Sunday Stealing

MUSIC ASKS   
  

I'm going to try to answer these only with Beatle songs

A song you like with a colour in the title   "Baby's in Black"
 

A song that needs to be played very loud  "Back in the USSR"
   

A song that makes you want to dance  "Twist and Shout"
   

A song to drive to  "Drive My Car"
   

A song with a number in the title "One After 909"
   

A song that makes you happy  "All My Loving"
   

A song that makes you sad  "Let It Be"
   

A song that reminds you of summer  "Penny Lane"
   

A song that you remember from your childhood  "She Loves You"
   

A song that breaks your heart  "Two of Us"
   

A song that you never get tired of  "Good Day, Sunshine"
   

A song from your preteen year "Yellow Submarine"
   

A song that is a cover by another artist "Long Tall Sally"
   

A song from the year you were born Stymied by this one. "Jailhouse Rock" (After all, the Lads loved The King.)
   

A song that makes you think about life "The Long and Winding Road"
   

Your favourite song with a persons name in the title "Rocky Raccoon"
   

A song that you think everyone should listen to "Eleanor Rigby"
   

A song by a band you wish were still together "Can't Buy Me Love"
   

A song by an artist no longer living "Help!"
   

A song by an artist with a voice you love "You're Gonna Lose that Girl" (I love the harmonies on this. "Watch what you do, yeah ...")

-;

August Happiness Challenge -- Day 31

Today's happiness -- A booth and a good book.  Everything I had on tap to do today? I did none of it. I don't know why ... I've just been bedeviled by laziness.

 

But I did have a wonderful breakfast as my late lunch. Two eggs, over easy. Juicy bacon. Wheat toast with strawberry jam. And a good book.

 

Little Gloria, Happy at Last is the detailed account of the Depression-era trial that made pre-school Gloria Vanderbilt a household name. Gloria's aunt, a born Vanderbilt, and her mother fight over the little girl ... and her multi-million trust fund. It's fascinating. I imagine if I was around in 1934, I'd be glued to my radio, listening to every day's trial update.

Each day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy. Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world.

"I'm hiding out at The Hole"

So read Thursday's text from my friend John. It annoyed me for a number of reasons.

1) That bar hasn't been called The Hole in the Wall for more than three years. It has new owners, a new menu and a new decor based on Alice in Wonderland. He complains that he doesn't like the "pretentious" upgrades and refuses to call it by its current name. This is indicative of his attitude toward the world these days.

2) That doesn't stop him from going there several times a week to watch TV and drink. It's not as though he doesn't have TV and liquor at his home. And food. As a diabetic, he should be paying closer attention to his diet and he shouldn't drink so much.

3) Plus, his job just ended. I don't know if Thursday was his last day, or if on Thursday they told him when his last day would be. He says we'll talk sometime "over the weekend." I've tried calling twice.

4) I can't leave a message because his voice mail is "broken." He doesn't know how to access it. (He also says his cell phone won't "accept" apps.)

How can this 64 year old white haired man -- who walks with a cane -- get a new job in advertising? He has no LinkedIn page, no personal web page. He can't even access voice mail.

How can he afford not to? He suffers from congestive heart failure and diabetes. He has a fistful of pills that he has to take every day. He has doctors he sees on a regular basis. His rent is at least $1200/month.

When I told him that I had enough retirement money to last me 5-6 years -- which I admit is nowhere near enough -- he said, "You're doing better than I am!"

So what happens to him now? I am so scared for him.

Saturday 9

Money for Nothing

1) Sweatbands are prominent in this very 1980s video. What's the last thing you wore on your head? Probably a hood. I'm not really much of a hat wearer.

2) The lyrics are from the point of view of a man who delivers and installs appliances. What's the biggest purchase you've made lately? Was it big in size or expense? My new refrigerator. It was big in every way.

3) The delivery man of the song imagines the worst thing that happens to a musician is a blister on his little finger or thumb. Do you have any minor aches or pains bedeviling you as you answer these questions? Lately, my sleep has been fitful. Does that count?

4) The term "dire straits" describes a troubling situation that's difficult to extricate oneself from. When's the last time you found yourself in dire straits? Now, I suppose. There's not much budge in my budget. July was a new refrigerator. This week I'm having dental work. My air conditioner is being rebellious. These are unexpected expenses and I'm not happy. My "emergency fund" was prepared to handle one, maybe two, but not three emergencies. Plus, I know we're having a special assessment this year, which means I'll have a hard time refilling my depleted "emergency fund."  I know, wah-wah, right? Everybody has money trouble.

5) There's a dinosaur called masiakasaurus knopfleri. It's a prehistoric, predatory lizard, and the paleontologists who discovered it were big Dire Straits fans, so they named it after lead singer/guitarist Mark Knopfler. Do you find dinosaurs fascinating, terrifying, or both? Fascinating. I love the Jurassic Park movies. I think it's because to me, dinosaurs aren't monsters, they're just sad critters.

6) Prior to his music career, Knopfler was a junior reporter, covering the entertainment beat for the Yorkshire Evening Post. Do you believe you would make a better musician or journalist? Journalist

7) In 1985, when this song was popular, rib eye steak was $3.89/pound. Today it's more than twice that. Do you have any beef in your freezer right now? Nope. (Unless the layer of beef in my frozen lasagna counts.)

8) In 1985, Michael Jordan won the NBA Rookie of the Year award after his first season with the Chicago Bulls. It was the beginning of a career that made him a hero and a household name. Who do you think today's young people look up to? In Chicagoland, Javier Baez is crazy popular. I think it's because he combines passion and commitment with a real sense of fun. And heart. He really enjoys the fans.

 

9) Random question: Friends take you to dinner for your birthday. The menu you're handed doesn't have any prices on it. Do you try to estimate the costs and choose what you guess is the least expensive entree? Or do you figure that since your friends want you to have a good time, you should order whatever you want? A little of both. I'd order what I wanted that wasn't lobster. 

August Happiness Challenge -- Day 30

Today's happiness -- Spaghetti pie.  There's a local Italian restaurant that has the slowest service and rather uncomfortable booths. And the best-ever spaghetti pie! I think it's the way the ground beef is actually baked in that makes it so delicious.

Anyway, it was my lunch on Friday and I predict the leftovers will be devoured gratefully and greedily on Saturday.

Each day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy. Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world.