The Morning After

John F. Kennedy, 1961

After the shock wore off, I was offended. The thought of Donald Trump sitting in the same office as Lincoln, FDR and JFK gave me a visceral shudder.

I have to believe that those giants of inclusion and eloquence still inhabit the Oval Office. I hope they can deftly influence my new President to behave like the great man the office demands.

I pray the better angels of our nature alight and land on Donald Trump.

 I originally posted this 8 years ago. I meant it then and I mean it now. I doubt President Trump would believe me, but I do pray for him ... and our country.

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? Grudge Match by Mike Lupica. Sunny Randall was one of Robert B. Parker's creations. I liked her way (way) better than his Jesse Stone but nowhere near as much as Spenser. Upon Parker's death, Mike Lupica continued the Randall series, with the approval of Parker's estate. As I read 12 Months to Live (below) I was reminded how good Lupica was at getting into the heads of strong women characters and decided to pick this one up.

2. What did you recently finish reading?  12 Months to Live by James Patterson and Mike Lupica. This book was like a candy bar. I enjoyed it as I consumed it, but will remember little or nothing about it a month from now. In fact, I've already forgotten details of the ending. I could look at it again, but I don't care enough.

Lupica and Patterson (I suspect mostly Lupica) have created a very interesting character in Jane Smith, the hot-shot lawyer who never loses. I read to get to know more about her. Not her case. The teased twists and turns were not that hard to anticipate. The coincidences are just ridiculous. I know this is a series, but I doubt I'll be back.

3. What will you read next? Bad Influence by Alison Gaylin.

November Challenge: Day 5

Find the challenge here

November Challenge: Things you want to say to an ex.

I'm sorry for how it ended. I really did love you and part of me still does. I hope you are happy.

 

 

 Photo by Andreas Rasmussen on Unsplash.

Teaser Tuesday

Here's how to play.

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) 

This is from 12 Months to Live by James Patterson and Mike Lupica. After opening arguments in a major murder trial, the defendant's wife requests a private one-on-one with her husband's attorney, our narrator, Jane.

"Judge Prentice wasn't amused and, for the record, neither was I."

I feel myself biting through my lower lip hard enough to draw blood. I'm tired. I want to get outside, do my few minutes of standup, and then head back east.

But I'm doing my best to behave. A constant challenge.

"For the record, what I did today had nothing to do with your husband, or the judge, or the prosecutor, bless his heart. And it wasn't for you. I was only addressing the jury ..."

 

November Challenge -- Day 4

Find the challenge here

November Challenge: Bullet your whole day (Monday)

OK, let's see how long I do this before I get bored ...

•  Woke up on my own (no alarm clock)

•  From bed, caught up on the local news (a lot about the passing of Chicago's very own Quincy Jones) and then switched to Morning Joe

•  Did those twists the orthopedist taught me. 5 on each side. Roy Hobbs helped by grooming the top of my head. My left knee feels a little wonky.

•  Finished that bottle of water on my nightstand. (It's still cold!)

•  Tooled around the web -- Facebook, email, fellow bloggers, and my nephew's baseball column. I want to check out the Chicago Sun Times and New York Daily News online, but really, I've got to get out of bed sometime.

•  Fed the cats. No cats have ever, in the history of catdom, been as hungry as they were.

•  Checked my phone. The oral surgeon can squeeze me in earlier than expected! YAY! No, I am not happy about getting another dual crown lengthening. But I appreciate being able to use up my 2024 benefits.

•  Confirmed the dental appointment, wrestled with Dayforce, the scheduling app for the card shop. Apparently it works better for Apple than it does for Android. Unfortunately, I have Android. It took longer than I should have, but I requested the day of surgery and the following as days off.

•  Did last night's dishes. Watered the plants. 

•  Chocolate milk and meds. Only one prescription -- for my cholesterol -- but a fistful of vitamins and supplements. 

•  Icing my knee and touching up my pathetic pedi. Can't afford a new one until after the 19th. Hope I don't offend anyone at yoga tomorrow with my chipped digits.

