On the 11th

[rps]

September 2001

            On the 11^th, I was in Texas to visit my father. He was in a nursing home and could not recognize me. Still, I visited when I could. That night I laid awake and tried to digest the horror which overlaid an already bittersweet trip. As I finally fell asleep, I realized my father was lucky. He had a reason not to recognize the world.

[Terrierman]

1 hour ago, rps said:

September 2001

 

 

            On the 11^th, I was in Texas to visit my father. He was in a nursing home and could not recognize me. Still, I visited when I could. That night I laid awake and tried to digest the horror which overlaid an already bittersweet trip. As I finally fell asleep, I realized my father was lucky. He had a reason not to recognize the world.

 

 

You okay Randy?  You've lived a good life.  Take what you're given amigo.

[rps]

22 hours ago, Terrierman said:

You okay Randy?  You've lived a good life.  Take what you're given amigo.

I am fine. I am merely posting some things I have written. I found that one of the most effective ways to teach was to write on the same topics I assigned at the same time the student were writing. I just thought someone should read these.

EDIT: This was actually written at a teacher workshop somewhere around 2003 or 2004. The instructor was teaching us how to teach writing. As an exercise, she told us to write where we were on the 11th. I scrawled the above. When we were done, she randomly read some aloud. She would read and then discuss where we could use our own writing to teach good and bad. Mine was one she picked. Before she read it she remarked it was too short. She read it. Without a word she walked over to me, handed it to me, and said "Keep that."

[Terrierman]

10 hours ago, rps said:

I am fine. I am merely posting some things I have written. I found that one of the most effective ways to teach was to write on the same topics I assigned at the same time the student were writing. I just thought someone should read these.

Good.  I was a little worried.  The writings drew me in for sure.

[BilletHead]

10 hours ago, rps said:

I am fine. I am merely posting some things I have written. I found that one of the most effective ways to teach was to write on the same topics I assigned at the same time the student were writing. I just thought someone should read these.

Thanks Randy,

     Thanks for contributing to the children as a former teacher. As much as this quote is used, they are our future. Writing and telling our experiences I enjoy. It may bore some because I tend to go into detail. Sharing and writing keeps me sharp. When I put things together it digs deep into my pea brain vocabulary and awakens words and their meanings not used often as I speak. Trying to keep sharp. I sometimes now struggle to find words and it is getting worse. Names, word meanings etc. Pat and I will be talking, and I will go blank. Not forgetting what we are talking about but for a word. She will say as I am saying you know what I am trying to say, she can get what I am trying to say right away or get really confused. I may be predisposed to dementia on my material side. Mom and one aunt. Mom long term still plugging along and aunt it progressed really fast, and she just quit eating and passed within a short time. 

[FishnDave]

33 minutes ago, BilletHead said:

....I sometimes now struggle to find words and it is getting worse. Names, word meanings etc. Pat and I will be talking, and I will go blank. Not forgetting what we are talking about but for a word. 

I think this happens to about everyone I know, including me.  We all worry about it, but maybe we shouldn't get too worked up over it.  How about we all just agree that it happens because our brains are so FULL OF KNOWLEDGE, some of the words spill over the edges of our brimming memories and must be corralled again when we need them.  

@rpsRandy, your stories are very well written, thank you for sharing them.

[BilletHead]

5 hours ago, FishnDave said:

I think this happens to about everyone I know, including me.  We all worry about it, but maybe we shouldn't get too worked up over it.  How about we all just agree that it happens because our brains are so FULL OF KNOWLEDGE, some of the words spill over the edges of our brimming memories and must be corralled again when we need them.  

@rpsRandy, your stories are very well written, thank you for sharing them.

 Thanks Dave. My brain is overflowing with stuff I have learned and memories. That may be the problem. I still quest for knowledge and more hobbies. So something must go get something new in there. Like clearing some of my hard drive to have enough memory for something else. Did I say hard drive? Ha!

[snagged in outlet 3]

6 hours ago, FishnDave said:

How about we all just agree that it happens because our brains are so FULL OF KNOWLEDGE

My neighbor behind me has a saying for it.  He's 87. "We suffer from too many birthdays"

[rps]

In the movie Gladiator, there is a scene at the end where Juba, the black gladiator, buries the totems Maximus carried. His words become a mantra for we mature people. "Not yet. Not yet."

[Terrierman]

11 hours ago, BilletHead said:

Thanks Randy,

     Thanks for contributing to the children as a former teacher. As much as this quote is used, they are our future. Writing and telling our experiences I enjoy. It may bore some because I tend to go into detail. Sharing and writing keeps me sharp. When I put things together it digs deep into my pea brain vocabulary and awakens words and their meanings not used often as I speak. Trying to keep sharp. I sometimes now struggle to find words and it is getting worse. Names, word meanings etc. Pat and I will be talking, and I will go blank. Not forgetting what we are talking about but for a word. She will say as I am saying you know what I am trying to say, she can get what I am trying to say right away or get really confused. I may be predisposed to dementia on my material side. Mom and one aunt. Mom long term still plugging along and aunt it progressed really fast, and she just quit eating and passed within a short time. 

This may or may not be germane.  But.  I recently read some well documented research on how to avoid dementia and the related issues.  It's easy.  two times a week, as aggressive aerobic exercise as you can handle for 30 minutes.  Doesn't matter what you do as long as you do it hard.