August Happiness Challenge -- Day 31

Today's Happiness: a healthy Charlotte. It took me ten minutes to chase her from room to room and finally herd her into the carrier. She was paralyzed with fear all the way to the vet and throughout her exam. The vet reported that all of her vital signs are fine and asked when the smoke detector went off and terrified her. "Tuesday," said I. "Oh," he said, "so it hasn't even been a week yet."

A week? A week!

He told me that he wouldn't be surprised if she remained confused and upset for two weeks. Looking at her file, he said, "If she's not more social when you bring her in for her shots in October, we'll do some tests."

OCTOBER?! He said it's not unusual for cats to do this to themselves. I've never encountered it in a lifetime of feline ownership, but he's a vet and it's his job to know this stuff.

And, it turns out, he was right. The HORROR of going to the vet was so ginormous that Charlotte forgot the mere terror of the smoke detector going off and she's been fine all afternoon.

I'm so relieved!

And thank you to the ladies who asked after her:

Kwizgiver

Vivian

Pearl 

Endomental

Reading the good wishes was a happiness moment, too!

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

My poor girl!

I'm taking Charlotte to the vet this morning. It's going to be a gruesome experience.

She hates going outside under the best circumstances, and these are not the best.

First of all, it's going to be hot outside. Secondly, something is up with the old girl. It's true she's always been skittish, but she has always been affectionate and lively around me. Since Tuesday, though, she has been afraid of me. It's painful to see her spending her days hiding under the bed.

I opened the door to the bathroom too soon after my shower and the heat/steam set off the smoke detector. It's sent her into a tailspin of terror. Last night she crawled into bed with me and curled up on the pillow beside me. When I pet her she was fine, but as soon as I rose I became scary again.

We're going to the vet today for a second treatment of her seasonal allergies. I hope that's all that's wrong with her. I'd hate to think she's losing her sense of reason because of something more serious.

August Happiness Challenge -- Day 30

Today's Happiness: my pedicure. Nearly a week old and it still looks great. Looking at my pretty toes does indeed make me happy, and I'm glad it should last until I switch back to closed-toe shoes.

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Thursday Thirteen #186

THIRTEEN EASY, EXPERT BEAUTY TIPS

I got these from the terrific Allure Insider's Guide to Beauty & Style. They're all affordable and easy to accomplish, and just a sample from the issue that's on stands right now, as well available at Ulta stores.

1) Don't sip through a straw. It can create fine lines around your mouth.

2) If your skin is sensitive, choose "fragrance free" products. "Unscented" means no scent (like "powder fresh" or "minty") has been added so there's nothing to complete with the smell of your cologne or body lotion. But low levels of "masking fragrance" are permissible. Really! Read the ingredient statement on the back of an "unscented" product and you're likely to find "fragrance" listed there.

3) To make your manicure last longer, avoid alcohol. No, not vodka! Hand sanitizer! It can make your polish look dull. Wash your manicured hands in soapy water instead.

4) Also, avoid folding laundry just out of the dryer. The dry heat can weaken your nails.

5) You know that face cream you tried that just didn't work out? Don't throw it away. Instead, apply it to your heels. Your skin there isn't as sensitive as it is on your face, but still needs moisturizing.

6)  The worst place to store your cologne or perfume is the bathroom. The shifts in temperature and humidity can alter the fragrance.

7)  Shop for fragrance at midday, because that's when the average person's sense of smell is the sharpest.

8) Liven up your fall/winter wardrobe with a coat or trench in a bright color. Since you wear it closed, you don't have to worry about it clashing with your blouse.

9) If your hair tends to be dull, choose a more powerful hair dryer. If it has 2,000 watts or more, it will dry your hair faster, which reduces the chances of overworking and overheating it.

10) Change your conditioner periodically. Every brand has a slightly different formula, and mixing it up every now and again will help reduce build up.

11) The mascara wand is as important as the formula. The conventional round brush is for fullness. If separation is important to you, choose one with a spiky, comb-like wand.

12) To achieve a natural look that's better than no makeup at all, try using a sheer metallic face bronzer as your eyeshadow. It adds definition to your eyes but no discernible color.

13) It's a myth that using lip balm will leave you needing more.

For more information about 

the Thursday Thirteen,

or to play yourself, click here.

