Tag: life

Good morning, Rockford

Daily writing prompt
What are 5 everyday things that bring you happiness?
View all responses

When my husband wakes up in the morning, he slides open our bedroom curtains, peers through the window and says, “Good morning, Rockford!” I laugh every single time because, you see, Jesse hates Rockford and I sorta do too. But starting the day with a little irony is something that brings us both a little happiness. Recommend.

Four more very simple “everyday things” that bring us happiness include:

  • waving the other driver in
  • answering our email & texts with alacrity
  • speculating who –or what — our new next-door neighbor is (currently think it’s a out-of-state dude running an Airbnb)
  • hiking in or at nearby woods and prairies

Now here are some simple, everyday things that bring me happiness:

  • fresh water in clean bowls for our cats & dog
  • backyard wildlife
  • our Little Library
  • not using the Oxford comma
  • seeing what the Royal Family is up to

And here are five things that bring Jesse everyday happiness:

  • being nice to gruff people
  • his decibel meter (not a euphemism — he likes measuring sound levels)
  • socks that are especially snug around his arches
  • combing his beard while he talks to me or the kids
  • his backyard pond and goldfish

Things that don’t happen every single day, rather weekly or monthly, that bring us happiness include:

  • paying extra principal on the mortgage
  • finding a really insightful book, podcast, series or movie
  • playing Trivia or meditating on “interactive” Netflix
  • TSA pre-check
  • watching Wheel of Fortune

And here are a five happiness-inducing things that happen a few times a year:

  • when the price of gas goes down for a few days
  • when a new animal (wild or domesticated) visits our yard or house
  • camping and hiking in a different state
  • discovering a new recipe that our entire family loves
  • Cookie Dasher

The real happiness comes from:

  • each other
  • our kids
  • our extended family
  • theatre / performance art
  • our friends
  • our pets

But you already know that. Thanks for reading! -Connie

P.S. That is not our dog. He just hung out in our backyard for a few minutes. That’s Angelo on his way to school.

P.P.S. We also kinda love Rockford. That’s just how it goes.

Fatty’s shorty

Bloganuary writing prompt
What do you complain about the most?
View all responses

For as long as I can remember, I have gained weight every winter. I usually lose it in the spring and summer, but once it starts to cool off, I pack on the pounds.

A few nights ago I asked my husband Jesse, “How much weight can I gain before you stop loving me?”

“I won’t stop loving you, Connie.”

“You sure?” I asked. “It’s getting pretty bad.”

“I’m sure.”

“We have months to go before it’s warm again.”

“I’m sure.”

***

And of course he won’t stop loving me and I won’t stop loving him.

***

When you are lucky enough to love — and be loved — unconditionally, it’s unnecessary to spend even one second publicly complaining.

***

Jesse and I are headed to Tuesdays@9 so I only had a few minutes to write a shorty tonight. Thanks for reading a blog post I will resist calling “Fatty’s Shorty.”

-Connie

P.S. The photo is from the holiday show at Tuesdays@9 Chicago when I played Santa. No padding needed for my costume!

P.P.S. I couldn’t resist.

He won’t believe it, not even in heaven

Bloganuary writing prompt
What are your favorite sports to watch and play?
View all responses

The morning after the Cubs won the 2016 World Series, I saw my neighbor in his front yard. I was neatening my little library and he was walking toward his car which was parked on the street. It was unusual for his car to be there. He usually parks in his driveway, which has a “Cubs Fan Only” sign in it.

“You must be in a pretty good mood today,” I said to him.

He crossed over to me and said, “I am.” He was smiling and looked joyous.

He shared with me me how he had “watched” the game with his adult daughters over the phone and how stressful and fun it was. He told me how happy they all were when the Cubs won. He was still smiling.

“I picked up a few extra copies of the paper this morning,” he said as he patted the newspaper that was tucked under his arm.

He told me he was on his way to meet his brother at their dad’s gravesite. He unfurled his newspaper. It had CUBS WIN plastered across the front page.

“I’m going to leave this for my dad,” he said. “He won’t believe it, not even in heaven.” And off he went.

I loved that moment, but I don’t watch or play sports or necessarily believe in heaven. But I love it when my friends’ and families’ teams win.

Thanks for reading. -Connie

P.S. I live in Rockford have been commuting weekly to Chicago for several years. It was fun to see the city skyline light up in different ways to support their team during the games.

