What a difference a year makes

Last year at this time, as a horrific Cubs season slowly creaked to a close, we fans comforted ourselves with a game of "if only." Most particularly, "if only Wood and Prior had been healthy …"

No such wistful musings this year. Now the great debate is different. We can only have two catchers on the post-season roster. Which two?

• Henry Blanco, last year's mainstay, who is slowing regaining his skills after dealing with a herniated disk in his neck.
• Jason Kendall, who has made the transition from the AL to the NL and has become a real asset.
• Geovany Soto, just recalled from Iowa (and making Lou proud of that decision).

I'm pulling for Kendall and Soto, but Blanco is a terrific guy, too. What a great problem is this to have!

Unconscious Mutterings #10

I say ... and you think ... ?

1. Rita :: Moreno
   
2. Comedy :: Drama
   
3. Polar :: Bear
   
4. Idiots :: Rude people
   
5. Perception :: vs. Reality
   
6. Infected :: Cut
   
7. Fake :: Phony
   
8. Relating :: Connecting
   
9. Distraction :: What occupies me instead of what I SHOULD be doing
   
10. Gamble :: Risk
    

For more information, or to play yourself, visit Unconscious Mutterings.

Exasperated!

My cats have special dietary needs, and an unbreakable habit of sampling from one another's bowls. My vet recommended a premium catfood that's healthy for all three of them. This means, though, that they have to eat the same thing every day, twice a day. To stave off boredom, they each get a dollop of canned Friskies on top of their kibble.

The can in rotation right now is a new flavor for them -- Gourmet Grill. All three of them hate it. Hate. It. Even Joey, my sweet ol' fatcat who never misses a meal. He sniffs it sadly, walks away, and then comes back hours later to nibble at it unenthusiastically. Charlotte takes a mouthful from her bowl, disdains it, and then pushes Rey away from his bowl, hoping he has something better. He moves to Charlotte's bowl and tries unsuccessfully to bury it in the linoleum tile. This is the only Friskies flavor they respond to negatively.

My cats are different ages and, since they were all shelter rescues, had different kittenhoods. With their diverse backgrounds, they couldn't all have exactly the same taste, so I figured that they couldn't ALL hate it on the basis of taste alone, and so there must be something wrong with the can. I popped open a new can of Gourmet Grill and guess what. They still hate it.

I believe they are communicating with one another. I suspect Charlotte is the ringleader, because she's the most particular, and has convinced the others to support her in her quest to banish Gourmet Grill. Or perhaps it's Rey, who, out of boredom, thinks it would be fun to mess with The Biped. I know Joey is innocent. He's neither clever nor crafty, and way too sweet.

As we work through this Gourmet Grill crisis, I am reminded again that they outnumber me, and clearly believe they allow me to live here.

Friday's Feast #15

Appetizer
When was the last time you visited a hospital?

April, for my mammogram.

Soup
On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being highest, how ambitious are you?
Used to be an 8. But once I achieved everything I was working toward, I found myself very disappointed with "success." So now I'd say 6.

Salad
Make a sentence using the letters of a body part. (Example: (mouth) My other ukelele tings healthily.)
Let's eat gelatin.

Main Course
If you were to start a club, what would the subject matter be, and what would you name it?
An annual giving club called "Doing Our Part." Every member has a year to contribute or raise $500. If you could just cut a check, terrific. We'll put it in the bank and let it earn interest. If you don't happen to have $500 sitting around, and many of us of don't, than you and other program members could sponsor a raffle, have a bake sale, etc.

Then each year, we would decide as a team what charity would receive our funds. I like this idea because we would be working together and coordinating our efforts to help others. If my club had 5 members, we'd be able to donate at least $2,500 to a favorite cause each Christmas, which would be a lovely way to celebrate the holiday. (I haven't done this yet because I know it's more complicated than it looks. I believe that there are tax forms and other legalities and I want to learn how to dot the i's and cross the t's. But I'm going to do it someday!)

Dessert
What color is the carpet/flooring in your home?
Different in each room. But, since I should be asleep and not blogging, I'll say blue, for my bedroom.

For more information, or to serve up your own feast, visit www.fridaysfeast.com.

Thursday Thirteen #33 -- The "I Can Dream about You" Edition

THIRTEEN TOTALLY TERRIFIC MEN
The Gal Herself
Fantasizes about on a Regular Basis

This TT was inspired by Cupcake, whose blog has on occasion mentioned the stellar line-up of hotties populating her fantasies. She has them broken down into categories: Spiritual Fiance, Former Future Husbands, Boyfriends and Ex-boyfriends. (To protect their privacy, I won’t include their names.)

Lest Cupcake think she’s the only one who has a motel for a mind, here are 13 of the men who hang out in my head.

1. Paul McCartney. Rosebud lips, perfectly straight nose and oh, those deep brown eyes! I have loved my romantic troubadour since I was in first grade and see no reason to stop. This is, without a doubt, the most successful relationship I have ever had. I attribute this to the fact that he doesn’t know I’m alive. Therefore, I can’t piss him off or wear him down, as I have men I’ve known in my boring other existence, aka “real life.”

2. Hugh Grant. Perhaps I simply have a weakness for Brits with too much hair, but I don’t see how any woman can gaze upon him and not swoon. His sense of humor helps. The man just cracks me up. I love his response in Two Weeks’ Notice, when Sandra Bullock tells him he’s the most selfish human being on the planet. “Well, that’s just silly. Have you met everybody on the planet?”

3. Bruce Springsteen. Soul of a poet and a body by Nautilus. What else could a girl want? Oh yeah, he knows how to sling a guitar, and wears his heart on his sleeve. Not one of those wimpy entertainers who won’t come out one way or the other on issues of the day for fear of offending the audience, The Boss understands that he articulates what his audience wants to say, yearns to say, about what really matters. And, at a time when even marginal performers compete to charge the highest ticket prices, The Boss is beginning another tour where the top ticket price is less than $100.

