I didn't know you could buy pre-chopped onions. I'm not sure what that says about me as I age.

Quite often my father acts like a preschooler in terms of attention span and patience. So I'm not sure what "acting old" is with regards to actual age--my mentor, who just died, kept her sense of wonder and enthusiasm for life up into her 90's. That was who she was to the core. I find myself very frustrated with chewing the same cud over and over, particularly when you already know the outcome . . . I have to work on not expressing my frustration. Roadblocks are ever so much more annoying when my time to remove them gets less and less.

Skipping down to say that IMO, becoming rigid in one's thinking, and judgemental of those younger than oneself is what I define as being 'old'.

If someone else has stated this already, I apologise.

Going back to read...

Has anyone else found Advanced Style on FB? I came across the page recently and thoroughly enjoy it. And I'm rocking a center part right now since my grey comes in like Bride of Frankenstein and I haven't been to the hairdresser since July. I might just keep it!

My mother once said something to a clerk, and afterwards I told her I thought she'd been less than polite. Mom said, "I've been nice for 75 years, I don't have to be nice anymore." She still was nice, most of the time...

I'm very happy to give up skinny jeans as I've never liked them much anyway. And the side part, well mine naturally falls in the middle, so there.

Speaking of young and old....I realized tonight that my center part hair is now so long that it’s past my boobs. Which now means it’s just about at my waist😂

The best, most useful thing that I have recently purchased is a metal shoe horn that's about 2 ft long, maybe longer. Had a picture of an elderly woman on the label...HAHA! About as low tech as you can get...much more useful than some phone app!

I can remember back when I was very young...probably I was in my 20s, I was thinking that I just couldn't understand why old people (like my mother) didn't wear the latest clothing fashions! It really REALLY bothered me that older women didn't get with the program! HAHA! That young idea doesn't exist in me anymore. I find the newest fashions to look ridiculous and I would no sooner wear torn up jeans than I would poke myself in the eye! HA! But if someone wants to, that's their business but I don't have to like it. :)

I think trendy fashion is not something I will pay that much attention to although I like to look nice and keep current but ways of doing things, ordering online, for instance, instead of going to a store, mobile check deposit ( my students write me checks) it's a lot of little stuff but keeping current with technology I think is important. Not the latest and greatest but things that make life easier. I recently FINALLY got one of my students, a dentist, to zelle me money instead of writing a check and she is amazed at how easy it is.

My tech friends have 5-6 monitors at their computer station and recently I added a second in my studio for work purposes and am proud of it haha

I look back at old pictures of my grandmothers, and they are always in what was called a "house dress" but it was really a dress to do house and yard work in. And then a lot of time an apron over it, for more pockets and protection. They were usually busy patterns so that spills and dirt wouldn't show on them. They looked rather unflattering (and that's putting it mildly) but my grandmothers and great aunts didn't care. They were busy getting work done and they wanted to be judged by their skills and creativity, not their looks.

Fast forward to me now the same age as they were when the photos were taken, and I sort of feel the same way but also want to look nice. I've already posted here on the struggle to balance practical clothing with still looking fun and stylish. Particularly when you work outdoors.

Clothing has come a long way since then I think to accommodate working women. My grandmother's generation worked at home for the most part, several on farms, although my Dad's mom worked in the scrapyard that was behind the house, so she was both a home maker and running a business. I recall my aunts all commenting that they had the goal of not looking like their mother, but how difficult that was when you look in the mirror and see you are facing many of the same challenges to your appearance that your mother did . . . I now have put on weight and my body is starting to look like my mother's did as she aged. And probably for the same reason, I'm too depressed to fight it. I just don't have the energy for that and all the other things I am trying to do.

That is part of the "old lady" look, the point again when value added vs time invested towards personal appearance becomes less and less. My mother always managed to look "put together" and so do most of her friends. But they have the time and discretionary funds to spend on new/updated clothing and accessories, beauty shop visits, etc.

I do keep up with technical trends when it comes to my computer systems-- but less so phones. I do use venmo.. i guess i am more focused on the practical uses of my iphone rather than the social or "fun" features.

I do use FB but so not interested in instagram and tiktoc... but that's more a matter of fiercely protecting my time and being very aware of my tendencies to go down a self-indulgent rabbit hole.

Someone above mentioned that the physical limitations of aging change our behaviors-- and while I consider myself a vibrant 57, my visual disabilities and lack of depth perception have definitely changed my behaviors in both big and small ways. I am sure i will face more challenges as the years go on and more body parts start failing me lol.

