Thursday Thirteen #382

 13 ways to prepare chicken. I admit it: I don't cook. But I do dine. I was recently at an upscale restaurant and noticed four different chicken dishes. That inspired me to tool around the web to see if I could find nine more. (Spoiler alert: I did.)

I start with the four from the restaurant we dined at.

1. Chicken potstickers

2. Chicken parmesan

3. Chicken piccata (the one my friend ordered and gave two thumbs up)

4. Chicken madiera

5. Grilled chicken

6. Roasted chicken (my preference, when available)

7. Chicken alfredo

8. Braised chicken

9. Rotisserie chicken

10. Buffalo chicken wings

11. Chicken salad (my second favorite)

12. Lemon garlic chicken

13. Fried chicken (always good)

Do you have a fave that didn't make my list?

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

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? Leader of the Pack by David Rosenfelt. This is the 10th in this series. It starts with an interesting premise: our hero, Andy Carpenter, lost a case and now he gets a mulligan. He has always believed Joey Disimone was innocent and was only found guilty because his father is a known mobster and, well, it's possible Andy fucked up. One of the things I've always liked about this series is how refreshingly imperfect our hero is.

2. What did you recently finish reading?  Ted Kennedy: A Life by John A. Farrell. Ted Kennedy was Senator for so long -- more than 45 years -- that I took him for granted. I truly either forgot or didn't know how much he accomplished for me, for those I loved, for issues I care about. Voting rights, bilingual education, deregulated air travel, family planning, low-income energy assistance, increases in the federal minimum wage, AIDS education and research, the Americans with Disabilities Act. I didn't realize how much what we call Obamacare was influenced by Kennedy's decades of work ... And that's just on the domestic side of the ledger. It doesn't include his work to end Apartheid and to bring peace to Ireland. His is a tireless, heroic list of legislative achievement. I now understand that I am personally in his debt.

He also let Mary Jo Kopechne die in his car and was home when his nephew committed an alleged rape.*

John Farrell celebrates the glories without whitewashing the undeniably ugly moments. I also enjoyed this book for a glimpse of Teddy's relationships with the White House. Both Nixon and Carter were terrified of Camelot and it brought out the worst in them. The Clintons were dismissive of Teddy's "old school" approach, to the detriment of Bill's legislative agenda. Obama looked at him as a mentor. Surprisingly, Reagan and George W. Bush "got" him and were able to work with him or at least clash without acrimony. Reagan understood, and consequently didn't fear, the Kennedy charisma and its hold on the public, while W. related to him scion-to-scion. 

 

I wonder how Donald Trump would deal with Teddy. Certainly twice-divorced, civilly liable sex offender President Pussy Grabber couldn't take the moral high road. Would he be like Reagan and understand/embrace Camelot? After all, in New York, Trump rubbed up to JFK Jr. whenever he could, has repeatedly compared Melania to Jackie, and welcomed Bobby Jr. to his campaign. Or would he be like Carter and Nixon, who resented the stardust?

At any rate, I highly recommend this book for its scope. Teddy's life story is told with clear-eyed compassion, and his political career is delivered with a level of detail that fascinated the nerd in me.

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

 

*And was found not guilty.

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 passage from Ted Kennedy: A Life by John Farrell haunts me.

Within Ted's life of privilege, there was tension. When he was nine, his mentally handicapped sister Rosemary was given a lobotomy and vanished from their home. Ted wondered if he, too, might be "disappeared."

I watched. I learned. I do better in his memory.

My friend John died last April. He was 68, but his body and spirit were so much older. He had congestive heart failure and diabetes. He walked with a cane and was always out of breath. His anxiety issues made his temper short and his world smaller, as he refused to go to new places or meet new people. 

I found the last particularly disturbing. I knew him since he was 25 years old. Back then he was fearless. Often the only Black man in the crowd back in the 1980s. He didn't care. He believed -- correctly -- he had every right to be in any room he entered. He was bored with new clubs and restaurants before I knew they existed. 

Yet once he lost his mobility, he felt fragile and stopped doing things. I don't think I knew he had a temper until about 2022, and then he started displaying it frequently.

