See You In September

Every now and then I hear myself shouting out an answer on “Jeopardy” and wondering how I knew it. These days, I’m shouting at the TV during "Jeopardy" for entirely different reasons.

I cleaned my humidifier this morning with vinegar and now my whole bathroom smells like salad dressing.

You know what is annoying? When I am yawning like crazy and I STILL can’t fall asleep. 

I buy the “executive turkey” at the deli counter because, well, you know, I used to be one. I’ll let you decide whether that means I used to be an executive or a turkey.

For someone who hasn’t been in school in nearly 50 years and who has no children or grandchildren, why am I still so tempted to buy school supplies when the displays go up? I’m not sure why I continue to have this fascination. A neighbor of mine was collecting school supplies for local kids, so I was able to shop for pens, pencils, markers, etc., and satisfy my craving for a good cause!

When I had acne as a teenager, doctors and the general consensus at the time said that I would outgrow it. I’m 70 now and wondering how old I have to be to outgrow it. Will I outlive it? 

As I ate a piece of French toast recently, I wondered whether someone in France was eating a piece of good old plain toast and condemning Americans for their poor taste in food.

It disappoints me that there is a warning label on the package of Tide Pods that tells people not to eat them. What makes us think that anyone stupid enough to eat them would be smart enough to read and heed the warning? And if this warning is for children, the ones who might eat the pods can’t read anyway.

I have to clean out my freezer (I’ll spare you the long and boring story) so eating a single-sized pizza and cracking open a box of coveted Girl Scout Thin Mints was really only to accomplish that goal. But I also realized that if I simply downsize my ridiculously large collection of ice packs, I can probably double my usable food storage space. I have more ice packs on hand than a physical therapy place!

In any case, I could use a professional organizer to study my refrigerator and my dishwasher and show me how to use the space more efficiently. The irony is that I don’t have much food around and I hardly ever use the dishwasher, though my BFF tells me all the time that I should!

My plan in August was to go peach picking with a friend, but the peach orchard was closed. So instead, we went to the farmers market where the orchard sells their peaches and I picked up two quarts. I guess you could say I picked them myself, but in reality, they were already in a bag. No bending and gathering the peaches this way, which was fine with me!

I’m such a sucker for gadgets. I found a sandwich maker branded “Nostalgia” on display for only $8.96, and I just HAD to buy it. It makes just one sandwich at a time (which is fine), and claims to be great with pre-fab cinnamon rolls, but so far I have only used it once, for a tuna melt. Listen, for $9 bucks, I can hardly BUY a sandwich, so this gizmo is really a bargain. I have it neatly stored next to the juicer I bought last year, alongside my food sealer. No comment!

Why are there so many insurance commercials? There’s my favorite – Flo from Progressive – along with the ubiquitous Geico gecko (and a thousand other Geico iterations), the emu from Liberty Mutual, the crew of Jake and the athletes who hawk State Farm, the not-just-for-farmers Farmers Insurance, USAA for military families (but not associated with the actual military), All-State and many more who regularly appear on TV to remind us to have insurance. I don’t use any of these companies. I’m sticking with low-key New Jersey Manufacturers, which only recently started to advertise and touts the fact that they don’t have a mascot or a jingle representing their brand. And they answer the phone every time I have a question or a problem. I don’t need a gecko with a British accent to sell me insurance!

I’m FINALLY back at aqua aerobics after a two-year break because of my shoulder injury (torn rotator cuff) and subsequent surgery and physical therapy as well as COVID. Not much has changed, except people who are not vaccinated must wear masks to the poolside. The pool water is still too cold so it takes me forever to get really wet. The paper towel holder in the bathroom – the kind you are supposed to run your hands over to get a towel dispensed – still randomly spits out a towel even if no one is in the vicinity. And the soap in the shower still smells like Stella D’Oro Breakfast Treats. It’s great to be back!

Speaking of the pool, I am taking aqua Zumba once a week and I really enjoy it, which only proves you don’t have to be good at something to have fun doing it. Sometimes I want to tell the instructor that the reason I couldn’t do a particular step is because the water got in my way. Let’s just say that it is a good thing this is a “no-cut” team, or I would have to find something else to do on Fridays!

My washing machine has a dozen different settings (sheets and towels, cold and hot, delicates, speed wash, etc.) for washing and several more for rinsing and spinning. I use two. What about you?

I have heard from so many people during the pandemic, people who reached out to see if I was safe, how I was managing through the lockdown and whether I had everything I needed. But who kept in touch best? Kohl’s. Nearly every day – or at least several times a week – they would send me emails encouraging me to shop, enticing me with special sales and offers, promising to bring whatever I bought right to my door. It’s nice to know they care, right? Now send me that Kohl’s cash!

As a huge sports fan, I always watch the US Open Tennis Tournament. Years ago, I attended the event regularly, back when it was held at Flushing Meadows and then when the USTA built the Billie Jean King Tennis Center on the site of the 1964 New York World’s Fair. This year I watched in awe as two young women, aged 18 & 19 respectively, both unranked, battled it out for the championship. Anna Raducanu of Great Britain beat Leylah Fernandez of Canada in straight sets. The next day Anna got a congratulatory message from Queen Elizabeth herself – signed “Elizabeth R.” Wow! I look forward to a great rivalry between these two talented young ladies. I hope they continue to grow and find joy in the sport without overextending themselves with endorsement deals and fashion shoots and other draining obligations. 

NY Governor Andrew Cuomo: From Hero to Zero. One year he is must-see TV with his Covid briefings. The next year the attorney general of NY finds in an investigation that he sexually harassed multiple, credible women and he finally resigns from office. I have no sympathy for his fall from grace. His wounds were self-inflicted. Let this be a lesson to all men: Your teasing and touching of women is unwanted and wrong. Why don’t you get that? Cuomo has daughters in their 20s. How would he react if they were treated the same way he treated other women?

