Just had a birthday...

I think that I am officially a senior citizen now.  Actually I think I probably have been there for a while and it is just dawning on me that I am now considered to be an elder. I have always adjusted to change slowly and with more than a little foot dragging. But -- here I am.  I just didn't know I would get here so quickly. I find myself wondering if people realize that elders really aren't as wise as younger people sometimes assume them to be? It is somewhat of a hoax actually, but one not perpetrated intentionally.  I think younger people just like thinking that someone will know what to do.  True -- sometimes experience is a help -- but other times -- not so much.

Related to this older person phenomena... I remember my Mom talking to me about feeling much younger inside than she actually was.  It was often surprising to her to that she was chronologically a certain age when she felt so much younger.  I get that now. About the only time I feel my age is when I get up in the morning or have sat in a chair too long. (I am thinking that some of you may get that.) Anyway -- I was talking to a peer at a luncheon just this past week, and when I mentioned that idea to her -- she totally got it.  Yep -- there is a certain bond between people of a certain age.  I call it a survivor bond. We have been there, done that...and lived to remember it. 

So -- it's a perfect time, once again, to focus on the positive. Therefore -- today I am going to attempt to list just some of the advantages of my age as a way to celebrate my ... maturity.

• I basically can do whatever I want to do, as I have taught myself to say "No", but ... thank you for asking".
• I can purchase new clothing based on the comfort level and the softness of the fabric. 
• I can wear whatever I want on my feet.
• I can slug around all day in my favorite old ratty clothes whenever I feel like it, and... even sleep in them at times if that seems more convenient.
• I don't have to lift heavy stuff - ever.
• I don't have to run except in an emergency.
• I can ignore the phone or do the "guilt free hang up" on nuisance callers.
• I can honestly say -- "Sorry, I must not have heard you when you asked me to do that" ... or "I should have written that down -- can't believe it slipped my mind".

I know that the list could be a lot longer.  I am counting on you to add to it in the comments that you are so kind to share with me.  There are so many good things about this stage of the game. I just can't think of them all at this moment.  If you can think of even one advantage to add, that would be perfect. It will do all us (of a certain age) a lot of good. Thank you.... 

Show of Hands

I need a show of hands.  Sometimes it feels a bit lonely out there even in the realm of the "does not seem important, but maybe it is" category.  At the moment I am talking about mathematics.  Please keep in mind that I am not good at math -- even have to look up how to spell words like Trigonometry, Advanced Algebra and Calculus, for heaven's sake.  I don't even deal with the number nine -- ever, and since I was born in a year with two nines, I am never quite sure how old I am. A long time ago, I was 44 for two years in a row.  Seriously.  Having said all of that so that you know where I stand...

Just this past week, I heard of a fine young man who is beginning his search for an institution of higher learning. He was dismayed to find that one college he visited, although appealing in other areas, has the requirement of calculus for his intended major.  Now -- anyone who has ever dealt with an institution of higher learning -- knows about their rules and prerequisites.  It is an issue -- one that people have complained about -- probably for generations. It is like hitting a wall or screaming into the wind.  Anyway -- it makes me wonder about calculus.  I mean, seriously, what is it?  I know that people say that the study of calculus develops discipline and that no learning is wasted... I know that there are claims that it is used in predicting things like weather, stock options,  and in engineering, but honestly -- I have never met a person who can tell me what good it is to the common person -- like me -- who passed Trig by plugging in formulas in a trial and error method that I personally developed as a method of survival.  

Okay I admit it -- I am a language person.  I write in letters, not in numbers. Here is what I know -- there seem to be very few who know why calculus is useful and they don't share well with others - especially now that computers do a lot of that complex, formulaic sort of thing. I looked up the word calculus-- because that is who I am. The actual word is from the Latin word of the same spelling and literally means "small pebble used for counting".  Really?  It's not so terrifying when you know that. As the definition continues, it explains that calculus is a mathematical study of change -- a way to predict.  Is this why our meteorologists are so accurate in forecasting our weather?  Here all this time I thought they used slide rules or something. (Do slide rules even exist anymore?) 

I am not "gifted" with a math mind.  I struggled through and passed the mandatory college level math class for my major. At the end of the ordeal the professor of said class told me never to do anything in my life that had anything whatsoever to do with numbers...that I had no aptitude nor ability in mathematics.  You see -- college professors didn't have to be nice to their students back in the day. They were not overwhelmingly concerned with self-esteem, etc. He called me Nancy sub 1 -- a name I never understood -- math humor I guess.  I still remember his name.  Anyway -- I took his advice. In spite of that -- I find that I do possess some degree of ability in analytical thinking. I ace logic problems, and logic in combination with women's intuition, has brought me along nicely.  Also -- I can do my checkbook, calculate how much yarn or fabric I need for a project and can even figure out how much it will cost to carpet a room once I have measured it. (I use pencil and paper and then check my figures with the calculator on my phone.)  I follow recipes well if they are not in the metric system. I deal well with percentages, and ... as I remind my grandchildren -- I have eyes in the back of my head.

So -- show of hands please... How many of you use calculus in your everyday lives?  As for the fine young man who will probably have to take calculus -- good luck with that.  Sorry... can't help you there. Wish I could. I passed college Algebra by 1/10th of a point. I knew better than to try calculus. I didn't study chemistry either - not even in high school.  I try to communicate in words, not formulas and numbers with little signs (+ / -) and [brackets]. Words are handy...not always easy, but certainly more functional in everyday life than advanced mathematics...in my humble opinion. Yet -- I recognize it that takes all sorts of talents to make the world go around. I love The Big Bang Theory. We need to be kind to one another and those who can add and stuff need not make fun of those of us who are mathematically challenged. They also need to recognize that reading and writing are also important skills. Maybe they could study language a little harder, so that they could explain themselves a little more effectively. They could start with the value of learning calculus -- for the ordinary person like me.

Awash in color and plastic bags...

It's a temporary situation, but for now -- my home is awash in color and plastic bags.  You see -- my daughter is now a consultant for the relatively new clothing company called LuLaRoe, and my house is the receiving and shipping center at the moment. What fun! I want it to stay here.  I get to help unpack all the soft, wonderful goodies, watch them being sold, and then help package them for shipping. Anyone who know me knows that I love to package things -- I could have had a career as a gift wrapper -- and loved every single minute. Anyway --

It is an amazing experience.  Not only do I get first pick of all the wonderful softness and comfort of LuLaRoe clothing as one of my perks, but... I am learning about a whole new world.  There are online sales through Facebook and Periscope as well as Pop-Up Boutiques and vendor shows.  The learning curve is sometimes a challenge, but since my daughter has a handle on all of it, I just watch her run with it all. I hang on somehow and have fun tagging along when I want to.  Perfect....

What I really love is how the experience pulls in the entire family.  My grand-kids are willingly and totally involved.  My five-year old granddaughter, an excellent LuLaRoe model and budding star of Periscope, is the stylist -- accessorizing garments that are being photographed for online albums. My nine-year old grandson mans the camera at photo shoots of merchandise and then creates collages for marketing.  My son-in-law is even doing one online show a month -- as are several other of the husbands of consultants across the USA. These sessions are dubbed LuLaBro.  He will be manning the site and answering questions tomorrow evening,  August 12th at 8 PM. Here is the link for those of you who are members of the Friday Nights with the LuLaBros group. (If you are not a member, just click on the blue box to join. Someone will approve you in no time at all.)

https://www.facebook.com/groups/FridayNightwiththeLuLaBros/  

The whole endeavor is an amazing process and makes me smile.  

Busy and exciting times... and it's so much fun to be learning something new. Never a dull moment in the LuLaRoe world. It's a lot more than just enjoying the buttery softness of fabric and of clothing designed for comfort... although... those things are beyond nice.    

See for yourself at LuLaRoe Bree Burlingame on Facebook.   

Mouse in the House

Nothing does a better job of startling me than a snake in the grass -- unless, of course, it is a mouse in the house.  I so dislike them and... their crunchy little droppings. Now -- I know that a mouse is a very small critter, hardly a worthy adversary,  but... a mouse has a way of darting about that catches a person off guard -- sort of heart stopping.   I have found, from personal experience, that a swooping bat has the same effect. Anyway -- I encountered a mouse in the early Spring while rummaging through my pantry. (I saw the tail first). That mouse no longer lives with me --- or anywhere for that matter, and... my sister recently found herself eye to eye with one as it was dashing about on her kitchen counter while she was making coffee in the wee hours of the morning. What a way to start the day! Eek! (Why is it that I find it funny to picture her dealing with her mouse and not funny at all when I think of my recent encounter with one? I don't know. It is something to ponder.)

 -- Back to the mouse.  When my sister met hers, she (my sister) beat a hasty retreat to the upper region of her home.  Now here is the thing -- I know, from personal experience that a mouse can climb stairs.  She probably knows that too, but when startled, a person may not think of that. Such an experience tends to dull logic (as well as impede breathing).  

It's all over now. She survived beautifully.  Her mouse is gone in a most similar manner to mine, and her kitchen has been scrubbed from top to bottom.  If I know her (and I do), she probably even cleaned the inside of the drains in the kitchen sink -- just in case. I have done that. I admit it freely.

The best part of the story though is the reaction of my funny, cool, calm and collected brother-in-law who, upon hearing of the invasion, quietly asked, "Does this mean that we have to move now?"  Perfect.