I vacuumed and did my homework

Last weekend, my shrink gave me an assignment: she wanted me to express what I felt my "next chapter" was going to look like. I don't know why, really. She mentioned it at the very end of our hour and I didn't have much chance to question why she thought this was important. 

Anyway, she's the doctor, so today I did it. It took about two hours for me to explore where I think my life will go after this job ends. This was the first long document I've done in Apple's Pages word processing program, so that was interesting.

I tapped into a conference call -- this time without alerting the authorities. And I vacuumed. Second time this week! One of my coworkers called to touch base. And now I'm going to take nap.

That's the deal I've made with myself. I have to be productive before I get to nap. Yesterday I slipped, but today I was on it.

My temperature is 98.3º.

I'm sure Thom Harmann is a nice and wise man

... but I'm not listening to him. At least not these days.

My friend Kathy doesn't have cable, so she's taken to listening to progressive radio. She pays close attention to Stephanie Miller and especially Thom Hartmann, believing they're sharing important information that the major networks miss. I don't know how she could know that, since she doesn't get CNN or MSNBC, but that's not the point. She sincerely believes that Thom Harmann's show would engage me and she wanted to share. I appreciate that.

But I've declined. I have severely restricted my news intake during this pandemic. I listen to Gov. Pritzker, read the Sun Times, watch the local news and the first hour of The Today Show. For an avowed news junkie who has cable news on from the moment I open my eyes, this is quite a switch. But I find it's the best way to stay sane.

I can't bear the minute-by-minute stock market updates and Trump tweets. My local and state governments have a greater impact on my day-to-day life than Washington, and The Today Show keeps me updated on what Dr. Fauci says. When this is over, I'll go back to following the 2020 race to the White House.

Even in 2020, baseball is perfect for 8mm

The narrator is Chicago's own Bill Kurtis, and that line about "sunshine, fresh air and the team behind us" is a quote from Mr. Cub himself, Ernie Banks.

I love it, love it, love it.

Working from Home: Day 7

Still no work to do. Our client (who is on the verge of canning us anyway) has let us know that they are hesitant to pursue acquisition efforts at this time, lest they appear opportunistic. Also, under normal circumstances, they would be spending most of their advertising dollars on March Madness, and this year there is no basketball tournament. So ...

I'm watching The St. Valentine's Day Massacre (1967) through the prism of my workplace. That Al Capone was a really bad boss! So unreasonable! Bugs Moran was no bargain, either. He'd spend a lot of time in HR because of all the pejoratives he uses for his Italian-American competitors.

It's a lurid, violent movie but highly watchable. Part of my enjoyment comes from hearing the narration of Paul Frees. I know his voice so well from cartoons.

I've been napping alot these days -- depression, boredom -- and am angry at myself for the time wasted. So I took on two little projects: I disposed of all the pens that had gone dry and sorted the basket of OTC medications on the kitchen counter.

My throat is scratchy today, and that's making me paranoid. I took my temperature again. 97.4º.

Talking to Patrick

Spent over an hour on the phone with Patrick, who is currently living with Reg and Henry in Key West. Times are tough down there now. Henry is overly concerned about the corona virus -- paranoia is not uncommon in patients with a TBI* -- and it's made him a thorn in the side of his coworkers at the library. His boss sent him home. Henry told me it's because he's at special risk for the virus (he's not), but in reality it's because during these days when everyone is on edge, Henry is simply too disruptive an influence at work.

Patrick wanted to bring me up to date about this. Having come to this situation through Henry, I was able to give him some context about Henry's behavior before the accident. Patrick has been Reg's friend since high school, so he was able to give me some insights I didn't have before. 

Then we started talking about ourselves. One another. Away from/apart from Henry and Reg. How we felt about the virus. How our lives are going. Patrick is a year older than I am, so we talked about how scared we about our retirements as a result of the hit the economy is taking. 

It was nice to share this way.

