It appears that people are living longer more than ever. There has been reports that folks are surpassing ages when they should have been long dead. Turing 80 is no longer such a big deal. People beyond 90 is getting to be more common. Even hitting the big 100 is an age that is not only worth celebrating, but something to even make a joke about it. A person that this writer knows recently hit the century mark. When this person was informed that people reaching 100 would normally receive a birthday card from The White House, the person hitting the the big “C” gave the statement, “If I get a card from the SOB, I’ll send it back and he could shove it up his a$$!” (That’s an actual quote from a 100 year old man, so don’t shoot this messenger!)
The AARP, the organization that caters to those age 50 and up, have been celebrating the efforts to those that are of a mature age with what they can do, and how “hip” they can become during their lives. Granted, this demographic may not be the first on their block when it comes to the access and use to high tech devices and their applications, but they are adapting to this technology. It’s now more common to see those of a better age to use a smartphone that a classic style flip phone–the same kind of phones that were all of the rage during the earlier part of the 00’s!
A poll conducted by the staff of SeniorLiving.org, a website to assist those to find senior living communities, assisted living facilities and senior care sources, recently asked some 1100 people based in the USA on what age would be appropriate to conduct a selected activity, and what age should be the cut-off point in ending such a pursuit. The survey divided the groups by age as Millenniums, those born between 1980 to 1995, Gen Xers born between 1965 through 1979, and the Baby Boomers born between 1946 through 1964. All were asked in what form of activity should be age appropriate.
There were a few acts that were rather obvious, such as baring a child as all demographics noted that age 45 should be the proper cut off point due to medical reasons, and the fact that it’s rather difficult to raise a child at more of an advanced age. But there were a few other activities noted when one should stop doing because it was no longer cool to take part in. In some cases, there wasn’t any “cool” factor connected to the said activity, but still didn’t seem very appropriate to conduct.
Some of the activities that would be considered as “cool” consisted on when it was “too old” to attend what was labeled as a “Keg Stand”. It’s assumed that a keg stand consists of a party-type atmosphere where a massive amount of folks are clustered into a crowed room, loud music is being played, and the center of attention is a metal keg with a CO2 tap on its top dispensing warm flat beer consumed in plastic red Solo cups–the kind of bashes one would attend as a “young adult”, and would be an idea set scene for a media production depicting college life. (32 was deemed the age where one would be too old to attend a kegger.)
Some acts of age limits were also noted. Some were surprising, let along subject for debate. 39 was the maximum age to have a one-night stand, 49 was the limit for casual sex, 52 was considered to be too old in using a dating app, and 59 was the top age for viewing porn.
Other activities that learned toward standard life applications also worth noted focused on moving/relocating on a whim (51), working excessively (53), going to college (58), starting a new career (61), starting a business (70), getting married (73), applying for a credit card (75), and having a long term relationship (85).
Again, this survey was far from being scientific. It only expresses the views and opinions to those that answered the survey. To quite a line normally mentioned in car ads, your mileage may vary.
Media for the most part has always geared itself toward the younger generations. Pepsi-Cola, as this brand was once called, had a commercial jingle in the 1950’s entitled “For Those Who Think Young” sung to the tune of Making Whoopee. In the 1960’s Polaroid marketed its Swinger camera to the teens and college age folks allowing these people to take pictures that can be obtained immediately to capture their moments as prints. These commercials would air on such youth based TV programs as Hullabaloo, American Bandstand, Shindig, etc. In the later decades, the younger set continued to rule (or so it seemed), that made all youthful demographics as the set place to be!
In this current era, the new troupe advertisers chase are those called “Gen Y”, born between 1996 through 2005 (give or take a year). These are the folks that hold their own issues, beliefs, and places in life. And because they are the most wired, they hold to power to do whatever they want, assuming they have access to conducting whatever they need to do. (i.e. time, money, etc.)