With all that was going on, he should have been seeing specialists regularly. Yet he wouldn't go. He had Medicare and Medicare Advantage, so it really wasn't a financial issue. He was scared. He seemed to believe that if no one in a white coat told him he was ill, he wasn't.

He was ill. He was unhappy, and he was in discomfort that likely could have been alleviated with something other than gummies and booze. And he didn't even have a primary care physician.

I am angry at him for dying at 68 because I don't believe it had to happen. I miss him every day. I am struggling to imbue his passing with meaning. And this is where I landed:

He was an example for all his friends who, like him, live alone.

Like John, I have no spouse who sees me day in/day out. No one to tell me if my color is a little off or my mood a little edgier than usual. When I get sick, I have no one to cook for me or get me meds from the drug store. In fact, like John, I don't even have a car. I have to be able to walk to get what I need to exist -- or failing that, a shit ton of money so I can have everything delivered.

So I had a bone density test.  Between Medicare and Medicare Supplement coverage, it was free. It was painless. And guess what: I do not have osteoporosis. I have suffered some bone loss, but my PCP says it can be slowed with an incremental calcium/Vitamin D supplement. Which I got for $11.99 at Walgreen's. My doctor hopes my readings will be exactly where they are now when I retake the test in 2026. This is important because I need my mobility. Again, no spouse, no wheels. My legs are my #1 mode of transportation and my link to the world.

Last month I took a 24-hour urine test. I just got the results and was happy to talk to my PA-C because he told me my results were "better than fine." He wants me to drink more water, recommends a splash of lemon juice with every glass, and unless I experience another kidney stone, he doesn't think we need talk again until next summer. Again, when I had a kidney stone attack in 2022, I had to decide alone if I should go to the hospital, and if it warranted a call to an ambulance or just a rideshare. These are hard choices to make alone when you're in pain. I'm going to avoid facing them, if I can.

Next month I'm having a mammogram. I have no reason to believe I have breast cancer. But the screening is free and there is no reason not to have it. None. 

I work at the card shop next week. Even though I don't feel like it. It's not the money -- though I like the money. It's the sense of purpose and structure it imposes on my life. Losing my career, then John and then Henry within a two-year span has been life changing. I can go too far into my own head. Too content to watch reruns, read and cuddle my cats. All pleasant diversions, but not social. John showed me the danger of letting my world get smaller.

Then there's my Tuesday routine. First I go to yoga, which I remain very bad at. Then I see my shrink. Both are important. Yoga helps with my mobility and it's teaching me something new. Like my job at the card shop, doing what's new and different helps keep me sharp and engaged. My shrink is my check-in. She keeps me doing what's healthy for my body and spirit.

John did none of the above. John is not only dead, he died in pain. I am here to make sure the pain wasn't for nothing. 

When I scolded him for his lifestyle, he'd quote the song, "Cabaret."

Here's Liza

I used to have a girlfriend known as Elsie with whom I shared four sordid rooms in Chelsea/She wasn't  what you'd call a blushing flower, as a matter of fact she rented by the hour/The day she died the neighbors came to snicker, "Well, that's what comes from too much pills and liquor"/But when I saw her laid out like a queen, she was the happiest corpse I'd ever seen/I think of Elsie to this very day. I remember how she'd turn to me and say/"What good is sitting alone in your room? Come, hear the music play/Life is a cabaret, old chum, come to the cabaret"/And as for me, I made my mind up back in Chelsea, when I go, I'm going like Elsie.

When I said goodbye to John at the hospital, he was not happy. He was skeletal and so weak he was unable to hold a cup and bring it to his lips. His feet were swollen and, had he lived, they would have been amputated. He did not "go like Elsie."

But he also didn't die that way for nothing. I watched. I learned. I do better in his memory. Just as he once taught me how to party till dawn and truly experience my youth, he taught me how not to age.

Thank you, Buddy.

Saturday 9

 Saturday 9: Jolene (1973)

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

1) In this song, Dolly Parton sings about a woman with great hair, great eyes, a great smile and a great voice. OK, so Jolene has it all. Of these, which is your most attractive feature: your hair, your eyes, your smile or your voice? Well, I like my dimples so I'll say smile.

