85 year old little girl turns brass into gold

Goes to show you are never too old to accomplish your goals in life

Elizabeth (Betty) Reilly walks across the stage at the Broward Convention Center in downtown Fort Lauderdale, Florida from Broward College on December 14th, 2011 to receive her Associate’s Degree (English Major) with High Honors. Below is an essay taken from her homework folder:

Lessons From A Carousel

            Some memories from my early childhood are still vivid today, so many years later. I was not quite five when my father took me on my first carousel ride. I was a bit reluctant to get up on that giant noisy monster of a machine, fearing I might fall off. Daddy reassured me, promising he would hold me safely and we’d have fun. I loved my Daddy and trusted him. He was ever my strong protector, so I let him lift me on. People were scrambling noisily, picking their seats. Little boys were pushing and shoving one another, fighting, having picked the same horse to ride. Daddy said I could sit wherever I wished. Some old ladies were seated in sleigh-like benches, and I started to turn toward them. They looked safe. Daddy, however, encouraged me to pick a horse on the outside ring, saying he was there to hold me safely, and we would have more fun. Picking a grey spotted horse with white mane and tail, its collar decorated with ribbons and flowers, I was lifted up and strapped on safely. However, it was Daddy’s arms I trusted. Suddenly the music started. The carousel started moving, my horse going up and down as we went round and round. I clung tightly to Daddy’s neck, while he soothed my fears speaking softly.

            “Betsy, listen well, this carousel ride is fun but it can teach you something very important!”

            I was a bright child and paid attention. Daddy was always telling me stories, so I listened eagerly.

            Daddy went on, “Life is like a carousel. You can pick a safe seat, riding round and round, with nothing happening, like those old ladies sitting on those benches. However, if you are brave, and more adventuresome, you can reach for the brass ring.” Reaching up and out, his fingers caught a brass ring. “Your brass ring will be whatever you dream it to be. As you grow older, your life will have many ups and downs, like this carousel horse. However, no matter how long it takes, eventually, if you keep reaching, you will get your ring.”

            The carousel slowed down and stopped along with the music. We got off and cashed in our brass ring for a free cotton candy cone. I was soon sticky, happily holding Daddy’s hand as I skipped along beside him.

            The years past. Those years were trying for my parents. It was the height of the Great Depression. We had moved to New York City where my father had a better chance at obtaining employment. Times were hard, but we children felt safe and never really lacked for the necessities, unlike many others. Money was short, and our mother became ill under the continuous stress. However, we children felt secure.  The most stressful thing for me as a young student was changing schools because we were continually moving. Father kept having to change jobs, and he wanted us to live near his work. He needed us to be close because of mother’s failing health. It was a time of many ups and downs in our family’s life.

            Mother had started me reading at five, encouraging a lifelong love of books and I was soon a bookworm. Needless to say, I was an enthusiastic student. I began to think of becoming a  teacher. I found I would need to go to college to teach or enter any profession. That’s when I set my goal to achieve a college degree. My hope of college depended on me earning a scholarship. Having come through the Depression, few had money. I was doing well in school and believed I could win one. This was the first time I vaguely remembered the lesson of the carousel. I began to think I had something to reach for, my brass ring.

            Having completed my tenth grade, I was forced to quit school because of economic necessity and got a job. Refusing to give up, I entered night high school. It wasn’t easy, working and studying. Some jobs didn’t work out well, resulting in several job changes, but I persevered. World War II was nearing its conclusion and everyone was looking forward to peacetime and a better future. Thinking of my graduation and getting that longed for scholarship was a constant goal. Thoughts of carousels and brass rings floated through my mind. Gradually, I approached my goal, graduation and my scholarship.

            Suddenly disaster struck. I became ill, missed my finals and lost my chance at the scholarship I was fairly certain of getting. I was devastated. Not only had I lost my chance to go to college, but I was ill for over a year, too weak to both work and attend school at the same time. I not only had a down-turn on life’s carousel, but I felt I had fallen off. No more thoughts of my brass ring.

