10 on Tuesday

10 Oscar Winners from 10 Years Ago

Watching the Golden Globe Awards Sunday just got me even more excited about the Oscars. To keep up the momentum, I'm revisiting the Academy Award winners from a decade ago, when the sure thing was Julia Roberts instead of Natalie Portman, and the question wasn't whether Jeff Bridges could repeat as Best Actor, but Tom Hanks.

Best Picture: Gladiator
Best Director: Stephen Soderberg, Traffic
Best Actor: Russell Crowe, Gladiator
Best Actress: Julia Roberts, Erin Brockovich
Best Supporting Actor: Benicio del Torro, Traffic
Best Supporting Actress: Marcia Gay Harden, Pollack
Best Original Screenplay: Cameron Crowe, Almost Famous
Best Adapted Screenplay: Stephen Gaghan, Traffic
Best Foreign Film: Taiwan, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Best Song: "Things Have Changed," Bob Dylan, Wonder Boys

Just call me "Mommy"

Take a deep, cleansing breath. Hang on to your temper. It's just annoying, that's all.

Last week, on Thursday, we were given a new assignment. Kind of a no-brainer. Revise a folder -- giving it a new photo and adding a new logo. These directions were in writing. We were told that it needed to go out end-of-day today. During the initial Thursday meeting, I reminded everyone that we had Monday off for Dr. King's birthday. No one thought losing a day would make any difference -- this project is that easy.

Friday I left the office early -- at 3:45 -- because I had an appointment to donate blood. Before my departure, I asked my art director if he had any new photo options for the cover to show me. "Not yet," I was told. I reminded him that we needed to show it to the team internally first thing Tuesday morning so that it could go out end of day Tuesday.

I got in this morning and he had parts of it done. He'd completely forgotten about dropping in the new logo. I asked him how long it would take him to be ready to present internally. He said an hour. We gave him extra time, an hour and a half. He still wasn't ready.

The account team made some small changes/suggestions. Some I agreed with, some I don't, but we're a team so we incorporating them all and letting the client decide. None of this is hard, none of this is unusual.

My art director wanted another day. Um ... no. We all agreed last week on end of day Tuesday. The time to ask for a different deadline was last week, when we discussed end of day Tuesday and the impact Monday's day off would have. Besides, this art director has nothing else on his plate. There's no reason why he can't get this all done in the remaining four hours of the work day.

Even though the art director was in all the same meetings I was, has all the same notes I have, he still has tons of questions about what he has to do. Every time I look up, he's in my doorway. He's even come by as I write this.

He's a 50 year old man, and I'm spoon feeding him as though I'm his mommy. It's making me nuts. NUTS!

I must remind myself that he's very nice, very kind, very sincere ... as well as hard of hearing. Why this means he can't read this notes he's been given, I don't know, but that's not the point. This isn't a serious problem, everything will get done. It's just annoying, that's all.

"Hello, Gal"

So my niece said to me as I was cutting through the Old Navy parking lot, on my way home after stopping at Walgreen's and Petco. I'm not used to her being able to drive and turning up in my neighborhood (though you can't blame her, since it is much cooler than hers). And what are the odds that I would be running errands just as she was finished shopping the after Christmas sale at Old Navy?

We had hot chocolate together at the coffee shop inside Border's and she updated me about college. She's trying to make peace with not being able to go to school in Denver. Even though she has been accepted and has earned a $9000 grant to cover her room and board. It's frustrating because my sister will not help by filling out the required financial paperwork because she equates giving her money for school with cosigning for the loan. It's pure stubbornness and ignorance. My sister could talk to the counselors or my niece's favorite teacher so she could better understand the situation, but she won't. I think she's embarrassed or ashamed of their finances. Which is stupid. And selfish. And annoying.

I don't know what to do about this. It's frustrating, because there's not much I can do. I would love to cosign a loan for her, using my condo as collateral, except that I know at some point, sooner rather than later, I'm going to have to use it to care for my mother as her health deteriorates. My mom is broke and there is no one else to help her but me.

I'm so sick of thinking about money.

So instead I'll just concentrate on how happy it was to just run into my niece like that, and how much I enjoy spending time with her.

Movie Monday -- Roles of Reverence

Share movies that feature a religious character role, linking back here at The Bumbles.