I'm bored with this already and I haven't even gotten into the shower yet. Sorry.

Photo by Andreas Rasmussen on Unsplash 

 

Dona Nobis Pacem

 

Why are we so quick to demonize those who don't look like us or share our same life experiences? Thanks to Governor Abbott of Texas, my neighborhood up here in Chicagoland received a sudden, unexpected influx of migrants.

Instead of resenting them for panhandling, for cluttering our sidewalks, for using tax-payer dollars and community resources, let's consider what it's like for them.

•  Fleeing poverty and oppression with just the belongings they can carry.

•  Headed for Texas, where at least the climate is familiar, but ending up in the chilly midwest.

•  Unable to understand much of what is said around them as bureaucrats decide their fate.

•  Not allowed work permits for weeks, so they can't support themselves or their families.

What would happen if, instead of ignoring or glaring, we smiled at them? Treated them like neighbors instead of intruders. Gave them a dollar or at least a kind word. Made eye contact and connected through our common humanity, rather than assume they are here to "poison the blood" of our country.

Tensions would decrease and serenity increase. The world would be safer and more welcoming.

PEACE.

 
Find other peace bloggers here.

November Challenge: Day 3

Find the challenge here

November Challenge: A book you love.

My favorite book this year is Camera Girl: The Coming of Age of Jackie Bouvier Kennedy by Carl Sferrazza Anthony.

This charming biography concentrates on a very specific time in Jackie's life: from ages 19 to 24. It starts with Vassar and ends with her wedding to JFK, the day she became a public figure.

She began that five year period by making repeat trips to Europe. She forged a lifelong friendship with an elderly Irish priest, boarded with a widowed countess in Paris and became a regular at the theater and jazz clubs, and (my favorite part) was actually detained by the Russian embassy in Vienna because they suspected her of espionage!

When she returned stateside for good, she became engaged to and then broke up with a stockbroker, in large part because she did not want to be an upper middle class housewife. She preferred The Washington Herald, where she went from The Inquiring Camera Girl to a columnist with a byline. (Funny that a woman who would come to loathe the press found such satisfaction working for a newspaper.) Important though her job was to her, she had to give it up when she married because it was the 1950s and that's what women did. She believed that being the wife of a politician would be worth it and, as she wrote privately to Father Leonard, she had finally fallen in love.

This sensitive, insightful book got me wondering about my own mother and those years between high school and matrimony. I know there were no trips to Paris or Vienna for my mother, but I don't know what she did do during that period. The way my mom told her life story, nothing much happened to her until she met my dad. Of course, that's how most biographies treat that period of JBKO's life, too. This book makes me sorry I never asked about it when I could.

Photo by Andreas Rasmussen on Unsplash 

SUNDAY STEALING

 SUNDAY STEALING

1. Local events, parades or festivals – either in your hometown or state. Chicago has the annual Bud Billiken Parade every August. An offshoot of the Bud Billiken Club, the after school organization devoted to reading and community involvement, it celebrates "back to school." Lots of kids and marching bands and gymnastic displays. The mayor and gov are always there and celebrities, too. It's the largest African American parade in the nation. I thought every city had a Bud Billiken celebration until recently. But no, it's Chicago's very own.

   
   
    
   

2. Life update – what’s happened recently, moving house, family wedding, vacation, new pet, visited with a friend, and so on. I'm still learning how to be old. Yesterday I received a very important looking notice -- "Please do not open if your name is not shown on the front of this envelope" -- from National Government Services. It scared the crap out of me! What have I done wrong? Turns out nothing. In August, my primary care physician ordered lots of blood work as part of my annual physical. Either she or her staff used the wrong code on the paper work and/or didn't provide enough health history to justify them all and Medicare is refusing to pay for three of the tests. The notice says, in very formal and legal language, that as the patient I "could have no reasonable expectation" that these tests were not covered by Medicare and I will not be billed for them. My doctor's office has to pay. PHEW! It took five (5) pages to get me to this conclusion. Five nerve-wracking pages! Now I know what National Government Services is and how they work and if ever I receive another notice, I won't panic so.
   

