Hello, my name is Pam Mandel.
Today, I am fifty-one years old.
I’m as surprised by that as anyone.
Ask me anything.
Today, I am fifty-one years old.
I’m as surprised by that as anyone.
Ask me anything.
Did you remember to take your Geritol today?
Jen, is that even a thing anymore? I have no idea. I did get a massage. And right now, I have a delicious mocha, I have been learning to make a very good mocha. Is “Geritol” the same thing as a mocha?
I haven’t hit my 50’s yet, but I’m REALLY looking forward to it. I know it’s still early days, but do your 50s feel different from your 40s? In what way?
(Happy Birthday, sweet friend. It’s an honour to know you.)
Welp. I think it’s a little soon to tell what with my only having past one year in my 50s and a full ten in my 40s. So far, it feels like 40 was still about acquisition — not of stuff, but of skills, portfolio building, that kinda thing, and paying attention to externals. But 50 felt like the last year I’d be distracted by the leaky tap of other people’s agendas. It feels like there might be more focus on the horizon.
Happy, happy birthday, Pam! It is a wonder to be in the world with you, truly.
I recall my Nana saying she didn’t *feel* her age, 70 or 80 or 90, whatever it was at the time. I mean, she didn’t feel different in her heart, her mind, her soul, her personality, what-have-you from the younger version of herself. Of course her body was different, but I don’t remember her having much to say about that. Except, “I’m your fat Nana, your other grandmother is the skinny one.” We told her she was cuddly. We loved to hug her.
I also don’t remember ever hearing about things like gall bladder surgery and menopause and ageing crappy teeth. That’s the stuff I’m dealing with, and I don’t feel prepared for it. How do we balance talking about these things enough to prepare each other for what’s normal, and not so much that we annoy the shit out of anyone around us? Can I buy you a birthday cuppa and we can ponder the state of the world again sometime soon?
That’s two questions. 🙂
1. Seeing as how we don’t talk about this stuff much as humans, I’m not going to worry about talking about it too much, because it seems like talking about it at all is too much, and that ain’t right. Talking about it is how we feel more normal. I can’t speak for other audiences, but you g’head and talk yer head off all you like about crappy teeth and menopause and surgery and I’ll say, “Hoo boy, I know. that stuff sucks.”
2. Yes, please.
sorry, don’t have any questions for you.
but I do have a big Happy Birthday!
SOLD.
What’s your dream ukulele? Size, wood combo, strings, brand, etc…
I love this question. Dorm factor wise, I love my Ko’Aloha long neck soprano. But I have dreams of a Pacific Northwest uke. I don’t know if the wood would work — you’d be able to tell me — but I have this dream of similar size and shape uke to my Ko’Aloha, but made from PNW wood — red cedar, spruce, that kind of thing, with a salmon inlay on the headstock. I’d want it to sing like my koa baby does, but be made from stuff that’s in my backyard.
Oh, more detail? Geared tuners, obviously, a really good pickup (Fishman?), I’m sort of string agnostic, I’m open to recommendations.
I’ve been hoarding some nice sets of Pacific Northwest tonewoods. Sitka spruce top, maple or walnut back & sides, salvaged old-growth Douglas fir for the neck.
K&K pickup. Gotoh geared pegheads. D’Addario strings.
It won’t sound like it rowed its way to you from Hawaii, but from Haida Gwaii. Give me a few months to build it. Happy Birthday!
See. that. Like it got here from Haida Gwaii, EXACTLY, you get it.
But you’re not really saying you’re going to build me a uke? That seems absurdly generous.
Last year was my year of learning by building with luthiers from around the world. This year, I’ll learn by building alone in a room using hand tools. I’d like you to have one of the instruments that come out of my tiny workshop this year. Yep, absurdly generous 😉
Happy Birthday, Pam! Birthdays are such a great thing to have! I will turn 65 (!) this year, so 51 sounds damn good to me. Welcome to the “I don’t really give a sh#t” years!
Cheers!
I think mine are more like “I don’t really give a sh*t what you think about what I do” years 😆 But it’s true there is something definitely freeing and stress-relieving about the onset of a time when what others think isn’t such a concern any more.
Happy Birthday! May you have many many many more! The best is yet to be!
What is your favorite Star Trek movie?
Happy Birthday!
Heh. All of them? No,Wrath of Khan, obviously. Though I really enjoyed the first remake — the new series.
And you didn’t ask, but Original Series, then Nex Gen. Because Picard.
I suspected as much…