August Happiness Challenge -- Day 29

Today's Happiness: old movies. I'm curled up in front of the TV for Ingrid Bergman night on TCM Summer Under the Stars. Here she is in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, where she's Ivy, a tart who is about to meet a bad end at the hands of our evil doctor. Then, of course, I'll watch her as the incomparable Ilsa Lund from Casablanca. These old black and white films enchant me.

Her cheeks are always ruddy

I'm thinking about the woman who is always on the corner of Michigan and Randolph for the evening rush hour. She's solemn, pink-cheeked, and holds a sign that says, "I'm not a bad girl. I made bad choices."

Since I changed health clubs, I know longer see "my" McDonald's Man, the homeless gentleman with terrible eyesight I always passed en route. He always said, "Thank you for your blessings" whenever I dropped coins in his cup.

So instead I give my few cents a day to her. Whereas his graciousness always touched my heart, so does her terrible dignity. This has been a hot, uncomfortable summer and she's been there every day, holding that sign in which she owns up to her shortcomings. I wonder what her life is like, and how she got here.

I Want Wednesday

I want this zit to go away! I grew a brand new pimple on my chin yesterday. Hopefully I salicylic'd it early and often enough that it won't grow big enough to get it's own zip code.

August Happiness Challenge -- Day 28

Today's Happiness: Slices of banana in my banana pudding. It made me feel like my dessert added to my fiber and potassium.

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

August Happiness Challenge -- Day 27

Today's Happiness: My solar-powered Queen Elizabeth. She's smiling and waving to me right now as I write this. She cost me $20.50, but the joy she brings me here at the office is incalculable. The solar panel is, of course, in her handbag. Admit it -- you always wondered what she had in there and now you know. 

Curious as a Cat

To play along yourself, click here.

1) If you owned a CB radio what would your "handle" be? The Gal Herself

2) If you were given 24 hours to live, what would you do? This assumes that I'm in pretty good shape for my last hours: See everyone I love one more time, tell them how I feel, and get my affairs in order. (My house is a mess, so that would take most of the 24 hours!)

3) If you were in the "Miss America" talent competition, what would your talent be? I can wiggle my ears. I can really get the right one going. Bet that would set the judges' hearts atwitter.

4) Show and Tell. What comes to mind first when you see this picture? Or, tell a story if it reminds you of one. I hate my bathroom! When I redo it, I'll have oversized tiles in a neutral color, instead of the putrid Pepto Bismol pink I have now.

I don't much like Gary Cooper

On this rainy Sunday I discovered myself to be filled with dissatisfaction.

It's Gary Cooper Day on TCM Summer Under the Stars. Yes, I know ... I know ... "Coop" is an American icon. He's the sheriff in High Noon! He's Sgt. York himself! Capra loved working with him. Actress and party girl Lupe Velez said he was a fantastic lover. And yet, whenever I see him on screen, I just yawn. I tried watching him today in some of his best work and ... I'm sorry, whenever confronted with Gary Cooper, my mind just goes to the happy place. I ended up watching the original Airport -- with Burt Lancaster and Dean Martin and, most delightfully, Helen Hayes -- for the first time since I was a little girl and had a delightful time.

Similarly I have picked up -- and put down -- biographies of two very different people: Barack Obama's mother (A Singular Woman) and Beatles' manager Brian Epstein (In My Life). I expected to be riveted by their stories. Yet neither one hooked me. Instead I picked up a funny and fluffy mystery, The Curse of the Spellmans.* Now I'm happy.

I'll give those two biographies a try again at a later date. But really, I'm giving up on Gary Cooper for good.

*Thanks to Kwizgiver for turning me on to this series.

August Happiness Challenge -- Day 26

Today's Happiness: Trader Joe's. I'm not a foodie, and I don't consider what I do in the kitchen cooking. Yet I always enjoy my time at this grocery store. It's not the biggest, and the selection isn't the greatest, but it's so colorful and the people who work there are so nice and everything looks healthy and it's more reasonable in price than Whole Foods.

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing: The 88 Meme

  

1. 1. What type questions do you hate on a meme? Ones that make assumptions about me: “Like how did you meet your spouse” (assumes I have a spouse) or “Before your kids were born …” (assumes I have wee ones).

2. If you married the last person you texted, what would your last name be? Gall

3. Were you happy when you woke up today? No, exasperated. My cat, Reynaldo, believed he was in dire need of my attention and was tormenting me. Oh well, he’s been worse.

