I know a lot about...

Peggy’s prompt—I know a lot about---081210---15 minutes




Hmm. I know a lot about…. Actually, more accurately, I know a little bit about a lot of things. It used to worry me that I was never going to be the world’s expert on anything in particular, but then in college I realized that “Renaissance man” (or woman in my case) could be a compliment, not a slur, as the word “dilettante” often seems to be.



But, giving it some thought, maybe I could lay claim to considerable knowledge to a few things--about breast cancer, about problem-based learning, about the physical and psychological effects of stress, about bankruptcy, and collection agencies and popular songs of the late 50’s, and how the various cars and models of cars looked in the 50’s, and red ’64 Volkswagen Beetles, and sight-reading piano music, and FORTRAN computer programming (now there’s a useless clutter of knowledge in my brain) and where most of the people I went to graduate school with are now, I know a lot about how to get around by roads in Asheville, in Fort Pierce, Florida, in Galveston TX. I’m pretty good at geography of where the states of the USA are relative to one another. I’m pretty clear on European country placement. I falter, though, in eastern Europe, Asia, South America, and Africa, except for the few places where I know people.



I know the first line to a million songs. I know at least one verse of most of the Christmas carols. I can play almost any hymn on the piano.



I can make chicken/vegetable soup, tossed salad, Waldorf salad, spaghetti sauce, banana pudding, Tollhouse cookies and a very few other dishes without a recipe. Not saying much for almost fifty years of cooking (or preparing meals, which isn’t necessarily the same thing.)



I used to know the books of the Bible in order, and I can still say the alphabet in English, Dutch, and Spanish. (most of the time.)



I know all the teachers I had in elementary school, but not the names of all my cousins. I can sing the FSU Fight song and its Alma Mater. (and the Start-Spangled Banner.) And most of the Stephen Foster songs.



I have a pretty good grasp on the gross anatomy of the human body, at least in terms of whole organs and where they are. I know most of the psycho-babble buzz words. I know my Pa and Grandmother’s old phone number (602-W). I know the address of most of the places I’ve lived, except for the house in League City, but that’s understandable. I know how many centimeters in an inch (2.54) and whoops, I’ve run out of my 15 minute time limit. Quite a hodge-podge of things I know. Well, I did say I was a dilettante.