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I cut my sandwich horizontally. He cuts it diagonally. We are both adamant that the other is wrong, so if we're making sandwiches for each other we will cut it odd and awkward ways such as 3rds or 5ths or using a round cookie cutter to cut a whole in the middle so the sandwich is still technically in two separate pieces.
One of us even bought a dinosaur sandwich cutter, but I'm not sure I like it because it's a bit too diagonally for my liking.
I got this clock for my elderly mom. It has the time, day of week, and date - very large. You can change the display options a few ways. She really likes it.
It's nice for people who are home all day and can lose track of what day it is.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B019G79V1Q/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Back in the ‘90s I spent a couple of hours with these amazing ladies. Their parents had lived thru the Civil War, and when they (the sisters) referred to “the war” what they were referring to was the Civil War. Man did I ever feel like I was touching history itself.
I'm 51. You're right -- the perceived speed at which time passes increases continuously as one ages. Here are my suggestions for slowing it down (these work for me most of the time):
- Practice mindfulness. I found the book Mindfulness in Plain English to be very helpful in this regard. Stay in the moment as much as possible and pay attention to this day and this activity. In this same vein, try to minimize the time you spend in activities that cause you to "zone out."
- Seek Novelty -- Change it up! Drive home a different route once in a while. Stop at parks you don't normally visit. Eat at restaurants you haven't tried before. Try new things, go to new places, listen to new radio stations, resequence your routines. In my opinion, the two greatest causes of time passing quickly are habit and mindless diversion.
- Schedule Multiple Items on Your Free Days -- I discovered this by accident, but for some reason days seem longer to me when I have multiple different activities. Having four three-hour activities with distinct breaks between them seems to last longer than a single twelve-hour activity.
- Put hard limits on habitual activities -- Set a timer, alarm, etc. when you begin an activity such as video gaming or watching television. When the timer goes off, stop. Get up, walk around, and find something else to do.
- Pick up a hobby that requires you to leave your home -- Photography, most sports, travel, attending concerts and lectures, volunteering, etc... These hobbies require you to get out of your home and pay more attention to the world around you.
Boomer here. I recommend you read The Rape Of The A*P*E*by Allen Sherman (the Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah guy) It's a light-hearted look at the American Sexual revolution and what led up to it. Regardless of what your parental units told you, we had been having sex before marriage as far back as WWI when those yankee farmboys made it to Paris. WWII saw an even active sex life in Paris as the liberators came in and the rubbers went on. If you look at the DNA in descendents of the people in Europe, you will find an inresting combo of genetic material that would include any number of mixed bloodlines common in the US. As young as I was, I was even able to lose my virginity during the Summer Of Love, 1967. And this was years before I had a car!
Throughout the 60's, the country was in a transition of that pre-marital sex being hidden to being an open secret. By the 70s, couples didn't care who knew they were doing the back seat boogaloo. The 80s brought AIDS, and virginity was stressed as it was the only way to prevent it. (Ryan White could have argued the point)
I can recall scents & not all of them good. Whatever the janitors sprinkled on vomit had such a distinct scent that it’s hard to shake. Also, early 80s Teacher’s Lounge was a hideous combo of cigarettes, lousy coffee and tuna sandwiches. The good smells were those Mr. Sketch scented markers & a fresh box of crayons. Also, the smell of clay in art class.
My partner, an otherwise-excellent driver, can't parallel park to save his life. After one recent tormented episode on a steep hill, I jokingly suggested he get some after-market curb feelers.
Imagine my surprise on learning these are still a thing, and if the number of reviews is any indication, still purchased by many.
The You're Wrong About podcast did a fascinating episode on the Satanic Panic of the 70s. They cover a lot of other similar subjects and moral panics along with some episodes discussing American serial killers.
take courses in the community college, learn to play Bridge, join Meetup.com and go to events of interest to her, walk in the park, Walk a dog in the park - dogs make people approachable, join a political party as a volunteer worker.
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The point is to do something. Anything that gets out of the house, not shopping, and interacting with people.
Go to a big building and start talking to the people in the elevators. Its a captive audience, but it does have its ups and downs.
​
Print this and show it to her.
> So, things like bagels, pretzels and pasta were, overnight, viewed as healthy foods which, of course, is nonsense.
