My Wish List for 2021

I want the vaccine. I want YOU to get the vaccine. And I want it to be safe and effective.

I want safe and effective treatments for COVID that don’t require you to be a government official with access to the best, government-paid health care to get them.

I want more compassion and empathy for everyone and less animosity.

I want people to stop getting COVID and to stop engaging in behaviors that make it more likely that they will get COVID and spread it to people like me, who have assiduously followed all of the recommendations to stay safe and healthy.

I want to see health care workers, people in nursing homes and other essential workers move to the head of the line for the vaccine, ahead of the politicians who claimed that COVID was a hoax.

I want everyone to remember how many people died in this pandemic, even the people who chose to ignore it.

I want health care workers to get a break. The pressure on them has been unrelenting. 

I want heath care workers to have all of the supplies they need to stay safe while saving lives.

I want to lose the weight I gained in quarantine – and the weight I was supposed to lose before the quarantine.

I want the “Karens” of the world to see themselves on video and think about the example their behavior sets for their children and grandchildren and how it affects our society.

I want to see restaurants and small businesses be able to again open their doors, pay their employees, make money and serve the community.

I want law enforcement personnel to do their work safely and effectively without singling out Black people or people of color for the harshest and sometimes fatal treatment.

I want equality for all people because all lives can’t matter unless Black Lives Matter.

I want to better understand the restrictions people who don’t look like me have and how they have to constantly “code switch” their behavior to fit in to a world that caters to white people, and what I can personally do to make it better.

I want kids to be able to go out and play and have other kids over and fall down and get up on the playground again.

I want the immigrant children separated from their families to be reunited with their parents. 

I want to be able to go outside without the need to wear a mask. But I will continue to wash my hands better and more often, a lesson learned this year.

I want teachers recognized as the heroes they are and to get their proper respect and better pay.

I want people on social media to stop portraying themselves as Constitutional scholars or epidemiologists.

I want us all to listen to medical and scientific experts and not charlatans who have something to gain for giving their “advice.”

I want the My Pillow Guy to go back to selling pillows and not COVID cures. Not that I’d buy either from him.

I want to make reservations for dinner, not for takeout, and sit at a table with friends. I do not want to eat alone.

I want to eat dinner without having to clean up after myself.

I want to be with my friends, to spend time and laugh and hug and hang out and just be friends again. Zoom can't replicate the feeling of being with the people I truly care about.

I want to stop stockpiling toilet paper, paper towels and napkins for fear they won’t be available.

I want to stop doing food inventory and deciding whether to adopt a LIFO or FIFO policy in managing my pantry and freezer.

I want to do things on the spur of the moment.

I want to see Broadway shows and concerts and sporting events live and in person, with lots of cheering and high-fives.

I want to go to the movies.

I want to go to a store and wander around aimlessly. And I want to be able to try on clothes.

I want to get my hair cut when I actually need a haircut and not out of fear of an impending lockdown.

I want to go to the nail salon.

I want the government to be honest and do the right thing, putting the rights and safety of the people first.

I want to stop all the acrimony that this year has resulted in the end of relationships and friendships because of divergent points of view.

I want the government officials who have profited illegally from the pandemic to be brought to justice.

I want to see justice served on those in power who squandered their responsibilities and put themselves first.

I want to see the Rutgers Men’s and Women’s Basketball teams stay safe and healthy and win National Championships for the first time.

I want to see and hug my best friend for such a long time that it will be really awkward when we finally let go.

I want to understand how I can be a better person and make the world a better place.

I want this nightmare to be over and I want good health for everyone.

I want the vaccine.






 

December 2020 Message from Tina - Tina's Tidbits

I am at the stage of online shopping where I find a package outside my door and think, “I wonder what this is.”

Is anyone else ready to eat dinner at 4 PM or is it just me? I mean it’s practically dark by then, so I think it is nighttime. I need a better (healthier) routine!

Recently I bought a roll of invisible tape. Now I can’t find it.

The verdict is in on the heavy question of using a weighted blanket, and it is a go! The blanket I have is for a twin bed (I sleep in a queen, as befitting someone of my stature) so I have the blanket spread across the bed. I wouldn’t want to carry that thing around – it is really heavy when you have to lift it – but when the weight is distributed over the area (sounds like a math equation is coming!), it is spread out enough so I don’t feel crushed. I think I am sleeping better, although I am still not getting enough sleep to suit my needs. Is 10 hours too much to ask? Yes, it is a little harder to turn over and tougher to make the bed, but sleeping with the weighted blanket makes me feel cozy and tucked in. I just hope I don’t need a rapid escape from the bed because I’m pretty weighed down now. And I am keeping it.

About once a year I try mustard just to confirm that I don’t like it. Today was that day. Confirmed, although I do use a tiny amount in my egg salad. Just not on a hotdog.

Last week I gathered up all of my myriad of catalogs with the intention of going through each one and doing any necessary shopping. I was waylaid by going for my second shingles shot since I was due to get that completed. And then I started going through my will so I could call my attorney and make changes (none of you are in it, by the way, so don’t start cozying up to me now). And just for fun, I parted my hair on the other side to see what it looked like. No one at CVS noticed. You could say I am either very distracted or very productive. Your choice.

This year’s holiday gift suggestions from Amazon are a little different from previous years. There are lots of masks – medical looking-ones and cute, colorful ones – plus face shields (nothing says, “Merry Christmas” like a plastic face shield), disposable gowns (and I don’t mean to wear to Cinderella’s ball), and those dryers used for manicures at the nail salon for those folks now doing their nails at home (raises hand).

It is not possible to have a Zoom meeting without having to say, “Mary, unmute yourself!” at some point during the session.

Right after GLITTER on the “Bane of My Existence” list comes Styrofoam. No matter how carefully you handle it, little white pieces break off and cling to you, the furniture and the floor. And you can’t avoid it totally because things are shipped with it, like a medication I take that has to be kept cold so it is shipped in a Styrofoam container. Nothing is easy. 

