Someone looking like that

 

My gracefully aging journey is a work in process that constantly leaves visual footprints that my aging is real and not imaginary like the mirror images I see in subdued lighting suggesting something other than my truth.  Mrs. Pierini Fitness said it best earlier this year when telling me that while all my fitness training may give me a lean and mean athletic body appearance than someone my chronological age, it comes at a price of giving me a face looking like a 70-year old man.

Ouch, that sort of hurt.  Not really, but it made for a great laugh.  Life isn’t worth living if you can’t have a good laugh about yourself, courtesy of someone else.  My reply was that I’d gladly take a lean and mean body any day even if it comes with a 70-year old looking face; Freddy Kreuger, here I come!

Further visual evidence of my aging was bountiful this year because I took a lot of photographs of myself during a lengthy period that I named as my Coronavirus 2020 no cut look.  You see, I went about eight months without a haircut in a “science experiment” of sorts.  While my hair doesn’t grow as fast as it used to, after eight months, I had some amazing hairlocks length and wildness that gave me an appearance I hadn’t had in a long time.

And, along the way in my Coronavirus 2020 no cut journey, these photos showcased some of the most unflattering imagery possible of Pierini Fitness.   I surprised many clients and acquaintances who hadn’t seen me in a while, and repeatedly annoyed Mrs. Pierini Fitness who constantly badgered me to get a haircut.

But I held out until I retired; then, on my first day being retired, October 1^st, I finally visited my barber and got a haircut that would make an Army drill sergeant happy.  It felt good to be groomed; the science experiment has run its course.

There were, however, some surprising benefits to the grunge look I sported for over one-half a year.  First, the panhandlers who frequent the area where my office was located no longer hit me up asking for spare change.  Second, I had a homeless person come up to me once and look me in my eyes, telling me, “Hey man, you’re going to be OK.  Life will get better, trust me.”

Well, not really, but telling this to others made for a good laugh.

To sum up my Coronavirus 2020 no cut science experiment lasting a whopping eight months, it gave me a look that some would say, “Back in the day, you had to go to the circus to see someone looking like that.”

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum

Eradicating the real pandemic

A recent news article had an eye-catching headline of Nearly All Patients Hospitalized With Covid-19 Had Chronic Health Issues, Study Finds.  I was curious so decided to read more.

The next sentence in the article stated that “Only 6 percent of patients at one New York area health system had no chronic conditions.  Hypertension, obesity and diabetes were common.”

According to the Mayo Clinic, obesity is a complex disease involving an excessive amount of body fat. It’s a medical problem that increases your risk of other diseases and health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and certain cancers.

According to the CDC National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) data brief, the prevalence of obesity in America was 42.4 percent in 2017-2018.  Furthermore, the prevalence of obesity increased from 30.5 percent to 42.4 percent in a short 8-year time period ending in 2018.

This suggests that the real American pandemic is obesity.

How many Coronavirus deaths could have been avoided if Americans weren’t obese?

While some have attempted to define obesity as a disease, the prevalent conclusion is that it’s not; therefore, it’s preventable.  

Maybe America should concentrate on eradicating obesity much like it’s doing with Coronavirus.  If obesity is eliminated or substantially reduced, then there should be corresponding decreases in hypertension and diabetes.  

And, since obesity, hypertension and diabetes appear to be the common chronic conditions prevalent in Coronavirus hospital patients (i.e., those more likely to die), it seems logical reducing obesity will reduce Coronavirus-related deaths, and deaths from whatever happens to be the next great pandemic.  

Why don’t we use the same approaches in ridding American obesity that are being done with the Coronavirus?  You know, like shelter in place and practicing safe social distancing, closing businesses and controlling what people can do and where they can go.  Maybe it’ll work.

Imagine a national obesity-related shelter in place public health directive and mandate preventing all Americans from eating excessively?  Yes, all Americans and not just those suffering from obesity because the ones who aren’t would be at risk from possibly eating excessively by being in close community eating contact with those who are obese.  

Of course, there would have to be exceptions for those people considered “minimum essential” during this obesity pandemic shelter in place.  They would be free to eat whatever they want.  Government officials, law enforcement officers, health care professionals and a few others would be classified as minimum essential, similar the current minimum essential crowd coexisting during the current Coronavirus shelter in place mandates across America.

