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? Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death by MC Beaton. Agatha Raisin is a rather surly old girl, a successful London PR exec who sells her agency and retires to a sleepy village. Bored, she decides to make friends -- or at least get involved in the community -- by entering the local baking contest. She doesn't win. Never mind that Agatha cheated by entering a store-bought quiche, she's still offended that the fix was in and the winner was predetermined, presumably by romantic shenanigans between the judge and one of the contestants. Things get even more complicated when the judge dies, poisoned by an entry. Voila! An amateur sleuth is born ... out of a mix of pique and boredom. 

I am thoroughly enjoying this book so far. I love how unlovable Agatha is. It amuses me that someone who made her fortune in public relations consistently creates the most fractious personal relations with her neighbors. I also appreciate the small English town atmosphere. I can see this being a mystery series I revisit.

2. What did you recently finish reading? The Book of Joe by Joe Maddon and Tom Verducci. I love Joe Maddon. No, really. I love him. He's the manager who guided the Cubs to their first World Series Championship in 108 years. He's dearer to me than many members of my family.

He's also a true original. In this book, he shares that his dream dinner companion would be Mark Twain and that James Michener inspired his coaching technique. He loves wine, road trips, and Springsteen.

And baseball. He views baseball with all the romance and passion of someone who has, literally, devoted his life to it. From minor league player to scout to hitting coach to manager. One of the first managers to embrace statistics, he has evolved to believing analytics have taken over the game and dehumanized it. I personally agree with him.

This book felt like a conversation with Joe -- rambling, a little over the top at times, and charming. I was in nerd heaven as I read it. Here's a photo of my signed copy ...

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

Sunday Stealing

DARE TO TELL

What type of day are you having?  I'm still in bed as I answer these, so it's a little too early to tell. I'm hoping it's a good one.

Was there anyone who "made your day?" So far I have to give that honor to Roy Hobbs (top) and Constance MacKenzie. I know their food dishes must be very empty and yet they are patiently letting me wake up at my own pace.

Are you liking how you look today?  I have yet to look in the mirror, but I bet the answer to this one is "no." I had dental work on Thursday and when I went to bed last night, there was still some visible swelling and bruising.

Have you ever eaten a bug? Yes. I had a chocolate covered cricket at a birthday party when I was a little girl. I remember nothing of the taste, just recall feeling very brave.

Are you vegetarian?  Nope. In fact, I had sausage on my pizza last night, the first pork I've had in quite in while. My gut has been very sensitive since a bad reaction to amoxicillin back in April.

When was your last paycheck?  Octoher 15.

How many pets do you have?  I inadvertently answered this already: Connie and Roy Hobbs.

What kind of toothpaste do you use?  Colgate Total.

Are you closer to being rich or poor?  Compared to who? When I read about Jackie Onassis' daily life in New York City -- lunches at the Carlyle, dinners at Le Grenouille, open accounts at her favorite florist and book store -- I know others are enjoying higher-end lives. When I see the woman in a wheelchair in front of my local Target, begging for change, I realize I'm very lucky.

What was the last gift someone gave you? Nancy and her husband Paul picked up the check at dinner. (It was not at Le Grenouille.)

Do you appreciate that person?  Very much.

Did you talk to anyone you didn't like today?  No.

Do you like picnics? If you mean sitting on the ground and eating off of a paper plate on my lap, then no. I have too hard a time getting up!
 

What book are you currently reading? 

More about it here

 

What song did you last listen to? I don't know if it was the last song I listened to, but I recall hearing "I Got You, Babe" yesterday while in the shower.

How many tabs are open on your computer?  Five. 

Are you a very stressed out person?  Right now, at this moment, yes. I've got a lot of shit on my plate. My favorite niece is in the hospital, recovering from gallbladder surgery yesterday. I'm still not feeling so great myself. I believe my last paycheck will be March 15, 2023, and then I'll have to start drawing on my savings. Things don't look good for Anthony Rizzo and the Yankees tonight. Oh well, at least it's unseasonably sunny and warm today!

