The other day a young person asked me how I felt about being old.
I was taken aback, for I do not think of myself as old. Upon seeing my reaction, she was immediately embarrassed, but I explained that it was an interesting question, and I would ponder it, and let her know.
Old Age, I decided, is a gift.
I am now, probably for the first time in my life, the person I have always wanted to be. Oh, not my body! I sometime despair over my body, the wrinkles, the baggy eyes, and the sagging butt. And often I am taken aback by that old person that lives in my mirror but I don't agonize over those things for long.
I would never trade my amazing friends, my wonderful life, my loving family for less gray hair or a flatter belly. As I've aged, I've become more kind to myself, and less critical of myself. I've become my own friend.
I don't chide myself for eating that extra cookie, or for not making my bed, or for buying that silly cement gecko that I didn't need, but looks so avante garde on my patio. I am entitled to a treat, to be messy, to be extravagant.
I have seen too many dear friends leave this world too soon; before they understood the great freedom that comes with aging.
Whose business is it if I choose to read or play on the computer until 4 AM and sleep until noon?
I will dance with myself to those wonderful tunes of the 60 & 70's, and if I, at the same time, wish to weep over a lost love ... I will.
I will walk the beach in a swim suit that is stretched over a bulging body, and will dive into the waves with abandon if; I choose to, despite the pitying glances from the jet set.
For they, too, will get old.
I know I am sometimes forgetful. But there again, some of life is just as well forgotten. And I eventually 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 somebody's beloved pet gets hit by a car?
But broken hearts are what give us strength and understanding and compassion.
A heart never broken is pristine and sterile and will never know the joy of being imperfect.
I am so blessed to have lived long enough to have my hair turning gray, 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 what could have been, or worrying about what will be. And I shall eat dessert every single day. (If I feel like it)
May our friendships never come apart especially when it's straight from the heart.
May you always have a rainbow of smiles on your face and in your heart.
I'll take this opportunity to brag about my 2 sons.
My eldest son (he's 40 yrs) is the one who cares for me, becuz I am unable to work, he pays my utilities, cable & internet bills, he also contributes to my groceries. He is single. never been married, just hasn't found Ms. Right yet. He is a kind and gentle person who absolutely loves animals. That's why he works at a zoo. He works in the animal exhibit dept, he helps create and build the habitats for the animals. He is also an artist, likes to spend his leisurely time drawing & sketching.
My younger son lives in northern Nevada, (he is 37 yrs old), married to a wonderful woman, has given me four beautiful grandchildren (1 boy & 3 girls) ranging in age from 11 yrs to 8 mos. He is a Sgt. at the Nevada State Prison & from what I've seen in some documentries on TV it is a very dangerous job. He is the more adventerous of the 2. He like to hunt & fish, go four wheeling, camping & outdoorsy stuff. All with his family.
I find it ironic that one works with caged animals and the other works with caged humans.
In any case, they are mine and I am very proud of both of them, and love them with all my heart and soul.
When that movie first came out & I went to go see it, I was blubbering so hard, the mgmt, asked me to either leave or quiet down. It still makes me cry.
A boat docked in a tiny Mexican village. An American tourist complimented the Mexican fisherman on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took him to catch them.
"Not very long," answered the Mexican.
"But then, why didn't you stay out longer and catch more?" asked the American.
The Mexican explained that his small catch was sufficient to meet his needs and those of his family.
The American asked, "But what do you do with the rest of your time?"
"I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, and take a siesta with my wife. In the evenings, I go into the village to see my friends, have a few drinks, play the guitar, and sing a few songs. I have a full life."
The American interrupted, "I have an MBA from Harvard and I can help you! You should start by fishing longer every day. You can then sell the extra fish you catch. With the extra revenue, you can buy a bigger boat."
"And after that?" asked the Mexican.
"With the extra money the larger boat will bring, you can buy a second one and a third one and so on until you have an entire fleet of trawlers. Instead of selling your fish to a middle man, you can then negotiate directly with the processing plants and maybe even open your own plant. You can then leave this little village and move to Mexico City, Los Angeles, or even New York City! From there you can direct your huge new enterprise."
"How long would that take?" asked the Mexican.
"Twenty, perhaps twenty-five years," replied the American.
"And after that?"
"Afterwards? Well my friend, that's when it gets really interesting," answered the American, laughing. "When your business gets really big, you can start buying and selling stocks and make millions!"
"Millions? Really? And after that?" asked the Mexican.
"After that you'll be able to retire, live in a tiny village near the coast, sleep late, play with your children, catch a few fish, take a siesta with your wife and spend your evenings drinking and enjoying your friends."
And the moral of this story is: ......... Know where you're going in life... you may already be there.
There have been laws passed in some areas making it illegal to talk on a mobile phone while driving, in Dade County, FL a driver can get a ticket for it, but not in any other county, before I left there had been talk of making it a statewide law.
First & foremost I'm glad you are alright. From what you say this company does'nt sound like it cares how it treats the employees, you are probably better off without them. Did they even take your driving record into consideration? I mean, 2 million miles and never and accident that is worth backing you up on. Anyway, glad you came to us to "vent" after all that's what friends are for.
sort of, just browse thru the thread topics & find one the interests you, read a few postings see if you agree or disagree & voice your opnion. if you don't see anything that interests you start your own thread.
Writers Strike May Be Close to Ending By LYNN ELBER – 1 day ago
LOS ANGELES (AP) — An agreement to end the three-month-old Hollywood writers strike could be ready in time to avoid disrupting the Oscars but studios and the union are still haggling over the precise language, two people familiar with the talks said.
