Old Dog = New Trick

Ah, Christmas at the card shop! Yeah, I know it's not even Halloween yet. But yesterday, during my shift, we got 27 boxes of merchandise delivered, and at least 20 were all Christmas. It's overwhelming.

Before I tackled all that corrugated cardboard, I clocked in, filled my water bottle, and looked at the employee notices. I was shocked to see a December calendar, with the store's extended hours, and instructions for how to request holiday time off. My boss advised that she needed to know by November 15 in order to accommodate us.

Really? I made my holiday time off request back in June, and it came back denied.  I was told, "This is our busiest week and it's all hands on deck. No vacation requests are going to be approved. This is retail."

I was furious. I hate that tone: "This is retail."  I know what my job is here. I also know that I get no benefits and no paid time off. I know that in 2025 and 2024, my time off requests were honored. I know that my take home pay for this job is so minor that my financial planner doesn't even include it when developing my fiscal forecast. While we're cataloging things I know, I know I don't need this shit.

However, I didn't say any of that. I could tell back in June that my manager was parroting the edict of her boss, Eric. She usually doesn't talk that way. Since then, Eric has been transferred.  

My partner on the floor yesterday happened to be the store manager. It was just her and me for the whole four hours. We'd had a short power outage a few nights ago – I experienced it at my home – and though electricity was restored quickly, the power surge had blown out some of the store's circuitry. Until repairs were made, we'd been unable to accept anything but cash. Halloween is busy and lucrative, so this was a hit to the store's bottom line. One of our most popular vendors has pulled out of its contract with us. After decades. So when customers come in and ask for that specific brand, we get to tell them we simply don't have it anymore. 

See more here

My manager seemed so defeated, I just didn't have the heart to mention the holiday announcement to her. She started the small talk by asking me about The World Series. You know I can talk baseball for hours. Then I opened one of the shipping cartons and met Ulrich the Wolf. He is the softest, sweetest stuffed animal I've seen in forever. I oohed and aahed and was reluctant to put him down. 

"Look at his puppy paws!" I enthused. 

The encouraged her to show me pictures of her dog whose feet do, indeed, look like Ulrich's. You know what I can discuss even longer than baseball? Critters.

Finally, at the end of my shift, she brought up the holiday thing. She asked me if I'd be able to let her know by the 15th if I needed time off. I wanted to scream, "I TOLD YOU BACK IN JUNE!" I wanted to ask her what happened to, "This is retail?" 

But I know what happened. Eric was replaced, that's what happened.

Why put her in a position where she has to admit how little power she really has?

Do I think I'm owed an apology? Yes, I do. In her position, I'd offer one. But I could tell that in this way, my 30-something lesbian Hispanic boss is exactly like my ultra-WASP, WWII generation mom was. There are things it's easier to pretend never happened, and my June holiday request is one of them.

So I bit my tongue. Instead I promised her I'd have all my vacation time nailed down by my shift next week. I left feeling good about the whole situation.

I am learning – slowly – that my every thought doesn't need to be shared and my every impulse doesn't need to be acted upon. 

 
Photo by Siora on Unsplash  

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Don't Take Your Love from Me (1956)

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

1) In this song, Doris Day sings about what happens when you take a petal from a rose. When did you last get or give flowers as a gift? Years ago. Though I am thinking of doing it over the holidays. My niece's in-laws may be hosting both sides of the family on Christmas Day and that's a lot of people! Maybe I'll send something that arrives a few days early so they won't bother with a centerpiece. Or maybe not. They have a cat, and a cat will look at a floral arrangement and say, "Salad bar!"

 

2) This song is about a woman who fears losing her love. What's the most recent thing you lost? (Hopefully it's not as consequential as a great love. It could be as small or unimportant as the back of one of your pierced earrings.) My most frequent request to Alexa is, "Call my phone." I'm always sure I left it either in purse or on the kitchen counter. You'd be surprised how often it gets up and moves itself.

 

3) Doris was known as The All-American Girl Next Door. Who lives next door to you? Across the hall is Zoraida. She works for Chase Bank (and has the most glorious eyelashes you have ever seen). Next door is Mark. Like me, he's on the condo board. I wish he was friendlier – then unitowners would knock on his door and not mine.

