THE FIRST RULE OF GEEZERDOM

[Crewleader]

By Frank Kaiser


I’ve learned there is one rule of senior living that's as immutable as gravity, God's Commandments, or Star Trek's Prime Directive.

It's the First Rule of Geezerdom: Never ask, "How you doing?"

Why?

If you ask, they will tell. And tell. And tell.

I always thought folks talked mainly about people, things, and ideas. Not so. In AARP World, we seldom speak of anything but our own aches and pains.

And we're darn proud of it!

The vocabulary of elder illness, both real and imagined, is vast. Violate the First Rule with a 70-year-old just back from seeing her doctor, and she'll go on for an hour on everything from dandruff to death.

She'll render you speechless, obligated to pay heed to her diabetes, dermatitis, depression, delirium, dementia, deafness, dermatitis, dropsy, double vision, diverticulitis, and dyschezia, (Dyschezia?) And that's just the D's.

http://www.suddenlysenior.com/FULLSTORY.html

[SteppingRazor]

1. So, basically, the first rule of Geezer Club is ...

don't talk about Geezer Club? :)

[MuseRider]

6. Yup

Lol

[ThomCat]

2. That's the first rule of people with disabilities too.

We need to wait until geezerhood to have a vast repertoire of medical stories, opinions, and aches and pains to talk about. :P

[dweller]

3. hey Crewleader !

How you doing?

:hi:

:D
dp

[Crewleader]

17. hi dweller and folks

We got a good crowd here....I'm doing OK, just like I say when anyone else asks...:-)

And to those of you complaining about joint pain, I'm in your club friends, the rainy weather and hot humidity isn't any help here.

I'm 53 years young, trying to keep a sense of humor
because we all know, laughter is the best medicine for what ails you and good friends! :hi:

[dweller]

18. we're the same age, Sister

as i see Bosshog and Muserider claim the same fate.

nice to see others of the 1954 (or so) era chime in.

just curious, and anyone else can also advise here, but i seem to recall those of us in that age group don't fit the 'babyboomer' era. . . we were a year or two late? or something. So where does that place us? Out of luck? It even seems that we were late bloomers of the flowerpower generation, so we didn't seem to fit any designated category. Unless there was one dedicated to the betweeners that i am unaware of...

category-less, i can live with it.
dp

[soleft]

4. Sounds like this man has been talking to my parents

Called my parents last night to wish them happy 49th wedding anniversay and heard why my mother didn't go down to dining room for dinner because she was waiting for...I'll spare you the details. Let's just say the word sample was involved.

[BOSSHOG]

5. Being on the precipice of geezerdom I have to agree

I'm 53 and when I talk on the phone to my wonderful 84 year old Stepmother, about 85% of our conversation is about what ails us. When someone asks me How ya doing, I lie.

[MuseRider]

7. Hey Boss

I had no idea we were the same age. So has anyone told you when we can consider ourselves actual geezers?

[BOSSHOG]

9. Hello My Dear

Actually I feel pretty good, but I hate to take medicine and just ignore stuff that goes wrong with me which drives my wife nuts. I think age is relative to whomever we come in contact with. To the kids in the neighborhood, I'm a big time old, old geezer, (Dennis the Menaces Mr Wilson if you will) to the old farts downtown or at the feed and seed, I'm a punk kid. I use it to my advantage, but I don't think I'll ever join AARP. I have alternative support networks.

My wonderful mother in law is coming for a visit from Kansas next weekend. We are approaching general quarters in the house cleaning evolution.

[MuseRider]

10. You sound like me.

I have not gone to a Dr. in about 10 years, not for anything. I tough it out. Not that I think that is smart I just hate going to the Dr. My husband is the total opposite, he goes for every little thing. :shrug:

Ohhh, I am the old geezer at my feed and seed as well as to the kids in the neighborhood so that is not good. AARP? No way.

Tell your MIL that she has someone in Topeka who thinks of her every time I hear about something going on up North thanks to you.

Go clean. It is the perfect excuse and you will end up enjoying the clean place after the your MIL leaves.

If I HAVE to be a Geezer then I am in good company! :hug:

[BOSSHOG]

12. I can't imagine anyone not being put off a medicine regime

after watching pill commercials. Most of the time is spent telling us what is wrong with the medicine.

My MIL and her wonderful daughter (who I married) keep incredibly impeccable homes. So instead of having an immaculately clean home next week, we will have a super duper incredibly immaculate clean home. If my wife ever retires we will be moving to Nemaha County and except for the winters and my knees not getting along, I'm really looking forward to it. My Washburn Ichabod T-Shirt is in my rotation.

[MuseRider]

15. Only one county between us.

We are definitely going to have to meet one day. Perhaps at the Geezer Cafe.

I used to be a nurse and the things I remember hating the most about medicine keep me away now. I know it is stupid but I am going to age and die in my own manner, not how some jerk I don't even know decides.

I know what you mean about the winters and joints. No fun at all.

I went to Washburn but never bought a tee shirt. Funny you have one already. Won't you miss the gulf?

[rubberducky]

8. I cringe when I`m out with my 75-year-old mom and

somebody says how have you been. Eventually you can see the questioner`s eyes glaze over from the long, involved answer.

[BOSSHOG]

14. Way back when

I'd get a kick out of my Grandmom getting together with her sisters. They'd try to out do each other with tales of pain and suffering. Lord they knew which medicine was good for what. God Bless em there all gone now.

[Webster Green]

11. My ears have really long hair growing on them..

Geezerdom, I guess.

I'm starting to look like an elf.

[BOSSHOG]

13. My wife grooms me

like she used to groom our poodle 30 years ago. Clipping here and there. Trimming the ears, trimming the nose, trimming the eyebrows. She gets a kick out of setting me up on the patio with her clippers.

[pecwae]

16. That link is hysterical

and I wouldn't think so unless I wasn't a Geezer myself. I read at the bottom of the page that his column is the most widely read by us old folks over 50. The lower GI description sounds about right:)