But to those that are more seasoned, it appears that limits do apply. But these limits are not necessarily seen as a burden. Sometimes, and depending on what the activity is, performing an act at an advanced age may work out for the better. When it comes to a career, starting a new career when one is far beyond the 61 age as the survey suggests isn’t much of a bad idea. Many of these folks use the gig economy to refresh themselves in a new career, since performing a project on an single application basis gives them more flexibility. There are other perks that also exist as well. However, there are the downsides to. The fact that if one is starting a career, it means starting a business on their own instead of working for and in a larger conglomerate. There is the cloak of age discriminating that exists. Although their are rules and regulations when it comes to placement due to age, it’s rather difficult to prove somebody is stepping over the line. Ditto when it comes to gender. However, the focus here isn’t about how somebody can’t do anything because of age, it’s about when somebody should not be doing something just because of their age.
But the survey that this article uses as its base have a few interesting notions connected to it. The Baby Boomers, those that consists of the widest demographic period spanning eighteen years, enough to be divided between “first tier” (born between 1946-55) and “second tier” (1956-64), agreed to the fact that going to college can go beyond their 60’s and 70’s since many of these same colleges offer programs and incentives geared toward non-traditional students. (Some offerings are for college credit and for non-credit). The same goes for attending house parties, casual sex flings, and using dating apps. It may not be done in the same way as how it was once conducted while these folks were younger, but a lot of the same interest remains.
Perhaps the boomers take heed of The Who’s 1960’s hit “My Generation” where the lyrics stated “I hope I don’t die before I get too old”. The later generations also believe these words since many of them still listen to those songs that were popular way before they were born! It was from an era that seemed to be simple, yet it was far from that content.
Many others would find somebody doing an activity more geared toward a younger set as something that’s cute to do. Perhaps the activity may not be as wild and crazy, but there would be performed within a better mindset. After all, one is as young (or old) as they feel!
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NEWS AND REVIEWS
CRE Outreach presents MARCHING ON, a stage performance created and performed by eight veterans that served in the military, telling their stories that are far removed from the battlefields and training exercises that are part of the American armed forces.
In this piece, eight service people, consisting of Josie Benford, Irene Cruz, Paul E. Johnson, Monty Montgomery, Jefferson Reid, Mason Vokes, Judith Welch, and Carla Brame Wilkerson, appear in the first act in their military greens. This crew served in the Army, Air Force, Marines, and the Navy within various ranks. Told as monologues and mini skits, they speak of some of the aspects of military life. Not so much as what they did while under defense regulation, but what they did outside of military protocol, still keeping rank and file in doing their important and complex duties and assignments. The second act shows this same crew as civilians donning their street clothing. Now considered as veterans, they experience some of the benefits in living a former military career, while at the same time, experiencing the rather lack of respect from the majority (read: civilians) of the general population that is far from removed of the understanding on how tough it was in servicing their nation, while keeping their emotional toughness–even if that toughness comes with a price.
This production was created by this cast that takes on their actual personal stories to what is was like being a person in the service and exiting as a vet in this theater piece. Jefferson Reid serves as lead playwright extracting the basic structure to these stories from this crew that blends in these episodes as seen and experienced by those that were there. What is expressed on stage is a cross between comical antidotes and sobering tales. Granted, with such services comes the aftermath. However, the negative elements are not emphasized. Instead, what comes across is the pride of standing up to the nation they believe in, and will continue to pledge their allegiance in the present and beyond.
Although there is no stage set to speak oft (the performance is presented within a black backdrop with a few black table elements that serve as various barrier points), Scot Renfro creates the design of this stage area that the military personnel is showcased front and center.
Directed by Greg Shane, MARCHING ON, speaks for the declaration of marching on as the military presents, as well as marching on long after the honorable discharge is granted. Again, it may be difficult to understand to what goes on with those that have served their nation when one never became close to what these men and women had lived through. For those that were there, it’s a refreshing experience to see in many dimensions. But for the rest of those that never served for various reasons, it’s a small wake-up call reminding those same people that without the aid of these former service people, the USA may not be in the same place and function to where it stands today within the world. Military might may be right, only if it serves for a respectable purpose.
MARCHING ON, presented by CRE Outreach in alliance with Veterans Empowerment Theatre, performs at The Blue Door, 9617 Venice Blvd., Culver City, until July 22nd. Showtimes are Friday and Saturday nights at 8:00 PM, and Sunday afternoon at 3:00 PM. For tickets and for more information, visit online at:
https://creoutreach.org/event/marching-on/ ———————————————————————————————————————
Stephen Adly Guirgis’ THE MOTHERF-CKER WITH THE HAT, a dark comedy of two couples living within New York’s mean streets that rotate with one another, and the odd man that may assist in settling the score, opens at the Gloria Gifford Conservatory in Hollywood.
