Susan's Sayings

Saturday 9: Diamonds (2012)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) In this song, Rihanna sings that when she looks at her lover, she sees the light in his eyes. The internet is filled with makeup tips for making your eyes look brighter. Drugstores sell eye drops that promise to get the red out. Are you bright-eyed this morning? No, I went to bed late. I also have dry eyes and need drops for that.

2) She likens him to a shooting star. Astronomers tell us that shooting stars aren't that rare at all. They occur when dust, asteroids or comets enter the earth's atmosphere, and are often visible on clear, pollution-free nights. Have you ever seen a shooting star? Yes, several times.

 

3) In ancient Rome, shooting stars were considered good luck, especially for those going into battle, while some tribes in East Africa believed shooting stars were a harbinger of doom. Are you superstitious? No

4) The singer of "Diamonds" hosted a lavish Diamond Ball to raise funds for education programs in Malawi, Senegal, and the country of her birth, Barbados. Rhianna named her charity initiative the Clara Lionel Foundation after her grandparents. If you were to name your foundation after your grandparents, what would it be called? What would you ideally like to do in their honor? My Grandma Louisa was a sharp businesswoman. When we were getting ready to buy our first home, we were short with the down. She gave us a loan through her bank with a minimal interest. She said that my giving us a loan, we could pay her back so she could help others. I would call a foundation Grandma Louisa's Loving Loans.  My Grandpa David on my mom's side was also a loving generous man. All the kids on our block called him Grandpa as he would buy them all ice cream from the ice-cream truck. He was very loving. Many kids on our block did not have grandparents nearby and we were lucky we did. I would name a foundation Grandpa David's Love for You!

 

5) Rhianna recently had her first baby, a boy. According to the Social Security Administration, the top names for baby boys in 2021 were Liam and Noah. Is there a Liam or Noah in your life? I have a few Noah's Arks collectibles. Does that count?

 

6) When she was still in her teens, Rhianna entered a beauty pageant on a dare, and won! Can you recall a time you acted on a dare? In my younger days I was very competitive and would take a dare. Not so much now.

7) While on tour, she likes to sneak out into the audience, just to get the vibe from out there. To disguise herself, Rhianna slips on a black oversized hoodie. Are hoodies a staple of your wardrobe? I don't like the kind that go over your head. I like zippered sweatshirts. I have been known to pull over the hood when I am cold.

  

8) In 2012, the year this song topped the charts, London hosted the Olympic Games. If you won a trip to London, what would you like to see? Westminster Abbey, St Paul's Cathedral and the Big Ben.  I would like to take a trip to the home of CS. Lewis. He is known for his book series, The Chronicles of Narnia. A Double Decker tour would be fun! Oh, and at least one tea house. 

 

9) Random question: Did either or both your parents go to college? My dad went to Jr College and took many extension courses through Long Beach State and UCI. I don't think my mom went to college. She did get her realtor's license and was a multi-million-dollar sales agent. Dad went on to become the Director for HUD for Orange Country and met several times with the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development in Washington DC. Mom and Dad opened up their own Real Estate business called SMS Mission Realty. They had a beautiful office with decor of the early Ca Mission Style. They were very successful because they were bi-lingual. One year they got each of us(4) a grandfather's clock.

I am the first in my family to get a 4-year degree from UC Irvine.