Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing: The Random Questions, Part 683 


1. How old do you look? I think I could shave a decade off without anyone busting me for lying.

2. Where do you live? In this here condo.
 
3. Are you waiting for something? I suppose I always am.

4. What’s one pet peeve of yours that is not common? Space hogs. Like her.

A man is standing while your bags ride in comfort. You suck.

 
5. Do you want/have kids? No on both counts.

6. Have you ever thought about converting your religion? I did it. Twenty years ago I left the Lutheran Church and became a Unitarian Universalist. It puts my Christian faith in such real-world perspective that it helps me live my beliefs.

7. Last shocking news you heard? My boss' son is back in the hospital, battling bipolar disorder. It's important to remember how heavily this must be weighing on him (because this past week he was such an asshole).

8. What was the last thing you drank? I have a glass of Rumchata right here.

9. Who do you most look like in your family? I don't really look like either of my parents, but I do resemble my Aunt Jo and her dad, my favorite grandfather.

10. If you could have something right now, anything, what would it be? Financial security for myself ... or for the Cubs to sweep the Cardinals Sunday. Either one.

11. Where does most of your family live? I have an aunt (my dad's side) and a cousin (my mom's side) who both live in/around Tampa.

12. Where did you grow up? About 10 miles from here.

13. Where do you want to go on vacation? Oh, I want to go back to so many places! Lately I've been daydreaming about returning to Hot Springs, AR. It's such a sweet, charming and relaxing place to spend a long weekend. I haven't been there in a decade and wonder if it's changed.

The Arlington Hotel/Spa in Hot Springs

14. Have you ever had a panic attack? Yes.

15. What can’t you wait for? My new bed arrives June 19.

16. When’s the last time you told someone you loved him or her and meant it? When Henry and Reg got married, I told them I loved them.

17. Have your parents ever smoked pot? No.

18. Want someone back in your life? Yes.

19. What do you order at the bar? Vodka and cranberry juice.

20. When was the last time you cried really, really hard? It's been over a year

21. What are your nicknames? One of my coworkers has taken to calling me "El Train." I don't exactly know why.

22. What is your favorite thing to eat with peanut butter? Strawberry jam.

23. Where were you on July 4th, 2008? Here. My dear friend John's birthday is July 3, so I suspect I was either celebrating it or Independence Day.

24. If you could go forward in time, how far forward would you go? I don't think I want to, but thank you for asking.

25. If you could go back in time, how far back would you go? This holds more romance for me. I'd like to visit the 1860s west. I don't want to stay there, but just visit and see what it was like.

 

It was going to be a good day

I had a rough week at work and so I was looking forward to this, the first really warm, Saturday of the season. And I had nothing on tap. I love Saturdays like this.

I walked to the vet. It's a nice 1.5 mile trek and took me through parts of town I haven't seen up-close in months. The staff at my vet's office really looks out for me. They had Reynaldo's and Connie's prescription kibble all packed up and ready to go in a way that's easy for me to carry.

Then I had a nice BIG brunch -- steak and eggs -- with my book for company. Got home and watched the Cubs beat the Cardinals. Any opportunity to fly the W is welcome. Another win against the Cards is bliss!

Did some grocery shopping -- and stayed within budget! Took a nap. Woke up to watch the PBS special on the 50th anniversary of Sgt. Pepper. Was feeling so happy.

And then the cable signal started acting funky. So I flipped over to CNN, just to see if it was a PBS-specific issue or a Comcast outage.

That's when I saw what happened today in London. 

London, again.

To put it in perspective (and I have to or I'll start screaming), six innocent people lost their lives in the streets of London to terrorism. Last Thursday night, three young men lost their lives on the streets of Chicago to gun violence. So while Al Queda and/or Isis may be good at striking terror, they are nowhere near as efficient at killing as the street gangs here.

The terrorists' goal is not so much to kill us as to get into our heads. I must remember that. If I approach events -- like Cub games or Taste of Chicago -- with fear because I know crowds make attractive "soft targets," I am letting the terrorists win. So I must go about living my life and enjoying my summer.

Even when my heart's not in it.

