009 Boomers' Pop Culture

POP CULTURE – A Boomer’s Recap

Let’s take a fascinating trip down memory lane for the fun part of our era. Music makes so many memories. In 1964, nine of the top twenty songs were by the Beatles. Then add Johnny Cash’s “I Walk the Line,” The Drifters’ “Under the Boardwalk,” and Martha & the Vandellas’ “Dancing in the Street.” Twenty years later we got music videos and Cyndi Lauper and Madonna and Michael Jackson - all grown up (or not). 

 In 2004, the number one song for three months was “Yeah!” by Usher (with Lil Jon & Ludacris). So far this year, we’ve seen lots of Pharrell Williams, Ariana Grande, Mariah Carey, Maroon 5, Beck and Beyonce looking sexy. If I didn’t watch the guests on reality and late-night TV, I would not know any music since 1985. And now the top ten most listened to by Boomers: 10. Bob Dylan “Like a Rolling Stone” (1965) 

[Watch Dylan sing it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHOdoJDgtrk ]

9. Eagles “Hotel California” (1976); 8. Michael Jackson “Earth Song” (1989 and 1995); 7. John Lennon “Imagine” (1971); 6. ABBA “The Winner Takes It All” (1980); 5. Josh Groban “You Raise Me Up” (2002); 4. Led Zeppelin “Stairway to Heaven” (1970); 3.Queen “Bohemian Rhapsody” (1976 and 1992); 2. Bing Crosby “White Christmas” (in top 40 Billboard for 16 years, first sung in 1942 but recording for sale in 1946) and 1. Michael Jackson “Thriller” (1992). And there you have it – straight from MANY, MANY Google searches. I know you have favorites not listed. Me, too. 

Now books: Folks were reading Lolita (1955), Peyton Place (1956) while teens were

reading The Catcher in the Rye (1951). Moving to the 1960s, we got In Cold Blood, The Godfather, and The Bell Jar. Teens were reading The Outsiders. Goodness, seems there was nothing uplifting! Other “hot” titles were Dr. Alex Comfort’s The Joy of Sex (1972), Alex Haley’s Roots in 1976 and Irving’s 1978 The World According to Garp. 

Then we begin to read authors, not just single titles: Stephen King published Carrie in 1973 and now has nearly 60 novels to date. The teens and tweens found Judy Blume in the 1970s and Orson Scott Card’s Ender’s Game series began in 1985. John Grisham had us spellbound in the 1990s, and then came Dan Brown, and J.K. Rowling and Harry Potter. Today, The Twilight series and the Hunger Games are big reads. One can’t help but notice how some of these titles segued into movies. 

A question: do you go to the movies (yes, I love the Alamo because it serves dinner) or do you wait for Netflix or TV releases? The husband and I still like the dark, quiet of theatres. Is this a Boomer thing? 

First I remember the Disney films meant for the children (why did all the mothers always die? Cinderella, Bambi, Beauty & the Beast . . .). We went to “star vehicles” at the end of the big studio era. Some are wonderful classics: The Music Man, Dr. Strangelove, 

My Fair Lady, Psycho, North by Northwest, Some Like It Hot, and Elvis musicals were 

some of my favorites. Other titles that show up on multiple best movie lists include The Godfather, Catch -22, Annie Hall, Star Wars, E.T., Taxi Driver, The Graduate, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Silence of the Lambs, Saving Private Ryan, Jaws, Westside Story, and Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Quite a mixed bag isn’t it? 

Now, the Twilight saga movies and incredible super heroes are top at the box office. Mutant Ninja Turtles redux?

What did we watch on those new televisions? In the 1950s we watched I Love Lucy, Gunsmoke, and, of course, The Ed Sullivan Show where we saw The Beatles, Elvis, The Rolling Stones, The Jackson 5, along with Richard Pryor, George Carlin and Carol Burnett – and even Richard Burton in his Camelot garb. American Bandstand was on the air from 1952 -1988. No wonder everyone knew Dick Clark! 

