The End of the Story . . . or at least a few more chapters

This week we received a note from an acquaintance of 20 years ago. She'd met a mutual friend who mentioned us, and she took the time to update us on her life. It was a pleasant surprise to hear from her and reminded me once again that I've lived long enough to learn the end of the story for many friends and relatives. I don't necessarily mean that their lives have ended, but that they've reached the point where they've married, had kids, and pursued a career --- or not.

I believe Phillip Roth, in his novel about a 50th high school reunion, said something about it being a more relaxed gathering than earlier reunions had been. Everyone had done what they were going to do, and most people no longer felt competitive. I compiled a book for my 50th high school reunion that gave a brief biography of all the people who'd submitted their story. There were more than a few surprises, both disappointing and inspiring. When you're 20 it's hard to imagine where life will take you. When you're 70, you pretty much know.

Now we have Facebook, the social networking site that lets people locate and reconnect with lost friends and relatives. I've just joined, and am still figuring out how it all works. Not many people in my generation are members. But I'm wondering if it would be a good way to keep in touch with family members. It appears to be a medium for brief snapshots of day-to-day life, but not place for long, personal sagas. We'll see. Instead of waiting until the very end of the story, it will be interesting to read it chapter by chapter.

Water, Water, Everywhere

I had no idea!

We were given a plastic drink bottle with a gel freezer stick to keep the drink cold. OK, I understood that much. But along with the bottle there was a mysterious rubbery thingy with a rectangular window and round hole, obviously meant to attach to the enclosed strap. What in the world?

These days, a Google search reveals all kinds of things and I quickly found that the rubbery thingy was an iPod nano holder, intended to be strapped to the bottle and to the user's arm.

But I also found I had dived into the astounding world of the sports water bottle. It was a revelation that there are more than 150 different water bottle designs, not counting the color options. It was not so surprising that there are different sizes or that you can buy bottles made of aluminum, stainless steel, soft vinyl, polycarbonate lite or heavy, BPA-free plastic and generic plastic; recycled and biodegradable. I WAS surprised to learn that bottles come in every conceivable shape; transparent, translucent, clear, or opaque, and that before choosing a bottle, you must decide whether you want to sip, suck, gulp, guzzle, squirt, or spray and then choose the appropriate top: push-pull, snap, flip, screw, slide or swivel.

The bottles that come with accessories like the iPod nano holder also come with a cultural statement. The water bottle, whether the pre-filled disposable kind (bad for the environment and often filled with ordinary tap water) or the high-tech sport bottle (a seldom washed hang-out for who knows what kind of bacteria), is a deemed an everyday necessity by many people. Yes, I know that drinking an adequate amount of water each day is good for us, and I can understand that high-performance athletes and other people engaged in vigorous physical activity in hot weather might need to watch their fluid intake. But in the ordinary course of my day, the fluid I ingest at meals and possibly once or twice at other times, seems quite enough.

The sport water bottle has become a cultural icon; we can't leave home without it. Some of the secondary functions, like an enclosed pill case, make sense. Hooks, straps and carabiners are useful for cyclists and hikers. Bottles that change color with the temperature and include fluid intake calculators, picture frames and Mp3 holders, start to seem a little bit silly. But if sipping frequently at a water bottle has taken the place of sucking on cigarettes, I won't criticize.