Philadelphia – Divabetic

05/01/202405/01/2024

New York Historical Society Lecture on John Adams

I attended this fantastic New York Historical Society lecture on America’s second President. Most people falsely assume the lecture focused on Thomas Jefferson, who was America’s third President. Our second President was John Adams. He was also our first Vice President, serving under George Washington.

The lecture, titled ‘Making the Presidency: John Adams and the Precedents That Forged the Republic,’ was led by esteemed Author and Historian Lindsay M. Chervinsky in conversation with moderator David M. Rubenstein (who is very funny). They skillfully illuminated the unique challenges that John Adams faced during his presidency and how his actions laid the groundwork for his successors.

Lindsay made the point that John Adams left a significant mark on history by establishing a peaceful transition of power. In the midst of the current political climate, John Adams stands out as a beacon of decency. He lost re-election to his foe, Thomas Jefferson, in a campaign fraught with tension. However, John Adams never wavered in upholding the customs of the presidency. Despite being sandwiched between two of America’s biggest heroes and not having a monument erected in his honor, he still achieved greatness. Imagine if he had refused to leave office after his adversary, Thomas Jefferson, won. Would we still have a democracy today? He did not attend Jefferson’s inauguration, choosing instead to travel by public carriage back to his home in Massachusetts. Lindsay noted that John Adams was not invited to attend Jefferson’s inauguration, and there is evidence to support that his presence could have created chaos.

Among the intriguing facts I learned about John Adams: he was the first President to reside in the White House, having previously served in Philadelphia, PA. His son, John Quincy Adams, would later become President.

It was also fascinating to discover that the President and Vice President cannot be from the same state, a rule that still stands today.

When you think you know everything about America’s history, you find out there’s so much more to learn.

03/11/202403/11/2024

Divabetic Salutes Jean Carne

Jean Carne has captivated the hearts of jazz and soul enthusiasts alike. Her Philadelphia International recordings are a testament to her unmatched talent, incorporating smooth instrumentation, soulful lyrics, and her remarkable vocal range and versatility.

Jean Carne’s first showbiz exposure was singing “Misty” on a morning radio show as a teenager in Atlanta, GA.

After meeting her husband, she joined his jazz fusion band as a vocalist, and they recorded three albums. Their recordings caught the attention of Earth, Wind & Fire, which Jean Carne joined as a backup vocalist on their first two albums.

Jean’s vocal interpretations of instrumental classics brought by Jazz greats such as John Coltrane, Miles Davis, McCoy Tyner, and Horace Silver expanded the display of her musical abilities to Jazz Lovers worldwide.

While Carne is still called a jazz vocalist in many circles, the label no longer applies to her musical legacy.” That’s how I started out, and I guess a lot of people will always think of me that way,” she told the Chicago Tribune.” Actually, I didn’t start out singing jazz at all. I guess I knew I would be involved in music in some manner. My parents told me I started singing with songs on the radio when I was 3. I joined the church choir when I was 4; I had to stand on a box. My parents thought I would teach music or possibly become an opera singer.”
After leaving Earth, Wind & Fire, she toured with Duke Ellington and signed with Buddah Records.

She teamed up with Norman Connors on the top-ten single “Valentine Love” in 1975. Throughout the rest of the 1970s, Carne continued to record and tour, releasing popular singles like “Was That All It Was?” “Free Love?” “Don’t Let It Go To Your Head?” and her number-one hit, “Closer Than Close,” in 1986.

In an interview with Soul & Jazz & Funk, she spoke about her recording experience with Philadelphia International Sound. She said, “Sometimes I would put down a scratch vocal while they did the rhythm tracks, and then the arranger would come in and sweeten it with horns and strings, and then I would come in and do the true vocal. Sometimes, I would stack my own backgrounds, and, sometimes, they were done by ‘The Sweeties’.”

Although she had multiple hits, she never liked to tour. ” I usually don’t enjoy touring. I’m a teetotaler, I don’t smoke, and I don’t party. So on the road, I usually feel out of place.”

