Sunday Stealing

SUNDAY STEALING    

1. Who did you spend time with this year? I enjoyed the time I spent with my nephew lots.

2. Anything change with the pets in your life? Nope. Both my cats are healthy, and for that I am grateful.

3. What was your job like this year? What do you do? Did any roles or assignments change? If you aren’t employed, base this question on your work at home or volunteering. After a year off, I started a new job at the card shop around the corner. I'm always surprised customers know my name because I forget I'm wearing a name tag. This retail thing is new to me after 47 years of office work.

4. What was the best book you read this year?  How many did you read? I am almost done with my 45th book of the year. The best of the bunch was In Cold Blood by Truman Capote. I know that's not the most Christmas-y answer, but there you go.

5. What did you do on your birthday and how old were you? Did you feel differently? I turned 66 this year. I barely felt it because my birthday fell on the day before Thanksgiving and that damn turkey stole my thunder. Kwizgiver gave me a birthday shoutout and that was a highlight.

6. What political or social issue stirred you the most? If you come here often, you know the answer to this. On Christmas Eve, I'm not going there. Instead I'll invoke Chicago's Very Own.

via GIPHY

7. Who was the most interesting new person you met? Ceecee, my new boss at the card shop. A 30-something working mom, she has a refreshing attitude toward work and life. She says her #1 requirement of any of us is that we be kind. I just love talking to her. Then there's Rachel, the instructor of my yoga class. New to Chicago from Los Angeles, she is engaging and fun and very helpful. She also works pop culture references into the class, which makes it all more accessible for me. (Too much of the "woo-woo" and my mind wanders.)

8. What changed in your home? Not much.

9. What have you learned throughout the year? (Other than crafts)  Can be a new skill or a life lesson. "The supported fish pose" in yoga. It makes my spine feel so much better. Here is someone much more attractive than I doing it.

Learn more about it at Yoga Journal

10. What was your favorite outfit for warm weather? Cooler weather? What do you wear when you dress up? Any new clothes or accessories you really love? I'm happy to see my office attire again! There's no dress code at the card shop, but my nicer sweaters and blouses had been languishing in the armoire during my retirement and it's good to put them to use again.

11. Did you make or give up on any efforts to be healthier? Diet, water, exercise etc? I've been doing yoga almost exactly a year now. I still suck, but I feel better and that's the point, right?

12. Fave meals, snacks, desserts, restaurants etc? Eat out or eat in? Nothing new in this area. Pizza and cheeseburgers are still my favorites. Eat out or eat in doesn't matter, as long as I'm not cooking.

13. Did you learn any new crafts or techniques? What was your favorite thing you made? Sorry, but I've got nothing for you here.

14. What are your hopes and dreams for the new year?  (Some suggestions-family, travel, work, lifestyle, hobbies, pets, appearance) I'd like to make my home more liveable by getting rid of much of my stuff.

15. What was the best new/new-to-you thing you a) bought b) made c) acquired in some other way? I just bought an ultrasonic jewelry cleaner. Can't wait to try it. Hoping it will remove the tarnish on some of my pieces and make them wearable again.

 

 

Now it's Christmas

Last night I saw George Bailey on the big screen. My friend Elaine and I went to the annual holiday show at The Music Box Theater, which includes a singalong with Santa before the showing of a pristine print of It's a Wonderful Life.

First we had dinner at a local restaurant known for their chicken. She had the chicken salad, I had the rotisserie chicken, and I received two (count 'em, 2!) compliments on my Cubs Christmas sweater. Then it was off to the theater. 

This is a Chicago tradition. Santa comes in, sits atop the organ, and leads us in a singalong. We went to one of the evening shows. I'm told that during the matinees it's mostly families and very wholesome. I've only ever been at night, when it's a bit more raucous and we can hear beer cans being popped open throughout the singalong. I just love how many young adults know this classic film so well (you can count on hissing every time Mr. Potter appears on screen) and are willing to don Santa hats and come out for it. I got emotional about all of it and and bought the 40th anniversary commemorative mug.

