August Happiness Challenge -- Day 20

Today's happiness -- People

I had no plans for today. I was OK with that. But then, my friend Mindy called and wanted to know if I could meet her and her hubs for a quick bite. They were in my neck of the woods, and who knows when all three of us will have a free sunny Saturday?

When I got home, I received a call from my friend Patrick who lives in Maine. We chatted for about an hour. At the end of the call, he said, "Love you," and I believe he does.

I don't reach out to people much anymore. With covid, I got out of the habit. Yeah, I could call [insert name here] for drinks or dinner, but then I'll have to put on a bra and spend money and oh, hell, isn't it easier to just stay home?

Yet this is not a healthy way to live life. I am always happy when my friends initiate contact and remember to include me in their plans and I'm grateful.

Each day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy. Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world.

Saturday 9

 Jack and Diane (1982)

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

1) The video for this song features lots of snapshots. Do you have many physical photo albums? Or do you store your pictures digitally? Yes, I have both. There's a cabinet filled with photo albums, and folder upon folder on my desktop of pictures.

 

2) This song tells the story of "two American kids growing up in the heartland." Young Jack dreams of being a football star. When you were in high school, did you fantasize about stardom? If yes, what were you going to be famous for? I was going to be a crusading journalist, famous for exposing corruption. Can you tell I grew up during the lionization of Woodward and Bernstein?

3) Diane wears Bobbie Brooks slacks (at least briefly). Bobbie Brooks is a popular brand at Walmart. If you had a $50 gift card for Walmart, would you be more likely to use it toward groceries, clothes, household items, or electronics? My dentist recommends I use an electric toothbrush. Walmart is as good a place as any to pick one up.

4) They go to the Tasty Freeze. If you were to run out for fast food right now, where would you go? Mr. Rib and Beef. I would order the shrimp basket, or maybe their pizza-by-the-slice. (I'd also recommend they change their name to Mr. Rib and Beef and Shrimp and Pizza.)

5) When John Mellencamp made this record, he was known professionally as "John Cougar," a stage name suggested by his manager. He has said that adopting a stage name is something he regrets. Looking over your life, if you could take a "do over," what one thing would you like to do differently? I spent too long in a bad relationship and missed other opportunities for happiness.

 
6) Even though he suffered a heart attack, John Mellencamp continues to smoke, admitting that nicotine is something he simply can't kick. Do you have a habit you wish you could break? Sloth. I'd love to be more disciplined with my time.

 

7) John's daughter Teddi was one of the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. She went on to join the cast of Big Brother. Do you watch any reality shows? I binge watched Honey Boo-Boo one afternoon. She's a teenager now and seems like a very nice kid, surrounded by an astonishing collection of subpar adults.

8) In 1982, when this song was popular, William Windsor was born. He's better known by his job title. Without looking it up, do you know who he is? He's the little one on the right.

 

9) Random question: What do you do when you can't sleep? Watch TV, catch up with my Farmville 2 farm. Or, as with this particular pre-dawn Saturday morning, answer these questions.

 

 

 

August Happiness Challenge -- Day 19

 Today's happiness -- Good hair.
We knock off early on Fridays during the summer. I used this summer Friday to get my hair cut and colored. It looks nice, and doing it Friday means my Saturday can be a little lazier.

Each day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy. Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world.

August Happiness Challenge -- Day 18

 Today's happiness -- That I can

Today wasn't the best day. I had morning work tension, followed by 90 minutes in the dentist chair. Then I came home to find a notice from Commonwealth Edison. My power is going to be off at some unspecified time on Monday between 8:00 and 6:00, which will make working from home impossible.

So what made me happy today?

That I have decent dental insurance, so I can pay this bill, and the next one (I have more appointments scheduled). I am not happy about this expense, of course. But I am happy that I can pay.

And I put some blessing bags in my purse. I took ZipLock bags and filled each one with a $1 bill, a packet of tissues, a ChapStick, and a breakfast bar. People who need a snack will get one, courtesy of me. It makes me happy that I can do that.

Each day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy. Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world.

Is she my mirror? Am I hers?

