Heads or Tails #20 -- Light

I am of German-Irish descent, and what's more, I am the palest one in my family. So when I saw the prompt "light," my mind immediately went to my very light complexion.

And skin cancer. I have to remind myself that it's a winter issue, too. And, while I'm reminding myself, I'm going to take this opportunity to remind the blogosphere.

According to the American Cancer Society, we should all apply sunscreen every day, because even "brief sun exposures all year round can add up to skin damage." An SPF of at least 15 is recommended. In Chicago's winter, when carrying a tube of suntan lotion isn't exactly second nature, I make sure I use foundation and moisturizer formulated with sunscreen.

Sunglasses are important, too. Before you purchase, check the label and make sure the lenses block both UVA and UVB rays. "If there is no label, don't assume the sunglasses provide any protection."

Now have fun but be careful out there. And be sure to check out Heads or Tails here.

Heads or Tails #24 -- Chains

HEADS - "Chain"

This week's prompt has me time travelling back to 1967, and two of the favorite things in my 9-year-old life.

• Adding to my gum wrapper chain
• Singing along with Aretha, "Cha-cha-chain-ee-ain-ee-ain, Chain of Fools."

Heads or Tails

The theme/prompt for this week is Heads -- Proud.

I feel very accomplished because I replaced the grout between two rows of tiles in my shower. I have never done such a thing before! This was a task I would have, in the past, handed over to a handyman. But because I'm economizing, I did this myself.

This left me feeling self-sufficient and proud.

To play along yourself, click here.

PS Thanks to Miss Skittles at HoT for naming my musings Blog of the Month!

Heads or Tails -- Soft

Make any kind of post using any form of the word "Soft".

You just know that everything about her -- her coat, her purr, her grip as she holds you with her paws -- is going to be soft. Makes me just want to pick her up and rub her against my cheek!

To play along, click here.

Heads or Tails

The theme/prompt for THIS week, June 16, is:
HEADS - Lost
*OR*
TAILS - Found

So I'm taking the "tail" spin and highlighting songs that include the word "found."

"I found my thrill on Blueberry Hill/on Blueberry Hill, where I found you." Fats Domino

"You got lucky, babe, when I found you." Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

"Now I've found my life has changed in, oh, so many ways/my independence seems to vanish in the haze." Beatles, "Help!"

"Young Scott with a slingshot found a tender spot and threw his lover in the sand." Bruce Springsteen, "Blinded by the Light"

For more information, or to play yourself, click here.

Heads or Tails #22 -- Starts with A

The first thing that came to mind is one of my all-time favorite Barenaked Ladies songs:

"A"

A is for angry, which is what you are at me
A is for adult, which is what I'll never be
A is for applesauce, my favorite meal
A is for Adam, which is how I sometimes feel;
Like I'm the only man on Earth, and I've forgotten what that's worth
A is for Arthur, he's a lovable drunk
A is amazing, like Thelonius Monk
A is for argument, A is for apparent
A is for antagonism that's not even there and
it's just you begging for attention or something I won't even mention

And I don't even know why you keep on trying
Like I don't even know why I keep on lying
There are millions of people in worlds of their own
And two of them can't let go

A is for algebra, I learned it in school
A is what Fonzie said, 'cause he was very cool
A is for adversary, A is for affection
A is arousal, you are giving me an erection
C'mon I'm trying to show affection for longer than a half an hour

And I don't even know why you keep on trying
Like I don't even know why I keep on lying
There are millions of people in worlds of their own
And two of them can't let go

I met a woman I used to know
Long before you, long ago
All I could say, after hello
Was "are you still single?"
A is for attitude I can't help but wield
A is for arrogance; emotional shield
A is for acting, A is for abhorrently
A is for asshole, which is what I am, how rude of me.
I owe you an apology I'm sorry

And I don't even know why you keep on trying
Like I don't even know why I keep on lying
There are millions of people in worlds of their own
And two of them can't let go

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Heads or Tails #24 -- Getting There

I may be in the minority, but I love Amtrak. I use it on occasion to travel on business, and every time I go down to Springfield to visit Honest Abe. It's often cheaper than driving (just $12 to visit my client downstate) and it's great for people watching: Families going down to Springfield to see the Lincoln sites, soldiers going home from Iraq or Afghanistan, business people, students going to and from college ... I prefer the leisurely pace, too. If you like watching the scenery go by, sipping "affordable" wine in the snack car without worrying about driving drunk, and eavesdropping on your fellow travelers, I recommend Amtrak. (Warning: Sometimes I suspect they view their schedules as mere "rough estimates," so make sure you give yourself enough time.)

