Dated

The year before I completed college.

1971 draws a blank for the moment.

In 1967, I had a roommate who matriculated. She was finished with her studies a year ahead of me.

It’s a little game, silly, really, that I like to try. The universe hands me a date and I connect it to a memory.

The idea is not just to stay sharp but also to keep the timeline of my personal history fresh.

The latter has a way of slipping as time passes. It comes in handy, keeping a grip on who I am.

Disasters

The term we use when we experience horrific destruction is ‘Acts of God’. It’s a term of convenience for insurance agents who don’t want to fund natural disasters.

Sometimes, in a more neutral frame of mind, we blame Mother Nature. As if your mama would inflict that upon you.

Of course, the God-fearing among us still turn to prayer when unthinkable catastrophe hits.

I, as usual, turn to a favorite atheistic catchphrase: God has a lot to answer for.

Sing along

What is your favorite genre of music?

🎼Classical music, big splashy symphonies, and intricate piano works are wonderful.

My teenage years played out mostly to Brahms and Bach and Mozart, and Liszt and some more obscure and lesser composers. 🎹*

In college, I bopped to classic Motown and R&B repertory.

As I grew to young adulthood, I started grooving heavily to country tunes.

Yes, folks, let’s sing along with Miss Barbara Mandrell. “I was country when country wasn’t cool.” 🎵🎶🎸

I love the great American musical, like Pajama Game or Hello, Dolly, to name a few. It’s billed as The Great American Songbook and

Jazz was an eye-opener when I was introduced to it. Over the years, I went to many a jazz concert and a few jazz clubs.

Let us not leave out Big Bands and blue grass for a full roster of favorites

*Classical music and the classical music station were part of the family dynamic.

A Lovely Time

Describe your most memorable vacation.

I had traveled across much of Europe. I had visited London and Dublin and gone all over Israel. I really enjoyed a short stay in a ClubMed in Western Mexico.

And yet, none of that compares with the first trip we took as a couple. My now husband whisked me off to a long weekend in Newport RI.

A storm greeted us as we crossed the bridge to our destination. We had already slogged through an amazing traffic backup en route.

Of course, this would not have made the weekend notable.

The promise of our love and companionship is what flavored this trip and gave us the memories.

Over the years, we’ve taken many short hops in the eastern states, each a fond memory of joy and laughter.

This was just the beginning, and we all know that beginnings are special.