My father was a natural musician who picked up instruments easily, playing mostly bebop jazz on the sax and clarinet. During the Korean War, he played in the Navy band and because he was also a fast …
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Ramona Jan
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10/18/22
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From my grandmother’s diary when she was sixteen and working in the family bakery. All first names mentioned are those of her siblings except for her schoolmate, Clara.
Oct 1st
Rain …
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Ramona Jan
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10/11/22
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Does anyone really become a writer without the influence of others upon their lives? Certainly, not me. We all have stories. It’s putting them on the page that needs careful consideration. I …
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Ramona Jan
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10/4/22
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My grandmother, Lina Dreher, was sixteen and working in the family bakery when she kept this diary. She has one brother, Joe, and six sisters some of whose names are mentioned. Lina’s excited …
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Ramona Jan
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9/27/22
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I’m walking across the Callicoon Bridge hoping that a large vehicle doesn’t traverse it at the same time when, not one, but two gigantic buses turn the corner. The bridge shakes, as my …
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Ramona Jan
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9/20/22
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From my grandmother’s diary when she was sixteen and working in the family bakery. All names mentioned are those of her siblings except for her friend Daisy.
Sept 3rd
Fred and …
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Ramona Jan
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9/13/22
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In between waves of nausea, I suddenly realized I could no longer breathe. I was facing a blank white wall in my bathroom and gasping for air, telling myself, just breathe, for God’s sake, just …
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Ramona Jan
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9/6/22
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I’m listening to the ‘huz’ (that’s short for husband) as he rehearses a plentitude of cover songs. He just debuted as ‘singer of the greatest songs’ at The Old …
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Ramona Jan
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8/30/22
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“There’s a phone call for you,”
“What? How could that be?” I was staying in a boarding house on the corner of Poplar and Atlantic in Wildwood, NJ. No one but my best …
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Ramona Jan
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8/23/22
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My grandmother, Lina Dreher, was sixteen when she kept this diary. Lina and her sister Tillie work in the family bakery where they recently installed a candy counter and ice cream parlor. In some …
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Ramona Jan
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8/16/22
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It started with tooth soap, a soft, long thread of creamy material used for brushing teeth typically made from saponified olive and coconut oils, distilled H2O, and Himalayan salt. The idea came from …
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Ramona Jan
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8/9/22
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My grandmother, Lina Dreher, was sixteen when she kept this diary. She worked as a store clerk in the family bakery/ice cream parlor. In this excerpt, she mentions visiting the grave of sibling Em …
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Ramona Jan
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8/2/22
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