101 Film Fans Unite

Film Fans Unite:

A Salute to Andy Gyurisin and Film Club 3.

Once upon a time, back in the 1950s, a little girl and her grandfather used to drive in his BIG teal/green Plymouth each Sunday afternoon to a matinee at the Capitol Theatre about ten miles away. It mattered not what was playing as movie censors of those days took care of not subjecting folks to unseemly activities on the screen! 

We watched a newsreel, a cartoon, and then the feature film. We saw everything from Alice in Wonderland and Lady and the Tramp to Rock Around the Clock, Ben-Hur, Oklahoma, East of Eden, Sunset Boulevard and Bad Day at Black Rock. 

Quite an education for an elementary school child, hum? But what special memories these titles hold. I have been a movie buff (not quite the stature be a cinephile – aka: a serious film historian and critic) since I was about five years old. We continued our Sunday tradition until I was old enough to drive! I needed my weekly movie fix! And I did have my opinions even then according to my family. Imagine Sunday night supper with me wanting to tell the whole story, plus describing set and costumes. I am sure I was a PAIN! 

Movies continued to captivate me in college. William & Mary offered film series each semester for one credit! I fell in love then with Italian films – the stranger the better. I saw Fellini and De Sica films, picked up some Italian, and fell in love with Marcello Mastroianni. 

My favorite was 8½ about a filmmaker trying to satisfy his wife, his mistress and develop his film project. I wrote a critique of it back in the 1960s. Wish I could find it!

Now, retired, I can still get my weekly movie (or more) thanks to one of the students I remember fondly from teaching days, Andy Gyurisin. Andy is the founder of our local film club. What Andy and his wife Jen started as a movie group with a book club format in 2008 is now filling a theatre at the Alamo. 

In eight years, Andy has given my husband and me the chance to see movies we had wanted to see and, even more exciting, to see movies we didn’t know we wanted to see, but so very glad we did.

Andy shows us screenings of old films, new cutting-edge films, out-of-the-ordinary films, foreign films, indie films, and series by directors (right now it’s Hitchcock/Truffaut). [Remember you must look for Hitchcock in each of his movies.] 

Working with various small independent film distributors, the Club gives the community a chance to be together to experience - on the big screen - movies that do not have the same impact on Netflix or streaming on your computer. Often, Andy elaborates, it is the joint reactions of the audience that add depth to your understanding of the film. The collective laughter or the collective sigh becomes a community experience. 

We see films that were critically acclaimed but never shown before in our small city. Documentaries! Oscar shorts (a rare treat!). The Club themes are diverse. Coming soon are films by women directors and then the BIG EVENT called “Lost Weekend” in September wherein one sees about a dozen movies in a three-day period for one flat fee. Last year’s event sold out in 30 minutes! And, fun fact, as this blog goes out, we are watching 3.0’s 230th screening! 

Since the film club outgrew Andy and Jen’s house, the Club now partners with the Alamo theatre. Andy has been able to help the Alamo in selecting its film choices and he has brought in directors, producers, speakers, and live acts. Andy and the Club help the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema make some extraordinary connections with folks in the film industry. 

A club that started with only a handful of members, now eight years later, Andy says that the no-fee-to-join club has upwards of 2500 members. Incredible numbers in a small city of about 80,000. Each showing also gets a little bit of movie talk before the show to set the stage and an audience group picture is taken that shows up in social media (but the crowd is large and the faces hard to see – thank goodness!) The group photos, says Andy, tell the distributors much more about the popularity indie films in our region than saying we had 90 people attend the show.

I salute both Andy and the Alamo. 

The Nerangis family, owners of this particular Alamo franchise, and even Tim League, founder and CEO of the Alamo Corporation had the foresight to see how Andy’s dream could help them. And Andy’s personality and reputation have brought in loyal followers to Film Club 3.0. He leads by passion and knowledge.

Checkout Film Club on Facebook and find additional information about what’s happening with the Club on the Alamo website. You, too, may want to grab your spouse or bff and head to show!