4. George Clooney. Put Bruce Springsteen and Hugh Grant into a blender and you get George Clooney. Politically active, politically correct, artistically daring, charming, funny, and unbearably hot in a tux.

5. Bruce Willis. There’s something sexy about a man who is this comfortable in his own skin. Whether he’s in an expensive suit, exasperating Cybill Shepard, or in a torn t-shirt, tormenting bad guys in the Die Hard series, or in a Bears jersey at the Super Bowl, enduring his ex-wife’s vapid new husband for the sake of his daughters, he’s always unselfconsciously self-assured and masculine.

6. Johnny Depp. So beautiful and so talented, he always seems to be having fun, whether he’s playing Captain Jack Sparrow or Ed Wood. I can’t wait to see him as Sweeny Todd. His joy is quirky and infectious (and, OK, a little creepy).

7. Colin Firth. Oh, these kids today! Swooning over Matthew MacFadyen from the 2005 Pride & Prejudice, as if he was the “real” Mr. Darcy! Come now, we all know there’s only one “real” Darcy, whether imagined by Jane Austin or Helen Fielding. After all, Colin’s Mark Darcy in the Bridget Jones movies is just as sexy … and sweet … and sensitive. A 14k dream guy.

8. Denzel Washington. Yes, he’s beautiful, but I enjoy listening to him almost as much as I love looking at him. He has a very mellow, seductive voice. Even when it’s raised in anger, his hypnotic voice draws you in rather than scaring you away.

9. Chris Meloni. My TV boyfriend. Elliott on L&O: SVU is just soooo hot. It helps that he and Olivia are in love but don’t know it. That makes his intensity just that much more poignant and romantic.

10. Richard Gere. It’s a cliché, I know, but this man is like a fine wine that gets better with time. I found him so much more attractive in Unfaithful and Shall We Dance than he ever was in American Gigolo or An Officer and a Gentleman. Maybe it’s the white hair.

11. Greg Maddux. Future Hall of Famer, 9th winningest pitcher in the history of the game, and the #1 baseball player in my heart. There’s nothing that spectacular about his appearance, but that’s exactly the point. It’s no surprise that Michael Jordan or Tom Brady are exceptional athletes. They have the good looks, grace and fabulous physiques of exceptional athletes. Greg Maddux looks like an overgrown, slightly doughy, real-life Precious Moments figurine. Yet once he takes the mound, The Professor becomes one of the smartest, most controlled pitchers to ever toss a ball. He’s not good because of God-given gifts, he’s GREAT because of his single-minded determination and his love of the game. It’s his will to prevail that makes him so hot.

12. Robert Redford, aka Roy Hobbs, the #2 baseball player in my heart. Also known as Sundance. Gorgeous, smart and tantalizingly aloof. No matter who he’s playing, there’s always something about that man that’s just a little remote. Forever the treasure that’s just out of reach.

13. Charlie Rose. He speaks to my inner geek. In my wealthy Manhattanite fantasy, Charlie and I spend lazy Sunday mornings in bed, sharing mimosas, strawberries and the New York Times, making love over and over, but stopping every now and again to discuss foreign affairs, the new Broadway season, and the impact of the Internet on campaign fundraising. We turn down brunch with Nora Ephron and Nicholas Pileggi because we just can’t bear to let our people into our own private world just now. But we will manage to get out of bed and dress to meet Anderson Cooper for dinner. We love him! (My Charlie Rose fantasy only includes Sunday. Even in my dreams, he and I don't have the stamina to behave this way more than once a week.)


Links to other Thursday Thirteens!

1. Friday's Child compiled a TT that will amaze you. (Look for the one about turtles.)
2. Meloni-loving Tina doesn't seem to have a TT this week, but she's a compassionate sports fan so you should check out what she has to say about the injured Bills player
3. Thomma Lyn has an ambitious, goal-driven TT
4. Even though Tink had the nerve to diss Sir Paul, I encourage you to visit her TT
5. What works for us has a TT that'll make you smile about being old
6. Nicholas takes us on a one-word tour of his bookshelf
7. PJ takes an imaginative look at some hard-to-see characters
8. Nicole Austin shows us the spookier side of the graveyard shift at the hospital
9. No Nonsense Girl, who also wants my TV boyfriend, shows us around her desk
10. Jenny McB answers the really tough ones
11. When she's not drooling over Johnny Depp, Lori explains Murphy's OTHER Laws
12. Janet covers off on a topic she's the definitive expert on
13. Nap Warden knows her baby stuff and shares her knowledge.
14. yh quotes the Blackadder
15. Kendra gives us tips to use in the produce section
16. Kate Davies is very happy, and here's why
17. Damozel gives us an easy primer on the Watergate scandal
18. Xakara introduces some songs she wishes got more airplay
19. WAHM helps us turn crafts into cash
20. Mr. Duck shares his favorite delicious-but-bad-for-you recipes
21. Starchy takes us along when she eavesdrops
22. Annie's TT is a TV quiz
23. Morgan walks us through her busy day
24. Erin's TT is all about … Erin!
25. Amy delivers a tough-love refresher course on how to tell he's just not that into you
26. Mo shares the lowdown on honey
27. Nicole displays discerning taste when she lists her 13 favorite Beatle songs
28. Capt. Lifecruiser fills us in on the upcoming blog makeover
29. The Diva has a great little video about "chubby justice" and an equally entertaining, Smith-centered TT
30. Why not see the USA with Denise?
31. Double Decker Bus Guy speaks for all of us in his TT rant
32. Jackie has a list of thirteen celebrities she'd sleep with (a terrific idea for a TT, don't you think?)


