Thursday Thirteen #421

 Thirteen Jackies. Next week, on July 28, we'll see the 96th anniversary of Jacqueline Bouvier's birth. No other First Lady has had her pop culture impact. 31 years after her death, she's still fascinates. Producer Ryan Murphy recently made news by announcing his Jackie, the actress who will play John Kennedy, Jr.'s mother, in his upcoming mini-series about JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy.

Murphy decided on Oscar and Emmy nominee Naomi Watts. Here are 13 other actresses who have also portrayed the former First Lady.

1. Jaclyn Smith. Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy (1981).

2. Blair Brown. Kennedy (1983).

3. Roma Downey. A Woman Named Jackie (1991). This mini-series got tepid reviews at the time, but I was pleasantly surprised by Downey's performance (if not the series' Lifetime/Hallmark tone).

4. Joanne Whalley. Jackie Bouvier Kennedy Onassis (2000).

5. Stephanie Romanov. 13 days (2000).

6. Jill Hennessey. Jackie, Ethel, Joan: The Women of Camelot (2001).

7. Jeanne Tripplehorn, Grey Garden (2009).

8. Katie Holmes. The Kennedys (2011). If you're watching for iconic hair and clothes, this is a good choice.

9. Minka Kelly. The Butler (2013).

10. Kat Steffens. Parkland (2013).

11. Ginnifer Goodwin. Killing Kennedy (2013).

12. Natalie Portman. Jackie (2016). I believe she did the best job. She also had the best script and the most innovative director.

 13. Jodi Balfour. The Crown. (2017).

I close with the genuine article.

 

 

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? The Guest List by Lucy Foley. A thrilling homage to Agatha Christie. An ambitious publisher and her reality TV star boyfriend are getting married in style on a secluded Irish island. She's beautiful, he's gorgeous, they're rich and in love. What could go wrong? HA! Soon enough they wedding is plagued by a massive storm that sweeps in spotty internet and power outages ... and a lot of blood.

 

We have a variety of narrators: the bride, the wedding planner, the best man, the bridesmaid, and the "plus one." None is as they seem. The way Foley lets the story unfold, we're not initially sure who the victim is until it's too late to help, which makes it even more involving.

 

I like that it's set in the old UK, where names like Aiofe and Angus are as commonplace as Emma and Ethan would be here. It adds a little extra dollop of charm. 

2. What did you recently finish reading? The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz. Spellman Investigations is a family firm. Mom, Dad and their two daughters handle the cases together, with an occasional assist from Uncle Ray. When the oldest daughter, Isabel, begins doggedly working a very, very cold case, the family finds itself in peril. Obviously it's retribution for Isabel sticking her nose where it doesn't belong, right? 2 + 2 = 4. Yet it's not that simple ...

While everything I wrote above is true, it doesn't come near capturing the charm and readability of this book. The Spellmans are warm, loving, funny and beyond wacky. They take eccentric to another level. This is Book #1 in this entertaining series, and I know I'll revisit other "cases."

3. What will you read next? Dark City Dames: The Women Who Defined Film Noir by Eddie Muller.

 

 

Sunday Stealing

Stolen from Follow That Dream

1. My bestie and I once ... laughed for hours on end. I miss that.

2. When I'm nervous ... I fidget. Also when I'm bored.

3. My hair ... is a little too short right now, but it will grow.

4. When I turn to the left, I see ... the TV

5. My favorite aunt ... has no competition because she is my only aunt. 

6. I have a hard time understanding ... conspiracy theorists. I hear what they believe, shake my head, and wonder how they can be so gullible. Example: Epstein died in prison in 2019. Donald Trump was President, Bill Barr was Attorney General. Yet conspiracy-loving Trump supporters believe "they" (the Deep State, the Elites, the Democrats, etc.) killed Epstein and "they" covered it up. Um ... In 2019, "they" would have had to include Trump and his Department of Justice. BTW, I don't believe Epstein was murdered. Suicide is not uncommon in our prison system, especially among convicted sex offenders. QAnon is nonsense. 9/11 was not an inside job. Trump lost in 2020. Barack Obama was born in Hawaii. Some people have a psychological need to believe these conspiracy theories. I suppose I should feel sorry for them, but I don't understand them. 

7. You know I like you if ... I make time for you. I think availability is important.

8. When I was 5 years old ... I had a bright red jacket with a hood that was lined in white.

 

 

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: It All Depends On You (1959)

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

1) In this song, Shirley Bassey sings that she could be happy or sad. As you answer these questions, do lean more toward happy or sad? Happy. Or, I suppose, it would be more precise to borrow from the sailors and say I'm on an even keel.

