Bad air

on the wife’s birthday

stolen from Don Levy, who stole it from someone else

It was Wednesday, 15 July, my wife’s birthday. My wife and I were in bed c. 7 a.m., but hadn’t gotten up. Even with the shades drawn, we knew it looked weird out. Where is the sun?

By the time we got downstairs, I had figured it out: bad air. The poor air quality was SUPPOSED to hit Syracuse, to the west of Albany, and Poughkeepsie, to the south, but the Capital District was supposed to be spared. Obviously, no one told the wind that information.

Because of the magpie thing, I briefly became obsessed with the AQI or Air Quality Index, not just in my area but in suburban Washington, DC, where I have a good friend who is vulnerable. I noticed that, at one point in the past week, Duluth, MN was horrific. I signed up for notifications. 

Here’s an article explaining this further.

Forecasts Current AQI Values Levels Colors

Naturally, FOTUS threatened new Canada tariffs over fires sending ‘filthy’ air into US cities. I could note that the US actions cutting environmental protection has escalated global warming (see much of Europe in 2026.) Theoretically, the US could send help to fight the fires, though it appears to be another robust fire season in the United States.

Natal day stuff

My wife noted that weird stuff can happen on her birthday. In 1995, a derecho, a straight line wind event started in the Midwest and eventually struck the Adirondacks and Albany. A derecho is “a line of intense, widespread, and fast-moving windstorms and sometimes thunderstorms that moves across a great distance and is characterized by damaging winds.” Those 70+ mph winds rattled the windows and woke us both from a sound sleep a little before 7 a.m.

It tore up some trees in nearby Washington Park. But a member of our then-church had dozens of broken bones when a tree fell on her up in the aforementioned Adirondacks.

The Secret Garden; Mystic Pizza

My wife and I saw two musicals in July, The Secret Garden and Mystic Pizza. The former we saw at the Mac-Haydn Theatre in Chatham, NY on

“In a house of secrets, a young girl unlocks the door to forgiveness, love, and new beginnings.” The children’s novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett was first published in book form in 1911. Decades later, it became a Broadway musical.

The book and lyrics are by Marsha Norman; she won a Tony for the former and was nominated for the latter. The music by Lucy Simon, sister of Carly and Joanne, was also nominated for a Tony. 

The theater always attracts top-notch young adult talent. J. Peter Bergman wrote in the Berkshire Edge: “Wild Handel plays Mary Lennox. Did I say ‘plays’? I should have said ‘becomes,’ for that is what happens here. She is the star of this show, and she deserves to be, for she is both amazing and more amazing in this role. She has the self-assurance of a woman of 30 who has played all the tough parts right. She sings beautifully, acts thoroughly, and maintains an India-influenced English accent throughout the show.” 

But the cast was strong throughout. Since I wasn’t at all familiar with the source material – though my wife was – it took a few minutes to grasp the narrative flow. But it was quite worthwhile.  

Connecticut

I saw the movie Mystic Pizza when it came out in 1988 or perhaps early 1989. My recollection  is that I liked it. But I couldn’t remember the plot.

As it turns out, the musical I saw at Capital Rep in Albany on Saturday, July 18, had much of the storyline from the Wikipedia description of the film: 

“Sisters Kat and Daisy Araújo, and their friend Josephina “JoJo” Barboza, are young Portuguese-American women working as waitresses at Mystic Pizza, a pizza parlor owned by Leona…in the fishing town of Mystic, Connecticut. But no husband for Leona.

What the movie DIDN’T have was a litany of music from the 1980s. While well-performed throughout by the talented cast, some landed better than others. Small Town (Mellencamp) FOUR times? And I ceased to believe that Girls Just Want To Have Fun.

But other songs worked better, notably Into the Mystic, which is a 1970s song, but whatever, tied to Kat and her would-be beau Tim. 

And while Steve Barnes from the Times Union (paywall likely) didn’t buy it, both my wife and I thought Charlie, the preppy courting Daisy, sold Hit Me With Your Best Shot.

Barnes also noted: “Veteran local actor Marc Christopher makes the most of his debut at The Rep, becoming hilariously over the top in multiple roles, especially as a restaurant critic so imperious that he makes Anton Ego from the movie ‘Ratatouille’ seem friendly.” He was also the priest who was to perform the wedding ceremony for for JoJo and Bill, which was hysterical.