 

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Things (1962)

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

1) In this song, Bobby Darin is sitting beside his window, looking out onto a crowded avenue. What's the view outside your nearest window? I'm in the bedroom, so the view is pretty dull: the roof of the building next door. The cats love it, because squirrels manage to leap from the tree onto that roof. I, on the other hand, prefer the living room, which gives me a view of the tree and a playground.

 

2) He likes to remember the romantic things he and his girl used to do, like walking in the park. When did you most recently go for a leisurely stroll? Did you have a destination in mind, or were you just enjoying the walk for its own sake? I like to walk but I have to have a destination in mind: the BIG grocery store on the other side of town instead of just picking something up at nearby Target, the farther-away UPS Store instead of the post office ...

3) He notes a couple holding hands. Are you comfortable displaying affection in public? It doesn't bother me.

 

4) When Bobby recorded this song, he was married to screen sweetheart Sandra Dee. Today she is best known as the inspiration for the song, "Look at Me, I'm Sandra Dee." Can you name another song from Grease? Well, oh, well, oh, well, oh, UH ...

 

5) Bobby loved gadgets. He was enthusiastic about his suitcase telephone, which was one of the first mobile phones. Are you an early adapter, or do you wait for new technology to be around awhile and not so new before you try it? I prefer to wait because I'm tech challenged. I've had this phone a year and I still can't figure out the notifications.

 

6) He was a chess fanatic and always kept a magnetic chess board in his briefcase, just in case he found someone who was willing to play him. Are you a good chess player? No. I've tried, and I suck. I'm not very strategic.

 

7) He very much wanted to play Tony in West Side Story, but he didn't the part because the producers didn't think he looked like a romantic leading man. What actor or actress makes your heart skip a beat? This is Josh Duhamel. He plays Danny on Las Vegas, a 20-year-old TV show I recently discovered. Danny does make my heart go thump-thump. I wonder why I didn't watch this show in real time.

 

8) In 1962, when this song was popular, Jack Nicklaus launched his successful golf career. Do you enjoy playing golf, or watching it on TV? No. I simply don't get golf.

9) Random question: Which would we find in your kitchen right now -- cookies or ice cream? Both. I have a sweet tooth.

 

 

 

Aaron wants to get the band back together

I teleconferenced with my former boss, Aaron, today. He's happy in Los Angeles because his girlfriend, whose career they moved to accommodate, just got a raise, and he's very proud of her. He's becoming more comfortable with his new job, too. It didn't feel like a good fit a few months ago because it wasn't what he expected, but he's settling in.

After I emailed him all that has happened to me at the agency where we both toiled, he was inspired to check his current company's "career" page and yes, there are openings for "content." He asked me if I'm interested. 

I don't know if I'm interested. I don't want to learn a new platform. I don't want another full-time job right now because I'm tired and looking forward to getting healthy.

But I am thrilled that someone who knows my work thinks that much of me. I respect Aaron a great deal.

In Anthony Rizzo news

Ok, so things don't look great for the Yankees. I'm still not giving up on another ring for Rizz, though. The Cubs had to come from behind in 2016 to win the World Series. He did it before, he can do it again.

But that's not what this post is about. Instead I want to concentrate on The Gold Glove. This award is given annually to the player who has exhibited "superior fielding." During his career, Anthony Rizzo has won this award 4 times with the Cubs in the National League. Now, after completing his first full season in the AL, he's a finalist again.

Not bad for an old man with a bad back.

It's been more than a year ...

... and I still miss Reynaldo.

 

Thursday Thirteen #280

 Thirteen laundry symbols. I do not enjoy doing laundry. Yet it is the one domestic chore I am good at. I can't cook or sew, but I am a laundry diva. I can remove stains -- if it's organic, pre-treat with shampoo -- and successfully wash just about anything in the machine.

Because laundry is top mind right now, I'm defining 13 of the symbols commonly found on tags.

Dry clean

 

Do not dry clean

 

Hand wash

Machine wash

Mach wash gentle

Mach wash cold

Mach wash hot

Bleach

Do not bleach

No dryer

Tumble dry

Do not iron

Iron low temp

Happy washing!

