Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Hot Fun in the Summertime

1. Is summer your favorite season? Why? No. I enjoy that the days are longer, but I really don't do heat well. People who whine about Chicago winters forget how humid and brutal Chicago summers can be.

2. Do you exercise more in the summer because you wear less clothing? I plan on exercising more and the less clothing does have an impact. Not because I look forward to showing more skin, but when I workout at lunchtime less clothes means it's easier to get dressed and I can make it back to work faster.

3. Do you enjoy tanning or are you more concerned about the dangers of basking in the sun? I'm a very pale old gal, and I don't tan, I only burn. And yes, I am very wary of sun damage.

4. You are on the beach when a waiter appears for your drink order. What do you ask for? Strawberry margarita. With salt. Thank you.

5. Do you camp in the summertime? No. I'm not one for camping.

6. What was your favorite summer vacation as a kid? I enjoyed our trip to Washington DC when I was 8. I especially enjoyed the view from the top of the Washington Memorial.

7. Do you enjoy sleeping outdoors? No.

8. Do you throw a summer barbecue every year? No. I don't have a balcony or a yard of my own. But, to be honest, even if I did, I wouldn't throw a barbecue.

9. Have you ever been to a nude beach? If yes, what did you think? Not a nude beach but a swimsuit-optional hotel pool. I was surprised (and a little disappointed) by how not sexy it was.

Let's Hear It for Me!

It's only the 22, and I have already met my exercise goal of 13 workouts in May! I'm celebrating, toasting myself with a mimosa, because I deserve it. I feel very accomplished. I will surpass my own fitness goal and when I weigh myself at the end of the month, I am confident I will weigh less than I did at the beginning.

I'm also celebrating that it's been easier than I dreamed it would be. In the recent past I allowed myself to be confused by all the information out there. (Are carbs good or bad? How much protein do I need? Is it fat or trans fat I must avoid?) If I had understood how simple the basic tenants really are -- move more, eat less -- I would have done this ages ago!

Who knew?

When I was a kid, Bill Kurtis was Chicago's premier anchorman. He was known for the hard news -- he let channel 7 do The Happy Talk. He brought a lot of important stories into our living room, including the 1968 Democratic Convention, The Tylenol Murders, Richard Speck's trial, the term of Chicago's only female mayor, Jane Byrne and the ascent of Harold Washington.

Which is why his AT&T Laptop Connect commercials with Michael Phelps, Andy Roddick and especially Floyd Mayweather are such a surprise. Bill Kurtis is funny!

Speaking of the President

President Barack Obama bends over so the son of a White House staff member can pat his head during a family visit to the Oval Office May 8, 2009. The youngster wanted to see if the President's haircut felt like his own. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

What the fu...

Thursday Dick Cheney gave a speech on national security, timed to begin right after President Obama finished an address on the same subject so that Cheney could get equal, unfettered network coverage.

Why? There is only one Pope, only one Heavyweight Champion of the World, and one President at a time. Today the President is Barack Obama. Why should Cheney's thoughts be given the same authority? Dick Cheney not only isn't President, he never was President.

I don't want to hear about Cheney's national security cred. Bush-Cheney had been in office for more than 8 months when Al-Queda hit the World Trade Center. Cheney wasn't protecting me when those planes were headed for the Twin Towers.

I don't want to live in a torture state. Neither do 240,000 of my neighbors who stood beside me last November in Grant Park, when we listened to Barack Obama's acceptance speech. Nationally Barack Obama won 365 electoral votes. The country wants to turn the page on the fear-mongering and the arrogance of the last eight years.

This man personifies fear-mongering and arrogance. Why can't he just borrow a page from Mondale and Quayle and shut up?

If I were to steal a meme …

… it would be from Kwizgiver!

If I were a direction I’d be… left-to-center
If I were furniture I’d be… my green sofa
If I were a liquid I’d be… Classic Coke
If I were a sin I’d be… sloth
If I were a gem/stone I’d be… lapis
If I were a metal I’d be… aluminum
If I were a tree I’d be… a maple
If I were a fruit I’d be… a grape
If I were a flower I’d be… a snapdragon
If I were weather I’d be… sunny, dry, and never over 75º
If I were a musical instrument I’d be… a piano
If I were an element I’d be… wind
If I were a color I’d be… green

If I were an animal I’d be… an okapi (isn't she great?)

