A penny doesn’t buy you much these days. In fact, legislators are recommending they stop making the penny. The cost of producing, handling, and counting penny coins is simply not worth it. Back in my day, a penny was worth something. The Penny Loafer’s opening in the strap was a good place to keep a penny or two for an emergency phone call. Pay-phones were once five cents. The penny was also seen as good luck. For brides it was  “Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, and a lucky penny in the shoe.” Back then, you wouldn’t walk by a penny and not pick it up. Like the saying went, “Find a penny, pick it up. All day long, you’ll have good luck.” Unless, of course, the penny was tails side up, then some people would turn it around for the the next person to find.  Some people believed that it was only good luck to pick up a penny if it was heads side up. But for children back then all pennies …

Back In My Day: Introduction For many of us, when we read “back in my day…” we envision an elderly person sharing their past and emphasizing how simple and, occasionally, how much better things were for them.  Sometimes, a grumpy older person will express how good we have it compared to their childhood experiences. Like, “I had to walk a mile to get to school… I had twice the amount of chores… I didn’t have nearly-half the amount of stuff kids have today… Although I still consider myself a youngin’, this cliche is quite fitting for the four part series that I am going to share next, on this blog. As we enter Spring, I am compelled to share my warm, weather stories of what my childhood was like, in the early 80s on the south side streets of Chicago. I hope you can join me on my ride down memory lane… Back In My Day: Part 1 – Old Fashioned Fun My street was 53rd and Wood. Unlike most Chicago neighborhood streets, it was …

Growing up in a Puerto Rican home had its cultural perks, as well as some comical quirks. The Salsa and Merengue music playing in the background throughout my childhood was definitely a perk… …While my Mom cooked dinner. As she stirred, mixed, and chopped the ingredients, there were times that her body would become one with the music, especially those hips of hers. They would sway back and forth. She was in her own world. …While my Dad washed his car on the street in front of our house. As he sprayed water from the hose, rubbed the sponge filled with dish washing soap, and dried the car with old torn bath towels, my dad would sing his heart out. He was in his own world. …While my Mom, Dad, sister and I, had our very own family dance off on a Saturday afternoon – usually triggered after  watching The Soul Train. As my sister and I watched our parents dancing, we would pay close attention to their posture: spine straight, chin up and shoulders …