4. When were you on the phone last? And with who? Last night. My mom.

5. Who are you excited for? Me. I realized it’s less than two weeks till I get to see BROOOOOOCE! Live and in concert at Wrigley Field!

7. Honestly, who was the last person to tell you they love you? My oldest friend. She’s always very good about saying, “I love you, Dear.”

8. What's the last thing you put in your mouth? A slice of cheese. You have no idea how much I wish I had a sexier answer.

9. Have a best friend? Yes

10. Were you ever or are you scared to fall in love? Yes

11. Do you think teenagers can be in love? Yes

12. Last person you wanted to punch in the face? No one springs to mind, but it was probably someone who annoyed me during my commute to or from work.

13. What time is it right this second? 8:05 AM

14. What do you want right now? Lose 25 lbs.

15. Who was the last person you took a picture with? My oldest friend

16. Are you single/taken/heartbroken/or confused? Yes

17. When was the last time you cried?  I welled up a bit just now when watching the news. I saw Mayor Daley at the announcement of the new park to be named for his late wife, Maggie. They were quite a love story, and when I think of marriages like theirs, I ache for the one left behind.

18. Do you have a good relationship with your parents? My dad passed away in 1992. My mom and I are working on it.

19. Do you find it hard to trust others? Yes

20. How fast does your mind change? Sloooowly

21. I bet you miss somebody right now. Who is it? My best friend

22. Can you honestly say you're okay right now? Sure

 

I say a little prayer

My cousin Rose is in Tampa. I have friends in Key West. They are all about to get up close and personal with Isaac.

Say what you will about Chicago winters. When the snow melts, our homes are here.

August Happiness Challenge -- Day 25

Yesterday's Happiness: eyes on the prize. I not only did a full hour of low-impact cardio, I skipped the popcorn and Coke at the movies. Happy to report I felt virtuous, not deprived.

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

11 Endomental Questions

Got these from here.

1. What period of history is your favorite to read about? I like the last century, esp. the 1940s and the 1960s.
2. What is your favorite genre of fiction? Mysteries
3. Do you choose a book by its cover? No.
4. Where do you do most of your reading? Over lunch, on the train or on the exercise bike
5. Without looking, guess about how many books are in your TBR pile. Now look. Were you right? Nowhere near right. I guess a dozen and it's really well over 20.
6. How many movies on your TBW list? I don't have a TBW list
7. What's your favorite genre of movie? One without vampires or boy wizards or Hunger Games
8. Do you still go to see movies in the theater? Yes! Just today I saw Hope Springs
9. You have $10,000 and no strings or obligations for one full day. Where do you go and what do you do? I go to the mall and I blow through a great deal of the money. Then I hurry up and bank the rest.
10. How many songs on your mp3 player? 7311, taking up 43.31 GB of space. I wouldn't believe it either, except I just checked it on itunes.
11. What comes next? Monster, monkey, helicopter, __________ HELIUM

Eeyore apologized!

My best friend understands how self-involved he has been and he freely said he's sorry. Gulp! This is big. This is an important moment in our 8 year friendship.

I am impressed by his capacity to change. He is a good man.

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: I'm So Excited

1. What was the last event or situation that got you really excited? Realizing I can afford to see Streisand. I grew up on the old girl and her career has meant a great deal to me. So I have The Boss in September and Babs in October. I have a good autumn ahead of me!

2. How old were you when you started working and what was your first job? I began babysitting at 14. $1/hour and $2/hour after midnight. Considering how young the kids were and how early they went to bed, I was, in effect, being paid to eat potato chips and watch TV. In all, not a bad gig.

3. Tell us about your grandparents. I had one set of grandparents I loved very much. Grandpa was great at hugs. He would envelope me. He smelled of cigars and licorice lozenges. When I cried, he'd pull me to him and sing, "Come to me, my melancholy baby, cuddle up and don't be blue ..." I truly thought he made the song up for me. He thought everything I did was brilliant. I miss that unconditional love. My Grandma was an even bigger Cub fan than my Grandpa. I think of her whenever I see Ryne Sandberg's #23 banner flying over Wrigley Field. She loooooved her Ryno. More even than (gasp!) Ernie Banks! (My other set of grandparents completely sucked.)

