Thank God for Jimmy

 Elon Musk's takeover of Twitter happened to coincide with the attack on Paul Pelosi, husband of House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi. Trust me when I tell you, this is not a good thing.

Angry Right Wing Nut Jobs and conspiracy-crazed MAGAs did not show us their best, self-proclaimed Christian sides. Take, for example, Donald Trump Jr. He never once wished the Speaker's husband a speedy recovery. He did, however, post this.

 

Now I suppose it's not a newsflash that the Trump family is a few quarts low of compassion. As Donald Jr.'s cousin Mary once wrote of her family, "The cruelty is the point." They seem to confuse brutality with strength. What does horrify me is that nothing distracts Trump supporters from holding their Bibles in one hand clicking ♥ with the other. Tweets like Trump Jr.'s and the affirmation he receives make me want to dismiss online Trump supporters as soulless pigs (but then I wonder, is that fair to pigs?).

Which brings me to Jimmy. Dear Jimmy. I have never met Jimmy, but we were brought together by my top reason for visiting Twitter: up-to-date baseball news. A New York-based Yankee fan, Jimmy is passionate and opinionated. He's also well informed, literate and polite. We've been trading tweets about Joe Maddon and his new book.

Jimmy would very much like the former Cubs manager to take over the Yankees next year. I don't think that will happen and I explained why: Joe (whom I adore) is a very independent, free thinker and it doesn't look like the Yankees GM wants anyone he can't push around. Jimmy insists an independent, free thinker is what the Yankees need. I think Jimmy is 100% right. I just don't think it will happen.

Anyway, I posted this picture for him. That's Joe Maddon managing the Cubs at Wrigley Field, standing beside my favorite-most ballplayer and Top 10 human, Anthony Rizzo who is, at least for now, a Yankee.

"I do dream of seeing these two back together," I captioned.

Jimmy loved, loved, loved it! We tweeted back and forth more about Joe's new book, which I've read but Jimmy hasn't received yet. That's when I saw his profile.

Life-long #Yankees fan; Conservative Republican, GOP; Traditional Roman Catholic, #Pro-Life Supporter,  President Trump #MAGA 

 

My heart sank. So Jimmy supports Trumpy casual cruelty and spreads baseless, homophobic conspiracy theories about a crime victim?

No, he does not. The majority of his tweets since the weekend have been, well, to me. He's also posted about his new cellphone and a quote from Pope John Paul II. His only political tweet hoped that Trump will return to Twitter, now that Elon Musk is at the helm.

 

Jimmy has restored my faith in "the other side." No gleeful ugliness about the Paul Pelosi attack. No Q-inspired nonsense about the accused attacker being "Epstein'd" in jail.  

I would like to ask him how he squares the circle -- how the Trump family graft, greed and ugly, violence-tinged rhetoric fit with the quote he retweeted about how "holiness lies in the effort to incarnate the Gospel in everyday life." But I won't. 

Jimmy is not a performing chimp. He owes me no more explanation for his Christian faith than I owe him one for mine. 

It's enough that I know that the 41% of Americans who still view Donald Trump favorably are not ALL WWG1WGA, tin foil hat wearing, conspiracy spouting, and filled with hate.

Sunday Stealing

THE RETURN OF BEV

1. What did you do today? It's still early, so not a lot. I did compose the blog post below.

2. 5 things about where you live. My neighborhood is (1) highly walkable, (2) with lots of trees, which is pretty this time of year. (3) We're a pretty literate community, with three libraries within 2 miles. (4) We also really like pizza. I have three options within walking distance. My choices are vast if I'm choose delivery. (5) Has inadequate parking. I don't drive so I don't really care, except I get tired of hearing my fellow citizens bitch about it all the time.

3. What are the must-sees sights around you? Now that I will soon have more time on my hands, I'm thinking of revisiting The Art Institute of Chicago someday soon. It's been years and years since I've wandered the galleries. We're so lucky to have many of museums around here. You can find a list here.

Read about The Art Institute

4. What’s your favorite restaurant meal? I haven't had it in a while, but I'd like a ribeye steak, a baked potato, and lots of Coke.

5. What was the last thing you cooked or ate? I had chicken nuggets and mashed potatoes for dinner. (I'm on a potato binge.)

6. What is something you learned from your grandparents. From my dad's mom, I learned involvement. She was a member of her church council, involved with Girl Scouts and an election judge for decades. (Which is why Donald Trump's unwarranted and ugly attacks on Georgia's Ruby Freeman upset me so much. I imagined him doing that to my own grandma.) She got tremendous satisfaction from her volunteer work and was, for the most part, a very happy woman. My mom's mom was the polar opposite. From her I learned to just chill. She was a brittle, high-strung woman who gave me an example of how not to be. As I get older, I feel greater compassion for her, but she is still no one I'd emulate.

