THURSDAY THIRTEEN #235

THE TOP THIRTEEN SONGS FOR MARCH 23, 1985

I think of this as my, "30 Years Ago Today" edition. You remember 30 years ago -- when hits were made by FM radio airplay and MTV. 

I believe 1985 may have been the last year that I was hip. The only one I couldn't sing along to right now is Jagger's "Just Another Night." If you're like me and need a refresher on Mick's solo effort, click here.



1) One More Night -- Phil Collins

2) Material Girl -- Madonna

3)  Lovergirl -- Tenna Marie

4) Too Late for Goodbye -- Julian Lennon

5) High on You -- Survivor

6) Can't Fight this Feeling -- REO

7) Nightshift -- The Commodores

8) Just Another Night -- Mick Jagger

9) Private Dancer -- Tina Turner

10) Missing You -- Diana Ross

11) We Are the World -- USA for Africa

12) Keeping the Faith -- Billy Joel

13)  I'm on Fire -- Bruce Springsteen

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

Nightmares and tummy trouble

Deja teen years! My sleep has been restless and my gastrointestinal tract has been rebellious.

The dreams are all family related. I discovered on the state's website that both my mother and grandmother have unclaimed funds floating about out there. (According to the state treasurer, 1 in 4 Illinoisans does.) My mom's is less than $200, my grandmother's looks to be about $500. I may let my mom's just go. After all, after I dig up all the paperwork and copy everything and go to a notary and mail it, I'll get a check for $150, that I have to split three ways. Which means I'll have to traipse back to the post office. And deal with my older sister, which is reliably unpleasant and always galling. And I will be the one taxed on the $150. Sounds like a lot of work for very little pay off. I had figured my aunt would just pocket my grandmother's money. After all, the lady died nearly 20 years ago. My aunt wondered if I thought she should split the money among my grandmother's 5 heirs (herself, me and my two sisters, and my odious Uncle Jim). I haven't answered her yet because just thinking about this leaves me feeling tense.

Then there's my cousin Rose. You know, the cousin who loves me that I lied to. I don't want Rose staying with me, but I don't like lying and I certainly don't want to hurt her. This is causing me massive stress.

So lately I've been waking up upset, with vague recollections of nightmare family scenarios. Just like when I was in high school.

And, oh, my gut! I started getting heartburn more and more regularly, so instead of taking Pepcid before a "big" or "heavy" meal (does my stomach understand these terms?) I switched to Prevacid. I've been belchy and gassy and last night I was ... worse. Let's just leave it at that. I know it's supposed to take Prevacid up to four days for full effect, and I just started. But I'm so tired of being ruled by tummy troubles. I went through adolescence with IBS, so this feels very high school, as well.

The only teenage irritants I'm missing are zits and The Periodic Table of Elements.

Sunday Stealing

The I Meme. To play along, click here.

I am... feeling lazy.

I want... a burger for lunch. I bet I'll go to Five Guys this afternoon.

I have... cold feet. I'm not reluctant or nervous about anything. My feet are literally cold.

I wish... the country wasn't so divided and hostile.

I hate... sitcom actress Patricia Heaton.

I fear... that my heels won't be smooth in time for sandal season. (I give this an embarrassing amount of thought.)

I hear... Meet the Press on NBC right now. I love Chuck Todd.

I search... for a reason to really get behind Hillary Clinton. I want to enthusiastically support her, but I'm not there yet.

I wonder... why some people are so angry all the time.

I regret... as little as possible. It's a wasted emotion.

I love... The Cubs.

I never... drink coffee.

I ache... when I think of the homeless dogs and cats. Please, everybody, adopt a shelter pet. Don't go to a breeder. Someone will always buy a healthy pet with a big price tag. But you'll save a life if you adopt from a shelter.

I always... watch Morning Joe on weekdays.

I usually... am late for work.

I am not... motivated to do housework.

I dance... badly.

I sing... worse.

I sometimes... wonder why I'm hooked on Farmville 2. What does it trigger in my brain?

I cry... very seldom.

