What was going on when I was born?

The United States today urged President Amin Gemayel of Lebanon to widen his political base and to extend his army's control in the south. He was told that those steps could help persuade Syria to join Israel in withdrawing troops from Lebanon. Mr. Gemayel was also told, a senior official said, that the United States had ''no magical wand'' to bring about the withdrawal and that it was up to the Lebanese Government to act. The Lebanese President was asked to be as forthcoming as possible in bringing opposition leaders into the Government and in dealing directly with Israel in expanding the Lebanese Army's presence in the Israeli-occupied south, the official said.

Secretary of the Navy John Lehman met with Honduran and American officials today during a visit to the capital and three military bases in Honduras. Mr. Lehman, who arrived from El Salvador Wednesday, said at a news conference that several proposals and discussions were under way for the improvement of Honduran military installations. He said future exercises involving American Navy and Marine forces were ''a real and attractive possibility.''

State Senator Joseph R. Pisani of New Rochelle, N.Y., was indicted yesterday on Federal fraud and tax- evasion charges involving the embezzlement of $83,000. The 30-count indictment, which a grand jury filed in Manhattan, charged that Mr. Pisani had embezzled the money from New York State, from his political campaign funds and from his former law firm. Mr. Pisani, a 54-year-old Republican who has served in the State Legislature since 1966, denied all the charges. His lawyer, Robert Kasanof, issued a statement for him shortly after the indictment.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1983 The Economy Martin S. Feldstein said he would not resign as the President's chief economic adviser unless asked by Mr. Reagan. Mr. Feldstein, under White House pressure to end his public campaign for higher taxes, insisted he is not out of step with Reagan policies. (Page A1.) Mr. Feldstein and his Administration foes differ in tone and style as well as on substance. (D1.)

Secretary of State George P. Shultz indicated today that he might meet with the Soviet Foreign Minister, Andrei A. Gromyko, at an East-West conference on disarmament in Stockholm Jan. 17. Several Western European nations, especially West Germany, have been urging that the 35-nation conference on developing safeguards against surprise attacks be begin with foreign ministers present. Mr. Shultz, at a breakfast meeting with reporters, indicated he would not oppose that effort, although he declined to say specifically that he would meet with his Soviet counterpart. ''It seems to be shaping up as a meeting to which foreign ministers will go,'' he said. ''If that's the way it emerges, then the United States will be represented.''

It was Ray. ''Ray!'' shouted a dozen young men, eager to call him by name. ''Ray,'' yelled Mike Nelson, popping the question of the day at the Early Bird messenger service, ''how many'd you do today?'' Without looking up, Ray Williamson answered quietly, ''41.'' ''Ray,'' Mr. Nelson said, shaking his head, ''is my idol. Ray can fly.''

Robert H. B. Baldwin, who is widely credited with ushering Morgan Stanley & Company, the whitest of the white-shoe investment banking firms, into a new and more competitive financial era, will retire as chairman at the end of the year, the firm announced yesterday. The departure of Mr. Baldwin marks the end of an era of rapid growth and intense change for Morgan - more, arguably, than for any other major Wall Street firm. In that period, the firm's staff has risen tenfold, to 2,600, and its capital to more than $300 million. More significantly, Morgan, an old-line firm which concentrated heavily in underwriting, has plunged into securities trading and marketing, merger and acquisition work and money management. Last month, Morgan named 17 new managing directors, many of them from the equities area.

A review yesterday of the Opera Ebony production of Gounod's ''Faust'' misidentified the singer in the title role. He was Thomas Young.

Washington pressed Lebanon to act with more determination. In talks at the White House, American officials pressed President Amin Gemayel to widen his political base and to extend his army's control. The Lebanese leader was advised that such steps could help persuade Syria to join Israel in agreeing to withdraw troops from Lebanon. (Page A1, Column 6.) Security at the Marine compound in Beirut has been radically improved with protective devices ranging from dirt barricades to 100,000 new sandbags since the Oct. 23 suicide truck- bombing of the United States headquarters. The marines came to Beirut as a symbolic ''presence,'' but they are now almost totally isolated from the Lebanese people - hunkered down and concerned primarily with self-protection. (A1:5-6.)

THE most obviously dramatic features of the New York landscape are monumental skyscrapers and bridges. But rocks throughout the metropolitan area bear witness to past events grander and more awesome than anything to be seen on Earth today. Some of these witnesses to geological eons long gone are accessible by subway or on foot. Others are within an hour's drive. Almost all can be appreciated without any special scientific knowledge. They have a tale to tell of lava pouring across the landscape, driving before it armies of dinosaurs, of vast slabs of marble pushed across the Bronx and Manhattan, of flowing ice that gouged deep grooves in the rocks of Central Park. In the city, alongside Riverside Drive, notably at 165th Street, you can see ledges studded with garnets, tourmalines and other stones, though these are not of gem quality. The contorted folds of these ledges were produced by extreme heat and compression when the African land mass drew closer.

Since the Oct. 23 bombing of the Marine headquarters here, security around the American compound has been radically improved. New fortifications have been installed, everything from dirt barricades to 100,000 new sandbags. But the improvement in security has come at a price. The marines are now almost totally cut off from the Lebanese people. The marines first came here to escort the Palestine Liberation Organization guerrillas out of Lebanon. They returned, after the massacres of Palestinian refugees in the Sabra and Shatilla camps, to bolster the Lebanese Army and help provide security for West Beirut, including the airport. But now the marines are behind barriers and primarily concerned with protecting themselves, particularly against attacks like the suicide bomb assault that killed 239 American servicemen.

Twelve percent of the people released on low or no bail to relieve jail overcrowding failed to appear for court dates and have not been found, the city said yesterday. Of 613 prisoners freed under the court-ordered release program, 75, or 12 percent, missed scheduled court appearances as of Tuesday, the city's figures showed. Warrants have been issued for their arrest. Fifty-two are wanted in Manhattan.