Thursday Thirteen #466

Birthday Girl. This month classic movie fans are celebrating the centennial of Marilyn Monroe. She remains the most recognizable star Hollywood has ever produced, and is among the most famous American women ever. Today she's known all over the world, identified more for her whispery voice, platinum hair and tragic personal life than her work. 

That's too bad, because she cared about her craft. She completed 29 films in 14 years, though her appearances in the first 4 are blink-and-you'll-miss-her. Of the remaining 25, these are the ones I recommend. She does not have the quality oeuvre of Bette Davis or Barbara Stanwyck, two actresses with whom she shared the screen. But Marilyn did her best with what she was given and was often very good. She made a shit ton of money for an industry that never respected her, and she was always fascinating to watch.

1. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953). She was showgirl Lorelei Lee who wore hot pink and believed "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend." She's silly and funny as the girl who very wisely plays dumb. BTW, here's another reason to love Ryan Gosling: he used his live performance of "I'm Just Ken" at the 2024 Oscars to pay homage to Marilyn's "Diamonds" number.

2. Some Like It Hot (1959). On a snowy night in Chicago, two musicians witness a certain Valentine's Day mass shooting. To escape the mob, they dress in drag and travel out of town with an all-girl band. Marilyn is luminous as Sugar Kane, the boozy and confused lead singer. They fall in love with her, and you will, too. (The 80s TV show Bosom Buddies owes an awful lot to this movie.)

3. All About Eve (1950). This is the best movie on this list, though it's Bette Davis' show, not Marilyn's. She has a small (two scenes?) but cleverly-written role as Miss Caswell, "an actress and graduate of the Copacabana School of Dramatic Arts." Miss Caswell may be only moderately talented, but she's smart enough to persuade New York's most famous theater critic to mentor her.

4. The Misfits (1961). She's in Reno for a quickie divorce. She unwisely begins a rebound relationship with a much older man, a cowboy played by Clark Gable. Initially they seem to have nothing in common, but it turns out they are both emotionally battered and can give each other hope for the future. At least that's what I think it's about. I've seen it several times – it has an amazing cast and terrific dialog – but it's not one of Arthur Miller's better works. Still, there's such real affection between Marilyn and Gable that I find it touching. (It was the last completed film for both of them.) 

5. Bus Stop (1956). A naive cowboy falls in love at first sight with a showgirl performing at a rural bus stop and decides to make her his wife. She's a painfully bad singer – not quite as awful as Meryl Streep in Florence Foster Jenkins, but certainly prettier – yet he stubbornly insists she's "an angel." Often mentioned as Marilyn's own favorite Marilyn movie, she is good as a world-weary woman who longs to see herself as he does. 

6. How to Marry a Millionaire (1953). Three women set out to ... well ... find rich husbands. Hey! It was the 1950s. The thing that elevates this comedy is the camaraderie among the three stars, each gorgeous in her own way. Lauren Bacall, Betty Grable and Marilyn could be the precursors of Carrie Bradshaw and her SATC posse. 

7. There's No Business Like Show Business (1954). One of those musicals about a family of performers who believe the show must go on and all those other cliches. The movie is not very good, but Marilyn has two great numbers, "(We're Having a) Heat Wave" and "After You Get What You Want You Don't Want It." Seeing her in gorgeous clothes, dancing well and putting her songs across, you enjoy her work as the untalented showgirl in Bus Stop even more.

8. Niagara (1953). This movie is a curiosity because it's the only time Marilyn plays a completely unsympathetic character. She's Rose, a sexy siren who is so very over her husband and open to all ways out of her unhappy situation. She's unlikable, for sure, but you can't take your eyes off her.

9. Don't Bother to Knock (1952). This one surprised me. Marilyn plays an unhappy girl who gets a gig babysitting a little girl at a hotel where the parents are out-of-town guests. She finds herself attracted to one of the other guests and makes up an alternate identity for herself, pretending that the nice clothes and makeup in the hotel room belong to her, not the little girl's mother. Eventually we realize she's batty. It's a little, low budget movie, barely over an hour long, but Marilyn handles her dramatic part well.

10. Clash by Night (1952). Marilyn has a rather small part in this one, but she's sweet as a young girl in love. Her boyfriend has a big sister (Barbara Stanwyck, the star). Sis is unhappily married with a baby, and Marilyn's character is worried about ending up as unsatisfied as the older woman. 

