There’s something about the Staples Class of 1983 and blogs.
At least 3 members of that class recently joined the blogosphere. And although they reference Westport only occasionally — and from various perspectives — it’s nice to think they honed their substantial writing chops here.
Shannon Woolfe now lives in Hillsborough, N.C. Her blog — Do You Know the Way to San Jose? — is filled with notes from her recently completed memoir about life with her horse-trainer mother, her life in Bermuda, and her youth in Westport.
Former Westporter Harry Reasoner had a trampoline behind his Long Lots Road house
It sounds like quite a youth. At age 11, she found her way home — alone — from Newark Airport. She and a friend often jumped on Harry Reasoner’s trampoline. And she spent a hilarious night skinny-dipping with her boyfriend at Birchwood, then running from the Westport cops.
Matt Perry’s Mad-Dog Manifesto describes life in Chicken City, which one hopes is not the real name of the rural Georgia town where he teaches and coaches soccer. Matt too is writing a memoir. His posts are part of it, and though longer than most bloggers’, they’re hilarious.
(He was named head coach when his predecessor was “diplomatically non-renewed because he was a moron.”)
Jarret Liotta still lives in Connecticut. His essays and articles have appeared in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times and many local publications. He recently completed his 1st novel, “Temporary Insanity.”
His “The Blog and I” is also sharp. For instance, he’s the 1st person to write something I always wished I had the guts to. After hearing Johnny Mathis over the holidays, Jarret said: “I still get very uncomfortable whenever a black person sings… ‘May all your Christmases be white.'”
Shannon, Matt and Jarret have distinct, and very personal, voices. All 3 are also working together on their writing.
A horse trainer from North Carolina, a soccer coach from Chicken City and a writer who takes on Johnny Mathis. And they all got their start in Westport.
Thank you so much for this Dan – I am so glad you enjoyed reading our blogs! I believe Staples, especially a teacher named Joe Lieberman, was a huge influence on my wanting to write. By the way, my mother is the only trainer in my family, I’m a lifelong horsewoman for sure, but fortunately make my living by other means than horses. Thanks again!
Wow!! You can’t spell “mensch” without D-A-N … or something like that! Thank you, Mr. W. (my former substitute teacher at Coleytown Jr. — and how you managed that, being only one or two years older than me, I’ll never know!) … I appreciate your very kind words, and really am proud to be part of a tradition that includes writers like you and Shannon (not Matt as much) …
Dan, I remember you from years back! Thanks so much for this mention in your blog. Very kind words are very much appreciated. There’s something strange about being a Stapleite, isn’t there? It’s one of those experiences that those who have missed it, will never understand.