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?   
A Common Struggle by Patrick J. Kennedy. The Kennedy family maintains a hold on our national imagination in part, I believe, because they are just that -- a family. They are us, only more so. Our strengths and weaknesses are theirs, only theirs are magnified. All of this is on display in Patrick Kennedy's very brave book.

The youngest child of Ted and Joan Kennedy, Patrick had two parents with mental health and addiction issues. Like many families, the Kennedys found these issues embarrassing and painful and would have preferred not to shine a spotlight on them. But the spotlight was always there. In a particularly chilling passage, near the beginning of the book, Patrick describes his early sessions with a shrink. He was a teenager, confused by his parents' divorce, yet afraid to discuss the more painful aspects with his psychiatrist because it felt too private and too embarrassing. Then he walked into a bookstore, browsed the "Kennedy section" and saw that just about anyone had access to tales about his mother's drinking and his father's infidelities.

Mental illness and addiction are "a common struggle" because we all know someone who suffers from depression, addiction, or anxiety. Bi-polar Patrick shares his story, and offers up solutions, to encourage dialog on this important topic. While well written, it's not an easy read because there's real pain on every page. I applaud him for this book.

2. What did you recently finish reading? 

The President Is Missing by Bill Clinton and James Patterson. Part of the fun of this book -- and it is paranoid, scary, wacky fun -- is in stumbling upon similarities between William Jefferson Clinton and fictional POTUS Jonathon Lincoln Duncan. Both grew up poor. Both went to law school and married the smartest girl in class. Both had one, perfect daughter. Both became Southern governors and then ascended to the Presidency. Both felt they unjustly faced impeachment. I smiled a lot as I read those passages.

As an author, Bill Clinton improves this book. He has always been good at taking the complex and making it relatable. (Or, as Barack Obama said in 2012, he should be "Secretary of Explaining Stuff.") Cyber terrorism and hacking are brought to life here in a way that will give you chills. You get what's at stake here. And, after reading this book, you'll be pissed by how sanguine the current (real life) Administration seems in the face of Russian meddling.

I'm sure the plotting was all Patterson, and it was tight. The suspense built to a satisfying reveal that made complete sense. However, there were passages that were unnecessarily lurid and breathless, and they reminded me why I quit reading Patterson/Alex Cross back in the 1990s.

3.  What will you read next?  

Something lighter, that's for sure.

From church this morning

As we move through life, finding ourselves, 
always newly wise and newly foolish,
we ask that our mistakes be small and not hurtful.

Yes, yes, yes!

Sunday Stealing

 

WOULD YOU RATHER?

1. Would you rather be able to detect any lie you hear or get away with any lie you tell? Detect any lie

2. Would you rather be a hopeless romantic or a hopeless unromantic? Hopeless romantic

3. Would you rather have too many friends or too few? Too many

4. Would you rather have no taste buds or be blind? No taste buds

5. Would you rather never hear music again or lose the ability to read? Never hear music

6. Would you rather find true love or be rich? Since I doubt I'll live happily ever after with a man, I'll choose the money

7. Would you rather be the richest person or the smartest? Smartest

8. Would you rather create history or delete it? Create

9. Would you rather create a great piece of art and not get credit or get credit for a piece of art you didn’t create? Create

10. Would you rather age from the neck up, or from the neck down. Neck down

11. Would you rather see the world but live in poverty or stay in one place and live rich? Stay in one place and live rich

12. Would you rather become famous or powerful? Powerful

13. Would you rather be a creative person or a technical person? Creative

14. Would you rather get a paper cut whenever you touch paper or bit your tongue whenever you eat something? Paper cut

15. Would you rather wake up in the morning looking like a giraffe or a kangaroo? Kangaroo

16. Would you rather speak “whale” or read babies’ minds. Read babies' minds

17. Would you rather eat pizza every day or never eat pizza again? Every day!

18 Would you rather stay forever at your current age or be 10 years younger? 10 years younger

 

Happy, happy, happy

My heroes in Cubbie blue have won three in a row, the last two against division rivals The Cardinals. 

The prettiest sight in this fine pretty world is watching Cubs fans celebrate within the Friendly Confines.

See you in September!

