This is a true story I don't tell very often because it involves a very unhappy time of my life but there is one bright spot in it that some people might find helpful.
I was 27 years old at the time. I had a marriage that was painfully crashing and I had no idea how to fix it. I was working two full-time jobs and for the first time in my life I was living completely on my own in a small room at the YMCA, which was all I could afford.
The YMCA building had a basement and in this basement there was a lunch counter. I think they sold sandwiches and such but the only contact I had with it was at breakfast. The first time I went there I realized I didn't really know what the proper procedure was for ordering something. I noticed a row of small boxes of cereal on a shelf and there were some bananas I could see. When the lady behind the counter inquired as to what I wanted I told her I would like a box of cereal and a banana. She proceeded to get a bowl, open the box and pour the cereal in it. She then picked up a banana, and this is the part that surprised me. She peeled the banana and sliced it into the cereal. She then handed it to me with a small carton of milk and the appropriate silverware and a smile. Being inexperienced I had no way of knowing if this was the way it was done or I even thought she might be doing this especially for me because in some way she recognized the pain I was going through.
That was almost 60 years ago and even to today I think of that kind lady every single time I slice a banana. I almost always wish there were some way that I could thank her personally. Of course, I can't because she was much older than I was then and there aren't that many people who are much older than I am and still around.
I think my point is this: It's possible that every one of us might be in a position to administer some little act of kindness to some person we don't even know and that act will be remembered and appreciated by that person for many, many years.
So let's do it! It probably won't cost much and certainly can't hurt.
The Old Professor
Carmel, CA
September 26, 2008
9/26/2008
9/18/2008
AN ELECTION IDEA
Most people who have read my blogs know there is very little serious material here. I hope it's been noted that I especially avoid discussing political subjects. However, this time I'm going to make an exception.
As most people in the United States realize, there is an election coming up in November that will select a new president. We have been constantly bombarded with politicians explaining to us why we should vote for them. There's only one problem and that's a big problem. They all tell lies! For some reason they are all afraid to admit there is anything they can't do even though the United States Constitution forbids a president making decisions without involving Congress.
Wouldn't it be refreshing to have a candidate who told the truth? For example, if he were to be asked, "What will you do about global warming?" and the candidate responded with, "I don't know because I am not an expert on global warming but if I'm elected I will find the best people on earth to advise me about global warming."
"Well, Mr. Candidate, what will you do about health care?"
"I don't have a clue at this time but there are many people who do and I shall consult them."
Just suppose that some candidate did that during the whole election process. Wouldn't it be more honest? Personally I would rather see a new president who is intelligent enough to seek out answers to problems instead of one who seems to know all the answers to problems without anywhere near sufficient knowledge to make a wise decision.
Wouldn't it be smart to vote for someone like that? I know when John F. Kennedy was elected president he promised to put a man on the moon within 10 years. He had no idea at all how that would be done but he knew how to get the project started and, as it turned out, many people did know.
The Old Professor
Carmel CA
September 9, 2008
As most people in the United States realize, there is an election coming up in November that will select a new president. We have been constantly bombarded with politicians explaining to us why we should vote for them. There's only one problem and that's a big problem. They all tell lies! For some reason they are all afraid to admit there is anything they can't do even though the United States Constitution forbids a president making decisions without involving Congress.
Wouldn't it be refreshing to have a candidate who told the truth? For example, if he were to be asked, "What will you do about global warming?" and the candidate responded with, "I don't know because I am not an expert on global warming but if I'm elected I will find the best people on earth to advise me about global warming."
"Well, Mr. Candidate, what will you do about health care?"
"I don't have a clue at this time but there are many people who do and I shall consult them."
Just suppose that some candidate did that during the whole election process. Wouldn't it be more honest? Personally I would rather see a new president who is intelligent enough to seek out answers to problems instead of one who seems to know all the answers to problems without anywhere near sufficient knowledge to make a wise decision.
Wouldn't it be smart to vote for someone like that? I know when John F. Kennedy was elected president he promised to put a man on the moon within 10 years. He had no idea at all how that would be done but he knew how to get the project started and, as it turned out, many people did know.
The Old Professor
Carmel CA
September 9, 2008
9/15/2008
THE SEVEN WONDERS
I don't know if they still do it this way but when I was somewhere near the fifth or sixth grade we were required, for some obscure reason, to learn The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Today I have no idea what the seven were except I remember one was the Pyramids of Egypt and another was the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, though I have no idea what they are. At that time I thought Miss Perry was one of the Ancient Wonders inasmuch as she must have been at least 150 years old.
