**Just in case you didn’t know, Covid 19 stands for CORONAVIRUS DISEASE and the 19 is due to the year it was unleashed. The ‘19’ part bums me out. 19 was the number I wore from sophomore through senior years when I pitched for the York High School baseball team. I took that same number when playing for the WLS AM 89ers softball team. Jonathan Toews, one of my favorite Chicago Blackhawk players, wears number 19. For many years that 2 digit integer was my lucky number. I know compared to all the deaths and illnesses tied to this pandemic it’s a minor issue but this bastard virus has forever tainted 19 for me.
**Watching TV and social media coverage of the closing of salons these past few weeks has been eye opening for me. I had NO idea how many women color their hair! I was totally in the dark and this is coming from a guy whose father owned a beauty shop for over 20 years. No judgment here, but I encourage women to give their natural hair color, even when it’s gray, a chance.
** Meanwhile my hair keeps growing longer which is fine but don’t look for a pony tail to happen. You’ll never see me trying to be “Mr. Sensitive Ponytail Man.” My ‘Quarantine Beard’ is getting thick and with the warmer weather I anticipate some discomfort so I’m ordering a new beard trimmer to pare down the face fuzz to something more manageable.
**With so many of us doing work related ZOOM video conference calls, I’m asking for someone to design a bathrobe that looks like a suit coat or dress shirt. And please hurry!
**Like millions of folks, I miss getting together with friends at a bar for a few beers and a lot of laughs. So for the first time in years, I bought a 12 pack of beer for home consumption. Whenever I have the need to feel ‘normal’ I open the fridge and slowly savor a bottle of suds. By the way, just in case anyone wants to favor me with some free foamy goodness, my ale of choice is Shiner Bock.
**The pub burgers sold at Jewel are beyond delicious. One juicy patty, grilled at home, and I lose all desire to hit a fast food drive thru for several days.
**Al Flash and I have written more COVID 19 song parodies than I can count. I look forward to making music about topics other than this awful virus ASAFP.
**Anyone who reads my blogs & Facebook posts knows how much the summer swim season at Elmhurst’s East End Pool means to me. With Covid 19 restrictions going on, I have the sinking feeling (no pun intended) that our pool won’t open this year. Yet, I hold out hope.
**CBS Sunday Morning just interviewed the iconic Julie Andrews and her book co-writer & daughter Emma Walton Hamilton. To cope with our ‘shelter in place’ situation, Emma offered advice from her mom: When in doubt, stand still.”
**I’ve often said when you take away her goofy drug talk, the tongue sticking out and off kilter dance songs, Miley Cyrus is an amazing singer. I love her versions of Tom Petty’s “Wildflowers” and her godmother Dolly Parton’s classic “Jolene.” Last week on Saturday Night Live, Miley knocked Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here” out of the park. Well done girl!
NEXT BLOG: The best concert I ever saw gets a review.