May Music Meme -- Day 8

A song about drugs or alcohol. Give the piano player a drink because he's bringing me down.
(Play along! Click here for prompts.)

Working from home, spring 2020

From the New Yorker

May Music Meme -- Day 7

A song to drive to. OK, this one is tough because I don't drive. But I do recall one night, after a birthday dinner, when my friend Barb drove me to the train. This song came on the radio and she went nuts, singing along and slapping time on the ceiling of her jeep. It made me happy to see her so happy.  (Play along! Click here for prompts.)

I miss the pear salad!

Stumbled on this photo in The Sun Times and it touched my heart. How well I know that corner! How often I made my way down Randolph, past the State of Illinois building, juggling purse and briefcase, checking my watch, upset at myself for being late but confident my friend Barb would be later. The hostess station and bar at 312 were always buzzing, and the popularity of the show next store at the Cadillac Palace determined whether it was packed or not. Upstairs -- just above the "walk" light -- the seating is more spacious and the view is nicer but downstairs, the service was faster. Since we always ate here before a show, I learned to specify a table downstairs when I called for reservation and to never check my coat or bags. That allowed a faster getaway to make the 7:30 curtain.

The mixed drinks were potent. I only ever had one to Barb's two glasses of wine. And my favorite dish there? The pear salad! I'm not a massive salad fan, but I loved this one. It was so pretty, with the walnuts and cranberries arranged just so around the pears on top of the lettuce and spinach leaves. The white china plate was full and about the size of an old vinyl LP. That pear salad was always the healthiest thing I ate all week.

The only two people in this photo are blocks in the distance, and that's what's wrong with this picture. I miss busy sidewalks and people watching. I miss gossiping about office politics with Barb. I miss seeing big musical numbers performed live. I miss having someone design a beautiful plate for me. I miss downtown.

How different our lives would be today if President Trump had behaved responsibly back in January! Read this and remember it in November.

May Music Meme -- Day 6

A song that makes you want to dance. Ba de ah!  (Play along! Click here for prompts.)

I, Me, Mine

The pandemic has not brought out the best in us, I'm afraid. I'm not just talking about selfish and silly live-free-or-die, fight-the-tyranny, I-blame-Obama's-deep-state crowd. I'm thinking of the rest of us, too. Everyone is so consumed with the artificial weirdness of our current day-to-day lives that we forget who the real victims are.

And the victims are not those who can't buy ammo* or find beef or Purell on the store shelves. Or me for hating mass WebEx meetings and my fast-growing hair with its alarmingly gray roots.

It's people with Covid19. It's the first responders and hospital workers who not only have to fight the virus, they have to endure the selfishness of those who won't social distance or wear masks. It's the parents who have to put food on the table, often without paychecks and definitely without the help of school lunches. It's the poor who can't shelter in place because they have no home.

That's why I'm glad Giving Tuesday came early this year. I eventually do the right thing, but I admit I have to be reminded. Today I'm making a contribution to the local homeless shelter. 378 people right here in my community make less than $10,000/year and turned to the shelter for safety and stability in 2019. These crazy days are scary for all of us, but imagine what it must be like for them.

I'm proud and thankful I can help.

*An actual complaint!

May Music Meme -- Day 5

A song that needs to be played loud. I dearly love this one ... loud. (Play along! Click here for prompts.)

May Music Meme -- Day 4

A song that reminds you of someone you'd rather forget. We broke up briefly. This song was popular. We reconciled, and I wasted an additional three years. (Play along! Click here for prompts.)

When every choice is of consequence

I've now received four letters in all from Darius, the lifer at Western Illinois Correctional Center that I correspond with through my church's penpal program. 

His letters are difficult because his life is difficult. His cell is 11.5 x 8 ft. It contains a bunk bed, a set of book shelves, a sink and a metal toilet. Metal is key. First of all, the sound of anyone in the cell block urinating carries, and secondly, it takes quite a few flushes before a grown man's solid waste finally makes its way down. Darius and his cellmate are in that little room 10 to 16 hours each day.