Please get vaccinated. I did it for you.

I watched so much of the coverage of the 20th anniversary of 9/11, including several documentaries, and for some reason, this occasion rattled me more this year than ever. I woke up, watched, cried, threw up, watched some more, cried some more and I can’t believe it has been 20 years since we lost nearly 3000 poor souls in those acts of terrorism. Like everyone else, I remember that day clearly, what I was doing and how heartsick I felt for the families who lost loved ones. I still marvel at the thought of the police and firefighters who ran INTO the buildings to try to save people who were trapped. And I especially appreciate the outpouring of kindness people showed to each other – whether they were friends or strangers – on that fateful day and the days thereafter. I wish we would all put aside our personal, political beliefs and unify for the greater good.

Tina's August 2021 Movies & More

We can add another 15 movies, etc., to the 2021 list, including a few good ones and a few that are better left forgotten. Numbering picks up from previous months and programs marked with an asterisk* are ones I had not seen previously. Everything is rated on a scale of one to five cans of tuna, and more is better!

104.  Poms* (2019, Netflix) – When I think of Diane Keaton, I think of “Annie Hall,” or “As Good As It Gets” or “Reds.” I hope I don’t think of this trifle of a movie, trying its hardest to be a feel-good story about ladies in a senior community who form a cheerleading squad headed by the secretly dying Martha (Keaton). Of course, they are terrible; of course, there are mean people in the community who want to stop them; and of course, they rally in the end. There’s a good cast but a story that is a pastiche of elder cliches. And Keaton herself is a lousy cheerleader. I know many of my contemporaries found this movie to be cute and entertaining, and I’ll admit that it did get better in the second half, but overall, it was a waste of my time. 1½ cans.
105.  Otherhood* (2020, Netflix) – I miss the days when you could rely on Nora Ephron or Nancy Meyers for a good rom-com or female empowerment movie. This one could have used them. When three old friends don’t hear from their sons on Mother’s Day, they decide to take matters into their own hands, leave their Poughkeepsie, NY, homes and invade Manhattan, where their sons live. Of course, not connecting with your mother on Mother’s Day is unforgivable, but these meddling mothers could drive any son crazy. Carol (Angela Bassett) is a widow, Gillian (Roseanna Arquette) is married and disapproves of her son’s girlfriend, and Helen (Felicity Huffman) has never quite forgiven her cheating husband – whom she divorced 11 years ago – even though she is married now to a genuinely nice man. So, the moms invade, move in, interfere, and wreak all kinds of havoc with their sons. I found it ironic that Huffman, who spent time in jail for her role in the college admissions scandal, would be in this kind of movie. This is a highly acclaimed cast. Too bad the material didn’t measure up to their talent. 3 cans.
106.  Lion in the House* (2006, Netflix) – This two-part, four-hour documentary focuses on several brave children suffering from cancer, on their families and on the heroic doctors of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital who try whatever measures they can to save them. The doctors and parents are constantly forced to question themselves about making the best decisions for their young patients. Will she be able to tolerate the side effects of chemotherapy? Should he be sent to the ICU? Should they have a Do Not Resuscitate order in the file? This poignant series isn’t cheery and doesn’t come with all happy endings, but it gave me a better perspective on the suffering, healing and loss experienced by the parents, families, hospital staff and the young patients. 3½ cans.
107.  All My Life* (2020, Prime Video) – This romantic drama, based on a true story, is about a young couple who meet, fall in love, move in together and try to keep the good times rolling when bad things happen. Jessica Rothe and Harry Shum Jr. (he appeared in TV’s “Glee” but mostly as a dancer with little dialog) are the attractive young couple, surrounded by devoted friends who try to support them in every possible way. Worth seeing. 3½ cans.
108. RESPECT* (2021, IN THE MOVIES, but now available streaming!) – My first time back in an actual movie theater since March, 2020, was to see the story of the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, and I made a great choice! This movie is a full look at the life and music of Aretha, the importance of the church in her singing career, the influence of her pastor father, the men who done her wrong and the decision to record not in Detroit, at Motown, but to capture the special magic of Muscle Shoals, Alabama. The movie shows how long it took Aretha to move from underselling standards to a brand of soul that was all her own, with such hits as “Chain of Fools,” “You Better Think,” and so many more, including the title tune. Jennifer Hudson, tapped by Aretha herself to play the Queen in this movie, more than lives up to Aretha’s expectations with a wondrous performance. And then there is that VOICE! Aretha Franklin was a gift from God and Jennifer Hudson did her proud. Expect Oscar nominations. PS – Stick around for the credits to see Aretha herself sing “Natural Woman” from her salute to songwriter Carole King at the Kennedy Center Honors. If you don’t get goosebumps, you can’t be alive!
4½ cans.
109.  Here Today* (2021, rented on Demand) – Billy Crystal is Charlie, an aging comedy writer living on his own and starting to show signs of dementia. Tiffany Haddish is Emma, a struggling singer who comes into his life when her ex wins a lunch with Charlie at an auction and she takes it instead, despite not knowing who he is. Somehow, these two hit it off right away, bonding over her near-fatal reaction to eating seafood at their lunch. Confession: Tiffany Haddish is one of my favorite performers. She is brassy, hilarious and has great timing and facial expressions. The two form a friendship and she encourages him to get busy with the book he is struggling to write. I seldom rent movies, but for $5.99 – less than the cost of a ticket in the movies – this sweet and charming movie was a bargain. 3½ cans
110.  Small Town News: KPVM Pahrump* (2021, HBO/HBO Max) – If “WKRP in Cincinnati” and “News Radio” had a real-life TV baby, it would be this quirky 6-part documentary series (30 minutes a segment). Vern Van Winkle (seriously, you can’t make this stuff up) is the owner of a small TV station in the Podunk town of Pahrump, Nevada, about an hour and a lifetime away from Las Vegas. The small but dedicated staff multi-tasks responsibilities ranging from news director/editor/writer/camera operator to the very genial John, the weatherman, who dresses for business on the top with a suit and tie and shorts on the bottom when he’s not golfing with advertisers. The on-camera talent is inexperienced but happy to tackle local issues, and even to cover a political rally when a Trump son lands in town. Vern is eager to expand to the bigger Las Vegas market, and by the end of the six parts here, he is looking for space in Sin City. Stay tuned for season two of this endearing and odd little show. 3½ cans.
111.  Presumed Innocent (1990, HBO) – Our legal system is predicated on the assumption of innocence among the accused, but things look pretty grim for Rusty Sabich (Harrison Ford) when he is accused of murdering his former colleague and lover (Greta Sacchi). There’s a glass with his fingerprints found in her apartment and other incriminating evidence against Rusty, who is an assistant prosecutor caught up in a political situation that makes him vulnerable to prosecution. This movie, adapted from the Scott Turow novel, combines suspense, courtroom drama, a great cast (Bonnie Bedelia, Brian Dennehy, Raul Julia, Paul Winfield) and plenty of shocks along the way. Yes, it is 31 years old, but it still holds up well. 3½ cans.
