Together

For the first time since before July 4th, I had a long phone conversation with my best friend. I've been so mad at him, so worried about him, and I have missed him so! He's an insulin-
dependent diabetic who travels a lot and works very hard, so his health is always on my mind: is he taking care of himself, eating regularly and getting exercise? Plus he's simply a very good person who I respect on a number of levels, so I not only appreciate his insights on my world, I love that he thinks I'm great. I've been surrounded by so much sadness myself lately, and I feel stronger and more capable when I know he's in my corner.

He's having serious marital problems for the first time in years. As Cupcake and Sparky Duck so wisely advised me, he had to be by himself for a while. This perplexed me, because as a rule, he's very open with me about his problems ("whiny" would not be entirely inaccurate).

But this was different. Because I can be rather ... um … "take charge," and because these problems are so personal and the stakes are so high (both he and his wife are children of divorce who vowed never to do that to their own girls), he didn't know how to explain it, or how I'd react. (I think he was afraid I'd get on the phone and give the Mrs. "what for.")

I blurted that I really don't want to know the "gory details. Shit!" I mean, what do I know about maintaining a long-term relationship? Need to find a new messenger bag or pedicurist? Come to me. Want career advice? Here I am. Can't choose between Expedia and Orbitz? Move over and let me take over your keyboard. Arguing with your mom? I can fix that. Snap, nothing to it! Stuff like this I can, will and MUST handle for those I love. (Just try and stop me.) But why come to me for romantic advice? Are Jennifer Lopez, Cher and Liz Taylor all unavailable?

Then I felt bad about blurting. What if in the future he wants to vent to me about her? I don't want to be insensitive … By now he was laughing. He enjoyed listening to me try to wriggle out of "I don't want to know the gory details! Shit!" And then I started laughing, because his laughter was affectionate and it's nice to be known so well.

He said he hadn't really understood how tough the last month and a half has been for me -- he hadn't had the time nor the emotional resources to really pay attention -- but he'll be more available for me.

"We'll work this out together," he said -- referring to our individual struggles and the impact they have on our friendship.

Together. I like the sound of that.

August Happiness -- Friday, August 10

Done! Today I'm happy because it's still early Friday evening and my errands, my laundry and (most of) my grocery shopping are done! Now I can kick back and enjoy my weekend. Happy, happy, joy, joy!

You can so die of a broken heart

When Princess Diana died ten years ago, I was shocked by the incredible waste of her being killed by a drunk driver while escaping the paparazzi. But I learned the following from Tina Brown's book, The Diana Chronicles:

"(The doctors) found a tear in the upper left pulmonary vein, caused when the velocity of the crash displaced the heart from left to right. They stitched the tear. The bleeding stopped, but Diana's heart gave up again."

The People's Princess literally died of a broken heart. So sad, yet somehow incredibly appropriate for the woman who had been disappointed so often by love.

Friday's Feast #10

Appetizer. What is your favorite kind of pie?
Strawberry rhubarb

Soup. Name something that made you smile this week.
Buying school supplies to help out the city school systems.

Salad. What do you do to cool off when the weather is hot and humid?
Soak in the tub, and thank God my ac works!

Main Course. You receive $1,000 in the mail with a letter that says you can only use the money to redecorate one room in your home. Which room do you pick, and what do you buy to spruce it up?
Living room! I'd love to get a new sofa and have my carpet professionally cleaned.

Dessert. Fill in the blank: My _________ says __________, but I __________.
My neighbor says, "Come on over for a barbecue," but I think it may be too hot!

For more information, or to play yourself, visit Friday's Feast.

Look at me! Look at me! Look at me!

These very musings were reviewed by the discerning women of Some Many Blogs, So Little Time. To borrow from Sally Field, "Lexis likes me! She really likes me!" Or, as Mr. Rogers (sort of) sang, "I'm proud of me, I'm proud of me, I hope that you're as proud as I am proud of me …"

August Happiness -- Thursday, August 9

I'm sitting here at work, trying to look productive, trying not to think of everything that's troubling me, trying to at least appear normal and together. And then I hear that voice from my iPod: Paul McCartney singing "This Never Happened Before." Suddenly faking it becomes much, much easier.

I've mentioned this here before -- I've loved Paulie since that first Ed Sullivan Show appearance in February, 1964. That voice has been one of the few constants in my life. Today it's a comfort to hear my enduring romantic troubadour sing about "the way it should be for lovers." It makes me happy that there's something so simple and so accessible (and so legal) the dependably acts like a tonic for my weary old soul.

Not fair!

It's not only not fair that my beloved, future Hall of Famer Greg Maddux, didn't win his last start, it's unfair that I haven't had a reason to use this photo in a while. I so love it.