If I were a sound I’d be… a cat's purr

If I were a lyric I’d be… "Shall I wait a lonely lifetime? If you want me to, I will." ("I Will" from The White Album)


If I were a song I’d be… "The Authority Song" by John Mellencamp
If I were a music type I’d be… pop
If I were a perfume/cologne I’d be… Lovely
If I were a feeling I’d be… rolling with it
If I were a book I’d be… a biography
If I were food I’d be… a cheeseburger in paradise
If I were a city I’d be… beside an ocean or a Great Lake
If I were a taste I’d be… cinnamon
If I were a scent I’d be… light and powdery
If I were a word I’d be… gubernatorial, because it's so much to say
If I were a verb I’d be… laughing
If I were an object I’d be… a freshly-sharpened pencil
If I were a piece of clothing I’d be… jeans
If I were a body part I’d be… a foot, feeling pretty after a pedi
If I were an facial expression I’d be… amused
If I were a cartoon character I’d be… Bugs Bunny (or Bullwinkle)
If I were a movie I’d be… a tearjerker
If I were a geometrical figure I’d be… a rectangle
If I were one of the 4 seasons I’d be… autumn
If I were a sentence I’d be… "But see, here's the thing."

If you play along, let me know so we can compare answers.

THURSDAY THIRTEEN #109 -- The Diet Edition

THIRTEEN FOODS
I CAN ENJOY REGULARLY
& STILL LOSE WEIGHT

I had been going about this whole weight loss thing all wrong. I tried giving up "bad" foods I loved, but I have no will power. I tried working out more often, but I often couldn't get away from my desk at lunchtime and felt like a loser, doomed to being fat, unfit and unhealthy.

Then this past month, two amazing things happened!

First I joined another gym (so I can work out at home as well as downtown) and spent time with a personal trainer. She showed me how to exercise correctly and efficiently -- something I hadn't been doing, which is why my workouts weren't producing positive results. (Duh.) In just a month I have found that I now need to belt my jeans and my shoulders no longer ache all the time. (The latter is thanks to lat pulls and the rowing machine.)

Then I began tracking what I ate at The Daily Plate (www.livestrong.com/thedailyplate). I cannot tell you how much I love, LOVE this site! You tell it what you eat, it tracks the calories, fat, sodium, protein and fiber intake for you. I have learned that to lose weight, I don't need to give up any food that I love, I just have to keep track of how much of it I've eaten. This site is free and it's wonderful. Over the last 30 days I have gone over my calorie allotment 7 times, yet I've still managed to lose 3 pounds.

So it's not really a diet. I'm developing a new way of living, moving and eating. I feel good and I'm enjoying it. And I'm thrilled that I'm still able to consume all of the following (in moderation, of course):

1) Coca Cola Classic (OK, so I still guzzle it)

2) McDonald's Quarter Pounder with Cheese

3) Bud Light

4) Peanut butter

5) Spaghetti with meat sauce

6) Five Guys Famous Burgers and sometimes Hot Dogs

7) Mimosas

8) Battered shrimp

9) Screwdrivers

10) Ribeye steak sandwich

11) Frito's

12) Bacon and eggs

13) A big Au Bon Pain chocolate chip cookie

I admit that by tracking what I eat, I have begun eating better, too. It's just a natural side effec of monitoring what kind of fuel I put into my tank. There's a lot of oatmeal and rice cakes on my Daily Plate now. I drink more milk and water, too. But that wouldn't make for an interesting post, would it?

To participate yourself, or to look up more TT participants,
visit the new hub (thursday-13.com).

Today is a better day

We had a good meeting with the client this morning.

Our office building had a fire drill and this time the fire captain didn't yell at me. (Last time I got scolded for bringing a can of Coke into the stairwell, thereby placing all my coworkers in peril of slipping if I spilled.)

I can relax, knowing that my older sister is leaving town today. She's just so much drama.

While I whole-heartedly support Adam for American Idol, I have made peace with idea of Kris.

My best friend resurfaced briefly to reassure me he's fine, even though his beloved dog may be facing her final illness. (Even when pets grow to be as old as she is, no owner has an easy time coming to grips with the inevitable.)

Over a 160+ game season, one Cub loss to the Cards isn't that bad.

I unearthed Beatles 65, and as long I've got the Lads, how bad can life be?

Unsettled

I'm in a strange mood. Work was stressful today, but then again, I'm in advertising, so stressful should be the norm. I was short-tempered with my coworkers because we were making a rather simple assignment needlessly complicated. Had a decent workout at lunch, but that didn't improve my mood.

I watched American Idol, but it wasn't as exciting as I wanted it to be. Tuned into the Cubs vs. Cards -- one of baseball's great rivalries -- but I can't lose myself in it.

I'm uncomfortable, unsettled, uneasy. Can't relax, can't focus.

Oh well. If I can't relax, can't unwind, I can take a Xanax. I really don't take them often, but the fact of those pills helps. It's comforting to know I won't come completely unglued.

New spiky haircut in glorious color

This is how it really looks, after a day at the office and a trip to the health club, where it responded in its own way to your basic locker room humidity. Of course I'd prefer it if my layers didn't turn into cowlicks or wings, but hey, such is life. I like it still.

