Sunday Stealing

My Random Randomness Meme, part 2 

What was your first alcoholic drink? A Singapore Sling. We celebrated my 21st at a Polynesian restaurant.

What was your first job? After school, my first job was as a secretary. Back when Gregg shorthand mattered.

What was your first car? My one and only car was a Chevy Impala.

What was your first mobile phone? A horrible black thing that didn't hold a charge.

What is your first proper memory? I remember pressing my hand flat on an ottoman and raising myself up. According to my mom, who remembered that footstool, I must have been about 2.

Who was your first teacher? Mrs. Erler. She had a bouffant and wore pearls! Glamour!

Which fictional character do you wish was real? So many! I'd love to actually know Jo March from Little Women, Kinsey from Sue Grafton's alphabet mysteries, Rae Spellman from the Spellman Files, Melanie from Gone with the Wind ...

Where did you go on your first ride on an airplane? Fort Lauderdale, FL.

Who was your first best friend? The woman who appears often on my blog as My Oldest Friend. We met in Kindergarten (I don't recall but she has a photo to prove it) but really bonded in first grade. Friends to this day. I'm very proud of that.

What was your first detention for? I don't recall my first one. But I did receive a detention for lying about having my period to get out of PE. I had to serve it swimming laps after school. It was a dumb punishment because I really enjoyed having the pool almost to myself and I didn't have to hurry to dress to make my next class. It felt more like a reward, actually.

What’s your strongest sense? Righteous indignation.

Who was your first kiss? David. Sigh. I was so scared that my braces would ruin it for him, but I guess it was fine. He voiced no complaints.

Mary Poppins' pre-dawn London

What was the first film you remember seeing at the cinema? Mary Poppins. I can still remember those big red drapes opening and, amazingly, I saw the rooftops of London. I've been in love with going to the movies ever since.

What’s the largest amount of money you’ve ever won? $2,500 (after taxes) in the Illinois State Lottery

What’s the largest amount of money you’ve spent in one spree? I wouldn't call it a "spree," but I spent $12,000 in a matter of hours planning my mom's funeral last year. It was scary because my mom didn't have life insurance. In retrospect, though, I think it was a blessing in disguise. That bone-chilling terror about the expense distracted me from the horrible reality that she was gone.

If you had a warning label, what would yours say?  This End Up

Have you ever got sweet revenge on anyone? I let God handle that

 

Have you ever been to a live concert? Bruce Springsteen, Barbra Streisand, and (best of all!) Sir Paul McCartney. Some of my happiest hours have been spent at concerts.

Have you ever been to see stand up comedy? Yes. The last one I saw was Kathy Griffin. She was fabulous!

Have you ever needed stitches? Lots of times. Most recently was when I had a pair of moles removed as part of a cancer screening.

Incremental

I really hate my life these days. It occurs to me that I'm the only one who can do anything about this sad state of affairs. And so it's time I got off my fat ass and got started!

My problem -- the reason why I get stuck -- is that I focus so much on the final destination that I forget the journey. I want to redo everything (finances, wardrobe, body, home) so completely that I lose sight of how happy small changes may make me, and that every journey has to begin with a first step.

Look! No blue in sight!

So far: New microwave and new cardigans (that aren't blue; I just recently realized how much blue I wear). It's not a renovated kitchen or a new wardrobe, but it's a start.

The handyman is coming over Thursday morning to talk about repairing my shower and then hanging new curtains for me. I mean, why not? The living room still needs a paint job and I'd love to swap the carpeting for hardwood floors, but I can't afford to do all that right now. Still, I think walking in the front door and seeing new window treatments will make me happy.

I embrace the happy.

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Hopelessly Devoted to You

Olivia Newton-John is a breast cancer survivor and October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Please spread the word about early detection.

1) This is a sad song about unrequited love. What's your favorite love song, and is it happy or sad? "You Don't Know Me." It's an incredibly sad song, but I love it. As do many others. It's been sung by everyone from Elvis to Meryl Streep.