One of the things i am most conscious of is the need for low heels-- not "grandma shoes" but i definitely can't wear hot, sexy shoes. Sneakers give me the ability to move quickly and naturally vs cautiously and is kind of important to me. Kind of crazy but part of my adjustment to having no depth perception. In contrast, i had a great aunt who rocked high heels and mini-ish skirts well into her 70s! I haven't worn a short skirt in 40 yr!!

I found these photos of my grandmother and her seven sisters and her one brother. One photo when they were relatively young, with my great grandmother, and another when they were old. Nothing changed, including my grandmother's dour expression and crossed arms. She was on the right in the first photo and on the left in the second . . . They were serious Dutch people, not prone to frivolity, several teachers, a nurse and a couple of farm wives among them . . . How I miss them, they were a cranky yet loving bunch. Were they born "old" or was that just a way of life back in the days of crop failures, death from infectious diseases (great grandfather died of diphtheria), and economic ups and downs and the long hours of work that kept the home fires burning. The only one smiling is my great uncle Bud, who was spoiled rotten by his eight older sisters, (to make up for his father dying when he was 8 yrs. old). The most fun my grandmother had was getting the old pump organ from her church when they got a newer one, and cranking (literally) out some favorite hymns. "In the sweet bye and bye, we will meet on that beautiful shore . . . "

FWIW, I'm not sure everybody today knows that there used to be a lot more 'rules' about what was appropriate for respectable people to wear in public - and even in private!

So true. Getting dressed up to go on the subway or when going on an airplane!

By the time she was my age...well, she was dead. But by the time she was 50, my mother had fully embraced old-lady-hood, complete with polyester pantsuits and lots of complaining about everything. In contrast, my dad, now almost 86, loves everyone, never complains, and keeps busy with exercise, socializing, and volunteering. Guess who I plan to emulate as I get older?

I thought of this thread this morning as I grabbed my pre diced fresh onions at the market. I still am trying to figure out how it makes me old. My store freshly cuts onions, bell peppers and just about every other thing you can imagine, every day. I admit I may be old but I buy the pre cut out of laziness not because I am unable to do my own chopping, dicing or slicing. Knock wood!

Oh and I also did my weight training this morning so I was able to lift the onions off the shelf. :-)

I am in my late 40's and still bank the old-fashioned way, in person with the same bank I have used for 30 years. I am somewhat of an anomaly, but I don't use automatic bill pay or the ATM (or apps) for my deposits. I still prefer written checks and doing things the old fashioned way. I have through the years caught many computer-generated mistakes this way. I also just prefer the relationships I have with my bankers and bank.

I'm so old that I thought precut onions were for busy working moms who wanted to get dinner on the table in a hurry. hahaha! Like - nifty time saver, not old person chopping fingers off. :)

The BEST is the container of cut-up onions, celery, and carrots from Trader Joe’s. I often use it for homemade chicken soup.

Ya'll will laugh but I find chopping kind of therapeutic. LOL!! I love onions and always have them on hand, but I don't have a problem with someone using pre-chopped.

It doesn't bother me at all with anyone using pre chopped anything, I'm glad they are cooking!

And what other people do is fine with me, I know plenty of working families that alternate between fast food restaurants most nights, not my lifestyle but they're happy.

I would never have thought that pre-chopped onions were intended for the elderly. I detest chopping onions and always have due to them being an extreme eye irritant for me, and wouldn't hesitate to buy a bag already done if needed. As it is now, I'll use my food processor or ask DH to hand chop, but I'm not going to be dicing them myself.

My 27 year old daughter convinced me to use chopped onions the first time. She uses them frequently. I am a horrible crier when chopping onions, so this has been a welcome change. That said I primarily use the chopped onions when I am doing a lot of cooking.

My daughter’s fiancé gave me onion goggles for Christmas and that is helping my eyes tremendously, a nice surprise.

Years ago I was a fan of the song, "Who Would Have Thunk It" by singer/songwriter Greg Brown. Even in my 30's it resonated with me. I've done and lived on the cutting edge and at some point, you echo the sentiments of the song, yeah, you could still do things the way you did when you were younger, but you don't want to! You know what you like, you know what works, and you know what is a waste of time that you no longer have so much of . . . that's why certain people always have to date someone in their 20's, or early 30's no matter how old they get, because anyone older than say maybe 35 and mentally healthy, starts to see the red flags flying immediately.

