Another Brick In The Wall

In my life, my small little world very little personally was happening. In January 1962 my teenage parents had married, in July 1962 I appeared on the scene! Therefore anyone that can do math realizes that I was a child conceived out wedlock, but born in wedlock. Personally born in and or conceived wedlock is irrelevant to the love between the parents. Problem with my parents is they were teenagers! I was born in the summer between mom’s junior and senior year of high school, at least my father had graduated from high school about 6 weeks before I was born. My life started with my parents and myself living with my grandparents (my dad’s folks). For those interested in I was born in Kansas, a small town at the time outside of Kansas City.

Here I am as a new born, cute huh? Aren’t all newborns cute though, I think they are! You can see how young my mom is. They didn’t have a camera so they went to one of those film booths of the time where you got 4 pictures for a quarter or something like that.

Famous people that share my year of birth are:
Jim Carrey; Clint Black; Jennifer Jason Leigh; Garth Brooks; Lou Diamond Phillips; Adam Baldwin; Jon Bon Jovi; Emilio Estevez; Ally Sheedy; Tom Cruise; Brigitte Nielsen; Wesley Snipes; Melissa Sue Anderson; Joan Cusack; Evander Holyfield; Ralph Macchio; Demi Moore; Jodie Foster; Paula Abdul; Matthew Broderick; Sheryl Crow; Kelly Preston;

According to Chinese astrology I was born in the year of the Tiger:
Tiger people are difficult to resist, for they are magnetic characters and their natural air of authority confers a certain prestige on them. They are tempestuous yet calm, warm-hearted yet fearsome, courageous in the face of danger yet yielding, soft and mysterious. They enjoy a life full of challenges and unexpected events, like visiting unusual places and meeting interesting or outstanding people. Other people in their area are easily attracted by the tiger’s enthusiasm and way of life. Tigers find pleasure in the unpredictable, and while other people would rather make a backward step, they are not afraid to explore the new and unusual. But it is not that simple to interest the Tiger. What they really need is first-hand experience. Usually open and frank, these people are likely to withdraw and can be aggressive when trapped. As soon as the Tiger has regained their sense of security their confidence also returns, enabling them to set out once more. These people usually tend to trust their instincts, though there is another side of their personality, which assesses situations thoughtfully before they launch any actions. Their friends usually secretly admire their determination and optimism, though sometimes may find it complicated to share the Tiger’s enthusiasm and can be pushed away and left behind. Although Tigers can be courageous and generous friends, if they are not able to achieve what they want, they can be inflexible and self-centered. So if your friend was born in the year of the Tiger, there will be highs and lows in your friendship, but the friendship itself will remain firm. Ideal jobs for tigers include entrepreneur, military officer, politician, musician, writer, poet, artist, theater director, biological and environmental engineer, stockbroker, athlete, film star, trade union leader, company director, stunt person, explorer, and lawyer. Love interests for the Tiger are the Dog and Horse.

On Regular Astrology my Sun sign is Cancer the Crab:
Sun in Cancer natives have a strong survival instinct. They are protective of those they care about, and of themselves too. They are often quite reticent about sharing their inner selves to the rest of the world, and are often caught up in reminisce. Cancers have a reputation for moodiness, although this trait is most evident when the Moon is in Cancer. Cancer needs roots. They resist change to an extent, and concern themselves about being secure and safe in most everything they do. Cancers can be quite intrigued by objects with history attached to them — antiques, photos, souvenirs, and the like. Cancer is a very sensitive sign, and they don’t always appreciate it when you are blunt with them. Their reactions to hurt will depend on how thick a shell they have developed. Most Cancers react by withdrawing or retreating. Some have developed an ability to manipulate others to get what they want. They avoid direct confrontations almost as a rule. Cancers are, in fact, quite yielding and soft when you have them in the right mood. They are one of the more hospitable signs of the zodiac. Sure, they can be touchy and indirect, but they are also very dependable, caring souls.

Probably more about people born in 1962 then one wants to know, but I just so wanted to share as much as possible.

1962 was the beginning phases turbulent and decidedly moving years within the American history books.

The movement of the Vietnam war sucking the US this policing action. The US had set up military assistance in South Vietnam. U.S. troops were in Vietnam with the pretense of providing training and technical assistance. U.S. pilots were flying combat missions in Vietnam, unknown to the American public.

The US was in full swing with NASA heading toward the moon. Lieut. Col. John Glenn orbited the earth 3 times in space capsule Friendship 7, becoming the 1st American in orbit. Television beamed his flight to 135 million Americans. Glenn’s Mercury 6 mission is followed by two other Mercury flights. Ranger IV first U.S. space probe to reach the moon, where it crash lands by design. The American public was enthralled with the space travel, only imagining that we would be walking on the moon a few years later.