Why the sunglasses? Because as soon as I post this, I'm logging off and going home! It's been a crazy day and I can't wait to get home to my Cubs and the American Idol finale!

That was weird

So I went to dinner with my mother, my lunatic older sister and her new husband, who looks so eerily like our dad that I wanted to page a Freudian shrink right there on the spot.

Now you would think that the reason my older sister came in would be to check on our mother, who has been ill. And, to be charitable, I'm willing to credit that as part of the reason. Then there's the facade she's trying to maintain for her new husband's benefit -- the fantasy of being the hub that holds our family together, even though none of us likes her that much. Ok, whatever.

But the BIG reason for the trip was to ask me, face to face, in front of her husband and our mother and God and everybody, whether I would be willing to administer her children's inheritance should she and new hubby die at the same time. She apparently has a very large life insurance policy and doesn't want her kids to touch that money until they each reach the age of 32. (They are 21 and 19 respectively.)

She and her new husband are worried that, if they died together, his kids would try to take her kids' money and vice versa. She believes that his brother and I are the logical choices to watch over all this, especially because she knows I'd "fight" if anyone tried to take anything that belonged to her children.

Well, yes, I would. I hate bullies and have a highly evolved sense of fair play. But I wouldn't fight for her kids anymore than I would for anyone else's. I don't like her and I barely know them.

But since I responded in the affirmative, it made my older sister happy and my mother appeared proud that we were playing nicely. Plus Sis and The Hubs bought me dinner (I had jumbo shrimp). So I guess in all it was a successful, albeit weird, evening.

At least there's no Cub game tonight. No AI, either.

So what the hell. Why shouldn't I stop by my mother's house tonight to visit with my older sister? She's only in from Los Angeles until Wednesday.

Because my older sister is psycho and I don't like her.

But spending a little time with her tonight will make my mom happy. And it will save my older sister embarrassment. She got married again recently and wants her new husband to think she's an integral part of a family that loves her. If I don't make an effort to see her, she may have to explain the unpleasant truth to him.

How often do you get the chance to do something this inexpensive that can spare another person discomfort? Of course, let's face it, I might not be this Christian and giving and selfless if there was a game tonight, or if American Idol was on Mondays instead of Tuesdays.

What made up my day?

One hour spent with my personal trainer

15 sit ups ended our last session together

30 minutes getting a massage in the club's spa

Hot dog, fries and a bag of M&Ms to celebrate how fabulous I feel. (It won't kill me once in a while.)

Cub game and a nap

Now off to do two (or maybe three) loads of laundry

I should have done housework. This place is overrun by paper and that shower curtain liner isn't going to get less icky with time. Oh, well ...

He always makes me smile

Ron Santo just "sang the stretch," as we like to say at Wrigley Field. While his rendition of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" is not the most tuneless one of the young season (Denise Richards will undoubtedly retain that dubious honor all year long), it was gravelly and off key. And completely delightful.

Ronnie, This Old Cub, is the face and spirit of the Chicago Cubs. A great third baseman (more than 300 homers and 5 Gold Gloves for fielding excellence), he's been very open with his struggles with diabetes (it's cost him both of his legs) and has raised tens of millions of dollars for Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Currently he's the engaging, corny, and passionate half of WGN radio's broadcast team.

It was an privilege to watch him play, and a joy to listen to him through my headphones -- even if he's croaking "Take Me Out to the Ballgame."

Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing: The 29'er Meme

1. What bill do you hate paying the most? My monthly contribution to my personal IRA. Technically it's an investment, not a bill. But these days it fills me with anxiety. Since I'm investing for the long-term, I'm trying to take advantage of Dollar Cost Averaging. But what if I'm wrong? That's the thing of it -- no one really knows what's going on with our economy.

2. Where was the last place you had a romantic dinner? The Cityscape Bar. It has floor-to-ceiling windows and offered beautiful views of the city everywhere we looked.

3. How many colleges did you attend? Just one. And I attended it fitfully, at best.

4. Why did you choose the shirt that you have on right now? I'm wearing a nightshirt right now. If that counts, it was carefully chosen because it landed on top of the other nightshirts in my pajama drawer.

5. First thought when the alarm went off this morning? Sigh. It was a random sweet, sexy thought.

6. Last thought before going to sleep last night? I don't remember. (Sorry.)

7. What do you miss being a child? My grandpa. He had a big influence on me, and when I recall how loving he was, I wish he was here to tell me how he feels about how I turned out. (Also, if I was a child again, my mother would be young and healthy again.)

8. What errand/chore do you despise? It's not a regularly-scheduled chore, but I know it's time to switch out the shower curtain liner and doing that is such a drag ...

