August Happiness Challenge – Day 9

My 2026 Happiness Icon

Today's Happiness: Bregmania. Lots of fans – my nephew included – are hard on Cubs third baseman Alex Bregman. Yes, he signed in January for a monstrously large sum of money and yes, his season got off to a slow start. Obviously he wants to do better and earn his keep! I'm very simple that way: If you're wearing Cubbie blue, I love you.

 

Well my good vibes and full-throated defense have paid off. Since the All Star Break, he has had 3 HRs and 12 RBIs. Just today he was 3 for 6!

 

You're welcome, Alex. 😉 

 

  

Happy August Happiness Challenge!

 

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

 

 

A-HA!

The lightbulb went off first thing. This morning at church, our service opened with a prayer that advised us: "Choosing joy is a holy act of defiance." 

 

It's hard in the Age of Trump. MAGA has co-opted my Christian faith and pretends it is about xenophobia, homo/transphobia, and casual cruelty. That does not remotely represent the Jesus of my heart, and this makes me want to shake my fist at the clouds. It leaves me rebellious.

 

Then I heard the prayer. A-ha! I get it now. I'm not going to deny the ugliness of our times. That would be delusional. But I'm going to rebel, to defy MAGA by being a happy warrior. By choosing to face forward and joyfully work on change with love. Yesterday I posted about how my favorite most Cub always seems so passionate and happy in his mission to help pediatric cancer patients. He's like a golden retriever puppy in human form. Maybe he already knows what I'm trying to learn: that choosing joy in the face of sorrow and fear is "a holy act of defiance."

 

Then there's our prayer at the offertory: "May we be transformed by our giving, and may the world be transformed by our gifts." My giving is not limited to money (though money is important). It's my time and my gifts and my spirit, too. So this week, as I write my Letters Against Isolation and my Postcards to Swing States, I want to be more intentional. That way my acts can bring me joy and solace as I change my country around me. 

 

Sunday Stealing

Answers these questions when you don't have anything to blog about ... 

1) Describe your typical weekend, and tell us how this weekend has been different. I eat out a lot on weekends. This one has been no different. The highlight of Saturday was ribs, so I'll try to grab something healthier today.

2) What food hits your bliss spot? Prime rib. I haven't had it in more than a year, but I practically dream about it.

 

3) Where did you stay on your last vacation (hotel, Airbnb/Vrbo, friends/family)? The Loews in Hollywood. It's a very nice hotel, but that's not why it's my home-away-from-home in LA. It's literally attached to four of the theaters that participate in the TCM Classic Film Festival, which makes it hard (but not impossible) for me to get lost. Really, I have no sense of direction in the best of times and when I'm in my classic film haze, blabbing with my tribe, I am positively ditzy.

4) If you had a personality eraser, what part of yours would you erase? After reading #3, you might think I'd try to erase the part of me that's so easily distracted. But no! I'd like to erase my lazy streak, which is as wide as it is long.

 

5) Think of your friends. Tell us about the first one who popped into your head. Nancy. Maybe I thought of her first because I owe her an email. Anyway, we were coworkers long ago and I happened to run into her (almost literally) on an escalator more than a decade later. I consider that a lucky accident. Nancy is smart and interesting and now married to Paul, who is sweet and funny. They are a nice package deal.

 

 

August Happiness Challenge – Day 8

My 2026 Happiness Icon

Today's Happiness: Anthony Rizzo Appreciation Post. Today is my favorite-most Cub's 37th birthday. He has not been a major league player since 2024, but that hasn't diminished his impact. It's difficult to get hard-and-fast numbers on these things, but it's estimated that his foundation donated $2,000,000 in 2025 across three hospitals: Joe DiMaggio's Children's Hospital in Hollywood, FL; Montefiore Children's Hospital in the Bronx; Lurie Children's Hospital here in Chicago. 

 

Then there are the grants. These are the ones that touch my heart the deepest. Families with a child fighting cancer face expenses insurance won't cover. Hospitals charge for parking, cafeterias charge for meals. A child with leukemia can require months of chemo, while his parents only get two weeks of vacation with pay. How will they make the mortgage? What about daycare for the other kids in the family? Where can they turn? Anthony Rizzo. He has a toy drive each year at Christmas for families so that the siblings get gifts under the tree, too, because, as he's fond of reminding us, families fight pediatric cancer. Now we can argue that things are pretty fucked up if desperate parents have to count on the largesse of a retired first baseman, but the lucky thing is that ballplayer is the indefatigable Anthony Rizzo.

