clicking abacus, and probably the
only mice/mouse they had moved
on four legs.
I hope I don’t become too much
more intimidated by CLICK. I’m
even thinking back to my nursery
rhyme days. Remember the Old
MacDonald of yore had a farm?
Today, imagine he has a comput-er.
“With a click-click here, and a
click-click there, here a click, there
a click, everywhere a click-click,
Old MacDonald had a computer,
E-I-E-I-O.”
Last night I had a nightmare
where I only envisioned click
requests! Click here to continue!
Click here for a live representative!
Click here for more details! Click
here to see your latest test results!
Click here for a participating MD!
Click here for hotel reservations!
Click here for your dinner reserva-tion!
Click here to join a meeting!
Click here and collect! Click and
pay! Click here to download! Click
here for the link! Oy. Vey! Help! All
that clicking has clicked me up!!
The truth and nothing but the
truth is that basically I consider
myself technologically challenged.
I can connect a light cord to a wall
outlet. I can turn my computer on
and off and I now know how to
successfully shop on Amazon. I
drive my electronically enhanced
car well enough even though I
still pop my trunk instead of the
gas cap. I know how to turn my
stove on and off (and even that
has clicks) – what more do I need
to know? Do I really need more
technical information? Despite
all my new knowledge, every day
that passes makes me feel like a
dinosaur, but I’m not quite ready
to become extinct. I manage. Like
many of us, I eagerly await visits
from my grandchildren, you know
those cute little munchkins that
now tower over us. We taught them
their first words and now they’re
teaching us how to use all the new
technology that becomes old in the
blink of an eye. Hmm! Could there
be another story in the word blink?
For those who fall into the more
recent generations of Millennials
and Generation Z and the newest,
Generation Alpha, what do they
know from living without micro-waves,
electric cars, computers,
solar energy, bar codes and scan-ners,
cell phones, GPS, online
commerce and the internet, just
to name a dozen of the thousands
of things they take for granted? But
they have CLICK. Is that going to
be the thread that unites us? The
technology of my generation is so
vastly different from today’s tech-nology,
but each generation created
what they needed for their time.
Just like my generation was able to
build on those before them, today’s
generation is only able to realize
their dreams and creations on top
of those who came before them.
So, perhaps the thread that ties us
all together is the enhancement
of each generation’s technology
whether simple or complex, or
finally for sure the one thing we all
have in common and can’t manage
without is that damn CLICK.
I’ve discovered I have my own
personalized clicks in various
forms, like my clicking TMJ every
time I bite into something. I sud-denly
hear my arthritic knees
unappreciatively click every time
I squat to pick something up. My
fingers click from disuse. Maybe
I need a Mah Jong game to keep
those fingers moving? Yesterday I
thought I heard a click in my hip
every time I took a step, but it was
just my shoelace hitting the floor.
Thank goodness for that. You know,
I bet I could give a musical concert
with the assorted sounds of my
clicks. You can be sure it won’t be
a sequel to The Sound of Music!
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not
always this kvetchy. There are
some clicks that I absolutely love
to hear. How about the click of
an ice cream scooper making me
a sundae? How about the click
of my footsteps when I’m going
somewhere that makes me happy?
How about the click of the key-board
when texting my children
and grandchildren? How about
the click of the phone when I
hang up on a scam caller? What
about the click of the alarm clock
that wakes me for a brand new
day? What really and truly makes
me happy is to hear the click of
the lock on my door each night
knowing I’m home safe and
sound in my precious apartment
and looking forward to a tomor-row
filled with fabulous family
and friends.
And finally,
LET US CLICK OUR GLASSES
TO A HAPPY, HEALTHY
NEW YEAR!
With love and best wishes,
Gloria
BY MARIAN NEMETSKY
If you are one of them, it’s a
grand thing!
We were having a parade of
Fix-It men coming and going
into our Florida home because we
hadn’t been there for two years due
to Covid. One of them engaged in
a conversation with my husband,
which eventually included age.
Though the guy readily disclosed
his age, hubby acted coy.
“Guess.”
When he guessed 14 years
younger than hubby’s actual age,
he declared, “They didn’t make us
like they made you, Old Bean.”
Old Bean? What exactly did
he mean?
We learned that it’s a British form
of address equivalent to our greeting
of “Buddy,” “Friend,” or “Dude.”
On the other hand, the literal defi-nition
is a bean which has aged
considerably since birth. It’s part of
the legume family, is very healthy
and contains fiber and protein.
They stay tough and can be stored
for a long period of time and then
cooked, even though they have dark
spots and mottled skin.
It made me think of people I
know, except for the cooking part,
that is.
A very dear friend of ours has had
Lou Gehrig’s disease for at least
four years. His only working parts
are his brain, his appetite and his
ability to enjoy food. He does the
latter through the use of a robotic
arm. He reads everything. Can quote
Scripture backwards and forwards,
watches movies, calls friends and
family through Alexa, and is up to
date on all sports. During our last
conversation, he declared that he
was a LUCKY MAN. He wasn’t
homeless, his two children were
married, had one grandchild and
one was on the way. He, indeed, is
an amazing Old Bean.
Youth and success are prized in our
society. We applaud the accomplish-ments
of Thirty under Thirty, Forty
under Forty, and now Fifty under Fifty,
women who have achieved many
things. I propose that we celebrate
Seventy over Seventy, Old Bean!
I would include all those who
continue to paint, sing, take photos,
play tennis, pickleball, write, read,
indulge in activities that enhance
their communities, play games to
stimulate their thinking, hike, bike,
swim, walk, jog, make new friends
and act as mentors to children,
grandchildren and all others who
will listen.
Be proud if you fit into that cate-gory.
Maybe it’s true that they don’t
make Old Beans like that anymore!
OLD BEAN
February 2022 ¢ NORTH SHORE TOWERS COURIER 17