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