George Francis died at 112 years, 204 days this week. The oldest man in America is now Walter Breuning of Montana at 112 years 98 days. The oldest woman is Gertrude Bains right here in La County at 114. Many people I talk to about longevity question why anyone would want to live so long. It sems like an odd question to me, it carries assumptions about aging that I need explained to me over and over. It reflects someone who may not be looking forward to whatever is coming next. George Francis had a reason to live this long. It was so he, as an african american, could vote for the first african american president in history. He seemed to value his vote, he used it for Franklin Roosevelt in the 1930s. He was in the world. He participated. If you think you may not want to live to 112 years, think about one thing that you do want to live for, to do, or see, or say. Then work on how to get there. It helps to write down a goal. It makes it more real in your mind, it keeps you from forgetting and gives you something to cross off when it's accomplished. I'm not asking for a new years resolution, just name a goal you already have. Write it down. Take a step.

Economic woes, Prop 8 fight goes on, Fires and Floods, Oh My!
I didn't do a Thanksgiving column this year , but I would like to take a moment to say thank you to my friends, and family and co-workers. If I didn't already know what George Bailey had to die to learn, it would not be a such wonderful life. And if things did not take time to unfold, then everything would happen at once.
I would often tell the story of Noah and the Ark to my daughter because I knew she would hear it from the disreputable kids at school. (I mean the Church goers) and I wanted her to know what it meant, not just a cute boat full of animals. The meaning I pointed out to her is that the rainbow was created by God to show that he would never destroy the world again. It was a message of safety and forgiveness. I try to weave this into the Christmas Story as well, that the reason people get so excited about Jesus was his promise that every person was forgiven and all could go to heaven. Period. She hears a lot of drivel about the conditions in small print, and I tell her those are lies. Everyone. Period. I think that makes a much better story than Homos can't go because it says something obscure in book so and so, but ignore the part about eating shrimp or pork because that doesn't count anymore.
If you're a christian, and trying to figure out what that means you're supposed to do, start with this. What if everyone was forgiven. If you didn't have to do anything? What would you choose to do? Consider the lillies of the field, go forth and sin no more. And have yourself a merry little Christmas.

I was interviewed for a public radio show this week about disaster relief with older adults. As is the deal with any reporter, they have a vision of what they are going to report in their story, then find voices to fill out the piece they are going to do. What the reality they find turns out to be has little effect on the final story.
I was challenged to convince the producer that older adults are not feeble victims of the elements, but experienced veterans of bad stuff. They have resilience and strength because of their age, because of the disasters and emergencies in the past.
I told her how middle aged people were devastated by losing everything they had. How they just couldn't imagine how they would go forward. And how older adults were more likely to be a resource and have the confidence that "we can get through this."
Not many depression era elders are overly impressed by the current economic crisis. When the economy failed in the 1930s there were few social programs, there was no safety net. Now a days, we have a lot of help. We won't starve, except for lack of asking. If you happen to be one of those folks who feel like all is lost, find a senior citizen to talk to. They just might set you straight.

So this guy turns 80 years old in Minnesota , not such a surprise. He gets a birthday card, still not such a shock. But wait…it was from his third grade teacher! Now I got your attention!

Hobart Anderson was in Colette Hartung’s classroom seventy years ago and when she saw a little item in the paper about his upcoming celebration she thought she would surprise him. I generally don’t recommend surprising octogenarians but I guess ninety –something year old school teachers can get away with anything.