Mary's Modern Mishaps

Incorporating History into a Wedding

noreply@blogger.com (MaryH) — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 15:18:00 +0000

So, you may have noticed I recently began posting on Mary's Modern Mishaps again after quite a long hiatus. The fall had been quite chaotic to say the least. I started graduate school at Rutgers-Newark, moved, got married, finished moving, survived Superstorm Sandy, our first holidays as a married couple, then January is birthday month in my family, and we had an engagement to celebrate. Okay, maybe life is always chaotic.

Now that things are starting to wind down on a personal level, I've been working at pushing Mary's Historical Programs and have recently created a new Colonial Era show. In the next few days, I will be working on a Valentine's Day promotion and then Women's History Month. I'm also thrilled to have been booked on a monthly basis and will be creating a Wild West Fashion Program for this facility ready by this summer.

All that said, I've been dying to post some pictures of the wedding for two reasons. One, yeah, we had a lot of history "stuff" incorporated into our wedding and, two, when I was planning the wedding, I had the hardest time coming up for subtle ways to include aspects of Greg's and my relationship and what was important to us as a couple. Hopefully, this post will give some other couple's do-able ideas (on a budget). Also, also, as a small business owner, I am going to plug my wonderful vendors. :)

I chose to have my hair done in a 1950's era inspired up-do. I found the directions here and had my hair done by Angela at D&L Haircutter's in Jackson.

My wedding shoes came from American Duchess who I'm kinda in love with. They were almost flats and are reproduction Regency era shoes. They were also my something blue...and new...and old.

Under my dress, I wore a Civil War era corset. This was actually one of my something's borrowed from one of my reenacting friends. That's New Jersey Smith lacing me in.

I realize this picture is a little creepy, but that's just a dress form because my mother made my dress. The veil is actually my mom's from 1981. I really wanted a veil with a blusher, but could not find any that I liked. The crinoline is off Amazon.

My dress was perfect as it was hand-made to fit me. It was a Simplicity pattern circa 1990 of a 1950's era wedding dress. Prior to the wedding, I informed Greg my look was going to be "historical Picasso."

Our ride was one of our groomsmen's 1986 Buick. It was fantastic!

My bouquet was a reproduction of my great-grandmother's wedding bouquet circa 1929. I was really lucky to have had a bridal portrait of her which I brought to Added Touch Florist in Brick. Laura was amazing beyond words. I had waited last minute for flowers and she was able to work with me AND stay within my budget.

Our wonderful reenacting unit came in period dress as per my request. All hail the bride, you know. They did a sword arch as we left the church and I got a swat on the fanny for good luck.

I made these scrapbook-esque photo boards to show my and Greg's history. One for my childhood, one for his, one of our family and friends, one of our bridal party members, and one of our relationship.

Also per my request, we danced the Virginia Reel (a Civil War era dance) to Bruce Springsteen's "American Land". Our guest were surprisingly brave in the numbers that joined us on the floor. Our first dance was to "Only You" by Sinead O'Connor which is the theme to The Young Victoria.

Finally, I just want to link up for our photographer who took all the photos Lily Szabo based out of Brick, New Jersey.

Predicted Fashion from 1893

noreply@blogger.com (MaryH) — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 19:59:00 +0000

This is pretty cool. I particularly like the stage where everyone apparently dresses like nursery rhyme characters.
http://twentytwowords.com/2012/02/15/the-next-100-years-of-fashion-as-predicted-in-1893/

Disney/History?!?! Yes, please!

noreply@blogger.com (MaryH) — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 22:25:00 +0000

If history were off the table and I had to tell you one of my greatest loves in life, Disney would be pretty high up on the list. Imagine my delight when I came across this. Claire Hummel has recreated the Disney Princesses in historically accurate clothing. I was so excited, I'm posting this literally five minutes after I found it! Check it out!

My 25 Favorite Historical Figures

noreply@blogger.com (MaryH) — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 16:39:00 +0000

In honor of my 25th birthday, I present:

My 25 Favorite Historical Figures

(In No Particular Order)

1. Teddy Roosevelt (okay, he's in order)
You know him for: Generally being the most bad-ass president/american/man ever. Also, for speaking softly and carrying a big stick.

2. Queen Victoria
You know her for: Ruling England for a reeeaaaalllly long time. Sexy undwear.

3 & 4. John and Abigail Adams
You know them for: Getting independence, being obnoxious and disliked (him), being one of the cutest love stories in American history.

5. Walt Disney

You know him for: Your childhood.

6. Jesse James
You know him for: Robbing, killing, getting a nice reputation despite of it.

7. George Pickett

You know him for: Fighting for the Confederacy...having the high-tide named for him.

8. Calvin Coolidge
You know him for: Being president and not talking.

9. Mother Bickerdyke
You probably don't know her: she was up there with Clara Barton during the Civil War, but a bit more sassy.

10. Sacajawea
You know her from: leading Lewis and Clark to the Pacific, coins.

11. Chief Joseph
You know him from: "I will fight no more forever."

12. Wolfe Tone
You probably don't know him either, he's a little obscure. He lead the Irish Rebellion of 1798.

13. Mark Twain
You know him for: writing classic books (hopefully), getting in the press for using the N-word in his books (hopefully, you knew about him and his writing before then)

14. Harry Houdini (looking a little crazy in this picture)
You know him for: Being a magician...getting punched in the stomach and having his appendix rupture.

15. Nikola Tesla
You know him for: Being cooler and smarter than Edison...dying today in 1943 :(

16. Thoedor Geisel
You know him for: being Dr. Seuess

17. Edgar Allen Poe
You know him for: Being a creepy, creepy author.

18. Lady Nancy Astor
You know her for: trading barbs with Winston Churchill

19. William Tecumseh Sherman
You know him for: burning the entire South and being insane.

20. Molly Brown
You know her for: being unsinkable

21. William Wallace
You know him for: Freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeedom!

22. Michael Collins
You know him for: Fighting for Ireland's separation from Great Britain

23. Audie Murphy
You know him for: Essentially for being the real life Captain America...minus the superpowers.

24. Abraham Lincoln
You know him for: being president during the Civil War, freeing the slaves, getting shot in a theater.

25. Thomas Paine
You know him for: writing "Common Sense"

I am not, in fact, dead...

noreply@blogger.com (MaryH) — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 18:12:00 +0000

I'm just really, really, busy! I was planning on doing a little bit of a catch-up blog, but while I was gone, Blogger changed it's set-up and I really have no idea what I'm doing. What with that whole being super busy thing, I don't have time to learn the new set-up at this moment. So, I apologize in advance if reading this is making you feel like you have the room-spins or something. Anyway, with out further ado, here's what I've been up to in the past two months in a very brief run-down:

Frankly, I had been doing really, really, uncharacteristically well. Recently, I fell off my "Doing-Awesome Wagon" so, in an effort to get back on, I thought I'd start by organizing where I was and where I currently am. Okay, so by the end of March, I had some major goals to be working on and I did pretty darn good with them. Most note-worthy, I totally succeeded in getting a part-time job. It's not what I hope to be doing for the rest of my life, but it is fantastic-side money and almost 100% independent which mean, in a very strange way, going to work is my relaxing escape. See, while I am at work, it's just me and greeting cards, that generally say happy things. So, it's like really cheap therapy...if therapy also gave you a lot of paper cuts. Oh, and double as time at the gym. Seriously, I can do like six reps of fifty squats like nobody's business, now.

Which leads me to point two. I was kicking butt and taking names on the whole getting in shape of the wedding thing. I had just crept up to TWO sizes over where I wanted wanted to be and have dropped both. I lost roughly 25 pounds by mid-May. However, this is where I also fell off the wagon, see, I've stopped my daily routine, now I need to get back on it. The good news is, coupled with my job, I'm not gaining weight or anything, I'm just not losing anymore. Really, I'm working on toning now anyway. Soon, if I can figure it out anyway, I will be posting some before and after pics.

Of course, consuming most of my time is the big, impending W-E-D-D-I-N-G. Honestly, things are pretty under control. I take great pride in the face that I am a very low-key bride. As of right now, we have the church squared away, a reception site booked, a caterer, DJ, etc. We just don't know stuff like, what we'll be wearing or what we'll be eating or who will be eating with us. That's all details though, right?

