Category: Living my Life

I learned to type on a manual typewriter – with covered keys which forced us to learn the ‘touch’ method.  My first work computer (1990) was an IBM with a boot disk. Every morning slip in the 5 1/2 inch floppy and start it up. It had a ‘dictionary’ disk for spell check.  Okay, this was a non profit agency so we may have been a little behind. But still.

I have moved along the last 20 years learning new operating systems every few years. There are many many things I do with a computer that I don’t understand.  I tell it to perform a task and if it doesn’t respond I don’t know what to do except call for help.

At work, since the beginning of 2011, we have installed a new web page design and changed email providers. Everything about both of these new systems looks and acts differently from what I have worked with for the past several years. In my opinion, these two events provided sufficient change for me to deal with. But let me tell you about my week.

• Day one:  I got a message on my computer (at work) that basically meant life as I knew it was over. Windows was ‘compromised.’ Our young technician spent the day running tests and scans while I cleaned the office supply closet – time not entirely wasted for me.   Later, at home, when I inserted my black-stick SanDisk into my Netbook to edit a chapter of my latest novel-in-progress, it gave me a message that it was locked – I did not have permission to edit. Now, I bought that computer-ette and black stick with my hard earned money. If I don’t have permission, who does?

• Day Two: Tech set me up with a laptop so I could work on the online data base I’m responsible for. I was glad to be able to catch up some work but it was a flat laptop with no key pad for inputting numbers.  I put two rulers under it to give it a slight tilt.  Tech would clean and reinstall the operating system on my computer. He promised no files would be lost – one of those things I don’t understand and can only say “Thankyoulord for favors.”

• Day Three: Computer back at my work desk – newly installed with Windows 7! Another major change in my life. I spent five minutes looking for the printer icon, even tried the old pre-mouse command ctrl-P, before finding ‘print’ where Windows 7 so cleverly hid it. That night, at home, I was hacked – or something – on facebook.  All my friends got a message that I ‘liked’ a dirty picture.

• Finally, the weekend: My previously ordered copy of The King’s Speech came from Netflix.  I had waited eagerly for this to come out on video so I could order it.  I settled back to watch my favorite actor in his award winning performance.  Nothing. Removing the DVD I saw a big smudge and a small scratch.  I cleaned the smudge but the scratch was obviously the culprit. No movie for me this Friday night.

So, after being under attack for a time by the Tech-Devil, I am adjusting. I am learning Windows 7, hearing a chime or mini glissando every time I make an entry in my data base.  I have changed my fb password. And the very nice people at Netflix said they will send me another copy of the movie post haste.  I still haven’t solved the problem of the SanDisk, since it stubbornly refuses to let me copy or save or do anything but print. But I believe in hard copies so I may just type it all over again.  Just glad I don’t have to do that on a manual typewriter with covered keys.

Anna Long Alderson 1912 – 1985

Strength and honour
Are her clothing;
And she shall rejoice
In time to come.
She openeth her mouth
With wisdom;
And in her tongue is
The law of kindness.
She looketh well to the
Ways of her household,
And eateth not the bread of idleness.
Her children arise up,
And call her blessed;
Her husband also, and he praiseth her.
Many daughters have done virtuously,
But thou excellest them all.
Favour is deceitful,
And beauty is vain;
But a woman that feareth the Lord,
She shall be praised.

Proverbs 31:25-30

I love you, Mother.

January 8, 2011 marked the 100th birthday of Gypsy Rose Lee.  Most of you have heard of her – her name being synonymous with burlesque striptease.  Let me say here that Gypsy’s act was tame compared to what we see on “Dancing With the Stars.” She put the ‘tease’ in striptease, covering strategic areas with fans or flashing a body part or a bit of skin as she dashed off stage. A line attributed to her is, “That’s all there is, there isn’t any more.”

Gypsy Rose Lee was born Rose Louise Hovik in Seattle in 1911. (She died in 1970 of lung cancer.) When her parents divorced Louise and her younger sister June supported the family by appearing in vaudeville.  Baby June was the star with Louise in the background.

Mama Rose Hovik was the poster girl for stage mothers. When 15-year-old ‘Baby June’ eloped with a dancer Mama was left with Louise, the child with lesser talent, just as vaudeville was gasping it’s last breath. (June went on to have a career in movies as June Havoc. ) When Louise was booked into a burlesque house by mistake, she got the idea to re-invent herself. Billed as Gypsy Rose Lee, she stepped out on stage and was an instant hit … without Mama Rose’s help or pushing.

After Rose Hovik died, Louise wrote Gypsy, a memoir which was soon made into a play (and later a movie). It opened on Broadway in 1959 starring Ethel Merman as Mama Rose … because though the show was named Gypsy, it was really Rose’s story.  The play ran on Broadway for 702 performances and has been revived several times with such greats as Angela Lansbury, Tyne Daly, Bernadette Peters, and Patti LuPone playing Rose.

I remember this play with fondness because I saw it performed a few years ago at Oak Ridge (TN) Playhouse starring my beautiful daughter Kathy Tallent as Rose. This was a good role for her and she so nailed it.

I know one is not supposed to cry during “Everything’s Coming Up Roses,” but I did.

(Thanks to Reggie Law, Artistic Director Oak Ridge Playhouse, for the picture.)