2) This song is from the Grease soundtrack. When that movie came out in 1978, the price of a postage stamp was just 15¢. When's the last time you visited the post office? I mailed a package about a week/10 days ago. I love the APC machine because I can do just about everything there without dealing with the uniformly rude postal workers. (I know it's a cliche, but they really are reliably the most unpleasant people!)

3) Not many people know that Olivia's maternal grandfather, Max Born, won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1954. Share something about yourself that we might not have known before this morning. I was a unibrow in high school and spent hours and hours tweezing and plucking. This amazes me now because with time my brows have become sparse and pale.

4) Olivia's father was an officer in MI5, the UK's secret service. Sam's most recent run-in with the authorities had less intrigue or glamor, as it included a policeman pointing out the stop sign she'd somehow missed. Tell us about your most recent encounter with law enforcement. A local cop tucked his business card into the mail slot of one of my neighbors. "Call me right away!!" Yes, he wrote two exclamation marks. I wish I knew what it was about.

5) Olivia is part owner of an exclusive, luxury retreat called Gaia. If you had a day of free access to a heated pool, golf course, tennis court, gym, and day spa, but could only use one, which one would you choose? Spa. Facial, massage, pedi. Makeup tips would be nice, too.
 
6) Are you flirtatious? Yes, it's true. There are men out there with whom I have flirted.

7) Do you more often wear silver, gold, or platinum? Silver. And my birthday is next month, in case you were wondering what to get me ...

8) When you're on the phone, do you usually make the first move toward ending the call? Or do you find it hard to say goodbye? Usually I hate hanging up. Unless it's with my friend from the Keys. He only has a cell, not a landline, and it's kind of shitty and cuts out or drops the call completely and I get frustrated. We call each other back, we get busy signals, we call each other back again ... I'm always tempted to just call it quits when that happens.

9) Would you rather be smarter, richer, or more attractive than you are right now? Richer. 

It was one of those very good days

Yesterday I skipped my trip to the health club and took a walk at lunchtime. It was 72º in the sun, and I wanted to take in the flowers and leaves and fountains again while I still can. So I walked up Michigan Avenue and then cut through Millennium Park on the way back.

I dearly love this city.

It's pretty over the holidays, with snow and ice on the branches and lots of lights and happy people carrying shopping bags. I look forward to that. But this is good, too, and it won't be with us much longer.

By the way, I realize I haven't seen Puppet Bike once this year! Damn!

Not a cat

I couldn't help laughing at the little boy I rode home beside. He was between 2 and 3 and so angry! It was astonishing how much emotion his little body could contain, and invigorating to watch the abandon with which he released it.

As we approached their stop, his mother had taken him out of his stroller so that his aunt could fold it down. She was holding him in her lap, because the aisle of an el train is not a good place for a toddler to run free. I guess to him, being out of the stroller should mean freedom and he didn't care for being on her lap.

His round cheeks turned a bright red and he began to meow. At least that's what I thought he was doing. Twisting in his mother's lap, trying to pry her hands off of him, reaching for the railing and trying to pull himself free, shouting and crying, "ME-OW!" over and over and over and over.

When the tears started and his scissoring legs entered the act, I understood that he was actually yelling, "ME DOWN!"

Mom was amazing placid. More embarrassed by how we reacted to the display than surprised by it. And she never released her grip. Perhaps she couldn't stop his tantrum but she steadfastly refused to reward it.

It must be a tough tightrope for moms to walk. I imagine that you want your kids to be free and strong and able to stand up for themselves. Just not with you.

If you get a chance ...

… see Once, the Tony-award winning musical now touring. The music is enjoyable, the staging is innovative and the story will touch your heart. (The ending left me quite sad, whereas my theater buddy Barb thought it was "all for the best." At any rate, it thoroughly engaged us both.)

