More of my visit with The King

Last Sunday I ran away to Memphis and stayed at the Guesthouse at Graceland. The hotel was awesome. But it was only the appetizer. Graceland itself is the main course. Here are my favorite shots.

I was fortunate to be there after the Christmas decorations went up. According to Lisa Marie and Priscilla, this reflects how Elvis holidayed up the joint when he was still alive. As soon as you come in, you see the main staircase festooned in poinsettias. 

The yellow rope? No one gets to go upstairs. Not even dignitaries and celebrities that tour Graceland.  Lisa Marie tells us that in life, guests were not welcome upstairs and she's just maintaining that. I suspect it's because The King died upstairs.

How did I know he'd have a white flocked tree?

The TV room

I especially like the creepy monkey dressed as Santa

Santa Creepy Monkey has a Creepy Monkey friend in the Elvis archives. I'd love to ask him about his fascination with these porcelain primates.

This says it all

You gotta see this

The Guesthouse at Graceland is proud of their "Elvis-inspired decor." I shall share it here. It delighted me everywhere I looked (yes, even when I was on the toilet). It's all obviously high quality, and reminded me of Dolly Parton's quote about how expensive it can to be cheap.

When I got off the elevator on the 4th floor

Light fixture next to my door

Even the business center!

It's like a rock'n'roll Disneyland! I love it here.

Yes, I am this shallow

... but in the context of my birthday and The King, it feels appropriate.

The Guesthouse at Graceland is a beautiful structure, the biggest new hotel built in Memphis in more than a century. 450 rooms, two restaurants and a bar. The staff is uniformly friendly and helpful. Complimentary water (with lemon) in the lobby. Their Christmas tree is up, so guests are greeted to the smell of apples and cinnamon (which just so happens to be my favorite).

And yet, my favorite thing about my stay here is the TV.

It's a nice big high-def flat screen. The kind I want at home but can't afford. This, while pleasant, is not unusual for high-end hotels.

What makes this TV special is that it's on when you enter the room. Softly playing "Treat Me Nice" and "Jailhouse Rock." 50s Elvis greets you!

The last selection on the menu intrigued me. "Choose Your Elvis." So I did that before I even unpacked. My choices also included ...

60s Elvis, who serenades me with "How Great Thou Art" and "Viva Las Vegas."

And 70s Elvis, who sings two of my favorites by the King: "Fools Rush In" and "Kentucky Rain." So naturally I settled on him.

So I could sing along as I set up my toiletries in the bathroom and generally got settled in my new home away from home.

Guests also get to watch Graceland TV. I saw a special on Elvis Week, the annual celebration of his life held in Memphis every August. I knew about the candlelight vigil at Graceland on the anniversary of his death, but I'd been unaware of the symposiums and concerts and "tribute artist" (impersonator) competition and 5K run. A week! I'm a Cub fan and a Beatle fan, but I don't think I'm up to 7 days of being a fan girl. The King's faithful are hardcore!

I watched an interview with Angie Marchese, the Graceland archivist. She showed us "secrets," like the drawer in the kitchen where 6-year-old Lisa Marie wrote her name and the chandelier (Elvis really liked chandeliers) on the backstairs to the kitchen, a staircase which is unavailable to fans on the tour. A well-spoken woman in her 40s, and an archivist by trade, she talks about this stuff as seriously as if she worked for Monticello and Thomas Jefferson. I got a kick out of her.

And then there are the two specials running on a continuous loop. Aloha from Hawaii and the 1968 Comeback Special. Put a mic in that man's hands and you got magic. It's good to be reminded exactly what all the fuss is about.

Sunday Stealing

Getting to Know You Questions

1. Would you prefer to be smart or happy, and why? Happy. I think there's more contentment associated with happiness, while knowing too much can cause worry.

2. If you could choose one superpower, what would it be and why? I'd make every task I undertake become a piece of cake. Watch below beginning at 1:40. THIS is how I'd like to do housework.


 
3. What is your biggest regret in life so far? I spent too much time in a bad relationship.

4. If you could marry a fictional character, who would it be and why? I've always envied Jo March (of Little Women) her Professor Bhaer. He's worldly, he's kind and he takes her seriously. Plus, I like the idea of a fella with an umbrella.

5. If money and career were no object, where in the world would you choose to live? Here. Chicago has wonderful architecture and theater, tremendous diversity, and THE WORLD CHAMPION CHICAGO CUBS!

