Marlene Wagman-Geller

"As far back as I can remember, it was always on my bucket list, even before the term bucket list was coined,
to be a writer. It was a natural progression to want to go from reading books to writing one."
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Forever in Blue Jeans (1873)

Forever in Blue Jeans (1873)
Nov 04, 2021 by Marlene Wagman-Geller
 The cry, “There’s gold in them thar hills!” served as the clarion call that drew thousands to California. While some prospector’s gained wealth, Levi Strauss attained immortality by putting his name on the backsides of the world.

Messenger Boy (1844)

Messenger Boy (1844)
Oct 24, 2021 by Marlene Wagman-Geller
Popular belief holds that Jack Dorsey was the founding father of social media when he created Twitter in 2006. However, instant long-distance communication began two centuries earlier when Samuel Morse instituted history’s most famous code.   

Auf Wiedersehen (1948)

Auf Wiedersehen (1948)
Oct 17, 2021 by Marlene Wagman-Geller
    The Porsche serves as status symbol for Russian oligarchs, Beverley Hills plastic surgeons, European aristocrats, and anyone else with the need for speed- as well as $125,000 to burn. But behind the allure lurks a father and son who rose to greatness on the coattail of evil.

No Time to Die  (1953)

No Time to Die  (1953)
Oct 08, 2021 by Marlene Wagman-Geller
Bond. James Bond. While people the world over are familiar with the world-famous spy, what is far less known is that Ian Fleming based his protagonist’s name on an esteemed birdman. 

Six Grandfathers (1941)

Six Grandfathers (1941)
Oct 03, 2021 by Marlene Wagman-Geller
The genesis of social media occurred in 1844 when Samuel Morse sent the world’s first telegram with the words, “What hath God wrought?” The sentiment is echoed by the two million annual visions to Mt. Rushmore, the contemporary wonder of the world. However, many are not aware of the connection between the monolith and its namesake. 

“They’re Grrrrrreat!” (1930)

“They’re Grrrrrreat!” (1930)
Sep 26, 2021 by Marlene Wagman-Geller
In the television series Seinfeld, Jerry stacked his kitchen shelves with cereal, ordered Cheerios at Monk’s Coffee Shop, said it was what he would miss most in prison. He stated of its appeal, “I like the idea of just eating and drinking with one hand without looking.” If Jerry had contemplated the genesis of his breakfast of champions, he would have discovered that W. K. Kellogg’s life had more than its share of snap, crackle, and pop. 

“Think Different” (2003)

“Think Different” (2003)
Sep 19, 2021 by Marlene Wagman-Geller
Tesla, the electric car, is a household name. In the nineteenth century, so was Nikola Tesla.  The genius’s star disappeared into the night sky until a modern-day visionary resurrected his life. 

Nothing Very Bad (1837)

Nothing Very Bad (1837)
Sep 12, 2021 by Marlene Wagman-Geller
Pandora’s Box unleased all the evils into the world, but a robin egg-colored blue box holds treasures of exquisite craftmanship. Although Tiffany’s is an icon, its founder remains a shadowy presence.

A Tarnished Reputation (1943)

A Tarnished Reputation (1943)
Sep 04, 2021 by Marlene Wagman-Geller
What’s blue and gold, serves meatballs, and is the size of five football fields? If you guessed IKEA you are correct, though you might not be able to decern the acronym behind the Swedish juggernaut’s name. The founder of the emporium christened it after his initials and his childhood home: I for Ingvar, K for Kamprad, E for Elmtaryd, his family’s farm, A for Agunnaryd, his village. Behind the do-it-yourself furniture is the tale of the man who could well have merited inclusion in a Reader’s Digest column, “The Most Unforgettable Character.” 

The Revenge of the Nerd (1995)

The Revenge of the Nerd (1995)
Aug 29, 2021 by Marlene Wagman-Geller
Prior to the 1990s, a list was something Santa checked twice, made Schindler a hero of the Holocaust, a reminder of what to purchase at the grocery store. The contemporary one is where an individual searches for a pet, a one-night stand, a lasting love. But who is the guru behind Craigslist? 

