A Conversaton with Elizabeth
1998
Journeys

From:          Elizabeth
To:            larry.m.mixson@bvs.com
Subject:       Role Models

Interesting to hear about your job changes. At times I've felt sensitive about mine, but my philosophy was that being grossly unhappy at work wasn't worth "it." You seemed to find an area though, computers, very early, and that proved, from my estimate a good choice. I never found anything like that for myself. I toyed with the psychology/mental health field, and while in Tampa I took a few M.S.W. courses. While in Orlando I worked at the Crisis Center, as I also did in Tampa, and also later in Tuscaloosa. What I discovered though is that I like helping people by giving them "information" but I don't like, past a certain point, "listening to problems." Also, I really like Jung and existential psychology, but not so much problems of daily living stuff.I think if I would have gotten into academics earlier as a professor that would have worked, but entering professors now have it tough. Often they turn into nomads going from job to job, not being given tenure anywhere. My role models from my family, like yours, were retiring from one job!!! But many people here at the hospital campus have been here years, although I'm told the turnover is close to 70%. Incidentally, this is absolutely the slowest week I've had since being here which is why I can write. Usually I am working steadily and constantly every minute.

When you wrote 17 years--I couldn't imagine it. That is hard to believe. And a daughter who has graduated college and vet school. I knew you had met someone with a young daughter, but I certainly lost track of the/your time. I've stayed single. Except for a brief time in Tuscaloosa while trying to get a professional position, I've also chosen to live alone.
Are you an X-files fan? I am and think I've seen every episode. The last episode was written by William Gibson and involved uploading--one's mind onto the net. It was bizarre. Some years back I got neuromancer to read, but I don't think I ever finished it.

Workshops and groups can be helpful. I went to a group here in Montgomery because I was so miserable at ABU, and I think it helped. Mostly it was cognitive-behavioral stuff, but we did some guided imagery exercises as well. Communication is difficult, I think. I've always wished I could see into someone else’s mind to see how they experience life, to compare with how I experience it.

I'm a New York Times fan. I started the habit when I moved to Alabama because I felt so culturally deprived. It was a ritual to get the Sunday paper. I continued that up until recently when I got this job. Here I've got NYT on the net and read the AP breaking news and the book pages. Interesting though, I recently thought about a subscription to the Washington Post because I really like it too esp. their book section. The Montgomery paper is a waste, but I subscribe just to get community news.

I love library book sales. I actually started that habit at UCH. The library there used to put out books for sale in that long study hall area leading into the library. I bought a lot. In Tuscaloosa the sales were incredible. I was a friend of the library and we had pre-sale privileges. Here the library has a "store" and the prices are too high--that kills the fun. I can't sustain magazine reading--I always get behind.        With law school, I spend much of my time briefing cases, not reading. This semester isn't at bad, but first semester all my spare time was eaten up. In preparation for break I actually planned out what books I would read--I read Cold Mountain currently on the best seller list, Into Thin Air, and then some pablum stuff--mysteries I forget as soon as I read them.

I'm trying to reflect on our writing each other. I don't have any real links to my past. I've eventually lost track of almost everyone from Florida. Tuscaloosa was a college town and everyone I knew there has scattered. My family of origin has pretty much disintegrated. My father died fairly recently, 1995. It was sudden and unexpected, but he was 85. My mother had to give up her place in Rockledge and move into a nursing home, near St. Pete, by my sister. My brother divorced his first wife and moved to Houston. There's no focal family. Where's your Florida family? Didn't you have a sister and a brother?
 
Let me know if you want to continue writing, or not write, or wander through "do you like" questions. I think what we know about each other is that we have a lot of interests in common--which still seems true. I've never had an e-mail relationship before although I've sent messages. EJ

An email relationship was also new to me, I wasn’t even sure what it meant but I would find out.

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