On 4/22/2018 7:20 AM, Cindy Hamilton wrote:
> On Saturday, April 21, 2018 at 6:44:36 PM UTC-4, Jill McQuown wrote:
>> On 4/19/2018 6:16 PM, Dave Smith wrote:
>>
>>> I was in charge of the social fund and every year at
>>> Christmas I went around for donations for the Salvation Army. He was the
>>> only one who never donated.
>>>
>>> I also organized the Christmas luncheon. One year I had several people
>>> tell me they didn't want to come if he was going to say grace.
>> (snipped)
>>
>> Well, Dave, here's the FIRST problem as I see it. Was this luncheon at
>> work strictly for *Christians*? Or was it just called a "Christmas
>> luncheon"? I have never heard of anyone saying grace at a company
>> function, unless maybe it's a monestery or a convent.
>
> Lucky you. I have to sit through that nonsense at my husband's company's
> "Holiday" party.
>
> Cindy Hamilton
>
The large companies I've worked for (in the "corporate world") such
things are against company policy.

But even some small businesses seem to know better. In the late 80's I
left Prudential to work at a small insurance brokerage. Family owned
business, very nice people. They had about 125 employees. Everyone
knew they were a nice Christian family, attended services once a week.
But they did not ask about or talk about religion. At company provided
luncheons or functions they never said grace nor expected anyone to sit
through blessings.

Seems to me it's common sense. Relgion does not belong in the workplace
if it has nothing to do with the job at hand.

It doesn't belong in public schools, either. I do think it should be a
students' right and opportunity to pray silently or with a group of
peers if they wish.

In 1974, I used to "sit out" the first five or 10 minutes of my Spanish
language class. This was a public, secular school. The teacher was a
Catholic woman from Spain. She insisted on starting each lesson with a
prayer before starting class. Ostensibly to teach us a few Spanish words.

This was back when the school/prayer debate was huge. I wasn't brought
up going to church or saying grace at meals. I, and a couple of other
students "sat out" until it was over. We didn't get in trouble for it.

I actually remember her fondly. If it bothered her that I didn't come
in until after prayer she never showed it.

I don't know where she was born in Spain but she talked about the
different pronunciations in different regions of Spain. Castillian with
a 'th' rather than a hard 's'. Regional accents. She was teaching
*Spanish*, not "How to speak Mexican Spanish".

I actually liked her. First day in class, she was assigning everyone
their "Spanish name" to be used in future roll calls. She said to me,
"There's really not a Spanish equivalent for 'Jill'." She decided to
call me "Juana". I was fine with that. I'm definitely not a Juanita.

I remember one very weird thing that happened in class one day. She
came into the classroom in tears. Generalissimo Francsisco Franco had
died. She upset!

Okay, I was about 14, maybe 15. I only had a sketchy idea of who Franco
was. I sure didn't understand why my Spanish teacher would be sobbing
about the death of a dictator in front of the class.

Jill

jmcquown wrote:
>
> "There's really not a Spanish equivalent for 'Jill'." She decided to
> call me "Juana". I was fine with that. I'm definitely not a Juanita.

I took French for many years, unfortunately. Spanish would have
been a smarter choice but we didn't know about the pending
spanish speaking invasion back then.

She also told me, no French equivalent for Gary. She decided on
"Alain." That french name stuck with me for several more years of
stupid french classes.

