Cheddar Cheese Is the Local Favorite!

Here are my nephews Gavin and Zach, their cousin Connor, friend Glen, and my niece on the trampoline. I can't imagine anything more fun for kids than a trampoline. They were bouncing up and down, with small breaks, for literally hours. For some reason, my nephew Zach yelled out: "Cheddar cheese is the local favorite!" There were other equally odd comments.
Perhaps being all bouncy bouncy loosens the brain cells and the funny bones.... I went on the trampoline too, but I'll spare you that footage....

The Gay Storm

Apparently there's a hilarious ad out about same-sex marriage, created by N.O.M. (The National Organization for Marriage (Heterosexual, that is). I don't think N.O.M. intended for their ad to be so hilarious, but many a parody has 'come out' in reaction to the ad. Below is the N.O.M. ad, and Stephen Colbert's commentary and parody ad on 'The Colbert Report".....

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
The Colbert Coalition's Anti-Gay Marriage Ad
colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor Gay Marriage Commercial

Early America

For some good reads concerning early America, here are some books I've read or will read.....

1. Ladies of Liberty "The Women Who Shaped Our Nation," by Cookie Roberts
2. Savage Kingdom "True Story of Jamestown, 1607, & the Settlement of America," by Benjamin Woolley

3. First Generations "Women in Colonial America," by Carol Berkin
4. A Midwife's Tale: The Life of Martha Ballard," by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich

5. Love & Hate in Jamestown, "John Smith, Pocahontas, & the Start of the New Nation," by David A. Price
6. Founding Mothers, "The Women Who Raised Our Nation," by Cookie Roberts

7. Voyagers to the West, "A Passage in the Peopling of America on the Eve of the Revolution," by Bernard Bailyn
8. Mayflower, "A Story of Courage, Community, and War," by Nathaniel Philbrick

Battle of Lexington & Concord

On Monday morning I left the house on my trusty scooter at 5 am, to see the reenactment of the Battle of Lexington and Concord. It was very foggy and spooky. This year it was less crowded than last year, and I got there earlier. Perhaps the weather kept more people away. I missed the little Zack man this year. (He was with me last year).

By the way, the real battle was fought at 4 am! The Americans were very outnumbered and lost several men. It was certainly not the most triumphant battle of the American Revolution, but it was the first. And it happened here, in Massachusetts! Here are the British marching on to the green.....

Top 100 Female Finishers

When I see this list, it inspires me to run. Look at the accomplishments here! Finishing 8th is a 45 year old Colleen De Reuck from Colorado. Some local gals include Simonetta Piergentili, of Wilmington, Diona Fulton, of Somerville, and Amy Gosztyla, of Cambridge. The oldest woman in the top 100 is a 54 year old Christine Kennedy from California! In fact, out of the 100 top women, 53 were age 30 or over. Perhaps I don't have to 'throw in the towel' yet! Congratulations to all the women listed here!