The good that came from Henry's accident is that Patrick and I are now friends. A girl can't have too many friends!

When I hung up the phone, I was happier than I'd been all day.

*He can't help this. He is still recovering from a traumatic brain injury. If you read the section on "Behavioral Impairments," you'll get an overview of my Henry.

She always made strength appear feminine

My all-time idol, Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis, may be a fashion icon, but to me, she's a symbol of steel and independence.  She faced adversity and scrutiny and kept going. She lived her life on her own terms and maintained her personal integrity. Others are drawn to her story for the glamor, I look to it for inspiration.

She was certainly feminine but she was never delicate. In his 2012 memoir, Mrs. Kennedy and Me, her Secret Service agent Clint Hill remembers a First Lady who was a jock. She rode horses, cycled, swam, and played tennis ... and he had a hard time keeping up with her.

She was like that throughout her life. These pix of young Jackie Bouvier -- often in action, regularly with muddy and scraped knees -- make me smile.

You go, Girl!

Wisdom from our favorite son

This is the walkway between the now shuttered Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum and Library. Take strength from Mr. Lincoln!

Sunday Stealing

 PANDORA'S CORONA VIRUS QUESTIONS

1. Has the COVID-19 affected your work environment? We no longer have a work environment. All of our offices are closed and we're all "working from home." Only I haven't heard of any real work that's been done ... yet. Just meetings. Maybe, as we along with our clients and contractors get more accustomed to wfh, we'll become more productive.

2. How are you feeling about the Coronavirus? Scared

3. Has anybody you know been tested/have you?  No

4. Do you have any friends stuck in any exotic locations? No

5. Have you changed any of your personal habits due to the pandemic? I sleep a lot more. Whenever I feel like a nap, I take one. I mean, why not?

6. What is the craziest thing you've seen or heard about the outbreak? This national toilet paper obsession.

7. Do you think our politicians are doing enough to curb the crisis? Nationally, no. Donald Trump first commented -- dismissively -- about the virus when he was in Davos in January. If only we could get those months back!

On the other hand, I've been impressed and comforted by our Gov. Pritzker during this crisis. He talks to us like adults, explaining his decisions and why/how they've been made.

8. Have you stockpiled anything because of the crisis? Not really. I have a full freezer and my cabinets are stocked, so I'm good. No need to buy more.
 
9. What do you think you will miss the most if you are subject to a lock in? I am subject to lock in. Once you get your mind around it, it's fine. I can go outside and take a walk (as I did on Saturday, to the post office). I picked up an order from my favorite coffee shop. As long as I stay healthy, I'll be fine.

10. What is the weirdest rumor you've heard about the virus? That it's a deep state Obama plot to bring down Trump. No, really. My 20-something downstairs neighbor believes that. He has family in Italy who told him so or some such nonsense. Oh, well. At least he didn't tell me Bill and Hillary are behind the corona virus deaths.
 
11. Do you have a favorite meme about the virus? I posted these two earlier in the week.

12. Has the virus made you grateful for anything? That I have a job that allows me to work from home! Restaurant workers don't have this luxury. Truck drivers, maintenance workers and grocery store staff are now our front line. And hospital workers! I am fortunate.

13. Have any of your plans been upset by the outbreak? No.

14. Are you planning do to anything different because of the COVID-19 outbreak? It feels like I'm doing everything different!

15. What do you hope to see in six months time? Baseball!

16. Has the Coronavirus upset your mental health in any way? I suppose. I'm nervous and sad and scared. But isn't everyone?

Saturday 9

Complete Symphonies (2019)

1) Beethoven is one of classical music's best known composers. Do you often listen to classical music? Never.

2) Though a musical genius, Beethoven never learned to multiply or divide. When faced with a simple arithmetic problem, do you do it in your head? Or do you rely on the calculator in your phone or on your computer? I am mathematically challenged and rely on calculators.

