I’ve seen a lot of changes over the years.
Some great and some that would leave a reasonable person baffled.

The wife and I always liked Seattle.

Clean, cool and she likes the shopping.
I like the fact it’s not quite as off-the-deep-end liberal as Portland.

Until this came along.
They have got to be kidding.

Buried in the newspaper is a story that government workers in Seattle are being told that the words “citizen” and “brown bag” are potentially offensive and may no longer be used in official documents and discussions.

The city’s Office of Civil Rights put out a memo saying workers must stop using the words because some may find them offensive.

Good grief.

The memo goes on, “Luckily, we’ve got options. For ‘citizens,’ how about ‘residents?'”

In a radio interview, Seattle’s Office of Civil Rights director said the term “brown bag” has been used historically as a way to judge skin color.

“For a lot of particularly African-American community members, the phrase brown bag does bring up associations with the past when a brown bag was actually used, I understand, to determine if people’s skin color was light enough to allow admission to an event or to come into a party that was being held in a private home.”

I really couldn’t believe this.

According to the memo, city employees should use the terms “lunch-and-learn” or “sack lunch” instead of “brown bag.”

And the reason “citizen” should be avoided because many people who live in Seattle are residents, not citizens.

“They are legal residents of the United States and they are residents of Seattle. They pay taxes and if we use a term like citizens in common use, then it doesn’t include a lot of folks.”

Or maybe they’re illegal immigrants that might feel left out.

There’s more…

Did you know the New York City Department of Education stays away from references to words like “dinosaurs,” “birthdays,” “Halloween” and dozens of other topics on city-issued tests because they could evoke “unpleasant emotions” among the students.

Dinosaurs, for example, brings up the topic of evolution, which could upset fundamentalists and birthdays are not celebrated by Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Halloween, meanwhile, suggests an affiliation to Paganism.

Officials said such exclusions are normal procedure, insisting it’s not censorship.

We agree – it’s not.

It’s just plain-ass stupidity.

I had a good time on the telephone with some scam artist today.

The phone rings and this guy at the other end says he represents more than a hundred stores “in my area” that offer special discounts for senior citizens.
Just $150 to join this special club.

So I say, “Sounds great. By the way, what’s ‘my area'”?

Oops.
Apparently that wasn’t in the script.

“The area where you live sir. Just $150 to join the…”

Yeah, but what’s my area?

“The 808 area code area.”

But where’s that?

“This covers your whole city and we have…”

See ya.

<click>

Idiots.

It’s always nice to have something to look forward to.
I know some people my age that look forward to waking up each day.

I’m not at that point and rather practice a Zen type of thing where “if you do, you do – if you don’t, you don’t; meanwhile, what’s for dinner?”

But then I saw something in this morning’s newspaper in between Tina Turner getting married and Google wanting to implant computer chips in people’s brains.

It’s amazing what passes for news these days.

There’s a new study that has been released.

After studying thousands of people in 50 nations, it says life satisfaction peaks at 23 and 69.

For people in their early twenties life starts looking good around 23 and anything is possible.

Then the disappointments of life kick in as they find out everything is not possible.

I really don’t remember that happening.
I usually got what I went after.

One has to wonder who they studied.
It certainly wasn’t me.

The report goes on to say expectations continue to drop and hit their lowest point in people’s mid-fifties, when regrets over unrealized dreams are at their greatest.

I don’t remember that either.
Like I say, I mostly got what I was after.

Except for Barbara B, who got cold feet after we were engaged, ran home to Las Vegas and mailed her ring back 2 months later with a one-line note, “Enclosed please find one engagement ring.”

Broke my heart.
I thought she was the love of my life.

Then about ten years ago I saw her picture on the Internet.
Did I get lucky.

She had really let herself go.
Let’s chalk that one up as a success in the end.

Back to the study – it says satisfaction levels start to rise again after 55 and peak once more at 69.

The study wraps up by saying people in their fifties could learn from the elderly, who generally feel less regret, or maybe gave up.

Okay, being elderly I have this to share…

Remember what Dear Abby said: Life is 10-percent what happens to you and 90-percent how your respond to it.

I’m going to be 69 in six months and it’s great to have something to look forward to.