Saturday 9

Saturday 9: You Make Me Feel So Young (1956)

 

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

1) This morning, do you feel younger or older than your years? I have a slow-healing bruise on my forearm and my knee is achy. Also, when I hear all the bitching that Bad Bunny is a "dumb" or "silly" name, I can remember people saying the same thing about The Beatles in 1964. It's like everything old is new again, and I feel every moment of my 68 years.

 

2) In this song, Frank Sinatra tells us that every time he sees his lover's grin, he's happy. What's something you can reliably count on to lift your spirits? Feeding the cats. They are so cute at mealtime! Chatting with me to make their menu selections known, herding me into the kitchen, supervising food prep ... I love how communicative cats always are individually, but at mealtime they coordinate and double team me. 

 

3) The lyrics mention hide-and-seek. What games did you play when you were young? I don't recall ever playing hide-and-seek. The games I remember were the outside games – SPUD and all the permutations of tag (stoop tag, freeze tag, etc).

4) Frank Sinatra was a fan of Campbell's chicken and rice soup, believing it helped his throat feel better after an evening of performing. Is Campbell's soup in your kitchen right now? Yes. BTW, in her memoir, Streisand repeatedly rhapsodized about her love of Campbell's Tomato Soup. The marketing whore in me sees a campaign here. Somebody should reach out to Katy Perry or Kelly Clarkson. Maybe Reba. If one of them will also swear by Campbell's, we've got some commercials to make.

 

5) Frank's favorite dessert was a slice of lemon ricotta torte. He believed every meal should include "a final flourish." Do you more often indulge in or skip dessert? I'd be more likely to skip the meal than the dessert.

 

6) At Sinatra's home in Palm Springs, CA, you'd find a less sophisticated dessert. He always kept Entenmann's Crumb Cake on hand for his young granddaughters. Share a memory of your grandparents. My grandpa thought I was pretty great. Every knock-knock joke I learned at school was hilarious. Whenever he saw me with a book or comic book, he'd ask me to read aloud because I was so good at it. Every little girl should have a cheerleader like my grandpa.

 

7) In 1956, when this song was popular, Frank was tooling around Southern California in a blue Continental Mark II. That model was known for its interior of hand-stitched imported Scottish leather. 70 years later, Scottish leather is still used in luxury cars because it's both soft and durable and the production methods minimize environmental impact. If you could splurge on something right now, what would it be? A luxury car, jewelry, travel, clothes, something else? (No responsible answers allowed!) A luxury 2026 BMW is about $100,000, which is an awful lot of money to imagine myself playing with. In fact, I can't. After all, I'm a gal who has $1.25 cans of Campbell's Chicken Noodle in my cabinet. So I'll imagine that I have approx. $10,000 earmarked for fun. I'd take myself on the TCM Classic Film Cruise. To have my own private, deluxe stateroom (with veranda) for five nights would be $8,650. That includes all the movies I can handle, plus meals. I'd have to fly to/from the port in San Diego, and I'm not going economy, so that's about $1,000. One of the ports of call is Catalina Island, a place I'm curious about. Ah, like the song says, I'm California Dreamin' on such a winter's day.

 

 
8) Also in 1956, The Invasion of the Body Snatchers and Forbidden Planet were popular at the box office. Do you have a favorite sci-fi movie? Not really.

 

9) Random question: What were you doing three hours ago? Taking a nap. Which was stupid because it's after midnight and I'm wide awake.

 

Thursday Thirteen #449

 Tips for hiring contractors. I am not very handy. OK, I admit it: I don't know how to do a damn thing around here. So I depend on plumbers, handymen, etc.

If you're like me, you might benefit from these tips, cribbed from Consumer Reports. 

1. Find a repairman before you need one. You're bound to be upset when your car breaks down or you find yourself locked out of your house. You may not make your best decisions in such an emergency situation. Ask friends and neighbors who they turn to in a pinch and have those numbers on your phone.

 

2. Do your research. In addition to references from friends, read the Yelp/Google reviews. Check the Better Business Bureau.  

