"I love you, Gal"

I talk and write and post a lot. I can be very blabby. Sometimes I forget that people retain what I say. I've often discussed how Melanie Hamilton Wilkes is my role model. I want to be kind and selfless. I try to see the best in people. But then, sometimes at the worst possible times, my inner Scarlett bursts forth.

My former secretary, Amy, moved to Philly years ago. Early this morning, she IM'd me with a photo of Scarlett in the red dress. "This is how I feel today," she wrote. "I have to walk into a room where everyone hates me. Like you said, I want to be Melly but I end up like Scarlett." She wrote about how she had to address a community group that wasn't necessarily receptive to what she had to say. She'd made some tough choices on behalf of her synagogue that not everyone agreed with.

I reminded her that while it's easy to dismiss Scarlett as a heartless bitch, she did hold Tara together against all odds and keep her family warm, dry and fed. And Amy saved the building her religious community worships in.

"Thank you," she responded. "I love you, Gal."

This made me so happy. I effortlessly had a positive influence on someone else. How very Melly of me!

Sunday Stealing

To play along, click here  

26.) Favorite kids name? Depends on the last name it's going with.


27.) Do you speak any other languages? No

28.) Do you use Twitter? Yes

29.) Do you go onto YouTube? Yes

30.) Do you play Angry Birds? I have


31.) Do you like Angry Birds? Sure

32.) Do you like Hello Kitty? Not especially


33.) Have you ever cried because you were so happy? Yes

34.) Who would you like to see in concert? I'm going to change the question a bit and answer that I wish I could see Lin-Manuel Miranda in Hamilton. Here he was before the play was even staged. So imaginative and smart.



35.) Can you swim well? Well, it's the sport I'm best at.

36.) Ever won a contest? Yes.

37.) Ever won a giveaway? Yes.

38.) Do you get a full 8 hours of sleep every night? Not usually. This could be why I'm so often tired.

39.) What tea do you like? Hot. I don't like iced tea.

40.) What coffee do you like? Ew! Ick! I don't like coffee at all.

41.) Do you shop at Walmart? Seldom

42.) Do you shop at Target? More often than Walmart


43.) What do you order at Second Cup? Nothing because I've never heard of it

45.) Do you like homemade meals? No. I hate the idea of someone fussing over me like that. I'd rather we meet at a restaurant and split the bill.

46.) Do you like homemade baked goods? Yes

47.) Do you shop online? Doesn't everyone these days?

48.) Name 3 stores online stores you would like to shop at: Amazon, Overstock and Hanes

49.) What holiday don't you like? I don't like Mother's/Father's Day anymore, since all my parents and grandparents are gone.

50.) What do you eat more of when you're sick?  I suppose saltines are good for you no matter what ails you.

October Challenge -- Day 16

But it's hard when you're scared

Today's October Daily Prompt: Something Scary

Air travel freaking terrifies me. Who is this pilot man? Why am I trusting him with my life? I know, I know ... this being an October challenge I probably should answer "Dracula" or "goblins" or give some other Halloweeny reply. But flights are what really scares me.

This is really happening!

 So it's 3-3 going into the bottom of the 8th. My heroes in Cubbie blue haven't scored since the second. Momentum is with the Dodgers, who have been pretty hard on our bullpen.

Being a lifelong Cub fan, I start the positive self talk about tomorrow's game. What an idiot I am! I've forgotten that these kids are proud of their "We don't quit!" creed.

Bottom of the 8th: PINCH HIT GRAND SLAM!

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: If I Knew You Were Comin' (1950)
 
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) This song is performed by a woman who is positively tickled to have unexpected company. How do you feel when people  drop by unannounced? First, I think the woman who sings this song is frighteningly happy to see her guest. Second, when someone raps at my door, my feelings run the gamut from annoyed to mad. Please don't do it.

2) She is clearly proud of her skills in the kitchen. Do you enjoy baking? Cooking? Nope. I used to enjoy making apple-banana cupcakes, but now I think it's too much work.

3) Reference is made to hiring a band. Tell us the last time you were at an event with live music. My community had an outdoor fest last month and one of the bands was just too cute: High schoolers obviously inspired by School of Rock. There they were, performing classic rockers like Bob Seger's "Old Time Rock and Roll." They were pretty good, too.

4) After making recordings in the early 1950s, Eileen Barton appeared on daytime TV in the early 1960s -- including a game show called Video Village. Let's say we're all headed to a TV game show taping this morning. Would you volunteer to appear as a contestant? Or would you rather just stay in the audience? I do not want to be on TV, so I'll just sit in the audience.

