Sunday Stealing

10 Questions with Nigel

1. What's your life's motto? 

2. Where were you living 13 years ago? Right here. I have been in this condo since 2001.

3. Is anyone jealous of you? If they are, they shouldn't be.

4. Where were you when you heard about the 9/11 terror attacks? I was in my bedroom, tying my shoes, getting ready to catch the 8:10 train into Chicago's Loop. When I got to work, the building was swarming with police, who sent us home. The Israeli Consulate had office space in our building and since no one knew what was going on yet or why, they shut the building down. It's the only time in my life I could sense that the cops were frightened, too. 

5. Do you consider yourself kind? I work at it.

6. Can you change your car's oil? No car. But even if I had one, I wouldn't do this myself. Places like Midas, Auto Zone and JiffyLube will recycle your oil properly and efficiently. Plus they will change the filter and may add other services, like rotating your tires or topping off other fluids, as part of the oil change. (Listen to the lady who doesn't have a car. I know what I'm talking about here.)

7. What's the last thing you heard about your first love? His mom died.

8. Have you ever been burned by love? Yes. Of course. Everyone has. That's why sad love songs are so popular.

9. What was the last thing you paid for with cash?A chocolate shake with whipped cream.

10. Do you hug your friends? Yes, but it's always weird with Elaine. Her family wasn't very affectionate and hugs don't come naturally to her.

 

 

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Hold On (1990)

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

 

1) This song gives encouragement to someone who is enduring heartache. Have you more recently given support, or received it? Received. I find myself in a new situation. My niece's baby – my grandniece – has been born but she's a preemie (36? weeks and not quite 5 lbs.) and she's been kept in the hospital a few more days. Plus, the birth mother can still legally change her mind about the adoption. So I'm confused. How much celebration is appropriate now? Do I start sending cards and gifts or do I wait until the baby is home in the nursery my niece and her husband have prepared for her? My nephew – my niece's kid brother – has been my sounding board and advisor. He's sensitive and wise for one so young and I appreciate it.

 

2) "Hold On" is featured prominently in the 2011 movie Bridesmaids. It's an anthem for the friends in the film and they love to sing it together. Is there a song that reminds you of good times with a good friend? "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" was my friend John's favorite song. By far. Whenever it came on he would light up like a candle and stop what he was doing to announce, "Yes! This is what I'm talking about!" Even if we were at his home and he knew to expect it. This song brought him such joy, and the joy was infectious. (I miss him so very much.) 

 

 

 

3) The video for this song finds Wilson Phillips outdoors on a snowy mountainside and then on a sandy beach. What's the view outside your window? A lovely pale blue, cloudless sky.

 

4) The mountain segments were filmed in California's San Gabriel Mountains. The girls were flown to the set by helicopter. Have you ever been in a helicopter? No.

 

5) The members of Wilson Phillips are authentic "California Girls." Wendy and Carnie Wilson's father is Brian Wilson, who wrote the Beach Boys hit. Chynna Phillips is the daughter of John and Michelle Phillips of the Mamas and the Papas, who sang "California Dreamin'." Have you been to California? If yes, where did you visit? Los Angeles (including Hollywood and Beverly Hills), San Francisco, San Jose (and Freemont), San Diego and Hesperia.

 

6) Another generation of the Wilson family has entered the music business. Carnie's daughter/Brian Wilson's granddaughter, Lola Bonfiglio, participated in the current season of American Idol. Has a family member followed you in your chosen profession? Kinda sorta. I was an advertising writer and my nephew is now a baseball writer. But that's not why I take complete credit for his career choice. I'm the one who taught him to read a box score and I'm the one who took him to his first baseball game.

 

7) In 1990, when this song was popular, satellite radio was in its infancy and streaming was unheard of. Our cars gave us a choice of AM/FM and maybe CD player/tape deck. When you're driving and a favorite song comes on, are you more likely to sing along if you're alone? Or don't you care if anyone hears you? No car. But I never sing in front of people. I even just move my lips in church. I'm completely tone deaf and very embarrassed by my voice.