These lucky folks would be able to eat all they want at buffets and doughnut shops remaining open just for them.  But for everyone else, obese people and others, these places would be off limits; anyone caught there and violating this public health mandate would be subject to fines or jail time.  Violating the mandate would be a misdemeanor appearing in published public crime records and reports.

Safe social distancing would be required for everyone except the minimum essential elite.  Everyone would have to keep at least six feet away from an excessive serving size plate of food and no exceptions would be allowed.

And to protect everyone, a face mask would have to be worn with a small opening at the mouth.  You could only eat food when wearing this mask.   This would help protect against eating more food than permissible by the national public health directive and mandate.

There would likely be other mandates that our government public health officials, in collaboration with the World Health Organization and the CDC would dictate in their valiant efforts to eradicate our American obesity pandemic.

Such as businesses not being open and people being unable to resume a normal lifestyle until there was a measured remarkable decrease in American obesity.  It wouldn't matter if our American economy takes a nosedive crash resulting in rampant unemployment and substantial financial strife for most people.   The government would just approve a multi-trillion dollar relief package to hold everyone over until the obesity pandemic dust settled.

After all, it's just money, digitized and printed by the stroke of key on a computer keypad from some financial ivory tower where these money supply shenanigans take place.

The notion that this might drive some people to depression and even suicide would be nothing more than an afterthought in the minds of government public health officials.  After all, preventing deaths of obese people is all that matters, and not overloading the elevators of hospitals from transporting obese people to and from hospital emergency rooms and intensive care units located on different floors.

Before the shelter in place and other mandates could be lifted, there would have to be widespread testing to prove a flattening of the obesity curve is taking place.  People would have to submit to waist circumference measurements and being weighed so that their Body Mass Index (BMI) could be calculated.  

Public health officials would record these measures and there would be several websites you could visit to determine how the hot spots in the country were doing during the obesity pandemic. 

There would be daily press conferences by our elected officials, and there’d be no shortage of social media activity such as the Twitter crowd critics constantly bombarding and criticizing what our President is doing and failing to do during this obesity pandemic.

None of this would matter because it would only matter that we eradicate American obesity.

And, unfortunately, non-obese healthy Americans would have to go along for the ride.

Makes me think about what’s going on with this current Coronavirus pandemic that perhaps we shouldn’t put the cart before the horse and instead be focusing on and eradicating the real pandemic.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum

Will the dog in me one day bite me?

Over 35 years ago when I was last an employee, I had a supervisor who many co-workers judged as a difficult person.  Fortunately for me, I didn’t share this judgement.  I got along with him reasonably well; although, at times, it wasn’t easy.  Perhaps the reason was  he treated me decent and different than how he treated others.

Why? 

I’m not sure but his “different strokes for different folks” way of dealing with co-workers is common human behavior.  Regrettably, I engage in similar behavior and am sure if you’re honest, you do too.

Anyway, he had a certain notoriety and often came up during  work break conversations when he wasn’t present.  The chatter was typically dominated by those who judged they were always on the short end of his different strokes for different folks conduct.

One person among this crowd once said something about him that made me laugh.  He said that “So and so is so darn ornery that his dog regularly bites him.”  I don’t know if this was true that this man’s best friend did bite him or if it was merely a figure of speech to drive home a point.

Over the weekend, I talked to a friend who shared how he was suffering from stir crazy syndrome.  He’s been afflicted with it since being shelter in place homebound due to a Coronavirus Executive Order by our Governor.  I’ve had my stir-crazy moments too, although the work I do is considered “minimum essential” so I’m free to go to work.  Therefore, I’m “legally” more mobile than my friend and others.

Nonetheless, I still have mild stir-crazy moments even though I’m likely busier than my friend.

Why?

Is it because the chaotic vibrancy of living life in the fast lane is now an unfamiliar stillness of sorts?

When will it end?  Your guess is as good or bad as mine; as the saying goes, time will tell.

Maybe, yes maybe, this stir-crazy feeling is the result of being tired spending too much time with ourselves.

Maybe, yes maybe, we really don’t like spending too much time with ourselves.  

Maybe, yes maybe, by spending a lot of time with ourselves, we’re getting to know ourselves better.

And maybe, yes maybe, we’re learning there are things about us we really don’t like.  Maybe like my former supervisor who co-workers found difficult to get along with.  

I don’t own a dog, but if I did, would my dog bite me like, supposedly, my former supervisor’s dog did, according to the co-worker’s revelation?

There’s a good chance our stir-crazy symptoms will continue for a while.  We’ll have many opportunities to further explore and discover how well we get along when spending lots of time by ourselves.