On 2018-04-25 11:00 AM, jmcquown wrote:
> On 4/22/2018 7:20 AM, Cindy Hamilton wrote:
>> On Saturday, April 21, 2018 at 6:44:36 PM UTC-4, Jill McQuown wrote:
>>> On 4/19/2018 6:16 PM, Dave Smith wrote:
>>>
>>>> I was in charge of the social fund and every year at
>>>> Christmas I went around for donations for the Salvation Army. He was
>>>> the
>>>> only one who never donated.
>>>>
>>>> I also organized the Christmas luncheon. One year I had several people
>>>> tell me they didn't want to come if he was going to say grace.
>>> (snipped)
>>>
>>> Well, Dave, here's the FIRST problem as I see it.Â* Was this luncheon at
>>> work strictly for *Christians*?Â* Or was it just called a "Christmas
>>> luncheon"?Â* I have never heard of anyone saying grace at a company
>>> function, unless maybe it's a monestery or a convent.
>>
>> Lucky you.Â* I have to sit through that nonsense at my husband's company's
>> "Holiday" party.
>>
>> Cindy Hamilton
>>
> The large companies I've worked for (in the "corporate world") such
> things are against company policy.
>
> But even some small businesses seem to know better.Â* In the late 80's I
> left Prudential to work at a small insurance brokerage.Â* Family owned
> business, very nice people.Â* They had about 125 employees.Â* Everyone
> knew they were a nice Christian family, attended services once a week.
> But they did not ask about or talk about religion.Â* At company provided
> luncheons or functions they never said grace nor expected anyone to sit
> through blessings.
>
> Seems to me it's common sense.Â* Relgion does not belong in the workplace
> if it has nothing to do with the job at hand.
>
> It doesn't belong in public schools, either.Â* I do think it should be a
> students' right and opportunity to pray silently or with a group of
> peers if they wish.
>
> In 1974, I used to "sit out" the first five or 10 minutes of my Spanish
> language class.Â* This was a public, secular school.Â* The teacher was a
> Catholic woman from Spain.Â* She insisted on starting each lesson with a
> prayer before starting class.Â* Ostensibly to teach us a few Spanish words.
>
> This was back when the school/prayer debate was huge.Â* I wasn't brought
> up going to church or saying grace at meals.Â* I, and a couple of other
> students "sat out" until it was over.Â* We didn't get in trouble for it.
>
> I actually remember her fondly.Â* If it bothered her that I didn't come
> in until after prayer she never showed it.
>
> I don't know where she was born in Spain but she talked about the
> different pronunciations in different regions of Spain.Â* Castillian with
> a 'th' rather than a hard 's'.Â* Regional accents.Â* She was teaching
> *Spanish*, not "How to speak Mexican Spanish".
>
> I actually liked her.Â* First day in class, she was assigning everyone
> their "Spanish name" to be used in future roll calls.Â* She said to me,
> "There's really not a Spanish equivalent for 'Jill'."Â* She decided to
> call me "Juana".Â* I was fine with that.Â* I'm definitely not a Juanita.
>
> I remember one very weird thing that happened in class one day.Â* She
> came into the classroom in tears.Â* Generalissimo Francsisco Franco had
> died.Â* She upset!
>
> Okay, I was about 14, maybe 15.Â* I only had a sketchy idea of who Franco
> was.Â* I sure didn't understand why my Spanish teacher would be sobbing
> about the death of a dictator in front of the class.
>
> Jill
My grammar school French teacher - a hot-tempered Irishman, called me
Georges (and no, that is NOT plural).
Graham

On 4/25/2018 1:44 PM, Gary wrote:
> jmcquown wrote:
>>
>> "There's really not a Spanish equivalent for 'Jill'." She decided to
>> call me "Juana". I was fine with that. I'm definitely not a Juanita.
>
> I took French for many years, unfortunately. Spanish would have
> been a smarter choice but we didn't know about the pending
> spanish speaking invasion back then.

You must be *really* old.

nancy

Nancy Young wrote:
>
> On 4/25/2018 1:44 PM, Gary wrote:
> > jmcquown wrote:
> >>
> >> "There's really not a Spanish equivalent for 'Jill'." She decided to
> >> call me "Juana". I was fine with that. I'm definitely not a Juanita.
> >
> > I took French for many years, unfortunately. Spanish would have
> > been a smarter choice but we didn't know about the pending
> > spanish speaking invasion back then.
>
> You must be *really* old.

I think you are too but regardless, I'll turn 65 in 2 months.
Old but better than the alternative. :-D

On Wednesday, April 25, 2018 at 12:00:32 PM UTC-5, Jill McQuown wrote:
>
> First day in class, she was assigning everyone
> their "Spanish name" to be used in future roll calls. She said to me,
> "There's really not a Spanish equivalent for 'Jill'." She decided to
> call me "Juana". I was fine with that. I'm definitely not a Juanita.
>
> Jill
>
>
Several years ago at work the cleaning crew that cleaned the building
at night was made up of many, many Latinos. We always introduced our-
selves to get to know them even though they spoke very little English.
When I introduced myself as 'Joan' they just stared at me as they couldn't
wrap their brain around that. After repeating my name another 2 or 3
times I finally said "Juanita" pointing at myself. Big smiles broke out
on all their faces and repeated "Juanita, Juanita!"

My co-workers name was 'Marilyn' and that really had them stumped.