9. Have you found real love yet? Yes. Unfortunately it didn't work out.

10. What do you get every time you go into Wal-Mart? I never shop at Wal-Mart. There are too many kids there. Not that I don't like children, but when they're running about unattended, it makes my nuts! Aren't their parents worried that they could trip and get hurt, or break something, or worse, end up abducted? It genuinely upsets me. My best friend says I must be border collie because I have an overwhelming desire to round them up and keep them safe.

11. Do you think marriage is an outdated ritual? To be completely honest, I don't know.

12. What famous person would you like to have dinner with? My answer to this question changes. Right now, the answer is Elizabeth Edwards. I have much to tell her and much to ask her.

13. Ever had to use a fire extinguisher for its intended purpose? No. But this question intrigues me. What other purpose would it be used for? A former lover was amused by the my insistence on double birth control (I was in the Pill and I insisted he wear a condom, too) and teased me by bringing my fire extinguisher into the bedroom, asking me if I wanted to add pressurized nitrogen and chemical foam to the mix.

14. Somewhere in California you've never been and would like to go? I've been to LA, San Diego, San Francisco ... can't think of anywhere else I'd like to visit. Californians, am I missing something great?

15. At this point in your life would you rather start a new career or a new relationship? New relationship. It would be nice to be in a love relationship.

16. Do you have a “go to” person? Yes, but it's a different person for different crises.

17. Are you where you want to be in life? Sometimes. Depends on when you ask me. Right now? Yeah, sure.

18. Over the years, what about you do you think has changed the most? My waist. It's gone from well-defined to MIA.

19. Looking back at high school were they the best years of your life? No. NO! For the love of God, NOOOOOO!

20. Are there times you still feel like a kid? Yes.

21. Where was the hang out spot when you were a teenager? The Mall!

22. Who do you think impacted your life the most? I suppose my father, though the impact wasn't good in every way. (BTW, he would be observing his 76th birthday this month. I say "observing" because my poor dad wasn't much in to celebrating anything.) For the post dedicated to my dad, click here.

23. Was there a teacher or authority figure that stood out for you? My third-grade teacher, Mrs. Kessel. I loved her.

24. Do you tell stories that start with “when I was your age”? Yes.

25. What is the scariest thing that has happened to you as an adult? Last September, I almost got creamed by a cab.

26. What advice would you give to someone about to get married? Ask someone else for advice. I am certainly not a credible authority in this area.

27. What advice would you give someone starting their first job? Even the biggest city is really "a small world" when it comes to work, and behave as though you'll see all these coworkers again someday.

28. If you could go back and change one thing you did, what would it be? I said something very cruel to someone, and I dearly wish I could take it back.

29. If you could go back and change one thing someone else did, what would it be? I wish my friend Kathleen wouldn't have switched jobs when she did. We worked at the same agency -- she got me this job -- and she was my best friend's boss. If she had remained a year or two more, he never would have been let go. I miss him terribly, and that lay off was a massive blow to his ego. (Of course, she would have someone else go instead, which would have been a blow to that person's ego ...)

After 8:00? Really?

Where has today gone?

Got my hair cut. Visited with my mother. Let the Cubs take 10 years off my life (up 4-0 going into the 9th, squeaking by with a 5-4 victory). Read my new Entertainment Weekly. (More fun than going on Quicken and paying my 15th-of-the-month bills.) Dozed off on the sofa. Started watching the NCIS marathon on USA Network.

How can it really be after 8:00 when it feels like it's about 5:30? Weekends are too valuable to slip away like this!

Saturday 9

1. Who do you think is sexy? Oh, geez! My mind is a motel. I'm always fantasizing about someone! Right now, the the lucky man that comes to mind is Jon Hamm/Don Draper.

2. When does it become love? When he's the first one I think of when I open my eyes.

3. Are you a good dancer? No

4. What magazines do you read? Time, Newsweek, O. Allure, Glamour,US and People.

5. If you could have any name, what would you call yourself? Grace. Maybe I'd live up to it.

6. Have you ever ridden in a limo? If yes, when? To and from the O'Hare, every time I go. (They charge a flat airport rate, so they're easier to budget for than cabs that go on the meter.)

7. What is something you really like to do? Fantasize about Jon Hamm. Sigh.

8. Last chance: Who wins Idol, Kris Allen or Adam Lambert? I'm 100% Team Adam. But I'm not sure he'll win. In addition to his edgy stage persona, photos of him performing in drag have ended up on AOL's splash page. I wonder if America is ready for him.

9. If you had to, what animal would you choose to be? One of my cats. I'd love to have a tail.

Saturday 9: Do You Think I'm Sexy?

You and me, both, Sister!

This little girl expresses my mood perfectly. It's been raining so hard all day that the Cubs-Astros game was postponed. I really was looking forward to the distraction and diversion my team would have provided.

