For a blog such as this there is a world of material available for postings. Friends send me articles on medical advice, jokes about late lifers and then there is the AARP Magazine which is an endless source of material. I do use these sources for some of my postings, but our effort here is to keep this blog on a more personal level. So, in that mode, here are some observations:

 

It is never too late to take up something new.

 

I don't know how many times I have heard late lifers say that they would never try to use a computer - too old for that. Yet I am seeing people in their late 60s and 70s who have been given computers by their family so they can enjoy email - and they really get into the internet scene. At age 84 I am continually learning new things to do with my computer, so what's the big deal?

 

I am distressed by those who think they are too old to start a business. My friend and partner, Gene Hameroff, and I got off a new tangent while in our 70's.  We decided that we had things inside our heads that would be useful to younger people in the advertising agency business. So, we wrote a couple of books and started doing seminars across the country.  By the way, one of those books, "The Advertising Agency Business" became a kind of text book for those interested in the business. It followed that we got consulting gigs from agency operators.

 

Old was not a deterrent.  Old meant that we have knowledge that younger people respect.

 

Too old to find a new life's partner?  Never! Penny and I are a case in point.  I met her in 1998 and fell madly in love.

 

Too set in one's ways (meaning too old) to start a new spiritual life?  Well, after a churchless period of decades, my spiritual side reawakened when we were introduced to the church we now attend.

 

In the last two instances, love and religion, I had no idea that I would become involved again. So, what a wonderful surprise it is to experience what I have.

 

That's right, never say never. Life remains full of wonderful possibilities in the late life years.

 

 

 

 

All you wonderful men out there, beware! Last night my Pete just raised the gold standard. I came home to a new sound system. Something less than a feather would have knocked me over. I'm not high tech but it is so "easy a child could do it." I would continue but I have to bandage my fingers because I opened another can of Libby's corned beef (lol).

 

Here's listening to you, kid.

My friend, Gene Hameroff, age 84, (the guy in the tux in the pictures panel) lives in an active adult community near Tuscson, AZ called Saddle Brooke. He has found life there so fulfilling he has become active in publicizing activities at the community. On a volunteer basis, he writes the monthly newsletters, prepares the activities calendar and sends news releases to the newspapers.

 

Gene participates in the singles group acitivities.  It was here that he met his companion Jane. Gene is so sold on this life style he suggests that there are those among our Late Life readers who would be interested in what goes on around him. Maybe you will be - I surely am. Here is an activity schedule for March:

 

- Tuesday, March 7 - Singles monthly meeting

- Tuesday, March 14 - Baseball! See the Arizona Diamondbacks play the Chicago World Series Champion White Sox at the Tucson Electric Park. Tickets almost sold out.

- Wednesday, March 15 - The monthly singles dinner at Mountainview returns. Hosted by Betty Jacob.

- Monday, March 20 - Caddy Shack Party and Putting Invitational. Five PM - bring a dish. See Mary Ann Cram.

- Wednesday, March 22 - Ol' time Sing-a-Long at the the home of Esther Peabody. Danny Howells has agreed to lead the singing. Bring you ear muffs.

- Sunday, March 26 - Singles Golf Tournament. Jan Maresco, Golf Director in charge.

- Tuesday, March 28 - Party at the Funtastics Amusement park. Be there at 2:30 PM. Dinner afterward at Sweet Tomatos.

- Every Friday - Happy hour at Road Runner, 5 PM. If you want to have dinner inside, we suggest you make a reservation early as they are serving at capacity.

 

Well, that's the way Gene posted it. Aren't we sorry we missed all this?

 

Once again, the myth of do-nothing late lifers gets refuted.

I don't know about you, but I know exactly how I am going to die. I will not be eaten by Jaws. I refuse to swim in our polluted oceans. I will not be struck by lightning because I turned in my underwire bras three years ago. I won't be hit by a Budweiser beer truck because I cannot do the choreography.

 

This is how I am going - one word:

 

PACKAGING

 

I try to open a bottle of Excedrin and  I get a headache. With no scissors or knives at hand, I have used my teeth to open a package of potator chips. I pulled out two caps.

 

But the worst happened in 1992.  I love Reuben sandwiches.  My maiden name is Houser. The Reuben has corned beef, saurkraut, Swiss cheese 1000-Island dressing -- on rye bread. Yum!

 

Libby's canned corned beef comes from Argentina. If what's inside the can won't clog your arteries and kill you, then trying to open the can might. I have read that there are a lot of ex WWII Germans living in Argentina. Could they have designed the can with evil intent knowing that it was going to be exported to the U.S.?

 

The can is small and oddly shaped. It has a key on top. Usually, you break your thumbnail when you lift the key off. Then when you try to find the tab to insert the key, you break off your index fingernail. Being a person who does not see, I don't know which way to turn the key. I try to the left and if I get resistance I try to the right. And, Halleluia, it turns! I twist the key slowly around the can and one inch from the ending point, the key breaks off.

