SEALED WITH A KISS

By Suzanne Sparrow Watson

For those of you who celebrate Valentine’s Day, consider this your public service announcement: You have 11 days to buy roses, obtain a significant piece of jewelry, or at the very least, pore over the Valentine’s Day cards at Walgreens and choose something appropriately mushy/sweet/funny. My favorite story about buying cards is the one about the couple who go into Walgreen’s, each selects a card they feel best expresses their sentiment, hands it to their spouse to read, and then puts it back on the rack and walks out of the store. Gets the message across and saves ten bucks!

Many people choose to sign Valentine’s Day cards, and all other forms of communication, with an “XO” near their signature. I recently read an article on the genesis of this habit that I thought was interesting, or at least appropriate for this holiday. The origins of “X” being associated with a kiss can be traced back to the Middle Ages. In an era when literacy rates were low and formal education was a rare privilege, people who couldn’t write would sign documents with an “X” instead of their name. When people signed with an “X,” it wasn’t merely a mark; it was a symbol that carried the weight of an oath. To validate their intentions and their “signature,” people were also known to kiss the “X”. How the letter “X” transitioned from a kiss in the name of sincerity to a kiss of romance or affection isn’t clear. Theories on its initial use range from a British naturalist to Winston Churchill. But the most likely explanation comes from Marcel Danesi, a professor of linguistics anthropology and author of The History of the Kiss! The Birth of Popular Culture. He wrote that as the Renaissance era saw an increase of secularism, and with the 18th-century rise of the concept of romantic love, the symbolic “X” gradually expanded beyond its initial utilitarian function to become a gesture of affection.

An easier explanation could simply be the shape of the letter — that it looks like a pair of puckered lips, assuming, of course, that the sender has not had an overabundance of filler. And as for the “O” that often accompanies the “X”, even less is known about its origins as a symbol for a hug. It’s been suggested that the letter simply looks like a pair of arms wrapped around someone else; however, as with “X,” there are other theories as well. Whatever their origins, I hope you have plenty of X’s and O’s coming your way this Valentine’s Day.

Before I close, I would be remiss in not mentioning the recent loss of one of our most dedicated and long-tenured subscribers, Pam Landon, who passed away unexpectedly last Monday. I met Pam in 1999 and despite many personal setbacks in recent years, she remained one of the most kind, funny and positive people I knew. Each week without fail she commented on Bob’s and my posts, usually with humor or a story about her own experiences. She especially loved being an armchair traveler with Bob. In her last comment to me on my post encouraging people to eat junk food she said, “I discretely nibbled on a chocolate chip cookie as I enjoyed this blog. Thanks, as always, for brightening my day.” Rest in peace, Pam. I know that you are brightening everyone’s day now and hopefully still nibbling on a cookie.

HOME

By Suzanne Sparrow Watson

Where we stood that first day

On a summer day in July 1998, my husband and I stood on a dirt lot imagining our dream home -a home where we could live out the rest of our days. After a long construction period we were finally able to move into our home in the spring of 2000 and from the jump Alan was in love with the house. To him it represented more than lumber and sheetrock – it symbolized the culmination of our hard work. He always insisted he would only leave it feet first, and in fact, that is what happened. On the other hand, I had a much more practical relationship with the house. Twice I talked him into selling it, although both times we took it off the market shortly after listing it. I resented the time and maintenance that the house required, not to mention the pool that goes unused for years yet requires weekly visits by the pool company. But in the past eighteen months, as I have learned to live in the house by myself, I have come to appreciate it more. I have actually found myself talking to the house. Well, actually, it’s been more like begging, as in, “Please don’t let your pipes burst”, or “The A/C just has to keep going all summer!”. I realize now that the house has provided me a place of refuge, a source of pride and quite literally has kept my feet warm at night. I believe a home is much like marriage – it provides a sense of comfort, security and solace that you might not fully appreciate until it’s gone.

