Illustration by Michael DiMilo By Geoff Carter In the classic Twilight Zone episode “Time Enough at Last”, mild-mannered and bespectacled bank teller Henry Bemis, constantly bullied by his boss, henpecked by his wife, and belittled by everyone else, can never find time enough to pursue his love of reading—until a nuclear holocaust annihilates the rest …
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Category:Aging
Kickass and Exercise Value
Jessica Hines, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports on the scene in the exercise room at Vista West: Dorothy at 90 on one stationary bike, the keeper at older- than-that, on another, Phyllis only in her early 80’s, on the treadmill. They pedal and pump and pace, and if …
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Kickass and Phyllis Heart Attack
Photo by Bill Stokes By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, joins the keeper in reporting that Phyllis experienced a middle-of-the-night heart attack and is currently recovering at UW Hospital after the insertion of a stent in a totally clogged artery and medication for another that was 70 percent clogged. Phyllis anticipates being released today …
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Kickass and Hearing Aids
bergsten, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, accustomed to the keeper’s fumbling through life, now observes how he tries to adjust to the latest attempt by the VA and the tech world to keep him in the relevance mix by issuing him the very latest in hearing aids. That …
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Kickass and D-Day
Avi1111 dr. avishai teicher, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports that the keeper and Phyllis are among the Vista West residents who gather weekly for a “Happy Hour” event at which there is mild and usually light-hearted celebration of having survived another week. Yesterday–June 6, the group was …
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Kickass Deals with Sleep Apnea
Dyolf77, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons Kickass, the doorstop dog, never has trouble sleeping, but the keeper, with his mild case of sleep apnea, does, and as usual he took his troubles to the VA where the sleep lab prescribed a device that fits in his nostrils to retard the ease of exhaling which in …
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Kickass and Older Drivers
Mick Tinbergen tintels, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, passes along information that the keeper’s campaign to have a driver’s age shown in big numbers on the side of his or her vehicle is not finding a lot of traction, perhaps due to resistance from his own age group. The …
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Kickass and Swimsuit Issue
Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, notes that as a co-editor of the “Breeze” the Vista West residents’ newsletter, he is promoting a “swimsuit” issue, inspired, of course, by Martha Stewart’s appearance, at 81 years old, in the “Sports Illustrated” …
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Kickass and Numbered Vehicles
OILKLEEN, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, has some doubts about the keeper’s plan to have all vehicles identified with large display numbers that reflect the age of the driver. His–the keeper’s thinking being that as he is increasingly deferred to as an ancient pedestrian, that considered treatment would …
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Kickass and Biden Being Too Young
Adam Schultz , Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, joins the keeper and those with concerns about Joe Biden’s age as he announces a run for reelection, not because he is too old, but because at 80 he may be too young. The keeper’s reasoning is based on his own …
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Kickass and Feinstein
Senate Democrats, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, having agreed to let the keeper into the “old dog” club, hereby extends the invitation to Dianne Feinstein, and reminds her that her days of chasing squirrels and dog-park dominance are over and she needs to take up serious napping. Physical …
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Kickass and Jessy’s Gifts
Photo by Phyllis Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, marvels at the keeper’s good fortune in having grandchildren like Jessy who wisely and kindly anticipate his “equipment” needs and provide him with the means to do whatever activity is important in his life at the time. So, Jessy came bearing a gorgeous Afghan that she had …
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