These are the thoughts and observations of me — a woman of a certain age. (Oh, my, God, I'm 65!) I'm single. I'm successful enough (independent, self supporting). I live just outside Chicago, the best city in the world. I'm an aunt and a friend. I feel that voices like mine are rather underrepresented online or in print. So here I am. If my musings resonate with you, please visit my blog again sometime.
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WEDNESDAY asks three questions to prompt you to speak bookishly.
1. What are you currently reading?Try Not to Suck: The Exceptional Baseball Life of Joe Maddon by Bill Chastain and Jesse Rogers. If you live in Chicago, you know the rallying cry, "Try not to suck." It gave us faith. The 2016 Cubs team was good, and could win it all -- their first World Series in more than a century -- all they had to do was "try not to suck." Nothin' to it. "Try not to suck" was on bumper stickers, in store windows and on t-shirts all over town, and it was the brainchild of Joe Maddon, the Cubs colorful manager.
This is one of those biographies where I'm not sure if I'm enjoying it because of the writing or the subject. I am unabashedly in love with Joe Maddon. I adore how his mind works, the way he believes motivating players as individuals and as teammates is as important as the baseball fundamentals.
If you enjoy baseball -- I do! -- you'll like this book. But it also has a lot of life lessons. I didn't realize till now that Joe never made the major leagues as a player. He simply wasn't good enough. But he would not be deterred. He had faith in himself, insanely good people skills and imagination, and made baseball his career. From scout to minor league manager, to bench coach to (my fearless prediction) hall of fame manager.
2. What did you just finish reading? Dog Tags by David Rosenfelt. This book begins when two former cops turn to a life of crime. Billy went to Iraq and came back disabled, no longer able to serve. Milo was his partner, a German Shepherd retired by the force for being too old. Together they get by committing petty thefts. One of their capers go horribly awry and someone dies.
Andy Carpenter -- non-conformist defense attorney and dog lover extraordinaire -- takes their case(s). The deeper he gets into it, the more complicated it becomes. And, frankly, that was my problem. Too many characters, too many double crosses. I admit I stopped caring who really was behind the murder. I just wanted Billy and Milo to be OK. So while I enjoyed this book, it's not my favorite in the Andy Carpenter series.
3. What will you read next? I've landed on a thriller set in a private school, For Your Own Good.
1. Best movie you saw during the last year. Elvis by Baz Luhrman. I went in with low expectations because I'm not fan of Baz, but he hit it out of the park. It's affectionate without devolving into hagiography and it gives the King his due. (Tom Hanks is more than a little over the top, though.) It's streaming now.
2. The most underrated movie. Holiday (1938). Cary Grant and the Great Kate Hepburn.
3. Favorite love story in a movie. So many! I'll go with Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. No, I am not implying there is anything sexual between them. But the penultimate scene, where a dying Butch and Sundance crack wise and pretend they have a future to give each other hope, is terribly moving. Friends can love, too, you know.
4. The most surprising plot twist or ending. The Sixth Sense. (I really didn't know.)
5. A movie that makes you really happy. It's a Wonderful Life
6. A movie that makes you sad. Old Yeller. I will never watch it again, and you can't make me.
7. Favorite made for TV movie. Maybe it's a Chicago thing, or a 70s thing, but the story of Brian Piccolo and Gale Sayers had a tremendous impact on me when I was a kid. I like thinking that in Heaven, James Caan got to meet Brian Piccolo.
8. A movie you’ve seen countless times. Murder on the Orient Express (1974). I love Albert Finney as Hercule Poirot.
9. A movie with the best soundtrack. A Hard Day's Night. I mean, The Beatles! C'mon!
10. Favorite classic movie. Gone with the Wind. Yeah, it is in TCM's Ben Mankiewicz' favorite term, "problematic." But that doesn't stop me from loving it.
11. A movie that you hate. The Wolf of Wall Street.
12. A movie that changed your opinion about something. Casablanca. Sometimes the bravest, most noble thing you can do is say good bye.