I didn't get to work out today, which leaves me grumpy because the world feels just feels a bit more right after I exercise.

I guess it's possible that I'm suffering from a touch of PBD, too.*

Oh well, I'll be leaving work soon. Maybe I can shake this ornery mood on the way home.

* Post-Boss Depression = the inevitable letdown that comes after having the E-Street Band rock you and enthrall you for more than three hours.

Why I don't watch ANTM

I realize a lot of people are hooked on this show. I am not among them. For I simply don't have the bandwidth! Not when I'm so devoted to American Idol, the Cubs and Grey's Anatomy. (Still reeling over last night's season finale!)

Thursday Thirteen #108 -- All Good

THIRTEEN POSITIVES ABOUT
THE GAL HERSELF

The idea for this post came from Kwizgiver, who listed things she was good at. Since so many of us concentrate on our faults and flaws and weaknesses and peccadilloes, it was a refreshing read. And so I am stealing it. I encourage everyone else to steal it. Looking at yourself objectively and liking what you see is a natural high.

1) I think fast on my feet. I never freeze up. It's funny, but when I'm under pressure I see things with greater clarity and the path is clear. It's a very helpful talent to have, especially in my chosen industry -- advertising, where deadlines and pressure are the norm.

2) I'm a good public speaker. I realize that many people are afraid of making presentations but it simply has never been an issue for me. I'm not perfect -- I have a tendency to speak too quickly. But I know how to put my audience at ease and I'm usually able to see my topic from their point of view, which makes it easy to anticipate and then field questions.

3) I work quickly. I'm a writer by trade, and words come easily to me. There are many, many writers who are more talented than I am, but to be honest, I don't know of many who are both as good and as fast. In an industry where we're often on deadline and billing by the hour, that has made me valuable. (At least until now. Let's hope management here continues to value this so I won't get laid off.)

4) I'm still curious and enthusiastic. There's always something new that grabs my attention and hangs on. Recently it's been First Lady Abigail Adams and blues singer Marcia Ball. Right now it's eating better and working out. I'm glad I'm not closed off to new things.

5) I'm good with kids and critters. I don't believe the actual phrase "Bless the beasts and the children" appears in the Bible, but no matter. The impatience I suffer with adults is absent with kids and critters. Naturally, the attention and affection I lavish on them has been returned to me tenfold.

6) I'm smart. I don't have very much school (didn't even make it to my Associate Degree) but when it comes to subjects I get (mostly politics and marketing), I'm pretty sharp.

7) I'm loyal. I stick. Cub fandom is good training for that.

8) I'm independent. I enjoy my own company and require little hand holding (most of the time).

9) I have a good sense of humor. Finding just about everything funny (or absurd) in one way or another protects me from ever really going under.

10) I believe. As Anne Frank said "Despite everything, I believe that people are really good at heart." My faith in God and my fellow man, like my sense of humor, stops me from making Stoney End my permanent address.

11) I'm easy to talk to. I don't know why, really. I tend to interrupt a lot and talk over people in conversation. Yet it seems I'm often singled out as the "go to girl" when people are in trouble, personally or professionally.

12) Many things make me happy. Watching my cat Joey power nap. Singing with the oldies in the shower. Settling in for an I Love Lucy marathon. The world is filled with little joys just waiting for me to enjoy them.

13) I give good gift. I am very imaginative when it comes to gifting. When an old friend wanted to know what she and her sister could do to honor their father on the anniversary of his death, I came up with a list of ideas (the first being scathingly brilliant) in less than half an hour.

To participate yourself, or to look up more TT participants,
visit the new hub (thursday-13.com).

Baby, Take a Bow

Look what I received from Mimi, Queen of Bloggingham and author of Mimi Writes. She said that I "write from the heart" and my musings have made her life richer. That's a compliment any way you look at it. To receive it from Mimi makes it especially special. For she's a fearless blogger and a very good writer herself who has shared much with her readers -- as touching as she is funny, and her words stay with us.

Me and more than 20,000 close friends

We were all "Working on a Dream" last night. Yes, we were at that famous traveling rock revival meeting hosted by BROOOOOOCE!

For a man who turns 60 this year, Bruce Springsteen is in great shape. Oh, hell! What am I saying? If he was a man who turns 30 this year, Bruce would still be simply delicious. As my fellow fangirl Snarkela might say, Bruce deserves to be commended on delivering primo arm porn.

And he rocked. I miss hearing rock and roll, and The Boss had the cure for what ails me. He opened with "Badlands," for Christ's sake! But of course, he was more than that. With "The Rising," which always reminds me of how we pulled together after 9/11, "Land of Hope and Dreams," "American Land" and more, he reminded us of our responsibility to one another. Because we're all Americans, and that's big and it's special and it means something.