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Lazy Bones (1975)

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

1) This song is about a guy who'd rather nap than do his chores. Are there things you should be doing right now, instead of hanging around the blogosphere, answering these questions? I'm writing this just after midnight, so I probably should be in bed, asleep. I have emails to answer. My dining room table is covered in paperwork. I need to update my finances on Quicken. So yes, there are plenty of things I should be doing right now. But, like you, here I am in the blogosphere.

2) This song mentions a lazy afternoon of fishing. When did you last go fishing? Not since I was a little girl. I didn't enjoy it. I was bored and felt sorry for the fish.

3) The lyrics catch our hero sleeping in both the sun and the shade. Do you have a nice, shady place to nap on your front lawn? Or would we catch you lying in the sun? Right now, there is literally nowhere to sleep on our front lawn. It's covered by sawhorses, courtesy of the Public Works Department who dug a big hole to replace something-or-other concerning a water meter.

4) This week's featured artist, Leon Redbone, is a difficult man to nail down. Over the years he's claimed to be born in Ontario, and Philadelphia, and even Cyprus. Tell us about a time you got caught in a fib. Wow, I haven't thought about this in years! But it was in fourth grade. There had been a big snowstorm, and the few of us that had made it into school were huddled outside the door, waiting to be let into the building. An older girl, one that I idolized, was saying that she'd heard on the radio that our school was closed, but she decided to come over and see for herself.

In retrospect, her story makes no sense. But I was in fourth grade. And I was so excited that a 7th grader was actually speaking to me -- or at least in my general direction -- I piped up, "I heard that, too!"

We finally got into class and were thawed out and in our desks. My teacher wondered aloud about why there were so few of us in class. After all, big snow during a Chicago winter is no big deal. One of my classmates announced, "The Gal said she heard on the radio school was closed!"

"Really, Gal?" my teacher asked, "What station?"

"I never said that. I didn't hear anything," I mumbled.

"Yes, you did," Big Mouth Classmate insisted.

I wanted to die.
 
5) Mr. Redbone has said that taking himself too seriously would be "the gentle kiss of death." What's something that you always take seriously and just can't joke about? Cruelty to animals or children.

6) He has retired from public life, and that includes his Facebook page, which is no longer available. What did you last post to your Facebook page? I "liked" this story about the Cubs adorable first baseman announcing his engagement.

Aw ... So happy for Anthony Rizzo and his girl, Emily.

7) Leon always wore dark glasses when he performed. Do your sunglasses have gray, green, brown or rose colored lenses? I've got a drawer full of sunglasses, but lately I have been wearing transition lenses that turn green.

8) Recently Dick Van Dyke performed this song at a charity benefit, aided by his a capella quartet, The Vantastix. Last year, at age 90, he campaigned for Bernie Sanders. So Mr. Van Dyke is certainly not a "lazy bones." Who's the most active, energetic person in your life? My friend, Nancy. She works a full week, drives her daughter all over, has "date nights" with her husband and still does a lot of charity work. (I sleep on the sofa.)

9) Random question: You're at dinner with friends and someone begins a very long joke with, "Stop me if you've heard this before." You have heard it, many times before. Do you stop him? Or do you just sit through it again? It costs nothing to be kind at a moment like this. I'll sit through it again.

The Right Words at the Right Time

I worry about money. A lot.

It's not that my finances are appreciably worse than they were a year ago. They aren't. It's that I'm a year older than I was a year ago. I realize that, to maintain my standard of living, I have to keep bringing in the salary I currently am. And realistically, I know that this just isn't going to go on forever.

And so I freak out. I worry, and I feel bad. And I have stopped spending on extraneous BIG things. My bathroom remodel is on hold -- again! -- for another year. There's no solo getaway on my calendar. I want to do both badly, and I have the available credit on my card to do both. But that would be stupid. And so I won't do that.

And I worry.

But I also do a lot of dumb things. I waste tons of money on little things, and I really didn't think about it until last week, when I got to page 57 of Rob Lowe's memoir, Stories I Only Tell My Friends. Looking back on his junior high years, Rob writes:

"We can't afford restaurants very much. If we do go out, the rule is: no desserts. There is never a vacation. And no new clothes."

I was sitting in a restaurant as I read that. When I brought my summer clothes out, I saw to my amusement that I now have, like a zillion navy blue t-shirts because, for some reason, I thought I needed navy blue t-shirts. Of course, I have no black slacks that will cover my prodigious ass. That's because I was too dumb to check my closet and drawers before I shopped.