Owning a home certainly brings with it some responsibilities, but what you get in return is unmeasurable. Which brings me to the first reason for the blog today: the horrendous wildfires in Los Angeles. As of this writing, more than 12,000 structures have been destroyed, most of them single-family homes. The sheer devastation of such a wide swath of homes is hard to comprehend, and harder still to imagine that each of those homes represents a heart-broken family. Most possessions can be replaced, but the memories and family heirlooms lost in the fires can’t be filled by anything one can find at Target. Those homeowners now face the daunting prospect of a years-long rebuilding process, and it seems that many may not want to rebuild at all. One major real estate company has estimated that as many as 70% of the homeowners will move rather than put their families through the long process of reconstruction. I understand that. Even without the red tape that Los Angeles is known for, the building process is stressful. The conventional wisdom is that you get a bid from the builder and then plan on twice as much money and three times as much time to complete the project. In the meantime, the homes that provided shelter and comfort are gone and the sense of loss has to be enormous.

Just ONE block of the devastation

The second thought I had while watching the fires and evacuations was: what would I grab if I only had minutes to leave my house? I think I know what’s important, but I’ve heard numerous people these past two weeks lament that in their panic they grabbed useless things and forgot some essentials. When we lived in California, I had a “go box” that contained all our important papers, but I gave that up when we moved to Arizona. I’ve been reminded that regardless of where we live, we need to be prepared. So, I began searching for suggestions of how to plan for an evacuation and have compiled the following list of “Evacuation Essentials” from my readings. I hope you find these suggestions helpful:

  1. People and Pets: make sure to gather everyone together in one spot. You don’t want any “Home Alone” situations in an emergency. If there is time, each person should pack a small suitcase with a change of clothes and toiletries. Pets should be crated, if possible, and their food, bowls, leashes and medications packed up with them.
  2. Paperwork: These days, with so many of our documents online, we don’t have to worry as much about putting so many papers together in our “go bag”. Just make sure that you have online access to your bank, utilities and insurance companies. I created an account with my homeowner’s and car insurance carrier just so I can access my agent’s phone number and my policy documents at any time. What you might consider putting in the bag are passports, Social Security cards, birth certificates, and any other document that would be needed if you have to prove your identity.
  3. Prescriptions: Medical supplies, including prescription and nonprescription medication, eyeglasses or contact lenses, and vitamins, should also be included in your “go bag”. A great idea I read was to have your doctor write out a prescription for any medication you take on an ongoing basis and then make a copy of it to keep in the “go bag”.
  4. Personal Items: Thinking ahead of time about which mementos hold the most value can be helpful in an emergency evacuation situation. While you probably won’t be able to take everything, knowing which irreplaceable items matter the most can be helpful. Also, taking a video of your home, including what is contained in closets and cupboards, is valuable in the event you need to substantiate your insurance claim.
  5. Photos – I read about a fair number of people who left their wedding and baby albums behind when they evacuated. You may choose to put photos that are irreplaceable in your “go bag”. Or you can take the time to scan them and upload them to the cloud. When I wrote my family history several years ago I did just that, so those photos are safely stored. But I’ve realized that between the “old” photos and the advent of the smart phone cloud storage, I still have hundreds of photos that need to be scanned. I guess I’ll add that task to my summer “to do” list.
  6. Phones and Personal Computers: Of course, phones, computers, and chargers are critical as these might be the only way to get updates on your situation and provide a link to the outside world. Your personal devices are also great resources for storing copies of the previously mentioned documents, such as your passport and medical records.
  7. Plastic: Last but certainly not least, take all of your banking and credit cards with you during the evacuation. Some cash can also prove helpful, as it might be the only payment method available if power goes out or ATMs are unavailable.

It’s a lot to think about, but a bit of preplanning could come in very helpful. I’ve certainly realized that I’m not as prepared as I should be. Now that I know what to do, I just need to do it. Perhaps I’ll look up “How to Motivate Yourself into Making a “Go Bag”. In the meantime, I will continue to appreciate the gift that is my house, and I will pray that the thousands of people now standing on blackened ground will soon find a new sense of home.

WITHER OUR JUNK FOOD?

By Suzanne Sparrow Watson

Here we are in a new year, which means we are all on a diet and exercise plan again. At least until this Friday. The second Friday of the year is known as “quitters’ day”, a day in which all healthy new year’s resolutions fly out the window. And little wonder. In large swaths of the country the weather is wet and/or freezing, which makes long walks impossible. Going to the gym this time of year risks exposure to every known respiratory illness known to man. If, as my brother suggested last week, we reorganized our holidays and made New Year’s Day in July, this wouldn’t be a problem. I’m guessing we could postpone “quitters’ day” until at least September, when football season starts. Which brings me to the second reason resolutions go out the window this week: it coincides with prime football watching. Sure, we could indulge in carrot sticks and celery while watching a game, but I think it’s almost a law to eat pizza, wings and potato chips, lest you risk your team not making it to the Super Bowl.

