charlie brown, job, and parenting

My intention had been to attend church this morning.

I woke up when it was to start... so that didn't happen.

I decided to do the next best thing by tuning in for the live stream on youtube.

That did happen... but the message just wasn't meant for me.

I was still wanting church, though.

It's been a while... so I pulled up one I'd missed, from the first Sunday in October.

That was a good call... and that's a nice play on words in the world of baseball.

What does the one have to do with the other?

Well, as the pandemic has continued, Asbury Memorial Church had to shift its modus operandi; specifically, the usual God On Broadway series that had reigned there for well over a decade had to be postponed this year, in hopes of safer times ahead.

For the first time in many years, Reverend Billy was using the Methodist-suggested scripture as the crux of his sermon.

I had not yet viewed that episode, but I knew it to be the message for me immediately.

In the video, skip ahead, as I did, to time stamp 45:00 or so... that's the start of the sermon, with Charlie Brown on the mound, pondering the team's losses and how hard life is.

His teammates approach him there and they offer him various rationales, some based on scripture, some rather funny, of course.

Those from the Bible dealt with Job and his plight... but I heard it differently today.

Skip ahead, again, to time stamp 58:00 or thereabouts, where that story is told.

As well as reminding me of "Bruce Almighty" - specifically, when Bruce is given the task of tending to the many issues on Earth while God takes a holiday - that bit of verse spelled out the great divide between what parents have to do and how children see it.

Here it is, in black and white, courtesy of a post from cousin Lynn on fb.

"Who knew

that the hardest part

of being an adult

is figuring out 

what to cook for dinner

every single night

for the rest of your life. "

But here is the whole truth: before determining what to eat, that food must first be obtained from somewhere, then that food must be prepared - but to obtain that food, funds must be used, so there is the issue of how to obtain the funds - plus, that food must be stored or cooked, both of which require the use of utilities (gas, electricity, wood) and equipment (fridge, stove, oven, microwave), all of which must be obtained with funds - also, that food will require the use of cooking materials (pots, pans, knives, ladles, pot holders, mitts, etc.) as well as dining materials (plates, bowls, utensils, cups), all of which will be best if located in a specific place, such as living quarters (house, apartment, tent), things which also must be obtained with funds - and none of this has anything to do with clothing, furniture, or education.

Never mind about items for entertainment (toys, television, radio, computers, phones) - those are pure add-ons for luxury.

It all seems rather daunting when pulled out of the box, doesn't it?

Children have not the education or the experience to understand those nuts and bolts.

Children see only the differences between what they have and what others have.

That's why children continually seek to obtain from their parents what they WANT (i.e., dream of having) not mindful of the bounty of their NEEDS (real shelter, food, clothing) that are being met (and mostly surpassed).

It's up to the parents to keep the children grounded in the real world, not that false dream propagated by the 'mercials.

I'm not saying that dreams are not important.

Dreams add spice to life, just as salt adds flavor to meals.

I'm saying that children need parents that teach them the difference between needs and wants, and that requires a lot of responsibility on the part of the parents.

Being a parent, then, means taking on the responsibility of not only making sure your own needs are being met, but also that the needs of your child are being met.

I understood that at a young age, so I have no children; I had already helped raise my youngest brother and realized how much continual work was involved in that effort, and how much responsibility for his life and actions were on me.

So, why did this topic of parenting have such an impact today?

After the wedding yesterday, through a chance encounter (namely, I saw Michael and wanted to sit by him), I sat with my outlaw's sister, Brenda, up from Tampa with her man, Dana, on his first visit to Savannah. (We were eventually joined by her sister Robin as well as Robin's daughter Kayla and that girl's boyfriend, plus Christina.)

At one point, while the bride and her maid of honor (my first niece) were line dancing, Dana commented that he did not see a family resemblance between the two.

Knowing who I am, Brenda tried to be tactful in telling him that Christina and Michael were full siblings, but only shared a mother with Chelsea.

So, I spoke up, confirming that my middle brother, Ronnie, had been the father of Melinda's first two children, then she married Matt and they had Chelsea.

I was sure to mention that Matt had been a wonderful father to all three of them.

I was sure to mention that Ronnie had never wanted the responsibility of having children.

Brenda told me she was aware of that; she recalled him repeatedly asking Melinda to get an abortion with the first baby, and then again with the second baby, but Melinda would not.

(His previous girlfriend did get an abortion when they had found she was pregnant; perhaps he believed that absolved him from taking precautions against pregnancy, as abortion was always an option. I don't know why he didn't get a vasectomy.)

