Fleeing the 1950's

As usual, I've been browsing through the book section at Goodwill looking for interesting books.  I found a couple including one from the early/mid 1950's.  It's Amy Vanderbilt's Everyday Etiquette.  I bought it chiefly for the entertainment value.

I must admit, I was grew up in the 1950's (partly).  In reading the etiquette book, I am so glad I'm no longer living there.  The book is written based on questions asked of Ms. Vanderbilt by her readers.

Here's an example of why I'm glad we're no longer living in the 1950's.

A person (identified as G.H. of La Jolla, California) asks what is suitable attire for a secretary to wear to work.  Ms. Vanderbilt's reply is as follows:
"It depends on the community in which she works.  If she works in a large city, she wears tailored, conservative clothes, low or medium, not high, heels, stockings (even in the hottest weather), minimum of jewelry and none of it clanking, conservative make-up and nails, and a simple coiffeur.  If she works under country conditions, she wears simple country clothes, which again should be on the conservative side.  In the country, for example, sweaters and skirts worn with or without jackets are acceptable, but sweaters in a city are often not permitted."

What the heck are 'country conditions'?  And the thought of having to wear nylons everyday (even in the hottest weather) makes my blood run cold.

I will admit that several years after moving to the Albuquerque area 20 years ago, I was working with a temp agency.  One of the jobs they sent me on was working in the front office of an apartment complex.  I showed up wearing a nice blazer, shirt and slacks.  They refused to let me work because 'corporate' refused to have women wearing slacks in their front office.  I was dumbfounded, after all this was the early 1990's, not the 1950's.  Needless to say, I notified the temp agency and headed for home.

I'll be passing along more 'tips' for your amusement.

Papillon

I Love A Rainy Night!

The Albuquerque area is designated as high desert.  One, because we're a mile high.  Second, we don't get a whole lotta rain.  (Note:  desert doesn't necessarily mean really hot, although lots of deserts are.  It usually refers to the rainfall, or lack thereof, in an area.)

Anyway, we don't get a lot of rain on average and rarely do we get a whole day of it.  So it's very lovely when a day like today happens.

I'm just sitting back and enjoying all the lovely rain.

Happy Autumnal Equinox!

Papillon

State Fair

Today I went to the NM State Fair.  I almost didn't go because it's still slightly hot outside.  But I saw a notice in the paper that they were discounting the entrance fee by $2.  So what the heck, I was on my way.  When I arrived, it turns out the entrance fee was $2, not $2 off the regular amount of $7.  Yippee!

As usual when I go to the State Fair, I never go to the midway.  I have a very low threshold for nausea and so I try to avoid things like midway rides.

Instead I headed for the contest venues.  Among other things I entered two photos I took a number of months ago at the fountain in front of the Albuquerque Museum.  They didn't win anything, but I really like the way they turned out.

I also entered a couple pieces of my needlepoint.  I designed the patterns for both - they're based on photos I've taken.  The first one won a second place ribbon.

Finally, I entered a pillow with pansies.  It won a third place.

 

Granted first place on everything would have been nice, but I'm always glad to win something!  It's better than a poke in the eye with a stick.  Plus, I took a good look at the winning photos and will now know how to do things next year.  Practice, practice, practice!

Papillon

Eek!

Yesterday started out well.  My dentist's office agreed with me that a bill I'd gotten from them was in error and I didn't owe them money.  Yippee!

Then I ran some errands and found most of what I wanted.

On the way home I decided to stop by the Walgreens near my home and pick up a bottle of booze.  I do like to have a drink each evening as a way to wind down.  Some time ago (a year or so?) the Walgreens chain decided to card everyone buying products like booze and cigarettes.  I don't have a problem with that - normally.

However, yesterday I got to the counter and showed the clerk my driver's license.  He looked at it, then looked at it again.  It had expired on Sunday.  Eeek!

Needless to say, they wouldn't sell the booze to me.  And I hot-footed it off to the Motor Vehicle Division.  The trip there was mildly funny.  Before realizing my license had expired, I had been driving around without a care in the world.  Afterwards, I was constantly looking for police officers lurking behind any and all large objects.

I made it to the MVD and settled in for a LONG wait.  They were on number 99 when I entered and my number was 47 (they roll over and start at 00 when done with 99).  Fortunately I had a book of mystery short stories in my car.  I completed it.  I went out and got a magazine.  Finished it.  Finally after a bit over 90 minutes, my number was called.  I answered a number of questions - no, I don't have a disease that might cause problems while driving, and no, I've never had a DWI, and yes, I do still want to be an organ donor.