 
8) Also in 1990, actor Alan Hale Jr. died. He was "the skipper" on Gilligan's Island. Without looking it up, can you name the other six castaways? (If not the actors, then their characters.) Gilligan, the millionaire and his wife, the movie star, the professor and Mary Ann.

 

9) Random question: What superhero would you like to have as your best friend? I'm going to be very specific about this: Adam West as Batman. If he's not Adam West, then I don't want to hang with Batman. 

Who is who?

 Which Mean Girl is Elon and which one is Trump? 

 

BTW, if you didn't see this coming, you haven't gotten to know our POTUS yet. Travel bans ... Biden's auto-pen ... blocking Harvard students' visas ... Just outrageous shit to keep us from talking about Elon's Ketamine and his own history with Jeffrey Epstein.

I'm so tired of The Trump Show. It's vulgar and counterproductive just plain ugly. But there's no way to change the channel, at least not until the mid-terms.

Thursday Thirteen #414

The Amazon edition. I live in a building with 24 units. It seems that every day, the Amazon truck stops here at least once. This list includes items the driver recently left for me:

1. Gerber Ham and Gravy Baby Food (for my cat, Connie).

2. COSRX Pimple Patches.

3. Cafeteria Food Tray (I placed it under my cats' food dishes).

4. Blank Folded Cardstock Cards (used for my Letters Against Isolation cards).

5. Chap-Lip Lip Balm, 48 count (I include these in the "blessing bags" I share with panhandlers).

6. Arm & Hammer Clump & Seal Cat Litter.

7. Hard Plastic Phone Case for Moto G.

8. 9Lives Wet Kitten Food, 4 Pack (the shelter where I adopted my cat, Connie, because they were running low)

9. The Body Shop Vitamin C Boosting Moisturizer.

10. Waterproof Sports Analog Watch with a Blue Jelly Silicone Strap.

11. Clorox Zero Splash Bleach Packs – 4 Pack (48 pods).

12. 100 Voter Postcards (for my Postcards to Voters campaigns).

13. MacBook Pro Charger.

 

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

 

 

Will Work for Teeth

It would appear that my entire salary for the year will go to dental work. For myself, so far this year, I've had root canals and lovely porcelain crowns on my front teeth. This changed my bite considerably so I needed a new mouth guard. After insurance: $3,900.

Today my Connie Cat had several teeth extracted. She had to be sedated, and there were x-rays and lots of sutures and meds for me to give her now that she's home. While I do not begrudge the vet a cent of this because Connie is now an elder stateswoman and we're committed to preventative care to keep her healthy and strong as long as possible, the estimate did make me blink. Hard. Twice. Her teeth were nearly as expensive as mine!*

So every 2025 paycheck from the card shop will go for dental costs. Oh well, it is what it is. I like my smile again and Connie is healthier as a result of the oral surgery. And I'm lucky I've got a part-time job I like.

Maybe I shouldn't think about what I've spent. Maybe I should focus on how many miles I've earned on my credit card! Maybe I can fly free to/from LAX next year. It's all in the perspective. 

 

*I don't have pet insurance. My friend Elaine swears by it, and for her it makes sense because her cats are both less than 3 years old. If I'd gotten Connie and/or Roy Hobbs as kittens, I'd look into it. But purchasing a policy for cats their age just isn't fiscally sound for me.

 

Photo by Siora on Unsplash 

 

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? One Perfect Couple by Ruth Ware. Five couples are thrown into competition to win fame and a certain amount of money (but mostly fame) as the winners of a new reality show: One Perfect Couple. They are whisked away to a remote island resort, where their phones, smartwatches and laptops are confiscated. They accept this because they know how reality shows work and understand that they can't be leaking the ending or plot twists before the series airs. Before long though, nature (both Mother and human) conspires against them and they are in real danger.

