At the Movies -- Day One

 

The TCM Classic Film Festival is all about our shared love of movies, preserving them and seeing them on the big screen. And so these posts are going to be devoted to the movies. 

Thursday was a half day, starting in the evening. I had my choice of six movies to start, and I decided on The Jewel Robbery, a seldom-seen 1932 heist film starring William Powell. I took my sweet time getting my ticket. My Festival pass guaranteed me pre-paid entry, but I had to get my "queue card" to get a seat. This was being held in the tiniest theater (just 177 seats) and since I was too busy wandering around the area where the TCL theaters are, I missed getting in.

Snapped this myself Thursday @ the mall

So instead I went with Judy. Garland, of course. 2022 is her centennial and it seemed fitting to celebrate her. I'd never seen The Harvey Girls (1946) but I know one of the songs, "On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe."

It was being held at one of the bigger theaters (448 seats) so it was easier to get in. It was the first time this week I heard my name called from across a crowded theater. It was Will, the moderator of our local Chicago movie group, and his old friend, Guy. Will and Guy were good friends in the long-ago 1980s, and though they live in different cities (Guy is based out of Philadelphia) the TCM Film Festival is their chance to reconnect. Because these old buds haven't seen each other for 3 years, I didn't expect them to invite me to sit with them. "C'mon!" Will called, retracting the stanchion belt to let me in, "Cuts!"

A film historian (sorry, I can't recall her name) introduced the film and put it in context for us. Filming took five months instead of the scheduled three, and much of the overages had to do with Garland not showing up for work, lending to her reputation for being "difficult." What's forgotten now is the amount of pressure "JG" (as she was known at MGM) was under. As this movie was being made, Judy was finalizing her divorce from David Rose, got pregnant with Liza, planned her wedding to Vincente Minnelli, and she twisted her ankle in a scene where she slides down a hill. In addition to filming the movie she was recording the soundtrack album. She was stressed and tired. It's amazing none of this showed in her almost relentlessly upbeat performance.

Then I was off to Lover Come Back (1961). Will and Guy wanted to see the Preston Sturges film on another screen (I know how Will loves Sturges), but not me. I was in the mood for a rom-com set in the advertising world. Like Garland, Doris Day was born in 1922, so I wanted to observe her 100th bday. Also, I find Rock Hudson completely charming.

Alicia Malone, one of TCM's on-air hosts, introduced the film with a Doris Day trivia contest. It was fun, of course, and reminded me I was surrounded by fellow movie nerds.

I was back in the room around midnight. Considering I was still on Chicago time, I was tired. Happy, but tired.

Feeling Welcome

The signs up and down Hollywood Blvd. made us TCM Film Festival-goers feel like we were the main event.

Because of covid, there was no festival in 2020 or 2021, so it was great to back together again. Members of my movie group -- Will, Betty and Karen -- were there. I also ran into people I met in 2019 and have kept up with on Facebook. So even though I was traveling alone, I ran into friendly faces everywhere I turned. It was a wonderful feeling.

I felt rather beat up emotionally when I got on the plane. Henry and Reg have hit a very rough patch, and I don't know anything down there in Key West will get better while they refuse to help themselves. Work has been quite confusing and tense. I had a tooth pulled, and I was worried about the antibiotics and their impact on my gut (turns out I should have, but more on that later). 

So being in Hollywood, first seeing Aaron and then hearing, "Hey, Gal!" throughout the hotel or whenever I was in line for a movie was a balm to my soul.

Thursday Thirteen #255

 A disgusting Thursday Thirteen. Since covid, I've taken note of sneezes and coughs I would have ignored before. Which is why I have assembled 13 facts about phlegm.

1. Phlegm is made of water, salt, bacteria and other debris that your lungs decided they didn't want.

2. It has an important job to do. Phlegm traps harmful things that you breathe in, like pollution.

3. The consistency of your phlegm doesn't really doesn't reveal as much about the cause as the color.

4. Clear phlegm means ... nothing. It's normal. Your body is just whisking the bad stuff away.

5. Yellow phlegm means your body is fighting off an infection. The color is from white blood cells.

6. Green phlegm is creepy, but it's not so bad. Your body is just working a little harder to fight off the infection.

7. Pink or red indicates there's blood in the phlegm. A lot of sneezing or coughing -- especially in dry air -- could lead to broken blood vessels. If it goes on for more than a day, the blood in your phlegm could be from something more serious and you should call your doctor.

8. I've never seen brown phlegm, and I'm glad, because it means more serious bleeding. Perhaps in the lungs. Call the doctor.