If you are one of the millions of people who are taking one of the new GLP-1 weight loss drugs (Wegovy, Ozempic, et al) to boost your new year’s weight loss goal, you are actually having a detrimental effect on the economy. Last week the Cornell SC Johnson school of business released their latest research on the nation’s eating habits. As a result of these drugs households with at least one GLP-1 user reduce grocery spending by approximately 6% within six months of adoption, with higher-income households reducing spending by nearly 9%. These reductions are driven by significantly larger decreases in purchases of calorie-dense, processed items, including a 11% decline in savory snacks. In contrast, they observed directional increases in nutrient-dense purchases, such as yogurt and fresh produce. They also examined eating habits at fast-food chains and coffee shops and found reductions at breakfast and especially during dinner times. They concluded that their findings highlight the potential for GLP-1 medications to significantly reshape consumer food demand, a trend with increasingly important implications for the food industry.

Okay, people, can we all see where this is going? Clearly these GLP-1 drugs are a great treatment for people who are obese and/or diabetic. But I know some people who are only a touch overweight and are taking them so they can lose the 15 pounds that have been sitting on their hips since the 80’s. If everyone who is just slightly overweight starts taking drugs and eschewing junk food, pretty soon we’ll live in a world without hot wings, Big Macs, or cookies! And then where would we be? Do your part and buy a bag of Oreos this week and enjoy a good football game.

Of course I have my tongue in cheek with this, and I thoroughly subscribe to healthy eating and exercise, but beware of unintended consequences. Who wants to live in a world where we can’t buy cake at the grocery store?

CHRISTMAS GRACE

By Suzanne Sparrow Watson

Once again, we come to the season of Christmas. The time when the world slows just a bit, when we stop to count our blessings and reflect on the passing of another year. We enter the season of Christmas grace. On Wednesday morning children all over the world will delight in the presents they receive; their belief in Santa reinforced and hopefully they also learn a bit about the reason for the holiday. Of course, as we age, our priorities shift. No Tiffany blue box or set of golf clubs can take the place of the present we appreciate most: the presence of the people we love. There is something almost magical in the gathering of close friends and family this time of year. The hugs always seem to last a bit longer and the laughter is just that much sweeter. And, of course, we miss the presence of those who are too far away to join in the festivities or who are no longer with us. I hope, like me, that if you are missing someone this year you have a reservoir of wonderful memories to draw upon.

I received a Christmas letter this year that contained an anonymous quote about Christmas grace that perfectly describes the uplifting spirit of the season. It says: “Christmas is an unexpected gift of grace; grace to conceive at this time and place, a new dream or plan, to overcome an old fear, to discover a new strength, to find a new friend, to live boldly and honor the changes that are happening, to care for my soul as well as those I love, to elevate the discourse around me with laughter and hope.”

My brothers and I are lucky that we have we had a wonderful upbringing, with a dad that was the epitome of Christmas grace. As is my custom each year, I am sharing his Christmas Ice Cream Fizz recipe to hopefully add a bit of cheer to your holiday celebration.

POP’S CHRISTMAS ICE CREAM FIZZ

Fill a blender 1/4 full of ice cubes

Add 6 jiggers of gin

Add 4 scoops of French Vanilla ice cream

Add 1 small bottle of soda water (the size you get in a 6-pack)

My brother Bob adds an egg, so the white adds some froth, brother Jack doesn’t add an egg.  Personally, I’d add it just because you can then claim it’s a protein drink.

Just blend it well and – voila – you have a concoction sure to put a positive spin on everyone and everything!

Our mom served them in a wine glass with a dash of nutmeg.  As we got older, we would conspire with Pop and ditch the wine glass for a chilled beer mug from the freezer. Saved having to go back for seconds…or thirds.

My brother and I wish all of our readers a very happy holiday season, blessed with all the presence you could ask for.

Your authors, Christmas 1972

R.I.P., DASH THE WONDER DOG

The Dash Watson family is saddened to report that Dash left this world and reported to Rainbow Bridge in the early morning hours of December 5, 2024. He died peacefully, in his mom’s arms, wrapped in his favorite blanket that she knit for him.

