July Journaling Challenge

Day 4 -- Special Memory

Because it's 4th of July, I'm thinking of a patriotic memory. When I was a little girl, we took the train from Chicago to Washington DC. (My mom was pregnant and in those days, pregnant women didn't fly.) We saw all the memorials and toured the Capital, but my memory of those are very vague.

What I remember vividly was touring the Jennie Wade Home. Jennie was the only civilian killed during the Battle of Gettysburg. She was a young single woman, still living with her parents and engaged to a Union soldier. She was baking bread when a minie ball pierced the thick door. Her boyfriend died a few days later in another part of the war, never knowing that Jennie was already dead.

Touring the house, which is rumored to be haunted by Jennie, had a tremendous impact on a 7 year old Gal. Romance! Tragedy! Ghosts! A gift shop! It also taught me how I best learn history: make it personal. RFK's abandoned tortoise shell reading glasses, the too-short bed where Lincoln died, the ceramic donkeys Truman brought to his vacation home in Key West ... the things that touch my heart bring American history to life. And it started with Jennie.

Gee, thanks, Dan!

Went to the health club today for my usual afternoon workout and to schedule my next training session. I've had a hard time reaching Alex, my new trainer, but I wanted to be sure I got on his calendar.

I sought out Dan. He's in charge of the trainers and the personal training program, and we have talked in the past. Dan's the first one I spoke to after I found myself disappointed with Alex, and Dan helped me get through to Alex and improve our relationship.

Today Dan was very chatty and charming as his fingers danced across the keys and he accessed Alex's schedule. He booked me two weeks out because he reminded that consistency is important to results. I told him I was grateful for the attention he was giving me, and said I didn't want to fall back into bad habits.

"If we don't ride you, you'll end up just strolling on the treadmill, not pushing yourself and watching General Hospital," he said with a smile. "I know because I grew up with someone like you. You remind me of my mom."

OW!

Dan looks to be about 30. So I could easily be his mother. I don't doubt the reasonableness of what he said. I just didn't like hearing it.

July Journaling Challenge

Day 3 -- Favorite Thing to Do

My shrink told me that I'm unusual in that I don't get lonely. I miss certain people at certain times, but I never feel at a loss when I'm alone.

I suspect this is because my favorite activities are solitary -- watching tv/movies, reading, farting around on the internet.

WWW.WEDNESDAY

To play along, just answer the following three questions ...

• What are you currently reading? Talk by Michael Smerconish.  A novel set in the world of a conservative talk radio station in Tampa-Clearwater. A really interesting book so far. Cynical, but fascinating.

 

• What did you recently finish reading?  Tropical Quests by Wesley Sizemore. A fictionalized memoir of life in Key West in the 1970s. Okay, I'm still kinda reading it. I just needed to take a break because (1) Talk distracted me and (2) the narrator of Tropical Quests really gets on my nerves. The author writes well, and many of the characters and settings come to life vividly. I just don't like the voice of the storyteller. But there's a lot of talent on display here and I'm sure I'll return to it.

• What do you think you’ll read next? I don't know.

To see how others responded, click here.

I Say a Little Prayer

This is the 50th anniversary of the day President Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This bill made it illegal to discriminate based "on race, color, religion, sex or national origin." It outlawed institutional segregation. It was a glorious moment for LBJ. A President whose legacy is often thought of as sad because of the tragedy of Vietnam, he deserves all the praise he's receiving posthumously for making this happen.

He made it happen, in large part, by relentlessly and shamelessly invoking President Kennedy's memory. It was JFK who introduced the bill, who wanted the bill, and who faced an uphill battle in Congress at the time of his death. But in 1964, America was still reeling with grief and shame over Kennedy's assassination, and Johnson was savvy enough to tap into that. He used to say, "No memorial oration or eulogy could more eloquently honor President Kennedy."

In addition to the nightmare in Dallas, America had endured the horror of the 16th Street Baptist Church Bombing in Birmingham. An act of almost incomprehensible ugliness, white supremacists bombed a black church and killed four little girls in the fall of 1963. This domestic terrorism had a huge impact on the Kennedy brothers. I haven't read extensively about Johnson but, as sitting Vice President at the time it occurred and as a Southerner, I'm sure it touched him deeply, as well.

So today, when we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the law that shows our government at its best, I'm going to remember LBJ, JFK, Addie Mae, Cynthia, Carole and Denise in my prayers. This bill was, literally, drenched in blood, sweat and tears.

July Journaling Challenge

Day 2 -- Dreams + Goals

The usual: get my home, my health and my finances in order.

I'm self aware enough to know that those things aren't making me unhappy, per se, but are symptoms of my discontent.

I'm working on all this by slowly redoing my bathroom (Cute Handyman is here in a couple weeks to install the new medicine chest and lights) and working with a personal trainer (not going as well as I'd like, but still, I'm putting in the effort) and being more disciplined with money (no Sir Paul for me; it's sold out and I can't afford $225 for a crappy nosebleed seat).

I hope I will end summer happier than I started it.

July Journaling Challenge

Day 1 -- All about you.

I'm a Cub fan.

I'm a Beatle fan ... a Paul Girl most specifically.

I have a deep appreciation for the 1960s.

My all-time heroine is JBKO.

I'm a Cat Lady, den mother to Joey, Reynaldo and Connie.

I'm a writer -- advertising for money, blogging for self expression.

I'm a good friend.

I keep cool in crisis.

I'm very messy.

I laugh easily.

My standard drink order is cranberry juice and vodka.

Stolen from Kwizgiver

Miss Kwiz turned me on to the challenge. If you're going to join us, let me know so I can check out your answers.

8 innings of no-hit baseball

For real! Jake Arieta came thisclose to completely shutting down the Red Sox at Fenway! How cool is that!

The pitchers are finding their grooves. The hitters are sending the ball sailing. Unfortunately, the pitchers and the hitters are not always good on the same day.

Whatever. Being a Cub fan is not about the winning, it's about the game. And I've been watching some truly awesome baseball lately.

Sunday Stealing

Click here to play along ... 

IF YOU COULD: 

Travel anywhere, where would it be? I've been thinking about Washington DC a lot lately. Aside from being inspiring and educational, it's such a beautiful city.

Meet anyone, who would it be? This is hard because I'm always afraid that if I met someone I really admired, I'd be disappointed. So I'll pick Bill Clinton. President Clinton is someone I admire who has already disappointed me.

 Bring anyone dead back to life, who would it be? My mom.

 Be anyone for a day, who would it be? Mika Brzezinski. I start every weekday watching Morning Joe and I wonder what it's really like on the set.

Get anything for free for the rest of your life what would it be? Cable

 Change one thing about your life what would it be? My incredible laziness.

 Have any superpower what would it be? Flight

 Be any animal for a day which would you be? One of my cats. I wonder how I could make their little lives better.

 Date anyone who would it be? Leroy Jethro Gibbs from NCIS. And don't tell me he doesn't truly exist. I don't want to hear it.


 Change one thing about the world what would it be? Guns. No more handguns or assault weapons.

 Live in any fictional universe which would you choose? I don't read sci fi. Sorry.

 Eliminate one of your human needs which would you get rid of? My food cravings. Very inconvenient and I'm helpless to to resist.

 Change one thing about your physical appearance what would it be? I'm tired of being fat

 Change one of your personality traits which would you choose? My laziness


 Be talented at anything instantly what would you choose? Sing

 Forget one event in your life which would you choose? I have one in mind but I'd prefer not to think about it too much right now

 Erase an event from history (make it so it never happened) which would you choose? Lincoln's assassination

 Have any hair/eye/skin color, which would you choose? I like my coloring (light skin, green eyes, light brown hair)

 

Be any weight/body type, which would you choose? I wanna be Barbie


 Live in any country/city, where would you choose? I'm good right here in Chicago


 Change one law in your country, which would you change? No more handguns or assault weapons

 Be any height, which would you choose?  5'5


Have any job in the world, which would you choose? Pet sitter


 Have anything appear in your pocket right now, what would it be?  A wad of $50s


 Have anyone beside you right now, who would it be? My best friend

It was a beautiful day for a ballgame

Made my annual pilgrimage to The Friendly Confines of Wrigley Field and, as always, had a wonderful time.

