Ramblings of a Menopausal Broad

Tag: 1980s

Seven Things I Love 9-12-2022

September 20, 2022 / / 0 Comments

Sorry I’ve missed a few weeks.

1. This Video Showing What Life is Like for a Grown-Up Matilda – Of course Matilda became a librarian when she grew up.

PERFECTION!

[Found on the Milwaukee Public Library’s Instagram]

2. These Tributes for the Passing of Queen Elizabeth – I’m worried for the UK. From what I’ve read, the new Prime Minister is like Margaret Thatcher on steroids. That is the last thing they need right now. And they don’t have the EU to keep things from going off the rails and now they don’t even have the Queen. Guess we’ll see what mettle King Charles is made of.

3. This TikTok Filter – Every Gen X-er will love this (and apparently now Millennials and Gen Zs too.) I me, a-ha’s ‘Take Me On‘ is a classic.

[Posted by my friend Ann on FB – thanks Ann!]

4. This Rousing Speech by Michael Sheen – If you ever doubted Sheen’s talent, you won’t after watching this. If he had been born 100 years ago (or more) he’d have ruled the world. Hell, he could rule the world today if he wanted to.

Michael Sheen’s theatrical performance is in a league of its own from nextfuckinglevel

This was posted by a friend of mine on FB and one of her friends posted a comment saying here’s evidence that this speech is completely spontaneous –

As a Welshman I’d like to explain a few things for those that might not know:

Spirit of ’58 – This is referring to the last time Wales got to the World Cup – 1958. The teams have been pretty poor between then and until the last 5 or so years so it’s seen as a massive achievement just to get to the finals.

Rob’s page – This is referencing the current Wales manager Rob Page who has been somewhat of a really good stand-in after Ryan Giggs, the previous manager, was removed after assault allegations surfaced.

Yma o hyd, you sons of speed – This is two references, the first is a very popular Welsh language folk song called Yma O Hyd, which has been co opted recently by the Welsh fans and Welsh FA to stir support. It’s a song about although being invaded and ruled by the English and despite their best efforts, the Welsh language and the Welsh people / culture are ‘still here’ (yma o hyd in welsh).

The other reference in this is to Gary Speed, a Welsh football legend who sadly committed suicide in 2011 that was adored by Welsh football fans.

[Shared with me by Angela G., Thanks Stasie!]

5. This Video Showing a Cartoonist Creating a Work of Art – MESMERIZING!

6. This Artist’s Drawings of the Queues Waiting to Say Good-bye to the Queen – Beautiful art illustrating an historic moment.

7. This Lumberjack Cake – Anyone else unable to hear the word lumberjack and not think of this?

[Found on Twin Peaks Festival 1993-2019 via Eclectic Ladyland via Messy Nessy Chic]

Word of the Week

Quote of the Week

Song of the Week

Seven Things I Love (6-13-2022)

June 14, 2022 / / 0 Comments

1. This Photo – It was taken as a 50th Anniversary photo for CBS. Apparently if you can name five or more of the people in this picture you are old. I can name 69. I’m torn between feeling proud and thinking maybe I should be putting a deposit down on a room at an assisted living facility. How about you, how many can you identify? (Hint, there are a bunch of Waltons – I never watched that show or knew any of their names except for the Mom, Dad, Grandpa, and John Boy.)

If you go to this person’s page you can find a version of the photo that you can enlarge plus a full list of who’s who (the one below is relatively illegible.)

2. These Kohlrabi Noodles – I can’t say these work as a substitution for pasta (don’t think of them that way) but they are delicious! I sautéed some mushrooms and then added the pasta and sautéed that until it was cooked “al dente.” Then I added some chicken that I had poached earlier (cut up of course), some tomato sauce, some cooked English peas (not overcooked), salt and pepper, and the final key ingredient was Penzey’s Tuscan Sunset, which is one of my favorite go-to spice mixes. It was delicious!