And books! This Lowe book I picked up at the Little Free Library right down the street, but I also just purchased two new hardcover books ($30). Because I felt like it, and I wanted them. What's wrong with the public library? Or waiting for the annual book sale? Or just being smart?

It's time for me to be as smart as Rob's mother was back in the day. I have to be mindful of EVERYTHING I buy, not just things past a certain price point.

Friday, a Cub fan/coworker came by and asked if I wanted to buy his Cub tickets for Saturday's and Sunday's games. AGAINST THE CARDINALS. He and his (pregnant) wife and can't go and under the circumstances -- baby on the way -- it just doesn't seem responsible for him to let the tickets go to waste. He's got to sell them. Face value = $75 each.

Cubs. Cardinals. Wrigley Field. Sunshine, beer and ivy. Do I want to go? Hell to the yes!

But I can't go. I've already spent $300 on Cub tickets, and I haven't seen a single frame yet. (I'll be return to the Friendly Confines this Friday and then again with my nephew in July.) So I'll also be buying beer and hot dogs and drinks after the game. I simply cannot afford it.

But I want it. And the want is very strong.

So, with Luke standing there, I call my friend John at work. I tell Luke if John picks up, and can go, I'll buy the tickets. If he doesn't, it's not meant to be.

John didn't pick up. In a way, I'm glad. John really can't afford to spend even more on Cub
tickets, either.

This weekend I'll be in front of the set, watching the Cubs on TV. And that's fine. It's smart.

Whoever woulda thought Rob Lowe would be my inspiration?

WWW.WEDNESDAY

WWW.WEDNESDAY asks three questions to prompt you to speak bookishly. To participate, and to see how other book lovers responded, click here.

1. What are you currently reading? Stories I Only Tell My Friends by Rob Lowe. Despite its positive reviews, I wasn't sure I'd enjoy this memoir, because I've never been much of a Rob Lowe fan ... and because it starts out more than a little maudlin with his recollection of knowing JFK, Jr. ever-so slightly just before that fatal plane crash. 

But here's the surprise: I am enjoying it. A lot. I appreciate how candid he is about his own career: He grew up around Sean Penn, and he knows he's not Sean Penn. He knows he'll likely never get a part as good as Leonardo di Caprio's in The Departed, or Timothy Hutton's in Ordinary People (which he couldn't even get an audition for). He's an actor who wants to work, and takes the best of what he's offered. It's an interesting glimpse into the life of someone who isn't in the highest echelon, and knows and accepts it.

He's a charming raconteur, too. I'm just about done with this book, and soon I think I'll miss hanging around with Rob and hearing his stories.

2. What did you recently finish reading? Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn. I've seen Gone Girl, the hit movie based on her most famous work, but this is the first time I've read Ms. Flynn. This book is both deeply disturbing and highly addictive. There is not a character you wish you knew in real life. It's the tale of a Chicago reporter on assignment in the small Missouri town where she grew up. Young girls have been disappearing, and she's using her hometown connections to get the story. In addition to a serial killer, there's self mutilation and torture and joyless sex and damning gossip. When you guess whodunnit rather early on, you're probably right. And yet the writing is as evocative as it is provocative, and Flynn's imagination is wild and dark and hypnotic. 

  3.  What will you read next? Oh, my TBR is so deep!
 

Glum

I have a pimple in my eyebrow. An angry red bump that is as painful as it is unsightly.

The Cubs are in the process of losing their FIFTH in a row, and falling below .500!

I think my air conditioner isn't working efficiently. Oh, good! Another day off work! Another expense!

I realize these are not earth shattering problems. I know I sound like a silly woman. I likely am a silly woman.

A glum, silly woman.

To Sir, With Love

I originally wrote this a couple years ago. It seems fitting today, John F. Kennedy's centennial.

President Kennedy died on my sixth birthday. That's a tender age, and having my Big Day marred by a national tragedy left its mark. In trying to restore order to my little universe and understand the pervasive agony all around me, I began reading obsessively the man. And have never stopped.

