People say I'm crazy doing what I'm doing,
Well they give me all kinds of warnings to save me from ruin,
When I say that I'm OK they look at me kind of strange,
Surely you're not happy now you no longer play the game.
At the Buzzards Bay Regatta a couple of weeks ago I implemented my new highly sophisticated sailing philosophy as described in my post Sailing Philosophy with Crappy Chart. This scientifically tested approach, based on the latest advances in sports psychology and exercise science, is derived from a 30 years long, randomized, placebo-controlled, double blind study of Laser sailing, and applies a new understanding of the 5 stages of physical exercise and their relationship to the 10 point Maslow-Tillerman-Goldstein Self-Actualization Scale.
Or to put it another way, I quit while I was still having fun.
On each of the first two days I sailed three of the five races scheduled and then went home to play with my grandchildren.
On the final day I sailed two of the three races scheduled and then went home to play with my grandchildren.
My friends looked at me kind of strange and asked me if I was OK.
I know what they were thinking. Is he unwell? Is he injured? Did something on his boat break?
I understand. I appreciate their concern.
As I prepared to leave the race course on the final day, one of my friends screamed at me, "STAY!"
I know it will be hard for them to understand the new me.
I'm not sailing regattas like they do any more.
Maybe I'm getting old.
Maybe I'm getting wiser as I get older?
10 comments:
Your "new" approach to Laser sailing is the perfect example for my evolving aging philosophy that is to GIVE UP doing things BEFORE you not only get tired and miserable, but before when our younger generation starts considering TAKING AWAY our freedom to do such things. The more we give up - after through consideration! such as you have done- the wiser we are and will present ourselves. Therefore by giving up some control we are able to keep more control of what REALLY counts. Thank you so much for working your approach thru so consciously and sharing same. Happy sailing AND grandchildren time!
Grandfather: Look, I thought I was supposed to be getting a change of scenery. But so far, I've been in a train and a room, and a car and a room, and a room and a room. Well, maybe that's all right for a bunch of powdered gee-gahs like yourselves, but I'm feeling decidedly strait-jacketed.
Lead makeup woman: What a clean old man!
Grandfather: Ah, don't press your luck.
I thought of that BEFORE I saw the Lennon video. Just goes to show you what they say about great minds...
Interesting perspective Bridget.
Just be clear I haven't given up Laser sailing. I just refuse to do it any more when it's not fun. I don't think I'm in any danger of the younger generation in my family considering stopping me doing anything yet, but I will bear your advice in mind if I sense that I'm in any danger of that.
Wilfrid Brambell! Brilliant! Saw that movie when it first came out.
do you have diamonds on the soles of your shoes?
Oo oo oo
As if everybody here would know
What I was talking about
I mean everybody here would know exactly
What I was talking about
I had a hard enough time understanding the old you.
So did I.
Thanks for the clarification, Tillerman. My observation of your "giving up" was of your process of analysis: stopping while still enjoying AND performing well-what you are doing (sailing). My theory is that if you continue to objectively and honestly pay attention to those two aspects you WILL stop sailing Lasers BEFORE you would run the high risk of hurting yourself or others.
The "doing well" may be the more critical of the criteria- for example an elder may still enjoy driving a car for instance, but they may no longer be able to do it well (because of sight, hearing or reflex degeneration because of age).
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