I confirmed what she was saying, then we changed the topic to the music on the dance floor and she tried to get Dana to dance with her.

I went up to dance with Christina Ann, as the song was an Elvis favorite of mine (especially as sung by Ryan Pelton, in Las Vegas, to me as I danced).

i thank You, God, for being able to share that time with her... for us having this season's  "Dancing With The Stars" girl-and-girl couple to serve as an inside reference and a light to shine for others... for a world that is brighter with this dearest niece.

Right place, right time.

thanks, carter, for the confidence boost

Yes, I definitely needed that.

Between the Elite Travel scam at the start of this year, and the DEA scam in May, I've been second-guessing myself and my financial decisions.

Lately, I've been going through my filing cabinet, clearing out old papers and analyzing my credit cards, and that's been a dismaying eye-opener, too.

Yes, a boost was definitely needed.

And there he was on my front porch, knocking on this Friday afternoon, a young man wanting to speak with me about my insurance needs.

Carter Propes had just moved to Savannah from Atlanta and was responding to a postcard I had sent in about "free burial costs available to Georgia residents".

Mind you, that was at least three years ago.

In fact, a predecessor at his company - North American Senior Benefits" - had already responded to that card, back in the middle of 2019.

That came to light as I allowed the young man before me today to go through his spiel, both of us masked, both of us outside in the slightly steamy heat, both of us still mindful of the pandemic that would not be ending anytime soon.

No bother, it was good practice for him and nice company for me.

As we spoke, I recognized the logo on his shirt, at last.

I knew of this company!

The word that had triggered the realization was 'broker', when he was describing what he was and that he did not represent any insurance company, but, rather helped to make sure folks had a policy that was best for their time in life and their family's needs.

Oh, yes, I had definitely heard all this before!

Right place, right time!

So, as I said, I allowed Carter to continue, then I allowed him to check on my policy with Mutual of Omaha, the policy that Joe Caracci had sold to me two years ago.

And you know what?

Those had been very good decisions.

I'm talking about my choice to buy that policy back in 2019 as well as my choice this afternoon to listen to this young man's pitch.

I had chosen well.

What a relief!

i thank You, God.

Now, I have a real, live, in-person, theatre performance to get ready for this evening.

Hallelujah!

Hopefully, I'll be sharing company with some folks I know there.

That would be especially nice!

(smile!)

love and hurricanes

What a sight.

NOAA has three fast pitches, from Africa's west coast toward North America's east coast, one already having curved up from the Gulf and making for the Big Apple, the other two in process of hurling themselves across the Atlantic.

What a way to start this month.

I ended last month, and my 53rd week of being back at the cinema, with a trio that got me thinking, yet again, about choices people make.

With the first and last of my A*List trio, that topic was front and center, as was the dream versus real dynamic.

In both "Free Guy" and "Reminiscence", the two men believed that a chance encounter had led them to the love of their life.

Neither was correct.

Both were hooked by a melody.

---   ---   ---

Guy had been set up, by his programming, to be on the lookout for a woman who loved a specific Mariah Carey song. So, when he and Buddy happened upon Molotov Girl on the street, and she was singing that specific song, Guy was immediately entranced.

Immediately.

Guy was sure that she was "The One", as that was the song he awoke to each day.

In the other movie, Nick had been set up, by his past, to be on the lookout for a woman who would be linked to a specific song from a Rogers and Hart musical. So, when he and Watts happened upon Mae in their memory tank, and she was singing that very song, Nick was immediately entranced.

Immediately.

Nick was sure that she was "The One", as that was the song his grandfather whistled.

___   ___   ___

Both men eventually learn the truth.

They had not met the women by a chance encounter.

It was not fate that had contrived to put them together with their beloved, it was through trickery and deceit on the part of their beloved.

What to do now, knowing the truth?

A choice needed to be made: remain with the reality or stay with the dream?

By his film's end, Guy knew a change was required.

Guy chose to return the woman to the real world, as he knew he was the dream.

By his film's end, Nick knew a change was required.

Nick chose to leave the real world, to stay with her in the dream of his memories.

Which one made the right choice in these science fiction films?

JavaFlix Savannah would have been a great place to discuss that.

Its original leader, Patrick Young, has lived in Jacksonville with his lady love, Sarah, for about four years now. The young woman who took over after his departure managed to keep it working for almost another two years.