 

2) She tells us that she can save money or spend it. Do you try to stick to a budget? I try. I'm not always successful, but I try.

 

3) By the time Shirley Bassey recorded "It All Depends on You," it was already an oldie, written back in 1926. Can you think of a song, book, or movie that you enjoy today that you believe audiences will relate to 2125? As long as kids continue to play with Barbie dolls, I bet the Barbie movie will endure. I get such a kick out of Ryan Gosling's performance. He's Kenough! 

 

 

 

4) Though she has risen to the title Dame Commander of the British Empire (DBE), her childhood allowed her little education. She dropped out at 15 and got a factory job to help her family. How old were you when you got your first full-time job? What was it? At 17 I got a job as a secretary (this was before "administrative assistants").

5) A favorite of the Royal Family, Shirley performed at the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Party at Buckingham Palace. How would you like to celebrate your next anniversary or birthday? Are you in the mood for a big blow out, or would you prefer something low key? This year, Paul McCartney is coming to Chicago to celebrate me. I think that qualifies as a blow out. 😉

 

6) Madame Tussaud's has two wax figurines of Shirley – one in London and a second in Las Vegas. Do you enjoy wax museums, or do you think they're creepy? I think they're creepy, and I enjoy them anyway.

7)  In 1959, when this song was popular, most women wore nylons on a daily basis and the average price per pair was $1. What socks or leg wear – if any – do you have on right now? I'm barefoot.

8) Also in 1959, Alaska became our 49th state. Today, cruise lines showcase Alaska on 4- or 7-night cruises. What do you consider the perfect length for a vacation trip? Is a 3-day weekend too short? Are two weeks away from home too long? What's your ideal? I think 4 or 5 nights away is perfect. 

 

9) Random question: Which cable channel would you watch more often – one that shows nothing but classic sitcoms, or one that shows nothing but new movies? Classic sitcoms.

 

 

 

Thursday Thirteen #420

Preparing for tariffs. While President Trump insists that, over the long term, his new tariff policy will result in a stronger economy, most experts agree that short-term we can expect to see higher prices. After tooling around the internet, I've found 13 items we may wish to stock up on now, before retailers have to restock and reprice to reflect the cost of the tariffs.

Check the expiration date on the items you currently have on hand. If they are going to expire anytime in 2026, it's worth your while to replenish your personal supply now. 

1. Batteries

2. Toothpaste

3. OTC pain killers and cold meds

4. Rice

5. Canned soup

6. Coffee

7. Olive Oil

8. Laundry detergent 

9. Body wash 

10. Light bulbs 

11. Toilet paper/paper towels

The following items don't expire but are likely to climb in price when tariffs go into effect 

12. Small electronics, like blenders, microwaves and portable hair dryers

13. Hardware and tools, like flashlights, nails, nuts and bolts

 

PS I'm not suggesting hoarding. Just use your at-home storage space wisely and take advantage of pre-tariff prices when you still can.

 

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

 

 

 

I'm in!

 

Paul McCartney will be ending his North American tour in Chicago on November 24 and 25. My birthday is November 22. I take this as a sign from the universe that I must be in attendance for one of those shows. 

There was a lot of stress involved in getting me a ticket yesterday. But – spoiler alert – I'm in.

Days ago I requested a pre-sale code for each night, which arrived on my phone at 9:00 AM yesterday. I logged in with one on my laptop and the other on my phone. The pre-sale started at 10:00 and here's the message I got on my laptop. The one on my phone said I was 37000+ in line. I was not hopeful. The United Center has a capacity of less than 25,000 for concerts.

 

The ticket prices – which hadn't been announced before Tuesday – ranged from $40.60 to (gulp!) $4,135.90. For 50 minutes, I watched the queue number tick down oh-so slowly. I did yoga stretches as my eyes darted from phone to laptop and back again. I listened to Paul songs and wondered how I was going to pay for my ticket in the unlikely event I got one. I looked at the pad of lined paper on my coffee table that has an overview of my finances. I have a "slush fund" that I started back in March, seeded with money from my tax refund. 

My "slush fund" is different from my "household fund," which is money I have earmarked for sudden home expenses (like a broken window or a new refrigerator). It's not my "emergency fund," which is a 120-day CD and saved for unexpected taxes or a medical bill for me or the cats. I had unspecified plans for the "slush fund," adding $10 to it here or there, working toward hazy dreams of a someday kitchen remodel. 

On Tuesday morning, my "slush fund" had $815. Right now? $27.46.

