Three Nice Things about Myself -- Day 22

My blogging buddy, Kwizgiver, wrote a post that really resonated with me. She detailed how self-care helped her helped her prevail during a (ridiculously) tough month. Her tips were very wise and so doable! So she has inspired me to take one and integrate it into my own life.

Since I can be a pretty harsh self-critic, this is the one I chose. I hope I can do this every day during March. By then it should be a habit, right?

Three nice things about myself -- March 22:

1) I made her laugh. There's a problem with my new dental insurance coverage and their website. While trying to get it ironed out with their IT, I made their rep laugh. I like that what I'm learning about customer service and translating it into being a better customer.

2) I allowed myself a lazy day. I didn't get dressed until 3:00 today. But you know what? So what! I took garbage out and scrubbed my microwave, so it's not like I was a complete slug. I like myself for giving myself the latitude to be lazy and read.

3) I waved the wand around. It's not that Roy Hobbs doesn't get daily attention, because he does. But I give him affection, not exercise. Today I waved the cat wand around and he had a grand old time, leaping in the air and making delighted little cat noises. I like myself for knowing my big guy so well and giving him what he needed today.

 

 

Saturday 9

 
Saturday 9: If You've Got the Money (1950)

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

1) In this week's song, Lefty Frizzell is eager to go out on the town and hit all the night spots. What are your plans for the weekend? I have nothing special planned. Which makes me happy. I've been pretty social lately -- this week I went out twice and I have dinner plans next Wednesday -- and I'm trying to save money for my upcoming vacation. The TCM Film Festival is less than a month away!

I was at this screening in 2023. Can you see me?

2) He tells his girl he'd rather ride in her Cadillac than his old car. Back in the 1950s, Caddys were quite the status symbol. Lefty bought a white one with the profits from this record. Elvis also had a fondness for Cadillacs and preferred pink. Have you ever owned a Cadillac? Nope. My dad loved big cars and he loved the blue/white one we had when I was a little girl. But I'm not a car person, and I couldn't have cared less.

3) Lefty was a big deal in Big Spring, TX. He was a popular attraction at local bars, a favorite among oil workers who liked to unwind by listening to live music. How do you relax after a tough day? My workday ends at 2:00 in the afternoon. I like to take an afternoon nap when I get home. Just about an hour. Then I feel refreshed for the evening.

4) This was Lefty's first hit. He wrote "If You've Got the Money" and recorded a demo for producer Jim Beck to play for established singers. When no one else wanted to record it, Beck decided to give Lefty a shot. The result was a million seller that spent 22 weeks on the country charts. Tell us about someone who took a chance on you. My boss, CeeCee, at the card shop. I had no retail experience when she hired me. It's been four months and there are some things I do well, and some things I still struggle with. She has been very patient with me.

5) After this record became a hit, success came quickly to Lefty, perhaps too fast. He signed conflicting contracts with promoters and managers which resulted in lawsuits. Have you recently consulted a lawyer or had a document notarized? No, but I do need to get a form notarized. I think. When I die, I don't want to be buried or cremated. I want my leftovers put to good use by letting future doctors dissect me. I've downloaded and completed the forms that spell out my wishes but I haven't signed them yet because one needs to be witnessed and the other needs to be notarized and that's a lot of work when you're as lazy as I am.

6) This song hit number one on the country charts twice: first this version and then in 1976 by Willie Nelson. Do you have a favorite Willie Nelson song? Yes, but not by Willie.

7) In 1950, when this song was popular, Americans began using credit cards. Do you pay with a credit card to get rewards? If yes, what rewards are you accumulating (cash back, airline miles, etc.)? I am a miles junkie. I also take e-rewards surveys to earn miles.

8) Also in 1950, Sears Roebuck and Co. acknowledged a major spike in catalog sales and took the unusual move of devoting the cover of their Spring/Summer catalog to their "satisfaction guarantee." This was meant to allay the fear of customers uncomfortable with ordering by mail instead of buying in person. 74 years later, Amazon delivers more than 3 million packages every day. Would you rather check out a product yourself in a store, or do you prefer the convenience of ordering from home? Yes to both. For an expensive item, I like to see it and touch it before I buy. But for other things, I like the convenience of clicking when my online cart is full.