He gave up only 2 runs on 4 hits in 6 innings -- in 96º heat! And yet the Padres lost to St. Louis by a score of 2-1. He's pitching OK, but that's not reflected in his record since the All-Star Break.

I tell ya, baseball can break your heart!

Thursday Thirteen #28 -- The Feline File

Thirteen Things about
THE BEST CATS ALIVE
in the humble opinion of
THE GAL HERSELF

Meet the cats that share my home. Or, more precisely, that allow me to share their home. All three are shelter babies and are healthy, adorable, and as different in temperament as you can imagine. These fab felines are the best endorsement for adopting from your local humane society.

1. JOEY: Enormous gray and white tomcat. Age: 10 (best guestimate). Named after Joey Tribiani from Friends, which was a good choice because he is so open and warm.

2. Joey loves all people everywhere. Especially children. For a cat so large, he is amazingly gentle and literally wouldn’t hurt a fly. (I’m not kidding – I’ve see him ignore flies.) I find it very comforting when Joey has a “love jones” and can’t get close enough to me, and presses his warm bod hard against me. This is especially nice if I’m not feeling well.

3. He powernaps. No one has ever appreciated the rejuvenating power of sleep more than old Joe. When he’s asleep, he looks like he’s smiling and is so cute he breaks my heart.

4. He doesn’t meow, he gargles. Joey is not much of a talker. The only time he meows is when he’s also purring and it’s a very strange sound that comes from his throat.

5. CHARLOTTE: tiny white and brown girly-girl. Age: 10, as near as we can tell. I got her sight unseen in 2001, after a fire at the animal shelter. Her paperwork got lost in the chaos, so her past is shrouded in mystery.

6. Charlotte has no tail, but she’s not a Manx. Judging by the way her “stub” healed, the vet supposes she lost it when she was very young, possibly in a refrigerator or car door.

7. She knows she’s a babe. Charlotte is forever grooming, and when she wiggles that unfortunate little stub, and you can tell she thinks she’s wagging her tail in a saucy manner. That’s why it’s so incongruous that she snores like she’s sawing wood. Very unladylike!

8. She’s emphatic about her likes and dislikes. Likes: spending quality time with me while I’m putting on makeup; shedding on fresh laundry; a clean litter box. (There’s a spot on the hallway carpet that gets punished if the box isn’t to her specifications.) Dislikes: Joey, for reasons all her own resents his very existence and hits him whenever he walks by.

9. REYNALDO: 3-year-old skinny beige whirling dervish. If the Tasmanian Devil was a tomcat, he’d be Rey-Rey.

10. Reynaldo is a thrill junkie. Nothing frightens or displeases him. Life is all a game to Rey. If he takes a running leap onto the window air conditioner, thereby endangering his life because we live on the fourth floor, and I spank him, it’s the cool game where I yell at him and spank him. Let’s do it again! If he won’t stop howling and I spritz him with water, it’s the cool game where I yell at him and spritz him with water. You get the idea. It’s exasperating. There’s a plus side: he’s the only cat I’ve ever known who thinks of nail clipping as a delightful diversion.

11. He’s very gentle. I cannot imagine him ever biting anyone. Because nothing frightens or displeases him, he’s great with kids. It didn’t bother Rey at all when my neighbor’s son would drag him down the hall by his tail. The kid's mom and I were horrified, but not Rey. To him, it was all part of their game.

12. He has cat charisma. Both Joey and Charlotte adore him. He and Joe play rough and tumble games together, and he and Charlotte groom one another. (Though Charlotte quickly gets impatient with him when he starts to bite or chase her; Miss Thing is not into undignified, childish behavior.)

13. Rey can’t get enough sugar. Doesn’t matter what he’s doing: sleeping, eating, playing, or monitoring the activity of squirrels and birds. He’ll interrupt anything for a head scratch or a snuggle. If I’m not paying enough attention to him, he’ll dive bomb down on me from above. It’s an effective maneuver.

These cats were adopted from two of the many local humane societies listed on Petfinder.com. Before you buy a dog or cat from a breeder, stop by Petfinder and see if you can’t find the perfect companion there at a shelter in your neighborhood.


Links to other Thursday Thirteens!

