THURSDAY THIRTEEN #187

THIRTEEN THINGS ABOUT THE WORLD DIANA LEFT

August 31 marked the 15th anniversary of Princess Diana's death. Seeing her beloved boys all grown up is a constant reminder of how long she's been gone.

I remember Lady Diana Spencer, the shy teenager catapulted onto a world stage. I remember Princess Diana, the beautiful bride. Followed by the neglected wife, the troubled captive of unfathomable fame and a powerful family. Then there was The People's Princess, the charity crusader and jet setter who was so much fun to watch. Then she was gone. I miss her.

Here's a snapshot of how the world looked 15 years ago when she died in that tragic car crash.

1) Diana and Dodi were big news. She was the world's most popular cover girl, and the week of her death, PEOPLE magazine wondered if Dodi Al Fayed was the "guy for Di."

2) JFK Jr.'s family feud. They may not be the House of Windsor, but the Kennedys as America's Royal Family have sold alot of magazines over the years. In August 1997, John Kennedy Jr. took his cousins to task in an editorial in George magazine, referring to them as "the poster boys for bad behavior." At the time, Joseph Kennedy II was running for governor and apparently bullying his first wife into a politically expedient annulment. Joe's brother Michael Kennedy was embroiled in a cheating scandal with a 16-year-old babysitter. Joe responded to John by telling the press, "Ask not what you can do for your cousin, ask what you can do to sell magazines."

3) The President and First Lady were on vacation in Martha's Vineyard. In more positive Kennedy news, Ted and Patrick Kennedy played host to Bill and Hillary Clinton, who spent that week sailing, golfing and attending cook outs.

4) "The Death of Privacy." TIME devoted its cover story to how the advent of the internet and ATM led to information gathering on consumers. Ironic, when you consider that Diana's lack of privacy had paparazzi chasing her through the streets of Paris that last night of her life.

5) Brad Pitt was having some privacy issues of his own. Playgirl published nude paparazzi shots of the hunk, front and back.

6) Air Force One was in theaters. And Harrison Ford was our #1 action hero.

7) Remembering Elvis. August 1997 was the 20th anniversary of The King's death, and it was observed by a month of magazine covers and TV specials.


8) Steve Jobs and Bill Gates made a deal. In August 1997, they announced Microsoft Office would become available for Macs.
 
9) We were all listening to The Spice Girls, whether we wanted to or not. They were all over the radio and in August, began filming Spice World. (Girl Power!)

10) The Beanie Baby craze was in full swing. People waited in lines to get new ones on the day they were introduced, and collectors scrambled to buy their favorites once they were retired.

11) Michael Jordan was the world's dominant athlete. The buzz was whether he could lead the Bulls to a championship three-peat. (He so did.)

12) The Cubs' Sammy Sosa hit his 200th homerun. In that more innocent summer, there was only a whisper of juicing.

13) Tyra for Victoria's Secret. Today Tyra Banks is a media mogul. 15 years ago this summer, she was known for gracing the fall lingerie catalog cover.

For more information about 

the Thursday Thirteen,

or to play yourself, click here.

Quick update

My modem has been operating in fits and starts, so this will be brief.

My mom is going to be okay. YEA! She's out of ICU and in her own room.

I appreciate how supportive my friends in the blogosphere have been. My family and I are stronger for your good wishes and I thank you, thank you, thank you.

Back home and tomorrow it's back to work. I'll post more then. (On an internet connection I can actually trust for more than a minute!)

Please keep us in your thoughts

Charlotte is fine, sitting behind me as I post this. So that's good news.

But my mother is very sick again.

While on vacation with my sister's family in Wisconsin, she began vomiting blood. They took her to a hospital in a town called Portage, where they stabilized her. But her doctor acknowledges he doesn't have the capability to diagnose and treat her there, so tonight she's in Madison, having tests done.

Their goal in the new hospital is two fold -- 1) to find the source and stop the bleeding and 2) ward off pneumonia. Some "old" blood is unfortunately in her lungs, and for a woman of 77, that can be dangerous.