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The Cubs are making me fat

It's true! During this exciting, closerthanthis Cubs-Astros game, I've eaten a Lean Cuisine (chicken carbonara), a salad and a bowl of Great Grains breakfast cereal. Oh! And 4 fingernails and now I'm gnawing on a cuticle. The Brewers won earlier this evening, so this game is essential if the Cubs are to retain a fraction of first place. If that's not worth gorging myself over, what is? (At least everything I've shoved into my mouth thus far has been nutrition-rich, at least compared to the Hershey's with Almonds I suddenly crave.)

Thinking of all things yummy, this is Ryan Theriot, the Cub infielder who, in terms of appearance, is the quintessence of an MLB player. (Oh, go ahead. Insert your own dirty joke here. We're in the 11th inning, I don't care.)

Observing it in my own way

That anniversary is upon us again. It stirs so many emotions and the pain, fear, rage and sorrow are still so raw that I don't feel like blogging about it yet. Maybe in another 6 years.

Instead I'm going to do another commercial for Operation Showbox. This wonderful organization has the ambitous goal of one shoebox for every soldier. The boxes contain personal care items, snacks, playing cards, postcards, etc. -- little things that make their lives better and remind them that there's a grateful nation supporting them.

I'm observing today by sending an envelope filled with baby wipes, Q-tips, and condiment packages (to liven up those bland MREs). It feels like the very least I can do for a soldier who volunteered to go into battle on my behalf.

Regardless of what the reality is/was, most of the troops who enlisted were motivated to do so because of what happened on this day 6 years ago. Regardless of how I feel about this war, I honor that motivation and their service today.

Never boring

This is the Bruce Willis who greets me every morning. This RS cover has graced a bulletin board in every office of every job I've had since 1986. It's a fabulous, all-purpose smirk -- no matter what I'm thinking, Bruce seems to be channeling my inner brat.

I fell madly in love with him when he was the infantile and ineffable David Addison on Moonlighting. Charismatic and different from every TV actor who had gone before, he moved effortlessly from physical comedy to verbal jousting to derring do to romance, sometimes all within the same episode. For me, his most memorable moments are as Petruchio, a swain so cool even his horse wore Raybans, and when he delivers that impossible monologue about the man with the mole on his nose: "Did I happen to mention, did I bother to disclose, that this man that we're seeking has a mole on his nose? I'm not sure of his clothes or anything else, except he's Chinese, a big clue by itself." (I've got the DVD.)

Then I thrilled to his iconic film role in Die Hard. A New York fish out of water, he has to save his estranged wife and her company at Christmas in LA. He was an action hero with no superhuman abilities but a lot of attitude. I still love the dialog -- "Come out to the coast, we'll get together, have a few laughs..." "Nine million terrorists in the world and I gotta kill one with feet smaller than my sister," and, of course, "Yippee-ki-yay, motherf**ker."

While they are his signature roles, there's so much more to Bruce Willis than John McClane and David Addison. If you get a chance, give these films a look. While not all the movies are successful, Bruce Willis is always interesting to watch. He plays a diverse group of men -- some cold, some ugly, some sweet, some wounded, some heroic … and some that don't even smirk.

In Country. The offbeat, remote and emotionally scarred VietNam veteran who still bothers to wake up each morning because he's raising a teenage niece that he loves.

Mortal Thoughts. A cold, feral, blue-collar brute -- a daringly unlovable choice for a newly-minted screen hero.

Death Becomes Her. The milquetoast doctor/cuckold/moral compass.

Pulp Fiction. He plays a boxer on the take and maintains his credibility in even the most incredible situations … and delivers one of my favorite lines in film history, "Zed's dead, baby, Zed's dead."

Nobody's Fool. Smalltown titan who hopes his bravado camouflages his terror of his own mortality.

The Sixth Sense. The sensitive shrink with a gift for reaching troubled young patients. And I think we can agree that Haley Joel Osment plays a kid with troubles.

The Kid. A professionally successful but personally desolate 40-year-old who helps, and is helped by, a very special little boy.

Lucky Number Slevin. A deft hitman who is so much more than we think.

16 Blocks. A weary, alcoholic cop who has almost forgotten why he took the job … almost. He quietly, efficiently and unexpectedly does the right thing, surprising himself as much as he surprises us.

Unconscious Mutterings #10

I say ... and you think ... ?

1. Dork :: Dweeb
   
2. Refurbished :: Electronics
   
3. Basket :: Case
   
4. Mousse :: Chocolate
   
5. Studio :: Inside the Actor's …
   
6. 8 ball :: Magic
   
7. Masking tape :: Painting
   
8. Love :: Sigh
   
9. Wilder :: Gene
   
10. Lindsey :: Bionic Woman/Sleep Number Bed
    

For more information, or to play yourself, visit Unconscious Mutterings.

Saturday Special #8

~Online Preferences~

1. Favorite Computer Cruising Time? Any time before midnight. Late at night I don't find much that's new.

2. Favorite Time To Write Your Blog Entry? Morning.

3. Favorite Internet Service Provider? I don't know who we have at work, but it's very fast (almost instant) and I love that.

4. Favorite Email Service? AOL. First of all, I can access it anywhere, no problem. Secondly, I like hearing that iconic voice say, "You've got mail."

For more information, or to hop on board yourself, visit The Saturday Special.

Disgusted

As a woman. As an American. And most of all, as a Christian.

Yesterday Tucker Carlson, the conservative talk show host, referenced a long-ago interview he did with then-Governor Bush regarding the execution of Karla Tucker. I couldn't believe I heard him correctly, so I looked it up. Here's how it was covered in The National Review (so don't go saying I'm not being "fair" or "balanced"):

In the week before [Karla Faye Tucker's] execution, Bush says, Bianca Jagger and a number of other protesters came to Austin to demand clemency for Tucker. "Did you meet with any of them?" I ask.

