Talk about a slap in the face.

Parent Cafe
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<p>I enjoyed reading about the Carnegie Mellon professor who is having to step down for health reasons ( obviously not the fact that he is leaving)
I haven’t listened to the speech yet ( I have dial up) but I am planning to soon. Thank you for posting it.</p>

<p>I also turn 50 next week & that has gotten me thinking about what to do with the rest of the time on the planet- I’m not waiting for New Year’s , I am making some resolutions to be kinder and gentler.
( It may be hard to believe :p, but my aspergery traits, seem to make me come off as rather irritable to my family-I always envy people who are calm and even- is that even possible with red hair? or am I just a -itch? )</p>

<p>Three people that I knew, also died last Friday-
all of them well before their time. :(</p>

<p>One little girl, I did’nt know at all, except from reading her story in the local paper
[She</a> was eleven](<a href=“http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003897807_gloria23.html]She”>http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003897807_gloria23.html)</p>

<p>The brother of my sister’s husband died as well, he was in his late forties, of so far unknown cause. He was actually the youngest of the four children, and while his father is now deceased, he was from tough stock and survived Bataan.</p>

<p>Walt Crowley, a man who really leaves a huge void in local and community life, that I knew slightly from the neighborhood , died at 60.
[a bow tie kind of man](<a href=“http://www.historylink.org/This_week/index.cfm”>http://www.historylink.org/This_week/index.cfm&lt;/a&gt;)
I also just read this a week ago - from my husbands bookshelf, [Rites of Passage](<a href=“http://books.google.com/books?id=bcy7WNw2psoC&dq=&pg=PP1&ots=crzAITFQE7&sig=NR1jrelN_zOUCV9ps2Fxz_PxZhI&prev=http://www.google.com/search%3Fhl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla%253Aen-US%253Aofficial%26hs%3DApo%26q%3Drites%2Bof%2Bpassage%2Bseattle%2Bcrowley%26btnG%3DSearch&sa=X&oi=print&ct=title”>http://books.google.com/books?id=bcy7WNw2psoC&dq=&pg=PP1&ots=crzAITFQE7&sig=NR1jrelN_zOUCV9ps2Fxz_PxZhI&prev=http://www.google.com/search%3Fhl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla%253Aen-US%253Aofficial%26hs%3DApo%26q%3Drites%2Bof%2Bpassage%2Bseattle%2Bcrowley%26btnG%3DSearch&sa=X&oi=print&ct=title&lt;/a&gt;) He is a huge history buff, which I am not, but it was fun to read about people I know now & what they were doing 40 years ago.

<p>Really makes you stop and think- what am I doing here?</p>

<p>As I start my horticulture program today, ( and OMG my first class is a math class)
[I&lt;/a&gt; am reminded of Miss Rumphius](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miss_Rumphius]I”>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miss_Rumphius)
:)</p>

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<p>Emeraldkity…I’m proud of you for taking this step to go after what you want. Good luck with it. Make the most of the opportunity.</p>

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<p>I hit the big 50 last week, and am also finding it a time for self reflection. I had forgotten about Miss Rumpius, but that was one of DH and my favorite books to read to the kids.
Wouldn’t the world be a better place if everyone tried to just make it more beautiful?</p>

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<p>Happy birthday anothermom…I’m 50 as well.</p>

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<p>I love the fabulous 50’s. I’m 56. I don’t feel apologetic, competitive, or insecure in the way I did in my 40’s. I am not trying to prove anything to my peers. Kids are old enough that my parenting speaks for itself, and usually just fine. I do look and feel a lot older physically, but mind it less. The first 10 gray hairs and wrinkles were a lot harder to handle than the many that follow a few years later.</p>

<p>I laugh a lot more in my 50’s. I think of my 40’s as tense by comparison. ENJOY!</p>

<p>A cousin wrote that when she hit that age, she decided not to wait for things so much. She began using her china on weeknights, for example; why just keep it for special occasions? She didn’t say things like, “we should really get together sometime…” instead she just made real dates with people. She stopped serving “drop dead dinner parties” and started just having people over for something simple, as she used to do in her 20’s.</p>

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<p>EK4 – I’m with you on this. I turned 50 earlier this year and I live close to you (in Kent). I get to very few youthful celebrations such as weddings, but I sure seem to go to my fair share of funerals these days, including one this weekend. It does make you stop and think.</p>

<p>Regarding the first link in your posting, we know many of the folks involved with the Gloria Strauss story and it has been really sad. Kids that young shouldn’t have to go through what she did.</p>

<p>Good luck in your new “career”.</p>

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<p>China?</p>

<p>I dumped the China 30 years ago. It’s “UnAmerican”. ;)</p>

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<p>emeraldkity4, here’s an early wish for a happy birthday. I’ll turn 50 in November, and you’re right, it definitely sets one thinking.</p>

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<p>50? You’re all babies. I’m hitting 59 this November. OMG.</p>