2) Dolly tells us her husband mentions in Jolene in his sleep. Do you talk in your sleep? Sometimes.

3) Dolly has said this song was inspired by a bank teller she caught flirting with her husband. That was in the 1970s. Today we can do our banking from our computers, our phones or a bank ATM. When is the last time you spoke to a banker? Today (Friday). I cashed two rolls of quarters from our laundry room.

4) Dolly had a crush on Johnny Cash. When she was just a teen she saw him perform at The Grand Ole Opry and called it "love at first sight." Are you crushing on anyone right now? Oh, I'm forever and always crushing on someone. Right now it's former manager Joe Maddon. When I listen to his Book of Joe podcast, I just love how manages to insert a Mark Twain or Winston Churchill quote, or maybe an old pop culture reference like Paul Lynde as the center square, into the conversation about baseball. 

5) Dolly is more than a singer/songwriter. She's an industry! Her Dollywood is a theme park, water park, hotel and spa. Looking back on the summer of '24, did you visit a theme park, water park, hotel or spa? This question makes me feel very dull. No, I didn't do any of those things this past summer. I went on vacation last spring and then at Christmas, I'm going to up to Michigan to see my niece, so I tried to be a bit more economical with summer.

6) A luxury stay at Dollywood can get expensive, unless you're the teacher who wins this year's Chasing Rainbows Award from Dolly. She treats a deserving teacher to a week at Dollywood. Tell us about a teacher who made a difference in your life. My third grade teacher was just so very warm. Learning felt like a safe and wonderful adventure in her classroom.

7) Dollywood is in Sevier County, TN. Her ties to the community are strong, and in 2007, Dolly raised the funds to build a new hospital that opened there in 2010. When you were last in a hospital, were you a patient or a visitor? Last month I had a bone density test.

8) In 1973, when "Jolene" was popular, Elvis' "Aloha from Hawaii" concert aired. "Aloha" is the native Hawaiian word used when greeting or parting. Can you say anything else in Hawaiian? Mahalo = Thank you.

9) Random question: Have you more recently eaten cold pizza or cold fried chicken? I'm going to take this opportunity to display my fortune-telling skills. There's pizza in my refrigerator right now. I predict that tomorrow I shall devour at least some of it cold.

 

Sad and scared

That's the kindest way to describe the poor people who believe Donald Trump and not the government when it comes to FEMA and Hurricanes Helene and Milton. 

Read about it here

Have they forgotten how he out-and-out lied to the residents of Alabama about Hurricane Dorian?
As POTUS he actually preferred to cause panic rather than admit he was wrong. His Sharpie-on-the-map stunt was worthy of a fifth-grade boy, which I guess is who he is emotionally. 

Or how about the "soft, beautiful paper towels" he literally threw at Puerto Ricans at a relief center after Hurricane Maria?

Yeah, this is who you should trust for reliable information about a natural disaster.

Sad and scared? Delusional and damaged? I'm trying to balance my scorn with pity. They don't even realize they are being exploited. Unfortunately, we all pay for their gullibility.

 

Thursday Thirteen #381

Regional dishes. I learned during last summer's DNC that the "Chicago Dog" is considered rather exotic. Having grown up here, I shrugged. I thought a dog with "everything" always means mustard, sweet relish, chopped onions, tomatoes, peppers, a dill pickle or cucumber slice, and celery salt. "Drag it through the garden," we say.

But America is vast, and it occurred to me that there are probably a ton of local dishes that would seem just as foreign to me as a Chicago Dog was to visiting Democrats. With a tip of the hat to Eater, I give you a baker's dozen regional favorites.

1. Deep dish pizza. Chicago. Thick pizza baked in a pan. Very gooey. My late friend Henry used to say, "This is not pizza, this is a pizza casserole."

