Barbara J. Hamby

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Out of the Loop

Maybe it’s because I don’t have grandchildren that I’m so far out of the loop. This week I’ve read a couple of articles about the Grammy’s. Until then, I’d never heard of Amy Winehouse. It certainly is a reflection on our times that a gal in rehab wins all those awards and at least one of them is for a song about rehab. Reflecting on those facts makes me very sad.

From her bio on her website, I deduced that she is English. At least we don’t have all the mixed up young girls over on this side of “the pond,” as they say. I hope she can get her act together and enjoy her huge success.

Music is not the only area where I’m out of the loop. I’ve been out of it all my life as far as sports are concerned, except for the year I attended the University of Washington and managed to get to a couple of football games.

Certainly I’ve not been with it as far as fashions are concerned for most of my life. I like what’s comfortable in colors that make me look alive and to heck with high fashion. None of it will look the same on me as on the toothpick models anyway. I never wore a gown and veil at any of my weddings, although I wore numerous bridesmaid’s gowns for friends’ and relatives’ nuptials. Incidentally, I never wore a bikini, but did have a couple of two-piece suits back in the old days.

Recalling things I never wore reminds me of my mother. In her later years I took her to the malls with me. She liked to sit and people watch while I walked. One day when we passed Victoria’s Secret or Frederick’s of Hollywood (I don’t remember which), she pointed to a teddy in the window and said wistfully, “I never wore anything like that.” I didn’t quite know what to say. She had never been a slave to fashion, either, but had always been neat, well-groomed, and stretched her 5’2” body to walk tall.

Strangely, I remember thinking how “out of the loop” she was at various times in my life.