WWW.WEDNESDAY

 

WWW. WEDNESDAY asks three questions to prompt you to speak bookishly. To participate, and to see how other book lovers responded, click here. 

PS I no longer participate in WWW.WEDNESDAY via that link because her blog won't accept Blogger comments. I mention this only to save you the frustration I experienced trying to link up.

1. What are you currently reading? A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Do I really need to provide a synopsis for this one? Surprisingly short, it's a masterpiece and I'm glad I'm finally reading it. Now, to go from the sublime to the ridiculous ...

 
2. What did you recently finish reading? Wreck the Halls by Tessa Bailey. A  superstar band, Steel Birds, broke up suddenly and bitterly and left their legion of fans reeling. The duo's music is embraced by each subsequent generation and the Steel Birds legend continues to grow. The members -- Trina and Octavia -- steadfastly refuse to perform together ever again.

 

Trina and Octavia were both pregnant when they broke up and weren't speaking when Trina's daughter, Melody, and Octavia's son, Beat, were born. Still, the kids grew up together in a way, linked together by the paparazzi and on gossip sites. Beat was the charmed one, the one the camera loved, and he grew up to be one of People's Sexiest Men Alive. Melody's awkward teen years were chronicled cruelly, leaving her feeling awkward and never quite enough

 

Thirty years after the band's break-up, a producer tries to reunite Steel Birds at Rockefeller Center on Christmas Eve and offers Beat and Melody $1 million to bring their mothers together. Of course Melody and Beat are going to have a Christmas romance.

 

This book was silly. I'm not sorry I read it, because it got me thinking of second-generation celebrity and the onus it puts on people who never requested it. But it is not sexy, romantic, or Christmas-y. I do not recommend it. 

3. What will you read next? Trial by Ambush by Marcia Clark.

 

Saturday 9

 Saturday 9: Goodbye (1969)

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

This song was chosen because it's time to say goodbye to 2024.

Thanks for participating in Saturday 9 this year.

1) In this song, Mary Hopkin asks her lover not to let her sleep too late. Did you wake up this morning on your own, did someone wake you, or were you jangled awake by an alarm clock? I'm battling a bad cold and am letting myself sleep as much as my body wants to as I recover.

2) The lyrics reference "a lonely song." Can you name a song about loneliness? "Eleanor Rigby" by the Beatles. Paul asks, "All the lonely people, where do they all come from? All the lonely people, where do they all belong?"

3) "Goodbye" was written for Mary by Paul McCartney. He was the one who signed her to her first record contract and produced this and all her Apple Records, including her first big hit, "Those Were the Days." Looking back on 2024, who is someone who gave you a helping hand when you needed it? My former boss at the card shop, Ceecee, made me feel like she wanted me to succeed. Her support gave me confidence. She's a very good supervisor.

4) This video shows Mary performing on The Ed Sullivan Show while wearing a miniskirt. Minis were very popular in 1969. Did you embrace a fashion trend in 2024? If we expand this to makeup, yes. I began wearing light blue and violet eye shadow again, something I hadn't done since the 70s. But I like it.

5) Also in 1969, the Colts lost to the New York Jets in Super Bowl III. The game is famous because of all the hype leading up to it, including Joe Namath "guaranteeing" the underdog Jets would win. Do you have a special sports memory of 2024? In September, my favorite-most ball player returned to Wrigley Field for the first time since he was traded. It wasn't just the 41,000 fans in the park who celebrated him. There were signs all around town welcoming him home. I hope Anthony Rizzo realizes how much he is loved here.

6) What's the farthest from home you traveled in 2024? ORD to LAX is about 2,000 miles.

7) What was the biggest purchase that you made in 2024? I spent about (gulp) $4,000 on dental work this year.

8) What was your favorite book of 2024? Camera Girl is a biography of Jacqueline Bouvier, before she became Mrs. Kennedy or Mrs. Onassis. It concentrates on her life after high school and before marriage. It's about the choices women had (or didn't have) in the 1940s and 1950s and made me wish I knew more about my own mother's life after high school, before she left my grandparents' home for her husband's.

