the gathering place

ConversazioniReaders Over Sixty

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the gathering place

1rainpebble
Lug 26, 2009, 2:57 am

We need something to get this group going. Perhaps a thread where we can discuss anything we would like. Our reading, books, authors, our kids, grandkids, aging parents, (hahahahahaha) just whatever, but we need a little action here. Is anybody game?
Or are we all too old to kick around a little fun? Heaven forbid!~!

So there is this old Rabbi sitting on the window sill of his cabin porch up on top of this hill eating his breakfast. One morning a small trid climbs the hill, asks the Rabbi: "Old Rabbi, what are you doing sitting there on that window ledge?" The Rabbi answers saying; "I am eating my Kix" The small trid kicks the Rabbi off the window sill and proceeds up the hill. The next day the little trid again climbs the hill and again the old Rabbi is sitting on the window sill eating his breakfast. The small trid again asks the Rabbi: "Old Rabbi, what are you doing sitting there on your window sill?" The Rabbi again answers him and says: "I am eating my Kix" The trid kicks him off the window sill again and continues on up the hill. The third day the little trid climbs the hill again and once again the Rabbi is sitting on his window sill on the porch eating his breakfast and the little trid again asks the Rabbi: "Old Rabbi, what are you doing sitting there on your window ledge?" The old Rabbi says: "Well sir, I am eating my breakfast." And quick as anything he jumps off the window sill. "Little trid, why do you keep kicking me off my window sill?" And the little trid answers him saying: "Silly Rabbi; Don't you know; Kix are for trids!~!

2skoobdo
Modificato: Lug 26, 2009, 6:55 am

" 60 going 70 ".

It is not an age of twilight years, but an age sparkling
with great surprises and expectations. A 'magic" 60 is retiring and living gracefully, and still packing with the action at "slow and steady"rate. Keep on, kicking and enjoy your reading. :-) ;-) ;-)

3maggie1944
Lug 26, 2009, 9:26 am

This may be too big for this group: I have often thought to write a letter to the younger members of my immediate family, along the lines of - here's the important stuff I think I've learned in this lifetime. Have you ever been tempted to write such a letter? Have you written one? What might be in one written by you?

I think I for sure want to start with "people come first, all other goals come in second after the people in my life are OK"

I think I could write that more elegantly but I think you get my meaning.

What would you start with?

4WholeHouseLibrary
Lug 26, 2009, 7:02 pm

"Dear Whippersnappers,"

Couldn't resist...

Sorry, I lurk. I'm not 60 yet, but ill be soon enough.
Parts of me have a biological age of over 90. Does that count?

5rainpebble
Lug 27, 2009, 1:14 am

You bet it counts!~!

I would probably begin with asking them to show kindness to others, for with kindness comes understanding, and with understanding comes love for your fellowman.
"And the greatest of these is love."
belva

P.S. what a great idea for a thread. Thank you maggie.

6skoobdo
Modificato: Lug 29, 2009, 12:56 am

You can share your experiences ( your words of wisdom) in a letter such as Honesty,Patience,Respect, Family's Love,Thrift,

Dear Grandson (anonymous)

....................................................................

...................................................................

From Grandma or Grandpa

(Try out your literary and writing skills )

7Naren559
Apr 4, 2011, 6:21 am

MooT - the Semantics and Etymology game
The world's toughest language game.
www.mootgame.com

8guido47
Apr 4, 2011, 6:46 am

Though I am 64 I feel no need to belong to a group which tries to ...
err...umm... do what this group is trying to do.
Which is?

I am a man who does still talk to/discuss/argue with/curse at/...anyone.

What does a "small" group (which apparently concentrates on a specific age range) have to offer me?

Sure, it is nice to have peoples of my generation+ (who know the allusions I might throw away) to talk to. How many Australians though?

BUT... rainpebble, what's the point?

Your, not necessarily against,

Guido.

9maggie1944
Apr 4, 2011, 8:59 am

I like the perspective we have to offer and sometimes our "old people" rants are not interesting to others. Why not?

10Naren559
Apr 4, 2011, 10:28 pm

Unforunately, for me, now inching past 78 years, I find the conversations of most 60 and below people to be somewhat inane. Isak Borg, in the movie, "Wild Strawberries", at 78, had much more interesting observations to communicate.

11maggie1944
Apr 5, 2011, 8:18 am

I do know what you mean.

12skoobdo
Apr 6, 2011, 6:00 am

There are many good non-fiction books for the seniors. The book series, " Chicken Soup For ....... "
are real stories about one's life experiences .

Books about health ( for seniors ), financial planning, communicaion ( among fellow citzens,children and grandchildren ) and retirement planning are some of the interesting topics for seniors.

13geneg
Apr 6, 2011, 4:39 pm

Books that begin with Chicken Soup belong in the same category as _______ For Dummies. By the age of sixty if you still need (believe) the crap they peddle in those self-help books you just wasted the last sixty + years of life experience. Those books are written for the pikers in this game. If this isn't the time to break out some of those books you've always heard about and wondered why they were so famous, say War and Peace, or something by Dostoyevskii, or Henry James, or Herman Melville, or Charles Dickens, then I don't know when that time is.

