Monday Morning Musings

Posted on July 26, 2021 under Monday Morning Musings with no comments yet

Still crazy after all these years

 

“And we talked about some old times,

And we drank ourselves some beers,

Still crazy after all these years,

Still crazy after all these years.”

Still Crazy After all These Years – Paul Simon

 

Addictions.

“Ooh, Len. Too heavy a topic for Monday.”

I’m always curious why otherwise sensible people (you know who you are) continue to read my posts. I asked an old friend this very question last week. She and her husband taught at the same school as I did some 45 years ago. She might well remember the staff Halloween party at the STM gym when a half dozen teachers from the Maritimes, affectionately known as “The Wise Men From the East” paraded through the streets of Fairview, Alberta as a six pack of Schooner beer. Crazy then and still crazy after all these years.

There are well known addictions such as alcohol, drugs, cigarettes, and Boston cream donuts from Tim’s. With the exception of the last one, all of the above wreak havoc with one’s health and family life and are a terrible scourge.

There are other addictions that are a bit more subtle like salt and sugar, which, used to excess, can cause multiple health problems.

There is another long list of food products and activities which can seem excessive, but really, is it possible to eat too much chocolate or play too many games of cribbage?

So, why does my friend read my posts?

The answer to the above question to my friend stopped me in my tracks. “I’m addicted to your humour.”

Long pause. Let that one sink in.

When one considers all the vices that the world can dish up, I don’t think an excessive amount of humour could possibly cause a person any harm. Laughter IS the best medicine or possibly a glass of merlot. I have done my best throughout my life to surround myself with people smarter than myself (that was an easy one) and people who don’t take themselves too seriously. Serious people are a drag and will drag you down with them. This quote pretty well sums it up: “Stay away from negative people. They have a problem for every solution.” Being in good cheer is a choice. If you wake up on the wrong side of the bed, might I suggest you move over to the other side and go back to sleep.

Let’s face it. It’s not possible to be in good cheer all the time. Poor health, tragedies and the like will quickly wipe the smile off even the most upbeat person, but that is life as we know it. Rudyard Kipling said it best. “If you can meet with triumph and disaster and treat those two imposters just the same.” Easy to say. Hard to do.

Another one of my faithful readers opined that I perhaps dwell a little too much on my advancing age. I do mention it frequently but most times it’s tongue in cheek. In my head, I feel much like I did 50 years ago. My body tells a different story. A few of you are lucky. You are not deranged, going on 40km walks just for shits and giggles. You have treated your bodies as temples and are finely tuned machines, well into your 70s and 80s with nary an ache or pain. We hate you. Not really. The rest of us are a bag of creaking bones and joints.

Unless you have conveniently skipped my last three or four posts, the rest of you know that I am going to do two of those deranged walks on August 9/10 to mark my 70^th birthday. In conjunction with the walk, I’m hoping to raise some money for a Youth Day to be held in my northern community of Kangiqsujuaq. You can send me an e-transfer at lenpdmacdonald@gmail.com or stop by the Bergengren Credit Union and tell them you want to contribute to Len’s Walk.

Besides my long walk around the Cape, how do I plan to acknowledge this milestone (millstone!)? Among the possibilities are a nose job, a second tattoo or perhaps a piercing. All three might evoke some strange looks and a call to my doctor.

There are many things that I will probably have to give up in the years to come but I hope to never relinquish my sense of humour.

“He who laughs last, laughs best”. Nietzche.

Have a great week.

P.S. I want to welcome two colleagues from Montreal, Chad and Emma. Hope you enjoy your stay in “Canada’s Ocean Playground”.