You’ve no doubt heard of Crohn’s disease, a chronic inflammatory disorder of the bowels. My heart goes out to people with Crohn’s because it can be very debilitating and difficult to live with.
However, there’s another condition with a very similar name, and this is the one I want to talk about today. It’s not easy to discuss, but I need to face my fears and tell my story.
My friends, I suffer from Crone’s disease. I don’t have full-blown Crone’s yet, but it’s just a matter of time.
Medical literature on the subject is scant; patients generally present with very vague signs and symptoms. Because there are no tests for Crone’s, proper diagnosis can be made only when the disease is already advanced.
I vividly remember when I noticed the first symptom. I was at a bar and the music was really loud. Probably no louder than the music at other bars I had been to, but on this night the volume really bothered me. I was seized by the overwhelming urge to tell the bartender to “turn down that fucking noise.” This was accompanied by a strong desire to reflect loudly and at length on how much better the music was when I was in high school and college and how “bands today all sound the same.”
I had never experienced anything like that before. It scared me.
Several years later, another alarming symptom reared its ugly head. I was out with some friends. We had a great time carousing but after so much debauchery I needed to call it a night. I looked at my watch. It was 11pm. That can’t be right, I thought. It’s got to be around 4am. My watch must have stopped. How could this be, that after only a few hours I was tired and wanted to go home?
I didn’t know it then, but I was in the early stages of Crone’s.
Other symptoms emerged recently. Not long ago I used the phrase, “Kids today have NO IDEA.” I sometimes mutter under my breath at loud groups of young’uns in their 20s and 30s. And when people discuss celebrities, I frequently have no clue who they’re talking about. Blake Lively? Who’s he?
I babble about how U2 was really great “back in the day.” I bemoan the fact that people born in the 80s and 90s are co-opting The Breakfast Club and calling it a movie for their generation. Yeah, well, I’ve got news for you, you little punks: you can’t possibly know what it was really like back then. I was there, bitches. So why don’t you just run along and play with your Xbox or something?
Doctors don’t talk about prognosis when it comes to people with Crone’s. But I’m not stupid. I know what’s in store for me.
I’ll start saying “I’m too old for this shit” more often. My joints will make odd cracking noises, like an old house settling. It will take me ten minutes to get up after sitting on the floor. Certain foods will no longer agree with me but I’ll insist on eating them anyway and complaining when my stomach hurts and I can’t sleep. My glasses will crap out and I’ll be forced to read stuff by holding it either really far away or right in front of my eyes.
I won’t even get into the visible manifestations of Crone’s disease because they’re too numerous and horrifying. But I will say this: grey hair is associated with an increased risk of Crone’s. As you know, I already have a touch of hag. My future is grim. Eventually I’ll have to accept my fate.
For those of you who think you might have Crone’s, please know you’re not alone. You shouldn’t suffer in silence. Instead, you should bitch and moan to anyone who will stand still long enough to listen. It’s the only way.
You are not alone. Why just yesterday I was yelling at some kid to “Get off my lawn!”
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Did you say it while shaking a raised fist at them? Because if I had a lawn, that’s how I’d do it. And although I don’t need a cane, I’d keep one around just to wave at them too.
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HAVING SUFFERED FROM THIS INSIDIOUS DISEASE FOR SOME TIME NOW, MY BEST ADVICE IS: NOT TO WORRY…ENJOY IT…BE THE POSTER CHILD FOR “CRONE’S DISEASE”
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As you know, I’ve been the poster child for this since I was a kid….
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I developed Early Stage 1 Crone’s at 26. Symptoms began with sarcasm, the rhetorical device many young Americans are still unfamiliar with. I struggle too, but part of me hopes I end up in your home so we can yell “you damn kids and your music!” from our porch rocking chairs.
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Sarcasm—yes, that’s one of the very earliest symptoms. I came down with that as a kid but back then, people didn’t understand about Juvenile Crone’s. As for sitting together on the porch and yelling at people, that sounds just about perfect.
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Oh, god, if only I had the energy to groan, “I’m too old for this shit!” Now I just communicate with grunts. I’m also getting more hag-gy every day. I found five more gray hairs this week alone. Must be the stress of trying to stay awake past 9 pm.
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It’s not easy, I know The onset of haggery, the grunting, being too old and tired to whine about being too old and tired. It’s such a cruel disease.
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Love this post. Yes I confess…. I too feel the creeping fingers of Crones disease infecting not just my mind but my entire world view. Doctors are all starting to look like 12 year olds wearing stolen lab coats and I’m becoming increasingly convinced that my neighbors are all secretly drug dealers. I mean why else would they have car loads of visitors rocking up every night…. oh wait…. once upon a time….back in the dim distant past…. I seem to recall this thing called ‘socializing’.