 

I want a Reuben sandwich.  I deserve a Reuben sandwich.  Foolish me, I wiggle the lid and slice a two-inch gash in my thumb. And of course it is 7:00 PM Sunday - the doctor's office is closed. I get the bleeding stopped, stick my thumb in peroxide, wrap it, tape it, get out a pair of pliers and beat the can into oblivion.

 

Two things came out of this. A scar and sense of accomplishment.

 

That was the best Reuben sandwich I ever ate. But, it could have been the death of me. And someday a package  is going to be my demise.

When I picked up the Bloomington, IL Pantagraph newspaper this morning, I was absolutely delighted to see the story about Penny on the front page.  It is a long story with two color pictures of her at work. Here is a link to the online version of the newspaper.  Too bad - only one photo shows.  Check it out today, will you?

 

What a pleasure it has been to meet new visitors to Late Life Crisis - and to receive congrats from our regular visitors. Someone asked what the final figure was on visits generated by the Times story. Well, as of 9:00 PM Saturday night we had 2354 visitors during the week. We had been running at a rate of 700 to 900 visits a week. So, the Times is a powerful influence.

 

Also, we have just passed the mark of 150,000 visitors since we started this blog last May. A lot of this traffic came from our selection by MSN as a "Best of Spaces" blog. Makes it worthwhile to keep on posting when we know that there is an audience for our stuff.  Penny and I thank all of you!

A good one from my friend Javier in Miami:

 

Shirley and Sophie are late-life widows. One day they see a new, nice-looking late life man come into the indoor swimming pool where they were chatting. Sophie says, "Shirley, you know I'm shy. Can you go over to the other side of the pool and try to get to know about that guy?"

 

Shirley goes over to the other side and asks the guy, "Are you single?"

 

"Yes, but I have been in prison." he says

 

"Why"

 

"I strangled my third wife."

 

How about your second wife?"

 

"I got into a fight with her and she fell out of a window."

 

"And your first wife?"

 

"I shot her."

 

Shirley then calls across the pool to Sophie. "Yoo hoo, he's a single!"

Here is a test forwarded to me by Son Jim. The answers are printed below, but don't cheat. OK?

 

1.   After the Lone Ranger saved the day and rode off into the sunset, the grateful citizens would ask "Who was that masked man?" Invariably someone would answer, "I don't know, but he left this behind."  What did he leave behind?

 

2.   When the Beatles first came to the U.S.  in early 1964, we all watched them on the __ ________ Show.

 

3.   "Get your kicks _________________."

 

4.  "The story you are about to see is true. The names have been changed _______________________."

 

5.   "In the jungle, the mighty jungle, __________________________."

 

6.   After the Twist, the Mashed Potato and the Watusi, we danced under a stick that was lowered as low as we could go in a dance called the _____________.

 

7.  Satchmo was America's "Ambassador of Goodwill."  Our parents shared this great jazz trumpet with us. His name was ______  _________.

 

8.   What takes a licking and keeps on ticking? _______________________.

 

9.   Red Skelton's hobo character was named ______ _________.

 

10.  Some Americans who protested the Vietnam war did so by burning their  _____.

 

11.  The cute little car with the engine in the back and the trunk in the front was called the VW.  What other names did it go by? _______________.

 

12.  In 1971 singer Don MacLean sang a song about "The day the music died". This was a tribute to ______________.

 

13.  We can remember the first satellite placed into orbit. The Russians did it. It was called __________.

 

14.  One of the big fads of the late '50s and early '60s was a large plastic ring that we twirled around our waist.  It was call the _____ ______.

 

 

 

ANSWERS

 

1. The Lone Ranger left behind a silver bullet.

 

2. The Ed Sullivan Show

 

3. On Route 66

 

4. To protect the innocent

 

5. the lion sleeps tonight

 

6. The limbo

 

7. Louis Armstrong

 

8. Timex watch

 

9. Freddy the Freeloader

 

10. Draft cards

 

11. Beetle or Bug

 

12. Buddy Holly

 

13. Sputnik

 

14. Hoola-Hoop

 

How did you do on this test?  Penny aced it.

 

 

 

Yesterday was indeed a big day at Late Life Crisis. We had 850 visitors and the visitor count is still up this morning. We heard from some good people in the comments and are happy to meet them.  Then there was a comment from Bud Lowe, who used to work with Pete at MCann-Erickson in Portland, Oregon. We had not been in touch for about 25 years. That was really cool.

 

I am surprised that the link to the story is still valid.  I had thought it would be down today - so I guess we can expect more action. 

 

Is this blogging fun, or what?

The article in the Times appeared today and as of 8:15 AM EDT we have already had nearly 100 visitors to Late Life Crisis. Here is the way the story ran in the online version of the Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/11/business/retirement/11blogs.html?_r=1&oref=login

 

It was a kick to note that an 81-year-old blogger was featured in the story.  So, to the best of my knowledge, I am still the world's oldest blogger. If one has to achieve fame in some way, this one is not too bad.

 

So, Penny and I welcome all you visitors to our blog.  We hope you will not only look at the current postings, but will browse around in the archives. Then please give us some comments so we can get to know you.

 

If you read the comments you will see that we have a circle of good friends who visit each other's blogs and have gotten to know each other. We treasure these connections and would be pleased to have you join in.

