Me and my sister
Showing posts with label What I remember. Show all posts
Showing posts with label What I remember. Show all posts
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Hello Saturday Morning
When I was quite young, my mother had three prints of Degas ballerina paintings on a rectangle 'canvas' with light blue fabric over it hanging on the wall in my bedroom. This was one of the prints. It was the theme of my bedroom. I took ballet class one year when I was about 6 or so. Frankly, I was too lazy - even at that tender age - and too skittish about being in public to pursue it beyond that. In fact, when it came time for our recital, I got upset and chickened out and all I did, in my pretty yellow tutu, was walk the flowers out to the dance teacher at the end. Or, maybe I did one dance as well. I remember looking up at tall people trying to make me feel better and suggesting I carry the flowers out at the end. But, there are two pictures of me in the ballet recital - one during a dance, and one bringing out the flowers. I don't remember that whole story. Maybe I'll ask my Mom when I next talk to her.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
I used to smoke cigarettes
When I was a teenager (in the 1970's) I started smoking because many adults and teenagers smoked and I wanted to fit in. NOT smoking wasn't a trend yet. It was generally accepted that people smoked.
I didn't smoke when my friends started smoking (around 12 or 13); I waited a couple more years until I felt more left out (age 15, I think).
But, after that, I didn't stop. I dedicated myself to unashamed smoking.
I always smoked Winston cigarettes eventually landing on the last brand I smoked...Winston Ultra-Light 100's.
About 10 years ago I finally quit cold turkey. I'm glad I quit before the most recent regulations have been put in place about where to smoke. It would have made me mad being told what to do.
My Life with Computers
I am not a geek, I am not scientifically minded, and I don't like to take things apart and put them back together again.
I like to know what people are talking about and I like new toys.
I bought a Commodore 64 in the early 80's when I lived with ET. I remember playing pong, asteroids and caterpillar.. I programmed enough basic to get the computer to say "Good Morning" (or something) when I signed on. ET played the games a lot.
Then, I was done with it.
My next computer was an Apple IIc...or an Apple IIe. I can't remember anymore for sure, but I think it was a C 'cause that stood for "compact" as I recall.
The programs I remember purchasing for that computer were a Jane Bryant money tracking system (as justification for buying the computer - ha!), Tetris and a text based mystery game.
The money program was crazy. There were about 17 floppy disks and I remember reloading the disks everytime I wanted to do something different with the program. Enter checks using Disk 4, report on checks using Disk 7. Grrr...no way to get a flow.
The program required me to enter every check I ever wrote and what I did with all my money.
It occurred to me that if I couldn't do it with a checkbook, then why would I be able to do it with a computer that took me five times as long? I've never used a money program since.
Tetris is addictive. You probably know that already, right? One day I came home from work with groceries, put them on the counter to turn on the computer, forgot to take my coat off, and I started playing Tetris. Four hours later ET came home and the groceries were still on the counter.
I wish I could remember the name of the text based game I played. I never finished it, but I liked playing it. In the story, the main character (the player) wakes up in a motel room with no memory of where they are or how they got there. The game was about trying to figure out the story.
Because it was a text based game you had to visualize everything like a book. At some point I was so confused about where I was I had to draw a map so I could actually move a block down the street instead of going back and forth around a corner...HA!
I also remember that one task I knew how to do was buy a gyro sandwich. And the only reason I know that word is pronounced jeer-oh instead of jahy-roh is because of that game. I think in the story they made fun of people who pronounced the sandwich incorrectly.
My next computer was a Gateway, I believe. That's what we had at our office by then, so that's what I liked. I had it for several years.
I think this is when I started going online. I remember I was dating GeeG at the time and I didn't feel like he was giving me enough of a debate on issues. I thought the new online services could be a way to have discussions about topics of interest. First Prodigy, then AOL, finally CompuServe. At one point I was a memeber of all of them.
On Prodigy I learned that you can have a discussion but sometimes no one cares. That was disappointing.
I also played some kind of stock market game that was fun, but stressful because I knew other people could see I didn't know what I was doing.