Dash in his 49er uniform

Dash was born on November 16, 2012, in Scottsdale, Arizona, part of a litter of five boys.  His official AKC name was Spice Rack Divine Dash but later earned the nickname “The Wonder Dog”.  He was adopted by Alan and Suzanne Watson on February 3, 2013, which also happened to be Super Bowl Sunday, with the 49ers playing the Baltimore Ravens. To commemorate the special day, Dash was outfitted with a 49er collar. It didn’t matter – the 49ers lost. The fact that Suzanne, a life-long Niner fan, let that roll off her back offered a glimpse into how much Dash would change their priorities and their lives.  

Dash was educated at PetSmart (he said it was the Harvard of dog training) and received his degree in Canine Good Citizen.  He promptly leveraged his education by going to work for Pets on Wheels in Scottsdale where his chief assignment was to visit the Care Center at Vi Silverstone each week.  He was roundly loved by all who encountered him, from former TV host Hugh Downs to a WWII veteran who looked forward to snuggles with Dash, while recounting his 50+ missions over Europe. Dash’s bag of tricks included his ability to twist, turn, lie down and give paw.  His routine brought smiles and delight to the residents, who never tired of seeing his act, no matter how repetitive it was. After three years of work Dash decided to take early retirement.

Dash with his WWII hero

In retirement Dash loved to accompany his parents everywhere, from Sunday brunches at their favorite restaurant to long car drives to Sun Valley, Idaho and Mammoth Lakes, California. He particularly enjoyed Sun Valley, where he charmed everyone he met and remembered from year to year which stores offered dog treats. Dash’s hobbies included sleeping, eating, begging for treats, and looking cute. His true passion was lying on the couch. Alan, who resisted getting a dog for 25 years, was smitten with Dash from Day One. He loved having a buddy to keep him company, insisted on being the one to feed him, and against all previous promises and agreements, brought him into bed each night. You could always find Dash and Alan on the couch, sitting hip to hip. This ability to turn Alan into mush is what gained Dash his nickname of “The Wonder Dog”.

Later in life Dash’s main job was taking care of Suzanne. In part this entailed pouncing on her at the crack of dawn each day and giving her face a good licking. Not an easy job, but he was up to the task. He tolerated it when she nestled into his fur each night at bedtime to regale him with a recap of their day together. He was always a true and loyal companion and brightened her life in immeasurable ways. He lived up to the reputation of Cavaliers being the “comfort Spaniels” over this past year.

In the end, he was struck down by heart disease and cancer.  Even a “wonder dog” couldn’t overcome these two diseases.  He was predeceased by his father, Alan.  It is now strongly believed they are sitting together on a couch, hip-to-hip, with Alan once again explaining the finer points of hockey to Dash. He is survived by his devastated mom, Suzanne, but will always be curled up in a corner of her heart.

Contributions in Dash’s name should be made to your dog of choice in the form of A-level treats, extra belly rubs, unlimited toys and quiet moments enjoying the best company known to man.

Rest in Peace, Dash the Wonder Dog.  You were truly the best boy.

GRATITUDE

It’s getting to be that time of year … when we blow right past Thanksgiving and start hanging the holiday lights. Traditionally, of course, before Target and Walmart took over the holidays, Thanksgiving was a time for people to take stock of their lives and give thanks for their blessings.  A friend once told me about a Thanksgiving tradition that I thought it was quite ingenious:  they put the letters that spell Thanksgiving into a jar, then before they sit down to their feast, each person draws a letter and must say what they are grateful for using a word that starts with that letter. I tried this several years ago and it was a fun way to start the meal. I have to confess that the highlight was when our 11-year-old grandson selected the letter “V” and exclaimed that he was grateful for Viagra. Obviously he’d been watching way too much television.

There are a lot of therapists and new age thinkers who encourage people to keep a journal listing everything that they are grateful for on a daily basis. Heck, I can’t do anything every day except brush my teeth and eat, so keeping a Grateful Diary is out of the question.  The concept, however, is a noble one, so this week I decided to combine the two ideas and, in that spirit, create a GRATITUDE list for the season.

G – Girlfriends.  Where would I be without them?  Together we laugh, we cry, we play cards, we hack our way around a golf course, and we create.  They have been, and continue to be, my sanity.

