Posts
Telephone Interview with Robert S. Earle, 24 February 2002
Carolyn Earle Billingsley
Daddy used to go fishing in Fourche Creek in Little Rock when he was a little boy. He often went with his cousin James Lee Branch, the son of G. F. (Flynn) Branch and his wife Earl Elrod.[1] They crossed over Roosevelt Boulevard near where the State Police Headquarters are now and down Brown Street to Fourche. Daddy said he caught sunfish (perch) and one time caught a catfish that must’ve been all of seven inches long—but he thought he’d hooked a monster.
G. F. and Earl Branch had another son, G. F. Branch They also had a daughter Margie, who married a Graves and now lives in El Dorado (Dad just talked to her recently and got James Lee’s phone number in Florida but he never did reach him) There was another daughter (name not remembered) who lived with Daddy’s grandparents in Little Rock so she could go to high school there while her parents were living in Pine Bluff. Her father Flynn worked at that time as a janitor at Watson Chapel School. At one time the Branches lived at 2004 Valmar Street, right down the street from where Daddy was born and lived when very young.
James Lee Branch was older than Daddy by about four years. One time, he was flipping Daddy and broke his collarbone. His grandfather took him to the doctor and then brought him home on the trolley with a big board supporting his back and collarbone, but his grandmother took one look at that and said, “He’s never going to keep that on his back for six months!” and sent it back to the doctor.
James Lee Branch flew missions over Germany during WWII and was shot down over Bremen. He spent a couple years as a POW.
Gene Hudson was another friend of Daddy’s (and his aunt was ____ Millican). They went off to some school in Oklahoma together at one point. Gene’s mother owned Eula’s Shoe Shops in Little Rock and had seven or eight stores. Gene was going to set up another shop somewhere and Daddy set up a shoe repair shop in Rose City, but he never really had much business. Mother was working at some job and they had $40 a week to live on. Gene Hudson was a distributor for some food company and could get them all the macaroni they could eat, so they lived on that, plus eggs from Daddy’s grandparents and milk and beef from Mother’s parents.
A few years ago (Daddy estimates about 1998–1999), Gene came up missing and they finally found him dead in his car along the Pine Bluff Highway. He’d had an accident and I guess no one could see the car from the road.
[1] I’m not sure how Earl Branch and Robert S. Earle—or his grandmother Sarah Jane “Janie” Elizabeth (Keesee) Earle—were related, but since Earl Branch’s maiden name was Elrod, I suspect that she is a descendant of one of Sarah Jane Elisabeth (Keesee) Earle’s half-siblings by her mother’s first marriage to an Elrod. Daddy stated that he and James Lee Branch were definitely cousins through his grandmother Janie Earle.
24 February 2002
14 December 2001
i hurt
i hurt
and all it would have taken
was an email
from you
my beloved
about the weather
but once again i failed
failed to grasp that
you
would see an ultimatum
or maybe even
some modicum of commitment
when none was sought
only reassurance
only reassurance
me
my fault
wanting you too much
loving too deeply
too often, too intensely
needing intimacy
that you never learned how to give
you
your fear, inaction, depression
pain
past and present experiences too harsh
no understanding of unconditional love
or true intimacy
from a woman, soulmate, consoler
joyful partner in love
we
killed a beautiful thing
an unrivaled match
that was meant for joy
over a lifetime
an eternity
but now it seems
whatever we had
is gone
you
your heart
once open to love
has scarred over completely
into an impenetrable carapace
i
worn out from pain and rejection
half of a completed whole
alone
without her complement, her match, her equal
her completion
and i hurt
for me
for you
for the ephemeral
us
i hurt
Written 18 November 2008
By Carolyn Earle Billingsley
(I put an old date on really personal posts so they don't show up on main page; thus, although written in 2008, this is dated as 2001 on the blog--buried, so to speak.
and all it would have taken
was an email
from you
my beloved
about the weather
but once again i failed
failed to grasp that
you
would see an ultimatum
or maybe even
some modicum of commitment
when none was sought
only reassurance
only reassurance
me
my fault
wanting you too much
loving too deeply
too often, too intensely
needing intimacy
that you never learned how to give
you
your fear, inaction, depression
pain
past and present experiences too harsh
no understanding of unconditional love
or true intimacy
from a woman, soulmate, consoler
joyful partner in love
we
killed a beautiful thing
an unrivaled match
that was meant for joy
over a lifetime
an eternity
but now it seems
whatever we had
is gone
you
your heart
once open to love
has scarred over completely
into an impenetrable carapace
i
worn out from pain and rejection
half of a completed whole
alone
without her complement, her match, her equal
her completion
and i hurt
for me
for you
for the ephemeral
us
i hurt
Written 18 November 2008
By Carolyn Earle Billingsley
(I put an old date on really personal posts so they don't show up on main page; thus, although written in 2008, this is dated as 2001 on the blog--buried, so to speak.