Bush whips around and stares at me. "No, I didn't meet with any of them," he snaps, as though I've just asked the dumbest, most offensive question ever posed. "I didn't meet with Larry King either when he came down for it. I watched his interview with [Tucker], though. He asked her real difficult questions, like 'What would you say to Governor Bush?' "

"What was her answer?" I wonder.

"Please," Bush whimpers, his lips pursed in mock desperation, "don't kill me."

The ugliness of a sitting governor mocking a prisoner's plea to spare her life horrified Carlson, especially after he looked up the transcript of Karla Faye Tucker's appearance on Larry King Live and discovered that nowhere did it show the prisoner asking Bush to stay the execution.

Let's not forget that 1999 was also the year that, during the Republican Presidential Debates, Bush insisted that Jesus Christ was the "political philosopher or thinker" that he identified with most because, as Bush claimed, "He changed my heart."

I wonder how arrogant, how callous, an asshole Bush was before his heart got changed. I wonder if I'll ever be in 100% agreement with Tucker Carlson again.

I think part of why I'm so GWB-weary is that when you look over all this stuff (and there are literally tons of muck to wade through), Bill Clinton's sex lie looks almost quaint. Ah, the good old days …

Friday's Feast #14

Appetizer
Using only one word, how does grocery shopping make you feel? Hungry

Soup
What is your favorite part about the season of Autumn? No more heat and humidity! I can enjoy being outdoors again.

Salad
Have you ever had any bad experiences online? Yes. Someone hacked into my eBay account and started using it to bid on very strange and very expensive things (most notably, the wood beaded carseat cushion from the late John Ritter's car). eBay straighted it out for me almost immediately, but still, it was a bad (and weird) experience.

Main Course
Name three things that make you happy daily. (1) Singing along with my shower radio in the morning; (2) Listening to Pat Hughes and Ron Santo call the Cubs games, because they make even losses fun; (3) My completely fabulous feline furry rommates

Dessert
What one household cleansing or organizing item would you not want to be without? Pledge wipes

For more information about Friday's Feast, or to share your own, visit www.fridaysfeast.com

Stuff in My House

A meme that I liberated from Kwizgiver's site …

What kind of soap is in your bathtub right now? Tiramisu Moisturizing Liquid Soap

Do you have any watermelon in your refrigerator? No

What would you change about your living room? Long-term: everything but the artwork and the color of the walls; short-term: new drapes

Are the dishes in your dishwasher clean or dirty? In-between -- I have a bowl, two spoons, a fork and a cup soaking in soapy water

What is in your fridge? Bread, milk, apple sauce, salad, salad dressing, I Can't Believe It's Not Butter, catsup, mayo, relish, Coke, Slim Fast … and a can of Gourmet Grill catfood.

White or wheat bread? Wheat

What is on top of your refrigerator? Box of Great Grains cereal, styrofoam cooler, Whole Foods bags (they give you 10¢ if you reuse their bags)

What color or design is on your shower curtain? White waffle design

How many plants are in your home? Alas, none. My cats would view a plant as a salad bar especially for them

Is your bed made right now? Nope

Comet or Soft Scrub? Soft Scrub

Is your closet organized? Right now, yes. I recently organized it and got rid of a TON of empty hangers

Can you describe your flashlight? I've got one in the kitchen, one in the linen closet and one in the walk-in closet in my bedroom. Bought them all at the same time -- they're all black and yellow.

Do you drink out of glass or plastic most of the time at home? Aluminum pop cans, mostly

Do you have iced tea made in a pitcher right now? no

If you have a garage, is it cluttered? no garage.

Curtains or blinds? Curtains

How many pillows do you sleep with? My bed has two pillows, but I only sleep on the firmer one

Do you sleep with any lights on at night? Yes. I always leave the lights on the in the livingroom

How often do you vacuum? Weekly (usually Saturday); except the walk-in closet where the litterboxes are -- they gets Roomba'd every day

Standard toothbrush or electric? standard

What color is your toothbrush? white and green

Do you have a welcome mat on your front porch? No.

What is in your oven right now? A set of mixing bowls (I use my oven for storage)

Is there anything under your bed? Yes. I don't even remember what all is down there. I really should go through it.

Chore you hate doing the most? LAUNDRY!!!!

What retro items are in your home? My oven looks like something out of the Jetson's -- what we thought "space age" would look like back in the early 1960s. I love it.

Do you have a separate room that you use as an office? No. I use the smaller bedroom as a den and that's where I keep all my books, but it's not a home office.

How many mirrors are in your home? 3. One in the bathroom, two in my bedroom.

Do you have any hidden emergency money around your home? I have $50 tucked away.

What color are your walls? Living room: light green, dining room: white, kitchen: yellow; bathroom: white; bedroom: blue; den: beige

Do you keep any kind of protection weapons in your home? I have a scary knife that I wouldn't know how to use anyway, but I have it.

What does your home smell like right now? Oust

Favorite candle scent? Pumpkin cinammon

What kind of pickles (if any) are in your refrigerator right now? Relish

What color is your favorite Bible? My only bible is black, and I got back when I was 14

Ever been on your roof? Yes

Do you own a stereo? Yes

How many TVs do you have? Two

How many house phones? Two.