He would prefer I email him because my messages would reach him faster, but I won't. I refuse to share my personal information. He addresses his letters back to my first name only, c/o the church, and that's fine. I don't worry about him getting out, but I do know that every bit of his correspondence -- electronic or otherwise -- is reviewed by corrections officers. I have heard horror stories about some (naturally not all) of these men and don't want them to know too much about me. Also, Darius has to pay for each email he writes or receives. Yes, he has to pay for paper and stamps, too, but that's still cheaper for him than email.

He has been living like this for more than two decades.

When I write back, I keep his situation top of mind. I'm careful about everything I say. For example, when writing to anyone else, I'd mention something about my setting -- "I have the windows open so I can hear the kids playing outside." Nope, don't want to say that to Darius. It would be cruel.

I don't want to mention how hard sheltering in place has been for me, since I can go to the store, for a walk or to pick up carry out. And I do go out every other day. These are choices he does not have.

I have not forgotten that Darius is where he is because of what he did. He killed two people. I don't think that's a debt he can ever fully repay to society.

But I didn't join this program to see criminal justice done. I write to Darius for two reasons:

1) It's wrong to judge someone's entire life by his worst moment -- no matter how bad that moment is 

2) Christ said, "whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me."

And so I answer each letter. It's not so much that it feels right, because honestly, it no longer does. In fact, it's downright uncomfortable. But I know it's the right thing to do. I understand that each of us needs to feel a personal connection, and so I'm here to for Darius.

May Music Meme -- Day 3

A song that reminds you of summertime. Hearing everyone's favorite Cubbie blue monster singing the stretch fills my heart with sunshine. (Play along! Click here for prompts.)

Sunday Stealing

CONVERSATION STARTERS


1. What is your favorite song lyric? Why? "You and I have memories longer than the road that stretches on ahead ..." Because now that my friends and I are all in the fourth quarter of our lives, it's poignant to realize we've known one another longer than we have left, and important to treasure our 30-, 40-, and even 50-year histories. Amazingly, Paul McCartney wrote "Two of Us" when he was only 27.

2. Who was the worst teacher you ever had? My English teacher in freshman year of high school. We were studying Romeo & Juliet and I wondered aloud why they didn't just run off together. She was so annoyed with me. "Because then there wouldn't be a story, would there?" That's the attitude that will make young people love Shakespeare!


3. What were 3 things that scared you as a child? (1) Richard Speck. I was 8 years old the summer he killed 8 student nurses. Even after he was arrested and sentenced, I was sure he was going to escape. (2) That my cat, Tommy, would sneak out and be lost forever. (3) Guns.

4. What are 3 things that scare you now? (1) Being in a plane crash. (2) Outliving my retirement money. (3) A second Trump term.

5. Would you rather have the power of time travel or the power to see the future? See the future.

6. Money, power, or good looks – which would you rather have an unlimited supply of? Money. I think the other two would follow.

7. Are you jealous of anything? Oh, sure. I try not to indulge those feelings, but they're there.

8. What makes you feel most loved? When my friends reach out.

9. Do you believe in soulmates? Yes

10. What is something that made you laugh the most? I love all of Animal House, but especially Tim Matheson as Otter. 


 
11. What were 3 of the happiest days of your life? Falling in love, seeing Sir Paul at Wrigley Field, watching the Cubs win the World Series.

12. What is your biggest flaw I have no discipline whatsoever

13. Who would play you in a movie about your life? Sally Field. I'm sure this honor will mean the world to her.

14. What is something you experienced that you have no explanation for. Faith. For me, that's a big component of believing in God. I don't have to be able to explain it all. I have  faith. I know God is there and I know He loves me.

15. What is the saddest book you ever read? Rosemary: The Hidden Kennedy Daughter by Kate Clifford Larsen. There's as much love and good intention as there is heartache in this true story, and that's what makes it so tragic.