 

 

We are now survivors.  The trip to the Cleveland area seemed endless - 11 hours on the road, including lunch and supper.  The morning driving was the worst with continuing heavy rain. The big 18-wheel rigs were throwing up so much mist it was hard to see the road. But we got in about 8 PM and I proved to my sister-in-law, who said it was too long to drive,  that even at age 84, there is a lot left in the old boy.

 

But what a wonderful experience we had with meeting an important part of my family from which I had been separated for about twenty years.  We took to each other instantly and they loved Penny. My grandnieces, Nikki and Allie,  were happy to meet their grand uncle (is that a title?) My niece, Nan,  looks incredibly young - like a sister to her daughters. (See pictures to the right of Nan, Ali and Nikki). Nan's husband, Dan, is a guy I like a lot and I had to reflect, with admiration, on his  transformation  from rock band artist to financial advisor. And it was heart-warming to be reunited with my sister-in-law, Nanon,  with whom I share so many fond memories of my late brother and my late wife, and the wonderful times we had together in NYC.

 

The highlight of the trip was the concert Friday night by my grandniece Alexis (Ali). She is a soprano of concert stage quality - now finishing  her junior year at Oberlin College in Ohio. The concert was, in effect, her term final exam. Her voice was so beautiful it gave me chills.  Allie was gorgeous in a floor length scarlet gown with a slight train. It had fitted bodice and spaghetti  straps.

 

Afterward there was a reception in the concert hall with champagne, a chocolate fountain for dipping pieces of fruit and a cake. Then, after the reception we met again at our hotel and the party went on.

 

The following morning we bid fond adieu and headed home - took a different route and made it back with two hours less on the road.

 

We are now looking forward to Allie's graduation concert next year.  It is wonderful, at my age, to have these things to anticipate.

 

 

PebblePie did a posting about a really nasty cold she has - one that won't quit. She is wondering if colds get worse when one gets older.

 

I suppose one could do a search and come up with scientific studies on this matter. But instead let's just play it back the way it seems to older people.  Yes, colds do seem to linger longer when you are older.  I am just getting over one that started ten days ago.  Penny is going through one that has been around for a week and is still going strong.

 

When we were kids, it seems as if we used to have a cold for three or four days, then it was over. Maybe that is not a valid recollection, but I do believe that young ones have much better systemic resistance to some diseases. Now, feel free to challenge me on any of this.  But, Pebs asked and I am responding.

 

By the way, PebblePie had (or is still having) one doozy of a cold.  I don't remember ever having a cold that bad.

 

Here is what Penny recommends to ease the discomfort of a cold.  Before going to bed at night, rub a lot of Vick's vapor rub on your feet and put on a pair of sweat sox.  Then rub Vick's on your chest and neck. Put a little Mentholatum (it is gentler than Vick's) under your nose to help clear the nostrils. This may not speed recovery from the cold, but it can provide a little relief.

 

Along with that, she advises drinking a lot of water. And use Puffs tissues. They are softer than other tissues and don't rub the nose quite as  raw.

 

Now add Pete's remedy to this and you are set. Pour a couple of ounces of bourbon in a glass, add a cube of sugar, a squeeeze of lemon juice - then add four ounces of water. Heat and drink. It  may not cure, but you will surely feel better right away. In fact you don't have to have a cold to enjoy this.

 

 

 

 

I read a lot of blogs and people seem willing to bare themselves about almost any subject except money. Yet money in late life is a factor that has a huge impact on what late lfe can be.

 

First, I must pass on the bad news.  You mid lifers who are preparing yourself financially for retirement are going to find that, no matter how you have set up your income flow, it isn't going to be enough.

 

Why is this? Very simple. Inflation. What seemed like a nice comfortable income flow twenty years ago, is going to seem much less than that today. When I got out of my long term employment situation 25 years ago, I was fully invested in  a pension plan.  Well, I figured, put that together with my social security and I will be OK.  I figured, we won't be going on world cruises or buying a yacht, but we'll be comfortable.

 

Well that income today is sufficient to live in genteel poverty - if we had to depend entirely on it. Which we don't, thankfully.

 

So, how are we making it? The answer is incremental earnings.  Penny earns money with her massage work.  I earn additional money through my consulting work.

 

But there is another factor that makes life more comfortable. You may have seen that bumper sticker, "Don't laugh, It's Paid For."  Yes, my 1997 car is fully paid for. We have almost all of the clothes we need, so this isn't the ongoing expense it once was. We aren't paying for kids education. We just don't have the same financial needs we used to have.

 

The moral of this is, be ready to find new ways to generate income. And write this on a sticker to put in your refrigerator: DO NOT INCUR LONG-TERM DEBT AS YOU GET NEAR OR ENTER RETIREMENT.

 

Forget about buying that fancy boat. Don't even think about buying an RV.  Don't put a big cruise on a credit card. etc. etc. etc.

 

Sorry if I have shattered your dream of sitting under a palm tree near a  white sand shore - or of sailing the azure waters with a tall drink in your hand.  That would get boring in a hurry, anyway. So find a new life that won't use up financial resources and where you can generate income.