Even though we ain’t got arrears and monies, I’m still in love with you, honey

Bloganuary writing prompt
What would you do if you won the lottery?
View all responses

In 8th grade, we read The Lottery by Shirley Jackson in English class. We watched the film, too. Reading the short story, seeing the film and, several years later, reading the Brainerd Duffield play, still feels like a literary win to me. It is one of those rare stories that is excellent on the page, on the stage and on the screen. I just asked my two youngest kids if they’ve read it and they shook there heads. I texted Sam and he said “no.” Jocelyn is at college but I’m pretty sure she hasn’t either. How did I let this happen? Note to self: Show kids The Lottery during Spring Break.

***

At Cornell College, where I went to college, there was a dorm lottery every year. If your number was drawn, you and your roommate(s) could pick whatever dorm you wanted. Some dorms, especially in the old Victorian houses, were more spacious than others, so if your number was called, you could nab one of the nicer rooms. My friends Ishanee, Betsy and Mona won this lottery and lived in the sprawling “attic” in Rood House. I lived in the same “house” but in a different dorm but was over there all the time. It felt like my win because they were awesome theatre friends and we had a lot of laughs. After every rehearsal or performance or class or whatever, we’d meet in their room and talk it over. More than 30 years later, I still need to “deconstruct” after every rehearsal, reading and performance.

***

And there was that lottery with the Minnesota Fringe Festival. In the early aughts, so many people would want to perform, the administration was forced to draw names to see who could participate. I was one of the winners! My name was drawn and my four short plays The Rub, The Catholic, The Mason Jar and Mother’s Nature were part of the 2002 Minnesota Fringe Festival. This blog post’s “featured image” is a cast photo. Can you find Jesse in there? He still has that t-shirt.

Two Bonus Lottery-like Wins

In 2003, I unexpectedly received a check for $450.00 It was a state tax return and to this day, I have no idea why I got it. I thought it was a mistake and made several calls to verify the veracity of this windfall. Once I knew it was true, I got a manicure at the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota and bought new work wardrobe from Old Navy, also located at the Mall of America. Do I know how to have a good time or what?

In 2004, I had a day job at Coldwell Banker Burnett. After working there for several months, I was promoted from receptionist to listing coordinator, probably because of my sharp business wardrobe. A few weeks into my new position, I received a paycheck that was a few hundred dollars higher than what I was supposed to receive. I talked to my boss Roberta about it. I was sure she’d tell me I have to give it back but she said something about things being in “arrears.” Later, she verified that “monies” from my first paychecks had been in some type of holding and now were deposited into my bank account because I had a new position. I couldn’t believe my good fortune! Why did God love me so much? This was definitely a win but I still don’t know what “arrears” or “monies” are.

***

There haves many lottery and lottery-like wins in my life and it stands to reason there will be a few more and that’s more than enough for me.

Thanks for reading! -Connie

P.S. Verify the veracity? There has to be a better way to say that, but I have to go.

Push it, leisurely

Bloganuary writing prompt
What do you enjoy doing most in your leisure time?
View all responses

I like figuring out what happens when I push all the buttons.

WordPress has all sorts of buttons I can insert into my blog but not a lot of instruction so I learn by trial and error.

(1) I started inserting the “Subscribe” button. If you enter your email, then my blog post goes directly to your inbox.

(2) A few days ago, I inserted a poll into my post Poll-lease come up with a fresh prompt. I instantly became addicted with the poll results. What can I say? I like engagement! Here’s another one.

(3) Event Countdowns make me not want to participate. They also remind me that my brain naturally remembers stupid dates.

1707112800

  days

  hours  minutes  seconds

until

My Ex-Boyfriend’s Son’s Birthday!

Mind you, this was not a serious boyfriend. It was a fling that lasted a few weeks in the 90s. A blip. A flash in the pan. But every year on the fifth of February, I remember my ex-boyfriend’s son’s birthday. Why?

(4) Here’s a “rate button.” (Located below picture of Barbara.) Please give the expression on my dog’s face a five-star rating.

Barbara

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Edited: The rating button does not work. Here’s a “thumbs” option instead. Click the thumb that best expresses your opinion of the expression on Barbara’s face:

(5) This is a “carousel,” apparently. Click an arrow and it will take you round and round my most recent blog posts. Is this merry-go-round fun or does it make you wanna barf?