3. Do you have any family traditions this month? Nope.
   

4. The holidays are about two months away, Do you begin shopping or creating now or wait until December? I shop all year around. If I see something that feels right for someone, I grab it. Here's my favorite find for 2024: My cousin Rose is studying cartography and is very picky about her little purses (they have to be small and vertical in orientation). I found this on Etsy and I think she'll love it.

    

   

   Check it out
   

    
   

5. What is your favorite November memory? I thoroughly enjoyed my Thanksgiving get togethers with my friends John and Gregory. We always got dressed up dined out. It was so much less stressful than the family gatherings I grew up with. Anyway, John died in April. Gregory and I are continuing what John called "Orphan's Thanksgiving" in his memory.
   

6. Now that the weather is getting cooler do you prefer? Staying indoors or going outdoors? What do you do? I love walking in this weather.
   

7. Describe your favorite local restaurant? It's a sports bar that specializes in seafood. Great clam chowder and lobster bisque, great vibe.
   

8. Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving? Friendsgiving
   

9. If you could take any class, what would you select? I'd kinda like to learn Spanish
   

10. To celebrate November would you rather enjoy pumpkin pie or sweet potato? Hmmm ... May I have both? For purely scientific reasons. I'd like to compare/contrast.
    

11. How do you handle setbacks and failures? Not well
    

12. If everything in your house had to be one color, which color would you choose? Pantone 294, Cubbie blue. 

    
    
    

13. Who or what would you haunt if you were a ghost? Paul McCartney. I'd like to hang with him and use my ghostly magic to make his life easier. Like Samantha on Bewitched. If he reaches for his cup of tea, I'd move it closer. Things like that. I'd be his indispensable spectral assistant.
    

14. Have you ever worn clothing with the labels still attached? No. I have very sensitive skin and wash everything before wearing it.
    

15. What's something weird that you recommend everyone try at least once? Alligator. I had it once -- breaded and on a stick. I don't remember how it tasted. I just recall that feeling quite proud of myself: "I'm eating alligator!"

     

    
    
     
    

November Challenge: Day 2

Find the challenge here

November Challenge: Something I feel strongly about.  

"As you did it to the least of these my brothers, you did it to me." From the Book of Matthew. That's what I try to keep in mind when I encounter the migrants who have ended up in my community because Governor Abbott of Texas callously sent them up here.

I've heard all the political ads that demonize migrants. They tell me that these lonely, confused people panhandling on my local street corners are criminals and terrorists. Trump supporters would have me believe they are "poisoning the blood of our country." It's not lost on me that they claim to be loud and proud Christians. Guess their Bibles don't include The Book of Matthew. 

I take my faith seriously and it offends me when people use it to justify their xenophobia.

Photo by Andreas Rasmussen on Unsplash 

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Back to December (2010)

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

1) Taylor Swift sings that when her mind wanders, it usually returns to a specific day in December. How about you? Do you often daydream? Or do you focus on what's happening in the moment? My wanders all the freaking time. I wish I could harness it better.

2) She's looking back on December. We're going with a different take: As we enter November, what are you looking forward to this month? Thanksgiving and my birthday.

3) The lyrics recount a casual conversation between two former sweethearts. They talk about their families, their careers and the weather. Are you good at making small talk? Personally, no. But at work -- whether dealing with clients in my previous career or customers at the card shop -- I do just fine. It's my job.

4) This song was rumored to be about her break up with Taylor Lautner, the actor best known for playing a werewolf in the popular Twilight series. In acknowledgement of the Halloween season: Did you ever trick or treat as a werewolf, vampire, witch, ghost or other scary creature? No. My mom always chose my costumes, and she didn't like the scary stuff.

5) Taylor is currently involved with Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs, and naturally this is his busy time of year. How's your football team (NFL or NCAA) doing this season? I'm afraid I don't like football.

