I was just about to go to bed, but I had to go back and read another post by V at ViolentAcres.com. V is a fantastic blogger, and shares everything. Some would say to the point of over-sharing, but I like to pretend that when she’s typing out a post that will make people cringe, she’s standing as if in a receiving line, either shaking hands with people as they pass, or punching them in the nose.
I just read this post about young people who have NO respect for anyone older than them. Go ahead, read the post, then come back. Or don’t. You can always visit her site later. Every once in a while, I just log on, and follow various links. I agree with most of the things she says, and totally identify with her hatred of morons. In fact, I remember reading something on her blog I disagreed with, but I honestly can’t remember what it was, so it’s all good.
She states at the end that she realized she was maturing, evidenced by the fact that she didn’t punch the little chippy in the book store.
I’ve been thinking about how the elderly are treated. I’ve been thinking about it for the past few years and my grandma’s heath is declining. Her husband’s (they got married when she was 81, and my grandfather had been dead for something like 16 years) health declined rapidly about 2 years ago, and we had no choice but to move them both into a “community” called Eagle Ridge, where they had their own little 2 bedroom house and total autonomy. They also had trained medical staff on the premises just in case they need some help, and they had the option of having the cafeteria bring their dinner if they weren’t feeling great, or just feeling lazy. When he was sick enough to need care around the clock, we moved him into a really nice assisted living house. He was deluded and confused most of the time, but whenever he snapped back to reality, he was incredibly funny. When he finally passed, it was terrible on Gram. She had taken the time to prepare herself for her grief, and to move into a nicer place than where they’d been living. We moved her into a spectacular apartment in another semi-assisted living community, and she couldn’t be happier with the staff, the building, and the friends she’s made.
I should mention here that my grandma, who is now 90 years old, has congestive heart failure, but is as sharp as a razor. She’s incredibly industrious, and absorbs knowledge like a sponge. She can do the Sunday crossword in about 10 minutes, and has done a crossword puzzle every morning for as long as I’ve known her, and probably longer. She and three of the ladies in the building where she lives now have intense discussions and debates about current events, and it really keeps her on her toes, even though her body is failing her. She has congenital heart failure, and has for quite some time. A lot of people do very well after that diagnosis, but she really is starting to decline health-wise, which absolutely breaks my holey heart (I love saying that-I have a hole in my heart that gives me headaches).
As far as Gram passing away, it’s going to be horrible. She is one of the best people who have ever lived. She still sends Christmas cards to the wife of her favorite waiter at a restaurant where she and her husband ate dinner every Sunday. That lady has been in the Phillippines for the past 12 years. Every time we go into that restaurant, the waiter comes up and greets us all like we’re family.
That’s what it’s like going anywhere with Gram. People just adore her. Gram was a bookkeeper for two jewelry wholesailers (or more, I don’t remember, but I remember her getting really good deals on stones from them), and she was one of about 50 non-Japanese people in the world who was certified to teach Bunka, which is a Japanese form of painting by embroidery.
She held every last one of those jobs until her arthritis kicked in and her fingers weren’t working well enough for the Bunka. She didn’t stop working as a bookkeeper until the second time she got married.
I say all of this about Gram not so you admire her or are inspired by her or any of that nonsense. I wrote all of those things about Gram because whenever I take her for lunch or dinner, and some dumb asshole bends over as if she’s deaf, and baby-talks to her like, “Would you prefer a booth today, Mrs. Clarke, or are we looking for a round table dear?” I want to punch them. Usually, I just steal everything I can get my hands on from the candy dishes/business card holders, and that sort of thing for revenge.
I know that sort of revenge is stupid, and might affect people other than the one person who condescended to my awesome Grandma, but it’s that or a full-on drop-down kick in the NUTS for someone. Stealing candy and business cards is a really lame revenge, but I have to do SOMETHING. Sometimes, Gram speaks up about it and puts them in their place, telling them that her white hair isn’t an indication that she’s “slow.” You should see it. On her better days, she is sassier than even me.
I’ve reached the age where people are calling me “Ma’am” quite often. I live in SEATTLE, where people who say “Ma’am” are frowned upon, and usually corrected by the typical Seattle snootiness. “Don’t call me ma’am That’s my mother.” Fucking bearded clam.
Clearly, the drugs are kicking in. I’m starting to go surreal again! Here are a couple of new pics from and of the new adapter I built to block the ambient light from between the viewfinder of my 1951 (I think) camera and the lens of my phat d200.
Here’s the adapter I built. The viewfinder is on top of the little camera on the bottom. The digital lens goes into the tube. It’s made from a few of the money jars Amy Sedaris gave me for Christmas in 2006, right after her book was published. I still have a bunch of them, so I might make MORE adapters with them just for variety. I call it….THE ANTI-ANATHEMA DEVICE!!
Here are some shots I’ve cranked out so far:
Here’s the first shot I took after dissecting, scrubbing, and otherwise sterilizing the old camera. It arrived from eBay in terrible shape. Lots of rust and green oxidation all over it. I’ll throw on another photo of what the camera looks like without the adapter on top.
