WBRepo-Ship of Thieves-Remember the Magic Pt3

[iankh]

The differences between men and women aren't fair! In many areas men have it so much easier (peeing the woods!) But women have many other perks - for example, our hearing is generally better for noticing small changes in sounds.

I work in an industrial plant and its interesting how many behaviours are deeply ingrained. Many guys automatically hold doors open for women and offer to help when its women moving heavy panels around. Those are nice examples. Its not so nice, when there's meeting minutes to be taken and the men automatically hand that job over to women. Of course they use the excuse that their handwriting is too messy to read

No one ever said that genetics were fair.

If it's any consolation, I never hold doors open for women, nor do I expect them to take notes in meeting. Equal opportunity.

A funny thing did happen this week. One of our underwriters, a young woman wore what I guess was an extremely short skirt.

By the late afternoon the whole office was buzzing, I however was oblivious.

I was in a meeting room with my boss, when this young lady walked by. My boss commented on the inappropriate shortness of the dress.

I said, without even trying to be funny, "I suppose it is short and provocative. I guess you're right. I hadn't really noticed."

To which my boss replied, "Gee, I wonder why?"

 

[iankh]

Thanks for all the happy birthdays.

My team and the development team surprised me with an ice cream cake this morning, and they had a photo of me projected on our wall all day.

Someone had gotten a hold of the picture of me from the cruise, with the tux and top hat and ears. They cut out Sukie, knocked out the background and had me superimposed in front of Cinderella's castle with fireworks and big words Happy Birthday Ian 8.14

I also got a $50 Caribou Coffee card from my guys.

It was all very nice and I was so very touched.

It is a bit perplexing that the tougher I get and the more horrible the things I say to my young pups the more attached they become to me.

How odd for me of all people to be a father figure to anything breathing on the planet earth.

 

[HollyTyler]

No one ever said that genetics were fair.

If it's any consolation, I never hold doors open for women, nor do I expect them to take notes in meeting. Equal opportunity.

A funny thing did happen this week. One of our underwriters, a young woman wore what I guess was an extremely short skirt.

By the late afternoon the whole office was buzzing, I however was oblivious.

I was in a meeting room with my boss, when this young lady walked by. My boss commented on the inappropriate shortness of the dress.

I said, without even trying to be funny, "I suppose it is short and provocative. I guess you're right. I hadn't really noticed."

To which my boss replied, "Gee, I wonder why?"

 

[HollyTyler]

Thanks for all the happy birthdays.

My team and the development team surprised me with an ice cream cake this morning, and they had a photo of me projected on our wall all day.

Someone had gotten a hold of the picture of me from the cruise, with the tux and top hat and ears. They cut out Sukie, knocked out the background and had me superimposed in front of Cinderella's castle with fireworks and big words Happy Birthday Ian 8.14

I also got a $50 Caribou Coffee card from my guys.

It was all very nice and I was so very touched.

It is a bit perplexing that the tougher I get and the more horrible the things I say to my young pups the more attached they become to me.

How odd for me of all people to be a father figure to anything breathing on the planet earth.

That's awesome what they all did for you! Ian, just accept the fact that you're just a likable guy. So deal with it!

 

[JLSE50]

Ask them if they want me to buy the kids their first set of ears. I could take care of that if they'd like me to. There are also the 1st timer buttons that could be waiting for them at the hotel (if they're staying on site). Let me know.

Things to keep kids busy on the plane; snacks; suntan lotion; camera; extra batteries &/or memory card; any stuffed animal or toy that each kid can't do w/o.

What a generous offer Monica! So sweet of you.

And such good travel toy suggestions. You are a gem.

Jan

 

[HollyTyler]

What a generous offer Monica! So sweet of you.

And such good travel toy suggestions. You are a gem.

Jan

I thought that was very sweet too.

 

[JLSE50]

2nd night....you can see copies of the 3 nt Navigators on:

www. castaway club .com

I'm jealous that they get to see the new Toy Story show.

me too. I would love to see it.

Holly: Be sure they know that the evening shows are SPECIAL and for the whole family. I am amazed at how many people skipped some of the shows.

Jan

 

[HollyTyler]

Ian, did you and Sukie do anything special for dinner for your birthday?

 

[HollyTyler]

me too. I would love to see it.

Holly: Be sure they know that the evening shows are SPECIAL and for the whole family. I am amazed at how many people skipped some of the shows.

