Speaking of Profiles in Courage ...

I recently read Profiles in Courage, John F. Kennedy's Pulitzer Prize winning study of Senators who took principled and politically fatal stands. Something tells me that Massachusetts' Senator from 1953 to 1960 would applaud the action of this man who once governed his state. He might even add a chapter to his book for Mitt Romney, now the junior Senator from Utah.

This, ladies and gentleman, is what a courageous Christian looks like. There are "patriotic" "Christians" who maintain that the current protests spread hate. Yeah, whatever. Never mind that the United States were born out of rebellion against The Crown, and that Christ was quite the social agitator Himself. You just wrap yourself in your anger and fear. I'll side with love and equality.

Anyway, knowing how so many conservatives feel, it was probably harder for Romney to make this march than it would be for you or me. I applaud him for honoring both his father, George Romney, and his faith.

We should do this more often

I took Reynaldo to the park. We sat on a bench for half and hour, looking at this bush. He also came nose to nose with a red cocker spaniel who, after a thrilling moment, decided squirrels were more interesting.

My little man loved every moment and is, right now as we speak, trying to get back into his carrier.

Sunday Stealing

FROM FACEBOOK

* Would you rather work in a group or work alone? Alone. I'm a writer, which is a rather solitary profession. I've learned to collaborate with art directors, clients, account executives, etc. But my inclination is to work alone.

* Would you rather be stuck on an island alone or with someone who talks incessantly? The talker. Annoying though it may be, I'll need help on that island.

* Would you rather be too hot or too cold? Too cold! I cannot bear heat.

* When you’re old, would you rather die before or after your spouse? Being a barren spinster, I have no opinion on this.
* Would you rather have a cook or a maid? Maid!

* Would you rather be the youngest or the oldest sibling? The youngest. My baby sister is over 50 and still gets away with murder.

* Would you rather get rich through hard work or through winning the lottery? The Lottery. In fact, I just bought a ticket yesterday. Maybe I'm a millionaire!

* Would you rather have a 10-hour dinner with a headstrong politician from an opposing party, or attend a 10-hour concert for a music group you detest? The politician. I may learn something.
 
* Would you rather be an Olympic gold medalist or a Nobel Peace Prize winner? Nobel Peace Prize! What an honor.

* Would you rather have a desk job or an outdoor job? Desk job. I burn so easily.

* Would you rather live at the top of a tall NYC apartment building or at the top of a mountain? Ooooh! Tall NYC apartment building! Maybe Carrie and Big would be my neighbors!

* Would you rather have Rambo or The Terminator on your side? The Terminator. I just like Arnold better.

* Would you rather be proposed to in private or in front of family and friends? Private.

* Would you rather have to sew all your clothes or grow your own food? Considering how domestically-challenged I am, I'm choosing between nude and starving.

* Would you rather hear the good news or the bad news first? The bad news. Let's end on a high note.

* Would you rather be your own boss or work for someone else? Work for someone else. I hated being a boss.

* Would you rather have nosy neighbors or noisy neighbors? Noisy.

* Would you rather be on a survival reality show or dating game show? Oh, no, please, no. I don't want to do either.

* Would you rather be too busy or be bored? Bored. I'm lazy.

* Would you rather watch the big game at home or live at the stadium? At home. I want to savor every moment and pay close attention to the details.

* Would you rather spend the day with your favorite athlete or you favorite movie star? I'd love a few hours with my favorite, #44 Anthony Rizzo, and his dog, Kevin.

* Would you rather live where it is constantly winter or where it is constantly summer? Winter. Definitely.

* Would you rather travel the US and see the sights in a motor home or by plane? Well, you can't see much by plane so I'll choose motor home. But I'd prefer train car.

* Would you rather be a little late or way too early? Late.

* Would you rather have an unlimited gift certificate to a restaurant or a clothing store? Clothes.

* Would you rather date someone you met online or go on a blind date? Online

"I like to take showers every morning and I don't like the panties drying on the rod."