I just spent four days with my oldest friend. It's impossible to calculate how much she means to me. Not only because she is funny, creative, and kind. But also because of our history. We have known one another for so long I truly don't recall meeting her. We appear together in our Kindergarten class photo. I could see her home from my backyard. In that way, she is like the sun or the wind. I don't remember not knowing her. Before this weekend, we hadn't seen one another in four years.

I admit I was shocked when I saw her Thursday night. Her face is heavily lined. Her teeth are discolored by time and coffee. She walks very slowly with a cane.

The years have taken its toll on both of us, to be sure. We're both overweight. We both cover the grey. We both have holes in our smiles -- though I am working through my dental issues and am in the process of getting an implant, while she's just letting hers go. She has a bridge but she took it out the first night and I never saw it again.

Lest I seem very shallow, let me share something with you: she was always the pretty one. Always. Even during our awkward adolescence, when we both had thick glasses, bad hair and braces. She looked like Marie Osmond with thick glasses, bad hair and braces.

Now next to her, I'm a babe. This is just wrong. This is not the natural order of things. Especially because I am no prize package.

I wonder how she feels about this. Has she noticed, too? We can discuss many things -- even her leaky bladder and my diarrhea (!) -- but not this.

Thursday Thirteen #271

Gas prices high enough to make you drink. Let me preface this by stating plainly that I don't drive. But I know gas prices must be important to those who do because of all the talk I hear. I recall riding in an elevator, in a hospital en route to visit my mom in the ICU, and that's what I heard another family complaining about. It stayed with me. I thought, "Imagine, your loved one is in Intensive Care and you're concerned about gas prices!"

My favorite ballplayer, Anthony Rizzo, spearheads a charity that helps families of children fighting pediatric cancer. One of the top requests he gets these days is for gas cards. So many families have to drive a long distance to get to a hospital for their kid's treatment, and the cost can be crippling.

So with that in mind, I have researched gas prices. Here's the average national ppg of regular, unleaded, over the past 13 years. I know this month they have been dipping a bit, and I hope you drivers are feeling a little relief.

1. July 2021: 5.03

2. July 2020: 3.15

3. July 2020: 2.70

4. July 2019: 2.80

5. July 2018: 2.98

7. July 2017: 2.50

8. July 2016: 2.38

9. July 2015: 2.55

10. July 2014: 3.75

11. July 2013: 3.63

12. July 2012: 3.69

13. July 2011: 3.70

BTW, adjusted for inflation, $3.70 in July 2011 would be $4.81 today.

Here's an inflation calculation, if you'd like to continue playing with the numbers.

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

 

 

August Happiness Challenge -- Day 17

 Today's happiness -- Getting it done.

I had a lot of work on my plate this morning. Now I don't. I cranked through it faster than I thought I would, and I think I did a good job. (We'll see tomorrow if Boss Marilyn agrees.)

Each day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy. Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world.

WWW.WEDNESDAY

 

 

To participate, and to see how other book lovers responded, click here.  

WWW. WEDNESDAY asks three questions to prompt you to speak bookishly.

1. What are you currently reading? The Girl He Used to Know by Tracey Garvis Greaves. Annika and Jonathan meet at chess club. Over the course of their matches, they fall in love. Her behavioral issues -- a diagnosis hasn't been shared yet, but I believe she's autistic -- complicate things. Their college romance is cut short and they lose touch. A decade later, they meet again by chance and have a second chance at love.

This is a straight-up romance. No mystery. No skullduggery. I haven't read one of these in a while. Here's hoping I enjoy it. 

I've already learned one tiny nugget: The characters go to U of I and refer to it as "Urbana" and "Urbana Champaign." Here in Chicago, we always call it "Champaign Urbana" or "Chambana." I did a little research and discovered that the locals hate that we get it wrong.

2. What did you just finish reading?  Play Dead by David Rosenfelt. Defense attorney Andy Carpenter finds himself involved in case where no one is whom they seem to be. Not even Yogi the Dog. A golden retriever who ends up surrendered to an animal shelter after a dog biting incident, it turns out -- and x-rays verify this -- Yogi is really Reggie, the dog tossed overboard and lost when his despondent owner killed his fiancee and then attempted suicide on a boat.