9. Black phlegm? It's bad. It's a sign of a fungal infection in your lungs. When you call the doctor, it's a good bet they'll want to see you.

10. Breathing dry air can irritate your airways, so if phlegm is a recurring problem for you (or if it creeps you out), you might want to invest in a cool-mist humidifier.

11. Breathing cool air helps your respiratory system, and so does drinking warm liquids. Decaffeinated tea is your best bet.

12. It's not an old wives' tale: chicken soup really does help.

13. Doctors are still recommending one of the oldest remedies in the book: gargling with salt water.

I hope this helped you better understand that icky stuff.

Please join us for THURSDAY THIRTEEN. Click here to play along, and to see other interesting compilations of 13 things.

My dinner with Aaron

Wednesday was my free day in Hollywood. First I checked into The Hollywood Celebrity Hotel. It was charming. Quirky and, perhaps, in need of an upgrade. But safe, affordable, original and dedicated to providing good service. There's something nice about staying in an independent hotel, not a chain.

Then I had dinner with Aaron. My former boss. The best boss I ever had. He made me feel valued and heard. He moved to Los Angeles before Thanksgiving and working EST hours was just too hard so he left our agency in January. I've missed him dreadfully. Even more, I wanted to thank him.

Three of us -- Aaron, his girlfriend and me -- had dinner at an Italian restaurant near the Celebrity. I am pleased to report all is very well. He loves Los Angeles and even more, he loves his girlfriend. They were so cute, holding hands and gazing. He's very proud of her career, which is why they relocated to LA. He's also starting a new job in May. 

It was wonderful to see him again! Then back to my hotel. Right outside my door were movie posters featuring two of my favorite actresses: Kate and Marilyn. How did they know? And in the middle wre exotic plants. I was happy.

More to come!

God, I love baseball

I've been away from blogging for a while, but not from baseball. Anthony Rizzo had a career game yesterday, three home runs.

This cost me $15. I've pledged $5/home run to The Anthony Rizzo Family Foundation, to help families dealing with pediatric cancer. 

I am still a Cub fan, of course. But the team disrespected Rizz and he deserves all good things in the Bronx. I hope he's enjoying this new chapter of his life. He represents the best in baseball, and baseball is the best of us.

WWW.WEDNESDAY

 WWW. WEDNESDAY asks three questions to prompt you to speak bookishly. To participate, and to see how other book lovers responded, click here.  

1. What are you currently reading? Not a Happy Family by Shari Lapena. This murder mystery is really holding my interest. Fred and Sheila Merton are a wealthy couple in their 60s. They have just celebrated Easter -- that holiday all about rebirth -- with their 3 adult children and significant others. After Sheila offers to send her kids home with slice of pie and they all leave, someone comes over and murders her and her husband. Who? Hard to tell, because there are so many suspects. 

So far it's a mash-up between Ordinary People and the Menendez Brothers. 

2. What did you just finish reading? Great or Nothing, by Joy McCullough, Caroline Tung Richmond, Tess Sharpe & Jessica Spotswood. I went into this book skeptical. Little Women is one of my all-time favorites, and I never thought Louisa Mae Alcott updating. Curiosity got the better of me -- the story has been moved from the 1860s (Civil War) to the 1940s (WWII) -- and I gave it a shot. It very nearly won me over.

Each March sister gets her own author, and therefore her own distinctive voice. This works very well. Amy and Meg, two sisters who can be overshadowed, benefit and are well rounded and more likable. Beth's story is told in poetry, which can be moving and quite spiritual. Jo? Jo no longer seems like Jo. She is angry through much of the book, and wounded. OK, I get that. But she avoids Marmee and her sisters, refusing to take their calls or answer their letters. Radio silence is not an arrow in my Jo's quiver.

Laurie is enhanced and explained, which is a plus. But Professor Bhaer, one of my favorites, is gone. Replaced by an investigative journalist named Charley. To my mind, Charley is not an improvement. Patient Professor Bhaer introduced Jo to the things she longed to learn more about, loved her and was her helpmate in eventually starting Plumfield School (I'm getting ahead of myself and into Little Men). Charley is just as mercurial as Jo, and enlists Jo's help in journalist assignments. A small but important change. Instead of complementing Jo, helping her to follow her path and become whole, Charley seems a reflection of my favorite heroine, not a helpmate. It left me feeling a little sad.

So in all, I guess how you feel about Great or Nothing depends on how you feel about Little Women. For me, the March girls are lifelong friends, so I may be too demanding on any attempt to reimagine them.

