Thought For The Week:
Adjustments To Make Aging A Bit Better
Some slightly humorous suggestions for adjustments that we can make as time goes on.
1: Look up and enjoy the stars.
I recently did that while letting my dogs go outside a couple of nights ago. I looked up and was struck by the beauty of the sky. It occurred to me I hadn’t done that in about 50 years.
I guess I’ve just been that preoccupied. Plus, my arthritic neck makes it hard to look up.
2: Weigh quality of life issues.
For example, do I want to give up all sweets for another six months to a year of life? There are a lot of variables there. Does eating really healthy mean I’ll die at 93 instead of 92? Or at 88 instead of 70. How about 68 instead of 67?
That last one got my attention.
3: Drive like a shark.
No, I’m not talking about driving aggressively. I mean, sharks can’t go backward. As I get older, I’m having the same problem. Looking back involves using my back and neck in ways they no longer want to cooperate with.
4: Look at alternatives for getting in good physical shape.
Generally speaking, my doctors all say the same thing. “Exercise and eat better.” At this point, I ask, “What else you got?” It’s amazing how closed-minded doctors are.
5: Getting used to the idea that Advertisers like Nielsons don’t care about me.
TV advertisers really don’t seem to want to gain import from seniors. Still, I’m bombarded with ads for walk-in tubs, life insurance, and hearing aids.
And, by an odd coincidence, my neighbours are also named Nielson. They don’t care about me either.
6: Don’t let yourself go.
I’m not talking about appearance; I’m talking about going to a rock concert. That might have been fun 30 or 40 years ago, but now it would just be exhausting.
7: Learn to deal with the stress of children leaving home.
Remember, the stress of kids leaving home is not nearly as great as the stress of kids not
leaving home.
8: Don’t get excited about everything I read about life expectancy.
For example. I read that eating a hot dog can take 36 minutes off your life. Well, if that’s true, *Joey Chestnut would have been dead years ago.
9: Don’t get excited about changes in your physical appearance.
Old age has certain compensations. For example, as we get older, we may get more wrinkles, but cataracts make it harder to see them. So there’s that.
*Joey Chestnut is an American competitive eater. He is currently ranked first in the world by Major League Eating. In 2007, Chestnut won the 92nd Annual Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, beating six-time defending champion Takeru "Tsunami" Kobayashi by consuming a world record 66 hot dogs and buns in 12 minutes.
In 2009, Chestnut beat Kobayashi again by consuming a world record 68 hot dogs and buns and winning his third consecutive title.
In 2016, Chestnut regained the championship belt from Stonie by eating 70 hot dogs, 3.5 hot dogs short of his record-setting qualifying round. A year later, he raised the bar again by raising his record to 72 hot dogs and again the following year to a world record of 74. In 2019, he secured a twelfth title with 71 hot dogs and buns but failed to beat his previous record. In 2020, he consumed 75 hot dogs and buns, a world record for the contest. In 2021, he consumed 76 hot dogs and buns, breaking his own world record for the contest. In 2022, he consumed 63 Nathan's famous hot dogs and buns, his 15th championship, despite a ruptured tendon in his leg.