Madness

Well, it’s official, retailers have gone mad! I was in my local shopping mall yesterday afternoon and simply could not believe my eyes when I saw store clerks unpacking Christmas decorations and filling shelves. It’s definitely getting out of hand. After all since it’s mid-September there’s three and a half months to go before Christmas. Why can’t retailers wait until Halloween has come and gone before enticing us with Yule fare?

            I can only imagine how young mothers must dance around reality when their youngsters get all excited about Santa in September. Can the young ones really anticipate a holiday for that length of time? I think not.

            At least at the end of November colorful decorations begin appearing everywhere outside so that everyone is on the same page. How can Christmas be a concern long before the annual parade of Halloween costumes appears for trick or treating. All I can say is that I feel sorry for youngsters who must be all mixed up when they see Halloween costumes and Santa suits displayed side by side.

            I must be getting old, but the whole Christmas in September irritates me. Like many of you, I’m sure, I remember the days when Christmas fever hit in November for retailers. In those days we weren’t sick and tired of Christmas by the time December came along.

            But now with Christmas already invading stores in September, what will be displayed in December? Easter eggs and bunnies? Or perhaps beach wear and toys for summer?

            At some point it becomes ridiculous!

 

Hoorah for Grandparents

I must apologize for stating in last week’s blog that Grandparents’ Day was last weekend. It has been brought to my attention that it is in fact this coming Sunday, September 13. All of us who are grandparents owe it to ourselves to celebrate.

            And we do have a lot to celebrate: Grandparents add a great deal to the joy of family life. Who does not remember their grandparents being the instigators of special moments in their lives: going to their house for Sunday dinner or for special occasions like Christmas, or taking a walk in the park with a grandfather who imparted the wisdom of his years, or learning to cook or sew with a patient grandmother. Now it’s our turn to fill our grandchildren’s basket of memories.

            Grandparents may be more “hip” today, more “with it”, i.e. communicating electronically with their grandchildren rather than through snail mail, but that has not changed the familial bond which is still very much cherished by both the older and younger generation. After all, grandparents fulfill a role no one else can.

            We, as grandparents, influence the younger ones’ way of looking at the world. We give the same unconditional love their parents do, but we let the parents dictate everyday actions while we have the time to answer questions (even those impossible to answer such as how old God is); to tell tales of the past (even tall tales at times!) that delight; to tell them about our own grandparents; to let our grandchildren express their worries and pains; to show them practical skills, etc. In short, we are role models and coaches who complete our grandchildren’s lives on an array of levels.

            That’s worth celebrating, don’t you think?

            Of course, Grandparents’ Day is still very much a milestone people skip over, so it’s up to all of us who have grandchildren to get our trumpets out and spread the word. It’s more than time grandparents got the recognition they deserve.

 

Welcoming Autumn

In the large park around the corner from my house, every spring the city puts up what I like to call condos for birds. These large bird houses all in a row have three levels each with openings on four sides. The sweet sounds of the avian population living there for the summer are always delightful.  But as I witnessed this morning, now that the nights are quickly cooling, the sounds are gone and the birds enjoying life in a warmer climate.

Although summer is not yet over and the days are still very warm, the empty bird condos are to me a first indication that autumn is well on its way. A second is certainly the small leaves that are quietly—and almost with apology—starting to break away from their perch and scatter to the ground.  They do so before the trees have had time to put on their annual colourful show which will slowly take place over the next few weeks.  Each of the four seasons heralds change of course, but the change brought on by autumn seems to me to be somewhat bolder. And perhaps it needs to be to prepare us for the cold wind of winter not far behind.