Yep-- as a '90's kid I was taught that the healthiest diet was one that was made up of primarily bread and pasta. This is what I was taught in school, using this graphic, which was the US government's official stance on nutrition. Makes no sense now that I know more about nutrition, but we were legitimately taught this hogwash.
Response to my own comment. Aha! I now remember - these Streetwise maps were considered pretty revolutionary. They were easy to read, detailed, laminated, and folded easily.
I remember a while back finding out they went out of business (for obvious reasons) and being bummed because they had been the disruptors of their day.
You don’t. These reactions in you are a sign of something wrong.
Read (or listen to - love her voice) Big Magic and listen to her podcast, Magic Lessons or if you want video, she has a great TED talk.
No this
> Revolving around the "hippie commune" of Arcadia in western New York in the late 60s, it is a poignant, redolent, visceral memory piece wrapped around the main character, Bit, a small boy who grows up in the commune until events demand that he and his family face the outside world. Through the eyes of this curious, enduring, and endearing character, we are given a tactile, almost textural experience of what growing up in such a setting entailed: the smells, sounds, feelings, sensations, to the point that you can almost taste the yeasty bread baked daily or smell the hot berries growing in the sun as he dashes by on some forest adventure.
Maybe think about buying something like this to do with her. It would be a great memory builder. I’m sure she would adore talking to you.
They still sell them!
You're at the lowest point. It only get better from here. I'm only 33 but I hope this counts. Ten years ago I was the most miserable fuck I knew. Today I'm doing very well. This is not because I have a ton of money, or because I know what I want to do with my life, or because I have a serious partner. I have none of these things, but I feel great. That's what I mean by "doing very well." Just work on yourself when you're not doing your job hunting. Spend as much time as you can figuring out who and what you are. Read about that, watch YouTube videos about that, find a therapist who is a better fit, read "Mindfulness in Plain English", try CBT, use technology to your advantage - try apps like Perspective, Streaks, or Focus Keeper, figure out your Meyers-Briggs type or do the Enneagram, start working out one day a week for fifteen minutes and very slowly increase your time. The more you do of that kind of stuff, the less shakable you'll be under any circumstance. Just focus on YOU like you're some kind of puzzle you have to figure out.
They make a portable incinerator toilet. No waste to dispose of. We have a full size one in our barn and it’s pretty awesome. I’ve never tried a travel one but I’ve heard good things.
Here’s one on Amazon - Hike Crew Advanced Portable Outdoor Camping and Travel Toilet – Adult Porta Potty w/Level Indicator, Rotating Spout, Pressure Valve, 3-Way Pistol Flush – for RV, Boat or Trailer – 5.3 Gallon (20L) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07LCTKQKB/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_5GHRJ6ZYXN95RZNXD36B?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
In my day, this was a beanie. There was even a cartoon called "Beanie and Cecil" where the main character wore one.
For what it’s worth I’ve spoke to a number of Holocaust survivors. Sam Silberberg lives in my area and has an amazing small book (https://www.amazon.com/Hell-Promised-Land-Mr-Silberberg-ebook/dp/B0066BIV26) about his experience. He would go down to the trains carrying Jews and throw food to them and lie to his mother about it. He eventually ended up in a camp and his story of survival is pretty neat. Check our some yom hashoah annual events. Cypress college or one each year, this last one was virtual. Survivors share their stories.
Absolutely! I had one grandson for 4.5 years, then was presented with 2 granddaughters last November and then in April. Abundance of riches... <3 This book title says it all
> Do you feel it was worth it then?
Yes!
> Did you feel any excitement about men & women going into space in them days?
Yes! I was a toddler, but I do remember watching at least one of the moon landings on TV and feeling pretty good about it.
It was a bit later than the space race era, but I wrote something on Reddit about my reactions to the Voyager missions here.
> Was the hype more then than now with the missions to the International Space Station.
I don't think there is much hype, now, by comparison. Of course one thing to factor in is the ubiquity of information, nowadays. Back then, households only had 3-4 TV channels and one or two newspapers. No Internet. So if the networks fed you space, you got space. If they ignored it, you didn't get much.
Nowadays, if you are into anything, be it space or dogs, there is a good chance you could indulge in it 24/7 to your heart's content.
As a matter of fact, I just enjoyed watching Mercury 13 on Netflix this afternoon ...