Women's Top Finishers 2009 Boston Marathon

Place	Name	Age	Home	Official time
1	Salina Kosgei	32	El Marakwet, Kenya	2:32:16
2	Dire Tune	23	Addis Ababa, Ethiopia	2:32:17
3	Kara Goucher	30	Portland, Ore.	2:32:25
4	Bezunesh Bekele	26	Addis Ababa, Ethiopia	2:33:08
5	Helena Kirop	32	Kapenguria, Kenya	2:33:24
6	Lidiya Grigoryeva	35	Cheboksary, Russia	2:34:20
7	Atsede Habtamu	21	Addis Ababa, Ethiopia	2:35:34
8	Colleen De Reuck	45	Boulder, Colo.	2:35:37
9	Alice Timbilili	26	Moiben, Kenya	2:36:25
10	Alina Ivanova	40	Tampa, Fla.	2:36:50
11	Sheri Piers	37	Falmouth, Maine	2:37:04
12	Elva Dryer	37	Gunnison, Colo.	2:38:50
13	Mary Akor	32	Lomita, Calif.	2:41:09
14	Heidi Westerling	28	Acworth, N.H.	2:43:11
15	Anzhelika Averkova	40	Miami, Fla.	2:44:19
16	Veena C. Reddy	30	Arlington, Va.	2:45:46
17	Jennifer Feenstra	28	Duluth, Ga.	2:46:16
18	Adanech Zekiros	27	Tigray, Ethiopia	2:46:51
19	Nathalie Vasseur	43	Gouesnou, France	2:47:04
20	Tomoe Yokoyama	32	Tokyo, Japan	2:47:57
21	Denise C. Robson	40	Dartmouth, Nova Scotia	2:48:15
22	Allison J. Kerr	32	Vacaville, Calif.	2:49:34
23	Hiroko Sho	38	Chiba, Japan	2:49:37
24	Meghan Arbogast	48	Corvallis, Ore.	2:49:46
25	Tamara Karrh	39	Marietta, Ga.	2:49:50
26	Jutta M. Merilainen	37	Batawa, Ontario	2:49:51
27	Sheila A. Casey	39	Park Ridge, N.J.	2:50:02
28	Christa Benton	25	St. Petersburg, Fla.	2:50:05
29	Andrea Pomaranski	26	Farmington Hills, Mich.	2:50:55
30	Shelby Joslyn	24	Rochester, Mich.	2:51:29
31	Diona J. Fulton	29	Somerville, Mass.	2:52:05
32	Kim L. Pawelek	35	Jacksonville, Fla.	2:52:18
33	Amy E. Gosztyla	29	Cambridge, Mass.	2:52:23
34	Sarah J. Graves	31	Ballantine, Mont.	2:52:42
35	Heather C. Parks	34	Bruceton Mills, W.V.	2:52:45
36	Devon M. Crosby-Helms	26	Seattle, Wash.	2:53:20
37	Allison S. Krausen	29	Edwards, Colo.	2:53:28
38	Lori A. Kingsley	43	Wysox, Pa.	2:54:03
39	Sarah R. Flament	33	Poland, Ohio	2:54:09
40	Simonetta Piergentili	44	Wilmington, Mass.	2:54:48
41	Caroline White	23	College Park, Md.	2:55:14
42	Martha I. Nelson	27	Washington, D.C.	2:55:22
43	Tammie Robie	34	Milford, N.H.	2:55:39
44	Christine Kennedy	54	Los Gatos, Calif.	2:56:32
45	Sumner A. Fletcher	23	Uxbridge, Mass.	2:56:44
46	Christina M. Vullo	25	Omaha, Neb.	2:56:45
47	Suet-Fei Li	33	San Jose, Calif.	2:57:05
48	Tara M. Vance	26	Jamaica Plain, Mass.	2:57:12
49	Patricia R. Vargas	37	Ennis, Texas	2:57:28
50	Michelle D. Harburg	26	Washington, D.C.	2:57:31
51	Judit Pettko-Szandtner	39	Budakeszi, Hungary	2:57:58
52	Kate Gorry	25	Houston, Texas	2:57:59
53	Mary D. Bertram	21	Salisbury, N.C.	2:58:19
54	Christy M. Carrara	33	Hudson, Mass.	2:58:19
55	Lara C. Johnson	28	Boston, Mass.	2:58:33
56	Maria Clara A. Castro	34	Belo Horizonte, Brazil	2:58:36
57	Laura Onderko	22	Philadelphia, Pa.	2:58:46
58	Kathryn E. Bowser	22	Philadelphia, Pa.	2:58:46
59	Jaclyn Truncellito	26	Baltimore, Md.	2:58:49
60	Kelly B. Calway	25	Mililani, Hawaii	2:59:05
61	Lisa M. Goldsmith	44	Nederland, Colo.	2:59:08
62	Marybeth A. Reader	40	Bloomfield, Mich.	2:59:08
63	Bridget A. McCarthy	29	Brooklyn, N.Y.	2:59:16
64	Katie Snowden	23	Toronto, Ontario	2:59:19
65	Mary Gill	30	Carrboro, N.C.	2:59:30
66	Lia O. Slemons	29	Seattle, Wash.	2:59:36
67	Tara M. Cardi	40	Warwick, R.I.	2:59:40
68	Michelle Kelley	39	Moab, Utah	2:59:54
69	Beth M. St. John	32	Brooklyn, N.Y.	3:00:25
70	Stephanie D. Summers	33	Whitby, Ontario	3:00:27
71	Yiou Wang	24	Cambridge, Mass.	3:00:38
72	Samantha Johnson	28	Cambridge, Mass.	3:00:49
73	Suzi Harvey	46	Sparks, Nevada	3:00:53
74	Beth Y. Coughlin	30	Newton, Mass.	3:00:54
75	Jenny Hitchings	45	Sacramento, Calif.	3:00:57
76	Heather M. Backer	34	Crestview Hills, Kent.	3:01:07
77	Tina D. Senft	25	Groton, Conn.	3:01:27
78	Dori A. Downey	38	Grosse Pointe Park, Mich.	3:01:58
79	Elizabeth L. Abbey	28	Blacksburg, Va.	3:02:02
80	Kathryn Jarocki	23	Bridgewater, Mass.	3:02:03
81	Jen Gwin	25	Vienna, W.V.	3:02:05
82	Molly Watcke	38	New Bremen, Ohio	3:02:13
83	Emily S. Bryans	41	Schenectady, N.Y.	3:02:18
84	Aviva M. Goldstein	23	Brookline, Mass.	3:02:20
85	Laura A. Gaughan	34	Smithtown, N.Y.	3:02:23
86	Corinne E. Roberts	24	San Francisco, Calif.	3:02:32
87	Katie A. Churchill	32	North Easton, Mass.	3:02:50
88	Arien N. O'Connell	25	Brooklyn, N.Y.	3:02:52
89	Beth Schreader	28	Georgetown, Cayman Islands	3:03:12
90	Claire Gadrow	39	South Kingstown, R.I.	3:03:16
91	Beth A. August	35	Dublin, Ohio	3:03:21
92	Camille Moseley	24	Spangle, Wash.	3:03:25
93	Mary S. Palmore	28	Merizo, Guam	3:03:35
94	Lynde C. Johnson	31	Denver, Colo.	3:03:39
95	Erin E. Kister	28	Centerville, Ohio	3:04:00
96	Justyna Wilson	33	Philadelphia, Pa.	3:04:15
97	Megan A. Peterson	26	Fairfield, Conn.	3:04:22
98	Erin M. Heslin	28	Newtonville, Mass.	3:04:25
99	Karen Lockyer	31	Lafayette, La.	3:04:43
100	Faith R. Korbel	30	Arlington, Va.	3:04:51