It's based on a 2006 indie movie from Ireland that played forever at my local theater, but for some reason, I never got around to seeing. And now I don't want to. The stage play was so innovative and dear, that's the vision I want to keep. I feel the same way about War Horse. I appreciate that books, plays and movies are all different media and each should be judged on its own merit. If I don't think I can do it -- if one is so good and complete as is -- then I pass.

The shutdown, Paris, Provence and a perv

Had a lovely dinner with my friend, Barb, last night. First of all, the prix fix at 312 really is a good deal! I had a pear salad, grilled salad entree, sorbet dessert and a cran/vodka for $60 (including tax/tip). Yummy and affordable!

Her husband works for the IRS and is furloughed. The GOP is turning a pair of fiscal conservatives who lean Republican into Democrats because of this Tea Party nonsense. I wonder how many households of federal employees are going to vote Democratic after this shutdown. I feel bad for Barb's dogsitter. As long as her husband is home, they're not paying anyone else to run the pups. So I also wonder how many small businesses the capitalism-loving GOP is damaging with their tactics.

She also filled me in on her recent trip -- 2 1/2 weeks in France. Fine dining and museum-hopping in Paris, hiking through the countryside in Provence. I was happy to hear her so happy.

I was a little unhappy to hear about the contractor who is working on their second home in Hilton Head. He has texted her that he loves talking to her because her "voice is a turn on." She ignored that and then he messaged her with, "Did I go too far?" I recommended to her that her husband take over the contact from now on. She says it doesn't bother her and she can handle it. But if it didn't bother her, she wouldn't have mentioned it to me.

Love

My Man Godfrey is one of my all-time favorite movies, and it was the one shown last night to my classic film Meet Up. I'd never seen it on the big screen or with a group. The print was sharp and wonderful -- I could actually see that little half-moon scar that Lombard was so self-conscious about!

There's a woman in our group -- Rebecca -- who I thought had real friend potential and was disappointed by how annoyed she was with Lombard. Screwball heroines are supposed to be silly! (And cagey-smart and beautiful and very well dressed.) Oh well, I forgive her.

Spent more time with Martha. Found out she's 60, with a 41 year old daughter, and she longs to be a grandmother. Also, like me she lost her mother recently and commented on how high-spirited her mom was. "She was the most beautiful woman at her funeral." I found that comment very touching.

WWW.WEDNESDAY

To play along, just answer the following three questions ...

• What are you currently reading? W Is for Wasted by Sue Grafton. Just started it, so I can't really say much about the mystery at the heart of the book. I am happy to report that the Pitts siblings have already made an appearance, and it looks like Henry is going to share his home with a stray cat he's named Ed.

• What did you recently finish reading? Lennon Revealed by Larry Kane. As a lifelong Beatle fan, I've read many, MANY books about The Lads and do recommend this one. The author not only actually knew John, he's a mainstream journalist -- not a fan or an entertainment writer. If there's a book-loving Beatle fan on your gift list, I suggest you consider this one. (Today would be John's birthday, so I'm glad I got to mention him.)

• What do you think you’ll read next? Five Days at Memorial about the Memorial Medical Center in New Orleans and how they coped during the crisis of Katrina. I meant to be read this now, and did in fact start it, but it was too intense for my state of mind just now. I'll return to it in a few weeks.

To see how others responded, click here.

Teaser Tuesday

My first time playing this meme.

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

From W is for Wasted, by Sue Grafton (page 12):

I'd owned it for a year, and while I was no longer smitten with it, I was reconciled to Mustang ownership until the next kick-ass miscreant had a go at me. I figured I was just about due.

He's such a good guy

Had a nice long, lovely conversation with my old friend in Key West. He asked about my career, I asked about his job at the paper. We talked about the runaway train and Miley Cyrus on Saturday Night Live. He told me how happy his lover is these days tending bar, which is better than waiting tables. He asked about my niece and nephew.