4. Do you procrastinate or are you usually on top of situations? I have no discipline whatsoever.

5. What would others say about you? Depends on which others you ask.

6. Do you believe in life on other planets? Intellectually, yes. Emotionally, no.

7. When was the last time that you were called too thin? About 20 years ago. Sigh. I miss those days.

8. Do you work out? Have you ever joined a gym and quit almost immediately? I INTEND to work out 3x/week. As you can see from the counter at right, that's not going to happen in August. And no, I've never joined and then quit.

9. Do you feel that you utilize all your intelligence in every situation? HA!

I love him, but ...

My best friend is in serious Eeyore mode again. All we talk about his him, and his job search, and how much he hates networking, and how bad he feels about his career choices, and how badly his bosses treated him ... and ... and ... and ...

I recognize that losing his job has hit him hard. I am doing everything I can to help. I do this willingly and with an open heart. But it's beginning to weigh on me.

He asks my advice and then resists it ... until he works it all through and comes around. He complains about things he can't change. (LinkedIn is a fact of life in advertising/marketing. It just is! Not everyone will answer his emails as quickly as I do. They just won't!) And he can be stupefyingly self centered.

He shot me a text message (which I read while getting my hair done): UGH! Dave* reviewed my LinkedIn profile. I hate seeing his face.

When I got home, I responded in an email telling him that I get it, as my least favorite ex uses LinkedIn to stalk me. I told my best friend how it feels like a shot to my solar plexus to see the face of the man who raped me when I least expect it, but this is a necessary evil of the uber-connected world we live in. I also told him how Dave probably found him -- that he now works once again with another former coworker (advertising/marketing in Chicago is rather incestuous).

His response to my three paragraphs long email? "Thanks."

There are times that he is the most sensitive, mature person on earth. But when he is in "Woe Is Me"/Eeyore mode, he is, pardon the pun, an ass.

I told him it hurt my feelings. And now I bet he will tell me that somehow I'm "beating up on him." I could be wrong, but this does seem to be our dance. Oh well. If he is going to continue to be my friend, I am going to continue to demand he respect my feelings. He lost his job three weeks ago. He may be out of work for a long time. That doesn't give him the right to diss me.

*One of our least favorite former coworkers.

August Happiness Challenge -- Day 24

Today's Happiness: my shorter haircut. It's nice to mix it up a bit. And I'm lucky, my hair is still thick and grows like crazy. So if I wake up tomorrow and think I no longer like it, there's no real harm. 

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

 

Done!

Today was a low-energy day. I woke up feeling fine (see post below) and thought I'd have a whole day before me to accomplish ... stuff. But after a long, luxurious bath I had a hard time moving forward. I didn't even make it out the door to "breakfast" until after noon!

Then I just exchanged many (MANY) emails with my best friend re: his job search and napped. I tried reading two different books and nothing captured my attention.

But I did manage to do my week's laundry. It's a time-consuming chore that I hate, and I feel quite satisfied now that it's behind me until Labor Day.

August Happiness Challenge -- Day 23

Today's Happiness: waking up. It sounds like a little thing, but it's not. Wednesday night/pre-dawn Thursday was tough. A tenacious headache would not release me and made sleep fitful. I took ibuprofen and when it didn't work, I turned to my prescription strength Naproxen. That not only didn't work either, it upset my stomach. It was around 5:00 AM when I finally felt -- if not well -- bone weary enough to sleep. I called the office and left a voicemail, telling them not to expect me in. Then I succumbed to slumber. After just three hours of restful, uninterrupted sleep, I awoke gently, on my own at about 8:00 and was thrilled to realize I was no longer in pain. It was a delightful moment.

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

August Happiness Challenge -- Day 23

Yesterday's Happiness: working up a sweat. I haven't come anywhere near my goal of 3 workout/week, now for the second month in a row. I think it's had a detrimental impact on my mood. Concentrating on cardio felt good and is, undoubtedly, good for me ... in many ways.

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

THURSDAY THIRTEEN #185

MY FIRST THIRTEEN DAYS 

OF PROGRAMMING 

TCM'S SUMMER UNDER THE STARS

Summer Under the Stars is a special event on TCM. Every day a different great star is featured for 24 hours. That means the actor or actress (or, on rare occasions, director) must have about 11 movies that can be classified as classic, or fascinating, or iconic. The selections should be representative of the performer's whole career. And the actor or actress must be of passionate interest to classic film fans.