3. What will you read next? I don't know.

 

 

Hi. I'm Old.

According to the NY Post, Caroline Kennedy is a grandmother. JBKO would be a 92-year-old great grandmother. The 105th anniversary of JFK's birthday is next month.

 Caroline is 5 days younger than I am. 

Wasn't it just yesterday that she and I were both trying our first careers on for size? I was a secretary in Sears Tower, she was Peter Beard's photography apprentice. That was 1975. Sears is now bankrupt, Sears Tower has been renamed Willis Tower, Peter Beard is dead. Caroline is a diplomat and a 64-year-old grandmother. I'm on the verge of retirement.

Holy shit.

 

Sunday Stealing

 Stolen from SwapBot

1.    What’s the weirdest smell you have ever smelled? Some flaming cheese thing at a Greek restaurant. I don't know if it was overcooked/burned or if that's just how it was supposed to smell. Either way, it was memorable.

 2.   What would be the hat to end all hats? What could you wear on your head that would make people stop what they are doing and stare in awe and amazement?

 

3.    What is something that everyone looks stupid doing? Bending over to tie or untie their shoes. I noticed this at the salon Friday when I got my pedicure. No one looks graceful putting on or getting out of shoes with laces.

 4.   In 40 years, what will people be nostalgic for? Working from home. I predict offices will be open again at least 3 days/week and we'll amaze our grandchildren with tales of how we went years without literally going to work.

 5.   How do you feel about putting pineapple on pizza? Chacun à son goût.

6.   If animals could talk, which would be the rudest? Sharks. They seem like such angry, selfish bastards.

 7.   What’s the best type of cheese? American.

 8.   Where is the strangest place you’ve urinated or defecated? I peed in the parking lot of a motel. A group of us were on a road trip -- a bachelorette party -- and the organizer didn't make reservations in advance because, well, who needs them? All the motels in Lake Geneva were booked and we couldn't afford a nice hotel. Anyway, the manager of one of the cheap hotels told us we could sleep in our car in his parking lot and he wouldn't report us to the police for loitering. Ah, the stupid things we do when we're young!

 9.    In one sentence, how would you sum up the internet? It's essential.
 
10.   Which insect could you happily do without seeing for a good long time? Bed bugs

11,   What is the most embarrassing thing you have ever worn? I lived through the 1970s. It was an embarrassing, ugly decade.

12.  What’s the weirdest thing a guest has done at your house? Nothing comes to mind.

13.  Is cereal soup? Why or why not? No. Cuz it's not.

14.   What is the sexiest and least sexy name? Paul and Ethel. However this is not something I feel strongly about.

15.   What fictional character is amazing in their book / show / movie, but would be insufferable if you had to deal with them in mundane everyday situations? Scarlett O'Hara

 

 

Hi. I guess I am.

I had a tooth pulled Friday morning. I think I'm healing OK, but I'm not 100% sure because I'm still on painkillers. I'm aware of a little tenderness on the site, so maybe it would hurt like hell if not for pharmaceuticals. I'll know at about 4:00 AM, when this pill wears off. 

I didn't get any of the million thing done today that I intended to. I just haven't felt like it, and I'm following my feelings on this one. Babying myself. I have to be healed by dawn on Wednesday, because that's when I take off for Hollywood and The TCM Classic Film Festival. I have waiting for this vacation for so long, it would be a real shame if it didn't come off well.

I was going to go to church tomorrow. My first in-person worship in two years. Even knew what I'd wear: that pale blue/white print pullover I just got from Kohl's. The light color seems so appropriate for spring. But I think tomorrow I'll Zoom it again. I want to be as gentle with myself as possible to accelerate healing.

I am so grateful for Zoom. It would make me sad to miss church on Easter!

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: This Is the Way the Bunny Hops

(From the archives)
 
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) Why do you suppose there are so many songs about Santa Claus, yet very few about the Easter Bunny? I don't know why, but I wish it weren't so. Easter is the holiday Crazy Sam has the toughest time finding songs for!

2) This song was written by The Kiboomers, two early education teachers who are passionate about the power of music to help kids learn. Tell us about a teacher who had an impact on your life. In high school, we had an American History teacher named Mr. D. He came to the school as a student teacher and stayed for more than 40 years (which I guess is pretty rare). He loved that school and he loved each one of us. I came to him at about the midpoint in his career. He encouraged us to think for ourselves about everything regarding America. He said it was up to us to make America a "more perfect union," and we couldn't improve it if we didn't recognize the weaknesses as well as the strengths. He didn't inspire my more activist patriotism (JFK did that), but he certainly nurtured it. I am grateful.