Other popular early shows, some still on the air, were Andy Griffith, Leave It to Beaver, The Twilight Zone.  Laugh-In (from 1967-1973) made a BIG impact on pop culture. 

Just think of Goldie Hawn in the multi-print bikini with body paint puns! 

The Mickey Mouse Club was on intermittently from 1955-1996. In the 1970s came the game shows (some legit and some not!), and the sometimes controversial All in the Family.  In 1975, SNL (Saturday Night Live) began with George Carlin as the first celebrity host! The 1980s began to be more diverse: Sesame Street, The Simpsons, The Cosby Show, Seinfeld, Cheers, the Today Show. And don't forget Dallas--Who Shot JR? The 1990s brought us Beverly Hills 90210, Friends, Saved by the Bell, and culture-changing Sex and the City and South Park.

The new century opened up the world of reality TV: Desperate Housewives, American Idol, Gordon Ramsey’s Hell’s Kitchen and Master Chef, The Bachelor and its spin-offs started in 2002. Survivor premiered in 2000 and begins a new season this week. I think host Jeff Probst is part of the reason the show lasts. And we should add to the list of popular hosts: Nick Cannon on America’s Got Talent, Chris Harrison on The Bachelor, 

Ryan Seacrest on American Idol and, of course, Heidi Klum   

and Tim Gunn on Project  Runway (first aired 2004). And, yet, football seems to be in the #1 spot!! 

Other popular TV shows in the past few years were Glee, Lost, The Office, House, MD, The Sopranos, and for fun, The Big Bang Theory and 30 Rock.  BBC America is making headway on the airwaves with Downton Abbey and the new Dr. Who, Sherlock and The Tudors series.

What did we wear? First we were little preppy people – Mary James and saddle oxfords (with socks). We moved on to Peter Pan collars, sweater sets, and boys with crisp shirts with loops on the back placket. 

In the 1960s we got a bit more “groovy” – bell bottoms, go-go boots, miniskirts, then maxi skirts, and, OH MY, the LEISURE SUIT!! Or men had very W I D E ties. So very chic, wasn’t it? We wore platform shoes (retro now), fringe, beads, and bandanna headbands on our dreds and long hair. We learned to tie-dye. 

 By the 1990s we got back into suits with footballer player sized shoulder pads, or jumpsuits, and Chuck Taylors in every color rebounded in the market (first produced in 1917!). We also began to see “Goth” make-up – black lipstick, lots of eye liner, and jeans and t-shirts or t-shirts and jeans! Pants for all occasions, all ages, and both sexes! We wore Doc Martens, Uggs, fleece, and lycra -and the Wonderbra if one needed uplift. What’s new now? Not much. Lots of retro and more tattoos, and neon colors. 

This blog is far too long already, so I will leave you with just a list of SOME of the many toys available to us. You can add to this mentally or show your children and grandchildren what you may have saved.

Tonka Trucks, Matchbox Cars, PlayDoh, Magic Rocks, Silly Putty, hula hoops, Barbie and GI Joe, Mr. Potato Head and Cooties, Spirograph and Etch-A-Sketch, Chatty Cathy, and games like Clue and Life. 

We had Easy Bake Ovens and Frisbees and that darn Slinky that would not behave. (Monopoly came on the market in 1936 in case you wondered). 

Now most games have apps ; we use computers. Yes, I play Candy Crush but can’t get past level 226 without having to spend money. But long live LEGOS!! – a store, a movie, and still lots of small affordable packs. Guess we’ll adapt to the next new thing, too. 

Happy memories!

Glenne White

008 Remembering a Friend

So full of life --- remembering a friend

Until two years ago, I had never known anyone who was murdered.

Violent crimes only happen in big cities (or so I thought). Headlines scream the sensational details about strangers (not someone I know). But this time, it was a person I saw at work every day--we both worked in The Winchester Star newsroom.

Sarah Greenhalgh’s absence from work that Monday morning the early part of July 2012 wasn’t unusual at first (she often worked evenings covering meetings and events and reported for work later in the day), but as phone calls came in, it became apparent something was terribly wrong.

