Bummed

Its not easy but I do try to do things in life right. I try to treat others the way I want to be treated. I try to do things for others. I try to be helpful. I try not to do things wrong. I try not to hurt others. I try to look for the good in life. Even when things are going wrong I try to see that they are better than they could be. Things are good. I try. I really do try.

Sometimes it is hard. Sometimes it is really hard. Things dont always go right. Things dont always go good. There are things that are out of my control and I cannot do anything about. There are things that happen. There are people that suck the good out of you. I still try.

I know that I can be a bummer, negative, down. It comes from a life of that attitude. I know it needs to change. I know that I need to do better. This is not something that can/will happen over night. Its not something that is immediate. But, by gosh I can only do so much.

You know how when people come up and ask if everything is alright, if you feel sick, etc? Then after a while you start feeding into that? You start feeling bad and all...thats how I am. I have been told crap till I feel crap. People and things around me have sucked the good till I have to rediscover it.

I guess I need to grow thick skin. I am emotional, sorry but that is how I am. I get hurt easily. The exact reason I dont get close to people then regret it when I do. I take things personally. That is just how I am. I was always taught that 'if you dont have anything nice to say dont say anything'. That is how I am. I am not going to say something that I know is hurtful...even if the person I say it to doesnt think it is hurtful. If I think it is not good, then I will keep it to myself. So, why do others feel the need to say mean things? Why do others say things and not care if it is mean or hurtful? I dont get it.

I guess I need to just not care about anything. When I care, that is when I get hurt. I need to adopt an 'I just dont give a crap attitude'. I need to not care about people, feelings, etc. I cant do that. I just cant. To me that is negative energy. It is wrong and it is bad.

Where is the balance? Where is the fine line? When do people care enough to not say mean things? When do I not care but care? How? Why cant I find that line and stay there? Why do I care?

I want to find the good. I want to be positive. I want to do the right thing.

It is cloudy and trying to rain. It is good...need rain to make plants grow, it has cooled off the temps, it is not flooding. All is good!

Letters from a friend...hateful, hurtful, or what???

I email a friend to find out why I never hear from them. I email to check on them...no answer. I send cards for holidays (have been doing this for many years). Today I finally get a reply...ok, several. So, what am I to think? I am hurt and ready to just AVOID the whole world!!!! Ready to sink into a black hole, off into a cave...and avoid all people! What do you think? Am I over reacting? Do I have a reason to be hurt, upset?

Letter 1: Did you know that someone in my family actually died? Did you know I spent 1/2 a month in the psych ward of a hospital. Sorry if emailing wasn't on the top of my list. I have been through hell and back and I have not had time to talk to anyone. But thanks for being so supportive. I got zero card from you this year in the mail and as I said email has pilled up that I couldn't even check. You sent me that gift a long time ago and I did say thank you. I have done countless things for you and mac over the years but I do not throw them up in your face. Everytime I come to town I contact you and you are always sick or something and you get back to me after the fact. And I was replaced long before any of this with michelle. I don't have time for it. You were not interested in being my friend when you were with her. So whatever. This was the meanest thing I could of ever read going through the hell my family and I have been through. So thanks.
***

My reply: That is BS. You were never replaced. You dumped me. You never talk to me at all so there was no way to know what is going on. Everytime I emailed anything at all I never knew if you got it. This wasn't meant to be mean. I have sent so many unanswered emails. I am sorry. I guess you are right I am a crappy friend.

***
Letter 3: because it was plain and simple. I didn't have time to talk or email and I was depressed and when people get depressed they don't usually want to talk to people.You and M____ became friends LONG before any of that happened and so don't play that game with me. Fiurthermore it wouldn't matter anyway...we live 2 hours away from each other and I would expect you to have a close friend as did I around here but even those relationships came and went as I had LIFE to deal with.Email started piling up and I never really even cared because I had to deal with life and take care of my child. I work FULL time now for an insurance agent. I coach soccer. Do bible blast. Go to the gym and try to be a good mom. I fall apart at night because I am depressed and unhappy but that is it. I don't have time for crap and I do not have time for people who want to tell me I am a shitty friend.I am sorry that you think so little of me and I am sorry that I hurt you but I had to take care of me for a change. Everything else had to slide. I have not seen R____since the last time I called you. That proves the point that I just don't have much free time at all. We have hardly talked at all even through email. So that is that. Take it or leave it.