This movie made me want to be a nun. Realizing that one has to be a Catholic to take that step was very disappointing. Mischievous teens Mary and Rachel enjoyed such "scathingly brilliant" but ultimately wholesome hijinks at St. Francis, the sisters who taught them were so wise and compassionate, everyone seemed so compatible and content ... and there was a self-contained quality to their lives that appealed to me as I approached the scary and daunting world of adolescence. To be completely honest, it wasn't dedicating my life to God that attracted me. It was the "cocoon" aspect. I imagined that living my life at a convent school like St. Francis would be fun and safe, free of intimidating and overwhelming issues like sex and drugs and gender roles and ambition.

While I outgrew my desire to hide from life at St. Francis, I still watch The Trouble with Angels whenever it comes on. A warm and charming little comedy, it dependably makes me feel safe and sound again.

Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing: The Stupid Evil Bastard Meme

Cheers to all of us thieves!

1. What time did you get up this morning? 7-ish

2. How do you like your steak? Medium

3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? The Fighter. Mark Wahlberg. Sigh.

4. What is your favorite TV show? NCIS. Mark Harmon. Sigh.

5. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be? That one town that won't let you down. Chicago -- my kind of town.

6. What did you have for breakfast? Salmon omelet. (I went out.)

7. What is your favorite cuisine? Lately I've been very into Italian.

8. What foods do you dislike? "I don't like beets," she said, remembering SCTV.

9. Favorite Place to Eat? Monk's Pub.

10. Favorite dressing? French

11.What kind of vehicle do you drive? Public transportation

12. What are your favorite clothes? Jeans

13. Where would you visit if you had the chance? Manhattan

14. Cup 1/2 empty or 1/2 full? Yes. Meaning my optimism/pessimism depends on the circumstance

15. Where would you want to retire? Here.

16. Favorite time of day? Noon

17. Where were you born? In a hospital about 40 miles from Chicago

18. What is your favorite sport to watch? Cubs baseball. (If you have to ask, you don't come here often.)

19. Who do you think will never call you again? There's an ex that I would love to say will never call me again, but he does have an unfortunate and distressing tendency to reach out to me every now and again. I think his conscience bothers him and trust me when I say: it should.

20. Person you expect to call you next? My nephew

21. Who are you most curious about their responses to Stealing? Bud

22. Bird watcher? No

23. Are you a morning person or a night person? Morning, I guess

24. Do you have any pets? Joey, Charlotte and Reynaldo -- three cats who liven up my home

25. Any new and exciting news you’d like to share? My friend John is on the mend!

26. What did you want to be when you were little? A great singer. As in, "Every task you undertake becomes a piece of cake ..."




27. What is your best childhood memory? Going to see the aforementioned Mary Poppins was a huge, big, magical deal

28. Are you a cat or dog person? Well, cats fit my lifestyle right now. But I love dogs, too, so I guess I struggle with the concept.

29. Are you married? No.

30. Always wear your seat belt? In the front seat.

31. Been in a car accident? Little fender benders. Nothing major.

32. Any pet peeves? People who take up more than one seat on the train. "Excuse me, did you pay an extra fare for that backpack?"

33. Favorite Pizza Toppings? Sausage

34. Favorite Flower? Marigolds

35. Favorite ice cream? Mint chocolate chip

36. Favorite fast food restaurant? Five Guys Burgers and Fries

37. How many times did you fail your driver’s test? Passed on my first attempt

38. Who did you get your last email from? Oh, don't make me toggle over there to check! It was probably spam.

39. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card? Nine West

40. Do anything spontaneous lately? Ducked out and went to see The Fighter this afternoon
41. Like your job? Most of the time

42. Broccoli? It's OK

43. What was your favorite vacation? A trip I took about four years ago, to visit my best friend and to see Greg Maddux pitch in LA

44. Last person you went out to dinner with? John

45. What are you listening to right now? Streisand

46. What is your favorite color? Cubbie blue

47. How many tattoos do you have? None

48. How many times have you tagged someone to do a meme? I don't recall. It's been quite a while

49. What time did you finish this meme? 11:54 PM on Saturday

50. Coffee Drinker? Nope.

So, Hello, Gorgeous!

I don't know why it always surprises me, but my all-time favorite underwear model is really very good on screen. I saw The Fighter today, and while yes, Christian Bale* is as good as you've heard, I found myself appreciating how quietly controlled Mark Wahlberg is, how he anchored the film. And, oh yes, his physique is still a thing of beauty and a joy forever.


*He bears no resemblance to Batman, none whatsoever. Not physically, not vocally. Impressive.

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Wouldn't It Be Nice

1. What's the nicest thing a complete stranger ever did for you? I had just purchased a new microwave and was trying to get it home on the train. The box wasn't heavy but it was unwieldy, and as I got out of the cab at the train station, I tripped and fell hard on the curb. So I rode the train bloody and bruised with this enormous appliance box. As I prepared to get off the train, a gentleman (in every sense of the word) insisted on carrying the box for me ... off the train, onto the platform, down the stairs and all the way home. Really just a block, but a block out of his way. It was even nicer because he was kinda cute.

