Here in the Hills

Thursday, October 04, 2012

fall,1949

Remembering old times: This was the Fall of 1949. The Social Room in back of The Soroptomist House at USC, which was, indeed, a little old house run by the Soroptomist Club Of Southern California. That's me. (I had bought my first Ukulele, which you see in the picture, at Music City in Hollywood.). There I stood....A cigarette hanging out of my mouth, and in a l-o-n-g skirt, which was the "in" thing of those days--known as "The New Look".....

My grades weren't good enough to get in to any college. But I was accepted at the USC Extension School, because they didn't care about grades, and The Extension classes suited me fine because all of them were in the afternoon/early evening. (Always a Night Owl) Though, in truth, I honestly didn't know what I was doing going to college, at all. I went because ALL of my siblings had gone to college or were still in college...but in truth, I really wasn't interested. At that point, I didn't know what I wanted to do---though I think in my 'secret heart', I did, but was too unsure to even give voice to what it was I truly wanted to do...That came about a year later and a half later......

Above, a picture of some of us Soroptomist House girls, in Tijuana, Mexico--just over the border from California. An exciting thing to do, back-in-the-day. I'm over on the right---one of my roommates, Jeanne Hamley, is next to me, and Mirium something next to her. Right behind me is Irene MacDonough And next to her was a girl from Iceland who's name eludes me...In front, on the fake horse is Jean Smith. I'm sorry to say I cannot remember the names of those two really nice young women....Maybe they will come to me at some point!

Below....Ewan Harbrecht, who was part of The Opera contingent, is in the center and that's me on the right, and on the other side of Ewan, a lovely girl, who was from Persia---(now, Iran), again, her name alludes me at the moment.

And.....One last photo of this afternoon....Me, sitting in the Social Room....Smoking, again, still....! OY!

I sometimes wonder what happened to all those girls that lived in that little funny Soroptomist House Dorm.
By 1954-55, I fell out of touch with all of them.
Days gone by....

More To Come......

Note: As you all know, I am now forced to use the NEW Blogger and it really stinks! Nothing holds. I put the pictures in the center...They don't stay there. I write certain words in a certain place and find that Blogger has put them somewhere else. AAAARRRGH...This is an improvement??????? There was nothing wrong with the OLD Blogger...I WANT IT BACK!

31 Comments:

Jojo had this to say:: This photos are so much fun! I love that your circle of friends included international students. You look so sophisticated and isn't it odd how smoking was considered glamorous!

On blogger, I've had mishaps where text just disappears.; Thursday, October 4, 2012 at 3:19:00 AM PDT
Chickie had this to say:: I love looking at your photos.

Yeah, new Blogger sucks big time. I wonder who there thought that the changes were a good thing?!; Thursday, October 4, 2012 at 5:26:00 AM PDT
sonia a. mascaro had this to say:: What a lovely post, Naomi!
You are so very charming in this "New Look".
You really have a wonderful archive of photos. Great photos!Love to know more about you my dear.

About Blogger, I agree absolutely
with you. I really want the Old Blogger Back!; Thursday, October 4, 2012 at 7:49:00 AM PDT
Pat had this to say:: Isn't it extraordinary how - in those days, with hair styles , makeup, costume and jewellry we could look so sophisticated. And yet we were just fairly innocent, young girls.
Glamour has never been quite the same since.; Thursday, October 4, 2012 at 8:13:00 AM PDT
colleen had this to say:: Such a different time and lifestyle from what I grew up with in the 50's and 60's. You look very chic in that suit. It seems that the style made young girls look older. Smoking was also kind of chic back then.

Did you miss the post on my chickens (link below)? If the videos are hard to watch, click up in the left hand corner and it will take you right to youtube. http://www.looseleafnotes.com/wp/2012/09/aka-playing-chicken/; Thursday, October 4, 2012 at 12:47:00 PM PDT
Rain Trueax had this to say:: It's fun to look back. My grandmother, who was a painter, used to talk about going to the Soroptomists but I never quite understood what it was other than a kind of club.; Thursday, October 4, 2012 at 2:59:00 PM PDT
Bernie had this to say:: I LOVE seeing old photos of people, and here in the blogsphere, it is even more extrodinary to see... We come to 'picture' just how people may look, may have looked in their youth, and sometimes, it is nothing like that mental picture, when they post pictures... I find these, exquisite, yet stragley familiar to what I would've thought you to be!!

