Social Security Alumni: Baltimore Mtg Report for Jan 12, 2010

The January meeting of the Baltimore Chapter of the Social Security Alumni Association took place today (January 12, 2010) at the Windsor Inn, in Baltimore County. Some of the people who planned to attend could not make it, so we had a very small attendance.

Present were Joe V., Edith K., Bob G., Ruth M., Bonnie C., and Bob C. Although a small group, we were quite vocal. We all had soup and salad and iced tea and paid by using a formula developed by John D. The formula makes it easy to figure how much one needs to pay.. it avoids fist fights and bad feelings. All agree to abide by the formula and everybody is happy.

Today we jumped from subject to subject in our discussions. We didn't get to SSA stuff right away.

We wondered how bathing worked in the old days. Did the father get to use the bath water first or last? We discussed the origin of the phrase: "Don't throw the baby out with the bath water." In that case, the baby was the last to use the bath water, when it was quite cloudy and dark from all the other bathers.

Bob G. grew up on a farm that had a stream running through it, so his folks were able to bathe in it.. at least in the Spring and Summer.

Joe V. had the Atlantic Ocean in which to bathe.. even sometimes in the Winter.

Speaking of cold water, we all remembered the old-time washing machines with rollers through which you squeezed out the cold washing water before you hung the wash out on the line. In the Winter, the clothes froze on the line and some of us kids would pretend these clothes were enemy soldiers and would bat at them with big sticks.

We finally got to SSA stuff. Some of us talked about the historic SSA Candler Building and what it looks like today.

We also discussed the number of cases that a Disability Examiner or a Claims Authorizer had to do when Bob G. and Joe V. did those jobs. (Some of us never made the production figure because we were hung up on doing a 100% accurate job, and that took time. Those that didn't make production, were transfered to other jobs.. but usually the other job allowed them to attain a higher grade than they could have on the old job. Somehow, that didn't make sense.)

We talked about the direct deposit of Social Security checks and how that was a big issue for many years. We wondered if every beneficiary has their check direct deposited now.

Another big issue years ago, was the idea of staggering payment dates.. this was the time when everybody got their check on the third of the month. Now, payments are staggered.

In the salad line, we were surprised to bump into some co-workers from prior days who are still working at SSA.

One of our attendees is in his nineties and retired in 1980 (30 years ago!)

The Alumni Association is a social group, and we really socialised today. The hour and a quarter flew by.

Even if you don't live in the Baltimore area, come and join us for next month's meeting on February 9th, 2010, at noontime. When you enter the restaurant, you can ask to be seated with the Social Security group.. but be warned, almost everybody eating lunch there on a Tuesday is from Social Security. Don't worry, you'll find us and we will have a lot of fun.

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