tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14874528.post6815155288899259553..comments2024-03-27T13:32:06.780-02:30Comments on The Other Side of Eighty: Bursting the Bonds of Old AgeWisewebwomanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15281689872840844191noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14874528.post-50876101111684023282012-09-18T23:25:56.434-02:302012-09-18T23:25:56.434-02:30RJA:
The divide is mighty between the neocons and ...RJA:<br />The divide is mighty between the neocons and the so-called liberals. What is so wrong about being liberal? It baffles me.<br /><br />XO<br />WWWWisewebwomanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15281689872840844191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14874528.post-10968203797858857622012-09-18T23:24:50.323-02:302012-09-18T23:24:50.323-02:30Thanks T, I try and avoid religio-poli issues but ...Thanks T, I try and avoid religio-poli issues but tend to get cranked up when others drag them in an mulch them!<br /><br />I had an email from my friend today saying how much he enjoyed me and how his friends thought I was so entertaining and wonderful.<br /><br />Flattery gets them everywhere, lol.<br /><br />XO<br />WWWWisewebwomanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15281689872840844191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14874528.post-17449966403263498812012-09-18T00:45:28.066-02:302012-09-18T00:45:28.066-02:30I, too, had to say farewell to a best friend of tw...I, too, had to say farewell to a best friend of twenty-five years standing over similar issues, though in his case it was involvement with a pseudo-religious sect of highly dubious ideals. We humans - what a species!R J Adamshttp://sparrowchat.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14874528.post-60826123544011267682012-09-15T12:36:10.756-02:302012-09-15T12:36:10.756-02:30Hi again WWW - quickly catching up here. Am so pl...Hi again WWW - quickly catching up here. Am so pleased your Ireland trip went so well and you had a wonderful time.<br /><br />Regarding the political divide and friendship issue illustrated by your experience in this post: politics has always been a topic I try to hint about very early on, whenever in company of unknown quantities. It's sad, and in a way it's wrong - yet people do fall into two broad categories, and in general ne'er the twain shall meet. I like to "head 'em off at the pass", where necessary.<br />;-)<br /><br />I like the way you quickly worked around the awkwardness WWW! Brava!! Twilighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14138621610593773784noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14874528.post-60338178974600527232012-09-15T12:12:47.220-02:302012-09-15T12:12:47.220-02:30Ramana:
Backatcha. I might have been a little mor...Ramana:<br /><br />Backatcha. I might have been a little more brutal but good for you for handling it as you did.<br /><br />I honestly don't know how such people form their opinions. But this is how holocausts were birthed.<br /><br />XO<br />WWWWisewebwomanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15281689872840844191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14874528.post-81859903382753510412012-09-15T12:11:01.265-02:302012-09-15T12:11:01.265-02:30Pauline:
I have that little heartbreak too when o...Pauline:<br /><br />I have that little heartbreak too when one of my siblings condemns "gays" even knowing there are some in the family. He totally believes they are not entitled to the same rights as the rest of "normal" humanity.<br /><br />Bile. Good word.<br /><br />XO<br />WWWWisewebwomanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15281689872840844191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14874528.post-28281448348753939892012-09-15T11:33:15.688-02:302012-09-15T11:33:15.688-02:30Good for you. You should really be very proud of ...Good for you. You should really be very proud of what you did. I would be if I ever did anything like that.<br /><br />Let me share a small story. I was in a restaurant in Naples, Italy having dinner alone when some tourists at the next table were lamenting in American English how their tour was being sabotaged by Easterners. I bet that they did not expect me to understand what they were saying. I finished my dinner and just before leaving stopped at their table and in my best Oxford University accent said "I hope that the rest of this dinner goes well for you and the rest of your tour too" and walked out.<br /><br />I have always wondered what happened after I left!Rummuserhttp://www.rummuser.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14874528.post-23680764236572141962012-09-15T07:48:06.239-02:302012-09-15T07:48:06.239-02:30"I will not be keen to see him again and ther..."I will not be keen to see him again and there's a mini-heartbreak going on about that." <br /><br />It's how I feel every time I visit my brother and sister-in-law or hear from a distant cousin who's so far right he's left most of us behind. I refuse to discuss politics with any of them because of the bile that rises when we do. It's hard to be so caught between familial love and radical disagreement!Paulinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14555472024981357622noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14874528.post-58586898449517321352012-09-14T10:20:44.467-02:302012-09-14T10:20:44.467-02:30Marc:
I'm absolutely ashamed to say that my e...Marc:<br /><br />I'm absolutely ashamed to say that my ex-husband emails me such rubbish all the time.<br /><br />In the interests of familial civility I just delete unopened as they are invariably offensive, crude, misogynistic, racist and scurrilous.<br /><br />And I wonder how I ever married such a person who only unleashed such antagonism in midlife.<br /><br />We just never know.<br /><br />XO<br />WWW<br /><br /> Wisewebwomanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15281689872840844191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14874528.post-45711179070606024362012-09-14T10:16:49.151-02:302012-09-14T10:16:49.151-02:30GM:
Yes I've been so affronted by others such ...GM:<br />Yes I've been so affronted by others such as you describe and invariably I will say: <br />Has that been your experience with ****? When did it happen? Were you friends with them?<br />If they resort to generalities I try to nail them to specifics, all done with courtesy of course as if I'm genuinely curious.<br />It works.<br />XO<br />WWWWisewebwomanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15281689872840844191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14874528.post-71222980867701564802012-09-14T10:14:04.803-02:302012-09-14T10:14:04.803-02:30Joared:
The secret sides of people are such a reve...Joared:<br />The secret sides of people are such a revelation. I've racked my brain for hints of his racism and prejudice and come up with naught. Our friendship was based on books, the environment, travel discussions.<br />I guess we just never opened the door on politics before.<br />XO<br />WWWWisewebwomanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15281689872840844191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14874528.post-25463636719894376472012-09-14T09:25:36.839-02:302012-09-14T09:25:36.839-02:30I had a similar experience recently. I have a frie...I had a similar experience recently. I have a friend who moved to Florida in 1978. Over the years, we've kept in touch sporadically(more on his side then mine; I don't call people).<br />He's retired now and he enjoys emailing pictures and jokes to a select list of "friends."<br />For the past three and a half years, in the muddle of email, I've received more and more scurrilous far-right and racist "jokes" and pictures from him.<br />Like you, I don't have the time, interest or energy to waste on trying to change his mind. I simply delete the stuff, and when he occasionally calls, I talk in generalities.<br />We all have an image of other people based on incidents and situations which may be far in the past. The more things change, the more they stay the same.Marc Leavitthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12400805396776788101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14874528.post-54942370472961745042012-09-14T09:17:51.273-02:302012-09-14T09:17:51.273-02:30I was hosting a surprise birthday party in my home...I was hosting a surprise birthday party in my home for a friend some years ago. The father in law of the birthday boy, on his first visit to my home, made a statement about my countrymen. You know the type of remark - sautéed in bigotry - I was gob-smacked. I stood and stared at him and struggled knowing that if I let go I would bring the party and all friendship to an end in that moment and anyway, he would not even realise why he had upset me, so I stayed a lady and let it go. Naturally I let that friendship fade, faster than a bucket of bleach.Grannymarhttp://grannymar.com/blognoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14874528.post-14465591788594079932012-09-14T05:48:27.487-02:302012-09-14T05:48:27.487-02:30Gee, I proof read above, I thought, but a lot of s...Gee, I proof read above, I thought, but a lot of strange wording and words left out. Should I try again and you can delete above?<br /><br />I surely can identify with this shock and disappointment in longtime friends I thought I knew. It happened over human equality rights a number of years ago when a mutual friend made a life style change. Then just prior to our last Presidential election, racist attitudes I could never have believed were present reared their ugly head. Interestingly to me, was a friend with whom I hadn't talked for a couple of years phoned from her far away State to discuss having been shocked to discover the same thing about friends of hers. Well, at least the two of us were still on the same page. Does make us wonder how well we ever know anyone.joaredhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09999395062839739698noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14874528.post-52201155516936302562012-09-14T05:43:18.852-02:302012-09-14T05:43:18.852-02:30This comment has been removed by the author.joaredhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09999395062839739698noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14874528.post-21711002575212231382012-09-14T01:38:07.669-02:302012-09-14T01:38:07.669-02:30Irene:
I'm at the age where I realize trying t...Irene:<br />I'm at the age where I realize trying to convince bigots of the error of their ways is a waste of good energy.<br /><br />I've neither the inclination or the conviction to work up a lather over it.<br /><br />I will not be keen to see him again and there's a mini-heartbreak going on about that.<br /><br />XO<br />WWWWisewebwomanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15281689872840844191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14874528.post-57512852058759611292012-09-14T01:36:15.579-02:302012-09-14T01:36:15.579-02:30Marja-Leena:
Glad to share, I am not normally tha...Marja-Leena:<br /><br />Glad to share, I am not normally that quick-witted. <br /><br />I am so so glad I was able to leave with some dignity in spite of the inner rage.<br /><br />XO<br />WWWWisewebwomanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15281689872840844191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14874528.post-31570729859534649142012-09-14T01:34:46.463-02:302012-09-14T01:34:46.463-02:30CC12:
I did so struggle to find something that wo...CC12:<br /><br />I did so struggle to find something that would both put them in their place and retain some semblance of courtesy.<br /><br />I am still oh so sad though.<br /><br />XO<br />WWWWisewebwomanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15281689872840844191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14874528.post-75339932168415944342012-09-13T20:09:50.714-02:302012-09-13T20:09:50.714-02:30I don't care for people to the ultra right and...I don't care for people to the ultra right and don't want to be friends with them, even if I find out after the fact.The relationship would come to a shrieking halt and never be resumed because a huge stumbling block would lie in the way. I am politically active to the left and feel passionately about that. It defines who I am and who I am comfortable with. Besides, I would want to have an argument with them and try to convince them of the error og their ways. Irenehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05043376053971475659noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14874528.post-7078510224381731592012-09-13T18:09:37.984-02:302012-09-13T18:09:37.984-02:30What an excellent answer to a right-winger - I mus...What an excellent answer to a right-winger - I must remember that one next time I meet one. Yes, it shocks one to learn a friend is of that persuasion. And I am a Green Party member as well as an immigrant.marja-leenahttp://www.marja-leena-rathje.infonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14874528.post-3820024801365423402012-09-13T17:27:32.855-02:302012-09-13T17:27:32.855-02:30"Oh, did I tell you?" I said pleasantly,..."Oh, did I tell you?" I said pleasantly, "I was asked to run for the Green Party here. I had to turn it down of course. If they had asked me in my forties I would have run, but now I'm just too busy."<br />Made me laugh out loud :D<br />Oh and i was called an import once ;)CorvusCorax12https://www.blogger.com/profile/02705986279180729268noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14874528.post-60707695032291492822012-09-13T15:52:49.658-02:302012-09-13T15:52:49.658-02:30I was being hosted at this lovely dinner and thoug...I was being hosted at this lovely dinner and thought to just jump shift, Nick.<br /><br />I feel quite heartbroken, I've known him over twenty years and he is very well respected and an author of some reknown.<br /><br />I won't be keen on further meet-ups knowing what I know now.<br /><br />XO<br />WWWWisewebwomanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15281689872840844191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14874528.post-64872699226210610522012-09-13T15:30:27.533-02:302012-09-13T15:30:27.533-02:30It's so shocking when someone you've alway...It's so shocking when someone you've always respected and cherished comes out with some totally off-the-wall opinion. I'm always torn between diplomatically ignoring it in the name of continued friendship, or tearing the comment to bits and causing a major rift.nickhttp://nickhereandnow.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.com