This year I took John to the ballpark to celebrate his birthday. We saw the first game of a double

View from Section 204

header against the Nationals. Our seats were in the upper field terrace, further away from the action than I'd like but they turned out to be fine anyway. We were sheltered from the sun, up high enough to catch a cool breeze, and could see all the action.

The highlight of the game was young Dallas Beeler. He was just called up from the minors to make his MLB debut, and his Cubdom was so freshly minted that he wasn't even listed in our scorecards. Yet he went six innings, threw 90+ pitches, and gave up just 1 run. Since the Nationals were able to keep the Cubs scoreless, he still got the loss. But that doesn't mean he didn't do a fantastic job. He even got a hit at his first at bat! It would have been nice to end the game singing our victory song with the 35,000 other faithful, but it was an involving game nevertheless.

I was so into young Dallas' performance that both the people next to us and the people behind us asked me if I knew the kid. No, but I love him. I love all my heroes in Cubbie blue.

After the game we got John a t-shirt and then went to dinner at Chili's. This amused me. Here we are in a world-class city, and we ended up at Chili's. But it was John's choice. He likes their chicken tacos and this location is right in front of the #36 bus stop. OK.

We caught up on each other lives and he spontaneously hugged me a couple times. Maybe it was the 5 beers over 6 six hours, or maybe it was an appreciation of a nearly perfect day, or maybe he was just appreciating our 30+ years of friendship. Maybe it was all three.

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: I Feel the Earth Move (recommended by Blue County Magic)
If you're not familiar with today's song, you can hear it here.

1) This song is from the album Tapestry, one of the all-time best-sellers (more than 25,000,000 copies sold worldwide). Is it in your collection? Yes.

2) It's about that glorious passion you feel when you first fall for someone. How many times have you been in love? Three times, and I hope I'm not done yet.

3) San Francisco radio stations briefly removed "I Feel the Earth Move" from their playlists after the 1989 earthquake. Have you ever been in an earthquake and literally felt "the earth move under your feet?" I remember the 5.2 tremor in Southern Illinois that rattled me all the way up here.
 

4) Carole King is the first and only woman to win the Gershwin Prize for songwriting from the Library of Congress. Here's your chance to brag a little -- tell us about an accolade you have received.  Gave a presentation Thursday afternoon that our client deemed, "Terrific!"

 
5) Carole wrote "You've Got a Friend," which was a mega hit for her good pal, James Taylor. King and Taylor have known one another for more than 40 years, but have never been romantically involved. Do you have any platonic friends of the opposite sex? Yes, many. 

6) Like more than 80% of the population, Carole is right handed. Are you right handed, left handed (10%) or that most rare of all, ambidextrous (less than 10%)? I'm all rightie, all the way. Completely helpless with my left hand.

7) One of Carole King's earliest hits was Little Eva's "The Loco-Motion." Little Eva was the teenager King hired to care for her young children. Tell us about a sitter who cared for you when you were little. First there was Georgie, then Susie (who briefly dated my Uncle Ted and I wanted them to get married) and Susie's sister, Marilyn. I adored them all. I thought they were highly sophisticated and worldly, which is how a 16 year old looks to a 4 or 5 year old.

8) Beautiful is the title of the Broadway play about Carole King's life. If we were producing your lifestory, what would you want us to call it? The Thing of It Is … because I say it all the time.

 

 

9) Carole wrote "Pleasant Valley Sunday," the Monkees' song about conspicuous consumption. When Crazy Sam looks at her crowded shelf of hair products (paraben-free conditioner, keratin-restoring conditioner, hair masque, hot oil conditioner …), she realizes she's guilty of it herself. Have you bought anything recently that you later decided was a waste of money? I used to spend a small fortune on Living Social and Groupon offers that I really didn't need. I was so swept away by the SAVE 35%! SAVE 80%! that it didn't occur to me that I really wasn't saving anything if I was buying stuff I didn't truly want.