I am not always... as sensitive as I might be.

I lose... umbrellas, ear muffs, sunglasses and mittens.

I am confused... by phenomenal Cub rookie Kris Bryant's contract. Like, maybe he can't play in the majors on Opening Day? Is there some kind of minor league indentured servitude thing going on? Why is this so complicated? Part of why I love baseball is that it's so gloriously easy to follow. Please don't confuse me with this shit.

I need... to shave my legs.

I should... get off my fat ass, get into the tub and shave aforementioned legs.

I never really considered this before

There's a bar in my neighborhood that serves the very best clam chowder.* My neighbor Sally treated me to a bowl to thank me for helping her out at our condo association meetings. Now in her 40s, she has been deaf and slightly debilitated due to a stroke in her mid 20s. She has trouble following the action in these meetings -- she can't read everyone's lips at once -- and so I sit beside her with my laptop and key in what I hear everyone saying. It's not a big deal in that I type all day every day. It is a big deal, though, because I have to attend more meetings and pay closer attention than I would otherwise.

Anyway, over clam chowder, we found we share a love of our companion animals. Sally then proudly told me about her college-age son, who was a toddler when she lost her hearing. She told me about how much she misses music, especially Christmas carols.

Right now I'm reading a book about Frank Sinatra. To augment it, I'm listening to a lot of Sinatra on my iPod. I wouldn't be reading that biography or enjoying The Voice if I'd lost my hearing in my 20s.

I'd miss Frank.

I'd miss Sir Paul and The Lads.

I'd miss The Boss.

I'd miss Earth, Wind & Fire singing "September." 

I think the ache and longing would be unbearable. I wonder if it isn't easier to be born deaf than to lose one's hearing.

*Chili, too, I'm told, though I don't care for chili.

In praise of smaller bills

Cab drivers hate $20s, and make me feel guilty when I pay with a Jackson. Yet all the ATMs in town dispense are $20s.

Sometimes all I need is $50, not $60. Since all the ATMs in town dispense are $20s, I end up with $60 and that $10 goes unaccounted for -- probably wasted.

That's why I'm so excited about the groovy new ATMs at Chase. You can get $5s, $10s and even singles!

So far the new ATMs are only inside one of my nearby branches, not in the vestibule, so I have to hit it during normal business hours. And their design is a little annoying -- too Jetsons for me. But those are small quibbles.

I will never again have to face cabbie scorn!

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: It's Not Unusual (1965)

1) In this song, Tom sings that "it's not unusual to go out at any time." Will you be "out and about" this weekend? Yes, but it won't be as glam as all that. I'll be getting my hair done, running errands, maybe go to church ...

2) Before his music career took off, Tom supported himself and his young family by working as a vacuum cleaner salesman. Could the room you're in right now benefit from a thorough cleaning with a vacuum?  This room? Hell, the whole place could use it!

3) You can purchase a verified Tom Jones autograph on eBay for $299 (or the best offer). When you were growing up, did you collect signatures and sayings from your friends? (Autograph book? Yearbook? Cast?)  All I can recall is the yearbook. I may have had an autograph book -- they were all the rage -- but I don't remember it. And I know I never had a cast.

4) At the height of his popularity, female fans would throw their panties onstage at Tom Jones. Sam can't imagine doing this, and not just because she's not that crazy about Tom Jones. She'd be embarrassed because her underwear drawer could use a serious refresh. If you could choose one new article of clothing to add to your wardrobe today, what would it be?  Belts. I need a brown one, a black one (silver buckle) and a navy one. When I'm shopping, I either can't find any I like, or I don't remember I need them until I get home.

5) "Tom Jones" is also the name of character in a famous 18th century novel. Tell us about a character from a book you wish you were friends with in real life. Jo from Little Women.

 
6) When this song was popular in March 1965, Sarah Jessica Parker of Sex and the City fame was born. Do you share your birthday with anyone famous? I need a moment ... so Carrie Bradshaw is 50? That calls for a toast! OK, now to answer the question: Jamie Lee Curtis and I were born on the same day in the same year.