Both my phone and my laptop let me in to the sale at the same time. I don't understand how that happened. I was so very far back. I can only imagine that many other fans had their credit cards rejected or choked when they saw the price of the seats that were left. I had an advantage. I only want one seat.

I opted for "best available" on both screens. Under $1,000 for two reasons: I didn't want ground floor in front of the stage because I'm too short to see anything and because, well, I don't have it. 

I got section 101, lower level, left of stage. 24 hours later, seats in my section are selling for $2,500+ each on Vivid Seats. 

I forget how popular Paul McCartney is. I have loved him since I was 6 years old, the same way I love blue skies and a cat's purr. It's basic and consistent and forever. It never occurs to me that other people love him, too. So the ticket demand and the price did surprise me.

But I am going. He is 83 and I am 67. I am aware that time is running short. My knight will be here for my birthday, and I will be there to see him. 

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? The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz. Our narrator, Isabel Spellman, is the oldest daughter in a family of private investigators. She lives in the upstairs apartment of her parents' home/office and so she spends most of her time in the nucleus of this dysfunctional – funny and loving but, make no mistake, dysfunctional – world. Izzy tries to successfully move among the rest of us, but she struggles. She is, however, funny and clever and very good at her job. She's also very good company.

Yes, Kwizgiver, this is a reread! When sorting my books, I came upon the Spellman series and found that I remembered little about the mysteries themselves but loved the vibe Lutz created. This inspired me to revisit them one more time before I part with them.

2. What did you recently finish reading? Agatha Raisin and the Witch of Wyckhadden by M.C. Beaton. The 9th book in the series started out promisingly. Agatha has the blues and impulsively decides to take off on holiday. Without doing much research, she chooses a small seaside resort out of season, assuming it would be quiet and relaxing retreat. Instead she's bored. Everything about the hotel is old and dull, including the other guests. She's quickly disenchanted and is about to leave when – guess what – there's a murder in town. She can't resist involving herself. 

That's the thing about our Aggie: she can't help herself. While the mystery itself was pretty good, and the atmosphere at the resort is well defined and seems very real, Agatha does something very hurtful and selfish. Her motives are human: she's vulnerable and needy. But her actions are far from virtuous. Frankly, she reminds me a bit of my oldest friend in real life, and I just wasn't in the mood to justify self-centered behavior.

3. What will you read next? The Wedding Guest by Lucy Foley.

 

 

The view from the top

As we go into the All Star break, my Cubs are in first place. I am, of course, thrilled. I'm also surprised. I knew we were improved over last year, but I didn't expect them to be this good.

 I'm especially happy for our phenomenal center fielder, Pete Crow-Armstrong. PCA! PCA! He's a fan favorite. An all-star who hits, has a terrific arm, and is a demon on the base pads. He's got a relationship with the Bleacher Bums, who paid him this unusual tribute. 19 of them stripped down to spell out his name on their chests in Pantone 294.  (I love the hyphen.)

 

So I'm having fun. I miss Anthony Rizzo, of course. This is the first season since 2012 that I haven't watched him anchor the corner. There's a hole in my heart.

 

Book fair recap

I clocked 7 volunteer hours for this year's annual library book sale. First I built boxes for the book sorters to sort into, later I was reunited with my boxes, now full of fiction, mysteries, sci-fi/fantasy, classics and young adult. I took them out of the boxes and placed them onto the designated sale tables.

These labors earned me the right to peruse the books that were left after the sale and just take whatever I want. I took two oversized books for myself – one about Princess Diana, the other a Frank Sinatra career retrospective – and grabbed a paperback mystery by Karin Slaughter for my aunt.

And now for my annual observation.  Every year there's a book donated in bigger numbers than any other; a book many of my neighbors bought and then decided not to keep. I suspect it's a tome chosen by local book clubs. Without further ado, here's the dubious honor roll:

2025: Living History by Hillary Clinton 

2024: Water for Elephants

2023: My Life by Bill Clinton

2022, 2019, 2018 and 2017: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

2016: The Help

2015: The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest

2014: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

2013: The DaVinci Code

2012: Sixkill (a Spenser Mystery)

2011: The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood

2010: Scarlett, the Sequel to Margaret Mitchell’s Gone with the Wind

2009: My Life by Bill Clinton

2008: The DaVinci Code

2007: The Nanny Diaries

2006: The Corrections

Sunday Stealing

Spill It!

1. If money wasn't an issue, would you move to a new home? Maybe. What I'd really like to do is sublet an apartment, move in and renovate this place. I think doing all the work I want to – especially new flooring – would be easier if it was empty. (I fantasize about this when I buy a lottery ticket.)

