Thoughts Before The Alarm Sounds

      One of the problems with aging is that one can see both sides of many controversies. This is one of those cases.       In 1969 (it’s hard to believe that was over 40 years ago), at the behest of then Governor Ronald Reagan, radical professor Angela Davis was fired by UCLA Regents because of her membership in the Communist Party. She was later reinstated after legal action was taken.       At the time she was fired, I was upset because I felt that if someone had radical ideas, those ideas would not survive the court of public opinion. I was, and still am, a believer in the First Amendment: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech , or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.       Or am I?  ...

      Millions of years ago, in a galaxy far, far away, i.e. high school in the 1940s, I developed my first concept of the word “old.” Old people were those who were slightly older than I was. When I was a freshman, seniors were old, and when I became a senior, college students were old, or at least older.       The idea hardened at the annual alumni banquet, an institution which has long since been discontinued. At our banquet, three members of the class which had graduated 50 years previously were in attendance. We all decided they were “really old fuddy duddies” (ROFDs). Over the years I haven’t thought much more about the subject.       Now however, I am nearly ten years older than those ROFDs were when they attended our banquet, so I have decided to rethink my definition. In addition, for several years my class has been having monthly breakfasts at a local restaurant, and I have found that my long-time (I...

I happened to be in the room this morning when Barbara was watching The View on TV. Kathy Griffin was the guest. First let me say that she talks and talks – if I were around her all day she would drive me nuts. But that’s her style, it works for her, and she has lots of loyal fans, so who am I to complain? But she illustrated a few problems some of us post-youths have when we are around young people. Notice I said we have problems – it is not necessarily the fault of the youngsters. First, I get tired of hearing “ya know” before, during and after every sentence. If I know, you don’t have to tell me, and if I don’t know, then don’t tell me I do. Please just tell me what it is that I don’t know, then we will both know. Ya know. Second, I don’t know if they are talking faster or if I am just listening more slowly, but they are often speaking two sentences ahead of the one I am hearing. I realize  young people are in a hurry, but believe me, the second-to-last place they are ...

I have been elected to the post of treasurer of the Residents’ Council at Luther Acres. It will be my job to keep track of the receipts and disbursements of the council’s funds. Each month I will also be expected to report to the council on the financial activities for the prior period. I have already received some feedback on the format of the monthly report; the gist of it is that it is too complicated. The residents say they are old people, inexperienced in financial terminology, and as a result I need to keep it simple. What complicates matters is that the Executive Committee of the Council needs to see where they are in relation to the budget which is set up at the beginning of the year. And it seems to be the budget that is confusing the main council. I have some ideas about what to do, and I shall try them out, first at the Executive Committee meeting, and if approved there, at the general council meeting. As so many things seem to do lately, this situation appears, at l...

One of the people we met on our recent trip was Sandy Balla, a history major and Hudson River buff. Sandy, who lives in the area, was hired by the cruise line to give us information about the sights we were seeing, and she is very good at the job. Whether it was West Point, Catskill or any other location along the route from NYC to Troy , Sandy was up to date with her knowledge. She knew not only the history of the locations we visited; she also told us about the current local economy, as well as prior to the settlement by the Dutch and English;  the relations of the current and ancient populations with each other, and the names and works of local painters and artisans who did so much to popularize the region. She also told us stories and legends, e.g. Rip Van Winkle , during times when some of us had idle time aboard ship. Her knowledge and enthusiasm, and the professionalism with which she imparted it, did much to make the trip more meaningful and pleasant. She also told...

This morning the word came out at the Wellness Center that I am writing a book. Someone asked if I am writing about the people there, so I will (but not in the book). I started going to a gym in 1982, when I was working at Caltar Data Forms. I arranged for all the employees to get a cut rate on the introductory fee. Since then I have been going three times a week – mostly. I believe that the workouts are healthful, but just as important is the camaraderie. I have met many interesting people, made some friends, even signed some new clients while I was in the tax business, and got some ideas for short stories. One of the friends I met there had a heart attack – not while at the gym. He asked the doctor why he had an attack even though he worked out regularly. The doctor told him he would probably be dead if he hadn’t been working out. Who am I to argue with a doctor? He has since died of another heart attack (the friend - not the doctor). Not all patrons of gyms are in it for the f...

My high school class meets monthly for breakfast. I do not like to get up before 8:00, but I usually make an exception for this. We used to meet at 9:00, then one of the classmates said we were wasting the whole day. For crying out loud, we are all retired! What else do we have to do? So we decided to meet at 8:30. Wouldn’t you know it, the guy who didn’t want to waste the whole day doesn’t show up anymore. I know at least two members who refuse to get up that early. They would both attend if the meeting were at 9:00. I am tempted to join their boycott. At the first breakfast I went to after we moved back from California , some of the members had grown so old that they didn’t recognize me. This month a classmate who lives in Florida showed up. We had not seen her since our reunion in 2006, so it was nice that she had an opportunity to visit with us. At the alumni banquet when we graduated, there were a couple of ladies present who had been in the graduating class 50 years previous ...