When I turned 60 three years ago, I had a crazy idea that I could amass a list of 60 tips and insights I have learned in my lifetime. I enjoyed the project although 60 was ambitious to try and track backwards.  

Over the course of this year, I thought I could put a twist on that theme and create a smaller list of things I have learned since I turned sixty. The approach is the same. Items on the list include unusual facts which made a lasting impression on me, practical tips and life insights. The original post can be found HERE:

1. Don’t put dishwasher pods in the designated door mechanism. Place it in the bottom of the dishwasher. It prevents the messy residue when part of the pod sticks in place or sticks to your silverware with caked soap.

2. The LIV in LIV golf is a Roman numeral for the number 54. This is the number of holes in a round in this Saudi Arabian-backed golf league.

3. In order to accumulate all of the soil nutrients that 35 pounds of leaves require, a maple tree (about the height of a street light) must first absorb and then evaporate at least eight thousand gallons of water from the soil. That’s enough to keep 25 people alive for a year.  (I read Lab Girl written by award-winning botanist Hope Jahren.) I look at trees completely differently now. They fight to survive; and they fight against each other for the resources they need.

4. There’s no fear in showing who you really are (or there shouldn’t be.)

5. There is a direct correlation between your advancing number of birthdays and the gear numbers on your traditional bicycle. One is going up while the other is trending down. (Currently, I’m down to the left shifter at one, right shifter at 4.)

6. George Jetson from the animated comedy The Jetsons was born July 31, 2022. (Yikes! Our world should be 30 years ahead of what we saw on the television show.)

7. Power washers are a blast. (No, seriously.)

8. By age 60, many people would rather slow down time. But there is an exception I’ve discovered. When my birthday hits now, it is a happy time, but not because of presents. It means that I am one-year closer to receiving (almost) free medical care! 65 is the magic year for Medicare in the U.S. I had a funny conversation with a check-out employee at a grocery store who said she felt conflicted that she wants to race through age 62, 63 and 64 just to reach 65.  She’s even planning some procedures once she reaches it. I’m not there yet, but I totally understand. It’s a strange feeling to want to wish important years away.

9. To prevent mosquito bites, include some level of lemongrass oil in your arsenal. Just look for the ingredient in bug spray or search bug spray with lemongrass online for options. It’s less toxic and works just as well. It smells better too.

10. You can test positive for Covid for two full weeks.

11. Other people’s expectations are other people’s expectations.

12. If your city doesn’t have a medication drop-off center, you can place them in old coffee grounds before taking the trash out. This makes them unappealing to man or animals. A nurse taught me that.

13. Watching someone fade from dementia is devastating. Period.

14. Corked bottles always include that tiresome thin metal closure at the top so the cork doesn’t dry out. It’s always been a pain to cut that metal in a circular motion near the top to reach the cork. Cut no more! Place your corkscrew right at the top and drill down right through the metal; and the cork if you wish all at once. Or, remove the metal and then the cork.

15. Although I understood the concept of Déjà vu, I didn’t realize the translation literally meant “already seen.”

16. I like Brussel sprouts! It’s hard to imagine that at 63, I’m even trying new vegetables. I was introduced to roasted Brussel sprouts by my daughter-in-law a few years before 60. That was the first time I saw them in a positive light, but they quickly rolled back into obscurity. For the first time ever, I spotted them on a restaurant menu two months ago and decided to be brave. They were crispy with some seasoning and delicious!

17. Apparently, there is a date provided for a lifetime subscription to some online services. In my case, it is July 3^rd, 2064.

18. Don’t judge ocean “cruising.” Seriously. I did that many times before I turned 60. My reasons included “they are all booze cruises”, “you’ll feel claustrophobic between ports” and too much “peopling”; especially with the mega cruise ships with 5000-7000+ people. But it’s not true. The larger size of the ship absorbs the volume of people and it is easy to find quiet space in many areas. The views are spectacular (especially the night sky) and visiting new ports is educational and fulfilling. Potentially, they can take you to worlds far away.

19. We always have more to learn; and that’s exactly how I like it. We have to keep active and using our brains!

Tree Photo by Yugal Srivastava on Pexels.com

Wine bottle photo by Timur Saglambilek on Pexels.com

Ship Photo by Wendy Wei on Pexels.com