Monthly Archives: July 2026

The Hana Chronicles: Month 6, Day 23

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Posted by on in children, Community, Education, Family, Historical, Inner Struggles, Personal Values, Social, Striving, Travel

July 14, 2026– Lunch is peaceful, when a bit of tactile feeding is involved. The food that ends up in Hana’s hands, as opposed to the spoon with which I feed her most of it, still ends up in her mouth-either by her own actions or by my scooping it from the body bib, high chair tray or food catcher at the base of the chair. What little finds its way to an unsanitary area, like the foot rest of the high chair-or the floor, is of course, discarded. She ate everything on her plate today.

How lunch proceeds also depends on the quality of her mid-morning nap. Even though that was brief today, she was energetic and happy, when she woke up. So, she probably slept pretty deeply. We also went out earlier than normal, so she had the extra pleasure of a cooler morning walk.

Hana is calling us “Papa”, “Daddy” and “Mama” more these days. She even used her own name and pointed to herself, for the first time, this afternoon. Her vocalizations, in general, have vastly increased, this week. She can also be quite loud.

HANA’S NOTE- I am happy with my name-and happy with the meals that Mama leaves for me. They feel nice and taste good.

YEAR IN REMEMBTANCE0 1966 Sophomore year went well, in every subject except Algebra I. Coach Stead tried his best, but I till didn’t get the hang of it. I managed to finally get a B in the course, in Mr. Quinlan’s summer course.

Most of our family summer vacations entailed a few days somewhere in the White Mountains of New Hampshire and 2-3 days at Johns Pond, in Mashpee, on Cape Cod. This year, after Mashpee, we took a day trip from nearby Woods Hole to Martha’s Vineyard. I like walking around Vineyard Haven, but more enjoyed a visit to a Wampanoag community, on the west of the island.

Junior Year, in the fall, brought Geometry, Chemistry and U.S. History, along with a dismal year of French- mostly because it entailed memorizing long lists of conjugated verbs-not my jam, then or now. One of my best friends was a freshman girl, who I had met at the beach over the summer. She was dating a sophomore boy, who also became a good friend. He and I sat in the back of Geometry Class and enjoyed one another’s snarky humour. We also managed to get through the class with Cs.

I hung out with a variety of kids this year. I had a ways to go with picking up on social cues, Joan and Charlie, to whom I alluded earlier, helped a lot, as did several of the guys in my neighbourhood- even though their name for the group was rather lame: “The Ave. Boys”. (We lived on or near Adams Avenue.) I walked over to Howard Johnson’s Restaurant, where one of the kids on my street worked. A number of teens from Saugus and nearby Melrose gathered there, mostly during the summer nights. We seldom drew the attention of the police-but Officer Gus Belmonte would chat us up and made it clear he expected no trouble from anyone. Gus was one of the better cops.

The Hana Chronicles: Month 6, Day 22

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Posted by on in Assistance, children, Education, Family, impediments, Personal Values, Social, Striving

July 13, 2026- When Aram is interrupted, while saying something he deems important, he will raise his voice and slow his cadence. He makes sure than he finishes what he has to say. Hana showed the same assertiveness, this morning. When she was talking, after having had a mildly hard adjustment to a new form of medication, I began to re-assure her that all was well. She wasn’t finished, and raised her voice to complete her vocal thought.

I’m proud of her for stepping up so early in life. Her sounds have a cadence to them that indicate clear thought, and they are interspersed with English and Korean words that fit the context of the situation. She was quite clearly processing her feelings about her experience.

As the day wore on, she was very much irritated with her slowly emerging top incisors. I can see them poking through the inside of her gums. There is no wondrous magic that helps a child deal with teething- from the first incisors to the misnamed “Wisdom Teeth”, of early adolescence. Only love and patience see us all through.

I left this evening, to help co-ordinate a Baha’i Spiritual Feast. When I got back, Aram and Yunhee said Hana had gone to sleep with only a minimum of fuss.She must have run out of steam. During the day, she is quite loud, when speaking, seemingly about a variety of subjects. I look forward to her “discourses” on whatever comes into her mind.

HANA’S NOTE- I have seen my Daddy insist on being able to finish his sentences. I am going to do the same. I think a lot about things and my thoughts can be put into words-even if grown-ups think I’m just babbling.

