I struck a noble pose, defiant to nature. My granddaughter may not have had the same interpretation. College kids! Ever know an eighteen-year-old premed student who who would patiently sit and listen to her eighty-year-old grandfather’s favorite singers? God, I love that kid. She is so smart, so thoughtful and so down to earth. Yes, she did luck out in the Mom and Dad lottery, which didn’t hurt in her development.
I’d be lying if I said turning eighty was an easy transition. Mortality was hardly an issue. I mean, if I went toes up I’d be the last to notice. If I did notice I’d probably be in the company of the many wonderful people that passed before me, heaven or hell, whichever comes first. I think the main consideration was accepting I live a solitary life. Wake up in the morning to a silent breakfast. Heading out the door to whatever the day holds, without someone shouting task reminders over my shoulder. Spending a half hour in preparation, finessing a recipe for a dinner that will be consumed in ten minutes. Fortunately, I have a very limited quantity of good friends and family. People I know and who know me.
Who else but a best friend would set up a two person birthday celebration with chocolate cake to spike my blood sugar, cheese cake to advance it even further, or the special gift of Virtual Reality Dinosaurs with a choking warning for three year olds. Killer. Then there is the Christmas gifts of a British Mystery Collection and a classic SCI-FI ultimate collection on DVDs. And when I am not engaging dinosaur virtual reality or engrossed in B Movies, I can read about B-52 history from a gift book that focuses on Dog models. My favorite. I only hope I know them as well.
My eldest son, while living far away, is more than thoughtful all year long; text or email conversations, regular family updates, always asking genuinely what more he could do to make life easier for me. I know he would never understand the value of the gift he gave when he showed up with his wife, my daughter in law, and my granddaughter and stayed through Christmas and New Year. Irreplaceable time. So turning eighty was of no real consequence as the quality of life carries on.
Next
It dawned on me that I need something to engage. Something more than a hobby, but less than a new profession. So for the past month or so, I have been researching possibilities. Things I might add to this page to provide information other than my blathering.
Under consideration: four color 3D printing, CNC router for wood working projects, 4 axis CNC metal machining, photography/astrophotography. I’ve done a little of all, but just enough to be dangerous. It might be fun to write about a journey of confusion, misunderstanding, missteps, and destruction of expensive machines and materials. It might be entertaining for others watching my struggles. I don’t know as yet. I’ve organized, prioritized and investigated. Now I will put a price tag on each and see what fits. We shall see.
Sounds like a glorious holiday. Looking forward to adventures to come in 2026. Happy New Year!
Absolutely. Hope yours was the same. Happy 23026 to you also.
Sounds like you had a very good holiday. I’ll look forward to whatever you pick for a super-hobby and reading about your exploration. All sound like they could be interesting.
I did and I hope you did also. I need to wrap up my research and stop procrastinating!
Joe , Nice pic. At eighty you can pose any dang way you want ! And Granddaughter can smile or roll eyes to fit the occasion! Best wishes for 2026, awaiting any future projects to come.
As long as I don’t violate general public sensibilities I’d guess. Thanks, Martin and the best of the new year to you also.