Monday, August 30, 2010
Autumn is Coming to Oklahoma!
Seasonal decorating is always a challenge for me, although it's one of my favorite things to do. I've been looking forward to bringing out my autumn things, but with the temperatures in the 90's here in Oklahoma, it seemed a little premature. Thank you to Marty at A Stroll Through Life for hosting a fall "Tabletop Tuesday" on her site; visit there and you'll see how beautiful she makes the transition from summer to autumn throughout her home. You'll also have the opportunity to see many other blogger's ideas and examples of how we can decorate for this most beautiful season. Part of the participation process is for me to offer my own example. I confess that I haven't made the transition yet (although I surely will begin now), but I have a photograph from last autumn. The little squirrel was purchased from Martha Stewart about 15 years ago, the leaf he's resting on is from Cracker Barrel, and the acorns and nuts were purchased years ago from Hobby Lobby. The temperature is already dropping; I can feel the crisp weather of autumn coming on!
Friday, August 27, 2010
"Julia, You Have a Call in Phone Booth Three"
Residents are moving into college dorms this week across the country, including my alma mater, the University of Memphis. It was 46 years ago that my parents drove me the 100 miles to Memphis and my memories are still vivid of the building, the reception and meeting area, and my room on the third floor.
One feature of West Hall's reception area was to be almost as important as our own rooms. It was "communication central" and is in stark contrast to the cell phones and other technology students have available today. It was also a step down from the princess extension phone I had in my bedroom at home. Across one wall were ten or twelve phone booths. At first, it didn't register exactly how important the booths would be to my personal life. The first hours and days were spent in getting acquainted with other dorm residents, making new friends, attending dorm meetings, and going to classes.
Going to classes and the student center introduced another element to my life -- meeting new boys and developing new relationships with them. This is where the phone booths came in and why they became very important. There were no phones our rooms; there were no phones in the halls on our floors. If someone called for us, we were notified through an intercom system and we went down to a phone booth to take the call. I was not the most popular girl in the dorm, although I did receive my share of those exciting announcements of a call downstairs. It must have been exhausting for some of the more popular girls, running up and down the stairs to the phone. Since it was 1964 and not 2010, there were also expectations about how a resident should look in public; you never knew who might be coming in or going out, so you tried to look presentable when you took your call.
I learned about another means of communication after I pledged a sorority. The entry to one part of the student center had a series of bulletin boards, one for each fraternity and sorority. These were used for announcements of events and other chapter information, as well as honors, engagements, and other news about individual members. The boards also served as a posting place for notes to the members. We stopped by the boards several times a day to check for notes, the most important of which were from guys. I think that, for some of us, you could trace a courtship from the early notes ("Meet me for a coke at the Sigma Phi table at 2:00?") to the engagement ("I love my ring and I love you!").
I still have some of the notes I received during that time, as well as some of the messages taken when I wasn't available for a phone booth conversation, and the "sign-out" cards which recorded where I was going, with whom, and when I would return. Some of the notes are reminders ("Don't forget to pick up your Ole Miss football ticket. Larry") and some are sweet ("You are a fine woman with a great personality and much beauty. Ric") They are an informal record of my first months of college that now seem quaint.
Today, visits with children and grandchildren often include a third party -- the cell phone. My college-age granddaughter places hers on the table while she talks to me and a vibration tells her that her boyfriend has texted her. Instant connection - no waiting - no anticipation. She's never picked up a love note from a bulletin board and I doubt that she's ever used a phone booth to talk to a boyfriend. She doesn't know what she's missing.
One feature of West Hall's reception area was to be almost as important as our own rooms. It was "communication central" and is in stark contrast to the cell phones and other technology students have available today. It was also a step down from the princess extension phone I had in my bedroom at home. Across one wall were ten or twelve phone booths. At first, it didn't register exactly how important the booths would be to my personal life. The first hours and days were spent in getting acquainted with other dorm residents, making new friends, attending dorm meetings, and going to classes.
