h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

This is Joy! From Chicago!! We had a very great conversation going a few years ago and then a couple of things happened..... The website went on hold and my life went into a tail spin. Its been a long couple of years, (Death of a brother, recent death of my dad) but I'm coming through it stronger than ever!! I was so pleased to see that you are still on this site. Sounds like things are going wonderfully well for you.

Joy

Joy!!! Its so good to hear from you again! I've been wondering whatever happened to you! I'm so sorry the last couple of years have been so bad for you. What doesn't kill you definitely makes you stronger. Chin up!!

Life's had its ups and downs for us as well, but we've come through, too, mostly intact! The Kid's doing well, we have our wee cat, Cleo. Moved to the city, which is mostly bad (HATE it!) but its just another stop on the way. I'm supervisor at work, which is good, but I find it really hard--no--mostly impossible to create here. Lots of inspiration, just can't put it together. I know that's a cop-out, and I'll likely get over myself.

I don't know what I'd do without Hootoo! Its sometimes the only sane part of my existence. Says alot about my life, doesn't it?

I'm so pleased to hear from you!! Sorry that you unhappy where you are! I'm in a wonderful job (and why do I always feel as if I'm jinxing it if I say that outloud??) as of last November. Very team atmoshere and the higher ups really value their staff. Its a wonderful feeling. We are recovering from the loss of my dad recently. The last couple of years have been hard, watching a loved one decline is never easy is it? But we were fortunate that even up to the end we had some wonderful moments with him. My kids are getting huge. My Ali is entering her freshman year of high school and my Burke is going to be a senior in high school. They are alot of fun. Burke is into his basketball which is a blast to watch and Ali is into volleyball. I spend alot of time in the bleachers! We have been redoing the house so that is taking up alot of free time. I think I really needed some physical labor to sweat away my grief.

What about the city is it that you like the least?

We live in a trendy sort or area - Osborne Village. Its mostly an eclectic mix of green hair to grannies and everything in between. We have extremely wealthy people mere blocks away in a stately old neighbourhood (my grandmother was a maid-governness in one of the houses). We have old and new apartment buildings, one an historic site, bars, fine restaurants, head shops, tattoo and piercing parlours, coffee shops, buskers - and homeless people, drug addicts, drunks toddling down the residential streets begging for money. I hate that. Real need I can accept, and would help more if I could, but I hate all the drunks stumbling around. There's too much traffic and too much noise. We are fortunate that we live on a quiet street, even though there's a bar right at the corner, and the fire hall across the street from the bar. Because there's such limited parking, and usually bumper-to-bumper traffic when I need to go somewhere, I either walk or take the bus. The truck is better off in the back yard! This city does the stupidest things, too - like rejecting rapid transit, which we really need, tearing down a Winnipeg landmark downtown to build a huge arena - and little parking. They have done some neat things, though. Check this out: http://www.bearsonbroadway.com/ These things are huge, and a lovely walk down the boulevard from the Legislature to the Fort Garry Hotel, all under a canopy of trees.

I'm a 35 minute walk to work, and one of my people lives a block away, so I have company. I'm evening and weekend supervisor on a call floor. We do mostly farm surveys, and work for a local utility. Being on the phones is hell, but I've been off them for quite awhile now. I supervise 10 to 70 people, with the help of 1 or 2 team leads if it goes over 25. I really like it. Maybe I'm starting on a new career, who knows?

Harley turned 26 in July. He's an insurance claims adjuster. 2 1/2 more years of courses, and he'll be a marine insurance claims adjuster, what he really wants to do. He lives 2 blocks away, right on the banks of the Assiniboine River, with a view of the provincial Legislature across the river. He's turned out a fine young man. We're really proud of him.

It is so nice that Harley is aware of what he wants to do and how to get there. That is great. 26? Wow, it is nice when they grow up and you can be proud of them, isn't it? My kids are such nice people, in fact an old friend stopped by here this morning and said that he is always impressed by my kids. That sure makes your heart happy doesn't it?