In 1922, a group of charity-minded neighborhood women, each representing a different worthy cause, pooled their resources and bought a house. A huge Victorian. They reasoned that they could hold "yard sales" all year around, not just when weather was permitting. Because, let's face it, in Chicagoland it gets cold, it snows and it rains (and rains).

During the Depression, the house meant even more to the community. When money was tight, families that once only came there to donate cast-offs found they needed to shop there, as well. For back-to-school clothes, for the flatware a bride needed for her first kitchen, for books and magazines, for fabric and sewing materials, etc.

Now it's beloved not only as a fundraiser, but as the ultimate example of recycling. The items that are sold, the hangers they're displayed on, the bags you carry your purchase home in -- none of it is new. All donated. All getting a second life before just going into the landfill.

I give you this preamble to explain why my visit yesterday left me wistful. June 8 was their last sale of the year. For the house simply too big to efficiently air condition and it gets hot in there on sunny, humid days. As of 3:00 Saturday, it closed until September.

I didn't really need anything, but I wanted to be part of the last sale day. In their efforts to clear as much out as possible before closing for summer, they marked everything down. Just about everything in the first-floor rooms was $1.* I ended up with a bright pink t-shirt, a black t-shirt, and a pair of sunglasses, all for $3.

I did see people leaving with those massive Bath Bed and Beyond bags filled with stuff, though. That made me happy, because the proceeds go to:

•  A daycare center that charges on a sliding scale, depending on what the family can afford (the organization was around back in 1922 and has benefited from these sales ever since)
•  A clinic that provides medical and dental care to children whose families can't pay for private health care
•  Senior services, especially transportation to/from medical appointments
And my two favorites ...
•  The food pantry
•  The animal shelter

*I didn't venture down to the basement, where books, hardware and small appliances are sold.

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: I'm Moving On (1965)
 
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) In this song, Chyvonne Scott sings that she's sick of her lover's "conniving." Tell us about a time you felt deceived. (It doesn't have to involve romance.) Remember when Attorney General Barr did his book report on the Mueller Report? I felt deceived and disappointed. I had hoped Barr would rise to the occasion, but instead he behaved like a partisan and shaded the truth. There are people -- voters! -- walking around out there who believe Robert Mueller exonerated President Trump.

2) She realizes it's time to move on to another love. What's your favorite love song? Is it about a relationship that's running smoothly? Or is it like "I'm Moving On," about an unhappy love affair? My favorite songs change. The one that's on my mind this morning is a sad one, about a non-affair. "You Don't Know Me" has been recorded time and again since Eddy Arnold had a hit with it in 1956. But here's my favorite, by Jann Arden, from My Best Friend's Wedding soundtrack.




3) Though Chyvonne Scott enjoyed only limited success as a recording artist, she was very popular in New York clubs. When did you most recently listen to music performed live? To celebrate Black History Month, a faith-based Chicago rapper, John the Rap'tist, performed at lunchtime at our office. I enjoyed his talk before (about how Christianity informs his work) and afterward (about working with Beyonce and Jay-Z) more than his performance. He was completely charming, but I don't like rap.

4) In 2017, this song appeared on a Samsung commercial that poked fun at rival iPhone. Is your cell phone an Apple or Android? How did you choose your phone? Nearly two years ago, I went into the local T Mobile store with my broken phone and said, "HELP! I need a new phone but I don't use it very often so give me a cheap one." They hooked me up with Aristo. $50 down and $6/month, about $120 altogether. It's a fine phone that lets me take pictures, text, summon Uber, and occasionally actually make a call. I don't need more. 

5) Chyvonne is an unusual name. In 1965, when this song was first released, the most popular baby names in the US were Michael and Lisa. Do you have any Michaels or Lisas in your life? So many Michaels! From my brother-in-law to my boss. Only one Lisa, though. That would be Snarkypants herself. She recently gave me access to her Netflix account, which is life altering for a vid kid like me. (Thank you, Snarkela.)

6) Also in 1965, Winston Churchill died. In researching this week's Sat. 9, Sam discovered a Churchill quote that's new to her: "I am always ready to learn although I do not always like being taught." Share something interesting that you recently learned. You know those window envelopes you get in the mail every day? The man who invented them was Americus Callahan of Chicago, IL. He saved American businesses tons of time and money by eliminating the need to type or print an address on the outer envelope. Thank you, Americus!

