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Archive for July, 2026

Always Hooping

Posted in Books, Journaling, Wedding, Country, tagged , , , , , , , on July 28, 2026| Leave a Comment »

A few things happened this week: the Rocker and Aunt Kiki moved into their new home; the Bride and Groom returned from their beach vacation; and we got our Certificate of Occupancy (CO) for the casita. We also escorted my sister Kay to Costco, again. These were not small tasks. But in the middle of ordering a sleeper sofa and finding just the right painting to hang in the casita’s tiny kitchen, I did read a bit about the rescheduled White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner (WHCAD).

What a jerk! Mr T was only too happy to bring his revenge tour to the people he calls “fake news.’ He attacked the incredibly handsome Senator Jon Osoff, spewed vitriol at Kaitlan Collins telling her she should smile more like some deranged domestic abuser, and threw his hands up in mock surrender when the Wall Street Journal received their award for investigating Mr T’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. CNN’s Wold Blitzer said out loud in front of one and all:

“Trump quickly filed a $20 billion lawsuit against The Journal, revealing reporter Khadeeja Safdar’s home address. Her family had to be relocated. The Journal was kicked off of Air Force One.” https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/25/us/politics/trump-white-house-correspondents-dinner-speech.html?unlocked_article_code=1.1FA.5UQO.jluP4muk5KgI&smid=url-share

Let’s not forget his DOJ’s subpoenas of NYTimes reporters that was just quashed! Someone said this dinner was like a celebration of firefighters where the arsonist was invited to give the keynote speech. I’m beginning to question the need for a WHCAD. It’s a relic of the golden days of journalism, where mostly men with cigars clamped between their teeth sought to aggrandize themselves in the political halls of power. They could get dressed up and poke fun at the politicians they covered, because there was an unspoken agreement. Big secrets could be kept, like FDR’s wheelchair, for the greater good.

That all ended with Watergate.

Just for a moment, let’s compare and contrast another American president’s character this past week. If you’ve been following along with the WNBA, you may be aware of the slow social media rumble around another Kaitlan – Caitlin Clark. After a black player appeared to have hit her in the throat and a foul wasn’t called, a number of Republicans jumped in to write the league a letter! Imagine that, they can’t condemn their own president but they sure want to ‘protect’ their token white player.

“As Commissioner, you have an obligation to ensure that every player competes in a safe and professional environment, both on and off the court, free from violence, discrimination, or retaliation,” the letter said. “If discrimination or retaliation is occurring and creating a hostile work environment, we support any appropriate investigation by the Department of Justice, the Department of Labor, or the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. If true, such conduct could constitute violations of federal civil rights laws.” https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/jul/09/republicans-ask-wnba-to-protect-caitlin-clark-from-possible-racially-motivated-attacks

Then this week President Barrack Obama stopped by a WNBA practice session at the new Presidential Library in Chicago. He put his arm around Clark, the Fever’s 24-year-old guard, and told her not to listen to all the noise (race baiting). He said she’s young to have so much fame happening and it’s hard; that she’s an excellent player, and she shouldn’t lose the joy of playing, she needs to keep hooping! He said, “You’re always hooping, and you’re on a nice little run right now.”

He didn’t tell her to smile more.

I was crying last night while chopping red onions for the mango tomatillo salsa I’m bringing to a Mahjongg birthday party today. We’ll chat about the skunk that’s discovered my bird feeder and politely ask for a Joker exchange, as usual. Bob always gets to chop up the mangoes.

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On Condition of Anonymity

Posted in Books, Journaling, Wedding, Country, tagged , , , , , , , on July 21, 2026| Leave a Comment »

My husband Bob flew a small 4-seater plane, a Piper Arrow, for awhile. Being a private pilot was his idea of recreation. He learned to fly in medical school. I think he loved being up above the clouds, away from the sturm and drang of everyday existence – out of touch and away from his training, floating in space. The only problem was when we married, I was a reluctant co-pilot; I abhorred encountering ‘weather,’ disliked getting my head tossed about, and lost it when our electrical system failed and we had to make an emergency landing. Of course this ER doc loved it! Bob cherished the checklists and had back-up plan after back-up plan ready to go.

So naturally I followed the NYTimes reporting about Mr T at the NATO summit in Turkey, switching up his new Air Force One, a grift from a Qatari prince, to an older model.

After all, who doesn’t travel with two jets? Supposedly the Secret Service was worried about the new jet’s defensive capabilities after the war that isn’t a war with Iran escalated. Once the news broke, Mr T made light of the situation saying they were sending the plane in to get “maxxed out!” The story might have died there… but the Grifter-in-Chief sensed a leak. He sent his DOJ into overdrive, subpoenaing Times journalists and their phone records for the whole year, including their family members!