YEAR IN REMEMBRANCE-1965 This was the year I really started to build up my LP collection. I had a cheap record player, that I kept for ten years. I even brought the machine to college-where it was jokingly known to everyone in my dorm as “The Set”. I didn’t care; the old device fit my needs. It played all my LPs., from The Beatles and Stones to Andy Williams and Neil Diamond. It, along with my transistor radio. was my ticket to another world.

I got through every class in my Freshman year, except Algebra I. It would take me two more tries to pass the subject- my Sophomore regular year and Summer School, thereafter. Mr, John Quinlan finally made the light shine-and I moved up the math ladder.

My Sophomore Year’s teachers were a significant improvement over the Grade 9 crew. Biology, English Grammar and World History all were crystal clear. I still write under Miss Kochakian’s rules of punctuation and style. French, under Mme. Jeanne Gorton, was all the more so. The damage done by her predecessor was largely cleared up, with Madame Gorton’s Parisian flair and discipline. Algebra I remained a cipher, until Mr. Quinlan tied everything together, the following summer.

The Hana Chronicles: Month 6, Day 21

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Posted by on in children, collaborating, Community, Education, Family, Historical, impediments, Personal Values, Social, Striving

July 12, 2026- I heard Hana crying, this evening, so I went down to see what was going on. She was in the crib and wanted to get out-but it was bedtime. Her Daddy was right there, calmly waiting her out. She was excited that I had come in the room, but Papa was not rescuing her from her parents’ rules.

I went for a walk, instead, after saying “Goodnight” to her. Outside, the air was clean and cool. There was a small “rainbar” off to the east, as I walked along Red River Road, through a small section of Hoblitzelle Park, as far as the elementary school where Hana would study, if we stay here that long. (We’re doing fine here, but the kids are always looking for better opportunities-as well they should.)

While Aram was still at Drill, this afternoon, the three of us went to downtown Plano, with Yunhee and I enjoying iced maple lattes and a Cruffin, whilst Hana chilled in her stroller, just taking in the sights and sounds of Lemma Coffee House. After that, we walked over to Bibliobar, the small eclectic bookshop, where I gleaned, and purchased, a story about a little girl looking for home. It will be nice to read to Hana, as she grows.

HANA’S NOTE- Papa is usually indulgent, so I tried to get him to take me out of my crib-but, nothing doing. He backs my Mommy and Daddy up-darn!

YEAR IN REMEMBRANCE- 1964 I was in full puberty in Grade 8-actually, I had been for the previous two years. I was also gawky and had buck teeth, so not really boyfriend material. I made my share of friends though, once over the nervous tics that only put a wedge between me and the rest of the class. Grade 8 came to an end, in a peaceful way. The arsonist was caught, by good old Mr. Casey, after he tried to set fire to Veterans Memorial School, where we had transferred after the East Wing Fire and where Bill had transferred to work as custodian. The firebug was a classmate of ours, mentally ill and a loner. He got some of the help he needed, after that run of destruction.

My youngest brother, Brian, came along right after I “graduated” Grade 8. Being thirteen and a bit emotionally awkward, yet, I wasn’t the greatest big brother in the world-still focused on teasing David and on my own concerns. Brian and I grew to love one another, and in truth, we were the “Challenge Bookends’ for our parents. Me, by a series of bad choices’ and he, through no fault of his own. His life of physical and mental challenges was anchored by his loving nature, though, and he gave of himself as much as he could.

Grade 9, back on a normal high school schedule, after the reconstruction of the East Wing, was chaotic in other ways. The number of competent teachers we had this year: Two- the English instructor, the venerable Mrs. Adlington and the P.E. teacher, the unconventional, but very effective, Mr. McNeil. The other four need not be mentioned by name. Three were nice enough people-but incompetent. The fourth was just a nasty individual. I got along better with most kids this year.

The Hana Chronicles: Month 6, Day 20

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Posted by on in Assistance, children, collaborating, Community, Education, Family, Historical, Inspiration, Personal Values, service, Social, Striving

July 11, 2026- Hana was in her glory, this morning, as she had her Mommy to herself. She delights in my presence, yet, as one might expect, Mother is supreme. While they played and Yunhee fed her lunch, I went on a few errands-at Plano Farmers Market and H.E.B. Gas is a bit cheaper at the latter place than anywhere other than Costco-which is on the southwest end of town. My errands were on the northwest. I got lobster rolls for the three of us adults, as there was a food truck out of Dallas that offered wild-caught lobster, from the Gulf of Maine. That is a once-in-a great-while treat, as you might imagine.