Going to classes and the student center introduced another element to my life -- meeting new boys and developing new relationships with them. This is where the phone booths came in and why they became very important. There were no phones our rooms; there were no phones in the halls on our floors. If someone called for us, we were notified through an intercom system and we went down to a phone booth to take the call. I was not the most popular girl in the dorm, although I did receive my share of those exciting announcements of a call downstairs. It must have been exhausting for some of the more popular girls, running up and down the stairs to the phone. Since it was 1964 and not 2010, there were also expectations about how a resident should look in public; you never knew who might be coming in or going out, so you tried to look presentable when you took your call.
I learned about another means of communication after I pledged a sorority. The entry to one part of the student center had a series of bulletin boards, one for each fraternity and sorority. These were used for announcements of events and other chapter information, as well as honors, engagements, and other news about individual members. The boards also served as a posting place for notes to the members. We stopped by the boards several times a day to check for notes, the most important of which were from guys. I think that, for some of us, you could trace a courtship from the early notes ("Meet me for a coke at the Sigma Phi table at 2:00?") to the engagement ("I love my ring and I love you!").
I still have some of the notes I received during that time, as well as some of the messages taken when I wasn't available for a phone booth conversation, and the "sign-out" cards which recorded where I was going, with whom, and when I would return. Some of the notes are reminders ("Don't forget to pick up your Ole Miss football ticket. Larry") and some are sweet ("You are a fine woman with a great personality and much beauty. Ric") They are an informal record of my first months of college that now seem quaint.
Today, visits with children and grandchildren often include a third party -- the cell phone. My college-age granddaughter places hers on the table while she talks to me and a vibration tells her that her boyfriend has texted her. Instant connection - no waiting - no anticipation. She's never picked up a love note from a bulletin board and I doubt that she's ever used a phone booth to talk to a boyfriend. She doesn't know what she's missing.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Book Recommendation - Sharing the Journey: Women Reflecting on Life's Passages
I have a small library of books that I have bought because they are part of a collection (Christmas books, pop-up books, books about the south, books about books) or because I saw them at a book festival and had heard the author speak, or because I might run out of something to read (not likely, since I usually have a dozen or so library books checked out at any one time).
There are a few that simply spoke to me -- about women, family, friends, home -- and I knew that I would want to read and probably reread. Sometimes, these books get shifted to the bottom of the stack or left on the shelf because the library books are due, and I simply forget about them. Often they are books of essays or anthologies and, once I do get around to reading them, I find myself enthralled with the treasures they hold.
Sharing the Journey: Women Reflecting on Life's Passages edited by Katherine Ball Ross is such a book. The 68 essays within are in sections such as Childhood, Motherhood, Grandmothers, Sisters, Places of the Heart, Rituals, The Past, Writing and Writers, and "The Quiet Center of One's Life" and are by some of my favorite authors, including Jane Smiley ("Horse Love", "Jane Austen's Heroines", and "Giving Love a Melody, Memory a Tune"), Whitney Otto ("Collecting Grandmothers"), Madeleine L'Engle ("A Crosswicks Kind of Christmas" and "Too Obvious to Forget"), Carol Shields ("Parties Real and Otherwise"), and Diane Ackerman ("The Deer in Springtime").
Here I found essays that spoke to me personally, such as Susan J. Gordon's "May Your Life Be One Sweet Song", about her grandmother's girlhood autograph book; M.J. Andersen's "At Grandmother's Table", about her grandmother's love of and lifelong accumulation of dishes; Susan Minot's "Messengers of the Heart", about the importance of letters in her life and "Reflecting on Foot", about the pleasures of walking; Catherine Calvert's "Wrapping Up a Memory", about Christmas gifts; Patricia O'Toole's "Passport to the Universe", about libraries; and Susan Allen Toth's "Hiding Out," about the importance of finding private spaces to nuture imagination and spirit.
I found this book so engaging that I am going to buy several copies to give away. As a blogger, I discovered an additional bonus between its pages. Reading these essays helped me recall numerous people, places and incidents from my own life which could later be subjects for my own blog.
Sharing the Journey: Women Reflecting on Life's Passages is available from your local library or from Amazon through the link that follows.
Happy Reading!