Who needs another mug? Not me. But I had to have it.

I found it comforting that Elaine was grumpy. I know that sounds weird, but it's true. She was battling an upper respiratory infection -- caused by allergies, so she wasn't contagious -- and very snappish. She is usually far more thoughtful and generous than I am, so in a way I enjoyed seeing this more human side of her.

I went to sleep feeling more Christmas-y than I have so far this year.

Saturday 9

 SATURDAY 9: HAPPY HOLIDAYS

1. As you can see, when Sam Winters was a little girl, she loved giving her annual wish list to Santa. If you could ask Santa for anything at all, right now, what would it be? A phone call from my dear friend Henry. He is in the hospital, lapsing in and out of consciousness, unable to speak, and he likely won't recover. Friday was his 61st birthday. I love him and miss him.

2. Are you currently on the Naughty or Nice list? How did you get there? I am on the Nice list because I always try to do good. I don't always succeed, but I believe Santa appreciates the effort.

3. Are you traveling this Christmas? If so, are you going by car, plane or train? I am local this year.

4. Did you ship any gifts to friends and family this year? If yes, which one traveled the farthest? This journal went almost 2,000 miles to my oldest friend in Hesperia, CA. 

Learn more about it here

5. Did you buy yourself a gift this year? Why yes, I did! When Anthony Rizzo, my favorite-most ballplayer, returns to the Friendly Confines of Wrigley Field for the first time since he was so cruelly traded, I will be there! My tickets have been confirmed.

This is misleading. Friday games @ Wrigley Field are always at 1:20 PM.

6. Which do you prefer: candy canes or gingerbread? Gingerbread.

7. Close your eyes and tell us the first carol that comes to mind. "Winter Wonderland." The first thing that popped into my head was Andy Williams holding that last high note on "Sleigh bells ring ..." and then I had to go through the song from the beginning to get to the title. I am old and this happens.

8. What's your favorite winter beverage? It hasn't gotten really cold yet, but when it does, I'm going to start drinking hot tea.

9. Share a memory from last Christmas. Instead I'm sharing a memory from Christmas 2021 because it's on my mind. We didn't know it at the time, but it was my last Christmas with Henry in Key West. Here's the view we enjoyed as we had our seaside holiday lunch. It looks like a picture postcard, doesn't it?

Thursday Thirteen #340

13 uses for petroleum jelly. I have a jar that goes largely untouched in my medicine cabinet. I looked around on the web and I think I'm missing some opportunities here.

1. Eye makeup remover. This is why I've got it. But I'm such a lazy gal, I don't wash my face before bed and so I scrub yesterday's makeup off in my morning shower. But Vaseline is gentle and would have the added benefit of moisturizing the skin around my eyes at bedtime (if I used it).

2. Soothe dry nose. If, like me, you have steam heat, this can help keep your schnoz comfortable and healthy throughout the winter.

3. Lip balm. Vaseline also sells a formulation specially for this purpose, but the original works just fine, too.

4. Mani/pedi touch ups. Spread a tiny bit around your cuticles before you apply the polish. Then, after your nails are completely dry, all you have to do is wipe away the petroleum jelly.

5. Protect your skin when you do a DIY dye job. Apply it to your ears, neck, and hairline to reduce the likelihood of staining. (When I colored my own hair, I did this and it worked perfectly.)

6. Extend your scent. Put a dab on each wrist before you apply cologne and let it slow the fragrance's evaporation.

7. First aid. Apply it to minor cuts and burns. It adds a protective barrier to damaged, vulnerable skin that can aid in healing.

8. Care "down there." It's not only good for baby's diaper rash, it can provide similar relief for grown ups after a bout of diarrhea or constipation. 

9. Comfort after a tattoo. Skin gets angry after being tattooed. A layer of petroleum jelly provides relief, as well as moisture and protection.

