Split (1)

train · 634k rows

text stringlengths 12 22.5k
Uh-huh. and so, I went to Hawaii and then to Australia and Japan and China, Uh-huh. Did you go on the Barrier did you see the Great Barrier Reef and, and go snorkeling? I, I, actually I didn't go diving. Uh-huh. I, I'm a diver and so, that's, that's actually been another of my favorite vacations has been taking little diving trips Oh diving. Uh-huh. but, uh, no I didn't get to the Great Barrier Reef. I drove from Sidney down to Melbourne and over to Adelaide. Uh-huh. It's gorgeous, absolutely gorgeous. The coastline was just incredible. It's huge. Is it really?
Australia. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Uh, but, Did you have shrimp? I've seen in, you know, they, they show all this wonderful seafood and, and great big prawns, you know the big shrimp and, I don't remember if I had shrimp. No? Didn't have shrimp there huh I don't think so. I remember food Oh, I like that too. But, uh, in fact I didn't eat out that much there because I was traveling by myself in a car, it would have been, I think, much more fun to do it like in the van, with a bunch of people. Uh-huh. Uh-huh. But, uh,
Oh you're adventurous. You went by yourself. Uh-huh. Really. And I was by myself in China too. Really? Yeah. Oh wow. China was a little bit more, uh, of a challenge. But, it, it wasn't more of a challenge in a sense because I hired a guide all the time, Uh-huh. and so I never, you know, got out by myself, or not much, Uh-huh. Was it very expensive? No, actually I paid about either a thousand dollars or a little bit, no maybe it was about a thousand dollars, maybe a little bit less, I don't really remember, for ten days including all my meals, a guide, a car, the airfare and, but this is from Hong Kong,
You're kidding! No kidding! Uh-huh. because I was already in Hong Kong and, um, but it only cost you about a thousand dollars to go there and I went to Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu and actually then I took a train up from Shanghai to a little, Quingdao I think is the name of it. It's a little, uh, sort of getaway retreat village not far from Shanghai. It's just a train ride. Uh-huh. And that, I had two internal, one, yeah, two internal plane flights and a couple of other things. It was really, All for a thousand dollars? Uh-huh. Wow! That really surprises me. Around a thousand. I guess I relate it to, to Japan where things are very expensive, aren't they? Oh, Japan's ridiculous.
Yeah. Yeah. And I stayed, I didn't stay in the top of the line hotels but I stayed in, they were all completely clean, Uh-huh. and, you know, they were newly built and they were sort of the lower end of the top of the line, hotels, because they said you can't stay in the cheap stuff. Uh-huh. Yeah, yeah, and you don't want to stay in the very, very, very exclusive, because you don't really even get a flavor of the country if you're, Right. Right. Yeah, yeah. Wow. Uh, but yeah, that was,
I highly recommend that way to go. If you're ever interested in going the route, I dealt with this woman, her name was Rita at China Tours in Boston Oh really. Yeah. Uh, and a friend of mine who had gone for a business trip to China and she just gave me this woman's name to contact and it would really be fun, I think ideally with like two couples because you have a car and a driver and a guide Uh-huh. and then, Well I grew up out in the country and, uh, was used to having, uh, guns around the place and, uh, I'm, uh, not for gun control, in the strictest sense of the, uh, word. Uh-huh. Uh-huh. I, I think I'm kind of bent towards middle liberal of the bridge myself. Yeah. You know, I have quite a collection myself and, you know, I'm a good hunter and I started hunting when I was twelve years old. Of course, my parents made me take hunters safety classes
and, you know, I don't want to see them ban guns completely Yeah. but I don't want them to completely turn loose of their controls either so, Yeah. Well I, I feel that its, uh, I think the what was National Rifle Association, uh, had this bumper sticker a few years back if, uh, about if you outlaw guns, only outlaws will have guns then. I believe that. And I believe that too because the person that is wanting to, commit a crime is going to find a way to get a gum, a a gun, a knife, a, a rock, a stick, whatever it is, to commit a crime with, Yeah. Yeah. and it's the honest citizens like ourselves that are responsible about use of guns, uh, we can handle it but there's an element that can't. Yeah and it's, you know, it's got to the point now where even our, our police departments and our D E A agents and everything have to carry automatic weapons because everybody that's in drug trafficking has got them. They have got them outgunned. You know. Yeah.
So. There was a an article in the paper just this week where I think it's, uh, one of the gun companies, I can't remember which, was developing a ten metal, ten millimeter automatic pistol for the F B I which would give them additional firepower. Um. It had, held like a fifteen shot clip, which, uh, would be able, they would be able to put down anything that came at them, Yeah Yeah, that would be, but you figure you got some drug guy out there that's got an Uzi machine gun, uh, a thirty-eight, uh, Yeah, that's, Smith and Wesson revolver isn't going to do you much good. No it's sure not. Huh-uh. Yeah. I have lived in, uh, Illinois at one time and they, they passed a, uh, it wasn't really gun control but it was, you had to register as a gun owner, you didn't have to list your guns, Yeah.
but you had to have this card, it was like a driver's license card that you had to have it in order to buy ammunition Um. and that was the first, uh, this was twenty years ago. Yeah. But they had that so that they were trying to control it a little bit in that respect. See in California they, In California they make you register when you buy ammunition. Pardon? Yeah. Uh-huh. You have to sign a, you know, they take your name and driver's license number, hunter, hunting license number and all that good stuff, before you can buy any big ammunition. Especially for handguns, Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. now rifles aren't too bad, but, you know, any kind of handgun at all, if it will fit in a handgun and a rifle you would still have to buy it, or sign up for it, Yeah. so.
We lived in Tennessee for awhile and I bought a pistol there and there was a fifteen day waiting period. You had to fill out an application and, go down to the sheriff's office and get fingerprinted Uh-huh. and, then you had fifteen days while they checked to see if you had any kind of criminal record before that you could pick up the gun you were purchasing. Gee. Gee, that's not a bad idea. No, I think that, uh, you know, a, a waiting period, uh, can make a difference Yeah. but again it's going to be the law abiding citizen that's going to comply with that. Yeah, yeah it is. So there's, I don't, think there's any way to control the criminal element as far as guns is concerned because, No. the only way they could do it I think, would be to stiffen the penalties on anybody using a gun. Right, right.
You know, I think if we kind of stiffen them up a little bit, course, I, I feel kind of weird about that anyway, I think if somebody shoots somebody, they ought to be shot. Yeah, I'm, So. We, we're getting into capital punishment now Yeah, but, you know. But I, I agree with you there that, uh, It would definitely be gun control Yeah. The, uh, the, again the purpose of gun control is to control how it is being used is what the purpose should be. Yeah. Yeah. It's not to keep people from buying a gun that need one for a specific purpose, legal purpose but to keep the guy that's illegal from getting his hands on one. Yeah. Yeah. And I'm in favor of keeping the, the illegal guy from getting one in his hands but, the legal person or lawful person should not be penalized because there is the criminal element.
Myself. Yeah. Well and they're actually a necessity in life, you know. Oh yes. They're not, you know, not everybody needs a gun but sooner or later I need one. You know, whether I'm out hunting or you know, I'm never had to protect my life or, Yeah. well I did in the service but not, you know, not on the street so I don't really need one in the, in the aspects , You don't have to carry one in your car or your, uh, or your pocket all the time. No, huh-uh. Yeah. No. So mine are, you know, I use mine for recreation, Yeah. I don't,
and I enjoyed my guns. Yeah. I have a good time with them so, Well I know what, uh, I took my kids out and taught them out, how to shoot a gun. My wife the same thing, uh, she knows how to shoot any weapon that we have not that I have an arsenal or anything, Yeah. but we have several guns around the house one of these days my grandkids probably. Probably. Yeah. But I think it's, uh, you got to have, have the living in Dallas there's not that many places to go shoot but, uh, still I think they ought to know how to use one and that it's not just a toy and that when, it's not like on T V when someone gets shot, uh, they get back up. No, huh-uh. If someone gets shot with a, real gun they don't get back up. Yeah.
