The "Friends My Age, But Yet They're Not Old As I!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Same as most every other day of the year, except days when I am on vacation and have to do nothing but relax on the beach.  For the husband of one of my wife's friends, today is a very special day, since today he turns 19 years old.  So why would my wife have a friend whose husband is only 19 years old?  Well, it's because he is really 76 years old, but being born on February 29, he is officially 19 years old today.  How would you like to be born on February 29 and miss all those birthday parties and birthday gifts?  Now, my guess is that most parents wouldn't allow that to happen and celebrate birthdays once a year even though their child may've been born on Leap Day.  Leap Day falls every four years due to a few quirky calculations based on the length of time it takes the earth to orbit the sun.  Instead of taking 365 days, it takes 365 1/4 days each year to orbit the sun.  And, after 4 years time, there is one extra day in the equation which adds up to February being assigned an extra day.  And, why is it always February?  I have absolutely NO clue!  All I know is that if we didn't have February 29 every four years, we might eventually have winter in August and summer in December, or something crazy like that.  This Leap Year thing all started in 1582 when Pope Gregory XVIII introduced the Gregorian calendar.  His version of the calendar helped solve the problem of the shifting days and months.  The Gregorian calendar works like this: 

• Every year that can be evenly divided by 4 is a Leap Year EXCEPT:
• Years that can be evenly divided by 100 (centuries) are not leap years, But:
• Years that can be divided by 400 are Leap Years.

You understand all of this?  Really doesn't matter, since it'll never change in your lifetime.  I recently saw a bit of math that may help you understand what I have just written for you.  It goes like this:

This year is 2020.  But what about 2021?   2020 ÷ 4 = ______

Therefore, 2020 is or isn't a leap year?

2021 ÷ 4 = _____

2021 will or will not be a leap year because it isn't evenly divisible by 4.

Now that we have Leap Year all figured out, how about a Century.  We celebrated the last year of the century (100 years) and millennium (1,000 years) 20 years ago, in 2000.

So, do you have any idea why they tack the extra day every four years onto February instead of September or maybe June?  It's because it is already the shortest month and an extra day shouldn't make any difference they reasoned.  Now, why do some months have 30 days and some have 31?  Probably a story for another day!  It was an extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. 

The "The Many Generations Of Our Lifetime Come To Life! - Part I" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading newspaper opinion stories written by those who are part of what is now known as Generation Z (eal).  Fantastic opinions written by high school students.  Can't imagine being able to express myself as well as they did when I was in high school.  I asked my wife what age would be considered part of Generation Z and she said, "I think it would be after the turn of the century."  Good guess since Generation Z are those born after the year 2001.  We began a conversation about what generation we each were a part of and what each generation was known for in society.  Carol and I are only a few years apart in age, but part of two different recognizable generations.  I am a member of the Mature/Silent Generation while Carol is a member of the Baby Boomers Generation.  Today's story will give you a look at the six generations that include people who are still living.  I apologize to any who are reading this story who were born before 1901, since they aren't part of my story today.  See if you might fit into the description of each generation.  Please remember I was not the one who decided the traits of each generation, but I do believe what I have written to be true.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

GI Generation/The Greatest Generation - Features those born between 1901 and 1926.  They are children of the WWI generation and soldiers during WWII.  They were part of the Great Depression which led to strong models of teamwork to overcome the legendary Happy Days!  They saved the world and then built a nation.  They were community-minded and cherished civic duty.  They married for life with divorce and having children out of wedlock shunned upon.  They were fans of labor unions and were loyal to their jobs.  They saved so they could pay cash for what they wanted.  They were part of the age of radio and air flight.  Most never had modern conveniences such as refrigerators, electricity and air conditioning.

Mature/Silent Generation - Members of this generation were born between 1927 and 1945.  I was born at the end of the timeline; 1944.  We were part of the Korean and Vietnam War generation.  We went through a suffocating conformity, but were the founders of Rock 'n Roll, neat cars, television, suburbs, teenage jobs, Peace! and Playboy Magazine.  Grade school problems were centered around throwing spit balls, passing notes in class and chewing gum placed under the chairs.  We led the Civil Rights charge and helped recognize the fact that jobs just weren't for men.  Once you got a job, you kept it for life.  Marriage was usually for life, but divorce was slowly creeping into the picture.  We were avid readers, especially of newspapers.  Retirement meant to sit on a rocking chair and live your final days in peace.