Is there something about our behaviors making it unpleasant for others and ourselves to be around us?  

Will the dog in me one day bite me?    

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum

Create a pandemic

Every which way you turn, look, listen or read; you can’t help but getting another serving of the Coronavirus Pandemic that’s globetrotting around the world scaring the daylights out of most people.

Perhaps the heighted concerns, fears and perceived risks so many have is the result of the way in which the latest and greatest Coronavirus grim reaper news is reported by the media.  Yellow journalism pioneers Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst, in their fierce competition to outdo each other measured by newspapers sold, figured it out over 120 years ago.  

The modern media continues this yellow journalism legend with the news articles it delivers except now, the measure is the number of times an internet article is clicked by internet surfers rather than the number of newspapers sold on street corners more than one hundred years ago.

Doom and gloom news, written yellow journalism style, often has little or no legitimate research.  Instead, it’s delivered with eye-catching headlines, exaggerations and/or sensationalism because that type of news does a better job of enticing us to read or click.

And, our political leaders oftentimes join the yellow journalism-style club with their announcements.  

California Governor Gavin Newsom is a case in point when he recently said that up to 56 percent of Californians stood to be infected with the Coronavirus in the next two months, unnecessarily scaring the daylight out of a bazillion Californians.  He has made no mention, to my knowledge that up to 80 percent of those who have been confirmed having the Coronavirus experienced the mild symptoms version of it.

Elected official and yellow journalism media tag team effort

Fear has an amazing ability to turn masses of fiercely independent people into sheeple, people who are docile, compliant or easily influenced.  If we become sheeple, our elected leaders who believe more government is better government will race to claim the job of being the sheeple herders, guiding all during this "sheepledemic".

Sheepledemic – Mass panic of epidemic proportions resulting in herd behavior of people like a herd of sheep.  Used to describe mass voluntary acquiesce to a suggestion without critical analysis or research.  It's created by a fear-thriving media and political leaders who believe more government that results is control of a nation and world by those in charge is better government.  Good for promoting socialism and communism. 

This Coronavirus brings back memories from eleven years ago when my wife and I visited Mexico City to attend a one-week pro-life conference and retreat.  Much to our surprise, we arrived during week one of the Swine Flu Pandemic of 2009.

Prior to our departure, many people who had visited Mexico City, including my wife who has relatives living there, warned of what would be waiting to greet me when I arrived.  Unbelievable air pollution and traffic congestion is what they told me.  However, “thanks” to the Swine Flu Pandemic, I experienced none.  The Mexico City skies were blue, the air was fresh and jaywalking across a busy Avenida was something I did with ease.

Swine Flu week one 2009 in Mexico City with no traffic

This one-week visit gave me a rare firsthand chance to observe how the government and people of Mexico City, and outlying areas we visited, responded to this escalating pandemic.  The behaviors, sights and sounds I witnessed were not much different than what we’re now experiencing with Coronavirus.  Face masks were worn, churches and businesses were closed, and the people of Mexico City were not out and about living and thriving like their normal.  

For me, a visitor, it was a one-week surreal experience that I vividly remember to this day.

Mexico City mobile medical personnel 

during week one of the 2009 Swine Flu Pandemic

Mexico City mariachi business as usual during week

one  of 2009 Swine Flu Pandemic in Mexico City

At the end of the week, I remember collecting my observations and reflecting on what had been my experience.  What emerged was a defining reflection that if you want to control the people, create a pandemic.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum

The courage to do so

To the best of my recollection, this is my first reflection composed, using my iPhone, from home where I’ve been secluded, and practicing social distancing, since last Tuesday.  Like many, I’m a little stir crazy at the moment having more time on my hands that I know what to do with.

And, like many, I’m following the latest Coronavirus Pandemic news trying to identify and collect my thoughts and feelings.  

Thinking about the economic challenges so many will face is hard to comprehend, even for someone like me with above-average financial literacy.

At this moment, our elected leaders are trying to put together a public safety net of economic solutions for those in economic distress.  What will evolve should help but maybe not enough.

Wouldn’t it be great if everyone of means reached into their private pockets, obviously according to their means, and helped someone financially who, because of this terrible crisis, becomes of less than means?

I pray that I’ll have the courage to do so.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum

Don't pick your nose

Almost eleven years ago, Pierini Fitness composed one, among many, of his favorite middle-age man reflections - Find something else to worry about – after observing many of his clients worrying unnecessarily about the economy at the time and its impact on their personal finances.  His takeaway message to clients from these observations was that all was well, and they’d have to find something else to worry about.