20 August 1997
Hostility towards groups helps form identity
I've Gotta Be Me By Hating You
Study: Hostility towards groups helps form identity
By Neil Sherman
HealthScoutNews Reporter
MONDAY, Aug. 20 (HealthScoutNews) -- Who you are may be defined in part by who you hate, new research suggests.
Studies have shown that people create identity and self-esteem by associating with --or at least relating to -- groups or organizations they view as positive. But your feelings about a group or organization you reject may be equally important for how you view yourself, researchers say.
"What we were interested in was how negative perceptions of an organization or a company can cause people to work against that company -- not buy their product, boycott them, not work for them, or speak out against them," says Kimberly Elsbach, formerly a professor at Emory University and now with the University of California at Davis. "And there's a theory -- social identification -- that says that the groups or companies or friendship groups we associate with help us to identify who we are.
"So if I say I'm against the National Rifle Association [NRA], then that defines me as a non-member and that identifies me as an individual," Elsbach explains. "So we used how people felt about the NRA to look at how people identify themselves by who they 'disidentify' with."
Elsbach and her colleagues at Emory conducted three focus groups in metropolitan Atlanta with a total of 27 people -- 11 men and 16 women -- "people who said they saw themselves as separate or disconnected from the NRA," she says. "And we choose the NRA, because we wanted to make sure that we used a group that we knew people would 'disidentify' with, and that could only happen with an organization that espoused a well-known ideology."
She says her findings could apply to other groups -- the American Civil Liberties Union, for example -- from all across the political spectrum.
The survey found the strongest negative feelings among the people who knew the least about the NRA.
"People who have limited experience and exposure to the organization, those who really don't have any personal experience of the organization, or those who felt that the organization would hurt their reputation with their friends, and people who feel like the values of the organization conflict with their own, are most likely to 'disidentify' with the NRA," Elsbach says.
"So they saw the NRA as a bunch of rednecks toting guns and they didn't know anyone who belonged and they had no personal experience of the organization," she says. "In fact, these people tended to have a very narrowly defined, stereotypical view of the organization."
What was also interesting about the finding, she adds, was that "people did not necessarily have to have some personal negative experience with an organization to 'disidentify.'"
"In fact, it was the very opposite -- they had no experience and that suggests that the stereotype is the most important predictor of 'disidentification,'" she says.
Those who knew something about the NRA had less strident feelings, Elsbach says. "They may have opposed the NRA's views and they didn't agree personally, nevertheless they did not 'disidentify' because they had a more complex understanding."
This mirrors life in a way, she notes. "The same process goes on in adolescence with the groups of friends you make and the people you say you don't like, and that clearly goes on into adulthood."
'Disidentification' often leads to action, Elsbach says. "Some people said they volunteered for groups against the NRA or boycotted companies that supported the NRA, or they spoke out publicly," she says.
The findings, which were verified using a mail survey of more than 400 people, were published in the August issue of Organization Science.
The NRA declined to comment on the article.
The findings are "relevant but only one part of a very complex, ongoing process," says Gershen Kaufman, a psychology professor at Michigan State University. "Identity is in flux from birth until death. It is who I was, who I am, who I will be -- and it's a historical concept, because it transcends past and future and links both to a present self."
Kaufman says each person is different and "some people respond more to positive identification while some respond more to negative identification, and some balance the whole process out between the two. And identity grows through defining who we are and who are not, who we are like and who we are different from."
While the findings are interesting, are there any practical applications?
"We think that organizations and companies are in a very competitive environment," Elsbach says. "They want their customers not to shop at their competitors. Getting them to 'disidentify' could be very powerful."