R – Relatives.  I have a wonderful family and I know I’m very lucky that we like and love each other.  We relish our time together and NOT ONCE have we had to have police intervene at a family gathering.

One of my more subdued friends
One of my more subdued girlfriends

A – Alan, my late husband.  Even though he is gone, I am grateful for our long and happy marriage. As the saying goes, better to have loved and lost than never loved at all.

T – Tea.  Sometimes there is just nothing like a good “cuppa” to get me through the day.  I will say that since I bought a Nespresso machine a good cappuccino in the afternoon is a real treat. But Gratitude doesn’t contain a “C” so I’ll go with tea.

I – Inspiration.  I am surrounded by very imaginative women who are artistic and talented in ways I never will be.  But they inspire me to improve whatever I am doing.

T – Time.  Somehow it seems I never have enough of it.  How did I ever work? Now I love it when an appointment gets cancelled.  There is nothing like the gift of TIME!

U – Unburdened.  As I’ve gotten older I no longer feel like I “have” to do stuff.  I now say “no” when I feel like it.  This is probably why older people are deemed “cranky”.

D – Dash the Wonder Dog.  Duh.

Dash, The Wonder Dog
Dash, The Wonder Dog

E – Elusiveness.  I am a literal thinker (I’ve taken the test on Facebook to confirm this) but I love that big parts of my life are elusive.  When you think you no longer need to try new things – and fail – life becomes too predictable.  It’s always good to have something beyond your grasp – like losing 10 pounds.

That’s my list for this year.  Next year it could be something entirely different. Although Dash really is the only “shoe-in”.    As word games go, I thought this was a good exercise to go through.  I still don’t think I’ll ever be disciplined enough to do a daily Gratitude Diary, but it sure feels good to stop once in a while to take stock in all of the things, and especially the friends, that make life good.

Wishing you and yours a very Happy Thanksgiving.  

A PERSONAL SALUTE

By Suzanne Sparrow Watson and Bob Sparrow

Grandpa, left, during WWII

Today, as the nation celebrates its veterans, we want to pay tribute to our grandfather, Lt. Colonel Neill Whitman, who was drafted into World War I and begged to get into World War II. We do not have much information about his early life; what little we do know is gleaned from his WWI draft card, completed by him in June 1917.  At the time he was 19 years old and working for Ford Motor Company in San Francisco as a machinist.  He never saw action overseas and toward the end of the war he was stationed in Georgia, where he met our future grandmother and where our mother was born.  After the war he returned to the Bay Area, where his wife promptly left him, and our mother, to return to her roots in the South.

Grandpa, on the left, at his new post

 

Fast forward 20 years – he married a woman named Marg and had two more children.  He established himself as a sought-after mechanic in Marin County, opening his own business in San Rafael, and then closed it to work at San Quentin prison. Years later, whenever we drove by San Quentin the family joke was, “Let’s go see our relatives”, which was alarming to the uninformed and probably started some good rumors.  When World War II broke out he desperately wanted to get back into the Army but was considered too old to re-enlist at age 46.  An old friend pulled some strings, and he was finally able to re-join the Army as a Captain. He was subsequently promoted to Major and by war’s end he was a Lieutenant Colonel.  In a stroke of genius, the Army actually put his skills to good use, giving him responsibility for a large motor base in Britain.  The base, Camp Northway, was located in Tewkesbury, a small town 11 miles north of Gloucestershire.  American forces first arrived in Tewkesbury in August 1942, where a large swath of tents was constructed. Officers were billeted into Northway House, which is where Grandpa lived.  The camp was instrumental in supplying the cars and trucks needed for the invasion of Europe. The townspeople gradually warmed to all of the Americans.  They hosted Thanksgiving celebrations and warmly welcomed the GI’s into their homes.  In turn, the GI’s hosted parties for the local children, raised money for British POW support, and organized large Christmas parties with food, Santa, and gifts for the locals.

Grandpa was very proud of the work the men performed and instilled that pride in the men.  In a letter home, written in 1944, he said, “Not once have these men missed a quota.  And I mean, not once, despite that meaning many long hours and seven-day work weeks.  They know that when the equipment leaves here everything possible has been done to give our troops what they need for the gigantic struggle going on in Europe.”