13. A character you can relate to the most. Jane Craig in Broadcast News.
14. A movie that is a guilty pleasure. Valley of the Dolls. I love every wretched frame.
15. Favorite movie based on a book/comic. To Kill a Mockingbird. Great movie, great book.
16. A movie that disappointed you the most. Anything with Garbo. I just don't see what all the enduring fuss is about.
17. A movie from your favorite actor/actress. The Way We Were. Streisand and Redford are both my favorites.
18. Favorite movie from your favorite director. George Cukor directed more than 60 movies, including my favorite, Holiday (1938).
19. Favorite action movie. Die Hard.
20. A movie you wish more people would have seen. A Face in the Crowd (1957). Andy Griffith is extraordinary in this dramatic role. He plays ... Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Tucker Carlson, insert media demagogue name here. Bad Andy is a revelation, and every American adult should see this.
21. Favorite documentary Get Back.
22. Favorite animation Oh, I don't know. I do love watching Dick Van Dyke with the penguins in Mary Poppins.
23. Most hilarious movie you’ve ever seen Animal House
24. A movie that you wish you had seen in theater. Psycho. I have seen it in a theater and it's beautifully made, better than a slasher horror film needs to be. But I wish I'd seen it the first time in a theater.
25. Your favorite movie of all time. I suppose I have three -- The Way We Were, Holiday, and Gone with the Wind.
1) In this week's song, we hear a job equated with security. Tell us something that gives you a sense of security. Money. I know that sounds shallow, but it's true. I've had big dental bills lately and am looking at a home improvement project this month and I've been able to make these incremental bills without touching my emergency fund. I'm grateful. Besides, this answer gives me a chance to listen to this again. One of John's best vocals.
2) Lead singer Tommy Shaw hopes someone will make him an offer he can't
refuse. That's a reference to a famous movie quote. Without looking it
up, can you name the film? The Godfather, one of the greatest movies ever.
3) Shaw
recalls that this song was inspired by a friend of his, a blue collar
worker who had been laid off and was frustrated by the process of job
hunting. His friend wanted to work, not fill out forms and job
applications and wait days for a response! Do you quickly become
impatient? Depends on who I'm dealing with. If you have fur, I am endlessly patient. If you walk upright and have no tail, you'll find me less so.
4) The name
"Styx" wasn't the top choice of anyone in the band. As founding member
Denis DeYoung recalled, "It was the only name none of us hated." Tell us
about a recent compromise you made (which TV show to watch, toppings on
your pizza, etc.). Working with Jamie on Friday morning. He and I agree on very little philosophically. But he is so enthusiastic and has such integrity that I'm always happy to meet him halfway.
5) Labor Day was introduced to celebrate the
achievements of the American worker. How many different employers have you had? Ten. It's a good thing this will be my last job, since I am now out of fingers.
6) The first Waffle House was opened on Labor Day, 1955. What's your preference: waffles or pancakes? Waffles.
7) Labor
Day mattress sales are a big business. Experts tells us we can expect to
spend $1,000 for a good-quality queen-sized mattress. Will you be
buying a new one -- or perhaps making another big ticket purchase for
your home -- before year end? I'm having my living room window frame repaired later this month. It's about $750, I'm not unhappy. I didn't know repairing the frame was possible, and I was afraid I'd need new windows.
8) Will you be attending a Labor Day picnic
or barbecue? Nope. I suppose I could reach out to Nancy and her husband, Paul, but I don't feel like it. I've been stressed at work and would like some solitary time. I'm kinda looking forward to sleeping a lot, going for long walks, and watching a lot of baseball.
9) Labor Day is the unofficial start of fall. Have you had any pumpkin spice yet? Not yet.
This morning I woke up to find my internet was out. No ethernet, no wifi, and back-to-back Zoom meetings beginning at 10:00. I either had to get the get service restored or get to the coffee shop and hope it was quiet enough to hold my meetings there.