Jan

Oh, they remember. She was emailing me all day today, too excited to work! I told her just wait until tomorrow.....she'll get absolutely NO work done! They leave Saturday and are spending the night in Detroit for an early Sunday morning flight. I'm so excited for them, I can hardly stand it! I thought I'd be jealous, but nope, just thrilled for them. Dad works overnights and quite often has double shifts, mom works long hours plus most of the home chores and driving the kids to all their activities. They really, really need this break, and the time together.

 

[HollyTyler]

Ian, what was the name of the church we went to on the Puerto Vallarta tour? I'm finally putting captions on my pictures so I can share with family and friends. I can't remember the name and I've lost my journal from the cruise where I wrote all the info.

 

[JLSE50]

Did you guys hear that the world's tallest (7 ft/7 in) woman died today? Her name was Sandy Allen - I learned about her probably about 2 1/2 yrs ago after seeing a show on the Discovery Channel. Interesting thing (IMO) is that she was just part of another show on the same channel over the weekend or Monday about the world's tallest man. She was only 53.

Her obituary is in our paper. Shelbyville is 28 miles southeast of Indianapolis.

World's tallest woman dies in Indiana at age 53

By DEANNA MARTIN
Associated Press Writer

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- A woman who grew to be 7 feet, 7 inches tall and was recognized as the world's tallest female died Wednesday, a friend said. She was 53.

Sandy Allen, who used her height to inspire schoolchildren to accept those who are different, died at a nursing home in her hometown of Shelbyville, family friend Rita Rose said.

The cause of death was not yet known. Allen had been hospitalized in recent months as she suffered from a recurring blood infection, along with diabetes, breathing troubles and kidney failure, Rose said.

In London, Guinness World Records spokesman Damian Field confirmed Wednesday that Allen was still listed as the tallest woman. Some Web sites cite a 7-foot-9 woman from China.

Coincidentally, Allen lived in the same nursing home, Heritage House Convalescent Center, as 115-year-old Edna Parker, whom Guinness has recognized as the world's oldest person since August 2007.

Allen said a tumor caused her pituitary gland to produce too much growth hormone. She underwent an operation in 1977 to stop further growth.

But she was proud of her height, Rose said. "She embraced it," she said. "She used it as a tool to educate people."

Allen appeared on television shows and spoke to church and school groups to bring youngsters her message that it was all right to be different.

After Allen was listed by Guinness as the world's tallest woman, she won a role in Federico Fellini's 1976 film "Casanova," appearing as "Angelina the Giantess." She was featured in the 1981 Canadian documentary "Being Different." She also appeared in a TV movie called "Side Show" in 1981.

Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels said he met Allen twice.

"Then, and from a distance, I admired very much the way she handled a uniquely difficult situation with uncomplaining grace," he said.

Allen weighed 6-1/2 pounds when she was born in June 1955. By the age of 10 she had grown to be 6-foot-3, and by age 16 she was 7-1.

She wrote to Guinness World Records in 1974, saying she would like to get to know someone her own height.

"It is needless to say my social life is practically nil and perhaps the publicity from your book may brighten my life," she wrote.

The recognition as the world's tallest woman helped Allen accept her height and become less shy, Rose said.

"It kind of brought her out of her shell," Rose said. "She got to the point where she could joke about it."

In the 1980s, she appeared for several years at the Guinness Museum of World Records in Niagara Falls, Ontario.

"I'll never forget the old Japanese man who couldn't speak English, so he decided to feel for himself if I was real," she recalled with a chuckle when she moved back to Indiana in 1987.

"At Guinness there were days when I felt like I was doing a freak show," she said. "When that feeling came too often, I knew I had to come back home."

Difficulty with mobility had forced Allen to curtail her public speaking in recent years, Rose said. She had suffered from diabetes and other ailments and used a wheelchair to get around.

A scholarship fund has been set up in Allen's name through the Blue River Community Foundation, Rose said, with proceeds going to Shelbyville High School.

"She loved talking to kids because they would ask more honest questions," Rose said. "Adults would kind of stand back and stare and not know how to approach her."

---

On the Net:

Blue River Community Foundation: http://blueriverfoundation.com/index.asp

© 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy.

 

[iankh]

Ian, did you and Sukie do anything special for dinner for your birthday?

No, nothing at all. We're waiting until the Disneyland trip which is in between both our birthdays. I have some dinners planned.

For tonight, my birthday, we have a spectacular trip planned to the supermarket.

I might just have to cut loose and go wild in the freezer section.

 

[HollyTyler]

No, nothing at all. We're waiting until the Disneyland trip which is in between both our birthdays. I have some dinners planned.

