Entirely Offtopic: Amazing Facts About and Experiences Of Me!

[RandomThought]

I understand it is entirely possible for one to to grow weary of "Amazing Facts About and Experiences Of Me! " but since we are here...

A. My grandfather was a disabled veteran, injured in France during WW1. His brother was killed.

B. My father (still living!) is a disabled veteran, struck down with a damaging, viral illness while serving at the time of, but not actually in, the Korean war.

C. I am a disabled veteran going back many years; my MS diagnosis came as "just another thing" to handle". *flash of insight* My avoidance of this major, life topic keeps me a bit reclusive and off of forums.

Ok...deep breath...click post reply...

[agate]

Brian, assuming you're in the US (but I'm not sure you are), do you deal with the VA? Do they provide good care?
I've heard really mixed reports about them. Some people are really pleased with the VA care but others say it's hopelessly bad. My own impression is that it's a seriously overburdened system that is trying to do the best it can.

[stillstANNding]

I waltzed with John Kenneth Galbraith in the Harvard Boat House one December.

Dancing, I miss you.

ANN

[RandomThought]

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Brian, assuming you're in the US (but I'm not sure you are), do you deal with the VA? Do they provide good care?
I've heard really mixed reports about them. Some people are really pleased with the VA care but others say it's hopelessly bad. My own impression is that it's a seriously overburdened system that is trying to do the best it can.

Since beggars can't be choosers, I have dealt with the VA many many times over a period spanning decades. I have had both terrible and gratifying experiences. My MS Dx came from a University Of Washington MS research neurologist who thoughtfully spent some time slumming at the Seattle VA hospital. I avoid the bureaucratic nightmare as much as I can.

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Dancing, I miss you.

ANN

I'm sorry that you miss dancing but I like your memory of a dance with an accomplished person in a primo location !

[Howie]

Well, let me see if you are a late nighter.....like me!

[Virginia]

That reminded me that I talked with Walter Cronkite at a benefit for quite awhile. He was interesting. Then later we had our picture taken on the dance floor. He put his arm around my waist and pulled me over and said he was always happy to have his picture taken with a good looking lady. His wife was right there.

I didn't have my picture in a Chicago paper, but when I was either 16 or 17 I was in our local paper. There were a couple of other people in the picture, but I was featured. I was President of my Distributive Education class and was being honored for that.

Later when I was about 24 I was on the front page of the hometown newspaper of Collierville, Tn. I was working in an office that had just opened there and they featured me as being the only lady in the office.

Not much - maybe something else will cross my mind.

[Lazarus]

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I waltzed with John Kenneth Galbraith in the Harvard Boat House one December.

Dancing, I miss you.

ANN

Ann,
In Northampton MA there is a wonderful Indian restaurant. The owner’s father was Galbraith’s chef! I do not remember all the details but I think I have the main one right!

[RandomThought]

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Well, let me see if you are a late nighter.....like me!

Not me...in my thirties I was always up til 1 or 2 am. Now I am abed by 9pm and the first one up in the household around 4 or 5am.
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I'm really glad others are celebrating memories and experiences in this thread :) Walter Chronkite !!!!! ( I feel that my swooning here is not unmanly, not at all)

[agate]

Really nice, Virginia! You made an impression on Walter Cronkite, who probably wasn't easily impressed.

When in high school I had to go downtown with a group of other seniors to have our photos taken for the yearbook. We were in one of the big office buildings in Chicago where there was a photography studio that did class photos. As we were milling around in the hall of that building, someone passed the word around that Charlton Heston was right there in the hall.

We all stood there and gaped. Some people might even have had the nerve to ask for his autograph--I don't recall. But there he was. I wasn't a big Charlton Heston fan but certainly knew who he was.

That was my one fleeting moment in the vicinity of a famous person.

[Sunshine 2]

One thing I learned from being so handicapped is that there are no ordinary people. I have had time to chat with otherwise invisible people, the grocer, the downtrodden surfer, pretty much anyone, and some of them have had amazing adventures, and some have had very interesting things happen in their past.

People look ordinary, but there is no such thing. They may have done an act of incredible kindness or bravery that no one else would’ve done, and they don’t talk about it, unless someone takes an interest in them. People tell me about their lives because i take the time to listen, and I don’t bring the conversation back to myself I guess.