2. What one thing always speaks deeply to you, to your spirit, no matter your mood or what else is going on in your life? Music. For example, I find it impossible to be unhappy whenever I happen to hear "September" by Earth, Wind & Fire.

Lyrics | Earth, Wind & Fire - September lyrics

3. How many jobs have you held in your life? How many of those were part of your chosen career field? Eight jobs, six in my field.

4. Of those jobs, how many did you leave voluntarily? I left seven of those jobs voluntarily. Though since the other company went belly up, I suppose you could say that they quit me more than the other way around.

5. How did you discover Saturday 9? How long have you played? (Thank you for joining in!) I began playing in September, 2008. I discovered this meme through Mimi Lenox and/or Bud Wiser.

6. What's the worst beverage you've ever tasted? I have always hated tomato juice.

7. Is there anything in life you are "certain" about? Firm in your beliefs? Strong in your convictions? Lots of things. As my best friend likes to say, he wishes he was as sure of anything as I am of most things.

8. How did you come up with the title of your blog's posts? Often (like now) they just seem so obvious.

9. Would you consider yourself a good cook? That's funny. No. Emphatically no.

My dinner with John

This happened days ago -- Wednesday -- but it's taken me this long to figure out how I wanted to post about it. I wanted to do more than just recount the facts, because it represented more than just pizza and ginger ale to me.

But the ginger ale is a good place to start. John has been very ill for more than a month, and even though he's been home from the hospital since Christmas night, he's still on intravenous antibiotics. That means he can't/shouldn't drink. I believe this is the first time in more than 30 years that we have spent hours together without alcohol. I am pleased to report we're pretty much the same. We still bounced easily from subject to subject, we still laughed a lot.

Which is not to say he's fine. He's anything but. His foot still can't support his weight and so requires a walker. A nurse comes by twice a week to check on the drip and change the bandages. Unable to bathe or wash his hair, he sits around in grungy old pajamas and a cap, dreaming of the days -- still perhaps weeks in the offing -- that will have him luxuriating in a hot shower. Physically fatigued from both the surgery and fighting the infection, he gets exhausted just moving around his apartment, yet he's bored ... bored ... bored!

And notably grateful for my attention. All I did was send this box of penny candy and stop by for pizza and to deliver the essentials he requested: Earl Grey tea bags, skim milk and Chips Ahoy cookies. It hardly seems like too much at all, not after 30 years of friendship.

As John recounted his long, dull days, the names of many friends came up. Kathy, Steve, Lori, Gregory ... I hope he realizes that as much as he appreciates all of us, we are just as glad and grateful that he will get well and remain in our lives.

Fall down, go boom

Someone fell off her diet wagon yesterday! Crunchy peanut butter was my downfall last night. Fortunately I walked an extra half hour/1.5 mile at lunchtime yesterday to mitigate it. But I must be more careful. Just because I stumbled yesterday doesn't mean all is lost. Back to it today!

Greetings from Geek Heaven

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Kennedy's inauguration, The JFK Library has opened up their digital archives! I can browse to my heart's content, indulging my fascination in how President Kennedy's elegant and nimble mind worked.

So far I have read letters he dictated on the same day in August 1963 that thank General Francisco Franco of Spain for a "generous message of sympathy" (shown) on the passing of the Kennedys' premature baby, Patrick, and express his wishes -- in detail -- to powerful Arkansas Congressman Mills ("Dear Wilbur") for a tax bill to go into effect in January, 1965.

I may never leave the keyboard again ...

I Want Wednesday

I want to feel better. I hate feeling winded when I run up the platform stairs in the cold to catch the train. However, simply wanting ain't getting. So today I returned to the health club for the first time in like forever and the half hour of cardio felt good.

The luckiest girl in the whole USA

Behold CGCIS Special Agent Abigail Boren.* This is her second appearance on NCIS, and she and my beloved TV boyfriend, Gibbs, have a certain chemistry. I hope that she becomes a regular. I'd like to see Gibbs settle down and find happiness ... so I can get all swoony when she kisses Mark Harmon.
*Actress Diane Neal, previously of Law & Order: SVU

10 on Tuesday

Ten double Oscar winners

The nominations will be announced later this month, and so I'm working myself up into a frothy Oscar lather. Let me share some of the soap bubbles with you.