That is a hard area to live in. Here in the city there alot of homeless, men mostly that beg for cash all the time. I live way out in the burbs of chicago so while it is a long commute it is at least a haven away from the city issues and problems. Luckily Chicago is a beautiful city with lots of nifty things that go on and wonderful mass transit. I work on Michigan Avenue which is also called the magnificent mile. It is a shopping/tourist hub. I take an express bus from work to the train, which is about 10-15 minutes). Then I take a train to my car, the ride is anywhere from 45 - 55 minutes depending if I'm on an express or not. Then finally it is a 20 minute ride home in the car. It sounds much worse than it is. I've learned to use the train time for my own time for reading or just catching up with friends who I see on the train. It is nice.

It is funny that we are in coinciding industries. I am in market research and we contract out our call centers. My department handles the open ended questions in surveys and turns them basically into data for tabulations. We do a tremendous amount of Kids research which is hilarious!!

Wow! Imagine our jobs coinciding. I have to keep telling people open-ended questions have to be typed verbatim-verbatim-verbatim. And you have to deal with the results of open-ended's.

I don't know how Harley got to be 26! Seems like yesterday I was hassling him about cleaning up his room! Its so nice when someone else admires your kids. Your's seem to be growing up to be fine people. Its so good to have kids to be proud of. I can't believe your kids are that old! And your son's still into basketball, does your daughter still do art?

I was just out to the grocery store (I'm on my days off), and they're making a movie at an old scientology church near Safeway. It has great arched windows and they were shining huge lights in them. That's going to look great on film!

Its so hot here. I don't think I've had long pants on more than half a dozen times all summer. We have no dress code at work, so its been shorts or long skirts with t-shirts and sandals all summer.

It has been wicked hot here this summer. We have had some days that I can barely stand the oppressiveness of the heat. Our dress code here is very lax as well. It is such an open and warm environment here, very easy to trhive in this office.

We are in the process of moving my mom to an apartment. She has lived in her house for 45 years so there is alot of packing to do. It is going to take up most of our august and september. That with getting the kids ready for school. I guess no rest for the weary! It will be a comfort to get her into a place where she can interact more with people. She is doing well in her adjustment as a widow. It is hard as she and my father were extremely close.

That's got to be tough. It took my husband and his brother a week to get their Mom into an apartment after she sold the house. Quite a chore after all that time in one place! After my Mom passed Dad stayed in the house for the rest of his life. They'd sold the old farmhouse (6 bedroom huge turn-of-the century brick) and moved to a new 2 bedroom bungalow 1/2 a mile away years before, so it was still easy for Dad to keep. Part of his Veterans' vested rights was someone to come in and clean weekly, and that made it really easy for him. They were a close pair too. A few days after Mom's funeral we were all sitting in his kitchen, and he suddenly said That's it. Mom and I had 42 good years, and I don't regret 1 minute of it. Now its time to get on with my life. And he did. He golfed, travelled, did a bit of gardening, and encouraged his grandkids around him.

We have a comfortable, friendly workplace, both in the supervisor's office and on the call floor. Its a nice place to work. Now if they'd only pay more . . .

Boy do I hear that!! But I'm happy to at least have a good working environment.

My mom has said similar stuff. She says she will never find another man like him and that she was lucky. Now it is time to figure out how the rest of her life is going to be. I'm trying to get her to spend some time in learning new things. I think getting into a new environment will be good for her. Selfishly it will be good for me as well. Being the only sibling around it falls on my family to take care of things. Also, I so associate the house with my dad. He was forever puttering around in the garage so everytime I come over and the garage door was open I expect to see his little smiling Italian face.

I know what you mean. My brother lives across the driveway from Mom and Dad's house, and it was 2 years before I could visit Jim and Donna just because I'd have to face the fact that new people were in that house. Its tough. You don't really get over it, either, sorry to tell you - you just get better at dealing with it. So both of you hang in there. The pain eases off with time.