Fortunately I have lots of airline miles and am able to fly up there tomorrow morning for just $80. Booking this was difficult because my modem has been winking and blinking all day and it timed out before the transaction could go through. I actually made the reservation with my tablet at Starbucks. Without the internet, I feel like I'm roughing it a pioneer woman!

Being in Madison I will be surrounded by my sisters, which is always awkward at best. But I keep reminding myself that this is not about us, it's about my mother.

As Sir Paul sang in a song called "Two Of Us" .... she and I have memories longer than the road that stretches on ahead. That's what this is all about.

She sent me a note that I just received yesterday. She thanked me for helping her put together a get well gift for my niece/her granddaughter, who is scheduled to have her wisdom teeth pulled out next week. When we were talking about this last week, my mom was sad about not having the money to buy my niece anything, so I picked up a Bath & Body Works gift set in the scent she likes and told  my mom to send me a "get well" in her own hand for me to stick in the package. No reason why that can't be from my mom, right? Then my mom is happy AND my niece is happy.

In the note I got yesterday, which accompanied the get well wishes for my niece, she wrote, "Thank you for being so helpful with this. You are quite a special kid and I love you."

I cherish that note, even as I'm frightened.

Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing: The 88 Meme, Part Two

 

23. Why do you think so many people cheat? Hell if I know. When I've been unhappy with a man, the last thing I wanted was another man.

24. Tell me what's on your mind? I'm pissed that MDA fired Jerry Lewis. Where else but the Labor Day Telethon could I see a grown man stick his hand up the ass of a giant Paul McCartney puppet and perform a duet of "The Girl Is Mine?" (I'm not imagining that act. I actually saw it on one of Jerry's last telethons.)

25. What are you looking forward to in the next three months? I see THE BOSS at Wrigley Field this Friday. In October I see Streisand. November is Holy Month (my birthday). 
 
26. Have you ever worn the opposite sex's clothing? Sure. I've noticed boyfriends like giving me shirts to wear the morning after.

25. When did you last talk to your BFF? Received an email from him Friday afternoon. 

28. When is your next road trip? I don't have anything planned. BUT I do have over a week of vacation time left, so I may just take off.

29. Do you have someone of the opposite sex you can tell anything to? Yes. My aforementioned BFF is a man. My friend John is very accepting, too.

30. How's your heart? Been battered so many times it must look like Ali's fists after one of the Frazier fights.

31. Have you ever felt like you weren't important? Yes. My high school years were very painful in this regard.

32. Do you think somebody's secretly in love with you? I suspect so.

33. What are you planning on doing after this? I have no plans for today. The makes me happy.

34. Last time you yelled at someone? I don't remember.

35. Have you told anybody you loved them today? It's rather early ...

36. Who do you not get along with? My least favorite coworker, The Chocolate Covered Spider.

37. What does your most recent text say? Mine to him: "For real?" His to me: "No lie! I saw ID." A friend of mine told me actually met someone named Elvis.




38. What are you wearing right now? My Vitameatavegamin night shirt. (I'm a slave to fashion.)
 
39. You're locked in a room with the person you last kissed in high school, how is it? More comfortable now that I don't have braces on my teeth.

40. When's the last time you had a grilled cheese? A couple days ago.

41. What's your favorite boy and girl name? Michael and Gracie.

42. How did you feel when you woke up? Thirsty.

43. Do you wish someone would call or text you right now? It's a little early ...

44. Do you think Clint Eastwood would have been better talking to a table? Poor old Clint looked pathetic, didn't he?

 
45. What were you doing yesterday at midnight? Watching Dead Again (1991) with Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson. I looooove that movie! It's a murder mystery/love story. Just romantic enough, just scary enough. What? You haven't seen it? You must!

My backsliding baby

Charlotte is back under the bed again today. I must remember what the vet said -- this is not unheard of. And it's possible that hovering over her might make her feel more nervous, not less.

Sigh.

I wish she spoke English, or that I was more fluent in feline, so I could better help her get over this.

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Always The Last to Know

(I'm a big fan of this song. Happy to have it in my head as I answer these.)
  

1.    When was the most recent time that you felt that you were the last to know something important? When I met the “new kid” my boss hired to handle an important new project. This “kid” is not only my age or older, he has a better title, a better office and, I assume, a bigger paycheck.