3) Legend has it that the Easter Bunny was introduced to America in the 1700s by German immigrants. These children waited for a magic creature who left colored eggs. Today's kids dye Easter eggs themselves. When did you most recently color eggs? It's been decades. My niece was a little girl and she's a married lady now.

4) The Easter Bunny is usually shown carrying a wicker basket filled with eggs, toys and candy. Is there any wicker in the room you're in right now? I have two magazine racks and then there are wicker baskets filled with "stuff." (Filling wicker baskets with "stuff" is how I organize.)

5) While marshmallow Peeps are manufactured all year around, they are most popular at Easter. Do you prefer the chicks or the bunnies? The chicks, but only aesthetically. I really don't care for either.

6) A little time in the microwave can do ugly things to a Peep. Have you ever nuked a Peep? No, and I don't know anyone who has. This might be an urban legend. The WWG1WGA of holiday candy.
 

7) Would you prefer a hollow or a solid chocolate bunny? I prefer hollow. The thinner chocolate melts so fetchingly on my tongue.

8) A traditional American Easter dinner usually includes glazed ham or roast lamb. Which would you rather have as your main course? Ham.

9) Easter is considered the season of rebirth. What makes you feel refreshed or rejuvenated? Singing along with my shower radio every morning.

 

 

Thursday Thirteen #254

 

 

Thirteen popular podcasts. I first discovered podcasts during an Amtrak ride in 2018. I've listened intermittently since then. OK, I admit it: I'm a binger. I devour episode after episode until I'm satiated.

Here are 8 of the most popular, plus 5 I enjoy.

1. Crime Junkie. This is the most popular podcast of the most popular genre, true crime. It's been around since 2017 and has nearly 6 million listeners per episode.

2. Call Her Daddy. Alex Cooper talks about sex and relationships from a feminist pov. This sounds like it might be the inspiration for Carrie's podcast in And Just Like That. 3 million listeners per episode.

3. My Favorite Murder. Back to true crime. Two very wholesome-looking girls, Karen and Georgia, dissect heinous crimes. 2.9 million listeners per episode.

4. The Daily. The New York Times' podcast. "This is how news should sound." 1.8 million listeners per episode.

5. Office Ladies. Angela Kinsey and Jenna Fischer, of the actresses from The Office, take a deep dive into each episode of the show. 1.5 million listeners per episode.

6. Pod Save America. Four men who worked in the Obama White House put the band back together for "a political podcast for people who aren't ready to give up or go insane." 1.4 million listeners per episode.

7. Stuff You Should Know. Josh and Chuck take on a single topic -- anything from nose breathing to The Stonewall Uprising -- and explain it. 1.2 million listeners per episode.

8. Morbid: A True Crime Podcast. Well, we certainly know what this will be about! Fans of this show are hooked at the mix of horror and comedy. 1.2 million listeners per episode.

9. The West Wing Weekly. I used to love this! Josh Malina, who played Will on The West Wing, and Hrishikesh Hirway, a composer and super fan, take one of my favorite shows apart episode by episode.

10. Zack to the Future. I recently admitted I'm a fan of the original Saved by the Bell. I have no idea why. But this podcast comforts me because I'm not alone. It's another episode-by-episode deep dive, with series star and podcast co-host Mark-Paul Gosselaar amusing me by admitting he doesn't have any idea why the show remains popular, either.

11. The History Chicks. Two good girlfriends, Beckett and Susan, discover herstory together, giving up high level overviews of everyone from Abigail Adams to Lizzie Bordon to The Statue of Liberty. It's been a great way to decide who you'd like to learn more about.

12. Freakonomics. I love this because you never know what you'll find here. From the reasons behind poverty in the world's richest country to Lance Armstrong's use of steroids, it's here. (Sounds like the original, but less popular, version of Stuff You Should Know, doesn't it?)

13. The Plot Thickens. TCM and Ben Mankiewicz take a serious, journalistic look at Hollywood. The latest series was devoted to Lucille Ball, and it was a wonderful companion to the Amazon Prime movie, Being the Ricardos.

Do you have any podcasts to add to this list?

Please join us for THURSDAY THIRTEEN. Click here to play along, and to see other interesting compilations of 13 things.

Soon he will be gone!

One of the biggest, blackest clouds on my horizon is named Alex. He is incredibly self-assured, and he shouldn't be. The total tonnage of what he doesn't know about my client and their business model could fill a freight car. Yet he was brought in to play executive creative director on a high-profile (yet low return) project. 

