MEMOIRS OF AN ORDINARY WOMAN: May 2024

Friday, May 31, 2024

Top 100 Songs

My TOP 100 SONGS

Love Is the Only Goal- Wendy Waldon
Red Light- James Lang
What's Going On- Marvin Gaye
Two Grey Rooms- Joni Mitchell
Water- Joni Mitchell and Willie Nelson
My Secret Place- Joni Mitchell and Peter Gabriel
Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow- Carol King
I Can't Make You Love Me- Bonnie Raitt
Gonna Take Alotta Love- Nicolette Larson
People Have The Power- Patti Smith
Philosphoer's Son- Van Morrison
Bernedette- Four Tops
Somebody That I Used To Know- G
1999- Prince
Fast Car- Tracey Chapman
Jolene- Dolly Parton
Born in the USA- Bruce
Summer Rain- Johnny Rivers
Holding Back The Tears- Simply Red
Both Sides Now- (2000 version)- Joni Mitchell
New Attitude- Patti LaBell
Angel of the Morning- Merrilee Rush
That Song About The Midway- Bonnie Raitt
I Remember Everything- Zach Bryan
Jimmie- Shawn Colvin
Hallelujah- KD Lang
Into the Mystic- Van Morrison
I Will Remember You- Sarah McLaughlin
On Broadway
River-James Blake- Joni Mitchell
Knocking On Heaven's Door- anyone but Bob Dylan
Sounds of Silence- Simon & Garfunkel
Can We Still Be Friends- Todd Rudgen
Solitary Man- Neil Diamond
Witchita Lineman- Glenn Campbell
I Say A Little Prayer- Dionne Warwick
Calling All Angels- KD Lang
Billie Jean- Michael Jackson
We Just Disagree- Dave Mason
Who'll Stop The Rain- CCR
Time After Time- Cyndi Luper
Walking In Memphis- Marc Cohen
Let Me Be A Woman to You- Lana Del Ray
Little Red Corvette- Prince
Maggie May- Ron Stewart
When A Man Loves A Woman- Percy Sledge
Peace Train- Cat Stevens
Man On Fire - Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros
Night Moves- Bob Seger
We Belong Together- Ricki Lee Jones
Murder Most Foul- Bob Dylan
Romeo and Juliet- Dire Straits
Superman's Song- Crash Test Dummies
Wicked Games- Chris Issak
Sometime in Winter- Blood, Sweat and Tears
Foggy Dew - Sinead O'Connor and the Chieftains
Always On My Mind- Willie Nelson
If I Were A Painting- Willie Nelson
Tangled Up in Blue- Bon Dylan
Simply Irresistible. Robert plant
Please Forgive Me - David Grey
Have A Little Faith In Me- John Hiatt
Billy Jean- Michael Jackson
Ode to Billy Joe- Bobbie Gentry
One More Cup of Coffee- Bob Dylan
River/2000 remake- Joni Mitchell
Ain’t No Sunshine- Billy
Suspicious Minds- Elvis Presley
In My Life- The Beatles
Baby I'm Amazed- Paul McCartney
Black Coffee- KD Lang
Don't Come Around Here No More- Tom Petty
Southern Cross- CSNY
Take This Heart of Gold- Mandolin Orange
The Honey and the Moon- Joseph Arthur
One Number Away- Luke Combs
Anyone Who Knows What Love Is- Ruby Amanfu
White Winter Hymnal- Fleet Fox
Central Reservation- Beth Orton
I Cry- Macy Gray
I Gotta Feeling- Black Eyed Peas
Little Talks- Monsters and Men
Truth Hurts- Lizzo
Home- Ed Sharp and the Magnetic Zeros
Turn the Tables- Joanelle
Daylight- Mandolin Orange
Binko- Peter Gabrielle
It's A New Day- Will. I. Am
Wagon Wheel- Old Crow Medicine Show
Falling Slowly- Glenn Hansard
Lover to Lover- Florence & the Machine
Louise- Korey Dane
Breakeven (Falling To Pieces)- The Script
Beautiful Day- U2
What Does It Mean to Travel- Mary Chapin Carpenter
Beat Up Old Guitar- Shemekia Copeland
Wrecking Ball- Emmy Lou Harris
Perfectly Good Guitar- John Hiatt
Whiter Shade of Pale- Percy Sledge
Helplessly Hoping- C,S,N

