Showing posts with label Aging. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Aging. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Monday, July 29, 2013
"Sleepy Time Gal"
I am a night owl. Everyone who has known me for longer than 2 days knows that. There is absolutely no question. I have always felt better at night, feel more energetic and don't "hit the wall" until later than most people. Mornings are always a struggle. Most of the rest of the population are day-time people and the world runs by their rules! So night owls spend years and years fighting against their natural internal clocks to fit into somebody else's idea of how days should work.
Now however, I don't have to fit into anybody else's expectations about how I spend my days and nights. I am RETIRED! My time is my own....at last.
However, this whole night time/sleep time...day time/awake time still intrudes into my life. Really it isn't fair!
It used to be, many moons ago, that naps were one of my favorite things. A quick little 20 minute snooze on the couch or in a comfy chair was just the thing to perk me up after a long day and work and play. I wouldn't nap every day, I was much too busy to be able to do that....but every now and then I'd find a window of time between activities where I could drift off for a bit. It was delicious. The best part was that I would still head for bed at a reasonable time and sleep for a reasonable number of hours. Ahhhhh, youth!
I can't do that anymore! I have to make a real effort not to fall asleep when I am reading, because now if I do drift off, I find myself sleeping for an hour or two!! This is not good! Generally, in the evenings when I am feeling sleepy, there is no one at home but me; and thus there is no noise, no TV or radio, no one talking, or doing anything that would keep me from falling into a too-long stupor. If I fall asleep, it's pretty much a given that the rest of the evening is shot!
The bad part comes after I wake up. Because then I am either wide awake and perky (well, not really "perky" I guess. I am never perky!) or I am groggy, lethargic, nearly incoherent at which point I should just head off to bed, like a good girl (not that I ever do.) I just become zombie-like and I find myself totally useless.
If, however, I am wide awake, that is the worst!! Really! Why you might ask! Because I then stay that way until 4:00 or 5:00 AM! Even if I try to go to bed earlier, I can pretty much guarantee that I will toss and turn for an hour until I finally give up the fight, turn on the light, and go back to reading until I finally get sleepy enough to actually fall asleep! Sometimes it requires a bit of time being up and moving around!
Trust me, it is annoying in the extreme!
I used to sleep between 7 and 8 hours a night pretty regularly. It was perfect. I had energy. I was alert and could function and I was good for the day! Now I am lucky if I manage to get more than 5 hours a night. This is not good! It is a vicious circle. Tired when I get up, stay up way too late, sleep short again, get up tired. And when I reach 5 hours that is the point where I can function okay, but I do feel sleepy during the day. Those are the evenings I have to be vigilant against the pull a just a quick bit of slumber.
I know that this is either: A) all my fault (I know I should go to bed at a reasonable time, I shouldn't read in bed, I shouldn't sleep late in the morning, etc. etc.) OR B) it is not my fault at all! The upset in my sleeping habits is completely due to this aging thing, an active and aging bladder, too much light, I'm too warm, or too cool or too something that isn't my fault!
I think I'll go with Option B, this aging thing! It really plays havoc with your life, you know??
At any rate I must avoid the evening nap no matter how much of a "Sleepy Time Gal" I am. It isn't worth it, because just a few hours later (5 hours later!), I am lamenting, "Oh How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning!"
Sleep just shouldn't be this hard, right guys? Guys?? Hellloooo??? Oh yeah, the rest of you are in bed already and I'm wide awake! Darn!!
Well, I should have expected it, after all, I had a nap this evening....
Now however, I don't have to fit into anybody else's expectations about how I spend my days and nights. I am RETIRED! My time is my own....at last.
However, this whole night time/sleep time...day time/awake time still intrudes into my life. Really it isn't fair!
It used to be, many moons ago, that naps were one of my favorite things. A quick little 20 minute snooze on the couch or in a comfy chair was just the thing to perk me up after a long day and work and play. I wouldn't nap every day, I was much too busy to be able to do that....but every now and then I'd find a window of time between activities where I could drift off for a bit. It was delicious. The best part was that I would still head for bed at a reasonable time and sleep for a reasonable number of hours. Ahhhhh, youth!
I can't do that anymore! I have to make a real effort not to fall asleep when I am reading, because now if I do drift off, I find myself sleeping for an hour or two!! This is not good! Generally, in the evenings when I am feeling sleepy, there is no one at home but me; and thus there is no noise, no TV or radio, no one talking, or doing anything that would keep me from falling into a too-long stupor. If I fall asleep, it's pretty much a given that the rest of the evening is shot!
The bad part comes after I wake up. Because then I am either wide awake and perky (well, not really "perky" I guess. I am never perky!) or I am groggy, lethargic, nearly incoherent at which point I should just head off to bed, like a good girl (not that I ever do.) I just become zombie-like and I find myself totally useless.
If, however, I am wide awake, that is the worst!! Really! Why you might ask! Because I then stay that way until 4:00 or 5:00 AM! Even if I try to go to bed earlier, I can pretty much guarantee that I will toss and turn for an hour until I finally give up the fight, turn on the light, and go back to reading until I finally get sleepy enough to actually fall asleep! Sometimes it requires a bit of time being up and moving around!
Trust me, it is annoying in the extreme!
I used to sleep between 7 and 8 hours a night pretty regularly. It was perfect. I had energy. I was alert and could function and I was good for the day! Now I am lucky if I manage to get more than 5 hours a night. This is not good! It is a vicious circle. Tired when I get up, stay up way too late, sleep short again, get up tired. And when I reach 5 hours that is the point where I can function okay, but I do feel sleepy during the day. Those are the evenings I have to be vigilant against the pull a just a quick bit of slumber.
I know that this is either: A) all my fault (I know I should go to bed at a reasonable time, I shouldn't read in bed, I shouldn't sleep late in the morning, etc. etc.) OR B) it is not my fault at all! The upset in my sleeping habits is completely due to this aging thing, an active and aging bladder, too much light, I'm too warm, or too cool or too something that isn't my fault!
I think I'll go with Option B, this aging thing! It really plays havoc with your life, you know??
At any rate I must avoid the evening nap no matter how much of a "Sleepy Time Gal" I am. It isn't worth it, because just a few hours later (5 hours later!), I am lamenting, "Oh How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning!"
Sleep just shouldn't be this hard, right guys? Guys?? Hellloooo??? Oh yeah, the rest of you are in bed already and I'm wide awake! Darn!!
Well, I should have expected it, after all, I had a nap this evening....
Sunday, June 9, 2013
Monday, April 8, 2013
A Cappella (Time for another rant!)
I worked a standard work-week for nearly 40 years of my life, (40 YEARS!!) Part of MY money was deducted from each of my paychecks for Social Security. I AM entitled to that money now because I earned it and it was in trust for MY needs and the needs of other retirees. Well, I am retired now....and it is STILL MY money! The Gov. has an obligation to do nothing to harm Soc Sec.....because it was NEVER the gov's money to begin with! It belongs to the millions of people who earned it by the sweat of their brow and ALLOWED the gov. to hold it in trust FOR THEM. The U.S. needs to STOP re-writing history and twisting the truth and get their grubby little mitts out of OUR Social Security!!!
The other thing that is so unbelievable about this whole Soc. Sec. thing is that Soc. Sec. is supporting our retired mothers and fathers and grandparents, and aunts and uncles, and mentors, and teachers and doctors, and mailmen and soldiers and nurses and librarians, and the builders of roads, the repairmen and electricians, and firemen, and store clerks, and groundskeepers, and maids, and kitchen workers, and waitstaff and cooks, and street cleaners, and musicians, and babysitters, and all the other hard working people who spent their lives taking care of the bozos who now want to rob them of what is rightfully theirs.
Such an action by our (???) legislators and government is IMMORAL, DISHONEST, AND INDEFENSIBLE.
The other thing that is so unbelievable about this whole Soc. Sec. thing is that Soc. Sec. is supporting our retired mothers and fathers and grandparents, and aunts and uncles, and mentors, and teachers and doctors, and mailmen and soldiers and nurses and librarians, and the builders of roads, the repairmen and electricians, and firemen, and store clerks, and groundskeepers, and maids, and kitchen workers, and waitstaff and cooks, and street cleaners, and musicians, and babysitters, and all the other hard working people who spent their lives taking care of the bozos who now want to rob them of what is rightfully theirs.
Such an action by our (???) legislators and government is IMMORAL, DISHONEST, AND INDEFENSIBLE.
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Saturday, February 23, 2013
"Do You Hear What I Hear?"
I am deaf. The Big Guy is deaf. Communication is lots of fun at our house!
