Saturday 9

 

Colors of the Wind

Welcome to Saturday: 9. What we've committed to our readers is that we will post 9 questions every Saturday. Sometimes the post will have a theme, and at other times the questions will be totally unrelated. Those weeks we do "random questions," so-to-speak. We encourage you to visit other participants posts and leave a comment. Because we don't have any rules, it is your choice. We hate rules. We love to answer the questions, however, and here is today's questions!

Saturday 9: Colors of the Wind (1995)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

This month we're going to recall Summer Songs. These will all be records that topped the charts during August.

1) Number 1 on the charts in August 30 years ago, "Colors of the Wind" is from the Disney hit, Pocahontas. Have you seen it?

The movie was released in 1995.  My daughters a/k/a the Disney Princesses were 4 1/2 and 3 that summer.  The question isn’t “Did you see it?”   The question is “How many times did you see it?”  Answer, we literally wore out the VHS tape …

In 1996 I took the girls to Colonial Williamsburg.  Of course we visited Jamestown,  I remember a woman dressed like Pocahontas in the movie, who told visitors the truth about the local Native Americans and the real Pocahontas.  Hint: Disney took a lot of poetic license …

2) This song celebrates the glories of nature. Have you spent much time outdoors this summer? If yes, what have you enjoyed doing?

We’ve gone down to the beach a few times. I love being near the ocean.

3) Lyricist Stephen Schwartz said he was inspired by the works of Chief Seattle, Henry David Thoreau, and Ralph Waldo Emerson. Who is your favorite author?

I don’t think I have a favorite.  I love to read, I minored in English in college.  

I’ll mention on author.  Nelson DeMille.  I think I’ve read every book he wrote.  I especially liked the John Corey novels.

4) This week's artist, Vanessa Williams, came to national attention as Miss America 1984. In the talent competition she sang "Happy Days Are Here Again." Over the years, contestants have sung, recited original poetry, danced, twirled batons, performed gymnastics and demonstrated martial arts. Which of your talents would wow the judges?

I’m fairly good at public speaking.  I suppose I could wow them by telling a story.

5) Her family tree includes William A. Fields, who served in the Tennessee House of Representatives in the late 19th century. Are you interested in genealogy?

Yes.  My grandparents were all immigrants to this country,  I only knew my maternal grandmother, the others having died before I was born.  I heard some stories about them, though, so I joined ancestry.com and discovered some interesting things about us. 

My DNA test shows that I am 100% Ashkenazi Jewish, meaning my ancestry is based entirely in Eastern Europe.  And that’s where all four of my immigrant grandparents came from.

Three of my grandparents had typical immigration stories, sailing from Europe to NYC.  My maternal grandmother often told us about how she was seasick the whole time, and how she had to stay at the hospital on Ellis Island until medically cleared to enter the country. 

My mother sometimes jokingly called her father a [racist name for Mexican immigrants].  He died when my mother was in 5th grade, so I never got to ask him about his immigration experience, and didn’t understand my mother’s “joke”.

And then I saw the documentation. My grandfather was born in a city that’s now in Poland but was part of Russia when he lived there.  He entered this country from Mexico, by crossing a bridge over the Rio Grande into El Paso, Texas. 

6) Vanessa supports the non-profit Dress for Success, which helps unemployed and underemployed women prepare with career coaching, networking and professional attire. Have you ever gone into a job interview found yourself unprepared? Or, if you prefer, tell us about an interview you confidently aced. 

My very first job interview for a professional position, in college, was awful.  I didn’t dress properly and I didn’t ask the right questions.  I didn’t get the job. No surprise there.

Let's look at the summer of 1995.

7) 1995's best-selling new car was the Ford Taurus. That summer, dealers were promoting a 6.9% APR loan or $1,500 cash back with purchase. This summer, drivers with good credit might get a better deal because the average APR for new car loans is a little lower. Do you keep your eye on fluctuating interest rates?

I actually bought a car that summer, a 1995 Toyota Corolla.  I loved that car.

I don’t focus on interest rates, but I am aware of their fluctuations and how it affects the economy.  

8) English yachtswoman Lisa Clayton made history by sailing solo around the world. It took her 10 months. Would you be comfortable spending months and months alone?

No.

9) Legendary New York Yankee Mickey Mantle died in 1995. How is your baseball team doing this season?

Being a Mets fan is like riding a roller coaster.  I was at  Citi Field Tuesday night when Pete Alonso made history, and the adrenaline was pumping.  But Wednesday night … the game was so bad I had to turn off the TV.  How does a team that started the season in first place find itself  scrambling for a wild card spot?  

Thanks so much for joining us again at Saturday: 9. As always, feel free to come back, see who has participated and comment on their posts. In fact sometimes, if you want to read & comment on everyone's responses, you might want to check back again tomorrow. But it is not a rule. We haven’t any rules here. Join us on next Saturday for another version of Saturday: 9, "Just A Silly Meme on a Saturday!" Enjoy your weekend!