I don't think anyone misses me as much as Kohl's. They keep sending me these pleading, desperate text messages to try to entice me with their sales. I hope they are still around when it's safe to go out again.

Signs of the times: I keep a mask hanging on a hook by my front door for those rare occasions when someone rings my bell and I have to open the door and speak. I’m ready!

Raise your hand if you predicted at this time last year that we would all be wearing masks (those of us with common sense, at least) and that masks would become a kind of fashion statement. I ordered several custom-made masks as Christmas gifts this year and I guarantee that idea was not on my radar in 2019.

I recently put on a pair of real pants, the kind with a button and a zipper, for a Zoom meeting. Not that anyone could see them, but along with wearing earrings, I felt like Cinderella at the ball.

My sweats are now classified as regular or “dressy.” Hey, throw on a scarf and who can tell the difference on a Zoom call?

I’m a little concerned about losing my identity. Sometimes my phone won’t recognize my fingerprint when I try to sign on. It’s really me!

You know what young people don’t have to deal with that was a challenge for my generation? Toll calls. You would try to call after 9 to get a lower rate, or maybe reach your uncle in California on a Sunday afternoon to keep costs down. Now most of us pay no attention to the location of the person we are trying to reach or the length of the call. I recently watched an entire Rutgers Women’s Basketball game while on the phone with a friend who sits with me at the RAC to see live games. It wasn’t exactly like being there, but it was the next best thing – and it was FREE!

Sometimes as I sit in my office, my printer begins to make noises as if it is getting ready to print even though I haven’t sent anything to the printer. I guess it is raising its little printer hands as if to say, “Hey, I’m ready! Print something!”

When I bought a mesh bag to keep my socks from disappearing in the dryer, I thought I had closed off escape routes. Now, one of the two wool dryer balls I use instead of dryer sheets has also vanished. I found the other one hiding out in the sleeve of a sweatshirt I had washed and dried but the first one remains missing in action. I have a feeling that the next time I change the sheets, I will find it hiding away, tucked in a corner. 

It is so loud in my house in the morning! Between the inevitable sneezing, coughing, throat clearing, sniffing, nose blowing, stretching and groaning, this house echoes with a cacophony of sounds all emanating from one person: Me. It is good I live alone. 

The “Real Housewives” reality show franchise has featured women in locations from Beverly Hills, Atlanta, Washington, DC, New York and other places where overdressed wives (and ex-wives) live. Recently I heard an ad for a new version in Salt Lake City. Really? Real, dolled up Mormon housewives get a show? If that’s the case, I propose “The Real Housewives of Canal Walk,” that would be shot in my active adult community. I can imagine the senior ladies getting all spiffed up for trips to the doctor, for a mah jongg game, book club meetings, an outing to Costco and the like. That would be a REAL reality show!

The only thing I like less than handwashing the dishes is emptying the dishwasher on the rare occasions when I use it. There’s a conundrum.

I am fairly certain that the “Jeopardy” folks wanted to offer me the job as the new host after the sad death of legendary Alex Trebek, but his shoes would be much too big to fill. Without Alex, the show will never be quite the same. All-time winner Ken Jennings is slated to take over on an interim basis, and I have a feeling other folks will get on-air try-outs, too. I won’t wait by the phone.

I recently received an email from Mercedes with an offer to buy things like a Mercedes fleece pullover for something like $139. You would think that after buying a $60K car (and I haven’t bought a car since 2013), they might throw in for FREE a sweater that advertises their cars. Among other things available for purchase was a rolling suitcase, which is just what I need in case I want to move upstairs from my first-floor bedroom – because that would be the only traveling in my future!

My photography club issues monthly challenges where members submit a photo one month of a landscape or shapes and another of patterns or other subjects. Last month we were supposed to submit photos that represented “before and after,” showing how an original photo was edited or enhanced to make it better. I took a different approach. My “before” picture was a peach. My “after” was the pit. I may not be taking many pictures these days, but at least I have retained my sense of humor.

Tina's November 2020 Movies & More

Considering that I spent more than 100 hours rewatching "The West Wing," it is amazing that I managed to see 17 movies and TV series in November. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with the Bartlet Administration, so the time was well worth it. Programs not previously seen are marked with an asterisk and numbering picks up from previous months. Ratings go from 1-5 cans of tuna, with 5 being the best.