9) Random question -- You're singing along with the car radio to your favorite song when you reach your destination. Do you wait until your song is over to get out of the car? I don't have a car. But I do listen to my shower radio every day and sometimes I'll enjoy the water a little longer to hear the end of a song.

 
 

Three Nice Things about Me -- Day 21

 

My blogging buddy, Kwizgiver, wrote a post that really resonated with me. She detailed how self-care helped her helped her prevail during a (ridiculously) tough month. Her tips were very wise and so doable! So she has inspired me to take one and integrate it into my own life.

Since I can be a pretty harsh self-critic, this is the one I chose. I hope I can do this every day during March. By then it should be a habit, right?

Three nice things about myself -- March 21:

1) I redeemed myself. I distressed a card shop customer today (see post below) but I also did well. Two 20-somethings wandered into the store while my bosses (Jen and CeeCee) and I were having a lively conversation about which items we wanted to buy for ourselves. We said "hi" to the girls, told them to ask if they needed help finding anything, and went back to yakking. There was something tentative about the way they were browsing, so I peeled away and approached them. Turns out they were foreign tourists who were overwhelmed by our store, which I think appears cluttered. In heavily-accented, broken English, one of them asked for our "leathers." I still don't know what word she was trying to say, but she mimed opening a book and scribbling. JOURNALS! I took them over to that bookshelf and introduced them to our prettiest hardcover journals. They each chose one. I made a sale of about $65 and they left smiling. Best of all, Jen and CeeCee saw I could take the initiative and do good.

2) I'm trying to accentuate the positive. I know I should think more about my success at the card shop today and not my fuck up. So that's what I'm trying to do. Positive self-talk! I like that I realize I'm a work in progress.

3) I had the green beans. I ate a lot of crap today, but I did have a bowl of green beans while I was watching TV. Not a conventional snack, but I like that I'm making gut-healthy choices.

 

"Has no one ever redeemed a gift card before?"

I messed up. One of the downsides to only working 2 days/week is that I don't do the same things over and over often enough to build muscle memory. Consequently the cash register still feels like my adversary, and today I pissed a customer off.

She came in today with a store gift card. I have not checked the value on a card since right after Christmas. I admit it: I forgot how. I had to call Jen over. I apologized to the customer and she said it was OK. That was then.

When she was done shopping, I rang her up and her total was $118. The value on her gift card was $75. I asked her if she wanted me to take some of the items off her total. I said I'd be happy to go it with her item by item to get her back down to $75.

"No," she said, she wanted to split the payment between gift card and credit card. She added that she was in a hurry.

I have never done this before. Once again, I had to ask Jen. It was humbling to watch her manicured nails dance across the register. Then, wouldn't you know it, the customer's credit card was rejected. Now that was not my fault, but still, she was in a hurry and every part of her transaction was going wrong.

"Has no one ever redeemed a gift card before?" she asked, clearly pissed.

I told her the problem was likely with the credit card terminal and I had to ring her up at the other register. I apologized. I acknowledged she was in a hurry and took responsibility as we had to go through the whole thing again. 

As I finally handed over her purchase, I again thanked her for being patient with me. She softened a bit and thanked me for helping her, which was gracious under the circumstances.

I was in the break room when my boss CeeCee got in. When she came back to hang up her jacket, I told her all about it. "I heard," she said. "Don't worry about it. You're doing great."

Yeah, well, the fact that Jen told her about it right away makes me think I'm not doing great.

I am lucky in that I work at a card shop, not a grocery store or drug store. Nothing is a matter of life or death and our customers are generally in a good mood. Even when I fuck up.

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

 

Thursday Thirteen #353

  

13 reasons not to squeeze zits. It's sad but true: I still get pimples. 66 years old, and red bumps still appear beside my nose and on my chin. Not with the regularity of my teens and twenties or even thirties -- thank God! -- but dammit, they still show up.

I have, for the most part, replaced pimple popping with pimple patches. (I'm glad this is a blog and not a podcast, because "replaced pimple popping with pimple patches" would be very difficult to say.) But I admit the temptation is still there. And here are 13 reasons to resist it.

1. Inflammation. Guess what: your skin doesn't like you squeezing and poking at it and that annoying red spot will just get redder.

2. Pain. Squeezing hurts. Pimple patches may not deliver immediate results, but they don't hurt. Be nice to yourself. Don't squeeze.