 

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

 

That's a wrap

At just before 5:00 today, I approved the last little bit of creative I will ever work on with this agency. It was for my automotive client. They left word that they are "very happy." A nice note to close on.

So I think I'm done with active projects. I know my last day will be next Thursday. That covers what I think and what I know. I just don't know how I feel as time is running out on my advertising career.

I went grocery shopping today -- Wednesday! -- at the big grocery store on the other side of town. I don't have to do chores and errands on weekends anymore. I may get wild and wacky and do my laundry Friday afternoon, instead of Sunday!

I have to set the alarm clock tonight because I have a dentist appointment tomorrow at 9:00, not because I am working. After tomorrow, I don't know when I'll have to set it again. 

I am ready for this chapter to be over. I am chatting with my former boss, Aaron, on Friday. We're having drinks at work one last time next Wednesday. My severance is in place and it's completely fair. I've been exploring transcription work -- something my oldest friend did on the side to pay for a vacation -- that I can do from home. 

I have made medical appointments (dentist, the surgeon who did my lithotripsy) and it was cool to just be able to say, "Yeah, that day works," without wondering which meeting I'd be missing.

I have my Medicare Supplement paperwork here, waiting for my review and signature.

The George Clooney/Julia Roberts movie opens at my local theater on Friday. I may catch a weekday matinee!

I've been working full-time since I was 17, so this all feels so weird.

This is everything

The Yankees advanced to the ALCS. Which means Anthony Rizzo is happy. Which means I am happy.

When he was traded by the Cubs, I cried legit tears. I followed him his career here for nearly a decade. I was at Wrigley Field for his first home run within the friendly confines. I have been inspired by his joie de vivre and guts on the field and his tireless charity work off of it. He has helped countless families deal with pediatric cancer, advocated for the survivors of the Parkland school shooting, and provided hot meals to front line workers during covid.* If I ever had a son, I would want him to be exactly like this man.

So he has to get another World Series ring. Because clearly that's the most important thing to him. His Cub teammate Kris Bryant signed a long-term, no-trade contract with the Colorado Rockies because he's a new dad who doesn't want his family uprooted. Javier Baez went with Detroit and a bigger payday. Rizz took less money but chose to stay with the Yankees because, unlike the Rockies and the Tigers, they are contenders.

Maybe, after he wins another ring, he can come home and finish his career back here. Where he belongs.

But for now, GO YANKEES!

 

*He had the food catered from small, independently-owned Chicago restaurants, the ones that struggled the most during lock down. He's not only good, he's smart.

Sunday Stealing

A BUG SANDWICH

1. You are walking down the road and you look down. There is a bug. Do you step on it?  No. I grew up on Charlotte's Web. That bug could be someone's mother or friend.

2. What is one fantasy that you want to come true more than any other? To find enduring peace of mind.

3. Someone knocks on your door. Do you look out the window to see who it is before you open it? Do you open it regardless of who it is? I look through the peephole. I'm on the 4th floor of a building with a security door on the ground level. It's likely a neighbor on the other side of the door. A stranger should not be up here, and I won't open the door.

4. Have you ever eaten Play-Doh? Of course. It's salty. BTW, if you claim you didn't at least taste it, I suspect you are either sadly incurious or lying.

5. What was your favorite Saturday morning cartoon as a child? Mr. Peabody and his boy, Sherman. "Every dog should have a boy."

 

6. Are you a people watcher? Of course! It's one of the ways we learn about one another.

7. I have a bowl of fruit.  There are apples, oranges & pears. You help yourself to one. Which one do you choose? May I have an orange, please?

8. What is your biggest pet peeve in the blogging world? People who spread misinformation. It was particularly insidious at the height of the pandemic. It has continued with The Big Election Lie. Are the purveyors of this misinformation purposely deceiving others or are they just so guileless they believe and re-bleat what they hear on Fox? I can't know what's in their hearts, but I see the damage they do.

9. What was the last really funny movie you watched? I haven't watched many movies lately (see post below) so my answer may sound strange, but Misery. Some of Annie's word choices just crack me up: Dirty Birdy, Mr. Man.