Annie
There are a few that simply spoke to me -- about women, family, friends, home -- and I knew that I would want to read and probably reread. Sometimes, these books get shifted to the bottom of the stack or left on the shelf because the library books are due, and I simply forget about them. Often they are books of essays or anthologies and, once I do get around to reading them, I find myself enthralled with the treasures they hold.
Sharing the Journey: Women Reflecting on Life's Passages edited by Katherine Ball Ross is such a book. The 68 essays within are in sections such as Childhood, Motherhood, Grandmothers, Sisters, Places of the Heart, Rituals, The Past, Writing and Writers, and "The Quiet Center of One's Life" and are by some of my favorite authors, including Jane Smiley ("Horse Love", "Jane Austen's Heroines", and "Giving Love a Melody, Memory a Tune"), Whitney Otto ("Collecting Grandmothers"), Madeleine L'Engle ("A Crosswicks Kind of Christmas" and "Too Obvious to Forget"), Carol Shields ("Parties Real and Otherwise"), and Diane Ackerman ("The Deer in Springtime").
Here I found essays that spoke to me personally, such as Susan J. Gordon's "May Your Life Be One Sweet Song", about her grandmother's girlhood autograph book; M.J. Andersen's "At Grandmother's Table", about her grandmother's love of and lifelong accumulation of dishes; Susan Minot's "Messengers of the Heart", about the importance of letters in her life and "Reflecting on Foot", about the pleasures of walking; Catherine Calvert's "Wrapping Up a Memory", about Christmas gifts; Patricia O'Toole's "Passport to the Universe", about libraries; and Susan Allen Toth's "Hiding Out," about the importance of finding private spaces to nuture imagination and spirit.
I found this book so engaging that I am going to buy several copies to give away. As a blogger, I discovered an additional bonus between its pages. Reading these essays helped me recall numerous people, places and incidents from my own life which could later be subjects for my own blog.
Sharing the Journey: Women Reflecting on Life's Passages is available from your local library or from Amazon through the link that follows.
Happy Reading!
Annie
Saturday, August 14, 2010
The Plain Princess: A Fairy Tale Revisited
The Plain Princess, by Phyllis McGinley, was my favorite fairy tale when I was a girl. The story is about Esmerelda, who has everything a princess could want. She lives in a kingdom where girls who are considered beautiful have noses that turn down, mouths that turn up, and eyes that twinkle. Esmerelda, unfortunately, has a nose that turns up, a mouth that turns down and her eyes have no twinkle. Esmerelda, in a word, is spoiled, but her royal bubble is burst when the prince to whom she is betrothed wants nothing to do with her, pronouncing her "plain." The king and queen do their best to help their daughter, consulting with every available physician and wizard, but nothing works. Dame Goodwit promises that she can make the princess beautiful in three months, if Esmerelda comes and lives with her and her daughters. While there, the princess learns the value of working, sharing, and unselfishness and when she returns home, Dame Goodwit's promise is fulfilled; the princess is beautiful, with a nose that turns down, a mouth that turns up and eyes that have a merry twinkle.
This, of course, is a story of internal beauty and its rewards. I believe that it held a promise for me and other little girls that, even if we weren't "beautiful" and might never wear a crown, others would recognize us for our good hearts and dispositions.
There are many mothers who are still teaching that lesson to their daughters and many girls and young women who work hard and give of themselves unselfishly.
On the other hand, there is evidence that girls are being sent another message --- one that says "demand to be treated like royalty", "expect that your parents will spend beyond their means to make you happy."
Hearing a four-year-old describe herself as a "diva" makes me want to gnash my teeth. I wonder if the mother knows what a diva is, or if she has explained it to the child. The word implies a certain level of success in performance coupled with a difficult personality. Is it the success or the unpleasant personality that the child possesses? I believe that it is most often the personality -- in other words, "I'm a brat -- live with it!"
The "bridezilla" personality is another manifestation of the acceptance of bad behavior. Why would anybody subject their best friends and family members to tantrums, manipulation, and plain nastiness and then excuse it by saying "I am a bridezilla" or "I've always been a diva"?