Read about it here

9) What are you looking forward to most in 2025? I'm going to Hollywood!

 

In memory of Henry

Today should be my dear friend Henry's birthday. He loved Frida Kahlo and often tried to convince me to appreciate her, as well. He was never successful, but I miss our conversations.

I wish I could give this to him. As a little boy, he never got a birthday party. He wasn't bitter about this, saying, "With all her children, with my day so close to Christmas, Mother did not have time." I knew better than to criticize his mother, whom he loved more than anything, but internally I always cried "bullshit." He had two brothers, not 12. His mother had time. So I pledged to him I would always fuss over his birthday.

You can order it here.

Before his accident, he would thank me and we would hang it on his tree together. After his TBI, he would criticize it -- "Is this supposed to be Frida? Why can no one get her eyebrows right?" -- but he would still thank me.

Happy birthday, Henry. I miss you.

Saturday 9

SATURDAY 9: HAPPY HOLIDAYS

 From the archives

1. As you can see, when Sam Winters was a little girl, she loved giving her annual wish list to Santa. If you could ask Santa for anything at all, right now, what would it be? A contract for Anthony Rizzo.

2. Are you currently on the Naughty or Nice list? How did you get there? I am on the Nice List because every day I try to be kind and do good. Or, in Gone with the Wind parlance, be more Melly than Scarlett.

3. Are you traveling this Christmas? If so, are you going by car, plane or train? I am flying to Grand Rapids to see my niece's new home.

4. Did you ship any gifts to friends and family this year? If yes, which one traveled the farthest? My cousin Rose lives near Tampa, loves her coffee, and enjoyed her trip to Italy so I sent her a mug decorated by a map of Italy. This make-up bag went farther, winging its way to my oldest friend in So Cal. I slipped a $25 Target gift card inside. I chose Target because even though she has mobility issues and lives in a rather rural are, Target delivers anywhere and has stuff everyone needs. (Her medical issues and living situation make her difficult to buy for.)

 
5. Did you buy yourself a gift this year? Yes! I got a Black & Decker cordless stick vac. It's a little noisier than I'd like -- I worry about my downstairs neighbor -- but the suction is good and it's so convenient.

6. Which do you prefer: candy canes or gingerbread? Gingerbread.

7. Close your eyes and tell us the first carol that comes to mind. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.

8. What's your favorite winter beverage? This weekend I'm doing a little socializing and have committed to trying my first-ever hot toddy. Maybe it will become my favorite winter beverage.

9. Share a memory from last Christmas. Last year was the 40th anniversary of the Christmas singalong with Santa preceding It's a Wonderful Life at Chicago's Music Box Theater. I've attended before, but it was especially sweet to be part of the anniversary celebration. I'm using my commemorative mug right now.

Thursday Thirteen #391

For Her. From 1974. I got my start as a writer for the Sears Catalog in 1981, but I began flipping through it as a little girl. I fantasized about what I wanted to wear, how I wanted my future home to look, and at Christmastime, what I wanted to find under the tree.

So for this week's TT, I wanted to see how we were celebrating Christmas fifty years ago and I looked to the Sears Wish Book. I was happy to see the headline written by one of my predecessors, "Gifts for Gals to Give or Get." Here's what I found on those pages:

1. "8 famous fragrances on an elegant boudoir tray." Tiny bottles (about .5 oz.) of Courant, Tigress, Ambush, Emeraude, Heaven Scent, Maja, Tweed and Chantilly a "dainty" filigreed tray. $8.98.

2. Nail care kit. Five shades of nail polish, four emery boards, a cuticle pusher and a pack of tissues in a zipper case with a tab handle. "Remove the contents and you have a handy little tote-purse." $4.98.