112.  Liza with a Z (1972, PBS) – Liza Minelli delivers a powerhouse performance in this filmed stage show, knocking out great numbers from her signature role in “Cabaret” and a bunch of other songs that put her unique talent in the spotlight. With her huge, unblinking eyes, iconic short haircut and ability to prance, stomp and glide around the stage, she is magnetic. The unmistakable stamp of director/choreographer Bob Fosse is as prominent as Minelli herself in this fierce performance, one that I had not seen in many years. It aired as part of the PBS fundraising drive, so I don’t know whether it is something you can find and watch there or elsewhere again, but I’m glad I caught it. 4 cans and a lot of glitter.
113. 9 to 5, The Story of a Movement* (2021, Netflix) – Before Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin and Dolly Parton teamed up on the movie “9 to 5” in 1980, there was a movement that had started in Boston among office workers who found themselves overlooked and underpaid. A few of these women (and yes, they were all women) realized they had plenty in common. They all experienced or knew of women belittled by their bosses, not paid for overtime, paid less than men and having little opportunity for training and advancement. They teamed up and the 9 2 5 movement was born, starting in Boston but eventually spreading across the US. These were women who were fed up with bosses demanding they do everything from write personal letters, peel carrots for their lunch and one whose boss made her sew his pants – while he was wearing them. There are great interviews here with the organizers of this movement, who educated themselves about discrimination and how existing laws from the National Labor Relations Act could protect and assist them. It wasn’t an easy sell, as many feared reprisals. But for change to occur, someone always has to be the leader, be brave enough to buck the system, and these women were smart and ready to take a risk. Very interesting story and one that I did not know. 3½ cans.
114.  Golden: The Journey of USA’s Elite Gymnasts* (2021, Peacock) – Mamas, don’t let your babies grow up to be gymnasts! This 6-part documentary takes viewers behind the scenes to show the grueling life of America’s finest women gymnasts and their families as they prepared to compete in events leading up to what became the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. These amazing athletes start young, train incessantly, endure injuries, surgeries, rehab and physical therapy while under constant pressure to be perfect in everything they do. Among those featured are some whose names you know and others who didn’t make the USA Olympic team. Those athletes are left to ponder whether they want to start their non-gymnastics lives or dedicate three more years to making the team in 2024. The series largely omits Simone Biles, the face of USA gymnastics, focusing instead on the competitors who were not locks to make the team. Former USA team member Laurie Hernandez, a star in 2016 as a 16-year old, is now a young woman whose insights add to this program. The gravity defying feats of these athletes are balanced by the many times they literally fall flat on their faces in practice, in tryouts and sometimes in competition. Compelling stuff here. 4 cans.
115.  CODA* (2021, Apple TV+) – High school student Ruby Rossi (Emilia Jones) doesn’t have much in common with her classmates. At 3 AM, she is up and working with her deaf parents and brother on their finishing boat before she even heads for class, where is likely to be found asleep at her desk. She loves to sing, and she has talent, but as the only person in her family who is not deaf (CODA stands for “children of deaf adults), she is the person her family relies on to communicate with the world and help maintain their business. Jones gives an outstanding performance (and she sings well, too) as a young woman torn between fulfilling her own dreams and keeping her family business afloat. When she is signing for her hippy parents (Marlee Matlin and Troy Kotsur) and her stubborn brother (Daniel Durant), she brings incredible physicality to the part. Years ago, Matlin, who is excellent here, won the Oscar for her debut in “Children of a Lesser God.” I wonder if Jones will see a chance to do the same based on this fine performance. 4 cans.
116.  The Desk Set (1957, Movies Channel) – This film is one of the many Spencer Tracy-Katharine Hepburn classics, where they meet, dislike and distrust each other, then end up together. Written by Phoebe and Henry Ephron (parents of Nora), the story is about an efficiency expert (him) brought in to install a gigantic computer to help the all-female research department she heads, a group more than capable of answering questions from the mundane to the ridiculous with startling efficiency. Hepburn’s Bunny has been dating an exec of the TV network where they work for years, but he never seems ready to pop the question, leaving room for Tracy’s guy to win her heart. This rom-com shows what offices were like back in the 1950s, complete with dancing at office Christmas parties. Granted, this movie is not the best in the Tracy-Hepburn collection, but it holds a special place in my heart. My father once played the Tracy role in an off-off-off-Broadway production (local community theater), a completely out-of-character thing for him to do. Mind you, this was so long ago that although my genius sister had memorized the entire play and ran lines with him, she was still young enough to wonder if Daddy was leaving Mommy for a new wife at the end!  I wonder if she will remember that! Dad’s production gets 5 cans, of course, but the movie only scores 3½.
117.  The History of the Sitcom* (2021, CNN) – I could have written this one, with my devotion to and extensive knowledge of the shows in this category. This eight-part documentary takes us through the socially-relevant sitcoms (All in the Family, Good Times, Maude) to the family sitcoms, the work and Friends sitcoms, the fantasy shows (Mr. Ed, My Mother the Car), the rural sitcoms (Green Acres, Beverly Hillbillies) and other classics. I was surprised how many shows I never watched, particularly more recent shows, but I attribute that lack of familiarity to the fact that I’m busy watching The Golden Girls reruns instead. Some of these shows reflected and changed our culture, while others provided just pure escapism (nobody can believe that the 7 people on Gilligan’s Island could do everything but make a raft to escape). My only quibble was the inclusion of The Love Boat and Eight is Enough and the exclusion of one of my all-time favorites, The Wonder Years. I just heard that The Munsters is getting a reboot, proving that everything old is new again. 4 cans.
118.  Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal & Greed* (2021, Netflix) – The iconic PBS artist Bob Ross is fondly remembered for teaching us all how to put happy little trees on canvas, completing a full landscape picture in just the 24-minute length of his TV show. His calm voice and positive attitude assured us all that we could be artists, too. But behind the canvas, things weren’t quite so sanguine, as Bob’s partners sought to control every aspect of the empire he built with his show, selling brushes and paints and conducting live art classes. Even when he was on his deathbed, dying from the cancer that they refused to inform people about, they tried to coerce his son into getting his father’s signature on a contract that would give them rights to his name in perpetuity. I think I would have been better off missing this story and remembering Bob as someone whose shows I keep on my DVR to help lull me to sleep. 3 cans of paint.
 