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I’ve heard about socializing. I didn’t realize people actually *did* that, I thought it was just one of those urban myths. I feel that way about doctors too–“What, did you just graduate from med school? Can I have a *real* doctor please?” It’s hard to trust these rosy-cheeked youngsters. And thank you so much for reblogging!
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You are so very welcome. It was a great post…. = )
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Reblogged this on seventhvoice and commented:
Saw this post and absolutely loved it. Hope you can relate = )
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Not an easy point for clicking Like, but I did because you posted this to support others – not for self pity.
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You’re a gamer, Frank.
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Reblogged this on Meizac and commented:
Thank goodness Madame Weebles shared her own story. Now, I know what I’ve been suffering from….
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Thanks for the reblog, sister. I’m here to educate.
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Blake Lively…I would totally go gay for that dude…no…wait a second.
Every time I’ve entered a bar, over the past year or so, the music has been too loud. And sometimes they’re not even playing any!!
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Right??? Keep it down, I can’t hear myself think, dangnabbit!
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Ah yes, The Old Crone syndrome, sometimes also known as ‘The Old Fart’, literally creeps up on you, initially silent but ultimately deadly in confined spaces.
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That’s the perfect way to describe it. And I’m sure Mr. Weebles would agree, since he’s usually confined with me when my symptoms start raging.
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As hideous as this condition is on flare up days, I can personally testify that it does come with its benefits: The ability to embarrass your children with very little effort and absolutely no guilt. It kind of makes all the other symptoms worthwhile.
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I can see how that would be a great benefit, CMBCML– except I don’t have kids. I’m going to have to borrow my friends’ kids to offset those flare-up days. Thanks for the suggestion!
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Wow – 11PM is late. I’d have bagged the evening at 9PM – and still been 30 minutes late for my bedtime. I’m in the advanced Old Crone’s Disease phase.
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I was a lot younger back then, Rutabaga. That’s probably the only reason I managed to make it to 11pm. Nowadays, I’d turn into a pumpkin around 9pm too.
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ha ha – I’ve never been a nightowl
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Who the hell is Blake Lively?
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Some whippersnapper, I reckon.
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hee hee
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I never knew what to call it, but I have this. And a touch of hag as well. Great post!
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I’m so sorry, Rachelle, I had no idea you too were afflicted with both ailments. Want to meet for tea and bitch about everything together?
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Heh.
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This might be the most succinct comment ever. Well done, John.
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I’m all about brevity. Ask the lovely Ms. Trask.
Wait, that didn’t come out right.
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Maybe not, but it still made me laugh!
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I too suffer from this. Just last Friday I posted on facebook “I could use a new foot. While we are at it, lets get a new back and perhaps some new knees. Who am I kidding. I need a new body. Preferably a younger one that isn’t so fond of food, so repulsed by exercise and so attracted to gravity.”
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I hear that, Wanda. Whoever designed the human body really needs to put out an upgrade, It’s long overdue.
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Ha! I am with you! (Reading this, by the way, with my Costco reading glasses, because the alternative is graduated lenses, and I can’t possibly be old enough for those.)
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That’s not right, Delicious—no way are you old enough for any sort of graduated lenses. I blame the quality of lenses being made these days. Obviously the power in the lenses wears out–that’s the only explanation. Otherwise it would mean that our eyes were changing, and that certainly can’t be the case.
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You know, I think you’re right. Planned obsolescence in the eye glass industry. What a nefarious plot!
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In the Wicca tradition, there’s a ceremony for this sort thing – just like other rights of passage, the Croning ceremony marks the passage into wisdom. A few years ago, a client brought me a jewelry pin – it was the face of an old woman with gray hair and round, red cheeks. It was a compliment – a tribute to wisdom and my healing abilities – I was horrified and it took everything I had in me to smile and thank her! Now I can laugh about that and join your ranks, dear Weebs (although I think I have a few years on you!) But still, the eternal Boomer in me kicks and screams and says “Never!” I’ll live forever – Hahahahahahahahahaha! (Witchy cackle!) Oh well, it is getting close to Halloween…
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The Wiccans are wise. We should adapt a lot more of their philosophies. But I probably would have been horrified by getting a Crone pin too! Still, your client was right about your wisdom and healing abilities, Cathy. And by the way, you are one of my role models. So thank you for being such an inspiration!
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Thank you and you’re welcome! You’re too kind…
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Oh no. I suffer from both Crohn’s and Crone’s. Shit. And I mean that literally and figuratively.