            A young man I met gave my life a new direction. I fell in love. Dreams of college no longer entered my mind. Marrying and raising a family was my new life. Many big ups and small downs kept things interesting. Little downs never lasted long enough to shake my confidence.  In time, we were doing very well; my husband established a small over-the- counter brokerage firm on Wall Street. The family was growing, financially we were fine, but trouble was ahead. My husband became so immersed in running the firm, the quality of our family life suffered. He had little time to spend with the family, and we all protested. The children only saw him at fleeting moments, which wasn’t enough. Agreeing that the situation was out of control, he left Wall Street, investing in a business allowing for a more stable family lifestyle. This was a bad move and we lost heavily. With diminished finances, it was necessary to regroup. I had forgotten that one of life’s downs could trigger a great change, as it did when I became ill. This change, a big one for us, would result in our moving to South Florida in 1965.

            I have an upbeat personality as a rule. If something goes down, for sure it will be up in a short time. Uprooting one’s family as we did, took a lot of faith and fortitude. My family and I treated it as an adventure. My husband had a new well paying job. We looked forward to this new life in Florida, willing to embrace it with open arms. The next few years were a repeat of the past. Eventually, my husband opened a consulting firm, raising money for Florida companies interested in mergers, acquisitions, and underwritings. Our children grew up, surviving the turmoil of the times. All was fine until the financial recession of the late 1970′s – 1980′s hit the country. Companies stopped expanding, retrenching. My husband’s firm was forced to close.

            Down we went again, yet we never gave up. Despite numerous setbacks, we were close as a family. There were some personal family troubles, but they were dealt with. Once again we went through shaky times, but being old hands at survival, we just regrouped. Our home was filled with laughter  in spite of setbacks. Actually we were very happy, proving that money wasn’t everything. Those memories helped sustain me when, in 1989, I lost my husband. This was the most down time I had ever experienced.

            Deeply grieving, for a short time I felt greatly depressed, but I refused to wallow in depression. I did everything to break the cycle. For a short time I made my home with one daughter. It was impossible to find work while there. Not wanting to become totally dependent on anyone, I moved away to live for a time with a son and his family and got a job, becoming semi-independent. Time and work eased my grief related depression. Soon I shared an apartment, later a condo. with another daughter. My ups and downs were small, mostly related with work situations. I didn’t think much about them for years. I wasn’t unhappy, but began to feel restless. Things were becoming stressful at work. Business was off, and hours were being cut drastically. I was now one of the oldest employees. I left, looking for a more lucrative position. A job opportunity required proof of a high school diploma. Many years had passed since I missed graduating, but I went back and got my GED diploma. A teacher I knew suggested I go to Broward Community College.

            I registered at BCC, at eighty-one, sixty years after becoming ill, and missing my chance at a college scholarship so many years before. That night I dreamt of my father, Daddy, taking me on a carousel. I remembered him telling me life was like a carousel with many ups and downs. Once more I was on my carousel, hoping to grab the brass ring, my special dream a degree. At college, I faced many challenges and new techniques, like learning the computer. Again there were many ups and downs, but every new challenge brought new success and  confidence. Soon I was getting A’s and joined Phi Theta Kappa. I didn’t just sail through my courses easily. I know I earned good grades by hard work, a point of pride with me. Math was my nemesis, a big down, and it nearly drove me to my knees. After so many years of life’s vagaries, I refused to give up and quit. Fortunately, the math problem was solved.

            As my father taught me so many years ago, my life has been like a carousel ride, with many ups and downs. My early dream of college was my brass ring, a personal goal to reach for. Soon I will obtain my degree, albeit a bit late. However, when I grab that ring, and look at my gnarled fingers holding that degree, I will know my ring is not brass, but gold.

Need I say more?  You go girl!

… thank you Wm. Paul Young for “The Shack.”

If you haven’t heard about this book, go buy it.  If you can’t afford it, leave a comment, even twitter it if you want – I just may surprise you.  Want to order it – go here: The Shack

Where to begin…

I don’t want to spoil one word of this phenomenal book.  I will tell you that near the end of the book, I dreaded the ending because I am human, I wanted “more.” In my haste, I did not read the “Forward” but it helped complete the story. That is proof positive of a great writer.

Anyone who writes for the world to see, puts their ass on the line, whether its online or on paper.  As a reader of many, many books; e-zines, articles, blogs, etc.,  I always brace myself for the onslaught that writers get in this digital world.  I am no longer amazed by the nasty comments I read.  I immediately think of how much energy, how much lost random angst it took to write a mean comment.