On AOL, I learned about chat rooms and the sleazy side of being online. The AOL chat rooms were always full and many of the member chat rooms were kind of seedy. However, there were some things I did on AOL - submitted a story that someone published on their zine, created an online group of friends that met weekly to discuss spiritual things, communicated with an author who wrote a story I really liked, and tried out the online medieval stuff chat rooms - Red Dragon Inn it was called - which I couldn't quite get the hang of. I had friendships with people and met a couple of them offline - to my regret, but that's nothing to do with being online.
I didn't use CompuServe very much. I never quite figured out how it worked. That's why AOL was the one I spent the most time on - it made the most visual sense to me.
Remember, though, the modems were very slow then. Eventually, the interest in AOL chat rooms waned, I realized I needed a more real connection with people, and checking out the World Wide Web using a 2400 speed modem wasn't really gonna work. So, I put away the online world.
My next computer was a Dell, followed by an HP (still in use). I'm writing this on an HP Laptop.
I still don't know a lot about how to make my computer do cool things - and I still buy new things just so I can see what people are talking about...I used to have a MySpace page becuase I wondered what all the fuss was about. That's gone. Now I have a FaceBook and a Twitter account. Not because I like them, but because everyone talks about them and I wondered why.
And that is....My life so far, with computers.
I like to know what people are talking about and I like new toys.
I bought a Commodore 64 in the early 80's when I lived with ET. I remember playing pong, asteroids and caterpillar.. I programmed enough basic to get the computer to say "Good Morning" (or something) when I signed on. ET played the games a lot.
Then, I was done with it.
My next computer was an Apple IIc...or an Apple IIe. I can't remember anymore for sure, but I think it was a C 'cause that stood for "compact" as I recall.
The programs I remember purchasing for that computer were a Jane Bryant money tracking system (as justification for buying the computer - ha!), Tetris and a text based mystery game.
The money program was crazy. There were about 17 floppy disks and I remember reloading the disks everytime I wanted to do something different with the program. Enter checks using Disk 4, report on checks using Disk 7. Grrr...no way to get a flow.
The program required me to enter every check I ever wrote and what I did with all my money.
It occurred to me that if I couldn't do it with a checkbook, then why would I be able to do it with a computer that took me five times as long? I've never used a money program since.
Tetris is addictive. You probably know that already, right? One day I came home from work with groceries, put them on the counter to turn on the computer, forgot to take my coat off, and I started playing Tetris. Four hours later ET came home and the groceries were still on the counter.
I wish I could remember the name of the text based game I played. I never finished it, but I liked playing it. In the story, the main character (the player) wakes up in a motel room with no memory of where they are or how they got there. The game was about trying to figure out the story.
Because it was a text based game you had to visualize everything like a book. At some point I was so confused about where I was I had to draw a map so I could actually move a block down the street instead of going back and forth around a corner...HA!
I also remember that one task I knew how to do was buy a gyro sandwich. And the only reason I know that word is pronounced jeer-oh instead of jahy-roh is because of that game. I think in the story they made fun of people who pronounced the sandwich incorrectly.
My next computer was a Gateway, I believe. That's what we had at our office by then, so that's what I liked. I had it for several years.
I think this is when I started going online. I remember I was dating GeeG at the time and I didn't feel like he was giving me enough of a debate on issues. I thought the new online services could be a way to have discussions about topics of interest. First Prodigy, then AOL, finally CompuServe. At one point I was a memeber of all of them.
On Prodigy I learned that you can have a discussion but sometimes no one cares. That was disappointing.
I also played some kind of stock market game that was fun, but stressful because I knew other people could see I didn't know what I was doing.
On AOL, I learned about chat rooms and the sleazy side of being online. The AOL chat rooms were always full and many of the member chat rooms were kind of seedy. However, there were some things I did on AOL - submitted a story that someone published on their zine, created an online group of friends that met weekly to discuss spiritual things, communicated with an author who wrote a story I really liked, and tried out the online medieval stuff chat rooms - Red Dragon Inn it was called - which I couldn't quite get the hang of. I had friendships with people and met a couple of them offline - to my regret, but that's nothing to do with being online.
