My Rant for Today

officerripley

officerripley

Well-known Member
Location
Porlock, Calif
So you keep hearing about how we seniors should make sure to have as many social connections as possible. (Back in the day, we were always getting told to get out there and "mingle", lol, remember that word?) So a "lifelong learning institute" affiliated with the local university has finally offered a course I'm interested in starting next month. But guess what! It's superexpensive! Because of course it is! (I hadn't paid attention to how much the prices had gone up since I've never been interested in any of the classes up 'till now.)

So I sent 'em an email asking if they've ever thought about discounts or a sliding scale or something for those of us on a fixed income; we'll see if I hear back. Anyway, my takeaway from this is, realistically, the advice is: "Seniors, make sure that you have a lot of social connections! (As long as you can afford it, of course. Or don't mind attending either a fire-and-brimstone house of worship.)~~Signed, Your Friendly, Local 1%"
 

Don M. said:
It sounds like this "local university" is trying to find another way to supplement its income.
Click to expand...
I agree. What I think is too bad is that all or most of the teachers of these classes are retired professors from the university or professionals here in town, and having worked at that univ. (in a lower-level clerical position) for 30 years, I know that they ought to be able to afford to teach the classes either for free or a really reduced rate. I also heard that most of the people taking the classes are also retired from the "elite class", which makes sense, they're about the only retirees around here who can afford it.
 

Murrmurr said:
I hope you hear back that they offer grants....the kind you don't have to repay.
Click to expand...
That would be nice. I'm trying not to get my hopes up too high, though. About 15 years ago, I contacted a professor at the univ. about joining a womens' empowerment/support, etc. group, the only such group offered within 100 miles of here. The group advertised that it was for university students and teaching staff only. I contacted the gal running it and said I didn't teach at the university but I had worked there in an office for 30 years; any chance I could join anyway? Answer: Nope.
 
officerripley said:
So you keep hearing about how we seniors should make sure to have as many social connections as possible. (Back in the day, we were always getting told to get out there and "mingle", lol, remember that word?) So a "lifelong learning institute" affiliated with the local university has finally offered a course I'm interested in starting next month. But guess what! It's superexpensive! Because of course it is! (I hadn't paid attention to how much the prices had gone up since I've never been interested in any of the classes up 'till now.)

So I sent 'em an email asking if they've ever thought about discounts or a sliding scale or something for those of us on a fixed income; we'll see if I hear back. Anyway, my takeaway from this is, realistically, the advice is: "Seniors, make sure that you have a lot of social connections! (As long as you can afford it, of course. Or don't mind attending either a fire-and-brimstone house of worship.)~~Signed, Your Friendly, Local 1%"
Click to expand...
Thing is that's based on the notion that everyone need the same level of both verbal and physical connection, which is NOT true. What is true is that many (not all) seniors especially those that do not have anyone living in the house with them, are 'touch deprived'. Some people due to past trauma's are touch adverse unless they feel a good connection with someone. Some people have never been touchy/feely and may not even realize they miss the occasionally shoulder pat or hug.

Personally i get plenty of 'social connections' in cyberspace. i have my daughter year round, visits from sons, grandsons and our furry companions---that's plenty for me. Shoot, our critters are more responsive to our feelings and comforting when needed than any of my hubbies were.
 
Last edited:
feywon said:
Thing is that's based on the notion that everyone need the same level of both verbal and physical connection, which is NOT true. What is true is that many (not all) seniors especially those that don not have anyone living in the house with them, are 'touch deprived'. Some people due to past trauma's are touch adverse unless they feel a good connection with someone. Some people have never been touchy/feely and may not even realize they miss the occasionally shoulder pat or hug.

Personally i get plenty of 'social connections in cyberspace. i have my daughter year round, visits from sons, grandsons and our furry companions---that's plenty for me. Shoot, our critters are more responsive to our feelings and comforting when needed than any of my hubbies were.
Click to expand...
I so agree, especially: "critters are more responsive to our feelings and comforting when needed than any of my hubbies were." I wish I liked people half as much as I like dogs and cats; I really dread when this dog dies since I know we shouldn't get another one, I've always just loved having a dog.
 
@officerripleysaing "I really dread when this dog dies since I know we shouldn't get another one,..."

That's where my arrangement with my daughter works really well. Right now there are 3 cats and 1 dog here, only the youngest cat is technically 'mine', but even if all 4 critters were i know she would take care of them when i'm gone. My cat Aldrin will spend at least some time with her every day, the grandcats and grand dog hang out with me a lot even when she's home. The Dog, Zoe, loves to get on couch with us when we're watching shows or movies on the TV. When i'm on desktop in morning she sits on end of bed nearest my desk. When i move to living room she comes with me. Our cats all come when called like dogs do.