Do you have a housekeeper? I did have a maid service send a very nice lady over twice a month. I have no reason why I quit calling for her to come in. Just stopped …

What style do you decorate in? Eclectic

Do you like solid colors in furniture or prints? Solid

Is there a smoke detector in your home? Yes, in the center of the hallway that leads to my bedroom

In case of fire, what are the items in your house which you’d grab if you only could make one quick trip? Not that I consider them "items," but my furry roommates, my three cats

Thursday Thirteen #32 -- Tips for hanging onto more of what's yours

THIRTEEN WAYS TO BUILD &
PROTECT A NEST EGG
as humbly suggested by
THE GAL HERSELF

I spend my workdays thinking about money. My client is a venerable insurance and financial services provider, and I write their marketing materials. Through my work I’ve learned a lot about money … not all of which I’ve taken to heart. (Any of you familiar with Sophie Kinsella’s Becky Bloomwood? I see charming, albeit smaller scale, similarities between the Shopaholic and myself.)

At any rate, I’d like to share 13 of the things I’ve learned while working on this account. These tips are smart, simple, and they can make a difference. Do as I say, not as I do, and adopt as many as you can.

1. You’re not alone. Nobody feels they save enough money. I’ve sat through focus groups and read testimonials from people of all ages who believe they have made unwise decisions when it comes to saving for tomorrow. So let yourself off the hook. Forget the past and instead concentrate on your future.

2. Establish an emergency fund, and then use that for emergencies. Retirement savings tend to be tax-deferred, so you lose both interest and tax benefits if you take money out of your IRA to repair the roof or buy a new furnace.

3. Pay yourself first. Save a little extra each month, no matter what. One way to build your incremental savings fund is with US Savings Bonds. You can buy them online, any time, day or night. They pay competitive interest, and it’s tax-deferred (which means you get to keep more of it). And if you absolutely must, you can cash bonds in after just 12 months. www.treasurydirect.gov

4. Yes, you can so come up with extra money every month! Don’t dismiss a savings idea because it’s “only a few cents” or “just a dollar.” Cut coupons and then put the 35¢ you saved on Barilla Pasta into a cash jar. Go to a movie matinee instead of the evening movie, again dropping the difference into the money jar. Pass on a single latte each week … limit yourself to just one beer at happy hour … switch to the store brand catsup … With a little discipline, you’ll find the change in your cash jar can rapidly turn into incremental savings. (This is one where I fall short. I save the money, but I don’t stash the savings away; I buy more purses.)

5. Walk the extra block and only make withdrawals from your network ATM. Eliminating the fees charged by both your bank and the out-of-network ATM can save the average consumer $150/year.

6. If your employer has a savings plan, participate! The money is deducted from your check so you won’t be tempted to spend it, plus you’ll be lowering your federal taxes.

7. Know how much you pay in credit card interest every month. Don’t work on paying off the card with the biggest balance, even though that’s the account that may require the largest payment. Instead concentrate on paying off the account with the highest APR. In the long run, that will save you more money.

8. Make sure you’re actually going to use your bonus points, airline miles, etc. Most of the credit cards that offer rewards charge an annual fee. If the miles expire before you can use them, you may have just wasted that $50/year fee. Better to switch to a card that doesn’t pay you back … but also doesn’t cost you anything.

9. Emergencies really do wipe people out, so make sure you have the right kind, and right amount, of insurance. Health, disability, renters/homeowners, auto are a good place to start. As I inch closer and closer to 50, I’m taking a closer look at long-term care insurance, too.

10. On the other hand, don’t carry insurance you don’t need. For example, whole life insurance doesn’t make a whole lot of sense for most singles, parents of grown children, or homeowners whose homes are paid off. If all you need is enough to put you in the ground (the Gal said delicately), less expensive term life insurance can cover those final expenses just as well. Yes, whole life does earn equity you can borrow against, so it’s never a BAD idea. But you must have the policy quite a while before you can do that, and if you put the difference between a whole life premium and a term premium in a savings or investment account, you could very well make more money. (Of course, you have to have the discipline to do that, and discipline is not always my greatest virtue.) Discuss this with an accountant, or a financial planner, or your friends. Just don’t discuss it with your insurance company. Trust me, I know which one type of policy they will recommend you buy: the whole life because it makes more money for them.

11. Keep your cancelled checks and receipts. Qualifying charitable contributions are tax deductible, and there’s no reason to leave that money on the table. Cutting a check to the a veterans’ organization or dropping that bag of clothes off at Goodwill are nice things to do, so why not reward yourself with a (legally) lower tax bill? Just make sure you have the proper documentation.

12. Switch to Energy Star appliances and lightbulbs. It’s the “green” thing to do in more ways that one. You’ll be helping the environment, and you’ll make a dent in your monthly utility bill. (I’ve been good about this one, and my new Energy Star ac and refrigerator use so much less power that they completely neutralized the rate increase my neighbors complain about.)

13. Track your phone and viewing habits. It may sound silly, but it’s not. You might be able to save every month with a more appropriate cell phone or cable plan. Do you go over on your minutes every month? A more inclusive calling plan may actually save you money. Are you paying for cable channels you don’t watch? It might be cheaper to just rent movies.

Now, go forth and SAVE! And if you need financial advisors with good, honest faces, I suggest you contact LS and BB.



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1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)


Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Tag Time!

Sparky Duck has tagged me for the FIVE BEST NIGHTS, SO FAR Meme:

The rules, list the 5 best nights
that you can recall and then
tag four other people
and see if the meme can continue.

First, the five nights, in the order they occurred to me …

1. Wings Over the World Tour comes to Chicago, early summer, 1976. Oh, there had to be a Paul-related event since I've loved Paul McCartney ever since I first laid eyes on him. It was when he sang "Close your eyes and I'll kiss you/tomorrow I'll miss you" during the Beatles' first performance on the Ed Sullivan Show. When the Lads were touring, I wasn't allowed to cross the street by myself, so this was my first opportunity to see him live. It was from the nose-bleed section of the old Chicago Stadium, but so what? It was him.