So if Yogi is Reggie and very much alive, what else did the authorities get wrong about that awful night on the boat? Could the man serving time for the murder/dogicide/botched suicide be innocent?

Andy Carpenter in a courtroom always entertains me, and this book is no exception. He's fast and funny, as always. I also enjoy how candid he is about his physical cowardice when the bad guys are after him. And Reggie is a compelling canine hero, as well. One of the better mysteries in the series so far.

3. What will you read next? I don't have anything selected yet.

August Happiness Challenge -- Day 16

Today's happiness -- Hi, Aaron!

Aaron was my boss in 2021. He was a breath of fresh air: creative, collaborative and supportive. Everything you want in a supervisor. Plus, I really liked him. When he left in January, it broke my heart. Because he relocated to California, I was able to meet up with him when I attended the TCM Film Festival in April, and today, I Zoomed with him.

I was very happy to hear what's going on his world. He's still with his lady, Amanda. He loves their life together but there have been some hiccoughs (her favorite uncle died, he suffered a bout with covid, his job isn't what he expected). You know, though, no adult has a completely perfect life. He's fine financially and he's happy in love, and I'm happy to hear that.

Since he's a preacher's kid, I'm comfortable talking faith with him. This occurred to me as I was telling him how my faith guided a work decision I'd made. I knew he would get it. That was lovely.

Each day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy. Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world.

SHOUT OUT TO COUNTRY DEW! I saw that you checked on me while I was MIA. That made me happy, too. Thank you.

August Happiness Challenge -- Day 15

 Today's happiness -- Fresh air

Back home after four nights of hotel living. I like hotels. People clean up after you and there are tiny shampoos and conditioners and body lotion for your pleasure. But I missed being home with my cats. And I missed breathing fresh air.

I've had the windows open and the fans going since I came in my front door. Yes, I consider Mr. Willis Carrier a true American hero for inventing the air conditioner and I'm forever grateful. But I'd had enough recycled cold air at the Hyatt Regency O'Hare. I'm happy with that whir of my old box fan.

Each day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy. Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world.

August Happiness Challenge -- Day 14

Today's happiness -- Indulging my passion for film

The highlight of my last  day of The Fest for Beatle Fans was hearing director Michael Lindsay-Hogg compare and contrast his Let It Be with Peter Jackson's Get Back.

I love the Beatles. I love the art of film. I believe they're both important. Hearing MLH talk helped illustrate the role of the editor and director for me, and the stark difference in technology between 1970 and 2021. 

I felt fortunate to hear him.

Each day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy. Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world.

August Happiness Challenge -- Day 13

 Today's happiness -- When my happies collide

Saturday was a lot of Lads at The Fest for Beatle Fans. We went to a Beatles trivia contest patterned on Jeopardy! but did not participate as contestants. We had too much fun being snarky in the stands. Then we listened to Peter Asher -- half of the British invasion duo Peter and Gordon, superstar producer of Linda Ronstandt, James Taylor and Diana Ross, and now host of a Beatles show on Sirius radio -- and were thoroughly entertained. Then we attended a very nerdy lecture on how academics are studying (and teaching) The Beatles at the university level. I enjoyed it. My oldest friend is not as geeky as I am, because she annoyed me by tap-tap-tapping away, texting on her phone, while the authors and professors spoke.

I didn't stay annoyed for long, though. First of all, she and I only had this weekend together. Secondly, it's kind of hard to be pissy when you're up to your hips in Beatles. And thirdly, look who I found on our ridiculously big hotel room TV.

Baseball and Beatles. What's not to love?

Each day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy. Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world.

 

August Happiness Challenge -- Day 12

 Today's happiness -- Adult beverages

Friday was the first day of The Fest for Beatle Fans. Attending it meant a great deal to my oldest friend. She means a great deal to me, so I made sure it happened.

We attended the opening ceremonies and then went to The Red Bar right there in the hotel for dinner and drinks. (Really, we never ventured outdoors or experienced fresh air the whole time she was in town.) 