Then I think there was another list of the New Seven Wonders of the World. These included things like the Great Wall of China and the Roman Colosseum. But I don't know of any list of the Seven Wonders of Old Age.
Since I am now 85 years old I feel qualified to offer my own personal list of the Seven Wonders of Old Age. These wonders are How, Why, Where, If, When, What and Who.
1. I wonder how people move that fast.
2. I wonder why people move that fast.
3. I wonder where I left my keys.
4. I wonder if I took my medication.
5. I wonder when I take my next medication.
6. I wonder what that spot on the back of my hand means.
7. I wonder who this doctor is. (He looks awfully young)
In my mind the most important Wonder is the Number 2. Wonder. That is the one where I wonder "Why?" Why is the only Wonder that doesn't require any physical activity. I can wonder why all sorts of things without moving from my chair. Lately I've been wondering about "words". Specifically, I wonder why we need so many words that mean the same thing. As an example, I was thinking about sleepwalking. Now this concept is fairly easy to understand. A person is sound asleep and does something which might involve moving around and eventually wakes up having no knowledge of doing it. That is often called "sleepwalking". Now, why does it also need to be called "somnambulism"? And if that isn't bad enough it also is called "noctambulism". In fact, outside of the medical community, who would have any use for these words? Would you think of approaching someone you know and saying, "Last night I had a short spell of somnambulism?"
So here we have three words that mean exactly the same thing and do nothing except increase the thickness of the dictionary. I therefore propose thinning down the dictionary and thereby saving trees which somehow will affect global warming in a positive manner and we will all live many, many years longer. Well, in my case maybe one "many" will do fine.
The Old Professor
Carmel, CA
September 15, 2008
Then I think there was another list of the New Seven Wonders of the World. These included things like the Great Wall of China and the Roman Colosseum. But I don't know of any list of the Seven Wonders of Old Age.
Since I am now 85 years old I feel qualified to offer my own personal list of the Seven Wonders of Old Age. These wonders are How, Why, Where, If, When, What and Who.
1. I wonder how people move that fast.
2. I wonder why people move that fast.
3. I wonder where I left my keys.
4. I wonder if I took my medication.
5. I wonder when I take my next medication.
6. I wonder what that spot on the back of my hand means.
7. I wonder who this doctor is. (He looks awfully young)
In my mind the most important Wonder is the Number 2. Wonder. That is the one where I wonder "Why?" Why is the only Wonder that doesn't require any physical activity. I can wonder why all sorts of things without moving from my chair. Lately I've been wondering about "words". Specifically, I wonder why we need so many words that mean the same thing. As an example, I was thinking about sleepwalking. Now this concept is fairly easy to understand. A person is sound asleep and does something which might involve moving around and eventually wakes up having no knowledge of doing it. That is often called "sleepwalking". Now, why does it also need to be called "somnambulism"? And if that isn't bad enough it also is called "noctambulism". In fact, outside of the medical community, who would have any use for these words? Would you think of approaching someone you know and saying, "Last night I had a short spell of somnambulism?"
So here we have three words that mean exactly the same thing and do nothing except increase the thickness of the dictionary. I therefore propose thinning down the dictionary and thereby saving trees which somehow will affect global warming in a positive manner and we will all live many, many years longer. Well, in my case maybe one "many" will do fine.
The Old Professor
Carmel, CA
September 15, 2008
9/14/2008
YOU DON'T REMEMBER?
Did you ever see a full-page ad in a magazine promoting some particular medication and the reverse side is another full-page filled with warnings? I happen to see one of these today that caught my eye. This was directed to people who have some sort of sleep disorder. One was called AMBIEN CR and the other was called AMBIEN C-IV. Both medications had a full sheet of warnings printed in very small type.
One of the warnings happen to catch my eye.
Is "having sex" something that many people tend to forget? Or is that a possible excuse that the teenage daughter might use to explain her unplanned pregnancy?
"I don't know how it happened. There was one time on the way home from the football game that I took an Ambien pill to help me sleep when I got home. I suppose it could have happened then. I don't remember."
It's my personal opinion that any medication requiring a full page of small-print warnings is not one I really want to "ask my doctor about".
The Old Professor
Carmel, California
September 9, 2008
One of the warnings happen to catch my eye.
Is "having sex" something that many people tend to forget? Or is that a possible excuse that the teenage daughter might use to explain her unplanned pregnancy?"I don't know how it happened. There was one time on the way home from the football game that I took an Ambien pill to help me sleep when I got home. I suppose it could have happened then. I don't remember."
