Jennie
Ms. Jennie was a resident at Morningside Assisted Living when we first met. I play the piano there a couple times a month, and she was one of the regulars who enjoyed our hymn-sings and Bible study. She had a wry sense of humor that always caught me off-guard. Jennie, quite simply, made me laugh. I found myself arriving before our program just to spend time with her. We would sit in her room and…well, laugh. She had lived long enough that she knew truth and didn’t hesitate to speak it. Her honesty was refreshing, as were tales of her life, including the story of her fall off the Great Wall of China. I had never before met anyone who had even seen the Great Wall, much less fallen off of it. Jennie was an integral part of life at Morningside, routinely baking...
Polyester
I was a teenager in the sixties and seventies, so I know a thing or two about polyester. That’s right. Polyester. The wonder fabric. Why would a teen be interested in fabric? Because this teen’s father taught in the School of Textiles at the local university. Daddy was quick to examine the fibers in any new article of clothing in order to instruct me on its proper care. On one shopping trip with my parents, I tripped over my father as I came out of the dressing room. He was on his knees, examining the fibers in the carpet. No need to wonder about the source of my OCD. In 1974, one of Daddy’s students designed a fabric to honor North Carolina State University for being number one in every sport that year. The fabric was manufactured at a...
Lifts
A large billboard on the main drag in Destin advertises: Brazilian Lifts—starting at $6,900. Hmmmm. Surprising and interesting. As old and wrinkled as my butt is, though, I imagine it would cost at least $6,900 for one cheek, much less my entire butt.
Professional
I’m an accountant, a CPA. I work as the office administrator for a church where most people are young, tattooed artists who wear lots of denim and trendy hats. I have complete freedom in dressing for work and I’ve learned that jeans and hiking boots are much more comfortable than suits and heels. But there was a time when I had to embrace the professional look. Long ago. Back when I worked for the IRS. That’s right. The Internal Revenue Service, my employer of choice after graduating college. I had a passion for tax law, so it was the perfect job for me. I had difficulty being taken seriously, though. I look a bit young for my age and, with my long hair, well, let’s just say that most people thought I was sixteen rather than...
Failure
As a student, I believed I failed any time I didn’t make 100 on a test. Perfectionists are hard on themselves. By the time I got to the CPA exam though, in my twenties, I had seen the error of my ways and was thrilled to simply pass, never mind a perfect score. My definition of failure changed. It no longer meant missing the bull’s eye by a hair; it now meant missing the entire target. I expected that would never happen to me. Health problems caused me to do an intense study of nutrition and alternative medicine, so in my forties, armed with a Doctor of Naturopathy degree, I decided to pursue a profession that I expected to do more for my community than any of my accounting skills. I opened an office, with my name, Karen H. Curran, ND, on the sign,...
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