Sunday, December 14, 2014

Sunday Stealing

The Have You Ever Meme
1) Have you ever gotten lost in a maze? No.

2) Have you ever been attacked by a wild animal? No.

3) Have you ever ridden a camel? No.

4) Have you ever pet a rat? No.

5) Have you ever been a member of a gym? YES! Ding ding ding! I got one.

6) Have you ever been in a helicopter? Yes! Two in a row.

7) Have you ever cheated at a test? No.

8) Have you ever ridden a tractor? No.

9) Have you ever passed wind/gas in an embarrassing situation? Yes.

10) Have you ever played the bongos? No.

11) Have you ever handled a snake? Yes.

12) Have you ever assembled furniture by yourself? Yes.

13) Have you ever been scuba diving? No.

14) Have you ever had a disastrous interview? Yes.

15) Have you ever sold your services? Yes.

16) Have you ever raised money for charity? Yes.

17) Have you ever won a giant sized cuddly toy from a fair? No.

18) Have you ever milked a cow? No.

19) Have you ever used the phrase "back in my time" to someone younger than you? Yes.

20) Have you ever invented a fairly unique meal or drink? No.


Fa la la la la

I'm happy to be spending Christmas in Key West because those friends want and love me, and being around that kind of warmth  and generosity is what the holiday is all about.

But the bad thing about it is that I won't be here, in my hometown church, to worship on Christmas Eve. I miss that.

So today I was surprised and happy to be singing "Deck the Halls" and the less conventional (but still very lovely) "In the Bleak Midwinter" in my own house of worship.


It's that time of year

Yesterday I had my annual mammogram. Usually I'm nervous about this, as breast cancer is something I believe all women fear to some degree. Only this year I wasn't scared at all.

I hope that means that next week I get good news that includes the word, "benign."


Saturday, December 13, 2014

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Feliz Navidad (1970)


1. "Feliz Navidad" is Spanish for "Merry Christmas." Can you wish us happy holidays in a language other than English or Spanish? God Jul

2. According to ASCAP (the American Association of Composers, Authors and Publishers), this is one of the 20 most played holiday songs of the last 10 years. What's the most recent carol that you heard? I tend to think of Vanessa Williams as an actress, which is too bad because she's got a lovely voice.





3. Which Christmas song do you hope you never hear again? "My Favorite Things" because it is NOT a Christmas song! Maria sings it to the Von Trapp children during a rainstorm, not a snowstorm! It's spring, not winter! (Exclamation points indicate how very strongly I feel about this burning issue!)



4. This week's featured artist, Jose Feliciano, was honored to perform this song at the tree lighting ceremony at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. If you were to win a trip to our nation's capital, which sites would you visit? The Smithsonian would be first on my list.

5. As a very young child, Jose taught himself to play the accordion. If you could suddenly, easily learn to play any instrument, which would you choose?  Guitar

6. Jose says that hearing early 1950s rock on the radio made him want to become a singer. What's your favorite music genre? Pop

7. At 17, Jose had to drop out of school to help support his family. Too young to enter bars, he played guitar in coffee houses for tips. Have you ever worked a job where you regularly received gratuities? I got tips when I was a babysitter

8. Jose and wife Susan have been together for more than 40 years. Who is the happiest married couple you know? Hmmm ... Thursday night at dinner I was heartened to hear how my friend Kathleen's husband is supporting her during a very difficult time. He's a fascinating man, rather challenging, so their marriage hasn't always been smooth. But I think it's been happy.

9. Jose wrote and performed the theme of the 1970s show, Chico and the Man. What's your current favorite TV show? NCIS. I loves me my Gibbs.

Friday, December 12, 2014

From sad to happy

So yesterday was the agency Christmas party. I always avoid these affairs like the plague, so as my coworkers were boarding the bus to go to the restaurant where the party was held, I slipped out and headed home, a little sad.

