The General Chat Thread (2024)?

TastyReuben said:
Just found out a schoolboy crush of mine passed away yesterday, 64yo, from cancer. She also had advanced dementia.

I mentioned before that my parents farmed me out to work as a child, and I started my first job working at a Christmas tree farm at nine years old, in 1975. My job was basic errand boy/gopher, and I ended up running change back and forth between the field shacks and the main house.

Well, Sherry worked there as well, and she was 16, nerdy farm girl, and I was in love instantly.

I worked with Sherry for the next 10 years, doing year-round farm work with her, and that crush turned into deep respect and real affection for her.

Once I moved away at 19, I never saw her again, but she went on to get advanced degrees in history and natural sciences, stayed single and childfree, started a nationally-recognized/awarded natural sciences education program for kids, and had a pretty spectacular life. That made me happy to read in her obituary today.

My first job in a band, at 17, was playing guitar in a local university-sponsored dance band, organized by my guitar instructor, who included me as an act of charity, I’m sure.

I was nervous as hell my first show, as it was the very first time I ever played on stage. To say I was 💩’ing bricks is an understatement.

Looking out at the crowd on the dance floor in front of the stage, getting even more jittery, who did I see but Sherry, still in her work boots and baggy jeans, waving enthusiastically, and I smiled, remembering that I’d told her a few days before that I’d be playing that Friday night and was already scared to death about it. I smiled, waved back, and instantly felt better.

I played in that band for nearly 18 months, two dances a month, most months, and Sherry was at nearly every one.

Funny what comes back to you from 40+ years ago. RIP Sherry, a lot of people are missing you.
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It sounds like you have wonderful memories of her - that’s why I chose the love reaction.

She sounds like a remarkable woman.
 
TastyReuben said:
Just found out a schoolboy crush of mine passed away yesterday, 64yo, from cancer. She also had advanced dementia.

I mentioned before that my parents farmed me out to work as a child, and I started my first job working at a Christmas tree farm at nine years old, in 1975. My job was basic errand boy/gopher, and I ended up running change back and forth between the field shacks and the main house.

Well, Sherry worked there as well, and she was 16, nerdy farm girl, and I was in love instantly.

I worked with Sherry for the next 10 years, doing year-round farm work with her, and that crush turned into deep respect and real affection for her.

Once I moved away at 19, I never saw her again, but she went on to get advanced degrees in history and natural sciences, stayed single and childfree, started a nationally-recognized/awarded natural sciences education program for kids, and had a pretty spectacular life. That made me happy to read in her obituary today.

My first job in a band, at 17, was playing guitar in a local university-sponsored dance band, organized by my guitar instructor, who included me as an act of charity, I’m sure.

I was nervous as hell my first show, as it was the very first time I ever played on stage. To say I was 💩’ing bricks is an understatement.

Looking out at the crowd on the dance floor in front of the stage, getting even more jittery, who did I see but Sherry, still in her work boots and baggy jeans, waving enthusiastically, and I smiled, remembering that I’d told her a few days before that I’d be playing that Friday night and was already scared to death about it. I smiled, waved back, and instantly felt better.

I played in that band for nearly 18 months, two dances a month, most months, and Sherry was at nearly every one.

Funny what comes back to you from 40+ years ago. RIP Sherry, a lot of people are missing you.
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What a touching thing to write 🥰
Sounds like she liked you right back.
Nice.
 
I just got back from an appointment with my new PCP.
I wanted to discuss a coupla health issues that I have with her that none of my other specialists were addressing that have been weighing heavily on me.
I could have asked my questions via the Patient Portal, but to be fair to her practice, I felt that I should make a face-to-face appointment and pay for it.
I came away from this meeting so extremely happy!!!
She has taken me OFF of two medications that both she and I thought I truly did not need to be taking, rather go the natural approach.
I'm so glad that I've found her, she has the same ideas about health care as I do.
Did I say that I'm just over the Moon happy? I could just cry right now ... pardon me for a moment ...
*Side note: not sure if the entire class knows that I have been gravely ill since April and just recovering recently... I had many follow-up questions to all that has happened to me.
 
Herbaceous said:
She sounds like a remarkable woman.
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She was, really. She was made fun of by a lot of people (unmarried, no kids, dressed like a forest ranger, never wore makeup, hair back in a bun, granny glasses even as a kid, drove a farm truck, smelled like owl shit, etc), sort of considered the town kook who taught kids about nature, and it was easy to forget how accomplished she was - I was reading that she was invited to one of the Scandinavian countries several years ago to help get the nature program she designed and developed up and running there. Amazing.

I remember I’d come home on leave from the Air Force, and I’d ask my mom, “You ever see Sherry around, what’s she doing?”

Mom would very derisively reply, “She’s still over at that ol’ ‘versity, I s’pose she ain’t ever gonna leave that. Why work for a livin’ when you can jus’ spend yer life in school, huh?!”

SandwichShortOfAPicnic said:
What a touching thing to write 🥰
Sounds like she liked you right back.
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Thanks…I think she tolerated me more than anything else, but being that she was considered “eccentric” by the locals, even as a teen, and I, my oldest brother, and my dad all worked with her at various times and treated her normally, I do think she sort of had a soft spot for us.
 
TastyReuben said:
Grow up in the country, if you have a barn or something like that, you’ll find out!
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uhmmm, owl poop or owl barf? . . . .
1711137282107.jpeg
 
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