Anyway, self help books and the like are not my thing. I don't think I have enough time for that kind of stuff.

14maggie1944
Modificato: Apr 6, 2011, 9:15 pm

Ah, let's give each other a break, eh? Being a wee bit more mature surely has taught us that "to each his own" is a good way to go. For some people Chicken Soup and ____for Dummies is good reading of practical stuff. Literature is something different. I like both. I think Charles Dickens is a great author for these times and I think a little Chicken Soup can make tolerating the state of affairs a little easier.

Self-help books were of great help to me when I was younger and depressed, or frustrated with my life. I can't read them today as most of my childhood trauma and scars are more or less healed and I am seldom depressed, and seldom unhappy with my life.

So I'll stick with "different strokes for different folks" and let my friends enjoy the books they enjoy.

15Naren559
Apr 6, 2011, 10:29 pm

Try "Staying up Much Too Late: Edward Hopper's Nighthawks and the Dark Side of the American Psyche" by Gordon Theisen

16Maleva
Modificato: Dic 27, 2015, 8:23 pm

It's the day after Christmas, and I'm looking over my favorite presents, which are, of course, a few books I asked for. The Complete Poems by William Blake (Penguin Classics edition), and two Library of America hardbacks - Dashiell Hammett: Crime Stories and Other Writings and Raymond Chandler: Stories and Early Novels. There was a time when I wanted to read, or at least sample, EVERYTHING. I've been retired for almost a year now, and sometimes I feel as I get older that I should spend more time with old favorites rather than go exploring for new, unproven books (unproven, that is, to me). I feel time is winding down and I'm conscious of the dead end ahead, and I'd like to make best use of that time. But I also know that I run the risk of missing out on some wonderful new reading experiences, too. It's a gamble, I guess. That being said, I must confess that I do have some new titles in transit by mail, coming my way. I still LOVE getting books by mail.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not sitting around rubbing my hands together and fretting -- but is there anyone out there that can empathize? Am I alone in these thoughts?

17Esta1923
Dic 27, 2015, 8:52 pm

Rereading is one of my great pleasures.
Yes, "new" can be rewarding but rereading truly is worth your time.

18hailelib
Dic 27, 2015, 9:55 pm

I don't reread as much as I used to, but when I do I really enjoy visiting an old "friend".

19abbottthomas
Feb 3, 2016, 6:25 pm

The British Office of National Statistics recently polled 300.000 people and came up with the 'fact' that people between the ages of 65 and 79 are the happiest. Those 49 - 59 have the least satisfaction with their lives. See here http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-35471624 if you can open it.

I am about in the middle of the older group and things are OK - I am certainly happier than I was in my 50s.

20PhaedraB
Feb 5, 2016, 12:05 pm

>19 abbottthomas: I am 64, technically under the "happy" line, but I finally found out what I wanted to be when I grew up -- retired. It suits me.

212wonderY
Feb 5, 2016, 12:38 pm

I needed another group to belong to, so Hey, all! I picked up the number #101 as I tottered through the door.

22kerrlm
Feb 25, 2016, 7:48 am

Maybe I am the oldest to join this group--80 year old woman!! There are so many things I want to do with my time left. I have tremendous dinner parties, read as fast as possible., and spend time with my friends of all ages. My big project right now is planning the party for my motherinlaw`s HUNDREDTH birthday. We expect 250 people!

23hailelib
Feb 25, 2016, 9:54 am

Welcome to the group. We aren't very active but people do show up and post from time to time.

24staffordcastle
Feb 26, 2016, 6:05 pm

Congratulations and many happy returns to your mother, kerrlm!

25kerrlm
Mar 2, 2016, 5:36 pm

rereading Graham Greene is a great pleasure to me. I wish I could have known him. Right now, I am reading Philip Kerr to discuss at my mystery book club. My turn to lead the discussion, so I am somewhat stressed. I hope this LT group comes alive...

26Charlesmccormack
Ott 10, 2020, 12:30 pm

Questo messaggio è stato segnalato da più utenti e non è quindi più visualizzato (mostra)
I'm 71 now but felt a need to write something for my family and grandkids a handful of years ago. I completed the writing and now it's a book in it's third edition. Its won several awards in the categories of autobiography, self-help and psychology/psychiatry. Entitled, "As Happy As I Can Stand," the book describes how most of us stand in the way of our own happiness and makes the case that it actually takes courage to have a lasting happiness.

27Charlesmccormack
Modificato: Ott 10, 2020, 1:28 pm

Questo messaggio è stato segnalato da più utenti e non è quindi più visualizzato (mostra)
>3 maggie1944: I'm 71 now but felt a need to write something for my family and grandkids a handful of years ago. I completed the writing and now it's a book in it's third edition. Its won several awards in the categories of autobiography, self-help and psychology/psychiatry. Entitled, "As Happy As I Can Stand," the book describes how most of us stand in the way of our own happiness and makes the case that it actually takes courage to have a lasting happiness. It can be found on kindle, audible books, and in paperback. It is available as a giveaway for one month starting 10/10/2020. I think its an especially suitable book for over sixties because it examines the human condition across the life cycle using my own life as illustrative example. I hope you find it a meaningful read.