2012 - 2017 - 2022

Introduction

These are observations on getting older at New Year from my blog Seven Days In so it is textual recycling rather than plagiarism. I have reduced my Million Steps every three months to a million steps every four months and things have changed in the last five years, but as these posts show me, a lot of my thoughts are still the same.

I hope you enjoy this dip back into my past and would love to hear your comments.

2017 - Two Thousand and Seventeen Years So Far ... and I Want More

Five years ago I published a pretty good post about getting older (see below) with one or two useful profundities (if that's a word, well it is now), and as we come to the end of 2017 we start thinking about what we will do in the new calendar year.

Personally, it's going to be another year of doing more, rising to challenges, rediscovering my social mojo, actually playing on the virtual orchestra I have stashed in our back room, actually watching TV series, seeing films and reading books.

I have four recent books of fiction to get through two by Philip Pullman and two by John Niven which I'm looking forward to, as well as numerous new challenges at work which will be great fun to take on.

Some days I would like a longer lie-in, but today was typical, I woke up at seven and thought I may as well get up wash and shave and shower, then maybe go back to bed, but then I think I may as well get up.

This year I have started walking maintaining a rolling Million Steps every three months and that has reduced my insulin intake by over sixty per cent. I might do even better if I lived off cucumber lettuce and kale but that would be very boring indeed, although cucumber subs are a great alternative to bread subs and therefore better for you, even though they may not seem that appetising. They are best eaten in summer and I used to make them a lot when I worked from home.

I've got to give thanks to everyone who has been there for me, helped me, made me laugh, encouraged me, played games with me, eaten with me, and made this a great year for me. I know 2018 will be even better.

So what is a great playout record for 2017? In September we lost Holger Czukay, but in the seventies, I remember him and Can lighting up Top of The Pops with the brilliant "I Want More" which is a perfect sentiment to see out the old year and see in the new.

Happy New Year everybody .... Make it Brilliant.

2012 - Getting Older

Just a few thoughts on ageing and the difficulties some people seem to have with ageing and the ease with which other people take in in their stride:

• You can do nothing about getting older
• If you are losing your hair shave it off don't wear a toupee or have a comb over
• When My uncle left school when he was 15 and got a job I thought he was old
• When my dad turned 50 he refused to let anyone mention his age, he's now 87 and going strong
• When I turned 18 I was scared of hitting 21
• I didn't get asked how old I was in a pub til I was 18, I'd been drinking since I was 13
• When I hit 21, I never thought I's make it to 30
• One of my cousins turned 65 on his 16th birthday
• Someone once remarked that I was a bit old at the age of 42 for a job I was applying for, friends pointed out I was a guitarist in a band, socialised, was out most Fridays and most importantly could do the job. They took me on
• I myself was interviewing a couple of 50-somethings for a position and thought about their age, one had a negative attitude, the other had a positive attitude - Accentuate The Positive
• A friend pointed out that the problem with humans is they wear out, if we could replace everything before it fails we would live forever, so look after yourself
• Humans are social animals, keep in touch, talk to people, and be happy, it makes life worth living
• There may or may not be a god(s), but I think the hope is born of a devolution of responsibility and a desire to live forever - personally, I don't think evolution will let your soul/essence/being die after the body packs up. This is based on absolutely no evidence whatsoever - just hope/faith but if I live on after I will let you all know but I have no intention of leaving just yet.
• Never put off anything til next week

Anyway, I may do more of these but here's a suitable song that all schoolchildren should learn: