Southern Oregon Coast
We find it hard to stay focused with all the chaos around us—the dramatic upswing in Covid 19 cases, the relentless incompetence in Washington, the unceasing anxiety about the election. So while it is hard to have any insights about the aging process, we do find occasional tidbits that bring a smile. Here are a few recent ones:
You probably read that Carl Reiner died recently at age 98. He was one of the great comedians of early television, and continued his career over the years as a writer, director and performer. We liked this observation that he made a couple of years ago on living a long life: “If you are not in the obits, eat breakfast.” In other words, just keep going and hold onto your sense of humor. That's a good message for what we are all going through.
If you haven’t seen Carl Reiner perform, the New York Times provided links to some of his work, including a clip of him and Mel Brooks doing their 2000-Year-Old Man routine. Or try to see clips from “Your Show of Shows,” which was perhaps the pinnacle of tv comedy in the 1950s. Many of the movies he directed are quite good, too.
Another comedian who lived to 100, George Burns, also had a comical view of his own aging. In his 90s, he was quoted as saying that he was so old he would no longer buy green bananas. He made a comeback in his career beginning in his late 70s, appearing in several movies, and winning an Oscar for best supporting actor in The Sunshine Boys. He also played God in three movies (“Oh God,” and “On God Book II,” and Oh God! You Devil), which he did with his trademark cigar and a wry sense of humor. At a time when there was little attention to the possibility of living well in old age, he presented a very positive image.
We are both reading more widely than in the past. I (Steve) previously mentioned I was working my way through the epic trilogy by Rick Atkinson on World War II in Western Europe. The books are amazing, particularly in using quotes and letters to describe the experience of ordinary soldiers. Modern warfare is horrible and everyone should know that.
The books also have their share of odd anecdotes. One I just came across involved the decisive battle in the West, the Battle of the Bulge. In preparation for their attack, the Germans pulled together a unit of soldiers who spoke some English. The plan was to dress them in uniforms taken from American prisoners and have them infiltrate American units, where they would carry out acts of sabotage. Although the soldiers spoke some English, their trainers recognized that they didn't seem very American. So the trainers came up with a plan--the soldiers were taught to mimic American cigarette-smoking techniques and other mannerisms by studying Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca.
It didn’t work. Most were caught, or made their way back across the German lines.
One more oddity: For those of you who live in or near Pennsylvania, you will be interested in the following. The governor’s office has released information about UFO sightings in the state in the last 6 months. You can view the locations using the link below.
I guess the governor likes a good laugh, too.