 

3. Contact the manufacturer first. Before you call the repairman for your refrigerator or washing machine, go to the manufacturer's website or call the 800#. Your problem might be a common one that's easy to trouble shoot.

 

4. Be prepared before you talk to prospective contractors. Provide as much detail as you can. Take photos you can share. 

 

5. Get written estimates. That's for parts and labor, both. No surprises. 

 

6. Remember, there are different types of replacement parts. If parts are going to involved, find out if they plan to use new, used, or genuine manufacturer replacement parts. Ask if this makes a difference in price. 

 

7. Specify that you want to retain/dispose of the old parts. This one was new to me. It helps reduce fraud because unscrupulous repairmen have been known to replace parts unnecessarily and then resell the one they just removed from your appliance. (Gulp! Shit like this just makes me want to pull the sheets up over my head.)

 

8. Before you hire, verify the credentials of the repairman who is going to do the actual work. I don't know why, but conversations like this make me uncomfortable.

 

Hopefully the work goes well. But what if it doesn't? 

 

9. Pay with your credit card, not your debit card. Financial institutions offer protections for credit card purchases that you just don't get with your debit card. If you don't want to pay with a credit card, write a check that you can stop payment on. Even that is safer than using your debit card.

 

10. If your appliance breaks down again shortly after the repair, give the contractor a chance to make things right. If they guarantee their work, they may come over and repair the repair at no charge.  

 

11. If you can't reach an agreement with the contractor, call in another repairer. You still need your refrigerator or washing machine, right? There's no use going without while disputing things with the original repairman. Just be sure to document everything about the second repair – photos, receipts, etc. They will come in handy if you have to prove your damages in small claims court (more info on this ahead).

 

12. You have recourse against bad service. First, contact the credit card company (remember #9?) and work with them to have the charge reversed. Then take to social media and warn others on Yelp and Google.

 

13. Legal questions? Consumer Reports recommend you turn to NOLO.com for information about filing a small claims action in your state.

I've really been rather fortunate with my contractors. No horror stories. How about you? 

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

Not the first time I've been this wrong

In January 2020, I was sure that Harry and Meghan stepping away from Royal duties would be the biggest news story of the year. Then everything shut down for Covid. 

I had another Great Moment in Wrongness on January 24. Elaine had invited Will and me to meet her at the deli next to the Music Box Theater. The plan was bagels at 10:45 and Barbara Stanwyck on the big screen at 11:30. I'd have to leave my home around 10:00 AM. No biggie, right?

I was surprised when I woke up later than I'd intended. Usually the cats don't let me sleep in because they want breakfast. But on Saturday, January 24, nobody was walking on me, purring and willing me awake. I padded into the kitchen and found out why.

Roy Hobbs has somehow managed to get past the childproof lock and climbed into the kitchen cabinet.  He ate through the bag and gorged himself on Connie's prescription cat food. There was kibble everywhere. For good measure, he vomited. 

So I had to wrap what was left of the cat food bag in Saran Wrap and encase it in a paper bag. And vacuum out the cabinet. And clean up the puke, all before my shower. I was running short on time. I was stressed.

Elaine was in a weird mood. I thought the movie was rather trippy. On the way home, I stopped for a burger and reflected on what a crappy Saturday it had been. I got home about 3:30, sure the worst was behind me. I'd curl up on the sofa, watch Columbo reruns, and shop Amazon for containers that lock to keep Roy Hobbs out of the kibble.

Then I turned on the TV. Alex Pretti had been shot in the back by ICE agents. While he was on the ground. Just weeks after Renee Good had been shot after telling an ICE agent, "I'm not mad at you, dude."

I remember Kent State. This image is seared on my soul. Here we are again. This anguished girl is all of us right now.

 

What the ever loving fuck. Our government is shooting our citizens in the street. Their crime? Disagreeing with the policies of Dear Leader, Donald J. Trump.

Do not tell me that Alex Pretti spat at an ICE agent and kicked out a tail light. That happened more than a week before the shooting so it's not relevant. And even if it was, those are not death penalty offenses. The officers should have arrested Pretti, not executed him in the street.

