Sweet September
In the northern hemisphere, this meteorological season begins September 1.
What is autumn (or fall)? Meteorological fall is based on the calendar. Astronomical fall, or what we might call the season of fall, begins on the fall equinox, when day and night are equal in length.
This is the French word for “thank you.”
What is merci? “No thank you” is non, merci.
One of this artist’s unforgettable hits, featured in Blue Hawaii, begins, “Wise men say only fools rush in.”
Who is Elvis Presley? The tune is “Can’t Help Falling in Love.”
A series of “manly” movies from the 1980s features this Stallone character, with his trademark mullet and black tank.
Who is Rambo? Rambo is a Green Beret veteran who became a pop culture sensation.
These sat on top of TVs to get reception from the stations.
What are antennas? They were also called rabbit ears, and reception could be spotty during storms.
When we were in school, this event took place on the first Tuesday of September in many states.
What is first day of the school year? Now, school starts as early as July in states such as New Mexico.
Gracias means “thank you” in this language.
What is Spanish? If you visit Barcelona, you will occasionally hear people saying merci instead of gracias.
This 1964 tune, titled “Fly Me to [this place],” was released by Frank Sinatra and Count Basie.
What is the moon? In 1954, Felicia Sanders performed it in cabarets under the title “In Other Words.”
This John Belushi film about a college fraternity’s antics also stars Karen Allen and Tom Hulce.
What is Animal House? Donald Sutherland called it his funniest experience on a film set and says it is one of his favorite films.
Metal ice trays had these on top.
What is a lever? You pulled the lever to remove the ice from the tray.
September is the month the playoffs begin and lead to this sport’s grand finale.
What is baseball? The championship series in Major League Baseball is the World Series.
You can say mahalo to thank someone on these islands.
What are the Hawaiian Islands? Mahalo is also used to show gratitude or respect.
This 1960 Paul Anka hit is about adolescent infatuation.
What is “Puppy Love”? “Puppy Love” begins, “And they call it puppy love; Oh, I guess they’ll never know.”
He plays the title character in 1982’s Conan the Barbarian.
Who is Arnold Schwarzenegger? A planned sequel is in the works and will feature an older Conan, who has been king for years.
To make a copy of a handwritten or typed document, you slipped this between the sheets of paper.
What is carbon paper? It was black and flimsy, and it transferred more carbon to your hands than it did to the copy.
On September 21, 1967, taping began for this famous children’s TV program, in which every episode begins with the host singing “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?”
What is Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood? The iconic show features host Fred Rogers and his many friends, including Mr. McFeely, Lady Elaine Fairchilde, and a red trolley.
Danke means “thank you” in this language.
What is German? In addition to Germany, the language is often spoken in Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Liechtenstein, as well as portions of Italy and Poland.
Roy Orbison’s breakthrough came in 1960 with his hit about “only” these people.
What is “Only the Lonely”? “Only the Lonely” was Orbison’s first No. 1 hit.
He stars in 1971’s cop thriller Dirty Harry.
Who is Clint Eastwood? The role is one of Eastwood’s most iconic characters and helped define the crime thriller genre.
Cameras didn’t have built-in flash capability; instead, you had to buy these if you needed more than room light.
What are flash bulbs? They were single-use items. At that time, photography was not a thrifty hobby. Film and flash bulbs were consumables, and the most expensive part of the equation was developing the film. Today, it’s all provided with smartphones.
On September 18, 1970, the world lost a visionary in this guitarist and singer, famous for songs including “Purple Haze” and “The Wind Cries Mary.”
Who is Jimi Hendrix? Hendrix said “Purple Haze” was inspired by a dream in which he was walking under the sea.
When in Portugal or this South American country, Obrigado and obrigada mean “thank you.”
What is Brazil? Obrigado is Portuguese, the language spoken in only one South American country. Typically, men say obrigado and women say obrigada. Portuguese is also spoken in several countries in Africa.
Dean Martin originally performed the 1954 tune that begins, “When marimba rhythms start to play, dance with me...”
What is “Sway”? The song has been featured in countless films since its release, including 2007’s No Reservations, and popular band Pink Martini performs it at most of their concerts.
1974’s The Longest Yard centers around a high-stakes game of this sport.
What is football? Star Burt Reynolds plays a former pro quarterback organizing a football team of inmates.
These wall- or desk-mounted devices could be found in schools and places of business and featured a detachable compartment and a hand crank.
What is a pencil sharpener? They’ve been replaced by electric or handheld small sharpeners.