Blog Every Day in May -- Day 6

Day 6, Monday: If you couldn't answer with your job, how would you answer the question, 'what do you do?'

 

"The Gal Worries." That's what a friend likes to say, and it's true. What if I lose my job? What if the company that holds my mother's reverse mortgage sues? What if my oldest friend can't overcome her Depression? Why is my oldest friend so quiet? However will my friend in the Keys move with that unsellable house hanging around his neck? What if I can't find a futon store that delivers and will take away this filthy sofa? What if I never lose this weight -- will I become diabetic? What's up with mole on my back? What if John and Ed never get new jobs? The list goes on ... and  on ... and on ...

My mother believed in the prayer she learned when her mother was in AA. You know, the one by St. Francis. "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference." And I get that -- in theory.

But I find that by (as my best friend refers to it) "awfulizing," I help myself prepare and withstand. If I worry, think it through, imagine the worst possible outcome there can possibly be, I then recognize that, "HEY! I can handle that." It doesn't paralyze me. It helps me go on.

Blog Every Day in May -- Day 5

Day 5, Sunday: Publicly profess your love and devotion for one of your blogger friends. What makes them great? Why do you love them? 

 

Today I genuflect to true blog royalty, Queen Mimi of Bloggingham over at Mimi Writes. I hope this will get her attention because I don't think she blogs enough and this loyal subject misses her.

She's a teacher and a proud crusader for peace (The Blogblast for Peace is her innovation). She's also a daughter, a mother and grandmother. Her posts about the dearest men in her life -- her father, her son and her grandsons -- are always enormously touching. And she's a gifted a photographer. No one marries words and pictures quite as well as Mimi does. (Treat yourself to this journey through a doll house.)

I'd also like to bend the May rules and also give a shoutout to Kwizgiver, Endomental, Snarky Pants and Vivian. They have been wonderfully supportive and have put a little extra steel in my spine when I've needed it. Thank you, Ladies.

Sunday Stealing

The Wish List Meme, part two 

26.) If you had to order from a kid's menu, what would you get?  Grilled cheese

27.) Do you speak any other languages?  I tried to learn Spanish but I let myself get distracted. I must try again!

28.) Do you use Twitter? Yes, when watching NCIS or a Cub game. It's like being in a bar without having to actually deal with people.

29.) Do you go onto YouTube?  Yes, and I'm always fascinated by the crap that's up there. I mean, it never occurred to me that this clip would matter to anyone but me, but here it is. And it's gotten more than 100,000 views! (And before you click on it, beware. It is indeed crap; the epic teeny bopper pairing of Bobby Sherman and David Cassidy.)



30.) Do you play Angry Birds? Not as well as my nephew, which is humbling because he's 13.

31.) Do you like theme parties? No.

32.) Do you like current cartoons?  No.

33.) Have you ever cried because you were so happy?  No. (I feel bad with all these no's, like I'm not giving this meme my all.)

34.) Who would you like to see in concert? Recently I've seen the Three B's: A Beatle (Sir Paul), The Boss (Springsteen) and Babs (Streisand). And I'd love to see each, any and all again. As soon as possible, please.

35.) Can you swim well? Yes. I think I could do the backstroke forever.

36.) Ever won a contest? Yes. When I was in third grade I won an essay contest from our local newspaper and I used the money to buy a Madame Alexander doll (Jo from Little Women). It meant a great deal to me to find, as I recently went through my mother's belongings for the last time, that she hung onto it for all these years.

37.) Ever won a giveaway?  Yes

38.) Do you get a full 8 hours of sleep every night? Probably, though not uninterrupted.

39.) What tea do you like?  Cranberry pomegranate or cinnamon vanilla, please


40.) What mixed drink do you like? Vodka and ... (Once we've got the vodka, we really can't go wrong, can we?)

41.) Do you shop at Walmart? I'd prefer not to. Parents don't watch their kids and it makes me nervous. I'm always terrified that the little boy or girl who races past me unattended will be on Nancy Grace next week. (This impulse to monitor all children everywhere is why my best friend maintains I must be part border collie.)

42.) Do you shop at Target? I recently started because now there's a "City Target" near my office. Geez, they really do carry everything, don't they? And the "City Target" supposedly has a "limited"
selection!

43.) What do you order at your local coffee shop? My local coffee shop is Starbuck's: Tall hot chocolate, no whipped cream and a dash of cinnamon.

44.)  Do you drink bottled or tap water? Tap. I want my old teeth to get as much fluoride as possible.

45.) Do you like homemade meals?  Not if I have to cook them.

46.) Do you like homemade baked goods?  Not if I have to bake them.

47.) Do you shop online?  Yes, indeedy!