6. What’s the last book you read that you simply could not put down until you finished? Well, I was able to put it down because thousands of pages is too much for one sitting, but I loved the two volume Sinatra biography by James Kaplan. When it was over, I found myself missing Francis.

7. What television show do you plan your day around in order to see it live? Only Cubs baseball. Everything else I know I can catch on DVR or OnDemand.

8. What extracurricular activities or sports did you participate in when you were in high school? Oh, I hated all that clubby shit. I tried Spanish Club and the school newspaper when I was a freshman, but I just couldn't take it.

9. Of all your pet-peeves, which is the strangest? People who carry umbrellas on sunny days. I don't know why they annoy me, but they do.

10. Is it better to beg forgiveness or ask permission? Forgiveness.

11. If you inherited or won a million dollars, what would you do with it? Figuring that taxes would eat up half of this, we're talking $500,000. I'd put it all into my retirement fund. Not sexy, I know. But it would be such a relief to not have to worry about that anymore.

12. What is the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you? Back when I still wore skirts, the wind caught one and blew it up, a la Marilyn. I wasn't wearing panties under my hose. The fact that I'm still here answering this question is proof you can't die of embarrassment.

13. Which fictional character do you believe is the most like yourself? Katie in The Way We Were. I take everything too seriously.

14. Are you superstitious? If so, what are you most superstitious about? Well, when the Cubs were in the playoffs I only wore Cub t-shirts on game day, even to the office. And they won the World Series, so clearly I did something right.

15. Do you believe it is vital to everyday life to know what is happening in the world around you? Yes. I'm like the daughter on the AT&T commercials about the internet being down: "Something just happened in the world and we have no idea what it was."

16. What is the nicest thing anybody has said, or you believe they would say, about you? My friend in the Keys refers to me as his "true sister." I love that.

17. What are your life and career goals in 5, 10 and 15 years? To not be so worried about money.

18. Would you rather live in a large house in the suburbs, or a tiny apartment in the city with an excellent view? Tiny apartment/excellent view. Preferably of Lake Michigan.

19. What are you three weaknesses? Coke, bookstores, cats.

20. How would you describe yourself in three words? Four words: Tall, tan, young, lovely. Yes, I am the Girl from Ipanema.

21. Which is more logical to follow—your heart or your head? Logically I would have to say "head."

22. Are you spiritual or religious in any way? If so, how? I believe in God and Christ and Eternal Life. I try to live my life in a way that pleases Jesus. I often come up short, but I am happy to keep trying.

23. If you could have any career possible, what would it be? I'd love Doris Kearns Goodwin's career. She takes oft-told American tales (the Roosevelts, the Kennedys, Abraham Lincoln) and gives them such a fascinating spin.

24. Have you ever been arrested or contracted any diseases? I've never been arrested. ANY diseases? Why, of course. Who hasn't? (Maybe John Travolta.)

25. Which is better—a novel or a movie? Depends on the movie and book. 

The good with the bad

Today should have been a good day. First I had a haircut and was heartened to hear my stylist tell me that he can barely spot the hair loss that has me so freaked out. This is so top of mind (no pun intended) and I made an appointment with a new dermatologist who specializes in this sort of thing, but I won't see her until December 15. Yes, I know it's not life threatening and yes, I know it shouldn't matter to me as much as it does ... BUT IT DOES! So him telling me honestly that it doesn't show made me feel better. Hopefully this new doctor will be able to stem, if not cure, whatever is going on with my scalp.

Then I had a lovely lunch with my nephew, who wanted to talk about "the best thing ever" (the Cubs, naturally) and "the worst thing ever" (Trump's election). He's so enthusiastic about everything -- the Cubs, national politics, his girlfriend -- that it was heartening to talk to him. He still hates school, except for English and history, so we really didn't talk about that much. I sense that he's happier than he's been in a while. He's such a sensitive kid, so good at heart, and deserves good things.

BUT my aunt got very mad at me on Facebook Saturday morning and I've been upset all day. The impetus was that my friend Kathleen posted something about resistance to Trump that she found inspiring. I clicked "like," which meant it then appeared in my aunt's feed. Uh-oh. She commented rather definitively that Kathleen was wrong. I said I agreed with Kathleen, and a friend of Kathleen's named Angela chimed in. I suppose my aunt could have just let it go and moved on, but then she wouldn't be my aunt. Anyway, after saying something snarky about Kathleen, she said, "I'm done here." Now Kathleen didn't deserve what my aunt said. Either she was confused and thought I'd posted what offended her. So I wrote, "I hope you didn't feel dissed by my aunt. She was upset and didn't understand your point."