However, COVID closed its doors for good, as it did for those of CinemaSavannah and Psychotronic Films of Savannah (although Tomasz Warhol and Jim Reed, respectively, have tried to intermittently keep up a virtual presence, though both seem to have called a halt for the past four months or so).

I do have to wonder how my new real is going to look, as so much of my free or low-cost cultural activities have been relegated to the dream of the past.

triple takers and those afar

How about that we take that last part first, shall we?

Absolutely, let's!

I know I mentioned in the past that I had taught a Distant Learning class that the Chemistry Department had been asked to experiment with.

(Just a little joke, from me to you!)

Dr. Harris and company had decided that CHE 201, with no attached lab, would be the ideal candidate for this test.

The class would be simultaneously held at both Armstrong State College and Brunswick Community College.

Was I willing to take on such a project?

I was, and I did!

That was in Fall quarter of 1995, with Dr. Dick Nordquist in charge of the technical aspects and the logistics of the dual class.

I would teach as I usually did in front of the Armstrong students, writing on the chalkboard as I lectured and giving examples of the principles, and my televised image would be cast to a large monitor for the Brunswick students.

Here's the thing: those students comprised roughly 25% of the total enrolled.

I decided they should experience me teaching live for that percentage of the lectures.

That meant that five times during the quarter I drove down to their campus to teach, allowing the Armstrong students the opportunity to fully experience Distant Learning by having a turn at watching me on the television monitor.

It was certainly a novel way of teaching at that time!

I remember watching Dick walking about with a portable phone the size of a shoe box, coordinating with the camera crew at the other campus -

hard to believe phone technology has come so far in just 25 years.

Anyway, the students at both campuses enjoyed having me live, especially when I would be performing demonstrations about moles, acid and base interactions, and such.

Remember, this course had no lab for hands-on for the students; I tried to make sure my in-class experiments were with household ingredients, so they could repeat them at home for practice and to show off to their kids.

(smile!)

After that first lecture, I had a student that joined late.

Was it possible to see a recording of the missed lesson?

Good question!

Dick liked the idea of doing that; as he told me, the equipment was already in place to accommodate such a request.

If I would supply the VHS cassettes (which had not been included in the budget), then he would be glad to make sure my future lectures were recorded for later viewing.

Most excellent!

So I did, and the library allowed the tapes to be held on reserve, so the students could ask for a second, or third, or however-many viewing of the material. 

That was a real benefit to the students as a study aid!

I even left the collection of tapes at the library for several years, referring students to view them if they happened to miss a lecture during future terms.

And what feedback did I receive that Fall 1995 term?

 

Grace Sachs: "Professor Smith was excellent! This was my first quarter attending here (at ASC) and if she is representative of the caliber of faculty staffed here, I am looking forward to the rest of my education. Eagerly! Thank you for an educational and FUN quarter. You certainly made it challenging and rewarding for me as a student. Please continue to do so."

 

Ginger Loy: "Professor Smith has a great sense of humor & takes command of the class. She is one of the better faculty members on campus. I think she deserves a raise."

 

Cathy Rich: "Professor Smith is the most thorough instructor I have had the pleasure to study under. I wish more instructors had the knowledge of their course subjects that Professor Smith does."

Robert Cole: "Professor Smith is an excellent instructor. She is both fair and impartial, unlike most of the instructors at Armstrong State College. Both my interest and knowledge of chemistry have been enhanced."

 

Karen Brozycki: "Professor Smith is an outstanding instructor. She takes what is traditionally a complex and intimidating subject and makes it understandable and learnable. The effective manner in which Prof. Smith presented the material had a great impact on my success in this class, and for that I thank her." 

In addition, there were seven who wrote feedback anonymously.

 

"Prof. Smith is an excellent teacher. She knows the material and explains in an enthusiastic way. She makes every effort to make chemistry a subject for everyday use."

 

"Very helpful to working students."

 

"Prof. Smith is a very good instructor. I would take a class from her again. She handled the Distant learning class fairly and clearly. I do think that we should be aware a class is D. Learning before we sign up. I pay for an instructor to be in my class room 100% of the time. It would have been nice to know otherwise & I may have taken another class."

 

"This was a good class. Prof. Smith is an excellent instructor who cares about her students. I feel that because of her winning personality I did well in this class."

 

"Professor Smith was excellent. One couldn't ask for a better taught chemistry course. Simply excellent!!"

 

"Excellent professor. The best one you have here."

 

"Great teacher!!!"

As for Distant Learning, the experiment in teaching chemistry, as well as classes in the Humanities department, was just for that one quarter.

To my recollection, no more such classes were held.

