LA DOLCE VITA !

WARNING! This might be "too much information."  

One dictionary definition for the phrase "La Dolce Vita" is "a life of indolence and self-indulgence (a sweet life)," but I have always had my own definition: "living a GOOD life to the fullest, while still having fun," sort of like Alan Alda's doctor role in "Mash."

I temporarily lost my "fun gene" and most of my "interests" while I was in the Hospice program. Although the nice Hospice personnel listening to my stories kept me kind of happy, I did feel as though a part of me was not working the way it used to work.

When I graduated from Hospice, it was as though I had been born again. My "fun gene" came out of hiding and all of my "interests" resumed.

The other day, I read where a person of my age, if relatively healthy, can look forward to five more years of life.  Bring it on!

It disturbs me when people say they are bored, with nothing to do. I would like to give them a checklist of my activity, and maybe it might give them some ideas to think about.

I live with someone I love.

A competent helper, Kathy takes care of our needs.

I pet our cat to lower my blood pressure.

I prepare Elaine's lunch.

I help with supper for Elaine. We eat together.

After supper we watch movies, mostly romantic comedies.

I try to write one "PREPOP SEZ" blog entry each day.

I listen to Podcasts I like, such as "The Rachel Maddow Show," and "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me!"

I work a puzzle each day, either a regular crossword, a cryptic crossword, or an acrostic.

I listen to "Great Courses." Two that I am following right now are:

"Forensic History, Crimes, Fraud and Scandals" taught by Elizabeth A. Murray   

"Life and Operas of Verdi" taught by an amazing "Mozart-lover" Robert Greenburg

I have a bunch of books that I am in the middle of, either as books to hold or that reside on my Kindle:

"A Choice of Days" by Baltimore's own H. L. Mencken. Curmudgeon? Bigot? Yes, but a great writer and book critic.

"American Sideshow" by Marc Hartzman.  About so-called "freaks" that were also good persons, such as "The Alligator Man" and "The Monkey Lady" who married, and the Siamese twins, Chang and Eng, who founded a dynasty in Mount Airy, North Carolina.  I've written about these folks in earlier blog entries.

"The Big Cheat" by David Cay Johnston. An expose about the efforts of an American politician to increase his wealth illegally,

"The Hidden History of Coined Words" by Ralph Keyes

"Prune" by Chef Gabriella Hamilton.  I've written about this book in a blog entry.

"The Canterbury Tales" by Chaucer, in a new translation which is poetically pure and doesn't require a PhD to read and enjoy.

"Rabbit, Run" by John Updike.  I've been plodding through this book for months. It's my Brother Joe's favorite, but not yet mine.

"Ahab's Wife" by Sena Jeter Naslund.  

I told you, TMI. But I hope that there is something in this that acts as a trigger, to get depressed people up off their dead asses and begin to live. Something... anything!

TO SEE:

Meanwhile, if I had nothing else to do, I would open my eyes wide and see:

The beautiful blue sky

The green-leaved trees filled with bird nests

The pretty flowers that bloom from seeds provided by my lovely daughter, Diane

My Garden Buddha smiling at me in an all-knowing grin

 The handsome faces of my five great-grandsons.

TO HEAR:

And I would listen to:

The sound of the Atlantic Ocean waves breaking on the shore.

The sound of the birds singing to me.

The classical, ballet, operatic and Pop music that Alexa plays for me whenever I want it.

The sound of nuns singing Christmas hymns.

TO SMELL:

And I would take the time to experience the wonderful smells of our existence.

     Steamed crabs with Old Bay seasoning

     Fish and Chips wrapped up in the New York Times.

     "Mesmerize" perfume.

      A talcum-powdered little baby.

There are so many amazing things to experience in this life!

Robert Louis Stevenson said it better:  "The world is so full of a number of things, I'm sure we should all be as happy as kings."

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Go, and get busy!