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Man, that sucks, Elyse. I’m so sorry!!
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Crohn’s comes and goes. Crone’s just comes!
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Good point. There’s no remission for Crone’s!
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Hilarious! I started reading with the idea – “Weebs needs to proofread her titles…” Until I saw you’d spelled it that way in purpose! Lol. Brilliant. I realized I was coming down with Crone’s when the words “it’s too sweet” entered my vocab. Too sweet?? I used to eat flavored sugar right out of the package! Too sweet…geez.
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I have that problem too, legion! When I was a kid I used to eat Jell-O powder right out of the box, and now I find that a lot of things are too sweet for me. Next I’ll be finding that things will be too spicy for me. That will be sad.
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Weebs, I’m right there with you. How many celebs under the age of 25 are there today? I’m like you, I have no idea who they are. And now if we go somewhere and the music is too loud, it really pisses me off. Especially if it’s techno. And I wonder, really I, at one time in my life, liked this — staying out late and having to scream at people to be heard? Don’t even get me started on the gray — it’s not so bad except this one spot at the front. When do I stop though? Do you shave your head and start over?
You do finally just have to give in though. Just. give. in. sigh.
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I’ve lost count of how many interchangeable, talent-free and personality-free celebrities there are under the age of 25, Brigitte. There are so many, and they’re largely irrelevant as far as I’m concerned. The As for too-loud music, I don’t understand why it has to be SO LOUD. Even at restaurants they do that now—I feel like yelling at them and saying “It’s not a nightclub, people!” Meh. And I refuse to let the greys out yet. I will when I’m older, but not yet. Nope. Not doing it.
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Love it! I think to be honest the main cause is Children.
I noticed the first signs when my 4 year old stood in a position which was a perfect replica of my mother, and berated her sister (2) for starting playing with another toy without having put away the first.
I would like to blame my mum, but I really don’t think she would have scolded her grandchildren for this, so it was probably me that my 4 year old was copying!
My eldest is now about to turn 18, and my symptoms are now in the advanced stages. My husband & I can’t wait for the girls to leave home so we don’t have to stay up till midnight on New Years Eve!! 🙂
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Hi Barbara! I bet kids are responsible for much early-onset Crone’s disease. Except in my case–I don’t even have kids to blame for my troubles! I sympathize with your efforts to stay up until midnight on New Year’s Eve. Bless you and your advanced symptoms!
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If I may, let us also not forget the unfortunate caregivers, forced to endure a withering hail of invective while simply trying to deliver a cup of tea to soothe the flareups.
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It’s not me, dear, it’s the disease talking. However, your point is well taken, and you’re a kind and brave soul. Caregivers always have the toughest job, and Crone’s spouses probably have the toughest job of all.
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Physical manifestations may eventually have to be accepted, but never, never am I going to allow myself to give in to the emotional battering crone … now find me a nice chair so I can have a little sleep 🙂
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Hope you had a lovely nap, Wanderlust. And say hi to the monkeys for me!
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It seems this crone always manages a good nap, Madame W, which is a good thing, since I only manage four or five hours sleep a night these days. It’s a terrible disease, depriving one of a full night’s sleep … 🙂
I’m jealous – somebody’s enticing ‘my’ monkeys with riper mangoes than mine – I’ve barely seen them the last few days!
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In some cultures, it is known as Old Timer’s Disease.
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According to my medical dictionary, that is indeed another term for Crone’s, yes.
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I actually googled crones disease to see what new disease you were afflicted with…what a dumb-ass!
Nice to see Mr. Weebles speaking out 🙂
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I am embarrassed to say how long it took me to realize what was going on. It’s been a long morning.
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Gotcha, SocietyRed! 😀 Yes, this is a subject that means a lot to Mr. Weebles—the poor bastard has to put up with me and my Crone’s. Please pray for him.
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I hate kids today. How far advanced is my condition?
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I’d say you’re at about the same stage I am, Joe. We can go to meetings together.
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I don’t want to be cured! I’m the same with smoking though, not ready to quit yet. So I will continue puffing and flicking my butt at a mob of unruly teenagerrs
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I’m in denial about my Crone’s disease. I refuse to wear reading glasses (except to do my nails ‘cos if I don’t, I might end up with shorter fingers); rarely whine about the kids of today except to say that recalling the start of MySpace is not what I call ‘nostalgia for the old days’; don’t go to the doctor on those occasions when my knees won’t let me go up the stairs without user-error; and I still try to listen to music through the headphones. ‘Try’ being the operative word…
Well, sort of denial.