Don't you dare mention that Pretti was carrying a gun to a protest. The GOP has been arguing for decades that we all have a Second Amendment right to bear arms. And Donald J. Trump pardoned rioters who brought bear spray, zip ties and, yes, firearms to the Capitol on January 6.

I have not been the same since January 24, and no, it wasn't the kibble incident in the kitchen. Alex Pretti happened. After ICE agents here in Chicagoland haunted school parking lots and loitered outside The Home Depot and (wait for it) the children's museum in search of "the worst of the worst." After Renee Good. After five-year-old Liam Ramos was shipped away to a detention center in another state.

OK, so what am I going to do about this?

I'm sending incremental money to the ACLU. I'm working on Democratic voter registration in red states. I'm concentrating my efforts lower ballot initiatives and special elections. 

I still believe in America. I still believe in the system. 

But we are broken. Approximately 35%-40% of Americans still approve of Donald Trump. They are so afraid of the LGBTQ community and people of color that they excuse his cruelty and disregard for the rule of law. And they so often do it while wrapping themselves in my Christian faith!

Whatever happened to, "whatever you did for the least of my brothers and sisters, you did for me?" I guess they found the loophole, which is, of course, that you don't have to love brothers or sisters who are trans or brown. After all, Donald Trump has made terror and cruelty OK. Patriotic, even.

So prayer is important here, too. But I won't pray to change the hearts of  35%-40% of Americans. I have to concentrate on my own heart and not let myself get too exhausted by this blanket of unremitting ugliness.

 

PS I truly believe that ICE began entering Blue State cities as a political calculation, to change the headlines away from Epstein. Just like Greenland and Venezuela and the Kennedy Center and the East Wing were designed to distract us from Epstein. The shenanigans in Georgia are meant to rig the mid-terms and protect Trump from Epstein. I have no idea what's in those files, but he must believe it would shake the faith of his loyal 35%-40%. I want those files released, if only to put an end to the desperate self-preservation measures of Donald J. Trump.

 

Sunday Stealing

The Old School Blogging Meme

I am passionate about ...

1) The mid-terms

2) Adopt-don't-shop initiatives (Really, a shelter animal will love you just as much.)

3) The movies I watch

4) The Beatles

5) BASEBALL! (Soon, Gal, it all begins again soon.)
 

I'd like to learn ...

1) Spanish

2) Time management

3) Movement/mobility (Getting better at yoga would be a good start)

4)

5)

 

Things I say a lot ...

1) "I'm sorry."

2) "What the fuck?"

3) "The thing of it is ..."

4) "Alexa, what's the temperature outside?"

5) "Alexa, call my phone."

 

Places I'd like to travel to ...

These are all places I'd like to see again. 

1) Graceland, Graceland, Memphis, Tennessee

I wonder if the Christmas lights are still up

2) Colonial Williamsburg (especially The Spa)

Everything about that spa is attractive and relaxing

 

3)  Hot Springs National Park 

I loved looking down from that steamy railing

4) TCL Chinese Theater in Hollywood

I'll be there for the TCM Film Festival this spring

 

5) The Las Vegas Strip

A great place for people watching and laughter

 

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Big Star (1962)

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

1) Shelley Fabares sings that when she hears her lover's records on the radio, they bring back memories. Do you prefer familiar songs or do you seek out new music? My radio dial is set to the oldies.

2) Shelley introduced "Big Star" on an episode of The Donna Reed Show, where she played daughter Mary. She remembers the show's star and her TV mom, Donna Reed, as "an extraordinary woman." Who is your favorite TV mom? Lucy Ricardo. My favorite I Love Lucy episode is the one where Little Ricky has his tonsils out. The evening before, in his hospital room, as he dozes off she promises her little boy that she will be right there with him in the morning when he wakes up. Then she's informed by the hospital staff that visiting hours are over and she has to leave. BUT SHE PROMISED HIM! She pretends to leave but sneaks around the hospital to get back to her little boy. Of course it's silly and hijinks ensue. But when she makes it back to him and climbs into the crib with him, I well up. Sometimes (okay, usually) when Lucy does stupid things it's for selfish reasons. This time, she put all of her considerable will and creative zaniness into keeping her promise to her little boy. 