We laughed a great deal. I had a beer and she had a margarita. Since she's diabetic and on all kinds of meds, and I have chronic gastrointestinal upset of some sort,* we limited ourselves to one round. But it was nice to be together. I haven't seen since our trip to Las Vegas in November, 2018!

Each day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy. Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world.

*I am keeping a daily diary of my unspeakable malady and will present it to my doctor next week when I see her. I don't want to be alarmist, but I know something is wrong.

August Happiness Challenge -- Day 11

Today's happiness -- Things come together nicely.

My oldest friend, who lives in Southern California, wanted to come to Chicago for The Fest for Beatle Fans. Since LAX-ORD is one of the most traveled flight plans in the country, and the Fest was held at a hotel right there at O'Hare, you'd think this would be easy to pull off. You would be wrong.

For reasons too complicated to go into, my friend ended flying Ontario to Midway, about 20 miles away from O'Hare. Instead of arriving Friday morning, as she had planned, she ended up with reservations for that would get her to Midway at about 6:00 PM on Thursday.

"So what?" I thought. Here's what: I'd forgotten our condo association meeting had been on the calendar for Thursday night @ 6:30 for weeks. I'm on the board so I couldn't get out of it. 

Because it took her an hour to retrieve her bag and travel the hour to the hotel by O'Hare, and because for once (!) my neighbors did not make the meeting go one minute longer than it needed to, my friend and I reached our hotel within 30 minutes of one another. Finally something about this excursion went according to plan.

Each day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy. Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world.

August Happiness Challenge -- Day 10

Today's happiness -- My baby's back! (Pun intended) 

My friend John teases me that I love Anthony Rizzo as intensely as if I'd birthed him. Guilty as charged.

I only get to luxuriate in my favorite ballplayer six months a year, so I  felt it keenly when he was out for five games with lower back tightness.* First of all, I missed him. Secondly, it felt so unfair that he was out on his birthday. No one should feel crappy on his birthday, least of all Rizz!

But today he was back in the lineup. He went 0-4. His timing is off, but he'll rebound.

Also, while I was concentrating on the Yankees, the real team of my heart, the Cubs, beat the Nationals. I love baseball!

Each day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy. Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world.

 

 *In 2019-20, he and I shared a chiropractor. I touched his framed jersey every time I went back for my treatment, much to the amusement of the office staff.

Thursday Thirteen #270

Thirteen items for a back-to-school shopping list. It's been a long, long time since I was a student. But that doesn't stop me from noticing that the back-to-school aisles at Target and Walgreen's are starting to buzz. So here are the things parents are shopping for:

1. Backpacks

2. Face masks. (Yes, still. Want to be prepared if/when that next variant hits.)

3. Folders

4. #2 Pencils

5. Colored pencils

6. Blue or black ballpoint pens

7. Crayons

8. Glue or glue stick

9. Highlighters

10. Markers

11. Spiral or composition books

12. Calculator (yes, there's an app for that, but teachers aren't always crazy about kids having phones in-hand during class)

13. Scissors

Every year, my mom sent me to the first day of school with  a new protractor. To this day I'm not sure what it was for, but I used it as a straight edge for art class. Therefore I'm not surprised to see protractor is not on the list, but I did expect to see "ruler."

Did this list take you back? What do you remember buying for back-to-school?

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

August Happiness Challenge -- Day 9

Today's happiness -- Feeling Heard. Upper management does not understand my client. They are a Fortune 50 company, a position they achieved by being the tortoise, not the hare. They are the epitome of slow and steady. So as much as I enjoyed last week's brainstorm, I couldn't help thinking it was a waste of time. It was just another innovative idea the client didn't ask for and won't ever implement (and therefore won't pay for).

I have ideas the client would go for. They are not exciting. They will not win my agency awards or get us written up in Ad Age. But my client would appreciate them, even if the late-and-not-lamented Alex dismissed them as "small ball."

So I have been suffering chronic frustration every day. Until Tuesday.

It was my team's day to work onsite. James, a VP, grabbed me by the elbow and sat me down in a secluded part of the office. He thinks I'm an asset and asked me how I felt  things were going. I told him. He was very receptive -- and I found out he's as frustrated as I am. It seems he's been working 60-hour weeks on projects like last week's brainstorm, and missing summer weekends with his wife and daughter to work on initiatives that won't go anywhere.

