Tuesday 23 September 2014

A Case Of Too Much Information Is Not Good!

Hands up if you've Googled at the first sign of a cough, wrinkle or extra kilo?

I had the most fabulous afternoon yesterday. We had an afternoon Tea, a la Burgenland. Coffee, homemade Beigl, wine & vittles. Nowadays it doesn't happen too often that I am the spring chicken at a party, but yesterday I was.

The hostess had just turned 90. She lives with one set of her children and they were away on holiday. Gosh, only one thing to do...as she had the place to herself, a party was arranged! Super. Spunky. Fun. Throughout the afternoon, her other children kept popping in to see if she needed help with the party. Another bonus of living in a small village!

Around the table were her great friends ( of a similar age or a tad younger ), one carer in her 60's and me. Honestly, being around that age group is the most relaxing, life enhancing experience one could have. Who else but the successful lottery winners of longevity should give us advice on life?

Haste, waste and too much are eschewed for a simpler lifestyle. Somehow they all agreed, that today's lifestyle of " bigger, better & more " is not always the best way to go.
Ironically the luxury of raising a family on one income ( ie. Mum staying at home ) could be done if the family were to adopt a motto of : " less is more, don't need to have the latest toy, don't need to have a bigger house / car /..."

Anyway, back to the afternoon and its party. As I was the designated driver I didn't have wine, but others did and how wrong could they be if they are already established members of the octogenarian club? As with most parties, the talk turned towards health or rather the lack of it.

At one stage a friend dropped by for a visit but she declined any food or drink save for a glass of water. Oh, she is part of the craze sweeping the dieting crowd. They eat what they like one day and nothing / nil / nada the next...ad infinitum. Yesterday was her day of not eating anything. When she told us that she has done this for 11 months and dropped 40 kgs we were awed.

But not awed enough to stop eating today or the next. Anyway, she was saying how important drinking enough water was and we discussed what water we all drank. The trend for soda water is high in our village but I only like tap water. And a few other ladies agreed with me.

This is where it got interesting. The carer, told us that she had read on the Internet the various merits of water and what we shouldn't drink. Well, as most of her audience were of an enviable age and successfully so, they just looked at her with raised eyebrows...They were not going to change!

Have you ever been at a party where the remedy of anything was talked about. If there are 10 party guests, you will more than likely get 10 different remedies and opinions. That is just how we all are. Imagine, going online to read about your perceived illness...it is as if you are at a party with millions of guests, getting millions of different opinions. Not good at all.

Bear a thought for our doctors...each time we go there, we are ready to challenge their diagnosis with the odd opinions garnered at a mega party on the Internet...!

Biggi

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