 

He's been on my mind between his birthday and his annual auction, which ran last week during the Cubs-Yankees series. Fans bid on everything from a Taylor Swift autographed guitar for $1,950 to a backstage pass to Watch What Happens Live for $3,000 (who knew Andy Cohen was such a big baseball fan?) to an on-field meet-and-greet with current Cub phenom Pete Crow-Armstrong for $35,500. I'm happy that even though he's retired, celebrities still came through with donations.

 

And I'm happy he's in the world. He gives tirelessly and with a joyful heart and that makes him my hero. 

  

Happy August Happiness Challenge!

 

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

 

 

Maybe it was only weird for me

Most everything in my neighborhood that matters to me is on one street and within blocks. My bank, the movie theaters, the card shop where I work, two Italian restaurants and one Chinese, my grocery store. It's all there. So that's where I spend most of my life, walking west on that street. If I turn and walk east, I'm at my church. It's right there. But unless I'm headed to church or the post office, I don't walk that way.

Last fall, my church sent up a little "honor system" pantry on the porch of the rectory. There's an old refrigerator and a free standing cabinet available 24/7. It's unfortunately necessary because the "official" food pantry – which does great work that I also support* – requires clients present ID confirming residency and fill out paperwork. Many homeless people do not have mailing addresses, and many others who fear ICE don't want to be found on the food distribution days where they can be "rounded up." It's important to note that ICE is prohibited from stepping onto our porch because it's church property ... and because they totally suck.

Anyway, this week as I dropped food off in the cabinet on the porch, I ran into two homeless gentlemen eating lunch at the picnic table placed there for that purpose. It was the first time I ever saw anyone seated at the table, enjoying the food available to them. They were eating what I assume was peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, but I didn't look too closely because I was embarrassed.

 

I don't know why I was uncomfortable. They were pleasant and friendly as I added a couple pouches of "tuna to go," a packet of Ramen and a tin of those little Armour sausages to the cabinet. I guess it was weird to feel like Lady Bountiful.

When I was done with my business at the post office, I walked past the rectory porch again and again saw someone. This time an elderly woman, accompanied by two little kids. She represents another group the "official" food pantry can't help. To qualify for food there, your income has to fall below a certain level. What frequently happens is that seniors have trouble making ends meet on their Social Security but they still receive too much for the free food. So they end up on my church's rectory porch.

She had a small Target shopping bag filled with food, but I don't know what she took. Mac and cheese, probably. Kids like it and there's always multiple boxes of mac and cheese in that cabinet. Anyway, I didn't want to stare. I didn't want her to feel she was on display in anyway.

Now that I've seen the picnic table in use, I have gone back with the ketchup and salt packets and disposable plasticware that was cluttering my kitchen drawer. If people are making sandwiches there, these items might come in handy.

So I'm glad I walked east. I need to see who my neighbors are. I feel fortunate to be able to help them. I just wish encountering those in need didn't make me feel so awkward. I think perhaps because it's uncomfortable to confront how we're letting one another down. 

*I'm more careful about the nutrition content of the non-perishables I donate to the "official" food pantry. Usually I go with pasta, soup or canned beans and tuna, because people who receive free food from there have homes with kitchens. Since so many who visit the rectory porch are homeless, it's a little trickier.  

Saturday 9

 Saturday 9: Sugar, Sugar (1969)

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

1) This week's song is credited to The Archies, a band that never actually existed. The song is performed by singer Ron Dante and studio musicians and backup singers hired on behalf of the five members of the popular Saturday morning Archie Show. Were you a fan of this animated series? Nope.

2) Archie was Archibald Andrews, a character first introduced in the 1941 comic strip. Archie was the linchpin, the leader of the band, and the center of his social group. Tell us about one of the popular kids from your school days. Linda was tall and had stick straight hair. I thought she was the prettiest girl in class (K-8). She also had a remove that made her seem mature (as mature as an 11-year-old can be).

3) The Archies' drummer was Jughead Jones. He was smart, funny, and had a fondness for headwear. Do you often wear hats or caps? Nope.

