Assume Nothing

Archive for January, 2010

When someone has so much history how hard is it to throw away the history and reacquaint yourself with a person you have not seen in over sixteen year, much less really talked to in over 30 years.

When I was a little girl, my parents had a set of friends who always seemed to be stationed the same place we were. They had two children, a boy my age and a daughter a couple of years younger. We share a childhood, something most people who were military brats living overseas do not normally share.

Most of our history centered on firsts. Their son was my first crush, the first boy I ever kissed, and the first boy I ever went to second or third base with… Our parents did everything together so all of our family’s time was spent with their best friends and their kids. We used to go camping together at the beach, we learned to water ski together; learned to fish, drive a boat… you get the picture.

Last month was my parent’s sixtieth wedding anniversary and I saw my first crushes parents. They had never really liked me too much, because after all it’s me, a little wild, and extremely boy crazy. Our mothers had worked together and our fathers had worked together too. It was also apparent to all that their son and I had a crush on each other. However, after spending a couple of hours with his parents last month, I suppose that they changed their mind about me because I received an invitation to their beach house.

So today, I get this phone call out of the blue, and it is my first crush. Who said you cannot meet someone by just sitting at home alone watching movies?

I cannot say it was not an awkward phone call, because it was. I have never really known this person as an adult; I have no idea what he is like, not really. I asked him if his parents suggested he call me, and he said that when he heard they had seen me he asked them to get my phone number. Either way I don’t know, but I am glad that after a week someone gave in and gave him my number. After about forty-five minutes on the phone we exchanged information, agreed to keep in touch, share a meal, and reminisce in the near future.

So, can virtual strangers that share so much history start back at square one or does that past, that childhood count as knowing each other? Seriously I don’t even know if we have anymore in common than three grown kids, parents that were friends, and the fact that we have known each other most of our lives. On the other hand, I could just be taking this opportunity for the fresh eggs.

“Grifty” should be a word; it should be used to describe someone not quite up to grifter status, but still a drifter on the shadier side of life.

No, that is not a segue to anything that has to do with this entry, but I was told that it doesn’t matter what is in the middle of an entry it is just the beginning and end, since I drift around so much.

I was having a conversation about the drifting aging brains. It started because I had sent someone an email forward about a new category of add, for the not yet senile, or even those on the dementia train, but those who need to work the brain muscle in a different way for a tune up. One of people who received this email is an avid New York Times reader, who read an article that explored and researched the topic in How to Train the Aging Brain.

What had been written as a joke really existed, and some of us who mistake it for memory loss do not realize there is an actual condition that can be repaired by merely playing certain types of games. Mind games that is, pushing yourself to try something new, or seeking out predicament that will cause you to think differently are said to increase or reroute some of those little neuron boats that never connect to their once familiar slips. (When I was in school, I had a professor explain firing neurons in nautical terms and it was one of the best mnemonics for me, it helped me get through some of the toughest classes I ever took.)

I had an acquaintance call that brain fart break in the pathway from the neuron down the axon “losing his wire,” so to put your train back on track or learn more about this topic in an interesting blog Neurons Firing. To avoid the meds and make life just a little more interesting try some of the recommendations. Seriously the difference is noticeable much quicker that one would think.

After all, there is nothing worse than forgetting people’s names that you have worked with for years, starting a project only to realize you have in the last fifteen minutes been sidetrack completely, or can’t remember where those damn keys are you have in your left hand with your gloves. Only to be told when you are close to a psychotic break by some little kid they are in your hands. We really don’t have to feel old. Oh yes, and some advice about looking yourself in the mirror daily and telling yourself you are beautiful and you are 10 years younger than you actually are, even though you are not in denial.

So, this is what fifty-five can be… cool!