Saturday 9

Saturday 9: LIttle Red Corvette

1) The subject of this song is frankly sexual. Do you blush easily? I don't think so

2) Prince is his real name (Prince Rogers, to be exact). Growing up, his relatives called him "Skipper." Do you have any nicknames within your family? When I was really young, my dad used to call me "Mouse" and "Andy Panda."

3) Prince says he's "obsessed" with Mozart and reads whatever he can find about the composer. What's the last book you read? I just finished Cop Town, by Karin Slaughter. It's a compelling thriller, but very violent.

4) Between Prince and The Beach Boys, the Corvette is a much sung-about car. Tell us about your vehicle. No car


5) In the 1980s, when Prince was popular, MTV could turn a song into a hit. In 2014, how do you hear new music? At the the health club or while watching TV. I listen to the oldies station in the morning, so no new music there.

 

 

6) In 1982, when "Little Red Corvette" ruled the airwaves, Braniff Airways shocked the travel industry and threw passengers into chaos by declaring bankruptcy. When did you last fly? Did your trip go smoothly? It's been six months. I was in the Keys for Christmas, and I don't recall any hassles going to or fro.

7) 1982 is also the year Disney opened Epcot. Have you ever been to a Disney park? I've been to both DisneyWorld and Disneyland. Loved them both. And really, how could you not?

8) 1982 is the year Cheers premiered. The sitcom was set in a bar where "everybody knows your name." Tell us about your favorite local bar or restaurant. There's a rather upscale coffee shop here in town that I like. They add creative touches to old familiar recipes (so far, my favorite is the salmon benedict).

9) The 1980s were considered a highpoint in professional tennis, with Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe dominating the sport. Do you play tennis? No. I'm the most remarkably uncoordinated person you'll ever meet.

Suddenly swamped

We're very busy at work all of a sudden.

My individual project is updating and refreshing our client's web pages, and it's been challenging. Our account exec is highly political and very tightly wound. Plus this is a medium I'm not very adept in (yet). But I'm learning a lot and I completely adore one of our digital guys, Joshua. Best of all, I feel I'm definitely adding value and helping to build our client's business. That is, after all, what I'm paid to do!

My boss has joined the rest of management one layer above me to work on a big presentation, noon on Monday, to try to win more of our client's business. (Or at the very least preserve what we have.) When I left today, they all seemed to feel good about the deck. Which is good because this is important.

So while it's been stressful, it's made the week zip by and left me feeling productive.

There'll be some changes made

I liked my original trainer, DeWayne. He was equal parts cheerleader and task master. I wanted to do better each week so I could show him my improvement.

After four weeks I fell off the personal trainer bandwagon. I got busy at work ... I got a cold I couldn't shake ... I didn't schedule an appointment with DeWayne at all in May.

Apparently I'm not the only one who liked him. His schedule is now full with new clients and he doesn't have space for me anymore!

Last night I met my new trainer, Alex. He's a baby-faced, doe-eyed sadist.

The moves he had me doing were too complicated. He jumps he suggested were too ambitious. I left last night feeling like a failure.

That's not right. After all, I'm paying for this abuse.

I want to be challenged. But I also want to feel like I'm accomplishing something, not disappointing the populace.

So next week, at the beginning of our session, I'm going to explain my concerns to Alex. Hopefully he will hear me. If not, I'm going to request a different trainer.

BTW, that photo is of Marilyn Monroe, showing a LIFE magazine photographer how she maintained those famous curves. Actress/model Elizabeth Hurley started a rumor that MM was fat by today's standards. Marilyn was (usually) a size 10 and a fit one, at that. And Elizabeth Hurley is a bitch.

And I love him

It's Sir Paul's birthday. Celebrate accordingly.

Something you don't see every day

I rode the el this morning sitting across from two typical suburban dads. Between 45 and 55, wearing
open-necked shirts. One wore jeans and a baseball cap, the other was khaki clad.