I'd been compulsively checking my email all day, hoping to hear from my friend Kathleen. We had tentatively planned to get together to celebrate my birthday (11/22) and hers (12/26) and Christmas. She had mentioned how rough her life schedule had been lately -- her father suffered a debilitating stroke last summer and her mother, not very small herself, has been trying to keep him in the family home, and so Kathleen and her siblings have been taking turns spending evenings with their parents to lighten their load. But Kathleen has a very demanding job and she's just been run ragged.

When I hadn't heard from her all day -- not by call, email or text -- I thought she'd been overwhelmed and forgot about our date. It was understandable with all she had on her plate, plus the holidays. But it made me sad.

So I got home, had a little tuna salad and was watching TV when Kathleen called. "I'm just leaving my office now. I'll be there in about an hour."

She hadn't forgotten! She'd just been so swamped all day she hadn't had a moment to call me to confirm. I went from sad to happy so fast it was as though she was my own personal Christmas miracle.

We went to a tiki bar and enjoyed drinks (I had a couple Coco Locos, which are hot chocolate spiked with rum) and pineapple chips and dip. Most of all, I was happy that I was able to make her laugh and get her out of herself for a while. Her father will never again be able to dress or feed himself, her parents will have to be convinced to sell their home and move to a smaller and more manageable place, she doesn't like the job she devotes so much time to ... I'm glad I distracted her for a while. When I got home, I was surprised to see we'd been out for three hours. It did us both good.

Now for the gifts. I got her a book and a water bottle adorned with a photo of her and her daughter. (When her daughter is home from college, they run together every morning.) She got me a Downton Abbey mug with gourmet tea and a promise to see a Cub game this summer. And if you read this blog with any regularity, you know there's not much I want more than an afternoon within The Friendly Confines of Wrigley Field.




Wednesday, December 10, 2014

WWW.WEDNESDAY

To play along, just answer the following three questions ...

• What are you currently reading? The Christmas Cookie Club by Ann Pearlman. Every year, Marnie and her girlfriends get together and eat cookies, swap recipes, drink wine and catch up. They've been doing this for years, their bond is enduring, and their stories are relateable.

I read this when it first came out (maybe 5 years ago?) and recalled little of it except that it's a nice, feel-good bit of Christmas chick lit and now I'm enjoying it all over again. If you like to bake, this book may be of special interest to you, as each woman's club recipe is included.

• What did you recently finish reading? The Patriarch by David Nasaw. A sweeping, breathtaking biography of an American original: Ambassador Joseph P. Kennedy, JFK's father. He was a banker, stockbroker, movie producer and real estate mogul (though not a bootlegger, as legend has it). He was a terrible diplomat and a worse husband. But a passionate, loving father and devoted friend. This massive book took me months to get through, and now I feel kind of empty without it. I'm afraid I kinda miss the old bastard.

• What do you think you’ll read next? Maybe Gone with the Wind. I haven't touched it in decades, and going back to the future might be a good way to start the new year.

To see how others responded, click here.

Tuesday, December 09, 2014

I Saw This!

There's no overestimating the impact Mary Poppins had on my life. The first movie I ever saw in the theater, it began my lifelong love affair with film. One of the clearest and dearest memories of my childhood is of lights going down and the big red curtains at the State Lake Theater opening to reveal that first memorable scene, the rooftops of London.

So when we went to The Museum of Science and Industry yesterday, I was hoping that the much-talked about Treasures of the Walt Disney Archives exhibit would include my girl, Mary. After all, to me that nanny is every Disney Princess, all rolled into one. But I was worried because none of the PR releases I'd read in advance even mentioned her.

Oh, Gal of Little Faith! There was a trove of Maryphernalia! I saw original sketches of the famous "Jolly Holiday" (penguin) number and authentic costumes and a deleted scene (no sound, but still!) and the actual alphabet blocks that magically fell into her name during "A Spoonful of Sugar." But best of all, I saw this ...