16. What is your dream home like? See that kinda mid-sized building, center left? The one that's just behind the Drake Hotel's pink neon sign. That's Chicago's Palmolive Building. It's an art deco beauty. If I lived there, I'd be in the center of everything and I'd get to gaze at the Lake all the time.

17. What creature/insect would most creep you out if you found it crawling on you? A bed bug. Because they seldom go anywhere alone.

18. What’s your preferred Monopoly piece? The Scottie dog.

19. What was your most embarrassing moment? So many to choose from. I have definite Lucy Ricardo tendencies. For example, last month I tried to dial into a meeting but accidentally called 911 instead.

20. Could the earth be flat? OF COURSE it's flat! And the Covid19 virus is just a tool used by fascist governors to take our civil rights. Why listen to immunologists when the misinformation is so much more pleasant? Science is for suckers. Reopen America NOW!

May Music Meme -- Day 2

A song you like with a number in the title. This not only has two numbers in the title, it's perfect Beatle symmetry. One of the first songs Paul and John ever wrote together, it's one of the last they were seen performing together. (Play along! Click here for prompts.)

Saturday 9

LITTLE THINGS
  
1) In this song, Bobby Goldsboro celebrates the "little things" that delight him, like seeing his girl smile. What are some little every day things that reliably lighten your mood? Oh, lots of things! These are top of mind ...

•  My cats. 

•  That I was able to find Cubbie blue masks (I miss baseball!). 

•  When the online technology works and I'm able to have a good meeting with my coworkers or client.

•  Watching That Girl on Antenna TV and checking out Ann's clothes. 

It would never occur to me to wear  these colors together, but she looks adorable

2) Bobby is a lifelong sports fan. While in high school, he came to terms with physical limitations -- slender build, slow speed -- that would prevent him from having a career as a professional athlete. That's when he turned his attention to music. Given your choice, would you rather make your living in music or sports? Explain your decision. Music, because it's a longer career. My cousin is in his 50s, and he's been a working musician for decades (both performing and teaching). Athletes are pretty much done before 40.

3) Shortly before "Little Things" was released, Bobby toured England for two weeks, backing up Roy Orbison. They opened for The Beatles. Bobby fondly recalls spending time with Paul McCartney, teaching him how to imitate the croak of an Alabama tree frog. Are you good at imitations (human or otherwise)? No. This is another area -- like singing -- where I'm hampered by being tone deaf.

4) Back in the States, Goldsboro (again with Orbison) opened for the Rolling Stones in New York. Which band did you listen to more recently, the Stones or the Beatles? The lads from Liverpool.

5) Bobby worked on projects with Burt Reynolds, doing the music for the movie Gator and the TV show Evening Shade. Burt said it was not only Bobby's musical ability but also his wit that made him fun to work with. What qualities do you value in a coworker? Willingness. Enthusiasm for the task at hand is almost as important as competence.

6) These days, Bobby spends more time painting than performing music. He regularly

donates his artwork to be auctioned off for charity. Have you ever tried your hand at painting? Not since paint-by-number kits were the rage. 

7) In 1964, when this song was on the radio, women spent more on styling gels and sprays than they do today. Are you having a good hair day? Or has the pandemic made dealing with your hair something of an adventure? My hair has become all cowlicky and wavy.

8) Nationally and internationally, one of 1964's biggest news stories was the marriage of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. The bride wore a yellow dress and white and yellow flowers in her hair. The groom was decked out in a sedate dark suit with a red tie and a yellow boutonniere. What did you wear the last time you got really dressed up? I don't remember the occasion, but I know I wore my paisley cardigan because I was hoping to wear it again before I washed it. Since it's May, that's not going to happen this season.
 
9) Random question: Imagine you're stranded on a desert island with a complete stranger. Would you prefer your one and only companion be a man or a woman? A man. My upper body strength would be woefully inadequate to the tasks of survival. I'm hoping a man would balance that out. Of course, I'd rather not be stranded on a desert island at all.