I am always hard on the folks at TCM for their choices.* So I want to take a crack at doing this myself. The restrictions I put on myself are that (1) I have to have seen all these movies and (2) I can't repeat anyone on the list for August 2011.† If I don't make myself crazy, I'll do it again next week.

Even then, I'll have only programmed 26 days. So I know going into it that it's not as easy as it looks. But I'm going to have fun trying! These performers are not necessarily my favorites, but they are ones I'm confident would capture the imagination of a variety of classic film lovers, which is what TCM has to do to stay in business.

I have programmed special events for star birthdays and anniversaries, like TCM does. I have tried to put the most popular films in the middle of the list, the way TCM does, so that they would air in prime time.

August 1 -- Paul Newman
Somebody Up There Likes Me
The Long, Hot Summer
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Cool Hand Luke
Hud
Sweet Bird of Youth
Harper
Hombre
The Young Philadelphians
From the Terrace

August 2 -- Doris Day
Calamity Jane
Young at Heart
Love Me or Leave Me
The Man Who Knew Too Much
Pillow Talk
Midnight Lace
Move Over, Darling
That Touch of Mink
The Thrill of It All
With Six You Get Eggroll
Please Don't Eat the Daisies

August 3 -- Tony Curtis
Winchester '73
Son of Ali Baba
Houdini
Trapeze
Goodbye, Charlie
Sex and the Single Girl
Sweet Smell of Success
The Defiant Ones
Some Like It Hot
Operation Petticoat
40 lbs of Trouble

August 4 -- Julie Andrews
Torn Curtain
Hawaii
Americanization of Emily
Thoroughly Modern Millie
Mary Poppins (if Disney will give TCM the rights)
The Sound of Music
Victor/Victoria
Star!
10
Little Miss Marker
That's Life!


August 5 -- Richard Burton (on the anniversary of his death)   
1984
Equus
Under Milkwood
My Cousin Rachel 
Anne of the Thousand Days
The Taming of the Shrew
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf
The Spy Who Came in from the Cold
The Night of the Iguana
The VIPs
The Sandpiper

August 6 -- Rock Hudson
Written on the Wind
Magnificent Obsession
All that Heaven Allows
Giant
A Farewell to Arms
Come September
Lover Come Back
Send Me No Flowers
Seconds
Ice Station Zebra
Man's Favorite Sport

August 7 --  Clark Gable
Susan Lenox
Red Dust
The Misfits
It Happened One Night
Gone with the Wind
Manhattan Melodrama
Call of the Wild
Mutiny on the Bounty
Mogambo
Teacher's Pet

August 8 -- Dustin Hoffman (on his 75th birthday)
Agatha
Little Big Man
Hero
The Graduate
Midnight Cowboy (if they can run it; I'm not sure their policies allows movies this adult)
All the President's Men
Marathon Man
Kramer vs. Kramer
Tootsie
Rain Man
John and Mary

August 9 -- Mickey Rooney
A Midsummer Night's Dream
Love Finds Andy Hardy
Boys Town
Babes in Arms
Strike Up the Band
Girl Crazy
National Velvet
Words and Music
Requiem for a Heavyweight
The Comic
Pete's Dragon

August 10 -- Jane Wyman
Footlight Serenade
The Lost Weekend
Night and Day
The Yearling
Johnny Belinda
The Glass Menagerie
Pollyanna (If Disney will give it up)
Lucy Gallant
So Big
Holiday for Lovers
How to Commit Marriage

August 11 -- Natalie Wood
The Ghost and Mrs. Muir
The Star
Miracle on 34th Street 
Rebel Without a Cause
The Searchers
Marjorie Morningstar
Splendor in the Grace
West Side Story
Gypsy
Love with the Proper Stranger
This Property Is Condemned

August 12 -- Henry Fonda (on the anniversary of his death)
Yours, Mine and Ours
Madigan
Jezebel
Jesse James
Young Mr. Lincoln
The Grapes of Wrath
The Lady Eve
Mr. Roberts
12 Angry Men
In Harm's Way
Big Hand for the Little Lady

August 13 -- Dean Martin
The Caddy
Artists and Models
Bells Are Ringing
The Young Lions
Some Came Running
Rio Bravo
Oceans 11
The Sons of Katie Elder
Airport
Robin and the 7 Hoods

For more information about 

the Thursday Thirteen,

or to play yourself, click here.

*This year they devoted one day to Johnny Weismuller and another to James Caan. I mean, REALLY!