2. Do you listen to different music when you're happy than when you're sad? No. I tend to listen to the radio, and they choose my tunes.

3. What's your favorite way to unwind after a tough day? Pop open a Coke and then take a nap.

4. What's the first book you remember from childhood? I remember my mother's voice as she read me Charlotte's Web. I remember reading this one myself on a car ride home from Springfield, where we visited the Lincoln sites. 

  

5. What made you smile today? My Connie Cat. For someone who doesn't have the gift the language, she makes her feelings abundantly clear. She touches my heart.

 

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Since U Been Gone (2005)

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

 

1) In this song, Kelly Clarkson is dissatisfied with her relationship and she's moving on. What's something you've moved on from lately? It could be anything from a romance to the laundry detergent you've been using for years. I've moved on from Trader Joe's. I don't have a car and walk everywhere, and somehow it doesn't seem worth the extra couple blocks when Target is closer. 

 

2) She sings that she can now breathe. Studies have shown that July can be a good month for allergy sufferers because trees and grasses are no longer pollinating. How are your eyes, ears, nose and throat this morning? No complaints.

 

3) Kelly complains that their romance reminds her of a "stupid love song." Let's be more positive: what love song do you associate with positive memories? This is the song I first recall hearing Paul McCartney sing on The Ed Sullivan Show, back when I was 6 years old. It's the moment I fell in love with him. I saw him perform it live in concert at Wrigley Field in 2011. He's coming back to Chicago this fall – just in time for my birthday! – and I hope to be in the audience when he sings it live once again.

 

 

 

 

4) While Kelly's first love is music, she's established herself as a TV personality. In addition to her daytime talk show, she's been a judge on The Voice and hosted an awards show. Have you ever been on TV? Oh, this feels so long ago now! I was at a downtown hotel (The Congress?) on November 3, 1992, with a crowd of other Clinton campaign volunteers, awaiting the election results. This was before BIG flat screen TVs. Instead there were several sets positioned around the conference room and I was sitting on the floor, looking up at one, as Bill gave his acceptance speech live from Little Rock. A local station (channel 7?) captured the moment and used it as part of a news story about how much younger Bill's campaign workers and voters were than Bush's. I was 35 at the time and didn't feel all that young (but hey! I could still easily sit on the floor and bounce back up) but there I was in the front row. I didn't see it, of course. I was still downtown partying. But my mom did and was quite proud. 

5) She has confessed a weakness for Doritos. Would we find salty snacks in your kitchen right now? No. But that's just because I have finished them all.

 

6) Kelly has found her weight the source of public debate. Are you like Kelly, whose weight fluctuates? Or does it stay stable? I was thin until I had my hysterectomy at 54. Then I rapidly gained a ton of weight and have never taken it off.

 

7) In 2005, when this song was popular, a motorist made news in Texas when he was ticketed for driving over 200 mph in a 75 mph zone. Have you ever been pulled over by the police? I have a vague recollection of being in a car that was pulled over back in the 1980s. The memory is hazy because I was pretty drunk but the driver was not. He was not ticketed for whatever it was and was very glad that I kept my mouth shut for once while he was talking to the officer.

 
8) Also in 2005, Tom Cruise had a pop culture moment when he famously jumped on a sofa. Do you remember where he did this? Oprah.

 

9) Random question: Tell us about a photo you wish you'd taken, but didn't. Over the 4th of July weekend I got together with my friends Patty and Bob. I wish one of us had thought to snap a picture.

 

Thursday Thirteen #419

Get lost! Last week I discovered Almanac.com, the official website of The Old Farmer's Almanac. It's a great website to get lost in and a wonderful resource to mine for Thursday Thirteen.

As I was tooling around the site, I noticed many posts began with the phrase, "How to Get Rid of ..." Getting rid of things is a hot topic with Almanac readers, and here are links to 13 of the literally dozens of posts on the subject.

HOW TO GET RID OF ... 

1. Ants.

2. Bad Smells. This focuses on carpets, upholstery and appliances, but not ...

3. Body Odor.

4. Canker Sores. I read this one and have learned that there's a difference between canker and cold sores. Thank you, Old Farmer's Almanac! 

5. Colorado Potato Beetles. "Despite their name, they don't affect only gardens in Colorado!" 

6. Fruit Flies.

7. Groundhogs.  

8. Head Lice.

9. Pantry Moths.

10. Scale on Plants.

11. Slugs and Snails. 

12. Thrips. Until this moment, I'd never hear of thrips. I just learned they are, "sucking insects that can cause some damage to plants." Now I have a great new Scrabble word.