First they talked about Kansas City (the Royals, I suspect). Then baseball cap dad said he'd read Hillary Clinton's new book over the weekend. "It wasn't as good as her other one, It Takes a Village," he reported. "I thought I'd get a book for Father's Day, but I didn't," khaki replied. Then they began talking about baseball cap dad's "old school" lawnmower and how he keeps the blades so sharp.

It occurred to me that this was the first time I have ever heard men spontaneously talk about Hillary. What I found heartening was the context. She was an author. Not a female author. Not a woman writer. Her gender was not remotely the issue

I have always been lukewarm toward Mrs. Clinton. I appreciate her, but I don't like her. I understand her intellectually, but I don't trust her. I'll vote for her vs. just about any Republican, but I'd like to see someone run against her.

And if she wins in 2016, I'd like it to be because she's the most powerful candidate, not because she's a woman.

Sunday Stealing

Click here to play along

30. Do you read your horoscope? Not often anymore.

31. Where was the last place you bought something? A hot dog at Paisan's Pizza.

32. How do you feel about your hair right now? It's adorable. Just got it cut and colored today.

33. Do you bite your nails? When I'm bored.

34. Do you have any expensive jewelry? I have my mother's engagement and wedding rings put away somewhere.

35. Have you ever been told you speak fast? Often

36. Is your laugh usually hearty? Yes

37. How fast have you driven a car? Over 70 mph. I was practicing driving along Route 66. It was a stretch of empty road. I was amazed by how easy it is to develop a lead foot.

38. Have you ever smoked? No

39. What was your favorite subject in school?  History

40. Do you have cell phone provider loyalty?  Not especially. I don't change more out of laziness and loyalty

41. What type of boy or girl do you usually fall for? A boy whose hair I want to touch

42. Do you have any hidden talents? I can wiggle my ear

43. Favorite Song? 




44. Do you like to sing at all? I like to sing. But trust me, you don't want to hear it.

45. Dream Job? I'd like to be a pet sitter

46. Where does most of your family live? My sister's family lives a couple town's over. My cousin and aunt live in Florida.

47. Are you an only child or do you have siblings? I have two sisters.

48. Would you consider yourself to be spoiled? I prefer willful.

49. What was the first thing you thought when you woke up? "My throat hurts."

50. Do you drink? Yes

51. Know any other languages? Not well

52. Ever write a coded message? Not since I was 9.

53. Have you ever been in someone else's wedding? Yes

54. Do you have any children? No

55. Did you take a nap today? Yes

56. Who has the same birthday as you? Jamie Lee Curtis

57. Ever met anyone famous before? Yes.

58. Do you want to be famous one day? No. I think rich would be fun, though.

59. Any Pet Peeves? Space hogs. If you think it's ok for your purse or backpack to have it's own seat on the train while others stand, you're selfish.

60. Are you multitasking right now? Not really

Sick and tired of being sick and tired

Got my hair cut/colored today. Left at 10:00 and didn't get home until (gulp!) 3:00. The train I was supposed to take ran express past my stop and I ended up waiting an hour (gulp! gulp!) for a cab. It was exhausting.

Sitting outside on a sunny day, eating a hot dog and reading People magazine, shouldn't have been so tiring. But I've been battling a cold for 5 days now and I'm tired. I'm tired of having a scratchy throat and a cough and a red, stuffy nose.

I got home and slept. And slept until my oldest friend called me hours later. Hopefully I'm putting the ah-choo behind me finally.

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Oh! My Papa (1954)

1) Eddie Fisher starred in a popular 1950s TV show, which was sponsored by Coca Cola. Do you have a favorite soft drink?  That would be Coke.

2) He was notorious for leaving his famous first wife for his very famous second wife. Can you name either of the women involved in this Hollywood scandal? He left Debbie Reynolds for Liz Taylor. Who left him for Richard Burton.

3) His oldest daughter, Carrie Fisher, is best known as Princess Leia from Star Wars. Are you a sci-fi fan?  No.