I like autumn. The less oppressive and less humid air is welcomed after the summer heat so that walks in the country can be longer. It’s also a time when busyness returns: people are back at work, kids are in school, adult classes and group activities of all stripes are starting up again. I find that the increased activity brings with it a new vitality and new challenges. That’s always a plus for us who are less involved in the traditional work scene and have less family responsibility. Far from being a time to deplore, autumn opens up so many opportunities if we take the time to look for them, whether it’s learning about history, the arts, music, or computers; rediscovering a musical instrument; going back to bowling or curling; taking a yoga class; looking for volunteering opportunities; or writing the family history in order to leave a precious heritage for children, grandchildren and beyond.  It’s a time to get going.

Have a great autumn and spread the word that this year September 6^th is Grandparents’ Day.

(Photo: FreeFoto.com)

 

 

The Aging Mind

Aging is blamed for a lot of things that may have nothing to do with the number of years we have lived. Over the years, a neighbor and I have made a habit of discussing the books we read, trying to keep our choices eclectic as much as possible. Recently, she told me she had decided to stop reading complaining that her aging mind was acting up. Since she is in her early sixties, I thought the characterization a little pejorative, but nevertheless listened to her reasoning. “I can’t concentrate anymore,” she whined. “I have to keep rereading the same page to remember what the book is all about.”

          The more we talked, the more I began to understand that her reading choices of late had not been judicious, and she was finding the subjects dull and boring. No wonder she had to keep on rereading everything.  It had nothing to do with age, but rather all to do with her mind not being fully utilized and therefore unable to avoid wandering. She is reading once again paying more attention to the type of material that can hold her interest.

           Memory is blamed for things that may have nothing to do with aging. “I keep forgetting things,” people say. Or as a friend says: “I have these brain farts!”

            Instead of simply thinking that you’re on your way to dementia, why not try to assess—and correct—why you might be forgetting things. Here are some examples I read about recently:

 -Are you absent-minded because you’re still trying to do ten things at the same time? If so, you might simply be over-loading your thoughts;

 --Are you bored with your life and a little depressed? Why not try to make small changes that will brighten your outlook.

 -Are you preoccupied by a personal problem? If your mind keeps wandering to something that’s upsetting you, it limits your ability to focus on other things.

 -Are you grieving? Grieving the loss of a spouse, a friend, a pet, or facing an empty nest, can play havoc with our ability to remember things. Time and a friendly ear might be needed to accept a new reality.

 -Are you lonely? If your family and friends have scattered you might be wallowing in loneliness which might well affect your memory. Why not try to make new friends by going out more or joining a group to meet people with the same interests.

 -Are you disorganized? Some people think they’ll be able to remember things without jotting anything down. Big mistake. We all need reminders of medical and dental appointments, for example, since many are made weeks in advance and can be forgotten at any age. The use of an agenda to keep track of things that must be done, big things and small things as well, can make life more pleasant.

             Now, what was I suppose to do this afternoon?

 

Technological Advances

Some years ago, one of my sons gave me a cell phone as a Christmas gift because he didn’t want me traveling alone without a means of communicating in case of problems.

            It made me feel secure. I have upgraded it a couple of times, but it’s still just a phone which allows me to make calls, send texts and take pictures. That’s all I need at the moment. It certainly is not as smart as my children’s and grandchildren’s devices which keep them connected all the time with apps for anything and everything.

            It seems to me technological innovations have been coming on stream at an amazing pace in the last few years. Faster than at any other time in the past. Those of us who remember when The Beatles took the pop world by storm, have seen many new technologies over the years, but these changes were gradual. Today you turn around and some new gadget is in the offing. You’ve got to upgrade your computer before being completely at ease with your current software or touch-screen capabilities, CDs (marvels that would never wear out) have given way to Blu-ray, etcetera. To say nothing of eyewear that can take pictures and keep you connected to the Internet.

            In the early 80s, a calculator watch made by Casio hit the market and was considered a marvel. BTW it still sells online. Today we can keep in constant touch with the Apple watch and a choice of apps. Personally, I’m not sure that I’d want to use a screen that small. Those of us who make use of reading glasses most certainly prefer using something a little larger.

