tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-408477823583206312024-03-19T02:08:20.570-07:00Mommy of the BridePost- nups, she became the Mommy-in-Law, and now she's a Grammy.Laura B. Haydenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11707267303403391146noreply@blogger.comBlogger147125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40847782358320631.post-10250970559686337962015-09-29T12:10:00.001-07:002015-09-29T13:16:10.024-07:00If you were a fan of MOMMYOFTHEBRIDE . . .Find Laura's new blog posts at <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><a href="http://lhayden.blogspot.com/">lhayden.blogspot.com</a>. </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Sign up to follow the new site today.</span>Laura B. Haydenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11707267303403391146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40847782358320631.post-89659921729599267142015-05-21T11:58:00.004-07:002015-05-21T11:58:35.299-07:00New Blog Address<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
If you were a fan of Laura's Mommy of the Bride blog, sign up to follow her at <a href="http://lhayden.blogspot.com/">lhayden.blogspot.com</a>.</div>
Laura B. Haydenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11707267303403391146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40847782358320631.post-11637367753572174432014-08-12T08:37:00.002-07:002014-08-12T11:42:26.487-07:00Awakening<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-usV5OsAf-KCzgbldmbrI8Mk9Lyc6L6hQJBiTGUezmDpJkCwWkgAiaGHvTESLJnXT5jag71FDaZM3KTGMQgubSW8n3wRMG6kfrYeWMZRmL4llNEzMMYkLHDL1yfx43zuaggLAxMkn9aY/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-usV5OsAf-KCzgbldmbrI8Mk9Lyc6L6hQJBiTGUezmDpJkCwWkgAiaGHvTESLJnXT5jag71FDaZM3KTGMQgubSW8n3wRMG6kfrYeWMZRmL4llNEzMMYkLHDL1yfx43zuaggLAxMkn9aY/s1600/images.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">As performers know so well, timing is everything. Yet the final and dark act in Robin Williams’ life performance seems so misplaced. Even as the news of his death spread last night, I expected to see him pop up on maybe, a late-night TV sho</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">w to assure me he was just pulling my leg. Alas, Letterman and Fallon ran reruns. This was no joke.</span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br />Besides paying him tribute for the wit and wisdom his performances have gifted me, I am compelled to think about all the talented men and women in my life who have that enviable ability to light up and even take over any room they walk into. Those whose energy often energizes me. And I realize Williams’ last act may actually be more important in getting me and the culture to understand how overpowering depression and addiction can be to those whose energy seems endless.<a href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/science-and-sensibility/201408/what-can-we-learn-comedian-robin-williams-suicide?tr=MostViewed"> I promise not to forget this.</a></span><br />
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Laura B. Haydenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11707267303403391146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40847782358320631.post-83342495997607085462013-11-22T06:19:00.002-08:002013-11-23T07:13:38.430-08:00Black Friday<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">November 22, 1963. I was in my high school freshman English
class when the principal’s voice came over the intercom – sounding weaker than his
usual bellow, yet ever more serious. When he got to the part about President Kennedy
having been shot in Dallas, my teacher (a very pretty, very self-assured young
woman rumored to be dating a NY Giants football player) literally fell into the
chair behind the teacher’s desk. She didn’t look so pretty or seem as socially
legendary anymore. She slumped and quietly cried. She could not speak. The principal
had said enough, ending with instructions for an early dismissal
– which got me home within minutes of Walter Cronkite’s iconic controlled yet emotional
delivery of the official news that the President was dead. This was the first
time I experienced the world around me shutting down and remaining hauntingly
still – a stillness and shock that would last hours through the news of Officer
Tippit’s death and the return of the Johnsons and Kennedys to D.C. - <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and continue through the days we watched Ruby shoot Oswald –
in real time -- on a boxy black-and-white TV in my living room, and then the
funeral.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">November 22, 1963. That is the Friday in November I have
always associated with the seasonal tag – Black Friday – never the shopping day
after Thanksgiving. This Black Friday actually precipitated the closing of most
stores – through the mournful weekend and funeral – all of which draped their
window displays in black fabric, festooning the official photograph of the President, smiling broadly, contrasted only by the red, white, and blue of an American flag. </span></div>
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</span>Having the entire <span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">world stop
and then remain still for some time was different than the way
family and dear friends drop out of the otherwise unaffected flow of the universe for a
few days, grieving the loss of a close relative or friend. Through the fifty years since then I can count
on one hand the other times I’ve felt that extended collective pause: September
11, 2003, January 26,1986 and December 14, </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2012. Three too many.</span></div>
Laura B. Haydenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11707267303403391146noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40847782358320631.post-59649116445471929102013-06-23T12:50:00.002-07:002013-06-23T14:10:05.650-07:00Big City, Little City (One) <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">My summer started, with my expectations of city folk about
to be derailed.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0955jWRF2n5zWDubcpw8rwdlf-BYf237_I4PgW3mqpl2dOxYSkdSyehf-0OXkdXF7DKBxqB0OkTFW9Fvgi195lXg8af9OJhqE-hOdR_cQj6FCi_AkIE16WNKgGcYFJ0qmmG5JZDE22Gw/s1600/Amtrak+train+reivax.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0955jWRF2n5zWDubcpw8rwdlf-BYf237_I4PgW3mqpl2dOxYSkdSyehf-0OXkdXF7DKBxqB0OkTFW9Fvgi195lXg8af9OJhqE-hOdR_cQj6FCi_AkIE16WNKgGcYFJ0qmmG5JZDE22Gw/s320/Amtrak+train+reivax.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.america2050.org/2007/10/senate-votes-to-increase-fundi.html">Photo: Flickr.com/reivax</a></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">I boarded an Amtrak business car (I was on business after all!)
at 6 AM, a tad nervous about the </span><a href="http://mommyofthebride.blogspot.com/2013/06/this-little-writer-goes-to-market.html" style="line-height: 115%;">trip that lay ahead. </a><span style="line-height: 115%;">By 9:30 the train pulled into Penn Station. I've been in and out of Penn Station before, but never </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">wielding</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> wheeled luggage and a stuffed shoulder tote. Still I </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">maneuvered pretty steadily onto</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> the up escalator that brought me out of underground Penn to the city's heavily shadowed </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">daylight</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;">I walked ‘bout a half mile up 33</span><sup style="line-height: 115%;">rd</sup><span style="line-height: 115%;">
Street to Broadway, locating the hotel I‘d booked for the night. Only catch – check-in </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">wasn't</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> until four. With a suitcase mostly filled with books (I’d be attending the New York Book Festival tomorrow – in
the same hotel) and two business-casual-changes folded in the large shoulder
tote, taking a bite out of the Big Apple on arrival day </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">wasn't</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> going to be easy. Crowded New
York street crossings are not suitcase-on-wheels/stuffed-shoulder-totes
friendly. Conventional wisdom told me throngs of city dwellers and workers </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">weren't</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> necessarily friendly on a number of levels, no less on the corners of their
congested streets. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">But there I stood at the revolving door of the hotel. The
doormen looked more business-like than polite as they waved guests in and out
of the threshold’s spin-around. Yet, it </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">wouldn't</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> hurt to go in, I thought. I'd ask
if there was a place I could leave my baggage until four (even as I questioned
how secure is secure behind the front desk of a big city hotel). I waited in line for my turn with a desk clerk. A sympathetic desk clerk I hoped.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">“I’m booked here for tonight,” I explained. “I was wondering
if you had a place I could –“<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">“Name,” she interrupted.So much for sympathetic. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">I gave my last name. Almost </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">immediately</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> she followed-up with my first. Then
asked for a credit card. Her fingers clicked the keyboard, her eyes glued
to the computer screen</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">“Your room is ready,” she announced.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">“Really?” I said. “And I was just hoping to be able to
leave my bags some –“<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU6-7N6iBbEnwFxXJss043GLDH6Mhlp5WuydHwOLb32CkR6FJtTN7OV1IM1k4kkgqJ8Ioe5IO5-_Lb-YCYX_Y_KHz9hV-tDBHosDNEeqKoXd1ljWEufGBvrqJ6TGhrlah7AO9TEFumHU0/s1600/radisson2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU6-7N6iBbEnwFxXJss043GLDH6Mhlp5WuydHwOLb32CkR6FJtTN7OV1IM1k4kkgqJ8Ioe5IO5-_Lb-YCYX_Y_KHz9hV-tDBHosDNEeqKoXd1ljWEufGBvrqJ6TGhrlah7AO9TEFumHU0/s320/radisson2.jpg" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">“Christmas in June,” she remarked, then cracked a smile. “The first elevator will take you up to 18. It’s
the highest level,“ she said as she handed me my scan key. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">“Even better than Christmas in July,” I said. “Thank you
so much.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">I headed for the only elevator that went to the top level, and said a
silent prayer there’d be no fire !</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">(to be continued)</span></div>
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Laura B. Haydenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11707267303403391146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40847782358320631.post-63151697981089187942013-06-18T19:26:00.001-07:002013-06-19T04:40:46.594-07:00This Little Writer Goes to Market<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfI3-FckDbEwF-XE6cKf5I5py-aM21KPSQ3iag169QxQEyYGKTcrYcMW_qCw8UsYYx2kkJpVxGrYoNvO68_iWxgA87feqMMW6qa6vikA-O42EgN4yJUGV1AkxpXzysg3b9emGRo8F67JA/s1600/NYBF.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="67" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfI3-FckDbEwF-XE6cKf5I5py-aM21KPSQ3iag169QxQEyYGKTcrYcMW_qCw8UsYYx2kkJpVxGrYoNvO68_iWxgA87feqMMW6qa6vikA-O42EgN4yJUGV1AkxpXzysg3b9emGRo8F67JA/s400/NYBF.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">If you read<i> Mommy
of the Bride </i>regularly, it’ll come as no surprise that I enjoy writing and
blogging observations and family stories. The flip side of freelance writing is marketing the material. N</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">ot so much my cup of tea.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Fresher analogy: If " writing" were my baby –marketing would
be akin to diapering the kid. Essential,
but not so pleasant. At least not until after the initial step.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Now, almost two years after publishing my memoir <i>Staying Alive: A Love Story, </i>this little
writer is going to market once again. The
endeavor takes great planning, and then getting here and there to (the best
part) readers and professionals in the book industry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">If you are near the here and there I’ll be showing up at, join me for a
chat, a talk, a reading. Through the summer I’ll be in NYC, Connecticut, and
Massachusetts. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;">Saturday, June 22 I’m honored to have been
invited to participate on a panel on marketing – of all things(!) -- at the New
York Book Festival being held at the Radisson
Martinique on Broadway, 49 West 42nd
Street. It’s an all-day event and it’s
free! <i>Staying Alive: A Love Story </i>just
received an honorable mention in the Festival’s “"annual competition
honoring books that deserve greater attention from the world’s publishing
capital," according to the NY Book Fest website (<a href="http://newyorkbookfestival.com/" target="_blank">http://newyorkbookfestival.com/</a>).I'm a tad nervous about the trip and requisite schmoozing! We’ll see what happens.</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Monday, June 24 I’ll be at the Agawam (MA)
Public Library (750 Cooper Street) for READLocal,
along with fifteen other area writers for a meet and greet. The event starts at
6 PM.</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Saturday, July 13 you’ll find me (and only me) at Bank
Street Books ( 53 West Main St.) in Mystic, CT from noon to one. Great vacation
spot, Mystic is. The bookstore is in the heart of the pretty town.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">There are more CT and MA visits coming in