The Writers Guild of America bargaining committee and board of directors received updates on the status of informal talks with studio executives, the pair said Monday. They were not authorized to comment publicly and requested anonymity.
One of the people has said a formal deal is possible by the end of this week.
There was significant progress toward a proposed agreement last week on the toughest issues concerning compensation for projects distributed via the Internet.
While specifics of the negotiations were not disclosed, the proposal agreement is believed to include significant increases in the residuals that writers get for online use of movies and TV shows.
Last month, studios reached a tentative deal with the Directors Guild of America that included increased residuals for some paid Internet downloads and for ad-supported streaming of programs.
The informal talks are essentially a substitute for the formal negotiations between writers and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers that broke off on Dec. 7. Writers struck on Nov. 5.
The guild and the studios repeatedly have declined comment on the talks, citing a news blackout.
But stars attending an Academy Awards luncheon on Monday seemed optimistic that a deal would be reached in time for the Feb. 24 Oscar show.
"I'm a positive individual. I think the sun will come up tomorrow," said Viggo Mortensen, a best-actor contender for the crime tale "Eastern Promises."
The guild has declined to grant striking writers permission to work on the show. While organizers have said they would offer some kind of Oscar show anyway, some stars said they wouldn't cross picket lines to attend.
The strike also has shut down production on some major TV shows.
Michael Moore, a WGA member nominated for his health-care documentary, "Sicko," blamed the studios and said they had "shut the town down over a couple pennies."
Moore said if no agreement is reached, he might start a penny drive to raise the money for writer demands, and suggested people would contribute in order to see their favorite shows return.
Associated Press Movie Writer David Germain contributed to this report.
Let's hope, I miss my reguarly scheduled programs.
If it's gonna be either one of them, please let it be Obama.. I've said it before and I'll say it again, there is something about her I just do not trust.
banano second Time between slipping on a peel and smacking the pavement
bartender Someone who brings you into contact with the spirit world?
Beelzebug (n.): Satan in the form of a mosquito that gets into your bedroom at three in the morning and cannot be cast out.
Cyclops Motorcycle policeman
Deja Moo The feeling that you've heard this bull before.
Karmageddon (n): It's like, when everybody is sending off all these really bad vibes, right? And then, like, the Earth explodes and it's like,a serious bummer?
Oyster (n.), a person who sprinkles his conversation with Yiddishisms
Thankfully I live in east Tennessee, while we had heavy rain & high wind gusts (estmitated @ 60 mph) we did not suffer too much. I have never experienced a tornado nor do I ever want to.
Hidden camera footage broadcast in the Netherlands on Sunday, Feb. 3, 2008, showed Van der Sloot saying he was with Natalee Holloway when she collapsed on a beach in Aruba. He said he believed she was dead and asked a friend to dump her body in the sea.
In the secret recordings, Van der Sloot said Holloway, 18, was drunk and that she began shaking and slumped down on the beach as they were kissing in May 2005.
"Suddenly she started shaking and then she didn't say anything," Van der Sloot said in Dutch, adding that he did not kill her. "I would never murder a girl."
He said he panicked and tried but failed to revive her. He said that Holloway looked dead but that he could not be sure she was not still alive when a friend took her away. Van der Sloot identified the friend only as "Daury."
Was he telling the truth or was he just trying to impress Patrick van der Eem?
F.Y.I. Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jackson and Abraham Lincoln were not black men.
Although construction began in 1792, it was not until 1901 that President Theodore Roosevelt officially gave the White House its current name. At various times in history, the White House as been known as the "President's House," the "President's Palace," and the "Executive Mansion."
Scottishlass Forum Posts (3,324)
you
looks like you're doin' fine so far 
RE: A Dilemma. Maybe.
The other day a young person asked me how I felt about being old.I was taken aback, for I do not think of myself as old. Upon seeing my reaction, she was immediately embarrassed, but I explained that it was an interesting question, and I would ponder it, and let her know.
Old Age, I decided, is a gift.
I am now, probably for the first time in my life, the person I have always wanted to be. Oh, not my body! I sometime despair over my body, the wrinkles, the baggy eyes, and the sagging butt. And often I am taken aback by that old person that lives in my mirror but I don't agonize over those things for long.
I would never trade my amazing friends, my wonderful life, my loving family for less gray hair or a flatter belly. As I've aged, I've become more kind to myself, and less critical of myself. I've become my own friend.
I don't chide myself for eating that extra cookie, or for not making my bed, or for buying that silly cement gecko that I didn't need, but looks so avante garde on my patio. I am entitled to a treat, to be messy, to be extravagant.
I have seen too many dear friends leave this world too soon; before they understood the great freedom that comes with aging.
Whose business is it if I choose to read or play on the computer until 4 AM and sleep until noon?
I will dance with myself to those wonderful tunes of the 60 & 70's, and if I, at the same time, wish to weep over a lost love ... I will.
I will walk the beach in a swim suit that is stretched over a bulging body, and will dive into the waves with abandon if; I choose to, despite the pitying glances from the jet set.
For they, too, will get old.
I know I am sometimes forgetful. But there again, some of life is just as well forgotten. And I eventually 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 somebody's beloved pet gets hit by a car?
But broken hearts are what give us strength and understanding and compassion.
A heart never broken is pristine and sterile and will never know the joy of being imperfect.
I am so blessed to have lived long enough to have my hair turning gray, 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 what could have been, or worrying about what will be. And I shall eat dessert every single day. (If I feel like it)
May our friendships never come apart especially when it's straight from the heart.
May you always have a rainbow of smiles on your face and in your heart.