Third Post

60 is the new 40.

It's the typical story. First it's the career. Then comes marriage, followed by kids. Your time is no longer your own, and you resign yourself to "maturity," "filling out" or whatever euphemism for middle age that gives you what passes for peace of mind. My experience with this was during a 20 year Army career. And then I retired in 1996 and soon fell into the trap. Since I didn't HAVE to do any exercise, I didn't. Fast forward to 2006 . . . I was visiting some friends in Wilmington, NC and we had gone to an International House of Pancakes (like I NEEDED any pancakes, LOL). Gene stood up and took a picture of Anita, Cheryl, and I at the table . . . our food came and we ate and ate and ate. I came back up here and Gene had emailed me the picture thinking maybe I'd like to have it as a reminder of the great visit we all had (old Army buds, maybe some of you will understand.) I opened it up and there I was in all my megapixel glory . . . at 225 pounds. It felt like a sledgehammer blow to my chest. I was stunned at seeing those little piggy eyes set in my bloated face above about three chins. I was overweight, unfit, and unhealthy.

So I did something about it. It was pretty hard work and it didn't happen overnight, but I have whittled off about 65 pounds now. I feel better, I sure as hell hope I LOOK better, and I have more energy to combat the twin evils of an embattled family on the home front (oh yeah, my life sucks) and working in a &^%$ 'ing war zone Monday through Friday. So yeah, 60 is the new 40. And I'm okay with that. I'm a better, leaner, smarter Jerry than I was before. Just because I'm "getting" old doesn't mean I have to "be" old. You'd be surprised at the "interests" that been revived for me since I started taking better care of myself. I don't subscribe to the "Live to eat." school of thought anymore, for me it's now "Eat to live." I'm not quite 60 yet . . . two more years to go . . . but I think I'm going to make it. You be 40 too.

Men and women in the industrialized countries (that's US, folks) are now living into our 80's with bodies that are designed to last between 40 - 50 years or so. Any physicians out there who'd like to argue that point are welcome to correct me. So we as a group are already past the "higher end" of the old life span scale and have dropped into the gray zone between 50 and 80-ish (the apparent "upper end" of the new life span scale.) Lifestyle will come into play here in a major way . . . so all that deep-fried Southern cuisine we all know and love could mean that we're literally digging our graves with our teeth. (WHAT an image THAT conjures up!) So the bod will let YOU down if you let IT down.

But what about our mental acuity? You know what? It's not just about keeping yourself fit and occupied . . . it's about letting your hair down and going to one hell of a good party from time to time. And let's face it, how many more times in our lives can we expect to have an opportunity like the one that will present itself in October of this year - the 40th and 41st Reunions for the 1969 and 1968 classes. People, this is going to be THE party and you shouldn't miss it. It is my sincere hope that it is so much fun that the Police have to come check it out . . . twice. If even HALF of what we envision comes to pass, there won't be an unsatisfied person in the house.

It's all about being uplifted. That's it is a nut shell. And I do not intend any religious overtones when I use that word as the descriptor. Is there anyone out there who couldn't use a smashing good time? Alcohol, as always, is optional. And let me elaborate on why I think that attending the Reunion will be such a positive experience for everyone; you're going to be around people that you knew when you were young and will be around your very own age. You're going to feel younger just being with the old crowd again. Now what's that worth to you?

And we know that people are thinking about coming . . . there's a sort of "smell" in the air about the Reunion . . . kind of like when a new Broadway play opening in Newhaven is said to have "legs." I got a call the other day asking if we knew what kind of food we'd be serving. And that's a good question. For what we have to charge for the Saturday Night event (we need a name for that. ASAP), I'd ask what kind of food we'd be having too. This particular caller was concerned that it might be seafood. Well, the answer is that we're not having a sit-down dinner; it's what the women on the Committee (henceforth known as "The Women") tell me is called heavy hors d' (*&^%, now I have to stop and look it up) hors d'oeuvres. There. I said it. So the answer is there'll be a lot of everything so you can take your pick. And dancing. Oh-h-h-h! Will there be dancing!

Speaking of an "uplifting" experience check this out this YouTube video of a recent wedding in Minnesota . . . and crank up the volume.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-94JhLEiN0