One Gal's Musings

A tall hot chocolate and a shot of Bruce

2012-03-12T15:36:00.000-05:00

On my way back to the elevators from the ATM, I stopped at Starbuck's and, in addition to less than 290 calories worth of chocolate, I got Bruce Springsteen's latest, Wrecking Ball. In all, a most satisfying afternoon escape from my desk!

Trifecta

2012-03-12T11:53:00.000-05:00

This week's challenge: Check out the third definition of trail (below), and use the word exactly as it appears, in no less than 33 and no more than 333 words.

trail verb \ˈtrāl\

3: to move, flow, or extend slowly in thin streams

The Good That Men Do

She folded his note on the creases andtucked it back into her wallet. In the years since he left it on her desk,she’d only looked at it a few times. But the important thingwas, she knew the note was there, with her always, and she knew what itsaid: “You have great insight, you arecompassionate, and you do things all the time that make a difference inpeoples’ lives.”

He had been her friend, and his love still trailed almost imperceptibly through her days, seeping into her heart andstrengthening it so subtly that sometimes she didn’t even notice it anymore.

But then there were other times, liketoday, when she reached for that piece of simple white notepaper, with its message scrawled in blue ballpoint, and fingered it like it was a rare treasure.

According to Shakespeare, “The evil thatmen do lives after them; The good is oft interred with their bones." Oft, yes,but not always.

Sunday Stealing

2012-03-11T01:52:00.000-06:00

Sunday Stealing: The Not My Year Meme

1. Are you in a job that you truly enjoy? Yes, at times I really do. Even after all these years.

2. If you could do any job in the world what would it be? Pet sitter. I have a way with critters.

3. If you could be a character in a novel who would you be? Jo in Little Women. Still looking for my own Professor Bhaer.

4. When it comes to spending time with those you love, do you think it should be about quality or quantity? Quality. But then, that's because I'm a bit of a hermit

5. Is there a job/career you wanted but realized you couldn’t possibly do for one reason or another? Lighthouse keeper. Because it's all done by computer now.

6. If you could live anywhere in the world or out of this world where would you live? Wherever it was the Jetsons lived. So I could have a flying car and a robot maid.

7. Where would you most like to visit and who with? Right now I'd like to visit a nice, quiet booth with my best friend. I miss him very much and could really use a hug.

8. Which skill would you like to learn? I'd still like to learn to speak Spanish. I got distracted last summer by health problems. I still have all the CDs and the text book, so I can start again.

9. What made you laugh today? This statue. It's truly in left center in the Marlins Park. Really. When it appeared on the TV screen, the announcers sang, "Picture yourself in a boat on a river ..."

10. What are you looking forward to tomorrow? Nothing specific. I'd just like to catch up on a little work around the house and maybe prep a little for a big presentation I have on Tuesday. That doesn't sound like fun, I know, but it would make me feel more confident.

11. What is your sign and do you believe in horoscopes etc? I'm on the cusp of Scorpio and Sagittarius. And I don't know how I feel about it.

12. If you could change one thing about your life thus far, what would it be? Right now, I'd change that awful red spot on my face!

13. If there was one charity you could give a huge contribution to, which charity would it be and why? My local food pantry. Because it serves my neighbors who are suffering.

14. Should smoking be legal? I thought it was.

15. What are your views on the smoking ban in public places? Amen! Your bad habit doesn't get to darken my lungs.

16. Why do you blog? To create an accurate snapshot of my life at this moment.

17. Do you have a favorite author? William Goldman, who wrote The Princess Bride. He's recently turned 80, so I think he's retired.

18. Can you play any musical instruments? Nope.

19. What would your ideal car be? One that comes with a driver.

20. Describe yourself in one short sentence. She's sorry about the red spot on her face.

21. What do you look for in a spouse/other half? Touchable hair.

22. Worst meal you’ve had? Nothing springs to mind. Sorry.

23. What do you do to relax in the evening? Watching my TV boyfriend, Mark Harmon on NCIS. Between USA Network, CBS and Comcast ON DEMAND, I can pretty much watch it any time.

24. Do you get along with your siblings? No. And if you knew them, you wouldn't either.

25. Do you have any regrets? I've had a few. But then again, too few to mention.

Self Portrait

2012-03-10T22:03:00.000-06:00

I was at the dentist for about two hours this morning. It wasn't so bad. She removed the temporary crown, dug around and cleaned things up, took an impression for the new crown, and replaced the temporary. No big deal, right?

The blue gunk overflowed the impression tray and sat on my skin for a while -- less than 10 minutes while the gunk was hardening. Long enough for it to really irritate my skin. I now have a bright red spot on the philtral column between my nose and lips. I am just soooo happy about this.

Especially because I have a big client presentation Tuesday. The only thing worse than being standing in front of your clients knowing you are a big fat moo-cow is knowing you are a big fat moo-cow with a bright red spot near your mouth.

I am miserable!

Saturday 9

2012-03-10T11:59:00.002-06:00

Saturday 9: Easy

1. Have you ever had a romantic breakup that was easy? Amazingly, yes. We both knew it wasn't going anywhere and he decided to move to Columbus to be nearer his brother and it just sort of ... faded away.

2. When was the first time that you felt betrayed? In grade school, when the contents of a note I passed to a friend somehow became public.

3. Do you feel religious beliefs should have a role in politics? Well, if a politician has a relationship with a higher being, that probably helps keep him or her grounded and comforted. I know that's the role religion play in my life. BUT IT'S NONE OF MY BUSINESS AND I DON'T WANT TO HEAR ABOUT IT! I agree with the speech JFK made that makes Rick Santorum, as he so elegantly puts it, "throw up."

4. Are you doing anything special this weekend? I just got a crown replaced this morning and my jaw is still numb. I'm going to wait to see if I'm in any discomfort before I decide what to do next. (Sexy answer, huh?)

5. Oreo cookies turned 100 years old this week. How do YOU eat an Oreo? If I'm alone, I'll take it apart and lick off the icing. If I'm in public, I'll observe decorum and nibble it daintily.

6. If you could change something about yourself, what would it be? My big fat moo-cowness. I'm working on diet and exercise, but obviously not hard enough.

7. Describe a time when you should have tried harder. See above.

8. What is your favorite baseball-related movie? The Natural. Where my favorite actor meets my favorite sport in my favorite ballpark. Did you know that Roy Hobbs/Robert Redford actually threw out the ball on opening day at Wrigley Field last year? It was very emotional for me. (And if you think I'm kidding about that, you don't visit this blog often.)

9. What is one lesson you have learned in the past year? I just now realized that sometimes, when I am trying to solve people's problems for them and make their lives easier, I am actually making them feel incompetent. I am working on this. After all, my goal is to help my friends, not hurt their feelings.

Gone Too Soon Blogathon -- In Celebration of the King

2012-03-09T18:01:00.000-06:00

NEWBIE NOTICE: This is the first time I have ever participated in a movie-lovers' blogathon like the one introduced by Comet over Hollywood, and I hope I'm doing it right!

The theme is “Gone Too Soon” --
spotlighting stars

who died before the age of 50.

When Elvis Presley died in the summer of 1977, he was just 42 and, unfortunately, his movie career was long over. His last performance as an actor was in the ridiculous Change of Habit (1969), which featured him as a ghetto doctor so compelling that hip nun Mary Tyler Moore has a hard time choosing between The King and The Lord.

What's that? You haven't seen Change of Habit? Oh, you must! When, to borrow from Miss Holly Golightly, you're getting fat or it's been raining too long or you're just sad, nothing hits the spot like a big glass of milk, a box of Nilla Vanilla Wafers and a campy Elvis movie. While most of the 32 films Elvis made are really goofy trifles, those are not the ones I want to concentrate on today.

Instead there are a handful of Elvis movies that show flashes of brilliance. You can see a naturally gifted actor on display, and it makes the fact that his talent was mostly wasted on drek, and that we lost him before he could rehabilitate his legacy as an actor, all the sadder.

It's poignant to recall that Elvis wanted to be an actor, not a movie star. He longed to someday share the screen with his own idol, Tony Curtis, and really wanted the Earl Holliman role supporting the Great Kate Hepburn and Burt Lancaster in The Rainmaker. Instead, Col. Tom Parker and Hal Wallis steered him into quick-to-produce musicals, putting him in lead roles before he was ready, because they wanted the fast soundtrack dollars. When you see how well he handles himself in these three movies, made back-to-back-back in rapid succession before he went into the Army, you long for what might have been.

In his second movie, Loving You (1957), Elvis played Deke Rivers, a country boy very much like ... well, Elvis Presley. He's a truck driver one day and a rock star the next when he's discovered by sleazy, big-city publicist Glenda Merkle (the always entertaining Lizbeth Scott) and her C&W star client, Tex (Wendall Corey). Deke is at heart an innocent and he confuses Glenda's seduction -- motivated by lust and an interest in controlling her hot new property -- with love and almost loses his "good girl" small-town girlfriend, played by (Sister) Dolores Hart.

Watch for the great scene toward the end where the disillusioned Deke confronts Glenda. It's played with great conviction, perhaps because it reflects how young Elvis was beginning to feel about Wallis and Parker and everyone else in his real life who treated him like one big hunka meat they could each take a bite out of. "It's not my future you care about, it's yours! It's what I can do for you. You don't care about me!"

Next up is Jailhouse Rock (1957).Yes, of course you have seen the iconic title number. But in my favorite moment, he is absolutely silent. Elvis/Vince is hanging around in a bar. There's a stripper on stage. All we see are her legs. Watch where Vince focuses his eyes. It's funny and lascivious and establishes Vince as every boy our parents ever warned us about.

He handles many of his lines in the same light, bad-boy manner, and it's easy to imagine him growing into the kind of roles Burt Reynolds became known for. For example, when a girl resists his advances, saying, "How DARE you think such cheap tactics would work with me?" our hero responds, "Them ain't tactics, Honey. That's just the beast in me." Said with a sneer and with his tongue in his cheek. (Think that's easy to do? Try it yourself at home!)

The last in this trilogy is King Creole (1958). Directed by Michael Curtiz (yes, that Michael Curtiz!), this movie has a very strong cast, including Carolyn Jones, Vic Morrow and a very nasty Walter Matthau. Elvis said Danny was his best role, and I think he's right.

The plot is a 50's vintage, poor man's Bronx Tale: Slum kid torn between two kinds of men (his poor but honest father and the more successful but slimy mobsters who run the town) as well as those two age-old types of women (Sister Dolores again and the gangster's #1 moll).

After Danny is expelled from school (and the movie deserves points for acknowledging he must be the oldest high school senior in school history) for fighting and just general surliness, his father tells him that a real man doesn't try to solve every problem with "a punch in the mouth." Danny responds with real frustration and contempt: "I stopped listening to you when I ran out of other cheeks! I remember when I was no more than 3 feet high you took me to the circus. You accidentally bumped into some guy and he turned around and punched you. He punched you right in the mouth, and you know what you did? Nothing! Nothing! When they swing at you, Pop, it's not enough to duck, you gotta swing back! Maybe you can't anymore, but I'm not taking after you. You go to school, I'm going out and make a buck."

So yes, it's OK to laugh at crap like Viva Las Vegas and Clambake, but it would be tragic to forget that, at one point, Elvis wanted to make films he could be proud of. I mourn the actor he longed to be and I believe he could have been.

Trifecta

2012-03-09T11:31:00.000-06:00

The weekend's challenge: This weekend's challenge is to give us a story or snippet of a story which includes, in exactly 33 words, a justified exclamation point.

Oh, who knew his touch would be soknowing, his skin so cool and his lips so sweet? This was better than Disneyland!She couldn’t wait to see what other thrills awaited her.

Leaving on a jet plane

2012-03-08T16:13:00.001-06:00

My annual spa trip is just over three weeks away! I have reservations for four nights at the Chiswell-Bucktrout Kitchen, one of the Colonial Houses on the grounds of Colonial Williamsburg. Three sessions of pampering are booked over three consecutive days, at the spa right there at the resort. My flights are free, thanks to my Citi/AA credit card. I have transportation to and from ORD. Now I'm just waiting to book the same to get me from and to RIC.

I like this part of travel. When you're planning, when you're anticipating all the fun you'll have, before the bills come in.

Image: digitalart / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

My grandma would have called it "a foundation garment"

2012-03-08T14:18:00.003-06:00

I'm talking about that powerful Lycra/spandex thing I will be wearing under my gray slacks when I present to the client. Cass calls it a "contour boyleg panty" but I call it uncomfortable. However it's that or suicide, as I promised myself if I ever got to the point where I couldn't fit into those gray slacks I'd kill myself.

THURSDAY THIRTEEN #162

2012-03-07T21:00:00.000-06:00

THIRTEEN SEARCHES

THAT BROUGHT VISITORS

TO MY BLOG

Just because Statcounter tells me these searches are how people found me doesn't mean I was what they were looking for. I also don't pretend to understand why Googlers were searching for these phrases.

1) "Leonardo di Caprio on The Facts of Life" -- Leo was never on The Facts of Life, George Clooney was. But I mentioned them both in a recent TT about Oscar's Best Actor Nominees.

2) "Stephen Colbert's ears" -- This post did recount a weird dream I had about Mr. Colbert, but I made no mention of his ears

3) "Jean DuJardin's teeth" -- This post celebrates Uggie, the true star of The Artist, and includes DuJardin, but I never mentioned the man's teeth

4) "awaiting snow" -- A visitor from Sweden searched for that phrase and found this 2010 post. I apologize for impression I may have left about Americans.

5) "how do corn flakes fall?" -- A visitor from the Philippines asked this. In this recent Sunday Stealing post, I mentioned that I had corn flakes for breakfast. I made no mention of the impact of gravity on this cereal, though.

6) "Aunt Stella Uncle Joe died" -- I understand this one! It's from a once-ubiquitous Colonial Penn commercial that I was very, very familiar with and referenced in this meme.

7) "Robert the Doll" -- The haunted doll I wrote about is a Key West legend and has quite a following

8) "I love him but he embarrasses me" -- That search ended in this post and clip re: "Frank Mills," a song from the musical Hair that includes the line, "I love him, but it embarrasses me to walk down the street with him."

9) "gal paint top" -- I don't know what this visitor from the Philippines was looking for, but they ended up at this post about the painting party my best friend had for his daughter.

10) "Can you talk without a tongue?" -- I'm sorry that Google thought this question could be answered by my post about my cat Charlotte's tongue

11) "happy football" -- Somehow search led to this post about my nephew's soccer team. The word "football" doesn't appear once.

12) "Too bad, so sad" -- This phrase was the title of a 2010 post about Princess Lee Radziwill

13) "The next Pope after Benedict" -- Well, I did mention Pope Benedict in this post about Rick Santorum

For more information about the Thursday Thirteen,

or to play yourself, click here.

I Want Wednesday

2012-03-07T13:20:00.001-06:00

I want my right thumb nail back! I tore it and now it's so short that my thumb feels a little vulnerable and it looks kinda creepy.

WWW.WEDNESDAY

2012-03-07T12:58:00.001-06:00

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading? Mona Lisa in Camelot: How Jacqueline Kennedy and Da Vinci's Masterpiece Charmed and Captivated a Nation. Well, the title says it all, doesn't it? I didn't know that the Mona Lisa ever left the Louvre, and I'd never heard how the First Lady personally charmed the French Minister of Culture into letting her have it for the National Gallery. We live in a world where the President is called "a snob" for wanting kids to go to college, and where one of the Presidential candidates won't speak French on camera (he lived in France for more than two years) for fear of appearing "elite." This trip back 50 years to a country that was proud of our own cultural heritage and curious about the rest of world's is fascinating and heartening. Not only am I an unabashed Jackie-phile, I saw the Mona Lisa when I visited Paris and it was one of the great OMG moments of my life, so I am thoroughly enjoying this book.

