If my mom was reading this, Hec, she'd love you SO MUCH. (Not that she doesn't, but, like, more than as a guy that it's good that I hang with. You might forge your own bond. Mom is passionate about landscaping.) No pressure, Hecubus, but I just finished a revision on a crime story that made me think it's too bad that JZ can't read it. Maybe because it's about things that women kind of pull on each other--would you like to see it? Didn't wanna drop 4,000 words on you without asking.

In my dad's family, you'd just be an aunt. Any relation (or family friend) a generation up (or more, we didn't use greats either) is pretty much aunt or uncle.

I often try for "Auntie" but for some reason it never sticks. Most of my family just does first names, but like I said, 50 years feels like it calls for an honorific. We'll see if Tia sticks.

I marked your post Jess! I love the design but $31 seems a bit steep for a tea towel. We'll see whether it lodges in my brain in a way I can't ignore.

50 years feels like it calls for an honorific

Don't insist too hard, she might just end up calling you "vieja."

Going in the other direction, I have seen it asserted that one's grandparents' siblings should be called your grand-aunt or grand-uncle, not great-aunt or great-uncle, but they do not seem to be getting much traction.

Both are correct. Seems like "grand" is more common in UK usage, and "great" in the US, though I've seen both in both places.

The chair in my classroom still hasn't been replaced. I'll see if it's done by tomorrow, then email again, I guess.

I went on an alumni boat outing tonight, which was fun and interesting (talking to a dude who was foreign service in communist Czechoslovakia) but also weird, because I swear there were people there who seems WAY older than me but graduated only a year before me. Or a year after me. The men especially but even one woman I was talking to I thought was older but graduated 3 years after I did! That’s when I remember how I’m really old.

Also tomorrow is my birthday and I have no plans other than to bake cupcakes to bring to dancing on Friday. I feel kind of fine (I don’t really want to go out, I’m too tired) but also sad that my previous best friends have distanced themselves so much that they haven’t even asked if I’m doing anything, much less suggested something.

Happy birthday, meara!! May this year include lots of dancing, adventure, and joy.

I swear there were people there who seems WAY older than me but graduated only a year before me. Or a year after me.

This doesn't surprise me at all. You have a very youthful radiant appearance. I'll bet there were a lot of 'damn she looks good' comments directed your way.

I'm aging pretty much the same as my mother did. My only goal now is to be a 'little' old lady since the old part is a done deal. My old joints would be much happier if they didn't have as much to carry. In random comparison both Oprah and RFK, Jr. were born within a month of me. Damn, she looks good, and him, well hard to get past the defective soul.

meara, we all noticed at reunion a couple of months ago that, overall, the men were unrecognizable and the women, physically, seemed to have aged less. It was interesting!

I just need to focus on moving my butt as I age. It is SO not my normal inclination. But my mom's immobility in her last several years was a real lesson. And my aunt, who has always done some light to moderate exercise is spry as can be at 87, barring a joint malfunction that sidelined her for a few weeks -- but her overall inclination toward movement helped her so much in getting back up and about.

Separately...

Happy Birthday, meara! I am wishing you such a good year ahead. You are so fucking fabulous.

Years ago, my regular stylist was out, and the substitute managed to color my hair a delicate purple. It might have been nice, but NOT what I wanted.