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Love Like This- Lauren Dalgle
In Our Time- AHI
Rescue- Laura Daigle
Hell to the NA NA
On Broadway
Sophia- Laura Marling
Little Lion Mean- Mumford and Sons
Ho Hey- The Lunimeers
Kinder- Copper Wimmin
After You- Chasity Brown
Human- Rag'n'Bone Man
Dark Paradise- Lana Del Ray
Slow Burn- Kacey Musgraves
Love Me- Forest Blakk
One Heart- Michaela Anne
The Night Will Save US- The Strumbellas
Wallingofrd- Gamien Jurado
End of the Earth- Lord Huron
The Reaper- Alana Davis
Flow- Shawn James
Heaven- Kane Brown
Wait- Broken Fences
I'm Getting Ready- Michael Kiwanuka
Heartless- Diplo
Let You Down- NF
Beg, Steal or Borrow- Ray LaMontagne
Ada- The nationals
Please Read The Letter- Robert Plant
Ocean Eyes- Billy Ellish
Stranger To My Happiness- Sharon Jones
Nothing But The Water- Grace Potter
Take This Heart- Mandolin Orange
Sometimes I Cry- Chris Stapleton
Fleeting One- First Aid Kit
In Hell, I'll Be in Good Company- Deep South
Wait- NoMBe
My Silver Lining- First Aid Kit
Parachute - Chris Stapleton

Thursday, May 30, 2024

It's Been 20 Years

Facebook Post

Bridget E Kelly

January 15, 2014

Shared with Public

It was 20 years ago that I took a sabbatical and went around the world on the Semester at Sea Program.  What a life changing experience.!! Just got back a few days ago from our 20th reunion with Suellen Sorenson

Bridget E Kelly

Sissy Sayer Staeger when are you going on this ship?

Sam Stein

Hard to believe it was 2 decades ago!

Suellen Sorenson

I sailed 40 years ago and met my husband. I sailed 20 years ago and met Bridget. You meet the best people on Semester at Sea!

Bobbie Wickline

Would have loved to have made it on this one, Bridget Kelly! I know you told me and Kevin about it, but the timing just wasn't right. Hey, what about Penn State vs. Somebody (lol) in Ireland in August this year?????

Bobbie Wickline

Suellen Sorenson, that is so cool that you met your husband AND Bridget Kellyon these cruises!!!

Tuesday, May 28, 2024

Road Trip 2024- #5

The Solar Eclipse

Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge

Seneca Falls, NY

April 7-9, 2024

The solar eclipse was on April 8, 2024. It started in TX and made its way to ME.

I left on Sunday in an attempt to beat the traffic. My 4 1/2 hour trip took about 5 1/2 hours.

I was trying to get to my hotel by 4 PM so that I could watch the last half of the Women's Basketball National Championship. As it turned out, I was so delayed that I went to a bar before I checked in to my hotel so that I could watch the last 10 minutes of playing time. I found a great seat at the bar and started a conversation with the couple next to me. The guy had captured the last eclipse and wanted to show me his outstanding video he took. SO he just parked himself right against my right shoulder and started showing my a video. I didn't know how to tell him that I really wanted to watch the game. His video was beautiful but I would have shown more interest if he had just waited until the game was over.

I watched the moment in the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge, near Seneca Falls. I was hoping to see if there were any snow geese in this refuge at this time of year. Unfortunately, they were gone at this time. Hundreds of other people had the same idea as me.

Cloudy skies really interfered with the moment. But I was thrilled to see the darkness fill the skies and throw off the wildlife. I could hear the birds making lots of noise as the skies went dark for a few minutes and then became bright just was quickly.

I stayed at a Motel 6 in Syracuse for $80/night. The hotels in Rochester were charging over $500/night for the whole eclipse weekend. My hotel was just fine.

I went to three breweries:

Local 315 Brewery in Syracuse, NY
Prison City Brewery in Auburn, NY
Copper family's Brewery- Scranton, PA

Monday, May 27, 2024

His Songs

My Brother's List of His Top 100 Songs

Winter 2024

I had a road trip to visit my brother. He lives about six hours south of me. I go to see him about twice a year and then he comes up north about once a year.

I asked him to put this list together because I thought we were slipping away in similar interests. Our differences are becoming a big distraction. I thought we should both compile our lists and see where we had lots of similarities. He's 15 years younger than me. But I have kept more current in music than he had. So I anticipated that we would have some very similar music on our list.