• What did you recently finish reading? LA Mental. A thriller about The Crandalls, a wealthy and established Los Angeles family that is suddenly coming apart at the seams. One of the sons, who has always been able to hold his blow, lets his drug habit get away from him and ends up in the hospital. The dull, accountant son is uncharacteristically stepping out on his wife and daughter with a sexy female film exec. The only daughter thought no one would ever know about that one last fling before her wedding ... until she's blackmailed. The oldest son, Dr. Tom, is watching is siblings and asking, "What the fu ...?" This book has a definite sci-fi overlay to it, and I wasn't crazy about that. But otherwise, I enjoyed the time I spent with it.

• What do you think you’ll read next? Another Piece of My Heart by chick-lit author extraordinaire, Jane Green.

Old Dog Learns New Tricks

2012-03-06T20:11:00.000-06:00

Did you know there's a difference between not responding at all and not responding immediately? Apparently there is.

For the last couple weeks I have been emailing my best friend about some things that have been weighing heavily on me: most notably my "friend" Kathy and an ex who just keeps popping up like a demonic Jack in the Box Clown.

My best friend made it very plain that he doesn't feel equipped to "advise" me on these things. I have responded that I don't want "advice," I want his support. He said "OK," and then … nothing. For days.

This left me hurt, sad, lonely, preoccupied. Finally I confronted him. He seemed surprised that I was tying myself up in knots about this. "Your issues are complicated and I do feel a significant pressure to respond appropriately. More to come ..."

Oh.

I don't know why I doubted him. He has always displayed a lot of common sense.

I guess I have to work at being patient. And trusting. I can do this. My own life would be easier if I learned/lived this. It would result in less drama, and let's face it, I don't need to create drama -- life tosses it at me just naturally.

The new phone is here! The new phone is here!*

2012-03-06T16:28:00.000-06:00

I am the proud owner of a VTech CS6419, the cheapest cordless phone my local Radio Shack sells.

There was a time when choosing a new phone was fun. When it was my only link to the world outside my parents' house. When getting a Princess phone that was neither white nor black was a status symbol.

Those days are gone. This was a strictly utilitarian purchase, and I approached it with the same enthusiasm as I do shelling out hard-earned bucks for a new toilet.

*With apologies to Steve Martin.

Trifecta

2012-03-05T10:22:00.001-06:00

This week's challenge: Between 33 and 333 words from (and including) the third definition of the word:

vulgar (adj) \ˈvəl-gər\

1: generally used, applied, or accepted

2: vernacular

3 a : of or relating to the common people : plebeian

b : generally current : public

c : of the usual, typical, or ordinary kind

This was big -- her first client lunch back. The first timeshe had entertained out-of-town business associates since returning tothe workforce after two years off with Rosemary.

She had done her homework. This restaurant, Altus, hadreceived raves from Wine Spectatorand Fodor’s, so if her guests Googledit, they would see that she had brought them to one of Chicago’s finest. When she made the reservation shespecifically requested a table with a view so her clients could watch the boatsglide along Lake Michigan.

And, oh, the care that had gone into choosing today’s outfit!After considering everything in her closet, and in her best friend’s closet,she slipped into her black and beige linen sweater dress, toppedwith a (borrowed) textured beige jacket. Thank God her reliable black kittenheels still looked just right. The overall effect was understated quality, asthough she dressed like this, lunched out like this, all the time.

She appeared poised and sounded confident. Like she belonged at that table, in this restaurant, with these people. So whywas it that as she savored the Lobster Portuguese and sipped a 2006 CaliforniaChardonnay, she really wished she was having Spaghetti-o’s and apple juice withRosie? It made her smile to think of the sturdy plastic play table where they lunchedtogether at home. The bright purple, yellow and green would have looked vulgar inthe refined atmosphere of Altus, but it was the perfect complement to the Dorathe Explorer décor of their family room.

A new homeowner experience

2012-03-05T08:36:00.000-06:00

I have to buy a new toilet. My handyman will pick it up for me and install it on Wednesday, March 14. I haven't ever shopped for a toilet and don't know that I care what I sit on.

But it is a learning experience. Toilets can be very inexpensive -- there are a variety that are less than $200! And the handyman won't charge me more than another $200. So while this is not an expense I planned for or welcome, I do have a slush fund for emergencies of this type and that will cover it.

In 2006, my adventures were with the ac and the refrigerator. Now it's the toilet. I am becoming a seasoned homeowner.

Sunday Stealing

2012-03-04T09:54:00.000-06:00

Sunday Stealing: The Eve Was Framed Meme

Cheers to all of us thieves!

1. Why is your favorite color your favorite? My favorite color is Pantone 294 because it's Cubbie blue.

2. Do you prefer dogs or cats or do you just hate animals, and want to kill baby seals? I do not prefer cats or dogs, love them all, and think this question is just awful.

3. How much time do you spend on the computer? Too much.

4. Not including porn, what do you do on the computer? Email, FB, Pogo, and, of course, this here blog.

5. Are you a clock watcher? Yes.

6. What do you/did you look for in a partner? Shallow answer: nice, touchable hair.

7. What type of clothing do you prefer? Casual.

8. What is your favorite type of music? Beatles.

9. Do you believe in the paranormal, Ghosts, ESP, levitation, spoon bending? Not much. But I am open.

10. The most important question: Do you have a inie or outie belly button? Inie.

11. What kind of car do you drive? I don't drive.

12. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun or The Boys Are Back in Town? "When the working day is done, girls just wanna have fun."

13. Camping or the Ritz? The Ritz

14. What food are you craving RIGHT NOW . . . did you eat it? Corn flakes. And yes, I ate them.

15. The most thrilling place you've ever visited. Why? When I was very young I went to Paris and seeing the Arc de Triomphe was a gas.

16. If you could slip into the skin of one public figure--celebrity, artist,--who would it be? I think it would be great to be Jennifer Aniston. She's not only funny and gorgeous, she knows what John Mayer and Vince Vaughn and Brad Pitt are really like.

17. Look up from your computer. What do you see first? My TV

18. Sum up your philosophy of life in one sentence. You can borrow it from someone else, if you'd like. "Life is not fair, but it's fairer than death." William Goldman, The Princess Bride

19. Name the one thing you just don't understand about kids today. Rap

20. If you could steal one work of art from a museum or gallery, which would it be? I wouldn't

Truth to tell

2012-03-04T09:10:00.002-06:00

I really don't like being around my oldest nephew. He's immature and noisy, like a puppy who has yet to grow into his big paws, but he's nearly 25-freaking-years-old and it's just a bit much, you know?

He's very good to and for my mom, his grandma, so I'm glad he's spending as much time with her as he can before he goes off for his four years with the USN.

I feel guilty because he finds me so fascinating and so much fun and he likes arguing with me. But I do not like arguing with him and sometimes I would like to finish a sentence without being baited or disputed. Everything -- from where the Cubs will play in 2013 to Beatles' history -- was an "argument." He thinks it's funny and cute. I think he's an ass.

I feel guilty feeling this way. He is the entire family's pride and joy, ready to go serve his country, and I just want him to shut-the-fuck-up for one blessed moment.

What's worse, my younger nephew -- age 12 -- things his older cousin hangs the moon and joins the fray before I change the subject. "Well, Ga-al," he chimes in judgmentally, contributing something very 12-year-old-ish so naturally I never disputed it. He's a kid, after all.

I couldn't wait to get out of there. I know, shame on me. But if, today, I get through the day without speaking to anyone about anything, and not being disagreed with or corrected, I will be grateful.

Saturday 9

2012-03-03T07:39:00.000-06:00

Saturday 9: Look Out Here Comes Tomorrow (RIP Davy Jones)

Before we start, I encourage you to take a moment and watch Davy swing a mean tambourine.

1. How much do you worry about your future? Being dependent on others, unable to care for myself. I saw what Parkinson's Disease did to my uncle ... cruel and devastating.

2. Do you believe that anyone could be perfect? Nope.

3. Regarding your future, what is the best thing you could hope for? Right now, in my wallet is a lottery ticket I haven't checked yet.

4. What's the greatest extent you've gone to help a friend in need? Oh, I don't know how to quantify these things! When my friend Kathleen went into labor, I went to the hospital with her and stayed until her husband arrived. Since I have never had a baby myself, I was surprised that she wanted me with her. But I was honored, though scared, and I learned a lot from the experience.

5. What did you do lately that was really brave? I trusted my best friend with a pair of the ickier and most complicated issues that cloud my life right now. I was afraid he'd think this was all too freaky. On the one hand, I thought it would be a relief to unburden myself to him but on the other hand I was afraid he'd think it was all too crazy. I'm not sure it was the smart thing to do, but it was brave.

6. Tell us one thing you wish you hadn't let yourself do. See above. My best friend is more comfortable talking about the mating habits of the rare polymita snail than these particular problems.

7. Who is the wisest person you know? It depends on the situation.

8. What's the most tasteless joke you've ever heard? Nothing springs to mind. And I'm fine with that.

9. What does your answering machine / voice mail message say? It's a robotic voice in a message supplied by my phone company: The caller at XXX-XXX-XXXX is unavailable right now. Please leave a message.

After midnight

2012-03-03T01:22:00.000-06:00

With all due apologies to Eric Clapton, right now the last thing I want to do is "chug-a-lug and shout." I shall spare you the details, but my gastro digestive system is not behaving as well as it might. I woke up Friday morning feeling this way, and now here I am after midnight feeling the same way.

This is not how I wanted to begin the weekend.

Friday Fill Ins

2012-03-02T16:19:00.000-06:00

To play along, click here.

1. When I heard the news I almost cried.

2. You make~~(s)~~ me want to SHOUT! (Kick my heels up and SHOUT! Throw my hands back and SHOUT!)

3. Get DOWN! (Me to my cat, Reynaldo.)

4. This is where I came in.

5. Hands across the water. Hands across the sky.

6. We're too busy singing to put anybody down. (RIP, Davy Jones)

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to testing my NEW vacuum cleaner filter (I'm not kidding), tomorrow my plans include getting my hair streaked and Sunday, I want to play with my nephew.

Trifecta

2012-03-02T11:43:00.001-06:00

The weekend challenge: Start with these 5 words and turn it in to a story of only 33 words. The 5 word prompt is NOT to be counted in the 33 words.

Title: "Mr. Businessman"

The phone rang at 4am.

“Good morning.” Her voice was pleasant but unfamiliar. “Thisis your scheduled wakeup call. The weatherman says today will be sunny and 43º.”

He was slow to respond. “Um, ma’am? Where am I?”

Good night, Sweet Davy

2012-03-01T16:21:00.000-06:00

Sure, "Daydream Believer" is a better song and Davy Jones did a better job on those vocals. But when I was a little girl, I got all swoony hearing him sing about "the warm September wind, Babe."

Hearing of his passing mad me sad. I was never desperately in love with him, but he was one of the heart throbs that adorned my locker and wall and I spent so much time reading his stats (on this very album cover) that, to this day, whenever I'm asked my height, I always think, "5'2, just like Davy Jones."

THURSDAY THIRTEEN #161

2012-02-29T20:49:00.000-06:00

OUR THIRTEEN WORST PRESIDENTS

Here it is, the top of the bottom. The Siena Research Institute has been polling presidential scholars since 1982. Much is made of those who ranks highest (it's always the usual suspects -- Lincoln, Washington and FDR -- in the top slots), but who brings up the rear?

In 2010, these 13 men ranked the lowest in everything from "intelligence" to "luck."

30) Rutherford B. Hayes
31) Jimmy Carter
32) Zachary Taylor
33) Benjamin Harrison
34) William Henry Harrison
35) Herbert Hoover
36) John Tyler
37) Millard Filmore
38) George W. Bush
39) Franklin Pierce
40) Warren G. Harding
41) James Buchanan
42) Andrew Johnson (pictured)

I admit I know very little about 11 of these 13. I lived through the Carter and GW Bush years but could probably learn more about the inner workings of their Administrations. But I wonder if it matters? Is history always important? Is there as much to learn from failure as success?

For more information about the Thursday Thirteen,

or to play yourself, click here.

And the crowd goes wild!

2012-02-29T12:24:00.000-06:00

For the second month in a row, I have reached my goal of 13 workouts/month (with a workout defined as 25 minutes of cardio and 10 minutes of either floor exercises or weight machines).

And remember, February is a short month. That makes my accomplishment even more awesome! Thank you very much.

Of course, I'm still a big fat moo-cow. Maybe that's why that girl (middle left) is sticking her tongue out at me. But I'm making progress. Fitness is becoming a part of my life.

WWW.WEDNESDAY

2012-02-29T11:25:00.001-06:00

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

1) What are you currently reading?
2) What did you recently finish reading?
3) What do you think you’ll read next?

What are you currently reading? LA Mental by Neil McMahon. It's a thriller about Dr. Tom Crandall, the oldest son of one of Los Angeles' oldest and wealthiest families. His siblings are all coming undone at the same time. Wild child Nick's drug habit has landed him in the hospital, dull Paul is suddenly cheating on his wife with a sophisticated lady film producer, and his only sister, engaged Erica, decided to have one last fling before the wedding and unfortunately someone found out and is blackmailing her. These family catastrophes can't possibly be related ... can they? Of course they can! Otherwise we wouldn't have a thriller! It's one of those books that's fun while it lasts, but I suspect I won't remember a thing about it when it's done.

What did you recently finish reading? Star, Peter Biskind's biography of Warren Beatty. The end of the book is sadder than I expected. He went from being one of Hollywood's power players throughout the 60s, 70s, 80s and even the early 90s. But now he's old and irrelevant. He is, by all accounts, finally happily settled down with one woman and a passel of kids. Yet you're left to wonder -- did he "retire" from film to be a good dad, or is it just a convenient excuse to get around admitting that he's no longer young, handsome and in demand?

What do you think you’ll read next? I don't know for sure, but I think I'll pick up Mona Lisa in Camelot: How Jacqueline Kennedy and Da Vinci's Masterpiece Charmed and Captivated a Nation.

I Want Wednesday

2012-02-29T10:41:00.000-06:00

I want my problems to be less complicated and weird. I get the feeling that when I try to explain to my best friend why I'm upset over stuff like this and this, his eyes roll back in his head and he wishes he hadn't signed up for such hazardous duty.

Trifecta "Check-In"

2012-02-28T13:43:00.000-06:00

I'm answering these questions in response to the Trifecta Friday Check-In, where the authors who participate in this challenge provide verbal snapshots of themselves.

What is your name (real or otherwise)? The Gal Herself
Describe your writing style in three words. Conversational, honest, journalistic
How long have you been writing online? Since May 2006
Which, if any, other writing challenges do you participate in? I participate in Nanowrimo, though I have yet to finish
Describe one way in which you could improve your writing. I need to keep at it -- both in beginning new pieces and refining/editing the ones I've done
What is the best writing advice you’ve ever been given? "Writers write."
Who is your favorite author? Robert B. Parker, William Goldman
How do you make time to write? I am a writer by trade, so I'm always at the keyboard. I do these Trifecta challenges between the raindrops when I'm working. They give me an opportunity to write without having to sell something!
Give us one word we should consider using as a prompt. Straight
Direct us to one blog post of yours that we shouldn't miss reading. No. I won't. Instead I'll refer you to The 30 Days of Honesty posts I did as part of an online challenge in 2010. Considering how quickly I whipped them out, they reflect pretty well on me as both a woman and a writer.

Trifecta

2012-02-28T11:28:00.000-06:00

This week's challenge: Use the third definition in no less than 33 and no more than 333 words. Have fun. This week's word is wretched.