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It’s all right, Val–you’re in good company here. I embrace you and your Crone’s. Own it! Embrace it! Enjoy it!
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Welcome to my world.
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Thanks Jules. It’s a pleasure to be in such good company.
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Great post.
There are two stages of CRONE’s. I discovered this reading a three year old issue of AARP while waiting to see my doctor(s)
Stage One CRONE’s or Constant Rants Opined, No Exceptions: Pronounced development in ages 7 – 19. Then usually lays dormant until one is afflicted with a receding hairline and/or noticeable gray hair. I, for one, am in the throes of full bore Stage One. Annoying at times, but often very satisfying.
Stage Two CRONE’s or Certain Reminders of Near Eternity. An annoying, often painful development. Symptoms are advanced when one can no longer watch SNL, let alone remember what night it airs.
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Hello Mr. Pynchon, and welcome! Yes, I am well on my way to Stage Two of Crone’s. I’m looking forward to being a complete menace to society.
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Hahaha! The bit about calling it a night after so much carousing and debauchery only to find out it’s 11:00pm, made me LOL!!!! Great post, Weebs. From one who had early onset, all I can say is, Crones is no walk in the park. When your symptoms shift from acute to chronic, you can pretty much call it a day. Haha!
This should be f-pressed. Just sayin’.
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You’re too kind, Grippy. Chronic Crone’s is indeed horrible. My flare-ups are getting more frequent, which can only mean that I’m headed to the chronic phase fairly soon. God help us all.
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All I can say is CRONES UNITE! Be proud of your cronedom and cronisms.
Wear earplugs, Drink wine. Complain at will. But I am still covering the grey.
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Me too, LouAnn. I might be a crone but I don’t want to look like one yet!
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me either
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Thank you for letting us know we are not alone. I knew I was headed towards Crone’s disease when every action I took, whether it was to stand up or sit down or pick something up, was accompanied by a sigh or a groan or a grunt. So if you don’t do that yet, be happy–you still have a ways to go before the final stages of the disease.
Creative and funny post as always!
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I’m getting there, Carrie. When I bend down to tie my shoe, I have to make a concerted effort not to make old person noises. Sigh. And thank you for the kind words as always!
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Oh God, I’ve already hit stage one! (Loud music)… well, I suppose it gets us all in the end 🙂
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It only goes downhill from here, Cakes. Want to borrow my cane so you can hit people and trip them?
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Bahahahaha! — “Blake Lively, who’s he?” — hahahaha!
But check out these privileges of the elderly:
I’m looking forward to entering that period where you can say anything you want without people getting upset, when people say “Aw, she’s just old.”
There are also these really old women who talk about how beautiful they used to be and with no proof you just go on ahead and believe them. There was this wrinkly old scholar who said in this article that she used to be very beautiful and that her beauty intimidated people. When I’m really really old, I’m going to say “My beauty would have blown you youngins out of the water. I had men from far and wide longing for me.” I realized then that any old bag could claim they used to be a beauty even if they looked like shit on a shingle when they were young. 😉
At least we’ve got this to look forward to!
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That IS something to look forward to! I can rant and rave in my old age and tell everyone what a hottie I was. And it’s not like they can refute me, because I’ll hit them with my cane or my purse. Sandee, when you and I are super old we should park ourselves at some local joint where everyone can refer to us as “those two crazy old bats.”
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When I was attending Catholic grade school “back in the day” I recall that this disease disproportionately afflicted nuns as well as my 2nd Grade teacher, Mrs. Moran, whose favorite way to address her students was declaring, “You ornery brat!”
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Mrs. Moran is my new hero.
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Considering that Mrs. Moran was pushing 70 when I was 7, and it’s unlikely that she’s still kicking at 116, even though the mean die old, I suppose it’s possible that she’s still going strong. If not, you could audition for her kid-loathing vacancy Weebs.
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The mean really do die old. Look at all the nice people who die untimely deaths, and assholes like Dick Cheney are still kicking.
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Hey, I have Crohn’s disease. And from your testimony, I think I have Crone’s, too… or the world is just shitty now.
Either way.
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That blows, Hannah. Either way.
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Dear Madame, I’ve got 2 bits of good news for you:
1. According to Mama Donna (http://donnahenes.net/pages/index.shtml) you get to go through the Queen stage first…
2. When you get full-blown Crone’s, you get to tell everyone to fuck off with impunity! 😉 xoxoM
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You know I’m looking forward to telling everyone to fuck off with impunity, Margarita!! Thanks for the link to Mama Donna–I’ll have to check her out so I can learn about this Queen stage…
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Never a crone, Madame Weebles. NEVER! Wack maybe, but not a crone. Crones have no sense of humor. -Nikki
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I suppose that’s true, Nikki. Maybe I’ll just stick with “cranky old bat” instead!