13. Voles. 

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? Agatha Raisin and the Witch of Wyckhadden by M.C. Beaton. The 9th book in the series finds our girl Aggie on holiday. She went to at a seaside resort out of season, thinking it would be a relaxing retreat but instead she's bored. Everything around her is old and dull – the decor as well as the other guests. Then she meets the village police commissioner. Could this be a new love interest for Agatha? It gets complicated when the sleepy community suffers its first murder in decades, and of course Agatha, the outsider, is viewed with suspicion.

 

What I love about this series is how real Agatha is. She can be vain and vulnerable and she makes me laugh. While she sometimes annoys me, I can't help rooting for her. 

 

2. What did you recently finish reading? A Murder in Hollywood: The Untold Story of Tinseltown's Most Shocking Crime by Casey Sherman. A sensational real-life scandal: The aging movie queen calls the police because her dead gangster lover is bleeding on her bedroom carpet, and her teenage daughter admits to wielding the knife that killed him. It's impossible to overestimate what a big news story this was in 1958, and it's still jaw-dropping stuff today.

Lana Turner's sordid story gets an in depth treatment here. I read it quickly and learned a few new things about both Lana and mob boss Mickey Cohen, who was involved up to his eyeballs. 

But I really hated the writing. Sometimes Lana puffs her cigarette nervously, other times she takes deep drags. Who made note of her every cig more than 65 years ago? Bugsy Siegel makes a point over a meal in his breakfast nook as he butters his roll. Are you sure, Casey Sherman? Do you know for a fact Bugsy didn't slather jam on his toast or bite into a cheese danish? This crap not only made me roll my eyes, it took away from the gravity of the story. A woman was terrorized, a man was murdered, a teenage girl was scarred for life. It shouldn't be treated like a lurid Lifetime movie.

3. What will you read next? The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz. 

 

 

 

 

Getting by and moving on

 I'm OK. I'm not great. I'm not thrilled. But I'm also not blue. I have moments when I'm very happy or very lonely, but for the most part, I'm OK. 

I watch baseball, specifically my first place Chicago Cubs. I read and watch TV. I work on my Postcards to Swing States and Letters Against Isolation. I've volunteered twice already for the local library book fair and will be back there again tonight. I have my job at the card shop. I cuddle my cats. I exchange emails with my niece about her new baby, Violet, and that always lifts my spirits. I haven't been to yoga because it's been too damn hot – I can't bear going from the hot studio into 95º heat outside – but I know I'll be back. 

 

What I don't have are my perennials. I don't have my besties, John and Henry. Since they died last year, a day hasn't gone by that I haven't wanted to reach for the phone and call one of them. My oldest friend is not really my friend anymore. She's struggling so with her own physical and medical issues that she simply can't be an equal partner in this relationship. She won't talk or write, but she does regularly IM with pictures of Paul McCartney. Oh! What I wouldn't give for a long phone call from her or Henry! Just catching up and laughing. Or to sit in a bar with John, watching the world go by and laughing. 

 

I miss laughing.

 

Things won't change unless I change them. So I have promised myself I will socialize once a week. Chatting with coworkers at the store or fellow volunteers doesn't count. Every week I must make an effort to dine with someone, to strengthen our bond. Two weeks ago, I had dinner with Joan, a classmate from the Class of 75 who was passing through Chicagoland. Last week I had lunch with Elaine. Sunday I talked baseball and old movies with Bob and Patricia, a local couple I met at the TCM Film Festival.* This weekend I'll have lunch with my nephew.

 

It's the same every time: At first, I don't want to go. There's always something I'd rather do at home alone. But then I'm always glad I went.

 

I approach it with the same attitude I have toward doing my morning stretches or drinking more water. Socializing will improve my quality of life. 

 

I miss my old life. I miss friends who are gone and not coming back. I miss laughing.

 

But my life is not without its joys and I must appreciate them. I must – as the old song says – accentuate the positive and latch on to the affirmative.  

 

With the help of God and the direction of my (very good) therapist, I believe I'll be happy again. Even if happy at 67 doesn't look or feel like happy at 37 did.

 

  

*Yes, I traveled 2000 miles to find myself on Hollywood Blvd., waiting for the light to change, standing beside a couple who lives in my zip code.

 

Photo by Anastasia Vityukova on Unsplash  

Sunday Stealing

F.A.B.

F. Film: What movie or tv show are you watching? I watched Yankee Doodle Dandy, because I do that every year.

A. Audio: What are you listening to? I borrowed this CD from the public library. RIP, Brian Wilson.

B. Book: What are you reading? Also borrowed from the library. I love this series.