3) Beethoven bathed often, which was considered "quirky" for a man of his time. (Understandable, since you had the heat the water, haul it to the tub, and then empty the tub bucket by bucket when you were done.) Do you bathe in the morning or in the evening? I looooove my morning showers. I'm almost always happy when I get out of the tub.

 
4) Adam Fischer conducts the Danish Chamber Orchestra for this 5-disc set. He began his musical career young, when he sang in the children's choir of Budapest's National Opera House. Have you ever sung in a choir or chorus? I'm tone deaf. I even lip synch hymns at church and "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" at Wrigley Field.
 
5) Mr. Fischer was awarded the Gold Medal of Arts from the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. Tell us about a prize or award you have received. (Yes, that ribbon you earned for penmanship in second grade counts.) I won a Clio back in the 1990s. It's a prestigious advertising award, and now that my career is just about over, I am more proud of it than ever. I haven't mentioned it much in recent years because I won it before some of my coworkers were even born. But now, I look back and I'm proud of it.


6) The Danish Chamber Orchestra is beloved in Demark. When, in 2014, the Danish Broadcasting Company announced it would no longer fund the Orchestra, citizens began a crowdfunding campaign and raised more than $1,000,000 to keep the music playing. Have you ever contributed to a crowdfunding platform, like GoFundMe, Kickstarter or FundRazr? Yes. I'm proud that -- after Henry's accident -- I persuaded 19 of my friends to contribute to his GoFundMe recovery fund.

Here is a preview

7) The Orchestra's "home" is the Royal Danish Conservatory of Music in Copenhagen. Where were you when you last heard music played live? In October, I saw a performance of great French songs. I enjoyed it, even though I understood little of it.

8) In 2019, when this boxed set was released, China became the first nation to land a spacecraft on the far side of the moon. Are you fascinated by stories about space? Not really. I support research, but I don't read or watch news stories about it.

9) Random question: Tell us about your week. These are extraordinary times, and it might feel good to share. Well, I accidentally summoned a squad car to my home. That's not an everyday occurrence. On the plus side of the ledger, I had a lovely exchange at my vet's office. My cats are on a prescription diet, and they reassured me that, no matter what, they'd help me see to it that my fur babies are OK.

 

That felt good

Henry reached out to me this afternoon. It's the first time we've spoken this month. I probably let it go longer than I should have, but I'm still too wounded by the bruising I received in mid-February. I wasn't sure I could trust him.

He's never been far from my thoughts, of course. I've kept up with him through Reg and Patrick. And, of course, I've come to care for Patrick and Reg as individuals, too, not just as links to Henry. Naturally I want to know how that whole Key West household is doing through this corona virus pandemic.

Anyway, we had a nice, hour-long chat this afternoon. He was paranoid about catching the virus, but that didn't surprise me. Paranoia is to be expected after a brain injury like his. I tried to reassure him. I don't know if I succeeded, really, but at least we weren't arguing!

Then I changed the subject to my new little MacBook Air. It's not quite two weeks old and I'm still not sure what I'm doing on it yet. He told me how to save a Pages document as a Microsoft Word doc. This saves me the expense and agita of downloading Microsoft Word, and I'm truly grateful.

It was also good for Henry to feel accomplished. Today he wasn't a problem or a burden or a special case. Today he was my hero.

It was good for both of us.

Really, this talking on the phone thing might just be what saves me while in self quarantine.

Be like Rizz!

From MLB.com

Anthony Rizzo is doing his part to help during the coronavirus pandemic. The Cubs' star first baseman is helping keep necessary workers fed, thanks to the Anthony Rizzo Family Foundation.

Nurses at Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, one of the top pediatric providers in the United States, are continuing to care for patients, so Rizzo’s foundation is providing daily warm meals for the staff.

Better yet, the food is coming from Chicago-area restaurants, so it’s helping both the hospital and the food service industry at the same time. That’s a “double win,” Rizzo pointed out.

