Eight Decades - A Conversation With Danielle's Mama

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Eight Decades - A Conversation With Danielle's Mama"

Podcast Information:

• Title: Marriage and Martinis
• Host/Author: Danielle & Adam
• Episode: Eight Decades - A Conversation With Danielle's Mama
• Release Date: March 17, 2025

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Introduction

In this heartfelt episode of Marriage and Martinis, Danielle welcomes her 80-year-old mother, Linda, for an intimate conversation that delves deep into Linda's life experiences, societal changes over eight decades, and the enduring values that have shaped their family. Skipping the usual introductions and advertisements, the episode focuses solely on the enriching dialogue between mother and daughter.

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Linda’s Early Life and Birth

Linda begins by sharing her birth details, offering listeners a glimpse into her early life.

[02:28] Linda: "I was born in Trenton, New Jersey, at Mercer Hospital during World War II."

She recounts the challenges of her upbringing, with her father serving in the army as an electrical engineer and her mother juggling responsibilities between her own mother and mother-in-law. Linda was the oldest of three daughters, a position that came with its own set of responsibilities and expectations.

---

Childhood Memories and Family Dynamics

Linda nostalgically talks about her childhood in Ewing, New Jersey, highlighting the simplicity and community spirit of her youth.

[08:17] Linda: "Everybody was friendly. We colored. Coloring was big."

She reminisces about the joys of coloring with oversized crayons, playing traditional games like hopscotch and jump rope, and spending summers at the Jersey Shore. The absence of modern conveniences like air conditioning meant that summers were spent creatively finding ways to stay cool, such as sitting in buckets or roasting pans.

Linda also touches upon the technological advancements she witnessed growing up, from the introduction of black and white televisions to the advent of record players, which brought the rock and roll era into her home.

---

Education and Early Adulthood

As the conversation progresses, Linda discusses her educational journey. She vividly recalls attending a predominantly white, Jewish school and the cultural norms of the time, including dress codes that mandated skirts and dresses even in college.

[16:54] Linda: "We didn't have it up here. I remember welcoming immigrants."

She shares anecdotes about strict school policies, such as the incident where she was reprimanded for wearing slacks to junior prom, emphasizing the rigid gender norms of her youth.

Linda also speaks about her decision to pursue higher education, marrying after three years of college, and balancing her academic ambitions with family life. She recounts transferring to Drexel University to support her husband's medical education, showcasing her determination to complete her studies despite societal expectations.

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Societal Changes and Historical Events

Linda provides a rich tapestry of historical events she has lived through, offering personal insights into moments that shaped her and her family's lives.

• World War II and Its Aftermath: Linda shares how her father’s military service impacted her family dynamics and her own upbringing.

• The Civil Rights Movement: She expresses admiration for leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and discusses her father's teachings on kindness, justice, and equality.

[41:06] Linda: "I idolize anyone who cares about other people enough to fight for human rights."

• Vietnam War: Linda reflects on the impact of the Vietnam War on her classmates and her husband's medical career, detailing the emotional toll and societal perceptions of veterans upon their return.

• Women's Rights Movement: She highlights the significant changes brought about by the baby boomers, especially in terms of gender roles and women's rights.

[29:03] Linda: "Women were not really respected. It was terrible."

Linda also touches upon more recent events, expressing concerns about the current state of democracy and societal divisions, drawing parallels to past struggles.

---

Reflections on Marriage and Parenting

Throughout the episode, Linda offers profound reflections on marriage, parenting, and the evolution of societal norms.

• Marriage Dynamics: Linda discusses the importance of mutual respect and shared values in marriage, emphasizing how political differences can strain relationships.

[55:04] Linda: "If he voted for Trump, then our ethics, our morals, our everything would be different."

• Parenting Philosophy: She shares her nurturing approach in raising her children, instilling values of kindness and resilience.

[56:28] Linda: "It's smarter to be nice."

• Marital Stability: Linda speaks about her enduring marriage, contrasting it with the high divorce rates she observed among their peers.

---

Advice for Future Generations

As the conversation nears its conclusion, Linda imparts valuable advice to listeners, particularly focusing on the next generation.

[66:28] Linda: "My biggest hope is that we keep our democracy. That they get to grow up in a democracy and in a much nicer, caring time where they get the help they need."

She emphasizes the importance of maintaining democratic values and fostering a more humane society, drawing from her extensive life experiences to advocate for compassion and understanding.

---

Favorite Memories and Recommendations

Linda shares some of her favorite books, TV shows, and movies, providing a nostalgic look into the cultural landscape of her youth.

• Favorite Book: Captains and the Kings by Taylor Caldwell

[61:44] Linda: "That was sort of the first book that I fell in love with."

• Favorite TV Show: The Thorn Birds – a series adaptation of the novel, which she enjoyed for its rich storytelling and character development.

• Favorite Movie Recommendation: Fiddler on the Roof – Linda recommends it for its cultural insights and its portrayal of Jewish life.

• Favorite Singer: Neil Diamond and Billy Joel – Linda appreciates their rock and roll contributions and their timeless music.

[63:11] Linda: "I think I would tell them to watch Fiddler on the Roof."

---

Closing Thoughts

Danielle concludes the episode by expressing gratitude for her mother's openness and wisdom. She acknowledges the significant influence Linda has had on her own life and parenting style.

[67:08] Danielle: "You're really good at this."

Linda responds warmly, expressing her enjoyment of the conversation and willingness to participate in future episodes.

[67:16] Linda: "Oh, it was really fun."

The episode wraps up with Danielle encouraging listeners to rate and review the podcast on Apple and Spotify, ensuring that the valuable insights shared by Linda reach a broader audience.

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Notable Quotes:

1. Linda on Birth and Early Life:

   [02:28] Linda: "I was born in Trenton, New Jersey, at Mercer Hospital during World War II."

2. Linda on Friendship and Diversity:

   [08:53] Linda: "It was a melting pot. And we always appreciated being a melted. America was a country of immigrants."

3. Linda on Marriage:

   [55:04] Linda: "If he voted for Trump, then our ethics, our morals, our everything would be different."

4. Linda on Parenting Advice:

   [56:28] Linda: "It's smarter to be nice."

5. Linda on Hope for Future Generations:

   [66:28] Linda: "My biggest hope is that we keep our democracy. That they get to grow up in a democracy and in a much nicer, caring time where they get the help they need."

---

Conclusion

This episode of Marriage and Martinis offers a profound journey through eight decades of Linda's life, reflecting on personal milestones and historical events. Danielle and Linda's conversation provides listeners with a rich understanding of resilience, societal evolution, and the enduring bonds of family. Through heartfelt anecdotes and insightful reflections, the episode not only honors Linda's legacy but also imparts timeless wisdom for navigating the complexities of modern life.

Transcript

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[Danielle]

Hey, everybody. Welcome to Marriage and Martinis. This is Danielle, and today I'm joined by my mom, Linda. You can say, hi, Mom.

[Linda]

Hi. Hi, Mom.

[Danielle]

And some of you may have listened to our episodes with her and my dad.

[Linda]

That was probably, what, gosh, well, five years ago.

[Danielle]

Yeah, probably five years ago. It was your 55th anniversary or something. So today it's just my mom. Yeah. And we were gonna talk about her. Well, she's 80 now. Yeah. Been 80 for. Yeah. What are you? 80 and a half.

[Linda]

It's like. Yeah. I've been counting the minutes.

[Danielle]

Is that like you still. You celebrate your half birthday like kids? How many months are you.

