Q and A with a 100 Year Old Man

I imagine you are more interested in questions about the war, cars and the like, but I have one more question. My grandmother told me when she was 80, that she still felt like the same person on the inside, that she did at 35. She said there were days when she could become so absorbed in what she was doing, she'd forget her age, and then pass by a mirror, and it was like, OMG! Oh, this is how it is. Do you ever have moments like that? Do you feel like you are basically the same person you were at 30 or so, or are you very different?

I really like talking about planes, but cars are good too. I have thousands of tools here I've saved over the years. Every time one of my sister's husband's died, I'd get all their tools. I have several people's collections now, including one house we had up in LA that the guy sold us with a complete auto mechanic's shop. He just walked away from the house with a suitcase and we got all the furniture and everything. Three car garage! That came in real handy with the Model A and the Woody I owned back then. That's another good story. I brought that Woody home and


the 10 year old neighbor boy walked slowly all around it and then said, 'Mr. _____ , when you're done with that car, can I buy it from you?

Thirty eight years later, I was ready to get rid of it (dummy!) and had to find him through his sister back home in Iowa. I called him up in Chicago and all I had to say was 'do you still want that car' and his instant answer was 'YES!' He never even asked me what I wanted for it. I think I sold it to him for the original price.

For my 100th birthday, relatives came in from all over. One of them had been a pilot on the Stealth B-52. So I've come full circle from B17 to B52s. He gave me a key chain with a picture of the Stealth Bomber on it with the caption 'When it absolutely, positively has to be taken out overnight' - kinda violent, but cool anyways; these people don't fool around.

And from what your gramma said, yes! Maybe it's a good thing I can't see that well anymore. People tell me I don't look my age but maybe they're just being polite.

I really do feel like I'm 30 still. And 10, and 18 and 25....I have the same interests and the only physical thing is my knees hurt sometimes and my eyes aren't the best anymore. I just wish my wife had lived longer, she died way too young.

I'll have to see what I can do about pictures... not sure if it's a good idea on the internet or not ? The WWII pictures are on a disc somewhere around here in my clutter.

originally posted by: Night Star
What a delightful and fascinating man you are! Love the old car! Love hearing about your life experiences! Thank you so much for such an amazing thread! Thanks also to whoever is typing this out and adding little notes.

My Mom passed away last October at 92. I had a Grandmother that lived to be 90, but I have never known anyone your age before. You're a living antique. LOL! I don't know what to ask that others haven't asked already. I'm just in awe and smiling here. Much love and light to you SC.

OH, I do have a question! May we see a current picture of you?

I like your ears Pretty picture!

I have to pinch myself. I should feel like a living antique and everyone reacts to me that way (in some ways) but mostly it's fun.

Thank you very much for your warm thoughts :bows:

a reply to: seentoomuch

Made me cry, but the tears were sweet.

originally posted by: TheFlyOnTheWall
I have a simple question. Is history repeating itself.

Yes. New wars all the time with different scapegoats, ginned up to make the bankers rich. "War is a Racket" was the truth.

Trump scares the beejebus out of me; he's an awful lot like Hitler, Stalin and Mussolini were in the beginning - drumming up what became war fever based on feelings of self-righteous indignation and bad economic times. People are really good at feeling like their hard times are someone else's fault, and wanting to find someone's nose to punch. He's demonstrating it in his rallies - he's another Hitler. Honest. He's only in this for himself and has no clue what the job entails, and worse, doesn't realize what he doesn't know.

Hillary's just a liar and a crook.

Both of them want power too much to be given it. Again, I wanted Bernie even though up to now I've only voted Republican. Some of them were definitely mistakes.

a reply to: SentientCentenarian

I've absolutely loved reading your narrative, and the questions members have asked! You really must have a ton of things you do to keep busy for so long. Unfortunately I have let go of many, many interests in the past few years...due to how my life "wasn't" lived, but by simply existing...most especially declining further after my middle son died a very needless death last year. It's truly wonderful that you've had such a good life though, and especially that you're making note of so much of it, passing it on to everyone...beneficial to those trying to figure how to get through their own life!

Do you have any wise and/or words of experience to give to a weary fellow traveler who's trying, for some unknown reason I assure you, to find some sort of life raft to cling to for a life continuing on? Maybe something along the lines of dispelling the "why bother" attitude when you can't even pretend to have a map to get you from here to the end of the line? What keeps you going? Keeps you cheerily getting up to the prospect and promises a new day can bring? As figures of speech, yesterday is gone and tomorrow never really comes...which leaves the reality that "today" never really ends. I hope I haven't thoroughly confused you...I've had a bout of pensiveness today that maybe a few words of wisdom might help shoo away and leave a ray, even a glimmer of the positive to mull over!

Also... maybe I've totally misunderstood something somewhere, but if your mother was born in 1921 and you greeted the world in 1915...well, there's a lot of disparity there. You're quite the anomaly being born BEFORE your Mom! Can you straighten that up for me?! I would really appreciate it!

Thank you for indulging my whims!