7) In 1965, one of the most successful movies ever made, The Sound of Music, was released. Have you ever seen it? A gazillion times. Maybe more.

8) Lava lamps were already popular in England and Brussels, but in 1965 they were introduced in the US. Do you think lava lamps are cool? I think they're kinda silly. They don't emit much light, you know.

9) Random question -- You have to buy something very personal that you find embarrassing. Would you rather pay cash for it, so your identity would be unknown but you'd have to face the cashier? Or order it online, where you could avoid looking anyone in the eye, but you have to share your name and address? Online. It feels more anonymous, somehow. Though now that you mention it, it's really not since you have to give all your personal information. I suppose it's the price I pay to avoid eye contact.

A very good Monday

New signage on Clark Street. Bryzzo!

I spent June 3 within the Friendly Confines of Wrigley Field with my nephew! It was a lovely way to spend the day.

I got a good price for the tickets. It was a one-and-done with the Angels, a makeup for the game last month that was snowed out. It seemed fitting that I be there, since I was in LA at the TCM Film Festival, getting a little sunburn on my neck, when LA's team was getting snowed on here in Chicago.

I'm impressed by what a baseball nerd my nephew is. When he was a wee one, we used to spend summer Sunday mornings with the sports section, me explaining the National League standings. I told him there was a lot of math involved with being a Cub fan, and if I had been a better student, I would be a better Cub fan today. As he got older, we progressed to batting averages and ERAs. It seemed like a painless way to encourage him to pay attention in class.

The student has far exceeded the master. My nephew knows his Sabermetrics! He ignores my old school reverence for batting average and rhapsodizes about the OPS (on-base slugging percentage, for my fellow oldsters out there).  I love what a baseball nerd he's become.

The game was a fine affair. My guys snapped a losing streak with a 6-run sixth inning and ended up winning 8-1. Jon Lester went deep into the game and new Cub Carlos Gonzalez made his Wrigley Field debut with a terrific catch in the outfield. I just wish Anthony Rizzo had gotten a hit. Of course, I'm sure Rizz wishes that, too!

After the game, we stopped at a Wrigleyville dive bar for drinks (Auntie) and ice water (Nephew) and chips. We talked about school -- he's doing very well and got more scholarship money for his sophomore year. Enough to make his own dorm room affordable! Yea! I wish he was having more fun this summer -- he spends an awful lot of time with his parents and I worry about his cocooning at home.

But he loves college. He says he loves being home and sleeping as long as he wants every morning. He hopes to find a summer job soon. I didn't sense anything wrong and I guess I shouldn't overlay my expectations on him.

It's just that I wish he'd find his tribe. People who care about politics and policy and cats and baseball as much as he does! Maybe next year, when his poli-sci classes get more advanced.

And besides, I worry too much. We had a good day, and just look at the marquee that said farewell to us on the way out!

Sunday Stealing

Movie Questions

What was you first movie-going experience without your parents? A re-release of the original Parent Trap. My oldest friend's mom was in the hospital, and her dad asked my parents if I could go to the movies with her one afternoon. Something special to cheer her up. We even got dressed up for the occasion (I wore a gold pendent). We were in 6th grade. 

Do you still buy DVDs or Blu Rays (or do you just stream them)? I have about two tons of DVDs that I never watch. I really should get rid of them. It's either Amazon Prime or, preferably, Comcast Xfinity for me.

What is your guilty pleasure movie? What about it works for you? I love everything about Valley of the Dolls. The legitimately terrific wardrobe, the campy musical numbers, the horrific dialog, the painfully earnest acting ... LOVE! 

You have compiled a list of your top 10 movies. Which movies do you like, but would not make the list?  Oh! So many movies are dear to me! With Doris Day's passing, I'll include one of hers that I completely adore: Young at Heart. She plays Lori, the upbeat youngest daughter who see the potential in everyone -- from the runt puppy of the litter to a feisty, underemployed piano player (Frank Sinatra). It's not a great movie. We can quibble about the crappy outdoor sets and some pretty serious plot/timing problems. But why? Let's just be charmed.