 The actual globe she's holding in her hands was on display! The snowglobe that inspired her to sing "Feed the Birds!" I saw it! Kathy was amused that I actually fell to me knees to get a closer look at it in the case, but I refuse to be embarrassed. I was thrilled.

When I got to work this morning, I mentioned this to two of my coworkers, who also remembered being piled into the car by their parents and driven to the theater to see Mary Poppins. It was a lovely collective memory of 1964.

Here's the clip of the scene. I love it, love it, love it.


Day at the Museum

My friend Kathy and I spent Monday at Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry. As my birthday gift, she encouraged me to think of something I want to do but can't get anyone to do with me, and so I chose MSI. It was my favorite when I was a kid -- hell, it's every Chicago kid's favorite. But I haven't been there in decades.

We toured it from 9:30 till 2:30. While MSI is decidedly high-tech and interactive, I wanted to revisit all the favorite exhibits of my youth. First of all, Colleen Moore's Fairy Castle. Everything is built to scale for a 5" tall prince and princess. When I was a tiny gal, I loved it because the lights and water actually worked and because everything in each overstuffed room is handmade and handcarved. Yesterday I learned details that weren't of interest to me as a wee one: the chapel includes the world's smallest Bible and an actual relic, a sliver of silver from The True Cross, a gift to Colleen Moore from Ambassador Clare Booth Luce, who received it from the Pope himself.

When I was taking that picture of the castle, I was sorry the mom and daughter were in the shot. But now I'm glad. Look at her hand, reaching to get closer to the magic inside. That was me and every other little girl who has seen it over the years.

My second all-time favorite place in the museum is Yesterday's Main Street, which represents Chicago of 1910. The streets are brick, just as I remembered them. I saw the corset shop and the grocer's and the old time dentist. But best of all was the nickelodeon, showing silent movies around the clock. The theater is much smaller than I recalled it, but it was in the same spot and she was there. I loved this ticket window when I was a little girl, and thought that ticket taker was the best job ever. It made me so happy to see her again. Then we had real ice cream sodas at Finnigan's Ice Cream Parlor.

This is the first time I've ever been to the museum at Christmastime. Which is a shame, because for more than 70 years, MSI has been celebrating Christmas Around the World. There's this one big tree in the main hall, surrounded by smaller trees representing more than 50 other countries, and decorated  by volunteers from Chicago's ethnic communities. I learned that in the Czech Republic, the traditional Christmas meal isn't turkey but carp (ew!) and a barley/mushroom casserole that sounded pretty yummy; that in Scandinavia, St. Nick doesn't have elves, he has a companion named Black Pete; that in Poland, all pets are included in Christmas celebrations because it was animals who witnessed Christ's birth in the manger.


In the gift shop I saw a t-shirt that read, "Talk Nerdy to Me." I almost bought it. Because if there's anything that yesterday reinforced for me, it's that I'm such a geek. I truly can't think of much I would have enjoyed more than my day at the museum.


Sunday, December 07, 2014

Richard and Gary and Old Navy

Every year, the tree at Whole Foods is decorated with little hearts from the kids at the village children's home. Some kids live at the home 24/7, waiting for appropriate foster homes or for their parents to get it together and take them back. Others are there because their parents are taking advantage of the sliding scale daycare. Anyway, each heart has a kids' name, age, sizes and Wish List items. Since the children's home is, literally, next door, I always participate by taking an ornament and fulfilling a Christmas wish.


This year I grabbed Gary's. He's 14 and I think that must be a tough age to be at the children's home Christmas party. He doesn't believe in Santa anymore, and he just might be pretty angry about not having a family -- not with his real parents and not in a foster home. And what if no one chooses his heart? Everyone wants to shop for a little one. But what if none of my neighbors want to pitch in for a teenager? So I went to Old Navy and got him a sweater and sweats (all on sale). I also tossed in a $5 giftcard to a local hamburger place. You know, just in case my taste in teen boy clothes isn't all that he'd like it to be.