Once back, I played with Hana for a while, showing her again about sitting with both buttocks on the floor. She managed to do that, for several seconds, and began to hop a bit. During the course of the day, and for the past few days, Hana has been vocalizing a lot more also. The cadence of her sounds suggests a message, an urgency, that is also reflected in her face. When we appear to understand that she is serious about the matter, she is pleased and we go through the anticipated needs she may have-food, milk, a clean diaper, exercise-or just someone to be with her. My granddaughter is a social being, much like her father and grandmother.

HANA’S NOTE- Of all the stories that Papa reads me, I like the princess stories the best, especially if the girls have to actually do something. I won’t be a lazy girl. That would be boring.

YEAR IN REMEMBRANCE, 1963- The first half of this year was not at all bad. I had a generally good experience in the rest of Grade 7. We spent a lot of time at the ocean (Lynn Beach) and at a pond (Breakheart). I had a good summer with the Boy Scouts also-a fair amount of camping. I left, though, at the end of summer-feeling hamstrung by my poor swimming ability. Aquatic skills are required for higher ranks in the Scouts.

Eighth Grade, though, brought hardship. A few bullies made a big deal about my autism, which was not really yet a diagnosed thing back then. I was just “weird”, in their view. I managed to do fairly well, academically, except for Math, where we were set to learn the binary system. The first quarter was terrible,but with tutoring from a next door neighbour, I made it back to ‘B’s and C’s’, the rest of the year. The Math teacher backed me up, when I stood up to the bullies. After that, things were okay for me, personally. For the school as a whole, though, it was one disaster after another. Someone set the old Junior High on fire. It burned to the ground, for the most part, leaving only a small section-which was renovated and became an elementary school. We were sent to the East Wing of the High School. There, we did double sessions, sharing with the freshman high school students. We went during the morning and the 9th graders went in the afternoon. The East Wing would itself later be destroyed by arson. While we were still there, though, President John F. Kennedy was shot and killed in Dallas, TX, by a still indeterminate number of shooters. I have, on balance, a sad remembrance of 1963.

The Hana Chronicles: Month 6, Day 19

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Posted by on in Assistance, children, collaborating, Community, Historical, Inspiration, Matters of Faith, Personal Values, Social, Striving

July 10, 2026- Today was the Commemoration of the Martyrdom of al-Bab, a Baha’i Holy Day. On this day, in 1850, al-Bab, the Herald of the Baha’i Dispensation, was executed by firing squad, along with a personal assistant. Baha’is generally gather to say prayers and readings associated with al-Bab, Whose name means “The Gate”, in English. His Teachings were the gate to understanding those of Baha’ullah, Who came after Him.

As Hana is too young to attend such events, I said my own Tablet of Visitation here at the house. Hana sat in the playpen, right in front of me, and listened quietly as I prayed. She does the same when I say my daily morning prayers, each day. I sense that this practice is having an orienting influence on her.

This evening, Yunhee remarked that Hana is much more composed now. She sleeps through the night and only gets irritable when she is hungry. While Yunhee is at work, Hana and I have the feeding routine pretty much down. If she is napping before her medication, she wakes herself on time to receive it. Her lunch meal and bottle feeding are on schedule, as she is awake then and happily watches me prepare the items. I also have her watch me prepare the mid-afternoo0n bottle. After Yunhee gives her the evening feeding, she is ready for a good night’s sleep.

HANA’S NOTE- Papa and I watched some workers take our old sidewalk from in front of the house. Papa says they will put a new one in, next week. Since we also saw them putting in new sidewalks at the end of the street, I know he’s right.

YEAR IN REMEMBRANCE- 1962 It was a year of transition. I finished Grade 6. Boys began teasing one another about things of which I had no idea. One of the “faster” kids in my neighbourhood noticed my naivete and talked to me about some of it. My father also gave me “The Talk”, before I entered Grade 7.

