Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Livin' La Vida Loca (1999)

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

1) Ricky Martin sings that he and the girl dance in the rain. Do you feel like dancing this morning? Sure. Perhaps not first thing in the morning. I'm a little creeky when my feet first hit the floor. But once I get moving, I could sway to the music.

2) The lyrics tell us the girl prefers champagne. When did you last enjoy a glass of the bubbly? It's been years. Since menopause, even a sip gives me a migraine. Too bad. I miss it.

 

3) When Ricky first heard "Livin' La Vida Loca," he imagined  the subject of the song was a "Bond girl," the glamorous love interest of James Bond in the movies. Since 1962, there have been more than 20 Bond films. Have you seen any/many of them? Do you have a favorite Bond? I've seen several Bond movies. I didn't like Roger Moore. He seemed too old and too silly. I get Sean Connery's appeal, certainly. Daniel Craig is kinda scary, which I think is the point. He's a menacing Bond. But my favorite is Pierce Brosnan because I think he's the most handsome and the most self-aware. Best hair by far. (I also liked him in Remington Steele.)

 
4) Ricky tells interviewers that when he was very young, he'd sing in the family kitchen, pretending a wooden spoon was his microphone. Crazy Sam admits to lip synching into a black Magic Marker. When you gave imaginary concerts, what did you use as a microphone? I stood in front of my bedroom mirror and sang into my hairbrush.

5) Ricky began working at the tender age of 9, performing in commercials. How old were you when you received your first paycheck? 16 or 17. Before that, I babysat and was paid in cash.

6) Ricky does yoga to stay in shape. Have you ever tried yoga? Nope.

7) Ricky is of primarily Spanish descent, with a little French mixed in. When you think of French cuisine, what comes to mind? Quiche.

 

8) Ricky once had his own restaurant, Casa Salsa, in Miami Beach. Have you ever worked in food service? Nope.

 

9) Random question: What is your best quality? I truly do try to be a good person. I often fall short, but not due to lack of effort.

 

What does my future hold?

 The office reopens November 1. I've been away from day-to-day commuting for 17 months now. What will it be like? 

I've been setting my alarm clock for 7:00 AM, so that 6:30 won't feel like too much of a shock. And yet somehow I'm not even in the shower until 8:30. That won't cut it, since I'll have to leave the house by 8:10 to catch the 8:19. 

How much will I miss my afternoon naps? Running errands in my neighborhood? Always being home when Alexa tells me my package has arrived?

How much will I hate being surrounded by people all day, every day again? Will I feel like a drag queen as I layer on the eyeliner, the mascara, the earrings, the necklace and watch?

Thank goodness I have so many vacation days left. If I find I can't take it anymore, I'll just trade one in and stay home.

There's a lot about going downtown that I do love. The city during the holidays is terrific. The Loop economy will never bounce back until those big office buildings are full again. The homeless depend on our foot traffic. It's time to return to normal -- or the new normal.