LAZY TALK

 We're all using them instead of our own words, so I call it

 'Lazy Talk'

It doesn't take long for it to happen, when a group of us are sitting around gabbing and

sharing stories. And when it does I go quietly berserk.  I say quietly because I

don't really want to bring it to their attention. I just make a mental note of it so I can

add it to the list of cliches in my notebook. 

"Let's talk English" I wanted to tell them. Whether we're talking or writing,

 we should use our own words  to express our own thoughts not someone else's

 over-used phrases. 

As  I look around the room at the senior age group I sense that I am the only

one who seems to mind. Of course it's been going on forever, well, all our lives

anyway. And I never objected. At the beginning, I guess I was too young and less

critical...more accepting . But now the use of  cliches is so widespread, I call it

LAZY TALK'. The group in the room knew me well enough to recognize my 

distress, probably by my body  language... my face turning red...

My friend called out to me,"You're All Bent Out Of Shape" and then a

another one called,"Don 't Make A Mountain Out Of A Molehill".  I

groaned, inwardly.

My daughter Debbie tells me, ,," Ma, they call something a 'cliche' because it's

true...but  you know that ...??don't you... or is it too late...?" she added to herself.

She didn't finish the sentence but her tone said , "You Can't Teach An Old Dog 

New Tricks."

The thought that comes to me often is that someday she'll be where I am now, 

"And "Not Getting Any Younger."

But I wouldn't say it because using a cliche went against all my principles.

even if it did smack of the truth.

But today I was so upset I just knew that I had to call attention to the

'problem'. I saw it as my patriotic duty, or my civic responsibility and maybe

even my religious calling.

Debbie and I went out for lunch and I brought up the subject again, with the

same intensity as always. 

"So Mother, is this your crusade ..." she rolled her eyes...."your new

one?"

I began to stammer, how can I explain to her...?

She put her hand up to stop me, "It's ok  Ma, do it. "Whatever Floats Your Boat!"

I squeezed her hand, "I love you too." I said," You're The Apple Of  My Eye" and

we both burst out laughing. 

                                                         THE END                                                 

                                           

 

    

 

FIVE SECONDS IN TIME

               

         'TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE.' You better believe it!! Especially to we senior citizens.
.
         There are even songs written about it; "Time waits for no one. It passes you by. It

         goes  on forever, like the clouds in the sky..." OY!

         I live on the third floor of a building for senior citizens and I ride the elevator

         at least 4 times a day. It's usually crowded  with people, (all elderly),

         someone presses the floors we want and we wait for the elevator door to close. But

         inevitably  a hand comes forward ( most often a mans'), to press the  'close door'

         button. The door closes. If  he did not push the button the door would close

        automatically...and that would take...( I counted,) 1...2...3...4- 5  seconds!

        SO at the end of that day we would have spent 40 seconds extra in that elevator.

        When I told my daughter about it, she laughed and I did too. Forty seconds, not

         good for much...until my mathematical skills kicked in. Those 40 seconds each day

         multiplied by 7 days, in the week we'd  have wasted...(lost?) 280 seconds, or

         5 minutes.

        "So what would you do with it?" asked Debbie. She looked at her watch while she

         waited for me to answer.
 
        "Don't rush me, I'm thinking" I said. "Hmm, maybe a few minutes longer in the

        shower...or extra time with my crossword puzzle" .I was pleased with myself.

        She made a not so nice sound along with her eye roll  and I ignored both. My

        mind was racing. Five minutes a week times 4 weeks is 20 minutes per month ,

        twenty minutes per month for a twelve month year is 240 minutes each year, or

      FOUR HOURS!

     "Now we're talkin' "I told her. I was on the defensive on behalf of my fellow seniors.

     It was clear that my daughter didn't comprehend how elderly people view the passage

     of time. One  friend of mine says, " 'time' is a four letter word". Even as we 'spend' it

     with such  activities, (or even non activities) as dozing...snoozing on the living room

     chair, the first thing we all do when we wake up is ask ;"What time is it? Are we late

     for lunch? Did anyone call me in that time? Anything of importance happen in the world?"

     But most of all we think about the passage of time for ourselves. Every year gone is

    one less year that will hopefully be a happy and healthy one to fill with interesting things.

    I believe that it's never too late to learn new things of value, as I found out today.

    that a few seconds can add up to minutes,and to hours to be used in

     a enjoyable way.

     That night I e mailed Debbie, " OK, now I'll answer your earlier question..."What

     would you do with the extra 4 hours?"  and my answer is..." THIS. a copy of the

     article that I wrote today, it took me 4 hours.. I call it, 'FIVE SECONDS IN TIME.'

                  Thanks for asking!

                                             
                                                               The End