Which movie(s) do you compulsively watch over and over again? What makes it so great? The Way We Were. I'll let the Carrie and the girls explain why it's so great.




Classic(s) you’re embarrassed to admit you haven’t seen yet? Vertigo. Everyone freaking loves it, but I've never been able to make it past the first few scenes. And any Star Wars movie after the first one (which I saw but it made no impression on me whatsoever).

Do you have any movie posters hanging on your wall? If yes, which ones and why? No movie posters, but I do have this Marilyn poster in my bedroom. She was 22 years old. Newly blonde, newly renamed. There's just something about her at this moment in time that really touches me.

Tell us about a movie that you are passionate about. Maybe because I just saw it again recently, but From Here to Eternity gets better and feels more important with time. For the uninitiated, it takes place in Hawaii in Fall/Winter 1941. The people are all flawed, all unique, each reminds you of someone you've met somewhere. They love, they betray, they make choices. They each try to do the right thing. Every decision they make is made bigger against the historic backdrop of the time they find themselves in. This movie is about us, about America.

What is a movie you vow to never watch? Why? Anything that's sci-fi or has Marvel superheroes. They do not interest me.

Tell us about a movie that literally left you speechless. Pulp Fiction. It was like nothing I'd ever seen before. It was brutal and funny and non-linear and completely fascinating.

What’s a movie that you always recommend? Holiday. Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant are divine in this beautiful little movie about the price of being who you are.

Who is an actor you always watch, no matter how crappy the movie? Michael Douglas. His movies are always quality (if not always successful) and his performances are always interesting.

Who is an actor you don’t get the appeal for? Why don’t you like them? Garbo. She's alternately too remote and then too much of ham hock for me.

Who is an actor, living or dead, you’d love to meet? Why do they intrigue you? La Liz. Elizabeth Rosamund Taylor Hilton Wilding Todd Fisher Burton Warner Fortensky. What a woman! What a life!

Sexiest actor/actress you’ve seen. (Picture requested!)

Redford. Sigh.

You are casting a movie, pick four or five actors you’d hire to be in it and why we’d love them together. I caught part of Three Men and a Baby the other night and was struck anew by how charming Tom Selleck can be, when he's not ruminating about reverse mortgages. So I'd like to cast him in a romantic comedy with Julia Roberts. Jennifer Aniston will be their best friend, because she's my favorite Friend.. And Kiki Layne would have to be in it somehow, too. I think they would be the most likeable cast ever.

Which are your favorite actor pairings of all time? The two coolest guys ever.

Have you ever watched movies from a decade that was before you were born? If so, which decade is your favorite? Once movies started talking, I started loving them. I can find favorites from every decade from the 1930s on.

If you were to be in a movie would you rather play the hero, villain or anti-hero? Why? Oh, I would be the heroine. Always.

Stay with me here. There's a twist.

The Green Line el train gives me a valuable glimpse of the world every morning, taking me from Frank Lloyd Wrights and restored Victorians, through the impoverished neighborhoods, toward gentrification, over the River and into the Loop and then Michigan Avenue. It's very democratic, with every demographic represented.

Thursday morning, I ended up sitting with two men I never would have encountered, if not for the Green Line. They were older than most riders -- around 70. Their voices were raspy, probably from decades of cigars and cigarettes. They were both wearing bulky sweaters to protect them from the morning chill -- colorful, shawl-collared cardigans. They each were clutching paper bags, with only tell-tale twist tops peering out.

They were bemoaning the spate of carjackings on the west side of Chicago. They'd lived here their whole lives, and they've never seen anything like it.

"Pulling people out of a car. Who does that?"

"Boys! They got bodies of men but brains of boys!"

"Dumb and dangerous. Dangerous and dumb."

"Shit for brains."

"Waving weapons for what? To steal a car? Who does that?"

"You can't sell a car after that. Everybody be looking for the car. Everybody be looking for you. Kidnapping! Weapons!"


"I made a good living just stripping cars. Hub caps. Radios."

"See a car you like, follow the driver home. Wait till he gets out."


"Never in your neighborhood! Who shits where they eat? Who does that?"

"Boys! They got bodies of men but brains of boys!"