He and I clashed from the moment we met. He thought I played "small ball," didn't reach for the big ideas. I think he's contemptuous of my client and their protocols. Obviously, we don't get along. I was sure that, when he was brought in full time, I would be axed. 

I would have been at peace with that. After all, he's no one I want to work with. And a new executive creative director has a right to bring in his own team. Plus I've been working since I was 17 and have never been singled out and let go. Ever. So maybe it's just my turn. 

I've been upset about it, though, because I simply cannot afford it right now. I am looking at a lot of dental work, and my retirement funds have taken quite a hit this year (as have everyone else's). Alex showed up to wreak havoc just when I could least afford it.

Well, I found out yesterday that Alex will not be my boss after all. He has accepted a full-time position with another agency and, as of April 29, will be out of my hair. Considering that Friday I have a day off (oral surgery) and then vacation the following week, I may never even see him again.

Ever.

That is good news. It's as though the sun has come out again.

WWW.WEDNESDAY

WWW. WEDNESDAY asks three questions to prompt you to speak bookishly. To participate, and to see how other book lovers responded, click here.  

1. What are you currently reading? Great or Nothing, by Joy McCullough, Caroline Tung Richmond, Tess Sharpe & Jessica Spotswood. Why does this novel have four authors? Because it's a reimagining of Little Women, and each March sister gets her own voice. So far, so good! I admit I was skeptical about this: Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy (as well as Laurie and Professor Bhaer) are very dear to me. But I'm fascinated. This book takes the family from the 1860s Civil War era and places then in the 1940s, where they are reeling from the Pear Harbor attack and Beth's dire illness. 

2. What did you just finish reading? All About Eve (1950) is one of my all-time favorite movies. All About All About Eve by Sam Staggs doesn't miss a thing as he fills us in on how it came to be. He goes all the way back to a 1946 short story in Cosmopolitan magazine, about a fan who attaches herself to a great Broadway star, becoming her confidante and Girl Friday, and then stabbing her in the back to become an actress in her own right. He walks us through how the short story became a radio play and then an award-winning screen play for the movie. Oh, but Eve's skullduggery doesn't end with the 1951 award season. Twenty years later, this same story was made into a Broadway musical.

What makes the story so compelling? How many artists and craftsmen does it take to make a truly great film? What were the actors and actresses really like? (All About Eve gave Marilyn Monroe one of her first big breaks.)

I love movies and appreciate them as an art form. I also love glossy Hollywood stories. This book delivered for me on all cylinders.

3. What will you read next? I don't know.

 

 

Because tequila isn't really an answer

I wasted a great deal of Friday and Saturday being upset. And that's because my life sucks right now.  I have work trouble, dental trouble, money trouble. I could feel like a victim, or I could ...

 

via GIPHY

And so I have.

First, I called my oldest friend and unburdened myself to her. While sipping tequila. This was a fine but most temporary solve. For as soon as we hung up, my heart began beating out of my chest again -- ca-thunk, ca-thunk, ca-thunk -- like a character in an old cartoon. And I woke up with a headache.

Saturday morning, I listened to my shrink. She told me two important things: 1) my life does suck and I have to honor that I'm going through a difficult time and 2) these issues are not going to be resolved in the short-term, so I have to figure out how to live with them in the meantime. She's right. I can't keep obsessing and awfulizing or I'll miss the good things in my life. I'm going to the TCM Classic Film Festival later this month. I've been waiting for this for two years. I can't let these problems take that away from me.

I should listen to my shrink. I'm paying her and, well, she went to doctor school. So I'm taking her advice about bringing myself back to the moment -- a kind of remedial meditation technique she taught me -- and I took back a little bit of control. I checked out my dentist's website and there is a financing option, so even if I lose my job and insurance I may be able to afford at least some of the work.

Today, I paid attention in church. Sometimes God gets His message to me in the most round about fashion. For today, I didn't take strength from the sermon, the hymns or the prayers. No, it was the "story for all ages" that the pastoral assistant read to the kids before they went downstairs to religious education. It was a children's book that advises wee ones to draw upon and take comfort from their heritage. "Somebody, somewhere, at some point has been just as angry or scared as you are now."

That's true, you know. I'm in a rough patch right now. But I've been in rough patches before. My family and friends have been in rough patches, too. They don't last forever. We all come through on the other side. 