Let's see, oh yes, because I just found out that I subconsciously hate myself, I'm returning to school next fall (aka, a month before the wedding roughly the same time that we're moving) to pursue my Master's Degree in Teaching in History. Basically, it's a degree designed to get you an M.A. in your B.A. field and half the credits need to become a certified teacher. You can than chose to go for another semester to complete teacher certification. Additionally, I'm applying for jobs in the same area since the program is designed for full-time workers. While this hunt is going on, I'm still pushing Mary's Historical Programs and am hoping to create some new programs soon. I will save that information for it's own blog.

Of course we are in the middle of the sesquicentennial yet...it's the 150th anniversary of all the major battles of 1862. We have already knocked out two for the year, but are averaging one a month (with the exception of June) from April through October.

So there you have it. The very brief rundown of what's been going on to prevent more frequent blogging. i didn't even go into the whole debacle of apartment hunting/renting/moving, the five-month-old Malti puppy currently doing everything in his three pound power to prevent my writing this blog, or the intense family history research I've been doing including the very real, albeit brief, possibility that the relatives I had thought were German may have been Russian.

Hopefully this post will publish okay and I'll be able to post more frequently these next few months.

One Year Anniversary!

noreply@blogger.com (MaryH) — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 21:11:00 +0000

I can't believe it's been one year to the day that I started Mary's Modern Mishaps. I also can't believe it has been almost a month since my last post...mea culpa! I don't have a very good defense, but it is a very honest one and that is I have been B-U-S-Y! I will save the whole story for the end of this month recap, as my faithful readers most definitely deserve one. Today, I'd prefer to focus on the year that's gone by and the year that's to come.

So, there have been two major changes in my life since I started Mary's Modern Mishaps. The first, chronologically speaking, was getting laid off. The second was getting engaged. You've already heard about the engagement and, obviously, it made me as happy as a clam. You've heard a fair bit about my getting laid off too, as I broke the news with this post. The truth of the matter is, even now, nine months later, I am still so happy to have been laid off. Many people complain about their jobs, wish for (and actually need) better pay, and daydream about quitting. I can honestly tell you that no matter what my predicament in life, I have not had a single moment where I have said or thought, "I wish I were still at _____." or "It wasn't as bad as I thought."
Yes, for once in my life, I was dead-on in the present. There are times when I get sad and miss certain aspects of my workplace. I had some really good friends there at one time. I miss some of the fun times we had together, but I don't blame getting laid off for ruining those relationships in the long run. If anything, getting hired as a manger destroyed them. The majority of the people I considered friends while there have remained excellent friends since then. Although it has been hard to lose some people I considered friends, I have learned to view it as: "Better to find out now than ten years down the road."

There have been many smaller changes starting this blog too. Many of them directly correlated to being laid off. An accurate description of my former job is running head first into a brick wall repeatedly with the hope that eventually the wall will break. You can probably imagine that after about three years of hard work (perhaps foolishly) and not so much as a crack in the metaphoric wall, my thoughts on the future were pretty grim. There were many, many times where I would express my thoughts on the future to Greg and he would reply with, "For Pete's Sake, you're not even 25! It's not like you have one foot in the grave!" I have to say, my perspective of the future has changed dramatically since then.

Going hand in hand with that, I've had a tremendous confidence boost too. Yeah, who says THAT after being laid off? Me, that's who. Again, repeatedly working and repeatedly failing can take a real toll on your self confidence. Personally, I think my view of future took a nose dive when I felt like I couldn't succeed in anything to the point of not wanting to try so I didn't have to feel the failure again. It has been a very slow process to regain that confidence and enthusiasm. In fact, I feel it has only been recently that I have been coming to terms with improvement.

Finally, the Pursuit of Happiness. No, not the Will Smith movie, rather one's own individual pursuit. It's safe to say that everyone wants to be happy. I've been giving a lot of thought to this in the past few months and have come to conclusion that people tend to spend so much time and energy wanting to be happy that they don't pause to ask why they aren't or how they could be. Most importantly, I had the wake-up call many people don't. One day in January, I had an epiphany that I, yes me and me, alone, was responsible for the majority of my unhappiness. Having realized such, I began making the changes I needed to make my dream of happiness a reality.

Looking forward to the future is still a goal for me. I'm hoping to keep moving in the right direction and work on viewing the changes in life as exciting opportunities rather than overwhelming hurdles to cross. I really can't even guess where I'll be a year from now, but I've got my fingers crossed that there will be lots of history to share and adventures to have!

The Origins Behind 9 Sports Team Names

noreply@blogger.com (MaryH) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 17:32:00 +0000

I'm very pleased to introduce my fiance, Greg's, first post as a guest blogger. He suggested this clever topic for me and I suggested he write it instead...I'm not much the sports buff. Let us know if you'd like to hear more from Greg!

Of all the blog subjects you thought you would see on here, I'll bet that a sports post would not be near the top of your list. If you actually know Mary, you'll know that a sports themed post would be as likely as me competing on the uneven bars at the next Olympics. In the sports world, nicknames and mascots come from some awfully strange places. Here's a list of sports teams whose names have a connection with the Civil War.

Lets get the obvious ones out the way first...

1. New York Yankees

Duh, not really that much to explain here. I did find it interesting that the way most people feel about the Yankees now (not me; I'm a fan) was actually eerily similar to how southerners thought of the "Yankees" during the Civil War. Confederates usually thought of the "Yankees" as wealthy, egocentric, aristocrats that only cared about two things: money and winning. OK, maybe that sounds a little similar.

2. Ole Miss (University of Mississippi) Rebels

Again, a little obvious. Mississippi, the home of Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederacy, was one of the first states to secede from the Union in 1861. As you can see in the picture above, Ole Miss had a dashing mascot known as Colonel Reb who patrolled the sidelines of Mississippi sports events for many years. In 2003, Colonel Reb retired from service in order to have the university distance itself from a controversial Confederate mascot. In 2010, Ole Miss introduced Rebel Black Bear as the new on field mascot.

3. Columbus Blue Jackets

I remember my thoughts the first time I heard the name of the new NHL expansion team in Columbus, Ohio... "Uh, what?" Like most people, I was wondering what the heck a Blue Jacket was. For some reason I was expecting some kind of blue bumblebee. As it turns out, Blue Jackets is actually a reference to Union soldiers from Ohio (think Red Coats). The state of Ohio provided President Lincoln and the USA with a whopping 198 infantry regiments in the course of the war along with a few generals you may have heard of: Grant, Sherman, Sheridan, and Custer. Hey, turns out that I wasn't too far off with my initial thought of this nickname... the Blue Jackets mascot is a giant bee named stinger.

Why he's green is beyond me.

4. UNC (University of North Carolina) Tar Heels

OK, now we're getting a little obscure. The term Tar Heel existed prior to the Civil War, however it gained its popularity during the war. The best way to explain this strange nickname is to use it in the context of the 1860's. Ok, let me give this a shot... "Look at them Carolina boys! No matter how many times those Yanks advance they can't be moved!! It's like they've got tar on their heels!" Sorry, even my written Southern accent isn't very good.

5. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

I know, you're thinking, "How does this have anything to do with the Civil War??". I am not in any way, shape, or form a Notre Dame fan but this is a pretty cool connection. During the Civil War, Rev. William Corby served as the Chaplain of the famed Irish Brigade. Father Corby is perhaps best known for his general absolution (the forgiveness of sins) of the entire Irish Brigade prior to the Battle of Gettysburg. Most people now know Father Corby by his iconic statue close to the spot where he granted absolution.

Well, Father Corby's story didn't end on the battlefield that day. After the war, he made his way to Indiana and served two terms as the president of...you guessed it, the University of Notre Dame. Father Corby's impressive past inspired the now famous nickname, the Fighting Irish.

Interestingly, Father Corby's statue from Gettysburg has a double located on the campus of Notre Dame. The locals however, just call him...