10. What word do you use far too often?  "Fuck." It would have more impact if I used it more sparingly.

11. How long do you spend in the shower? As long as I can! I love my morning shower. Last month, when I was suffering so from kidney stones, I soaked in the tub for relief.

12. What is something that you've never done that you secretly are dying to do? Win a massive amount in the Lottery. Wait! That's not a secret. But I'm still dying to do it.

13. Your favorite flavor of soup is….?  Good old chicken noodle. This time of year, butternut squash soup is good, too.

 

14. You are sitting on a bench in the park and a bug walks in front of your feet…. I'm not sure I'd even notice. Bugs in the park are to be expected, like leaves and twigs.

 

 

 

Baseball, baseball, baseball

My Saturday was devoted to America's past time. I'm having a hard time separating myself from former Cub manager Joe Maddon's memoir of a life in baseball. Whenever forced to do something else during the day -- like chores -- I was resentful that I wasn't with Joe.

Then I started watching the Astros/Mariners game. The Astros are heavy favorites to represent the American League in the World Series. The Mariners were supposed to feel lucky to be there. The Mariners played the game of their lives last night. Eighteen (18!) innings -- literally twice the length of a regulation game -- before they finally fell. 

Of course I had to switch to the Yankees/Guardians game. The Yankees lost, but I'm still hopeful. It can't be an accident that my beloved Anthony Rizzo is facing the end of his season in the same city where, six seasons ago, as a Cub, he was looking at the same fate. He prevailed then. I have hopes he will do the same tonight.

Then there's the Dodgers. They had the best record in baseball during the regular season, yet they fell  unceremoniously to their California neighbors to the south, San Diego.

Today I'm looking forward to more Joe and the Yankees/Guardians rematch at 7:00 PM. (Go, Rizz!)

via GIPHY

 

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Potential New Boyfriend (1983)

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

1) The lyrics tell us Dolly Parton has spotted a fella who twisted her ignition key and turned her motor on. That was in 1983. Keys are less common today, since many cars are equipped with with push button ignitions and more doors now open for those who know the key pad code or have the right swipe card. What's the last thing you used a key to start or unlock? My front door.

 

2) Her potential new boyfriend bought her a drink and she thanked him real sweet. Have you more recently said "thank you," or been thanked yourself? I was thanked by the man I held the door for.

3) This is Dolly's first music video. "Potential New Boyfriend" was a top 20 country hit and made #13 Billboard's Dance chart, yet it's not well remembered today. Share a song from one of your favorite artists that the rest of us Sat 9-ers might not know. I love this song so much. It's the juxtaposition of the upbeat tune and jaunty vocal with the sad lyrics. That McCartney kid, he's really good and should stick with the music thing.

 

 4) This is not Dolly's first song about a romantic rival. Her hit "Jolene" was inspired by a bank teller who regularly flirted with Dolly's real (not potential!) husband, Carl Dean. Have you recently fallen victim to the green-eyed monster of jealousy? If yes, what were you jealous of (someone's affections, possessions, success ...)? I get jealous of people who made better choices than I have. Whether it's putting more of my paycheck into my 401(k) or ordering the chocolate martini, I often find myself saying, "I wish I'd done that!"

 

5) Dolly enjoys telling interviewers she met Carl at the Wishy-Washy Laundromat in Nashville. Do you have a hamperful of dirty clothes awaiting you? Or are you all caught up with that particular household chore? Are we ever all caught up? I mean, unless you do your laundry in the nude (and I think that frown on that at the Wishy-Washy), you always have clothes that could use laundering.

 

6) Dolly Parton's Imagination Library makes free books available to children. It was begun in 1995, and by 2020, her charity had distributed 150,000,000 books! When you were a very young reader, what was your favorite book? The Little Leftover Witch holds a special place in my memory. It was one of the first "chapter books" I ever read on my own, one of the first books I ever renewed at the library. It's about a little girl who finds a witch at Halloween and invites her to stay with her mortal family. I'm happy to see it's still available, so you can share it with any young readers in your life this Halloween.