Plaudits and kudos!

And, please, honey, share the popcorn.

Glenne       

100! 100 blogs later

100 blogs later

Two years later and 100 blogs strong, Three Savvy Broads has explored topics close to their hearts and forever on their minds. From family situations to reminiscences to current events, nothing escapes the weekly barrages of details, mundane or extreme. 

Beware, anything can be snatched and recorded for a very savvy blog.

Thoughts swirl around sometimes for days and days until they finally make it on paper or the computer screen, ultimately to be published on the weekly site. Often times the idea flies out like a missile but other times, it slithers slowly like a snake in the grass, ready to pounce.

A three-week rotation keeps the savvy broads on task and on time, usually. Some weeks it seems lightning fast and other times it creeps up unexpectedly. Gab sessions often reinforce an idea that is hanging out in a crevice of the mind waiting for approval or rejection or help bring on new thoughts that no one had ever considered.

But it is always a constant--we have never missed a week whether on vacation or in the middle of a holiday. Somehow, some way, we manage to get the blog written and on its way to the blog master who readies it for publication. Our goal is to have it ready the week before it goes live, but some weeks that is not a reality and we are pushing the Sunday night final deadline.

Two years later, we all agree it has been an interesting journey of evaluation, interpretation, and education. The idea for a blog can be readily available, but the background and research may take some delving into treasure troves of information. But we never give up and forge ahead into what we hope are interesting topics for our readers.

 Our Facebook site lists more than 1,500 likes! Our readers often comments on this page with similar observations as those that were expanded upon in the musings of the writer. Our web site, threesavvybroads.blogspot.com, gives the reader the entire blog. Readers can sign up at this spot to receive the blog in their personal email.

As we look at the future, we plan to continue, hoping to relate to more and more readers about the topics we find important or nostalgic. We stay away from controversy, but occasionally it will meander in by way of the back door of our topics. We don’t want to offend anyone, but we do like to challenge our readers to look deep into their own feelings and reflections to help give meaning to whatever life hurls in their path.

From apostophes to grammar, from TV shows to movies, from shopping to traveling, from walking to hiking (see our walking locations page, above right), we leave very few topics untouched. We value our loyal readers and are always on the search for more victims of our weekly tirades. 

So please don’t hesitate to join us and offer comments, suggestions, disagreements, or whatever else to these 
        Three Savvy Broads!!

                          Frances

099 The Donaldtrump

It just came to me while the Donald was attacking someone: "Beware of the Jabberwock!" Then to switch metaphors, it grew like Topsy. Lewis Carroll's original Jabberwocky follows my version.

Any resemblance to real people is purely coincidental! 

The Donaldtrump Went Jabberwocky

    with sincere apologies to Lewis Carrol

Twas brillig, and the “crooked" Hillary and the “lyin'" Ted
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy are the misled,
And the fundraisers outgrabe.

"Beware the Donaldtrump, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Bully Donnie, and shun
The trumpious university snatch!"

He took his Sword of Truth and went to arms.
Long time the trumpious foe he sought.
He wanted specifics about programs,
And was there any trumpious thought?

And, as in uffish wait he stood in near delirium,
The Donaldtrump, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the auditorium,
And insulted as it came!

One, two! One, two! He gave the trumpious one many a verbal whack!
The hard-hitting questions went snicker-snack!
The Donaldtrump mocked and heckled but details he did lack!
The trumpious bully went galumphing back.

"And, has thou shamed the Donaldtrump?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!"
He chortled in his joy.

`Twas brillig, and the slithy politicos
Did gyre and gimble on the talk shows;
All mimsy were the polls; the emperor has no clothes;
And the poor voters say, Oh Woe.

JABBERWOCKY

Lewis Carroll

(from Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There, 1872)

`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves

Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:

All mimsy were the borogoves,

And the mome raths outgrabe.

"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!"

He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the manxome foe he sought --
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood awhile in thought.

And, as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!

One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.