 

3) Speaking of big stars, Shelley made three movies with Elvis, who said she was his favorite leading lady. What qualities do you value in a coworker? I appreciate a coworker who is more focused on the task at hand than personal accomplishment/credit. I hope I am that coworker. I want to be.

4) Though best known for comedy, Shelley appeared as Cathy in a made-for-TV adaptation of Wuthering Heights. Have you ever read the Emily Bronte classic? Yes. I was disappointed. I enjoyed Jane Eyre so much and thought Wuthering Heights would be more of the same. That's what I get for assuming the Bronte sisters were alike. (I should know better. I have two sisters myself and we're very different women.) PS What was up with Heathcliff anyway? Way too Type A for me.
 
5) Shelley Fabares' aunt was Broadway, film and TV veteran Nanette Fabray. Do you have a favorite aunt or uncle? My favorite uncle brought magic into every room he entered. He was so funny, so imaginative. I guess he was just a big kid himself. I miss him.
 
6) In the 1990s she was twice nominated for an Emmy Award (Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy) for her work on Coach. She didn't win. Millions of viewers got to see her applaud graciously when Laurie (Roseanne) Metcalf's named was announced both times. If you were nominated for a major award and the ceremony was televised, would you get all dressed up and go? Or would you prefer to watch from home? I think I'd go just for the experience of it – the special dress, the professionally done hair and make up, sitting around celebrities. I went to a much (MUCH) smaller local awards ceremony where my team was nominated and we won. It was November 2000. I remember I wore a bouclé jacket over black slacks and when I was on the stage I couldn't see a thing. All I saw was the light in my eyes. It was disruptive and awkward to make our way back to our row in the dark. Not as glamorous as it was when I pretended to win an Oscar in my girlhood bedroom.
 
7) In 1962, when this song was first released, Jack Nicklaus launched his legendary golf career. Do you enjoy playing golf? Do you watch golf on TV? Nope. I think golf is boring. Though I bet it's not at all boring to those who play and are passionate about it.
 
8) Also in 1962, Marilyn Monroe bought her first home at the age of 36. Up until then she had always been a renter. Marilyn was residing there at the time of her death that August. How long have you lived at your current address? I moved in during 2001, not long after the awards ceremony referenced in #6. How weird that my mind keeps returning to that time this morning.
 
9) Random question – According to a survey, the average American will kiss 15 different partners over their lifetime. Do you estimate your personal total is more, less, or right on track?My guess is less, but to be honest, I have no idea. During my party girl days, I did a lot of kissing and it was inconsequential fun.

 

 

Thursday Thirteen #448

13 Celebrity Judges. I am fascinated by reality court shows. It's a durable syndicated TV genre, beginning with Judge Wapner and The People's Court back in the 1980s. They feature civil cases – like unpaid bills and landlord/tenant disputes – as opposed to criminal cases. The litigants agree to abide by the ruling of the TV judge, but they often don't have to pay very much. The show pays both sides an appearance fee, and usually the producers take the judgement out of the loser's stipend. That way the loser is not out that much, and got to stay in a nice hotel and enjoy room service, courtesy of the show's producers.

 

Here are 13 of the judges who dispense(d) justice on daytime TV.

 

1. Judge Joseph Wapner. Made famous by Dustin Hoffman in Rain Man ("One minute to Wapner!"). He was TV's first chief arbiter, appearing on The People's Court from 1981 to 1993, when it was cancelled.

2. Judge Ed Koch. When The People's Court was revived in late 1993, the former Mayor of New York put on the robes.

3. Judge Marilyn Milian. After she retired from the Florida State Circuit Court, she climbed onto the bench of The People's Court, where she stayed for more than 20 years. Today she hosts Justice for the People. (She's my favorite.)