[Linda]

Do you realize that my heart has been beating for 80 years?

[Danielle]

Oh, my goodness.

[Linda]

You know? Yeah. Like that first spark.

[Danielle]

Yeah.

[Linda]

And. Or strike or something. And it starts and it's amazing.

[Danielle]

Yeah. For 80 years. Yes, it is amazing.

[Linda]

My brain has it, but my heart.

[Danielle]

Okay, so you want to tell everybody when and where you were born?

[Linda]

I was born in Trenton, New Jersey, at Mercer Hospital. During the war.

[Danielle]

World War II.

[Linda]

During World War II, my father was in the army. My mother was going back and forth from her mother and her mother in law, and they were all raising me.

[Danielle]

You were the oldest daughter. Your mom had three daughters. You were the oldest.

[Linda]

I was the oldest. Right. There were. There were a couple older grandchildren. Girl grandchildren. But then there was me.

[Danielle]

Yeah. And you're so my zeta. Your dad was famous for. He would always keep the newspaper of the day that everybody was born. Do you remember if he did that for you? Do you know it was on it?

[Linda]

No.

[Danielle]

Do you think you have it somewhere? I don't know where we could have.

[Linda]

It in a box. We still have boxes we haven't unpacked.

[Danielle]

So when you were born, your. Your dad, Maizeta was. He was in the army then or.

[Linda]

Yeah, he was in the army because he was an electrical engineer working with air airplanes.

[Danielle]

Oh, wow.

[Linda]

Yeah.

[Danielle]

And where was he based out of?

[Linda]

He was. I don't know. I was conceived in Alabama.

[Danielle]

Oh.

[Linda]

Because you noticed my Southern Accent?

[Danielle]

Yeah. So they had moved to Alabama and then come back home to New Jersey.

[Linda]

Yeah. Because my mother wasn't happy with the doctors there and all.

[Danielle]

Oh. Huh.

[Linda]

So they came back and then. So I don't know where he went for the Army.

[Danielle]

Okay.

[Linda]

Maybe it was Alabama, but.

[Danielle]

Okay, so you were born in 1944. June 11, 1944. And you have. I mean, eight. Eight decades.

[Linda]

Eight decades.

[Danielle]

So you have lived through. I mean, I was trying to, like, make a list of. I mean, and it's. It's, you know, again, World War II. Not that you remember anything from that, but, you know, like, diseases and polio.

[Linda]

And I want to tell you, first of all, that my mother was in the hospital 10 days after having me.

[Danielle]

Oh, why?

[Linda]

Well, first of all, I think she had a cold or I had a cold or someone had a cold. But still, they kept you in the hospital like that.

[Danielle]

Right. And Zeta couldn't go in. My. Zeta. Your dad couldn't go in. Right, right.

[Linda]

Well, not when they were born. Yeah.

[Danielle]

Yeah. Wow. Ten days.

[Linda]

Ten days. Yeah. I was with my kids, like, keep me there as long as.

[Danielle]

Me too. Yeah, me too. We stole so much from the hospital we were going home to, and did, I guess. Were there C sections back then? There were probably no C sections.

[Linda]

Oh, I don't know.

[Danielle]

Probably not. I know.

[Linda]

I don't know.

[Danielle]

But could you.

[Linda]

You could imagine how many people died, right? Because they didn't have.

[Danielle]

Did they have epidurals?

[Linda]

I don't think so.

[Danielle]

Wow. It was always natural, so. Sheesh.

[Linda]

That's crazy.

[Danielle]

Yeah.

[Linda]

Yeah.

[Danielle]

Okay. But so you've lived through, you know, diseases, assassinations, the Cold War, Vietnam, Korea. I mean, the AIDS epidemic, 9, 11 pandemic. I mean, like, it's been. And tons and tons of inventions.

[Linda]

Oh, yes. Yeah.

[Danielle]

I was trying to think, and I should have looked it up, and I didn't. Like, what. What were the inventions? Around the time that you were born and soon after.

[Linda]

Yes.

[Danielle]

But it was still radio, right? Everybody just listened to radio.

[Linda]

Well, when I was about five or so, we got a black and white tv, a small one. And I can remember watching Kukla, Fran and Ollie.

[Danielle]

Kukla Fran and Ollie.

[Linda]

He was like, I don't know, sort of a dinosaur or something. And I kept looking at the. In the back of the tv.

[Danielle]

Oh. To see what was there.

[Linda]

How were they?

[Danielle]

That's what my cats do.

[Linda]

Oh.

[Danielle]

Yeah. They see, they. Whenever I put on cat TV for them, they look in the back. I think it's so smart. Like they're wondering where the mouse.

[Linda]

That was so smart.

[Danielle]

You were so smart.

[Linda]

That was my smartest.

[Danielle]

And so did. I mean. Yeah, so what? I. But I remember kind of wondering that, too, when I was younger, like, how. Yeah. How did.

[Linda]

It is a miracle.

[Danielle]

Yeah, a miracle.

[Linda]

It really is something. But there was only black and white. The screens were very small.

[Danielle]

Mall.

[Linda]

And we got a black and white TV for our wedding. So they hadn't perfected it. You know, it took a long time for color to come out.

[Danielle]

Right, right. I know. I remember we still had black and white certain places in our house when I was. And then we had. We had color tv, but it was still the antennas, and you had to get up and change the channel and everything. It was torture.

[Linda]

Yeah, that's right.

[Danielle]

Yeah. All right, so can you describe a little bit, like, about your childhood? You grew up in Trenton, New Jersey. Ewing, New Jersey.

[Linda]

And we moved into a small apartment when my father came home from the army. And I really loved it there. I loved it in the small apartment. Everybody was friendly. We colored. Coloring was big.

[Danielle]

I mean, what else did you have.

[Linda]

To do with the size of your crayons, you know?

[Danielle]

Oh, my God. And now it's like if you get a. If you give a kid a coloring book, they're like, are you kidding me?

[Linda]

That's right. We used to do that for hours. And sometimes we'd leave our crayon box.

[Danielle]

Out in the sun to melt the.

[Linda]

Wine, and it would melt.

[Danielle]

Exciting times. Oh, no. I know. But so. But what was. I mean, was. Was it a diverse neighborhood? Was it. I mean.

[Linda]

Oh, no. I mean, was pretty white.

[Danielle]

Yeah. And Jewish.

[Linda]

I'm not sure. I know that. I know that there was Jewish, but my mother's best friend was Italian, I think, and just everybody was so nice. And I remember how important Halloween was, and all the mothers dressed up and went out with us, and, you know, we. We played hopscotch. We played jump rope. We colored. We jumped in the leaves.

[Danielle]

Did you. Did you. Did you take a stick and roll a tire down?

[Linda]

I took.

[Danielle]

But.

[Linda]

But they didn't have, like, swimming pools. So, like, I. I have a picture of me in a bucket. It might have been a roasting pan.

[Danielle]

What do you mean, like a big bucket?

[Linda]

Yeah. And I was just sitting in there just to keep cool. Yeah.

[Danielle]

Was there air conditioning?

[Linda]

No. Air conditioning? No.

[Danielle]

Oh, my God.

[Linda]

We didn't get air conditioning until I was about 12, and we moved to another house.

[Danielle]

Oh, man.

[Linda]

But we did go to the shore every summer.

[Danielle]

Huh? The Jersey shore.

[Linda]

Well, you know, we Were lucky. My grandmother had a house there and we spent the summers at the shore. Five families in the house.

[Danielle]

And no air conditioning there either.

