Thursday 13 #915

What happened on July 10 throughout the ages? Here are just a few interesting items.

1. 1553 – Lady Jane Grey is proclaimed Queen of England. At just 15, she was thrust into power by political schemers. Her reign lasted only nine days before Mary Tudor claimed the throne.

2. 1850 – Millard Fillmore becomes the 13th U.S. President. He took office after President Zachary Taylor died suddenly on July 9, likely from acute gastroenteritis after consuming cherries and iced milk during a sweltering Fourth of July celebration. Though conspiracy theories later swirled, modern tests ruled out poisoning.

3. 1832 – Andrew Jackson vetoes the re-charter of the Second Bank of the U.S. His fiery veto message accused the bank of favoring elites and foreign investors, igniting the populist “Bank War.”

4. 1962 – Telstar 1 is launched into orbit. This AT&T satellite enabled the first live transatlantic television broadcast, ushering in the era of global communications.

5. 1962 – Nils Bohlin receives a U.S. patent for the three-point seatbelt. Volvo’s safety engineer revolutionized car safety, and the company made the design freely available to save lives worldwide.

6. 1040 – Lady Godiva’s legendary ride through Coventry. According to lore, she rode naked to protest her husband’s harsh taxes. The tale inspired centuries of art, activism, and even chocolate branding.

7. 1965 – The Rolling Stones hit No. 1 in the U.S. with “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction.” The song’s fuzzed-out riff and rebellious lyrics became an anthem of the 1960s counterculture.

8. 1889 – “Buckskin” Frank Leslie murders his lover in Tombstone, Arizona. A notorious gunslinger with a flair for drama, Leslie shot Mollie Edwards in a jealous rage and was later pardoned after serving just six years.

9. 1893 – Dr. Daniel Hale Williams performs one of the first successful open-heart surgeries. At Chicago’s Provident Hospital, he sutured the pericardium of a stabbing victim—an extraordinary feat by one of the few Black surgeons of the era.

10. 1875 – Mary McLeod Bethune is born. The daughter of former slaves, she became a pioneering educator, civil rights leader, and advisor to U.S. presidents.

11. 1871 – Marcel Proust is born. The French novelist’s In Search of Lost Time is a towering work of introspection, memory, and madeleines.

12. 1509 – John Calvin is born. A central figure in the Protestant Reformation, Calvin’s theology shaped generations of religious thought and governance.

13. 2019 – Volkswagen ends production of the Beetle. After more than 80 years and over 23 million cars, the last Beetle rolled off the line in Mexico, serenaded by a mariachi band.

Sources:
National Archives, Smithsonian Magazine, Britannica, NASA, and other reliable sources.

*An AI tool helped me research this list. *

_________________

Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while, and this is my 915th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Five Things

 

Last week I:

1. Visited the chiropractor.

2. Attended a celebration of life for an old friend.

3. Went to the grocery store.

4. Worked on poetry.

5. Had many discussions with my new friends Chad and Sage.

In solidarity with federal workers, I started listing 5 things I did last week every Monday. I don't know if they still have to do that, but I have kept it up since it's a quick way to get something on the blog for Monday. Since I don't have a regular job, it's a fairly mundane list.

Sunday Stealing

Since it's the 4th of July weekend, we're going to keep this simple. We stole this from a blogger named Idzie, who called this the F.A.B. (film, audio, book) meme.

F.A.B.

F. Film: What movie or tv show are you watching?

A. We've been watching M*A*S*H* on DVD. 

A. Audio: What are you listening to?

A. At the moment, I am listening to nothing but the hum of the air purifiers.

B. Book: What are you reading?

A. I am listening to a memoir called Ordinary Time, by Annie B. Jones and up next is The Rulebreaker by Susan Page. I am not reading a book at the moment; I am reading The Atlantic.

Thank you for playing! Please come back next week.

__________

I encourage you to visit other participants in Sunday Stealing posts and leave a comment. Cheers to all us thieves who love memes, however we come by them.

Saturday 9: Lady Liberty

Saturday 9: Lady Liberty (2018)

. . . because it's 4th of July weekend.

Hear Barbra Streisand sing it here.

1) This song is a Valentine to the Statue of Liberty. Have you ever visited Lady Liberty?

