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[Oliver]

ONE of my resolutions for the new year is to try to be more clear in what I'm attempting to communicate. For instance, one of my bad habits is called a "run-on sentence" which, though I truly believe most of mine are, indeed, gramatically correct, are not in reality, true "run-ons" but merely cheap imitations of the clap-trap sentences that the 'oh, so profound & elite' ed psych books in an esteemed college level student teaching class thrusts upon those soon-to-be student teachers--when only a few hours in front of the kids will teach them more than any ed psych book ever did--

So, with this in mind, I shall attempt to thwart (hmm, a fav word of mine) my penchant (ouch! that hurts!) for verbosity, at least in terms of sentence length. Afterall, I could always make up the obscene length of my sentences in short increments, like:

Man, I'm bushed. Ate too much. Had too many lima beans, man. I'm going online now. Want to bug them at BP. Wonder if they're in any better mood today. This weather sucs. Why did they have to take Lassie off? I like pistacio nuts, but not enough to use spell check. Hope Save a Lot has cheeper red-taped black, gooey, yucky bananas..

See? I can use shorter sentences!

AND, above all, I'd like to be able to make, just plain, good, common sense, in that wandering along the heights that require certain sub-liminal (sp) messages fraught with twarted attempts of bliss that make the highly-vaulted paths less nobler than the formerly low-vaulted seashells, is it not a wonder that WD-40 is not worshiped every Sunday in those climes where Attila makes Hunny without mucha money, huh?

And so I end muchm much toooo late (Carole Kingum) and end on a point of high-level communication fo gklt  we orb kjfoiud blu blu!? Jn! Itclk;j woiud gjioeb;nlkf akl.
THAT truly says it all. Peace, love, new hoses for your radiator, be naughty sometimes, too, bye-bye for now, almost morphing into J.R. oh, kind sir, who might that be? Have no idea, mind's accelerator is stuck, help, call Midas, call Car X, need new braake liners, hurry there's a signpost up ahead: It's the Ollie Zone! ...........   

[Oliver]

Bula blula, do the hula. Someone to Watch Over Me. The starch is a lot less. Such young parents, never really aged. Jingles on TV, catchy, never bought the products, but, catchy. The mother that murdered her teens. All the fatal house fires locally. Did the gas go up to 3.50 or not. Saw the usual 3.15. Yes. A garden, finally. Whether it grows or not. Filing taxes, so ridiculous. If you miss something in your favor, they don't care. You miss something in their favor-they care. Cold feet, cold hands, gets tiring. "All I want is a room somewhere, far away from the cold night's air." Piano. Why do I neglect it so. Just to make some racket on the cornet, not sensible, but, can't walk around with the piano. An old-fashioned steak burger, wouldn't that be bliss. Rain barrel water all gone. Didn't happen the past few winters. Will have to save the washer water. What an inspiration, the last Am. WWI vet who was 110 a few days ago. "Don't give up hope and never be in a hurry", his key to it all. Life across the boards doesn't seem anywhere as carefree as in the past. Everyone seems so serious and worried. And few are going to make it 110 like that. The frame is now full.

[Oliver]

Oh, I suppose most would dismiss forgetting, like where you put your car keys, as normal with age and far from dementia. For me it is fascinating, frustrating, frightning, quite a mix of feeling.

I recently read for the first time, "The Last Picture Show". I'd seen the movie some years ago (on VHS tape) and realized I could not think of the name of blondie, the actress on "Moonlighting" with Bruce Willis. I could've gotten her name in a moment on Google.

BUT, I wanted to challenge myself to remember it. I'm inclined to think that trying too hard to remember could actually block the process. Many times the answer I was trying to remember has just "popped out" on its own after the fact, not even directly thinking of it.

Wish I had made a note of how long it took before her name did pop out. I could see her face, well, from decades ago, so clearly, the voice, and yet I'd put names like "Barbara", etc; and nothing rang a bell. I knew if her name were on a multiple choice list I'd get it immediately--all of which is fascinating.

WHEN the name came to me, after several days (during which I was hoping I wouldn't get an accidental clue from, say, the forums, the newspaper, etc; Oh, I believe her birthday was not too long before I began reading the novel and I kept thinking that event would help conjure up the missing name.