Or we may want to change social attitudes, she adds. "There's a large area of advertising called social marketing -- such as the efforts to label tobacco companies as uncaring. Understanding 'disidentification' could be very helpful."
What To Do
For more on "disidentification," visit Washington State University. And for more on the development of identity, check out Metaself.
You can also form your own opinion about the National Rifle Association.
SOURCES: Interviews with Kimberly Elsbach, Ph.D., associate professor of management, University of California, Davis; Gershen Kaufman, Ph.D., professor of psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing; August 2001 Organization Science
Copyright © 2001 ScoutNews, LLC. All rights reserved.
Last updated 8/20/2001.
This article can be accessed directly at:
http://www.healthscout.com/template.asp?page=newsDetail&ap=43&id=501076
[NOTE: This link is no longer active in 2005
Copyright © 2002 Rx Remedy, Inc. All rights reserved.
Site implemented by Thaumaturgix, Inc.
Study: Hostility towards groups helps form identity
By Neil Sherman
HealthScoutNews Reporter
MONDAY, Aug. 20 (HealthScoutNews) -- Who you are may be defined in part by who you hate, new research suggests.
Studies have shown that people create identity and self-esteem by associating with --or at least relating to -- groups or organizations they view as positive. But your feelings about a group or organization you reject may be equally important for how you view yourself, researchers say.
"What we were interested in was how negative perceptions of an organization or a company can cause people to work against that company -- not buy their product, boycott them, not work for them, or speak out against them," says Kimberly Elsbach, formerly a professor at Emory University and now with the University of California at Davis. "And there's a theory -- social identification -- that says that the groups or companies or friendship groups we associate with help us to identify who we are.
"So if I say I'm against the National Rifle Association [NRA], then that defines me as a non-member and that identifies me as an individual," Elsbach explains. "So we used how people felt about the NRA to look at how people identify themselves by who they 'disidentify' with."
Elsbach and her colleagues at Emory conducted three focus groups in metropolitan Atlanta with a total of 27 people -- 11 men and 16 women -- "people who said they saw themselves as separate or disconnected from the NRA," she says. "And we choose the NRA, because we wanted to make sure that we used a group that we knew people would 'disidentify' with, and that could only happen with an organization that espoused a well-known ideology."
She says her findings could apply to other groups -- the American Civil Liberties Union, for example -- from all across the political spectrum.
The survey found the strongest negative feelings among the people who knew the least about the NRA.
"People who have limited experience and exposure to the organization, those who really don't have any personal experience of the organization, or those who felt that the organization would hurt their reputation with their friends, and people who feel like the values of the organization conflict with their own, are most likely to 'disidentify' with the NRA," Elsbach says.
"So they saw the NRA as a bunch of rednecks toting guns and they didn't know anyone who belonged and they had no personal experience of the organization," she says. "In fact, these people tended to have a very narrowly defined, stereotypical view of the organization."
What was also interesting about the finding, she adds, was that "people did not necessarily have to have some personal negative experience with an organization to 'disidentify.'"
"In fact, it was the very opposite -- they had no experience and that suggests that the stereotype is the most important predictor of 'disidentification,'" she says.
Those who knew something about the NRA had less strident feelings, Elsbach says. "They may have opposed the NRA's views and they didn't agree personally, nevertheless they did not 'disidentify' because they had a more complex understanding."
This mirrors life in a way, she notes. "The same process goes on in adolescence with the groups of friends you make and the people you say you don't like, and that clearly goes on into adulthood."
'Disidentification' often leads to action, Elsbach says. "Some people said they volunteered for groups against the NRA or boycotted companies that supported the NRA, or they spoke out publicly," she says.
The findings, which were verified using a mail survey of more than 400 people, were published in the August issue of Organization Science.
The NRA declined to comment on the article.
The findings are "relevant but only one part of a very complex, ongoing process," says Gershen Kaufman, a psychology professor at Michigan State University. "Identity is in flux from birth until death. It is who I was, who I am, who I will be -- and it's a historical concept, because it transcends past and future and links both to a present self."
Kaufman says each person is different and "some people respond more to positive identification while some respond more to negative identification, and some balance the whole process out between the two. And identity grows through defining who we are and who are not, who we are like and who we are different from."
While the findings are interesting, are there any practical applications?