Baby Boomer Generation - My wife fit into this age group of those born between 1946 and 1964.  They all wanted to save the world!  They were part of the Yuppie Generation which was the party-hardy and "me" generation.  They ushered in "free love" and "non-violent" protests which in turn triggered violence.  They believed in themselves and buy it now, pay for it later.  They were too busy for neighborly involvement, but wanted to reset or change common values for the good of all.  Women began to work outside the home, thereby changing the entire nation by having children raised in a two-income household.  They were the first TV generation as well as the first divorce generation. Homosexuality was accepted.  They tended to be more positive about authority and traditions.  They envisioned technology and innovation as requiring a learning process.  The Baby Boomers were one of the largest generations in history with 77 million people.  They were said to have introduced the word "retirement" to mean being able to enjoy life after the children had left home.

Generation X - The generation which included those born between 1965 and 1980. They were the "latch-key" kids who grew up street-smart, but isolated, since many had both parents working.  Their parents were at times career-driven or divorced.  This generation is considered entrepreneurial and very individualistic.  Government and big business mean little to them.  They feel misunderstood and cynical of major institutions which failed their parents.  They really want to make marriage work and to be there for their children.  They claim to not feel like a generation.  They were raised in the transition phase between written knowledge and digital knowledge.  Most remember school without computers.  They are more committed to self rather than an organization or specific career, averaging 7 career changes in their lifetime.  AIDS was part of their generation and individual rights prevailed over the common good.  They were raised by money conscious Baby Boomers and had to survive the Vietnam War.  Their school problems involved drug use and sex.  They married late and were quick to divorce.  The wanted what they wanted and now!  They carried the most credit card debt of most generations.  They did more TV watching, video gaming and movie going and were short on loyalty and commitment.  They were self-absorbed and suspicious of all organizations; very self-reliant.

Generation Y/Millennial - Born between 1981 and 2000.  They are also known as the 9/11 Generation, Echo Boomers and America's next great generation.  It is a sharp departure from Generation X.  They are being raised by caring and optimistic parents.  They seem to respect authority.  Crime rates seem to be falling as is teen pregnancy.  They do have to live with the thought of school violence and have lived all their life knowing that the world is not a safe place.  They tend to schedule everything and feel enormous academic pressure.  They feel their generation has high expectations for themselves.  Digital literacy is everywhere and they tend to know much more about the digital world than any previous generation.  Luckily, they are willing to share that knowledge with the older generations.  They envision the world as a 24/7 place and want fast and immediate processing.  They have been told over and over that they are special and they now expect the world to treat them that way.  They do not live to work, but prefer a more relaxed work environment with a lot of hand holding and accolades.

Generation Z/Boomlets - This generation is part of the current one and is for those born after 2001.  What can I say about them?  Well, in 2006 there were a record number of births in the USA with about half of them born Hispanic.  The most common name is now "Rodriguez" instead of "Smith".  This generation will more than likely be the largest in number than any in history.  There are actually two groups within this generation: Tweens and Toddler/Elementary school age.  Tweens are ages 8-12 and with an estimated 29 million by 2009 while toddlers are about 61% of children between 8-17 and have televisions in their rooms.  35% have video games (Now this I find unreal, since I suspect close to 75% probably have video games in their home).  4 million have their own cell phones and have never known a world without computers and cell phones.  They are said to have Eco-fatigue after hearing about the environment and the many ways to same it all their life.  Children now leave toys behind at a younger age.  Mattel Company knows that since in the 1990s the average age of a child in their target market was 10 years old while now it has dropped to the age of 3.  This generation is so savvy in electronics it makes me sick.  Some days I wish I was 10 again, since I would know so much more about the MacBook Air that I am typing on at present than I do not at the age of 75.  But hey, I'm still here to hit the keys and I actually can still type about 40 words a minute as I did in high school.