2.    Have you ever had a good thing in your life that never ended? Sure. I’ve always gotten a great deal of joy from reading and pets. That’s why I stole a quote from Edward Gorey as my motto: “Books. Cats. Life Is Good.”

3.    Do you have any nasty habits? I’m a slob.

4.    What is something that you still do that you thought you'd outgrow? Farting around neverendingly on the internet!

5.    Have you lost any of your dreams as time went by? Oh, sure.

6.    As you've grown older, what ways are you still act and think the way you did as when you were younger? The way I respond to my Cubs and to music. BROOOCE IS THIS FRIDAY!

7.    Is there a person in your life who still treats you as the same person you were when younger? Do you like it? My oldest friend. In her mind, she’s still the sweet delicate one and I’m still the daring one, like we were in first grade. Sometimes I like it. Sometimes I think I have to be like a Warner Bros. cartoon and drop an ACME anvil on her head when I’m the one who may need support once in a while. In fairness, when she finally understands that I’m sad or blue, she does come through … like a champ.

8.    Have you let yourself go wild in any aspect of your life? Not anymore. I was more daring when I was younger and had less to lose.

9.    How do (or did) you parents feel about what you do for a living? My mom was a housewife and my dad was an auto mechanic. They have/had no real understanding of what I do as an advertising writer.

August Happiness Challenge -- Day 31

Today's Happiness: a healthy Charlotte. It took me ten minutes to chase her from room to room and finally herd her into the carrier. She was paralyzed with fear all the way to the vet and throughout her exam. The vet reported that all of her vital signs are fine and asked when the smoke detector went off and terrified her. "Tuesday," said I. "Oh," he said, "so it hasn't even been a week yet."

A week? A week!

He told me that he wouldn't be surprised if she remained confused and upset for two weeks. Looking at her file, he said, "If she's not more social when you bring her in for her shots in October, we'll do some tests."

OCTOBER?! He said it's not unusual for cats to do this to themselves. I've never encountered it in a lifetime of feline ownership, but he's a vet and it's his job to know this stuff.

And, it turns out, he was right. The HORROR of going to the vet was so ginormous that Charlotte forgot the mere terror of the smoke detector going off and she's been fine all afternoon.

I'm so relieved!

And thank you to the ladies who asked after her:

Kwizgiver

Vivian

Pearl 

Endomental

Reading the good wishes was a happiness moment, too!

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

My poor girl!

I'm taking Charlotte to the vet this morning. It's going to be a gruesome experience.

She hates going outside under the best circumstances, and these are not the best.

First of all, it's going to be hot outside. Secondly, something is up with the old girl. It's true she's always been skittish, but she has always been affectionate and lively around me. Since Tuesday, though, she has been afraid of me. It's painful to see her spending her days hiding under the bed.

I opened the door to the bathroom too soon after my shower and the heat/steam set off the smoke detector. It's sent her into a tailspin of terror. Last night she crawled into bed with me and curled up on the pillow beside me. When I pet her she was fine, but as soon as I rose I became scary again.

We're going to the vet today for a second treatment of her seasonal allergies. I hope that's all that's wrong with her. I'd hate to think she's losing her sense of reason because of something more serious.

August Happiness Challenge -- Day 30

Today's Happiness: my pedicure. Nearly a week old and it still looks great. Looking at my pretty toes does indeed make me happy, and I'm glad it should last until I switch back to closed-toe shoes.

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Thursday Thirteen #186

THIRTEEN EASY, EXPERT BEAUTY TIPS

I got these from the terrific Allure Insider's Guide to Beauty & Style. They're all affordable and easy to accomplish, and just a sample from the issue that's on stands right now, as well available at Ulta stores.

1) Don't sip through a straw. It can create fine lines around your mouth.

2) If your skin is sensitive, choose "fragrance free" products. "Unscented" means no scent (like "powder fresh" or "minty") has been added so there's nothing to complete with the smell of your cologne or body lotion. But low levels of "masking fragrance" are permissible. Really! Read the ingredient statement on the back of an "unscented" product and you're likely to find "fragrance" listed there.

3) To make your manicure last longer, avoid alcohol. No, not vodka! Hand sanitizer! It can make your polish look dull. Wash your manicured hands in soapy water instead.

