March 1st, 2000
Table of Contents
Wanda Jackson by Lars-Åke H
The Chicago Titanic Exhibit by Stacey
THAC responses (to letters from Issue 6)
Poetry:
Love by Crystal L. Austin
Untitled by Crystal L. Austin
Beauteous Shadows by Amanda Meek
Me, Myself, and I by Crystal L. Austin
Sweet Dreams by Crystal L. Austin
Hate and Fear by Crystal L. Austin
Wanda Jackson- America's First Female
Rock-n-Roll Singer by Lars-Åke H
I would like to explain Wanda Jackson’s musical performances because I noticed that the vocabulary describing music is a little short of words. I would like to add some more: dynamite, energy, sparkling, and powerpacked. That's what goes best with this vivid rock-a-billy star.
Wanda has been devoted to music all through the years from her early teens. She was discovered by the great Hank Thompson back in her home state, Oklahoma. And after an encouragement by the young and fast growing artist Elvis Presley, she started to try her hands on a new thing called Rock-n-Roll. In 1956, Wanda Jackson was declared America's first female Rock-n-Roll singer. But she didn't get the response she was hoping for in the states. It was thought by many that it wasn't proper for a young girl to sing like a guy, especially with the attitude that came along with it. It wasn't until Wanda started touring in Europe and the Far East that she really broke through. Her shows were filled with energy and in France she was billed as "Hurricane Wanda". In 1959 she charted a rockin' song, "Fujiyama mama," as no.1 for whole six months in Japan. That same year she toured Japan for seven weeks.
Other hits came along like "Right or Wrong," a Country song, "Mean Mean Man," "Let's have a Party," and "Stupid Cupid."
In 1971, Wanda Jackson and her husband/manager, Wendell Goodman, converted to Christianity. For several years she preformed only in Churches and Church-sponsored events, singing Gospel but with some colors from her country style. If it wasn't for her close friend Rosie Flores, she may never have picked up her rock-a-billy act again. It was when Rosie asked Wanda to do a couple of promo dates with her on the west coast to promote her new CD that she started again. The show was to become a great hit and it growed to five weeks coast to coast touring. Wanda was so thrilled by the respond she got, and by all the fans who recognized her old songs. So she decided to dust off her old acoustic guitar and once again release that energy-packed rock-a-billy attitude.
Today, Wanda tours Europe and Scandinavia several times each year, making headlines at big Rock-n-Roll festivals. She was nominated for Grammy Award twice as the best performing female singer, and awarded The Oklahoma Native Daughter Award. She has also been included in the Oklahoma Country Music Hall of Fame.
Wanda Jackson is one of few true rock-a-billy artists. I would not only say that she is the first female Rock-n-Roll singer, from my point of view she's the greatest. Rock on Mrs. Jackson!
By Lars-Åke H
Lars@dailytimes.every1.net
The Chicago Titanic Exhibit by Stacey
I went to the Titanic exhibit in Chicago on Sunday, February 20th. I could not wait for this day to come and I was finally there. They had huge signs of Titanic everywhere, announcing the opening of the exhibit. I got my tickets and went to the escalator to get to the second floor where the exhibit was being held. As I reached the second floor, I saw four huge banners of the Titanic and near the entrance of the exhibit there was a giant screen playing clips from 1912. It had clips of people building the Titanic, boarding the Titanic, and Capt. Smith walking the decks of Titanic. After every clip, the picture would flash twice before disappearing and going on to another picture. All of a sudden, a picture would appear on the screen of the Titanic laying wrecked on the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. All the while, a sort of eerie music was playing which made the whole scenario seem so unimaginable. I got in line and purchased a headset for $5 which would tell me all about different things through the exhibit. If I wanted to know more about a certain artifact or picture, I could press a number of the headset and it would tell me all about it. As I entered, I received a boarding pass with the name Mr. Mate Pecuric on it. I was told that after the tour, I could look on a list of passengers and find out if that person had survived or perished.
The first item that I saw was the bell that had been rung when the iceberg was first spotted. It was huge and hanging in the middle of the room from the ceiling. Next was a room with what I believe to be the model used in the James Cameron Titanic film. It was the exact replica of the Titanic and was very large and detailed. Also in that room was an artifact of a man's work boot. It really hit me when I saw that- to think that someone had actually worn that boot and then it was recovered from the bottom of the Atlantic! In the next room was a wall filled with passenger's pictures and some even told a little story about them. Pictures of families who had all perished in the disaster were the hardest to imagine. There was a glass shelving unit which had artifacts of a jar of toothpaste, spices, and a lint brush. Other rooms which had artifacts included such things as dishes, mugs, cooking pots, jewelry, cuff links, a pair of reading glasses and it's case, a handwritten letter and envelope which was very damaged but somewhat readable in sections, a boler hat, a pulley, a tape measurer, wrenches, vases, a toy airplane kit box, socks, a vest and pant suit, a leather bag, a suitcase, and binoculars. There was a room re-created as a First Class State Room which was elegant and on the bed laid a beautiful dress and a man's suit. There was also a table and chairs inside with a classy, large, detailed woman's hat and a man's top hat. There was a written letter on the table with a calligraphy pen, as if someone was writing a letter to home. Another room was made to look like the cargo hold with large crates everywhere, and another room made to look the boiler room where they shoveled the coal into the boilers.