[Linda]

No, but it was cool from the ocean. We were right near the ocean. I mean it was a big difference. But no, we didn't have air conditioning. And our parents at night would sit on the front porches and talk. And so we would fall asleep to the sound of everyone talking.

[Danielle]

Oh, that's nice.

[Linda]

That was very nice, huh? Yeah. And we were in a very small bedroom. My. My other sister. And then my other sister was born and she was added. Her crib was added to the very small bedroom.

[Danielle]

Oh my gosh.

[Linda]

Yeah. So we were a little cramped for a while. And I can remember my mother getting a. A washing machine for the. For the. It was in the kitchen and it was very rudimentary, if you saw it. But that was exciting that she got. That was like the first new electronics, you know. And then came the television. And then really the electrical age. I mean, one thing after another with the telephone. And we had party lines. So you get a certain amount of rings when it was yours, you know.

[Danielle]

Oh my God. So you had to pay attention to the number of rings.

[Linda]

Yeah. Sort of like that.

[Danielle]

Oh my God. Yeah. And was it like, was it one that you like that you see the old time ones where you like pick it up and put you. You pick up like. Like it's like a microphone that you pick up almost. And then you put the other part to your ear.

[Linda]

That was a little bit for.

[Danielle]

Darn disappointing.

[Linda]

I'd have to be 90 for that.

[Danielle]

Okay. Okay.

[Linda]

But it was, it was a rotary. Yeah, yeah. I mean where you picked up the receiver. The receiver and you. And you dialed.

[Danielle]

Yeah.

[Linda]

And it's a fun. It's funny because it's a sound that you'll never hear again of the, of the rotary. The phone.

[Danielle]

I'll bet you that you could make it. That. Make that the sound on your iPhone. Yeah, I'll bet you I'll look it up if you really wanna. Yeah.

[Linda]

But you know, I've seen things where they give the old phones to a teenager to see if they can use it and they absolutely cannot. They don't know what to do.

[Danielle]

And a cassette tape player.

[Linda]

And they think we're dumb because we can't.

[Danielle]

Right? That's right.

[Linda]

You know.

[Danielle]

Yeah.

[Linda]

And that's. That's how it is. And also do. We do have so much to learn at our age. You know, when you think about. I think about my grandmother and how little she needed to know.

[Danielle]

Right. To keep up with technology. Yeah.

[Linda]

Oh. And everything's changing. It wasn't like that at all.

[Danielle]

Right.

[Linda]

And then we had our record players.

[Danielle]

Right.

[Linda]

We had the 78, and then we had the 45 and the 45.

[Danielle]

Yep.

[Linda]

That's when rock and roll came out and that. And our lives revolved around rock and roll.

[Danielle]

Huh.

[Linda]

It was such an important. Jitterbugging for hours.

[Danielle]

Do you remember the first record you got? No, I remember the first record I got.

[Linda]

Really?

[Danielle]

Yeah. First record I got was a Madonna's True Blue. Oh. Yep.

[Linda]

Oh, do you remember, were you singing in the beauty parlor?

[Danielle]

Yeah. Like a Virgin. I recently just told that story on one of the podcast episodes.

[Linda]

Yeah.

[Danielle]

Yeah.

[Linda]

You were about 8 years old and you started singing, you make me feel like a virgin, and I pushed you into the clothing. I didn't know what to do with you. Yeah.

[Danielle]

And it never ended.

[Linda]

Exactly. Exactly.

[Danielle]

Okay, so what about school? Like, what was. I mean, what was schooling like back then? Because it's obviously, you know, it's a very nice schoolhouse.

[Linda]

Of course, when we were in the army or my school, so it was a very. I loved it there. I loved it there. People didn't pay much attention to me. Yeah, I was, like, shy, I think, and. And I was Jewish, you know, they went to church together, and their families knew each other better. So I used to think that they were going to make me a big party one day and just surprise me and show me that they really did notice me. I used to think about that. Yeah, that's.

[Danielle]

But you had a best friend when you were little.

[Linda]

Oh, yeah, no, I did. I had friends. I had friends. But when I got to seventh and eighth grade, I really got friends, and another school joined us, and they seemed to appreciate me.

[Danielle]

And were the teachers strict or anything?

[Linda]

No, no, they would. I loved all the teachers. I loved all my teachers.

[Danielle]

It's probably mostly women, right? You probably had no male teachers.

[Linda]

Oh, no male teachers. Even the principal was a woman, though, that. That was good at.

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[Danielle]

Race the sails. Race the sails.

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[Linda]

Over.

[Danielle]

Roger, wait. Is that an enterprise sales solution?

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[Danielle]

Oh, and then you became an English teacher, so definitely.

[Linda]

Yeah. And also then in sixth grade, I wasn't chosen to be star student. I Wasn't chosen to be a patrol girl. And I wanted that so bad, so I got second place. What's a patrol girl?

[Danielle]

Oh, when you have, like, a hall monitor.

[Linda]

Well, you do everything. You watch on the playground, make sure no one's fighting.

[Danielle]

You're like a narc.

[Linda]

You cross the street, you wear a armband, and I just love one. It's so bad to do it. So I said to my sixth grade teacher, do you think it would be possible for me to be a patrol girl? And I was, I, you know what I. What I lacked in iq, I made up in chutzpah. And she said, I. I think that could be arranged.

[Danielle]

Oh, you were? Yeah.

[Linda]

That was good. I used to tell you to do that. All they can say is, no, they don't chop off your fingers anymore.

[Danielle]

Oh, okay.

[Linda]

Although they might.

[Danielle]

Did they do. But was there, like, corp. I mean, I know that there. You used to hit the kids and everything.

[Linda]

No, no.

[Danielle]

I feel like your dad got hit at school maybe.

[Linda]

Yeah, I think it was against the law by then.

[Danielle]

Oh, okay. And how'd you get to school? You walked?

[Linda]

Well, at first, I think in kindergarten, our mothers took turns taking us on the bus.

[Danielle]

Oh, yeah, with you. What do you mean? They had to go on the bus with you?

[Linda]

Yeah, not. Not a school bus, a regular bus.

[Danielle]

Oh, like. Oh, like a public transportation.

[Linda]

Yeah. And then. And then we walk to elementary school, and I remember we had a terrible hurricane. And after that, I was really afraid of the trees, and I would talk to the trees as I walked to school to tell them to calm down and not fall on me.

[Danielle]

Oh, my gosh. Oh, not following you.

[Linda]

Yeah, but also there was polio right at that time, and that was really the big, bad disease. And if there was an outbreak, they would close all the pools.

[Danielle]

And so you get it through a pool.

[Linda]

I think like Franklin Delano Roosevelt got it after swimming. So there must have been something with. With swimming and your dad had polio. My. My father had polio as a baby, and my grandmother paid somebody to massage him. And I think a lot of people who had it as a baby got better.

[Danielle]

So. So was it like something, you know, because I remember being in, I guess, high school, in college, when, you know, the AIDS epidemic was, you know, there. There was. There was so much misinformation about it and how you could get it and everything that there was so much fear mongering and, you know, don't use toilet and other, you know, don't shake hands. I mean, it was crazy. So when you were younger. Was it. I mean. I mean, I remember being actively fearful of. Were you guys, like, aware? I mean, because now, I mean, especially now, you know, news travels so fast that it didn't travel as fast when you were younger.

[Linda]

And I don't know if it was as much in the winter as it was in the summer, so that it. You didn't have to be afraid all the time. But I could remember lying in bed and thinking about it and thinking, well, maybe my father, since my father had it, maybe I have some antibodies. I told myself that.