****

Reply 2: I never meant to sound so mean. You have emailed me and said stuff that was hurtful. I feel pushed to the side. You have barely spoke to me in a few years. I sit and wonder what I have done that you should ignore me. I sit and wonder how you are doing, how K___ is, etc. I email to ask, sent stuff, etc....then nothing. Once in a while you im me...then I ask and you are so busy that I only get a sentence or 2 reply. I was not trying to hurt your feelings. I was not trying to be mean. I never replaced you. You rode out of my life but I still sat wondering what was going on. I still worried. I did send emails and cards. I always send cards for all holidays...you know that. I even emailed after the fact to see if you got anything...still no answer.You quit talking to me a long time ago. I would only hear anything when you came down. You have sent me many many hurtful emails. You have drug stuff up. I dont know what to say but sorry. If I had known anything was going on, you know I would have contacted you. Anyway, I am sorry I bothered you. I am sorry I wasn't there for you. I am sorry I hurt you.

Letter 4:
If you are going to accuse me of emailing you hurtful stuff then please produce it. At least from the last few years. Because I refuse to dwell on stuff that happened years ago. I am sure I could find things you did to me 2-3 years ago as well but I can hardly remember last week let alone last year. I find it funny that you are sitting here telling me that I have sent you plenty of hurtful emails and yet I wake up to this crap in my inbox.....and then you say I have hardly spoke to you in a few years. So which is it? Okay, so maybe way back when we were in COLLEGE I sent hurtful emails but not in the last 2-3 years. I've grown up a lot and seriously I would never send a hurtful email. People grow and change and sometimes move on. It is hard to keep a relationship going that are 2 hours away. I've lost friends who are 20 mins away because of schedules. I am NEVER online except at work and that is only to access email. If you noticed I deleted myspace and facebook a long time ago....because I do NOT have time.

Anyway, I always call you or email before I come to town. I always do and you put me off. And the thing is I was never mad that you were sick or you couldn't get together because M___ was working. I understood but don't say that I didn't call you. I come into town VERY few times a year now that I am so busy. I don't have time to take off at all.

I am sorry your life has been hell but I couldn't give you support you needed during your time of hell because mine was hell and still is but improving. I needed to focus all of my energy on me and my child. If you can't accept that then I'm sorry. Depression hit me hard and I blew everyone off and that is just how it was. I couldn't even hardly get out of bed let alone sit at a computer and email.

That is the thing...I don't think of you as a shitty friend. I think of you often and wonder what you girls are doing but then I remember all of the 10 million things I have to do. And yes I am hurt by this but I will get over it. Maybe one of these days I can get to *name of town* and we can all hang out but I can't give you a time frame.

(NOTE: I dont have those letters but had sent them to several people as well as showing one person to see if they read it like I did...they said it was worse.) Also, names were deleted for a reason.

Lessons in Life

Life is not fair. Life is not perfect. This is so that we learn from our mistakes. Ok, I get it. I have made my share of mistakes and have learned and grown from them.

Emotions are part of life. For some reason my genetic makeup (which sucks) gave me crappy emotions. I take things personally. I get hurt easy. I care about others. I dont like unhappy things. I like to be upbear and crazy rather than a downer. I dont always have a positive attitude.

It would be so nice to have an "I Dont Give a F___" attitude but that is not me. I would love to let things roll and say 'oh well'. I would love to be able to blow stuff off. I would love to not catch hell for the way I feel. I just cant change that.

I would love to act like a stone cold bitch who could care less about anyone or anything. That would be great sometimes. I cant turn my emotions and feelings off like a switch. I am stuck with them. At the same time, I like having feelings. I like caring, compassion, passion, etc. I was always taught to 'do unto others...' and I really try to do treat people the way I want to be treated. That is what makes me who I am.

I am giving and helpful. If I see a situation where I can help, I offer to help. If I see someone needs something, I try to help. It is nice when there is someone there to help when you need it. I try to be that sort of person. I try not to need help. I was taught that you can only depend on yourself, becuase nobody else will be there when you need it. I am always making things for others. I love making gifts that I know will make others happy.

That brings me to think that emotions and feelings dont matter. Nobody cares what you think, feel, etc. Nobody cares if you are hurt, sad, mad, etc. Nobody gives a F____!