So he touched on it all: love, lust, redemption, longing and patriotism. There was so much JOY & HOPE in the United Center last night. The Gal was definitely in her element.

Above left is my fantabulous new Bruce t-shirt. (Such a deal! Only $20!) And now, here's last night's set list:

May 12, 2009
Chicago, Illinois
United Center

Badlands
Spirit In The Night
Outlaw Pete
She's The One
Working On A Dream
Seeds
Johnny 99
The Ghost Of Tom Joad
Raise Your Hand
Trapped
Candy's Room
Mony Mony
Waiting On A Sunny Day
The Promised Land
The Wrestler
Kingdom Of Days
Radio Nowhere
Lonesome Day
The Rising
Born To Run

(Encores)
Hard Times
Jungleland
Land Of Hope And Dreams
American Land
Dancing In The Dark
Rosalita

Countdown Meme

Memeing so I won't get too excited about seeing Broooooooooce tonight ...

Name --

Five of your favorite songs: Thunder Road, No Surrender, Prove It All Night, I'm on Fire and Rosalita (This isn't distracting me from the Springsteen concert, after all.)

Four things in your purse, briefcase or glove compartment: In my purse you'll find my wallet, glasses, contact lens solution, contact lens case, and my BRUCE ticket (concert starts at 7:30 ...)

Three books you have read: The three on my Shelfari shelf at right (none even contain a reference to Bruce)

Two TV shows you try not to miss: Law & Order: SVU and American Idol (which I'm missing tonight because I'm seeing Bruce)

The last person you spoke to on the phone: The Walgreens pharmacist -- my prescription is ready for pick up. (Can't figure out how to tie my dermatologist to Bruce ...)

If you play along, let me know so we can compare answers (even if yours have nothing whatsoever to do with Bruce).

Snip, snip

I wore my hair short and dyed it red for decades. I had been cutting and coloring it for so long that I'd actually kinda forgotten what its natural state was. So I stopped dying it and let it grow. I'm happy with the color as God intended it, but the length ... Eh. My hair has become a high-maintenance mass of cowlicks and unruly curls and they have to go. This Saturday morning. Snip, snip. Bye bye.

My search for an example of what I want to show the stylist had me landing in KatieLand with both feet. I really like the no-muss, no-fuss style Katie Holmes wears. But she's much younger than I am. I was afraid I'd look tragically jeune fille.

Then I saw what that other Katie was up to. Katie Couric is older than I am, and she looks just fine.

So now I have a plan. I just wish I didn't have to wait until Saturday. Once I make up my mind about these things, I want to do them NOW.

Bad Andy

Back in 1957, a virtual unknown named Andy Griffith played a virtual unknown named Larry "Lonesome" Rhodes. His easy, "aw shucks" charm covers a dark heart and massive ego. Thanks to his natural talent and a knack for knowing what the public wants, Lonesome rises rapidly from a 2-minute radio curiosity to a national TV sensation, selling his loyal audience on everything from his sponsors' products to the candidates who bribe him. He's a complete, charismatic fraud.

This movie, A Face in the Crowd, was made years before Andy Griffith became Sheriff Andy Taylor and put Mayberry on the map. It's rattling to see him as a hard drinking, coarse, cruel womanizer and opportunist. I guess I forgot he was an actor, not a small-town lawman. And the comparison between Rhodes and a certain right wing radio commentator who today is drunk with his own power and importance is inescapable.

If you get a chance to see A Face in the Crowd, don't miss it. I'm watching it on TCM right now and am hooked.

Oh, no you don't. Not again.

I was the first one to arrive at a meeting this afternoon. The second was the art director I work with most often. Just making conversation, I told her that I was getting my hair cut this weekend. I have tried it longer and it's just not working. After my workout today, it just went BOOOOINNNG -- curling this way and that.

She told me I just hadn't tried hard enough. I need to get a "better" cut, with layers. Then I could just add a little product and scrunch. Or maybe take a round brush and blow it dry. A "better" cut and the willingness to make my hair look nice -- that's all I need.

I do not intend to blow dry my hair every day twice a day -- once after my shower in the morning and then again after my workout. As my hair gets longer, I can't control the curls and cowlicks, and so it's got to go.

I also didn't ask for her opinion.

Last time the Art Director did this to me, she hurt my feelings. Then she told me that all I needed to be very nice looking was new clothes, new makeup and new hair. It left me feeling sad that I was so homely. Today I just remembered that it's my hair, seeing as it's growing out of my head and all, and so if I want it cut off, it goes. She'll just have to adjust.

Welcome my new addition

... to my workouts. The lateral pulldown. My shoulders are such a mess from years of hunching over a keyboard that these actually feel gooooood.