Oh. My. God. Auntie, who said she was "done here," came back to tell me she meant everything she said and I should never, ever apologize for her or talk down to her.

Oh, good. So now Kathleen's been insulted and she feels she started a family row. All for expressing an opinion on her own Facebook feed.

Kathleen said she felt bad (though she shouldn't) and explained herself again. Then she said we should all feel loved on page. I wrote that my aunt is one of the few people who has loved me longer than Kathleen and that I loved them both. And then I logged off and haven't been back on.

My aunt is the one who introduced sarcasm to the exchange. She was wrong. I'm sorry I embarrassed her, but I feel bad because I'm the one who introduced her most unwittingly to the conversation.

I'm upset, and I don't like being upset. I'm flying Sunday afternoon -- my birthday trip to Graceland! -- and I refuse to let anything rattle me. I'm already a white knuckle flier. I've been looking forward to this trip for this wacky little getaway for a while now. I want to be happy. So I'm staying off Facebook until I feel more social.

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Cabaret (1972)

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

1) In this song, Liza Minnelli encourages you to put down "the knitting, the book and the broom." Which of those three were you most recently doing: knitting, reading or housework? Reading. I'm always reading, I'm seldom cleaning and never knitting.

2) She sings that we shouldn't allow "some prophet of doom to wipe every smile away?" Do you know anyone who reliably looks at the downside of life? My kid sister. I've been feeling very guilty lately -- sad, too -- about how glad I am to not be spending the holidays with my family. I wish it wasn't this way, but this is the way it is. My sister infuses so much tension and disappointment into holidays. (I'm not sure she misses me, either.)

3) In 1972, when this recording was popular, so was The Brady Bunch. In the two-part

America's Southernmost Christmas tree

season premiere, The Bradys went to Hawaii. Do you have any warm weather vacation plans this fall/winter? Key West for Christmas! Which makes me both happy and sad. Happy because it'll be nice to wear my Birkenstocks on Christmas Day and it'll be delightful to spend time with my friends down there, who love me. Sad because, well, see #2.

4) Though not her uncle, just a friend to both of her parents, Liza always called  Frank Sinatra as "Uncle Frank." Is there an older person in your life who isn't a blood relative, but who refer to as "aunt" or "uncle?" No, but my oldest friend's daughter always introduces me as her aunt.

5) Liza collapsed onstage during a Christmas concert in 2007. She says she'd been nauseous before she went on and simply fainted. Sam has never fainted. Have you? Nope.

6) People are often surprised when they learn Liza is good friends with Gene Simmons -- the KISS member with the long tongue. Tell us about one of your good friends. Henry is one of my dearest and most interesting friends. He is gay, Catholic and Puerto Rican, which causes a bit of dissonance in his very sensitive soul. He's one of the most compassionate, loving people I've ever met. If you're his friend (or you have fur), he always sees the best in you. He's smart and talented. He's been a professor, a designer, a waiter, a keyliner, a poet and now he's a library assistant. He and his partner have been together more than 25 years now. As a barren spinster and observer of human relations, I can report they have one of the most supportive relationships I've ever seen up close. Knowing Henry has enriched my life enormously. (And, to borrow from #4, he always refers to me as his "true sister," which touches my heart.)

7) Liza told US Magazine that she loves to eat at Olive Garden. Do you? Sure. It's economical, has a nice bar, and there's something for everyone on the menu.

8) She keeps apple juice and yogurt in her refrigerator at all times. Would we find either in your refrigerator right now? Probiotic strawberry yogurt.

9)  Random question: Which would be a more frustrating dinner companion -- someone who won't shut up, or someone who won't say a word? The silent one.

Happy Birthday to Me, Part 2

Cousin Rose sent me a shirt I hadn't seen before! It's a little too tight across the bust, so I'm returning it for a bigger size. But the packaging makes returns look pretty easy.

Today was the first day of my vacation. I took myself out to breakfast, binged on Will & Grace reruns, went to the vet for Connie's prescription kibble, did a little grocery shopping ... and napped and was generally lazy.

