The Monday briefing: From hippies to hipsters

PICK OF THE WEEK: These cats are old enough to remember what it's like to dig a stone cold groove. Alive & Kickin, the senior song-and-dance troupe directed by Michael Matthew Ferrell, performs "The '60s" beginning Friday. Turn off your mind, relax and float downstream with these hipsters — ages 65 to 91 — as they get it together with 20 psychedelic songs at the Bloomington Center for the Arts. These shows – which are a mix of song, dance and personal stories by the 28 performers — are inspiring, unvarnished emotionally and a lot of fun. It might, or might not, blow your mind, but it certainly will charm your heart. (Shows are the next two weekends; tickets: $26-$36; 952-563-8575 or aliveandkickinmn.org) — GRAYDON ROYCE

Cheat sheet: Monday is the 72nd anniversary of D-Day, and here are some ways to remember the historic World War II event in which the Allies landed on Normandy:

• The D stood for "Day" and typically was followed by the date of the operation, but Allied commanders were so intent on keeping the timing secret that they called it, in effect, Day-Day.

• Although we tend to focus on the day the invasion was launched, Operation Overlord ­(its code name) officially lasted until Aug. 30.

• The night before the attack, supreme commander Dwight Eisenhower drafted a message to be released in case of failure, saying the blame "is mine alone."

Day by day: Thursday is national Donald Duck Day. He made his movie debut on June 9, 1934, and has been quacking us up ever since.

LIFE HACK: Are your workout shoes putting up a stink? Put a dry tea bag in each shoe — when you're not wearing them, of course — when you store them.

recommended reading: Are you ready for your close-up? Livestreaming video is the new go-to mode for social media. Get a look behind the scenes in Thursday's Variety.

JEFF STRICKLER • jeff.strickler@startribune.com