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Haha this is right up my alley. I definitely have full blown Crones…my kids remind me all too often! *sigh* Lord help me!
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You should remind your kids that they’re probably at least partly responsible for your Crone’s disease, dockfam! 😉
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MOSTLY — ok, TOTALLY. 🙂
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I, too, suffer at times from the onset of Crone’s Disease. And the hubs has the male equivalent. What do we call that? The fact that I can still hear well is amazing when I think of how much we blared our stereos and headphones “back in the day.” Of course, it means I suffer more when hearing today’s music played at those levels.
Ah, U2 back in the day. I stopped listening for the longest while once Achtung Baby came out. I’m only now just listening to some of their newer releases.
Blake who? Seriously. I have no clue. I think it’s time for a nap….
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I think the male equivalent is Old Timer’s Disease, as some of the gentlemen here have commented on being afflicted with it. Yeah, U2 back in the day was something else. I liked Achtung Baby and I didn’t even mind Zooropa, but they lost me after that. It’s not that we’re not hip anymore, it’s just that there’s nothing to be hip to!
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The prognosis is actually good, Mme Weebs. Although Crones is degenerative, it’s not co-morbid with the stupidity of youth that requires you to wake up with a severe hangover every Sunday.
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That’s very true, RG. One serious ailment at a time is all we can really take as mere humans.
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Sounds like one of those things which is rather a state of mind than an actual age thing. I’ve definitely been a Grumpy Old Woman since the age of 21 (when I think they refurbished the dingy old nightclub in my hometown and put SHEET METAL on the walls, which definitely didn’t help with the noise level).
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Hello faithhopechocolate! You sound like me, I’ve been a Grumpy Old Woman since a fairly young age myself. Also, what idiots put sheet metal on the walls of a nightclub?? I hope someone beat them senseless.
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Dear Mme Weebles,
I think I’ve been a hardened cynic since the age of 10, and the GOW (Grumpy Old Woman) syndrome probably kicked in at 18… The worst thing is that for as long as I can remember, I have often gone into a room to get something I left there and as soon as I’ve got to said room, clean forgotten what it was I went for. This would not be a problem if I were still living in my one-bedroomed flat, but I’m now living in a Religious community and my cell (bedroom) is on the 2nd floor (3rd floor in American) so if I’ve forgotten something it’s one heck of a lot of stairs!
I have no idea if the nightclub still has sheet metal on the walls because I’ve not been to it for getting on for a decade now. (And of course, it being a nightclub in a small town, it’s still known by the name it had 25 years ago.) Oh, and due to the aforementioned Religious community, I’m not going to go into it again anyway as they’d probably think my habit was fancy dress (and I don’t want some idiot to spill lager on it either).
Faith Xx
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No, and you probably don’t want your habit to be reeking of stale beer, either. As for being on a higher floor, my apartment is also on the 3rd floor in a walk-up building, so I have the same problem! You’d think it would be a deterrent to forgetting stuff, but nope.
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There are lifts around here, but it’s actually faster to walk. Plus I’d still have to deal with some stairs or climb through a loft (the Priory is basically built of extensions) to get to my cell. Still, it gives me plenty of time to remember, forget, remember again, forget for the third time and possibly get lost on the way to my cell to get whatever it was I forgot in the first place! I really don’t know how some of the older Sisters do it… Maybe they’ve just accepted their Crone’s? Certainly the majority of them have hair that comes in the grey/pepper/white category.
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I’m bitter that I have all of this crap going on and I’m not brilliant like you and think to write about it. My knees sound like there is metal cable in them when I walk up stairs.
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You’re plenty brilliant, Mags. It’s just that I have more time on my hands these days to contemplate my decrepit condition. And my knees creak like that too. Good times.
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The symptoms can be moderated by a careful contemplation of all the stuff that used to be THE END OF THE FRIGGIN’ WORLD!!!!, like band break-ups, attempts at speaking to the opposite sex, and unexpected confluences of credit card and utility bills, but which have become through prolonged exposure matters of no comment whatever. Let an air of experiential smugness cushion your Crone’s; it’s worked wonders on my incipient Cranky Old Mansterness.
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That’s true. The hypersensitivity, the tendency to go into fits of hysterics at what to our jaded eyes are non-events, etc etc, I don’t miss those. We’re better than that now, dammit.
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Miss Weebly, you are so funny. I was so “out of it” today that I was halfway through the post before I realized that you weren’t talking about an actual disease. Fuck.