[Found at Trader Joe’s]

3. This Combination of Two Dance Styles – Bharatanatyam (a dance of Tamil Nadu in southern India) and hip-hop!

[Posted by my friend Ami on Facebook]

4. This Article on What To Do If You See a Pride Display in Your Library – I’m sure, like me, you’ve been reading more and more about the awful, AWFUL people who have been campaigning to ban LGBTQ+ materials from public schools and public libraries* or politicians who have tried (and in many cases successfully) passed legislation that targets the LGBTQ+ community. They call themselves “Christian” and claim they are doing it to “protect” children but ultimately they believe they can decide what is morally right or wrong for everyone (disregarding the fact that when it comes to public entities, it’s the law that matters, not their religious moral higher ground.)

ANYWAY – simply put, the article says when you are at your local public library and you see a pride display be sure to tell the librarians “thank you.” I’m going to write a letter to my local library board.

* A group called CatholicVote is currently pushing a campaign called “Hide the Pride” where they are encouraging people to go to public libraries and checkout all the books in the Pride displays at their local libraries.

“The group says ‘recent polls’ show ‘American moms and dads do not want their children exposed to sexual and “trans” content as part of their education.’ The group says parents can inconspicuously check out materials and place them away from children at home.”

(Even worse – “Moms for Liberty” has a publishing branch of their organization and they are trying to push

[Found on Book Riot]

5. This Story on Random Acts of Kindness – I read this right after I had seen a similar story about two women who surprised a young man that worked at a drive through with a gift of $1500 for a new car. The thing is, as much as it was wonderful to see the young man’s astonishment turn to joy, the 10 minute or so video was obviously done to get the two women hits on their social media/YouTube channel. The more I watch the more it nauseated me – so manipulative.

These stories, on the other hand, are OG people doing things just because it’s the right thing to do. And yes, Nicole Cliffe may have found a way to get more activity on her Twitter by doing this but honestly, I’m okay with it. Click here or on the image below to go to the article to read all the posts.

[Found on My Modern Met]

6. This Photo – Could you get any more 1980s? Cyndi Lauper and Pee Wee Herman playing miniature golf, 1984.

7. This News – Just found out that Starstruck has been renewed for a THIRD SEASON! I’m so happy! I mean, honestly, I thought it finished after the second season. And actually, I would have been okay with that because unlike so many other (shitty) shows, Starstruck does the wise and polite thing and wraps up its seasons in the finale.

None of these guys know if they’re going to be renewed until months after the show is aired. Cliffhangers are just plain rude. If a huge number of people are watching a show for 8 or 10 or 12 weeks, why is a freaking cliffhanger even necessary? If the show is good enough, people will come back to watch it. If it isn’t good enough, well, the writers are being lazy IMHO.

Getting back to Rose Matafeo (who plays Jessie, the lead role in Starstruck) and Nikesh Patel (who plays Tom, her love interest) – I want to be their BFF.

If you have HBOMax you must watch this show. If you don’t have HBOMax I strongly suggest you get it. At the minimum subscribe for a month or two or at least get the 7 day trial (you can always cancel.) There is SO MUCH to watch on here – Starstruck (obviously), Julia, Our Flag Means Death, Minx, Not So Pretty, George Carlin’s American Dream, The Janes, Studio Ghiblio films, Harry Potter movies, Criterion Collection films …. I could go on and on.)

P.S. HBOMax has scads of films from

[Found by Ann L. Thanks Ann!]

Word of the Week

Quote of the Week

Song of the Week

Seven Things I Love (4-4-2022)

April 5, 2022 / / 0 Comments
  1. 1. This Artist – I read about the Sir John Soane Museum on Atlas Obscura and have wanted to go ever since. I mean, any museum choked full of memorabilia and curiosities is in my wheelhouse. But despite my desire and numerous trips to London, I have yet to managed to visit.

Before I even knew that one of Gretchen Scherer’s paintings was a room in the Soane Museum, I was drawn to her work. I would love to see them in person – according to the Hyperallergic article, even though she has meticulously recreated the room down to minute details, she added a few details to get across personal messages. Those need to be seen in larger versions of the image to be visible.

Still, they are lovely. The square piece in the slideshow below is called “Sir John Soane’s Museum, Library and Dining Room” and it is the largest piece in her exhibit at Monya Rowe Gallery.