2. Taco pizza. Iowa. Taco-spiced beef with cheddar and mozzarella, lettuce, tomatoes, taco chips and hot sauce.

3. Chicken riggies. Upstate New York. Rigatoni baked with chicken, peppers and a spicy  tomato sauce.

4. Hot chicken. Nashville. Fried chicken coated in cayenne pepper sauce.

5. Bowl and a roll. Lawrence, KS. A bowl of beef-and-bean chili and with a cinnamon roll on the side. Yes, some people actually dip the roll in the chili.

6. The cheese frenchee. Lincoln, NE. A grilled cheese sandwich except it's not grilled. It's  cut into triangles, rolled in corn flakes, and deep fried.

7. Snickers salad. Iowa. A dessert salad of Granny Smith apples, Cool Whip, instant vanilla pudding, and Snickers bars, pounded with a hammer.

8. Brunswick stew. Brunswick County, Virginia. A thick stew with slow-cooked pork (or maybe chicken) and lima beans, corn and tomatoes.

9. Collard greens with ham hock. Appalachia. The greens and ham are slow cooked together.

10. Frogmore Stew. South Carolina. A "one-pot boil" of shrimp, sausage, corn on the cob and potatoes.

11. Wojapi sauce. The Dakotas. A Native American recipe. Chokecherries or raspberries sweetened with maple syrup. Spread over meat or used as a dip for cornbread.

12. Scrapple. Pennsylvania Dutch. A fried loaf made of pork, cornmeal and flour.

13. Thrasher's French Fries. Rehoboth Beach. Fries doused in vinegar.

 

How many of these have you tried?

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

 

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? Ted Kennedy: A Life by John A. Farrell. The brother with the greatest legislative record and the most complicated legacy. Since he was the only one who "lived to comb gray hair," it's fair to ask what he did with the gift of years Joe, Jack and Bobby did not receive.

John Farrell has written a well-received biography of Richard Nixon, so I have high hopes for this one.

2. What did you recently finish reading? Murder by the Book by Rex Stout. A law clerk begins the New Year floating face down in the East River. Weeks later, a book editor becomes the victim of a hit-and-run driver in the Bronx. Two completely unrelated homicides, right? Nero Wolfe doesn't think so. He immediately sees the connection New York's finest have missed. Of course he does. He's a genius.

 

But knowing the deaths are connected doesn't just automatically lead to the killer. That's where Wolfe's assistant Archie Goodwin comes in. He investigates, he rhumbas, he discovers corpses, he talks baseball, he flies to California, he crushes on at least three women, and he uncovers everything Wolfe needs to reveal the murderer.

An entertaining edition to the series.

PS It was written in 1951. In addition to hailing cabs and using phone booths, Archie does something else, something darker, that I hope is no longer in vogue. When sparring with Det. Rowcliff, Archie mocks Rowcliff's stutter. Not cool.

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

 

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!) 

From the start of Ted Kennedy: A Life by John Farrell, there's a push-pull between the comforts of wealth and privilege and the horror of sudden, violent death. When Ted was just 12, his oldest brother Joe Jr. was blown to bits in an in-air explosion during WWII. By the time he was 16, his brother-in-law Billy had been shot by a Nazi sniper and Billy's wife, Ted's sister Kathleen, went down in a plane crash. Then JFK became the oldest son who carried the family standard to new heights and was assassinated. That left Bobby Kennedy as the oldest son, and within 5 years, he, too, was murdered. So the baby, the ninth and last child, became the head of the family at age of 36. Nothing prepared Teddy for this because it was never supposed to be him. He was not suited by personality or propensity. Yet he was now surrogate father to his brothers' 13 children and the hopes of a heartbroken nation were riding on him. The responsibility was crushing. 

I found this observation from Ted Kennedy's youngest son, Patrick, insightful.

What is of interest to people who might study him is the conflict between who he was supposed to be and who he was. I think who he was, was an amazing, authentic person who loved a good time, who loved people, who was gregarious and social and yet, in a way, felt encumbered by a sense of, "I have to be something else and be serious-minded if I'm to be successful, if I'm to be taken seriously ..."

"The upside of my downside"

From page 435 of this book

In a consequential moment of self-awareness, Ted Kennedy understood that his reputation as a womanizer enabled him to be an early activist for AIDS awareness and legislation. His well-known love of the ladies meant he knew he wouldn't face whispers that he was gay because he supported funding for AIDS education and research.