11. O. Henry's Full House (1952). Marilyn appears in the first of four vignettes. A homeless man is tired of life in the cold and wants to get himself arrested so he can enjoy a bed and three squares. He approaches a pretty young woman on the street and makes a lewd suggestion, assuming she will report him for harassment. Marilyn rather charmingly provides the plot twist.  

12. The Prince and The Showgirl (1957). What a weird ass movie this is. Marilyn was as big a star as she would ever be – at least in life – and this is what she chose to do with her power. She produced the movie, and hired Sir Laurence Olivier as her director and co-star and they have no chemistry whatsoever. The title tells you all you need to know about the plot. And yet, when she's on screen, you can't take your eyes off of her, even when she's sharing a scene with the great Olivier. Part of it is her white dress. It deserved a co-starring credit.

13. The Seven Year Itch (1955). I feel like I had to include this one, even though I do not like it one bit. This is THE MOVIE, the one that made Marilyn a superstar, the one where her white skirt blows up. People not yet born will see that iconic image. I find this film to be a smutty affair, where a married man leers at her for 90 minutes. It's all childish sex jokes, like an episode of Three's Company. Marilyn's character is so completely sexualized she doesn't even have a name! She's The Girl. But here's the thing: you like her. She rises above the slop she's given to do and imbues it with humanity. In that way, I suppose this movie is a microcosm of her enduring appeal.

Happy Birthday, Marilyn! Watching you gives me joy. Sending you love and wishing you peace. 

6/1/26 through 8/4/62

 

 

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? Marilyn Monroe: The Biography by Donald Spoto. This is a reread for me. I was inspired to dig it out when I got an email from The Hollywood Roosevelt, which is the TCM Film Festival's mothership. This grand old hotel is celebrating Marilyn Monroe on the occasion of her 100th birthday this month. Then I saw a photo of Lisa K., a Los Angeles-based TCM fest fan who paid her respects by visiting Marilyn's old dressing room on the former Fox lot. So I thought it was time for me to take a moment and reflect on Marilyn. 

 

Her story has always touched me on a number of levels. I first discovered Marilyn when I was in high school. My feminism was awakening at just this time and I saw her as a cautionary tale. She did everything the patriarchy asked of her and it literally broke her. Then I set out to see as many of her movies as I could so I could assess her as an artist, not just a celebrity. Now I'm wondering what it is about her that makes her endure.

 

I first read this particular biography of Marilyn more than a decade ago and recall that Spoto treated his subject with respect. So far, I see I wasn't wrong.  

 

2. What did you recently finish reading? Off the Menu by Stacy Ballis. This book was great on atmosphere. It feels very Chicago. But as a romance it was a yawn. It was slow, it had too many supporting characters and not enough action. Also, two of the main characters were shitty pet parents. I can't go into my gripes in detail without giving away too much of the plot, but I just didn't like two corners of the love triangle. The third? Him I found fascinating, even though I suspect I wasn't supposed to. He had some dimension and his character had an arc.

 

Am I sorry I picked this book up? Maybe. Ballis has a good reputation for chick-lit, and maybe this was just one of her weaker efforts. Someday I may give her another shot.

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

 

  

 

 

Gratitude Challenge: Day 9

I first took this challenge in November 2014 and I think now is a good time to revisit it. Click here for a list of the Gratitude Challenge prompts.

Day 9: Technology I am grateful that I got my TV situation worked out. I moved my living room set to the bedroom, replacing a 20-year-old SD set and I now enjoy better sound. The new TV in the living room has a slightly bigger screen, yet it makes a difference when I'm watching baseball or movies. 

Do I watch too much TV? Absolutely. But it makes me happy. I suppose I'm grateful for that, too. I'm a simple girl and this is a simple pleasure.

Gratitude Challenge – Day 8

I first took this challenge in November 2014 and I think now is a good time to revisit it. Click here for a list of the Gratitude Challenge prompts.

Day 8: Family/Friends I am grateful that I can be as social as I want to be. Or even more social. I've discussed this with my shrink. I can be entirely too comfortable just staying to myself, only talking to the cats and the pizza restaurant when I place my order. I can even attend church via Zoom. Solitude may be easy for me, but that doesn't mean it's good for me. So I've made a commitment to see friends regularly.