I admit I was expecting a why-don't-they-get-jobs-or-stay-in-school kinda thing. Instead, these two charming old men were retired car thieves and chop shoppers, reminiscing about the good old days and, like the rest of us, complaining about Millennials in the workplace.

Saturday 9

It's Late (1959)

Unfamiliar with this week's song. Hear it here.


1) Ricky Nelson laments that he should have been home hours ago. When is the last time you stayed up later than you should have? What were you doing? I don't really have a bed time, as I operate by how I feel. And the most recent evening when I was awake after I had a hard time keeping my eyes open was this past Thursday. We had a condo board meeting with the realtor who wants to represent us when we put our building up for sale. It was an important topic, to be sure, and we met the only time was available to all of us. But as the meeting went on, it was hard for me to stay focused.

2) Compounding Ricky's problem is that he's nearly out of gas. How is your gas tank right now? When did you most recently fill 'er up? No car

3) It gets worse! He can't call home because he doesn't have a dime for the pay phone. Have you recently been in a situation where you've been glad you had your cell phone handy? This past week, my el train was stopped because of "an incident," and I was glad I could text the office and keep them apprised. It's ironic, though, if it wasn't for a cell phone, we wouldn't have been stopped. 

Three people -- two women (a mother and daughter) and a young man got on the train. The mother was already yelling when they got aboard. "You put your hands on her!" she kept screaming at the man. "She's no whore! You don't put your hands on her!" She kept yelling, and yelling, and yelling. At first I thought an assault of some sort had taken place on the platform and had been interrupted when the train arrived. Then it occurred to me -- if something serious had happened, either the women or the man would have gotten off at the next stop. But they didn't, yet she kept yelling ... and yelling ... and yelling.

Well, some well-meaning passenger filmed this with his/her cell phone and sent it to the transit authority. Who stopped the train. And sent Security back to assess the situation. Which meant we all had to sit there until they decided to call the police.

They decided not to, because it turns out the young man was her son. Once Security got involved, Mom quit yelling at him and turned on the guard, telling him to stay out of her family's business and leave her son the hell alone. (Of course, if she'd kept her voice down in the first place, none of this would have happened.)

4) The video for this song is from an episode of The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. Ozzie Nelson, Ricky's father, was in charge of the show and made the rules. One was that no one was allowed to smoke on the set ... except his wife, Harriet. Do you smoke? Have you ever lived with a smoker? My parents smoked. Three of my four grandparents smoked. It's as though my hair smelled bad until I was 18.

5) Life magazine coined the phrase "teen idol" to describe Ricky's popularity. According to Tiger Beat, today's teen idols include Johnny Orlando and Ruby Jay. Johnny was born in 2003, Ruby in 2004. Sam admits that before today, she had no idea who these young people are. How about you? No. And their names surprise me, because I thought Justin Beiber and BTS were today's teen dreams. I'm such an old fart!


6) While Paul McCartney and Bob Dylan have posthumously praised Ricky Nelson's music, 1950s music critics dismissed him as a lightweight. What's the last review you read? Was it written by a professional critic, or was it contributed by a consumer to a site like Amazon or Yelp? I read reviews all the time. Both professional and consumer. It's just being a good consumer. I'm amused when people complain that they didn't know this or that book or movie had "so much sex and violence!" Well, maybe you wouldn't be clutching your pearls right now in horror if you'd bother to check the reviews!

7) At the height of his popularity, Ricky tried his hand at movies, appearing in the western Rio Bravo with John Wayne. He turned 18 during the filming, and Wayne celebrated by playfully throwing Ricky into a sack of horse manure. Do you think pranks and practical jokes are funny? No. (And John Wayne sounds like a jerk.)

In costume for Rio Bravo. Who could pull a prank on this sweet little pup?

8) In 1959, when this song was popular, the St. Lawrence Seaway was completed. It connects Canada to our Great Lakes. Without looking it up, can you name all 5 Great Lakes? HOMES: Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie and Superior.

9) Random question – You drive past a local motel and see the car of a very married friend right there in the lot. Would you ask her about it? Yes. I'd assume they had a busted HVAC system or some other homeowner emergency that precipitated moving out. My married friends seem happy and infidelity wouldn't have occured to me.