1. Amy remembers her college days at Union Univ
2. Nicole Austin takes us along as she shops for school supplies
3. Pussreboots has a photographic TT
4. Suprina shares her school supply shopping list -- & it scary!
5. eht (Elementary History Teacher) lists new education blogs
6. Still in the mood for more fab felines? Visit Thomma Lyn's TT
7. Susan Helene defines the true Shapeshiftere fan
8. Comedy Plus shares pearls of wisdom
9. Sue takes a nostalgic look back at Honest Ed's, a Toronto favorite
1o. Friday's Child shares quotations she has found to be true
11. Lori must be a fly on the wall at my workplace, because her 13 snappy retorts would work well here!
12. Lori's Light Extemporanea is a tasty visit to her mom's kitchen
13. Week two of Jenny's vacation!
14. L^2 has an evocative TT of morning sounds
15. Damozel enlightens us about the political scandals of the past
16. Harlekwin goes banner crazy, and they're gorgeous!
17. Fence answers the important questions :)
18. Sparky Duck tempts us off our diets with a TT about fast food restaurants
19. Clubbs takes us eavesdropping on the wee ones at the beach
20. Robin's TT is the "Robin Wants" Google Game, always fun
21. Go check out Nicholas' sock drawer. I dare you!
22. Callista gets it all off her chest (a most healthy thing to do)
23. Marina explains about moving from CA to TX.
24. Impworks names his fictional characters from his spam folder
25. Boliyou lists 13 little-known that she owns and watches often
26. Guusejem spent the some not achieving these 13 goals


Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

August Happiness -- Wedneday, August 8

Received a long email from my best friend today. It was so nice to reconnect. He is struggling through a lot that he clearly thinks he has explained to me, but hasn't, so as I read his message I got the same feeling I get when sitting through a movie with subtitles ("what aren't I getting here?"). But he's healthy, if not necessarily happy and wise. And this was a start. I must admit that now that I know he's OK, I've been angry at him for abandoning me. But when I haven't been mad, I've been worried. And when I haven't been worried, I've missed him. So this morning's email has us moving in the right direction.

I drank dishwashing soap before taking this

I heard on CourtTV that's how to beat a lie detector test. And I certainly beat this blogthings test, which I found via Kwizgiver, because I know lean toward the hysterical at times.

You are a Balanced Babe!

You're direct and to the point, but never dramatic You've got the confidence to speak your mind to anyone But you leave the theatrics to Hollywood Level headed and emotionally stable, no wonder everyone loves you

How Much of a Drama Queen Are You?

What I'm dreaming of

When I'm traveling and people find out I'm from Chicago, they say, "Sorry about those rough winters." Oh puh-leeze! On a day like this, when it's 90º and humid, when everyone is surly, when you're stuck on a bus with minimal air conditioning, seated behind a smelly slob named Michael (I read the tattoo on his neck) who is sprawled across two seats, the Chicago in this photo looks delightful. The only downside is no Cubs baseball.

August Happiness -- Tuesday 7

This one was rough, because today has been rather sucky. (I'm tempted to provide a litany of all that sucked, but that kinda defeats the point of this challenge, doesn't it?) But here's something today that made me happy …

My CVS Giftcard. I got it for switching a prescription, and it really came in handy today. For some reason I'm broke this pay period, and I'm really trying to stay within my budget. And, as luck would have it, this week is the only week that our office building is collecting school supplies. I love donating school supplies because I believe it takes a village to raise a child and that the children are our future … I truly believe all those sentimental phrases are absolutely true. So it made me happy to use my CVS card to pay for crayons, pens and a composition book. (I only got one because, while the public school requested them, they're really ugly and crayons are so much more fun.)

I might as well just have a hot dog

Back in April, I realized that I looked like a fat pigeon. So I began working out more. In addition to visiting the gym more, I've upped my cardio and added a couple of weight machines to my routine. I have actually begun eating salad, which I most emphatically hate, and have tried to substitute my daily chocolate fix with yogurt or fruit.

So here we are, four months later. Today at lunch, when I looked at my reflection in the store window, guess who looked back at me. Yeah, it was the lady on the right again!

I'm trying not to be completely demoralized, instead remembering all the good I've done my heart, lungs, bones and digestive system. But I also gave in and stopped at America's Dog because, well, what the hell. And now I'm off to get a Snickers. I'll have salad tonight.

Tina's Tuesdays #3

Topic: Mystery Island

If you got stranded on an island...

1. Who would you like for a companion? My best friend
2. What item couldn't you live without? My iPod
   
3. What would be your fear on the island? If it's a tropical island: sunburn! I'm a very pale gal.
   

For more information, or to play yourself, visit Tina's Tuesdays

In praise of a pretty boy auteur

Movie lover that I am, I've done posts that canonized Marilyn, Liz and Nat. Today we give equal time to one of modern Hollywood's most influential stars, one who is just as gorgeous as any of those movie queens. Let's take a closer look at actor, writer, producer, director and gossip column staple for almost 50 years: Warren Beatty. Trust me, you'll enjoy the view.

Beatty's appeared in only 22 movies over 46 years. (Compare that to Clint Eastwood, who appeared in almost twice as many movies in the same amount of time.) Yet he's become an influential filmmaker because so many of his films have been simply excellent.