Don’t confuse this with constructive instruction, because the word “criticism” is just that.

We often think that fictional writers get to “hide” behind their characters, but make no mistake, a writer who can bring to life a character, or cast of characters, is revealing a part of them and it can be soul numbing.

Are you starving yet?

‘I’m a racist…. Deal with it.”

Tallgirl 3 is the mother of three young adult women.

Modeled on the term “racism”, a large number of pejorative -ism terms have been created to describe various types of prejudice:  sexism, ageism, ableism, speciesism, etc.  Related concepts are antisemitism, chauvinism and homophobia (which in turn has led to terms such as Islamophobia).

Thank you Wikipedia.

When it  comes to young woman – my “claws” come out.

If you slander a woman via a post; a picture or in any form, shape or size – shame on you.  Your mother gave up.

Tell her to call  if she takes issue.

We can discuss “thou shall not…”

hokiness, goddesses and being in the trenches.

Recently, Tallgirl3 made a comment regarding the word “goddesses.” Surprisingly it did not inflame the masses.

A recent conversation with a young mother, trying to manage a crisis that erupted while she was at work with her child’s school went something like this:

“You are lucky your children are grown.”

Knowing a little of the woman’s background, I felt she was in need of a shoulder, but I didn’t want to prop her up with a platitude, so I gave it to her straight.   I advised her that it didn’t stop; that grown children come with different sets of problems.”

Did it help – I don’t know, but I wanted to share what I have learned with another women who was clearly in the trenches at that moment.

Whenever I hear the phrase associating women to “goddesses” immediately my skin crawls.    Am I betraying my tribe?  You be the judge but I am of the opinion that whoever came up with that term had a nanny.

Today’s women, whether they are single, married, or single with children; whether they work at home or outside the home, have to toil day in and day out, with no only gender and age discrimination, but whatever curve balls life has in store for them on any given day.  I think the hokieness of the term “goddess” cheapens what I would consider women to be – canaries.  They are delicate and beautiful, but strong.  They can soar in any given direction at a moment’s notice. It’s no wonder they are highly sought after in research.  They serve as a model species in discovering how the brain works in conjunction with its backbone.

Are we as a tribe doing a disservice to ourselves by telling other women we are goddesses? Are we propping ourselves up with these empty carrot adjectives or should we give each other better advice so we can continue on our path?  You be the judge.

Personally, you can keep your pedestal.  I will stay in the mines.

“red rover – red rover send “Are Not” on over.”

gee… with all horrible headlines in the news –  with all the human suffering (and our thoughts and prayers do go especially to the people of Japan) , you would think people would be a little less petty and a lot more grateful for the life they get to live here in states.

recently, tallgirl3 heard about another incident of bullying under the guise of a “review.” this was apparently for the “benefit” of an anime cosplayer and it was done by an older guy (whom we have named “Are Not”) to a younger (former) gal-pal  who is a cosplayer.  the so-called review included calling her nasty names.  specifically a “con rat” which is a code word for the other nasty name he called her in an online post.

so much for an honest opinion.

“Are Not” has taken on in cosplay, a superhero’s persona, which to some anime fans, could be considered a tiny bit disturbing.  for the record – it takes a lot to un-hinge this group. be that as it may.

but here’s the drift.  the wonderful thing about cosplayers is that they get to “play” at anime cons. they get to bring their inner, fun-loving, creative side out into the public to enjoy, in a forum that openly welcomes, and is designed, for all ages.  that is the awesome and wonderful world of anime.  no one is judged for their coolness or oddity.  they just accept each other and it’s designed so that they can just have fun.  it’s THE ultimate playground.

unfortunately, the bullies are now getting in.  hiding behind their masks and personas, they now feel free to publicly beat up on others.

well “Are Not” – shame on you.  in case you were raised in a feral manner, here are the rules if you want to play with girls:

1.  never – ever – hit a girl;

2.  never – ever – verbally abuse a girl;

3.  always be a “gentle” man.

from what little we know, we suspect “Are Not” was feeling pretty manly after his assault and was probably back-clapped by his cronies.  what he probably won’t admit to, is that he woke up the next day with a bad taste in his mouth and a pit in his stomach.

that bitter taste dude – is from being “tooled.”  that pit – it’s the husk of the friendship that you one had, which was once sweetened by tenderness.  that dude, is what friendship and connectivity is all about.