The part of the call I liked best, though, was when he told me about his friend, Ted. I've met Ted several times and like him a great deal. Ted is recovering from radical but so far successful treatment for brain cancer and needs a lot of help -- getting to the grocery store, making his way to Miami for follow up doctor appointments, etc. And my friend is completely there for him. I'm not surprised. My friend is a very nice man.

Most of all, I enjoyed the blabbing. In this world of emails and texts, I don't just sit and blab on the phone very much anymore.

A good day

Yesterday my nephew and I celebrated his 14th birthday. We ordered gigantic burgers and, while we waited for them to arrive, he unwrapped his gifts -- a new video game and a tube of Axe Facial Scrub. Then we went to see The Butler, which he enjoyed enormously.

I'm amused by his attitude toward sex. He thinks it's irrelevant and kind of silly. After the movie, I asked him if he thought Oprah's character had been unfaithful. It's not a minor plot point, but I could tell he thought it was unimportant and the conversation was a waste of our time.

He's a sweet kid. Very smart. I don't know how long he'll still want to hang around with his old auntie, and I'm grateful.

Sunday Stealing

Movies/TV Meme

Name your favorite movie actor: Of all time? Redford. Of the current crop, Tom Hanks.

Name your favorite movie actress: Of all time? The Great Kate Hepburn. Of the current crop, Jennifer Aniston. (I admit I laughed during We're the Millers, even though I don't recommend it. She's just so likeable and I'm so happy Jen has a hit.)

Name your favorite tv actor: Jon (sigh) Hamm, with honorable mention to my TV Boyfriend, Mark Harmon

Name your favorite tv actress: Tina Fey

Name your favorite television show right now: Mad Men

Name a few really cool movies you’ve recently seen: The Way, Way Back. I recommend this warm and wonderful little indie gem. I'm now a little in love with Sam Rockwell.



Your favorite canceled television show: The West Wing.

Name one movie you wish you hadn’t wasted time/money on recently: The original Postman Always Rings Twice. I saw this with my classic movie group and was underwhelmed by Lana Turner.

You would never watch a movie with: May I change this to TV show? Then the answer would be Patricia Heaton. She's so shrill and negative and humorless. The fact that this RWNJ keeps getting work proves Hollywood isn't as left wing as they say. (There. Now, I feel better.)

Favorite candy/food to watch movies with: It changes. Lately it's been Twizzlers.

Three favorite tv channels: WMAQ-Channel 5 (Chicago's NBC outlet and my favorite for local news),  TCM and USA.

Favorite reality or competition show: What Not to Wear

Cable or satellite? Cable

Do you watch more movies at home or at the theater? Home, because there are more movies to choose from. But I do love going to the movies.

Is there a time of year that you watch more tv? Now, because I check out the new shows.

"Torrential downpour"

That's what the Weather Channel called it. The sky opened up and dumped rain on us at a rate of nearly 2"/minute. That's more than the sewers can handle and we were at risk for flash floods.

I can confirm this because the torrent began while I was on the bus. While I only have to walk 3 blocks from bus stop to my building, I was completely drenched by the time I got home. The rain slid down my umbrella in sheets. At one point the water was midway up my calves. I kept telling myself it was still clean because it was still falling. I don't like thinking about what might be mixed with it, considering how overburdened the sewers were.

Oh well. I'm fine. I'm safe. And I've got a cool story to tell.

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: You're So Vain

1) Samantha Winters is very vain about her light blonde locks. What's your best feature? My green eyes

 
2) Carly Simon is the daughter of a wealthy family (Simon & Shuster Publishing). How would your life today be different if you knew there was a large sum of inherited money in your future? I wouldn't worry so much about outliving my retirement funds and ending up old and cold in a discarded Kenmore box on Lower Wacker Drive.