 

4) As a young girl, Doris Day was passionate about dance. She recalled that concentrating on her lessons helped distract her from the pain and embarrassment of her parents' divorce. When you want to escape from what's troubling you, what do you do? I read. I fart around on the internet. I cuddle a cat.

5) The maitre d' at one of Doris' favorite restaurants wanted to ask her out. Knowing how she loved her dogs, he impressed her by handing her a bag of meat scraps and bones to take home. They began dating and, in 1976, he became her last husband. What's the best way to your heart? I think I'm with Doris on this one. If I know you adopted a shelter pet, you automatically have a gold star from me.

 

6) Over her long career, Doris received Golden Globe and Grammy Awards and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. She was also inducted into the Ohio Women's Hall of Fame, honored for being one of the most celebrated women to have been born there. Name a famous person born in your home state. Illinois can claim four presidents: Reagan, Grant, Obama and, of course, our greatest President, Mr. Lincoln himself. Of those four, only one was born here – Ronald Reagan. He lived here through college and then went off to California to become an actor. 

 

He was born in Tampico, IL, but grew up in Dixon (about a half hour away)

7) She was frank about her financial difficulties, yet some people are uncomfortable discussing money. Are you one of those people? No. I've learned to be more circumspect because I know other people are kinda weird about money, but it doesn't bother me. Here's a true story: I was waiting in line at the bank. Two women were talking and one was wondering aloud if the dental hygienist could tell that she had recently performed oral sex. She was discussing her penchant for blow jobs but kept her thumb over the dollar amount of her cash deposit, lest I learn that about her. Go figure.

8) In 1956, when Doris released this song, The Wizard of Oz was shown on network TV for the first time. What movie have you seen multiple times? I've seen this at least a dozen times. Albert Finney is my Poirot. I love the idea of a luxury train. I love the costumes. I'd rather have just the cuisine and the clothes, but if I have to ride along with a dead body to get them, so be it.

 

9) Random question: Would you rather have a chef or a chauffeur? Oh, a chauffeur! 100%. I don't drive and it would be such a relief to never wonder how I'm getting from hither to yon.

 

 

 

Saturday 9

 Saturday 9: Everybody Loves a Clown (1965)

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

1) Not everyone loves clowns. "Coulrophobia" is the irrational fear of clowns. Do you have any fears or phobias? I am scared of clowns. I'm also afraid of flying (or, to be more precise, crashing).

2) This week's featured artist, Gary Lewis, sings that he jokes a lot at parties. In social settings, are you more a talker or a listener? Talker. Though my friend Patrick said I could take over for Kelly Clarkson because I ask such good questions.

3) He's dreaming of a special girl. Do you often daydream? All the time.

4) Gary named his band The Playboys because they were always late to rehearsals and Gary joked that they would rather play than work. Do you tend to be early, late, or exactly on time? On time or late. I'm never more than 5 or 10 minutes late, but it happens. I think it's a passive rebellion to being slave to train schedule for my nearly 50-year working career.

5) Gary Lewis had first-hand knowledge of clowns. His father was famous funny man Jerry Lewis. Who always makes you laugh? My late uncle always made me laugh. When I was a little girl, I thought he brought magic into every room he entered. I miss him. Today, my nephew reliably makes me laugh. 

6) In 2017, Gary was in the news when it became known that Jerry disinherited all six of his sons from his will. Have you ever attended the reading of a will? Until about 20 years ago, I didn't believe this was a real thing. I thought it only happened in Agatha Christie murder mysteries. But then in about 2005, my boss had to go to Nevada for the reading of his mother's will. He was gone for days ... delightful, productive, peaceful days. Then he came back. I hope he'd inherited enough to allow him to quit and get out of my way but alas, that wasn't the case.

7) This past summer found Gary Lewis on The My Generation Tour, performing with other acts from the mid-1960s, like The Lovin' Spoonful, The Hollies, and Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels. Do you enjoy listening to "the oldies?" Oh yes. Every morning I start my day with my shower radio, tuned to the oldies.