175.  Guillermo Vilas: Settling the Score* (2020, Netflix) – This documentary could also be called “Sour Grapes,” though not because of the former star tennis player himself. When the Argentinian Vilas played his best tennis, in the 1970s, the world rankings were done a bit haphazardly, a fact that so bothered an Argentinian journalist named Puppa that years later he poured through newspaper and magazine articles, rankings published by the ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) and whatever else he could get his hands on to make the case that Vilas deserved to be ranked number one in the world for more weeks than he had been. Vilas played against – and beat – such tennis icons as Bjorn Borg and Jimmy Connors, but did not hold the number 1 ranking for as many weeks as they did (justifiably, in my view). Unless you are into arcane mathematical equations or really enjoy footage of men playing tennis nearly 50 years ago, this documentary is not for you. I was at Forest Hills for the classic US Open semi-final match between Vilas and Manuel Orantes where Orantes was down by two sets and trailing 5-0 in the third set only to come all the way back and beat Vilas in the most thrilling match I have ever seen – and even I wasn’t all that interested in this movie. 2½ cans for being dull – except for watching Vilas play.
176. The West Wing (Netflix) – I should get extra credit for this one: I decided to rewatch this NBC series that aired in the early 2000s and seven seasons and 156 episodes later I had a new respect for the office of the President – present company excluded. My timing could not have been better, as I got to season 7 in time for the simultaneous real and fictional presidential election. As votes were being “cured” and counted and argued about in the real news, I sweated out the results of a vigorous fictional campaign. Comparisons and contrasts were unavoidable. The acting on this show is superb, exceeded only by the writing – especially the initial seasons that were helmed by Aaron Sorkin, a master of fast-spoken, snappy dialog. I salute President Jed Bartlet (Martin Sheen) and his whole crew – Bradley Whitford, Allison Janney, John Spencer, Dule Hill, Richard Schiff, Rob Lowe, Janel Moloney, Stockard Channing and the others who followed them and who made this drama reality for me. I miss those characters – and the grace of compassion and doing the right thing – so much. We could use “Bartlet for America” right now. 4½ cans. PS - This series is leaving Netflix at the end of the year but will be available on some other streaming service, I'm sure.
177.  The Queen’s Gambit* (2020, Netflix limited series) – The title here represents the opening move in a chess game, where young Beth excels as a preternaturally gifted player. An orphan, she lives in an miserable orphanage where her only respite from grim reality is learning and playing chess in the basement with the school custodian, Mr. Schiebel. Beth lies in bed at night envisioning chess moves on the ceiling. When she is adopted by a couple looking for a companion for the lonely wife, she initially is not allowed to play chess, but as her new mother begins to understand Beth’s skill (and earning potential), she relents. I don’t want to give away the rest of the plot, but the story, while centered on Beth’s prowess as a player, shows a girl who grows into a young woman lacking acceptance and disconnected in large part from society. Chess becomes her solace and the players her family. Her personality goes to extremes, as she becomes more dependent on pills and booze to relieve her loneliness. If you are a chess player or understand more about the game, the matches in this movie would be thrilling, I’m sure. But even for someone with no knowledge of the game, they become like athletic events, full of suspense. Anya Taylor-Joy, who plays Beth, reminded me of Emma Stone with her big eyes and lanky frame. I’ll be interested in seeing her next move. 4 cans.
178.  Always Be My Maybe* (2019, Netflix) – Just the title of this rom-com should be enough to give away the ending, and it didn’t disappoint in that regard. Sasha and Marcus grew up as neighbors and best buds, briefly interested in each other as more than friends before high school ended and they went their separate ways. She (now played by Ali Wong) gains acclaim as an innovative chef and restaurateur with a high-powered boyfriend/partner. He (Randall Park) joins his father in the heating and cooling business, still missing his late and wonderful mother, who loved Sasha like a daughter. We see them in the present, both in relationships and with no interest in each other. This is hardly “When Harry Met Sally,” but a scene in a high-end restaurant with Keanu Reeves is hilariously memorable. If you need a distraction from the comedy/tragedy playing out in DC or a break from coronavirus warnings, take a look at this cute flick.  3½ cans – 3 without the Keanu Reeves part!
179.  People Like Us* (2013, HBO) – I’m not sure any of these people are like us, but it is hard to pass up a chance to watch Chris Pine on the screen. He plays Sam, a man whose estranged father has died. He has no desire to go to the funeral, and he shows up (late) with his girlfriend Hannah (Olivia Wilde) just to satisfy his mother. (You know we are all getting old when Michelle Pfeiffer is cast as the very adult man’s mother.) The father had been a music rep with a huge stash of records who leaves Sam a shaving kit containing $150K and a request to get it to his grandson, Josh. It turns out that Josh is the grandson no one else knew he had, and the kid’s mother, Frankie (Elizabeth Banks), is, therefore Sam’s half-sister. Sam establishes a relationship with the two without telling them who he is. Down on his luck, Sam really could use that money, but he knows he is supposed to give it to Frankie for Josh, a lonely 11-year old who gets himself into trouble by doing things like blowing up the school pool. I kept urging Sam to tell Frankie what was going on, but the writers had their own ideas. This movie was well acted and Sam, while unable to manage his own life successfully, intercedes in the life of his new family. 3½ cans.
180.  The Times of Bill Cunningham* (2020, Prime Video) – Photographer, fashion chronicler, The New York Times writer and all-around man of New York, Bill Cunningham lived and died for fashion. He appreciated the cut of a garment, the fabric, the way it draped the body. But this former milliner wore hand-me-downs given him by fashion doyennes of the city who cleaned out their husbands’ closets. An unpretentious soul, he went to the best parties, camera always in hand, to capture the life of high society, people like Jackie Kennedy, Babe Paley and high-end designers. He knew everyone who was anyone in New York social and fashion circles. Cunningham was known for his pictures of street fashion, and every day seemed to excite this enormously affable and enthusiastic gentleman. He lived modestly in the same studio apartment for more than 50 years and could be seen daily riding his bike – always bought used. This is the second documentary I have seen on Bill Cunningham (the first was “Bill Cunningham New York” from 2010), and since I don’t follow fashion, you know the attraction had to be the personality and point of view of the man himself. 3½ cans.
181.  A Most Beautiful Thing* (2020, Prime Video) – The West Side of Chicago in the 1990s had plenty of gang rivalries, drug dealers, street violence and poverty. What it didn’t have was an all-Black high school rowing team. The students at all-Black Manley High were in rival gangs and avoided each other to be safe. But one day a man named Kenny, a white, Jewish rower, showed up with a boat and a plan, as former rivals joined together to compete on the water. Many of these young men were from families with drug addiction or had parents who were incarcerated. Many were quite literally in the same boat. This documentary shows the 1998 team reuniting to honor that special experience of working together, bonding, and succeeding in a sport they never knew existed. I’ll refrain from providing further details, but if you are looking for a heart-warming, inspiring movie, here’s one to see. Stuff like this gives me hope for a better world. 3½ cans.
182.  Midnight Run (1988) – This classic comedy caper is a buddy movie about two guys who are not buddies, who drive each other crazy, until they become buddies after all. Robert DeNiro is Jack Walsh, former copy and current bounty hunter who has to capture Jonathan “The Duke” LaDuca (Charles Grodin), mob accountant turned Robin Hood do-gooder, and get him to Los Angeles for the bail bondsman (Joe Pantoliano) who put up the cash. This movie is the original planes, trains and automobiles, as Jack and the Duke use every form of transportation short of a boat to get back to LA so Walsh can get his money, with the Duke resisting all the while. There are cops and Feds and mobsters and lamebrains and even a rival bounty hunter in this delight, which is thoroughly entertaining throughout its midnight run. This is a movie that could never be made today because Walsh smokes incessantly, including in the airport and on the plane(s) because this movie was made before smoking was banned. Great, fun flick. 4 cans.
