Mr. Telephone Man

My Mom always stressed the importance of good telephone etiquette.

1) If they are not on the caller id, don't answer it.

2) Tell them (the tele-marketer) "no" nicely in English. If they still don't get it, tell them "no" not so nicely in French.(When did Mom go to France?).

3) If the phone is ringing off the hook...sometimes it is best to leave it off the hook.

A couple of years ago my Mom had a serious dislike for the telephone, she refused to own one. Of course this caused me a little annoyance, but it gave me time for pen and paper use. It really didn't effect me until I went to visit her one year after a particularly difficult period. I love going home to Florida, especially the sugar white beaches(until now...thanks BP!), and sea air. I decided to extend my stay for a while longer. One day I see a sheriff approaching my car as I am about to go in Mom's house. I am going through things in my mind(like did he catch me jaywalking, or did they see me remove a tag from a mattress..). He asks me if I was so and so. I told him my Mom has the same name(I know what you are thinking lol...how could you sell your Mom out lol.) Well he asked me my birth date, so he had the right person. I had been called up

by the Army Reserves for active duty! Mom keeps a cellphone close by her now lol!

Mrs. O

Image by:

eTailelectronics.com

Learn from your past...

Greetings! My family and I are the newest addition to the culture of the "generational sandwich." My husband and I are raising kids while taking care of an elderly parent. I believe each generation can teach things to each other that are true , funny, and relevant.





I heard something on the local radio the other day. Many Americans were distressed about the mortgage crises that caused a domino effect of home foreclosures, job losses, negative effects on Wall Street. The guest on the radio show had stated that the current economic crises was based upon the Depression of the 1930s. The children of that era had experienced hunger like never before, lack of clothes, and a warm place to sleep. The children grew to adults who vowed never to have their children live in lack. The 1950s were fueled by a time of idealism, and entitlement, dare I say the birth of a culture of greed. Critics say this contributed to the sentiment that every American deserved a white picket fence, a dream home, and the latest toy for their kids.



I think what the gentleman had to say, was a bit of a stretch. I am not an expert in economics or the 1950s. It definitely defined that time period was not just bubblegum and roses. The civil rights movement was turning from a mere whimper, to an angry growl towards the end of the decade. Children were practicing drills in school from fear of being bombed by the enemy.



Bottom line is, I am not saying the 1950s were perfect....but this middle of the century decade was a defining moment of American idealism . I would like to incorporate in this blog some nuggets from that era and how it bridges the gap between two lifetimes.



Mrs. O