A lost memoir: The Music Man

Posted on September 15, 2011 by moonbridgebooks

I have the honor of knowing “The Music Man,” one of two original music men famous here for teaching music and having the best music stores around. My friend had a hard early life, as many folks born in the 1920s did, but he was able to start his music store in the 1950s and became well known for teaching music, including jazz, and for supporting his local community and school district with volunteer work as well as with excellent service for the school’s music programs. When that school district created an alumni association hall of fame, my friend was the first inductee. I found he was a leader behind the creation of a book written on the history of his community and school district, so now I’m not so surprised he hired a journalist to write down his own history in a memoir of his journey from the Depression era to prominent (and well-loved) community figure. Unfortunately, he did this after his only child got power of attorney and sent him to a nursing home. He was not happy.

There are always two sides to a story and his daughter and spouse seem to be good community citizens and running the store well. The store still retains my friend’s name for continuity’s sake, but the website makes no mention of the history of the store and the man, which I find a little sad, but you know there’s probably animosity there. And you know there was animosity written into the memoir. The only child got ahold of the memoir and refused to let him publish it. He then wanted to clean it up, to make the ending more even-handed, but no go. So the story of his life is a goner. This city, his community will lose a little of its history when he passes on. But at least there is that town history book he helped create.

The moral of this post is don’t wait to write your memoir until you’ve been put into a nursing home and had all your decision-making rights taken away. Or you’ve forgotten half your story. Write your story – your way – now. And yes, the other message is to not put your unabashed anger against someone into your memoir. No. No. No. (See Boyd Lemon: Daring to dig deep to write a divorce memoir.)

Disclaimer: I have not seen my friend’s writings, this post is the truth as he knows it (and he is quite lucid) and from what I found in researching.

Linda Austin
“Cherry Blossoms in Twilight”
http://www.moonbridgebooks.com
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Full Moon Viewing (Tsukimi): party with dango under the harvest moon

Posted on September 12, 2011 by moonbridgebooks

The full harvest moon of autumn is rising huge over the horizon these days. Last night, September 11 in the U.S., was technically the full moon, but the nights just before and after are filled with moonlight, too. Japan and other Asian nations (China, Taiwan, Vietnam) celebrate this harvest moon, which usually falls in mid-September, but every few years in October. Of course, other cultures celebrate the harvest moon, but Japan and China in particular enjoy the ethereal and artistic quality of the moon, especially the full moon. They eat special celebratory foods and sit together outside admiring the beauty of the big moon. The Chinese see a lady in the moon, the Japanese see a rabbit pounding mochi rice cakes (actually, gooey rice patties).

Last night I made the traditional Japanese “dango” rice balls for the first time ever and served them with mitarashi, a sweetened and thickened soy sauce. The dango are used as decoration also, as are other round (full-moon-shaped) foods such as oranges. The Japanese also use 5 or 7 stems (lucky numbers) of grass seedheads – pampas grass is a favorite — and perhaps some fall flowers to complete the table arrangement. They enjoy eating and drinking sake, having a party under the lovely full moon. Of course, the full moon is also romantic, so lovers may enjoy strolling arm-in-arm through the moonlight. My youngest daughter and I sat outside on the front porch eating dango-on-a-stick, dipped in sauce.

I probably would never have known about this celebration had my mother not told me the story. I wrote it into her memoir, Cherry Blossoms in Twilight, so our family would not forget. My Japanese friends here in the Midwest do not celebrate Moon Viewing, although most know about it from their childhood. I am grateful to my mother for making my life richer with her stories.

Dango*

1 cup rice flour
1/2 cup mochiko (sweet, or glutinous rice flour)

Add just enough hot (but not boiling) water to make a dough, stirring with a fork. Knead with rice-floured hands until smooth. Add more water or rice flour as needed. Make into small balls (1-inch diameter). Place in a pot of boiling water with a pinch of salt in it. When the dango rise to the top, cook a few minutes longer. Remove dango and plunge into a cold water bath. Skewer 3 or more per bamboo stick. Put a skewer on a pretty plate and spoon mitarashi sauce over. (Plain soy sauce can be used instead, just as for mochi rice cakes.)

*This is a small recipe. Dango feature in other Japanese festivals, and are often colored or flavored, but Tsukimi dango are made white as the moon.

Mitarashi

1/2 cup water
1/4 cup sugar (or slightly less to taste) mixed with 1 Tbsp corn or potato starch
1/8 cup soy sauce
1 Tbsp mirin

Simmer in a saucepan until sugar dissolves and sauce thickens. Remove from heat.

Linda Austin
“Cherry Blossoms in Twilight”
http://www.moonbridgebooks.com

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9/11 Ten Year Anniversary – our legacy

Posted on September 11, 2011 by moonbridgebooks

No, I haven’t written down my experience of 9/11, but it’s about time. I remember my first reaction quite well, even after ten years, and I don’t like to think about it. I dropped my youngest child off at the preschool in our church and noted the hallway was a bit empty. A few mothers I didn’t know had stopped in small clusters to whisper to each other and then quickly left. I wondered if there was something going on with the preschool, but inside the classroom, everything seemed normal. Still, I felt a strange undercurrent from the anxious tones of the whispering. I turned the car radio on during the short drive home and heard the deejays say something was going on in New York, but they weren’t sure what. Their voices were tense and quiet, not the usual super-cheerful morning show chattering. Ads came on, then music.

At home I turned on the TV just after the second plane hit. I could not comprehend what was going on, but my blood – and my mind – froze. My jaw fell open in shock. When the first tower began to fall, so did my tears. I remember crying to the TV, “Oh, no, oh my God!” At that point I ran to the front closet, grabbed our big flag and placed it in the holder outside the door. It was the only way I could think to show my pain and my support for those who had died, those who were trying to escape, and above all for the rescue personnel I had seen going into the towers.

Ten years later it still hurts to think about this, even though I was all the way over here in Missouri when it happened and I don’t even know anyone who lost someone they loved. Guess I’m too sensitive – after the tragedy I had to quit watching and reading the round-the-clock news because I was empathizing so much my nerves were starting to break.

For everyone who lived through 9/11, the event has become part of our history, part of who we are. Even if we think we weren’t personally affected that much, we see how it has affected our lives each time we go to the airport. It’s part of our legacy now to tell the story of where we were and how we were affected, partly to honor those who died and the heroes who risked their lives to save others, but also to remember how shockingly we learned that an ocean is not wide enough to keep us safe from enemies and that we should not take for granted life and the people we love.

Some people journal through trauma and find that helps them heal. Others have to wait until after they recover. Either way, the story is most full when we can bear to look at it and we have gained perspective – soon after, or ten years later. Lauren Manning survived 9/11 after being burned over 82% of her body. Her scars carry great meaning. Her inspirational memoir, Unmeasured Strength, has just been published.

Linda Austin
“Cherry Blossoms in Twilight”
http://www.moonbridgebooks.com

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