183. Please Stand By* (2017, Hulu) – Dakota Fanning is Wendy in this winning story of a 21-year old woman with autism. Wendy lives in a group home, holds a job at Cinnabon and spends much of her time writing a script to submit in a contest for Star Trek. She has a strict routine and a bit of independence, but she is supervised by Scotti (Toni Collette). Her goal is to go from San Francisco to Paramount Studios in LA to submit her script in person by the deadline. But when she sneaks Petey the dog onto the bus, the driver kicks her off, leaving her on the side of the road. It will take wit and moxie to get to where she is going safely, and Scotti and Wendy’s sister Audrey are hot on her trail. Fanning does a great job playing Wendy, and you can’t help but root for her to succeed. 3½ cans.
184.  Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987, AMC On Demand) – My Thanksgiving is complete, now that I have once again watched this endearing comedy with Steve Martin as frustrated traveler Neil, who keeps bumping into annoying salesman Dell (the late John Candy). Both guys are trying their best to get home to Chicago in time for Thanksgiving, but every possible thing happens to prevent them from getting there. Candy is a big hulk of a guy, but full of a soft and warm center. Martin is uptight and driven (occasionally on the wrong side of the road). They don’t call these movies “buddy movies” for nothing, however, as the characters begin to understand each other despite their conflicts and the circumstances. Terrific movie, great performances, and always something for which to be thankful in this special season. 4 cans.
185.  Jasper Mall* (2020, Prime Video) – If you want to go where the action is, this Alabama mall is NOT the place. Once thriving and anchored by the likes of J.C. Penney, the mall is now frequented by morning mall walking regulars, a contingent of old men playing dominoes and few shoppers. No amount of carnivals in the parking lot or Santa in the food court will draw the shoppers back to the largely abandoned Jasper Mall. This documentary, told mostly through one employee who does everything from turning on the lights, unlocking the doors and emptying the trash to trying to entice larger stores to relocate to a place where space is abundant, might have benefited from some voiceover or graphics to tell its story. But you get the sense that it typifies the American experience, where shoppers have turned from malls to online shopping, and major retailers have closed nationwide, leaving enormous empty spaces behind. The movie is almost as dull as the mall’s own existence, but, as a recreational shopper, I felt obliged to endure it. 2½ cans.
186.  Blue Jay* (2016, Netflix) – Amanda and Jim (Sarah Paulsen, Mark Duplas) were meant for each other. After being in a solid relationship in high school and beyond, they ultimately moved on, with Amanda getting married and Jim staying single, secretly knowing she was “the one.” Now he returns to their hometown to clean up his mother’s house after her death and he runs into her at the market. They have coffee and conversation, dredging up the old memories, laughs and their good times together. This is the opposite of an action movie. In fact, Jim and Amanda are the only characters who speak. But the solid performances by the leads make it seem like the dialog is between two old friends, not between actors playing roles. Duplass wrote the screenplay and delivers his part deftly. I’m not giving this movie a big thumbs up because you might find it dull – I had to rewatch the part when I felt asleep – but the acting was so good and natural. 3 cans.
187.  The Mystery of D.B. Cooper* (2020, HBO and Prime Video) – Here’s the background on this true story: D. B. Cooper boarded a plane in November 1971 and hijacked it, demanding millions of dollars and a few parachutes. After a quick stop at a Northwestern airport where the passengers were released, his demands were met. He then donned the parachute and jumped into infamy in the only hijacking case that to this day remains unsolved. This documentary presents not one, not two but four possible contenders for the identity of D. B., including one transsexual. Each of the suspects has “backers,” people who swear he confessed to them on his deathbed or he was an uncle of theirs. This mystery has fascinated people since it happened. Did Cooper perish during the jump? Did he land, take the money and run? And why, years later, did some damaged money traced back to the case turn up? One thing I can say for sure: This case remains a mystery with plausible suspects and no resolution. 3½ cans.
188.  Under the Boardwalk: The Monopoly Story* (2010, Prime Video) – Every kid has grown up playing Monopoly, right? The classic board game from Parker Brothers has been around for 75 years, ironically introduced during the Depression. The game today is availble in countless languages, its familiar Boardwalk and Park Place properties bearing names more appropriate to their foreign locales in international versions. And it is not just a kids’ game – unless you think kids dream of forcing their competitors into bankruptcy. Adults who play the game compete in national tournaments with the winners coming to the US to face off in Atlantic City (naturally) along with the US champion. It took years for the original version of Monopoly to morph into what we see on the board today with the familiar graphics, street names and shoe, racecar and thimble tokens. There is plenty of strategy and wheeling and dealing involved. Watching this movie isn’t exactly like watching an Olympic sport, but for the players involved, the world championship is their Olympic Gold. 3½ cans.
189.  Hillbilly Elegy* (2020, Netflix) – I didn’t know this movie was based on a true story written by the main character. All I knew was that Ron Howard directed it and the stars were Glenn Close and Amy Adams, which was enough to get me to watch it. It was a real fun-fest – if your idea of fun is mental illness, drug addiction, domestic violence (I think setting your husband on fire in your living room qualifies) and extreme poverty. The film cuts between J.D., a teenaged boy living with his ill-tempered and drug-addicted mother and J.D. 14 years later, a young man trying earnestly to work his way through Yale Law School and escape from the drama of his Kentucky-Ohio roots. There is a lot of arguing, hopelessness and despair, yet somehow this family still cares for each other. Glenn Close as Mamaw, the grandmother, is nearly unrecognizable with a head of curly hair and a wardrobe straight out of a clothing bin. She seemed so specifically anti-typecast that I kept thinking of Carol Burnett when she played Eunice on “Mama’s Family,” a bitter, dour woman claiming to love her family but demonstrating only a modicum of warmth. Amy Adams is J.D.’s irresponsible and drug-addicted mother. I think the film improved for me once I found out it was based on a true story, because I could not believe this young kid could turn his life around and end up at Yale Law School. It was well-done, but relentless in its sadness. 3½ cans.
190.  Any Day Now (TV series from the early 2000s, Start TV) – I am recommending this TV series from the early 2000s era because despite the passage of time, it seems so relevant to our remaining issues of racial injustice. But mostly I love it because of its central construct – the warm and enduring friendship between two women who were best friends growing up and who, despite a 20-year lapse, manage to rekindle their affection and support for each other. Lawyer Renee Jackson (Lorraine Toussaint) is the daughter of an attorney in Birmingham, Alabama, a man whose death brings her back home from her high-powered job in Washington. Mary Elizabeth (Annie Potts) has settled down with childhood sweetheart Collier Sims and their kids, living a decidedly unlavish lifestyle. When Renee returns home, the friendship picks up again. Flashbacks to their youth in the early 1960s show how young Renee, a Black girl, faced discrimination and wasn’t welcome in the home of ME’s white family. As they grow up, they experience issues like interracial marriage, the KKK, unemployment, losing a child and a brother. Renee takes on court cases that encompass everything from rape and child custody to artistic expression and abortion. The series lasted about four seasons, and I just finished watching one episode a day on Start TV until I saw them all – a very good use of my time. 4 cans.
191.  The Undoing* (HBO, HBO Max) – This HBO limited series was a gripping Who-Done-It drama about the brutal murder of a woman and the arrest of her lover. Hugh Grant is an esteemed pediatric oncologist who had an affair with the woman and who left incriminating evidence at the murder scene. Nicole Kidman is his psychologist wife, mother of his son, and the daughter of a wealthy man (Donald Sutherland, whose eyebrows continue to haunt me). Kidman is a high society woman who had no idea about her husband’s transgression, but now that she knows, will she still support him, vouch for him? Of course, there are plenty of red herrings along the way to pique your suspicions, and a climatic courtroom scene is a must. I found this drama very well acted and absorbing. Catch it if you can. 4 cans.