[Danielle]

Smart.

[Linda]

Yeah, I told myself that.

[Danielle]

But was. Were your parents, like, freaking out that you guys were gonna get it or.

[Linda]

No, they didn't.

[Danielle]

Do you remember when the vaccine.

[Linda]

Oh, I definitely remember about that. That was like, I could say one of the best times of my life. And Dr. Salk became my hero. He's the one who developed it.

[Danielle]

Oh, wow.

[Linda]

Yeah. And then Dr. Sabin, I think he put it in a sugar cube or something. Dr. Salk, it was still a shot. And we all lined up to get the shot and. And it was like a miracle. It was like a miracle to me.

[Danielle]

Yeah.

[Linda]

And I was so, so grateful. And then, of course, you know, the next disease pops up.

[Danielle]

Was that measles.

[Linda]

Well, measles we had too. Yeah, measles.

[Danielle]

Remember what year the vaccine was, how old you were?

[Linda]

Well, I was in elementary school, I think, or junior high, something like that.

[Danielle]

And there was no such thing as parents not giving their kid the vaccine seen back then. Right.

[Linda]

I think we were all so grateful. Nobody put it in our head that we shouldn't be grateful. Well, I think once the shot came out and people got. Got the shot all over the country, that it, you know, it wasn't a worry anymore.

[Danielle]

I wanted to ask, like, if you could highlight some big events in your life, like. Right. Like for me, you know, obviously, I'll never forget 9, 11.

[Linda]

Right.

[Danielle]

I'll never forget the O.J. with the ear. O.J. verdict being in. They brought us all into the student area, the student center in my high school. I don't know if I was in 10th grade, 11th grade, I don't remember. And we all watched on this one tv. What were the most significant moments for you that you remember? And like, that, you know, that shock or that, that. What's going to happen next?

[Linda]

Oh, I would say when President Kennedy was shot, that was like, I was in college and I was walking back from lunch and I heard someone yell, poor Jackie. That's what they yelled. And I. And I Didn't know what. Why did they yell, poor Jackie? And then I went into. Back to the room, the classroom, and I found out, you know, I didn't know. I don't think I knew exactly. Right. When I walked in, it might have been announced while I was sitting there, because we were all waiting. He was taken to the hospital and. And no one said that he died. No. So I would say that was. Everybody was watching their tv. You know, that was one of the first big things on TV that brought the whole country together. Of course. Yeah. Yeah, that. And was. It was a terrible time. And we didn't really know who Johnson was. You know, he was the vice president. And they're always sort of in the background, so we didn't know what kind of person he was and how he was going to carry on.

[Danielle]

Right.

[Linda]

And then, of course, there was the funeral, which was unbelievable.

[Danielle]

And they broadcast that on tv, right? They broadcast that on tv.

[Linda]

Oh, yes. Oh, yes. Every second of it. Oh, my God. And then we were watching TV after the funeral, and Oswald, the guy who shot Kennedy, he was killed right on tv.

[Danielle]

Wow.

[Linda]

They were going to put him in a car, and I think his name was Ruby. He shot him. Now, how did he get in there? Who let him in? What was going on? But I'm telling you, it involved everything.

[Danielle]

Right.

[Linda]

It really did involve everything. And of course, Jackie Kennedy planned everything. The funeral, after Abraham Lincoln's funeral, she.

[Danielle]

Oh, really?

[Linda]

She based it on that.

[Danielle]

Oh, wow.

[Linda]

And her children were just, like 3 and 5 years old. In fact, he. It was John. John's birthday.

[Danielle]

Yeah. November. He has the same birthday as me.

[Linda]

Yeah.

[Danielle]

And it was the funeral. They had the funeral the same day. Because I know that because. Yeah. He had my birthday.

[Linda]

Yeah.

[Danielle]

We have so much in common. Yeah. And he was such a beloved president. Right.

[Linda]

It was the first time that there was real glamour in the White House because the other First Ladies and, you know, they were older, and Jackie was a fashion, you know, fashion statement, and she. She had these dresses made for her, and it's just been a fortune on clothes and everything and also entertaining people in the White House. They had all stars and. And authors, and everything was so glamorous. Were you.

[Danielle]

Because you've always been obsessed with the Kennedys. Were you as obsessed with them then, like, back then when you were younger with Jackie. With Jackie. Yeah. And now, was it, like. Was it common knowledge back then that he was, like, having affairs and stuff? No, no, that came out later.

[Linda]

Right.

[Danielle]

Because didn't have an affair with, like, Marilyn you know Monroe.

[Linda]

Yes. Oh, with everyone. With everyone.

[Danielle]

Right.

[Linda]

And. And so did his father. You know, when in those days the men had the money.

[Danielle]

Right.

[Linda]

I mean, we were. I was thinking about college, and we weren't supposed to go to college. Girls were supposed. They were supposed to keep house. And so another thing that came up was divorce. You know, when I was older, people could get divorced. The church had always said, no, it's. The Kennedys got an annulment. A lot of the Kennedys, they were Catholic, and they got an annulment from the Pope, but most people couldn't.

[Danielle]

Right.

[Linda]

And it was very frowned upon, and I thought it was terrible because why do you need to stay with someone? Yeah.

[Danielle]

But do you remember when, like. Do you remember, like, people getting divorced that you knew then it became acceptable that people close to you. Do you remember, like, around when that was?

[Linda]

Yeah, when I was in high school, it was rare. My aunt got divorced.

[Danielle]

And I'll bet there was all kinds of gossip about it and everything, because it was so. I mean, there's still gossip around, that kind of stuff.

[Linda]

Yeah, yeah. And Mitch Albom wrote a book about divorce, about his. And. And how the women didn't stick with the poor woman who got the divorce.

[Danielle]

Yeah.

[Linda]

And was right.

[Danielle]

There wasn't a lot of support.

[Linda]

Yeah, yeah. She was. She wasn't supported.

[Danielle]

And they probably didn't have great laws around it for women. They still don't have great laws around it for women. But it was probably even worse back then.

[Linda]

Oh, yes. Women were not really respected. In fact, the police wouldn't come out. If a woman called the police and someone was hurting, they say, well, you know. And even mothers would say to their daughter, well, do what he wants.

[Danielle]

Do what he needs.

[Linda]

Obviously, you're not being a good wife. And so that was terrible. I thought that was terrible. And so when Ronnie and I got married in 1965 and we met a lot of people over the years, all of them got divorced.

[Danielle]

Oh, wow.

[Linda]

There was a time when there was this freedom to get divorced, just as there was a freedom, more of a freedom to have sex. And I can't tell you how many of our friends that we met got divorced. We met friends on our honeymoon, got divorced. Met friends in our first development, all got divorced.

[Danielle]

Well, I think also that even still now, women are fighting to, you know, especially right now, there's this whole idea of the pushback of, you know, women who aren't wanting to get married and have kids and who realize that, you know, that you can take Another path. But of course, obviously there's still a lot of, you know, pushback against that, especially with this administration and everything. But. But I would imagine that there was no choice back then. And if you didn't get married, everyone looked at it as you were chosen.

[Linda]

You were being. You were an old maid.

[Danielle]

Yeah.

[Linda]

You were an old mate. And a man could be a bachelor.

[Danielle]

Right. Did you ever feel like not to say you didn't want to get married, but did you. Was there ever a thought in your mind that there was, like, a different path you could take?

[Linda]

No.

[Danielle]

Right.