This is where I'm lucky. I've got my movie group every Monday and yoga on Tuesday. In addition to those standing get togethers there are lunch dates. This week it's Elaine. Next week it's a lovely local couple I met at the TCM Film Festival.* The following week is my old friend Mindy. Gregory and Joanna have also made noises about wanting to meet up. I owe Nancy an email. 

I know that loneliness among seniors is a big deal. And yes, without my dear friends Henry and John I am lonely. Those two men are irreplaceable. But while I am at times I am lonely, I can choose not to be isolated. I am grateful for the people and opportunities in my life that make that possible.

*Yes, we are neighbors here but first spoke on Hollywood Blvd. Go figure. 

Gratitude Challenge – Day 7

I first took this challenge in November 2014 and I think now is a good time to revisit it. Click here for a list of the Gratitude Challenge prompts.

Day 7: Job This summer I'll likely work just one shift/week at the card shop, and that suits me fine. The other girls I work with – and they are all much younger than I am – are scrambling for more hours, but the fact is that between Mother's Day* and Halloween there really aren't many events that drive people into our shop, and without sales, it's hard to support all of us working at the full schedule.  

I am grateful that I can afford to work one shift/week. I've made a lot of financial mistakes over the years, but one thing I did right was treat my retirement savings as sacred. Whether it was the US Savings Bond payroll savings plan at my first job when I was 17, or the 401(k) programs I participated in at subsequent jobs, once I put that money away I pretended it was gone. I didn't make withdrawals or borrow against it. That puts me in the position today where instead of looking at the light summer schedule as a time for belt tightening, I see it as more time to watch baseball.

I'm also grateful that I work with Alejandra, Zoey and Carla. They are twentysomethings of divergent backgrounds and I appreciate the opportunity to hear their perspectives on life.

*Sorry, Dad, but Father's Day just isn't as lucrative.

Sunday Stealing

10 Questions You Aren't Used To

1. What celebrity would you never want to meet? Roseanne. 

2. What do you label yourself as? American woman.

3. You can only have one sandwich for the rest of your life. You have every sandwich-making ingredient known to man at your disposal. What sandwich do you make? My favorite sandwich is chicken parm on ciabatta, but I don't know how to make it. So if I have to make it myself, I'll go with ham and cheese on wheat, with mayo and lettuce. Maybe sweet relish, or a pickle on the side.

4. An angel provides you with a lifetime supply of the alcoholic beverage of your choice. What's it gonna be? I'll choose this. I just have to add ice. I can make ice.

5. Have you ever built a snowman? Not since I was a kid.

6. If you could ask your future self a question, what would it be? I don't know that I would.

7. Have you ever baked your own birthday cake? No.

8. Which are cooler: dinosaurs or dragons? Dinosaurs.

9. What do you like about babies? I like when they laugh for no obvious reason. I am very curious about baby humor.

10. You discover a beautiful island upon which you may build your own society. What's the first rule you put in place? Be kind.

 

 

Gratitude Challenge: Day 6

I first took this challenge in November 2014 and I think now is a good time to revisit it. Click here for a list of the Gratitude Challenge prompts.

Day 6: Hobbies Is baseball my hobby, or is it my passion? Today's Cub game was thrilling. Down 2-1 with two outs in the 9th, Pete Crow-Armstrong got the home run that sent it into extra innings. My heroes in Cubbie blue ended up prevailing 3-2. 

I am grateful that I have something so accessible that brings me so much joy.

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: For You (1963)

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

1) In this song, Rick Nelson tells us he'd give his girl the stars from sky or a string of pearls. Have you more recently given or received a gift? What was it? June 3 was the first birthday of my great niece, Violet. I sent her a package of gifts and got a pair of adorable photos in return. Violet didn't care much about the clothes, but she liked the board book and was so cute as she shared it with the family cat. It made her happy that her feline buddy likes to lie on it. (If you have a cat, you can imagine this scenario.)

2) By the time this record was released, Rick was already a show business veteran. He had been a regular on his family's sitcom, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, since it began airing on radio when he was just 8. Most of us weren't child performers but many of us had chores around the house. When you were young, did your parents give you an allowance? Yes, but I remember little about money in those days. It just wasn't a serious concern for me. Now when my allowance stopped and I had to get by on my babysitting money, THAT I remember!

3) The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet moved to TV, where fans saw Rick grow into a teen who drove a 1932 Roadster. The car really belonged to Tony La Masa, who collected classic cars and rented them out to TV and movie producers. Have you ever earned or raised money with your hobby? No.