Well, okay, neither of us is completely deaf, but we both have real hearing loss. It is frustrating to us and it is annoying to other people. Some people have no patience with our problem and are constantly suggesting that maybe it's time we get hearing aids. Neither Mikey nor I feel that we have reached a point where we think it's time to go the hearing aid route. For both of us it is not really that we can't hear others speaking to us, it's that we sometimes cannot distinguish what is being said! It is particularly bad when we are out in a public place. There is so much background noise! Not only that but most people talk very fast, they speak softly, they do not face you when speaking, and truth be told, they just flat out mumble! When that all happens at the same time, neither Mikey nor I have a prayer of being able to get it all!
Unfortunately, my hearing loss is complicated by an ongoing battle with sinus congestion exacerbated by a deviated septum. You see, the deviation prevents normal sinus drainage and that causes congestion and the congestion localizes in my sinuses, causes inflammation and swelling, which in turn presses on the ear drum which results in............diminished hearing! I know that part of my hearing problem is caused by this because pretty regularly, when I'm driving, if there is a change in elevation (i.e. going up or down a big change in terrain....like a BIG hill), my ears will pop and I can hear much better for a short time.
In addition to the sinus problem though, there is a definite loss of being able to hear certain frequencies that is probably due to the many ear infections I have had over the course of my life. Mikey's difficulties appear to be more just the regular hearing loss most folks get as a part of the aging process. The two different kinds of deafness in our house can be kind of funny.
From what I understand, certain vocal frequencies carry different kinds of sounds. For instance, I was told by an audiologist that vowel sounds are carried at the high frequencies and consonants are carried on the low frequencies. Most age-related hearing loss occurs first in the high frequencies. That is Mikey's problem. He cannot hear high frequency sounds. For instance, there is some sort of sensor in his car that has a two tone, high pitched beep as the engine cools. Every time he comes home and turns off the car, the beep will start and continue at longer and longer intervals until the engine cools to a certain point. I know this because I can hear it. Mikey, however, cannot hear it (and at first thought I was delusional!)
On the other hand, my problem is the reverse. My hearing loss is in the lower frequencies.
So, in other words, Mikey cannot hear some of the higher frequency sounds....like vowels! So when someone is speaking to him, particularly a female, all he can hear clearly are the consonants so it sounds something like, "kfgjl ldlrjd lkkfgll; dkt;d jgmvnn!" Whereas, I cannot hear some of the lower frequencies so all I can hear clearly are the vowels, sort of like, "eioo ooa iauuuu oioaa yyaoo eeoiii!" And neither of us can understand half of what is being said to us. It is really funny when he and I are alone.
sometimes our conversations go back and forth like this:
Mikey: (high frequency gibberish)
Me: Excuse me??
Mikey: (repeats louder)
Me: What?
Mikey: (repeats again)
Me: (low frequency gibberish)
Mikey: Huh??
Me: (repeats louder)
Mikey: (mumble, mumble squeak)
Me: I'm sorry but I can't hear you. What did you say?
Mikey: Oh never mind.
Then we go about our business until the next time one of us has something to say. Now of course, many times, this doesn't happen because we are in close proximity and can add in a little lip-reading. It's amazing how just being able to see someone's mouth can make such an enormous difference! But when we are at opposite ends of the house, it's frustrating.
If there is some random unusual sound that occurs from time to time, one of us will say "Did you hear that?" The other will say "Hear what?" If the sound is too high, he can't hear it. If it's too low, I can't hear it.
The trouble is, we kind of forget about the deafness in between conversations and thus we are doomed to repeating these frustrating talks increasingly often!
We are undoubtedly going to have to break down and look into the hearing aid thing pretty soon. I just wish that what I have heard about hearing aids was more positive. I'm kind of hoping that by holding off, we will be able to take advantage some wonderful new state-of-the-art technology that will make hearing easier without all the problems that others have reported. We'll see.
In the meantime, though, conversations at our house are pretty haphazard and if we're not careful, can lead to ALL KINDS of misunderstandings! Husbands and wives frequently don't understand their spouse's actions or opinions to begin with, if we can't even hear each other, that lack of understanding becomes a real challenge!
It's really kind of surprising , just how much "attitude" can be conveyed through "kfgjl ldlrjd lkkfgll; dkt; dm jgmvnn!" and "eioo ooa iauuuu oioaa yyaoo eeoiii!" Not to worry though, we've been married so long that we've already said all of the important stuff!!! LOL!!
"Sorry, what did you say???" You know, this getting old thing is really beginning to lose its charm!
Well, okay, neither of us is completely deaf, but we both have real hearing loss. It is frustrating to us and it is annoying to other people. Some people have no patience with our problem and are constantly suggesting that maybe it's time we get hearing aids. Neither Mikey nor I feel that we have reached a point where we think it's time to go the hearing aid route. For both of us it is not really that we can't hear others speaking to us, it's that we sometimes cannot distinguish what is being said! It is particularly bad when we are out in a public place. There is so much background noise! Not only that but most people talk very fast, they speak softly, they do not face you when speaking, and truth be told, they just flat out mumble! When that all happens at the same time, neither Mikey nor I have a prayer of being able to get it all!
Unfortunately, my hearing loss is complicated by an ongoing battle with sinus congestion exacerbated by a deviated septum. You see, the deviation prevents normal sinus drainage and that causes congestion and the congestion localizes in my sinuses, causes inflammation and swelling, which in turn presses on the ear drum which results in............diminished hearing! I know that part of my hearing problem is caused by this because pretty regularly, when I'm driving, if there is a change in elevation (i.e. going up or down a big change in terrain....like a BIG hill), my ears will pop and I can hear much better for a short time.
In addition to the sinus problem though, there is a definite loss of being able to hear certain frequencies that is probably due to the many ear infections I have had over the course of my life. Mikey's difficulties appear to be more just the regular hearing loss most folks get as a part of the aging process. The two different kinds of deafness in our house can be kind of funny.
From what I understand, certain vocal frequencies carry different kinds of sounds. For instance, I was told by an audiologist that vowel sounds are carried at the high frequencies and consonants are carried on the low frequencies. Most age-related hearing loss occurs first in the high frequencies. That is Mikey's problem. He cannot hear high frequency sounds. For instance, there is some sort of sensor in his car that has a two tone, high pitched beep as the engine cools. Every time he comes home and turns off the car, the beep will start and continue at longer and longer intervals until the engine cools to a certain point. I know this because I can hear it. Mikey, however, cannot hear it (and at first thought I was delusional!)
On the other hand, my problem is the reverse. My hearing loss is in the lower frequencies.
So, in other words, Mikey cannot hear some of the higher frequency sounds....like vowels! So when someone is speaking to him, particularly a female, all he can hear clearly are the consonants so it sounds something like, "kfgjl ldlrjd lkkfgll; dkt;d jgmvnn!" Whereas, I cannot hear some of the lower frequencies so all I can hear clearly are the vowels, sort of like, "eioo ooa iauuuu oioaa yyaoo eeoiii!" And neither of us can understand half of what is being said to us. It is really funny when he and I are alone.
sometimes our conversations go back and forth like this:
Mikey: (high frequency gibberish)
Me: Excuse me??
Mikey: (repeats louder)
Me: What?
Mikey: (repeats again)
Me: (low frequency gibberish)
Mikey: Huh??
Me: (repeats louder)
Mikey: (mumble, mumble squeak)
Me: I'm sorry but I can't hear you. What did you say?
Mikey: Oh never mind.
Then we go about our business until the next time one of us has something to say. Now of course, many times, this doesn't happen because we are in close proximity and can add in a little lip-reading. It's amazing how just being able to see someone's mouth can make such an enormous difference! But when we are at opposite ends of the house, it's frustrating.
If there is some random unusual sound that occurs from time to time, one of us will say "Did you hear that?" The other will say "Hear what?" If the sound is too high, he can't hear it. If it's too low, I can't hear it.
The trouble is, we kind of forget about the deafness in between conversations and thus we are doomed to repeating these frustrating talks increasingly often!
We are undoubtedly going to have to break down and look into the hearing aid thing pretty soon. I just wish that what I have heard about hearing aids was more positive. I'm kind of hoping that by holding off, we will be able to take advantage some wonderful new state-of-the-art technology that will make hearing easier without all the problems that others have reported. We'll see.
In the meantime, though, conversations at our house are pretty haphazard and if we're not careful, can lead to ALL KINDS of misunderstandings! Husbands and wives frequently don't understand their spouse's actions or opinions to begin with, if we can't even hear each other, that lack of understanding becomes a real challenge!
It's really kind of surprising , just how much "attitude" can be conveyed through "kfgjl ldlrjd lkkfgll; dkt; dm jgmvnn!" and "eioo ooa iauuuu oioaa yyaoo eeoiii!" Not to worry though, we've been married so long that we've already said all of the important stuff!!! LOL!!