Perhaps students at our community college preferred their instructors live and in person, rather than on a tv screen.

I certainly can understand that!

During this time of COVID pandemic, all I hear from those I know in school, whether as students or instructors, is how much they miss face-to-face interaction.

Me, too.

-----     -----     -----

 

So, what was that about "triple takers"?

Were those students who took CHE 201 three times to pass it?

Not at all, although I did have a few students from another instructor who took the course a second time, but with me, and found that I defeated the 'fear factor' of chemistry.

When I say "triple taker", I'm referring to students who took me for all three of the courses that I taught, primarily because they liked my teaching style and loved how helpful I was, showing them how to dissect word problems in a logical, and fun, way, based on the words, not just numbers.

Word problems are the most intimidating part of chemistry to most students.

As all aspects of chemistry, and chemistry lab, involve the solving of word problems, I know it's imperative that students learn that the same steps are used every time, not some new bit of machinations for each and every one.

So, which "triple takers" did I unearth in the Ocean Room closet?

Let me begin with Marilyn O'Mallon.

After her husband died of cancer, she turned to college to change her life.

She landed in my section of CHE 201 that Spring quarter of 1995.

In the feedback report, she wrote: "The strengths of this course was by far our excellent instructor. 'The Foundations Of Life" book is a good tool for course study, but without the simplified instruction from Prof. Smith, it would be hard to follow. The course was a challenge, but educational and fun. Thanks."

In the Fall of 1997, she was back, along with two others, choosing to pursue a BSN and now needing the CHE 121 and CHE 122 series for more in-depth studies and for the hands-on experience of the associated lab courses.

The threesome completed the CHE 122 in Spring quarter of 1998 and had the following words for me in their feedback.

Heather Carr: "I took Professor Smith for Che 201, 121, & 122. She is a really good teacher and explained the material wonderfully. The only problem with this course is that there were so many mistakes in the book."

Terri Vigrass: "Great teacher. Thank God for her ability to make this difficult subject fun and interesting. If I had had her for 102 Chem, I would have had a huge step up on this class and an understanding entering this class. Keep her, give her a raise and pat her on her back."

Marilyn O'Mallon: "Prof. Smith is an excellent instructor. She presents class material clearly & assures that her students understand the material before moving on to the next step. She is very patient and encourages her students to think & do well. Thank you."

Here's the rest of the story, as Paul Harvey used to say.

Marilyn and I became great friends over the following years.

Not only did she succeed in her nursing career, she also landed a position in the Nursing Department at Armstrong Atlantic State University.

Then, she continued learning, earning a masters degree and then a doctorate!

I am so proud of all she achieved, and so grateful for the friendship we have had...

all because of that first course she took with me.

Coincidences are just another word for right place, right time.

i thank You, God, to have had the opportunity to interact with so many.

made the fireman smile!

There I was, diddybopping through the scattered raindrops and puddles back to my car in the South 40, post-PF, clad in my WW-meeting -weigh-in spring dress.
I also was wearing Halloween-themed socks and black shoes, with my hair loose and my face relaxed.
As I neared my car, I saw him.
The smiling fireman, stopped in his tracks by my happy vibe.
He even spoke to me!
Very nice!!!
(smile!)

john, vladimir, and bedsheets

"Well, that's a lovely bunch of coconuts, isn't it?"

Quite right, my dearie. But they all have something in common, they do!

"If you do be saying so, then it must be so, eh?"

For sure! And to think it was centered on a brief chat with the Xióngmāo as I was on my way to Planet Fitness today. I happened to spot Opal as I was getting ready to park. He was just about to leave, as he'd already been to the gym and maxed out a couple more machines there...

"Hold up there, girlie! You were talking to who? The Chong man?"

Hahaha! No, I said "Xióngmāo", not "Chong man". Phonetically, think "show moww-ah", with the accent on that second syllable. I guess in Okinawa, Brad Nelson would have taught it to me as "show me out". That's how I learned to remember Dōitashimashite. That's Japanese for "You're welcome", but it sounds like "don't touch the moustache".

"Yeah, it seems that you've wandered off topic. I still don't know who you're referencing."

Well, I bet this will help! Xióngmāo means panda in Chinese and this person taught himself Mandarin. Also, I call him my bfrb, though that may need to be altered, as he isn't running much these days. Plus, I already mentioned I was at the gym...

"Oh! You mean Kevin??? He's a panda?"