To participate in HoT, click here.

Heads or Tails #23 -- Any Tom, Dick or Harry

This week's HoT topic is "Edge: Any Past Theme." Since 7 is my lucky number, I went to the list of past themes and chose theme #7, "Any Tom, Dick or Harry." With apologies to anyone named Harry, I am devoting this post to the first Tom and Dick that came to mind -- the forever-funny Smothers Brothers.

I literally grew up on the Brothers Smothers. In grade school, our music teacher introduced us to folk music through their albums. "Boil the Cabbage Down" was my favorite, because when Dick ended a solo but calling, "Take it, Tom," Brother Tom said, deadpan, "No," and the number comes to a screeching halt and a sibling snit ensued. (This bit still pops into my mind whenever I see musicians jamming and one calls out, "Take it!") I also remember the refrain of "Marching to Pretoria" (Pre-tor-i-a, Hurrah!) because of the Smothers Brothers Days in music class.

Then there was their TV show in the late 1960s. I watched it obsessively because anything that annoyed my father this much had to be good. (He called them the Smut Brothers.) I know the show was known for it's controversial politics, but that's not what I recall. The Smothers Brothers showcased some of the most important musicians in the world (at least in my little world) -- like the Beatles and Nancy Sinatra (whose boots were made for walking). Most of all, I remember laughing at tough-guy, deadpan cop, Office Judy, created by Bob Einstein.* A young comic named Steve Martin got his start as a writer and bit player on the old Smothers Brothers show.

So thank you, Tom and Dick, for all the laughter and joy … and so deftly introducing me to traditional music. Mom may have always liked Dick best, but Tom is the one who really cracked me up.

To play along with Heads or Tails, click here.

*Bob Einstein -- Albert Brooks' brother -- went on to create stuntman Super Dave Osbourne.

Heads or Tails #22 -- Loud

Make any kind of post using "Loud" as your prompt. You can either use the word itself or post about something that IS loud.

My "loud" post is all about the family that starred in a PBS "reality show" (back then they were merely 'documentaries') more than 30 years ago. The Louds enjoyed instant, if short-lived, celebrity as An American Family.

Bill and Pat Loud lived in California with their 5 kids. They opened their upper-middle class home to filmmakers, who documented their every move and aired them over 12 episodes -- including when, at Pat's request, Bill moved out of the house, and when their son, Lance (second row, far right), came out of the closet.

My family was riveted by the show when it first aired. My parents were aghast by Lance, but I thought he was great. He was totally over the top and nelly, but I figured he had to be to get his uptight parents (we used words like "uptight" back then) to see and accept him as he was. I was sad to learn from Wikipedia that Lance died back in 2001 at the age of 50. Even though his life was relatively short, I hope it was happy.

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Heads or Tails #21 -- Three Things

Tell three things you learned in 2008.

1) How to both spell and pronounce Kosuke Fukudome's name. It was hard, but being a Cub fan is not always easy.

2) That before I apply the new silicone, I am supposed to scrub the old grout around my bathroom tiles with bleach. Who knew? Not me, that's for sure. I'm not exactly Ms. Handy Home Depot.

3) Rice with pigeon peas is an authentic Puerto Rican dish and not bad at all. (If there's anything I know less about than home repair, it's cooking.)

To play along, or see to see what other bloggers have learned, click here.

Heads or Tails #20 -- This Time of Year

"Tell what you do or don't like about this time of year."

Carols make me happy. Right now I'm listening to James Taylor's jazzy version of "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town." He's a new holiday favorite -- I just picked up this CD last year. If you like your holiday music on the mellow side, I recommend James Taylor at Christmas.

I also love listening to Elvis (especially "I'll Be Home for Christmas") and Sinatra ("The First Noel") and loosey-goosey old Dean Martin (he actually sings "Rudy, the red-beaked reindeer") and Streisand ("The Christmas Song").

