Growing Old is Mandatory but Growing Up is Optional

Introduction

My Seven Days In Blog readings (or probably robot visits) fluctuate wildly and articles are picked up from way back that I believe are actually quite interesting, and think my Vocal audience may also enjoy dipping into.

This was posted on 25th May 2020, a year before I joined Vocal so shows you what my writing used to be like before I got here.

Again this was to emphasise that although I am now sixty-five years old I am still the same in my outlook on life and I have no intention of ever growing up.

Life should about enjoying things and having fun, building friendships, being forgiving, and cultivating love and care.

Because this is going back it's still about time so I have included the "Time Heals" video by Todd Rundgren from the 1981 album "Healing" which at the time was state of the art but now looks a bit clunky but the song is still brilliant 40 years on.

Growing Old is Mandatory but Growing Up is Optional

Yesterday I was feeling in a black and down mood that I couldn't shake off, not sure why, but it was like I couldn't snap out of it, but there is always a part of my mind that says YOU CAN hit normal again. The weather ranged from sunny to overcast, and overcast doesn't help.

I have a dripping tap that I can't fix and don't want to risk a flood despite the online help that shows how to "simply" fix, but I have contacted someone to actually do the job so awaiting a call back (it is a Bank Holiday).

I don't think my mood was helped by watching episodes of "White Lines", "Vikings" and "Altered Carbon", all excellent TV but not exactly taking you to a happy place (and still 50 episodes of "Vikings" to go), but actually watching "Spy" with Melissa McCarthy and Jason Statham really lifted my spirits ant the end of the day, both of them providing comedy gold in this James Bond spoof with lots of violence and swearing but absolutely great entertainment.

I also couldn't even be bothered to write but enjoyed listening to a few records. Sat at the keyboard to learn Tom Waits' "In The Neighbourhood" and then at the guitar for a run through "Crossroads" and "Cocaine" all of which were adequate but not yet shareable.

I didn't even want to walk, but then got myself out and actually completed my 11K steps for the day and that again made me feel better.

For me, it's basically finding something that makes you feel better and do that. Hitting targets is usually good but maybe avoid the darker things.

Having said that I am going to share Tom Waits' "I Don't Wanna Grow Up" which was featured in the "Cracked Jukebox" documentary broadcast on the BBC, and is really one of my aims of life. The song appears on the soundtrack of the film "Jojo Rabbit" as well.

Apparently, the Ramones covered this, so I need to find that don't I? I did, and really OMG that is soooooo good The Ramones covering Tom Waits, almost as revelatory as Hendrix covering Dylan, that is brilliant and has made this weekend end on a definite upward trajectory.

Great quote from the Youtube feed:

"My dad always said growing old is mandatory but growing up is optional."

Today is Bank Holiday Monday and I intend to enjoy it very much. This is where the original post finished in 2020 but today is Christmas Day and I intend to enjoy today very much.