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This month we’re going to recall Summer Songs. These will all be records that topped the charts during August.

1) Number 1 on the charts in August 20 years ago, “We Belong Together” is about the end of this romantic relationship. Mariah sings that now she won’t have anyone to talk to on the phone until the sun comes up. That was then. Today many people prefer to text than to talk on the phone. Are you one of those people?

It’s amazing what aging can do to one’s love of talking on the phone. I remember hours on the phone with my BFF when I was in high school. Now, unless you’re family, why you calling me? I don’t get mad about it, but I’m a big fan of text first, then call.

2) The video for this song features an elaborate wedding. Tell us about the last wedding you attended.

It’s been years. I think the last wedding I went to was one of Corey’s soldiers when we were still in New York.

3) Mariah believes she inherited her musical gifts from her mom, who was an opera singer and vocal coach. When things were hectic in their household, Mariah recalls that music helped bring her and her mom closer together. Share a happy childhood memory featuring you and one of your parents.

Skating on the weekends in the winter with my dad. Chilling at camp with my mother in the summers.

4) After graduating from high school in Long Island, Mariah Carey went to Manhattan in search of stardom. While waiting for her big break, she enrolled in beauty school and waited tables. Both stylists and servers receive gratuities for their services. Do you consider yourself a good tipper?

Absolutely. Those are jobs that EARN and DESERVE those tips.

5) The Fresh Air Fund operates six camps in the New York area to provide kids with a chance to learn and explore outdoors. They named Camp Mariah in Ms. Carey’s honor to thank her for her support. Here’s your chance to toot your own horn. Tell us about an honor you received. (Anything from a major award to a handmade drawing that says “World’s Best Mom” counts. We want to hear about it.)

Not an award or anything, and fully catty on my part, but watching the office fall apart when I got out of the Army. I’d been taken advantage of and taken for granted for a long time in that job. When it came time to train another soldier to take my place once I got out, they give me an arrogant d-bag who wouldn’t listen to anything I said. First, he was pissed he’d been tapped for the job, thinking it was beneath him, this despite the fact he was the exact same MOS (Army job specialty) that I was and my position was exactly in the purview of that MOS. Second, while the purview of the MOS was fairly wide in potential jobs, mine was one he’d never done, which meant he didn’t know it at all. Third, he was so convinced of his brilliance that he “knew” he didn’t need the training, that it was easy. So he rarely showed up, and even then for minutes. Nothing I said to him or the commander made a difference. Not surprisingly, it all went to hell when I got out and it was all under his charge. I got truly catty vindication. It got so bad that the commander called me and offered me off-the-books pay, since I was now a civilian married to a soldier, to come in and actually finally train him AFTER I got out.

6) Mariah has mentioned she enjoys pizza and red wine. Will you be enjoying either pizza or red wine this weekend?

Pizza tonight, rosé possible this weekend.

Let’s look at the summer of 2005.

7) The biggest news story that summer was Hurricane Katrina. This deadly and destructive storm killed over 1,000 people and did more than $100 billion in damage. Have you ever endured a natural disaster (such as hurricane, flood, landslide, tornado, blizzard, wildfire)?

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. Hurricanes in Virginia and Hawai’i, monsoons in Hawai’i and Arizona. Floods in Hawai’i and Arizona. A small landslide in Hawai’i. Tornados in Virginia and New York. Blizzards in New York. Wildfire in California. Let’s throw in some earthquakes in California, Virginia, and New York, and several potential tsunamis and one actual tsunami.

8) Popular that summer was Kingda Ka, the new roller coaster at Six Flags Great America in Jackson, NJ. At the time, it was the tallest and fastest roller coaster in the world. Have you been to any fairs or amusement parks this summer?

Nope. We don’t have that kind of amusement park in Hawai’i. We have an adventure park for things like zip lining and a water park. That’s it.

9) Award-winning American figure skater Alysa Liu was born in August of 2005. NBC Sports and their Peacock network report that figure skating events get high ratings. What’s your favorite sport to watch on TV?

The NHL, baby. Go, Rangers.