That was in 1989. I didn't meet my darling friend Henry until 1992. One of the first things that we bonded over was our activism. He supported my efforts as a volunteer for Bill Clinton's Presidential campaign. I was there when he needed help for Chicago's annual AIDS Run and Walk. But one thing we never discussed was Ted Kennedy's pivotal role in the crafting and passage of The Ryan White CARE Act.

How I wish we had! I would have loved hearing Henry's take on it all. He was both a proud gay man and a Christian, a product of Catholic schools in Puerto Rico. He was raised to consider JFK, our first Catholic President, a hero. I know he would have observations and opinions on Ted Kennedy's role -- as a Catholic and as a rather rapacious heterosexual -- on AIDS.

Yeah, yeah. I know. "Grief is a journey, not a destination." But I miss Henry so much it hurts. 

I lost both of my parents and my favorite uncle, but I am so much lonelier after losing John and Henry this year. I hurt more. Maybe because I'm not as young or resilient anymore. Maybe because those men were too young to die. Maybe because they were the family I chose. I don't know. 

But I didn't expect this book about Ted Kennedy to trigger legit sorrow. I hate it when grief sneaks up on me like this.

Sunday Stealing

 15 MORE QUESTIONS

1. What gets you fired up? Tuesday, November 5

2. What makes a good life? To borrow from Gone with the Wind, I believe happiness comes from being more Melly than Scarlett. Meaning I try to see the good in everyone or at least acknowledge their humanity. I try to be kind. I often fall short, but I try.

3. What risks are worth taking? It's situational, and I trust my gut on this one

4. Who inspires you to be better? My favorite ball player, Yankee Anthony Rizzo. He's injured so he isn't on the roster for this first round of play-offs, but he was in the dugout, encouraging and advising his teammates. He celebrated his 35th birthday with pediatric cancer patients at the flagship FAO Schwarz store in New York, gifting the kids with a shopping spree. Stories of his generosity here in Chicago are legion. (Example: during covid, he provided catered lunches for hospital workers, acknowledging their efforts and supporting local restaurants that were struggling during lockdown.) He makes me want to do more and do better and do it with joy.

5. What do you have doubts about? Tuesday, November 5.

6. What fact are you resigned to? My waist is gone forever.

7. What book impacted you the most? Saving Graces by Elizabeth Edwards. She inspired me to strengthen my connections to those in my life by allowing myself to be vulnerable and by both receiving and giving. I should reread it before year end.

8. What irrational fear do you have? I'm terrified when I fly.

9. What is the hardest lesson you’ve learned? Wanting ain't getting.

10. What is something you’re self-conscious about? My looks.

11. What are one or two of your favorite smells? Apple and cinnamon.

12. Have you given to charities? Of course.

13. What is the best compliment you have received? "You're a good friend."

14. What chance encounter changed your life forever? Joining my movie group. I thought it would be something new to do. I didn't expect to be energized by finding "my tribe" and meeting Will, Elaine and Joanna, who have become friends.

15. What was the most memorable gift you’ve received? Blaze! He was a rocking horse who not only rocked, he galloped when you bounced up and down. And, when you pulled the magic ring, he whinnied! He was fucking awesome! It was the Christmas when I was four. I will always remember coming into the living room and seeing him under the tree. I wanted him so, and Santa came through! (Thank you, Mommy.)

And they're allowed to operate machinery!

MAGA is so gullible. They believe whatever they're told by a man who panders, sows dissent, and is running to keep himself out of jail.

No, FEMA is not running out of money because it's all going to migrants. Yes, FEMA is suffering a money crunch but that's because Congress refused to allocate additional funds. In September. Oh yeah, who do you think voted against more money for FEMA: The very folks MAGA supports, like Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida. While Florida Sen. Rick Scott didn't oppose it, he simply skipped the vote. So, Floridians, don't blame Joe Biden, Kamala Harris or any of those scary POCs for the straits you're in. Look at your legislators.