We used to say I could walk all night, and we could and we did
Down that gravel road, to that tiny town, and the door always opened
Now we say I could walk all night. It's not true
We can't walk all night, no, because we don't want to
We want a bed and a blanket, some light breakfast, sometime tomorrow
We want a bed and a blanket, some light breakfast, sometime tomorrow
And I sing it now, hey hey, hey hey, who woulda thunk it
Hey hey, hey hey, who woulda thunk it

We used to say I could eat a horse, and we could and we did
In fast food joints in the middle of someplace on the way to someplace else
Now we say I could eat a horse. It's not true
We can't eat a horse, no, because we don't want to
We want somethin from the cookbook, that new one with the great graphics
Somethin from the cookbook, that new one with the great graphics
Oh and I sing it now, hey hey, hey hey, who woulda thunk it
Hey hey, hey hey, who woulda thunk it

We used to say I don't care if I never have any money
As long as I have my sweet honey and a shack in the woodland
Now we say I don't care if I don't have money, but it's not true
We can't live without money, no, because we don't want to
We want one of those and two of those, and oh that one looks neat, wrap it up
Put it on my MasterCard. Put it on my Visa
And I sing it now, hey hey, hey hey, who woulda thunk it
Hey hey, hey hey, who woulda thunk it

We used to say I don't care if I never grow old
I'm gonna flame, gonna burn, take one quick turn and be gone like James Dean
Now we don't say that. It's too late to die young
So we sit at the table long after supper and a good wine
Here's what we sing, we go, hey hey, hey hey, who woulda thunk it
Hey hey, hey hey, who woulda thunk it

I don’t use pre cut, pre chopped or pre shredded produce. None of them taste right to me. But the garlic purée in a refrigerated tube? Yes yes yes. I have a very strong sense of smell and it used to be whenever I made anything with garlic it bothered me all night long no matter how much I washed my hands.

It never occurred to me to view these convenience foods as being for the “elderly”, because in my experience the real sign of being elderly is that people often stop cooking.

It's interesting how we all have a different take on chopped onions!

Haha, leave it to us to go from technology to chopped onions.

I don't mind chopping onions and we do use a lot of onions when cooking. It never occured to me that pre-chopped produce was for older people. I think of them as a convenience item. The minced ginger from The Ginger People is awesome!! I always have a jar in the fridge.

Ginger

I have a fantastic recipe for potatoes au gratin that is labor intensive. It calls for par-boiling the potatoes, then peeling them, then shredding them. My mom insisted one time that I use frozen shredded potatoes. The dish was not nearly as good so that convenience item is not worth the time savings.

I have only recently become aware of how popular frozen potatoes are.

I've always thought if you needed a potato in a recipe you bought potatoes and transformed them into what you wanted. Duh!

It is very hard for me to dice onions due to my vision/depth perception issues -- i think that's part of the reason people think of them as an aid to older people who likely also have vision issues. I don't have arthritis but i would imagine that would also make it hard to wield a knife.

Onions seem to be harder for me than shallots (or many other vegetables)-- so i am much more likely to use shallots than onions in tuna or a salad-- but for soups, etc, i use the fresh chopped if i have them.

Funny, I have never thought of the pre-chopped veggies as for "old" people. I have thought of them as more expensive, and maybe less tasty than do-it-yourself veggies. I chop onions. I never thought to buy frozen, though I thought of chopping a lot when I'm in the mood and freezing them for quick access later. I usually only use Vidalia onions and they don't burn my eyes. If I need tangier onions I suffer.

WOW this took a turn. We began with things that mark us as older and now it's all about cutting onions?! I buy pre-chopped green pepper for "hot dish" type cooking because they are cheaper and keep. I shop once a week and it drives me nutty to buy a green pepper and find it going bad when I get around to using it--and it happens a lot. That aside why oh why would you assume because someone under the age of what 30; is doing it better?? Why is how young people do it assumed to be smarter/better/cooler?! I REJECT that assumption from the get go. I prefer the idea that the more experience one has in life the more likely THE BEST choice will be made. THE BEST way of doing a task will be known. What I see DAILY is the dependence on technology in the young is not improving them AT ALL. They are slaves to the ding on their phone, on the rush that they are some how POPULAR because they have followers. They can't construct a sentence with all the proper punctuation or grammatical markers (and no the word processors do not do it better for them). I am "older" and sorry I am better capable and make a thousand better choices than most people half my age so they can have their youth. No way it makes them more ANYTHING than I!

I have had a good laugh at all these posts. An interesting read.