I realize I sounded very stressed while talking to the Comcast/Xfinity IT specialist. I kept apologizing to him -- "I'm upset, but I'm not upset with you" -- but I needed him to let me know if he could get me back online right away. Otherwise I've got to move.
The tech told me his name was Jordan. I suspect he was in India. I could hear a roomful of his similarly accented coworkers. He asked if he could put me on "a quick hold" while he tried something. Then he proceeded to work while I could still hear him. This shook my confidence. It he couldn't figure out the hold button on his phone, how could he restore my internet?
As he was clacking away he began to sing to himself. "Yesterday, all my troubles seem so far away ..."
Suddenly I felt better. A Beatle person could come to rescue!
Then I thought of Sir Paul. A kid halfway around the world knew all the words to a song he likely introduced before the kid's were born. How cool for him. It must be wonderful to have created something so lasting, and with such universality and reach.
This is definitely a glass-half-full kinda happy, but it's sincere.
My temporary cap fell off! I had a hole in my mouth and the tooth we're trying to save was vulnerable. I needed to get to the dentist.
He is literally across the street. The bank and movie theater are around the corner from him. Three grocery stores are within the next few blocks. So is the drug store. And the book store. An oh! The dining options! If I turn and walk the other way, I've got the post office, the library, and my church.
I am so very fortunate that almost everything I need on a regular basis is within walking distance. I do love living here.
Each
day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy.
Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't
want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are
positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world.
13 successful people who once worked at McDonald's. In honor of Labor Day, let's look at some famous names who clocked time at the fryer and drive-through window.
1. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos
2. Luke Skywalker himself, Mark Hamill
3. Renaissance man Lin-Manuel Miranda
4. TV's Judge Mathis
5. Tonight Show host Jay Leno
6. Oscar nominee Sharon Stone
7. Vice Presidential nominee Paul Ryan
8. Olympic swimmer Amy Van Dyken
9. Olympic track star Carl Lewis
10. Singer Pink
11. Race car driver Tony Stewart
12. Country star Shania Twain
13. Actress/model Andie Macdowell
Please join us for THURSDAY THIRTEEN. Click here to play along, and to see other interesting compilations of 13 things.
To
participate, and to see how other book lovers responded, clickhere.
WWW.
WEDNESDAY asks three questions to prompt you to speak bookishly.
1. What are you currently reading?Dog Tags by David Rosenfelt. Milo, a highly trained police dog, is retired by the force for being too old. He is given to Billy, his former partner who was injured in Iraq. Together the two unemployed ex-cops embark on a life of crime, supporting themselves by committing petty thefts. Of course, Milo has no idea what he's doing is wrong. He's a dog who loves his master and willingly follows his commands. One of their capers goes horribly wrong and someone is killed. Billy ends up in jail and Milo is in police custody.
Lawyer Andy Carpenter likes dogs better than people and donates his services to freeing Milo. Yes, he goes to court in an attempt to get Milo released on bail. So far, his legal maneuvers on Milo's behalf are my favorite part of the book. Everyone he encounters along the way, including the judge to the DA, is amused by how seriously Andy takes freeing this dog. You'll be amused by Andy's quick wit. (He has what my dad would call "a smart mouth.")
The more Andy learns about the shooting, the more complicated it becomes, and the deeper he is drawn in. He ends up defending Billy on a murder charge, and finds the forces Billy is facing are far darker than he imagined.
2. What did you just finish reading? Too Much and Never Enough by Mary L. Trump.
Donald Trump has one niece, his older brother Fred's daughter. She puts her uncle in the context of their family. A trained psychologist, Mary explains the Trump clan and their motivations, and it's chilling.
Patriarch Fred Trump Sr. is really at the center of this book. Successful, smart and morally bankrupt, he bullied his wife and children and taught them that might makes right. Money was worshiped, kindness and sensitivity were mocked in that household. Donald Trump became what his father wanted him to be and in time, the student surpassed the teacher.