Yeah. I had to explain that to my, I've got a six year old now and he, you know, I have a fifteen year old and a seventeen year old, well they understand now. Yeah. You know I've taken time to teach them and now the young boy wants to know and, you know, like I told him, you're a little bit young for a gun. Let me go out here and, you know, we would start with the B B gun deal, you know, Yeah. so he started with the B B gun and shot a couple of holes in a couple of windows and I took it away from him, I said now, you know, so he's learning the hard way but at least it was a B B gun not a twenty-two or a four ten or something so, I remember I had an old uncle up by Tulsa, Oklahoma that took me out and, uh, showed me. This was, it was not my, it was my mother's uncle, this was a gentleman in his sixties, Um.
and he took me out with him and, uh, single shot twenty-two, and taught me how to shoot. Uh-huh. We went squirrel hunting and, and, uh, he taught me how to shoot, uh, a old single shot twenty-two All right. and, I was probably about twelve at the time, Uh-huh. and I thought that was the neatest thing and, of course Uncle Sam took me out, took me hunting with him Yeah. and he let me shoot and showed me how. All right. I think there is a lot of responsibility on any of us gun owners to make sure that whoever is around us is at least safe and knows how to use one. Right. You know, I don't want to get out there deer hunting and have some guy blow me away, so. Oh, yeah. Well that's about all I, we agreed pretty well on this I think. Yeah,
I think so. Okay. Well it's been real nice talking with you. All right, have a good one. Okay, bye. Bye-bye Do you have children? Uh, yes, yes, I have a daughter. Do you. Yeah. How old is she? She's only about, uh, uh, a little less than two years old. Uh, I guess you have not reached the stage where you need to, uh, promote a college or anything, huh. No. I've got one that's seven and one that's three, so, we, uh, we started saving,
but that's all. Yeah So, do you, is there, are you planning to, like, encourage your children to go to a particular school? Uh, no, uh, um, no particular school. Uh, I think that's really a decision that, That you are going to let them make. They, well, help them make in terms of, you know, what they are, they are wanting to do. Right. Uh-huh. You know, that, that's a big influence, I think and, You know what, not only what you can afford, but what, what's going to be best for them in terms of what their career goals are. Yeah, yeah. Right. Uh-huh. So, uh, you know, you need to go to a school that handles whatever it is you want to do. Yeah. Where did you go to school? Uh, University of Mississippi.
Oh. Was that local or, uh, Uh, well, it was, well, it was within the state. Uh-huh. But it, it was not necessarily local, it was, Yeah. But I, I mean, so what's, , What's the criterion for choosing to go there? Yeah. Uh, well, at the time, I was, uh, thinking of going pre med Uh-huh. and in the state, uh, they had the best pre med uh, curriculum for the, uh, state institutions. Uh-huh. It was choice between there and, uh, a private college that, uh, was a bit more expensive. Uh-huh. Yeah. At the time, we really could not afford it so I ended up going there although it was quite a drive away for me. Yeah. It,
uh, I enjoyed it. So you, did you commute everyday then or, No. Oh, okay. No, no, it was a six hour drive. Oh, okay, when you said it was quite a, quite a way away, I did not know it that meant you had to drive like an hour or, I was, uh, it was like another world. Uh-huh. Basically, it was a, no it was a, did not get home that often, you know, and at that age it's, uh, it's kind of, kind of difficult sometimes. Yeah. Yeah. Especially, if you have not been away a lot that extended Yeah.
So, did you go there, like, straight out of high school? Yeah. Yeah. Uh, see I did not get my degree until later on, so I just finished mine a couple of years ago. Uh-huh. And, uh, you know, I guess, you know, when you have to do it that way, it makes, makes your choices a lot easier but, Uh, that's true. Yeah, that, that's like, you know, when I went on to get my, my master's I, uh, basically was, you know, it was where I was at the time. Uh-huh. Right. You know, I was not going to try to pick and go somewhere else because I was pretty much settled Right, right. and I was trying to work. But, uh, so when you are first going to school that, you kind of have the luxury of being able to have some latitude in choosing the place to go. Exactly. Yeah.
which group do you work in in T I? Um, uh, the computer science center. Oh, uh, where is that at? Uh, north building. I see. How long do you work for T I? Uh, about three years. Did you work somewhere else, like sounds like you got your master's before here or, Uh, yeah, I have, uh, uh, no actually, I mean I came straight from school to here. I see. So, cause this was the first, first real job after getting my degree. Uh-huh. After your master's or after your, After my master's. I see.
My undergraduate degree was not in, not in what my master's was. I see. So I made a career change basically. Uh-huh. I see. Well, let's see I, have not you know, there's a lot of pluses and minuses for different schools, you know, just like you said. Uh, depending on what they want to specialize in and what you can afford, different things like that, so I, I have not really made up my mind, you know, whether to encourage them to go different places Yeah. or, One day I would like to, uh, you know, the, uh, I, I like the school where I went. Uh-huh. I mean, and I would not hesitate at all to, to encourage her to go there there if she wanted to. Right. Right. Or the school where I got my master's at, which, which was a different school. Right.
And, uh, I liked it almost as well. Uh-huh. Uh, but, uh, you know, that, I'm not going to hold them to that just because I went there. Right. I, you know, think that's Yeah. If they want to, that's fine, but otherwise not. Although I uh, would get quite a break on, on tuition Yeah. Um, because you went there. Yeah, because they, uh, allow for, uh, uh, tuition, uh, break for out of state students who children of alumnae. Um. I didn't know that. Well certain schools do it. Yeah. This school does. So, uh, It's, it , Huh. I, I was involved in some, uh, oh, alumnae recruiting, uh, here in town, uh, recently, uh, well last year Uh-huh.
Uh, and it was kind of fun, because you are trying to to, trying to get people interested in your school, you know. Uh-huh. And they were, this was a college night at a, at a high school in Richardson. And it was, Uh-huh. And there were a bunch of kids, you know, and a bunch of schools. There were a hundred schools, probably there all competing for the same kids. Uh-huh. Uh-huh. It's kind of interesting to, to, to talk up, you know, your, school Yeah, your own school, And, I was surprised by the number of kids that came, came by and had heard of, you know, our school. And, and were interested in it. Uh-huh. Um. Uh, you know, we, uh, situations like that, you don't realize, you know, until you start thinking about it, the kinds of advantages you school may have over others. Uh-huh. And so, I, I was real, real pleased with that.
That worked out so well. Yeah. So did you drum up any interest then I think so. I don't know offhand but, uh, it seemed like there were quite a few kids that were definitely interested in going there. Uh-huh. So, there, There was one mother who, uh, came by right, even, before we started, who, who obviously was, uh, very interested in getting her, her daughter in or, or having gotten her daughter in or something And that, and she was wanting some more information. But she was, her, her daughter was, uh, a, a, a majorette or something. You know, a baton twirler or something Uh-huh. Uh-huh. and she was she was, letting us know she, how, how good her daughter was. She had cards printed up, actually describing, you know, business cards describing her daughter's, uh, you know, she had won several different twirling awards, and all this, Oh, really. Uh-huh. and she was, had these business cards she was passing out and it was quite a production. I think some parents go a little bit overboard.
Yeah it sounds like it. Yes. Well you know I think Richardson is probably you know one of the places that would definitely Okay, well the topic is selecting care for the elderly. Uh-huh. And I don't have elderly parents, yet but not that far in the distant future. What about yourself? Well, my parents are both in their seventies. My, my mother and stepfather, and my father and stepmother are all in their seventies. And, my, uh, uh, father and stepmother are not in very good health. So this is something that is, A concern of yours right now. Yes, it is. Are, are they living independently, right now? Yes, they are. Oh.