[Linda]

But I always wanted to be a teacher. And there was nothing that was going to keep me from being a teacher. So I got. I got married after my third year of college, but I never thought I wasn't going to finished that last year, so I transferred because he was. Daddy was in medical school, and I transferred to Drexel, which was right next to Penn, and I finished my last year there.

[Danielle]

And now, do you remember how many girls were in your graduating class? Like, was there. Was it. I mean, was it common then to.

[Linda]

Well, to tell you the truth, when I was in college and I decided to get married a little early.

[Danielle]

You were 21.

[Linda]

Yeah. And I didn't know that Drexel took women. My father went to Drexel. I didn't know that I could go to Drexel. And one day I was in the library and I saw the Drexel pamphlet, and there was a girl on the front. And I thought, why do they bother to put a girl on the front if you can't go there? And I opened it up and I read, and it had business education. So I applied and transferred and went there.

[Danielle]

I feel like progress as we've made as women, there's still sort of this struggle for women to stay single, focus on their career, focus on traveling or whatever it is that they do. And yes, it's come a long way, but at the same time, it's still taboo.

[Linda]

It's crazy to me, but, you know, I will say. I will say, because a lot of women in my high school took business courses, you know, typing, shorthand. They weren't even prepared to apply to college. And one of my girlfriends, after she had taken a secretarial course, as they called them, decided to be a teacher. And she went to her guidance counselor and said, I want to take the courses so that I can apply to college. And she said, oh, you won't. You won't. You'll. You won't do it. You'll quit oh my God. You'll quit college. Your sister quit college.

[Danielle]

Oh my God.

[Linda]

And she absolutely discouraged her. So she had courage.

[Danielle]

Yeah.

[Linda]

Also. And she did. And, and, and she taught for, you know, 20 something years.

[Danielle]

Right. Do you. I mean, because it's, it, you know, there's that whole thing now with DEI and how everybody is, you know, says, oh, it's, you know, just make it merit based or whatever, like not realizing what DEI really is. And you pro. Kind of remember the introduction of it as they started letting women into the schools and into the businesses and to have jobs and everything. And like that, that, I mean, that is the. You've seen all the progression of it and you know, and blacks being allowed and you know, and disabled people and all of that and like the evolution of it all. And yes, I mean, there has been so, so much progress that they're trying to now, you know, sort of erase. But, but you did, you saw, I mean, all of that. And I know you were, you know, you were in New Jersey, so it wasn't, you know, as severe as in some other places in the south and everything. Yeah. Or the Midwest, you know, with women or I would imagine they were a little bit behind too. But, but yeah, I mean that was, you know, that, that's another thing that you really kind of saw the evolution of, which is pretty incredible because. Did you go school with any black kids?

[Linda]

Well, in my high school, I really didn't have black kids in Ewing, but.

[Danielle]

Daddy did okay in Trenton.

[Linda]

In Trenton, he had more black kids. They mostly not until my senior year. So in high school, in elementary school too, we had to wear skirts.

[Danielle]

You keep pushing the microphone.

[Linda]

Skirts or dresses. And when. So it was my junior year, I think, in high school. And we were going to decorate the gym for this junior prom because we always had it at the gym. We didn't go anywhere. It wasn't as big a deal as it is now.

[Danielle]

Right.

[Linda]

We had pretty.

[Danielle]

No promposals or anything. You ever see those promposals that they do now?

[Linda]

Yeah, none of that. No and no. No limousines. So we had to wear skirts or dresses. And we were going to decorate for the junior prom and I, I wore slacks. And they came running into the room, the administrators, the. And they said, you must call your mother immediately. Take. Bring in a dress for you or you're going to start, you know, some kind of a riot here.

[Danielle]

A riot.

[Linda]

A riot. Because my legs were showing, right.

[Danielle]

Oh my God.

[Linda]

Yeah. And you know, another thing about that is.

[Danielle]

Was Bubby mad? Was Your mom?

[Linda]

No. So anyway, in college also, I had to wear. I wore skirts and a dress or a dress, which makes you feel like a child, honestly, you're in college. And so. So I went to college. I graduated in 1966, and when I went out the back door, the baby boomers were coming in the front door, and they changed everything.

[Danielle]

Because you're. Wait, you're the greatest generation? Is that what you are?

[Linda]

I didn't. Yeah, I'm. Yeah.

[Danielle]

Well, no, your parents would be the greatest generation. You're a boomer.

[Linda]

I. But I'm almost a boomer because boomers started 1946. Those that were born in 1946. So I'm, you know.

[Danielle]

Yeah. I write because boomer is the biggest generation. The longest and I guess the most babies.

[Linda]

Well, I don't know. But they were marching and they were screaming about Vietnam and about women's rights. Women's rights, exactly. And so when I. We had two. Two phones for the whole dorm. They came in, they made it. You had a phone in each room.

[Danielle]

Wow.

[Linda]

Everything changed. And I was so jealous that I wasn't a part of it.

[Danielle]

Did you ever. Were you able to go to any protests or anything? Did you ever. Huh.

[Linda]

But I was married by then because I was graduated while I was married, and I was also pregnant soon after. So you had.

[Danielle]

You had.

[Linda]

Busy.

[Danielle]

You had your first. At 23.

[Linda]

Right?

[Danielle]

Was. And that was normal back then, right?

[Linda]

Yes, because women didn't go to college really, you know, so that people got graduated. People in my school got graduate, got married right after graduation.

[Danielle]

Yeah. And. And. But. And also, probably, you know, it was the time when, you know, if a girl got pregnant in high school or something, would they send her away or.

[Linda]

No? Well, I don't know if they would send her away, but. Yeah, but she couldn't stay in school.

[Danielle]

Right.

[Linda]

So in other words, the boy can make her pregnant.

[Danielle]

Right.

[Linda]

And then he could get his degree.

[Danielle]

Did you know anybody who was.

[Linda]

I. I know some friends. Some very good friends, in fact.

[Danielle]

Yeah. Who. And there. I mean, it. Was abortion an option or you. They didn't even know. Right.

[Linda]

No, abortion wasn't an option until after I was married. After I was married, the pill came out and. And abortion.

[Danielle]

Because Roe v. Wade was. You remember what year it was?

[Linda]

I don't remember.

[Danielle]

Yeah, I'll have to. Oh, 73. Yeah, 73. And so. Yeah. So you were married about, you know, almost. What.

[Linda]

In fact, I already had Amy and Mitch.

[Danielle]

Huh. Right. And do you remember that? Do you remember when Roe v. Wade was.

[Linda]

Yeah, yeah, I. I remember. You know.

[Danielle]

Right.

[Linda]

But like I say, the baby boomers changed everything.

[Danielle]

Right.

[Linda]

You know, I wish they would change everything now.

[Danielle]

Wow. I know people are trying, but, I.

[Linda]

Mean, the baby boomers, because they had guts. Do you know that?

[Danielle]

They.

[Linda]

We moved ahead because of them and we really owe them a lot.

[Danielle]

Right.

[Linda]

Should be grateful. And some were even killed during.

[Danielle]

Oh, sure.

[Linda]

You know, during some of it.

[Danielle]

Yeah. And. And. And I mean, I was there because. Because that was also when Jim Crow and everything was happening down south. How much did you guys know about that? Was it national news or was it more? But you. You. You knew about, you know, Martin Luther King Jr. Like, you knew about him marching and his speech and everything.

[Linda]

Oh, I idolized him. I idolize anyone who cares about other people enough to fight for human rights. And my. I think my father taught me. Us that because he would lecture us on being kind. Justice.

[Danielle]

Yeah.