I just channeled my inner Richard Dreyfus from The Goodbye Girl. Yesterday was a busy day and I went through three cloth masks. This morning, as they dried in my shower, they seemed to dominate my little bathroom. Here are my observations of my action-packed Saturday.

MASK #1) I met my new doctor! Love her, love her, love her! She graduated from med school in 2009, which I assume makes her between 35 and 40. Educated in India, she did her residency and internship right here in Chicago. She wore pink scrubs, had a pink stethoscope, and a (fresh) pale pink manicure.

Not her, but it could be.

She spent a ton of time with me. I went through my medical history -- scribbled on the back of an envelope* -- and she keystroked everything onto her iPad. I offered to sign forms to get my lab results from my former, not at all missed doctor, she said there was "no need."

"It's been more than six months, so let's just do our own labs." She's my doctor! Not just some interim, stop gap provider. She's taking over my total care.

She reassured me that my lungs sound fine now, she heard no residual damage from my bronchitis earlier this year, that any congestion I'm experiencing is nasal and likely from allergies. She gave me a script for a 3-D mammogram and recommended a sleep study.

Her manicure came up when we talked about things reopening in our neighborhood. I told her I had a pedi appointment, and she talked about how comfortable she was getting her own new manicure because both she and the nail tech were wearing masks. So you all can choose to believe those whiners in the blogosphere who insist that masks are nothing more than "oppression." I'm going to listen to the lady in the pink stethoscope.

MASK #2) My first trip to the salon in 13 weeks! Since I regularly get my hair cut/colored every four weeks, that means I was three trips overdue. Good for my budget, bad for my soul. I was worried about Tony, my stylist, because he's a small business owner who has been closed for more than two months. I tipped him 30% and bought a bottle of conditioner, just to help him out.

He didn't count the money in front of me, but I know he appreciates it because he was full of tales of kindness from his regular customers. Here's my favorite: as soon as he closed back in March, Tony received a check for $360 from a long-time client. This man, an 80-something friend of his late father's, explained he was paying Tony in advance for a year of hair cuts. Considering that the gentleman is on a fixed income, that's a sacrifice. Tony welled up as he told me, so to lighten the mood I joked, "You only charge him $30 for a hair cut?"

"He has less hair than you, Gal."

I asked him if he ran into any of those whiners who refuse to wear masks. He said only one. A wealthy retiree who just returned to Chicagoland after spending his winter in Phoenix. Over the phone, Tony told this client just what he told me: "You have to wear a mask to enter and I'm taking your temperature before we begin the service."

Mr. Wealthy Snowbird started to complain. These precautions are silly. It's all a joke and a hoax, etc., etc.

Tony responded, "If I get sick, I'm out of work again. I can't afford it. If you don't want to follow these rules, I'm sorry but you can't come."

Something else for the "oppression" whiners to consider; What if you're wrong? What gives you the right to jeopardize someone else's health and livelihood?

I'm now cut, colored, and highlighted. My mullet is gone, and Tony is OK. I'm a happy gal!

Alas, two stars at best.

MASK #3) Ravioli di zucca. There's a small ristorante in my neighborhood that's been having a rough time of it. They opened, and their chef had emergency surgery so they had to close. They reopened, and the pandemic hit!

At the beginning of this crisis, I decided to consistently support a different Italian restaurant: the corner pizza place. Their food is just OK, but they have always been there for Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Little League, etc., and I figured now was the time for the community to pay them back for their generosity. Well Saturday, I was tired and hungry and I wanted good food. So I treated myself pumpkin ravioli from the ristorante instead.

It was delicious. It was also too rich for my system and sent me into a food coma. I barely made it through the perfectly wretched Elvis movie I DVR'd for the occasion.

Saturday was the kind of Saturday I would have resented, pre-pandemic. I would have deemed it too busy, too structured, with not enough alone time. But that was before. Now that we're during, it felt kind of exciting.

 *One of the benefits of regular blogging: When I wondered, "When did I have that mole biopsied?" or "How long did I have c. diff?" the answers were all right here because I wrote about them in real time.