For tonight, my birthday, we have a spectacular trip planned to the supermarket.

I might just have to cut loose and go wild in the freezer section.

Go crazy Ian! Embarrass Sukie!

 

[iankh]

Ian, what was the name of the church we went to on the Puerto Vallarta tour? I'm finally putting captions on my pictures so I can share with family and friends. I can't remember the name and I've lost my journal from the cruise where I wrote all the info.

It was the Cathedral Our Lady of Guadalupe.

(I suppose as opposed to Your Lady of Gaudalupe, His Lady of Guadalupe, Her Lady of Guadalupe, My Lady of Guadalupe or Their Lady of Guadalupe)

 

[JLSE50]

I got a pm from Gydell today....she said she had a great time in Mexico, and we're going to try to get together next month when she's down here. I'm assuming Betsy and Brent will be there too....and hopefully Bill too.

I hope you have a great time!

Jan

 

[HollyTyler]

It was the Cathedral Our Lady of Guadalupe.

(I suppose as opposed to Your Lady of Gaudalupe, His Lady of Guadalupe, Her Lady of Guadalupe, My Lady of Guadalupe or Their Lady of Guadalupe)

Thanks Ian! Hey, while you're at it, do you happen to remember the name of the little village where we stopped at that restaurant for quesadilla and a drink?

 

[JLSE50]

I really need to learn geography. All this week, I kept seeing news titles on my yahoo page (but didn't bother reading the articles) and couldn't figure out why Russia was able to attack Georgia without the rest of the United States fighting back. Not one of my brighter moments. But.....at least I didn't call Russia "Mussia" like our genius president did! He was trying to say Russia must something or other, but started out "Mussia" and quickly corrected himself. Too late, the whole world caught that, I'm sure!

I sure am glad no media folks follow me around to catch my verbal errors or strange body language and rebroadcast it out of context over and over and over.

Jan

 

[HollyTyler]

I sure am glad no media folks follow me around to catch my verbal errors or strange body language and rebroadcast it out of context over and over and over.

Jan

But it's great entertainment for the rest of us. I often have people laughing at my goofups at work. It's fun!

 

[JLSE50]

Yeah, I know! I seriously never learned there was a Georgia over there. That's something I definitely would have remembered learning because it's sure not a name that fits in with the surrounding areas.

I decided to see if I could find out where they got the name. Their history is quite interesting. They were part of the Silk Road --the trade route from Europe to Asia --and for that reason other countries wanted to control them--like Russia. Their people are hospitable. They were the second country to accept Christianity in the world. Amazing stuff.

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/5253.htm

The Wikipedia (always fully factual of course )article is interesting too.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgia_(country)

The origin of the name Georgia is still disputed and has been explained in the following ways:

1. Linking it semantically to Greek and Latin roots (respectively, γεωργος "tiller of the land" and georgicus "agricultural")[9]
2. Its derivation from the name of St. George. At least, popularity of the cult of Saint George in Georgia influenced the spread of the term.
3. Under various Persian empires (536 BC-AD 638), Georgians were called Gurjhān (Gurzhan/Gurjan), or "Gurj/Gurzh people." The early Islamic/Arabic sources spelled the name Kurz/Gurz and the country Gurjistan (see Baladhuri, Tabari, Jayhani, Istakhri, Ibn Hawqal, etc.). This also could evolve or at least contribute to the later name of Georgia.[10]

The terms Georgia and Georgians appeared in Western Europe in numerous medieval annals including that of Crusaders and later in the official documents and letters of the Florentine de’Medici family.[11] Jacques de Vitry and English traveler, Sir John Mandeville, stated that Georgians are called Georgian because they especially revere and worship Saint George. Notably, the country recently adopted the five-cross flag, featuring the Saint George's Cross; it has been argued that the flag was used in Georgia since the 5th century.[12][13]

Modern Georgian states have used differing names in different periods. The first modern Georgian state proclaimed on 26 May 1918 adopted the name “Democratic Republic of Georgia”. As part of the USSR from 25 February 1921, the country was called the “Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic”. When Georgia broke from the USSR on 25 December 1991, it adopted the name “Republic of Georgia”. Since it adopted its present constitution on 24 August 1995, the official name of the country is simply “Georgia”.[14]

 

[iankh]

Thanks Ian! Hey, while you're at it, do you happen to remember the name of the little village where we stopped at that restaurant for quesadilla and a drink?

Sorry, that one I don't remember.