Pet Names My buddy, who just got married recently, confided in me the other day that he feels awkward calling his girl "his wife." I told him to give her a bad ass wife term then, something sci-fi or military or something. I used the example of "Spousal Unit Alpha Zero One." He fucking loves it. Feeling Happy I'm getting better at feeling happy lately. Not that I've been unhappy, because I've been happy, but very discontented in life. Mostly job and money related. I've been feeling better lately though, because I think I'm starting to come to terms with where I'm at in life and being okay with it while still trying to be better, but also because I think I don't think I need that stuff to be genuinely happy. Dala and the dog are both great and I'm reminding myself more and more how much I really appreciate them. My buddy who's back from the navy now? Hung out with him twice. Catching up on missed years of chewing the fat and friendly shit talking and just really enjoying him as a person. Every day that I have a day off, I pick a random contact in my phone and give them a ring, just to have a conversation. That's done a lot to pick up my spirits. Little things, you know? Know what the biggest thing is though? I've kind of given an emotional middle finger to my job without actually letting it affect my work. I still, in a day, do more than some of my coworkers do in a week. I still show up on time, work my whole shift through, clock out when I'm supposed to, and basically be a fucking champ. But man, I'm not letting it drag me down. The other day, one of my bosses tried to call me in on my day off and I said "Nope. Sorry, plans already made for that day." Even if that wasn't the case though? I'd probably have still said no. Don't take me wrong, I usually enjoy my job, and Ialways enjoy working, but shit, there comes a point and time where being the constant "go to guy" just isn't fulfilling anymore and I'm there. Know what my plans were? Play Dungeons and Dragons with a bunch of buds and eat wings and Taco Bell. Know what I did? That. No what I didn't do? Work. Know what I didn't think about? How I should be at work. Know how fucking amazing that is in retro-spect? FUCKING AMAZING. I mean, I literally got wrecked by a four legged gargoyle to the tune of 120 plus damage in a single roll, and I was laughing my ass off with glee, I was having so much fun. Speaking of Dungeons and Dragons One of my friends just got a job as an activities co-ordinator for a senior living facility. I told them they need to teach all of the residents how to play D&D. Shit. When I get old and senile, I want someone to play D&D with me. Dark Souls III SHIT! This game is addictive. People say it's NES hard. That's a lie. Compared to Castlevania, this game is easy as balls. That said, it's a shit ton harder than say Halo or Fallout and because of that, it's so satisfying and I'm just loving every bit of it.
I think nursing homes are going to look VERY different by the time we're of an age to live in them. WiFi is going to be a must. Video games and online activities are going to be constant, residents will have their own electronics and they won't be as dependent on staff and family members to have their needs met. If we can manage our weight and deal with any sensory issues as they come up (cataract surgery, hearing aids, etc) I believe the current crop of under forties will be the least affected by dementia so far.
Yeah, I think from a mental health and social interaction perspective, I could see how video games and online activities would make aging easier. For the most part, those types of activities tend to be low effort/high reward, which, let's face it, is part of the reason they're so popular now.