 

Read more about it here

7) Andy Warhol was fascinated by Dolly. When he asked her what her perfect meal would include, she responded it would have to start with chicken and dumpling soup. How would you have answered Andy? What's your perfect dinner menu? My favorite appetizer is spinach artichoke dip. I would love a ribeye steak. Or maybe a thick slice of prime rib. Baked potato. Something chocolate for dessert. Lots of Coke.

8) Thinking of chicken ... In 1983, when this song was popular, McDonald's introduced McNuggets. Today, it's one of McDonald's most popular menu items. Are you a fan? They're OK. I'd rather have a Big Mac.

 

9) Random question: Would you rather visit a desert or a jungle? Oh, the jungle! I'd love to see those animals and experience those cultures. 

 

 

Thursday Thirteen #279

13 ways to prepare potatoes. I've been eating a lot of potatoes lately. And why not? They're cholesterol free and a good source of vitamin c and fiber. Plus they're crazy versatile. Here are 13 ways to enjoy them.

1. Potato salad

2. Scalloped

3. Au gratin

4. Mashed

5. Baked

7. Soup

8. French fries

9. Latkes

10. Tater tots

11. Skins

12. Roasted

13. Hashed browns

Mashed is my fave. How about you?

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

 

 

 

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? The Book of Joe by Joe Maddon and Tom Verducci. Joe Maddon is the manager who guided the Cubs to their first World Series Championship in 108 years. Before that, he took Tampa Bay from worst-to-first. Yet he never once played major league baseball. How did he build this Hall of Fame resume, how has earned the respect of multi-million dollar superstars, without ever having taken the field as an MLB player?

Because he is a true original, a creative thinker, a voracious reader who applies what he learned from Mark Twain and Ernest Hemingway to winning games. He may not have been a great ballplayer, but he's a great lover of baseball and he's done every job in the game -- minor league player, scout, hitting coach. He was 62 years old when he finally hoisted the World Series trophy. His journey delights and inspires me.

 

I began this book Tuesday, which was the first day AL and NL division play offs. I am thinking of baseball, baseball, baseball, and this is the perfect book for me right now.

2. What did you recently finish reading? The Rooster Bar by John Grisham. Four third year law school students -- Todd, Gordon, Mark and Zola -- finally get it: All their super-expensive education will get them is a pile of debt. They were lured to a for-profit diploma mill that churned out graduates unprepared to even pass the bar, much less get a fabulous job at a prestigious law firm.

Tragedy strikes and despair mingles with their disillusionment. They decide to become hustlers themselves. They drop out of school to hide from their student loans and begin practicing law under assumed names. They hustle clients from traffic court and give them completely adequate representation, in exchange for cash, by day. By night, they take turns tending bar at The Rooster Bar. They are nowhere near as clever as they think they are and soon the authorities are looking for them -- everyone from the police to the FBI.

This is the first Grisham I've read in a while and for a time, I enjoyed it. It was kind of fun to watch these ordinary kids go rogue and become outlaws. Then it got too complex for this simple reader. Too many aliases! Too many double crosses and criss crosses! Also, while I understood the law students and their motivations, the only one I really liked was Zola.

 

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

Just what I needed

Usually Monday I get together with my online movie group. But this week I took Nancy and her husband Paul up on their invitation to meet for dinner. I'm so glad I did.

First of all, I'd just come out of a rough weekend. At the hospital Thursday, they installed a 10" ureteral stent. I experienced what the materials euphemistically called "stent bother." I was miserable. It was literally all I could think about for three days. I was bleeding, cramping, leaking, stinging ... the pain pills didn't erase the pain, they just made me care about it a little less. Monday morning was the first one in days where I woke up feeling human. 

Then there was the work thing. I understand and accept that this chapter of my work life is over, and I'm good with it. After all, I need to get healthy and I'm grateful severance affords me to do it without the stress of work deadlines. But I received some financial statements over the weekend and just got around to looking at them on Monday. Like everyone else invested in the stock market, the news was not good. So while I'm relieved about the time off, I'm less sanguine about no more salary after 10/27.