I'm so proud of my favorite Cub!

Haunted

I won't be going back downtown for quite a while. At least two weeks. Maybe longer. Without the tourists, office workers, servers and bar tenders, retail counter people, salon stylists and nail techs heading to work, the streets are going to be empty.

What does this mean for the homeless? What will they do without all the foot traffic, without the strangers who are willing to share their change? Now, when hygiene is so important, where will they wash their hands and go to the bathroom? Starbucks has been very sympathetic to their plight, but now Starbucks is closed.

They're going to get sick. Some are going to die.

Some give loving care to the dogs and cats by their sides. Others are veterans. All of them are people.

Thinking about it breaks my heart.

I just made a contribution to The Night Ministry, a group that is providing street medicine to the homeless during this crisis. If you have anything to spare, I encourage you to find a resource in your own community.

A suggestion from Kathy

My friend Kathy is over 70 and has health issues. So I'm going to keep close tabs on her during this corona virus scare. If a day goes by without a Facebook post or a text, I'm reaching out.

Lest you think I'm a saint, let me dispel that. I get a lot from our calls, too. Over the decades of our friendship, we've had our problems but those are in the past now. There's a mellowness and affection in our every exchange now. I treasure them.

And, every now and then, there's a valuable little nugget that I didn't know before. For example: she pointed out that Listerine is an antiseptic and contains 21% alcohol. Since it's designed to kill germs in the mouth, it's effective on toothbrushes and thermometers. It also cleans minor cuts and blisters. Since she couldn't find alcohol or hydrogen peroxide at her favorite store, Dollar General, she tossed an extra bottle of Listerine into her cart.

I've been taking my temperature every day, so I added a bottle to my cart, too.

Meanwhile, on Facebook

I can't take credit for either one, but am happy to share both.

Let's promote laughter and love.

Oh, yes I did!

I tried to join a webex meeting this afternoon. Distracted, I dialed as if I was at my desk. Which means I first dialed 9 for an outside line, then 1, then the meeting code, that began with 1. Only I didn't need to dial for an outside line. So I'd dialed 911. The Emergency Number.

I'm such an idiot.

When I explained to the dispatcher, she was very gracious, but told me that a squad car was en route anyway.

I felt so bad that I waited downstairs for the police and when she arrived, I came out in the rain to tell her I was OK. The officer, too, was gracious, telling me no apology was necessary and she was glad nothing was wrong.

I was drenched in guilt and humiliation. Oh yeah, and this caused me to miss the meeting. The first real work I've had all week!

My boss had given me a quick overview of what the content was going to be, and so I was able to give him a few topline ideas anyway. I don't think anything will come of it, or this project, but at least I did what was asked of me.

And I have an anecdote for when someone asks me what I did in self quarantine.

It's making a comeback

I see us all talking on the phone a lot more over the next few weeks ... or months. Tonight I talked with John for nearly two hours. I've chatted with Kathy and a coworker, too.

I like talking on the phone. It comes easily to me. But I know it's not the same for everyone. For example, John doesn't much care for it. Still, he did it. For if we are going to stay in touch during this pandemic, the phone is our best option.

Talking to John both calmed me down and energized me. Today I watched a little less news. I vacuumed, on a Wednesday afternoon! I'm easing into this.

There's still no work, but I'm trying not to obsess about that. This job is coming to an end, and maybe for me, this is a gift of sorts, a chance for me to transition into the next stage of my life.

WWW.WEDNESDAY

WWW. WEDNESDAY asks three questions to prompt you to speak bookishly. To participate, and to see how other book lovers responded, click here. 

1. What are you currently reading? The Luckiest Man: The Life and Death of Lou Gehrig by Jonathon Eig. The corona virus has put baseball on hold, and I miss it so! So I reached for this book, about one of the game's genuine heroes.