3. Infection. Anytime you break the skin, you give bacteria a chance to enter and make things worse. 

4. Spread. When you pop a pimple, the pus will just naturally touch nearby pores, which puts you at risk for another zit. 

5. Cysts. If your attempt to pop goes wrong, you may just force the infection deeper and instead of a pimple you may find yourself with hard, really icky cyst.

6. Bruising. Pressing your fingers forcefully into your skin can cause bruising. 

7. Scabbing. Know what looks worse than a zit? A scab. Why risk it?

8. Delayed healing. After you break the skin, it takes longer to heal than if you'd just left it alone. 

9. Scarring. The popped pimple may leave you with a reminder for the rest of your life.

10. Broken blood vessels. After your pimple fades, you may find yourself with a network of little veins near the skin's surface.

11. Discoloration, or "postinflammatory hyperpigmentation." This is what can happen when skin experiences trauma. It can take years for the discoloration to fade completely.

12. Cosmetic reaction. After you pop a zit, you have to be very careful applying moisturizer and foundation. These products were not created for broken skin.

13. I close with my personal endorsement. (At least one of these 13 shouldn't be cringey, right?) I order these patches from Amazon. They're affordable and efficient.

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

 

Three Nice Things about Myself -- Day 20

My blogging buddy, Kwizgiver, wrote a post that really resonated with me. She detailed how self-care helped her helped her prevail during a (ridiculously) tough month. Her tips were very wise and so doable! So she has inspired me to take one and integrate it into my own life.

Since I can be a pretty harsh self-critic, this is the one I chose. I hope I can do this every day during March. By then it should be a habit, right?

Three nice things about myself -- March 20:

1) It was only $1.75. I have been more careful with my money in 2024 but today I did something stupid. I bought a train ticket I couldn't use. In years gone by, tickets were good for 90 days, but as of February 1, they're only good for 3 hours on the day of sale.  I should have familiarized myself with the new rules before I bought it. I felt like a ninny. And then I put the brakes on: it was only $1.75. I realized how the negative self-talk begins and I stopped it.

2) I walked instead of taking a rideshare.  I met Elaine and Will for lunch at Shake Shack, about a mile from the train station. I allowed myself enough time to walk it instead of taking an Uber. I'm glad I gave myself the exercise, saved myself the money, and got in touch with The Loop again.

3) I remembered to say thank you. At Christmastime, Elaine gave me body butter. I recently started using it because my skin is so FREAKING DRY! I told her about the relief it provides. I liked myself for remembering to tell her that her gift continues to be appreciated.

 

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. 

PS I no longer participate in WWW.WEDNESDAY via that link because her blog won't accept Blogger comments. I mention this only to save you the frustration I experienced trying to link up.

1. What are you currently reading? Camera Girl: The Coming of Age of Jackie Bouvier Kennedy by Carl Sferrazza Anthony. This book shines a spotlight on 4 years of Jackie's life -- 1949 to 1954, ages 20 to 24. She goes from coed to career girl to bride. There is special emphasis on her job at the Washington Herald as "The Inquiring Camera Girl." Jackie Bouvier, who as Jackie Kennedy Onassis was wary (at best) of reporters and photographers, wrote more than 600 columns that had her snapping photos of people on the street. 

While one of the more recent and buzzier books about Jackie was written by a glorified gossip columnist, Carl Sferrazza Anthony is a historian who has published serious books about our First Ladies. So I'm excited about this one. He writes sensitively about Jackie Bouvier as a young woman trying to find her way in post-war, pre-feminist America.

 

2. What did you recently finish reading? Agatha Raisin and the Terrible Tourist by MC Beaton. In this book, we take off for Cyprus with our heroine, 60-something Agatha Raisin. She's retired, having sold her PR business, so she has the money and the time. But this redoubtable Brit is set in her ways, and the Cypriots confound her. So do the disparate British tourists she meets. They have nothing in common, except for being Brits, and she doesn't understand why they seem to want to do everything together ... and with her. When one of them gets dead, Agatha is eager to find the killer. After all, she's one of the suspects.

 

While I'm not sorry I read this, I admit it's not the strongest in the series. The setting is different and interesting, but there are too many characters, too weakly drawn. This made it hard to guess the murderer.