When I dropped his present off at Whole Foods (the damn gift bag cost $3!), I had to pass the tree again. It occurred to me that maybe I want to buy for a cute little kid, too.

So then I grabbed Richard's. He's 6. He asked Santa for a sweater and jeans. Doesn't that break your heart? He wants clothes, not toys. So back to Old Navy. I got him a sweater but all the jeans are too expensive, so I got him a long-sleeved t-shirt decorated with a football, a soccer ball, a basketball and a baseball. Unless he's exclusively a hockey fan, I've got him covered. And then, since he's only 6 and should get a toy, I tossed in a 99¢ bus. I like thinking of him pushing it around on the floor at the holiday party.

I've kinda had the blues. I'm just not very happy with my life. Nothing is bad -- the cats are healthy, my friends are great, I'm feeling strong. But both my home and my finances have gotten away from me and I can't seem to get it together in either arena.

But I was able to help Richard and Gary. And that's something I was able to accomplish.


Sunday Stealing

The Are You Meme
1) Are you psychic in any way? Sometimes I think I may be.

2) Are you a good dancer? No.

3) Are you a good singer? I sing even worse than I dance.

4) Are you a good cook? I don't know. I do it so very seldom.

5) Are you a good artist? Nope. (This meme is starting to make me feel bad about myself.)

6) Are you a good listener? I can be.

7) Are you a good public speaker? Yes. (Hallelujah! I finally got one!)

8) Are you a good babysitter? Yes. (Two in a row! I'm on a roll.)

9) Are you a good mechanic? No.

10) Are you a good diplomat? I try, though not always successfully.

11) Are you a good employee? Yes.

12) Are you a good dresser? When I put effort into it.
 
13) Are you a good swimmer? Yes.

14) Are you a good skier? No.

15) Are you a good gift giver? Yes.

16) Are you a good musician? No.

17) Are you a good comedian? I can be funny.

18) Are you a good cleaner? I clean even worse than I sing.

19) Are you a good actor? Yes, I think I am.

20) Are you a good writer? Yes.


"The girl with the cute haircut"

Last night was the movie meetup holiday party. We saw Remember the Night, a rather obscure Christmas movie starring Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray.* I can see why it's not as popular as Christmas in Connecticut (last year's movie). It does not have a conventional Christmas feel-good ending. But still I enjoyed it.

Even more, I enjoyed the Meet Up. My usual girls weren't there -- Joanna's flight from New Orleans was delayed; Martha remains incommunicado for the third month in a row -- so I was forced to talk more to other people than I normally would. And, after all, that is the point of these Meet Ups.

These two other ladies and I somehow got on the subject of Barbra Streisand. Funny Girl and "My Man," specifically. I joked that I loved that number because falling for the wrong fella is specialty of mine. One of the ladies recommended match.com or eharmony.com, and I said that with my luck I'd end up with the new millennium Ted Bundy. The ladies laughed and one said, "I can just hear us asking each other, 'What happened to the girl with the cute haircut? I hope we didn't lose her to computer dating.'"

That made me happy because (1) I made them laugh and (2) they liked my new haircut and (3) they referred to me as "a girl" and I know I'm well within 10 years of them. This last birthday -- when I hit 57 -- made me feel very old and any reassurance I get that I don't look like I'm knocking on 60 makes me feel better.



*I grew up on MacMurray on My Three Sons, as boring a dad as TV ever produced. His long movie career reveals there was much more to him than that -- humor, cynicism and even a little sex appeal. Who knew?

Saturday, December 06, 2014

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Lucky Star (1983)

1. Have you ever wished upon a star? No. I've tossed a small fortune mint into fountains as I made wishes, but I've never wished upon a star.