How can illegal immigration still be a problem when Donald Trump had four years to build a wall, a beautiful wall, that Mexico paid for? Actually, the Trump Administration only added 80 miles of new wall. That's twenty miles a year. And we paid for it. Yeah, this is the mastermind we want to restore to power.

Kindly stop wrapping your racism in my Christian faith. Instead check out the Book of Matthew: "As you did it to the least of these my brothers, you did it to me." If there's a passage about demonizing vulnerable immigrants for "eating the dogs and eating the cats," I missed it.

Their willful ignorance would be funny if it wasn't so dangerous. There's likely little on earth that Liz Cheney and Bruce Springsteen agree on. Yet they agree that Donald Trump is a threat to this country. I ride with them. 

Saturday 9

 Saturday 9: Love on Top (2011)

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

1) Beyonce sings that she and her lover have worked through a tough time and now they are happier than before. Do you agree with the lyrics that relationships take effort? Or do you think that if a couple is well-matched and their love is real, happiness will naturally follow? I think all relationships take effort, not just romance. Which reminds me, I owe my friend Elaine an email and Cousin Rose a letter.

2) She tells us that he's the one she can always call. But that was in 2011. If someone needed to get in touch with you today, would you recommend they call, send an instant message, or text? Call me on my landline. I don't always hear my cell. (It's often in my purse.)

3) Beyonce goes through many costume changes in this video and in her concert performances. What are you wearing right now as you answer these questions, and will you change clothes throughout the day? I just changed into my pjs. (8:30 on a Friday. Do I live a wild life or what?) Earlier in the day I wore jeans and a t-shirt.

4) The choreography in this video was inspired by Janet Jackson's videos in the 1990s. The Jackson family -- Janet, her brothers as solo artists and as The Jackson 5 -- have sold a staggering 750 million records. Can you think of another successful musical family? Nancy Sinatra had 4 Top 10 hits. I hear her dad was a singer, too.

5) Beyonce and husband Jay-Z have an impressive classic car collection, including a restored and customized 1959 Rolls Royce Silver Cloud II, reportedly worth $1,000,000. If you suddenly received a million, what would you splurge on? We want to hear about a gift you'd give yourself. (It doesn't have to take the whole $1,000,000.) I'd like to rent an apartment, move in, and then renovate my condo. Hardwood floors with throw rugs instead of carpeting. Fresh paint everywhere and faux exposed brick in the dining room. New refrigerator and stove. New kitchen cabinets. What the hell! Let's have new bedroom and bathroom doors, too! Why stop there? Let's get new window treatments. All this work would be so much easier if the unit was empty, hence the rental, and I had unlimited funds. When it was finally done I'd move back into a home that reflected me.

6) Beyonce "loves to lather" and enjoys shampooing her hair. What's a simple, everyday thing that relaxes you? Who knew Beyonce and I had something in common! I love my time in the shower. Afterward, the world always looks a little better.

7) In 2011, when "Love on Top" was popular, so were movie franchises. Sequels to Harry Potter, Transformers, Twilight, Kung Foo Panda, and Disney's Cars and Pirates of the Caribbean all topped the box office. What's your favorite movie series? Between 1934 and 1947, there were six Thin Man movies. The first three are my favorites. Nick and Nora Charles, and their very cool dog, Asta, solve murder, drink martinis, make marriage seem sexy and are just so damn funny.

 

8) Speaking of sequels, Stieg Larsson's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and two of its sequels (The Girl Who Played with Fire and the The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest) were on the NY Times list of fiction bestsellers for 2011. Have you read any of them? I tried to read the first one. It was so violent and dystopian that I quickly gave up. I know they're popular -- all the "Girl Who" books re-sell well at the annual library book sale -- so if you enjoy them, well, chacun a son got.

9) Random question -- Which of these items do you misplace most often: your cellphone, your keys or the TV remote? It's a tie between one and three.

 

Thursday Thirteen #379

This one is for her. I am currently reading Ted Kennedy: A Life by John Farrell. It's a serious yet very readable book. While it's sympathetic, it's balanced. That means Chappaquiddick is explored in detail and unsparingly. 