 

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

Three Nice Things about Myself -- Day 19

My blogging buddy, Kwizgiver, wrote a post that really resonated with me. She detailed how self-care helped her helped her prevail during a (ridiculously) tough month. Her tips were very wise and so doable! So she has inspired me to take one and integrate it into my own life.

Since I can be a pretty harsh self-critic, this is the one I chose. I hope I can do this every day during March. By then it should be a habit, right?

Three nice things about myself -- March 19:

1) I said "thank you" again. Two years ago, I had just hired Rita. She was aware that mid-March was my work anniversary and sent me a fruit-and-chocolate bouquet, saying she was "forever grateful" that I took her under my wing. The photo of her gift showed up today on my Facebook memories. I took a moment to shoot her an email and let her know again how much her kind gesture had meant to me. There's a lot of bitching about Facebook out there, but if it wasn't for the platform, I wouldn't have remembered exactly when this happened and I wouldn't have been spurred to act. I'm glad I did.

2) I was the hub. Tomorrow I'm having lunch downtown with Elaine. I invited Will, the man who brought us together with movie group, to join us. I'm usually pretty passive about social gatherings, so I like myself for taking the initiative.

3) My wallet stayed in my purse. Today's lunch was leftover pizza and dinner was the chicken I had defrosting. I like that I'm being more thoughtful about my spending.

 

Trust, but verify

It's not like me to quote Ronald Reagan, but those are wise words. And they represent the way I feel about my boss at the card shop today. 

She told me last week that, while she couldn't guarantee me 2 days/week anymore for awhile, I was still part of the team. She said that, as opportunities for more hours presented themselves, she'd keep me in mind. I wanted to believe her and intellectually I did. But I've had crappy bosses in the past and I wasn't sure I could trust her.

Then this morning I got a text from her. She needed coverage today and asked me if I could put in a few hours this morning. I did so happily.

Not because of the money, though I like money. Not because I didn't have anything better to do, because working this morning meant I had to miss yoga.

I did so happily because it meant I could trust Ceecee. I trusted her, sure, but this affirmation felt good.

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

Three Nice Things about Myself -- Day 18

My blogging buddy, Kwizgiver, wrote a post that really resonated with me. She detailed how self-care helped her helped her prevail during a (ridiculously) tough month. Her tips were very wise and so doable! So she has inspired me to take one and integrate it into my own life.

Since I can be a pretty harsh self-critic, this is the one I chose. I hope I can do this every day during March. By then it should be a habit, right?

Three nice things about myself -- March 18:

1) I used coupons. I'm OK financially now, but who knows how long my retirement will last? What if my hours never do pick up again at the card shop, or the stock market tanks and my mutual funds are worth less (or worthless)? I don't want to sacrifice today's pleasures because of a dire future that may never unfold. But I don't want to be stupid, either. Using coupons today to stock up on Gerber baby food (I melt Connie Cat's meds into it) and a free pizza for lunch/dinner was smart, and a form of self-care.

2) I always wave back. Today a little boy in stroller waved at me and I waved back. The woman walking her dog on the other side of the street ignored him. Maybe she didn't see him? Whatever. I always wave back. Whenever I'm near the Chicago River and the tour boats float by, I wave back at the tourists. I wonder how many vacation pics I've been in over the years. It's a tiny thing, I know, but I like myself for waving back.

3) I included lip balm. I hand out "blessing bags" to the homeless people I encounter. The staples are always a breakfast bar, a $1 bill, Kleenex and two single-use packs of Purell. I had included Hot Hands, handwarmers I got on sale at Target, but I ran out and besides, it's not that cold day in/day out anymore. So what can I add that I can afford? I found a big jar of 48 sticks of lip balm, various flavors, for just $25, or about 50¢/each. I figured chapped lips are a year-round problem, right? Today one of the gentlemen I help out on a regular basis called out to me on the street to tell me how much he liked the fruit flavors! Of course I gave him another bag, this time with a coconut lip balm. Anyway, I liked that I used my imagination, and that my choice was hitsville.

FULL DISCLOSURE: I was very snappish in movie group tonight. People were annoying me left and right and I didn't respond well. But this is supposed to be positive self talk, right?

 

Three Nice Things about Myself -- Day 17

My blogging buddy, Kwizgiver, wrote a post that really resonated with me. She detailed how self-care helped her helped her prevail during a (ridiculously) tough month. Her tips were very wise and so doable! So she has inspired me to take one and integrate it into my own life.