These performers have all won more than one Best Actor/Actress Award

1) Dustin Hoffman
2) Elizabeth Taylor
3) Jack Nicholson
4) Daniel Day Lewis
5) Hillary Swank
6) Sally Field
7) Jane Fonda
8) Tom Hanks
9) Jodie Foster
10) Sean Penn

In a class by herself is Katharine Hepburn, who has won four awards in the top category.

"A return to the America I grew up in"

I hear that on TV a lot, from people who seem to be longing for a return to some bucolic Mayberry existence, complete with trips to the fishing hole with Andy and Opie.

That's not the America I grew up in. The most vivid memories of my youth include assassinations and the riots at the 1968 Democratic Convention and four dead in Ohio.

I fear we have returned to the America I grew up in, and it breaks my heart.

Look at these faces and please, remember to think before you speak. Remind others that words have meaning and actions have often escalating reactions. I do not understand why this is threatening to some people -- why accepting even a portion of the responsibility for the tortured zeitgeist of our time and trying to improve it is an anathema. I have always tried, and must try harder, to acknowledge the humanity of those I disagree with. I must redouble my efforts.

I don't want my niece and nephew to grow up in the America I grew up in. I want them to have a better country, the one I know it can be.

As Oscar approaches ...

... my movie-viewing picks up accordingly. This past weekend brought two acclaimed movies that couldn't be more different.

The Kids Are All Right. Bening and Moore are Nic and Jules, a long-married lesbian couple whose lives are about to change. Joni, their oldest, just graduated and will soon leave for college. Since she's 18, she's legally able to find out about her bio dad (also the sperm donor for her younger brother). This little indie movie has a cinema verite feel and the dialog -- especially the kids -- feels very genuine. I liked how universal some of the emotions were (Nic's territorial feeling about the family she's built; Jules feeling taken for granted; the son's growing disillusionment with his best friend; the daughter's need to draw away), regardless of how unconventional this family may be.

The Black Swan. Oh. My. God. The movie is so beautiful, so creepy, so majestic and so grotesque. NOTHING in Nina's world bears any resemblance to my life ... or, I suspect, to any life that takes place here on earth. Weird though it is, you can't not watch. It's a hypnotic, yet desperately dark, film and the tension is almost unbearable. I mean, even the simple act of clipping one's nails is fraught with danger in this movie! Winona Ryder has a small but important role and it was good to see her again.

Felt like a pioneer woman

No internet access anywhere at the office today until about 2:00!

Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing: The First 2011 Alphabet Meme

Cheers to all of us thieves!

A is for Age: Old. Older than dirt. Older than Methuselah. I'm talkin' old here, people!

B is for Beer of choice: Miller Light

C is for Career: I write

D is for favourite Drink: Coke

E is for Essential item you use everyday: Internet

F is for Favourite song at the moment:




G is for favourite Game: Canasta

H is for Home town: A certain toddlin' town

I is for Instruments you play: None. I am painfully non-musical.

J is for favourite Juice: Orange

K is for Kids: Yes, it is. Do you have a question?

L is for Last kiss: And here is to EDDIE VEDDER ...



(thank you, Miss Silver!)


M is for marriage: I'm single.

N is for full Name: The Gal Herself

O is for Overnight hospital stays: I had a uterine fibroid embolization back in 2004. Do you really want to hear about it? I thought not.

P is for phobias: Flying

Q is for quote: "East is east and west is west. And if you take cranberries and stew them applesauce, they'll taste more like prunes than rhubarb does." Groucho Marx

R is for biggest Regret: I've had a few. But then again, too few to mention.

S is for sports: Chicago Cubs baseball

T is for Time you wake up: 6:00 AM. And yet I still manage to be late for work most mornings.

U is for colour of underwear: White.

V is for Vegetable you love: Corn

W is for Worst Habit: Laziness, sloppiness, sloth ...

X is for X-rays you've had: Annual dental x-rays and mammograms

Y is for Yummy food you make: Apple Banana Cake. Here is the recipe ...

Wet Ingredients

* 4 cups of peeled cored and grated apples

* 2 mashed bananas

* 1 teaspoon vanilla

* 1/2 cup vegetable oil

* 2 eggs

* 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts or 1/2 cup pecans (optional)

Dry Ingredients

* 2 cups all-purpose flour

* 2 cups sugar

* 2 teaspoons baking soda

* 1 teaspoon salt

* 2 teaspoons cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Combine all the wet ingredients in large bowl and mix well.

3. Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl and mix well.

