The Sunday Stealing for this week starts with a tough question.
1. What would you put in a time capsule?
How big is this time capsule? Off the top, I thought of something called The Methodist Hymnal. It’s black, and we used it in the church I grew up in, Trinity AME Zion in Binghamton, NY. A former girlfriend who grew up elsewhere called it the REAL Methodist hymnal, though there have been at least two iterations since. Hymn #1 is Holy, Holy, Holy.
The 1970 Panorama yearbook from Binghamton Central High School. One of my best friends was the editor. It had an Age of Aquarius vibe, with teacher group photos arranged by their sun signs. BCHS (the Bulldogs, colors blue and white) has been defunct since 1982. The school in the former BCHS building merged with Binghamton North (the Indians, colors red and blue) to become Binghamton High School (the Patriots, red, white, and blue).
The LP Big Hits From England & U.S.A. is an odd compilation of music of Capitol artists The Beatles, the Beach Boys, Peter and Gordon, Nat King Cole, Cilla Black, and Al Martino.
A FantaCo T-shirt and/or a FantaCon 1980 program. I worked at the comic book store/mail order house/publisher at 21 Central Avenue in Albany. I have written about it several times, including here.
A green and white Choose Peace button from 2003, while many of us were protesting the imminent invasion of Iraq. I wrote about those times here.
A photo of my wife and daughter together.
2. What’s something you’re really good at?
IDK. Maybe it’s writing a blog post every day for 19 years.
Change?
3. What part of society would you like to change?
That’s WAY too expansive. Eliminating racism, sexism, economic inequity. In the US, it’d be nice if civilians didn’t have access to AK-47-style weapons.
4. What have you eaten in the past 24 hours?
Oatmeal, a Hello Fresh pork sausage meal, and eggs and toast.
5. What is an unusual fact about you?
I’m odd. All of the numbers in my birthday are odd.
6. Do you collect anything?
I haven’t tended to the quarters in a couple of years. The books I haven’t read are usually signed by the author.
7. Have you played sports?
Most recently, I played racquetball regularly until 2010, when the local YMCA closed. I played a few times after that at Siena College, but that was far less convenient, and I fell away. I’ve played volleyball and softball.
Other people’s blogs
8. What is your favorite blog?
IDK. AmeriNZ is a slice of an expat’s life. Forgotten Stars presents classical music videos, which I usually link to, and writes about film, photography, and Buffalo (the city, not the animal). News From ME by Mark Evanier is a popular culture mecca. Coverville—I am listening to this as I write this.
9. Ketchup vs. mustard?
It depends. French fries—ketchup. Hot dogs—spicy brown mustard. Hamburgers—ketchup and mustard. I’m ecumenical.
10. Do you believe in ghosts or aliens?
Maybe. I don’t dismiss them out of hand.
11. The last movie you saw in a theater.
Janet Planet, which I will review this week.
12. The silliest thing you have done this week.
I was probably using some terrible accent while talking to my wife.
13. Have you ever done anything illegal?
Sure. I got arrested at an antiwar demonstration in the town of Poughkeepsie, NY, in May 1972.
14. What would you wish for right now?
For democracy to survive in the United States. I want it for other places, too, but I’m living here.
15. What shoes do you wear the most of?
Soft-soled shoes such as Rockport.