4) Reggie was the lead singer and bass player. He was a gifted athlete who liked to come in first. If he couldn't win with his natural talents, he was not above cheating. Have you ever cheated in a friendly game? I must have but honestly, I can't think of a single time. So maybe I haven't?

5) Blonde Betty Cooper was on the tambourine. Her hobbies include playing baseball, caring for her cat, and helping Archie work on his car. Tell us three of your favorite pastimes. Watching baseball, caring for my cats and watching movies.

6) Raven-haired Veronica Lodge was the keyboardist and joined Betty for backup vocals. She was a fashion plate, known and loved by Riverdale store owners because of her willingness to spend big bucks to stay on trend. What's the latest thing you've added to your wardrobe? I just got a new bra.

7) The biggest news story of 1969 was one of the biggest stories in history. On July 21, man first stepped onto the moon. Without looking it up, do you remember the astronaut's name? Neil Armstrong.

8) Also in 1969, Triple H was born and today he's in the WWE Hall of Fame. Do you follow professional wrestling? Nope.

9) Random question – Would you prefer to be: a) super successful in business or b) a politician elected to an influential office or c) a champion athlete? A. I think I'd be good at it, except that I don't like authority, which makes being in authority hard for me.

 

August Happiness Challenge – Day 7

 

My 2026 Happiness Icon

Today's Happiness: A new way to recycle. Today for the first time I returned a sack of plastic stuff to Ridwell. It contained bubble wrap and padded envelopes and the thin plastic wrapper that went around my paper towels and ... and ... and ... These are all items that can't be recycled (at least not around here) and would end up in the landfill. But now they will be reused, turned into trash can liners and material to make decks and outdoor furniture.

 

I think of my 14-month-old little grandniece Violet and the world I want her to have. Being more responsible to the planet makes me happy. 

  

Happy August Happiness Challenge!

 

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

 

August Happiness Challenge – Day 6

My 2026 Happiness Icon

Today's Happiness: Linner. After work today, I stopped by my favorite Italian restaurant and got spaghetti with meat sauce and garlic bread to go. I love the sauce. The meat sauce on the spaghetti is so tasty, and they always give me too much marinara with the garlic bread, which I look forward to using to dress up a cup of Minute Rice tomorrow. On top of all this, I'm in their rewards program and am well on my way to a freebie.

 

So my late lunch/early dinner made me ever so happy today. 

  

Happy August Happiness Challenge!

 

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

 

I should have fur

I have a nasty rash. The itchy and redness started during our most recent heatwave and it hasn't gone away. Not for weeks. Don't worry, I won't burden you with any more details than that. Today I finally broke down and made an appointment with the dermatologist – a week from Tuesday. I wasn't satisfied with that so I also tried my nurse practitioner, but she's booked even further out.

But that's not the point of this post. Roy Hobbs is. 

In the middle of July he had his annual checkup. He got his vaccinations and was declared healthy ... except. The vet noted some gingivitis and advised that he have a thorough teeth cleaning, which requires anesthetic. It's always a good idea to have bloodwork done before putting a cat under, so we scheduled that. Since he's lost a bit of weight – the vet tech praised Roy Hobbs' "beach bod" – it seemed wise to take a closer look. Is he just reaping the benefit of a better diet and closer attention to his digestive tract, or is something wrong? So when we scheduled the bloodwork, I enthusiastically agreed to an urinalysis and abdominal ultrasound. I am thrilled to report he's 100% healthy and his dental work has been scheduled.

It occurs to me that if Roy Hobbs or Connie had an angry red rash, I wouldn't wait weeks before calling the vet, and I wouldn't wait even more longer for an appointment. I admit I'm not eager to see the dermatologist and am hoping against hope this red, scaly mess clears up before the appointment so I can cancel. Oh, I know that's unlikely. I'm just expressing where my head is. 

Roy Hobbs – who has nothing especially wrong – will have had three vet appointments to my one doctor's appointment. I should be as careful with myself as I am with my critters.

  

Photo by Olga Kononenko on Unsplash 

 

Thursday Thirteen #474

 Syndicated drama. Last week I shared the 13 most lucrative sitcoms in syndication. TV dramas are often rerun, too, but less often because they tend to be an hour long, which makes them less flexible to schedule. While old comedies like I Love Lucy are still often rerun, I don't see any vintage dramas on this list.