Sometimes I miss the road sign

Henry has never liked social media. Since his accident, he's had a hard time composing emails on his laptop. So our relationship now takes place entirely over the phone.

These are marathon conversations. Two hours is the norm. These calls are long-ranging. About our pets. About our families. About our jobs. And, always, reliving the accident and his hospital stay. I try to get away from that as quickly as I can, because no good can come of that.

I enjoy these calls, until I don't. We talk, and talk, and talk. Considering how close he came to death last year, how severe his brain injury was, I find this comforting. He has come so far in his recovery! He's back at work, he's writing poetry again, his memory is completely in tact.

But he is still not well. He's still on a regimen of medications that have an impact on his stamina and moods. And he is not his old self. Frequently Henry says things that just aren't Henry.

He's boastful now, in ways he wasn't before. "I have a high IQ and two PhDs," he'll say. The old Henry would never have said that. Oh, and it's not true. I've known him more than 25 years. I know he's worked two separate times toward the same advanced degree and never finished it. The dissertation has always stopped him. Why does he keep saying this? Does he think I don't know the truth?

And he says things that just aren't true. Couldn't be true. For example, he told the story of how he took his beloved dog Lola to the vet last summer. "I made the vet agree with me that she was dying, that she didn't have long to live, and yet he wanted to put her under anesthesia and clean her teeth anyway. I took her in my arms and said, 'Lola, we're going home.'" What? Huh? No vet would behave that way. Last summer -- before the accident -- he told me he couldn't afford to get Lola's teeth fixed and besides, he was worried the anesthesia would kill her so he simply wasn't taking her in. What's with this dramatic fantasy of arguing with the vet?

Or nuts. Like when he rides his bike now, he still doesn't wear a helmet because it's humid in Key West and besides, helmets aren't "becoming" on adults.

So after I hang up the phone, I'm upset and I stay upset for days.

Henry is doing the best he can. I know that. And it's a privilege that he reaches out to me, that he trusts and loves me. I treasure that. He always ends each call with, "You are my sister and I love you."

But there's an unpleasant reality that I have to face: Even though we have come so very far since his accident last October, this could be it. This could be the extent of his recovery. This could be our new normal. And you know what? That's OK. He's my friend, I love him and I'm in this for the long haul.

So I have to change my approach to these calls. When I sense that we're entering Crazy Town, I should come up with a reason to hang up. Maybe I should come up with a gallery of excuses before he calls next time, so I can have one ready when I pick up.

Now isn't this better?

About 10 days ago, I had an unfortunate run in with my neighbor at the end of the hall. Mr. Braverman just moved into his condo last year, loves it, and understandably doesn't want to sell (and deconversion is something we're seriously considering). I get that. But in our hallway contretemps he not only expressed concern about that, he began sharing his strong opinions about how the building is being run. I told him I felt as though I was being interrogated. This made him angry and he stormed off.

I don't like living like this. Life throws enough stress out way. It doesn't help to be be concerned about running into angry every time I enter or exit my front door.

So, when yesterday I ran into Mr. Braverman in the lobby, I was nervous.

Apparently he feels bad about our last encounter, too. For all we talked about was baseball. I told him that I just so happened to be going to Wrigley Field this Monday and he said I must be the World's Best Aunt.

Superficial and friendly! That's how I like my relationship with my neighbors!

My furry barometer

I miss Joey. My enormous gray and white tomcat had the hugest heart and was always a joy to be around. But besides that, he was excruciatingly sensitive to weather.

I often knew when there was a tornado warning before the weatherman told me, because Joey would scoot -- as close to the ground as he could get -- into the windowless hallway. Really, he looked like a crawling meatloaf. But he knew.

And he snapped out of it as soon as the storm passed. As though he could tell time and understood the weatherman. He would regain his legs, get up and go about his usual lazy, loving life.

Happy Memorial Day

This weekend, I spent an afternoon on the Riverwalk and snapped this photo of the Chicago Remembers Vietnam Veterans Wall.

I've been haunted by it ever since. First of all, because I must have passed it about a gazillion times without every really looking at it. If Joanna and I had been here on any other sunny Saturday, I bet I would have heedlessly passed it again.