As it turned out, some unusual name happened across my awareness somehow. (and the hoot is that somewhere online I gave the specifics of that unusual name--but I forget what and where I posted!) So, I began thinking of less common names. Anyway, not too long after that focus, the name just surfaced and I was thrilled and astonished that such a thing could happen, and take that long. It's embarrassing in a way too, yet I feel free to mention it here in case any of this has been on your radar screen to  some extent over time.

Body muscles do get weak without use. I feel the mind must be the same in a way. If I thought doing crossword puzzles, doing arithmetic the old-fashioned way, or whatever would keep the "sharpness" that I take for granted, I'd sure take the time each day to do it. I would not want to live if, say, I forgot who my kids are. The cruel paradox though, is if I couldn't remember them, I would probably not remember my conviction about not choosing to live in such a state of emptiness.

I do realize dementia is not necessarilly a total vegetative state, that the veil can lift, but still, in any dependent state, for any undetermined length of time, I, Oliver, will not be a burden on anyone. To date I've had about 62 great years, and that's a heck of a lot more than millions if not billions of others got. '!'

[Veda]

Good Post Oliver.  I'm terrible with names, but the woman's name you mentioned did pop in to mind within the time of reading your post. I get lucky ever once in a while.  I loved that show by the way. (No I didn't google it either, but doubt I would have let it bother me more for than a few hours without googling it.) 

Only one more comment:
Some don't get the choice as to if they will be a "burden," if you want to call it that, and like you said about not remembering children:
 
"The cruel paradox though, is if I couldn't remember them, I would probably not remember my conviction about not choosing to live in such a state of emptiness."

So, so true.  My father-in-law didn't want it, then didn't know he had it. Now he's gone for some 5 years.

[Oliver]

Sorry, just saw your comments. (my frequent blogs were a few years ago, don't seem to notice them now)  Since I do not know or recall if your father-in-law did depart from this earth 5 yrs. ago, when you said "Now he's gone for some 5 years." I don't know if you were speaking of his mental condition, as Alzsheimer's has been described as 'being gone' at it's advanced stages. In any event, I hope my genetics is on my side as neither of my folks or grandparents for that matter had such a condition. 'v';

[Veda]

Oliver, it was 5 years ago September that he slipped away peacefully in his sleep.
He'd asked his wife if he should go a few days before, and even though she didn't want to say yes, she knew it was his time. 

He probably started showing subtle signs of Alzheimer's some 15 years previous which of course became more aggressive as the disease progressed. 

Bruce's father had it, my Aunt had it, and they are both gone now, but we both know it's in our family lines. We'll see what the future brings I guess.  Over and out.

[Oliver]

(note: I did post this over on Tuck's, too)

Big joke on myself late this morning when I pedaled only the mile to the P.O. just to see about the heat AND I did have some P.O. business to attend to. After waiting I think a tad long for the 2 clerks who set a rather liberal pace, I exited the S. door and looked where my bike was parked (up on the ledge near the large window) it was GONE!

I've NEVER had a bike stolen before. I considered locking it but did not, as it was hot and I couldn't imagine any kid-thief would be out in the heat or at least at the P.O. So, I immediately found myself looking all around while saying audibly "Gosh darn it!" But it was not really in an evil, angry way, it was much more of a simple exclamation of disbelief that it could finally have happened!

Well, within, hard to say,, 15 to 20 seconds, I glanced down to the N. identical P.O. entrance--and--you may have guessed it,,I had parked the bike there up near the window! When I saw that, I finally looked around to see WHO might have heard me for those few seconds. Luckily, I think no one did. 99 degrees does tend to slow things down a bit, just like 3 ft of snow and 20-below do.

I do want you to know that even though I was mistaken as to which entrance I'd parked at, I specifically remember intending to park closer to the service room which is at the S end. But I'm sure no one moved the bike as a prank. Anyway, I can only blame the heat and perhaps a memory that is playing a little more like the Cubs now and not the surprise Pirates. 'v'

Oh, and an addition for the BP:remember the OLD P.O and the neat marble floor that made your footsteps special and the windows you did your stamp etc; business with, I think they had bars across them, to foil robbers(?) I always liked that building. It would be like stepping back in time to go in there now. 'v'

[Butterfly]

I have only one thing to say...............SENIOR MOMENT !!     

[Guardian Angel]

Nah.......... it was just a brain fart!

[Oliver]

I have only one thing to say...............SENIOR MOMENT !!     

Just HOPE I don't get TOO good at them(!) ,^,

[Guardian Angel]

It doesn't require practice........ comes naturally!.....