So, why bother? Why should I care? Why should I feel bad when someone I cares about feels bad? Why should I care when someone I care about is hurt, sad, upset, sick, etc? Why should I care if nobody else cares? Why?

Because, that is who I am. I care, hurt, worry. I show compassion, passion, emotion. That is just who I am. I cant change that. Do I really want to? Then I would be somebody else.

I am alive. I am feeling. I am caring. I am giving. I am compassionate. I am nice. I am friendly. I am a people pleaser (that doesnt always happen but I try). I am alot of things. That is just who I am.

Peace...

Disappointments in Life

Ok, I know I am not always the most cheerful person but I do try to be happy and have fun, act crazy, etc. I dont always want to be a bummer. Nobody wants to stick around someone down all of the time...someone who will suck the life out of everything. But lately it seems that disappointments are everywhere I turn.

I could start with family. A daughter that hates me as does her husband. Their children that I never see (some I have never seen at all). A brother who could care less if I died. A daddy that has given up and wants to suck the whole world into his way....he is miserable and is making everyone else miserable as well. SIL was recently diagnosed with cancer and it has spread to lymph glands. One of the kids I worked with in school recently died. And I have my own battles going on.

We go to see Billy Currington in concert. We went to see him 2 years ago and had sooooo much fun. I rushed out to get his cd, we played it nonstop, talked about the concert all summer long, etc. So we go this year. Concert was ok. There are no chairs at all...Billy requested no chairs since someone stood in them then fell and got hurt 2 years ago. He had a local kid open for him. We were not impressed at all. He finally takes the stage and plays. It was the same stuff as last time but he didnt sing some of his best songs. After the concert we were all excited, we wanted to meet him (again) and get autographs. The band signed autographs and posed for pics. Billys dog was out walking around. But, no Billy. Talk about let down. Talk about disappointment. It was as if he were TOO BIG to have anything to do with his fans. I even had little autograph books I made just for this. We left there shaking our heads and saying that we will not be rushing out for the cd, or to any more concerts. What a waste!!!!

I go to the store to buy a cd I have been dying to get....only to find out that the company that does their ordering didnt order the cds at all. I even went to several other Walmart stores to get it....same thing no go.

Then the new book in the Twilight series Breaking Dawn comes out at midnight tonight. We have all been waiting on this for a long while. I got everyone into this book and now we patiently await the book....even wanting a book release party as well. I call around and Walmart (again) doesnt know if they will even get the book....Anderson Co does the ordering. Andersone Co....YOU SUCK!!!! I see on Stephenie Meyers website a link to Twilight Series Events in your area....I called the WM stores on the list....one said they will release 40 copies at midnight, another doesnt know what I am talking about, another said they are doing nothing, another said they will sell the book if they get copies. WTH, how is that a book release party????

I guesss it is a good thing that my very few close friends are not disappointing. They are the only things keeping me going, making me smile. They are the bright spot in my day. Thank you my friends.

My children

I have 2 chilren of my own but many others. Let me explain. Amber is my oldest daughter. She is an adult now and has a family of her own (husband and 4 children). I have not seen her in a very long time but she is still the love of my life. Mac is a teen, still lives at home and is also the love of my life.

Then there are my other children. I was a substitute teacher from 1993-2003. I went to college and got my degree in Education (graduated in May 1999). I am certified to teach K-8 grades as well as middle school science. I was a student teacher in 3rd grade in 1999. I actually spent more time with the children I student taught than any of the others that were in my group.

Dont get me wrong, some of the students would give me hell...while student teaching as well as when I was a substitute teacher. I was there pretty much every day during those years. Sometimes I would say no to working so that I could take my own children to dr and such....plus the time that Mac got chicken pox....I had to be home with her.

Anyway those children gave me love, tested me, made me work harder, made me care, gave me love and made me love, etc. This list could go on and on. They were and still are part of my world. I still think of each and every one of them. I still worry about them. There were some that needed pushing, some that I knew had more in them than others wanted to see. I only wanted the best for them and still feel that way today. When they hurt I hurt. Over the years I have kept watch over them even if they were not aware. I have kept in contact with many, have found many, and some are still my friends. Everytime something bad happens to one, it hurts me. Over time I have heard the good, bad and ugly with many of these children.

So, I just found out that one of these children has died. I have been a wreck since I heard this. This was one of my babies. These childrean are all my babies. I am shocked, saddened, surprised, numb. I feel for the family as I know the children in this family (most teens now) are close and are hurting...worse than I can even imagine. I feel so badly and can in my mind see each of their sad faces. It hurts. I know they hurt. The only good thing is knowing that this child is in a better place and is not suffering....the suffering is gone.