2. November 3, 1992. The day began with a call from my mother announcing that my kid sister in labor for the first time, followed by me voting for Bill Clinton, a candidate I'd been working for. The night ended with a real party at the Chicago Hilton on South Michigan. I needed to let off steam and this was a fabulous opportunity to celebrate both my niece's birth and Bill's victory. I remember dancing in a "No More Bush" conga line.

3. My best friend tells me … something. It was the moment he went from "guy I work with" to "best friend." It was either early spring or late autumn -- a cold night but not frigid. We'd worked late, went out to dinner, and were walking me to the train station when all of a sudden he blurted something very personal from his past that had really scarred him. It was so personal I won't repeat it here, but what it was doesn't really matter anyway. He needed to share it with me, and wanted me to understand the impact it has had on him. It was an honor that he trusted me with something this intense and important to him.

4. My first Broadway play. I love theater, and to see an exceptional performance of a real Broadway play in a real Broadway theater was an indelible experience. 1984. Jeremy Irons (who won a Tony) and Glenn Close in Tom Stoppard's The Real Thing.

5. My first night with my old boyfriend. Ah, the great love of my life (besides Sir Paul). Our first real kiss took place on his sofa while were watching a cheesy horror flick called Warlock and lasted into Mystery Science Theater. Then things proceeded to the bedroom. My cheeks are getting hot at the memory, so I shall stop now.

My four tags are all chicks …

Kwizgiver
Book Mama
Alison
Jenny McB

How could I have missed this?

I have always been a big fan of The Jerry Lewis Telethon because Jerry is such a loose cannon. You never know if he's going to HEY LAY-DEE! or cry or spew something inappropriate or hostile. This year I didn't watch as much as I usually do, because there seemed to be so little Jerry. Almost every time I tuned in, I got Tom Bergeron. I wanted Jerry!

Oh, if only I'd been a bit more patient! According to this clip from TMZ.com, Jerry called his cameraman's son "an illiterate fag." Sweet, no?

As always, though, when we laugh at (instead of with) Jerry, we must make sure our karma is balanced. So here's where you can donate to MDA in exchange for making fun of the man.

Heads & Tails #4

Today's theme is SCHOOL.

The first thoughts that come to mind are negative because I cannot tell you how much I hated high school. But, upon further reflection, there were other kinds of school I attended in the fall that I did, indeed, enjoy.

Sunday School. I never really got much out of it from a theological standpoint, but it did leave me feeling connected to the congregation in a way that helped when the more serious Confirmation Classes began. Favorite memory: Once I became one of the "older kids," I was allowed to help open the special envelopes whenever there was an additional offering designated to support the Sunday School. This made me feel terribly important!

Kindergarten. I felt my teacher was quite beautiful and talented in all she did. She could play the piano perfectly, she had a lovely singing voice, she could draw anything … In retrospect she was probably very average in all she did, but there was something about her nature that drew me in and made me feel comfortable leaving my mommy and staying with her for a few hours each afternoon. For that, she will always have a special place in my heart.

For more information about Heads & Tails, or to play along yourself, visit meme-mistress Skittles.

Oh, I get it. It's MY fault now!

First Michael Barrett was traded because HE was the cause of Carlos Zambrano's difficulties. Now it seems he blames the 41,070 fans at Wrigley Field and millions more at home for not showing him "love." I guess now Zambrano expects Pinella and Hendry to get rid of all of us, too.

He had a shitty outing -- on the mound, at the plate, and running the bases. In large part because of his ineptitude and moodiness, the Cubs lost a game that they really couldn't afford to lose. (With the Brewers and the Cards both losing yesterday, we could have actually picked up ground.) Instead of being gracious about his shortcomings, Zambrano tore into fans for booing him. Says he "doesn't accept it." And, my favorite part of his tirade, "When you're struggling, or you have a brother who's struggling, you show him love. You don't show him you want to kick him out. That's all I ask of the fans."

While I have never booed a home team player, and never would, I'd like to explain a little something to Carlos. All we ask is that you be a team player. If the third base coach tells you to STOP, don't blow past him and get tossed out at home by a mile, just because you're a showboat who wants to be a hero. Then don't take the mound and give up 5 walks and 8 runs in just over 4 innings. You're making $91.5 million, so you don't get to whine. You simply don't.

But don't listen to me, "Big Z." Listen to Lou. Something tells me he's not as patient with your shenanigans as Dusty Baker was.

I'm 33 magazines lighter

I also hauled 4 catalogs and 2 newspapers to the recycle bin, too. That was the final tally from my coffee table, and the overflow area beside the table. I'm quite proud of myself.

Now if only I could find myself 33 lbs. lighter …

Is my secret safe with you?

It's not fashionable for a cynical, potty-mouthed Gal like me to admit, but I completely LOVE Julie Andrews. She's pretty, she's clever, she's energetic (just ask the nuns who tried to solve a problem like Maria), she has those incomparable pipes and she's so very, very good. I finished the heinous project I brought home from work and did yet another load of laundry. Now I'm going to reward myself by just sitting here, watching the Sound of Music and admiring how Julie manages to personify all that is good in the world. But please don't tell anyone how desperately corny I can be.

Isn't this gorgeous?

Just look at that D. Lee swing!

Today's game didn't start out very well. At one point it was 5-1 Houston. But with Sweet Lou at the helm, no game is over until we say it's over! A two-run 6th, another run in the 7th, and oh that Derek Lee two-out, two-run homer in the 8th! As Lou just said, "It's fun to win baseball games this way."

I listened to most of the game on the radio, and that reminds me how much I love Cubs great/WGN color commentator Ron Santo. One of the joys of lasting into the post-season is knowing I can listen to Ronnie deeper into the fall, and hear more of his patented permutations of "Gee." "Oh, geez!" "Geez Louise." "Geez, no!" "Aw … geeeeeeez …"

Unconscious Mutterings #9

I say ... and you think ... ?