Just as Donald Trump makes Richard Nixon look better as a President, Fred Trump elevates Joseph P. Kennedy in the presidential parent ranking. Yes, JPK was a ruthlessly ambitious businessman and a unrepentant womanizer. But he loved his children and pushed them because he believed they were exceptional. There is very little love or faith in the Trump family saga.
A very readable but terribly sad book. As I hear about the criminal shenanigans at Mar-a-Lago, Trump's motivations make more sense now, but that doesn't make them any less heinous.
As soon as he sensed I was awake this morning, Roy Hobbs hopped onto the bed, curled up and pressed his big feline body next to mine and began to purr.
Last year at this time, Reynaldo was still here with me but he was dying. That was an aching time for me. My skinny beige demon cat was special -- smart, adrenaline-driven, and very loving. The pain of saying goodbye was indescribable.
I am happy that I am able to provide Roy Hobbs with a safe home where he can be calm and content. I am grateful that he (and Rey-Rey) taught me a lesson about accepting the natural order of things, and how life goes on.
Each
day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy.
Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't
want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are
positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world.
This week we were so blabby, we ran long. We were discussing The Best Years of Our Lives and somehow our moderator Will wooed an author to join us.Alison Macor wrote a "making of" book which I admit I haven't read, but she was a wonderful special guest. Also, we were all on our best behavior, the way family is when a visitor is present.
Each
day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy.
Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't
want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are
positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world.
My DVR is always 90%+ full and I'm forever having to delete things I don't want to. Now, suddenly, my DVR reads less than 40%, and I haven't deleted a thing. Xfinity upgraded me! I had no idea. This made me happy.
Each
day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy.
Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't
want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are
positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world.
1. Your favorite sport. To borrow from Robert Redford in The Natural, "God, I love baseball." Here is my current favorite picture of my favorite player, Anthony Rizzo of the (gulp!) Yankees. I will always wish he was still a Cub.
Isn't he lovely? Isn't he wonderful?
2. A quote to live by. "Above all, be the heroine of your life, not the victim." Nora Ephron.
3. A city in the US you would like to move to. I really don't want to live anywhere other than Chicago. I belong here. If I could live anywhere in Chicago, it would be The Palmolive Building. It's an art deco jewel, built in the 1920s. Sometimes, when I fly into O'Hare after dark, I can see its beacon. That was added to help guide Lucky Lindy in 1930. It offers really spectacular views. Now all I need is the $1,000,000 to buy in.
4. 3 beautiful little things in your life. I'm defining "beautiful" as things that lift my heart. 1) My cats; 2) day baseball; 3) buttery mashed potatoes.
5. What made you laugh today? I didn't laugh, but Willie Geist on Sunday Today did make me smile.
6. A good deed you did today. My you're demanding! I'm still in my pajamas! I just signed up to write for Letters Against Isolation.
7. Activities you like to do when you are bored. Fart around on the internet.
8. Are you a procrastinator? Good goobies, YES!
9. Your thoughts about dying. I hope it will be peaceful.
10. What super power would like to have? I would like your basic Samantha Stephens complement of powers: Teletransportation between locations, snapping my fingers to do housework, twitching my nose to make time stand still.
11. Top 3 Netflix series. Mostly I watch individual shows and movies on Netflix, not series. Sorry.
12. Things you want to do before you die. I don't think in those terms.
13. Your biggest fears. Dying in a plane crash. Wouldn't teletransportation be much better?
14. What makes you angry? Conspiracy theorists. The election was not stolen. Donald Trump is an elite, the scion of a New York real estate family, and not the victim of elites. Barack Obama was born in the United States. Bill Clinton did not put out a hit on Jeffrey Epstein. Ted Cruz' dad had nothing to do with the JFK assassination. And while we're talking about JFK, his son died in a plane crash before the turn of the millennium and he's not coming back. Just recounting this drivel gives me a headache. Can you imagine how desperately sad life must be like for people who believe this shit?
