Category
Family Stories
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11.01.09Permalink: PersistencePERSISTENCE © 2009 Brooke Allen brooke@brookeallen.net www.BrookeAllen.net Originally published in International FamilyMagazine Republished in Folks Magazine on 11/7/09. I was working as a computer programmer at Rutgers University when I saw the perfect job advertised by American Airlines. It had everything that I wanted: interesting work, decent pay, and free travel everywhere American flew. I sent a letter outlining my skills, and offered to write a resume if they found me interesting. They did not request a resume, but they did call me in for an interview. I thought that it went very well. A month later, a “thanks but no thanks” letter ...
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10.01.09Permalink: Things Vs. PeopleTHINGS VS. PEOPLE © 2009 Brooke Allen brooke@brooketallen.com www.BrookeAllen.net Originally published October, 2009, in International Family Magazine Republished in Folks Magazine on 10/24/09. When I was 16, my dad told me to get in the car – we were going for a ride. We drove to Bolek’s Foreign Car Service. My dad told Bolek that his son needed to learn how to work and he would drop me there every Saturday morning. He told Bolek that I wasn’t worth anything so he shouldn’t pay me anything. He gave Bolek $100 as an advance against any damage I might do. Then he drove off. Over the ...
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08.01.09Permalink: What am I?WHAT AM I? © 2009 Brooke Allen brooke@brookeallen.net www.BrookeAllen.net Originally published August, 2009, in International Family Magazine My friend in college, Debra, asked me, “What are you?” I did not understand the question. “What are you? How hard can that be? I’m Jewish, what are you?” I said I was not religious. “Neither am I. Just tell me what you are?” I had not been raised with a religion… in fact; it had not been mentioned, kind of like sushi. I was 25 before I had even heard of sushi. I asked my parents, “What am I?” My mom said, “Brooke.” She laughed. “I know that, but what am I relative ...
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04.01.09In the Best Interest!In the Best Interest! © 2009 Brooke Allen brooke@brookeallen.net www.BrookeAllen.net Originally published in International Family Magazine Republished in Folks Magazine on 10/17/09. In 1981, I decided to create my own consulting company. It occurred to me that I must learn more about selling if I was to find clients and flourish. For this I took a short sales training class over a weekend. On my next vacation, I visited my grandparents in Cornwall, where we had the following conversation over lunch: “Grandma, do you remember when my sister and I spent the summer here in 1966?” “I sure do. That was a great time, wasn’t it?” “It ...
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02.01.09TV FatalityTV Fatality © 2009 Brooke Allen brooke@brookeallen.net www.BrookeAllen.net Originally published in International Family Magazine In 1960, when I was eight years old, my parents bought a television. It was a black and white console model and it cost my dad about a month's take-home pay. It changed my life. I could now entertain myself without friends, family, books or using my imagination. I could pretty much have fun without doing anything. It started slowly but by the end of the decade that box had taken over our family. We would even watch television while eating dinner.[1] In September of 1970 I went off to college in Indiana. ...
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09.01.08SinceritySincerity © 2008 Brooke Allen brooke@brookeallen.net www.BrookeAllen.net Originally published in International Family Magazine When my grandparents lived in Bogotá, Grandma became bored. My grandfather told her that she could spend $1,000 (which was a fair bit of money in the Depression) on a hobby, but it would have to pay for itself. She decided to become a painter. She would have to sell her paintings to buy more art supplies if she was to continue to paint after the original money ran out. This meant that she would have to become good enough that people would buy her paintings. Eventually she made so much money she couldn't spend ...
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04.01.08Permalink: Great DepressionGreat Grandfather – Great Grandmother © 2008 Brooke Allen brooke@brookeallen.net www.BrookeAllen.net Originally published in International Family Magazine As I detailed in the story How Grandmother Won Granddad in a Beauty Contest my grandparents met on a blind date in New York City in the 1920’s and decided to marry within a week. Granddad Tom was sent to Havana to open an office for United Press International. He became El Presidente Local for the U. P. I. in Cuba. When he returned near the end of the decade he was handed a 40% pay cut even though the cost of living was higher in New York ...
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02.01.08Permalink: My Good NameMy Good Name © 2008 Brooke Allen brooke@brookeallen.net www.BrookeAllen.net Originally published in International Family Magazine Republished in Folks Magazine on 8/22/09. Brrrrring. Brrrring. “Hello” “Is Brooke Allen there?" "Speaking." "I'm sorry, I have the wrong number." Click. When I first moved to New York City a well-meaning friend gave me a book about surviving in the city. It served no purpose but to destroy all pleasure in life: When pushed in front of the subway, lie down in the ditch between the rails. Carry your wallet in your front pocket since your back pocket will be sliced open with a razor. And by all means, install three locks so the ...
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01.01.08Of Parks and PeopleOf Parks and People © 2008 Brooke Allen brooke@brookeallen.net www.BrookeAllen.net Originally published in International Family Magazine For this month’s Father’s Stories column I wrote a brief item about an incident in a park in Tokyo. I had wanted just one photograph of Arisugawa Park to illustrate my story but I could not find any. So, I thought I’d write for help to some of the most wonderful people I know: members of www.couchsurfing.com (1.) I will tell you more about them in a future article, but for now just know that this is a group of people around the world (about 400,000 strong) ...
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06.01.07Advice for GrandchildrenAdvice for Grandchildren © 2010 Brooke Allen brooke@brookeallen.net www.BrookeAllen.net Originally published in International Family Magazine After my dad died, I went through his hard drive and found this in a folder named: adviceforgrandchildren Title: Boys and Girls Until about 2 years old I have noticed that children at this age carry on soundless interested communication sometimes pointing and laughing and crying from their strollers regardless of whatever color (blue or pink) they are wearing 3 and 4 years of age Very friendly to all their peers regardless of age sex or economic level. Not very intellectual communication except for world shaking ...
