Tuesday, March 14, 2006

Live Life to the Fullest!

George Carlin (Absolutely Brilliant)

George Carlin's Views on Aging...

Do you realize that the only time in our lives when we like to get old is when we're kids?

If you're less than 10 years old, you're so excited about aging that you think in fractions.
"How old are you?" "I'm four and a half!"
You're never thirty-six and a half.
You're four and a half, going on five! That's the key.

You get into your teens, now they can't hold you back.
You jump to the next number, or even a few ahead.
"How old are you?" "I'm gonna be 16!" You could be 13, but hey, you're gonna be 16!

And then the greatest day of your life . . you become 21!
Even the words sound like a ceremony... YOU BECOME = 21.
YESSSS!!!

But then you turn 30.
Oooohh, what happened there? Makes you sound like bad milk!
He TURNED; we had to throw him out.
There's no fun now, you're just a sour-dumpling.
What's wrong? What's changed?

You BECOME 21,
you TURN 30,
then you're PUSHING 40.

Whoa! Put on the brakes, it's all slipping away.
Before you know it, you REACH 50 and your dreams are gone.
But wait!!!

You MAKE it to 60. You didn't think you would!

So you BECOME 21,
TURN 30,
PUSH 40,
REACH 50
and MAKE it to 60.

You've built up so much speed that you HIT 70!
After that it's a day-by-day thing; you HIT Wednesday!

You get into your 80s and every day is a complete cycle;
you HIT lunch;
you TURN 4:30;
you REACH bedtime.
And it doesn't end there.

Into the 90s, you start going backwards;
"I Was JUST 92."

Then a strange thing happens. If you make it over 100, you become a little kid again.
"I'm 100 and a half!"

May you all make it to a healthy 100 and a half!!

HOW TO STAY YOUNG
1. Throw out nonessential numbers.
This includes age, weight and height. Let the doctors worry about them. That is why you pay "them".
2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down.
3. Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever.
Never let the brain idle. "An idle mind is the devil's workshop." And the devil's name is Alzheimer's.
4. Enjoy the simple things.
5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.
6. The tears happen. Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person, who is with us our entire life, is ourselves. Be ALIVE while you are alive.
7. Surround yourself with what you love, whether it's family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge.
8. Cherish your health: If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.
9. Don't take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, even to the next county; to a foreign country but NOT to where the guilt is.
10. Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity.
AND ALWAYS REMEMBER: Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

We all need to live life to its fullest.

31 comments:

Sea Breeze said...

Hey Lee Ann! Great post! As someone who's "reached" 50 I can tell you deeams don't disappear. And, your advice on staying yopung is right on! My partner (of 21 years) and I learned to scuba dive just three years ago. Wish we'd learned earlier!! It's changed our lives!

OK. Your's is one of my favorite blogs! Keep it up! I'll check back in a couple week - we're off tomorrow morning to a distant carribbean island for some sun and fun - and diving!!!

Breeze

Saur♥Kraut said...

Aging sux. :P

Saur♥Kraut said...

...but it's bettter than the alternative...

DaMasta said...

Wow. I absolutely LOOOVED that post! I agree with laughing OUT LOUD and keeping only positive people around you! Half the time, I don't even remember what age I am! Doesn't matter. I'm happy and I have things in my life that keep me occupied and stress-free and wonderful friends around to laugh with.

You rock, chica! Keep up the great posts!

Becky said...

"Enjoy the simple things." -Words of wisdom!

Dave Morris said...

BAH!!! All of this is bullshit.

Just kidding! It's great, I enjoyed reading it. Even from a guy who has "turned" 40 and is hoping to "reach" 50.

JM said...

George Carlin rocks.

Anonymous said...

Amen, Sista! I love the list... you always have good stuff to post!

twolf1920 said...

Damn Skippy George!

henri Banks said...

Briliant Lee ann Just briliant i´m going to take this text and put it in my blog to and i think all the others have to do the same thing "SPREAD THE WORD"

Heather said...

Carlin is da bomb!

Hope you live to 102 and a half!!

Ellen said...

You had my full attention just by mentioning George Carlin. He still is the best out there. I've followed his career from the days of his "hippy-dippy weatherman" reports.... many years back when I was 10 and a half. I could listen to his stuff for hours!

Loved your list too. It certainly puts *perspective* in it's proper place.

Have a good day... and thanks for the Carlin post!

mojoala said...