†August 1 - Marlon Brando
August 2 - Paulette Goddard
August 3 - Bette Davis
August 4 - Ronald Colman
August 5 - John Garfield
August 6 - Lucille Ball
August 7 - Charles Laughton
August 8 - Orson Welles
August 9 - Ann Dvorak
August 10 - Shirley MacLaine
August 11 - Ben Johnson
August 12 - Claudette Colbert
August 13 -  James Stewart
 August 14 - Ralph Bellamy
 August 15 - Lon Chaney
August 16 - Joanne Woodward
August 17 - Humphrey Bogart
August 18 - Jean Gabin
August 19 - Debbie Reynolds
August 20 - Montgomery Clift
August 21 - Cary Grant
August 22 - Joan Crawford
August 23 - Conrad Veidt
August 24 - Joan Blondell
August 25 - Burt Lancaster
August 26 - Peter Lawford
August 27 - Linda Darnell
August 28 - Carole Lombard
 August 29 - Anne Francis
August 30 - Howard Keel
August 31 - Marlene Dietrich

Shame on me

I admit I have a guilty pleasure -- luring RWNJs into silly arguments on Twitter. Yesterday I had this one foaming. She kept calling me names and I just kept saying things like, "We have never met. What other delusional ruminations do you have about my character?" I got her to swear and then I tweaked her for her vulgarity and small vocabulary. The cooler I stayed, the angrier she got.

It was a good way to work through my hostility at my boss. I suppose it was mean, but it did seem to make her happy to call me "morally bankrupt," "full of bullshit," "hypocritical asshole" and "a member of the sisterhood of the bicycling fish."

Still, I really should stop doing this. It's immature and coarsens the discourse and besides, I kinda wonder if this poor woman is all there.

It would be more productive to run on the treadmill at lunch, wouldn't it? I do feel bad now that it's over.

August Happiness Challenge -- Day 22

Today's Happiness: vodka. Finally met my theater friend Barb for her birthday dinner (which we have been scheduling and rescheduling since June). This came after stopping for a drink with my coworkers (something I seldom do). It's funny but I really think the booze helped my mood. Or maybe it was being out in harmonious surroundings with people who made me laugh.

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Why I hate my job

First I met the new guy my boss hired. The one he told me will be working on the super secret project that will be the future of marketing as we know it. What my boss didn't tell me is that the new guy would 1) be a director, instead of an associate director like me and 2) he would get his own office, while I share a space with three (!) other people.

As if that wasn't bad enough, and it was bad, today will be memorable because I got to make an appointment for a pap smear and mammogram in front of my three officemates. Why would I want privacy for that? I called the doctor's office when everyone was at lunch, but they called back three hours later, when everyone was just sitting there. I would have asked if I could call back in a few minutes, on my cell from the lobby (another place where one likes to discuss gynecological issues) but it took the office so long to get back to me today that I was afraid if I did that I'd be put back to the end of the queue.

There are three ways that a company can tell an employee she's appreciated: title, office space and salary. A person just in off the street beats me on all three. Earlier this month, my boss was disappointed that I didn't just automatically tell him, "Oh! What a wonderful idea!" when he willfully took us down the wrong path. Now this.

At least I got a lot of support from my account team when we went out for a drink after work. That was satisfying. And the second time they have come through for me during this difficult month at the office.

I realize there's a Recession out there and I'm in an industry that was hit hard. I know I can't just go out and get a new job that pays what this one does. I understand that, at this late stage in my working career, I have to do the smart thing and squirrel away what I can for retirement. And so I will do the mature thing and place one foot in front of the other, continue to do a good job, and keep my eyes open for another position. Hopefully the freelance work I'm doing for my friend Kathleen will lead to something.

August Happiness Challenge -- Day 20

Today's Happiness: a postcard. My aunt/Godmother sent a card from her reunion with my cousin and his family in the Great Smoky Mountains. She was excited to report they saw a bear. I'm tickled that they were thinking of me and besides, it's great to get something other than bills (and there were three in today's mail).

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Thanks be to Hulu and headphones

It's a slow day at the office. We had a meeting at about 10:00 and then .... crickets chirping. I got a good workout in and then discovered Hulu has Magnum PI reruns for free! I saw the episode where Lassie's mom was a hooker! My headphones allow me to watch in privacy. Which is good, as I scour Hulu for more guilty pleasures.