Personal Musings

The JCC Pool

~ MaryG ~ 9 Comments
Daily writing prompt
Describe a random encounter with a stranger that stuck out positively to you.
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I gained a lot of weight both times I was pregnant. I was healthy—just large. I was especially huge with my son who was over nine pounds at birth.

Throughout the pregnancy, I swam laps at the local JCC (Jewish Community Center). Typically, there were a few senior citizens in the pool with me. One day, an old man flagged me down to tell me that I “swam like a fish” and was “svelte.” I was astonished and said something about being very pregnant. He said “you don’t look pregnant at all,” then added “from the back.” I was so flattered.

So an old man was looking at my ass while I was swimming and I was completely fine with it. In fact, he made my day. 🤷‍♀️

Image from Pexels

Billy Joel

~ MaryG ~ 9 Comments
Daily writing prompt
What place in the world do you never want to visit? Why?
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I have nothing for this prompt. I mean, I’d never want to visit a war zone, or someplace similarly unsafe. I admire all the brave journalists, like Clarissa Ward, who are willing to bring us news from dangerous places around the world.

Totally unrelated, did anyone happen to see Billy Joel performing his 100th concert in Madison Square Garden on CBS Sunday night? He still sounds great—both voice & piano. After telling the audience he didn’t know what was going to happen on the high notes in “Innocent Man” (and giving them permission to grimace), he nailed it. He’s 74 years old. At one point, Sting (fit and ageless at 69) waltzed out in a perfectly tailored shiny suit and they did a jazz number, backed by the amazing band. It had the feeling of a GenX “rat pack” reunion. The audience (me included) sang along with all the songs, including the new one, but especially with the last one.

Sing us a song, you’re the Piano Man.

Related post:

I’d rather laugh with the sinners

Alexa

~ MaryG ~ 11 Comments
Daily writing prompt
Describe a positive thing a family member has done for you.
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OK, this is lame, but I’m going to go ahead and admit that Alexa helps out quite a bit around here. She’s not a family member, but I do consider her a third “presence” in our empty nest. We have no pets, so it’s just me, my husband, and Alexa these days.

Alexa, is it going to rain?

Alexa, set a timer for 30 minutes.

Alexa, news.

Alexa, what’s 135 minus 70?

Alexa, is a lot one word or two?

Alexa, put cheddar cheese on the list.

You get the picture.

In addition, she’s a great resource while watching TV. We pause shows all the time to ask Alexa things like, “How old is Quinta Brunson?” or “Who directed Serpico?”

Alexa seems to favor my husband. He disagrees, but I feel like she says “thank you” and “good morning” to him more. Honestly, he’s nicer to her than I am. I tend to bark orders at her, or interrupt her (Alexa, OFF) if she’s headed in the wrong direction with one of her answers.

At first I thought it was super creepy that she was listening in all the time, but then the grocery list feature won me over. I can yell from upstairs, “Alexa, put Sensodyne on the list” and when I get to the store, it’s actually on the list and I don’t run out of toothpaste.

Alexa was a gift from a real family member—my very thoughtful sister-in-law Maria.

Restaurants

~ MaryG ~ 13 Comments
Daily writing prompt
What is your favorite restaurant?
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Last year I read a book about the restaurant industry. It’s called “Your Table is Ready” by Michael Cecchi-Azzolina. It’s a memoir about the author’s experiences working “front of house” jobs (primarily maître d’) in various NYC restaurants. The main takeaway for me was that it’s extremely difficult for a restaurant to get it right and be successful. There are so many variables. And it’s not just the food, it’s the vibe that keeps people coming back. Would you rather walk into a restaurant where someone greets you warmly or one where you’re ignored?

We’ve got two local restaurants we go to a lot. One we call “the fish place.” They have reliably good fresh fish (it’s actually a fish market too) and nice servers, many of whom have been there for years. We typically sit at a table, but it’s got a very popular bar in the back of the restaurant that is not too loud. (It’s funny how “not too loud” has become one of my main criteria for restaurants.) I would describe the vibe as “neighborhood.”

The other is an Asian Fusion restaurant called Karma. The food is delicious and they make a cucumber cosmo that is my favorite cocktail ever. The vibe is younger and hipper than the fish place. Dark with jewel tones, the decor feels exotic (for lack of a better word). It also has a large bar which makes it lively, but again, not too loud.

