My father Bernie Rosen and yours truly. This photo was taken in 1984 in Orlando Florida. I was visiting from Alaska. When I was a kid we called each other Pal. RIP Pal |
James "Kimo" Rosen is a retired professional photographer amongst other things is a Humorist writer. Rosen currently resides on the tropical island of Kaua'i with his best friend and spiritual adviser, Ivanka "Costco" Obama, The Bipartisan Dog! |
My father always told me it was a good day if he got up, read the paper, and didn't see his name in the obituary column!
I'm getting on in years, and on a pretty frequent basis, I recognize a friend or family member
in the obits column. As of late so many of my colleagues are dropping like flies. This makes me question my own mortality which reminds me life is short and we never know when we will kick the bucket and take our final breath.
My Dear friend from Alaska Jerry Green on the right visiting from Alaska in 2010 passed away in June. RIP and love Jerry. |
in the obits column. As of late so many of my colleagues are dropping like flies. This makes me question my own mortality which reminds me life is short and we never know when we will kick the bucket and take our final breath.
I’ve reached the 'two-minute warning' of my life as a friend says, my senior years, also known as the Winter of our lives. Spring is our youth, Summer is our young adulthood, Fall is middle-aged, and Winter is the final chapter however, being an avid football fan I prefer to call it, 'life's two-minute warning.'
I have found myself scrolling Facebook and Google and using their internal search engines
trying to think of names from my past to see what elementary, junior high, high school and college acquaintances may look like and what they’ve done with their lives. I have found many have already croaked, while others have had quite lucrative lives.
This is what I looked like back in 1976 in my college days in Santa Barbara with my Sheepdog, Kamala! |
trying to think of names from my past to see what elementary, junior high, high school and college acquaintances may look like and what they’ve done with their lives. I have found many have already croaked, while others have had quite lucrative lives.
I do this with bygone neighbors, past roommates, ex-girlfriends, old bosses, former clients from my self-employed years, and even long-ago teachers.
I've even done it with those of you reading this, that's how I've reconnected with many people from my past. The only dilemma is recollecting the names to plug into the search engines.
Ivanka Obama the bipartisan dog enjoys a recent sunrise! |
I've even done it with those of you reading this, that's how I've reconnected with many people from my past. The only dilemma is recollecting the names to plug into the search engines.
The problem with being a kupuna/senior and living your two-minute warning of life is remembering what the heck you did with your life?I think I had a good life?
I think I starred in a few Hollywood movies and donated millions of dollars to multiple charities... I was also a Super Bowl-winning Quarterback...I also had three beautiful and caring wives, 18 children, and 36 grandchildren... The beauty of it all, I can’t remember... All I can remember now is starting Facebook with my partner Zuck... Nothing wrong with dreaming!
Rich Little and yours truly James "Kimo" Rosen Publisher of Alaska People magazine back in 1998. |
I think I starred in a few Hollywood movies and donated millions of dollars to multiple charities... I was also a Super Bowl-winning Quarterback...I also had three beautiful and caring wives, 18 children, and 36 grandchildren... The beauty of it all, I can’t remember... All I can remember now is starting Facebook with my partner Zuck... Nothing wrong with dreaming!
Did I say I was in 'The Winter of the two-minute warning of my life?' It’s more like I'm in the red zone,
better than being in the Twilight zone, on the opponent's 5-yard line with only 13 seconds left in the game hoping to score that game-winning Super Bowl touchdown!
better than being in the Twilight zone, on the opponent's 5-yard line with only 13 seconds left in the game hoping to score that game-winning Super Bowl touchdown!
James "Kimo" Rosen and Buffalo Bills Quarterback Doug Flutie on the sidelines at Aloha stadium for the 1998 Pro-Bowl |
The moral of the story is, "if you live each day as if it’s your last, someday you'll most certainly be right." Steve Jobs
This blog appeared as an op-ed column in the
07-07-22 edition of the Garden Island news!
Hana Hou (Encore)
12 comments:
“It’s the Last Quarter”!!!
Larry Joseph Arruda, Final chapter is close?🤔 I guess I made it my own and misquoted you… Sorry.
James Kimo Rosen No no. Not at all. I like your article very much. No apology necessary. You DID NOT miss quite me, my friend. 😁😁🤙🏽🤙🏽
Larry Joseph Arruda, Mahalo my friend!🤙
Nice - I’m right there with you Kimo!
I read this story today published in TGI newspaper.
Very good!
How do you encapsulate a life? There are big moments worth bragging about like I was on America's Got Talent, and then there are small, treasured moments of intimacies shared with friends.
Harmony Bentosino I loved when you were on AGT, I never saw the show before that and now it's one of my favorite shows!
The other point you bring up is the uncertainty of when life will end. I think half my graduating class has already died, and more tragically, many of them died many years ago before we even grew old.
I will be auditioning for the 4th time. The first time was dance. Second-time public speaking, & third time was singing the song about my dad. They liked that song and wanted me to be on the show and save that song for later in the competition when they get into personal stories. They asked me to come up with a new, original song to wow the judges in the beginning. I came up with one and only had a week to practice. It wasn't good enough. I'm working on that second song for my 4th audition.
Harmony Bentosino, Can't wait! I hope Simon gives you the Golden Buzzer! Make sure and let me know if and when this happens!
Harmony Bentosino said,
James Kimo Rosen I will let you & the world know!
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