Tokyo 2021 Olympic Observations

Once every four years (in this case, five), I find myself waking up at 4 am to watch a women’s soccer game or beach volleyball. Welcome to the Olympics, when people who are household names and those who are unknown, all with stories, emerge as heroes. It is thrilling to watch unfold, and I cannot stop watching! I’m sure my observations here are similar to what I expressed watching the Rio Games in 2016, but I thought they were worth sharing.

We are a few days into the delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympics (or so say most of the signs I’ve seen), and I’m having trouble with the multiple places where sports are televised and with the time zones. I started watching a women’s soccer game the other day and realized it took place several days ago, so, no, the USWNT was NOT losing to Sweden AGAIN. I can watch the next game around 5 AM tomorrow. Fine, since I will probably be awake anyway.

The Opening Ceremonies were bizarre, with no one in the stands and the athletes all masked up.  I’m still conflicted as to whether even having the games is a good idea. As you will see, I watched anyway.

I am watching other sports that I never get to see and find them very entertaining. Rugby, for example. You can be on the ground and the play still isn’t over!

I caught a bit of women’s water polo the other day, where the US trounced the opposition. I had no idea whether scoring 25 times was the norm. What goes on under the water that you can only see with a special camera shows these players pushing, shoving and grabbing each other. It’s like watching rugby!

I watched some men’s and women’s handball, a sport like soccer except that you CAN use your hands on the ball. It’s also like basketball, which made me want to call traveling more than once as the players moved around with the ball.

This 3x3 basketball is fast and exciting, but how is this different from pick-up hoops in the park – except that the players wear uniforms? Congrats to the USA Women’s team for picking up the first-ever gold medal in that sport.

The triathlon is crazy! Swimming, biking and running. I would need a change of clothes and a couple of days (along with public transportation) to get through the course. How do they get those shoes on so fast after the initial swimming leg of the race, as they jump on their bikes?

Those badminton and table tennis players are VICIOUS! These are not your backyard or basement sports. They SLAM that shuttlecock and ping pong ball at each other!

Each Olympics, the swimmers play a big role. Katie Ledecky is on TV everywhere. But fame is fleeting; I had to look up the name of the last “It” girl for the US, because I couldn’t remember Missy Franklin.

The physiques on the swimmers are like giant Vs – broad shoulders, narrow waists and long arms. And, unlike the last Olympics, I didn't see any swimmers with those "cupping" marks all over their bodies. Maybe that technique just didn't deliver the desired results.

I had the TV on when the taekwondo people came out, but they were still wearing bathrobes, so I figured they weren’t ready yet. Or was that jujitsu?

You can’t call the Russians the Russians anymore since they were caught doping (old news…), so now the athletes compete for the Russian Olympic Committee, or ROC. Like we don’t know who’s who (wink, wink).

I could NEVER play beach volleyball. I understand that the sand is burning hot, and there are just two people on each side. The women wear skimpy bikinis, which I think it just WRONG. Put them in shorts and a fitted shirt so when they hit the burning sand, they will be protected.

Women’s soccer is exciting, but there is SO MUCH PRESSURE on the US team to win – again. This time they took home the Bronze Medal, and with so many players aged 35 and above, it is likely that the National Team will include many new faces in the future. Thank you, RU's own Carli Llyod, for your magnificent career, capped by scoring two goals in what might be her final game. What am I supposed to do at 4 AM now that soccer is done? 

The weather reports said that there was a typhoon possibly heading to Japan, so some of the rowing events had to be moved up so the water wouldn’t be too choppy for them to compete. But surfing, new to the Olympics, was thrilled at the prospect of big waves.