7) Also in 1965, when this song was a hit, Americans were riveted by the Gemini space program and children all over the country wanted to be astronauts. Think back to your childhood: When you were in first or second grade, what did you want to be when you grew up? A horse trainer. I have always loved animals and at that point, I ached to live on a ranch. I read a book about a girl who moved to Boulder to learn how to care for horses and she got to ride "under cobalt skies." I had to look up "cobalt." Then I got the Crayola 64 box and there was a cobalt crayon! I took it as a sign that this is what I was meant to do. (I can remember all that, but I can't remember the name of book!)

8) Fifty years ago, the most popular headache reliever was aspirin, and you could buy a bottle of 200 tablets for just $1. Do you have any aspirin in your medicine chest right now? Nope. Excedrin for garden-variety headaches and prescription-strength Naproxen for migraines.

9) Random question: You've just entered a public restroom. Would you rather find a paper towel dispenser or hot air hand dryer? Paper towels. Those hot air dryers don't ever seem to get my hands dry. My nephew, who did a paper on the hand dryer vs. paper towel question when he was in junior high, maintains the dryers aren't all that hygenic, either. The filters must be changed regularly, not only to enhance performance but to help control bacteria. And one of the reasons why these dryers don't dry so well is that they have clogged filters. Which means ... ew!

"You've got the part, Paul"

There's a scene in the movie HELP! where Paul overacts all over the place. The Lads are riding bicycles in hot pursuit and come upon red footprints painted on pavement. Paul hops off his bike and presses his ear to the ground, pretending the print is speaking to him.

"Passing this way, hot foot, many moons to the temple," he says sagely.

Unimpressed, George says, "You've got the part, Paul."

That's what I feel like saying to Michelle, the woman who has replaced the Chocolate Covered Spider. She's so eager to impress, to make her mark, to make good that she exhausts me.

I appreciate her enthusiasm and her commitment to building a relationship with me. Especially since the Chocolate Covered Spider's MO was so defensive and exclusionary. But I wish she would dial it down. I know about her "hellacious" breakup with a separated-but-still-married man and she mentions being "single and 40" in almost every conversation. I sense she views this as bonding, and I am touched by her loneliness, but it feels more than a little needy and desperate.

Oh well. She's only been with us two weeks. She's smart and shows a great deal of potential. Here's hoping she calms down a bit when she hits her stride.

THURSDAY THIRTEEN #234

MY THIRTEEN 

FAVORITE 

MOVIE QUOTES

Here's a list of all-time great movie quotes I stumbled upon while looking up something else. Instead of using it for my TT, I'm composing a list of my own favorites and then seeing if there's an overlap. (BTW, I did this same subject for a TT back in ... gulp ... 2007. I did this one without referring to that one.)

If you're a movie lover, please be sure to include your own favorites in the comments.

1) "Why, she wouldn't harm a fly." Psycho (1960)

2)  "Practically perfect in every way." Mary Poppins (1964)

3)  "KHAN!" Star Trek II, Wrath of Kahn (1982)

4)  "See you, Katie." "See you, Hubbell." The Way We Were (1973) sniffle, sniffle

5) "Yippee kye aye, Mother f****er." Die Hard (1988)

6)  "We rob banks." Bonnie and Clyde (1968)

7)  "I'm sorry, I'm anal." "That's a polite word for what you are." Annie Hall (1977)

8)  "Think you used enough dynamite there, Butch?" Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)

9)  "Nothing is over until we say it's over! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?" Animal House (1978)

10)  "I''ll make him an offer he can't refuse." The Godfather (1972)

11) "Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain." The Wizard of Oz (1939)

12) "Here's looking at you, kid." Casablanca (1942)

13) "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn." Gone with the Wind (1939)

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

On the subject of books ...

…which is one of my favorite subjects … and liberated from Kwizgiver.

As seen at Musings From A Bookmammal:

1. Do you have a specific place for reading? I like reading in bed, over lunch or on the train

2. Book mark or random piece of paper? Random piece of paper. In my current book, my place is held by the little piece of purple paper that held the paper napkin around the silverware, from the coffee shop where I had breakfast last Saturday.