I checked my work email and discovered two highly informative things:

1) Our agency president -- a passionate Cub fan -- bought 300 World Series caps, one for each of us in the office. Since he knew I was out, our mailroom guy Clyde let me know he slipped two caps to one of my officemates to make sure I got one. So sweet of him to look out for me!

2) One of our senior vice presidents was canned for "doing something inappropriate." I never liked him. There was something too artificially hip about him -- a man of 40+, a suburban dad, who calls everyone he meets (male or female) "dude" or "girlfriend" just naturally makes my skin crawl. And I thought it was entitled of him to bring his Kindergarten-aged son to the office for our admin to watch. I suspect he hit on one of the very young girls who work for him, but I don't know and will probably never know for certain, but I'm glad he's gone. I wish the agency would let me interview everyone for every position. (I can't tell if they'll be good at the job, but I can almost always tell if they'll be good for the company culture.)

KB! MVP!

Happy Birthday to Me, Part 1

I haven't been feeling very birthday yet. Part of it is that baseball (blissfully!) ran into November and it threw off my schedule for obsessing. Part of it is that the mercury his 70º today and this unseasonable warmness is also confusing my schedule for obsessing. And then there's the election, which I keep trying to move on from, but everyone I run into keeps insisting we revisit it.

So today I was happy to slip away from work with a coworker and try this new restaurant (at least new to us). It was a little pricier than I was comfortable with, since she was picking up the tab, but she's the one who chose it, so ...

We split the most heavenly appetizer: lobster deviled eggs. Then I had the chicken dip and she had the fish sandwich. We each had drinks, which may have been unwise considering we had to go back to the office. But still, it was lovely. Because it was so warm and sunny, we were able to sit outdoors and watch the city go by. It seems everyone was out, eager to enjoy this last gasp of summer, and as always, Chicago's diversity fascinates and energizes me.

Still, I'm glad we did it

Today is the birthday of Will, the moderator of our classic movie group. Last night we had a little celebration -- cupcakes, salsa/chips and a birthday card. It took him by surprise and made him very happy.

I was disappointed by how small the group was. There were Joanna, Betty and me -- the party organizers -- and Norman and his wife. And Will. That was it. Usually we have between 10 and 30 film lovers in attendance.

I blame it on the movie. Unfaithfully Yours is another one of the Preston Sturges comedies Will (and so many other classic film buffs) are so terribly fond of. I don't think these movies have aged well. The comedy is too broad and the performances lack the airy charm of other screwball comedies. (How I wish Cary Grant
had played the Rex Harrison role!) I don't think I'm alone in my antipathy, as attendance has dwindled throughout this series.

But Will works very hard on these screenings. He leads the discussion with the same enthusiasm whether there are five of us, or 15 or 25. So I'm glad we took this opportunity to show our appreciation.

As if more proof is required

The best people love the Cubs. Yes, that's the Holy Father with a cap and a ball signed by the whole team. (He's with Cardinal Blace Cupich).

WWW.WEDNESDAY

To participate, and to see how others responded, click here. 

1. What are you currently reading? Till the End of Tom by Gillian Roberts. Amanda Pepper is an English teacher at Philly Prep who skips out of a particularly dull all-school morning meeting because she's dying of boredom. Moving down the school's majestic marble staircase, enjoying freedom from assembly and thinking about her upcoming lesson plan, she literally stumbles upon a dead man. And the mystery begins. Who is he? Did he trip and fall on his own or did he have help? I began this book years ago and put it aside, bored after a few pages. Clearly I've changed because printed pages between two hard covers can't, but now I'm enjoying it. I used to devour the books in the series -- the Philadelphia setting is unique and carefully drawn, Amanda is multidimensional, and I can relate to her relationships with her boyfriend CK and her best friend Sasha. The murder mystery is unfolding slowly over pages/days, but that feels appropriate to the circumstances of the case.

2. What did you recently finish reading? Paul McCartney: The Life by Philip Norman. Exhaustive, entertaining and surprisingly emotional. While the first 28 years of Paul's life have been explored almost day-by-day in other books, this book takes him beyond the Beatles to the 74-year-old grandfather he is today. For me, the most interesting parts of the book aren't the passages devoted to the music -- I have all those songs in my headphones and know how I feel about them -- but how he dealt with the overwhelming curves life threw him. For example, he meets the love of his life and is finally ready to settle down with one woman after bedding literally thousands. At the same time, The Beatles break up and his career begins to unravel with cruel speed and in full view of the world press. Likewise, years later when he is honored with knighthood by the Queen, his wife can't attend because she's dying of cancer. So this book is not only the chronicle of an event-filled public life, it's a highly personal story, too.

