My daughter gave me a guided journal titled: “Mom, I want to hear your story” — the answers to the questions will be posted to this page. (Some things I am not going to post for privacy…)
- It’s Your Birthday
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Birthday: November 29
Birth name: Cassandra Dale Swenson
Were you named after a relative or someone else of significance?
To hear my mother tell it I would have been Harley David if a boy and originally Summer Love as a girl. Let’s all just be thankful she came to her senses and neither of those atrocities landed on the birth certificate.
Cassandra comes from the Greek prophetess. Dale is my maternal Grandfather’s middle name.
In what city were you born? Are you trying to guess my password security checks??
What was your length and weight at birth? Uuuhh… less than they are now.
Were you born in a hospital? If not, where? No, I descended from on high… 🙄Yes, I was born in a hospital.
What were your first words? Geez, I really can’t recall, but fairly certain it was something like “waaaa”.
How old were you when you started to walk? I never asked…
How old were your parents when you were born? 17
How did your parents describe you as a baby? I never asked…
What stories have you been told about the day you were born? The main ones that come to mind are that the nurses kept trying to get my unwed mother to sign me away for adoption. It was very unacceptable at the time for her to have a baby outside of marriage.
I was also told that my Grandpa walked a rut in the waiting room floor and filled the whole place with menthol cigarette smoke. (Yes, kids, you used to be able smoke in hospitals…)
After I was cleaned up, the nurses thought I was jaundiced. They misinterpreted my Sicilian coloring for sickness until my sperm donor made an appearance.
What is a favorite childhood memory? I honestly don’t remember much from when I was very young. I remember clearly the jarring episodes that I would rather forget.
- What happened the year you were born?
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You should check out this website: https://whathappenedinmybirthyear.com/ it’s very entertaining.
Richard Nixon was the President and would win his second term in the November elections.
According to Wikipedia…
Nixon ordered the development of the Space Shuttle Program – a program I would grow up with and watch it’s decline and finally shuttering.
The last draft lottery was held, no one from that roster was called to duty.
In August, the last ground troops are withdrawn from Vietnam.
Mariner 9 sends pictures from Mars. Pioneer 10 is launched, the 1st man-made satellite to leave our solar system.
70 nations, including the US and USSR (now Russia) sign an agreement to ban biological warfare. The SALT and Antiballistic missile treaties are signed later in the year.
The Boston Marathon officially allowed women to compete (after previously arguing they did not have the physical stamina).
In another reversal of male stupidity… the first female FBI agents are hired.
Okinawa is returned to Japan after 27 years of US occupation.
Watergate, leading to Nixon’s removal hits the news mid-year.
This is an important one…. Atari releases the arcade version of Pong! <<– ON MY BIRTHDAY!
Appollo 17 is the last crewed mission to the moon in the 20th century.
The Godfather is the highest grossing movie and wins tons of awards, Marlon Brando wins an Academy Award for Best Actor. (And everyone had to go to a theatre to see it! No streaming, video tapes, whatever.)
Cabaret was a hit musical for which Liza Minelli won many awards.
The highest rated TV show was one called “All in the Family” — it was a sitcom, and it would never pass muster in today’s society. The main character was openly racist and homophobic which at the time American viewers deemed hilarious.
The top selling book was “Jonathan Livingston Seagull” by Richard Bach. I’ve never read it and have no intentions to do so.
These were the Top 40 singles the week I was born:
PAPA WAS A ROLLIN’ STONE –•– The Temptations
I AM WOMAN –•– Helen Reddy
I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW –•– Johnny Nash
I’D LOVE YOU TO WANT ME –•– Lobo
IF YOU DON’T KNOW ME BY NOW –•– Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes
SUMMER BREEZE –•– Seals and Crofts
YOU OUGHT TO BE WITH ME –•– Al Green
IT NEVER RAINS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA –•– Albert Hammond
I’LL BE AROUND / HOW COULD I LET YOU GET AWAY –•– The Spinners
VENTURA HIGHWAY –•– AmericaIn the year I was born, here’s what things cost:
- Regular gas: 36 cents a gallon
- Rib-eye steak: $2.49 a pound
- Vanilla ice cream: $1.29 a gallon
- Milk: 89 cents a gallon
- Loaf of bread: 25 cents
- Eggs: 44 cents per dozen
- Bacon: 79 cents a pound
- Coffee: 66 cents a pound
- Chuck roast: 65 cents a pound
- Cantaloupes: 11 cents a pound
- Sweet corn: 5 cents an ear
- Paint: $3 a gallon (but it still had lead in it)
- Brand New Ford Mustang: $2500 (yeah, I need a flipping time machine now)
- New washer & dryer from Sears: $300
- US Average Home cost: $30,500
- Growing Up
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How would you describe yourself when you were a kid?