You are comparing your insides, with other people's outsides. This is one of the reasons social media is so terrible for mental health. There is an epidemic of (Fear of Missing Out)[https://online.king.edu/news/psychology-of-fomo/] - FOMO. One solid way to reduce FOMO is to minimize ore eradicate social media usage.
(Here)[https://getpocket.com/explore/item/the-neuroscience-of-breaking-out-of-negative-thinking-and-how-to-do-it-in-under-30-seconds?utm_source=pocket-newtab] is a fast and simple tool for negative thinking.
When I was 21, this book came out: Generation X Goes To College
https://www.amazon.com/Generation-Goes-College-Eye-Opening-Postmodern/dp/0812693140
"It tells how the author, a journalist turned college professor, came face to face with Generation X: jaded, unachieving, highly demanding yet lacking any respect for standards or intelligence. These insouciant scholars wore bored looks, ample attitudes, and reversed baseball caps. They expected to earn top grades by just showing up in class, which they interrupted with their portable TVs, cellular phones, or personal pagers."
So yes, we tend to roll our eyes when people complain about "kids these days" because we heard exactly the same. Every generation says that about the youth. It's just human nature.
Now get off my lawn.
I had just went through this with can openers. In the last couple months I have spent $50 on fucking can openers only to find out they're all pieces of shit. I eventually did some Google research on can openers and I found this glorious can opening masterpiece. Using this can opener feels like cutting butter with a hot knife, it is so smooth. I recommend.
Pitch and Trek Female Urinal - Pee Funnel for Women w/Discreet Carry Bag - Travel, Roadtrip, Festivals, Camping & Hiking Essentials for Women https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PH2P3KZ/ref=cm_sw_r_sm_apa_glt_fabc_EFFVQJPVKGT4C0EPHB5X?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
Thos ones the easiest if you're put in the sticks.
Fascinating documentary on them. Now on Amazon. Even if you never heard of them, it's worth watching if you're interested in 70s music.
​
https://www.amazon.com/Family-Band-Cowsills-Bill-Cowsill/dp/B071LMBWM1
> My 20-year-old alarm clock finally quit working, so I replaced it with a basic standard model. But the display light is too bright, even on the lowest setting
I had one of those big-number red LED bedside clocks that I bought in the early 90's, and it finally died. The new one I bough to replace it was blindingly bright. I ended up buying a sheet of red filter material and cutting it into rectangles to stick in the clock. It took like SIX LAYERS to get the brightness tolerable.
Not sure where you live but there are quite a few meetup.com groups that are specifically targetted at the tech hobbyist. Search for "Raspberry Pi" or "Maker" or "Tech hobby" and you might find people you can talk to.
If you need a fully functioning and recent desktop version of Word, then I'm sorry to say that Microsoft doesn't offer it for GNU/Linux. I myself use LibreOffice, but if you don't mind, you can also use Microsoft Office Online which allows you to run Microsoft Word through a web browser (thus making it work on Linux/Mac/Windows/whatever). This would also solve the fonts issue as the font data is stored on Microsoft's servers. Keep in mind that although it has all the basics for free, it doesn't have every single feature that the desktop version of Word has. It's still pretty good in my opinion. If you do decide to go the GNU/Linux route and need any help, feel free to ask.
They are annuals, but marigolds are good as pest repellents. My mom planted some every year in our large vegetable garden for that reason, along with her flower beds. If you don't want to plant them, you can keep them in pots in those areas.
List of pest repellent plants.
I have a friend who's a Master Gardener, and she also recommends planting a pest garden in addition to your regular one if you have room. A small area that will hopefully attract the pests until things become balanced.
I just fully embrace technology and went the other way. Explore Evernote, you can run it on computer or phone.
I take pictures of all my documents including important receipts for large purchases and store them as individual notes.
I can simply search for any document within seconds and since I haven't owned a printer for 3 years now, I just go to the stationary store to print anything I need which rarely ever happens.
Used to have a filing cabinet, rolodex and all that pain in the ass crap, much prefer having my docs digitally available from the cloud.
Give it a try you might be impressed how well it works.
Edit: Added link to Evernote homepage.
I like to "doctor up" ramen. I put thinly sliced green onions in it, maybe some leftover chicken or char siuh and a sliced, boiled egg on top. Good stuff!
