Repair or despair? Natalie or Jim?

No, I'm not - are you?

Natalie

LIMA ? Two robbers who broke into Luther Ricks Sr.?s house this summer may have not gotten his life savings he had in a safe, but after the FBI confiscated it he may not get it back.

Ricks has tried to get an attorney to fight for the $402,767 but he has no money. Lima Police Department officers originally took the money from his house but the FBI stepped in and took it from the Police Department. Ricks has not been charged with a crime and was cleared in a fatal shooting of one of the robbers but still the FBI has refused to return the money, he said.

?They are saying I have to prove I made it,? he said.

The 63-year-old Ricks said he and his wife, Meredith, saved the money during their lifetime in which both worked while living a modest life.

Graham

It is (in the USA) if THEY decide you're a terrorist. No proof required whatever.

Graham

It has been suspended for citizens living in the 48 mainland states. But, since you spend your days with a needle in your arm, you don't catch this sort of news.

Please go kill yourself. Nobody will miss you. Let me know if you need help.

No, it's not. You're an idiot. Please kill yourself. Let me know if you need help.

That last sentence needs to be rewritten when you are sober. 2009, maybe?

If you knew what you were talking about you would be long gone, having fed the worms.

That's the trick though, isn't it ? Every now and then, the posts on s.e.r.get a bit thin, and some OT post will get going amongst the regulars. It's often political, or at best just taking a nod in the direction of electronics in general, and will often attract the attention of the po-faced Usenet police, but as far as I'm concerned, as long as it stays in one thread, and doesn't get too flame war - y, it's fine. I have had some very interesting discussions about somewhat off-topic subjects on s.e.r. with fine intelligent people. This series of posts is a good example of intelligent people just chatting amongst themselves in one thread, which does not affect the overall structure or content of the groups it is appearing in.

I've also had some very heated exchanges - but that's another story ... !! I can have a wicked, and sometimes very pointed sense of humour that I can't help directing at some individuals.

As far as you hitting 50 goes ( this year would that be ?? ), it seems to be a real 'watershed' age from my experience. I never used to forget anything, but as I passed 50, the dreaded 'short term memory loss' started to creep in, and I know many people this has happened to. Sometimes, I can't remember what I was going to say in a conversation, even as it's taking place. My glasses prescription gets a little more intense every couple of years, and I find that I can't work at all without them now. But it's not all downhill. I think that you get less bothered about what others think about you, which makes for a better life, and also, that your overall respect level amongst younger people, goes up.

Arfa

"Arfa Daily" ...

Well, unfortunately, the Toyota group has quite a few pissing contests, but I can usually tell which threads will erupt, because I know who hates whom, for the most part. But, *sigh* sometimes a nice post like someone thanking veterans (like me, USAF 7 years) on Veteran's Day, turns into a politcal flamefest.

Me too :-) "Humour" huh? - The sign of a Brit or a Canuck hehehe, among others. I'm watching my "Dangermouse" DVDs at the moment. Love that silly cartoon. Too bad Terry's dead :-( I want more!

Heh - I'm not afraid of 50. People warned me about 30, but that was the best landmark birthday of my life (newly married, new baby, finally got my driver's license - just didn't need one until that time). I'm debating letting my hair go completely gray, but if I do that, I'll look older than I am, since most women color their hair into their 60s. Feh. Aging isn't a sin.

As for 40, I actually had a woman, with very obviously dyed brassy red hair, and terribly wrinkled skin say to me, "You're only 40?!" (I wasn't dying my hair yet). I replied, "I guess I look older because most people color their hair; though, unless you can afford to get plastic surgery too, it looks even more fake." She wasn't amused, it wasn't very nice of me, but I think she had it coming. What a thing to say!

No wonder women do stuff like this to themselves (WARNING - NOT FOR THE MEEK):

This woman was trying to get her filthy rich husband back, and in the process, ruined her face and hair.

Natalie

I hated 30 the most so far (20's was "young", whereas 30 was the beg. of being middle-aged), although 60 is creeping up & I think I might just hate that as much as 30. IMO, 40 & 50 weren't too awful because they were still in the "middle aged" category.

I never used to forget anything,

Welcome to the club. Mine - disappearing short-term memory - started at 46. I have no clue why this seems to be such a big secret; everyone I know who's ~50 & over, incl. myself, has been taken by surprise by its appearance. I had assumed short-term memory loss wouldn't set in until mid-60's, at the earliest. Ha.

