Today we are going to Muse about how we live our life. If this is your first visit, welcome to Musings. If you have been here before, welcome back. Over time we are going to talk about many things: the past, the present, perhaps the future, travel, art, society and more. Wherever my musing takes me. I hope you will come along with me.

Colored text is a link.  So is a word underlined in dots like “Musings” in the above paragraph. Clicking on the text will provide additional information about the subject.

Things are not what they once were.

I submit the following as evidence:

Graduating Class of 1957

Graduating Class of 2019

I rest my case.

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On a different subject,

Recently Jeanette shared with me a writing sent to her by Greg Howard. I have a birthday coming up and the thoughtful message resonates with me. Perhaps it will with you as well.

List for Aging

1. It’s time to use the money you saved up. Use it and enjoy it. Don’t just keep it for those who may have no notion of the sacrifices you made to get it. Remember there is nothing more dangerous than a son or daughter-in-law with big ideas for your hard-earned capital. Warning: This is also a bad time for investments, even if it seems wonderful or fool-proof. They only bring problems and worries. This is a time for you to enjoy some peace and quiet.

2. Stop worrying about the financial situation of your children and grandchildren, and don’t feel bad spending your money on yourself. You’ve taken care of them for many years, and you’ve taught them what you could. You gave them an education, food, shelter and support. The responsibility is now theirs to earn their own money.

3. Keep a healthy life, without great physical effort. Do moderate exercise (like walking every day), eat well and get your sleep. It’s easy to become sick, and it gets harder to remain healthy. That is why you need to keep yourself in good shape and be aware of your medical and physical needs. Keep in touch with your doctor, do tests even when you’re feeling well. Stay informed.

4. Always buy the best, most beautiful items for your significant other. The key goal is to enjoy your money with your partner. One day one of you will miss the other, and the money will not provide any comfort then, enjoy it together

5. Don’t stress over the little things. Like paying a little extra on price quotes. You’ve already overcome so much in your life.You have good memories and bad ones, but the important thing is the present. Don’t let the past drag you down and don’t let the future frighten you. Feel good in the now. Small issues will soon be forgotten.

6. Regardless of age, always keep love alive. Love your partner, love life, love your family, love your neighbor and remember: “A man is not old as long as he has intelligence and affection.”

7. Be proud, both inside and out. Don’t stop going to your hair salon or barber, do your nails, go to the dermatologist and the dentist, keep your perfumes and creams well stocked. When you are well-maintained on the outside, it seeps in, making you feel proud and strong.

8. Don’t lose sight of fashion trends for your age, but keep your own sense of style. There’s nothing worse than an older person trying to wear the current fashion among youngsters. You’ve developed your own sense of what looks good on you – keep it and be proud of it. It’s part of who you are.

9. ALWAYS stay up-to-date. Read newspapers, watch the news. Go online and read what people are saying. Make sure you have an active email account and try to use some of those social networks. You’ll be surprised what old friends you’ll meet. Keeping in touch with what is going on and with the people you know is important at any age.

10. Respect the younger generation and their opinions. They may not have the same ideals as you, but they are the future, and will take the world in their direction. Give advice, not criticism, and try to remind them that yesterday’s wisdom still applies today.

11. Never use the phrase: “In my time.” Your time is now. As long as you’re alive, you are part of this time. You may have been younger, but you are still you now, having fun and enjoying life.

12. Some people embrace their golden years, while others become bitter and surly. Life is too short to waste your days on the latter. Spend your time with positive, cheerful people, it’ll rub off on you and your days will seem that much better. Spending your time with bitter people will make you older and harder to be around.

13. Do not surrender to the temptation of living with your children or grandchildren (if you have a financial choice, that is). Sure, being surrounded by family sounds great, but we all need our privacy. They need theirs and you need yours. If you’ve lost your partner (our deepest condolences), then find a person to move in with you and help out. Even then, do so only if you feel you really need the help or do not want to live alone.

14. Don’t abandon your hobbies. If you don’t have any, make new ones. You can travel, hike, cook, read, dance. You can adopt a cat or a dog, grow a garden, play cards, checkers, chess, dominoes, golf. You can paint, volunteer or just collect certain items. Find something you like and spend some real time having fun with it.

15. Even if you don’t feel like it, accept invitations. Baptisms, graduations, birthdays, weddings, conferences. Get out of the house, meet people you haven’t seen in a while, experience something new (or something old). But don’t get upset when you’re not invited. Some events are limited by resources, and not everyone can be hosted. The important thing is to leave the house from time to time. Go to museums, go walk through a field. Get out there.

16. Be a conversationalist. Talk less and listen more. Some people go on and on about the past, not caring if their listeners are really interested. That’s a great way of reducing their desire to speak with you. Listen first and answer questions, but don’t go off into long stories unless asked to. Speak in courteous tones and try not to complain or criticize too much unless you really need to. Try to accept situations as they are. Everyone is going through the same things, and people have a low tolerance for hearing complaints. Always find some good things to say as well.