I had my share of friends in my immediate neighbourhood. Eddie and Allan were the closest, of the boys. After Ellen moved, I would go by her old house and hang out with the Geotis kids, whose father let me stomp grapes for his homemade wine. I got a glass or two of grape juice, that their mother set aside from the batch that was to be fermented. A group of us boys played touch football, in the middle of the street. Some men driving home from work would go around us. Others demanded we stop and make a hole for them. I was probably the worst of the players, but some of the boys felt it was a good thing to include even a klutz like me.

Grade 7, Junior High School, brought the concept of rotating between classes. I had a good Math teacher, Mr. Anzalone, a large man with a booming voice and quick temper, who also had a keen sense of humour and a heart of gold. My Social Studies and Science teachers were also competent. Mr. Anzalone talked with us about current affairs, during our home room time. This was the year of the Cuban Missile Crisis, and President Kennedy took a firm stance with the Soviet Union. We froze our missiles in Turkey and they, their missiles in Cuba. Thus, did cool heads walk back from the brink of nuclear war.

The Hana Chronicles: Month 6, Day 18

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Posted by on in Assistance, children, collaborating, Community, Education, Family, Historical, Personal Values, Social, Striving

July 9, 2026- It came close to 100 F, today. We went on a shortened walk, along a shady area of Greenfield Avenue, early this morning-even before the road crew began their work of replacing warped sidewalk panels. Hana didn’t mind the walk; she fell asleep in the stroller.

Her receptive vocabulary seems to be increasing. She responds with “Yeah!” after I make a comment about something one of her parents says over the phone. She is also very vigilant about where we are, when she knows we are at home. She doesn’t outwardly worry too much when we are out of the house, as long as one of us is with her. I explain where I am going, when I have to leave her sight for a minute or two. She is always in a safe place, when that happens. She understands and plays nicely until I get back.

Much of our time together is spent with me reading to her, or telling her about things that she can observe. I also talk about the items that her mother leaves for her to have for lunch. This evening, when Yunhee was late getting home, I fed Hana some yogurt and cucumber, She finds yogurt a bit strange in taste, but she eats it willingly.

HANA’S NOTE- I crawl over to Papa, from inside the play pen, whenever I see him reading his book. I just want to make sure he still sees me. He always smiles when I crawl over to him. I like being close to the ones I love.

YEAR IN REMEMBRANCE: 1961- Fifth Grade saw two of the Felton School’s custodians pass away, within five months of each other. Neither man was that old, but the schools, in those days, used old-style boilers. Working in an old basement couldn’t have been too healthful The second custodian, Mr. Hazel, was succeeded by Bill Casey, a much younger, and healthier, man, who also took an interest in the well-being of us students.

In Grade 6, our teacher, Mrs. Arkins, was also the building Principal. As such, she was a mild disciplinarian, but a fair teacher. I learned about decimals and per cents, and reached Grade 8 reading level. We studied about weather patterns, made more vinegar and baking soda volcanoes, and studied about the “Old World”-Eurasia, Africa and the Pacific Basin-including Australia. I continued to excel in spelling, but then found myself “zoning out” more, when it came time for parts of speech. Somehow, I caught up on that topic, by December.

My best friend, until June of that year, was a girl whose father had played for the Buffalo Bills of the American Football League, before starting his own business in Saugus. He found an opportunity to build a stronger enterprise in Buffalo, so they moved.. I befriended the family that moved into their house, but I missed Ellen.

The Hana Chronicles: Month 6, Day 17

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Posted by on in children, collaborating, Community, Education, Family, Historical, Inspiration, Personal Values, Social, Striving

July 8, 2026– “AMPA!!” My granddaughter called to me, while she was in the playpen and I was in another room. She keeps close tabs on loved ones.

These things also happened today: A spammer called me and left a voice mail: “Gary, can you hear me?” I deleted the call and the voice mail. I do not answer anyone who hides behind a number.

Aram dealt very well with a private matter that was making him nervous. He handled it himself, as I knew he could.

Hana fed herself some of the beef and spinach that could be easily picked up with her fingers. I told her I was proud of her. I, of course, fed her the rest of the meal.

We went out for our walk, before the temperature got too hot, just before her lunch. The sidewalks are being replaced at the cul-de-sac corners, so the first part of our walk involved sharing the cul-de-sac with a couple of vehicles. We had enough room to pull off to the side, until they went by. The rest of the sidewalk was open.