In Tuesday afternoon's team meeting, he shared my idea! Giving me a nod, he said, explained that the client has a branded information portion of their website.* Much of our digital communications -- emails, banners, etc. -- drives consumers to this area. And it sucks. Hundreds of the articles are old, or repetitive, or send consumers to broken links (webpages that no longer exist). Why don't we audit the site for them? We could report to our client what's there, what should come down and what should be added. We could actually add value and give them something they need, not something we want to do.

By the way, this "small ball" idea of mine would result in literally 100 hours of billing for our agency. No industry buzz, but revenue.

It's now on "the list." It's the third item on "the list," but it's there. 

James listened to me. James acted. I was heard.

Each day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy. Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world.

*How could our upper management not know this portion of the website exists? It's indicative of what's wrong with how we handle this account.

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? Play Dead by David Rosenfelt. Defense attorney Andy Carpenter only takes cases that appeal to him, and this case touches him deeply. A dog named Yogi is going to be put to sleep for biting his owner. Andy believes it's self defense, that the owner had it coming, and he goes to court to save the dog's life.

The story is considered human interest (canine interest?) and is snapped up the media. This exposure leads Andy to discover that Yogi had an even more complicated past than he ever suspected, and it leads to murder.

I am loving this book! It has Andy where Andy is best: in court and at the dog park. It's funny, well-plotted, and reminds me why I enjoy this series so much.

2. What did you just finish reading? Beatles in 1966: The Revolutionary Year by Steve Turner. This book takes us month by month through 1966, one of the most consequential years in the lives of the Beatles, as individuals and as a group.

When our story begins, the Lads from Liverpool had a hit album with Rubber Soul and a world tour planned that would take them to the US, Germany, Japan and the Philippines. The tour was successful financially but a disaster for them as artists. First of all, the songs they were doing in the studio -- like "Michelle" and "In My Life" -- were difficult to replicate onstage with just three guitars and a drum. Besides, no one could hear them over the screaming girls anyway. Then there was the bad press. This was the tour when John was asked (ad nauseum) about his comment that "we're more popular than Jesus." There were threats of violence against him in our Bible Belt (we'd just buried our President in 1963, no wonder Europeans thought we were savages). This was the tour when, through a scheduling snafu, the Beatles ran afoul of The First Lady of the Philippines and were attacked at the airport. Not surprisingly, this was the tour when the Beatles decided to stop touring.

1966 gave us "Penny Lane" and "Strawberry Fields." George married Pattie and John met Yoko. Paul couldn't get enough theater, film, art, or philosophy. Ringo worried about what would happen to him now that the band had quit touring. So did manager Brian Epstein, who attempted suicide. Everybody did drugs, lots of drugs.

1966 is the year the Beatles became Paul's band more than John's. It's the year they completed Revolver -- "Eleanor Rigby," "Good Day Sunshine," "Got to Get You Into My Life," and "Yellow Submarine" -- and recorded "When I'm 64" for their 1967 album, Sgt. Pepper.

I loved the chronological telling. I realize that while Sir Paul is forever my favorite Beatle, I am more like John in that I am lazy. (He even wrote "I'm Only Sleeping" this year.) Paul was like the Energizer Bunny, his output was exhausting to read about. Ringo is sweet and grounded. I didn't like George very much, perhaps because he was so contrary and independent, the least Beatle-y of the Beatles.

If you're a fan, you'll love this book. If not? Well, maybe it will encourage you to listen to Revolver and help you understand what all the fuss is about.

3. What will you read next? I don't have anything selected yet.

August Happiness Challenge -- Day 8

Today's happiness -- Touring the Amalfi Coast. No, not me. My chiropractor and her husband, who handles her front desk.

I went in for my regularly scheduled adjustment and they were so excited. Their trip is coming up at the end of the month and they cannot wait. Their joy was infectious. Since they are such nice people, I was happy for them.

Each day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy. Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world.

 

August Happiness Challenge -- Day 7

Today's happiness -- Using my words. On Sundays, I try to do good. Today I did.