September too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And while I’m in marketing mode – allow me to
ask a favor. If you've read the memoir, please take a few minutes to leave a short review on the book's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Staying-Alive-A-Love-Story/dp/1935991183/ref=tmm_pap_title_0">Amazon</a> , <a href="http://bn.com/">bn.com</a>, or<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12694949-staying-alive?ac=1"> Goodreads</a>
site. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thanks to all MOTB and SA:ALS readers. I’ll be back from market with stories and observations soon enough</span>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
Laura B. Haydenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11707267303403391146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40847782358320631.post-66685519696312932302013-06-01T00:59:00.000-07:002013-07-23T06:25:58.976-07:00Moms Have Ways of Finding Out!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifzTBCS6O5yviHfXVzAyI7hMg-MpXQTEiznyG7ra9VgLMKBKTbb-agUCP8_8FEmRX7mECfQmDd7IjT9t9wb-Z4UDmE_ZNzEOwcPrPGxzg74qEawGZ5iwm59jA33fVEeg5vWoheNy2s8pg/s1600/fermi+grad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifzTBCS6O5yviHfXVzAyI7hMg-MpXQTEiznyG7ra9VgLMKBKTbb-agUCP8_8FEmRX7mECfQmDd7IjT9t9wb-Z4UDmE_ZNzEOwcPrPGxzg74qEawGZ5iwm59jA33fVEeg5vWoheNy2s8pg/s320/fermi+grad.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">EFHS graduation photo from digplanet.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I heard it through the grapevine – and you know how those
grapevine sound bites go. You’re never quite sure where the truth ends and the embellishment
starts. Yet, as much as the word-of-mouth nearly knocked me off my feet, it
made all the sense in the world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The news item involved my son and his high school
buddies. They were – still are – a like-minded crew and even though it’s been
eight years since they graduated together, this crew has stuck together through many stories their mothers have heard as well as ones we haven't, along with the miles that separate most of them today. Between high school and
post-college days some of them have occasionally lived together (a few still do), continued to play in an adult soccer league together, and made a ritual of their
annual summer weekend at Lake Sunapee. Those who have settled in South Hadley
and Boston and even as far away as Pennsylvania and Virginia have simply made
their relocations places for the others to visit. Regularly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Not terribly unusual – and I’d say it’s a fairly low-risk
bet these ties will continue. But here comes the part that caught me unawares.
That made my mouth drop and gasp, “My son? And yours? Really!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I heard it from one of the other boy’s mom, the mom who
for years now, has so graciously cooked up a storm and, I understand, steered
the speedboat on Sunapee every summer while the crew took turns water skiing
and tubing their way around the lake.
That is, when the crew <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>was not otherwise
engaged in some clandestine activity - like fashioning a newfangled floatation device from a recycled lawn chair they'd attached
to wooden runners. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A contraption that,
when it did stay afloat tethered to the speeding motorboat, caused quite a stir
on the Sunapee shores. Yes, that’s the direction these young adults’ minds tend
to go given some idle time –<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the
engineers and entrepreneurs’ workshop more or less. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Anyway, an official<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>letter had gone to the Sunapee-speedboat-driving -mom’s house , since
the former high school of these boys and one girl (as I heard it) had her son’s
home address on record.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“If the letter didn’t come to the house, I probably would
not have known either,“ she admitted. Yet, alas it had - <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>with very specific information about where
each of these friends were to report and at what exact time – for the
presentation, she explained. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“Presentation?” I asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“Yes, but they’re not getting anything.” . <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I was clearly confused until she said, “They’re giving
a scholarship.” You could have knocked me over with a whistle as she continued, “A scholarship to a
student going on in science -<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>in <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>honor of their high school science teachers. “<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Why, those rascals, I thought – eight years out of high
school, all (fortunately) employed and <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>now pooling their resources– as a way to thank
a few Misters and Misses who nurtured their (and I say this in a most complementary way)
nerdy adolescent minds. </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">That's the way I heard it, anyway. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Texted my son after getting the word on the street.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwqKDkkpf_NQW-ViqDpZpCb13TfNhnTTN5nHobzLMbbmFqQZTLcohluHE4pQEFMDqM_NY5L-rcGUk2qYX6Y4nUVawtG9WN_7PpfjtRpFC1H8FoGoPKx8vbVPwZia09V5EKhFg6GslO9sc/s1600/text+message.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwqKDkkpf_NQW-ViqDpZpCb13TfNhnTTN5nHobzLMbbmFqQZTLcohluHE4pQEFMDqM_NY5L-rcGUk2qYX6Y4nUVawtG9WN_7PpfjtRpFC1H8FoGoPKx8vbVPwZia09V5EKhFg6GslO9sc/s320/text+message.JPG" width="303" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Never know what your kids are up to ! .</span></div>
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Laura B. Haydenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11707267303403391146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40847782358320631.post-48697685789632710652013-05-27T22:06:00.000-07:002013-05-28T14:25:05.004-07:00The Nursery of Eden<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I need to get back to my favorite garden center–
</span><a href="http://www.farmfresh.org/food/farm.php?farm=1436"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Meadowview Farms</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> in Southwick , MA.</span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCM81OHLV4rRC2ieWzBsuvG4zx_ObEWO0_RLg5wKscFB72WGxVqWQW34aPe0uEpWUuydlPQ5aE0Bit_sAp1EPqt0Ve7Xb5a97Ags30K2FX3QD6h4lNZUVSI469Y3FjmchQXliGrAR3B_U/s1600/flower+shop+one.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCM81OHLV4rRC2ieWzBsuvG4zx_ObEWO0_RLg5wKscFB72WGxVqWQW34aPe0uEpWUuydlPQ5aE0Bit_sAp1EPqt0Ve7Xb5a97Ags30K2FX3QD6h4lNZUVSI469Y3FjmchQXliGrAR3B_U/s1600/flower+shop+one.JPG" /></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I briefly alluded to this plant emporium as the Nursery of
Eden in </span><a href="http://mommyofthebride.blogspot.com/2013/05/torn-over-tornado-reporting.html"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">last week’s blog</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. Yet, even then I knew I hadn’t given the garden
center its due. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the time I left the <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>aisles and aisles of vegetables and flowers
and grasses and herbs – there was even a section dedicated to cacti – all I
could think was that the country – no, the world, should run the way this busy
business operates.</span><br />
<o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I got there before 10 A.M. on a weekday, and the place
was packed. Cars had already parked past the edges of the paved lot onto the
grass. The departing customers pushed carts bursting with splatters of colorful
blooms against multi-shades of greenery. Arriving customers frequently offered
to take an empty cart as strangers finished loading their trunks with their
purchases.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYz_YGhQwvs8xV3fPq_lOe4suNEPfpZytjw25GHVTmHsC5MNV0jqdPqlMuv69H9kq8aEFRzs14DhrxoMOSVgFIRdYv66lK5_lttrQ2jJg_0mvvtC2V41lwfFwr45mkwpbpYpaVs_rmmIs/s1600/flower+shop2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYz_YGhQwvs8xV3fPq_lOe4suNEPfpZytjw25GHVTmHsC5MNV0jqdPqlMuv69H9kq8aEFRzs14DhrxoMOSVgFIRdYv66lK5_lttrQ2jJg_0mvvtC2V41lwfFwr45mkwpbpYpaVs_rmmIs/s1600/flower+shop2.JPG" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">This is my kind of shopping</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This air of
cooperation continued in the crowded aisles of the open market. No one seemed
to mind waiting while a patron picked through geraniums or spikes or vines, visions
of a barrelful of blooms dancing in her head. This is a scenario where no one seems
to mind lingering a little longer. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Supermarkets don’t rise to this level of consumer
congeniality.Big Box Stores sometimes even fall short of basic civility. Their customers
weave in and out of aisles more robotically. Even on the cashier line, many glue their eyes to their phone screens or stare at the magazine rack
loaded with sensational headlines about celebrity birth, weight, and
relationships. Some of the people I’ve stood in line with don’t even talk to
the cashier as they check out. They just swipe, punch in a pin number, and go on their way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here at the farm, everyone is smiling! At one point I
panned one corner of the vast market to the other to see if I could find a
disgruntled face or two. Not a one came into view. There must be something
soothing about being surrounded by table after table of blooms, a floor full of
larger pots and bushes, and hanging baskets overhead. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Soothing and aromatic, especially through the herbs.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I gathered my usual three varieties of tomatoes: an early
bloomer (for its earliness) ,a <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>plum (for
sauce) and a cherry (for snacking mostly right from the vine). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I picked out a colorful array of peppers – all
sweet,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and dill and fennel to add to my
herbs that came back this spring, after a colder than usual winter. (I wasn’t surprised to
see the hardy chives and oregano come back – but the sage, rosemary, marjoram, and
even a few sprigs of parsley surprised me. Must have something to do with
planting them up against the sunny side of the house.) I decided to try a few Brussels sprouts plants,
for the first time (The sign said “easy to grow", though I’ve come to find out
they take a lot of pinching back. Time will tell.) Couldn’t resist a small white
eggplant either. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the floral category I decided to go with coral geraniums
for the porch flower boxes. Three in each with a touch of silver duster
between them. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, that was me holding
up the works in the geranium aisle earlier,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">I need to get
back to Meadowview Farms - for three more coral geraniums. Apparently I
miscounted. Chances are I’ll return home with more than those few plants.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
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Laura B. Haydenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11707267303403391146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40847782358320631.post-3466338584831363922013-05-21T17:14:00.001-07:002013-05-22T05:01:58.430-07:00Torn Over Tornado Reporting<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">I didn’t
turn the news on when I got up this morning the way I usually do. I </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">didn't</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> want to hear </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyMQG7AjtZJ8vS_jP8d3e7wXHMJGufbTR5JQmBxVbh027Jl-SKyWn_KzUXSI_aM3a-QkwqHC3fiGwtZ5rHYc0LUcgcMqC5VTAkMsczr3GbeDTIUVYl91kQXgWcEQoTmWo69LTuiWMof5Y/s1600/mooretrack-52113_650x366%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyMQG7AjtZJ8vS_jP8d3e7wXHMJGufbTR5JQmBxVbh027Jl-SKyWn_KzUXSI_aM3a-QkwqHC3fiGwtZ5rHYc0LUcgcMqC5VTAkMsczr3GbeDTIUVYl91kQXgWcEQoTmWo69LTuiWMof5Y/s320/mooretrack-52113_650x366%5B1%5D.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tornado history repeats itself in Moore, OK<br />
(photo from weather.com)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
more about a
mile-wide tornado that travelled twenty miles in about forty minutes through Moore, Oklahoma. I had followed the breaking news yesterday through the late night TV
news broadcasts.</span><span style="font-size: small; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had had enough.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">I don’t mean
I had had enough in a sated way or in a disgruntled way. I mean I had seen
enough to have the horrible tragedy, like other unfathomable events of the recent past,
now </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">ingrained</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> in my consciousness. Sad to say I’m no longer surprised when bad
events are experienced by undeserving people. Natural disaster and acts of random
violence have nothing to do with whether or not their victims have “it” coming to them. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nothing would have been gained by <span style="line-height: 115%;">resettling
myself on the couch, in front of the TV, this morning. Viewing repeated news clips
of the same horrible moments of destruction or cries of despair I had seen last night, over and over, would not have helped anyone in
tornado-torn Moore Oklahoma or (as of this morning) calm Connecticut .
