Our dear friend Nancy turned 100 a few weeks ago. Her daughter arranged for a lovely party at the local zoo that Nancy has generously supported through the years. She always has said she loves 4 legged creatures much more than 2. We flew down to Burbank Saturday morning and flew back home Monday. Quite a whirlwind trip. Loads of longtime friends showed up to honor her and she was childlike in her delight at each face, many of them she had not seen in years. Part of the celebration included a performance by the students of The Teaching Zoo of Moorpark College . The entire party moved into a lecture hall, Nancy and her daughter sat front and center. The student handlers and their animals came in one by one. We learned about several different animals, their habitat, unique characteristics and how they are worked into the zoo program. I was not aware that porcupines are rodents. We were in a traditional lecture hall that rear seats loom high above the lecturer. The Boy Scout and ...
Recently, I went to Denver to visit my daughter. It was a good visit. I brought my best self there and enjoyed her company thoroughly. One night, after she went home, I was still antsy and decided to go see a movie. Jurassic World was ok but, good or bad (mostly not that great) I’ve seen them all because of falling in love with the first in the series. The Cinemark theater was a little sketchy, somewhat run down but I got my popcorn and enjoyed. The next day I was telling my girl about the movie. She was quiet and then said, “I probably should have told you mom, that is the theater is where the Batman shooting took place 12 years ago. I sat there stunned, without words. After a while, I realized not only did I go to the same theater complex but in the exact theater where the killing spree took place. Questions entered my mind. How in the world did Century Theaters decide to keep that horrible place open? How is it that they think it’s ok to pretend like it did no...
It can be hard to put my whole self out there. It can be hard to know who I am in some situations. When someone from the past asks about child #3, they will say things like, How is Prescott doing? How’s he liking England or Portland or his work etc. When that happens now, because everyone important or close has been told, I have to dig deep. Who am I in this situation? Do I just say, “SHE”, and go on with the conversation as if it is nothing big? It is big! Do I smile wide and say “oh, she’s in the process of transitioning”, without going into anything else. Do I let them ask questions? Do I know how to answer? This is her personal journey. I am a bystander, a caring one, but bystander just the same. Do I avoid the subject completely and just be careful with pronouns so that I am not disloyal. If I am avoiding, am I being disloyal? Maybe they haven’t earned the right to hear her story. There is a protective defensiveness that I have to be aware of too. My feelings are still comple...
Hope the interview went well. Very interesting employee benefit. Not one you'll be able to actually see. Oy that is so weird.
ReplyDeleteThe benefits package you hope to never use…well, not soon anyway!
ReplyDeleteAn employee discount, that's interesting.
ReplyDelete