Since I can be a pretty harsh self-critic, this is the one I chose. I hope I can do this every day during March. By then it should be a habit, right?

Three nice things about myself -- March 17:

1) I can get to yes. Last weekend, I took my friend Nancy out to lunch for her birthday. It didn't go well because she grumped and bitched about everything. When she invited me to join her this weekend, I was tempted to decline because really, who needs the agita? It occurred to me, though, that she might feel bad about how her birthday celebration unfolded, too, so I gave her a mulligan. I'm happy to report it went really well, and she told me that she and her husband "always love spending time" with me.

2) I'm open and receptive. The outing with Nancy and her hubs was lunch but first a Purim spiel. I'd never been inside a synagogue before. I loved the play the congregation put on, with a multi-generational cast and Beatles music. It was inspiring and educational and I'm glad that my own faith is strong and secure enough that I can explore and respect someone else's. Attending an event in a synagogue felt both very Christian and very American to me, which leads me to ...

3) I'm a stereotype, but I'm OK with that. Scrolling through my DVR I happened upon All the President's Men, which I haven't seen in years. Watching Woodward/Bernstein battle for the integrity of the Constitution inspired me to write my Postcards to Voters. I like that I work to be an involved citizen.

 

 

Sunday Stealing

FRIDAY FIVE

1. What ONE thing would you change about your life? How would your life be different? I'd like to win the Illinois State Lottery. It would mean I no longer have to worry about how long my retirement funds will last.

2.  What is the hardest thing you have ever done? Why was it hard for you? What did you learn? I ended an abusive relationship. It was hard because I had to choose between his wishes and my own welfare, and that felt selfish. I learned that I matter, too, and deserve to be happy.

3. Write about the most glorious moment in your life so far. I'm lucky in that there have been so many glorious moments, I can't select just one.

4. Write about a moment you felt brave. I interrupted a rape in progress. I didn't quite understand what I was seeing at first, which helped me be brave. But when I did, I didn't leave. I called 911 and stayed with the victim until the police arrived. Then I rode in the police car and helped identify the perpetrator, who had managed to get about a mile away on foot and was dumping his shirt into a dumpster behind a restaurant. I was prepared to testify against him in court, but the case fell through because the victim wouldn't cooperate with the authorities. Her assailant was obviously ganged up and she feared retribution. I suppose I should have, too. But I didn't and don't. I would have testified.

5. What made you happy today? Playing with my Connie Cat. She is so freaking cute!

6. What did you dislike most about growing up? Confusing and confounding family dynamics.

7. Write about five activities you love the most and why you love them. 1) Caring for my cats; 2) Caring for my friends; 3) Reading books; 4) Watching baseball; 5) Watching movies. They all bring me tremendous pleasure.

8. Do you have an embarrassing moment that still makes you cringe? Yes. Since it still bothers me, I'm not going to recount it.

9. What has been your best trip so far? My first spa trip to Hot Springs, back in the 1990s. It was the first solo vacation I ever took and I enjoyed it immensely. It not only helped me relax and clear my head, it taught me that doing things alone suits me just fine. If you've never taken off by yourself to do something you want to do, I suggest you give it a try.

The Arlington in Hot Springs

10. What traits (physical or personal) do people notice when they meet you for the first time? That I'm a pudgy little woman of about 50. Which pleases me, since I'm a pudgy little woman of 66.

11.  Is social media a blessing or a curse? Like all forms of media, it is both.

12. What is your greatest hope for your future? What steps can you take to make it happen? This morning -- Sunday! -- I heard that Donald Trump dismissed some migrants by saying they aren't people. Yet so-called Christians continue to rally around him. (They clearly got a different New Testament than I did.) Trump must be stopped and at the ballot box, not in the courts. I will use my voice, my money and time toward re-electing Joe Biden.

Join us

13.  What did you struggle most with today? Nothing. I'm lucky that way. Since it's St. Patrick's Day, I'll call it the luck of the Irish.

14.  Name the biggest priority in your life right now. Doing right by those I love, living my values, being patient until April (and the start of baseball and my trip to the TCM Classic Film Festival)

15. What are 5 things you wish others knew about you. It's really all here in my blog. But to answer this specifically ... I think of something my friend Henry said of me once. He believed the lyrics of Tom Petty's "Free Falling" apply to me: I'm a good girl, I love(d) my mama, I love Jesus, America and Elvis.