 
3) October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Carly is a proud breast cancer survivor. Has breast cancer -- or cancer of any type -- touched you, your family or your circle of friends? My paternal grandmother had breast cancer. I'm grateful that she found it early, got good treatment and lived for a decade after her mastectomy. A friend of mine recently battled it, as well. Much younger than my grandma, with kids still in their teens who needed her. I am so impressed by how bravely she handled it all and am grateful she came through, as well.

 

4) Carly has been known to perform with her sister, Lucy, and their oldest sister Joanna is a mezzo-soprano. Is your family musical? My brother in law is good on his guitar and tried to pass this passion along to my niece and nephew. Unsuccessfully.

 
5) Carly suffers from stage fright, a liability in her profession. When was the last time fear got the better of you? I get scared, of course, but I work very hard not to let it win out. When I was in therapy, my shrink told me the issue isn't what scares you, it's what your fears keep you from doing. I revisit her sage words whenever I feel a paralyzing panic coming on.

 

6) Do you wear hats? No. My hair always looks awful upon removal.

 
7) Autumn is known as "sweater weather." Is there a chill in the air where you are today? No, and I wish there was. 80º and rain just doesn't feel right for October.

 
 

8) Do you drink bottled water? Not often. Tap water suits me fine and I don't have to feel guilty about the bottle. Though today I take a little bottle of Aquafina with me for the train ride home. Again, 80º and humid can be uncomfortable.

 

9) What color is your toothbrush? Mostly white with a touch of lavender at the tip of the handle.

Trifecta

This week's challenge: Give us the 33 words that follow this illustration. What happens next?

Give us the 33 words that follow this illustration.  What happens next? - See more at: http://www.trifectawritingchallenge.com/#sthash.RKqGUkhE.dThis week's challenge: Give us the 33 words that follow this illustration. What happens next

Give us the 33 words that follow this illustration.  What happens next? - See more at: http://www.trifectawritingchallenge.com/#sthash.RKqGUkhE.dpuf

Give us the 33 words that follow this illustration.  What happens next? - See more at: http://www.trifectawritingchallenge.com/#sthash.RKqGUkhE.dpuf

Sure, like all the kids, she knew the legend. In the olden days, the criminally insane weren’t jailed; instead, supposedly, they were buried alive in the swamp. She didn’t believe it.

Until now.

Artist credit: Don Duford. Poisoned Playground. (http://www.poisonedplayground.com)

www.poisonedplayground.com. 

From Mike to Big to Peter

Watching a vintage episode of Law & Order and am happy to see Chris Noth as Mike Logan. His streetwise, proudly Irish Catholic and so-hot-he's-cool cop has always been one of my favorites.

In addition to Logan, he's been Big, Carrie's one true love on Sex and the City. Though they were both New Yorkers, Mike Logan would have been contemptuous of Big's "go first class or don't go at all" mentality, whereas Big would probably walk right past Nolan without noticing him.

I keep meaning to watch The Good Wife, Noth's latest show. I know his Peter is a quintessential Cook County politician -- which means, unfortunately, that he has a parole officer.

It occurs to me that with that track record, Noth has worked regularly and appeared in our living rooms almost nonstop for more than 20 years. I bet more people have seen his work than Brad Pitt's, and yet Pitt is considered a bigger star. Certainly Brad is a more attractive gossip/paparazzi target.

I think if I was an actor, I'd prefer a career like Noth's. He's known for his characters, not his private life.

I hate it when this happens!

I closed my eyes for just a minute ... and woke up TWO AND A HALF HOURS LATER!

I'm upset because I feel like I'm wasting my life, and because when I woke up I realized I missed both The Daily Show and Colbert, and was stuck with Tosh.0. I hate Tosh.0. Seems that that kid never met a rape joke he didn't like.

It was an exhausting day at work because we really weren't busy. We're in a holding pattern, waiting for the BIG, MAJOR PROJECTS to kick off. And then there was the unfortunate incident in the Capital.When something like that happens, I really should turn away from the computer screen. I worry, I fixate, I exhaust myself ... and it's all for naught.

