Longevity

  An article titled "The Key to Longevity Is Boring"  found in the July 14, 2024 edition of The New York Times got my attention.  There are many ideas related to longevity.  This disquisition questions whether longevity is boring or not.

The article lists the  numerous health and longevity recommendations popularized by the Internet and podcast hosts.  He pointed out there were a substantial number of contradictory menus , shortcuts for improving one's biology without  firm scientific evidence .  He added that there was an obsession with health and longevity and pointed out that the global supplement market is $250 billion and projected to be nearly$310 billion within the next four years.In short, he pointed out that health and longevity relates to five fundamental lifestyle behaviors: 1.  Exercising regularly 2. Eating a nutritious diet 3.Eschewing cigarettes 4.  Limiting alcohol consumption.  5.  Nurturing meaningful relationships.  He added that these choices are  somewhat boring and harder to make money off of than trendy supplements, complex sounding theories and new gadgets.

In the article, findings of a study in the journal  of Health Affairs reported that 50 year old non-smokers who drank alcohol in moderation and who were not obese could expect to live an average seven years longer than their peers who did not share these traits. The average life expectancy for women having this trio of lifestyle behaviors was just shy of 89 years and for men nearly 86 years old.  In the journal  of Nature Human Behavior , it was reported that in any given age there is a 14% higher risk of dying early associated with loneliness and a 32% risk of dying early associated with social isolation.  The Harvard Study of Adult Development found that good relationships lead to health and happiness.

My take regarding longevity.  First, the definition of boring is "Not interesting, tedious."  A few Synonyms of boring include deadening, dull,  deadening, irksome, slow, tedious, tiresome, and worrisome.  According to the definition, the pursuit of  longevity seems awful and uninviting.  Who would want to live a life of boredom?

Exercise, if boring, becomes nonexistent.  In other words, running on a treadmill is boring If it is without any goal or meaningful purpose.  If one is passionate about running because of the necessity of conditioning for track, football or some sport, then exercise becomes both meaningful and necessary .  In other words, start with a  goal. Then devise strategies in dealing with all the barriers and pitfalls that can interfere with goal completion.  If the goal is filled with passion, then the psychic energy necessary is available regardless of the obstacles . For instance, the ego need of abasement is based on an individual's behavior.  The perseverance of behavior continues irrespective pain, discomfort or even injury.  In order to excel in any sport,  it requires tenacity which refers to mental toughness. More than likely ,severe or overuse injury exists and is common for individuals that engage and are passionate about extreme sports.  Man pursues potential pain and illness, but not  too long in an activity that is boring .

Meaningful relationships are also not boring, by definition.  Just think of a professional basketball player like Steph Curry?  Curry does not train alone but works out with others meeting his ego need of affiliation  In other words, Curry is exercising and incorporates  and fosters a relationship during the process.  Ask any individual who was a member of his  team about their camaraderie?  In fact, Bo Schembechler preached “ the team”," the team.” His players developed significant personal relationships as they coalesced and became the team.  In fact, working out with another person can be and is more enjoyable than working out by yourself.

Additionally, other ego needs can be met during exercise and competitions.  For example, the ego's need for achievement is based on accomplishing something difficult.  Setting and accomplishing  personal goals during the exercise while raising aspirations . In so doing, it Increases self regard and displays mastering obstacles while excelling.  The ego ‘s need for aggression can be met which is to oppose and compete against others. The ego’s need for counteraction  which is a commitment  and perseverance  through exercise when one overcomes a weakness and develops  mastery. The ego’s  need for deference can also be met which is to admire, support and praise others  such as other competitors or even teammates.  The ego’s need for  exhibition is met by standing out, making an impression by  participation ,achievement and excellence.  Further,  even the eg’s  need for play can be met working out with others when joking, laughing  and/ or removing stress while participating in various activities.

 With a mentally and physically healthy personal identity and character , are certain core characteristics. In which ego needs are met. Meaningful personal relationships and unions are important and necessary for anyone's well-being as studies concur.  Being physically active is also necessary for well-being irrespective of whether it's yoga, walking, gardening or hiking either individually or in a group. Longevity studies indicate and suggest that lifestyle choices around obesity, smoking and drinking are hazardous to one's health. How happy are chain smokers or alcoholics ?  Nutritional eating with a significant partner is not boring, but a way to taste, enjoy ,relate. and met ego needs of affiliation and play. To learn more, I presented in” It Has Nothing to Do With Age ,“ 7 prescriptions for a healthier life span.  

 Successful living has to do mental and physical well-being, while  meeting one's ego needs with passion and commitment.  Being healthy as a goal makes more sense than longevity being the goal. It’s not about longevity .Living fully also has to do with the amount of pleasure, pain ,conflicts, frustrations, surmountable and insurmountable barriers.  What is  the current ratio  of positive to  negative valences as well as expectations for the future?   Fully living is not boring at all . In other words, being healthy is the key . 

