I love that song (here) ...
But this is different. I keep forgetting I'm getting old. I still think I'm in my 20's or early 30's. I keep thinking I really do look like Ben Hill, the model I use for my avatar. And I really do keep forgetting I don't. I got my hair cut yesterday and accused the stylist of making me look as if my hairline is receding and he made my face look fat. I said he was a vicious, vindictive ... person.
Earlier in the week, I took a friend in to the Dr. again and was chatting with the office people and I kept forgetting names of musicians and songs. We were talking about Alan Cummings being in town and a number he does in his act singing the same exact song sung by different artists: Katy Perry, Gaga, and Adele. (Naturally, I forget the name of the song.) So I chimed in how I noticed many pop songs - even standards, have similar melodies at times - in the medley lead up to the song or in the body of the piece. Then I went to give examples and couldn't recall the titles or the artists of the songs. In my frustration I called Pharrell Williams 'Pharaoh or something...' and then I couldn't recall Robin Thicke's name, or the Marvin Gaye song he ripped off. I kept saying, "Gotta give it up" but then said 'that's not it', although it really was ... Then, trying to recall Thicke's dad's name, citing him as an actor from a show way back when, I couldn't remember the name of the show, and mistook him for an actor on "Knot's Landing" but his show was really "Growing Pains" and, and ... Well, it was ghastly...
All the while, the office people just smiled and nodded their encouragement, their eyebrows lifted in anticipation for me to remember what I was even talking about and then, and then, another patient came in and the phones needed answering and "Oh my God, look at the time."
Well, it was ghastly.
Well, it was just ghastly.
Terry, how old are you!? I will be 69 next month and I've been doing this for years! Sometimes during the homily I have to ask for help from the assembly (formerly known as the congregation) and it is always politely tendered. When Joan Baez gave a concert here, she would just wave her fingers when she forgot a line. We do the best we can. Now who are you...?
ReplyDeleteIt is I who must blot out everything and not remember your sins. (Isaiah 43 : 25)
ReplyDeleteFor Zion was saying, “Yaweh has abandoned me,
the Lord has forgotten me.”
Does a woman forget her baby at the breast,
or fail to cherish the son of her womb?
Yet even if these forget,
I will never forget you.
(Isaiah 49 : 14-15)
Who’s Robin Cummings? Who’s Alan Thicke?
ReplyDeleteDr Who?
I noticed that as soon as my hair turned gray I crossed into the land of "dear". "Do you want help out with your bags, dear?" "Have a good day, dear".But I also find that it's much easier to talk to strangers now. They view me as a non-threatening maternal presence rather than some chatty weirdo, which indeed I am.
ReplyDeleteTerry, this is why it helps to hang only with those older than you: but not much fun as They want to pretend to be as 'young' as you are.
ReplyDeleteActually, the joy of being older is that of invisibility. Especially for women: when young, when I was beautiful, men now and then would just....touch.me. yes, Random Touching. Like, reach out a hand and touch my hair while in line at the market. stare a lot. An optician, in the dark room, when I was about 23 or so, kept touching me - wow this sounds so creepy ! at that time though: good touch,Any touch, was not expounded upon as now. So, I would just freeze and internally freak out. But. Now ! same type of people slide their eyes away ...(wow is She a wreck !) -
but spiritually: we age, we forget, we mourn & we grieve...we get left out of life....and woe to us if we do not see in this the beckoning hand from God, cracking that door open for us to lean on Him. Yes: it is painful. But only in so far as we....are glued to this physical world. but, yes, it really can be painful....to say Goodbye...
I don't even have a clue who Alan Thicke is. Then again, I never knew the names of most band members (OK, yes, I knew the Beatles). So you're ahead of me. You've forgotten what I never knew.
ReplyDeleteI meant Robin Thicke. I got confused by another post. I don't know any Thickes, actually.
DeleteConsolata, people I know issue warnings of impending hugs; strangers hug me without warning.
ReplyDeleteman: I Hate hugs. Also the "kiss" of peace. (don't hurt me for that).
Deleteoh alright: a little, little tiny wave is ok....~ (like that)
~ ~ ~ ~
Today I received 4 hugs. Two from a church friend at the church goods store, where I was buying a card for a woman confirmed tonight who I'll see tomorrow at dinner; two from a stranger I offered a ride to. I took her from a storage business where she stood with a pile of luggage, we checked to see if the food shelf was open and it wasn't. I had just gone grocery shopping and gave her my ham and bag of potatoes as she said she had vegetables. When I found out they're celebrating her birthday which was earlier in the week, I gave her my flowers. She said that was the best present.
DeleteI'm having dinner with friends and am likely to receive leftovers. Maybe I bought the ham for her.
Oh Nan: that is wonderful to read; such a grace you received - ! I am sure those you touched regard you with warmth & love.
DeleteI knew I had 'crossed the line' into deep middle age when the young handsome guys I work with were no longer attractive to me because I saw them all as my sons. This actually comes as total relief to me as I was totally boy/man/male crazy for far too long.
ReplyDeleteI sometimes go to Mass at the college seminary and told my spiritual director that the children are very kind. He thought it sounded like they were 4th graders. They might as well be!
DeleteI sometimes go to Mass at the college seminary and told my spiritual director that the children are very kind. He thought it sounded like they were 4th graders. They might as well be!
Delete(...."Virtual Hugs" are ok, too....)
ReplyDelete