7. What’s the weather like as you are writing your postcard? Sunny, clear and a little warmer than usual for the time of year.

8. Share an interesting fact that you’ve learned, and which most people are not aware of. John F. Kennedy was a voracious reader, enjoyed an early career as a journalist and author (publishing two books and winning a Pulitzer), yet simply could not learn foreign languages. His comprehension and pronunciation were ... well ... awful For someone who loved words, this was very frustrating. One thing he found fascinating about his wife was Jackie's fluency in French and Spanish (she also recorded radio ads for him in Italian and German).

Jackie delivers a speech in Spanish to Cuban immigrants, Orange Bowl, 1962

9. Are there any local events or festivals in your area? Tons. Literally too many to list.

10. What was the last concert you attended? I truly don't recall.

11. What is your favorite charitable organization? So many! Right now, I'll plug The Anthony Rizzo Family Foundation. Started by my favorite ball player, this organization provides support to families battling pediatric cancer -- providing meal vouchers, gas cards and parking to parents visiting their children in the hospital. Rent and mortgage relief is available to those who have to take off work. Toys are sent to children who have to spend their birthday or Christmas in the hospital. Therapy dogs are trained to comfort the kids. Anthony Rizzo has taught me a great deal about the unreimbursed financial challenges these families face, and I'm grateful to him for that.

Learn more here

And so it begins

Friday was my first day of officially doing nothing. Not working, not looking for work. So how did I spend it? On the phone, online, following up and making appointments.  

I have confused the State of Illinois. Since I was laid off, I qualify for unemployment. I've been working full time -- and paying into the system! -- since I was 17 and I am soooo collecting every cent I have coming to me. 

The only time I collected unemployment before was in 2002. Literally more than 20 years ago. In those days, you had to apply in person (not fun) and you left with a little piece of cardboard. Folded in half. The cover was a picture of Abraham Lincoln superimposed over an outline of the State of Illinois. Inside, a man had written my name and number with a ballpoint pen. There were blanks where I wrote who I contacted for work. On the back were phone numbers I was to call to check in and get my check (in those days we received paper checks in the mail).

I remember the card well because I carried it in my wallet while I was job hunting. Years later, I threw it away. It seemed so low tech and ephemeral. 

BIG MISTAKE!

I tried to register for unemployment online and kept getting dead ended. So I called the phone number on the screen and got a lovely civil servant (I mean it; she was very pleasant) named Belinda. She explained to me that "the system" shows a person with my same name, address and email has already registered with the Illinois Department of Employment Services. Yes! That's me! Let's get me my paychecks!

Not so fast. I need my "claimant number." That number handwritten in ballpoint on the flimsy piece of cardboard that I no longer have. Belinda explained that, to help prevent fraud, she cannot access that number. Nor can she issue me a new one.

Now what?

I have to show up, in person, and present evidence that I am, indeed me an that I live in Illinois. That's my Social Security card, my State ID and a utility or cellphone bill. Because of first covid and then the low unemployment rate, there aren't many locations or times available. I'm scheduled for Wednesday, November 9 at 1:30.

I am lucky. I have severance. I have savings. I qualify for Social Security. But I worry about those who do not have these resources. I get it: scammers collecting someone else's benefits is a problem. I'm not complaining. I'm just sad about the situation. (And I wish I'd understood long ago that my "claimant number" is part of my permanent record!)

I did kinda sorta look for work. My oldest friend made a little extra money working from home for an online transcription service. I registered with the service she worked for and investigated another. Hopefully by the first of year I'll be up-and-running, making a few bucks an hour, a couple hours a day. I'd like to forestall collecting Social Security as long as possible. I don't feel like working full-time anymore, but I don't believe I can afford to do nothing, and this is something I can do, at least until I'm strong and healthy. Which leads me to ...

I made doctor's appointments! Dentist and oral surgeon. Follow up with the urologist and two sessions with the chiropractor. MRI of my pancreas and my annual mammogram. My November is going to be busy!

Happy Birthday, Dear Kwizgiver!

 

To celebrate of one of the blogosphere's favorite educators, here's a birthday cake made of school supplies.

 

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Haunted (2013)

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

 

1) In this song, Beyonce sings that she's sure if a man is haunting her thoughts, she must be haunting his. Who is on your mind this morning? My niece. She had her gallbladder removed last week and is recovering at her in laws' house. Her 30th birthday is next week, and I really want her to be feeling well enough to truly enjoy it.