Her house was on fire; the landlord wasn’t sure if she was at home and was hoping she had come to work. But unfortunately she hadn’t. Her death was not caused by the fire as officials would later report that the fire had been set after she was shot.

This forty-something had come to the newsroom August 2011 as a seasoned, veteran reporter, and photographer. The downturn of the economy several years before had proven especially devastating to the news business as readers were getting information from other sources, and advertising was 
declining.

She took the position as a reporter and approached it with zeal and determination, using the many years of experience from other media outlets to her advantage. Every inch of her assigned beat was under scrutiny as a potential story for her or anyone else in the newsroom. Many times she would share ideas from meetings or other sources that often translated into great story ideas. 

Never missing a step, Sarah knew everything that went on in the room and registered it all in her mental file of information – the mark of a good reporter. She could hear something that was said across the room and remark in an off-handed humorous way, usually nailing exactly what was brewing. I will never forget her wit, enthusiasm, and curiosity. She found pleasure in all that she did and shared that with all of us.

She certainly knew how to command the room when she entered, giving the latest updates on stories she was covering, as well as keeping us informed about the best places to eat in the area. Food is crucial to reporters who often work through meals and don’t have time to stop and eat. Sarah kept us up-to-date on what had the best of everything. Bringing in take-out, she was known to share with some of the other reporters who took her advice and guidance in the culinary pursuits.

Her passion for living never slowed down as she recounted her adventures and experiences and was looking for just the right person to share her life. I always looked forward to hearing the lively stories of her latest pursuits.

Black-eyed Susans (her state flower)
always remind me of Sarah.

The last time I talked to her was one evening at the end of June when a storm was pounding the area extremely hard. Of course, she was on it, answering phones, getting information from callers, and dispensing facts she had found out. I was reporting the damage on our street, and she told me what was happening in the rest of the area. I had no idea it would be the last time I would talk to her. 

For me, it was a double loss – she reminded me of a dear friend who had died several years before in an accident at her home. Both were free spirits, photographers, horsewomen, newspaper people, and even physically resembled each other. I had enjoyed talking to Sarah and remembering my friend. It was like losing my old friend for a second time and my new friend for the first.

Her death was felt throughout the building and the community. People still ask about her and how the investigation is going. The officials in the county where she was murdered are actively pursuing the case, according to releases from the department.

Her family and friends hope of course for some resolution of the case. Hopefully it won’t be much longer, but there have been no charges so far.

Losing Sarah was a real blow to the newsroom. It was never quite the same. Sure everyone goes on, stories are covered, replacements hired, but it is never quite like it was.

It is an overwhelming feeling to think that someone took the life of a person so full of life.

Frances C. Lowe

007 Monuments Men

One Book, One Community 2014:  
Monuments Men Programs

The plan was to devote my blog to the topic of quantum mechanics; however, the events for One Book, One Community are rapidly approaching so I decided I should discuss the upcoming One Book programs. Actually, one movie was shown last week.

I have been a member of the One Book steering committee since it began twelve years ago.  Our objective is to have the entire community reading together.  Each year we chose a book and schedule programs about the book.  This year we are reading Monuments Men by Robert Edsel.

Tuesday, September 16

Museum of the Shenandoah Valley
6 p.m. Tour the museum, enjoy refreshments provided by MSV
7 p.m. Marisa Bourgoin

Storing Paintings from the Corcoran Gallery at

Handley High School during World War II

Battersea Reach by James McNeill Whistler was

stored at JHHS during World War II

Marisa Bourgoin is currently the Chief of Reference Services, Smithsonian Archives of American Art. She was Archivist at the Corcoran Gallery of Art from 1994 to 2007. She is returning to Winchester and repeating the very successful program she gave a few years ago. Marisa researched the art that the Corcoran Galley stored at Handley High School and gives a fascinating account.

  Schiele's Portrait of Wally (Valerie 

Neuzil, was a woman he met in 

1911. She was a model for a number    

       of his most striking paintings.)             

Saturday, September 20
Handley Library Auditorium
6:30 p.m.