The traditional "Sweet Sixteen" party, an event to celebrate that special birthday, implied that the girl was actually "sweet." Today's "Super Sweet Sixteen Parties" are exhibitions, usually masterminded by the daughter and (very highly) financed by the parents, to demonstrate that the girl can outspend her friends, classmates, or those enviously watching on television. To add a little "punch" to the envy or hurt feelings of those not invited, the invitations are given out in a very public way. You may be invited to the invitation ceremony, but that doesn't necessarily mean you'll receive the coveted invitation.
All of this is to say that maybe something has been lost in the concept of royalty. As Americans, we have limited our tradition of kings and queens to celebrations like Mardi Gras, homecoming queens, those honored at local events like Frontier Days and the Blackberry Festival, and pageants like Miss America. At least a portion of those have demanded a level of service and good manners with the crown.
I think that the self-proclaimed "divas" "bridezillas" and "royal" celebrants of the "Super Sweet Sixteen" parties are deluding themselves. What they need is a three-month stay at Dame Goodwit's house. She would straighten them out and the entire kingdom would benefit.
This, of course, is a story of internal beauty and its rewards. I believe that it held a promise for me and other little girls that, even if we weren't "beautiful" and might never wear a crown, others would recognize us for our good hearts and dispositions.
There are many mothers who are still teaching that lesson to their daughters and many girls and young women who work hard and give of themselves unselfishly.
On the other hand, there is evidence that girls are being sent another message --- one that says "demand to be treated like royalty", "expect that your parents will spend beyond their means to make you happy."
Hearing a four-year-old describe herself as a "diva" makes me want to gnash my teeth. I wonder if the mother knows what a diva is, or if she has explained it to the child. The word implies a certain level of success in performance coupled with a difficult personality. Is it the success or the unpleasant personality that the child possesses? I believe that it is most often the personality -- in other words, "I'm a brat -- live with it!"
The "bridezilla" personality is another manifestation of the acceptance of bad behavior. Why would anybody subject their best friends and family members to tantrums, manipulation, and plain nastiness and then excuse it by saying "I am a bridezilla" or "I've always been a diva"?
The traditional "Sweet Sixteen" party, an event to celebrate that special birthday, implied that the girl was actually "sweet." Today's "Super Sweet Sixteen Parties" are exhibitions, usually masterminded by the daughter and (very highly) financed by the parents, to demonstrate that the girl can outspend her friends, classmates, or those enviously watching on television. To add a little "punch" to the envy or hurt feelings of those not invited, the invitations are given out in a very public way. You may be invited to the invitation ceremony, but that doesn't necessarily mean you'll receive the coveted invitation.
All of this is to say that maybe something has been lost in the concept of royalty. As Americans, we have limited our tradition of kings and queens to celebrations like Mardi Gras, homecoming queens, those honored at local events like Frontier Days and the Blackberry Festival, and pageants like Miss America. At least a portion of those have demanded a level of service and good manners with the crown.
I think that the self-proclaimed "divas" "bridezillas" and "royal" celebrants of the "Super Sweet Sixteen" parties are deluding themselves. What they need is a three-month stay at Dame Goodwit's house. She would straighten them out and the entire kingdom would benefit.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
I'm Joining a Rooster Party!
This is a new adventure for me -- and no, I don't claim to be a rooster. Barb at Bella Vista has invited us to post photos of our rooster decor. The only roosters I have are a pair that currently reside on the top of my refrigerator. I move them around as season or whim prompts me. I'm in the mid-to-late summer phase, which means I look for fruits, vegetables, colors, etc. that fit my late-summertime mood.
If you visit Bella Vista, you'll see the many others who are joining the party, and their ideas and examples of decorating with roosters. And you'll probably want more roosters, like I do.
Here are mine:
If you visit Bella Vista, you'll see the many others who are joining the party, and their ideas and examples of decorating with roosters. And you'll probably want more roosters, like I do.
Here are mine:
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Travel Mercies: Weight Loss, Organization, and Writing that Novel
Like most people, I set New Year’s Resolutions and then am (not) surprised when mid-year comes and I have not stuck to them. This year, I decided to phrase my resolutions as goals, even including step-by-step objectives for some of them. I have actually reached a couple of the goals I set.