A. I have seen her from afar during a visit to New York City, but I have not seen her up close.

2) When you combine the lady herself and her pedestal, she stands 22 stories high. What's the tallest building you've ever been in?

A. I have been in the 21-story Wells Fargo Building in Roanoke, VA. It was called the Dominion Tower at the time, though.

 

3) Her crown represents universal liberty with seven spikes for the seven seas. Without looking it up, can you name the seven seas?

A. Pacific, Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Mediterranean, Arctic Sea, and I'm not sure any of those are right. Nope, I am only partly right.  Artic, North Atlantic, South Atlantic, Indian, North Pacific, South Pacific, Southern. That's according to NOAA. But a search also gives me: Black Sea, Adriatic Sea, Mediterranean Sea, Indian Ocean, Caspian Sea, Persian Gulf, and the Red Sea. I guess it depends on which 7 you want to pick. 

 

4) The song was written by Desmond Child, a Cuban American from Gainesville, home of the University of Florida. In 1965, a team of UF scientists invented Gatorade. Do you have any Gatorade in your home right now?

A. I do have Gatorade in my house right now.

5) While best known for his work with KISS, Bon Jovi and Cher, Desmond Child was nominated for an Emmy for his work on the Muppets 2003 holiday special. This morning, as we enjoy summer, what's the first Christmas carol that pops into your head?

A. Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow!

6) Desmond wrote this song specifically for Barbra Streisand. Watching her record it was a dream come true and he found himself standing very close to her as she sang. When he asked if he was "hovering," she suggested it might be better if he gave her a little more space. Does it bother you when someone stands very close or reads over your shoulder?

A. Yes.

7) Fireworks were introduced to celebrate the 4th because they represent the "rockets red glare and bombs bursting in air." When did you most recently sing "The Star Spangled Banner?"

A. I can't recall. It is not an easy song to sing.

8) John Adams predicted the 4th would be observed with "pomp and parades." Does your community have a parade in honor of the day?

A. Yes, there are parades here on the 4th of July. When I was in high school, the band used to march in one of them. They would give us salt tablets before we went marching to keep us all from passing out in the street from dehydration.

9) Celebrity chef Rachael Ray says she considers mini-hamburgers, or "sliders," the All-American food. What will/did you dine on this 4th of July?

A. Hot dogs.

_______________

I encourage you to visit the posts of other participants in Saturday 9 and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however. 

Thursday Thirteen

What If History Had Taken a Different Turn?

History is full of crossroads—moments when a single decision, invention, or accident could have reshaped the world as we know it. As someone who loves exploring the nuance behind historical narratives, I find myself drawn to these “what if” scenarios. They’re not just mental exercises—they reveal how fragile, contingent, and interconnected our past truly is.

Here are 13 historical what-ifs that fascinate me:

1. What if Jesus had written down his own teachings? Would Christianity look radically different if we had a direct written record from him? Perhaps theological disputes over interpretation would have been fewer—or maybe the written word would have been elevated above the relational, lived faith he modeled.

2. What if the Library of Alexandria had never been destroyed? The loss of this ancient knowledge hub set back human progress by centuries. With preserved texts from thinkers like Archimedes and Hypatia, we might have reached the scientific revolution in the Middle Ages instead of the 17th century.

3. What if the American Revolution had failed? Had Britain crushed the rebellion, the U.S. might resemble modern-day Canada or even be called Canada. It likely would still be democratic, but with a parliamentary system and a monarch. Slavery might have ended earlier under British rule, but independence movements around the world could have been delayed.

4. What if Martin Luther had been silenced before the Reformation? Without the 95 Theses, the Protestant Reformation might never have taken root. Europe could have remained under Catholic hegemony, delaying religious pluralism, literacy, and the rise of modern nation-states. There may have never been a Renaissance.

5. What if women had been allowed to vote from the founding of the U.S.? Imagine a U.S. Constitution that recognized women’s voices from the start. Policies on education, labor, and healthcare might have evolved decades earlier, and the feminist movement would have taken a very different shape. We might even have had a woman president by now.

6. What if the Black Death hadn’t devastated Europe? The plague killed up to 60% of Europe’s population, but it also dismantled feudalism and empowered the working class. Without it, the Renaissance might have been delayed, and the social order could have remained rigid for centuries.