Turning 70 and More

As we approach the holidays, more and more catalogs appear in my mailbox. There is everything from “Hearth & Home” to “Wind and Weather.” There are “Whatever Works,” “The Feel Good Store” (I’ll have what they’re having) and one I had never seen before, “Spilsbury,” where I could order a set of Donald Trump playing cards, “beard baubles” to decorate a man’s beard and “Weener Cleaner Soap,” which is just what you think it might be and is advertised as “one size fits most men.” And don’t forget to buy your Jesus soap to “cleanse your soul as well as your hands.” How on earth did I get on THIS mailing list?

Nine months into the corona crisis and I am still rationing squares of toilet paper.

I turned 70 at the end of October! Shocking, isn’t it? In junior high, there was a teacher who looked like she was in her 80s – at least to students who were 12 and 13. One day she mentioned something about her mother, who was still alive. I remember being stunned that she could have a living mother, who, I deduced, must have been 100 years old. Now I am 70, which is probably much older than this teacher was at the time I thought she was ancient.

When I watch “The Golden Girls” I realize that all of them except Sophia were younger then than I am now.

People say 70 is the new 60. I say: Small consolation. Like 60 wasn't old? However, I still seem young – except that I can pull a muscle just by turning over in bed. I don’t remember my mother running around wearing sweatshirts and baseball caps. Had they invented sweatshirts by the time she was 70?  

All I know is that being in my 20s in the 70s was more fun than being 70 in the 20s. For one, there was no pandemic limiting my ability to mark this special occasion with the proper level of partying.

Being 70 has not made me any less cranky about things. I am becoming more like Andy Rooney every day. And you have to be of a certain age to even get that reference.

For those of you who sent me birthday cards with glitter, don’t think I didn’t notice!

I get a lot of requests from people who ask to “pick my brain.” I’m afraid you are too late. My brain is pretty picked over by now.

Is it still against the law to remove those tags from the couch cushions and pillows? I really would not want to go to jail for that. Who exactly enforces that law? Just wondering.

I can only hope I outlive my magazines. I hate to throw out the 2017 Thanksgiving issue of Better Homes & Gardens and some recipe for dinner for 12 that I’ll never make!

There are definitely advantages to virtual meetings, such as no traffic, no leaving late at night for a long drive home and no clean-up of the meeting munchies when the meeting ends. Instead, you hit the “Leave Meeting” button and you are DONE! Of course, you still have to clean up after yourself if you have had any refreshments during or prior to the meeting.

I was so close to reaching the $400 total I need for a free turkey at ShopRite. My last shopping trip left me just 98 cents short. I should have bought a few extra oranges to put me over the top! But don’t worry, because by the time you read this, I will have smashed through that $400 barrier on my way to a free Butterball Turkey breast!

Why do we have to log into a portal for everything? Why can’t I just call the doctor’s office for an appointment? Why can’t the lab just mail me the blood work results? Accessing a portal is one more sign-on and password to remember, and who needs even one more? And no, I am NOT going to download your app onto my phone so once a year I can access my health records. That’s a hard NO.

I admire people who wear clothes well. They can slip into something absolutely ordinary and make it look like they are going to a fancy event. I have seen actress Sharon Stone show up at an awards ceremony in black pants and a starched white blouse and look like a million bucks. I, on the other hand, put on something new and it looks like I have worn it a thousand times. I could wear a ball gown and look like I am going to wash the car!

I record so many programs on my DVR, many of which record automatically whenever they happen to come on again, like “The Amazing Race” and “Survivor,” that I will notice the little red recording light on and wonder, “What am I recording now?” 

Dunkin Donut bagels are neither bagels nor rolls. Please discuss.

I just unsubscribed from one of the myriad places that send me unwanted email and I received a message saying, “We’ll miss you.” The feeling is NOT mutual.

I got a text message recently that promised me I could lose something like 60 pounds in 6 weeks. Yikes! Another message said I could go "from XXXL to a size S" in something like 10 minutes. I want to know who is monitoring my shopping cart or my closet and sending me these crazy messages.