4. Judge Jerry Sheindlin. In between Koch and Milian, Judge Jerry heard cases on The People's Court. He's best known as the husband of Judge Judy. When their shows aired opposite one another, he usually lost, which is why his time on the TV bench was rather short. 

5. Judge Judy Sheindlin. She's the queen of the genre, in the Guinness Book of Records for presiding over more TV cases than any other judge. Between her own shows (first Judge Judy, now Judy Justice), more than a dozen books, real estate, and her production company, she is worth more than $70 million.

6. Judge Greg Mathis. Second only to Judge Judy in terms of shows/cases presided over, he took an interesting route to TV fame. As a teenager he was a purse snatcher and served time on a concealed weapons charge. He promised his mother he would get his GED while behind bars. Upon his release, he went to college, then law school. In 1999, after five years on the bench in Michigan, he moved to TV, where he's been ever since.

7. and .8 Dana Tippin Cutler and Kevin Cutler. This married couple, both judges, presides over cases together on Couples Court (rebooted as Cutlers Court). Their cases are less legal than "relationship based" – Is he cheating on you? Does she owe you money? Want someone to pay for your paternity test?

9. Alex Ferrer. He went from cop to prosecutor to criminal court judge and then for 9 seasons presided over his own show. I watched him on Friday afternoons, back in those long-ago days before covid when we got out of the office early. I had a crush on him. He had great teeth.

10. Star Jones. The star of Divorce Court. Though not a judge in real life, she is a licensed attorney best known for appearing on The View during the Barbara Walters years. Since divorces can only be granted by a state court, Star is limited to property settlements.

11. Larry Elder. Not a judge but an attorney, he began his TV career on Moral Court, "where it pays to be right." Family members, neighbors, business partners, etc., would air their grievances and Elder would decide who was right. His rulings were based not on the law but his personal ethics. The winner would get between $500 and $2,000. From here he went on to conservative talk radio and California politics. Considering that he didn't exactly bathe himself in glory during covid – peddling conspiracy theories and anti-vax talk – I find it ruefully amusing that he used his personal ethics to decide cases.

12. Jeanine Pirro. Yes, the US Attorney for the District of Columbia. Like the President who appointed her, she had a reality show. Judge Jeanine ran for two seasons and won a Daytime Emmy in 2011.

13. Steve Harvey. He's not a judge at all but a comedian and host. Yet in 2022, litigants let him decide their cases for a season.

This only scratches the surface. There are many more reality court shows streaming and in syndication.

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

Sunday Stealing

Here are 10 things that make me happy:

1. My flannel sheets on a frigid night

2. That "pop" when I open a Coke can

3. Photos of Violet, my great-niece                            

4. Scratching an activity off my "to-do" list

5. Losing myself in a good biography

6. A good steak*

7. My morning shower

8. Watching my cats enjoy their breakfast

9. Meeting up with friends

10. Unexpectedly hearing Sir Paul on the radio

 

*I think about steak a lot because I'm in the midst of dental work and can't enjoy one right now

  

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Up the Ladder to the Roof (1970)

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

1) Many people are uncomfortable with ladders. Some feel unsteady on the steps, others have a fear of heights. Then there's the superstition that warns against walking under ladders. Are you afraid of ladders? I love my ladder at home. It's shiny and sturdy and makes it possible for me to change those overhead light bulbs and my smoke detector batteries. Not crazy about the step ladders at work, though. Nothing to hold onto on the way down. 

 

2) In this song, the Supremes advise us to go up the ladder to the roof to be closer to Heaven. While poetic, that's not really why most homeowners climb onto the roof. They're more likely replacing shingles or cleaning the gutters. Have you ever been on the roof of your building? I've been up there twice, both times to discuss the condition of the roof with contractors and fellow condo board members. Both times I nodded sagely and pretended I understood what was being said.

 

3) The record was the Supremes first and biggest hit without Diana Ross. When Jean Terrell replaced Diana as lead singer, the two ladies appeared together at a press event to launch this new iteration of the Supremes. Have you ever met your replacement at a job, or perhaps the person you replaced? Yes. Advertising in Chicago can be a surprisingly small world.