48.) Name 3 stores online stores you would like to shop at:  Drugstore.com, Amazon and Ebay

49.) What holiday don't you like? They have each been a challenge since my mother died last fall. I'm sure I'll enjoy them all again. It's just hard now.

50.) What do you eat more when you're sick? Gooey cheesey stuff. Like mac and cheese.

It's a good day

My new air conditioner is humming -- and quietly! Thank you, Kenmore. The delivery went almost smoothly. I wasn't crazy about all the whining on the part of Bob, the installer, because he couldn't find a place to park his truck. Um, Bob? That's a YP, not a MP. After yesterday's screw up, I wasn't in a mood to be especially helpful. All I said was, "I can't help that." This cannot be the first condo in a congested area that he's installed in. And he worked it out somehow. Once Bob got up here to do his work, all was well. I was a little disappointed to learn that, to his knowledge, my old unit will be scrapped. It did still work, and at the Sears store they implied it would be recycled. Maybe it's too old, and there aren't any parts that can be used. I comfort my conscience with the words of Snarky Pants and Bud, who assure me that at least this new unit will burn less energy over the long haul.

Then I tried a new restaurant (at least new to me) here in town for breakfast. Brunch, I guess, since I got there at 11:00. I was able to eat outside, because the day was so nice and sunny. I had a bacon/egg flatbread and their "brunch punch" (mango vodka, champagne and pineapple juice). This was the first time I had a drink with my breakfast since Key West. I said a silent toast to my friends down there -- especially Ted, who is battling a brain tumor. It seemed like a fitting way to remember them in prayer, as I was doing just what we'd be doing if we were together.

I feel bad because I'm about to abandon the book I read over breakfast, Anne Frank's Family. I want to like it, I do! I think it's neat that Anne's paternal grandmother was as good and dedicated a writer as Anne. But I don't care about Anne's great-grandparents. They never knew her, barely knew her father Otto, and they seem very distant and snobby, anyway. Oh well, maybe I'll just skip those parts. It's important to remember that, in addition to their father, Anne and Margot left cousins and a grandmother who loved them, and that for them, Anne's story is more than a chronicle of long-ago horror. It was real and intimate.

Then I came home and watched the Cub game. Yes, they lost. And OK, it was a heartbreaker. But you know what? Those are the exciting games. I'd have preferred a win, of course, but it's a long season and we will win our share!

I'm worried about my oldest friend and my best friend. They each seem to have hit a rough patch. But I prefer not to write about that just now. Maybe later.

They're still people, People!

I'm watching Cubs manager Da1e Sveum try to explain the inexplicable -- which is how, by giving up just one hit, the team blew a 4-2 lead and still lost 6-4. Dale looks so weary.

And why wouldn't he? Today was the first really nice Saturday of the season. It was Cubs Derby Hat Giveaway Day. There were more than 35,000 fans within the Friendly Confines. It began well and then, in the time it takes to walk four batters and hit another, a win turned into yet another loss.

I'm sad for everyone involved. Baseball is supposed to be fun, but it can't be fun for reliever Carlos Marmol to hear 35,000 of the most faithful fans in baseball boo. It can't be fun for Alfonso Soriano watch his best day at the plate so far this year go for naught. It can't be fun for Jeff Samardzija to pitch six solid innings and then end up not even being the pitcher of record. And it can't be fun in the clubhouse when Soriano and Samardzija come face-to-face with Marmol.

A lot is made of how Cub fans "suffer." I watched an exciting game today. I didn't "suffer." I think my heroes in Cubbie Blue are the ones suffering. That's why I never boo. (Well, not since the Cubs unloaded Zambrano.)

Blog Every Day in May -- Day Four

Day 4, Saturday: Favorite quote (from a person, from a book, etc) and why you love it

"What man has done, man can do."

It could be a Chinese proverb or a quote by an American Colonist or maybe some Russian.  Whatever. I still think it's very wise. I try to remember it when I feel myself becoming daunted.

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Tunnel of Love

1) Do you enjoy amusement park rides? I love 'em!

 
2) In this song, Bruce likens romance to riding through the tunnel of love. The Red Hot Chili Peppers sing about a "Love Rollercoaster." What amusement park ride reminds you of your relationships? Bumper cars (and I'm a very bad driver)

 
3) Bruce's nickname is The Boss. Who was your best boss? What made him/her a good supervisor? My friend Barb was a very good boss. I believe she always had my back, and fostered a cohesive team spirit among her staff.

 
4) Bruce's father was a bus driver and his mother was a legal secretary. What professions did/do your parents work in? My dad was a mechanic and my mom was a homemaker.

 
5) Bruce met his wife Patti at a bar in Asbury Park. Do you believe you can pick up lasting love in a bar? I know it's been done, but not by me.