Well, I had told him how much fun it would be if people were multicolored and had stripes or spots, though I supposed that moles and freckles counted as spots. Then he told me he'd taught the precious snowflakes that a zebra says "moo", as it has four legs and eats grass like a cow does.

"Wow. I mean, wow. Are you on too much caffeine right now?"

No, I promise I'm not. I am still just so delighted with our little chance encounter today.
(beaming smile!)

"Yes, dear, I know how you do love his company."

I do, I really do!
(another beaming smile!)

"Okay, let's see if we can cross back over out of La-La Land, shall we? I'll start. What's with the random things in the post title? "

Umm, let me see... oh, yes! They're the reason I'm here right now!

"And... they are conjoined how...?"

Nice word, "conjoined". You could have said "combined" or "united" or "linked"...

"Maybe I should go take a walk... "

No, stay, please! Okay, I'll spill the beans! But, first, let me just say that Kevin reads a lot of biographies, and I mean a lot! And the two fellows, John and Vladimir, have very similar-sounding last names. Hence, hilarity ensued.
(smiled)

"Oh! I bet I can guess who they are. After all, there may be a world full of Johns, but I'd warrant Vlads are not so common. So, since the Russian is most likely Lenin, then the John has to be Lennon. Am I right?"

You most certainly are! Were you peeking when I set up those links earlier?

"Sure, let's say I was."

Ah, HA! Caught you red-handed!

"No, seriously, I'm leaving now... "

Hahaha! He sometimes uses that same line on me. Trying to get me back on track, usually. Oh, like you're attempting to do.
Okay, okay, don't tap that foot at me!

"Well, really, you can wander so far... "

So, here's what happened. After I parked next to his car, he got out and we started chatting, after a hug, of course.

"Of course. "

Of course. And I seem to not recall why, but he said the book about "lin on" was actually funny. And, in my mind, I said "But of course, since John Lennon was known to have a sense of humor!", but aloud I said naught, as he was continuing his tale. Then he segued into talk about Karl Marx and a revolution and that Marx thought the revolution would be in England and not in Russia because of industrial versus agricultural and that he'd had to go to Russia to not miss it.

"What??? How did Marx enter into the mix? "

Oh, something about him not liking Russians. That had thrown me, because I thought he was Russian, but apparently he was German and studying in England...

"And that was in the book he was talking about?"

Hey, good question! Perhaps it was. At any rate, right about then I said to him, "What does that have to do with John Lennon?"

"And he said..."

After looking at me like I'd grown a second head, he told me he wasn't talking about Lennon, he was speaking of Lenin. Hahaha!

"Surely he understood how you could have thought that, right?"

Well, I'm sure he did not, at least not at first. He knows that I know that he's been on a months-long involvement with books about the Holocaust, WW I, WW II, Vietnam - you know, books about people doing ugly things to other people. I guess I though he'd taken my advice to go toward the light. A bio of a Beatle would have tied in nicely with our conversation from last night.

"Y'all were talking about The Beatles??? "

Well, let me finish my story, okay? I'm almost done.

"Oh, I thought it was told. Lenin, not Lennon, right? "

True, but then I tossed in another homophone, "linen", and gave examples of bedsheets and tablecloths. He didn't know what to say about that, just looked at me quizzically, as he sometimes does.
I must say, it's quite interesting having a shrink as a best friend!
What conversations we have!

"Yes, I know. You've spoken of that a time or two. But you do realize your misuse of the word "linen", don't you? "

Oh, you mean the general usage of the word as a plural when referencing covers for tables and laps and other flat surfaces in a house?

"Darn tootin'. The singular, "linen", is meant for the fabric made from woven flax. "

Yeah, well, I doubt the subject will arise again with him. So, let's just keep that little slip of the tongue right here, shall we?

"No skin off my teeth, dearie. Also, we seem to have drifted into the darknet since you began this new blog, so it's hardly a question of him - or anyone - stumbling upon your lapse. "

Well, good! That works just fine for me!

"I figured it would. I noticed you haven't called attention to it. "

Hey, it's listed in the "about me" section on the blogspot site. It just seems that no one has come looking to find out why I haven't written aught else over at beachwalks.

"yeah, I've noticed. That's okay, though. These writings were mostly for your own eyes anyway, weren't they? Sure, it's been good to share a few with others, but you write because that's just part of who you are. "

Certainly. Though it would have been nice to think someone cared to follow me down this new path...

"No one can read anyone else's mind."

Yeah, I seem to have heard that somewhere...

"If you want folks to know of this new sanctuary, you'll have to share. Perhaps the reason you've quiet about it is that you've had too much havoc already wreaked on your physical haven. I'm betting that once that gets all straightened out, you'll open up about your hindsights."

