I found that I really agreed with Morrie when he said that it's a shame that the dead never get to hear the good things said about them at their funerals. It's true, people say things at funerals that the newly deceased would have been happy to hear in life. It may seem to be a bit selfish to some, the whole idea of wanting to be able to appreciate your praise, but to hell with that, I'm dying.
I think the strange thing about death is how it can affect other people. That's why I think If i had a living funeral, I would use it to my full advantage. I know who I would invite, but more specifically who I wouldn't - it sends a more lasting message, one that says exactly how much I thought of the person. i would have the funeral on a wednesday. It's in the middle of the week so that means people would have to rearrange their schedules, and at least im not forcing people to sacrifice their weekend. When I made my list, I realized how stressing an assignment this was. I mean, who would I invite? Would these people even care to show up? Would they go just to avoid the guilt of not going? Would they cry, be truly sad? Or would they just sit there quietly until it was done? I know I wouldn't like to drag it out, pushing people deeper and deeper into discomfort. I also wouldn't require people to say anything. I was really...depressed by this list making. I couldn't see why people might want to come to my funeral if i was still alive, like maybe they would be more comfortable if I were actually dead and couldn't see how they reacted. I do know that if anybody mentioned going to heaven or religion or anything, I would make them run a lap of the room.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Class questions
Class Questions
!.) When did we come up with the idea for an old person bingo night?
2.) How common is it for old people to interact with teens?
3.) What % of old people are sexually active?
4.) Do old people have a dress code?
5.) What do old people find attractive?
6.) What do old people do for fun?
7.) What percent of old people wear tupees?
8.) Did today's old people grow up playing videogames?
9.) How often do old folks go to the bar?
0.) How lonely are old people?
!.) When did we come up with the idea for an old person bingo night?
2.) How common is it for old people to interact with teens?
3.) What % of old people are sexually active?
4.) Do old people have a dress code?
5.) What do old people find attractive?
6.) What do old people do for fun?
7.) What percent of old people wear tupees?
8.) Did today's old people grow up playing videogames?
9.) How often do old folks go to the bar?
0.) How lonely are old people?
Questions & Answers
Questions and Answers
1.) What % of Old people are sexually active?
The nationally representative survey of more than 3,000 U.S. adults ages 57 to 85 found that more than half to three-quarters of those questioned remain sexually active, with a significant proportion engaging in frequent and varied sexual behavior. (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/22/AR2007082202000.html)
More than 60% of individuals over 60 have sex at least once a month.
>http://std.about.com/od/stdsspecificcommunities/a/elderlystd.htm
2.) What % of old people experience hair loss?
3.) What % of old people have recently contracted STDs?
Recent statistics from the CDC have shown that the number of new HIV infections is actually growing faster in individuals over 50 than in people 40 years and under.
4.) What is the ratio of people over 55 to people under 18?
5.) What is the population of old people in homes in the US?
As of a year 2000 consensus,
65 years and over 1,557,800
65 to 74 years 210,159
75 to 84 years 574,908
85 years and over 772,733
Total of old people: 3,115,600
6.) What percentage of old people believe in a religion vs the percentage who do not? (Kate's Question)
7.) What percentage of old people still have a driver's license?
8.) How long does the average American person live? (Henry's question, tweaked)
We live until about an average of 75.37 years old. So technically, we are old for 20 years of our lives.
http://www.sciway.net/statistics/scsa98/vs/vs8.html
9.) What is the average annual expenditure of the elderly?
1.) What % of Old people are sexually active?
The nationally representative survey of more than 3,000 U.S. adults ages 57 to 85 found that more than half to three-quarters of those questioned remain sexually active, with a significant proportion engaging in frequent and varied sexual behavior. (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/22/AR2007082202000.html)
More than 60% of individuals over 60 have sex at least once a month.
>http://std.about.com/od/stdsspecificcommunities/a/elderlystd.htm
2.) What % of old people experience hair loss?
3.) What % of old people have recently contracted STDs?
Recent statistics from the CDC have shown that the number of new HIV infections is actually growing faster in individuals over 50 than in people 40 years and under.
4.) What is the ratio of people over 55 to people under 18?
5.) What is the population of old people in homes in the US?
As of a year 2000 consensus,
65 years and over 1,557,800
65 to 74 years 210,159
75 to 84 years 574,908
85 years and over 772,733
Total of old people: 3,115,600
6.) What percentage of old people believe in a religion vs the percentage who do not? (Kate's Question)
7.) What percentage of old people still have a driver's license?
8.) How long does the average American person live? (Henry's question, tweaked)
We live until about an average of 75.37 years old. So technically, we are old for 20 years of our lives.
http://www.sciway.net/statistics/scsa98/vs/vs8.html
9.) What is the average annual expenditure of the elderly?
Monday, February 9, 2009
Interviews with the Old
After interviewing my grandmother, I decided to go out and hit the streets. My first place to try was the park, it being such a beautfiul day and all. I went on an old people hunt to fufill the interviews I needed. Note: Certain approaches work better than others. What follows will be the succesful ones.
Old Couple In CP
Me: Hello there, great day, isn't it?
Old woman: Oh yes it is. So surprising for february.
Old Man: What's that you're holding?
Me: Oh, this is my writing journal.
Old Woman: Are you a writer?
Me: Of sorts, I guess. Would you mind If I asked you both a few questions?
Old Woman: What sort of questions are you asking?
Me: Well, for my Meaning of Life course, I was asked to interview people to determine their views on what a good and meaningful life is.
Old Man: Sounds like a bunch of baloney. (He really actually said that.)