Predictions

 This disquisition has to do with the nature of man with his limited ability in prediction making decisions.  Irrespective of man's limitations in making decisions, many have no problem in making predictions.  Gambling and risk behaviors are  prime prediction examples. Casinos  are profitable and  do quite well based on man’s nature . Also, when listening or watching the news, it's common to hear  individuals making generalized  political predictions .

According to Darwin, man's survival depended upon being the fittest.  Does man’s decision-making have to do with him being the fittest and what  are the  other identifiable factors ?  Within Kurt Lewin's Field Theory, the motivational approach-avoidance concept  emerged.  An approach incorporates a valence concept which is a scale  that varies in degree of desire or impetus toward an object . Also, going against another person is another example of an approach . And ,avoidance also varies in degree of dislike or impetus . An example of valence is when visiting a medical facility when the nurse  asks for a ratting of pain on a scale of 1 to 10  .Also within field theory ,are concepts of tension, barriers and other  circumstances interfering with reaching that  approach or avoiding goal.  The approach -avoidance and  valence  concepts are based on the belief that it is necessary for tension or anxiety  occurring  within the individual. In essence , tension, anxiety, approach -avoidance and valence are motivational concepts. 

In man's survival, within  decision-making there are many  factors for consideration.  Nature is one factor.  For example, approach can be related to a desire to  experience the  forest  as in hiking, running or camping.  Avoidance can be related to  avoiding predators, fire, hurricanes, floods, earthquakes and tornadoes  Other people , economics, political policies, culture ,institutions and society are additional factors depicted in employing an approach-avoidance motivational concept.  Notably man’s survival is dependent on  tension, anxiety ,approach-avoidance , valence , with decisions resulting in intended or unintended consequences .  

In the beginning, the infant perceives, develops, and in this quest for survival, develops ego needs and  a plethora of approach-avoidance experiences within the family, school, work , political, economic and social environment.  Also, there is an unconscious process going on that is associated with impulses, passions, and guilt.  Human and environmental conditions are not static. Therefore ,making a decision  at 18 years of age  or any other age might, with a limited understanding  of all the variables  ,result in negative consequences at a later date .

 Ride & Tie had an extremely high positive approach valence for me.  It was my favorite sport.  In the Ride  & Tie  community, endurance, and Tevis were one of the same with the competitors.To make a long story short, my horse Running  Bear was injured during one Ride & Tie conditioning.  Because I was determined to enter the Tevis  Cup , I purchased another horse that I called Raider .In 2000 after completing the Tevis Cup race ,I was confronted with making another decision.  Should I enter Raider in another 100 mile endurance ride or should I retire him for the rest of the season?  I entered the endurance ride and Raider suffered a suspensory ligament  injury . So ,I rehabbed him and purchased Gypsy.

Gypsy and I competed in both Ride & Tie and endurance competitions . For example, Gypsy, Kurt and I completed the 75 mile Swanton Pacific Ride & Tie.  Then I thought about the 100 mile Swanton Pacific Ride & Tie. Race manager  Ellen Rinde told me that only three individuals had completed the  one day 100 mile Tevis,  the one day Western States 100 mile run and  the one day 100 mile Swanton Pacific Ride & Tie. So, Jonathan,  Gypsy and I  entered and  won that event in  2008. I then faced and made another decision and entered another Ride & Tie instead of retiring  Gypsy for the remainder of the year.  Gypsy sustained a suspensory  ligament injury during that event.  I rehabbed Gypsy and in January ,2009 , Linda , on Raider and I went on a conditioning ride. On that  2009  ride, Gypsy reared , I went off and  was flown by helicopter to Sutter Medical Facility.  I was told by the orthopedic surgeon that because of my broken neck injury, another fall from a horse might result in paralysis.  I then  retired from competitive equine events.

Years later, Raider suffered a serious medical condition. We did not proceed surgically. Linda then purchased another horse , Linda had a passion  or positive valence approach for athletic activities and experiences.  She was an enthusiastic  golfer, swimmer,  diver ,kayaker ,biker and equestrian. Unfortunately, In those activities ,she occasionally  hit her head against some object  and/or fell to the ground with unintended consequences .In 2016, she suffered a severe physical  equestrian injury after  being thrown from her horse. Years later, her  brain scan revealed that she had Hydrocephalic  dementia resulting from her history of traumatic brain Injuries .  Linda was an  excellent and experienced equestrian.  Looking back, one could question her decision to ride at 83 years of age .  However, she was experiencing pleasure and enjoyed that activity.  Predictions are difficult and , at best, have either favorable or unfavorable consequences.

In conclusion, the motivation for survival is complex and we make decisions determined by many factors  including anxiety, tension,  approach- avoidance. Additionally other factors affect decision making like illness, frailty, or a loss of hope for future .In addition , factors of  heredity, time, place, socioeconomics , quality of the parental  and marital relationships, opportunities ,talent , skills plus  ego needs come into play.  As a result, the degree of accuracy for prediction in decision-making remains low at best.  Thus, survival of the fittest is a generalization, and does little to tell us about one's life history . No human can predict or see the future accurately or with certainty. . 

