Saturday Nine: On and On (1977)

This week's Saturday Nine:

1. This song describes the plight of "poor ol' Jimmy," who caught his girlfriend kissing someone else. Have you ever spied on a romantic partner? Yes, but it wasn't because I was suspicious of him cheating.
   
   
2. In this song, Stephen Bishop sings that he "smiles when he feels like dying." When did you recently put on a happy face, even though you really weren't all that happy? Today. At work. I do it all the time. It's just in the nature of my job.
   
   
3. Stephen Bishop always wanted to be a musician, and as a child he began playing the clarinet. Did you take lessons — dance, art, music — as a child? If yes, did you take them because you enjoyed them, or because your parents made you take them? Yes to all three. I took them because my parents made me take them, but I continued doing art classes because I enjoyed it. I did take guitar lessons at one point because I really wanted to learn it, but I ended up not having time because of school so I had to stop. But I really wish I continued with it.
   
   
4. When he was 12, inspired by The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show, he switched to the guitar and began writing songs. Tell us about someone or something that influenced your career path. I've always loved art, but what influenced me to become a makeup artist was actually working in cosmetics. It started when I was 18 and took a part-time job as a cosmetician at Shoppers Drug Mart, which is when realized I had a keen interest in cosmetics in general. As I kept working there, I wanted to focus more and more on artistry. At 23, I decided to hone my skills and went to makeup school to get my diploma in Makeup Artistry & Design. And I've been a makeup artist since.
   
   
5. Stephen Bishop attended Will C. Crawford High School in San Diego. This school requires students complete 20 hours of community service every year. Tell us about an organization, cause or campaign you volunteered for, either as a student or an adult. In Ontario, it's a requirement to do a minimum of 40 hours of community service to graduate high school. I volunteered at the Royal Ontario Museum as a counselor for a kids' program they held every Saturday morning. I ended up volunteering for about 80 hours there. As an adult, I've walked and raised money for the Scotiabank AIDS Walk for the past five years with colleagues. (it is my work's charity of choice).
   
   
6. In 1977, when this song was popular, Seattle Slew won racing's Triple Crown. Sam's mother has always been afraid of horses. Is there an animal you're uncomfortable with? Oh, tons. There are more animals I'm uncomfortable with than comfortable with. For example, almost all insects and reptiles.
   
   
7. Also in 1977, moviegoers waited in line for hours to see Star Wars. What's the longest line you waited in recently? The line-up to order at McDonald's a couple weeks ago? Honestly, I try to avoid situations where I have to line up because I try to do everything as efficiently as possible. It's why I shop online or order things through apps.
   
   
8. The mini-series Roots first aired in 1977. Today Americans are spending more time and money than ever to research ancestry. How far back can you trace your family tree? Probably my great-grandparents. I haven't really looked into my ancestry so everything I know is through word of mouth from my parents and relatives, and that's as far back as they've ever mentioned.
   
   
9. Random question: It's often said that nobody's perfect. How about you? What quality keeps you from being perfect? Isn't perfection subjective? So it's always something we strive for? I mean, for me, it's probably laziness. But to some people, I'm not lazy, and to others, I am. So I just do whatever I need to do to reach my goals.