3. Bird cage music box. A yellow bird behind gold metal bars "dances to the tune of 'We've Only Just Begun.'" $7.98.

4. Roomy sewing basket. Brown wood basket with "attractive red bandana print cotton trim and lining." 9 in. tall, 7 in. high. $4.98.

5. Profile charms. Ready to hang on a bracelet (not included), choose from a boy's or girl's profile. First initial and birthdate engraved at no extra cost. $3.99.

6. Double-link charm bracelet. "Beautifully crafted of rhodium-plated sterling silver ... individually gift-boxed." 7.5 in. long. $5.99.

7. Ivory pendant. "Deeply petaled rose shape" on an 18 in. chain. Gift boxed. $5.99.

8. Treasure chest jewelry box. "Covered with charming multi-colored birds and flowers." Lined with pink rayon. $6.99.

9. Black and gold bead necklace. "Just the right accessory." 26 in. long. $7.00.

10. Beret and scarf set. The beret "sports a jaunty pom-pom" and the 6-ft. long scarf has a "dashing" knotted trim. In 6 colors. $7.00.

11. Knit gloves with vinyl palm and back. 2-button trim. Remember, "Gloves make great gifts." $3.97

12. Three speed hand mixer. Detachable chrome steel beaters are easy to clean. $6.99.

13. Chess set with a folding board. "Chess is a great game for thinkers." $8.95.

PLEASE NOTE: All of these gifts came in at under $10. Adjusted for inflation, a gift that cost $10 in 1974 would be about $60.75 today.

Can you see your earlier self giving or getting any of these 1974 Christmas gifts?

Please join us for THURSDAY THIRTEEN. Click here to play along, and to see other interesting compilations of 13 things.

Grateful that I can

My Christmas shopping is done, and in this post I'm focusing on gifts for people I don't even know.

Harriet. She's 9 years old and either lives in, or attends daycare at, the local children's home. The kids there share their Christmas wishes, which are printed on ornaments hung on the tree at our neighborhood Whole Foods. I chose to deliver on Harriet's wish because while other little girls longed for Barbie, she asked for STEM. Now I was a Barbie girl and would never throw shade, but I admire Harriet for marching to her own drummer. So I got her this rock kit and a $10 Target gift card (because it was noted she also needs a new sweater).

Anthony Rizzo Family Foundation. I read the story of a mom with a couple kids, one of whom was battling cancer. She explained that with between jobs and medical appointments, she and her husband were just spread too thin to provide a Merry Christmas for her family, and she was very grateful when my favorite ballplayer and his charity team stepped in and took over. Already wrapped gifts showed up for both her sick child and his sibling. Another parent reported that, even though they didn't have time to decorate their home, the Rizzo foundation contracted a local hardware store and outdoor lights were purchased and hung, enabling Santa to find their house on Christmas Eve. So when I saw their toy drive and this Nerf football was listed, it seemed quite literally like the least I could do to help. I am grateful that my favorite ballplayer has opened my eyes to the fact that when a child is battling cancer, his brothers and sisters are effected, too. If you're looking for a charity to support, you could do far worse than this one. 

Toys for Tots. Have you noticed that for the last few years, this venerable organization has been asking for books as well? I think that's awesome, and so I dropped a pair of books into the collection box at my local Walgreen's. (This is the only one I remember; the other one had stickers in the back.)

JFK said "God's work must be our own." That seems especially important this time of year. Giving is the best way to honor the spirit of the season, and I'm grateful I can do it.

That's my girl

I love how elegantly, yet unambiguously, JBKO let her guests know that they were both welcome in her home and expected to leave at 8:00 PM. Unless you were one of the lucky few invited in her distinctive hand to stay for supper.

This is likely from the early 1980s. How I would have loved to have celebrated Christmas at 1040! If meeting my idol left me tongue-tied, I'm sure I'd have someone fascinating to talk to. At that point, Jackie was working at Doubleday and enjoyed surrounding herself with authors. She shared her Fifth Avenue apartment with Maurice Tempelsman. In those days, his philanthropic interests were far-reaching, touching upon everything from AIDS research to oceanography. Just imagine the guest list!