The "I Want To Be Like Leonardo" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Looking over the dozen or so stories I have saved which I began at one time or another and never finished.  Some of the stories are a few years old while one I began two weeks ago and abandoned.  

Leonardo da Vinci, self-portrait, 1512

But, as I read a recent story about Leonardo da Vinci, written by Tulane professor of history Walter Isaacson, I found I have some of the same qualities as him.  He had so many projects that he had started during his lifetime and never completed that they make him almost human.  Almost!  If only I could have accumulated some of the impressive projects he abandoned, I too would be a genius.  Maybe!  Of course, the things he did complete, such as the Mona Lisa, put him in a class that holds very few other human beings.  There are other people who were considered to be a genius, but they were a genius in a particular arena while Leonardo was a genius in many disciplines.  But, he was also very human and his life offers an abundance of lessons for all of us.  The following are a few bits of wisdom, as listed by Mr. Isaacson, that we can learn from Leonardo that may help us in our life as humble pions.

• Get distracted...it's OK to wander off on another tangent than what may have been you main intent, since it makes your mind richer in knowledge.
• Go down rabbit holes...in one of his many notebooks he recorded 730 findings about the flow of water and listed 67 words that describe different types of moving water.  Another notebook of his shows that he listed 169 attempts to square a circle.  He did these things for the pure joy of learning.
• Procrastinate...some of great intelligence and genius accomplish the most when they work the least.  While painting "The Last Supper" he would sometimes paint a stroke, put the brush down and return the next day to begin once more.  He liked to stop, gather all the facts and ideas and then return to his work.
• Make Lists...wow!  I have notebooks filled with lists of things I want to do someday. Now, Leonardo says to put odd things on your lists.  Leonardo's lists have been said to be the greatest testament to pure curiosity the world has ever seen.  Mine haven't been revealed...yet!
• Let the perfect be the enemy of the good...Leonardo abandoned a few of his paintings rather than produce work that was just average.
• Retain a childlike sense of  wonder...at a certain stage in our life we stop wondering about normal everyday things.  We look at the sky and no longer wonder why it is blue.  We should never outgrow our "wonder year" according to Leonardo. 
• Be open to mystery...on one of Leonardo's lists was found, "Describe the tongue of a woodpecker."  A woodpecker can extend his tongue three times the length of its bill.  When not in use it retreats back into the skull and wraps around the head and curves down to its nostrils.  Now there is absolutely no reason you need to know this, but now you do and are so the much better for it.
• Let your reach exceed your grasp...imagine, as he did, how you could divert a river or devise a perpetual-motion machine or square a circle using only a ruler and compass.  There are some problems we will never solve...but learn why.

Now, Mr. Isaacson listed quite a few more lessons that Leonardo found valuable, but I found the eight I just listed to be the most important to me and my quest to be a genius.  Maybe it will happen in my second lifetime. But, then again, it probably will never happen.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.   

The "Trouble In Amish Land" Story

It was an ordinary day.  At one time it was ordinary, but today there is a problem in "The Garden Spot Of America".  For years now I have told of the outstanding farmland that is found in Lancaster, Pennsylvania where the majority of farmland belongs to The Amish and Mennonite Sects.  

Amish spreading manure on their fields.

Well, the farmland is still there, and probably will forever be there, but it seems that the farmland may be the reason for my story today,  Lancaster County, PA has just been ranked as 8th worst in the nation in annual soot!  For those not knowing what soot might be, it is fine particulate matter floating in the air.  And, how does Lancaster County get those high amounts of soot to make it 8th worst in the nation?  The answer is the "Big 3": cows, cars and coal.  

Many industrial complexes in Lancaster look like this.