8) In 1965, when this song was popular, Muhammad Ali defeated Sonny Liston to become the heavyweight champion of the world. Have you ever attended a boxing match? Professional? No. But my longest-standing relationship was with a guy who was obsessed with the gym and kick boxing. It's hard to watch someone you care about be pummeled. (Just because he was committed doesn't mean he was good.)

9) Random question: What color is your toothbrush? White.

 

Sunday Stealing

SURVEY TIME!

1. What will you remember from August 2026? Yesterday! The Chicago Cubs threw themselves a birthday party and I was there. They celebrated their 150th anniversary before the game and then PCA set off fireworks during the game (three home runs!). It was a delightful day at the ballpark.

 

2. When will you start your holiday shopping? I shop all year around. If I see something that is perfect for someone on my gift list, I snap it up. Like those Leroy Jethro Gibbs socks I got for my super NCIS fan Cousin Rose. How would I ever find those again?

3. Where did you meet the person you fell the hardest for? At work.

4. Where did you meet your best friend? I met my oldest friend in Kindergarten class. She lived across the alley.

5. Share a fact about the last person who texted you. Will is the moderator of my movie group. He is "retired," but not really. He has a part-time job as a convention facilitator at Chicago's McCormick Place and is a docent, giving tours of a restored 19th century mansion. He makes me feel very lazy by comparison!

 

Saturday 9

 
Saturday 9: Shoo Fly Pie (and Apple Pan Dowdy) – 1946

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

1) Shoo fly pie got its name from Shoo Fly the Boxing Mule. After the Civil War, the mule who could box was such a popular circus attraction that a molasses manufacturer started featuring him on their packaging. Since molasses is the key ingredient of this pie recipe, homemakers just began referring to it as "shoo fly pie." If we looked, would we find molasses in your kitchen? No.

2) Apple pan dowdy is another uniquely American recipe from the 19th century. It's like apple pie, except it only has a top crust, which is broken up. Apples are a good source of fiber, Vitamin C and antioxidants. Do you consider nutrition when choosing a dessert? Or are you just all about how it tastes? Sometimes I think about nutrition. At Smoothie King, I ask for a little fiber boost. Today while grocery shopping I chose Fig Newtons over Chips Ahoy. It takes some of the guilt out of pigging out.

3) The lyrics describe these two desserts as the ultimate comfort foods, able to make "the sun come out when the heavens are cloudy." Do you find that the foods you crave change with your mood? Not the food themselves, but the quantity. I snack more when I'm sad/bored.

4) Singer June Christy pleads with her mama to whip up this "wonderful stuff." Did your mother have a dish you often requested? Yes. This is going to sound weird, but it's true. When I was 6 or so, my mother brought me along to wedding or bridal shower. I felt very special and grown up, and it was the first time I ever saw hors de'oeuvres. I was fascinated by food on toothpicks. So when we had hot dogs, I didn't get mine on a bun. My mom would slice it up and give me a toothpick and little puddle of ketchup and I felt like the most sophisticated first grader on the planet.

5) June was born in Springfield, Illinois' capital. Have you been to your state's capital city? Springfield is my state's capital and I have been there many, many times. It's where Abraham Lincoln came of age and site of The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. You can also tour the only home Abe and Mary ever owned. His law office is still there, but it's being renovated. I'd like to go back someday soon. There is something comforting and inspirational to walking where he walked. Abraham Lincoln represents America at its best.

6) June spent years singing with Stan Kenton's Orchestra. At one point, she gave 38 performances in 35 towns in 35 days. That's a busy schedule! Do you thrive on activity? Or do you find yourself rejuvenated by quiet time? I need my quiet time.

7) In 1946, when this record was popular, bikinis were first seen in Paris fashion shows. How often have you worn your swimsuit this summer? Not once.

8) Also in 1946, Elias Tupper invented Tupperware, a plastic container with an airtight top that's great for preserving leftovers. Are there any leftovers in your refrigerator right now? Not at the moment. 

9) Random question: Is there a day of the week that goes by faster than the others? Sunday.