"Sorry, what did you say???" You know, this getting old thing is really beginning to lose its charm!
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
"Bits and Pieces"
Just a few bits of this and pieces of that.....
1. Maddie-the-Great is having a great time at her new school. Things are going well for her academically (mostly A's and a couple of B's), she is making friends, likes her teachers (except one....there's always one!),
1. Maddie-the-Great is having a great time at her new school. Things are going well for her academically (mostly A's and a couple of B's), she is making friends, likes her teachers (except one....there's always one!),
Sunday, June 24, 2012
"Spot On"
As we all know, life is a journey, a progression through multiple stages from infancy to childhood, teens, adulthood, middle age, to aging, old age, and ultimately to the final destination that comes to us all....(except for me, of course, as I have decided that the old 1960s slogan is my new motto...."Hell No, I Won't Go!")
Anyway, back to the matter at hand, each of those stages brings adventure, experience, and change. It's all part of that Circle of Life thing. I'm okay with that mostly. I'm not the same person I was 50 years ago and that is as it should be. I simply don't have the energy to be 16 years old! I don't even want the same things I wanted at 16 (well, except maybe for Danny A. who was the great unrequited love of my life before I met Mikey!)
I have suffered the "slings and arrows of outrageous fortune...." just like everyone has. You can't get through living without experiencing some of those. Some were good, some were bad, and some were painful, some were heavenly and some were just a hoot! But what I never realized until recently is that all those times that life (or whatever) throws an arrow our way, it leaves a mark! Really, it does! Some sort of visible, permanent outward sign that you have taken another bullet! ( Hmmm, Mrs. Proctor always told us not to mix our metaphors, but I think you know what I mean!)
That is the only explanation for the latest phenomenon to befall me. I've gotten used to the grey hair. My knees feel ten years older than the rest of me. I've learned to compensate. Gravity keeps pulling me down (trying to get me into that grave before my time??!!) and my skin continues to be overwhelmed by the downward pressure. Things droop, sag, wiggle, fade, dry out, wrinkle, and no longer hold their shape. Somethings seem to just up and disappear (like lips); other things just suddenly look different (like eyelids); and still other things pop up or out or sink into the abyss of "maturity!" My whole body looks like a comfortable old pair of sweat pants! No color, no shape, no crispness.
But lately I am noticing an exponential increase in souveniers from those "slings and arrows!" that just adds insult to injury!
I have SPOTS. Lots and lots of spots. More spots every day! Big spots, little spots, sort of like paint spatters. They are called wens, or tags, or moles, or euphemistically, freckles, but what they are, are SPOTS and they are making me crazy!!
And they are all over! Arms have the most because of sun exposure, but I have them on my legs, my back, my neck, there are even a couple on my forehead! Nothing says "old" as clearly and obviously as SPOTS!
Anyway, back to the matter at hand, each of those stages brings adventure, experience, and change. It's all part of that Circle of Life thing. I'm okay with that mostly. I'm not the same person I was 50 years ago and that is as it should be. I simply don't have the energy to be 16 years old! I don't even want the same things I wanted at 16 (well, except maybe for Danny A. who was the great unrequited love of my life before I met Mikey!)
I have suffered the "slings and arrows of outrageous fortune...." just like everyone has. You can't get through living without experiencing some of those. Some were good, some were bad, and some were painful, some were heavenly and some were just a hoot! But what I never realized until recently is that all those times that life (or whatever) throws an arrow our way, it leaves a mark! Really, it does! Some sort of visible, permanent outward sign that you have taken another bullet! ( Hmmm, Mrs. Proctor always told us not to mix our metaphors, but I think you know what I mean!)
That is the only explanation for the latest phenomenon to befall me. I've gotten used to the grey hair. My knees feel ten years older than the rest of me. I've learned to compensate. Gravity keeps pulling me down (trying to get me into that grave before my time??!!) and my skin continues to be overwhelmed by the downward pressure. Things droop, sag, wiggle, fade, dry out, wrinkle, and no longer hold their shape. Somethings seem to just up and disappear (like lips); other things just suddenly look different (like eyelids); and still other things pop up or out or sink into the abyss of "maturity!" My whole body looks like a comfortable old pair of sweat pants! No color, no shape, no crispness.
But lately I am noticing an exponential increase in souveniers from those "slings and arrows!" that just adds insult to injury!
I have SPOTS. Lots and lots of spots. More spots every day! Big spots, little spots, sort of like paint spatters. They are called wens, or tags, or moles, or euphemistically, freckles, but what they are, are SPOTS and they are making me crazy!!
And they are all over! Arms have the most because of sun exposure, but I have them on my legs, my back, my neck, there are even a couple on my forehead! Nothing says "old" as clearly and obviously as SPOTS!
I've always had pretty good skin and this is just NOT FAIR! (Yeah, yeah, whoever said life was fair??)
Still, spots?? Seriously? What's next??? Polka dots?? Stripes?!?
I'm beginning to look like a freakin' Dalmation!! If you see me chasing a fire truck, call for help!
PLEASE NOTE: Of course, I am exaggerating. Don't worry Ratchlet and LS, my doctor is keeping a close eye on the things and they are NOT the dangerous kind. Basically, all they are, are....spots!
Monday, March 26, 2012
"Younger Than Springtime"
I've always gotten along pretty well with friends of my daughter's and other folks I have encountered who are her contemporaries, not mine, but I seem to get along with them anyway. I like to think it keeps me young....either that or it proves I have an arrested development! LOL!
My daughter has a good friend, Mike, from her high school days, a really nice boy who grew up to be a really nice man. They were never an "item", their friendship was more of the brother/sister variety. They have stayed in touch ever since. In actuality he has become a friend of the family over the years, he was a member of Rachlet's wedding party, and we all have a mutual interest and friends in theater and performance.
Fairly early on Rachlet's friend became a single dad and he and his son have always been very close. Mike has been an involved dad and I don't think he could have possibly been more proud of his son (who has always been as cute as he could be, just like his dad).
Mike's son had a birthday this weekend. He turned 25. Happy Birthday, Tommy! Congratulations on your great son, Mike!
Sooooo, Mike is one year older than my Rachlet....and he has a son who is 25....which means Rachlet, technically, could also have had a child who could be 25...she doesn't, of course, but she could .....which means I could have a grandchild who is 25....I don't, of course, but I COULD....
And that, my friends, makes me officially Older than Dirt!!!
"Younger Than Springtime??" It's not as easy as it used to be! :)
My daughter has a good friend, Mike, from her high school days, a really nice boy who grew up to be a really nice man. They were never an "item", their friendship was more of the brother/sister variety. They have stayed in touch ever since. In actuality he has become a friend of the family over the years, he was a member of Rachlet's wedding party, and we all have a mutual interest and friends in theater and performance.
Fairly early on Rachlet's friend became a single dad and he and his son have always been very close. Mike has been an involved dad and I don't think he could have possibly been more proud of his son (who has always been as cute as he could be, just like his dad).
Mike's son had a birthday this weekend. He turned 25. Happy Birthday, Tommy! Congratulations on your great son, Mike!
Sooooo, Mike is one year older than my Rachlet....and he has a son who is 25....which means Rachlet, technically, could also have had a child who could be 25...she doesn't, of course, but she could .....which means I could have a grandchild who is 25....I don't, of course, but I COULD....
And that, my friends, makes me officially Older than Dirt!!!
"Younger Than Springtime??" It's not as easy as it used to be! :)
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Silent Sunday
I'm trying something new for me -- Silent Sunday. Obviously I'm not supposed to say anything, Just let the photo tell the story. So for the very first time in the history of the my world, I will now shut up!
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| http://www.mochabeaniemummy.com/silent-sunday/ |
Saturday, June 25, 2011
"The Best Is Yet to Come"
In approximately 5 hours from the time I am writing this, a milestone will occur in our house. It will be the anniversary of my birth. I will reach 23,741 days on this earth! Funny, it seems longer than that! A person should be able to accomplish great things in 23,741 days. Looking back I accomplished many things of which I am proud. I tried many new things, I've made mistakes, had successes, survived failures, and endured loss. I learned a lot of interesting facts, met a lot of great people, plus a pretty fair number of real stinkers! I have been blessed with many good friends, even several BFFs!
Over the years I have explored my talents, recognized my weaknesses, even tried to improve a few. I've held responsible positions in an industry where the focus is on caring for others. I've worked for and with people I deeply respect and admire. I married, kept a house, raised a child, tried a hobby, kept a secret, written letters, read books, sang songs, and enjoyed much of what I encountered, tolerated parts of it, and got the hell out when I needed to!!.
