cheating to put that commercial in the middle …. but I do love the Mick Jagger and Tina Turner pix

Retro is best…..except when it comes to my laptop.

Could it be possible that his wife knew what she getting into?  Could it be that nasty Dave was not such a secret and marriage was just too lucrative to pass up?  Could it be that public humiliation is hard to bear, but that there it was always privately?

I’ve been saying the same thing….who cares?  This is certainly nowhere in the league of those that you mentioned above. 

A pedophile is a pedophile and should be branded as such, literally.  I believe they should have a tattoo on their face, perhaps forehead so that all will know to avoid this creature; this villain; this aberration of humanity.  I have no use for their side of the story when we’re speaking of children; innocent children who are victimized by these monsters.  Should he do jail time?  Why not?  Of course he should just as any other person who does these horrible deeds would be pilloried.

Her:  Hmmm, you used your friend’s picture on Facebook didn’t you?

There  was a thermofax (I think that’s what it was called) machine, that copied on flimsy paper.  The paper would tear easily and the copy would eventually fade, but it was a miracle at the time.  As well, I sat in a sound-proofed booth working, what would be the fore-runner of the word processor.  It punched holes in cards, stops could be programmed into it so that form letter could be "personalized" —  they were always bringing people around to view this machine.

In high school we were to "dress for the office" one day a week.  That involved black skirts, white blouses, hose and heels.

 

My dream was to be a great writer, barring that, a great anything :)  If I could do anything as well as Richard Russo writes,  that would be fulfilled.  But alas, I content myself, at times, after all no one comes to the pity party, with the mother’s panacea — we have four healthy, beautiful children and ten — count ‘em ten (an expensive holiday season especially if you’re insecure) wonderful grandchildren.

What would I have done?  There’s a question for you — who can say until they’ve walked a mile in her shoes……such a heartbreaking story; such a waste of a precious life.  As a mother of four and grandmother of ten, it’s still frightening to think of what drugs will do; how far a child will go and how easy it is to get them.  There was a gym teacher in our local middle school who was arrested for pushing drugs —- a gym teacher!  This episode was hushed up because the school system didn’t want the publicity — but can it be an isolated instance? 

She did not enable her son; she was just there for him as I hope we all would be.  She did not kill her son; drugs and the drug pusher killed her son……drugs by their very nature would have killed him whether he lived at home or in the streets….they are cut at different percentages; one never knows what the body will tolerate.  There are no words of comfort to be given and I’m sure for the rest of her life she will suffer through the "what ifs", but sadly this is a scourge of our times and everyone of us knows someone, kids from good families, who are doing drugs and think they can handle it.

My heart goes out to her as do my prayers that one day she can find some peace.

a "PS" if I may — my daughters have a huge impact in my life.  I’ve learned to deal with adversity from them as well as to eke out every drop of joy in a given situation.

I think Gloria Steinem and, in a negative way, Sarah Palin.

My lead role was "Influencer" and that does seem to be what I’ve done in my work.

Someone who can make me laugh, sees the ridiculousness in most things, respect for others, not afraid to say he loves me and a kindness to and love of children.

"On Medicare" alone?  No, it doesn’t work.  Like all insurance companies Medicare then sets what is covered and what is not forgetting logic and using, I don’t know what as the rule by which they measure…i.e. pap smears are only covered every other year now — I suppose the thinking is that once you’re past child-bearing age it’s no longer necessary.  But suppose it is….what then?  Fortunately we have both Medicare and private insurance and that works sometimes.  Training staff to deal with the forms necessary is monumental causing already inflated costs to spiral upwards; getting paid is difficult; many doctors prefer instead to give you the forms, tell you what to fill out and then you try to get reimbursed for what you’ve already paid. 

Unfortunately, like the president’s health care plan, Medicare is difficult to understand, almost impossible to the average person……hence, the fear and anger.  We rely on our doctor’s staff to tell us what and if we’re covered and what and if we owe more money.  Then of course we get billed and billed and billed again while the office waits to be paid.  If we call about this bill, we’re told not to worry about it, "the computer just automatically sends it out until it’s paid."  How many times then are they overpaid and is this money returned?  Not by the unscrupulous.  My son in law’s grandmother would just pay the bill; she was used to paying her bills on time for all of her life; she never received a check back telling her that this bill was paid. 

Giving the president’s plan a chance means that we would be stuck with it forever if it doesn’t work and I think that’s the crux of the matter…..and what government run plan now works?     

 

He’s a very good writer.  He doesn’t tout his books as fact though, as in all good fiction, there’s enough fact in them to titillate.  I love having a book controversial enough to sustain conversation.  Besides, loving to read there is usually a stack of books waiting for me.