We're going to have some sort of a shake-up at work at some point in the fall or winter. The senior supervisor has something wrong with nerves in his back and leg. When he's tired he walks with crutches. Now they want to remove a disc from his back and give him a nylon one. He'll be off work for quite awhile, and I sure hope this works. He's the nicest person! Its too soon after he got the word, Wednesday, for him to have thought of what to do, and suggest to the boss that he do, so we don't know what the implications are. I told him to keep me posted and not to worry about it, we'd cover it all somehow.

There's sure one thing you can count on in life, and that's that things will constantly change!

Isn't that the truth? But sometimes change is good. It keeps us on our toes. We have my mom's house all sold. I'll be spending alot of time boxing up and throwing out stuff and relocating it. I'm anxious to get working on it.

Tomorrow is our annual Renaissance Faire day. We have a renaissance faire up in wisconsin which is a hoot. All the vendors dressed up in old thyme clothing, lots of good food, some beer and unique items. I'm looking forward to it. We go with my friends who just recently had a baby. It will be fun to be strolling a wee one. She has certainly helped me deal with the loss of my dad.

Wow, it is always a little bit edgy when things are going on at work, isn't it? Sometimes you want to know what is going on and be pushy about it, however if you like the person and they are going through some medical things you want to be reassuring.

Sorry I took so long to reply. We've been in a family revolution for the last bit, and I'm finally sitting down to answer posts!

Harley has decided to pull up stakes and move on. He's cleaning out his apartment, and moving most of it to our house, and leaving this coming Saturday morning for Halifax, Nova Scotia. Out of the clear blue he decided now's the time to pursue his desire to get out of Winnipeg, and go to the East Coast and get into marine insurance. He's talked about it for a year, looked into his finances, cashed in all he has, and he's ready to move on.

Its hard on poor old Mom, but I'll get over myself. He has to follow his dreams like the rest of us - like I did at 18. I've had him around longer than my folks had me. I guess I can't complain! He comes from a long line of people that have suddenly decided to move on, and done it. At least now he's as close as the phone or e-mail. When our ancestors left the Old Country for Canada, they could never go back, and their parents never saw them again. The Prairies will draw him back, at least for a vacation. On the other hand, I'm jealous. I was in the Halifax area for well over a year when I was in the Navy, and I loved it. I hope I can get out there, maybe next summer to visit him.
On the up side, lobster season is on. He can get cheap seafood!

That is difficult in a good way when a child moves on isn't it? Burke is not sure where he will go to college in a year and while there is a good possibility it will be locally there is just as good a chance he will go away. I'm not sure how to bear that, but like you say we have to foster their dreams. And the jealousy bit to me extends to a fresh life, being young and pursuing what you want without any of the encumberances you have in midlife. My youngest, Ali has always had a dream to go to UCLA in california. That is so far from here and even tho that will be extremely difficult for me we are now doing everything we can to help her reach that goal. It is 4 years away (she is starting her freshman year in high school). We had a lovely night. The kids both start school on tuesday so we had a family barbecue. We consider more than the blood relatives as family as we seem to adopt people. So last night we had my mom and my sister, my kids and some of their friends, my good friend sue and her son Evan (who calls me auntie joy), my good friends Steve, Becky and there 5 month old Olivia (who will also call me auntie joy!) and Steve. We had a big bonfire afterward. THe girls (ali and all her friends) wandered the neighborhood, Burke and his friend Logan stayed downstairs and watched some tv, and then they all went back out to the fire and giggled. Steve and I were in our room which faces the yard and could hear them talking and giggling around the dying fire. The girls all retreated to Ali's room where we could hear them giggling all night. Ah, it was lovely!!

Well, we put Harley on the bus this morning at 7:30am. He sent us an e-mail from Thunder Bay, Ontario, not quite 1/4 of the way into his trip to say he was fine. Thoughtful guy e-mailed to reassure me. By this time tomorrow he'll be in Quebec. He has 2 hours in Montreal, so he'd better dust of his high-school French to order supper! Its been a long day! I don't get home from work till after 11:00pm Fridays, and only managed 4 hours of sleep. Then I had to be at work by 11:00am to get the shift started at noon. I told them at team meeting they'd better keep the coffee pot full - I was tired and didn't need to be without coffee!