Thanks for sharing!; Thursday, October 4, 2012 at 3:06:00 PM PDT
Unknown had this to say:: BTW, glad you are back posting...don't stop...; Thursday, October 4, 2012 at 6:35:00 PM PDT
DesLily had this to say:: wow lol nice and young there eh? lol .. oh man I only quit smoking 5 yrs ago and still when I smell one I want it!!!!

I don't do my posts "right on blogger" Iuse a program called windows live writer and "publish" it to blogger.. you might want to try a new blog? many seem to use Wordpress. (that's where I keep my duplicate blog but again I only publish to it I dont' write any of my posts right on them.); Friday, October 5, 2012 at 1:22:00 PM PDT
Jeanie had this to say:: Naomi, I love these photos! You all looked so glamorous and it also looked as though you were having such a wonderful time! Just adore looking back at old pix -- my own and others -- and remembering when life was gentler and easier, much less less complicated.

I can see from the comments that lots of us have issues with New Blogger. I'm finally getting used to it -- but I hit that save button all the time. My biggest issue is with spacing; sometimes "it" puts in extra spaces. Actually "it" is probably "I" because I'm sure I'm not deleting something. But I'm finally getting the hang of it. As you know, my blog is photo heavy and it took awhile to work that one out! I always center the posts. They feel more "reliable" that way. I do it right at the end, then publish! So far, I haven't lost content, though I'm sure it's bound to happen someday!

(Their "help" isn't exactly helpful, is it?); Saturday, October 6, 2012 at 5:39:00 AM PDT
VV had this to say:: I feel your pain, I hate the new blogger too. I hate never knowing where the pictures and words will end up. That's part of why I still haven't done my big post on Estonia and Finland. I dread having the fight with Blogger to place everything correctly.; Saturday, October 6, 2012 at 2:48:00 PM PDT
Anonymous had this to say:: So nice to see you blogging again - sorry the new blogger is so awful. Always enjoy your posts! Libby; Saturday, October 6, 2012 at 4:44:00 PM PDT
Lydia had this to say:: Glad you are toughing it out with the new Blogger. The only reliable engine I've found to work with it is Chrome.

The look you had in college was better than mine. I was more or less a hippie chick.

I've never smoked- but have always hung with smokers.; Sunday, October 7, 2012 at 12:18:00 AM PDT
Charles Ravndal had this to say:: Fabulous photos! You looked fabulous and chic, you still do, in your younger days.

I'm not really fond of pictures with people having a smoke, but you're working that look !; Sunday, October 7, 2012 at 7:54:00 AM PDT
Diane J Standiford had this to say:: I am so lucky you kept all these pix, and show them to me. Thank you. I can't say it enough. Finally see your uke. LOVE IT. LOVE the long dress. And HATE the new "...and improved" Blogger too! Harder to post, harder to comment, Naomi, what did we DO to deserve this? Tee Hee My virgin ears are burning.; Sunday, October 7, 2012 at 6:07:00 PM PDT
awareness had this to say:: Hey Naomi!!
I've been out of the loop dealing with a myriad of life's challenges.... but back at writing again (I hope).
I love these photos.....
Thinking of you.
Dana; Sunday, October 7, 2012 at 9:10:00 PM PDT
Shionge had this to say:: So rich a memory Naomi and you looked gorgeous there - so chic and elegant I must say.

