River of Beauty

How deep does your river of beauty flow?
For I would love to swim and go
Below where few have been
And take the time to grow

Currents and eddys change within
My soul would brightly gleam to win
Just one moment next to you
Would fill life full not thin

Eyes seeing a swan that's too
Consumed with minutes so few
Just one word could satisfy me
For a lifetime would do

I pray your shiny surface be
as bright below what I see
A life with you and me
Could be perfect to a tee

Day 14486 Father’s Day Evening at Como Lake

Back on this date I wrote this story. It is a linear story in that it all took place while writing it. I have edited it a bit but not much. I included the time so you may have a better idea of how long this all took.

June 18, 1989 6:58pm Fathers Day
I had a chance to spend time with Matt and Melissa today. Had a swim meet at St. Louis Park and they went along. Afterwards we went for dinner to Pepitos. It probably wasn't too fun for them but they seemed to enjoy it.

Sitting at Como Lake after dropping off the kids, I first stopped by the pavilion. Didn’t feel the privacy I needed so have moved south around the lake. Lying on the grass just off the walking path, 30 feet from a bench, ducks are rearing up their behinds searching for food on the bottom. Shadows of the sun are casting lines on the surroundings. The harsh intensity of the summers long hot sun is cooling its glare as it sets to the west. Returning to this place brings back memories of previous visit. It beckoned me back. The wind of the day, strong enough for kite flying is dying down causing the tranquil blue water to act as a mirror. Soft quacks of the ducks contentment with the moment can be heard ever so faintly.

Streams of people walk the path around the lake, nary a gap is found as the procession travels in front of me. A band warms up, readying itself for a concert at the Pavilion. A surprise to me. Paddleboats no longer sit along the docks below the pavilion, only fishermen can be found. Green algae covers the surface just off shore, the sight is not pleasant but from the size of the ducks, they don’t mind it. You can only guess this is caused by the run off of fertilizer making its way into the lake during the rains. The state insect is starting to make its presents known, just received a bite.

Mother duck has just brought out her clan; they make their way out into open water. Ten in all swim gently along never getting to far apart.

Four ducks show their stuff not far away, two white, and two mallards. Popping up out of the water paddling their legs, they appear to be standing on the surface, flapping their wings, strutting their stuff. The mallards jump on board a white one, stacked two high, then yet another mounts up and rides high. Must be too late for more eggs to be hatched but they can still enjoy.

A gray squirrel jumps through the cool green grass in front of me, along the shore. Cautiously he digs, looks, digs, looks, making sure I don’t move in on him. His front legs and mouth are black from the moist dirt he works in off the lake. A dinner must be his reason for searching so hard. All at once his prize is found. The large nut now clasped in his mouth is carried away to be feasted upon, perched on a branch of a lofty tree, safe from intruders.

A jubilant march plays as a kite tries to stay aloft over the lake. Higher and higher it goes making its way above the calming effect of the tree line. Suddenly the string appears to go free; the flyer has let out its line. Travelling over head, it has no anchor to call home. The setting sun lights up the line as it passes overhead, shimmering as it moves away from me. Knots have been made in it, making the line longer. The kite loses altitude, the string that was so high now comes down. The end drags in the water as the kite attempts to stay aloft. It would be a shame to let its flight end. Getting up, I grab this thread of life’s flight. Instantly the wind tugs on the string as the kite goes up. I have stopped its run away path. Up, up, it goes higher and higher. Now what do I do? There doesn’t seem to be anybody to claim ownership to its flight. Nobody on the distant shore is gesturing their dissatisfaction with my capture. Seconds fly by. What do I do? Wait and enjoy the flight, seems to feel alright.