"And, has thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!"
He chortled in his joy.

`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves

Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;

All mimsy were the borogoves,

And the mome raths outgrabe.

Nothing can replace the original!

Trish              

098 The Apostrophe

The APOSTROPHE
          or
It Is Still Greek to Many Folks!

Dear Readers, I know ALL of you will be big ans of this week’s blog. Surely you want to know more about the apostrophe and how to use it. Certainly, the beginning of summer (or it feels like summer) is a case for grammar! Please don’t go away. I’ll tell you how this choice was made.

My good friend James (musician, composer, educator, and PhD, along with many accolades) sent me an email asking me to verify the current standard for making his name – James – possessive. [James wrote some new music. James’/James’s new music will be published soon.] Which one is correct? My immediate response was to go with the second choice – s’s. Since I am really not an authority (how do I get to be an authority anyway?), I should check my memory before giving my talented and erudite friend my opinion.

First, I go to Google. Eleven million hits in .39 seconds. Whew. Go back to Google and search for style manuals that are respected. Went to the bookcase, pulled out Strunk & White, Warriner’s, and Fowler’s grammar books. Blew the dust off the tops. Headed to the indexes (indices – OH, another day!!) for use of the apostrophe in names ending in “s.” 

Now armed with Google printouts and my reference books--the three books listed above, a legal writing site, Chicago, AP (or NY Times), and APA style manual excerpts, I became a student again. OH, MY…I made a chart of who said what about which; I made a chart of which said what about plurals; I color-coded the charts. Fair WARNING – don’t, please, don’t go to British sites. They will muddle your mind for sure.*

The apostrophe is from the Greek word apostrophos meaning “a turning away of” or elision. The etymology for our English word is from Greek to Latin to French to English. This should tell us the apostrophe has a long and circuitous route to our usage today.

We learned, once upon a time in school, that the apostrophe is used for contractions: it is = it’s; do not = don’t.

We learned a second use of the apostrophe: to mark the plural of some plurals that are not words as such - “mind your P’s & Q’s.” HOWEVER (again) some grammarians argue that the apostrophe is superfluous. 

Which do you prefer on your child’s math homework: find all the 7’s or find all the 7s? Apparently, the answer is BE CONSISTANT. We used to write the 1970’s, but now the 1970s is preferred. Context has become the more important aspect say AP and Chicago style manuals.

Also, I learned about ATTRIBUTIVES! The easiest examples are with holidays and organizations. Veterans Day – the plural word Veterans is NOT showing possession. 

It is most closely associated to an adjective or modifier. The Chicago Manual of Style (15th ed.) says this is still a grey area. Is it the English Majors’ Society (a club belonging to English majors) or is it one of many societies and English majors is the modifier.

Most important to my friend James and to this blog is that we learned to show possession with apostrophes. John’s cat or Mary’s hat. Do not, we were admonished, use the apostrophe with possessive PRONOUNS – yours, his, hers, ours, its, theirs. I believe we had to memorize the list.

FINALLY, I have the answer for friend James. Okay, James, you may proceed! Use JAMES’S! If pronouncing the plural name sounds an –iz at the end, add the ‘s! 

It can be stated (AP style) that the “s” after the apostrophe is dropped only if there are two or more sibilant sounds preceding the apostrophe: e.g. on Moses’ behalf. Jesus is special and the use of Jesus’ (just the apostrophe) is known as the liturgical archaism. (Good to know!!)

Thanks for wading through all this. And if your brain has been stretched as much as mine, remember it is happy hour somewhere! 

Cheers, James!











P.S. *Muddling your mind in Britain. Place names rarely use apostrophes. St James Park. Glovers Road. NO apostrophes. This decision was standardized by the postal service and government. One paragraph in an article that was really funny explained how a student at a prestigious university went driving one day and spray painted apostrophes on road signs. Earned him a BIG fine and probation. HOWEVER, greengrocer markets still use the apostrophe to make plural their products for sale: tomato’s, bean’s, etc. It is known as--you guessed it--the “greengrocer’s apostrophe.” Just FYI.