[Linda]

Equality.

[Danielle]

Yeah. He was always.

[Linda]

Yeah, he was always lecturing us.

[Danielle]

Well, I was going to say he was always making sure, you know, he was always worrying about people who, you know, even from the story of the blind man who had sweep his. Yeah, he gave him a job sweeping because he didn't have a job. Yeah. But okay, so I wanted. Because right now, you know, it's hard to. I even feel during podcast episodes or, like, when I'm posting on social media and everything, it's hard to do anything right now without acknowledging everything that's, you know, going on. And everybody feels so lost and scared and, I mean, at least, you know, the good ones. And so, you know, you. You did. I do remember, you know, you and dad always talking politics and, you know, you were always big on watching the news, and you were always big on, you know, knowing what was going on. And dad, in his own way, you know, as a doctor, sort of, you know, he was also very much about, like, humanity and making sure that, you know, his patients got the care they needed and that, you know, he was in the inner cities and that kind of thing. And you were always. I mean, I grew up with you going in and, you know, you worked at a home for pregnant teenagers, teaching them so they could get their ged. And you were so loving to them. You know, you really were like a mom to them. Did you know that parents rank financial literacy as the number one most difficult life skill to teach? Meet Greenlight, the debit card and money app for families. With Greenlight, you can send money to kids quickly, set up chores, automate allowance, and keep an eye on Your kids spending with real time notifications, kids learn to earn, save and spend wisely. And parents can rest easy knowing their kids are learning about money. With guardrails in place, try greenlight Risk free [e-mail] Listen. Race the Rudders. Raise the sails. Raise the sails.

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[Linda]

Over.

[Danielle]

Roger, wait. Is that an enterprise sales solution?

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[Danielle]

But I remember going there all through my youth, you know, and seeing how you were with them. And then, you know, you would go into the inner cities and volunteer and tutor and all that stuff. So like between the two of you, you know, we did, we saw a lot. And I, you know, I say one of the things that I admire most about you is that you really did. You raised three, you know, three humans who are very much, you know, involved and vocal and have fought a lot for rights and everything. And so we're trying to do the same as moms in our generation, you know, for the next generation. And right now more than ever, you know, I think we need to make sure that the next generation is more humane. And, and so like what advice do you have for everybody right now who number one is living through? I mean you've lived through so many hard times, you know, and, and, and prolonged long times. I mean I, the Cold War and you hiding under your desks and.

[Linda]

I didn't do that.

[Danielle]

Oh, you did it. How come?

[Linda]

I don't remember them ever doing that. But daddy did.

[Danielle]

They didn't do the bomb drills for you. Oh, you must have been the dumber school. You could skip over that school. They don't need, they're expendable. This school over here, they're going to be doctors.

[Linda]

Let's keep them.

[Danielle]

These are just the secretaries.

[Linda]

Right? We never did that.

[Danielle]

But I know dad talked about care.

[Linda]

If we lived or died.

[Danielle]

Oh man. All right. Anyway, what was hiding under desks? It was a, you know, same kind of. Okay, but, but you know that you had, there had to be a fear of Russia attacking and everything, right?

[Linda]

I never, I don't know, I didn't pay that much attention to that.

[Danielle]

Uh huh. You are more scared of the trees.

[Linda]

It's very busy talking to the trees.

[Danielle]

You know, as someone who has lived through a lot and I mean, I'm trying to think, is there anything that's comparable to what's, you know, for, you know, the everyday person, you know. No, right.

[Linda]

I would say, of course, we didn't live in where you have, you couldn't drink the water. You couldn't stay in the hotels where, I mean, the black people.

[Danielle]

Oh. Huh.

[Linda]

You know, they had all.

[Danielle]

Oh, sure, sure. Yeah.

[Linda]

And we didn't have it up here.

[Danielle]

Yeah. So, yeah, you probably. Were you even very aware of it?

[Linda]

Just. Yeah, a little bit. A little bit.

[Danielle]

And there was no such thing as, like, an illegal immigrant back then. Right.

[Linda]

I, I only went. I only remember welcoming immigrants.

[Danielle]

Right.

[Linda]

I, I, I, I remember the Statue, you know, the Statue of Liberty. We honored it. That, that, you know, that was what we, we wanted to help people and people who had to leave their homes. And my grandparents, you know, they, they didn't speak English. Well, no, I, I, I think immigrants were more honored than.

[Danielle]

Yeah, it's become criminalized only because certain.

[Linda]

People talk about it like that, but.

[Danielle]

Oh, yeah, but there was no, I mean, yeah, because I, because I know back then, I mean, all the neighborhoods were, I mean, you know, you lived near Philadelphia, and Philadelphia was just filled with, you know, immigrants and different communities and the Lower east side of Manhattan, and the shift was just incredible.

[Linda]

First, like I say, the Italians came in and they brought pizza, you know, and then the Chinese, and then, I mean, it was just like, it made America richer.

[Danielle]

Melting pot.

[Linda]

It was a melting pot. And we always appreciated being a melted. America was a country of immigrants. Yeah. And now it's, it's just not appreciated.

[Danielle]

You know, it just. As somebody who has lived through eight.

[Linda]

Decades and, yeah, we did live, we did, we did live through a lot. Yeah, we did. It was, it was, it kept changing.

[Danielle]

And, and then, and Vietnam, people getting drafted.

[Linda]

Oh, definitely. That was a big part of our life. I have classmates that were killed in Vietnam, and, you know, that really hurts your heart when you see those names up there. And I worried about Daddy. No, it was really terrible. And we had to wait. After he finished medical school, we were in, we were into the Vietnam, and some had to go to Vietnam and some could go on with their residency. And daddy got a thing that he could go on with his residency. So he, we went to Atlanta, Georgia, and he did his two years there, and then he could go to the army, but all doctors had to go into the army, and so he did, he did. He wasn't sent to Vietnam. He was a doctor on an army post.

[Danielle]

But he was within the age range of people getting sentenced, right?

[Linda]

Yeah. I don't know if there was an age, because, you know, they wanted to end the war and. But they didn't. They continued it for longer than they thought they would, I think. But. And. And then you think about how those men suffered.

[Danielle]

Yeah.

[Linda]

And then they came home to no applause and.

[Danielle]

I don't know, not even to just no applause. Being hated.

[Linda]

I don't. I don't understand.

[Danielle]

And the nurses and the doc. I mean, everybody who went over there came back villains. Unreal.

[Linda]

But that was stupid.

[Danielle]

Yeah. Did you read the Women by Kristen Hannah? You should read that. You should read it.

[Linda]

I thought it would upset me. Yeah, it will, but.

[Danielle]

But no worse than what's happened.

[Linda]

You know, I can't take it right now.

[Danielle]

Yeah, I hear you. It feels like it's just, you know. You know what it is? It feels like the bad people just keep winning.

[Linda]

Yes.

[Danielle]

You know, and so there's. We're not used to that. You know, like you said, there's a disease and you get a. A vaccine or, you know, time heals. Someone gets assassinated. It's terrible. But, you know, there's a healing process in it. And, you know, I mean, this has been 10 years of this shit. 10 years and getting worse. I mean, it's not healthy. Like, our whole. It's not healthy, you know, and especially for all those of you to see all of the progress that's been made, you know, everything you're talking about, living through, you know, and literally, you know, I mean, you talk about 1973 with River v. Wade. I mean, you had more rights than I do now.

[Linda]

Exactly. Of course, we didn't have anything like Fox News.

[Danielle]

Right.

[Linda]

We didn't have anybody spewing lies.