They are. Have you looked at any homes for them or talked to them about that? Not for them, my, my mother and stepfather have, have, uh, set up an arrangement where they have a large home and, uh, two of my sisters and, and their families, one of them's husband and then all the children are living in this home. Its got a lot of bedrooms and bathrooms and, and, uh, they all share the same kitchen and dining room and den and kitchen. And, and, uh, my father bought this, uh, my stepfather bought this thinking of a time when one or the other of them might need care and they felt like that would be their alternative to a nursing home. Oh, that sounds the ultimate. Unless, unless they were so ill that they needed nursing care that could not be given in the home. Well, even at that point, most care can be given at, in the home. That sound like just an excellent solution. You must feel real good about that. Well, I, I felt good about it because that's my personal feeling also. I, uh, I read a lot and then I know people then have visited nursing homes and, uh, have had great, grandparents in the nursing homes and it was not a happy situation for, for any of them. And, and, uh, we have a very active nursing home here in Plano that, that has, uh, activities going all the time and they have, uh, even the people that are wheelchair bound and, and really are, are incapacitated. Go and, uh, participate in olympics Uh-huh.
and they make their crafts and sell them at a big fair that's held annually at a big mall here Right. You know, so there are a lot of, a lot of activities going on all the time and this is a nursing home, it's not a senior citizens home. So that the people are really, uh, Really in need of a nursing home. Right. They need, the nursing care, Right, uh-huh. and, and, but it's a very expensive solution. Well, it's, you know, I think we just, you know, listen to, is the fact that there are good solutions both inside and outside of nursing homes. It's just a matter of finding, a good home. Right. Right. And, and then, of course, there is always the problem of being able, able to afford either of those solutions. Right. Uh-huh.
And that, I think is what is scary, and I also feel that that's where some of the bad images of nursing homes come from. Is when people have to put people in a nursing homes and they really can not afford the best. Right. And that's right, I, well I took my husband one night to an emergency room when he was in an emergency situation and, uh, they brought in a very elderly man from a nursing home who had, had, uh, apparently inhaled some chicken he was eating. Oh. And, uh, he had apparently had not been in the home too long, just a week or so, but when they, the family came in to see him, they had not been made aware, I was in the room when the emergency technicians brought him in from the ambulance and I overheard their conversation. And when the family walked in, his wife and daughter and son-in-law, they were not even aware of what had happened. Oh, goodness. So, I told them he strangled on some chicken and, uh, they said, the, the woman, the wife said he was not even supposed to be eating any food like that that would require chewing or, so, you know, Oh. and I thought What a shame, they put him in the home so that he could be cared for Right.
Right. and then they could have done that well at home. And then she was upset, he had on two different shoes, one of which was not even his. He had on a pair, of slacks, Oh. and the wife said "these are not his slacks" and she said "I just took two pair over yesterday for him that were clean." And, You hear these stories, all the time. Right. Right. Well, I, this was just something that I was, I witnessed to. You happened, Right. And, and, uh, at no point did anybody from the nursing home come in. And we were there in the same room with the man for a half hour Oh. And, with just a curtain, of course, between us and, and, uh, Right.
they revived the man and cleared out his airway and so forth, and he was definitely, just by looking at him and the way he acted, you could tell he was in need of, of nursing home care, but the family were all talking about, uh, putting him in another home. They said he will not go back to that one. Well, good. Good, I'm glad they have a solution. To do that, I'm glad they the option. yes. I know. I, I would hate to be in a position where that was all I could afford and there were not, there was no choice. Exactly. My, uh, my ex-husband's grandmother had been in a nursing home now for, oh, it must be seven, eight years, and, uh, and, uh, It's just her, her condition deteriorated, deteriorated instantly upon getting into that home. Oh, my. Um. As the situation is so sad because it just takes all the dignity away from, from people who have been independent all their lives. Uh-huh.
Uh-huh. Like this was a really neat vital woman and you get in a nursing home and the first thing that happens you have to share your, your whole living space, with someone that you have never known before in your life. Right. Right. And oh I, I do not know what the answer is, but I do know that there are some wonderful places out there and it, I think it does, a lot of it goes down to just money. And family support, That's right. uh, if you, you know, have family that, uh, you can live with. Visits everyday. Right. Right. Right. I, I really, I think the way of selecting a nursing home would be similar to the way you would select child care, you know. You would do your research and you would go visit.
Visit, right. And, uh, hopefully, they would have, they would have it so that you could go there anytime. Right. Because if you could not go there anytime, then that would make you, a little bit Suspicious. right. You know, I, I, my, I remember my, my grandmother many years ago when she was in a nursing home before she died and I guess there was not a name for what she had at that time, but I guess Alzheimer's would come as close as anything, she really was not aware of what she was doing. Uh-huh. And, uh, I I can remember she had several strokes and the nursing home was right next to a hospital and they would rush her to the hospital and revive her and just bring her back to the nursing home in a couple of days. And it was, she was, it was just like keeping something. Well, we've talked a little bit about the Plano school system. Um, I, I really have been pleased with Plano. I have a child who, uh, my son is learning disabled,
Uh-huh. and, uh, I thank God every day that I have the resources that we have tapped into. Now, is he the elementary school? He's in elementary school. Uh-huh. And he's not severely learning disabled. Uh-huh. I mean, you know, he just, He's being helped. But he is being helped. He, he was in resource from second grade till fourth grade in math, Uh-huh. and they recently released him from, resource, which I'm, I was thrilled, Oh, great. I really was. I, I just thought that was so neat, that they got him over that hump. And, um, he's in the Herman Method of Reading. I don't know if you're, familiar with that. No, that's something new to me. I'm,
It is something new, and basically what they do is they start right from the beginning relearning the sounds of letters. Oh. Um, I think I read about that in the paper. It's wonderful. Doctor Haggard is, is heading that up. Yes, and it's wonderful. He didn't have a problem with reading. As a matter of fact, he's reading on level. The problem was his spelling. And, you know, in, in watching the way he has struggled, Uh-huh. it's interesting, because I'm convinced I have the same learning disability, or had, that was ignored. Oh. And, Right, so you worked, you learned how to solve your problems on your own. That's right.
And, and so it's, you know, it's not an intelligence problem. It's just a problem with learning. Has, has he had this since kindergarten, or is this something that maybe learning phonetics, and then he just didn't learn the right way? Well, you know, it's funny. When, um, when he was in first grade, he had trouble with, with spelling, Uh-huh. and I would say to the teacher, you know, it's amazing. He will be able to, you'll say to him, spell cat, and, you know, he'll say C A T, and then he would go to write it, and he would write C O T. Okay. And I kept saying to the teacher, something is wrong here. Something is wrong here. You're right, right. And the teacher kept saying, oh, he has a May birthday. He's just immature.
Right. Well, second grade it was, I will, these teachers as far as I'm concerned are absolute saints, because in second grade, it was about the second week of school, I went up there, and I, I requested a conference and, because all year long they kept telling me I was crazy. Good, good, that's great for parents to be involved. Well, I was, and I, and I went up there the second week of school and I said, you know, something is wrong, and thank God the the head teacher, the team leader, was a special education major. Oh, how great. It was, it was and, She had picked it up, So she, she was able to zero in. yep, Oh. she had already picked it up. And she said, you know, we, we were going to call you if you hadn't called us.
We think there's a learning disability and we think he needs to be tested immediately, because, you know, once the first report card comes in, they, have all these people being tested, Huh. and she said, I think we can get him real fast. Uh-huh, uh-huh. And sure enough, they tested him and, you know, he qualified for, for the help, and it's been great, and I, and I thank God I'm here, because I, I know I have a sister who has the other extreme. She has a, a child in Connecticut who is extremely gifted, and because of the cutbacks in the economy they have nothing for her. Right. Oh, no. And, and to me that's the same thing. It's, it's like having a child who has a learning disability that's being ignored, this poor gifted child is being ignored. Uh-huh, uh-huh. Right, but that's something that parents, I think, are able to help the gifted child in the home more than they could help the learning disabled child.
