QUARANTINE BLOG # 199

October 15, 2020

“I Love Lucy’” starring Lucille Ball and her real life husband Desi Arnaz as Lucy and Ricky Ricardo, premiered on this day in 1951, and ran until May of 1957.  Ricky was a singer and bandleader, and Lucy was an aspiring television and film star.  Lucy’s ambition for stardom, coupled with her naiveté, continually got Lucy and Ricky into trouble.

The show was innovative and groundbreaking in a several ways. It was the first sitcom to be shot in 35mm film in front of a live audience, meaning there were no canned laugh tracks, but real recorded laughs from the audience instead.  Three cameras were used simultaneously to shoot the show, allowing three different angles for each scene.  After Lucy’s two pregnancies, she needed rest so reruns of the show were shown. They were popular and this effectively started the concept of the rerun, and other shows soon started broadcasting reruns as well.

Three of the funniest scenes from its 6 year run are: Lucy stomping grapes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUxjOS3g6Uc (the first clip is only the beginning, so be sure to watch the second one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsyM7dsdAIw which is in color); Lucy in the chocolate factory https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkQ58I53mjk; and Vitametavegamin https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KY3eOtJwOhE.

Following the end of the original run of the series, one-hour episodes were broadcasted from 1957 to 1960, which were known as “The Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Show” or “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour.”  On March 2, 1960, Desi’s birthday and one day after the last one-hour show was filmed, Lucy filed for divorce.

👉  In addition to this being “I Love Lucy” Day, October 15 is also Conflict Resolution Day, Get to Know Your Customer Day, International Day of Rural Women, Global Handwashing Day, International Credit Union Day (they registered a trademark for their day), International Shake Out Day (I have no idea), National Cheese Curd Day, My Mom is a Student Day, National Aesthetician Day, National Chicken Cacciatore Day, National Get Smart About Credit Day, National Grouch Day, National Mushroom Day, National Roast Pheasant Day,  National White Cane Safety Day, and National Sewing Lovers Day.  If you don’t love Lucy, you can pick another celebration.  There are some other days, but I find their celebration offensive, so they are not included in QB 199.

👉  The COVID-19 pandemic, which has already altered the NFL season by forcing rescheduled games and shuffled bye weeks, has now claimed the Pro Bowl.  The league announced that the annual all-star game has been canceled and will be replaced with virtual activities (which will no doubt be just as boring as the real thing).  The Pro Bowl selection process will remain unchanged and will be selected by consensus votes of fans, players and coaches.  The 2021 Pro Bowl had originally been scheduled for Jan. 31, 2021, in Allegiant Stadium, the new home of the Las Vegas Raiders (originally the Oakland Raiders, then the Los Angeles Raiders, and then again the Oakland Raiders) that opened earlier this season.  In the announcement, the NFL also said it was awarding the 2022 Pro Bowl to Las Vegas.

 🤞  Russian authorities have given regulatory approval to a second coronavirus vaccine after early-stage studies.  Russian President Vladimir Putin made the announcement yesterday during a televised meeting with government officials.  “We now need to increase production of the first vaccine and the second vaccine,” Putin said, adding that the priority was to supply the Russian market with the vaccines.  The two-shot vaccine was tested among 100 volunteers in early-stage, placebo-controlled human trials, which lasted more than two months and were completed two weeks ago.  The volunteers were between 18 and 60 years old.  The scientists have yet to publish the results of the study. 

👉  A couple of comics before we close:

👉  Today’s close is from Joyce Meyer:

One of our goals as Christians should be to say with the apostle Paul, “I have learned to be content . . . regardless of my circumstances.”  Paul goes on to say that he had learned how to be satisfied to the point where he was not disturbed whether he had abundance or was in need.  “I know the experience of being in need and of having more than enough; I have learned the secret to being content in any and every circumstance, whether full or hungry or whether having plenty or being poor” (Philippians 4:12 CEB).  That is the picture of godly contentment!

Being content does not mean that we never want to see any change or that we have no vision for better things, but it does mean that we are not allowing the things we want and don’t have yet to steal the enjoyment of what we have at the present time.  The more time we spend with God, focusing on His goodness and thanking Him for His promises, the more content we will be with all that He has done – and is going to do – in our lives.

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