Portrait of Wally

This film, jointly sponsored by One Book, Magic Lantern, and the Beth El Congregation, traces the long legal battle of one family to regain ownership of a painting seized by the Nazis in 1939. Portrait of Wally is a 1912 oil painting by Austrian painter Egon Schiele.

The painting was purchased by Rudolf Leopold in 1954 and became part of the collection of the Leopold Museum, an Austrian government museum. A story in The New York Times,

http://www.nytimes.com/1997/12/24/arts/zealous-collector-special-report-singular-passion-for-amassing-art-one-way.html

published during a 1997-1998 MOMA exhibit of Schiele's work, revealed the painting's history. After the publication of the article, the heirs of Lea Bondi Jaray claimed that the painting was Nazi plunder and should be returned to them.

Tuesday, September 23
John Handley High School
6 p.m. Tour the vault where Corcoran art was stored during WWII
7 p.m. Nancy Yeide and Michael Kurtz

Monuments Men, the Background Story

It may seem odd that we have scheduled the tour of the Handley vault this week, but there is a good reason. Nancy Yeide is researching art from the National Gallery that was stored at the Biltmore estate during World War II and asked to see the Handley vault. She had not known about the Corcoran art at JHHS. We will start the tour at 6 p.m. with the program in the auditorium at 7 p.m.

From right to left, Edsel, Yeide, and Kurtz

I am especially interested in this program since I recruited the speakers after hearing them speak on a panel with Monuments Men author, Robert Edsel, at a February 2014 National Archives program that was aired on CSPAN. 

In 1979, Michael Kurtz began his research on art recovered after World War II. Edsel credits him as being one of the first researchers in this area and helping to spark interest in the art. Michael’s work in the National Archives, where he worked with captured 

documents and the records from the Monuments Men, was ideal for him to complete his dissertation and the subsequent book, America and the Return of Nazi Contraband.

Currently he serves as a Visiting Professor at the University of Maryland’s College of Information Studies. Prior to this position, he worked for 37 years as professional archivist, manager, and senior executive at the National Archives and Records Administration. 

Since 1997, Nancy Yeide has conducted World War II era provenance research on the National Gallery of Art’s collection, and has spoken and written widely on the subject. In 2001 she co-authored the AAM Guide to Provenance Research, published by American Alliance of Museums Press. Her book, Beyond the Dreams of Avarice: The Hermann Goering Collection is a massive work that is the first to document the entire Goering collection and contains 1,500 images of the art pieces. Nancy has been head of the Department of Curatorial Records at the National Gallery of Art since 1990. We saw her last week as an expert commentator in the One Book showing of the film The Rape of Europa.

Tuesday, September 30
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema
6 p.m.

Monuments Men, the Film

This is the culminating event of One Book 2014. You can purchase tickets online from the Alamo Drafthouse:
https://drafthouse.com/ticketing/0301/55397

There is a $7 student ticket that provides admission only to the movie. The other ticket option is the best deal. For $20 a person, you can join in the reception with heavy appetizers, soft drinks, beer or wine. In addition, we have wonderful door prizes including Edsel’s first book, Rescuing Da Vinci, a lovely coffee-table work that has many illustrations and a text that summarizes the work of the Monuments Men; it retails for $40. In addition to Edsel’s third book, Saving Italy, which documents the efforts of the Monuments Men in Italy, we have several beautiful art pieces for door prizes. [info in pix captions] 

      Geraldine Wojno Keifer, member of the One Book Committee and Associate Professor of Art History and Art

at Shenandoah University, has donated four art works as door prizes.  These two are part of her Nimrod Hall 
series. Her numerous juried, invitational and solo exhibitions encompass venues in Virginia, Ohio, Hawaii, 

     Illinois, Michigan, and Georgia, and other states may shortly join the list! 

Not only have the Alamo and Nerangis Enterprises provided support of the reception and film, but they have also generously donated several door prizes: 

• Dinner and a Movie Package: Overnight stay at the Country Inn and Suites, $30 Alamo Gift Card and a popcorn coupon. Value: $175
• Family Movie Night: Four movie tickets and one popcorn coupon. Value: $45
• Spa Escape: One Massage or Facial at Hand and Stone Massage and Facial Spa:   Value $90

This is our 12th book for One Book, One Community. Our thanks go to all our sponsors, community partners, and the many participants we have had over the years. Handley Regional Library continues to be a bulwark of support. I especially owe gratitude to our hard-working steering committee and to co-chair Frances Lowe!

