How I Spent My Summer Pandemic

One of the advantages of being a Geezer is being excused for certain lapses in memory so I’m going to claim “The secret to happiness is low expectations.” as an original thought I had and espoused well before the dates of attribution that show on search engine results. Originality doesn’t matter, the substance does. When I look back on my life as Geezers often do, I see so many relationships, particularly family, and events that must exceed the expectations of most with whom I’ve shared this planet. So my original thought hasn’t resulted in living a life of mediocrity or disappointment, but it has left me without much of a bucket list (I prefer Jerry Seinfeld’s “$%&!-it” list anyhow).

For example, after my first born Ethan and I scaled Wheeler Peak, the high point of New Mexico in 1987 and Linda found Fifty State Summits, a book by Paul Zumwalt, I embarked on a quest to summit as many as I could, believing a one point that would be somewhere between 45 and 49 since I didn’t plan to die on Denali. I had much fun, usually with Linda, sometimes alone, often with friends, making it to forty with the last being Britton Hill in Florida 25 years later. As life developed and the remaining high points each presented their own special challenges, I realized my goal all along had been to summit 40 of the 50 high points so I’ve not attempted any more. And there it stands, many fun memories and no regret.

When this pandemic began in March I realized the time it afforded at home in the early summer would be perfect to check off the only item on my bucket list–to build a back yard Rube Goldberg machine. The rule I set for myself, which puts more formal competitions to shame, is that a true RGM must be built entirely from stuff you already have, i.e. no new purchases can be made or money spent. My effort was wildly successful, gave me great pleasure over the month or so of construction and testing and quality time with our wonderful family. Below is a link to the YouTube production crafted by my grandson seen here at the Jersey Shore a year ago with his twin sister who was my key grip’s best babe on the project.

Here is the YouTube link. If as when I watched it, you first see our only (not wise to tempt fate) successful run; then followed by I don’t know what will come because I don’t know how You Tube works. Here is another You Tube link to our earlier version which showed areas needing improvement (back yard engineering), again followed by…I don’t know how YouTube works.

Here’s another we produced in honor of friend Betty Coleman’s 90th birthday.

As always lunch is on me for the first to ID the above thinker photo location which shows a feature that, when it was first installed years ago, once was a kind of perpetual RGM itself and was mesmerizing to watch. Alas, it stopped working, though is still nice to see. Lunch can be your fave carryout which you are welcome to consume, or not, on our porch.