6) Taylor loves chicken tenders and says she'd eat them every day, if calories weren't a consideration. If you were to enjoy tenders right now, what dipping sauce would you prefer --sweet/sour, barbecue or honey mustard? I like them all. Lately I've been requesting honey mustard.

7) Thinking of food ... Taylor Swift recently donated $5 million to Feeding America with the funds earmarked for those affected by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Does it make you feel good to do good? If yes, what is something you've done recently to help others? (It may give other Sat-9ers ideas for something they can do.) I carry these blessing bags in my purse. Each zip-lock bag contains lip balm, a breakfast bar, a packet of tissues, some hand sanitizer, and a dollar bill. Since most of the items came from The Dollar Store, these bags cost me very little, and I am happy to share them with those in need. I think it's important to let people know you're thinking of them.

8) Back in 2010, when this week's song was a hit, the iPod Nano was also popular. Did you have an iPod? I'm sure I still have my iPod around here somewhere.

9) Random question: Did you more recently run the dishwasher or the clothes washer? Clothes washer. I don't have a dishwasher.

November Challenge: Day 1

Find the challenge here

November Challenge: Five ways to win your heart.

•  Indulge my passions. Listen to me talk about baseball, The Beatles, and old movies.

•  Walk it like you talk it. Be who you say you are, and don't pretend to be what you're not.

•  Be informed. Read. Listen. Know what's going on.

•  Don't judge me. I've been me an awfully long time. There are things I can't/won't change.

•  Get along with my cats. This is not negotiable.

Photo by Andreas Rasmussen on Unsplash 

Look what I found!

 I did this challenge back in 2013. I wonder how my 2024 answers will compare ...

Thursday Thirteen #384

My second 13 books of 2024. I wish I had something to say about Halloween, but I don't. So instead I'm turning my attention to my reading. 

 

Back in June, I listed my first 13 books of 2024. Now here I am with the next edition. My list is in the order that I read them. I put my personal grade after the link.

1. Fairy Tale Interrrupted by Rose Marie Terenzio. My grade: B-. An insider's memoir of working with John F. Kennedy, Jr. at George. A little fawning, but it's Ms. Terenzio's story to tell her own way.

2. If Death Ever Slept by Rex Stout. My grade: B+. A typical Nero Wolfe mystery, which means I enjoyed every moment.

3. Siracusa by Delia Ephron. My grade: B. A memorable but very, very dark look at two couples on an ill-fated trip to Italy. Made me glad I'm a barren spinster.

4. Kick: The True Story of JFK's Sister and the Heir to Chatsworth by Paula Byrne.  B+. A biography of President Kennedy's favorite sister, who led a short but incredibly glamorous life. The author is a Brit, which is unusual and important, since so much of Kick's adulthood took place among the British aristocracy and there are nuances this Yankee just never understood before.

5. Living the Beatles Legend by Kenneth Womack. C. A unique but ultimately disappointing look at The Lads from Liverpool. The story is told through the life of Mal Evans, their roadie, who was with them from the Cavern Club to the "Let It Be" rooftop concert and beyond. The thing is: Mal was a weak and at times very unlikable man.

6. Looking for Jane by Heather Marshall.  C. A tale of the fight for reproductive rights. It tries to humanize the issue with a series of interconnected, multi-generational stories. The result, for me, was more soapy than enlightening.

7. The Hollywood Daughter by Kate Alcott.  C.  Historical fiction about McCarthyism and its effect on Hollywood as told by a teenage girl whose dad works for a major studio. An interesting premise, but I admit I didn't much care about the characters.

8. Agatha Raisin and the Wellspring of Death by MC Beaton. C. The 7th in the series, it has everything I look to Aggie for: a decent mystery in a bucolic setting with lots of eccentric characters. But do I think I'll remember this book six months from now? No.

9. Once Upon a Time: The Captivating Life of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy by Elizabeth Beller. B+. So often CBK is treated tangentially. "Another Kennedy wife." But she was ambitious and accomplished in her own right, and was from a family of ambitious and accomplished women. This book made me wish I'd known her.