I'd leave at 8:00. I couldn't bear it if at supper I dribbled some of Marta's famous raspberry sauce down my expensive new blouse. (And I would, you know.)

WWW.WEDNESDAY

 

 

WWW. WEDNESDAY asks three questions to prompt you to speak bookishly. To participate, and to see how other book lovers responded, click here. 

PS I no longer participate in WWW.WEDNESDAY via that link because her blog won't accept Blogger comments. I mention this only to save you the frustration I experienced trying to link up.

1. What are you currently reading? Wreck the Halls by Tessa Bailey. A lightweight Christmas romance that appeals to the Beatles fangirl in me. It's about a superstar band, Steel Birds, who broke up suddenly and bitterly and left their legion of fans confused and heartbroken. The duo's music is embraced by each subsequent generation and the Steel Birds legend continues to grow. The members -- Trina and Octavia -- steadfastly refuse to perform together, or even speak to one another, ever again.

Thirty years after the band's break-up, a producer tries to reunite Steel Birds at Rockefeller Center on Christmas Eve. Why does she think she will succeed where everyone else has failed? She has enlisted Trina's now 30-year old daughter, Melody, and Octavia's son, Beat, also 30, to try to persuade their famous mothers and to livestream the kids' efforts as a reality show. Of course Melody and Beat are going to have a Christmas romance.

Julian and Sean Lennon. Heather, Mary, Stella, James and Beatrice McCartney. Dhani Harrison. Zak, Jason and Lee Starkey. Yes, I can name the Beatles' progeny without looking it up. Julian and Heather never hooked up, but if they had, the Beatles fanverse would have gone mad.

 
2. What did you recently finish reading? Christmas Presents by Lisa Unger. A very good thriller. Taut and scary. Unger uses the small-town Christmas setting to reinforce that evil can exist anywhere.

When Maddie was still in high school, she endured an attack that left her a scar on her cheek and a deeper one on her soul. After a high-profile trial, which rocked her little hometown, the perpetrator was sentenced and Maddie tried to get on her with her life. She runs an independent bookstore and takes care of her dad, who recently suffered a stroke. She is doing the best she can, but her recovery is fragile.

And it's threatened when a famous podcaster enters her shop. He believes the similar unsolved crimes against other young girls in the area means her attacker didn't act alone, or perhaps there's a copycat out there, so he's reopening the case. 

Every few pages I said to myself, "He did it ... no, he did it! ... no, he did it ..." I wasn't always wrong. One of my guesses did turn out to be correct. But that's only because I suspected just about every male in the book.

3. What will you read next? I don't know.

 

A break from all the ho-ho-ho

Winter hasn't even really kicked in yet and I'm looking forward to spring! Got my hotel room -- I'm staying at the Loews, which is rather high end but right there at the center of everything, so I'll feel safe even after the midnight screenings -- and now I have my pass. 

After the first of year I'll start looking at airfare. Right now ORD-LAX is $561 roundtrip. Frankly that's more than I want to spend. I'm about 6,500 miles short of flying free (darn!). I hate having to fret about the cost of things, but I'm an old lady on a fixed income and that's my new reality. In years gone by, I took at least two vacations a year -- Key West and then some other getaway -- but this will be my only trip in 2025.* 

Facebook is abuzz with my fellow old movie fanatics. We're excited about the films we'll see, and about seeing one another again. 

Baseball and TCMFF! April will deliver two of my favorite things.

*If I do Grand Rapids again next year, I think I'd prefer Amtrak, which would be cheaper than flying. 

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: I Wouldn't Trade Christmas (1968)

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

  

1) In addition to Christmas, this song name-checks many major holidays, including Mother's and Father's Day, Thanksgiving, Halloween and Valentine's Day. Which holiday is your favorite? I don't know how to answer this because the 2024 holidays are different from any other. I used to spend Thanksgiving with John and Christmas with Henry. John died in April and Henry in June. Thanksgiving this year was OK, but very different. We'll see how Christmas unfolds.