(6) Often, playbills will include a timeline of plays that are historical or implement time travel or a combination of the two. I used to love studying these timelines.

THINGS CONNIE REMEMBERS BECAUSE OF TIMELINES IN PLAYBILLS

  • 1937 – Tom Stoppard is born in Czechoslovakia.

  • 2024 – Realizes the only reason she remembers that detail is because she co-wrote the playbill timeline for Arcadia by Tom Stoppard when she was the “assistant to the dramaturg.” Damn. Assistant to the dramaturg? Realizes that’s kind of pathetic. However, the assistant to the dramaturg loved the play so much she was willing to do anything for it.

  • 2019 – Immediately resented having to scan QR codes instead of playbills when going to see live theatre. Wondered, “Am I a Karen?”

  • 2024 – Decided inserting timelines into playbills is a silly but necessary part of producing and marketing certain genres and sub-genres of theatre.

  • 2024 – Still prefers playbills to QR codes but will accept QR codes as a supplement. Does not see herself as anti-environment or a Karen.

  • 2024 – Still considers Tom Stoppard her favorite playwright. Still loves Arcadia.

(7) You can also insert verse or a pull-quote.

From the song “Push It” by Salt-N-Pepa

Yo, yo, yo, yo, baby-pop
Yeah, you! Come here, gimme a kiss
Better make it fast or else I’m gonna get pissed
Can’t you hear the music pumping hard? Like I wish you would
Now push it

(8) This is a “featured image.” That means WordPress cannot use one of their photos for your blog. This image of my dog napping while a squirrel scurries by, even though it has nothing to do with today’s blog post, will show up on the WordPress reader and everywhere else. The difference between a “featured image” and a regular image is I cannot insert a caption with the featured image.

(9) I am also experimenting with the “category” button. Today’s the first day I assigned this the “bloganuary” category. I wonder what will happen!

There are dozens of other “buttons” but I am out of leisure time. Thanks for reading and letting me experiment with the buttons! Now it’s time for me to publish and see if any of them work! -Connie

Seven free (or low-cost) things I do every week for fun

Bloganuary writing prompt
List five things you do for fun.
View all responses
Witch-adjacent woman waits for Aldi to open during an ice storm. What fun!

Hike. I love hiking in northern Illinois. It doesn’t matter if I’m alone, with the Rockford Fringe, or with my family — it’s always marvelous. But I love hiking out of town (or state) even more. I frequently daydream about where I get to hike next.

Blog. It’s good writing practice and always takes me on new paths of truth. Blogging is like hiking for the mind.

Mushrooms. Foraging for choice mushrooms brings gladness to my heart every single time. I also love cooking ’em up!

Witchcraft. I started reading about witchcraft several years ago when a friend of mine asked me rather seriously, “Are you a witch?” I was like, “Uhhh, no….” He patiently pointed out that I love nature and the outdoors and gave off a certain vibe and should look into it. I don’t usually like being mansplained, but I trusted him enough to read up on the subject and very quickly understood what he was implying. Witchcraft isn’t as scary as it sounds and it’s really just a new way of paying attention to the environment and each other.

If you’re curious about “witching,” here’s something simple you can do: Pay attention to whatever wild animals you see this week. Notice which one you see the most. That animal is trying to tell you something. Google their spiritual meaning and see if you can make sense of the message. Example: If you see several hawks this week, that can mean you are angry about something and need to work through it.

Fasting. In the spring, I fast for 19 days in solidarity with my Baha’i and Baha’i-adjacent friends. I rarely see these friends anymore so this practice helps keep me in touch with them, at least spiritually. It is fun to think of them and pray for them.

Read Romance Novels. Here’s a link to some NPR-recommended romance novels. NPR also introduced me to Emily Henry and Abby Jimenez. I’ll admit I’m a little embarrassed whenever anyone catches me reading a romance novel but the truth is these books can be a lot of fun.

Aldi. I used to detest grocery shopping but a few years ago, I decided to give Aldi a try. My whole world brightened when I discovered this small, approachable store with self-checkout. Now I look forward to shopping. I only wish I thought cooking was fun.

Math. I wrote most of today’s blog when I was in the parking lot at Aldi, waiting for it to open. I don’t usually write on my phone, but I thought I’d give it a try. As such, I wasn’t paying technical attention to what I was writing, lost count and went over the “five item maximum.” I hope you don’t call the #bloganuary police on me!

