August Happiness Challenge -- Day 15

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Today's Happiness: Rachel.

She's my yoga instructor and she's wonderful. While I'm not the best judge of these things, I suspect I'm consistently the worst in the class. But today I had an "off" morning, even by my low standards.

After class she cornered me as I was putting my bricks and bolster away. She asked me if I was OK, and I told her, frankly, no. Early in the class, during one of the poses, I saw my left arm and leg shaking. I saw them shaking, but didn't feel it. I was completely creeped out by this.

Rachel reassured me it was nothing to worry about, just my muscles reacting to being used in a different way. Drink plenty of water the rest of the day, she advised. 

"And next week I'll just push through, right?"

"You don't have to," she said, reminding me that yoga is "a feeling practice, not a thinking practice." If something doesn't feel right or comfortable, there's no reason for me to do it. This class is about enhancing my flexibility and feeling good in my own body. Period.

Also, she told me I don't look anywhere near my age.

Is it any wonder that I adore Rachel?

August Happiness Challenge -- Day 14

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Today's Happiness: The cutest lobster.

I got a thank you note today from my friend's son. He became a dad around Christmastime and I sent a couple of gifts. I forgot about them, actually, but he was specific in his note. I sent a Chicago Cubs bib and a hooded lobster bath towel.  Since they live in New York, they can't be sure that their baby boy will be a Cubs fan, but I'm told after his bath he's "the cutest lobster."

I don't know what the new baby gift thank you etiquette is. I don't care. Getting the note today out of the blue made me happy.

August Happiness Challenge -- Day 13

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Today's Happiness: Within my budget.

The problem with saving for retirement is you have no idea how long retirement is going to last. I want to enjoy myself today, but not at the expense of comfort in my dotage.

So I am trying to economize, especially when I socialize. I give myself an allowance every week, and whatever I don't use I put in the big beer stein on my kitchen counter. Today I paid for the train, brunch and movie with cash from the stein.

I don't feel like I'm depriving myself. I feel like I'm taking care of myself. It makes me happy.

Five very good hours

I know I should go out more. I know I should interact with others regularly. Just because being alone is very comfortable for me doesn't mean it's healthy. I've discussed this with my shrink a million times since covid shutdown and our emergence.

So, when friends invite me out, I really try to get to yes. Lately the one who has been asking the most often is Elaine, from movie group. She is kind and generous and I am flattered that she thinks I'm neat. But she can annoy me. I know, it's me, not her. She just doesn't get me the way John and my oldest friend do (of course, they often annoy me, too; like I say, it's me, not her). 

Anyway, Sunday we spent a really nice day together. I rode the rails downtown again -- second Sunday in a row -- and had brunch. Then it was off to The Music Box Theater for Cat Video Fest 2023. It was fun and Elaine is an even more indulgent cat lady than I am, so she was the perfect companion for this. Plus it was a fundraiser for The Red Door Animal Shelter.

Then it was back on the train and I was back in my front door at 3:00. I was happy.

That's enough. I think 5 hours is my limit for socializing.

Sunday Stealing

From the League of Extraordinary Penpals

1. Things I would do first if I won a billion dollar lottery. Scream and cry with delight, then call a good accountant.

2. Something I probably spend too much money on. Credit card interest.

3. How I feel about the dentist. I find him a little annoying in that he asks me superficial questions about my life and doesn't care about the answers. But he's a good dentist and we're not dating, so we don't have to be in love. I enjoy the girls who work in his office.

4. Foods I am most picky about. My hot dog toppings. It's a Chicago thing to put too much stuff on your dog -- tomato and peppers and celery salt and ... and ... and ... I know some see me as a traitor to my people, but I like ketchup, relish and mayo. Go ahead. Judge me if you must. I like what I like.

5. Internet friends/penpals I want to visit in person. There are quite a few of you have been very kind to me. I've given you shout outs, so you know who you are. I'd like to thank you in person.

6. My healthiest habits. I limit myself to three drinks/week, I stretch every morning, and go to a weekly yoga class.

7. Easiest, low effort foods and snacks for busy days. I like those little applesauce cups that moms put in their kids' lunches. High in moisture and a good source of fiber.

In my refrigerator right now

8. Where I go in summer to unwind. So far this summer I have ridden the rails downtown to see friends. I like the train, more so now that I'm not racing to get to work.