What will help is, once again, a national community effort to support the people most impacted by the tornado.The Town of Moore OK website has already posted the best ways.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Text STORM
to 80888 for Salvation Army.<br />
Text REDCROSS to 90999 for Red Cross.<br />
Text FOOD to 32333 for Oklahoma Regional Food Bank<o:p></o:p></b></span></span><br />
<span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>At this
time, PLEASE make financial donations only, until when and if other types of
donations are requested. <o:p></o:p></b></span></span><br />
<span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I hope my readers will join me in abiding this call.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Back to this morning, instead of
turning on the news, I took an early ride to my favorite garden
center just over the Massachusetts line. Lush indoor and outdoor displays surrounded me there, and everyone was smiling</span></span><br />
<span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>A good place to be</i>, I thought. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I returned
home with lots of coral geraniums and veggies and herbs. Through the early
afternoon I assembled seven flower boxes for the porch. Then, in
minutes, an ominous cloud cover rolled in and soon the heavens let loose
with heavy. . . heavier . . . and then the heaviest rain I've seen in some
time. So heavy. the dog and I had to leave the porch as the wind sprayed the rain diagonally onto it. Inside, I turned on the TV to learn areas in my own state had been
issued tornado warnings. I sure hope the Connecticut storm will not overtake the news tomorrow. But if it does, I hope the viewers from afar will pull themselves away from excessive media coverage that just replays the same emotional footage 24/7, support the cause with a donation, and make their untainted day worthwhile.</span></span><br />
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Laura B. Haydenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11707267303403391146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40847782358320631.post-90395029883340818662013-05-14T10:07:00.001-07:002013-05-14T19:16:38.976-07:00Angie and Me<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ABC Good Morning America photo</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I never expected I would ever compare myself to Angelina
Jolie. But after reading her </span><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/14/opinion/my-medical-choice.html?_r=0"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Op-ed in the New York Times </span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">this morning, I’m
feeling some really significant common ground.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chances are we will both owe our future health (hopefully
good health) to preventive medicine.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jolie stunned the world today with the disclosure that she
has spent most of this year </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">undergoing a <a href="http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Therapy/preventive-mastectomy">preventive double mastectomy</a> to
combat her high chances of developing breast cancer. A genetic test Jolie chose
to take after her mother’s death from ovarian cancer assessed the actress’
risk at 87%. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With such high stakes, she decided to take action before the odds played
out against her. No question. No reality show. She just halted her busy schedule as mother, actress, and philanthropist. Three months of opted surgery may just have added decades to her life. Her odds of getting the disease are now less than 5 %.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My kindred story doesn’t involve genetic testing (which has
been reported to have cost Jolie about three thousand dollars). Just yearly
check-ups, which most health plans cover. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I left one of those yearly check-ups six years ago, expecting to not have to see the doctor again for a year. Instead, I got a phone call the day after my appointment. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“There’s blood in your urine and your liver function is off,” he told me on the phone. “We’ve got to find out why.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The next day a tumor the size of my fist appeared atop my right kidney on an ultrasound screen. There had been no pain, no bleeding perceptible to the eye (just microscopic blood cells in my urine sample on the day of my physical), and no palpable lump.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">An MRI followed. Then a diagnosis: Late Stage Two kidney cancer. Yet, I was fortunate. Within weeks, major surgery removed the tumor and kidney - before the cancer had spread. My lymph nodes were clean.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Every year, at my annual physical, I still tell my doctor how thankful I am that he saved my life.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Early detection,” my doctor replies. “Prevention is the way to go.” </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I still get yearly physicals - and yearly chest x-rays because of the kidney cancer. It always surprises me when women I know, smart women who have more than adequate health insurance, tell me they do not have "time" for physicals. Some say they are too busy raising their children, juggling work with parenting, etc. etc. I hope these ladies stop to take a look at how a busy celebrity cleared her globe-trotting schedule for preventive medicine. I don't think she did it to prolong her movie career. More likely, the fear of leaving her children and fiancé without a mother and wife made her find the time to make an informed decision.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I feel fortunate that I only have to wonder what might have happened if I didn't start seeing a doctor regularly, in my forties. I'm glad Jolie will just get to wonder what might have happened if she didn't choose the preventative medical treatment this year. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I hope more busy women will take the time to detect medical trouble before it's too late to stop it .</span> <br />
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Laura B. Haydenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11707267303403391146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40847782358320631.post-44707096487838082142013-05-12T04:19:00.001-07:002013-05-12T04:57:02.214-07:00Mother's Day - Revisited<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">I woke up today thinking about my mom, gone four Mother’s Days now. I decided to post her picture <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>-- in remembrance – on <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Facebook - <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This way, I knew my cousin network on FB would be reminded of her too.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkJ2zQx0mL7o0FTdGMNQsa8oDaCZo1PiCXmVPWictbTrBbdbCAGoWggw437rdvpdCT8zQmFSSGTbyBN7q4P-xWuY4exWVTaxc3BgFqpXBNlf3gy0UiYIG71uw_-W9yCvOlPxd-MPalp8A/s1600/mom+and+dad%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkJ2zQx0mL7o0FTdGMNQsa8oDaCZo1PiCXmVPWictbTrBbdbCAGoWggw437rdvpdCT8zQmFSSGTbyBN7q4P-xWuY4exWVTaxc3BgFqpXBNlf3gy0UiYIG71uw_-W9yCvOlPxd-MPalp8A/s400/mom+and+dad%5B1%5D.jpg" width="250" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">I uploaded a photo of Mom with Dad, young newlyweds, pre- kids. In it, they look as if they do not have a care in the world. Then I recalled the message a dear friend recently emailed me. Titled <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">flowers</i> , the text read: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Had a flashback to your mom today. On our way to Auburn, we saw a lawn with almost no green – it was all those “pretty yellow flowers.” </i></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">My friend and his wife live hundreds of miles away from me now. But they had read my memoir last fall and suddenly, out of the blue, found themselves remembering a story about my mother. I’m sure they were grinning ear-to-ear too. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">The story recalls when I was eleven years old and my family uprooted from Brooklyn, NY to northern Connecticut. Mom, experiencing her first burst of spring in New England, went to the local nursery seeking seeds for “those pretty yellow flowers on everybody’s lawn.” </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">Dandelions.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">You’re</i> grinning now. Right?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">That's just the tip of Mom’s deep-rooted dandelion tale in the memoir, a tale that digs through generations of her Italian background. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Writing the memoir led me to discover the layers of that story. My friend’s email reminded me of the power of memoir, writing immersed in memory. “Full of Grace,” the piece about Mom in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Staying Alive: A Love Story </i>had not only made Mom present in my life again, it was making her present in others’ lives too, as spontaneously as on a ride through a suburban neighborhood. This unplanned series of events then made me more glad than sad– for the first time in years – on Mother’s Day. Ready to celebrate it with my own children and, for the first time, my grandson.</span></div>
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Laura B. Haydenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11707267303403391146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40847782358320631.post-27150433688896557322013-04-30T06:48:00.002-07:002013-04-30T07:28:51.456-07:00Let the Buyer Beware the Schwinn Jogging Stroller<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I don't usually link to someone else's blog, but this needs to get around. Susan Campbell, writer and grandmother, posted this level-headed piece about injuries her son and grandchildren suffered while using the Schwinn Jogging Stroller.Seems the front wheel broke off in use.Now, as her son recuperates, she and her family are waiting to see if Schwiinn takes the product off the market before someone else gets hurt</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://hot-dogma.com/2013/04/30/sue-the-bs/">Click here</a> to read Susan's blog.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is the defective stroller.</span><br />
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Laura B. Haydenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11707267303403391146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40847782358320631.post-47372436432868008982013-04-21T17:55:00.000-07:002013-04-22T04:19:53.009-07:00Belief Systems<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I can’t believe it’s April 21, and it’s still cold enough to
wear a winter coat. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is not the same kind of <i>I can’t believe</i> as in <i>I can’t
believe</i> the city of Boston virtually shut down commerce and community yesterday in search of a Boston Marathon Bombing suspect. The former is
spoken in my head with casual indifference; the latter resounds echoes of assurance.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I wish I had been able to say <i>I can’t believe </i>someone or two would so violently <a href="http://mommyofthebride.blogspot.com/2013/04/what-if-good-and-evil-had-race.html">desecrate the marathon’s finish line</a>, six days earlier; but, these homegrown tragedies
are occurring more frequently : Columbine, Virginia Tech, Aurora, Fort Hood, Tucson, Sandy Hook, and now
Boston – on busy and celebrated Copley Square, after the city’s namesake
race. I am once again stunned – but
sadly, not surprised.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On the other hand, to have witnessed a city and its citizens’
everyday agenda frozen, like a DVD story frame, while city and federal officials
intensified their active search for perpetrators.- that was unprecedented. The
kind of unprecedented that has given rise to the already mythic, “ if-a-city-could-talk
affirmation” being bandied about today, in the drawl of a Boston accent: <i>We’re
not terrorized – but we are wicked pissed</i> . It speaks the difference between a city stunted by terrorism as opposed to one that refuses to be victimized, instead deliberately putting life (as the city knows it) on hold, until the bombers were, at least, stopped in their bloody tracks.. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">More incredulities: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I can’t