4) Since Sam's father is particular about his footwear and likes "a good pair of Cole Haan loafers," her Father's Day present to him is a DSW gift card. If we were to give you a gift card to any store or restaurant, which would you choose?  CVS. There's always something I can use from CVS.

5) Sam's father hates it when she swears. When is the last time your cursed? I have a potty mouth, so undoubtedly it was yesterday.

6) Sam's father is a voracious reader. So much so that the local librarian knows him on sight and by name. How often do you visit your neighborhood library? 
Not often enough. There's a big, beautiful library two blocks away and I should use it more.

 7) "A good used car is a better investment than a new car." That's what Sam's dad tells her when she's in the market for wheels. Share some other words of financial wisdom with us.  Pay attention to ATM fees! The average person wastes more than $150/year on those fees. If you can't find an in-network ATM, then go to Walgreen's or CVS, pick up something you need anyway and get cash back.

8) Every car her father has ever owned had a pro-union bumper sticker. Do you have any bumper stickers on your vehicle?  No car.

9) To celebrate Father's Day, Sam is giving away her father's favorite candy: LifeSavers. Would you prefer a roll of Wild Cherry, Butter Rum, Winter Green or Peppermint?   Mints, please.

Cats aren't supposed to pant

And yet this afternoon, at almost exactly 1:45, Joey was panting. I kept careful track of the time because we had a vet appointment at 4:00 and I wanted to be able to report everything to him.

The vet thinks it may have been stress/exertion. Poor Joey's anal glands had become impacted, which made it painful and difficult to defecate. The vet took care of it and gave Joe a once over. Except for some gum trouble, he seems sound as a dollar.

But, like Charlotte, he's 17 or 18 years old. He enjoys sleeping and cuddling and napping and purring, but that's it. He doesn't run or play much anymore. If he was a person, he'd be between 85 and 90.

He hates going to the vet. It terrifies him (though it's the trip, not the vet visit itself that upsets him; for poor Charlotte, the whole episode was always terror). Getting a shot, having his glands expressed, riding to and from in a cab, it all exhausted my poor boy.

So I'm waiting until August to consider his dental work. If he's still feeling good, if he's still strong enough for anesthetic, we'll get those gums taken care of. But I don't want to turn around and drag him to the vet again next week. It doesn't feel fair.

Joey is a good boy. A dear, sweet old tub of guts. He's earned the right to be comfortable and happy. I'm trying to do right by him.

"Leave no comrade behind"

As I was headed home on a late train Wednesday night, I couldn't help but notice the three guys in the car's vestibule. Late teens. Not talking, but clearly together. Two could not have been standing closer, the one in the rear had his arm around the neck of his friend. I just assumed they were lovers -- a little drunk to be this public in their affection, but what the hell.

Then the one in the front started retching. Oh, but he was drunk! And the other two were so protective of their boozed up buddy. Since one of the kids was wearing a camouflage hat, they reminded me of partytime comrades in arms.

They got off in my town and I kept an eye on this grave trio for a couple of blocks. I was confident they were OK. Wednesday night. My prediction about their condition Thursday morning is not as rosy.

Me and Sting

Wednesday I saw The Last Ship, enjoying its world premiere here in Chicago. It's definitely still a work in progress -- a little too long, a little too slow, a few staging problems --  but it's moving. A small town is about to lose the shipyard, the business that employed almost all the village's men. A man returns to the town after more than a decade at sea, and finds everything in a state of flux. It's not a fun show, nor an exciting show, but it's emotionally resonant. And the score is high quality pop, just what you'd expect from the composer, Sting.

Even more exciting than the play, I nearly ran into Sting, literally, early Wednesday evening. I was headed over to Italian Village, across the street from the B of A Theater, to meet my friend Barb for a pre-play dinner and birthday celebration. Sting was turning from Monroe onto Michigan Avenue, taking a stroll before the evening's performance. He was wearing a tight t shirt and hoodie. He's very bald, very buff, and very handsome. More handsome than I expected. I'm proud to report I respected his privacy.

