Sunday Stealing Archives - Page 26 of 33

Sunday Stealing: Extraordinary Penpals

Donny Hathaway

Here’s another Sunday Stealing from the League of Extraordinary Penpals

Have you ever written to a celebrity? Did they respond?

I don’t know that I’ve ever written to any celebrity directly except to some comic book creator types who I have gotten to know. I did write to Paul Simon’s label once to complain that the six-minute version of Boy In The Bubble should have been on the expanded version of Graceland, but there’s no reason to think that Paul himself ever read it.

Do you read letters immediately or wait until you are ready to reply?

What are “letters”? Oh yeah, I remember letters. Usually wait, although if I think I’ll let it slip through the cracks, I’ll try to push it up in my queue.

My preferences when it comes to reading

Sufficient light (a growing requirement), probably on the sofa because it’s the only place, other than my office (and I want not even to see the computer, lest I be tempted to check it out), that provides comfort and sufficient illumination. The television must not be on. Music can be, but it should not have words, which is to say mostly classical or jazz.

Invisible pain

What I’m least likely to change my mind about?

Things that are true over time. An example: my wife had some medical issues involving her left leg. She has not been to church in over a month. I recommended that she take her cane to church today. This is because when someone does not appear hurt/injured, others perceive that he or she is better physically than they might be.

I believe this to be true because my wife and I have a friend who has experienced severe pain over time. They have told us that because they don’t LOOK unwell that others believe they are faking or malingering. Having a crutch or sling or wheelchair or visible bandages – and my wife has bandages under her clothes – is a sign that “something is wrong.”

Whether my wife will take the advice, IDK.

The topics I would get wrong during trivia

Car models, flower varieties, and actors who became famous in the 21st century.

What I’m hopeful about right now?

That my wife will continue to heal

Philosophies I’ve learned/embraced from others

A Unitarian once told me that “we create our own theology,” and I think that’s true. I may believe something uplifting from the Gospel according to Matthew, but I don’t feel obliged to explain some dreadful verses from Leviticus.

What makes home feel like home?

Music and books.

Talents and skills I like to cultivate

Getting around via mass transit, keeping up with political events

More music

What makes my heart race?

Music, for sure. There is music that will make me cry with joy or cry with melancholy. Take one example: Gone Away by Roberta Flack. It really doesn’t get going until the second verse. It’s described here: The late, great Donny Hathaway “lifted that fleeting horn melody from his own ‘I Believe to My Soul’ and used it to anchor the chorus and closing section.” In the right mood, the song can make me weep.

What power means to me

The ability to turn on my computer, my CD player, my cellphone…

One of my comfort hobbies

Playing with my Hess trucks.

Last time I was pleasantly surprised

When my wife started changing her own bandages this week

How was my October 2022?

Busy and exhausted, as noted here and here and here and especially here, plus another post I haven’t put out yet.

Those who inspire my growth

Almost anyone who has a rational point of view. Of course, I get to define what I think is rational.

Where I live for Sunday Stealing

Nat Geo maps

I didn’t realize the Sunday Stealing questions for Where I Live were only visible if one highlights the page.

What did you do today?

On Sunday, I went to church, put my wife and her sister-in-law on the prayer list, sang with the choir, attended a Black History Month organizational meeting, changed the dressing on my wife’s leg, and had a ZOOM meeting with my sisters… Is that enough?

5 things about where you live.

1. The #106 CDTA bus goes pretty close to five of the seven branches of the Albany Public Library. 2. Within easy walking distance of my house is a CVS, a movie theater, a grocery store, my bank, a police station, several restaurants, and a branch of my library. 3. It was listed as the best place to live in New York State. 4. Before the Europeans came to Albany, the Mohicans inhabited it. 5. It is the second oldest city and also a state capital in the nation, just after Santa Fe, NM.

What are the must-sees sights around you?

Thatcher Park in Albany County has a great view. We have some nice refurbished vaudeville theaters, notably Proctor’s in Schenectady, which was pretty run down when I worked in the building in 1978, but it is a jewel now. And you should probably see the Egg, which is n the picture.

What’s your favorite restaurant meal?

I like most Indian and Italian. But I like the occasional restaurant (not Mickey D’s) burger.

What was the last thing you cooked or ate?

Lasagna. It was good.

What is something you learned from your grandparents?

Canasta (Grandma Green), gin rummy, and love of Nat Geo maps (Mac Green)

What’s the weather like as you are writing your postcard?

Above freezing, dry.

Baseball

Share an interesting fact you’ve learned that most people are unaware of.

The 2022 World Series is the first one since 1950 with no black US players.

Are there any local events or festivals in your area?

Live at Five in the summer, the Scottish Games, and quite a few other things, actually.

What was the last concert you attended?

The Albany Symphony in February 2022. The last pop concert was Cheap Trick in February 2020.

What is your favorite charitable organization?

The FOCUS Churches. A food pantry, and much more.

Dare to tell Sunday Stealing

Rebecca Jade

Dare to tell is the current Sunday Stealing meme. Most questions aren’t THAT daring.