believe, </i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">fifty miles from the city I watched WBZ’s Boston coverage of the
Watertown</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXbXjpia7wIfIEQa1K0v6iEiuL5i_L2DoklPHx-eeas7Jt51T_3ZoxSHstXSxvPlgz06SOj280r6Y8eVgolDzA7D4kIzxkOmBZa2WuA0RqCQWcYSoKdLGyOdY8d_R5SWSyJEDA178fP9I/s1600/TV.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXbXjpia7wIfIEQa1K0v6iEiuL5i_L2DoklPHx-eeas7Jt51T_3ZoxSHstXSxvPlgz06SOj280r6Y8eVgolDzA7D4kIzxkOmBZa2WuA0RqCQWcYSoKdLGyOdY8d_R5SWSyJEDA178fP9I/s1600/TV.JPG" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">stake-out – being aired from the street corner of my son’s
Cambridge apartment – the designated media zone, a short walk from the war-zone
tactics (house-to-house searches, sniper-like surveillance) being initiated a
few blocks away. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I can’t </i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">believe
that once again, my daughter’s birthday – April 19 – commemorates another dark anniversary , along with the Oklahoma bombings, and the date's eerie proximity
to the Columbine and Virginia Tech shootings.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Still, among these disbeliefs there is one huge assurance that<i> I can believe </i>in - that a single, vigilant, hometown citizen provided the final link in the chain
of organized efforts to make the streets of Watertown, Cambridge, and
Boston safe again. He saw something - a bloodied tarp covering his motorboat - and said something, via a 911 call.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There, however, remains a cruel irony. Through</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> the nation's focus on the bombing, the U.S. Senate lost sight of its bipartisan effort to enact common sense gun reform that 90% of the American public agrees with - expanding background checks (that would continue to honor the spirit of the Second Amendment).That defeat seems to have added insult to the deaths and injuries suffered from tragedies past (Sandy Hook, et al), present (Boston), and future (who knows?)! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We can help the victims of the Boston Bombing by donating to </span><a href="http://onefundboston.org/" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One Fund Boston.</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> We must also continue to work to make America safer from gun violence by repeating in word and action our </span><a href="http://mommyofthebride.blogspot.com/2013/01/promising.html" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sandy Hook Promise</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> to continue to work towards common sense reform.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Finally, I thank God that my son, daughter and I could be reunited today after this sad week. I pray for the peace and comfort of families grievously touched by the Boston Marathon bombing and aftermath who are not so fortunate.</span></div>
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Laura B. Haydenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11707267303403391146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40847782358320631.post-78816862763289756662013-04-15T19:06:00.001-07:002013-04-16T17:08:08.555-07:00What if Good and Evil Had a Race?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Boston Marathon is one of more than 500 marathons run in
the world every year. Most of the participants are recreational runners. The
marathoners train for sixteen to eighteen weeks . The first month they alternate short runs of three or four miles with carefully calculated days off. They add a weekly double-digit run the next month or two,
adding a mile or so every week. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Marathoners eat healthfully; they hydrate as they run.
Marathoners learn how to fuel up on protein bars and sports beans. They may have
to nurse a pull or sprain along the way, but eventually they get back on their feet and make
up for setbacks– all to be able to cross the finish line that ends a
26.2 mile run in four to seven hours. Recreational marathoners
do not need to win. They just want to finish. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCADoba-nnE6fwx7l1wZpRLuSsHidu6_YizM_Vn-VzGEN1QDcM9lCkMA-pTYgrtGmi-St61UqNxMKe-buthu-zq69lQigU20y9WuBjqqGlnKkZ7o0TNP5ahWUlOVqq2AvTUOM-hZHvW5o/s1600/aptopix-boston-marathon-explosions.jpeg5-620x412%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCADoba-nnE6fwx7l1wZpRLuSsHidu6_YizM_Vn-VzGEN1QDcM9lCkMA-pTYgrtGmi-St61UqNxMKe-buthu-zq69lQigU20y9WuBjqqGlnKkZ7o0TNP5ahWUlOVqq2AvTUOM-hZHvW5o/s320/aptopix-boston-marathon-explosions.jpeg5-620x412%5B1%5D.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boston Globe photo</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It’s very disturbing to think that as today’s Boston
marathoners were putting themselves through the stress and strain of training,
someone else was putting the finishing touches on a scheme to take some of them and a portion of the
city down. The unknown perpetrator
must have obsessed over the power and the placement of two bombs destined to be
detonated at the finish line at about
the same time marathoners were getting caught up with the rhythm of their
breathing, the swing of their arms, the pace of the run.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I wonder why one individual decides to direct one’s passion toward the light – and the other to the
darkness. Is it something one says or doesn’t say, over a period of time? An
environment? A chromosome? A price? Once again, that shift in perspective made a tragic
difference in innocent lives today</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My own son and nephew, both of whom work in
Boston, were too close to the danger for my comfort, that’s for sure. Their
beloved Boston will not be quite the same ever again – especially on Patriot’s
Day,the traditional day of the marathon. But, like a runner's injury, this incident was a sprain of sorts. Boston will rehab and will come out stronger, the way NYC
has; the way Newtown will.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If Good and Evil had a race, Good would be the Tortoise
and Evil would be the Hare</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I pray tonight for the comfort of the families most impacted
by today’s tragedy, the lives injured and lost, and for the first responders who, once again, choose to run toward the danger rather than away., </span><br />
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<object class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://img.youtube.com/vi/2PLhL9C_z5w/0.jpg" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://youtube.googleapis.com/v/2PLhL9C_z5w&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://youtube.googleapis.com/v/2PLhL9C_z5w&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div>
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Laura B. Haydenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11707267303403391146noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40847782358320631.post-72358140455554433252013-04-13T11:18:00.000-07:002013-04-14T19:34:40.617-07:00Getting Through College and The Canterbury Tales<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbi7KBbVLAGuqod9DI41AupjymstdRdIcYMbSqCXEjgVsDcUX1hwwPMH_BD1A3tltXGW05soGmflhZxM6U2CfW9cPbE8CTfRLv3MmsElqS3-lzC4jBZLz3dUZoEwUumJjMP9ehU27J7Bk/s1600/The-Canterbury-Tales%255B2%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbi7KBbVLAGuqod9DI41AupjymstdRdIcYMbSqCXEjgVsDcUX1hwwPMH_BD1A3tltXGW05soGmflhZxM6U2CfW9cPbE8CTfRLv3MmsElqS3-lzC4jBZLz3dUZoEwUumJjMP9ehU27J7Bk/s320/The-Canterbury-Tales%255B2%255D.jpg" width="226" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The fourteen line prologue to Chaucer's C<i>anterbury Tales, </i><a href="http://mommyofthebride.blogspot.com/2013/04/wherefore-art-thou-springtime.html">posted yesterday</a>, brought a couple readers back to their college days - their late 60s college days - when just about every student was required to take British Lit! No matter what their major. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now, English majors at Dartmouth aren't required to take even Shakespeare. How culture changes culture.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kathy,who graduated from high school with me, commented that she could actually read Chaucer's introduction ("with effort" ) thanks to a college professor who drove her crazy - both years she attended her class! (I'm guessing that was in British Lit I and British Lit II, recalling the canon of the day). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://mommyofthebride.blogspot.com/2013/03/small-presses-march-to-independent-beat.html">Jack, a fellow writer</a>, recalled how beautifully his "Brit lit prof" recited those lines, back in the day. Recently, Jack read the entire poem, as bawdy as it is beautiful. (About the length of ten-chapter novel, it's available online free for <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Canterbury-Tales-Other-Poems-ebook/dp/B004TS0I9C">Kindle</a> users, along with other ebook readers, and audiobook formats).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kathy and Jacks' Chaucer tales of their own bring me to mine. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">During the late 1960s, at my small, all women, Catholic college, every student had to take British Lit - I and II. In order to get through British Lit I, every one of those students had to memorize and recite the first fourteen lines of Chaucer's prologue.Even as an English major, I felt challenged! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Practicing for days in my dorm, amidst a backdrop of Beatles posters and the sounds of folk music, rock music, and a blending of both (thank you Bob Dylan), I discovered I could best learn and remember the archaic yet mellifluous Middle English when I sang the words to the tune of "Leaving on a Jet Plane," a John Denver song (most popularly covered by Peter Paul and Mary).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When I arrived for my "recitation appointment" I brought my guitar. Left it outside the good professor's office until, after stumbling through a few, "Whan that aprill -s," I asked her if I could go get it. Use it. The poetry/music connection further intrigued her.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Strumming away I breezed through the fourteen lines. Still can - if I sing them!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Try it for yourself!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And, oh yes, here's the modern English translation of the prologue I <a href="http://mommyofthebride.blogspot.com/2013/04/wherefore-art-thou-springtime.html">posted yesterday</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How did you do?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">W</span>hen April with his showers sweet with fruit </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The drought of March has pierced unto the root </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And bathed each vein with liquor that has power </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To generate therein and sire the flower; </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When Zephyr also has, with his sweet breath, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Quickened again, in every holt and heath, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The tender shoots and buds, and the young sun </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Into the Ram one half his course has run, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And many little birds make melody </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That sleep through all the night with open eye </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(So Nature pricks them on to ramp and rage)- </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then do folk long to go on pilgrimage, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And palmers to go seeking out strange strands, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To distant shrines well known in sundry lands. </span></div>
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Laura B. Haydenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11707267303403391146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40847782358320631.post-21969485090414849212013-04-12T10:07:00.001-07:002013-04-12T12:05:29.088-07:00Wherefore Art Thou - Springtime?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVZvW2aGPnq3qxPbqZxWdZtAJURXlvpKC-S89qEFr5OEsWqAPlwoakabXJ2RCUz_v9ajUdsM_Ev3DWIOspSsZ_yKlyI-I1sGFzQke6qA4o1kZkDVfb_8Qp7VTmD0AGVVzC9A9ctnR4UqM/s1600/weather.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVZvW2aGPnq3qxPbqZxWdZtAJURXlvpKC-S89qEFr5OEsWqAPlwoakabXJ2RCUz_v9ajUdsM_Ev3DWIOspSsZ_yKlyI-I1sGFzQke6qA4o1kZkDVfb_8Qp7VTmD0AGVVzC9A9ctnR4UqM/s320/weather.PNG" width="213" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've been busy trying to wrap up winter. Trouble is, my first attempt