And then there are the number of names. 3,000. Think about that: 3,000 kids from Illinois alone died in Vietnam. And that doesn't include the veterans who came home only to succumb to Agent Orange or suicide. It makes me want to cry.

Here is a far more professional look at our Wall. From here on, I will look and appreciate.

Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing: Books Traveler

Authors you never get tired of reading I love Nora Ephron's essays. And her novel, Heartburn.

A book you bought for the cover, and discovered it was better than you thought Jackie, Janet and Lee by J. Randy Taraborelli. I didn't buy it -- it was a gift from my friend Henry -- but I didn't expect much. Taraborelli can be a  hack. But I loved the cover shot of three white-gloved Bouvier women marching purposefully toward a society photographer. And actually, it was an interesting read. When one reads about JBKO (which I do obsessively), you get a lot about her relationship with the Kennedys. But she was only Jackie Kennedy from 1953 to 1968. She was a Bouvier for all her life. And learning more about her relationship with her sister and (especially) her mother was enlightening.

 

A book that made you laugh and cry, and made you depressed The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein. I loved our canine narrator, Enzo. He made me laugh and the ending made me cry. And the rather misogynistic and unnecessary subplot about a rape accusation left me depressed. The book didn't need it and would have been better without it.


A book that was a pleasant surprise Kwizgiver has some very good book posts, and she turned me on to the Spellman Saga. It's a series of six very funny detective stories about a family of private investigators. It consistently delighted me.

A book everyone loves that you don’t The DaVinci Code. Hated it. Only finished it because two of my friends raved about it and I thought it simply had to get better.

A book with a great sidekick that you like more than the hero I don't know that I like Hawk better than Spenser, but I like him a lot. You'll find Hawk and Spenser in the Robert B. Parker series, which has been ably taken over by Ace Atkins.

A book that helped you through a difficult time Dance While You Can by Shirley MacLaine. I got it as a gift for my birthday in 1991, but didn't have time to read it at the time. I happened to grab it while my dealing with my father's illness and death, not realizing how much of the book is devoted to her father. The universality of what I was feeling helped. Everyone goes through this, in one form or another. We all had parents, we all have siblings, we all have family stuff.

A book that taught you something valuable JFK: Reckless Youth, by Nigel Hamilton. Lesson: no matter what a life looks like from the outside, you have no idea how it feels on the inside.

A book or series that it took you awhile to get into I got nothing for this. If I don't like the first book I read in a series, I don't stick around.

A fictional character you’d love to have to dinner. Can I invite a couple? I'd like Jo March and her beau, Professor Bhaer. I met them in Little Women. I love them.

 

So I ate a lot of chicken

Last month, I learned how hard 2019 had been on Joanna. Her brother's illness ... financial setbacks ... romantic travails. She was tired, scared and broke. This was very much not like Joanna. She's a sophisticated Southern belle. She never lets 'em see her sweat. And yet here she was, 63 years old and frankly, obviously worried that she wouldn't bounce back this time.

So I've spent the last month worried about her. I didn't want to hover, but I did want her to feel like she wasn't alone. So we've Facebook'd back and forth and set up a date for this weekend. I wanted to go to the Lake -- I can peer at it from the reception area of the office, but I seldom get to see Lake Michigan up close. Joanna said she'd prefer the Chicago Riverwalk. Not as grand as a Great Lake, the Chicago River has enjoyed a renaissance and is now lively and a lot of fun, with restaurants and bars dotting the walkway and a nice view of the boats and kayaks.

We were meeting at 2:00. Remembering last month, when she couldn't even afford an after-movie drink, I didn't know what 2:00 meant. Lunch? Riverwalk bistros can be expensive because they're aimed at tourists. So before I left, I had a big bowl of Campbell's Chicken Pot Pie soup. Creamy and thick. Positively mediocre, but it filled me up.

As soon as we met up, she said she wanted to eat. "Real food," she drawled. Meaning no pub fare like hummus or artichoke dip. We ended up at a sit down restaurant where she ordered smoked beef brisket sandwich with mashed potatoes! All the food looked delicious, but I'd just snarfed down that $1.89 can of soup. It would have been wasted on me. So I just ordered what was cheapest. And it was, of course, more chicken. A chicken/bacon wrap. It was fine. I liked the margarita better.