 
3.  What will you read next? Hercule Poirot's Christmas. I picked it up at the library's used book sale back last summer, but now it's time has come.

Sunday Stealing

Ask, ask, ASK--part 2

26 - Did you have an accident last year? No. I've had health problems and money problems during 2016, but no accidents. (Knock wood.)

 27 - Do you have any famous relatives? No.

 28 - Did you ever had a kiss under the moonlight? Yes. Memorably beside the Schuylkill River in Philly.


 29 - Have you ever been jealous? Oh, yes.

 30 - How can you prove your love to someone? Access. I try to be available for people I love.

 31 - What are you thinking right now? That my left eye is particularly itchy this evening. (Sorry it's not a more thrilling answer.)

 32 - Have you ever sacrificed something important to you for someone you love? Yes. Toward the end of my mother's life, I let things go that were very, very important to me. But I made the decision that we weren't going to argue, that she was going to leave this world with a little less stres and tension if I could help it.

 33 - Can you live without internet? Not happily.

 34 - Have you been so emotional that you can’t find words to explain how you feel? I'm a Cub fan! How to describe the glory of Game 7?

 35 - Did you ever badmouth someone? Too often. I try to be sweet like Melanie Hamilton, but my tart tongued, less than charitable Scarlett side comes out an awful lot.

 36 - What do you prefer, jeans or skirt? Jeans.

 37 - Do you have trust issues? Good goobies, yes! My erstwhile shrink once told me my root problem was a fear of genuine intimacy. And she was right. People I've never met who read this blog probably know me better than those I spend time with in real life.

 38 - What's something that you made all on your own and are incredibly proud of? My career. I'm a junior college drop out, and yet I work at a major advertising agency on the account of a Fortune 500 Company.

 39 - Who’s the person who first comes to your mind when someone mentions “love”? Wow. The first answer that popped into my head surprised me. I think I'm gonna keep it to myself but stew on it awhile.

 40 - Who was the last person you hugged? A coworker. Her exhusband's aunt died. She cared about the older woman very much, but the divorce situation complicated mourning.

 41 - Do you believe in the phrase “If it’s meant to be, it will be”? In romance, yes. In work, no.

 42 - Do people praise you for your looks? I get, "I can't believe you're that old!" a lot. Which is good, I guess.

 43 - Do you believe in destiny? See #41.

 44 - Have you ever thought “I already found my soulmate”? In the heat of the moment. Unfortunately, the moment always cooled.

 45 - Do you like nicknames that are from your name? No. It's the one reason I wished I'd married.

 46 - Could you ever be a vegan? No.

 47 - Do you currently have bruises on your body? I always do. I'm a klutz.

 48 - What should you be doing right now? Housework.

 49 - I read in a magazine that shoulder pads are coming back. Are you happy to hear this or do you not find them to be very attractive? It would make me happy because broader shoulders would balance out my too-broad hips.

 50 - Did you ever feel like you’re not good enough? Only on days that end in "y."

Class

This photo was taken in September at the opening of the National Museum of African American History and Culture. It shows once again what we will be losing when the Obamas leave the White House.

Of course, George W. Bush must have done much over the years to encourage such a warm display. The Bush family has also managed to build a solid and enduring bridge to former President Bill Clinton. Even the often prickly Barbara Bush has often expressed her personal affection for The Big Dog.

I hope Melania Trump makes good on her stated intention to help children maneuver the online world and stop cyber bullying. Her husband is the one who so cruelly mocked a disabled reporter and referred to his political opponents as "Lyin' Ted" and "Little Marco" and "Pocahontas." Mrs. Trump could go a long way in leavening the ugly message Donald Trump's victory may have sent the nation's children.

As one who enjoys learning about the First Ladies, I know that not every woman who has been in this role has been as naturally tactile as Michelle Obama. Bess Truman was very reticent and painfully shy. Eleanor Roosevelt had to literally force herself to reach out and touch people, but she did it like she was born to it. And while Jacqueline Kennedy handwrote eloquent and affectionate letters to both LBJ and Nixon, she privately expressed how uncomfortable she was with all their public touching. Jimmy Carter actually held and kissed her every time their paths crossed, to the point that she complained to Arthur Schlessinger he seemed to feel as he had droit de seigneur.*

*The first time I read it, I had to look it up. In medieval days, feudal lords believed they had the right to have sex with their subject's brides on the wedding night.

