Presentation to spotlight ageism

Ageism is all around us: in the workplace, in commercials, movies and TV shows we watch, in the cards we buy, the products marketed to us and yes, even in the language we speak. Has anyone ever said to you, or perhaps you to another person, “You look great for your age”? Although probably well-intentioned, there is an inherent bias against growing older contained within this “compliment,” an underlying expectation that you wouldn’t or shouldn’t look great as an older adult. Do we o er the same compliment to a 19-year-old or a 29-year-old? Somewhere along the way, looking great is not associated with advanced years. What about the phrase “senior moment”? We tend to attach a brief lapse in memory to only the older adult. However, elementary students routinely forget where they’ve left their backpacks or to feed the dog. Many teenagers have misplaced earbuds or sports jerseys. What about the mom or dad who searches for the car keys or goes out to the garage and upon their arrival, forgets the item they went there to retrieve? e fact of the matter is that we all experience momentary forgetfulness throughout our lives. Yet it is emphasized when it happens as an older adult. And no, it’s not necessarily a sign of dementia, but rather a manifestation of our busy lives.

Ageism is discrimination or the devaluing of an individual or group of individuals based solely on their age. And it can be directed toward the young as well as older adults. It creeps into our psyche at a very young age and is continually reinforced throughout our lifetime. As a result, many of us are convinced that young people are not able to lead a work group, o er valuable ideas and solutions to societal issues or are not compassionate towards others. On the other hand, society in general believes that as we age, we have nothing more to o er, obstruct the success of younger people on the way up the corporate ladder or are a drain on the economy. None of this is true.

Subtle and not-so-subtle messages about the aging process surround us each day. Do we recognize them and realize the negative e ect they have on us? Can we e ect a change in how we all think, speak and act about aging? Gretchen Lopez, chair of the Seniors’ Council of Douglas County, will deliver a thought-provoking and entertaining presentation on ursday, May 4, at 10 a.m. at the Parker Library. And we won’t be asking for birth certi cates at the door, so leave those at home! Meetings are free and open to the public. played the game before, and being daring enough to admit we don’t have the answers right now but will work hard to nd them.

Seniors’ Council of Douglas County is for older adults who want to be heard, keep learning, and make a di erence. Please check our website for details and possible program changes at douglas.co.us/community-services/ services/senior-services/seniorscouncil.

Some of the most courageous people I have met have also been the most transparent and vulnerable. Being grounded in honesty and integrity provides them the strength they need to be vulnerable and transparent. Looking at failure and saying “So what” positions them to achieve greater things in life as they move past those mistakes, learning from each one.

One of the synonyms for courage is audacity. Sometimes when we hear the word audacity we think of a negative connotation. inking things like, “ e audacity of that person.” I like to think of audacity in the positive sense, having the audacity to be courageous in the face of possible embarrassment, to have audacious bravery to own our decisions and our mistakes. To be audacious in the way that we can laugh with others while we laugh at ourselves. is week you may be asked to do something uncomfortable, something completely outside of your swing zone or comfort zone. And if you are, I hope you will make the decision to audaciously pursue the opportunity. We all learn in di erent ways, and one way that I know we learn the best is by getting knocked o balance. So take the chance, say “So what,” and watch how your vulnerability and transparency endear others to you. As always, I would love to hear your story at gotonorton@gmail.com, and when we can show courage in ourselves during moments of vulnerability, it really will be a better than good life. Michael Norton is an author, a personal and professional coach, consultant, trainer, encourager and motivator of individuals and businesses, working with organizations and associations across multiple industries.

BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Af ter more than 20 years of collecting pinball machines, Dan Nikolich’s basement had run out of space to store them all. So Nikolich opened the Colorado Pinball Pub in Littleton to share his collection.

“Pinball is a unique thing because it doesn’t matter what your background or walk of life is, pinball will draw you in,” he said. “It’s a great equalizer because it only takes one ball.”

While the concept of offering drinks and games at one location is nothing new, the Denver area is host to a number of unique takes on the Dave and Buster’s business model.

Colorado Pinball Pub is one of the newer additions to the barcade scene, having opened in 2020. The pub offers 22 pinball machines, plus a few classic arcade games like PacMan and Centipede, for unlimited play for $15 per hour.

Nikolich’s love for games started young, when he was growing up in Las Vegas and working for the MGM Arcade, so he was happy to see the recent rise in pinball’s popularity.

“Pinball is having a great resurgence right now. The last few years it’s been really hot,” he said. “We have parents who will bring their kids who have never played pinball and, at night, we get a lot of adults and date nights, stuff like that. All people seem to like pinball.”

Like the pub’s patrons, the pinball machines available range in age and theme, with Nikolich’s oldest machine being from 1981. The walls of the pub also pay homage to the history of the game, including its prohibition from 1940s to the 1970s, with pictures and news clippings.

In addition to pinball, the pub features over 150 kinds of whiskey, craft cocktails and Colorado brewed beer.

Nikolich said the goal is to have something for everyone and to make it approachable, whether that’s pinball or whiskey.

“We want you to come and learn about it and not be intimidated to ask if you don’t know something, we want to teach you, so that you can enjoy something new,” he said.

On the opposite side of the metro area, another