 

2) The Sinatra family posed in all-white for this album cover in August 1968. Are there any pictures of you and your siblings in matching outfits? Yes. My older sister and I are 19 months apart, one year apart in school. My mom enjoyed dressing us the same, especially for special occasions. I hated it.

3) Nancy is the oldest of the Sinatra children. She's also the one who performed most often on TV and film with her famous father. She played his daughter (of course!) in a movie and appeared in two of his TV specials while he appeared in one of hers. In 1967, she and Frank scored a #1 single with a duet of "Somethin' Stupid." Have you ever worked with a family member or spouse? Nope.

 

4) Frank, Jr., was the middle child and only son. A dedicated musician, he labored in his father's long shadow and joked that he would have had an easier time if he'd chosen real estate instead of music. Tell us about your path not taken. (Examples: A career you wish you'd pursued but didn't; a person you could have married but didn't; a city you almost moved to, but changed your mind.) I once thought I'd enjoy being a court reporter. I'm fascinated by court proceedings. I'm proficient at a keyboard. It seemed like a good fit. But I was eager to move out of my parents' house and didn't want to spend the two years required to get an associate's degree. Instead I took the conventional secretarial route. I ended up at Sears, and from there I was promoted to a catalog copywriter and my advertising career was born. So I guess it all worked out for the best.

 

5) Unlike her father and siblings, Tina Sinatra never wanted to be a singer. She found success as a theatrical agent and, at her father's request, became involved with his business affairs. Today she helps manage the rights to Frank Sinatra's movies and music. Do you have a good head for business? Yes. Or, to be more precise, I have a good head for marketing/strategy. I don't understand investing or the stock market.

6) Nancy and Frank, Jr., were born in Jersey City. By the time Tina was born, the family had relocated to Los Angeles. Did your family move around a lot when you were young? Nope.

And now, in the spirit of the season ...

 

7) Do you consider snow globes a holiday decoration, or do think they should be displayed all year around? I file this under, "Do What You Want."

8) Which of Dickens' Christmas ghosts would you most enjoy spending time with: past, present or future? Past. I look back on my Key West Christmases so fondly now. It was always such a kick to swim in the pool, listening to Christmas tunes, before church on Christmas Eve. And I'd like to walk the beach on Christmas Day with Henry again.

9) Have you crafted, cooked, or baked any gifts this holiday season? Nope.

 

Thursday Thirteen #390

 My jolly list. I'm hearing Christmas songs everywhere, and it makes me happy. The music that's piped into the store where I work is eclectic and I've heard one my lesser-known faves, Dolly Parton's "Hard Candy Christmas." My young coworker Lanie was introduced to Peggy Lee through Peggy's version of "The Christmas Waltz."

But Lanie and I are not representative of America. According to Billboard, these are the 13 "best" Christmas songs -- as chosen by their staff.

13. Santa, Tell Me by Ariana Grande (2014)

12. Blue Christmas by Elvis (1957)

11. Christmastime Is Here by Vince Guaraldi (1965)

10. This Christmas by Donny Hathaway (1970)

9. Santa Claus Is Coming to Town by Bruce Springsteen (1982)

8. Christmas in Hollis by Run-DMC (1987)

7. Feliz Navidad by Jose Feliciano (1970)

6. Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree by Brenda Lee (1958)

5. White Christmas by Bing Crosby (1947)

4. Last Christmas by Wham! (1984)

3. The Christmas Song by Nat King Cole (1961)

2. Baby, Please Come Home by Darlene Love (1962)

1. All I Want for Christmas Is You by Mariah Carey (1994)

What holiday song makes you happy?

Please join us for THURSDAY THIRTEEN. Click here to play along, and to see other interesting compilations of 13 things.