His is a great American story. The son of immigrants, physical strength was his way out of the slums. Painfully shy, he was at his most comfortable with physical activity. Even after achieving superstardom, he worried about disappointing the fans, the press and his bosses. He took nothing for granted.

He enjoyed touching relationships with the powerful women in his life. He unabashedly adored his mother and doted on her for all his life. He loved his bold, outgoing wife, Eleanor, who was by his side to the end. 

The author, Jonathan Eig, clearly respects Lou and loves baseball and it shows in the writing. "Gehrig found his joy ... in the reassuring feel of a leather ball with raised stitches squeezed in his left hand." (God, I miss baseball!)

2. What did you recently finish reading? The Other Windsor Girl by Georgie Blalock. I don't read a lot of historical fiction, but I was drawn to this novel about Princess Margaret, the royal rebel of her generation. 

This story takes us from Margaret's days as King George's pampered younger daughter, through sister Elizabeth's ascension to the throne, her heartbreaking love affair with Captain Peter Townsend, and her combustible relationship with sexy, swaggering Antony Armstrong-Jones. The Margaret we meet on these pages is exasperating, petulant, yearning and energetic. Just when you want to slug her, she says something that touches your heart. Just when you want to hug her, she throws a drink in someone's face.

I wanted to like this book more than I did. Our narrator, the fictional Vera, has a great back story and as Margaret's lady-in-waiting, she has a front row seat to Her Highness' life. But Vera is a rather weak willed girl whose values seem a bit askew. I wish there'd been someone in the book who I wanted to unreservedly root for. I realize that, in real life, no one is all good or all bad. But since Vera is completely fictional character, the author could have made her a bit more likeable.

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

Today was the Illinois primary

Joe Biden got 60% of the vote here, doing better against Bernie Sanders than Hillary Clinton did. I think a lot of it has to do with the virus.

•  College students are away from campus and that hurts Bernie's GOTV efforts.

•  Voters (like me) want someone with a steady hand and empathy at the wheel during a crisis. That's old Joe, not Bernie.

And certainly not the current occupant of the White House, who was downplaying this when he should have been acting on it. Example: on January 22, in Davos, Donald Trump told CNBC that this problem was “totally under control. It’s one person coming in from China, and we have it under control. It’s going to be just fine." Really? Then why can't I sit in a booth at my coffee shop and enjoy a burger? Why can't I go into the office? Why can't I find Purell on any store shelves? Our economy doesn't look so solid now, does it, Mr. President? (Here's the full interview, lest you think I took it out of context.)

Greetings from self containment

Because of the coronavirus, I'm "working from home," but there is no work. Our client downstate is also "working from home," which means they are unlikely to get it together to give us any assignments. Working remotely is simply not their culture. They are a big face-to-face, let's-write-things-on-a-wipe-board kinda crew. Being in different locations will be hard for them.

Oh yeah, and they're ready to sever ties with us anyway.

So I sit at my adorable little gold MacBook Air and compulsively check my work email, because, well, they're paying me. But today I got literally three messages, and all of them were about administrative tasks. No assignments.

So I freaked out.

•  What will happen to my hair if Governor Pritzker follows the lead of Pennsylvania's governor and shuts down salons? I called my stylist and made an appointment for Thursday afternoon at 4:00.

•  What about my cats? They're on a special diet! What if veterinary offices are deemed "not essential?" I played hooky, went to the vet and stocked up. I have now more than a month of their prescription food. The vet tech promised me that I need not worry. She said, "You know me, Gal. I'll look out for your babies." She said, if need be and they're forced to close, we'll meet in the alley and if I pay cash she'll give me the food. I believe her.

•  I stopped at the little local grocery store across from the vet. They had toilet paper! I only bought one roll. I left the four-packs for families. I think I have more than a month's worth on hand. I also bought some chicken salad for dinner. This is a small store, independently owned, and I want to support them. I also hate to cook.

