Aging better as the merry-go-round slows down

Photo by Michael Pelzer

Gosh, with all the really big stories floating around the twitterverse recently, I thought that I would pontificate on at least one of them.

Maybe Robin Williams or the Robocalls guilty verdict or the veterans of Canada organizing to defeat the Harper government or Statscan not being able to count employment numbers. All worthy of attention indeed, but for the moment at least I will leave them alone, and share some thoughts on a column written by Virginia Bell for Huffington Post on "aging better". 

Bell claims it gets better as you get older. "You get better. Life gets better.The merry-go-round slows down and you can finally enjoy the ride..."

I don't usually read past the first couple of paragraphs of most stories ((I've become an all the news in 140 characters kind of guy) but Bell's comment intrigued me. 

She suggests that it's not easy but possible but "necessary to make peace with yourself, your past, and the whole process of aging. That naturally involves forgiveness, compassion, and patience; for yourself first of all and for others. In fact, aging is the ultimate 12-step program; Aging Anonymous! Instead of giving up drugs or drinking, you have to give up all the things you're still holding onto; the material things as well as the emotional baggage; the grudges, resentment, and regrets. It doesn't happen overnight; it's an ongoing process and like any recovery work it's tough, humbling but ultimately life changing."

Aging Anonymous! Nice touch. Bell also makes it clear that it doesn't mean we can't continue to be "active, ambitious and successful but hopefully the ego is no longer calling the shots..."

Damn ego. I recall that after retiring from College of the Rockies, the phone didn't ring as much; I was no longer the centre of attention as the sage on the the stage in front of the classroom, which I had, at least in my own mind, been for more than 30 years. It was downright depressing and I recall chatting over coffee with Dr Berry Calder, the college president about it.

Berry laughed and gave  me the solution. "Come up here and get a cup of coffee from my pot which you have been doing for years, wander the halls and chat." I did and soon I drifted away from the college, gradually making the adjustment. I hardly ever visit the place now.

Bell offers good advice: "The projects we pursue and the life we lead need to reflect that and be aligned with who we are now and not who we once were. If we're able to make that transition then getting older can be a rich and fulfilling experience."

She offers four suggestions:

1.  Finding a purpose for this phase of life is essential: It doesn't have to be professional but we all need something that brings us joy and gives us a way to be in the world as an elder person. 

2. If you don't have a purpose then take some time to discover it: Ask yourself, if you died at this moment what would you regret not having done? A life review is a valuable process; one that is highly respected among psychologists, social workers and gerontologists. 

3.  Develop your inner life: Carl Jung believed what healed patients in the second half of life was to cultivate a spiritual outlook. He recommended tools such as dream analysis and creativity. Journaling, prayer, or spending time in nature are also ways to awaken those parts of the self that were not developed while we were building a career and constructing our social persona. Meditation is another.

4. Simplify, simplify, simplify: As we age the desire to acquire is less and the need to scale down becomes stronger. Our focus is shifting and we don't have the time or physical energy to deal with a lot of stuff. 

Bell adds: "Ultimately, aging well it's about being authentic; discovering your own rhythm, making your own rules, going at your own speed. It's being flexible enough to change and grow but not feeling pressured to stay relevant and look youthful. So lean back, lean in, reach up, lie down and most of all love yourself where you are."

Before you ask, yes, I have been working on bits and pieces of Bell's four suggestions for some time. Even today I am.

For example, when I was a daily newspaper reporter, I may have had to write on one of the political stories I noted at the beginning. If I was still teaching English literature, no question I would be preparing a lecture on Robin Williams outstanding performance as a teacher in 'Dead Poets Society" and the use of metaphor in Walt Whitman's "My Captain. My Captain" in the movie and in his life.

But I'm not. In fact I am on my way to have coffee with the guys in the Friday Morning Coffee Club where maybe, just maybe we will discuss the burning issues of the day, and maybe not too. We may just laugh at the absurdity of it all. My email is mj.morris@live.ca

Here is link to Virginia Bell's article: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/virginia-bell/aging-gracefully_b_5567746.html

Friday Morning Coffee Club Holds Birthday Party for Three Members

From left Jim, Joel, Bill, MJ, Ron, Yme, Mark, Gordon

The Friday Morning Coffee Club (FMCC) which meets at the Starbucks in the Cranbrook Target store celebrated the birthdays of three of its regulars with Joel Vinge, one of the founders, leading a rousing rendition of  "Happy Birthday",

Celebrating birthdays and getting a muffin with a candle on it and a card were Ron McFarland, Gordon Ingalls and Bill Nightingale, youngsters all!

FMCC was founded over a year ago shortly after Target opened its store here. I started having coffee at its Starbucks mainly because I discovered that several of my former students from College of the Rockies were working there, and I wanted to show them my support. I also liked the friendly staff, (team members in Target jargon), excellent prices and customer service (guest service in the Target manual)

Shortly afterwards, Joel, who had just moved into the neighbourhood, decided to walk over from his new home, and  join me. We told Jim Roberts about it, FMCC was launched and has had as many as twelve show up for coffee.

Before FMCC some of us did not know each other too well, and we come from a great variety of backgrounds, personally and professionally, from all over Canada, with one from the United States.

For me, who has not gone for coffee "with the boys" since I was in high school, a few years ago, it has been a new experience. I look forward immensely to our weekly meetings where conversations range from being asked to check our wardrobes to see where our clothes were made to attempted smuggling of booze across the border, the latter in younger days of course.... and everything in between but all in a lighthearted vein.