5) In 1961, Ms. Barton got married in Juarez, Mexico. What's the longest distance you've ever traveled to attend a wedding? I went to my cousin's wedding in New Mexico. That was about 1350 miles away.

6) In 1950, when this song was popular, the Detroit Red Wings won the Stanley Cup. Are you looking forward to the upcoming NHL season? Nope. The Cubs are still doing absolutely beautifully in the playoffs, and so I'm all baseball/all the time.

7) 1950 also marks the first time anyone in the United States paid by credit card. Do you pay with a credit card to get rewards? If yes, what rewards are you accumulating (points, cash back, airline miles)? Miles. Cashback would be the wiser choice, but miles inspire better daydreams.

8) In 1950, an athlete named Florence Chadwick swam the English Channel. Are you a good swimmer? Yes. I'm no Katie Ledecky, but I have endurance and enjoy it.

  
9) Random question: Think about the last "white lie" you told. Was it to spare someone's feelings, or to make your day go more smoothly? Nothing springs to my mind, but I'm sure it was to make my own life easier.

 

October Challenge -- Day 15

Today's October Daily Prompt: Warm and Cozy

I love this "warm and cozy" photo of little Connie. It was shortly after she moved in -- you can tell because she's still squinting, as we had yet to get her conjunctivitis under control. But it did my heart good to see her so happy and relaxed.

This little girl had a tough time before she joined this household. She'd been kept by a well meaning but completely inept hoarder. When turned in to the shelter, she was emaciated, yet carrying a litter of stillborn kittens. Her breath was terrible because of the bad diet she'd been subsisting on. And bright lights (like a camera flash) caused her discomfort.

But in no time she was one of the clan. She was affectionate with dear old Joe and is an energetic playmate for Reynaldo. And just look how she made herself at home!

When there's no Cub game ...

.... I'm forced to pay attention to the election. And I'm beyond ready for it to be over.

The big news since I last posted about the Presidential campaign is that Donald Trump has imploded. A "hot mic" tape of him talking about in vulgar terms about trying to seduce the married Nancy O'Dell (then of Access Hollywood) and then bragging about being able to grab women by their genitals and just start kissing them. It was appalling. The language he used was genuinely disgusting (even by my lights and, as this blog has often demonstrated, I have a salty tongue).

So much of what Donald Trump has said this past year has creeped me out that at first, I erroneously thought this was just another thing. (The communion wafer is "a little cracker," John McCain isn't really a war hero because he was captured, Megyn Kelly had "blood coming out of her wherever," mocking Serge Kovaleski for his neurological disease ...) All Trump really had to do was apologize, sound sincerely chastened, and move on. After all, Secretary Clinton is a very, very flawed candidate and there's a lot there for opposing side to seize on.

This was beyond Trump. He couldn't even fake contrition. Instead he apologized not for what he said but if we were offended, and dismissed his bad behavior as "locker room talk," and mere words. To emphasize that actions are worse than words, he had Juanita Broddrick, Paula Jones and Kathleen Willey as his guests at that evening's debate.

Yes, he forced Hillary to stand onstage in front of the women at the center of Bill's scandals.

It was a disgusting bully move by Trump, even worse than what he said. I'm no fan of Secretary Clinton, but I'm a woman who has been humiliated and has had my heart broken. It made me sympathize with her and hate him. He didn't have to do it.

And it was nah-nah-nah display. "Yeah, I'm bad but he's worse!" Our mothers wouldn't accept that kind of tattling and deflection if we broke a plate while doing the dinner dishes, yet we're supposed to embrace it when choosing a leader of the free world.

Then Anderson Cooper asked Trump if his predatory creepiness was limited to words. He defiantly insisted it was. So then the predictable happened. Women began coming out of the woodwork, telling tales of how Trump groped them.

He says this is proof of a conspiracy. "Crooked Hillary" and the "dishonest mainstream media" and international banking concerns. Yeah, right.

I believe it's obvious what happened: Women who Trump abused saw him on TV, giving credibility to the Clinton accusers and then diminishing what he did to them by dismissing it as "just words." 

Meanwhile, Wikileaks dumped a ton of Hillary Clinton emails. No one is talking about them because Trump can't stop talking about himself. He keeps making news. Today I heard him tell a rally that one of the women accusing him had to be lying because "she wouldn't be my first choice." So she's not attractive enough for you to abuse, Mr. Trump?

What a pig.

What an idiot.

None of this had to happen. Donald Trump made it happen.

I can't wait for this to be over.

OCTOBER CHALLENGE -- DAY 14

Today's October Daily Prompt: Decorations

I have no interest in/talent for DIY. And yet when I saw these milk jug lanterns I was enchanted. What a happy way to use something one more time before it goes to the recycling bin!