A tomboy. I climbed trees, built forts, played in the mud… There were no handheld video games, computers, streaming, etc. — I didn’t use my first computer until junior high. I did have my own newspaper, which was made by tirelessly using alphabet stamps, ink and paper. None of you people would have had the patience with all your ADHD. 🤣
Did you have a nickname when you were growing up? If yes, how did you get it?
Nickname was and still is Candy. Though I spell it ending with an i now. For a while I spelled it starting with a K. My Grandma gave me that name, something to do with Shirley Temple. It was so ingrained with everyone, that once when I had to say my real name in elementary school, no one believed me, not even my many cousins I was in class with.
Who were your best friends in elementary school? Are you still in contact with them?
Jenny, Melissa, LuAnn, Carol & Paul – no, I don’t keep in touch with anyone from my childhood.
What were your regular chores? Did you get an allowance? How much was it and what did you spend it on?
That wasn’t a thing. We didn’t have much so there wasn’t much to hand out. We took care of our things and cleaned up after ourselves because it was the expectation (not a chore). I helped with whatever I was told to.
When I was a bit older I spent most of my money on cassette tapes. (even later CDs, now digital)
Describe what your room looked like when you were growing up. Was it messy or clean? Did you have paintings or posters on the walls? What wre the main colors?
I shared a room with my sister for most of my childhood. We moved a lot and the rooms were usually pretty small. I know my side was definitely messy during my pre-teen years.
What is one thing you miss about being a kid?
Not having to pay a mortgage… go to work… worry about my health…
- Mom Triva
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Favorite flavor of ice cream? — Pistachio
How do you like your coffee? — Cream & Sugar
If you could live anywhere in the world for a year with all expenses paid, where would you choose? — Egypt
How do you like your eggs cooked? — In a CAKE!
Preference: cook or clean? — When do I get to choose this?? I don’t ever want to clean!
What is your shoe size? — That is a weird question? Why do you need to know my shoe size?
What super power would you choose for yourself? — All the things that start with TELE! Kind of like Dark Phoenix. Telepathy, Telekinesis, Teleportation — basically everything on this list: https://powerlisting.fandom.com/wiki/Category:Telekinetic_Powers
Do you have allergies? — Yes.
What is your biggest fear? — I’m not sure. But I am fairly certain that voicing it would result in something even more horrific happening that I haven’t imagined.
What would you order as a last meal? — Did I mass murder some people? Why do I have to choose my last meal?
Have you ever broken a bone? — Yes, but it was done surgically to correct a problem.
What is your favorite flower or plant?
- The Teenage Years
- How would you describe yourself when you were a teenager?
- Grunge, messy, angry, introverted… probably the standard.
- How did you dress and style your hair during your teens?
- Jeans, flannels, combat boots.
- Super short hair but with long, diagonal cut bangs that covered my face.
- Did you hang out with a group or just a few close friends? Are you still close with any of them?
- I had a group of very unsavory fiends. I superficially keep in touch with only one of them.
- Describe a typical Friday or Saturday night during your high school years?
- That would be akin to a written confession. While I am sure the statute of limitations has run out I opt to take the fifth.
- Did you have a curfew?
- Not via my mother. There was a short period during the Satanic panic where the city was enforcing curfews (that no one followed).
- Did you date during your high school years?
- Not really. I did have a boyfriend that was not in high school. There were other goings-on that i would not describe as dating.
- Did you go to any school dances? What were they like?
