Music in my head today: Raindrops keep falling on my head! I don't particularly like that song, so why is it rolling around in my head? Probably because I attended the annual Homecoming Conference for the Social Security Alumni Association, and I became reacquainted with some folks that I worked with years ago when this song was popular. Funny how the mind works.
At the luncheon, author Barbara Smith talked about her creations. I purchased the one about Baltimore... Floating in the Harbor, or words to that effect.
Female Talk (continued) ... when she says:
4. "Go ahead" (with raised eyebrows)
This is NOT permission; it's a dare! If you mistake it for permission, the result will be .. the woman will get upset over "Nothing" and you'll have a "five-minute" discussion that will end with the word "Fine."
5. "Go ahead" (with normal eyebrows)
This is NOT permission either. It means "I give up" or "do what you want because I don't care." You will get a raised eyebrow "Go ahead" in just a few minutes, followed by "Nothing" and "Fine" and she will talk to you in about "five minutes" when she cools off.
6. "Loud Sigh"
This is not actually a word, but it is still often a verbal statement, very frequently misunderstood by men. A "Loud Sigh" means she thinks you are a complete idiot and wonders why she is wasting her time standing here and arguing with you over "Nothing!"
To be continued.
I'm now going to name names!
Something I read suggested making a list of the five persons who mostly changed your life.
I decided that I have a minimum of 8... and here they are, in chronological order.
1. Joe Barboza... infamous hitman from New Bedford, Massachusetts. I was in a small gang and one day Joe showed up and infiltrated our group. Luckily for me, Joe took an instant dislike to me and I to him. I left the gang, which went on to do lots of criminal things. I became an honest citizen and . Joe went to Boston and killed a lot of people for money... One day Joe squealed on some of his buddies and was put into the Witness Protection Program... but one cannot escape the Mafia for too long... so, he got his just desserts one day on the streets of San Francisco.
2. My Cousin Charlie Kraihanzel.. Charlie talked me into going to the First Baptist Church with him, and introduced me to their wonderful library. I suddenly discovered "real" books and gave up "comic" books for good. I've loved reading books ever since.
3. Courtney Gilbert.. I met Courtney when I was in the 6th grade, and we were friends until High School, when he decided he was too smart to keep going... actually, he probably was. Courtney was the kind of kid that other kids pick on because they are different. He dressed like an Al Capone mobster, with soft hat and topcoat. Because of some medical condition, he lost a few years of schooling and when he went back to Junior High, he was old enough to drive.
Courtney had access to a 1934 12-cylinder monster of a car. If it were in an accident, God help the other car. Courtney and I would drive around town in his car and look for art theaters and coffee bars to visit. He had a few girl friends and I visited a couple of them with him. No romance involved, just discussion about writing. Courtney was an author. Once, at his house, he showed me an issue of a True Detective magazine that contained a story, written by him, about a detective named, of all things, Joe Vaughan. No one believes me about this, and I have been trying, so far unsuccessfully to find a copy.
Anyway, Courtney, as weird as he was to some, served me as a writing role model and is the reason that I continue to try to write a blog entry every day.
4. Miss DeLoid.. 7th grade teacher. Jack of all trades... she tried to instill in us a love of everything that cultured people should experience. For instance, under her tutelage, I learned how to read music; I learned how to appreciate classical music; I learned about the beauty of Shakespeare's words; etc. In effect, she taught me how to be a lover of fine things.
5. Miss Thynge 8th grade teacher. She loved the English language and she loved the kids that she tried to teach it to. She was a good psychologist.. for example, one day I threw a paper airplane around her room when her back was turned... because, as with all teachers, she had eyes in the back of her head, she caught me and kept me after school and punished me by having me fold up hundreds of paper airplanes and throw them one by one across the room into a closet... it took me a LONG time, but it taught me to always think carefully about what I was about to do.
6. Elaine Langlois.. my dear late wife. This wonderful lady taught me so much, but mainly, she taught me how to love another person.
7. Ben Bodager... one of my Captains when I was in the Air Force. Ben recognized that my IQ was obviously higher than the 100 score on record, and talked me into thinking about attending college. Which I did.
8. Elaine Lottes.. my current companion. Elaine has taught me many household things, most importantly... how to cook. She also is a very intelligent and loving person.
There... I named names.. so sue me!
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