Just over two years.

“Always be grateful for who you are and what you have” and “Always let him know you are happy.” Both received from my mom — the first when I was 13 and the second the night before my wedding.

I treasure my first teddy bear, a cameo ring that was my great-grandmother’s and a 1928 edition of an A.A. Milne book, but my most treasured item would have to be my wedding dress. It was made and personalized by my mom — there was a lot of love put into this dress (along with a lot of hours).

Besides marrying the man of my dreams, my greatest achievement will be completing my college degree in May 2004.

… swimming, scrapbooking, photography, planning parties and events and playing with my hamster “Bubba.”

Anyone who comes to my house would be the perfect dinner guest. The door is always open. And if you come on a Sunday, you would probably be served pasta, chicken cutlets, meatballs and green bean casserole.

I would love to be a veterinarian. I would not like to be a lawyer (even though my father thought I would be perfect for it).

Italy; my father’s side of the family came from Sicily. I would love to get a chance to learn about the country, the language and more about my heritage.

Thirty-four years.

When things weren’t going well, my mother would offer the sage advice, “This too shall pass.”

As a lifelong fan of our national pastime, I treasure my Brooklyn Dodger yearbooks from the early 1950s and a ball I caught at a Mets game in 1986.

Attainment of a PhD degree and completing several half-marathon runs in the last few years.

… aside from running, reading both technical and nontechnical books, learning new things with and about computers, sports and playing with my young grandsons.

Ben Franklin would have been interesting, since he could probably enlighten me on early American history and could probably talk about any other subject. Would he have liked Philadelphia cheesesteaks?

If I had the talent or the time to develop it, the senior golf tour seems like it would be a fun life. I’ll stay away from the law profession (with apologies to my law-student son) or any other that would require me to commute to Manhattan daily.

Since I enjoy mountain scenery, a Scandanavian country would be intriguing. But not in the cold and mostly dark winter!

Since fall 1988.

One of my older brothers insisted that I consider going to college. In the spring of my senior year of high school, he said, “If you don’t see your guidance counselor, I will.” Then he offered to pay my first-year expenses. How could I say no? It has made all the difference.

There are many. Examples include: (1) Beads made of dried rose petals that Dan [Daniel Twomey, management and director, Center for Human Resource Management Studies (Flor)] sent to me from South America about 40 years ago, before we were married, when he was on a year-long “goodwill” trip with some college friends. (2) A citation in a simple plastic frame for being chosen one of the Outstanding Working Women in our community, when I had my law practice. It’s precious because my then teen-aged daughter wrote a beautiful letter that led to the award. (3) Original paintings and artwork that adorn our home (works of our children at different stages of their development).

Luring, chasing and marrying Dan! Close second is co-raising four children who are now independent, responsible and caring adults.

… reading (current books are Before the Shooting Begins: Searching for Democracy in America’s Culture War, by [James Davison] Hunter, and Islam Unveiled, by [Robert] Spencer), walking, playing frisbee golf, going to rural auctions in upstate New York and buying for our three little “grandgirls.”

Two of my older brothers who died young, each leaving a spouse with a young child behind. I would serve Hassenpfeffer with potato dumplings, a meal my mother served on very special occasions.

Maybe science, doing research on the brain. The human brain fascinates me. I’m spoiled. While I put in more than 40 hours per week, I wouldn’t want to go back to any job that tied me to a desk Monday through Friday, from 9 to 5.

Germany. I would brush up on my German and do an in-depth search into my family’s ancestry.

Three years.

“Never lose your love of life.” Given to me by my grandfather when I was 8.

Besides my life, I would say my music collection. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t listen to some sort of music.

I like to think my greatest achievement is yet to come.

… reading (mostly history), hiking/backpacking, cooking, playing basketball and fiddling around with my guitar.

I would like to have dinner with any one of the “great” figures in history such as Napoleon, Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, etc., to see what it is that made them so memorable. Are they just men with big egos and the ability to speak to the masses, or was there something special about them? I would serve whatever the favorite dish of their times was, for a more complete experience.

I think I would like to try teaching some day, preferably at the college level, probably history. I wouldn’t want any job where I am on call 24/7. I enjoy my time off.

If I could only choose one, it would have to be Germany. I would like to see the land from which my forefathers came. Also, it is centrally located for trips to the rest of Europe. It would give me a chance to brush up on my German, too.

December 2002/
January 2003

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Flor =
College at Florham, Madison, N.J.

Metro =
Metropolitan Campus, Teaneck, N.J.

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