It's my personal opinion that any medication requiring a full page of small-print warnings is not one I really want to "ask my doctor about".
The Old Professor
Carmel, California
September 9, 2008
9/10/2008
I'VE WONDERED ABOUT THIS
This morning I saw this picture of the North Korean army on parade in the paper.
It made me think back to the 1940s when Adolf Hitler had his armies march to the famous goose-step.
The Russian armies under Stalin marched the same way.
If I recall correctly Mussolini's Italian soldiers did also.
I wonder why it is that all governments which are basically bad seem to march funny. Could it be that living under an oppressive regime automatically stiffens ones knees? As the old saying goes, "If you can't tell the Good Guys from the Bad Guys, just watch them in a parade."
That actually isn't an old saying but rather it's a saying made up by an old guy. Same thing!
The Old Professor
Carmel, CA
September 9, 2008
It made me think back to the 1940s when Adolf Hitler had his armies march to the famous goose-step.
The Russian armies under Stalin marched the same way.
If I recall correctly Mussolini's Italian soldiers did also.I wonder why it is that all governments which are basically bad seem to march funny. Could it be that living under an oppressive regime automatically stiffens ones knees? As the old saying goes, "If you can't tell the Good Guys from the Bad Guys, just watch them in a parade."
That actually isn't an old saying but rather it's a saying made up by an old guy. Same thing!
The Old Professor
Carmel, CA
September 9, 2008
8/26/2008
AIR FORCE ONE
I would assume that just about everyone in the world knows the United States government maintains an airplane for the exclusive use of the President of the United States and his entourage. In fact, there actually are two airplanes and they both are called Air Force One. One reference I noticed indicates the cost of running one of these planes is $40,280 per hour.
I also assume that most people have seen one or more movies where the pilot of the airplane is overpowered by bad guys and forced to carry out some evil mission. In each of the movies that I saw there is always a plea for someone who knows how to fly the airplane. Should we not take this into consideration when we choose our next president?
Now, it's a well-known fact that John McCain was a pilot in the United States Navy. It's equally well-known that Barack Obama was not. Would it not make sense for us to have a president who knows how to fly an airplane in the event of an emergency? On the other hand, I suppose it wouldn't cost too much to train a president to do this. After all, I was in the United States Navy and I flew airplanes so it couldn't be too hard.
The Old Professor
Carmel, CA
August 28, 2008
The cost of operating Air Force One is $40,243 per hour of flight. Each year the Pentagon spends approximately $185 million on travel expenses for the President and his top aides, according to the House Post Office Committee's Subcommittee on Human Resources.
I also assume that most people have seen one or more movies where the pilot of the airplane is overpowered by bad guys and forced to carry out some evil mission. In each of the movies that I saw there is always a plea for someone who knows how to fly the airplane. Should we not take this into consideration when we choose our next president?
Now, it's a well-known fact that John McCain was a pilot in the United States Navy. It's equally well-known that Barack Obama was not. Would it not make sense for us to have a president who knows how to fly an airplane in the event of an emergency? On the other hand, I suppose it wouldn't cost too much to train a president to do this. After all, I was in the United States Navy and I flew airplanes so it couldn't be too hard.
The Old Professor
Carmel, CA
August 28, 2008
WISDOM COMES AT 85
When I was about 45 years old I looked forward to the day when I would be 85 years old. I was sure that by that time I would have the answers to all the questions in life. It turns out that I now am 85 years old and I do know all the answers but find I have the problem that no one asks the questions.
As a good example, there's a question about, "What is the best speed to drive an automobile?" My many years of research and trial and error testing led me to the conclusion that the best speed to drive automobile is 42 mph. Yet, in spite of my knowing this, I see people driving at unsafe speeds every day. It's very easy to fall into the trap of driving the way these people do but I don't do that. I get into my lane and stay there driving 42 mph.
Very often I will have people in other cars wanting to ask a question, perhaps about safe driving speed. Sometimes they pull up next to me and yell what I assume to be questions. I don't have any idea why they would assume I would pull over, park and answer their question. I usually just roll down the window and shout as loud as I can, "42, 42". That usually answers their question but they usually ignore my advice and speed off dangerously sometimes waving a fist with one finger held up which I assume is a modern gesture meaning, "Thank you.".
Perhaps when they get to be 85 years old they will be wise enough to figure this out themselves. If they live that long.
