I am basically happy where I am. I haven't visited all the places I hoped to see but there is time for that. In the last five years I've been to South America, Central America and Europe. Both of our kids are successful both personally and professionally. I take great pride in that. Is civilization better off because of me? No. My level of arrogance is not great enough to say that. I will say that generally our country is not in a better place. We are more divided than ever in about every way possible. No. My pronouns are not in my email but I don't care if others choose to put them there. What they do does not affect me at all. Being upset by such trivial things is an indication of that divide I mentioned earlier.
Interesting question. That was back in the 90’s and I do think things may have been better in some ways.
Life is good. Did a lot of traveling, especially when I was younger. I am an experiential personality that has seen the world and experienced much. I married in my mid 30s and my wife had our son in my late thirties. Made decisions after that based on what is best for our family, rather than what is best for my career or what is best to maximize $$$$. Hence I was able to be in my son's life as he grew up never missing sporting events, school events, even taking him to school when he was young. I live where I want to live and where we thought it was best for our family. I gave up a really cool career that paid well because I was on the road a lot. Never gave it another thought and it was absolutely worth it.
I lived in Sao Paulo and Porto Alegre in 76-79, but I then went to NY and worked for VARIG for 17 years, so I was constantly in Brazil. I worked at the ECO that was in Rio.
Did you have a chance to have café colonial on that rainy day? They really only have it in the south of Brazil because it really has a German/Swiss background. It's comparable to "High Tea", but way less formal. Coffee or hot chocolate with an array of sweets, cold cuts and fruits. We used to get that everyday after 4 in the south, but mainly in the smaller towns.
Oh yes, the chocolate. That comes from the German migration of the 1830's to the south of Brazil.
I am 77 and life is, and has been, good. I miss my parents, my little brother and my in-laws. Life goes on. My wife and I celebrate 50 years this month. The world at large is a tougher place now than when I was younger. I do enjoy my little place in it.
I've been there. I bought linens there. That's where the good linens come from.
Used to do a lot of Sao Paulo layovers. Only did the Caipirinhas once. Ugh.
I appreciate your post.
well, a large portion of the football players sat on the wall over there across from the Moore, so he went through it on a regular basis I would guess.
To answer your original question. No, I did not get to visit all the places I would have liked to have visited, and of course, there was a time that I just wanted to be Gaughin, and live in Tahiti and do art.
Yes, he is 20, on hiatus from U of Utah. Spent 90 days backpacking Europe and is now a ski instructor at Sun Valley. Really smart..........high test scores good to great grades in HS. Struggled with the pandemic and losing the back end of his senior year and then stuck in his dorm cluster his freshman year at school. He is curious about the world, has done 3 international trips on his own or with a friend. He is very social (why the pandemic was so hard on him) and always has had a good group of friends and a nice girlfriend his senior year of HS. He is trying to figure out what he wants to study and do with his life.......................pretty proud of him, although he can be infuriating at times like all teenagers/young adults!
I love hearing stories like this. I have a few kids that I am their "other mother" (or now, other grandmother, lol). It's so gratifying that you have a kid, or someone else's kid, that work hard, make good decisions, and know that they have to find their way.
Keep hope alive in your heart, things can turn for the better.