Chappaquiddick continues to break my heart not because of what it meant to Kennedy's career or Camelot. It haunts me because of Mary Jo Kopechne. Even now, decades later, she's "the dead girl."* "The blonde in the backseat." The implication is that she was a party girl or groupie, looking to lay a powerful man.

It's not true. 

There is no evidence that she and Ted Kennedy had a physical relationship. None. Zip. Zilch. 

But here are 13 facts about the serious young woman who, by dying one week shy of her 29th birthday, made her way into American history.

1. Mary Jo was the only child of Gwen and Joseph Kopechne. Her mom was a homemaker, her dad an insurance salesman.

2. She was a Red Sox fan and her favorite player was Carl Yastrzemski. 

3. Though naturally shy, she participated in high school musicals because she loved to dance.

4. After high school she intended to become a career secretary so she studied business administration New Jersey’s Caldwell College for Women (Class of '62).

5. But she was moved by JFK’s admonition to “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” So she instead explored ways to participate in the Civil Rights Movement.

6. First she moved to Montgomery, AL, where she used what she learned at Caldwell to teach typing and shorthand at an inner city high school to help the girls get jobs after graduation.

7. Then she moved to Washington DC, where she took a position in Sen. George Smathers’ office. While he had a reputation as a rake, she became known for her reserve. The standing joke was that she was the secretary hired to actually type and take dictation.

8. She didn’t drink or party with her coworkers but did play catcher on the Smathers softball team.

9. When Robert Kennedy became a Senator in 1965, she took a job in his office. She considered herself on-call 24/7. Ethel Kennedy recalled her husband bringing Mary Jo home so they could continue working overnight as he revised a Senate floor speech on Vietnam. She also occasionally babysat Robert and Ethel’s youngest children.

10. She threw herself into RFK’s 1968 Presidential campaign, becoming one of the six “Boiler Room Girls.” They were political operatives, not secretaries, as they would later dismissively be described in the press. They were in constant communication with regional Kennedy campaign offices, advising and notating the ground game. At the end of the day, they reported directly to Bobby and his campaign manager.

11. When Bobby Kennedy was assassinated, she was devastated. She lost the best job she could imagine in the worst way possible. She was eager to leave Washington DC.

12. She joined the Southern Political Education and Action Committee, concentrating on registering African-American voters in Florida.

13. In July 1969, 13 months after RFK's death, she went to Martha's Vineyard. She told friends she was looking forward to a “Boiler Girls” reunion and hoped to play touch football. She said she'd be back to work on Tuesday.

RIP, Miss Kopechne.

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

*Farrell's book treats her with respect, I'm happy to say.

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? Murder by the Book by Rex Stout. The new year begins on a promising note for Archie Goodwin. Inspector Cramer (Manhattan, homicide) shows up on the doorstep of Archie's boss, private investigator Nero Wolfe, asking for a favor, and Archie so enjoys it when the police are indebted to Wolfe. Cramer wants help with a murder, a law clerk who was fished out of the East River on New Year's Day. They have no leads. Alas, Wolfe is no help. He listens, but he's lazy and after all, there's no fee involved.

 

But then, weeks later, a distraught father from Peoria, IL also rings the bell. His 20-something daughter is dead, the result of a hit-and-run in the Bronx. Dad refuses to believe it was an accident and hires Wolfe, who immediately sees a connection between the two cases.

Two deaths, two seemingly unrelated victims, 10 miles and 5 weeks apart. What's the link? Leave it to our genius, Nero Wolfe, to see it. So far, it's been great fun to investigate along with Archie.

 

2. What did you recently finish reading? We Are Too Many by Hannah Pittard. The emotional and self-revelatory memoir of the end of a marriage. Hannah and Trish are best friends. Trish, already married, introduces Hannah to Patrick. After a promising beginning, Hannah and Patrick begin to drift apart. Trish and Patrick have an affair and Hannah's life goes BLOOEY!

 

A very interesting book. The author is smart and talented and her writing is innovative. But I'm not sure I enjoyed it, so I don't think I recommend it.

3. What will you read next? A biography of Ted Kennedy.