On many of those farms you will find cows and other similar animals that emit ammonia from manure (poop) and urine.  That's never going to go away in pastoral Lancaster County and I suppose and hope that the emissions laws for motorized vehicles using petroleum products for their power source, that were recently ordered changed from the past Presidential administration to the current administration that now allows less efficient smog controls, will be returned to past policies.  But, Lancaster also happens to be in an unfortunate geographical location downwind of pollution generated by power plants to the west and such large cities such as Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Harrisburg and Washington, D.C.  Depending on the direction the wind may be blowing on any one day, it could easily change the reading used to rank counties in the testing.  As I examined the article more closely I realized that the ranking is based on statistics taken from 2014-2016.  Now what sense does that make?  

Brunner Island now is using natural gas instead of coal.

That's more than a year ago and doesn't take into considera- tion that since 2016, nearby Brunner Island in York County, who has been cited many times for excess pollution and whose fumes pass frequently over next-door neighbor Lancaster County, has been changing from coal to natural gas to produce electricity.  Pollution can travel for miles and miles as was noted when a wildfire in Albert, Canada in 2016 caused the smog levels in Lancaster County to spike significantly. Might have been the day that the readings were taken in Lancaster County that led to the poor readings and thus the poor ranking.   I guess I should tell you I am upset about all the smog and soot produced in and around Lancaster County, since close to 40% of those living in Lancaster County are either considered children (under 18) or seniors (over 65).  

Red-headed woodpeckers from the late 1800s to present day
are lined up in chronological order to show the difference of black
carbon, known as soot, on their feathers.  This photo is from
the Field Museum in Chicago.  Photo by Tristan Spinski.

And, I have personally noticed a change in my respiratory conditions in the past few years.  My nose runs non-stop many days which leads to constant mucus in my throat which leads to more spitting which leads to many more "That's gross" comments from my wife.  Air pollution is known to lead to premature death and can cause a variety of lung and heart diseases.  It is a big problem for those with diabetes, adult asthma, cardiovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pediatric asthma and new lung cancer cases.  Why can't we solve all the problems?  Money!!  Jobs!!  Politics!!  Want to name a few yourself.  

Barbara, a friend of Carol and mine, lives in
Sint Maarten and sent this photo of the dump
that has been burning for over 10 years.

Carol and I have friends on the island of Sint Maarten who have been battling a nearby municipal dump that has been burning for years and years. They now need to stay inside or wear a mask depending upon which way the wind blows.  The dump is right next to the capital town of Philipsburg.  They have written letters to just about everyone they can think of  including the top officials in the Netherlands which controls the island.  They have received no help!  The dump is close to the cruise port where thousands of tourists depart to visit Philipsburg daily.  What can they do?  Again: Money, politics, etc.  Here's hoping that Lancaster County will be able to solve their problems so those of us who are most affected due to age can live pollution free.  Maybe it will happen in my lifetime, but I'm not counting on it.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. 

PS - The following 2 letters were sent by residents, including my friend Barbara, to those who can do something about pollution on the island.  Now it is up to those in power to actually do something about it.  Just as in the United States, we only hope the government will take the concerns of the citizens to heart and do something.  If not...get new people in charge during elections.

A more recent view of the dump and the air quality.

                                                                                                                           

                                                                                                                     February 6, 2018

His Excellency Eugene Holiday 

Governor of Sint Maarten

Falcon Drive 3

Harbour View

Philipsburg, Sint Maarten

Mr. Chris Johnson 

Office of the Dutch Representative in Philipsburg, Sint Maarten

Your Excellency,  

The Sint Maarten Pride foundation, a community environmental nonprofit foundation, has been noting frequent violent landfill fires that have been flaring up before and after hurricane Irma. Even more worrisome is the violent flare up of the second Irma dump on February 4th. 

Our Group has noted that our local government has made no headway with a project of a modern waste to energy plant, or a plan of shipping waste off island.

Our concern is that it is well known that the landfill has reached its expiration date several years ago and instead of our government placing this issue as a high priority of finding a long-term solution, government instead created a second landfill dumping area. 

This situation is exasperated by the mass waste of post hurricane Irma where not only regular household waste is discarded but also combustible containers and materials that should not be dumped on landfills due to their fire flammable dangers. 