4) Paul McCartney has called Rick Nelson an "underrated singer who could really carry a song" and said Rick was one of his influences. Who do you believe you have influenced, professionally or personally? My twenty-something nephew. It's no accident that he's a progressive Democrat, a major Chicago Cub fan, and his favorite song is "Rosalita" by Bruce Springsteen. It quite humbling that he has paid so much attention to me. I consider myself fortunate that he still enjoys spending time with me.

 

5)  This week's song was already an oldie by the time Rick performed it. "For You" was recorded the first time by Casa Loma Orchestra in 1933. In those days, most records were 78 rpm discs, thick and usually only able to hold 3 to 5 minutes of sound per side. Most record companies stopped producing them in the 1950s. Have you ever seen a "78?" I'm not sure. I do remember that my early record players allowed me to play discs at three speeds: 33-45-78. It was fun to play records at 78 and hear everyone sound like Alvin and The Chipmunks.

 

 

6) The lyrics to "For You" were written by Al Dubin. After Al left college he supported himself as a singing waiter. That's really two jobs in one. Which would you do better at: singer or server? If those are my only two choices, I'm afraid I'll starve.

 

7) The music was written by Joe Burke, whose last hit song was "Rambling Rose," recorded in 1948 by Perry Como. Have you ever heard of Perry Como? Yes. He seemed quite irrelevant to me when I was a kid, but when my baby sister (born in 1966) was a toddler she saw him on commercials for his holiday special, and then on the show itself, and loved him so much she named her plush mouse Como. This cracked me up. As a pre-schooler, I believe she was Perry Como's youngest fan.


8) In 1963, when Ricky's recording was on the charts, the Zip Code was introduced. How many different Zips have you lived in? Four.

 
9) Random question: When you were in high school, were you taller or shorter than your classmates? Or were you the average height? I've always been one of the shortest. I was a shade under 5'2 when I reached my full height. I believe I'm barely over 5' now.

 

 

 

 

Gratitude Challenge: Day 5

I first took this challenge in November 2014 and I think now is a good time to revisit it. Click here for a list of the Gratitude Challenge prompts.

Day 5: Transportation I don't drive and I'm grateful that, where I live, I don't have to. Chicagoland has very good public transportation. I just made lunch plans for two different dates with two different friends who live 25 miles apart. These women don't even know one another. Yet the conversations went pretty much the same way, coordinating when our trains and buses arrive.

It occurs to me that both of those women have cars but they choose to take public transportation. Better for the environment and cheaper, with gas prices what they are and parking costing what it always does.

I take this entirely too personally

Our minister resigned. He got an offer to be an interim minister for a congregation near his hometown in Michigan. When that assignment is done – likely by year-end –he's going to hang up his robe and retire. He and his wife are very happy that this new opportunity has come their way. He will stay with us until August. By that time, he will have been with us for three years.

I'm pissed.

He must have been looking for a new role, or at least been receptive to one. When he first joined us in 2023, he said this would be "his last stop." I remember this distinctly because I had been unsettled by the tumult when our minister was let go. So now I feel betrayed and abandoned.

Which is silly. Or at least certainly an overreaction. 

Three years is not an insignificant amount of time. He walked into a fractious situation – many in the congregation didn't think our previous minister had been treated fairly, others heartily disliked our interim minister. All of us seemed to feel battered and he calmed us. He's also guided us through the ICE invasion. It felt like a gut punch the first time I saw that sign on the door, demanding agents present warrants before invading our house of worship. But he has helped us see that we are not helpless, and that we can act in faith and solidarity and make a difference.

I should be grateful. In time, I'm sure I will be. But right now, it feels like he's leaving me. 

 

I'm sorry I don't like him

Had a late lunch Tuesday with my former art director. I hadn't seen her in six months, partly because she's still working. She's the person I worked with the closest the longest. I'm touched that she misses me and I'm happy that whenever we see each other we pick up exactly where we left off.

I'm also pleased that she gets along so well with her second husband. I knew her ex – a very handsome, charismatic guy who flirted outrageously and cheated on her extravagantly. Her divorce left her shaken. Now she's married to a man who supports her and treats her very well. I was impressed by how attentive he was during her bout with breast cancer.

So what's the problem? I don't like him.  

It's especially awkward because he seems to like me very much. He even suggested we meet at a geographically undesirable bar because he knows it's a favorite of mine and picked up the bill. I offered to at least leave the tip but he wouldn't hear of it.

