We seniors stay confused

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November 3, 2009

Dick Ham The Richmond Register Tue Nov 03, 2009, 07:55 AM EST

I was just thinking the other day about he fact that those of us who are seniors stay confused most of the time because so many things change. We struggle to keep up with changes in the names of things and the terminology used to describe things.

When I was in college, we had a dormitory monitor who was referred to as dorm monitor. In addition, we also had a hall monitor. These were fellow students who were paid by the college to be “tattletales.” They were not the most popular persons on campus. Now, the screen on my computer is called a monitor, but the screen on my TV is not referred to that way. I’m confused.

When we were young we had coat sweaters, now we have cardigans. We had sleeveless sweaters, now we have sweater vests. We wore tennis shoes, now we wear sneakers. We wore sport coats, now some of those are called blazers. Men wore short pants, now they are just called shorts. When we were young, shorts were men’s underwear, and it is true that women occasionally wore shorts, but hot pants, that was a derogatory term. We wore overall pants, now we wear jeans. Men were the ones who wore pants, women wore slacks. Now that term is used interchangeably. Ladies wore stockings, now they wear hose. Many folk called Saltines soda crackers. I understand there is a difference in those, but that was a term to cover all that kind of food.

When cleaning the house we used a sweeper, now we use a vacuum cleaner. In churches, auditoriums, gymnasiums and other gathering places, we had a loud speaker, now we have a public address system. Adding machines are now calculators, a picture show is now a movie, steps are now stairs and a porch is now a deck. A pocketbook is a purse, spectacles are now eye glasses or just glasses. A divan is now a sofa or a couch, blankets and quilts are now comforters.

In public buildings, what used to be called restrooms are now lounges. A dead end street is now a cul de sac. Tombstones are now monuments.

What used to be called gambling is now gaming. I can’t help but wonder if that is not an attempt to make gambling more acceptable to those who are opposed to it.

Heavy metal, to many of us means the lid on the dumpster, not a kind of popular music.

Does anyone wonder why we are confused?

I read a news item a few days ago that reported that a man named Durell Hamm had been awarded Kentucky’s “Teacher of the Year” award. Mr. Hamm is an English teacher at Ryle High School in Northern Kentucky. Am I the only one who wonders, how can a man teach English who doesn’t even know how to spell ham? I hope my readers understand that is a tongue-in-cheek idea. I hold teachers in very high regard and would certainly congratulate Mr. Hamm on this outstanding award.

Trivia answer

The only President of the U.S. who is buried in Kentucky is Zachary Taylor. He is buried in Louisville, in the cemetery that is named for him.

Trivia question

How did the TV sitcom, “Sanford and Son,” get it’s name?

Thought for the day

“Never underestimate the power of a kind word or kind deed.” — H. Jackson Brown Jr.

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We seniors stay confused

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