On 4/25/2018 2:38 PM, Gary wrote:
> Nancy Young wrote:
>>
>> On 4/25/2018 1:44 PM, Gary wrote:
>>> jmcquown wrote:
>>>>
>>>> "There's really not a Spanish equivalent for 'Jill'." She decided to
>>>> call me "Juana". I was fine with that. I'm definitely not a Juanita.
>>>
>>> I took French for many years, unfortunately. Spanish would have
>>> been a smarter choice but we didn't know about the pending
>>> spanish speaking invasion back then.
>>
>> You must be *really* old.
>
> I think you are too but regardless, I'll turn 65 in 2 months.
> Old but better than the alternative. :-D

Heh, well I'm a few years behind, very few, but we learned about
the increasing Spanish speaking population and that's why I took
it. Wish I'd have taken French instead.

nancy

On Wed, 25 Apr 2018 19:59:51 -0000 (UTC), Wayne Boatwright
> wrote:

>On Wed 25 Apr 2018 11:14:56a, Nancy Young told us...
>
>> On 4/25/2018 1:44 PM, Gary wrote:
>>> jmcquown wrote:
>>>>
>>>> "There's really not a Spanish equivalent for 'Jill'." She
>>>> decided to call me "Juana". I was fine with that. I'm
>>>> definitely not a Juanita.
>>>
>>> I took French for many years, unfortunately. Spanish would have
>>> been a smarter choice but we didn't know about the pending
>>> spanish speaking invasion back then.
>>
>> You must be *really* old.
>>
>> nancy
>>
>
>Spanish was offered in my school system, however, there were
>absolutely no Hispanics anywhere near where I lived. I took French
>and German.

French, German, Spanish and Latin were taught at my school. There
were no Latin speaking people anywhere near where I lived.
Janet US

On Wed, 25 Apr 2018 14:09:34 -0600, U.S. Janet B. >
wrote:

>On Wed, 25 Apr 2018 19:59:51 -0000 (UTC), Wayne Boatwright
> wrote:
>
>>On Wed 25 Apr 2018 11:14:56a, Nancy Young told us...
>>
>>> On 4/25/2018 1:44 PM, Gary wrote:
>>>> jmcquown wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> "There's really not a Spanish equivalent for 'Jill'." She
>>>>> decided to call me "Juana". I was fine with that. I'm
>>>>> definitely not a Juanita.
>>>>
>>>> I took French for many years, unfortunately. Spanish would have
>>>> been a smarter choice but we didn't know about the pending
>>>> spanish speaking invasion back then.
>>>
>>> You must be *really* old.
>>>
>>> nancy
>>>
>>
>>Spanish was offered in my school system, however, there were
>>absolutely no Hispanics anywhere near where I lived. I took French
>>and German.
>
>French, German, Spanish and Latin were taught at my school. There
>were no Latin speaking people anywhere near where I lived.

French, English, German, Latin, and Ancient Greek were taught at mine.
I took them all except German. It wasn't very popular yet 30 years
after WW2.

On Wed, 25 Apr 2018 11:45:34 -0700 (PDT), "
> wrote:

>On Wednesday, April 25, 2018 at 12:00:32 PM UTC-5, Jill McQuown wrote:
>>
>> First day in class, she was assigning everyone
>> their "Spanish name" to be used in future roll calls. She said to me,
>> "There's really not a Spanish equivalent for 'Jill'." She decided to
>> call me "Juana". I was fine with that. I'm definitely not a Juanita.
>>
>> Jill
>>
>>
>Several years ago at work the cleaning crew that cleaned the building
>at night was made up of many, many Latinos. We always introduced our-
>selves to get to know them even though they spoke very little English.
>When I introduced myself as 'Joan' they just stared at me as they couldn't
>wrap their brain around that. After repeating my name another 2 or 3
>times I finally said "Juanita" pointing at myself. Big smiles broke out
>on all their faces and repeated "Juanita, Juanita!"
>
>My co-workers name was 'Marilyn' and that really had them stumped.

"Maria, Maria!"

On 4/25/2018 2:14 PM, Nancy Young wrote:
> On 4/25/2018 1:44 PM, Gary wrote:
>> jmcquown wrote:
>>>
>>> "There's really not a Spanish equivalent for 'Jill'."Â* She decided to
>>> call me "Juana".Â* I was fine with that.Â* I'm definitely not a
>>> Juanita.
>>
>> I took French for many years, unfortunately. Spanish would have
>> been a smarter choice but we didn't know about the pending
>> spanish speaking invasion back then.
>
> You must be *really* old.
>
> nancy

He's 102... or thereabouts. <wink>

Jill

On 4/25/2018 2:45 PM, wrote:
> On Wednesday, April 25, 2018 at 12:00:32 PM UTC-5, Jill McQuown wrote:
>>
>> First day in class, she was assigning everyone
>> their "Spanish name" to be used in future roll calls. She said to me,
>> "There's really not a Spanish equivalent for 'Jill'." She decided to
>> call me "Juana". I was fine with that. I'm definitely not a Juanita.
>>
>> Jill
>>
>>
> Several years ago at work the cleaning crew that cleaned the building
> at night was made up of many, many Latinos. We always introduced our-
> selves to get to know them even though they spoke very little English.
> When I introduced myself as 'Joan' they just stared at me as they couldn't
> wrap their brain around that. After repeating my name another 2 or 3
> times I finally said "Juanita" pointing at myself. Big smiles broke out
> on all their faces and repeated "Juanita, Juanita!"
>
> My co-workers name was 'Marilyn' and that really had them stumped.
>
Closest thing I could think of to Marilyn would be Maria.