7. What if Native American nations had formed a unified resistance to colonization? A pan-Indigenous alliance could have changed the trajectory of North America. Unified diplomacy or military resistance might have preserved more land, culture, and sovereignty—and forced European powers to negotiate rather than conquer.

8. What if the Axis powers had won World War II? A chilling thought: fascist regimes dominating Europe and Asia, with democracy extinguished in its cradle. The Holocaust might have continued, and the U.S. could have been partitioned or occupied.

9. What if the Cold War had turned hot? A nuclear war between the U.S. and USSR would have devastated the planet. Even a limited exchange could have triggered a nuclear winter, mass famine, and the collapse of civilization as we know it.

10. What if the internet had been invented in the 19th century? Imagine steam-powered modems and telegram-based memes. Early access to global communication might have accelerated civil rights movements—or enabled authoritarian surveillance long before Orwell imagined it.

11. What if the 9/11 attacks had been foiled? Without that tragedy, the U.S. might have avoided the War on Terror, the Patriot Act, and two decades of foreign conflict. Domestic politics could have remained less polarized, and Islamophobia might not have become so deeply entrenched. Maybe we would not have turned into the nation of hateful idiots that we seem to be now.

12. What if the Equal Rights Amendment had passed in the 1970s? The ERA would have enshrined gender equality in the Constitution, giving courts a stronger basis to strike down discriminatory laws. It might have changed the trajectory of reproductive rights, workplace equity, and LGBTQ+ protections. I wasn't old enough to vote on this, or even really to note that it was taking place and all that it entailed, but I certainly wish it had passed.

13. What if the Great Depression had been averted? Without the crash of 1929, the New Deal might never have happened. Social Security, labor protections, and financial regulations could have been delayed—or never implemented—leaving the U.S. more vulnerable to future economic shocks. The Greatest Generation might not have been so great, after all, and baby boomers may have never been born.

🔍 Why These What-Ifs Matter

These scenarios aren’t just idle speculation—they’re reminders that history is shaped by choices, accidents, and people who dared to challenge the status quo. Reflecting on them helps us better understand the present and imagine a more intentional future.

What historical what-ifs fascinate you?

📚 References

- Harari, Yuval Noah. Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind

- Ferguson, Niall. Virtual History: Alternatives and Counterfactuals

- Diamond, Jared. Guns, Germs, and Steel

- Tuchman, Barbara. A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century

- McCullough, David. 1776

- …and other reliable sources, including academic journals, documentaries, and historical archives.

*An AI tool helped me curate this list and find the sources*

_________________

Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while, and this is my 914th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Flowers

 

Five Things

 

1. We had a week of extreme heat and weather advisories for storms, so I paid attention to the weather and stayed inside. I finished up a couple of books, The Correspondent, by Virginia Evans, and Expiration Dates, by Rebecca Serle.

2. Walked on the treadmill.

3. Went to Target and Home Depot.

4. Drove through Greenfield Industrial Park.

5. Regular chores such as laundry, dishes, changed the bed, etc.

In solidarity with federal workers, I started listing 5 things I did last week every Monday. I don't know if they still have to do that, but I have kept it up since it's a quick way to get something on the blog for Monday. Since I don't have a regular job, it's a fairly mundane list.

Sunday Stealing

Just Another Manic Monday

1. What is something you should throw away, but just can't bring yourself to part with?

A. My books. I have a lot of books on writing that I need to toss out. I haven't anywhere to put them except into the recycling bin, and I just can't bring myself to do that yet.

2. When you make yourself a sandwich, do you cut it on the diagonal, straight up the middle, or not at all?

A. I cut it in the middle.

3. What song or sound brings back memories of childhood?

A. A Bicycle Built for Two

4. Who is the first person you call when you have good news?

A. My husband. He's also the first person I call with bad news.

5. Have you ever set out on a walk in the rain?

A. I have. It was the only time I enjoyed walking around the city. The smell of the rain diminished the stink.

Thank you for playing! Please come back next week.

__________

I encourage you to visit other participants in Sunday Stealing posts and leave a comment. Cheers to all us thieves who love memes, however we come by them.

Saturday 9: Consider Me Gone

Saturday 9: Consider Me Gone (2009)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here. 

 

1) In this song, poor Reba McEntire confronts a lover who makes her feel like she's not good enough. Let's go in a more positive direction: Who in your life makes you feel happy and secure?