Enjoy my city, Mr. Sumner!

Good News for a Change

I saw a series of three reports on Monday, written by my client's data analysts for their internal use. Compiled quarterly, they are obviously available to us if we ask for them. We only asked for them now because I insisted -- performance appraisals are coming up and I want to be able to point to something tangible when I make the argument for keeping my job.

Oh. My. God. The worst we did in the last 18 months was performing to forecast. The best? We beat the projection by 25%. My efforts represent the brightest spot on my client's business plan, what they point to as the area that helps keep their other, more fledgling projects afloat.

And they are my efforts. My boss couldn't stay further away my projects because they're boring. Some are attracted to advertising because they think it's cool. Not me. I'm a geek. I get excited by these boring projects because I can point to real, measurable results and say, "Look what I did! I helped move the needle for the client!"

The timing of my receipt of these reports couldn't be better. I'm not saying they will save my job, but they will give my boss a reason to keep me, if he wants to. I'm going to spin the hell out of it in my self appraisal.

I wonder what's wrong with us as an agency. I wonder why it took ME to request these reports. I wonder how many others like them are floating around our client's offices. They could be valuable as we try to justify our place in their business plan and budget.

It scares me that I'm the one this occurs to.

Sunday Stealing

90, part 1


1. What was the highlight of your week? Time spent with my nephew. First his 8th grade graduation (Tuesday), then our trips to the animal shelter to adopt Connie (Friday).

2. Whose car were you in last? It belonged to the cab company.

3. When is the next time you will kiss someone? Your guess is as good as mine.

4. What color shirt are you wearing? Hunter green.

5. How long is your hair? It's short, but it's a bit unkempt. I'm getting my locks shorn this coming Saturday.

6. Are you good looking? I haven't frightened anyone.

7. Last movie you watched? Chef. It was completely charming. If it's playing near you, go see it.

8. Who were you with? I slipped in and out of the theater by myself. It's one of the benefits of having it less than 5 minutes away.

9. Last thing you ate? I'm right now eating Edy's Slow Churned Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream.

10. Last thing you drank? Lemon lime soda.

11. When was the last time you had your heart broken? When my cat Charlotte died last month. She was a very good girl.

12. Who came over last? The mailman.

13. Are you happy right now? I'm OK.

14. What did you say last? "NO!" My cat Reynaldo is in a mood and wants to tear up the dining room again.

15. Where is your phone? My cell is charging in the kitchen. My landline is on the end table.

16. What color are your eyes? Green

17. Are you left-handed? No

18. Spell your name without vowels: Th Gl Hrslf

19. Do you have any pets? Three cats: Joey, Reynaldo and Connie.

20. Favorite Vacation? I'd love to spend a week at a destination spa.

21. What do you dislike currently? Manufactured drama. Life tosses enough curves our way, we don't need to create upheaval.

22. What are you listening to? The TV is on

23. If you could have one thing right now what would it be? Mark Harmon

24. What is your favorite scent? Cinnamon

25. Who makes you happiest? I'm sure Mr. Harmon could, given half a chance

26. What were you doing at midnight last night? Sleeping, Unfortunately not with Mark Harmon.

27. When is your birthday? November 22

28. Who has the same phone as you? Many people. Many cheap people. It's not a very good phone.

29. Last time you went swimming in a pool? Christmas Eve in Key West. This is the pool. It was adorable.

Arrived with Rey, left with Joey

This morning at church we had a flower exchange. We each bring a flower and place it in one of the vases before we enter the sanctuary. They're cut and placed in baskets and then brought in for the minister to bless. Then children walk among the pews, distributing the flowers. It's designed so that we won't leave with the one we brought. It symbolizes our respect for the planet and our appreciation of our congregation's diversity.

I brought a bright yellow gerbera daisy, purchased yesterday at the florist. I received a rather wilted something-or-other from someone's garden.