There's actually a book about making ramen different ways called 101 Things to do with ramen noodles that was written by a college student.
Get yourself one of these toilet seats
There are cheaper ones around, I’ve only linked to that one to show you what I mean. The seat it heated and on a cold morning it is a gift.
If you have haemorrhoids this seat will change your lives.
And beyond that, you are old, you deserve it
Whatever you decide to do; do it with integrity. For that you need to cultivate GRIT.
Read the book by Angela Duckworth to get ideas on how to do it.
Talent is cheap; GRIT is hard. I wish I had learned this when I was 20. The saddest fact of my life is that I peaked at 20. I am trying to put it back together in my 50's; but the regret for not having this facility is constant.
ETA: Value experiential stuff over material things.
I really enjoyed “Having Our Say” by the Delany Sisters. They were just over 100 when this book came out in 1994, so the memories go back a ways.
For my parents I installed a number of hand grips for the bathroom, and a bath lift for my dad when he had his amputations from diabetes.
I also did some changes for easier wheelchair access to the car, and an automatic garage door opener so mom and dad had better access/mobility.
The think my mom liked the most was the new car (Jeep Cherokee) with winter package (heated seats, steering wheel & 4WD) and some heater set up in her favourite chair.
I miss my Dad, but mom loves the freedom to stay in her own home these last 8 years because my brother and I do these renovations for her.
Not most things, as I've always lived in small spaces so getting rid of unused items at intervals is a fact of life; and I can't think of anything I ever gave away that had sentimental value.
But on a few occasions I've been bummed to find out that things I gave away years ago would be very valuable now. The most recent of these would be my original copies (I owned 3) of Fran Lebowitz's first book Metropolitan Life, which cost me probably $8 or so in the 1970s but which is now out of print and sells for $285-$768, despite the fact that you can buy its text (including another book) in Kindle format for $13.
I found this series of books a long time ago ant have found them a useful guide in awkward situations. Might not be what you’re looking for, but it might be a starting place...
This question reminds me of this book which addresses female expectations and the illusion of an abundance of options. Marry Him: the Case for Settling for Mr Good Enough
One other thing: is this "The Bachelor" you were talking about?
I hope so because I just bought the English version and the French version (Les Célibataires) used, on Amazon. It's not in print in English anymore. I never heard of him before although my wife has. This will be my next book after the Maupassant short stories. It looks like my kind of book and thank you very much for the recommendation!
In addition to what everyone else has mentioned: 3x5 cards.
They used to be stiff, almost like cardboard, which was great because they could be easily written-on without needing to be on a flat surface. They were stiff enough to be their own surface, more or less. And that was one of the main benefits of using 3x5 cards — being able to scribble on them whenever you wanted to.
These days, standard 3x5 cards are barely thicker than paper. They aren’t stiff any longer, and you need to put them on a flat surface in order to write on them, which mostly defeats the point of using 3x5 cards, at least for me. In order to save a micro-penny, 3x5 manufacturers have mostly ruined their product.
Btw, you can still find good 3x5 cards but you have to look for ones labeled “extra thick” or somesuch, or pay thru the nose for Levenger’s good cards. I ran into these recently on Amazon, and they’re really good:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077Q573V3/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I like this stuff
I cream every evening and very often before slipping into the shoes with this creme.
I don't know if the cream in particular plays a role, but it is a very thick cream that encourages you to really massage the feet.
I play a little bit with them, wiggle and roll the toes, bend the feet and roll the ankles.
This has become so normalized to me that I often play like this in everyday situations like sitting in the train, at the desk or when relaxing on the couch. It has become pretty necessary to my well-being that I frequently stretch and bend (almost everything) and I think it serves me good. Don't know the extent though.
I watched a really good "kid video" called "The Big Submarine" with my son when he was young. Rather amazing. At one time, the diesel electric subs ruled. Now they're nuclear and pretty amazing.
They can make their own fresh water, oxygen, power and cruise for years if they had to. They surface for sanity and food. They're so much larger now too.
Amazing engineering feats.
It took me a couple of years. You need to take some time to be yourself again.
On the plus side, the wisdom of the failed relationship helped me to recognize and walk away from a second relationship that was following the same path. It let me see that my "type" was not a healthy choice for me. I worked on myself to understand what would be healthy for me.
