Old vs Elderly

As a person in my 70's I've seen people my age referred to as both "old" and as "elderly" and I have been thinking about what the difference is.  I know that I don't mind being referred to as "old" (because I know I am!) but I'm not so pleased with the "elderly" label.

To me the difference comes down to how you are able to function in the world.  I think elderly becomes the correct term when there are things you can no longer manage on your own.  Managing on your own is key and I'm very grateful that I'm still able to live on my own and take care of myself.

Certainly there are things that don't function the way they once did.  I have medications that I take to deal with some things, I can't run or walk really fast for any significant distance, I have an ankle and knee that still bother a bit after an injury several years ago, there are foods that my gut doesn't handle well, but these are manageable things that make me feel old but not elderly.

What I do find difficult now is dealing with the outside world.  It seems busy and things seem to move so quickly and I can feel overwhelmed with too much happening at the same time.  I don't like being in busy stores or on busy sidewalks.  I'm not as good at new situations and I find people get impatient with me because I take more time to process new information or instructions.  This is when I feel elderly.  I'm still managing but I feel less confident about my coping abilities.

I pretty much stopped driving quite a few years ago (when I gave up owning a car) and certainly now I would not even attempt to drive a car downtown in the city. 

Movie Makeovers

 

I watch a lot of old movies and tv shows. 

A thing that often happens is the "makeover" of a female character who is considered "plain" into one who is "fashionable" and thus suddenly because on object of desire for all men.

But what I note in looking at such things now is that almost always the character looks far better before the makeover.

TV: Chucky, Seasons One and Two

 

I wasn't going to watch this but decided to give it a try.

It was great.  The writing was wonderful.  Just when you thought the plot had backed itself into a corner some new twist happened and off the story went.

The second half of the second season in particular was just a wonderful manic romp with allusions to all sorts of things flashing in and out.

The cast was good and were certainly up for anything.  I had the feeling that Jennifer Tilly and Rosemary Dunsmore in particular were just ready to go for it.

Lost Things

 

I was reading today and the author mentioned a picture of a milkweed.  That reminded me that I once owned a picture, that I rather liked, of a milkweed and I wondered whatever became of it.  I don't think it involved anything dramatic but I just don't recall it leaving my life.

During the last thirty years or so since I embraced minimalism there are so many things that have been discarded but those have been deliberate decisions that I remember making.  I occasionally  think of one of those things and say to myself, "Yes, that was a nice thing" but not in any sense of missing it or regretting letting go of it.

But there are those other things that now and then come to mind, things that were once part of life, that are simply gone.

In turn that leads to the realization of just how many many things I have owned over the years.

It would be nice if you could go back over your life and pull the things, the pieces of clothing, the books, movies, tv shows, types of food, moments, and people, everything that you really liked, into the present.

Book: Livingsky, by Anthony Bidulka

 I liked this book very much.

There was a vividness to the setting and characters that totally involved me.

I liked these people.

I really hope he follows up with more books in this setting.

I have read Mr. Bidulka's books for many years and have always found them to be good reads.

BritBox

 

I subscribed to BritBox and I am so pleased with the service.  

There are lots of mystery programs which is the kind of viewing I most enjoy at this stage of my life.  

There are new programs but also older shows like A Touch of Frost, Morse, Dalziel and Pascoe, Bergeron. Some of these I've seen before but it's been so long that they seem like new to me.

They also have the extant episodes of the original Dr. Who series from the twentieth century.  I remember watching them when they were first broadcast on the CBC and seeing them now is like getting in touch with old friends.  I'm also enjoying seeing anew how creative the BBC people were putting these together on a limited budget.

I still have Netflix but I watch less and less as time goes by.  Perhaps it just my age but I'm just not interested in supernatural, post-apocalyptic, magic, superhero, crime, gangster and romance programs.  I'm keeping it at the moment.

Rule?

 

In movies and TV shows, there should be a rule that one never, never, kills off the pretty blond boy.

(And by "boy" I mean, "young man in his twenties".)