I have loved a lot of people and lost many of them. I have the best relationship a mother ever had with a daughter who is my greatest joy. I have kept the same husband for 45 years, even though some days we both wondered why! We laughed together, cried together, got mad together, made up together. I learned to love dogs and love them I did! I found joy in performance through singing, dance, acting and directing for the stage. I have been a part of great shows, and awful shows, but I learned from each one.
I have laughed until my stomach hurt, I have cried until my stomach hurt. I have cooked and cleaned and nurtured, and planted and then I did them again and again. I have had repetitive tasks done a million times and once in a lifetime experiences.
I have had happiness, wealth, sadness, boredom, financial shortfalls, misery, thrills, fear, relief, worry, stress, challenges, simplicity and complexity. Good, bad, right, wrong, joy, grief, treasured moments and moments to forget.
Yes, 23,471 days to my life....so far. Like everyone else, each day brought another 24 hours to the sum of my life. 65 Years! Impossible! Where have they gone? It's been a blink of an eye. How many more will there be? I don't want to know. I just want to live them, share them with those I love and hold on to the idea that maybe, just maybe, "The Best Is Yet to Come"!
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Over the years I have explored my talents, recognized my weaknesses, even tried to improve a few. I've held responsible positions in an industry where the focus is on caring for others. I've worked for and with people I deeply respect and admire. I married, kept a house, raised a child, tried a hobby, kept a secret, written letters, read books, sang songs, and enjoyed much of what I encountered, tolerated parts of it, and got the hell out when I needed to!!.
I have loved a lot of people and lost many of them. I have the best relationship a mother ever had with a daughter who is my greatest joy. I have kept the same husband for 45 years, even though some days we both wondered why! We laughed together, cried together, got mad together, made up together. I learned to love dogs and love them I did! I found joy in performance through singing, dance, acting and directing for the stage. I have been a part of great shows, and awful shows, but I learned from each one.
I have laughed until my stomach hurt, I have cried until my stomach hurt. I have cooked and cleaned and nurtured, and planted and then I did them again and again. I have had repetitive tasks done a million times and once in a lifetime experiences.
I have had happiness, wealth, sadness, boredom, financial shortfalls, misery, thrills, fear, relief, worry, stress, challenges, simplicity and complexity. Good, bad, right, wrong, joy, grief, treasured moments and moments to forget.
Yes, 23,471 days to my life....so far. Like everyone else, each day brought another 24 hours to the sum of my life. 65 Years! Impossible! Where have they gone? It's been a blink of an eye. How many more will there be? I don't want to know. I just want to live them, share them with those I love and hold on to the idea that maybe, just maybe, "The Best Is Yet to Come"!
Monday, March 14, 2011
"Generation Landslide"
I have mentioned before that I am a proud member of the first year Baby Boomer generation. All the good young men returned from WWII and immediately went about making babies (which might not have been their intention necessarily, but it was certainly the result!)
The first round of those post-war babies was born in 1946, and this year we will collectively turn 65 years old. All through our lives we have had reason to think of 65 as officially "old". That's retirement age, Social Security age, Medicare age; all things provided to old people. Even though we no longer accept that title unilaterally, choosing to define old as sometime down the road, like 75 or 90, the sad fact is that our bodies are sinking further into decline and there's not a whole lot we can do to stop it. Not only that but there are 14 (or so) more years on the horizon of "Boomers" reaching 65 and becoming seniors. That will end up with a whole LOT of "seniors".
People are staying healthy longer and living longer, which is great if you're a Boomer, but the smart leaders of the healthcare industry are gearing up for the large influx of older patients needing services from doctors, clinics, hospitals, hospices, emergency rooms, nursing homes, skilled nursing facilities, assisted living facilities, and the like. It is a serious concern and some hospitals have taken an innovative approach to handling this "Generation Landslide".
The following was taken from an Associated Press news article today. This link will take you to the full article. It seems to me to be an idea whose time has come! What do you think??
[Excerpts - AP article, 03/13/11]
The first round of those post-war babies was born in 1946, and this year we will collectively turn 65 years old. All through our lives we have had reason to think of 65 as officially "old". That's retirement age, Social Security age, Medicare age; all things provided to old people. Even though we no longer accept that title unilaterally, choosing to define old as sometime down the road, like 75 or 90, the sad fact is that our bodies are sinking further into decline and there's not a whole lot we can do to stop it. Not only that but there are 14 (or so) more years on the horizon of "Boomers" reaching 65 and becoming seniors. That will end up with a whole LOT of "seniors".
People are staying healthy longer and living longer, which is great if you're a Boomer, but the smart leaders of the healthcare industry are gearing up for the large influx of older patients needing services from doctors, clinics, hospitals, hospices, emergency rooms, nursing homes, skilled nursing facilities, assisted living facilities, and the like. It is a serious concern and some hospitals have taken an innovative approach to handling this "Generation Landslide".
The following was taken from an Associated Press news article today. This link will take you to the full article. It seems to me to be an idea whose time has come! What do you think??
[Excerpts - AP article, 03/13/11]
WASHINGTON (AP) - Many hospitals run emergency rooms just for children. Now a few are opening ERs specially designed for seniors, without all the confusion and clamor and with a little more comfort.....
Modern ERs are best equipped to handle crises like gunshot wounds or car crashes, not the lengthy detective work it can take to unravel the multiple ailments that older people tend to show up with....
.....They're less likely to report chest pain with a heart attack, for instance, complaining instead of vague symptoms such as dizziness or nausea. Urinary tract infections sometimes cause enough confusion to be mistaken for dementia.
Seniors already make 17 million ER visits a year, and 1 in 5 Americans will be 65 or older by 2030....
The idea behind senior ERs: Put older patients in an area that's a bit calmer for team-based care to not just treat the problem that brought them to the hospital, but to uncover underlying problems - from depression to dementia to a home full of tripping hazards that might bring them back....
How does it work? Seniors still enter through the main ER, where triage nurses decide if they have an immediately life-threatening condition. Those patients stay in the regular ER with all its bells and whistles. But other seniors get the option of heading for these new special zones.....
- There, doors instead of curtains separate beds, tamping down the noise that can increase anxiety, confusion and difficulty communicating....
- Nurses carry "pocket talkers," small amplifiers that hook to headphones so they don't have to yell if a patient's hard of hearing.
- Mattresses are thicker, and patients who don't need to lay flat can opt for cushy reclining chairs instead; Moccia says people feel better when they can stay upright.
- Nonskid floors guard against falls.
- Forms are printed in larger type, to help patients read their care instructions when it's time to go home.
- Pharmacists automatically check if patients' routine medications could cause dangerous interactions.
- A geriatric social worker is on hand to arrange for Meals on Wheels or other resources.
Nobody wants to get old, and nobody especially wants to get old and be sick. If there was an ER geared to the needs and fears of the elderly (they're even older than the old! We're no where near elderly! ....denial, denial....but I digress). Anyway, if there were ER facilities like this available to our aging population both dedicated and committed to providing the right care for the oncoming generation landslide, it would be a benefit to all of us!! I'm all in favor of the whole idea! I hope it catches on!
- .....the real change comes because nurses and doctors undergo training to dig deeper into patients' lives. While they're awaiting test results or treatments, every senior gets checked for signs of depression, dementia or delirium....
Friday, March 4, 2011
"Yesterday's Gone"
Every now and then something happens that says to your inside self, "Face it, Yesterday's Gone." Rarely are we aware of that kind of moment for someone else. But occasionally....
I ran into a friend a few days ago, not a particularly close friend, but someone I've known for five or six years. This friend of mine is one of those blessed men who are really good looking. I mean, REALLY good looking! He's a nice guy too, but, like a lot of guys, he is a born flirt! I think we all know one at some point in our lives. He likes women, he enjoys them, and he makes any woman he's talking to feel special. Now he's not smarmy or creepy or anything, just nice to look at and talk too. Some guys have the gift, you know?
He was not only attracted by women, the combination of looks and charm and personality, made him equally attractive to women! In a social situation, there were usually two or three women of varying ages paying court to him. He didn't seem to mind it a bit. In fact, I'm pretty sure that was fairly standard throughout his whole life.
He was married and had two beautiful teenage daughters. A few years ago, after a 17 or 18 year marriage, there was a divorce between him and his wife. These things happen and my friend moved out to his own place.
So there he was a single, good-looking guy in a nice house of his own. After a time he was looking forward to dating again. Why not? Nobody likes being alone for long. He took a lot of ribbing about the "wild and crazy" life he was going to have. You know, women in and out day and night. But I never heard any evidence of that kind of thing at all. He dated a bit and I was kind of surprised that he didn't seem to hook up with anyone permanently.
His daughters were having some difficulty with the divorce and they wanted to move in with Dad. So one at a time, they did.