Grandpa, on the left, with Jack Dempsey

In the late spring of 1944, very quietly and without any mention of it in the local press, the American forces moved south, in preparation for D Day. Very few personnel were left at the camp, and, to some local people, it must have seemed that the camp had been abandoned.  However, Grandpa and most of his crew remained.  In fact, there were so many troops left in Tewkesbury that in the autumn of 1944 that they organized a series of football matches. Local people were curious to see how American football differed from soccer, but found the game easy enough to follow. One match, between the US Army and the US Navy, made the front page of the Tewkesbury Register and Gazette, particularly because it was attended by Commander Jack Dempsey, the famous American heavyweight boxing champion.  We are fortunate to have this photo of Grandpa welcoming Dempsey to the base, although he probably wasn’t too excited about the final score – Navy beat Army 12-0.

In the spring of 1945 Grandpa was sent to Paris to review some of the mechanical bases in the newly liberated city.  We have two of his letters that survive this period, and in them he noted some interesting observations.  The first was about how beautiful – and clean – Paris was.  Part of the beauty he described were the women – smartly dressed, hair perfectly coifed, and make-up applied to perfection.  I’m not sure how excited Marg was to read his rather enthusiastic description of the women, but he was a pretty straight arrow, so she probably just let it slide.

On a more serious note, he made the following comments about some of the Parisian merchants: “The Germans destroyed nothing in Paris.  They were well-behaved and did no looting.  They took over the currency when they occupied the city. It forced a synthetic boom, and all the merchants made lots of money.  True, it caused inflation and has made the French currency unstable, but the deflation did not come until the Germans were gone.  Now is the tough part of the deal, getting the money back where it belongs and, as the boom has stopped, the citizens of Paris are not so sure that we have done anything for them.  We are not heroes to a large part of the people.  In some places they even hate us, as we blew up their towns in our efforts to get the Germans out.  It is stupid reasoning, but nevertheless, it is like that.  The thinking class realize that it had to be done and are for us.” 

Grandpa at the Lodge in Oregon

Upon his return to England he waxed poetic about the English countryside and how happy he was to be “home”.  He even threw out the suggestion that Marg join him, as he would have been happy to spend another year in Tewkesbury.  Thankfully, not long after he wrote that letter the war was over and he returned to the Bay Area. But like many veterans, he sought a quieter life. By then all three children were grown and on their own, so he and Marg moved to Oregon.  Grandpa loved the outdoors and was able to fish and hunt to his heart’s content. They built a fishing lodge, called the Umpqua River Lodge, where they could host guests and show them the beauty of the area. Eventually, as they aged, running the Lodge became too burdensome and they returned to Marin County, where he built a home in the remote town of Inverness.  They both died in 1967 and are buried together in the Golden Gate National Cemetary.

Today we not only honor our grandfather and his contribution to a great cause, but to all veterans who have served our nation so nobly.

 

ONE DAY MORE

By Suzanne Sparrow Watson

The musical, Les Misérables, features one of my favorite songs, “One Day More”. It’s a stirring song at the end of the first act, where everyone comes together anticipating one more day until their varied futures unfold.  Kind of like us, today, where we are just waiting one more day until this interminable election is over.  Until then, all we can do is find something to occupy our thoughts and minds. To help in that endeavor, and perhaps bring some much-needed levity, today I’m offering up some humorous thoughts in an attempt to bring a smile to your face and perhaps lighten your spirits.

  • Stressed spelled backward is desserts. Coincidence? I think not. Especially if it’s cake.
  • My boss told me to have a good day, so I didn’t go to work.
  • My goal this weekend is to move just enough so no one thinks I’m dead. This is especially true during college football season.
  • Before you marry a person, you should first make them use a computer with slow internet to see who they really are.
  • I used to be a people person until people ruined it.
  • I’m writing a book. I’ve got the page numbers done. That’s a huge accomplishment.
  • If stress burned calories, I’d be a supermodel.
  • I’ve got 99 problems, and 86 of them are completely made-up scenarios in my head that I’m stressing about for absolutely no logical reason.
  • Some days, the best thing about the job is that the chair spins.
  • God put me on this earth to accomplish a certain number of things. Right now, I am so far behind I will never die.
  • If each day is a gift, I would love to know where I can return my Mondays.
  • All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.
  • Do not underestimate your abilities. That is your boss’s job.
  • And for this election season: I’m not arguing; I’m just explaining why I’m right.

