Typing

I got my hands on a manual typewriter in the 10th grade and in about a week could type words without looking at the keyboard.  I had no idea my speed but I was able to turn in book reports, etc. and had time to do other student’s papers after a time.  I know.  I know.  It sounds like a weird thing to do but I was bored.  At the time, I had nothing better to do.

When I went through the CETA program in 1978 and applied for their Word Processing class, it had been about 7 years since I touched a keyboard.  Amazingly enough I hadn’t forgotten the keyboard even though they said my speed was just 12 wpm.  I had to do 55 in about a week.  I don’t know if it helped but now they had electric typewriters and in a week when I took the test I scored exactly 55 wpm (taking off for all my mistakes).  You see, I tried to get in their welding program, which may pay $19/hour when I got a job, but there was a year waiting list.  I had never been scared of heights and the pay sounded good.  WP operators made about 1/2 that but they started their next class in a month.  Well, when I passed all their tests (their written ones I aced as they just wanted to know if I could add and speak English), I only had to wait a few weeks for class to start. 

I finished a 9-month course in about 1-1/2 months.  (No brag - the government wanted to make sure that all students had a chance to pass, no matter how slow.)  I learned what Pica and Elite type were (you mean you don’t just type top to bottom and left to right?).  I had 4 machines under my belt (IBM, A.B. Dick, Xerox and _____ (ask Gov Perry what it is as I forgot!) and although I didn’t type much faster, most of my typing errors were gone.  I heard employers can take more for each mistake.  I stayed in my class almost two more months.  Why?  I procrastinated because I was told I would have to interview for any open positions.  I was used to filling out an application and asking “when do you want me to start?”  I felt strange answering questions even after filling out an application.  My self image needed shining up, considering all the dental work I had done since the 2nd (or was it 3rd) grade.  I had quite an overbite and speaking publicly was not something I looked forward to.  I was ok if I built up my confidence by knowing my subject matter and after 2 months, I got the first job I applied for at Crocker National Bank in their WP Dept.  We started with 12 girls (I was the only guy) and when I left 5-1/2 years later, it was just me.  I also found out I read what I typed (which included all the training manuals for every banking job) and could see typos on a page (or eventually screen).  This helped me a lot with proof reading then and throughout my career. 

“Accidents” in Hallway

I know she can’t help it but Roxy usually leaves a daily accident in the hallway. 

The pile on the right has been there more than 24 hours.  The other was made during the night.  I’m pretty sure Stephanie and Bert have seen it as she uses that bathroom (opening to right) and Bert took two showers (and gave one to Kira - she rolled in something on a walk).  Unless they both hold their noses and avert their eyes, they know it’s there.  Maybe they figure it can be left since you can get into the bathroom.  The white pads are usually urine soaked as Roxy does both in the house (as I usually have to lift my legs since I don’t wear shoes or socks).  Maybe Bert doesn’t know how to house break a dog.  (You can tell Roxy has been abused from her prior owners.  (She is such a sweetheart tho.))  The only thing he may need to do is use a cage for her temporarily (maybe he thinks that’s a form of abuse) and curtail free roam through the house – probably a week or two.  He seems to do everything else for them.  A pain, for sure, but everyone will be happier in the end.  Bert won’t need to clean the carpet either!

And yes, we have cats who have contributed from time to time.  For 1 cat, I would check the litter 2-3 times/day and if I smelled a need to.  What about 3 cats?  Right now they are checked once every 2-3 days.  I know from experience cats don’t like a soiled litter box.

It would be nice too if Alexis took the dogs out, before she went to work, more consistently.  She leaves for work in what seems plenty of time.  I would say she takes them out about 70% of the time.  Why it isn’t closer to 100% (or at least >90%) I’m not sure.  She demonstrates a lot she loves them.  Maybe she just gets distracted.

I Had A Dream!

Well, maybe not as a Great man once said but I think we all have one or two throughout our lives.  One of mine was to have (or at least be part of) a family.

When I had turned 9, my parents separated.  I went with my sibs to live with my mom.  (I didn’t even know there were any issues between them).  Not far away.  A few miles I could walk if I needed to.  After all, walking to Beverly Hills JHS became easy to do when I started there in ‘65.  Catching a school bus was fine sometimes but walking seemed more natural, even uphill through the snow!

My folks got back together the next year (started 12/62 and ended about 7/63) and even remarried!  (Didn’t know about that then.)  Life was normal again back on Kent Road.  We lived on the end of about 50 homes (I think they were called row houses – today townhouses?). 

There were many memories living there.  Some highlights: 

1. it snowed (60’s?) almost up to the 2nd floor (probably some of that was drift) and for several days we couldn’t even leave the house.  Days later we could tunnel out to the street and from there, to the store.  As each neighbor dug out to the street, they could now get to that store and buy them out of at least what they had on hand until between plowing and melting, trucks could replenish their supply.
2. I liked to crawl up the sides of buildings.  I used a lot the corner store’s building which housed a bar(?) and several apartments.
3. I met Bill Rugh (and family, who lived in one of those apartments, in eighth grade), who taught me to inhale cigarette smoke.  He also signed any doctor slips I needed if I was out more than three days.  I was probably absent from school that year somewhere between 20 and 40 days.  Never did that before (or since).
4. We had a German Shepard (named Sean) who my dad brought home.  He was with us about 1 year; dad said he took him to a farm where he could get more exercise.
5. My father bought a 10-speed bike one year for both of us (well, I think he really bought it for me) as we have the same birthday.  It was my first bike and I didn’t get another one until I was about 45.  I usually propped it up against the house, about 20 feet from the sidewalk.  A few months later I was inside watching TV with my other sibs when I heard what sounded like my back fender (it was loose and rattled when I went over a bump).  I dismissed it and continued watching TV.  Probably at the next commercial I looked outside and noticed my bike was gone.  I ran down the street towards Cobbs Creek Park (I just figured they went that way).  My father was sleeping upstairs and woke after I was gone.  I returned about 30 mins later.  Unfortunately he couldn’t find his car keys and I seemed to be the only one who knew they were buried under the newspapers on the coffee table.  I was about 9 and I guess getting in the car and driving around is not the first thing I think about.

I Have A Regret But…

When we were kids, and I think our Dad had recently passed away, my brother David started taking electronics from a local store. Admittedly he did get some cool stuff.  I remember mostly a pair of walkie-talkies.  What bothered me at the time is he might get caught and go to jail.  I know it wouldn’t make our Mom happy, our recently deceased Dad happy and it sure wouldn’t bring either of us any joy.  What was I to do?  I wrestled with this for a while and finally decided to let our Mom know.  She would make the right move!  She let the manager at the store know what had happen, returning their property.  I don’t think the police were involved but David did go away to a school called Patton.  I joined him the following year.  With Dane away at college, Ursinus, that just left Dara for my mom to worry about.  I think that made things easier for her.  I’m sure I damaged my relationship with David but I hope it repaired itself in later years.

It’s Easter

And I have been enjoying Ben-Hur and am now watching The Greatest Story Ever Told.  It made me start thinking about religion and how it has affected my life.  I’ve been to many churches and faiths throughout my life.  I’ve heard many priests, reverends and even rabbis give their interpretations of the Bible and any lessons they wished to share.  Most of them were pretty good.  Their insight of how this good book can apply today was insightful.  I didn’t practice any particular faith.  Rituals seemed very sing song and meaningless after a while.  I will say that when I paid attention, the sermons, music and general well-being of those in attendance made me feel good about myself and life in general.  Watching these movies has brought back some good memories.