“Are Not”  - cosplayers are heavy into anime, which as you know, originated in japan.  maybe what you don’t know, is that in japan, the american version of red rover is called “hana ichi monme.”  the subtle difference “Are Not” is that the japanese version teaches the winning team to select the loser to join their winning team.

be a winner “Are Not.”  you publicly assaulted a young lady and because of that, received an apology from your downtrodden.  well guess what – we are taking it back for her.  you need to publicly apologize to her and until you do – we have nothing more to say on the subject.

strength comes in the form of protection “Are Not” – not from bullying.  try to be all that you should be.   we’re not here to embarrass you. we’re here to remind you of your potential to be human.  we’re rooting for you.

do- itashi mashite “Are Not”

tallgirl3

there is something radically wrong going on…

Recently, Tallgirl3 via http://www.roadragejewelry.com “reached out” to another business owner who did the right thing. Trying to add a little bit of levity to a situation we sent them, from our Sinner/Saint series, some Road Rage Jewelry – “Thou Shall Not.”

Reading some online articles – this company, which by the way, is a legitimate business, supporting a family, did what all business owners should do – they reported a “theft” but are now catching some heat from sycophants for outing a well-known celebrity.

What is wrong with this picture?  There are reports that this company may be sued for unauthorized use of a surveillance video.

WTF??????

This makes Tallgirl3 wonder… is there something in the air?    Is there a another set of rules, over the rainbow, in the land of La-La?

To all business owners – don’t give up.  Continue to do the right thing, because in the end – you WILL sleep better knowing that you did the right thing, and just for the record — there are more of “us” than “them.”

We’ve got your back.

Keeping it real.   Tallgirl3

do mean girls ever grow up?

Recently, Tallgirl3 was a recipient of a multi-forwarded email string, which no doubt has been floating around the internet. It dealt with unflattering images of First Lady Michelle Obama. Below were some of the comments from the various other recipients, which by our guess, were made by women:

“Could we have bought this any tighter?

UGH! And I don’t mean UGGS!

Maybe she should watch HER diet?

The difference between class and lack of . . . Getting off of Air Force On

The “I wanna look like my pre-teen daughter” dress and leggings

The black widow. We ALL remember this one!

Gag

And that friggin’ BELT! Under her boobs no less! Are we proud yet?

Left to right – Princess Letizia of Spain, French First Lady Carla Brunni and, yep, you guessed it. The End. No Literally . . . The end! (Although I wouldn’t want my photo taken from behind next to those other two either! But my dress would be more appropriate!)

Ya gotta love a thong and a great pair of well fitted pants to show it off. Are there no mirrors in The White House?

Remember all those folks caught in embarrassing outfits at Wal-Mart?
Well, hold your breath – this one will hurt, toooooo!!

Panty lines, Blue shoes with Green and Yellow outfit – - – Oh, come on.”

The intent of the email was not lost on Tallgirl3. The comments were simply to reinforce and widen the political gulf that is permeating our society.

But seriously – - this the best example of what our gender wants to espouse across the internet for everyone to read?

First and foremost, no matter what your political views are, she is a daughter, a wife, and a mother of two young daughters. She’s educated, gracious, and well mannered. She carries on her shoulder a set of burdens that we should thank our lucky stars, we as wives and mothers, are not ladened down with.’

Interestingly, the email string ended with the anonymous person’s name removed, but their company name and company disclaimer left intact. The “company” has nothing to do with fashion apparel, nor are they contributing editors to the fashion world.

Not being a “mean girl” Tallgirl3 won’t publish the company name. We can only imagine what would happen to the employee who sent it, or forwarded it. The publicity would not be “flattering” to the company. This is what “non-mean girls” do. We don’t perpetuate hate. We don’t perpetuate intolerance, and we don’t perpetuate nastiness for the sake of political nastiness.

The next time anonymous commentators want to get their views across, we encourage you not to hide behind your computer. Do it in the open. Better yet, visit http://www.roadragejewelry.com. You can openly express your views in a positive and guess what – fashionable way!

Blue skies! Tallgirl3.