2. In the 1980s, Madonna considered her wrist bangles one of her fashion trademarks. What's one of your fashion trademarks? I wear a lot of blue. So much, in fact, that one of my friends used to begin our phone conversations by asking, "which blue shirt are you wearing today?"

3. Though she got good grades, Madonna could be disruptive at school, known for turning cartwheels in the halls between classes. Can you do a cartwheel? Nope.

4. Her high grade point average earned her a dance scholarship to the University of Michigan, home of the Wolverines. Do you follow college football? Nope.

Happy to see LuAnn and Margo are still roomies
5. Madonna co-starred in the movie version of Dick Tracy. Do you enjoy comics? When I was in my late teens and early 20s, I used to read Apartment 3G every day in the paper while I rode the train. I don't recall why I stopped.

6. She played Argentinian First Lady Eva Peron in the biopic, Evita and directed a movie about Wallis Simpson. What famous 20th century woman do you wish you could meet/could have met? That would, of course, be my all-time idol, JBKO. According to rumor (and there is no shortage of rumors regarding this lady), she couldn't stand Madonna, either.

7. Madonna authored a children's book called The English Roses. Tell us about a book that had a big impact on you when you were a kid. Charlotte's Web.

8. One of Madonna's "vocal idols" is Ella Fitzgerald. Who is your all-time favorite female singer? Streisand.

9. Madonna once did a Pepsi commercial. What beverages are in your refrigerator right now? Coke, Dr. Pete (the Sodastream version of Dr. Pepper), 2% milk



 

Just talking to people

Friday I ended up conversing with three of my neighbors. This is unusual, especially since I can go days without seeing any of them.

First I saw the woman from the third floor who wears the fashionable Warby Parker frames. Whenever I have seen her in condo association meetings she has been aggressive, pushy and condescending. Yet today, in front of our building, walking her dog, she was warm and friendly. After we chatted, she told me to stop over anytime. I couldn't believe how different she was, one-on-one.

Then I rode the elevator with the neighbor who wears a hairnet when he does his laundry. He and his girlfriend were coming in from Christmas shopping and they both looked so nice. Then I thought of my usual laundry room uniform -- oversized, elastic waistband jeans and Crocs -- and realized he might have been thinking the same of me.


Finally I met my downstairs neighbor for the first time. While we were chatting, I asked her if she could hear me singing in the shower, since we share a bathroom vent. I'm such a bad singer, I told her that if it offends her she should just poke the ceiling with her broom. She laughed and said she hadn't heard me, but if she did she'd poke twice, which means, "You go, girl!" But then she told me that last summer she did hear me, when I was suffering with a cold and was coughing and [here she made the noise of me sucking mucous instead of blowing]. I was so embarrassed! And amused. That sound must really carry. It used to make my mother crazy, as well, even when I did it behind my closed bedroom door. Interestingly, my downstairs neighbor doesn't hear me yelling at Reynaldo, or watching TV at all hours. Just coughing and [insert sound of sucking mucous instead of blowing]. I'll try to remember to reach for a tissue, but sometimes, when the skin under my nose is so raw or I can't breathe, I just gotta [insert sound of sucking mucous instead of blowing].


Thursday, December 04, 2014

In other news

I believe one of my coworkers has suddenly developed a crush on me. I don't know how I feel about this.

He began working with our team two years ago. He spent most of his time at our clients' offices downstate, so I seldom if ever saw him. But over the last three months he's been up here almost exclusively and, since I've been back from Vegas, he's been coming over to our clown car and insinuating himself into our morning conversations as soon as I arrive.

And let me explain -- since there are four of us in an office originally designed for two, and since tensions can run high, I tend to be overly cheerful and babbly in the morning. Just to smooth things over and make sure the other three get along. I consider myself to be the agency's rodeo clown.

Apparently he suddenly finds my babbling captivating.

Now on the one hand, he appears age appropriate and is very, very smart. Those things are good.

On the other hand, he is rumored to be getting over a bad relationship and is said to have a drinking problem. Those things are not good.

