missing mommy - call your mother

Today a co-worker excused himself to call his mother.  I commented that he was lucky that he could talk to her, as my own mother passed away a few years ago.  That caused me to realize that it would be so nice to be able to have a conversation with her.  There are many questions that I have thought of in the years since her passing, and there is no one left to answer any of them.....  it would actually take going back quite a few years in her life to a time when she may have known all of the answers I would like to have.  She had Alzheimer's Disease.  Her memories were best of events that occurred longer ago, in her youth.... so that, by the time I did ask her some questions her only answer could be "I don't know".  
But, since her passing I have more questions about so many things...... a surgery she had when I was 7 years old, my dad's digestive issues (he passed away decades ago).  Questions about my mother's siblings, all of whom passed away before her.  Questions about my grandparents, all of whom died before I was born.  Questions about trips we took, family friends..........

My friends, if there is anything you wonder about, and you have the chance --ask your parents soon!! Do not wait until it is too late.    (I sincerely hope that you have an easy relationship with your parents.)

Call your mother!!!

I am not into sports....

so, I do have an idea why I am not into sports.  I mean not. at. all.  I avoid sports.  Unless I can watch one of my nephews, any one of them, play whichever sport each of them plays.

anyway, it goes back to grade school.  For one thing, the gym teacher played favorites.  He almost always chose the same two kids as the team captains.  One boy and one girl, let's call them Shawn and Carrie.  Shawn and Carrie were extremely competitive.  They could spend 20 minutes arguing about whether the girls or the boys were better at any given sport.

from the beginning of class, once Carrie and Shawn were appointed team captains, I would just stand at the back of the group, with my friend (I will call her Penny).  Penny and I learned, in short order, that we would be chosen last.  Depending on how many kids were present we could even figure out which team each of us would probably end up being recruited to.  We were always the last two chosen, always.

Now, Carrie and Shawn did not start arguing immediately.  No. They waited until there was a close call, or they could challenge a call.  At some point during the game they would find an excuse to go at it.  And Penny and I would then get together and sit down to wait.  The game would be interrupted for several minutes at least, while Shawn and Carrie were at each other's throat,.... "girls are better", "no, boys are better".....  so very predictable, boring, and they sucked all the fun out of every thing we did.

(If you knew me in grade school, then you probably know exactly what I am talking about.)

Add to that the fact that we almost never played the sports that I enjoyed and was good at, like floor hockey, or kickball.  What can I say,... and don't even get me started on square dancing.  I never liked being forced to do anything, and I never, ever, enjoyed square dancing.  Not that I don't like to dance, but square dancing? seriously? there's a skill I will never have need for in my life,....

I do understand sports.  I mean I know how to tell which team is supposed to go in a specific direction to score their points,.... I have a reasonable understanding of baseball.  I simply don't see the point to any of it.


Take me to the pool hall, that is something I enjoy and would like to do more.  Or miniature golf, I am actually quite good at that.

That's my story, and I'm sticking to it!

farewell Peggy Olson....

Peggy Olson.

A hero for the modern woman.  She reminds me of a few women I know who entered the working world –a working world once populated almost exclusively by men.  Peggy Olson embodies a pioneer of workplace equality.  She put up with a lot of nonsense perpetrated by her male co-workers.  But Peggy Olson persisted and she made it!  And she opened the door for other women in the workplace.  I will miss you, Peggy Olson.

Initially I did not watch Mad Men.  I liked the idea of the show, but for reasons I can no longer recall, I did not tune in.  I started to watch Mad Men in the fifth season of the show…. an episode titled “At the Codfish Ball”  (S5E7), about the strained relationships between parents and children, and between people in general.  I was intrigued enough about little Sally Draper, that I continued to tune in week after week, and watched marathon showings of Mad Men, trying to catch up.  Finally, in preparation of the final episodes, AMC showed the entire series in 3 or 4 episode segments on Sunday mornings, and I have been able to see the entire story.  Those are some crazy Mad Men, and women!

I will miss every one of them, Don Draper, Joan Holloway, Roger Sterling, Peggy Olson, Sally Draper, and Ken Cosgrove –all of whom I like.  I will miss Betty Draper Francis, Pete Campbell, Megan Draper (she should get her teeth fixed!),  Stan Rizzo, and Paul Kinsey –none of whom I like in any way.  I already miss Lane Pryce and Bert Cooper.

I will miss the drama.  I will miss the intrigue of the Don Draper character.  Most of all I will miss Peggy Olson, the endearing, aggravating, wonderful “modern woman”.

The final episodes have only begun, we have no idea where these few episodes will lead or leave off…. but already I am wistful and a little sentimental about saying a final “farewell” to the idea of watching Mad Men forever.

iPhone,...aggravation....

My Samsung Galaxy S3 screen got cracked and stopped working.  So,... I have been stuck with an iPhone for the time being.  I told my boss that I am learning Chinese.  I have never been able to figure these rotten apple devices.  I spent the better part of a day with a Mac once,.... so foreign to a PC user.  I can do anything with/on a PC or pc compatible device,.... anything.
This thing has a different phone number --what a pain in the eema!  My entire life was on that frigging phone!!  I lost my calendar, my notes, lists,... a ton of data!

The dang iPhone 4S is so small, it would fit inside of my Galaxy S3!  I had a tough time typing anything on the S3, this is worse!  very aggravating.  And, the iPhone was placed on my desk with no charger, so I could not get much done over the weekend either.

the iPhone sucks for Facebook too.  this is a miserable experience.