Image courtesy of graur codrin/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

WWW Wednesday

To play along, just answer the following three questions ...

• What are you currently reading? Lennon Revealed by Larry Kane. It's a serious but still entertaining study of John's life, with a special emphasis on his last decade. Larry Kane is able to put the John's story in a context beyond music because he's not an entertainment writer. He's a journalist who covered political conventions and the crime beat as well as, by sheer luck, the Beatles' invasion of America in 1964. I recommend this one.

• What did you recently finish reading? My Week with Marilyn by Colin Clark. You know that old saw that the book is always better than the movie? I always counter that with The Godfather, a masterpiece of a movie based on a rather lurid book. Now I have another example. For the movie, starring Michelle Williams, is charming and far more lively and believable than these snarky, self-important memoirs.

• What do you think you’ll read next? Five Days at Memorial about the Memorial Medical Center in New Orleans and how they coped during the crisis of Katrina.

To see how others responded, click here.

My Crystal Ball

With all due respect to Snarky Pants, a genuine Woo-Woo Chick, I believe I can predict the future. We are watching Ted Cruz (R-TX) unravel just as Joe McCarthy did in the 1950s. He'll be blamed for the government shutdown, and won't be a force in 2014, much less 2016.

Well, that was a first!

(Credit: @pulchritudino/Twitter and CBS Chicago)

I've seen riderless horses but this is my first conductor-less train!

Yesterday there was an el crash just up the street from my home. More than 30 people were injured and taken to local hospitals. Fortunately no one was seriously hurt and I missed all the danger. But it IS kinda creepy that an empty, 4-car train could somehow take off up the tracks all by itself!

It feels like there's been a lot of drama swirling around me and I'm tired of/from it. I miss placid and calm.

PS Thank you for thinking of me, Vivian! You're so thoughtful and it's such a comfort to know you have my back.

Too much

I have seen quite a bit of The Saddest Boy Ever lately. His real name is Peter. He lives on the first floor of my building, and he is, quite literally, the neediest person I have ever met.

Earlier this week we rode the el together from downtown all the way to our neighborhood, and then we walked home from the train together. And it's hard. I have nothing to say to him. He complains about being on his feet all day. Can't help him with that. He complains about how much the train costs. Can't help him with that. He complains about the night time noise in the alley behind our building. Apparently one of our neighbors does her grocery shopping after midnight on a weeknight and awakens him as she and her sons haul their bags under his window as they enter the building.. A ha! I can help with that! I told him who to call to report it to the condo association! He doesn't have time for that. I told him that the association manager's email address is posted by the building elevator, so he can report it any time, day or night, at his own convenience. That's too much work, too.

Sigh. By the time I got home, I just wanted to collapse. Being around all that passive unhappiness is exhausting!

This evening we were doing laundry together. I couldn't get out of there fast enough.

He doesn't have a lot in his life and at times, I feel like reaching out to him. But I sense it would be like wearing an anchor. I'm a tough broad, true. But I feel he could really drag me down.

Sunday Stealing

My Random Randomness Meme

How did you choose your baby's or pet's names? My cats were named thusly -- Joey for Joey Tribiani on Friends, Charlotte for Chan or Charlotte Ann (the daughter in A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries) and Rey for Reynaldo Curtis (Benjamin Bratt's character on L&O).

Have you ever been fishing? Once, as a child. I didn't care for it much.

Have you ever had your national flag painted on your face? No.

What was the last social faux pas you made? Nothing springs immediately to mind. But I'm always saying something stupid.

What makes you nostalgic? Listening to the oldies on the radio.

What's the scariest thing you've ever done? I know this may be hard to believe, but I'm proud of myself every time I get on a plane. It terrifies me.

What fairy tale character would you most associate with? She's not a fairy tale, she's a fantasy, but I've gotta go with Mary Poppins. I'd love her to float in, take over and show me how to organize my life.