"We think that organizations and companies are in a very competitive environment," Elsbach says. "They want their customers not to shop at their competitors. Getting them to 'disidentify' could be very powerful."
Or we may want to change social attitudes, she adds. "There's a large area of advertising called social marketing -- such as the efforts to label tobacco companies as uncaring. Understanding 'disidentification' could be very helpful."
What To Do
For more on "disidentification," visit Washington State University. And for more on the development of identity, check out Metaself.
You can also form your own opinion about the National Rifle Association.
SOURCES: Interviews with Kimberly Elsbach, Ph.D., associate professor of management, University of California, Davis; Gershen Kaufman, Ph.D., professor of psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing; August 2001 Organization Science
Copyright © 2001 ScoutNews, LLC. All rights reserved.
Last updated 8/20/2001.
This article can be accessed directly at:
http://www.healthscout.com/template.asp?page=newsDetail&ap=43&id=501076
[NOTE: This link is no longer active in 2005
Copyright © 2002 Rx Remedy, Inc. All rights reserved.
Site implemented by Thaumaturgix, Inc.
14 March 1996
Email, CEB to RJE to CEB
Hi:
Well, the strike's still on here and the latest word is that classes probably won't start until after Easter Break, i.e., April 16th. Then we'll probably have to work like crazy to catch up. There was a big student demonstation today on Hauptplatz that snarled up the public transportation pretty good, but I just walked to my favorite Chinese restaurant where I met a friend for lunch. That's basically what I've been filling up my time with -- social engagements.
Tonight though, I have a three-hour tutoring session with a new client (we met last week to see how we clicked). I'm not looking forward to it particularly - it's always strenuous -- but I can really use the $20 an hour. My other client hasn't wanted any sessions lately, since we usually work on her university assignments and there haven't been any classes. I wish this damned strike was over because I was really looking forward to my classes.
Day before yesterday we had a full-out snowstorm. If the wind had been blowing, it would've been a blizzard. I think there is about ten inches of new snow on top of the old snow. Very slushy and messy, although it was beautiful for a while. It's supposed to warm up into the 40s this week and it's above freezing today and sunny, which feels good. The natives say this is unusually cold and snowy for Graz.
Dr. Boles, the Rice professor, wrote me that he was "thrilled" that I was probably going to accept and come to Rice in the fall. He's really a top man in my field and I'm excited about working with him - especially if he appreciates my historiographical theses, which he must or he wouldn't be "thrilled"!
The brochure says that the Rice campus is bordered by Hermann Park, "one of the nation's largest urban parks" and that the Texas Medical Center bounds the east side of the campus, with all kinds of museums in the neighborhood. Sounds great! I just hope the park is safe enough for wandering around in.
By the way, do you know what my address will be? (Did you ever live in that condo yourself?) Do you remember if there is a sunny exposure or a balcony, where plants would thrive? -- you know me, I have to have plants around. Is there some central office or something there, in other words, do you think it might be possible for me to ship some stuff directly there before I come and have it held on the premises for my arrival? (You probably have no idea, but just in case you do, I'm asking.)
By the way, there is a graduate residence hall on campus at Rice, so, if for any reason, you'd rather not throw your tenant out, I COULD make arrangements to live in the residence hall. Naturally, I'd prefer the condo, but there are other options if things don't work out. But I'd need to reserve a room soon, if I was going to live there.
I've already emailed for information about student health insurance and will get that arranged ASAP. I'm sure they have a clause about pre-existing conditions, so I probably won't have the surgery on my foot for another year. It's been killing me lately - I limp everywhere. I've been thinking about getting a cane. Ask Feryal if there is ANYTHING that might help the pain until I have the surgery. I've already had steroid shots and they really didn't help.
I hope you do get a chance to come visit, when mother is here or anytime. I'd love to see you (and Feryal too, if that works out).
I've gotta go. I'm full of Chinese food and this room is so warm -- I think I may need a nap before my evening appointment. Tell me what you can about the condo. I know you don't remember much about it. It sounds wonderful, but you know how I am -- I like to know everything about everything. Friends tell me I can be a real pain in the ass that way! But hey - at least I'm an INTERESTING and ADORABLE pain in the ass!
