Some days it takes more than a shirt

This is my official 2026 locker room shirt. It's identical to the one my guys wore as they sprayed champagne on one another after clinching a wildcard berth. It arrived from Wrigleyville Sports on Monday afternoon. I tracked the shipment and as soon as it arrived, I tore open the package and ran downstairs to do laundry. I had to have it for Tuesday, when the playoffs began. I was so happy.

 Then Tuesday dawned. I went to yoga and it was awful. My regular teacher, Rachel, has had to change her schedule for a few months and the instructor who has replaced her is ... not Rachel. I'm used to Rachel. I want Rachel. Rachel explains the poses as she does them and offers ways for students like me to adapt and still execute them. That's not what I got yesterday. "Let's do pigeon pose." 

There are more than a dozen steps to executing pigeon pose.  Our instructor walked us through each one as she did it, but all of this was new to me and I couldn't keep up. Then I saw I didn't want to keep up. I'm fat, I'm old, I have two bad knees (meniscus tear on one side, arthritis on the other). I plopped down on my butt and surveyed the room: just about everyone was following the script. Some with greater dexterity with others, but my classmates were on board. My new instructor saw me in the mirror and said, "Listen to your own body. Let your body determine your practice." She was giving me permission to do my own thing, and I appreciated it, but it's not how Rachel would have handled it. Rachel would have demonstrated the pose first herself, then she would have done it with us a second time, talking us through. She always gave us an either/or – "try this instead," not just "don't do it if it doesn't feel right."

Oh well, next week when I go, I'll know what to expect from this instructor. I'll come to class with stretches in mind that I'll go into when I can't/won't do what she recommends. BTW, this instructor is trying hard, has a lovely smile, and is probably good at her job. She's just not Rachel.

Then I tripped on the elevator. Yes, you read that right. It's hard to hurt yourself while getting into an elevator, but I managed. The floor of the car didn't line up perfectly with the floor of the lobby. It doesn't happen often, but Tuesday was one of those days. I was flipping through my mail, not paying attention, and stumbled into the elevator. The door closed behind me and I was sitting there, on my ass, my grocery bag on one side and my purse on the other. It took me a moment to raise myself up. I wasn't hurt, thank goodness. I'm grateful no one saw it. But I was annoyed with myself. FOCUS, GAL! Look down once in a while!

Then this happened.

 Now I never expected a World Series this year. I am a Cub fan. Statistically speaking, we grab the brass ring once every 108 years. 

But this year's team has played with such heart! We have a genuine unicorn in Pete Crow-Armstrong. Alex Bregman came back from a broken face! (I'm not kidding. The man is playing with eight fractured bones in his face.) Our catcher, Carson Kelly, has a legitimate gift for successfully challenging umpires. And so I was hopeful. And they were humiliated. I didn't even watch until the end, it was making me so sad.

Me, sitting there in my official "Clinched" shirt. I just couldn't bear it.

So I changed into my Cubbie-themed pjs and tried to put this terrible Tuesday behind me. Hopefully my heroes in Pantone 294 come back and redeem themselves tonight. I can't decide if I'll wear the shirt again. It doesn't seem to be have been stitched with luck, does it?

 

 

 

August Happiness Challenge – Day 25

 

My 2026 Happiness Icon

Today's Happiness: A double dose of happy. First scoop: I took my first yoga class in ages with a different instructor. I admit I was nervous. I'm not very good at yoga and I'm used to Rachel, I'm comfortable with Rachel. But today, with Carlos, everything was fine. 

 

Second scoop: This is the earliest TCM has made the announcement. I've already made my hotel reservation!

 

Happy August Happiness Challenge!

 

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

 

 

 

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: This Is A Very Special Day (1953)

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

1) In this song, Peggy sings that she feels good enough to climb a hill. Will you be doing anything athletic today? Just my morning stretches. I may go for a walk later, depending on the heat/humidity.

2) However she was also tempted to climb back in bed. Is a nap in your plans for today? Yes. I'm off to the vet first thing Saturday morning. Even though it's just a check up for my boy cat, it's stressful for both of us and we will likely both benefit from napping.