Glenne       

096 UnReal housewives

The unreal housewives

I hate to admit it, but I am a fan of the TV series, “The Real Housewives of . . .” I watch most of them--New York City, Beverly Hills, Orange County. I have no idea why, but I rarely miss an episode.

The excuse I use for watching is that I love to see the clothes, hairstyles, houses, cars, and the cities where they live. It is sort of like the men who used to say they read Playboy for the articles--sure.

Even though we cannot relate to the grandeur of their lives, we see that they are definitely not without struggles. We are privy to their very public divorces, affairs, bankruptcies, family squabbles, addictions--much like the situations of average people.



The main difference is the money. Before they get on the show, they have to prove they can afford the lavish parties, trips, charitable events, and all the trimmings. If they can manage the finances to get on the show, many have built on the experience and profited by products they sell. In addition, some of the housewives have moved into other entertainments area, including talk shows, so it can sometimes be very worthwhile for them.


One aspect that drives me nuts is the constant conflicts that are part of the series. It is disconcerting how they will verbally spar over many minor disputes and continue the fracas for many episodes. Just when you think it is settled, someone just has to bring it up again. I want to say--“Get over it ladies! Conduct your petty disagreements in private!” But I guess the show wouldn’t be as juicy or appealing.

What really makes me angry at myself is I sometimes take sides on the disputes that can be mundane or serious but often turn into hysterical confrontations. “Why would she say that, she is a total idiot, that is not true” are observations I often verbalize -- hopefully when no one else is around. I haven’t reached the point of actually writing them down and sending them to the reunion shows--yet! But sometimes I get the urge to make a comment--so far I have suppressed it and I hope I continue on this track. I could always turn the TV off but somehow I don’t.

It would be more interesting if they would show what the ladies really do each day instead of the tedious infighting and growling at each other. Some of them have jobs that could be entertaining and informative and much better plot choices. Occasionally they do show some work places but not nearly enough.

There used to be charitable fundraisers that the women would sponsor, but those seem to have been replaced with social events where the women bring up old issues to cause a scene and ruin the evening. There have been exotic trips where someone just has to bring up a sore subject one more time. I can’t imagine spending that kind of money, and the evening goes down the tubes or the trip is ruined--that just doesn’t seem real!

But this is the state of TV programming in 2016 where reality shows are more inexpensive to present than scripted ones. We the public take the bait and off we go for another season of verbal scuffles and loud retorts. Every once in awhile I think maybe they are right, and we all should just shoot off our mouths when we are upset with someone--but then reason kicks in and I know it would never work.

Sometimes I fantasize about a Winchester reality housewives series, but I am afraid we wouldn’t draw the audience as we go to the grocery store, eat dinner at local haunts, and discuss the latest health problems--definitely not the stuff of the Real Housewives!

Frances     

095 Rummage!

The Wonders of Rummage

Until I became involved in the Rotary Rummage sale, I had little interest in garage sales or thrift shops, but a few years of organizing and sorting rummage changed my outlook. 

This year sale proceeds go to the ChildSafe Center. The sale will be at the Armory on Saturday, June 4 (full details at the bottom). We select a different beneficiary each year. Volunteers from the beneficiary organizations are a big help as are high school students from the Handley Interact club, family member and friends. Every year we worry that there will not be enough stuff for a sale, but there always seemed to be. We started unpacking the tractor trailers last week and began household pickups in earnest. 

I am amazed at the huge volume of things that come in and even more surprised how it all gets organized and sorted in time for the sale. For a number of years the sale has been at the old Armory ar SU. The first floor is completely filled to overflowing and the yard outside is also full.

These photos from earlier sales show a lot of rummage but do not show IT ALL!

Trish Stiles in the Boutique section.
We get some very nice things.

Libba Pendleton folding clothes.

It takes a person with special characteristics to enjoy rummage sale work--a passion for order among chaos, curiosity, a sense of humor, a strong back, and a willingness to get dirty. 