2) The lyrics mention her "wicked tongue." Have you said anything recently that you wish you could take back? Not recently. But I can be an ass at times. I have been known to blurt first and regret later.

3) Beyonce says her lucky number is 4. Her birthday is 9/4, her mom's birthday is 1/4 and her husband's birthday is 12/4. She chose 4/4 for her wedding day. Do you have a lucky number? Seven

 
4) Beyonce told an interviewer  that, while on the road, she loves to eat Popeye's fried chicken and the fast-food chain offered her free food for life. She admits she's been too embarrassed to take them up on it. If you could get free food for life from any restaurant, which restaurant would you choose? I just discovered a little French sandwich shop. I'd like to have free lunch for life there.

5) Candy corn is a trick-or-treat staple. Do you like it? Nope.

6) In 2019, the most popular pet costume was a pumpkin outfit designed for dogs. Have you ever dressed your pet in a costume? Nope.

7) According to the Guinness Book of Records, the award for highest number of jack-o-lanterns in one place went to Keene, NH, where in 2013 there were 30,581. How many carved pumpkins will be at your home on Halloween? None.

 

8) In years gone by, the Irish celebrated Halloween not with pumpkins but by carving turnips, potatoes and beets. Are any of those foods in your kitchen right now? I have several cans of 100% pure canned pumpkin in the cabinet right now. I mix it with my cat Connie's food. It helps keep her regular. (Check with your vet before you add it to your dog's or cat's diet.) There's some mashed potatoes in the refrigerator, too.
 

9) Some Elvis fans believe they have seen his ghost hovering in the trees over Graceland. Have you ever seen a ghost? Nope.

 

 

 

Further evidence

Batman is the best TV show ever.

Get Ready!

On November 4, I'm joining in Mimi's Blogblast for Peace. Why don't you do the same? It would be lovely if we filled the blogosphere with peace signs and gentle good wishes for a better future.

Thursday Thirteen #281

 Thirteen popular Halloween candies. Yes, it's that time of year when we're all greeted by big bags of "fun sized" candies when we enter the grocery store, big box retailer or drug store. 

Here's what kids are looking forward to receiving:

1. M&Ms (Plain)

2. Reese's Peanut Butter Cups

3. Kit Kat

4. Peanut M&Ms

5. Butterfinger

6. Snickers

7. Twix

8. Milky Way

9. Hershey's (Milk chocolate)

10. Reese's Pieces

11. Hershey's Kisses

12. Dove Bar Minis (Dark chocolate)

13. Three Musketeers

When I was a kid, I'd plot my trick-or-treating around the convent on the next block. The nuns gave away home-made popcorn balls, which our parents allowed us to keep because who would ever suspect a nun of slipping a razor blade into a popcorn ball? But the popcorn balls were so popular they ran out. That's when I'd like to hit the convent because once the popcorn balls were gone, the nuns give each of us trick-or-treaters a quarter. To Vintage 1969 Gal, 25¢ felt like real money.

Please join us for THURSDAY THIRTEEN. Click here to play along, and to see other interesting compilations of 13 things.

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? Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death by MC Beaton. Agatha Raisin is a rather surly old girl, a successful London PR exec who sells her agency and retires to a sleepy village. Bored, she decides to make friends -- or at least get involved in the community -- by entering the local baking contest. She doesn't win. Never mind that Agatha cheated by entering a store-bought quiche, she's still offended that the fix was in and the winner was predetermined, presumably by romantic shenanigans between the judge and one of the contestants. Things get even more complicated when the judge dies, poisoned by an entry. Voila! An amateur sleuth is born ... out of a mix of pique and boredom. 

I am thoroughly enjoying this book so far. I love how unlovable Agatha is. It amuses me that someone who made her fortune in public relations consistently creates the most fractious personal relations with her neighbors. I also appreciate the small English town atmosphere. I can see this being a mystery series I revisit.

2. What did you recently finish reading? The Book of Joe by Joe Maddon and Tom Verducci. I love Joe Maddon. No, really. I love him. He's the manager who guided the Cubs to their first World Series Championship in 108 years. He's dearer to me than many members of my family.

He's also a true original. In this book, he shares that his dream dinner companion would be Mark Twain and that James Michener inspired his coaching technique. He loves wine, road trips, and Springsteen.

And baseball. He views baseball with all the romance and passion of someone who has, literally, devoted his life to it. From minor league player to scout to hitting coach to manager. One of the first managers to embrace statistics, he has evolved to believing analytics have taken over the game and dehumanized it. I personally agree with him.

This book felt like a conversation with Joe -- rambling, a little over the top at times, and charming. I was in nerd heaven as I read it. Here's a photo of my signed copy ...