 

If this sounds like And Then There Were None updated for the new millennium, that's no accident. This book is an intended homage and so far it's a nice, tense slow burn.

2. What did you recently finish reading? Pete Rose: An American Dilemma by Kostya Kennedy. This is a 5-star biography of a 2-star man.

On the field, Pete Rose was unassailable. He wasn't naturally gifted, like Aaron Judge or Shohei Ohtani. But he was dedicated and dogged. He did whatever it took to help his team win. He didn't complain when he was moved from the outfield to the infield. He hit from both sides of the plate. Though not especially fast, he ran it out every time. As a kid, I loved watching him play because a game could turn on his every at bat. His stats are impressive, and he remains baseball's hit king.

But that's not why you probably know him. He's the guy who bet on baseball and is banned from The Hall of Fame. That's what makes his story complicated.

Off the field, Pete Rose was a whore. He got off on cash. Not wealth. Not even stuff (except cars). Just benjamins. He would do anything for a buck, so it's not surprising that he got involved with unsavory characters. When he got caught, his attitude was (as recalled by investigators), "Fuck you, I'm Pete Rose." 

There are no stories of Pete using his position to give back. There are plenty of stories of him showing up in Cooperstown during Induction Weekend to sign autographs (for a fee) and steal the thunder of the game's greats who were being enshrined. He luxuriated in being more famous for being banned from the Hall than these players were for being inducted. What an ass.

I picked up this book with an eye to learn more about compulsive gambling. That is not Pete's story. He never owned up to an addiction, nor does anyone make an argument that he had one. Instead, exasperated Cincinnati Reds executives who knew him well explain his plight away with the fable of The Scorpion and The Frog. A scorpion wants to cross the pond but can't swim, so he asks a frog to carry him. The frog is skeptical because he knows the scorpion has a fatal sting. The scorpion insists that he will do no such stinging because it wouldn't make sense. If the scorpion stings the frog, they will both drown. They will both die. Why would the scorpion do it? This seems reasonable to frog, who lets the scorpion hop aboard. The scorpion stings him. "Why?" asks the frog, as they both begin to sink. "It's my nature," responds the scorpion.

Pete Rose was an ass because it was his nature. As serious and committed as he was on the field, that's how weak and self-centered he was away from it. 

I came to this conclusion on my own. Kostya Kennedy is a good writer and a good reporter who doesn't moralize. He shares Rose's story in an "it is what it is" manner. He trusts his readers. This is a very good book for anyone even remotely interested in the Rose saga/tragedy and why it still matters today.

 

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

 

 

In celebration of the girls we were

I have been thinking a great deal about Judy. Not the woman she became. She was self-involved and took no responsibility for the impact her actions had on others. While I am sorry that her final years were full of hospitalizations and pain, I don't regret that I rejected her overtures to reconnect. She hurt me too badly and gave no indication that she understood it or even felt remorse.

But the Judy I met in high school was special. She was important to me. No, she was vital to me. She made me feel less alienated and more understood.

Photo by Sydney Moore on Unsplash 

Judy was smarter than I was. I loved that about her. She was committed to being an artist. She was always working on something – I remember watching her long, slender fingers as strung beads into bracelets or painted. Wait! While I saw her paintings, I don't recall actually seeing her paint. But I did see her lovingly clean and care for her brushes. She also taught me to play canasta. In my mind's eye I see those long fingers again, wearing rings made from spoons, as she dealt the cards. 

After school, we watched old movies together. She introduced me to the Marx Brothers. During last month's Turner Classic Film Festival, I saw Animal Crackers on the big screen for the first time, I enjoyed it thoroughly and had to stop myself from reciting dialog. That was Judy's influence/tutelage.

She gave me an even greater gift in those days. She encouraged me to write and read what I wrote. Mind you, I was a horny 15-year-old virgin expounding on topics I knew nothing about. I'm sure that everything I put on paper was wretched. 