3) She tells us that she looked in the mirror and told herself it was time to "lose the blues." Do you ever speak outloud to yourself? Not to myself. But I speak to the TV all the time. Especially during Cub games.

4) Peggy wrote this song for the 1953 remake of The Jazz Singer. She performs it in the movie, too. In the 1950s, female singer-songwriters were unusual, but not so today. Can you think of another woman who not only sings but writes her own material? Carole King is the first one to pop into my head.

5) Her co-star in the film was Danny Thomas. Today he is best remembered as a philanthropist and founder of St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, but he was quite a star in his day. He appeared in nightclubs and movie musicals and, from 1954 to 1963, had his own sitcom. Do you know the show? Make Room for Daddy. I saw the daytime reruns when I was home sick or off for the summer. It was one of the few sitcoms where the family lived in an apartment, which seemed quite exotic to little me, who was used to the suburbs and ranch houses and lawns. Hans Conreid played Danny's Uncle Tonoose. He was from "the old country," ate goat cheese and bragged he was "strong, like bull." I was always happy when Uncle Tonoose showed up.

6) When Peggy Lee was trying to break into show business, she supported herself as a short order cook. She was required to turn orders around quickly. Are you fast and efficient in the kitchen? I don't believe I am fast and efficient anywhere.

7) Just when her career started to take off, Peggy had to take a break when she had her tonsils removed. Do you still have your tonsils? Yes.

8) In 1953, when this record was released, Matchbox Cars were introduced and they remain popular today. Did you ever play with Matchbox Cars? No. My parents were very traditional when it came to "girl's toys" and "boy's toys," and never the twain shall meet.

9) Random question: You're walking past a filthy puddle. Floating on top you see a dead bug, a cigarette butt, and a $1 bill. Would you bend over and rescue the dollar? I don't know. Maybe. I'll be honest, though, cigarette butts creep me out.

 

 

Gratitude Challenge: Day 25

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

Day 25: Movement Today I walked .7 miles between my train and the restaurant and it took less than half an hour each way.* This is a big deal because, frankly, from the waist down I'm pathetic. Spinal stenosis, arthritis in the right knee, meniscus tear in the left, and Achilles tendonitis that extends to my left heel.

Yet today I was fine! For that I am grateful.

No pain killers to mask the pain. Just yoga stretches every morning and a trip to the chiropractor every week (or every other week) for an adjustment and laser treatment on my heel.

As recently as March I was icing my knee or my ankle, or my knee and my ankle, and applying an OTC camphor/capsacin/methol cream every night (much to the chagrin of my cats and their sensitive noses). I was worried that I wouldn't be able to comfortably get around at the TCM Film Festival in late April. 

Today I was walking at a brisk pace in the sunshine with few ill effects. My knees are still bad when I take stairs, but I am 68 years old and my original parts are wearing out. Shit happens.

But, as my yoga instructor tells us, quoting Ghandi, "Movement is life." I'm grateful I work with her and listened to her. I'm better for it. (And so are my kidneys because daily ibuprofen can't be good for them.)

  

*Actually I wish it had taken a little longer because it was a beautiful day and I miss The Loop.

Gratitude Challenge – Day 8

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

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

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

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

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

Gratitude Challenge: Day 4

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

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

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

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

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

A much-appreciated shout out

 

My right foot has been killing me. Since February. It's Achilles tendonitis. My recovery has been steady but slow – chiropractic adjustments, massage, laser treatments. I'm trying to avoid anything more drastic (like cortisone treatments). I shared this with my yoga instructor, Rachel, and she gave me a new move ("nerve flossing") to add to my morning stretches.

During yesterday's yoga class, Rachel was discussing how yoga can help forestall or even avoid surgery altogether. She told us about her brother-in-law, who seems to view elective procedures as a quick way to relief but she wished he would try movement instead.

"Of course, to move through the pain you have to be a warrior. Like The Gal over there."

I'm a warrior! I like that.

