Columnists

With relentless reports about government shutdowns, congressional showdowns and elected officials who put the “fun” in dysfunctional, I’m hard pressed to add anything new to what’s been said 11 bazillion times already.

Take some words, add some music and have Carol King meld it all into something “Beautiful.” That's what happened with the songs Carol King (a superb Jessie Mueller) created in her ingenious - sometimes - jarring life. “Beautiful” begins with songs by Carol, her husband Gerry Goffin (a moving Jake Epstein) and friends, and competitors Barry Mann (a loveable Jarrod Spector) and Cynthia Weil (outstanding Anika Larsen). It continues to the time when Carol leaves a bad marriage and reluctantly composes, writes lyrics, sings solo and records one of the most successful albums of all times - “Tapestry” - and finds her dream come true performing at Carnage Hall.

You invested in an ergonomic office chair that was supposed to have great back support. But all you feel is a great divide - between your back and the chair's backrest. Or, perhaps, you're making do with a repurposed chair from the dining room and constantly find yourself “perching” on the front edge of the chair. What's the problem?

Grab the kids and get to the Disney on Ice presentation of “Passport To Adventure.” It is delightful, educational and full of clever choreography, glorious costumes, exhilarating music and special effects. It has all the favorite Disney characters you can bundle in one evening without going into overdrive.

Today is my nephew’s birthday. We would likely be gathered around Ryland sitting in his high-chair with his face and little hands covered in cake and celebrating his first year - had we not lost him in May.

We all love a film with a good story. This is a story about filmmakers.

Next year is really not too far away. Fall is the time of year when the financially savvy start to look for ways to reduce their taxes and make year-end moves in pursuit of key financial objectives.

It may be a cliché, but that makes it no less true: Every religion is only a generation away from extinction. One local church that is not about to let that happen is Gilroy's Foothills Church (8335 Church St.).