Platforms report views differently so it's impossible to determine what shows are most popular. Instead this list is the 13 titles that cost the most for channels and platforms to buy. Mark Harmon was rumored to make $500,000/episode during his last seasons on NCIS. Considering that it's still making a ton of money for CBS/Paramount, they got their money's worth.

1. NCIS (2004 - )

2. Grey's Anatomy (2005 - )

3. The X-Files (1993-2002)

4. Breaking Bad (2008-2013)

5. The Sopranos (1999-2007)

6. Game of Thrones (2011-2019)

7. Mad Men (2007-2015)

8. ER (1994-2009)

9. Law & Order: SVU (1999- )

10. Stranger Things (2016- )

11. House (2004-2012)

12. The Walking Dead (2010-2022)

13. Criminal Minds (2005-2020)

How about you? Any favorites here? To be honest, I wouldn't curl up to watch any of these. I am second to none in my appreciation for Mad Men, but it gives me PTSD. (Do you suppose many mobsters watch The Sopranos?) I enjoyed SVU and NCIS when they first ran, but I dunno, now they either seem too violent/depressing or not worth the investment of time. If I'm going to settle in for more than an hour, I'll watch a movie.

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

 

 

August Happiness Challenge – Day 5

My 2026 Happiness Icon

Today's Happiness: Sweep! The Dodgers are the reigning World Series champs. My Cubs welcomed them to Wrigley by winning three games out of three. Yeah, I know it may be boring that for three straight days now I have rhapsodized about the joy baseball brings me but I also feel very fortunate that something so simple makes me so happy. 

 

I'm also happy I'm alive when Shohei Ohtani and Pete Crow-Armstrong are in the world. I saw greatness on display for those three games. Plus I was texting my nephew throughout today's game. I love how baseball binds us.

 

Fly the W!

 

Happy August Happiness Challenge!

 

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

 

WWW.WEDNESDAY

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? Dear Debbie by Freida McFadden. I know the author is very popular but this is my first exposure to her. So far, it's entertainingly twisty. Debbie Mullen is a nice suburban housewife. She lives with her husband and teenaged daughters in a house they can't quite afford. Her husband is an accountant and she has a part-time job as an advice columnist for the local paper (hence the title, Dear Debbie). She gardens, she goes to book club, she and her husband share a membership at the local gym. From the outside, it all looks so normal.

 

Let's just say looks can be deceiving. 

 

It's one of those books I think about when I'm not reading it. I'm trying to ignore some nagging plot holes as the story carries me along. 

 

2. What did you recently finish reading?  Lincoln's Last Trial by Dan Abrams. Lincoln myth emphasizes his humble origins and it's true, he was born in a one-room log cabin and once supported himself by manual labor (splitting rails). But he was also a very successful, albeit mostly self taught, lawyer. When you tour the Lincoln sites in Springfield, IL, you can see his home in contrast to the others of the time and it was bigger (he added the second floor) and nicer (its kitchen was very modern for the era). So I was happy this facet of Abe's life is at center stage. Yes, he often took cases for no fee if his clients couldn't afford it, but he also acted as prosecutor for the State of Illinois* and represented corporate concerns in civil litigation. The work was lucrative and he was well paid because he was very good.

 

The Mr. Lincoln on these pages is ambitious. He was well on his way to becoming a national figure when he took the case of accused killer Peachy Quinn, and took the unusual step of hiring R. R. Hitt as his stenographer. Court reporters were not standard at that time, but Lincoln wanted a record of this trial that he could use to burnish his image ... if he won.

 

The case was important, not only to Abe professionally but to all of Springfield. Peachy Quinn stabbed Greek Crafton. Both were known to Lincoln and to most folks in town, as well. Springfield was divided. Either Peachy was unjustly accused of murder and was just defending himself against a much larger man, or Greek had been viciously slashed by a hothead who could easily have just walked away but instead brandished a weapon.

There were matters of law argued here, and Lincoln's steno man got just about every word. How much force is justifiable as self defense? Did Quinn choose to carry his knife that day because he believed he was in danger, or was he looking for Grafton and spoiling for a fight? Should Greek's words to a minister on his deathbed be admissible? Does it matter that – how's this for small town life? – the minister he confessed to was his killer's grandfather? I found it all fascinating and placed myself in the jury box (even though as a woman I would not be eligible to be juror).