Most of all, I love Andy Williams at Christmas. I grew up on his family's TV specials, so he's my own, personal, musical Ghost of Christmas Past. I like nothing better this time of year than a "Sleigh Ride" with old Andy.

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Heads or Tails #19 -- Anything Round

Since this week's theme is "anything round," I am going to pause for a moment to reflect on nickels. Yes, the 5¢ piece.

They annoy me because I always have so many and I can't seem to use them. The pop machine here at work won't accept nickels (oh, it says it accepts them, but don't be fooled; they just fall straight to the coin return). The washer and dryer in the basement at home only accept quarters. I suppose I could use them to add value to my transit card, but a one-way ride is $1.75 and it takes so long to plunk nickel after nickel into that machine.

So I have begun using my nickels for good. I try to keep a few in my pocket in all times to share with the homeless or, now that it's Christmas, with the Salvation Army. It's more satisfying to hear them drop into the kettle or cup of someone who needs them than to simply curse them for not being quarters.

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Heads & Tails #18

This week's theme is "Share an Autumn Memory."

Four years ago at this time, I was about as miserable as I've ever been. I'd spent a year working on Senator John Kerry's Presidential campaign, and we know how that ended. My lovely and loving ragdoll kitty, Billy, was literally wasting away before my eyes. He was diagnosed with untreatable bone marrow cancer, and I had to make the difficult decision that pet owners always dread.

I was confused and heartbroken by Senator Kerry's loss. I missed Billy. It not only was getting dark earlier, it was raining all the time. My world was so oppressively dark and sad. It felt as though I'd never be happy again.

Then, as I was running across a busy street, en route to Walgreen's to buy something mundane and boring, like cotton swabs or maybe Nair, this song came through my headphones and it lifted my heart. It sounds happy, the lyrics are hopeful, and it brought back memories of a happier time. So now, this is my autumn song.

Heads or Tails #18 -- Black or White

I haven't HoT'd for months, so forgive me if I'm a little rusty …

Today's theme is "Black OR White." I opt for black, and here are five songs that use "black," but not "white," in the lyrics;

Black Is Black -- Los Lobos. "Black is black, I want my baby back. It's gray, it's gray, since she went away. Oh-oh, what can I do? Cuz I'm feelin' blue."

Back to Black -- Amy Winehouse. "We only said goodbye with words. I died a hundred times. You go back to her, when I go back to black."

Paint It Black -- The Rolling Stones. "I see a red door and I want it painted black. No colors anymore, I want them to turn black."

Baby's in Black -- The Beatles. "Oh, dear! What can I do? Baby's in black and I'm feeling blue. Tell me, oh, what can I do?"

Black -- Pearl Jam. "All the pictures had been all been washed in black, tattooed everything."

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Heads & Tails #17

Today's theme is "line." As someone who doesn't drive -- and with gas at about $4.25/gallon, I'm glad I don't -- the word "line" conjures up public transportation. Fortunately the Chicagoland area has a pretty extensive, highly affordable system that exists under the RTA (Regional Transit Authority). Here are the "lines" I couldn't do without:

CTA El -- I take the Green Line elevated train to and from work each day. 45 minutes door to door, and $1.75 per trip. Those who prefer battling rush hour traffic and paying for city parking are welcome to it. I'll just sit here and read the paper en route to work.

Metra Railroad -- If I'm working late, or having dinner or partying downtown, I take the Union Pacific West Line home. A little more expensive than the El, it's also a little safer after dark.

Pace Suburban Bus System -- I refer to this as "my other car," my weekend wheels. I ride the 307 Line to the mall and 304 Line when I go home to visit my mom.

If you can, give both your wallet and the environment a break and consider taking a bus or train ride at least once a week. It just might help us reduce our national dependence on fossil fuel.

For more information on Heads or Tails, or to play along yourself, visit the HoT site.

Heads & Tails #20

This week's theme is "tip," or a word that rhymes with "tip."

"Tip" brought me to "lip," which brought me to the Rolling Stones and their lips/tongue graphic. I'm really not much of a fan, but I like them well enough. And, since Monday-Friday I toil away in the world of advertising and marketing, I genuinely admire how this logo captures who they are, how iconic it's become, and how long it's lasted in this disposable world.