Mostly I was happy that her life has turned around enough for a full lunch. Last month, she had a short-term contract to do a single project.* That client has been so happy with her that it's expanded into a long-term contract, meaning income through the end of the year.

And it gets better ...

A prospective client who had rejected Joanna in March, saying she was too expensive and inflexible and he was going another way, just called her. He's changed his mind. Now she's got a contract for an additional three months work. She wants to use that money to dig herself out of debt, as she's been living on her credit cards these past three months.

I don't mean to paint this as too rosy. Her brother is still in hospice, waiting to die. And at 63, she doesn't have a cent left in her retirement savings. And that guy that she's carrying on an on again/off again long-distance relationship with? She isn't sure if right now they're on or off.

But she can pay her rent. She can put gas in her car. She can order lunch. At least through the end of the year. She was feeling positive enough to daydream about a trip to Europe, to visit an old friend in London. I don't believe that's going to happen, but it made me happy to hear her so forward focused.

*With Dana! Back when I worked with The Boss, Dana was my secretary. In the intervening 15 years, she's moved on up and has become an office manager. Her employers asked her if she knew of any marketing consultants who could help them expand, she reached out to me, and I put her in contact with Joanna. I'm a matchmaker!

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: God Bless America

Memorial Day is the federal holiday designated to honor American service people who died in battle. 

1) Memorial Day was introduced after the Civil War. Originally called Decoration Day, this is when 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? There's a WWI statue in the park next to the main library. It was dedicated in 1925, with General Pershing himself in attendance! It's called "Peace Triumphant," because our city fathers had hoped WWI would be the last war any of us ever saw. How poignant!

2) Andrew Johnson, our 17th President, was in office the first time Memorial/Decoration Day  was celebrated. Have you ever met one of our 45 Presidents? "Met" is too strong a term. However as a campaign worker, I saw Bill Clinton during 1992 and 1996 campaign stops. And most memorably, I had the honor of being in attendance when Chicago's own Barack Obama declared victory, first at Soldier Field in 2008 and McCormick Place in 2012.

Soldier Field 2008. Can you see me?

3) According to the AAA, more than 30 million Americans will hit the road this weekend and drive more than 50 miles. Will you be traveling far from home this weekend? No farther than a few el stops to meet up with my friend Joanna. We shall wander Chicago's Riverwalk.

Cross your fingers that the rain lets up so we can enjoy our drinks outdoors

 

4) Memorial Day kicks off the summer season. What's your favorite picnic food? I like potato salad, and it seems I only eat it off a paper plate on my lap.

5) As you answer these questions, is there an air conditioner or fan on? Nope. Though it is a little stuffy so maybe I should put the fan in the window.

6) Though she's belting out one of America's best loved patriotic songs, Deanna Durbin was born in Canada. Is there anyone in your family or circle of friends who wasn't born in the USA? My friend Kathleen's husband is a subject of Queen Elizabeth II. He retains his British citizenship.

7) No longer a household name, Ms. Durbin was once one of the biggest stars in the country. One of her most popular films was 1937's One Hundred Men and a Girl, which was nominated for a Best Picture Oscar. Recommend a movie that you really like, but don't think many Saturday 9ers have seen. Because it's Memorial Day, I'll recommend from Here to Eternity. It's famous for the clinch in the surf, but there's much more to it than that. It's set on an Army base in Hawaii in 1941. It's about honor and justice and patriotism and loyalty and love ... and all the characters are flawed, which makes them very real and easy to root for. You can find it on YouTube, but watch it on your TV if at all possible. Though it's in glorious black and white, it's still an epic and some shots could take your breath away.

8) Back in 1938, Deanna Durbin had her handprints cemented in front of the TCL Chinese Theater on Hollywood Blvd. Have you ever visited that Los Angeles tourist attraction? I was just there last month, for the TCM Classic Film Festival. I saw From Here to Eternity, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and Gone with the Wind on that big, BIG screen. Before that, I just knew it as the theater where they hold the Oscars, and where Lucy and Ethel stole John Wayne's footprints.

It's embarrassing how often I reference I Love Lucy in real life

9) Random question: What food did you hate as a child, but enjoy now? The aforementioned potato salad.