Cinema

I don't like repetition and seeing a movie once is generally enough. I made an exception tonight for "The Professional" which I have seen a couple of times. That is one fine movie in a genre I don't usually watch the first time. Natalie Portman is great, and the supporting cast is flawless.

Combo

It is such a fifties word, "combo." As in jazz combo, not a band, but something else, more casual. I thought of this word on Monday night down at Mickey's Bar. This is not a place we go often, but with new ownership and a promising chef, maybe we should. Anyway, Monday is a bad night to go out, and a good night to stay home in the "leisure wear," watching what there was no time to watch on TV over the past week. We were out because our friend the painter (profession), guitar player (hobby), and former cab driver (source of actual money) is playing a regular Monday night gig at Mickey's and we said we would show up. To make sure we did, we arranged to meet mutual friends, and that worked far better than the Monday night notation on the calendar for the past three weeks.

The band set up in a corner of the bar, chatting with each other and customers. Our guitar-playing friend walked over the to table to acknowledge that he learned valuable guitar lore from my husband, in addition to how to shave. Apparently that made a whole new look possible at age 22. The place was pretty full for a Monday, I thought, but what do I know? I am usually at home in leisure wear at that hour/day of the week.

The line-up was interesting: in addition to our friend, there was the documentary filmmaker on keyboard, the guy with a past (and a voice) on harmonica, and the attorney on stand up bass. And then there was the music--blues, French cafe music, folk standards. The guitar player's landlady was tapped for some harmony, and (lead by our table, I think) the whole bar joined in for The Sloop John B. The musicians seemed to enjoy the singalong, though I noticed they trotted out some original stuff immediately after. We didn't know the words, but it did not prevent some from humming along with the chorus.

We left reluctantly, but still past our Monday night bedtimes, and as we walked home, my husband said, "what did you think of the combo?" I was stunned that he had pulled that dated word right out of my head. So it made me wonder, "what is the difference between a band and a combo?" It must be that corner of the bar, remembrance of shaving lessons, singalong, multiple genres, fun, casual musical experience that makes us think of a combo. Maybe also the fact that they have no name, as well as no record deal, and no cover charge. No more bands for me--from here on out, it is combos all the way.

Crossroads

Pre-election jitters--how to manage? I really don't remember ever being this nervous before. Of course, in retrospect, I should have been at least this nervous last presidential election, but I couldn't believe we (as a population, as a citizenship) could be that stupid. We were.

I am taking nothing for granted this time--especially the political where-with-all of my fellow citizens. The unfortunate thing is that I still have only one vote, and one voice, and not too many venues to exercise it in. This is one, but I suspect I am preaching to the choir. In the case of my blood relatives, I had better be preaching to the choir.

So, what I am doing to manage pre-election anxiety:

Took two sick days last week and laid on the couch catching up with two weeks of newspapers--also started a couple of books. Watched no TV.

Thought about the possible places I could move to if things don't happen as they should on Tuesday. I have had a number of spontaneous offers, but I believe all of the potential hosts don't really think we can elect a Republican again, so they feel safe making the offer. I hope I don't have to disabuse them of that notion by showing up at the door with a suitcase.

Ate bacon. 'Nuff said.

Watched my husband move 3000 pounds of stone for a raised kitchen garden in back of the house.

Made three cakes in one week.

Thought about a vacation in Norway with my Republican aunt--that's how much I love her!

Donated money for pizza for the Obama workers during the last four days.

Made mac and cheese with a whole head of roasted garlic in it, along with a pound and a half of good Wisconsin cheddar.

Reviewed the hate mail being generated by the Republicans in the final days, took Tums to combat the outrage--sad to say it was ineffective.

Let's get this election over with, let's make history, let's do the right thing, let's move forward. And for God's sake, let's do it before I move up a clothing size.

Candidate II

We don't tune into the Letterman show every night, but often enough to have caught Letterman repeatedly skewering McCain after McCain stood him up for an interview with Katie Couric instead. So tonight McCain appeared on the show and I have to give him some credit for guts. I am sure his aim was to bring the constant one-sided badgering to an end. I am sure he thought he could handle anything after all this time on the campaign trail. I am sure he thought he could dangle a future appearance by Sarah Palin out there and Dave would go easy on him. I am very, very sure that he misjudged this move completely. For those of you who haven't seen the show yet, I don't want to spoil your fun, but Dave was the clearest debate winner we have seen to date.

Catastrophe

Two true stories from one week: A couple is walking in San Francisco and they hear a horrible screech and a thump. They turn in time to see the body of a bicyclist hurtling through the air. The man runs to assist while the woman calls 911 on her cell phone. As the man reaches the victim, she is clearly in shock. He starts to reassure her that help is on the way, but she clutches him and repeats over and over "I can't afford this--I can't afford this."

A woman teaches for many years and then become disabled. She is fortunate to have an insurance policy that guarantees her 90% of her salary, with annual cost-of-living increases. She also qualifies for Social Security Disability benefits and Medicare, not to mention a mention a pension fund based on her years of work and pay-in to the state retirement fund. All of these were earned benefits. Her last retroactive cost-of-living increase went to the attorney who is handling her bankruptcy. Why is she filing for bankruptcy? It is the cost of her medications, or more specifically, the copay for her medications. This runs to $1200 a month, give or take a few bucks. When her copay exceeds $5000 in a given year, she qualifies for "catastrophic" health cost assistance. The problem is that year after year of waiting to qualify for assistance with her copay have taken a financial toll. This not the result of compulsive gambling or shopping--this is the result of living with chronic illness in this country DESPITE years of productive, tax-paying work and contributions to the systems that are supposed to provide protection.

We have heard for years that we can't afford a universal health care system in the United States. Our citizens travel to the "third world" for medical procedures that they can not afford at home. Every discussion of this important issue includes horror stories from England or Canada detailing the waiting periods for a CT scan. There is no discussion of what Canadians or the British (and many others) have, that we don't--basic health care for all--and how much that saves everyone over the long haul in health care costs. There is no discussion of systems that combine public and private health insurance. There is no discussion of what the bail-out of Wall Street and the short-sighted car manufacturers would have bought us in basic health care for our citizens. There is no discussion of the fact that --in the face of rapidly rising health care costs--most insurance carriers are operating on a for-profit basis. Who generates the profits?--not hard to guess.

Hurricane Katrina--catastrophe? Yes. Fallout from Hurricane Ike in the form of torrential rain and flooding (pictured above)? Well yes, in some areas. Rising gas prices? Maybe. Health care delivery in this country? Yes, Yes, Yes!

Cats in Costume

Cruel or cute? All I can say is, judging from this cat's expression, revenge will be taken.