Category: Fourre-tout

“Everyone should have a deep-seated interest or hobby to enrich his mind, add zest to living, and perhaps, depending upon what it is, result in a service to his country.” ~ Dale Carnegie

You might have heard that today, France is in an almost permanent state of political upheaval. The government wants to progressively change the retirement age from 62 to 64, and labor unions are adamantly (and often violently) opposed to it.

But the average life expectancy in France is now 82.18 years, meaning that you will have 20 years to occupy yourself after the holy retirement. It is a long time and for many, it often turns out to be a harsh disillusion. After a short period of exhilaration, many feel bored and restless… and horror of horrors, some even yearn to go back to work.

People, like animals, are creatures of habit. They cannot abruptly stop a life routine without encountering ill side effects. Retirement is often a brutal life disconnect that can be extremely traumatic… It is somewhat akin to swimming: if you quit paddling, you will drown.

If you retire, you need a hobby, otherwise, you will feel lost and make your mate’s life miserable.

“When a man retires, his wife gets twice as much husband for half as much money.” — Chi Chi Rodriguez

To keep everything peaceful on the home front, a human being needs to give his mate (and himself) some breathing space. And the hobby should include a variety of people… to fill the gaping void left by his former colleagues.

In this respect, pétanque is an excellent hobby. You get out of the house, meet friends, get some exercise, and go home happily tired (and unable to start even the slightest argument).

I doubt that anybody could find fault with this. If you don’t want to lose your zest for life, you need to remain active and social.

In conclusion, I would like to quote an extremely capable woman who molded her husband into the 29th President of the United States:

“I have only one real hobby – my husband.” – Florence Harding

How about this?

Alain

Last Saturday was a sunny but rather chilly day in Marin, especially in the late afternoon when the sun retreats behind the Civic Center building. This didn’t prevent some pétanque devotees from showing up and practicing their favorite game.

According to the experts, Pétanque is good for the body and equally good for the soul. So, my lubovnitsa and I go to the local field on a regular basis to play a few games and keep in touch and enquire about AWOL friends.

People are creatures of habit and can easily fall into a dull routine, doing the same things and seeing the same people day after day. So, on Sunday, my friend Jean-Claude Bunand and I decided to have an afternoon delight by going to a fabled place called Lamorinda

According to another friend (who shall remain nameless), it is an area where the sun always shines, populated by friendly half-naked natives; they will invite you without any chichi to their tables, games, and tepees.
Who could resist such an invite?

After a 45 minutes ride, we arrived at the Promised Land around 1:30 PM. Everybody was having lunch and we were greeted enthusiastically by the natives. We were offered flowery leis, food, drinks, and some gold ingots by the local vahines. We were also invited to participate in a few games with them.

We gratefully accepted and played a few matches with the friendly natives. After a little while, due to a (permanent) grumpy back, I stopped playing and concentrated on memorializing this event for our grandchildren. Armed with Sneaky Pete (my discreet little camera) I spent about an hour documenting the feats of the natives. They were good and photogenic, but definitely younger than our own aging arthritic members.

To quote an unknown philosopher, age is no big deal, “but the side-effects are getting harder to ignore.” – I can vouch for that.

Around 4:30 pm, most of the regulars had left and we decided to do the same thing.

A particular group of six though was not about to quit and continued playing. According to the legend, they play until dark or until they drop to the ground from exhaustion. Some people stay behind to carry the limp bodies to their cars.

To summarize, it was an afternoon delight, spent with the extremely friendly natives. If someday, you wonder what to do, I recommend Lamorinda, the magic land across the Bay where the sun and the skirted natives are always hot and friendly.

When you go there, tell them Alain sent you.

Alain

PS: Click on “My photos” to feast your eyes on the friendly natives.

I have owned my present car for almost a year now, and it still feels like a new romance.

It is good-looking, smart, responsive… and much trendier than my previous vehicle. It sports of course a sophisticated navigation system, with multiple icons… but they are not always straightforward.

Relationships are notoriously tricky, and a smart guy should learn quickly what button to push to please his new girlfriend. But unfortunately, it looks like I am not that clever, and I am still a little overwhelmed by all those buttons.

So, being kind of nerdy, I turned to ChatGPT for advice and asked “What is the best way to deal with a new girlfriend?”And this is what my technical mentor suggested:

1. Communication is key: The most important aspect of any relationship is communication. Talk to your girlfriend openly and honestly about your feelings, expectations, and concerns. Listen to her as well and try to understand her perspective.
2. Be yourself: Don’t try to be someone you’re not just to impress your girlfriend. Be true to yourself and let her get to know the real you.
3. Respect her boundaries: Everyone has their boundaries, so make sure to respect your girlfriend’s. If she’s not comfortable with something, don’t push her.
4. Be supportive: Show your girlfriend that you care about her and her goals. Be there to support her in her endeavors and help her when she needs it.
5. Have fun: Enjoy spending time with your girlfriend and create happy memories together. Do things you both enjoy and try new things together.

OK, got it. Thank you ChatGPT; I will talk, listen, and respect my car’s boundaries. I will be supportive (give it as much gas or care as it wants) and always try to have fun with it.

In retrospect, the main difference between a new car and a new girlfriend is that, although being extremely smart and knowledgeable, a new car will never quarrel with you. This is probably why it is called a “smart” car. It might sulk and refuse to do something, but it will never lose its cool or hold a grudge.

I, on the other hand, can ask my car (always politely of course) to repeat a task, and it will always respond positively. And unlike a new girlfriend, my car will always remain well-disposed towards me.

In closing, I want to thank ChatGPT for its wise suggestions, and I will try my best to keep this romance going for a long time.

Thank you for your attention.

Alain