PS

My lovely bride turned 91 yesterday. Shortly ,we will travel to Calistoga for a mud  bath.

Grumpy Old White Men

 

This essay is a caricature  of Trump's  grumpy old white men. A Greek painting depicts Hercules with Geras. Geras is a Greek personified figure of old age. In the painting, the muscular  Hercules towers over the bald, bent , emancipated Geras  leaning on a crooked stick with his reversed genitals. Geras represents Trump's  elderly white male voters .

First , a few  statistics  of  males aged  65  and older:  1.  24.8 million  2.  Median income $35,808  3. 1 in 10  live below the poverty level.  Another 2.6 million near poor  4.  Life expectancy has decreased 1.8 years, largely because of increases in mortality due to Covid -19, unintentional injuries, heart disease, homicide, and  diabetes.  5.  Percentage of divorce and separated spouses absent  has increased since 1980.  6.  76% of persons  were not  of racial or ethnic minority populations 7.  51%  live in Florida and Texas.  8.  10.6 million or 18.9%  were  working,  or actively seeking employment 9.  20%  assessed their health as fair or poor, compared to 27% of the population aged 75 and older  10.  They have at least one chronic health condition and many have multiple conditions.  11.  Leading chronic conditions  include arthritis 47%,  coronary heart disease 14%  ,myocardial infarction 9%, angina 4%, cancer 26% ,COPD, 11% ,and diagnosed diabetes  21% 12.  9% reported they were current smokers, 30% were obese ,12%  prescription medication for feelings of worry, nervousness or anxiety.  11%  prescribed medicine for depression , and 97% reported they had a usual place to go for medical care.  13.  18% reported they could not function at all, or had a lot of difficulty with the least one of six functioning domains.  Specifically, 21%  trouble seeing even if wearing glasses , 29% had difficulty hearing even if wearing hearing aids ,39% had trouble with mobility ,walking or climbing stairs, 8% had difficulty with communication,  understanding  and being understood by others,  20% had trouble with cognition, remembering or concentrating  and 8% had difficulty with self-care such as washing and dressing.

Second,  In my 60s, I completed the  one day 100 mile Tevis ; I  was an age division winner in the one day 100 mile Western States endurance run; and with my partner Jonathan ,my horse Gypsy,  won the  one day  100 mile Swanton Pacific Ride and Tie .Also, the males in  It Has Nothing To Do With Age read were competing in extreme sports at age 65 and older .

Third, further descriptions of  Trump’s white men : 1. They repeat  sentences, questions  and stories over and over which  are associated with  failing short-term memory.  They don't necessarily realize that they are telling the same story again because they don't recall having already told it. Listen to a Trump  when off script .He rambles  with incomplete and run-on sentences and repeats the same  theme over and over again . His verbal presentations are associated with his  failing  brain ..

Fourth, humans grow . The spine extends with resilient  cartilage in the vertebrae as bones elongate . Then gravity takes over. Now,there's  a sagging head , double chin, jowls hanging , flabby skin on upper arms, enormous  belly , and even  earlobes grow long toward the floor.  Trump and his kind  gaze  downward to watch their step while descending the stairs. As the body changes, nastiness also appears with wicked stories , twisted gossip about surgical mistakes, bad doctors, crooked relatives ,scandals, accidents and  finances.  The Geras types also watch the vicious cycle of  afternoon soaps and bizarre pathologies exhibited on talk shows .

Fifth, old people lie awake in the dark, at sleep in the daylight as prescribed  sleep of eight hours dwindles. In earlier years, the involuntary urination did not disturb sleep , but in later years the urge to urinate interferes with sleep , Christian monks who lived in desert caves tried to banish sleep altogether. They believed that pagan powers  approached  pious souls through dreams. In the  United States ,80 different sleep disorders have been cataloged and there are 337 sleep disorder clinics. In our republic , 10% of the population reported nightmares at least once a month.  

Sixth, names of family members merge . It's difficult to put a name to the face ,walk to the right door,  and match a pair of socks .The Geras group have difficulty speaking as an adult ,feeling as an adult and thinking as an adult. 

Seventh, every decade after age 50, the brain loses 2% of its weight; the motor area of the frontal cortex loses between 20 to 50% , visual area in the back loses about 50%; and the physical sensory part also loses about 50%.  Did you remember correctly to take your pills , do you  remember names, dates,and words ?

Eighth, the brain is held responsible for memory loss.  The inability to recall this morning's conversation, last week's visitors are examples that occur while aging . Trump’s people tend to spend more time taking stock of their life in review.  They tend to remember the traits of  parents, who attended the wedding and some things that want to return  from the distant past .Old age gives time to commemorate and embellish  achievements.  There is more of a desire to return to the past and  not to look forward.  Some might argue that forgetting may actually be the truest form of forgiveness and a blessing.