You might want to consider fostering dogs, or adopting an older dog. While its always hard to let them go, they give us so much.
 
officerripley said:
That would be nice. I'm trying not to get my hopes up too high, though. About 15 years ago, I contacted a professor at the univ. about joining a womens' empowerment/support, etc. group, the only such group offered within 100 miles of here. The group advertised that it was for university students and teaching staff only. I contacted the gal running it and said I didn't teach at the university but I had worked there in an office for 30 years; any chance I could join anyway? Answer: Nope.
Click to expand...
i worked at University of Wyoming in HR for 9+ yrs. They let us go to seminars (which were often free or lowcost) on topics of interest and we could use comp time we'd earned so we didn't lose any work hours if the things were during them. Didn't have to use comp time to join Gatekeepers and attend meetings--staff and faculty were encouraged to participate in a Federally funded program to teach people how to spot and be supportive of people that might be experiencing mental health issues, whether students or employees.

i participated in a round table on Autism and one year and a couple of years later got to hear Temple Grandin.

You'd think any long time staff member would be welcome, even once retired.
 
feywon said:
i worked at University of Wyoming in HR for 9+ yrs. They let us go to seminars (which were often free or lowcost) on topics of interest and we could use comp time we'd earned so we didn't lose any work hours if the things were during them. Didn't have to use comp time to join Gatekeepers and attend meetings--staff and faculty were encouraged to participate in a Federally funded program to teach people how to spot and be supportive of people that might be experiencing mental health issues, whether students or employees.

i participated in a round table on Autism and one year and a couple of years later got to hear Temple Grandin.

You'd think any long time staff member would be welcome, even once retired.
Click to expand...
Wow, that must've been so cool to hear Ms. Grandin; I've read a couple of her books, she's so interesting!
 
officerripley said:
Wow, that must've been so cool to hear Ms. Grandin; I've read a couple of her books, she's so interesting!
Click to expand...
I'd been interested in both psychology and neurobiology (tho i don't think they called it that then) since i was a teen and Oliver Sacks' "An Anthropolist on Mars made more aware of Autism and Ms. Grandin. Synchronistic thing was when i attended the roundtable my Grandson hadn't been diagnosed yet by time i heard her speak he had been. (diagnosed around 2 because he'd started to develop language but then lost it again. With therapy he's regained them. His mind is in High Gear most of time and it all comes spilling out his mouth. but we are ALL grateful for that. And we came to realize (thru the folks that talked to his parents before qualifying Liam for therapy that both his Dad and Uncle (mirror image twins) are likely undiagnosed Autistics--because back in late 70s and to some extent still , the language thing was biggest tip off, and they had verbal skills. They were shy, but once they learned to read (1st-2nd grade they took off and were reading adult level books by age 10.
 
I have a theory that we have an inherent need to speak and that most people derive pleasure from speaking. It benefitted us in evolution as a species. Since we're motivated by pleasure to speak and communicate with others, it caused the Broca's and Wernicke's areas of our brains to develop more extensively than any other species, and it's why we developed language. It may be related to the pleasure we experience from oxytocin generated in our brains when we bond with people or perhaps even endorphins. Dopamine is no doubt a factor when we're deprived of opportunities to speak, which causes us to suffer in the way an addict is deprived of gambling or a drug.

So someone who is extremely sociable and outgoing is going to suffer if they're isolated — more so than introverts, but introverts probably also are affected. We all have a need to bond with others. Introverts would rather bond with just a few people while extroverts want to bond with many people.

That's my theory, anyway. :)
 
Irwin said:
I have a theory that we have an inherent need to speak and that most people derive pleasure from speaking. It benefitted us in evolution as a species. Since we're motivated by pleasure to speak and communicate with others, it caused the Broca's and Wernicke's areas of our brains to develop more extensively than any other species, and it's why we developed language. It may be related to the pleasure we experience from oxytocin generated in our brains when we bond with people or perhaps even endorphins. Dopamine is no doubt a factor when we're deprived of opportunities to speak, which causes us to suffer in the way an addict is deprived of gambling or a drug.

So someone who is extremely sociable and outgoing is going to suffer if they're isolated — more so than introverts, but introverts probably also are affected. We all have a need to bond with others. Introverts would rather bond with just a few people while extroverts want to bond with many people.

That's my theory, anyway. :)
Click to expand...
i agree with your theory. And the same thing goes for speaking as other ways to bond---for introverts they(we) would rather converse and interact with fewer people. As for speaking many of us actually 'hear' our own words in our heads as we think. And when my daughter is writing fan-fiction she often speaks dialog aloud to 'really hear' it and if it fits the character. My grandson who is on the Autism spectrum walks around sorting out his own thoughts on ideas he's been exposed to by speaking aloud.

When they were here at end of June i worked on getting him to realize he has look at people and give them a clue like ask a direct question, if he wants input from us---otherwise we'll think he's just rambling.
 