Your excellency, our group is appealing to you as we have lost faith and trust in our local government in ensuring that our citizens health is secured. In fact we are worried that our children and adults are exposed to this environmental hazard and the toxins every single day. The landfill is constantly smoking and too often flares up as raging out of control fires.

Not only are our firemen exposed trying to battle the constant fires but our residents far and wide are exposed to the foul burning odors. 

We are hereby requesting you to place pressure on our local government to expediently find a long-term solution to this hazard affecting the people’s health. 

Our people should not be expected to walk with face masks and close their windows and doors as a daily exercise. These procedures in fact do not even properly protect anyone from the toxic fumes.

With this letter we are also appealing to the King of the Netherlands, His Majesty King Willem-Alexander, to intervene on behalf of us the people in his Kingdom, as it appears finding a solution to the landfill is outside the scope of the local authorities.

With no headway being made by the local politicians and governing bodies, and the instability of our local governments not being able to govern properly due to government falling almost every 12 months, we are left no choice but to appeal to his Majesty, King Willem-Alexander, to intervene. 

No longer should our people wait and hear political rhetoric while our people are dying of cancers and respiratory diseases. 

People in the Dutch kingdom are guaranteed clean air in the constitution and so should it be for those living on Sint Maarten. 

As a community environmental group our focus is not only the environmental hazard but the wellbeing, health and hygiene of our residents and visitors.

Our livelihood of tourism is at stake but more importantly our health and future livability as a people.

We trust you will take our appeal on the landfill issue and the raging fires seriously. Our group would like to see a final modern waste solution found immediately. One that we can be proud of, one where our quality of life and our future in health can be guaranteed. 

Sincerely,

Barbara Cannegieter 

Secretary of Sint Maarten Pride Foundation 

Jadira Veen

President of Sint Maarten Pride Foundation

Most recent letter.  Click on to enlarge it.  

The "Buying Groceries Over 50 Years Ago" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Perusing one of my favorite Facebook pages, "Remember When in Lancaster."  Neat place to meet other residents of Lancaster, Pennsylvania as well as having a chance reunion with someone from the past.  

Topics vary from everything such as urban renewal to who makes the best chicken pot pie.  Every now and then I will ask for help with a topic I may want to write a story about and can't remember as much as I wish I could.  Within an hour or so I usually have the answers and help I was after.  The other day someone posted a series of advertisements that were from over 50 years ago.  I realize that many who read my stories are no where near that age, so I thought you may enjoy seeing what a jar of coffee or a box of saltines may have cost in 1966.  Check out the six pages of advertisements from our local newspaper in Lancaster and see what I had to pay for something to eat when I was in my early 20s and getting ready to marry the girl of my dreams!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

Advertisement from the Sanitary Super Market.  Click on ads to enlarge.

Advertisement from the Surfine Food Stores.

Advertisement for the Acme Supermarkets.  I worked at the Acme for many years during high school and college.  I actually went to an Acme School in Philadelphia where they taught us how to run a cash register and how to pack a paper bag of groceries.  Two day school where they paid for our room and all meals.  I can't think of any store chain that does that today.

A coffee cup for 9 cents?  I realize you did have to spend $5 and that was quite a bit of money in 1966.  Thriftway Markets was another grocery line in Lancaster, PA.

Five ears of corn for 39 cents at IGA Grocery Store.  The IGA stood for Independent Grocery Alliance.

This advertisement is from a retail drug store in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  They were in center city Lancaster at 1 East King Street.  For 25 cents you could buy a box of Q-Tips, box of alum. foil and even two light bulbs

The "Do You Really Like Being Old?" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Just opened my email and there was once again a letter from my good friend Bill whom I knew as a child.  His mother moved he and his sisters to a nearby town when he was in third grade, but we managed to keep in touch with each other throughout our entire lives.  When computers were affordable for both of us, our task of writing to one another became so much easier.  Well, we are both in our mid-70s now and still keep in touch.  Bill lives in Arizona and I live in Pennsylvania, but through the use of our computers and iPhones, we share our thoughts with each other often.  He recently sent me a very interesting and moving novella on "being old."  For those who are in the same age bracket as Bill and me, you will see yourself in the novella, while those who are much younger will get a chance to see what we old-timers think and feel about getting and being old.  Print a copy of the novella and share it with your friends.  I'm sure they will see themselves in the novella as I did.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

Do you really like being old?

