Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing: Another Question Meme

1. It's 2AM and you are not home. You are more than likely: walking up Michigan Avenue, looking for a cab

2. What's the last thing you spent more than $100 on? Saturday's vein treatment at the doctor's office

3. What do your bank checks look like? ASPCA cats. 6% of the fee for printing charged by Checks in the Mail goes to the ASPCA.

4. Where did the shirt you are currently wearing come from? Quincy Market in Boston

5. Name something that will be on your Christmas wish list: Shea Body Butter by The Body Shop

6. What color is your toothbrush? Green and white

7. Name something you collect and tell us about it. Quarters. I keep them in a beer stein in the kitchen and feed them to the washer and dryer in the frigging laundry room.

8. Last restaurant you ate at. Who were you with? How was it? Infield's, the sports-themed restaurant downstairs at Macy's. I was with my friend, John. The food was fine, but the people in a nearby booth were soooo noisy. Still, it's a sports bar, so we should have seen that coming.

9. Who was the last person you bought a birthday card for? An old boyfriend. I mailed it Thursday, and I hope he got it in time for his special day (Sunday, no mail delivery).

10. What is your worst bad habit? I'm a slob, 100% Oscar Madison.

11. Name a magazine you subscribe to? Newsweek. (For now at least ...)

12. Your favorite pizza toppings? Sausage or spinach.

13. Whose number were you looking up the last time you used a phone book? Comcast

14. Other than family, who is the person that you love most? My best friend

15. What is the last thing you cooked? Does tossing a salad count?

16. Name something you wouldn't want to buy used? Shoes.

17. Which shoe do you put on first? Left.

18. What is the last thing you remember losing? My favorite sunglasses. I found them inside a box of fabric softener sheets. I have no idea how that happened.

19. What is the ugliest piece of furniture in your house? I like all my furniture. So I'd like to bestow this award instead to the really hideous, really pink sink in the bathroom.

20. Last thing you bought and ended up returning? A pair of coaxial cable cutters from Radioshack

21. What perfume/cologne do you wear? If none, why? Lovely by Sarah Jessica Parker. I love it. It's light but still distinctive.

22. Your favorite board game? Yahtzee. Though wait! There's no board. Does it still count?

23. What was the last board game you played? Monopoly

24. Where did your vehicle come from? No car.

25. If a movie was made about your life what would the theme song be? My Tears Dry On Their Own



26. You're sad, who can cheer you up easily? The Chicago Cubs. Win or lose, they're my guys

27. What was the color of the bridesmaid dresses of the last wedding you went to? There was only one bridesmaid, and I recall she wore a pale, pale grey dress. I think the shade is called "pewter."

28. What house cleaning chore do you hate to do the most? Laundry! Laundrylaundrylaundry. I hate it.

29. What is your favorite way to eat chicken? With my fingers.

30. It is your birthday. You hope the cake is? Made with fresh strawberries.

No Dustbin Award Today

I'm giving myself a break from any but mandatory chores today. For I had my third -- and perhaps last -- sclerotherapy treatment this morning. While it's not especially painful, it does tire me out. So I'm taking it easy ... I took a nap, yakked on the phone, watched the game, farted around on the Internet but still, am proud to report, did four loads of laundry. I think that's enough housework for this ol' Gal today.

Tomorrow, when the gauze and tape come off, I'll resume my new clean ways.

Now THIS I was in favor of

Late last month I expressed my frustration and disappointment that President Obama hasn't been spending more time down in The Gulf. While I don't take credit for the White House's increased attention to the optics of the oil spill, it must be noted that the President is doing more to indicate that he's on it -- intellectually and emotionally -- including an email, which I appreciated.

So while I understand how many might feel that President Obama should be more focused on the devastating events down South, I REFUSE to listen to anyone rip on him for honoring Sir Paul in the East Room last Wednesday.

Instead I'm pissed that it wasn't declared a national or perhaps international holiday. Guess I'll just have to settle for seeing the official celebration of my favorite Beatle (oh, hell, one of my favorite PEOPLE) on PBS at the end of July.

I credit the beard

Walk up and down the streets of Chicagoland and you'll see more beards than usual. Growing their facial hair is something sports fanatics are doing to support The Black Hawks in their quest for the Cup. I don't know how this started -- I haven't been a Hawks fan in decades -- but I'm always in favor of supporting our teams.

One such newly-minted beard -- a white and rather mangy one -- belongs to Cubs skipper Lou Piniella. My Cubs have been struggling this season, unable to put together an impressive string of wins, stuck at about .500. Yet tonight the bats have suddenly come to life and they have scored 6 runs in 7 innings.

Please, Lou, keep the beard.

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: If I Had a Hammer

1. Are you handy with tools? Not even remotely.

2. What was the best thing that happened to you this week? I found myself embroiled in a strictly professional disagreement at work ... and my boss backed me up. Not that long ago, I wouldn't have believed that was possible.

3. What was the worst thing that happened to you this week? The inevitable end of my four-day holiday weekend

4. Do you think you act your age? No. I'm not sure if that's a good or a bad thing.

5. Describe an item of clothing that has definitely seen better days but that you refuse to dispose of and still wear. Why won't you toss it? I have a pair of jeans that I splattered with bleach. I wear them when I'm doing housework. I haven't parted with them because I know Goodwill would throw them away and, except for the (OK, massive and ugly) stains, they are still in good shape.

6. What is your favorite summertime beverage? Coca-Cola Classic

7. Have you ever lied about your age? When I was 13 I used to say I was 16. No one believed me.

8. What was the most memorable birthday party you've attended? My old boss/theater buddy got married for the first time on her 51st birthday. How romantic is that?

9. What is something that really frightens you, and can you trace it back to an event in your life? I am afraid of squirrels. I know this is a silly fear and I bear squirrels no ill will. It's just that when I was a little girl, my dad told me about a kid who was bit by a rabid squirrel, going into graphic detail about the -- what was it? 111? -- shots the boy endured, and that has really stayed with me.

#10 on his jersey, #1 in our prayers

From mlb.com:

PITTSBURGH -- Cubs legend and radio analyst Ron Santo returned to Chicago on Wednesday after spending Monday night and Tuesday in a Pittsburgh hospital.

Santo felt ill after Monday afternoon's game and was feeling the effects of a very hot, muggy day at the ballpark.

Santo, 70, who suffers from diabetes, underwent a battery of tests and no major medical issues were found. He reportedly is feeling much better.