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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forums75 Years of Living in Interesting Times
Today is my birthday, and it's a major birthday, with three quarters of a century under my belt. Those years have reflected the old Chinese curse, now that I think back on them.
I was born a week before the Hiroshima bomb was dropped, while my father was still serving in the USAAF in Italy and Northern Africa. He didn't see me for three months. Since then, there has been the Korean War, The Vietnam War, The Cold War, Two middle eastern wars and a few skirmishes. I spent four years in the USAF during the Vietnam war. Interesting.
I have participated in a number of movements. The Civil Rights Movement, the Women's Rights Movement, the Reproductive Choice Movement, and the LGBTQ Rights movement. Interesting.
When I was born, Harry Truman was still President. Since then there have been good Presidents and bad Presidents. When I came of age, JFK was assassinated. I've seen a President resign in shame. I've seen our first Black President get elected. Now, we have Donald J. Trump, who will stand for re-election while I am 75 years old. I have voted in every election since I was 21 years old. Interesting.
I have survived the Polio scare, during my childhood, and have been vaccinated against numerous diseases. I almost died from viral encephalitis in 1991. Now, I am looking at a global viral pandemic and hoping there will be a vaccination for that while I'm still alive. Interesting.
I stopped working at W-2 jobs in 1974, and have done many different things since then, all working for myself. Looking back, I can see how much of a challenge that has been, but I wouldn't change my choices one bit. It has been interesting, to say the least, if not particularly lucrative.
In 2020, I am hoping for more interesting years. My parents, who are now 96 years old, are still alive, so there is hope for a couple of more decades for me to observe the interesting world around me.
May We All Live in Interesting Times!
Trumpocalypse
(6,143 posts)So you're a pre-atomic baby.
MineralMan
(146,333 posts)Fortunately, I was unaware of that for a number of years.
Trumpocalypse
(6,143 posts)dalton99a
(81,599 posts)MineralMan
(146,333 posts)PJMcK
(22,052 posts)Thanks for your interesting thoughts. (wink)
MineralMan
(146,333 posts)AllaN01Bear
(18,443 posts)Mike 03
(16,616 posts)Your wisdom and experiences (and advice) are always a welcome pleasure to read and to think about.
MineralMan
(146,333 posts)panader0
(25,816 posts)MineralMan
(146,333 posts)livetohike
(22,165 posts)and the best new birth year
MineralMan
(146,333 posts)Raster
(20,998 posts)GeorgeGist
(25,323 posts)MartyTheGreek
(567 posts)...in Italy and Africa serving with 1st Emergency Air Rescue Squadron. He had air combat and five bronze service stars!~
At near 60, I didn't see as much but saw most of it and I can say this... The political pendulum has swung far, far, right as we have seen in recent days. Thankfully the public appears to be awoke to borrow that phrase. Kinda sad that it took this heinous pandemic to show the true underbelly of the Republican party, but the good news is that most get it now and there's not much further for the pendulum to swing and in some cases, like the statues coming down, wall of Moms, wall of Vets, the peaceful protests are a good sign for the future!
Honor your Father's and your combined service!
MineralMan
(146,333 posts)Who knows?
MartyTheGreek
(567 posts)Now we have a new wanna be dictator but we're gonna stop that! Thank you for your Public Service too!
MineralMan
(146,333 posts)GreenPartyVoter
(72,381 posts)MineralMan
(146,333 posts)Mountain Mule
(1,002 posts)MineralMan
(146,333 posts)cry baby
(6,682 posts)MineralMan
(146,333 posts)hlthe2b
(102,379 posts)May we all live in interesting times, but with periods of calm, peace and boredom-- We are past due for the latter after this nightmare.
I almost died as a child from an allergic reaction to our world's first true "miracle drug"-- penicillin. So, perhaps it taught me to take the good with the bad...
MineralMan
(146,333 posts)Life's interesting, always.
Backseat Driver
(4,399 posts)I'm catching up! If there's the slightest fine wrinkle in time, we might be able to pace each other until we get beamed up by Scotty!
MineralMan
(146,333 posts)Time moves too quickly.
kentuck
(111,110 posts)That's a lot of spins around the Sun.
MineralMan
(146,333 posts)csziggy
(34,138 posts)One of my dearest wishes has been to live in boring times. Unfortunately, I've never been so lucky.
I've always believed the claim that "Mat you live in interesting times" is a Chinese curse, not because the association with the Chinese is a bad thing but because the Chinese were wise enough that they knew living in "interesting" times is a challenge.
I think our generation is doomed to live in some of the most "interesting" times in world history. Maybe that will work to keep more of the most intellectually flexible of us alive longer as we attempt to help the following generations deal with the fall out.
May you have many more decades to observe our world!