Life is too stinkin short! ! ! !

Rick Springfield

I wasnt going to post this then decided that I will. Mac and I went to see Rick Springfield in concert. I had been wanting to see him my whole life but never got to do that. Finally, this time we did. I had all but one album of his. But, some thugs broke into the house and stole them all. I was lucky to save a few 45s. I dont think there is a song of his that I dislike. I like some more than others but dont dislike any of them. Some of the lesser known songs were great. Speak to the Sky is a favorite of mine. Too bad he doesnt sing that or stuff from Comic Book Heros album...great stuff! I used to play his albums over and over and over. I would listen to them repeatedly till I almost wore them out. Now that my albums are gone I am sad. They are not available on cd. I dont know why it is such a big deal, I couldnt play them. Anyway, I love his music.

I started watching General Hospital at about age 14...really paying attention watching. My mom watched the show long before I ever did. Dr Noah Drake...yum. I even scheduled college classes around the show. But that is a different story.

Mac and I went to see the concert and we had the BLAST of a lifetime. The only topper would have been to go back and see him or get autographs. Mac wanted a guitar pick so badly. She decided he is hot and even was wanting to watch GH to see him. I have created a MONSTER! She had a blast and is now listening to his music. His concert is so full of energy! He goes out into the audience. Mac touched him and we helped him keep balance on chairs as he strolled through the crowd. We did get flower petals and pics.

My only regret is not getting to see him sooner. It was the BEST!!! We hope we get to see him again. It is so worth repeating. We are still on cloud nine.

CITO Event

This weekend Team Okie7 (Chris, Michelle, the girls, Mac and I) went to our first CITO event in Healdton, Oklahoma. We had fun. We cached on the way down there, while there and also a bit on the way home. CITO (Cache In Trash Out) was something mgoose and other area cachers put on annually now to help clean up the lake area and so show appreciation for allowing cachers in the area.

The event started with lunch...pretty good food. Then cachers signed up for areas to clean up. I was expecting serious trash but the area wasnt too bad at all and was even better after we were done. There were drawings and prizes. Every one of us walked away with prizes this time. And...in addition to that, I won the BIG prize....a brand new gps. I am so excited and happy. We hope to do this again next year. We cant wait for Fall Fest!

Love Is Forever

Love Is Forever (1978)
Love is forever,
Hate is never;
Love is true,
Hate is blue;
Together we share,
We love and we care;
Apart we are nothing,
Not even something;
Love is forever,
And I Love You!

Nobody Knows Me (1993)

Nobody Knows Me

Nobody knows me,
Or who I want to be;
The way I feel inside,
Or why I want to hide.

Nobody knows me,
Or the things I see;
The reason why I cry,
When all I do is try.

Nobody knows me,
Or my love that’s free;
All the pain I cause you,
For all the things I do.

Nobody knows me,
Or what I’m going to be;
Nobody knows me,
I’m just me!