In the distance I hear a man call out, “Do you have a hold of the kite”. He says. I answer with a yes. Walking up, he tells me of the periless journey of our lofty kite. It all started with a Father’s Day celebration at a church picnic. All the kids enjoyed its flight early in the afternoon. Interest waned so the kite was moved while in flight to the deck of its owner’s house where the length of string was increased . Fish line, tied to the end gave it altitude, going higher and higher. Time went by and more excitement was needed. A bottle was tied to the line and allowed to go above the trees. The weight of the bottle pulled on the string too much, snapping it sending the kite on its free flying journey. The bottle helped keep the kite up until it hit a churches brick wall breaking all but the neck. Up and down it went; several times the pursuer came within feet of the lose end but missed their chance to nab its flight. Then came my turn.

They were both grateful for helping them end their journey. It had taken them from HarMar to Como Lake. As they reeled in hundreds of feet of line this story was told to me. It will be a dads day neither one of us will ever forget. 8:11 all of this occurred in this moment in time.

A family paddles their way across the lake. Suns reflection blares off the silver side of the canoe. Starting at the front it travels down to its stern as it passes by out of sight. The lake mirrors the image of the distant shore. Walkers double their impression on the picturesque scene. Lone movements add life to the stillness. Dark shadows cast on the background, through the trees that set on the shore. Moments remain before the shadows of the horizon become evident on the view across the lake. Contrast is so great, the brightness of the sun on the shore, lights up the people who watch it set. Some, say it is so nice to watch it go down. Not many look at the other side. Brightness must be filtered by the dust in the atmosphere as it sets. Longer and longer the shadows get. Light and dark, the shades of green.

Hurry run by, walk fast, tell your stories, young and old walk, couples, married, dating, never two men, only women, some holding hands, some not, all working off that extra piece of strawberry pie. Kids ride their bikes with dad and the dog. Short shorts on women that shouldn’t, hot pink, hot green, fluorescent is in. Trombones slur their notes as the music is still being played. I should walk to hear the band from across the lake. I’ll miss the sun set. Behind me the darkness moves its cool, musty damp fingers over my back. Patience, patience it’s hard to wait. All in a line the little ducklings make their way behind their mom. Bumping up to the green blanket that covers their lake. The tallest tree is still in full brightness. Its top will be the first to sink into darkness of light. Blue sky drifts down to white then ever so gentle pink, blue, white, pink – strong lines of green.

Surprise it does not go from top to bottom but bottom to top. Now it is almost half way up the tall oak. 8:41.

No ripples are found anywhere on the lake. Almost perfect reflections now seen across the lake.
Mother and ducklings break into the green muck; stirring it up for an evening meal. Have seen enough for today. I think so.

Day 16494 Meeting James Ingram

December 17, 1994

Last Wednesday had an interesting episode with a celebrity in the hotel. Laurianne was in the Grill having a drink and reading the newspaper after work. With only one car, she was waiting for me. As I walked in I noticed James Ingram sitting at a table in the corner alone. I had met him a couple days earlier. He was performing with Peobo Bryson, Roberta Flack and Melissa Manchester in “The Colors of Christmas”, at the Ordway. Looking over to him I said hello and introduced him to Lauriane. He said, “Would like to join me for a drink.”. I first said no, thinking it was late but Laurianne said why not.
For the next 45 minutes we drank, ate and talked. He is originally from Akron, Ohio, now lives in LA. Married to the same gal for 20 years, he has 6 children 19-2. I was most impressed with his down to earth attitude. A son of a deacon he was very religious. Many times he spoke of his gift and talent, truly enjoys using them for the pleasure of others.
Mentioning that I had met a person who owned one of the recording studios in LA, I wondered if he knew him. Telling me a few names, I thought I recognized one. He had worked with Disney on the movie sound track for Cinderella, singing one of the songs in it. Asking him which song, I wasn’t sure which one it was so he sang me a little of it. We were thrilled.
He had just been in Toronto with the tour, a representative from Disney met him and presented him with the golden record. Cinderella sound track had been out only a month. He said, “Disney doesn’t miss on much.”
We talked athletics; he received a track scholarship for college but chose to go into music instead. Still working out doing training to do the quarter mile. Still can turn out a 58 sec time.
I had a greyhound, so did he. His chicken club came but it was too much for him. Insisting that we both take part of it, we picked away. He paid the bill. Laurianne was asked by him to figure out the tip. He signed his check James Edwards.
Last Thursday we were given tickets and back stage passes to see the show. After enjoying a wonderful performance we went backstage, got our picture taken with Melissa Manchester. Didn’t have a chance to see James. I sent a card to all of them thanking them for the special time.