First, I sent Postcards to Voters, supporting veteran and West Pointer Pat Ryan for Congress. Then I wrote a letter to a senior in residence at Illini Restorative Care through Letters Against Isolation.

I can't sing or dance. I don't cook, paint or knit. But I can write. Words come easily to me and I have pretty handwriting. It makes me happy and I feel closer to God when I use my one God given talent for good on a Sunday.

Each day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy. Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world.

Sunday Stealing

PERSONAL HISTORY

1.  What would you like people to know about your mother? I got my love and affinity for animals from her. She liked to watch baseball, but only when the Cubs were at bat. Made my father nuts.

2.  What would you like people to know about your father? He liked to sing with the radio and had a nice voice. Not much made him happy.

3.  What was your childhood bedroom like? A mess. Like my adult bedroom.

4.  What was your favorite activity as a child? Playing with Barbie or riding my bike.

5.  What was high school like for you? Awful.

6.  Write about your cousins. My cool cousin is a Renaissance man. He taught music at the community college, played trombone in the pit for Broadway productions like The Lion King when they came through town, and now he paints. He's gotten up to $3,000 for his abstract acrylics. He's also been happily married since his long-ago college days to a girl he met on campus. He is completely awesome.

7.  What was your favorite food as a child? Fish sticks. I still like fish sticks.

8.  What was your most memorable birthday? I had my first legal drink at a Tiki bar called Pago Pago.

9.  What world events were significant to you as a child? The assassinations: JFK, Bobby and Dr. King. To this day, when there's "breaking news," I assume someone shot the President. I remember watching Neil Armstrong step foot on the moon. It was after my bedtime but I stayed up for it. The Beatles on Ed Sullivan was huge for me, too.

10. What did a typical day look like as a child? It started with a bowl of cereal and a sliced banana. A glass of milk except on the coldest days, then I got hot chocolate.

11. Write about your grandparents. I prefer thinking about my nice grandparents. My grandpa loved his garden, especially the marigolds, and he built things in his workshop. He made the swing in the backyard. My grandma was very involved with the Girl Scouts and church. Her favorite Cub was Ryne Sandberg. ("That smile!") I have her Ryne Sandberg jersey. 

12. Did you move as a child? No.

13. Who taught you to drive? The high school driver's ed teacher. I was not a success story.

 14. Which job has been your favorite? I worked in new product development for a haircare company. I did the copy for the bottles and boxes. Loved it! That's where I won my Clio.

 15. What was the best part of your 30s? That was the decade when I started taking myself seriously. I wasted my 20s on a very high maintenance relationship. It didn't feel like there was much room for me in there. In my 30s, I went from having a job to having a career.

 

August Happiness Challenge -- Day 6

Today's happiness -- It's back! A major event in my neighborhood, the library book sale is a three-day affair that happens every August. Except, of course, for 2020 and 2021 when it was just another thing covid spoiled.

In 2022, the show went on! Not exactly as it has in years gone by. Instead of used books consuming the high school cafeteria and spilling out into the halls, it was in three of the library's meeting rooms (fiction, non-fiction and children's). No cookbooks this year. Also, I didn't volunteer. In the recent past I helped sort and display books. This year, because the venue was the library, the volunteer hours were weekdays only and I just couldn't make it work with my job.

But still, I was happy to be back. Sure it was more smaller and more subdued, but it was another sign that we're inching back to pre-covid normal. I bought two books -- a cozy mystery called Gone with the Twins (A League of Literary Ladies Mystery) and a memoir by Lauren Bacall -- for $3.

And, once again, I can bestow a dubious honor on The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Every year there's a book donated in bigger numbers than any other. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is continuing its streak and picking up where it left off before the pandemic. Why do so many of my neighbors buy this book, year after year, and then decide not to keep it? I suspect book clubs keep choosing it as a selection.

For those of you keeping score ...

2022, 2019, 2018 and 2017: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

2016: The Help

2015: The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest

2014: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

2013: The DaVinci Code

2012: Sixkill (a Spenser Mystery)

2011: The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood

2010: Scarlett, the Sequel to Margaret Mitchell’s Gone with the Wind

2009: My Life by Bill Clinton

2008: The DaVinci Code

2007: The Nanny Diaries

2006: The Corrections

Each day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy. Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world.