Ahhh....Memories

AHHHHHHHHHH MEMORIES!!!
Close your eyes...And go back.......Before the Internet or PC or the MAC...... ....Before semi-automatics and crack....
....Before Playstation, SEGA, Super Nintendo, even beforeAtari...
....Before cell phones, CD's, DVD's, voicemail and e-mail........way back.... ....way.....way.....way back.....I'm talkin' bout hide and seek at dusk Red light, Green light
Red Rover....Red Rover.....
Playing kickball & dodgeball until the first...no...second...no...third Streetlight came on
Ring around the Rosie
London Bridge
Hot potato
Hop Scotch
Jump rope
Duck....duck....GOOSE!!!
YOU'RE IT!!
Parents stood on the front porch and yelled (or whistled) for you to come home - no pagers or cell phones
Mother May I?
Hula Hoops
Seeing shapes in the clouds
ndless summer days and hot summer nights (no A/C) with the windows open The sound of crickets
Running through the sprinkler
Happy Meals
Cereal boxes with that GREAT prize in the bottom
Cracker jacks with the same thing
Ice pops with 2 sticks you could break and share with a friend
...but wait.....there's more....
Watchin' Saturday Morning cartoons
Fat Albert, Road Runner, Smurfs, Picture Pages, G-Force & He-Man,Schoolhouse Rock
Watchin' Sunday morning oldies (Abbott & Costello, Three Stooges)
Wonder Woman & Super Man Underoos
FONZIE.....AYYYYYYYY
Playing Dukes of Hazard
Catchin' lightning bugs in a jar
Christmas morning
Your first day of school
Bedtime Prayers and Goodnight Kisses
Climbing trees
Swinging as high as you could to try and reach the sky
Getting an Ice Cream off the Good Humor Truck
A million mosquito bites and sticky fingers
Jumpin' down the steps
Jumpin' on the bed
Pillow fights
Sleep-overs
A 13" black and white TV in your room meant you were RICH
Runnin' till you were out of breath
Laughing so hard that your stomach hurt
Being tired from PLAYING
WORK: meant taking out the garbage or doing the dishes
Your first crush
Your first kiss (I mean the one that you kept your mouth CLOSED and your eyes OPEN
Rainy days at school meant playing "Heads up 7UP" or hangman" in the classroom, Remember that?
Oh, I'm not finished yet....Kool-Aid was the drink of the summer
So was a swig from the hose
Giving your friends a ride on your handlebars
Wearing your new shoes on the first day of school
Class Field Trips with soggy sandwiches
When nearly everyone's mom was at home when the kids got there
When a quarter seemed like a fair allowance; and another quarter a MIRACLE
When ANY parent could discipline ANY kid, or feed him, or use him to carry groceries...And nobody, not even the kid, thought a thing of it.
When your parents took you to McDonalds and you were COOL
When being sent to the principal's office was nothing compared to the fate that awaited you at home. Basically, we were in fear for our lives but it wasn't because of drive by shootings, drugs, gangs, etc. Our parents and grandparents were a much bigger threat! And some of us are still afraid of em!
Didn't that feel good?
Just to go back and say, "Yeah, I remember that!
"Well, let's keep going!!
Let's go back to the time when...Decisions were made by going "eeny-meeny-miney-mo"
Mistakes were corrected by simply exclaiming, "do over!"
"Race issues" meant arguing about who ran the fastest.
Money issues were handled by whoever was the banker in "monopoly"
Catching fireflies could happily occupy an entire evening
It wasn't odd to have two or three "best" friends.
Being old, referred to anyone over 20. (CRAP! I'm officially old!)
The worst thing you could catch from the opposite sex was cooties.
Nobody was prettier than Mom
Scrapes and bruises were kissed by mom or grandma and made better
It was a big deal to finally be tall enough to ride the "big people" rides at the amusement park.
Getting a foot of snow was a dream come true.
Abilities were discovered because of a "double-dog-dare"
Spinning around, getting dizzy and falling down was cause for giggles.
The worst embarrassment was being picked last for a team.
Water balloons were the ultimate, ultimate weapon.
Older siblings were your worst tormentors, but also your fiercest protector

If you can remember most or all of these, then you have LIVED!!!

Pass this on to anyone who may need a break from their "grown up" life......I TRIPLE DOG DARE YA!!!!!!

Friends

I have to say that it is hard to make friends. I am not a very trusting person....you get stabbed in the back and lied to enough times and you dont trust anyone. I dont tattle when I am told something in confidence. I do not stab people in the back. I treat my friends the way I want to be treated. Why is that so hard? Why cant other people do the same?

So, at soccer I met a person I would have never thought to become my best friend. It has been a very very long time since I had a friend like this (in school up till about 10th grade). So in all those years I have had 'friends' but nothing more. Now I have a real, true friend. Somoeone who makes me laugh, step way outside my comfort zone, pushing me to my limits, doesnt judge me, and this list could go on and on. You know the friend that would be sitting in jail next to you saying that was fun...that is her. Anyway, I have the bestest friend in the whole world.

The thing that gets me is that this friend is more than a friend, she is family. Ok, she is better than family. Family seems to be on another planet or something. My family (cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, etc) are all way away. I havent seen most of them since I was little...1970s. Many have died, many have grown up, etc. My immediate family (parents, siblings, spouse, inlaws, children) is even more complicated. One parent living, one dead. Spouse working all of the time, then working more. In laws that have NOTHING to do with us (including their children...all living nearby). One child moved out with family of own...no contact. One child that keeps me going, my main concern and focus. Sibling that dropped off the face of the earth when moma died (so did daughter). Father that needs....well...that is long complicated story.