I belong to a Facebook group for people who use Amazon’s Alexa. It is an amazing device that I use for everything from checking the weather to maintaining a shopping list. I just yell from the kitchen, “Alexa, add beef broth to my shopping list,” and, sure enough, it is right there when I check it 3 days later in the store. But some people are just too dependent on the technology. People on Facebook use it as an alarm clock and to turn on their lights, sure, but that’s just not enough for some people. They want complicated “routines” to do everything from boil the water for spaghetti to serve it in the bowl. You know, folks, we were all able to turn on our own lights and drain the pasta all by ourselves once. Let’s not lose those practical skills.

I asked Alexa to bring in the groceries when I got home from ShopRite and she didn’t even budge or comment on my request/order. #insubordination

I am so sick of kitchen duty. Whether I make it or have take-out, there’s always so much clean-up. It would be easier to go on a hunger strike!

I shook enough crumbs out of my toaster to stuff a small Thanksgiving turkey. Then I had to vacuum the floor to capture the crumbs that got away. Every time I toasted an English muffin, it smelled like the house was burning down. Those are some stubborn crumbs!

I know I have gotten really lazy around the house, but when I ate my toast plain with just margarine and without actually taking time to toast it, I think I hit a new low.

There’s nothing worse than chomping on a hard-boiled egg and getting a piece of shell. Yuck. (OK, there are worse things, but you get my drift.)

How am I supposed to thoroughly wash my sharpest knives without having them slice my sponge? Conundrum. 

I sure hope someone is telling the next generation that you use a fork to split English muffins. Never use a knife. It is all about the nooks and crannies!

I think I may be overusing exclamation points these days. Stop me when I start using two at the end of a sentence. Please!!

I am in such a quandary about spacing between sentences. I was taught to use two spaces, but now that we communicate largely online and don’t use actual lead type between sentences, the current standard seems to be just one space. I am an old dog, and it is hard to teach me new tricks. But now using two spaces between sentences is starting to look too spacey to me, so maybe I am coming around after all.

Here is a sure sign of the change of seasons and impending winter: Despite being 70+ degrees, my neighbors just covered their patio furniture. I wonder if all of the Ritas are closed yet.

I will have to get through a year without being able to watch my beloved Rutgers Women’s Basketball team from the cozy confines of the Rutgers Athletic Center (the RAC). No chance to sit on the sidelines cheering, no high fives or chanting “RU, Rah, Rah” at a timeout, no band playing the fight song, no rooting for the rookies and appreciating the returning players, no sideline salutes to legendary Coach C. Vivian Stringer. And I don’t know how the refs will survive without the fans providing loud vocal help in pointing out fouls they should have called (we REALLY like to help them!). It will be a year like no other, when we watch from home and remember to never again take for granted something we love.  

Rudy Giuliani’s press conference to announce the Republicans’ intention to file lawsuits regarding the election results was held not at the fancy, schmancy Four Seasons Hotel in Philadelphia but inadvertently booked at Four Seasons Total Landscaping, located in an industrial area adjacent to an adult bookstore/peep show and a crematorium. If it is a landscape company, surely they stock fertilizer. This is more irony than one could conjure up for a Saturday Night Live sketch, except that it actually happened. 

Please – for the sake of your health and that of your loved ones – don’t gather in groups, wear a mask, wash your hands and hunker down for a tough stretch as this virus continues to spread and kill thousands of people. Hopefully, the new year will bring us all new solutions to this scourge.  


 

Tina's October 2020 Movies & More

Two more months left in the year and I have an outside shot at reaching a total of 200 movies & more for the first time ever! The ratings go from 1-5 cans of tuna, with 5 the top score. Movies I had not previously seen are marked with an asterisk and the numbering picks up from previous months.