Something to think about on a summer day

With kids out of school, it means no school lunches. For a lot of our neighbors, that school meal is important to keeping kids healthy and staving off hunger. So this week, when you do your grocery shopping, toss something in the cart for your local food pantry.

I find that, if I pick up something for less than $1 every time I shop, I can fill up a grocery bag in no time. Right now I've got spaghetti, tuna, green beans, powdered lemonade and fruit cocktail ready to go. Of course, tomato soup is always welcome. A can goes along way in spicing up a ground beef recipe. Since hot dogs are popular and affordable this time of year, condiments are appreciated, too.

As this Recession grinds on, so does need. It feels good to look out for one another. If you don't know where your local food pantry is, try this Food Bank Locator.

What I've known all along

I've been a Clintonista for decades now. But the umbrella of my devotion only shields Bill. Hillary has never had the same emotional hold on me, my loyalty, my checkbook or my vote.

I know what Bill Clinton is. I have no illusions about the Lewinsky scandal and to this day it turns my stomach. But I get it.

Growing up near Hillary's hometown of Park Ridge, I think I get her, too.

Put too simplistically, his weakness is sex and hers is money. I understand lust better than greed.

The dynamic between these two is complicated. If she hadn't taken the more conventionally "grown up" role and been the breadwinner, he wouldn't have been free to so doggedly pursue his political ambitions. If she wasn't so disciplined, he couldn't be free to be so emotionally resonant. I appreciate that without her, he wouldn't have gotten as far as fast as he did. And I truly believe we'd all* be the worse without him.

So I know it's unfair for me to hold such affection for him and antipathy for her.

But when I listen to Hillary talk about being "dead broke" and how hard they worked to dig themselves out of debt, my skin crawls. Whether it's White Water, commodities trades, or Wall Street, Hillary Clinton has always been too easily seduced by a buck.

I haven't ruled out voting for her. The Clintons have always been very lucky in that the people who attack them tend to more repellant than their own worst acts. I may become an ardent supporter because the attacks on her will become so egregious and disgusting.

But I don't like her and I don't trust her.

*Except, of course, Ms. Lewinsky.

WWW.WEDNESDAY

To play along, just answer the following three questions ...

• What are you currently reading? Tropical Quests by Wesley Sizemore. Set in the mid-1970s, an American ex-patriate is tired and discontented. He didn't belong in the Vietnam era Midwest, he didn't belong in Paris or Toronto, either. On impulse he takes a long weekend in Key West and finds his home. So far (less than 100 pages in), I'm enjoying it. Mr. Sizemore is gifted at evoking time and place and at times I can almost taste the Cuban bread and smell the ocean.

 

• What did you recently finish reading? Cop Town by Karin Slaughter. Coincidentally also set in the 1970s, this is a brutal, shocking and compelling thriller. It's about an Atlanta cop killer and two young female cops on his tail. There's a lot of racism, sexism and hate in this book. It's true to the time and appropriate to the plot, but it was jarring.

• What do you think you’ll read next? I don't know.

To see how others responded, click here.

Discovery

I like artichokes. I enjoy them in dip and I like the hearts, too. This makes me happy since they are such a good source of fiber.

My friend Barb turned me on to the dip, and I had the hearts mixed with cheese at the salad bar today at lunch.

I like that I can still be pleasantly surprised by something this ordinary.

Hanging out

My cat Joey is a gentle giant, a happy soul who loves cuddling and sleeping in the sun. His purr is so deep and resonant that when he meows, it sounds like a gurgle.

When my girlcat, Charlotte, was alive, she hated Joe. Just hated him. She was every inch the diva, and this was her prerogative. Every morning at mealtime, Joey would approach Charlotte and she would hit him in the head. She also forbade him from sharing furniture with her.

Connie likes Joe. She plays with Reynaldo, running to and fro, but she likes hanging with Joey. Every now and again he'll groom the top of her head, but for the most part, he just enjoys her nearness. As if that wasn't wonderful enough, he still has Rey to play with every morning after breakfast.

