Tag: #family

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Trying Some New Technology

On By maryjom2015In Memoir1 Comment

I’ve been reading a lot about ChatGPT – an artificial intelligence tool that writes something for you when prompted by a question (or a statement, I suppose). I love new technology and have been wanting to give this a spin for some time. I decided that today was the day.

So, I asked what it’s like to find family. I know what it’s like, since I’ve experienced it firsthand. And ChatGPT pretty much mirrored some of my emotions. Here’s what it had to say:

Finding one’s family can be a very emotional and meaningful experience. It can bring a sense of belonging, connection, and understanding of one’s identity and history. It can also bring closure to past feelings of abandonment or uncertainty. However, it can also bring up feelings of sadness, anger, or disappointment if relationships are strained or if the family member(s) found is not who the individual hoped or expected them to be. Ultimately, the experience of finding family can be unique and complex for each individual.

The first three sentences are spot on. In case you haven’t read it, here’s a link to my memoir, which describes my experiences in great detail. It’s not a long book, and I’ve been told it’s an easy (and hopefully enjoyable) read: https://www.amazon.com/Sibling-Revelries-Finding-Family-After-ebook/dp/B07B7B43WD/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8.

There has been a lot of discussion about the use of this tool, with some universities outright banning it, fearing their students will take the easy was out of writing an essay. and, of course, there are privacy concerns that the platform’s database may be hacked or otherwise compromised.

So, take a few minutes and share your thoughts on this new marvel with my readers.

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She Was Ahead of Her Time

On By maryjom2015In Memoir2 Comments

In 1948. President Truman signed the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act. It opened the way for women to be permanent, regular members of all the armed services – including the Marines. My Mom beat him by five years, by becoming one of the first women to be accepted into the Corps in 1943.

Happy International Women’s Day, Mom. Wish you were still here with us.

Her Name Was Irene Helen

On By maryjom2015In Memoir2 Comments

Her family helped establish our country. They fought in the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, the War of 1812 (which Canadians tell us we lost), the Spanish-American War, and World War II. Various family root stocks settled in parts of Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania in the 200 years before her birth. They produced a lineage that was strong and resilient. My husband tells me I come from warmongers. I’m proud of them.

After the birth of two brothers, she was a surprise and a great gift to her parents, having been born on their sixth anniversary.

Although some would call her unconventional, she was fun-loving. She and her brothers played ukuleles, sang, and put on skits in the family living room. When wallpaper was stripped to be replaced, they drew cartoons on the plaster walls. I can fondly remember seeing them when I was a young child and the wallpaper was removed again. Those skits used to embarrass me horribly when I was a sophisticated teenager. But I think I know where any creative juices I may possess came from.

Good at math and supremely well-read, most people assumed she had a college degree. She certainly had a life degree and was one of the most articulate people I’ve ever known.

Men’s heads turned when they saw her. She was beautiful as well as personable. And unfailingly pleasant. A positive person when life threw her lemons. And she caught a lot of them.

She made history when she became a Sergeant Major in the US Marine Corps during WWII. Up to this time, the Marines were the last bastion of males only among the services. She was:

  • among the first of eight women to be sworn into the Corps in Philadelphia.;
  • in the first class of Women Marines to be trained at Hunter College;
  • chosen with thirteen other women out of hundreds in her boot camp group to attend the inaugural class of Women Marines in First Sergeant’s school;
  • one of the first Women Marines to appear in uniform in Philadelphia. It caused quite a stir, and was featured in the local newspaper;
  • the first of four women to make First Sergeant;
  • the first woman to replace a male First Sergeant.

She was highly intelligent, even though she never finished high school. One of her greatest accomplishment was to see me do well in school and graduate. Assignments were pored over and she constantly encouraged me to be “better” than she was. She was chest-thumpingly proud when her only child got a B.Sc. in Chemistry and an MBA from The Wharton School. It was perilous for anyone who might have asked how her child was doing during that time.

She was an indefatigable single mom, who took care of me, her invalid mother, her father and ran the household like a Marine. She somehow managed to balance everything while maintaining her equilibrium. And her sense of humor.

Our family lost her in 1985. The world lost an unheralded heroine who paved the way for others. I still miss her and can never thank her enough for the impact she had on my life. Happy Birthday, Mom.

This is only a small part of her story. There is much more in my memoir, “Sibling Revelries – Finding Family After 62 Years.” It can be found on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Sibling-Revelries-Finding-Family-After-ebook/dp/B07B7B43WD/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1521120573&sr=8-1&keywords=mary+jo+latham-martin.