WWW.WEDNESDAY

 

 

WWW. WEDNESDAY asks three questions to prompt you to speak bookishly. To participate, and to see how other book lovers responded, click here. 

PS I no longer participate in WWW.WEDNESDAY via that link because her blog won't accept Blogger comments. I mention this only to save you the frustration I experienced trying to link up.

1. What are you currently reading? Christmas Presents by Lisa Unger. I didn't expect holly jolly from an author known for thrillers, and this one is dark. It's about Madeline, a small-town entrepreneur who bears scars -- one on her face and one on her soul. She was the victim of an assault years ago and one day, when she least expects it, a true crime podcaster comes into her bookstore to buy a Christmas gift ... and to reopen her case.

 
2. What did you recently finish reading? In the Best Families by Rex Stout. A dog is murdered. I get very upset when pets are in peril, and something just awful happens to a dog in this one. I wished I'd been warned about that going in. The thing of it is, I became obsessed with seeing the cruel bastard brought to justice. I got what I wanted.

 

One outstanding thing about this entry is that Lily Rowan has a bigger part! Lily is Archie Goodwin's best girl, and she is drafted into joining the usually all-male team. It's nice to see her take part in the action and acquit herself so well.

3. What will you read next? I don't know.

 

 

 

I screwed up

In terms of consumer traffic, it's either feast or famine at the card shop. It'll be me and sales lead on duty, sprucing up the store and enjoying the carols and then POW! The door opens and shoppers magically appear. Some ask for assistance, which means that often, instead of two of us at the registers, there's only one. 

Our customers are uniformly pleasant and patient. I am grateful for that, because I remain slower than I would like at the register. 

Monday, I screwed up. A 30-something woman wandered in and walked around the store for a while. Then she grabbed a basket and started to shop. She bought a little of everything. Roll wrap, ornaments (buy 1, get 1 50% off), jigsaw puzzles, crafting kits ... all kinds of stuff, many different shapes, some of it breakable. Her final tally was over $200. 

I was slow but careful. Especially with her ornaments. I brought the two big bags around the counter and handed them to her. She thanked me for my help and, after spending over an hour with us, she disappeared out the door. I went on to help those in line behind her.

When the rush was over, I turned around and reached for my water bottle. That's when I saw it: one of the $25 jigsaw puzzles she paid for but I forgot to bag.

Katie, our new store manager, pulled up the transaction but since the customer wasn't a rewards member, she couldn't access the name. We just had to wait until the poor woman got home, unpacked her purchases, and noticed the puzzle was missing. 

It took her about an hour to call. It was at the end of my shift. Lanie, who came on to relieve me, was the one who took the call and said the customer sounded "pleasant, not at all mad."

That's nice, but she still had to drive all the way back to the store to get what she'd paid for.

Yesterday was only December 9. My last workday before Christmas is December 19. That gives me a lot of time to make more and similar mistakes at the register. I suck.

Photo by Danny Lines on Unsplash

 

Saturday 9

 Saturday 9: Hurt So Bad (1980)

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

1) Do you have any aches or pains this morning? I'm doing this Friday PM, but I'm going to make a daring prediction. Come Saturday morning, my arthritic left knee will hurt. I was on my feet a lot Friday, and that knee can protest the morning after.

2) In this song, Linda Ronstadt complains that her ex doesn't get what she's going through. Have you recently felt misunderstood? Right after the election. One of my coworkers, Jen, was very emotional about it and asked me what I thought happened. I told her that I thought Trump's commercials were better and his media buys were smarter. I watched the playoffs and the World Series and his spots were on all the time. Sports are a great place to advertise because viewers can't fast forward through the commercials, plus each spot closed with the same catchy tagline. Anyway, Jen thought I was praising the content of the commercials and of course I most adamantly was not. I thought they were misleading and divisive. I was just speaking objectively as a veteran of more than 40 years in advertising. Those Trump commercials were quality and obviously effective, albeit toxic, work. They just were.