It is amazing what some people put in boxes and send to the sale. I think some folks just gather the boxes in the attic and garage and send those, never looking inside. Last year a sorter proudly presented a Madame Alexander doll box to the folks at the Boutique, only to discover it was filled with rags! A box we unpacked this year was taped shut and labeled "packed in 1975." We pull a lot of loose change out of the boxes; it all goes to the cause. It is fun to unpack boxes--some many diverse objects seem to be in each one.

The early work entails moving boxes or the diverse contents of a box all around the Armory to the proper category location.

Categories include: 

Housewares & nick/nacks

Jewelry
Books and audio-visuals 

    (surprise!! my section!)
Toys
Lawn, garden & hardware
Seasonal & bric/brac
Sporting goods
Clothes and shoes
Boutique

Office supplies & equipment
Indoor furniture

Outdoor furniture
Exercise equipment
Baby clothes
Pictures & artwork
Linens & bath
Electronics and photography

Crafts

The sorting, a lot of folding, and pricing of the items takes much time. Just when you think you have your section organized, another big donation comes in! Good news and bad news! A small percent of the clothing is priced individually; most is sold by the bag. The morning of the sale, the outdoor furniture, equipment, and big sports and exercise items are pulled out of the trailer and placed in the outside area next to the Armory.

It is difficult to believe in the early going that we will be ready for that first batch of people, the early birds, who pay $10 to shop at 7 am before the free admission at 8 am. I did the early bird a few times, but discovered the stuff I was interested in did not go early anyway!

The work is fun and the rapport with fellow obsessive-compulsives is great. I have a much greater respect for "stuff" and try to think each time I start to buy something, "Is this going to end up at the Rummage Sale?"

Except, of course, for the stuff I buy at the Rummage Sale!

Trish        

To Donate and/or come to the Rummage Sale:

And one final thought:

094 Shakespeare

Shakespeare:

Still Going Strong after 400 Years

I am a confirmed fan of Shakespeare. To those of you who had to study “The Bard” every year of high school and did not enjoy it, I maintain you did not escape his influence. Although Shakespeare died 400 years ago this past April, he is with us still and his influence on our culture is impossible to ignore.

The contemporary of William Shakespeare, Ben Jonson, noted playwright, poet, and critic, even anticipated how lasting Shakespeare would be: “He’s not of an age, but for all time.” This he wrote in the preface of the collection of Shakespeare’s plays known as the First Folio. Why did Jonson anticipate this popularity? Four reasons may help us make sense of Jonson’s belief.

*Shakespeare’s works summarize the range of human emotions in simple, yet eloquent language. It is said that collecting Shakespearean quotes is one of the prime reasons John Bartlett compiled the first major book of familiar quotations. 

*Shakespeare is a remarkable storyteller. Even when he adapted/used old tales already known, he told every kind of story – comedy, tragedy, history, melodrama, adventure, love, and fairy tales, with a few ghosts and witches (popular still today!) thrown in.

*The characters are compelling and complex. Hamlet is an easy example – a gentle young man seeking to avenge murder. Lear and his daughters. Are all daughters loved equally? Or Romeo and Juliet (West Side Story)? Teenagers in lustful love who will not be convinced otherwise? 

Do we not know a Falstaff – a fat, jolly, entertaining reprobate who both lies and tells brutal truths? Verdi even wrote a whole opera about him! How about a strong, passionate wife (Lady Macbeth) who convinces her husband to do her will – even if illegal and immoral? 








Do you know a Puck – mischievous, magical, and sometimes cruel? 

*Common day expressions (some even considered clichés) pepper our language. Even should you say that reading Shakespeare “is all Greek to me,” you are quoting the Bard. If you are missing an item which has “vanished into thin air,” or if you admit “the game is up,” – yes, still Shakespeare. Or should you think I am “blinking idiot” for being a Shakespeare fan, then “what the dickens”--you are quoting him yet again. Even if it is not always clear to scholars whether some of the words and phrases were already in existence in Shakespeare’s day or actually coined by him, it is in his plays where they manifest themselves for all time.