10. One Dog Night by David Rosenfelt. B-. An Andy Carpenter mystery. I enjoyed this one because it gave us the backstory for Andy's much-loved golden retriever, Tara. The murder mystery was a bit too convoluted for my taste, but maybe that's because I didn't figure out whodunnit.

11. The Boys by Ron Howard and Clint Howard. A-. This book was such fun! Opie/Richie Cunningham and his kid brother, the boy with the bear from Gentle Ben, have lots of stories to tell. They tell them well, and each in his own unique voice. It's as much about family as it is about Hollywood.

12. Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell. B+. Oh, this book is maddening! The story telling is captivating in both its scope and its characters. More than 85 years old, yet it's filled with fascinating, self-determined women. But dear God, it is so fucking racist. It glorifies not only the Confederacy but slavery and the Ku Klux Klan. Yet I was sorry when it was over.

13. We Are Too Many by Hannah Pittard. C. An intimate look at the end of the author's marriage. The style is frank and innovative. I'm just not sure what the point was.

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

 

Dear Baseball

Dear Baseball, why do you do me like you do? Anthony Rizzo's last at-bat of the season -- maybe his last as a Yankee and possibly even his last as a professional ball player -- was a strike out with a runner in scoring position. It is so incredibly unfair I cannot stand it.

The man deserved another ring. He deserved another parade. He's brought so much joy and real comfort to so many but Baseball, you just couldn't let him have this, could you?

I cried over this. I lost two of my closest friends this year and have remained dry eyed. But Baseball, tonight's game made me weep. And it wasn't the first time.

I should hate you, but I can't. This old heart of mine is weak for you. I'll be back in April.

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? 12 Months to Live by James Patterson and Mike Lupica. This insanely popular book (according to Goodreads, nearly 3,000 people are reading it right now) introduces us to Jane Smith, "the best criminal attorney in the Hamptons." Maybe after Gatsby I'm just attracted to dark doings along the Atlantic these days. Anyway, just as she's about to embark on a high-stakes, high-profile murder case, she gets a heartbreaking diagnosis. Yes, cancer. 12 months to live. Or maybe less, if she doesn't quit poking around where she's not welcome.

2. What did you recently finish reading?  The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. I decided to re-read it when it occurred to me that it's nearly 100 years old. Like Gone with the Wind (1936) it remains very popular. So I wondered if, like GWTW, it would hold my interest or if the world had passed it by. I am happy to report that, though thinner than I recalled (less than 200 pages), it's a very substantial book.

 

Gatsby is the titular character and of course he matters. He represents our American belief in self-determination and self-invention. But this time, as I read it for the third time, he's not the one who has captured my imagination. Now I'm struck by what monsters The Buchanans are. They are the dark side of capitalism and the American dream. More = better. Might = privilege. "They were careless people, Tom and Daisy – they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made." It's a gorgeous book and rightfully a classic, but it left me so sad. There's no room for The Golden Rule in the world Fitzgerald described. I hope we're better now, but I'm not so sure.

3. What will you read next? Grudge Match by Mike Lupica.

Happy Birthday, Dear Kwizgiver!

Hope you have a ball! Or a skein, if you prefer.

If you aren't reading Kwizgiver, you should! You can find her here.

Why not go there and wish her many returns of the day?

Teaser Tuesday

Here's how to play.

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) 

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald really is that good. This is my first re-read in decades, and at first I thought I'd made a mistake picking it up again. The beginning struck me as stilted and silly. But then, suddenly, it took off and became just as beautiful and moving as I'd recalled. It struck the elder Gal differently than it did the adolescent Gal, but it still touched me. 

A passage that resonated with me then and still rings loud and clear is this exchange between Jordan and Nick:

"You said a bad driver was only safe until she met another bad driver. Well, I met another bad driver. I mean it was careless of me to make such a wrong guess. I thought you were rather an honorable, straightforward person. I thought it was your secret pride."