For me , I don't envy the young . I am 68 and still going strong ( or at least I think so) and I look around me and see all the young people who have no "time" for anything . That includes family. Mom and Dad are working ( pre pandemic) all the time . Kids are in school , and then the kids are plunked in "extra curricular" activities day after day which means no time for a sit down meal ( which might be the only time Mom & Dad and kids would have to spend together ) . Almost from day one, babies are plunked in day care and in the end no one has much of a connection to anyone else. Then parents wonder when something goes wrong what happened . What happened is their kids are spending 8 plus hours a day with other people who may or may not have similar values to them . Parents are not the big influence in a kid's life anymore.

Attention spans are that of a gnat because everyone is doing "something" on their phones or computers even in school . Divorce rates are sky high because no one wants or cares to work things out . That would take time . Everything is "me" focused.

I wonder where the parents are when a 12 or 14 year old gets on social media and shakes their "booty" for everyone to see . What happened to playing with friends ? There are lots of dangers out there and the kids don't realize it till too late.

When someone can't take the time to even chop a lettuce up for a salad or worse need to order in from one of these companies who deliver meals and on a sliding scale (downward) hit one of the greasy spoon fast food places a number of times a week ........really does anyone wonder at all that these young folks don't know how cope ? I would rather be old fashioned I guess.

Now, not everything new is a bane. I am good with computers , a tool that can be beneficial however it does have its pitfalls too (obviously) But I really think we all need to really look at what can benefit us and what is just being foisted on us or can be detrimental to us . Do we really need Alexa to turn on our lights? or tv? or listen to our conversations for that matter . Really ?????

I think for me the answer is no and that is just fine with me .

Oh and I agree with arcy_gw . He/she makes some very valid points

I've never seen pre-chopped onions, but it does sound like something one would find at Trader Joe's and something that younger people in a hurry would buy. I tend to avoid shortcuts when cooking, but my sister has always taken them, thinking that no one would notice - but she was wrong, and our nieces and nephew always preferred my cooking at family holidays.

For everyday cooking, sometimes easier is a better way to go, but that is a choice, and I do not think it has anything to do with age. I think older people in general take more time with cooking and get better results. I also think that in general, people (who are serious about it) become better at cooking with age, and this is definitely one area of life in which being older is an advantage. That is, the older one becomes, the better they become at certain things like cooking, although it is not limited to cooking.

Instead of focusing on being younger, focus on having more refined skills.

Most companies rinse pre-cut vegetables with water containing chlorine as a safety measure. Doing so eliminates many of the bacteria or mold-causing organisms that can cling to the foods.

I came across this today and thought of our thread. I think this is why I find such items undesirable.

BTW, to me this sentence is absurd: "Parents are not the big influence in a kid's life anymore." Of course they are, for better or worse.

I think getting crabby over little things Is one of the hallmarks of aging I’d like to try to avoid.

LOL Jojoco. Same! So far, I find that i am more patient and much less bothered by the little things as I get older. However, i also find that I am more affected by other people's negativity than I used to be. It's a weird shift-- i guess as i reduce my own negativity, I am more likely to notice others' negativity?

To combat this, I find it best to be more selective of what i read in the news and what I follow on FB and forums.

Ditto Funky and JoJo and add maintaining a sense of humor.

One of my favorite things from the younger generation now is the way many have become more accepting of diversity of many kinds, best summarized as "you do you." I am only in my mid-40s, but there was still quite a bit of a focus on things that were not a reflection of one's character, just their appearances and conformity. I hope as I age, I am able to be gracious towards all people (those older and those younger than I). I hope I also remember what it was like in those younger years trying to figure things out and sometimes just trying to survive. I hope those remembrances fill me with compassion for those coming up behind me who are doing the same instead of living in constant judgment. Younger generations may not make the same choices I made, but I am fairly certain I would not make all the same choices if I could go back and do it over again.

I do think some of the distinctions of getting older and appaering that way are blurring. Diet has improved so many people appear younger than they once did. Sunscreen has helped skin age better. The decrease in smoking is likely to help people appear younger too. Thank goodness that manufacturers are also producing products with a bit more style. Shoes with adequate support look much better than the orthopedic shoes of old.

When someone can't take the time to even chop a lettuce up for a salad or worse need to order in from one of these companies who deliver meals and on a sliding scale (downward) hit one of the greasy spoon fast food places a number of times a week ........really does anyone wonder at all that these young folks don't know how cope ? I would rather be old fashioned I guess.