At first I was disappointed. Then I listened to our intern minister as he told us to look at the blossom we received. Really look at it. I could see how pretty it had once been (probably yesterday). I appreciated its earthy smell. I saw the value and beauty in it.

I feel like I came to church with my cat Reynaldo. The gerbera daisy is strong and in its prime, like my 10-year-old boycat. I left with Joey. At 17, he's not alert or lively anymore. But he's affectionate, with a loud purr, and an open and loving heart. I see the value and beauty in him, too. Especially in contrast with Reynaldo and the barely-adult Connie.

I have returned

Two weeks ago I saw Million Dollar Arm. This weekend it was Chef. While I liked both movies, I was reminded how much I enjoy going to the movies. Sitting there, in the dark, being transported to another world. It's magic and it's good for me. I must do it more often.

The best thing about Chef is the adorable Emjay Anthony. He plays Percy, the preteen son of Chef Carl. Sometimes movie kids are cloying, but he's too real for that. With his big, expressive brown eyes and dimples, he's cute and touching and thoughtful.

Also, the movie made me want a Cubano. I love that buttery bread!

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Walk This Way
(recommended by In the Company of Me)

1) This song is about a young man who takes advantage of his "big chance at a high school dance." Share a memory from your high school years.  When I was a junior, our basketball team made it to the Sweet Sixteen.

2) Lead singer Steven Tyler is the son of a working mother (mom Susan was a secretary). Did your mother work outside the home? My mom didn't work until long after I moved out.

3) Onstage, Tyler takes colorful scarves from around his neck and drapes them over the microphone. Do you accessorize your outfits with scarves and belts? Or do you prefer to keep things simple?  I can never figure out how to tie scarves. I wear belts to keep my pants up. So I guess I'm a Keep It Simple Gal.

4) Tyler confessed to having a massive crush on Jennifer Lopez, his fellow judge on American Idol. Do you think a coworker has ever had a crush on you?  Yes.

5) Aerosmith lead guitarist Joe Perry says seeing The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1964 inspired him to go into music. How did you end up in your chosen profession? The company where I worked as a secretary -- a very high profile corporation -- was being investigated for their hiring practices. As a preemptive strike, they offered a copywriter test to all "timecard employees." I took it, passed and found myself in a career.

6) Perry's hobby, breeding horses, is very lucrative. What are your hobbies? Reading. Watching movies. Nothing that can be monetized, unfortunately.

7) Aerosmith performed before their biggest-ever TV audience when they played the Super Bowl halftime show in 2001. Are you a football fan? If so, do you prefer college football or the NFL? What teams do you root for? Not a football fan.

 8) Now that we're into summer, the days are longer. When is the last time you watched the sun set?  Seen it? Yesterday. But actually, consciously watched it? That was forever ago. I really should pay attention and appreciate more.

9) What time did you go to sleep last night? About 12:30 AM

 

A Tale of Two Connie's

When TV audiences first met Constance MacKenzie back in 1964, we knew her as the beloved owner of the only bookstore in Peyton Place. Connie to her friends -- of which she had many -- Mrs. MacKenzie was a pillar of the community. It wasn't until the season was underway that we learned about her past: weekends in Boston with an older, married man and an unplanned pregnancy. At first, when the townspeople learned of her youthful indiscretion, there was a scandal. But her inherent goodness and dignity ultimately carried the day and she retained the good will of the Peyton Place-onians.

This is why I have named my cat Constance MacKenzie. She was rescued from a crowded Indiana apartment (like Peyton Place's Connie, she has crossed state lines), where she and many, many other cats were kept by a hoarder. Barely a year old, she was already pregnant. She was also emaciated and battling an upper respiratory infection. She miscarried that litter and has been languishing in a cage since February.

But now Connie lives here. We're putting her painful past behind her and from now on, she'll be known as the respectable feline who lives in a booklined apartment. (Her eyes are still bothering her and she's squinting at the flash.)