I know what you mean though. I can’t stay up all night drinking anymore. I have a couple of beer and most of the time I’m passed out by midnight. sad, I know. 😛
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Wow, you’re a cheap date, Wendy. Want to go out sometime? 😉
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My Crones has been full blown for a while, now on top of it, I developed CRS (Can’t Remember Shit)
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Oh dear. Sorry about that, Red Road. I’m grateful that I have been able to stave off CRS for the moment, but I know it’s just a matter of time before that sets in too.
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I’m already an old crone. I’m a nightmare: but watching people’s faces is fun.
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I think I would very much enjoy seeing you in action, Kate.
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Oh Madame, I’m really sorry to hear that. It must be terrible having to bitch out all those people and nag at shop attendants (who really are slower than they used to be).
I have a similar issue with oldtimers disease. Unlike Alzheimers, it’s a creeping disease the slowly makes you not bother to remember anything because you did it all before and why the hell would you want to do it again? The symptoms are pretty similar but oldtimers aren’t locked up as much. Mind you, don’t give either of them a ride if they’re out walking…
Cheers!
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I’m telling you Nigel, it’s a real problem. People and things today are ALL not as good as they used to be. It’s only right that I let them know. And yeah, I don’t think either crones or old timers should be given rides—they’d just complain about the driving.
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So THAT’S what’s wrong with me! After all this time. xo dad
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Hi Dad! Obviously I inherited this genetic problem from you and Mom. 😀
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I’ve been experiencing similar problems for a few years now. I lost my ability to drink at 23, and became a house-mouse about that same time. I complain all the time about the kids today.
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Kids today, Smak. You need to do an expose’ on kids today and how they aren’t like we were. This story needs to be told.
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I too have full on Crones disease. But hey man I’m proud of it. 🙂
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Own it, sister! OWN IT!
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I earned every single one of my grey hairs honorably and I wear them proudly -so I have never dyed my hair.
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I was going to say something very important, uplifting and supportive to you, Madame W….but I’ve forgotten what the question was.
Was there a question…..?
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It’s okay, Jots — I already forgot what my post was about.
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At nearly 75 I’m in the advanced stages of Crone’s Disease, and know that that Boring old Bat is probably one of the kinder epithets that the young use on me – Boring Old Fart (BOF for short) has also been heard when they thought I wasn’t listening… My grey hairs are now white, and children aka hairdressers tell me I’m a colour virgin since I’ve never dyed. But the up side is, as I told someone the other day when I had another cream cake “You’re only old once so you might as well enjoy it.” At least you don’t get a hangover with a cream cake!
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You have gorgeous white hair, Valerie—mine is more of the battleship grey variety, but if I had white hair I’d be more inclined to enjoy it. Have a few cream cakes for me!
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Excellent article – when I first started reading it I thought “Oh my, the Crone disease must be new ’cause I’ve never heard of it on the medical scene” but when I continued reading I started laughing, my mind finally grasping the “Old Crone concept”. My grandma suffers from it, on a daily basis. Back in her days, the neighbors helped each other not like today when they don’t even visit. And the teen are using so many things that would have been considered the devil’s work back in her time (she’s 80)…. so I kinda shrug it off and hope I won’t end up like this..
Advice: put on the music channel and find at least one song you like. You won’t be cronified then! 🙂 Bruno Mars did it for me. I keep quiet about the ones I don’t know and just nod approvingly.
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Hey, theferkel! Good advice about the music channel, I probably should find out what the “kids today” are listening to anyway…
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-snortle- Count yourself lucky young gel, when you hit mid-stage crone’s you’ll look back and wish you were here. 😉
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It’s sad that one day I’ll be nostalgic for the days when I was only in early-stage Crone’s, Meeka. I should keep a journal so I can look back on it wistfully…
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-grin- Nah, just remember, you may never look this good again so enjoy it!
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it won’t take you ten minutes to get up after sitting on the floor. A true sign of Crones Disease is not sitting on the floor in the first place.
Practice this sentence: “Who do I have to kill to get a fucking chair?”
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Mike, I’m going to consult with you next time I think of doing something stupid like sitting on the floor. You have much wisdom. Also, I think that’s an all-purpose sentence–as in, “Who do I have to kill to get a fucking bowl of ice cream?” and so on.
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Who knew I suffer from Crone’s! I find this hilarious! 🙂 And I find I think the same thing. A lot…..
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It seems that it’s a drastically underdiagnosed problem, OGP—I mean, look at all the people commenting on this post who are suffering along with us. I’d offer to invite everyone over for a party, but seeing as how old and decrepit we all are, it wouldn’t really be much of a gathering.
