Variety List of a Dozen Things Learned During 2024
Wishing everyone a productive 2025,
with less stress and ample hope.
Time again. At least one more year of sharing some tidbits I’ve learned in the past months. There is no rhyme or reason to the order or the selections. It’s difficult just picking out a few and giving them a cursory covering. The latter tough because the more you read on any subject, the more you want to explore. I hope some of my dozen will be new to you too.
This is also one more year I’m able to thank loyal readers of AgingWithPizzazz.
“Never stop learning” is vital to quality Aging. It’s always the goal for my New Year post, as well as others throughout the year. I hope that there will be at least one of my content posts this coming year that you will share with friends, family or others. It helps me to help others “Never Stop Learning.” If you’re on social media, it’s just a click of an effort.
1. Cathedral Thinking
Without war or destruction, a cathedral often stands for eons or over many generations. Often cited as deriving from medieval thought, “cathedral thinking” is as relevant today as yesteryears. Cathedral thinking is contemplating beyond our own, one lifetime. Instead, the process is thinking about generations to come. It’s captured in the words of many grandparents who say they support climate sustainability for their children’s children. Or the efforts of Republican President Teddy Roosevelt who was compelled to protect lands as National Parks for generations to come. Even long-standing companies often face pressures to contemplate and foresee an uncertain future they must adapt to with advancing Technology. In some ways, cathedral thinking could be thought of as a multi-generational strategic plan.
“No cathedral can be built by the efforts of one person alone;
the world’s greatest cathedrals were built by generations
of workers across varied disciplines,
who could all clearly see how their work contributed
to the greater purpose of the cathedral.”
Cathedral Thinking: A Foundation for Success in the Purpose Economy
(from MISC magazine 2018)
In terms of an actual cathedral, I think many people were surprised, after a devasting fire, to see the Norte Dame Cathedral in Paris actually restored this year within the 5-year plan set out. The real part of their special thoughtfulness was to acknowledge the many past generations, both secular and nonsecular, that had revered the majestic structure. And further, to understand that there would be uncounted more to come that would admire it as the face of Pairs, France. [Norte Dame not cathedral shown here.]
Nevertheless, cathedral thinking is not (just) about cathedrals. Vastly more notable is that it’s thinking of those who come after us. Hippies, with the Whole Earth catalogue and Mother Earth News might be called pioneers of “earth thinking.”
2. Call from the House – it’s all Politics
The phrase “the call is coming from inside the house” gives anyone the creeps who has seen the 1979 movie “When a Stranger Calls.” But while the phrase is most famous from this horror movie, it was first used in a 1974 movie, Black Christmas. Nowadays the slogan provides political willies as well. The usage now harkens to another altered and famous quotation from the Pogo comic strip “we have met the enemy and the enemy is us.” Currently, it most often refers to problems coming from inside ‘the’ house – from our own factions (as in the House of Representatives and own political parties). It emphasizes the hypocrisy that accompanies the ‘insider’ horror.
3. Leo the Lion joins the Space Force?
Aside from the furry lion of the zodiac sign of Leo, the term LEO can also stand for Lower Earth Orbit. This is the lowest orbit that the “Guardians” of the fairly new US Space Force monitor. The others are MEO (Medium Earth Orbit) and GEO (Geosynchronous Earth Orbit, referring to orbiting objects retaining a stationary position in relationship to earth’s rotation). The rather secretive Space Force is located in Colorado and Los Angles. Their mission is to observe, detect and deter problems. Satlelite protection is a big portion of their mission. As of 2023, they (and NASA) counted more than 44,000 objects in the earth’s orbit. As of late 2024, the Space Force is tracking more than 60,363 objects in orbit.
Due to this large number of objects and debris, the Kesler Effect has gotten much attention. Known as the collisional cascading or ablation cascade, it’s a possible domino effect. Heavy and numerous space debris near us could start to collide with each other, breaking up and causing more debris, triggering a cascading effect of greater and greater risk as well as permanent danger to satellites and the dependent earthly functions. While the cascade would be easy to start, it is doubtful that an unfriendly nation would choose to do so as the repercussions on earth could be devasting. Looks like this is another mission for the Space Force. However, while focusing on prevention, they are also prepared to consider space war if necessary, to react to hostile actions.
4. Mystery Solved (in part)
This year archaeologists leaned of the origins of the massive megalith stones of Stonehenge. Not necessarily the rhyme or reason for the Neolithic area (although that speculation has gone on for years) but actually where the stones came from. Where did the Stonehenge builders, working long before the days of Christ, source their approximately 2500 BC materials? It turns out, the sarsen stones (made up of quartz sand and ‘cemented’ by silica) are a match to stones south of Marlborough, Scotland (about a current-day 40-minute drive to the site). I think that still leaves us the HOW and WHY of this mystery.
