What did she do today???
I'm sure everyone is wondering what I was up to today. Apparently my Facebook postings have a following which I totally appreciate and also feel a bit silly/not silly/humblebrag/etc...
As a bonafide oldster now that I'm definitively in my 7th decade of existence on this astral plane or whatever you may call it I now can "have my cake and eat it too" - I'm Older and Have More Insurance to quote a quote...but really I don't have to do much of anything anymore and most importantly - no one is breathing down my neck and giving me crap for existing (you know who you are, or do you???)
What is also great is that I no longer think about a lot of stuff that used to make me crazy. I keep reminding myself I can do anything I want now. I can buy that fancy car. Not that I need a new car, but if I wanted to, I could. I hardly use the car I do have now, and there's so little mileage the dealer keeps sending me offers to take the car off my hands it's so "desirable" OY.
I can also eat, sleep, watch HBO, listen to music, cook, order in, drink, and do whatever or do nothing and NOBODY REALLY CARES least of all me. I can stop harassing myself over stupidity, not that I'm completely out of the habit of self-castigation, not yet - old habits die hard, don't they?
I would like to write a memoir about something very specific which I've been percolating in my head and the laptop for some time...and it seems a good time to give it a go. If anything I will learn something about writing and appreciate good writing. Maybe something will come of it but I will be happy to just be a student and open to what I can learn from the experience. Who knows? I am hopeful but realistic.
So I am revitalizing this blog which I created ages ago but never used. I have another one that was started when the public school b.s. really started affecting me, professionally and personally. I am still pretty steamed about that situation even 3 1/2 years out of it, thankfully, but still angry. I am channeling this energy into helping teachers to fight the power in whatever small way I can at this time in my life. Good people are making big waves! Yay! Finally!!!
Otherwise today I had an intense acupuncture session with the nicest and most thorough Japanese acupuncturist who has been really making a difference with my muscular/skeletal problems which have to do with arthritis and related stuff. I also go to a physio who is also a cut above having wasted time and money on stupid orthopedists and bad P/T in the past.
After I enjoyed a bowl of Cantonese wonton noodle soup and a hot sake since it is such a dreary, cold and wet day.
Cheers!
Monday, March 14, 2016
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Bite me, Easy Rider-guy...
Why should baby-boomers feel pressured to have a “cool” retirement?
It’s the same pressure to be “cool” that’s been going on since the 50’s – to always compete, always be on the “cutting edge” of whatever – no matter what your politics or inclination – from 1950’s consumerism and 1960’s “grooviness” to ‘70’s hyper-sexuality and ‘80’s materialism. When do we get a break, finally? What if all I really want to do - should I live so long - is to putter in a garden, read a book, take a walk, or otherwise smell the roses, and not have to continue this competitive lifestyle/mindset that says if you are NOT constantly following the latest trend – or creating one yourself – your life is not worth living? Just writing this makes me tired.
I never wanted to compete – which I why I took the path of least resistance in many ways – just wanting to get along. Sure I suppose I could’ve done better –whatever “better” may be – but at some point it all becomes beside the point, and life got in the way of all those pipe-dreams we were encouraged to have by the fairy tales and daydreams and fake futuristic scenarios of cartoons and movies and books. It’s just easier now to watch a good movie.
Live so long – some people live on and on and they are so miserable. No matter what they have they do not seem to find enjoyment or fulfillment. They achieved, they accomplished, they succeeded – and they are horribly unhappy. I’d rather have a sense of inner contentment and resolution than be constantly wanting, scratching, itching for what seems to be “better”. I don’t think the grass is greener anywhere else. It’s all the same no matter where you go – basically it’s all about survival. And some people get to survive better than others.
I know it’s just a marketing strategy – to get people to spend money, to buy into this fantasy of having a “cool” retirement – that is fine if you are wealthy. And for formerly counter-culture icons to become the spokespersons of this fantasy lifestyle simply because they went to the other side and got rich – well, where does that leave those of us who’d bought into the so-called counter-culture lifestyle, attitude and politics? Only to discover that guess what – we’d been fooled – and every one is giggling at us behind our backs for being so naïve? Sure I’ve put away money – why not, it seems silly not to – but I am far from wealthy – and I have no guilt or shame about being frugal and careful. I just don’t want to be told what to do or how to think anymore. I wasn’t too happy with political correctness in the first place, and now I am supposed to be a “cool” retiree. I don’t want to be identified with the image of someone who has nothing better to do than follow frivolous fantasies to their fruition. I thought it might be nice to just exist for a while, with no plan and no intentions. That might make me a lazy person but perhaps that is what I have always been – lazy, not stupid, just not an overachiever. Laid-back used to be a good thing. When did it go out of style? When did just existing become so, outré?
So get me a nice umbrella drink and play me a good CD, okay? Thank you. I’m too old to start surfing now.
It’s the same pressure to be “cool” that’s been going on since the 50’s – to always compete, always be on the “cutting edge” of whatever – no matter what your politics or inclination – from 1950’s consumerism and 1960’s “grooviness” to ‘70’s hyper-sexuality and ‘80’s materialism. When do we get a break, finally? What if all I really want to do - should I live so long - is to putter in a garden, read a book, take a walk, or otherwise smell the roses, and not have to continue this competitive lifestyle/mindset that says if you are NOT constantly following the latest trend – or creating one yourself – your life is not worth living? Just writing this makes me tired.
I never wanted to compete – which I why I took the path of least resistance in many ways – just wanting to get along. Sure I suppose I could’ve done better –whatever “better” may be – but at some point it all becomes beside the point, and life got in the way of all those pipe-dreams we were encouraged to have by the fairy tales and daydreams and fake futuristic scenarios of cartoons and movies and books. It’s just easier now to watch a good movie.
Live so long – some people live on and on and they are so miserable. No matter what they have they do not seem to find enjoyment or fulfillment. They achieved, they accomplished, they succeeded – and they are horribly unhappy. I’d rather have a sense of inner contentment and resolution than be constantly wanting, scratching, itching for what seems to be “better”. I don’t think the grass is greener anywhere else. It’s all the same no matter where you go – basically it’s all about survival. And some people get to survive better than others.
I know it’s just a marketing strategy – to get people to spend money, to buy into this fantasy of having a “cool” retirement – that is fine if you are wealthy. And for formerly counter-culture icons to become the spokespersons of this fantasy lifestyle simply because they went to the other side and got rich – well, where does that leave those of us who’d bought into the so-called counter-culture lifestyle, attitude and politics? Only to discover that guess what – we’d been fooled – and every one is giggling at us behind our backs for being so naïve? Sure I’ve put away money – why not, it seems silly not to – but I am far from wealthy – and I have no guilt or shame about being frugal and careful. I just don’t want to be told what to do or how to think anymore. I wasn’t too happy with political correctness in the first place, and now I am supposed to be a “cool” retiree. I don’t want to be identified with the image of someone who has nothing better to do than follow frivolous fantasies to their fruition. I thought it might be nice to just exist for a while, with no plan and no intentions. That might make me a lazy person but perhaps that is what I have always been – lazy, not stupid, just not an overachiever. Laid-back used to be a good thing. When did it go out of style? When did just existing become so, outré?
So get me a nice umbrella drink and play me a good CD, okay? Thank you. I’m too old to start surfing now.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
