Do you realize that it is December 16 and there are only 9 days until Christmas?  I already have butter softening for making cookies.  I know, many of you are almost finished with your baking, but I like living on the edge.  Aside from the excitement of Christmas being so close, today is the birthday of Ludwig van Beethoven, Margaret Mead and Udom Patpongsiri.  On this day in 1773 the Boston Tea Party was held, in 1893 Anton Dvorak’s “New World Symphony” premiered and, in 1970, the USSR had the first successful landing on Venus.  It is National Day in Bahrain, Constitution Day in Nepal and Dingaan’s Day in South Africa.

The USSR landed on Venus.  Why?  This was their first successful landing.  Did they have unsuccessful ones prior to this?  Why were they trying to land there at all?  Obviously, there was nothing there of importance or they would have had further successful ones.   Just wondering.

I was feeling rebellious today.  I took a shower and washed my hair.  I lathered and rinsed, but didn’t repeat!  I know, the next thing you know I’ll be hanging out on street corners smoking and drinking with the guys.  Not to worry, I quit smoking and most of the guys I know either can’t or don’t drink and wouldn’t be able to hang out on a corner unless there was a place to sit. 

I know I seem to be hung up on this age thing, but you start to realize that you can’t do things you used to be able to do.  Most of the time, when we are younger, we are ignorant about the possibilities in life.  Many times I think of something I want to do and realize that, for a number of reasons, I cannot.  I always think, “Too bad I didn’t know about this 20 years ago when I could have tried it.”

Of course, there are things I tried when I was young and never tried again.  One in particular that comes to mind is skateboarding.  Yes, they had them when I was young.  Why is it that kids today think that everything they have is a new idea?  Much of the time it is, but not so with skateboards.  Anyway, a friend had one and asked me if I wanted to try it.  I had watched him and figured I could handle it.  I got on, stood there for a couple seconds and then the board rolled out from under me and I fell on my face.  That was the only time I ever tried that and do not regret passing on further opportunities.

I have thought that I might like to try sky diving, but I don’t think the jump suit would fit over the Depends I would have to wear.  I would need that because as soon as I jumped, I would realize that I was plummeting toward earth at an uncontrollable speed, hoping that when I pulled the cord the chute would come out.  In the back of my mind would be the cartoons we saw as kids where the cord was pulled and out came the underwear and socks from someone’s backpack.  Funny when it is the coyote, but not so much when it is me. 

When you are young you go and do things without any real concerns.  Afterward, when you are lying in the hospital with your leg in a cast and recovering from a concussion, you wonder if maybe you should have given the idea more thought.  As you get older you give everything a great deal of thought.

You consider things like how much coffee you had for breakfast and will you have access to a rest room.  You wonder if you should take your medications beforehand, because sometimes you get dizzy.  You always look around to see where the first aid kit is.  I always want to know if there will be food available.  I also hope there will be cocktails.  

I realize that our faculties start to wane, too.  I am reminded of the joke where an older woman goes to a doctor to complain about a health issue.  She tells him that she has a problem with constant, silent breaking of wind.  He says, “Yes that can be a problem, but first I think we should check your hearing.”

All in all, even with the issues connected to it, I don’t mind getting old - especially considering the alternative.