17. Pain and discomfort go hand in hand with getting older. Try not to dwell on them but accept them as a part of the cycle of life we’re all going through. Try to minimize them in your mind. They are not who you are, they are something that life added to you. If they become your entire focus, you lose sight of the person you used to be.

18. If you’ve been offended by someone – forgive them. If you’ve offended someone – apologize. Don’t drag around resentment with you. It only serves to make you sad and bitter. It doesn’t matter who was right. Someone once said: “Holding a grudge is like taking poison and expecting the other person to die.” Don’t take that poison. Forgive, forget and move on with your life.

19. If you have a strong belief, savor it. But don’t waste your time trying to convince others. They will make their own choices no matter what you tell them, and it will only bring you frustration. Live your faith and set an example. Live true to your beliefs and let that memory sway them.

20. Laugh. Laugh A LOT. Laugh at everything. Remember, you are one of the lucky ones. You managed to have a life, a long one. Many never get to this age, never get to experience a full life. But you did. So what’s not to laugh about? Find the humor in your situation.

21. Take no notice of what others say about you and even less notice of what they might be thinking. They’ll do it anyway, and you should have pride in yourself and what you’ve achieved. Let them talk and don’t worry. They have no idea about your history, your memories and the life you’ve lived so far. There’s still much to be written, so get busy writing and don’t waste time thinking about what others might think. Now is the time to be at rest, at peace and as happy as you can be!

more to come

If you like Musings, take a moment and click the sign up button on the side-bar to the right so you will be notified by e-mail when I make a new post.

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We now offer tote bags.

For more information, click on “tote bag available” below the image.

Art Work

Also on the commercial side, I have used Croquet as a subject of some of my art work. Here are some examples:

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Thomas-Tribby.pixels.com is now offering I Phone Cases, Coffee Mugs, Throw Pillows, Greeting Cards, Bath Towels, Hand Towels, Shower Curtains, Duvet Covers , Yoga Mats, Tote Bags,Women’s T Shirts, Men’s T Shirtsand more with reproductions of my artwork.  If you want to check them out, here are the steps:

• 1.  Click on this link: thomas-tribby.pixels.com.  
• 2. Click on one of the categories in the menu bar at the top: Wall Art, Home Decor, Lifestyle, Stationery or Apparel.  It will list a number of options.
• 3.  Click on option.  
• 4.  Click on image and a sizing slide will open allowing you to adjust the image to the way you like it..

Have fun.

My work is available as traditional prints on canvas, paper or metal, but it also available on greeting cards, phone covers, tote bags, shower curtains,  t-shirts and more.  It makes for some very personalized gifts.  Below is the link to the site.  I hope you like it.

Click on:     thomas-tribby.pixels.com

For information about these or other original works of art, please feel free to contact us:

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Today we are going to Muse about Croquet.  If this is your first visit, welcome to Musings. If you have been here before, welcome back. Over time we are going to talk about many things: the past, the present, perhaps the future, travel, art, society and more. Wherever my musing takes me. I hope you will come along with me.

Colored text is a link.  So is a word underlined in dots like “Musings” in the above paragraph. Clicking on the text will provide additional information about the subject.

Not a golfer

Growing up I was never into sports. The only sport-like activity I remember was ping pong and pool. Many hours were spent in those pursuits.

In my late fifties I met Jeanette. She is a golfer and loves the sport. I thought to myself “that is something we could do together” and I decided to take it up. I did it for five years and was never very good. I was also not good to be with. If I made a bad shot I would get surly, not enjoying the game and spoiling it for anyone with me. Finally one bad day it came to a head and I said to myself, “Enough! I hate this. I make others feel bad. I am not doing this anymore.”

And I quit and haven’t played it since.

But I needed something to do.

And, so . . . Croquet

At our club there are croquet lawns. I had played backyard croquet once or twice growing up but that was all. These courts were obviously more serious than the game we played as a child.

Years earlier a friend, Dwight Mayer, had invited a number of us to the courts and showed us some aspects of the game. He was trying to get us involved, but at the time I did not want to devote the free time I had on the weekends to any one thing.

Now, though, I thought, perhaps this is something I would enjoy. I bought and read the book, Croquet the Sport by Jack R. Osborn.

And about this time another friend, Carl Sturges, a croquet player, took me under his wing and gave me lessons.

Time has passed and croquet has become an important social connection for both Jeanette and me. We have friends across the country and in Mexico because of croquet. Recently we played in a tournament in New Jersey. There were players from several states in addition to New Jersey: Florida, California, Massachusetts, New York that I know of. Probably more. Some of the players were new to us but there were a number we knew from previous tournaments.