Barnes noted that the “17-member cast gorgeously singing Starship’s ‘Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now” …felt more like a concert than an evening at the theater.

The show is playing through August 9. 

 

Feeling patriotic

Fighting malaise

Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum

Leading into the semiquincentennial, I was feeling rather bearish on the anniversary. The organization designated to run the event had been supplanted by a partisan celebration more about one man than the country.

But that made me sad. So my wife and I finished watching The American Revolution. The approach in describing how black and indigenous people participated in and/or were affected by the war was far more nuanced than I’m used to. I started feeling patriotic. 

So I decided to record the entirety of Disney Celebrates America, a “24-Hour Non-Stop Live Event.” YES, REALLY. Over the following week, I watched bits and pieces. Some of it was really cool.

Anchor David Muir reported from inside the Statue of Liberty, including the torch and crown.

“Nightline” celebrated 80 years of news storytelling at ABC News.

On “Good Morning America,” the co-anchors presented a deep dive into their own American journeys and how their families arrived in the United States.

Robin Roberts talked with the first confirmed living descendants of an enslaved individual who helped build the White House.

This Week” co-anchor Jonathan Karl reported atop Mount Rushmore.

Great stories about the Seven Natural Wonders of America and how they have shaped the people and culture of the country.

Other stuff was interesting, and if it wasn’t, that’s why I can fast forward.

On PBS, Carly Fiorina, new CEO of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and National Honorary Chair of VA250 spoke of telling the “whole story” of the Revolutionary days. Be still, my heart.

Booyah

I even liked all of the folks coming for the World Cup falling in love with Boston beer and ranch dressing. (The interference in the red card debacle was unfortunate, though.)  

So now, I’m filled with patriotic vigor. But how do I square that with other things that PURPORT to be patriotic, but don’t seem to be for me?

The troglodyte Secretary of Defense continues to narrow opportunities for minorities and women. “For the first time in more than a decade, no active-duty female Navy officers are likely to be promoted to admiral this year.” Land of the free?

As Liz Dye noted, Todd Blanche is Roy Cohn … but worse. He’s worse because Cohn never held office, while Blanche is the acting Attorney General. If you mistook him for FOTUS’s personal lawyer, the confusion is understandable. I had to remember yet AGAIN that embracing the flag – literally, in the case of FOTUS – is not patriotism.  

Andy Olivastro of the Heritage Foundation proclaimed, “Election interference remains a major threat to our nation’s survival,” and that FOTUS “was crystal clear in his speech. ” But what he actually said was bunk.

Document

I’m going to cherry-pick some lines of the “grievance” section of a familiar document. He has, among other things:

refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary power.

erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people, and eat out their substance.

affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.

combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation.

excited domestic insurrections amongst us. 

So, in some ways, we’ve been here before. Optimistically, this means we can figure this out again. It may not mean going to war, but it will require patriotic zeal.  

Sunday Stealing — Now We Know Our ABC’s

Utah

The front door, 10 July 2026

Welcome to Sunday Stealing. Here we will steal all types of questions from every corner of the blogosphere. Our promise to you is that we will work hard to find the most interesting and intelligent questions. Cheers to all of us thieves!

Princess Ladybug tells us, “Don’t mind the crown. I’m really the jester around here.” She’s the one who turned to her ABCs to give us this meme.

The Alphabet Meme: Now We Know Our ABC’s

Answer these questions with anything from a single word to a paragraph or two. It’s up to you.

A is for Age. 73. I can remember it because it’s tied to my birthday 7 <arch. 

B is for your Booze of choice. Kahlúa, though I don’t drink it often.

C is for Career. Librarian, which I probably should have figured out bearlier than I did.

D is for your Dog’s name. Stealing this paragraph from a 2023 Sunday Stealing, which is efficient, ironic, or both. In my life, I had only one dog. He was named Lucky Stubbs. I believe he was an Alaskan husky we had when I was a tween. He would nip at me, but my parents, specifically my father, seemed unconcerned. That is, until he bit one, or maybe both, of the minister’s daughters. THEN they got rid of him, ostensibly to a farm in the area. 