6) Springsteen was unable to work for years because he was embroiled in a lawsuit with his management company. Have you ever been sued, or sued someone else? Not yet. But I fear it may be on the horizon as a result of my late mother's reverse mortgage.

 

7) Bruce won an Oscar for writing the title song for the Tom Hanks movie Philadelphia. Do you have a favorite Tom Hanks movie? That Thing You Do! 

 
8) Bruce's official Twitter account (@springsteen) has more than 389,000 followers. Do you tweet? If so, how many people follow you? Yes. 294.

 

9) Bruce's drummer, Mighty Max Weinberg, led the band on The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien. Who do you think is funnier -- Conan or Jay Leno? Or are you looking forward to Jimmy Fallon? I really haven't watched The Tonight Show since Johnny retired. I'm a big fan of "The Boys," Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert.

 

Color me pissed

My air conditioner is NOT being delivered today after all! There was a lack of communication and the driver left without it on his van.

NOT HAPPY! Not happy at all! I took a day off work for this.

I spoke to the owner of the third-party company that Sears hires to do this work. He was very apologetic. He offered to come over to my house tonight and do it himself sometime between 9:00 and 11:00.

It's barely 50º today, so I don't need the thing right now. And he was trying to make it right. I considered calling Sears and complaining, but why? The contractor/boss I talked to on the phone understood why I was angry and promises me (promises!) that someone will be at my home at 9:00 AM tomorrow and no matter what, I'll have my new ac.

Then I ran to the vet to get Reynaldo's prescription cat food and found that they are moving their offices at the end of the month. They will now be on the other side of town, hard for me with no car and a big cat, like Joey. I like the vet, but this is a major inconvenience. I may be vet shopping again in the near future.

Not a good day.

Blog Every Day in May -- Day Three

Day 3, Friday: Things that make you uncomfortable

Physically uncomfortable: Hot weather. My internal thermostat is just as sensitive to heat and humidity as the Mona Lisa's (see below).

Emotionally uncomfortable: Having others see my messy home. Gotta go now and prepare for the delivery of my air conditioner. If the workmen are sensitive to cat fur, they'll be in BIG TROUBLE if I don't vacuum this filthy living room.

Blog Every Day in May -- Day Two

Day 2, Thursday: Educate us on something you know a lot about or are good at. Take any approach you'd like (serious and educational or funny and sarcastic)

In January 1963, the Mona Lisa left the Louvre for the first time since 1913 and came to the United States. The exhibit was masterminded by First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, who wanted to make the world's most famous painting accessible to Americans who couldn't afford the trip to Paris. Politically sensitive because the United States wasn't on the best terms with France and De Gaulle, and physically risky since the fragile painting had been the target of theft and vandalism in the past, the determined Mrs. Kennedy got the Mona Lisa here by tirelessly lobbying French Minister of Cultural Affairs Andre Malraux (shown beside her above), convincing him that she and the President would be personally responsible for its safety. Since at the time it was valued at $100 million ($720 million in today's dollars), this was no small pledge on her part.

Then the First Lady enlisted the services of National Gallery director John Walker to make sure that La Joconde could safely be viewed by as many citizens as possible in DC at the National Gallery and then in New York at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Painted in the early 1500s on a panel of poplar, the Mona Lisa was vulnerable to warping and cracking. She came over by ship, encased in a crate sealed inside of another, reinforced steel crate to ensure she would experience no change in humidity during her voyage. At the museums she was displayed behind bulletproof glass. Special closed-circuit cameras were installed (an innovation in 1963) and HVAC was monitored around the clock to make sure the air was cleaned of dust and impurities and temperature stayed between 62º and 65º.

By the time Mona sailed back to France in February, she had been seen by more than a million Americans. It was such a success that in the 1970s, she went to Moscow and Tokyo. Since then, she has stayed home in the Louvre.

I don't know how this fascinating bit of history escaped me until last year, but somehow it did. I love this story because it shows that in our not-so-distant history, we were proud of being interested in art and beauty and the culture of foreign lands … even if we happen to be in political disagreement with the heads of state of those foreign lands.

Thursday Thirteen #219

Thirteen Things I'd Do 

If I Won 

the Illinois State Lottery

 

The smallest Lotto jackpot is $2,000,000. That's the basis of this fantasy. (I don't want to be too greedy.)

1) The State gives me two options: a one-time, after-tax payout of $821,562 or 25 annual payments of $53,846 (also after taxes). I'd choose the annual payments. Then I wouldn't have to worry about retirement. 

2) I'd ask the agency where I currently work if I could come in on a part-time, 30 hour/week basis. That way I could keep my group medical insurance. It's very good coverage and I find I use it more/appreciate it more as I get older.

3) I wouldn't worry so much. If I get laid off, so be it. After all, I have $1,000/week coming, in no matter what!