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Ballad of Gilligan's Island (1964)


1) This is about the fateful cruise of the S.S. Minnow. If you had a boat, what would christen it? This reminds me of one of the first jokes I remember. From The Flintstones. Fred and Barney go in on a boat and can't agree on what to call it. Fred likes The Nautica, Barney wants Sea Queen. So they compromise by taking the first three letters of each name and christen the boat Nausea.

2)  "No phone! No lights! No motorcar! Not a single luxury!" To Sam, those sound more like everyday essentials than luxuries. If you were shipwrecked with the gang, what standard amenity would you miss the most? Fresh, running water. I recall reading about JFK's crew after PT109 was sunk. They ended up on an island, surrounded by nothing but salt water, and licked morning dew off the leaves to stave off dehydration. How sad and desperate that sounds!
 
3) The uncharted isle was in the Pacific, near Hawaii. Have you ever been to our 50th state? Yes. Twice. I've seen The Big Island, Oahu, Kona and Maui. All gorgeous.

4) Natalie Schafer, who played Mrs. Howell, refused to divulge her age. Are you honest about how old you are? Or do you fudge it? I haven't fudged intentionally. But sometimes I've genuinely forgotten. I don't feel as old as I am.
 
5) Gilligan's Island featured many dream sequences. (Like the one where Gilligan dozes off and dreams that he's Jack from Jack and the Beanstalk.) Have you had any vivid dreams lately? No. My sleep lately has been fitful but dreamless.

6) The pilot was filmed in November, 1963, in Honolulu. The cast and crew were actually onset when they learned of President Kennedy's assassination.* Because on location filming was so expensive, they couldn't afford to take any time off.  Tell us about a time when you had to work, even though your heart and head weren't in it. Wednesday morning was hard. The election results were a shocking and disappointing way to harsh our World Series buzz. But I'm continuing to wear my array of Cubs t-shirts until I feel better, or until weather prohibits it.

7) During the show's run, Mary Ann (Dawn Wells) was the clear fan favorite, receiving twice as many love letters as Ginger (Tina Louise). Have you ever written a fan letter (or posted a fan tweet or Facebook post)? When I was six years old, I wrote a letter to Paul McCartney. I told him that I liked it that we saw the same sun and the same moon. I was sure that my wise insights would capture his imagination. My mother said she would stamp and mail the letter, but years later confessed she threw it away. If she had done as originally promised, I might today be Lady McCartney.

8) Sam chose this week's song because it was going through her head, over and over again! Tell us a song that burrows into your head and stays there. "Easy Lover" by Phil Collins and Philip Bailey. And now that I've thought of it, here it goes again. "She'll get a hold on you, believe it!"

9)  Random question: You went to a discount store and got an amazing bargain -- a pair of dress shoes for just $4.99. You go to a formal event and someone compliments you on those great shoes and asks where you got them. Do you tell the truth? Yes. I think I'd feel very proud of treasure.

Photo by Bill Clinton

A young mother named Margot was walking in the woods near her home in Chappaqua and guess who she encountered. The Clintons, walking their dogs together in the woods. Margot was so excited to see Hillary, to be able to introduce her baby girl to Hillary, that she handed the phone to Hillary's husband and asked him to take a photo. It wasn't until later that she'd wished she'd asked a Secret Service agent to snap it so she could get a picture with the former President as well as the Democratic nominee.

This makes me happy for so many reasons. First of all, look at her. No makeup, hair mussed, and smiling. Say what you will about HRC, she knows how to take a punch and keep on going.

And, after 41 years of marriage, she's still taking long walks with Bill. I'm a spinster who knows nothing of marriage, but I'd like to think that somewhere there's someone who I'd still be interested in and comforted by -- and who would still be interested in and comforted by me -- after so many years.

So I'm going to take comfort in this and try to keep positive about the curious turn the world has taken.

So proud of my President

Yesterday President Barack Obama said he was heartened by Donald Trump’s call for unity and added, “we are now all rooting for his success in uniting and leading the country.” In his Rose Garden post-election statement he called for  the peaceful transition of power from one president to the next.

