Seventy-six Skidoo*

     I had that in my head and could not remember where I had heard it.   As a child, after five, I spent time in the Boston area.  My father was always bring quizzed and riddles for me to figure out.   I think that must be where I first heard it.  

     Today is my seventy-six Skidoo.  My front page of Google had cupcakes and candles, etc. and wished me a happy day.  Fun.  I also saw that the former Dean of Students at my college died.  She was one of the two that thought that even with grammar and spelling errors, I could do something with words and encouraged me to shift my major.  At that time, I was thinking of Math (CPA goal) but wanted to do public study research and engage in social change – urban planner  (Ph.D. in Sociology or Attorney).  I elected sociology with a minor in philosophy and then trudged down to the Dept of Social Services upon graduation.   Sr. Paula encourages me to get help with phonics and switch to English.  My parents laughed since they thought of my writing as almost illegible and unintelligible.  My speaking vocabulary was wide ranged, but my writing was 3^rd grade or filled with the only words I could spell.    I wonder what I would have done if they had Grammarly and spellcheck etc. in those days.  Many of the classmates that I liked to hang with and the Friday lunch bunch that shared their writing were English majors.  I ate my P&J sandwich and listened.  Some have gone on to write for the newspaper or books.  I always thought they were the smart ones.  In later life, I have found the some nit pickers see only the errors and not the content, cause, or crisis.  I also have been blessed to have good people who can spot a mistake a mile away but no matter how I mess up the words, they can always read through it.   I am very grateful to those who have encouraged and those that have edited and to Grammarly and spell check.

     I was grateful to get money yesterday and pay my rent but was locked out again today.  Hopefully, it was only the 24hr rule about withdrawal every 24 hrs.  My arm is healing.  Still a little bump on the forearm and my knees are skinned, but oh well….all is good.  I am also very grateful for my old friend Tiger

     I saw the good Chinese Dr. today and she made me get weighed and pull up the first record – first trip, first acupuncture.  I am 47 pounds lighter, stronger and much healthier.  She encourages me to swim (oh no…)  She saw a difference also since I take the stem cells from Germany.  I will see her twice a week.   Phat was not as encouraging yesterday.  Why didn’t I get a massage at home?  Shoulder jammed and knees in knots.   I will see her once a week for an hour.   I am sure I worked off much Karma with our session yesterday.  The pain was an 8-9, but I only gasped once.

    I want to add a few pictures.   At dinner, last night, a young woman and her mother were looking at the menu and I snapped a quick shot.  I wondered if the young woman could see herself in future years.   She had taken charge of the trip and I wondered how validated the older woman felt since the daughters helpfulness appeared to have taken, the older woman’s power.

                                                                 Then in keeping with the old and new.   I looked down a lane and could see only of the oldest Stupa at the end of a road of lower income housing.

  

    Finally, as I walked along, the old dog was laying by the curb.  Snoring for the night…Soi dog what do you think

  

*76 Skidoo NO WRITER ATTRIBUTED January 21, 1949   (The CRIMSON will celebrate its seventy-sixth birthday, January 24, by not publishing tomorrow or Monday. But comes Tuesday and the Crime will get right back on its examination period wagon.)