4. Add dry to wet ingredients and mix thoroughly.

5. Pour into an UNgreased 9"x13" pan.

6. Bake for 1 hour.

Z is for zodiac sign: Sagitarius

My heart and head hurt

Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords is fighting for her life as I post this. She was shot this morning at a "meet-and-greet" at a grocery store in Pima Co., AZ. Targeted and shot in the head.

Eleven others are wounded and six are dead. Dead.

At first I thought this was random lunacy. Then I learned that Giffords was "targeted" on Sarah Palin's website with her "Don't retreat -- reload!" rhetoric and cross-hairs graphics, and her office was recently vandalized. Her sins? Backing "Obama Care" and immigration reform.

This is all so chillingly familiar.

Excerpt courtesy of Andrew Sullivan at The Atlantic:

In that third year of the Kennedy Presidency a kind of fever lay over Dallas County. Mad things happened. Huge billboards screamed “Impeach Earl Warren.” Jewish stores were smeared with crude swastikas. Fanatical young matrons swayed in public to the chant, “Stevenson’s going to die–his heart will stop, stop, stop and he will burn, burn burn!” Radical Right polemics were distributed in public schools; Kennedy’s name was booed in classrooms; junior executives were required to attend radical seminars. Dallas had become the mecca for medicine-show evangelists of the National Indignation Convention, the Christian Crusaders, the Minutemen, the John Birch and Patrick Henry societies . . .

In Dallas a retired major general flew the American flag upside down in front of his house, and when, on Labor Day of 1963, the Stars and Stripes were hoisted right side up outside his own home by County Treasurer Warren G. Harding–named by Democratic parents for a Republican President in an era when all Texas children were taught to respect the Presidency, regardless of party–Harding was accosted by a physician’s son, who remarked bitterly, “That’s the Democrat flag. Why not just run up the hammer and sickle while you’re at it?" - William Manchester, Death of a President.

Attention Must Be Paid

Upon his death, Rolling Stone called him "the only King we have ever had." And so, on the anniversary of his birth, this loyal subject gives him his due. Here's to the genius, and the kitsch, that still make Elvis irresistible.

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Closer to Home

1. Where did you grow up? Where do you consider home? I grew up in Brookfield, IL, a village 13 miles and a lifestyle outside of Chicago. I live in Oak Park and work in Chicago. I consider either/both "home."

2. If you could paint your car any color with no loss in value, what color would it be? I don't have a car. But if I did, I'd have a hugger orange Camaro. My cousin Rose had one and it was not only way cool, it was always easy to spot in even the busiest parking lot.

3. What do you think comes after death? Heaven. It's one of the few things about our existence I don't question.

4. Name a TV show that should NOT be renewed for another season. Jersey Shore

5. If you could have a free subscription to any online service, which would you like to have? One of those that lets you check databases for lawsuits, marriage licenses, bankruptcies, etc. No reason, really, except I read a lot of mysteries, and it seems that private investigators have so much at their fingertips and I want it, too.

6. Where did you think you'd be at the age you are now? I never thought about myself as this old. Sad but true.

7. What did you want to be when you grew up? A great singer. Being tone deaf got in the way.

8. If you were to suddenly become famous, and were forced to change names, what would you choose as your stage name? Julie Hughes. I like the assonance.

9. What is the first book that you can remember reading by yourself as a child?

The Queen's Meme -- The 2011 Meme

Welcome to the Queen's Meme #66. We're all about ones today in the year of the ones. Do the math.

1. What were you doing at 1:11 am on 1/11/11? I was high above Duval Street in the La Concha Hotel, watching Key West welcome the new year.

2. Did you watch the New Year's Eve hoopla on television at midnight or did you make your own hoopla? Both. We had a delicious dinner, listened to live music at a wine bar, and then headed back to the hotel before the clock actually struck midnight.

3. I know this is a tired meme question and really should be retired, but can you tell us just ONE of your New Year's resolutions? I know this is a same old/same old answer, but I'd really like to eat better, lose weight and get healthier.

4. What was the one greatest lesson you learned in 2010. The Beatles were right all along: "Pride can hurt you, too."

5. Can you recall a news story from 2010 that affected you greatly and/or personally? The oil spill.

6. If you could have just one thing in 2011, what would it be? I'd really love to ...

7. Pick and age: 20 or 11. Which one was best for you and why? 11. My parents began giving me freedom to go places with my friends, and it was heady.

Stay out of the dungeon! Play along by click here.

Diet, Day 4

According to The Daily Plate, if I want to lose weight in a safe/sane way, I should take in 1881 net calories a day, or less. So far, so good. I've stuck to it, and it hasn't been too painful.