Croquet is a low impact sport in which women and men compete as equals. The key is skill and strategy. As much as anything it is a mind game. Properly played the contestant will be thinking three and four turns ahead, trying to anticipate the plays the opponent will make and how to defend from them and capitalize on them. It has been likened to chess and billiards played on a lawn.

Florida is the home of the National Croquet Center, the largest croquet facility in the country. It is located in Palm Beach County where there are at least eight croquet clubs. So we have it pretty good where I live.

If you have an interest you can contact the United States Croquet Association (http://www.croquetamerica.com) and see which clubs are in your area. They also have schools and a list of tournaments held around the country.

Art Work

On the commercial side, I have used the game as a subject of some of my art work. Here are some examples:

Click to see

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More to come

If you like Musings, take a moment and click the sign up button on the side-bar to the right so you will be notified by e-mail when I make a new post.

Thomas-Tribby.pixels.com is now offering I Phone Cases, Coffee Mugs, Throw Pillows, Greeting Cards, Bath Towels, Hand Towels, Shower Curtains, Duvet Covers , Yoga Mats, Tote Bags,Women’s T Shirts, Men’s T Shirtsand more with reproductions of my artwork.  If you want to check them out, here are the steps:

• 1.  Click on this link: thomas-tribby.pixels.com.  
• 2. Click on one of the categories in the menu bar at the top: Wall Art, Home Decor, Lifestyle, Stationery or Apparel.  It will list a number of options.
• 3.  Click on option.  
• 4.  Click on image and a sizing slide will open allowing you to adjust the image to the way you like it..

Have fun.

My work is available as traditional prints on canvas, paper or metal, but it also available on greeting cards, phone covers, tote bags, shower curtains,  t-shirts and more.  It makes for some very personalized gifts.  Below is the link to the site.  I hope you like it.

Click on:     thomas-tribby.pixels.com

For information about these or other original works of art, please feel free to contact us:

Please follow and like us:

Hello

Today we are going to Muse about bigotry and social awareness.  If this is your first visit, welcome to Musings. If you have been here before, welcome back. Over time we are going to talk about many things: the past, the present, perhaps the future, travel, art, society and more. Wherever my musing takes me. I hope you will come along with me.

Colored text is a link.  Clicking on the text will provide additional information about the subject.

Oh Wow!

The news this week is full of “black face” and racism. I find it truly distressing . . . distressing because bad behavior is so prevalent, pervasive and accepted without thought.

I went on the internet and this is some of what I found.

I remember Aunt Jemima from when I was a boy.

Wow!

What can I say? There is enough going around to offend everyone.

Frank Cerabino, the Palm Beach Post columnist, recently wrote on this subject and discussed how behavior accepted in other times might be offensive and hurtful today. It probably was before as well. He gave the example of making his own costume at Halloween in the days before everyone just bought their costume. He dirtied his face and tied a bandana to a pole and went as a “Bum”. I made the same costume when I was young, only I called it a “Hobo”. That seemed simple enough.

Today, if we look at it through the lense of the “Homeless Problem” it seems insensitive and offensive. We need to do better.

On a different note

Art Linkletter the comedian, used to make the observation that Kids Say the Darndest Things. The following was sent to me via Facebook. It is in that same vein.

And With Croquet in mind

You may be interested to know how busy things are at the National Croquet Center, located at 700 Florida Mango Road, West Palm Beach, Florida 33406. If you are in the area and want to check it out, you are welcome. They even give free introductory lessons on Saturday morning.

If you like Musings, take a moment and click the sign up button on the side-bar to the right so you will be notified by e-mail when I make a new post.

If you have subscribed in the past, please renew your information. I have made some changes to my site and the subscription list went with it.

more to come

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thomas-tribby.pixels.com

North County Road GREETING CARD

Thomas-Tribby.pixels.com is now offering Coffee Mugs, Throw Pillows, Greeting Cards, Bath Towels, Hand Towels, Shower Curtains, Duvet Covers and more with reproductions of my artwork.  If you want to check them out, here are the steps:

• 1.  Click on this link: thomas-tribby.pixels.com.  
• 2. Click on one of the galleries to open up the page of images.
• 3.  Click on an image you like.  It will open up a side bar with a number of options.
• 4.  Click on “HOME DECOR“.  It will open up a menu of products.
• 5.  Click on the product and it will open up a sizing slide so you can adjust the image.

Have fun.

My work is available as traditional prints on canvas, paper or metal, but it also available on greeting cards, phone covers, tote bags, shower curtains,  t-shirts and more.  It makes for some very personalized gifts.  Below is the link to the site.  When you click on an image in the site,  a menu of products will appear.  I hope you like it.

Click on:     thomas-tribby.pixels.com

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Books by Thomas L. Tribby Available Click on title below to preview

Works on Paper

On The Waterfront

Impressions of Florida

 Works at 

thomas-tribby.pixels.com

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For information about these or other original works of art, please feel free to contact us:

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