Every day is a new day and with that, a new opportunity
EVERYONE is welcome and please join us each morning at 7:30 AM PACIFIC
to tell us what you're working on, share your show & tell, vent, whatever you want...
...this is an open thread. Nothing is off topic.
Speak to me. I'm listening.
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TODAY'S COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION FEATURE:
--I'm really enjoying reading every single entry of yours in our past daily diaries! So interesting and I love how our memories inspire others to recall their memories.
What was your first chore at home and what was your first job earning a wage?
We were not assigned specific chores to earn an allowance. My parents were too poor to pay us. I remember working very hard as a child in the 60s. My dad instilled a physically hard work ethic in us. The girls were not coddled. In third grade, a big memory was moving the sprinkler pipes in our huge alfalfa field. My dad grew it for our horses and to sell. Every growing season the field needed to be watered. He laid one big, long row of pipes and sprinklers at the edge of the field. On irrigation day we were called out to stand several yards apart, pick up the pipes in unison and walk them several yards to another dry row of alfalfa. After that strip was soaked we were called out again to move the pipes. My dad abandoned the alfalfa and I was never big enough to help bale the hay.
My dad was also a bee keeper. I helped in the yards. And during harvest, Dad would trim the wax tops off of each frame with a long hot knife and hand each dripping frame to me. I loaded the massive extraction equipment, set it on its spin cycle and then hit the brake and reversed to empty the other side of the frame. I can vividly recall the sounds and aromas today. I also bottled the honey and labeled each jar. Mom and I delivered it to the stores in the county in exchange for groceries. Fifth or sixth grade I'd say.
My first job with a wage came at age 15 when I lied and said I was 16. It was at a restaurant where I would start my 11 year career of getting by on tips right through college. I needed income so badly because I was starting high school and I couldn't function without new clothing each year. I didn't want the stigma of the other poor kids who had only one or two outfits. There was one girl who wore the same dress every day for two years. (A little aside about her, Lodema. She came new to 5th grade and was immediately shunned by everyone because she was so blatantly poor. I felt sorry for her so I invited her to sit by me at lunch, etc. She was soooo grateful for acceptance, I'll never forget that look of relief in her eyes. All the rest of our school years she always smiled at me in passing. She was very quiet and wouldn't socialize at all but she knew I was her friend. She never graduated with us. She disappeared. I later learned that she died of a heart attack while being beaten by her husband, in her thirties. Still saddens me to this day...)
omg! I found an actual photo of the restaurant!
Anyway, back to the job interview. It was at a Rodeway Inn restaurant at a Greyhound bus stop on Main Street. I had an appointment with the owner. I entered his office and there behind him on the wall was a huge poster of a nude and very buxom woman with a butcher map drawn on her. You know, rump written on her butt. I gulped, finished the interview and got the job. I was determined to handle this. This little Mormon girl had no idea what was in store. There weren't many places to work in such a small town. My non-Mormon girlfriends worked there. They showed me how to shove the head cook away when he tried to pinch our butts with his tongs. I hid all this from my parents because they would have made me quit. And then I'd be back to NO money. During the summers, I finally got the early morning 5 AM shift that did not feature the pinching cook. I finished work every afternoon in time to swim and exhibition-spring-board dive at the public natatorium. The jack-knife was mine. During the school months I went back to the evening shift. The cook knew then to leave me alone like the older waitresses with beehive hair-dos whom he treated with respect. During any warm months we ended each shift by swimming in our uniforms in the hotel pool at midnight. Good times. Good tips.
Then it was off to college in Hawaii, a new waitressing job and a completely new life.
Freedom at last from parental and small-town community norms.
Latest Updates Kossack Regional Meet-Up News Below the Fold
COMMUNITY BUILDING UPDATES:
Let's build communities!
Every region needs a meat-space community like SFKossacks.
We take care of each other in real life.
I urge YOU to take the lead and organize one in your region.
Please tell us about it if you do and I'm here for advice.
~
THINK GLOBALLY, ACT LOCALLY
If you see Kossacks organizing meet up events please Kosmail me or make a comment below so I can keep a running log of them.
KUDOS! To gchaucer2 and Phil S 33 who took up the gauntlet of the navajo challenge and began the arduous organizing task of a Kossack meet up. Tentatively scheduled for August 19th. Another round-up diary was posted by Phil S 33 and they are promising an RSVP list.