"I'm thirty," I said. "I'm five years too old to lie to myself and call it honor."

Sunday Stealing

15 More of the 200 Questions 

What’s your guilty pleasure? There are some genuinely awful 70s pop songs that make me happy when I hear them on the radio. ("Seasons in the Sun," "The Pina Colada Song.")
 
Which meal is your favorite: breakfast, lunch, or dinner? Lunch

What do you do when you want to chill out after a long day? Take a nap and cuddle a cat.

How would you spend your ideal weekend? I like weekends where I don't anything planned.

Do you listen to podcasts, or mostly just music? What’s your favorite podcast? I don't listen to many podcasts, but I try to always catch this one. I'm going to listen to Joe and Tom discuss the World Series when I scrub the sink and clean the microwave this afternoon.

Hear it here

Do you prefer to go to the movies or watch movies at home? Unless it's scary or intense, I'd rather see it on the big screen at a theater.

What was your favorite TV show growing up? That Girl. 

What’s your favorite TV show now? Only Murders in the Building (I'm not done with the Hollywood season, so no spoilers please.)

 How would you spend your birthday if money was no object? I think I'd drop in on my oldest friend in Hesperia, CA. I really have no desire to see that town, but she's been going through a rough patch and I think an in-person visit would cheer her up and put my mind at ease.

What’s your favorite season? What do you love most about it? Fall. I like the trees. I like my sweaters.

Do you prefer camping or going to the beach? First of all, I'd never "camp." This gal sleeps on a mattress and box spring, thank you. But in terms of taking long walks and maybe having lunch, I like the beach and woods equally.

Which phone app do you think you use the most? 

 

Would you instead cook, order delivery, or go out to eat? I've been eating out a lot lately, so I'll go with "order delivery."

How do you drink your coffee? I hate, loathe, despise and abominate coffee.

If you could have any animal as a pet, what would you choose? I'd keep the two incredibly awesome cats I have.

 

 

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Me and Bobby McGee (1971)

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

1) The song begins with Janis telling us about a trip from Baton Rouge to New Orleans. Have you ever visited Louisiana? If yes, where did you go? I've never been, and I don't know why, really. I have two friends who both insist it is terrific, easily walkable and with great food.

2) She and her boyfriend Bobby hitch a ride with a truck driver and together the three of them sing "every song the driver knew." If you were to begin a singalong with strangers in a bar or at a party, what song would you confident everyone knows? "Sweet Caroline (buh buh buh) good times never seemed to so good ..."

3) Janis had a painful time in her Port Arthur, TX, high school. She was ostracized for her looks and her taste in music. If you could give advice to your high school self, what would you say? Life is long and this is only four years. Don't take it all so seriously!

4) She credited the blues and Bessie Smith, specifically, for getting her through her tough adolescence. After she became famous and mentioned Bessie in interviews, Janis learned Ms. Smith had been buried in an unmarked grave back in 1937. Janis rectified the situation by paying for a proper tombstone for Smith in 1970. If money were no object, what's something you would like to do for someone else? I'd buy a condo in Long Beach, CA, and let my oldest friend live there. Her current living situation out there is not great, and I'd like to help.

5) Because of her party girl persona, people were surprised that Janis had a domestic side and enjoyed talking recipes. Thinking of cooking, what dish would you whip up for our Saturday 9 potluck? I don't cook, so I'd bring a fruit plate.

6) "Me and Bobby McGee" was written by the late Kris Kristofferson. Kris' life before hitting it big was varied, including time in Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar, focused on English literature, and serving as a helicopter pilot in the US Army. Which career path do you think you'd enjoy more: academia or the Army? Academia.

7) In 1971, when this song was popular, the US Mint introduced the Eisenhower Silver Dollar. Think of the last thing you bought at a store. Did you pay with cash, plastic, or your phone? I mailed a package and paid for the postage with my debit card.