  

 

Illustration by Muhammad Afandi on Unspl

Thursday Thirteen #461

Younger than Springtime. Flipping through the April/May issue of AARP Magazine,* I came upon many tips to slow the aging process. I augmented their list with other info I found on the web. Some were common sense, some were surprising. 

1. Walk faster. Those of us who walk slowly tend to be at a higher risk for falls and weakness. With my knee and heel issues, I'm doing the best I can.

2. Maintain your balance. Again, the goal here is to reduce falls. My balance has never been good – not even as a child – because of my scoliosis. But my yoga helps. 

3. Stay social. Ding! Ding! Ding! I got one! I'm lucky that I make friends easily and with my little job at the card shop, I see people I like as often I as wish to. For me, the challenge is to remind myself that my friends aren't just fun, they are a support system for my physical and mental health. Which leads me to ...

4. Make mental health a priority. Many of us seniors (it's hard to believe I'm in that group but I indisputably am) accept loneliness, isolation and depression as a natural part of our lives. I don't. God did not put me here to be unhappy. While I accept that there is unhappiness in every life, it's not our baseline. I'm glad I'm in therapy.

5. Remember your cognitive health. I worry about this one a lot. My shrink (see above) assures me she's watching my reasoning and word choices to make sure I haven't declined and if she sees that I have, we will take steps. 

6. Eat more fiber. This is not only important for gut health, fiber helps regulate blood sugar and reduce the risk of diabetes. As a woman of a certain age, I should consume 22 grams/day. I likely don't. I do take an extra gram each day in 2 fiber capsules each morning. Maybe I should up that.

7. Beans are our friends. Lima beans, navy beans, pinto beans and black beans are all affordable and rich in fiber and nutrients. Unfortunately, I don't like them. I do like cooked peas, though. They're pretty good. Must add them to my meals more often.

8. Watch the processed sugar. Sugar is added to everything from condiments to yogurt. With this in mind, I should eat fewer cookies. I don't. Note to self: pay attention to my snacks. 

9. Establish a sleep schedule. Going to bed at approximately the same time every night promotes more restorative sleep. I do this.

10. Mind your dental health. Good oral hygiene reduces risk for infections, inflammation and heart attacks. No one spends more time at the dentist than I do.

11. Keep an eye on your vision. Seniors are at a higher risk of glaucoma and cataracts. Get your eyes checked regularly so these conditions can be diagnosed and dealt with promptly.

12. Wear your sunglasses. Damage from ultraviolet light has been linked to an increased risk of dementia. Most sunglasses come with built in UV protection. I do this one.

13. Wash your hands. It's not just for during a pandemic. Wash your hands several times a day for 20 full seconds. It will help protect your immune system. I need to do this more often.

How many of these do you do? Are you helping your body resist aging? 

*Not only was I reading an AARP publication, it was in actual printed form. I am a dinosaur! 

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

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: With or Without You (1987) 

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

 

1) "With or Without You" is about the pain of love. What song reminds you of an old romance? Is it about the joy of love or the pain? Lately this one has been going through my mind. I love the tension between sound of it – very upbeat – and the melancholy message. Our hearts get broken, but we get on with it. 

 

 

 

 

 

2) U2 lead singer Bono has admitted that, when the group recorded this song in the 1980s, he was wrestling with his real-life commitment issues. He was trying to resolve the responsibilities of being a husband with the demands of his career. He worked it through, and decades later both his marriage and his career are still going strong. Do you feel you have been more successful in your personal or professional relationships? Ha! My career, no question.

 

3) Bono credits his wife Ali with helping him through a tough period of writer's block, saying she put the pen in his hand each morning. What time of day finds you the most energized, productive or creative? Whenever I should be doing housework.

 

4) Bono likes to pedal around town when he's not onstage. What do you do for exercise? Yoga.

 

5) Bono is U2's lead singer, backed by three very talented bandmates: The Edge, Larry Mullen, Jr., and Adam Clayton. Bruce Springsteen is a big fan of U2's concert performances. If Saturday 9 were to bestow upon you a free ticket to any see any band or performer live, who would you choose? I just saw Sir Paul in November. It would be hard to top that.