Fair-catch Corby

6. Calgary Flames

What? The Civil War in Canada? Well ok, they weren't always the Calgary Flames... They moved to Canada in 1980, but from 1972-1980 the Flames hailed from Atlanta, Georgia. In 1864, Union General William Tecumseh Sherman was on the war path. Literally. U.S. Grant, the general-in-chief of the Union army, sent General Sherman south to create utter havoc... and boy did he succeed. Sherman led his army to Atlanta and proceeded to burn it to the ground. Thus, the Atlanta Flames.

While I'm on the subject of teams changing cities and not leaving their nickname behind...

7. Utah Jazz

The New Orleans Jazz is a pretty cool name, but come on...Utah?? Salt Lake City doesn't seem like much of a jazz hotbed.

8. Los Angeles Lakers

Yeah, those Lakers. Not that I doubt that there are lakes near Los Angeles, but scenic LA isn't quite the Land of 10,000 Lakes that Minnesota is. Why can't teams just leave behind their names???

and finally...

9. New Orleans Hornets

Why is this a big deal? Well, the Hornets used to be in Charlotte, North Carolina. While a hornet is a pretty cool mascot and nickname for a sports team, the name is actually based on fierce pockets of fighting located within North Carolina during the American Revolution called hornets nests. I don't really find this one quite as offensive as some of the other hijacked team names but still, the Charlotte Hornets was a cool, kind of incognito nickname.

Well, thats all for now folks. I hope you enjoyed this little guest feature. If anyone has any other interesting connections, I would definitely be interested in hearing them.

Hope you enjoyed!

It's Fat Tuesday!!!

noreply@blogger.com (MaryH) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 18:53:00 +0000

I legitimately did not realize this was pretty much a week of holidays when I wrote my comment about how many holidays are in February yesterday. I guess the perk here is that I now have a bunch of topics to write about.

So, today is Fat Tuesday, also known as the day of the Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Mardi Gras actually translates to "fat Tuesday" in French. The story behind Mardi Gras is pretty interesting. Most people probably already know that Mardi Gras is the day before Ash Wednesday which signifies the start of Lent. If you aren't familiar with Lent, it represents the period where Jesus went into the desert for 40 days and nights and resisted the temptation of the devil. It is therefore acknowledged by Christians as a time of self discipline, usually in the form of "giving something up." I'll give you some more information on Lent tomorrow. Today has become something of a last hurrah before reflection and reserve of Lent.

Here are some of the origins of traditional Fat Tuesday celebrations:

Since I usually give up desserts for Lent, I like to consider Fat Tuesday to be a literal interpretation. However, it's actual name is derived from the original tradition of slaughtering a fattened calf for the feast. Looks like I've been celebrating wrong for years.

Mardi Gras ends abruptly at midnight and it's not optional. Hordes of street sweepers hit New Orleans at 12:00 and begin literally pushing the party goers off the streets and clearing away the beads, streamers, and confetti.

The French, always up for a good party, first celebrated Mardi Gras in New Orleans with masquerade balls and parties.. That is, until the Spaniards came in as epic killjoys and made them stop in the mid-1700's. The ban stayed in effect even after New Orleans came under the jurisdiction of the United States government. Finally, in 1827, the parties reestablished.

Interestingly the official colors of Mardi Gras were not determined until later. As Mardi Gras, at this point, still was a Catholic celebration, each color's representation is rooted in the Church. Green represented faith, purple represented justice, and gold represented power.

The idea of the "Queen of Mardi Gras" was born by the Twelfth Night Revelers. They're first Mardi Gras was in 1870. The following year, 1871, the came up with the idea of presenting a cake with a golden bean in it to a young woman. Whoever had the bean was crowned. Later silver beans were added. The ladies who received these beans were the Queen's Maids.

The beads and doubloons are tossed from parade floats. Many sites I have looked at written by native New Orleans...people (New Orleaners? New Orleanians?) are adamant to explain women do not have to expose themselves to receive beads. Mardi Gras is considered a family affair and women who are caught flashing do run the risk of being arrested. Additionally, it worth noting the aforementioned actions of Mardi Gras occur in the French Quarter's sleazy area, populated with strip joints and other classy establishments.

Sources:
http://www.americancatholic.org/features/mardigras/
http://www.eastjeffersonparish.com/culture/MARDIGRA/HISTORY/history.htm
http://www.mardigrasneworleans.com/quartermardi.html

Happy Presidents' Day!

noreply@blogger.com (MaryH) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 21:23:00 +0000

Boy it's not until you start blogging about history that you realize how many holidays are in February! Anyway, first things first, I am back from Gettysburg and I had a lovely time. There will be more blogs on that this week. Two, all last month I was really hoping to hit my largest monthly audience to date, this month I'm behind in my goal of posts and managed to break that record as of this morning! The internet is a fickle creature.

On to today's topic! One of my more minor pet peeves is how Presidents' Day is considered "George Washington and Abraham Lincoln Day" when it really is supposed to incorporate a whole bunch of presidents...you know, like all of them, even the one's you're not so crazy about. Initially, I was going to do a Top Ten list of Ten "Other" Awesome Presidents besides Washington and Lincoln, but I feel like I'm abusing my Top Ten List category lately. So, instead, I will present you with 44 bits of trivia about the Presidents of the United States...in order...because I am in the mood to be extra history-nerdy!

44 Bits of Trivia on the Presidents of the United States:

In Order of Terms of Service

George Washington: grew pot. Got your attention didn't I? Until the invention of the cotton gin, the most lucrative crop in the colonies was hemp. Also known as marijuana, it was used to make rope, clothes, and paper.
John Adams: supposedly spoke with a lisp.
Thomas Jefferson: owned roughly 6,000 books. (About 1000 more than New Jersey Smith, as I recall...)
James Madison: was the shortest president standing only 5'4".
James Monroe: had two vice presidents die while president.
John Quincy Adams: Like to skinny dip and didn't like to give interviews. A female reporter once got the best of him by waiting until he dove into the Potomac for his nude morning swim and sitting upon his clothes he left on shore in order to score an interview.
Andrew Jackson: was our first president to wear pants, before Jackson, wealthy men wore breeches.
Martin Van Buren: must not have had a very good marriage...any mention of his wife was completely omitted from his autobiography.
William Henry Harrison: elected in 1840, was considered the first victim of the curse that stated all presidents elected in a year ending with zero would die in office. When Reagan's survived his assassination attempt, the curse was presumably broken.
John Tyler: the only president considered a "sworn enemy of the United States" when, 20 years after his term, he joined the Confederacy.
James K. Polk: bought pretty much the entire United States Southwest from Mexico.
Zachary Taylor: never voted in a presidential election.
Millard Fillmore: celebrity crush of Queen Victoria. She once called him the most attractive man she'd ever seen.
Franklin Pierce: was arrested for running over an old lady with his horse.
James Buchanan: Remained a bachelor his entire life. It was heavily rumored he was gay and his close relationship to a Congressman led them to be called "Buchanan and his wife."
Abraham Lincoln: used to store things in his stovepipe hat.
Andrew Johnson: was a Democrat until the Republicans nominated him for Vice President.
Ulysses S Grant: You might have noticed there is no period after "S" in Grant's name. That's because "S" doesn't stand for anything, let alone Simpson. Truthfully, Grant's name was Hiram Ulysses Grant. He was known as "Lissie" and as he got older was embarrassed that his initials spelled "HUG." He initially referred to himself as H. Ulysses Grant. When a friend recommended him for the military academy, he assumed Ulysses had his mother's maiden name as a middle name, as was common then. Hence, Grant was enrolled as Ulysses Simpson Grant. During his military career, Grant earned the nicknames "Unconditional Surrender" Grant, "Uncle Sam" Grant (thus explaining why he was called "Sam") and "U.S." Grant.
Rutherford B. Hayes: started the traditional White House Easter Egg Hunt.
James A. Garfield: had a fascination with triangles and discovered a unique proof of Pythagorean's Theorem. His proof was included in a book on the Theorem in 1940.
Chester A. Arthur: Long before Obama's citizenship issues, Arthur was accused of being born in Canada.
Grover Cleveland: paid someone to take his place when he was drafted.
Benjamin Harrison: was the first president to have his voice recorded in 1889.
Grover Cleveland: had a secret operation while president to have part of his jawbone removed and replaced with a rubber one due to cancer.
William McKinley: and his wife Ida, almost made my Valentine's Day post. William and Ida were so close and intimate, they often came off as rude when in a large gathering as they gave each other so much attention. During his presidency, Ida's health deteriorated and she ultimately became an invalid. Upon being shot by an assassin, his immediate response to those who came to his aid were: "Be careful how you tell my wife."
Theodore Roosevelt: was the youngest man sworn into the presidency at age 42. Commonly attributed to Kennedy who was the youngest elected president at age 43.
William H. Taft: was the first president to throw the first pitch at a baseball game. Every president since has followed suit except for Jimmy Carter.
Woodrow Wilson: the only president to date to hold a PhD.
Warren G. Harding: gambled, and lost, the White House china playing poker.
Calvin Coolidge: really enjoyed playing pranks and generally deviling people. While president, he was particularly fond of ringing the White House's doorbell and running away.
Herbert Hoover: didn't want any towns named after him because he was president because during the Great Depression, shanty towns for the homeless were known as Hoovervilles.
Franklin D. Roosevelt: Often felt people were too self-conscious meeting him to actually listen to what he said. Therefore, he frequently started conversations with newly met acquaintances with "I murdered my grandmother this morning."
Harry Truman: would get up at 5 a.m. every morning to practice the piano for two hours.
Dwight Eisenhower: retired to Gettysburg, P.A., his house out there was the only house he and Maime ever owned. (Yes, there will be a lengthier blog post on his in the near future.)
John F. Kennedy: disliked wearing a hat, thus making hats for men go out of style. Prior to Kennedy, men seldom went outside without a hat.
Lyndon Baines Johnson: was a bit of an egomaniac, forcing his family to have the same initials as him. His wife was known as Lady Bird Johnson and his dog as Little Beagle Johnson.
Richard Nixon: liked to eat ketchup on his cottage cheese.
Gerald Ford: was the only president to have had an assassination attempt by a woman. Twice. In the same month (September 1975).
Jimmy Carter: was the first president to be born in a hospital.
Ronald Reagan: Jelly Belly's blueberry jellybean was developed for Reagan's inaugural festivities.
George H.W. Bush: became the youngest pilot in the US Navy.
Bill Clinton: was mauled by a sheep when he was eight.
George W. Bush: was a head cheerleader in high school.
Barack Obama: dislikes ice cream. The distaste is attributed to his years working for Baskin-Robbins.

