Sam Bauman: Change in the weather, a change in you?

There’s been a welcome change in the weather, including a bit of rain.

No floods, just damp pavements. So maybe it’s time for a little change in our attitudes, beliefs and dogmas. New ways of thinking, believing. I know I’ve changed recently, thanks to a brief mention of Patrick J. Buchanan’s political book “Day of Reckoning” in a New York Times’ op-ed piece. Buchanan’s book was praised there. It was published in 2007 and quickly sank from critical review, but I thought I might want to try it — not that I could ever be described as a conservative. But it was time for me to change some thinking and I thought Buchanan might help me change. I’ve been locked in my liberal thinking for years so a dose of the right wing may be invigorating.

So I got the Carson library to chase down a copy of Buchanan’s book from a distant library. I read most of it in a day or so, skipping the more weird thinking. It turned out of to be a conservative primer on recent American political and violent actions, narrowing down on President George W. Bush’s major woes, including the Iraq war.

Buchanan’s solution to much of America’s problems was to pull back from being the world cop, end free trade and shut down borders. He even proposed a solution to nuclear dangers from Iran with a proposal to do what the U.S. and other countries came up with almost a decade later. Nobody reacted to the idea back then as right wingers do now negatively.

Well, the book improved my respect for Buchanan and changed some of my political opinions. So change worked for me, but there are other personal changes I needed to make. As don’t we all.

Change in the weather, so what else to change.

One thing stuck out— my habit of a strong martini before dinner leavened with soft cheese on crackers.

That has to go, I decided, much as I loved my gin and vermouth on ice. So I don’t do that much anymore. Reduces my liquor bill as well as my waist. A change.

So that’s what I suggest for all of us, seniors on down. Make a change in your lifestyle. Take a look at the things that might be holding you back.

Changes in lifestyle may well upset family or friends. If I can give up my martini, which never got me in trouble, I think, surely I can find other changes to make.

I came across an old song that pretty well sums up change; seniors may remember it:

“There is a change in the weather And a change in the sea From now on There’s gonna be a change in me;

My walk will be different My talk and my name Nothing about me, Gonna be the same.

I’m gonna change my way of living, and if that ain’t enough, I’m gonna change the way I strut my stuff

Oh nobody wants you when you’re old and gray. There’ll be be some changes made today.”

I don’t know about the “old and gray” line. I’m old and at least partly gray, but I hope somebody still wants me, maybe my old college sweetheart with whom I correspond regularly. No love notes, just fond memories and photos. And I’m trying to change my way of living, dressing, running around and general fun.

So I’m not suggesting readers upend their lives, just that they may want to consider some things, large or small. Change is good for all of us. It’s better than boredom.

Gotta share this one

The following was passed on to me by fellow columnist Guy W. Farmer, who couldn’t figure out how to use it.

Local resident Keith Berry received a letter from city assessor David Dawley recently notifying him that he was late in paying tax due of 2-cents. Berry noted that a U.S. stamp currently is about 47 cents was used to mail the bill. He contacted Dawley and pointed out that 47 cents for 2 cents was a losing proposition. Dawley agreed and paid the 2 cents himself.

Who says government doesn’t work!

Sam Bauman writes about senior issues for the Nevada Appeal. Check out his blog at http://saml-news.blogspot.com.