Ole Dopey Me...

originally posted by: Rubicon3
a reply to: SentientCentenarian

I've absolutely loved reading your narrative, and the questions members have asked! You really must have a ton of things you do to keep busy for so long. Unfortunately I have let go of many, many interests in the past few years...due to how my life "wasn't" lived, but by simply existing...most especially declining further after my middle son died a very needless death last year. It's truly wonderful that you've had such a good life though, and especially that you're making note of so much of it, passing it on to everyone...beneficial to those trying to figure how to get through their own life!

snip -
Also... maybe I've totally misunderstood something somewhere, but if your mother was born in 1921 and you greeted the world in 1915...well, there's a lot of disparity there. You're quite the anomaly being born BEFORE your Mom! Can you straighten that up for me?! I would really appreciate it!
Thank you for indulging my whims!

Not sure where you got the '1921' date; I was born in 1915, mother in, let's see... 1880 maybe? I'd have to look it up. One of the first responses to the thread had a mistake in their math and I may have made a typo.

I'm so sorry to hear you've lost someone dear to you - it's impossible to avoid that but you never expect to go before your children! I'm already losing grandchildren! All I can say is that I have proof (not belief, but proof), as does my caretaker/companion and we have discussed it at length, that we survive physical death. Neither of us are particularly religious and certainly not churchgoers, but I've had 'messages' from the other side, from people who died in my youth. I know they were stopping by to let me know they were okay. Any vivid dream you get is a message. They're different and unforgettable.

I think my personality and attitude are inborn - I've always been quite cheerful and was quite mischievous and resourceful as a child. One of my earliest memories is making paper airplanes, weighting them with paperclips and running upstairs, sending the airplane soaring down around around the curve of the stairs and into the parlor. Then running down to retrieve it, running back up the stairs again, over and over again. I was the baby of the family and probably a bit spoiled or maybe just ignored in all the commotion of a big household. My mother was so busy making three meals a day and doing the laundry and housework with my sisters that I was left to my own devices a lot. I had a dog and boy, did we get in trouble! I was given money to go get pork chops for dinner once (probably less than a dollar for meat for the whole family, a loaf of bread was a dime) and on the way home from the butcher's, I would give the wrapped package to the dog who would run home with it and wait for me on the stoop. This one time I took too long coming home and he started to open the package and was chewing on the raw meat! I never did tell anyone about that!

This is going to sound odd perhaps (maybe not around here) but you might benefit from visiting a decent medium. If your son could come back and contact you, you'd put your mind at rest just as much as a good counselor could, and a lot cheaper. I know that most/many people see mediums as charlatans, but I can assure you, real ones exist.

And I bet you could find a neighbor or someone in your neighborhood you could befriend or help in some way. It tends to come back at you in spades - 'what you put out in the universe, etc...' I think working through grief is harder for introverts; we don't have that backup of distractions and other friends to get us back out of ourselves.

I'm still growing plants; we just planted eight lemon trees from seed yesterday (I had a lemon I let go too long and it sprouted) and three plumeria starts to give away. Maybe you'd like to take up gardening in honor of your son, or start up your favorite hobby you've let go by the wayside?

Okay, finally got this to work

You asked for recent pictures... this is my 100th birthday glider flight. So the two pictures are 84 years apart.

a reply to: SentientCentenarian

Look at you! you look good, but you need to stay on the ground in that thing! Whew!

originally posted by: angeldoll
a reply to: SentientCentenarian

Look at you! you look good, but you need to stay on the ground in that thing! Whew!

LOL! Not afraid of heights, never was! That was fun! That was right after the flight and darned if that pilot didn't bring that thing in on a dime, right from where it took off! With no engine!

I'm thinking ultralight this time, or maybe a Red Baron Bi-wing complete with a Snoopie doll, goggles and scarf!

originally posted by: SentientCentenarian
Okay, finally got this to work

You asked for recent pictures... this is my 100th birthday glider flight. So the two pictures are 84 years apart.

Fantastic that you are still active!

Do you think that is part of the reason for your longevity?

There was a man in the news recently and was quite old. I want to say 140? I read that he stated he was ready to die. My Mother used to say that she was so tired but when the time came to cross over I believe she was fighting it as much as she was able.

How are you feeling about when that time comes? Are you healthy overall?

I hope my questions aren't too intrusive and I mean no offense in advance.

a reply to: SentientCentenarian

Thanks for posting your pic. You look great! You certainly don't look 100 years old at all.

You are my ATS crush! Not even joking. You are amazing.

a reply to: SentientCentenarian

I love old country as well. Here are a few of my favorite






think this may have originally been a Hank Williams song

originally posted by: SentientCentenarian
Okay, finally got this to work

You asked for recent pictures... this is my 100th birthday glider flight. So the two pictures are 84 years apart.

Hahaa! Bravo!!! Look at you! Such joy and fun!! I hope I am still grinning and living life to the max like you when I am near your age, if I make it that long. You sir are an inspiration and a true breath of fresh air! I am sending you a huge hug through the interwebs!