3. What will read next? I don't know.

Sunday Stealing

DARE TO TELL

What type of day are you having?  I'm still in bed as I answer these, so it's a little too early to tell. I'm hoping it's a good one.

Was there anyone who "made your day?" So far I have to give that honor to Roy Hobbs (top) and Constance MacKenzie. I know their food dishes must be very empty and yet they are patiently letting me wake up at my own pace.

Are you liking how you look today?  I have yet to look in the mirror, but I bet the answer to this one is "no." I had dental work on Thursday and when I went to bed last night, there was still some visible swelling and bruising.

Have you ever eaten a bug? Yes. I had a chocolate covered cricket at a birthday party when I was a little girl. I remember nothing of the taste, just recall feeling very brave.

Are you vegetarian?  Nope. In fact, I had sausage on my pizza last night, the first pork I've had in quite in while. My gut has been very sensitive since a bad reaction to amoxicillin back in April.

When was your last paycheck?  Octoher 15.

How many pets do you have?  I inadvertently answered this already: Connie and Roy Hobbs.

What kind of toothpaste do you use?  Colgate Total.

Are you closer to being rich or poor?  Compared to who? When I read about Jackie Onassis' daily life in New York City -- lunches at the Carlyle, dinners at Le Grenouille, open accounts at her favorite florist and book store -- I know others are enjoying higher-end lives. When I see the woman in a wheelchair in front of my local Target, begging for change, I realize I'm very lucky.

What was the last gift someone gave you? Nancy and her husband Paul picked up the check at dinner. (It was not at Le Grenouille.)

Do you appreciate that person?  Very much.

Did you talk to anyone you didn't like today?  No.

Do you like picnics? If you mean sitting on the ground and eating off of a paper plate on my lap, then no. I have too hard a time getting up!
 

What book are you currently reading? 

More about it here

 

What song did you last listen to? I don't know if it was the last song I listened to, but I recall hearing "I Got You, Babe" yesterday while in the shower.

How many tabs are open on your computer?  Five. 

Are you a very stressed out person?  Right now, at this moment, yes. I've got a lot of shit on my plate. My favorite niece is in the hospital, recovering from gallbladder surgery yesterday. I'm still not feeling so great myself. I believe my last paycheck will be March 15, 2023, and then I'll have to start drawing on my savings. Things don't look good for Anthony Rizzo and the Yankees tonight. Oh well, at least it's unseasonably sunny and warm today!

 

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Things (1962)

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

1) In this song, Bobby Darin is sitting beside his window, looking out onto a crowded avenue. What's the view outside your nearest window? I'm in the bedroom, so the view is pretty dull: the roof of the building next door. The cats love it, because squirrels manage to leap from the tree onto that roof. I, on the other hand, prefer the living room, which gives me a view of the tree and a playground.

 

2) He likes to remember the romantic things he and his girl used to do, like walking in the park. When did you most recently go for a leisurely stroll? Did you have a destination in mind, or were you just enjoying the walk for its own sake? I like to walk but I have to have a destination in mind: the BIG grocery store on the other side of town instead of just picking something up at nearby Target, the farther-away UPS Store instead of the post office ...

3) He notes a couple holding hands. Are you comfortable displaying affection in public? It doesn't bother me.

 

4) When Bobby recorded this song, he was married to screen sweetheart Sandra Dee. Today she is best known as the inspiration for the song, "Look at Me, I'm Sandra Dee." Can you name another song from Grease? Well, oh, well, oh, well, oh, UH ...

 

5) Bobby loved gadgets. He was enthusiastic about his suitcase telephone, which was one of the first mobile phones. Are you an early adapter, or do you wait for new technology to be around awhile and not so new before you try it? I prefer to wait because I'm tech challenged. I've had this phone a year and I still can't figure out the notifications.

 

6) He was a chess fanatic and always kept a magnetic chess board in his briefcase, just in case he found someone who was willing to play him. Are you a good chess player? No. I've tried, and I suck. I'm not very strategic.

 

7) He very much wanted to play Tony in West Side Story, but he didn't the part because the producers didn't think he looked like a romantic leading man. What actor or actress makes your heart skip a beat? This is Josh Duhamel. He plays Danny on Las Vegas, a 20-year-old TV show I recently discovered. Danny does make my heart go thump-thump. I wonder why I didn't watch this show in real time.

 

8) In 1962, when this song was popular, Jack Nicklaus launched his successful golf career. Do you enjoy playing golf, or watching it on TV? No. I simply don't get golf.