John F. Kennedy taught me much about life. The biggest lesson is that the way a life looks on the outside isn't necessarily how it feels from the inside. Though he was insulated by wealth, young Jack was plagued by severe, painful medical problems that kept him in the hospital or home convalescing. He missed years of school and had to drop out of Yale because of his fragile health. (And this was as the second son in a family that valued achievement above all else.) His parents had a troubled marriage, and that resulted in a complicated, unsatisfactory relationship with his mother that may have colored his attitude toward women throughout his life. (I've read just as much about his wife, so I'm not unaware of his own failings as a husband.)

So whenever I'm tempted to compare my life to someone else's, whenever I feel envy nipping at my heart, I remember how the world looked at JFK and thought he had it all, while in his heart he always felt rather lonely and isolated.

But look what he accomplished! Cum laude graduate of Harvard, decorated war hero, Pulitzer Prize winner, and the youngest man ever elected to the Presidency. The first Irish Catholic, at a time when people still remembered signs in store windows that said, "Irish need not apply."

Yes, he lucked out being born to one of the country's wealthiest family. But the wit, the intellect, the elegant turn of phrase, the fascinating combination of empathy and detachment he brought to every situation ... those money didn't buy. 

He taught me that if you have imagination, you can visualize your own destiny and if you don't cut yourself too much slack, you can achieve your goals. 

He remains the single biggest influence on my politics. He wrote this before I was born, and it still sums up my view of what my country can be if we listen to our better selves.

If by a "Liberal" they mean someone who looks ahead and not behind, someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions, someone who cares about the welfare of the people-their health, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights and their civil liberties-someone who believes we can break through the stalemate and suspicions that grip us in our policies abroad, if that is what they mean by a "Liberal", then I'm proud to say I'm a "Liberal.”

That's how I'm honoring him, with gratitude, on his birthday.

Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing: The Procrastination Tool Questions

1. What is your favorite sit-down restaurant? It changes. Currently it's The Pittsfield Cafe. It's just so unique. It's in the lobby of the Pittsfield Building, one of Chicago's first skyscrapers (1927). You have to walk through the lobby to get to the restaurant, and it's great to look at the gorgeous old ceiling and floors and chandeliers. The restaurant is one of those coffee shops that serves breakfast all day and has laminated menus. I'm partial to the grilled cheese sandwiches, and to the fact that none of my coworkers ever comes here, so it's the perfect place to escape with a book.

2. What food could you eat for 2 weeks straight and not get sick of it? Burgers. I could add cheese or onions or swap out ketchup for barbecue sauce to mix it up a bit.

 
3. Have you ever had anything removed from your body? Yes. Little moles and major internal organs. I'd like to maintain the collection of parts I have now.

4. What is the last heavy item you lifted? These weary old bones.

5. Have you ever been knocked unconscious? No.

6. If it were possible, would you want to know the day you were going to die? No.

7. If you could change your name, what would you change it to? I've always felt I'd make a good "Julie."

8. What’s your goal for the year? To improve my finances. They are a mess and a major concern.

9. Last person you hugged? A coworker. I thanked her for her support and she responded with a hug.

10. First place you went this morning? It's no longer morning, and I haven't left the house yet.

11. Do you always answer your phone? No

12. It’s four in the morning and you get a text message, who is it? My friend, Henry. Once he starts sipping wine, he loses track of time and becomes sentimental.

13. If you could change your eye color what would it be? No, thank you. My green eyes are very pretty and I don't want to change them.

14. What’s on your wish list for your birthday? Laughter. My oldest friend and I will be in Vegas for my birthday, and I'm counting on a silly, memorable time.

15. Does the future make you more nervous or excited? Nervous

16. Do you have any saved texts? Well,yes. But only because I forget to delete things.

17. Ever been in a car wreck? No.

18. Do you have an accent? I don't think so, but I'm told I have flat, nasal vowels. I once had an admin who could imitate me saying, "No prah-blum."

19. What was the last song to make you cry? Nothing springs to mind.

20. What did you do last night? Watched John Lackey do not-so-well against the Dodgers.

21. Have you ever felt like you hit rock bottom? Oh, yes.

22. Current hate right now? "Hate" is strong. But I'm not crazy about how things are going at the office right now.

23. Met someone who changed your life? Oh, yes.

24. How did you bring in the New Year? Reliving the glory days with my friends, The Crawleys.

25. What song represents you? Bruce Springsteen: No Surrender. "I'm ready to grow young again."

Not funny

I feel a little guilty about what I'm about to post. It's about "Archie Bunker," the retired sportscaster my oldest friend met on a dating site and was briefly infatuated with.