Then, when I did find her, I recognized it right away, but it took me time to come to terms that I could fall in love with someone who wasn't the "type" I'd been attracted to before. When I did come to terms with that, it's been great. I'm a better person than ever, by finding a person who really was good for me, and who prompted me to keep becoming the best version of myself.
A woman I dated along the way turned me onto a book that helped me: Coming Apart by Daphne Rose Kigma. It helped her to recognize that while we had chemistry, I wasn't right for her.
Also:
> If knowledge is worth having it is worth having clearly stated
I somewhat agree with your friend here. A lot of philosophers are terrible writers, and after clawing my way through their works I was left feeling that the cliff notes contained, if anything, more information about what they were trying to say, as the work itself was clouded with seemingly deliberate vagueness, meandering, and duplicity. (I'm looking at you, Sartre.)
It is obviously untrue that any idea worth having must be easy to communicate, but it is definitely true that ~99% of ideas communicated in that fashion could be done so much more efficiently.
By the way, if you wanna pick up some books that I think are fantastically communicated, I highly recommend Awakenings (which I do believe is a work of philosophy), The Unbearable Lightness of Being, and Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.
Once you can begin to recognize your friendships for what they are, you can work on the things you need to work on to have aretê relationships. Aristotle lays it out quite simply and straightforward, and in a very logical way. IMO, Nicomachean Ethics should be required reading for all high school students. If these things with relationships/friendships are bothering you, it's a great book to get traction on your thoughts and begin to understand how things work in interpersonal dynamics.
Convenient collections of them, even.
Get yourself a couple pair of Trauma Shears cheap off Amazon to place around your house.
The toothy grip of these things doesn't slip like normal scissors and easily makes short work of packaging.
When I say I published those books, I'm talking vanity presses and amazon you know? Not like anyone saw what I did and put these out through a real publishing house or anything. I'm not that good. Or good at all. It's a labor of love, you know? Here it is if you're interested. One review. Kind of made me happy, that's no one I know so...I'll take it. You should do the same, it may not be as nice as a real publisher but there's something rewarding about seeing your book in your hands. Good luck.
I also carry one of these guys (a couple of youtube videos show how to use them).
https://www.amazon.com/Tyre-Glider-Bicycles-Including-Mountain/dp/B09TCFRVC8
I discounted it as a gimmick, but hard time using my hands, and it's a pretty slick tool.
I have a lighted magnification glass on a moveable arm.
I have headlamps. I have jeweler's loupes. I have puzzle-piece magnifiers with lights.
I have everything and still wander the house looking for a pair of reading glasses and a flashlight.
If you are stationary I'd get a light on an arm similar to this.
I see a lot of comments saying that exercise relieves anger and certainly it does just that. I would add that if anger keeps Coming back you’re just going to exercise yourself to death. There are some books that address this issue so that you can stop creating all this anger. Here is one book https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009U9S6FI/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i0. Jordan Peterson has many YouTube videos on forgiveness. There are also many Buddhist and Zen books and videos on forgiveness and general gratitude. You’re going to have to stop the creation of the anger and Nippet in the bud. If a Holocaust survivor can’t forgive and thrive it’s possible that you can too
>That’s a big Heckin link
That's because most of it is tracking information specific to you. Here's all you need from it: https://www.amazon.ca/ProSource-Acupressure-Pillow-Relief-Relaxation/dp/B00N24PK42/
That’s a big Heckin link 😅 this is the one my husband has.
One tip, if the lights were left on. Shut everything off, close the door. Wait about one hour. Now try it.
Lead Acid Batteries will self-recharge once a drain (dome light) has been turned off. Often enough to get a crank and start.
Modern vehicles with start/stop kill batteries. My wife does the short trip in her 2021 CRV—dead battery after 18 months. Thankfully I carry a Jump Pack and could use it to get it started.
https://www.amazon.com/NOCO-GBX75-UltraSafe-Powerbank-8-5-Liter/dp/B08WYKD6TY
Modern electronics means you need full battery voltage for everything to work. In my old Toyota, you could push, jump in, pop the clutch, and make it home. These days those jump packs are worth it.
You're right, I'm totally incensed. How will I go on with my day?
Millennials: The Me Me Me Generation
It's the media that loves to stoke divisiveness for profit.
I found a place that makes custom flags on Amazon. So I had a garden flag of our two beagles.