History Major Memes Round 2

noreply@blogger.com (MaryH) — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 16:33:00 +0000

A few weeks ago, I posted this blog which featured Meme Generator's "History Major Heraldic Beast". Last week, it officially became my most read blog to date. Normally, I'd be happy for such an event regardless, but I know people are searching for the following meme below, so next time Mary's Modern Mishaps is googled, the desired content will be found:

For the record, why it matters what anyone thinks I do is irrelevant to me. Also, if Society thinks History Majors are Confederate Reenactors posing on a tank...we really need some more history majors and more history jobs so those who DO major in history aren't standing on unemployment lines.

Also, what is a "Hard Science" Major?

Happy Valentine's Day! (A Day Late)

noreply@blogger.com (MaryH) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 20:03:00 +0000

I know you were all just waiting for this post. What shall it be on? Oh, the options, the options! We can talk about all sorts of love history. We can talk about how St. Valentine's "romantic" cards were all sent when he was basically on death row. I could throw a bone to all the bitter people and focus on the Valentine's Day Massacre. I think, however, I'll do a Top Ten List instead!

Top Ten Couples in History

John and Abigail Adams. They are honestly my favorite couple ever. While John was off preaching treason in Philadelphia, Abigail was home in Massachusetts raising their children. Talk about a long distance relationship. "By 1762 they were exchanging frankly affectionate love letters full of mischievous humor. Their wedding, on October 25, 1764, began one of history's great partnerships. They were lovers, friends, counselors, and mentors to one another into old age. John did not resent his wife's abilities to manage a farm and raise a family without him during his long absences on the nation's business. Rather, he took considerable pride in her accomplishments. He told her she was so successful in budgeting, planting, managing staff, regulating live-stock, buying provisions, nursing and educating her children, that their neighbors would surely remark on how much better things seemed to go in his absence."
(http://www25.uua.org/uuhs/duub/articles/abigailadams.html)
Ultimate "awww" factor: you can read the compilation of their correspondence in My Dearest Friend: Letters of Abigail and John Adams. ("My Dearest Friend" was how the Adams' addressed their letters to each other.)
Roy Rogers and Dale Evans: I love their story because it involves so many people. Both Roy and Dale were married previously. Dale, who eloped at 14, divorced her husband when he essentially abandoned her and their son. Roy's first wife from complications with after delivering their third child. Dale and Roy were married on December 31, 1947 and celebrated 50 years of marriage. In the early 1950's they had their first child, a little girl diagnosed with Downs Syndrome. Although their daughter didn't live past two, Roy and Dale were life long advocates for special needs children. They adopted several children (eat your hearts out, Brad and Angelina) and lost two more during their marriage. Happy Trails Foundation was created by them and still operates today. They wrote a truly beautiful book together called "Happy Trails."

