My two-cents worth and then some. An online journal by LP Brown.

Browsing Category The Way I See It

Desperately Seeking Closure

by on ·General, The Way I See It

QuestionI think he’s dead. I don’t know for sure. I hope I’m wrong. What I do know is that he is missing. Not knowing what has happened to my friend has me in a quandary, so perhaps you’ll understand if I switch between speaking of him in the present and past tense.

In the years since we’ve been platonic friends, Kenny G – my nickname for him – rarely missed sending me a card for my birthday, Christmas, and other special occasions; or phoning me every few weeks just to keep in touch. For him not to send a Christmas Card or call me last month to say “Happy New Year!” was very unusual.

Although we attended the same high school — he was a few years ahead of me — and grew up blocks apart, we never actually met until 21 years ago; and over time we learned that we knew some of the same people from school and the old neighborhood.

The last time I saw Kenny G was a few weeks after his birthday last October, when he stopped by my home and visited for about half-an-hour with my beau and me. Before leaving he hugged me, shook hands with him, and said “See ya’ later.” to us. That was four months ago. Since then I have left several messages on his phone — the calls went straight to voice mail — and sent notes to his last known address, but received no reply.

Recently, while scrolling through my cell phone messages I discovered that

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Resistance to Change: A Baby Boomer’s Perspective on Computers and the Internet

by on ·Baby Boomers, Technology, The Way I See It
“A lot of people resist transition and therefore never allow themselves to enjoy who they are. Embrace the change, no matter what it is; once you do, you can learn about the new world you’re in and take advantage of it.” ~Nikki Giovanni 

“Why can’t things go back to the way they use to be?” That rhetorical question was asked by my friend, Jay, a fellow boomer who frequently expresses dislike for most things technical including computers and cell phones. His disdain for such gadgets is not only the result of occasional encounters with computerized devices that refuse to yield to his touch; it is ongoing warfare with any gadget that requires more steps to operate than turning it on and off.  And although he occasionally uses the Internet, he feels that he could easily live without it, without email, without cell phones and texting. I could go on, but that might imply that he is a dinosaur, which would be an insult to every prehistoric creature ever recreated in a computer simulation.

Humans are creatures of habit. We get used to doing the same old things, the same old way. Change will never be embraced by everyone, nor will resistance to change prevent it. Like it or not — change happens; so the sensible thing to do would be to accept and enjoy it.

I recently went to the post office to mail a small package. Sometimes when I go there, I purchase a roll of stamps that usually lasts for several months, because I use them infrequently to snail mail a birthday card or send something to one of the few organizations that still doesn’t offer online services. On this particular day, when the clerk asked me if I needed stamps, I said that I didn’t need any and she replied with a wide grin, “You know y’all have to mail those bills, don’t you?” I returned her smile and responded innocently, “No, I pay my bills on line.” 

Freeze!  Apparently, I said the wrong thing on the wrong day, because

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A Never Ending Open Season on Black Males

by on ·Baby Boomers, General, Race Matters, The Way I See It

Did the Sanford, Florida police simply take George Zimmerman’s word for what happened to Trayvon Martin on February 26? No questions asked. No investigation. No lockup. Did they see a cut and dry case of  stand your ground — Black man down? End of story?  Thanks to a national outcry for justice, it is not going down like that.

Like people throughout the country, I am hurt and fire-spitting angry over the unfortunate shooting of Trayvon Martin. I have one son and six young grandsons. They are all Black. That gives me a strong vested interest in the circumstances surrounding Trayvon’s senseless killing and the call for justice.

What mother of a Black male child cannot relate to this most recent tragedy and does not fear for her own offspring? Even those of us who have had “the talk” with our young, male children know that just warning them is never enough. Making our boys aware of the dangers of simply being a Black male, combined with the ongoing racial stereotyping and negative judgments against Blacks in general is a struggle that requires endless vigilance.

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Remembering Christmases Past

by on ·Nostalgia, The Way I See It

There is no other season that makes me long for the good old days like Christmastime. Compared to the chaotic, anti-religious period that we live in now, Christmas season during the sixties seemed a bit more civil and so much merrier. And, oh how well I remember Christmas when I was a child.

 

I remember the gifts that my parents set beneath the Christmas tree

Toys, new clothes, and goodie bags all for my siblings and me

One year there was a set of drums, a bowling set, and Twister

A tin doll house and a doctor’s kit for me and my little sister

Some years we each got roller skates and a game like Candyland

Things that today’s techie children just would not understand

There were boxing gloves, Tonka trucks, and GI Joe for the boys

Because of finances our Christmases did not always bring lots of toys

But we had a loving family and with the joy that Christmas brings

Our bond was more important than any of the material things

I so enjoyed the sweet music from Christmases in the past

It’s just too bad that those good old days did not last, and last, and last

This season also makes me remember Christmas music played at the rink

I roller skated to Booker T and the MGs, but now they play Nsynch 

Before I go off on a nostalgic tangent, I’m going to stop right here

And wish all my readers Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year!

My gift to you is this beautiful Motown Christmas blast from the past. 

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You Might Be a Baby Boomer if . . .

by on ·Nostalgia, The Way I See It

Listen up, Boomers. My other site – www.potpourri101.com – is getting more traffic than a shopping mall on Black Friday. All right, I confess, that’s because I have been spending a lot more time over there. I was told by a source (In case you are having a senior moment, that’s the term that journalists use when they don’t want to reveal who told them whatever it is that they are about to tell everyone else). So as I was saying, I was told by a source that I need to make the subject matter on this site more interesting by talking about sports (boring) or sex (appealing) or booty shaking videos featuring 10 year old girls (perverted). Nevertheless, I realize that I will have to get creative to hold on to my Baby Boomer readers.

Boomers are an active and resilient group, who resent being referred to as the Geritol crowd. We also dislike being stereotyped as old geezers and frisky cougars. Some of us may be (wink), but not all. Let’s not forget that there are two sets of Boomers. You have the senior Boomers born between 1946 and 1955. They have reached that bold age where they will do whatever they want, say whatever they want, and flip you a bird with an arthritic finger if you don’t like it. Then you have your younger Boomers, in the 1956-1964 crowd. Unfortunately, many of them are in denial — busily trying to pass themselves off as older Generation Xers.  People, please! Boomer up!

Let me help you put things in perspective. Sit back in your recliner, put on your specks and lower the volume on your TV set, so that you can concentrate of reading this; because if you are a true Boomer you are likely to forget everything you have read after leaving this site.

Remember you might be a Boomer if you leave one room, go into another room and then forget what you went after.

You might be a Boomer if you are surprised that there is still money left in the social security fund.

You might be a Boomer if you think that Hippie means a woman with junk in the trunk.

You might be a Boomer if you cannot twist the lid off of a jar, pull a flip top off of a can, or open a childproof bottle in less than 45 minutes.

You might be a Boomer if you cannot figure out how to use an iPhone, iPod, iPad or any gadget with an “i” in front of it, and if you think Steve Jobs is a book in the Bible.

You might be a Boomer if you believe that a TV reality show is really a reality show.

You might be a Boomer if you think a Badass is a person with hemorrhoids.

You might be a Boomer if you have forgotten phrases like “Far out,” “Right on,” “Cool,” and “Groovy.”

And you absolutely are not a Boomer if you don’t love every single thing about being one. Peace out!

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