 

10. Removing adhesive. Use it to get rid of the stickiness left on glass or plastic by labels or price tags.

 

11. Got a bike? Apply a little to the chain to keep things running smoothly.

 

12. Got a car? Extend the life of a new battery by applying a little Vaseline to the terminals when you install it.

13. Got feet? Relieve dry, cracked heels. At bedtime, slather a generous amount on your heals and then put on socks.

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. 

PS I no longer participate in WWW.WEDNESDAY via that link because her blog won't accept Blogger comments. I mention this only to save you the frustration I experienced trying to link up.

1. What are you currently reading? Santa's Little Yelpers by David Rosenfelt. I'm spending Christmas with one of my faves, lawyer/dog lover Andy Carpenter. This year, Andy thought he was going to devote himself to celebrating the holidays with loved ones and weaning and homing a litter of eight adorable golden retrievers. It's not going the way he planned, though. A buddy of his, Chris Myers, is accused of murder. Andy believes Chris is innocent so, inconvenient as the timing is, he's concentrating on a case as well as ho-ho-hoing.

I love Andy. I love that he's inherently lazy, has no physical courage, and can't stop cracking wise. Therefore I'm sure I'm going to love this volume of the series.

 

2. What did you recently finish reading?  Candy Slain Murder by Maddie Day. Ms. Day created a very specific, credible place in her fictional town of South Lick, IN. That's the best thing about this book. You can easily imagine yourself at a two-top table in Pans 'n Pancakes, eavesdropping on the town gossip as you enjoy your eggs.

The rest of the book was just "meh." First of all, the killer's identity, motive and murder weapon were obvious from the start. Second, I don't know why our heroine, the proprietor of Pans 'n Pancakes, involves herself in sleuthing. She's not bored (we go through her day with her and running that restaurant is hard work). She's not personally involved with the victim. She has no special crime fighting talents. So when the police ask her again and again to fall back, why doesn't she? And the cat on the cover looks like my guy, Roy Hobbs, but he isn't given much opportunity to show his personality.

I'm afraid I don't think I'll be back to this series.

3. What will you read next? More Christmas, if there's time.

Deplorables behaving deplorably

Or How MAGA Ruined the Sound of Music for Me. On Saturday, our former President and current presumptive Republican nominee in 2024 held a rally and invoked Hitler. Again.

In Mein Kampf, Hitler wrote, "All great cultures of the past perished only because the originally creative race died out from blood poisoning." On Saturday, Trump decried immigrants from the podium in New Hampshire, saying they are "poisoning the blood of our country." Afterward, the leader of the MAGA movement doubled down, repeating in writing on Truth Social that "illegal immigration is poisoning the blood of our country."

How do the so-called Christians in the MAGA movement respond to this? They either agree or are silent. It's important to note that, when it comes to fascist, racist dictatorships, silence is just as damaging as assent.

Trump doesn't have to quote Hitler. The English language is a vast and flexible instrument. He could create almost limitless phrases that would make his point. He invokes Hitler because 1) it works; it worked in Germany and it seems to be working here and 2) it's an unmistakable signal to the white supremacist groups like The Proud Boys of whom he is so fond.

Antisemitism is on the rise. Especially after the heartbreaking Hamas attack on October 7 and the ensuing battle in Gaza. Why does Trump -- who has Jewish grandchildren -- embrace Hitler's rhetoric? Because he is soulless and will do whatever it takes to win. The bigger question is, "Why do 'Christians' embrace him?"

In the words of Chris Christie: “He’s disgusting, and what he’s doing is dog-whistle to Americans who feel absolutely under stress and strained from the economy and from the conflicts around the world, and he’s dog-whistling to blame it on people from areas that don’t look like us."

So because Trump will protect their jobs and restore their comfortable way of life, self-proclaimed Christians will embrace antisemitism and racism? I'm sorry, but this is a circle that cannot be squared.

Sunday night I, like millions of Americans, settled in to watch The Sound of Music. Trump's rhetoric was ringing in my ears. As I watched Captain Von Trapp and the nuns of the Abbey stand up to Nazis, I wondered how many MAGA families were also watching. How many were holding their children and grandchildren near, embracing this movie for representing the best of us, and then went back to supporting Donald Trump and his specious claims of antifa ruining us. 