Nothing but good news

Wednesday night, Chicago's athletes participated in a telethon to benefit those feeling the negative effect of the corona virus crisis. The Cubs' Anthony Rizzo appeared.

Of course he did.

Sports columnist Dave Kaplain rattled off Rizz' impressive off-the-field stats.

•  Since mid-March, the Anthony Rizzo Family Foundation has provided 5000 meals to healthcare workers at 30 hospitals in 6 states.

•  That's nearly 115 meals a day, purchased from local, independently-owned restaurants struggling to stay afloat.


Then Kaplan joked, "Aren't you ever going to stop?"

"I don't want to stop," he said seriously.

And sure enough, on Thursday his foundation delivered 500 KN95 masks to Lurie Children's Hospital.

Rizz is now 30. He doesn't have many seasons left. If he wanted to mention how detrimental the pandemic and the truncated season will be to his career, I don't think anyone would blame him.

But then, he wouldn't be Anthony Rizzo. Instead he talked about his parents (they're healthy but bored) and staying in shape (riding bikes with his wife and taking swings in a batting cage) and his beloved Kevin.

Kevin is a good boy. He understands "sit," "stay" and "go out." However, Kevin doesn't get "rollover" and looks confused when asked to give his paw.

Anthony Rizzo is a good boy, too. When his as-yet unborn kids ask him what he did during the 2020 pandemic, he can be proud of his answer.

Those who pay the dearest price

I am, naturally, appalled by the self-important whiners who act as though their civil rights have been severely impeded by a once-in-a-century pandemic. It's offensive to see safety precautions akin to those put in place for hurricanes and tornadoes compared to "fascism."

It also belittles the true victims: Those who have lost their lives and lost their loved ones. Those who will continue to suffer loss of life. Look at this headline. Consider that six-figure number.

Here's a link to this story

I close with the quote by the Montebello company executive fulfilling the body bag order: "I hope to God that they don't need my order and that they cancel it." Here's hoping this government estimate is far off, and the anguish represented by that number is never realized.

May Music Meme -- Day 1

A song you like with a color in the title. Aha! This song has two colors in the title! And I do adore it.  (Play along! Click here for prompts.)

Hello, Moto!

Here's my brand spanking new phone, the Motorola Moto E6. It took me just under 3 hours to be up and running -- apps, contacts and all. That sounds worse than it was. I never once felt like crying during the process, and considering how tech challenged I am, that's an accomplishment!

I switched to Consumer Cellular. Yes, they're cheaper, but I made the change now because I couldn't just take my cracked phone over to the TMobile retail location and have them do everything for me. That would be my preference. Because I'm lazy and because tech is not always my friend.

But I've taken a call, received texts and sent an IM on this new phone, so I think Moto and I going to be fine.

Answer these musical questions

Join Kwizgiver! Click here for prompts.

Sign of the times

Yesterday, when I wandered over to my favorite coffee shop for brunch to go, I saw a sign in the window of a local salon. Through the window I could see price tags on the salon chairs, mirrors and display cases. The doors were locked tight, of course, but there was a number displayed to make an appointment to see the salon fixtures.

I felt a pang. I don't get my hair cut there, but I've gone to them in the past for pedicures and massages. They've been in this neighborhood since the mid-1980s.

Neither their website nor their Facebook page say they're going out of business, so maybe they're using this time of enforced closure to remodel. They were going to have a rough go of it this month, anyway, since the main drag is torn up; the long-planned sewer upgrade is going on as planned and, under normal circumstances, would have played havoc with foot traffic and parking.

I hope they reopen. I know how hard this pandemic is for mom-and-pop businesses like this one.

And once again, I feel fortunate that I will have a check direct deposited on the 30th.

One Gal's Truth Bomb

'Truth bomb" is a much-loved phrase among a subset of Americans, employed when they're about to say something they feel isn't PC. As in, "Here's a truth bomb: You've given up your rights for a virus that's not even a threat."

Many insist they're Christians, yet you never hear them mention this: as of today, more than 60,000 of their fellow citizens are dead from this virus. More than one million have been stricken by it.

