Simplifying to Complexity

Written for GBE2 Week #41 "Simplicity"

Many times I've found that trying to "keep it simple" has made things more complex. Sure everything starts out simply enough, say for instance playing the piano. You start with the basic C scale, no flats, no sharps, no chords, just one note at a time. However, if the point is to play the piano decently you need to learn all the scales with sharps, flats etc. and chords and different timing and many other things that then make it a complex pursuit.

When simplifying one's life, does it not really lead to more complexity? How many politicians have left office saying that they want to get back to the basics; time with their families. Now, when has time with anyone's family, particularly your own relatives, been particularly simple. Family relationships are beyond complex and spending more time in them may enrich them, but will never make it simple.

There are those people who want to simplify their lives by getting rid of the "clutter". In many cases, such as my husband's, this means to literally get rid of junk accumulating around the homestead. Usually, in his case, this means getting rid of MY "junk" from around the homestead. Nonetheless, does removing clutter simplify things? Certainly you may have to hold an annoying and amazingly complex yard sale to rid yourself of these items, also you may find you actually did need one of the items and end up buying it again.

Is my whole thesis in this post that we can never simplify our lives? No, but it may not be as simple as it first appears.

THE ART OF A SENSE OF WONDER

Written for GBE2.

Everyone wonders about something at some time; usually it is mundane things like "Do they really do anything in Congress?", "Why do you hit 'start' to close down your computer?", "Why do you have new updates immediately after updating about any electrical device?, etc. Of course my favorite for the last couple of months is wondering "How a newborn can be so peacefully asleep until you start to walk to bed and then is as awake as a Starbucks addict?"

A sense of wonder is a different thing altogether and all children have it. This is a sense of being so surprised and excited by the world around you that that the joy and wonder show on your face. My 4 year old grandson showed a small example of this as we walked into his garage and were hit by a strong wind, he stated, "Wind, I didn't expect that!" He nailed it on the head, the sense of the unexpected and marveling at the surprises of the day.

As a really older person, I have come to hope that I can keep artfully holding on to my sense of wonder. As you travel through life and have many experiences, a large majority of them repeated, I believe you become blasé and too sophisticated for "wonder". I try daily to guard against that and try to see things with "new eyes". I was lucky to be there before my granddaughter was born in November and have the wonder at her looking up at me a day after she had been travelling solely with mom. The wonder of birth is easy, though, most people are touched by that.

I like to sharpen my sense of wonder on the HUGE snow globe on someone's lawn or the pink flamingoes at city hall, a stranger being unexpectedly courteous, a friend saying something you never realized about them in all the years you've known each other and my husband being truly pleased with a gift I gave him. As we boomers get older we need to try as hard as possible to hold onto our sense of wonder or we will lose a major component in the enjoyment of life.

MERRY CHRISTMAS READERS.

HOW THE WORLD LETS YOU KNOW THAT YOU ARE OLD!!

Tonight, on the eve of my 62nd birthday, I have enumerated how the world has made me feel incredibly old since I turned 60. Mind you, most of this activity happened after I turned 60 and after I allowed my hair to return to its natural beautiful white/gray shade.

1. I have suddenly became "hon" to most waitstaff that I run into and I have noted that even men in my age group have been referred to as the same. Also "sweetie" has come up more than I would like. If you are waitstaff, I know you mean to be polite, but it hits below the belt.

2. I have become invisible to anyone under say 47 and definitely anyone below 35. This is actually not a bad thing as I get to hear some interesting conversations. Also, I believe that boomers of my age group would make excellent spies for this very reason. We are just not there.

3. I get a senior discount; this is not at all bad and so not a complaint, just a sign.

4. I will start getting Social Security next month which is also not bad, that is assuming the government is in business at that time.

5. Lately in fiction that I have been reading, more than one author has identified a woman over 60 as an "old" woman. Oddly I think of an "old" woman as someone over 90, but I guess it's just perception.

6. Friends of my age group do not seem older or really any different than they did were when we were 20 and that includes my husband. Perhaps we have a few more physical complaints, but not really many. Interestingly the world does not believe it.

7. Younger people are amazed sometimes that I wear bizarre sneakers and know about TV shows and music that they like. Hello, we are in the same world and our generation was always on top of things.

8. Finally, even though I will be 62 in about 10 minutes, I don't feel it, however I guess I don't know what it should feel like. I have the same brain (for what it's worth), sense of humor and sense of fun that I've always had. I'll bet a lot of my faithful blog readers feel the same way.