What type of day are you having?

It’s very busy. My wife has a foot injury, so I’m bringing the pillows she uses to prop up her leg upstairs as she’s going to bed. Then downstairs as she sits on the sofa.

Other tasks, such as cooking, cleaning, and laundry, are fine; I can do those. But the pillows naturally have to be just so. The solution: I ordered more pillows online; they haven’t arrived yet, but it’ll make life easier. …

Was there anyone who “made your day”?

My friend Bruce, who brought my wife to the doctor and then picked her up, always makes my day.

Are you liking how you look today?

A complicated question you’ll have to ask my therapist if I had one.

Have you ever eaten a bug?

Not to my recollection.

Are you vegetarian?

No, I like chicken too much. But I have been eating more fruit.

When was your last paycheck?

July 2019, and it included my unused vacation time. To quote a late local car dealer, it was HUGE.

How many pets do you have?

Two cats, one of whom is neurotic. Yesterday he freaked out when I was carrying the laundry basket, and I picked up a container of Tide. He started growling and hissing for a couple of hours until he meandered to the basement. After the hours-long timeout, he was still skittish. The tambourine is a last resort t keep him at bay.

What kind of toothpaste do you use?

Pretty much whatever’s on sale. Currently, it’s Crest.

Are you closer to being rich or poor?

As a middle-class American, I’m WAY closer to being rich on a global scale.

Shamelessly plugging my niece at every opportunity

What was the last gift someone gave you?

A compact disc of my niece Rebecca Jade called A Shade of Jade.

Do you appreciate that person?

Yes, I appreciate my sister.

Did you talk to anyone you didn’t like today?

Nah, and I’m no longer in a position having to talk to people I don’t like. Retirement is wonderful.

Do you like picnics?

Sure? But I don’t like ants.

What book are you currently reading?

The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green

What song did you last listen to?

Only Love Can Break Your Heart by Neil Young; sorry, Mary H.

How many tabs are open on your computer?

64. To be fair, I opened three of them to fill out this quiz.

Are you a very stressed-out person?

Less so than I used to be. Still, I was rather stressed out when I started treating my wife’s wounds because I didn’t know what I was doing. It’s like riding somewhere in a car when someone else is driving, then needing to drive the route yourself.

A Bug Sandwich for Sunday Stealing

People watching

This week’s Sunday Stealing is A Bug Sandwich, though only two questions address that animal category.

1. You are walking down the road, and you look down. There is a bug. Do you step on it?

Goodness, no. The great outdoors is its turf. Now, in the house, that’s quite another matter.

2. What is one fantasy that you want to come true more than any other?

I REALLY wanted to fly. It more hovering about 10 meters above the ground. Dreams, fantasies big time.

3. Someone knocks on your door. Do you look out the window to see who it is before you open it? Do you open it regardless of who it is?

I tend to look through the glass door, largely because we don’t have that many people ringing our doorbell. Most of them are people who drop off a delivery, mail, UPS, cat food delivery, or human food delivery. In this COVID-endemic period, this is even more true.

Another factor is our cats. Midnight is hostile enough to go out and harass strangers, even though he is an indoor cat with no skills in the wild. (He got out once, and I wasn’t sure he’d make it back.).

Most likely, my wife or I would slip out the door and talk to the visitor.

4. Have you ever eaten Play-Doh?

Maybe, possibly. I have no specific recollection of doing so.

5. What was your favorite Saturday morning cartoon as a child?

Probably Top Cat, the theme of which is here.

Watching people go by

6. Are you a people watcher?

Oh, goodness, yes. On Friday afternoon, in a ten-minute span:

A guy was walking across New Scotland Avenue near St. Peter’s Hospital in Albany, NY. The driver, wanting to make the right turn from South Allen, waited patiently for the pedestrian to finish. Car behind vehicle #1 laid on the horn. The pedestrian yelled to car #2, “Chill out, man!” Then driver #1 and the pedestrian locked eyes in a nod of mutual appreciation.

I walked to the bus stop on South Allen. It used to be a thrift shop, but it, and several other buildings, were razed, and the area fenced off. The driver of the car parked behind me got into the vehicle. I recognized immediately that they would have to back up to get out. So I stepped onto the narrow curb and closer to the car in front of me. The driver made a U-turn and looked at me, and gave me a head nod, noting that I had enough situational awareness to get out of the way. I returned the gesture.

The driver of the car parked in front of me walks to the car. They ask me, “Can somebody help you?” I said, “Nope, I’m just waiting for the bus,” pointing to the sign. To be fair, the bus route sign was obscured by a mesh material. The no-standing zone sign, though, was more visible. They got in the car confidently. But as they got into the seat, they shrank down just a little as to suggest they had made a false assumption about my motive when I was standing there. BTW, I got out of the way of that vehicle but got no eye contact from the driver.