Instead they take to their keyboards to complain. "I'm bored!" "I can't find my favorite cut of beef at the store." "I have to wear a mask!" "My doctor postponed my elective surgery!" Me, me, me.

You never read prayers for those who have a cough and fever and are terrified they may have the virus, or compassion for those who have lost loved ones but can't hold a funeral service to say goodbye. 

Where's the sympathy for pregnant women who have to deliver during a pandemic? Or concern for the poor who can't shelter at home because they are homeless?

These proselytizers, who have spent decades working to repeal every woman's right to choose, are now suddenly upset because their personal comforts are impeded for a few months for the greater good.

Here's a "truth bomb:" Maybe God would smile upon them more warmly if they cared as much about their fellow Americans as they do about the unborn. Or their own comfort.

Look at these figures. More American citizens have died from Covid19 than were killed in the Vietnam war. 

I am grateful right now. Thankful that I have a job, that I am healthy, that my governor is looking out for our safety. I wish I was able to do more for first responders and the homeless right now. And I'm grateful that God knows this about me, and that I'm on the right side of my faith and of my nation's history.

I know this makes me what "truth bombers" like to call "a sheeple." I'm good with that. I'd rather bleat than be selfish and bitter.

PS Here's a link to homeless shelters all across the country.

Click here

And the Anthony Rizzo Family Foundation is working with local restaurants to provide hot meals for essential health care staff. That not only feeds the hospital workers, it helps independently owned restaurants stay afloat.

Click here

Home-made masks are most welcome, too! Schools, oncology centers, and long-term care facilities can use help.

Click here

"I'm your doctor now."

The sweetest words I've heard in a long time! I had a teleconference with an internist yesterday and it was so cool!

I've been without a doctor since mid-January, when my new doctor chose to leave the practice. (Good riddance, by the way.) The nurse practitioner I saw for my bronchitis recommended this doctor, but every time I tried to get an appointment, she had to reschedule. When there's a pandemic, my annual check up simply isn't a priority.

But here's the thing: my Epipen expires in July. I'm allergic to bee sting and I need a new prescription. Sooner rather than later. As warmer weather approaches, Epipens are often in short supply.

I called my prospective doctor's office and explained my plight. Her front desk scheduled the teleconference and sent me some e-paperwork. Yesterday doc and I kinda met. We talked for 15 minutes, she asked some high hard ones about my health history, and promised to submit my new prescription immediately. She's already been more responsive than her predecessor.

When I mentioned that I've felt vulnerable, going through this pandemic without a doctor, she reassured me, "I'm your doctor now."

Yea!

Tuesday 4

Extremes

1) Besides a house or car, what is the most expensive thing you've ever bought?
I've splurged on vacations, but I think the question refers to something more tangible. So I'll answer with this, a print I purchased and had professionally matted and framed. (To the uninitiated, it's the cover art for The Beatles Anthology.) Klaus Voormann himself signed it! I adore it, and have alerted my niece and nephew to its value. After I croak, I don't want it sold at a garage sale for $5.

2) What is the coldest temperature you've experienced? The warmest?
In January 2019, the mercury dipped to -21º. In July 1995, we saw it soar to 106º. The heat was worse, more uncomfortable and more deadly.

3) Can you name a favorite TV/Radio program that you secretly can't get enough of or one that you will watch every chance you get? Perhaps binge watch?
Now that I'm working from home I spend a little time with him. Every day there's a mini Magnum marathon on the Hallmark Movies and Mysteries channel. I love returning to paradise before 9/11, Trump and the pandemic. Also, Selleck was so charming then, before he became a dour Blue Blood obsessed with reverse mortgages. Smile, Tom! Do the eyebrow thing again!




4) What is very wrong but sounds good to most people at first?
Ending self-isolation. Yes, we're all bored with it! I get it that if you live in downstate IL, western NY or northern CA, you may not see many cases of Covid19 and are eager to get on with your life. But stop being so self-centered and think. How will you prevent people in your town from interacting with Chicagoans, New Yorkers or Los Angelenos? Obviously, you cannot.