In conclusion, the long term short-term memory issue makes sense when thinking about the slogan Make America Great Again.  Simply put, when  in a Geras state , one compares an earlier time with the present, it's obvious that the past represents youth, growth and thrills. There was once upon a time when an individual “dominated. "   White supremacy ruled without question in every area of our society and culture.  Trump's Apprentice program was designed to represent power ,supremacy and control over others.  The past can be embellished, changed ,and/or  distorted.  But now , come to the present and future.  How many elderly white men are looking to the future with their frailty ,illness ,and incapacities of a failing mind and/or  body ?  Their  future doesn't look terrific when their  present is represented by inadequacy, despair and pain on so many levels.  In other words, for the grumpy elderly white Geras  men ,It's about the past and not at all about the future.

Reference

Hillman, James.  The Force of Character.

Exceptional Women

 

This disquisition pertains to an article in the New York Times  July 7,  2024 titled "Is America No Longer Exceptional?"  This article addressed comments made by US Presidents over the years.  My stand is very different in how I approach the term exceptional.  Exceptional is defined as unusual; not typical with synonyms of uncommon ,abnormal ,freakish ,extraordinary ,weird, aberrant and so forth.  In other words, exceptional can be used in  a variety of ways with somewhat oppositional meanings .

The 2024 Olympics  provided examples of exceptional.  Has the US Olympic team been exceptional in their accumulation of medals?  It would be important to operationally define the number of medals accumulated.  For example, the US team has accumulated an exceptional number of gold medals when compared to Iran, Russia but not China.  However, the US team has statistically accumulated an exceptional number of total medals compared to China.  Some might say the Silver Medal signifies the first loser.  Therefore, depending upon and according to the operational definition, whether or not  the US Olympic team is superior and more dominant than China's Olympic team is questionable.

In sports, the operational definition of exceptional or  number 1 can be easily defined irrespective of opinion or consensus.  For example, college football teams are ranked according to being number 1 prior to the beginning of the season.  These rankings are based on opinion without an operational definition, and therefore are irrational.  However, with all the  division championships and playoffs., the team that wins the final game that season is considered number 1, The University of Michigan beat their opponent in the final college football championship game and as a result finished the 2023 season as number 1. Furthermore, the greatest three point shooter in basketball is  Steph Curry based  upon his number made .  Lebron James has scored the most overall points  and therefore is number one in that category.  Who is the greatest basketball player of all time depends upon the operational definition  . And there can be different operational definitions which depend upon the individual who defines it..

Political figures  express  talking points , opinions, and predictions , often ,without an operational definition of the terms.  For example, Trump fits perfectly . On one occasion he stated "America is the greatest and most exceptional nation in the history of the world" and years later stated, when Biden was president, "We ‘ve become like a 3rd  world nation and it's a shame."  Notice, no operational definition, just irrational  nonsensical opinions designed to suit or bring favor to him politically.

In the New York Times article, Ronald Reagan,in the 1980s ,talked about the exceptional United States by being "  shining city on a hill."  Reagan plagiarized that term from a sermon by Puritan Winthrop’ . Winthrop was referring to the English settlement of Jamestown . He compared  that to the arrivals of the Dutch, French and Spanish . Winthrop's theme pertained to the goodness and godliness of the pilgrims stressing their exceptionalism and self-confidence.  Apparently it's been “forgotten “that the Puritan towns with their own hierarchies demanded submission to the faith and harshly policed their members and potential intruders alike?  Again, one can argue that Reagan didn't define exceptionalism operationally.  Not only that, a number of individuals in his administration were indicted for their  Iran- Contra , HUD rigging, EPA and Saving and Loans misdeeds. Realistically , Regan’ was not comparing his administration  to the goodness and godliness of the Puritans but to the  actual  realities of submission , greed ,exploitation and the hypocrisy of following Christian values .Some members of his administration were exceptionally aberrant, bizarre , inconsistent , deviant, abnormal and criminal as was Nixon and his law breakers  .  Bush’s  weapons of mass destruction  lies was also an example of exceptionally poor judgment with aberrant consequences . So much for that city on a hill for these fraudulent and deceitful Republicans.

The shining city on a hill has witnessed and is associated with the massive slaughtering of native peoples, slavery, expulsions  of Catholics, Mormons and abolitionists, Jim Crow laws, lynchings, segregation, Ku Klux Klan terrorism, prohibition , fascist pulses , political assassinations, depression , and currently the 2025 Republican playbook.  Too many people in this country's history  are associated with  lies, violence, prejudice and  blood .