So far Reynaldo views her with rapt attention and apprehension. He's been so preoccupied by her he hasn't knocked anything over or torn anything up. Joey, literally, could not care less. When she first arrived, he glanced in her general direction and then took a nap.

A Summer Celebration

To observe the 100th anniversary of Wrigley Field, dozens of pairs of stadium chairs have been decorated and are on display up and down Michigan Avenue. When the celebration is over, the chairs will be auctioned off for charity. If only I had the room and the money, I'd buy these three.

Before they were the Cubs, they were the Feds

My all-time favorite Cub, immortalized!

One of the best things about being a Cub fan is our victory song, "Go, Cubs, Go!"

How to describe Buyer and Cellar?

My friend Barb and I went to see this wonderful little one-man show last Wednesday and I was enchanted. It's funny and sad. It's about celebrity and loneliness and love and sex and Barbra Streisand.

Official synopsis: "Buyer & Cellar is an OUTRAGEOUS new comedy about the oddest of odd jobs: an underemployed Los Angeles actor going to work in Barbra Streisand’s Malibu basement.” -NYT

But that doesn't do it justice. Watch the clip.

When perfect doesn't matter

The meeting I was so worried about Monday morning? I aced it. The client literally said, "This is perfect."

My boss wasn't in attendance.

He's been there for each petty recitation of every typo I made on the manuscript, for the heavy sighing because I used Cambria when a san serif type would be preferable to ... someone. Our Drama Queen Account Executive has been acting as though the margins and font of my copy deck matter mightily when, in reality, a production artist is just going to convert it to HTML anyway.

So after the meeting I asked him why he wasn't there. He shrugged and said, "I know you present well."

I won't go into the permutations of all the office politics, but we had another round of layoffs a week ago today and he's working on our performance evaluations. I told him I was confused and nervous about the way things are being handled ... that anyone would. But he acted as though I was just being a hysterical female. OK. So be it.

If the work, the content, the words, we present to our client matters, I was "perfect." If being able to negotiate the complex office politics are more important, then I'm in trouble. I have to believe that pleasing the client means more than pleasing the Drama Queen. I have to believe that, or I'll start screaming at the unfairness of it all.

I think I'll call her Connie

I met a shelter cat yesterday. Currently her name is Koala Bear. She's mostly gray with a touch of white. About 3 (or was it 2?) years old, she was brought in when three months ago. Across the border in Indiana, a "cat lady" (I think it's a euphemism for "hoarder") was busted and her cats were divided among a variety of shelters. Koala Bear was pregnant, but miscarried her litter. Otherwise she was in good condition -- except for her eye, which can be runny because of FVR.

This means she has a forever cold in her system that can flare up at any time. I believe my boys have been vaccinated against it. I want to check with the vet, just to be sure. It can't be cured, but it can very easily be managed. As long as my boycats are safe, I don't mind her being "special needs."

My nephew accompanied me to the shelter. He had to hold the cat so that I could get a good look at her. When she was in my arms, she kept burrowing her head under mine so insistently I couldn't see her face! When I was giving the other cats a chance to charm me, she kept flipping around in her cage, trying to get my attention. So I think she decided on me.

I hope it works out.

His grandma's watch

My nephew graduated from 8th grade yesterday. He was in the top 10% of his class, National Honor Society and got a commendation from Barack Obama. We were all (Mom, Dad, Uncle and me) very
proud of him.

I was amused by how different he is from his sister. She so enjoyed the (literal) pomp and circumstance, the ceremony, the last moments in the school with her favorite teachers and friends. She insisted I take her picture with her posse in front of their favorite stairwell, their favorite entrance, their favorite restroom, with their favorite teachers … I offered to do the same for my nephew, but I had to suggest it. And he was only comfortable doing it once we were far away from his friends.