Buzz Off (1984)

Buzz Off (1984)
Aug 21, 2021 by Marlene Wagman-Geller
Prior to the year Orwell was made infamous with his dystopian novel, bees sweetened our tea, provided the lead singer of the Police with his name, were part of “the talk” that explained how babies originated. A new dimension to the pollen perpetrator arrived with the elderly recluse whose grizzled visage appears on all Burt Bees’ honey-hued packaging. 

The Bitter and the Sweet    (1900)

The Bitter and the Sweet    (1900)
Aug 08, 2021 by Marlene Wagman-Geller
   In 1972, Sammy Davis Jr. crooned, “The Candy Man makes everything he bakes/ Satisfying and delicious.” Although millions delight in the endorphin-producing chocolate, many are unaware of the story of the real-life Willie Wonka. 

Cain and Abel (1949)

Cain and Abel (1949)
Jul 24, 2021 by Marlene Wagman-Geller
 Urban legend holds that Adidas is an acronym for “All Day I Dream About Sports,” or “All Day I Dream About Soccer,” or “All Day I Dream About Sex.” The assumptions are incorrect. The shoe emporium originated with a feud between two Bavarian brothers. 

Unfathomable (1904)

Unfathomable (1904)
Jul 14, 2021 by Marlene Wagman-Geller

“All children, except one, grow up.” Peter Pan dwells in a magical world inhabited by Tinker Bell, Wendy, and Tiger Lily. Yet Neverland, like the moon, had a dark side, one the nonfictional Peter understood all too well. 

The Enchanted Forest (1926)

The Enchanted Forest (1926)
Jul 10, 2021 by Marlene Wagman-Geller
The image of a boy and his animal companions serves as a magic carpet that transports us to the lost land of childhood. Christopher Robin and Winnie the Pooh, (“the bear of very little brain”), spend adventure-filled days exploring the 100 Acre Wood where nothing ever happens that a pot of honey could not make right. Yet, lurking in the shadows were specters that dogged the non-fictional hero of the childhood classic.

The Light  (1967)

The Light  (1967)
Jul 01, 2021 by Marlene Wagman-Geller
 The turbulent decade of the 1960s gave birth to a love story between a Jewish-Canadian poet and a Norwegian single mother enacted on a Greek island. The Scandinavian muse was the inspiration for Leonard Cohen in his song, “So Long, Marianne.” 

“It Ain’t Me”        (1963)

“It Ain’t Me”        (1963)
Jun 15, 2021 by Marlene Wagman-Geller
The cover of the album, “The Freewillin’ Bob Dylan” showcases the youthful artist walking alongside a girl in a green coat. While the singer is an iconic musician, the woman holding onto his arm has retreated into the shadows. 

Immortal Beloved (1961)

Immortal Beloved (1961)
Jun 09, 2021 by Marlene Wagman-Geller
The lil’ folk who inhabit the Peanuts universe are beloved comic characters: Charlie Brown with his tree-hugging kite, Lucy with her curbside psychiatry- stand, Linus with his security blanket. Less well-known is the Little Red-Haired Girl, the artist’s lost love.

“Most Likely to Succeed”  (1969)

“Most Likely to Succeed”  (1969)
May 24, 2021 by Marlene Wagman-Geller
A slice of Americana is the Wendy’s hamburger emporium with its mascot of a red-haired girl, pigtails bound with blue bows. Behind the fresh-faced child lies a Horatio Algier's story. 

“Off With Their Heads!”    (circa 1553)

“Off With Their Heads!”    (circa 1553)
May 13, 2021 by Marlene Wagman-Geller
A time-honored rite of childhood is the nursery rhymes we remember no matter how much time goes by. Surprisingly, the historical references behind the ditties contain veiled references to murder and mayhem. Mary Shelley, Edgar Allan Poe, and Stephen King met their match in these medieval tales. And what is with all that falling? Jack and Jill break their heads in their descent down the hill; Humpty Dumpty is cracked beyond repair from his tumble from the wall; everyone collapses at the end of Ring-Around-the-Rosie. Nursery rhymes served as a coded means of social protest in an era when speaking your mind would cost you your head. 

Copyright © Marlene Wagman-Geller.

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