Family Blueprint

By Don Boxmeyer, staff writer for the St. Paul Pioneer Press

When John Thomas began a construction project last summer, it was like shaking hands with his grandfather, a gifted home builder who has been gone for more than half a century.
John is the chef concierge at the Saint Paul Hotel, a fresh white shirt and polished wing tip job if ever there was one. In fact john is the only Minnesota member of Les Clefs dor, an international association of hotel concierge.
But John also has this thing in him, this aspiration, this necessity, that makes him want to build homes. The grandfather he never knew built some of the finest and most durable homes in St. Paul and it a strange but beautiful quirk of fate last summer that allowed john to “meet “his father’s father on the job.
I knew his elation because my grandfathers were also builders. One was a carpenter and the other a stone mason. When I was a high school student, I had an opportunity to work with the mason, to use his tools and begin to learn how to lay brick and set stone, an artistic pursuit I could never get enough of. I still have his old steel wheeled mud buggy, an ancient wheelbarrow that I know he helped me push.
I was very young when my other grandfather died, but I have many of his carpenter tools in my woodworking shop. While modern power tools are more convenient for making furniture, I seize on any chance to the ancient wood mallet with my grandfathers initials carved on it, his chisels and beveled squares and the series of old Stanley block planes that were passed to me. I work with these tools even if I don’t have to because it gives me a chance to communicate with Christian Frederick Boxmeyer, the carpenter. His hand guides mine, I know they do.
So when John began telling me last summer, I knew there had to be a reunion between this modern builder and the late Franklin Holman Thomas.
John, 49 never knew his grandfather who died in 1943. But John was always fascinated with the life of Franklin Holman Thomas, a machinist by trade who also got a college education and became the first principal of the St. Paul Boys Vocational School at 14th and Jackson streets, the long gone predecessor of the St. Paul Technical College.
Grandpa was also a skilled carpenter, John says, and during the summer vacations he would lead a crew of students in the construction of homes primarily in the Macalester-Groveland area. He was so good that he sometimes built two or even three homes in a summer.
Between 1922 and 1930 Franklin built at least a dozen homes on Berkeley, Stanford, Wellesley, St. Clair , Randolph, Cleveland and Niles . Thomas’ trademarks of the homes were their “one drop” stone floors in the kitchen , fashioned from tile and marble from Drake Marble Co. in St. Paul.
John knew this because when he was very young he took an interest in architectural drafting and building, later becoming a home builder himself. He painstakingly researched the home his grandfather built , visiting many times and even duplicating the original plans for a few of them, including his favorite , a two story home on the 2100 block of Berkeley.
Last summer, John left the concierge business to go into sales and then construction, succumbing, he says, to the old “seven Year itch”. The Saint Paul Hotel called him back this December , but one of his first building jobs last summer was an assignment to build a three season porch on a home on Berkeley just off Cleveland Avenue.
How far off, John wanted to know. His boss told him.
Is that house blue? John asked and his surprised boss said, “Why yes. It is a blue house. “
One of his grandfathers houses, John thought. It was his favorite of all the houses his grandfather had built.
“It was very special to work on that house. “ John said. “Even though the work I did was on the far side of an addition built after my grandfather completed the original house, I could see there were certain trademark touches, such as some elaborate cornices that made his house really special”
This home has a delicately carved fascia decoration over the front entry that John is even duplicating on his own house. John’s grandfather used the carving, done by a vocational school instructor, sparingly but effectively elsewhere in the house; around the fireplace and framing the pillars of the front entry.
“We are fortunate there is such a good record of his building” says John, who is back to being a full time concierge at the Saint Paul Hotel. In his spare time he is rebuilding a 1970’s home he and his family live in on Juno Ave. in St. Paul.
Yes, he says, Franklin Holman Thomas is his inspiration. He is there when John needs him.

