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I was in tenth grade when the principal announced the JFK news over the intercom.

I was in tenth grade in rural South Carolina when the principal announced the JFK news over the intercom.

I was in tenth grade in rural South Carolina when the principal announced the JFK news over the intercom and one of the students in another tenth grade class cheered..

SgtHoward wrote:I suspect I was among the last students to learn the use of a slide rule.

Probably not, I'm a few years younger and learned how to use one. At one time I was moderately adept with the things, and I think I still mostly-remember how... although I don't know where to go to find one.

Sgt. Howard wrote:I am clearly in the wrong century.

The future sure ain't what it used to be.

I was in fifth grade when Kennedy was shot. The parish priest gave us the news just after the nuns had marched us back from bathroom recess.

23 years ago was my first time working third shift at my place of work - Ethan Allen School for Boys in Wales, Wisconsin. Essentially a juvenile detention facility run by the state (at the time still under the Department of Health and Human Services, not the DOC).

I walked into my assigned cottage, with there already being a bit of yelling going on. The outgoing YC3 (the guy who was basically the "lead" in said cottage) told me on his way out, "There'll be a little yelling, a little pounding. If they get too out of hand, tell them they're going to lose their canteen privileges."

Famous last words.

Let's see - there was broken glass, garbage of all kinds, bottles and cans, books, sheets and blankets, clothes strewn all over one of the hallways by the time first shift came in at 6:30. He was completely flabbergasted.

I had at least one offender manage to crawl out of his room window, into the hallway... mind you, the windows were about 9" by 27" or so. He had a huge gash on his arm from trying to break his window.

I have every reason to believe that the doors - which had to be double-locked like a deadbolt, or they would be openable from the inside - had not been checked and locked like they were supposed to after everyone was put in their rooms. I could never verify this.

Six of the seven primary individuals involved in the disturbance would go on to spend time in the adult system. The only one not to end up in the DAI? The one who had the huge gash on his arm.

I never liked working New Year's after that.

On New Year's Eve 43 years ago, my sister, age 19, was working in the county nursing home where our dad's father, age 66, was dying. He had emphysema, and in the past 3 years had experienced at least one stroke and a heart attack. She could tell that he wanted her to stay with him when she came by on rounds, but her supervisor told her to wait for her break.

He didn't last that long. She regretted not telling that supervisor to go @#$% herself for the rest of her life.

Meanwhile, I myself left a party and went home to bed early, just feeling somehow not right.

Thinking about all this a lot this year, because my dad died three weeks ago, and it's been a hell of a month.

Typeminer wrote: Thinking about all this a lot this year, because my dad died three weeks ago, and it's been a hell of a month.

Sending you what strength I can. I'm convinced that nobody is ever really prepared for the death of a parent they're close to. I certainly wasn't, and it was Dad's 9th heart attack that finally got him, so I had plenty of warning.

His ninth? Damn, that guy must have worn steel wool underwear.

Joking aside, I'd thought I would have been able to handle my grandfather's death, as we'd had plenty of time to prepare, given that he had cancer more than once, and a heart attack some years past, later resulting in heart surgery.

Kinda shook me at the funeral, though.

Warrl wrote:

Typeminer wrote: Thinking about all this a lot this year, because my dad died three weeks ago, and it's been a hell of a month.

Sending you what strength I can. I'm convinced that nobody is ever really prepared for the death of a parent they're close to. I certainly wasn't, and it was Dad's 9th heart attack that finally got him, so I had plenty of warning.

Thanks. I might post more about it in the Pub Room at some point.

TazManiac wrote:And don't forget, you get another dish to add to the collection w/ each fill-up... (cue Glych to query "Huh?"...)

- deposits some green-stamps into the Pun Jar... -

We used to have a complete set of Texaco china, but that was over half a century ago and more government moves than I care to recall... We actually got to spend a whole 2 years in the same school because that was the best place to intercept VC radio transmissions for intel on the next offensive. And that tells you as much as I know about the Thing My Dad Was Doing With The Navy during Vietnam

Opus the Poet wrote:... more government moves than I care to recall...

"Three moves equals one fire"

It's been my experience that one match also equals one fire...

Alkarii wrote:It's been my experience that one match also equals one fire...

Not the way they make Matches these days...

btw- I'm entirely sure, as much as as I could go on about what Pops was doing 'back in the day', I'm also sure not I nor the FBI even know it all...

On balance I maintain the greater good in general (and quite a few individuals) benefited in the short and long run...

AnotherFairportfan wrote:

Opus the Poet wrote:... more government moves than I care to recall...

"Three moves equals one fire"

We averaged about a fire a year From 1st grade until retirement. I still say us kids should have gotten retirement to go along with the old man's, or at least VA medical for the PTSD caused by the constant moving around. Even without getting a PCS we would get moved to a different school when we were approved for Base Housing instead of living On The Economy..