I hadn't seen him for several months, but I knew things were not so easy for him right now (we have mutual friends). He was a victim of the economic downturn and he was laid off from his job of over 12 years. So when I saw him, we were talking and he told me he hadn't yet found a replacement, money was tight but he had a few irons in the fire, so he was hopeful. Unfortunately as we talked I realized that his face was drawn and tight, his hair had greyed quite a bit, and although he was still nice looking, his sharp, knock 'em over good looks had begun to fade. He looked tired. There were some lines and a couple of wrinkles. He was beginning to look his age.
He told me his daughters were in college and still living with him.
As a matter of fact, a couple of their friends moved in too. Their parents were okay with it, because the girls had grown up together and the families knew each other well, and besides, there was Dad as chaperone-in-residence. Everybody was happy.
Well, everybody but my friend. He was laughing when he told me about living in a house with five 18-19 year old girls. He said it was like living his worst nightmare! Being surrounded by all these young pretty ladies, and they all thought of him as a dad! Oh how the mighty have fallen!
I don't know if he realizes it yet but I don't think he'll be getting the same kind of attention from the ladies (shallow as we can be) anymore. I don't know if he realizes that "Yesterday's Gone" and he has joined the rest of us on that slow downward slope.
It's really kind of sad, you don't often get to meet someone who is movie-star handsome in real life. Poor guy, I'm afraid he'll have a hard time letting it go.
I ran into a friend a few days ago, not a particularly close friend, but someone I've known for five or six years. This friend of mine is one of those blessed men who are really good looking. I mean, REALLY good looking! He's a nice guy too, but, like a lot of guys, he is a born flirt! I think we all know one at some point in our lives. He likes women, he enjoys them, and he makes any woman he's talking to feel special. Now he's not smarmy or creepy or anything, just nice to look at and talk too. Some guys have the gift, you know?
He was not only attracted by women, the combination of looks and charm and personality, made him equally attractive to women! In a social situation, there were usually two or three women of varying ages paying court to him. He didn't seem to mind it a bit. In fact, I'm pretty sure that was fairly standard throughout his whole life.
He was married and had two beautiful teenage daughters. A few years ago, after a 17 or 18 year marriage, there was a divorce between him and his wife. These things happen and my friend moved out to his own place.
So there he was a single, good-looking guy in a nice house of his own. After a time he was looking forward to dating again. Why not? Nobody likes being alone for long. He took a lot of ribbing about the "wild and crazy" life he was going to have. You know, women in and out day and night. But I never heard any evidence of that kind of thing at all. He dated a bit and I was kind of surprised that he didn't seem to hook up with anyone permanently.
His daughters were having some difficulty with the divorce and they wanted to move in with Dad. So one at a time, they did.
I hadn't seen him for several months, but I knew things were not so easy for him right now (we have mutual friends). He was a victim of the economic downturn and he was laid off from his job of over 12 years. So when I saw him, we were talking and he told me he hadn't yet found a replacement, money was tight but he had a few irons in the fire, so he was hopeful. Unfortunately as we talked I realized that his face was drawn and tight, his hair had greyed quite a bit, and although he was still nice looking, his sharp, knock 'em over good looks had begun to fade. He looked tired. There were some lines and a couple of wrinkles. He was beginning to look his age.
He told me his daughters were in college and still living with him.
As a matter of fact, a couple of their friends moved in too. Their parents were okay with it, because the girls had grown up together and the families knew each other well, and besides, there was Dad as chaperone-in-residence. Everybody was happy.
Well, everybody but my friend. He was laughing when he told me about living in a house with five 18-19 year old girls. He said it was like living his worst nightmare! Being surrounded by all these young pretty ladies, and they all thought of him as a dad! Oh how the mighty have fallen!
I don't know if he realizes it yet but I don't think he'll be getting the same kind of attention from the ladies (shallow as we can be) anymore. I don't know if he realizes that "Yesterday's Gone" and he has joined the rest of us on that slow downward slope.
It's really kind of sad, you don't often get to meet someone who is movie-star handsome in real life. Poor guy, I'm afraid he'll have a hard time letting it go.
Friday, January 28, 2011
"Blowin' in the Wind"
We've all seen stories on the news describing unfortunate events resulting in someone's death. The stories that catch my attention the most are types like these:
- 93 Year Old Woman Killed By Home Intruder
- 83 Year Old Man Dies in House Fire
- 70 Year Old Couple Trapped in Car Plunging Into River
- 8 Residents Perish when Tornado Demolishes Nursing Home
- Bus Filled with Senior Citizens Struck by Train, 9 Die
- Elderly Woman Accidental Victim of Drive-by Shooting
Yes, the kind of tragic event which causes the untimely death of an elderly individual. It is tragic when anyone dies in such events, but when it happens to an older person it makes me want to cry and shout, "No, Unfair!" "Unjust!" "Not Right!!" and most of all, "Why??"
These people have lived for decades and have survived all manner of things; yet they have come through and lived to reach old age. It should be a time for them to do whatever things they want (and can) do, to enjoy their families, to savor their good health (or as much of it they have), to live each moment, and be assured that they are safe! By that age they have the right to feel like they are survivors, for they are! They can reasonably expect that their health may go, their minds may weaken, and that death will eventually come, but they don't expect it to happen accidentally!
But death is cruel and unfair and indiscriminately chooses it's victims and methods without regard for fairness or reason. It is so sad. It makes me angry sometimes. It is certainly no reward for a lifetime of survival or for a life well-lived.
We received word yesterday of the death of our friend, Bill E. Bill was somewhere between 85 and 90 years old. His wife of 60 years, Fleda E., died just last April after a long illness. It was about 15 years ago when we lived in California that we met Fleda, and then Bill, through our mutual love of theater.
Fleda was one of the dearest people I've ever known. I considered her my theatrical mentor. I admired, respected, and came to love her. I learned so much about theater and about my skills and talents from her. Besides, she had a wicked sense of humor, she made me laugh.
Bill's interest and talents in theater were more as a support to Fleda. His professional skills were in the area of computers, and technology. We didn't know Bill nearly as well as well as Fleda, but we had shared a few evenings with them both and enjoyed their company tremendously. Bill was a low-key, soft-spoken, quiet man, with a wry and witty sense of humor. He was a wonderful counterpoint to Fleda's more flamboyant nature. He always struck me as a dear, gentle soul. I liked him quite a lot.
We received a Christmas note from Bill just after Thanksgiving this year. In fact, it was one of the first Christmas greetings we received. I was pleased to hear from him and was very glad to know he was well. Widowers often do not do well alone, but Bill's letter was very reassuring that he was not one of them.
However, yesterday, we received a note from one of Bill and Fleda's daughters, informing his friends that tragically, Bill had died on January 17 as the result of complications from severe burns he had received during a freak car fire just before Christmas. His family was devasted. Mikey and I were both shaken and sad.
NO! Unfair! Unjust!! It can't be true!! Not Bill! Why???
As I re-read his Christmas letter it made me so sad. He was living in a small cottage on his son's property and was enjoying being close and in an area new to him. There was a duck pond visible from his window! This dear man was looking forward. His last paragraph said,
Rest in Peace, Bill. We are glad we knew you.
- 93 Year Old Woman Killed By Home Intruder
- 83 Year Old Man Dies in House Fire
- 70 Year Old Couple Trapped in Car Plunging Into River
- 8 Residents Perish when Tornado Demolishes Nursing Home
- Bus Filled with Senior Citizens Struck by Train, 9 Die
- Elderly Woman Accidental Victim of Drive-by Shooting
Yes, the kind of tragic event which causes the untimely death of an elderly individual. It is tragic when anyone dies in such events, but when it happens to an older person it makes me want to cry and shout, "No, Unfair!" "Unjust!" "Not Right!!" and most of all, "Why??"
These people have lived for decades and have survived all manner of things; yet they have come through and lived to reach old age. It should be a time for them to do whatever things they want (and can) do, to enjoy their families, to savor their good health (or as much of it they have), to live each moment, and be assured that they are safe! By that age they have the right to feel like they are survivors, for they are! They can reasonably expect that their health may go, their minds may weaken, and that death will eventually come, but they don't expect it to happen accidentally!
But death is cruel and unfair and indiscriminately chooses it's victims and methods without regard for fairness or reason. It is so sad. It makes me angry sometimes. It is certainly no reward for a lifetime of survival or for a life well-lived.
We received word yesterday of the death of our friend, Bill E. Bill was somewhere between 85 and 90 years old. His wife of 60 years, Fleda E., died just last April after a long illness. It was about 15 years ago when we lived in California that we met Fleda, and then Bill, through our mutual love of theater.