I hadn't been outdoors all day. Autumn is my favorite time of year, too! So it did me good to put on make up, get dressed, and walk up my neighborhood's main drag. The trees are still full and starting to change color. The sky was cloudless and a beautiful pale blue. It touched my heart.

This is just past the main library

I'm so comfortable with Nancy and Paul. They were amused yet shocked that I was, effectively, let go while on a gurney in the Recovery Room of Rush University Hospital. That kinda set the mood. Paul told the story of how he divorced Wife #1 shortly after their 25th anniversary and the judge made a joke about how instead of being printed on paper the decree should be engraved on silver. Nancy was telling a story about how messed up her work place is, and Paul was teasing her that she sounded like Columbo: "Wait! Here's another thing ..." I enjoyed this because you know how usually when you hang with a couple, you like one more than the other? While I'm closer to Nancy, it's so relaxing to be with a couple where you get along with them both.

Sunday Stealing

FROM THE MEME VAULT

What period of history is your favorite to read about? I like to read fiction set in present day. Now biographies! That's another story! I most enjoy reading about Americans from the mid-1800s to late-1900s.

What is your favorite genre of fiction? Biographies, mysteries, chick lit. I rotate them.

Do you choose a book by its cover? I have. I honestly chose this one because I liked the orange and teal. It turned out to be very entertaining.

Read about it here.

Where do you do most of your reading? Wherever I happen to be. One of the benefits of a big purse is that I always have reading material with me.

Without looking, guess how many books are in your TBR pile. Now, look. Were you right? I guessed 15. It's really 30!

How many movies are on your TBW list? Six or seven.

What's your favorite genre of movie? Classic. I find myself gravitating to the late 1930s to the late 1950s.

Do you still go to see movies in the theater?  Yes! Going to the movies in a theater is one of my favorite things to do.

You have $10,000 and no strings or obligations for one full day. Where do you go and what do you do? I put $9,500 in the bank. Then I allow myself the luxury of splurging and playing with the last $500. Christmas is coming and I think it would be great fun to do my gift buying with this found money.

How many songs are on your favorite playlist?  Since my iPod crapped out, I don't really have a playlist.

What method do you use to listen to music (Spotify, iTunes, Pandora...)? Depends on where I am. At the office, I listen to Pandora. At home, I either listen to CDs or call on Alexa.

Maybe because it's Sunday ...

I have been thinking a lot about my relationship with God and how we communicate.

Last week, I was feeling overwhelmed by life. I was worried about my health and my finances, exhausted from the pain and stress.

To bolster my spirits, I brought my loved ones with me to the hospital. I found a pair of socks my late mother had given me more than a decade ago. I wore a white cloth mask from my niece and a t-shirt from my nephew's college. 

After the procedure was over, after I knew I was safe and would recover, I prayed in gratitude. I thanked God for delivering me. It wasn't a formal prayer, not a Bible verse. Just a humble acknowledgement that I know whose child I am.

My Cousin Rose is far more conventional in the practice of her faith. Her approach to prayer is also far different from mine. Hers is both more formal and more constant. She invokes Bible verses and prayers she learned during church services. 

I prefer to wing it. I don't want to recite when I pray. It feels more sincere and heartfelt to use my own words when I talk to God. 

But I think I'm going to lift up prayers more often. Rose says it comforts her. I could have used comfort this week, and it was there for me. I just didn't avail myself of it.

It's just I look at our nation -- from QAnon crazy election deniers on the ballot to Hurricane Ian -- and I think, doesn't God have more important things to do than comfort me? Isn't it enough that He delivered me on the other side of my turmoil? Why be greedy and demanding?

But I realize that is narrow thinking. That is looking at God as if He were a person. He is infinite. He has the capacity to listen to me when I'm scared and overwhelmed. He doesn't "mind." I am His child. He loves me. He is, in fact, always there anyway, even when I'm not reaching out.

"Trust that the Lord will provide" and "You are never alone." That's what Rose always reminds me.

I know intellectually that she is right. I just need to get more comfortable incorporating this into my daily thinking.

I learned something this week. I am happy I did.