•  I picked up my belt at the local old-school shoe repair. Tony, the 70-something Italian immigrant who owns/runs it, thinks this "whole virus business is crazy." He's been down there in his basement shop for decades, all by himself. I hope he's being careful. He doesn't seem like the hand sanitizer type.

•  This all took an hour. No emails from the office. So I did laundry.

At 4:30, I ate my chicken salad dinner. At 6:30, I took a nap.

I am not happy. I am not relaxed. I am worried.

I have to settle into this.

This is going to go on for quite a while. I think the two weeks of working from home declared by our corporate headquarters may have been optimistic.

I think, when I settle into it, I may enjoy this. I have books to read. I have movies to watch. I have cats to cuddle. My freezer and pantry are stocked. My paycheck is promised on 3/30.

My temperature is 98.3º.

Chill, Gal, chill!

This is all just too weird

When I left the office Friday, we were told to take our laptops home, "just in case ..." but to expect to be in the office for a 4 day/week this week. Different teams were going to stay home different days. I was assigned to wfh on Friday.

Then on Sunday night, we got an email from our COO. We're working from home for two weeks. All of us. Every day. Until March 30.

And then my computer crapped out. I had trouble with connectivity and the battery wouldn't charge.

I sent a hasty email to the director of our department, explaining to her that my company laptop wasn't going to last me two weeks. (I wasn't even confident it would last me through composing that email!) I told her if the IT department was working, I was happy to bring it in. But otherwise, I could work off my brand new personal computer. Only I wouldn't have the sanctioned email software -- and we have been slapped silly on numerous occasions for jeopardizing client confidentiality using the wrong email account (shades of Hillary Clinton).

I had a chiropractor appointment in the Loop anyway. I was confident that seeing him would be OK. They disinfect everything before/after each patient as part of their protocol. So I packed up two computers -- the company's and my own --  and headed downtown.

On the el.

If I catch the coronavirus, this is where I will have been exposed. The car was empty by daily commute standards. I counted 18 passengers. Clearly, we weren't 6 feet apart.

Oh yeah, and a guy coughed and spit on the floor. He had a smoker's cough, so I don't think he was contagious. But he was disgusting. I was very upset when I got off the el.

The doctor's appointment went fine, and I walked to the office. The city streets were lightly populated, but then the rain had turned to snow. People would have been moving fast to get in out of the weather anyway.

I got to the office and went straight to IT. Yes, they were working, though with a skeleton crew. They deemed my company laptop in dire condition. It needs to be cracked open and according to the warranty, only Apple can do that. There wasn't anyone available to authorize sending it off, or to give me a loaner. So I asked them to load what they could onto my personal laptop. Thank God I brought it with me!

When we were done, I saw that the director of our department finally answered my email. She emphatically said, twice, that what I chose to do was my decision. Go into the office, or don't. Completely up to me. It's okay to use my own software, my own computer. I don't have to worry about doing timesheets.

I don't have to worry about doing timesheets?

It became obvious to me that she, as an officer of the company, was not going to put in writing that I needed to step foot in the office while it was closed for the virus.

Folks, corporate America is scared shitless right now.  

At that moment, so was I. I wouldn't get back on the el. I took a taxi to the commuter train. It's more expensive, but it's cleaner and right now, cleaner means safer.

Tuesday 4

Odds and Ends
 

1. Ever been to a Drive In Theater? Would you like to see Drive In Theaters make a come back?  One of my happiest childhood memories was going to see HELP! at a drive in. I was 7. My dad switched cars with a coworker, getting a station wagon, so my classmate and I could have lots of room to bounce around and scream and cry and sing along. It was an unusually thoughtful thing for my dad to do. I appreciate it more with time.

I don't drive, so I wouldn't take advantage of a drive in. But I'm all for people seeing films on the big screen, so if there's an appetite for drive ins, I hope they come back.

2.  Should towns provide community entertainment like bands in the park, fireworks on the 4th, community picnics or is the cost just too much? Yes. I'm all for things that foster a sense of connection and community.