We had one common song: Wicked games by Chris Iaask. I really thought we wold have more in common. We did have several of the same artists: Prince, Cyndi Lauper, Johnny Cash, Rolling Stones. But mostly, we had artists that we both just didn't know. So we spent the weekend listening to what interest the other. I really enjoyed this interact.

Sunday, May 26, 2024

Dear Jameson

2016

Dear Jameson,

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!

I went to visit your family last weekend and I have to tell you, it was so quiet without you. I spent the entire weekend just waiting for you, waiting to hear your voice. But your parents filled me in on every detail of their visit so I am all caught up on your business.

It sounds as if things are going well for you. I’ve been thinking about your moment in the gas chambers. When I was 26, I went to Parrish Island to watch marines in boot camp. It was hard just to watch kids go through the chambers. I can’t imagine how hard it must have been to actually do that.

Clay and I are going to Alaska in February. I booked our flight last week. We are going to watch the beginning of the Iditarod Race in Anchorage. I also hope to do some dogsledding, ice fishing, curling and watching the Northern Lights. We will make a quick stop in Seattle on the way out and grab a visit with Heather and Steve. Then it’s off to Alaska where it should be cold, dark and fun.

Gus still doesn’t want to travel with me. But I told him if you get stationed in Germany, I would take him over to see you. That seemed to interest him. I also heard that Hawaii may be an option and I would love to go to Hawaii. Keep me posted.

I am off to Puerto Rico tomorrow for a few days. I’m just going to sit on the beach, read, drink beer and snorkel when I can.

Since I last saw you, I’ve traveled a lot. I went to Colorado (twice), Vermont (twice), Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, Long Beach Island (four times), DC, Georgia, and NY. I’m looking at a trip to Burma. That will be an ambitious trip so I have to do some real planning.

I had Thanksgiving dinner with the Anderkos. I was in charge of desserts so I brought three pies. Too bad, you weren’t here, we had plenty of extra food. I hope you were allowed to eat for more than 10 minutes for your Thanksgiving dinner. If not, you will just have to catch up when you get home next month.

Your parents were taking about how they will get you back to base on the 27^th. I offered to drive you if necessary. I think it will take 12 hours and we could split the driving and then I could just take my time on the way home. Keep that offer in mind.

When we get together again, I want to talk to you about the guys who quit training. I didn’t think that was allowable. Do they get court-marshalled? Do they get a dishonorable discharge? I never heard of that. I know there are some soldiers who are dismissed because the military do not think they are fit for service. But I didn’t know a kid could just quit. Personally, I could never make it through that training.

Hang in there. Basic training is almost over and you can make it. I’m happy to hear that you have already established yourself as a leader. You have the brains and the temperament to lead so I am glad to see others recognize this talent in you. I’m, proud of you for following your dream.

See you soon.

Saturday, May 25, 2024

My Best of 2019

Facebook Post

Bridget E Kelly is feeling motivated.

January 14, 2020

Shared with Public

My Best of 2019

Movies

On the Basis of Sex- the story of the notorious RBG
Wild Nights with Emily- finally, finally I found Emily Dickinson to be interesting.
Maiden- an inspiring story
Pavorita- what a talent
Peanut Butter Falcon- I loved, loved, loved this movie.

Books

Calypso- David Sedaris- I like everything he writes.
Nomadland- Jessica Bruder- this book frightened me. We are on the verge of a perfect storm of economic disaster.
When Breath Becomes Air- Abraham Verghese- this book was exquisite.
Just Kids- Patti Smith- the story of Patti Smith's relationhsip with Robert Maplethorpe.
Looking for Alaska- John Green- this book could be the 21 century Catcher in the Rye.

Music (that I discover this year)

Take This Heart- Mandolin Orange
Sometimes I Cry- Chris Stapleton
Fleeting One- First Aid Kit
In Hell, I'll Be in Good Company- Deep South
Wait- NoMBe

Podcasts

The First Day of School- 1960, New Orleans, espisode #128- The Kitchen Sisters
The Story of Jane- March 21, 2019- Radio Diaries
The Search for No Name Aporava, episodes #34 and 35- Snap Judgement
Pushed Out- Nov. 20, 2019- Reveal
We Come From Small Places- October 11, 2019, Act Two- This American Life