1. Scrabble :: Board
   
2. NyQuil :: Sleep
   
3. Roadtrip :: Expressway
   
4. Idiot :: Dumb
   
5. Bandages :: First-Aid
   
6. Series :: TV
   
7. Summer :: Suntan lotion
   
8. Prompt :: Quick
   
9. September :: "Ba-de-ya, dancing in September, ba-de-ya, never was a cloudy day."
   
10. Chicken :: shit
    

For more information, or to play along yourself, visit Unconscious Mutterings.

Saturday Special #7

~~Picture It!~ (Use Photos to describe your idea of....)

1. An Evening On The Town
2. An Exclusive Restaurant
3. A Broadway Show
4. A Limo Ride Home

For more information, or to hop on board yourself, visit The Saturday Special Meme.

August Happiness -- Friday 31

These kids today. As a result of my own very bad planning, I ended up in front of the high school this afternoon as classes let out. To make it worse, it seems half of the 3,150 students were headed to the same fastfood restaurant as I. The sidewalk was so crowded I felt I could pick up my feet and just be swept along with the crowd. The restaurant was no better. I hate crowds, so I started getting pissy. UNTIL something occurred to me: These kids were nice.

• None of them had lit a cigarette, even after they were safely off school property.
• They were noisy, of course, but not profane or cruel. Just loud. As students just released from school should be.
• The group was racially diverse and mixed.
• Some of them were wearing VANS! God, it was good to see those shoes again! Gotta get me some.

It made me feel better about the future.

It's true!

Your signature city is New York

What's Your Signature City?

Whether you like to have lots of options at your fingertips or you like to be in a metropolitan environment that's buzzing with energy, the Big Apple is the perfect place for you. Maybe you like to mix and mingle at some of the edgiest restaurants, shops, and clubs in the world. Or maybe you like to be in the middle of it all — in the bright lights and big city.

One night could be dinner and a show on Broadway, a stroll through Central Park the next, or a trip to the Met the next. From Grand Central Station to Greenwich Village, New York's got some of the biggest and edgiest things to see and do anywhere in the world. No wonder a trendsetter like you would be right at home in the Big Apple.

Gal's Note: If I didn't live in Chicago, and I had more $$, I'd want to be in New York.

Thanks to my fellow "New Yorker," Kwizgiver.

Friday's Feast #13

Appetizer
Who is the easiest person for you to talk to? My best friend. We never run out of things to say.

Soup
If you could live in any ancient city during the height of the quality of its society and culture, which one would you choose? It's funny, but I've never really wanted to travel back to ancient times … Maybe Jerusalem?

Salad
What is the most exciting event you’ve ever witnessed? I was actually within the friendly confines of Wrigley Field when my beloved, future Hall of Famer Greg Maddux, got his 3000th strike out. Baseball is a game of stats, and it was terrific to be there, in person (and in the cold, wet drizzle), when he achieved this milestone.

Main Course
If you were a celebrity, what would you do for a publicity stunt? I suppose that I would be both rich and famous, which means I would have a huge house at my disposal. So I'd love to do what I heard that Julia Roberts once did -- I'd go to an animal shelter and just adopt as many pets as I legally could at one time. This way I could shine a spotlight on all the homeless pets out there, and remind people that a stray is just as loving a companion as a purebred.

Dessert
What do you consider the ideal age to have a first child? Interesting question, but I don't think there's one perfect answer. I bet every woman would respond differently, depending on her health, her relationship, her finances, etc.

For more information, or to whip up your own feast, visit www.fridaysfeast.com.

May I have your attention, please? You are looking at an award-winning blog.

Look what I got from Alison! It lends a touch of class to the place, doesn't it? (And if you haven't visited her blog, swing on by. She's an award-winner, too!)

August Happiness -- Thursday 30

CUBS WIN! CUBS WIN! I had a rough day at work. Then I got home, started to do laundry, and one of the dryers in our laundry room started smoking. Oh, good! Not only was it dangerous, it made my fresh laundry smell like a Girl Scout campfire. I was so tense, so pissed. And then … Hey! Hey! Holy mackerel! No doubt about it! The game came on and it was all forgotten as I watched the Cubs win a close one against the Brewers. It helps that the Cards lost, too. I love this team. I love Lou. And I feel fortunate to have something that can just cleanse away all the shit of the day and leave me happy, happy, happy.

Thursday Thirteen #31 -- Who almost played that part?




Thirteen Famous Movie Roles
that Were Nearly
Played by Someone Else


Legend has it that before Bogart was cast in Casablanca, Ronald Reagan was actually a contender for the role. Ronald Reagan as Rick Blaine, the cinema’s ultimate romantic? Ronald Reagan as the ideal champion of the underdog? Ronald Reagan saying, "Here's looking at you, kid?" Oh! The horror!

That got me thinking about other rumored first choices for roles very much identified with other actors. Some are interesting alternatives, while others are best filed under, “Huh? What?”

1. Bruce Willis as Danny Ocean in Ocean’s 11 (actually played by George Clooney)

2. Sandra Bullock as Maggie in Million Dollar Baby (Hilary Swank)

3. Demi Moore as Lucy in While You Were Sleeping (Sandra Bullock)

4. Molly Ringwald as Molly in Ghost (Demi Moore)

5. Will Smith as Neo in The Matrix (Keanu Reeves)

6. Al Pacino as Ron Kovic in Born on the Fourth of July (Tom Cruise)

7. Sally Field as Loretta in Moonstruck (Cher)

8. Cher as Thelma in Thelma & Louise (Geena Davis)

9. Jane Fonda as Norma Rae (Sally Field)

10. Meg Ryan as Clarice in Silence of the Lambs (Jodie Foster)

11. Paul Newman as Quint in Jaws (Robert Shaw)

12. Goldie Hawn as Roxie in Chicago (Renee Zellwegger)

13. Tom Selleck as Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Arc (Harrison Ford)



Links to other Thursday Thirteens!