Sometimes, I can't remember

I often can't pull up the exact word I want; it's in the back of my brain, but won't come forward - until after the fact, of course. Wind up using a synonym that doesn't have the right nuance. Annoying. Even though my vocab. has actually increased over the years, sometimes it feels as though it must appear that it's decreased.

My

This is the one area in which I've found that things may actually - physically - get *better*. Yes, presbyopia showed up in my 40's, *but* my myopia improved when I was 50, & it has just improved -again-, at 57! New lenses - not as strong as the present ones in both eyes - are on order. :-)

But it's not all downhill. I

Yes, these may be true. The first most probably, the second maybe.

After a while, one sometimes says (to one's self), "Oh, what the hell... I'm 'x' age & by this point I've earned x, y, or z!" ;-)

Cathy

(I'd liked to have trimmed the x-posting, but don't know which ng you're posting from, although I don't think it's from aat, since I don't remember seeing you here before this bit of x-posts fairly recently.)

I think when we are younger we tend to focus on fewer items of interest and the things we *are* interested in get a higher degree of attention.

Also, I think as we get older we not only focus more on memory but for some reason expect more from ourselves while at the same time are bombarded with new technologies that do things for us. Like speed dial for instance, and spellcheck.

I passed that test - guess I'm not too far gone yet.

Natalie

I know what you mean. I posted a picture taken at our local Veteran's park on Memorial Day 2007, and all hell broke loose.

I spent two years in the US Army, and worked as a broadcast engineer for AFRTS, in the early '70s.

Cool pic!

Haven't joined any veteran's groups yet, but probably will, when hubby retires from the AF in about 5 years. (he's a lab officer)

Where in Central Florida are you? I'm from Winter Park.

Natalie

Thanks. I have several sizes of it, to use as computer wallpaper.

There will be more photos online, when my new website is up and running.

BTW, we are having our quarterly memorial for Marion County Veterans who have passed on, in the last 90 days. It will be this Saturday morning at the Veteran's park. There are about 200 names read, every quarter.

Near Ocala. I used to live in Lake county, and worked a couple jobs in Orlando and Altamonte Springs over the years. One was at WACX, as an engineer.

Cool, the sequel.

And you'll have pix? :-)

My dad lived in Altamonte for many years. All I remember about Ocala was that we played against them in softball, and they usually kicked our arses...

I was actually born in Orlando, but never resided there.

Natalie

Here are a couple more from that day:

I'm still trying to get a decent shot of the Color Guard. Every time I get a good shot lined up, someone steps in front of me, and blocks it. I did get a few of Governor Charlie Christ at the park, the day he declared it as the finest in the State of Florida, and one of the finest, in all of the US. :)

Here is a Google Maps link to the location. Zoomed all the way in, you can make out some details. The park is a triangle, near the corner of State Hwy. 40, and NE 25th Ave., where most of the county offices are located. The octagonal roof near the center is the Gazebo where the ceremonies are performed, and the odd shaped sidewalk is where the Color Guard marches. You can't see them in the Google sat view, but there are plaques and memorials scattered around the park, going back to the Civil War. If you and your husband are ever up this way, you should visit the park.

I plan on it. I miss some of them, due to my failing health. Some days I can barely stand, let alone walk. :(

I moved to Florida, from the cold north about 20 years ago. :)

Politicians! Even when they say the *right* thing, it has a sleaze factor. He's probably right, but coming from a politician... ;-)

Hubby loves historical stuff like that. I'll try to remember to suggest it the next time we visit my relatives.

Oh, bummer! Anything fixable, may I ask?

And I want to move back to New Hampshire when hubby retires. Hate Florida's climate; always have. If my family weren't there, you'd *never* see me in that place!

Hubby is from Massachusetts, so he can take New England weather or (preferably) leave it, but I can't imagine him retiring anyplace that the New England teams weren't at "home".

:-D

Natalie

Now that's interesting. You commented a few posts above about the way that I spell 'humour', surmising (correctly) that I may be British. Back at ya now. That's the first time I've ever seen an American spell 'arses' the same as we do, rather than as a donkey-like animal ... ??

Arfa

At least HE showed up. There was supposed to be a letter, and a Plaque from our Prez when the park was dedicated, but neither arrived. maybe they needed more notice? We did finish the park in just 10 years, after all.

It's worth the visit, but make sure you wear comfortable shoes, because it takes a couple hours to see everything.

Well, the VA awarded me 100% disability two weeks after I applied. :(