Ultimate "awww" factor: "Roy always grinned when he said that Dale must have really loved him, because when she married him he had three young children and 34 coon dogs." (http://www.royrogers.com/roy_rogers_bio.html)
Pierre and Marie Curie: They might be the first nerd-love couple! In 1891, Polish born Marie moved to France to continue studies where she met Pierre Curie, who was the director at one of the laboratories. He once wrote to her, "It would be a fine thing...to pass our lives near to each other, hypnotized by our dreams; your patriotic dream, our humanitarian dream, and our scientific dream." (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jesse-kornbluth/the-love-story-of-marie-p_b_838476.html) They did the majority of their work together and, after his death (ultimately caused by radiation, as was hers in 1934) she took his place as the first female teacher at the college.
Ultimate "awww" factor: You can read their love story in Joan Didion's very unique book, Radioactive: Marie and Pierre Curie, A Tale of Love and Fallout. It is actually glow-in-the-dark and part graphic novel. The ultimate science-love-nerd-book. A+.
King Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson: Edward met Wallis Simpson in 1931 and described her to be the "perfect woman." Shockingly high praise from the future King of England to a twice divorced (gasp!), American (gasp!), Roman Catholic (gasp!). Edward was crowned King of England in 1936, but with three strikes against her, was unable to marry Wallis Simpson. You'd think being King meant you could do whatever you wanted, but I guess not in England. Shortly after being crowned King of England, Edward abdicated the throne in order to marry Wallis. That bit of trivia was going to be my "Ultimate "awww" factor" but then I considered: Edward married the woman he loved, was NOT King of England during World War II (surely a dandy time to be involved in politics in England), got to keep a royal title when his younger brother made him a Duke, lived abroad in France, and, became the governor of the Bahamas. Nice, I'd give the throne too.
Ultimate "awww" factor: Winston Churchill once said of Edward, "I saw him when she'd gone away for a fortnight. He was miserable, haggard, dejected... Then I saw him when she'd been back a day or two, and he was a different man - gay, debonair, self-confident. Make no mistake: he can't live without her." (http://www.mylifetime.com/lifestyle/relationships/love-sex/wallis)
Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall: one of pop culture's most famous couples, Bacall and Bogie met when he was 45 and she was 19. They married the following year and had a happy union, welcoming a son and daughter. He died twelve years later from cancer. "When I reached Bogie, he took my hand - the enormous, beautiful white orchids I was holding were shaking themselves to pieces; as I stood there, there wasn’t a particle of me that wasn’t moving visibly…As I glanced at Bogie, I saw tears streaming down his face - his ‘I do’ was strong and clear, though. As Judge Shettler said, “I now pronounce you man & wife,’ Bogie and I turned toward each other - he leaned to kiss me - I shyly turned my cheek - all those eyes watching made me very self-conscious. He said, ‘Hello, Baby’. I hugged him and was reported to have said, “Oh, goody.’ Hard to believe, but maybe I did.” (http://oldhollywood.tumblr.com/post/134183086/lauren-bacall-humphrey-bogart-on-their-wedding)
Ultimate "awww" factor: Bacall placed a whistle in Bogart's urn engraved with the words: "If you need anything, just whistle" reminiscent of her famous line to him.
Ulysses and Julia Grant: Ulysses "Sam" Grant was known for being a drunk, but it is often overlooked that he pretty much only drank while away from his wife, Julia. His reputation as a drunk is quite debated, but that is for another blog. The truth is Grant was very much a family man, he wanted Julia near him, even when on the battlefield. The day Abraham Lincoln was assassinated, he had invited the Grants to join him and Mary at Fords Theater. Grant declined as Julia wanted to return to New Jersey to see the children.
Ultimate "awww" factor: Julia suffered from a condition that gave her the appearance of crossed eyes and considered surgery when Ulysses was running for president: "When the surgeon told her that it was “too late” to correct the condition, she expressed her regret to her husband. 'What in the world put such a thought in your head, Julia?' he asked.
'Why, you are getting to be such a great man, and I am such a plain little wife,' she replied. 'I thought if my eyes were as others are I might not be so very, very plain.'
Grant pulled her close. 'Did I not see you and fall in love with you with these same eyes?' he asked. 'I like them just as they are, and now, remember, you are not to interfere with them. They are mine, and let me tell you, Mrs. Grant, you had better not make any experiments, as I might not like you half so well with any other eyes.' Julia Grant never considered surgery again." (http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/history/2012/02/general-grant-in-love-and-war/)
Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett: Here's to two people who could have written sappy love poems that the rest of us would have actually wanted to read! In fact, that's exactly what happened, Miss Barrett penned packets of sonnets to Mr. Browning which he exclaimed were too beautiful not to share. They married in 1846, and despite opposition to their union, and wrote their greatest works during their 15 year union. Elizabeth died in Robert's arms.
Ultimate "awww" factor: and women's expectations of all love notes jump...
Clark Gable and Carole Lombard: The duo connected in 1936 and were one of Hollywood's star couples. The married in 1939 over a weekend out of the public's eye and postponed their honeymoon until Gable was done filming Gone With the Wind. Tragically, their union was cut short when Lombard because the first female casualty of World War II when her flight back from a USO function crashed in 1942. “Upon hearing the news, Gable flew to the scene and had to be forcibly restrained from climbing the snowcapped mountain himself in an effort to rescue her. After Carole's body, along with the bodies of her mother and 19 others, was discovered, he reportedly sobbed, 'Oh, God! I don't want to go back to an empty house...'” (http://www.bonzasheila.com/stories/gablelombard.html) Gable, in his grief, left Hollywood to fight in World War II and, although he remarried twice after Lombard's death, was never the same according to friends and family. Upon his death in 1961, his fifth wife had Gable interred next to Lombard.
Ultimate "awww" factor: The story varies, but when Lombard and Gable first began dating, Lombard had a car painted with hearts sent to Gable with a note reading, "You drive me crazy!"
Frank Butler and Annie Oakley: "In 1881, the famous Baughman and Butler shooting act was performing in Cincinnati. Star of the show, champion Frank E. Butler, boasted that he could beat any local marksman and challenged the gathering. Butler was amused to see Annie Oakley taking his challenge. After missing his 25th shot, Butler lost the match and the bet. She not only won the competition but also his heart. He began courting Oakley, and they married on June 20, 1882. Butler abandoned his career to manage hers. They both joined the Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show. Annie died in 1926 and her heartbroken husband died 18 days later after 44 years of togetherness."
(http://www.smashinglists.com/10-heart-touching-and-legendary-love-stories-from-history/)
Ultimate "awww" factor: This couple has an Irving Berlin musical about theme in Annie Get Your Gun.
Victoria and Albert: Totally my second favorite couple ever. I'm talking about Queen Victoria and Prince Albert...you know, they have a Five Diamond Restaurant named after them? He's famous of "being in a can", she has an entire time period and a famous lingerie store? Oh, they also had enough children to keep general peace in Europe for pretty much 100 years. If you haven't seen the movie, The Young Victoria, Go. See. It. Now.

Ultimate "awww" factor: Victoria is crowned Queen in 1837. Since she was heir to the throne, she was automatically Queen without being married. Thus, a man could not propose to her, she must propose to him and he would not be King unless she named him such. Once she named him King, her role as Queen would be subservient to his as King. Hence, Albert was always Prince Albert. While this is very much like Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, you must realize Victoria and Albert were 200 years earlier. Oh yeah, she also stayed in mourning after his death for 40 years. For forty years the Queen of England wore only black. Now that's love.

What Would Lincoln Think?

noreply@blogger.com (MaryH) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 14:51:00 +0000

Today is Abraham Lincoln's birthday. During his life, Lincoln was not considered the hero and cultural icon he is in 2012. During his political campaigns (which, by the way, before internet and television, were way, way more slandering and vicious than they are today) and his term as president, he was frequently compared to an ape or monkey, accused of being an uneducated backwoodsman.

Like many people who live under the public's scrutiny, Abraham Lincoln did receive his revered status until after his death. Obviously, not everyone hated Lincoln as a president, but he was assuredly unpopular and extremely hated (for Pete's sake, half the country tried to form a new country over the his winning the presidency). In the nearly 150 years since his assassination, Lincoln has grown in popularity. First the man who reunited the country after the most devastating war in our history, then as the Great Emancipator, and now, as something of an invincible pop icon.

What do you suppose Lincoln would make of these interpretations of him?

This might be my "favorite"...

I've no idea who did most of these drawings, but obviously it wasn't me.

Why are Weddings So Insane?

noreply@blogger.com (MaryH) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 22:36:00 +0000

I've been having blogger's block lately and can't think of anything interesting to write. Since I've only written twice this month so far, it's time I come up with something. I just checked my email and had a notification that there are now under eight months til my impending nuptials. Yay.....not. Let me make a few things perfectly clear. One, I am thrilled to death to be getting married. Two, I'm not an "anti-bride" by the warped definition of it. Three, I have most certainly not been dreaming of my wedding since I was a little girl.

First things first. It seems to me that there are two types of bride categories out there. The first is the range that goes from "I want this beautiful, romantic wedding that I have been envisioning since I was four" to the raving, "I said ecru not champagne!" bridezilla. I am most definitely not in this category. I had thought, originally, I was in the latter category, the "anti-bride" which ranges from "oh-ho, weddings are so silly, we're going to have a picnic under the stars and all of our guests will be so delighted with our whimsy!" to the "I just love my purple gown, its so funky, and my groom is dressed as a vampire, it's so different, its so us, I'm such an anti-bride!"

I don't fit in this category either. See, apparently, if you haven't spent your whole life dreaming of your wedding day, you are supposed to fall into the latter category as in, from what I gather, you don't like traditional wedding stuff. Well, I guess I'll just have to start a new category. One for brides who want to have a wedding in a church (or some other religious site), wear the white dress, invite their nearest and dearest, but just don't see the need to spend $25,000 on one day.

Personally, I want a traditional wedding. Get married in our church, white dress, champagne toast, dinner for our family and closest friends, ...I even wanted to leave the reception for our honeymoon.What I don't want is a white dress that I'm going to wear once that's going to run me $3,500. I don't want champagne that's $150 a bottle and balanced on top of an ice sculpture of my new last name. I don't want a freaking caviar station! I would love to know why dinner, music, and a couple of portraits are going to cost more than a new car.

I can't be the only bride out there who is sick to death of the wedding hoopla without hating the idea of a traditional wedding. If I get decent response to this post, I will be happy to start a second blog as a place to compile stuff for sane wedding planning. A site where brides posting about their dress that cost over $1000 will be laughed away.

"Band of Brothers"---Friday Night Movie Review

noreply@blogger.com (MaryH) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 20:49:00 +0000

Historical Event Accuracy: 10/10
Plausibility: N/A
Costume Authenticity: 10/10
Historical Violence: 10/10
Stomach Turning Violence: 7/10
Acting Quality: 9/10
Story Line: 9/10
Eye Candy: 7/10
Music: 8/10
Cinematography: 10/10
Overall Score: 80
Band of Brothers is the HBO mini-series about the 101st Airborne (Easy Company) during World War II. The each episode begins with interviews from the surviving members of Easy Company and mainly the commander, Dick Winters. I highly recommend it.