Here's your chance to put others first in a very real way. Be patriotic. Think of first responders and law enforcement and give them a chance to keep us all safe. As our governor reminds us, "You can't have a livelihood if you don't have a life."

Lucky Me

Sunday afternoon I took a long, 3 mile walk to and from the CVS on the other side of town where everyone is nice. It was warm enough to get away with just my denim jacket, which looks fabulous with one of the four fabric masks I got on Etsy.*

I noticed trees beginning to bud against the Cubbie blue sky. 

I listened to Michael Prichard read a book on tape -- I happened upon some cassettes I don't remember ever listening to -- and I love him as the voice of Archie in the Nero Wolfe audiobooks. 

I saw a little girl playing in the front yard with her mom, wearing a most improbable outfit -- bare feet, horizontal striped leggings, and a dress I recognized as Belle's from Beauty and the Beast. She reminded me so much of my niece at that age that my heart swelled. The little one and her mom appreciated my praise -- delivered from 6', of course -- for her highly-original fashion choices. 

I chose birthday and Mother's Day cards to accompany the truly terrific gift I have for my aunt: a spiral bound cookbook from 1987, put together to raise money for the local Lutheran church, featuring two of my grandmother's recipes.

I realized I am happy and I am lucky.

I feel good. In the age of pandemic, every day spent not sick is a good day.

There's no baseball, but it's still spring, and spring can be pretty.

I have a job, and a paycheck will be direct deposited into my account this coming Thursday.

My medical coverage is very good. It enables me to have a teleconference with my as-yet-unmet new doctor Monday (which I have high hopes for) and weekly telephone sessions with my new shrink.

My fur family -- aka Reynaldo and Connie -- is doing well.

There's so much suffering out there. I got a call from my friend John while I was in the probiotic aisle and I listened to his message on the way home. He's getting a little weird, all alone by himself. And people right here in Chicagoland are still getting sick and dying every day from the corona virus. I don't want to lose sight of that.

And as you know if you read this post, I've fallen prey to the blues myself.

But I'm also my mother's daughter. The thing I admired most about my mom was her ability to isolate and enjoy the moment she was in, no matter what.

That was me on Sunday. Let others bitch and moan about living in "a police state." I was happy and proud to serve my country by wearing a mask as I walked through town, listening to an old familiar voice through my headphones, watching a joyous little girl twirl in a silly outfit, and buying cards for my aunt.

*I only paid for two. The first package got lost in the mail and the maker/seller replaced them at no cost to me. When the first package finally arrived, she refused payment, telling me to just enjoy and be safe. Therefore, I want to plug Tough Cookie Clothing again and again. If you need another mask, check her out.

Sunday Stealing

FILL IN THE BLANK


1. Right now I'm _____. in my jammies

2. _____ is my well known quirk. Sloppiness

3. Are you _____? fucking kidding me (I think that often while watching the news)

4. _____ first, then _____! Wash hands (for both)

5. That's why _____. they call it the blues


 

6. _____ is one of my favorite tv shows ever! The West Wing

 

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to _____, tomorrow my plans include _____ and Sunday, I want to _____! This question doesn't work as written. Saturday I looked forward to napping whenever I damn well pleased, and Sunday I'm getting dressed and going for a walk!

8. If I could go anywhere on a road trip, I'd go to _____. Nowhere, because we're supposed to stay home until May 31.

9. _____ is something I don't understand. Math

10. Thanksgiving makes me think of _____ Turkey

11. _____ is the best way to relax! Napping

12. It looks like Autumn _____. will bring another bout of Covid19.

13. _____ is one of my favorite healthy snacks. A handful of raisins

14. The smell of _____ makes me think of _____. peppermint, Christmas

15. When I am feeling lazy I _____. nap

16. When I look to the left, I see ______________. The sofa

17. ___________ are the room(s) that have the best view in my home. The living room is the room

18. _________ was done dirt cheap! Dirty deeds were done dirt cheap

19. __________ is a responsibility that all qualified citizens must share. Staying at home

20. If you have any __________feel free to share it with me. Chocolate

 

Me and Dad and Frank

There's a game on Facebook where you tag a friend, asking him or her to share the 10 albums that had the greatest influence on their musical tastes. I'm an easy mark for such things, so when I was tagged, I complied.