I believe that part of my problem is accountability. If I hadn’t shared with you that I wasn’t moving forward, nobody (except for myself) would be the wiser. Since I really do want to accomplish my goals, and procrastination has always been a factor, I am going to use my blog as an incentive. I will report progress or lack of progress to you. You may wish to join me on my journey; you may have the same areas of your life that are challenges. If so, I welcome your comments and suggestions. I will note, before telling you about the areas that challenge me, that some may suggest that working on three at once may be too difficult, that my journey should have only one destination. My feeling is that the areas that challenge my life are interrelated and that I can journey in more than one, as long as they don’t lead me in different directions.
Weight Loss
I have been struggling with my weight for 40 years. After the birth of my first child, I retained about five pounds; with four children, I was 20 pounds overweight. That 20 pounds was not obvious, but the extra weight kept creeping up in the years that followed until I was 30 pounds overweight. My divorce gave me an incentive to lose, which I did; a happy marriage eventually led to more weight gain. I lost again by going on fen-phen (and was fortunate to not have any permanent heart damage); then gained and lost again on Weight Watchers (twice) and Nutrisystem. Sporatic attempts led to small weight losses, but a broken foot five years ago was a good excuse to cease the little exercise I was doing, and soothe myself by over-eating. So here I am, post-retirement, with a lot of weight to lose if I want to continue my life in good health. My plan is to watch calories, but emphasize eating foods that contribute to my well-being. I know, too, that it is time to build back the muscle I’ve lost and to pay attention to my body’s need for exercise. That is what I will report to you – my progress, challenges, and my (certain to happen) slip-ups.
Organization
I’ve recently had an opportunity to revisit my organization goal. An air-conditioning problem led to the carpet in our office being soaked. We had to remove all contents of the office (including emptying drawers, cabinets and bookshelves) and the office closet. I’m now replacing everything and am using the process as a weeding time as well – a jump-started decluttering. It is leading me to reconsider many of the things I am keeping. I have recently read the book Stuff: Compulsive Hoarding and the Meaning of Things, and recognize myself in some pages. I am not a “hoarder” in the most extreme sense, but feel their pain when sorting through old photographs, school papers, and a lifetime of memorabilia. I will share some of my adventure in decluttering with you; maybe we can encourage each other as we pitch some of the photographs with decapitated subjects and decades-old coursages.
Writing My Novel
I have begun several novels and haven’t finished any. I want to try again. I don’t know what else to say about that except that I have finished short stories, essays, columns, editorials, book reviews, blog posts – you get the picture. It’s easy to say that you’re working on a novel (as I have, many times); there aren’t very many people who will corner you and ask how it’s going. (I do have a few sadistic friends and relatives who do that.) Maybe going on record here will help. Maybe you have the same problem and we can prod each other.
So that’s it – my public goal list. I’ll revisited it soon (and often) to let you know how it’s going.
Annie Joy
I believe that part of my problem is accountability. If I hadn’t shared with you that I wasn’t moving forward, nobody (except for myself) would be the wiser. Since I really do want to accomplish my goals, and procrastination has always been a factor, I am going to use my blog as an incentive. I will report progress or lack of progress to you. You may wish to join me on my journey; you may have the same areas of your life that are challenges. If so, I welcome your comments and suggestions. I will note, before telling you about the areas that challenge me, that some may suggest that working on three at once may be too difficult, that my journey should have only one destination. My feeling is that the areas that challenge my life are interrelated and that I can journey in more than one, as long as they don’t lead me in different directions.
Weight Loss
I have been struggling with my weight for 40 years. After the birth of my first child, I retained about five pounds; with four children, I was 20 pounds overweight. That 20 pounds was not obvious, but the extra weight kept creeping up in the years that followed until I was 30 pounds overweight. My divorce gave me an incentive to lose, which I did; a happy marriage eventually led to more weight gain. I lost again by going on fen-phen (and was fortunate to not have any permanent heart damage); then gained and lost again on Weight Watchers (twice) and Nutrisystem. Sporatic attempts led to small weight losses, but a broken foot five years ago was a good excuse to cease the little exercise I was doing, and soothe myself by over-eating. So here I am, post-retirement, with a lot of weight to lose if I want to continue my life in good health. My plan is to watch calories, but emphasize eating foods that contribute to my well-being. I know, too, that it is time to build back the muscle I’ve lost and to pay attention to my body’s need for exercise. That is what I will report to you – my progress, challenges, and my (certain to happen) slip-ups.
