Wednesday

I'm beginning to wonder if my theory of cycling being the "safe" sport for the aging athlete is flawed. I've always said that cycling is what you can do as you get older and some of the other activities like running and team sports become harder on the body. And I have then conditioned that statement with the caveat, "if you stay up on the bike". It seems that that caveat is coming more regularly into play.

I've been in two more conversations today about severe accidents had by local Boomers in recent weeks, one a separated collar bone, and the other multiple fractures of a foot. The collar bone accident occurred in the sticks and required an ambulance. The foot has required two major surgeries. Orthopaedists rejoice!

Maybe the reality of all this is that, regardless of the route taken, the doctors win. Be sedentary and eat capriciously, and drug therapy is bound to follow. Engage in a fitness lifestyle and the injuries are sure to ensue. Either way, the doc gets paid. Maybe different docs, but John and Jane Doe still have to pay the medical bills.

Most future retirees list the availability/cost of medical insurance coverage as one of their top three concerns. It's a hugely political issue. Within the political context, the docs may actually be the good guys. It's hard to root for the other players: the insurance companies, Big Pharma, the hospitals, the lawyers, and the elected officials.

Today is my high school girlfriends' 58th birthday. Why do I remember that? Why do I remember the phone number on the farm? The laundry tag number that Mother had to sew into every item of washable clothing at ND? By contrast, I have to go through a checklist to recall what I had for lunch on Monday.

I'm off for the evening. Send some love to 3. Tough week for the fam's #1 securities analyst.

BCOT