 

4) Mary Wilson was a member of the group when it was formed in 1959 and stayed through 1977, when the Supremes officially disbanded. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average American stays at a job 3.9 years. Looking over your job history, how long did you typically stick with an employer? I worked full-time for 48 years. Answering this question accurately would require entirely too much math. My best guess is around 5 years.

 

5) The third Supreme performing on this record was Cindy Birdsong. After the group broke up for good, Cindy finished nursing school and practiced at UCLA Medical Center. When did you last interact with a nurse or nurse practitioner? This week! My nurse practitioner sent me the good news about my annual mammogram and refilled a prescription for me. I love how available she is.

 
6) In 1970, when this song was popular, TV shows about doctors like Marcus Welby, MD and Medical Center ranked high in the Nielsen ratings. Medical shows are still popular today, with Grey's Anatomy entering its 22nd season and The Pitt earning critical accolades. Do you have a favorite TV doctor? Dr. Michael Rossi of Peyton Place. He was the best person in the sin-soaked town. He truly cared about every horny teenager, frustrated housewife, wife-beater, nymphomaniac and alcoholic who entered his office. Yet for some reason he couldn't get laid. His first lady friend was frigid, his second dumped him for a man from her past, his third got hauled away to prison for perjury, his fourth tragically ended up at the bottom of a cliff ... and all before he could "kick it through the goal posts," if you will. 

 

Won't someone please sleep with this man?

7) Also in 1970, when this song was popular, audiences were lining up to see the movie Love Story. Without looking it up, complete the film's most famous line:  "Love means _______________." I don't have to look it up. I had this poster on my bedroom wall. I don't know why, but in the summer between 7th and 8th grade, my friends and I just loved movies that made us cry.

 

 

PS Ryan O'Neal, aka Oliver Barrett III in Love Story, got his big break on Peyton Place. It's like a Peyton Place reunion around here.

 

8) Slumberchums™ were all the rage among pre-teens in 1970. These sleeping bags had attached pillow "heads" that made it look like you slipping into sleep inside a plush bear. When did you most recently sleep in a sleeping bag? Approx. 25 years ago. My niece's Brownie troop needed another "mother" for an overnight camping trip and I was pressed into service. My niece is now a mother herself.

 

9) Random question: Did you take a multivitamin this morning? If yes, did you swallow it or chew it? Swallowed it. I have two temp crowns and under the circumstances, chewables would do more harm than good.

 

 

 

Thursday Thirteen #447

13 of the most common dental procedures. I'm in the midst of another dental adventure. I had a dual crown lengthening in December and if it heals according to plan,  I'll have a pair of new, permanent crowns before the end of February. 

 

This inspired me to find out what happens to most patients when they settle into the dentist's chair. These are the procedures mentioned most (beyond routine exams, x-rays and cleaning):

1. Filling

2. Root canal

3. Crowns

4. Implants

5. Extractions

6. Bridges

7. Scale and polish 

8. Fitting dentures

9. Whitening

10. Veneers

11. Sealants

12. Bonding

13. Night guards

Did you spend much time in the dentist's chair in 2025?

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

My George Bailey moment

Remember that scene in It's a Wonderful Life where Clarence shows George Bailey how the world would have been less without him? Over the weekend, I got a glimpse into how my life has touched others. 

I spent the weekend with my nephew at the Cubs Convention. I realize how lucky I am – not many 25-year-old men would look forward to hanging with their post-menopausal aunts. Even better, he casually slipped in an invitation: next time we get together for lunch, would I like to meet his girlfriend?

Who? What? He has not mentioned a girlfriend since his days at WIU. 

She's a 31-year-old ophthalmology tech* who recently relocated to the Chicago area and happens to be living behind one of my nephew's favorite local pizza places (and he takes his pizza seriously). She has two cats, both rescues. And she knows all about me. My nephew told her how I got him interested in his passions: baseball and politics.

I appeared casual about this, but I nearly cried.  

