Hmm.
I had some momentary difficulty dealing with TC's suggestion of Minnesota, but that was fleeting. My co-worker Scott, however, is what is known in the Manilow world as a Fanilow. Thus, I feel some pressure to make this a good entry.
So, I went to what I considered was my best source: my iTunes collection. I have four songs in there by Barry: Ready to Take a Chance Again (meh), I Made It Through the Rain (eh), Mandy (a bit maudlin, but worth a thumbs up), and Copa Cabana, which just kicks ass.
But none of this was really giving me enough to produce a blog entry. So I resorted to the iTunes library and hit pay dirt. I Can't Smile Without You.
I really believe that 'I Can't Smile Without You' played a huge part of who I am today. Why? Because it is the first song that I can remember getting up in front of my parents and performing - not just singing, mind you, but really performing, with a little dance and jazz hands at the end. My parents were impressed and I was proud of myself and I wanted to do it for them again and again. Accolades are awesome, and I think that experiences like that brought me forward toward wanting to pursue arts here and there. Performing can be an incredibly gratifying experienc - an adrenaline rush coupled with the knowedge that you 're making someone else happy too. And I guess I know that in part because Barry helped me see it.
So thanks, Mr. Manilow. And I hope that satisfies my friend the Fanilow.