Friday, September 07, 2018

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Gotta Travel On (1959)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) In this song, the Billy Grammer sings that "summer's almost gone, winter's coming on." When you look out your window, do you see any evidence that the seasons are changing? Nope. Though it feels cooler, it still looks very much like summer.

2) He admits he has laid around and played around for too long. Do you consider lazy days to be wasted days? Depends. On the one hand, they rejuvenate me. On the other hand, if there's something productive I should be doing, lazy days can leave me feeling guilty.

3) Billy relaxed by fishing. Tell us about a visit you made to a pier, or a ride you took on a boat, this past year. (Bonus points if you went fishing!) No. Now that summer's over, I'm sorry I didn't go out of my way to visit Lake Michigan. I can see it from our office, I've ridden past it en route to Wrigley Field, but I never actually spent any time there this past year. Over Christmas, I have a date with the ocean when I head to Florida for the holiday.

4) Born in 1925, Mr. Grammer was the eldest of 13 children. He and his wife Ruth were childless. What do you think is the ideal size for a family? It depends on how much money and space and time the parents have. I want every baby that's born to be wanted and loved.

5) This song was very popular on juke boxes back in 1959. When were you last in a bar or restaurant that had a juke box? Did you play it? About two weeks ago, I was in a dive bar with a juke box. But everyone was watching the Cub game and no one wanted music.

6) In 1959, movie tickets zoomed up in price to $1.00 and Ben Hur was the big blockbuster. What's the last movie you saw in a theater? Do you remember how much the ticket cost? I saw the latest Jurassic movie. The ticket price was $6.

7) Huckleberry Hound was a hit with the younger audience in 1959. What cartoon did you enjoy as a kid? Rocky and Bullwinkle can still make me laugh.



8) In 1959, continuing dramas (soap operas) were still broadcast each day on the radio. When you turn on the radio, do you listen for talk, news, or music? Music

9) Random question -- Which competition would you rather judge: The Pillsbury Bake Off, The Miss America Pageant, or Dancing with the Stars? The Pillsbury Bake Off! This cranberry-orange roll was the 2018 winner.





... but you gave me the number!

By mid-November, I must renew my state-issued ID. Illinois has lagged behind when it came to our ID system and finally the TSA insisted we step it up for security reasons. If we didn't, then we Illinoisans would need to produce a passport every time we board a plane, even for domestic flights.

To get one of these new, enhanced IDs -- which is probably just the same as the one you carry if you don't live here -- I have to prove I'm me. To that end, I need to produce my birth certificate (check), a passport (don't have one) and/or Social Security card (huh?).


I got my Social Security card when I was a very young girl and opened my savings account at the bank up the street with the then groovy, high-tech time/temp sign. I have no idea what happened to that little card. I've never needed it. I memorized the number and that's been enough for the IRS and every credit card/loan/investment/checking account I've ever opened.

But it may not be enough for getting one of these new IDs. OK, I get the need. These new cards will be more secure, they'll keep us safer in the sky and will help reduce identity theft. Who's not on board with that? So I guess it's time to get a replacement Social Security card.

Holy shit! To get the new Social Security card, I have to prove I'm me. To that end, I need to produce my birth certificate, passport and/or state-issued ID. Yes, to get the new Social Security card, I have to show them the IL ID I need the Social Security card to replace.

I also have to fill out a form that asks my parents' names at the time of my birth, and their Social Security Numbers. I could only find my mother's. I can't find my dad's. Since there's a box for DON'T KNOW, I'm pretty sure that having just hers is just enough.

Just hers. Think of it. Do you have access to your parents' Social Security Numbers?

This all seems like a lot of work to get a card with a number on it that they gave me in the first place.

Oh, well. I think I have everything I need for my visit to the Social Security office on Monday morning. Wish me luck!