When using the term exceptional, one can operationally define the term in order to  better statistically differentiate.  To generalize about 330 million Americans is simply irrational as people make up the country.  How can 330 million Americans, or  the country. be  easily homogenized or generalized?   Not everyone owns a gun in this country.  Yet ,we lead the world in accumulation of guns and gun deaths .Therefore, is the United States an exceptional killer?  Or, should just the people that have guns be included in the definition?  Further, our military, judicial, and electoral system ranks lowest among the world's richest nations . Furthermore, satisfaction with the way our democracy is working is the weakest it has been in decades according to Gallup.  

Gallup provides  questions based on their criteria and  receives responses from their selection of  individuals  . Perhaps their  sample in question comes from individuals living in the United States . Their sample or selection of respondents are supposed to represent our entire  country . However, they are generalizing  the respondents' responses with their sample. Statistically, It is not a true representation  of information from  all the individuals in our country because to do so requires the implementation of a universal sample.  Gallup does not employ a universal sample because it's just too  time consuming and costly.  In other words,  only samples of people’ responses  from countries are compared to each other.  And the samples,the answers  collected from the US did not fare well against the samples, the answers  collected from the other countries.

It's clear there are  and have been a number of  exceptional , but not perfect , people such as Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Lincoln ,Schweitzer, Oppenheimer ,Teller,  Russell , Marx , Freud , Einstein and Chomsky  .  Further, the athletes in "It Has Nothing to Do With Age" and " Bo's Warriors "  also  illustrate exceptionalism . On the other hand, Hitler, Stalin, Putin and Trump can be operationally defined as  exceptionally  bizarre ,deviant and criminal . People can be  operationally defined  as exceptional based on their moral, intellectual and humanistic attitudes and behaviors. Simply stating opinions , lies and beliefs are often  false, irrational, nonsensical and prejudicial. 

PS

Dave H.,  my buddy, is visiting his mom in Michigan and she is an exceptional 99.  Also,  Linda ,turning 91 ,in a few days,has accomplished  so much in her life span. As a teenager.  Linda golfed with professional Babe Didrikson on one outing.  After 18 holes,  Babe  ,impressed, invited Linda to join her on tour.Instead, Linda went hunting with  Ray, her father. Linda initiated a  kids tile project with Mike H .’s assistance . She also  started the H2O  exercise program in the ALT pool ;  was the president of the Silver Spurs equestrian club and began pickleball .  She was an accomplished swimmer, diver, Whitewater guide ,kayaker, skier , mountain biker and fly fisher woman.  She was a talented watercolor painter and worked with clay and stained glass.  Linda is exceptional !

Up Where We Belong

 

When Linda , Teddy and I head out for our morning  run and pickleball excursion, the Bluetooth SiriusXM setup on the Golf cart is tuned to the love songs of the 70s.  Those songs, before Linda ( BL ), are terrific and associated with love, joy  and growth .  During the 70s , I’m in my 30's ,with an enormous amount of psychic energy. This brief essay  is before  BL and pertains  to   some of those  terrific and wonderful memories .

In 1969, I was accepted to the educational and clinical PhD psychology program at Wayne State University.  I learned from a distinguished faculty that included Drs . Kounin, Wattenberg, Collier, George, Miller,Barahal,Ambinder,Lyness , Hillman and others. Kounin was brilliant and was a doctoral student of Kurt Lewin.  My buddies included Denny, Archie, Mary and Wayne.  Back then I had a full beard and wore my hair in a ponytail.. My dissertation advisor Jack George was previously a priest and found a new calling.  

Going into the 70s,  I experienced a heartfelt marital breakup and loss.  Then my  life expanded in leaps and bounds. I left my Assistant Professorship at Oakland Community College.  and friends  and colleagues President Joe H, Dean of Students Don N, faculty members Virgil J, Tom T, Randy, Kathy V, Peggy, Mary W, Wally S, Bob P, Les Moran, Sylvia, Beverly and many others and  visited  my brother  Ron, one summer  in San Francisco, We attended Bill Graham's Fillmore West and watched Creedence Clearwater perform .  Then I met a beautiful ,gorgeous psychologically oriented redhead  at a park near the Golden Gate Park in San Francisco.. I fell in love with  Gail B.  Gail was fun , exciting,and musically oriented , The Doors,  Bob Dylan, Ike and Tina  ,Simon and Garfunkel, Marvin Gaye ,,Temptations,, Blood Sweat & Tears,, The Who, ,Guess Who, Chicago, Bread , Cat Stevens, Laura Nyro  etc were  music to my ears. Saturday Night Fever, Grease, and Apocalypse Now were memorable .Gail and I spent time in Detroit and then, we spent a couple  of fun and exciting months in Europe like dancing to Joe Cocker ‘s music in a  West Berlin disco , crossing checkpoint Charlie going in to East  Berlin; visiting Denmark, islands in the Mediterranean ; touristing the sites in and around London; catching the red district in Amsterdam and hanging out on the beach in southern Spain  with Frommer’s book guide.. During our glorious stay in Paris ,Jim Morrison overdosed . ..  