15. Do you listen to podcasts? Sometimes. One I recently enjoyed was Born to Rule, about Prince Charles and the monarchy's next chapter.
August is Summer Under the Stars on TCM. Every day a different star gets the spotlight for 24 hours. Today was Marilyn Monroe. I DVR'd one I've never seen before (Ladies of the Chorus) and watched Some Like It Hot in real time.
She is such a delight.
Each
day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy.
Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't
want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are
positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world.
1) This song tells the story of Katie and Tommy. She waited for him to
pull up in his beat-up Chevy truck. Tell us about your wheels. I don't drive.
My wheels
2) Katie and Tommy stay out until 12:30 AM. What time did you go to bed last night? About 10:30 PM
3) The lyrics tell us, "What's meant to be will always find a way." Do you agree? Yes. I have faith that everything happens for a reason. Just because I don't know that reason doesn't mean there isn't one. I have faith that when I get to Heaven, all my questions will be answered.
4) This was
the first big hit for Trisha Yearwood. While she's found her greatest
success in music, she's also written top-selling cookbooks. Are you a
better singer or cook? I'm a better cook, and I'm a terrible cook.
5) Trisha also appeared in six episodes of the TV drama, JAG.
She played a medical examiner and forensic pathologist, which means her
character had a medical degree and (at least) one year of additional
training. That's (at least) five extra years of higher education. Do you
enjoy taking classes? I haven't taken a class in so long that I'm not sure.
6) In real
life, Trisha earned a degree in Business Administration before going
into music. She uses what she learned in school, keeping a close eye on
her finances and those of her superstar husband, Garth Brooks. She says
she likes and trusts the people hired to their money, "but I check on
them." Do you keep a careful eye on where your money goes? Yes. Now I feel guilty because I have weeks worth of transactions to enter into Quicken. It's just I've been dealing with a blessedly mild case of covid and I have the attention span of a gnat.
7) In 1991, when this song was popular, Dances with Wolves was a hit in the theaters. Have you seen it? Yes. I liked it well enough at the time, but not well enough to see it ever again.
8) Also in 1991, Seinfeld
was a big deal on the small screen. It's still popular in syndication
on cable channels and on streaming services. Do you more often watch
broadcast TV or streaming/on-demand channels? I watch broadcast a lot for the news and reruns of my favorite old shows. (Sex and the City is on as I write this.)
9) Random question: Have you ever gone a day without laughing? No. I'm really lucky that way. Something happens every day, even in the worst of times, that makes me laugh. I'll see a baby make a funny face, or my cats will charm me, and I'll get a momentary respite from heartache. I remember sitting in the funeral director's office, planning my mother service. I was completely overwhelmed ... by missing my mommy, by being responsible for her estate, by how fractious my family can be. The funeral director asked about music and said sometimes people choose to play the deceased's favorite songs during the visitation. My mom's favorite was so cheesy: "After the Loving" by Engelbert Humperdinck. Can you imagine? The thought of that ode to post-coital bliss at her wake just made me lose it. I couldn't stop giggling.
No matter what pops into my head -- politics, baseball, Beatles -- I can spontaneously share it with him. It makes me happy that we speak the same language.
Each
day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy.
Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't
want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are
positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world.
I've been struggling. Nothing big. The work drama and money trouble I'm currently facing are made worse by the fact that covid has sapped my strength. Really, the only symptom that's bedeviling me this time is fatigue. Anyway, when I was hopelessly slogging my way through a blog post I decided to do something I seldom do: I called my oldest friend during the work day. We talked for about an hour. She made me laugh. I felt rejuvenated.
Each
day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy.
Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't
want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are
positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world.
That team really was magic. I loved their personalities as much as their play. I love how they delivered for us. Anyway, when I was feeling run down I conjured them. I played their visit to the Obama White House on YouTube. It lifted my heart. That Obama, he was pretty magic, too, wasn't he?
Each
day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy.
Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't
want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are
positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world.
