CCHS

Reflections from an Octogenarian

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I’m beginning to question if I have become old? Am I becoming a little less tolerant? Are some of my valued lifestyle habits becoming out of date? Is this generational or is it the effects of Lockdown?

 

If I receive mail, where the envelope has obviously been recycled using a sticky label over the original recipient’s name, then I smile. I recognise the kindredship.  I know it will be from someone of my generation. Yes.  That group of people which also cannot bring themselves to cut string on a parcel because if untied carefully it could be reused.  Did you realise that some paper can be recycled more than once? When I was at Secretarial College in the 1950’s it was suggested that used large envelopes should be slit open, flattened, and used for notes and draft letters.

 

I know that every generation feels that they have become left behind, but my age group has faced an unprecedented steep learning curve.  My children are relieved that I have embraced much of the modern technology (I suspect because they realise it saves them a lot of aggro). Lockdown did not introduce me to on-line ordering – done that for years. During the few months my friends and I have continued our Spanish class on Zoom with great success and, as I have family abroad, I am so grateful for Skype and WhatsApp.

 

So if I am happy with the above, why the niggles? They are not caused by Lockdown but possibly some of the advice on how to cope with it has made me indignant.  Do you know that if you make your bed before starting your day, or if you never leave dirty dishes in the kitchen overnight, it will make you feel better. Amazing advice!  Some of us have been acting in this way for years, it’s called organisation and discipline!

On TV the sloppy text subtitles really grate.  Apparently someone “insighted” that mob to invade Capitol Hill. On the subject of spelling, I never misspell the word “government”. I still remember dear Miss Fletcher (History) inserting “n” several times in one of my essays on what I had called the “goverment” of the day.

 

I find the format of many TV programmes very strange – many of them are not at all relaxing.  Every nature programme portrays how difficult life is for the animals, reptiles etc.   It becomes nail-biting as we watch their struggle. Even DA is guilty of this. Many documentaries use the same format.  Also have you noticed that many TV documentaries reprise the previous content after each advert break, as though we can’t remember what we saw a few minutes earlier. Do we have such short attention spans?  Really?  Those of us who remember sitting uncomfortably on the hall floor at Grey Friars for some talk or recital certainly learned how to concentrate.

 

Are all these new ideas being portrayed really new? My family were highly amused with my exasperation when a well-known TV cook announced that to stop a skin forming on custard one should sprinkle it with sugar. Why was I cross? Because it was presented as a new, original idea, whereas I knew my Mother had been doing it for years.

 

After all this grumbling I decided to go for a brisk cathartic walk. Several people overtook me. I have to accept it. My brisk walk has deteriorated into a brisk plod.  I concede.  I am old!