 

6) U2 got together 50 years ago, when they were school boys in Dublin. Have you ever visited Ireland? If not, would you like to go? I've never been but were I to go to Europe, I'd plan to stop there.

 
7) In 1987, the year this song was popular, Cher won the Academy Award for Best Actress. Her most famous line was, "Snap out of it!" Without looking it up, can you name the movie that made her an Oscar winner? Moonstruck

 

8) Also in 1987, the first Starbucks opened. What's your standard Starbucks order? I don't drink coffee. I'll have hot chocolate, to be sociable with friends when we stop, or maybe just a bottle of water.

 

9) Random question – Which self-help book would you be more likely to pick up, the one designed to improve your body or your mind? Don't mean to sound contrary, but neither. I tried self-help books a while ago and found they didn't help me much. No judgement if you're into them, but I have found more success and contentment with therapy, prayer and introspection.

 

 

August Happiness Challenge – Day 26

My 2025 Happiness Icon

Today's happiness: My left knee. I went to yoga this morning and found my left knee was far more flexible than it's been. It was almost exactly a year that this knee was diagnosed with a "slightly torn" meniscus and arthritis. I've been doing my stretches – more often than not – and gave up the daily ice packs and ibuprofen long ago. But today was the first time I was able to sit cross legged on the mat, letting both my knees (even that pesky left one) fall open. My mobility is important to me, and I consider this a good sign.

 

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.

Photo by Ayşegül Baykal on Unsplash

 

 

I watched. I learned. I do better in his memory.

My friend John died last April. He was 68, but his body and spirit were so much older. He had congestive heart failure and diabetes. He walked with a cane and was always out of breath. His anxiety issues made his temper short and his world smaller, as he refused to go to new places or meet new people. 

I found the last particularly disturbing. I knew him since he was 25 years old. Back then he was fearless. Often the only Black man in the crowd back in the 1980s. He didn't care. He believed -- correctly -- he had every right to be in any room he entered. He was bored with new clubs and restaurants before I knew they existed. 

Yet once he lost his mobility, he felt fragile and stopped doing things. I don't think I knew he had a temper until about 2022, and then he started displaying it frequently.

With all that was going on, he should have been seeing specialists regularly. Yet he wouldn't go. He had Medicare and Medicare Advantage, so it really wasn't a financial issue. He was scared. He seemed to believe that if no one in a white coat told him he was ill, he wasn't.

He was ill. He was unhappy, and he was in discomfort that likely could have been alleviated with something other than gummies and booze. And he didn't even have a primary care physician.

I am angry at him for dying at 68 because I don't believe it had to happen. I miss him every day. I am struggling to imbue his passing with meaning. And this is where I landed:

He was an example for all his friends who, like him, live alone.

Like John, I have no spouse who sees me day in/day out. No one to tell me if my color is a little off or my mood a little edgier than usual. When I get sick, I have no one to cook for me or get me meds from the drug store. In fact, like John, I don't even have a car. I have to be able to walk to get what I need to exist -- or failing that, a shit ton of money so I can have everything delivered.

So I had a bone density test.  Between Medicare and Medicare Supplement coverage, it was free. It was painless. And guess what: I do not have osteoporosis. I have suffered some bone loss, but my PCP says it can be slowed with an incremental calcium/Vitamin D supplement. Which I got for $11.99 at Walgreen's. My doctor hopes my readings will be exactly where they are now when I retake the test in 2026. This is important because I need my mobility. Again, no spouse, no wheels. My legs are my #1 mode of transportation and my link to the world.

Last month I took a 24-hour urine test. I just got the results and was happy to talk to my PA-C because he told me my results were "better than fine." He wants me to drink more water, recommends a splash of lemon juice with every glass, and unless I experience another kidney stone, he doesn't think we need talk again until next summer. Again, when I had a kidney stone attack in 2022, I had to decide alone if I should go to the hospital, and if it warranted a call to an ambulance or just a rideshare. These are hard choices to make alone when you're in pain. I'm going to avoid facing them, if I can.

Next month I'm having a mammogram. I have no reason to believe I have breast cancer. But the screening is free and there is no reason not to have it. None. 