4) I'd pay down my credit cards.

5) I'd go to more Cub games.

6) I'd give my friend in the Keys $2,000 immediately. He's so broke that, even after winning the Lottery, I couldn't fish him out. But I could help him get a fresh start -- $2,000 is what he says he needs to get a good bankruptcy attorney/financial advisor. I'd try to help him refinance that obscene mortgage of his, too. He's such a good man. I'd so love to be able to help him.

7) My nephew would get to go on his class trip to Washington DC next year. He wants to go badly but he always says he knows it costs too much for his family budget. I think it's $500. 

8) I'd pay for my niece's books at college next year. I can't do for her brother and not for her. Besides, she works very hard -- both at school and preparing food at a local restaurant. She deserves a break!

9) I'd subscribe to the local PBS station. Last year I only sent them $20. I feel so guilty during the pledge drives because I watch Downtown Abbey and Chicago Tonight without contributing my fair share.

10) I'd get lash extensions! I'd love to have long, luxurious lashes.

11) I'd finally renovate my kitchen and bathroom, and I'd give the rest of this place a nice, fresh coat of paint.

12) NEW FUTON!

13) And the cats and I would stay in a nice, air conditioned motel while all the work is being done.

The next drawing is Saturday. Wish me luck!   

For more about the Thursday 13, 
or to play along yourself, click here.

Blog Every Day in May -- Day One

Day 1, Wednesday: The story of your life in 250 words or less (or one paragraph... no one will be counting your words... probably)

Let’s begin my life story with my very beginning. I couldn’t have been more of an accident. My mother had recently given birth to my older sister and insisted my dad “stop at the drugstore” before bedtime. She assumed those two factors would preclude a second pregnancy but HEL-LO! Here I am!

Then there’s the hospital where I arrived. In 1967 (almost 10 years after my birth), it was converted to a mental institution. My family always teased me that it was fitting that I began life in the funny farm.

Then there was the time of my birth. I was born at the stroke of midnight between November 21 and 22. Legally, that’s not acceptable because midnight doesn’t belong to either day. When my mother “came to” (in those long ago days, women were doped up for labor), she was asked what day she wanted on my birth certificate. They had to ask her several times until she understood. She chose November 22 because it was her parents’ anniversary, so I was a “gift” to them. I always found that ironic, since my relationship with those two was always fractious and tortured. (I got lucky, though, with my other grandparents. They were wonderful and I adored them.)

By being born at midnight, I’m on the very cusp of the astrological cusp. So who am I? Scorpio is resilient, intense/dramatic, and wise; Sagittarius is expressive, optimistic and honest. Maybe, by the end of the month, you’ll tell me which best describes me.

It's May! It's May!

I'm joining Kwizgiver and Boss Nurse Speaks in a May Challenge hosted by Jenni at Story of My Life.

Here are the rules:

1. There really aren't any rules. If you miss a day, you can make it up or skip it. The blog police will not come knocking.

2. I will be including a linkup option at the bottom of my post each day, so you are welcome to leave your links here for others to peruse, as well.

3. You can still post other things every day, too. I plan to do normal outfit posts, life posts, around-Austin posts, and sponsor posts just like usual.

4. I'd seriously love you if you also include the "blog every day in May" button (below) either on your sidebar or at the end of your posts, but again, the blog police will not come knocking. My main goal here is to get us all back to the basics of blogging, not to gain a million new readers (though I wouldn't mind that).

5. Here are the topics. You can be as creative and awesome or as boring and bland as you like with these. Take 'em and run with it. Use creative post titles. Interpret each "prompt" however you like. There's no wrong way to do it. Have fun.