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LOL. There would be too much “Back in my day!”
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Thanks for this. I knew my father had contracted the male version, Curmudgeonitis, about ten years ago when everyone younger than him became terminally stupid and everything was better when he was young. I’ve been seeing the beginning signs in myself for a few years. I found out just how far the disease had progressed last Sunday when I found that I could not remain standing for an entire concert at the House of Blues.
*sigh*
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Oh boy. Not being able to stand for an entire concert is a definite symptom. I also discovered that another symptom is being at a baseball game and desperately hoping it doesn’t go into extra innings because I’m tired and want to go home already. That, and suddenly not trusting anyone under 40.
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You’d better hope Obamacare covers Crone’s or else you’re up adult diaper creek without a Clapper.
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Yeah, no kidding. Generation X will be FUCKED.
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Hilarious, as usual!
I will never again be able to sneak up a flight of stairs because it sounds like somebody’s crushing bubble wrap under my kneecaps. I carry earplugs at all times, and I’ve actually used them in bars, movie theatres and concerts. My friends and I used sit around and swill beer and get wasted. Now we sit around and talk about how we used to sit around and swill beer and get wasted, and everybody goes home to bed at 9 PM.
A couple of weeks ago, I had to wear both earmuffs and earplugs to shoot comfortably in the indoor firing range. And I have to wear wrist braces so I don’t tear ligaments (again) when I punch the hell out of my 230-pound bag.
I may have Crone’s, but I’ll still kick ass… Just give me a few minutes to get ready… Wait… Get off my lawn, you damn kids!
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Gracias, amiga! Yeah, the knee cracking. I get that too. My ankles have cracked for a while too. When I first start walking after I get up in the morning, it sounds like I’m cracking my knuckles. This aging stuff is BULLSHIT. But damn, girl, you absolutely will still kick ass—you can shoot AND punch a 230-pound bag? Remind me not to piss you off.
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Definitely having Crone’s disease here, but still running, still trying to be part of the modern world.
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That’s okay, sister, you’ve got plenty of company, there are obviously many of us trying to keep up with all the youngsters and stay up past 10pm.
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One day Lady Gaga came on the radio and I (sigh) was actually listening, so my daughter asked “So she’d dead, right?” I happen to love 80s music, so they assume all the singers I like are either old or dead. That’s so nice. Of course Lady Gaga is just a bad copy of Madonna. Silly whippersnappers. We have students at the library looking up birthdates on microfilm (which they have never heard of) and get this – these college students were born in freaking 1994. WTF???
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Sweet Jesus. That’s not right. I used to rant to the 20-somethings I worked with about how if it weren’t for Madonna, Lady Gaga wouldn’t exist. Also, they don’t know microfilm??? Come on, people. Not EVERYTHING has been digitized. I might be the only person alive who actually likes microfilm.
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Oh, I know. Gaga thinks she’s so innovative. I’m like, Madonna waspissing off the Catholic Church when you were in diapers, woman, you’re nothing new. (BTW have you seen Weird Al’s parody video? LOL).
Yeah, they act like microfilm is this ancient tool, like pencils. One even said something about it being “Old School.” Ugh. I admit I never used it much before I started working there, but it actually works quite well. But I think the university is the only place I see it now.
And don’t get me started on the digitization! They can’t believe it’s not all on computer. I’m like, if our ENTIRE STAFF worked only on digitization every single day, it still would take decades to get even a small portion of the books digitized, and by that point, people would be writing in the air with their fingers. Twits. Bad thing is you get this as much with adults as with kids.
I have a post ranting about this somewhere, under Crazy Librarians I think. Oy.
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Madame, Loud, bad music, done by 11, never heard of these celebrity folks…check, check, check. I must have it, too. But I think I’m in denial. Time just a marches on.
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That’s okay, Bumble–the rest of us will hold down the fort. I’m too lazy to be in denial about it. 🙂
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Thank you, Madame. I knew I could count on you 🙂 I’ll pretend for awhile longer.
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Jumpin’ Jehoshaphat. I can’t read all these darned comments. How can they spend so much time in front of their typewriters? Now be a dear and fetch me a cat to throw at the kids with their walkmans and disco music. Consarnit.
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That loud, loud disco music and the rock & roll. Sheesh. Back in my day we didn’t have walkmans and stuff. We had tape cassettes that got eaten by the tape players, and we LIKED it!
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In my day we didn’t have fancy ‘names’ for all these diseases and such.
Of course… that was before things like… communication.
*scratch scratch grunt grunt*
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Hey, Sig, remember when that fire thing was invented? That was awesome.