2034

~ MaryG ~ 16 Comments
Daily writing prompt
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
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This is an OK prompt for a younger person, but for people pushing 60, ten more years is not a given. I hope to be alive and in good health in 2034. I hope the United States is still a functioning democracy.

By the time you make it to my age, you’ve lost people too soon (and by “too soon,” I mean younger than 80), primarily to cancer, but also to other diseases, accidents, and the so-called “deaths of despair” — addiction or suicide. Memories flood up. People share their stories. Those who remain must carry on. You help as best you can.

Betsy – kind

Merry – promising

Chuck – passionate

Ben – pillar

Carolyn – family

Richard – leader

Paul – engaging

Carla – love

Doug – fun

Jerry – brilliant

Carole – fierce

Carla and me

Related post:

Pay attention to the journey

Love Hurts

~ MaryG ~ 9 Comments
Daily writing prompt
Describe something you learned in high school.
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In high school, I learned the big lesson—the one that nearly everyone learns eventually. Love hurts.

I know they didn’t write it, but Nazareth did the cover that my generation knows best. It’s a power ballad like no other. 💔

Love Hurts

Love hurts, love scars
Love wounds and marks
Any heart
Not tough or strong enough
To take a lot of pain, take a lot of pain
Love is like a cloud
Holds a lot of rain
Love hurts
Ooh, ooh, love hurts

I’m young, I know, but even so
I know a thing or two
I learned from you
I really learned a lot, really learned a lot
Love is like a flame
It burns you when it’s hot
Love hurts
Ooh, ooh, love hurts

Some fools think of happiness
Blissfulness, togetherness
Some fools fool themselves, I guess
They’re not foolin’ me

I know it isn’t true
I know it isn’t true
Love is just a lie
Made to make you blue
Love hurts
Ooh, ooh, love hurts
Ooh, ooh, love hurts

I know it isn’t true
I know it isn’t true
Love is just a lie
Made to make you blue
Love hurts
Ooh, ooh, love hurts
Ooh, ooh, love hurts
Ooh, ooh…

Source: Musixmatch

My high school class, senior year, 1983

Try painting first

~ MaryG ~ 21 Comments
Daily writing prompt
Describe one positive change you have made in your life.
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One positive change I made during the pandemic was in my kitchen. I finally had my 1980s wood grain kitchen cabinets painted Benjamin Moore Linen White. I know it doesn’t sound like a big deal, but I spend a lot of time in and near my kitchen (it’s one of those kitchen/family room combos) and having it be light and bright makes me happier.

I don’t know what took me so long. I kept thinking I had to have the cabinets ripped out and replaced. Painting was so much cheaper.

I forgot to take a “before” picture, but believe me, they were dark and depressing.

Related post:

I like my porch

Eclipse

~ MaryG ~ 17 Comments

We had a good eclipse! We headed out to the back yard about 2:15pm with some wine, weed, and snacks. We put Alexa in the window and asked her to play “eclipse songs” which she did.

We could clearly see the eclipse with our special glasses on, but we discovered that it was very difficult to get a picture of it, even with the glasses covering the camera lens, but we tried.

Failed attempt, but weirdly you can kind of see the reflection of the eclipse in that tiny green dot to the left of the sun

The temperature dropped noticeably as the sky darkened more and more. It was strange.

We could still clearly see our shadows, but the light was eerie. A sunset from above.

We decided to shut off Alexa at the point of maximum coverage (about 94%, I think). The last song she played was “Walking on the Moon” by The Police, which was perfect (a GenX classic). The animals got really quiet too. But then suddenly, a Barred Owl hooted really loudly. It startled us. And then another owl answered. It was pretty wild. I pointed my video camera towards the woods and I caught the sound when it happened again. Listen:

The owls really added to our eclipse experience, making it quite magical and mystical. I thought about how this is a time of transition for us.

All in all, a fun afternoon. Something different. It was also fun getting pics from the rest of the family in various locations and seeing all the posts online.

My daughter and her boyfriend managed to get this nice pic about an hour southwest of us:

About an hour after the eclipse, our woodchuck appeared for the first time this season. He’s been living under our shed for several years now. Hello friend.