Day 1, Wednesday: The story of your life in 250 words or less (or one paragraph... no one will be counting your words... probably)
Day 2, Thursday: Educate us on something you know alot about or are good at. Take any approach you'd like (serious and educational or funny and sarcastic)
Day 3, Friday: Things that make you uncomfortable
Day 4, Saturday: Favorite quote (from a person, from a book, etc) and why you love it
Day 5, Sunday: Publicly profess your love and devotion for one of your blogger friends. What makes them great? Why do you love them? If you don't have blogger friends, talk about a real-life friend or even a family member
Day 6, Monday: If you couldn't answer with your job, how would you answer the question, 'what do you do'?
Day 7, Tuesday: The thing(s) you're most afraid of
Day 8, Wednesday: A piece of advice you have for others. Anything at all.
Day 9, Thursday: A moment in your day (this can be just a photo or both a photo and words)
Day 10, Friday: Most embarrassing moment (s). Spill.
Day 11, Saturday: Sell yourself in 10 words or less
Day 12, Sunday: What do you miss? (a person, a thing, a place, a time of your life...)
Day 13, Monday: Issue a public apology. This can be as funny or as serious or as creative as you want it to be.
Day 14, Tuesday: Ten things that make you really happy
Day 15, Wednesday: A Day in the life (include photos from throughout your typical day - this could be "a photo an hour" if you'd like)
Day 16, Thursday: Something difficult about your "lot in life" and how you're working to overcome it
Day 17, Friday: A favorite photo of yourself and why
Day 18, Saturday: Tell a story from your childhood. Dig deep and try to be descriptive about what you remember and how you felt.
Day 19, Sunday: Five of your favorite blogs and what you love about them
Day 20, Monday: Get real. Share something you're struggling with right now.
Day 21, Tuesday: A list of links to your favorite posts in your archives
Day 22, Wednesday: Rant about something. Get up on your soapbox and tell us how you really feel. (a pet peeve, a current event, a controversial topic, something your husband or roommate or neighbor or boss does that really ticks you off)
Day 23, Thursday: Things you've learned that school won't teach you
Day 24, Friday: Your top 3 worst traits
Day 25, Saturday: Something someone told you about yourself that you'll never forget (good or bad)
Day 26, Sunday: Something you read online. Leave a link and discuss, if you'd like.
Day 27, Monday: A letter to your readers
Day 28, Tuesday: Only pictures
Day 29, Wednesday: Five songs or pieces of music that speak to you or bring back memories. Use Grooveshark or YouTube to include them in the post
Day 30, Thursday: React to this term: Letting Go
Day 31, Friday: A vivid memory

But it did the trick

Yesterday was the first day that warranted me firing up the air conditioners. The little one in my bedroom took a long time to cool things down, but eventually it did.

It's the one in my livingroom that causes me guilt. This is the big, through the wall unit I'm replacing on Friday. It worked. It's 10 years old, it's been repaired twice, it's louder than an el train and the motor sounds like a death rattle, but it did work. So I feel like a spendthrift and bad steward of the environment for getting rid of it.

Sears is hauling it away for me and they promise to recycle it. So that's good. But still, it feels wasteful.

I must remember that I spent $110 to fix it last spring, and that at that time the repairman only promised it would make it through that summer, not this one. Better, I suppose, to spend the $700 now (on sale, including installation and haul away of the existing unit) than to be stuck without a/c.

I don't do heat.

Here I am, in my mid 50s, and I still hate being a grown up.

The Return of the Grumpy Old Man

My oldest friend has been exchanging Facebook posts with Archie Bunker again. Sigh. I can't tell you how worried I am about this.

My oldest friend is very fragile. She has confessed that she is so overwhelmed by depression that sometimes it's all she can do "to wake up, brush her teeth and go to work." She and her shrink agree that she needs to make friends in the Los Angeles area (she has none). What she does NOT need is a grumpy asshole with health problems of his own.

Between his Facebook and Twitter accounts, I have learned that:

•  He blames Obama for his insurance premium going up. Never mind that he's nearly 60, suffers from diabetes and has been hospitalized for several nights this past year. No, it's that damn Obama.

•  He refused to watch the White House Correspondents' Dinner because Obama has no business partying when the country is in such a mess. Never mind that every president since Wilson has attended and participated. I guess Old Archie didn't think the country was in much of a mess during the Depression or World War II. (I did watch the WHCD and must report that no one in the room seemed to miss him.)

•  Conan O'Brien was rude to him each and every day when the rode the elevator together at NBC/Channel 4 in New York. Probably because Archie is such a grumpy old asshole.

•  Jason Collins, the only major league player of any sport in this country to come out of the closet, annoys Archie because it's a "non news story."

•  He suffers attacks of vertigo in the evening but doesn't go to the doctor because ... well, I guess it's more useful to just post about them.

I continue cyber-stalking Archie because I am so protective of my vulnerable old friend. His negativity and his temper are most definitely NOT going to help her through this rough patch. Especially since after they actually did go out, he lied and told her he was too ill to make their next date, and then posted photos of himself playing Hollywood tour guide to attractive young(ish) female friends from the east coast.

I Rock!

Today I worked out, ate a lunch that I brought from home, and gave an internal presentation that went well. Yes, today, this Gal done good.

Little Darling, it's been a long, cold, lonely winter

Today's it's sunny and 70º. The sunniest, warmest it's been all calendar year!

It's amazing how it lifts my mood. Not the sunshine and warmth, per se, but how new it feels. The first snowfall makes me happy, too. I think I feel sorry for folks who live in sun and warmth all year around. They don't get to appreciate the miracle of the changing seasons.

If only ...

The Company You Keep is a fascinating failure that just misses being good.

All the performances are good. It was great to see Redford, Nick Nolte and the amazing Julie Christie doing what they do best. I wish they all worked more.