Organization
I’ve recently had an opportunity to revisit my organization goal. An air-conditioning problem led to the carpet in our office being soaked. We had to remove all contents of the office (including emptying drawers, cabinets and bookshelves) and the office closet. I’m now replacing everything and am using the process as a weeding time as well – a jump-started decluttering. It is leading me to reconsider many of the things I am keeping. I have recently read the book Stuff: Compulsive Hoarding and the Meaning of Things, and recognize myself in some pages. I am not a “hoarder” in the most extreme sense, but feel their pain when sorting through old photographs, school papers, and a lifetime of memorabilia. I will share some of my adventure in decluttering with you; maybe we can encourage each other as we pitch some of the photographs with decapitated subjects and decades-old coursages.
Writing My Novel
I have begun several novels and haven’t finished any. I want to try again. I don’t know what else to say about that except that I have finished short stories, essays, columns, editorials, book reviews, blog posts – you get the picture. It’s easy to say that you’re working on a novel (as I have, many times); there aren’t very many people who will corner you and ask how it’s going. (I do have a few sadistic friends and relatives who do that.) Maybe going on record here will help. Maybe you have the same problem and we can prod each other.
So that’s it – my public goal list. I’ll revisited it soon (and often) to let you know how it’s going.
Annie Joy
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Music Contributes to the Fabric of our Lives
You may have seen the television commercial about cotton -- the touch, the feel, the fabric of our lives. I would like to add that, for me at least, music is a great contributor to that fabric. We all have favorite musical selections, whether they be popular music, classical, jazz, opera, etc., that we choose to hear again and again. In addition to those favorites, there's another category of music that may have an even deeper connection to our memories and our life story. You might consider this "background music", but I believe that it is very powerful, almost like our sense of smell; it can transport us back to a time and place in the same way.
I'll give you some examples from my own life:
My parents' record collection included two selections that take me back to my childhood. The first is Till Then by the Mills Brothers. I will always connect that song to my dad's service during World War II and his being apart from my mother. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYQ2yc9g51c
The second is from a record that I asked my mother to play over and over. I loved the rhythm and would even (try to) dance to it. It's Blue Flame by the Woody Herman Orchestra. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3BfSTc0vc8
I am transported back to my childhood breakfast table by gospel songs played on Old Camp Meeting Time, such as On the Wings of a Dove http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLfGCs_sV1A and I'll Fly Away http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wr_3TVucft0&feature=related
When I was a teenager during the 60's, popular music accompanied almost every event. A few songs take me back to specific friends and events. When I hear Twist and Shout http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVlr4g5-r18 I am driving my Buick convertible with my friend, Judy, and we're singing along. If it didn't happen to be playing on the radio, we sang our own version, without accompaniment. (Twist and Shout can also take me to Albuquerque in the 1980's, when my new husband, his children and mine had our own version taped in an amusement park.) If I should hear Gene Chandler's Duke of Earl http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9PoUsRibtE, I am again in my convertible, singing with my friend Beverly, as we drive the country highways of southeast Missouri.
My mother was hospitalized in Memphis when I was a junior in high school and a couple of songs will always remind me of riding in the car with my dad, on the way to visit my mother. I remember these songs especially because he mentioned that he liked them and because they spoke of his love for her. They were Let It Be Me http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWWXJObowsI&feature=related and We'll Sing in the Sunshine http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxZI0Cxaq20
Now I find that, more and more, music reminds me of my children and my grandchildren, often to school and church performances and concerts. Lean on Me http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPoTGyWT0Cg&feature=related by Bill Withers takes me to the Great Lakes Naval Base when my son graduated from basic training; he was soloist for a select choir performance of the song.