Then it was off to have my picture taken.  On my recently expired licensed, my photo made me look like a middle-aged felon.  My current photo makes me look like a slightly older, somewhat surprised middle-aged felon. 

Oh, well.  I'm now back to being a legal driver.  I took the 8 year option so am spared the whole process for a while yet.

Papillon

Another Recommendation (Actually Two)

I just finished reading the book The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio by Terry Ryan.  It's about how her mom raised 10 kids (with very little help from her alcoholic husband) using 25 words or less in corporate contests.  For those who don't remember, after World War II a lot of companies helped drum up product sales by sponsoring contests where consumers bought their products and then sent in proofs of purchase along with entry forms.  The consumers would dream up catch phrases or advertising slogans for the companies as an integral part of the contest.  If the judges liked your entry - you could win big prizes (trips, cars, cash, etc). 

Evelyn Ryan (the prize winner mentioned in the title) won a large number of these contests.  Not only did she win, but quite often did so in a very timely fashion.  Her son's bicycle was irreparably damaged in an accident.  A short time later, a bike arrived from a contest Evelyn had entered.  Ditto for the family toaster. 

I recommend this book, it's an interesting read about a woman who found a way to rise above all adversity in her life.

I also recommend the movie based on this book (it stars Julianne Moore and Woody Harrelson).  I saw the movie first.  Usually I prefer one treatment or the other - in some cases I really like a movies, but not the book and vice versa.  In this case - I really liked both the movie and the book, just about equally.

Papillon

Summer

Ah, summer, what power you have to make us suffer and like it. -- Russel Baker

Deep summer is when laziness finds respecability. -- Sam Keen

Summer has set in with its usual severity. -- Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Heat, ma'am!  It was so dreadful here, that I found there was nothing left for it but to take off my flesh and sit in my bones. -- Sydney Smith

A bit of hyperbole perhaps, but I've gotten to that point in the summer when all I want to do is recline on the couch and read an easy-to-read book.  Or take a nap.  Or read a book followed by a nap.

Lather, rinse, repeat.

Unfortunately, this heat-induced lethargy is having an adverse effect on my needlepoint efforts.  I'm feeling far too lazy to do even background.

Fortunately, the summer looks like it's winding down.  We've still got warmer temperatures, but they're not as hot as they were earlier in the summer - mid to upper 80's instead of mid to upper 90's.

So, I think I'll just get a cold glass of something and relax.

Papillon

Life at This Moment

To get back my youth I would do anything in the world, except take up exercise, get up early, or be respectable. -- Oscar Wilde

My life has no purpose, no direction, no aim, no meaning and yet I'm happy.  I can't figure it out.  What am I doing right? -- Charles Schulz

At this point, the above two quotes pretty much sum up how I feel at the moment.  It'd be nice to be a bit younger.  But I know that's not going to happen.  So, I know that no matter how much 'work' I do, getting my youth back is an exercise in futility.  Hence, I agree with Oscar Wilde - I'm not going to exercise (much), get up early (never again if I have anything to say about it), or be 'more' respectable (let's face it, I'm moderately respectable - a failing of mine, I'm afraid).

I also agree with Charles Schulz.  Before I got out of college and into the workaday world, I had my life pretty much plotted out.  Then I got out and found out how much nonsense goes on in the business world.  Not backstabbing per se.  I'm referring to the office politics (good/bad/indifferent).  I always hated playing that game.

I also loathe committee meetings of any kind.  Which explains why I also hate jury duty.  I'm not one to endlessly discuss the minutiae behind any decision.  Any committee ever formed has always had one or more person who does want to talk everything to DEATH.  Which always makes me want to pick up a heavy blunt object and strike them repeatedly about the head and shoulders.

Plus, I won't discuss the bosses I've had over the years for reasons of possible defamation charges.  No, not every boss was weird/hateful/incompetent.  But enough of them have been and I've become a bit gunshy.

After enough weird/bad jobs with weird/incompetent bosses, I find I have no ambition left.  I don't want a career.  I don't want to climb the corporate ladder.  I don't want to supervise people.  Essentially, I just want to be left alone.  (Note:  Greta Garbo did not say "I want to be alone".  She said, "I want to be LEFT alone."  Hear!  Hear!)

Of course, all of this could just be my annual bout with late summer lethargy.  It's like the heat has sapped all the energy from my bones. 

Papillon