158.  American Murder: The Family Next Door* (2020, Netflix) – This documentary covers the murder of a pregnant woman and her two small children by her husband, Chris Watts. One day Shanann Watts and the two girls simply disappear. Of course, we know the cops always look at the spouse, and, with no break-in, no sign of forced entry and no evidence that Shanann left voluntarily (no woman leaves behind her phone, keys and car unless there is foul play), police rely on phone records and plenty of video footage from police body cams, Watt’s own security system and that of his neighbor to see what really transpired. This film takes a different approach, using the texts and the social media posts of the wife to show that the relationship was on a downturn. Even if you know the story, if you like murder mysteries, this suspenseful case is worth watching. 3½ cans.
159.  The Palindromists* (2018, On-line rental) – "Was it a car or a cat I saw?" That is an example of a palindrome. A simpler one is WOW – a word, sentence or phrase that reads the same backwards as it does forward. This wordplay holds the interests of people as diverse as a bassoonist from Utah and a man from Australia, both of whom appear in this film as competitors in a palindrome competition. Will Shortz, the mad genius behind The New York Times crossword puzzle and the man who hosted the National Crossword Puzzle competition that was featured in the wonderful movie “Wordplay,” hosts this gathering of palindromists. I enjoyed seeing the fascination people have with words, and Shortz issues tough challenges in this competition. I know I couldn’t do it. I would be too stressed, which would lead to the consumption of too many desserts. Get it? 3 cans.
160.  Mercury 13* (2018) – Apparently, I am much more interested in the US Space Program than I thought I was, since in the last few weeks I have watched “Mission Control,” “Challenger, the Last Flight,” and this documentary about women who were almost accepted into the Space program in the ‘50s and ‘60s. These women were dubbed the “Mercury 13.” All were experienced pilots who were accepted into a rigorous training program to see if they could qualify to join the original Mercury astronauts – John Glenn & company – and ride a rocket into space and history. They failed one key qualification: They were not men. The footage here includes interviews with several of the original 13 and their adult children. Until Sally Ride took her flight in 1983, no woman was launched into space. Discrimination against women is not limited solely to earth. 3½ cans.
161.  Touch the Wall* (2014, Prime Video) – Like most Americans, every four years my attention turns to sports that I otherwise never even think about as we all root for sprinters and gymnasts and swimmers competing in the Olympics. This documentary traces the beginning of the career of swimming phenom Missy Franklin, a starting with the 14-year old Colorado high school student with the typical swimmer’s broad shoulders and narrow waist who spends most of her day in the pool. Missy is loyal to her coach and her high school and club teams, even as she advances up the ranks of swimming to the Olympic Trials. She is firm on her plans to go to college instead of becoming a professional swimmer. Here she trains with Kara, a 24-year old swimmer whose career is on the wane but whose experience and wisdom help Missy develop mentally as well as in the pool. Franklin went on to be a celebrated Olympic champion, and her genuine enthusiasm captivated the American public. Beautiful underwater photography makes the swimmers here look like mermaids with their grace and strength. Their goal is simple; as swimmers, they want to touch the wall – first.  3 cans.
162.  Reasonable Doubt* (2014, EPIX Channel on Xfinity) – I had plenty of reasonable doubt about this movie, but it turned out to be better than I thought. Mitch (Dominic Cooper) is a prosecutor in Chicago, a young man on the track to success and a father with a wife and new baby. Driving home from a night out with the boys after a few drinks, he hits a man who darts out in front of his SUV, makes a 911 call from a nearby pay phone, and runs. When another man (Samuel L. Jackson) is accused of the crime, he prosecutes the case but takes risky steps to ease his conscience even though he has doubts about the accused. Suspenseful. 3½ cans.
163.  Bruce Springsteen: Glory Days* (2011, Ovations channel) – At 44 minutes, this documentary on the career of Bruce Springsteen may actually be shorter than a single performance of one of his rock anthems, but I couldn’t resist spending the time with the greatest rock ‘n roller of all-time. This documentary starts with his humble Jersey beginnings, takes us through the proclamation by writer Jon Landau of Bruce as “the future of rock ‘n roll,” through his legendary on-stage performances to his release of such iconic albums as “The River,” “Born to Run” and “Born in the USA.” There is not much heard here from The Boss himself, but you come away with the impression of a man who lives for his music, who has made a happy life for himself with wife Patty Scialfa and their three kids, and whose E Street bandmates were truly his brothers (we miss, you, Clarence Clemmons), and who has given us memorable songs and performances for nearly 50 years. And he is not done yet. 3½ cans. PS – Ovations is one of those channels in my Xfinity line-up that I didn’t know existed, but if there are more shows like this one, I’ll be spending time there.
164.  Mike Wallace Is Here* (2019, Hulu) – Those four words were enough to make any professional PR person recoil in fear. Mike Wallace was a relentless reporter, not afraid to ask the toughest questions and demand answers. This documentary takes him from his radio days through early TV, where he was a game show host and pitch man for products, to his breakthrough interview show, “Night Beat,” through his storied career at the brand-new and now venerable “60 Minutes.” Wallace interviewed everyone -- from celebrities such as the difficult Bette Davis and Barbra Streisand to Johnny Carson and Frank Lloyd Wright to world leaders, such as Anwar Sadat and the Ayatollah Khomeini. And then there were his famous “ambush interviews,” designed to uncover people doing things that were illegal or corrupt. He had an enormous body of work, including his infamous interview with General William Westmoreland that resulted is the General’s suit against Wallace and CBS. He was feisty and fearless and would have relished the chance to hold today’s leaders accountable. Before news was deemed “fake,” there was Mike Wallace borrowing his way to the truth. Just one caveat – in the style of “60 Minutes” the people being interviewed are not identified. I guess I have seen a lot of Wallace’s work, because the only people I did not immediately identify were actress Diana Dors (before my time) and architect Frank Lloyd Wright. 4 cans for the wealth of subjects included here. PS -- this documentary is also available on Prime Video, but for rent. Hulu has it for free.
165.  Wild Card: The Downfall of a Radio Loudmouth* (2020, HBO) – If you live in the NY/NJ area and are a sports fan, chances are you have heard morning sports host Craig Carton, half of the WFAN duo Boomer & Carton. Or you did hear them, until Carton was carted off to prison for fraud and money laundering. Carton is a shock jock, brash and manic, willing to say or do anything to keep listeners amazed and amused. But off air, he had a singular passion – gambling. After his morning show, he would drive from NYC to AC to play blackjack. Sometimes he flew down on a helicopter, returning just in time to go on the air. When his perpetual winning streak turned into a losing streak, he borrowed money, raised money, started a ticket business so he could use the profits to pay off his debt. I know gambling is an addiction, but I found it hard to summon up any sympathy for a man whose family is barely mentioned (and, given his flights and working schedule, probably largely ignored) and who played with other people’s money. But you know that America loves a good redemption story. Now out of jail, Carton has signed a deal to get back into radio again, and all will be forgiven. Or maybe not. 3½ cans.