[Found on Hyperallergic]

2. This Hero – The Soldier who told the Russian warship to “Go Fuck Yourself” and then was captured along with a dozen of his fellow Ukrainian Soldiers has been released and received a medal for his bravery.

3. This Tea – a friend of mine brought me some of this tea when she came over for lunch last week – WOW!!! I have been looking for a herbal tea that I can drink that wouldn’t require me to add a ton of sweetener. And since I’m not using artificial sweetener anymore that basically means honey or raw sugar or agave nectar.

This fits the bill, in fact you won’t need any sweetener at all. And when it says it’s naturally sweet it’s completely true. There is no fake sugar in here and yet it’s still rather sweet. Well, sweet and spicy.

I still love a good cuppa (black tea with milk and sugar) but it’s really nice to have a second option now.

[Found by my friend Edell – thanks E!]

4. This Drug Disposal Program – When I first ran across this (can’t remember when or where) I decided to request the free pouch just for the heck of it.

I used to not have to worry at all about drug disposal because the municipality where I worked had a drop box right in the village hall where you could drop off meds (both prescription and OTC.)

I think a lot of people don’t realize how bad it is to toss medications. It’s obviously really, REALLY bad to put them down the drain or in the toilet, but it’s also bad to put them in the garbage. Eventually the containers could break open or decompose and the medications could get into the groundwater – it’s really no different than putting them down the drain/toilet.

That is why proper disposal is so important. I got rid of most of my extra meds right before I retired but over the past three years I’ve managed to accumulate some expired pharmaceuticals. When I decided I finally had enough I ripped open the package I received from Deterra.

I had thought that the package was going to be a pouch where you could mail in your meds for disposal. Oh no. This was SO EASY. All you need to do is take all the medications out of the bottles, rip open the top of the pouch, drop them all in, fill the pouch about half full with water, water 30 seconds, close the pouch (shake it a little to get the water/stuff inside to mix up with all the pills) and then TOSS IT IN THE TRASH!

The stuff in the pouch makes the pills safe for the environment. You can read more about it and order a free pouch here.

5. This Seinfeld Clip – This is from 1995. Ukrainians have always been bad ass.

6. This Career – I want to be a personal librarian! I suppose to do this you have to live in a place where there are a lot of rich people.

Private Librarian, Christy Shannon Smirl

[Found on Los Angeles Daily News]

7. This Photo from the 1980s – Cyndi Lauper playing miniature golf with Pee Wee Herman. This says all that needs to be said about the ’80s and it’s why it’ll always be my favorite decade.

Word of the Week

Quote of the Week

Art by Rick Frausto

Seven Things I Love (11-8-2021)

November 8, 2021 / / 0 Comments

1. This Photo of Frida Kahlo – I was uber excited when I saw this picture. I did a little research to see if I could find out how Kahlo came to be sitting with Nayantara Sahgal and Rita Dar, the daughters of Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit (who was the sister of Jawaharlal Nehru and the aunt of Indira Gandhi). I found this article and it doesn’t give a lot more information. It’s most likely that the two women were visiting Mexico in a diplomatic capacity. The article is very interesting though, talking about how saris are essential a garment of protest and resistence. Fascinating!

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Brown History (@brownhistory)

[Found by my friend Ami on IG]

 

2.  This 80s Remix of Adele’s ‘Easy on Me’ – Wonderful, makes my heart swoon.

 

3. This Graphic of the Languages of the World – I love info stuff.  Puts things in perspective, doesn’t it? Tell me, why do we think that English should be the universal language? 

 

4. These Earrings from KIKAY – I KNOW I’ll be wearing them ALL the time. They’re super light and I mean, look at them with my hair! (The photo on the right is me.)  This shop is dangerous though. I also bought a pair of pink soot sprites (if you are a fan of Studio Ghibli you will remember they appeared in the films My Neighbor Totoro and Spirited Away.) And look at these guillotines – perfect for Halloween (always thinking ahead.) I know I’ll be ordering more earrings and soon.