[Danielle]

Right.

[Linda]

At the American people.

[Danielle]

Yeah. And getting away with it.

[Linda]

And how do you. You know, these people are hypnotized. How do you. How do you accept that that's like an enemy in your midst.

[Danielle]

Well, that's it. I just.

[Linda]

And nobody's doing.

[Danielle]

Right.

[Linda]

Anything about it.

[Danielle]

Why? Because First Amendment. Free speech. I know. It's like, how do you. I know. It's a hard. It's crazy.

[Linda]

It's. Yes. It's a hard pill to swallow.

[Danielle]

It's a hard pill to swallow. And then, you know, they do admit to being entertainment news. They say, you know, Ted Koppel was interviewing Hannity. You know, there's this famous clip of Ted Koppel. I don't know when it was a few years ago, I guess maybe during Trump's first term. I don't know. Ted Koppel still Alive? No, he died. Right. Is he still alive? I'm not sure. Anyway, it was a clip. Is Sean Hannity says, do you think I'm bad for America? And Ted Koppel says, oh, yes, absolutely. And Sean Hannity says, really? You know, I. That's terrible. How can you think that? And Ted, you know, and Ted Koppel. And Sean Hannity says, you have to trust that the people know between a news show and an opinion show, you know, as if every, you know, as if everybody just. It's okay because it's just an opinion show. And then Ted Koppel says, well, I'll tell you why. You know, I. I think you're so bad for America because you're very good at your job, and so you're very convincing.

[Linda]

How do you sleep at night?

[Danielle]

I mean, how so many of. I mean, listen, so many of them.

[Linda]

Children in the Eye.

[Danielle]

Yeah, I know. Well, you think. Yeah, I think that about so many of them, you know, So I was just wondering, like, when you. Because I recently put a poll out to our audience on Instagram about how many. How many of them had voted differently this election than their partner.

[Linda]

That's interesting. Yeah.

[Danielle]

And there was like, more than 5,000 people answered, and it was about 20% said that they had voted differently. Two percent, I think, said that they never talked about. Like, they had no idea. Yeah. And then I think it was like 77%. Does that make sense? Is that the right math? Okay.

[Linda]

Said that they both can't add, so. Yeah.

[Danielle]

That they can't. That they voted the same way. About 77%. So of that 20%, I think it was 66% said that they. That it was a strain on their marriage. You know, that this had been a strain on their marriage. And, you know, a lot of people clarified that pre Trump, it wasn't really such a big deal. It wasn't as big of a deal. Deals. Now, they would never, you know, but. But, you know, was. Was there ever a time that you and dad, like, didn't agree or anything? No.

[Linda]

No.

[Danielle]

Yeah.

[Linda]

No.

[Danielle]

Have you ever voted for a Republican?

[Linda]

I did. We did vote for a Republican. And I. I must say to you that I would. I would vote differently than Daddy if I felt it. There would be. No. I go into that booth and it's private, and. And one of the things that we did was bring you into the booth.

[Danielle]

Yeah, always. I've always done that with my kids, too, because of you. Yeah, I remember that. You always brought.

[Linda]

That is so, so important.

[Danielle]

Yeah. You let me push the lever. If dad had just voted for Trump. Can you. Could you. Oh, my God, at 80, could you get divorced?

[Linda]

Well, I'll tell you something. Our whole marriage would be different.

[Danielle]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Linda]

If he, if he voted for Trump, then our, Our ethics, our morals, our. Everything would be different. And yet my best friend.

[Danielle]

Yeah.

[Linda]

It's a Republican. We don't talk about it at all.

[Danielle]

Right.

[Linda]

We can't, because steam comes out of my ears.

[Danielle]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Linda]

And then my heart starts pounding.

[Danielle]

And she's been your best friend since childhood.

[Linda]

Since high school.

[Danielle]

High school. Okay.

[Linda]

You know, and she had a very different upbringing than I did, but I, I'll never. I'll never understand how anyone could.

[Danielle]

Yeah.

[Linda]

Could like such a hateful person.

[Danielle]

So who was the Republican you voted for?

[Linda]

We. Whitman for governor. And. And that was because she was so.

[Danielle]

That was the governor of New Jersey.

[Linda]

Right. She was the governor of. She ran for the governor of New Jersey. And she was so women oriented that she was going to help women and she believed in women and everything.

[Danielle]

And then did you wind up being. Were you happy that you voted for her? Did you do a good job?

[Linda]

I think so. I'm not sure, but I know I, I don't think she was very good when it became to 9 11.

[Danielle]

Oh.

[Linda]

Because she told them that. That they didn't need masks, you know, when they were in all that debris and the people who were cleaning it up.

[Danielle]

Best piece of advice you were ever given and by whom.

[Linda]

Well, I think my father, of course, started out with. In fact, I used to say to you, if. I don't know if you remember, but probably not. I wasted my time. I used to. Used to say, it's nice to be smart, but it's smarter to be nice.

[Danielle]

That's catchy. Yeah. Use that.

[Linda]

Yeah, I used to say that to all of you. That. That's one advice. And there's one. There's another one that it's really funny, but I used to watch Rosie O'Donnell every single day.

[Danielle]

I remember.

[Linda]

Then she got me through raising you kids.

[Danielle]

I remember. Yeah. You loved her.

[Linda]

I loved her. I really did. She was like a sister.

[Danielle]

I'm sure she feels the same about you.

[Linda]

If she only knew me.

[Danielle]

Right? She does follow me on Instagram.

[Linda]

Yeah. Anyway, one day she told us that a teacher, and she was still very angry about this, but a teacher told her she'd never be anything he did. And she even mentioned his name.

[Danielle]

Good for her.

[Linda]

Yeah, she was angry. And then look at what she became. I mean, I, you know, I really did when her Show.

[Danielle]

Yeah, she was. She was definitely. I think. I feel like she was a good. Yeah, she did. I think she got a lot of women through. You know, she was funny and kind and so. So, so that. But that wasn't advice.

[Linda]

Well, it was a way of saying, don't give up. Don't let anyone tell you who you are or, you know, or that you're not good enough or your dreams are senseless or worthless. So I don't know it really, to have someone, you know, to have her go against someone who told her.

[Danielle]

There are a few things that I always say. Well, I'm sure I can't remember them all now, but, you know, things that you said to me that I say to my kids all. All the time, especially to. Well, shut up. You know, I say all the time, it only takes a second, and your whole life can change. And I always think about that, you know, that used to be like, listen, you know, stupid, you know, because I think you were very good about, you know, you. You were very accepting, and I was a little bit crazy, you know, so, like. And I did a lot of crazy stuff and. And, you know, I can. I really only remember getting in trouble a handful of times because I think I, you know, I really just scared the shit out of you. But I, you know, but I do remember and still to this day, times in my life where, you know, I have to make a decision and I'm sort of like, it only takes a sec, you know, I think. I would think that sometimes, you know, maybe not enough when I was in college and stuff, but that's certainly something I've always said to my kids, always. I think that you. You said a lot of good things. You know, I think that it's. It's stuck. And I don't know how the fuck. You had three. I mean, granted, I am the least well adjusted, but you had, like, you raised three, like, good people, well adjusted, sort of. I mean, lots of medication, but no, I mean, yeah, I guess. But, you know, but I do sometimes I think to have three kids, you know, and. And they were. We all kind of. I mean, especially Mitch and Amy came out. They turned out really well. That must be like a big. You know, that has to be. That has to feel good to know.