Fleda was one of the dearest people I've ever known. I considered her my theatrical mentor. I admired, respected, and came to love her. I learned so much about theater and about my skills and talents from her. Besides, she had a wicked sense of humor, she made me laugh.
Bill's interest and talents in theater were more as a support to Fleda. His professional skills were in the area of computers, and technology. We didn't know Bill nearly as well as well as Fleda, but we had shared a few evenings with them both and enjoyed their company tremendously. Bill was a low-key, soft-spoken, quiet man, with a wry and witty sense of humor. He was a wonderful counterpoint to Fleda's more flamboyant nature. He always struck me as a dear, gentle soul. I liked him quite a lot.
We received a Christmas note from Bill just after Thanksgiving this year. In fact, it was one of the first Christmas greetings we received. I was pleased to hear from him and was very glad to know he was well. Widowers often do not do well alone, but Bill's letter was very reassuring that he was not one of them.
However, yesterday, we received a note from one of Bill and Fleda's daughters, informing his friends that tragically, Bill had died on January 17 as the result of complications from severe burns he had received during a freak car fire just before Christmas. His family was devasted. Mikey and I were both shaken and sad.
NO! Unfair! Unjust!! It can't be true!! Not Bill! Why???
As I re-read his Christmas letter it made me so sad. He was living in a small cottage on his son's property and was enjoying being close and in an area new to him. There was a duck pond visible from his window! This dear man was looking forward. His last paragraph said,
We Kentuckians tend to be long lived -- I just had a pleasant visit from two Kentucky cousins, both 92 -- so I hope that this will be but one of many opportunities that I will have to wish you all a very Merry Christmas.Sadly, this is not to be; he is gone now. He did not have the chance to "go gentle into that good night" as he deserved. I don't understand why these kinds of things happen. I expect I never will understand. I suppose it's another of those questions whose answer is "blowin' in the wind".
Rest in Peace, Bill. We are glad we knew you.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
"It Ain't Right!'
Bit by bit the woman I am has been disappearing! Just sort of fading away without my noticing it. First, it was my hair. Under cover of peroxide it was surreptitiously losing all color of it's own! It left me with a mix of grey and white. Well, okay, that turned out just fine, surprising the heck out of me. Thank goodness (and Gram) I have always had a lot of hair....it's fine, but there is a LOT of it! But lately with the changing hair, I'm getting more hair loss (for lack of a better term) than usual. It's not at all critical, but I really don't want to end up with really thin hair!!
In addition to the hair thing, gravity has been playing havoc with my face! I used to have a nice firm jawline. That's gone. Now instead of a crisp edge my chin (or should I say chins!) has become a bumpy slide right into my neck. It's not so bad, I guess but it is very aging.
My upper eyelids have decided to let go of their position and I can see and feel them settling in on top of the lower part of the lid. Makes me look half asleep, for heaven's sake.
In general, my cheeks look a bit like a bunch of small waves cascading down my face. Don't like that much either.
Well all of that is part of normal "maturing" (read: aging!) and is directly related to the pull of gravity (or is it the push of gravity?? I get confused!) Nothing much we can do about gravity. I mean, it's kind of necessary, so we don't all fly off into the vacuum of space!!
However, lately there are two new changes going on that I just don't get! My eyebrows and eye lashes have taken up disappearing! I've never had a preponderance of either, but there was enough to actually see with the naked eye!! Not so much anymore! If I put a little mascara on my lashes, you can see what's left, and it helps define where my eyes are (you know, whatever is not hiding under the sagging lids!) The eyebrows are thinning out a lot and about half of what is left has come in white so they are virtually invisible unless I recreate them with pencil.
And the most annoying thing? My lips are gone! Where the hell did they go??? I used to have normal lips, with a pretty decent shape. When I did the make-up thing, they were kind of pretty and they suited me. BUT NOW???? When my mouth is closed (which in actuality, isn't all that often!), the lips sort of roll in toward the center and I am left with what looks like a crease! I don't want a crease! I want lips!! Real honest to goodness lips! A crease is what you iron into your slacks, it doesn't belong on your face!
"It ain't right"!! That really should not be our reward for managing to stay alive beyond 55! Nope, it ain't right at all!
There are options of course, both surgical and cosmetic, that could "fix" all of this. I might consider going that route, if it weren't for the fact that every single person I have ever seen who has had a facelift, or collagen, or botox, or any such thing, ends up looking like a freak! I mean, really! May I just mention Phyllis Diller and Joan Rivers for your consideration?? Both of them are well over 70 and they look terrifying because of all the "work" they have had done. I guess, there's a reason they call it "Plastic Surgery".
Celebrities are notorious for trying to stay "Young" by lifting, coloring, injecting, or other things. What they end up looking like is an unreal, blubbery lipped, expressionless, Halloween mask! I'm surprised they don't scare small children. They don't look "young", they look scary!
Sooooo, I am not going to explore that avenue one bit further! My face may be disappearing bit by bit, but least I still look like a human being, not an alien! Of course, who knows what will disappear, droop, sag, or move next??
Nevertheless, if you happen to find my lips laying around somewhere, would you please get them back to me??? I kinda miss them a lot!
In addition to the hair thing, gravity has been playing havoc with my face! I used to have a nice firm jawline. That's gone. Now instead of a crisp edge my chin (or should I say chins!) has become a bumpy slide right into my neck. It's not so bad, I guess but it is very aging.
My upper eyelids have decided to let go of their position and I can see and feel them settling in on top of the lower part of the lid. Makes me look half asleep, for heaven's sake.
In general, my cheeks look a bit like a bunch of small waves cascading down my face. Don't like that much either.
Well all of that is part of normal "maturing" (read: aging!) and is directly related to the pull of gravity (or is it the push of gravity?? I get confused!) Nothing much we can do about gravity. I mean, it's kind of necessary, so we don't all fly off into the vacuum of space!!
However, lately there are two new changes going on that I just don't get! My eyebrows and eye lashes have taken up disappearing! I've never had a preponderance of either, but there was enough to actually see with the naked eye!! Not so much anymore! If I put a little mascara on my lashes, you can see what's left, and it helps define where my eyes are (you know, whatever is not hiding under the sagging lids!) The eyebrows are thinning out a lot and about half of what is left has come in white so they are virtually invisible unless I recreate them with pencil.
And the most annoying thing? My lips are gone! Where the hell did they go??? I used to have normal lips, with a pretty decent shape. When I did the make-up thing, they were kind of pretty and they suited me. BUT NOW???? When my mouth is closed (which in actuality, isn't all that often!), the lips sort of roll in toward the center and I am left with what looks like a crease! I don't want a crease! I want lips!! Real honest to goodness lips! A crease is what you iron into your slacks, it doesn't belong on your face!
"It ain't right"!! That really should not be our reward for managing to stay alive beyond 55! Nope, it ain't right at all!
There are options of course, both surgical and cosmetic, that could "fix" all of this. I might consider going that route, if it weren't for the fact that every single person I have ever seen who has had a facelift, or collagen, or botox, or any such thing, ends up looking like a freak! I mean, really! May I just mention Phyllis Diller and Joan Rivers for your consideration?? Both of them are well over 70 and they look terrifying because of all the "work" they have had done. I guess, there's a reason they call it "Plastic Surgery".
Celebrities are notorious for trying to stay "Young" by lifting, coloring, injecting, or other things. What they end up looking like is an unreal, blubbery lipped, expressionless, Halloween mask! I'm surprised they don't scare small children. They don't look "young", they look scary!
Sooooo, I am not going to explore that avenue one bit further! My face may be disappearing bit by bit, but least I still look like a human being, not an alien! Of course, who knows what will disappear, droop, sag, or move next??
Nevertheless, if you happen to find my lips laying around somewhere, would you please get them back to me??? I kinda miss them a lot!
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
"All the World's a Stage"
I haven't written very much about acting, directing, and all things theatrical. This is mainly because I am still hurting from my last experience. (All theater people are weird in one way or another. Don't let anyone ever tell you differently!) Nevertheless, I have a wonderful avocation that I have enjoyed (mostly) for more than 30 years. Since I'm not doing theater right now and I am seriously missing it, the very least I can do is write about it! "All the World's a Stage" is a true statement, but the stage is also a world of its own.
Just to kind of prove both to you and to myself that I have had great experiences in "show business" and I want to share some of my stories. I hope you can bear it! Rather than getting into my whole history in theater (I have been involved with more than 40 shows!), I'll just start with a definite highlight. I'll tell you about the best complement I ever received in theater.
About two years ago, I was thrilled to be cast as Ethel in "On Golden Pond". Most everyone saw that movie; if you did, then you might remember that Ethel is the role played by Katherine Hepburn. It was a great movie and the play is even better.