E is for Everyday Essentials. Leaving the home, the mantra is keys, wallet, phone.

F is for your Favorite Food. Lasagna

Games people play

G is for your favorite Game. There are LOTS of games, and they’ve changed a lot depending on who’s available to play. If I have to play alone, Spades, Pinochle, and Backgammon are on my phone. But it’s been Hearts, Scrabble, Trivial Pursuit… I can’t even keep track. Songs are both Games People Play, totally different pieces by Joe South and the Spinners.

H is for your Hometown. Binghamton, which I haven’t written about since Thursday.

I is for an Instrument you play.  Kazoo. Or a comb with paper, which sounds like a kazoo. 

J is for your favorite Jam or Jelly flavor. Strawberry, which, BTW, is also my favorite ice cream flavor. Song: Strawberry Letter #23 by the Brothers Johnson; I LOVE this song. 

K is for Kids. One daughter, who I haven’t mentioned in this blog since last month.

L is for the Last show or movie you watched. It was CBS Saturday Morning from the previous week, not yesterday. 

M is for your most prized possession. Perhaps it’s the series of books from Record Research compiled by the late Joel Whitburn about the pop charts. They bring me joy. 

N is for the Name of your first crush. I’m not sure. Maybe Diane?

O is for what you observe from your window. The glare off the roof of our car. 

P is for Phobias. Mild claustrophobia. I think I have had agoraphobia, and occasionally, it’s still lurking in certain situations.   

All together now

Q is for your favorite Quote. From You Can Make It If You Try by Sly and the Family Stone. Push a little harderThink a little deeperDon’t let the plasticBring you down (Ask me tomorrow and I’ll give you a different answer.)

R is for Regret. I wish Frank Sinatra were right when he sang: “Regrets, I’ve had a few, but then again, too few to mention.” I have quite a few, but only one I feel like sharing. 

S is for Sweets. Oatmeal raisin cookie

T is for the Time you wake up. Lately it’s been about 8:30 a.m., but it depends on schedules.

U is for Underwear. Yes. Oh, briefs, T-shirt.

V is for your favorite Vegetable. Spinach.

W is for your Worst habit. Overthinking.

X is for X-rays.  Ah, the Utah story, which is certainly one of my regrets. The in my knee is ongoing.

Y is for your Yummiest recipe. Betty Crocker cookbook lasagna. 

Z is for your Zodiac sign. Pisces. Somewhere in this house, I have an extensive reading on the locations of the moon and the planets that someone got for me. I found it fairly on point, considering I don’t put much stock in astrology.  

I should go with the obvious. Jackson 5ive. I could sing the Jermaine parts in the day, but NEVER Michael’s. 

Thank you for playing! Please come back next week.

Hot Country Singles of 1966

Eddy Arnold, Jim Reeves

The Hot Country Singles of 1966 include several familiar artists. But I don’t recognize most of the songs.

Almost Persuaded – David Houston (Epic), 9 weeks at #1; also #24 pop. I didn’t recognize the title, but I surely had heard that song before.

Waitin’ In Your Welfare Line – Buck Owens (Capitol), 7 weeks at #1; also #57 pop

There Goes My Everything – Jack Greene (Decca), 7 weeks at #1; #65 pop in 1967. Also familiar.

Giddyup Go – Red Sovine (Starday), 6 weeks at #1; also #82 pop

I Want To Go With You – Eddy Arnold (RCA Victor), 6 weeks at #1; also #1 AC for three weeks, #36 pop

Think of Me – Buck Owens (Capitol), 6 weeks at #1; also #74 pop

Distant Drums – Jim Reeves (RCA Victor), 4 weeks at #1; also #45 pop

Open Up Your Heart – Buck Owens (Capitol), 4 weeks at #1. Written by Owens.

Somebody Like Me -Eddy Arnold (RCA Victor), 4 weeks at #1; also #15 AC, #53 pop

Take Good Care Of Her – Sonny James (Capitol), 2 weeks at #1

Blue Side Of Lonesome – Jim Reeves (RCA Victor), 1 week at #1; also #15 AC, #59 pop

I Get The Fever – Bill Anderson (Decca), 1 week at #1 

Only a dozen songs this go-round. The 1976 country charts have thrice as many songs, none of them #1 for more than three weeks.

 

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