Three Nice Things about Myself -- Day 16

My blogging buddy, Kwizgiver, wrote a post that really resonated with me. She detailed how self-care helped her helped her prevail during a (ridiculously) tough month. Her tips were very wise and so doable! So she has inspired me to take one and integrate it into my own life.

Since I can be a pretty harsh self-critic, this is the one I chose. I hope I can do this every day during March. By then it should be a habit, right?

Three nice things about myself -- March 16:

1) I'm the cool aunt. I had lunch with my nephew today. We talked about his career aspirations and the upcoming baseball season. I like myself for being someone he's so comfortable/willing to spend time with me.

2) I'm doing something. I've known the guy who does my hair since high school. Today, as he was clipping and dying and styling, he shared that he agrees with me that Trump is "a threat" and he can't believe "anyone would vote for the guy." This is a big deal from someone I know just could not bring himself to vote for Hillary in 2016. So, I asked, if you believe the man is a threat to democracy, "what are you going to do about it?" He had no reply. I like myself for having an answer to that. I've signed up to be a monthly donor to Biden's campaign and laid in a supply a postcard stamps for outreach and GOTV. As more opportunities arise, I'll do those.

3) I had the peaches. There's an apple crumble in the refrigerator. I wanted to heat it for my late-night snack, but I went the less fattening/more nutritious route. I liked myself for making the choice that was better for me.

 

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Charlie Mops (2007)

Not familiar with this week's song? Hear it here.

 

1. This week's song is about a legend, Charlie Mops, the man who invented beer. Tell us about something you enjoy so much you could sing about it with the same enthusiasm the Salt Sea Pirates sing of beer. The Cubs. And I do sing about them. Here's our anthem, as performed by World Series Champions Anthony Rizzo, David Ross, Dexter Fowler, and Cubs super fan Bill Murray.

 

 

 

2.  The lyrics tell us beer goes well with breakfast, dinner and snacks. Think about what you dined on yesterday. What beverages did you have with your breakfast, your dinner, and your between-meal snack? Friday I had milk with breakfast, Dr. Pepper with lunch, and water with my snack.

3. "Charlie Mops" was chosen because it's an Irish drinking song and Sunday is St. Patrick's Day. Do you expect to raise a glass in honor of the day? I don't think so. I'm spending Sunday with my friend Nancy, who invited me to her temple to watch a Purim play. I've never done anything like this before and I'm enthusiastic about it, but it doesn't have anything to do with St. Patrick's Day.

4. Beer is not the only beverage often dyed green for St. Patrick's Day. In 1970, McDonald's introduced the Shamrock Shake, a milkshake made with a minty green syrup. If we were to go out for shakes right now, what flavor would you order? Strawberry, please.

5. Legend has it that wearing green makes you invisible to leprechauns, who can be mischievous pranksters. Is there anyone you would like to avoid today? All my neighbors. Here's what I've learned from being on the condo board: the more I see my neighbors, the less I like them.

6. For all our talk of green, it was not the original color of St. Patrick's Day. Through most of the 18th century, blue was worn across England and Ireland to honor St. Patrick. The Irish switched to green to express their independence from the English. Which color do wear more often: blue or green? I wear blue all the time. I'm wearing blue now.

7. Today St. Patrick's Day is observed all over the world. In Tokyo, it's not a single day but a weekend celebration. When you think of Japan, what's the first thing that comes to mind? Mitsubishi cars.

8. One of the biggest parades each year in Buenos Aires is for St. Patrick's Day. Have you ever participated in a parade? Yes. In my hometown I marched in the July 4th parade with my Girl Scout Troop. It was fun.

9. Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, GA, crowns a Miss St. Patrick's Day. Tell us about an event you recall from your college days. My college career was so limited -- I'm a community college dropout -- so I don't have an answer for this.

Three Nice Things about Myself -- Day 15

 

My blogging buddy, Kwizgiver, wrote a post that really resonated with me. She detailed how self-care helped her helped her prevail during a (ridiculously) tough month. Her tips were very wise and so doable! So she has inspired me to take one and integrate it into my own life.

Since I can be a pretty harsh self-critic, this is the one I chose. I hope I can do this every day during March. By then it should be a habit, right?