Back to my friend....she is the bestest friend in the world. Now, she is moving. We have spent so much time together having fun and now she is moving away. Some people would laugh and say we are 'inseparable'. We were always together...at soccer, store, movies, park, dinner, her house, water park, amusement park, etc...we were always together and had the girls with us too. That will be coming to an end very very soon...too soon.

So now I am starting a 'visit my friend' fund. I have dug up all change that I can find. Even the girls added change to it. I am saving all I can to go visit everyone when they get moved. As much as I would like everyone to stay here, I am really happy for them. Dream job in field she wants, kids are very happy to see new things....it is great for them. I couldnt be happier...and sadder.

Well, at least I can always visit. Looks like their house will be my 'home away from home'. At least I do have that option....or I could move too. It is not like I have anything here. Not like family cares where I am.

Need to keep up

I keep totally neglecting this page. I need to get my tushie here and do more with this. I should be using this to do what I had intended to do...tell my story. It seems that I am only here once in a great while and that needs to change.

Abandon

a·ban·don tr.v.

1. To withdraw one's support or help from, especially in spite of duty, allegiance, or responsibility; desert:
2. To give up by leaving or ceasing to operate or inhabit, especially as a result of danger or other impending threat:
3. To surrender one's claim to, right to, or interest in; give up entirely.
4. To cease trying to continue; desist from:
5. To yield (oneself) completely, as to emotion.

Doesnt this mean that if you just walk out of someones life without a care or concern that you have abandoned them? How can a person be caring and yet just walk out of someones life, just leave, just abandon them without any care or concern?

How can a person abandon someone they care about and then later walk back into that persons life like nothing ever happened, like nothing is wrong, like it didnt happen?

Military Instructions

"Slipping gear could let your M203 grenade launcher fire when you least expect it. That would make you quite unpopular in what's left of your unit."- Army's magazine of preventive maintenance.

"Aim towards the Enemy."- Instruction printed on US Rocket Launcher

"When the pin is pulled, Mr. Grenade is not our friend.U.S. Marine Corps

"Cluster bombing from B-52s are very, very accurate. The bombs are guaranteed to always hit the ground."- USAF Ammo Troop

"If the enemy is in range, so are you."- Infantry Journal

"It is generally inadvisable to eject directly over the area you just bombed."- U.S. Air Force Manual

"Whoever said the pen is mightier than the sword obviously never encountered automatic weapons."- General McArthur

"Try to look unimportant; they may be low on ammo."- Infantry Journal

"You, you, and you ... Panic. The rest of you, come with me."- U.S. Marine Corp Gunnery Sgt.

"Tracers work both ways."- U.S. Army Ordnance

"Five second fuses only last three seconds."- Infantry Journal"Don't ever be the first, don't ever be the last, and don't ever volunteer to do anything!"- U.S. Navy sailor

"Bravery is being the only one who knows you're afraid."- David Hackworth

"If your attack is going too well, you're walking into an ambush."- Infantry Journal

"No combat-ready unit has ever passed inspection."- Joe Gay

"Any ship can be a mine sweeper ... Once."- Anonymous

"Never tell the Platoon Sergeant you have nothing to do."- Unknown Marine Recruit

"Don't draw fire; it irritates the people around you."- Your Buddies"If you see a bomb technician running, follow him."- USAF Ammo Troop

"Though I Fly Through the Valley of Death. I Shall Fear No Evil. For I am at 80,000 Feet and Climbing."- At the entrance to the old SR- 71 operating base Kadena, Japan

"You've never been lost until you've been lost at Mach 3."- Paul F. Crickmore (test pilot)

"The only time you have too much fuel is when you're on fire."

"Blue water Navy truism: There are more planes in the ocean than submarines in the sky."- From an old carrier sailor

"If the wings are traveling faster than the fuselage, it's probably a helicopter -- and therefore, unsafe."

"When one engine fails on a twin-engine airplane you always have enough power left to get you to the scene of the crash."

"Without ammunition, the USAF would be just another expensive flying club."

"What is the similarity between air traffic controllers and pilots? If a pilot screws up, the pilot dies; if an ATC screws up, ... The pilot dies."

"Never trade luck for skill."

"Weather forecasts are horoscopes with numbers."

"Airspeed, altitude and brains. Two are always needed to successfully complete the flight."