We miss him, but its his time to follow his dream. I'll get a second hand adventure, and a second hand adventure's better than no adventure at all!!

Oh my! What a nice son to email you to put you at ease. That is so nice to raise good kids, isn't it? Yea, I think it is great that he gets to do what he wants and had the courage to go after it. It is always good to have adventures, even when you are older, don't you think? Sometimes getting it vicariously is better than nothing.

Wow, what a tiring schedule!! You must be dead on your feet some days. Is that what your schedule is like all the time? My schedule is a basic 9-5 but sometimes its 8-4. Sometimes its 730 -330, and I'm always online at night and on weekends. Its pretty much whatever needs to happen, does happen. But this company I've been working at since November is really amazing. Very people focused very compassionate. It does make a difference.

Ali's freshman year in high school has started out great. She is on the freshman A volleyball team and they won their game last night. They are a great group of girls that she has known since kindergarten. They have such good spirits and are so peppy. Just adorable. I kept looking at Ali, in her uniform, with her ponytail flipping around and had to hold myself back from running out and hugging her!

Yes, he's a good kid - good to his mother, anyway! We got a phone call from him last night. He has a room in a house, just a room with common living room, kitchen and laundry with 2 other guys. The lady who manages the rooming house, Mary, is a retired school teacher, and Harley has her charmed already. He was going for tea with her when he got off the phone. She has 2 ginger and white cats, which thrills Harley - he's a dyed-in-the-wool cat person, and they'll take to him and mug him. She picked him up at the hostel, took him to buy bedding and groceries and drove him home. He tells me his room has a video cam on the harbour, and he's going to find out the url so we can see what he sees. Today he's getting his own phone,pressing his clothes, copying resumes, and seeing to banking, library card, etc., then the job hunting starts tomorrow. Wait till Mary sees him suited up! Wow! he's too "pretty" to belong to us!

My scheduling is tiring, but only for the last 2 days, then I have 2 days to rest up. But I love it! Its a people-oriented place, compassionate to people with any kind of problem, and we try everything to get people on track if their dial rate or completion rate is low, before we let them go. People above me are, at least for the most part, excellent. We have a part owner, called Princess Red Pen by my supervisor, who has no people skills, and she's a trial, but other than that, they're great.

Ali sounds like she's turning out to be a great girl, and she has good life-long friends, which is a real plus at her age. Best luck to her team, they're off to a great start!

Isn't that always the way? There is always one stinker in the bunch. We have one guy in particular here who just get in the way of everything and tries to pit one side against the other. Luckily we have all caught on to that and don't fall into the trap. It does make things a teensy bit more difficult when you have these negative uppity personalities!

I'm so pleased with the group of girls Ali has. Not only are they hilarious, but they are really nice, and have great families. My son's friends are wonderful as well. The basketball team consists of mainly really sweet non-ego guys. Hard to have when you are a top athlete but they come from very strong families. My kids have been extremely lucky.

My biggest issue with lack of time has to do with the children's sports schedule. I work in the city and have to take a train. The commute can be anywhere from 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours. Ali's games normally start at 6:30 and are at either her high school or the opposing school. So some days I get in earlier, leave a little early, run to the train, work on the train, run to her game, and then when I get home there are dishes, laundry, etc. It makes for a very busy life. However one I truly enjoy. There is nothing that I enjoy better than watching the kids.

It sounds like Harley is in a great situation. How nice to be able to find a comfortable surrounding so quickly. I'm sure he will be extremely successful. He certainly seems to have the drive. I feel the same way about my kids. I look at them and cannot possibly believe I did that!