Last edited:
California State University's Over 60 program

"

CA Residents 60 Years of Age or Older​

Applies to:
California Residents 60 years of age or older taking state supported classes (not through extended education) at the CSU.
Fees Waived:
Tuition Fee
Application Fee
Health Services Fee
Instructionally Related Activities (IRA) Fee
Fees Reduced to $1:
Study Body Center Fee
Student Body Association Fee
Health Facilities Fee
"
 
Nathan said:
California State University's Over 60 program

"

CA Residents 60 Years of Age or Older​

Applies to:
California Residents 60 years of age or older taking state supported classes (not through extended education) at the CSU.
Fees Waived:
Tuition Fee
Application Fee
Health Services Fee
Instructionally Related Activities (IRA) Fee
Fees Reduced to $1:
Study Body Center Fee
Student Body Association Fee
Health Facilities Fee
"
Click to expand...
Thanks, but those are not the classes I'm interested in; it's weird, I know, but these other classes I'm interested are in another program which is part of the extended education of the CSU, so it's over $200 a semester, sigh.
 
officerripley said:
local university has finally offered a course I'm interested
Click to expand...

officerripley said:
Thanks, but those are not the classes I'm interested in; it's weird, I know, but these other classes I'm interested are in another program which is part of the extended education of the CSU, so it's over $200 a semester, sigh.
Click to expand...

So I'll have to guess that when you said "local university" you weren't talking about the CSU system.
 
officerripley said:
Yeah I am talking about the CSU but these lifelong learning classes I was interested in are considered extended education rather than state supported education; I guess they figure they have to draw the line somewhere, sigh.
Click to expand...
What classes are you interested in?

I was thinking about taking a journalism class and becoming an amateur journalist. I'll report on everything I see out my window. :)

A public speaking class would do me a world of good, also. I might like talking to people more if I got into the habit of speaking.
 
Irwin said:
What classes are you interested in?

I was thinking about taking a journalism class and becoming an amateur journalist. I'll report on everything I see out my window. :)

A public speaking class would do me a world of good, also. I might like talking to people more if I got into the habit of speaking.
Click to expand...
It's a science fiction book club. Journalism sounds interesting too. What I'd really like to join, and I'd pay pretty good for, is a chapter of the Silent Book Club (https://silentbook.club/), but the nearest one is 2 hours away (because of course it is). It sounds right up my alley: for the first 30 min. or so (depending on how many members attend) of each meeting, each member takes a few min. talking about whatever book they're currently reading/have read/want to read; then for the next coupla hours, everyone sits there in companionable silence reading their own books. Just the perfect amount of socializing once a month and you don't have to read and be prepared to discuss a book you don't like; perfect for the likes of me.
 
Have any of you who wants to socialize check out this? Meetup.com - Meetup Connects People - Over 56 Million Users.
I understand the is an app as well.
 
officerripley said:
So you keep hearing about how we seniors should make sure to have as many social connections as possible. (Back in the day, we were always getting told to get out there and "mingle", lol, remember that word?) So a "lifelong learning institute" affiliated with the local university has finally offered a course I'm interested in starting next month. But guess what! It's superexpensive! Because of course it is! (I hadn't paid attention to how much the prices had gone up since I've never been interested in any of the classes up 'till now.)

So I sent 'em an email asking if they've ever thought about discounts or a sliding scale or something for those of us on a fixed income; we'll see if I hear back. Anyway, my takeaway from this is, realistically, the advice is: "Seniors, make sure that you have a lot of social connections! (As long as you can afford it, of course. Or don't mind attending either a fire-and-brimstone house of worship.)~~Signed, Your Friendly, Local 1%"
Click to expand...
Sometimes you can “edit” a class for free. I understand this to mean you go, but don’t get a grade or credit or anything but I don’t know if they still offer this.
 
feywon said:
@officerripleysaing "I really dread when this dog dies since I know we shouldn't get another one,..."

That's where my arrangement with my daughter works really well. Right now there are 3 cats and 1 dog here, only the youngest cat is technically 'mine', but even if all 4 critters were i know she would take care of them when i'm gone. My cat Aldrin will spend at least some time with her every day, the grandcats and grand dog hang out with me a lot even when she's home. The Dog, Zoe, loves to get on couch with us when we're watching shows or movies on the TV. When i'm on desktop in morning she sits on end of bed nearest my desk. When i move to living room she comes with me. Our cats all come when called like dogs do.

You might want to consider fostering dogs, or adopting an older dog. While its always hard to let them go, they give us so much.
Click to expand...

I love dogs, and have always had them, usually at least two. Ever since I became officially an antique, I've adopted older dogs. They are really wonderful, affectionate and seem so grateful to have a safe loving home for their retirement years.

My current companion, a great big ol' mush of a dog of indeterminate ancestry, must be pushing 11 now. I adopted him when he was about 8-9 according to the shelter. He's been a true joy and is still going strong; he doesn't like it when I'm out of his sight. Before him, I had my lovely Bonnie, a pitbull girl who was as sweet as they come. I only had her for about 4 years before she passed away, but they were great years for both her and me.
 
Butterfly said:
I love dogs, and have always had them, usually at least two. Ever since I became officially an antique, I've adopted older dogs. They are really wonderful, affectionate and seem so grateful to have a safe loving home for their retirement years.

My current companion, a great big ol' mush of a dog of indeterminate ancestry, must be pushing 11 now. I adopted him when he was about 8-9 according to the shelter. He's been a true joy and is still going strong; he doesn't like it when I'm out of his sight. Before him, I had my lovely Bonnie, a pitbull girl who was as sweet as they come. I only had her for about 4 years before she passed away, but they were great years for both her and me.
Click to expand...
Butterfly, do you get your dogs from a shelter?
 

You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top