9) Random question: Which would we find in your kitchen right now -- cookies or ice cream? Both. I have a sweet tooth.

 

 

 

Aaron wants to get the band back together

I teleconferenced with my former boss, Aaron, today. He's happy in Los Angeles because his girlfriend, whose career they moved to accommodate, just got a raise, and he's very proud of her. He's becoming more comfortable with his new job, too. It didn't feel like a good fit a few months ago because it wasn't what he expected, but he's settling in.

After I emailed him all that has happened to me at the agency where we both toiled, he was inspired to check his current company's "career" page and yes, there are openings for "content." He asked me if I'm interested. 

I don't know if I'm interested. I don't want to learn a new platform. I don't want another full-time job right now because I'm tired and looking forward to getting healthy.

But I am thrilled that someone who knows my work thinks that much of me. I respect Aaron a great deal.

In Anthony Rizzo news

Ok, so things don't look great for the Yankees. I'm still not giving up on another ring for Rizz, though. The Cubs had to come from behind in 2016 to win the World Series. He did it before, he can do it again.

But that's not what this post is about. Instead I want to concentrate on The Gold Glove. This award is given annually to the player who has exhibited "superior fielding." During his career, Anthony Rizzo has won this award 4 times with the Cubs in the National League. Now, after completing his first full season in the AL, he's a finalist again.

Not bad for an old man with a bad back.

It's been more than a year ...

... and I still miss Reynaldo.

 

Thursday Thirteen #280

 Thirteen laundry symbols. I do not enjoy doing laundry. Yet it is the one domestic chore I am good at. I can't cook or sew, but I am a laundry diva. I can remove stains -- if it's organic, pre-treat with shampoo -- and successfully wash just about anything in the machine.

Because laundry is top mind right now, I'm defining 13 of the symbols commonly found on tags.

Dry clean

 

Do not dry clean

 

Hand wash

Machine wash

Mach wash gentle

Mach wash cold

Mach wash hot

Bleach

Do not bleach

No dryer

Tumble dry

Do not iron

Iron low temp

Happy washing!

 

Please join us for THURSDAY THIRTEEN. Click here to play along, and to see other interesting compilations of 13 things.

 

That's a wrap

At just before 5:00 today, I approved the last little bit of creative I will ever work on with this agency. It was for my automotive client. They left word that they are "very happy." A nice note to close on.

So I think I'm done with active projects. I know my last day will be next Thursday. That covers what I think and what I know. I just don't know how I feel as time is running out on my advertising career.

I went grocery shopping today -- Wednesday! -- at the big grocery store on the other side of town. I don't have to do chores and errands on weekends anymore. I may get wild and wacky and do my laundry Friday afternoon, instead of Sunday!

I have to set the alarm clock tonight because I have a dentist appointment tomorrow at 9:00, not because I am working. After tomorrow, I don't know when I'll have to set it again. 

I am ready for this chapter to be over. I am chatting with my former boss, Aaron, on Friday. We're having drinks at work one last time next Wednesday. My severance is in place and it's completely fair. I've been exploring transcription work -- something my oldest friend did on the side to pay for a vacation -- that I can do from home. 

I have made medical appointments (dentist, the surgeon who did my lithotripsy) and it was cool to just be able to say, "Yeah, that day works," without wondering which meeting I'd be missing.

I have my Medicare Supplement paperwork here, waiting for my review and signature.

The George Clooney/Julia Roberts movie opens at my local theater on Friday. I may catch a weekday matinee!

I've been working full-time since I was 17, so this all feels so weird.

This is everything

The Yankees advanced to the ALCS. Which means Anthony Rizzo is happy. Which means I am happy.

When he was traded by the Cubs, I cried legit tears. I followed him his career here for nearly a decade. I was at Wrigley Field for his first home run within the friendly confines. I have been inspired by his joie de vivre and guts on the field and his tireless charity work off of it. He has helped countless families deal with pediatric cancer, advocated for the survivors of the Parkland school shooting, and provided hot meals to front line workers during covid.* If I ever had a son, I would want him to be exactly like this man.

So he has to get another World Series ring. Because clearly that's the most important thing to him. His Cub teammate Kris Bryant signed a long-term, no-trade contract with the Colorado Rockies because he's a new dad who doesn't want his family uprooted. Javier Baez went with Detroit and a bigger payday. Rizz took less money but chose to stay with the Yankees because, unlike the Rockies and the Tigers, they are contenders.

Maybe, after he wins another ring, he can come home and finish his career back here. Where he belongs.

But for now, GO YANKEES!

 

*He had the food catered from small, independently-owned Chicago restaurants, the ones that struggled the most during lock down. He's not only good, he's smart.