February Goals

noreply@blogger.com (MaryH) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:34:00 +0000

Yesterday I decided to start making a monthly goal list instead of just New Year's Resolutions. I will be continuing some of the goals from last month, ones that I anticipated taking more than a month to accomplish, but I am also adding in a few new goals for February, alone. The reasoning behind this is to make some of the goals more obtainable. For instance, I made absolutely no headway on my vague "Lost weight" resolution.

So with out further ado:

February 2012 Goals

1) I would like to lose between 5-10 pounds. I think five is bit low, but 10 is a bit unhealthy to lose (judging on my body type) in just 29 days. If I can do it, great, but I'd like all my goals to be obtainable. I'm going to start by omitting soda and working out at least three times a week. My ultimate goals is to lose about 40lbs before September.

I'll just go on a side tangent briefly if you want to follow my weight loss tracking. I'm getting married October 6, 2012 (yay!), up until the end of last November, I was taking a medication that caused weight gain...about 35 pounds (definitely NOT yay.) I am a self-proclaimed hungry person. There are some people who are like, "Oh, yes I can handle a diet of yogurt and green tea and lean chicken once a day!" That, unfortunately is not me. However, I am also not the kind of person who is like, "What? No chocolate? I'll die!!!!" I'm just someone who needs three meals a day. So, prepare yourself for quests of healthy snacks and the discovery of new fruits and vegetables.

Anyway, I'm not quite bold enough to post my weight on the internet, but at the end of each month, I will post my negative (hopefully) number of pounds.

2) I intend to get some sort of job this month. Whether it's a part time retail position, a substitute teacher position, or a nanny or what have you remains to be seen. I am, however, bored and business is just too slow. I more likely than not will not be blogging about said job, but I'll let you know when I get one and you can give me a commentary high-five when it happens.

3) I am going to keep on this blog. I wrote 15 blogs last month which was more than 25% of the total blogs I wrote in 2011. As part of my whole figuring out what I want to do in my life stage that I'm in, I DO know that I love to write and blogging pretty much daily is a step in the right direction. This month I'm hoping to start a new category, The History of Weddings. As aforementioned, I'm getting married which means I am bombarded with what I like to call "wedding crap" at every turn. In an effort to sort through the muddle, I'm eliminating nearly everything that does not have an interesting historical significance. Since it's February and Valentine's Day and all that stuff, I figure this is a good month to start sharing what I'm learning.

4) I have these piles of books in my room...it's bad. I'm going to read at least two of them this month. Hopefully more, because I want to have read them by the time I move in October and going two a month is not going to accomplish that goal.

5) I would really like to book a show a week. However, I'm going to be happy booking two shows this month...three would be super awesome.

6) I want to get my taxes done. My regular, personal taxes are all like whatever, but I'm kind of scared to death of business taxes. So, this week I need to gather all my payment stubs and receipts for write-offs etc, etc. and get organized. I'm hoping to make an appointment for the week after next. Gulp!

7) I should have some sort of specific goals in wedding planning...ho hum...Save the Dates? Idk. I'll fill you in on whatever I accomplish on the 29th.

8) Keep up the New Year's Resolutions. Not procrastinating, stepping foot in a church, saving money, keeping positive, all that fun stuff.

Wish me luck!

New Year's Resolution Recap

noreply@blogger.com (MaryH) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:28:00 +0000

Today is the last day of January. We are one month in to 2012 and I thought it would be apropos to check in with my New Year's resolutions which I had posted here. So, lets review, shall we?

First on the list was blog more frequently. I had aimed for 15 blogs a month and this entry makes 15. In retrospect, I think 15 was a bit high, although doable. I think I shall be happy with a minimum of 12 a month. I sometimes found myself racking my brain searching for something to write about. However, January 2012, by the end of today will definitely be my second most read month since I started Mary's Modern Mishaps and it has the potential to be the MOST read month to date. That's a good accomplishment in my book.

Second on the list was to crack down on procrastinating. As this is a life change, the results are a little bit slower to come by, but I am pleased with what I have achieved so far. When I have had an idea, I have put my nose to the grindstone and at least started and made headway on many a goal and project. I even spent a day last week in a chair that is normally used as a pile-holder. I have made some headway with wedding planning, Greg and I have seen more than a few venues for sure.

Number three was to view Mary's Historical Programs as a full time job and not just a side business. I have tweaked this goal slightly. I have been pushing and working on the business a lot more than I have in the past. However, because I am in the fledgling stages still, its illogical to consider in a full time business as it does not make enough money to support me. I have revamped the webpage, created new programs, started a new ad campaign, and spent a few days this month actually working the business from 9-5 like a "real" job. Additionally, I have been interviewing and applying to jobs all month and have been quite lucky with scoring interviews at least. I consider this to be much better than the situation last year, so successful in my book.

Okay, four and five were pretty much failures. I haven't gone to church yet this year and I did start a work out regime earlier this month, but fell off it with a killer cold that I am still trying to shake. Coupling this with three fourth birthday celebrations and saving money by getting pizza instead of going out to eat has not helped. So four and five need some serious review and revamping.

Six was to organize finances and that has definitely been achieved. I won't say it is complete until tax season though. Seven was to pay off a student loan, I haven't quite gotten there yet, but I have paid off one credit card (okay, so the balance was $16.00) and I'm very close to paying off Banjo's vet bills, so that's a start. Eight was to save money and its success depends on how we decide to look at determining it. On one hand, we have been putting more money into our wedding fund and generally spending less. On the other, we have run into some financial hiccups that are causing less income.

Nine was to watch the AFI's 10 year anniversary of the 100 greatest movies ever made. We watched The Godfather, Gone With The Wind, and got through half of West Side Story. We, then encountered a power failure that brought the cry of, "Oh, Thank GOD!" from Greg who flat out refused to watch the rest of it. I think we will be altering the plan to watch all 100. I'm just glad Greg made the call before we decided to sit down for the three hour silent film on the list.

Number ten was to stay positive and on top of everything and so far, so good. There have definitely been a few "off" days, but ultimately, I'm feeling pretty good about this year and I am enjoying making goals and accomplishing them. Finances, as always, are my biggest concern, but Greg and I are working together to focus on what we want and how we are going to get there and that has been very reassuring. I think tomorrow I might list my goals for February, why just work on goals for the whole year at a clip. I think I'll make this a monthly thing!

New Ad Campaign!

noreply@blogger.com (MaryH) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:37:00 +0000

I am totally starting a love-affair with Vista Print. Although their website looks a little dubious, I had seen their ads so much and was willing to give one of their promotional campaigns a try. Last week, I order 100 "free" postcards as advertisements for Mary's Historical Programs. They charged me to use my own design, but it was only a paltry $4.99 and the design is saved now for future use, and the charged shipping which was six dollars and change. Thus coming to under $12.00 for the entire order. Not bad at all.
Previously, I have done mailings which cost me less monetarily, but I'm sure a great many envelopes received were sent right into the junk mail file before even being opened. The beauty of the post card is the glossy picture right on the front. I would think receiving a post card for people in Civil War clothes would at least garner a "What is this for?" reaction. So, major perk number one.

Major perk number two is the cost of postage saved. Mailings aren't cheap at $0.44 a stamp. Postcards require much less postage thus saving an additional pretty penny. The third major perk is the speed it will take to send these bad boys out. You can't put a price on the time it took to assemble three to four sheets of paper, tri-fold them, stuff and seal the envelope (oh, another omitted cost!), and hand address and return address them all. All the while knowing half of them would be thrown away.

The postcards arrived Saturday, but I just picked them up this morning (they didn't fit into my postal box) and they are fantastic. I have them printed on both sides with full color on the front. I just have to address them, slap on a stamp, and drop them in the mail. Quick ad campaigns are something I can definitely get behind. To top it off, Vista Print included a 25% off everything on their website coupon. Very nice.

I am most pleased with my purchase and will definitely be ordering from Vista Print again. I have pretty high hopes that this ad campaign will have a higher return rate than my previous mailings have had, so here's hoping I'm correct!

In Defense of "History is Booooooring"

noreply@blogger.com (MaryH) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 20:25:00 +0000

Normally, I refrain from the "multiple letters for emphasis" typing, but the complaint of history being boring is often spoken this way...usually by begrudging high school students. This remark used to drive me absolutely wild it's so ludicrous. I have learned, however, that high school history teachers can make history incredibly boring, so I'm a bit more sympathetic when I hear such things.