Photo by Diogo Cardoso on Unsplash 

But Judy encouraged me. She made notes in the margins. We talked short stories vs. long format. Fiction vs. non-fiction. Reportage vs. editorial. When her mother* affectionately called me "Louisa Mae Alcott," Judy rolled her eyes as only a teenage girl can roll her eyes at her mother.  "The Gal is going to be a real writer, Mom."

And here's the thing: I did become a writer. Since I didn't go to college, I took a circuitous route, but I got there. I earned a good living, won some awards, and got a great deal of satisfaction from using my imagination and my words.

Looking at her obituary, I see Judy did, indeed, have a career as an artist. Her work was displayed in local galleries and she sold some pieces. No small feat.

Those two awkward misfits who sat on Judy's bed, playing canasta by the hour, fantasizing about being an artist and a writer, actually made it.

Good for us.

Rest in peace, Judy. 

*A gentle, lovely woman. She threw a joint 16th birthday for us (Judy's birthday was two days before mine).

  

Sunday Stealing

Questions Christina Stole from Liz

1. What bill do you hate paying the most? I'm going to respond not with a bill but an item: light bulbs. They're seldom on sale and they're always boring to shop for.

2. Which restaurant would you recommend for a romantic dinner? I am going to defer to a former coworker for this one. She loves going to Coopers Hawk Winery with her new husband. They are having a lot of work done in their condo and when the chaos at home stresses them out, they get dressed up and go to Coopers Hawk. It's easy to get in, and they like the food, the drink and the ambience. To see if there's a location, click here.

3. Who was your first grade teacher? Her name was Mrs. Krach. I don't recall her first name. In fact, I doubt that it even occurred to first-grade me that she had a first name.

4. What should you be doing right now? Showering and feeding the cats. If I don't get moving, they're going to remind me that it's time to feed them very soon.

5. What did you want to be when you were growing up? So many things! The earliest I remember is a singer. When I played Barbies, my doll was always a singer so she could hang around with her pretend BFF, Ann Marie (Marlo Thomas) of That Girl. Ann was an actress in New York and she and my doll had such fun on their imaginary showbiz adventures. Of course, the fact that I'm completely tone deaf helped quash this ambition.

 

6. How did you choose the shirt you're wearing right now? I'm wearing my nightshirt. I chose it because it was on top when I opened the drawer.

7. Gas prices! What's your first thought? That I don't care. I'm sorry, but since I don't drive, I don't pay attention.

8. Do you have a teddy bear? Yes. It wears a yellow shirt that says "Someone Loves Me at FKCC." It's a treasured gift from my late friend Henry, who taught at Florida Keys Community College and did love me.

9. Do you own the last book you read, or did you get it from the library? I don't know how to answer this. I own the last book I finished Tuesday but the one I'm reading right now is a library book.

10. Did you more recently send a text or write a Post It? Text.

 

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Too Shy (1983)

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

1) This song laments vulnerability and self-consciousness in a social settings. Are you often "too shy?" Or are social gatherings easy for you? Professionally, I'm fine. When I worked in advertising, I was good in front of a roomful of clients. At the card shop I'm fine talking to customers. I'm less comfortable socially.

 

2) In the lyrics, a girl self-censors, telling herself, "hush hush." Have you more recently shushed someone, or were you shushed? I was shushed.

 

3) Band member Nick Beggs recalls that they called themselves Kajagoogoo because it sounded like something that would make a baby laugh. It is fun to say. Can you think of another word that you just enjoy saying? "Gubernatorial." 

 

4) This was the only US hit for the British band, earning Kajagoogoo the title "One Hit Wonder." Can you think of another artist or band who had one really popular song and then just kind of disappeared? Who can forget funky Billy Chin and little Sammy John?
 

