This stuffed bear hangs on the gate at a construction site down by the railroad tracks. It's where they tore down that council office building to erect a block of flats. I guess the workers felt they needed a mascot?
It's been pouring rain all morning, although it has slackened a bit now. Olga wouldn't go outside even for a quick pee. I'll have to get her out the door at least briefly before I go to work.
Other than that, I have no news, and this post is about to get as boring as a telephone directory.
And that's because it's about to BE a telephone directory. I was Googling around the other night when I discovered that my alma mater, the University of South Florida, where my parents used to work, has put some of its archived staff directories online. Above is a portion of the directory for 1975-76, and you can see my mom listed, along with everyone who used to work in her office.
This won't mean much to you, of course, but reading these names was like time traveling for me. I remember all those people vividly. My mom used to come home talking about them, and I met them at office parties, or when I was sick and spent the day with her at work. (I'm sure they loved having a sick kid around the office, but I don't think I ever went if I had something contagious. I remember once having infected insect bites on my legs, for example.)
Sylvia K was one of my mom's best friends, and we socialized with her and her kids. Susan F had a ribald sense of humor that my mom loved. Jeff S was a bearded guy with a groovy conversion van, and at the time I was obsessed with the idea of living in a motor home, so Mom and Jeff took me down to the parking lot to show it to me. It had blue shag carpet all over the inside and I remember being specifically told not to open any drawers or cabinets. I'm sure Mom suspected I might find a joint.
Conchita S once told me a story about how, as a little girl (in Cuba, I believe), when she ate fried eggs, she would stab the yolk with a knife and pretend it was blood running around the plate. I have never forgotten that!
Here's the directory for 1980-81. By this time my mom was coordinator of the advising team, a job she hated. She got along with most of her co-workers but did not like managing people. As you can see, there were a few staff changes, and once again I know all these names and can picture everyone. I wonder where they all are now?
Here's a terrible picture of my mom in her office around that time. I have no idea where she got that "Keep Calm" poster but she probably needed it. Isn't it weird to see a desk without a computer?
For some reason, the directory pages that would have shown my dad and his office in the math department are missing from the online directories, along with all the student information (which I'm sure USF deliberately omitted). So I can't time-travel with my dad, but I didn't know his co-workers as well anyway.
24 comments:
It's fascinating how magical finds like these can be. I'm glad you pointed out the lack of a computer on your mother's desk. I didn't immediately realize, but I did think there was something odd about the desk.
Ribald Susan sounds like an interesting person. I would guess a good number of the people of your mum's age are also dead. What great memories for you and your mum sounds like she was somewhat an achiever. Take some pride.
Good to be able to fill out a bit of family history with more than bare dates.
I don't blame Olga..getting wet on a walk is one thing...going out when it is raining is another!!
That is a very large, important lookin g desk!
I wonder why they put these directories online? I can see how relatives might look them up, but that can't be the real reason.
I just have been catching up on my blog reading, and as I was watching the video of Olga barking at the squirrels, Shirley came running with her head askew wondering what was going on! Glad you got the new TV! It's amazing the things that newer TVs can do now. Mine needs replacing too, but it is still working so I will deal with the cords a bit longer!
I see your mom invented the sticky note.
My last job before I retired was working on a college campus and it was so fun to be surrounded by the energy of those young students!
Thanks for taking me down my memory lane, Steve.
we are not getting any rain and now I have two yards to water.
There was no computer 🖥️ on the desk, but there was an ashtray! You don't see that item on desks these days!!
I like these little flashbacks when names appear that you have not thought about in a long while. The vivid memories take us back to a very different time and place.
How fun to do a little time traveling and bring all those memories out. The desk with no computer brings back memories for me. And, since I have a photo of my work desk on my site today, you will see that it seems these days, a computer is all there is room for.
Spammed again?
I like looking at the online electoral registers of our house and all the neighbours in the 1960s. Every name a memory and a story. ps - buy that bear a heat pad for Christmas to help it dry out.
Funny that you wrote about this as I spent part of yesterday taking a similar journey. Somebody posted a faculty page out of a yearbook from my old high school the year after I graduated. Some of those names and faces I haven't thought about in 30+ years and so I spent a couple hours searching for them and wondering what they might think of me after all these years.
Way Cool - And You Mean Phones Were Connected By Wires ?? How Was One Able To Drive And Talk ??
Classic
It was interesting how they spelled your mom's name in the first photo. Someone did not proof it very well. Galdys?
How fascinating! I'm impressed that you remember her coworkers so vividly. Although now that I think about it, I knew my mom's boss at the convenience store really well, and remember the names of people whose houses she cleaned.
Before you even wrote it, I wondered where those people are now. I knew my dad's staff members well too, especially the ones in his department and the others he was friends with. Since I still live in the same town, I know where many of them are--some at the cemetery like Dad, others still around in various stages of health.
I love the "keep calm" poster! My parents' contemporaries are likely all dead now, or have one foot in the grave.
I'm just glad they finally learned how to spell Ms. Mitchell's name (not Galdys)! Good trip down memory lane, Steve.
The photo of your mum reminded me of my desk pre computers when I would enter everything by hand into the enormous ledgers. I had piles of papers everywhere like your mum!
What a lovely wander down memory lane. Phone books are fascinating.
I understand how Olga feels. I don't like going outside to pee in the rain either. I see the secretary was Galdys Mitchell in the first listing and then she became Gladys Mitchell. It's been a long time since I've seen a desk without a computer.
Love,
Janie
The directories are really intersting. I can see why they'd take you down that memory path!
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