 

I don't need my Lincoln to be as simple and good as Santa Claus. I want to know the real man: smart, strategic, ambitious and at times manipulative. He was all those things in service of causes he believed in, and we're all better for it. 

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

 

  

 

*That's one of the cooler things I learned. Back in the 1850s, lawyers had no specialties. There were no district attorneys, no defense attorneys, no corporate lawyers, etc. A lawyer was a lawyer. When the State needed to prosecute somebody, the assigned judge would hire someone locally to represent the State. Like many lawyers at the time, Mr. Lincoln didn't focus on prosecution or defense and considered any job that came his way. 

 

August Happiness Challenge: Day 4

My 2026 Happiness Icon

Today's Happiness: Take Me Out to the Ballgame. Seeing Cookie Monster in a Cubs jersey will never not bring joy.

 

Happy August Happiness Challenge!

 

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

 

August Happiness Challenge – Day 3

My 2026 Happiness Icon

Today's Happiness: Go, Cubs, Go! The Dodgers are the best team in baseball and my guys beat them. Convincingly. So I'm going to sleep happy.

 

 

Happy August Happiness Challenge!

 

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

 

August Happiness Challenge – Day 2

Today's Happiness: Not so hot. I mean that literally. Today I don't think the mercury reached 80º and, oh! It was such a relief! It was so nice to be able to stroll around my neighborhood in comfort. I looked up to the sky and was just delighted by how full and green the trees are. We're more than halfway through summer and I don't think I stop to enjoy the view as often as I should. It doesn't stay this way forever, you know. Autumn and winter bring their own beauty, for sure, but this is special and unique to summer.

I was headed to my favorite rib place for Sunday dinner and found them to be quite short handed. I had to wait longer than usual for my to-go order and used the time to look at the walls. I stared for a while at the ornately framed photo of the owner's grandmother – the one lady who developed their barbecue sauce – and then noticed for the first time another framed photo. A skinny, vaguely familiar middle-aged man had his arm around the owner. ALICE COOPER! Oh, it was Alice Cooper alright. He signed the picture. I just didn't immediately recognize him with a baseball cap but minus the mascara. 

 

So me and Alice, we like the same rib joint. That made me happy, too. Sometimes if you just take a moment to notice things, you'll get a little jolt of joy.

Happy August Happiness Challenge!

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

 

Sunday Stealing

Bold the Ones You've Done

Have you ever ...

1. Slept under the stars


2. Played in a band


3. Visited Hawaii 


4. Visited Easter Island 

5. Watched a meteor shower


6. Seen the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace


7. Been to Disneyland or Disney World 


8. Climbed a mountain 


I love this view. Every spring I hiked from my hotel (The Arlington, the big building at an angle, center right) up the Ouchita Mountain and then to the top of the Hot Springs Mountain Tower (on the left). I haven't done this in more than 20 years and I'm quite sure my knees can no longer handle it. I know there's an elevator to the top of the Tower, which I callously once thought only wimps used. I wonder if I could take a Lyft or Uber to the Tower. I have no plans to go. It just makes me sad to think maybe I'll never see this again.

9. Held a praying mantis

10. Been to the Louvre 

11. Had food poisoning


12. Eaten vegetables you grew yourself


13. Slept overnight on a train 


14. Built a snow fort


15. Held a lamb


16. Gone skinny dipping


17. Been on a cruise (day cruises and dinner cruises count)

18. Seen Niagara Falls 


19. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors


20. Sung karaoke


21. Sat for a portrait

22. Walked on a beach by moonlight


23. Been transported in an ambulance


24. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling 


25. Kissed in the rain


26. Played in the mud


27. Gone to a drive-in theater

28. Changed your vehicle's oil yourself

29. Taken a martial arts class 


30. Visited the Vatican


31. Volunteered at a soup kitchen or food pantry


32. Sold Girl Scout cookies

33. Bought a used car

34. Sat on a jury

35. Ridden an elephant

 

August Happiness Challenge: Day 1

My 2026 Happiness Icon

Today's Happiness: Love in the air. I had lunch today with my nephew and his lady friend. They were telling me about their evenings "at home" playing cards and she admitted she was the more competitive of the two and found it frustrating how easily he won. Then she said, "But I love him." Out loud, just like that!