Sometimes as a barren spinster, I wonder if my life has mattered. Then something like this happens.

 

*Not sure what that is, but I'll find out. 

The boys were back in town!

 

I spent two glorious days among the faithful. I wore my Grandma's vintage Ryne Sandberg jersey over my 2016 BRYZZO (Bryant/Rizzo) shirt and carried my Cubs purse. There are places where that would be too much. The official Cubs Convention at the Sheraton Grand was not one of them. 

•  Stood close enough to touch the newest Cub, superstar third baseman Alex Bregman. He's smaller than I expected. (His baseball card says he's 5'11, but I don't believe it.) But positive and friendly and nerdy-smart about hitting. I loved listening to him.

•  Checked out our middle infielders, Nico Hoerner and Dansby Swanson. Our Butch and Sundance. They are so cute, so funny, and so good. They're both Gold Glovers!

 

 • Excited by how excited Cubs fans are by PCA, the electric Pete Crow-Armstrong. That charming kid is our superstar, clearly the successor to Anthony Rizzo in the hearts of the faithful. He's clever, too. Though born and raised in Southern California, he wore his Bears cap all weekend.

•  Made peace with Clark, the Cubs mascot. Frankly, he's always annoyed me, but seeing him interact with very young fans changed my mind. 

•  Best of all, there was the 2016 Reunion! We celebrated our World Series Champs. I got to see former manager Joe Maddon, who I adore, in his first official Cubs appearance since he was let go in 2019. I was impressed – but not surprised – by how gracious he was. And of course, there was my all-time favorite-most player, Anthony Rizzo! I went to all four of his events, including his grand entrance holding the World Series trophy over his head. Like old Joe, he's retired now but happy and living his best life. My baseball heroes never stop teaching me by example.

 

 

It's not that I don't like the Chicago Bears

... I just don't care about football. I have appreciated the Bears' magic season, though. Not only was everyone in a better mood once they started winning, but I knew I could do my laundry uninterrupted when they were playing.

Last night, during their long over-time playoff game against the Rams, I managed to do four loads. I even washed my mattress cover and pillow protectors! If only they'd made it to the Super Bowl. Then the living room curtains would have been washed, too. 

  

 Photo by Anton Savinov on Unsplash

Sunday Stealing

3 x 5

Three things I love (Remember, these are things, not people):

1. Coca Cola

2. Chocolate milk

3. Cinnamon (both taste and scent)

Three things on my desk:

1. A pile of papers I probably don't need

2. A cube notepad

3. A pencil cup made by gluing crayons to a styrofoam cup (a gift from my nephew when he was in Kindergarten)

Three things I can't do:

1. Sing

2. Dance

3. Drive

Three things I'm good at:

1. Writing

2. Pet care

3. Earning airline miles (really, I'm quite the rewards whore)

Three things I want to accomplish:

Here are my 2026 goals –

1. Make a drop off/month at either Goodwill or my local resale shop

2. Find a new pair of really comfortable athletic shoes (my beloved Nikes aren't gonna last forever)

3. Drink more water every day

 

 

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Man I Need (2025)

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

 

1) In this song, Olivia Dean is looking for a man who wants to really communicate and doesn't make her "read between the lines." Tell us about a time when you felt you had to work hard to figure out what someone was trying to tell you. In my old life, when I worked in advertising, it took me a while to understand my client. They are a Fortune 50 company, but their internal culture is so nice, so considerate, that I didn't always understand at first what they really wanted. Example: It was kind of exciting when we went to their offices to present new creative concepts, and so lots of people not directly involved with the project at hand would be in attendance as I did my reveal. Afterward, the VP would go around the room and invite everyone to share their opinion. 

 

"I liked the picture in the first concept but the headline of the second concept." OR "I think it would be better if we made the type bigger." OR "Instead of a young woman on her phone, could we show a dad with his kids?" 

I'd be taking notes furiously. I'd get my team started on the requested revisions. Then the VP would call and say, "We're going with the first concept as is, no changes."

