{Not} Living Vicariously

and a birthday wish

to one of my best friends. Happy Birthday Mom!

Squirrelly behavior

So this morning I let the dog out to go to the bathroom. She took off in a flash chasing the birds off my back deck back up to their tree, then went racing down the hill towards the pool (I live next to our community pool which has both good and bad points). I ambled on down after her as she usually flies past the pool, then down the hill to the area left “natural” where all the dogs like to take care of business. However, this morning she stopped and stared at the pool house. Then she ran around the entire fenced pool area one way and back the other. Then she stopped and stared some more. By this time I had caught up to her and she had a poor squirrel cornered on the side of the pool house. Being made of cinder blocks, the squirrel had good purchase for hanging on, but still . . . here was a squirrel clinging to the side of a building. Lindy would run one way and then the other, trying to find a way in to get up close and personal with the squirrel. Every time she took off again, I hoped the squirrel would take that opportunity to escape. I tried calling her to come away but she just ran circles around the pool. Finally the squirrel did find an opportunity to skitter off and went up a tree close by. And for the next several minutes, Lindy could not believe that the squirrel was not still hiding somewhere in the pool area. She kept poking her nose through the fence and running to the other side to poke her nose through there. “Somewhere there is a squirrel hiding in there and it is my duty to go get it. Let me in!” We finally gave up and went on home. I’m not sure she ever did go to the bathroom though . . .

Need comforting?

When one is sick, one wants to be comforted. We all have comfort food. I also have “comfort books” and “comfort dvds”. Being fuzzy on cold medicine for the past few days, my comfort books weren’t really cutting it. When I read the same page three times and still couldn’t remember having done so, I finally put the book down. Instead, I watched a lot of comfort dvds instead. There are certain movies or television episodes that I like to watch when I’m sick because even if I doze off in the middle, when I wake up I know exactly where I am and what has occurred. This is . . . comforting.

Some of the dvds that got extended play this past weekend were The Complete Thin Man Collection. The first two get five stars, the second two four stars, and the last two three stars. The best part about the first one is the dvd is on an extended loop, meaning when it gets to the end it starts over. So I can always wake up during part of it.

Anyone who knows me well, knows that I am a huge fan of the James Bond movies. My favorite Bond is definitely Sean Connery, but my favorite Bond movie has to be On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. Now that I finally have my own complete set of Bonds on dvd (I had broken some of the VHS tapes I watched them so much), I get to escape whenever I want.

The last thing I tend to watch a lot when I’m sick are old Hanna-Barbera cartoons. Scooby-Doo is definitely a favorite, but I also like (and own) Hong Kong Phooey, Jonny Quest, and Wacky Races. I am not a fan of the Jetsons or the Flintstones so I don’t waste my time with those. However, other HB cartoons I’d like to rewatch someday would be any of the others from the mystery genre such as Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan, Josie & the Pussycats, and Jabberjaw.

And those are just a few of the dvds I find comforting to have in my personal library.

Spending money

I got my new bike last Wednesday evening from the local bike shop. I also have new shoes and pedals on order. This has taken a lot longer than I had wished, but at least it is all coming together now. If only I actually had time to get on and ride. However, Thursday I got stuck at work late and then had a board meeting for the homeowner's association. Friday it rained. And then I came down with a cold and spent most of the weekend asleep and on cold medicine. Which stunk. But I'm not desperate enough to try riding a new bike while the world is fuzzy around the edges. I would be so upset if I fell and dinged the bike for that. So, we'll see how I feel after working a full day today (in other words, will I even be able to stay awake the full day?). If I feel up to it . . . I hope to ride. If not, tomorrow is another day.

Past my bedtime

I went to the Nashville Symphony last night with some friends. I have had season tickets to their Pops series for three years now and really enjoy the concerts I've attended. However, this was part of the Classical series and I wasn't sure what to expect. I should have known, it was fabulous!

This amazing pianist, Terrence Wilson, has fingers that fly so fast my vision blurred watching them. Of course, part of that was probably due to the fact that I was sitting in the fourth row and could see him very well. While he was on stage, the symphony was playing a piece entitled Deus ex Machina for Piano and Orchestra, composed by Michael Daugherty, that is three pieces related to trains (my Uncle T. would have been thrilled to be there). Deus ex Machina is part of the American Encores project which (and I quote) "is dedicated to new performances of once or rarely heard works by American composers." I feel so lucky to have been a part of the audience last night. Michael Daugherty also came on stage at the end of the piece for the richly deserved standing ovation he and Mr. Wilson received. I even stood and applauded . . . and I rarely go for the standing ovation. The rest of the night was well done also, but that is the part that truly reminds me that I live in a city with Great Music.

Funny story about that. I was at a swing dance one night, and a gentleman I had danced with on many occasions wanted to introduce me to his girlfriend as she was from Los Angeles as well. I met her, she seemed fairly nice, if a bit negative about many things. I reminisced about how much I like Hamantashen but that they can difficult to get in Nashville. The only place I can find that sells it would be a deli/bakery that actually has a pastry they call Hamantashen. Not a cookie. Anyway, her response was that she makes really good, but won't because she can't have any sugar. There were a few other similar conversation stoppers. But the one that really sticks out after last night was me saying something about the symphony. She went off on a tirade about how wonderful the Los Angeles symphony was and basically how hick town Nashville was. Now I can't say that the LAS isn't wonderful. I don't know. I never went when I lived in LA as it was expensive and I spent my money elsewhere. Probably on gas. However, this is Nashville. Musicians galore in this town, of all types. I can get great live music every night of the week, in almost any genre I can think of. (Okay, Carribean steel bands might be a little difficult on a Tuesday, but still . . .) You can't tell me that the Nashville Symphony is pathetic and expect me to agree with you. However, I held my tongue as she wasn't worth it.

Anyway, I may be exhausted today, but I have to say, it is worth it!