I work at the card shop next week. Even though I don't feel like it. It's not the money -- though I like the money. It's the sense of purpose and structure it imposes on my life. Losing my career, then John and then Henry within a two-year span has been life changing. I can go too far into my own head. Too content to watch reruns, read and cuddle my cats. All pleasant diversions, but not social. John showed me the danger of letting my world get smaller.

Then there's my Tuesday routine. First I go to yoga, which I remain very bad at. Then I see my shrink. Both are important. Yoga helps with my mobility and it's teaching me something new. Like my job at the card shop, doing what's new and different helps keep me sharp and engaged. My shrink is my check-in. She keeps me doing what's healthy for my body and spirit.

John did none of the above. John is not only dead, he died in pain. I am here to make sure the pain wasn't for nothing. 

When I scolded him for his lifestyle, he'd quote the song, "Cabaret."

Here's Liza

I used to have a girlfriend known as Elsie with whom I shared four sordid rooms in Chelsea/She wasn't  what you'd call a blushing flower, as a matter of fact she rented by the hour/The day she died the neighbors came to snicker, "Well, that's what comes from too much pills and liquor"/But when I saw her laid out like a queen, she was the happiest corpse I'd ever seen/I think of Elsie to this very day. I remember how she'd turn to me and say/"What good is sitting alone in your room? Come, hear the music play/Life is a cabaret, old chum, come to the cabaret"/And as for me, I made my mind up back in Chelsea, when I go, I'm going like Elsie.

When I said goodbye to John at the hospital, he was not happy. He was skeletal and so weak he was unable to hold a cup and bring it to his lips. His feet were swollen and, had he lived, they would have been amputated. He did not "go like Elsie."

But he also didn't die that way for nothing. I watched. I learned. I do better in his memory. Just as he once taught me how to party till dawn and truly experience my youth, he taught me how not to age.

Thank you, Buddy.

Sunday Stealing

200 QUESTIONS

1. What shows are you into? I watch a lot of TV. I've recently discovered reruns of Mad About You on Rewind TV and there's a new season of Only Murders in the Building on Hulu. I always watch Friends and Law and Order when I stumble upon them.

2. What’s your claim to fame? I am a childless cat lady. And I vote.

3. How often do you play sports? I try to go to yoga classes weekly and I stretch every morning. That's it.

4. Are you early or late? Late

5. What quirks do you have? I have no sense of direction. None whatsoever. Right now, am I facing north or south? I don't know. I have always worn my watch on my left wrist so I can tell right from left. When I was a kid, parents and teachers alike told me it's because I don't pay attention but I really think there's a problem with how my neurons fire. I also have no reflexes when the doctor hits my leg with that rubber hammer. When I was a little girl, the family doctor thought this was funny. In retrospect, I wish he had taken this more seriously. It was likely an early indicator of my congenital spine issues.

6. How often do you people watch? All the time.

7. What’s your favorite drink? Coke.

8. What do you hope never changes? Coke.

9. What’s your dream car? One that comes with a chauffeur.

10.  Where would you rather be from? Nowhere. I love my neighborhood. I love my country.

11. What songs have you completely memorized? Gazillions. I may not remember my right from my left, but I'm great with song lyrics.

12. What would you rate 10/10? Cuddling with my cats.

13. What job would you be terrible at? Chauffeur.

14. What skill would you like to master? I don't know that it's a skill, but I'd like to be better at yoga.

15. What movie title best describes your life? I'm sorry, but I've got nothing for this.

Saturday 9

Morning Train (1981)

1) In this song, Sheena Easton sings about her lover, who takes a train to and from work each day. When is the last time you took public transportation? Where did you go? Earlier this month I went downtown to meet Elaine for a movie and dinner. I can't believe that's the only trip I've made this month but it's true. Strange when I remember I spent the better part of my 45 year professional life commuting to work.

2) His workday begins at 9 and ends at 5. Do your days stick to a predictable schedule? Not anymore. In semi-retirement it seems I'm either busy and scheduled or quiet and lazy, nothing in between.