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I’d feel bad about this.
Except for the fact that todays kids are idiots.
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This might be my favorite comment on this post, Guap.
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Why thank you!
Sad thing is, I wholeheartedly believe it.
Well, at least I don’t think the music is too loud. Yet.
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Enjoy it while you can. Before you know it you’ll be saying “Turn down that fucking noise” like the rest of us.
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Hey, I’m in my mid-20s, and I think I may be getting premature Crone’s Disease. I often reflect that kids these days have no idea. Life before the Internet and cell phones? They don’t know. Classic animation? No, it’s all got to be fancy and hi-tech these days.
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That’s because you, Angel, are an old soul. One of the many reasons I like you.
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but they’ll be adorable grey curlicues!
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Why thank you, debauchery—-I hope so! 😀
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I am not exactly sure how this post could be any awesomer. Seriously.
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My crankypants and I are so happy you liked it, soulwalker!
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I actually misread it at first and though you had the other one… anyhoo, I think I had the early signs a few years ago when I was in a newsagent, in a queue and thinking “get out of my way you spotty oink”. The point I realised things had changed…
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You always remember your first time, Elliot. I love that, “spotty oink.” I think you HAVE to have an English accent to get away with saying that one out loud, though.
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It is not something I would say out loud, it is only “in my head” dialect, not external. External would be a bit more to the point and probably a bit more coarse.
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So friggin funny…
I just turned 30 last year, and I felt my first flair up this year. Some teenage girls were “ohmigod’ing” every ten seconds, and I wanted to strangle them with their tube tops. It took me by surprise- had I really become my dad? Now I just accept it. It’s a condition I’m managing well…for now.
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It’s shocking, isn’t it? It just sneaks in there. One minute you’re blasting the music and partying with everyone, and the next minute you’re rolling your eyes at everyone and telling them to shut the fuck up. It’s all downhill from here, by the way.
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So funny! I totally get where you’re coming from. I have Crone’s Disease.
I see symptoms of it, I get annoyed like when young people constantly say, “like”. You know, like when they are talking about, like you know…stuff.
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I know, I want to smack the hell out of their vacuous little heads when I hear them talking that way. 😉
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Weebles, you are so funny. I, too, have Crones…..my friend at work (who is 28) said, “Hey, lets go out and a few drinks tonight after work!” I didn’t hesitate with a reply of, “Are you kidding? It’s in the middle of the week?” …….
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That sounds like something I’d say too, Chica B. Going out?? Not on a weeknight!! Man, we’re getting old. It’s BULLSHIT, I tell you.
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I have it for sure. Let the Clairol hair color go last year (and when did they drop the Miss off of Miss Clairol??) and low and behold I am now proudly very salt and some pepper. It takes me 5 minutes to get down onto the ground and 30 minutes to get up (most of them dreading the pain that I’m going to feel in my knees). And aches and creaky joints? Yup. We’re there. I look at kids in their 20’s and they are still kids, with no life experience. The most challenging part of it all, is that I didn’t have kids until I was practically in menopause, so I have to deal with an almost 10 yr. old, who tests my patience and sanity on a daily basis (stopped at one kid).
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Ahoy, Mariner, and welcome! God bless, having a 10-year-old, that’s challenging at any time but I’m sure it’s extra challenging when you’ve got Crone’s disease… Kids in their 20s, well, yeah, they have the energy, but not the experience or the wisdom. And I didn’t even know they removed the Miss from Miss Clairol. They could have at least replaced it with “Ms” or something. Hmmph.
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I have the male version, advanced curmudgery. Nice post, as usual!
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Curmudgery is as widespread an ailment as Crone’s, Archon. We’re all in this together. And thank you!
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You are so brave. Your attitude is wonderful and that my friend will get you through the worst of times.
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I do what I can, Elvie. Thanks!
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Thank You, Madame W. That may be the best piece of unsolicited advice I’ve ever received. And thanks so much for the warm, embracing, Welcome. 🙂
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Everything is an acronym…whole words are rapidly becoming a thing of the past…in an effort to make communication more effective, we’ve effectively begun dumbing it down. That’s how I know I am getting older…regression to 3 and 4 letter words that don’t involve profanity which is way more fun. Ah hell, I’m not making a lick or a wit of sense this a.m. —–more coffee…
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You’re making perfect sense to me. Damned kids and their weird acronyms and abbreviations. Fuck it, our way is better.
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Reblogged this on thelifeandtimesofme and commented:
Absolutely love this post from Mme Weebles (fearnoweebles) Me to a tee. Now I know what ails me!
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