The setting is one of the tougher boroughs that make up the urban landscape of New York City. Jackie, a street-smart Italian that spent over a year in prison and is currently serving a stretch of his parole, is living with his longtime girlfriend of Puerto Rican decent Veronica. Jackie is undergoing his twelve-step program for alcohol, while “Ronnie” does her coke bingeing. Their relationship consists of heated sex, heated arguments, and heated make-up sex. After going through the rounds, Jackie finds a mysterious hat in their shabby apartment, suspecting that Ronnie is cheating on him behind his back, something that she denies. Although Jackie has a gun that he shouldn’t have due to his parole, he would be willing to use it on the man with the hat for doing Ronnie. He tries to have his cousin Julio (hispanic) to hide the gun in fear that his parole officer with catch him packing heat, and the fact that he just might use it! Meanwhile, Jackie’s friend and twelve-step sponsor Ralph D. (African-American) assists him on taking it a bit easy since Ralph D. leaves a clean life with his healthy eating. Although he’s married to his wife Victoria, their relationship is rather strained. This gives rise to an uneven circle of one doing the other’s wife/girlfriend, leading toward more compilations that is complicated as it stands!
This single act play written by playwright Stephen Adly Guirgis who’s known for developing stories and characters that are as gritty and street urban as they come, creates a tale that is extracted from the gutters and back alleys of the gettos that makes The Big Apple just what it really is–the armpit of the nation! Gloria Gifford, who received her training in theater in New York, and was the first to direct the New York based playwright’s show in Los Angeles, Our Lady of 121st Street a few years ago, brings her unique talents in creating a sense of a dark and dingy urban landscape found within this production. It becomes so absorbent, one can almost hear the roar of the “El” trains rumbling across the row houses that dot the neighborhoods while kids play in the streets–light years away from the glitz of Manhattan and the posh settings of The Hamptons.
This show features a rotating cast that vary in each separate performance. Jackie is played by Danny Siegel, Billy Budinich, and Chad Doreck. Ralph D. is performed by Keith Walker and Halie D’Alan. Veronica is played by Joey Marie Urbina, Nancy Vivar, and Raven Bowens. Jade Ramirez Warner, Leana Chavez, Keturah Hamilton, Cynthia San Luis, Lucy Walsh, Lauren Plaxco, and Samiyah Swann play Victoria, and Cousin Julio is performed by Christian Maltez, Benito Paje, and Joshua Farmer. (Specific cast rosters will be announced before each performance.)
The stage set as designed by Lucy Walsh & Chad Doreck consists of three separate sets lined up side-by-side one next to the other, showing off Jackie and Ronnie’s sparse apartment (center stage) with a futon placed directly on the hard floor as the bed with a beat-up love seat couch on the opposite side of the room, Ralph D. and Victoria’s unit (stage right) that is better kept with Ralph D.’s stash of large sized whey extract containers placed on a shelf for easy access, and Cousin Julio’s purple laden place (stage left) that is nearly in the style of an east Indian palace–almost feminine in nature, but not quite!
Of course, with such urban dark comedies, there is a lot of cussing nestled within the dialogue, making this play more enhancing! This method of playwriting and performing proves to the audience that the stories depicted on stage are not coming for the nicer neighborhoods found in Yonkers. It’s very hip and downtown in nature, complete with all of the mofos it can carry. And this show carries!
THE MOTHERF-CKER WITH THE HAT, presented by Jamaica Moon Productions and the GGC Players, performs at the Gloria Gifford Conservatory 6502 Santa Monica Blvd. (at Wilcox), Hollywood, until August 26th. Showtimes are Saturday nights at 8:00 PM, and Sunday evenings at 7:30 PM. For ticket reservations, call (310) 366-5505, or online at http://www.Tix.com
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ACCESSIBLY LIVE OFF-LINE (C) 2018 Linear Cycle Productions. All rights reserved. The views and opinions are those of the writers, and not necessarily of the staff and management. ‘Nuff said!
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