Let's not forget antifa means antifascist. The reason why MAGA deplores antifa is that they embrace Trump.

I don't see how they can applaud both Captain Von Trapp and the candidate who invokes Hitler. I also don't see how they can sleep at night.

When MAGA embraces Hitler, be like Capt. Von Trapp

 

 

Sunday Stealing

L.E.P.

 

1. What is the best Christmas gift you’ve ever received? Blaze. Definitely Blaze! I got him the Christmas I was 4. I loved him beyond measure and will never forget coming into the living room and seeing him beside the tree with a single red bow on the seat. Thanks, Santa!

 

2. What is the worst Christmas gift you’ve ever received? The problem wasn't the gift but the giver. When I was in high school, Icky Grandma gave me a jade tree when we celebrated at her house on Christmas Eve. This was something I really wanted. I sat at her feet in her dining room after I received it. I was admiring the waxy leaves and she was sipping beer from a juice glass -- her concession to my mother's request that she cut down her drinking. I kept saying, "Thank you, Grandma. Thank you, Grandma." She was staring into space, too loaded to hear me. She and I never got along, so I didn't care ... yet. The next day, Christmas Day (!), she called the house. After their conversation, my mom yelled at me. Grandma was furious that she spent all that money on that big jade tree and I couldn't even be bothered to thank her. I insisted I did, but my mom just shook her head. It was the holidays and I'd upset Icky Grandma. The bitch put a damper on Christmas for both me and my mom (whose parenting skills she had brutally critiqued). And for no reason. I've got so many Icky Grandma stories. Hence the name.

3. Do you have a favorite Christmas song? Andy. Always Andy at Christmas.

BTW, Andy sings "Happy Holiday!" not "Merry Christmas." Released for the 1963 holiday season, I guess this makes Andy one of the first-ever woke warriors against Christmas. 😃

4. Does your family have any favorite holiday traditions? Since first my uncle and then my mom died, my family doesn't really celebrate together en masse anymore.

5. What is your favorite Christmas snack? I don't really have one. I just eat like a pig all season.

6. Did you believe in Santa growing up? Very much.

7. How early do you start decorating? I put my decorations up last week. I have a small illuminated ceramic gift with a green ribbon on the coffee table, cards taped to the front door, a Santa hanging off the door knob (my side) and a penguin with a scarf waving at people who pass my front door.

8. Are you an early or last-minute shopper? I'm a perpetual shopper. I buy things as I come upon them throughout the year.

9. Would you rather give or receive gifts? They each have their charms.

10. What’s your favorite Christmas movie? Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol. It's a short but remarkably faithful retelling with great songs. You can find it free on YouTube and you can stream it, too. The finale is my favorite song.

11. What is one of your Christmas memories? This is the view from our Christmas lunch, 2021. My last Key West Christmas with my wonderful friend, Henry.

12. Do you open any presents on Christmas Eve? I have one sitting here from my oldest friend. This is an amazing occurrence because she is never early! I can tell by the box that it's a book from Amazon. I may open it on Christmas Eve or maybe Christmas Day. I haven't decided.

 

Saturday 9

 Saturday 9: The Christmas Blues (1953)

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

 
1) In this song, Dean Martin sings that the streets are white with snow. Do you anticipate a White Christmas this year? Probably not. It's been unseasonably warm so far this winter. This makes me a little melancholy.

2) He tells us he's done plenty of window shopping this season. Do you find you're influenced by a retailer's window dressing and store decor? Are you more motivated by price? Or do you do most of your shopping online, making holiday decorations irrelevant? Decor not so much. But I do like hearing carols when I shop. Maybe I buy more because of them.