October Challenge -- Day 13

Today's October Daily Prompt: Favorite Villain

This is Norman Bates of Psycho. Played impeccably by Anthony Perkins in the Hitchcock near-masterpiece.

He racks up quite a body count: His mother, his stepfather, Marion Crane, Detective Arborgast ... and who knows who else is in that swamp. He kills with poison and knives so that his victims suffer. His crimes are about punishment as much as revenge. All this makes him scary and reprehensible.

Except I've always kinda felt sorry for him. Clearly this villain was created, not born. His mother, the one he should have been able to trust, abused him horribly. She undermined his self esteem to the point that he literally disappeared. 

It's that overlay of compassion he engenders that allowed him to move into my imagination and stay there.

I love Joe Maddon

Go, Cubs, Go!

My guys finally put the Giants away! Boy, they are a good team. But as my heroes in Cubbie blue chant from the dugout,"We don't quit! We don't quit!"

It was 5-2 going into the ninth. It was 6-5 when it was all over.

This is really happening!

October Challenge -- Day 12

Today's October Daily Prompt: Pumpkin

October Challenge -- Day 11

Today's October Daily Prompt: Sweet Treats

Look at the seasonal sweet I found at Whole Foods! They're yummy and enriched with Vitamin C (important if you're into justifying ...)

October Challenge -- Day 10

Today's October Daily Prompt: Spooky Sparkles

I had nothin' for this, so I Googled it. "Spooky Sparkles" is the name of this collection of glitter paint pots.

As I said on 10/09/07 ....

"You say it's your birthday. It's my birthday, too, yeah."

No, it's not my birthday. But it would be his, were he still with us. Happy birthday, John.

He was a giant, and his career cast a long shadow over music, over his generation, and over me personally. John was never one of those artists who was afraid to let his world view inform his art. He was aware that there were those out there who just wanted him to stay a "mop top" forever, to do fun music that didn't make them think. But he understood that the role of the artist always has been to challenge the status quo. I loved him for his uncompromising courage in this area.

Just because he knew how to articulate what he saw around him and set it to music doesn't mean that's all he did. Not by a long shot. Now that I've given him his props for his message music, I want to shine a spotlight on one of my favorite (and lesser known) Lennon CDs, Rock'n Roll. If this CD has a message, it's simply that early rock can fill us all with joy. I still miss the old boy, but I'm grateful I can still hear these 13 songs through my iPod headphones whenever I feel like celebrating his life.

1. Be-Bop-A-Lula
2. Stand by Me
3. Medley: Rip it up/Ready Teddy
4. You Can't Catch Me
5. Ain't That a Shame
6. Do You Want to Dance?
7. Sweet Little Sixteen
8. Slippin' and Slidin'
9. Peggy Sue
10. Medley: Bring It on Home to Me/Send Me Some Lovin'
11. Bony Maronie
12. Ya Ya
13. Just Because

October Challenge -- Day 9

Today's October Daily Prompt: Sweater Weather

I bought this Eileen Fisher sweater about a decade ago. (Mine is lilac.) It's beautifully made and timelessly styled and, alas, now way-way too small for me. Since I paid nearly $100 for it -- even on sale back in 200X -- I can't stand the idea of it going to Goodwill and selling for $5.

That's why I'm so happy I can ship it off to my niece. She looooves thrift shop/second hand shopping and so wearing a hand-me-down won't bother her. And since I love this soft and pretty sweater so much, I'm glad it will stay in the family.

Off to Michigan with you!

Sunday Stealing

Wish List Meme, part one

1.) What are 3 things on your Wish list and why?  a. A World Series appearance by my beloved Cubs, because it would make me happy  b. To get good news from my friend Barb, who owns two homes in Hilton Head, because she deserves some good news  c. To learn that the lottery ticket in my wallet is worth $8 million, because duh.

2.) Do you miss your childhood? No. I try to concentrate on the good things, but it really wasn't a great childhood.

3.) What do you do on your spare time on the weekends? This. Movies. Laundry/errands. Recharging.

4.) What do you appreciate most in your life? I've got books and cats.

5.) Would you rather be rich or healthy? Yes, please.

6.) If you could go back in time would you and why? I would love to go back in time because I fantasize that cowboys were hot. I'd love to be able to come back in case they weren't.

7.) Favorite game as a child? I liked playing on the swings. As far as board games go, I enjoyed Sorry!

8.) What is your dream career? Retiring wealthy.

9.) What do you do in your free time? Watch movies, read, fart around on the internet.

