No caption needed for narcissism
I turn 62 today which in America qualifies one as "senior" and is considered retirement age eligible to receive Social Security benefits. But then journalists do not retire. They work until the deadline or until such time as they are dead, whichever comes first.
The idea that I was not "senior" less than 12 hours ago and am one now is hilarious. In my mind I do not feel any markedly different at 62 than what I felt at 26, which can mean only one of the two things. Even at 26, I was too old in my spirit to be young or at 62, I am too young in my spirit to be old. These are just glib aphorisms. Speaking of aphorisms, in my close circles I have a minor reputation for producing pithy, quotable lines.
For instance, I have been re-reading Oscar Wilde of whom I had said this over 35 years ago: "Some of his lines are so good they could have been written by me."
I think it may be an interesting idea to offer you some of my lines chosen from the last four decades, starting with when I was 22 in 1983. This is just a random sampling. I have hundreds of such lines.
- Don't dust your conscience here. I suffer from moral asthma.
- Price cannot become value by wearing a couple of diamond rings, mink and mascara.
- Every time I jumped over the wall of my conscience, I landed on the same side. Either there is no wall or no sides or no conscience.
- Who know where zephyr (morning breeze) has through that it carries the fragrances of so many beloveds.
- What is life
but forever
a transit
to a destination
like a simmering mirage
in a desert
There is no
getting there
but ours is
to merely chase it
-
In my case, the wisdom came first
The age is coming only now
-
With age wisdom does not come.
What comes is a greater tolerance for the lack of it.
-
We all hide our share of guilt
In a sheer shroud of conscience
That tears at the slightest prodding
Of scrutiny
-
Let my pretenses be friends with your pretenses
And spare us the burden of revealing ourselves