I completed my PhD and accepted an Assistant Professorship at Cal State San Bernardino.  There, I fell in love with June T, a faculty member .  She was attractive, psychologically oriented and a terrific lover. We lived in the mountains and had a Blue Jay  mailing address. Also I met Samantha Eggar  at Lake Arrowhead making  a TV  film "Love Story" with co-star Vic Morrow.

We relocated to the San Francisco Bay Area and I began another but related career in a Short- Doyle community mental health facility composed of psychiatrists, MSW’s,  mental health technicians, and PhD psychologists.  Clarence T.  Bob S.  Dwight E.  Ed P.  Paul D. Louise B , Don M and the cute seductive Melanie K were some of my  favorite colleagues . 

As it turned out, Jan H.  was the Chief of Service. Actually,  Jan and I attended Denby high school.  On one of my birthdays, I entered the clinic and in front of me was a gigantic blown up  Denby yearbook picture on the wall. What a pleasant surprise. Howard B, Velma D , and Pat H were colleagues as well.  Time at the clinic was  a learning experience, exciting, social and a lot of fun. 

I met  psychologist Ed S.  and we attended training in hypnosis with Michael C.  and became good friends .TI also attended training sessions at the San Francisco Psychoanalytic Institute where I met Jackie H. Additionally, for the Superior Court, I performed competency to stand trial evaluations of prisoners in the jails and prisons

I bought my first home in lower Piedmont and moved to San Leandro. Real estate was booming and highly profitable.  Jackie H was another one  of my lovers  during that period.  I also started independent practice while at the Tri-City clinic and subsequently left for a full-time practice.  I initially shared  office space with Chuck R and eventually bought a building for my practice as well as becoming a landlord.

Stan R.  supervised me for procuring my California psychology license.  Stan, while attending the University Wisconsin, trained with Carl Whitaker.  Stan  married Noga, an Israeli psychologist.  Aside from supervision, we attended Eagles, the Who and Rod Stewart concerts.  My friend Stan eventually left and relocated to Israel with Noga.  

Completing supervision., I took my licensing exam in LA and stopped a suicide attempt in the process.  After licensing, I started  independent practice in addition to working at the Tri-City Clinic in Fremont.  I was fortunate enough to be introduced to Est by Ken, a psychologist in his residency.  I was also  trained in the art of consultation by Dr. Singh in  Berkeley .

During my time at Tri-City mental health, I consulted with the school psychologists in the Fremont, Union City and Newark school districts ; drug and alcohol programs and school principals.  I also conducted a research study measuring the ego identity of pregnant  high school girls and made professional presentations about my findings.

One week my ex came to San Francisco and we discussed a possible reconciliation.  Later , during the summer, she brought out our two children and we traveled up and down the coast being tourists.  After that visit, we decided  to remain just friends.

I was most productive professionally during the 70s and also began running at Lake Merritt in Oakland.  The distance was somewhere between 5 and 10 km.  There, I competed with many other runners during that time..  Intellectually I grew ,physically. I grew and emotionally I grew with many love  encounters and meaningful experiences.  Listening to 70’s music  with Linda seven days  a week is terrific for my continued well-being.

In closing, there is only one  remaining friend, not counting family, Wayne.  from all those I mentioned that I can  familiarly talk with  about the glorious 70s.  Unfortunately, some of those associations are lost  because of death , while others became severed for a number of reasons.  In essence, what remains are our memories ,along with  one friend and family that remain alive…

PS

Dr. Wayne and I first met at Denby high school.

Do we have the memories !

The Bible

 The Old Testament, the Bible ,has been referred to as the greatest story ever told. Psychologically speaking, the Old Testament most accurately illustrates the frailties of human nature,  mental and intellectual health, pathology , ego needs , barriers, within  internal and external conflicts  This  essay provides a few examples of man’s repetition and  continuity in  his psychological history .

Adam and Eve  are initially described as part of nature but not fully human.  In fact, Eve is nonsensically viewed as originating from God  and derived from Adam’s rib..Biologically speaking,  that depiction is crazy, preposterous  and her  second class standing is irrational and demeaning . However, both demonstrated that an  act of disobedience was a virtue. Both emerged by cutting the “umbilical cord “ ,and human history began . Harmony with nature  took the first step toward independence and freedom.  In fact, they  opened their eyes, and recognized each other as strangers in a  dangerous world .  Thus, their disobedience prompted them to learn ,to rely on their own power and become fully human.  Disobedience is contrary to obedience.  In other words, they had to disobey God and obey their own conscience, laws of humanity and of reason.  If man  only obeys , then he is a slave which  results in acts of anger, disappointment, resentments and repression .

God is represented as an authoritarian.  He represents authority to whom one is eager to please and  afraid of displeasing.  God is the all-powerful moral authority.  God's able to kill the firstborn as in Exodus; destroy all evil in Sodium and  Gomorrah; and flood the world because of man's wickedness.  In essence , God is  wicked and a sadistic murderer if he's not totally obeyed.  His power is unlimited and he answers to no one.