Oh well, I don't have to do anything about anything. For the time being, I think I'll just enjoy being found at the very least amusing by a man of very high intellect.




Don't know why ...

… but I keep waiting for the proverbial "other shoe" to fall.

Nothing particular triggered this. I just have a free-floating feeling of dread. Which I shall try to combat. Because worrying over nothing does no good.

Tuesday, December 02, 2014

See? This is what I mean!

Last week, while sitting by the luggage carousel, waiting for my friend to arrive in Las Vegas from LA, I scribbled off three postcards. One to my aunt, one to my niece, and one to my Cousin Rose. Rose loves to receive snail mail, and I wanted her to know I was thinking of her.

Well, she responded. "Hope you had fun in Las Vegas. Not my preference, but then, not my birthday."

This is why I'm most emphatically not looking forward to her staying with me in early 2015.  Nothing I do or say is "her preference."

For example, she was telling me how much I was missing by not shopping at Costco. Now I live in a two BR condo with precious little storage. I have no desire to spend any of it on a 12-roll package of paper towels. On the other hand, I wanted to be polite and keep the conversation moving. So I said, "Hmmm ... you know what I could buy in bulk? AA batteries. I'm always running out of them for my TV remote and my shower radio."

"SHOWER RADIO? That's the craziest thing I've ever heard of!"

Or when she kept haranguing me for the size of my purse -- even though I never once complained about its heft or asked her to carry it. Or ... or ... or ...

In addition to making me feel, well, homicidal, she also makes me feel guilty because I know how much she cares about me. (Even though it seems everything I do is, to use one of her favorite words, "stupid.") For my birthday, she got me a pen and letter opener, both inscribed with my name, because she says I'm the last one who bothers to write letters by hand and mail them, and she appreciates it. She always wants me to visit. She fantasizes about trips we'll take to Europe. (I can just imagine her criticizing me all over Poland.)

During my turbulent adolescence, my Cousin Rose was my idol. My role model. The only adult in my world it seemed to support me.

I do honor and treasure that relationship, and wish we could go back.




Sunday, November 30, 2014

Done!


For the first time, I reached my Nanowrimo goal of 50,000 words! Yea!

I'm nowhere near done with Liza's saga. It was too ambitious for 50,000 words. But I'm going to give it a rest for a while. I've been more than a little obsessive and it's time to do housework, write holiday cards, laundry, etc.


Sunday Stealing


Shop On The Corner Meme

What kind of job did your mom have when you were growing up? She was a stay at home mom. All our mothers were stay at home moms. On November 22, 1963, after President Kennedy was assassinated, we were each sent home from school at lunchtime and with a note saying not to come back until further notice. Looking back, it seems shocking that the school just assumed none of us would be returning to an empty house.

 Have you ever known anyone that’s been on tv, including you? My friend Ed is an extra on the TV show Chicago Fire. I was on TV Election Night, 1992. I was a Clinton campaign worker ("Clintonistas," as we were known) and I was shown in the victory celebration on Channel 7, the local ABC affiliate. I remember exactly what I was wearing -- a long black sweater, black leggings and little boots. I wish I had enjoyed what a good figure I had back then, rather than concentrating on its flaws.

What was the most interesting animal you have seen in the wild? I've never seen an animal in the wild.

What holiday do you enjoy the most? Dr. King's birthday. First of all, because it celebrates Dr. King and it's always good to reflect on his message of peace and tolerance and equality. Secondly, it's a day off when we can really use one. Mid-January can look and feel pretty bleak. I appreciate the respite of a day off and something so positive.

 What was the first video game you ever played? Pong.

 What is the one thing you own, that if it got lost, you would be bummed? My independence!

 Do you have a favorite breakfast item? Eggs.

 What do you find yourself buying all the time? Cat food.