After her lunch, I brought Hana into the kitchen, while I fixed mine. When she saw the container of sliced watermelon, she said “watermelon!”, in a hopeful manner. I told her I’d have to ask her mother first. Yunhee said, this evening, that she thinks watermelon is too sweet for Hana right now. The girl was sitting there and more or less shrugged her shoulders.

HANA’S NOTE- So many yummy-looking things in this house. I get a few of them. Mommy says NO to sugar and salt. Those must be not good for me. I would eat them anyway, so I am glad my grownups keep me safe.

YEAR IN REMEMBRANCE, 1960- Grade 4 ended, with me knowing all multiplication and division tables, cold, as well as the steps for long division. Mrs. Kimball, it turned out, had been dealing with a serious health issue. She would only teach a few more years,

My second brother, Glenn, came along, right after school was out for summer. All three of us boys were in one bedroom, after he reached six month, and was in a crib. That was while I was in Grade 5. Miss Hanlon, our teacher, told us that a man and a woman working together can accomplish a lot more than two men or two women. I saw this in action, with my parents, especially once Dad went back to day shift. Miss Hanlon taught us more about kickball, which the previous two teachers had started letting us play. I was never very good in sports, but I could at least kick the ball to the outfield and catch it fairly well.

John F. Kennedy was elected President of the United States. We were all proud because he was from Massachusetts and was fairly young.

Saddest of all, though, we lost our Grandma. She was the one who kept Cheryl and me feeling secure, when both of our parents had to go grocery shopping on Saturday mornings, when we lived on Central Street. She would come to visit us on Adams Avenue, taking the bus to the corner and walking up the street, always wearing a full dress. I missed her terribly.

The Hana Chronicles: Month 6, Day 16

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Posted by on in children, collaborating, Family, impediments, Personal Values, Social, Striving

July 7, 2026- Today, Hana’s Daddy turned 38. The first best thing I did in my life was to sire the second American child ever born on Jeju-do, South Korea. Aram only lived in Jeju for 3 1/2 years, but Korea was in his blood. When he returned there, in the U.S. Navy, in 2017, the die was cast. He met Yunhee and married her, after a two-year courtship. Hana came along six years after their wedding.

When we sang “Happy Birthday” to him, this morning, Hana’s face lit up. She knew it was a joyous occasion. I told her that she will come to know exactly what a birthday is, in several more months.

Our day was back to routine: We went on our walk to Hoblitzelle and she saw her slightly older friend running and playing on the grass, as we walked past. She will want to do that very soon. Right now, she can sit for a few minutes, then lets herself down. The pressure on her spine must still be strong.Standing and scooting will need to wait until at least the 9-month mark.

Her lunch went better today. She got to wield a small spoon, and felt each food item, thus getting used to the texture. She was more avid an eater after that. She also was able to mix the items together, which appealed to her as well.

HANA’S NOTE- Mommy and Papa sang “Happy Birthday” to Daddy. I remembered that they talked about his birthday on Sunday, but they still sang to him today. He brought back something called pizza, and a frozen thing called sherbet, from work today. I couldn’t eat either one. I’m still too little, Mommy says. That’s okay; Mommy leaves a lot of good food for me and Papa helps feed me, every lunchtime. I like putting my hands in the food and mixing stuff around.

YEAR IN REMEMBRANCE-1959 The second half of Grade 3 saw the introduction of short division and simple fractions. I started reading the daily newspaper for more than the baseball scores and comics. I read both the Daily Evening Item, from nearby Lynn and the Boston Traveler, which joined with the Globe, later in the year. That’s when I started learning a lot more things about the country and the world, from the Globe. During the summer, Miss Nugent asked my mother if I could take part in a research project that she was doing for her Master’s Degree. Mom was delighted, and so I took part in a reading program that Miss Nugent was reviewing, She left Felton School afterward and got married. I have always hoped she has had a good life.

In Grade 4, the teacher was Mrs. Kimball, a hard taskmaster. She believed in corporal punishment. I never got the stick, but I know I tried her patience at times. She is the reason that I know how to solve word problems and do long division. We followed her specific instructions on both operations, to the letter, or else.