 

 

 

006 Baby Boomers II

What a Boomer Remembers! Take #2

Let’s start this out when we were very young. Our mothers were told by the popular press and their communities to be like June Cleaver and Harriet Nelson. Magazine articles in 1946 and through the 1950s urged women to “embrace their roles as wives and mothers.” 

I am envisioning frilly aprons, high heels, and homemade pies as June or Harriet stands in the new Sears appliance kitchen awaiting the return of hubby and the 2 children (James and Mary – most popular baby names 1946) to her nest. Women who did not marry were advised that if she had no “MRS,” she should become a teacher or a nurse or a secretary until a husband was snagged. Humph! Thank goodness for 1963’s Betty Friedan’s The Feminine Mystique as she argued that many women were being “buried alive” and dissatisfied.

I graduated from high school in 1964--the end of the Boomer era. In the intervening years, we got--via our parents--TVs, hi-fi systems, charge accounts. We ordered our mouse ears to wear watching Mickey Mouse Club in 1955. Good Grief! I remember Jimmy, Annette, Karen and Cubby, Doreen, and ??? Who am I missing? 

We grew up  with new technology.We bought 45 rpm records with our allowance, danced along with American Bandstand. We had Frankie Avalon, Bobby Darin, ELVIS, the Supremes, Chubby Checkers, and the BEATLES! 

We watched “I Love Lucy” on Monday night and Ed Sullivan on Sunday night. 

We had sleepovers and birthday parties, and hoola hoops, Slinkies that never seemed to work on our stairs and Silly Putty for the Sunday comics (after church, that is). Our parents and the teachers worked in tandem; if I did something amiss at school, Mom knew about it before I got home. Oh, I was forever grounded for something or the dreaded NO PHONE! 

We practiced sitting under desks in case of a Russian attack. Sputnik was launched in 1957 along with the first of the Civil Rights acts. We took the polio vaccine. Alaska and Hawaii were admitted as the 49th and 50th state. NASA was formed. MLK made his “I Have a Dream” speech in 1963. JFK was elected in 1961 and some saw America as Camelot until his assassination in 1963. I was in history class that day when that p.a. announcement came on to announce JFK’s death. You have a vivid memory, too.

In the 1960s, many Boomers became part of the counterculture.  Student activists made themselves known on college campus. Massive demonstrations took place against the war in Vietnam. Lots “dropped out, turned on” and grew long hair. Along came the pill and “free love” and communes. What a change from 1946! 

A quick review of the defining events for Boomers makes reminiscing such fun and shows how we adapted. The year 1954 began desegregation with Brown v. Board of Education. I don’t think I even thought of race relations until schools integrated. Vietnam War, protests, Woodstock 1969 as well as the first draft since the beginning of WWII made us look at our parents and politics and what we wanted from life. Government and politics took a blow with Watergate 1972. And in 1993, Clinton became our first Boomer president. Now, there is an interesting man! And, brava,Hillary. How have you held up?

So many changes. So many events that changed our lives. How did/do we decide what’s right for us? These decisions were straight out of quantum physics and the case of Schrodinger’s Cat in the box. Is the cat alive or dead? Seems everything had arguments that could be deemed valid. Did we spend too much time thinking? If you know one thing, you might not know the other. I still feel like I am not sure what I want to do when I grow up and I am still afraid to open the box to see if the cat is dead. (If you don’t know this physics quandary, it is fascinating and worth at least a Wiki read.)

And, let’s face it. We have experienced a revolution. The technological revolution. We were blessed with an upstairs and a downstairs phone when I was growing up. I could pick up the phone and ask “central” (her name was Hattie) to connect me to my grandparents at Boyce 73. Now my cell phone sleeps by me on the charger. And, I should note, I am waiting for the Galaxy VI from Samsung 

for my Christmas gift to me!