I too believe our loved ones are just out of sight and touch for the moment, but will be reunited again. I miss everyone I have lost, but smile through my tears at the loving and happy memories. You give wonderful advice, I agree about the gardening.. it calms and quiets the soul. I'm not very good at it but I love watching the changes in the plants. That's awesome that you had an old lemon sprout! I have a small tree but struggle to keep it going.. I don't think it likes living in Texas much.

Fantastic picture! - thanks for sharing it with us

a reply to: liveandlearn

Oh, I know all those! Thank you! Bedtime music!

a reply to: TNMockingbird

How are you feeling about when that time comes? Are you healthy overall?

Very healthy - my doctor says better than him and he's half my age. People ask me 'what's my secret' and I tell them 'a Coke every day and chocolate with every meal!' Well, sometimes not for breakfast. I had my first Coke when I was about eight years old and it was the most wonderful thing ever. I saved up my pennies and bought one every day since then. I don't think I've ever missed one except in Japan. That's 90 years of Coca-Cola, they should pay me to advertise for them.

And don't tell anyone, but I really don't like vegetables.

I'm okay with dying. I've been expecting it ever since 1945, in one way or another.. lucked out, I guess. I keep telling people 'the devil don't want me yet!

Typist's note: SC is a bit of a nutritional anomaly - he really eats little to nothing in the way of vitamins but likes bacon (!) sandwiches, chicken, milk and small amounts of orange juice. He literally eats like a little kid. Oatmeal cookies and a small Snickers bar for dessert, every day. No fruit, no vegetables except rarely.

He was put into a study on the 'Wellderly' here in San Diego and they took blood samples and a history. It's my totally unproven theory that while humans aren't supposed to be able to manufacture their own vitamin C and are dependent on diet for it, I think SC can; it would explain the often unresearched part of 'well, it's genetic' that some families are so long lived. I asked them if they could test for that, but the nurse just told me 'they'd look into it.'

I can assure you that if he was dependent on diet alone for his vitamins, he would have been well into scurvy by now. I've got him taking vitamins now for his macular degeneration and a multi, but for decades before that, he took no multivitamins at all and his diet was almost exclusively banana nut muffins and milk for breakfast, bacon sandwiches and the coke/snickers for lunch and a tv dinner for supper. His wife was ill for several years before he passed, and so she wasn't cooking for him either. He shoulda been dead years ago. And all this diet, and no discernible heart disease. If he does get ill (UTIs have been an issue) he bounces right back like a rubber ball within a few days of starting an antibiotic.

I agree with you all (and you've really made his day!) He's delightful and a national treasure.

Please let this post continue..

Could you tell me the story about your first love, and what it means to you now?

a reply to: SentientCentenarian

Must have been a type-o on your mom's birthday. It's on the 1st page, about the 5th response down, by TNMockingbird. My mom was born in '21...a very good year.

I need a job like the one your companion holds, great communication between you two I'll bet, without the hassles of...hah, actually you still look like you could give a lady a run for her money!

Everything you mentioned and then some is within my realm of accomplishing. But...lack of motivation is the ever widening chink in my armor. I'm not going to bore you, and everyone else with details. It's like my late, ex-husband used to say: I'll either get over it or die that way.

Thank you for your kindness and thoughtful answer. I really, really appreciated you taking the time for me. It meant a lot to me....

Take care of yourself and both feet on the ground!

a reply to: SentientCentenarian

Thank you to both of you for your responses.

The diet is interesting as we spend so much time/money on health and fitness and is it really a point?

In most cases likely yes but SC's case? Not so much it seems.

I often wondered about the genetics that you mention as Mother's family seemed (the women at least) to live long lives. My Aunt who will be 102 eats Little Debbie cakes and drinks sodas. I don't remember her ever cooking a meal.

I hope your friend and you realize how appreciated you are and how much some of us have enjoyed this detour off of the beaten path.

Hope to see you both around tomorrow!

a reply to: SentientCentenarian
Why is it that here you say you believe in God and were Methodist, while here you contradicted yourself saying "I have been an atheist all that time."

?

a reply to: SargonThrall

I believe* in a small god if any; that power that somehow forms and energizes everything, not the guy on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. My parents were lackadaisical Methodists by virtue of their parents. I don't remember ever going to church as a kid. My initial response in this op was measured to the tone of the questioner; I don't often hit people over the head with the full weight of my feelings on the subject. Many people can't take that and I understand that.

I have no love for organized religion (what I call big G - God) and feel it has caused no end of suffering and horror.

Most people when they speak of God and religion in the US mean Christianity. It has been so screwed up, mistranslated and misinterpreted over the centuries for purposes far from the original, as to be evil. It has been used to control people, make money for a certain class and torture. It's used to divide the 'haves' - the believers, from anyone else not so willing to be led. It's worst sin has been being a block to scientific progress.

Is that clearer? I may have overreacted in that post because of the subject matter (and one I had to hold my tongue on for way too many years, because being an atheist in America can be dangerous), but I stand by my post. I was also upset with the OP for suggesting, against all sanity, that atheism is somehow a religion. That one took the cake.

* believe may not be the right word... more like a necessary placeholder for something society seems to expect. It's all rather odd, really.