3. Can you just stop anywhere in a book or do you have to stop at the end of a chapter? I can drop and pick up anywhere.

4. Do you eat or drink when reading? Yes

5. Music or TV on when reading? Yes

6. One book at a time or several? I sometimes have two going at once, but I try to make them different genres.

7. Reading at home or elsewhere? I read more elsewhere than at home.

8. Read out loud or silently? Silently.

9. Do you read ahead or skip pages? I do this. Especially in biographies. I've been known to peruse the index in search of "the good parts."

10. Breaking the spine or keeping it like new? A little of each. I try to take care of my books, but I do enjoy them, and that can entail wearing them in a little.

11. Do you write in your books? No, no, never, never, uh-uh-uh.

12. Who are you tagging? Anyone who wants to play.

WWW.WEDNESDAY

This meme is no more. And yet I persist in answering the three questions it asked each week. Stubborn, ain't I?

• What are you currently reading? Frank: The Voice by James Kaplan. A biography of Sinatra I bought at the annual library book sale and am just now getting around to. I like considering this my way of celebrating Ol' Blue Eyes' centennial. (His 100th birthday is this December.)

It took me a while to land on this book. After I finished Wake, I tried a mystery - All Shots by Susan Conant - but I just couldn't get into it. I just didn't like the characters, so I gave it away. Then I tried a fictionalized biography of the Bronte sisters. I just couldn't lose myself in it. That one I put aside for later.

Then I stumbled upon Frank. Almost literally. It's about 800 pages and hardcover and I left it in the middle of the room when I was sorting through my books. I'm glad I did. Kaplan writes well - rather terse and with fast pacing - and his style fits the subject. And oh! What a subject! Sinatra's life was as outsized as his talent.

 

• What did you recently finish reading? Wake by Anna Hope. A well-written but very sad, very intense book about three women living in London and dealing with the aftermath of WWI. It takes a while for us to discover how their lives are connected, but when we finally get it, it's very effecting. Part of what makes this book so painful to read is that we know these women - sister, lover and mother, respectively - will still be alive and still trying to heal when WWII breaks out and hits much closer to home.

• What will you read next? Whatever it is, it'll be probably be from my own private library. Maybe I'll revisit a book from long ago, like The Cracker Factory by Joyce Rebeta-Burditt. Or maybe it will be one that's been untouched, like Frank. At any rate, I'm enjoying the books I find in my den.

OK, so I lied

My Cousin Rose is coming to Chicago around Memorial Day. For reasons I've explained before -- and won't again just now because they make me sad -- I don't want her to stay with me.

I feel immensely guilty about this. I know my cousin loves me. And, when I was a teenager, she was literally my salvation. Hearts as good as hers are very special and must be handled with care.

But after four hours with her, I can't wait to get away from her. She's that negative about everything, and that negativity upsets me so much. I can't have her for the weekend in my home.

So I lied. I told her my oldest friend from California is coming in (she's not) to deliver her daughter to her ex-husband for a summer visit, and to attend an old neighbor's anniversary party. Then I told her my friends from the Keys are also coming in (they aren't) for the first time since 2004 for a convention and are extending their stay so we can have a reunion.

I joked that I've never been as popular in my whole life as I'm going to be around Memorial Day 2015. I told Rose that I'd love to spend an afternoon or evening with her, that I look forward to it (I do). And if we're all flexible and patient, I'm sure I'll be able to spend the time with her she and I deserve as well as with everyone else who will be in Chicagoland that weekend.

I feel sick about lying to her. I do. But I'd have an ulcer if I was dreading her visit for more than a month.

And so I did it. I chose to protect my stomach lining and protect her feelings at the same time.

These are a few of my favorite things

Find out more here

 Blue jeans, denim shorts, a bright pink t-shirt, sunglasses, white socks, a belt and Clinique Repairware Laser Focus Wrinkle Correcting Eye Cream. That's what I bought at 15% to 25% at Carson's yesterday as part of The Goodwill Sale.