Jill

On 4/25/2018 4:09 PM, U.S. Janet B. wrote:
> On Wed, 25 Apr 2018 19:59:51 -0000 (UTC), Wayne Boatwright
> > wrote:
>
>> On Wed 25 Apr 2018 11:14:56a, Nancy Young told us...
>>
>>> On 4/25/2018 1:44 PM, Gary wrote:
>>>> jmcquown wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> "There's really not a Spanish equivalent for 'Jill'." She
>>>>> decided to call me "Juana". I was fine with that. I'm
>>>>> definitely not a Juanita.
>>>>
>>>> I took French for many years, unfortunately. Spanish would have
>>>> been a smarter choice but we didn't know about the pending
>>>> spanish speaking invasion back then.
>>>
>>> You must be *really* old.
>>>
>>> nancy
>>>
>>
>> Spanish was offered in my school system, however, there were
>> absolutely no Hispanics anywhere near where I lived. I took French
>> and German.
>
> French, German, Spanish and Latin were taught at my school. There
> were no Latin speaking people anywhere near where I lived.
> Janet US
>

I'm fairly certain the Catholic prayers my Spanish teacher was reciting
before class were in Latin. No one speaks Latin anymore yet it, along
with Greek, are the basis for legal and medical terminology to this day.

Jill

On Wed, 25 Apr 2018 19:41:11 -0400, jmcquown >
wrote:

>On 4/25/2018 4:09 PM, U.S. Janet B. wrote:
>> On Wed, 25 Apr 2018 19:59:51 -0000 (UTC), Wayne Boatwright
>> > wrote:
>>
>>> On Wed 25 Apr 2018 11:14:56a, Nancy Young told us...
>>>
>>>> On 4/25/2018 1:44 PM, Gary wrote:
>>>>> jmcquown wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> "There's really not a Spanish equivalent for 'Jill'." She
>>>>>> decided to call me "Juana". I was fine with that. I'm
>>>>>> definitely not a Juanita.
>>>>>
>>>>> I took French for many years, unfortunately. Spanish would have
>>>>> been a smarter choice but we didn't know about the pending
>>>>> spanish speaking invasion back then.
>>>>
>>>> You must be *really* old.
>>>>
>>>> nancy
>>>>
>>>
>>> Spanish was offered in my school system, however, there were
>>> absolutely no Hispanics anywhere near where I lived. I took French
>>> and German.
>>
>> French, German, Spanish and Latin were taught at my school. There
>> were no Latin speaking people anywhere near where I lived.
>> Janet US
>>
>
>I'm fairly certain the Catholic prayers my Spanish teacher was reciting
>before class were in Latin. No one speaks Latin anymore yet it, along
>with Greek, are the basis for legal and medical terminology to this day.
>
>Jill

Which is why I was taught Latin and loved it while my friend preferred
Greek. When she died three years ago she was still in the process of
translating an old edition of the New Testament from old Greek to
English. I loved her so refrained from pointing out, Greek, Latin
whatever, all mythical.

Nancy Young wrote:
>
> Heh, well I'm a few years behind, very few, but we learned about
> the increasing Spanish speaking population and that's why I took
> it. Wish I'd have taken French instead.

And here I wish I had taken Spanish. Just curious, why do
you wish you had taken French instead? I took it for 6 years
but hated it. I've forgotten all but the basics now.

If I had taken Spanish all those years, I'd be able to
Press 1 *OR* 2 now on the telephone when given a choice. heheh

Back in my public school days (Grades 1-12) our only
choices were french or spanish.

Nancy Young wrote:
> we learned about
> the increasing Spanish speaking population and that's why I took
> it. Wish I'd have taken French instead

Last few years, I've been slowly trying to learn the
"Lakota" language. Starting with just learning short
sentences. As that progresses, I'm learning how to
create my own sentences. I also found a basic Lakota
dictionary.

Very cool and honorable original usains. Some day, I'd like to
visit one of their reservations. They would most likely
appreciate that I somewhat know their language. If I could
stay for an extended visit, I would learn it much better.

One of things on my bucket list.