What a gracious display from a man who had his faith, his citizenship and his own legitimacy as President questioned by Donald Trump! I admit I'm not as mature as my years-younger President. If I were him, I'd meet Trump on the White House steps and demand to see his driver's license, college transcripts and long-form birth certificate before allowing him in the door.

President Obama gets it. The White House is not his house, it's our house. The Presidency is not a prize or a game but a solemn responsibility.

I keep hoping ... hoping ... hoping that Donald Trump surprises me and exhibits that he understands that, too.

The morning after

John F. Kennedy, 1961

After the shock wore off, I was offended. The thought of Donald Trump sitting in the same office as Lincoln, FDR and JFK gave me a visceral shudder.

I have to believe that those giants of inclusion and eloquence still inhabit the Oval Office. I hope they can deftly influence my new President to behave like the great man the office demands.

I pray the angels of our better nature alight and land on Donald Trump.

Sunday Stealing

Ask, Ask, Ask

1 - Who was the last person you texted? My friend, John. He's so funny. Quite possibly the last person to get a smart phone, he's now reluctant to put it down.

2 - When is your birthday? It's coming up! 11/22. (I love my birthday.)

3 - Who do you want to be with right now? The Chicago Cubs! This is the first Sunday without baseball in months. I'm suffering.

4 - What sports do you play? None well.

5 - Who is the first person in your blogroll? Now don't be lazy. You can look over there yourself.

6 - What is your favorite song at the moment? Eddie Vedder's "Go All the Way." When you're born in Chicago, you're blessed and you're healed the first time you walk into Wrigley Field ...


 
7 - If you were stranded on an island, who do you wish to be with? Matt Damon. If he can figure out how to get by on Mars, I imagine he'd be very handy on an island.

8 - What do you feel right now? A little hungry. Rice Krispies? Raisin Bran? Yogurt? I can't decide.

9 - What chocolate is your favorite? Lately I've been leaning to dark chocolate (with coconut).

10 - How many boyfriends/girlfriends did you have? Oh, hell, I'm not counting this morning.

11 - Why did you create a blog account? To create an ongoing diary of my life as it happens.

12 - Who is your favorite blogger? I feel a great kinship with Kwizgiver.

 
13 - Where do you want to be right now? I'd like to be in bed for a bit more sleep. But I have a lot to do today.

14 - What do you want to be in the future? Here. Just healthier and more organized.

15 - When was the last time you cried? Why? I'm a Cub fan. What do you think?

16 - Are you happy? I'm a Cub fan. What do you think?

17 - Who do you miss? I come from a family of Cub fans. I miss the ones who weren't here to see this.

18 - If you were given a chance, would you like to have a different life? Sometimes, but not really.

19 - What was the best thing you were given? A key opportunity early in my career.

20 - Who was the last person who called you? It was a political robo call.

21 - What is your favorite dish? The manicotti at La Cantina.

22 - Who is your best friend? It depends on the situation. I'm blessed with very good friends.

23 - What is your biggest regret? Wasting too much time in a bad relationship.

24 - Have you ever avoided your partner? I don't have a partner. Which, I guess, means I've been exceptionally good avoiding him.

25 - Who do you spend crazy moments with? My oldest friend. Or John. I've laughed a good deal with both of them.

Look at me, all happy

I returned to my movie group Saturday night for the first time in ages ... well, at least since the Cubs began their glorious playoff run. I've missed the classics and my fellow film fanatics, and this week we watched one of my all-time favorites, 1944's Laura.

Mark meets Laura

NY detective Mark McPherson is assigned to solve the summertime murder of Laura Hunt, a glamorous Manhattanite who had appeared on the society pages on the arms of a variety of suitors. As he interviews her mentor, her fiance, her maid and and her aunt, as he reads her diaries and letters, he finds himself falling for the ultimate unattainable object: the murder victim herself.

It's romantic, it's twisty, it's well-acted (especially by Clifton Webb as the divine Waldo Lydecker). The clothes are beautiful. I've seen it about a million times, but this was the first time I've viewed it with an audience. That made it all the more fun.

The other thing that made Saturday night special for me is that three of the regulars: Will, Betty and, of course, Joanna, made a point of telling me how they thought of me throughout the World Series.

Baseball, classic movies and friendship ... how great is this!