I remember the run-run very well! While Harley was in high school I had an hour commute. I went to the odd soccer game in my suit from work. After he hurt his knees it was a bit easier. He took up art and acting, and any art shows or performances were in the evening, and I at least had time for a breather before I had to take off again. He didn't have any permanent injuries, but he just couldn't take the stress of soccer any more. Washed up at 14! But he's an amazing actor, and a fine artist. I always told him, when life feeds you lemons, make lemonade. He never was a very physical kid anyway, he'd rather draw or read a book. Enjoy these times, they're Mom-memories, too, and "warm memories" on cold days when you're missing them.

It was such a quiet, boring shift tonight. We had a good bunch in tonight, and they just sat and did their jobs, not much work for me to do. There was an orientation class tonight, and 5 new people starting next week. We have so much work coming up, and we're losing 11 people going away to school. In a couple of weeks we have some political polling coming up. They're great! Everyone seems to enjoy those ones, finding out what people are thinking. Looks like no slow-down this year!

When Harley was preparing to leave, he said good-bye to a friend of mine he'd only met a few times, but immediately took to. D (she just calls herself D)said she just couldn't believe how much she'd miss him. I said that's because he paid her the respect that was her due - he'd better! I said I thought he'd turned out a fine man, and we were so proud of him. She told me he's what Gord and I made him, and it was our hard work that made him what he was. She had me in tears. Now, D never had kids, she never thought she'd make a good parent. Its too bad, I think she'd have been marvellous. Same with your kids - they're a product of your parenting skills, and they're what you made them. Be proud! They sound like great kids!!

The kids being who the are make everything worthwhile. I don't have the fanciest nicest house, I don't have really anything material that is top shelf, but I have the kids and that is more than most. Last night was the first football home game for the high school. Our team, sadly is one of the worst in the state. My son, his ex-girlfriend (this boy just simply stops dating and remains friends with the girls he has dated. Quite a nice achievement) his best friend and my daughter went to the game. When I got home last night, they were downstairs watching tv and eating pizza. They were all dressed up in blue and orange (the school colors), grace (exgirlfriend who is cute as a button. She is phillipino and just gorgeous) had her hair in these wild pigtails with orange and blue ribbons. They were telling me about the game. How they were "this close" to a second touchdown. Very very cute. My daughter was on a cloud. This was her first high school football game as a freshman. The girl gang all had fun. It was just so nice to come home and find them all chatty and happy, and this is when their team got beat the pants off of! They are so much fun.

Isn't it nice to have friends that your kids get close to? We have alot of friends that are family. My friends Becky and Steve just had baby Olivia 5 months ago and it is all very close. The kids adore becky and steve and we have had them in our lives for almost 10 years. My other friend Sue is a single mom and her two boys are part of our family now. It makes for a nice comfortable bunch of people. It is so nice to have a baby in the family again. She is amazing as well. Personality enough for 10 babies!

Yesterday I had a nice day. We have the labor day holiday on monday so our company closed at 3:00. I met up with a group of people from where I used to work and got to spend some time, sitting outside, having a cocktail, visiting before catching a later train. When I got off the train, another group of old friends was at a local pub. They were outside,so I got to sit and catch up with them. It was nice because it was not a late night, I got to reconnect and still get home in time to have a nice chat with all the kids. Plus it was a beautiful "last weekend of summer" night.

We're having nice weather again. Today was absolutely georgeous - 10 cancellations on my shift today. I'd have cancelled myself, if I could! Its going to be hot tomorrow, so I expect it'll be hard to get butts in chairs tomorrow too!! Monday is a holiday, so a couple of friends from work and I are getting together to do -- whatever. Gordie has a cold, and doesn't care much, as long as we leave him to rest. We'll likely go to The Forks, an area where the Red and Assiniboine Rivers meet, and a great place for shopping, eating, and entertainment. There's not much going on around Winnipeg. School starts Tuesday, and its like the city has shut down after the tourists leave. I'm just not ready for summer to be over! Maybe we'll have a long, open fall. I live in hope - hate snow and cold!