I have seen too many dear friends leave this world, too soon; before they understood the great freedom that comes with aging.  Aging in body, mind and soul.  And, whose business is it, if I choose to read, or play on the computer, until 4 AM, or sleep until noon? I will dance with myself to those wonderful tunes of the 50s, 60s & 70s, and sing at the top of my lungs if I care to and not care if I’m out of tune.  I will walk the beach, without a swim suit if I so care, and will dive into the waves, with abandon, if I choose to, despite the pitying glances from others. They, too, will get old.  I know I am sometimes forgetful. But there again, some of life is just as well forgotten. And, eventually, I remember the important things.  Sure, over the years, my heart has been broken. How can your heart not break, when you lose a loved one, or when a child suffers, or even when one's beloved pet dies?  If I, at the same time, wish to weep over a lost love, I will cry, unashamed, my heart out.  But broken hearts are what give us strength, understanding and compassion.  A heart never broken, is pristine, and sterile, and will never know the joy of being imperfect.  And, who among us is perfect?  I am so blessed to have lived long enough to have my hair turn gray and disappear and to have my youthful laughs be forever etched into deep grooves on my face. So many have never laughed, and so many have died before their hair could turn silver.  As you get older, it is easier to be positive. You care less about what other people think. I don't question myself anymore.  I've even earned the right to be wrong.  So, to answer your question, I like being old. It has set me free. I like the person I have become. I am not going to live forever, but while I am still here, I will not waste time lamenting about what could have been, or worrying about what will be.  And I shall eat dessert after every meal ... every single day (if I feel like it).

The "Merits Of A Long Vacation" Story

It was an ordinary day.  And ... I know after reading my story today you'll have no sympathy for me.  But, I thought after telling you about other cultures and the length of their vacations, or "Holidays" as they are known in other areas of the world, you might be more sympathetic.  Seems that vacations of two to five years were common for those who lived in ancient Rome.  Centuries later, wealthy Europeans spent months visiting spas.  So, what's the big deal if my wife and I decide to take a vacation for ... lets say ... a month!  Years ago we vacationed for a week when Carol was only permitted that length of time by her boss.  

Enjoyed vacations along the Chesapeake Bay in small cottages where we could relax and unwind without having to drive or fly for any length of time.  If you are traveling miles and miles to reach your vacation destination, either by car or plane or ... perhaps even horse and buggy as is the custom in our home town of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, it may take a day or two to shake off the travel fatigue so you can hustle through the rest of your vacation itinerary before you hop back in the car, plane or buggy to get back home.  So, when Carol and I began our family, we were able to add an extra day or two, or even an extra week to our summer vacations along the Chesapeake Bay.  Times were tough with one salary, a teacher' salary to boot, but we found places to stay that were inexpensive.  It actually began to feel like vacation, with time to unwind and plenty of time to actually enjoy your time away from the grind of work with the entire family.  

Then the family grew up, left home, retirement arrived and we found we were able to add a few more days onto our vacation.  We now had more time and a few extra dollars to spend on vacation.  Reasoned that if we were finally able to fly to a spot in the sun along a beautiful beach, we need to go for at least 10 days or two weeks or we would be wasting the money we paid for the airline ticket.  Well, two weeks turned into two and a half weeks and to make up the difference in days, we opted to settle for a less expensive place to stay.  Then, last year we found a very nice place in paradise for less and decided to stay for three weeks.  Felt guilty at first that others didn't have the same chance that we did, but that quickly faded away.  Halfway through vacation we wondered if we had made a mistake with staying three weeks, but at day 18 or so we looked at each other and wondered if we could add another few days to the trip.  