Resources: Resurfaced theory about Stonehenge ‘radically alters view’ of ancient landmark – World News – News – Daily Express US
Stonehenge mystery finally solved as archaeologists learn origins of massive stones
5. Another Tip for Taking out Grease Stains
For whatever reason the universe has, our favorite shirt or pair of pants is a magnet for stains, right? My friend Rozanne’s magnet was anything white, and especially if it was something new. Grease can be one of the most stubborn stains on our clothing. And rinsing may not be the best solution as it doesn’t always break down the grease components. Worse, if you machine wash and place it in the dryer, the heat can actually help set the stain. Not advisable. Why is the substance such a formidable foe to our ability to remove it and stop penetration? Evidently it has to do with the composition of grease, meaning oils and fats. The lists are endless, automotive grease, butter, cooking oils and even chocolate. The latter two which are my biggest adversaries. But if you take quick action, you might prevent the permanent stain.
Directions? Put a generous amount of baby power on stain and leave sit for 5-15 minutes. Remove excess, rub in rest with a spoon or old toothbrush. Then put a bit of water and dish detergent on it (or my favorite, Neutrogena shampoo). Work the solution in with fingers (or brush) on both sides of fabric. Then either wash in machine, or for real care, by hand. [I also read baby powder can be used on mildew in old books, but be careful, those could be far more valuable than your favorite pants.]
6. Material vs. Materiel
Watch your word choice. Both of these words are noun, but for all these years, I thought it was a matter of pronunciation, not spelling of a totally unique word. Often people say military material (pronounced as a piece of cloth would be). They could be more specific saying ‘materiel,’ a specialized term and for military equipment only.
7. Length of Short-Term Memory
What constitutes our short-term memory when doctors say that’s the first to go with age? Neuropsychologists have shown that short term memory lasts only 15 to 30 seconds. After that time period, the memory has either been encoded as a long-term memory (that’s good) or it decays, and we have lost it (sadly, not so good). On the other hand, much information that accounts for short-term memory may be unnecessary and un-useful to store. I like to think my brain is simply becoming more discerning about the clutter it is willing to take on.
Cleveland Clinic – Short-Term Memory: What It Is, How It Works & Duration
8. Watching AND Protecting your Backyard Birds
You may remember that I love to watch backyard birds, actually front-yard birds as well. (See either Bucket List Addition: Backyard Birding Literacy or Backyard Birding for Bucket List – Revisited ). However, I hate that occasional ‘thump’ on the window and concern that if I look outside there could be a deceased songbird awaiting burial. Every year hundreds of millions of birds in the US alone meet their demise flying into windows and glass doors. Window stickers and decals sold to prevent these birdy calamities do work (sometimes decreasing the deaths by close to half). Yet, there’s one snag to the effort. You have to affix the sticker or decal to the OUTSIDE of the glass. Who knew?
Zoological Science. “Window films increase avoidance of collisions by birds but only when applied to external compared with internal surfaces of windows.”
9. Bowling
I used to bowl as a little kid and teen (perhaps it’s obvious, so did my parents). If you’ve read “Bowling Alone” you realize that was a time when people belonged to bowling leagues. I received a colorful turquoise ball, which I could barely lift at the time, and still have squirreled away somewhere. I learned the rules and learned to score. What I didn’t know, and just learned this year, is that if a person does not let go of the ball before it gets to the pins, it is not a foul, even if they are over the foul line. (I’ll share this 27-second video but must admit I found a lot funnier ones while searching for this.) As a spoiler, he doesn’t foul out.
10. Join or Die
Number 9 above about bowling reminded me of a related item. Robert Putnam, author of “Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community,” is the subject of a new film called “Join or Die.” The film, like Putnam’s book, explores the problems of people not joining clubs, churches, unions, or other organizations. It’s a problem not only affecting our communities but our own sense of belonging and loneliness. As a Harvard University public policy professor, Putnam has examined the effects over decades of a general reduction in joining. The brief synopsis of the book could be condensed to explain that Americans used to join bowling leagues; but now they go bowling by themselves. It’s a sad metaphor of our loss of social connections as well as a decline in our democracy and an increase in more polarized communities. Catch the movie if you can, lots of libraries (and organizations 
) are showing it for free.
11. Delay, Deny, Defend
My husband said that I should not use this as something learned during 2024, because we “lived it” when I had a practice and filed insurance claims. But either I don’t remember or am not certain I knew for sure that insurance companies actually used these words or intentionally followed this internal procedure. With the killing of Brian Thompson, UnitedHealthCare CEO during December (while on his way to the company’s annual investor conference at the NY Hilton Hotel), the phrase became ubiquitous. The bullet casings actually had similar words to “delay, deny, defend” written on them, an alternate phrase of delay, deny, depose. The words reference behavior of big insurance corporations and how they handle claims. It’s become apparent that many in the US are more aware and quite angry over the American health care system and the part insurance companies play in it. [As I write, there is a bipartisan bill (2025) in congress designed to break up giant health care corporations, such as UnitedHealth and CVS.] I truly hope this is one item that becomes UNTRUE in years to come.
12. Quincy Jones and Leslie Gore?
The Legendary Quincy Jones died this year. I was amazed to find out that aside from being a talented musician, bandleader and composer, he also produced an unexpected mix of other musicians. He’s well known for working with Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles, and Michael Jackson (Thriller album). However, I had no clue he produced major hits for one of my favorite female singers in the early 60s. Leslie Gore had several hits owed to Quincy Jones. I will leave sharing my favorite, if not the most popular.
Happy New Year All
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Photo credits: photos from drb’s collection
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