 
5) Though fame was fleeting here, Kajagoogoo remained popular in England. Lead singer Limahl recalls the adulation as "overwhelming," and he was shocked when he stepped on stage in Cornwall to see row after row of fans wearing their hair like he did. Have you ever handed a photo to a stylist and said, "Make my hair look like this?" Kinda sorta. I said I wanted my hair to look like Olivia Benson's on SVU and he knew what I meant. That was more than a decade ago. Liv has changed her hair many times but this is still my cut. I've changed up the color since then, but I'm staying with this style.

 

6) In 1983, when this song was popular, the Lotus 1-2-3 program made it easier for PC users to make spreadsheets. Are you answering these questions on a Mac or PC? Laptop, phone or tablet? MacBook Air.

7) 1983 saw Abbey Road Studios open their doors for the first time for public tours. During the first two months, 22,000 tickets were sold to fans who wanted to see where the Beatles made their magic. What's the last ticket you purchased? Probably my airline tickets for my flights to/from Los Angeles last month.

 
8) Also in 1983, McDonald's introduced Chicken McNuggets. When was chicken most recently on the menu at your home? How was it prepared? Last week I took a tray of prepared pulled barbecue chicken out of my refrigerator and popped it in the microwave.

 

9) Random question: Have you ever forgotten where you left your car in a parking lot? I don't drive, so I've never been the one who has done the forgetting. But I have wandered around parking lot with friends who have misplaced their cars. Seems to happen a lot.

 

 

Not a good week for The Class of 75

My oldest friend is in the hospital (see post below), and our classmate Judy died. Judy reached out to me via Facebook Messenger about six months ago, but I pretended I didn't see it. She hurt me so badly, there was always so much drama in her wake, I didn't see the point. I don't regret the decision, but I do honor and mourn the nerdy teenage girls we were, and I'm sorry her last decade was so painful.

I keep getting messages asking if I'm going to attend our 50th high school reunion. I don't answer them. I showed up at high school as little as possible when The State of Illinois mandated my attendance. I'm certainly not going back by choice now. 

But it is on my mind. Here I am, reasonably healthy. Oh, I'm fat and my knees bother me. If I don't get back on the water-drinking bandwagon, I'll develop kidney stones again. But, for the most part, I'm OK. Certainly I have not suffered as Judy and my oldest friend have.

I'm not a wealthy woman, but I'm OK. My cat Connie needs expensive dental work – more expensive than I had anticipated – but I can pay for it. I'll be able to afford trips up to Michigan to meet my niece's baby this fall and then spend Christmas with them. (And I've been picking up presents for them.) I plan on attending the TCM Classic Film Festival in Hollywood next year. When I want to go out to lunch or dinner with my friends, I have cash to cover it. My oldest friend is broke and couldn't afford to go anywhere, even if she was physically able.

My 2BR condo is a hovel. Really, I can't get over the disrepair I've allowed it to fall into. On the other hand, I'm paying down a 3.35% APR mortgage and my monthly housing cost (mortgage and assessment) is only $1100/month. I couldn't rent a 2BR in this neighborhood for $1100/month. That would get me a studio. Judy and her husband lived in a 1st floor studio. (Though she was in assisted living when she died.) My oldest friend rents a room in a ranch house – she shares her bathroom and kitchen with three other people. 

My friend John died a year ago last month. My friend Henry died a year ago next month. They both suffered a great deal physically and financially at the end of their lives, too. They weren't part of The Class of 75 – John graduated in 1972 and Henry in 1980 – but close enough.

Right now I am sad. I am confused. I am grateful. To borrow from Anthony Rizzo in Game 7 (who borrowed it from Will Ferrell in Anchorman): I'm in a glass cage of emotions.

Another trip to the hospital

My oldest friend is back in the hospital. Fourth time in three months. One was a trip to the ER and then home, another was an emergency visit to a walk-in crisis center, then there was a four-day stay to get her anxiety/depression meds evened out, and now she's in the hospital because her blood pressure/heart rate were very low and her A1C was sky high. 

Part of the problem is that she's on Medicare/Medicaid and is at the mercy of the healthcare system. Part of it is that she doesn't do the recommended aftercare. It overwhelms her. She becomes too exhausted to make and organize the appointments required to manage her bipolar disorder/diabetes/urinary tract infection/heart disease. 