"A smooth landing is mostly luck; two in a row is all luck; three in a row is prevarication."

"Mankind has a perfect record in aviation; we never left one up there!"

"Flashlights are tubular metal containers kept in a flight bag for the purpose of storing dead batteries."

"Flying the airplane is more important than radioing your plight to a person on the ground incapable of understanding or doing anything about it."

"When a flight is proceeding incredibly well, something was forgotten."

"Just remember, if you crash because of weather, your funeral will be held on a rainy day."

Advice given to RAF pilots during WWII: "When a plane crash seems inevitable, endeavor to strike the softest, cheapest object in the vicinity as slow and gently as possible."

"The Piper Cub is the safest airplane in the world; it can just barely kill you."- Attributed to Max Stanley (Northrop test pilot)

"A pilot who doesn't have any fear probably isn't flying his plane to its maximum."- Jon McBride, astronaut

"If you're faced with a forced landing, fly the thing as far into the crash scene as possible."- Bob Hoover (renowned aerobatic and test pilot)

"Never fly in the same cockpit with someone braver than you."

"There is no reason to fly through a thunderstorm in peacetime."- Sign over squadron ops desk at Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ, 1970

"If something hasn't broken on your helicopter, it's about to.

"Basic Flying Rules: "Try to stay in the middle of the air. Do not go near the edges of it. The edges of the air can be recognized by the appearance of ground, buildings, sea, trees and interstellar space. It is much more difficult to fly there."

"You know that your landing gear is up and locked when it takes full power to taxi to the terminal.

"As the test pilot climbs out of the experimental aircraft, having torn off the wings and tail in the crash landing, the crash truck arrives, the rescuer sees a bloodied pilot and asks "What happened?"; The pilot's reply: "I don't know, I just got here myself!"- Attributed to Ray Crandell (Lockheed test pilot)

Tech Support Letter

Dear Tech Support,
Last year I upgraded from Girlfriend 7.0 to Wife 1.0 and noticed that the new program began unexpected child processing that took up a lot of new space, valuable resources and monetary funds. No mention of this phenomenon was included in the product brochure.

In addition, Wife 1.0 installs itself into all other programs and launches during system initialization, where it monitors all other system activity. Applications such as Poker Night 10.3, Drunken Boys Night 2.5 and Saturday Football 5.0 no longer run, crashing the system whenever selected.

I cannot seem to keep wife 1.0 in the background while attempting to run some of my other favorite applications. I am thinking about going back to Girlfriend 7.0, but the uninstall does not work on this program.

Can you please help me!!!???

Thanks,

A Troubled User
+ + +

Dear Troubled User,

This is a very common problem men complain about, but is mostly due to a primary misconception. Many people upgrade from Girlfriend 7.0 to Wife 1.0 with the idea that Wife 1.0 is merely a UTILITIES & ENTERTAINMENT program. Wife 1.0 is an OPERATING SYSTEM and designed by its creator to run everything.

It is unlikely you would be able to purge Wife 1.0 and still convert back to Girlfriend 7.0. Hidden operating files within your system would cause Girlfriend 7.0 to emulate Wife 1.0 so nothing is gained. It is impossible to uninstall, delete, or purge the program files from the system once installed. You cannot go back to Girlfriend 7.0 because Wife 1.0 is not designed to do this.

Some have tried to install Girlfriend 8.0 or Wife 2.0 but end up with more problems than the original system. Look in your manual under "Warnings- Alimony! /Child support!". I recommend you keep Wife 1.0 and deal with the situation.

I suggest installing background application program C:\YESDEAR to alleviate software augmentation. Having installed Wife1.0 myself, I might also suggest you read the entire section regarding General Partnership Faults (GPFs). You must assume all responsibility for faults and problems that might occur, regardless of their cause. The best course of action will be to enter the command C:\APOLOGIZE. In any case avoid excessive use of C:\YES DEAR because ultimately you may have to give the APOLOGIZE command before the operating system will return to normal. The system will run smoothly as long as you take the blame for all the GPFs.

Wife 1.0 is a great program, but very high-maintenance. Consider buying additional software to improve the performance of Wife 1.0. I recommend Flowers 3.1 and nothing less than Diamonds 2K. Do not, under any circumstances install Secretary with Short Skirt 3.3. This is not a supported application for Wife 1.0 and is likely to cause irreversible damage to the operating system.

Best of Luck,

Tech Support