4) Also, avoid folding laundry just out of the dryer. The dry heat can weaken your nails.

5) You know that face cream you tried that just didn't work out? Don't throw it away. Instead, apply it to your heels. Your skin there isn't as sensitive as it is on your face, but still needs moisturizing.

6)  The worst place to store your cologne or perfume is the bathroom. The shifts in temperature and humidity can alter the fragrance.

7)  Shop for fragrance at midday, because that's when the average person's sense of smell is the sharpest.

8) Liven up your fall/winter wardrobe with a coat or trench in a bright color. Since you wear it closed, you don't have to worry about it clashing with your blouse.

9) If your hair tends to be dull, choose a more powerful hair dryer. If it has 2,000 watts or more, it will dry your hair faster, which reduces the chances of overworking and overheating it.

10) Change your conditioner periodically. Every brand has a slightly different formula, and mixing it up every now and again will help reduce build up.

11) The mascara wand is as important as the formula. The conventional round brush is for fullness. If separation is important to you, choose one with a spiky, comb-like wand.

12) To achieve a natural look that's better than no makeup at all, try using a sheer metallic face bronzer as your eyeshadow. It adds definition to your eyes but no discernible color.

13) It's a myth that using lip balm will leave you needing more.

For more information about 

the Thursday Thirteen,

or to play yourself, click here.

August Happiness Challenge -- Day 29

Today's Happiness: old movies. I'm curled up in front of the TV for Ingrid Bergman night on TCM Summer Under the Stars. Here she is in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, where she's Ivy, a tart who is about to meet a bad end at the hands of our evil doctor. Then, of course, I'll watch her as the incomparable Ilsa Lund from Casablanca. These old black and white films enchant me.

Her cheeks are always ruddy

I'm thinking about the woman who is always on the corner of Michigan and Randolph for the evening rush hour. She's solemn, pink-cheeked, and holds a sign that says, "I'm not a bad girl. I made bad choices."

Since I changed health clubs, I know longer see "my" McDonald's Man, the homeless gentleman with terrible eyesight I always passed en route. He always said, "Thank you for your blessings" whenever I dropped coins in his cup.

So instead I give my few cents a day to her. Whereas his graciousness always touched my heart, so does her terrible dignity. This has been a hot, uncomfortable summer and she's been there every day, holding that sign in which she owns up to her shortcomings. I wonder what her life is like, and how she got here.

I Want Wednesday

I want this zit to go away! I grew a brand new pimple on my chin yesterday. Hopefully I salicylic'd it early and often enough that it won't grow big enough to get it's own zip code.

August Happiness Challenge -- Day 28

Today's Happiness: Slices of banana in my banana pudding. It made me feel like my dessert added to my fiber and potassium.

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

August Happiness Challenge -- Day 27

Today's Happiness: My solar-powered Queen Elizabeth. She's smiling and waving to me right now as I write this. She cost me $20.50, but the joy she brings me here at the office is incalculable. The solar panel is, of course, in her handbag. Admit it -- you always wondered what she had in there and now you know. 

Curious as a Cat

To play along yourself, click here.

1) If you owned a CB radio what would your "handle" be? The Gal Herself

2) If you were given 24 hours to live, what would you do? This assumes that I'm in pretty good shape for my last hours: See everyone I love one more time, tell them how I feel, and get my affairs in order. (My house is a mess, so that would take most of the 24 hours!)

3) If you were in the "Miss America" talent competition, what would your talent be? I can wiggle my ears. I can really get the right one going. Bet that would set the judges' hearts atwitter.

4) Show and Tell. What comes to mind first when you see this picture? Or, tell a story if it reminds you of one. I hate my bathroom! When I redo it, I'll have oversized tiles in a neutral color, instead of the putrid Pepto Bismol pink I have now.

I don't much like Gary Cooper

On this rainy Sunday I discovered myself to be filled with dissatisfaction.