If you have a Carson's (or Yonkers or Boston Store) nearby, you should head on over before the 28th. Every article of clothing/home fashions you donate gets you a coupon for 15%-25% off almost anything in the store. (Even cosmetics/skincare/fragrances, which are seldom part of coupon promotions.) The store turns all your cast offs over to the local Goodwill for resale.

I love this sale because 1) it forces me to part with shit and 2) it alleviates guilt when I indulge in a little retail therapy and 3) it helps someone get a job. Goodwill does good work, and it does it well.

She's baaaack!

I missed you. Glad you're back in my comments!

Sunday Stealing

The One Thing Meme

One Thing ..... 

 that makes you smile: My old tomcat, Joey. He's such a happy, loving old soul.

that makes you cry: The Way We Were. "You'll never find anyone as good for you as I am, to believe in you as much as I do or to love you as much." Oh, Katie! You're far too good for him!

"See you, Katie." "See you, Hubbell."

that you love to do on the weekends: Nothing much, which is important because it gives my internal batteries a chance to replenish

that you do for only yourself: Long, lazy baths

that you have in your underwear drawer that's NOT underwear: There isn't anything

that you do before going to sleep: Take off my jewelry

that you do within the first 15 minutes after waking: Void my bladder, she said delicately

that's in your purse: My wallet

that you actually LIKE to clean: My George Foreman grill. It goes from ooky to shiny so fast I feel as though I've really accomplished something.

that you DETEST cleaning: Everything else

that other people would find odd about you: I don't drive. As I've written on this blog before, if I met someone new and told him, "I don't drive and I keep human heads in my freezer," I suspect he would say, "You don't drive?"

that you would buy if I handed you a $100 bill: New sunglasses. I don't need them, but I want new sunglasses to celebrate the new season. If you gave me the $100, then I could make the purchase without guilt.

that you feel you HAVE to do before you die: Nuh-uh. You aren't going to trick me into making a bucket list. I'm afraid if I complete "thing I have to do before I die," then I have to die.

The smiles returning to the faces

It was a pleasure to walk around outside today. I wore a t-shirt, jeans and my Cubs jacket. NO BOOTS! The sky was pale blue, the clouds were fluffy and white, and everyone I passed seemed happy. Especially the competing Girl Scouts, selling cookies on either side of the street. They were so cute I was tempted to buy a box from both of them, but they are $4/box and I'm trying to economize.

On days like this I feel sorry for those who have warm weather all year around. Do they get a lift from these first glorious spring days, the way we here in Chicagoland do?

Saturday 9

To play along, click here

1) In honor of St. Patrick's Day (this coming Tuesday), we're featuring one of Ireland's most successful exports, U2. What else is Ireland famous for? Whiskey

2) The Dublin studio where U2 recorded this song (and all of Achtung, Baby) is

now a music store called Claddagh Records. U2 pilgrims from all over the world travel to the spot (Celia Street, Dublin 2). If we were to visit your neighborhood, are there any landmarks you could direct us to? Like the bridge over the Seine, where lovers used to write their names on padlocks and attach them to the rail before tossing the key into the river, people have been declaring their love by writing their names on locks and attaching them to the viaduct under the el tracks. It's a romantic way to dress up an inherently unattractive structure and it makes me happy every day as I pass it on my commute.


 3) Lead singer Bono is rarely seen without his trademark sunglasses because he suffers from glaucoma. How is your vision? 20/20? I'm dreadfully nearsighted and my eyes are sensitive to natural light.

4) Bono and wife Alison were married in 1982 and are still together today. Who is the longest-married couple you know?  My friend Mindy and her hubs have been together just about that long. They have been through a lot together -- they've lost parents, had a difficult time conceiving, gone through career ups and downs, raised their sons -- but they're still going strong. I know it sounds rather every day, but when you think about what it takes to share all that, I think it's heroic and touching.

5) When Bono inducted Frank Sinatra into the Grammy Hall of Fame, he applauded the older man's "swagger." Do you think you have swagger? I can. When I know what I'm doing.