Bonnie and Clyde. Curl up with this one again and let it break your heart. It's a quintessential American tale about money, fame, sex and violence. And, most of all, longing. If you can separate yourself from the story as you watch, try to think of the better-known Great American Films this one has influenced. The Godfather and Butch Cassidy spring immediately to mind.

The Paralax View. Political paranoia with a dollop of disillusionment. Beatty plays Joe, a workaday reporter who just so happens to figure out what really happened when a senator died. It's an exciting movie, to be sure, but more than that it taps into the sadness and cynicism of our country after enduring the Kennedy/King assassinations and Watergate. Can we trust our institutions? Why should we bother? (Warren made this movie with Alan J. Pakula, who went on to direct All the President's Men. You can definitely see the influence this thriller had on that Watergate movie.)

Shampoo. Sex as commerce. Sex as power. Sex as something to do when you can't sleep. Lots and lots of sex. And deal-making. And not-so-subtle Beverly Hills class warfare. All set against the corruption of the Nixon era. It's a funny and sexy movie, to be sure, but it's also incredibly sad. All these gorgeous characters wandering around, aimlessly bumping into one another.

Heaven Can Wait. I can't believe that the same cynic who made the 99.44% love-free Shampoo also co-wrote, directed and starred in this fantasy love story. With his soft voice and deft timing, Warren draws us to first Pendleton and then Farnsworth -- a football player and a millionaire who fall in love for the first time in his/their life/lives. He loves Betty Logan, and all that he is when he's with her, so much that he's willing to fight for her all the way up to ... um ... the Ultimate Authority in All Matters. A simple, sweet valentine to the enduring, redemptive power of love.

Reds. An epic about Communism, journalism, and love. More than three hours long, it covers a lot of ground, literally (taking us all around the United States and Europe), and many years. It looks at the Communist ideal through American eyes while examining the shifting balance of power in a decades-long relationship between a man and a woman. It's a big movie about big ideas, but the moment that stays with me is a small one ... Jack and Louise wordlessly, wearily, tearfully finding one another against all odds near the end.

Bullworth. A wacky adventure in politics, race, rage, love, poverty, suicide … and rap. It's ridiculous and heartbreaking and funny all at the same time. Warren has a gift for showing America itself, and this movie is as potent an indictment/reflection of our time as The Parallax View and Shampoo were of their time. Just because the topics covered are deadly serious doesn't mean Bullworth isn't funny. It's worth renting just to hear 60-something-year-old Warren rap. Really.

(Yeah, I know I skipped right over Splendor in the Grass, McCabe and Mrs. Miller and Bugsy. I appreciated those movies, but I didn't love them the way I do the ones above.)

14 Oscar nominations, and an Academy Award for Best Director. Not a bad track record for a man who has done only 22 films. And no, it certainly doesn't hurt that he looks absolutely yummy, too.

August Happiness -- Monday 6

"Oh baby, come on, let me take you where the action is. It's so neat to meet your baby where the action is …"

Today the oldies are making me happy. More specifically, an anthology of Paul Revere & the Raiders hits. "Action" was the theme of Where the Action Is! -- an even lower-rent version of American Bandstand that was on every weekday after school, right before Dark Shadows. To my gradeschool mind, there was no better or more important hour of television. I don't think I've heard this song since I've been allowed to cross the street by myself. It's fun to listen to it, and remember my Little Gal days.

Sweet Dreams Are Made of This

Look who's back!

Yes, I'm aware we lost. I watched the entire game, even after I knew we would lose (I wanted to see Glavine hug his wife, kids, mom and dad after he achieved #300). And naturally I'm heartsick about poor Alfonso Soriano. But that doesn't mitigate my joy at seeing Kerry Wood return to the mound.

He looked strong, slim and very focused. The loyal fans at Wrigley gave him an amazing welcome, and with every pitch the night was punctuated with camera flashes. It's good to know the city is behind him.

And with that happy, happy observation, this ol' gal is going to bed.

August Happiness -- August 4 and 5

This weekend, this made me happy ...

Saturday, August 4 -- Coffee shop breakfasts. Saturdays are always hectic as I bounce from grocery store to post office to bank to the vet. When I'm done, I just love sliding into the booth at my local coffee shop, ordering breakfast, and escaping into a book. This week it was french toast and orange juice with Tina Brown's biography of Princess Diana. I always leave feeling renewed and civilized.

Sunday, August 5 -- Silly laughter. This weekend I spent a lot of time with my oldest friend. We laughed about everything and nothing. No consequence, no responsibility, just laughter. It's left me so happy, relaxed, and glad to know her.

Unconscious Mutterings #5

I say ... and you think ... ?