It's not just propaganda crap put forward in the fitness magazines: Adding to my workout repertoire really does make the time go faster, and leave me feeling better afterward. Today I did cardio (bike), lateral pulls, leg lifts and sit ups. If I get to the health club tomorrow, I'll try to remember to do the treadmill instead of the bike, and maybe some leg machines instead of the pulls.

It feels nice to have exercise as a meaningful part of my day again. Since I've been working with my personal trainer (we only have one session left), it feels less like drudgery and more like a gift to myself.

Monday Movie Meme

This week's movie topic is
Your First R Rated Movie

It was Serpico. I wasn't old enough to see it, so the drama of getting into the theater outweighed the drama on the screen. I'm told the movie had something to do with police and New York City and corruption, but you couldn't prove it by me. To my teeny bopper virginal mind, the real take-away was that you could actually have sex in a bathtub.

To play along yourself, or to compare answers with other bloggers, click here.

Me & the Boss -- Together again!

I'm seeing BROOOOOOOCE tomorrow. That would be Tuesday, the 12th. It will technically be tomorrow because as I write this, it's nearly 1:00 AM Monday morning.

I'm belatedly excited about tomorrow night because I got the ticket back in February. I was so focused on getting in to The United Center, so pleased with my seat (ground floor, and I paid face value, thank you very much!), that I kinda forgot about the reality of enjoying the show.

Here's the setlist for his recent concert (University Park, PA). I must not get too excited about those fabulously cool encores because he's been known to switch those up. The E Street Band is, at heart, a bar band. While I love the idea of hearing "Bobby Jean" and "Devil with the Blue Dress" live again, I'd also love to hear "Rosalita," "Expressway to Your Heart" (yes, they're covering that 1960s classic), "Mustang Sally," and "Thunder Road"* close the show.

Badlands
Out In The Street
Outlaw Pete
She's The One
Working On A Dream
Seeds
Johnny 99
The Ghost Of Tom Joad
Raise Your Hand
Ramrod
My Generation
Spirit In The Night
Waitin' On A Sunny Day
The Promised Land
The Wrestler
This Life
Radio Nowhere
Lonesome Day
The Rising
Born To Run

Hard Times
Jungleland
Land Of Hope And Dreams
American Land
Bobby Jean
Detroit Medley
Wooly Bully

To those of you who aren't Bruce fans, and who feel that I've been speaking in tongues, I apologize. I'll be okay once I'm in possession of a tour shirt. (Preferably this one.) Then perhaps I can cease what one Chicago critic called "bovine Broooocing."

* To my mind, the most romantic song ever written. Maybe it's because I'm scared and I'm thinking that maybe I ain't that young anymore. "Show a little faith, there's magic in the night." Sigh. Brooooce. Double-sigh.

Sunday was cancelled

Deleted from my diet/exercise regimen, that is.

I've done very well at tracking my calorie intake and exercise at The Daily Plate at Livestrong.com (sample page shown above). I have been working out weekly with a trainer and have taken what I've learned and revised the way I exercise on my own. I am committed to getting stronger and healthier.

But I am not obsessed.

I got into this with the encouragement of my best friend, who is determined to finish the Boulder Bolder (a 10k race at the end of this month) in less than 60 minutes. I, however, am not training for a race. I'm changing the way I eat and move for a lifetime.

So if today I have a pair of mimosas at lunch with my mom (and I did), if I have eclairs and cheesecake and strawberry shortcake in the same day (and I did), if I take a cab from my front door instead of hoofing it to the bus stop (and I did), all is not lost. I will begin again tomorrow.

On second thought, I think I'll do a few sit ups before bed. I'm not obsessed, but I am motivated. A much better approach.

A Special Lunch for Mommy & Me

Today we celebrated Mother's Day. Because of my mom's recent illness, the day felt especially poignant and meaningful.

She loves, LOVES Barack Obama, often beginning her comments about him with, "Not since JFK … " So I got her the Time Magazine coffee table book about his campaign and inauguration, and her very own Barack Obama action figure. I also gave her a Subway gift card so she can treat my niece and nephew to lunch next time they come over. (Subway is several blocks up the street, so it will be good exercise for my mom and healthy for the kids.)

Then we went to a special Mother's Day brunch. It was fancier than her usual lunch haunts, with free mimosas for both of us (I drank hers while she had decaf) and a pair of complimetary roses for her. She went up to the buffet twice -- taking pork and dumplings the first trip and salmon and salad the second time. For dessert, we both had strawberry shortcake. It was great to see her eat and eat AND EAT!!! (My sister's family took her out to dinner yesterday, too!)

We talked a lot. When she was really sick and kind of out of it, she referred to everyone's pet (hers, mine, my sister's, my uncle's) by the name of her girlhood cat. She didn't remember doing that, but it didn't surprise her. She explained how much that cat meant to her, and why. I also heard tales about the other pets she and my uncle had while growing up.