Joey is very old. I'm glad that at this time of his life, he shares his home with two cats that appreciate his inherent Joey-ness.

They are good people and I worry

Both my Oldest Friend and my Best Friend are on my mind a lot these days. Their lives are not going well and since they aren't sharing the details with me, l am left to worry.

Oldest Friend. She has money trouble. She has kid trouble. She has health trouble. None of that is new. Her life has been a disaster since she moved to California. What's new is the complete lack of joy in her life. She claims to be a rabid Black Hawk fan, and yet she paid no attention to the Stanley Cup play offs. She claims to love Mad Men, but missed several episodes of the short season. She became obsessed with Michael Jackson after his death, but has not listened to the latest CD. She claimed to move to California to be near her cousin, who lives 90 minutes away in the mountains, but hasn't visited in weeks. Each of us needs something to make us happy each day. I'm lucky: no matter how bad my life gets, no matter how much I worry about career or finances, I always have The Lads and the Cubs and my cats and another book about JBKO. I wish her the same dependable joy.

Best Friend. We used to talk several times a day. Then we morphed to emailing several times a day. Then every day. Then every few days. Now it's sporadic. The thing that bugs me about this is -- he always sets the pace. He always has. I sent him a birthday gift and he let a week go by without acknowledging it. Then he wanted to know why I didn't respond to his email right away. AARGH! I know how hard his protracted period of unemployment has been on him, both financially and on his ego. I know that he can get to feeling low and, remarkably, worries when that happens that he has nothing to share with me. (As if feeling low isn't something to share with a friend!) But I hate that I don't know about his life anymore. Makes corresponding that much harder. And I hate feeling like I'm at his beck and call. I realize now, after a decade, that I've always resented this.

I feel better now that I've gotten this down. For while I'm pissed at both of them right now, I love them, too, and seeing it all written out reminds me that loving them is all I can do.

Sunday Stealing

90 part 3

61. Do you like current pop stars?  Don't know many of them. The last one that captured my imagination was Amy Winehouse, and she's been gone for three years.

62. What is your least favorite chore? Vacuuming

63. Last place you drove your car? Never, since I don't have a car

 64. Ever been out of the country? Yes, though not in decades

 65. Where were you the last time you used a public bathroom? Yesterday, at the movie theater

 66. Could you handle being in the military? No. I'm a fat, out of shape old lady with a bad attitude.

 67. What is your average cell phone bill? $65. And not worth it. I really need to shop around when my conract is up.

 68. Who or what are you thinking about right now? My tummy hurts

 69. When was the last time you laughed REALLY hard? Friday

 70. How many pairs of shoes do you own? Countless. Literally. I've never counted and don't intend to.

 

71. Are your toes always painted? Yes. Well, the nails at least. The current color is Revlon Optimistic.

 72. How many piercings do you have? Two. One in each ear.

 73. What are you doing today? Not much on the schedule

 74. Have you ever been gambling? Yes. I like slot machines.

 75. When is the last time you updated your blog? This morning.

 76. Do you like roller coasters? Yes

 77. Have you ever been to Disneyland or world? Yes, both

 78. Do you have a favorite cartoon character? Mr. Magoo

 79. Last thing you cooked? I made a bowl of cereal yesterday

 80. How's the weather? Humid and about 80º

 81. Do you e-mail more than snail mail? Yes, but I miss snail mail

 82. What's the funniest picture you ever took with your cell phone?  I don't take pictures with my cell

83. Last time you were sick? I'm battling a tummy ache right now

84. What states have you lived in? Just Illinois

 85. Do you wish you could move? Not really

 86. Do you take a lot of quizzes? No

 87. What is your dream car? One with a chauffeur

 88. Have you ever wanted someone you cant have? YES!

 89. If you could be anywhere right now where would it be? At the Spa in Colonial Williamsburg

 90. Are you happy with your life? Happy but not satisfied

Are demographics destiny?

