Tangential Thoughts

While I was posting a comment on another blog (Skittles Place), in response to her "Friday's Feast" meme she always participates in, remembering some things there is what inspired me to post along the lines below here today.

The question was have you ever written to someone famous?

And, I have done that a time or two in my years on the planet.

Two years ago, when I was exceptionally upset, very angry with our state politicians over a truly obnoxious and outrageously huge pay raise our legislators had voted for themselves, for the judicial branch and some elements of the executive branch of our state government, I wrote a letter to my state representative, my state senator and to the Governor - Ed Rendell -or "Fast Eddy" as he is often called in many circles. I got no response whatsoever from the senator or representative but I did get a "lovely" letter from the Governor. However, it contained no answers at all the questions I had posed and consisted only of a lot of political ramblings that his staff felt expressed what an excellent governor he is to all of us here in this fine state.

But about 20 years ago now, not quite that long -maybe 17 years ago -after a meeting with the guy who was my "support officer" at the local domestic relations office in our fair county, that gentleman had suggested if I really wanted to write to someone, vent a bit, that I take my case to the top and write to the First Lady of the Land. I don't think that guy had a true clue as to how obnoxious I can be, especially when I am really ticked off about something, as I have been known to go on "search and destroy" missions to track down telephone numbers and try to contact powers that be via the telephone on several occasions to vent my wrath. Writing a letter - well, as long as it didn't have to be handwritten, in cursive, and provided I stayed the course of my anger long enough to remember to find an envelope, stamp and actually drop it in the mailbox, I had no problem with that alternative form of action.

So I wrote a letter to Barbara Bush and brother, I let fly! No, I didn't use any four-letter words in it - although they were in the back of my mind, ready to leap out if need be. In my letter, I reiterated many of the problems I had experienced over the years in trying to deal with our local domestic relations office, as well as some other of their counterparts in various states where my ex-husband had resided since our divorce. At the time I wrote this masterpiece, he had just recently then moved to Nevada - living in Clark County - and I was experiencing some issues in getting my support order transferred over to that county.

I never really expected any response from Mrs. Bush but I got one. In her letter (she) informed me (or most likely her "staff" informed me) that she had contacted someone in Carson City, Nev. on the state level who worked with the Domestic Relations offices and that I would be hearing from that person in the near future. And boy, I did too! The lady called me on the phone, took down all the information I could provide to her and in short order, I got my court order transferred, including even a raise in my child support! Needless to say, I was impressed, big time!

But even after that, the lady in Carson City would write me a letter, usually at least once a year till my youngest was no longer eligible to receive child support from her dad, inquiring as to my status within the Clark County office and if I was having any problems with the staff there, etc.

Never let it be said that it doesn't hurt to go directly to the top to get action on things!

Someday, maybe I'll blog about "issues" - as I see them - with Domestic Relations. Now, there's some fodder for a BOOK - for sure!

And, on another note - slightly different though (slightly?), I had a visitor at my home this morning. It was my life-long friend, the girl who had grown up right next door to me and classmate. She brought by some old photos she had dug out of her stash for me to use in a display I'm working on putting together for our 45th Class Reunion -now less than two weeks away.

Among the goodies she brought - a group photo from her First Communion class, a large (8 x 10) group picture taken in the old Kylertown Elementary School when the kids of our age range were probably 8-9 years old perhaps. This photo is absolutely priceless! It includes many of the kids who graduated in our class as well as kids from the class a year ahead of ours - and soooo very cute! She also included a great snapshot of herself with our other classmate who grew up on the other side of Rose, the friend who brought these pictures today. And, of course, a picture of Rose and her husband, Durv., on their wedding day! Their 45th Anniversary was this past March - on St. Patrick's Day - and is one of two wedding anniversary dates I can remember of my classmates! Rose and Durv's is easy - St. Patrick's Day and of course, the year is equally easy too since it was the year we graduated from high school - 1962. The other date I remember is that of my best friend in High School and who is still a very close friend to this day, Cheryl and her husband Mitch's wedding - August 13, 1963 and I remember that one because I was their maid of honor. All the rest are kind of all jumbled up in my mind and sometimes, even my own wedding date gets tossed in that mish-mash pile too!

After Rose left today, and as I was showing Mandy the photos, pointing out to her this or that person that she either knew or knew of - when I pointed out one guy from my class that she knows, she laughed and said "That figures! He still has that same "possum eating s**t grin that he has to this day!" Yep - Harvey does still look that way!

And that's the way things were thus far today!