 

August Happiness Challenge – Day 19

My 2026 Happiness Icon

Today's Happiness: A walk at sunset. I don't have many good memories of my dad. But this evening, one came roaring back, happy and clear. It was about 7:30, the sun was going down, and the heat and humidity had abated. On my way back from a walk I thought of my dad. 

 

Some summer evenings, after dinner but before our baths, he'd take my older sister and me for a walk. He'd make it a game. We'd go up one street and down another and around this corner or that. Then, when he was sure we were turned around, he would challenge one or the other of us to find the way back home. I realize now he was trying to teach us our neighborhood. I was terrible at this game – then, like now, I had no sense of direction.

 

But I liked this time with him. He wasn't grumpy. He wasn't distracted. He wasn't shouting at clouds. He seemed to want to be with my sister and me. 

 

I said a little prayer for my dad tonight. I hope that in Heaven, he gets to take long walks every evening and he's always relaxed and happy. 

Happy August Happiness Challenge!

 

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

 

Sunday Stealing

WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE ...? 

1. Flavor? Cinnamon 

2. Movie?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. Piece of jewelry? I often wear this charm as a pendant. It's a recreation of one of the coins found on the Atocha, a Spanish ship that went down off Key West in the 1600s. The charm is made from scrap silver that remained in the wreck. Amazing to think I'm wearing metal that rested for centuries at the bottom of the sea!

The pendant means a lot to me because it reminds me of my favorite uncle, who loved Key West and collected Atocha coins, and of my dear friend Henry, who lived in Key West and was with me when I bought it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. Place to be? My home. Which is why what happened yesterday disturbed me so. It's hard to relax when a nosy neighbor is just waiting to impinge on my privacy.

5. Boy's name? I think I like Robert best because it can be adapted to fit the person: Bob, Bobby, Rob, Robbie or Robert.

6. Girl's name? Margaret. See above. Maggie, Margo, Marge, Peggy, Reta.

7. Candy? It changes. Lately it's Hershey's with Almonds.

8. Sports team? This never changes.

 

 

 

 

 

9. Color? Pantone 294. It's the exact blue of the Cubs logo.

10. Month? Today I'm thinking September. It feels like the beginning of a new season and a fresh start.

So, do you feel like you know me better?  

August Happiness Challenge – Day 15

My 2026 Happiness Icon

Today's Happiness: Two old ladies from Florida. This one is hard. I'm in a bad mood because of my neighbor (see post below) and because the Cardinals shellacked my Cubs. But then I looked at the mail I'd heedlessly tossed onto my coffee table.

 

I got two postcards today! One from my Cousin Rose, from her visit with cousin on her dad's side, Marlene. The other from my Aunt, on a road trip to Pigeon Forge with her husband and dog.

 

These are the last two people alive who held me as a baby. They both exasperate me – Rose because she can't stop telling me how to live my life and Auntie because she can't stop being more MAGA than thou. Yet they both love me. I know they do. And the universe reminded me of that today.

 

That's a lot to be happy about. 

Happy August Happiness Challenge!

 

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

Thursday Thirteen #475

Back to School! For four years, my nephew lived in the dorms at Western Illinois University. As I was folding and putting away my last remaining WIU Leathernecks t-shirt, I reminisced about his dorm days. He moved from one hall to another, but his rooms had a sameness: a microfridge – which I'd never seen before and amazed me – and a bed and drawers and the largest collection of dirty underwear and discarded WalMart bags I've ever seen. (He was going to recycle those bags at the store someday, honest he was.) So it's with a sense of nostalgia that I share ... 

13 items from WIU's "What to Bring" list

1. Bedding: XL twin sheets (80"), pillows, comforter/blanket

2. Shower sandals

3. Laundry detergent and dryer sheets

4. Hangers 

5. Silverware and dishes 

6. Anti-bacterial wipes 

7. Small vacuum 

8. Reusable containers (a la Tupperware) 

9. Power strips with surge protection

10. USB drives 

11. Headphones

12. First aid kit 

13. Umbrella*

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

 

 *It amuses me to see this made the list. It seems my nephew was not alone in never having one, and the school was weary of being asked to provide them.