- March 21 - the temperature froze any
thought of clearing a garden bed or two. Then, a week after a sunny but chilly Palm
Sunday (on which my 8-month-old grandson was baptized) Easter morning rolled in with
more of a Jack Frost </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">than Easter Bunny overtone.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Good thing rabbits have fur.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">April fooled me further with more extended low temperatures. And now, after too brief a reprieve, I've got the heat on again as I watch a cold heavy rain fall outside.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My daffodils and tulips
are clearly confused.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But, pretty soon, I expect, I will be able to conduct my yearly spring
ritual. That would be greeting the true signs of spring with a quick recitation of the prologue
to Chaucer’s <i>Canterbury Tales. </i>In Middle
English. The Middle English that comes between Old English (incomprehensible) and Shakespearean English. The passage looks both strange and familiar in its homage to springtime.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Whan that aprill with his shoures soote <br /> The droghte of march hath perced to the roote, <br /> And bathed every veyne in swich licour <br /> Of which vertu engendred is the flour; <br /> Whan zephirus eek with his sweete breeth <br /> Inspired hath in every holt and heeth <br /> Tendre croppes, and the yonge sonne <br /> Hath in the ram his halve cours yronne, <br /> And smale foweles maken melodye, <br /> That slepen al the nyght with open ye <br /> (so priketh hem nature in hir corages); <br /> Thanne longen folk to goon on pilgrimages, <br /> And palmeres for to seken straunge strondes</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Can you detect the hints of spring in those lines? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We'll see how well you did tomorrow. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the meantime, take a look at what the best little theatre group in Boston, MA is up to:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="486px" scrolling="no" src="http://www.indiegogo.com/project/358152/widget" width="224px"></iframe></div>
Laura B. Haydenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11707267303403391146noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40847782358320631.post-46222817474664007752013-04-10T04:22:00.000-07:002013-04-10T05:08:42.890-07:00Repeating My Sandy Hook Promise<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i>. . . </i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">to have conversations on all of the issues </span></i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. . . </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;">According to <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/10/opinion/the-public-wants-background-checks-for-gun-sales.html">this week's <i>New York Times</i>,</a> the vast majority of the American public wants background checks for sales of guns. I don't think our Founding Fathers would have rejected that notion if guns were as accessible in their day - at conventions and on the Internet -- as they are today. Yet, I never would have guessed Stephen King, master of contemporary American horror and, some would say, gore, would so deliberately enter the American debate on gun control on the side of more regulation. <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9JUPmPylWfdfp61M5K1oKzV4bqNYXOy83FjlsRVxIr2MGNiFBvzP_m0phhO-nbNQneEsSE2Om74eSd-Op3gyfN6LrYRxLK356yYx6R-305l4qRiD0eYfKgEiACaMGqqacjl9eRAfChYw/s1600/Stephen_King_Book_McMi_t607.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9JUPmPylWfdfp61M5K1oKzV4bqNYXOy83FjlsRVxIr2MGNiFBvzP_m0phhO-nbNQneEsSE2Om74eSd-Op3gyfN6LrYRxLK356yYx6R-305l4qRiD0eYfKgEiACaMGqqacjl9eRAfChYw/s320/Stephen_King_Book_McMi_t607.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://ivn.us/editors-blog/files/2013/02/Stephen_King_Book_McMi_t607.jpg">Photo from Google images</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;"> Not only does his creatively sinister mind wage in on the issue that has been pushed to its tipping point by the Sandy Hook tragedy last month; he does so with precise measures of common sense and just a touch of the macabre. It’s as if this writer of extreme fiction took the</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;"> </span><a href="http://mommyofthebride.blogspot.com/2013/01/promising.html" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;">Sandy Hook Promise</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;">with one hand placed over his heart and the other atop a copy of</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;"> </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;">Carrie.</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;">The acclaimed author of real and psychological horror does not suggest</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;"> repealing the Second Amendment’s Right to Bear Arms. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;">King's Kindle single <i>Guns,</i> published this month, offers a concise rationale that </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;"> boils down the issue of gun violence and control to three “reasonable measures” that would curb gun violence </span></span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; text-indent: -0.25in;">·<span style="font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; text-indent: -0.25in;">Comprehensive and universal background checks</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; text-indent: -0.25in;">·<span style="font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; text-indent: -0.25in;">Ban the sale of clips and magazines containing more than ten rounds</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; text-indent: -0.25in;">·<span style="font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px; text-indent: -0.25in;">Ban the sale of assault weapons such as the Bushmaster and the AR-15</span></span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;">As a longtime teacher of the argumentative essay, I’d give King an A+ on his essay (an accolade he can add to his National Book Award in 2003), not just because I agree with him, but because he presents his case so well. It’s worth $.99 just to see how carefully he did his homework (research) and structured his argument.*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;">Yet, it is not King’s rhetoric I am most impressed with. It is the personal narrative that opens the piece about steps he took in the late 1990s, almost fifteen years before Sandy Hook. That was when he pulled <i>Rage, </i>a novel he wrote in 1977 (under the pseudonym of Richard Bachman), out of print because it had come to be loosely connected to four different teenagers who committed school shootings.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;">King addressed the difficulty he had making this choice in a <a href="http://www.horrorking.com/interview7.html">keynote address to the Vermont Library Conference</a> in 1999, clarifying he did not feel that, just because these troubled teenagers had copies of <i>Rage, </i>they committed the shootings. </span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;">“My book did not break them or turn them into killers; they found something in my book that spoke to them because they were already broken,” King said.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;">King’s statement reveals what rational Americans know: there is no simple cause and effect to maniacal acts of violence, acts that take a greater toll when guns are accessible. Yet, even though King believes in the First Amendment's Freedom of Speech as well as the Second Amendment, he agreed to surrender a portion of his right to free speech, because, as he states in <i>Guns, “</i>I did see <i>Rage</i> as a possible accelerant, which is why I pulled it from sale. You don’t leave a can of gasoline where a boy with firebug tendencies can lay hands on it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">King admits regretting having to remove the book from,</span></span><span style="line-height: 18px;"> essentially</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">, the reach of deranged teens, but he goes on to say he did it because it was the<i> right thing to do</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;">Let’s look at this: In King’s case, the <i>morally</i> right thing for him to do was to <i>voluntarily</i> give up a bit of his First Amendment Right – Freedom of Speech – even as essential as that right is to a writer.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;">With King as a model of reasonable concession, it should not be too much to ask an adherent of the Second Amendment, the Right to Bear Arms, to voluntarily give up the bit of the arsenal that has repeatedly become the mass destroyers of innocent lives. Innocent lives like the 20 first-grade children and six adults of Sandy Hook Elementary School who were gunned down because of a lethal mix of mental illness, accessible weapons, a culture’s penchant for violent entertainment, etc., all of which King addresses in <i>Guns - </i> just as he is compelled to address the most real horror he has ever put to mind: the “gore-splattered rooms and hallways (of Sandy Hook Elementary School) when the first responders entered them."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">*proceeds of King's Kindle Single <i>Guns </i>goes to the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.</span></div>
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Laura B. Haydenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11707267303403391146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40847782358320631.post-20068896979798249512013-03-02T16:29:00.001-08:002013-03-02T18:27:16.273-08:00 Small Presses March to Independent Beats<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLM5m_S11Oqw0V0Vt9WrYu49w4NqGGBWlDaqn7wSHYjxj6VPx6WZZiA3FE60DjDS4hLdDMzu_LdcUjoHP18Ie_BxAZouuHadikDDutWbrV11swQZKGcBmAwkud2MsPQE-yqss9aE6SOq0/s1600/smallpress_lg%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLM5m_S11Oqw0V0Vt9WrYu49w4NqGGBWlDaqn7wSHYjxj6VPx6WZZiA3FE60DjDS4hLdDMzu_LdcUjoHP18Ie_BxAZouuHadikDDutWbrV11swQZKGcBmAwkud2MsPQE-yqss9aE6SOq0/s320/smallpress_lg%5B1%5D.jpg" width="222" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thank goodness for small, independent presses. Writers like me, who lack the Internet presence major publishing houses require, have a chance with them. .</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: left;">March is Small Press Month. “Small” as in annual sales under $50 million - with fewer than ten titles published a year .If the Big Publishing Houses were corporate banks, the small presses would be credit unions. More accessible. Friendlier. Geared towards a particular neighborhood.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A </span><a href="http://www.pw.org/small_presses" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">database on the Poets and Writers magazine website</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> lists hundreds of small presses, alphabetically and by genre: poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. I found a small publisher for</span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Staying-Alive-Laura-B-Hayden/dp/1935991183" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> my memoir</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> on a list from the </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Writer</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> magazine. Both of these sources are reliable, which begs a distinction that must be made between small presses and vanity presses.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: justify;">The small press (like larger university presses) accepts quality manuscripts – and rejects substandard ones. Small presses also distribute their books and pay royalties. Vanity presses are virtually printers. They accept all manuscripts and sell the manuscript-turned-book, in volume, back to the writer. End of contract.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Writing magazines regularly feature articles like<a href="http://www.writermag.com/en/Columns/Editors%20Notes/2011/07/Bigger%20isnt%20always%20better.aspx"> “Bigger Isn’t Always Better,” by Jeff Reich</a>. He says the less-is-more perspective allows a small press to focus “on quality not quantity.” Big Name Publishers like Big Name Clients. They often opt for celebrity over craft – and hire a ghost writer for the celebs who can’t write. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7-optDwgSy0T0jQfbwQ2HYok-2a0HiO_Qqir0GGqROBgrdksXiA_qpr4xIVUgg0-VUmOqDgswZ6YJDqtqFKd7188oz_MLEgyFD5dbllwNplmDUDIYz5SLIb4HcbNeiWDrrYDje4xoOPg/s1600/SAALS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7-optDwgSy0T0jQfbwQ2HYok-2a0HiO_Qqir0GGqROBgrdksXiA_qpr4xIVUgg0-VUmOqDgswZ6YJDqtqFKd7188oz_MLEgyFD5dbllwNplmDUDIYz5SLIb4HcbNeiWDrrYDje4xoOPg/s200/SAALS.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Memoir<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Staying-Alive-A-Love-Story/dp/1935991183">on amazon</a><br />
