Thank you to Tony at Tonyskansascity.com, for linking our Sly James story today--and sharing with many more people

Tonyskansascity.com shares with several thousand more readers

We are gratified, since this is a brand new blog, not even a website till later this week.

And thank you to Tony's commenters. Go easy on me, please.  I just want to make a difference.   I didn't quite get the one about someone being a snail, but then I am from Iowa, and we don't talk thattaway.

I did smile at being termed a "socialite".  I would say that I am "sociable". An extrovert who loves people.  Especially artists and writers and movers and shakers and voters.  But I am not from the Sunset Hill class of people.

I grew up in Des Moines, had only one outfit with a recognizable label in it.  I got it on sale but was so proud that it was a Bonnie Bell.  Grosgrain ribbon trim down the front of the sweater.  Oooh, ahh...it was like my blankie.  Made me feel good walking around the square at Roosevelt High School before class, when all the soshies ignored me.  I wore that turquoise sweater and skirt to public high school all three years, three times a week, by rotating the polyester blouses I bought in the bargain bin at Sears.  While one of my friends wore Ferragamo shoes; I wore shoes from Bakers (like Payless).  I was a violist who played Beethoven string quartets every day during fifth hour.

I had two or three dates in high school...if you count Sadie Hawkins Day.  I was a great student, very active in my 6000 member church downtown, (I rode the bus there every Wednesday).  I was a civil rights advocate.

That is not my actual photo.
My glasses were much uglier.

Rather than miss "the" supposed social event of my entire young life, going to prom, I finally asked Judy Levine, my Ferragamo friend, to please make her little brother take me.  I wore a princess cut organza sheath dress. My Mom and I invented how to layer two pieces of fabric for a shimmery wow factor.  We considered that pretty snazzy for Norwegian Lutherans.   She sewed it up from a McCall's pattern.  I splurged once in my life and had my pointy kitten-heeled fabric shoes from Bakers dyed to match.  Since my date was in the 10th grade and could not drive, Judy and her older sister Linda drove us four for pizza at Noah's.

Judy and Linda then drove us to the school gym, and waited in the parking lot in their Dad's Lincoln, while Michael and I danced three dances to show off my dress and corsage.  To no one, basically, because the soshies of course still ignored me.  No after parties for me.  We were all home by 11.  At least I could say I had been to prom once.  So, Tony, I am hardly the socialite!

I earned spending money to go to college on a full four year scholarship to Wichita State--by babysitting--for 35 cents an hour.  I still know all the multiples of 35 cents x 1 hour, hour and a half, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 hours.  A babysitter's wage then was definitely not $15 an hour!  Tho I do know a woman with four unruly adopted foster kids here in Shawnee-- and she pays $30 an hour to her sitter.

Oh well, life worked out great.  And on the plus side, I am also not a socialist.  I don't like Bernie Sanders, and I gave up on Hillary in 2008, tho to my mind, she still would have been better as President than Obama.  She at least grew up Republican, before marrying Bill.