 

3) Dean was born in Steubenville, OH. Though he rarely returned to his hometown, it was in his thoughts during the holidays. Every Christmas he made like Santa and sent toys to hospitalized children in the Steubenville area. Are there toys on your shopping list this year? Not toys, but I did buy four children's book this season. Arthur, the 8-year-old I "adopted" from the local children's home, loves basketball so he's getting The Sports Illustrated Big Book of WHO: Basketball, a colorful encyclopedia of players for kids. For the Toys for Tots box, I donated Santa Baby, 96 Facts about Taylor Swift, and a Disney Little Mermaid book. I liked getting books as gifts, and hope these wee ones will, too.

 

The illustrations in this book are so cute!

4) He had fast hands when it came to cards and before he was famous he worked as a dealer in Atlantic City. When you play cards, what's your favorite game? Canasta.

5) Dean Martin was an avid reader ... of comic books. Especially in bed when he was on the road and couldn't sleep. Much as he enjoyed comic books, he was embarrassed by them. What do you do when you can't sleep? Check my email, tend my Farmville crops and, of course, pee, which is likely what I woke up to do in the first place.

Now let's have a few holiday-specific questions:

 

6) Every year, the United States Postal Service introduces special holiday stamps. Do you purchase them? Yes.

 

This year, I went with the elves.

 

7) Do you have a funny/ugly holiday sweater? I have been told my Cubs sweater is an "eyesore." Whatever. I represent my guys at Christmas.

 

8) Do you wrap your presents or use gift bags? Mostly wrap, but if I'm giving someone more than one present, I'll go gift bag.

9) We're doing Christmas karaoke! What holiday or winter-themed song will you perform? I'm tone deaf, so I'm sitting this out by popular demand.

 

 

Thursday Thirteen #339

 13 Pretty Gifts. It's that time when we look for the perfect, thoughtful holiday gift. None of these are things a person would be likely to buy themselves. Many are personalized, and all are under $50.

1. Personalized pocket mirror. She'll be proud to take this out of her purse to check her makeup. You choose the color and the font. (I've purchased three of these already.) $10

2. I Wrote a Book About You. A bound book with pages of fill-in-the-blank statements that help you bring your relationship with a loved on to life. $12

3. Engraved refillable lipstick. You can personalize it with a name or a message (up to 14 characters). $22

4. It's the Question Game. Great for family get-togethers and parties with a diverse group of friends, this box has 150 conversation starters. $23 

5. Custom photo calendar. You choose the 12 pictures that will carry your friend through 2024. The wood frame dresses it up. $28

6. Weighted blanket. This blanket is designed to hug the body, which can help a fitful sleeper enjoy a more restful night. $30

7. Glass soap dispenser. Waterproof, reusable and customizable for the kitchen or the bathroom. This is one of those things none of my friends would ever buy for themselves, but I bet some of them would really like. $31

8. L. L. Bean Boat and Tote. Everyone carries these for shopping, work, picnics, etc. Why not give someone on your gift list a really nice, fashionable, durable one? $34.95 (Monogram $8 extra)

9. Birth flower and birthstone necklace. It's pretty and it's personal. Especially good for women, like me, who are born on the cusp between two astrological signs. There's no ambiguity about your birth month. $35

10. Little Words key chain. Colorful beads -- including 13 that spell out a name or a message -- make a utilitarian key chain more fun. $35

11. Custom disc bracelet. Another one-of-a-kind gift. You can spell out a name, a date, etc., with 12 beads on this bracelet. $38

12. David's Travel with Tea Sachet Wheel. Discover teas from all over the world in a pretty box. $39

13. Whiskey-infused Toothpicks. OK, nobody needs flavored toothpicks. But these sure look fun. $40

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

It's about more than the movies

As the news about Henry gets worse, I admit I have been unraveling. Over the last couple days I have received support from: 

•  Joanna, who chatted with me right up until our movie group Zoom call Monday night, and then joined the call because she wanted to see for herself that I'm OK

•  Elaine, who sent me a text from her cruise (my first-ever ship-to-shore text!)

I met both Joanna and Elaine through our movie Meet Up. I am so grateful for their friendship. I had no idea on that day in May 2013 that I would expand my life in so many wonderful ways.

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. 