10.) Favorite clothing stores? Carson's (maybe it's Bergner's in your part of the country) or Macy's.

11.) What TV shows can't you live without? Morning Joe, NCIS, and the new This is Us


12.) 3 things you need in your life are: The Cubs, the Beatles, my cats

13.) What can't you sleep without? Nothing. I can sleep easily on buses and trains.

14.) Who do you have a celebrity crush on? Mark Harmon.

15.) What is your Favorite Season and why? Autumn. The MLB playoffs and my birthday. What's not to love?

16.) What is your Favorite Wild Animal? Okapis.

We're awesome! Learn about us here.

17.) Name 3 of your Favorite Childhood shows: Batman, Bewitched, That Girl

18.) If you could live as a character in a movie who would it be? Jo March from Little Women. Then I could share an umbrella with Professor Bhaer.


19.) Favorite vegetables? Peas, corn, squash.

20.) Favorite Fruit? Peaches, bananas, strawberries.

21.) If you had a dragon what would you name it? Richard, after Richard Burton. For if I had a dragon, he would speak to me in a deep, mellifluous voice.

22.) What do you put on hotdogs? Ketchup and relish. Or barbecue sauce. (Yes, you can live in Chicago and put ketchup on your hotdog.)


23.) Do you play online games? Farmville 2

24.) Whats your favorite way to get inspired? I'm good after a shower or a nap.

25.) Do you have a middle name? Why, yes, I do.

The Cubs Are Giant Killers!

Unfortunately there's no game Sunday and we have to wait till Monday to clinch it and go on to the next round. But my, oh, my! My heroes in Cubbie blue looked terrific tonight!

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: My Life Would Suck Without You (2009)

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

1) This video begins with Ms. Clarkson on a swing. When you were young, did you prefer the swings or the slide? Oh, definitely, the swings!

2) The first words are, "Guess this means you're sorry." Who is the last person to apologize to you? The person who accidentally shmushed me on the el yesterday.

3) One of Kelly's earliest show business jobs was as an extra on Sabrina, The Teenage Witch. Do you believe in witches and warlocks? I certainly believe in this one.

4) Mentioning witches and seeing Kelly with a lollipop reminds Sam ... She needs to pick up a 1 lb. bag of Dum Dums for Trick or Treaters. Have you done anything in preparation for Halloween? Nope.

5) Ms. Clarkson's advice to aspiring young singers is not to listen to advice. "Everyone gives you their 2¢ worth, but you have to follow your gut." Are you good at soliciting and following advice? Or do you tend to follow your gut? I imagine I am annoying to my friends because I solicit advice and then follow my gut.

6) The year this song was popular, 2009, saw two major newspapers go out of business. Both the Seattle Post Intelligencer and Rocky Mountain News published their last editions. Do you still read a paper copy of your local newspaper? I read the Chicago Tribune every morning as I ride the el. I'm amused by how furious everyone was last week when the editorial board endorsed Libertarian Johnson for President. Maybe I'm alone in this, but I like reading opinions that don't mirror my own. I like learning.

7) In 2009, Mark Zuckerberg confirmed that Facebook tried to buy Twitter, but was rebuffed. Which social media site do you spend the most time on? Facebook. 

8) In 2009, the Balmain Collection included a pair of jeans that retailed for $2,165. What's the most you would pay for denim pants? Here are my favorite Gloria Vanderbilt jeans. I can usually find them for $30 or less at Kohl's or Carson's.

9) Random question: You buy a charity raffle ticket and tuck it into a friend's birthday card. Before you can give the card to her, the numbers are drawn and you realize the ticket is worth $500. Do you keep the ticket or give it to your friend, as planned? This one is hard. But I'd keep it. $500 is simply too much to spend on a birthday gift. I can't afford it. I would, however, take the birthday girl to an epic celebratory dinner.

 

October Challenge -- Day 8

Today's October Daily Prompt: Witchcraft

I loved this so much that, after I finally had to return it to the school library (there was a limit to how many times we could renew a book) that my parents actually ordered it for me from the local bookstore. That was a big deal! My dad hated driving me anywhere, and yet we all piled into the car and, before dinner at The Gourmet Restaurant (that's what it was called), we stopped at the bookstore across the street. A copy was waiting for me behind the counter. My name was held to the book with a rubberband. I felt terribly special and grown up.

The book is about a witch whose broom breaks on a smalltown, human street and she ends up being adopted by a smalltown, human family who has a daughter her age and a cat named Itchabody. I especially remember Itchabody (not Ichabod).

I'm happy to report it's still in print. If there's a first or second grade girl in your life, you may want to pick up a copy.