Sheer Coincidence....

My mother's birthday is March 9. The only other people I know, or have known, with this birthday are (1) Andrea Lorenzo and (2) Rolando Vigil. (I only work with these 2 families now, and we collect all the birthdays, and of the hundreds of kids I've worked with, only these 2 share that date.) Meaningless, I know, but still an unusual coincidence.

Define, please

I was watching a show about how the media goes all out when a white child goes missing, but does not do the same for missing black children. Chris Cuomo is advocating for increased coverage in these cases, and had several parents of missing black children as guests on the show. One mother said she didn't find out her seven-year-old daughter was missing until the end of the school day, and it turned out the child had not been in school all day, and had not been contacted by the school. The last time she saw her child was when her stepfather walked her to school, just across the street. Such a sad story. Which brings to mind, what is the definition of a stepfather? Just asking.

The Cringe Factor

Is it possible that a TV host of any show could be more awkward than Drew Carey on The Price Is Right?

Q and A

1988: "I got a cat today," she told me. "Where did it come from?" I asked. "Lloyd got it for me, from the shelter, and her name is Chelsea." I'd gotten Nike a few months before, and he was a Maine Coon Cat. I asked her what kind of cat was Chelsea, and she laughed, "Oh, no special breed, not Siamese or Himalayan or anything---just a gray shorthair, plain old American cat."

2011: "And do you have any pets?" asked the intake counselor, just arrived from Hospice. "Well, I had a cat," she answered, a little slowly, maybe wondering why the question was being asked by a stranger. "And what was your cat's name? " "Chelsea," she said, and the questioner made a notation on her notepad. And then, "What kind of cat was Chelsea?" The pause was a little longer this time: how to describe a beloved cat who had been her companion for 22 years. The answer to that question could have gone in many directions------loyal, comforting, loving, unique-----but she took the easy path, and answered, "American." "Oh," the woman responded, and with a knowing look, made another notation.

I felt like explaining, but I didn't. It didn't matter any more.

R.I.P.

Charles Anthony Madigan January 20, 1966 ( St. Agnes's Eve)

Needless Aggravation

I wonder how cost-efficient the mailing of the Social Security Benefit Statement is. Could it be more expensive to print a 5-fold (counting the flap) mailing than to simply send it in regular envelope form? I think that in this age of technology, when most filers are urged to file electronically, that it is anachronistic, and borderline demeaning, to send a written communication that has instructions as to how to open it. "FOLD & TEAR OFF STUB" is printed on each end of the envelope, if I might call it that. But of course with 5 layers of folded paper, it's hard to tear the stub off, and impossible to tear it off evenly, so as to make it neat for filing purposes. "LIFT TO OPEN" reads the next instruction, on the flap of the so-called envelope. That would seem to be a no-brainer, as only the government would think that a person would need to be told you should lift the flap to open an envelope. But wait, it's not such a simple next step because the ragged edges of the statement left from the forcibly removed stub compromise the integrity of an envelope as we know it. Once you have opened the mailer, you see the "Facts About Your 2011 Social Security Benefit Statement," which advises that your Benefit Statement is on the BACK of this form, and "Facts About Computer Matching Programs" and "Notice 703--To See if Your Social Security Benefits May Be Taxable." We are directed to the information most important to us by the message, "See the Social Security Benefit Statement on the REVERSE. " An arrow points to the right, so we can figure out that's the reverse. At least on that side, evidently the FRONT, all printed material is pointed in the same direction. Once you turn the page over, to read the salient information, you encounter a 1/4 page stating that "IMPORTANT: TAX INFORMATION ENCLOSED." You know it's important anyway , because the statement is enclosed in a box. That part of the page advises you to keep the form for proof of benefits and invites you to visit their website. The next 1/4 page bears the addresses of sender and recipient, and for some reason is printed upside down compared to the top portion. The two 1/4 sections above that tell you want you want to know, and it's not very much info, would easily fit into a regular envelope. If that type and configuration were a more economical method of sending simple information, I would think more entities would use it. The private sector is notably cost-conscious and I don't see it used there. The only more unwieldly mailings I receive are through Publisher's ClearingHouse, and I sure don't file them away.

Really, Governor?

Do I understand correctly that you think students are under-represented and that they have nowhere to turn for support, that they are deprived of unions, and other support groups? Are you insane? Students have parents who are highly motivated to care for them, they have grandparents, in school they have teachers, guidance counselors, and there are social workers, religious mentors to guide them if they ask for help, and who are mandated to help them if necessary. What about Student Councils in high schoools, student associations in colleges, as well as various other student alliances? Are there not community, government, and private sources of financial grants and scholarships offered to students? Try applying for one of these opportunities as an adult, a much more difficult proposition. I think Mr. Cuomo is pandering here. Remember that 18-year-olds who can vote are also eligible to join unions if they choose to work. Students can stay on their parents' health insurance now until their hair starts to turn gray. Is that just a benefit for poor old Mom and Dad, or if the student should need medical care, would not the student benefit even more? I'm all for seeing that everyone has a voice and the right to be represented, but is there any more over-subsidized group in today's society than today's youth? And that doesn't even take into account their legions of FB friends. (Someone supports that activity too. Poor, unfortunate students: Bah, Humbug!