Journalists in this country depend on a condition of anonymity. If our sources don’t want to be identified, we make a solemn promise to keep their identity out of print. We cannot be compelled to divulge that information, even by a judge. For most reporters of a certain age, myself included, we would rather go to jail. The NYTimes so far has quashed the subpoenas. The DOJ has said “… reporters are not the targets, those leaking classified information are.” Which sounds an awful lot like this will hurt me more than it will hurt you.

Over the years, I’ve heard many people say, “Don’t quote me on that.” So you learn to write, “A trusted source,” or “A friend told me,” or “The word on the street.” If a reporter gives up their source, and don’t forget we usually need three sources to substantiate information, they may as well hang up their pen along with their integrity. Luckily, I was never asked. No one needed to know who called the new Borough Hall paint color Pepto Bismol pink.

After three more American service members were killed this weekend, bringing the number of deaths to 17 with one MIA and hundreds injured, this administration has cleverly turned the tables of anonymity. This is a typical, adolescent MAGA tactic, the “No I didn’t lie about the election… YOU lied!” Hegseth captured the news cycle with testing the troops for testosterone, delaying the latest statistics in an unpopular and unending war/ceasefire/war with Iran.

“Eric Schmitt of the New York Times noted that lack of information from the Pentagon today when he reported that in the week before the weekend’s deaths, three Iranian strikes injured military personnel and damaged several helicopters yet the Pentagon under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth did not disclose the strikes, the casualties, or the damage to the American people, citing the need to keep information about operations secure.” https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/us-politics

The need for security vs the need to know. Press freedom is fundamental to our Constitution. Thank God a judge has issued a temporary restraining order on the 81 Billion dollar merger between Paramount and Warner Brothers Discovery. That deal would put two trusted news sources, CNN and CBS, under the ownership of the Ellison family – all acolytes of DJ Trump. Have you tried watching Sixty Minutes lately? Will our democracy die through propaganda? Even Fox didn’t carry Mr T’s deranged primetime speech about election fraud this week.

Bob has told me that flying through white clouds and all of a sudden seeing the runway appear was always transcendental. For me it was a leap of faith, knowing my husband could land the plane and reciting the rosary on the way down. While ICE continues to shoot and kill people in our streets, and this president wages war on the Persian people and continues to concentrate power in the Executive branch, I have to believe that the American people will show up in force this November.

ps – this Virginia cousin can now VOTE!

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7 Surreal Pro-Aging Tips

Posted in Books, Journaling, Wedding, Country, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on July 14, 2026| Leave a Comment »

It’s been a busy week folks. My lovely Great Niece and her two teens were visiting their Grandmother Kay from Missouri. We went out for barbeque and also did a tour of Nashville’s famous Frist Museum. “Fifty Years of Dreams,” the International Surrealism exhibit is on loan from the Tate in London and was not exactly Kay’s cup of tea. Artists like Salvador Dalí, Max Ernst, René Magritte, and Joan Miró were on display to challenge our usual mode of thinking about art – not as figural representations so much as dreamlike illusions of the subconscious mind.

Last night I had a bizarre dream about a bathtub, maybe I should break out a paintbrush?

Which leads me to the topic of pro-aging. After the past few years, after my nearly fatal fall and osteoporosis diagnosis, I figure I need to reframe the future. I’m not “anti-aging” so much because aging means we’re not dead yet! I read about a 91 year old who is hiking the Appalachian Trail this morning; and I also read a physician’s tips for turning our golden years into super powers. And the first thing the doctor prescribes is:

1: MOVEMENT.  “… muscle is your metabolic reserve. It stores glucose, regulates insulin, and secretes anti-inflammatory signals (called myokines) every time you lift something heavier than your cat.” Our mitochondria are the cells that run our metabolic system and they rely on strength training and cardio fitness. When the weather cooperates, I walk over a mile on the Greenway, and I love lifting my 20+ lb Grandbabies!

2: FEED YOUR BRAIN: “… polyphenols (hello berries), omega-3s (walnuts, flax, chia seeds), fiber (your microbiome says thank you), and glucose in stable, slow-drip doses. Add in plant-based meals, and you reduce neuroinflammation, support neurogenesis, and stabilize your blood sugar.” In other words, limit meat and forget fad diets and GLP 1 shots, it’s not how you look, it’s how are you thinking that counts! We’re eating berries and peaches from the Farmer’s Market these days.

3: STOP RUMINATING: “… older adults who age well develop emotional regulation superpowers, often through something called “positivity bias”. They literally train their brains to spend more time recalling positive memories and interpreting ambiguous events more generously. Instead of recalling those times you were bullied in school, remember that teacher or friend who helped you navigate through a crisis. I like to list my grateful highlights every night before bed.

4: WAKE UP WITH PURPOSE: “Purpose is Prozac for the soul. And unlike Prozac, it increases telomerase activity, the enzyme that protects your telomeres (those caps at the end of your chromosomes that keep your DNA from unraveling like an old phone charger).” If it’s Tuesday, I’m writing! Granted I love a day when Bob and I are free of doctor and PT appointments, but I also love my Mahjongg Thursdays! And I just added water aerobics to a few other days, so take that purpose!