Love, CarolynDate: Thu, 14 Mar 1996 09:00:37 -0800
To: ceb@gewi.kfunigraz.ac.at (Carolyn Earle Billingsley)
From: RJE
Subject: Re: Strikes and Snowstorms
Well, the address is [snipped]
It's on the ground floor on a corner of the building, so it has windows on two sides of the bedroom and a sliding glass door facing west off the living room. There is a patio with wrought iron around it--I'm guessing it's 5' by 10' facing a small common courtyard between two wings of the building. The courtyard is very quiet, since the jacuzzi, pool, barbeque grills, etc are in other courtyards.
The condo is light red & white brick. They're located at the intersection of Kirby and North Braeswood. Herman Park is fairly large & has a golf course in it, as well as a zoo and amphitheatre. It has a lot of oak trees, but as I recall, it's not dense enough to be dangerous--I would say it was safe, at least during the day when I last lived there. Rice has a beautiful campus is is great to walk around--it's parklike.
You sure you won't miss the socializing (and convenience) you would have living in the on-campus dorms? I would be very happy for you to live in my condo, but make sure you won't get lonely. Campus/dorm life can be fairly lively and social--a lot more fun than living off campus. On the other hand, having a roommate or a room the size of a double bed is a big negative (unless graduate residence halls are better than regular ones). Maybe what you need to do is live in the condo and sign up for an on-campus residence halls meal plan. I'm sure the food's not great, but it's convenient and sociable.
There is an on-site office & manager at the condo during normal business hours. There is a small outdoor storage room at your covered parking spot. I would say it's 5' wide by 3' deep by 8' high. The bedroom is large, with 3 tall windows (mini-blinds), and if I recall correctly, has a dressing area with a fairly large closet between it and the bathrom. It seems there must also be a half bath off the entryway (you enter the condo from an interior hallway. I think the 1/2 bath is on the left, the kitchen is on the right (with a small utility room just big enough for the washer/dryer & some pantry shelves on the other side of the kitchen. Continuing in from the kitchen, is the combined living/dining room. I believe the ceilings are a
little taller than typical apartments (maybe 9'?). I think it's about 900 square feet of space.
There is a card-key controlled gate to enter the condo, either through the parking entrance or through two main walk-in entrances.
Most of the people living there (at one time) were medical students, interns, doctors, etc. There are strict rules about scheduling move-ins (mainly because of the expectation of having large moving trucks in the parking area), and there is a move-in fee of some kind to cover potential damages--meaning only that we need to communicate with the management when it's time to move in.
That's about all I can remember.
I'm down in Los Angeles, picking up the RV and planning to head east toward Florida, where I want to be by April 8. I may stay in Florida for a month or so. Maybe after finishing up there, Feryal and I can come visit before returning to the west coast--I can't say for sure right now, though. More later
Love,
Well, the strike's still on here and the latest word is that classes probably won't start until after Easter Break, i.e., April 16th. Then we'll probably have to work like crazy to catch up. There was a big student demonstation today on Hauptplatz that snarled up the public transportation pretty good, but I just walked to my favorite Chinese restaurant where I met a friend for lunch. That's basically what I've been filling up my time with -- social engagements.
Tonight though, I have a three-hour tutoring session with a new client (we met last week to see how we clicked). I'm not looking forward to it particularly - it's always strenuous -- but I can really use the $20 an hour. My other client hasn't wanted any sessions lately, since we usually work on her university assignments and there haven't been any classes. I wish this damned strike was over because I was really looking forward to my classes.
Day before yesterday we had a full-out snowstorm. If the wind had been blowing, it would've been a blizzard. I think there is about ten inches of new snow on top of the old snow. Very slushy and messy, although it was beautiful for a while. It's supposed to warm up into the 40s this week and it's above freezing today and sunny, which feels good. The natives say this is unusually cold and snowy for Graz.
Dr. Boles, the Rice professor, wrote me that he was "thrilled" that I was probably going to accept and come to Rice in the fall. He's really a top man in my field and I'm excited about working with him - especially if he appreciates my historiographical theses, which he must or he wouldn't be "thrilled"!
The brochure says that the Rice campus is bordered by Hermann Park, "one of the nation's largest urban parks" and that the Texas Medical Center bounds the east side of the campus, with all kinds of museums in the neighborhood. Sounds great! I just hope the park is safe enough for wandering around in.