9. My comfort books, tv shows, and movies. My comfort viewing is Friends. My comfort book has very little copy. It's Jacqueline, by Ron Galella -- a coffee table book about the Onassis years. 

10. A list of good things Books, cats, baseball

11. Favorite places to take photos Where my friends are

12. The routines and habits I stick to most I change my sheets and towels before bed on Monday and do laundry on Tuesday evening at about 6:00. (I seldom see anyone in the laundry room Tuesday evenings.)

13. Topics I’d love to learn more about This summer I'm concentrating on men I've heard about my whole life but know little about (Eisenhower, Churchill).

14. This time last year ... My oldest friend visited me and we had a lovely time. I miss her.

15. Favorite memories of someone I’ve lost I miss blabbing on the phone with my mom. We could go on forever, raving about how fantastically wonderful my niece and nephew (her grandchildren) are. I suspect anyone else would find our fascination with them tiresome, but not us!

August Happiness Challenge -- Day 12

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Today's Happiness: I am the captain of my soul.

After a week where I often checked the train schedule and my calendar, I found myself with a day when I had nothing that needed to be done, nowhere I needed to be.

I made further progress on the biography of Eisenhower -- will I be done by the time it's due back to the library? -- and watched the Cubs beat Toronto. (Yay!) I took a nice long walk to redeem my coupons: extra rewards from Walgreen's and $3 off at my favorite pizza place. Saving money while leisurely enjoying the sunshine was bliss.

Right now I'm watching Dial M for Murder, a very stylish Hitchcock. What will I do next? It's up to me!

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Diana (1957)

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

1) Legend has it that Paul Anka wrote this song about his favorite babysitter. In your younger days, did you make a little extra money as a sitter? More than a little. I charged $1/hour back in the mid-70s, when my classmates were making about $1.25/hour working at the mall or McDonald's. I also told the parents I charged $2 after midnight. Nobody ever balked. In fact, I was in demand and always got tips on top of that. It wasn't unusual for me to make $20 on a single Saturday night, which was just a little less than my friends made all week at their after school jobs. (Adjusted for inflation, that would be about $75 today.) Considering I did nothing but watch TV, drink Coke and eat potato chips once the kids were asleep, it seemed like a far better gig than asking if you wanted fries with that. Of course, if I wanted to go out on Saturday night I had to choose between fun and money. 

2) Paul sings he doesn't care what "they" say about his love for an older girl. Have you ever had a romantic relationship that your friends or family didn't approve of? Maybe. My mom knew better than to criticize HIM (whoever HE happened to be) because she understood that would just make me hold him closer.

3) Paul was once a choirboy, singing with the St. Elias Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral choir in Ontario. Have you ever performed with your church choir? When I was in grade school, our Sunday School class occasionally performed special songs and of course there was a Christmas pageant. But once I got into high school, nah. I'm tone deaf and wouldn't have made the choir.

 

4) When Paul was 15, he left Ontario to find fame and fortune in New York. He had $100 in his pocket, a gift from his uncle. Tell us about someone in your life who who believed in you and encouraged you. My uncle was sent me $160. It was 1978, I was in ongoing, miserable pain and needed a root canal and crown. I didn't have dental insurance, nor did I have the $160 to get the procedure done. To put the $160 in perspective, that was more than my entire week's take-home pay. My rent in those days was $300. I was trying very hard to be independent, but my mom called one night and I started to cry because of the unremitting agony. She didn't have the money just sitting around, either, but she knew who did. She called her brother and voila! A check showed up in the mail with note that just said, "Happy Birthday/Merry Christmas." I called and told him I couldn't accept it because I could never pay it back. He told me that's why he was happy to give it to me -- he knew I wouldn't advantage of his generosity. He believed in my integrity and respected me for not just running to the relative with the deepest pockets.

5) Paul seldom gets credit for one of his most familiar compositions: the theme to The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. Since Johnny retired in 1992, The Tonight Show has been hosted by Jay Leno, Conan O'Brien, and Jimmy Fallon. Which of these Tonight Show hosts is your favorite? Johnny. Of the more recent vintage, I like Fallon best, but I seldom watch him when it's broadcast. Just clips I catch afterward. Whereas Johnny was appointment TV. 