It's Gary Cooper Day on TCM Summer Under the Stars. Yes, I know ... I know ... "Coop" is an American icon. He's the sheriff in High Noon! He's Sgt. York himself! Capra loved working with him. Actress and party girl Lupe Velez said he was a fantastic lover. And yet, whenever I see him on screen, I just yawn. I tried watching him today in some of his best work and ... I'm sorry, whenever confronted with Gary Cooper, my mind just goes to the happy place. I ended up watching the original Airport -- with Burt Lancaster and Dean Martin and, most delightfully, Helen Hayes -- for the first time since I was a little girl and had a delightful time.

Similarly I have picked up -- and put down -- biographies of two very different people: Barack Obama's mother (A Singular Woman) and Beatles' manager Brian Epstein (In My Life). I expected to be riveted by their stories. Yet neither one hooked me. Instead I picked up a funny and fluffy mystery, The Curse of the Spellmans.* Now I'm happy.

I'll give those two biographies a try again at a later date. But really, I'm giving up on Gary Cooper for good.

*Thanks to Kwizgiver for turning me on to this series.

August Happiness Challenge -- Day 26

Today's Happiness: Trader Joe's. I'm not a foodie, and I don't consider what I do in the kitchen cooking. Yet I always enjoy my time at this grocery store. It's not the biggest, and the selection isn't the greatest, but it's so colorful and the people who work there are so nice and everything looks healthy and it's more reasonable in price than Whole Foods.

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing: The 88 Meme

  

1. 1. What type questions do you hate on a meme? Ones that make assumptions about me: “Like how did you meet your spouse” (assumes I have a spouse) or “Before your kids were born …” (assumes I have wee ones).

2. If you married the last person you texted, what would your last name be? Gall

3. Were you happy when you woke up today? No, exasperated. My cat, Reynaldo, believed he was in dire need of my attention and was tormenting me. Oh well, he’s been worse.

4. When were you on the phone last? And with who? Last night. My mom.

5. Who are you excited for? Me. I realized it’s less than two weeks till I get to see BROOOOOOCE! Live and in concert at Wrigley Field!

7. Honestly, who was the last person to tell you they love you? My oldest friend. She’s always very good about saying, “I love you, Dear.”

8. What's the last thing you put in your mouth? A slice of cheese. You have no idea how much I wish I had a sexier answer.

9. Have a best friend? Yes

10. Were you ever or are you scared to fall in love? Yes

11. Do you think teenagers can be in love? Yes

12. Last person you wanted to punch in the face? No one springs to mind, but it was probably someone who annoyed me during my commute to or from work.

13. What time is it right this second? 8:05 AM

14. What do you want right now? Lose 25 lbs.

15. Who was the last person you took a picture with? My oldest friend

16. Are you single/taken/heartbroken/or confused? Yes

17. When was the last time you cried?  I welled up a bit just now when watching the news. I saw Mayor Daley at the announcement of the new park to be named for his late wife, Maggie. They were quite a love story, and when I think of marriages like theirs, I ache for the one left behind.

18. Do you have a good relationship with your parents? My dad passed away in 1992. My mom and I are working on it.

19. Do you find it hard to trust others? Yes

20. How fast does your mind change? Sloooowly

21. I bet you miss somebody right now. Who is it? My best friend

22. Can you honestly say you're okay right now? Sure

 

I say a little prayer

My cousin Rose is in Tampa. I have friends in Key West. They are all about to get up close and personal with Isaac.

Say what you will about Chicago winters. When the snow melts, our homes are here.

August Happiness Challenge -- Day 25

Yesterday's Happiness: eyes on the prize. I not only did a full hour of low-impact cardio, I skipped the popcorn and Coke at the movies. Happy to report I felt virtuous, not deprived.

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

11 Endomental Questions

Got these from here.

1. What period of history is your favorite to read about? I like the last century, esp. the 1940s and the 1960s.
2. What is your favorite genre of fiction? Mysteries
3. Do you choose a book by its cover? No.
4. Where do you do most of your reading? Over lunch, on the train or on the exercise bike
5. Without looking, guess about how many books are in your TBR pile. Now look. Were you right? Nowhere near right. I guess a dozen and it's really well over 20.
6. How many movies on your TBW list? I don't have a TBW list
7. What's your favorite genre of movie? One without vampires or boy wizards or Hunger Games
8. Do you still go to see movies in the theater? Yes! Just today I saw Hope Springs
9. You have $10,000 and no strings or obligations for one full day. Where do you go and what do you do? I go to the mall and I blow through a great deal of the money. Then I hurry up and bank the rest.
10. How many songs on your mp3 player? 7311, taking up 43.31 GB of space. I wouldn't believe it either, except I just checked it on itunes.
11. What comes next? Monster, monkey, helicopter, __________ HELIUM

Eeyore apologized!