Archie hated Obama and blamed Obama for everything. Back in the olden days when I monitored his Twitter feed, I saw how much he delighted in retweeting rumors that "Michelle hates Barry" and wants a divorce. With all the hubbub about Melania Trump's apparent lack of enthusiasm for her man, I thought I'd revisit Archie to see how he weighs on the current First Couple.



via GIPHY


I am unhappy to report that all of his tweets are personal, unanswered and very sad.

Should I stick a fork in it           (May 19)
May be time to just disappear   (May 20)
I need a drink                            (May 20)
Another Saturday Night            (May 20)
Confused and disappointed       (May 21)
Damn crashing                          (May 22)


 I know that he has an adult son and daughter and grandchildren on the other coast. Apparently he and his daughter clash frequently. I know that my oldest friend was very willing to be in his life but he treated her abysmally. And then there's his toxic world view. ALWAYS complaining! Before May 19, his targets were cyclists who ride too fast on the sidewalk, and Charlie Beck, the chief of the LAPD, and the "clueless" dealership where he bought his Ford Navigator. Even without Obama, there's plenty in day-to-day life to upset ol' Archie.

While I am loyal to my oldest friend and am glad she gave up on Archie, I am still sorry about what I read. He's alienated, sad and in some physical discomfort. Depression is real and his practically reaches off the screen.

We could talk about how you get back what you put out. If he was kinder and more pleasant to those he spoke to on a day-to-day basis, I'm sure he would have more people reaching out to help him.

But that doesn't really matter now, does it?

I'd mention my discovery to my oldest friend, but she's still struggling with depression herself. She's so fragile and I'd never forgive myself if he (once again) decided she wasn't young/thin enough for him.

Instead, I'll just include him in my prayers and hope he finds the help he needs to turn this around.

Day 3

I woke up this morning and truly couldn't remember what day it was. That's how unplugged I've become during this four day weekend.

Friday I bought a bed and dropped off a bag of clothes at Goodwill. Yesterday I restocked my larder, shopping for decidedly not-fun things like eye drops, air freshener and Advil. And that's it. (If you don't count watching movies and baseball and playing with the cats.)

I really have to vacuum and put my winter clothes away. A few loads of laundry await. I suppose it's time for me get off my prodigious ass and accomplish something.

But I admit, I liked waking up and saying to myself, "What day is this again?" This ol' gal is such a slug!

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Stars and Stripes Forever 

1) Memorial Day was introduced after the Civil War. War memorials, as well as the graves of veterans, are to be decorated with flags and flowers on this day to show our appreciation. Is there a war memorial in your neighborhood? Just a few blocks from here, there's a big granite and bronze memorial to those we lost in WWI. It's in a park that's very popular with families. It's nice to see those solemn bronze troops surrounded by laughter and life on a sunny day.

2) Andrew Johnson, our 17th President, was in office the first time Memorial Day (then called Decoration Day) was celebrated. Have you ever met one of our 45 Presidents? I've never MET a President. However, as a campaign worker I have attended rallies with them. I saw candidate Bill Clinton in 1992 and President Clinton in 1996 during Chicago campaign stops. And I had the distinct pleasure of being there in Soldier Field 2008 and McCormick Place in 2012 when Barack Obama declared victory. These are cherished memories. It's a joy to feel like a part of process.

Soldier Field, 11/2008. Can you see me?

3) According to the AAA, 36 million Americans will hit the road this weekend and drive more than 50 miles. Will you be traveling far from home this weekend? Only to the mall. I promised myself I'm taking at least one bag of clothes to Goodwill!

 

4) Memorial Day kicks off the summer season. What's your favorite picnic food? Potato salad

5) Have you packed away your winter clothes? Or is the weather still so changeable that you still may need something warm? I'm finally packing away my winter clothes this weekend. I haven't done it because a) the weather has been changeable and b) I am a lazy slug.

6) As you answer these questions, is there an air conditioner or fan on? There's a fan whirring away.