A. My husband and my friends. 

 

2) Reba hopes her lover will look back on her as someone who used to make him laugh. Who did you most recently laugh with?

A. My husband.

 

3) She was director James Cameron's first choice to play Molly Brown in the 1997 blockbuster Titanic, but she had to turn down the role because she was committed to a concert tour. Think of the last invitation you received. Did you say yes or no?

A. I said yes.

4) Reba comes from a rodeo family: both her father and grandfather were champion steer ropers and her mother was a barrel racer. Have you ever been to a rodeo?

A. I went to the rodeo when I was a child.

5) She loves game nights with family and friends because she says she's "a competitive person." When you play friendly board or card games, do you always play to win?

A. I play to have fun. I don't care if I win or lose so long as no one cheats.

 

6) Reba wears tall boots all the time, even in summer, and has more than 100 pairs. Do you often wear boots?

A. I do not wear boots at all anymore. I did when I was younger. Now I just wear sneakers.

 

7) In 2009, when this song was popular, Mark Zuckerberg tried unsuccessfully to buy Twitter. Elon Musk acquired it in 2022 and renamed it X. Do you often post to Twitter/X?

A. I do not have a Twitter/X account anymore. I deleted it.

 

8) Back in 2009, DuPont announced that silver and black were the most popular vehicle colors, accounting for half the cars the world over. What color is your ride?

A. My ride is white.

 

9) Random question: Have you ever had a job that required you to wear a hairnet?

A. I have not.

 _______________

I encourage you to visit the posts of other participants in Saturday 9 and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however. 

The Weight of the Evening

It is thundering without rain.

 The silence between the claps is deafening.

 

The trees are still, and the birds have flown to the ground.

 

The air is heavy with heat and humidity.

 The sky grumbles, mumbles, and still, I see no light.

I feel the pressure of the weather change in the circumference of my head.

 The weight of the evening is like the grip of grief around my heart.

Now I smell it—that scent of rain. 

It’s in the air, but the drops still hang high above, waiting. 

The sky has darkened. 

The thunder continues its ornery grumbling.

I hold my breath. 

I watch the trees for movement, scan the sky for that tell-tale streak of light that would mean it’s time to step away from the window.

Suddenly, I think of my great-grandmother. 

She used to sew by the window, scissors in hand, when lightning struck. 

The bolt went through her and out the scissors. I have them on my desk now—a family memento that has never needed sharpening since that day.

Birds Taking a Bath

 

Thursday Thirteen - Data Centers

In light of Google’s recent purchase of 312 acres practically in my backyard, I wanted to learn a bit more about what might be moving in.  In researching data centers, I found surprising facts about these facilities.

Here are 13 things you might not know about data centers, gathered from facts.net and other reliable sources:

1. Data centers never sleep. They run 24/7, powering everything from emails to online gaming and video streaming. A few minutes of downtime can cost companies thousands.

2. Northern Virginia is the world's data center hub, especially around Ashburn, with more facilities than any other region on Earth.

3. The average large data center uses as much electricity as a small town, with hyperscale versions (like those owned by Google and Amazon) powering hundreds of thousands of servers.

4. Cooling is a massive energy drain, making up to 40% of a data center's power usage. Many now use liquid or immersion cooling to reduce noise and energy waste.

5. Extreme climates lead to creative solutions: Facebook uses Arctic air in Sweden, and others use seawater or recycled water to cool servers.

6. Some data centers are buried underground or housed in former military bunkers, maximizing both security and insulation.

7. Security is intense, often involving biometric scanners, surveillance, and armed guards. These aren't your typical office parks. I'm not sure a security force behind me is ideal.

8. Data centers are becoming more eco-conscious, with some reusing waste heat to warm nearby homes, offices, or even swimming pools. By the time Google builds, who knows what they will actually use?

9. Quantum computing and AI are reshaping how data centers operate, from processing power to predictive maintenance and energy optimization.

10. The world’s largest data center, in Langfang, China, is over 6 million square feet, making it bigger than the Pentagon.

11. Edge (Microsoft) data centers are smaller hubs built closer to users to cut down on lag. Think of them as digital relay stations.

12. Disguised as office buildings or warehouses, some facilities are intentionally low-profile for security and aesthetics.