Thirteen common phobias. According to the National Institute of Health, more than 1 in 10 of us will suffer at some point because of a phobia. Here are the ones we most often deal with.
NATURE
1. Astraphobia. Fear of thunder and lightening.
2. Hydrophobia. Fear of water.
3. Dendrophobia. Fear of trees.
ANIMALS
4. Batrachophobia. Fear of amphibians.
5. Cynophobia. Fear of dogs.
6. Elurophobia. Fear of cats.
7. Equinophobia. Fear of horses.
MEDICAL
8. Trypanophobia.
Fear of needles and injections.
9. Dentophobia. Fear of dentists.
10. Hemophobia. Fear of blood.
SITUATIONS
11. Claustrophobia. Fear of confined spaces.
12. Aerophobia. Fear of flying.
13. Glossophobia. Fear of public speaking.
Aerophobia is mine. I have never boarded a plane and not been worried I was going to die. (Yet, obviously, I haven't!) What about you? Do you suffer from a phobia?
Please join us for THURSDAY THIRTEEN. Click here to play along, and to see other interesting compilations of 13 things.
Ok, I caught covid a second time. I noticed I'd become more lax with the hand washing and my mask spent more time on my wrist than on my face. So I shouldn't have been as shocked as I was Tuesday AM when I tested positive.
But my symptoms are minimal. Nasal congestion and (this was weird) my eyes were dry and painful. Also, I have the attention span of a gnat, so I'm here to tell you "covid brain fog" really is a thing.
So I'm happy I was smart enough to get vaxxed and boosted. I'm happy that my symptoms are nowhere near as bad as my 2020 bout. I'm happy that between the federal government and my insurance company I always have testing kits on the kitchen counter. I'm happy I can work from home.
Each
day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy.
Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't
want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are
positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world.
It took me less than 10 minutes to clean my admittedly filthy kitchen floor. That includes taking the Swiffer Sweeper in and out of the closet and moving/replacing the wastebasket. Easy peasy! My floor now looks great -- or as good as outdated linoleum tile is gonna look.
Each
day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy.
Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't
want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are
positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world.
To
participate, and to see how other book lovers responded, clickhere.
WWW.
WEDNESDAY asks three questions to prompt you to speak bookishly.
1. What are you currently reading?Too Much and Never Enough by Mary L. Trump. Donald Trump has one niece, his older brother Fred's daughter. She introduces us to the family that created him. She's a clinical psychologist, so her insights into the motivations of her relatives are more grounded in theory. But it's her family, and we all have complicated feelings about our families.
I'm not very deep in, but one thing is clear: at first Donald Trump's own family believed he was running for President as a publicity stunt and didn't think he'd win. Certainly his older sister knew her brother wasn't temperamentally suited to the Presidency. A judge (Clinton appointee), she voted for him "out of loyalty" and kept her mouth shut for the same reason. Imagine the misery we all would have been spared if the Judge had shared her trepidations with the voting public.
A fascinating, but not at all enjoyable, read.
2. What did you just finish reading? The Girl He Used to Know by Tracey Garvis Greaves. A college romance ends abruptly. Ten years later, Annika happens to bump into her first love at the grocery store and they try to make a go of it a second time.
This book came to me at the right time. First I read Kwizgiver's review, then my library recommended it, and I thought, "OK, I'll give it a shot." I didn't realize then that Annika faced cognitive challenges. Right now I'm dealing with friends in my real life who are battling dementia, TBI and bipolar disorder. It can be difficult navigating my relationships with these loved ones. The phrase that's become my mantra is, "Meet them where they are." I have to accept that they can't help much of their behavior and, for the most part, are never going to view the world the way the rest of us do. So I felt for Jonathan more deeply than I might have otherwise.
One thing about the book really bothered me, though: the sex scenes. Not because they were explicit (I've read more detailed accounts and their encounters were pretty standard) but because of the emphasis on Annika's physical perfection. Her legs were beautiful, her breasts were ideally proportioned, her face was a dead ringer for Carolyn Bessette Kennedy's. Why? Did the author not trust Jonathan, or us, to care about a sweet and good-hearted but cognitively challenged girl unless she was incredibly gorgeous?
