Once upon a time, entering your senior years was the beginning of the end, but today, it's just the beginning of the next chapter!
BANTER BITE BACKSTORY: Being "old" is a relative term based on how old you are, how old you feel, and how other people see you; in our case, young people may think of Red as a warm and fuzzy "older" mom but when they think of Black probably wonder, "What's she up to now?!"
Red's 59th birthday is days away, and she's not sure if that means she has only a year before "officially" becoming a senior citizen. (She doesn't count that AARP starts providing "senior" benefits to members as young as 50.) But lately has been thinking of the expression, "Youth is wasted on the young." Something that she never really understood when she was, well, young, but has started to appreciate more and more with each passing year,
What do they say about 60 being the new 40? Well, I agree. And the stereotypes I had of old people when I was young have totally changed, except on those nights when I'm exhausted and wonder who that "old lady" is in the mirror. Growing up, I never equated being 55+ (why does that sound so much younger than "almost 60") with being a very busy mom and being in a business partnership with my sister. But here I am. And loving it!
A five-year age difference between us seemed significant when we were kids, but the older we get, the smaller it seems. Although, sometimes Red still likes to point out that she's the younger sister. Of course, Black quickly responds with, "Yes, I am older, but I am also wiser." And, on the surface, that might seem sarcastic, but she sees it pragmatically,
Sometimes older is better. Like fine wine, vintage cars, and classic movies. And, lifelong learners. Because with age comes experience (and ideally, wisdom), and the older we get, the more we have to share. But, also the more we can learn from younger people. A few years ago, I learned about the Encore organization, which sees older people as role models and mentors, and provides opportunities for multiple generations to work together, learn from each other, and create a better future for everyone.
Today's National Senior Citizens Day, so whether you're a senior citizen and/or want to show your appreciation for the "seniors" in your life, please make sure to celebrate. And, for the occasion, we found these great quotes about getting older.
P.S. – We'll be taking a one-week summer hiatus beginning Monday, August 23, but please scroll down our homepage as we'll be featuring carefully selected "reruns"!
No matter what holiday you may celebrate, Red can’t help but quote a line from one of her favorite Christmas songs, “Have yourself a merry little Christmas. Let your heart be light. From now on, your troubles will be out of sight.”
And Black can’t help but point out that the song wasn’t introduced in a Christmas movie but in the movie "Meet Me In St. Louis."
Wishing you a merry everything and a happy always!
This is one of Red’s favorite Banter Bites in large part because of Black’s “corny” puns, but also because fresh corn is a summer staple – whether cooked on the grill or in the microwave, whether eaten on its own or as a primary ingredient in refreshing summer salads …
This may be one of the corniest things you’ll ever read.
BANTER BITE BACKSTORY: It’s just a vegetable, so how can it possibly elicit such a strong reaction from Red, while, for Black, it’s more a source of amusement and even, it turns out, admiration?
Corn. That’s what immediately came to mind when Red started receiving emails from Dewberry Farm about its annual fall festival. It was a family tradition when the girls were growing up, and between the fun but often frustrating corn maze (she and the girls were lost for a few hours one year), the corn cannons, and all the other activities, it was a marathon day that always seemed to be the unofficial start to fall (even if the day meant 90+ degree temperatures since, after all, it’s Texas). Of course, enjoying all the incredibly delicious food, like freshly popped kettle corn, from outdoor stands made it even more special.
And Black’s reaction to all these corn-related memories? Red was expecting sarcasm, but not this,
I knew I would get an ear-ful from you but am glad you did not send any corny jokes. Given how much you love fall, and everything associated with it, I expected many kernels of truth in your sentimental memories. However, I have one question, I am sure it was ear-ie when you got lost in the maze, but did you feel like you were being stalked?
The funny (not punny) thing is that Black’s comments, although somewhat out of character, reminded Red of our dad and his endearing sense of humor. So, when Black added that as long as Red had brought up the subject of corn, she might be interested in the Corn Kid, Red thought she was referring to a goat that ate corn. Until she discovered the best corn story – about how a little boy who simply loved corn became a viral sensation. (Red also loved his appearance in a Chipotle video because she, too, loves their corn.)
And Red could relate to the Corn Kid’s love of corn,
I never realized how much I love corn, not only for its taste but for all the memories associated with it. Whether turning a can of cream corn into soup (just add a little milk) when I was recently sick and realizing that I hadn’t had it since our mom made it for me as a kid. I know food triggers many memories; for me, it’s corn (including candy corn), although my love of popcorn is about more than memories!
Think you can avoid artificial intelligence? Think again …
BANTER BITE BACKSTORY: Red already fights technology at every turn, preferring to keep her ostrich head in the sand, plus, she finds Artificial Intelligence (AI) scary; whereas Black knows ignoring reality merely postpones the inevitable, so she’s started playing with AI to understand it better …
Red knows that she has the ability to learn how to use technology, so tries not to default into freakout mode. However, when it comes to AI, it’s an entirely different story, and she lets her theater degree and love of movies take over,
AI reminds me of the 1968 movie “2001 A Space Odyssey,” the computer named HAL, and the potential of machines to harm vs. help us. And while some, ok many, people might accuse me of being overly dramatic … am I?
Usually, Black would tell Red that her theater degree’s showing and to calm down. But when it comes to generative AI (it “studies” existing data and generates “new” content), many of the leading experts, including the “Godfather of AI” and one of the creators of ChatGPT (a leading AI system where users can pose questions) are the most vocal critics. They’re warning us of the potential dangers of the technology and the need to slow things down and have guardrails in place.
Unfortunately, Black knew that taking emotion out of the equation and focusing on the pragmatic would not ease Red’s mind, but that didn’t stop Black from explaining,
AI can be used to help solve some of the world’s most challenging problems but wherever there is opportunity for good, there can also be bad actors. I have played with it and seen firsthand how quick and easy it is for AI to generate intentional misinformation (including visual images) that seem plausible and real.
So, do we need to be worried? Well, as AI becomes more integrated into our lives, it will be critical for all of us to understand what it can and cannot do … meaning critical thinking will be more important than ever.
P.S. This content was NOT generated by AI. It was created by human authors (although Red claims Black’s a Vulcan) without the use of artificial intelligence or machine learning algorithms.