That's true. So, because, that's something you can do by just enrichment types of things in the home That's true. Uh-huh. but learning disability, unless you are schooled in the types of things and ways to help a child like that, then it makes it real difficult Uh-huh. and this is, this to me is the benefit I see in public schools is that, that, uh, you do have government money to fund, the kinds of programs that these students need, Yes. Right. Right. and I'm not sure that the private schools or parochial schools address that problem, they test kids before they take them, Exactly, and, They don't take them, and if they're a behavior problem, they're out. that's right. That, and, and, uh, this is kind of a rejection type of thing, Right. Uh-huh. and, and we get it even at our level in, in,
I work a nine ten school, and we get students that come in that have been kicked out of the, uh, parochial and and, uh, private schools Uh-huh. and, uh, they come in and their attitude is, "I'm a bad boy," and proceed to prove it. Really, really. So I, I really hate that for them. I, I, would rather they not have that attitude, Yeah. but that's, Well, when comparing test scores, I know recently I was in a discussion and they were comparing test scores between private schools and public schools, Right. and that was one of the points that I made, is that you're not comparing apples to apples. That's right. You know, you can't say, um, you know, I know Steven probably would not be accepted because he has a learning disability and, into a private school. And, um, which is, which is too bad. Uh-huh. But on the other hand, I, I can't necessarily blame them, you know, they, they are a private school
No. and they, can do whatever they want. That's right, they can be selective, right. And they they, that's right, they have the ability to be selective. But you can't say then, well, public schools are, are not as good. Right. Perhaps they are, because they're, they're, If you choose the select top group out of the public schools and tested them, and then compared them to the to the private school group, then I think you would have a more equitable way. You're right. And I have a problem when they compare the kids in Japan or Germany to the kids here. In, in, in, uh, honesty, the kids in Japan are, they have to try out to even get into, to which kindergarten they're going to get into, Oh, really? and then after, uh, and if, if you only, the, in fact, they've had cases in the past where parents have committed suicide because their child has not gotten into the top kindergarten, which means they probably won't get into the top elementary and, and high school, Uh-huh.
and if they don't, then when they reach a certain age, they just, that's the end of their schooling. Uh-huh. And, and, uh, they don't ever really go on. It's only their top ones that go on, like ours do. Uh-huh, uh-huh. And, and, uh, so that, that creates a problem. And, and you can't compare, because they go so many more hours. Yeah. The other thing is that the priority in the family is that child's education, and is that child. Right, well, you see that with the foreigners that come here. That's right. Um, I, I was talking to somebody recently or read somewhere where they, where they said that, you know, these children, they, they had to be the best, and they put off all social life, all everything, you know. That's right, that's right. Well, is that good? Yes, the child is very bright,
but on the other hand, I feel like my children, who are kind of middle of the road, have, are more rounded, you know. Better coping skills. Yes. Sure, sure, I think it's real important to have friends. I think it's real important to play sports. I think it's real important to be part of a team. Right. And so that's why I said, their childhood is extremely different from mine. We didn't do all that you know. Right. We certainly didn't carpool and run the way I do. Um, Well, and you don't, you don't see the parents, uh, encouraging those students to get on athletic teams or, drill teams or band, No. Right, right. it's strictly stick to the educational, and it's interesting to see them as they get older, uh, then that is the type of adult they are. Uh-huh.
Um. Okay? Yes. Well, this is a very timely topic inasmuch as we're going to a family reunion this weekend. Oh are you really? Yeah. Where is it going to be? Down at Lake Texoma lodge. Oh. Yes, this is one that's, uh, the Baker family reunion Uh-huh. and this has been going on at least, uh, I would say, at least twenty-five years or thirty, something like that. Oh, that's marvelous. Maybe longer than that, I'm going to get back into the fifties sometime. Uh-huh. First time, I, I married into the family, and the first time I went was about fifty-seven, I think. Uh-huh. But, uh, this one has been well organized
and in fact it used to be at Lake Brownwood, and now it's Lake Texoma, because that's more central location for people from Oklahoma and Texas to come to. Uh-huh. I'm sure location's really important as far as figuring out where one ought to be. Very important, because, uh, you'll start losing people if it's too far to go. Uh-huh. We have factions, when it's one part, we, I have one reunion on my mother's side, and we found that if it's in a certain part of Texas, some people come, and if it's elsewhere, other people come Yeah. we never get them at both of them Never get them at both places, it seems like, so I think we need to find a new place Right. Well, listen, they've, uh, they've had this one, well it just, of course, over the years it has, uh, built up as far as the organization is concerned Uh-huh.
but now they, uh, have a golf tournament on the Saturday. Um. And then they have generally a show or an auction or something on Saturday night to help raise funds to cover the costs of such. Oh, that's a neat idea. Yeah, and, uh, everyone, uh, they get the community building there at Lake Texoma lodge, and everyone brings in food Uh-huh. and then for the Saturday night dinner they bring in like Kentucky Fried Chicken from Durant, and uh it really, uh, has worked out. Uh-huh. How many people, Jim, are involved? Uh, generally, uh, I think it's been as high as about a hundred and twenty people. Wow. I think normal's about sixty or seventy. Yeah, well, I guess, um, ours probably isn't that big. Our family is dwindling, for one thing. Oh And I often feel funny because I'm in a branch that's all but died
Oh. I just have one aunt and my family. So sometimes when these other families get together, they're really pulling in aunts and uncles and grandkids, Yeah. and we're kind of off on the sidelines. But it does remind us that we have family and roots. Right. So we keep going even though we're not a real big part of it. Yeah, well, our family reunion started out my wife and I were the kids, the newlyweds, so to speak Uh-huh. and now we go, our children go, and our grandchildren are going now. Oh that's great. So it's, uh, wound up that, uh, we're the old folks now. Uh-huh, uh-huh. But, um, they have various organized, they have generally a volleyball net set up and horseshoes, uh, to pitch,
and they organize a baseball game for the kids Uh-huh. and several people bring boats, and there's a place they, they take the kids up to the lodge and go swimming up there in the afternoon, so it it's a full day. So there's lots to do. Some of the people come down on Friday afternoon and spend the whole weekend, Uh-huh. and some just come in for Saturday Uh-huh. so, it, uh, has worked out quite well, and it's a chance to see some of the relatives you don't see all year long except that once a year. Uh-huh that's true. Well, that's neat. I think, think they're really fun. We go to mine regularly, and then we go to my husband's occasionally down in Temple, and he has a large family, so it's, it's fun when we go to that one.
Yeah, my side of the family is from back in Ohio and West Virginia, and I think we've been to one in thirty-five years or something like that, so, That's just too far away. Oh. Yeah, yeah that, that is a problem with the distance. The people that we have that don't come are out El Paso way Yeah. and it's just too much for all of them, all of that group to travel. It's an, all day drive just to get to this area. Right. But then we have the same attitude when it's out, there, although this year we're going out. They're going to have it at Fort Davis Yeah. and we thought that would be fun to kind of tie it in as a vacation time as well as reunion. Yeah. Yeah, we have,
each year, of course, they elect officers of the family reunion Uh-huh. and a number of years ago, back in the early eighties, my wife was president. We discovered how much work it is just to organize and get it together. And it takes a lot of planning, and assembling of stuff. Uh-huh. And choose, some place that everybody's going to like as far as food and all that Right. That's correct. That's a heavy burden. Yes, it is, I tell you. I don't really care for her to be president again. No But that is, uh, it's, it's a lot of work, but it's a lot of fun. Uh-huh. We've enjoyed it, and the grandkids really enjoy it because it's the only time of the year they see all their cousins from Oklahoma. Well, I think,
Yeah, and it's, it's good for kids to know that they have other family. Yeah, and this year they're all excited. The show this weekend, this weekend's going to be a rock and roll show Oh, boy. my two grandsons and one of their cousins are, are going to dress up and lip sing to a rock song you know, in jeans and t-shirts and such. Oh, what fun. Uh-huh. So, it's, uh, it's going to be exciting for them, and for us too. Uh-huh. Probably lots of laughs. Oh, yes, there have been some really wild shows put on there. They, uh, really get, uh, into it. Uh-huh. Well, it sounds like you really have a good structure and have it going along. Ours, ours is still kind of loosely organized, and the same people usually get stuck with doing it.