Wait...a guy named Bob Bitchin was a character in an autobiographical book that I read about coming of age in the early 80s. Could that be him?
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0084KT0WM/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_MFEJ9S4GYB8EVRXSHY8K
They make these durable, portable, hand-held microscopes now, and I keep one in the trunk of my car. They're actually really fun and affordable. I mention it here just because it makes a great gift for someone of any age. There are many different models.
One thing I haven't seen mentioned. How about some board games? Nothing too complex, but simple games, like Yahtzee or checkers, or Pass the Pigs. Basically anything that you can play the physical part for him, but he can still participate. See if he has interests that there are YouTube channels about and watch videos together. A few different ideas.
I think people are pretty bad at understanding the nature of human behavior by casual observation and life experiences. There are however scientists who spend their entire careers sorting it out objectively. Robert Sapolsky is one of my favorites:
https://www.amazon.com/Behave-Biology-Humans-Best-Worst/dp/1594205078
I still remember where I learned - from this book, which was part of a set included with the World Book Encyclopaedia. (Cover looks the same, but ours was likely an earlier edition since I remember being enthralled with it c. 1974.)
"Whizzers" were a winner, but this book also contained instructions for making a "boomerang" out of popsicle sticks and white glue, the only function of which was to make small children cry inconsolably for having spent so much time and anticipation creating an object that steadfastly refused to perform the single function for which boomerangs are known. (No, I'm not quite over it yet.)
Not particularly. I haven't had sex in the last five years but there's very little I miss when sex toys can replace the sensation of the experience. See, my sweet daughter-in-law had gifted me an assortment of toys while she was on her spiritual sex-positive journey and I've only benefitted from her efforts. My new favorite has to be this wand. It's REALLY strong.
There's lot of ways but I've found the most important is to lift with your legs, in a straight up and down motion. If there's something blocking you getting to something else, move it out of the way so that you can "square up" to whatever you need to lift. Don't reach over it and lift while off-balance. Never lift, twist at the midsection and put down. Lift, turn your whole body, then bend at the knees and put down.
I can't tell you how many people I know who have lifelong injuries because of the above. Just one example: my brother injured himself in his 20s like this working in a warehouse. He used to run, cycle, swim. He can't do any of those anymore for more than a few minutes before the pain is so bad he has to lay down. We sometimes go for hikes and he would have to do special exercises to ease his back every couple miles. And it's just going to get gradually worse as he ages.
If you're ever doing something you don't normally do, like moving to a new home where you'll be lifting lots of boxes and furniture, get a support belt like this one. $18 to potentially save you years and years of pain.
Multiple pairs of reading glasses at different powers-- and one of those chest-mounted magnifiers! I'm just 55 but damn, I can't read anything without glasses and that silly chest thing is gold for doing things like needlework or electronics when I don't want to drag out my big lighted magnifier.
A Squatty Potty: https://www.amazon.com/Squatty-Potty-Original-Bathroom-Toilet/dp/B007BISCT0 I know it's ridiculous, but it really is a good thing.
Not that many problems, really. My hands get a lot more sore from holding a paint brush and doing repetitive strokes than they ever get from working with clay.
I don't use a wheel, never have. I'm more of a sculptor, not a potter (not that there's anything wrong with potters) per se. I'm a slab-builder. I do make some bowls and other vessels, but they are more sculptural in nature, not to be used for food.
Working on a table and using various stands to move the work up higher and lower (depending on what's most comfortable) helps save my back quite a bit. My hands get a little dry, but you have to use the right lotion. Bag balm was originally for dairy cattle's udders and it works wonders. Highly recommend.
Malls at their height of their power - you could eat all kinds of food, shop for all kinds of gizmos, books and large department stores (anchor stores).
Hillshire Farms had a store in most malls so you could get those wonderful boxes of stuffs like exotic mustard, hams and cheeses. Radio Shack had all kinds of cool gizmos, as a kid the toy stores were my fav - one mall had imported toys.
Now most of those stores are gone - type "transformers", "Hillshire farms" into Amazon or really any gizmo or battery in Amazon and BAM! you don't need to leave the house.
Back then we planned our trips to the mall - get X,Y, and Z, window shop and then hit up the food court.