6) Bono has been honored by world leaders, including President Obama and Nelson Mandela and the Pope, for his philanthropy. Here's your turn to brag: tell us something you have received praise for recently. My boss actually liked one of my creative concepts.That wouldn't normally be such a big deal -- coming up with these ideas is my job, after all -- except that he did one, too. Usually when he has a dog in the race, he doesn't care for any other concepts. So I was proud.

7) Clearly Bono is the most famous member of U2. Who else is in the band? Edge. Or does he prefer The Edge? I don't know.

8) On St. Patrick's Day, will you wear green? I may. The weather this time of year is very changeable. If I can wear a lighter weight blouse, I'll be in green.

9) Will you enjoy a glass of green beer or maybe a Shamrock Shake from McDonald's? Now that I don't see happening.

THURSDAY THIRTEEN #233

 

THIRTEEN THINGS ABOUT JOEY

1) Joey is my very big, very old tomcat. He is the gentlest, most loving soul (human or feline) to ever grace my home.

2) He is between 18 and 20 years old. That makes him, in human terms, between 85 and (gulp) 100 years old.

3) In 1999, I got him from the local animal shelter, where all the best furry family members can be found. He was left in a box on the shelter doorstep with a note saying his name was "Jeffrey," and that his humans could no longer afford to keep him.

4) My friend Kathleen's son and daughter helped me choose him from a room full of cat candidates. I remember how cute they were, how seriously they took this important task. Those kids are now in college and grad school.

5) For all that his former family anonymously gave him up, it's also clear that they loved him. For this cat has no fear of people. To him, all new humans are just friends he hasn't met yet.

6) I changed his name to Joey after Joey Tribbiani, Matt LeBlanc's character on Friends. I know my Joey is not especially bright but he is loving and lovable and I'm sure that if he could talk, he'd greet all guests with, "How 'ya doin'?"

7) His favorite activities include sleeping on the floor with the sun shining on his white belly, sleeping next to me on the couch, and sleeping on my bed with his head buried between the pillows. If sleeping was an Olympic event, we would bring home the Gold every time.

8) He needs help jumping onto the bed now, which makes me sad because it reminds me that he's old and our time together is short.

9) His favorite food is Friskies Indoor with Garden Greens.
His favorite treat is Temptations, particularly Creamy Dairy, though he's not picky. To give you an idea of how not picky he is when it comes to eating, here he is beside my girlcat Connie. Now she is very small, but still, Joey is a massive old boy. (PS Whenever I see this picture I'm reminded of how much I hate my kitchen floor.)

10) He's not so big on playing anymore, but he can be convinced to join me in the occasional game of laser tag and he keeps us all safe from attack by shoelaces.

11) In his younger days, he was quite a boxer, mixing it up first with my late cat, Billy, and more recently with the Beige Bomber, Reynaldo. But he gets impatient with that sport now, and after a few swats in Rey's direction, he's done.

12) He purrs all the time because he's usually very, very happy. He doesn't meow often, but when he does it sounds like a gurgle because he's also purring.

13) You wish you knew him. He's quite a guy.

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

Still thinking about Still Alice

I saw Still Alice over a week ago and it's still haunting me. The tragedy of a vibrant, intelligent woman descending into Alzheimer's, and Julianne Moore's virtuoso performance, had a serious impact on this old gal.

I keep thinking about my late uncle, whom I loved a great deal. He was handsome and athletic and proud of what his body could do -- he was an excellent shot, could run marathons, downhill skied, and was a lion with the ladies. Then Parkinson's Disease captured him and he lost it all. First he had trouble with his eyes and blinked incessantly. Then his arms would spasm. Eventually it was impossible for him to control his back and spine so he couldn't sit in a chair. Finally he had trouble making himself swallow. He died in his sleep the night before the doctors were going to surgically insert a feeding tube.

I'd say it was painful to watch, except that reeks of self pity when I think of how he struggled.

The Alice of the movie had the equal but opposite predicament. Her body stayed lean and strong but her mind slipped away.