But Redford, Nolte and Christie are all frankly, unapologetically, over 70. Nothing wrong with that. But it would make them all over 40 when the events that start the ball rolling take place. Without giving too much away, they were involved in robbing a bank to fund their underground radical activities and bring down evil corporations. 40 is TOO OLD for that kind of behavior. And, considering the way biology works, they were too old for one of the subplots.

Why didn't Redford (who also directed) set the initial bank robbery in the early 1970s, circa Patty Hearst and the SLA? That would have been easier to accept. And the little girl who plays his daughter? She's too freaking young. What is this 70 something man doing with an 11-year-old daughter? It's distracting. Couldn't they have reworked the plot to make her his granddaughter?

Also, with Boston on my mind, it's hard for me to romanticize political terrorism. It doesn't matter to me if innocent lives are lost in support of radical Islam (Boston) or a gun-hoarding religious freak (Oklahoma City) or the end of corporate greed (this movie). It's wrong, wrong, wrong. Americans should never turn on other Americans like this. We have a system. Work within it.

Sunday Stealing

The Wish List Meme, part one 

1.) What are 3 things on your Wish list and why?   Good health, a big lottery win, and more wishes

2.) What do you miss about your childhood? My favorite Grandpa

3.) What do you do on your spare time on the weekends?  I like my alone time. It rejuvenates me.

4.) What do you appreciate most in your life?  The little things that make me smile.

5.) Would you rather be rich or healthy?  Healthy. (Though I think it's easier to be healthy when you can afford good health care.)

6.) If you could go back in time would you and why?  I think I'd enjoy it for a short period of time. But I'd like to come back.

7.) Favorite game as a child?  Outside? Tag. Inside? Yahtzee.

8.) What is your dream career?  I'd love to be Doris Kearns Goodwin. Her books are wonderfully written and I bet she has a gas researching them.

9.) What do you do in your free time?  Read, go to movies, fart around on the internet ...

10.) Favorite clothing stores?  Carson's (or Bergner's, depending where you live) or Macy's

11.) What TV shows can't you live without?  Mad Men! Oh, Don!

12.) 3 things you need in your life are:  Books, cats, the internet

13.) What can't you sleep without?  Nothing comes to mind. Sorry.

14.) What are you currently a nerd for?  See #8. I loves me American history!

15.) What is your favorite seasoning?  Salt. I'm rather old school in my culinary taste.

16.) What is your favorite wild animal?  Okapi. They're fascinating.

17.) Name 3 of your favorite childhood shows:  I believe these were all segments of the same show, but I'm sticking with them: Rocky and Bullwinkle, Mr. Peabody and Fractured Fairy Tales.


18.) If you could live as a character in a movie who would it be?  Katie from The Way We Were. There were times when I felt like I was living that plot out anyway.

19.) Favorite vegetable?  Peas. With butter.

20.) Favorite Fruit?  Apples

21.) If you had a dragon what would you name it?  Puff. I'd bring him strings and sealing wax and other fancy stuff.

22.) What do you put on hotdogs?  I like relish. Bright, atomic green relish.


23.) Do you play online games?  I love Pogo.com


24.) What's your favorite way to get inspired?  Washing my hair helps.


25.) Do you have a middle name? Yes

A haircut and lunch

I'm a little blonder today than I was yesterday. My stylist went a little further with the highlights. But

I think it's OK. And if it's not? Well, we don't do it again next time.

My nephew stopped by while I was getting my hair done. He kept me company and then we had lunch afterward. Oh, how he can eat! Pizza, chocolate shake and mozzarella sticks. It was a late lunch, too. He was going to go home and have dinner in just a few hours.

He told me about his morning as a volunteer, setting up rain barrels in a local park. He seemed rather proud of the swath of mud across his chest. I was downloaded on his school trip to Springfield and the Lincoln sites, where he and I have visited twice in the past. We laughed a lot. He's a very interesting, sensitive kid.

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Twist and Shout

 

1) In the movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Ferris climbs up on a parade float and enthusiastically lip synchs this song, encouraging the entire crowd to join in. Do you know the lyrics of "Twist and Shout" well enough to sing along? (Watch the impossibly young Matthew Broderick as Ferris here.) "Shake it up, Baby, now … Twist and shout … C'mon, c'mon, c'mon, Baby, now … Come on and work it on out …" I've got the lyrics down. Unfortunately I'm tone deaf, so I'd lip synch along with Ferris.

 
2) What other Beatles' song do you know all the words to? All of them. I have loved the Lads ever since this moment, when I first heard his Lordship warble, "Close your eyes and I'll kiss you ..."

