Saturday 9

 Posting this early, since we will be leaving to go to Santa Barbara on Friday, leaving our daughter-in-law home to take care of the dog.

The Star Spangled Banner

Welcome to Saturday: 9. What we've committed to our readers is that we will post 9 questions every Saturday. Sometimes the post will have a theme, and at other times the questions will be totally unrelated. Those weeks we do "random questions," so-to-speak. We encourage you to visit other participants posts and leave a comment. Because we don't have any rules, it is your choice. We hate rules. We love memes, however, and here is today's meme!

Saturday 9: The Star Spangled Banner (1991)

... because Thursday was the 4th of July and we're still celebrating!

Unfamiliar with this Whitney's rendition? Hear it here.

1) Whitney Houston originally performed this in front of over 73,000 at the 1991 Super Bowl. What's the biggest crowd you have ever been in?
Probably 63,000 at the football games at UC Berkeley.

2) Whitney's version of The National Anthem was released 10 years later, after 9/11, and the proceeds went to support New York's first responders. It was her last Top Ten single. What's your favorite Whitney Houston song?
"I will always love you."

3) Whitney's friends recall she loved lavender -- both the color and the scent. What's your favorite color? What's your favorite scent?
Red is my favorite color.  I don't have a perfumy favorite, but my favorite scent might be either freshly brewed coffee, or baking bread.

4) Whitney had a sweet tooth and loved Fruity Pebbles. If you reached for a snack right now, would it be sweet or salty?
Salty.  I just had some crackers with peanut butter.

5) Whitney's grave marker bears the words, "I Will Always Love You," so clearly her family is proud of her best-selling recording. How would you like to be remembered?
I would like my grave marker to read "Funny the World."

6) Going back to 1991, when this recording was first popular, consumers who had a cell phones likely had flip phones. Technology has come a long way, hasn't it? What did you most recently use your cell phone for? (Calling, texting, looking something up, taking a photo, posting on your blog or social media ...)
I just had a call from my sister-in-law about our plans for the weekend.

7) In 1777, Colonists celebrated July 4 with the firing of cannons and muskets, followed by a public reading of the Declaration of Independence. What did your neighborhood to to celebrate the 4th of July?
There is a park a few blocks away that has a big gathering, with fireworks after dark.  As it is going to be 107 degrees this afternoon, I don't have a clue how many people will come out (writing this noon-ish on the 4th)

8) The Revolutionary War still raged during that summer of 1777. General George Washington allowed his soldiers to celebrate with a double ration of rum on July 4. Do you know anyone who is serving in the military this 4th of July?
No.  I think the only person I knew in the military recently has retired.

9) Celebrity chef Rachael Ray says she considers mini-hamburgers, or "sliders," the All-American food. What will/did you dine on to celebrate the 4th of July? 
(I don't know.  It's lunch time as I write this and I don't know what my son is going to fix)