1: deeply afflicted, dejected, or distressed in body or mind

2: extremely or deplorably bad or distressing

3: being or appearing mean, miserable, or contemptible

Itwas only a little after 4:00 PM, but it was already dark as night when Margaretexited through the revolving doors and found herself on windy Michigan Avenue.She reflexively clutched the collar of her full-length mink. This coat attractedmany compliments from strangers on the street, as well as the occasionalraspberry from silly animal rights activists, but its beauty isn’t why she valued it. Over the years it had proven to be a terrific investment– still toasty warm and she’d only had to have the shoulders altered a bit tokeep it fashionable. Also, she learned cabbies were quicker to pick her up whenshe was swathed in fur.

Atthe corner cabstand she saw that same homeless man, leaning as always on arailing, rattling spare change in an orange and blue Bears mug. “Your kindnesswill not be forgotten,” he said to each sap who deposited a coin or two. Eventhough it was too dark just now for her to see them, Margaret knew fromcountless previous encounters that his eyes were rheumy and she was certain hecouldn’t even see who he was thanking or what they had given him. The“kindness” for which the wretched old man was so gratefulcould be bottle caps. He annoyed her. If he wouldn’t get his damn eyes fixedand couldn’t get a job, couldn’t he at least find a spot in a publicly fundedshelter and stay out of sight until his sad, sickly life ended? The presence ofbeggars lowered the prestige of the office building she paid very high rent tobe in.

Sliding into her cab, she saw a pair of merry shoppers practicallysprain themselves, patting themselves on the backs for putting bills into his mug.Yes, so it’s Christmas Eve, so what? Does that mean suddenly tonight he won’twaste their hard-earned money on smokes and booze and drugs?

Santorum's take on Church and State makes ME want to throw up

2012-02-27T17:10:00.000-06:00

Over the weekend, Rick Santorum ragged on John Fitzgerald Kennedy and how he handled "The Catholic Question" back in 1960. According to Mr. Santorum, JFK said that people of faith "have no role in the public square. You bet that makes you throw up. What kind of country do we live that says only people of non-faith can come into the public square and make their case. That makes me throw up.”

It's obvious to me that Mr. Santorum never read Kennedy's remarks. I have. They are wise and measured and profound. I will repeat them at the end of this post. And if Santorum is serious in his disagreement with JFK, then I think I'd like Pope Benedict to appear alongside him at the next GOP debate. After all, the Vatican seems to be where Santorum will be getting his guidance, not our Constitution.

I believe in an America where the separation of church and state is absolute, where no Catholic prelate would tell the president (should he be Catholic) how to act, and no Protestant minister would tell his parishioners for whom to vote; where no church or church school is granted any public funds or political preference; and where no man is denied public office merely because his religion differs from the president who might appoint him or the people who might elect him.

I believe in an America that is officially neither Catholic, Protestant nor Jewish; where no public official either requests or accepts instructions on public policy from the Pope, the National Council of Churches or any other ecclesiastical source; where no religious body seeks to impose its will directly or indirectly upon the general populace or the public acts of its officials; and where religious liberty is so indivisible that an act against one church is treated as an act against all.

For while this year it may be a Catholic against whom the finger of suspicion is pointed, in other years it has been, and may someday be again, a Jew — or a Quaker or a Unitarian or a Baptist. It was Virginia’s harassment of Baptist preachers, for example, that helped lead to Jefferson’s statute of religious freedom. Today I may be the victim, but tomorrow it may be you — until the whole fabric of our harmonious society is ripped at a time of great national peril.

John and Robert Kennedy both spoke so beautifully, even when they were talking off the cuff, and used exquisite grammar. Even if I didn't agree with their content (though I almost always did), they were a pleasure to listen to. (She said, ending a sentence with a preposition.)

This Dog Has His Day

2012-02-27T16:38:00.002-06:00

Yes, The Artist was a wonderful movie. And yes, Jean DuJardin was a charming and compelling leading man. But for me, the movie (and therefore its Best Picture Oscar) belongs to Uggy. I was so happy to see him included in the celebrations during last night's Oscar telecast.

I heard that, since Uggy is now 10 years old, he may be retiring from long-format film and TV work and will just concentrate on commercials from now on. If that's true, I'm happy see he went out on top.

I LOVE that dog!

Sunday Stealing

2012-02-26T05:36:00.000-06:00

Sunday Stealing: The Scottish Meme

Cheers to all of us thieves!

1. Where are you from and where do you live now? "I am Chicago bred and Chicago born. And when I die, it'll be a Chicagoan gone."

2. Favorite childhood story/book/film? Book: The Little Leftover Witch by Florence Laughlin; Movie: Mary Poppins

3. If you could change gender for a day what would you do? Wow. I have always wondered how it would be to get dressed with an upfront package, but I could get the answer to that in just a short time. Do I really have to be a guy for a full 24 hours?

4. Do you feel you family is complete or would you like more/some children? If by "family" you mean "household," then I feel very complete. At 54, I'm not prepared to care for a baby!

5. What do you do/Where do you work and do you enjoy it? I am an advertising writer. And yes, for the most part, I do enjoy it.

6. Which three words do you think sum you up? Loyal Cub fan

7. If you were a fairy what magical powers would you possess? Remember how Mary Poppins could straighten up the kids' playroom simply by snapping her fingers? I'd like to be able to adopt that approach to housework.

8. If you were invisible, where would you go and what would you do? Why? I'd make my way into all those rooms where I wished I was "a fly on the wall." Why? So I could eavesdrop, of course!

9. What song can’t you listen to without crying? "Have I Told You Lately that I Love You"

10. Which book changed your life – or at least made you think a lot? Saving Graces by Elizabeth Edwards

11. Why do you blog? To create a snapshot of how my life looks at a given moment.

12. What is your top ‘me-time’ tip? First, insist on getting your "me-time!"

13. What can’t you live without? This "me-time" you speak of.

14. Which of all your blog posts are you most proud of and why? This one! It's my 4,190th. (No shit.)

15. Have you ever met a famous person? Who and where? I kissed Bruce Springsteen. Yes, it was very exciting. I have told this story soooo many times. If you still need details, here you go.

16. When did you last have a full nights sleep? Uninterrupted? About a week ago. I'm not good at sleeping.

17. What would you think is harder: Going to work or staying at home with children? I am not the one to ask.

18. What are you doing for Easter? Whatever my mom and kid sister decide I'm doing. I stay out of the planning of these events.

19. What is your favorite drink? Classic Coke.

20. Do you play any sports? Not well.

21. What is your most embarrassing moment? Oh, there are so many. I am such a klutz!

22. How clever are you? I'm pretty clever.

23. Name a new favorite TV show? NCIS

24. Any guilty pleasures? Nancy Grace

25. If you could have chosen your own name, what would it be? Julia, so I could be Julie as a younger person and then evolve into Julia as an older one\

26. Who do you most admire in life, and why?My all-time idol is Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis because of her exquisite self-control and indomitable spirit. According to Amazon, there are more than 800 books about her, and yet she remains an enigma. Since I wear my heart on my sleeve and am about as mysterious as a glass of water, I wish I could be more like her.

27. What is your most treasured possession? I am very attached to the snow globe I got from my best friend

28. Tell your favorite funny joke… A grandmother is watching her grandson playing on the beach. A huge wave comes and takes him out to sea. She pleads, "Please, God, save my only grandson. I will live a blameless life if only you return him to me. I beg of you, bring him back." And a big wave washes the boy back onto the beach, good as new. She looks up to Heaven and says, "He had a hat."

29. What is your biggest fear in life? Being dependent and unable to care for myself

30. What is your favorite flavor of ice cream? What does it remind you of? Mint chocolate chip. Um ... it doesn't really remind me of anything. Sorry.

The time approaches!

2012-02-25T19:17:00.001-06:00

My annual spa getaway (like the professional baseball season) is little over a month away. I am returning to Colonial Williamsburg and this past week I booked my spa services.

Day 1 -- Advanced Alpha Hydroxy Facial to "soothe, replenish, and firm dehydrated or sensitive skin." Then a Longevity Pedicure, which is supposed to last and last.

Day 2 -- My "historically-inspired" spa day. As the website says: "Colonial Herbal Spa Experience. This wonderful spa experience begins with a warm and soothing aromatic foot bath inspired by a historic herbal recipe from Toilet de Flora. Next, our delightful orange and ginger body scrub softens the skin and invigorates the senses. Historically, orange and ginger were imported and used in the apothecary for a variety of remedies. This recipe of yesterday has been carefully re-created in a modern way. A warm wrap follows the scrub to encourage increased circulation and ease muscle tension. This memorably luxurious experience finishes with a Williamsburg Massage using 18th-century-inspired oil."

Day 3 -- A 90-minute hot stone massage.

I've booked each of these sessions for about 3:00 so I can get plenty of sight seeing and shopping in before my daily pampering.

If you're jealous of me, I understand.

Saturday 9

2012-02-25T08:20:00.001-06:00

Saturday 9: Da Ya Think I'm Sexy

1. When do you feel that you are at your sexiest? In my mid 30s. I was proud of my body and I was in love with a good man.

2. What's your favorite magazine? Why? I read alot and I still subscribe to a lot of magazines, but I'm always happiest when Allure arrives. It covers health and beauty and lotions and potions and I'm fascinated by this stuff. But Allure writes about it from a consumer standpoint, with the emphasis on what works and what doesn't, so we can separate the hype from the reality.

3. What’s something you do more quickly than most people? Write. Both composition and typing come easily to me.

4. When do you first remember using a computer? I remember what it looked like, but not my very first experience.

5. Who is the craziest person in your family? My older sister. Her grasp of reality is tenuous at best.

6. What one thing are you craving today? Tee hee. What I always crave on weekend mornings. Alas, I'm not in a relationship.

7. What is your favorite thing to spend money on? PURSES!

8. What’s the part of your morning you least look forward to every day? Fighting with my cat, Reynaldo. He seems to feel that it's up to him when I get up and when he gets fed, and I disagree. I am, after all, the one with opposing thumbs so I always win. But he puts up a good fight. For example, this morning he successfully gained my attention by knocking a brand-new box of cereal off the top of the refrigerator and into his water bowl. This soaked the box, ruined the cereal, and made quite a mess. GOOD MORNING!

9. What are some rules you have for yourself that don’t really make much sense? I can be a very messy housekeeper, but my TOWELS ALWAYS MATCH. I get very upset if they don't. I know it doesn't really matter and I don't know why it's so important to me, but it is.

Friends Update

2012-02-25T08:00:00.002-06:00

No, not Ross and Rachel and Phoebe. MY friends. I have received eagerly-awaited news on these three, and I'm happy to report their futures are so bright, I've got to wear shades!

My best friend managed to tie himself in knots over his annual performance review, certain that his bosses were underwhelmed by his efforts. I'm happy to report that instead he got high marks. My favorite comment was that he is "nimble," a reflection on his ability to jump from client to client, project to project. This is not something he thought he would be able to do, and now he's doing it well.

My oldest friend had a job interview yesterday for a position at a doctors' office. She thinks it went well, and even if she doesn't get the job, she's expanded her thinking. She moved to Los Angeles for a job in a massive, world-famous hospital, but it didn't go well. I asked why she hasn't been pursuing work for a private practice, which is what she did so well here, and her reply was that the doctors don't tend to post on positions online. In a nice turn of events, she's taking my advice and cold calling doctors' offices and working with a recruiter (it was a recruiter that got her this interview). She's more likely to get a job that suits her this way. She needs some good news, and I'm glad she's moving in this direction.

My friend in Key West is getting nibbles at his resume, too. He really wants a specific position in Portland, and he found out he's still in the running. This is good news because he hates his underpaying job down there in Key West, and with the economy as it is, he knows he has to relocate is he wants to continue teaching at the college level. What has caused me worry is his lover. For he is the one who wanted so desperately to move to Key West in the first place, and he has consistently grown in his career down there -- transitioning from waiter to bartender to restaurant management. I was afraid that my friend and his lover were going to experience tension in their home life as they decided whether or not to move. I'm happy to report that they are on the same page about this next chapter in their lives! His partner is only concerned that the move be worth it financially, since relocating can be very expensive. (I wish my oldest friend had been as wise about her own move.) The important thing to me, though, is that they are are strong and supportive as a couple. I'm glad that, after 20+ years, they are still in love and committed to one another. My friend deserves nothing less!

Me and my temper

2012-02-25T00:03:00.001-06:00

I get angry easily, and it's not a good thing. I can be sharp tongued and hot headed and I hurt people, including myself. I am not proud of this, and I battle it.

Which is why I surprised by how last night's therapy session went. I told my doctor how angry I still am about what happened with Kathy, expecting her to help me work through it, dismiss it. Instead, she said, "Of course you're angry. That sounds awful!"

Along with the anger comes a big dollop of hurt. This time, my anger is a healthy reaction to someone exploiting my vulnerability. It means I have the impulse to protect myself, that I know I don't deserve such treatment.

Who knew?

A whole month!

2012-02-24T23:41:00.001-06:00

As February draws to a close I'm finally beginning to trust what's happening: my least favorite coworker, T he Chocolate-Covered Spider, is changing toward me.

Instead of going over my every written word with a fine-tooth comb, looking for (and delighting in finding) errors, she just glances and makes helpful (!) suggestions (as opposed to dictates). She has come by my office to tell me that one of her daughter's dolls reminded her of me, and she showed me the photo she took on her cell to prove it. She told me about her vacation and apologized for not bringing back souvenirs (I always bring back trinkets for the team, but I don't expect anyone else to).

It's pleasant, and sure beats the hell out of dreading every encounter with her.

I'm a little embarrassed, though, for her about-face happened right after her half-day (literally, she was behind closed doors with her boss for close to three hours) performance evaluation. Since her behavior has only changed toward me, it's obvious that her boss busted her for her responsibility for the friction between us. It's almost mortifying to imagine him saying, "Now you make nice with The Gal."

Tom, who works with both of us, says that this is an example of how the review system is supposed to work: an employee receives input, recognizes the validity of it, and improves. He says this is a good thing. I wish I could trust it.

Thursday Thirteen #160

2012-02-22T20:30:00.000-06:00

THIRTEEN OSCAR WINNING SONGS

As we wait to see which song will be honored as Best Song of 2011, here are 13 songs that have not only won the Oscar but have stood the test of time. I guarantee that at least one of these will work it's way into your brain ...

1) Just the Way You Look Tonight. "Lovely, never ever change. Keep that breathless charm. Won't you please arrange it because I love you ... just the way you look tonight." Swing Time. 1936.

2) Over the Rainbow. "If happy little bluebirds fly beyond the rainbow, why, oh why can't I?" The Wizard of Oz. 1939

3) When You Wish Upon a Star. "When you wish upon a star, makes no difference who you are. Anything your heart desires will come to you." Pinocchio. 1940

4) White Christmas. "May your days be happy and bright, and may all your Christmases be bright." Holiday Inn. 1942.

5) All the Way. "When somebody loves you it's no good unless she loves you all the way ..." Joker's Wild. 1957.

6) Moon River. "Moon River, wider than a mile, I'll be crossing you in style someday." Breakfast at Tiffany's. 1961.

7) Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head. "So I just did me some talking to the sun and I said I didn't like the way he got things done. Sleepin' on the job ..." Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. 1969.

8) The Theme from Shaft. "Who's the black private dick that's a sex machine with all the chicks?" Shaft. 1971.

9) The Way We Were. "So it's the laughter we will remember, whenever we remember the way we were." The Way We Were. 1973.

10) Evergeen. "You and I will make each night a first, every day a beginning ..." A Star Is Born. 1976

11) I Just Called to Say I Love You. "I just called to say how much I care. I just called to say I love you, and I mean it from the bottom of my heart." The Woman in Red. 1984.

12) Can You Feel the Love Tonight? "It's enough to make kings and vagabonds believe the very best." The Lion King. 1994.