Here is a video I did on the addition of a second story to my house. During this work we lived in the house.  This part of the project took just over a year from July 1999 until December 2000, moving into the space by Christmas. 

 

Day 6953 Jimi Hendrix Concert Minneapolis Auditorium, November 2nd, 1968

Raucous Anthem Ends "Experience"
A raucous rendition of the Star Spangled Banner in this year of the rejuvenation of the anthem brought to a crashing close an electronically charged Jimi Hendrix Experience concert in the Minneapolis Auditorium Saturday night. What an experience it was listening to and watching Jimi Hendrix!

His biggest hangup is that he creates so much excitement that he must compete for attention with the audience and all the security measures to protect him from the audience. There were more than 80 ushers, about 20 police officers, 10 of Hendrix's own security men, some Hennepin County deputy marshals, and according to a crack from Hendrix, some narcotics agents, "enjoying" the Experience. And some of the loudest sounds in a night of mighty amplification were the sighs of relief heard from the officers when the concert ended and the estimated 7,500 persons in the audience did not charge the stage.

From the moment he appeared onstage with drummer Mitch Mitchell and bassist Noel Redding, the 22 year-old Seattle-born Hendrix had the audience with him. Mostly youngsters, the audience surged to the stage-front as soon as Hendrix appeared, and this move chased us backstage from where we watched and listened to the one hour performance. Fire marshals tried to get the audience back to their seats ... so did a local radio station disc jockey, who sounded as if he would cry if the concert could not continue. "We'll never be able to get great talent like this back in the Twin Cities if we don't sit down. Please sit down," he pleaded. No one budged. Hendrix made a half-hearted appeal. No one moved. Guess who won the struggle?

So with kids - thousands of them - jammed against the stage, Hendrix and cohorts rocked into their program (after some delays because of trouble with amplifiers, a source of difficulty for nearly all acid rock groups): "Are You Experienced?" "Foxy spangled spectacular. As if to rub it into those who have made an issue of the singing of the anthem by Aretha Franklin and Jose Feliciano in recent months, the Hendrix Experience charged wildly into the song.

Drummer Mitchell, a 24 year-old Londoner, went off on his own on a smashing solo; 23 year-old bassist Redding (also from England) set the pulsating pace; and Hendrix hurled himself into an atonal, quavering improvisation - barely touching upon the melody of the anthem. This version made those of Aretha and Jose sound like a Sunday school class sing-a-long.

Hendrix, often an exciting guitarist and a good blues vocalist, ended things with his biggie, "Purple Haze," and the throng of kids - their appetites apparently satisfied - stood silently, seemingly stunned for awhile, before trudging slowly from the auditorium.

P.S. Jannie said "Let's run the stage". Couldn't say no since the great seats we were suppose to have in the front row of the balcony ended up in the back of the auditorium, what seemed like miles from the stage. As we approached the front others in the room thought the same, by the time we reached our destination for the total concert we were behind 3 people, feet from Jimi. Our ears missed none of his music, highlighted by seeing him play and sing all of his famous songs. Every lick he played caused excitement to course through the crowd that was standing in front of him. By the end and for hours after the essence of his music became part of all of us. An Amazing Memory.

Water Daily

By John Thomas

I look out at the rain hit the flowers
Pink inpatients flash their colors
Other days on the far left of the deck
They get the morning sun.
My neglect, forgetful to water them
They wilted.
Each time, many times, they lost a little.
Pink is there, but their body has been slighted.
You can see the beauty still.
Nothing like a plant cared for.