I had hopes that with this hospitalization, we had turned a corner. She was more communicative, starting a text chain to let us know how she's doing. The photos she attached were disturbing – she looked so old, so grizzled, with an oxygen tube. But she seemed comfortable and upbeat. As though she's finally getting answers to what has made 2025 such a challenging year for her medically. I was happy to learn that she consulted with the hospital chaplain. I believe the most important and intimate relationship any of us will ever have is with God, and I remain convinced if my friend leaned into her spirituality more than her search for knight to rescue her, she'd be happier and more content. 

Today, though, the text chain was full of red flags. She's about to be discharged, which makes her happy. But she doesn't like Dr. Gwen, the hospitalist assigned to her case. She insists Dr. Gwen interned under Joseph Mengele. I'm afraid I know where this is going to lead: she's not going to pursue the prescribed aftercare because she doesn't like Dr. Gwen. She's going to say that Dr. Gwen makes her feel bad about herself and her situation and she just doesn't need this. That's why she stopped seeing her urologist – his staff was rude and frustrating. As I pointed out to her, that decision didn't bother her urologist one whit but it did contribute to her UTI spiraling out of control. She didn't respond to this observation.

I can't help my oldest friend. She's on the path she is on. I will however, answer every text she sends, pray and worry about her, share whatever wisdom I have with her.

But I can be there for her daughter. I have known Jenna since before she was born. I know how hard it is to be the daughter of a mom who is failing. These hospitalizations have contributed to a flare up in Jen's colitis, and she's going to be in a different hospital herself on Monday, getting a colonoscopy. 

So I send her regular texts, letting her know I am thinking about her and I attach silly, cuddly animal pictures. I mailed her an "atta girl" postcard. I took her to dinner when I was in LA for the TCM Film Festival. I can't save my friend, but maybe I can be a support system for her daughter.

 

Thursday Thirteen #413

 

 

The SQUEE! edition. Bobby Sherman – of Shindig! and Here Come the Brides – is very ill. I was sorry to hear this because there was a time when his visage graced my bedroom door, my school folders and the inside of my locker. His white teeth, shiny hair and blue eyes were just so dreamy. The fact that he could neither sing nor act didn't diminish my adoration.

He was a teen idol much loved by my classmates and me. Girls between 10 and 14 are highly susceptible to such crushes. The objects of our affection were always like Bobby – cute, cuddly and completely non-threatening. 

Looking at covers of 16 Magazine and traveling the corridors of my heart, here are 13 of the popular teen idols of the late 60s and early 70s.

NOTE: I didn't include Michael Jackson, although pinups of J5-era Michael made their way to our lockers, too. It's just that Michael Jackson, Paul McCartney and Elvis Presley had talent, longevity and cultural impact that transcend the moniker of "teen idol." 

1. David Cassidy. Keith Partridge of The Partridge Family fame. He actually sang quite well. My kid sister would similarly sigh and squeal over his half-brother Shaun.

2. Donny Osmond. The pick of the Osmond litter. This was before the Donny & Marie TV show. We loved him when he was singing "One Bad Apple."

3. Barry Williams. Greg Brady of The Brady Bunch.

4. Jack Wild. The only Oscar nominee on the list. He was honored for his portrayal of The Artful Dodger in Oliver! But mostly we loved him on HR Puffnstuff.

5. Michael Cole. Pete Cochran on The Mod Squad.

6. Randolph Mantooth. Yes, that was really his name. (We called him "Randy.") He was one of the paramedics on Emergency!

7. The Cowsills. They were the real-life singing family who inspired The Partridge Family. The two younger brothers became heartthrobs. They weren't twins, but I couldn't tell them apart. Their songs still make me happy, though. Here's a link to their biggest hit: "The Rain, The Park and Other Things."