1. Voices :: sing
2. Have to :: must
3. Machine :: sewing
4. Seventh grade :: class
5. Beach :: read
6. Roommate :: dormitory
7. Cyclone :: Oz
8. Theater :: musicals
9. Pregnant :: baby
10. Phoebe :: Buffay

If you have questions, or want to play yourself, visit Unconscious Mutterings

Believing in love, goodness, redemption … & Lenny Bruce

This was inspired by a comment I recently received that left me very … sad. Let me begin by proudly stating I am a Christian. I believe that God gave His Son for our sins, and that I can look forward to redemption and Heaven. My God is a God of love.

There is a trend through the blogosphere, and in politics, to dwell on punishment/sin aspect of Christianity. I know I'm a sinner. I also know that God recognizes, even expects this, and understands when I repent. I'm forgiven. I take terrific solace in that.

As my minister tells me, "God doesn't expect you to succeed. He expects you to try." And so I try to be a good Christian and a good American by making animal rights, children's rights and the care of homeless and hungry my personal priority. I work hard at being a good daughter and a good friend. That's how I express my Christianity and try to live a blessed life.

If a woman wants to have an abortion, that's between her, her doctor and God. I personally am appalled by the people kept alive in a vegetative state by machines when I believe God clearly wishes their lives over -- but, like abortion, that is a highly personal decision to be made by each individual after consulting with doctors and, most of all, God. For while I love God, I also believe in our great American heritage, which gives each of us the right to worship (or not worship) as we choose. So I believe that, for the most part, people can, should and must be left to make their own personal decisions on highly personal matters.

That's because, while I understand about original sin, I try to believe most of us are good at heart and that, as my minister says, we do try. For me, that's as much a cause to celebrate as Eternal Life. The "hell, fire and brimstone" God I hear about is not my God. As Lenny Bruce once said, "If Christ had been killed in the 20th century, all those parochial school kids would be wearing little electric chairs around their necks." Funny, but that profane Jewish comic's joke crystalizes my faith for me. Yes, Jesus was crucified, but let's not forget to celebrate that then he ROSE.

And this is all why I believe politics in the country MUST become more secular. I don't believe that a lie about oral sex and quid pro quo is more "sinful" than lies about press leaks or the lead up to war. I don't believe that abortion is more "sinful" than letting school children go hungry or undereducated. These beliefs are rooted in my Christian faith, which is just as valid as anyone else's. Though somehow, over the last few years, other people's Christianity has been legislated, much to my chagrin.

Do not bother responding that my faith is "wrong." You cannot possibly know that. You can only know that it doesn't jibe with yours. If you insist on doing so, your comment will be deleted.

Because while I acknowledge sin and sacrifice, I choose to celebrate love, redemption and goodness. And I got that from my Lord. Lenny just kinda articulated it for me.

August Happiness -- Friday 3

Happiness is living in a village of book lovers. I live in a town that has three well-stocked libraries, and tonight was the major fundraiser to support our library system: the used book sale. The whole town gets behind this event. Every year we set a new record for books donated. Then there's the sale itself: Doors open at 6:00, admission is $5. When I arrived at 5:30, the line was already out the door and down the street. Paperbacks are 50¢ and hardcovers are $1. My brown paper bag of books was $5.50 and I'm thrilled with my finds, especially the one I got for my best friend about cooking in the Southwest of France. Other people had duffle bags and packing boxes filled with books. As a village, we must have brought in a ton of bucks for our libraries, and that makes me happy.

PS Every year I make note of the book that I see which book my neighbors found easiest to part with. Last year it was The Nanny Diaries. This year I saw copy after copy of The Corrections.

Friday's Feast #9

Appetizer.
On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being highest, how polite are you? 7. I mean to be a 10, but I can get lost in thought and be forgetful of others at time (like on the train).

Soup
What was the last thing that made you laugh out loud? This morning, my coworker did an imitation of his dog following him through tall grass. It was unexpectedly funny and sweet.

Salad
Who is your favorite cartoon character? Bug Bunny, ever the anarchist.

Main Course
Tell about the funniest teacher you ever had. Francis Dombrowski. He taught high school social studies. Imagine an even more wired Tony Randall. If he felt a kid was drifting away, he put his face very close to the student's and said oh-so-quickly, "Do you see? Do you know? Do you understand? Tell me if you understand!" You did not doze in "Father Francis'" class!

Dessert
Complete this sentence: I strongly believe that ______________________. Anne Frank was right, and people are really good at heart. It's just so hard to trust and be vulnerable sometimes.

For more information, or to play yourself, visit The Friday Feast.

It's middle name tag & I'm IT!

Kwizgiver tagged me for the Middle Name Meme.

1. You have to post these rules before you give the facts.

2. Players, you must list one fact that is somehow relevant to your life for each letter of their middle name. If you don’t have a middle name, use the middle name you would have liked to have had.