 

 

O Captain! My Captain!

Look who's modeling the latest Alpha Bomber jacket. Now that Anthony Rizzo is a New York Yankee, he's getting endorsements. I'm happy for him. New York fans have really taken to him, which is glorious. Yankee fans can be brutal. (Look how they treated Joey Gallo, acquired the same day as Rizz.) I know he was heartbroken to leave Chicago, and I'm glad his story has a happy ending. As Bud counseled me last year when the trade happened, Yankee Stadium is a good place for him at this stage in his career.

But I had a fantasy that he would come home somehow and make his last out within The Friendly Confines of Wrigley Field. That's just not going to happen, no matter how much I want it to.

Saturday 9

 Big, Bad John (1961)

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

1) This song tells the story of a stern, enigmatic miner. None of the other miners knew much about him. When people first meet you, do you think they see you more as mysterious or straightforward? I think I'm as transparent as a glass of tap water.

 

2) During a serious accident, many of the miners panicked. But not John. Think of your family, friends and acquaintances. Who would be the most dependable in a crisis? Joanna. She is smart and cool (in every sense of the word). This reminds me: I owe her an email.

3) His heroism allowed 20 miners to escape, but cost John his life. According to the lyrics, there's a marble slab on site of mine that honors him. Is there a memorial to a local hero in your town? I read the pavers in front of our branch of the public library. I think people who support libraries and reading are local heroes.

 

4) This song was written and performed by Jimmy Dean. He began composing it on a flight from New York to Nashville. How do you amuse yourself while traveling? I try to sleep on flights. I'm terrified of flying and dose myself with Xanax before I board.

5) Jimmy Dean hosted a long-running variety show on CBS, which is best-remembered today for introducing Jim Henson's puppets -- especially Rowlf, a dog who sang and told jokes. While Rowlf didn't make it to Sesame Street, he was a recurring character on the Muppet Show. Are you a Muppet fan? I don't seek them out, but when I come upon them I always smile.

6) Jimmy found success in business with The Jimmy Dean Sausage Company. He sold the company to Sara Lee in 1984 for $80 million. Today Jimmy Dean breakfast products are still popular in grocery stores all over the country. What's your favorite breakfast? The usual coffee shop breakfast: eggs, toast, bacon, OJ.

7) In 1961, when this song was popular, Vogue asked if fashion sense is inborn or if could a woman could learn to be chic. What do you think? Do you think style is either something you have, or you don't? Yes. I think some people are born with style. Alas, I'm not one of those people.

8) Also in 1961, Ernest Hemingway took his own life. Did you read Hemingway in English class? Can you recall any other novels you read for school? We did a compare/contrast of A Farewell to Arms and The Great Gatsby. I also remember The Bridge of San Luis Rey. (I should reread that one.) I HATED Moby Dick as much as I loved To Kill a Mockingbird.

 

9) Random question: Think about the last "white lie" you told. Was it to make your own day easier or spare someone's feelings? Trying to remember my last white lie and I can't. I'm sure I told one -- likely more than one -- this week, but nothing to springs to mind.

 

 

August Happines Challenge -- Day 5

Today's happiness -- Expanding my circle. It's true that the older we get, the harder it is to make friends. That's why what happened Friday made me happy.

Karen is from my movie group. We've been meeting online since covid, so for more than two years we have only zoomed. I don't recall ever having met her in person and wasn't aware she paid any particular attention to me until the TCM Classic Film Festival approached. She was among those of us attending and seemed pleased we were staying at the same hotel. 

Since the festival, we have become Facebook friends, IM-ing, etc. She's begun sharing her life away from the group -- divorced, retired, proud mother of a newly-minted Kindergarten teacher -- and Friday she sent me information about Noir City Chicago, expressing hope that we see one another in person there.

I like Karen. I respect her smarts about film. It pleases me that she thinks I'm funny. I'm glad that I'm slowly making a friend here. I'm happy with how this is unfolding and comfortable with the pace.

Each day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy. Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world.