13) Lose Yourself. "You better lose yourself in the music, the moment, you own it, you better never let it go." 8 Mile. 2002.

For more information about the Thursday Thirteen,

or to play yourself, click here.

WWW Wednesday

2012-02-22T11:52:00.001-06:00

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

1) What are you currently reading?
2) What did you recently finish reading?
3) What do you think you’ll read next?

1) Star, by Peter Biskind. It's a fascinating, compulsively readable biography of Warren Beatty. There's a lot about moviemaking, even more about women. As I wind toward the end, I wonder if his career really deserves such an exhaustive study. He's only made 22 movies (compared to about 40 for his contemporary and chief competitor, Robert Redford), and really only about 6 were important. Though granted, Bonnie and Clyde is one of the great, influential American films. Instead I think Biskind named the book Star for a reason, for it's about how Beatty leveraged power and persona that played a bigger part in his career than his actual work.

2) MWF Seeking Same by Rachel Bertsche. I didn't finish this book, but alas, I am done with it. This began as a magazine article and, in my humble opinion, that's how it should have stayed. The premise is charming. A newly wed moves to Chicago and wants to find a new BFF. The author claims this is hard to do once you're out of the dorm. But expanding the story to book length doesn't enhance it. There's a sameness to her "friend dates." Plus, as the book wore on, I realized I didn't really like Rachel that much. So I ditched it and moved on.

3) LA Mental by Neil McMahon. A psychological thriller set in Los Angeles. According to the foreword, James Patterson loved it, so I know what to expect -- a literary candy bar that's plenty of fun while it lasts. All the studio politics, the on-set clashes and the sexual sturm und drang of Beatty makes me long for some mindless literary empty calories.

I Want Wednesday

2012-02-22T10:42:00.001-06:00

I want to go back. Like a lot of people, I have been listening to Whitney Houston again for the first time in years. Literally. I bought and enjoyed her last CD, but it's not like she's forever in my headphones, the way her sister divas Barbra Streisand and Diana Ross are.

As I listen to "Didn't We Almost Have It All?" and "Saving All My Love for You," I am touched not so much by how fabulous Whitney's voice was (though it was), but how energetic and hopeful I was when these songs were popular. I don't so much long for Whitney -- after all, these songs are forever -- as I do my youth, which, alas, is gone forever.

The Queen's Meme

2012-02-21T14:04:00.000-06:00

The Household Meme

1. How many gravy boats do you have in your kitchen? That would be none. (Hey, this meme is gonna be easy!)

2. Do the clothes in your laundry basket need ironing? No, just laundering.

3. What is the last thing you wallpapered? I'm not crazy about wallpaper. When I moved in to my current home, I had the paper in the kitchen removed. Does that count?

4. Wooden floors or carpet? Carpet. Though when I get enough money ahead, that will change to wood again.

5. Why do we put out guest towels if no one is supposed to use them? In my case, I guess the more relevant question would be, "why do I have guest towels when I so seldom have guests?"

6. If your spatula could talk, what would it say about your duvet? Nothing positive, that's for sure!

7. Have you replaced the batteries in your smoke alarms this year? "No," she said, hanging her head in shame.

President's' Day Meme

2012-02-20T22:27:00.000-06:00

Taken from Ms. Kwiz

1. Can you name the American Presidents we are honoring? Bonus: Any idea when their real birthdays are? Hel-lo! I lived my whole life in Illinois, the Land of Lincoln. We are celebrating honest Abe (our favorite son, though born in KY on 2/12) and George Washington, Father of our Country, born on 2/22.

2. Why do you suppose car sales are an important aspect of our President's Day observations in the U.S.? Because car sales have been a huge component of our economy since the days of Henry Ford. But I've noticed white sales are a bigger deal on Presidents' Day. I have no idea why.

3. Have you ever been President of a club or organization? How did that feel? Nope. I have never even run for anything.

4. If you could have dinner with any President of the United States no longer living, who would it be? Any particular questions you would like to ask? (Mr. Lincoln. Of course. I'd love to just hear him speak. Such eloquence, such heart. Have you ever read his Farewell Address, given off the cuff when he left Illinois for the last time? It's beautiful and wise. I also would love to ask him about the Reconstruction. Like JFK with Viet Nam, the tantalizing what-would-have-been is how Lincoln would have/could have brought us together. And then there's the Mrs. I have always found Mary Lincoln a very moving character.

5. On a more serious note, what are the qualities you hope for in our next President? I long to inspired by a President the way JFK and FDR rallied us. I want a Commander in Chief who touches what Lincoln (Abe, again!) referred to as "the better angels of our nature."

Fish gotta swim, birds gotta fly ...

2012-02-20T21:19:00.002-06:00

I'm watching the PBS American Experience documentary about Bill Clinton and I find myself smiling. I know who he is, I know how he is. I know what he risked and what he sacrificed for nothing more important than a piece of tail. I have no illusions. And yet ...

I believe in him. I did then. I do now. I remain proud of the work I did on those campaigns.

Watch Clinton Extended Preview on PBS. See more from American Experience.

Wa-HOO!

2012-02-20T16:14:00.000-06:00

My federal tax refund will be just under $4000. Half of that will go for my mom's 2013 Medicare Part B. Knowing that it is already taken care of is such a relief. The rest will be split between my upcoming vacation and ongoing credit card debt. The state refund will go to pay for the tax preparation.

I am a happy gal.

Trifecta

2012-02-20T10:35:00.000-06:00

This week's challenge: Use the third definition exactly as it appears below and weave it into a stunning work of art of between 33 and 333 words.

fool noun \ˈfül\

1 : a person lacking in judgment or prudence

2 a : a retainer formerly kept in great households to provide casual entertainment and commonly dressed in motley with cap, bells, and bauble

b : one who is victimized or made to appear foolish : dupe

3 a : a harmlessly deranged person or one lacking in common powers of understanding

I was stuck next to our coats. She wasopposite me, having slid into the booth beside my husband.

I appraised her with an experiencedeye: mid-30s, pert breasts, tight ringlets. I almost said, “1985 wants its hairback,” but that was trite and besides, I was tired.

Poodle Perm touched his hard bicep.“How does he bathe his wings in hot sauce and still stay in this shape?” Herfinger lingers in an intimate, possessive gesture. But I don’t think they’vehad sex yet. Probably just a Clintonian moment in the front seat of our car.

I was going to ask how she knew we’d behere tonight, but I realize he told her. He wanted this confrontation. He'senjoying it.

They both work at the airport. He’s abaggage handler, she’s a secretary. Oh, the tales she told me about my mate ofmore than 25 years. In the breakroom, his favorite song came on and he starteddancing with such abandon he didn’t realize he was in front of the dartboard!Lucky she pulled him out of the way! He called her from the runway but by thetime she picked up, he forgot what he wanted to ask her. So he stammered andthen sang, “I just called to say I love you, I just called to say how much Icare.” He often sneaks offsight for beers, and she lowers her voice as she explainshow she takes care of his timecard for him.

“Honey,” I almost say, “I know he’shigh maintenance. I work a 70-hour week to support this functioning alcoholicso he can waste his pay on booze and blow. By the time I get home he’sencouraging our son to join him, farting around on Facebook, ignoring hishomework and disregarding me as a workaday drudge. If you think you can handlemy husband, you’re welcome to him. You may be enchanted by a boyish fool, but Ilive the corrosive reality.”

Only words

2012-02-20T07:55:00.000-06:00

My best friend is an interesting case in that he speaks fluidly and expansively but he simply cannot write. Something happens when he takes pen in hand or places his fingers on the home row: He freezes.

So this is a tough time of year for him, for he has to complete his annual performance self-assessment. He is certain that "they" are unhappy with how he handles his clients on a day-to-day basis and maintains that his last review was "horrible." (It wasn't; he asked me to read it and it wasn't that negative. It just smacked of bosses looking for a reason not to give him much of a salary increase.)

Anyway, he turned to me for help. Which is goofy because I haven't worked in double harness with him for years. But on the other hand, I used to be a boss so this is a language that comes easily to me. So I trotted out all those phrases. Here's my favorite: "My creative/critical thinking allows me to successfully identify problems that can have long-range implications for deadlines and budgets, which reduces the need for crisis management."

HR reps and bosses lap that language up like a kitten with a saucer of milk, because it gives back to them all the crap phrase they give their employees. But the question becomes: What's the value? It's purely a word game. If I can write the review for someone who works for a company I have never stepped foot into, how valid is this process? This looking over the past four quarters, recalling our triumphs and searching our souls for our goals and objectives to help us improve in the future and grow the business is nonsense.

We're all still Tony Manero at the paint store, asking for a raise every week and being thrilled and delighted when the boss unexpectedly comes through. Because we're white collar, we like to pretend it's more sophisticated than that. But it ain't.

I'm reasonably certain this is the one and only time anyone has compared my best friend to John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever. He was upset recently when his two young daughters, discovering Friends through a Nick@Nite marathon, told him they decided nerdy Ross was based on him.

Sunday Stealing

2012-02-19T08:58:00.000-06:00

Sunday Stealing: The 99'er Meme: Final Part

Cheers to all of us thieves!

76) In your opinion, what makes a great relationship? Safety and acceptance.

77) How did/could someone win your heart? Bruce Springsteen won my heart by singing, "Show a little faith, there's magic in the night."

78) In your world, what brings on more creativity? Water. I find I'm frequently more creative after a shower, which is why I think it would serve my coworkers well to make sure I have time for lunchtime workout and subsequent shower. They don't seem to get it and keep scheduling meetings for 11:30 to 12:30.

79) What is the single best decision you have made in your life so far? Back in the days when I was a secretary (before there were "administrative assistants") in a huge corporation, I applied for a position as a copywriter in the internal creative department. I didn't have any training whatsoever, but there was a mid-level executive, one of the few women in the company in that role in those days, who encouraged me. That's when I went from "job" to "career."

80) Why did you break up with your last ex? He moved to Ohio to be nearer his big brother and it just didn't seem worth the long-distance thing.

81) What would you want to be written on your tombstone? The way Wilbur eulogized Charlotte: She was a true friend and a good writer.
82) What is your favorite word? "Gubernatorial." It's fun to say.

83) Give me the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word: delusional. Meds.

84) What is a saying you use a lot? " ... then we'll miss our deadline and Christmas will be cancelled!"

85) Are you watching Idol this season? If yes, how do you like it? I keep forgetting to tune in.
86) Were you surprised that House got canceled? Nope. Never watched a full episode from start to finish.

87) What is your current desktop picture? I've told this story before, and I'll tell it again here:

These two photos take turns on my desktop, revolving from one into the other, telling the story of the day in the life of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis that provides just one example why I admire her so.

These photos were taken the same afternoon, moments apart, in autumn, 1971. The photographer who took the first shot and appears in the second shot is Ron Gallela. He hounded Jackie on a daily basis, dressing up as Santa Claus to shoot her while shopping at Christmastime, hiding in coat racks for photos of her dining and sometimes even smoking (gasp!) with friends, chasing her in a speed boat while she water skied, following her into movie theaters, etc. When her children were young they still had Secret Service protection and she would ask the agents to, "Please smash his camera," and usually they would. It got so bad that in 1972, just months after this incident, she actually took him to court and got a restraining order. I often wonder what would have happened if Princess Diana had been as ballsy as JBKO; perhaps she'd still be with us.

Anyway, Jackie was running a quick errand, crossing Fifth Avenue in front of her apartment building, when Galella sidled up near her and called her name. She reflexively turned and smiled. When she saw who it was, and that this time he had an accomplice with a camera, she simply slipped the dark glasses on (thereby making the subsequent photos he shot worth a little less), kept her face impassive and kept going.

She hated Galella. He was a stalker and he frightened and enraged her. Yet look at her control. Sure, she could have lost her temper with him (Marlon Brando literally punched his teeth out), but that would have given Galella a front-page shot he could have retired on. So she just withdrew into herself and kept going.

I wear my heart on my sleeve. I have a difficult time with my temper, which often hurts no one else as much as it does me.

I hope if I gaze at her long enough and remember the story, some of it will rub off on me. "Remember, Gal, just put on your sunglasses and keep going."

88) If you could press a button and make anyone in the world instantaneously explode, who would it be? Oh, I don't like this question.

89) What would be a question where you'd not tell the truth? "Do you want to get together?" I really like my alone time, and I've learned that people take it personally when I'd rather just sit home "doing nothing" rather than hang out with them. So I lie.

90) One night you wake up because you heard a noise. You turn on the light to find that you are surrounded by WEEPING ANGELS. The Weeping Angles aren't really doing anything, they're just standing around your bed. What would you do? Pray that I wake up from this dream really quick.

91) You accidentally eat some radioactive vegetables. They were good, and what's even cooler is that they endow you with the super-power of your choice! What is that power? I would suddenly burn double calories for every move I make!

92) You can re-live any point of time in your life. The time-span can only be a half-hour, though. What half-hour of your past would you like to experience again? I was really in love with a very nice man. We were staying with his sister and had to share a twin bed. It was very uncomfortable and I woke up because he was holding me soooo tight in his sleep. I realized at that moment how happy I was, how easy it felt.

93) You can erase any horrible experience from your past. What will it be? Something ugly happened to me when I was in high school at the hands of a male relative.

94) You have the opportunity to sleep with the music-celebrity of your choice. (let's say that you are both single and available) Who might it be? See Question #2. The Boss had me at "Thunder Road."

Isn't it nice to see The Big Man again?

95) You just got a free plane ticket to anywhere. You have to depart right now. Where are you gonna go? Boston. I have been thinking about Boston a lot lately.

96) Do you have any relatives or friends in jail? Nope.

97) Who's winning the U.S. Republican presidential nomination? Why? If it's Romney, it's because people are thinking about their wallets. If it's Santorum, it's because Republicans are afraid of anyone who doesn't think exactly like they do.

98) Who's winning the next U.S. Presidential election? I'd like to be sure it's Obama, but I can understand Romney winning. No way will it be Santorum.

99) If the whole world were listening to you right now, what would you say? "The demonizing and polarization in this country is killing us!"

And so it begins

2012-02-19T02:32:00.003-06:00

The pitchers and catchers are all there, and now the position players are starting to arrive at the Cubs training camp in Mesa, AZ.

The new crew -- Theo Epstein, Jed Hoyer and Dale Sveum (who I, for some reason, always want to call "Jeff") -- are emphasizing "The Cubs Way," our blueprint to success in 2012 and beyond. I am hopeful that they're right, of course. But this year is going to be so different from recent seasons gone by that I just want to see how it unfolds.

And, oh, isn't it nice to be thinking about baseball again!

Not a perfect Saturday

2012-02-19T02:17:00.002-06:00

My head hurts. My jaw hurts. I'm grumpy. All I want to do is sleep. Not exactly a delightful day off.

It wasn't all bad, though. While it took several hours in the dentist chair, the endodontist seemed optimistic that she has been able to save my tooth. Yea! And it cost less (or insurance paid more) than anticipated. Double yea! But I'm a little sore. Without the Napoxen, I'd be a lot sore.

The Naproxen combined with the sudafed I'm taking for the sinus infection is taking its toll. I don't feel like myself. And I kinda miss me.

Image: Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Saturday 9

2012-02-18T01:27:00.001-06:00

Saturday 9: I Second That Emotion

1. Do you every solicit advice on your love life? I have. I am very lucky to have a wide circle of friends with diverse life/love experiences.

2. What was the last thing you argued with someone about? It wasn't really an argument. My boss and I disagreed about something I had done. Next time he saw it, I still hadn't edited it (because I didn't want to). He asked, "Are you going to change that headline?" My reply was, "If you make me." It went out as I wrote it.

3. Who do you hate right now? My "friend" Kathy. A real friend wouldn't treat me the way she has.

4. Who do you love right now? Lots of people. I'm lucky that way.

5. Where do you want to be in 6 years? I want to be better off financially, which will require behaving more like a grown up.

