I had a business appointment with a lovely young lady. Remember, in my time of life everyone in their 30s is a young person these days!
We sat in her office. It had all the right things, nicely painted, little artificial plants in tiny decorative containers, tasteful wall decorations.
Of course, pride-of-place, was her computer monitor. It was one of two prominently displayed.
She showed me how she could even stand up to use it. Better for the exercise needed instead of sitting too much.
Communication: Old style and new
What followed was quite a disjointed conversation. This was because I was doing most of the talking and she was multi-tasking from four different angles. These seemed to be checking things on her computer, examining documents on her desk, gulping mouthfuls of a salad, and offering a few words to me, in between staff interruptions.
Hmm... Different brain development, I told myself.
Gone is the time when someone in this position would lay all things aside and just communicate, even with some eye contact with the person who had made an appointment for some focused attention in a matter. Then again, I belong to the older generation. That tends to set me apart.
It’s interesting how we seem to move through life with our peer groups. Now we seek out others who might understand some part of the extraordinary long life we’ve lived.
Writers: Old style and new
I’m an observer, and following on that, a writer.
Writers, even older ones, love to meet others who share the same interest. I loved our little critique writing group on the Sunshine Coast of British Columbia. Thought it would be easy to find another group in my present retirement situation with fellow oldsters. But no, apparently writers are not a hot item here.
I started to notice a woman who sat out on her balcony, obviously writing on many days. Hope sprang up, and meeting her in the elevator one day I asked if she was writing out there. She laughingly explained she was just going through all her lottery tickets, and never does any writing. Emails take care of any writing she might need. Writing has undergone a metamorphosis too. Think AI.
Lots of online writers groups. But that’s not what I crave. No, it’s the joy of meeting a few friends, actually face to face, hearing about their new discoveries, listening to them as they read their work aloud, and waiting for a kind critique. Losing that particular group from my life has resulted in ongoing pain and regret.
Moving from the ocean views to the daily grand mountain ones was not a bad move. Above all, it meant I could be close to my ever-loving family, and for me, in older age, that is beyond all other considerations.
People have changed
That's obvious in conversations here.
Sometimes I sit in the communal living room here and listen to the talk around me. A lot of it is repetitive, long term memory stuff. Some phrases are common. They begin with “I used to…”. I’ll attempt to argue, by asking why they don’t continue on with their previous interests. Always the answer is they don’t have to do said interests any longer. They just want to enjoy doing nothing, without the responsibilities they had as younger people.
Lots of talk about younger folks too. How they’re killing and maiming themselves with the e-bikes and scooters as they speed along. No license apparently needed, or even crash helmets. Heaven forbid they should have any restrictions, as we have had during our entire fuddy-duddy lives. One of the most amazing news incidents lately is that a child on a plane refused to sit and put a seatbelt on before takeoff. The plane had to return to the gate, and passengers had to stay over one night before flying the next day, sans child and parent.
Yes, there was a parent with the child!
Window perspective
I’m inside most of the week right now, thanks to the wildfires. They’ve been altogether too close for comfort. Literally thousands of evacuations, with lots of folks suddenly losing everything they’ve had.
The mountains, usually so spectacular, are now hidden behind a daily screen of smoke. The sunrise and sunset are seen as a red ball in what we can imagine is the sky. Today is the start of the Abbotsford Air Show. Unfortunately this year there is heavy smoke pollution.
I feel so blessed to be able to live in my lovely home, actually even to have my home. Today I donated to the Red Cross. It seemed the right thing to do.
This year I focused on balcony planting for the humming birds. I focused mostly on vermillion cuphea. Small flowers that the hummers adore.
The small balcony ensures that I’m able to see and admire them really close up.
Thank you!
Your interest and participation in my work brings me joy and is always appreciated. Many thanks for your maintaining with me on this journey.
VickiW