- I went to a single school dance. I went with my gal pal, which did not go over well. We went in jeans and t-shirts. I think we stayed for less than an hour cause it sucked so hard. The theme song was “If I Close My Eyes Forever” by Lita Ford and Ozzy Osbourne.
- Who taught you to drive and in what kind of car?
- Mr. Becker at the high school, when driver’s ed was still free.
- How old were you when you got your first car? What kind of car was it?
- My first ‘official’ car, as in not belonging to my mom or immediate family was an ugly brown Ford Fairmont. I think I was 18 or 19 at the time.
- What school activities or sports did you participate in?
- Drama club, did backstage stuff.
- School newspaper
- Forensics
- Choir
- What did like and dislike about high school?
- I didn’t really care either way. But I did take issue with school politics and being given detention for leaving last hour to go to work.
- What were your grades like?
- 9th Grade
- Biology — C\C
- Algebra — C-\D
- Geography — C
- English — C\B-
- Gym — B
- Art — B\B
- Keyboarding — B
- Careers — A-
- 10th Grade
- English — A-\B
- World History — B\B
- Geometry — B-\B-
- Accounting — C\B
- Gym — D\C-
- Shorthand — C
- Independent Living — A-
- 11th Grade
- Reading Enrichment — B+
- French — A\B
- IPS — A\C+
- Economics — B+
- US History — B\C
- Current Problems — A
- Writing for Publication — B-
- World Geography — B
- American Government — B
- I withdrew from school my Jr year so I could work because I needed to pay rent. I took my HSED exam in June of what would have been my Senior year and aced it.
- 9th Grade
- Did you have a favorite and least favorite subject?
- Favorites were Art & English
- Hated math and gym
- What are a few favorite songs from your high school years?
- Madonna, Prince, Cyndi Lauper, Bon Jovi, Michael Jackson and Starship were mainstream stuff. I was also loving things like Metallica, Guns & Roses, AC\DC, Ozzy, Black Sabbath and Led Zepplin.
- Write about a teacher, coach or other mentor who had a significant impact on you when you were growing up?
- My Grandparents
- My Drill Sergeant
- Knowing all you know now, what advice would you give to your teenage self? What might you have done differently in school if you knew then what you know now?
- Everything is temporary! High school is not the be-all, end-all of anything. It’s a blip on the radar of life so you should do what you like, hang with people that are actually decent to you and spend more time with your family.
- Just say NO to drugs, alcohol and men. Period, Full stop.
Some interesting things….
- Freshman in 1987
- The Simpsons first aired as an animated short on The Tracey Ullman Show.
- Johnny Depp was the universally accepted ‘hottie’.
- “Platoon” won the Oscar (released in 1986) and I was totally obsessed with it.
- Sophomore in 1988
- Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up” was released in 1988. I saw him in concert at the Minnesota State Fair in 1989.
- An awesome book that I read was “Queen of the Damned” by Anne Rice.
- The 1st and quintessential Christmas movie, “Die Hard” was released.
- Cosmopolitan magazine ran a completely FALSE and DANGEROUS article stating that women could not get HIV from men because it couldn’t be transmitted in the missionary position. Just leaving this hear as a reminder to ALWAYS CHECK YOUR FACTS. We didn’t have Google… many people actually believed this crap!
- “Beetlejuice” and “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” were big in theaters.
- I was probably watching “Growing Pains”, “Who’s the Boss?”, “Night Court” or “Alf” on TV.
- Junior in 1989
- August of 1989 was a personal flection point that I’d rather forget…
- The Berlin Wall came down in Nov 1989! (Technically (physically) in spring\summer of 1990)
- Tell my noisy Baby Bell that this was the year “The Little Mermaid” was first released.
- Seriously though, Johnny Depp was still totally a hottie.
- This PSA gem was first released: “This is your brain. This is your brain on drugs. Any questions?”
- I was probably talking about Wayne Gretzky or Janet Jackson.
- Would have been a Senior 1990
- Johnny Depp stopped being a hottie because I hated Edward Scissorhands. 🤮
- Madonna was probably the most famous person in America.