Which makes me feel guilty for not liking him back.

Here's the thing: he finishes my sentences for me and always gets it wrong. He tries to make everything a joke, even things that aren't funny. He can be achingly insensitive.

Example: She asked me about my nephew, recalling how close he and I are and how much I love him. I spoke of his recent career struggles, how disillusioned he is with his new job. Hubby's response? "Let me play the world's smallest violin." It was hard for me to keep my face neutral and remain wordless.

I know he's trying to be clever and cute. In fact, I know he's trying. He had a few rehearsed Cub-related questions at the ready. It's not like he strolled into the bar planning to be an ass.

But I don't like him.

So what to do? Since he's retired, there really isn't a time when she and I get together that he can't join us. I've decided I'm going to carve out a few hours every month for a nice, long blab fest over the phone. The way she and I used to talk when we were working from home during covid, and then, after we were both let go. 

She's freelancing, so I haven't been calling her out of respect for her time. But she says she misses it. In fact, it "Call me!" was the last thing she said as she was getting into the car Tuesday. It will be a good way for us to keep in touch.

Without him.

  

Gratitude Challenge: Day 4

I first took this challenge in November 2014 and I think now is a good time to revisit it. Click here for a list of the Gratitude Challenge prompts.

Day 4: Something I do every day My stretches. I do two each morning – one for my back from my orthopedist and one for my feet from my yoga instructor.* I've shown both of these moves to my chiropractor and she approves. Reflecting on this makes me doubly grateful that 1) I have a team helping me improve without depending on meds and 2) I'm able to do it. 

I have watched my oldest friend – my classmate beginning in Kindergarten – put all her faith in pain killers. ("Better living through chemistry!") Her balance is shot, her ankle causes her chronic pain and she can't walk even short distances without her cane. I've asked her what's wrong with the ankle but she has a hard time explaining it to me, leading me to believe her doctor hasn't explained it well to her.

So while I'm certainly not glad I am dealing with Achilles tendonitis and chronic spinal stenosis, I am grateful for my slow, steady improvement. I am grateful that I was able to learn from my oldest friend. During each yoga class, we are encouraged to dedicate our time on the mat to someone. In my heart, I think of her. I wish she could enjoy the benefits of the small, specific movements.

 *I find myself doing the one for my feet when I'm fidgety while working online or watching TV. While the pain from tendonitis is lessening and will hopefully cease, I think this stretch will always be a part of my life.

Thursday Thirteen #465

One man's trash is likely just junk. I have a 25 year old, 50 lb., completely non-functioning TV. Even if I was strong enough to lift it and hoist it into the dumpster behind my condo building, I wouldn't. It should be recycled. So I'm going to call a junk removal service that promises they will do just that. 

To make the trip worthwhile, I'm going to give the rest of the stuff in my home a good, hard look and see what else can go. After tooling around the internet, here's what I found we most often pay to have hauled away. 

1. Major kitchen appliances. Stoves and refrigerators.

2. Washers and dryers. Like stoves and refrigerators, these things are just too big for most homeowners to dispose of on their own. 

3. Countertop appliances. Non-functioning microwaves, coffee makers, blenders, and toasters. 

4. Home entertainment. TVs and gaming consoles become obsolete quickly.

5. Office equipment. Laptops, printers and scanners.

6. Heavy furniture. File cabinets, armoires, china cabinets.

7. Mattresses. Because of bed bugs, many municipalities have strict rules for disposing of mattresses. Hire a licensed removal service to avoid fines.

8 Glass-heavy items. Mirrors, table lamps, light fixtures and picture frames.

9. Exercise equipment. Treadmills, exercise bikes, etc.

10. Baby stuff. Cribs, playpens, strollers and car seats. 

11. Yard and garden. Patio furniture, grills, bird baths, above ground pools, lawn mowers and snow blowers.

12. Old rugs, carpets and carpet padding. These can be heavier and take up more space than you might think.

13. Debris from big projects. Like dry wall, paint supplies, bag after bag of yard waste.

I've got a lot of crap around here. I just have to get organized and get it together so the junk man can carry it all away.

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

 

Gratitude Challenge: Day 3

I first took this challenge in November 2014 and I think now is a good time to revisit it. Click here for a list of the Gratitude Challenge prompts.

Day 3: Something I see every day I am grateful that, with cable and streaming, I have the opportunity to check in with Lucy Ricardo every day. She's on as I compose this post. To borrow a phrase, I love Lucy.