Being able to do absolutely nothing except sit in a beach chair on a beautiful white sand beach in the Caribbean with a book in one hand and a drink in the other seemed to relax the soul more each day.  Started to feel we actually deserved our vacation for all the years of hard work.  Well, we have already made our reservation for next spring for three weeks once again.  Then, the other day Carol said, "You know, since next year we will be married 50 years, I think maybe we should finally add that extra week!"  Didn't take long before I placed an email to the realtor whom we rent our villa from in paradise.  Not finalized yet, but the merits of a long vacation totally outweigh the negatives.  Here's hoping that someday you too will be able to experience the merits of a long vacation, or holiday.  Those merits seem to be growing the older we become.   And, we have decided now is the time before it is too late!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.     

The "Too Old To Be Young!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading an online article telling me that 60 is the new 40!  Well, I'm telling you I'm past 40, way past, as well as quite a bit past 60, and I can assure you that 60 certainly isn't the new 40.  I can slightly remember what it was like to be 40, both physically and mentally, and when I reached 60 I certainly didn't have the same physical or mental presence that I did when I was 40. Nah, I take that back since my mental capacity is much better now that I'm way past 60.  Just ask anyone who knows me.  As far as my physical capacity is concerned, I can't run the base paths as fast during softball games and couldn't throw the ball as hard as when I was 40.  Matter of fact, I didn't even think of playing softball when I reached 60 and when I do throw the ball, as when a ball is hit to be during my grandson's baseball games where I sit in the nearby bleachers, I throw it underhand.  Too many chances of tearing muscle tissue in my shoulder to try throwing overhand.  And, now that I'm nearing my mid-70s, I hand the ball to someone near me to throw it back onto the field.  When I was 40 I never even thought what it would be like when I was 60 or 70.  I guess that proves that I am gaining wisdom since I know what my strengths and weaknesses may be.  I still do things that I did back in my 40s such as quickly jog across the street if needed to avoid traffic, put my 40 foot extension ladder against the house so I can climb it and paint, lift 40 pound cases of paper while doing the in-house printing chores at the high school where I taught and drive fast like I used to; even at night!  I now have one bum foot due to shingles, scars all over my body from stuff being cut out of me from being out in the sun too much, a finger that bends in an unusual manner due to getting it stuck in the printing press over 40 years ago, ears that don't hear as well as they used to (even with hearing aides), and eyes that have these little things that float from top to bottom each time I close and open them.  

A very relaxed and older LDub contemplating the subject of age;
of course, with more wrinkles!  Photo by granddaughter Camille.

I have bones that make funny crunching noises when I move certain directions, funny noises that emanate from my stomach and other parts of my body on a frequent schedule, no need to go to the barber anymore and teeth that should have been fixed when I was a kid, but parents that couldn't afford that.  But hey ... I can still beat many younger than me at guessing the right prices on The Price is Right, knowing the questions on Jeopardy and guessing the puzzles on Wheel of Fortune.  And, Vanna was turning the letters when I was 40!  I can still run the vacuum, wash the floor on my hands and knees, do the dishes, clean the bathroom, do the windows inside and out, mow the grass, wash the car and shovel the driveway and walk.  I can still sing most of the songs from the era when songs actually had words you could understand; that is if da doo run run is language you can understand.  I can still shake, rattle and roll, literally.  But, I still have trouble with the hand jive, just as I always did.  And, I still think I'm pretty hip since I like shows such as The Big Bang Theory, Modern Family, Life In Pieces, American Pickers and Dating Naked.  But none of them will ever top the reruns of Seinfeld.  Come to think of it I did watch Seinfeld when I was in my 40s.  I still look at life as a glass half full and still love smelling the roses and the variety of plants and flowers my wife raises in our lovely garden.  When it comes to love, I have the comfort of knowing I found the right one almost 50 years ago, but I knew that when I was 40; actually when I was 22. And spiritually, I talk to God through prayer as often as I can; that's what keeps me going right now.  You know, with all that's going on it the world today, I at times wouldn't want to be 40 again.  I'm worried what's going to happen in the next 4 years. Worried for my children and grandchildren. But you know, as Jack Benny once said (even thought I never heard him say it), "Age is strictly a case of mind over matter.  If you don't mind, it doesn't matter."  That and the fact that I am really only 22 years old ... in Celsius.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.