Next, and most beautiful of all, was a replica of the Grand Staircase. The color and detail was so beautiful I can barely describe it. The color of the wood set the entire room to a warm glow. Many people stopped here and just stared with amazement. The glass dome overhead was magnificent. It just sparkled with all sorts of different colors. There was also a man dressed as an officer answering questions next to the staircase. We could not stand on the staircase but it was beautiful to look at. We then headed to a hallway which looked just as a third class hallway would and if you looked to your left you would see a replica of a Third Class Cabin. It was small with two sets of bunkbeds in it and there was a little glass enclosed table in the front of the cabin with some artifacts found from Third Class. They included a doorknob and a cabin door plaque with the number 2 on it.
We walked further and entered a room with a giant wall of ice in the shape of an iceberg. You could touch it and feel how cold the water would have been the night of April 15, 1912. In all actuality, the wall was even 3 degrees warmer than the water that cold April night. As I touched it, a cold chill went throughout my entire body, not only from how cold the wall of ice was but also thinking about the people freezing in the ocean water that night.
I then reached the room where they had "The Big Piece" on display. A large piece of Titanic's hull was right there infront of me. Simply amazing! As I rounded the corner to look at it from the other side, there was a man standing there who answered any questions people may have about the hull piece. I was told that the large porthole on the left side of the hull was cabin # 81 and the one on the right was cabin #79 and that the two smaller portholes in the middle of the cabins were their bathrooms. In front of the "Big Piece" was a small glass stand with a hole on top of it that held a small section of the Titanic's hull that you could stick your finger into and actually TOUCH a piece of the Titanic. I just stood there touching it, not wanting to move for the next person, taking in all the feelings I have felt about the Titanic and the disaster.
At the end of the tour I went to the board of names to look for the name I had on my boarding pass. I searched and searched until I finally found-Third Class Deceased-and then under it was the name Mr. Mate Pecuric-one of the over 1500 souls to have passed that tragic night.
THAC
(The Humorous Advice Column)
Dear Hitler,
Well listen little boy. Although it may be fun to go around killing people it doesn't make it right. I know that your interest to kill others might just be an attempt to show power or just make up for a little something that you don't have below. You really should think this through because you may find yourself hanged in some bathroom and nobody will really care.
Sincerely,
THAC Staff
~~*~~*~~*~~
Dear Mr. Evans,
Apprehending someone is not the way to win their affection. If they run, you must ponder your approach. Ask yourself 'what am I doing wrong?' Is it the garlic I had with lunch, or perhaps the lack of respecting personal space? No one likes to be crowded. Nothing is truly hopeless, but the lady is sending you clear signals with avoidance. Also, you said yourself she had a boyfriend. Remember to bring a bar of soap when you throw yourself over the bridge.
Sincerely,
THAC Staff
"No matter what happens today, the sun will always come up tomorrow."
-Cherrie R. Padgett (Poetic Voices of America, Summer 1997)
"Never lose a chance of saying a kind word."
-William Makepeace Thackeray
"Do what you can with what you have, where you are."
-Theodore Roosevelt
~*~
Love by Crystal L. Austin
Love is gentle
soft and soothing
welcome as a warm spring rain
love gives aimless hearts direction
love embraces imperfection
love sees all, yet still remains
~*~
Untitled by Crystal L. Austin
through eyes of crystal
towards me he glanced
a vision of love
my heart it danced
initial fear, I had such doubt
within his gaze I cast it out
confusion first and mind amiss
replaced with love's eternal bliss
my heart was lost but now had a cure
this love in time will forever endure
~*~
Beauteous Shadows by Amanda Meek
Beauteous shadows
lurk in the hallway of life
casting darkness upon the moment
yet making the next bright.
Each shadow strengthens the soul.
Pillars, windows, memories.
Each hall constructed
in magnificently different ways.
Music drifts through the hall
getting louder or softer,
intense or weak,
composing the song of a life
still covered by beauteous shadows.
~*~
Me, Myself, and I by Crystal L. Austin
Me myself and I
separate, yet together
I always wonder why
in a group, included never
I stay in paradox
and have no true friends
like a toy in a box
my sanity bends
~*~
Sweet Dreams by Crystal L. Austin
Wishes and dreams
seem so real
laughter and screams
the nightmare steals
dark becomes light
night into day
visions are bright
dreams slowly fade
images in my head
become clearer and real
am I dreaming or am I dead?
I don't know what I feel
everything goes blank
like a turning page
with an empty tank
is this a phase?
I'm feeling pain
and I don't know why
I see a blood stain
I'm dying inside
wishes and dreams
seem so real
through laughter and screams
it's the pain I feel
sweet dreams.............
~*~
Hate and Fear by Crystal L. Austin
blinded by hate
rude and irate
no reason to worry
not in a hurry
people rushing by
running out of time
not a care in the world
just a teenage girl
no way in
no way to begin
no way out
just scream and shout
no one pays attention
no one gives a damn
she's just herself
I am what I am
~*~
All Graphics by:
(NOTE: The set used here and many others
are available at Amanda Graphics.)
