School exercise prompts adventurous author

By Dave Rasdal
The Gazette

Anita Barta of Cedar Rapids, who bought her Mustang convertible after renting one to drive along Route 66, has published a fun yet inspirational book, “I Never Thought of That …,” based on how her college students in Wisconsin answered roll call.

If turnabout is fair play, Anita Barta, then finish this statement: Everyone gets their kicks on Route 66 because …

“… There’s so much freedom and so much history and so much nostalgia,” replies the retired college professor.

And then she laughs.

As author of “I Never Thought of That …,” she knows that I’ve used her technique to stimulate conversation.

You see, the Cedar Rapids native and former director of therapeutic recreation at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, who retired in Cedar Rapids in 2000, used to greet her students at the beginning of each class with what she calls a “creative prompt.” In other words, a sentence they’d complete on paper and sign to prove they’d been in class that day.

If books were people and people were books …

I would put them in their place.

We’d know not to judge by the cover.

What a library the world would be.

And so, Anita, 64, with encouragement from students who wanted to see other responses, finally assembled her book and self-published it in April (www.lulu.com/content/paperback-book/i-never-thought-of-that/4383108), adding to the world’s library. It’s available locally for $14.50 at Mercy Medical Center and The Eastern Iowa Airport gift shop.

“It’s a therapeutic tool,” Anita says. “It can enhance communication. Everything is correct. You can be silly or serious.”

The best way to make someone feel good is to …

Do their laundry.

Sing an impromptu song.

Smile – it’s contagious.

“It’s for someone who is just waiting around and wants a quick read,” Anita adds.

That wouldn’t be her.

My Route 66 prompt came from knowing that Anita drives a silver 2005 Mustang convertible, purchased after she and younger sister, Jeanne Barta Craine, drove the 2,400-mile route in 2004.

“We rented a new red Mustang,” Anita says. “We had the top down all the way. You’re driving on roads, wherever. Grass is growing up through the cracks.”

And memories came flooding back from trips taken on this part and that of the famous highway with late parents Emil and Marian Barta. They farmed south of Cedar Rapids, had some land taken for Interstate 380, in fact, but loved to travel.

Anita figures she’s seen the Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse monuments in South Dakota’s Black Hills at least 150 times. And she’ll return again, soon.

Because grass may grow up through pavement, but it doesn’t grow under her feet unless she’s playing golf or hiking or … hey, Anita, here’s another prompt.

Exploring caves is called spelunking because …

“… someone might plunk you out in the dark,” Anita laughs.

She has explored caves from the Black Hills to the foothills along the Huzzah River in the Missouri Ozarks and to the huge Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico.

Above ground, if Anita isn’t riding her bicycle or one of her two motorcycles, she might be … another prompt:

If humans were not meant to fly, then why …

“… did I learn to fly?” she replies.

Because her father loved soaring with the birds, Anita earned her pilot’s license in 1977 and still loves it, especially landing.

“It’s ahhhh,” she says. “It’s here you are and you’ve been up there and now you bring it down.”

2009 Gazette Communications