Hope you are fine and well my dear friend...yes, will be updating soon....lots of happenings......Take care and check me out soon ok :D

Muack and I love you.....love to Seemah too :); Monday, October 8, 2012 at 5:53:00 PM PDT
Lynn had this to say:: Amazing photos - it's fun going down memory lane, isn't it?; Tuesday, October 9, 2012 at 2:48:00 AM PDT
colleen had this to say:: Hi Naomi, I wanted to let you know that I changed the link to #1 in my 13 Thursday and to one you can access to explain “party.” And #8 is the video clip that explains the seat/ride I’m in with my grandsons.
Hope you are doing okay. xocolleen; Thursday, October 11, 2012 at 11:56:00 AM PDT
joared had this to say:: Interesting photos of probable fun times for you. Wonder what you were thinking about when those pictures were taken? Maybe you remember.

Smoking was portrayed as glamorous, sophisticated, rabidly promoted by the tobacco companies distributing free samples on campuses. On some level common sense told us smoking wasn't healthy for us, but many of us chose to ignore any cautions.

I think, too, we young women thought of smoking as one indicator of our independence or emancipation from previous generations traditional woman roles with a hint of -- just maybe -- a bit of "bad girl" persona.; Friday, October 12, 2012 at 2:30:00 AM PDT
joared had this to say:: I meant to add, that I, too, periodically become frustrated with Blogger. A good example is my current post where it ignores spacing and runs together some paragraphs differently than I submitted. Then, it won't allow me to correct them, or messes things up even more if I try. I finally quit trying after a few efforts to correct each time and let 'em go, but disgusts me how my blog looks.; Friday, October 12, 2012 at 2:37:00 AM PDT
Melody had this to say:: Oh look at you smoking! lol It is all part of your past so I am glad you stick these photos in for us to see and read about.

It has taken me a while to get used to the new blogger - at first it annoyed me but now I just accept it and I don't seem to have a problem with it. However it doesn't seem as user friendly as it once was.

xx; Friday, October 12, 2012 at 3:10:00 PM PDT
J C had this to say:: Your photos are wonderful memories Naomi. Thanks so much for sharing. Life was wonderful without the college, wasn't it!! If you had gone there, you would have had a different life and we might not have known you. We are the lucky ones. xo; Saturday, October 13, 2012 at 4:54:00 AM PDT
Terra had this to say:: Hi, this is my first visit here and I like your photos and explanations. Your memory is pretty darn good, lady!; Sunday, October 14, 2012 at 12:39:00 PM PDT
kenju had this to say:: I love looking at your old photos, Naomi!! These are treasures. I am sure you gained a lot from your associations there, even if you didn't have your heart and mind into studying.

I hate the new blogger too, but I have learned (through plodding along) to use it without too much trouble.; Sunday, October 14, 2012 at 4:26:00 PM PDT
Lilly had this to say:: Look at you - gorgeous. I love your photos and finding out so much about you. See you were destined for other pursuits clearly.

And as for Blogger argh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I so agree with you. It is not the same and I post things and they are all wrong and forever editing them...; Monday, October 15, 2012 at 4:17:00 AM PDT
LL Cool Joe had this to say:: Like Kenju I love seeing old photos of you. You had such confidence and attitude! Well you still do of course! Isn't funny how smoking was so acceptable and common then , but now it's the opposite?; Monday, October 15, 2012 at 6:55:00 AM PDT
Danny had this to say:: Fabulous photos, as always, Naomi. Keep them and the memories coming!; Monday, October 15, 2012 at 6:04:00 PM PDT
Holland had this to say:: How jealous I am now to see all these pictures. It is a treasure. Thank you for sharing it with us. I am sure there are some pictures of me with a cigarette hanging from my mouth too...lol; Monday, October 15, 2012 at 8:53:00 PM PDT
rashbre had this to say:: Loving the pictures, as always. On my Mac your pix are coming out centred, by the way, so I don't know whether you are seeing them differently on your PC.

The main thing is we can see them and your fine commentary of course!

Ahah - and you play the ukelele too! I tried it but never got the hang of the tuning.; Thursday, October 25, 2012 at 8:52:00 AM PDT
kenju had this to say:: Somehow I missed this post, Naomi. I love old photos and these are great - even if you can't remember all the people's names. For some reason, our school crowd didn't have a camera with them often - so few photos survive from that era of my life.; Saturday, December 8, 2012 at 2:12:00 PM PST