Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Teenage Dream (2010) Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) Much of the video for this week's song takes place in a convertible and on the beach. How's the weather where you are? Would you be comfortable riding around with the top down today? Yes. The mercury will likely top 80º sunny degrees today.

2) This video was filmed all around Katy Perry's hometown of Santa Barbara. Amtrak runs through Santa Barbara via The Pacific Surfliner. Tell us about a memorable train trip. Back in 2009, I took my then 9-year-old nephew to Springfield to see the Lincoln sites. I was touched by how excited and serious he was about our trip, which was not only his first time on Amtrak, it was his first vacation without his parents. He carefully read his pre-printed ticket and saw that ID might be required, and then reassured me not to worry, because he had his library card. I'm riding the rails again soon, this time to see his new college dorm room. Gulp!

3) Katy sings that her boyfriend thinks she's funny, even when she gets the punchline wrong. Do you think you're a better joke-teller or audience? I can usually be counted on to get a laugh.

4) Her "teenage dream" lover is shown working out with a heavy bag. When is the last time you visited a gym? I went twice last week. It felt good.

According to People mag, this week she's back to green

5) Katy changes her hair a lot. She's gone from long black hair to cropped blonde hair with stops at red, green and purple. Today, are you having a good hair day? Not at this moment. I haven't showered yet.

6) Katy thinks dimples are "irresistible" and can't help poking a finger when a dimpled friend smiles. Do you have dimples? Yes. And I would hate having Katy poke around in them!

7) Two of Katy's fragrances (Meow and Purr) are sold in cat-shaped bottles. Are you wearing a scent as you answer these questions? Not at this moment. I haven't showered yet.

8)  Katy's favorite dessert is ice cream (specifically Cold Stone Creamery's Birthday Cake Remix). What's the last dessert you ate? I had ice cream and graham crackers last night, after dinner.

9) Random question: How often do you change your bedsheets? I launder them every week. Sometimes, if I'm especially lazy, I put the clean ones back on my bed instead of getting a new set out of the cabinet.

A message from my mom

September 14 was payday. It's from this first paycheck of the month that I make charitable contributions. One check always goes to a local animal shelter that's perpetually struggling. Then I send 3 more to charities that rotate. I keep a big envelope filled with solicitations I receive and then make my selections.

For some reason, I just had to write the checks Friday morning. Even though I was running late for work. One was to Goodwill, because I support their mission.

One was to the humane society where my mother adopted her favorite cat, Ethel. The other was the World Wildlife Fund. My mom was on a fixed income, but whenever she found herself even a little ahead, she sent a check to WWF. It worried her that her as-yet unborn greatgrandchildren would never see an elephant, live, the way she enjoyed seeing them with us and her grandchildren at the zoo.

I logged on to Facebook and as I scrolled down through the "Your Memories" feature, I saw that September 14 is the sixth anniversary of my mother's death. For some reason, I recalled it as later in the month. But no, it's September 14.

I handled it, Mommy.