My best friend understands how self-involved he has been and he freely said he's sorry. Gulp! This is big. This is an important moment in our 8 year friendship.

I am impressed by his capacity to change. He is a good man.

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: I'm So Excited

1. What was the last event or situation that got you really excited? Realizing I can afford to see Streisand. I grew up on the old girl and her career has meant a great deal to me. So I have The Boss in September and Babs in October. I have a good autumn ahead of me!

2. How old were you when you started working and what was your first job? I began babysitting at 14. $1/hour and $2/hour after midnight. Considering how young the kids were and how early they went to bed, I was, in effect, being paid to eat potato chips and watch TV. In all, not a bad gig.

3. Tell us about your grandparents. I had one set of grandparents I loved very much. Grandpa was great at hugs. He would envelope me. He smelled of cigars and licorice lozenges. When I cried, he'd pull me to him and sing, "Come to me, my melancholy baby, cuddle up and don't be blue ..." I truly thought he made the song up for me. He thought everything I did was brilliant. I miss that unconditional love. My Grandma was an even bigger Cub fan than my Grandpa. I think of her whenever I see Ryne Sandberg's #23 banner flying over Wrigley Field. She loooooved her Ryno. More even than (gasp!) Ernie Banks! (My other set of grandparents completely sucked.)

4. Do you procrastinate or are you usually on top of situations? I have no discipline whatsoever.

5. What would others say about you? Depends on which others you ask.

6. Do you believe in life on other planets? Intellectually, yes. Emotionally, no.

7. When was the last time that you were called too thin? About 20 years ago. Sigh. I miss those days.

8. Do you work out? Have you ever joined a gym and quit almost immediately? I INTEND to work out 3x/week. As you can see from the counter at right, that's not going to happen in August. And no, I've never joined and then quit.

9. Do you feel that you utilize all your intelligence in every situation? HA!

I love him, but ...

My best friend is in serious Eeyore mode again. All we talk about his him, and his job search, and how much he hates networking, and how bad he feels about his career choices, and how badly his bosses treated him ... and ... and ... and ...

I recognize that losing his job has hit him hard. I am doing everything I can to help. I do this willingly and with an open heart. But it's beginning to weigh on me.

He asks my advice and then resists it ... until he works it all through and comes around. He complains about things he can't change. (LinkedIn is a fact of life in advertising/marketing. It just is! Not everyone will answer his emails as quickly as I do. They just won't!) And he can be stupefyingly self centered.

He shot me a text message (which I read while getting my hair done): UGH! Dave* reviewed my LinkedIn profile. I hate seeing his face.

When I got home, I responded in an email telling him that I get it, as my least favorite ex uses LinkedIn to stalk me. I told my best friend how it feels like a shot to my solar plexus to see the face of the man who raped me when I least expect it, but this is a necessary evil of the uber-connected world we live in. I also told him how Dave probably found him -- that he now works once again with another former coworker (advertising/marketing in Chicago is rather incestuous).

His response to my three paragraphs long email? "Thanks."

There are times that he is the most sensitive, mature person on earth. But when he is in "Woe Is Me"/Eeyore mode, he is, pardon the pun, an ass.

I told him it hurt my feelings. And now I bet he will tell me that somehow I'm "beating up on him." I could be wrong, but this does seem to be our dance. Oh well. If he is going to continue to be my friend, I am going to continue to demand he respect my feelings. He lost his job three weeks ago. He may be out of work for a long time. That doesn't give him the right to diss me.

*One of our least favorite former coworkers.

August Happiness Challenge -- Day 24

Today's Happiness: my shorter haircut. It's nice to mix it up a bit. And I'm lucky, my hair is still thick and grows like crazy. So if I wake up tomorrow and think I no longer like it, there's no real harm. 

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net