 

3) 49 years after their American debut, The Beatles are acknowledged as having a lasting impact on both music and culture. What performers on today's music scene do you think will be remembered 50 years from now? As much as I cannot stand her -- and she may be the celebrity that annoys me most -- I have to give it to Madonna. She has ridiculous influence and staying power. Obviously there have been more talented singers since she arrived on the scene 30 years ago, but I can't think of anyone who has had her impact. 

4) Paul McCartney is an enthusiastic advocate of the vegetarian lifestyle. Could you/have you tried to "go veggie?" Nope. I saw him at Wrigley Field one hot summer night in 2011 and was in awe of his stamina. At almost 70, he played for hours in that heat without his energy waning, so maybe there's something to that veggie lifestyle.
 

5) As a young boy, Ringo Starr suffered a severe attack of appendicitis and almost died. Do you still have your appendix? What about your tonsils? Appendix: check. Tonsils: check. Yes, the gang's all here.

 
6) John Lennon sketched and doodled when he was bored or nervous. Do you have any nervous habits? I play with my hair when I'm nervous, bite my nails when I'm bored.

 
7) George Harrison loved Hawaii so much he bought a 63-acre estate in Maui. Have you ever visited our 50th state? Yes, twice. Honolulu, Maui, Kona, The Big Island … It's all beautiful. If the airfare wasn't so expensive, I'd like to go back.

 

8) Yoko Ono was a polarizing character in the Beatles' saga. Has any of your friends ever dated/married someone you just could not stand? Oh, yes! A former coworker, an adorable guy who I'd known since he was very young, fell head over heels for a remote woman I simply didn't trust. It's with great pleasure that I report that today they are very happily married and trying to get pregnant with their second baby. (I eat crow here.)

 
9) Paul has had dogs his entire adult life, including a sheepdog, Martha, and a black lab, Jet. John was especially fond of a cat named Elvis and a tomcat he found in the snow and named Tim. Tell us about one of your pets. Beside me as I answer this is my cat Charlotte. She is a Woman of Mystery -- she joined our household rather suddenly, and sight unseen, when there was a fire at the local animal shelter and they had to find a place for all the critters -- so I know little about her background. She is dainty, mostly white with calico coloring around her ears, and quite the diva. She keeps my boy cats, and me, in line.

 

A Day with Doctors

I took today off and filled it with doctor's appointments.

First with the vet. Reynaldo has been behaving TERRIBLY ever since I came back from vacation. Peeing outside the box, hollering, leaping at nothing, eating my hair ... it's been a nightmare. I found out today that he has been trying to tell me that he's not feeling well. He has a urinary tract infection. Whereas another cat in discomfort would be quiet and lethargic, Reynaldo is agitated. But he's been trying to get and hold my attention, trying to help me help him feel better! Well, it worked. Beginning tomorrow, and perhaps for the rest of his life, he will be on prescription cat food. Hopefully this will bring him comfort. Poor crazy cat!

Then in the afternoon I went to the dermatologist. He froze some little bumps -- congested oil glands -- from my cheek and temple. We talked about removing the mole on my lip and one on my back and he referred me to a (gulp) plastic surgeon. This surgeon is in the same building my shrink used to inhabit, so I take that as a good sign -- even though I'm not looking forward to it.

I also bought a new air conditioner at Sears today. I always like to make major purchases at Sears, when I can, since my first job was as a catalog copywriter for Sears. They have earned my loyalty.

So in all, it was a productive, but expensive, day off.

Image courtesy of  FreeDigitalPhotos.net

And a fine time was had by all

My friend John and I went to see Anything Goes at the Cadillac Palace Theater. It was performed by the completely awesome touring company of fabulous Broadway revival. There were Cole Porter songs and lavish production numbers and a "de-lovely" star turn by Rachel York. (As you can see from the post below, I have a weakness for leather-lunged singers.)

John and I always have a good time together. I'm lucky to have him in my life.

Thursday Thirteen #218

THIRTEEN THINGS 

ABOUT JUDY GARLAND

I'm revisiting/revising a TT I did way back in 2008, because Judy Garland has been popping into my head a lot lately. I saw a photo of her taken near the end of her life and was shocked to realize that, when this was snapped, she was only 47. How did the Dorothy that we all know and love end up sick, old and dead before her time? I also did a "Fashion in Film Blogathon" post about Valley of the Dolls, one of the most delightfully wretched movies ever made. Garland's behavior had become so erratic by then that she was fired. How does a star of her magnitude find herself dismissed from that piece of crap?

This TT follows her life and career, taking us through the decades of divorces and drinking and drugging and smoking and suicide attempts ... as well as remembering the authentic, ferocious talent that makes her indelible. No less an expert on these things than Katharine Hepburn once declared that Judy was one of the most gifted individuals she'd ever met. Kids not even born yet will watch The Wizard of Oz and follow that yellow brick road with her. To borrow from Arthur Miller, attention must be paid.