            And what’s in the future? Now there is talk of apps being developed so they can be applied to clothing. So you’d wear your t-shirt and press one of your apps when you need info or data. As a woman, I’m not sure I’d like that. For example, would there be a guarantee that the apps would not be offensively placed?

            And there is also talk of apps being developed for use in cars. The idea at the moment is that hand gestures would activate their use. I can just imagine what that would look like! Should be fun for other drivers!

            And selfies could take on a whole new meaning with cameras on personal drones. The idea is that you would be able to get a video of yourself as you do things like walk, jog, ski or run with the camera turning around you. I don’t know about you, but I can see a whole new world of problems if everybody gets one!   

And what else? The question right now is whether or not we should be afraid of artificial intelligence which could one day outsmart mankind. I’ve got an idea, why don’t we perfect artificial intelligence to eliminate terrorism. Would that not be great for all of us?

 

 

 

Summer Wear

As we age, like it or not, our bodies change. We tend to put on a few pounds and may find ourselves with some bulges that were not there just a few years ago. To me, that means that dressing to camouflage accordingly is important if we want to look our best.

            This summer, as I people watched, it became quite clear that not everyone is concerned with dressing to suit their bodily shape. I saw women of a certain age, who should know better, trying to look young by cramping fat hips into leggings better suited for teenagers with perfect shapes, while others were wearing tight tees that emphasized expanding waists. 

            And then I saw men wearing belts that emphasized fat bellies. To me, trying to minimize those bellies under loose shirts would have been a better choice.

            I find that in the summer months, some people seem to care little about the image they project and what people think of their attire no matter their shape. Nobody is perfect, right? Of course, but that doesn’t mean that we need to bring attention to aspects of our bodies that have found a way to expand over the years.

            A friend of mine who has put on a few more pounds than she would have liked, now dresses in flowing tops and skirts. She avoids clingy knits that look great on those with perfect bodies, but have a different effect when worn by less-than-perfect bodies. As a result she is always elegant, no matter the time of day or the occasion.

Of course, we should live and let live, but I say thank God that we can look forward to many cooler months when everyone will need to wear a jacket or a coat, perfect for deemphasizing imperfections.

Summer Woes

After a few weeks away from my blog, it’s nice to get back to a routine.

           On a particularly muggy day in July, I remarked that it was hot; my son wisely replied:  Mom, it’s summer!

            It seems to me that no matter how many summers we have seen, we tend to forget that it does get rather warm in July and August in this part of the world. And by the same token, when winter comes around, we are somewhat shocked when the temperature dips to what we consider an indecent level.

            Perhaps it is in our nature to complain about the weather whether in winter or summer. One thing I’m sure of is that the complaints will multiply as climate change becomes more and more pronounced. It has been confirmed that the temperature of our planet has definitely increased in the last year and will no doubt continue to do so.

Can we reverse the trend?

            It all depends who is talking. Some say we are already well on our way to doing so, others have a more negative view of what lies ahead, not only temperature-wise but also climate change-wise i.e. that we’ll be seeing more and more natural disasters.

            One thing I’m certain of, is that the grandparents I know, as well as myself, are worrying about this uncertainty as we watch the young ones grow. What will happen in 30 or 40 years? Will the temperature of our planet affect human life itself? Perhaps not if the current trend of reducing dependency on fossil fuels and increasing our use of solar and wind power continues.

            The new electric cars are certainly a step in the right direction, and the concept is expected to be feasibly adaptable to aircrafts. Wouldn’t that be something? Instead of spewing waste from fossil fuel into the atmosphere as they soar, the countless planes that dirty our air every day would keep it clean for future generations.

            The part of me who believes that this is possible has a positive view of the climatic future. I pray it will become a reality.

             Now, something to make you smile: "Give me a sentence about a public servant," said a teacher. The small boy wrote: "The fireman came down the ladder pregnant." The teacher took the lad aside to correct him. "Don't you know what pregnant means?" she asked. "Sure," said the young boy confidently. “It means carrying a child."