Yeah, well, Oh, that generally happens. And, they do it as a labor of love. Yeah. So, the officer idea is a good idea. Yeah, well we've, uh, had various things over the years, uh, to raise funds for it Uh-huh. and again, it's not, it's not cheap to rent the lodge up there or the meeting room down in the cabins and such, Yeah. but, uh they've come up with, Uh-huh they've tried passing the hat, and they've had auctions and various things to raise funds, and, uh some people do Uh-huh. and some people don't Yeah, and it's not fair that everybody not contribute, Excuse me. But, um, anyway, that's the family reunion story.
Uh-huh. Okay. Well, thanks a lot I enjoyed talking to you. Bye. Been nice talking to you. Bye. Okay. All right. Well, I am, uh, the product of, uh, I think as much the changing roles of women as anyone, my mother, uh, we come from a, my mother and I were, uh, really, first generation divorce in our family. Yes. My, uh, mother was divorced in nineteen, uh, fifty-seven, when I was seven years old. Uh-huh. Uh-huh. And, was, I was the first one, of anyone that, that anyone had ever known, to have a divorce. Uh-huh. Of course, now fifty percent divorces in the United States, uh, my mother, uh, was treated very badly, uh, in a, by a lot of people, family members, um, especially from my father's side of the family,
and also, uh, uh, uh, we were, uh, ostracized by his family, uh, basically just, you know, uh, we just kind of dropped off the face of the earth. Uh-huh. Right. And, they all felt that there was never an issue that my father was the, was the cause of the reason for the split up, even though he had impregnated another woman and forced the divorce. Oh, mercy. Uh, it was always my mother's fault, she was not, uh, sufficient, you know, she just was not good enough. What was wrong with her, was she not attractive enough, did she not take good enough care of her man to keep his interest. It was that kind of an attitude. Yeah, that, that's too bad. So, uh, yeah it was too bad, it was really rough. Um, um, that's sad. It really is. Uh, so, you know, that's so changing, some of the changing roles of women in that respect, I have been a product of. Uh-huh. Um, I think that there are people that, I think that, uh,
I was I was first generation going to college in my family. Uh-huh. Uh, first, my mother had always had a quote career, but always a career as a, uh, uh, in a secretarial position. She did rise to the highest position that a woman could rise to in a secretarial profession in Des Moines, Iowa. That's, that's wonderful. She was a secretary to, uh, uh, the to, uh, a circuit court judge, federal judge. Uh-huh. And it was a lifetime appointment for her as well as for him. So, that was a really high, high status position. Well, that's wonderful. She made over thirty thousand, a year. That speaks, well of your mother. Well, yeah, she a real hard She had high standards. Yeah. Yeah. hard driving lady with a steel rod up her back, you know. Oh, bless her heart. But, uh, so I went to college and now since have completed two master's degrees
and I am the director of music in a church. Um, and but it's interestingly enough, I am still, everyday, confronted with, Challenges. Absolutely. Uh-huh. Challenges that have to do with my sex. Right. Uh, for instance, uh, well, you know, I am just not taken as seriously, you know, at professions, as many of the as many of the men who are doing the same job I do. Uh-huh. And, uh, the choir members treat me differently because I am a woman, they expect me to be more motherly, they question my authority more, uh, than they ever would a man. And I have experience with this, because I work at both, both as a director of music and also as an associate under a man. uh-huh. So I am pretty, I am pretty pretty I mean, I am pretty aware of what goes on uh, in the church. Surely. So, basically that's, that's, well I am done talking. Do you want to talk? Well, I think that you carried forth your subject matter very well, uh, Nickie. And I can, uh, relate to that, uh,
Uh-huh. uh, I think it's, it's the image that the woman has and, uh, in the world, as, uh, the lesser of the two. Uh-huh. Oh, always. And, uh, I think things are changing, but the changing is taking a long time longer than we would like it to, like it to take. Uh-huh. And, uh, I think we are progressing at a snail's pace, Indeed. but we are progressing. Uh-huh. So, that's the main point is that we are going ahead. Uh-huh. And, uh, I think that, uh, in the long term that women are going to be able to have the recognition that they deserve. Uh-huh. And, uh, men, uh, have, a lot of them have, uh, come around and have seen, the error of their ways. Uh-huh. Uh-huh. But there are a lot of die-hards out there that will never change. Uh-huh.
So we have to, uh, face that reality also. I have never been able to figure out why they can not ever change, why they can not bend. I mean, why they can not just accept, you know, competent women, I, I have never been able to understand that. I guess it's fear I mean what , It could be, if they are they are not sure of themselves. Sure. The ones that, uh, go along with that, they are sure of themselves. Uh-huh. And they know that they can, uh, you know, uh, be on the same level. Uh-huh. And they do not have any, uh, ego, uh, problems that they are fighting. Uh-huh, uh-huh. And, uh, I think that we are going to be, uh, on par with them in salary and in recognition, in the long term. Uh-huh. Uh-huh. Uh-huh. Uh, and I, what I would like to see happen futuristically, is what we are discussing, is that yes, uh, we each have our, uh, jobs in life, and that we should recognize that. And that we should support each other. Uh-huh.
Uh-huh. Uh-huh. Uh-huh. And, uh, I think our problems would be fewer, if we supported each other. And just looked at each other as equals and none lesser, because we are equal. Uh-huh. Uh-huh. Men have a lot of trouble with that though. Uh-huh. They, in their, in their own peer relationships, they do not treat themselves equal, and so it's really difficult for them to treat women as equals. They are, they are really much more comfortable with somebody being the boss and somebody being the follower. Uh, it just seems that, it seems, it seems that they are more comfortable that way. And I do not know if that's, I mean, that's, it's a militaristic point of view I guess, you know, somebody can not be colonel and everybody else is infantry, but it's just really interesting to me. I am married to a wonderful man, you know, who treats me very, you know, with a, with as, I think probably is as enlightened as anyone can be at this particular stage in their life time. But, when he gets angry, it's always over control issues, it's always over power issues, it's never over, you know, it's always, you said you were going to do something and you did not do it. As if he is the boss
and I am the, you know, and I am the slave. uh-huh. And it, those are the only, only issues we ever fight about. I think it's just, I think it's just difficult for men to, uh, to accept women equally, even if they want to, they are more comfortable when somebody is the boss Uh, dictator, dictatorships are real efficient. Well, I guess we would have to go back to the way that the Lord made us. Um. And, uh, the women when they are married, they are to be subjective to their husbands. Um. And I believe that strongly. Um. And, uh, but I think that they should be in harmony with what they are, with what the subject matter is. Um. And I think the issue should be settled before there's a conflict. Huh. Uh, and I think that can happen in a very wonderful way. Huh. And if we, men and women, would do as the Bible said, that we would esteem each other higher than ourselves.
