as I remember

  Got up late this morning, after five, and so a late start composing this blog. I usually write them first thing and try to get them posted before six. It's a strange thing really, it's not like I have a deadline to meet but I get nervous if I'm not on time. I'm thinking the time thing stems from my childhood coupled with my twenty years of naval service. Growing up you were not allowed to stay in bed to all hours, get up and get going. I soon learned it was best to get up and get going, unless you wanted chores to do that is! It was best to make yourself scarce before you got an assignment. If you were really foolish you could say to Mom or Dad, I'm bored, there is nothing to do. Yeah, that was foolish. Learned that early on. And in the Navy, and I'm certain every other branch as well, being late was not acceptable at all. No, you had best be where you are supposed to be when you are supposed to be there! Not a minute late, not thirty seconds late. there at 0600! The consequences for being late could be restricted to the ship or base, a half a months pay, or reduced in rank, to name a few. No excuses! None, nada, zip. But this morning, I slept in like it was a holiday! 

 But after I finally got up and moving, wife made the coffee as usual, I headed over to this computer. Habit? You bet it is and a part of the routine. Check the e-mail and delete all that spam mail and advertising. That is definitely the bulk of the mail I get. I can't help but think if everyone had to pay me 58 cents for every letter they sent, you know like postage, a great deal of that mail would stop coming. If I were smart enough I could develop an APP for that. Bet it would be a big seller. They could use the money and gifts that they are promising I've already won. I win contests and give-a-ways daily. I do have to hurry though, they are limited time offers. this year. But when the mail is emptied I go to the memories page to see what I was posting over the years. I enjoy that, remembering what it was all about. Sometimes it takes a few minutes to recall the details. Then it is to Facebook to post my Good Morning salutation. That's a habit I started some years back, posting Good Morning. I remember thinking if this is supposed to be social media we should all be sociable. 

 Yesterday I had a short discussion involving the location of a business. That business existed over forty years ago in my hometown. I had forgotten what street it was on. My guess was wrong. Fortunately there were others whose memories are better than mine in that regard. To be fair though, I haven't lived in that hometown in over forty years either. That's my excuse anyway. Do you need to excuse your memory? I'd say you just have to accept that you are wrong sometimes, and sometimes the others are wrong. Something I have discovered, "Our memories are what we remember, not necessarily what actually was" I have reached the conclusion that often it doesn't matter a bit whether that memory is 100% accurate or not. It is the context of the memory that is important. We should learn from context, not content. The value of the story (memory) is derived from the context. 

 Well time to get going, it is after six already. The day won't wait on me! Not that I have anything in particular in mind that I have to do. I am retired after all and so get somewhat of a choice, I'm also married so there's that. It is best not to say, I'm bored and I don't have anything to do. Yeah, some things never change I suppose, in life or in history. When I look back at my memories page on Facebook I can see proof of that easy enough. The content changes but the context remains the same. Context carries the purpose of the content. Context is what shapes what others perceive. As to the location of that business, that wasn't important, the story of the business was. Well, if memories are important that is. Sometimes I think it would be better to just be surprised every day. Every day a do-over of sorts.  But then again, isn't that what our memories are?