posted
Okay, I'm on a roll starting 4 threads in 3 days so I might as well start another one. I've always loved people's landmark posts. I feel I've gotten to know people so much better, and come to appreciate them more, with each one I've read. So I'll contribute to the tradition, too, though I don't have any idea what I will say.
Once when Deany interviewed me for a history class she had, I realized I've seen a lot of history. My mother lived in Montgomery, AL in the fifties during the bus boycott, and the lady that worked for her showed her a flyer she'd been given that said something like "Stay off the buses or else!" It was a threatening thing that was being circulated in the local black community to help the boycott take effect. A little dust mote of history that I've never seen mention of anywhere in my studies of the civil rights movement. And this is specially appropriate on this 40th anniversary of the March on Washington. Mother was a big civil rights supporter all my life, and that's been one of the defining things for me. I discovered it again myself through the excellent series "Eyes on the Prize" a long time back on PBS, and that story still electrifies me. So much of it happened right here in Birmingham, Alabama.
When I was 4 or 5 there were always demonstrators downtown, picketing the lunch counters and so on. It never really had an impact on me. The whole guard dog and fire hose incident that happened at Kelly Ingram Park downtown, though it's a defining moment for my city, meant very little to me until much later. Now I go to the Civil Rights Institute right across the street from there, and see the exhibits and remember how things used to be. I don't want us to forget that, ever. I want the light that was found then to shine on, always.
When I was 11 I watched the first moon landings. I remember us saying we would tell our grandchildren about that one day, but none of us had any idea we would have given it up so easily, and just not gone back, 30 years later. I don't think that was in any of our wildest dreams. It seemed that nothing could stop us then, that we were on our way to conquer the universe.
As a young teen I got all caught up in the Watergate hearings. My mother and sister and I were just addicted to the whole subject, and watched the hearings day after day, hour after hour. I read the whole White House Transcripts, for instance, a fat paperback book with a complete transcription of the tapes he finally surrendered, (complete save for that famous 18 minute gap and the constant, continual expletives that were deleted.) And I always think of people who like Richard Nixon and have respect for him as a president that they can't have read those transcripts, for I learned from there to know him as an individual, and I judged that he was an evil man, paranoid, power hungry, and fearful of everything and everyone.
I read voraciously my whole life. My mother read to us often as children, and I've always been spellbound by anyone reading. I love to be read to, even now. And I read constantly myself, of course. We went to the library, my family, once a week, and I usually brought home 12 or 15 books each week. As many as I could carry. My parents and siblings also were all readaholics, and there was lots of cross fertilization of ideas and subjects between us. In our house we talked about philosophy and religion a lot, politics, current events, everything. We were a lot like a real life version of hatrack, in fact, complete with breakdowns of civility and much hilarity and fluff as well.
My mom majored in English and Religion in College. My dad majored in Music and Math and played trombone and piano. Our house was always filled with music since my two brothers and I were also musical. But dad was primarily an Engineer type, and his work was in that field, though he didn't get his degree there. Older brother is also an engineer type, non degreed variety. Older sister is an attorney. Younger brother is a network administrator. They all have a wide range of interests, and I'm lucky to have been exposed to so many different areas of knowledge. I got hooked on Science Fiction in High School, when I picked up a book of Asimov short stories that was Mikie's, because I was desperate one day for something to read. From there I went into reading all Asimov's science for laymen books and also into Heinlein, Clarke, Niven, and lots of the harder SF authors. OSC I picked up from reading Omni magazine. Ender's game was one of our favorites from long ago, back when it was just a short story.
That led to me becoming an engineer, I guess. When my science geek genes just had to work their way out. I love theoretical Physics and Astronomy, too, particularly Cosmology. Philosophy is also really important to me, and Artificial Intelligence. Goedel Escher, Bach was a defining book in college, and I still think that expresses me and all my interests better than any book I've ever read. I would have to choose it as my favorite work of non-fiction.
I've always been a tomboy and played with the boys my whole life. Dolls bored me and most indoor games, compared to building things, climbing trees, being outside, just enjoyment of nature, and running about. I wasn't an athlete until I got older. At one point I wondered why the heck I wasn't on the track team in high school since I joined things like mad then and I remember loving to run. So I got out my annual to see who WAS on the girls' track team and that's when I realized there wasn't one. <laughs> Pre Title IX there were just no girls sports to choose from.