And so, I watched a lot of baseball. Both Cubs and Yankees. Baseball makes me happy. I checked over the schedule for the TCM Classic Film Festival and plotted which movies I'll see when. I cuddled my cats (fur has tremendous healing properties). When stress and anxiety began to creep in, I employed those little tricks my shrink taught me.

I'm going to be fine. I don't know how, exactly. But I will be fine. I know I will relapse and freak out again and again as I make my way through this, but that's OK, too. "Somebody, somewhere, at some point has been just as angry or scared as I am now." It doesn't last forever.

This photo cost me $5

My favorite-most Cub baseball player, Anthony Rizzo, is sponsoring a home run challenge. Every time he hits a home run, I donate $5 to help the families of kids battling cancer. For example, his Foundation regularly foots the bill for parking. Not being a driver, I didn't realize it's not uncommon for hospitals to charge patients as much as $20/day (maybe more!) to park. The average hospital stay for a child or adolescent with leukemia is 6 days. Parents with a sick kid take a week off work (often without pay) and then have to spend $120 on parking, so they're in a financial hole before their child ever receives treatment. Recently, he's been receiving many requests for gas cards. Some families have to drive long distances to get their kids to cancer treatments ... and I'm sure you've seen the escalation of prices at the pump.

Similarly, he's taken care of mortgage and rent payments for struggling families so parents "can focus on healthcare." At the end of last season, he took a group of New York City pediatric cancer patients  to FAO Schwartz for toys. This past March, he foot the bill for a group of South Florida pediatric cancer patients (near where he lives in the off season) to visit a petting zoo.

Now we can debate what it means when, in the richest country on earth, families have to depend upon the largesse of a baseball player, but I don't feel like doing that right now. I want to celebrate what Anthony Rizzo is doing. 

Here he is on Saturday, hitting his second home run in as many games. I love this shot so much because he's just watching the ball sail heavenward. Notice the bat is still in hand. He doesn't have to promptly drop it and take off for first because, well, that ball is gone.

I adore this man!

BTW, if you know of a child (under 18) who is battling cancer and would like to hear from Rizz, here's a link to his foundation and you can request a letter. If you know of a family struggling under the burden of medical costs, this is where you go, as well, to apply for a grant.

Saturday 9

 Saturday 9: (I Got Spurs That) Jingle Jangle Jingle (1942)

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

1) This song is about a cowboy who is very happy about his single status. Is your closest friend married or single? Do you think he or she would be happier if their marital status changed? My oldest friend doesn't like being alone. She seems to feel vulnerable without a man. On the other hand, her relationships have not been happy. So I don't know how to answer this.

 

2) Our cowboy is riding merrily along on horseback. Do you often ride? I have not ridden in decades. Which is too bad, because I enjoyed it.

 

3) John Ritter/Jack Tripper used to sing the refrain of this song as he got ready for dates on Three's Company. Were you a fan of the show? No. I thought it was a smutty, one-joke show, not worthy of John Ritter's talent.

4) This was a top hit for bandleader Kay Kyser, who was popular during the Big Band Era. In those days, orchestras played behind vocalists, bandleaders were stars, and dances like the jitterbug and lindy hop were popular. Can you do either of those dances? Nope.

5) Kyser's orchestra featured many vocalists over the years. Harry Babbitt and Julie Conway sing this week's song. Another vocalist who toured with Kyser was Mike Douglas, who went on to host a syndicated talk show from 1961 to 1981. Do you recall The Mike Douglas Show? Yes. I often watched it after school. He had the same co-host every day for a week. Dinah Shore had a talk show on another channel at the same time, which was not as good but better than homework. And there was an old movie on channel 2. (I think that's how began appreciating classic film.)

 
6) Kyser suffered from arthritis and wanted to retire from touring in the mid-1940s but he couldn't because he was contractually committed to concert appearances. Is there anything on today's to-do list you don't really feel like doing? Nothing in particular. It's just that Saturday will be a busy day and I'd rather just be lazy.

7) Kay was a popular radio personality who combined music with comedy and quizzes. Today's most popular quiz shows are Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune. On which show would you be a more successful contestant: Jeopardy! or Wheel of Fortune? Well, the puzzles on Wheel of Fortune always look so damn easy, so I'll go with that.

 

8) In 1942, the year this record was popular, Aretha Franklin was born. What's your favorite Aretha Franklin song? Here's my favorite song from my favorite Aretha album. BTW, Jennifer Hudson wears this jacket in the biopic. I love that attention to detail.

 

 

9) Random question: Do you sing in the shower? Every morning.

 

"When I'm 64 ..."