3. When you are tagged you need to write your own blog-post containing your own middle name game facts.

4. At the end of your blog-post, you need to choose one person for each letter of your middle name to tag. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

My middle name factoids:

A = Animals! I am an animal lover. Oftentimes I like them better than people, as they can be more trustworthy, with simpler motives. Plus they are soooo cute!

N = Neurotic. I worry, I awfulize, I obsess … I'm working on it, but I fear it may just be part of the warp and woof of this gal's personality.

N = Noontime. When our office closes on Friday in summer. Yea!

Now for the tag. What three lucky bloggers shall I choose?

Alison -- she who likes memes
Bookmama and Sparky Duck -- because I want to know your middle names

Up to Mo's Challenge

I'm going to be happy this month! Moodiness and problems have been weighing on me like gravity, and I've decided to combat it by accepting the happiness challenge.

"Each day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy. Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world."


August 1 (yesterday): Cubs win! Tie for first place. With the exception of Paul McCartney, nothing has been such a consistent source of pleasure throughout my life as my Cubbies. It's a bonus when they actually do well, like last night, when they ascended to first place at the last possible moment in a real nail-biter.

August 2 (today): Free beer! There are so many things I don't like about my job that it's easy to overlook the good things: I don't have to punch a clock, the year is more than half over and I still have 2 weeks of vacation available. And yes, since one of our biggest clients is a beer company, we are often served free frosty bottles.

I blame it on Sparky Duck's influence

In the latest issue of Allure, more of the women interviewed (25%) chose Scarlett Johansson over any other celebrity to be their body double.

I believe Ms. J. has collagened lips, a monotone voice, minimal talent and dubious hygiene. So how do we account for her popularity? Quack, quack.

The world will pardon my mush ...

... Cuz I have got a crush, my baby, on Lou ...And Soriano, and Floyd, and Lee. Hell, my heart is expansive enough this morning to include the entire Cubs roster. Present and past, too. Even Dave Kingman.

Go Cubs, Go! First Place!

Thursday Thirteen #27 -- Dog Fighting

Thirteen Things about DOG FIGHTING

Dog fighting is a tragedy and we each must do our part to stop it. It’s not “just” cruelty to animals. Dog fighting has a negative impact that goes far beyond “just” the damage to those poor dogs.

Here are 13 statements about dog fighting that I hope will inspire you to do something – anything, large or small – to help eradicate it.

Dog fighting in your community

1. Dog fighting increases dog attacks. Dogs that are trained to fight are notoriously hard to control and contain. This leads to innocent children suffering serious bites when a fighting dog escapes.

2. There’s a connection between dog fighting and gangs. People who fight animals are often involved with gangs and illegal activities. This means that, along with a blood sport, gambling, drugs and weapons are introduced into your town.

3. It’s more prevalent than we think. Or at least than I want to believe. According to the Anti-Cruelty Society, 1 in 6 Chicago schoolchildren have attended a dog fight.

4. It’s a danger to your pets. It’s a painful and horrifying thought, but cats, rabbits and smaller, docile dogs are stolen and used as bait to train fighters.

5. Dog fighting leads to disease and filth. People who fight animals do not want their dogs to be happy and healthy. A fighter is more effective if he’s aggressive and unhappy. Therefore they don’t provide the same comfortable environment for their dogs that petowners provide their companion animals. Urine, feces, spoiled food and carcasses can make these kennels a breeding ground for disease and a haven for vermin.

6. Fighters seldom become pets. These dogs are so battered, so ill from malnutrition, that they are simply too dangerous to be adopted.

7. Pit bulls are being demonized. In order to reduce dog bites and animals attacks, some communities have entertained “breed-specific legislation” that bans anyone from owning a pit bull. The problem is not the dog, it’s the inhumane asshole that torments and trains the dog to fight.

Protect yourself and your neighborhood

8. Abandoned houses and garages are often used as illegal kennels and fighting dens. If you suddenly hear loud music (often used to cover the barking and howling) or notice unpleasant odors emanating from a building you thought was empty, notify the authorities.

9. Report animal cruelty. Remember, people who use dogs as fighters or as bait don’t love them. And cruelty to animals is against the law. So if you see a dog tethered all day, or yelled at and yanked and hit excessively during a walk, let the police know.

10. Keep your dog on a leash. It’s easier to protect your dog from an encounter with a fighter if your dog is leashed.

11. Keep your cat indoors. When your cat is sitting on a windowsill, watching the world go by, you don’t have to worry about her being used as bait to teach a dog to kill.

12. Teach children to be respectful of dogs they don’t know.

13. Get involved! It’s a big problem, but there are things you can do to make a difference! Much of this information comes from Chicago's Anti-Cruelty Society, the ASPCA and the HSUS. These organizations provide strong voices for dogs and against this hideous bloodsport, and could use your financial support. Consider asking local law enforcement and your neighborhood animal shelter to discuss this problem in churches, schools and other gatherings. Information and action are power!