Thanks for reading. I hope you had fun! -Connie

My first spore print! Another fun thing you can do for free. Place your mushroom “gills down” on a piece of paper and let it sit overnight. In the morning, the spores will have fallen onto the paper and you will be able to properly ID your mushroom AND you’ll have a lovely piece of art!

Pop the kettle on, pet

Bloganuary writing prompt
If you could make your pet understand one thing, what would it be?
View all responses
When I pop the kettle on, I make hot cocoa, not tea.

I fell asleep watching Call the Midwife last night. For those unfamiliar, the series follows the lives of several midwives and their community in London’s East End in the 1960s.

As I was drifting off, I heard a character call another character “pet.” I was half-asleep so I don’t remember who was calling who “pet.” All I remember is it was an adult calling another adult “pet.” It sounded something like this:

“Pop the kettle on, pet.”

“Okay, love.”

I’ve noticed the midwives issue a lot of nicknames. They do not discriminate. The call babies everything from “young sir” to “old bean.” They call old women everything from “sweetie” to “old thing.” They call women who’ve just given birth “brave girl” or “good girl” or “lass” or “precious.”

If I were to witness any of these “nickname moments” in real life, I’d be equal parts suspicious and pissed. But there’s something super special about the way the midwives do it — I listen for the nicknames and love every single one, including “pet.”

***

Why do you watch the telly when you’re trying to sleep, pet? Help me understand.

When my husband is out of town, I tend to sleep with the TV on. I like to watch / listen to dramatic television series that I think are perfectly written. Call the Midwife is one example. Mad Men is another. The Queen’s Gambit is also excellent. I was born in the 60s and am naturally drawn to the decade. Also, I cling to an absurd hope that listening to good television writing while I sleep will help me write better.

***

Why do you write this blog, pet? Help me understand.

I cling to an absurd hope that blogging will help me write better.

***

How do you feel about being called pet, pet? Help me understand.

In my imagination, I like it. In real life, I don’t. So I let the voice inside my head call me pet, but no probably one else.

***

Not a lot of time to write today. Thank you for reading. Do you like nicknames? -Connie

Nice round letters

Bloganuary writing prompt
Write about your first name: its meaning, significance, etymology, etc.
View all responses

My first name might be “Baby.”

Many mothers, fathers and families say something along the lines of “Hi Baby!” to a baby long before it’s officially named or born. There are countless videos, tv shows and films that suggest this.

Example 1: The dad gently puts his ear to to his pregnant wife’s belly. He smiles with wonder and pulls away for a second. Then he’ll speak directly to the belly. “Hi Baby,” he says.

Example 2: Sometimes a toddler-aged big sister or big brother will pat the mother’s belly and sweetly say, “Baby.”‘

Example 3: At prenatal checkups, nurses, doctors and ultrasound technicians sometimes ask, “How’s Baby?”

***

“Baby” has Old English origins. Some argue that “baby” is imitative of the first words babies say: “Ba ba ba ba ba.”

Others argue that babies are gifts from heaven and that’s that.

People — and this is new information — are opinionated about babies.

***

My second name is Constance. My friends call me Connie.

Constance means steadfast and reliable. Connie means knowledgeable. I do my best.

***

When I was in high school my friend Raymond told me I should go by Constance.

“‘Connie’ sounds like a secretary’s name,” he said with disgust.

***

When I worked at Marshalls, my friend Andy used to call me Constance whenever my mood swung from cheerful to pissed.

“Constance is here,” she’d say. “Look out.”

***

When I worked at a Bruegger’s Bagel Bakery, a new hire asked me my name.

“Connie Ross,” I told her.

“Hmmm,” she said. “Nice round letters.”

I remember panicking a little shortly before I got married because “Connie Kuntz” doesn’t have nice round letters.

***

I’m sorry to say I do not remember the name of the gal who said my name had nice round letters. I am disappointed in myself. I should at least be able to remember if her letters were pointy.

I will say this: Many wonderful people have drifted into my life and improved it in nice, round ways. Life is amazing that way.

Thanks for reading. -Connie Kuntz (round and sharp letters)

When you subscribe, the post goes to your email and you don’t have to click anything. My blog is free, there are no ads.