Uh-huh. Can you picture that? Uh-huh. I mean, if your husband did that to you, and you did that to your husband, you would always be trying to please each other and not yourself. Uh-huh. Uh-huh. Yeah, it's true. And, uh, that's really the, the divine answer, and, and the right answer Uh-huh. Uh-huh. So, uh, uh, that would be a beautiful relationship. Uh-huh, it would be. And I think there are some people that have done that, Uh-huh. and I have seen it. Uh-huh. And it's, it's just marvelous, and I am just in awe to see this,
Um, I don't, I am only twenty-eight and I haven't had much experience with nursing homes. I don't, I have never visited any of them and, uh, I don't think I've ever even been in one. Have you? Um, actually I have, um, I've, I've been in them but, um, just visiting and, uh, we used to when we were like in, in our teen ages we'd go on Sundays and visit, you know, the older people. But, um, I have an elderly grandma that lives with us. Uh-huh. And she's lived with us for like five years. So I kind of know how it is to, how to decide if you want to put somebody in a rest home or, um, like we, I mean we've had those discussions, you know, about should we put her in or because she's pretty senile and And it, it takes a lot of care like twenty-four hours a day someone, has to be, Well, there's someone in my, my fiancee's family. Yeah. It's His grandmother too and they're, that her son, his uncle, whatever, you know, anyway.
He, he has, he's recently retired and so he's the one who she moved in with when she had a stroke and, and all the other children are working or whatever. Uh-huh. They're all my parents age. And, uh, so he's got, you know, his retirement though is really twenty-four hours a day. They have a day care two days a week. They call it senior citizen day care. But she goes in the senior citizen center. Oh, really? So he gets a break two days a week but it's only for like two or three hours at a time. Uh-huh. And, you know, just, you see a lot of things like you, you know, was a great golfer and wanted to play golf when he retired, and you know that a lot of the things he thought he would do when he retired he's not able to do now. Right. But he refuses to consider any other, I don't, To put her in a rest home? Yeah,
and is that how your parents feel or, Um, well, see it's more my grandma that feels that way. Uh-huh. She says that when her husband died that he said, oh, that my uncle had said that he would never put her in a rest home. So it's kind of, uh, I don't know. I mean, I don't, I don't think my parents would but she is getting pretty bad like she has to have like a little toilet right by her bed and, it's, Uh-huh. and my mom has to take care of her pretty much so it gets, I don't know. It's, it's a hard decision, but I don't think I would do it to my parents personally I know at this, I know I feel like I would never do that with my parents either, you know. But I, I really feel bad for the people I see not very,
I'm not really, really experienced but like I said I just have that one family, and I just really feel bad for the guy who his whole life is different now and, than he thought it would be. But, When he retired? Yeah, and he's got, you know, seven brothers and sisters and, and, uh, he's the one because he's the one that isn't going to work every day and that she moved in with when she needed to move in with someone. And, Yeah, it's like that good for us just because my uncle and my, and my mom switch off like we have her for three months and then he has her for three months. Oh, well, that's great. So that, that works out good. That's a good idea. We ought to, Yeah, and maybe when the other brothers and sisters retire or whatever, I don't know what they're going to do. It's really not my family.
It's my fiancee's so I don't, I can't say much. Uh-huh. But I always feel like I would never put my parents in either and I wonder, I'm going to be the only sibling that isn't going to have children so if my parents do need to live with someone, it will probably be with me because all my brothers and sisters will be having teenagers around and everything to care for. You know, Really? and I'm, I, that's fine with me. my fiancee and I both figure that's what's, we're going to end up with both of the parents or whoever. If You know what I mean? We feel like, it's our responsibility, Uh-huh. and I feel like I would never put them in a home. But I wonder how much, you know, if one of us is going to have to quit work someday or retire early or something. Uh-huh. You think about it and it's really, I don't know.
This country kind of takes the worst care of the elderly of any other country. You think? I, I I'm not really familiar with how other countries, And, It's really more of a, um, like a respect issue that the older, older people in other countries that I've been to seem to really have a lot more respect for the elderly people and, and they really seem as wise and, and in this country nobody really, Yeah, nobody really pays attention They're seen as senile and they, oh, the old-timer made with the old way and nobody respects the traditions. And, you know, it's I, I'm not saying that I do either but you know, it's just funny Right. and, and we really don't have any that don't have the Social Security and everything really isn't that much for elderly people to live on. Uh-huh. You know, even if they're in good health it's incredible. Right. They don't have any, they don't get special treatment and maybe they should, you know because we're all going to get old someday.
Uh-huh. I know. And so it's a, it's kind of a depressing topic though. How old are you? Um, I'm twenty. So it is, yeah, and it must be rough for you too to see your grandmother. Yeah, it's, it really is but, and she, she drives us Why don't you go ahead and say what you feel, and then I'll respond. All right. Well, I'm, uh, I'm very guilty of, of not doing my part with recycling, I'm afraid. We, um, recently moved here from North Carolina, and they had curbside recycling, and it was very easy to, you know, to put everything out there, but we don't have it in, at least in our neighborhood right now Yeah. and, uh, so, I've been very guilty about not making the effort to, to take things where take things where they belong. Well, how long have you been here?
Well, we've been here since January, so we, we still feel very new, Well, but, uh it's working up to a year now, Yeah. so, I guess we're old timers compared to some people. Yeah, I think that's a good excuse. You need to get into the the system a little more and know where to take things. Right. Yeah. We've been here probably two and a half years, and, and we didn't recycle at all before we came Uh-huh. so I think we're doing well. We, we save most of our aluminum cans and glass and newspaper right now. Uh-huh. Well, where do you take those things? Well, the, um, glass and the newspaper we usually take to Walmart. They have, um, in behind Walmart they have bins
Uh-huh. and then we usually save up our cans and, and change them in for money. Well, where do you do that, because we've been saving cans for my daughter's choir um, Uh-huh. but I didn't know where to take them. Um, there's a place on Parker Road, um, it's just over the overpass before you get like to K-Mart. I think there's a, a service station there. There's usually a semi truck that has a, a person there that will weigh them and, Now they aren't worth much right now, Oh. but it's better than nothing Yeah. so Better than nothing, right. and what I hear a lot of neighborhoods do have the, the pickup now, and we, hopefully we'll be getting them in the month of October. Yeah,
I, it seems like ever since we've moved here we've been hearing that, you know it's coming in a couple of months, Yeah, and, I think it's been delayed. but I think it was originally scheduled for February, but the trucks that were supposed to do it, there's been some problems with from what I've read in, you know, the mail that we get Oh. Right. and I can't wait for that, that will be easy. I get tired of newspaper littering the garage Yeah, it gets to be a bit much to haul it off, but. I feel guilty we don't recycle our, our milk containers because they seem like a big waste. Well, they, yeah they, they're a lot of bulk, anyway Yeah yeah. yeah,
they fill up the whole kitchen garbage can Right. so, I'll be glad when the bins do come, and I think that's when I'll, I'll start doing the plastic, too. Yeah, it was real easy with the bins, it really was, it was just no effort at all, um, no more trouble than taking out the garbage, so, um, Yeah. I've gotten used to washing the, you know, the, um, salad dressing bottles and things like that, Right. it's not that big of a deal, and it's nicer to just throw them out, but we can do our part take an extra minute or two. Yeah. Well, how much do you earn on the cans, I, I didn't know what kind of an idea to give her for, Oh, when we first were, were here, it was like we'd take maybe a, oh, a grocery sack full or maybe two grocery sacks full, Uh-huh.
and it would be like two dollars but since last time we've gotten more like a dollar. Yeah. So it's gone down. Yeah Yeah, which is understandable, I think, more people are are recycling. Right. Yeah. That's something we, we don't really make any effort to, and whatever pop we drink, we used to take the boys out for a bike ride, and pick up the litter, you know, the, the cans Uh-huh. and that was kind of fun, but we haven't done that for a long time Yeah. so. Well, that sounds like a pretty good project. Well, the boys think it's fun, plus you get your exercise and you do get to stop once in a while when there is a can to rest so
Oh. but. Well, I'll have to keep myself and, and get on it. My neighbor across the street, um, is so careful about recycling, and so I keep telling myself, I'll, I'll get it organized, but, may, maybe they'll beat me and, and do the city wide first. Well, hopefully the bins will be here in this month and that will spur you on, so Right, right, I won't have any excuse then, that's for sure. All right, well, it sounds like we're doing our part and at least starting, Trying Thinking about it, anyway that's all you can do Yeah, but, Well, um, have you, so. do they time this thing for us,
or do we, Um, yeah, you can do it as long as you want. They, you know, if it's been long enough, five minutes is, is when they cut in and say, say, we don't have any more room for recording You can't chat all day, huh So we can say good-bye now. Okay. It was good talking to you, and maybe we'll get on line again. Okay. Thanks, Sherry. Bye-bye. Bye-bye. Well, do you have any pets? Yes I do. I have a dog named Grisly, who's a ten year old, uh, mixed breed between Golden Retriever, Afghan Hound and Chow. Oh. And I have a pair of box turtles.