In addition to humor, I read that we should read a book while waiting for election results to come in.  Hopefully it won’t take reading War and Peace to get to the conclusion of this craziness.  My fervent wish is that by the end of the week we’re focusing on coming together and instead of politics we spend our time estimating just how much pumpkin pie we can consume on Thanksgiving without going into a food coma.

 

AMERICA’S PAST TIME

By Suzanne Sparrow Watson

October means only one thing: we are in the midst of the “golden hour” of sports, with almost every major league playing games.  It’s a lovely thing for those of us who want to watch something other than the news.  Perhaps the most exciting is the MLB playoffs.  Not because baseball is intrinsically interesting, but because, in my opinion, playoffs in any sport are worth watching.  My grandmother, an avid SF Giants fan, would sit in her living room with her Giant’s cap on, and listen to every regular season game on the radio.  I did not inherit that gene. I don’t watch baseball or hockey all year until they start playing for the hardware.  Then, I choose a team (sometimes for ridiculous reasons, like their team colors) and I tune in.  On the other hand, I watch pro and college football games even when I don’t really have a reason to root for either team.  I think it’s because football season is relatively short, so each game is to be savored.  I know that all too soon it will be February and I’ll be stuck with basketball and hockey, who start their seasons in October and don’t wrap up until June!  JUNE!  That is ridiculous! My love for football, and waning interest in baseball, corresponds to the national trend: 53% of people say football is America’s sport, compared to just 27% for baseball. But this being MLB playoff season, I thought I’d dig up some famous moments from our former favorite past time.

Babe Ruth Calls His Shot – One of the most famous home runs in baseball history occurred in the 1932 World Series between the Chicago Cubs and the New York Yankees. At the top of the fifth inning, Yankees slugger Babe Ruth, with two balls and two strikes, pointed toward the outfield, and when the next pitch came, he hit a towering home run to center field. It proved to be the winning hit for the Yankees.  In the newspapers the next day, ecstatic reporters announced that Ruth had “called his shot,” and that his gesture toward the bleachers was a prediction of the home run. For years there was some doubt as to the legitimacy of this claim, but in 2020 an old radio interview was unearthed in which Lou Gehrig, who witnessed the event from the on-deck circle, confirmed that “the Bambino” really had called the shot.

Lou Gehrig Gives a Retirement Speech for the Ages – Speaking of Lou Gehrig, his career, and his retirement speech, still have a lasting legacy within the sport.  When Gehrig announced his retirement in 1939, it shocked the baseball world. During his career, Gehrig’s seemingly endless endurance had allowed him to play in 2,130 consecutive games (a record that stood for nearly 60 years), earning him the nickname “the Iron Horse.” However, in 1939, when Gehrig was diagnosed with the neurodegenerative disease ALS (which became commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease), the Iron Horse was finally forced to end his baseball career. In the retirement speech he delivered at Yankee Stadium on July 4, 1939, Gehrig told the crowd that despite his “bad break,” he considered himself “the luckiest man on the face of the Earth.” This iconic phrase, emblematic of Gehrig’s grace and humility, remains famous today, and his speech is often recognized as one of the greatest in sports history.

Hank Aaron Breaks Babe Ruth’s Home Run Record – In yet another Ruth connection, for nearly four decades after his retirement, he was hailed as the undisputed home run king. His 714 career home runs stood as a monument to his unrivaled power at the plate. Then Hank Aaron arrived. Since his MLB debut in 1954, Aaron had been an extremely consistent slugger, and he led the league in home runs four separate times. The years of steady power hitting paid off on April 8, 1974, when Aaron hit his 715th career home run and surpassed Ruth to inherit one of baseball’s most hallowed records. Aaron’s historic career continued for another three seasons, during which time he added 40 homers to his career total, retiring with a staggering 755 home runs. This record was eventually surpassed by Barry Bonds in 2007, but to this day Aaron remains celebrated as the first player to surpass the Sultan of Swat as the home run champion. And, let’s face it, Aaron didn’t have a hint of steroids in his achievement.

