I had just returned from a tour of Alaska with a rock and roll band. It was June, 1980 and we were about to descend into the Reagan Era. The glow of the late 1960s had contracted into the dire and apocalyptic 70s and promised to flow headlong into Iran Contra. Our friend Carmelita, one…
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Suprise Me
Bob and Carmelita’s Wedding
/ Stories
I had just returned from a tour of Alaska with a rock and roll band. It was June, 1980 and we were about to descend into the Reagan Era. The glow of the late 1960s had contracted into the dire and apocalyptic 70s and promised to flow headlong into Iran Contra. Our friend Carmelita, one…
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I Love Progress
Prompted By Cutting the Cord
/ Stories
Imagine if my umbilical cord had not been cut many years ago! I love cutting the modern day cord, why? Portability: I can access the internet anywhere within range of a router and without cables. Ease of setup: We can set up a wireless network without having to run wires or drill holes. Flexibility:…
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Glen Echo
Prompted By Amusement Park Memories
/ Stories
In the summer, the dense greenery along the Potomac River covers houses, streets, and history. We moved to the area in 1966 and slowly discovered some unexpected treasures--the towpath along the abandoned C & O canal, Sycamore Island, the old settlement of Cabin John, the Clara Barton house. The Glen Echo Amusement Park.
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Unstuck in Time
Prompted By View from the Mountaintop
/ Stories
In “Slaughter House Five” Kurt Vonnegut wrote, “I’ve come unstuck in time”. I am not sure if that is the appropriate phrase, or if we are through the looking glass, but we are definitely not bending toward Dr. King’s moral universe this election cycle; far from it. Every day brings some new, disgusting revelation, whether…
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“…moon river and me”
Prompted By One Song That Moves Me
/ Stories
“Moon river, wider than a mile
I’m crossing you in style some day
Oh, dream maker,
You heart breaker
Wherever you’re going, I’m going your way…"
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The Naked Emperor
Prompted By Favorite Fairy Tale
/ Stories
The Naked Emperor As a young kid I’m sure when The Emperor’s New Clothes was read to me I was delighted by a boy much wiser than the grownups, and unafraid to laugh at the foolish and naked ruler. And later when I was older and read the tale myself I surely appreciated the clever satire, the…
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Punch Lists and Prayers
Prompted By Home Repair
/ Stories
Next hurtle – what contractor in his right mind would undertake this project with such an unrealistic budget and very tight timeline? It was now June and we needed to open the school in September.
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A Grand, if not Royal, Wedding Portrait
Prompted By Vintage Photos
/ Stories
March 5, 1895. That is the caption in my photo album. These are my grandparents, Samuel Sarason and “Lizzie” (Fruma Leah) Prensky (changed to Prentis by her younger brother Meyer in 1925) on their wedding day in St. Louis, MO, as referenced on the bottom of the photo. I love everything about this photo. I…
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024 Was NOT the Driver’s IQ, Thank You!
Prompted By My Car of Yesteryear
/ Stories
Something pretty funny did happen IN that car, though
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Don’t Think Twice
Prompted By One Song That Moves Me
/ Stories
Music plays a grand role in my life. My first memory involves me discordantly playing harmonica to a blues player on a 78-rpm record. I must have been three. My mother often played the piano while I drifted into sleep. I could hear her playing the same Chopin Preludes, haltingly, but with enjoyment, on the…
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