Here are some of my favorite single words

• Scuffle   – Antony & Cleopatra
• Swagger – Henry V
• Grovel – Henry IV
• Lonely - Coriolanus
• Unreal - Macbeth
• Zany – Love’s Labour’s Lost
• Puking – As You Like It
• Obscene – Love’s Labour’s Lost
• Addiction - Othello
• Manager – A Midsummer Night’s Dream
• Dishearten – Henry V
• Rant - Hamlet
• Laughable – The Merchant of Venice
• Jaded – Henry VI
• Fashionable – Troilus & Cressida

And favorite phrases

• Dead as a doornail – Henry VI
• Not slept a wink – Cymbeline
• In stitches – Twelfth Night
• One fell swoop – Macbeth
• Give the devil his due – Henry IV
• There’s method in my madness – Hamlet
• Spotless reputation – Richard II
• Foregone conclusion – Othello
• A sorry sight – Macbeth
• For goodness sake – Henry VIII
• Good riddance – The Merchant of Venice
• Break the ice – The Taming of the Shrew
• A wild goose chase – Romeo and Juliet
• Knock, Knock! Who’s there? – Macbeth
• All of a sudden – The Taming of the Shrew
• And finally, my grandmother’s favorite:                                                             Eaten out of house and home! – Henry IV

To my readers, you savvy, wonderful people--I hope this bit of the Bard reminds you of how much William Shakespeare--

whoever he might really have been--is a fixed part of our culture.

Glenne            

P.S. “To be or not to be”--is it still the question?

093 Doll frenzy

Doll frenzy redux

What is it about a doll that often beckons a little girl in a way that is enticing as well as exciting. Terri Lee was the doll of choice for my sisters and me, growing up in the 1950s. I know most people have never heard of her, but she was a constant resident in our house. The Terri Lee doll didn'’t do anything and had no special skills but just looked at the world with large painted eyes that never closed and very distinctive eyelashes. Measuring 16 inches, she wore clothes like most children, but also outfits we young mortals could only dream about--fairy princess gowns, drum majorette costumes, fancy dresses, and much, much more.

Old photo of my original Terri

I inherited mine from my older sister, who won a new one in a raffle at a local children’s shop that sold the dolls. My mother never wasted anything so the used doll was passed to me, and I was thrilled. 

Terri Lee came to me with the promise from my mom that she would be refurbished. There was actually a hospital for this family of dolls that would repaint her and recondition her to an almost new status.

We packed her up for a makeover to the hospital clear across the country to California. It tool several weeks but it was worth it when she arrived better than ever, sporting that trademark look with large, intense eyes that never wavered.

Each year, my sisters and I would add to our dolls’ collection of clothes (by this time, the third sister joined the Terri Lee frenzy) rather than getting a new doll for Christmas. My parents must have felt they were being invaded by these big-eyed dolls, but they went along with the total obsession. Bridal gowns, fancy outfits, flowery dresses, shorts and tops--you name it--she had it.

I wish my mom had kept them, but she passed them on to other young girls to enjoy. She couldn’'t stand something not being used so items were donated as soon as they were dormant for a brief second or two. You had to be quick to survive her recycling efforts.

Several years ago when my granddaughters got into the American Doll frenzy, I remembered my fascination with Terri Lee. Having access to instant research these days on the Internet, I started a search and Googled for info. It didn’'t take long. I was shocked and surprised to find out Terri Lee was patterned after a real child.

The doll was originally created in 1946 (the year I was born) by Violet Lee Gradwohl who named the doll after her daughter. Violet started the company in Lincoln, Nebraska, and moved it to Apple Valley, California (the site of the hospital where my doll was refurbished), six years later, according to terrilee.com. 

Terri Lee was considered the best dressed toddler doll in the 1940s and 1950s. Her wardrobe was made up of more than 500 costumes and accessories at the height of her popularity, according to the site.