She looked beautiful in youth,
Full of nourishment of the beginning.
From that point til the end,
each skipped day of watering
left less of the day before.
If she only knew the pink would
flower brighter if watered daily.

Mary T Meagher talks with John Thomas

Spring 1988

By John Thomas
In the spring of 1988 I had an opportunity to interview Mary T. Meagher. Taking time from her busy training schedule, she came to Minnesota to speak at the annual All State Swimming Banquet at the University of Minnesota. Arriving early for this engagement, I took the opportunity to talk about her swimming career. Our discussion was candid and very relaxed, talking about what she’s done to get to this point. Everything was going to change quickly with the 1988 Olympics coming in the fall, in preparation to attend her last Olympiad, her training was intensifying.
At the time of this interview, Mary T was the world record holder in the 100 fly at 57.93 and 200 fly at 2:05.96. She had achieved both these times in 1981 at the Schroeder Aquatic Center in Brown Deer, Wisconsin. No swimmer in recent history has so dominated her event in the world of swimming.

Justifiably nicknamed “Madame Butterfly” by the press, Mary T was the fastest butterflyer in the world for 6 years in a row. At one time she held eleven of the world’s fastest times in the 200 meter fly and eight in the 100. Her fly world records still remain unchallenged by any other swimmer.

At the 1989 Minnesota Summer State meet, Mary T returned to be the awards presenter. The question and answers she gave in this interview should give swimmers in the state a better idea of the kind of person she is. World Record holders have many of the same feeling and problems that all swimmers have. Enjoy meeting with Mary T.

As an age grouper is there any factors that you had at that time that lead to your success as a senior swimmer?
MT- I think I had a natural ability at a young age to do the butterfly and freestyle. I guess this carried over and was nice to have. It was a blessing that I was very naïve about swimming and wasn’t swimming to go to the Olympics or to hold a world record or anything along those lines. I was swimming because I loved it and I did well. I would go to dual meets, the city meets and might or might not win. My coach would say, “There’s a state meet coming up next week, why don’t you participate in that.” Sometimes I would say no. I never realized what it was going to bring for me. I just took it one step at a time. I think that was real helpful.

Many very good age group swimmers have parents that ask how much training their young swimmers should do, and when they need to get serious about their swimming. When did you really get serious about your swimming?
MT- Well, I guess because I did well at a young age, I usually was ready to put a little more time in every year. I was swimming 3 times a week until I was 11 years old. Then once every day year round when I was 12. At 13, almost 14, my coach sat me down and said I had to give up all the other sports I was playing and just swim. I cried but I decided what I wanted to do.

What other sports did you participate in?

MT- Oh Gosh! I was a cheerleader, played volleyball, basketball and softball. We lived right next to the school I went to, so I had access to any team I really wanted to. Every season had its sport and I did it.

Many of our readers are from the Midwest and are making it to the national scene. They see a majority of swimmer are from the coasts. Can you say anything about where you are from?
MT- It’s funny, I guess because there were two really big rival teams where I was from that produced a lot of national caliber swimmers, and that gave Kentucky some exposure. For the past 20 years we’ve always had someone on the Olympic team. So it wasn’t that new, but still people were surprised. You know when you go to the national meets and the press asks you, “Do they even have a pool in Louisville?” I got a little of that but not quite as much as you get up here in Minnesota.

When did people start calling you Mary T?

MT- What happened was I had 11 children in my family (10 Girls) and I’m one of the youngest ones. The oldest one is Mary Glen. She was going into the convent when I was born and my parents figured she would have to change her name to Sister ______. You had to change your name back then so they thought they were losing on Mary. She decided not to become a nun, so we had two Marys in the family. It was confusing. They called me Mary T and she went by Mary Glen. That’s how it happened.