I didn't use CompuServe very much. I never quite figured out how it worked. That's why AOL was the one I spent the most time on - it made the most visual sense to me.
Remember, though, the modems were very slow then. Eventually, the interest in AOL chat rooms waned, I realized I needed a more real connection with people, and checking out the World Wide Web using a 2400 speed modem wasn't really gonna work. So, I put away the online world.
My next computer was a Dell, followed by an HP (still in use). I'm writing this on an HP Laptop.
I still don't know a lot about how to make my computer do cool things - and I still buy new things just so I can see what people are talking about...I used to have a MySpace page becuase I wondered what all the fuss was about. That's gone. Now I have a FaceBook and a Twitter account. Not because I like them, but because everyone talks about them and I wondered why.
And that is....My life so far, with computers.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Dream Memory
The end of last night's dreams...
There was something before all this where I was going up and down stairs a lot, or a neighborhood...trying to find my way somewhere, or something. And there might have been a pier or harbor as well.
Then, I ended up helping a woman at a restaurant who wanted the same cake she's had at this place some time before. She gave me the name.
I made my way back to the kitchens. It took a long time because I'm not even sure it was in the same building.
The kitchen area came into view and I knew it to be the Martha Stewart kitchens. (Not because it looked like the TV show kitchen, just because that's what it was in my dream). But, only a couple people were there and I knew they didn't do cakes. The rest of the staff was returning from whatever had made everyone leave (shades of yesterday's California earthquake?). I recognized a girl as one of the bakers and asked her for help.
Next I was with a man who I recognized (but can't remember now) who had me look through a book of cakes. The name of the cake was fast fading from my memory. I tried to explain it but didn't have the vocabulary. Then, we came to one that I thought might be it. Aha! said the man who was helping me. That's one of our old cakes, we changed the name from Abigail to ? because its a classic and has become permanent. I didn't know if it really was the cake, but I thought it sounded close enough. Then, he started putting cloth covers on the laminated pictures of the cakes in the book. The covers fit over two prongs on the side of the picture and slid down the prongs like a sleeve.
There was something before all this where I was going up and down stairs a lot, or a neighborhood...trying to find my way somewhere, or something. And there might have been a pier or harbor as well.
Then, I ended up helping a woman at a restaurant who wanted the same cake she's had at this place some time before. She gave me the name.
I made my way back to the kitchens. It took a long time because I'm not even sure it was in the same building.
The kitchen area came into view and I knew it to be the Martha Stewart kitchens. (Not because it looked like the TV show kitchen, just because that's what it was in my dream). But, only a couple people were there and I knew they didn't do cakes. The rest of the staff was returning from whatever had made everyone leave (shades of yesterday's California earthquake?). I recognized a girl as one of the bakers and asked her for help.
Next I was with a man who I recognized (but can't remember now) who had me look through a book of cakes. The name of the cake was fast fading from my memory. I tried to explain it but didn't have the vocabulary. Then, we came to one that I thought might be it. Aha! said the man who was helping me. That's one of our old cakes, we changed the name from Abigail to ? because its a classic and has become permanent. I didn't know if it really was the cake, but I thought it sounded close enough. Then, he started putting cloth covers on the laminated pictures of the cakes in the book. The covers fit over two prongs on the side of the picture and slid down the prongs like a sleeve.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Dream Memory
This morning I remember three dreams I had last night...
1) I was in a space ship with four men. Something happened; we were doomed to die - there was no chance of rescue. I kept thinking we would be rescued and we might be able to make it (like a TV show with a surprise happy ending). But, we sat there and ran out of air. I remember wanting them to confirm that we might still make it. But, they wouldn't. There was one last push, or something, and our space ship was moving faster, so I got excited because maybe that meant we'd be saved. No, they still were sad and resigned to die. Then, I started wondering how I should prepare myself for death. Should I fall asleep? But, then as we lost air, my struggle to breathe might wake me up. Should I ask them to knock me out? Who would do the kncoking out and then be left alone? We wouldn't die at the exact same time anyway.