<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/staying-alive-laura-hayden/1104968285?ean=9781935991182">on bn.com</a><br />
<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/staying-alive-a-love-story/id517324085?mt=11">on iBooks</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Small presses give writers like you and me a chance to tell our stories. Last year, after a number of really "complimentary rejections" from the likes of HCI and S & S, the independent start-up, Signalman Publishing, accepted my memoir, <em>Staying Alive: A Love Story. </em>Since publication the book was nominated for the 2012 Christian Small Press Association Book of the Year, received a <a href="http://readerviews.com/ReviewHaydenStayingAlive.html">2011 Readers Views Award</a>, and has been <a href="http://www.aihcp.org/blog/grief-counseling-book-review/">recommended by the American Institute of Health Care Professionals</a>.Yet it didn't have a chance with a Big Publishing House. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuV2FpPy9ZEnC7eavnD18VvnpJReGLMCnBmnQIKbHtmt8e8NSqfv_fjWcl2byVI3ZwZ7UaVO0qyYK7Z6fzK0wLeSC1WihYqVNfGp2LGIfhWI75XDTP3NFUgESqrBvDkA43roQJgc52GSk/s1600/SHB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuV2FpPy9ZEnC7eavnD18VvnpJReGLMCnBmnQIKbHtmt8e8NSqfv_fjWcl2byVI3ZwZ7UaVO0qyYK7Z6fzK0wLeSC1WihYqVNfGp2LGIfhWI75XDTP3NFUgESqrBvDkA43roQJgc52GSk/s200/SHB.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jack's memoir<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sting-Heat-Bug-Jack-Sheedy/dp/1935991884/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1362270205&sr=8-1&keywords=the+sting+of+the+heat+bug">on amazon</a><br />
<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sting-of-the-heat-bug-jack-sheedy/1113789347?ean=9781935991885">on bn.com</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Recently Signalman published a beautiful memoir by Jack Sheedy,a Connecticut writer who reviewed my book for </span><em style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Catholic Transcript </em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">last year. As poignant and entertaining as Jack's, </span><em style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Sting of the Heat Bug </em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">is, his story of growing-up- Irish</span><em style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">couldn't make it through the likes of Random House or Penguin Books - because Jack, who has been writing for </span><em style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Catholic Transcript</em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> for years, isn’t well known enough. An independent press like </span><a href="http://www.signalmanpublishing.com/" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Signalman Publishers</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> offers him the chance to put his story “out there” even though Jack is not trending on Yahoo. Not yet anyway!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: justify;">John McClure, president of Signalman Publishing, says, “small publishers can and do release titles that offer the reader unique insight on a topic without the filter of commercial success blocking it.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yet, small presses can be profitable. Only after corporate publishers repeatedly rejected Paul Harding’s <i>Tinkers</i>, did the new, unheard of <a href="http://www.blpbooks.org/">Bellvue Literary Press</a> (named after the New York hospital) publish the novel. Then <i>Tinkers</i> picked up a 2010 Pulitizer Prize. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jack and I are available for co-readings and book signings in Connecticut. Email me at laurabhayden@att.net if you would like us to visit your book club or organization.</span></div>
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Laura B. Haydenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11707267303403391146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40847782358320631.post-39898121001719494522013-02-28T18:09:00.002-08:002013-03-02T01:52:12.398-08:00If at First You Don't Succeed, Blog, Blog Again<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It’s has been
a Red-Letter Week for the </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mommy of the Bride</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> blog, which made its debut just
over 2 years ago. Over 130 posts later,
mommyofthebride.blogspot.com has attracted 20,000 hits! (Thank you)</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><b>NOT ME!</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How
did I start blogging?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Two
years ago I came very close to securing an agent for my memoir. Shortly after I
queried, she asked for the opening chapter. A week later she requested three
more. Promising! Even though I thought her reply sounded a little odd.</span><i><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I
see on your website that you are a stand-up comedian. Do you intend to leverage
your contacts in the comedy world to promote this book?</span></i></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #351c75;">ME!</span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Apparently, when Ms.
Prospective Agent googled my name, she left out the middle initial “B” and got
the </span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Official site of Laura Hayden
stand-up comedian </i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">instead of </span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">laurabhayden.com
– writer</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I sent the chapters along with this clarification:</span></span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"> </span></i><i><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I have to
inform you – and this is not a bad thing – that I am not exactly who you think
I am</span></i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">!</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I explained her Internet faux pas, redirected her to </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">my </i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">writer’s website and downplayed the mistaken
identity by quipping</span><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">,</span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"> </span></i></span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">I may not be performing monologues onstage, but
my students say my puns are “pretty darn funny."</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333;"> </span></i></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333;">Keep it light, I thought.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Her answer shot back, it
seemed, instantly.</span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%;">I'll be honest, I only requested your work because of a misunderstanding.
I figured a comedian dealing with loss would attract at least a look from a
major trade house editor. While I think the idea is well conceived and the
writing samples are excellent, I simply don't feel you have the platform
necessary to meet with success in this highly competitive market. </span></i><i><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%;">Editors look for nonfiction authors to come with
a media presence.</span></i></span></div>
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<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And she advised me to start
a blog. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well, I did. Decided to
focus on the future instead of the past (though the past sneaks in regularly). <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">20,000 + posts later, it’s
time to shop another book.</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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Laura B. Haydenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11707267303403391146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40847782358320631.post-73867695062369954272013-02-26T06:09:00.001-08:002013-02-26T18:41:50.640-08:00Red Carpet Worthy Dressing<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Octavia Spencer at the 2013 Academy</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Awards wearubg Tadashi Shoji - again1</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo by Getty</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">What does Octavia Spencer and the Mommy of the Bride have in common?</span><br />
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We both love <a href="http://mommyofthebride.blogspot.com/2012/04/tadashi-who.html">Tadashi Shoji</a>.</span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But it’s not what you think. </span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We’re not
interested in him romantically. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Just fashionably.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Earlier this week Octavia walked the 2013 Academy Award Red
Carpet in a Tadashi Shoji gown. He’s the same designer she wore last year when she won the
best supporting actress Oscar. His dressmaking has a knack for flattering less than perfect
female figures with strategially snug tucks of material over their assets and a<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>flow of fabric over their liabilities. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">I wore Tadashi Shoji to my daughter’s wedding. Off the rack
TS. Actually, off an eBay store site. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The online gown caught my
eye after a number of disappointing visits to bridal shops. It’s <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>difficult to find petite sizes, even in these
specialty stores. (My once-favorite Marshalls department store has shrunk its
petite department so much, it no longer exists).</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Bride and MOTB (in her Tadashi Shoji gown).</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">When I saw that the Tadashi gown was available in a range of sizes,
including my petite-medium-ish domain,I clicked it into my cart and <a href="http://mommyofthebride.blogspot.com/2011/07/yay-saying.html">let parcel post do the rest</a>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Once out of the package, all it needed was a steaming.</span></span></div>
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Laura B. Haydenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11707267303403391146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40847782358320631.post-87609146219017396772013-02-25T03:48:00.000-08:002013-02-25T12:24:58.008-08:00A Grim Day in MOTB History :February 25, 1828<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCNEZeO31xudhOJGng4Jzk1D6jAIgtxfjR0onCV_U3JTSbooVBihjAMg1YhyphenhyphenXuI_v5HNB6FvLWzP7toT7g8DqV6kfmCKeM-Q9OZXkR9GPlDjS0nA9ZBkBkbLC6XN96yHltqOtafArtw3g/s1600/adams+wedding+louisa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCNEZeO31xudhOJGng4Jzk1D6jAIgtxfjR0onCV_U3JTSbooVBihjAMg1YhyphenhyphenXuI_v5HNB6FvLWzP7toT7g8DqV6kfmCKeM-Q9OZXkR9GPlDjS0nA9ZBkBkbLC6XN96yHltqOtafArtw3g/s320/adams+wedding+louisa.jpg" width="244" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Louisa Adams, only First Lady MOTG. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">After digging up info on <a href="http://mommyofthebride.blogspot.com/2013/02/presidential-mothers-of-brides.html">First Lady MOTBs</a> last Presidents’ Day weekend, I stumbled upon mention of the only First
Lady Mother of the Groom: Louisa Adams (wife of John Quincy, sixth POTUS). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">MOTGs traditionally have
less say in wedding plans. Yet, in 1828, Mrs. John Q Adams' position was unique, since her
youngest son John II (named after his grandfather, the 2<sup>nd</sup> POTUS)
was marrying his first cousin (</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18.399999618530273px;">Louisa’s sister’s daughter </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Mary Catherine Hellen).
