A Taxing Day

Income Tax Day and, between Bernie and the Panama Papers, I am feeling more cynical than ever.  As one of the "little people" of course I will file knowing how many giants say: "zero for me."  Thom Hartmann says the best investment a company can make is to buy a congressman or two.  It's about a 150% return on investment.

It amazes me how many public people don't bother to file.  Harold Washington and Alan Iverson skipped years and that sad sack Mel Reynolds is in trouble again.

When I was with Len I participated in his Tax Day (actually night) ritual.  We would wait until a few minutes before midnight to head downtown to the big Post Office to hand over our cash.  So many others had the same idea that mailmen were out on the street taking our envelopes from our cars. Tax protesters livened up the scene.

I loved paying my property taxes when I lived in Oak Lawn.  There was a gorgeous park with tennis courts and swimming pool across the street and in the winter I could take exercise classes or walk at the indoor arena.

And of course I am so grateful for medicare and social security.  Yes, that's how I will celebrate Tax Day.

Jackie and Barack

What was Barack Hussein Obama thinking when he married Michelle Robinson?  Was he hoping to forge an alliance as strong as that between Rachel and Jackie Robinson?  Couldn't hurt to think that way.  When the President and First Lady appear in Ken Burns' biopic Jackie Robinson and Michelle describes her role as"ally in chief," I thought:  "Maybe it's Michelle who understands the destiny attached forever to her name."

There's a theory about the Obama presidency:  if only he had spent more time at Washington cocktail parties and watering holes; if he had hung out more with his Congressional brethren, he would have accomplished more.  He is criticized for insisting on spending his free evenings privately with his family.

Rachel Robinson talks movingly about how she and Jackie knew they needed a safety zone where Jackie could unwind as much as he could from the continuous assault he endured on the field and as a public figure.

With the Senate willing to deny the President even his constitutional duties, those family evenings make a lot of sense.

Men do come along who are exceptional enough to move the needle.  Not often though,  because it's so damn hard.

Good for You!

Jason Benetti is the new play-by-play voice of the White Sox on TV.  Everyone is cheering him on. Even the national news picked up his story.  It's only a week into the season and already I am fond of his voice, and the way he describes the action.  He may be new, but he's a pro.

Jason is literally living his dream.  When he was in elementary school he wrote a paper describing his dream job: White Sox Announcer.  Some boys would have gone for White Sox player but for Jason, suffering through surgeries and body casts because of cerebral palsy, announcer was probably top of the mountain.

And now here he is.

I know the Cubs are getting all the World Series hype this year, but what if Jason gets to call the ultimate win?  It would be a second dream come true.

The Painted Lady

The other day, a woman complimented me about my makeup.  We chatted and I said:"I never go anywhere without makeup."  (Thinking to myself:  "Not even to the emergency room, having a heart attack.  While waiting for my ride, I "put on my face" and carefully packed my cosmetics kit into my bag.")

I have many friends who wear no makeup.  They are women who have extraordinary intellectual prowess and stellar careers.  Does my unbreakable habit reflect some mourned upon deficiency that requires an extra layer to hide behind?

Or maybe it's my mother.  I don't remember ever seeing her without makeup.  Or heels for that matter.  Even her bedroom slippers had little heels.   I'm only exaggerating a little when I say she went to the beauty parlor and died that night in her sleep.

 Like I said, this makeup habit stays with me to the end.

Down on the Farm

My friend Yvonne asked me if I knew how to ride a horse.  I told her that once, in an act of total foolishness, I had climbed on a horse.  I lasted about 30 seconds before the horse shook me off and walked away.

It was summer vacation when I was 14.  The neighbor boys asked me if I wanted to go with them to their family farm in Arkansas for a few weeks.  I jumped at the chance and the adults said "yes."
I thought I was going to be lying around the 'ole swimming hole and doing summer camp games.

The boys' mother put us all to work right away.  We picked corn in the fields and tomatoes from the garden.  They milked cows and I helped make lunch for the farmhands and cleaned up the kitchen. There was no swimming.

The boys knew how to ride so how hard could it be?  When I landed on my backside I cried and cried from pain and shame.  The mother added to the noise by screaming at me for being so stupid.

It was altogether not so bad a summer.  I learned that in some families, the kids are supposed to do real work and not because their parents say "please" and give them an "allowance."  I learned that I was pretty good at doing stuff I had never done before (or since).

Riding a horse wasn't one of them.

Headlines

Feds Withdraw Legal Action Against Apple
This one screams conspiracy.  The Feds are dropping their dispute with Apple because they found other means to open up the terrorist's iPhone.  Sure they are. Maybe I'm still thinking too much about House of Cards, but isn't this a perfect Frank and Claire way to back down, save face and drop a hot potato?  And yes, it will take lots of time to de-code any information found on the phone.  Time.  The best way to hide your mistakes.

Supreme Court Won't Hear Blago Appeal
Let Blago out already.  The tsunami of fake outrage against the bungling ex-Governor got everyone in Springfield padding their political profile.  And to what end?  Illinois drowning in bad government.

Haunted House

I don't read Stephen King or go to scary movies.  Vampires and zombies hold no appeal.  But I think I understand their ratings because I have been binge-watching House of Cards and I can't turn away. This is our Shakespeare-style take on American power and it is cruel and painful to watch.  There is manipulation to the point of murder and still it rings true.

The opening credits let us know that Netflix went all in on this one.  Really good writers and producers are attached to this story.  Yes, it's a dark and stormy tale and the White House is the haunted house but they want you to take it seriously -- or else.

Last week, Ted Cruz and Donald Trump (our "real life" House of Cards players) got into a pissing contest about their wives.  Cruz quoted almost verbatim a line from The American President, the movie that presents a fairy tales antidote to the Cards brand of poison.  Cruz seemed to claim it as his own.

Okay, I'm taking it seriously.