[Linda]

That some of it is jeans, definitely. You know, jeans for smartness. And they have more daddy in them than you do.

[Danielle]

It was the leftover spur.

[Linda]

No, but you were. But you were fun, you know, you added to the family. You brought in so much fun and the kids Loved you from the day you came home. You know, like, you were. You were the doll, you know, you were the. You were the pet.

[Danielle]

The pet.

[Linda]

I remember when you used to say, oh, SpaghettiO, we wanted to take you to New York to be on tv. We did it right. But that. But Mitchell and Amy did get. Have. They did get a kick out of you, and I got a kick out of you, Daddy. I think it was a little harder.

[Danielle]

Oh, for sure.

[Linda]

Because you were like, but. And yet you're me. And yet.

[Danielle]

Well, luckily, I gave dad, you know, a kid who's a lot like him. All right, ready?

[Linda]

Oh.

[Danielle]

Okay. If you. You can only choose one.

[Linda]

Okay.

[Danielle]

Favorite book you ever read and why. Oh, if you had to recommend one book that you think people probably haven't read that are listening to this, you're.

[Linda]

Gonna know what it is.

[Danielle]

Hawaii.

[Linda]

No. Captains and the Kings. That was Taylor Caldwell.

[Danielle]

Oh. Captains and the Kings.

[Linda]

And I think that was sort of the first book that I fell in love with. You know, I had enjoyed other books, but the whole story from the first page.

[Danielle]

How old were you when you read it?

[Linda]

I don't know. I don't know. I.

[Danielle]

Do you think it would still be, like, relevant today for people to read? Like, would it still be relatable?

[Linda]

It's very relevant today.

[Danielle]

Captains and Famous.

[Linda]

Very relatively today.

[Danielle]

Favorite TV show of all time.

[Linda]

Remember the Thornbirds?

[Danielle]

That was a made for TV movie, right?

[Linda]

It was a series.

[Danielle]

Oh. Huh.

[Linda]

Yeah, it was a series, and it came from the book. And we were all so excited about it because we all loved the book. And so I remember, like, the 70s.

[Danielle]

Yeah. There was someone famous in it who.

[Linda]

Wasn't it Chamber. Chamber something. Chamberlain.

[Danielle]

Yes.

[Linda]

Right.

[Danielle]

Yeah. Yeah. Robert.

[Linda]

Richard. Richard Chamberlain.

[Danielle]

Huh.

[Linda]

And it was a romance and a priest.

[Danielle]

Right. If. If you had to tell people to watch one movie, what would it be?

[Linda]

One movie?

[Danielle]

Yeah.

[Linda]

I think I would tell them to watch Fiddler on the Roof.

[Danielle]

Okay.

[Linda]

I just, you know, especially if you're Jewish and if you're not Jewish, it teaches you, really, where we came from and how people lived then.

[Danielle]

Tevye.

[Linda]

Yeah, so I'm not saying that that's my favorite favorite movie, but it's one of them, and it teaches. I like things that teach.

[Danielle]

Favorite singer of all time. If you could see, like, anybody in concert or there, listen to only one.

[Linda]

Well, I have to say, there's no one like Neil diamond and also Billy Joel and their kinds of songs and. And the rock and roll time. Rock and roll.

[Danielle]

Favorite place you've ever Been.

[Linda]

Well, I would say Atlanta, my happiest. You know, such happy years there. And I. I could say the Jersey Shore. There's nothing like the ocean to me.

[Danielle]

You still love Atlantic City and.

[Linda]

Yeah. And I just think the ocean is such a miracle that I feel everybody should say it in their. Once in their life. You can't imagine. So are those some of the questions your people.

[Danielle]

Yeah, they were like. Yeah. And then they had, like, favorite invention. What was the invention that you remember the most, that you, you know, were the most affected and impacted by?

[Linda]

You know, I mean, you could say the washer, the dryer, the stove, you know, and heat. Heat.

[Danielle]

Why, when you were born, there was no heat in the house.

[Linda]

No, there was heat, but I love heat. I love heat.

[Danielle]

Yeah. I'm talking about in your lifetime.

[Linda]

I know. Well, there was heat in my lifetime. Air conditioning. And then we got air conditioning in cars. You know, they didn't have them at first, and also they didn't have power.

[Danielle]

Power steering. Yeah. Oh, you know what I want to ask you. So you're famous in our family for. You love McDonald's. Do you remember the first time you had McDonald's?

[Linda]

Gee, I must have been.

[Danielle]

Or Coke. Coca Cola.

[Linda]

We didn't have Coke in the house.

[Danielle]

Right. But, like, do. Was it, like. Did you. Do you remember, like, going. You know, I mean, I guess you would have to go to, like, one of the fountain places.

[Linda]

Yeah. We didn't. Maybe we had it for special occasions and. But I was done college and everything, and I think we came back from Virginia from the Army. That's when I started to have McDonald's favorite.

[Danielle]

And we'll have to have you come back again because I have more stuff that I would ask you. What's your greatest hope for this next generation, you know, for your grandkids and everything as they're growing up and they have kids? What. What would you like to think that will happen that hasn't happened yet?

[Linda]

Well, I. You know, my biggest hope is that we keep our democracy.

[Danielle]

Yeah.

[Linda]

That they get to grow up in a. In a democracy and. And in a much nicer caring time where. Where they get the help they need, where whatever they need.

[Danielle]

How confident are you right now of that happening? I won't let them hear this, but.

[Linda]

Oh, I'm. No, I'm confident because something happens, has to happen soon. And I think pretty soon everyone is gonna be touched by what's going on.

[Danielle]

I know something's gotta happen. I know.

[Linda]

Yeah.

[Danielle]

Thanks, Mom. You're really good at this.

[Linda]

Oh, it was really fun.

[Danielle]

Well, we'll do it again.

[Linda]

I didn't, I didn't think it was going to be this easy. I really didn't.

[Danielle]

You're really good at it.

[Linda]

I was nervous.

[Danielle]

Well, I want. I'll have you come back. We'll have to have you come back on. And I want to do an episode with Amy and Mitch too. So maybe we'll do. I'll do an episode with the, you know, the three siblings. And then you, you and dad can make like an appearance.

[Linda]

Yeah, because you don't want us in. In with you when you do this.

[Danielle]

Not that one, but I want you to do other ones. And you could do. You could certainly do a follow up to this one too, for sure.

[Linda]

Well, you know, I'm in this book club with.

[Danielle]

No we're good. Or what? What?

[Linda]

Well, with all my 80 year old that I took naps in kindergarten.

[Danielle]

Oh, my gosh.

[Linda]

And I thought maybe sometime you want to do something like that.

[Danielle]

If they would come on. Would they come on?

[Linda]

I don't know. I asked them, but I haven't gotten an answer.

[Danielle]

If they don't, if they know anything about the podcast, they might not want to. They might not want to be associated with it.

[Linda]

Well, thank you very much.

[Danielle]

Thank you very much. Thank you for having me.

[Linda]

Oh, I. That was a pleasure.

[Danielle]

On that note, thanks everyone so much. And rate and tell them to rate and review. 5 stars on Apple or Spotify. Say rate and review.

[Linda]

Oh, rate and review. Yep, rate and review.

[Danielle]

On Apple and Spotify.

[Linda]

On Apple and Spotify, right? Yeah.

[Danielle]

Good.

[Linda]

Oh, that's very nice. Thank you very much for doing that.

[Danielle]

You're good, Mom. All right, everyone, we'll see you next week.

[Linda]

Bye bye. Bye. SA.

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[Danielle]

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[Linda]

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