5: CULTIVATE HABITS: “The brain’s prefrontal cortex tires easily. It’s a sprinter, not a marathoner. That’s why the people who age well don’t make a thousand decisions every day. They automate the good stuff.” Routines leave your brain free to do Wordle. I like to say, “Make it like brushing your teeth.” That early morning or post-dinner walk in the neighborhood. Going to bed at the same time every night. Nell used to hug and kiss me goodbye every time I left the house, because, “You never know.”

6: LAUGH MORE: “Humor reduces cortisol, increases immune cell production, and improves vascular function. Laughter literally exercises your vagus nerve, which is like the tuning fork of your nervous system.” Over the years, I find myself saying, “Someday we’ll look back at this and laugh.” Maybe I take the balcony view too often, but supposedly self-deprecating humor is the best of all – it builds resilience. Bob and I crack up about something nearly every day, maybe it’s good for your marriage too?

7: STAY CURIOUS: “Learning new things increases brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), your brain’s growth fertilizer. Novelty encourages the hippocampus (memory) and prefrontal cortex (decision-making) to keep firing.” Walk away from your comfort zone and try something new. I used to hate any meeting in which somebody said, ” Oh NO, we tried that before and it didn’t work!” You don’t have to learn Chinese, but you can learn to master American Mahjongg. In fact I just won a game for the second time this month!

Many thanks to Dr Laurie Marbas for her insight into aging. https://drlauriemarbas.substack.com/p/the-wisdom-years-7-habits-that-make

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Soccer vs Football

Posted in Books, Journaling, Wedding, Country, tagged , , , , , , , , on July 7, 2026| Leave a Comment »

A long time ago, I asked my brother Mike, who was the GM of the Minnesota Vikings at the time, if soccer would ever replace football in this country. He didn’t hesitate to say, “No!” But I’m not so sure. I mean, think about Ted Lasso.

Since the early 2000s physicians and the NFL have known just what repeated concussions can do to the brain. Chronic traumatic encephalopathy, aka CTE, has been diagnosed in more than 345 post-mortem exams of 376 former football players. It’s estimated that 1 in 3 current players think they have the disease. Getting knocked out isn’t necessary, smaller impacts over time can be just as debilitating. And it’s nothing new in contact sports, boxers in the 1920s developed cauliflower ears and neurological symptoms – back then it was called “dementia pugilistica.”

Being a good Jewish mother, I signed my son up for soccer when he was in pre-school. The town league of Mini-Mights needed coaches, so I signed myself up for the course as well. I spent a day in a room with neighbors learning all the rules of soccer and taking a test, only to find myself assigning parents their weekend to bring orange wedges. Oh and following minor herds of wildebeests across a field in pursuit of a ball. I did get to wear a whistle.

We never got to the point of worrying about headers in soccer since ice hockey soon enough took precedence. What mother didn’t love the idea of ramming another hockey player against the boards? After all, ‘checking’ was allowed after a certain age whether we liked it or not. But I found myself wondering about the impact of headers while watching snippets of FIFA games these past weeks. Does hitting a soccer ball with your head cause the same kind of damage tackling can cause in American football? The answer is, maybe?

“Biomechanical modeling studies suggest that minor, repetitive head impacts could change the microstructure of the brain’s white matter, which plays a critical role in learning and memory. Diffusion MRI brain imaging can assess white matter microstructure, but due to technical hurdles, only in areas deep within the brain.” https://www.cuimc.columbia.edu/news/soccer-heading-does-most-damage-brain-area-critical-cognition

In other words, since evaluating the outer layers of white matter is difficult if not impossible now, we don’t know how impactful headers might be for young growing brains. But researchers have found repeated injuries to the skull do impair cognitive function. “Even with today’s lighter (soccer) balls, heading still jars the brain and is associated with learning and memory deficits, though the impacts do not cause concussions.”

I found myself rooting for Belgium during last night’s game in Seattle. After a perfectly patriotic Fourth of July, I was dismayed by Mr T’s interference in the FIFA World Cup playbook, giving Balogun a pass after a red card. Bob insisted the card was unfair, but we both agreed you don’t go behind the scenes and call President Infantino for a favor. Does he think he’s the Godfather? A red card is a red card. FIFA fever had reigned supreme for 24 days without one mention of the Toddler in Chief, so I guess he had to seek some publicity.

Still, I felt sorry for our guys. I cringed when the captain of the U.S. Men’s National Team (USMNT), Christian Pulisic, kicked another man’s heel instead of the ball. Born in PA but playing in the UK for a reported $73 million dollars, I felt slightly better this morning for Pulisic. Here I am with the Rocker in our 80s hair days.

ps: UEFA, the governing body of European soccer, said in a statement that the suspension of Balogun’s ban threatened the reputation of the tournament. “When the certainty of rules is no longer guaranteed by its guardians, the integrity of the game is at stake and the credibility of a competition is undermined,” UEFA said.

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