Boomer Randomness

Following that long-standing tradition pioneered by Willard Scott, the Today Show regularly salutes people who are celebrating their 100th birthday and beyond. Their name, city and picture appear on a Smucker’s jar label graphic and the show host often quotes the celebrant’s aging wisdom.  Although I have more than thirty years to go, I plan to make it on the jar. I’m already planning my 100th birthday party. My guest list includes some people of my age who might not make it that long, as well as friends and family who are a couple of decades younger than me.  Some of the people who make it on the Smucker’s jar claim the predictable reasons for their longevity: eat well, exercise, don’t smoke or drink.  Others make more creative, fun claims: A nightly martini for fifty years.  Eat chocolate every day.  Laugh a lot.  Always eat desert first.  I have plenty of reason to believe I’ll make it to 100. My mother and her three siblings were born...

Backing up a bit from my last post, Pennie is the other friend who died this year. We were friends for over 35 years.  We used to meet for dinner or lunch several times a year and spend hours laughing, whining, creating crazy business ideas and solving the world’s problems.  She got married and moved to  Colorado more than twenty years ago. We kept in touch and I enjoyed reading about the life adventures she shared with her husband and the new entrepreneurial and artistic ventures she started.  I wanted to see her again and to meet her husband. I kept putting off potential trips to Colorado because there would always be time. She’d always be there, right? Then last fall she and hubby decided to retire to Florida. A surprise and not a surprise. Ok, another place to visit her.  One day last month I stumbled on a new post on her Facebook page. A photo of Pennie and a cat and the dates 1952-2019. At first quick glance, I thought her cat died. Then I look...

For the second time this year, someone close to me has died. Nancy has been my accountant for 35 years. She was younger than me. Although we were not close friends, we did see each other almost every year for three decades and we shared all the various phases of our lives over that time.  I met Nancy in 1984. Her husband was a coworker and introduced us when he learned I was looking for someone to do my taxes.  I saw her just last summer and another of her clients who I know just saw her last week. We all knew she was somewhat depressed after the loss of her husband a few years ago, but nobody saw any other health issues.  At the time I am writing this, no cause of death has been made public.  Two people I’ve known for 35 years, both seemingly in good health, both younger than me, gone within two months of each other.  One day they’re here, the next day they’re just gone.  It is such an empty feeling.  Have you been through this? Baby b...