The Old Professor
Carmel, CA
August 8, 2008
As a good example, there's a question about, "What is the best speed to drive an automobile?" My many years of research and trial and error testing led me to the conclusion that the best speed to drive automobile is 42 mph. Yet, in spite of my knowing this, I see people driving at unsafe speeds every day. It's very easy to fall into the trap of driving the way these people do but I don't do that. I get into my lane and stay there driving 42 mph.
Very often I will have people in other cars wanting to ask a question, perhaps about safe driving speed. Sometimes they pull up next to me and yell what I assume to be questions. I don't have any idea why they would assume I would pull over, park and answer their question. I usually just roll down the window and shout as loud as I can, "42, 42". That usually answers their question but they usually ignore my advice and speed off dangerously sometimes waving a fist with one finger held up which I assume is a modern gesture meaning, "Thank you.".
Perhaps when they get to be 85 years old they will be wise enough to figure this out themselves. If they live that long.
The Old Professor
Carmel, CA
August 8, 2008
8/25/2008
2008 SUMMER OLYMPIC GAMES
Okay, so the 2008 Summer Olympic Games are finished and Tibet is still not free and people are still not allowed to stand in front of tanks in Tinanmen Square but I think everyone must admit that at least China knows how to put on a show as evidenced with the opening ceremonies for the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, China.I thought that was about as good as it could possibly get but the closing ceremonies came close to matching it.
I understand that most of the performers were "volunteers". Some reports mentioned there were, perhaps, as many as a million of them.
As much as I enjoyed watching both ceremonies on television I can’t help but think, "That would buy a lot of rice."
I wonder if those same "volunteers" are out there with brooms the next morning cleaning up all the debris that surely was created by the fireworks.
Probably not.
The Old Professor
Carmel, CA
August 25, 2008
8/22/2008
WHAT'S WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE?
This year, in our area, they have an annual event is known the Concours d'Elegance. At this time, antique and classic automobiles come from all over the world to parade and be seen on display. We also see these antique cars driving around the highways with the drivers in costume, including wearing goggles as they did in the old days. I even saw an all chrome sports car. I mean, it was all polished chrome. Not just the bumpers and wheels and trim.
I wondered how all these expensive cars managed to get here. I know they don't drive these cars from all over the country. Then I happen to drive down one particular street and saw all of the moving vans lined up. These cars all have their own deluxe moving vans and drivers to take them wherever they need to go. I thought that was nice and that these people must have a lot of money.
Then I was reading about the Olympic equestrian events. I saw beautiful and expensive horses from all over the world and I wondered how they got to be in Beijing, China to compete. I then heard they have special airplanes fitted out with almost anything a horse would need. I thought that was nice and that these people must have a lot of money.
Then I saw this picture.
I thought, well, I wasn't sure what to think.
What do you think?
The Old Professor
Carmel, CA
August 22, 2008
I wondered how all these expensive cars managed to get here. I know they don't drive these cars from all over the country. Then I happen to drive down one particular street and saw all of the moving vans lined up. These cars all have their own deluxe moving vans and drivers to take them wherever they need to go. I thought that was nice and that these people must have a lot of money.
Then I was reading about the Olympic equestrian events. I saw beautiful and expensive horses from all over the world and I wondered how they got to be in Beijing, China to compete. I then heard they have special airplanes fitted out with almost anything a horse would need. I thought that was nice and that these people must have a lot of money.
Then I saw this picture.
I thought, well, I wasn't sure what to think.
What do you think?
The Old Professor
Carmel, CA
August 22, 2008
8/12/2008
MOTEL NAME
Today I had occasion to drive by a motel. In front there was a huge sign proclaiming to the world that it was the LONE OAK LODGE. This seemed strange inasmuch as there didn’t seem to be an oak tree in sight – lone or otherwise. There was one tall palm tree but that was all.
It made me wonder how that place got its name. Perhaps at one time there was an oak tree there but it was no longer and they just didn’t change the name. After all, what a motel is doesn’t necessarily need to be represented by its name.
Just a little farther down the road there was another motel called QUALITY INN. That made me wonder too. After all, what a motel is ...
The Old Professor
Carmel, CA
August 12, 2008
It made me wonder how that place got its name. Perhaps at one time there was an oak tree there but it was no longer and they just didn’t change the name. After all, what a motel is doesn’t necessarily need to be represented by its name.
Just a little farther down the road there was another motel called QUALITY INN. That made me wonder too. After all, what a motel is ...
The Old Professor
Carmel, CA
August 12, 2008
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