A few years back you had a physical profile done on you by “Shape magazine”. It was impressive. It showed how flexible and strong you were. This obviously was a time that you were training hard with weights. Is that how these figures were so high or was it something that you were strong at?
MT- Well, I think it was something that came very naturally. Actually much of it came with doing a lot of other sports. I did gymnastics too. It probably helped in not only my flexibility, but in my strength, you need in your back and stomach to do butterfly. I’m forcing myself to do a whole lot of stretching, which I always did when I was younger, because I played all these other sports. I can’t say I still have that same flexibility, but I have to work at it. I think that’s one of the problems I’m dealing with right now. I’m having problems with my shoulders and different parts of my body I’ve never had problems with before. But I took 5 months off.

Did you come back too hard after your layoff?
MT- No, I think that period of inactivity caused me to lose a lot of my flexibility, strength and tone. You know those were a lot of things I carried over from my youth but now I’m not young anymore. When you lose them they may be gone. You have to work real hard to get them back up. Yes, I'm hoping that is the case, that I’ll get them back.

Why did you go to California to swim?
MT- I was choosing a college based on many of factors other than swimming. I wanted a strong swimming program; I was also looking at a good academic school. A good location, I loved big cities and parks, things like that, and Cal Berkeley was one of the best situations. Best of both worlds. I had always been in a private-parochial school and wanted a huge college where no one would know me from the next person. Cal Berkeley gave me the best of everything I was looking for at the time.

Of all the different meets you’ve been in which one has the fondest memories?

MT- I think Brown Deer, Wisconsin. That’s where I last set my world record. That meet was just real fun. Not only because of how well I did but I didn’t have any pressure going in. I hadn’t trained as much that year as I had the year before, and I think people didn’t expect as much or at least I didn’t expect as much of me. Everything in my life was going really well. I had a boyfriend at the time, my family life was going well, and just everything was great. I was on cloud 9. I swam well and left with great feelings.

Breaking a world record helps?
MT- yes! That was nice. Kind of like frosting on the cake.

When was that?
MT- 1981, I was 16, a junior in high school.

When you started dropping time as a 13 and 14 year old until you were 16, you had 2 years there when you were always going faster.
MT- Right, 1979 I set my first world record and then for 2 years I dropped the time even more.

But even up to that point when you started at 13 you must have been going fast.
MT- Oh! I had a big drop from summer of 1978 to summer of 1979—10 seconds in the 200 and 2 or 2 seconds in the100.

Are you faster in meters?
MT- I considered myself that. Now I’m not sure. Before I was so much better at just getting into a pace and going. I don’t do that as well anymore. In college we worked so much on turns, improved a whole lot from working on them so much. You know I don’t necessarily consider myself stronger in meters. About equal. Now I’m trying to convince myself that I can do it again the way I used to do. A lot of factors that I can’t control have to fall into place. So we’ll see.

When you think about an age group swimmer breaking a record or going there fastest time, does it fell any different breaking a world record?
MT- If I were to do it again it would feel much different. You know I've sat out for so long to do it. But I have found that everything is so relative. It’s so funny when I give a clinic and the kids say “I can hardly control the nerves at the state meet, how can you do it at the Olympics.” I was just as nervous at the state meet as I was at the Olympics. It was the same way, the first couple of times I broke the world record. It was great and a big thrill but I don’t remember it being much more than when I broke a state record.

Was it more so afterwards?

MT- Exactly, I think as you see the press, not only the local, but by people all over the world. People are wanting to talk to you. After you do it a couple of times you go, wow, this is a little bit larger scale.

Did you swim high school?
MT- Yes, hardly.

Did you have any nation High School records?
MT-No, I did poorly in the high school meets.