Three nice things about myself -- March 15:

1) Two out of three ain't bad. I had three things on my "to-do" list: 1) mail Patrick's birthday gift; 2) change my dermatologist appointment; 3) write up the meeting minutes from our last condo meeting. I knocked out 1) and 2). So I didn't get to the third! I'm trying to celebrate what I've done, not beat myself up over what I didn't do.

2) I listened to my gut. I know there's a connection between hydration and gastrointestinal health. When my gut started feeling wonky, I reached for the water pitcher. I'll also do another round of stretches. This is literally self-care.

3) Two out of three ain't bad -- redux. I don't have a third today. But the point of this exercise is to be nice to myself, not critical, so I'll just leave this here.

 

Three Nice Things about Myself -- Day 14

 

My blogging buddy, Kwizgiver, wrote a post that really resonated with me. She detailed how self-care helped her helped her prevail during a (ridiculously) tough month. Her tips were very wise and so doable! So she has inspired me to take one and integrate it into my own life.

Since I can be a pretty harsh self-critic, this is the one I chose. I hope I can do this every day during March. By then it should be a habit, right?

Three nice things about myself -- March 14:

1) I remember who I'm talking to. Three people, 54 minutes. That's how long I was on the phone, ironing out a problem with my new dental insurance carrier. My coverage doesn't begin until June 1 and didn't need to expect to talk with them for weeks and weeks, but I received an email saying my first premium had been billed to my credit card and to check my account on their website to review the bill. Huh? Why was I billed already? Why can't I access my account on their website (like the email instructed me to do)? I admit it was frustrating but I worked at being cheerful -- next level, Stepford Wife cheerful -- because I realize the people I was speaking to are not the ones who generated the bill and the email.

2) I'm especially good if you have fur. Yes, I was patient on the phone call above. But I realized, as I was on hold and being transferred from representative to representative, that patience required concerted effort on my part. Dealing with the breakfast drama provided by my two cats while I was on the phone? That came naturally. Connie -- who is elderly and slowly losing her sight and hearing -- begs for food and then is often startled by the bowl I put down for her. The same bowl she's had for more than a year. Completely understandable if you're blind-ish, deaf-ish, and have a brain the size of a plum pit. Roy Hobbs tries to get into the refrigerator every time I open the door. Of course he does. He knows that's where the hot dog buns are and his favorite thing in the entire world is stealing plastic bags like the one the buns come in. I think of Elaine, who keeps trying to train her cats to conform to certain behaviors, or Jen from the store, who is something of a germophobe and would never countenance a cat's paw anywhere near food storage, and I smile. Connie and Roy Hobbs are perfect as they are and as long as they are safe and happy, I do little to curb their natural behavior. I like that about myself. I'm not perfect, but I'm a pretty damn good cat mom.

3) I shared the knowledge. I contacted my former art director with what I learned about the ins and outs of dental insurance. She'll need new coverage on the same day as I do, but she's busy with her freelance work and probably doesn't even know where to start.

Thursday Thirteen #352

13 facts about the greeting card market. Last November I began working in a card/gift shop. It's located round the corner from my home and while I always enjoyed looking around, I never bought much. It's cheaper to get cards and gift bags at the dollar store.

But the stuff in the store is high quality and there are consumers who are discerning about their wrapping and cards and willing to really spend on them. God bless them, because I enjoy being surrounded by such pretty things. Also, it touches me to watch how much care people put into choosing their cards. I love watching people browse. It's rare that someone just comes in and grabs the first card that catches their eye.

I based this TT on a study of today's greeting market, along with my own personal observations.

1. Every year, Americans buy more than 6.5 million greeting cards.

2. Gen Xers (born 1965-80) aren't that big into buying cards. 

3. Baby Boomers (born 1946-64) buy cards the most (but they don't necessarily spend the most).

4. Millennials (born 1981-96) buy more, and more expensive, cards than Xers.

5. Consumer appreciate eco-friendly cards and wrapping paper and have noticed that our paper shopping bags made of recycled materials.

6. Thank you cards are popular, more popular than I thought.

7. Birthday cards are still most often purchased card.

8. Boxed Christmas cards outsell individual ("Merry Christmas, Grandma!") ones.

9. Weddings are big business. In addition to "Congrats to the Bride and Groom,"  there are engagement cards, bridal shower cards, and "Will you be my Bridesmaid?" cards.

