BS: how to feel younger

Subject: BS: how to feel younger
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 22 Nov 05 - 10:47 AM

Well, I just had a major birthday (don't ask which one), and I was beginning to feel that youth was slipping away.

Then my church had three funerals in short order - for parishioners aged 108, 96, and 94. At least two of these people were functioning and intelligent till the end. I wasn't acquainted with the third one, and being a mere member of the funeral choir (the Deadbeats), I didn't ask. However, it did me good to realize that from the point of view of these people, I am a mere whippersnapper.

The woman who was 94 had been saying she was 98. "Lying about her age!" we whispered.

The great-grandchildren of one of them stood up and displayed the objects they were putting in her casket as mementos of her character and tastes. A slot-machine token, a statue of Mary, a bunny figurine, and a program from a basketball game.

I would like to be there 2000 years from now as the archeologists of the future debate whether 21st century Americans believed there were slot machines in the afterlife.

Subject: RE: BS: how to feel younger
From: Amos
Date: 22 Nov 05 - 10:57 AM

I have to say that "The Deadbeats" is the best name I could possibly imagine for a funeral choir.

A

Subject: RE: BS: how to feel younger
From: Paul Burke
Date: 22 Nov 05 - 11:59 AM

If you're a Christian, shouldn't you be looking forward to dying?

Subject: RE: BS: how to feel younger
From: Seiri Omaar
Date: 22 Nov 05 - 12:00 PM

Agreed, Amos.
And I can see the theory:
21st century Americans believed that one was lead to "The Grand Casino" by a rabbit companion. The Virgin Mary was the doorkeeper.

My brain hurts.

Cheers, Seiri.

Subject: RE: BS: how to feel younger
From: gnu
Date: 22 Nov 05 - 02:41 PM

leeneia said, "...the objects they were putting in her casket as mementos of her character and tastes." and, "...the archeologists of the future debate whether 21st century Americans believed there were slot machines in the afterlife."

Oh WOW man. I wish I still smoked the Maryjane. Far out. Yer cool.

Subject: RE: BS: how to feel younger
From: Micca
Date: 22 Nov 05 - 03:06 PM

You mean there AREN'T slot machines in the afterlife...
" not so much an afterlife, more an apres vie"

Subject: RE: BS: how to feel younger
From: TheBigPinkLad
Date: 22 Nov 05 - 03:18 PM

I was hoping there was a noun missing from the end of the title.

Subject: RE: BS: how to feel younger
From: Amos
Date: 22 Nov 05 - 03:46 PM

Ya gotta get 'em drunk first...


A

Subject: RE: BS: how to feel younger
From: alanabit
Date: 22 Nov 05 - 03:47 PM

I don't know if Choo Keng felt any younger, but a film publicist certainly took a few years off her, when he wrote her biography. Had her "new" date of birth been accurate, it would have meant that she had graduated at the age of twelve and one of my best friends was a child molester!

Subject: RE: BS: how to feel younger
From: yrlancslad
Date: 23 Nov 05 - 12:51 AM

How to feel younger? feel younger women of course! (or younger men if you're on the distaff side.

Subject: RE: BS: how to feel younger
From:
Date: 23 Nov 05 - 08:42 AM

On that theory yrlancslad ny 60 year old husband (Micca) is 25!

Subject: RE: BS: how to feel younger
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 23 Nov 05 - 11:24 AM

Wouldn't that make you 60 Cat? ;-)

Oh, no. I'm not going there. There ain't no river deep enough, ain't no mountain high enough :D

Cheers and hope to meet again soon. (As long as you don't kick me where it hurts!)

DtG

Subject: RE: BS: how to feel younger
From:
Date: 23 Nov 05 - 11:58 AM

I promise not to kick you...hard....!!!

Yeah I suppose it does make me 60...but at least Im young at heart!

Subject: RE: BS: how to feel younger
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 23 Nov 05 - 02:49 PM

One day, when my mother was about 75, she told me that inside she was still an 18-year-old girl. She said that her body got old, but her mind refused to believe it.

When I think about how she kept her house nice, how she cared about all the children in her neighborhood, and how much she looked forward to her last Christmas, I believe her.

Conclusion: try not to turn into an old grouch. (Have you ever heard of a young grouch?)

Subject: RE: BS: how to feel younger
From: Sorcha
Date: 23 Nov 05 - 03:14 PM

I been hangin' out with the Old Folks for years. Tend to lose a lot of them tho.

Subject: RE: BS: how to feel younger
From: Jeanie
Date: 24 Nov 05 - 11:46 AM

I agree wholeheartedly with your mother's outlook, Leeneia. My lively, joyful grandmother, who lived well into her eighties, always spoke of herself as "a girl". I do the same. The "real" me is 17, and has been since 1970.

I think being around young (and I mean VERY young) people regularly, and having licence to lark about and be a bit silly every day makes a big difference. I teach drama and languages to under 11 year olds, so I am even paid to do this ! There's a programme on UK TV at the moment called "Making Slough Happy", about the "science of happiness", and one of the things they have been stressing is the importance of allowing yourself to *play* on a regular basis. You can't beat a bit of larking about, acting the goat or whatever you want to call it.

I believe that if you have a positive approach to life, you will be drawn to positive people, and they will be drawn to you. The negative grouches (of whatever chronological age) can't stand it, and move away to find their own. Or so I've found, anyway.

- jeanie

Subject: RE: BS: how to feel younger
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Nov 05 - 12:10 PM

Oh dear - I'm older than micca, and I never knew!

Subject: RE: BS: how to feel younger
From: GUEST,Pepa
Date: 24 Nov 05 - 12:36 PM

In the last year I have "lost " 10 years. I got out of an unhealthy relationship, got a new man, lost 20 kilos ( 2 and a half stone ??), got hair extensions, and had a great time. I look much better and the good thing about having let yourself go is that everyone compliments you when you start looking good again !

Subject: RE: BS: how to feel younger
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 24 Nov 05 - 01:40 PM

Young at heart . . . slightly older in other places.

The rest of the body may be 56 but my knees seem to have a lot more years and mileage on 'em. Maybe need a retread.

If you wake me up in the middle of the night and ask how old I am, I'd probably say 27. I really don't know why -- it was definately NOT a good year.

Linn