I somewhat take offense to this and it doesn't really even apply to my family. Signet, you sound surprisingly like another poster here. I'm really not sure why some of you come here as most of us here have posted together for years and have come to "know" and support each other. Not to bash each other. You really have no way of knowing why someone chooses "shortcuts" in the kitchen. There are some here who still have children at home. Those children may have activities such as sports, music lessons, etc. etc. etc. Spouses sometimes work different shifts which make sitting down to dinner together hard. Some here have elderly parents they are helping with, in addition to their own family and home. So sometimes, in order to get a meal on the table, to sit down together, shortcuts are taken. Also, while I have come to love cooking, I remember working, before I went part-time, a long day, a 30 minute drive to/from work. When I got home, dinner was first on my mind, but I rarely felt like cooking a delish, fresh from scratch, full course meal. So I can completely understand why some convenience items help people out. I'm not sure what cooking has to do with how anyone copes??? Sometimes old fashioned is good, most times an open mind is better.

Well, we all know what they say about opinions. Like that particular body part, everybody has one.

That doesn't make certain opinions "right" for anyone else. Signet (whoever that is) has strong opinions - not necessarily truths.

In another context, I was listening to someone speak about how she made a conscious effort to stop judging other women for silly simple things like their choice in eye shadow color or hair style-- and that led to her naturally being less judgmental of bigger things, like other people's life choices. In the end, she said she was less critical of herself.. which is a good thing imo as i think many of us can be wayyyyy too hard on ourselves.

It's one thing to say, "hey.. here's something you may not have considered in your short cut".. or "i choose to take the extra time because ...." and quite another to say someone is lazy, wrong or causing the decline of the empire by using a short cut, wearing hair that is too long or bright blue eye shadow.

Well seems an opinion (read 'my" ) is not welcome here. The comments I made were/are from observations made from years of observation and from a focus of social working and even I was guilty of some of the issues as a working parent . I obviously hit a sore spot for some people which is ok cuz maybe just maybe a little more thought will go into how we live our busy lives.

It is true I have not participated for years in this forum . However I didn't know that was a prerequisite . It is not really a discussion if everyone has the same opinion. If being on this forum for years is safe please enjoy . I can stay away . Being a member is not that important to me .

Oh and I cut my own onions LOL ! I think that may even be controversial though

Of course you are welcome here, Signet. You might bear in mind that this is a very diverse group, and we strive to keep that in mind so as not to offend one another by making sweeping judgments. You didn't necessarily "hit a sore spot". Just because our words are not well received doesn't mean that's a fault of the recipient.

ETA: There are one or two posters here who seem to frequently strive to be as "non-PC" as they can. It's not well accepted, and for good reason.

It’s weird because my dad (78) is more youthful and has more energy than I do! Pre-pandemic, he was out with friends nearly every night, going to weekend activities (car shows, etc), having people over all the time.

I’m more like my grandparents were: “Hey, honey, it’s Saturday night, Bonanza is on! And where did you hide the TUMS? That taco I had at lunch is burning up a storm. Man alive.”

Seems the jury is split on using chopped onions or not-- and there were good reasons shared on both sides of the discussion.... but suggesting that not chopping onions or using a bagged salad makes young people unable to cope in the world is a pretty big leap and amps up the discussion of do you or don't you. If you truly believe pre-cut vegetables are part of the demise of the free world, well, share some actual experience and evidence so that we can have an actual discussion-- otherwise i will take it as a pretty harsh, unsubstantiated judgement.

I am sure that i am somewhat sensitive as i hate to admit that i have a disability but i do-- and much as i have loved chopping vegetables (i really do-- it's a totally zen activity with a great knife!), i need to find ways to manage cooking within my limitations. I don't think the world is going to fall as a result of my short cut LOL.. and really, i don't think the quality of my food suffers to any great extent either but that is much more debatable.

Of course all are welcome here-- but if you are going to come in blazing with an opinion wrapped up in a sweeping judgement, well.. i think you need to be ready to hear the responses as well.

“What I see DAILY is the dependence on technology in the young is not improving them AT ALL. They are slaves to the ding on their phone, on the rush that they are some how POPULAR because they have followers. They can't construct a sentence with all the proper punctuation or grammatical markers (and no the word processors do not do it better for them).”

Hmm. My daughter is in her 20s and is on the internet way less than you are. She got rid of all social media and just uses her device to read the news, books, research, and to e-mail. She’s excellent at punctuation, including comma usage. Best of all, she knows how to communicate calmly and rationally ... without yelling and ranting and raving at the clouds. And this applies to all of her friends, too.

I’d say that’s an improvement over certain people older than her if we’re keeping score.

_______________________________

ETA ... y’all made me do this, don’t act like you didn’t.

Jinx, I love you. That is all.

And I love you back! 😁