Meow

While I was rushing to the train station today, thinking about my new year’s theme of revival, I was struck by a powerful feeling that something was missing. It wasn’t the theme itself – I’m already giddily making lists of all the things I’m going to revive in 2007. It took me a while to pinpoint it, but I ultimately determined that in addition to a theme for each new year, what I truly needed was an annual sponsor. Not a sponsor in the financial sense, or in the Al Anon sense, but more in an inspirational capacity. My sponsor needs to be someone who exemplifies the spirit of the new year, someone I can look to for guidance when I start to stray from my designated path.
After some brief, yet thoughtful consideration, I determined who my 2007 sponsor is going to be, and that person is…
Ann-Margret, ladies and gentlemen! The lovely and fabulous Ann-Margret!

She’s everything 2007: Year of Revival stands for – she’s gorgeous, sexy, playful, multi-talented, little bit crazy, endearing, groovy, kind, fun-loving, and retro-chic before retro-chic even existed. I guess that would make her just chic.
She will be my sponsor, my mentor, my spirit guide through this long and winding year. Any time I’m feeling lost or unsure, I’m going to ask myself, “What would Ann-Margret do?” A lot of times, when people ask themselves these philosophical questions, it sparks great internal debate:

Yes, of course the tree made noise. But how do you know if no one heard it? Well why on earth wouldn’t it? But what I’m asking is whether sound is relative or absolute. And the sound of one hand clapping? There’s no such thing – that’s just swatting air. Oh, you’re missing the point.

The wonderful thing about my sponsor for 2007 is that there is only one answer to the WWAMD question. And that answer is… Dance, people. Dance!

My first official act of 2007 is going to be to revive the Ann-Margret kitten dance. You know the one – bend your arms, let your wrists hang limp, and do a gentle side-to-side twisting motion. That’s it, easy… easy… you’re doing it!

C’mon gang! Everybody kitten dance! You sexy, sexy kittens! Now purrrrrr….

21 Responses to “Meow”

  1. kat Says:

    oh man, have you seen newsies? ann-margret is still smokin’ hot. now THAT is sponsorship material!

  2. tobi Says:

    She can read and dance at the same time! Yeah, I’d be all over that action for sponsorship too…she’s a star!

  3. Don Says:

    Man, I am hep to those groovy beat chicks. Jenny, you are now the groovinest!

  4. Roy Says:

    I hear you, Don. Like, wow, man, that Jenny is one hep kitten!
    [snap snap] I’m go-oooone, man.

  5. Anonymous Says:

    Dear Jenny,
    Ann Margrock is the perfect guide for you. Here is her e-mail address to have handy: A-M@ann-margret.com
    Love,
    Vivian

  6. sween Says:

    Ahhh… the original and still reigning Sex Kitten. Excellent choice.

  7. Neil Says:

    Kudos to you for figuring out a NEW way to write about cats!

  8. sizzle Says:

    awesome idea! i can’t wait to do the kitten dance with you at tequilacon in march.

  9. Fiorello LaGuardia Says:

    Gaaaak! Whenever I think of Ann Margret all I can envision is the movie clip of her watching Elvis sing. She looks for all the world like she would like to encase him in her spider silk and save him for later. Gives me the shivers!

  10. shari Says:

    I haven’t been able to post a comment yet this year here. But if it lets me, I just want to say that I can’y wait to photograph your kitten dance after the bottle of single malt.

  11. churlita Says:

    My daughter is weird and addicted to the movie Tommy. Do you promise me that you won’t embrace the Ann Margaret who humps pillows and is covered in baked beans? Of course, this isn’t a command or anything, just a helpful suggestion…

  12. Peggasus Says:

    Ooooh, I have always loved her!
    Especially since my given name is Margaret Anne, so even though it’s kinda backwards and all (and non-hyphenated and with an extra ‘e’), but still…and certainly not because she was Kim in ‘Bye, Bye Birdie,’ perhaps the best musical of all time (sorry, Sound of Music), or because me and my college roommates (hi, Patti Jo and Karen and Lana, you dance and theatre majors!) or because we had it on vinyl and knew all the words to every song or had some quite involved scenarios going on in our suite or anything like that…
    But, yeah! Excellent choice!
    Have you heard about Hugo and Kim?

  13. jenny Says:

    kat: Never seen it – do I need to add it to Netflix?
    tobi: Seriously – that reading/dancing combo is what won me over as well!
    don: Glad you’re hip to my jive, man.
    Roy: Are you wearing a beret again?
    Vivian: I’m totally emailing her!
    Sween: She really did define that term, didn’t she?
    Neil: I’m changing this to an all-cat blog. All cats, all the time.
    Sizzle: I’m practicing my limp wrist as we speak.
    Fiorello: I think I saw that one on YouTube as well… it is a bit Fatal Attraction-esque.
    shari: This is why I’m placing a no-cameras-allowed rule on Tequilacon!
    churlita: I was totally going to post that clip, but then when she starts getting frisky with the pillow, I started to blush. It’s a pretty great scene, though…
    Peggasus: Well, I might armwrestle you over best musical title, since that award clearly goes to West Side Story, but I love that you and your roomies performed the entire show!

  14. kat Says:

    you SO need to add it to the netflix.

  15. Silverfox Says:

    Hi Jen
    You are the best news I have found in a while. I have missed Ann….she seemed to disappear after Elvis faded away.
    It’s good to see you are stepping in and replacing some of the long gone excitement.

  16. Anne Says:

    That’s a good choice. My sponsor is Yoda. He can’t dance but he’s very wise. It would be funny if he did dance, though.

  17. MICHAEL MANNING Says:

    Ann Margret is still sexy as ever and proof that we should focus more on being and looking our personal best than being 22 and clueless. HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

  18. nancycle Says:

    OMG…you’re seriously too cute. :)

  19. Bobby Says:

    THANKS FOR THAT: I am now introduced to a new life changing hero. I haven’t had a life changing discovery like this since Julie Andrews.
    I’m off to Netflix…

  20. jenny Says:

    kat: Done!
    silverfox: Thanks for stopping by! I think we’ll see a renaissance of Ann-Margret soon.
    Michael: She’s still the queen of sex kittens!
    nancycle: Well aren’t you the sweetest?
    Bobby: Glad I could be of assistance. Of course, Julie Andrews is a fine sponsor as well, what with her work in Victor/Victoria and all…

  21. Postmodern Sass Says:

    Oh my GOD how I loved that episode of The Flintstones. I grew up singing that song. Love it, love it, love it. Thank you so much for finding it and posting it. Life before YouTube… who can imagine it?