The notion of God's unlimited power to control and destroy is associated with authoritarianism.  Freud's superego, is an authoritarian conscience  and is the prototype for authoritarianism to occur.  The child internalizes the commands and prohibitions of the father , which the son accepts out of fear of rejection and loss of love.  The child is obedient to that power that's outside of himself, because it's been internalized with an identified authority.  That's very effective because the father’s commands become part of an individual 's obedience within the development of an authoritarian conscience. On the other hand, disobedience can be characterized as rejecting consensus, outside thoughts with the internal  power to deliberate, think ,evaluate  and to judge with reason .

An  authoritarian conscience ,with obedience,results in accepting ,being loyal and subservient to the power of God , kings,  queens, emperors, dictators, conquerors and other rulers over man, especially in  a master- slave relationships  This obedience to an irrational authority is based on the interests of the slave and master being antagonistic  toward  one another because what is advantageous to one is detrimental to the other.  It is not based on reason, but is based on an irrational authority that has to use force or suggestion to maintain that power , control and obedience.

Queen Esther  represents a most favorable female description.The beautiful Queen Esther, was reared by her cousin because of the death of parent. She later  charmed her way and  became a Queen and  then convinced the King not to murder Jews and allowed  them to defend themselves. Esther, in the biblical story, represents female strength, excellence, intelligence ,assurance, diplomacy ,faith and courage to intercede against the proposed  tyrannical act. Esther's ego needs of achievement ,affiliation , autonomy, exhibition , are dominant and demonstrates the power and expertise of an important  female to rescue, confront immoral acts, and save the day.  Our vice president , modern day Esther ,is on a path to accomplish that feat as well . 

The story of Samson and Delilah is a familiar one as a beautiful seductive woman used her charms to outwit a most powerful  religious male.  According to Samson, his strength was derived from God.  Delilah learns his secret and Samson was blinded, chained, humiliated and made a spectacle of shame.  However, his hair grew back  he regained strength and yes he kills the bad guys  by committing suicide in the process.  Ego needs of sex ,achievement ,aggression, dominance and abasement are demonstrated in this biblical story. Good over bad, regaining faith and destroying evil  are  universal and familiar themes.

King David is considered one of the three greatest individuals in the Old Testament.  The story begins with his humble beginnings as a shepherd , thus representing a poor,  uneducated boy  but a competent worker.  In a historic occasion, he meets up with a mountain of a man Goliath, an enemy of the people.  In battle we have an underdog versus the favorite . Just armed with just a slingshot., David conquers and kills the giant.  He later becomes King, has an affair with Bathsheba, arranges for the death of her husband as she  becomes pregnant;. David laments the death of his favorite son Absalom ;  then dies at the age of 70 after reigning for 40 years .

On his deathbed , David tells  his and Bathsheba ‘s son  Solomon  “walk in the ways of God and to take revenge on his enemies.”  David's sin of adultery  and feelings of remorse are most human and typical .Expressions of shame, betrayal, revenge, murder, remorse, guilt , adultery,sibling rivalry, favorite son , secrecy, manipulation  and  ego needs of  abasement, achievement, aggression, and dominance, demonstrate the frailty of man ‘s nature’, ruled by his hormones, impulsivity, amorality,  and self gratification . David’s story is  all too common in human history with a belief or not  in God, and not following his commandments . And our VP is ready ,able and intending to slay an amoral  and despicable tyrant. Also, another female  Gabby Thomas ,slayed the field  in Paris.

The repetition and consistency  of mental health and mental illness in the  history of man reflecting his nature are brilliantly depicted in the Five Books of Moses.  As a result, these themes of man that pertain to God ,others ,nature and self are universal and allow one to easily identify with the cast of characters.  For example,there is  the common motivation of revenge, the principle of  reciprocal justice expressed as an " eye for an eye" is familiar , repetitive  and irrational because it’s for actions that have already occurred.and  does not solve or resolve anything. It simply perpetuates the craziness and keeps it alive.  Gandhi said something to the effect that the world would go blind if carried out . Throughout  Bible stories there are good  and evil guys, followed by retaliation  either by God or others.  Additionally, man's motivation of defending himself against evil, committing sins, being manipulated, seduced, believing in or not  believing in God , being the underdog ,  obedience , disobedience, and sadistic cruelty towards others is  common and apparent.  Also, found is a humanistic conscience and love which suggest that man has potential for good and justice as well as  an authoritarian conscience, or a potential for evil, and destruction . The Old Testament  stories have inclusive themes which continue to be repeated  since man is confined , obsessively and compulsively limited by his nature and  with ego needs  that affects his tendency for  either humanitarian or authoritarian principles. .

Denby Tars

 I just received another dose of reality as my good buddy and longtime friend and fellow psychologist Wayne recently informed me of the passing of Larry Hudas.  This important chapter of my life is nearing completion.  because his most recent passing reinforces  life’s reality ,the process of aging , loss and many past  positive memories.  Larry was my teammate on our  most dominant ,most powerful 1957 football team.  This post relates to my teammates on that  exceptional high school football team.

