> > I blame the governmemt: they began using "gender" to ask if male or female
 > > because certain staff were afraid of the word "sex." 

 >   I can understand that.

I don't. It's just a word that, in this context is in no way evocative of loud
slippery fun. . .

&, even if it was, so what? Fun is fun. . .

 >   When I was a kid I was sometimes referred to as "Little Joe" (long before
 > Bonanza was on TV) when discussing my brother or I for whatever reason. 

I was "Georgie" to my mom, because my dad was "George."

One day one of my fiends called to ask to speak to "George."; my mom asked,
"Big George or little George?"

My friend considered me & said, "Big George" & got the wrong George on the
phone.

 > > Most of my real-life friends are closer to 80 or 90. . .

 >    I've always enjoyed talking to older people, regardless of my age.  (At
 > one time a "older" person could have been 20, 30, 40, etc years old.  As I
 > get older there are fewer older people to talk to).

I'm getting that, too, sadly. . . :( 

I was reading before I started school; by age 8 or 9 I was reading adult (not
"adult") novels, most written by people 2-40 years older than me, so I lived
through their perceptions of their generations youth & world, & that imprinted
on me like I'd been there, too. . .

Also my peers were dumb as dirt, & I could actually learn from my elders! (if
over 40, 50+)

From age 15 or so, my best friends were seniors. . .

So now I'm experiencing the obvious problem with that -- losing friends too
often & permanently. . . :( 

I still read lots, but don't live in the worlds of the authors(especially the
scifi/Fantasy ones) as much now, except I do feel an affinity for Florida, as
so many of my fave series were set there, by authors who lived there &
obviously loved it. (one's ded, one moved to Canada, & the other is still
there, loving life on his little family ranchlike(couple pet horses for the
kids) home & yard, except for the sand spurs on his daily walks. . .(he's darn
near 90)

I'm amazed at the self sufficiency of the generation that saw any part of the
Depression!

I knew one old fellow, in a manual wheelchair who, every day, rain or shine,
wheeled himself around our 4-square block (2 up, 2 over, 2 down & back home);
he was in his 90s.  I knew another here, who walked a block or two every day,
at 102! (his 4 years younger wife went with him, until she died.)

Every time I was at the bus stop, he stoped ove to chat (in broken English; he
was Chinese) & always asked me to guess his age, then told me 102 & showed me
how his hair was still naturally black! Then told me how he has 37 kids
(including grands & greats, apparently)

A real delight!





 >    I sometimes think I was born out of time.  I have always been more
 > interested in the time from around 1900 than the years I was living in.  
 >    Still am.  I would much rather listen to music from the 20s and 30s than
 > anything "modern" as an example.  That goes for films, books, radio, etc.
 >    I could easily live a life as it was in say the 1930s and '40s.
 >  
 > > Back when you could say "one of each" & not cause confusion.

 >   Yep.
 >   Like your earlier comment to let the kid decide what they are.

 > > So you're a multiplicate uncle, eh?  Any family yourself? (wife, kids,
 > > grand'uns, etc?)

 >   Not that I know of.  wink wink  
 >   I came close to getting married a couple of times but came to my senses.
 > :)

 > > Did your parents consider you a "mistake" or a "surprise"?

 >   Maybe a bit of both.  :)

 > > Nearly 50 & doing manual labour/yardwork, eh? Fun times we live in, eh? :P

 >   My work life in the past was mostly what would be termed manual labour
 > and outside.
 >   I have always been active.  I walk/bike wherever I need to go.
 >   I am also very independent.  I never ask anyone to take me somewhere or
 > pick me up.  I come/go as best as I can.
 >   I don't like be dependent on others.  Never have.

 > > But we understand plenty, because we know the truth & we watched it go
 > > wrong. . . powerless against a juggernaut of ignorance sweeping our
 > > respective national populations. . .

 >   ==sigh==  Yep.

 > > (Once married my wife fired the cleaning folk, saying she's trust her own
 > > job better anyway)

 >   I'm the same way as she is.

 > > I'm actuallky not a danger or problemn at all; I'm just more aware than
 > > most. .

 >   That sir is what makes you dangerous...
 >   One must remember these are the days of bread and circuses.  Being well
 > fed and entertained to take you mind off things.  Pay no attention to that
 > man (or group) behind the curtain.

 > > Our early history is filled with sots, who essentially said "*hic* f---
 > > it, let's do it!"

 >   And now there are so many groups giving money to the pols to do the will
 > of the giver and not the people.  
 >   But then we are drifting into modern politics...
 >  
 > > I'm especially impressed by how Mr. G. Washington was offered to be made
 > > king(absolute ruler) of his new country, & he lit into the people,
 > > reminding them of why & his compatriots fought long & hard against the
 > > British.

 >   At the time the idea of an elected president was a radical and unproven
 > idea.
 >   From the earliest days there were hierarchical kings, who held all the
 > power and gave out some to various members of the nobility.
 >   "Elect our leaders?  That's a crazy idea".
 >    Joe
 > --- Platinum Xpress/Win/WINServer v3.0pr5

Your friend,

<+]:{)}
Cyberpope, Bishop of ROM
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