I watched a little bit of softball, which barely resembles the game I used to play. Those women can sure put some mustard on the ball! And by the way, why was softball eliminated from the Olympics a while back? Now it’s back, but it is a bona fide sport that should never have been sidelined.

Skateboarding is making its Olympic debut. The competitors all look like guys hanging around the park, and the tricks they do they could have practiced at the entrance to the J&J complex in New Brunswick, where skateboarders loved jumping over the stairs and hitting the railing before the security team could chase them away.

While I wasn’t expecting Bob Costas or Matt Lauer to show up as studio hosts this time around, I was struck by how many British accents there were from commentators and hosts I have never seen previously. Did you notice, too?

What does Tim Daggett (the gymnastics analyst) do between Olympics? They have been dragging him out since he competed for the US in the 70s. Oh, and one country has a gymnast who is in her 8th Olympics at age 49. I can’t imagine spending most of my life in a leotard.

I also can’t imagine having the amount of pressure and hype that some of these athletes have. They train for years to run or swim for scant seconds to win medals. To see local NJ girl Sydney McLaughlin, an alum of Union Catholic High School (where some of my friends went) not only take the gold in the women’s 400-meter hurdles but set a new world record was so exciting. Sydney is only 21 and who knows if we will get to see her defend her title in Paris in three years? Oy, the pressure!

I wonder who will be on the box of Wheaties. It could be Jersey girl Sydney McLaughlin. Or all-time Olympic track medalist Allyson Felix, who now is the holder of 11 – count ‘em, 11 – Medals. On Sydney’s 21st birthday, she teamed up with Felix, Athing Mu and Dalilah Muhammad to capture the Gold Medal in the women’s 400-meter relay. The win moved Felix to the top of the list of track and field medal winners. When you consider the likes of Carl Lewis, the late, great Flo Jo, Jackie Joyner-Kersey and so many other outstanding track athletes, you have to stand in awe of what Felix has accomplished. At age 35, after having given birth to a daughter and suffering from serious complications. she was offered a significantly reduced contract by her sponsor, Nike. So, she started her own shoe company, which will make shoes for women, designed by women. Then she competed in her 5th Olympics, won two medals at the games and made history. Or is it HERstory?

How on earth do synchronized divers stay in sync? And why do the divers have such tiny towels? They get wet, so don’t they need something larger than a washcloth?

I marveled at the choreography and skill of the artistic swimmers, who can toss each other way up in the air, where the flyers reenter the pool with grace and beauty. These ladies can hold their breath while they perform routines upside down! I’m going to suggest to my aqua aerobics group that we all order the same bathing suits, slick back our hair and give it a try!

I have never watched any of the equestrian events, but this year, well, you know: Jessica Springsteen, daughter of Bruce and Patty Scialfa, competed and took home a silver medal in a show jumping team event. The horses are amazing, soaring over fences (I don’t know the official name) that are really high, and sometimes doing several jumps right in a row. But I also wonder, aside from tradition, what’s the point of the riders wearing those cutaway jackets and ties?

Rhythmic gymnastics is intriguing. The athletes use 20-foot long, colorful ribbons and what looks like hula hoops or balls that they toss high into the air and have to catch gracefully after doing difficult floor routines. The ribbons have multiple colors and look beautiful as they move swiftly through the air. How does one get started in this event?

Why does one indoor volleyball player wear a uniform different from his teammates? Did he forget to pack the right one? And why do the team volleyball players and even the beach volleyball players have to hug after every play? Is this the volleyball equivalent of a football huddle? Anyway, the USA women’s beach volleyball team and the indoor volleyball team each had a happy ending and won the Gold Medal.

I loved the American marathon runner Molly Seidel, who, after winning the Bronze medal, told her family watching at home to “drink a beer for me.” It was just her third marathon EVER! To get to the Olympics, she had to overcome OCD and an eating disorder that caused her to miss trying out for the Olympics in 2016. Somebody give that woman a beer!

Congratulations to the USA Men’s and Women’s basketball teams for taking the Gold Medal in their events. The women’s team captured its 7th consecutive Gold Medal, and team stalwarts Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi took home their 5th golds. USA Coach Dawn Staley has now won as a coach, an assistant coach and as a player who took home three Gold Medals. The Japanese team they defeated in the finals played fast and exciting basketball but suffered significantly from a height differential and could not stop big Brittney Griner, who poured in 30 points from the paint. The men’s team, without such marque names as LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Ja Morant, Kwaii Leonard and others, still outclassed the field to take the Gold and showcased so many up and coming stars. One thing for sure is the rise of international players in this game. There’s plenty of talent out there, and we may never see this level of dominance again.

In the first week of competition, Simone Biles, the GOAT (greatest of all-time) of women’s gymnastics, withdrew from team competition with what was called a “medical issue.” Later, she explained that it has to do with her mental health. Imagine being on the cover of every magazine, the center of attention in the Olympics and in your sport, always expected to be perfect. She also admitted to suffering from “the twisties,” where she could not determine where she was in the air. My heart races just watching her. If she never does another somersault or handstand or impossible vault, she will still be the best who ever lived in her sport. She did come back to take the bronze medal on the balance beam, which has far fewer spinning movements, especially since, as she explained, she downgraded her dismount. I hope she can take the time to appreciate her accomplishments and fill the rest of her life with great joy and satisfaction. May she have as much joy as she has given others. Meanwhile, her situation opened the door for her teammates, who took home many medals that they worked hard for and deserved. In an interview on the “Today Show,” with the team members gathered, they were asked who their role models are. Simone offered Naomi Osaka, Venus Williams and LeBron James. Her teammates unanimously named Simone Biles as their role model.