3.  What would you change about your town if you had the power? I'd like the school district to pay closer attention to the high school's infrastructure. Every ballot seems to have a referendum for a remodeled pool or bigger stadium. But the cafeteria and bathrooms are a mess! I'd be more likely to vote "yes" if the money was going to the building itself.



4. My  little high school offered 3 courses of education:  Business, University track and General education where you could also major in shop , carpentry, home economics and metal working, etc. Would you like to see schools bring back business courses, shop classes and home economics? I think that's a great idea.

Sunday Stealing

SLEEPY RAMBLES

1. What is the wallpaper on your computer screen? Why did you choose it? This is a new computer, so this is a freshly chosen pic. It's my all-time idol, JBKO, riding her bike through Central Park in 1970. It seems like a good metaphor for these coronavirus days. Jackie knew she would be hounded by the paparazzi every time she left her apartment, but she wouldn't let it cramp her style too much. She put on her big dark glasses, avoided eye contact, and kept moving. Just as I wash my hands, slip a little bottle of Purell into my purse, cough into a tissue and try to get on with my life as best -- and as reasonably -- as I can.

2. Who is the person you text the most in your life? My nephew.

3.Is there carpet or hardwood floor in your bedroom? Carpet. If I had it to do over, I would have replaced it with hardwood before I moved in. Shoulda/woulda/coulda.

4. Do you believe in superstitious things such as breaking a mirror? Not much. But I did make note of it the last time I dropped a mirror. It was Christmas Eve. As I picked up the pieces, I wondered if this was portent for 2020.

5. Do you like those ‘end of the world,’ ‘Armageddon’ movies? Nope.

6. Chocolate or strawberry birthday cake? Strawberry. It feels more special, and my birthday is a special occasion.

7. Do you eat more vegetables or fruits? What’s your favorite fruit/veggie? I guess it's about 50/50. My favorite veggie is corn, and my favorite fruit is grapes (or raisins).

8. Does the dentist calm you or does it tend to stress you out? Those are my choices? If I'm in pain when I go to the dentist, I feel sweet relief. If it's just a check up, I feel grateful my dentist and his hygienist  are so friendly and professional.

9. If you had to choose, which is the worst movie you’ve ever seen? The movie I disliked most as of late was the 2018 Oscar winner Three Billboards Outside Ebbings, MO. I found it a completely sour experience, and couldn't believe I saw the same print as everyone who raved about it.

10. Have you ever found yourself talking to an inanimate object? Often.

11. Do you like movies that are originally based on children’s books? Well, one of my favorite movies of all time is Mary Poppins.

12. Is your hair more thick or thin? Is it more curly or straight? My hair is naturally wavy still thick, but has grown thinner with time.

13. Something on the human body that grosses you out the most: Cracked, white heels. Ick!

14. What is your favorite color of apple? Red, green or yellow? Red

15. Do you hardly ever remember where you put things? Yes

16. Do you ever lay in the grass and look up at the sky, just because? I did when I was a kid. Not anymore. I don't have a lawn.

17. Are you a controversial person? Do your views oppose others? I'm an opinionated person.

18. Have you ever thrown a surprise party for someone? Who for? I once hosted a surprise part for a friend back in high school.

19. What would you say your average word per minute time is on the keyboard? I have no idea anymore.

20. Do you like fiction or non-fiction books more? What’s your favorite? I tend to read a lot of biographies. The best one I read last year was Little Gloria, Happy at Last, about Gloria Vanderbilt.

21. Do you know how to play pool? Are you any good at it? I've only ever played twice, not enough to get good at it.

22. The most painful medical procedure you’ve ever had? None of them has been fun.

23. Are you someone who tends to take a whole lot of naps? Yes


24. Have you ever been pulled over by the cops for speeding? No

25. Is anyone in your family a firefighter? No