PS I no longer participate in WWW.WEDNESDAY via that link because her blog won't accept Blogger comments. I mention this only to save you the frustration I experienced trying to link up.

1. What are you currently reading? Candy Slain Murder by Maddie Day. Why is it that when I decided I wanted a Christmas read, I went for a murder mystery? Not a holiday romance, not a tale of a fractious family reuniting on Christmas Eve. A murder. Oh well, I can't be that weird in this regard because there are plenty of Christmas murder mysteries out there to choose from!

 

The one I landed on takes place in South Lick, IN. It's a fictional town about 5 hours from where I live. Except for the weather, we have nothing in common with French Lick. That's why I'm enjoying this. When people talk about "the Midwest," they consider us like a monolith, and we aren't. The author gets this. 

Now about the plot: As this small town prepares for Christmas, news breaks about a fire. Robbie, the proprietress of Pans 'n Pancakes, the town's favorite breakfast spot, is naturally concerned because her lover, Abe, is on the fire department. Then she's riveted by a discovery made by firefighters: they had to get into the burning house through the roof, and in the attic, they found skeletal remains. Who is it? Did someone die in the attic years ago, or were they murdered and their corpse hidden there? 

 

And we're off! As different citizens enter Pans 'n Pancakes, we find their possible connection to the murder. As Robbie serves members of the police force omelets and oj, she learns more about how the case is progressing. During a shopping trip to nearby Nashville (IN), she finds conflicting information.

It's moving at a fast clip, and the Christmas atmosphere feels natural, not forced.

 

2. What did you recently finish reading?  Finding Jackie: A Life Reinvented by Oline Eaton. I truly enjoyed this biography of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis. Not because I learned anything new about the lady, because I didn't, but because the author put her life in the context of her times. At one point, Eaton said of JFK and Jackie, "We know how the story will end, but they don't." That's how she reframes Jackie for us, contemporaneously. It's very effective.

Was little Jackie Bouvier a bluenose nerd, or was she a rebellious schoolgirl? Yes to both. After college, was she serious about living on her own, or did she want a rich husband? Yes to both. Did Mrs. John F. Kennedy loathe politics, or was she good at it? Yes to both. Was she shattered by grief, or was she eager to escape widowhood? Yes to both. Was she a vacuous jet setter or a woman craving new experience? Here, the author lands firmly on one side: the latter. Eaton makes a convincing case. Did "Jackie O" love her husband, or did she see her second marriage as a means to an end? Yes to both.
 
Eaton quotes fan magazines, women's magazines, news magazines, and newspapers to show us how Jackie's saga unfolded or was sold to the world. It was an enlightening approach that explains much of how Americans have viewed woman's proper role from the 1930s to today.

 

3. What will you read next? More Christmas, if there's time.

Sunday Stealing

 PINK

1. Do you tend to have a guilty conscious? Right now, yes. I restricted the access of my friend, Kathy, to my Facebook profile. Kathy is losing her cognitive abilities and as her world gets smaller, she spends more and more time on Facebook. But she seldom knows what she's doing or what she's talking about. I'm always hiding and deleting her more confused comments to save her embarrassment. Then there's the Messenger issue. She claims to HATE Messenger, but she uses it all the time. If I don't acknowledge her Messenger messages, she emails and texts me to complain I'm ignoring her. If I do answer, she scolds me because I know she HATES Messenger. When I try to explain this to her, she gets angry at me. This week she sent me -- via Messenger, which she insists she doesn't use -- a long complaint about someone named Hartman who, like me, keeps trying to get her to use Messenger, and I restricted her. I don't know any Hartman, I don't give a fuck if she uses Messenger or not, and I just want her to leave me alone. Now I feel guilty. I feel like I should have more compassion for her. But she has approximately 500 Facebook friends. Let her scold, confound and hassle them for a while.

2. Do you still have your wisdom teeth? I have one left. Upper right. It's poking through right now. I suppose at some point in 2024, it's going to have to go.