Heads & Tails #13

This week's theme -- in honor of April 1 -- is "fool." The first thing that popped into my mind was "The Fool on the Hill," originally on the Beatles' Magical Mystery Tour. I've heard Paul perform this live, and I'm still touched by the purity of his voice on the "round and round and round" part. (Dear God! I'm starting to sound like Paula Abdul on Idol!)

Here are the lyrics:

Day after day,
Alone on a hill,
The man with the foolish grin is keeping perfectly still
But nobody wants to know him,
They can see that he's just a fool,
And he never gives an answer,

But the fool on the hill,
Sees the sun going down,
And the eyes in his head,
See the world spinning 'round.

Well on the way,
Head in a cloud,
The man of a 1000 voices talking perfectly loud
But nobody ever hears him,
Or the sound he appears to make,
And he never seems to notice,

But the fool on the hill,
Sees the sun going down,
And the eyes in his head,
See the world spinning 'round.

And nobody seems to like him,
They can tell what he wants to do,
And he never shows his feelings,

But the fool on the hill,
Sees the sun going down,
And the eyes in his head,
See the world spinning 'round.

Ooh, ooh,
Round and round and round.

And he never listens to them,
He knows that they're the fools
They don't like him,

The fool on the hill
Sees the sun going down,
And the eyes in his head,
See the world spinning 'round.

Ooh,
Round and round and round

For more information, or to play along yourself, visit the Heads or Tails site.

Heads & Tails #19

Today's theme is 7 favorites from any category. Here are my 7 favorite Beatle songs, in no particular order:

"I Will" (Who knows how long I've loved you? I know I love you still. Shall I wait a lonely lifetime? If you want me to, I will.)

 "She Loves You" (Pride can hurt you, too. Apologize to her. Because she loves you, and you know that can't be bad.)

"Two of Us" (You and I have memories longer than the road that stretches on ahead.)

 "You're Gonna Lose that Girl" (If you don't take her out tonight, she's gonna change her mind. And I will take her out tonight and I will treat her kind.)

"Help!" (When I was younger, so much younger than today, I never needed anybody's help in any way)

"All My Loving" (Close your eyes and I'll kiss you. Tomorrow I'll miss you. Remember, I'll always be true.)

"You Like Me Too Much" (Though you've gone away this morning you'll be back again tonight, telling me there will be no next time if I just don't treat you right.)

Ah, just thinking of these made me smile!

For more information, or to play along yourself, visit Skittles' Place.

Heads & Tails #18

Today's theme is WONDER. According to our friends at Webster's, "wonder" can mean: 1) A feeling of puzzlement or doubt or 2) Something arousing awe, astonishment, surprise or admiration.

Because life itself is a little confusing to me these days, I choose to concentrate on definition #2. Here are things that still fill me with wonder:

The friendly confines of Wrigley Field

Lake Michigan

The Beatles

How kids' minds work

The sky

Flowers

How something so minor as a cold can knock you on your ass, 

and how grateful you are to feel better again

Being in love

For more information about Heads or Tails, or to play along yourself, go to Skittles' Place.

Heads & Tails #16

Today's theme is the Letter P. And so I'm going to write about something very top of mind right now --

PATIENCE.

I was awakened this morning at about 5:00 AM by a migraine. A throbbing, nauseating headache. I got up, took my migraine pill, and tried unsuccessfully to find a position to hold my head that didn't hurt. I got up every now and again to vomit or to get something to drink. Sounds delightful, doesn't it?

My cat, Reynaldo, decided that we HAD to interact. For nearly 7 straight hours he tormented me. He sang to me, he jumped on me, he knocked things over, he spilled whatever I tried to drink. Sure, I could have locked him in the other bedroom, but then he would have cried and thrown his body against the door.

I know he just wanted to play, but I couldn't. COULD. NOT. Movement made me physically ill.

Now, as the meds have finally kicked in, he is exhausted. After about 7 hours of tormenting me, he collapsed. He is curled up in the sun like an angelic little furshrimp … and it's everything in me not to sneak up on him and scream in his face.

I know, I know. I am the human. I am more highly evolved and so more is expected of me. Plus I realize that God placed this wiry, beige bundle of energy in my life to teach me PATIENCE. And lastly, because I know that there's every possibility that he'd enjoy me yelling in his face.

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