Hold on now, you're treading on my territory! George Carlin is my turf!
LOL!

Polyman2 said...

Boy, I guess you covered all bases on this post. I always said age is a state of mind, and if you don't mind it don't matter. In my mind I
will never grow old and I'll always be 18.

onan the bavarian said...

Nice post. Great advice, with one reservation about number 1 - I don't like to leave it to the doctors.

I am withdrawing a remark I made at Ra Bliss Blog. I had said:
The nicest thing you can say about American football is that it's appropriate for America.
I shouldn't have let my dislike of the sport lead me into sloppy denigration of a whole country.

What I should have said was:
The nicest thing you can say about American football is that it's appropriate for American television.

There are far too many player substitutions and pauses for ad breaks (although for me, the ad breaks are actually the best part).

jiggs said...

I know I'm a jerk, but I read this and immediately thought that it did not sound like George Carlin. So I did some internet detective work and found out from the horse's mouth himself. According to this interview of Carlin, George Carlin didn't write "George Carlin on aging".

WDKY said...

Love it! And there's some bloody good advice in there, isn't there? Anyway, I'm fortunate to have the wisdom of a 45 year old but the body of a... well, a... ahem... 45 year old. Oh well.

Lee Ann said...

Breeze ~ Wow, you really are enjoying life. Way to go...that is wonderful. Come back and let me know how the latest little vacation is.

Saur ~ Definitely better than the alternative! :)

Damasta ~ I totally agree. I don't really remember my age most of the time either! ;) Stay cheerful!

Becky ~ Yes, some days I try to take it all in, every little morsel. It makes the bigger things seem miraculous!

Shannon ~ That is the best way. We all have our down moments, but it is best if you can look at the bright side of things.

Dave ~ Did you just turn 40? If I missed it, I am so sorry! I will have to make up for it by singing Happy Birthday...maybe Marilyn style. Afterall, you like the earrings on the painted girl!

Lee Ann said...

Angel ~ Yes, he is great. Hope your work outs are going good!

Nilo ~ Always great to see you Nilo.

T ~ Dang skippy! (well, must remain ladylike) *giggle*

Henri ~ Very good idea Henri! :)

Heather ~ Thank you Heather, I hope you do too.

Ellen ~ Didn't you just love being ten and a half? Thanks Ellen.

Mojo ~ Haha, well there is a saying about that. Great minds.... ;)

Lee Ann said...

Poly ~ I agree. I think in my mind I will always be 18...I just wish my body would stay that young!

Rob ~ Rob, don't sweat what you said. You are awesome, you will always remain a friend.

Jiggs ~ Have you not seen this "gig"? Jiggs, you are always checking my stuff...I heart you so much.

wdky ~ I hear ya....so well.

jiggs said...

It was just the tone of the "george carlin" thing that didn't seem right.

With respect to checking your stuff, it's not you, it's me. It bothers me when the people misuse the internet to spread disinformation. It turns the internet into a place where you can't trust anyone or anything.

Though perhaps the best way to view the internet is as a untrustworthy resource.

Lee Ann said...

Jiggsy ~ you can check my stuff any time you want ;)

Zombie ~ HEY! So strange, I was thinking about you, I am anxious to hear how things are going.

Bathroom Hippo said...



Wasn't Carlin a drug addict?


Like I'm going to follow his example.

I'll just keep going to Burger King on a tri-daily basis.

Lee Ann said...

Hippo ~ I don't think he inhaled!
;)

Hotboy said...

Good on aging! I asked a woman how old she was once(you can when they're dead old!) and she told me 84 and a quarter! Amused me for ages that! Hotboy

Lee Ann said...

Hotboy ~ 84 and a quarter! Wow, that is not one that I have heard.
It is amusing.

honkeie said...

A very misunderstod man with great words of wisdom. words to live by

Lee Ann said...

Honkeie ~ I enjoy Carlin's humor, I agree with you.

Anifanatic said...

George Carlin Rules. When WILL Jesus bring the Pork Chops?

~Tim said...

I don't know about the list at the end, but the first part of this is from comedian and actor Larry Miller. It has been going around on email attributed to Carlin for quite a while.

Lee Ann said...

Bad critiq ~ Hey! Glad you could stop by...hope to see you more often.

~tvs ~ Yes, you are right! Larry Miller is hilarious.
Glad you stopped over...come back again :)