3) In the evening she sings that they may go to a movie, a restaurant or slow dancing ... whatever she wants. Which of those would you choose? Restaurant

4) As a little girl, Sheena Easton performed at family gatherings, not just because she was talented but because she could be a bit of a ham. When you were a kid, were more often shy or outgoing? Outgoing, but not in a performative way. Just in a noisy and fidgety way.

5) In the late 1980s she was the spokeswoman for Bally's health clubs. Do you have a gym membership? I have a membership to a yoga studio, paid for by my Medicare supplement plan. YAY!

6) In 1987 she played Sonny Crockett's love interest on Miami Vice. Were you a fan of the show? I really enjoyed the first season. I lost interest after that. Here's the thing: the 80s were my party girl days and I've never been techy. Miami Vice aired on Friday nights, I was seldom home on Friday nights, I was recording Dallas on my VCR and taping two shows on different channels was beyond my expertise.

7) This weekend is a good reason to have a picnic or barbecue. The best-selling barbecue sauce flavors are sweet, spicy, and smoky. What's your favorite? Sweet

8) Labor Day weekend may offer a golden opportunity for napping and sleeping in. Do you snore? Yes

9) Labor Day traditionally marks the beginning of the fall. Will you be adding any new fall clothes to your wardrobe? I don't think so.

 

August Happiness Challenge: Day 1

2024 Happiness Icon

 

Today's happiness: An Act of Kindness

 

I started Day 1 with a smile because Nicole, the receptionist at my local yoga studio, texted me. I've missed class two weeks in a row -- a rarity for me -- and she asked if I'm OK. 

 

I can be cynical about these things and wondered if perhaps the studio wasn't worried that I had taken my mat elsewhere. But no. First of all, I don't pay for my classes; my monthly membership is a benefit of my Medicare supplement plan and they get their money automatically from the insurance company. Second, I doubt Nicole has access to that information or even cares about it. She's the one who checks us in before class, makes sure we have scented towels for the end of the class, and washes the towels and checks the restrooms between classes. 

She simply likes me and was concerned about me. Which 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.

 

Three Nice Things about Myself -- Day 25

My blogging buddy, Kwizgiver, wrote a post that really resonated with me. She detailed how self-care helped her helped her prevail during a (ridiculously) tough month. Her tips were very wise and so doable! So she has inspired me to take one and integrate it into my own life.

Since I can be a pretty harsh self-critic, this is the one I chose. I hope I can do this every day during March. By then it should be a habit, right?

Three nice things about myself -- March 25:

1) I got my geek on. I attended a free online forum at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library called, "The East Wing: Expanding First Ladies' Impact." I learned little new about JBKO herself, but the historians spoke highly of this biography of Pat Nixon, a woman I'm curious about. I like that I take the opportunity to indulge and learn more when I can.

2) I paid cash for my pedi. I stayed home last weekend and saved enough to pay cash at the salon. I wasn't going to charge it -- I have a credit card that I use to earn miles but I pay it off every month -- but still, it felt good to peel off $5's and $10's. I like myself for paying attention to money but not depriving myself.

3) I didn't want to, but I did it. I discovered that Rachel, my usual yoga instructor, is off this week and someone named Clare is teaching her classes. I am not very good at all  but I'm comfortable with Rachel! I have no reason to believe that Clare won't be an effective teacher and I liked myself for clicking "confirm," even though "cancel" was tempting.

Three Nice Things about Myself -- Day 12

My blogging buddy, Kwizgiver, wrote a post that really resonated with me. She detailed how self-care helped her helped her prevail during a (ridiculously) tough month. Her tips were very wise and so doable! So she has inspired me to take one and integrate it into my own life.

Since I can be a pretty harsh self-critic, this is the one I chose. I hope I can do this every day during March. By then it should be a habit, right?

Three nice things about myself -- March 12:

1) My patience paid off. John sent a goofy response to my goofy email. YAY! That means the lines of communication between us are, indeed, open and flowing both ways. I've been very worried about my self-isolating friend but had decided to give him space to work out his own problems. In his own way, and in his own time. I take today's rather silly interaction as evidence that I made the right choice and I like myself for respecting his privacy. (<<< Not easy.)