Elite Women

I caught the lead women's pack running by on Monday at Coolidge Corner, at the Boston Marathon. (They let the women run first this year..... ) Note Kara Goucher (tall, in red) in the pack, the only American, who ended up coming in third. Though I certainly applaud the Kenyans and Ethiopians for their superb domination of the marathoning world, it would be a happy thing to see an American woman win. No American woman has won since Lisa Larsen Weindenbach in 1985! Joan Benoit, the only woman from Massachusetts, won the marathon in 1983. Kara Goucher, of Portland, Ore., with a strong showing, has a very excellent chance in the future.

Goodbye Texas?

Governor Rick Perry of Texas has recently made some (I consider) outrageous statements about state rights, the 'oppressive' federal government, and, dare I say the word: succession. Is this man actually serious about the idea of Texas succeeding from the Union? I understand there are similar grassroots movements in Alaska.

Funny, how a few months after we elect our first black president, we see extremist, right wing politics coming to the forefront. Underlying Perry's rhetoric, do you hear: "We ain't gonna let this ____________ in Washington tell us what to do."

Being a Civil War history buff, and reenactor, I guess I personally find the word succession shocking. Abraham Lincoln is my American hero because, besides freeing the slaves, he preserved the Union. But I'm willing to debate other possibilities. Have times changed? Would the country be better off split up? Is New England so radically different from Texas that we should be separate countries?

I personally don't think so, and I think Texans' arguments for succession are whiny and nebulous. Just what federal government 'oppression' are they talking about? The millions of dollars in federal aid to Texas supplied every year by federal taxes? I think the translation for 'federal oppression' is short for 'damn, the democratic liberals are back in power after 8 years.'

Should the liberals have spoken out seriously about succession during Bush's reign of terror, we would have been labeled UnAmerican socialist traitors. Yet Gov. Perry's 'don't tread on me' comments are bravely American. I say 'bullshit', but let Gov. Rick Perry speak for himself.

Uma Thurman

I love Uma Thurman and Daryl Hannah, kicking butt in Kill Bill, Vol. 2. I personally wish they would just kiss and make up..... But.....

If they insist on fighting this way, somebody's gonna get their eye popped out!