I really enjoy hearing the stories the boys share, and I laugh a lot. Some of the members are at least a couple of weeks older than me, and some younger, but the lighthearted conversations bring us together. It is great fun.

I am a great believer that we should make every effort to focus on those things which bring us together rather than divide us, and FMCC does it for me. Thanks guys.

And, thanks to the Target and Starbucks  "team members" who extend the hand of hospitality to us each week.

I tweeted to Target Canada about the party and here is reply:

@MichaelJMo - Birthday greetings to your Friday Morning Coffee Club members. We're delighted you choose to celebrate with us. Thanks.

Chapleau Public School Demolition "Missed Opportunity" Ian Macdonald Writes

CPS 2014 Vince Crichton Photo

With the announcement by the Algoma District School Board that it had called for tenders to demolish the historic Chapleau Public School (CPS), there was bound to be discussion inside and outside the community. CPS was merged into Chapleau High School after structural problems were revealed.

Ian Macdonald, who attended both Chapleau Public and Chapleau High schools in the 1950s, and recently retired as head of the department of architecture at the University of Manitoba, and was awarded the prestigious position of “professor emeritus” contacted me about doing an article calling the proposed demolition a “missed opportunity”.

Ian has written extensively on Chapleau’s buildings over the years, and has also been awarded the Preservation Award of Excellence from Heritage Winnipeg for his work in preservation of historic buildings. Ian has also written about the CPR in Chapleau.

As always Ian provides an insightful look which may be helpful to the citizens of Chapleau primarily who do not even have a local representative on the school board now…. MJM

Ian on left at Professor Emeritus Ceremony

Chapleau Public School Demolition: A Missed Opportunity

By Ian Macdonald

History often provides interesting lessons for us including those associated with the first Reeve (mayor) of Chapleau, G.B. Nicholson.

The first CPR depot in Chapleau which was opened in 1886 was eventually replaced by a new depot completed in 1909. The usual process in those days would be to demolish the old depot once the new one had been completed and was fully operational. G.B.Nicholson, however, was not your usual kind of individual. He proceeded to purchase the 1886 depot from the CPR and relocated the building to Monk Street.

1909 station

The two storey component of the old depot was refurbished as a two storey house and the single storey baggage room component. became a single storey duplex. These three residential units are still fully functional and useful buildings one hundred and twenty eight years after being originally built and one hundred and four years after being relocated to Monk Street. Fortunately, Mr.Nicholson rejected the easy option of demolition and exercised his creative and innovative instincts to do something that was both socially useful as well as being resourceful and practical.

First station

I understand that the Chapleau Public School is scheduled for demolition and I can’t help but speculate on what old G.B. would have done if he were alive today and confronted with the situation faced by the
Algoma and District School Board. I thoroughly reviewed the engineering report on the Chapleau Elementary School Ceiling Finish Collapse and could easily understand how one might quickly conclude that the prudent thing to do would be to demolish the building and quickly make all the bad stuff go away. It is important, however, to cut through the engineering jargon and focus on the core issues.

The original 1925 Public School building is essentially a wood frame building with timber stud walls and floor joists similar to most residential platform frame construction of the day. The width of the classrooms, however, had to be a clear twenty four feet requiring specially milled 2” x 12” floor joists twenty four feet in length for floor and roof assemblies. The usual maximum length of these kinds of joists to-day is sixteen feet.

Monk Street residences

The main problem with timber joists spanning twenty four feet is that they deflect up and down and eventually cause anything attached to them to gradually fatigue and fail. Those of you who attended Chapleau Public School in the early 1950’s may recall that the plaster ceiling in the semi-circular assembly hall failed and demolished a couple of sturdy wood work benches in the process. Fortunately the students were all in their respective classrooms at the time thus averting a major disaster had all the students been in the assembly hall at the time the ceiling came down.

The deflection problem which was systemic throughout the building should have been rectified at that time through the introduction of secondary structure to reduce deflection and strengthen the floors. If this had been done, there would not have been any of the subsequent problems of future ceilings coming down or over-stressed floors as identified in the Elliot report.

Now let’s get back to what G.B.Nicholson might have done with to-day’s situation. I spent a couple of hours sketching up some plans exploring the potential of converting the original Public School building to an eight unit residential block to see what was possible . All eight units in these sketches were highly amenable, consistent with current building code requirements and each had an excellent view of the river.

G. B. Nicholson

Construction of these units included the supplementary structure necessary to eliminate any deflection or floor strength problems. What do we gain after all this you might ask? The town recovers construction costs through the sale of these units plus the ongoing tax revenue generated by an eight unit residential facility. I’m sure this is the option that G.B. would have looked at and should have been the option that everyone should have considered before opting for the path of least resistance and issuing the RFP for demolition.

 I have a pretty good idea of what G.B. Nicholson would have done and I’m sure you do as well. Unfortunately G.B. isn’t with us to-day to provide the visionary kind of leadership necessary to deal with the myriad of problems facing our communities to-day. He has, however, provided examples for us to learn from that have endured and stood the test of time. The question is whether we have the creative energy and common sense to learn from them and apply those lessons today.

Thanks Ian. As an aside Mr. Nicholson was reeve of Chapleau from 1901 when the community was incorporated as a municipality until he retired from office in 1913. Interestingly, his wife Charlotte Weller was the first school teacher. My email is mj.morris@live.ca