Just Visited My Aunt, In A Home.

[EOengineer]

One of my biggest fears relates to why we're all here (playing a musical instrument): That someday, due to some health issue, I'll no longer be able to play guitar. That's a big one for me.

I'm fine with diminishing skills; I just don't want a stroke, or something that takes it all away.

Like, I've been very careful with my hands for 45 years, and every time I use a saw, especially a table saw, I stop for a moment and consciously put my mind into complete focus on what I'm doing. Even to the point of if someone is working near me, I don't have any conversations while I'm in the process of cutting anything. And if that little voice in my head speaks up, I do whatever he's concerned about. In fact, that right there is a big reason people get injured- They ignore that voice. "Oh it'll be fine." Or he's in the background, and you don't even pause to think about whatever the danger is.

I know 4 people who got careless with saws. 3 got lucky, I drove 1 of those to the hospital, and the 4th lost fingers. I think there's even one guy over at FAS who lost a finger.

F*CK THAT! I wanna play til the day I die!

I had an uncle that loved two things - playing guitar and driving hot rods. Late last summer he took his new hot rod out for a spin, got into a bad single car accident, and died after a couple weeks in a coma.

When I learned they couldn’t even find half of the bone needed to reconstruct his arm, I sort of had a hunch how this was going to turn out for him. I couldn’t see him with all those guitars and not being able to do what he loved.

I’m not ashamed to admit I’ve wondered if I’d really want to go on if I mangled myself badly enough to lose the ability to play. I’m no Jimmy Page, but losing that would take a lot from me.

 

[FuzzyAce]

Enjoy life while we can folks. There are no guarantees. Love as much as you can.

 

[fretworn]

I’ve seen people with all kinds of physical and psychological infirmities go on to do all kinds of amazing things with their lives…

I figure whatever the circumstance; I’ll do the same with love, passion, and faith.

For those that we love… that just requires priorities. (I’m fortunate enough to be able to watch someone teach me.)

 

[la szum]

I’m sorry she’s having such a hard time. That’s hard for her, it’s hard for you, probably others too. Hope you are holding up ok.

We’re going to be hearing a lot more about end of life care over the next decade or more. I’ve seen both my parents lose their retirement in their 60s due to medical debt. I’m terrified for what their late years are going to look like and I know they aren’t the only ones in that boat. Things could look very bleak for many.

Yup. An ever increasing aging population relative to fewer people overall in younger generations.

I am afraid we have no idea of what a truly unsustainable situation looks like. We will, though.

 

[fretworn]

Yup. An ever increasing aging population relative to fewer people overall in younger generations.

I am afraid we have no idea of what a truly unsustainable situation looks like. We will, though.

It’s called “family”… The solution has been around for millennia, despite the current events to destroy it.

It’s funny how we ignore the simple yet universal truths.

 

[EOengineer]

It’s called “family”… The solution has been around for millennia, despite the current events to destroy it.

It’s funny how we ignore the simple yet universal truths.

yeah but shareholders can’t feed their families families.

 

[la szum]

It’s called “family”… The solution has been around for millennia, despite the current events to destroy it.

It’s funny how we ignore the simple yet universal truths.

I think the only problem with that is "family" is not what it once was. Families are dispersed all over the Country
--- and sometimes even internationally.

Ideally, yes, we would all stick together.... but it is just not as simple as that for most people. Rural communities
are especially gutted of the 20 to 50 crowd. Young people have to move and relocate due to lack of economic
options in the millions of small towns they grew up in.

We are not an agrarian society anymore.

 

[fretworn]

Ok

If not family… then whom?

 

[la szum]

And people having fewer and fewer children in the last 40 to 50 years means family is WAY smaller.
There are generally not 5 to 10 children to share the division of labour of taking care of the aging.

1, maybe 2 or 3 kids tops. Unless you are Mormon or Catholic.

 

[la szum]

Ok

If not family… then whom?

I agree 1000%, fret!

Just trying to keep in mind the historical and cultural trends that are HUGE obstacles
for a lot of people.

I say this as someone who is the only child close to his aging parents (Mom and Stepfather). The other
siblings are all hundreds to thousands of miles away and are very keen on saying what should be done
about this, but not actually ever here to do anything about it.

Not bitter. I am the blessed one.

 

[EOengineer]

I agree 1000%, fret!

Just trying to keep in mind the historical and cultural trends that are HUGE obstacles
for a lot of people.

I say this as someone who is the only child close to his aging parents (Mom and Stepfather). The other
siblings are all hundreds to thousands of miles away and are very keen on saying what should be done
about this, but not actually ever here to do anything about it.

Not bitter. I am the blessed one.

Its a double edged sword. Each generation grows up being lambasted by the previous one for being lazy, soft, unambitious. People leave their small towns to find or create opportunities to prove everyone wrong…then they get blamed for killing the family unit. Damned if you do. Damned if you don’t.

One silver lining is that I do think we’re starting to see the adoption of remote work change this a bit. My wife and I moved to the town my family lives in once we secured stable remote work a couple years ago. I’ve seen many others do the same. Hopefully this puts families in a better position to help each other out down the line.