But then I became a computer programmer and later an engineer, so you can say I still play boys games. My nieces say that, anyway. They know that my favorite aisles in Toys R Us are the ones with the things that explode, fly, or make loud noises, and the things that let you use your imagination and build whatever is in your mind. Artist, artisan, builder, maker, whatever name you want to call it by, I love to do that.
I never have married, though not for lack of falling in love. I'm just one whose defining romantic event is heartbreak, I think. I'm getting quite proficient at that, by now. Trying to raise it to an art form, even. <sad smilie>
I found Hatrack six years ago. It is a huge part of me now. I've made so many wonderful friends here. I don't think I can ever leave. I love all of you guys and you mean more to me that I can possibly say. Thanks for sharing your lives and hearts with me, and your friendship. You are closer family than family, in some ways. I'm awed and privileged to have met you.
[ August 29, 2003, 05:34 AM: Message edited by: ak ]
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>> I'm just one whose defining romantic event is heartbreak, I think. I'm getting quite proficient at that, by now. Trying to raise it to an art form, even. <<
Edit: I promise I will eventually read ZMM. I really will! I bought it this summer because you said I should read it a year and a half ago. It's on my reading list. It'll get read.
my dearest anne kate, you're the reason I stayed when I came here, and the closest I ever came to leaving was when your posting slowed down. thank you for being here.
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quote:From there I went into reading all Asimov's science for laymen books and also into Heinlein, Clarke, Niven, and lots of the harder SF authors. OSC I picked up from reading Omni magazine. Ender's game was one of our favorites from long ago, back when it was just a short story.
ak I wish I still had some Asimov. All those paperback science essay books he churned out in the 60's and 70's were great, very readable and I learned so much from them. Heinlein and Niven were two of my early favorites as well, although I don't like Niven as much as I did when I was younger. I also remember when Ender's Game was only a powerful short story.
Cosmology is fun and fascinating, I wish I could stay current in it--I'm about 5+ years out of date.
Too bad about the heartbreak, me too.
Moving eulogy for your cat Brando the other day, it made me cry.
I look for your posts and thread topics, ak, because you always put thought and humor and wonderful insight and empathy into them. Folks like you are what make Hatrack worth coming back to.
quote:When I was 11 I watched the first moon landings.
That makes us about the same age - I was 12 when the first moon landing happened, and it was a very big deal in our house.
It is interesting that you write in your post about the history you've seen. I've been thinking a lot lately about the fact that I've been quite close to some history myself, some of it good, some of it not so good, and some of it a little bit of both. Growing up in Southern California had something to do with that - lots of stuff goes on there. In fact, I was thinking about writing about some of that in my 1000-post landmark that is coming up soon. Now, I don't know if I will, because I don't want to step on what you've written. I'll have to think about it some.
Anyway, yours was a wonderful post. I enjoyed reading it.
Posts: 2454 | Registered: Jan 2003
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I had no idea of that element of the civil rights movement, although it makes sense, I suppose.
Do you think, with China and India beginning what looks to be a space race of their own, that the US will see itself getting left in the dust and renew its commitment to space exploration?
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I just want to take the chance to tell you that your posts all always filled with so much class. Everyone on Hatrack has their own style, and yours has always impressed me! Without sounding too corny you ARE a class act and I consider you one of the Matriarchs of Hatrack.
I am so glad to know you. I love your enthusiasm for life and your determination to make it off this planet It was people like you that made me love Hatrack back in the stone age and people like you that make me keep coming back.
If I may say so, you are one of my heroes and I hope that one day I can be a spectacular, beautiful, brilliant woman like you are.
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Anyone who has a microphone and wants to read to me please let me know! I'd be delighted. I will even return the favor if you like.
For a while one of my friends was playing guitar for me fairly often on AIM but now he's not playing much and I miss it a lot. I love listening to someone noodling around on the electric guitar, don't you? It's just a great sound!
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posted
Congratulations on reaching 6000. You've been one of my favorite posters for a long time: nerdy, caring and passionate. Here's hoping to see you at 10,000! (What will you do then: become just plain "a"?)
Posts: 643 | Registered: Feb 2000
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Oh, and thanks, dspeyer! I missed your response before. You have always been one of my favorite posters as well!
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WAHAHA!! I have a mike, AK! That would be fun! ^_^ You'd just have to tell me what to read. And try not to be annoyed by the voices I do... LOL...
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Cool! Read whatever you want to read! The reader gets to choose. I will take a turn too after you're done, if you want! Then I'll pick something I like.
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Ryuko, I'm TheRopeOfAllah on aim. Message me if you ever feel like reading! I'm serious! I LOVE to be read to!
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