1. Mama Pajama gets in the Wayback Machine and brings back hits form the 1980s
2. Tink has a very ACTIVE TT
3. Suprina's bumperstickers will make you smile
4. Impworks goes beyond the Beatles to celebrate all that is Liverpool
5. Nicole's TT takes us on a trip to the salon
6. Nicholas' TT is book titles. Very specific book titles.
7. Damozel compares and contrasts the American and British politcal systems
8. Comedy Plus has 13 bumpersticks with attitude
9. Susan Helene Gottfried's TT is the unvarnished truth about Shapeshifter groupies
10. Mummifiedx5 shares what she cannot live without
11. Janet has a TT that's all Z
12. According to Lori's TT, I'm older than dirt.
13. DK shares perceptive quotes about art, writing and creating
14. If only Worksformom knew then what she knows now ...
15. Nancy shares award-winning photos … her own!
16. Sasha's TT is very positive and uplifting.
17. Kat is very productive when she's waiting in line.
18. Jenny McB fills us in on her hectic life.
19. Emmy Rose's TT is about movies, too, but it's more romantic than post
20. l^2 bids farewell to summer
21. Tanabata's TT is gloriously peaceful.
22. Joshua's ambitious TT encompasses everything from shopping in France to curing cancer!
23. Busy91 has a pleasantly surprising cinematic TT.
24. J. Lynne shares 13 universal truths.
25. Harlekwin introduces a hysterical new vocabulary
26. Elisa shares 13 books she enjoyed so much she read them twice
27. Starrlight gives us a list of riotous rock quotes.
28. Sniz takes us on a tour of Walmart
29. Go back to school with Mama Lee and pick up some excuses for cutting class.
30. In honor Leona Helmsley's wealthy heiress pup, Bernie lists 13 famous dogs
31. Callista highlights some funny, funny commercials.
32. Maribeth's TT is a list of positive symbols and what they mean.
33. Sparky Duck and Pink have 13 questions for the President.

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

August Happiness -- Wednesday 29

My wonderful new workout shorts! They're too long and too baggy to be "appropriate." Instead of the stout middle-aged pigeon I am, I look like a 14 year old boy hanging around under the net, just waiting for a pick-up game. But damn if they aren't soooooo comfortable! If it wasn't for this pesky job, and the accompanying paycheck I receive tomorrow, I believe I might still be on the treadmill.

August Happiness -- Tuesday 28

All this and heaven, too! CUBS WIN! CUBS WIN! A come-from-behind victory against the Brewers to cement that first-place standing. Even better, I got home just in time to see the first pitch because after work, I stopped and had a burger and a beer with my best friend! He was on his way to the airport -- in town less than 24 hours -- but at least we got to see each other. For the first time since June. Right now, I am a gloriously happy gal.

Heads & Tails #3

You can find this week's theme over at meme-mistress Skittles' Place.

HOBBY, or anything that rhymes with HOBBY.

I'll take the more literal, and easier, way out and go with my hobby. After giving it a bit of thought, and looking at my books, movies and CDs, I'd say my hobby is the 1960s.

Whether it's the Beatles, the Kennedys, Ron Santo and the 1969 Cubs, That Girl! or Carnaby Street and Mary Quant, I find that decade endlessly fascinating. And, with George W. Bush comparing Viet Nam with Iraq, I'm reminded that in many ways the 1960s influence is still very, very strong.

For more information about Heads & Tails, or to play along yourself, visit Skittles' Place.

August Happiness -- Monday 27

My furry roommates. I'm in an exasperating mood tonight. I don't want to be alone, but everyone annoys me. I'm even pissed at the Cubs for having a night off when I feel like watching them play. When I'm like this -- meaning not fit for human contact -- I consider myself very lucky to share my home with three such diverse and fascinating felines. Charlotte likes to spend time with me as soon as I get home, chatting about the events of her day. After this intensely social interlude and her big meal of the day, she simply must retire under the bed to rest. Then Joe will tuck himself as close to me as possible, helping me go through the mail, return calls/emails, etc., until he dozes off, a warm and comforting presence beside me. And Rey spends all night keeping me up to date on his activities and whereabouts. (MOW! I'm high atop the armoire. MOW! I'm flossing with a plastic bag in the kitchen! MOW! There's someone in the hall who wants to meet me!) These three, with their huge hearts and divergent personalities, are dependably good for whatever happens to ail me.

But his life looks SO GOOD from here

Owen Wilson, who writes as well as acts and makes tens of millions a year and has one of the cutest broken noses in film history, is in the hospital. Early reports are that he tried to take his own life, and his short statement ("I respectfully ask that the media allow me to receive care and heal in private during this difficult time.") doesn't seem to dispel that impression.

I know I should be up in arms about Alberto Gonzalez and his rumored replacement (who has handled the Katrina aftermath so exquisitely). But this bothers me more. First of all, because I've enjoyed Owen Wilson's work every time I've seen him on screen, going back to a big-budget but still cheesy horror film called The Haunting back in 1999. And because when anyone who seems to have it all ends up in such a dark place, it first makes me say, "What the fu ...?" and then it breaks my heart.

Kinda creepy ...

Found this book quiz over at Sparky's place. It's so on-target it makes me a little uncomfortable.

You're Compassion Fatigue!

by Susan Moeller

You used to care, but now it's just getting too difficult. You cared about the plight of people in lands near and far, but now the media has bombarded you with images of suffering to the point that you just don't have the energy to go on. You've become cold and heartless, as though you'd lived in New York City for a year or so. But you stand as a serious example to all others that they should turn off their TV sets and start caring again.


Take the Book Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.