Oh, I used to have box turtles, um, well, years ago, when I was growing up Yeah, I, I really like them. Oh, yeah, I do, too. Lucky and Spot, that's their names Oh. and they live in an aquarium without water in my family room, and my dog thinks he's a mother turtle, and always has his nose all around my turtle box, so do you have any pets now? Yes, um, we have one dog, a Bichon Frise. Um, our friends in Houston bred the dogs. I had never heard of them No, I haven't either. they're, um, they're all white and they're small, and, um, and fluffy, they don't shed.
I guess they're distantly related to a poodle, but they're not very well known in this country, and they're not, um, high strung or over bred um. Oh. And how big do they get. Ours is, uh, on the small end, and she's about ten pounds, and they range from probably ten to sixteen pounds Oh, that's interesting. and they love people, um, and kids and that was something we were looking for, um, our, our love is Golden Retrievers, and that's what we had intended to get in Houston, but we had a small yard and a pool and knowing how they love to dig and love the water, um, and we thought that was kind of a tough climate the water, yes. Yeah. so, uh, we ended up getting this, and, uh, my son would rather have a Golden Retriever, though, I think
Oh. now he wants a, a good size dog Uh-huh, well, we've got a good size dog, and we were considering getting a puppy, a small house, lap top dog for him, because he likes other animals and for me, because we used to have a miniature Dachshund, and I miss having a little one you know, around. Oh. Yeah. The kind you have sounds very interesting, though. Well, they really are, um, they're really sweet dogs. We've, uh, we thought probably our neighborhood in Houston had more of this breed than any other place just because of, um, the family that had them and, and bred them. They had five litters of puppies, and and a lot of them stayed in the neighborhood Oh. Uh-huh. because, um, And how do you spell that breed? It's B I C H O N F R I S E. F R I S E. And how do you pronounce that?
Bichon Frise. Okay. I'm writing it out phonetically, Yeah. They're, uh, and they don't shed so they're, they're good dogs for people with, with allergies, Yes, and they love people, and they're, Do they bark a lot? Um, no, not really. Ours, um, ours barks more than, um, than some, because she spent a lot of time at our friends' house. We used to swap back and forth dogs. they have three dogs. They had a Cockapoo, and, and two Bichons um, Uh-huh. and she didn't bark at all until she spent time there Oh.
and, uh, now it's funny. She's, she's a good watch dog Uh-huh. and if there's, she'll bark that way, but she also talks a lot, she um, has a definite personality Yes. and so, if we're leaving her, she barks at us, because she doesn't want to be left. Um. Oh. Does she ever mess in the house? No, no, and they're, um, they're very smart dogs. The circuses in Europe used to use them um, for the acts. Oh. They, uh, oh, they'll dance on their hind legs each Uh-huh. Oh, gee. um, but they're very easy to train Uh-huh.
and, And about how much are they? Well, they range, I'd noticed up here they're a lot more expensive it seemed to me from the ads in the paper. They run anywhere from two hundred to four hundred dollars, I think which I thought was a lot. And how about the, And how about the person in, uh, Houston? Well, she's no longer breeding them Oh. but, um, because her dogs, um, the, the second one that she has was one of the puppies from the litter, and, uh, the one male that she used had a tooth problem Uh-huh. and so she only bred that dog once because it had the tooth problem, and did them strictly as, um, pets, you know they weren't, weren't show quality. Oh, yes. Just pets, Yes, that's what we'd rather have is just a pet, instead of we used to show Saint Bernards when I was a little girl. We did that every weekend, Oh, but, yeah, takes a lot of time. Yes,
and it's very expensive. Yeah, um, but she might have some contacts here, I know I know that the dog's grandmother, um, was from Plano, Oh, that's where I live, Oh, that's where I live, too. Yeah, I'm at Coit and Legacy ... So, what do you think about it? Well, I found it interesting that they started off with a problems of immigration in America and then went back and said, well, if there is a problem, what should we do about it? Right Yeah, I guess that's so. Do you feel there's a problem with immigration in America? Um, uh, I think there's some problems, but they're not really big ones. I think that, um, in general the whole immigration policy isn't quite as open as it should be. That it's really pretty hard for people from other countries to get in here even if they're educated and will be a good asset to America. It's often hard for them to get in and get on the track towards citizenship unless they marry a citizen or something like that. Okay.
That's interesting. I was, I was wondering what your response would be. I'm a first generation American. Okay. So I'm, from immigrant parents Or an immigrant mother anyway. Uh, where did you come from? Okay. Okay, so where did your parents come from? Uh, Poland. Okay. And, And that was, you know, prior to World War Two. Uh-huh. But it's interesting that, you know, with the topic I think I agree with you. Yeah. There needs to be more of an open policy. Uh-huh. And you know we have to remember the Chinese came here and were our labor, you know, for the railroad, Transatlantic Railroad and, our Irish came and, you know, built the towns and, did labor.
Yep. Uh-huh. But what do you think, are you from Texas or, I'm from Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania. Okay. Yeah. Well, that will be interesting. Right, and, uh, a lot of, Because we have just, had a Naturalization Act where the Mexicans that were residents in Texas, I'm from Texas and have become citizens now. Uh-huh. Yeah. What do you think about that? Um, I think that's all right. I, um, at least on the surface it sounds like a good thing. Do you have an opinion about it?
Well, I agree with it wholeheartedly. Uh-huh. The only thing is I've got to share with you, my background is from New Jersey. Uh-huh. So, when you were giving your answer I was thinking, is this a Texan I'm talking to? No, okay. Because Texan philosophy is a little different. Right. Well, a lot of the experience that I have with this problem has to do with my brother-in-law who's Chinese and immigrated from China. And, um, you know he, um, got a green card is, and is in good standing in America and China, but only because he was always nice to the Chinese government, and all that, Uh-huh. and he was always on pretty good terms with them. Yeah, well we, But, um, their, my sister just had a baby and they're trying to get permission for his mother to come to America to like help care for the kid and that sort of thing. And it's turned out to be sort of a horrible problem. It's just very difficult to get a woman who doesn't have a lot of assets or whatever out of China even temporarily to visit here.
Oh, well, then you have first in the experience on immigration. Yeah. Well, that is interesting. Uh-huh. Yeah. Well, I wonder, you know, even with those that were involved with Tienamen's Square. Right. You know, did we really protect them? Yeah, that's, and I think that's pretty crazy, because I mean those students who were in America when that was happening are almost certainly going to be in trouble if they go back, Yeah. and aside for that, they're the best and brightest of China so it's certainly in our best selfish interest to keep them here if we can. That is true. That is true. Well, what do you think about, Yeah. we have in Texas a large Vietnamese population that has been brought in. Uh-huh. Yeah.