6. What is your craziest vice? I have lots of vices, but none are "crazy." They're pretty average.

7. How did you celebrate Valentine's Day? I went to the dermatologist for dermabrasion. You're jealous, aren't you?

8. What is your most unique or fondest memory of a special Valentine's Day? A man I was in love with gave me a souvenir mug and a tin of hot chocolate. Less than a month earlier, he had nursed me through a bout of the flu with TLC and hot chocolate, so it was his way of reminding me to take good care of myself when he wasn't around.

9. Were you in the same location five years ago that you are today? Would you have expected to be? Yes. Yes.

Trifecta

2012-02-17T20:02:00.000-06:00

The weekend challenge: Take a famous story, poem, book, or fable, and retell it in exactly 33 words.

The Titanic

An early and tragic testament to the Power of The 1%. Only25% of the third class passengers who board the ship just before noon on April10, 1912, will survive the ride.

I invited her in ...

2012-02-17T08:51:00.000-06:00

I'm still angry and sad about last Saturday's hostile exchange with Kathy. And, unfortunately for my readers, this is where I come to work shit out. I write. It's what I do.

As I reflect on my 30 year friendship with Kathy, it feels a little like the 90s movie Single White Female. Allie advertises for a roommate and finds Hedy. At first they get along well. Then Hedy cuts her hair like Allie, starts dressing like Allie, insinuates herself into Allie's career and sleeps with Allie's boyfriend. I know this comparison is unflattering and unfair to Kathy, but right now, that's how it feels.

I suspect Kathy is really angry at me because my life doesn't work as well for her as it does for me.

Example 1: Ever since I left home, I have lived in this same village. It borders Chicago, which makes my commute to the city very easy. It's racially diverse, supports three libraries, and I have a shopping district and a 7-screen movie theater within walking distance. It has always felt like home.

When Kathy and I first met, I was in my mid-20s and she was a newly-single working mom in her mid-30s. Her teenaged kids remained with her ex in the far western. very Republican/homogenous suburb they grew up in while she moved to a garden apartment in the city. She loved teasing me about how suburban I am, how long I had lived in the same town, how that sort of thing just isn't for her. I tried to explain to her that the town I live in is much more progressive and livable than realized. No, no, she said, always with a smile. She's more of a free spirit than I am, she craves more diversity of experience. She's done with burbs and was now a city girl, through and through. Small town life as I lived is simply not for her.

Then guess what. She not only moved to my town but onto my very street! Just one of those "Kathy things," she said.

Example 2: In the 1990s, after a heartbreaking break-up, I decided to go through training and officially join the church I'd been attending. It felt like the right thing to do. I wanted to make a commitment, to myself and to God, after all the comfort the church provided me when I needed it. I feel comforted and fortified by the congregations emphasis on "Glory to God and service to man." Kathy used to tell me that this sort of thing is OK for me, but she is so much less conventional than I am. To hear her tell it, this Gal requires structure and a patriarchal view of God and religion, but her spiritual life is more creative and more imaginative. She tweaked me about it for nearly a decade -- I remember because she wasn't sure she wanted to go to the 9/11 community prayer service with me right after the attack on the Twin Towers.

Then guess what. I read in the bulletin that she was one of our new congregants. This time she was actually embarrassed when she told me it was one of those "Kathy things," she said. So now she's on my street and in my church -- two of the places she made fun of me for being. She also started going to my dentist (who she took forever to pay) and my accountant.

Example 3: When we met in the 1980s, we were both in-house writers for the same major midwestern company. I left first and found, once I got away from that first job, that my interest turned from hard partying to working hard. I won a couple of awards and found that the encouragement gave me confidence. To my own surprise, I found I had leadership abilities and presentation skills, too. I began my career ascent, developing areas of expertise that would make me more marketable in a competitive industry. Kathy took a different path. She went out on her own as a free-lancer. Saying that she's just a freer, more adventurous spirit than I am. I tried to be supportive. When I had my wisdom teeth removed, I recommended Kathy sub for me over 3 days. It didn't work out. I don't know what happened, exactly, (after all, I was home with stitches in my jaw) but Kathy had a hard time conforming and taking input/revisions. After two days my account team told here they didn't need her anymore, and then asked me to come in on Friday, chubby cheeks and all.

Kathy told me there were no hard feelings, but there were. This was when the digs began. Working in a constrictive agency setting is OK for me, but Kathy sees herself as a free spirit, hungry for a variety of clients and work experiences that my place of employment just doesn't provide.

Then guess what. Kathy's free-lance business went under as my star rose. She wanted to be a staff writer again, perhaps at an agency. Instead of asking me to review her resume, she asked to see mine. Remember that: She asked to see mine. Her response to it was bracing. Perhaps my approach is OK for someone like ME, who is all ambitious and wants to make a six-figure salary, but Kathy is an artist, after all. She writes because she loves writing. She was implying that I was a crass sell-out. I was very hurt by this.

Example 4: Our careers then took us down different roads. Once I got the title of creative director, I realized I didn't want it. I don't have a college degree and, as I said, began my career without any serious aspirations, so I wanted to see if I could do it. If I could reach that goal. I was in that role for about three years and found myself completely burned out. I needed time to think and reassess. I got very, very lucky. The agency I was working for needed to make deep, deep cuts and when asked who on my team I thought should go, I said "me" and they bought it! I laid myself off and got a sweet severance package, generous enough to enable me to pay for COBRA. I also had enough connections that I was able to cobble together free-lance assignments and keep the wolf away from the door for a year and a half, until I decided what I wanted to do. (That's how I ended up in this job.)

By now Kathy was in real estate. Agents are independent contractors and again, she didn't have benefits. She and I were both having "woman problems" at that time. I had painful uterine fibroids, with bleeding so heavy and constant my doctor told me I was in danger of becoming anemic. I had a uterine fibroid embolization (UFE), a successful and comparatively non-invasive procedure that worked like a charm. I knew Kathy was struggling in her real estate business so I asked her if she'd cover for me with my free-lance writing clients. After all, she'd been a writer herself almost as long as I had, and all she'd have to do is make any required edits and pass them along to the art director.

She never found out the cause of her pains and bleeding. I suspect it was because she didn't have insurance. Anyway, she actually advised not to get the UFE, saying that she would never just run to the doctor with every malady like I do and become a puppet of the male medical establishment, like I was. I was furious. I told her this was the time I needed her support, not judgement. And, to be fair, she did cover for me without taking a cent and gave me a deck of playing cards to keep me amused during my short recuperation. But this was an important foreshadowing of last Saturday.

Example 5: I have always lived with cats, from the time I was a little girl. My big old tub of guts, Joey, is sitting beside me as I write this. I love animals and I have a way with them. They not only make me happy, I believe that because I have a natural affinity for them, it's my duty to give forever homes to as many as I can, as often as I can.

Kathy always teased me about this, too. It's OK for me to have cats, but she's really a dog person (like I don't love dogs? Really?) and besides, she's too free to be held down by the responsibility of pets. Besides, unlike me, she had children, remember? She gets her fill of nurturing in that way.

Then guess what. She got two kittens. Before they were very old, Kathy found herself over 60 and financially busted. She lost her apartment and had to move in with her adult daughter. Her daughter refused to let her bring the cats. By now I was getting sick of Kathy's lack of responsibility, but my biggest concern was those cats. Pets are like corks on the water, they just bob along where the tides and our lives take them. Why should they suffer?

So I called all the vets and animal shelters I'd had contact with over the years and found one, near my mother's house a few towns over, that was very sympathetic to Kathy's plight. They agreed to "foster" her cats, keep them together in the same cage, until she got herself together and could afford to reclaim them. They charged her nothing for this, but they did expect her to do volunteer work.

The cats had a dormant virus in their systems and, after a few weeks, the stress of being in the shelter environment made them sick. Bobbie, the shelter manager, wanted to protect the other cats in her care and put Kathy's cats down right away. But she was sensitive to how much Kathy loved them so she called and asked her if she wanted to say goodbye to them. Bobbie moved them to an animal hospital, where they were kept alive on fluids for days, waiting to hear from Kathy. According to Kathy, she never got Bobbie's message -- her daughter took the call but didn't think it was that important and forgot about it. They died before Kathy could see them, but not before running up a sizable vet bill. I found out Saturday that she never worked it off. The shelter is too far away and it was just too difficult, geographically and emotionally.

Example 6: John. I met John first, back in 1981, and he introduced Kathy and me. John is a character, a very dear friend, who has always just taken me as I am. We both love celebrity gossip and music and movies. We both fall for the wrong men. We both like to party. We're good and enduring buds.

Kathy and John have been friends almost as long but nowhere near as smoothly. For Kathy is in love with John. Never mind that he's gay and 8 years her junior. She actually tried to seduce him once in her car, begging him to kiss her. ("It was such a kiss!" she told me.) She believes that his homosexuality is a choice, that they share a bond that transcends conventional ideas of gender roles, and she wants him. She also wants him to stop partying and is very vocal about it.

John believes he is who is he, and that while he loves Kathy as a friend, he has no interest in her sexually. None. This puts a strain on their relationship.

Now that she lives out in the faraway burbs with her daughter, Kathy has few opportunities to see John. He and I see and email and talk all the time. We're part of one another's lives. (Who else could I discuss Nancy Grace's sudden Whitney Houston obsession with?)

I think that's what set her off last Saturday. I reminded him about the book I lent him and he commented on my new hair streaks and that I was wearing pink (a color not prominent in my wardrobe) she seemed to feel left out. John and I are both in our 50s, she's 65, I promise you we weren't playing "Mean Girls" and trying to exclude her.

MY TOWN. MY JOB. MY CHURCH. MY HEALTH INSURANCE. MY HOME. MY CATS. MY FRIENDSHIP WITH JOHN. I think she just envies my life. And I'm tired of it.

Especially because it's not real! I have been very honest on this blog. My life is not perfect. I have my struggles, faults, fears and foibles. But I am responsible for myself and I built this life. Just as Kathy made her choices, and now she has to deal with them. And if seeing my life fills her with such envy that she can't behave well, then she can't be in my life.

I'm no longer Allie to her Hedy.

Enough!

2012-02-17T06:15:00.000-06:00

Saw American Idiot last night and I loved the music. But oh, my, all those strobes! The flashing actually hurt my head. I blame it on my sinus infection. Or maybe it's just my advanced years.

So tired!

2012-02-16T16:44:00.000-06:00

We have been busy at work this week. Yea! While I miss being able to work out (here it is Thursday and I've only managed to get to the health club once), I find this pace comforting. Having a big, important project is a good thing in this economy!

But this ear trouble has been interrupting my sleep, and now the sudafed to treat it is doing the same, but more so. I'm meeting a friend for dinner and a show tonight and I just know I'll be freaking exhausted by the time I get home tonight.

I just may take tomorrow off. My boss is presenting our work tomorrow himself (well, la-de-dah!) and I don't think that the skeleton team that stays behind will need me. I could use some sleep. If it was acceptable, I'd lay my head down right now.

Image: africa / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Thursday Thirteen #159

2012-02-15T20:30:00.000-06:00

THIRTEEN FACTS ABOUT OSCAR'S BEST ACTOR

As we wait to see which actor will take home the award for Best Actor of 2011, let's look at some trivia about nominees and winners in years gone by.

Starting on the small screen doesn't mean you won't get a crack at Oscar gold. Here are 13 past Best Actor nominees who first did well on TV:

1) George Clooney (nominated in 2011, 2009, 2007) has a long TV resume, featuring shows as diverse as The Facts of Life, Roseanne and, most famously, ER.

2) Johnny Depp (nominated in 2003, 2004, 2007) was on 21 Jump Street.

3) Leonardo DiCaprio (nominated in 2006 and 2004) had a supporting role on Growing Pains.

4) Denzel Washington (winner in 2001, nominated in 1999 and 1992) was a doctor on Chicago Hope.

5) Jamie Foxx (won in 2004) was, of course, on The Jamie Foxx Show and In Living Color.

6) James Franco (nominated in 2010) has had a recurring role on General Hospital.

7) Will Smith (nominated in 2001 and 2006) was once The Fresh Prince of Bel Air.

8) John Travolta (nominated in 1994 and 1977) was a Sweathog on Welcome Back, Kotter.

9) Ryan Gosling (nominated in 2006) was a Mousketeer.

10) Bill Murray (nominated in 2003) was one of the Not Ready for Prime Time Players on Saturday Night Live.

11) Clint Eastwood (nominated in 2004 and 1992) was a cowboy on Rawhide.

12) Woody Harrelson (nominated in 1996) was Woody on Cheers.

13) Tom Hanks was most successful TV actor turned Best Actor of all (nominated in 2000, 1998 and 1988, winner in 1994 and 1993) as well as an art director in drag in Bosom Buddies.

For more information about the Thursday Thirteen,

or to play yourself, click here.

Maybe I should rethink this ...

2012-02-15T19:54:00.000-06:00

I have always believed that if only I was pretty, my life would be easier. Perhaps that's not so true.

On the mend?

2012-02-15T19:13:00.000-06:00

I saw a nurse practitioner this afternoon who tells me my ear looks clear, so the problem is probably an infection deeper in, perhaps my sinuses and/or Eustachian tube. She gave me sudafed and predicted that in a few days, I'll be fine.

I was hoping for a silver bullet, some magic that would suddenly make me well. But I guess that's just not gonna happen.

Oh well. I didn't have to pay a cent for the visit, and I got a flu shot. So I guess this is a good time to take a moment and be grateful for my insurance.

Ear ache, my eye!

2012-02-15T16:17:00.001-06:00

It's been two weeks now that I've been waiting for my right ear to "pop." At night, when I lay on my side, I can actually hear my heart beat through my ear. And it's loud. Like Edgar Allen Poe/tell-tale heart loud. All this has been accompanied by an incipient little headache. So this evening I'm going to the Take Care Clinic at Walgreen's, in search of relief.

Wish me luck!

2,321,400 minutes

2012-02-14T06:48:00.000-06:00

Do you remember that song from Rent? In "Seasons of Love," the cast sings, "525,600 minutes, 525,600 moments so dear, 525,600 minutes, how do you measure a year?"

Well, I did a little math and it's been (approx.) 2,321,400 minutes since Nailah Franklin died in September 2007. Her lover was indicted, arrested and jailed, but as of today there still hasn't been a trial.

I haven't forgotten about Nailah Franklin. I didn't know her at all, but her disappearance touched me. The advertising agency she had recently worked for is located less than a mile from mine and many of her former coworkers were asking my fellow commuters if we had seen her, if we were able to help join in the search. She had good girlfriends in the neighborhood where I live, and I saw flyers featuring pictures of her car and its license plate throughout town. I remember thinking how smart the latter was, since parking spaces are at a premium in this village and an abandoned car taking up space would sure as shit be noticed.

The search did not have a happy ending. Nailah was found dead 10 days later.

One year later, her accused killer -- and former boyfriend -- was facing the death penalty. He sounds like a clever guy because, as near as I can tell, he has managed to use that ultimate penalty as a reason to delay his trial. He burned up months and months saying he wanted to represent himself and needed to time to bring himself up to speed on how to do it. Then he burned up months and months saying he is changing his mind and needs a PD. As I understand it, he now has a public defender but that lawyer needs months and months to prepare for trial.

Tick, tick ... Minutes go by that he has on earth. And Nailah remains, forever, gone.

I am against the death penalty on principal and in practice, and this case helps illustrate why. When the state has the ultimate punishment on the table, of course, we want them to be fair and give the accused every possibility to defend himself. But then delays like this happen, and there's no justice for his victim.

And she is who I care about. So I'm going to close with some of the facts I learned about Nailah Franklin, back when her story was in the news regularly. I know it's Valentine's Day and all, but if you get a moment, say a prayer for this girl. She was much loved and deserves to NOT be forgotten.