This was one of my choices.* In the post, I recalled how I picked it up from the "cutout" bin for less than $2, and it changed my life. Sinatra and Cole Porter: two authentic American geniuses.

My aunt responded to my post saying she remembered listening to my dad's copy of this album when I was still a toddler and she babysat me.

Huh? I was still living at home when I bought this! He must have heard Francis' silky tones through my door. After all, he complained (at least) daily that I played my records too loud.

Why didn't he tell me he already owned this LP? Why didn't he tell me which songs he especially liked?

I remember my dad as mostly mad. Angry at "them." The hippies who won't bathe. The welfare scammers who won't work. The blacks who want "too much, too soon." The libbers who want to be men. The liberals who run the media and led the conspiracy to "get" Nixon.

He lectured. He growled. He harrumphed. I couldn't even enjoy a Cub game with him because he'd fixate on the fumbled double play, innings after it happened.

So my aunt's comment made me sad. Wouldn't it have been nice if my dad and I could have talked about what made Sinatra and Cole Porter so enduring and so great? That would have been a nice memory.

*This wasn't the cover of the LP I had. Mine was peach and featured a line art portrait of Sinatra.

I wonder which is more tiring.

Ignorance or paranoia? Now the live-free-or-die, fight-the-tyranny, I-blame-Obama's-deep-state crowd is questioning why states are "suddenly" seeing a spike in corona virus cases.

West Virginia, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Florida, Kentucky*, Michigan* and Illinois (maybe more) have all seen increases, just as some states have begun loosening the restrictions designed to keep all of us -- especially first responders and hospital workers -- safe. (Or, in their alternate universe, to keep them from buying guns and ammo.)

Coincidence? No. Of course not.

•  The epicenter of the disease is moving, just as scientists always predicted it would.
•  It takes up to two weeks for symptoms to appear, so these "sudden" cases really aren't so "sudden" at all and have more to do with exposure than with any governor's decision to lift restrictions.
•  More tests are FINALLY fucking available! More tests just naturally mean more positive diagnoses.

He worked for Obama, you know

Or maybe it's just a concentrated plot, orchestrated by this man, to stomp on their individual rights and keep them from buying guns and ammo.

I'd find it funny if these it weren't for the fact that an outbreak anywhere is an outbreak everywhere. Our society is mobile. An infected asymptomatic person unknowingly shares the virus with someone who shares it with someone who takes to the highway, goes to the beach, travels across country and ... And I don't want to die. I don't even want these crazies to die.

They're also offensive. Your country is asking you to do one thing for the greater good: Stay home.

I grew up on: Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country.

I vote. I volunteer in elections. I write to my elected officials. I don't bitch and complain about airport safety procedures. I pray. But this is the first time my country has asked me to take it on the chin in a real way to help my nation stay strong.

Even though the President asking me is a congenital liar, I'm doing it. Because Donald Trump is just one man, he's not America. My country needs me to do this.

Can you just imagine these selfish crazies during WWII? 

"Hawaii is so far away! It's not even a state! The Japanese won't hit us here in New York!"

"Grow my own vegetables? Victory garden? Are you kidding? Don't you tell me what to do with my yard!"

"Ration stamps? Today they're limiting our meat and coffee. Tomorrow it will be our guns and ammo. Wake up! Don't be a sheeple!"

 "FDR is a cultural elite! A socialist! This is all just a plot to redistribute wealth, and keep me from buying guns and ammo."

"What Hitler does is Germany's business."