Went to see the film version of Jersey Boys, surrounded by a theater full of bald spots and dye jobs. I can't recall the last the time I saw such an exclusive collection of baby boomers. I'll be interested to see how the movie does at the box office. I wonder if there is a real market for movies aimed at my age group.

I saw it on stage a couple years ago and then the audience was more mixed. I don't know why. Maybe it's the combination of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons and director Clint Eastwood that makes the movie For Boomers Only.

It's an OK movie. Not great. The stage production was more engaging and displayed more imagination. But John Lloyd Young (who won a Tony for the role) as Frankie and Christopher Walken as gangster Gyp are completely charming. And I love the music.

I'm unhappy that it went so well

Went to a new dentist yesterday. Less than 5 minutes away -- on foot -- from my home. He accepts my insurance. He didn't do any unnecessary procedures. He found no cavities and gave me tips for improving the condition of my gums. He cleaned my teeth efficiently and painlessly. I was in and and out in less than an hour.

So why am I sad?

I began going to my mother's dentist at least 15 years ago. He took me as an emergency over the 4th of July weekend when my own dentist was incommunicado. He was warm and funny and a Cub fan. Consequently I have been very loyal to him.

But he's several towns over and it takes at least 90 minutes for me to get there. And another 90 minutes to get back. And then there's the time spent coordinating the public transportation. Or I could spend $40 in cab fare. It's a huge hassle to get over there if there's an emergency.

Over the past decade plus his practice has grown and I never see him anymore. The dentists he works with have done good work, but it's not him. With their success comes the problem of how few and far between their Saturday appointments are.

So this is better. But I feel unfaithful. And I know I have to contact my now-former dentist so that office can send my records to my new dentist, but I'm dreading it.

I need to suck it up. This is a professional decision.

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: LIttle Red Corvette

1) The subject of this song is frankly sexual. Do you blush easily? I don't think so

2) Prince is his real name (Prince Rogers, to be exact). Growing up, his relatives called him "Skipper." Do you have any nicknames within your family? When I was really young, my dad used to call me "Mouse" and "Andy Panda."

3) Prince says he's "obsessed" with Mozart and reads whatever he can find about the composer. What's the last book you read? I just finished Cop Town, by Karin Slaughter. It's a compelling thriller, but very violent.

4) Between Prince and The Beach Boys, the Corvette is a much sung-about car. Tell us about your vehicle. No car


5) In the 1980s, when Prince was popular, MTV could turn a song into a hit. In 2014, how do you hear new music? At the the health club or while watching TV. I listen to the oldies station in the morning, so no new music there.

 

 

6) In 1982, when "Little Red Corvette" ruled the airwaves, Braniff Airways shocked the travel industry and threw passengers into chaos by declaring bankruptcy. When did you last fly? Did your trip go smoothly? It's been six months. I was in the Keys for Christmas, and I don't recall any hassles going to or fro.

7) 1982 is also the year Disney opened Epcot. Have you ever been to a Disney park? I've been to both DisneyWorld and Disneyland. Loved them both. And really, how could you not?

8) 1982 is the year Cheers premiered. The sitcom was set in a bar where "everybody knows your name." Tell us about your favorite local bar or restaurant. There's a rather upscale coffee shop here in town that I like. They add creative touches to old familiar recipes (so far, my favorite is the salmon benedict).

9) The 1980s were considered a highpoint in professional tennis, with Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe dominating the sport. Do you play tennis? No. I'm the most remarkably uncoordinated person you'll ever meet.

Suddenly swamped

We're very busy at work all of a sudden.

My individual project is updating and refreshing our client's web pages, and it's been challenging. Our account exec is highly political and very tightly wound. Plus this is a medium I'm not very adept in (yet). But I'm learning a lot and I completely adore one of our digital guys, Joshua. Best of all, I feel I'm definitely adding value and helping to build our client's business. That is, after all, what I'm paid to do!

My boss has joined the rest of management one layer above me to work on a big presentation, noon on Monday, to try to win more of our client's business. (Or at the very least preserve what we have.) When I left today, they all seemed to feel good about the deck. Which is good because this is important.

So while it's been stressful, it's made the week zip by and left me feeling productive.