The Hana Chronicles: Month 6, Day 15

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Posted by on in Assistance, children, collaborating, Education, Family, impediments, Inspiration, Personal Values, Social, Striving

July 6, 2026- After a fitful sleep last night, my granddaughter slept much of the day, and still had no trouble drifting off to sleep this evening. She doesn’t seem sick at all. She is highly intuitive, though, and like her grandmother, is jolted awake by what appear to be intense dreams. She can’t tell us what they are about, so all her parents can do is hold her until she feels safe again.

It is just as well that she needed so much rest. The folks drove off with the stroller, as we’d used it for yesterday’s outing, and just forgot to bring it back inside. So, Hana and I were stuck inside for the day. She can only sit and listen to stories for so long, and the play pen gets old after a few hours. She does like sitting and watching me take care of certain tasks,cleaning the kitchen or folding her clothes. I explain what I’m doing, so she can put words to actions. She indicates understanding by saying “Yeah” or “okay”.

HANA’S NOTE: I don’t know what to call it, but there was a scary thing that made me scream in my sleep, last night. Daddy was there to make me feel safe. I felt better during the day, since Papa was also there to protect me, in case the scary thing was real.

YEAR IN REMEMBRANCE-1958 During the second half of Grade 2, we started more study of science. Mr. Eddy, the Superintendent of Schools, came by a few times and told us that the United States would have a Space Program and would also be sending rockets into space. We also started having air raid drills. Some of us thought Mrs. McCarrier had said earache drills, but we got under our desks anyway, when the siren went off. I never had earaches, so it struck me as just a few minutes of pretending I was hiding in a fort.

Grade 3 brought us under the tutelage of Miss Nugent, a young, very pretty woman. She was , more importantly, an excellent teacher of multiplication and I had Tables 1-6, 8 and 10 mastered by December. Mom made me practice my cursive writing at home Between Mom and Miss Nugent, I also made progress in reading and was at Fifth Grade level by December. I realized one other thing- I was definitely drawn to pretty girls and having a lovely teacher didn’t hurt.

The Hana Chronicles: Month 6, Day 14

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Posted by on in children, collaborating, Community, Education, Family, Historical, Matters of Faith, Personal goals, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving

July 5, 2026- The fireworks were so much fun for people, the past two nights, that there were a few sets going off tonight. We just went about our business. For Hana, that meant sleeping soundly through it all.

She is focused on her sitting up, which is getting longer, with less help. She knows now to use one hand to prop herself and can stay upright for 4-5 minutes, before wanting to move on to something else-and then sitting up again.

Our focus today was an early birthday celebration for Aram, who has chosen to work on Tuesday, his actual birthday. Hana understood that it was Daddy’s special day. When I left, in mid-morning, for a Baha’i devotional, she was puzzled as to why I was leaving the house alone. I promised that I would be back in time for the family outing.

At noon, we all went to a place called BBQ Chicken, and enjoyed two varieties of said item, Hana sat patiently in her stroller, while the three of us ate. We then went to Daiso, a Japanese dry goods store and picked up a few things-among them, a rain coat for me and a body bib for Hana. I also stopped in at 85 C and bought mini pineapple cakes for Aram’s birthday celebration. It was a nice afternoon, though probably less than exciting for our girl.

HANA’S NOTE- I was confused when Papa went out alone, after my parents said we were all going somewhere. I asked Papa why he was leaving, and he said it was to a devotional, whatever that is. Anyway, he came back right at Noon, and we went for Daddy’s birthday. This is the first time I have heard the word birthday. Yesterday was “America’s” birthday. I would like t meet that lady someday. She seems pretty popular.

YEAR IN REMEMBRANCE-1957 During the second half of First Grade, Miss Lavin took us, on foot, to the Saugus Public Library. She rang her bell the whole way down Central Street. We were all guided by police officers, who stood at each intersection. It was a nice introduction to the Library and I got my first card that day.

In the summer,I was given my First Communion, a Roman Catholic sacrament. It was my first time wearing a suit and tie, also. For the next six years, I had to go to Sunday school, every week after Mass.

Second Grade started in September. Mrs. McCarrier was our teacher. She showed us subtraction and two-digit addition, plus how to tell nouns from verbs and articles. We began the SRA program, a reading enhancement tool. I did well in it, but didn’t get along with the instructor, who had no patience for students who read at a higher level. I never understood her reasoning. In October, our Principal. Mr. Lynch, told us about the launch of Sputnik, a Russian satellite, which was the first rocket launched into space, That was our first school-wide assembly.