Not ready for this. Pennsylvania winter.

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MesaJarJarBinks - I am so sorry to read about your experience. What a horrible thing to do to you. How old were you when this happened? I would certainly have filed a malpractice suit. I have never had anything so bad happen to me. Of course a lawsuit wouldn't bring back your sight but maybe would prevent those surgeons from hurting anyone else.

You're right it was Jacomo. I thought when I wrote the other that it wasn't right but couldn't remember the right word. Of course it's been 60 years since I pulled my last bullhead from the lake. I do have some fond memories while living there; we especially enjoyed the Hallmark museum and we went to an IBM banquet at a 5 star hotel downtown where I had my first Baked Alaska Flambe. What an impressive dish! We went to Leawood and around there several times too as Bill's brother lived there. When Bill and I were going through that area in 1989 it had all changed so much. Bill however drove straight to the first house we ever owned in Grandview 29 years before and we visited with an old neighbor.

I know what you mean about the Milky Way. The last time I saw part of our galaxy was in 1977 when my astronomy class went to a high country ranch near Kremmling, Colorado with a big telescope. How awesome! Our cities are lit up all night and few stars are even apparent. This has possibly cut down on crime at night, but, the irony is that more crime is being done in the daylight because many people are at their jobs. Thank you for sharing.

 

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@ritanofsinger

"How old were you when this happened?"
That was started in 2002 and ended in 2003. So, I was 57-58 then. (75 now.)

"I would certainly have filed a malpractice suit. I have never had anything so bad happen to me. Of course a lawsuit wouldn't bring back your sight but maybe would prevent those surgeons from hurting anyone else."
When it was all over I did consult with several attorneys. They sent their investigators to collect the medical records from all of them. Unfortunately, they didn't think they could win it.

"IBM banquet"
Sounds like your husband and I were in the same business. I started programming IBM mainframes around 1972 and migrated to IBM PCs and web programming after that. I did lots of flying for tech training. I even commuted between Kansas City and Toronto, Canada for a while. Those were the good days of air travel. I loved those flight points. we used those for vacations all over the world.

"Hallmark museum"
I wish you could visit now and see the rebuilt "World War I Memorial". Unfortunately though, I am ashamed of the Kansas City politicians and the way they are changing the names of streets to keep up with the latest political-correctness trends.

 

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You needed "Bull" (CBS show)! I consulted an attorney about malpractice involving a hospital and my husband and the lawyer said, "There is not enough money in it for me." It's always about the money.

Nice to meet another IBMer. Bill went to work for them in 1959 at the Richards/Gebaur Air Reserve Station in Belton. He was a tech writer but the only position available at that time was engineering in the multi-story computer on the base. When IBM left there in 1961 Bill was transferred to Owego, NY. He wrote the technical manual for the computer that sent the Saturn into space. He got accolades from his boss but he was working for the company so never got any further recognition. He went from there to the plant in Niwot, Colorado in 1965. He resigned in 1971 to pursue other interests.

We had a councilwoman in my Albuquerque district who persuaded the other council members to rename a street for a famous protester. I was a fan of the protester who had since died but the original street name was specifically named for the venue where the street led to. It cost thousands of taxpayers dollars to change the signage etc, but, I'm happy to say, she didn't win re-election. Again, it's all about the money!

 

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@ritanofsinger

"...Richards/Gebaur Air Reserve Station in Belton"
Boy, have things changed since 1959! Richards/Gebaur Air Reserve Station is no more. It's a freight and cargo dump now. My dad and I went to many air shows when it was RG. The military housing became a ghost town. I'll leave it to you to imagine what moved in after that happened. :| You might be interested to look it up on Google Maps Satellite 3-D view to see what I mean.

The Nuclear Weapons plant that was at Bannister (95th street) was torn down and followed us out here to the Belton/Raymore area (Prospect & 135th Street). (We are at about 175th street.) So the Russians and Chinese had to change their missile sights slightly.)

"Nice to meet another IBMer."
Just to be sure I didn't mislead you, I was a loyal IBMer who worked with IBM equipment for many different companies; not IBM itself. I did go to IBM and Microsoft and many other places for training as technology changed over time.

"It's all about the money!"
So true.

 

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MezaJarJarBinks - I learned how to do your conversation on my email but how do you do it on this site? BTW thanks for the historical update.

 

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MezaJarJarBinks - I learned how to do your conversation on my email but how do you do it on this site? BTW thanks for the historical update.

If I understand your question...
Next to the name of every post, there are 3 icons: envelope, bubble, and @.

By clicking the "envelope" you will be able to send a "private email" to that person that won't be seen on the forum by anyone else. (NOTE: Your actual email address is NOT revealed.)

By clicking the "bubble" it will copy the entire contents of the original post to your new post as a quote. However, if you highlight a portion of the original post before clicking the bubble you will copy/quote just that portion. Then you can write your response like I am doing now, but it is not private; everyone can see the conversation.

Clicking the "@" is like clicking the envelope except that it is public; everyone can see what you wrote.

Hope that helps.

 

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Thank you very much MezaJarJarBinks. I am too old-school IT and everything else is scary. My first time to be on a computer I was working for the CSU newspaper in the summer. All the regulars had gone home for the season and there was nobody to give me any instruction. I got along pretty well for a while and then hit a wrong button and lost all the stored info. I didn't know what I'd done. That experience kept me from getting on a computer for years. These days though, as my granddaughter tells me, nothing will be lost. That's comforting, but still I'm reluctant to click on icons.

I will save your explanation. Thanks again.

 

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Brother-in-law worked for IBM with mainframes, became a "million miler". But like Microsoft, they don't let you be an "employee", just a freelancer. You get less benefits, that way. Then they made him train a non-citizen from India to take over his job. It was a struggle, but turned out he got a better job with mainframes at an Insurance company. No flying, no points! They treat him better.
He don't know diddly about PC programming, though! It gets him out of dealing with relatives (like me) who want desktop help! My best brother-in-law.

 

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but still I'm reluctant to click on icons.

I can understand your angst. I really feel sympathy for people who have to learn all this stuff later in life. Computers and smart phones are bad enough, but even TVs and cars are stressful to learn these days!

Car owner's manuals: Used to be a few pages at most. Now they are over 100 pages and small print too. And many times they make you look it up online. "Always about the money."

Remote controls: Everything has a remote control with dozens of buttons to learn. They are everywhere in our house.

So, don't beat yourself up. I think we all hate it too.

 

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AlasSouth I'm not familiar with million miler. When Bill worked for IBM we had full health coverage with no copays, sick leave, 2-3 week paid vacation, stock plan, all-inclusive paid moving expenses, Home buy back if they transferred you, family days at amusement parks, Christmas parties where IBM gave presents to all the employees kids, gave silver cups to newborns, and vested retirement, etc. They were a remarkable company who treated their employees well. I can't find any fault with them.

 

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AlasSouth Your latest post came through as INBOX so I couldn't respond. I went to CSU in 1977-1978. My 10 year old daughter and I lived in the married student housing within easy walking distance of my classes. I loved being there even though I was 40 at the time. I even dated one of my instructors! I especially liked the cross-country ski class even though I wasn't required to have a PE class. I taught a 6-week class in Values Clarification in the evening, no credits. Made some good friendships and loved school. One of the great experiences of my life in many ways.