Links to other Thursday Thirteens!
1. Jennie Boo refers us to 13 of her blogging buddies (I've visited some of these blogs and they are very good)
2. Damozel revisits the best of HL Mencken
3. Candy Minx says she has the worst album covers, and she doesn't lie!
4. Help Nancy out by visiting her TT and taking a food quiz
5. Suprina shares her favorite board games (like Boggle)
6. Sue's TT is about a subject she is an expert on
7. Lori shares helpful home remedies
8. Nicholas introduces us to 13 men better known by their middle names
9. Visit Susan for a verbal snapshot of the typical Shapeshifter fan
10. MamaLee's TT is hysterical -- sick, but hysterical
11. Joyful Days applies what she's learned from Harry Potter
12. Crimson Wife tells us what NOT to get her for Christmas
13. L-squared shares some 13 random thoughts -- and an adorable puppy photo
14. Malcolm takes us along down memory lane for his favorite concerts and live performances
15. Marina shares what's on her desk right now
16. Jane's TT is verbal and witty
17. Dog-loving Terra has her iPod on for us
18. Robin's TT is filled with adventures planned for her & her daughter
19. Impworks takes us time traveling
20. Ed's Thread is his favorite old TV shows
21. Qtpies shares some of the delicacies kids have consumed
22. Like Oprah, Sparky Duck loves the color purple
23. Amy shares her many emotions and moods
24. Practical Chick returns to the TT with a fun list
24. Nancy's TT is about the month of August
25. Kelly shines the light on a problem she and I share: overindulging in retail therapy
26. Lara reminds us how our favorite TV series ended

27. Enter Nicole's lair and see what's in her TBR pile

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

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He saw his service as an honor and a duty. They saw his sacrifice as a PR opportunity.

Pat Tillman was a loyal guy. Once he got into the NFL, he turned down a multi-million contract to stay with the team that originally signed him, the Cardinals. Then, after 9/11, he left Cardinals to enlist in the U.S. Army. Not only was that a most definite pay cut, he knew he would be missing his highest money-making years as a football player to serve his country when his country needed him.

He was killed in Afghanistan early on, back in 2004. He was only 27.

Tillman's funeral was a well-attended media event. Maria Shriver, representing her husband, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, was one of the speakers. Pat Tillman received the hero's send off he richly deserved.

At first the public, and worst of all, his family, were told he was killed in battle and was posthumously awarded the Silver Star. That was a conscious lie. Generals knew he was killed, at close range, by friendly fire. His body armor and uniform were burned to destroy evidence of the horrible accident.

This administration was running the war badly and could not endure the shame of letting us know that their poster boy, Pat Tillman, had been killed by one of his own. So they lied. Just another lie that accompanied the lead up to and execution of this war.

Now, all these years later, hearings are being held and all those who loved Pat Tillman are finally learning the truth.

Pat Tillman was a hero the moment he enlisted. The details of his death do not diminish his intent to serve or the extent of his family's sacrifice. He was a patriot who deserves to be honored, and remember honestly, despite the dishonorable and dishonest behavior surrounding his death.

Exciting baseball

The Cubs won. So did the Brewers. Both teams came from behind. We remain a full game behind Milwaukee.

I could say that as long as the games are this good, it doesn't matter if we overtake the Brewers for sole possession of first. Of course, if I said that I'd be lying. I want this so, so, soso much.

But when you compare last year's race (which we were so far out of by now) and the performance of last year's Cubs (who, I say with affection, were lousy) I know I'm going ot enjoy a lot of exciting baseball through season's end.

And ... dare I dream it? ... beyond.

I must be a savage

Do you know who these two guys are? The one in color is Ingmar Berman. The other is Michelangelo Antonioni. They both died recently. I'm told they are genius innovators who revolutionized cinema.

Yawn.

I HATED Wild Strawberries. I'd rather watch Natalie Wood in Gypsy. Hell, I'd rather have dental work than sit through that again. I didn't understand Zabriske Point. At least when I watch Elvis Presley in Change of Habit, I know what's going on.

I don't know what it says about me, but the oeuvre of Ed Wood brought me more pleasure than the work of either of these guys.

May they rest in peace.

Hi! I'm ovulating!

This means that I want:
• Fritos corn chips (the Originals, none of that barbecue shit for this Gal).
• A drip that keeps sugary, caffeine-laden Coca-Cola (Coke Classic, nothing else will do for this Gal) coursing through my veins 24/7.
• Everyone to leave me alone; except for attractive men, who I would desperately like to do me -- and then immediately go away.
• To know why everyone is leaving me alone. Can't they see I'm suffering here?

