By Rosie Moore

Lets start with the downers first. I thought I was the only one who started the year 2016 on the wrong note but as I glanced in the newspaper each day I noticed that many other people were leaving us, most of them from that horrible big “C.”

Glenn Frey, who with Don Henley formed the rock band, The Eagles, and recorded those famous songs “Hotel California,” “Desperado,” “Take it to the Limit,” and many others.

David Bowie, a man with a lot of talent: An English singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer, painter, and actor. I don’t remember ever listening to him; he was not my style of singer.

Remember Pat Harrington, the super, super superintendent on the sitcom, “One Day At A Time?” His shenanigans kept one laughing for a long time after the show. And he never did win the lady of his dreams.

Alan Rickman—at first, I didn’t remember who he was. Then I browsed through the movies he starred in and I remembered his part in the movie, “Sense And Sensibility”. He was the gallant lover who won his lady.

When my son was a very young boy his favorite movie character was Dan Haggerty, or “Grizzly Adams.” He watched every show on TV that starred him.

These famous  people left us during the first ten days of January, 2016. There are a lot more lesser known people that I haven’t mentioned here but, hopefully, the list will start dwindling down in the coming months. It is sad to start a new year off with these unhappy notifications but  it is also great that they have given us wonderful memories of the days they were with us. They were stars while here on earth and I’m sure they are stars shining where they are now.

Now for the uppers: There aren’t too many people who have a birthday in the early weeks of January but versatile Betty White is enjoying 94 years of living  starting this year.

And then there is our own vivacious Dolly Parton from East Tennessee who has done so much for many people, who turned seventy.

“Thelma” of “Thelma and Louise” (Geena Davis) turned sixty–or was she Louise? I forget.

Jack Nicklaus, that famous golfer, turned seventy-six. but the biggest upper—for me anyway–was that pretty snowfall we had on January 20th! Well, to each his own!

Thought for the day: And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.   The Beatles

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