 

WHAT?!? I finally realized the VP just wanted to make all her coworkers feel heard. Which is not the same as actually paying attention to what they said.

 

I eventually learned to not make any revisions until I got that call from the VP. 

 

2) She's eager to meet his best friend and join their friend group. Have you made any new friends recently? Kinda/sorta. Christine has been in my movie Meetup for well over a year, but last month she invited me to hang with her away from the rest of the group. She shares my Cub love and has been texting me all week, asking me which of this weekend's festivities I'm attending. So yeah, I guess we're becoming friends.

 

I'm so excited!

 

3) "Man I Need" was a hit in the fall of 2025. It was so popular that, in addition to CDs, a special vinyl release was scheduled in time for Christmas (2025) gift giving. How do you listen to music most often? Do you play CDs, download, stream, or play vinyl records? Mostly I just say, "Alexa, play [insert artist here]." I'm too lazy to actually cross the room and put a CD into the player or even download an album.

 

4) Olivia Dean recalls that her first public performance was singing at a school talent show. If we had a Sat 9 talent show, what would you do to entertain us? I would stay seated. You do not want to see me dance or hear me sing.

 

5) She says she loved listening to her parents' music collection. How about you? Did you and your parents share musical tastes? How about you and your kids? My dad hated every artist I loved. He's been dead more than 30 years now. I often wonder how he'd feel about being so wrong about the Beatles being a flash in the pan. Come to think of it, he loathed Elvis, too. Always called him "Presley." Streisand bugged the shit out of him, too, but I think it was more her unconventional personality than her artistry.

 

6) Olivia likes to be dressed up when she gets onstage, favoring gowns and heels. She says of her audiences, "If you guys paid good money that you worked hard for, let me give you a show." How do you feel when you're invited to an event that calls for you to dress up? Are you enthusiastic about choosing your outfit, or would you rather keep it casual? I like to see other people dress up. I enjoy checking out their outfits. One of the reasons I look forward to going to the bank is that all the advisors look so handsome in their jackets and ties. All that said, I will be happy to remain in jeans and t-shirts for the rest of my life.

 
7) She enjoys classic film and lists Singin' in the Rain as her favorite. What's the last movie you watched? Do you recommend it to other Sat 9ers? I just watched Something of Value, a 1957 film starring Sidney Poitier and Rock Hudson available on Amazon Prime. It's really hopelessly dated and I don't recommend it, except for the fact that Sidney Poitier and Rock Hudson were ridiculously gorgeous.

 

 

8) In 2025, when this song was popular, the average price tag for a new vehicle was $47,690 and $25,100 for a used one. Are you planning to make a big purchase in 2026? Not $50,000 worth of big, but yes. This summer I want to get a new refrigerator. Hopefully by year-end, I'll have purchased a new bed, too. It's funny, but the bed I've kinda fallen in love with online sits totally on the floor and is being marketed for pre-teen boys. I'm going to go into the showroom and check it out in person. It's a full-size bed (not a twin) and has all those book cases and USB ports and I think it would make me happy.

But I don't have a skateboard or school trophies!

9) Random question: Are you better with love or money? Ha! This is kind of a race to the bottom for me. But I'll say money. It looks like I'm going to be OK in retirement. No trips to Versailles or the Incas or London – like some of my Facebook friends took over Christmas – but I am going to Hollywood for the TCM Film Festival and I don't break out in a cold sweat when I get a bill from my dentist and I never skimp on my cats' care or food. So that's something.

 

These people vote, drive & buy guns

While researching the veracity of a factoid for Saturday 9, I came upon this little "joke," which was posted last week.

 

Really? Shouldn't your ass be named DJT? After all, it was President Trump who turned the White House lawn into a Tesla showroom and said he wanted to buy one of Elon's sedan EVs.

Of course, that was back in March. 10 months ago. I guess that's a long time for MAGA supporters with short memories. Though the woman who posted it does seem to remember to blame Joe Biden for whatever she doesn't like, and he's been out of office a year.

I suppose I'll just never understand the mind of a cultist.