How much do you tend to swear in public? Same as in private. My vocab is my vocab. I'm pretty one size fits all.

If you ruled your own country, who would you get to writer your national anthem? Bruce Springsteen.

Who is the most intelligent person you know? My lawyer. He can make sense out of the most circuitous gobbledygook, and he somehow always knows the right thing to say.

What's the craziest thing you've ever done for someone? Nothing springs to mind. Sorry.

What's the worst piece of advice anyone has ever given you? "Just ignore him. Look the other way."

If you had to describe yourself as a flavor, what would it be? Apple cinnamon.

      If you had to describe yourself as a car, what would it be? I wouldn't. I'm the least car-literate  person on the face of the earth.

 If you had to describe yourself as an animal, what would it be? An okapi, because I'm rare and wonderful. I'll be visiting my zoomorphic self twice before yearend. My nephew and I are going to the local zoo next weekend, and I hope to visit Okapi Habitat at the Lowry Zoo in Tampa -- a birthday adventure with my cousin in November.

 Do you think laughing at someone else's misfortune is wrong? Depends on the situation.

 If a loved one was to serenade you, what song would you most like them to sing? Great question! "Show a little faith, there's magic in the night." Thunder Road. Bruce.

Would you ever let your parents pick out a partner for you? Good goobies, no! My parents didn't end up liking one another very much. Why would I trust their judgement for me?

 Have you ever tried spam? (the meat product) Of course.

$109 later ...

Rey and I were up early and at the vet by 8:00. My cat's recent psycho behavior is just a recurrence of his spring/summer attachment and abandonment issues, not a return of his physical problems.

On the one hand, I'm grateful that he isn't in any pain or danger. On the other hand, I thought we had finally put this all behind us!

Reynaldo got a dose of female hormones, which has chilled him out in the past. The vet predicts this will keep us covered through year end. I hope so. Today has been a mixed bag. We had a very destructive evening, but as I post this, he's nestled lovingly on my feet.

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Ain't That a Kick in the Head?

Unfamiliar with this week's featured song? Hear it here.

 
1) In the song, Dean sings, "Ain't That a Kick in the Head?" to express how delighted he is to discover the girl loves him. When was the last time you were pleasantly surprised? Yesterday. I called the vet and asked for a Saturday appointment for my cat, Reynaldo. They were already booked up, but because they know me and know Rey, they're going to squeeze us in at 8:00 AM, before their 9:00 opening time. I appreciate this so much.

2) Martin was born Dino Paul Crochetti, and his family only spoke Italian at home. Do you speak any language other than English? Nope. I wish I did.

 
3) Before he became an entertainer, Martin fought under the name "Kid Crochett." Do you watch boxing? What about wrestling? Nope. 

4) This song appeared in the original Ocean's 11 (1960). That film was remade in 2001, with basically the same plot -- a group of suave criminals knock over the casinos on the Vegas Strip. Why do you think so many movies feature crooks and con men as heroes? I think there's a streak of rebellion in each of us, and movie anti-heroes appeal to it.

 
5) Crazy Sam's college sweetheart took over his family's wholesale liquor business, married a woman named Helene and has two sons. How does she know this? She checked his Facebook page on the sly. Have you ever used the internet to look up an ex? Of course. Isn't this why the Internet was invented?

 

6) As she writes this week's meme, Sam is sipping from a Big Bang Theory cup that features Sheldon's face and the word, "Bazinga!" Tell us about your favorite mug or water bottle. I have a mug that I bought as a souvenir from the Streisand concert I attended nearly a year ago.

7) Are you a good judge of character? I'd say I have fairly good instincts. I don't always heed them.

 
8) Do you know how to turn a somersault? I used to know how. Haven't attempted a somersault in decades, though. (And don't feel like trying one now, either.)

 
9) Which one do you use -- roll-on, stick or spray deodorant? Solid or stick.