"Getting Old is Not for Sissies," Part Two

"Getting Old is Not for Sissies," Part Two  As you age your conversations with your friends change as well.  When you are younger, you talk about cute young women you have met, sports, your new promotion, your idiot boss, and of course your wife/girlfriend. 

The older you get, you seem to talk more to your friends about the drugs you take, a recent operation or procedure that was done, what aches and pains you have, who died or got divorced and a lot of “Remember When’s.”  We also talk about sports and the cute young women, only women seem to look at us differently.  Even though your mind may think you are still young, your body and gray hair give you away.

According my friend Ed, whom I have known since I was 7 years old, if you go to the hospital you must know the difference between an operation and a procedure.  According to this expert, as he has had both, if you stay overnight at the hospital, it qualifies as an operation. If on the other hand, you go and come home the same day, it’s only a procedure.  This is from someone that should not have been released from the hospital and sent directly to the happy farm with a white jacket that ties in the back. 

What is great about knowing someone since you were seven years old is that you have a lot of memories to share with each other.  What is not so great is that he knows everything stupid you’ve ever done and finds it fun to share your “not so perfect moments” with anyone who will listen.

Sex is also much different as you grow older.  In your twenties, you didn’t remember the name of who you slept with last.  When you are much older, you don’t remember the last time you did it. 

Another good friend came to me and said, “You know what the best part about turning 60?” As he was much older than me, I listened with great intensity so I knew what would be in store for me when I got there.  I said, “What?”  He said, “My wife of 30+ years has always held sex as a carrot over me to get me to do something or go somewhere I didn’t want to do.  Now, we have sex infrequently, she lost all her bargaining power.” I responded, “Really? Why do you say that?” He went on to say, “Now, I don’t care if we have sex.  I just do what I want now, it’s great!”

If you are fortunate like myself, of course, and you don’t appear to look or act your age.  Its fun when people are surprised when you tell them you are older than they think.  When you are young you want to appear older than you actually are.  It goes full circle.  Isn’t it strange how your priorities change as you do? 

In case you ever forgot how old you are, your body always reminds you. Most importantly, you must think young as it truly does keep you young. Fortunately for me, as I mentioned earlier, family history is an important aspect of aging.  Both my Grandmother and Father both were very young for their age. Dad actually was married nearly 40 years the second time, Mommy is three years older than I am.

 

Since Al Gore invented the Internet, the poor guy will never live that statement down, I have found the desire to learn new information an interesting way to keep myself “in the ballgame” of life.  I believe we should never stop learning, never stop experiencing new avenues of information, and continue to keep pace as age is not a deterrent unless you allow it to be.  I try to never take the same way home from somewhere, as I enjoy seeing new scenery along the way. 

Yet, I have friends my age that wouldn’t think about blogging, tweeting, or keeping up with Facebook.  Some of my friends won’t be bothered with computers at all.  I never understood that.  My fascination with computers, and the power they hold, always has been a constant in my life. 

As years go by, the more one realizes how short life truly is and how important it is to see as much as you can as it’s there for the taking.  I have been lucky to see and experience many things most people never have a chance to see.  I have been around the world a couple of times, had the unique experience of actually walking around the Atlantis Space Shuttle while in was in for repairs.  It’s all up to your imagination and the will to take chances.

As I mentioned earlier in the opening paragraph in Tuesday’s blog, luck is an important part of the life you live. Knowing what to do with luck is just as important. That’s when wisdom kicks in.  I have always said when interviewing a salesperson for my team, “I would want someone very lucky versus someone with skill and no luck at all.  You can teach skill, you can’t teach luck, it’s something within.”

I also felt it would be great during the interviewing process to meet a salesperson’s spouse.   If the salesperson is not very attractive and their spouse is exceptionally attractive, hire them immediately.  They can obviously sell themselves. 

 A little over a month ago I started this blog on a whim, and found out I could write.  People would actually laugh and identify with what I had to say.  Yesterday the blog hit over 5000 hits from all over the world in just 7 weeks. It’s been read by people in the US to Russia, from Australia to the UK, even in South Africa, Pakistan, India and other far off places.  Who knew? 

Luckily, writing this blog led me to Steve Rizzo, a very funny well known comedian and motivational speaker.  Because he read the blog, he gave me an opportunity to write comedy material for him he now uses in his presentations to major corporations and organizations across the country.  Soon we start work on an Internet TV Show.  Be sure to see his web page, http://www.steverizzo.com and you will see what I mean. 

You must keep challenging, you might be surprised of what you are capable of doing, once you try and have a little luck.  It may lead you somewhere you only dreamt about.  Dreams can turn into reality.  But you won’t know unless you keep yourself young and continue taking yourself down the different roads of life and challenges.

See you next Tuesday with the next edition of Notes By Blue.  I look forward to seeing you then.

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