3. Peanut Butter - creamy or crunchy? Depends on my mood.

4. Get up off your butt. Take 5 steps. Which leg did you start out on? Right.

5. What color is your favorite kitchen utensil? I guess it's nickel plated. It's my ancient, ever-reliable manual can opener. It's at least 25 years old. I love how durable it is.

 

My old friend looks just like this, but more beat up

6. Did you watch the Michael Jackson memorial/funeral? I guess so. I don't remember. I wasn't a fan.

7. Do you know anyone who graduated from high school this year? Were you invited to their graduation party? Did you go? No graduates this year.

8. White with black stripes or black with white stripes? I don't wear a lot of stripes.

9. If we were to call your 6th grade teacher, what would they say about you? She's dead, so good luck with that.

10. Can you draw a perfect circle? No.

11. What was your favorite scratch & sniff sticker scent? I'm sorry but I don't really have one.

12. How many light switches and electrical outlets are in the room that you are in right now? One switch, four outlets.

13. Do you know sign language? I learned the alphabet for a Girl Scout badge and still remember it.

14. Do you step on cracks in the sidewalk? Not intentionally.

15. And the sheets on your bed look like....? White with small blue flowers.

 

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Wildest Dreams (2014)

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

A word about Taylor Swift: I lead Crazy Sam's research and development department and did this Sat 9 more than a month ago, before Ms. Swift was named Person of the Year. So it's just coincidence that it hits now, when she's the focus of so much attention. Example: I work at a card shop that has a gift table. There's a Golden Book devoted to Ms. Swift and it's selling briskly. One twenty-something woman I sold it to was excited because it was going to be a stocking stuffer for her dad, who is a self-proclaimed Swiftie. Another woman, a bit older, was buying it for her husband who became a convert when he accompanied her to Swift's Eras Tour movie. My favorite ballplayer, Anthony Rizzo, has changed his walk up song to "Ready for It." I love that she's receiving this acclaim long after she was an overnight sensation (her first album was 17 years ago) and admire the way she emphasizes that wealth is not greed with her charitable and civic work. She's a positive role model. Brava to Time's Person of the Year!

1) In this song, a tall, handsome man asks Taylor Swift to drive away with him to escape the crowds. Where were you headed when you most recently got behind the wheel? I don't drive, so I wasn't behind the wheel. But I took a rideshare home from the hair salon.

2) She sings about memories of a romance that just "follow you around." Is anyone special on your mind this morning? (It doesn't have to be a romantic partner.) Oh, three of my friends are bedeviling me. Henry has major medical problems. Kathy's cognitive issues are worsening and making her even more difficult. My oldest friend is making unwise decisions ... again. I love Henry and my oldest friend and I feel responsible to Kathy, so this all weighs heavily on me. But I'm trying not to let all this hamper my joy in the moment and the season.

3) The lyrics reference sunset. Now that it gets dark earlier, do you find yourself watching the sun set more often? Nope. I should, too! My living room window faces west. All I have to do is look.

4) The video for this song takes place on a movie set. Swift said it was inspired by tales of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton embarking on a love affair while co-starring in Cleopatra. Elizabeth and Richard fell in love in Rome, while this video was filmed outside of Gaborone, Botswana. In your wildest dreams, which of these exotic locales would you rather visit: Rome or Gaborone? Rome.

 

5) In homage to Elizabeth Taylor, Swift went from blonde to brunette for the video. Do you have an appointment with a stylist between now and year end? Next week.

6) Both Taylors (Swift and Elizabeth) often wore the color purple. What color dominates your wardrobe? Blue.

 

7) In the video, Taylor Swift's leading man is Scott Eastwood, son of Clint. Though not as famous as his dad, Scott works steadily and has more than 30 TV and movie credits. Can you think of another second-generation performer who followed his or her parent into show business?

Michael and Kirk Douglas

8) In 2014, when "Wildest Dreams" topped the charts, Paul McCartney had to reschedule tour dates so he could recover from a bout with the flu. How are you feeling this morning? Any coughs, sneezes, sniffles? I've just gotten over a cold.

9) Random question: How many different zip codes have you lived in throughout your life? Three.