 

August Happiness Challenge – Day 7

 

My 2026 Happiness Icon

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

 

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

  

Happy August Happiness Challenge!

 

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

 

August Happiness Challenge – Day 5

My 2026 Happiness Icon

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

 

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

 

Fly the W!

 

Happy August Happiness Challenge!

 

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

 

August Happiness Challenge: Day 1

My 2026 Happiness Icon

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

Happy August Happiness Challenge!

 

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

 

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? Lincoln's Last Trial by Dan Abrams. I was going to read this during covid lockdown. While I went through 47 books in 2021, this was not among them. I'm not sure why, but now Dan and Abe get their moment with me.

 

Dan Abrams does this: he chooses long-past trials with well-known lawyers or litigants and weaves them into easy-to-follow tales, relying as much on court transcripts as the recollections of participants. Since these books focus more on the trials than the crimes themselves, we're left to decide whether justice was done.

 

This time Mr. Lincoln takes center stage. He was well on his way to becoming a national figure when he chose to defend a Springfield boy named Peachy Quinn, accused of killing Greek Crafton, another Springfield native. Both were known to Lincoln and, in fact, to most folks in town. Springfield was divided. Either Peachy was unjustly accused of murder when he was just defending himself against a much larger man, or Greek had been viciously slashed by a man who could easily have just walked away but instead brandished a weapon.

 

Yeah, I know how this ends. What I'm enjoying is the journey this book is taking me on. I've been to Springfield many times and have visited the Lincoln-Herndon Law Office. I've walked where Abe walked, from his office to the courthouse, or home, or to the Globe Tavern.

 

Abrams and his co-author Fisher are showing me Abe as he ends one chapter of his life and gets ready to embark on another. It's emotionally resonant because as I go through this story I know something Abe doesn't – he is about to leave Springfield and the law forever and he has only 7 years to live. I'm looking at a man on the brink of immortality, and I'm fascinated by how his mind works.

 

2. What did you recently finish reading?  In Pieces by Sally Field. This book was not at all what I expected. Not at all! (Even though Country Dew tried to warn me.) Yes, she covers off on her major roles and I enjoyed those parts. Her romance with Burt Reynolds gets a lot of space, too. But mostly this book is about her family – the one she was born into and the one she created. She's an actor, a dedicated one and her craft/passion saved her life, but she's also a daughter, a sister, a mother and a granddaughter.

 

There is little joy in this book because Sally Field had a far more complicated life than I realized. It's not an easy read. But it's well written and authentic and it touched me. Sally's relationship with her mother reminded me so much of my mom and me that it was disturbing.

 

I recommend this book because it had an impact on me. But be warned.

3. What will you read next? Dear Debbie by Freida McFadden. It's time for some chills and thrills.

 

  

 

 

 

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Kung Fu Fighting (1974)

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

1) Have you ever taken a martial arts class? Nope. Interestingly, though, my two most serious relationships were with devotees. One was a brown belt, the other made it to a lower stripe of black. The brown belt bragged about his expertise more than the one who was more successful. I didn't even know he was a black belt until I found some of his trophies in the laundry room while I was looking for dryer sheets. I think there's a lesson in there somewhere.

2) In this song, Carl Edwards sings about funky Chinatown. Many cities – including San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Vancouver, London and Antwerp – have a Chinatown. Have you ever visited Chinatown? Not in decades. My favorite uncle used to take me every summer when I was a kid, but I haven't gone back on my own. My late friend John and I were "gonna go" since he and I had each separately made friends with deep ties to the Chinatown community and it might be fun to arrange a visit for the four of us. But as often with me and John, we'd start to make plans and abandon them when they seemed too complicated. What if my friend and his friend don't like each other? John and I were retired but our friends weren't, so would we have to go on a Saturday when it's busy? You do realize it's an extra bus ride, don't you? John and I shared both laziness and a fondness for just hanging out together, blabbing and drinking and arguing over whether to order entrees or just split a couple appetizers. I miss those lazy evenings terribly.