6) In 1978, Paul Anka hired Las Vegas' first female bartender for his restaurant, Jubilation. Where did you most recently dine out? Tuesday I filled up on appetizers at Adamus Restaurant and Lounge in Chicago's Silversmith Hotel. It was our friend Gregory's birthday. One of his friends works for the hotel and sent the food over to make our get together more festive. It made me happy. Now that I'm retired, I really appreciate freebies!

7) In 1957, when "Diana" was a hit, Wham-O began producing Frisbees. The toy was a massive success, even outselling the hula hoop. Do you enjoy tossing a Frisbee? Nope. I'm terrible at it. 

8) Also in 1957, the book Peyton Place was made into a blockbuster film. Book lovers often say that, no matter what, the movie is never as good as the book. Do you think that's true? No. The Godfather is a lyrical, multi-layered movie and a lurid, trashy book. PS I finally read Peyton Place during covid and discovered it wasn't about sex at all. I think it was about the toxicity of secrets. It was a better book than I expected.

9) Random question: This Saturday, the treat's on Sam. Will you have buttered popcorn, caramel corn or cheese popcorn? I'll pass. I still have a temporary crown on my right side and fear what any popcorn would do to it. Funny, but I was having dental work done in 1978 and I'm having it done now. It's an ongoing, seemingly forever thing with me.

  

August Happiness Challenge -- Day 11

 

Anthony Rizzo tonight in the dugout in Miami

Today's Happiness: Baseball! I am smiling as I listen to the Cubs play the Blue Jays. I had the game on as I did dishes and cleaned the microwave and my George Foreman Grill, and my guys (now up 6-1) were excellent company!

Our national pastime and I suffered a falling out last week when it was announced my favorite most player, Anthony Rizzo, has been playing with an undiagnosed concussion for two fucking months. I can feel my blood pressure skyrocket just by keystroking those words. Not only does Anthony Rizzo -- or any ballplayer, but especially Anthony Rizzo -- deserve better from management, it stirred up painful feelings because of my dear friend Henry's TBI.  

But this evening Rizzo is in the dugout with the Yankees in Miami. He saw his neurologist* yesterday who confirms he's made progress, cleared him to fly with the team and do light workouts! Will he be back in eye black next week? Not likely. But indications are he will recover. (Again, I can't tell you how miserable and frightened I've been, deja Henry.)

And in Toronto, this charismatic Cub team is playing like they believe they can make the play offs. Right now they are just a 1/2 game out. By the end of the night they'll have closed the gap. This points to October baseball in Chicago this year!

I'm so happy baseball and I have made up. (Though I still hate the Yankees medical team with the heat of a thousand suns. Breathe, Gal, breathe ...) 

*A real-live neurologist, not a "team physician." Gee, Yankees, do you think perhaps maybe he should have been under a neurologist's care since the collision on May 28? (Calm down, Gal. Your blood pressure! You're not a young woman.)

August Happiness Challenge -- Day 10

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Today's Happiness: I used my words

I spent about an hour today answering personal emails. 

•    The first was to my former art director. She started the day by sharing a message she received about how well she did Wednesday in a presentation. I was happy that she wanted to share her glory with me, and I reinforced her by telling her I was pleased, but not surprised, that she's doing so well in her new role.

•    The second was to my friend Joanna. I haven't heard from her in a while, but when she heard about Anthony Rizzo she reached out with a long and appropriately serious article about his concussion. It was thoughtful of her. I thanked her and let her know I miss her.

•    The last was to Rita. This one wasn't in response to anything. I was just following up because I know she was hoping to have her leg surgery this month. She's easy to get it behind her! Rita has a tumultuous relationship with her mother and has, in the past, slotted me in that spot. I wanted her to know she's not alone.

I can't sing or dance. But I can write. When you live alone like I do, it's easy to get too deep into my own head. I'm happy that I was looking outward today and used my words to be supportive.

 

Thursday Thirteen #321

The songs we enjoyed 50 years ago. According to Billboard, here are the 13 best-selling singles of 1973. I knew all but one (#6) instantly. How about you?