Time would prove that I was correct, although true to the statement, history does repeat itself and at this moment, a nation and a world is worried to death about the Chinese Coronavirus.  It’s understandable because fear is a pastime for so many people who have become comfortable worrying about this and that.  We all have fears because we’re human and Pierini Fitness would never say that he doesn’t suffer from occasional fears, it’s just that, perhaps, he does a better job of co-existing with them and being able to continue marching forward in the life he’s living.

God willing, he’ll continue to be able to do this because, like everyone else, there’s a risk of some degree that this virus could afflict him.

But, to all my fellow middle-age men around the world, I have an important press release that hopefully will provide you with some welcoming comfort.

Pierini Fitness has recently conducted cutting-edge research on the impact fear has on the risk of catching or avoiding the Chinese Coronavirus.  His findings are that fear has no impact so go find something else to worry about.

But do exercise caution in going about living your life to the fullest.  Follow the best practices possible regarding personal hygiene, being careful in meetings and travel, handling food carefully and staying home if you’re feeling sick.  Don’t put your fingers in your mouth and don’t pick your nose.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum

As an older adult

Photo courtesy of the CDC website page about older adults

The recent coronavirus fear pandemic is exacerbated by the media’s constant stream of news coverage.  It seems they’ve discovered the reading public has an insatiable thirst for more news about it.  And, it’s likely that a recent news article posted on the internet will be a clickbait giant.  Where will it all end?

Fortunately, Pierini Fitness is rather busy right now with his work and, by necessity, spends less time surfing the internet for the latest and greatest news. Some news headlines, however, manage to grab his attention.

Like one from last week.  It had a clickbait title, “New CDC guidance says older adults should 'stay at home as much as possible' due to coronavirus”.  Always curious of who is “older”, I succumbed to the clickbait and power-read the article.

It reported that “early data suggests older people are twice as likely to have serious illness from the novel virus according to the CDC.”  Further into the article, I learn that older people are over 60 years of age.  

Yikes!  My “older people” ship departed five years ago according to the CDC.

This made me curious to learn what else the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) powers to be who are responsible for the health and safety of middle-aged men, and older adults, are saying about us.  Plenty and troubling are what I learned.

Recent content on the CDC website about “older adults” casts a blanket doubt on our health literacy skills.  Specifically, they warn health care professionals the following about the health literacy skills of older adults:

(1)  71 percent of adults older than age 60 have difficulty in using printed material,

(2)  80 percent have difficulty using documents such as forms or charts, and 

(3)  68 percent have difficulty interpreting numbers and doing calculations.

The CDC advises that “we can improve how we communicate with older adults and create materials and messages that match their health literacy skills.”

Who are “we” that are being advised?  Obviously, health care professionals but, undoubtedly, among them are older adult health care professionals.  

Does this mean the warning is also self-directed?  Are older adult health care professionals capable of advising us older adult ordinary average American citizens?  After all, the warning suggests we’re a crowd of bumbling Mr. Magoo-type health illiterates.

What about our President or the cast of characters parading across the country peddling their qualifications and asking for our votes to be our next President?  They’re all septuagenarians and a couple of the candidates will soon enter octogenarian land.

And, what about the head of the CDC, Dr. Robert Ray Redfield Jr.  He’s 68 years “old” and, by golly, an older adult according to the warning his CDC organization is giving us older adults.

Older adult, 68 year old  Dr. Robert Redfield, CDC Czar 

They're all card-carrying members of the Geritol Club.  Are they incapable of delivering the leadership necessary to win the war against this coronavirus?

Obviously, this blanket older adult warning fails to delineate how the general literacy and level of education older adults have may impact who is really at risk.  

Who wrote this website content?  Some older adult employee of the CDC?  I doubt it.  

Probably some millennial employee wanting to move up the CDC government bureaucracy ladder and frustrated that an older adult supervisor is getting is his or her way.

Pierini Fitness perceives there’s a new generation of discrimination on the horizon; actually, it’s already arrived, but will grow to new levels unless we middle-aged men of the older adult CDC variety, and all other older adults, call a “spade a spade” to those making such blanket nonsense aging-discrimination statements.

Pierini Fitness has always been proud being a middle-aged man and this CDC nonsense makes him equally proud identifying as an older adult.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum