Let me tell you something about living for 73 years - it's been one hell of a ride, and I wouldn't trade it for anything.
I've had a front-row seat to history and what a show it's been. I watched Neil Armstrong take that giant leap for mankind, felt the world hold its breath during the Cuban Missile Crisis, and saw the Berlin Wall crumble…
Let me tell you something about living for 73 years - it's been one hell of a ride, and I wouldn't trade it for anything.
I've had a front-row seat to history and what a show it's been. I watched Neil Armstrong take that giant leap for mankind, felt the world hold its breath during the Cuban Missile Crisis, and saw the Berlin Wall crumble. I've made a list of events I've witnessed, and let me tell you, it reads like a blockbuster movie script.
Now, don't get me wrong - it hasn't all been starry-eyed wonder. I still feel the ache of 9/11, and Hillary's loss in 2016 was a gut punch I'm still recovering from. But you know what? Those moments showed me what we're made of. Resilience isn't just a buzzword for me - it's how I've lived my life.
I cast my first presidential vote in '72, and I haven't missed an election since. I've seen enough political circus to know the difference between empty promises and real change. And just when I thought I'd seen it all, I watched a president step aside to let his female VP take the lead in a race. History in the making, right before my eyes.
You think 73 is old? Buttercups, I'm just hitting my stride. I've gone from partyline rotary phones to AI chatbots, and I'm still adapting. This 'old dog' doesn't just learn new tricks, she invents them.
I'm married to a wonderful woman, proud mother to a menagerie of pets, and I've probably been fighting for LGBTQ+ rights since before you were born. Try keeping up with my schedule and tell me I'm not active and vibrant.
My age isn't a weakness, it's my secret weapon. I've got a lifetime of experiences, a wealth of knowledge, and the wisdom to use it all. I'm not just keeping up with the world - I'm helping to shape it.
So yeah, maybe you “young under-50s” should be a little jealous. Not in a mean way, but in a 'wow, what a life' kind of way. I've lived through some of the most transcendent moments in history, and I'm still here, still learning, still growing.
So here's my challenge to you: What are you doing to make history? Because I'm not done yet. I've got battles to fight, causes to champion, and a whole lot more living to do.
So, for all you “Overs” (that’s over 50) and “Unders”, here's a list of events I’ve witnessed during my lifetime, spanning from my birth in 1951 to 2024. If I missed an important event, let me know. I’ll add it to our history!
• Launch of Sputnik 1, first artificial satellite (1957)
• Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)
• Assassination of President John F. Kennedy (1963)
• Civil Rights Act passed (1964)
• Voting Rights Act passed (1965)
• Apollo 11 moon landing (1969)
• Woodstock Music Festival (1969)
• Kent State shootings (1970)
• Watergate scandal and Nixon's resignation (1972-1974)
• Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision (1973)
• Fall of Saigon, ending the Vietnam War (1975)
• U.S. Bicentennial celebrations (1976)
• Three Mile Island nuclear accident (1979)
• Iran Hostage Crisis (1979-1981)
• Mount St. Helens eruption (1980)
• Assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan (1981)
• Launch of MTV (1981)
• Space Shuttle Challenger disaster (1986)
• Fall of the Berlin Wall (1989)
• Operation Desert Storm (Gulf War) (1991)
• World Trade Center bombing (1993)
• Oklahoma City bombing (1995)
• O.J. Simpson trial verdict (1995)
• Columbine High School shooting (1999)
• Y2K and the turn of the millennium (1999-2000)
• September 11 terrorist attacks (2001)
• Hurricane Katrina (2005)
• Election of Barack Obama as the first Black president (2008)
• Same-sex marriage legalized nationwide (2015)
• COVID-19 pandemic (2020-ongoing)
• January 6 Capitol attack (2021)
• End of U.S. military presence in Afghanistan (August 2021)
• Russian invasion of Ukraine (February 2022 - ongoing)
• Overturning of Roe v. Wade by the Supreme Court (June 2022)
• Passing of Queen Elizabeth II (September 2022)
• AI advancements and debates (ChatGPT release, December 2022)
• Collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (March 2023)
• Record-breaking heat waves and climate-related disasters (2021-2023)
• Inflation surge and economic challenges (2022-2023)
• Appointment of Ketanji Brown Jackson as the first Black woman on the Supreme Court (2022)
• Former President Trump's indictments (2023)
• President Biden withdraws from the 2024 presidential race, choosing Vice President Harris to replace him (July 2024)
"My age isn't a weakness, it's my secret weapon. I've got a lifetime of experiences, a wealth of knowledge, and the wisdom to use it all. I'm not just keeping up with the world - I'm helping to shape it."
I LOVED that! I think it's my secret weapon too, or better yet, my superpower!
I think when younger folks call and invite themselves over because they need an "ear" or "advice" or just a piece of your time, you can honestly admit that you have reached "wise woman" status. It happens all the time. (Mostly I listen and ask questions.)
Let me tell you something about living for 73 years - it's been one hell of a ride, and I wouldn't trade it for anything.
I've had a front-row seat to history and what a show it's been. I watched Neil Armstrong take that giant leap for mankind, felt the world hold its breath during the Cuban Missile Crisis, and saw the Berlin Wall crumble. I've made a list of events I've witnessed, and let me tell you, it reads like a blockbuster movie script.
Now, don't get me wrong - it hasn't all been starry-eyed wonder. I still feel the ache of 9/11, and Hillary's loss in 2016 was a gut punch I'm still recovering from. But you know what? Those moments showed me what we're made of. Resilience isn't just a buzzword for me - it's how I've lived my life.
I cast my first presidential vote in '72, and I haven't missed an election since. I've seen enough political circus to know the difference between empty promises and real change. And just when I thought I'd seen it all, I watched a president step aside to let his female VP take the lead in a race. History in the making, right before my eyes.
You think 73 is old? Buttercups, I'm just hitting my stride. I've gone from partyline rotary phones to AI chatbots, and I'm still adapting. This 'old dog' doesn't just learn new tricks, she invents them.
I'm married to a wonderful woman, proud mother to a menagerie of pets, and I've probably been fighting for LGBTQ+ rights since before you were born. Try keeping up with my schedule and tell me I'm not active and vibrant.
My age isn't a weakness, it's my secret weapon. I've got a lifetime of experiences, a wealth of knowledge, and the wisdom to use it all. I'm not just keeping up with the world - I'm helping to shape it.
So yeah, maybe you “young under-50s” should be a little jealous. Not in a mean way, but in a 'wow, what a life' kind of way. I've lived through some of the most transcendent moments in history, and I'm still here, still learning, still growing.
So here's my challenge to you: What are you doing to make history? Because I'm not done yet. I've got battles to fight, causes to champion, and a whole lot more living to do.
So, for all you “Overs” (that’s over 50) and “Unders”, here's a list of events I’ve witnessed during my lifetime, spanning from my birth in 1951 to 2024. If I missed an important event, let me know. I’ll add it to our history!
• Launch of Sputnik 1, first artificial satellite (1957)
• Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)
• Assassination of President John F. Kennedy (1963)
• Civil Rights Act passed (1964)
• Voting Rights Act passed (1965)
• Apollo 11 moon landing (1969)
• Woodstock Music Festival (1969)
• Kent State shootings (1970)
• Watergate scandal and Nixon's resignation (1972-1974)
• Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision (1973)
• Fall of Saigon, ending the Vietnam War (1975)
• U.S. Bicentennial celebrations (1976)
• Three Mile Island nuclear accident (1979)
• Iran Hostage Crisis (1979-1981)
• Mount St. Helens eruption (1980)
• Assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan (1981)
• Launch of MTV (1981)
• Space Shuttle Challenger disaster (1986)
• Fall of the Berlin Wall (1989)
• Operation Desert Storm (Gulf War) (1991)
• World Trade Center bombing (1993)
• Oklahoma City bombing (1995)
• O.J. Simpson trial verdict (1995)
• Columbine High School shooting (1999)
• Y2K and the turn of the millennium (1999-2000)
• September 11 terrorist attacks (2001)
• Hurricane Katrina (2005)
• Election of Barack Obama as the first Black president (2008)
• Same-sex marriage legalized nationwide (2015)
• COVID-19 pandemic (2020-ongoing)
• January 6 Capitol attack (2021)
• End of U.S. military presence in Afghanistan (August 2021)
• Russian invasion of Ukraine (February 2022 - ongoing)
• Overturning of Roe v. Wade by the Supreme Court (June 2022)
• Passing of Queen Elizabeth II (September 2022)
• AI advancements and debates (ChatGPT release, December 2022)
• Collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (March 2023)
• Record-breaking heat waves and climate-related disasters (2021-2023)
• Inflation surge and economic challenges (2022-2023)
• Appointment of Ketanji Brown Jackson as the first Black woman on the Supreme Court (2022)
• Former President Trump's indictments (2023)
• President Biden withdraws from the 2024 presidential race, choosing Vice President Harris to replace him (July 2024)
You continue to amaze me, Gloria.
Thanks for that, list especially. Been there, done that.
A great list Gloria. There are a few blank spots that jump out and more that I missed, but
Robert Kennedy (1968)
MLK (1968)
Iran-Contra and holding the hostages so Jimmy Carter would lose in the 1980 election
A lot more (Morton Thyocol engineers screaming) in regard to the Challenger disaster (1986)
Chicano Moritorium (1969)
I think those are important enough to include, but whamo, do you have an impressive recall.
Those are unforgettable moments. I’ll add to my list. Thank you!
Gloria, you wrote:
"My age isn't a weakness, it's my secret weapon. I've got a lifetime of experiences, a wealth of knowledge, and the wisdom to use it all. I'm not just keeping up with the world - I'm helping to shape it."
I LOVED that! I think it's my secret weapon too, or better yet, my superpower!
I think when younger folks call and invite themselves over because they need an "ear" or "advice" or just a piece of your time, you can honestly admit that you have reached "wise woman" status. It happens all the time. (Mostly I listen and ask questions.)
🔻