Then we talked frankly about her illness. She has COPD and emphysema. She gets it now. She will always have to take special care of herself now, from here on out. Every day. It doesn't have to stop her from doing things she wants to do, but she will have to change her day-to-day life. She explained that she was in denial at first. She thought that if she resisted what the doctors told her, she wouldn't be letting her condition get to her. She realizes now it was crazy, but she was being honest and I appreciate that. It explains so much about her frustrating behavior after she came home from the hospital.

Most of all, she promised that we would do this again next year. That was her wonderful gift to me, even though Mother's Day is her day.

Sunday Stealing

1. What is on the walls of your room? Since I live alone, every room is my room. Thomas McKnight is my favorite artist, and I've got 3 of his prints displayed throughout my home.

2. What type of music do you listen to? Lately I've been listening to a lot of Bruce Springsteen since I'm seeing him this coming Tuesday. (Yea!)

3. What do you want more than anything right now? To be thin.

4. Do you get scared in the dark? I have, but not often.

5. What's you worst fear? Suffering in a plane crash.

6. If you could anything right now, what would it be? Talk to my best friend.

7. What’s the meaningful gift that you’ve received? My friend Kathleen gave me the press plate for the front page of the Chicago Tribune announcing Obama won.

8. Do you have a crush? Yes!

9. Who is your favorite celebrity? Favorite? Um … I'm Team Aniston. Does that count?

10. Could you fall in love with someone that you know must leave? Yes.

11. Share a favorite quote of yours. From Groucho Marx: "East is east and west is west and if you take cranberries and stew them like applesauce they taste much more like prunes than rhubarb does."

12. What’s your weakness? Complete lack of discipline.

13. Do you believe that we all have a soul mate? Yes.

14. What were you doing before Sunday Stealing? Putting clean towels in the bathroom.

15. What do you get complicated about the most? I can be pretty complicated all on my own, nothing/no one needs to "get" me that way.

16. What turns you off the most from a potential partner? Smoking

17. What is you worst habit? I'm a slob.

18. When was the last time that you were jealous? This past week.

19. Have you ever had a “friend with benefits?" Yes.

20. Do you use sarcasm? Use it for what?

21. At the moment, what’s your favorite song? "I Will." The Beatles

22. What is you favorite day of the year? My birthday.

23. Describe your love life. Non-existent

24. When was your last one night stand? I've never had one.

25. How many past lovers are too many? For what?

Sunday Stealing: The 2 for 1 Meme

Enjoying MY Day

Emphasis on the "MY." I've had a lovely alone day. Went out for breakfast, left a contribution behind at the local food pantry, spent an hour with my trainer, did a wee bit of grocery shopping, and parked myself on the sofa to enjoy the Law & Order: SVU marathon. (I love watching Olivia and Elliott.)

I had kind of a rough week. Tough times at work -- lay-off rumors combined with a less-than-stellar client presentation. A little low-energy personally, with my best friend away for the week. Even rough for the Cubs, with Aramis Ramierez taking a tumble and dislocating his shoulder. (Ouch!) He'll be out for 3-4 weeks.

Alone time helps me heal. Tomorrow I'll spend with my mom, enjoying Mother's Day. I'll enjoy it more if my personal battery is recharged.

My how time flies when you're antsy

So you don't like the word "antsy?" Of course you don't. No one seems all that crazy about anything I write this week. Choose your own synonym: Fidgety, nervous, discontented, uncomfortable, peevish. They all apply.

Our team is not working together as a team, and mistakes are being made. I don't know which came first -- the fractiousness or the fuck-ups. Since my creative concepts have been the ones that have been chosen lately, it's my projects that have endured the lion's share of problems. No one's mood is improved by the rumors of another round of lay offs.

Oh well, I'm having my customary Friday afternoon beer. That means the workweek is over and I can go home to watch the Cubs take on the Brewers. Sunday will be a big day, too, celebrating Mother's Day. It's more poignant and meaningful this year because of my mother's recent illness.

I hate it when this happens!

Had a rough day at work. Our client requested that we present our latest creative over the phone and on the web instead of in person -- they banned travel to and from their offices to help stem exposure to swine flu. We have never done it this way before, and it was impossible to tell if they liked the work or not.

This makes me nervous because lay-off rumors are swirling again. It would have been nice to be able to enthusiastically say to myself, "At least the client loves my work, so that might keep me safe." But right now I honestly can't.

I got home a little later than usual, watched Grey's Anatomy and then dozed off on the sofa.

DAMN!

I wanted to catch the end of the Cubs game (they beat Houston for the second night in a row!) and the late night repeat of Oprah's interview with Elizabeth Edwards. Missed them both.

What's worse, it's after 2:00 AM and now I'm wide awake!

GRRR!