And that’s a wrap on the Tokyo Olympics. As Diana Taurasi quipped as she left the basketball court with her 5th Gold Medal, “See you in Paris!”

Tina's July 2021 Movies & More

There was much more in the "& More" section this time, as my screen time was devoted to long series and watching the Olympics. The rating scale is 1-5 cans of tuna, and more is better. Numbering picks up from previous months and programs not seen previously are marked with an asterisk.

94.  Summer of Soul* (2021, Hulu) – In 1969, men were landing on the moon. Hippies were descending on Woodstock for a historic music festival. And in a park in Harlem that summer, some of the best Black musicians and performers entertained the locals with their special brand of soul. There was 19-year-old Steve Wonder, banging on the drums. The Staple Singers and other gospel groups took the onlookers to church. Gladys Knight and the Pips, The Chambers Brothers, The Fifth Dimension, David Ruffin of the Temptations and Sly and the Family Stone took everybody higher. And Nina Simone made her music stand out and stand up. In this gem of a documentary, made from film shot and saved but never shown for 50 years, musician and producer Questlove tells the story of the summer of soul. Come for the music but stay for the culture and the history that only the people who attended got to experience first-hand. It’s about time. 4 cans.
95.  The Hero* (2017, Prime Video) – The film stars septuagenarian Sam Elliott and his iconic mustache as Lee, an actor best known for the cowboy movie he made 40 years ago. He busies himself with commercial voiceovers when he’s not smoking weed with his friend/dealer (Nick Offerman). When he is diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, the obstinate actor refuses to share the news with his ex-wife (played by Elliott’s real-life wife, Katharine Ross) or his estranged daughter (Krysten Ritter). Finally, he confides in Charlotte (Laura Prepon), a much-younger woman who shares the same drug dealer when she’s not performing stand-up comedy. Who knew when they started dating that Lee would become part of her act? Elliott plays this part to perfection, with minimum dialog and his trademark expression – head down, glancing sideways, looking dismissive and dubious. The relationship may have a May-December aspect, but there is mutual respect and fondness.  I liked it. 3½ cans.
96.  City in the Sky* (2016, PBS Documentaries Channel) – After watching this three-part series about flying, I’m not sure whether to be more confident about safety in the skies or more scared.  With more than a million people in the air at any time, airplanes today are purported to be safer than cars – although the fender-benders are probably easier to survive than a plane crash. This series covers every aspect of air travel, from what happens once you check your luggage to inspecting the runways between flights for any kind of debris that could cause a catastrophic disaster. The systems devised to move that many airplanes and passengers have to be topflight, and the people interviewed here all take tremendous pride in and responsibility for their work. You can watch landings and take-offs in the coldest airport in the world, experience the twisting, narrow approach to an airport in Bhutan, and observe a huge auction for the thousands of bags that are either lost or left behind each year. 4 cans, which makes me a certified nerd.
97.  Sophie: A Murder in West Cork* (2021, Netflix) – French TV producer and socialite Sophie Toscan du Plantier was staying at her home in Schull, County Cork, Ireland, in 1996 when she was beaten to death, her body found on a road near her house. With no DNA and only circumstantial evidence available, finding the killer and bringing that person to justice was a challenging task for the local police, who had not dealt with a homicide in more than 100 years. The gossip around town pointed toward a local man but getting enough evidence or a confession from the suspect proved difficult. If you like your mysteries wrapped up in a neat package with a bow on it, this three-part documentary is not for you. It captured my attention, so to speak. 3½ cans.
98.  Tiny House Hunters* – (HGTV on demand) – This series (4 seasons, and I watched them all) falls under the “& More” section of this blog. Wouldn’t we all like to scale back, clean up our houses and get rid of stuff we really don’t need? This series focuses on people who are looking to live in a “tiny house,” a dwelling of less than 500 square feet. They have various reasons – economics and wanderlust are two – but not all of them have thought through this drastic move logically. I mean, if you have a large sectional sofa or three big dogs, do you think that a home of 350 square feet is a good choice? Do you want to climb a ladder to get into a sleeping loft where you can barely sit up without banging your head? When the only closet wouldn’t be big enough to store a winter coat? Some of these folks are ridiculously fussy about style: They want a rustic look or something that looks colonial. Seriously? The show takes them to see three choices, ranging from houses on wheels that can be moved (though not always easily) to things like a shipping container with very limited windows and even a 150-square-foot shed. (I yelled at the TV, “Don’t choose the shed!” but she did anyway.) The clever design of some of these “homes” allows storage under stairs, but if you are doing this because you like to go camping or skiing, where are you planning to stash your gear? Or your kids? Or your piano? If you need a separate office, you won’t find one in a tiny house that costs $10-50,000! I’d love to see the follow-up to this series, revisiting the people who moved into the shipping container or storage shed to see if they are still there and how they are managing. 3½ very small cans.
99.  Nashville (2012-2018, Hulu) – No, this is not the Robert Altman movie. It is the TV show that ran for six seasons and focused on people in the country music business, centered around Nashville. Initially the story of revered, veteran country music queen Rayna James (Connie Britton) and her upstart young rival Juliette Barnes (Hayden Panettiere), this is an ensemble show, so there are plenty of roles and plots and drama as the interconnected stories and characters evolve. In addition to Rayna, there’s Deacon Claybourne (Charles Estin), the guitar-playing love of her life, who complicates and complements Rayna’s quest to stay on top of the country music biz. It is impossible to provide plot lines succinctly and without spoilers, so I’ll just say that the characters and most of the stories held my attention and that the music, all of which is performed by the actors, is terrific. When this show moved from network TV to CMT on cable, I subscribed to a package just so I could watch it (and immediately cancelled it each time the season ended). Seeing it again all the way through (about 100 episodes) was a tall order, but it was like seeing old friends. 4 cans.
100.  Naomi Osaka* (2021, Netflix) – This 3-part Netflix documentary (about two hours total) is the story of women’s tennis champion Naomi Osaka, the first Asian woman ever to be the world’s number 1 player. Bursting on the scene with an upset win over Serena Williams, the reigning Queen of Tennis, Osaka captured the US Open in 2018 in a memorable match. The footage includes her subsequent defeat of up-and-comer Coco Gauff, when Osaka graciously tells the weeping teenager to take part in the post-match on-court interview. Since this movie was completed, Osaka declined to do after-match interviews (at the French Open), taking a stand for her mental health. Osaka comes across as a player not afraid to work hard to achieve her on-court victories, but she doesn’t appear to get the full measure of joy you would expect. Her wry smile or expressionless face reveals a woman who hates to lose but doesn’t fully enjoy the victories, either. Off the court, her life is an endless series of photo shoots and fashion and obligations that she doesn’t seem to enjoy, either. I’m not criticizing this young and dynamic champion because her behavior doesn’t conform to our impression of a winner. Her answers are thoughtful and measured, and they seem genuine and truthful, even as she reluctantly agrees to give them. I’m left to wonder what message she wanted to convey by participating in this documentary in the first place. 4 cans.
101.  Catch & Kill* (2021, HBO) – Journalist Ronan Farrow spent more than a year investigating the claims of sexual assault against Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein, coaxing reluctant victims to share their stories. When NBC refused to air his in-depth story – the implication being that the powerful Weinstein had friends in high places at NBC – he took it to The New Yorker magazine, where braver editors ran the piece. Eventually he published the well-researched story as a book, which I read. The acts of Weinstein, who has since been convicted of many of the crimes, were despicable, but equally despicable is the extent to which Weinstein and his team went to prevent the women from talking. Here, Farrow puts together filmed podcasts that include many interviews with the reluctant victims, but he goes on to make himself and his persecution by Weinstein’s secret network of spies much more central to the story. I thought the book was disturbing but extremely well written and researched, but I think that after a magazine story, a book and now this six-part documentary, Farrow should take his talents to another subject. He’s become the story instead of the reporter. 3½ cans.
102.  This Changes Everything* (2021, Netflix) – This documentary is almost a companion piece to “Catch & Kill” (see above), focusing not on the sexual harassment of women in show business but on their systematic exclusion from all facets of Hollywood. Instead of relying on the anecdotal information of how few women are hired to direct TV and movies, the women in this movie collected the data, which show a gross underrepresentation of women in every category – behind and in front of the camera. To me, what changed everything (and lawsuits didn’t) was the success of Shonda Grimes, a Black woman who not only hired women, but made her “Grey’s Anatomy” series reflective of a diverse population. Success breeds success, so now there are more women in roles other than the kooky neighbor or sexy girlfriend, and there are women running shows and hiring staff. Tellingly, not one studio head agreed to be interviewed for this documentary. Hopefully, we are making strides so that talented women like Shonda Grimes and Reese Witherspoon (who formed her own production company to find and produce women-centric programming) will continue to succeed and a whole new group of talented women will get the chances they deserve. Credit to Gena Davis of “Thelma & Louise” fame for getting the conversation rolling with the statistics needed to prove the point. 3½ cans.
103.  Dream Horse* (2021, rented on Apple TV+) – A man walks into a bar…Actually, that IS what happens in this heart-warming movie based on a true story of the people in a tiny Welsh town who form a syndicate to buy a racehorse. The man who walks into the bar (Damien Lewis) once owned a racehorse, so he knows it is an expensive and dicey proposition.  But Jan (Toni Collette), a local housewife who works there, perks up her ears, does her research and finds a brood mare. She can’t afford to buy a horse, but the local townspeople have nothing exciting going on in their lives, so they all chip in. It’s not long before the mare gives birth to a foal they name “Dream Alliance,” the name chosen to reflect the group of owners. What’s the chance he will ever get to race, no less win? I think you can figure that one out, but it is worth watching anyway. Dream on! 3½ cans.

