Happy as a hog in slop

Yes, that's me right now! I'm watching the 2.5 hour special on The History Channel about Abraham Lincoln. How much I love Illinois' favorite son! It's produced by Doris Kearns Goodwin, who loves Abe, too, but doesn't deify him. This show puts him in the context of his times. It's enormously cool to hear President Barack Obama -- also of Illinois, by the way! -- refer to Lincoln in New Salem as "a young man on the make." 

Parts 2 and 3 are on Monday and Tuesday

 

 

Happy President's Day!

Sunday Stealing

Friday 5

1) What one event from your lifetime would you change if you could, and why? The relationship I spent my 20s on. I'm not sorry I knew him, because I learned a lot. I'm not sorry I loved him, even though he didn't deserve my heart, because you don't regret love. I am sorry I stayed as long as I did. Everything I learned through the end of that relationship was dark and ugly.

2) If you could give one piece of advice to your younger self, what would it be and how old would your younger self be when they got it? Do you think your younger self would listen? I didn't start taking myself seriously professionally until I was in my 30s. I think that was a mistake. I'm not sure my 20-something self would have listened though. I was all about HIM when I was in my 20s, so there wasn't much room for me.

3) If you could have a conversation with the historical figure of your choosing, whom would you pick and why? What would you talk about? JBKO! I have so much to ask her! First of all, she spent time with many world leaders, from Winston Churchill to Donald Trump. She was there for so much history. What was The President really like? What was the White House really like? How did she maintain her sense of self while enduring international scrutiny? Where did she get the courage and grace to live her own life, by her own rules? Did being in publishing have an impact on her love of reading? I could learn so much from her. She could also be very funny. If Nora Ephron is my fantasy older sister, JBKO is my fantasy best friend.

 
4) What's a safety rule that's very important to you? Having the vaccine and booster. There's a toxic myth that wanting everyone vaccinated and boosted makes one "a Karen or Karl." No, putting the rest of us at risk because you insist on indulging your own sense of imaginary grievance is what makes one "a Karen or Karl." Get over your whiny self and get the shots. Take off your tinfoil hat, at least pretend you have a conscience, and protect your community.

5) What would you like to say to people in the future? There's a Bible verse where Jesus advises: "Whatever you did for the least of these brothers and sisters, you did for me." I'd share with them that there is true joy in doing for others, in looking out for others. (Which includes getting the vaccination and booster.)

6) What's your favorite dish to bring to a summer cookout? Berries and grapes. Everyone likes them, and no one remembers to bring them.

7) How much time have you spent outdoors this week? Not much. Either I was too busy working or it was too cold. I miss going for walks.

8) Where do you set your thermostat? This time of year, I don't. In this condo, either the heat is all the way on, or it ain't.

9) How did you learn to swim? My mom was big on this, and I'm grateful to her. We went to a lake every summer and she worried about drowning, so when I was in 3rd and 4th grade, I took swimming lessons through the park district one week each summer for two summers. Swimming was required in high school, too, but I got out of it by pretending  to have my period. (My hair!) I was able to swim the length of the pool in order to graduate.

10) How do you avoid overheating? Drinking water.

11) What are you going to do this weekend? It's Sunday. Most of the weekend is in my rearview mirror. I'm going to the movies this afternoon with friends. That will be fun.

12) What’s your favorite way to spend time? Book, TV, movies, cats.

13) What’s the most useless thing you own that you would never get rid of? I have empty (never used) shampoo bottles in the closet in my den. It was the first product packaging I ever did, it was such fun. Now that my career is just about over, I'll never need these bottles to get another job. And if I did, I'd make a digital record of them. So they're useless. But I'm still not ready to part with them.

14) Have you started planning your next vacation? My next vacation is in about 70 days and it's already planned. I'm going to the TCM Classic Film Festival in Hollywood. I've got my pass, my flights and my hotel reservation. I still need to book rides to/from the airport, but I want to make sure my flights don't change.

15) Are you very active, or do you prefer to just relax in your free time or is it one and the same to you? See #12.