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Events Currently on the Books for SFKossacks
Please see this diary for full descriptions of each event below.
UPDATE: Detailed Driving Directions Included Below!
Saturday, July 21, 2012
California Maritime Academy
200 Maritime Academy Drive, Vallejo
3:30 PM Wine, beer and beverage reception in the lobby of the Simulation Center
4:00 PM Tour of the
Golden Bear training ship
5:00 PM Reception Style Hearty Finger Foods
6:00 PM Tour of the Ship Simulator
RULES TO BOARD THE SHIP: No open-toed shoes or high heels. No children under the age of five. To board, each person must have photo identification and sign a guest registry.
Our last-minute SFKossack event has shaped up quite nicely.
Steveningen works at the
California Maritime Academy in Vallejo. His facility will cater the event. Steven and I will cover this cost for all of you. Wine and beer is being provided by Steveningen, Sally Cat, side pocket, no way lack of brain, jakedog42, kimoconnor and navajo.
Transportation Instructions:
Getting to Vallejo from the City is done one of two ways. There is the ferry and accompanying bus lines that run from the Ferry Building. Plan an hour but a very very pleasant ride.
There is BART to El Cerrito Del Norte station and a bus that runs every twenty minutes to Vallejo which is about an additional 15 minute ride.
For people relying on public transportation to get to the campus, Brian and I could certainly meet people and drive them to campus and take them back to the terminal.
There should be enough drivers going who can stop by any of the terminals and pick people up.
Other options are to take BART to stations near drivers' homes where you can be picked up.
It is noted if you don't have a car, we'll get you there. Tell us in the comments what your needs are.
RSVP LIST:
1. Steveningen
2. Steveningen's husband
3. navajo
4. Meteor Blades
5. Sally Cat
6. side pocket
7. Mrs. side pocket
8. jbeach
9. kimoconnor
10. elfling
11. Hunter
12. elfling & Hunter offspring
13. elfling & Hunter teen guest?
14. Elisa
15. Markos
16. Elisa & Markos offspring
17. Elisa & Markos offspring
18. dharmasyd (has car, can carpool)
19. pat of butter in a sea of grits
20. pat of butter in a sea of grits offspring
21. no way lack of brain
22. linkage
23. cooper888
24. Mooney
25. mrsgoo
26. mahakali overdrive
27. jakedog42
28. Delta Hotel
29. tgypsy
30.
Saturday's forecast:
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 83.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 56.
Bring a wrap.
**NEW** Driving directions to the California Maritime Academy.
If you are coming from San Francisco take route 80 over the Carquinez Bridge. Take the first exit, Sonoma Boulevard, immediately after the toll booth ($5.00). You will go under the freeway. At the first stop light take a left onto Maritime Academy Drive. If you are coming from the north, take the last exit before the Carquinez Bridge which is Sonoma Boulevard exit. Continue straight at the stop light and onto Maritime Academy Drive. You will see a hotel named the Vallejo Inn and will know you are on the right track.
Continue driving until you come to your first stop sign. You will see the entrance to the campus. After the second stop sign continue down the drive and park in the first parking lot you come to on the right hand side. Our Administration Building is directly in front of this parking lot. Walk along the sidewalk on the eastern side of this building. There will be a sandwich board with the name of the event pointing you in the right direction. Continue walking until you come to a copper clad building with two distinct curved towers. This is the Simulation Building where the event is being held.
Parking has been pre-paid for this event.
Please comment below if you'd like to RSVP for this event.
Sunday, August 5th
Sunday Streets
11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Valencia Street from 14th to 24th and 24th Street from Valencia to Hampshire
Transportation and Parking Directions
11:00 AM - 3:00 PM Walk on your own around and visit all the booths and stores.
Then, we'll all convene at a watering hole, its location as yet to be determined, at 3:00 PM. I'll announce the address in this daily diary as soon as citisven and kimoconnor select it. We can walk in a group to Kim's flat.
4:00 PM - ? Potluck backyard bbq kimoconnor's lovely city garden.
Bonus! Red Carpet Rollout for angelajean! She's visiting relatives in the Bay Area and will join us at this event.
Sunday, August 19th
Red Carpet DOUBLE Rollout
Meet Tim Delaney and figbash!
TIME: Early afternoon TBD
PLACE: Heart's Desire Beach at Tomales Bay State Park
Stay tuned!
Okay. Floor's open.
Tell us what you are doing on this NEW DAY?