166. My Octopus Teacher* (2020 Netflix) – Man meets octopus, man photographs octopus, man falls in love with octopus. This documentary is the remarkable story of a man who spent more than a year following the movements of one octopus off the coast of Africa, getting in touch with nature and his own feelings, and taking magnificent footage of the kingdom under the sea. This kind of movie is out of my wheelhouse, but I admire this man’s passion about the sea creatures, his devotion to this one octopus and the stunning footage he captured (and footage that captured him). 3½ cans.
167.  Hoops U* (2015, Showtime on Demand) – Only a desperate college basketball fan would watch this account covering a part of one season with two teams. The men’s teams from Notre Dame ad Maryland in 2015 are featured, each playing in a different conference and each enjoying successful seasons. The coaches (Mike Brey at ND and Mark Turgeon at UMD) are inspiring without looking like they are abusive martinets, and their teams win a few and lose a few in the period leading up through their conference tournaments. The film stops short of the NCAA Selections, which would have been an appropriate coda. Really, only a desperate, diehard fan would watch this. And I’m glad I did. 3 cans.
168.  Totally Under Control* (2020, Apple TV+ rental) – This new documentary on Apple TV+ traces the COVID-19 timeline from the beginning up until the president's own diagnosis. It is insightful and devastating. This isn't over yet, but the pandemic's path might not have been so severe had politics not trumped science. Comments from long-serving public health officials, doctors, scientists and others convey their personal anguish as the virus raged on. They were unable to get the personal protective equipment they needed nor the attention of the government, which continued to downplay the spread of disease, contradict scientific advice and make pronouncements about the forthcoming “disappearance” of a disease which has now killed 225,000 Americans and shattered the economy. Looking at how this catastrophe was handled here versus in many other countries is an indictment of the administration’s response and a demonstration of its culpability. 4½ cans.
169.  Rebecca* (2018, Netflix) – This movie is a remake, but not an update, of the classic Hitchcock 1940 movie about a man whose wife dies and whose presence continues to be felt in his house, now occupied by him and his new young wife. Here handsome Armie Hammer plays the wealthy Max, still mourning the loss of his Rebecca. He meets a pretty young woman (Lily James) and very quickly marries her and takes her home to his rather creepy estate. The droves of staff are led by the taciturn Mrs. Danley (Kristin Scott Thomas), who adored her previous mistress and doesn’t welcome the new Mrs. with open arms. There are spooky goings on, suspense and an unexpected twist and turn (since I barely remembered the plot of the original). This is a bit of a film noir and well done. 3½ cans.
170.  Letter to You* (2020, Apple TV+) – In my second Springsteen movie of the month, the Boss himself offers this poignant video diary to introduce a new collection of songs interspersed with his memories of his musical journey. He has such great respect for the process and such great love for his E Street Band brothers, the musicians who have helped him express his vision for nearly 50 years. Still firmly “The Boss,” Bruce draws on his Jersey youth, incorporating several songs he wrote in the 70s, but everything here seems like vintage Bruce, no matter the time. He pays tribute to the E Street members who have passed away and notes that he is now the only remaining member of his first band, the Castiles. Bruce has gotten less raucous as he has aged, but the E Street Band still rocks, and the songs here match his mood perfectly. I had tears in my eyes more than once. Was it from the music, the memories, or just the magic that is Bruce? 4 cans.
171.  Marching Orders* (2018, Netflix) – I have never played an instrument, twirled a flag, performed as a dancer or marched in a band, but that didn’t deter me from watching this mini-series about the Mighty Wildcats of the Bethune-Cookman College marching band. This mini-series consists of 12 short (under 12-minute) segments focusing on the flag twirlers, the dancers, the drum majors, the horn section and the head of this dedicated, hardworking and award-winning group. I must like all of the behind-the-scenes shows, since I have watched “Last Chance U” (junior college football), “Touch the Wall” (swimming), “Cheer” (college cheerleading) and others about kids who might not otherwise get a college education without participating in these “extracurricular” activities. This one was not quite as captivating as similar series (maybe the episodes were too short) but I admire people who try and work so hard to accomplish something for the team and for themselves.  3 cans.
172.  Dolly Parton Here I Am* (2019, Netflix) – Dolly Parton is a force of nature, with her towering wigs, extreme make-up and other assets that you just can’t miss. But behind the glamourous, show biz façade, she is a country girl at heart who considers herself a songwriter first and performer, actress and everything else after that. A 50-year vet of country music’s Grand Ol’ Opry, Parton has had a brilliant career as a singer whose memorable songs include such classics as “Jolene” and my personal favorite, “I Will Always Love You.” In this documentary, she tells the story of writing the theme song for the movie “9 to 5,” which she starred in along with Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin, a song that became an icon for working women everywhere. She also built her own amusement park, Dollywood, and established a program that has provided millions of books for children. Hello, Dolly! 3 ½ cans.
173.  I Am Woman* (2019, Netflix) – Speaking of strong women, Helen Reddy provided the anthem “I Am Woman” to the women’s movement in the 1960s as women united to try to pass the Equal Rights Amendment in the US. This biopic takes the Australian singer from a single mother struggling to make ends meet in New York through the establishment of her partnership with her eventual husband, manager Jeff Wald, who guided her career and depended on her success to launch his own.  Tilda Cobham-Hervey plays Reddy, who first couldn’t get booked because music was dominated by male groups like the Beatles. But the dawn of the singer-songwriter opened the door for Reddy and Wald (Evan Peters) helped her get through it. This is a typical rags-to-riches story with career and financial ups and downs. Helen Reddy passed away recently, so this was a good opportunity to revisit her many hits and how they fit into the times. 3 cans.
174.  Goldfinger (1964, On Demand) – As my own personal tribute to Sean Connery, who died today, I thought I’d watch one of the few James Bond movies I have seen. Goldfinger has just what audience have come to expect – lots of cool gadgets and cars, beautiful women, and a man who can wear a tux better than anyone since Cary Grant. Connery is the OG Bond, suave, debonair and cool as the other side of the pillow. Nobody does it better. 4 cans.
175.  The Trial of the Chicago 7* (2020, Netflix) – I’m sufficiently old enough to remember the riots in Chicago in 1968, as the Yippies, the SDS, the Black Panthers and other groups tried (and succeeded) in attracting attention outside the nearby Democratic National Convention. This movie by Aaron Sorkin, a master of dialog, focuses on the trial of seven organizers of the protests to the war in Vietnam. These protestors – Abbie Hoffman, Jerry Rubin, Tom Hayden and the others – were arrested on charges of conspiracy, even though they didn’t know each other and didn’t do any planning together. They were in Chicago to protest peacefully and get droves of people to voice their discontent without violence. But the Chicago PD, under Mayor Daley, had other ideas. Hoffman (Sacha Baron Cohen, who is terrific here) and Rubin opposed the war, like to smoke pot and were not about to get violent. Tom Hayden (Eddie Redmayne) was very political and wanted to make an antiwar statement. The trial was unconventional to say the least. Judge Julius Hoffman (Frank Langella) was as much of a character as the fictional judge played by Fred Gwynne in “My Cousin Vinnie.” This movie is a flashback to a different kind of protesting. 4 cans.