#1100 De Fibs

Two things today.
First, I got a flyer from a new old folks home not long ago. You know you’ve crossed the mid-life threshold when you start getting direct mail for senior centers.
As I was trying to open this flyer to see how seniors live, I was stymied by my lack of fine motor skills. When you get old, I’m told, your fine motor skills go first. Then your medium motor skills, then you can’t drive a car at all.
The flyer was one of those tri-fold deals, which for some reason are now always held together with these little clear adhesive sticker discs. The post office must require them so the page doesn’t flop open and jam their automatic postage machines.
But the net effect of the adhesive stickers was I couldn’t open the circular. The stickers are all well and good for young people with thick skin and flexible fingers. But for folks with thin paper-like paper-cut sensitive senior skin they’re pretty scary. If there’s one item of wisdom age brings, it’s looking ahead to possible problems—the “see it before you step in it” insight.
And if paper cut-ability wasn’t enough. Think of the poor folks suffering from arthritis. Un-stickering and unfolding a flyer could really hurt.
The company should have sprung for the printing process that includes post-it like adhesive right on the page, without the stickers. I’d write them a letter if my fingers weren’t so sore.
On another subject, I heard a rather interesting rumor the other day. Seems cities across the land are really strapped for funds thanks to the depression. Excuse me, economic downturn. The story is that fire departments are being scaled back and police officers are being trained as EMT’s. Part of their training is in how to use a Taser in a new way—as a defibrillator.
“Set Taser to revive. Clear!”
I had a defibrillator used on me once and I wasn’t able to tell a lie for a week.
Which would have made it hard for me to tell that last story...
America, ya gotta love it.