 

 

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? Off the Menu by Stacy Ballis. I've been seeing Ballis' name for years. She's popular with readers who enjoy light, funny chick-lit. I've been reading dark, heavy books lately, so it seemed now is the time to give her a try.

 

Alana is a single fortysomething with an important behind-the-scenes job with a celebrity Chicago chef. Her job is all stress, but it's coveted within the foodie universe. She's vaguely dissatisfied with her life, but she doesn't have the time or motivation to change things. And then she meets ... HIM. (There's always a HIM in books like this.) 

 

It feels rather formulaic so far, but I'm not sure I care. I like how Chicago this book is. I also like that Alana dotes on her mutt, Dumpling. However, her banter with her BFFs hits me as less funny than cruel. Maybe I've become humorless. 

 

 

2. What did you recently finish reading? And Never Let Her Go by Ann Rule. This true story tugged at my heart. Ann Marie Fahey was the youngest of a big Irish-Catholic family. Her mom died when she was a very little girl and, as her older siblings got married and moved away, she was left home alone with a drunk, overwhelmed and heartbroken father who took out a lot of his frustration on her. This left her believing she was unlovable, that everything was her fault. She was working on this at church and in therapy. 

 

She had a good job, working for the governor of Delaware. She had a wide circle of friends. Finally she had a boyfriend she wanted to settle down with. And then she disappeared. It was when the police started looking for her that her secret life came to light: she'd been having an ongoing affair with a powerful older man.

 

That man was Tom Capano. He had a sonar for women like Anne Marie. He knew exactly which buttons to press: she felt unattractive, so he told her she was the most desirable woman he knew; she felt like superfluous, so he told she was the only one who understood him; she had trouble with money, so he whenever they went out to dinner he over-ordered to send her home with gourmet doggie bags from expensive restaurants. He was also controlling and jealous – rich because he was also sleeping with his wife (Anne Marie knew about this) and a long-term mistress (Debbie and Anne Marie knew nothing about each other). When Anne Marie gained strength and realized she wanted/needed/deserved more than Tom could give her, he killed her. The way he tried to beat the rap was breathtakingly cruel. I won't give anymore away, in case you want to read this book. 

 

Ann Rule did right by Anne Marie Fahey. She comes alive on these pages. I liked her, and I mourn her. 

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

 

  

 

 

Gratitude Challenge: Day 2

I first took this challenge in November 2014 and I think now is a good time to revisit it. Click here for a list of the Gratitude Challenge prompts.

Day 2: Nature I have lived with cats all my life and admire their spirit. Yes, they are dear and affectionate companions. But there's an untouchable core in every house cat that remains independent and wild. So I am grateful that I have nature inside my home, because I have Connie and Roy Hobbs.

 

Gratitude Challenge: Day 1

I first took this challenge in November 2014 and I think now is a good time to revisit it. Click here for a list of the Gratitude Challenge prompts.

Day 1: Home My allergies have been rough this year. The nasal congestion has left me tired, with a stuffy head. So Monday I just stayed home. I grilled myself a burger, had a cup of Bob Evans mashed potatoes, did laundry, and watched this week's movie group movie. 

This post makes me realize that Monday may not have been an eventful day, but it wasn't a wasted one, either. I like it here. I'm comfy here. It's a mess, but it suits me.

 

June Gratitude Challenge

 

OK, I don't recall where I initially found this, but I first took this challenge in November 2014 and I think now is the right time to revisit it.

I begin tomorrow. Let's see how I do. 

 

Sunday Stealing

Stealing The Friday Fill-in

1. A broken heart is not the end of the world. You're more resilient than you know. You'll heal.

2. Coca Cola tastes so good!

3. Sometimes, putting others first is the best way to get out of your own head, out of your own way. I find I feel better about life when I do good.

4. Lake Michigan is breathtaking, really. They call it a Great Lake for a reason. When I look at it, I'm like the Grinch and my tiny heart grows 3 sizes.

5. Well, maybe there is something to be said for hydration. I have been drinking less water than I should and I notice I've been feeling a little ooky.

6.  This week, my plans include a late lunch on Tuesday with a former coworker.

 

I am a woman of many talents ...

Unfortunately, tech is not one of them. Nor am I what anyone would call "handy around the house."