Nailah Franklin was one of 5 daughters.

She graduated first from Homewood Flossmoor High School and then the University of Illinois.

She spent 5 years at the prestigious ad agency, Leo Burnett.

She moved to Eli Lilly in 2006 because she believed a sales job would help give her greater control over her finances and career.

She loved "all things Oprah."

She loved clothes and had a terrific sense of fashion.

Her mother told the Tribune that she wondered why Nailah "always seemed to be in such a hurry to live life. I think her spirit knew she had such a short time on this Earth and she had to cram in as much living as possible."

An older sister remembers her "little baby voice that she never grew out of, but she was bold and spirited, headstrong and beautiful."

Her father recalls "an exceptionally smart woman" and says that not a day goes by that he doesn't miss her.

A younger sister smiles when she remembers CD/DVD collection because "it was such a reflection of her -- a combination of old school songs by Luther Vandross and Tae Bo exercise DVDs."

Her youngest sister tried to follow Nailah to Urbana but she wasn't accepted. She treasures Nailah's words of encouragement as she applied to other schools. "When we learned she had died, I considered quitting the nursing program. But I remembered how much she believed in me and I thought it was important to keep going."

She volunteered at the Chicago Urban League.She was eulogized as "not a star, but a superstar."

She was just 28 when she died.

I need a break

2012-02-12T22:28:00.001-06:00

"I'm so glad I never had a hysterectomy." That's what Kathy said to our friend John and me. Over her 65th birthday dinner. After asking us if we knew the address of Lover's Lane because she wants to buy herself a vibrator.

Aside from the fact that I'm really not crazy about eating mashed potatoes with the mental picture of a grandma who wears a knit cap that ties under the chin masturbating, it was a mean comment because she knows I had a TAH (total abdominal hysterectomy) back in September. She wanted to make sure that John and I know she still gets aroused whereas I am just a dried up old crone.

Part of her cruel shot across the bow stems from how she has always felt about John, who is gay. Because John and I have always accepted one another as we are, our relationship is very comfortable, while his and Kathy's is fraught with disappointment and thwarted, one-sided sexual tension.

This has been going since the autumn of 1981. That's more than 30 years. It's tiring.

To make matters worse, Kathy's made some bad choices that left her feeling very competitive with me. When we first met, she was a single mother in her 30s and I was in the wildest phase of my 20s. We were both copywriters and she looked upon me the way people look at puppies who haven't quite grown into their paws yet. "Oh! Look at her antics! Isn't she cute!"

Then, right around my 30th birthday, I began taking myself seriously as an advertising writer. I won a couple of prestigious awards and started looking at each new job as a wrung in the ladder. I wanted a career, not a paycheck. This is the time when she decided to go out on her own, representing herself as a free lancer rather than working for an agency.

I tried to be supportive. When I had to take a few days off to have my wisdom teeth removed, I convinced my boss to hire Kathy as my replacement. It didn't go well. I don't know all the reasons why -- my team just told Kathy she didn't need to come in on Friday and begged me to, instead (swollen jaw and all).

Kathy said there were no hard feelings, but there were. She resented me, or was embarrassed, and that's when the digs began. I was building a niche for myself as a financial writer, and that was fine for ME, but she was too creative. She couldn't be bound by all those restrictions. She was an artist, really, and was happier pursuing her own, more varied clients. OK. Whatever. I wanted to do a good job, and in a very Becky Bloomwood twist, financial writing actually comes easily to me (even if my personal finances don't).

Shortly thereafter, Kathy had to file for bankruptcy. She made an innocent but incredibly costly mistake on her taxes. The IRS didn't penalize her, but they did insist she pay back taxes with interest -- after all, ignorance of the law is not an excuse. She started having painful, menopause-related medical problems then, of course, when she had no insurance.

It was at this time she began teasing me because I have a dentist (whom she went to in an emergency when she was in more than a little pain) and a GP and gyne and a shrink. It's OK for ME to run to the doctor and take medication whenever something bothers me, but she chooses to become more in touch with her own body, listen to it, etc., without becoming a puppet of the medical establishment. I avoid saying, "What you're really saying is that you're pissed that I have insurance and you don't." But it's hard.

So she took a job at a local supermarket. In the bread department. She went in planning just to log enough hours to qualify for insurance. But it turned out to be much more than that. Kathy was in her element. Because by now she was over 50 and a grandmother, she was more mature than a lot of the other checkers and stock people in the store. She was soon a manager, in charge of schedules and new employee orientation, etc. Then she became the store's liaison with the community -- scheduling the charity "shop and share days," making sure that the store was fair to all the Girl and Boy Scout troops when it came to selling out cookies or popcorn out front, giving tours of the store and explaining the value of organics to school children or cooking classes. She was happy and she felt she was contributing.

The store was suddenly under new management, and Kathy had a hard time adjusting. That's when she decided to be her own boss again, so she went into real estate. She lost her group insurance benefits with this move, but she thought that with menopause her health problems were behind her. Besides, real estate was the new dot-com. Property values were rising and buyers were in bidding wars for terrific properties. How could she not succeed?

I showed my faith in her by having her handle my condo purchase. This is my first home and the most expensive thing I have ever -- will ever -- buy. And I was her very first client, her first closing.

Yet she didn't couldn't make that work, either. Unable to pay rent on her own apartment, she's been sleeping in the dining room of her adult daughter's house. (I bet her daughter will be thrilled to hear that vibrator humming in her dining room, huh?) Her daughter wouldn't allow her to bring her two tabby cats along, so I found her a shelter that would "foster" them, free of charge, until she could reclaim them. The cats came down with a virus and died. Because of her tenuous finances, Kathy is unable to repay the shelter for the vet bills her cats ran up. I have kept quiet about this because I know her grief. But there's something crummy about sticking a charity will an expense like that.

So that's how her life looks at 65. And, even though I'm a big fat moo-cow, she still feels the need to compete with me. Lash out at me. It's mean and it's hard to take.

I can't do this anymore for a while.

I'm inspired by this, something I found over at Snarky Pants' ages ago. I'm not going to play with Kathy anymore. Not for a long while.

Sunday Stealing

2012-02-12T02:44:00.001-06:00

Sunday Stealing: The 99'er Meme: Part 3

Cheers to all of us thieves!

51) Do you tend to hold grudges against people who have done you wrong? Yes. If grudge holding was an Olympic event, I'd bring back the Gold.

52) What is your astrological sign? I'm a cusp baby, so whether I'm a Scorpio or Sagittarius depends on where you look.

53) Do you save money for anything? What? Something (albeit not enough) from each paycheck goes for retirement.

54) What's the last thing you purchased? A t-shirt for my nephew.

55) Have you ever had a relationship that you realized was lust not love? Yes. In retrospect, I'm not even sure he and I liked each other.

56) In a relationship? Nope.

57) How many relationships have you had? Three or four of consequence.

58) What do you want to tell us about your day? My friend Kathy gets on my last nerve and sometimes I don't think she's worth it.

59) Where were you yesterday? All over town. It was a busy Saturday. My accountant, my insurance agent, and a birthday celebration for the aforementioned Kathy.

60) Is there anything interesting within 10 feet of you? Alot. My TBR pile of books is within 10 feet.

61) Are you wearing socks right now? No. And my pedi is a mess.

62) What's your favorite animal? Okapi.

63) What is your secret weapon to get someone to like you? Do I have one?

64) Where is your best friend? Denver. He's a frequent subject of this humble blog. I refer to him, creatively enough, as "My Best Friend."

65) How did you end your last relationship end? Badly

66) What is your heritage? I'm a Cub fan

67) What were you doing last night at 12 AM? Watching TV and wishing I could sleep

68) What's new? Whitney Houston died

69) What is the key to seduction? Liking the opposite sex

70) What was the weirdest thing that happened to you this week? My friend Kathy said something that was either insensitive or intentionally cruel. Sometimes I wonder why I bother. She and I have known one another for decades. I'm going to have to think about this and work through this before I do something I may regret later.

71) You are walking down the street on your way to work. There is a dog drowning in the canal on the side of the street. Your boss has told you if you are late one more time you get fired. What do you do? I get fired. Obviously.

72) You are at the doctor’s office and she has just informed you that you have approximately one month to live. a) Do you tell anyone/everyone you are going to die? b) What do you do with your remaining days? c) Would you be afraid? a) Yes b) Whatever I damn well please. c) Of pain? Yes. Of death? Not so much.

73) You can only have one of these things: trust or love. Love

74) What's a song that always makes you happy when you hear it?

75) Who has your cell phone number (other than family)? Friends and coworkers and my dentist's office

FAREWELL, WHITNEY

2012-02-11T21:01:00.003-06:00

"And when you talk, I just watch your mouth." Whitney and me ... the two of spent the 80s dancing around together. Really, the best nights of that decade were accompanied by this peerless voice. This is how I remember her, and whenever I think of those days, this is what flashes into my head.

If only we both knew where life would take us from here.

This is my favorite cut from her last CD (2009). I wish it was true that she "was not built to break."

Valentine's Day Trifecta

2012-02-11T12:16:00.000-06:00

Today's challenge: write a love scene in no fewer than 33 and no more than 333 words.

The only other restriction is that your response cannot use any of the 33 words listed below or any derivation of those words.

This helps me make sure I don't sink into the trite.

I remember the moment I knew. And he wasn’t even there.

I had just gone through the revolving doors, leaving theoffice and crossing the plaza. I slipped my sunglasses on to protect againstthe late afternoon sun. Walkingto the train, my mind was going faster than my feet as I mentally composed the emailI’d send to my coworker as soon as I got home.

He’d been travelling all afternoon, and tonight he’d have aclient dinner, so he couldn’t get the news of my day until he got back to hishotel and logged on late tonight. And I had so much to tell him!

Shopping at lunchtime I spotted thatsuper-durable brand of umbrella he’d been looking for – guaranteed notto turn inside out, even in the worst wind – at Macy’s but the price was steep,about $40. There’s the rampant rumor that our company will soon switch to hisbeloved Dunkin’ Donuts coffee in the cafeteria. Best of all, his faith in mebolstered my confidence. He’ll be so pleased and proud when I tell him I tookhis advice, voiced my suggestions and now I own that Power Pointpresentation.

Went through the turnstyle and boarded the train. One of myfellow commuters was reading Night byElie Wiesel. I remembered him telling me how moving that book was.

It’ll be 6:30 when I get home. That’s only 4:30 in LosAngeles. He’ll still be in meetings so I can’t call. It makes more sense for meto try to remember to get all this down in an email for him to read before hegoes to sleep. But damn, I really want to call him with this stuff.

Then it hit me – who feels such urgency to share such "stuff"with a coworker? Um … that would be no one.

“You know what this means, don’t you?” I asked myself.

Yes, I knew. And itwas both exhilarating and terrifying.

Saturday 9

2012-02-11T06:06:00.000-06:00

Saturday 9: Indian Reservation

1. Do you enjoy going to a casino now and again? Yes. Though my most successful visit was my first. I won enough to pay for dinner.

2. What makes you happy most of the time? Lots of little things: Cubs baseball, oldies on the radio, a pretty blue sky ...

3. Are you jealous of someone right now? Yes

4. You're stranded on a desert island with one fictional character. Who is it? Why? Chuck (Tom Hanks in Cast Away). Because he seems like a nice guy and he has experience with these things.

5. Have you ever been in the emergency room? If yes, for what (most recently)? It was ages ago -- more than 10 years because I was still living in my old apartment. I somehow poked myself in the eye with a can opener. I was lucky. I'd done no serious damage and left after a few hours with a big gauze patch over my eye.

6. Where is the last place you drove to just for fun? I don't drive.

7. If you were to make your living as a photographer, what would love to shoot? I'd like to just capture moments and colors that appeal to me. Like this shot. It was my view as I did the backstroke in the pool when I was in Key West over New Year's. I love the fronds against that blue.

8. Tell us about a band you like that we might not have heard. Meet Danny Wilson. They were an 80s one-hit wonder band but oh, what a hit. I relate to the longing. "Save me, save me, be the light in my eyes ..."

9. Where was the last place you went shopping? Why? FYE. Sir Paul released a new CD.

Just now ...

2012-02-10T20:45:00.001-06:00

Stolen from Mlle Kwizgiver.

current time: 8:45 pm

in my mug: ginger ale

in my belly: broccoli and cheddar quiche

in my ears: Piers Morgan Tonight

in my bag: wallet, Franklin Planner, makeup bag, hairbrush

feeling good about: my friend Kathleen. Her life is totally coming together in exciting ways and I'm so happy for her.

feeling bummed about: my weight

thinking about: organizing the paperwork for my accountant (tax time)

Classic Film Survey

2012-02-10T19:49:00.002-06:00

I got this from survey the Girl with the White Parasol, who found it at Frankly My Dear. If you play along, let me know so I can check out your answers. (And if you love old movies, I recommend you visit those ladies' impressive blogs.)

Now I have answered these without checking out anyone else's answers. For the record, I define "classic" as anything before 1970 (making it 40 or more years old).

1. Favorite classic Disney? Mary Poppins. First of all, because it was the first movie I ever saw in the theater. I remember everything about it … once the coming attractions ended, the heavy red curtains closed, then reopened, and there they were, the rooftops of London! Magic! I have loved going to the movies ever since. Secondly, because for once, old Walt wasn't a sadist. I'll never forgive him for Bambi's mother, or Simba cuddling up to a dead Mufasa, or worst of all, that poor Old Yeller Dog. There's no tragedy in Mary Poppins. And lastly, she really was Practically Perfect in Every Way.

2. Favorite film from the year 1939? I wish I could honestly say Dark Victory or Love Affair, because naming those under-appreciated jewels would help establish my bona fides as a serious film buff. But in truth, my favorite is Gone with the Wind. Which, I guess, just makes me a movie fan.

3. Favorite Carole Lombard Screwball role? I loved her. So beautiful, so elegant, so freakin' funny. I have seen My Man Godfrey most often, but I'm gonna go with Nothing Sacred because I loved her overwhelming hunger to get out of that small town and never, ever go back. Also because the whole movie is so refreshingly irreverent.

4. Favorite off screen couple? (It’s ok if it ended in divorce.) Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward. I loved the idea of their off screen life together more than I enjoyed any of their onscreen pairings.

5. Favorite pair of best friends? (i.e: Barbara Stanwyck and Joan Crawford) I didn't know Stanwyck and Crawford were friends! But I have always thought the lifelong friendship of Elizabeth Taylor and Roddy McDowell was adorable.

6. Favorite actor with a mustache? Gable. Because he looks like he knows what I would look like without my shimmy.

7. Favorite blonde actress? Marilyn Monroe.

8. Favorite pre-code? Sorry. I got nothin'.

9. Which studio would you have liked to join? MGM. More stars than heaven! I love the stories like how, on Gable's birthday, young Judy Garland came to sing "You Made Me Love You" directly to him. Of course, since I lean to pudgy, Mr. Mayer would probably limit me to chicken soup in the commissary like he did poor Judy.

10. Favorite common on screen pairing that SHOULD have gotten married? Myrna Loy and William Powell.

11. Favorite I Love Lucy episode? When Lucy and Ethel can't stand Ricky and Fred anymore and escape from Hollywood for a weekend in Palm Springs and end up sharing their troubles with Rock Hudson. Aside from the unintended humor that comes from the girls getting marital advice from the screen's ultimate "confirmed bachelor," I love Rock's sweet sincerity and tuneless whistle.

12. Out of these actresses which one do you like best: Lucille Ball, Ingrid Bergman, Natalie Wood, Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn, Greer Garson, Grace Kelly, or Katharine Hepburn? Lately I am appreciating Natalie Wood more and more, but no one can ever approach the Great Kate in my book.