Which is worse? To be awake and aware but lose your body? Or to feel your mind slipping away?

I wish my uncle was here. For countless reasons. I want to know his reaction to Still Alice. I want to thank him for all the magic he brought to my life. And I want to tell him I love him. I'm not sure ever did. I have been thinking about it a lot, and I don't recall ever saying those three words to him.

My home sits by the train tracks. Since I saw Still Alice, I've seen two different freight trains carrying John Deere tractors. My uncle collected John Deere memorabilia. I take it as a sign that he knows I'm thinking of him.

That he knows and he understands.

Sunday Stealing

To play along, click here.

1. Three things that scare me: Clowns, squirrels, air travel

2. Three people who make me laugh: my oldest friend, Stephen Colbert and the late Nora Ephron

If he played first base, we'd have a trifecta

3. Three things I love: The Beatles, The Chicago Cubs, and men with good hair.

4. Three things I hate: RWNJs, uncooked tomatoes, and Patricia Heaton. (Everybody Loves Raymond is on almost constantly and I cannot stand the sight of that woman.)

5. Three things I don't understand: Why people smoke, anyone who doesn't love pets, and why Patricia Heaton keeps getting work

6. Three things on my desk: Lots of paper, mug, vase

7. Three things I'm doing right now: this meme, giving my cat Connie her nighttime dose of affection, and trying to figure out this Hart to Hart episode that I tuned in at the 45 minute mark. (Yeah, it's a stupid show, but I find Robert Wagner's voice hypnotic.)

8. Three things I want to do before I die: I don't answer these questions because I'm afraid that once I accomplish the three things, I have to die.

9. Three things I can do: Write, speak well in public, fart around/do nothing

10. Three things I can't do: Sing, dance, lose weight

11. Three things you should listen to: me, The Beatles, and if ever you're in Chicago, our local PBS news show Chicago Tonight

12. Three things you should never listen to: Patricia Heaton (don't look at her, either), Fox News and anyone in a bar talking religion or politics (unless it's me)

13. Three things I'd like to learn: Spanish, self-discipline, and SEO (search engine optimization)

14. Three favorite foods: steak, pizza, ice cream

15. Three beverages I drink regularly: Coke, orange juice, water


16. Three shows I watched as a kid: The Man from UNCLE, Batman, That Girl

I'm not exactly sorry, but ...

I earmarked $1000 of my refund for fun. That's less than 30%. I'm putting most of it to savings/bills, some of it to completing my bathroom renovation, and $1000 for fun.

I've been daydreaming about what to do with that $1000 for a while. For every spring for years and years I treated myself to a spring spa getaway. Precious alone time in a new setting where I recharge my batteries. I always come back having learned something new -- about myself, about the world -- because of the change in perspective. I love these spa trips. Especially now, when I'm so bored with winter and know how chilly and unpredictable a Chicago spring can be.*

I've been to the Arlington in Hot Springs, AR, many times. Beautiful country. I've toyed with going back. My aunt goes to the Smoky Mountains and her postcards and photos made me miss it.

I've been to, and loooooved, Chateau Elan in Atlanta, but it's just too expensive. Now Colonial Williamsburg has a high quality destination spa and that's brought me a lot of joy. I love being immersed in American history when I'm not immersed in lotions and potions.

And then there's the spa in the graceful old Peabody Hotel in Memphis. I've never been there, but I've heard good things, and it would give me a chance to go back to Graceland. I planned on staying at a hotel right across the street from The King that actually has a guitar shaped pool! I loved how that trip would be a mix of stately and trashy.

But no, I'm going to Los Angeles next month. For just a long weekend of doing nothing I couldn't do here.

My oldest friend is going off the rails. Her depression is getting the best of her and her life feels hopeless. Her shrinks -- an MD and a PhD -- aren't able to come up with the right mix of meds and therapy to help. She's suffering and her pain is real. I love her and I worry about her.