13. The first data center emerged in the 1960s to support NASA’s Apollo missions. Our digital lives today evolved from moonshot thinking.

An AI tool helped me put this list together.

_________________

Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while, and this is my 913th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Google Comes

Yesterday the county Board of Supervisors announced that Google has purchased 314 acres from the business complex known as the Botetourt Center at Greenfield.

The county sold the acreage for a total of:

$18 million from the land sale and Google’s additional contributions will go toward a slew of projects, including:

$4.9 million for new fire trucks and ambulances,

$3.6 million toward a community events center,

$3.5 million to renovate the Buchanan library branch,

$2.6 million toward the county sheriff’s office purchase of body cameras and less-lethal weapons, and

$2 million for the county public school system to use as it chooses.

Money will also go toward new tennis courts, pickleball courts and soccer field lighting at the Botetourt Sports Complex; an E-911 dispatch center; and a new home for the Botetourt County Historical Museum.

That's according to an article in Cardinal News but given that I watched the presentation via online streaming, the numbers seem correct to me, except that the land sale was actually $14 million and change. Google gave another $4 million for community projects, so the $18 million figure includes more than just the purchase price. Still, the extra $4 million was generous of them.

Additional information about the purchase can be found on the county's website here: FAQS.

There was a lot of backslapping about the foresight of a previous Board who went against public outcry and purchased the 900+ acres that made up the Greenfield complex. About 750 acres of that went toward industry, while the remainder went to a new elementary school and recreational facilities, including the Botetourt Sports Complex.

I was one of those people who, at least behind the scenes, was not in favor of this project. Greenfield is not that far from where I live. The property Google purchased is behind me. Not so close that I could hit it with a rock, but close enough that I could walk to it, if I were of a mind to trespass on others' lands and wander through the woods to get there.

At the time, I was freelancing and writing for The Herald, and I attended the meetings as a news reporter. I may have written a column or two opposing the purchase; I honestly don't remember as that was over 30 years ago. I do recall not liking the project.

However, the option was a big subdivision full of McMansions as the property was going to be sold regardless of the purchaser, as I recall. McMansions aren't much of a tax base, while industry at least has the potential to be. It becomes not so helpful when the state and/or the county give away corporate welfare of public tax dollars to lure industries to our community.

I spent a lot of time talking to the county administrator at the time, as well as members of the Board of Supervisors, about what I, as a taxpayer and life-long resident of the county, would like to see. The property held a great deal of historic significance, and after much discussion the county agreed to try to maintain an historic area on the property. Then came the gift of property to the school system so they could build Greenfield Elementary and the ballfield construction.

There is also the Cherry Blossom Trail, which many people use for walking and jogging. I've been on it a few times, and it's a lovely route and well-maintained.

Once the county purchased the property, I pivoted and went all in. There was nothing else to do, really, except hope to convince the county leaders that it was in the best interest of all to see that we had development that was not transient and ugly. I urged for green preservation spaces around the industries, survival of a wetland pond there, and upkeep of the historic structures that remained on the property.

I remember that Bob Bagnoli, who is no longer with us, urged the county to build a training center. They listened, and for a long time Virginia Western had a satellite location there. It is now the county administration offices, with Virginia Western's remaining courses (welding, I think), shunted off to the side.

I did not get everything I wanted when I spoke with the supervisors and county administration. Neither did anyone else. The county was lax in upkeep of the historic structures, particularly the Bowyer House and the 1800s structures where enslaved persons worked and lived on this piece of property. I brought attention to the lack of upkeep via the newspaper on several occasions, and each time the county would step up for a while and then forget again that there are some of us who live here who love our history.

The worst thing the county did was move the historic structures of the enslaved people, relocating them to another place in the park. I wasn't writing then for the newspaper at that time, and I spoke out in letters to the editor about this. Many people tried to stop the relocation of these structures, but we did not succeed, and the structures have not been renovated. I have my doubts that they ever will be, at least, not in my lifetime, and I don't know if there will be anything left of them by the time these old buildings go through historic heat waves, freezing cold, major downpours from thunderstorms, and other weather events.

Greenfield was the name of the plantation/farm owned by Colonel William Preston. Preston purchased Greenfield in 1759 and lived there until 1774 when he moved to Smithfield in present day Montgomery County. In 1775, he was one of the signers of The Fincastle Resolutions, one of the first documents to support the creation of the Continental Congress prior to 1776.