8) England's Princess Anne turned 21 in 1971 and in honor of the occasion, she had an official portrait taken by fashion photographer Norman Parkinson. Who took the most recent photo of you? My friend Amy took a selfie of us. Last time I saw her (30 years ago), she had a mass of long black hair. Now it's short and gray. But she's still cute as a button.

9) Random question -- There's a knock at your door. Who do you expect it is? My neighbor from the end of the hall. He means well, but he annoys the living shit out of me. "Did your cable (or electricity) go out and then come back on again?" "Did you find that Amazon package I left yesterday?" "Did I tell you I'm selling my car?" I'm always tempted to pretend I'm not home, but I suspect he's lonely and really, it costs me nothing to be kind. But I admit I'm never happy to see him.

Three years, thirty years

So much good food, good conversation and good feelings this week!

First, I reunited with friends from my last agency job. It was me, my art director, and Megan. It was Megan who made it special. We haven't seen her in three years, after she was the first of our little team to be let go. She's a complicated one. She was run out of that agency, the victim of office politics, and it triggered a bout of depression. Then her favorite aunt died. None of us heard from her. 

Then, out of the clear blue, she reached out to me. After a long time off, she took a position as an independent contractor at a pharmaceutical company. She told them she knew of a good writer -- me -- and wondered if I was interested. I'm not -- I consider that part of my life over -- but it meant a lot to me that she still thought enough of me to put a good word in.

I asked her if she wanted to get together. After she immediately, enthusiastically, said "yes," I included my former art director. She is still in the game and I thought maybe Megan might be interested in promoting her to the pharmaceutical company. 

They didn't make the professional re-connection I'd hoped for, but that's on them, not me. I can play matchmaker, but I can't force them to fall in love, right? But here's the important thing: Megan felt supported. It made me happy that she felt so comfortable with me and remembered me so fondly that she wanted to get together. 

The three of us spent hours together, laughing and catching up and gossiping.  

Then I saw Amy. For the first time in -- wait for it! -- thirty years. Back in the long ago 1990s, she was briefly my admin. Then she got a promotion and was moved to our database department. She went away for a long weekend to be a bridesmaid at a wedding in Vermont and came back in love with one of the groomsmen. It was like a Hallmark movie. She was bam, struck by lightening.

I privately thought it was a cool weekend romance but nothing more. After all, he was from Philly, she lived in Chicago. She went to visit him in Philadelphia and upon her return, she said she wanted to move out there to see if they could make it work. I knew then not to underestimate the zsa zsa zsu.*

She left Chicago in 1994 and never looked back. Very involved in her community, now the mother of college student, and still very much in love with the man she met at the wedding in Vermont. 

Anyway, she was in Chicago for the first time since Bill Clinton was President. She was headed to a girls weekend in Lake Geneva and flew into O'Hare. She spent the night in a hotel by the airport and from there she'd rent a car for the drive to Wisconsin. Anyway, wanted to know if I'd like to meet her for dinner.

I was so flattered! We'd kept up on Facebook, but I literally hadn't heard her voice in 30 years. Yet she wanted to see me.

We literally closed the steakhouse. Thirty years gave us a lot to catch up on! We talked movies and books. Her recent trip to Italy and my retirement. Lots about her son and husband. They've had their ups and downs. Amy had a colectomy and requires a colostomy bag, a transition wasn't easy but she made it a triumph. 

Anyway, I had two terrific evenings and enjoyed them both immensely. I'm also proud of myself that I was able to pay for all of it out of the beer stein on my kitchen counter. Here's the deal: At the end of the week, I put any cash I haven't spent into that stein. Using that money keeps me from putting socializing/entertaining on my credit card.

 

 

 

*As defined by Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and the City: “That butterflies-in-your-stomach thing that happens when you not only love the person, but you gotta have them. Isn’t that what gets you through the years? Even if it fades, at least you have the memory of the zsa zsa zsu…'”

 

Photo by Dan Gold on Unsplash

Get ready

On November 4, I'm joining in Mimi's Blogblast for Peace. Why don't you do the same? It would be lovely if we filled the blogosphere with peace signs and gentle good wishes for a better future.