Thanksgiving: Family, Food, and Memories

Thanksgiving: Family, Food, and Memories

Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday because it’s filled with two things I love most: family and food. I remember childhood Thanksgivings when my mother Ruth spent days preparing the meal, starting with fresh giblet gravy, homemade blueberry and apple pies, cranberry sauce, candied sweet potatoes, and Waldorf salad. These all led up to Thanksgiving morning, when she arose early to make fresh stuffing to bake inside the large turkey. The smells filled our kitchen all day, making my stomach growl and causing me to check often to see if Mommy needed my help as her “official taster.” (more…)

Association of Personal Historians Conference 2015

Association of Personal Historians Conference 2015

I’m making a list, checking it twice, packing my books and hard-won advice, as I prepare for the 20th anniversary Association of Personal Historians (APH) conference. On October 21 the conference convenes in Sacramento, California, and personal historians from around the world will attend. Some highlights include keynote speakers Andy Anderson, Vice President and Chief Historian of Wells Fargo Bank; award-winning filmmaker Satsuko Ina, Ph.D.; author, comedienne, and scriptwriter Chris Enss; and history professor James Walsh, Ph.D. (more…)

Me@20

Me@20

In 1968 I turned 20 during my second year at UCLA, where I studied English literature because I loved to write. As a naïve 20-year-old, I lived alone, read and wrote volumes because of my chosen major, and hoped that I could help change the world. The previous five years had challenged my hopes and dreams with the premature deaths of both parents and the uncertainty of who would care for me.
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