Boston Billy

Today Bill Rodgers ran his first Boston Marathon since 1999. He has run 17 Boston Marathons, and many others. He's 61 years old now, and wanted to run for his 60th birthday, but was thwarted by prostate cancer treatment. He's doing well now.

During the years of 1979- 1981, Bill Rodgers was my hero. It was during these years that I was also a runner myself in high school. I was on the cross-country, indoor, and outdoor Somerville High School Girls Track and Field teams.

Bill Rodgers was a local guy and the winner of four Boston Marathons (and 4 NYC wins) during the years I was running. It was also during these years that I went to see my first Boston Marathon, with the encouragement of our coach. The dream of running the Marathon has always been implanted in my mind since.

I went to view the marathon today, but I didn't see Bill Rodgers. Later I heard on the news that he finished and did well. (just over 4 hours) My hero was somewhat deflated when I asked a marathon official: "Do you know when Bill Rodgers will be coming through?" His curt response was: "Oh, we don't track him like that."

In 1980, I played hooky from school on a rainy Monday and made my way to the Harvard Coop bookstore in Harvard Sq. Bill Rodgers was there signing his new book, "Marathoning." I was so excited that I stood in a long line and bought the book and had him sign it. (the book cost 8.90, which I remember thinking was a hefty price...) He wrote, "Carolyn. Good Luck." Gotta still run that marathon.......

Selma, Alabama--- 1920's & 30's

I have a friend who grew up in Selma, Alabama. She recently posted some old pictures of her family on Facebook. I loved the pics and asked for her permission to post them here. I especially love the pic of her Aunt Johnnie-Neil, the woman who "taught her how to fish and shoot a rifle." These photos reminded me a lot of the post I did earlier of my grandmother and her siblings in the 1930's (only the city version of the same era). Great stuff...... Thanks Jackie!

Aunt Johnnie-Neil

Grandpa & Vamp Woman 1920's
Sisters--My friend's Aunt Johnnie-Neil
& mom Jimmie-Mae

Foxy Brown

"That's my sister, baby, and she's a whole lotta woman!" --Link Brown.

I watched 'Foxy Brown' on Netflix last night, a cult classic from 1974. It stars Pam Grier as the sexy 'Foxy Brown.' It's very campy. Quentin Tarantino masterfully re-created this genre in 'Pulp Fiction' and 'Jackie Brown' years later. (His movies are far better, of course) 'Foxy Brown' is a low budget B movie, but it stands out because of its portrayal of race relations at the time. The movie was made during the "Black Power," "Black is Beautiful" era. Everyone has a big Afro, platform shoes, orange pants, and calls themselves 'cat' and 'brother.'

As for Foxy Brown, I was a little disappointed that she didn't kick more ass. But she does get out of every scrape, wield a gun, and state her case clearly. In other words, it's gratifying to see a strong black woman in film. (At one point, she even gets into a brawl at a dyke bar! The scene is absolutely hilarious!) The film also stands out because there are plenty of dumb white people getting humiliated, which seems a rarity in film, especially in 1974. Foxy says to a white judge: "You pink-ass corrupt honky judge, take your little wet noodle outta here and if you see a man anywhere send him in because I do need a MAN!" Shocking!

"FoxyBrown" is definitely a revenge film. In fact, some of the scenes are disturbingly brutal, and seem out of character for Foxy and others. Some of the language in the film is also by today's standards grossly offensive. Foxy is called a "jigaboo" at one point. But, all in all, this cult classic is worth watching for a 'slice of time,' and (I sheepishly admit) a few laughs.

** Upon further research I discovered that "Foxy Brown," and the earlier "Coffy" (1973)-- also starring Pam Grier, are classic films of the "Blaxploitation" genre. These films, made during the early to mid 1970's, are usually set in urban areas like Los Angeles. The main characters are African Americans, with white people having minor roles. Generally there is an 'anti-drug' message in the film. Pimps and hit man and drug dealers are subdued not by police, but by vigilante black gangs. There's plenty of sex, profanity, and violence. The scores of the films are the soul and funk music of the time.

Many considered "Blaxploitation' films empowering, as they portrayed black actors and African American concerns and culture. The characters in the films (including the women) are strong and take action. But some African American organizations, like the N.A.A.C.P., protested "Blaxploitation' films because of the blatant (and often negative) stereotypes of blacks. A famous film of this genre, for example, is 'Shaft,' 1971.