My husband and I often have brunch on Sunday mornings at a college hangout, so we are able to observe  current  fads and fashions.  Some we like—skinny pants, boots, short skirts, mini dresses. And we’re seeing fewer tattoos.  But it’s the nose piercings that leave us puzzled.  Why would a pretty girl –or any man or woman– want something  like a bull ring between their  nostrils?  I dunno.  When we were in college I recall we did a lot of kissing.  Seems like a long smooch would be uncomfortable if you’re having a piece of metal pressed against your lips.  Not to mention that it might be gooey if it got infected or you had a runny nose.  The allergy season could be problematic.

The studs on the side of the nose are more attractive. Especially on dark skinned people, they look rather exotic.  But apparently, there’s a down side to the studs, too.  They can get infected, and cause ugly pustules to break out on your skin   And sometimes they leave permanent scars.

Some psychologists believe nose piercing  is a way of rebelling, or making a statement that you’re hot and sexy.  But a beautiful woman doesn’t need anything to make her more attractive.  And if you’re not exactly gorgeous, it seems like a bad idea to draw extra attention to less than perfect features.   A clean, fresh face glowing with youth doesn’t  need  piercings.   

I actually didn’t pay much attention to what she was saying because her tight fitting red blouse was distracting and annoying.  If you put on a garment that is too tight across the bust,  usually, you take it off  and find something that fits now that you’ve gained some extra weight. Nearly busting  her buttons  looked like a cheesy way to get male attention and approval.  I  used to manage  rental property and if I had to take a young woman to court for eviction proceedings, invariably she would show plenty of cleavage or wear a button buster.  Unfortunately, most  male judges were susceptible and gave the defendant an extra week or so more than the law requires.

Apparently, she was going for the tailored look, but this photo- shopped picture of Stormy in her heyday is the only one I could find on the internet that wouldn’t get me kicked off Blogger.   And if you look for too tight blouse pictures, you will find they are for adults only.   Honestly, why would anyone take Stormy Daniels seriously?  (Except a male judge, maybe) Meow, meow.

Remember the time–just a couple of years ago–when you thought you knew what a Service Animal was?  You believed it was a dog trained to perform specific tasks for their physically or mentally impaired handlers.  That’s all changed of late.  For $75,  you can go online and register your pet as an  Emotional Support Animal.  The benefit being that you can take it on a plane, into a restaurant, or into a no-pets rental unit.

But hang on there.  It’s not as easy as it sounds.  There’s a little caveat to buying that certificate. If you really want to force someone to accommodate such an animal, the registration must be accompanied by a letter from a doctor–and in some states–a psychiatrist, if you’re planning to take your case to court.  In my state of Indiana, owners of public accommodations are not required to allow Emotional Support Animals, only Service Animals.

People didn’t used to advertise their emotional problems.  If you were depressed, you saw a doctor or shared it with family and close friends.  You didn’t think it was anybody’s business but your own.  But now, you can proudly walk into an airport or restaurant with a cat or a pig and everyone will know you might be on Prozac, and can’t  get through a day without this animal to prop up your mood.  Never mind if someone nearby is wildly allergic to cats. Allergies are no defense against Emotional Support Animals.

It might be a good idea to bring along a box of Kleenex the next time you take a trip or go out to dinner.

We of the Silent Generation retired years ago.  And, believe it or not, there are a few codgers still left from the Greatest Generation.  None of us had ever heard of a computer or a cellphone when we were teenagers.  Television was in it’s infancy.  One of the most popular ways of passing time for young people was playing cards.  College students hung out in student union buildings playing bridge. Other popular card games were pitch, euchre, poker and hearts.  Card games required you to interact face to face with live human beings.  A lot of conversation and bantering took place while you were waiting for someone to decide which card to play.

One of the things retirees miss most is seeing people every day.  For older retirees, card playing is a bridge over those troubled waters.  Some men and women in their eighties play cards five times a week.  It keeps their mind active, but more importantly, they can  make new friends and  interact with real, live people on a regular basis.  Playing cards keeps loneliness at bay .

What will Millennials do when they retire? Will they sit back in their rockers and play games on their smart phones or computers all day?  And will social media prove an adequate replacement for the friendly–and sometimes not so friendly–work relationships they took for granted? There’s always television, of course, but anyone who’s been bedridden for a week or so knows how boring and unfulfilling that can be.

Perhaps they think they will play endless rounds of golf or tennis.  What they can’t foresee is whether their knees will hold out that long, or if cardiovascular problems will rule out any type of physical activity.  Hobbyists will enjoy their crafts, and gardeners will plant more bulbs.  But at the end of the day, it’s nice to hang out with friends in a good game of cards.

Young women today have certainly come a long way since the Women’s Movement of the 60’s.  They hold important jobs, receive equal pay, and don’t have to make a choice between family or a career.  They can travel far and wide and do wonderful things.  But there’s one place where women haven’t progressed at all.  In fact, they taken several steps backward as far the time and money  they must devote to their physical  appearance.  

50 years ago, a woman who wore black eyeliner, false eyelashes,  fake fingernails,  4 shades of eye shadow , rouge and dangling earrings  was probably in the theater or the world’s oldest profession.  Most everyone else wore a bit of foundation, possibly some eyebrow pencil, a dab of lipstick, and off they went.