Aging gracefully is for cowards. I'm for charging I to the maw of old age, I'm 68 3/4. To hell with what people think they see. Since I retired at age 61 I've been on a mission to learn and do things that add to my personal satisfaction. I taught myself to spin and have greater dozens of one of a kind garmets for the people I love with my homespun yarn. I got my first novel published at 67 and my second is two weeks away. I don't answer age or income questions on surveys. Ever. I'm learning to paint with watercolors. I've become a decent photographer. I've created a town's worth of buildings on my husband's model railroad in our basement. One of the wonderful things about being a fat old woman is when people ignore me, I can get in their face and be their worst nightmare. Why should I behave? They already think I'm crazy...why disappoint them? Most of the time bad behavior isn't necessary, but if it is, I'm you're girl! I've charged full speed ahead my entire life. Why would I stop now? There is ageism and sexism and lots of other isms out there. I've decided to focus on persist optimism with an attitude to back it up!
Ain't that the truth, aging gracefully is for cowards. Worst Nightmare, sounds like a book title to me. Always look forward to hearing your take on things, Kim!
First of all, Happy Belated Birthday! I don't like aging, either. I don't think anyone does, but I accept it. My steps are getting slower, my joints stiffer, and my skin saggier. Younger people think they know more than me, and that I'm just some old woman. They think I'm behind the times. Too bad for them. My body may show the wear, but my lifetime of experience counts for something. Wisdom and experience compensates for youth. It's a fair tradeoff. I'd still rather be me at my age than the younger me who didn't have a clue.
For the record, I think you should celebrate the 69+ for the entire month. You've earned it. Happy Birthday!
Like you, I don't look my age (75), although the aches and pains from injuries have taken their toll. Some days I look 55, but some mornings I feel closer to 95, so I guess it averages out.
On a more sombre note: age discrimination is terribly real in the USA today, and it is virtually impossible to "prove" (in a court of law). I went through dreadful experiences at the community college where I served as adjunct faculty, first watching a reduction in my course load, then suffering harassment of all sorts, and finally getting fired. Since that time (2016), I have been completely unable to obtain a position anywhere, even at other colleges where I had taught.
The big picture, however, is that our creative efforts do not die because we acquire a few wrinkles and some gray hair. Here's to keeping active as long as we can!
My son said that in South Korea, older people are valued. He said, American's seem to frown on older people and we cling to youth. One time I was going by a store window and I saw a reflection. I thought who's that woman, she has my skirt on? It was me. Hysterical and sad at the same time. Granted, I just had two glasses of Prosecco at Nordstroms. Ha!
Age discrimination is rampant. I was head of grievance for the last five years before I took leave of my position. Adjuncts are mistreated, not only by the administration but by full-time faculty as well. Full-time faculty saw themselves as superior instead of seeing themselves as damn lucky. Timing is everything in life besides the gene pool.
I never lost a case, not because the faculty were right, but because the administration needed to do their jobs and keep records. Who pays the price? The students. The system is broken, so horrible faculty who don't want to do the job stay, and adjunct faculty, more qualified and engaged, work for peanuts traveling from college to college to string enough gigs together to live off. Even when a full-time job opens up and a well-regarded adjunct applies, they hire some young gun who has never taught there but looks good on paper. Adjuncts that say anything about anything are drummed out. I teach every Wednesday now; at my son's, I have my grandchildren, and I don't have any problem motivating them. Here's to staying vertical and above ground!
Aging gracefully is for cowards. I'm for charging I to the maw of old age, I'm 68 3/4. To hell with what people think they see. Since I retired at age 61 I've been on a mission to learn and do things that add to my personal satisfaction. I taught myself to spin and have greater dozens of one of a kind garmets for the people I love with my homespun yarn. I got my first novel published at 67 and my second is two weeks away. I don't answer age or income questions on surveys. Ever. I'm learning to paint with watercolors. I've become a decent photographer. I've created a town's worth of buildings on my husband's model railroad in our basement. One of the wonderful things about being a fat old woman is when people ignore me, I can get in their face and be their worst nightmare. Why should I behave? They already think I'm crazy...why disappoint them? Most of the time bad behavior isn't necessary, but if it is, I'm you're girl! I've charged full speed ahead my entire life. Why would I stop now? There is ageism and sexism and lots of other isms out there. I've decided to focus on persist optimism with an attitude to back it up!
Ain't that the truth, aging gracefully is for cowards. Worst Nightmare, sounds like a book title to me. Always look forward to hearing your take on things, Kim!
Half over!
Can't type. My attitude is from my dad who on his 80th birthday said he was .a little sad his life was already half over. I wish that had been true!
First of all, Happy Belated Birthday! I don't like aging, either. I don't think anyone does, but I accept it. My steps are getting slower, my joints stiffer, and my skin saggier. Younger people think they know more than me, and that I'm just some old woman. They think I'm behind the times. Too bad for them. My body may show the wear, but my lifetime of experience counts for something. Wisdom and experience compensates for youth. It's a fair tradeoff. I'd still rather be me at my age than the younger me who didn't have a clue.
For the record, I think you should celebrate the 69+ for the entire month. You've earned it. Happy Birthday!
Like you, I don't look my age (75), although the aches and pains from injuries have taken their toll. Some days I look 55, but some mornings I feel closer to 95, so I guess it averages out.
On a more sombre note: age discrimination is terribly real in the USA today, and it is virtually impossible to "prove" (in a court of law). I went through dreadful experiences at the community college where I served as adjunct faculty, first watching a reduction in my course load, then suffering harassment of all sorts, and finally getting fired. Since that time (2016), I have been completely unable to obtain a position anywhere, even at other colleges where I had taught.
The big picture, however, is that our creative efforts do not die because we acquire a few wrinkles and some gray hair. Here's to keeping active as long as we can!
My son said that in South Korea, older people are valued. He said, American's seem to frown on older people and we cling to youth. One time I was going by a store window and I saw a reflection. I thought who's that woman, she has my skirt on? It was me. Hysterical and sad at the same time. Granted, I just had two glasses of Prosecco at Nordstroms. Ha!
Age discrimination is rampant. I was head of grievance for the last five years before I took leave of my position. Adjuncts are mistreated, not only by the administration but by full-time faculty as well. Full-time faculty saw themselves as superior instead of seeing themselves as damn lucky. Timing is everything in life besides the gene pool.
I never lost a case, not because the faculty were right, but because the administration needed to do their jobs and keep records. Who pays the price? The students. The system is broken, so horrible faculty who don't want to do the job stay, and adjunct faculty, more qualified and engaged, work for peanuts traveling from college to college to string enough gigs together to live off. Even when a full-time job opens up and a well-regarded adjunct applies, they hire some young gun who has never taught there but looks good on paper. Adjuncts that say anything about anything are drummed out. I teach every Wednesday now; at my son's, I have my grandchildren, and I don't have any problem motivating them. Here's to staying vertical and above ground!