 When was the last time you got a real letter in the mail? My cousin Rose and I correspond all the time. There's a letter right beside me dated last Monday that I just got yesterday. Maybe it's that five day lag time that helps make snail mail so unpopular. Oh well, I still enjoy getting the mail each day.


Do you have a most prized piece of jewelry? I have a couple pendants -- one silver bar like this and the other a coin --  made from real (scrap) silver recovered from the the Atocha. The Atocha was a Spanish ship that went down just off Key West in the 1600s. My late uncle was a coin collector and studied the treasure that was recovered from the ship. One of his proudest possessions was one of the ship's real coins, worth thousands of dollars today. Whenever I wear the coin or pendant, I remember him and how much the Atocha meant to him.

 Do you own any board games? I've got Clue and Scrabble in the closet somewhere.

 What chore seems the most daunting right now? HOUSEWORK! This place is a freaking sty. Which is why I'll do my Christmas cards today. It's too overwhelming.

 Were you born in the state you live in? Yes.

 Have you ever lived in a house that has been broken into? No.

 What is your favorite cheese? I'd like a sharp cheddar scrambled into my eggs, please.

 Who do you know that watches the most sports? My friend Mindy's husband watches all the football he possibly can. Doesn't matter which teams. He's just transfixed by football.


Friday, November 28, 2014

Saturday 9

Paint It Black


1) This song was chosen because yesterday was Black Friday, the traditional day of sales. Have you begun your Christmas shopping? I'm almost done. I have a couple of gift cards and stocking stuffers left to pick up, and then I'm done. By the way, this is the first year I ventured out into the Black Friday madness. I went to Macy's after Thanksgiving dinner because it was right there, open around the clock starting at 6:00 PM Thursday night. The prices didn't impress me but the crowds did. So many little kids, so many strollers! I hadn't expected that.

2) Are there any Thanksgiving leftovers in your refrigerator right now?  No. We ate out. The upside is no clean up. The downside is no leftovers.

3) AAA says Thanksgiving is a big travel weekend. Did you venture far from home for your holiday dinner?  No. I took the el downtown like I always do, but got off at an earlier stop.

4) Keith Richards likes France but, alas, the French authorities haven't always been fond of him and his criminal record. Have you ever been to France? Yes. Decades ago I went to Paris and Nancy. I still can't get over the fact that I saw the Arc de Triomphe and the Champs Elysees.

5) Mick Jagger jokes that, to be polite to fellow hotel guests, he always finishes trashing his room by 10:00 PM. What kind of hotel/motel guest are you? Are you rockstar rambunctious, or are you quiet? Are you neat? Have you stolen any towels, bathrobes, etc.? Except that I sleep with the TV on, I believe I'm a perfect guest.

6) Mick Jagger got his financial savvy as a student at the London School of Economics. Are you good with money?  Ha!

7) In the early 1990s, a then little-known actress named Angelina Jolie appeared in a Rolling Stones video ("Anybody Seen My Baby?"). Name an Angelina Jolie movie. Loved Maleficent. I'm still Team Aniston, but Maleficent was awesome.


8) In the early 1960s, the Stones nearly avoided tragedy when their tour bus skidded off a bridge. Tell us about a near miss you're thankful for. I can't believe it's been six years, because I remember it like it was yesterday. One Tuesday, when I was on my way back to the office after a lunchtime workout, I very nearly got hit by a cab that was racing through the yellow light. Considering the speed at which it was traveling, if it had made contact with me, I would have been killed instantly. (Shudder.)

9) In 1966, when this week's song was popular, CBS telecast How the Grinch Stole Christmas for the first time. What's your favorite Dr. Seuss story? 

Giving thanks

My friend John and I celebrated our third Thanksgiving together. His friend Gregory joined us (or, rather, I joined them, as they have been celebrating the holiday this way for years). We ate at McCormick and Schmick's and here's what we had.


Once again I was impressed by how easy and comfortable our new tradition is. I'm thankful for no guilt, no stress, no clean up. I highly recommend it.