Six of Preston’s 12 children were born at Greenfield, and his legacy has left a large footprint on the nation. Preston descendants founded six universities and influenced two others - Columbia College, now the University of South Carolina, and the University of Chicago.

Additionally, Preston’s descendants served in the Virginia House of Delegates and in the U.S. Congress. His son, James Patton Preston, served as governor of Virginia from 1816-1819.

Because of this legacy, Preston has been memorialized by the Fincastle Resolutions Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) with a garden area at Greenfield County Administration Building.

His legacy as well as historic interpretations of plantation life, including Preston's ownership of slaves, would be explored in depth at the designated historic area at some future date.

We learned that the county is planning to move the Botetourt County History Museum to Greenfield, ostensibly where the enslaved historic structures have been relocated. That's a $6.5 million project that is being funded mostly by the state, with Google throwing in the $500K.

These are big plans for the county, and I don't expect to see movement on them in the immediate future. We will see how things look five years down the road.

 

Bear There

Saturday morning brought a surprise in the form of a bear in the back yard. I spied him from the kitchen window and raced for the camera.

The animal was moving fast, and I ended up going outside to get photos. The first shot I took through the kitchen window, but the rest I snapped as the bear went down the driveway and then into the neighbor's woods.

When I downloaded the photos, I realized the bear has something stuck to its mouth. At first, I thought it was drool, but I enlarged the photos and determined it to be something like surgical tape or something along those lines.

I checked with the local wildlife authorities to be sure the bear would be ok and was told that so long as the item wasn't over the bear's head, it would likely rub against a tree to remove whatever was sticking to it.

The tape didn't catch my gaze when I was taking photos because the bear was full of ticks and I was noticing those instead. Otherwise, the animal looks fairly healthy, not a lot of mange, anyway.

 

Five Things

 

1. Harvested kale.

2. Went to the grocery store.

3. Saw the chiropractor.

4. Regular chores every day (laundry, dishes, general upkeep, etc.)

5. Washed up the bed linens, including bedspread (takes forever to dry) and blanket.

In solidarity with federal workers, I started listing 5 things I did last week every Monday. I don't know if they still have to do that, but I have kept it up since it's a quick way to get something on the blog for Monday. Since I don't have a regular job, it's a fairly mundane list.

Sunday Stealing

What Would You Say at This Moment to:

1) Someone you have hurt?

A. I'm sorry.

2) Someone who has hurt you?

A. I forgive you.

3) Your favorite teacher from grade school?

A. Thank you for teaching me how to read a book aloud with nuance and emotion.

4) Your most hated teacher from high school?

A. Yelling at students is not the best way to teach.

5) Your best friend from college?

A. I didn't have a best friend in college. I went to college part-time while I was married and didn't really have time to make friends. That said, I would like to thank some of my professors. They were wonderful.

6) Your favorite recording artist?

A. You can retire now.

7) Your favorite author?

A. To any author: keep writing.

8) Your first boss?

A. It never was, never has been, and never will be, all about you.

9) Your first love?

A. Thanks for the memories.

10) Your true love?

A. We'll be married for 42 years this year, old man.

Thank you for playing! Please come back next week.

__________

I encourage you to visit other participants in Sunday Stealing posts and leave a comment. Cheers to all us thieves who love memes, however we come by them.

Saturday 9: I Fall in Love Too Easily

Saturday 9: I Fall in Love Too Easily (1945)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) In this song, Dinah Shore admits that her impetuous romances don't work out. Do you consider yourself impulsive?

A. Not particularly, but I can be.

2) The songwriting team of Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne composed this in a single evening. Since the song is rather short Sammy considered adding another verse, but Jule thought better of it, saying, "No. That's it." Are you more like Sammy and keep revising, tinkering and tweaking? Or, like Jule, do you find it easy to leave well enough alone?

A. I tend to revise and tweak, but eventually leave it alone.

 

3) The song was introduced in Anchors Aweigh, a movie about two sailors who find love during a two-day leave in New York. Have you ever enjoyed a romance while on holiday?