In his "memory book" (an 8th grade project), he wrote about finding his own voice. His style is more sophisticated than his thoughts. In one essay, he took on stereotypes but seemed to feel that in today's world, white men are victims. People don't care if fathers don't ever get custody of their children, while women's pay inequity in the workplace is a cause ("Matt Lauer will host a rally on TV" for the women). Likewise if blacks are verbally abusive to white, "no one cares," but when the opposite occurs, the media pays attention.

I was more than a little shocked to read this. But then I remembered: he's 14. We've had an African American President for almost half of life, so he doesn't know a world where white males were the law makers and law breakers. He doesn't understand what he's seeing in the context of centuries of inequities. And I think he's feeling vulnerable -- about his own entree into adulthood, his own masculinity. So I didn't say anything. Besides, he's 14. The point is that he's learning to think for himself. He doesn't need me telling him that, when he thinks for himself, he's wrong.

His memory book also listed his favorite things in reverse order -- a sailor cap from his beloved older cousin, a coin that once belonged to my uncle (his great uncle), a small red towel that Bennie the Cat used to sleep on, and his grandma's watch. He misses my mother so.

Last night I went to bed hurt that I was listed nowhere in the memory book. I woke up this morning over it. For while I wasn't IN the book, in a very real way I was on the cover. The artwork he chose was a photo of Stewart and Colbert and The Beatles. That's my boy!

Not eager to go in this morning

I should be headed to the office for pre-meeting prep before our 10:00. And yet I'm posting. Because I'm not excited about going to work today.

Too much drama. Too much intrigue. Too much paranoia. Too little about serving our client.

I'm going to have a conversation with my boss about all this today, after the 10:00. Maybe we can do something to alleviate my paranoia. I'm not confident the rest can be helped with a conversation.

I'm so tired of being worried and so tired of being tired. I wish I could afford to quit. Or start over and try something else. But alas, I can't.

Gotta go pull up my Big Girl Panties.

 

 Image courtesy of Franky242 at freedigitalphotos.net.

Sunday Stealing

Hey Nineteen

1)Where would you retire to?  Right here. I don't foresee myself moving.

2)What are your best physical features?  I have bright green eyes and soft, shiny hair.

3)What are your best characteristics? I'm loyal and funny.

4)What kind of books do you like to read? Lots of different kinds: mysteries, biographies, memoirs …

5)What are you reading now? Cop Town by Karin Slaughter

7)What is your favorite time of the day? 11:00. Both of them.

8)Where did you grow up? One of your whiter whitebread suburbs

9)How far away from your birthplace do you live now? 30/40 miles

10)Are you a morning person or a night owl? Night owl

11)What inspires you? JFK: "Our problems are man-made, therefore they may be solved by man."

12)Can you close your eyes and raise your eyebrows? This is a big deal?

13)Do you have pets? Two boy cats, Joey and Reynaldo

14)How many rings before you answer the phone? When I can reach it

15)What are some of the different jobs that you have had in your life? Receptionist and

writer are two; most of the others are variations on the theme. I've had a manilla folder in my hand since I was 17.

16)Any new and exciting things that you would like to share? Nope

17)What is most important in life? Love

18)Did you dream last night? I vaguely remember something

19)Do you remember your dreams? Sometimes bits and pieces

Saturday 9

"Meet the Flintstones" (The Flintstones Theme) 

1) The song promises that, "When you're with the Flintstones, you'll have a yabba-dabba-doo time." So clearly Wilma was one accomplished hostess. What about you? Do you enjoy having company? No. I avoid it all costs.

2) Since lyrics say, "Let's ride with the family down the street/courtesy of Fred's two feet," we're assuming the pedal-powered Flintstone car didn't require much gas. Are you loyal to a particular brand of gas? Or do you fill up with whatever is nearby, or least expensive? Sorry, no car.

3) Clearly a sharp-dressed man in stone-age Bedrock wore a long tunic and no pants. What are you wearing right now, as you answer these questions? An oversized, bright gold t-shirt with the words, "KEY WEST" and the silhouette of a scuba diver in navy blue. It's this week's nightie.