Bright light city, the final chapter


Las Vegas is such an aggressively tacky, silly place. There are even slot machines at the airport. After I put my friend on her flight to Los Angeles, I had about 20 minutes before my flight boarded. I went to the ladies room and then played the Dolly Parton slot machine.

I won $36! And then my flight was called, so I didn't have time to lose it.

Thanks, Dolly!


Bright light city, Part 3


We stayed at the Luxor, which is a charming but completely ridiculous Las Vegas hotel. It is literally a pyramid, so when we went up to our room on the 23rd floor, we actually swayed. Our room was
shaped like a pyramid, too, so the window was at a severe angle. It's one of those Vegas spectacles that just has you shaking your head and saying, "What the fu ..." over and over again.

We ate at two of the Luxor's restaurants, the Pyramid Cafe (which is a nice coffee shop) and Rice and Company (a very good Asian restaurant).

We also saw its Titanic exhibition. This was my fourth time seeing it. I saw it more than a decade ago in Toronto, then here in Chicago, then another time in Vegas at the Tropicana. It's a very moving to see luggage and dishware and glasses and shoes (laces still tied) that belonged to the passengers. There's also a simulated iceberg that you can touch, so you can actually feel what the ship confronted.

What was new this time was The Big Piece. An actual chunk of the ship is now on display, close enough to touch. To borrow a phrase, this is when shit got real. Maybe it was the late hour, maybe it was the booze I'd already consumed, but seeing the actual portholes that the doomed looked through, moved me to tears.

If you ever have the opportunity to see this exhibition, please do. It's intense, it's beautiful, it's thought provoking.

My friend and I discussed it at length afterward and she maintains the reason why the Titanic story has such a hold on us is that there are so many times the tragedy could have been mitigated or avoided. They could have loaded the ship with more lifeboats, they could have stocked the ship with the right grade of coal, the look outs could have used binoculars, they could have hit the iceberg head on, which would have damaged but not sunk the ship. If only ... if only ... if only ...



Bright light city, Part 2

These two are both grandparents.

This humbling fact kept going through my mind as Donny and Marie performed at the Flamingo on my birthday.

They are both in exquisite shape, performing for 90 minutes, two shows a night. I was tired just watching them. If I may be permitted a bit of snark, Marie's had a bit too much work done. But maybe that's me being jealous.

My Vegas companion, my oldest friend, loved Donny when we were in junior high. I mean, she loved him. Photos on her bedroom wall, writing his name on her folder, the whole nine yards. So seeing him with her was a particular kick. And I must give her credit for knowing how to pick them. My fave rave from the early 1970s, Bobby Sherman, doesn't look anywhere near as pert as Donny these days.

My oldest friend and I laughed a great deal on this trip. It was good for me to get away, good for me to enjoy a change of scenery, and nowhere is the scenery more different than Vegas!



Bright light city, Part One

A week ago today I went to Las Vegas for my birthday.


They say all bags on the carousel look the same. Not mine. Connie sees to it by shedding all over my bags so they are the ones covered in cat hair.

The flight to Vegas was uneventful, which makes me happy because I'm a white knuckle flier. We were book for Gate D10 and guess what plane we rolled past to get there. Yes, the most famous plane in the world. They say President Obama was in Nevada to talk about immigration policy. But I think it's a Chicago thing, and our favorite son just wanted to show me a little support on my birthday.


As always around my birthday, there are observances in memory of President Kennedy. The Tropicana Hotel hosted an exhibit that included a replica of the JFK/LBJ Air Force One. It was an especial kick to see it after meeting the real thing. BTW, my all-time idol JBKO is the one who designed the distinctive look Air Force One still sports today. She chose the two shades of blue for the nose (both lighter than the field behind the stars of the flag) and the font for UNITED STATES OF AMERICA up the side and flag on the tail. The only change from Jackie's original sketch is the addition of the Presidential seal.