The Lion Sleeps Tonight http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LBmUwi6mEo will always be connected to Christmas lights in my memory. Our blended family drove to the city to see the displays shortly after Tom and I married and we entertained ourselves by singing "a wimoweh a wimoweh" over and over.
There are many more examples of the "background music" that have given my own life and memories texture and detail. I'm sure that you have your own and would love to hear about them.
Love,
Annie
I'll give you some examples from my own life:
My parents' record collection included two selections that take me back to my childhood. The first is Till Then by the Mills Brothers. I will always connect that song to my dad's service during World War II and his being apart from my mother. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYQ2yc9g51c
The second is from a record that I asked my mother to play over and over. I loved the rhythm and would even (try to) dance to it. It's Blue Flame by the Woody Herman Orchestra. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3BfSTc0vc8
I am transported back to my childhood breakfast table by gospel songs played on Old Camp Meeting Time, such as On the Wings of a Dove http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLfGCs_sV1A and I'll Fly Away http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wr_3TVucft0&feature=related
When I was a teenager during the 60's, popular music accompanied almost every event. A few songs take me back to specific friends and events. When I hear Twist and Shout http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVlr4g5-r18 I am driving my Buick convertible with my friend, Judy, and we're singing along. If it didn't happen to be playing on the radio, we sang our own version, without accompaniment. (Twist and Shout can also take me to Albuquerque in the 1980's, when my new husband, his children and mine had our own version taped in an amusement park.) If I should hear Gene Chandler's Duke of Earl http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9PoUsRibtE, I am again in my convertible, singing with my friend Beverly, as we drive the country highways of southeast Missouri.
My mother was hospitalized in Memphis when I was a junior in high school and a couple of songs will always remind me of riding in the car with my dad, on the way to visit my mother. I remember these songs especially because he mentioned that he liked them and because they spoke of his love for her. They were Let It Be Me http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWWXJObowsI&feature=related and We'll Sing in the Sunshine http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxZI0Cxaq20
Now I find that, more and more, music reminds me of my children and my grandchildren, often to school and church performances and concerts. Lean on Me http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPoTGyWT0Cg&feature=related by Bill Withers takes me to the Great Lakes Naval Base when my son graduated from basic training; he was soloist for a select choir performance of the song.
The Lion Sleeps Tonight http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LBmUwi6mEo will always be connected to Christmas lights in my memory. Our blended family drove to the city to see the displays shortly after Tom and I married and we entertained ourselves by singing "a wimoweh a wimoweh" over and over.
There are many more examples of the "background music" that have given my own life and memories texture and detail. I'm sure that you have your own and would love to hear about them.
Love,
Annie
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Happy 100th Birthday to an Amazing Woman!
My family is getting ready for a special get-together to celebrate the birth of its oldest member. Aunt Sister, our family's name for her, will be 100 years old on Halloween. That her birthday party will be in mid-summer is not because she is frail -- far from it -- but because it's the best time for the large number of family and friends to gather to honor her. I have every confidence that she will be just as vital, engaged, and lively in October as she is now. But the celebration is now and I want to tell you about it, and her.
What I want to share is that Lona Mae is a testament to living longer. I'm emphasizing the word "living" because our culture seems to be fixated on the numbers (oh, how we agonize over the 40th, or 50th, or 60th birthday) or on eliminating the external signs of aging. Lona Mae doesn't seem to be too concerned about the numbers or the wrinkles; she's too busy with the living part. She's an example of what the experts refer to when they say that, to live longer, we need to keep our brains sharp, our bodies healthy, our relationships strong, and our spirits nourished.
That's what Lona Mae does when she has her friends over twice a week to play cards, or when she plays dominoes with family members (and usually wins). That's why she enjoyed a recent trip to St. Louis to watch the Cardinals play (walking from the car to the stadium and up the steps to her seat without assistance). That's why a drive to Memphis to watch Avatar didn't daunt her, even if it meant getting home at 2:00 a.m. It's also why she planned a slumber party for her younger sisters, so that they could come to her house, catch up on family gossip and have fun. And it's why she enjoyed a trip to Las Vegas and will enjoy a trip to Greece next spring.