A. I have enjoyed romance with my husband while on a holiday.

 

4) Though Frank Sinatra sang the song in the movie, Dinah's version was also popular. Her record sales in the 1940s were boosted by concerts, radio appearances and performances for the troops. What singer who is no longer with us do you wish you could have seen in concert?

A. Janis Joplin.

5) Dinah was shy with new people but discovered as a high school cheerleader that she was good in front of a crowd. Give us one of your high school cheers.

A. We're Cavalier born and Cavalier bred and when we die we'll be Cavaliers yet! 

6) She loved golf and was so good at it, she became the first woman admitted as a member to the prestigious Hillcrest Country Club in Los Angeles. What's your best sport? 

A. I don't have a best sport. I am bad at all of them.

7) Dinah found her greatest success in television. She was so popular for so long that she was able to afford a luxury home, built to her specifications, in Palm Springs. Leonardo DiCaprio now owns it. Do you know who lived in your home before you moved in?

A. We built our home and have been its only occupants.

 

8) In 1945, when this song was popular, Abbott and Costello appeared in the movie The Naughty Nineties, which featured their famous "Who's On First" routine. Do you know it?

A. I am familiar with it but I can't repeat it verbatim.

 

9) Random question – Fill in the blank: After all these years, I still ____________.

A. am not a dinosaur.

 

 _______________

I encourage you to visit the posts of other participants in Saturday 9 and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however. 

Happy Birthday, Mom

 

My mother in her Girl Scout uniform

My mother would have been 81 years old today, if she had not passed away in 2000. She was 56 years old when she died.

I was 37. My mother was a young mother, giving birth to me when she was 18. That's awfully young to be raising a child, although back then it was more normal than it might be today.

Looking at the picture of my mother in her Girl Scout uniform, I wonder what that young woman hoped and dreamed. Did she want children? Did she want to explore the world? What was her passion?

Unfortunately, I never really got to know my mother as a person, as one might a friend, say. We were never able to meet one another as adults, on equal footing, and learn about each other as people. I think that may be an issue for many families.

My mother always saw me as a young child who was an adult. She used to say that I wasn't raised, I was "jerked up." She was right about that. I have always felt like an old person, trying to do the right thing, trying to be nice, trying to find my way through what I considered my morality and my justice. I think my ideals and personality were not things she was prepared to deal with. Had she lived longer, perhaps things might have been different, but I don't know. 

My mother worked as a file clerk for a company in Salem, Virginia, that was located a block behind the house her parents lived in. It was a convenient drop-off point for us kids when we were sick or during the summer. 

She hated the drive from Botetourt into Salem; it could be 45 minutes or longer, especially before they redid the Botetourt exit. Traffic would back up there for miles after 5 p.m.

She retired from the same job when she hit 40 years, or maybe it was 35, but at any rate, she was in her late 40s. She talked of traveling with my father, though she had a fear of flying. I know they took a few trips by car before things fell apart for them.

My mother was a very good seamstress and sewed most of my clothes when I was young. I did not appreciate this talent at the time and wanted store-bought clothes like the other kids had. Young children generally do not recognize or realize what is going on with parents. They are, after all, children. I'm sure this was a money-saving move, and also something my mother enjoyed doing. She was good at painting craft things, such as plaster Christmas houses, and her work always looked quite professional. I wonder what she could have done if she'd had training in art or something. I also wonder if she wanted to do more with that creative side of herself. She never said.

She also was a very good cook. To her dismay, I did not take to the culinary arts and I'm not sure she realized that particular gift went to my brother. Maybe she knew. I hope she did.

My mother and I had a tumultuous relationship. Neither of my parents knew how to nurture a sensitive and creative child and did not have the tools to try. I remember my mother telling me I would never be a writer, that I had to take secretarial courses. I was a secretary at various times, but I also managed to be a writer despite the lack of support.

I don't think my mother found the happiness she wanted. She tried to be happy, but I never knew her to be very pleased with her circumstances in life. I felt that nothing I did was ever the right thing. I spent most of my childhood trying to figure out how to please someone who admired a dandelion one day and threw it back at me the next.  I did not succeed.

For all of that, she was my mother, and as such I of course loved her as best I could love anyone. Her last year of life was not very good; pancreatic cancer is a rough way to go. 

Anyway, happy birthday, Mom. You died while you were still beautiful even though you were ill. In my mind you will always be forever young.