10. Once all the the rage, greeting cards with a pocket to hold a gift card have fallen out of favor. Consumers are very comfortable just slipping a gift card into a "regular" greeting card that more perfectly expresses the sentiment. There's also a surge in popularity of small boxes designed specifically for gifts cards, so you have something to tie a ribbon around when you present the gift card.

11. Mother's Day outsells Father's Day ... by a lot. Theories abound -- men don't enjoy receiving cards as much as women do, there are more fatherless households, etc. -- but I have nothing solid to back any particular reason.

12. While there are approximately 55,000 shops like mine that specialize in cards paper, gifts and stationery, most people buy their cards at the grocery or drug stores. Location is tied to population -- California is the state with most people and it is home to more than 7,000 card shops.

13. Covid did not do serious, lasting harm to the greeting card industry. Examining data, the number of card shops/retail workers has remained steady from before (2017) to after (2023) the pandemic.

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

 

Three Nice Things about Myself -- Day 13

 

My blogging buddy, Kwizgiver, wrote a post that really resonated with me. She detailed how self-care helped her helped her prevail during a (ridiculously) tough month. Her tips were very wise and so doable! So she has inspired me to take one and integrate it into my own life.

Since I can be a pretty harsh self-critic, this is the one I chose. I hope I can do this every day during March. By then it should be a habit, right?

Three nice things about myself -- March 13:

1) I make notes in my pocket calendar. That's how I remember that next week is my friend Patrick's birthday. I got him a silly little gift (a milk chocolate man wearing white chocolate boxer shorts) that I know will make him laugh. I like that I make small expenditures that let people know they matter to me.

2) I made him feel better. I ran into the owner of the deli I used to frequent. He had to close his doors and he was heartbroken. I mentioned that I thought of his space often and that he was the man who introduced me to sweet kugel. He remembered that I always ordered chicken in the pot and he promised to email his recipe. He put his whole self into that business, so I'm glad I was able to let him know his efforts were appreciated.

3) I lined up new dental insurance. My current coverage (COBRA) expires June 1. If I want a prospective insurer to waive any exclusions, I have to have that policy in place ON June 1. So I shopped around and spent about an hour on the phone but I have a new carrier/policy. Since I worked for large companies since I was a teenager, I have never had to shop for insurance before. I did not enjoy this exercise but I got it done. If I don't take care of me, no one will.

 

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. 

PS I no longer participate in WWW.WEDNESDAY via that link because her blog won't accept Blogger comments. I mention this only to save you the frustration I experienced trying to link up.

1. What are you currently reading? Agatha Raisin and the Terrible Tourist by MC Beaton. Our heroine, the redoubtable Aggie, is on a solo holiday in Cypress. She surrounds herself with other British tourists and is as fascinated/amused by them as she is of the Mediterranean. Then one of them gets dead. Will Agatha's sleuthing skills translate overseas?

This is lighter than air but it's just what I needed after 500+ pages with Mrs. Lincoln.

2. What did you recently finish reading?  Mary Lincoln: Biography of a Marriage by Ruth Painter Randall. This is a comprehensive, fair and very readable look at Mary Lincoln's life. I enjoyed it, but it was not an easy read. The lady had a staggering amount of pain in her 63 years. She buried three children, and the only one who survived to adulthood had her declared insane. (Let that sink in.) During the Civil War, her siblings took up arms against the Union, and Mary's husband. Don't think that won't cause a rift. The national press routinely attacked her as a boorish Westerner (Illinois was considered the rural West in those days) and a Southern sympathizer (her Kentuckian father was a slave owner). Neither was true: Mary was an elegant, educated lady who spoke fluent French, quoted Shakespeare and was staunchly anti-slave. Her husband was shot while holding her hand. She felt the bullet in the paroxysm of his hand even before she heard it. Not something you ever recover from.

The woman on these pages is warm, loving and more sinned against than sinning. She's also shown to be sharp-tongued and quick-tempered and often unable to get out of her own way.

 

Ms. Randall puts us in the 19th century. You can smell the biscuits and gravy! But if you pick this volume up, be warned: it was written in the 1950s. Some of the word choices were a little squirmy. This is no longer how we talk about people of color, little people, or those with speech impediments. After I cringed, I realized it's important that we know who we were as a nation. 

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