The Los Angeles Olympics must have been a big thrill. Can you tell us anything significant about that competition?
MT- one of the fondest memories of the LA games was having my whole family there. And not just having them there, they were having the best time. It was so fun for me to be able to switch my focus from swimming and the pressures and the question from the reporters to just seeing my family kicking back, going out playing golf having family tournaments once you get to know my family they’re pretty ridiculous. The have so much fun. Don’t care too much who wins. They are competitive. There are many stories that are still told from those Olympics of what happened at the fraternity house they rented. They all stayed on the top floor of the SAE house at USC. There are stories still told about jokes people played on each other and discussions that took place. It was a big family reunion. I wish I could have been a bigger part of it. Every time they start to tell stories, I jus sit there and listen.

A lot of pressure at that meet?
MT- I didn’t realize how much there was until, all of a sudden, after I won my first gold medal. I felt so relieved and felt one hundred pounds lighter. That’s when I realized that I guess. Before I’d say there wasn’t much pressure. I think a lot had to do with not having the East Germans there. They were my main completion. So I kind of felt like I’d do my best, but winning wasn’t going to be everything. Pressure came from a lot of the reporters asking question like, after giving up a year of school are you finally going to break a world record. Yes, and that was that was after 3 years!

You were favored going into it?
MT- It’s kind of a no win situation, unless I won both events and set a world record in both. I think that was kind of hard. Even one of my better memories was that I enjoyed it. I loved winning and am thankful that I did that well, but still I didn’t do as well as everyone expected. You’re supposed to have you best time at the Olympics, and I didn’t.

What is the strong part of your butterfly? Right after you were in the Olympics, at the World Coaches Clinic, Ernie Maglisco had digitized you and talked about your stroke saying how powerful you were during your catch. It that something that is natural?
MT-Yes, in fact it’s something that I think I’ve become confused about because of all the different studies that have been done. Before it was so natural, but now what I do in the water, or what I fell like I do in the water doesn’t look like what the pictures show. So when I hear someone say, oh her catch is so high in front, I’ll think well it should be higher, maybe that’s what I used to do. That’s not good. I used to come down straight. If I kind of felt it go, maybe it will come back again.

What did your coaches tell you to do? What key word did they use in the butterfly for you?
MT- Mainly what they used to tell me was when I’m not tired, I’m OK and when I do get tired to make sure I get a press through all the way and make sure that I extend all the way out in front. That used to be the only thing. Now it’s more that my key is in my legs. My coach makes me, when I start getting tired, depend more on my legs, keeping me high in the water, keep my rhythm and keep the back part of my stroke.

I know kicking is important and many kids don’t like to do it because it is so hard.
MT-When your kick is strong it makes your butterfly easier to do. I’ve been struggling so much, it has really helped.

Do you think stroke analysis is important when it comes down to teaching strokes or is it natural for a swimmer to be a good flyer?
MT- I think its so important for someone to be naturally talented, but you can teach people a certain amount, and for someone who can't do it naturally, tell them exactly how to do it. I think it has to be remembered, at least as I have found, what I do underwater, or what I feel like I do underwater, isn’t what the pictures show at all. As far as I know, I enter my hands and pull straight back. The films don’t show that. The films show that I go out and around.

Do you train distance fly?
MT- I do repeats of up to 800 fly, usually 300 or 400 when I was younger. Now I don’t go past a 300 straight fly. My sets are anywhere between 1200 to 2400 straight fly. I moved more toward the 1200 distance.

You were pretty much a flyer when you started?

MT- Yes, always, it picked me, I didn’t pick it.

Epilogue, July 2009

I was surprised reading this interview, after many years, that I didn’t include something that she said that I’ve told many people trying to perform at the top of their game. Before and sometime during her major competition a thought would come to her that could have adversely affected its outcome. That thought was, “What am I going to tell the reporters if I don’t break my world record?”

Breaking a record means that you are performing at the top of your game. Anything that takes you off that high level of concentration could change the results. Could you lose precious tenths of a second by thinking about a question like this half way through your race? When she was at Brown Deer, she had nothing to think about but feeling good. There a lesson to be learned, it is critical to be focus on all the positive aspects of your performance and feel good.