Over the years, Jean Carne has worked with some of the most influential soul and jazz artists, producers, and songwriters, including Dizzy Gillespie, Norman Connors, The Temptations, Glenn Jones, and Phyllis Hyman. Her creativity and talent have never waned.

Jean Carne is a true icon in the music industry, and her distinctive voice and impressive body of work will continue to inspire generations to come.

09/02/202309/02/2023

Going In Circles at the Old Hook Windmill in East Hampton, NY

If you say you’re going around in circles, you probably mean you’re not achieving anything because you keep returning to the same point or problem. But a hundred a hundred years ago, going around in circles could have meant accomplishing a lot, especially if you operated a windmill.

Last week, I visited Hook Windmill, also known as Old Hook Mill, a historic windmill on North Main Street in East Hampton, New York. It was built in 1806 and operated regularly until 1908.

The Hook Windmill was the last wind-powered grain mill or gristmill. Once I went inside, I was surprised by how big it was. It’s a two-story structure.

The mechanics of the mill fill most of the building. These large wooden gears, levers, shafts and wheels are fill most of the space.

Even after our guide, Francine, explained, I was still confused about how the mill worked. I scratched my head, looking at the drawings, trying to figure out the wheat’s route up and down the two-story structure.

Francine mentioned that a local clockmaker named Nathanial Dominy discovered the windmill cap could be turned so the blades could face the changing location of arriving wind not just by using a long “tail pole” with a wheel at the end—which could move along the ground as people pushed it, dragging the cap way up at the top along—but by the operation of new gears.

The wind’s energy, harnessed by the windmill’s 40-foot sails, is transferred via shafts, cogs, and belts to drive one or more pairs of millstones. Grain, oats, and corn fed between the rotating millstones crushed and ground into meal.

The mill I toured was the third Old Hook windmill built on the site and was completed in 1806.

English windmills, like the ones in the Hamptons, spin clockwise. Dutch windmills spin counterclockwise. Many people believe the difference is due to how the mills catch the wind or how the millers work the mills. When standing still, the position of a windmill’s wings can indicate certain occasions.

Francine told us that the windmill produced 5,000 pounds of wheat, corn, and oats.

I climbed two flights of stairs to see the inner workings of the mill. The stairs are extremely narrow and steep. I had to hold on to a rope as I descended. It felt like I was inside a giant watch or clock. The device was so massive it was hard to believe only one man was needed to operate the mill.

The handwriting on the wall is not graffiti. The millworkers signed their names on the door to document their efforts. One man operated the device.

Windmills were considered farm equipment, which could be bought, sold, and moved from place to place. It’s hard to believe a structure housing such sophisticated mechanics could be moved so easily.

Why They Stopped Using Windmills

The first steam-powered mill was built in Bridgehampton in 1850. And when the first steam-powered locomotive hauled its train on tracks from New York City in 1872, it was possible now to order sacks of flour and grain from a factory up-island and have it on the East End later that same day. Thus ended the age of the beautiful old windmills.

Do You Feel Like You’re Going In Circles?

If you’re feeling like there’s nothing you can do to make living with diabetes easier, it can be helpful to meet with a certified diabetes care and education specialist (CDCES) and a mental health practitioner. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness. Problem-solving with the aid of experts can help you deal with the negative impact that having diabetes may have on your life, relationships, and goals. They can help you see your diabetes challenges in a new, more positive way. Even if you feel fine, introduce yourself to a therapist to keep phone numbers handy if anything challenging arises.

Luther Vandross recorded the song Going In Circles for his Songs album in 1995. The song was written by Jerry Peters and Anita Poree, and originally performed by The Friends of Distinction on their 1969 album, Grazin’, reaching number 15 on the U.S. Hot 100, and number three on the R&B chart, selling over a million copies.

Educate Your Circle on How to Treat a Low Blood Sugar

Could you show your circle where you keep your fast-acting carbohydrates and how much is needed to return blood sugar to normal? Everyone is different. For some, it is 5 grams of fast-acting carbs, for others 10, 15, or maybe 20 grams. It all depends on how low your blood sugar is at the time, how much insulin is on board, and what you are physically doing.