4) Pebbles Flintstone grew up with Dino the Dinosaur and Baby Puss the Saber-Tooth Cat. Did you have any pets as you were growing up? I had a wonderful white cat named Tommy. He was quirky, fun and affectionate.

5) Mr. Slate is Fred's blustery boss at quarry, and he frequently threatens to fire Fred. Have you ever had a bad-tempered boss? I once had a boss who was ... um ... what's the word I'm looking? Fucking nuts! That's it! One day he just started insulting me in the most personal way -- telling me how bad my attitude is and that I need therapy. "OK," said I, "I get it. I'm fired. I've never been fired before. What do we do now? Do I go to HR and sign something?" He told me I couldn't leave, he needed me too much, and he took out his money clip and offered me all the cash in his pocket. Seeing crazy up close and personal like that is jarring. I was there barely a year.

6) It's estimated that during The Flintstones original run (1960-1966), it was viewed by as many adults as kids. Now that you're a grown up, do you still watch cartoons? No.

7) In 1961, The Flintstones was nominated for a Prime Time Emmy Award as Outstanding Comedy Series. Do you watch awards shows? Love 'em. The Tony Awards are next weekend.

8) There are at least two Flintstones-themed amusement parks currently in

operation. Do you enjoy scary rides? Yes. It's been too long since I've been on a roller coaster. Unfortunately, none of my friends is up for a trip to the amusement park. The closest I'll come this summer is the Navy Pier ferris wheel.

9) Flintstones Vitamins are still on store shelves. Do you take a vitamin each morning? Yes, but the CVS brand, not Flintstones.

"This bird has flown"

The entire front of the building I live in is glass. Four stories of windows facing the street. Vines crawl up and poke through the caulk between the panes, allowing for water damage. And so it was decided that the vines should be removed.

I get the decision. I'm in favor of it ... in theory. But the strong, thick vines have become home to bird's nest. I observe it every morning when I walk down the stairs. I noticed it because the

resourceful bird used a hank of bright red fabric, thin and netted, and laced it amid the twigs. I hated to think that a bird with such an eye for interior design would lose her home.

I'm happy to report that since they waited until after Memorial Day to remove the vines, the landscapers are removing an abandoned nest. I don't know where the bird went, but she moved away of her own volition before she could be evicted.

WWW.WEDNESDAY

PLEASE NOTE: This is This Gal's 5,555th Musing!


To play along, just answer the following three questions ...

• What are you currently reading? Cop Town by Karin Slaughter.  I just picked it up and am very impressed by the action and pacing. Not high art, but so far it's an entertaining thriller about a family of Atlanta cops. From the jacket:

As a brutal murder and a furious manhunt rock the city’s police department, Kate Murphy wonders if her first day on the job will also be her last. She’s determined to defy her privileged background by making her own way—wearing a badge and carrying a gun. But for a beautiful young woman, life will be anything but easy in the macho world of the Atlanta PD, where even the female cops have little mercy for rookies. It’s also the worst day possible to start given that a beloved cop has been gunned down, his brothers in blue are out for blood, and the city is on the edge of war.
 
Kate isn’t the only woman on the force who’s feeling the heat. Maggie Lawson followed her uncle and brother into the ranks to prove her worth in their cynical eyes. When she and Kate, her new partner, are pushed out of the citywide search for a cop killer, their fury, pain, and pride finally reach the boiling point. With a killer poised to strike again, they will pursue their own line of investigation, risking everything as they venture into the city’s darkest heart.
 

 

• What did you recently finish reading? Mary by Janis Cooke Newman. Wow. Just wow. More than 600 pages written as if by Mary Lincoln herself. An intense and very moving book about a woman who saw history first hand and suffered much (too much) pain in her life. It wasn't a fun read -- far from it -- but it was so engrossing and well written that I enjoyed it nevertheless.

• What do you think you’ll read next? I don't know.

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