1. Tie A Yellow Ribbon. Tony Orlando and Dawn

2. Bad, Bad Leroy Brown. Jim Croce

3. Killing Me Softly. Roberta Flack

4. Let's Get It On. Marvin Gaye

5. My Love. Paul McCartney & Wings

6. Why Me? Kris Kristofferson

7. Crocodile Rock. Elton John

8. Will It Go Round in Circles? Billy Preston

9. You're So Vain. Carly Simon

10. Touch Me in the Morning. Diana Ross

11. The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia. Vicki Lawrence

12. Playground in My Mind. Clint Holmes

13. Brother Louie. Stories

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

 

August Happiness Challenge -- Day 9

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Today's Happiness: Feathers on the end of a wand

It was bound to happen: today my happiness is reflected by my happiness icon.

Roy Hobbs was chunky when I adopted him. Almost 2 years and 2 lbs. later, he is fat. In addition to having an indefatigable appetite, he has no interest in moving. This is not a recipe for weight loss.

He doesn't care for the catnip mice, balls and pom-poms that so amuse Connie. So I went in a different direction and came home with a "bird." Really just feathers at the end of a wand. I loved watching Roy Hobbs chasing and leaping to get those feathers. His face was puffy, his eyes were bright, and he was engaged and happy. And so I was happy, too.

 

August Happiness Challenge -- Day 8

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Today's Happiness: 57%

That's how many Ohio voters rejected Issue One. I worked on this election, encouraging registered Ohio Democrats to vote no and directing them to a website so they could find their polling place.

That's all I said. My postcards were handwritten, and so less was more. I didn't get into how cynical and ugly it was for the Ohio GOP to set up a single issue special election in August, when most voters aren't paying attention. Just "Your Vote Matters!", please vote no, and here's where.

I paid for the cards. I paid for the postage. I grabbed the ballpoint. Doing something feels better than doing nothing.

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 can 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? Eisenhower: The White House Years by Jim Newton. He was President when I was born and, to my knowledge, the only Republican President my mom ever liked. Yet I know so little about him. I know FDR led us through The Depression and WWII. Truman dropped The Bomb. JFK inspired us to public service. LBJ had Vietnam and Civil Rights. But hey, someone's not in that list! What about Eisenhower?

This biography is zipping a long. It promises to focus on his Presidency but it's also a straightforward telling of his life. So far I'm most moved by the death of his first son, Dowd, called "Ikky" by his parents. Ikky was 3 1/2 years old when he got sick just before Christmas. The toddler died of scarlet fever in his father's arms. As an old man, Eisenhower looked back on his life and said his son's death was, "the greatest disaster of my life." That's pretty amazing from a man who saw unimaginable suffering in Europe during WWII.  

2. What did you recently finish reading? Agatha Raisin and the Potted Gardner by MC Beaton. Timing is everything. I met Agatha Raisin, a prickly London PR executive dealing with retirement, just as my Chicago advertising career was coming to an end. I find many of her experiences and cynical asides familiar and amusing. However, unlike me, she devotes her time in retirement to travel and solving murders.

This book -- #3 in the series -- opens with Aggie returning to the lazy village of Carsley after a long solo trip to France, Italy, Greece and Turkey. She hated hoped her extended holiday would remind her neighbor, James Lacey, how important she was to him. Instead, she came back to find James involved with a blonde divorcee named Mary Fortune. James and Mary share a passion for gardening so Agatha joins the horticulture society, just to keep an eye on them.

But Agatha hates gardening and she hates meetings. She admits to herself that what she'd really like is a juicy local murder to solve. And lo and behold! Someone conveniently gets dead! I had a good time with this quick read.

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

 

 

August Happiness Challenge -- Day 7

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Today's Happiness: Cannabis and community. 

• MedMen -- I have never smoked pot because the scent is obnoxious. That said, a birthday gift should be about the recipient, not my personal taste, and Tuesday we are celebrating Gregory's birthday. He partakes, so I went to the local dispensary. For the first time in my life I bought something cannabis related. I was amused by how incredibly legit, well-lit and respectable it was. I left with a cute little bag with their logo emblazoned on it and even got a senior discount!

