1979

Trina Clickner
727-366-1424
trinaclickner@gmail.com

Right after the election, the Class of 1979 was asked for a word or two to sum things up for the year. Here’s how it went. Trina Clickner: Hello out there, Hood classmates! It’s Hood College Class of 1979 news time. Got news? I will sum up my recent mindset in one word—malaise. So, that’s my word. What’s yours? Bess Muir: My word is Maryland. Moved back this past year. Love it here. Bethanne Warrack: My word is milestones. In October, Mark and I celebrated our 20th anniversary in Hawaii. We snorkeled from the beach and found ourselves surrounded by a pod of spinner dolphins. Amazing. In November, I celebrated my 35th anniversary at BMS. Never would have imagined working in one place for so long. Gini Allen Natter: The word from my new home is joy. We have moved into a brand new home on the seventh fairway of a new golf course, five blocks from the ocean. We love our new digs in Atlantic Beach, FL! Janet Wehking Mullen: My one word is consternation. It’s how the election affected me. Please check out my company’s website—iwpr.org—get informed and donate to help us work on issues affecting women. Katt Sherman Hancher: Anxiety. I’d like to go with an entire essay, but I guess that sums it up best, thanks! Malia Harrison Anderson: Exhausted! What’s new! My son’s wedding in Nashville was fabulous in August, and my baby girl just turned 18! My older son is in his 10th year of work! Just getting old and waiting to be a grandma! Martha Pierce: It’s setting a pretty low bar for us to come up with one word… but I’m up for the challenge: trepidation, angst, déjà vu…you pick. Thanks for keeping up with our class! Mary Dale Jones Lancaster: Your word is malaise? Well, that sounds dreary. Could be physical, mental, political (!), emotional—whatever it is, it’s only temporary. Nothing much to report here—I, like many, feel particularly squeezed right now between arranging care of my 85-year-old mother and the younger generation. On one level, I am grateful that I am still of some help and usefulness. However, I do find myself torn in several directions, with less time than I’d like for my own pursuits. So, my word of the moment is “stretched.” I am no doubt not alone in this—it seems pretty common for women of our ilk and age to be stretched pretty thin. Of note, I am, at the ripe age of 60, taking up the piano. We’ll see. I can tell that my left hand really does not like to operate independently of my right—is there enough plasticity in my brain to make it all work? We’ll see what the year brings! Ruth Sikora Seel, P’14: Life is good! I am still working as a high school family and consumer science teacher and plan on going for another six years. Of course we will see how that all goes! Our oldest daughter lives just north of Houston, TX, in the Woodlands and is a stay-at-home mom with three beautiful, fun children. We enjoy grandparenting, but wish they were closer! We have one child local, and our Hood grad lives in Portland, OR. I am fortunate to still have both my parents, who are living independently in their home! This summer we had a great weekend with Sally Schrecengost Convery ’80 and Cathy Suber Kohl ’80 in Virginia Beach. We met a woman on the beach whose mom was a Hood grad—it’s a small Hood world!