As if that wasn’t enough connection to
pull off a 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue venue, Mary had actually become part of
her future in-laws’ household when she lost her parents as a child.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.399999618530273px;">Which made Louisa a surrogate MOTB as well as MOTG!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">All of this had an almost
storybook sound to it, until </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18.399999618530273px;"> the White House dirty linen surfaced.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Mary, who grew up to be beautiful and </span></span><span style="line-height: 18.399999618530273px;">flirtatious</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">, started playing an 1800s version of </span></span></span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The
Bachelorette</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> with all three of the President's' sons. A site as official and
staid as whitehouseweddings.com puts it as politely as possible:</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcqyjdDa5qh7mu84I-GcNkiSNY5RppqaR0cOa4I23yZDxPfUort9KqdNVN0aaeItQFypisGmrqfmBGNQtJUSURfDUQpJfIkSUbkQx_wPg9B8lOHmY-6T2rhOND-yClYH0W4PvzbKT39G4/s1600/John+ADams+II%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcqyjdDa5qh7mu84I-GcNkiSNY5RppqaR0cOa4I23yZDxPfUort9KqdNVN0aaeItQFypisGmrqfmBGNQtJUSURfDUQpJfIkSUbkQx_wPg9B8lOHmY-6T2rhOND-yClYH0W4PvzbKT39G4/s1600/John+ADams+II%255B1%255D.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The winner -<br />
Bachelor # 3</td></tr>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Charles was
conquered first and then dropped for older brother, George Washington Adams. A
bitter, rejected Charles described her as “one of the most capricious women
that were ever formed in a capricious race.” She became engaged to George, who
would postpone the wedding to please his parents and finish his education. It
would prove to be fatal for their relationship. Mary, whatever her best
intentions may have been, was not one to wait.<br />
<br />
Ironically, John Adams II, who was expelled from Harvard, would be the winner
in this bachelor derby. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Neither Rejected Bachelor/Brother #1 nor Rejected Bachelor/Brother #2 attended the White House wedding. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Louisa Adams kept the list of invited guests short. Nine months and seven days after the nuptials, the bride gave birth to a baby girl. A year or so later, Brother #1 took his own life.</span></div>
</div>
Laura B. Haydenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11707267303403391146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40847782358320631.post-26635773652958227892013-02-17T12:13:00.001-08:002013-02-18T06:19:20.229-08:00First Lady Mothers of White House Brides<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-zDF93ilPGgVyp4bO3XAhl1GpBSOayxl6wsTSijkwH4LchTtEWXN-okaqBSK_3gPxIvEhtvSOqqTL2ha8qwS5mtsgAWJrZHok6vIgvn4Prrh3UvQYZWW3oeFjfk-5A_MEqELibDLDbmE/s1600/motb+pat+nixon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-zDF93ilPGgVyp4bO3XAhl1GpBSOayxl6wsTSijkwH4LchTtEWXN-okaqBSK_3gPxIvEhtvSOqqTL2ha8qwS5mtsgAWJrZHok6vIgvn4Prrh3UvQYZWW3oeFjfk-5A_MEqELibDLDbmE/s400/motb+pat+nixon.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Nixons dance at daughter Tricia's White House Wedding in 1971<br />(www.whitehouseweddings.com)</td></tr>
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<span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">MOTB finds herself wondering about White House weddings this Presidents’ Day weekend,
especially weddings of Presidents’ daughters. </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Come to find out - eight POTUS daughters have celebrated their wedding at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue when their
dad’s were still in office. </span></span></div>
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span lang="EN" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Maria
Hester Monroe March 9, 1820 </span></span></li>
<li><span lang="EN" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Elizabeth
Tyler Jan. 31, 1842 </span></span></li>
<li><span lang="EN" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Nellie Grant May 21, 1874 </span></span></li>
<li><span lang="EN" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Alice
Roosevelt Feb. 17, 1906 </span></span></li>
<li><span lang="EN" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Jessie
Wilson Nov. 25, 1913 </span></span></li>
<li><span lang="EN" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Eleanor
Wilson May 7, 1914 </span></span></li>
<li><span lang="EN" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Lynda
Bird Johnson Dec. 9, 1967 </span></span></li>
<li><span lang="EN" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Tricia
Nixon June 12, 1971 </span></span></li>
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<span style="color: #6e6b54; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 17.33px;">.</span></span><span style="color: #6e6b54; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 17.33px;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">Yes, that's a two-fer-one administration – during Woodrow Wilson's term! Other
Prezzes have walked two daughters down regal aisles (Johnson, Nixon) but not while living in the
WH. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">While all these Presidential Daddies' Little Girls had Papa Commander-in-Chief to thank for dibs on the venue, their First Lady Moms ran the show (with the help of more than one wedding planner, I'm sure). </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBOuoffCqYbRTDcdtu7R7FW0IkPpnrmMn7TsvpOysdzjTb6BuVOT8rwszIQduIE1uhVXsmZPQ_8JwKKSjgWgg6_RA8IR9QKVhyWq9MGnYQ5SSUeWPNPqstVBGv9CMx7rOHZEFPPMZiosg/s1600/motb+nellie+grant(bride).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBOuoffCqYbRTDcdtu7R7FW0IkPpnrmMn7TsvpOysdzjTb6BuVOT8rwszIQduIE1uhVXsmZPQ_8JwKKSjgWgg6_RA8IR9QKVhyWq9MGnYQ5SSUeWPNPqstVBGv9CMx7rOHZEFPPMZiosg/s320/motb+nellie+grant(bride).jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sketch of Nellie Grant's nuptials<br />(www.whitehouseweddings.com)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I'm figuring the lady on the far left of this drawing is First Lady Julia Grant, the MOTB of</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Miss Nellie Grant,daughter of Ulysses. It's the only publicity "drawing" of the event, appearing on the front page of <i>Leslie's Illustrated </i>the morning after the Big Day in 1874. (I don't think the word <i>paparazzi </i>had been coined yet.<i>) </i></span></span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-qw3eHL6WhWZ2-MeOUPk6eBeDBUoeZHSDI6OQIp1816NdTKFBmyN389V-HQQv9Iops0FqNM-g83jlCU6Uk1hpDqGWX95Q5T0j2CdTwgRWMvQqzF5XdmpsUZazx-Zf3M1OogG_OqXjJWM/s1600/motb+lady+bird.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-qw3eHL6WhWZ2-MeOUPk6eBeDBUoeZHSDI6OQIp1816NdTKFBmyN389V-HQQv9Iops0FqNM-g83jlCU6Uk1hpDqGWX95Q5T0j2CdTwgRWMvQqzF5XdmpsUZazx-Zf3M1OogG_OqXjJWM/s400/motb+lady+bird.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lady Bird Johnson glimpses her daughter's way in this traditional pose.<br />(www.whitehouseweddings.com)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Found this lovely picture of Lady Bird Johnson, far left, at daughter Linda's White House nuptials in 1967. Begs the caption <i>Proud Mother of the Bride.</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Apparently I'm not the only one who gets a kick out of Presidents' daughters' weddings and the MOTBs behind them. This You-Tube video, posted five months ago, features First Lady Pat Nixon dancing with President Nixon at their daughter Tricia's wedding in 1971. Original footage was a Super-8 home movie shot by H.R. Halderman. </span></div>
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Laura B. Haydenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11707267303403391146noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40847782358320631.post-87398270817940571032013-02-16T09:21:00.001-08:002013-02-17T15:33:27.435-08:00Snow Stoppers and Goers<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioOvniZjXfK1wMHUZtaCdsTO1eWylG3LYYZhrYLJiw1vpcUeODe9PsoXBUU48BGa_0f5s8GIEXeYNqiZOFOZYYYmP8jwxoZVuENGHaFgW0Oj-X04RF1mUfoPdvf355gdr4Jvg2mYYM26M/s1600/blizzard+wedding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioOvniZjXfK1wMHUZtaCdsTO1eWylG3LYYZhrYLJiw1vpcUeODe9PsoXBUU48BGa_0f5s8GIEXeYNqiZOFOZYYYmP8jwxoZVuENGHaFgW0Oj-X04RF1mUfoPdvf355gdr4Jvg2mYYM26M/s320/blizzard+wedding.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 17.33333396911621px; text-align: left;">(AP Photo/The Lowell Sun, Julia Malakie</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Snow today. More snow predicted for tomorrow. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">But not nearly as much as the two feet that fell
last weekend. And even that wasn't the greatest height of the storm. Towns less than an hour away got forty inches. The school districts around and about the New Haven area still
have not restarted classes - and may have to give up a scheduled school vacation to make up for the days the blizzards blasted away.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Most of us Nutmeggers have been only inconvenienced by the
Blizzard of 2013. We’ve had to shovel out, stay put a while, sit in traffic
a while. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">But most of us stayed safe. Babies about to be born, disregarded the</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> stay-put memo. So they
entered their new world at home, maybe, or in the ambulance on the way to the hospital
– due to blizzard delays along the way. One Baby Girl – named Lizzy – will inevitably
be called Blizzy for the rest of her life,</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> thanks to her snowy birth date.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The blizzard’s early forecast did serve to postpone a friend’s 80<sup>th</sup>
birthday party booked at a nearby restaurant.Most guests could make it a week later. But bigger events are harder to
put off. Bigger events like weddings!</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">A Waterbury CT bride
made it to the church during the blizzard, after switching from limo to a Ford Expedition to get
there. (I bet the couple was tempted to change their honeymoon to a warmer
destination too – if and when they were able to get going on a honeymoon.)</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">
