—From The Week Magazine 08/08/08— |
I took an Excel Topics: Pivot Tables, Charts and Formulas class today at work. I’m not saying it’s been a long time since I’ve taken an IBM class, but I turned into the entrance to the IBM Education Center to find an “Available: For Lease” sign out front; not a soul in, around, or near the building; and came within inches of driving right into a thick chain (which I didn’t even see) going across the long driveway entrance at about halfway down it.
Unfortunately there wasn’t anyone in the sentry booth at the entrance to the main IBM site to ask where the center had moved to, but not far into campus on the main road, I saw a sign that said, “Education Center.”
In class, I ran into someone I know, and hadn’t seen in a long, long time. I was struggling to pull her name up to my consciousness, and it came just as I said, “How nice to see you Deb,” and gave her a hug.
I passed her the marker that was for the three of us sharing a long table, so that she could fill out her name card to place on the desk for the instructor to see. A few minutes later, she made a remark about working in Tivoli (where I work) to someone who had asked her a question.
I thought, “I didn’t know she worked in Tivoli. I wonder when that happened.” Then, catching a glance of her name card and seeing, “Lisa,” I thought, “Oh my god. Of course that’s Lisa, not Deb.” Lisa used to work right down the hall from me, and always instant messaged me when the coffee she used to make in her office was ready. She looks so much like this other friend of mine, who I also haven’t seen in forever. I hate, hate, hate getting peoples’ names wrong!
Of course, I spent the rest of the day totally embarrassed and trying to decide if I should cop to the mistake or not, but in the end, didn’t.
I stopped by my office after class, where I had a short conversation with Judith from N.C. State.
While there, I also sent a message to my manager asking for a letter (on IBM letterhead) stating that I do have a job, and will have one when I return from China, and that I have enough vacation time to make this trip, which I need to include with my visa application. Ridiculous.
I had a late run to the gym, from 9:00-10:00, where I did lower body work and crunches. The crunches were incredibly difficult. The last two sets of 30 burned my abs to no end. I guess that’s good. Today’s stats:
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brianrdu pointed me to this obituary today. Vitriolic.
| Dolores Aguilar 1929 – Aug. 7, 2008 Dolores Aguilar, born in 1929 in New Mexico, left us on August 7, 2008. She will be met in the afterlife by her husband, Raymond, her son, Paul Jr., and daughter, Ruby. She is survived by her daughters Marietta, Mitzi, Stella, Beatrice, Virginia and Ramona, and son Billy; grandchildren, Donnelle, Joe, Mitzie, Maria, Mario, Marty, Tynette, Tania, Leta, Alexandria, Tommy, Billy, Mathew, Raymond, Kenny, Javier, Lisa, Ashlie and Michael; great-grandchildren, Brendan, Joseph, Karissa, Jacob, Delaney, Shawn, Cienna, Bailey, Christian, Andre Jr., Andrea, Keith, Saeed, Nujaymah, Salma, Merissa, Emily, Jayci, Isabella, Samantha and Emily. I apologize if I missed anyone. Dolores had no hobbies, made no contribution to society and rarely shared a kind word or deed in her life. I speak for the majority of her family when I say her presence will not be missed by many, very few tears will be shed and there will be no lamenting over her passing. Her family will remember Dolores and amongst ourselves we will remember her in our own way, which were mostly sad and troubling times throughout the years. We may have some fond memories of her and perhaps we will think of those times too. But I truly believe at the end of the day ALL of us will really only miss what we never had, a good and kind mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. I hope she is finally at peace with herself. As for the rest of us left behind, I hope this is the beginning of a time of healing and learning to be a family again. There will be no service, no prayers and no closure for the family she spent a lifetime tearing apart. We cannot come together in the end to see to it that her grandchildren and great-grandchildren can say their goodbyes. So I say here for all of us, GOOD BYE, MOM. |