Gratitude

[Crankin]

NY, your comment reminded me that I guess I should be grateful to my mom for making me sit and watch every single one of those Leonard Bernstein's Young People's Concerts in the early 60s. No one in my family was musical (though my dad did have a short lived avocation as a drummer with Geoge Wein, the founder of the Newport Jazz Festival) and I never went to Symphony Hall in Boston, as a kid. But, watching those shows got me interested in classical music. Years later, when I moved to Miami in HS, one of my teachers used to take a bunch of us to see the Miami Philharmonic Orchestra monthly. We got cheap student seats, I would get dressed up (granny dresses!) and enjoy the teeny bit of culture in that cultural desert, in 1970-71.

[OakLeaf]

I don't suppose Doug Burris was one of your teachers, Crankin?? Not sure when he started in Miami. He just passed away. I didn't know him, but a friend of mine here had been a colleague and remained friends with him.

I'm partial to von Karajan, myself. But I'm just grateful for Beethoven. And Liszt.

[Crankin]

No, he wasn't. After spending the last 8 weeks of 10th grade at a public school of 4,000 kids, I went to a teeny private school, where I had 10 kids in my graduating class. It wasn't the most selective school (too late to apply to that one, and besides could you see me at "The Everglades School for Girls?"), but we had great teachers. Most were going to grad school at night.

[OakLeaf]

"Everglades School for Girls" ... "and Wayward Alligators"

[Crankin]

Ha, ha. It's now Everglades-Ransom School, which was the matching, selective boys' school. The kid who lived down the street from me in Newton, moved to Miami (same area) just a few months before I did. Obviously, his parents knew the deadline for applying, because he went to Ransom. My issue with the public school, besides the sheer size and racist students, was the fact when I went to register for classes, they did not put me in the appropriate levels. I knew what I was in at Newton South was pretty much like their advanced or honors levels, but no, they put me in basic college prep, and it was for morons. The only class that I belonged in that level for was math. It was a very quick lesson in the differing quality of education from state to state.

[Blueberry]

I'm thankful that the storms didn't cause damage to my home or my immediate area, and that the threat of severe weather is past. I'm also thankful that I can no stress about my final on Friday - I need a 32 to pass the block (pass-fail curriculum). So - I can focus on learning, and then start packing for Portland. I'm also thankful that DH and I are finally headed on a vacation together.