</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A bride in Lowell MA donned snowshoes to get to her wedding . Farther north – in Maine – another bride actually wished for lots and lots
of snow – because her Mom and Dad had been married during a blizzard in 1970. Her getting-hitched wish was granted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night could stay these couples from the completion of their appointed vows, surpassing even our mail couriers pledge to deliver - no matter what last weekend!</span></span></div>
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Laura B. Haydenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11707267303403391146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40847782358320631.post-78867540315237841052013-02-11T09:18:00.000-08:002013-02-11T18:37:59.903-08:00 Winning Names<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPwATvQL5oKP6GOxApU_RzcxP9KTLxBstm6ss5c7zEXM3h_td2lvhOw2FNgB3eCUGdcF-oOu8Qmid1oWEu6AYZobFUoT4xzBiDz6VWeDAiYcvXEVXIveU9Zj7-uI2gskF3HTmAV7COe4A/s1600/3+some.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPwATvQL5oKP6GOxApU_RzcxP9KTLxBstm6ss5c7zEXM3h_td2lvhOw2FNgB3eCUGdcF-oOu8Qmid1oWEu6AYZobFUoT4xzBiDz6VWeDAiYcvXEVXIveU9Zj7-uI2gskF3HTmAV7COe4A/s320/3+some.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Larry and I had a pretty easy time naming our daughter way
back when. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Some history: Emily </i> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">wasn't on a most popular names list when she was born in the
mid-80s. By 1990 the name ranked #7 . . . five years later # 3 . . . and by the start
of the new millennium <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Emily</i> topped
the official list of <a href="http://names.mongabay.com/baby_names/2000.html">Most Popular Baby Girl Names</a>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Who knew? Certainly not the two of us. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We just loved the name. And I soon came to love
the shortened version even more. (Note: Parents-to-be who are considering baby names need to<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>weigh in on shortened versions
too!)</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <em>Some backstory: </em>I taught, teach, and will no doubt continue to teach writing for some
time. The name <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Emily </i> connected
my English-teacher brain to the literary Belle of Amherst – Ms. Dickinson. A
fortunate synapse for sure! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Had I
only been able to connect the name to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emily_Post"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Emily </i>Post</a>,
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>why, our Emily might have been named Mallory
- after the likeable daughter in the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family_Ties">Family Ties</a> </i>sitcom<i>. (</i>You're
dating yourself if you knew that – just saying!). But Mallory was nowhere near a close
second! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If this Name Game was a horse
race, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Emily</i> crossed the finish line way before <em>Mallory </em>got very far out
of the gate.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>More backstory</em>: My husband’s brother was,
is, and will no doubt continue to be an actor for some time.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Got that?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now picture Larry holding his first born, just hours after
delivery. I’m spent, as is Baby Girl Emily, from an arduous labor and emergency C-section
(Note:Long-laboring moms sign a pledge to mention their ordeal whenever, wherever possible).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But Larry is on a New Daddy high,
grinning from ear-to-ear as he says, “John may be the actor in the family, but
I have an Emmy.”</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have loved, still love, and will always love that story.
Even more so today, the morning after Emily (now a mother of a six-month-old) sent me this
text last night.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-vtdBtW03gsoCRmFolrQhqy-7kMzkzVw0h_MVyNGf2FW8SdiV9O0qBHLV_8j8M_ZftCDIbcjxX2yEAuXHcfq57jJj_TtQOPAzKDvB3oL2vUlhlzN-8Oj0Coq1BODIreMW1RGvRBwrbiE/s1600/text.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-vtdBtW03gsoCRmFolrQhqy-7kMzkzVw0h_MVyNGf2FW8SdiV9O0qBHLV_8j8M_ZftCDIbcjxX2yEAuXHcfq57jJj_TtQOPAzKDvB3oL2vUlhlzN-8Oj0Coq1BODIreMW1RGvRBwrbiE/s320/text.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://gan.doubleclick.net/gan_click?lid=41000000031462177&pubid=21000000000542798&lsrc=17%22%3EPreserve%20and%20protect%20family%20moments%20Transform%20old%20photos%20and%20videos%20to%20digital%20with%20iMemories.%2020%%20o%3C/a%3EPrimary%3C/a%3E"><span style="font-size: large;">CAPTURE YOUR FAMILY STORIES WITH iMEMORIES</span></a></div>
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Laura B. Haydenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11707267303403391146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40847782358320631.post-86541513200544495732013-02-09T15:25:00.000-08:002013-02-10T06:11:42.106-08:00Blizzards Past and Present<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGH4Khp6H3MiBxHLwvhL47jA4BWF5Tma63XR2_itYMY-U6UhQE5LvN7mAT0KAGPRjXAFy8sDfZcWmLFdv-cKIgK7CoO0jRpMpSlNslmSdRL2ChB0itL76QCb_TmT3lz8qZ0oghw2LU1zc/s1600/images%5B3%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGH4Khp6H3MiBxHLwvhL47jA4BWF5Tma63XR2_itYMY-U6UhQE5LvN7mAT0KAGPRjXAFy8sDfZcWmLFdv-cKIgK7CoO0jRpMpSlNslmSdRL2ChB0itL76QCb_TmT3lz8qZ0oghw2LU1zc/s1600/images%5B3%5D.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I just happen to be reading a biography of Ella Grasso this
week. In 1974 the wise voters of CT (including me!) elected Ella the first woman governor to
secure the position in her own right. I’m especially interested in Ella because, a few
years ago, I moved to her hometown. I’ve been trying to figure out just where
she lived for a while now. I had it narrowed down to one street of modest homes
about a mile from me. Finally, Jon E
Purmont’s biography of Ella pinpointed the
exact address: 13 Olive Street, across the street from her parents’ house at
12 Olive Street. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ella’s first term as governor put her in charge of the State’s response to
the Blizzard of 1978, an epic storm that cast “nearly two feet of snow,” over three days,
February 5 to February 7. Coincidentally,
today, thirty-five years later (almost to the day!) the Blizzard of 2013 rivals
the 78-er with about the same amount of snow having fallen in half the time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I thought I was on top of this weekend's storm. Yesterday, as the snow
fell gently but steadily through the morning and afternoon, I kept a path open for
Winnie, my elder doggie. I shoveled an inch or so at a time, through the
day, figuring this would keep the snow removal “doable” in the morning. Last
mini-clean-up ensued during Winnie’s last “run” for the night – about 9 PM. That’s
when I noticed the wind blew stronger than during the earlier part of the day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Off to bed reading <i>Ella</i>, and then off to sleep, I woke up in
the middle of the night. The snow- glow through the window, so typical of a
nighttime storm, drew me to take a peak outside. Flakes weren't falling. Not down, anyway. Sheets of whiteness fiercely flew horizontally, before
my eyes. The sight bordered on the preternatural.! </span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvpJURiisGnHbOpfmrW6egpAfy7U32Bnjy2JW-WiKQIv4wMMH44zr-VPMe_jKN42x-9D0kQS0_9_9Cz7GmyQJYO0Kle8IY13qordcyIQYIPPPw65IvKdIAxRoy3tMOSQoqA3-TnYI1Its/s1600/Blizzard+of+2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvpJURiisGnHbOpfmrW6egpAfy7U32Bnjy2JW-WiKQIv4wMMH44zr-VPMe_jKN42x-9D0kQS0_9_9Cz7GmyQJYO0Kle8IY13qordcyIQYIPPPw65IvKdIAxRoy3tMOSQoqA3-TnYI1Its/s320/Blizzard+of+2013.jpg" width="237" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hmmmmmmm</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Took a while for me to get back to sleep with that image
frozen in my mind, accompanied by the howling of the night’s idiot wind. By 7
AM, when Winnie was ready to do her morning thing, I got up to open the back
door. A wall of snow stood before her doggie eyes. The barrier piled up past
my thigh. This was just one of many mighty high piles throughout the yard that drifted far above the
official two feet that had accumulated overnight. Pre-shoveling my backyard
driveway through yesterday hadn't made a bit of a difference. My driveway and
yard were impassable. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2CBDoftcxByHIQJZjtMC48PqUVfLjUDE36tjaBfE4djPEyWbr7isrbFUSc1yv1BatwnSpmEysqmYMoFze3vc6CTVjHoSJCA3yZ3PRmw2B5e-j5Q8vpIrV2qVY_UW9DFFTTFI4uRnyPZM/s1600/best+neighbor.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2CBDoftcxByHIQJZjtMC48PqUVfLjUDE36tjaBfE4djPEyWbr7isrbFUSc1yv1BatwnSpmEysqmYMoFze3vc6CTVjHoSJCA3yZ3PRmw2B5e-j5Q8vpIrV2qVY_UW9DFFTTFI4uRnyPZM/s320/best+neighbor.JPG" width="236" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Best neighbor in the world</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today, when I talked to the best neighbor in the world
(after he had snow-blown my driveway) he said he had been up at 3 AM too.
Unlike me, who just took a peak outdoors, he went outside and watched one
inch . . .two inches . . . three inches accumulate before his eyes. What had
taken a full day to accumulate earlier took only minutes in the middle
of the night! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This afternoon, tired from snow-clearing and tired of 24/7
TV coverage of the blizzard, I picked up the Grasso bio where I left off, the
start of her second term election year. I was reminded how nine months before the election Ella prevailed in a Mother Nature vs. Mama Grasso blizzard showdown. The
Governor took “full charge of the emergency
operations." Even spent one night “catching a few hours of sleep on an office
sofa” in the emergency headquarters. For the sake of safety, she closed the
roads for three days, made herself available to press and media, and got
President Carter to send federal troops from Fort Hood, TX to help the Connecticut
National Guard with clean-up. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've decided to put the bio aside a few days.Now where did I put Kingsolver's <i>Prodigal Summer?</i></span></div>
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Laura B. Haydenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11707267303403391146noreply@blogger.com0