Me: Be that as it may
Old Couple In CP
Me: Hello there, great day, isn't it?
Old woman: Oh yes it is. So surprising for february.
Old Man: What's that you're holding?
Me: Oh, this is my writing journal.
Old Woman: Are you a writer?
Me: Of sorts, I guess. Would you mind If I asked you both a few questions?
Old Woman: What sort of questions are you asking?
Me: Well, for my Meaning of Life course, I was asked to interview people to determine their views on what a good and meaningful life is.
Old Man: Sounds like a bunch of baloney. (He really actually said that.)
Me: Be that as it may
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Older Folks
To be quite honest, up until this new unit I never put a thought to old people. I never thought about how life may have been different back in the day, how they may have had similar experiences in different contexts. The only interactions I have with the elderly are with my grandmother via telephone to Ireland. In general, when I am called to think of the elderly, I think of them as typically a little more mature than people in their 20s to 30s. I understand that the common media projects the elderly to be fragile and useless, what with all these ads floating around - ads like "Lifealert" and "Jitterbug", products that force us to view the elderly as nothing more than a hopeless mess with no one to turn to but us able-bodied people.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Discussion of the Elderly Perspective on the Good and Meaningful Life
This is the basic transcript for my conversation via telephone with my Irish grandmother. Some words may have been replaced or edited for an easier reading. After the initial greetings of Hello, how are you, how's everything, we finally got to the meat of the conversation.
Me: So, Granny, the thing is, I have to get the elderly perspective on what a Good and meaningful life is, and how someone can live one.
Granny: Well you shouldn't be talking to me, so.
Me: Well, my teacher's criteria for elderly or old people was 55 and older, so technically you fit that description.
Granny: Well let me tell ya, your teacher doesn't know what he's thinking if he's going about calling me old. There'd be very few other Grannys like me float'n around I'll tell ya, boy.
Me: Well, ok. Not old, but...experienced?
Granny: Ok so, what was you had in mind?
Me: My first question is just, How old are you?
Granny: 67
Me: Would you consider yourself old?
Granny: I most certainly wouldn't.
Me: What would you define as old?
Granny: I think that the people who spend all their time sitting around doing nothing. You don't see me practicing any needlepoint in front of a fire.
Me: Ok, so let's get into the heavy stuff. What would you say are your ideas on a good and meaningful life.
Granny: I I'd have to say keeping a family, being a wife and mother is the most meaningful a life you can have.
Me: What makes you say that?
Granny: It's because you bringing new life into he world and caring for it and loving it, and when you see it go off on its own you have a feeling of happiness that you've done something for the world.
Me: Where do you think you got these ideas from?
Granny: Well, I've been very much like a mother since I was very young. My mother, your Great-Grandmother died when I was about 9 years old, and since I was then the oldest in the family, I then had to help take care of my siblings. There were four of us in total.
Me: And that shaped you into these ideas?
Granny: Of course. We weren't very well-to-do you know. I grew up on a farm and so that meant that I had a lot of responsibility. Beside taking care of the little ones I had to muck stables and feed the animals and all that tripe.
Me: If you could have changed anything about the life you lived, what would it be.
Granny: Gavvy, I wouldn't change a damn thing, and I'll tell ye why. I've lived a happy life and I expect to continue doing so until the Lord in heaven sees fit to have a meeting with me. Now, off and away wit ye. I have to head off into to town to say hello to Gracie.
Me: Okay, Goodbye Granny.
Granny: Goodbye Gavvy, talk to soon. Bye.
Me: So, Granny, the thing is, I have to get the elderly perspective on what a Good and meaningful life is, and how someone can live one.
Granny: Well you shouldn't be talking to me, so.
Me: Well, my teacher's criteria for elderly or old people was 55 and older, so technically you fit that description.
Granny: Well let me tell ya, your teacher doesn't know what he's thinking if he's going about calling me old. There'd be very few other Grannys like me float'n around I'll tell ya, boy.
Me: Well, ok. Not old, but...experienced?
Granny: Ok so, what was you had in mind?
Me: My first question is just, How old are you?
Granny: 67
Me: Would you consider yourself old?
Granny: I most certainly wouldn't.
Me: What would you define as old?
Granny: I think that the people who spend all their time sitting around doing nothing. You don't see me practicing any needlepoint in front of a fire.
Me: Ok, so let's get into the heavy stuff. What would you say are your ideas on a good and meaningful life.
Granny: I I'd have to say keeping a family, being a wife and mother is the most meaningful a life you can have.
Me: What makes you say that?
Granny: It's because you bringing new life into he world and caring for it and loving it, and when you see it go off on its own you have a feeling of happiness that you've done something for the world.
Me: Where do you think you got these ideas from?
Granny: Well, I've been very much like a mother since I was very young. My mother, your Great-Grandmother died when I was about 9 years old, and since I was then the oldest in the family, I then had to help take care of my siblings. There were four of us in total.
Me: And that shaped you into these ideas?
Granny: Of course. We weren't very well-to-do you know. I grew up on a farm and so that meant that I had a lot of responsibility. Beside taking care of the little ones I had to muck stables and feed the animals and all that tripe.
Me: If you could have changed anything about the life you lived, what would it be.
Granny: Gavvy, I wouldn't change a damn thing, and I'll tell ye why. I've lived a happy life and I expect to continue doing so until the Lord in heaven sees fit to have a meeting with me. Now, off and away wit ye. I have to head off into to town to say hello to Gracie.
Me: Okay, Goodbye Granny.
Granny: Goodbye Gavvy, talk to soon. Bye.
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