July 2021 Jollies

Simone Biles recently won an ESPY Award for her remarkable gymnastics championship performance. She is truly an amazing athlete. Meanwhile, I pulled a muscle in my leg while turning over in bed. Otherwise, we have so much in common.

A friend showed me the special meditation chair she has in her house where she sits daily to mediate. I couldn’t help but think that in this house, I should have a special medication chair where I could go and take all of my daily meds.

Remember when you used to buy a package of hotdogs and a package of rolls and there were eight of each in the packages and you were all set? Then the hotdog makers decided to keep the package size the same but only put seven hotdogs in the package – as if we wouldn’t notice – and not drop the price. And you got stuck with that one extra roll that you didn’t know what to do with. Well, I bought my first package of hotdogs in more than a year and now the package is down to six – even though it appears to be the same size as the original eight, and so now there are two extra rolls which will end up in the freezer, I guess. What’s next?  A single hotdog in a giant package? In the words of The Who, “Won’t Get Fooled Again.” 

I watched the Nathan’s Hotdog eating contest from Coney Island on July 4 and was shocked to see that the eventual winner downed 46 dogs in the same time it took me to eat one half of my Bumble Bee Tuna sandwich! These people don’t eat – they devour. And they soak the buns to make them go down faster. It is actually disgusting, yet somehow compelling, to watch on TV.

Finally! After 2 years, one shoulder surgery, tons of physical therapy and a global pandemic, on July 5 I returned to my aqua aerobics class and played aqua volleyball in the pool. The class was aqua Zumba, which isn't quite the "Zooming" I have been doing online, and I won't be invited to compete on “Dancing with the Stars,” but I'm BACK!