I have decided to only stick to the diet Monday through Friday (or 5 days/week). I am trying to set myself up for success, not failure, and so I'm building in some "cheat" time.

Next week I return to the gym for the first time in two months. (I exaggerate -- I have exercised a handful of times since November.) I not only hate how fat I am, I hate how easily I become winded. So here's to a fitter 2011.

Countdown Meme

I stole it from Endomental ... who stole it from Kwizgiver. If you steal it from me, let me know.

10 Favorites

Favorite Season: Spring
Favorite Color: Blue, make that Cubbie Blue (Pantone 294)
Favorite Time: Lazy Saturday afternoons
Favorite Food: steak
Favorite Drink: Coke
Favorite Ice Cream: Mint chocolate chip
Favorite Place: On my sofa
Favorite Sport: Chicago Cubs baseball
Favorite Actor: Robert Redford
Favorite Actress: Katharine Hepburn

9 Currents

Current Feeling: A little headachy
Current Drink: Coke (hoping the caffeine will help with headache)
Current Time: 12:50 AM
Current Show on TV: The Daily Show
Current Mobile used: LG Rumor
Current Windows Open: Desktop? 4
Current Underwear: My white cotton Hanes granny panties
Current Clothes: nightshirt
Current Thought: I love the Stewart/Colbert cross talk

8 Firsts

First Nickname: Mouse
First Kiss: I don't remember
First Crush: "Little Joe" on Bonanza (Michael Landon)
First Best Friend: My oldest friend
First Vehicle I Drove: 60-something green Impala
First Job: babysitter
First Date: Well, we didn't really date. We hung around in groups and then just kinda naturally paired off.
First Pet: Big Tommy (so named because my next cat was Little Tommy)

7 Lasts

Last Drink: Coke
Last Kiss: My friend as I left Key West
Last Meal: Home Run Inn Pizza, water and a banana
Last Web Site Visited: Livestrong.com
Last Movie Watched: The King's Speech
Last Phone Call: My mom
Last TV Show Watched: The Daily Show (we have moved on to The Colbert Report)

6 Have You Ever…

Have You Ever Broken the Law: no
Have You Ever Been Drunk: yes
Have You Ever Kissed Someone You Didn’t Know: no
Have You Ever Been in the Middle/Close to Gunfire: no
Have You Ever Skinny Dipped: no
Have You Ever Broken Anyone’s Heart: yes

5 Things

Things You Can Hear Right Now: TV, humidifier, my cat Charlotte snoring, air purifier and ... I got nothing else
Things On Your Bed: two pillows, TV remote, back issue of Newsweek, reading glasses
Things You Ate Today: Pizza, banana, cookie, 6" Subway sub, Baked Lays
Things You Can’t Live Without: Beatles, Cubs baseball, Coke, cats, Internet
Things You Do When You Are Bored: noodle around online, write, nap, watch tv, read

4 Places You Have Been Today

Office, Subway, Post Office, the El

3 Things On Your Desk Right Now

Reading glasses, snowglobe, Puree's Pizza delivery menu

2 Choices

Salt or Pepper: salt
Hot or Cold: cold

1 Place You Want To Visit

Manhattan

About John

It's taken me almost a week to detail this, but here we go.

John and I have been friends for decades and have been through many jobs, promotions, lay offs, love affairs and breakups together. We have buried parents and siblings. To borrow from "Two of Us," Paul's ode to friendship on Let It Be, John and I "have memories longer than the road that stretches on ahead." And now he's very ill.

He's had a callous on his foot for years. Yes, years! It began giving him grief and how did he handle it? No, he didn't go to a doctor. After all, John is a guy and that's not how he rolls. Instead he changed his stride. That was at least six months ago.

After Thanksgiving he began to notice a discharge. Even though he visited a doctor at that time because of his heart condition, he didn't mention the foot thing. As a matter of fact, he never even really looked at it himself. Because foot-related stuff creeps him out.

Around 12/13 he began to feel rotten. Suddenly he started running a fever and on 12/17, he went to Northwestern Hospital. Because of his bad ticker, they admitted him immediately. And there he stayed until Christmas night.

The callus had become infected. REALLY infected. An abscess had formed and then broken, sending toxins throughout his body. Because of his heart, controlling the infection was ever so important.Then there was the surgery. First the infected area was carved away, then a plastic surgeon was brought in to rebuild his foot so eventually he'll be able to walk normally.

He's home now, with an antibiotic drip and moving around with the aid of a walker. A nurse comes by two (or is it three?) times a week to change the dressing. He's on short-term disability, looking at another three or so weeks of recuperation. Then he may be forced to work from home.