1. She was a major star in MGM’s Golden Era. She made more than 25 films for the studio in just 14 years. She was still in her 20s when they fired her after too many sick days, late days, days when she wouldn’t/couldn’t leave her dressing room at all. After all, it’s called show BUSINESS, and Garland no longer was a good ROI.

2. In her MGM heyday, she was awarded a special Oscar. Unlike Haley Joel Osment and Abigail Breslin, among others, child stars in those days simply weren’t nominated for “competitive” Academy Awards. Instead they were given mini Oscars. Garland received hers in 1940 for her “Mickey-Judy” musicals and for the immortal Wizard of Oz.

3. Those teen musicals are still fun to watch today. Directed by Busby Berkeley, the big production numbers are amazing. Garland is unfailingly sincere, even spouting ridiculous dialog like, “Hi! I’m Betsey Booth. I sing!”

4. She put her indelible mark on classic songs in those silly movies. I Cried for You, I’m Nobody’s Baby, How About You, and But Not for Me. Once Judy sang these songs in her strong yet tremulous voice, they should have just been retired.

5. Her version of You Made Me Love You was initially an MGM novelty song. In Broadway Melody of 1938, a teen Judy sings this to a photo of MGM’s greatest star as she pens him a fan letter. It begins, “Dear Mr. Gable, I am writing this to you …” She sings with such aching sincerity, it could have been me warbling to Bobby Sherman or David Cassidy.

6. She worked with Vincente Minnelli on Meet Me in St. Louis. Together they created famous musical numbers like The Trolley Song and Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas. They later married and created Liza.

7. She helped launch Gene Kelley’s film career. He was a critically acclaimed Broadway performer, and Judy lobbied for him to be her costar love interest in his film debut: For Me and My Gal.

8. They also appeared together in my favorite Garland film, Summer Stock. It’s kinda dopey, actually. A Mickey-Judy/”Let’s do the show right here” musical with an adult cast. But it’s got great songs like If You Feel Like Singing, Sing! and the unforgettable Get Happy! Love her in that fedora.

9. The backstory makes that number even more interesting. Throughout the movie, Judy is … well … fat. It works for the story because she’s cast as the diligent sister who works the family farm and supports the glamorous, frivolous sister with show biz aspirations. Suddenly, in the iconic Get Happy! number, she’s sleek and svelte. Then, for the remainder of the film, she’s heavy again. As the story goes, after the film was shot, Garland was hospitalized for a time (there were definitely pills, most certainly booze and perhaps a suicide attempt involved) and during her convalescence she lost a ton of weight. While she was trying to get well and clean, MGM was editing Summer Stock and decided it needed another big number. So when Judy left the hospital, she was summoned back to the set to shoot Get Happy! It was the last number she successfully completed at the old Dream Factory.

10. After she left MGM, she began performing on stage. She needed money. She had fame, but no job. Instead of doing plays, she developed a one-woman musical show. It’s still available today as a 2-CD set, “Judy at Carnegie Hall.” If you’re curious to hear what all the fuss is about, take a listen.

11. Then there’s A Star Is Born. She acts, really acts, in this one. “Hi, everybody. This is Mrs. Norman Maine.” Gulp. Oh yeah, she sings, too. Most notably Swanee and The Man that Got Away. She was nominated for an Oscar for this performance. Groucho Marx referred to her loss that year as “the greatest robbery since Brink’s.”

12. Judgment at Nuremberg. Another Oscar nomination for her heart-wrenching courtroom scene. (NO! There’s no singing! This is Judgment at Nuremberg, not Springtime for Hitler!)

13. Her variety show on CBS featured some amazing duets. It didn’t last very long because the network couldn’t sustain high production costs (due to their star’s late days, sick days, etc.) and middling ratings. But the series gave us Judy singing with Liza, Peggy Lee, Lena Horne and best of all, an unbelievably young Streisand. Their duet of Happy Days Are Here Again and Get Happy! still leaves me with goosebumps. Streisand, barely out of her teens and at the beginning of her career, looks stronger and more self possessed than Judy, who keeps touching Babs as they sing. The veteran looks like she's getting support from the rookie. Watching this, you're not surprised that Streisand is the one who never went to rehab, or was multi-married, or went bankrupt. (BTW, on April 24, survivor Streisand celebrated her 71st birthday.)



Ok, so I left out most of the really lurid stuff. If you want to read about the sex and the drugs, there are plenty of biographies out there. Some are harrowing, some are really juicy, and all are entertaining. Even when Garland was at her worst, she was imaginative , funny and rather brave, so her life has attracted successful biographers like Gerald Frank and Anne Edwards. But her chaotic and self-destructive personal life can’t overwhelm her sumptuous body of work.

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