Were Americans like the live-free-or-die, fight-the-tyranny, I-blame-Obama's-deep-state crowd living then, today I'd be closing my posts like this --

Hochachtungsvolle,

*My neighboring states.

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: All Right (1983)

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

1) This song has an optimistic message about love: "It gets tough sometimes, but you can give it one more try ..." Do you tend to take an optimistic look at life? I do, but I have to go through my process. My best friend called it "awfulizing." First I examine the situation, picturing the worst. Then I realize that the worst really isn't that bad, and I can go forward with positivity.

2) In this song, Christopher Cross sings, "Time and time again I see people so unsure like me ..." Tell us about a recent time when your confidence could have used a boost. Now. I'm less worried about the virus than I am the stock market. I'm going to need the money in my 401(k) soon -- within the next year or two, probably -- and oh, how my balances have taken a hit! I keep reminding myself to be grateful that at least I have a 401(k).

3) The Doobie Bros.' Michael McDonald plays on this record. Do you have a favorite Doobie Bros. song?



4) Though no longer making hits, Christopher Cross still has loyal fans who attend his concerts. Time permitting, he spends time after each show signing autographs. Have you ever asked a celebrity for his/her autograph? When I was in high school, I tried to get the signatures of both Cubs and Blackhawks players. It seemed terribly important at the time.

5) Christopher Cross' dad was an Army doctor stationed at Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington, DC. With all the museums and monuments, our nation's capital could be a great place for a kid to grow up ... except sometimes we take the advantages of our hometown for granted. Tell us about a nearby museum, park, theater, etc., you'll visit again when this period of crisis is over and it's agreed that it's safe to do so. I want to go to the movies. I want to sit in the dark, eat candy, and be transported to another world.

6) In 1983, when "All Right" was popular, Flashdance was a hit in movie theaters and on the radio. What's the most recent movie you watched? Most recent song you heard on the radio? I watched The Untouchables with Kevin Costner and Sean Connery. I heard "Draggin' the Line" by Tommy James. ("I feel fine. I'm talking about peace of mind ...")
 
7) Also in 1983, America West Airlines took off, flying between Las Vegas and Phoenix. They went nationwide in 2005 after they merged with US Airways. In 2013, they merged again, this time with American Airlines. Do you collect miles in an airline loyalty program? I'm a whore for American's AAdvantage miles.

8) Super Mario Bros. debuted in 1983. Can you name gaming's most famous siblings? Luigi and Mario. My nephew was soooooo into them for a while.

9) Random question -- Under hypnosis, you discover you lived three past lives. In the first, you were wealthy beyond your wildest imaginings, thanks to a loveless marriage. In the second, you were a star on the roller derby circuit who had earned the nickname "Smasher." In the third, you were a brilliant mathematician who worked your way through school as an exotic dancer. Which of these would you find most shocking? I kinda wish the last two could be true. I'd have great stories to tell! Plus, I'm very uncoordinated and would like to think that in past lives, I gracefully skated and danced and shimmied. So the first one would be the most shocking because it's so sad and disappointing. As someone once said, "If you marry for money, you end up paying for it."

Farewell to an American original

Peter Beard is dead. He was 82. After a recent stroke he developed dementia and wandered away from his Montauk home. His body was found in the nearby woods.

Those three sentences don't convey how gorgeous, gifted and talented he was. He positively glowed. As Vanity Fair remembered him, he was "part Byron and part Tarzan."

From the Vanity Fair obit

The photo above is how he looks in my mind's eye: In a faraway place with an exotic woman.

In terms of his work, I love these two shots.

He captioned this self portrait of creativity: "I'll write whenever I can."

He had nothing to do with this book, but Edward Klein's publisher bought the rights to this photo as cover art for the biography of Peter's good friend and early supporter, Jackie. When Peter took this, she was newly Mrs. Onassis, living on Skorpios. Minimal makeup, sunburned nose, no sunglasses. He captured her contentment without artifice.

I toast you, Peter Beard!

With Little Edie Beale