What do you think about that? Um, And these are not the brightest. See, these are refujees, you mean? I mean we we're talking boat people. Okay. Right, okay. We have a lot of boat people in Texas. Right. Well, um, I don't have any problem with that. Um, You're a true liberal heart-to-heart. Good for you. Yeah, I guess so I was ready for a fight on this one Uh-huh. Right. No, I agree because,
Uh-huh. um, interesting, my, when my daughter was in high school, one of the custodians was Vietnamese Yeah. and with his limited English they found out, you know, that, she was in student council, and they found out that he was a medical doctor, All right, so, we started recording already? Uh, I guess, I don't know. It's the first time I've made a phone call on it. Oh, so you pressed one? Right. Okay. So, I guess we're supposed to start talking. Uh what kind of books do you read? I read, uh, a lot of Steven King, Dean R Koontz, uh some Danielle Steel. Uh-huh. My aunt got me hooked on those Uh-huh. So I,
So it's mostly all novels? Yeah, they're all novels. Okay. I'll read some, uh, classic, too. Oh, like what? Uh, like THE GRADUATE by Steinbeck. I'll, uh, Yeah, I like that. I like Steinbeck a lot. A, A ROSE FAMILY by Faulkner. That's one of my favorites. I have never read a lot of Faulkner. Oh, and this, this is more of a play or something that, that it was from, that, that I saw and I read the book from that. Oh, cool And, by the way, my name's Bill. I'm from North Carolina I'm Doug, I'm from Pennsylvania.
Uh, I, let's see. What kind of books do you like to read? Uh, well, a bunch of stuff, I guess, uh, fair number of novels, but mostly shorter ones. And, like, I don't really like the, you know, six hundred page long Stephen King novels and all that. I really have to be in the mood. Right? I, I read one, like maybe once a year. Uh-huh. I'm not as, No, like, I like, say, uh, Richard Broudigan a lot. Uh, I've never read anything by him. Okay. He's, uh, he's dead now, but he was really a pretty amazing writer. He wrote books that were, like, pretty short and pretty easy to read, you know, like written at a third grade level or whatever. Yeah. But they were still very heavy and philosophical, also very funny. Like, He wrote TROUT FISHING IN AMERICA.
Okay. So that's, anyway, and, uh, I read a lot of non fiction books, too. Uh, let's see, I like to read a lot of non fiction history when Civil War era and, and that kind of thing. Uh-huh. Uh-huh. I found that real interesting. I'm reading THE LION AND THE WIND right now. And that was on T V. Now what's that? It was, uh, during Teddy Roosevelt's time. And, uh, about a American woman that got kidnapped in, uh, Morocco. Uh-huh. Yeah. Uh, this is when they were having their revolution or whatever Uh-huh. and Teddy Roosevelt sent troops over and really portrays him as a, kind of a crazy man, you know. Yeah Surprised me. I had no idea that he was like that.
Uh-huh. What, how crazy? Well, just like some, one quote that he had was that he thought the America's emblem was stupid because it was an eagle, and it should be a grizzly bear because Oh, you, you know, like the grizzly and stuff like that. So it's, I saw the movie and that's what made me want to read the book. Uh-huh. Candice Bergen was in the movie. I'm a real big fan of hers so, Yeah. Cool, see, I also read a lot of books about music because I'm interested in that and fair number of stuff about science and also philosophy things. Uh-huh. I like, I like to read some of the philosophy stuff. Like, Uh-huh.
Like, let's see, and even like reading some new age things, things that I don't quite believe in, like here on my shelf I have a book called JOURNEYS OUT OF THE BODY. Yeah, I think that, It's all about how to have out of body experiences and all that. I'm fascinated by that. Yeah, I'm fascinated by that. Uh-huh, yep. That, and, and, uh, even stuff about, not like ghost stories, but real encounters with ghosts and supposedly haunted houses. Uh-huh. I like, I'm kind of a doubting Thomas and I like to read stuff like that. Some of it really freaks me out Yeah. Uh-huh
Right, definitely Uh, And I like to read, uh, I like to read some self help books like, uh, I read DIANETICS once, once I got past all the gibberish on it. Uh, did you like it? It was okay. It, it, it, it took me a while to really get into it. It, it didn't help me that much Uh-huh. I see. But, uh, I think once you're set in your ways, you're set in your ways. Yeah Uh, then I, one real interesting book I read recently was, when I was looking for a job, I read, HOW TO GET THE JOB THAT YOU WANTED and, it, it had real good tips and it, and I got the job that I wanted by applying the, the methods that, that, Uh-huh.
Okay, you want to go ahead and tell me your favorite team, or who you think will be doing well this year. Uh, well, where I'm from the Atlantic coast conference is a very big conference and, course, we have Duke University that was the national champions last year, so I'm kind of hoping that they'll repeat again this year. They have a lot of the same players back. Are we talking about, is this the N B A? No, this is college basketball. This is college, College, okay Right. We have like Carolina, and Duke, and Georgia Tech, and N C State, teams that are normally ranked in the top twenty. Uh-huh. So, hopefully we'll have a good year. I don't really follow the N B A very closely. And see that's probably all, all I saw. I, we have moved in the last couple years from Utah to Texas and there's so many colleges and universities in Texas, we haven't really followed them too much and none of them are our, our alma mater so, that seems to help.
Do you like professional basketball? Uh, I, I follow it especially around the playoffs, so, course, I was real familiar with the Utah Jazz, and the Mailman or Karl Malone was, you know, pretty big thing and, the Lakers have always been amazing to watch. Yeah. I, I did keep track a little bit of the Mavericks. They've not had any good seasons for a long time, and have a lot of problems with, with Tarpley and, maybe now that that's over they'll, they'll come out of it but, Well, that's an up and coming team, though. Yeah, I hope they do something. They need to or they're not going to have any of the team left at all. That's somebody you can get behind and, be patient. Yeah. Kind of like the Cowboys I guess. Yeah, they seem to be kind of not having a very good few seasons.
Yeah, they, coming out of it this year. We'll see if it's held on. But, I think Chicago will probably with the N B A again. The Bulls? Yeah, uh-huh. Yeah. They'll probably be pretty good. Course, the Celtics are always really, really good, too, with their players. That's true. Be interesting to see how the Olympics does this year with all the, the N B A players playing on the Olympic team. That's true, it will be interesting. So, It will certainly be different Yeah. I don't know, how close I'll follow them, though. And the season hasn't started yet. I'm usually more the end of the season person,
and we need to talk about baseball and so, Yeah, oh, my Atlanta Braves. Well, Well, I really do, uh, you know, the basketball season's supposed to start in the next couple of weeks. It's, yeah, yeah. It's a long season. It is, it is, and that's why I've, I guess my mind went blank. It's like last season was so long ago and I haven't really even started thinking about basketball yet so, Yeah. But, this wasn't a good subject, but, We'll see how our predictions come true.
It's a little early. We definitely will. Okay, it's good talking to you. Good to talk to you. All righty, bye. Bye-bye. Uh, I guess my personal opinion, I, I don't mind paying taxes necessarily. I, I just sometimes wonder if our money is being used in the best way. Right. Uh, sometimes when I hear what, what they're, even what, even what the politicians are making, you know, when they're getting a hundred and fifty thousand plus benefits and that, uh, I think that's just a bit too much to be paying them, uh, and that's all tax money. When you figure out how many politicians and each one getting that much, it's just billions of dollars that's, I think is just being thrown away. Right, right. And then when you read about that they're spending all the money on, you know, these studies that have no relevance whatsoever, that kind of ticks you off, too. Yeah. But, uh, somebody, somebody was telling me the other day that they heard some senator say that what we're paying, it's not that we mind paying taxes, it's that we're paying too much for a lousy government.
Yeah. And I, I, I tend to agree with that Yeah. I'm not really into what they're doing per se, Yeah. and I think there's just too many, too many levels of bureaucracy. I think it can be, can be managed by less, uh, less levels. Yeah, yeah. Well, I know any time there's, there's a big, uh, budget cut, you know, I work with the state, and any time there's, there is a budget cut or crunches, it's always the small guy that, that gets hurt. Right. It's never the, uh, the person that's making a hundred thousand there. It's always the person that's making the least amount, and uh, and sometimes we're running around there. Right. I see these, these, uh, supervisors running around, uh, having meetings. I, I really don't know what they do. Right.

Subsets and Splits

No community queries yet

The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.