[Found via Beryl Shereshewsky – If you aren’t watching her videos you need to do so immediately!]

 

5. This Example of Video Editing – Which is PURE GENIUS! Warning: it’s very easy to go down the rabbit hole on this person’s YouTube channel.

[Found by my pal Angela on Reddit. Thanks Stasie!!!]

 

6. This Table! – Seriously, how wonderful would this be, dining ON a Venetian canal? This isn’t staged, it’s a real table at a real restaurant – Ristorante Ai Barbacani

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by OMER🥀 (@omergilony)

[Found via MessyNessyChic]

 

7. This “Last” Bookstore – I’ve wanted to go here for a while, but after seeing this story on CBS Mornings now I NEED to go here. A friend of mine went a few months ago (the lucky duck) and sent me a few snapshots but I think you need to see it in person. 

Word of the Week

 

Quote of the Week

 

Seven Things that I Love (8-10-2020)

August 11, 2020 / / 2 Comments

1. This videoclip from a 1996 episode of Sesame Street with Patrick Stewart (aka Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the Starship Enterprise) where he helps the Count get ‘Number One’ back in his(?) proper place. Those who know me know that I’ve been a HUGE fan of Sir Patrick for decades (that voice), and I’m a fan of the Count as well, so this is a two-fer. (Found on Laughing Squid.com)

2. This story about George Washington, who called for a temporary cease fire so he could return the dog to his enemy’s commanding officer. Although there currently is a bit of controversy surrounding our Founding Fathers due to their ownership of slaves, we will never be able to deny what they accomplished and contributed to the creation of our democracy (despite its current state.) And George Washington, for good or bad, will always be our first president and he seems to have had some good qualities despite not being able to recognize that slavery is abhorrent.

One memorable story that stands out to dog lovers alike, is when George Washington showed his loyalty by returning a terrier to it’s rightful owner–even when the owner was the enemy. After the Battle of Germantown, Washington found a small terrier running around the battlefield between British and American lines. It turns out that General Howe’s dog had gotten loose, as it was identified by it’s collar. Washington’s soldiers suggested that the dog be kept as a trophy of the British to weaken the morale of the British General Howe.

Instead, Washington took the pup back to his tent where he fed him, brushed him and cleaned him. He then wrote a letter and attached it to the dog’s collar. To everyones surprise, he ordered a cease fire and had his aide return the terrier under a flag of truce.

From “George Washington Loved Dogs So Much, He Wrote To A British General About A Dog Mid-Battle” on BarkPost.com

3. Library Porn –

4. The Playlist from the series POSE – 80s bliss! (And the show is damned good too.)

5. Mapleworth Murders on Quibi – it’s like a hilarious, gay Murder, She Wrote. Dammit Quibi, why do you have to have to be so addictive???? (and for those of you not familiar with Quibi yet, it’s only available as an app for your phone/tablet and the shows/series episodes are all around 7 to 10 minutes long. I know that sounds strange but it totally works!)

https://youtu.be/YTlamTqFWjk

6. Jessie Gallan – Ms. Gallan passed away in 2015 after being declared not only Scotland’s but the entire UK’s oldest woman at 109 years of age. She said the secret to her longevity was avoiding men and eating porridge every day. I read this article several years ago but came across it again and have decided it’s time to take up a new life plan.

7. The Flying Train, Germany, 1902 – Denis Shiryaev is a master craftsperson the way he takes old black and white films and repairs them, colorizes them, and adds sound to make them look and feel so much more approachable. He’s done this to several videos but has difficulty actually finding clips that he can works with that are interesting and copyright free. He worked really hard on one video and apparently the organization that stored it told him he could put it online. Truly awful, considering how much work it takes to do just one short video. Anyway, enjoy this. It’s amazing.

Have a GREAT Week!

Five Things I Love (4-13-2020)

April 14, 2020 / / 0 Comments

1. This video – I’m quite a history buff, particularly British history of the Victorian and Edwardian era. (FYI, I was into these time periods WAY before Downton.) Recently I came across this charming woman’s YouTube channel. Meet Karolina Żebrowska. Karolina was born in Poland and she loves to dress in antique clothing. She is also adamant about historical accuracy, which suits my persnickety personality just fine.