 

When she got up to move her car, leaving us alone for a moment, I asked him, "So are you two shacking up?" He rather shyly told me he was in the process of moving in. Her lease expired yesterday and she took the larger apartment literally across the hall, so there's no real rush. They jointly invited me for pizza next month, when they are moved in and settled.

 

This is huge. She is the first serious girlfriend he's had since high school. I like her and the influence she has had on him. Years ago, when he was entering college, he couldn't decide between being a history teacher and being a staffer for a politician. Unfortunately the crudeness and intentional cruelty of MAGA had turned him off politics (just another ugly thing Donald Trump will be judged on by historians and God). That's when he picked up sports journalism and, while he has enjoyed it, it's never going to be a real career for him. Here he is, in his mid-20s, living in his old bedroom in his parents' house. Since he works remotely, he's never had to commute to work. Or pay rent or a utility bill. 

 

She's helped him reignite his interest in public service. He's pursuing a career in teaching and is considering special education as his specialty. He's now part of a couple – she went on vacation with his parents last month and endures me on a monthly basis, he has begun socializing with her friends.

 

Is this forever? Do I think they'll marry? Oh, who cares? They're in love now. And I'll always be grateful to her for helping him evolve, for taking him back to the future, back to the teenager who wanted to share his passion for American history with others.

 

I love my nephew very much, so this makes me happy, too. 

Happy August Happiness Challenge!

 

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

 

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Coconut (1971)

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

This month Saturday 9 will be tasty, featuring songs with food in the title.

1) This song is about a woman who complains of a belly ache. How's your tummy this morning? This morning it's fine, thank you. 

2) She responds to this malady by calling the doctor. What if you chose to address the problem yourself? Are there currently any OTC digestive aids in your medicine chest? Not in my medicine chest. But only because it's too humid in there. I keep Pepto Bismol, Immodium and Lactaid in the kitchen and in my purse.

3) Coconut was once a popular ice cream flavor, but no more. It's not on the list of top sellers at Baskin Robbins or Cold Stone. When you last had ice cream, what flavor was it? I don't remember! They didn't have my go-to – mint chocolate chip – so I went with one of the flavors they were promoting. What I remember best is the chocolate sauce. It was very good. (But really, it's so seldom I run into chocolate I don't like.)

4) Coconut remains popular in baking. It's easy to find recipes for coconut pie, coconut cheesecake, coconut cookies ... you get the idea. Have you recently tried a new recipe? If yes, how did it turn out? I can't recall the last time I tried a new recipe.

5) This week's featured artist, Harry Nilsson, was a well known free spirit. He liked to party and had a reputation for not adhering to a schedule. Therefore it's a little surprising that one of his first jobs was in the conservative atmosphere of a small bank. Do you prefer a more structured workplace? I guess it depends on the kind of structure. When I was at the ad agency, I liked adhering to a schedule and process because I felt free to be more creative, knowing there was a reliable system supporting me. But I chafed at being told what to wear or being dissuaded from displaying personal items. If I'm not meeting with the client, why do you care about my Beatles t-shirt or my Cubs pennant? 

6) Harry met Micky Dolenz when The Monkees recorded his song, "Cuddly Toy" and they became fast and life-long friends. Can you think of someone you met and quickly "clicked" with? My former boss at the card shop, CeeCee. I liked her instantly and never changed my opinion. She has taken her talents to a clothing store a few blocks away and I still run into her on occasion and it always brightens my day. If you don't like CeeCee, there's something very wrong with you.

7) In 1971, when this song was on the radio, detective shows were popular on TV. Mannix, Ironside and Cannon were all in the Top 20. Do you think you'd make a good private investigator? No. I cannot see myself on a stake out. I'd either doze off or fixate on where I would go to pee.

8) England's Princess Anne turned 21 in 1971 and the occasion was commemorated with an official portrait taken by fashion photographer Norman Parkinson. Who took the most recent photo of you? I had lunch last weekend with two former coworkers and Rita snapped a selfie. Her selfies always come out better than mine so I didn't bother. She sent me hers.

9) Random question: You can redecorate any one room in your home, money is no object. But only one room. Which room do you pick? The kitchen. I'd replace the refrigerator, stove, floors, and cabinets. I'm no cook, but spending time in there is unavoidable and it would make my life easier and more pleasant to renovate it. (Do they have self-cleaning floors now? I vacuum all the time but somehow that floor always needs a good mopping.)