2) I followed up. I shot an email to Elaine. She's a good friend and I think I take her for granted sometimes. I like that I was more careful of her feelings.

3) I returned to yoga. I will never be good at yoga, but after missing two consecutive weeks, I was creaky and stiff and, well, I sucked. It's never fun to get up and go over to do something you know you're not good at. But it's good for me! I'm glad I took care of myself by making myself go.

 

Three Nice Things About Myself -- Day 3

My blogging buddy, Kwizgiver, wrote a post that really resonated with me. She detailed how self-care helped her helped her prevail during a (ridiculously) tough month. Her tips were very wise and so doable! So she has inspired me to take one and integrate it into my own life.

Since I can be a pretty harsh self-critic, this is the one I chose. I hope I can do this every day during March. By then it should be a habit, right?

Three nice things about myself -- March 3:

1) I'm a Swiftie. Little girls were selling friendship bracelets from a card table in their front yard. "1$" said the sign. I bought one. The girls were unutterably adorable and I think I was their only customer. I like that I notice things in my neighborhood and that I'm willing to stop. 

2) I'm a good cat mom. Connie and Roy Hobbs are comfortable, with me and with one another. I believe that's because I let them be cats and don't try to train them or change them. As I watch a friend attempt to make her cats conform to some preconceived notion of how they should behave, I am grateful that I have such respect for their feline idiosyncrasies and spirits. (I think I inherited this from my mom.)

3) I remembered. When I got out of bed this morning, my back felt creaky. I haven't been able to attend yoga class and I haven't been doing my morning stretches and now I hurt. But instead of beating myself up for forgetting the stretches, I shall avoid the negative self talk and celebrate that today I remembered. I did my stretches.

 

Hotel California

Saturday 9: Hotel California (1977)

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

 
1) In this song, Don Henley called the hotel's front desk and asked, "Please bring me my wine." He was told they haven't had wine since 1969. When did you last have a glass of wine? It's been years. Since menopause, wine triggers debilitating migraines. This isn't a hardship, as I have become acquainted with mixed drinks that I like better anyway.

2) The lyrics refer to wine as a "spirit." That is incorrect. Wines are fermented, not distilled, and have a lower alcohol content than spirits. When "Hotel California" was popular, listeners who were into wine called radio stations to let them know about the mistake. Are you a wine aficionado? Are any of your friends or family knowledgeable about wine? I used to have a friend who took her wine very seriously. It amused me to hear her order. Is this an Italian wine? French? Oh, it's domestic? Is it from Napa? Vermont? She took such pleasure in the wine when it finally arrived, too.

3) In the song, Henley sings about looking for the door that will take him "back to the place I was before." Don says that refers to a loss of innocence and a longing for a simpler time. When you think about "the good old days," where does your mind wander to? I return to when I was 8 or 9, lying on the grass in the backyard, enjoying a book. I don't know why this moment is indelible, but I was so happy.

 

4) With five #1 singles, six #1 albums, and six Grammy awards, it's generally agreed that the Eagles were one of the most popular groups of the 1970s. Which decade produced most of your favorite songs? Mid-60s to mid-70s.

 

5) The Eagles were formed in 1971 when four of them happened to find themselves hired to play back up for Linda Ronstadt. The men found they really hit off and wanted to keep working together when the gig with Linda was up. Tell us about how you met someone important in your life. Back in 1992, six of us were hired on the same day to work on the same account. That's how I met Henry. He had just been laid off by Northwestern University and desperately needed a job, any job, so he put his computer skills to work. I was a copywriter and he was a Mac production artist. We went through orientation together and just clicked. Henry decided I was his "boss," even though I didn't supervise him in anyway. It was the beginning of a friendship where he always, always sees me in the best possible light. I treasure him.

 

6) The Eagles are still on the road, filling big arenas for their Long Goodbye tour. One explanation for their enduring popularity is that their music spans genres. They scored hits on the rock, pop and country charts. Other popular categories of music include classical, gospel, jazz, Latin, reggae, New Age, and rap. Which do you listen to most often? Which did you listen to most recently? I listen to the oldies station in the shower every morning.