Unless the physical therapist suggests something else, and if you can afford to do so, get her an Ergocentric Leg Rest. A leg rest is not a foot rest. It is a thousand times better because it is designed to support one or both legs. The height is adjustable. She'll use it forever and, once you use it, you'll get one for yourself. It's one of the best investments I've ever made.
https://www.amazon.com/Ergocentric-LR-ergoCentric-Leg-Rest/dp/B005QHJ1NY
> Bubbles and prisms
Oh shit! Prisms too!!!!! I do the same thing!!! You need MORE bubbles though. Also you just put a bunch of gloop in and it goes for about 20 minutes: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B088STZW8Z?psc=1&ref=ppx\_yo2ov\_dt\_b\_product\_details
This is pretty much a great nutshell, though finding good financial advice in America is hard right now, since the majority of American business are blatantly fraudulent at the moment.
Anyway, add these two and you're golden:
I can accept old, I can accept older. Elderly is for people over ninety.
I prefer to be addressed as Mr Straying, but like the french intimate you, once we have some intimacy you can call me "Schoolme" you can't call me "School".
Also if you want to understand older people and their health-care I cant recommend Being Mortal enough.
My pharmacist is a fan of the book, it should be a set text for anyone working with older people.
Atul takes you quickly and lightly through the important stuff.
You want this book and its accompanying video series.
Use a Bluetooth FM transmitter.
This is a good one
https://www.amazon.com/SmartCharge-Transmitter-Bluetooth-Receiver-Charger/dp/B0719SNR5N
Connect phone to transmitter over Bluetooth
Set the FM frequency on the transmitter to frequency that doesn’t broadcast local radio (either end of the spectrum is usually available)
Set car radio to the frequency
Listen to your tunes
Provides good sound and you can do hands free calling in theory.
I thought they were kidding at first. I saw a demo on Good Morning America. It was with the CEO or some exec at Sony and I thought surely they would not prank the American public. I spent so much time cleaning my albums so there wouldn't be pops and here comes a disc that had no pops. This is what I used.
For me a CD player seemed very advanced.
Goddamn. There are so many. Lots of women I could have settled down with. Lots of cities I could have lived in and loved. Lots of neighborhoods in Philly I dearly love and never actually dwelt in.
At least one potentially fatal car wreck I survived. Plenty of friends who didn’t which would have made things different had they not.
Life is so deliciously random. Each and every day Is a coin flip and a dice roll. Each moment is a panoply of choice and options. Keep your eyes open! Take the road untaken!
Basic books on logical fallacies, where thinking goes wrong and why it's wrong. How to not fool yourself and not be fooled by others.
Start with Nonsence, a handbook of logical fallacies and move on to more detailed works like Logiv=cally Fallacious a more comprehensive collection illustrating these pitfalls in life.
Learn how to recognize when someone, including yourself, has a seductive but totally wrong argument or proposal and why it's wrong. It will serve you well throughout your life.
I quite enjoyed the Life as We Knew It books by Susan Beth Pfeffer, except the last one. A asteroid hits the moon and creates some apocalyptic changes to life on earth, from the viewpoint of a young girl.
I belong to several Facebook groups and play FB games with other family members, then there is Reddit and Pogo and World of Warcraft.
I recently got my MIL a tablet with colorful protective case which makes it easier for her to hold and protects it when she drops it on the tile floor.
The one I got is this guy. Delivered October of '20. Zero issues since. It's not one of those "only one setting" types. You control the, uhh... volume. From a trickle to "Well THAT was a surprise!" Worth it at twice the price...
We have this cheap one in the guest bathroom and it works great. I actually prefer it to the fancy, electric one with a seat heater and heated water in the main bathroom.
We've had this one for about three years and it works great. Easy to install, too.
We've had this one for almost three years now and, honestly, I like it better than the expensive, electric one we have in the main bathroom. My father-in-law tried it once and immediately went online and ordered one for their house.
I'm old and have a Toto Washlet with the remote control and heated seat. It requires a 120V outlet near the toilet to heat up the water. It's expensive - like $800+ - but worth every penny. Don't buy a cheap one that has only 15 seconds worth of warm water. (the link is to the one I have) It also senses when you come near, which is nice for night time potty runs.
If you're old and planning to get older, you'll get to the point where even the softest toilet paper is going to tear the skin on your bum. Wet wipes, even the ones for babies, cause me to have rash.