Every summer, Sirius Radio replaces Channel 70 – The Love Station – with “Yacht Rock Radio.”  I don’t know what Yacht Rock Radio is supposed to mean, but it seems to be a compilation of every song by Christopher Cross, Orleans, and England Dan & John Ford Coley. I promise you won’t find a single tune from The Temptations, Bruno Mars or any artist with the word “Lil” in his name. Why don’t they just call it “Bland White Radio?”

I have often wondered how companies make those teeny, tiny pretzels that you get on an airplane. They are so small they make mini-pretzels look big by comparison. Not only are they small (about the size of my thumbnail), but there are so few in the package! You would have to eat 20 packs to feel any degree of satiation. Not that you would want to eat that many of the tiny treats.

Under the category of “I can’t help myself,” I felt obliged to point out to the waitress that chocolate was misspelled on the menu (it appeared as “chocholate”).  If I really wanted to be a pain in the butt, I would have mentioned that olive oil is not spelled “loive” oil. I restrained myself once, but I had to say something about chocolate. I’m only so strong.

Speaking of chocolate, you all know that I am retired and have no interest in getting a job. But I have to admit that when LinkedIn alerted me to a position as Global Communications Director for Godiva Chocolatiers, I had to look twice. They could just pay me in chocolate!

And finally on the chocolate front, the news is out that Oreos will now come in two new flavors – in case I wasn’t already tempted by the myriad of varieties already available. The new Oreos are apple cider donut  and salted caramel brownie, so not strictly chocolate.

I saw an ad from Kohl’s that said, “Baby sale,” and I wondered how much they cost and what the return policy was.

I recently had to book a room in a hotel. Their phone message tries to convince you to do your own reservation online because all of their “reservationists” are busy helping other customers. “Reservationists?” That’s a new one on me!

Here’s a thing I didn’t know: Apparently many people (especially millennials) do not use a top sheet, and they are adamant about it. I, on the other hand, can’t sleep unless my lower extremities are covered, and a blanket or duvet might be too heavy. So, to me, the top sheet comes in handy. Damn millennials think they know everything!

I recently treated myself to a 3-inch foam mattress topper by TemperPedic. I was told that you just sink into it and that I would certainly get a better night’s sleep this way. Sink is the appropriate word. It is like sleeping in quicksand. I can barely turn over, because once you “sink” and it conforms to your body shape, it doesn’t want to let you go. If I ever go back to using the weighted blanket with this thing, someone will have to send the EMTs into the house with the jaws of life to get me out of bed! Stay tuned for whether or not I am sleeping better. It is too soon to tell.

This might not be at the top of the list of great inventions of the last century, but I have to offer kudos to the inventor of the curved shower rod. The curtain stays comfortably away from your body while you are in the shower instead of creeping in on you. Why didn’t anyone think of that sooner?

I’m looking forward to the day when no one compliments me on my attractive mask.

My last house was on Joshua Drive, and it seemed that every time I was asked for my address, I was also asked to spell it. Now I am on Constitution Way, and, surprisingly, no one ever asks how to spell Constitution. Isn’t that harder to spell than Joshua?

I would not want to be a doctor because I would not want to have to sit on a little stool on wheels all day to do my job.

I just had to load staples in my stapler for the first time in years. I had to marvel at the efficient design of the box in which they are stored. It is simple cardboard and holds 5,000 staples. At the rate at which I go through staples, that quantity will last far beyond my lifetime. I had better call my attorney and put my stash of staples in my will!

If you know anything about the TV series “Dateline,” you know that all of the episodes involve a crime – generally, a murder. There is usually an obvious suspect and if it looks like the perpetrator will be arrested and convicted but there are still 30 minutes left in the show, expect some twists and turns. Someone will plead not guilty and concoct an amazingly creative tall tale about how he or she didn’t do it, couldn’t have done it or wasn’t even in the state at the time. My sister and I watch entirely too many of these programs, so when she mentioned she had seen a really good one, I asked her what it was about. “Well,” she said, trying to remember the story, “there was a murder.” Really? That doesn’t exactly narrow it down, but chances are that I’ve seen that one before!

Don’t you hate it when your favorite store is completely rearranged? We get so used to finding the breadcrumbs or gardening tools or electronics in specific places in stores we use frequently. Then one day, the section with junior sized clothes is where the men’s department used to be or shovels are where there used to be laundry supplies. I’m going to need a map! 

I think pistachio ice cream is deliberately disguised as chocolate chip mint to fool me into buying it. The cartons look eerily similar in the ice cream case. Not that I have tried it, but I resent the pistachio variety being right out front looking very similar to the chocolate chip mint, trying to fool the ice cream-buying public. Or is it just me?

Does anyone intentionally buy Neapolitan ice cream? Do you really want chocolate, vanilla and strawberry? Why – you can’t make up your mind? Personally, I always considered the pink stripe to be some sort of punishment. I’d always stick to chocolate, though I can accept vanilla, but all three? Let make up our minds, shall we?

As I start to resume normal activities following the pandemic quarantine, I notice the measures some businesses took to minimize the spread of the virus. I give them credit for trying, although I don’t know whether a single piece of plexiglass in front of the face of the person checking me in for my doctor’s appointment would serve as a real barrier. And the nail salon gets credit for a valiant try, but I doubt that installing those cheap paper shades (like the ones I had in the windows of my house until my custom shades were installed) in between pedicure stations served as any kind of barrier since they were small and flimsy. Hopefully, we will be done with needing these kinds of precautions and they can be removed permanently soon. As for me, I’m still wearing a mask in most places (except for restaurants) and I don’t mind since my trips are not usually all-day affairs.