Skip to main content

Getting Older is Fun!

Yes, that's right. I said it. Aging is fun. Here's how I've come to this conclusion:


  • Looks don't matter as much. As a woman, there's less pressure to be skinny, wear makeup, work out. Of course there's the compelling case to working out for one's overall health, but even when you do so at this age, you don't have to wear the latest, clingy-est outfits to the gym. Oversized t-shirts and sweatpants are dandy and even optimal. You don't like it? Then look away. (Not that you need any prompting to do so.)


  • Forgetfulness is forgiven. Well, you still can't overlook things like your kid's birthday or Christmas, but if you forget to defrost your dinner ingredients, you can forgive yourself and order pizza with no remorse. After all, your memory is fading, so bring on the calzones!


  • Watching TV shows and movies is more of an adventure. I used to get miffed when my mother inserted questions like, "Why are they chasing that guy?" or "What happened to the dog?" while I was engrossed in a show or a movie we were watching. Ah, but now I get it.  It's not that I forget whether I watched a show or not -- it's catching the subtleties or even some of the dialogue that is essential for understanding a character's motives. I wish I could tell my mom, "I don't know why they're chasing that guy, but I can now rewind the TV show and we can figure it out." But I know the time is coming where an essential detail like that won't matter to me at all. It's already starting to happen. In my mind, I think, "Okay, so he must have done something. Let's move on." Because otherwise, an hour-long show becomes a 90-minute, repetitious brain-drain. Let's move on.


  • People think you're wiser than you really are. Well, this one works sometimes. In my job I deal with mostly 18-22 year-olds. They think I am the fountain of all that is wise (for the most part).  They don't realize what happens (see above) when they walk out the door. Sadly, I forget them. If I walk down the hall later in the day, I can pass by without recognizing a student I saw just an hour or two earlier. It's not that I don't care -- it's that I can't hold it all in my head (anymore). This is why I have to do a weekly review of all those consultations. My brain won't work the way it did years ago. I'd like to think it's because it's pretty full of awesome stuff and one day it will serve humanity for eternity. Yes, that could really happen.
There are many other reasons to love aging. There's the wonderful discounts one gets for being old. And of course, there's the early bird specials at the family-minded restaurants, like Luby's or the Golden Corral. My taste buds and teeth haven't deteriorated enough to be enticed to eat at these places, but give it time. It will likely happen. Oh, and casino bus trips, socializing at bingo, and manning the reception desks at hospitals are all the things to look forward to when retirement comes along. While these last things may not sound very exciting, when juxtaposed against a daily commute it sounds almost heavenly. Yes, aging is fun. Now go out and enjoy your slow creep to antiquity, Baby Boomers!! 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

My Like-Hate-Hate Relationship with Dave Ramsey

I cannot go to sleep in silence, so I usually have talk radio on as I drift off. Most times, the cadence of the talking head becomes the white noise I need. But sometimes I actually listen to the conversations. As much as I hope for Clark Howard, Dave Ramsey happens to be the head that's talking when I go to bed. Gradually, I became aware of his philosophies. He has many, but I'll focus on just a few: 1) Get Rid of All Debt - I really like this one. As someone who wants the points my credit card awards, or the cashback my other credit card awards, I feel like I'm always a month behind. I pay off my balance in full each month, but by then of course, I have lowered my bank account and have less to spend in the current month. I do wonder what it would feel like to pay just the bills for my current living expenses. I plan to give it a go, but I won't buy Ramsay's book or go to Financial Peace University. "Where debt is dumb, cash is king, and the paid off mortgag...
1 comment
Read more

While I can still think thoughts...

Who would imagine the changes that occur as one ages? We all know that physiologically, things happen -- we get gray hair, the waist disappears, joints creak, etc., but I have experienced some startling changes that remind me I'm no spring chicken (NOTE: Using the term "spring chicken? -- definitely a sign of aging). I find partially used tissues around my living space. And by "living space," I mean the recliner I sit in each night to watch TV and in the pockets of my comfy robe that I wear religiously every evening. When I was a kid visiting my grandmothers, I was saddened and puzzled by the random tissues I saw in their wake. I don't know why this happens, and it doesn't matter because it's just me at home, but it's kinda disturbing when I do my vacuuming and find one tucked into the side of the chair cushion. How did I become so attached to tissues? I distinctly remember when I was young, thinking how strange it was that lunch ladies had to wear ha...
2 comments
Read more

Sarah Barracuda

Sarah Palin quit. She just left. It's like if you were a contractor who hired someone to work on the roof of a house and at the halfway point he said, "Hey, find another roofer. I gotta go, but don't call me a quitter, 'cause I'm not." A part of me says, "Don't let the door hit you in the ass." But another part of me says, "You really got the short end of it, Sarah. You were analyzed up, down, sideways and with about 10 different standards." And a big part of that was because she was a woman. Look at Mitt Romney. Don't you think if he were a woman, the press would have worked like mad to figure out what-the-heck kind of name "Mitt" is? Quick: how many kids does John McCain have? I know he has Megan and a kid in Iraq, but other than that, I'm at a loss, and this guy was running for president! So as I watch Keith (Olbermann) and Rachel (Maddow) castigate Palin, I have misgivings. I don't like Sarah as a leader or m...
2 comments
Read more