But he sounds fine. Bored and weak, for sure, but no longer at death's door. He has good doctors, good insurance, and a job that doesn't require physical exertion. So I'm less worried about him than relieved. And slightly pissed. He is very important to me, and I really wish he'd take better care of himself. I'm afraid of losing him.

I Want Wednesday

I want the IRS to be satisfied with the amended return I am about to mail.

10 on Tuesday -- About Robert the Demon Doll

The tale of one of Key West's most famous (infamous?) residents:

1) In the late 1890s, Thomas Otto hired a woman to care for his young son, Gene. This nanny was quite familiar with voodoo. His nanny gave Gene a doll that he named Robert. This doll became Gene's imaginary friend ... and then some. His nanny told him that Robert was special, magic, that Robert could do all the things Gene wanted to, but couldn't.

2) Gene believed his nanny. Throughout his youth, whenever he got busted doing something naughty, Gene would say simply, "Robert did it." His parents got tired of this and took Robert away, tucking him away in the attic.

3) Decades later, after his parents died and Gene inherited the house, he rediscovered Robert. Even though Gene was now an adult, he and Robert picked up where they left off. Allowances were often made for Gene's "artistic temperament" (meaning he was a wealthy nut), but even his wife found Gene's fixation with Robert unsettling.

4) Mrs. Otto insisted her husband leave Robert at home when they went out, and Gene responded by constructing a special room for his beloved friend. Everything was scaled to Robert's 3' size. Gene maintained that Robert liked to sit by a window, watching the world go by.

5) This is when neighborhood children began reporting strange happenings. Robert and his chair would move, unaided, from one side of the window to the other. Or the drapes would move so Robert could glare more directly at any kid who dared mock him.

6) Unfortunately rumors also abounded about Mrs. Otto's abuse at her husband's hand. Legend has it that when asked about it, Gene acknowledged that his wife and his imaginary friend were indeed rivals, and that frequently Robert lashed out. But Gene claimed of the abuse and battery, "Robert did it!"

7) Socially isolated because of her husband's loony behavior, Mrs. Otto didn't feel a great affinity for Key West. In the 1970s, shortly after her husband's death, she left, abandoning Robert in the house. The new owner took Robert out of his specially appointed room and gave him to the family's little girl, who had the temerity to treat him like a mere "toy."

8) Robert was displeased and lashed out. The girl was plagued with nightmares. As the story goes, she would awaken and report that she dreamed she was being tortured, saying, "Robert did it!"

9) Today Robert resides in a Key West museum, safely behind glass. He's still in his special chair, still wearing his favorite sailor suit and clutching his own plush toy, a lion. He's surrounded by tons of fan mail from children and adults who maintain they have experienced his powers. For example, a pair of tourists rode their mopeds to see him. The husband mocked Robert, calling him ugly and dismissing his legend. On the way back to their hotel, the man blew out a tire while his wife's bike was fine. Others maintain that if Robert is in a bad mood, he doesn't allow photos to be taken and cameras will malfunction in the museum all day. Whenever anything happens with no logical explanation, the popular refrain is "Robert did it!"

10) Robert's celebrity continues to grow. Even President George W. Bush sent a note of recognition on Robert's 100th birthday. (Though you can see from the letter that the 43rd President doesn't seem aware Robert is a demon doll.)

John Seward Johnson II

A nephew of the rich and famous Johnson & Johnson's you see in your supermarket, John Seward Johnson II is a sculptor whose work appears around Key West. He not only did Marilyn, he's responsible for every figure in this photograph. First there's "Daydream," in which he recreates the Matisse dancing nudes. And there's the lad preparing to toss a frisbee, oblvious to all the feminine flesh over his shoulder. And finally there's the amateur painter, recreating Johnson's recreation. Called "Copyright Infringement," it's Johnson's way of answering critics who say that's all he does.

It was very hard to get this shot. Many boys, young men and not-so-young men are not as nonchalant around the naked ladies as Seward's sculpture, and I had to wait a long time for several of them to have their photos taken groping the metal boobs and buttocks.

Bored with my vacation yet?

"The bar on the top floor has never gone out of style"

I loved my hotel, La Concha. Took these from the rooftop bar, where I sipped a margarita, listened to a troubadour with a guitar (who even sang "Up on the Roof") and wandered around, taking it all in. I got a different view from each railing.

New Year's Day at the pier

Enjoyed a pina colada and a chilled lobster sandwich and good conversation as we watched the world go by.