 

7) In 1976, when "Hotel California" was topping the charts, the trend in home decor was vibrant. Intense copper, bright pink and vivid avocado were among the popular colors for bath towels, mats and shower curtains that year. If we were to peek into your 2024 bathroom(s), what colors would we find? When I moved in, my bathroom was seriously pink. Pink wall tiles, floor tiles, sink, tub and yes, even a pink toilet. I renovated it in 2018 and now it's all white, except for the pink/white checked floor tiles. So I use pink as the accent color on my towels and shower curtain.

 

8) Handbags were big in 1976. Not just in popularity but in size. Purses routinely had compartments on the inside and pockets on the outside. When you leave the house, do you travel light? Or do you prefer to carry a lot with you? I carry a lot.

9) Random question -- How different is your life today than it was a year ago: (a) a lot; (b) a little); (c) not at all? I'll go with (a). A year ago I was in the midst of a shit ton of dental work, embarking on yoga, and adjusting to life as a retiree. I think much of the more serious time in the dentist chair is behind me, weekly yoga classes are a part of my life, and I've made peace with the fact that my advertising career is over and I have a part-time job as a sales girl. I feel like a different gal.

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: This Could Be the Start of Something (1959)

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

1) We're beginning the year with an optimistic song about starting something new. Right now, are you feeling positive about 2024? Sure. I have a bitch of a cold, but since the average American adult gets two colds per year, I choose to think of it as getting my first cold of 2024 out of the way early.

2) In this song, Jack Jones sings that because he's on a diet he declines a rich dessert. Are you trying to lose a few pounds after the holidays? I suppose I should, but I don't really care.

3) The specific dessert referred to is a Charlotte Russe, a cake made with custard, fruit, cream, whiskey and gelatin. Preparation sounds like a great deal of work! What's the most recent dish you whipped up in your kitchen? A hot dog heated on the George Foreman grill, served in a bun I nuked in the microwave. Usually one has to visit to a convenience store to sample such cuisine.

I dined there in the 1980s

4) The lyrics contrast dining at Sardi's in New York with sunbathing in Malibu. Do you enjoy nightlife or are you more outdoorsy? My skin is so pale that sunbathing is not for me, and I did once have caviar at Sardi's, so I'll go with that.

5) This week's song was written by Steve Allen. While best known for his work on TV (he was the first host of The Tonight Show), he was also a composer who felt most creative at the piano. When do you feel most creative? I'm often quite brilliant in the shower. Unfortunately, my creativity sometimes loses some of its luster when I towel off.

 
6) This week's artist, Jack Jones, won a pair of Grammy Awards and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Yet he's probably best known for singing the song that welcomed travelers aboard The Love Boat every week. What TV theme song can you sing along with? "Love, exciting and new. Come aboard, we're expecting you. And love, life's sweetest reward. Let it flow, it floats back to you.* The Love Boat soon will be making another run. The Love Boat promises something for everyone ..." It's odd that I know all these lyrics since I truly don't think I've ever seen an entire episode of the show. I absorb pop culture by osmosis sometimes. Like the other day, I killed time while waiting on the train platform by counting off Kris Jenner's grandchildren. I think she has 12. I do not care about any of them. I do not intentionally retain this information. It's just in my head somehow.

 

7) In 1959, when this song was popular, "continuing dramas" (aka soap operas) like Young Dr. Malone and Ma Perkins were broadcast daily on the radio. When you turn on the radio, do you listen for news, talk or music? Music.

8) Now let's turn the calendar and our attention from 1959 to 2024. Is there a skill you're looking forward to learning, or improving, this year? My flexibility. It's important to my physical health and mobility so I've resolved to resume stretching every morning.

9) Have you purchased anything on impulse yet this year? I ordered fried chicken on my way to Target. It was ready by the time I was done shopping. I wasn't that hungry but I really love their mild sauce.

 

*Or maybe it's "let it float, it flows back to you." I can't really tell.