I am a 64 year old woman who has had a really bad week. First I had my second booster (4th shot). I'm glad I got it. I'm grateful that the vaccine is effective, available and free. But I did lose a day because I had a reaction to this shot -- chills and a fever. Looking at the bright side, by getting the shot when I did, I'll be fully protected for my trip to Los Angeles later in the month.

Then I lost the crown from a molar. It just popped out. Another tooth! My dentist is referring me to an oral surgeon to have it removed. That's in addition to the $5,000+ I have to spend on an implant. All this dental work begins in earnest next Friday.

But these two teeth are just the beginning. My dentist just gave me a two page (2 pages!) treatment plan for saving five additional teeth he believes I'm at risk for losing. His estimated cost: more than $12,000. That is after insurance.

In all, we're talking about approximately $20,000. For. My. Teeth. I am desolate about this.

Also this week, at work I met Alex. I believe he is going to be the new head of the creative department, though his presence in all my meetings wasn't explained. He and I did not hit it off. At all. I don't want to relive it, but we were oil and water. It occurs to me that it's likely time for me to hang up my spurs. It's normal for Alex to want to put his own team in place. I would take my departure peacefully, as the natural order of things, the way spring transitions to summer, except ...

My mutual funds aren't worth as much as they were on December 31. I know, no one's are. But not everyone is 64. People in their 50s have time to wait for the stock market to recover. I will likely need those diminished funds sooner rather than later. I would prefer to not be without a salary and group dental insurance just now.

So right now, I'm feeling every minute of my 64 years. And I don't like it.

Thursday Thirteen #253

 Thirteen facts things about calling 911. Most of this was new to me.

1. Approximately 240 million calls come into 911 in the US every year.

2. 80% of calls come from cell phones. 

3. Many major carriers have made it possible to text 911. However, unlike a call from a cell or landline phone, the call center may not be able to automatically tell where you are from a text. You may have to keystroke in your location, which takes valuable time. If you're at all able, place a voice call.

5. It's estimated that between 65% and 78% of us will call 911 in our lifetime. I placed two legit emergency calls, both decades ago. The first was when I smelled smoke in coming from the apartment downstairs from me, the second was when I stumbled upon a crime in progress.

6. I stupidly called 911 by accident in 2020. You can delve into what an idiot I was here. There are tens of thousands such calls every year.

7. I'm lucky that there were no ramifications for my dumb mistake. In 2015, an Ohio woman was arrested for calling 911 to report bad Chinese food.

8. The very first 911 call wasn't an emergency. It was a demonstration. The Speaker of the House in Alabama proudly placed it to establish Alabama as the first state to offer this life-saving service.

9. Texans place more 911 calls, per capita, than the residents of any other state.

10. AT&T originated 911 in 1968, and chose those numbers because "9" was not yet used as the first digit in any area code yet and "11" is easy to remember.

11. Most jurisdictions place each calls into one of three categories: POLICE, FIRE and EMS. The most calls are for medical emergencies, followed by police and then fire.

12. More calls come into 911 on 4th of July than any other day.

13. 911 is not the international standard, so before you travel abroad, check the procedures for the nation you're visiting. For example, in the UK, the emergency number for police is 999. Egypt has individual 3-digit numbers for police, fire and medical emergencies.

Please join us for THURSDAY THIRTEEN. Click here to play along, and to see other interesting compilations of 13 things.

 

 

Here we go again

 

So this morning, I'm using a dental pick between my teeth. I'm trying to stay healthy and take care of my gums. And guess what: a crown on my molar popped off. The whole damn porcelain thing. 

 

I'm sure that's another $500-$1000. And more hours in the dentist's chair.

 

Not happy. Thank goodness for dental insurance. Imagine how much unhappier I'd be without it! 

 

I can't save them all

At the beginning of the pandemic, I was very worried about Chicago's homeless. I know how hard life on the street is, and how dependent they are on the foot traffic of office workers in the Loop. I kinda adopted a homeless man on the corner of Michigan and Lake. He used to have a tortoise shell cat that he doted on. At the beginning of the pandemic, he was convinced by a nice lady to surrender her. He said he missed her, but he realized she was better in a safe, stable home.

Now that I'm back downtown regularly (every Tuesday, sometimes Tuesday and Wednesday) I see him again. Same spot. New kitten. Another little girl. He told me proudly that she was up on her shots.

While she looked good, I'm sorry to report he did not. There were scratches on his face and a cut on his nose. They were not the marks of kitten. My guess is a fall or maybe a car accident.