Our Denby Tars 1957 football team was unparalleled  and the  Detroit sportswriters called it one of the best teams in the history of Michigan football.  Ed Rutherford was the head coach and Jack Rice the assistant coach.  Too many of my teammates have passed and that leaves, as far as I know, the following still alive: 1.  Johnny Auld, the center 2.  Dr. Ron Transik left guard and middle linebacker 3.  Dave Banlow ,the left tackle.  4.  Jim Haslip ,the left  end   5.  Roland Kotwicka ,the quarterback 6.  Rudy Nurmi , the safety. I saw Rudy a few times after high school and my mother did as well.  7. Walt Majewski ,defensive tackle.

Those that have passed  include : 1.  Tom Smith the right end.  Tom was my competition at Wayne elementary school and Jackson junior high.  Tom  was an exceptional athlete.  At Jackson, Bob Adams, Tom and I were the best three on three basketball team during that  gym class.  Tom played four years varsity at Denby, was Allstate and later played for Dan Devine at Missouri.  Missouri was a powerhouse and they went on to play in many Orange Bowls.  Tom was killed by a drunk driver when he was a  principal of an elementary school.  2.  Ed Budde was an All-American in high school and at Michigan State University .  He was the number one draft pick of the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles .He played with the Chiefs for 14 years and was in the first  and their second Super Bowls  Ed attained numerous honors.  Ed set up a series of book signings in Kansas City for my first book.  He invited Connie Dobler to join us.  Incidentally, both of our books were published by the same publisher Triumph Books.  Linda and her sister Bretta joined us at some of the Kansas City Chiefs functions.  Ed's wife Carolyn was extremely hospitable and I met their two younger children as well.  A few years earlier, I met Brad, also  a Kansas City number one draft choice at  an NFL  Alumni function in Southern California.  Ed joined us at our 40th high school reunion, and I presented him with a picture of him and I taken by the Detroit Free Press in 1957. 3.  Dr. George Bletsos became a dentist and  was our  class president .  George played in the defense in the  secondary .  At our  30th high school reunion.  George went out of his way and greeted me along with Sec. Katie Yeager, another friend from Wayne elementary.  4.  Mitch Newman was co-captain and played as an offensive halfback.  Mitch played for Duffy Doherty at Michigan State.  I remember watching a  TV talk show, and one of the guests was Mitch who recently came back from Vietnam.  Mitch wasn't going to attend Denby’s 40th high school reunion, but I pressured him to come and he did   5.  Jim McDonald was an offensive  halfback  6.  Larry Hudas was an offensive halfback, Allstate , Michigan high school athlete of the year ,played for Duffy Doherty at MSU  and was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys. His obituary tells much more about him. 

Our first football game In 1957 was against Southeastern..  On the first play of the game, at right guard, I  pulled and led the blocking for Larry going around right end.  After what seemed like 50 or 60 yards, Larry was somehow tackled.  I never asked Larry how that happened.  We went on to win the game 41-7.  We were undefeated for the rest of the season scoring a minimum of five touchdowns per game and allowing 2 or 3 touchdowns for the entire   season.  Unfortunately, Ed Hood., forged a doctor's name on his physical examination.  The athletic director reported  it and the games that Ed played  were forfeited.  Southeastern went on to play in the Goodfellow game for the city championship.

The year  prior.  In 1956, I played middle linebacker.  During the season.  I broke my right heel in a  non football injury .  On crutches at Tiger Stadium.  I watched our team lose De LaSalle in the Goodfellow game 26-20.  My friend Ron Transik  was a starting middle guard on our championship team.  However ,before that 1957 season, I impressed Jack Rice with my  strength in physical education class performing countless push-ups and chins.  Also , prior to the season we scrimmaged with Mackenzie high school.  I performed outstanding at middle guard  and  Ron was moved to middle linebacker .  On offense, I was the starting right guard  and Ron was the starting left guard. Coach Rutherford, with the games decided by halftime, moved me to left guard  on offense and kept me in as middle guard on defense .

Losing teammates, especially know , has been difficult as morality surfaces . Although my mandala of life is shrinking , it still remains firm  and non -severable  . During adolescence,the foundation and integration  of  identity  sets in motion a process for  a  continuity  of life . In my  process, my self is composed of  complexes of  affiliation, physicality,  perseverance,  competitiveness, goal achievement,  and  cognitive  growth . These complexes have enabled  me to perform and  have characterized  my  past, present while looking forward  to the  future  . I continue with chin-ups , running  30 to 40 miles per week, reading and writing . With Larry's  passing,most  powerful and significant  memories of triumph, accomplishment , joy,  conflict, disappointment and loss surfaced .  I  acknowledge the past while remaining cognizant of time rapidly passing . There are no do overs. However,  setting goals feels right..