A rough calculation reveals that, over my lifetime, I have endured more than six months of PMS. There's no real end in sight, either. It's simply unfair! (Although with time, it's gotten a little better. I no longer get angry red zits you could sell ad space on, and cramps are only a once-in-a-while occurrence.)

All of this explains why right now, of all human beings who have ever walked the earth (and that includes Hitler, Yoko Ono and Steve Bartman), the one I hate the most is Oscar Hammerstein II. I swear, if he hadn't died in 1960, I would track him down and slap him for writing:

When I have a brand new hairdo
With my eyelashes all in curl,
I float as the clouds on air do,
I enjoy being a girl!

When men say I'm cute and funny
And my teeth aren't teeth, but pearl,
I just lap it up like honey
I enjoy being a girl!

When men say I'm sweet as candy
As around in a dance we whirl,
It goes to my head like brandy,
I enjoy being a girl!

Tuesday Twosome #1

Perfect for today's shitty (oops, I mean "hot") weather:

1. Two refreshing drinks: Coke and ice water
   
2. Two places that are always cool (home, mall, work, etc.): Movies and my office
   
3. Two ways you keep cool: AC and cold showers
   
4. Two items of clothing/shoes that are a must (tank tops, shorts, etc.): sandals and shorts
   
5. Two places you’d go on vacation to to get away from the heat: Chateau Elan and The Arlington; they're both spas in the hot south, but since they are designed to cater to and pamper poor souls like me, I know they'll be comfortable all year around.
   

For more information, or to play yourself, visit Tuesday Twosome

Tina's Tuesdays #2

Topic: Music for the Soul

1. Who is your all-time favorite artist? Paul McCartney. Sir Paul. The Cute One.
2. What is your all-time favorite song? It changes. Right now: "I Will" by the Beatles
3. Who have you seen in concert or have met personally? Bruce Springsteen. Met him after a concert during The River tour. He was nice, smart and sooo hot.
   

For more information, or to play yourself, visit Tina's Tuesday.

Now this is too much!

There's a coworker who makes frequent appearances in this blog because she's such a cryer. I have never met ANYONE this comfortable spontaneously bursting into tears in public. First it was because either her husband was cheating, or he wasn't. (Which is true of all spouses, now, isn't it?) Then she cried when she found out it was true, he was cheating. Then she cried when she decided to separate … and divorce … and find a new apartment … and move into that apartment … I think you get the idea.

I know I sound like a hideous bitch, but this is an office, after all, and a little decorum would be nice. Also, all these tears get in the way of her productivity, which makes me more than a wee bit crazy at at times.

Didn't today just beat all, though! This afternoon she sat in my office and cried for the better part of an hour because on Saturday ...

She had the most terrific sex of her life with
a 25-year-old actor
who is young enough to be her son.

So we cry over ecstasy and rapture, do we? Dear God, we cry over EVERYTHING!

I know that under the circumstances, it's not likely that they will get married and live happily ever. And that's too bad. Because I think we all know what she's going to do when they break up.

STOCK TIP: Buy, buy, buy Kleenex!

A Delicate Beauty

Natalie Wood. Isn't she lovely? When I was a little girl, she was a BIG movie star. Maybe not Julia Roberts huge, but certainly Sandra Bullock big. From 1947, when she was a child actress, through 1966, she worked almost continually. She had three Oscar nominations before she was 30. She took off for a while to have babies and be the wife of TV star Robert Wagner. She was attempting to jumpstart her career again when she died mysteriously in a boating accident in 1981. She was only 43.

I'm sorry that she really doesn't have icon status. You don't see her in poster shops or on handbags, a la Audrey Hepburn or Marilyn. Yet Natalie Wood accomplished so much -- successfully moving from child star (Miracle on 34th Street) to teen attraction (Rebel without a Cause) to romantic love interest (Love with the Proper Stranger) to big-budget musical star (Gypsy, West Side Story).

When I was a kid, she was GLAMOUR: a back-combed, bejeweled Hollywood glamour that was more elegant than Mama Michelle Phillips but nowhere near as campy as Liz Taylor. As I watch her films now, I see something else about her, beyond the movie-star aura:

Real woman fragility.

There was a tremulous quality to her. Even when she was playing a 50s sexpot or a 60s Cosmo Girl, you knew that she wasn't as tough as she seemed, that the bravado compensated for some terrible hurt or disappointment she'd endured. Her sensitivity and longing never seemed too far away from the surface. There was also something tightly-wound about her, something unpredictable that made her a little dangerous. She could snap at any time (and she did, most spectacularly, in Splendor in the Grass). Her emotionalism and vulnerability pulls you in.

Had she lived, she would be in her late 60s now. I don't doubt that, if she wished to, she would still be working. It would have been interesting to see how she evolved into a middle aged and older woman on screen.