• Movie Group -- This week we saw a charming a little film (This Happy Breed) and Monday was our lively Zoom discussion. It washed over me how much I enjoy our little group. Not just for the movies but for us. There's Bonnie, who is confused by the plot every damn week; Larry, who writes down his favorite bits of dialog and reads them to us; Peter the shrink who at length explains the psychological motivations of each of the characters and Audrey, who falls asleep on camera while he speaks; Wendy, who thinks I'm funny so we share snarky asides in a private chat ... We're a diverse, idiosyncratic little family, with Will is our moderator and indulgent dad. I was so happy when the meeting ended.

 

August Happiness Challenge -- Day 6

Today's Happiness: Roadway with Underpass (The Viaduct). That old saying, "I don't know art but I know what I like" applies to me. As my friend Elaine and I took in the 75 paintings and drawings in the special Van Gogh exhibit, this is the one that really grabbed me.

I don't know why exactly. Yes, I like the autumnal colors. But perhaps I appreciated how he found beauty in a scene that most people who saw it back in the 1880s wouldn't have stopped to look at, or if they did, might have found an industrial eyesore. I also wonder about that traveler. Where is he going? Is it safe?

So yeah, I got a little culture today. And it didn't hurt at all!

I was young once, too, you know!

For four days every August, literally hundreds of thousands* of young people descend upon Grant Park for Lollapalooza and live alternative rock, metal, punk, hip hop and dance music. Waylon Jennings even played it one year, so I guess I should include country in that list. Still, it's safe to say that at 65, I am not in the Lollapalooza demographic. 

Though I did attend once myself, in 2015, to see Sir Paul on the main stage, I generally try to avoid the Loop during Lolla. It's crowded. There's an influx of tourists who stand in the middle of the sidewalk (or worse, the street) trying to figure out where they're going when I'm in a hurry. Plus, August is always hot and I don't do heat, so things that would merely annoy me under normal circumstances really, REALLY grate!

But that was before. For the first August in 48 years, I'm not a working girl. So I'm really in no rush most of the time. And it was only in the 70s on this rainy Sunday, so it was certainly bearable. When my newly retired herself friend Elaine invited me to go to the Art Institute of Chicago with her to see the special Van Gogh exhibit, I said, "sure."

I rode the rails down and yes, the train was ridiculously crowded for 9:30 on Sunday morning. I was surrounded by festival goers wearing bandanas and Crocs and carrying clear backpacks. (So many young women still carrying Hello, Kitty keyrings and phone cases!) They were polite and quiet and very nice, making me realize it wouldn't fucking kill me to not be so judgemental and remember that I was young once and probably just as prone to annoy as these kids.

It was raining as I walked the half hour to Michigan Avenue and the Art Institute. On the way I tried to remember the last time I went in. I believe it was in 1992, right after Bill Clinton was elected and my niece was born. Considering we've had six Presidential elections since then, and my niece just moved into her first home with her husband, I think I was past due for a return visit. 

Elaine is a member so we were able to skip the line and just float into the exhibit. In addition to all the Van Goghs, we saw The Picture of Dorian Gray by Ivan Albright. Elaine liked it better than I did, but it gave us something to discuss over lunch. We speculated about how our "soul" portraits might look. I told her that since she handled the end of her working career with such dignity, hers probably looks just fine. That seemed to make her happy. I was happy to help. After all, it wasn't that long ago that I was struggling to adjust to retirement.

*It was 400,000 last year

August Happiness Challenge -- Day 5

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Today's Happiness: Bruce, baseball, brains and a burger. Before my hair cut I had lunch with my nephew. I had a burger, he had pizza. We talked about:

• Bruce Springsteen -- Next week my nephew is seeing The Boss for the first time ... and at Wrigley Field!

• Baseball -- We talked about our Cubs, how entertaining this season's roster is, and how cool it is that we're actually making a run for the wildcard spot.

• Brains -- I am not taking this Anthony Rizzo concussion news well. Not by the longest shot. Not just because Anthony Rizzo is a great guy -- though that would be enough -- but because it kicks up sad and disturbing feelings about my friend Henry's TBI. I confessed to my nephew that since I heard, I haven't been able to watch more than a few moments of baseball. Suddenly they don't seem like millionaire professional athletes anymore. Now all I see are 18 fragile boys, taking the field and risking injury for my entertainment. I know this will pass, but it's how I feel right now.

It makes me happy that we have so many shared interests and I can speak to him honestly. I told him that as cute as he was as a wee one, I enjoy him now, too.