Yeah, we'll see about that. It's rather liberating to feel that I can write about anything and not have to be concerned about how someone will interpret my words.

"As you wish. "

So now I get "The Princess Bride" quote? Hahaha hahaha!

"It seemed like a nice change of pace. Like you and he going to The King & I for dinner last night."

That was a nice change! How very kind of him to have offered to forego the buffet, right? I took advantage of the shift to Thai by regarding it as my Valentine's Day dinner. After all, the grilled salmon with the chili garlic sauce was certainly an upgrade from our regular Tuesday fare. Plus, I had the company of a gentleman I love, so that made it extra special. On the 14th, I'll be ushering "Seussical" at the Lucas, so who knows if I'll dine anywhere?
And, no, I didn't tell him I was regarding our dinner in that regard.
And, no, don't raise that eyebrow at me.

"O-kay. Just saying... "

I'm fine. Well, relatively. My house isn't right yet, so that's working on my head.

"Got it. Backing off, but not too far. "

Thanks. Speaking of such, we finally saw "The Gentlemen" last night. I guess the fourth time was the charm for that one!

"Y'all had something interfere on the other three Tina Tuesdays?"

Yeah, can you believe it? The first time, he had asked if we could see "1917" instead, as it was at the same time. So, we'd done so, concerned that the war movie might soon be gone. No worries, as it turned out. That film is still on the silver screen.

"What about the second time your movie choice was altered?"

Well, that was actually on me. I had decided I wanted to see "Parasite" while it was still in the cinema, and, as it was at the same screening time, he agreed to see the Korean film. Good call! We both really liked the class-struggle movie, just as we had both found the war film to be extremely well done.

"Well, alrighty then! You each called for change and the other acquiesced, and it turned out well both times! That's a definite win, dear. And last week?"

Well, that was a different kettle of fish entirely. He had contacted me that morning. Would I mind rescheduling our evening? The Peacock Guild was meeting for the first time in months.

"The Peacock Guild? From that Flannery O'Connor event?"

Well, yes. And since I had encouraged him to join the group, to give him an unbiased ear as an outlet for help with the progress of his graphic novel, I encouraged him to go to that meeting. That was important for him, so it was important to me. And we hit upon my strangely open Saturday for our irregular get together.

"I know you would have preferred his company, but you still had him on Saturday. And then again last night! Oh, and then this afternoon! That's a whole lot of huggin' goin' on! "

i thank You, God!
(smile!)

"I do, too. You still seem to need some mothering, don't you, girl?"

Yeah. The hugs help. Hugs from him, hugs from the Odd Lot folks, hugs from mi tres amigas, hugs from people at church, hugs from the PFS crew.
Yeah.

"I'm sorry, dear. Things will get better, they will. Remember what Christina Ann wrote to you? She said, "I guess there's always a silver lining if you look for it." That was her take on something similar you told her."

She's a real bright light in my world. Truly she is.

"Truly, she is. So is Kevin, you know."

Yes, he is. He's also rather old-fashioned when it comes to dating. He insists on paying his date's way, regardless of cost. I've been trying to convince him that he should allow them to pay, but I don't believe he's buying it. Get it? Buying it?

"Got it, silly one kenobi. Is that why The Beatles came up last night?"

Yes, actually. He was going on about having spent fifty bucks a pop to take a date to a show by a Beatles tribute band. I was absolutely aghast! After all, I know he prides himself on being a cheapskate, but when it comes to dating, no amount of money is too much for him to spend. Just craziness! I made the remark that such a move would be expected to result in sex, and he seemed shocked that I would say that. I told him that anyone who was so wild about that music that they would plop down that sum of money would be amped up enough after the concert to carry on with the party, so to speak. Sometimes, I don't think he's as clued in as he should be. Then again, I know that by the time I was his age, I'd had much more experience with men than he has had with women. Just sayin'.

"Well, you were in the Navy, and that makes a big difference."

Yeah, partly, but that doesn't account for all of it. I think I was just more adventurous or amorous or active or ... some other "a" words.

"Being around theatre folk probably added to the frivolity."

No doubt! So much of the simulated sex on the stage spilled over into the backseats of cars. Get that little inside joke?

"Got it. You crack me up, girl!"

Hey, I crack myself up sometimes, too!
Right now, though, I need to do some adulting and pay some bills before the mail comes.
So, later, tater!

"After a while, crocodile!"

(smile!)