This is how to see a movie

On New Year's Day we went to see The King's Speech at Key West's Tropic Cinema. It's a wonderful movie, like All the President's Men in that you're involved and anxious about the events, even though you already know the outcome.

It's a fantastic theater, too. Each movie on each of the four screens is of high quality. The walls are decorated with breathtaking old Hollywood portraits by George Hurrell. In addition to popcorn and soda pop, the concession stand sells red and white wine. And, of course, there's Marilyn to greet you out front. Since there's no subway in Key West, that's a faux grate her stilletos are teetering upon. I love that level of detail.

Key West 2010 -- Souvenirs

A review of this year's vacation in the realm of retail.

Magnets for everyone! I picked up seven magnets, not unlike this one depicting the Southernmost spot in the United States, for my coworkers.

My niece. Since she lives for her summer job at that family-owned beach resort in Wisconsin, I bought her something to help her anticipate it: a sign she can hang on her bedroom door when she leaves that says, "Gone to the Beach."

My nephew. A Key West cap, of course. He loves caps. And a tiny turtle made of shells, because he loves turtles, too.

My mom. A pair of eccentric Christmas tree ornaments -- Robert the Demon Doll (more on him later) and a flamingo preparing to don her bikini in a changing booth. Clearly my mom's Christmas tree is like no other!

And for me. I bought myself a trio of cute junk jewelry necklaces and this DVD, a tribute to the day Margaritaville met Wrigley Field.

Movie Monday

Movies are always giving us characters who undergo some sort of change during the story's arc. These changes aren't always for the better - that's what makes them so compelling. Here are a few characters we came up with who made a distinct change during their time on screen. Share characters from film who have transformed, linking back here at The Bumbles.

Solitary Man. If you get to see this on DVD or cable, you're in for a treat. Michael Douglas plays a successful car salesman who gets bad news about his health that really rocks his world. He decides to fight growing older by reverting and becoming fantastically immature. He pays for it dearly, but not in ways you expect. And Douglas is so good in this that he breaks your heart rather than makes you dislike him.

The Mirror Has Two Faces. Streisand accepts Jeff Bridges' proposal of marriage -- but a marriage that will be strictly intellectual and platonic, with no irrational romance to complicate their bond. She falls in love with him anyway, and longs for a more complete relationship, meaning one that includes physical lovemaking. So while he's away on a lecture tour, she works hard on turning herself into a romantic ideal. New hair, new clothes, new body. Naturally, when he comes home, Bridges finds himself surprised to have the hots for his own wife.

Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing: The Over the Edge Meme

1. What curse word do you use the most? Probably a tie between "fuck" and "shit."

2. Do you own an iPod? Yes, indeed.

3. Do you still remember the first person you kissed? Yes, indeed.

4. Would you rather take the picture or be in the picture? Take it.

5. Has anyone ever called you lazy? Just everyone who knows me.

6. Has anyone told you a secret this week? No.

7. What is the first thing you notice about the someone that you are attracted to? Usually his hair.

8. What are you looking forward to? One last day off before I have to go back to work.

9. Do you own any band t-shirts? Springsteen and The Beatles. Pretty old school, huh?

10. When is the last time you slept on the floor? October 2009. I had the flu and slept on the bathroom floor.

11. What did you do last night? Went to see The King's Speech and then went to a Thai restaurant for crab rangoon and green tea.

12. Do you get along better with the same sex or the opposite sex? Depends on the person. I don't think it's wise to generalize that way.

13. Who was the last person to make you mad? I don't remember. Isn't that great?

14. Who would you want to be tied to for 24 hours? Mark Harmon, my TV boyfriend.

15. T or F: All’s fair in love and war? True

16. What’s something you’ve always wanted? To be able to sing

17. Do you enjoy spending time with your mother? Sometimes

18. Do you want a bright yellow ‘06 mustang? I'd rather have the cash

19. Where is/are your best friend(s)? At his house, most likely making sure his daughters completed their homework

20. Would you rather swim in the ocean or a lake? Lake. It's a fresh water vs. salt water thing.

Farewell

It's 2011, and Kodachrome has been discontinued.

A Fine Time

The first day of 2011, also my last full day in Key West, was a fun one. Lunch by the sea, enjoying margaritas and the sunset on the rooftop, a good movie (The King's Speech) at a beautiful, old-fashioned movie palace, and a late dinner of Thai food. When I get back home, I'll post all manner of tales and photos.

When I get home ...

I'm ready. I spent ten hours with my friend today and that's too long. I miss my cats, I miss my home, I miss my alone time.

He's been nothing but delightful and gracious. It's not him, it's me. I have lived alone too long.

I just wish I could get home without flying.