THE "OLD" PIRATE PAM

FEAR OF ACRONYMS

This blog is supposed to be for the fun and enjoyment of everyone and more especially for Baby Boomer Pirates like myself, who may be sort of retired but oddly enough are not independently wealthy. I think all of us have certain acronyms that strike a bit of fear in our hearts. I only listed three. Please fill in more.

1. The very first one that pops into my mind is the IRS (Internal Revenue Service for those pretending not to be afraid). It is my true belief that if the very skilled Seal Team Six had not gotten Osama Bin Laden, the IRS would be the next U.S. group to be successful. He had to have some money here and you can believe they knew about it. They have been writing to my mother since she died; we returned the letters stating DECEASED, so now they are writing to her as Her Name Deceased. Unbelievable.

2. Many people in their 40's, 50's and even us in our 60's have a fear of the AARP (which by the way is one of the strongest lobbies in Washington). How many people who are eligible, reading this, have not joined? Show of hands. No, me either. Why, they somehow creep you out don't they. They know when you turn 50 almost before you do. They seem almost as good as group #1 (above) in finding you no matter how many times in your life you have moved. Yet, they mean no harm. They want to give you discounts. They put the "boss" (Bruce that is) on the cover of their magazine. I find usually the AAA (not too fearful) give better hotel discounts, but I will always look at AARP. They're the grim reaper of acronyms. They don't have DEATH in their name, American Association of Retired People, but they somehow smell a little of it.

3. Well at 61 I'm in the fourth quarter of life I would guess so I look at little askance at RIP. I hope it will be in peace but not for a long long time. That is one acronym that can stay away as along as possible.

Please I need more add any that strike fear in your heart.

Welcome Aboard...Tall Ship Formidable

There is a great Pirate Ship Tour that one of the Rhode Island Pirate Players will be crewing on this summer. Welcome Aboard...Tall Ship Formidable

If you are in the area of Rockport, ME this summer, check this out. I know I might just do that later in the summer. If you go, please report back to the pirate how your liked it.

INTRO TO BLOG

This blog will hopefully humorously deal with all of us that are aging without realizing it. My kids hate that I wear Ed Hardy sneakers (oh mom), too bad for them. I'm also in the GBE 2 with real writers so my first very tenuous post to that group is below.

I hope everyone stays along for the ride or even sail if we're lucky this summer. You will be kept on on Jimmy's (and we all know Jimmy who) activities and other great fun and thought filled items. I hope I was able to stand with the real writers read EXPECTATIONS AND SURPRISES and let me know.

NOTE TO JIMMY BUFFETT

Yes, Jimmy, I know I stole your song title a bit with this blog (although we know titles aren't copyrightable right?). Your original title "A Pirate Looks At Forty" was made quite a while ago and both you and I are looking past 60 now, with you being a year older, still touring, a lot richer, etc. Like all Parrotheads, I feel that I am a part of the band and knowing that you're still trucking makes me happy to be a "Boomer Parrothead".

For the uninitiated reading this post, Jimmy Buffett is an average singer, but an excellent lyricist. He's no Bob Dylan, but he struck right at the dreams of those of us leaving the 1960's and having to "grow up". Now many of our grandchildren are at his concerts. That Jimmy isn't a great singer was never more apparent than when he made an album with a group of country singers like Kenny Chesney and Alan Jackson, but his songs are full of lines that I live by. He's a writer actually and has published some books, the best of which is a group of short stories titled "Tales from Magaritaville".

What makes all the difference is that Jimmy knows how to throw a party and that's what his concerts (which are sold out every summer) are all about. It starts on the tailgates in the parking lot, perhaps a little medical marijuana in the surrounding woods and lots of Margaritas. He sings about living at ease, under palm trees, without a worry or a snowy day. See why he sells out in New England! The songs that became "hits", "Margaritaville" and "Changes in Latitudes" are hardly the best of his discography, but that's o.k. My personal favorite is "African Friend" which he rarely sings in concert is about a stopover in Haiti, a night of gambling and making an unlikely friend. Listen to it once, it's on the "Son of a Son of a Sailor" album, and you will understand why I say he is a writer, not just a songwriter.

To end my note, Jimmy, I know you won't mind me using the title and I know you will help me on my journey past 60. FINS UP!