i remember the first time i saw her, it was actually a television show that played during the movie, “pretty woman”.  i was about 10 years old and remember watching with my mom, and wondering how this old black and white tv show could be in a movie, and why it was black and white, and why julia roberts thought it was so funny.  as julia roberts watched this woman stomp on grapes and start a fight with a winery worker, i couldnt help but laugh along with her.

i fell in love with lucy.  i have fond memories of watching “i love lucy” with my mom, and growing so attached to the show that my mom would order me VHS tapes of it just so i could watch whenever i wanted.  something was so special about this black and white program, about ricky ricardo and lucille ball’s relationship, about the crazy antics that lucy would always get herself into.  lucy didnt need any fancy gimmicks, half the time she didnt even need a joke — her facial expressions alone could burst me into endless laughter.  a few years after discovering lucy, i was at mgm studios in orlando, florida where they had an exhibit dedicated to lucy’s contributions to show business.  i remember not being able to grasp that she was no longer around, because i felt like she was always with me.  through the years, i continued to always watch her hilarious show… and years later, i found myself at madam tussuad’s wax museum bumping into lucy, my old friend.

today, august 6th, 2011 is her 100th birthday, and somehow she is still as young, hilarious and present as ever.  happy birthday lucy, and thank you for all of the laughs and continued good memories.  somehow, you believed that we would all “love lucy” — and you were right!