The more I thought about it the more I wanted to find one of the dolls – I needed it like a hole in the head. (I collected Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls for years so I knew I couldn'’t get that hooked on Terri Lee.)

Again I headed to the Internet for assistance. The vintage dolls and clothes were quite expensive (hundreds of dollars) and not always in good shape. I made the plunge and opted for a new one. I spent about $150 with clothes included, far more than my mother would have approved.

I keep Terri Lee in the original box, which is an artwork itself. I share her with the granddaughters when they visit – they can look and touch but not undress or keep her out of the box for any length of time.

Recently, friends who knew about my fascination with the doll shared a magazine article from “Doll News” that explained how Terri Lee dolls and outfits benefited the American Heart Association from 1950 to 1956. The company created a series of costumes with a Valentine’s theme with a percentage of sales going to the Heart Fund Campaign.

My friend added after she gave me the article that she thought the doll actually looked like me (of course in younger years when I had dark brown hair). I am not sure I believe that, but I will use it as an excuse for a grown woman buying a replica of a doll from her childhood. Makes perfect sense!

Here's to Savvy Doll Collecting,

Frances         

For more information, here are some interesting links:

Article excerpt from Nebraska History magazine

http://www.nebraskahistory.org/publish/publicat/history/excerpts-4-12.htm

An article in the Lincoln Journal Star about an exhibit of dolls at the state museum:

(You may need to wade through some ads.)

http://journalstar.com/lifestyles/misc/world-s-best-dressed-doll-born-in-lincoln/article_46b506f5-0ff2-51d8-8f4c-8e8b2e9cfc52.html

                 

092 Regimentation Not

You Can't Regiment People!

As a boss, I was always disappointed when staff members did not follow the party line and would mess up.

We allowed quite a bit of variety but did not tolerate rudeness, incorrect information, or bad errors. One thing suggested by the more obsessive of us was a standard spiel that each person would use verbatim in various situations.

Needless to say, that did not work!

Now retired from my job a library director, I still enjoy watching and evaluating people in public-service jobs.

My husband Harry and I frequently eat subs from the Subway franchises. [Before I proceed further, I should state that the Winchester Subways seem to be well-managed, which gives me a good comparison as we visit other Subways around the country.]

Making subway after subway must be mind numbing, but should a manager hire a person with NO short-term memory:

   Me, "Two 12-inch honey oat buns, please."

   Subway person, "What kind?"

   "Honey oat."

Subway person then removed 1 six-inch honey oat bun from the case. There did not seem to be a hearing issue, and the rest of the construction of two subs followed a similar pattern. I caught on--when her hand hovered near the correct ingredient, I would quickly name it and so occasionally, I did not have to repeat the ingredient several times.

I can tell there is a standard for making Subway sandwiches. I have witnessed a few training sessions, in fact. The amount of each ingredient that workers are supposed to put on a sandwich seems pretty strictly defined. With sliced meat and cheese, there is little deviation.

Harry gets tuna fish most often on his sub. It is my favorite measure of quantity control. The standard appears to be four scoops of a small ice-cream-type scooper with each scoop carefully leveled by the edge of the container. 

I swear one shop along the Interstate substituted an even smaller scoop for the tuna. Some service folks at Interstate restaurants and gas stops know that you are passing through and don't seem to worry too much about customer service. There has to be really good owners and managers to find good service at such shops.

Back to the scooped tuna, my reactions as I watch the tuna get scooped vary:

   "Damn, they follow the training." This usually happens about 50 percent of the time.

   "Wow, that's some generous scoops--no leveling the scoop!" Then I wonder if they are deliberately ignoring the training because they disagree with the amount; their manager told them to give more (I doubt that); are mad at their manager; or no one can tell them how to operate. Or do they even remember the training? Did they have training?

Hey, you have to think about something during all that assembling!

We will keep on traveling and eating Subway, and I will continue to enjoy watching sandwich assemblers exert their creativity on the job!

Trish