7) This week, we are featuring the Muppets. Jim Henson made the first Muppet out of an old coat, and he used ping pong balls for the eyes. Do you have a talent for do-it-yourself/arts and crafts projects? No.

8) Random question: Think of the last thing you bought. Did you get a good deal? This afternoon I bought a new mattress at Sears. The mattress was 60% off ... and the box spring was free ... and delivery is free ... and since I used my Sears card, I got 16 months/no interest. I'm feeling pretty freaking proud of myself. 

Of course, since it's Memorial Day, and just about all retailers have mattress sales, that may have been a pretty standard deal. So how about this? On the way home from Sears, I stopped at the grocery store and got a 7-oz bottle of yellow mustard for just 56¢.

9) Crazy Sam needs your help: What song or a performer would you like to see featured in a Saturday 9 this summer? "Son of a Preacher Man" by the Dusty Springfield.

A new member to my household

I went out this afternoon and bought myself a bed. A Serta iComfort Blue 100 Gentle mattress and box spring, to be exact. It promises me "cooling, pressure-relieving comfort" as I sleep.  

Look! A layer of Evercool Gel Memory Foam!

I felt like such a grown up, walking into the mattress department, making my choice, scheduling the delivery and haul-away of my existing bed. This feeling is silly, of course, as I know both of the men who waited on me were young enough to be my sons.

I spent a bit more on the mattress than I intended to, but since I got the box spring and delivery for free, I ended up just about where I figured I would. And, since I used my Sears card, I'll get 18 interest-free months.

I've scheduled delivery for June 19. I hope it goes smoothly. I'm glad I made this big purchase at Sears because Sears is the company that gave me my start as a copywriter. They're suffering mightily and rumor has it Christmas 2017 might be their last.

On June 19, I want to be able to shout from the rooftops that Sears did this well, from start to finish. I want to post on Facebook and Yelp and everywhere else that Sears deserves your business for big, consequential items -- as well as claw hammers and garden hoses.

Also, I want to cuddle up and sleep soundly on my new Serta bed!

But Sears did fuck me over -- via a third-party contractor -- back in 2013. So I'm wishing and hoping but I'm trying to temper my optimism with caution.

The Friday 56

The Friday 56

Rules:
*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader
(If you have to improvise, that's ok.)
*Find any sentence, (or few, just don't spoil it)
*Post it.
    

From Stories I Only Tell My Friends. Unknown child actor Rob Lowe gets to peek behind-the-scenes as post-production special effects are added to a sci-fi film.

We stop to see a small robot that's shaped like a trashcan. Apparently the robot is a major character in the movie and I think his name is cool, R2D2.

\

Tragedy ahead

"Seeking immunity"
"Taking the 5th"
"Rolling disclosures"
"Subpoena issued by a special Senate subcommittee"
"What is the White House covering up?"
"Obstruction of justice"
"How high does it go?"

If I took a shot every time I heard a newscaster utter a phrase that reminded me of Nixon and Watergate, I'd go through life perpetually sloshed. And, since I'm rather sure where this is headed, I think I might be happier anesthetized.

I did not vote for Donald Trump. I have a hard time actually comprehending that anyone saw his name on the ballot and said, "Yes, that's a good idea!" But he won. So clearly something is happening in my country that I don't understand but must try to.

Which is why the compulsively watchable legal drama in Washington DC makes me so sad. A solid 30% of my fellow Americans believes in this man, and they are for an ugly summer ... and fall .... and winter ... and spring. They will certainly come away from this spectacle feeling even more disillusioned than they were when they voted Trump. Either they will see that they put their faith in a narcissistic con man, or they will be convinced that "so-called judges" and "fake news" conspired to bring down their guy.

I've seen this before. My dad went to his grave believing "they" got Nixon. The Good Lord could have written "GUILTY!" across Nixon's forehead, and my father would have clucked, "Oh, so they got to Him, too."

While all this drama ensues, no one will be taking care of health care, or tax reform, or infrastructure. And with this President's shaky impulse control, I am worried about how he'll behave internationally while distracted.

And, I fear, a generation will watch this and be disillusioned ... Disillusioned by members of the Trump Administration who were willing to throw away their honor for rubles, by Democratic Senators and Representatives who will throw away their scruples for airtime, by Republican legislatures who refuse to honor their personal beliefs because those solid Trump supporters live in their districts.