My sad saga began when this behemoth died. I got this Sylvania TV shortly before 9/11.* It was a fine set for its day, but its day is long past. I moved it from the living room to my bedroom five years ago, when Xfinity's system requirements demanded I upgrade. 

The Sylvania was fine. But it was 25 years old. The picture quality wasn't very crisp. I could no longer turn it on/off with the button on the front because the button disappeared into the set. Really. I pressed the poor brittle dot one time too many and the set swallowed it up, so I needed two remotes to operate it: one to turn it on/off and another to change the channels. It's also huge, measuring nearly 20" in depth and taking up the entire TV stand. It weighs 50 lbs. 

Last Friday morning, it just died. Soundlessly – with no snap, crackle or pop – it just went black. It served me well, but it was over.

I had a plan: Buy a new, (slightly) bigger TV for the living room and move the living room set into the bedroom. The new set I settled on has a 32" screen, costs less than $100, and weighs just 16 lbs. This will never fail to amaze me. I grew up in a world where TVs were furniture. 

This undoubtedly uncomplicated scheme took me more than two hours to execute. The first hour was me on my own, and some of it was spent on trying to find my Phillips head screwdriver. (You couldn't just have a little stand that snaps into place, could you?) 

The second hour was spent with the very patient Amanda of Xfinity. She took me step-by-step through getting my new smart TV to talk to my cable box. That call, while fruitful, got off to a rough start with me yelling "rep-re-sent-a-tive!" over and over, trying to get past the automated system.

I suspect this all would have taken my nephew 20 minutes.

Now I have to figure out what to do with the Sylvania TV, which is sitting like a 50-lb. brick of concrete in the middle of my bedroom floor. This may inspire me to get it together and designate more refuse for the junk man to haul away. 

I suppose I could ask for help. But I want to figure these things out by myself, even though these situations do not play to my strengths. 

*It's funny that I remember the set I watched during those dark days after the attack, but I do. 

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Mystical Magical (2025)

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

 

Do you think Benson Boone and Timothee Chalamat look alike? Or have I just become one of those old ladies who thinks everyone 30 and under looks alike? 

T. C.

B. B.

1) This week's song is about a new love affair, and Benson Boone bounces between frustration and optimism when he thinks about it. Does anything inspire your mixed emotions these days? My new TV. I will be happy to have a bigger, better picture, but I am dreading the setting up. I am not tech savvy, so I know that will be a struggle.

2) The lyrics mention "moonbeam ice cream," which is something Benson just made up. Last summer, when this week's song became popular, ice cream shops were inspired to create flavors with that name. What's your favorite ice cream flavor, and will you take that in a cup or cone? Mint chocolate chip in a cup, please.

 

3) He sings that "once you know" about a love like this, "you know." Tell us about something you had to experience to fully understand. Romantic love. I've found that it was a little different each time.

 

4) He composed this song at the piano. Do you play piano? No.

5) He first sang in public at a high school talent show, which he only entered on a dare. Can you recall any dares from your junior high or high school days? Oh, yes! When I was in high school, I jumped into a friend's pool as part of a slumber party game of Truth or Dare. It was pre-dawn and late September. Her family hadn't drained the pool yet but had stopped all maintenance. It was very cold and really filthy. I still remember seeing leaves and plants before my eyes as I rose to the surface. By the time I got home, my pajamas were dry and I just threw them in my family clothes hamper. When my mom did laundry a couple days later, she was furious with me because my pajamas were streaked in green and she couldn't get the stains out. "What did you do?" I got an earful about how dangerous it was to swim in dirty water in the dark, how wasteful I was to ruin my perfectly good pajamas, how dumb I was to take a dare ...

6) Benson was a good high school athlete and competed in diving at the state level. Can you execute a dive off the diving board? I could once. I haven't tried in decades. I am still a pretty good swimmer, though

7) When he was 18, Boone auditioned for American Idol. What were you up to when you were 18? Saving as much money as possible. I had a chance to go to Europe if I could afford it, and I wanted to move out and into my own apartment desperately. Consequently I lived like I'd taken a vow of poverty. 

  

8) Benson has a dog named Max. He's not alone in this. "Max" is one of the most popular pet names in the US today. Have you ever known anyone (furry or otherwise) named Max? Only my friend Barb's dog. He was a feisty little terrier.

 

9) Random question: If we knocked on your door on one of your lazy, stay-at-home days, what would we likely find you wearing? T-shirt and jeans. Always.