Saturday 9

Saturday 9: A Little in Love (1980)

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

 

1) Do you believe you can be a little in love? Or is romance an all-or-nothing proposition for you? I get crushes all the time. I think of that as being "a little in love."

 

2) Cliff Richard sings that he knows it's been a long time since you had fun. Is that true? When have you recently had a really good time? What were you doing? Last weekend my movie group got together for Noir City Chicago, a film noir festival at the Music Box Theater. Festival founder/TCM host Eddie Muller signed my copy of his book Dark City Dames. You could say I'm a little in love with Eddie.

 

3) Cliff was born in India when it was still part of the UK. When he was 8, his family relocated to Tilbury, an English port town. Have you ever lived near the sea? Nope. I don't think I want to, either. My friend Henry lived in Key West and while I enjoyed visiting him, I also heard many difficult stories about enduring the aftermath Hurricanes Irene and Irma and Wilma. I'll stay here in Chicagoland with our friendlier fresh water Lake Michigan.

 

4) In 1958, Cliff became a star in England. He was so influential that young John Lennon said he dreamed someday the Beatles would be as big as Cliff Richard. Yet for some reason, he was never as popular here in the US. Before today, had you ever heard of Cliff Richard? Yes. As a Beatlemaniac, I often read about his path crossing with that of The Fab Four. I don't recall all the details, but I think Cliff resented how unavailable Abbey Road studios were once the Beatles hit it big and their sessions were considered a priority over his. 

 

5) 1980 was Cliff's most successful year stateside. Both "A Little in Love" and his duet with Olivia Newton-John, "Suddenly," made the Top 10. Do you have a favorite Olivia Newton-John song? I have good memories attached to this song. "Spare me all your charms and take me in your arms ..."

 

   

 

6) Cliff was once "a little in love" himself. He had a high-profile romance with British pro tennis player Sue Barker. They contemplated marriage, but in his memoir Cliff admitted he wasn't ready to commit the rest of his life to her. Cliff never married but Sue went on to wed landscape gardener Lance Tankard. Have you ever employed a gardener? Or do you handle all the yard work yourself? I live in a multi-unit building with a tiny front yard. A landscaper comes every now and again, but one of the unitowners goes out and waters in between.

 

7) In 1980, when we were enjoying "A Little in Love" on the radio, Macaulay Culkin was born. He became famous for the Home Alone franchise. Have you seen any Home Alone movies? Nope.

 
8) 1980 also gave us the Post-It Note. Today they are available in a variety of sizes and colors, but the original 4"x4" canary yellow Post-Its are still the best seller. Would we find Post-Its in your home or office right now? Yes. I've got a pad of yellow ones in the kitchen.

 

9) Random question – You're having a crummy day. Nothing is going right. You run into a casual friend in the grocery store aisle. As you chat, do you think your mood would be obvious? Or could you successfully put on a happy face? My casual acquaintance would come away believing I was fine. People who read my blog often get a more realistic window into what's going on with me.

 

 

He's coming home!

 

My favorite-most ballplayer of all-time, Anthony Rizzo, is returning to Wrigley Field. He has signed a one-day contract with the Cubs so he can officially retire as a North Sider. He will remain with the team as "baseball ambassador," representing the Cubs at events. As he should. For with all due respect to Ryne Sandberg, no one but Ernie Banks personified the heart and soul of the Cubs more than Rizz.

To say I am verklempt would be an understatement. Yes, he made the final out of the historic 2016 World Series, ending the longest championship drought in American sports history. Yes, he was a three-time all-star with more than 300 home runs. Of course he provided elite defense at first base. And he did it all with such passion, such joy.

But more than that, Anthony Rizzo gave back. Continues to give back. Example: during the covid shut down, he catered hot meals for hospital workers. A wonderful gesture. To make it even better, the food came from struggling local restaurants that needed the business. He does stuff like this all the fucking time. They don't give out Roberto Clemente Awards and ESPN Sports Humanitarian nominations for nothing.

And there are the kids. He has spent endless hours with pediatric cancer patients and their families at New York's Montefiore Medical Center, Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital in Hollywood, Florida, and most of all, Lurie Children's Hospital here in Chicago. When he visited the hospitalized children, he not only gave them his autographed (and let them wear the World Series ring), he asked them to sign his jersey because each child was a hero and a warrior. 

This is what Anthony Rizzo will be wearing on Saturday when he steps onto Wrigley Field to officially end his career.

 

Anthony Rizzo makes me want to be a better person. I am so grateful for all he's meant to me on and off the field. 

I hope his next chapter includes health, happiness and lots of time with his wife, new baby and dog Kevin. 

 

 

Pinched nerve and brain fart

I woke up Tuesday morning unable to move my left arm without great difficulty. This happened once before, at the end of 2024, so while I hurt I wasn't frightened. I knew it was a pinched nerve in my neck. Painful but not dangerous. As luck would have it, I already had an chiropractor appointment scheduled for today – Friday, three days later. Since this wasn't an emergency, I could see no reason to move the appointment up. 

I am an idiot. 

For three days I was uncomfortable. If I was still, my arm was fine. But I couldn't raise it without pain. Everything – showering, grocery shopping, feeding the cats, laundry – was arduous. I had a hard time finding a position to sleep comfortably. The nerve was not responding to OTC pain killers. So I was sleep deprived and hurt.

And from Monday morning to Tuesday afternoon we were without hot water, so there's that. 

To say I was not at my best would be an understatement. 

Chronic pain and lack of sleep made me stupid. Yesterday, instead of taking money out of my high-yield savings account and depositing it into my checking account, I did it the other way around. I was not paying attention as I clicked. I fucked up.

This morning I got an alert from bank that my checking account was overdrawn. I was terrified, afraid I'd been hacked. No, I just made a stupid, stupid mistake. (AGAIN!) After spending time on the phone with both banks, I finally got it ironed out and hopefully, by end of business Monday, all my funds will be where I want them.

I realize that working decades for big companies, I've been infantilized. Funds just appeared in my checking account twice/month. Left to my own devices, I mess up.

Just as I thought my self loathing had reached a fever pitch, I dialed it up to 11. I went to my chiropractor and she felt where my neck meets my shoulder. 

"Of course you hurt!" she said. I got on the table and she twisted, pressed and popped and I was fine. No pain, full range of motion restored.

"You should have called me," she said. Duh, Gal. I went through 3 days of pain for no good reason. Really, she remedied the problem in minutes! 

I'm such an ass.

Here's to an uneventful, enjoyable weekend. I need it!

 

Photo by Klara Kulikova on Unsplash