now he has an even better way to give back: he’ll be volunteering this weekend and next at the film showings at venues around Providence.

He attended a volunteer meeting Wednesday night, surrounded by grown-ups and kids who can’t wait to lend a helping hand.

And now he’s got his official Moonie badge (he says he is a VIPT: Very Important Pink-Haired Troll) and is off on a mission.

On this cold, cold day, warm up in a theatre with Moonie and colorful films from around the world! Check the schedule and then check out some great animated and live-action stories.

Mard-whee Gras

Posted on February 10, 2016 by annierhodeisland

Last night, as the walls began to shake and the floor began to rumble, I followed the sounds of live jazz music, horns, and revelry to find this:

Me: “Moonie, what’s going on in here? What’s all that noise?”

Moonie, joyfully dancing: “It’s Mard-whee Gras!”

Me: “Where’d you get those beads?”

He just wiggled his bum in response, shimmying and jiving to the music that surrounded us. Kitty looked at me and shrugged. The band, wherever it was, kept playing, and Moonie kept dancing.

Happy Mardi Gras, folks.

Providence Children’s Film Festival + Pizza + Ponies

Posted on February 8, 2016 by annierhodeisland

Oh boy oh boy oh boy! It’s February, and that means all kinds of cool film festivals descending on Providence, like the Oscar Nominated Short Films, and the French Film Festival, and of course the Providence Children’s Film Festival! As you can see, Moonie’s looking forward to that one.

Ghost Bridge

Posted on February 8, 2016 by annierhodeisland

There’s a bridge over the Seekonk River, off the Fox Point neighborhood in Providence, that has been stuck in the open position since being abandoned nearly 40 years ago.

Some call this the Crook Point Bascule Bridge.

Some call it the Seekonk River Drawbridge.

Many call it the Ghost Bridge for its sense of abandonment.

Moonie, of course, calls it the Whee Bridge.