I recommend this book: The Worst of Times: Illegal Abortion : Survivors, Practitioners, Coroners, Cops and Children of Women Who Died Talk About Its Horrors https://smile.amazon.com/dp/0060190345/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_9ZQCB40A052AB4HS4W20
Ultraman is still around in Japan, and now many younger people (myself included) love him. The show had just got a proper Blu Ray transfer (though the original Japanese cut)
Generation X Goes To College by Peter Sacks, 1999:
"It tells how the author, a journalist turned college professor, came face to face with Generation X: jaded, unachieving, highly demanding yet lacking any respect for standards or intelligence. These insouciant scholars wore bored looks, ample attitudes, and reversed baseball caps. They expected to earn top grades by just showing up in class, which they interrupted with their portable TVs, cellular phones, or personal pagers. For his own survival as a teacher, Sacks decided to play a bizarre, cynical game: The Sandbox Experiment, in which he catered to the whims of his students as though they were kindergartners."
Yeah, not that much has changed.
https://www.amazon.com/Generation-Goes-College-Eye-Opening-Postmodern/dp/0812693140
Economic collapse. The economy totally collapsing.
https://www.amazon.com/How-Prosper-During-Coming-Years/dp/0446324973
- Hmpf.
I’m so sorry about your diagnosis. I hope your discomfort is being managed, and that your medical team is zealously treating you. ❤️
Edit: hey I just happened to see your post about what you should leave behind for your child- check out The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch. He was in your exact position and this book was his contribution to his kids. It’s an easy read and beautifully done. It’s probably my favorite book.
There is an actual book (which I have) called The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning.
>"Proustian... A primer on how to winnow your belongings before you die, so you don't burden your family... Ms. Magnusson is the anti-Kondo, who takes us on a charming and discursive tour of her own stuff" (Penelope Green New York Times)
>"Sure, it sounds morbid, but it's actually a pretty smart idea. Death cleaning isn't about getting rid of all your stuff, but rather streamlining your life so you're only holding onto what makes you happy . . . it's about so much more than dusting and sorting" (Elle Decor)
So it's really about not leaving a big financial mess, or a house full of "stuff" for your family to cope with when you pop off.
"A Tree Grows in Brooklyn". For some reason this book has stayed with me for decades. Probably why it's considered an American Classic now, and regularly appears on Top Pick Reads.
https://www.amazon.com/Grows-Brooklyn-Anniversary-Perennial-Classics/dp/0060736267
Another one is called "The Second Son" was amazing, and also stuck with me.
https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/710519.The_Second_Son
A Childs, with a childs cover. They are sturdy, easy and the childs cover is easier to hold. Those big frame ones with the rubbery soft grip. My MIL always broke once we put that childs protector one, she loved it! It has a nifty stand and its just so easy to hold.
I've had a great life -lots of adventures, accomplishments, a terrific family (six kids and many grandkids), courses I've taught, games and products I've made, a book I've written, etc.
I hope I'm not done yet, but I may well be over the crest and headed down a big downslope (some recent neurological issues make this even more likely than it was just a short while ago).
FWIW, I'm "only" 60, though due to the neurological conditions I feel much older. :-/
We've given a number of Dragon Touch tablets (about $130 @ Amazon) to elderly family members. This is a simple, straight up Android tablet. It's cheap enough that if something happens to it it's not the end of the world.
But we have Amazon send it to us first. We then load some very specific apps on them, including Google VOIP and AnyDesk. AnyDesk allows me to give tech support using full remote control. We have friends and family throughout the U.S. That means we can be on their machine with 1 or 2 clicks. And the Google VOIP gives them a phone that's big enough it doesn't get lost. Those 2 alone solve about 98% of the tech support problems. Note: you still have to keep the tablet full of electrons! :-)
The other thing we send is a <em>Flippy</em>. This gives 3 different angles of viewing, reduces stress on their abdomen, and the pouch is a good place for reading glasses, stylus, blunts, etc.
We also put several dozen albums of music from the person's teens-through-40's. Just did one with Johnny Mathis, the Everly Bros., etc. She (85 and bed-bound in St. Louis) loves it. A nice BT speaker can give much better sound than the tablet's speakers.
To be a man, which means your Mrs. is always right. Maybe Mr. is never right