Telstar becomes the first communications satellite intended for regular service; relays television signals between North America and Europe

Marilyn Monroe was found dead in her Los Angles home in 1962, ending a blond bomb-shells era in history. Marilyn Monroe’s death opened an entire box of parody with the government, the CIA, and the Kennedy’s within the following years.

The Cold War continued to worsen when the Russians placed Missiles in Cuba miles away from the coast of Florida. Kennedy threatened war unless they were removed which they were but for a short time the world was on the brink of nuclear war and self destruction. This was part of the height of the Cold War between the US, Russia, and Cuba. A U.S. embargo ordered by President Kennedy goes into effect on all imports from Cuba including tobacco, seafood, fruits and vegetables.

On other notes of society our president was John F. Kennedy, the great hope of the young American population.

The first Wal-Mart discount store is opened in Bentonville Arkansas; The first Kmart department store opens in Garden City, Michigan.

Oral Polio Vaccine developed by Albert Sabin given to millions of children to combat Polio.

By a vote of 6 to 1, the Supreme court bans prayer in public schools

What about the costs in 1962? Average Cost of new house $12,500.00; Average Income per year $5,556.00: Average monthly rent $110.00 per month; Average Cost of a new car $3,125.00; Eggs per dozen 32 cents; Gas per Gallon 28 cents; Minimum hourly wage $1.25; Pack of chewing gum .05¢; Candy bar .05¢; Ice cream bar .15¢; Soft drink .10¢; Fast food hamburger .20¢; 1st class postage stamp .04¢; Pay phone (local call) .10¢; TV set $400; Daily newspaper .10¢; Refrigerator $500; Tennis shoes $5.00; Doctors office visit $5; Movie ticket .50¢; Popcorn at the movie.20¢; 45 rpm record $1.00; Record album $3.00

With each year of my flashback on movies & music I generally will only give one song, unless is was a special year for me Although it was the year of my birth, in many ways 1962 isn’t that special because I simply don’t remember it

The music of 1962 is Johnny Angel by Shelly Fabares.

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Of course there were many other songs of similar style for that era, and I could list even give you preview of many more that I own. Personally though of the list this is one of my more favorite from the year. Some of the other songs of the year were: Blowin’ in the Wind, Go Away Little Girl, Days of Wine and Roses, The Loco-Motion, Sherry, Monster Mash, Big Girls Don’t Cry.

Movies that year contained several real hits. How about What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? with Bette Davis & Joan Crawford.

I am sure many of heard of To Kill a Mockingbird with Gregory Peck.

Maybe your memory is all about Elvis, at this point is making movies and singing. In 1962 his movie was Girls! Girls! Girls!

Another classic movie from the year is The Miracle Worker starring Patty Duke and Anne Bancroft. In this clip you can see how utterly young Patty Duke is. I actually remember watching this film in a class sometime in high school.

My final movie flashback in The Birdman of Alcatraz starring Burt Lancaster.

Now I picked these particular movies because they are movies I actually like from my birth year! I have seen all these movies more than once much to the shame of my children who can’t understand who watches movies in black & white! It just amazes them that color was not available when I was born - that makes me so utterly old in their eyes

Of course I can’t forget the television where the popular shows where: I’ve Got a Secret, Beverly Hillbillies, Route 66, The Flinstones, Price is Right, Ben Casey, The Dick Van Dyke show. But alas television was not on 24/7 in 1962, and reruns hadn’t caught on yet. 90% of US households own a Television Set

Maybe a book would be better to pick up: Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? by Edward Albee; Letting Go by Philip Roth; Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck; One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Alexander Solzhenitsyn; One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey; The Thin Red Line by James Jones; Happiness is a Warm Puppy by Charles Schultz

Does anyone else have ideas rumbling around their mind about items to discuss and post, but when sitting down to write all the rumbling ideas seem to run off into some long distance recess of a foggy brain? I have fabulous ideas to write about while I’m doing a hundred other things during the day, but put me in front of the keyboard my mind appears to take an immediate vacation. I’m hoping that my recent idea of flashbacks, looking at the past of what got me to here will help keep the flow of my thoughts together! I never thought of myself as scatter-brained but maybe it is a consideration I refuse to even consider it is an age factor. I am hoping to write daily about things within my life, but since I do go to college and have a family other travesties within my life can take priority. I want to look at a year at a time, but separate reviews of each. This is the outline I hope to follow:

Society in the Year, Music & Movies in the Year, Family in the year, Life in the year, Overview of the year

Of course all these in the years will be from my perspective because it is my reflections, reflections of my life. With my reflections will come my views, my opinions, how I seen life as I got to this point. I’m sure my point of life, my reflections of the fallacies of life will not be written as funny and humorous as the Creative Junkie. If you every really want to read life with a hoot you should read the reflections of her life! Check back, keep in touch, and I’ll start the posting.