Welcome to The Kitchen
First things first -- why "The Kitchen"? In my house, the
kitchen has been the center of activity for generations. The place where
everyone gathers for dinner, conversation, games and socializing. So, pour
yourself a cup of coffee (it's always fresh), pull up a chair, and sit a
spell. You'll learn all about me and my family.
Monday's child is fair of face,
Tuesday's child is full of grace,
Wednesday's child is full of woe,
Thursday's child has far to go,
Friday's child is loving and giving,
Saturday's child must work for a living,
But the child that's born on the Sabbath day
Is fair and wise and good and gay.
I've always loved this rhyme. I'm a Monday's child, born 02
November 1964 at 5:30 p.m., some 345 days after Kennedy's assassination.
At the time of my birth, my dad was stationed in Germany with the US Army
doing ordnance and demolition. I never met him until February 1966. As the
story goes, this strange man comes to the house. Mom says, "Jo, this is Daddy."
Looking confused, I looked to Mom then walked to the television where Dad's
picture sat. Taking the photo back to Mom and pointing to it, I said, "No,
Mommy, this is Daddy." I'm told it took me over six months before I trusted
this strange man. My dad passed away
23
October 1996, a day I'll always remember as the day I buried my best
friend.
Anyway, Mom and Dad didn't waste any time making up for lost
time. A brother (John) in 1967, twins (a boy, Chris and a girl, Kathy) in
1969, another brother (Carl) in 1970 and finally, a fourth brother (Jim)
in 1974 rounded out our little "gang." I suppose I had a normal childhood,
or as normal as it could be with five kids behind me. From the time John
came home, I became "Mother's Little Helper", providing an extra pair of
hands for Mom, who's hands were always full!
What are my siblings up to now that they've grown?
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John works for a Big Three auto manufacturer.
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Kathy teaches 8th grade and is Director of Religious Education at a parochial school.
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Chris is Director of Field Operations for a landscape supplier in Michigan, where he resides with his wife Valerie, sons Jesse and Dawson and daughter Victoria.
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Carl is Director of Field Operations for a landscaper. He, wife Lisamarie, daughter Jena and twins Thad and Nic reside in Ohio.
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Jim is a cable modem technician, married to second wife Sandy. He has three wonderful daughters, Shannon, Savannah and Charlotte. His son, Sebastian passed away on 27 July 1999 after only 66 short days with us.
Until I was 8, we lived on the near West Side of Cleveland,
Ohio. My grandparents were only blocks away and the Church seemed to be the
center of our lives. I attended St. Boniface Elementary School until Christmas
break of second grade. Cleveland's school system was undergoing major changes
then and the threat of bussing loomed over us. Crime was on the upswing and
it seemed our cozy little neighborhood was going down the drain rapidly.
On 22 December 1972, we moved to Brook Park, a small southwestern suburb
of Cleveland, where Mom still resides. In addition to the hustle and bustle
of the holidays, I was faced with entering a new school come January.
Chris, James, John, Carl |
 |
JoAnne, Mom, Kathy |
Funny, the things we remember as we age. I can remember every
teacher I had in grade school, recess, talent shows, life seemed so innocent
then. I was never the most popular girl, actually quite bookwormish and quiet.
I wasn't dressed in the latest fashions but rather hand-me-downs from my
cousins. Not exactly the way to win friends growing up. I think my only saving
grace was my brains and my attitude. As the story goes, when I was four,
a woman asked how old I was. Mom replied, "She's four." The woman was astounded!
"Are you sure she's not a 40-year-old midget?" Unlike four-year-olds today,
I had an excellent command of the English language, none of that "baby talk"
in my house, a wonderful imagination, an acute sense of responsibility and
a maturity beyond my years. And those fundamental foundations hold me head
and shoulders about my peers today as it did back then.
I was graduated from Berea High School, Class of '83, 111th out of
a class of over 500. I didn't excel at much of anything--was on the Speech
and Debate Team sophomore year, flag manager for the Marching Band junior
and senior years, editor of "The Focus" our school newspaper senior year
and managed a GPA of 3.45. High school was very difficulty for me. I didn't
seem to fit in any one group. I was too different. School was a place to
learn not socialize. I never attended any dances, including Senior Prom,
I didn't date and didn't "hang-out." I had too many responsibilities at home
clamoring for my time.
My parents didn't push me to go to college although I dreamed of going to
study journalism. Instead, I found a job three months after graduating at
a hotel as a secretary. God, was I a "babe in the woods" back then. I didn't
drive, at least not until I was 19, I didn't know about "real life" in the
"real world." I was very naive and often people took advantage of me. A
personality conflict with a co-worker ended that job eleven months later.
To no one's surprise but mine, as I looked for work, I realized I wasn't
qualified for anything. High school typing just isn't considered "experience."
In April 1986, I started Bryant & Stratton Business Institute which exposed
me to a world I've come to love--computers. After nine months, I was graduated
with an Executive Secretarial/Information Processing diploma and placed with
a leading bank, Ameritrust. Through two mergers, we are now KeyCorp and 15
years later, I'm an MIS Specialist with Victory Capital Management.
So, here I am, this 21-year-old entry level employee living at home. I never
moved out on my own until 1990. I couldn't believe the freedom and independence
that fell into my lap by living away from home. No one using the phone, eating
the food, hogging the bathroom or the television--it was and continues to
be a life-altering experience. In the interim, I still haven't dated, per
se. I did "see" the boy-next-door for a year, had a two-year affair with
a married man (which I DO NOT RECOMMEND) and learned that I don't need a
man in my life to define who I am. I have a cat, Woody, whom I adore, a career
I love and I've blossomed into the woman I am destined to be. I have "no
need to breed" as I've already raised five children and, you know something?
That's okay by me. I putter on the computer, design my own cross stitch,
crochet, love genealogy, music, reading, television, movies, nature and know
that in the grand scheme of things, I'm here for a purpose. What it is is
anyone's guess.
I hope you enjoyed this walk down Memory Lane with me. I know I've enjoyed
our time together immensely.