By the way, do you know what my address will be? (Did you ever live in that condo yourself?) Do you remember if there is a sunny exposure or a balcony, where plants would thrive? -- you know me, I have to have plants around. Is there some central office or something there, in other words, do you think it might be possible for me to ship some stuff directly there before I come and have it held on the premises for my arrival? (You probably have no idea, but just in case you do, I'm asking.)
By the way, there is a graduate residence hall on campus at Rice, so, if for any reason, you'd rather not throw your tenant out, I COULD make arrangements to live in the residence hall. Naturally, I'd prefer the condo, but there are other options if things don't work out. But I'd need to reserve a room soon, if I was going to live there.
I've already emailed for information about student health insurance and will get that arranged ASAP. I'm sure they have a clause about pre-existing conditions, so I probably won't have the surgery on my foot for another year. It's been killing me lately - I limp everywhere. I've been thinking about getting a cane. Ask Feryal if there is ANYTHING that might help the pain until I have the surgery. I've already had steroid shots and they really didn't help.
I hope you do get a chance to come visit, when mother is here or anytime. I'd love to see you (and Feryal too, if that works out).
I've gotta go. I'm full of Chinese food and this room is so warm -- I think I may need a nap before my evening appointment. Tell me what you can about the condo. I know you don't remember much about it. It sounds wonderful, but you know how I am -- I like to know everything about everything. Friends tell me I can be a real pain in the ass that way! But hey - at least I'm an INTERESTING and ADORABLE pain in the ass!
Love, CarolynDate: Thu, 14 Mar 1996 09:00:37 -0800
To: ceb@gewi.kfunigraz.ac.at (Carolyn Earle Billingsley)
From: RJE
Subject: Re: Strikes and Snowstorms
Well, the address is [snipped]
It's on the ground floor on a corner of the building, so it has windows on two sides of the bedroom and a sliding glass door facing west off the living room. There is a patio with wrought iron around it--I'm guessing it's 5' by 10' facing a small common courtyard between two wings of the building. The courtyard is very quiet, since the jacuzzi, pool, barbeque grills, etc are in other courtyards.
The condo is light red & white brick. They're located at the intersection of Kirby and North Braeswood. Herman Park is fairly large & has a golf course in it, as well as a zoo and amphitheatre. It has a lot of oak trees, but as I recall, it's not dense enough to be dangerous--I would say it was safe, at least during the day when I last lived there. Rice has a beautiful campus is is great to walk around--it's parklike.
You sure you won't miss the socializing (and convenience) you would have living in the on-campus dorms? I would be very happy for you to live in my condo, but make sure you won't get lonely. Campus/dorm life can be fairly lively and social--a lot more fun than living off campus. On the other hand, having a roommate or a room the size of a double bed is a big negative (unless graduate residence halls are better than regular ones). Maybe what you need to do is live in the condo and sign up for an on-campus residence halls meal plan. I'm sure the food's not great, but it's convenient and sociable.
There is an on-site office & manager at the condo during normal business hours. There is a small outdoor storage room at your covered parking spot. I would say it's 5' wide by 3' deep by 8' high. The bedroom is large, with 3 tall windows (mini-blinds), and if I recall correctly, has a dressing area with a fairly large closet between it and the bathrom. It seems there must also be a half bath off the entryway (you enter the condo from an interior hallway. I think the 1/2 bath is on the left, the kitchen is on the right (with a small utility room just big enough for the washer/dryer & some pantry shelves on the other side of the kitchen. Continuing in from the kitchen, is the combined living/dining room. I believe the ceilings are a
little taller than typical apartments (maybe 9'?). I think it's about 900 square feet of space.
There is a card-key controlled gate to enter the condo, either through the parking entrance or through two main walk-in entrances.
Most of the people living there (at one time) were medical students, interns, doctors, etc. There are strict rules about scheduling move-ins (mainly because of the expectation of having large moving trucks in the parking area), and there is a move-in fee of some kind to cover potential damages--meaning only that we need to communicate with the management when it's time to move in.
That's about all I can remember.
I'm down in Los Angeles, picking up the RV and planning to head east toward Florida, where I want to be by April 8. I may stay in Florida for a month or so. Maybe after finishing up there, Feryal and I can come visit before returning to the west coast--I can't say for sure right now, though. More later
Love,
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)