I'm lucky to be a Kennedy girl. JFK's legacy made its imprint on me when I was very young, and as we approach the centennial of his birth, I realize that it's immunized me from cynicism when it comes to government. I believe government can and does attract men of honor and ideals because I've been drawn to them my entire life.

But I saw what Watergate did to many of my generation. It left many of us with a "they're all dirty" and "throw the bastards out" and "what difference does it make?" attitude that can be poisonous.

So when any of my progressive friends watch this unfolding drama with glee, I shake my head and wish I could take another shot of Bushmill's.

Sometimes it feels like work

Checking my Facebook feed is a long slog these days.

Some things make me smile. My old friend Tom got whisked away by his wife for a birthday weekend in Vegas, with their toddler daughter. The photos are adorable.* Who knew that, if done correctly, Vegas can be an affordable family getaway? Plus, it's wonderful to see Tom so happy. He's a really good man and it's delightful to watch him embrace fatherhood. Lana's really stuck with her 2017 fitness resolutions, and her "sticktoitiveness" not only makes me happy for her, it's beginning to inspire me.

But then Facebook makes my teeth hurt. "I'm going to tell you everything that annoys me, and then I'm going to do it myself." It makes want to scream when someone says, "I'm just not me without my coffee and a Stan's donut in the morning," followed by, "What makes anyone think I care about their dumbass post about where they had lunch?"

I don't mind the parental bragging and I'm enjoying the prom/graduation photos. I like the reposted vacation memories. I'm happy to post a sad emoji to show solidarity with a friend remembering a parent or a pet or another loss that tugs the heart. Yes, I'm jealous of Doreen's frequent SATC weekends with friends in New York, but I'm happy for her nevertheless. I'm with you on all that, Facebook Friends!

But the, "I hate all Republicans" followed by, "I hate intolerance" posts ... the posters who rightly go out of their way to respect Muslims and Jews and atheists/agnostics but then turn around and disrespect my faith by saying, "Sweet Jeebus" ... Sometimes I dread checking in with my 73 Facebook friends.

That's right. I have just over 70 "friends." The median number of Facebook friends is 200. I couldn't deal with that much hypocrisy on a daily basis.

I know my Facebook feed is not a reflection of me. My sisters and aunt can/do read it, so I have to be careful. But I hope that my superficiality doesn't translate to being an asshole.

My feed is, however, a reflection of how into the Cubs and the Royal Family I am. For up-to-the-minute trade rumors and adorable* pictures of George and Charlotte, Facebook can't be beat. So I suppose I should just get off my fucking soap box and get over myself.

*That's "adorable," not "adorbs." Another thing about Facebook that makes me cringe is intentional language mangling. How much time is actually saved by lopping off the "able" but adding an "s?" Or is saying "adorbs" actually adorable, and I just don't get it? And don't even get me started on "Mmmkay" for "OK."

WWW.WEDNESDAY

WWW.WEDNESDAY asks three questions to prompt you to speak bookishly. To participate, and to see how other book lovers responded, click here.

1. What are you currently reading? Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn. Oh, my, but this book is intense. A Chicago reporter is sent on assignment to the small Missouri town where she grew up. Young girls have been disappearing, and she's to use her hometown connections to get the story. The writing is wonderful. Ms. Flynn creates an  atmosphere so claustrophobic that after reading awhile I want to run outside and feel the sun on my face. This book is as dark and creepy as it is involving. As opposed to the tripe I just finished ... 

2. What did you recently finish reading? On Borrowed Time by Jenn McKinlay. This is one of the "Library Lovers" series. I know when I pick up one of these "cozy mysteries" that I'm not going to get breakneck action or a challenging character study. But this book requires such a suspension of disbelief that to accept it you'd have to be brain damaged.

For example, our heroine, Lindsay, has just seen her brother kidnapped. Now she and her ex-boyfriend are in a small boat, chasing after a much larger one through dark and dangerous waters. There's an explosion. Lindsey and Sully are almost killed and her brother and his captors are lost in the night. So what do you think she does?

Call the police? No. Fall apart? No. Have passionate, life-affirming sex with Sully? No. 