13. Shadowy film noir from the 1940’s or splashy colorful musicals from the 1950’s? All singing! All dancing! All color for this gal.

14. Actor or actress with the best autograph (photo preferred). Judy Garland, because you can make out every single letter. For a woman with such a chaotic life, she had a remarkably controlled signature.

15. A baby (or childhood or teenage) photo of either your favorite actress or actor (or both if you'd like.) Here's the Sundance Kid's graduation photo.

At last!

2012-02-10T16:57:00.000-06:00

I picked up Sir Paul's latest, Kisses on the Bottom, and look what came along with it! As a special promotion, a Valentine with Macca on the front, holding a bouquet, was included with the CD.

After all these years, my one true love came through on Valentine's Day!

I like this CD. Especially this one. It's one of the new ones among the standards, written for the new Mrs.

It never gets old

2012-02-09T14:30:00.000-06:00

I called and left a message for the White House today. It was in praise of the President's support for equal access to affordable birth control. But it doesn't really matter why I called. It's the fact that I could call.

I realize that there are women in other parts of the world who can't just sit at their desks, pick up the phone and call the President and make their feelings known.

This country is awesome.

Thursday Thirteen #158

2012-02-08T19:42:00.000-06:00

THIRTEEN FACTS ABOUT THE GREAT KATE

As we wait to see who will be named Best Actress of 2011, let's look back on the lady who owns the category, the incomparable Katharine Hepburn.

1) She won four Oscars in the lead category, more than any other actor or actress ... ever. Meryl Streep is unlikely to top her, since of the two Oscars she currently has, the first was for Best Supporting Actress.

2) She had twelve Oscar nominations, spanning the 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s and 80s.

3) She tied with Barbra Streisand for Best Actress of 1968. Babs won for Funny Girl, Kate for The Lion in Winter. This was only the second, and most recent, tie in Oscar history.

4) Streisand accepted her Oscar in person, but Kate did not. She never showed up for the ceremonies as a nominee, saying that sitting through the broadcast, waiting to hear if she won, would give her "dyspepsia."

5) She also never sent anyone to accept "on her behalf." Though all of her Oscars were sent to her home in Connecticut.

6) She did show up for one Oscar ceremony, in the late 1960s. But that year she was not a nominee. She presented the Irving Thalberg Award to her friend, Lawrence Weingarten. She avoided the red carpet and, instead of couture, wore a white turtleneck with black jacket and slacks. Wonder what Joan Rivers and Guiliana Rancic would have made of that?

7) Cate Blanchette won an Oscar simply for playing Kate. I thought she was a lovely Hepburn to Leo's Howard Hughes in The Aviator.

8) Hepburn won her first Oscar playing a struggling actress in Morning Glory. That was back in 1933. It was only her third movie. She was 26 years old.

9) There were only two other actresses nominated back then -- May Robson and Dana Wyland. I have no idea who either of those ladies were.

10) She won her other three Oscars playing mothers. Even though she was childless in real life.

11) Jane Fonda and Anthony Hopkins were among her children in those Oscar-winning turns. Fonda was her daughter in On Golden Pond, Hopkins was her son in The Lion in Winter. Her real-life niece and namesake, Katharine Houghton, played her daughter in Guess Who's Coming to Dinner.

12) Two actors won Oscars for playing opposite her: Henry Fonda in On Golden Pond and James Stewart in The Philadelphia Story. These were the only Oscars those screen legends ever won.

13) According to TCM, her most popular movie is not an Oscar winner. They get consistently very high ratings whenever they broadcast her screwball classic, Bringing Up Baby. When that movie was first released in 1938, it was a box office bomb.

For more information about the Thursday Thirteen,

or to play yourself, click here.

I Want Wednesday

2012-02-08T11:13:00.000-06:00

I want my friends to not have such worrisome career issues! My friend in the Keys is faced with selling his home (which won't be easy) and moving. But I have no confidence whatsoever that his lover is on board with this and I worry about their relationship. The hospital my oldest friend moved to Beverly Hills to work for finally canned her, and now she's going to make another ill-advised, poorly thought-out move.

I am fighting the impulse to just say to both of them, "Move over and let me drive." I am losing that battle. But I must engage again, for I want to be supportive, not bossy or insensitive.

www.Wednesday

2012-02-08T08:32:00.002-06:00

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…
1. What are you currently reading?
2. What did you recently finish reading?
3. What do you think you’ll read next?

1. MWF Seeking BFF: My Yearlong Search for a Best Friend. It's just what it says it is -- a writer's chronicle of trying to make good girlfriends in a new city (Chicago). It's funny and sweet and, so far, feels very true to life about how hard it is to make deep, platonic connections with new people once we grow older and away from school. (Though to be honest, I've been very lucky in this regard.)

2. The Beatles: The Biography. Incredibly readable! I came away thinking again of two important supporting characters in the Beatles saga: Brian Epstein and Yoko Ono. Brian, the manager who helped catapult them to fame, was at heart a fan who served and loved the lads well, if not wisely. It was so sad to watch him rendered obsolete by their success. Yoko comes off as the other side of that coin. She didn't care about the Beatles except as her entree to fame and tool to advance her own career. Would they have eventually broken up without her? Probably. Would it have been as acrimonious? I doubt it.

3. Star: How Warren Beatty Seduced America. Warren Beatty has made comparatively few films but some of my favorite movies. Yet, the author opines, he's unknown to anyone under 30 and a joke to moviegoers under 40. How did he achieve so much so fast, and why isn't he now respected as an elder statesman of cinema, like his contemporaries Eastwood and Redford? The answers are what this exhaustive (600+ pages) biography promises to deliver.

To play along yourself, click here.

Sometimes the dream is sooo much better than the reality

2012-02-07T15:15:00.001-06:00

So today, after about a half hour of cardio, I dropped down and did fireplugs* again for the first time in ages. Why? Because I dreamed about doing them, and in the dream I was very satisfied by this adventure in physical exertion.

It felt better in my dream. I have a ways to go before my flesh-and-blood body catches up to my sleepy-time ideal.

*You know -- you're down on all fours. Keeping your right knee bent, you lift it a little off the floor and then lift it to the right without straightening it or changing the level of your hips. Then bring it down slooooowly.

Trifecta

2012-02-07T14:24:00.003-06:00

This is a writing meme! I love the idea of getting a writing assignment that doesn't involve selling shit (which, as a copywriter, is my day job).

Here are the rules, and they are ruled by 3's. I am given one word but must use its third definition. I must use more than 33 words but less than 333. And I am required to construct more than three sentences.

deep adj \ˈdēp\

1 a : extending far downward
b (1): extending well inward from an outer surface
(2): not located superficially within the body

2: having a specified extension in an implied direction usually downward or backward

3: difficult to penetrate or comprehend : recondite

And in response, here is my essay ...

In Praise of Baseball

To the casual observer, our national pasttime is really pretty simple. Gentle and lighthearted. Associated with peanuts and Cracker Jack, sunshine and good times.

Yet the more closely you follow major league baseball, the more you see that it's really nine innings of drama -- sometimes more because there's no such thing as a tie -- played out more than 160 times a season, sometimes more, if your team gets into the play-offs. There's the power struggle between pitcher and catcher. The face-off between pitcher and batter. The race to the bag between the base runner and the infielder. The tricks the sun and the shadows play on the outfielder. Observe more closely and it's no languid summer entertainment. Baseball is as fraught with danger and suspense as the best Hitchcock movie.

And the history! I am a Cub fan because my parents and both sets of grandparents were Cub fans. I no longer worship in the same church they did, but I religiously pay my respects to that enduring tabernacle of baseball, Wrigley Field. I am thrilled it was I who took my young nephew to his first game. From the stands I pointed out the pennants that represent the retired jerseys of Cub greats. It was by showing him #23 Ryne Sandberg that I brought his great-grandmother to life, explaining how she was loyal to the Cubs and loved her Ryno beyond all. It made him happy to think of how proud his great-grandparents would be to know he was following in their Cub fan footsteps.

Soon it starts again. In just 11 days, the Cubs' pitchers and catchers report for spring training and an exciting new chapter begins. My heart is racing, my hopes are high. For baseball -- like ice cream and some of the best people I know -- is more enduring, engaging and deep than it appears at first glance and I cannot wait to immerse myself in the 2012 season.

I had a dream

2012-02-06T15:42:00.000-06:00

Some of my most productive thinking seems to be happening while I'm asleep these days.

First I had a kick-ass, inspirational conversation with my imaginary best friend, Elizabeth Edwards, who shared her secret to resilience -- forgive yourself your past, accept it, and then concentrate on the present. She convinced me that my happy future will come from a focused present.

Then last night I dreamed, strangely enough, of doing floor exercises. Fireplugs*, to be exact. Because of a client conference call I missed my lunchtime workout. But I felt so good in the dream that I made healthier choices at lunch -- egg salad with lots of lettuce from the buffet rather than eggs benedict from the pancake house -- and I have no doubt it will inspire me to work out tonight in front of the TV. I want to feel good again, like I used to, before I became such a moo-cow.

*You know -- you're down on all fours Keeping your right knee bent, you lift it a little off the floor and then lift it to the right without straightening it or changing the level of your hips. Then bring it down slooooowly.

Curious as a Cat

2012-02-06T00:23:00.000-06:00

A new meme! I always love a good meme.

Week Number 309

1) What format did you start listening to music on? Vinyl

2) When was the last time you called in sick to work? Were you actually sick? Friday, January 13. I had a doctor's appointment. Since it was scheduled, I was technically supposed to take it as a personal or vacation day. But that doesn't make sense to me, since if it was a sudden trip it would qualify as a sick day. So I felt completely justified in lying.

3) Would you rather be poor and work at a job you love or be rich and work at a job you hate? I know I should say the former but I think, at this late stage in my career, I'd go for the latter. I'd like to make a lot and then retire.

4) Show and Tell. What comes to mind first when you see this picture? Or, tell a story if it reminds you of one. It looks humid, which means my hair probably looks like hell.

Sunday Stealing

2012-02-04T20:50:00.000-06:00

Sunday Stealing: The 99'er Meme: Part 2

Cheers to all of us thieves!

26) Are you happy with the person you've become? Often.

27) What's a sound you hate; sound you love? Hate: the sound of cardboard against cardboard (think: assembling moving boxes); Love: a cat's pur.

28) What's your biggest "what if"? What if I'd told him I loved him when I had the chance.

29) Do you believe in ghosts? How about aliens? Ghosts -- not in the Caspar sense. Aliens -- yes, because my grandpa was an alien when he immigrated from Germany.

30) Stick your right arm out; what do you touch first? Do the same with your left arm. Right: my cat Charlotte. Left: the remote control (I'm watching Jurassic Park -- the poor goat is about to meet a very sad fate).

31) Smell the air. What do you smell? Nothing in particular.

32) What's the worst place you have ever been to? A porta-potty at Taste of Chicago. Take my advice: Avoid sharing facilities with more than 3 million sweaty and beer-sodden neighbors.

33) Choose: East Coast or West Coast? East coast. Especially Boston.

34) Most attractive singer of your opposite gender? The Cute One.

35) To you, what is the meaning of life? To enjoy the ride.

Lyrics | James Taylor lyrics - Secret O' Life lyrics

36) Define: Art. The diminutive of Arthur.

37) Do you believe in luck? Yep.

38) Patriots or Giants? Or, who gives a rat's ass? I'll go with the rodent's tush.

39) Will you watch the game? If yes, with who? I won't watch the game. I work for an advertising agency. You have no idea how freaking sick I am of everything Super Bowl related by the time the game finally airs.

40) Do you drive? If so, have you ever crashed? I don't drive anymore. But back in the olden days when I did, I scraped up against a street lamp while parking. (I was an awful parker.)

41) What was the last book you read? The Beatles by Bob Spitz

42) Do you like the smell of gasoline? No.

43) Do you have any nicknames? Yes.

44) What was the last movie you saw? The Iron Lady.

45) What's the worst injury you've ever had? When I was a little girl I broke my clavicle. I have only the faintest memory of it.

46) Have you ever caught a butterfly? No.

47) Do you have any obsessions right now? Same old, same old: The Cute One and The Cubs. (Pitchers and catchers report to spring training in less than two weeks!)

48) What's your sexual orientation? Hetero

49) Ever had a rumor spread about you? Oh, yes! I believe one of the more recent ones is that I may not be hetero after all.

50) Do you believe in magic? Of a sort

A Visit from the Dear Friend I Never Met

2012-02-04T20:07:00.000-06:00

I dreamed last night about Elizabeth Edwards.

She is a heroine of mine. Her books touched me deeply, and I mourned her death. I selfishly miss her because I think she still had things to teach me. There was something about her unsparing candor and inherent dignity that got through to me and made me hear her. I think that's why I dreamed of her.

An ex has been on my mind after a decades-long respite. He contacted me out of the blue in 2008 and has continued to do so with regularity -- through a friend, through Facebook, through my work email (that really freaked me out). He wants to talk to me, to apologize, even visit me in person to gain my forgiveness.

I don't forgive and I don't trust him. The cruelty he was capable of (both physical and emotional) was breathtaking. The insensitivity he shows by continuing to approach me, even though I have given him no encouragement whatsoever, indicates he's still narcissistic and heedless of my feelings.

I came upon his name and photos of him this Thursday because a national newspaper did a front page human interest story about him. At first it awakened my inner cynic -- I wondered how many asses he kissed, how many he had to dazzle with his obviously still-potent superficial charm, to get that kind of exposure.

Then I kept returning to it. The same way you can't keep your tongue out of a cavity. Staring at his picture, remembering his voice.

And last night I heard from my buddy Elizabeth. We were sitting together in in her Chapel Hill home, and she was telling me to just let it go. That the past is pfft! gone. That I have to live in the here and now, and he has no place in my here and now. That I have to accept the scars -- visible and invisible -- forgive myself for falling for him, and concentrate on my own life.

How wise of her! And how resilient of me to call upon her.

Glass half full

2012-02-04T15:28:00.004-06:00

I went to the endodontist this morning ... and was there until late into the afternoon. The root canal my dentist thought I needed is a definite. Ooooh. Ick. There goes another $800* on top of the $600 I knew I'd be spending for the porcelain crown.

Normally I'd be pissed about this.

Except that the endodontist initially warned me that she was afraid the tooth might need to be pulled and I'd need a bridge. THAT IS SO NOT GOOD!

So, while I'm unhappy about the unexpected expense of the root canal, I am relieved the doc believes the tooth can be saved.

*That's an estimate. I'm so confused at this point about what my dental insurance will and won't pay for that I'm trying to just let it go.

Saturday 9

2012-02-04T09:56:00.000-06:00

Saturday 9: Our House

1. I read that Bud Weiser & Kathy moved into their new house! When was the last time you moved? Where to? This condo. 10 years ago. I hate moving and hope to never do so again.

2. If they were making a Hall of Fame for the blogosphere, name a blogger or two who you think should make the list. Why? I'm not answering this. I'm a Cub fan who prayed for Ron Santo to make the HoF every year and the bastards turned him down at every opportunity -- until after he died! So, to safeguard the health and welfare of the bloggers I would nominate, I'm keeping their names to myself.

3. What are couple of funny things you remember your parents saying? (Like, “They're starving there in China, so finish what you've got.” - John Lennon) Do you say them to your kids? "I'll give you something to cry about," was my dad's mantra. I don't have kids, so I can't mess them up.

4. What is something that has happened to you that you would consider a miracle? Last September I had two biopsies -- one for ovarian cancer, one for uterine cancer -- and they both came back benign. I know so many people whose lives have been touched by cancer that I now ask, "Why NOT me?"

