1971
Woodbine Avenue
Woodbine Avenue
Overbrook
Philadelphia, PA
My age: 15- 16
School- Merion Mercy Academy- 11th grade. I was so much more interested in my friends than I was in my academics. Consequently, I had a few troubles with my teachers.
I didn't take Chemistry during the school year because I didn't want to push myself that much. But one of my classmates told me that I would never get in to college without a chemistry class. So I asked my parents if I could go to summer school for this course. This request annoyed my parents as they had just paid a hefty tuition fee for my 11th grade, private education. So I had to pay to take this course. I took the course, I really struggled. I got a C and that was a gift. And years later, when I looked at my transcript, I discovered this course never made it on my transcript.
I didn't take Chemistry during the school year because I didn't want to push myself that much. But one of my classmates told me that I would never get in to college without a chemistry class. So I asked my parents if I could go to summer school for this course. This request annoyed my parents as they had just paid a hefty tuition fee for my 11th grade, private education. So I had to pay to take this course. I took the course, I really struggled. I got a C and that was a gift. And years later, when I looked at my transcript, I discovered this course never made it on my transcript.
Work:
- I babysat for $1/hour. Sometimes I would have five or six kids to watch. I had to get dinner ready and clean up afterwords. This was a shit job.
- During the summer, I volunteered as a candy striper at Lankenua Hospital.
Music- my older sister, Kathy, introduced me to her world of music. We began buying albums together so we could increase our meager collection. Albums were $3.
- o Blue – Joni Mitchell
- o Tapestry- Carol King- this was a stunning album. Every song was a hit. I listened to it repeatedly. I took my album over to Helen Dougherty’s house and her father recorded it for her on his reel to reel tape recorder. I was stunned because didn’t know this was even possible and I couldn’t believe how thoughtful her father was to do this for her.
- The Papa and The Mamas- The Mamas and the Pappas- this is the first album I ever bought and I still have it.
- o "Maggie May"- Rod Stewart- OMG, I love this damn song.
- o "Joy to the World" Three Dog Night
- o "Indian Reservation" Paul Revere & the Raiders
- o "You've Got a Friend" James Taylor
- o "Ain't No Sunshine" Bill Withers- I always like to hear this song.
- o "Gypsies, Tramps & Thieves" by Cher
- o "That's the Way I've Always Heard It Should Be Carly Simon
- o "I Don't Know How to Love Him" Helen Reddy
- o "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)" The Temptations
- o "Knock Three Times" Tony Orlando and Dawn- I hated this song. I hated it.
- o "Me and Bobby McGee" Janis Joplin
- o "Brown Sugar" The Rolling Stones
- o "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" Joan Baez- this is not her best song. And I don't really want to hear it anymore.
- o "What's Going On" Marvin Gaye
- o "Signs" Five Man Electrical Band- a stupid song
- o "She's a Lady" Tom Jones
- o "Temptation Eyes" The Grass Roots
- o "If" by Bread- this song was too sappy fro me.
- o "Mercy Mercy Me "by Marvin Gaye
- o "One Toke Over the Line" Brewer & Shipley
- o "(Where Do I Begin?) Love Story" Andy Williams- this movie was a big, big hit so this song was as well.
- o "Wild World" Cat Stevens- I loved Cat Stevens when I was in high school. I stopped liking him after he made some anti-American comments right after 9/11.
- o "Watching Scotty Grow" Bobby Goldsboro
- o "Lonely Days" Bee Gees- this was before their disco faze.
- o "If I Were Your Woman" by Gladys Knight
- o "I Am...I Said" Neil Diamond
- o "The Wedding Song (There Is Love)" Paul Stookey
- o "Here Comes the Sun" Richie Havens
- o "One Less Bell to Answer The 5th Dimension
- o "Riders on the Storm" by The Doors
- o "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" Bee Gees
- o "If You Could Read My Mind"by Gordon Lightfoot
- o "Mr. Bojangles Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
- o"Proud Mary" Ike &Tina Turner
- o "Beginnings"/"Colour My World" Chicago
- Bananas
- Brian's Song
- Fiddler on the Roof
- The French Connection
- Harold and Maude
- Plate
- Red sky at morning
- Support your Local Gunfighter
Books- we started reading American literature in high school and I found this genre to be so much more interesting than old, British classics. Now I find the books I read in high school to be so damn old and outdated.
Travels- nowhere.
News Events
- The voting age was lowered to 18 and I could hardly wait to vote.
- Kevlar was released in the market. I would not hear of this material until 2002 when my sister, who worked for DuPont, gave me a sheet of this indestructible material.
- India and Pakistan are at war over Bangladesh.
- Cigarette advertising is no longer allowed on the television.
- Qatar became an independent nation from England. I won't hear of this nation until 2017 when I take Qatar Airlines to Nepal.
- Charles Mason received the death penalty which never comes to fruition. He stayed in prison until he died in 2017.
- Apollo 14 is launched and we have become blase about space travel.
- Pierre Trudeau became the Prime Minister of Canada and all I know of him was how handsome he was.
- The Pentagon Pagers are released and everyone is angry. People are angry at the leaker and people are angry at the government.
- The NASDAQ become public but I don't have a clear understand of this moment. I have no money to invest.
- Green Peace steps in to the news on a regular basis.
- Idi Amin takes charge of Uganda and he is portrayed as a crazy, black man.
- Over 60% of the American people are opposed to the Viet Nam War which infiltrates our news and our homes every night. And there does not seem to be any ending sight.
Family and friends
- My grandfather is diagnosed with lung cancer and I am devastated.
- I am old enough to get my driver's license but I don't even consider it as I am too afraid of this responsibility.
or bkmemoirs.wordpress.com
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