A Quick Synopsis: "On Golden Pond" by Ernest Thompson
Ethel is deliciously complex role, a real challenge for an actor.* It was one of the most difficult and emotional roles I have ever played. The emotional range that she goes through is quite broad and I loved exploring all of her facets and making her into a real person that the audience could believe.
The audiences were appreciative and attentive. Over all it was terrific.
On the last night there was a woman in a wheelchair in the first row. She was about 20 years older than I (which puts her around 75-80). She and her daughter were very faithful season ticket holders, so I had seen them at the theater frequently over the years, but didn't really know them. In fact, I never even knew their names. After the performance that night, as the actors greeted the audience in the lobby as usual, the two women came over to me. The daughter complimented the show and the performances and we chatted for a moment. Her mother didn't say very much but she agreed with all the nice things her daughter was saying. As they were about to move away, the mother took my hand gently in hers. She pulled me a bit closer and I bent down to be able to hear her better. I could see there were tears in her eyes. She squeezed my hand and said softly, "You got it exactly right."
That one short phrase was the best thing anyone ever said to me about any performance in my long history. It still chokes me up, but, oh, it gives me such joy. That's what acting is all about.
Sooo, there's my first story about theater. Would you be interested in hearing a few more??
*Just FYI, I consider both men and women "actors". The word "actress" is useful only to clarify gender when necessary.
Just to kind of prove both to you and to myself that I have had great experiences in "show business" and I want to share some of my stories. I hope you can bear it! Rather than getting into my whole history in theater (I have been involved with more than 40 shows!), I'll just start with a definite highlight. I'll tell you about the best complement I ever received in theater.
About two years ago, I was thrilled to be cast as Ethel in "On Golden Pond". Most everyone saw that movie; if you did, then you might remember that Ethel is the role played by Katherine Hepburn. It was a great movie and the play is even better.
A Quick Synopsis: "On Golden Pond" by Ernest Thompson
The plot focuses on aging couple Ethel and Norman Thayer, who spend each summer at their cottage on a lake in Maine, called Golden Pond. During the summer the story takes place, they are visited by estranged daughter, Chelsea with her new fiancé and his son, Billy. At Chelsea's request Billy remains with Norman and Ethel for the summer. The play explores the often turbulent relationship the young woman shared with her father growing up, the development of a loving relationship between Norman and Billy, Ethel's realization of the gradual decline in both Norman's physical and mental condition, and the difficulties faced by a couple in the twilight years of a long marriage. It is a sweet, funny, honest, and very poignant look at what could very well be a family like yours.The quality of the cast was very good. Norman, Chelsea, and Billy were played by very talented and capable actors, whom I respected and enjoyed.
Ethel is deliciously complex role, a real challenge for an actor.* It was one of the most difficult and emotional roles I have ever played. The emotional range that she goes through is quite broad and I loved exploring all of her facets and making her into a real person that the audience could believe.
The audiences were appreciative and attentive. Over all it was terrific.
On the last night there was a woman in a wheelchair in the first row. She was about 20 years older than I (which puts her around 75-80). She and her daughter were very faithful season ticket holders, so I had seen them at the theater frequently over the years, but didn't really know them. In fact, I never even knew their names. After the performance that night, as the actors greeted the audience in the lobby as usual, the two women came over to me. The daughter complimented the show and the performances and we chatted for a moment. Her mother didn't say very much but she agreed with all the nice things her daughter was saying. As they were about to move away, the mother took my hand gently in hers. She pulled me a bit closer and I bent down to be able to hear her better. I could see there were tears in her eyes. She squeezed my hand and said softly, "You got it exactly right."
That one short phrase was the best thing anyone ever said to me about any performance in my long history. It still chokes me up, but, oh, it gives me such joy. That's what acting is all about.
Sooo, there's my first story about theater. Would you be interested in hearing a few more??
*Just FYI, I consider both men and women "actors". The word "actress" is useful only to clarify gender when necessary.
Monday, July 19, 2010
"The Last Farewell"
For some obscure reason that I can't quite pinpoint, I 've been thinking about my childhood days in a (then) very small coastal town in Florida where I lived for about 5 years back in the 1950s. It was a lazy little, seaside town with not a whole lot of excitement. A typical small town with friendly people, no rushing in hurly burly traffic, a slow-motion town. It was a good town and a great place to be when I was a little girl.
Because not much happened, when things did happen, it seemed like everybody in town was there. A case in point was the 4th of July. Activities went on all day and into the night. Picnics, contests, games, prizes, speeches, all capped off by a fireworks display. But for me the best part of the day was the parade! I marched in the parade a couple of times when I was a Brownie....well, we tried to march. A few of us were still having trouble with left and right (hey, give us a break. We were only in the 2nd grade at the time), so we tended to get out of step fairly often. Pretty soon we got kind of scattered out and we had to stop and re-group and try again! The parade route wasn't that long, only about a mile or less. But that parade lasted for at least an hour! (We weren't the only ones who stopped and started!)
Every club in town had a float or would march along, there were two high school bands, and the fire department drum and bugle corp, the dancing schools (there were 2 in town) each with several different age groups, there was the American Legion or VFW drill teams, some years the Lion's Club had their fun little go carts and they performed patterns as they toodled along the route. Just about every group that was marching (or trying to) would stop at the reviewing stand, and perform something! A dance, a close-order drill, a song, a flag team. I'm sure you know the kind of parade I'm talking about. Just a bunch of our citizenry expresssing their patriotic spirit and love of country.
(Okay, I'm getting way off the topic I wanted to write about! Darn, I hate when that happens.)
The thing that the parade especially brings to mind is that I can remember there being a group of veterans of WWI. WWI had ended 34 years before, so there were quite a few of them still living. They mainly looked like a group of grandfathers, marching in the remnants of their uniforms, and a few in wheelchairs. They always got a big hand!
But the biggest celebrity in our parade for at least two of those years that I recall, was one very old man riding in the back of a covertible waving to the crowd. He was a small little man who could barely be seen. This was around 1952 and 1953, so he was somewhere in his very late 90's. He was a (Confederate) veteran of the Civil War!!! Truly!
He got the biggest hand of all! You must remember that this was a small town in the South, the Confederate South! The Civil War was practically an on-going conflict. "The South shall rise again!", was the mantra that about 2/3 of populace would agree with! The band played Dixie, everybody stood up and sang along and that old man knew that he was a Hero in our town!
I never knew his name but I have no doubt he was a real veteran. Yesterday, I looked up the "Last Survivor of the Civil War". It was a man in Minnesota who died in 1956 at the age of 103. So I believe our veteran was authentic. I was impressed even back then when I was so young. You couldn't help but be. The whole town was very proud of having that Confederate Veteran living in our town and they accorded him his due.
WWI was 91 years ago. Now of course, nearly all of the American veterans of WWI are gone too. All except one. Frank Buckles, of Charles Town, West Virginia. He is currently 109 years old!! He lied about his age to get in the army at age 16, served as a medic, and received several medals, including the French Legion of Honor. Through the intervention of Ross Perot, he will be buried at Arlington National Cemetary, when the time comes for his "Last Farewell".
I hope that Charles Town, West Virginia honors this man at its 4th of July parade as he deserves.
[Check out his story at this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Buckles ]
It won't be very long now, until there will be just a few survivors of WWII remaining. The men of my father's generation are in their 80s and 90s now. Their war was over 55 years ago. And one day they too will all be gone. And that "Last Farewell" will be very hard to say.
Because not much happened, when things did happen, it seemed like everybody in town was there. A case in point was the 4th of July. Activities went on all day and into the night. Picnics, contests, games, prizes, speeches, all capped off by a fireworks display. But for me the best part of the day was the parade! I marched in the parade a couple of times when I was a Brownie....well, we tried to march. A few of us were still having trouble with left and right (hey, give us a break. We were only in the 2nd grade at the time), so we tended to get out of step fairly often. Pretty soon we got kind of scattered out and we had to stop and re-group and try again! The parade route wasn't that long, only about a mile or less. But that parade lasted for at least an hour! (We weren't the only ones who stopped and started!)
Every club in town had a float or would march along, there were two high school bands, and the fire department drum and bugle corp, the dancing schools (there were 2 in town) each with several different age groups, there was the American Legion or VFW drill teams, some years the Lion's Club had their fun little go carts and they performed patterns as they toodled along the route. Just about every group that was marching (or trying to) would stop at the reviewing stand, and perform something! A dance, a close-order drill, a song, a flag team. I'm sure you know the kind of parade I'm talking about. Just a bunch of our citizenry expresssing their patriotic spirit and love of country.
(Okay, I'm getting way off the topic I wanted to write about! Darn, I hate when that happens.)