I once did a presentation for a high school teacher who told me, between classes, how amazing I was getting his students interested in, granted, a rather dull time period. While this was a flattering and lovely compliment, I couldn't help but notice when the first student came in to each class, this same teacher greeted him or her with, "Oh-ho! Who's the eager beaver today?!?" Oof. I'll fill you in more on my advice for history teachers at another time.

Anyway, sometimes my history friends and I gather together and have lengthy discussion on how people can find history boring. My fiance says, "it's a story that actually happened, how can that not be cool?" This is a fantastic way to look at it. If you can be a fan of any historical movie or book, I really cannot fathom how you could not find what actually happened more interesting.

Now I'm sure a scientist thinks science is super cool and an English professor thinks Shakespeare is totally fascinating, and I'm sure they are to them. I'm not saying everyone must find history interesting. On a whole, some subjects, even I will admit are pretty boring...I am so bored with almost anything political it isn't funny. I'm talking about breaking down history to an individual level. For example, I find politics boring, but certain presidents, to me, are fascinating individuals. The same thing can be said about science. As a whole, I find it pretty boring, but I can get embarrassingly engrossed in "How it's Made" and Animal Planet.

Learning about History is what you make it. Stay tuned for my ideas on how to engage students in history.

Wise Words from Winston

noreply@blogger.com (MaryH) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 20:24:00 +0000

Winston Churchill is one of most delightfully quotable people. Today, I reference Churchill's speech to England after a Blitz during WWII:

I realize the audio is a bit difficult, but he says "Never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never-in nothing, great or small, large or petty - never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy."

The entire speech can be read here.

Yesterday's post was about my frustrations running Mary's Historical Programs and trying to make a living. I often turn to history when I'm feeling overwhelmed and discouraged. Life is never as bad as it was and one's problems can always be worse than they are.

I'm not an optimistic person in any way, shape, or form, but I am a reformed pessimist. In other words, when I try something, I tend to go in assuming I'm going to fail, but with the intent to keep trying until I succeed. I call myself a realist. Regardless how you might categorize yourself, it's important to keep in mind that every great accomplishment came after a string of failures. It's much better to try and fail repeatedly than to succeed on your first attempt, that's the luck of "one-hit-wonders!"

Here are some other great inspirational quotes from historic figures:

"I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work."--Thomas Edison

"The probability that we may fail in the struggle ought not to deter us from the support of a cause we believe to be just"--Abraham Lincoln

"Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure... than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much, because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat." --Theodore Roosevelt

"Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently."--Henry Ford

Okay, this one has nothing to do with history, but it's always helped me:

What helps you to "Keep Moving Forward?"

No Apologies

noreply@blogger.com (MaryH) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 21:59:00 +0000

I have been feeling very negative these past few days, which has made it difficult to blog. In my first post, as I have mentioned plenty of times since then, I said I never wanted to whine or be annoying in Mary's Modern Mishaps. I am finding that I am often frustrated because I am so worried and wrapped up in other people's feelings, I never do what I want. So, today, I don't care. Today, I am going on a tangent.

I am convinced the job market is the way it is because people only think about themselves. Those who are making billions of dollars a year look for ways to cut spending in their companies. Now, if they looked for ways to cut spending in their personal lives, I'm sure they would realize they don't need to be making billions. Yes, I am aware, and actually support the idea of someone working to the point of making hundreds of thousands of dollars a year. My rant here is NOT about who deserves what pay, it is about what happened to the decency of mankind.

I have a question for the CEO who looks to increase his billion dollar empire by opening another Wal-mart, Starbucks. or any other dime a dozen franchise: how do you sleep at night? I'm not eloquent enough to express indignation, but I urge you to watch Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Prices.

That is the entire movie, just fyi, available on YouTube. The only word to describe it is: DISGUSTING.

I don't anyone to think I am writing this blog because of the situation I am in. I have been very lucky to have received several interviews this month, alone. However, many jobs are advertised as one thing and are ultimately a sales job. If you are happy in a sales job, that's great. To me, however, there is nothing ickier in legal professions than a sales job, save maybe a defense lawyers for child murderers or something. Anyway, I happen to feel like my purpose in life is greater than to make money for a company.

Greg says I spend too much time worrying that my job defines me. He's probably right (he usually is) but I still feel like if you spend the brunt of your time doing something, it ought to be worthwhile. I guess it shouldn't define you, per se, but it should be something you are passionate, or at least proud, to represent. Shouldn't your daily actions be something you are proud of? Don't you want to know that what you are doing is worthwhile? I know I do.

I love running my own business. Sure, the taxes are daunting and the money is really, really bad right now, but it's all my responsibility. I have already booked enough shows to earn more than half of what I earned all of last year. That's not a bad start. I really don't think I can survive on just Mary's Historical Programs right now, but what annoys me is the most is how negative the response is. Yes, some people are very supportive, but a lot of people are "realistic," in their own words.

Let's be realistic then, shall we? First of all, most things people bring up to be "helpful" are often just insulting. "Do you realize the statistic are ___?", "Do you know how hard that is?", and "What are you going to do for money?" are some of my favorites. I find it insulting to think that people assume I haven't done any research when it comes to starting/running a business. As far as money is concerned, I'm not opposed to a part-time job, since I have researched, I know how very difficult making money can be. That's why I'm going to WORK to make my business SUCCEED!

I really, really hate when someone thinks I should have a full-time job instead of running my own business. Would I like to be rich? Well, is the Pope Catholic? For Pete's sake, who wants to be broke? However, I just don't have it in my nature to do something I hate so I make "decent pay." You can't put a price on happiness or self value. I'm proud of my business and I take it seriously. It's hard work trying to make a living independently and, right now, it's impossible, yes. I may have made roughly one month of "decent pay" last year, but that's no reason to give up.

Granted, Mary's Historical Programs, is not the next McDonald's or about to be backed by Donald Trump, but that's no reason why I shouldn't take myself as seriously as such companies. My work is original and it's a passion to me. It brings historically accurate information to people and it brings entertainment to many people who are often unable to go out for it. I make people smart and happy, which, I think, are two very admirable things to be.

I will end my tangent here. For future reference, my inability to stop ranting is why I strive to not rant.
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Concert: February 11, 2012, Bridgeton, NJ

noreply@blogger.com (MaryH) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 00:12:00 +0000

Just before Christmas, a Civil War monument was vandalized in Bridgeton, NJ. A complete synopsis on the incident can be found here. Some lovely fellow reenactors are having a benefit concert on February 11, 2012 at the Everett P. Marino Center at 7:30 p.m. The cost is (tax-deductible) $10.00.

To find out more information, please check out the link here: http://www.12thnjvolunteerscok.org/Bridgeton_Civil_War_Monument_Vandalized.html

ROFLMAO! History Major Memes

noreply@blogger.com (MaryH) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 17:00:00 +0000

Although I have known what a meme is for quite some time now, I have fairly recently learned they are called, "memes" and I still don't know how to pronounce them, but they can be quite entertaining. I was delighted to discover an entire genre (I guess I can call it a genre) of meme's dedicated to history majors called The History Major Heraldic Beast.
Here are some of my favorites:

"There are three rules to warfare: 1) Don't invade Russia. 2) Don't invade Russia. 3) Don't invade Russia in the winter."---My Major Adviser, wise words indeed.

I was once asked by a 12 year old I was leading a class trip for about the Revolution (entirely wrong time period) and why we are now friends with the British...thirty minutes later, I'm pretty sure even the teacher regretted his asking.

Top Historically Educational Children's Songs

noreply@blogger.com (MaryH) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 00:19:00 +0000

It's really amazing how many songs from children's movies, or just nursery rhymes teach an accurate history lesson. As always, no particular order to the list:

Top Historically Educational Children's Songs

1) "Sister Suffragette" from Disney's Mary Poppins. I would be lying if I said that whenever this song pops in my head (which is far too frequently) I really, really want to create a program called, "Well Done, Sister Suffragette!" for Mary's Historical Programs. Anyway, despite Mrs. Banks debatable parenting skills, you simply can't deny what a catchy tune she has...no wonder she sings it all the way home. Also, when she mentions Mrs. Pankhurst being clapped in irons again and Mrs Whitman-Allen chaining herself to the prime-minister's car, that stuff totally happened. Too bad Katy Nana was such a killjoy.