3) Now let's put a positive spin on it: Is there someone in your life who gets you completely? Not anymore. This is why I miss my friend John. He got me completely. To look at us, that might surprise you, because we appeared to be opposites. He was over 6' tall, I'm not much over 5'. He was black, I'm white. He's was gay, I'm straight. He was agnostic, I'm Christian. He was the oldest of four, I'm a middle child. Yet I was so comfortable with him. Nothing I ever did or said got so much as a raised eyebrow. It was all good. He died in April and I think I will miss him forever.

4) Linda recorded a best-selling album in Spanish, and has also performed in French, German and Italian. How many languages do you speak? Just only English.

5) Linda once dated George Lucas of Star Wars fame. Who is your favorite Star Wars character? I only ever saw one Star Wars movie and that was plenty. However I shall answer with Luke Skywaker, because Mark Hamill retweeted me once.

6) Steve Martin has spoken affectionately about Linda and their romance in the 1970s. Are you a Steve Martin fan? Yes, which reminds me I have to finish Only Murders in the Building before my Hulu trial ends.

7) Linda worked consistently and successfully with record producer Peter Asher throughout the 70s and 80s. Tell us about someone you enjoyed working beside. My former boss at the card shop, CeeCee. I just enjoyed being around her. She was a very positive person, very patient. Always assumes the best about people.

8) In 1980, when this song was popular, People magazine named author Stephen King one of the year's most intriguing people. Have you read any of his books or short stories? I've read Carrie and Dolores Claiborne. I'm impressed by how well he writes women characters.

9) Random question: Looking back on last week, would you describe it as exciting or boring? It was more exciting than I would have liked! I worked three shifts (when I've become accustomed to one) and then on Thursday I went to The Art Institute of Chicago with my friend Elaine. The lions out front are duded up for Christmas and we toured The Thorne Miniatures, a gallery of rooms created at 1:12 scale. They were enchanting. But I admit I'm looking forward to a very dull Saturday.

Read more about the rooms here

Thursday Thirteen #389

The "oh, yeah?" edition. The box of baking soda on my counter says it has "100+ uses." I only use it to kill odors in drains and in my refrigerator. But let's see if I can find 13 other popular uses while tooling around the web.

1. Teeth whitener. Now that I think of it, this was my high on my Grandma's list. She brushed with baking soda and salt.

2. Squeaky floorboards. Regularly sprinkle it on wooden floors and sweep away the excess. Eventually it will work it's way between the boards, reducing the shift and lessening the sound.

3. Clean your hairbush. Soak your brush overnight in a mix of baking soda and warm water. The baking soda will absorb residual hair product that clings to the bristles. (I should do this.)

4. Reduce itching. Make a baking soda/water paste and apply it to a bug bite or rash.

5. Relieve sunburn. Soak your reddened self in a warm bath that includes baking soda.

6. Rinse your produce. Immerse fresh fruits and vegetables in baking soda and water to remove pesticides.

7. Remove tarnish from silver jewelry. Soak it in baking soda and warm water for a few minutes, then buff dry.

8. Stretch that box of laundry detergent. For a standard load, try 1/2 cup of laundry powder and a 1/2 cup of baking soda.

9. Reduce toenail fungus. Create a foot bath by adding a tablespoon of baking soda to warm water.

10. Shoe deodorizer. Speaking of feet, sprinkle baking soda into your shoes, let it sit for a few minutes, and then shake it out.

11. Fire extinguisher. Hey! I remember this one from Girl Scouts! Pour baking soda directly on a small grease fire.

12. Reduce fatigue after a workout. Soak in baking soda and warm water to soothe aching muscles.

13. Unclog slow drains. First pour hot water down the drain. Follow with baking soda. (Some recommend baking soda and vinegar.) Finish with more hot water.

OK. If I could find 13 this easily, I guess I believe there are at least 87 more.

Please join us for THURSDAY THIRTEEN. Click here to play along, and to see other interesting compilations of 13 things.