Growing Older

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

As one who turns 60 next year, this passage from John Updike's Rabbit is Rich stayed with me when I read it a few years ago, especially the last paragraph.

Wow. That’s a great however chilling gif. You have some good ones in your repertoire.

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

Men grow old, pearls grow yellow, there is no cure for it.

Chinese proverb

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

If I'd known how old I was going to be I'd have taken better care of myself.

--Adolph Zukor, on approaching his hundredth birthday

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

"Age is an ugly thing, and it goes on getting worse."

--Diana Cooper

This is one of the things about aging that gets tough. Ones looks fade, then get unattractive, then downright ugly. There are folks in the world who have a special place in their hearts for the elderly and don't see them with those eyes. I imagine they are most precious to older folks, especially when the ability to take care of ones most basic and private needs is forfeited. My mother always appreciated how kind certain nurses were when she was in and out of hospitals toward the end.

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

Agh! Have the same problem and worse: often I write notes, forget where in the h∃ll I put them, and then suddenly realize the d@mn note was in my pocket all along!

All too often, old age is a bᵢᵢᵢᵢᵢtch on wheels.

What kinds of things make old age a b*tch on wheels for you, Brooklyn? Besides the difficulties with memory.

[Brooklyn]

Arthritis. Damnable thing.

I get on the city bus and try to find a seat. But before I do all too often the driver is in such a hurry that he/she pulls off the station very rapidly. I have to hold on for dear life or I'll wind up on the ground. A couple of years ago the driver (a woman) pulled out real fast and I stood by helplessly near the entrance as I couldn't move. She yelled at me for taking too long to find a seat. I angrily barked at her telling her that I couldn't move due to arthritis and to stop the d@mn bus*. When we got to the next station I hammered her verbally and not only got her attention but that of every passenger on the bus. Soon enough I found a seat and all was settled.




* in that incident a young couple took the handicapped seating to park their baby carriage. This is illegal in Minnesota but the idiot drivers don't bother to enforce the law. I sent an email to Metro Transit and complained that this happens all too often. I got a reply that the matter would be looked into and corrected at once. Yeah, good luck with that.

[Brooklyn]

Another benefit of growing older is I find I don't need as much sleep. 6 hours is ideal. I remember hearing my folks say they only needed 4 when they were in their 70's and 80's.

I still need the sleep. But if I don't get it, that's OK because now I have all afternoon to take a nap. And that is always very satisfactory.

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

Arthritis. Damnable thing.

I get on the city bus and try to find a seat. But before I do all too often the driver is in such a hurry that he/she pulls off the station very rapidly. I have to hold on for dear life or I'll wind up on the ground. A couple of years ago the driver (a woman) pulled out real fast and I stood by helplessly near the entrance as I couldn't move. She yelled at me for taking too long to find a seat. I angrily barked at her telling her that I couldn't move due to arthritis and to stop the d@mn bus*. When we got to the next station I hammered her verbally and not only got her attention but that of every passenger on the bus. Soon enough I found a seat and all was settled.




* in that incident a young couple took the handicapped seating to park their baby carriage. This is illegal in Minnesota but the idiot drivers don't bother to enforce the law. I sent an email to Metro Transit and complained that this happens all too often. I got a reply that the matter would be looked into and corrected at once. Yeah, good luck with that.

That sounds like a real drag. The arthritis and the transit experience. I imagine that must be a great difficulty—we use our hands for so much all through our waking hours. Does the arthritis get worse in the cold?

[Matnum PI]

That sounds like a real drag. The arthritis and the transit experience. I imagine that must be a great difficulty—we use our hands for so much all through our waking hours. Does the arthritis get worse in the cold?

Good for me to read. will help me to be more careful on mass transit in the future.

[Brooklyn]

That sounds like a real drag. The arthritis and the transit experience. I imagine that must be a great difficulty—we use our hands for so much all through our waking hours. Does the arthritis get worse in the cold?

Defo a drag. And yes, the pain does seem to get worse in the cold esp when it's cold and moist outdoors. Ugh!

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

That sounds like a real drag. The arthritis and the transit experience. I imagine that must be a great difficulty—we use our hands for so much all through our waking hours. Does the arthritis get worse in the cold?

Defo a drag. And yes, the pain does seem to get worse in the cold esp when it's cold and moist outdoors. Ugh!

I'm curious, Brooklyn--what brought you to The Land of 10,000 Lakes from New York? If you don't mind me asking... I spent 2 weeks in Duluth with my cousin when he lived there with his family in the early 80's. Beautiful country and friendly folks in that part of the country.

[Brooklyn]

^ You know the old story ~ took the wrong turn at the New Jersey Turnpike.

But actually went to law school. Too bad the highway patrol didn't say "turn back and stay in Brooklyn where you belong".

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

George Carlin telling it like it is about getting old. Great bit.

[Brooklyn]

Another problem with growing old - the bladder gets weaker and there's more and more hair growing in your ears rather than your scalp.

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

Another problem with growing old - the bladder gets weaker and there's more and more hair growing in your ears rather than your scalp.

Weaker bladder and “draining the main vein” as we used to say as teenagers takes more time and concentration. Long gone are the days of a quick strong stream.

As for the hair observation—

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

“It’s a funny feeling,” he tells his son, “when you get old. The brain sends out the order and the body looks the other way.“

— “Rabbit” Angstrom — Rabbit Redux

[PizzaSnake]

"when you mind makes a promise that your body can't fill."

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

One of the things I notice more and more as I get older is how many things I have--"stuff" as George Carlin would have categorized it--that I use frequently, some every day, that others have given me. A cousin by law gave me a pocket knife some 40 years ago that I still use daily. It's been attached to my key chain since. He died about 30 years ago. It's nice to occasionally remember that he gave it to me and in the process remember him. I have a scarf for cold winter days that was given to me on my birthday a number of years back by a younger cousin. So many handmade items my mother made for me like custom shorts and curtains and a nice warm throw blanket during the cold months here in New England. A coffee mug from a former coworker; a Brita water pitcher given by some friends moving back to Russia some 20 years ago--weathered and beaten and discolored but still used every day. A Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged dictionary from my Dad while he was still alive. How many things that become part of the essential "stuff" we value and even treasure in some cases. I'm certain anyone reading this can think of their own cherished "stuff" that others have given them that remain and are used. Never thought about things like this "when I wore a younger man's clothes."

[ardilla secreta]

I went to the doctor last week and he told me I had a serious age related illness. I told him I want a second opinion. He said, Ok, you’re ugly too.

[richard]

The problem with old age is that one thing leads to another and that nothing ever heals enough to make any progress. I had a strained Achilles’ tendon. Doc said I had to rest and stay off of my feet. Right! Not even close to possible, work did not allow it. One of those benefits of owning your own business. So now there is no exercise ( walking, tennis, paddle tennis, etc.) after work. Yeah put on a few lbs. then knee starts to hurt and needs to be operated on. Yeah and a few more lbs are put on. Next thing you know is you’re 70 and you’re still are on your feet at work and your mind still makes those promises that your body can’t keep.
I never understood how those young rock and rollers could come up with lyrics like that without the experience. What the heck?