The thing that the parade especially brings to mind is that I can remember there being a group of veterans of WWI. WWI had ended 34 years before, so there were quite a few of them still living. They mainly looked like a group of grandfathers, marching in the remnants of their uniforms, and a few in wheelchairs. They always got a big hand!
But the biggest celebrity in our parade for at least two of those years that I recall, was one very old man riding in the back of a covertible waving to the crowd. He was a small little man who could barely be seen. This was around 1952 and 1953, so he was somewhere in his very late 90's. He was a (Confederate) veteran of the Civil War!!! Truly!
He got the biggest hand of all! You must remember that this was a small town in the South, the Confederate South! The Civil War was practically an on-going conflict. "The South shall rise again!", was the mantra that about 2/3 of populace would agree with! The band played Dixie, everybody stood up and sang along and that old man knew that he was a Hero in our town!
I never knew his name but I have no doubt he was a real veteran. Yesterday, I looked up the "Last Survivor of the Civil War". It was a man in Minnesota who died in 1956 at the age of 103. So I believe our veteran was authentic. I was impressed even back then when I was so young. You couldn't help but be. The whole town was very proud of having that Confederate Veteran living in our town and they accorded him his due.
WWI was 91 years ago. Now of course, nearly all of the American veterans of WWI are gone too. All except one. Frank Buckles, of Charles Town, West Virginia. He is currently 109 years old!! He lied about his age to get in the army at age 16, served as a medic, and received several medals, including the French Legion of Honor. Through the intervention of Ross Perot, he will be buried at Arlington National Cemetary, when the time comes for his "Last Farewell".
I hope that Charles Town, West Virginia honors this man at its 4th of July parade as he deserves.
[Check out his story at this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Buckles ]
It won't be very long now, until there will be just a few survivors of WWII remaining. The men of my father's generation are in their 80s and 90s now. Their war was over 55 years ago. And one day they too will all be gone. And that "Last Farewell" will be very hard to say.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
"When I'm Sixty-Four"
When I get older losing my hair,
Many years from now.
Will you still be sending me a Valentine
Birthday greetings bottle of wine.
If I'd been out till quarter to three
Would you lock the door
Will you still need me, will you still feed me,
When I'm sixty-four?
You'll be older too,
And if you say the word,
I could stay with you.
I could be handy, mending a fuse
When your lights have gone.
You can knit a sweater by the fireside
Sunday morning go for a ride.
Doing the garden, digging the weeds,
Who could ask for more.
Will you still need me, will you still feed me,
When I'm sixty-four?
Every summer we can rent a cottage,
In the Isle of Wright, if it's not too dear
We shall scrimp and save
Grandchildren on your knee
Vera Chuck and Dave
Send me a postcard, drop me a line,
Stating point of view
Indicate precisely what you mean to say
Yours sincerely, wasting away
Give me your answer, fill in a form
Mine for evermore.
Will you still need me, will you still feed me
This song, written by Paul McCartney, was on the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper album. It was released in 1967. I was 21 years old at the time. And yes, back then 64 was definitely "many years from now." When you're 21 (and especially in 1967) being 64 years old seems very nearly unimaginable.
Life goes on though, doesn't it? And tomorrow morning at approximately 6:20 a.m. the unimaginable will become my reality. So, "will you still need me, will you still feed me, when I'm sixty-four??"
Guess I'm gonna find out!
When I'm sixty-four?
This song, written by Paul McCartney, was on the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper album. It was released in 1967. I was 21 years old at the time. And yes, back then 64 was definitely "many years from now." When you're 21 (and especially in 1967) being 64 years old seems very nearly unimaginable.
Life goes on though, doesn't it? And tomorrow morning at approximately 6:20 a.m. the unimaginable will become my reality. So, "will you still need me, will you still feed me, when I'm sixty-four??"
Guess I'm gonna find out!
Thursday, April 29, 2010
"My Guy"
I'm feeling about a quart low today, mostly it relates to "My Guy". As I told you last month, the Big Guy and I have been married for 44 years. From that you can gather that neither one of us is, by any stretch of the imagination, "young". And my guy is about to become older.
May 3, this Monday, is the Big Guy's birthday. Not just any old birthday either! Oh no! This is a biggie, a real big biggie. He will be...(gulp)....65! 65!! Oh. My. God. How is that possible? 65 years old. That used to be everyone's idea of old. Once you reached 65 you were made to retire. They put you out to pasture. Get the gold watch and vacate the building. You could begin to collect on all those years you paid into Social Security. Medicare was available. If you got a pension, that was when you would start to receive it. You were so far over the hill that there wasn't any way back up. Too old to be useful. Too old for anything! 65 was the official beginning of "old age".
I met the Big Guy when he was 18 years old (I was 17). I knew fairly soon after we met that he was "my guy". [In fact, when I came home after our first official "date", I told my mother, "That's the man I'm going to marry." She didn't believe me, but eventually she did!] Anyway 18 was a loooong time ago. So sometimes it seems like I've known him my whole life. Other times I'm not sure I have a clue about who he "is". All I know is that we're still here and together and Sunday, he will be officially OLD! I will be married to an old man!!!
Now I would like to point out, that I am the only one having trouble with this, not him. Mikey takes things like this in stride. I'm sure that he never feels "old". (Well, why would he? His family seems to live forever!) But me? I'm not so tolerant of the march of time. If he will be 65 on Sunday, that means that I (carefree, happy, childlike, little sprite that I am) will be 65 in about one year and 2 months from now. AAAAAAAAAACCCKKK!
[No. No. Can't talk about that. Rewind, Rewind!!!]
OK, back to the Big Guy. Of course, he doesn't even have the decency to look his age. People consistently guess his age to be 10 years younger than he is. That's hardly fair. He's my elder by 14 months, yet when we are out together, I look like I'm with my younger ....ahhh....friend!
Of course, 65 is no longer considered the beginning of the end by much of anyone. The Big Guy is still working a full-time job, at nights no less! He has no plan to retire any time soon that I know of. He is healthy. He's a little too round and doesn't do anything to stay fit. Nevertheless, he doesn't need to take ANY medication of ANY sort! His BP, Cholesterol, and all those things are FINE! Does that sound like an old man to you?? (Me either.)
So for My Guy, 65 is just another birthday. As it should be. He's my guy and I'm really glad that he is still around. So, Happy Birthday Mikey! May you live long and prosper!
(Uhhhm....and if you could share just a few of those longevity genes with me, that would be pretty nifty.)
May 3, this Monday, is the Big Guy's birthday. Not just any old birthday either! Oh no! This is a biggie, a real big biggie. He will be...(gulp)....65! 65!! Oh. My. God. How is that possible? 65 years old. That used to be everyone's idea of old. Once you reached 65 you were made to retire. They put you out to pasture. Get the gold watch and vacate the building. You could begin to collect on all those years you paid into Social Security. Medicare was available. If you got a pension, that was when you would start to receive it. You were so far over the hill that there wasn't any way back up. Too old to be useful. Too old for anything! 65 was the official beginning of "old age".
I met the Big Guy when he was 18 years old (I was 17). I knew fairly soon after we met that he was "my guy". [In fact, when I came home after our first official "date", I told my mother, "That's the man I'm going to marry." She didn't believe me, but eventually she did!] Anyway 18 was a loooong time ago. So sometimes it seems like I've known him my whole life. Other times I'm not sure I have a clue about who he "is". All I know is that we're still here and together and Sunday, he will be officially OLD! I will be married to an old man!!!
Now I would like to point out, that I am the only one having trouble with this, not him. Mikey takes things like this in stride. I'm sure that he never feels "old". (Well, why would he? His family seems to live forever!) But me? I'm not so tolerant of the march of time. If he will be 65 on Sunday, that means that I (carefree, happy, childlike, little sprite that I am) will be 65 in about one year and 2 months from now. AAAAAAAAAACCCKKK!
[No. No. Can't talk about that. Rewind, Rewind!!!]
OK, back to the Big Guy. Of course, he doesn't even have the decency to look his age. People consistently guess his age to be 10 years younger than he is. That's hardly fair. He's my elder by 14 months, yet when we are out together, I look like I'm with my younger ....ahhh....friend!
Of course, 65 is no longer considered the beginning of the end by much of anyone. The Big Guy is still working a full-time job, at nights no less! He has no plan to retire any time soon that I know of. He is healthy. He's a little too round and doesn't do anything to stay fit. Nevertheless, he doesn't need to take ANY medication of ANY sort! His BP, Cholesterol, and all those things are FINE! Does that sound like an old man to you?? (Me either.)
So for My Guy, 65 is just another birthday. As it should be. He's my guy and I'm really glad that he is still around. So, Happy Birthday Mikey! May you live long and prosper!
(Uhhhm....and if you could share just a few of those longevity genes with me, that would be pretty nifty.)
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