Experiences

The Third of Firsts – My First High School Dance

Jeanna GLeave a comment

My first high school dance wasn’t a formal, just a fall social event in the commons, aka our school’s cafeteria. Casual attire was worn; jeans and t-shirts. Not too many kids were in attendance. We were a very small school, but I’m sure a lot of kids rolled their eyes at the thought of a school dance and decided to skip it. I was involved with the Student Council, so I pretty much had to go, but I would have gone anyway. Not only do I like to do stuff, but I knew my crush was going to be there.

He and I both played on the school soccer teams. A lot of our teammates were at the dance, so we spent most of the evening hanging out with each other. No one really danced to the fast songs, but most of us buddied up to sway along to the slow ones. For the first slow dance, one of the soccer players asked me to dance. A different teammate asked me to dance to the next one. This went on throughout the evening, but I kept hoping my crush would step up. Finally, at the last song, he asked me to dance. He said he wanted to ask all night, but his teammates knew it, so they jumped in just to mess with him. I was happy to have the best for last.

A week later he brought me flowers for our one week anniversary. We danced together at every winter formal and prom over the next three years, and at his college fraternity formal after those, but none were as sweet as the first.

Setting Up Camp, Part 3

Jeanna G2 Comments

My daughter and I continued our summer camp ‘at home’ experience yesterday. As a camper, one of my favorite activities was completing the ropes course and zooming down the zipline at the end. We are lucky to live close to a park in Raleigh that is home to Go Ape.

A friend joined in along with her kids and another friend’s kids to traverse our way through the Treetop Journey course. (Note: If you don’t have an adventure buddy, you need to get one. What’s an adventure buddy? That one friend who always says yes to all of your crazy ideas.) The little monkeys flew through the first loop and then spent most of the time going down the zip line repeatedly. My friend and I went through the first loop slowly, finding our bearings and taking photos. Then we attempted the second, longer, much wobblier loop. Some of the passes required a lot more muscle control than I was anticipating having to use, but we made it through and then did the whole loop again. At some point I caught up with my daughter and she and I completed the first loop together.

Tangled Up With My Love

The rain stopped for the hour we were there, and there was a nice breeze rustling the leaves. Despite the pleasant weather, we were sweaty and covered in wood chips by the time we left. We all had fun, and my friend and I felt accomplished and determined to attempt the longer, more difficult course in the future. Another successful camp-at-home experience is in the books!

The Second of Firsts – My First Concert

Jeanna GLeave a comment

My first concert was January 16, 1987 at the Hartford Civic Center. I was just shy of 8 years old. My family had gone to watch the Hartford Hawks play Canisius College, and after the basketball game, the court was removed, a stage was erected, and then Smokey Robinson graced us with his talents. How did I remember that date? I didn’t. You’d be amazed what you can find on the World Wide Web.

I’ve also been to a number of outdoor concerts with my parents. A lot of them were part of Cigna’s Sunset Sounds summer concert series in Bloomfield, CT. There were huge fields outlined with speakers and filled with picnickers listening and dancing to the music. We never sat too close to the stage, so I don’t remember much about who was performing, but I do remember walking close enough to see Crystal Gayle’s hair sweeping the floor one of those evenings.

My first concert without my parents was when I was in 8th grade. Two friends and I got dropped off at the Bushnell in Hartford to see the Black Crowes. It was awesome! Chris Robinson was wearing crushed green velvet bell-bottoms with a lace up crotch and a white shirt that is best described as something a pirate would wear. I remember wondering why people were burning incense during the show. It was another year or so before I realized that incense wasn’t what I was smelling.

The Bushnell is also where I saw my first Broadway musical. Cats was on one of its US tours in the 80s. I wasn’t actually supposed to go. Mom and two of my sisters had tickets to the show in May of 1987. They were heading in while my dad and I were supposed to go do something else together (I’m not sure what that was, but ice cream was probably involved). I think I had a look on my face that said something like, “Boy, I bet they’re going to have a lot of fun, and I think I would enjoy it, too,” because my dad promptly approached a scalper and bought two tickets for me and him. My mom and sisters had floor seats, while he and I sat in the front row of the balcony. It was magical and I’m grateful for my dad’s intuition. Fast forward to June 7, 2019, and my 7 year-old daughter and I are sitting in the front row of the balcony watching Cats at the Durham Performing Arts Center.

“I remember a time I knew what happiness was. Let the memory live again.”