She created a film called ‘Thug Edwardian Lady’ which she both acted in and directed. IMDB’s description of the film: “Karolina Zebrowska goofs around in an Edwardian attire and casually commits small-time hooliganism, on the streets of Krakow.” I LOVE her! She is very intelligent and has a great sense of humor. You will see what I mean from her video…

2. First Australian Koalas that were injured in the bushfires are being released back into the wild. According to My Modern Met, Australia announced that the bushfires were finally over in March. I don’t know about you but I missed that bit of wonderful news amongst all the pandemic & Trump pressers.

3. The National Loaf – Brits are returning to baking the same recipe for bread that was used during World War II. Called the “National Loaf,” the recipe was created for women who often had to make due with a shortage of ingredients. I found a recipe online which I’m including here but the article I linked to has more information on what people are doing for a modern take.

The National Loaf

From: Ministry of Food – Jane Fearnley Whittingstall

Makes two loaves

1 ½ lb wholemeal bread flour*
1 ½ tbsp salt
1 ½ tbsp dried yeast
1 tsp honey or treacle (two teaspoons)
450 ml tepid water (about 2 cups)

1. Mix together all the ingredients and knead for about 10 minutes until you have a soft dough. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with a dish towel, and leave until dough has doubled in size (around 2 hours).

2.  Knock back the dough, give a short knead then cut into two equal pieces. Place in 1.5 litre loaf tins (8 X 4 X 3 loaf pans), allow to rise for a further 2 hours.

3. Pre-heat oven to 200°C (400° F) then bake loaves for 30 min. To test the loaves, turn them out of their tins and give the base a tap; if it sounds hollow,  they are ready. Allow to cool on a wire rack.

*use a food scale for best results

http://thewartimekitchen.com/?p=106

4. Old Hollywood Outtakes – My friend Angela sent me this video clip link and I LOVE IT so much! As a classic film buff in my mid-50s it is astonishing to me that I’ve never seen outtakes like this before. FABULOUS! Wonderful to see these actors, well, acting like regular people.

Old Hollywood outtakes from Damnthatsinteresting

5. Generous Spirit during a time of crisis – Another friend of mine was out walking this morning and saw this:

6. This fascinating video about the history of the design aesthetic of the 1980s (and I think we will need to agree to disagree that hairstyles of that decade were questionable Ms. Narrator.)

7. Small Businesses Giving Back – even small businesses that haven’t even opened yet. This is actually my brother & sister-in-law’s new business, The Acorn & The Oak. It was supposed to open right about now. But instead, they are a perfect example of two people who are excellent at making lemonade out of lemons. You can read the article, it tells their story so well.

8. Healthcare Workers are starting to put their photos on their PPE so patients can see their smiles – Because healthcare workers’ faces are hidden by the masks, face shields and goggles which protect them from getting the COVID-19 virus, one worker (Robertino Rodriguez) had the excellent idea to attach a photo of himself to the front of his personal protective equipment (PPE) so his patients could see his smiling face and feel more relaxed and comfortable. He posted a photo of it on social media and it went viral and now other workers are posting their photos as well.

9. Cottagecore – I need to read more about this but Cottagecore is being described in some of the articles I’ve been reading as the new Hygge. Other articles I’ve been reading say it is very popular in the LGBTQ/Lesbian/queer teen communities – which is cool, especially since my former gay roommate back in the 90s once asked me if I had finally become a lesbian when I moved into a relatively well-known lesbian area so maybe it explains a lot that I am drawn to this movement? (He was joking, it’s so difficult to relay tone in writing.) ANYWAY, Cottagecore seems to have all the things I love and all the things I need right now. The simplest definition I could find was this “(also known under the name farmcore or country core) is an aesthetic inspired by a romanticized interpretation of agricultural life. They are centered on the idea of a more simple life and harmony with nature.”

Here’s a photo of a Cottagecore “starter kit.”

Hope you had a Happy Easter if you celebrate Easter.
Or a Joyous Passover if you celebrate Passover.

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