And, computers! Oh, how I wish I had had Word in 1968 when I did my thesis. Oh, no! It had to be typed in triplicate on a TYPEWRITER with FOOTNOTES at the bottom of each page. This is when I learned many new curse words. I remember in the early days of teaching when I took a computer class on a Radio Shack computer. I was so proud I created a loop for the library checkout counter that read: “today is ________; are your books due?” 

How clever was that! HA! Now my HP is as fast as Hughes Net (uh – different story) will let me go. My big decision is Word or Publisher, Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox.

We Boomers have adapted. Hard choices sometimes. No choices at others. Schrodinger’s cat example from my physics class too many years ago taught me about paradoxes.

I am still finding that life is not black and white, but many shades of gray. Hang in there, Boomers! Maybe the best is yet to come. Next time, I promise to finish up Boomer info. Have to do it, though, as my compilations of music, books, and movies is too good not to share! And, oh yeah, my 50th class reunion is in October!

Thanks for hanging in with us!

 Glenne White       

005 Bye to dye

An old, gray haired lady was not what I ever thought I would be-- and a grandmother to boot. But I have achieved both titles in the last decade of my 68 years of life.

The grandmother title is one I adore, but the other is sometimes shocking, especially when I pass a three-way mirror or see my reflection in a window.

After using gallons of various shades of hair coloring (from brown, red, to blonde) for a couple of decades, I finally gave it up and went natural. I had always thought I would stop when I reached my 70s but gave in two years ago after a scalp problem.

It's not easy after an addiction to the many colors on the boxes of dye products, beckoning me from the shelves of local stores. The models are portrayed with gorgeous 

shiny locks of colors, harking back to my younger days. 

Natural color in 1973

The application didn't always turn out the way the model looked, but there was always hope. 

Or there were the trips to the beauty salons with dreams of looking like the models in the books, magazines, or posters on display.

The color selections are a far cry from the hair dyes of the 1950s and 1960s when I was growing up. Shoe polish black seemed to be the color of choice. My mother and grandmother were purists, and hair dye did not touch their curly locks. Other relatives never allowed one gray hair to see the light of day.

One aspect of hair color that I have always found hard to believe--that there are people in the world who actually don't have to use dye because their gray hair hardly shows--I hate those people!

But alas there comes a time when enough is enough. It isn’t quantum mechanics, but I decided that my habit of making a mess in various parts of the house with the box solutions or spending hours and money for professional help, was over.
No matter how you slice it, dyed hair will not mask all the other age-defining properties of the body so it was time to give in.

I soon learned it wasn't easy going from color to a total absence of it. (The gray hair is caused by a loss of pigment.) I had no idea what my hair would look like or how much gray I had. I was hoping for a nice white.

I found out there was no quick way to resolve the issue. I got blonde highlights at first to ease the transition but no matter what you do, it has to grow out. 

Two-Tone Hair

I would often stop women who had great gray hair and ask advice. 

I had two-tone hair for many months --- not real attractive. I didn't realize how extreme it was until I saw photos--often a little startling but I never gave in.

Months later--about ten--I was there. Gray with a little white and brown mixed in. Shampoos and conditioners are a big help that promise brightening of the gray--not as bright as I would like but a little better. 

Almost there!

Comments from others have been surprising--some absolutely hate it and are very vocal. While others treat you as a member of a special society--that of the gray hairs--with smiles and polite comments.

I find the length--not too short or too long--keeps it from putting me in the realm of the blue hairs or the hippies who never got a trim.

But I warn you--don't do it until you are ready. Gray is not the new brown or black or red or blonde, but it is certainly natural.

Erik Estrada likes gray!

I can't say I love it, but I don't hate it either. Possibly I am viewed as a stately sophisticated senior citizen or on the other hand, a cranky, opinionated old-gray haired broad.

Now we match!

One revelation that jumps out at me when I look at recent photos, my husband and I now match!

So gray hairs be proud -- we are truly going natural and nothing could be more environmentally friendly. 

Frances C. Lowe