So I'm arriving on a Friday, staying in an affordable little hotel walking distance from The Grove mall, and flying back on Monday. I chose to stay near The Grove because my friend -- who used to love going to the movies when she lived here -- never sees films anymore, even though she's living in the film capital of world. Parking at the malls with the multiplex cinemas is impossible. OK, she can park at my hotel and we'll walk. The advantage to staying by at the hotel is that I'll still get some alone time. I don't relish the thought of staying with my friend and her daughter and all their drama. This is my vacation, after all, and if I want to stay in a hotel, that's what I'm gonna do.

So there goes $911. It's expensive to travel 2000 miles. It just is. Hot Springs, Williamsburg and Memphis are also closer to Chicago and cheaper. While I spent a lot of time on the phone with Travelocity and I'm confident I'm getting the best ORD-LAX rate, it's still a bitch.

Now I know my friend and I will have fun. We always do. No one has ever been able to make me laugh like she does. And she's feeling isolated and needs a friend. I have the vacation time and I have the money and it feels like the right thing to do. Besides, we already have another trip to Vegas planned for my birthday in November. If she's willing to travel to celebrate me, this seems fair.

So Los Angeles in spring, Vegas in the fall and Key West for Christmas. My life is not too shabby. I realize that.

It's just that I keep seeing banner ads for the trips I'm NOT taking, and they make me sad. Beautiful travelogue shots of the Williamsburg and Memphis pop up and I'm filled with longing.

Oh well. This is the right thing to do. I can't afford to fly out to LA and pamper myself and continue renovating my bathroom. So the spa trip just has to go.

Sometimes being a grown up sucks.

*Really, never visit Chicago in spring. The weather can be sunny and 50º one day and 30º with freezing rain the next. I hate it. That's why I never go to Opening Day at Wrigley Field. The weather always sucks.

Saturday 9

Here I Go Again (1982)

1) This song originally appeared on Whitesnake's Saints and Sinners album. Are you feeling more saintly or sinful this morning? A wee bit sinful, since I have other things I should be doing but I'm meme-ing.

2) Whitesnake was formed by Brit David Coverdale, who now lives in Lake Tahoe, NV. Have you ever wanted to relocate to another country? Maybe Toronto (I visited there a while ago and really liked it). Maybe London. Living in Chicago, I get so short-tempered with people who don't speak English, I could not bear moving to another country and annoying its denizens because I don't know the language.

3) In the song, Coverdale says he "was born to walk alone." Do you enjoy time on your own? Or do you quickly get bored or lonely? I seldom get bored or lonely. I miss individual people at times, but I like being alone.

4) During the band's 1980s heyday, Coverdale was known for his skintight leather pants. Do you own leather pants or slacks? Ha! No.

5) What about snakeskin? Double ha! No.
 
6) It's estimated that 20,000 people die of snake bite every year. Approximately 1,000 suffer fatal spider bites. Less than 50 are killed each year by sharks. Considering sharks, spiders and snakes, which do you find scariest? Spiders. Since I'm allergic to bee sting and have to carry my Epipen, I assume that a spider bite would be very bad for me.

7) In 1982, when this song was popular, the world lost Princess Grace of

Monaco. Before she became a royal, she was film star Grace Kelly. Have you ever seen a Grace Kelly movie? I've been a fan since I was in high school, babysitting and watching late night TV, and saw the Country Girl for the first time. She's all quiet and mousy, wearing glasses and cardigans for the first hour. And then she shows up for the party scene and, oh, my! No one rocked a LBD like Grace! Which is not to say she wasn't a good actress. She was. And it probably would have been good for me, at that tender stage in life, to have paid attention to what happens to girls who fall into co-dependent relationships. Woulda saved myself a lot of grief and wasted time. But no, I was all, "look how pretty!"

8) Speaking of movies, the top-grossing film of 1982 was ET: The Extra Terrestrial. Have you seen it? Once all the way through. I've got bits and pieces a dozen times.

9) Random question: How many timepieces will you have to reset when we spring ahead this weekend? Three keywound clocks, the microwave, and four wristwatches. Oy, I'm gonna be busy!