The question about how to prepare for death, is what woke me up at about 3:00 am
The main point of that was my continued expectation that there'd be a happy ending.
2) In the next dream (fading fast) I'm moving out of my boyfriend's place. We were kinda nice about it, but there was a lot of chaos in the move. Suddenly he decided that I needed to pay him 3000 dollars for something. I was astounded. We escaped from the chaos (I can't remember why there was so much chaos, other than a lot of people were also moving or something?) into the next room and I kinda laughed at him in a friendly way and said 'No really, what's this about?'. I can't remember what he said, but it seems we went into a deeper part of the house where there was a huge party of people - the room was dark with streaks of neon light flashing around. I remember thinking 'den of thieves'. Everyone was bad, and so, it turned out, was my boyfriend. He'd been hiding this side of him all along. I think I tried to reason with him, but it turns out he's the leader of this gang of bad people and they do what he says. Suddenly they grab my arms and try to push me out of the room. At first its normal - what I'd expect. I'm being passed from person to person who keeps moving me toward the door. Suddenly I'm moving as if I'm flying almost and its to an oblivion - I'm just being pushed along through darkness. I scream in terror. (As I recollect this right now it sounds very devilish - ick!) Then, I wake up.
3) Another memory fading fast. The part I remember is being in some kind of dorm room or something. Queen Elizabeth is in the hall because she's going to be our client for something. I wasn't supposed to be part of the presentation or anything, but they needed some additional work and that's why she was there. I ended up out in the hall and there she was - only I didn't have any pants on. I was in bare feet with no pants, except panties. I kept trying to get away to put some pants on so I could be presentable. She was nice about it.
1) I was in a space ship with four men. Something happened; we were doomed to die - there was no chance of rescue. I kept thinking we would be rescued and we might be able to make it (like a TV show with a surprise happy ending). But, we sat there and ran out of air. I remember wanting them to confirm that we might still make it. But, they wouldn't. There was one last push, or something, and our space ship was moving faster, so I got excited because maybe that meant we'd be saved. No, they still were sad and resigned to die. Then, I started wondering how I should prepare myself for death. Should I fall asleep? But, then as we lost air, my struggle to breathe might wake me up. Should I ask them to knock me out? Who would do the kncoking out and then be left alone? We wouldn't die at the exact same time anyway.
The question about how to prepare for death, is what woke me up at about 3:00 am
The main point of that was my continued expectation that there'd be a happy ending.
2) In the next dream (fading fast) I'm moving out of my boyfriend's place. We were kinda nice about it, but there was a lot of chaos in the move. Suddenly he decided that I needed to pay him 3000 dollars for something. I was astounded. We escaped from the chaos (I can't remember why there was so much chaos, other than a lot of people were also moving or something?) into the next room and I kinda laughed at him in a friendly way and said 'No really, what's this about?'. I can't remember what he said, but it seems we went into a deeper part of the house where there was a huge party of people - the room was dark with streaks of neon light flashing around. I remember thinking 'den of thieves'. Everyone was bad, and so, it turned out, was my boyfriend. He'd been hiding this side of him all along. I think I tried to reason with him, but it turns out he's the leader of this gang of bad people and they do what he says. Suddenly they grab my arms and try to push me out of the room. At first its normal - what I'd expect. I'm being passed from person to person who keeps moving me toward the door. Suddenly I'm moving as if I'm flying almost and its to an oblivion - I'm just being pushed along through darkness. I scream in terror. (As I recollect this right now it sounds very devilish - ick!) Then, I wake up.
3) Another memory fading fast. The part I remember is being in some kind of dorm room or something. Queen Elizabeth is in the hall because she's going to be our client for something. I wasn't supposed to be part of the presentation or anything, but they needed some additional work and that's why she was there. I ended up out in the hall and there she was - only I didn't have any pants on. I was in bare feet with no pants, except panties. I kept trying to get away to put some pants on so I could be presentable. She was nice about it.
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