2) "Virginia Company" from Disney's Pocahontas. Well, in 1607, a bunch of Englishmen sponsored by the Virginia Company sailed to the New World for Glory, God, and (the prospect of) Gold...also known as the 3 G's in college history classes. They even got the part about the Virginia Company saying whatever was needed to get them to sign up: "or so we have been told by the Virginia Company." Nicely done, Disney! Sadly, there pretty much isn't one other accurate part of this movie.

3) "Ring Around the Rosy"--Nursery Rhyme. I would apologize for not posting a video with someone singing, but each one was more disturbing than the next so it's really better this way. This seemingly harmless little ditty finds its roots in the days of Bubonic Plague. "Ring around the rosy" is referencing the rosy red ring-like rash that was one of the first symptoms. "Pocket full of posy" refers to using herbs to ward off the disease. The third line is debated as "Ashes, ashes" which could refer to burning herbs in one of these slightly terrifying doctor masks or it could also refer to burning corpses. It is also speculated the line is actually, "At-choo, at-choo" as in sneezing. Anyway you cut it, the last line, "we all fall down" is in reference to wait for it... dying. In a nutshell, the first three lines are about possible traits of Black Death, but in the end, if you got it, you died. seriously, take that in, "we ALL fall down." Not even a lone survivor.

4) "Sit Down, John" from 1776. I am madly in love with this movie. Madly, like obsessed. I first saw this movie when I was under six, so I'm grouping it with kid's movies. Yes, there is profanity (occasional and mild) and references to sex (Jefferson takes his wife "to bed" and scandalizes Adams...I legitimately thought they were taking a nap until I was 12-ish) Anyway, any song from this movie is historically accurate, but the amount of information handed out in the first ten minutes of this movie could very well be a record. Even if you zoned out on his talking, in this song alone, we know: John Adams is a royal (haha, get it) pain in the butt, it's hot and miserable, congress is in Philadelphia, the date is hanging in the background,...even the complaint about flies is dead on. Honestly, the only glaring wrong in this movie is when they all sign the declaration on July 4th. This will have to be a movie review at some point.

5) The Presidents Song by the Animaniacs. This was such a great show, full of satire way over little kids' heads. I miss it. I will give you that this song is, obviously, outdated, but it still has the brunt of our presidents and it has them in order, in a catchy tune. Some of what the Animaniacs accuse certain presidents of is embellished and/or common misconception, but they make up for it with historical accuracy elsewhere. For instance, you probably know by now that George Washington never actually cut down a cherry tree...but there is a story as to why that story was made up. However, Franklin Pierce, really had a weak chin.

6) "No Cats in America"- from An American Tail. I know what you are thinking, "There are TOO cats in America! How can this be historically educational?" Well, it's pretty simple. The cats represent the troubles from the "old country." I'm sure you have heard of immigrants thinking the streets of New York are paved with gold, well, I suppose if you are mouse "gold" could be "cheese." As the mice sing, "the streets are paved with cheese." Yes, the make it silly for children, but the idea of the mice (immigrants) fleeing the cats (problems) of the their country to come to America makes sense. This is something that sparks the interest to learn the real story.

7) "Territory Folk"- from Oklahoma! There was a major issue between ranchers and farmers in the territories throughout the latter half of the 19th century. Although I imagine such arguments were seldom resolved by fiery old women and vicarious dancing, here is one such example.

8) The Preamble- from School House Rock. Do I really need to explain why this is historically educational? After the bit of when the constitution was written, the sing it. Word for word.

9) "Honor to Us All"- from Disney's Mulan. Like other songs on this list, "Honor to Us All" adds a little silliness to the history. Mulan does not need a "great hairdo" but the jist of the song, especially, the magnitude of going to the matchmaker is spot-on. The concept of honor is still important to the Chinese culture, but in Mulan's time (she was supposedly a real person, btw) a girl married young and was often under the control of her mother-in-law. Being a good daughter-in-law was a way for a girl to bring honor to her family and, later, continuing the male ancestral line by "bearing sons."

100 Years, What Have We Learned?

noreply@blogger.com (MaryH) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 02:16:00 +0000

Not much, evidently. I'm not the first and I certainly won't be the last to compare the current cruise ship tragedy to the Titanic tragedy that happened just shy of a century earlier.
I have a special place in my history-loving heart for the Titanic disaster. In third grade, there was a unit in my education that centered on the Titanic and it was the first historic event that ever struck my interest. I thought the Titanic was cool before the movie and while I was still thinking my favorite subject was Science. Anyway, I've been doing a lot of observing of the media and public in light of this accident, and I can't help but imagine it must be incredibly similar to what people were saying and reporting in 1912.

Let's compare and contrast, shall we?

Date of Disaster
Costa Concordia: January 13, 2012
Titanic: April 15, 1912

Time from Impact to Help Arriving
Cost Concordia: 9:30 p.m.-10:20 p.m.
Titanic: 11:40 p.m.-4:10 a.m.

Number of Passengers
Costa Concordia: approx. 3,200
Titanic: approx. 1,300

Number of Crew
Costa Concordia: approx 1,000
Titanic: approx. 900

Number of Casualties
Costa Concordia: >100
Titanic: <710

Number of Lifeboats
Costa Concordia: oddly, I can't find a number, but I counted 13 on one side, assuming I can double it for the other side of the ship, approx: 26
Titanic: approx 20

I hate to come off as callous, but the Titanic wins in the tragedy competition. What makes the incident with the Costa Concordia so tragic is the fact that it happened at all. When all is said and done, the only similarities here are: both Titanic and the Costa Concordia were fancy ships that sank and cost people their lives.

Unconventional Weight Loss Plans

noreply@blogger.com (MaryH) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 23:24:00 +0000

One of my, and probably many others', New Year's Resolutions is to drop those extra pounds I've been toting around since 2011. I have been using the treadmill at Greg's house which has been tolerable, but I don't have one at my house, so I need to come up with a regime for when I'm home. I like to multitask, so I was thinking to myself, "How can I make the most of my exercise time?" The solution, of course, was to learn some history at the same time which I can turn-key to my lovely readers. Read on to discover some of the more unconventional weight loss plans...

Let's be honest here, fat is a 21st century problem. Believe it or not, women used to complain about being skinny.

Alas, if only I could GAIN 10 pounds!

Yeah, suddenly, I'm not the only girl wishing for a time machine. Anyway, decades ago, people were skinnier. I'm a big believer in the invention and availability of automobiles being a big contributor to that. If you had to walk or even ride a horse everywhere, you'd be a lot skinnier too. So, Unconventional Weight Loss Plan #1: Ditch the car. For some people, this is pretty easy to do; for others, not so much. I, for one, live off a major highway so walking is easier said then done. When I lived in Gettysburg, I used to walk EVERYWHERE and I was in the best shape of my life. Moved back to New Jersey and kissed those days goodbye.

Weight loss doesn't have to be miserable, look at all the fun things oldey-time folks did that helped keep them skinny! I've been thinking about adding a new era to Mary's Historical Programs, so how about a nice Flapper impression? Yes, I am thinking of Charleston-ing my way thin:

That is a full-body work out right there. Here is a more modern (read: clearer) version:

And oh, yes, there are You Tube videos to teach it. Unconventional Weight Loss Plan #2: Dance it Off!

I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm a hungry girl. I am completely incapable of dieting. I feel like once I establish this, I can learn to work with it. Everybody has their weakness, maybe yours is butter or cheese, here's Unconventional Weight Loss Plan #3. Get rid of your weakness and only eat what you make. There are directions to make your own butter, cheese, even chocolate. Double perk, you get to eat what you want and you can burn the calories while you try your darndest to make it.

Going hand in hand with making your own food, you can always do Unconventional Weight Loss Plan #4: Go Green! Why not hand wash your own laundry? Really scrubbing your clothes on a washboard can really work your arms. Hand wash dishes, grow and maintain your own vegetable garden, walk (as aforementioned) and get creative!