But Lona Mae is not just about having fun. She has a very active spiritual life, which was recognized by a recent Christian service award by Harding University. The recognition noted that she has taught Bible classes for more than 80 years. She was also one of the founding members of a group of ladies in her church who provide help for community members in need. Here is a photo of Lona Mae with some the dresses she made for distribution through her group:
Lona Mae's skills are not limited to sewing; she also enjoys quilting, ceramics, crochet, knitting and making holiday ornaments. She is generous with her handiwork and many family members have examples of items she has made. At a recent family reunion, she unveiled a large table which was filled with beautiful scarves that she had knitted. She invited all of her nieces who were present to come forward and choose one. You'll note that, in this photograph, I am among the happy recipients:
Lona Mae has always had a special place in the hearts of her family and friends. As the oldest of 14 children, she learned early that her contribution to the family's welfare was crucial and her mother recorded in her life story that Lona Mae was a caretaker for the younger children and a great help around the house. Today, she is the touchstone for the family; all of us depend upon her wisdom and "good sense", as well as her knowledge of the family history and its continuing story.
I heard through the family grapevine that Lona Mae is a little bit concerned that she doesn't deserve the celebration that is planned for her 100th birthday. My hope is that she'll stop worrying and enjoy what we, her many family members and friends know -- that she is more than worthy and that the pleasure will be all ours on that special day.
Happy Birthday, Aunt Sister!
Much love,
Judy
Monday, June 21, 2010
Book Recommendation: A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly
This story reminds us of the narrow choices that women had just 100 years ago and is especially interesting, due to the tie-in with a true story, as well as an earlier novel and movie. As I mentioned in an earlier recommendation, Mattie reveals a growing understanding about when she comments that some books tell stories (showing you life as you want it to be) and some books tell truths (showing you life as it really is). The first kind, she says, makes you cheerful and contented and the second shakes you up. I enjoyed A Northern Life for these insights into a budding writer, as well as the plot development and the mystery.
You can find A Northern Life at your local public library, or through Amazon.
Happy Reading!
Annie
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Hollywood Costumes Come to Oklahoma City
We celebrated my birthday on Saturday and visited the Oklahoma City of Art for the "Sketch to Screen: The Art of Hollywood Costume Design" exhibit. I expected it to be impressive, and was delighted, captivated and entertained by this wonderful collection of costumes and design drawings from the age of the silent screen to the movies of the 21st century.
All of the costumes are originals used in the movies with the exception of the three from Gone with the Wind. Those three costumes designed for Scarlett are reproductions; the originals were not preserved. Some of the original costumes featured are Mary Pickford's from Tess of the Storm Country , Rudolph Valentino's from Blood and Sand, Jean Harlow's from Bombshell, Claudette Colbert's from Cleopatra, Audrey Hepburn's from Funny Face, Deborah Kerr's from An Affair to Remember, Gregory Peck's eyeglasses and briefcase from To Kill a Mockingbird, Glenn Close's from 1001 Dalmations, as well as costumes from True Lies, Three Amigos, Quigly Down Under, A Foreign Affair, From the Terrace, Valley of the Dolls, Witness for the Prosecution, Apollo 13, Raging Bull, Dick Tracy, Flintstones, X-Men: The Last Stand, Hello Dolly, Mama Mia, The Sound of Music, Ben Hur, Chicago, The King and I, Camelot, Titanic, and others. Also displayed are many original designer drawings of the costumes, as well as backgrounds on the movies, costumes, awards, actors and actresses.
If you live in Oklahoma or will be visiting between now and August 15, be sure to put this exhibit on your calendar. In case you don't already know, the Oklahoma City Museum of Art is home to a comprehensive collection of glass sculpture by Dale Chihuly. You'll find more information about the museum at http://www.okcmoa.com/aboutokcmoa, about the costume display (including photographs) at http://www.okcmoa.com//sketchtoscreen and about the Dale Chihuly collection at http://www.okcmoa.com/exhibitions/dalechihuly-theexhibition/chihulyglass .
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