Citrus and its friends

7. I have a bowl of fruit. There are apples, oranges, and pears. You help yourself to one. Which one do you choose?

If it’s Barlett pears, MacIntosh apples, and oranges, it’ll be Bartletts. If it’s other pears, Mac apples, and oranges, it’ll be Macs. But if it’s other pears and apples, then it’s oranges, assuming I have enough napkins.

8. What is your biggest pet peeve in the blogging world?

Those damn Captcha things designed to prevent comment spam. I have had difficulty reading distorted words, and I’m sure that others experience it too. Those image recognition CAPTCHAs are almost as irritating.

9. What was the last really funny movie you watched?

Perhaps Knives Out.

10. What word do you use far too often?

Suboptimal.

11. How long do you spend in the shower?

Seven minutes, maximum.

12. What is something you’ve never done that you secretly are dying to do?

Pieing a politician I dislike. The list is long.

13. Your favorite flavor of soup is?

New England clam chowder.

14. You are sitting on a bench in the park, and a bug walks in front of your feet…

I say, “Hi, bug.”

Sunday Stealing: Trapped in a room, plus

Participate in the FFAPL Silent Auction

Trapped in a room is the current Sunday Stealing meme hosted by Bev Sykes.

But before that, a Wordle milestone last Tuesday
200 Played, Win 100%
157 Current Streak, 157 Max Streak
GUESS DISTRIBUTION
1-0
2-0
3-33
4-37
5-53
6-76

Wordle 458 3/6

🟩⬜⬜⬜🟩
⬜⬜🟨🟨⬜
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

Now I didn’t win every game. I missed one. But 199/200 is 99.5%, which rounds up to 100%. And now I feel pressure to keep up the streak.

You see that I play VERY conservatively, based on the numbers of 5s and 6s. In fact, almost certainly too much so. My methodology is better for those multiple board games (Duordle, Quordle, Octorodle, etc.)

On the other hand, I don’t understand why, when people have found four letters, they don’t know what the fifth letter is, and there are lots of options left, they don’t find a word that will eliminate multiple choices.

One recent selection was PARER, a terrible word indeed. But the answer might have been PACER (my third pick). It could have been PAGER or PAYER or PAPER; instead of using them in turn, I used GYPSY (my fourth pick), which eliminated the three of them. This left only PAVER, PARER, and PAWER; I had eliminated PALER and PATER in the first two words. The WordleBot scorned my choice of RIVER (my fifth pick), but I then knew there was a second R; and if neither word was there, it’d have to have been PAWER.

Now, onto the quiz

1. If you were trapped in a room with the person who asked this for 24 hours, what would you do? The answer cannot be romantic or sexual.

I assume I’m trapped with Bev. It would depend on the circumstances. Are we in some sort of peril? Is water leaking into the room that will drown us unless MacGiver shows up?

Assuming no peril, I suppose we’d start with a conversation about the usual things, family, work, health. If we have cards and/or board games, we’d probably play something.

2. If you could learn any language instantly, what would it be?

Spanish. I know more people whose native language is Spanish than any other except English.

3. If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what would it be?

The Bible, ideally with the Apocrypha. It’s less of a theological choice then because it’s very dense.

4. Favorite song lyric?

I’ve picked others in the past, so I’ll go with Indiscipline by King Crimson from the great Discipline album.

I do remember one thing.
It took hours and hours, but…
by the time I was done with it,
I was so involved, I didn’t know what to think.
I carried it around with me for days and days…
playing little games
like not looking at it for a whole day
and then… looking at it.
To see if I still liked it.
I did.

I repeat myself when under stress.
I repeat myself when under stress.
I repeat myself when under stress.
I repeat myself when under stress.
I repeat…

You can hear it here.

Playing favorites

5. Favorite album?

Impossible question, as it’s changeable, often depending on what I’ve listened to recently. And I listen to music all of the time. I will say that I’m a sucker for eclectic pop albums. This would include Revolver – The Beatles; Spike – Elvis Costello; and That’s A’Plenty – the Pointer Sisters.

6. Which time of day would you say is best for you work-wise?

I write best in the morning.

7. What do you think people assume about you from first glance?

I have no idea.

8. Favorite city that you haven’t visited?

Paris.

9. If you received $10,000 but had to give it away, what would you do with it?

There are so many worthy charities it’d be easy. I’ll pick the FOCUS Churches Food Pantry. On the other hand, you (yes, YOU) could participate in the FFAPL Silent Auction.

10. What is one book you wish you could get all your friends to read?

I have ZERO desire to mandate that people read, watch, or listen to anything.

11. What is one movie you wish you could get all your friends to watch?

Ditto.

12. If you could create one thing, what would it be?

A time machine. I have unanswered questions about my late parents I cannot answer.

13. If you could play any musical instrument, what would it be?

Piano or some keyboard instrument. I took piano lessons at about 12 for a year, but they never took.

14. What is your favorite item of clothing?

Somewhere in this house is a nifty beret.

15. What is your favorite card/board game?

Cards: hearts or pinochle. Board games: though I haven’t played lately, SCRABBLE.