5. What is it too late for? "Goodbyes." (My nod to John's eldest.)

6. What do you try to stay away from? Second-hand smoke. It smells bad and it's bad for the lungs and complexion.

7. When you get into a disagreement or fight, how often are you the first to apologize? Depends on who it's with.

8. Tell us about a current issue that you’re unhappy with. How nasty and disrespectful my fellow liberals are being to Mitt Romney. After the Clinton and Obama Presidencies, after John Kerry was "swiftboated," I expect this kind of bullshit from the right wing nut jobs, but I'm disappointed by those who should know how corrosive this ugly talk is. It's one thing to disagree with Mitt Romney's economic and domestic policies (I do, and you should, too). It's positive political discourse to bring up his attitude toward the tax code, or gay rights, or a woman's right to choose. It's not helpful to dismiss him as "Willard" or "Mittens," to knock him for his faith or appearance or other extraneous personal issues. If it's bad when "they" do it to "our guy," it's just as bad when "we" do it to "their guy." I expect better from my progressive brothers and sisters. THIS IN NO WAY APPLIES TO NEWT GINGRICH, who had made personal behavior an issue when he actually tried to unseat a sitting President over a blow job.

9. How often do you update your blog/site and why? Every day. Because I want it to be an accurate journal of who I am and what's going on in my life, and that changes day-to-day.

FIVE MOVIE COSTUMES I LOVE

2012-02-04T08:24:00.001-06:00

Liberated this from The Girl with the White Parasol. If you choose to play along, let me know so I can check out your answers. Here are the rules:

Absolutely no costumes from an Alfred Hitchcock film.
No costumes worn by Grace Kelly.
No costumes worn by Audrey Hepburn.

Mine are all from the 1960s because it's the decade that had the greatest influence on my sensibility, and because I can't believe these movies are nearly 50 years old.

Natalie Wood in Splendor in the Grass. The outfit in her last scene provides the perfect visual coda. It's clean and white and fresh, indicating her rebirth and escape from the drab, repressive surroundings that caused her so much pain. (Anna Hill Johnstone)

Elizabeth Taylor in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf. "Martha's Sunday chapel" pantsuit. It's so perfectly dreadful that it's perfect. It screams visually what she hollers literally, "I'm loud and I'm vulgar and I wear the pants in the house because somebody's got to." (Irene Sharaff)

Julie Andrews in Mary Poppins. La Liz' contemporary, Julie Andrews was her complete opposite number, as the costumes in their iconic roles reveal. Mary's wardrobe reveals that she reveals nothing. Buttoned up perfection. I doubt that scarf really added much warmth, but she wouldn't have felt dressed without it. (Tony Walton: costume consultant for Miss Andrews)

Katharine Hepburn in Guess Who's Coming to Dinner. Hey! You said "no Audrey Hepburn;" Kate wasn't mentioned in the rules at all! The pantsuit she wore said everything about the woman (both character and actress). It's casual, multi-layered, more about comfort than fashion ... and obviously of quality. (Jean Louise: Costume supervisor for women -- though it wouldn't surprise me if this came from Kate's closet.)

Faye Dunaway in Bonnie and Clyde. Bonnie's beret was so cool it's almost a character in the film. Idealized versions of the hat Bonnie Parker wore in real life, the berets are an inspired touch. The jauntiness they convey makes the inevitable carnage even more jarring. (Theoni Aldredge.)

It must be nice to a Beatle

2012-02-03T13:59:00.006-06:00

Today at lunch I walked past a street musician who was playing "Here Comes the Sun" on the guitar. Two Asian businessmen in front of me were speaking animatedly in their native tongue until they picked up on the song. Then one said, in heavily accented English, "Here Comes the Sun." Together they sang a bit, "Little darling, it's been a long, cold, lonely winter ..." It was a lovely moment.

How satisfying it must be for Paul and Ringo to know how much joy they have brought generations, all around the world.

Yes, I know it's a George song, but I bet to these gentlemen it was simply, "The Beatles."

I read the news today, oh boy

2012-02-03T13:50:00.000-06:00

My ex, the really bad one, is front page news. He was mentioned prominently and favorably in a feature story on the front page of a national newspaper. Happy to see that he can still be superficially charming when it suits him.

I hate how much space he still takes up in my life. Must battle to let this go. Feeling this way does no good.

Thursday Thirteen #157

2012-02-01T20:30:00.000-06:00

THIRTEEN FACTS ABOUT TITANIC

The movie, not the ship. As we wait to see which film will be named Best Picture of 2011, let's look back on the new classic that was named Best Picture of 1997. (14 years ago! Suddenly I feel quite old.)

1) The movie had been scheduled for release in Summer of 1997, but it was nowhere near ready. Industry buzz was that it would be an expensive flop when it was released that Christmas.

2) Titanic is the most successful movie to ever win The Best Picture Oscar. Movie goers bought approximately 390 million tickets to see it at the theater. That doesn't count sales/rentals of the DVD or subsequent viewings on TV. It's impossible to guess how many people have seen it worldwide. (When you adjust for inflation, Gone with the Wind and The Sound of Music both made more money in the US, but those movies weren't as popular overseas as Titanic.)

3) The movie's massive popularity translated into TV ratings. The Oscar telecast in 1998 had a viewership of 87 million in the US alone, the largest ever.

4) It was nominated for 14 Oscars … Tying with All About Eve as the most nominated of all time.

5) … and won 11. Tying with Ben Hur as the most Oscared of all time. (I've seen Titanic more than once, but am somehow not remotely interested in Ben Hur.)

6) Kate Winslet and Gloria Stuart have the distinction of being nominated the same year for playing the same character in the same movie. They both lost. Kate to Helen Hunt in As Good as It Gets, Gloria to Kim Bassinger for LA Confidential.

7) The movie studio pressured director James Cameron to hire Matthew McConaughey for the role of Jack, but he insisted on Leonardo DiCaprio.

8) Cameron trusted Winslet to ad lib. Memorable moments he credits to her were Rose spitting in Cal's face and saying to Jack, as the ship sinks, "This is where we met."

9) Obsessed with the real ship, Cameron has taken several dives down to the Titanic. Since the ship was only afloat for four days, Cameron believes it's possible that, over the years, he has spent more time with the ship than her original passengers did.

10) Much of the stateroom is historically accurate, but not the famous staircase. Men were taller in the 1990s than they were in 1912 and if the staircase had been built to scale, the actors would have looked disproportionately big.

11) That beautiful staircase actually was destroyed when literally ten thousand gallons of water crashed down it. Obviously that scene was shot in one take.

12) The "ocean" that the extras "drown" in was really only 3 feet deep. They were, however, stuck in it all day long for several days.

13) Originally "My Heart Will Go On" was an instrumental. At first Cameron was adamant about not wanting a theme song. Composer James Horner went to lyricist Will Jennings himself and commissioned lyrics, and the two men had Celine Dion record a demo before presenting it to James Cameron. (And now I will have that damn song in my head all day.)

For more information about the Thursday Thirteen,

or to play yourself, click here.

Soul Questions

2012-02-01T20:05:00.000-06:00

Liberated from Snarky Pants. If you answer as well, let me know. I'd love to check out your responses, too.

1. What is your dream job?

This job is close. I enjoy being a writer and I still get a lot of pleasure out of a job well done. My client is ethical, and not all financial services providers are. I have fantabulous benefits, and after the surgery last year, I appreciate that so much. BUT the politics get me down. If I could work from home two days a week, only showing up at the office three, I think that would be ideal. I'd have less face-to-face with people who get on my last nerve, and I'd have energy to do other things.

2. What fulfills you?

Helping, sharing, affection. Genuine exchanges. Ali Wentworth wrote in Glamour about knowing her husband (George Stephanopolous) was "the one." She said being around him is as comfortable as a quilt, that he "gets" her as though they had always been members of the same tribe, that she can confess the most intimate things to him and still feel safe. Spending time with a friend like that is the most fulfilling thing I can imagine. When I think back on the bestest moments in my life, it's these.

3. What’s your greatest fear?

Being helpless. Dependent. Completely vulnerable. Utterly unacceptable to me!

4. What do you want more of in life?

Resources. Time and money and energy.

5. What is your greatest accomplishment?

I am exceptionally good with animals. Part of it is natural, some of it has been learned over time. One of my greatest feline teachers was Tara. She bore the scars, both physical and emotional, of abuse when I first brought her home. Considering how she'd been treated, the dignity with which she carried herself was enormously touching. Helping her learn to trust humans again, giving her a second chance and a peaceful life through the end of her days, is one of my greatest accomplishments. As are the happy lives I've given every other animal entrusted in my care ever since.

6. What are you ashamed of?

My sloppiness/laziness. I don't just mean the paper that has a tendency to take over my dining room paper. My emotions can overflow sloppily all over the place. And I can be very lazy. I hate that.

7. What makes you sad?

That, while I love my family very much, I don't feel like I'm one of them. Family gatherings can be my loneliest, saddest times.

8. What’s the hardest thing you’ve experienced?

I feel like the woman in this scene. As a child and teen I was beaten by my older sister, once thrown so hard into the stove that the force of my body caused a gas leak. I was sexually molested and taunted by a relative. Then I wasted a decade with a very cruel man.

I used to think it was all my fault, that there was something wrong with me that attracted fists. But I learned that it wasn't my fault. I was just born into a really messed up family and there was no one emotionally available or equipped to protect me when I was young. I was unwittingly being groomed for that abusive "romance." Now that I understand all this, it's my life now. My past is not my destiny. I can make my own happy ending!

9. What’s great about you?

I'm smart. I think on my feet. I'm passionate. I'm loyal. And I can find the humor in just about everything.

10. Who are you?

As Wilbur the Pig eulogized Charlotte, I am a true friend and a good writer.

11. What/Who inspires you?

Strength and discipline. I've told this story before, and I'll tell it again here:

And, of course, faith in God. I always have God.

WWW.Wednesdays

2012-02-01T14:31:00.000-06:00

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…
1. What are you currently reading?
2. What did you recently finish reading?
3. What do you think you’ll read next?

This week, my answers have a veddy British flavor.

1. The Beatles: The Biography by Bob Spitz. I got this book in 2005 when it first came out but I didn't really read it. I just flipped back and forth from the index to "the good parts." Now I'm reading it in a more conventional way and am struck by how quickly the Lads' saga blew by. I lived it in real time, and didn't realize the whirlwind I was witnessing. But they were really only the band we all know from 1962 to 1970. Not very long at all, when you consider the impact they had ... and continue to have.

2. A Royal Duty by Paul Burrell. The memoirs of Princess Diana's butler, the man she called, "my rock." It was nice to revisit the Princess of Wales as she's been on my mind because of all the attention William and Kate are getting. It's hard to believe that "Wills" is now almost 30, and his mum was only 36 when she died. It was also a fun read because I'm watching Downton Abbey and it's always entertaining to peak "downstairs."

3. Oh, hell, I don't know. Last week I didn't expect to pick up the big (900+ page) Beatles bio and go through it. Whatever I choose, I think it's time to return home from Jolly Old and read something that takes place in the US of A.

Go here to play along and check out other answers.

I Want Wednesday

2012-02-01T13:44:00.001-06:00

I want to fake until I make it. I think I done good today. For when I read an email this morning from my oldest friend, detailing how unsatisfactory Monday's job interview went, I resisted my first impulse, which was to scold. I didn't say: "Why are you applying for jobs that would require you to pull your troubled daughter out of her high school at the very moment she's making headway, to move your son out of district so he doesn't even qualify for the most basic college tuition break, and break your lease and further damage your already seriously-compromised FICO score?"

Because even though I know that, when I say such things, I am trying to knock some sense into her so she will have a less chaotic, happier life, she may just hear, "Why didn't I think of that? I suck." So instead, I just responded with a nice, non-judgmental inquiry about her search for jobs closer to home.

This was my last big revelation of 2011, and I'm hoping to be a better friend by taking it heart, today and every day.

Two Girls for Every Boy

2012-02-01T00:17:00.001-06:00

Ah, Archie, why are you such an asshole?

Archie Bunker is a "gentleman" my oldest friend met through an online dating service. They had several phone calls before finally meeting for lunch before Christmas. She came back a smitten kitten. Like her, he likes to write (he has a blog). He's a minor celebrity (a local sportscaster but he hasn't been on air much). Like her, he has health problems (primarily diabetes, and he's been on disability for months, hence his low profile). He complimented her face, her smile, her smooth shiny hair.

He has texted her repeatedly that he wants to see her again but can't because he's too sick. And, according to his blog, he has been in and out of the hospital for his blood pressure and diabetes. BUT through Facebook he keeps everyone up to date on his activities. First he worked on a float for the Rose Bowl Parade, and last week he posted a photo of himself, with a shit-eating smile, flanked by two blondes. Svelte, 35-to-40-year-old blondes. The one on the left is wearing a zebra print skirt and black hose. They are former coworkers of his from Pittsburgh, and he's showing them around LA.

My friend is a big girl. Like Lane Bryant/The Avenue big. It was mean of him to post photos of the float and especially those blondes, knowing he is leading her on, knowing he "friended" her and she can see the evidence of his feeble excuses.

I always thought he was an asshole. From his blog and FB page, I know he's forever angry -- at Obama, and OWS, and "coddled" young people, and (my favorite) angry people. My friend is a conflict-averse woman with a chaotic personal life, so I didn't want them to get together because I could only envision unhappiness.

But I didn't want this, either. How could he be so thoughtless?

I don't know know how she feels about this. I don't know for a fact that she's seen the photo, and I won't ask her because I don't want to embarrass her. But I do hope that I'll never have occasion to mention Archie again.

Marianne's Revenge

2012-01-31T19:29:00.002-06:00

According to the Huffington Post, female voters in Florida "preferred Romney by 47-26 percent over Gingrich." Go figure.

But not for me

2012-01-31T14:20:00.000-06:00

I love how Chanel No. 5 smells, but I don't think I'm allowed to wear it. Chanel No. 5 is the scent of choice of Nicole Kidman and Catherine Deneuve. Marilyn Monroe wore it proudly, even when she wore nothing else.

But, since I'm hiding behind a closed office door, waiting for the big wet spot on my blouse to dry a little because I somehow soaked myself with Coke simply by drinking from the bottle, I don't think I'm allowed in their Chanel club.

Let's hear it for the Gal!

2012-01-31T13:46:00.000-06:00

On this, the last day of January, I made it! I reached my goal of 13 workouts/month. I defined a work out as at least 25 minutes of cardio and 10 minutes of either floor exercises or weight machines. On days I didn't work out, I tried to remember to do a little cardio at home in front of the TV. I was more or less successful with that, though I didn't give myself credit for that as I worked toward my goal.

I realize that I'm still moving too little and eating too much to lose any weight. But I'm starting to feel different. I have more energy and want to go to the health club, want to make sure I have a serving of fruit or vegetable with dinner.

So, while I still look like a massive moo-cow, at least I'm a more fit one. And for that I am taking a bow.

Image: photostock / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Now this was scary!

2012-01-31T01:51:00.000-06:00

I don't like Gwyneth Paltrow. Her murder didn't pack an emotional wallop in Seven, and it doesn't especially bother me that she's the first to go, early on in Contagion. My indifference to her suffering almost makes this thriller more thrilling, because my emotional involvement begins slowly and builds until I could not wait to see the end but could not bear to look.

The movie is about a virus that is spread by human touch. 20% of those who contact it will die within 3-4 days.

It covers the race to find a vaccine, how that work is corrupted by personal interest and money, how desperate we become when faced with something like this, how quickly our social order can dissolve when confronted with this kind of terror.

I didn't see this at the theater, nor did I rent it. My florist gave it to me. Her brother burns DVDs of movies and she hands them out to her favorite customers. When I accepted this, I told her to be careful because I don't want her to get in trouble, and I only watched it because I know she'll ask me about it when I come for this week's bouquet of mums. I'm glad I saw it.