She sits in the kitchen with her landlady, Nancy, as Sully makes them all some of his famous hot chocolate. I believe there was mention of nutmeg and cinnamon. 

The entire book is just this dumb. Last fall I read an earlier book in the series -- Book, Line and Sinker -- and, taken on it's own terms, I enjoyed it. But this one is borderline insulting, and I finished it only out of misguided optimism and stubborness.

  3.  What will you read next? Stories I Only Tell My Friends by Rob Lowe.
 

Nail polish and mimosas

Here it is Wednesday and I'm just now catching the blogosphere up on my weekend!*

Saturday afternoon brought me to the salon for my 2017 pedi. I went back to the future and revisited my Fall 2014 color: OPI La-Paz-itively Hot. The weather has been chilly and gray so my pretty pink toes have not yet been able to dazzle the populace, but I love looking them. When I gaze upon my new pedi, I hear Beatle George in my head: "Little darling, it's been a long, cold lonely winter."

The Saturday Cub game was rained out. The unscheduled day off turned out to be a good thing for my guys, for Sunday afternoon's game was a blowout. Cubs 13 - Brewers 6. And the score makes it sound closer than it was.

Sunday afternoon also found me enjoying a mimosa at brunch with Nancy. It's the first time I've spent any time with her in months! For all that I've expressed wanting a closer relationship with her, I have been soooo lazy in pursuing it. Friendships take work. I must remember that.

Anyway, she's very happy these days, so it was nice to be around her. She told me about her trip with her kids to Hollywood to be a contestant on Jeopardy! She's legally unable to tell me how she did before the show airs this summer, but she was able to tell me all kinds of cool stuff about the taping. For example, Jeopardy! contestants stay at the same hotel and tape in the same studio as Wheel of Fortune contestants. These Jeopardy! folks -- who have never met before and would soon be competing against one another -- were united in feeling superior to the Wheel of Fortune contestants. Wheel of Fortune is all luck, "no brains required."

She's also happy and confident in her new job. I wish I was happy and confident in mine.It was fun to see her enjoying her life so much.

*Oh, blogosphere! How have you managed to roll along without hearing how I've spent my free time?

She's kicking ass and taking names

Connie had a vet appointment this morning. Whoever would have thought that such a compact little body could emit so very many loud noises? She made it abundantly clear that being dragged from her napping spot under the bed, then stuffed in a carrier and taken out in the rain was not her idea of a good Saturday morning.

Once she got onto the examination table, she was a champ. Even though she had to submit to inoculations, the vet tech even got a purr out of her! Her eyes are clear, her teeth are not (yet) cause for concern, she's gained a pound. All good.

I appreciate the care my cats get at the vet. And I hope I don't return for another six months for Reynaldo's next check up.

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Him or Me -- What's It Gonna Be? (1967)

1) In this song, a man pleads with his girlfriend to make up her mind. Do you consider yourself decisive? With few exceptions, yes, I am decisive.

Since this song is all about either/or, we're using that as our theme this Saturday ...

2) Choose a condiment: Catsup or mustard? Catsup

3) Choose a sci-fi series: Star Wars or Star Trek? I don't really like sci-fi, but if forced to watch one, it would be Trek.

4) Choose your spy: James Bond or Jason Bourne? The Bourne saga has been a little too dark. I like young Pierce Brosnan in a tux, so I'll go with Bond. James Bond.

5) Choose your winter sport: Football or hockey? Hockey

6) Choose your breakfast: Pancakes or waffles? Waffles

7) Choose your side: French fries or potato chips? Now this one is hard. Usually fries, but sometimes I get such an urge for a nice, thin chip ...

8) Choose your chore: Washing dishes or doing laundry? I hate them both. But I'm actually very good at laundry, so I'll go with that one.

9) Choose your nextdoor neighbors: Munsters or Addams Family? Maybe Gomez would invite me over to play with his trains.

By the way, week's song reminds me of how much I like Mark Lindsay's voice. When I was a kid, he was insanely popular in 16 Magazine and I judged him on the body, bounce and shine of his ponytail. Turns out the Raiders were better than I remembered.  So I'm gonna listen to them again right now.

Donald Trump is off on his first international trip

I hope he does well. I really do. You should hope so, too.