3. What will you read next? It's time for a mystery.
I'm working in the office this week. I'll be clocking more days this week than I have since March, 2020. I don't like the regimentation. I don't like having to wear a bra and shoes. I don't like knowing people I don't know well can hear my conversations.*
But I do like the train. I like watching the world go by the window and then checking out all the shops in the train station. It's such a neat cross section of my part of the world.
*I think I might have had a too-sensitive-for-the-office call today. The way voices carry, I should have moved to a conference room.
Each
day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy.
Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't
want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are
positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world.
Today's happiness --Spaghetti sauce be gone! I have an impressive collection of Beatle t-shirts. The quantity doesn't make me love each individual tee any less. So when I got spaghetti sauce on my 2002 McCartney Driving Rain Tour shirt, I was bereft.
Fortunately, stain removal is in my wheelhouse.It's true! I have no self discipline, I can't cook or sew beyond mending, but somehow I am a laundry goddess that spaghetti sauce stain is gone.
Each
day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy.
Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't
want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are
positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world.
1. I am currently obsessed with antibiotics. I have to take them because of my ongoing dental work, but they wreak havoc on my gut. Hopefully my doctor can solve this for me. In the meantime, I am checking and rechecking Google. (Because that's useful, right?)
2. Today I am happy becausemy cats are healthy. I may have doctor and dentist appointments on the calendar, but nothing with the vet. Yay!
Roy Hobbs & Connie are healthy, happy buds
3. The age I am is 64and the age I feel is 64.These dental and gastrointestinal worries are weighing on me.
4. My favorite place is The Friendly Confines. Our national historic landmark. To borrow from Eddie Vedder's Cub anthem, I'm blessed and healed when I walk into Wrigley Field. I'm making my annual trip to the ballpark next month.
5. Something I have been procrastinating on is inputting my financial transactions into Quicken. BORING! Of course, the longer I put it off, the more I have to do, and the longer it will take.
6. The last thing I purchased was lunch yesterday. I had chicken.
7. The thing I love most about my home is the location. I love my neighborhood.
8. My most prized possession is a ceramic cable car that belonged to my favorite grandpa. It's where he stored his cufflinks and tie clasps.
9. If I could be one age for the rest of my life, I would want to be 35. I was in love, my career was taking off, and I felt sexy and smart and together.
10. My outlook on life is engaged. My best friend used to say that he doesn't care about anything as much as I care about everything.
11. If you want to annoy me, talk trash about my favorite-most ballplayer, Anthony Rizzo. He is all things bright and beautiful.
Please, baseball gods, let him get a hit today!
12. I am completely defenseless when it comes to ... Hm ... am I ever completely defenseless?
13. The bravest thing I’ve ever done was interrupting a rape-in-progress, back in 2002. (20 years ago last June.) By my very presence, I caused the perpetrator to run away. I called 911, stayed with the victim until the police came, and then rode in the back of the squad car and pointed out the bad guy. He was a mile away, throwing his shirt into a dumpster in hopes of changing his appearance enough that I couldn't identify him. I never had to testify against him, though. The victim was so uncooperative with law enforcement that they couldn't make a case. Even though he hit her so hard he dislocated her jaw! Apparently I happened upon a drug deal gone wrong and he was taking his payment "in trade." The police told me the young woman was so afraid of the gang her rapist belonged to that they couldn't convince her to assist them.
14. Something that keeps me awake at night is worry. I worry about all kinds of things. My gut. My oldest friend's health. My friend Henry. How sadly vulnerable a portion of our electorate is to paranoid "stop-the-steal" and WWG1WGA conspiracy theories, and the consequences for our democracy.
15. My favorite meal in the entire world is a ribeye and a baked potato. Can I get dessert, too? I'd like strawberry rhubarb pie, please. I'll wash it all down with Coke.