- CERN computer scientist, Tim Berners-Lee laid the foundation for the World Wide Web (and the modern Internet). In Dec 1990 he launched the world’s first website https://info.cern.ch/.
- The 1st live action TMNT movie came out!
- I was probably watching “In Living Color” and definitely NOT watching garbage TV “90210”.
- I enlisted in the Army Reserve. I did my basic training Fort Jackson, South Carolina the summer of 1990. I did my AIT at Fort Gordon, Georgia in the summer of 1991. This is when they had split-option training, not sure if they do that anymore. I was assigned to the USAR HHC, 385th Engineer Group in Fort Snelling, Minnesota.
- How would you describe yourself when you were a teenager?
- Beginnings
- What did you do after high school? Did you get a job, server in the military, go to college or a trade school? Something else?
- I had stupidly gotten married at 18 right before going to AIT at Fort Gordon. When I left Georgia I went to Florida to live with my new husband. That turned out to be a shit-show of epic proportions. My Aunt Chuckie thankfully got me a plane ticket back home.
- When I came back, I got my marriage annulled and started school in Ladysmith as an English major/Political Science minor. That also fell flat when I met my second husband and got pregnant.
- After my Katey was born, I went back to school at WITC in Rice Lake as an Accounting major. Shortly into that a new program for Computer Information Systems was started and I switched majors. I went into early labor with Austin during a math test at MSTC in Wisconsin Rapids.
- After divorcing husband #2 and starting to live my own life I went to back to college many times with no real end goal.
- I have an Associate of Science in Computer Information Systems and an Associate of Liberal Arts (General Studies) from the University of Wisconsin. I also hold several technical certifications.
- My up-to-date education record is here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cdfranck/details/education/
- How did this time period impact who you are today?
- Most of the choices I made as a young adult were focused on my kids. I wasn’t in a position to focus on myself until well into my 40s.
- If you could go back, what, if anything, would you change about this period of your life? Why?
- If I changed anything I wouldn’t have my kids so while there are things I wish I had done differently I probably would not go back and change them.
- What did you do after high school? Did you get a job, server in the military, go to college or a trade school? Something else?
- Work & Career
- When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
- Definitely an astronaut. After watching “Space Camp” I entered the Bubbalicious sweepstakes to win a trip to Space Camp about a million times. I won some space food and patches.
- What was your first job? How old were you? How much were you paid?
- I was a waitress at a diner in Prentice. I was 14 or 15. The owner paid me in cash and probably not much.
- How may jobs have you had during your lifetime? List a few of your favorites.
- Prentice Cafe, DNR, Burger King, Taco Johns, Country Kitchen, United States Army Reserve, Chat Line, Indianhead Community Action Agency, Marquip, Blount, Wausau Community Hospital (Aspirus), Fiserv –> United Health –> Optum, Virtustream –> Dell –> Rackspace.
- Once I started working jobs that used my CIS degree I stayed at those places for years. I really haven’t done a lot of job hopping.
- My current employer, Rackspace, definitely ranks as one of the best places I have worked. Dell was a good employer as well.
- What is the least favorite job you have had?
- I quit my job with both Aspirus and Optum.
- Is there a job or profession your parents wanted you to pursue? What was it?
- Not that I recall. My mom always told us we could do whatever we wanted.
- When people ask you what profession you are in, your response is…
- Systems Engineer
- How did you get into this career?
- I was in college for Accounting (and hating it) when one of the instructors roped me into a new Computer program they were starting.
- Technology changes so fast that most of what I learned in school was already obsolete when I started working so much of what I do know came via on the job training.
- What are the best parts of this profession?
- Learning new things.
- The paycheck.
- What aspects do you dislike about it?
- Being on-call all the time.
- Who was the best boss you ever had? Why were they such a good manager?
- I’ve been blessed with several good managers in recent years.
- The factors that make them the best are their ability to clearly disseminate information in a timely manner and to trust their employees to do their work without micro-managing.
- What are some of your work and career-related achievements that you are proudest of?
- I received an award for outstanding customer service which I was very proud of since I always put my customers and their systems first.
Job history: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cdfranck/details/experience
- When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?