8. Ben Murphy. He was one of the stars – the blond one on the left – of the TV Western Alias Smith and Jones. It was a shameless rip-off of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, but we didn't know that because we were too young to see that movie.

9. Christopher Connelly. He played the younger brother on Peyton Place. He was the perennial underdog, and I loved his raspy voice. 

10. Jonathan Frid. Barnabas on Dark Shadows. Yes, he was a vampire, but he was deeply misunderstood. 

11. Mark Lindsay. Originally the lead singer of Paul Revere & the Raiders, he went on to be a hitmaker on his own. When I listen to him now, I realize he had a very good voice. But in real time, I loved his tights and ponytail (which he referred to as a "queue.")

12. Mitch Vogel. He was on Bonanza. I personally didn't care for him because of the freckles, but I had classmates who were into that kind of thing.

13. Richard Hatch. Phil Brent, the hunk of Pine Valley High, on All My Children. He was the first fella to break Erica Kane's heart.

Gotta go. My pulse is racing out of control!

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? Pete Rose: An American Dilemma by Kostya Kennedy. Let me say it up front: I cannot stand Pete Rose and do not believe he belongs in The Hall of Fame. Part of my disgust comes from a sense of betrayal. I remember watching Pete Rose play and, even though I have always been a true blue Cub fan, I loved it when he came up to bat. He respected those 90 feet to first and always, always ran it out. That he turned out to be such a rampaging asshole is beyond disillusioning.

 

But it's time for me to get educated and evolve. All this talk about him being eligible for the Hall has made me face my own prejudice. While I have compassion for those addicted to drugs and alcohol, I'm dismissive of compulsive gamblers. Gotta work on that. Since baseball is a metaphor for life, I'm going to let baseball teach me.

 

Kostya Kennedy is a good writer and a good reporter. He shares Rose's story in an "it is what it is" manner. No moralizing, just straight-up story telling. So far I'm appreciating it.

2. What did you recently finish reading? Who Let the Dog Out? by David Rosenfelt. A very good mystery until it's not. A dog is kidnapped from the shelter run by Andy Carpenter and his partner, Willie Miller. Why would anyone steal a dog they could adopt? This enrages Willie and gets Andy's antenna up. They track the dog through a chip in her collar and find her quickly, along with a dead body.

This book has everything I like about the series. Andy Carpenter may not like being a defense attorney but he's an entertaining one and I enjoy reading about him before a jury. Especially because while he wants his client to be innocent, he's not 100% sure. Of course, for our system of justice to work, even the guilty deserve a zealous defense. Andy would just prefer his clients be innocent. An unrepentant smart ass, he cracks wise beautifully and often at inappropriate moments throughout the story. He loves baseball and is imparting this passion to his son.    

It's the ending of the book that I didn't like. Too violent, too complicated, and simply not credible. That's all I'll say as not to spoil it. Not that he has asked for my help, but I recommend Rosenfelt get acquainted with the old Columbo TV series. Those mysteries are brilliant little plays, and each episode feels fresh. Yet at their core, the murders are always about basic human motivations: greed and lust. Rosenfelt adds too many exotic, unfamiliar and unnecessary elements and my bullshit meter goes off.

3. What will you read next? A thriller: One Perfect Couple by Ruth Ware.

 

 

 

How low can we go?

President Donald J. Trump addressed West Point graduates while wearing a MAGA hat. I suppose that's fitting, because he went on to slag Joe Biden and Barack Obama, even though our military is supposed to be apolitical. Continuing in this self-indulgent vein, he warned them against marrying "trophy wives," whined for the umpteenth time that he's been investigated more than the "great, late Alphonse Capone," and rhapsodized about golfer Gary Player. I don't know what he was trying to impart to these young people, except that he loves having eyes on him and thrives on being center of attention.

Disgusted yet? No? Then enjoy his Memorial Day message to the country, as posted on Truth Social. 

“HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY TO ALL, INCLUDING THE SCUM THAT SPENT THE LAST FOUR YEARS TRYING TO DESTROY OUR COUNTRY THROUGH WARPED RADICAL LEFT MINDS, WHO ALLOWED 21,000,000 MILLION PEOPLE TO ILLEGALLY ENTER OUR COUNTRY, MANY OF THEM BEING CRIMINALS AND THE MENTALLY INSANE,THROUGH AN OPEN BORDER THAT ONLY AN INCOMPETENT PRESIDENT WOULD APPROVE, AND THROUGH JUDGES WHO ARE ON A MISSION TO KEEP MURDERERS, DRUG DEALERS, RAPISTS, GANG MEMBERS, AND RELEASED PRISONERS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD, IN OUR COUNTRY SO THEY CAN ROB, MURDER, AND RAPE AGAIN — ALL PROTECTED BY THESE USA HATING JUDGES WHO SUFFER FROM AN IDEOLOGY THAT IS SICK, AND VERY DANGEROUS FOR OUR COUNTRY.“ 

Of course there's no mention of our nation's war dead, because, well, why would the Commander in Chief honor them on Memorial Day? It's so much more satisfying for him to focus on his grievances. (BTW, Eric? Don? If you can't take his phone away from him on holidays, at least tell Pop Pop to release the all caps.) 

Wait! There's more! Our President went on to repost a message that referred to Joe Biden as a "decrepit corpse." Think I'm kidding? Here it is: "They stole the 2020 election and hijacked the country using a decrepit corpse as a frontman, They used an autopen to start wars, steal from our treasury, and pardon their friends." Yes, Donald Trump just endorsed referring to a man diagnosed with metastatic cancer as a "decrepit corpse." Oh yeah, and as far as pardoning friends goes, our President just pardoned Todd and Julie Chrisley, reality TV stars convicted of tax evasion. 

All this makes Memorial Day weekend especially memorable, doesn't it?

I know there are loud-and-proud Christians who are happy this man represents the USA. My aunt/godmother is one of them. Her sanctimony and blind loyalty have literally torn our family apart. So far, I have stubbornly managed to maintain relations with her. But I don't know how much longer I can continue rising above the fray when no bottom has been established. I fear Donald Trump's base instincts will just drag us lower ... and lower ... and lower.

 

PS I limited myself to Memorial Day. I still can't get over January 6. Neither the original riot nor the pardons that followed. Or the way Trump has treated our allies. Or the wheeling and dealing his family does in plain sight. Or the recklessness and ugliness of DOGE and Elon's chainsaw. Or his slow and steady destruction of Madisonian Democracy. I'm afraid we're going to keep descending lower, and lower, and lower ... until it dawns on MAGA Nation that between the tariffs and the Big, Beautiful Bill, everything is going to cost them more. Sigh. Part of me just wants to say, "What the fuck!" and watch baseball.

I say Mariah t-shirts for everybody!

Behold Pete Crow-Armstrong, Cubs' centerfielder. This past week he's hit .299 with a .677 SLG. At 23, he's the youngest Cub since Anthony Rizzo 💙 to have 2 HR and 6 RBI in a single game. He loves Mariah Carey and doesn't care who knows it.

 

He's a delight to watch. Bold with his bat, a veritable cheetah on the base pads and willing to go for literally anything hit in his area code. 

PCA doesn't have Rizz' commitment to giving back, but perhaps it's unfair to expect anyone to equal Anthony Rizzo there. Since 2012, he's been responsible for at least $12 million to help families battling pediatric cancer. That doesn't count events for other causes. For example, I recall that here in Chicago, he catered lunches for health care workers administering the vaccine during covid. In New York, he has comped the entry fee for health care workers to run the NYC Marathon so they can raise funds for their hospitals. Helping others is a legit passion for Rizz.

But he does have Rizzo's joie de vivre. Watching Pete, I just know there is nothing he would rather be doing than playing baseball ... and simply being alive here in Chicago. It's going to be an exciting summer.