The next time I saw him, two Tuesdays later, he was asleep -- right there on that noisy corner -- and he didn't have the cat. I left him a blessing bag (tissue packet, cough drops, breakfast bar, clean mask, and a $1 bill) and an additional $5. 

Same thing today. Sleepy dude. No cat. I just hit and run with the blessing bag again. I was kind of glad he was out of it. I don't want to know what was wrong (I suspect meds). I don't want to know what happened to the cat. (She might have been stolen, or run into that busy, busy street).

Some stories just don't get a happy ending.

WWW. WEDNESDAY

 WWW. WEDNESDAY asks three questions to prompt you to speak bookishly. To participate, and to see how other book lovers responded, click here.  

1. What are you currently reading? All About All About Eve by Sam Staggs. All About Eve (1950) is one of my favorite movies. Perhaps you've heard the most famous quote, "Fasten your seatbelts. It's going to be a bumpy night." This book is showing me how it got made. It's filled with Hollywood gossip (a young Marilyn Monroe had a small part, and it's funny how people who barely noticed her in real time later recalled knowing all along she was something special) but I'm also learning a great deal, too. I especially loved the little things -- like the details the art director and set designers included and why. Film is a collaborative art form, and I appreciate that more when I better understand everyone's efforts.

2. What did you just finish reading? Back in the Burbs by Tracy Wolff and Avery Flynn. Eccentric Aunt Maggie is the only relative who ever "got" Mallory. Now she's dead. But from beyond the grave, she is giving her niece support. She left her home -- a big old ramshackle suburban mess -- to Mallory. This gives Mallory something to concentrate on as she tries to heal after a shattering divorce.

I like Mallory. This book is light and silly at times but, taken on its own terms, it's entertaining.

3. What will you read next? Great or Nothing, a reimagining of Little Women.

 

 

At least it didn't rain

 

 

I went down to Macomb one last time, to see my nephew before he graduates from Western Illinois University.

If you're ever in Macomb (I know; why would you ever be in Macomb?) I recommend the Super 8 Motel. The rooms are tiny, but clean, safe, and affordable (cheap). I also applaud this sign on the door. Someone wrote, "We wish you didn't have to leave at all." A writer like me. I love that added touch, even though I bet 9 out of 10 guests don't read after 11:00 A.M.

While rain was predicted, it never fell. That enabled us to wander the campus under cloudy skies. He showed me buildings where he had classes and talked to me about his favorite professors. He has been happy here, and so I felt more than a little melancholy. This part of his life will be over in a matter of weeks, and he'll be embarking on the next one.

We talked about that a lot. In a way, he and I are in the same place. He knows he will soon graduate and has to start working and planning his career. I, on the other hand, know I will soon retire. I don't have a date certain like he does, but I'm 64 years old and know that my professional journey is about to end just as his is beginning. We both confessed a little anxiety. (OK, he's really anxious.)

His job as a baseball writer may have fallen through. The website, devoted to baseball, was financially crippled by the labor dispute (fucking owners!) and doesn't have the funds to add to staff right now. Maybe in May. Maybe not.

But he wants to write. He knows that now. He asked me how to go about breaking into it. 

I told him that it won't be easy because his degree will be in political science and government. I'm also not sure he doesn't want to go into politics in some form. He just lights up when he talks about those classes! I recommended that he offer his services to local charities and local campaigns (after all, this does just so happen to be an election year). The important thing is for him to get content published somewhere ... anywhere. 

And we saw a deer! My nephew was amused by how excited I was. He said that they're just making their way out of the deeper forest and starting to appear on campus, but by the end of the month this will be a regular sight. There's little car traffic around the halls and, on weekends especially, it's pretty quiet so the deer just hang out. I thought it was very nice of her to be so still so I could take her picture.

Anyway, I'm grateful that he likes to spend time with his old fart aunt, that he confides in me and thinks I have something to offer. I hope he will be happy as he moves forward. I wish he wasn't so worried about all this, but then, I'm a worrier, too. Maybe it's genetic!

Thinking of genetic ... OH! HIS DORM ROOM! It's not only a mess, but it literally stinks. (He does laundry every other week, and 14 days worth of dirty underwear can really reek.) There also was nowhere for me to sit. Every surface was covered with printouts, wrappers, and Walmart bags. As he dumped the trash off a chair so I could sit, I admit I admired how unembarrassed he was by this. I wish I could just own my sloppiness the way he does his. (Please note: I just bleached my whites before I left on Friday; I can't imagine going 2 weeks without doing the laundry! So I'm not that bad.)