Willie Mays Makes “the Catch” – In deference to my grandmother, I couldn’t end this piece about baseball without including one of the Giants’ best players – Willie Mays, although his most famous play came when the Giants were still in New York, before the team came west and garnered my grandmother’s attention. Mays’ stunning play came during the 1954 World Series — it became known to history simply as “the Catch” (not to be confused with 49er Dwight Clark’s catch in the 1982 playoff game against the hated Cowgirls). Mays made the play in the eighth inning of Game 1, with the score tied 2-2 between Mays’ New York Giants and the Cleveland Indians. Cleveland slugger Vic Wertz hit a long fly ball toward Mays in center field. Mays turned and sprinted backward, making a miraculous over-the-shoulder catch 425 feet from home plate. As if that wasn’t a stunning-enough achievement, Mays completed the play by spinning around and making an incredible throw from the outfield to prevent Cleveland’s baserunners from getting home. The play saved the game for the Giants, who went on to sweep Cleveland in four games to become World Series champions.

Enjoy the MLB playoffs, relish the second half of football season and gird your loins for the endless basketball and hockey games that will loom until next summer.

 

RISKY BUSINESS

By Suzanne Sparrow Watson

According to the CDC’s National Health Interview Survey, only about 29% of US adults lived in a house with a landline phone as of 2022.  That is a reduction of 90% since 2004!  Before I launch into my interest in this trend, you might be wondering, as I did, why the same people who are monitoring Covid and the flu are also in charge of determining phone usage.  Well, apparently around twenty years ago the CDC began to worry about a “new” technology – the cell phone. Because the CDC conducts some of the nation’s most extensive phone surveys — used to produce vital information about rates of immunization, risky behavior, health care use and chronic conditions — they worried that changes in telephone access could distort their results. So, they began to survey both landline and cell phone households. Rather unexpectedly, they discovered a connection between the type of phone used and overall well-being and what they found was surprising: people who have cut the cord, eliminating a landline to rely only on wireless, are generally more likely to engage in risky behaviors, such as binge drinking, smoking, and eschewing health insurance. When I first read that sentence, I immediately thought of purple-haired, nose-ring-wearing millennials, but it turns out that the researchers controlled for age, sex, race, ethnicity and income and found it to be true across almost all demographics. Unsurprisingly, the only demographic for which households with landlines still outnumber wireless-only households is the 65 and older crowd.  In other words, me.  And yet…last month even I was driven to finally cut the cord.

Over the past several weeks it’s become abundantly apparent that it’s not good to live in a “swing” state in an election year.  And I’m not referring to the type of swing alluded to in the aforementioned “risky behavior” concern of the CDC. Arizona is one of the 6-7 states considered up for grabs, so we are inundated with ads on tv and we receive incessant phone calls from everyone running for office, from presidential contenders down to the local dog catcher.  I’ve registered with the National Do Not Call registry and with the Cox Nomorobo system, but to no avail.  The factories that pay people to annoy you with phone calls are always one step ahead.  I’d been thinking about abandoning my landline for almost a year, but I was reluctant to do so.  It’s been my home phone number for 26 years and every now and again an old friend will call on that line. Plus, I think when you live alone it’s good to have two numbers so in the (likely) event you forget where you left your phone, you can call yourself.  I read that it is good to have a landline in case of a power outage, but I recalled that years ago Cox changed my landline to VOIP, connected to my internet modem, so it would be useless when the power goes out.  The final straw in my decision-making occurred one night two weeks ago when I got a spam call at 1:20 a.m. I decided enough was enough.  In an “aha” moment in the shower that day I realized I could port the number over to a cell phone and use the settings to mute all of the calls.

            My old phones

I reluctantly went down to the Cox store with my idea.  Reluctant because dealing with any utility company is usually fraught with frustration and complicated service plans.  But my fears were unfounded.  A very nice young man took me under his wing.  I told him I wasn’t looking for the latest or greatest phone; I didn’t even need it to be smart.  What I needed was a dumb phone that was just…a phone.  He directed me to the most basic smart Android phone with just 1 GB of data allowed per month, suggesting that in an emergency I could still use it to text or look up the local office of FEMA.  Of course, it doesn’t have the bells and whistles of my iPhone, but I just need it to sit on my office desk and block political ads. Armed with my new device, I came home and pulled out all seven of my landline phones. Suddenly I felt 20 years younger.

So far, my little phone is doing a great job.  It’s blocking calls like crazy and I’m sleeping better.  Plus, I’m even saving $26 a month. If I use the CDC as an indicator, now that I’m without a landline I can use my monthly savings to binge drink, smoke, cancel my Medicare supplemental plan and engage in risky behavior.  I think I’m going to like not having a landline.