Some memories

I've been thinking a lot about Maia McDermott, who died in a one-car crash Saturday night in Boylston. She was in my journalism class for two semesters and really stood out as a student who reached out to form a personal connection with other students and with me.

When I think of her, I see her sitting in the computer lab with a couple of other girls in the class working on assignments for the class blog and seemingly having fun doing it. Here's a snippet from one of their posts offering a charming window on UMass:

"All the North Face ladies, all the North Face ladies, now put your hands up.

It’s been said over and over again: girls at UMASS all dress the same. Zipped-up North Face fleeces warm every cold neck. Fur-filled Ugg boots are slipped over every pair of socks. And thin, black, spandex pants cover every set of legs. From head to toe it’s all the same.

Well, so what?

To all of you North Face haters out there, have you ever tried on a fleece jacket? Aside from their fashionableness, they are actually downright practical. For one, they are undeniably comfortable. There is no lining on the inside to prevent the warm fleece from touching your body and the waist and wrists bands are elastic to they keep out the wind. A fleece is light enough for spring days, yet most girls buy theirs large enough to fit additional clothing underneath for cooler days.

Uggs, a girl’s best friend. Sure they can be a little pricey, but you get more for your dollar. Not only are they warm, comfortable and durable, but they are very versatile. Ugg boots, with their variety of colors and designs, are among the few types of footwear that girls at UMASS would wear to class as well as on a Friday or Saturday night.

And now, spandex pants. Light and airy, spandex provides physical comfort. They do not cut you off at the waist, nor do they tear from dragging on the ground. Also, they too are multipurpose. You can wear them to the gym, to class, to bed and even out to a party. Oh, and don’t forget, they fit nicely into those lovely little Ugg boots."

Maia worked really hard on her pieces, submitting them with revisions more times than was required. She was warm and welcoming to tentative students. I know she juggled a full schedule, as I often saw her working at Arizona Pizza with her characteristic smile and bubbly, earnest presence.

Here's a quite canny paragraph she wrote about her hometown of Clinton.

By 2009, the population is just shy of 15,000 citizens. Which may seem like alot, but the experience of walking down will make you think differently. Halfof the town is related one another, more than half of the town are Clintonians, which is defined by having at least three generations raised in Clinton. Eventhough it is a very active, condensed town and seems to have the personality of a mini city, the people treat it as if it is a farm town with three families in it. Almost everyone knows more than half of the town which can both beneficial and not.

I wish her family well.

From one of the collections in the many vintage and antique hutches at the Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge.

Brian and I won an overnight stay there in a silent auction at an Amherst Cinema fundraiser last year headlined by Kathleen Turner. I was a waitress for several months at the Red Lion after graduating from college in 1979, but I had never gotten very far beyond the dining room and kitchen. It's really a treasure of a hotel with an amazing collection of old china, antique furniture and local memorabilia. There's also a resident cat named Simon, who I looked for but couldn't find. I highly recommend checking the hotel out.

Red Lion Inn (on right) as depicted by Norman Rockwell.
Little lady collection.
The mini-chair collection.
Our charming bedroom.
Year-round heated pool and hot tub as seen from our window.
An elf in the hot tub.
Speaking of blasts from the past, Brian and I went to see David Bromberg at the Iron Horse last night. Here's a little video I took of him singing an old class, "I Won't Be Your Fool No More." I love how during his improvisation along the lines of how hell will have frozen over before he plays the fool again, he says, Congress will have passed the "goddam health" bill before he'll be the fool again. It

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0uWchJSFzs