 

The gate that welcomes visitors to Chicago's Chinatown

3) Many Chinese restaurants give out fortune cookies. Can you recall one of your fortunes? I seldom get fortunes about my future. I get proverbs, like "an inch of time is an inch of gold."

4) This week's featured artist, Carl Edwards, was born in Jamaica, spent his childhood in the US, and relocated to England. Have you ever lived abroad? Nope.

5) In 1974 he became the first Jamaican to have a #1 hit in the US with this song. Have you been to Jamaica? Nope.

6) When this week's song was on the charts, ABC TV had a hit with the show Kung Fu. Today it's available to stream. Were you a fan? Nope.

7) Also in 1974, the FIFA World Cup was played in West Germany. Have you been following the FIFA World Cup this year? Nope. I'm not especially fascinating today, am I?

8) Two of 1974's most popular toys were popular with adults, too. Would you prefer a Rubik's Cube or a Magic 8 Ball? Magic 8 Ball.

9) Random question: Have you ever cut someone else's hair? Nope.

 

 

It's getting deep

I pay little attention to Zohran Mamdani. The nice thing about being this old is that I know that, no matter what, the Mayor of New York will not have a major impact on my life here in Chicago. When I was a little girl, John Lindsay was all the rage. Batman even featured a character based on him. Remember when Bloomberg and Giuliani were going to be President? It was all much ado about nothing.

No mayor of any major city has ever become President. In fact, no mayor has been President since Coolidge, and he held higher office before ascending to the Presidency. Not that Mamdani could be President anyway. I know my Constitution.

So why is my aunt obsessed with Mamdani? She lives in a small town outside of Tampa, for fuck's sake. He has no power over her. Yet she follows his public statements so she can share her outrage.

It's because he's Muslim. "Can you believe that New York City elected a Muslim?" She posted those very words, with pictures of the World Trade Center. How ridiculous is that? Mamdani was 10 years old in 2001. By the way, Muhammad Ali was a Muslim. Was he involved in 9/11, too?

Now her Facebook feed is abuzz because Mamdani had the temerity to ask New Yorkers to use power wisely.

  

Notice that was a request. It's not like masked agents would be knocking on doors demanding to see your thermostat. (As opposed to the ICE agents who ... don't get me started. You have no idea how ugly, dispiriting and scary it was here.)

And it sounds like commonsense to me. Preserves the grid, makes sure we all have comfort during a heatwave. Here in Chicago, ComEd pays us to do that. During peak times, if we reduce our consumption we get a break on our bills. (I saved $3.00 last week.)

But according to my aunt, Mamdani is Communist who is placing an unreasonable burden on his citizens. "This is how it starts," she says. Her friends agree. Creeping Socialism in on the way! (Wait, weren't we talking about Communism? Oh, never mind.)

My aunt is grateful that she lives in The Land of the Free – Florida! Where Ron Desantis is governor!  She seems blissfully unaware that just weeks before, the Florida Public Service Commission — chosen by and answering to Gov. DeSantis — issued the very same suggestion that residents to set their AC units to 78º degrees in the summer.

If I were to ask her, I'm sure that she'd say "Ron" (whom she adores) is civic minded. He's looking out for the people who elected him.

Don't you agree we're about hip deep in bullshit and hypocrisy?

She's my aunt. She's one of two people left on the planet who held me as a baby. She's my last direct tie to the grandparents I adored. I respect and treasure that connection, so I bite my tongue and keep the lines of communication open.

But here's the most disturbing part. She's my godmother. When I was downstairs in Sunday School in the church basement, learning about Jesus and His love, she was upstairs in a pew. Same building. Same Jesus. When I was a little girl, I remember she had a framed photo of JFK in her bedroom. But now she seems to get satisfaction not from brotherhood but from knee-jerk negativity about Muslims, gays, blacks, and immigrants. 

While my aunt's rants gets lots of "thumbs up" from her Tampa buds on Facebook, she no longer hears from one of her sons and two of her grandchildren. She has a great grandchild she has never held. If it wasn't for me, she'd never have seen a photo of my niece's daughter, Violet.

I hope living in a Fox News bubble and spouting the glories of living in "The Land of the Free – Florida" is worth what it's cost her.