Don

January 22nd, 2024 at 1:41 PM ^

One of my favorite old-school newspaper columnists was the late, great and very curmudgeonly Mike Royko, who wrote for a number of Chicago newspapers in his long career.

From Royko's column on the Westminster Dog Show, Chicago Tribune, Feb. 11, 1993

"The judging for the grand champion of the Westminster dog show was on TV the other night, and I had no trouble picking a dog to root for.

Part of it was a simple process of elimination. Several of the dogs looked like shaggy blankets, balls of yarn or dust mops. One looked like a man's blond hairpiece with tiny legs.

I have nothing against little dogs that look like dust mops. I'm sure they make wonderful pets and companions. Even fierce watchdogs, should your home be invaded by midget burglars.

And I am definitely not going to make any stupid jokes about them. I did that once and heard from hundreds of angry owners of fuzzy little dogs.

They were really upset when I said that if I owned one of the tiny fuzzy dogs, I would spray it with Endust and use it to clean under the beds. And I understood their feelings because it was a foolish remark.

Some were even more upset when I said that if I owned one of the tiny furry dogs, I'd tie it to a long stick and use it to wash the windows, which was also a ridiculous thought."

Full column here: https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1993-02-11-9303177699-story.html

Joined: 06/30/2008

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FauxMo

January 22nd, 2024 at 11:37 AM ^

As a 50+ year old man, I would strongly advise JJ to wait another few years to marry. Or, let the engagement play out over 4-5 years and see how things go. 

But hey, who am I to stand in the way of young love... 

Joined: 06/17/2010

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PopeLando

January 22nd, 2024 at 11:57 AM ^

Bro is just stacking up the life events. Championship, NFL, and engagement all at once.

This isn’t unusual. When I was at Michigan, it was pretty common to attend a Law School graduation party and be introduced to a bajillion newly-engaged fiancées/fiancés. 

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blueheron

January 22nd, 2024 at 12:00 PM ^

When I was at Michigan, it was pretty common to attend a Law School graduation party and be introduced to a bajillion newly-engaged fiancées/fiancés.

Sure, but that's a different population. J.J. is 21. Law school grads are 25 and up (increasingly these days).

Some novelist referred to 27 as the "age of calculation." I agree. If I look across the many samples in my extended family and social network, the success rate of older couples is way better than younger couples.

Joined: 03/26/2009

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CLord

January 22nd, 2024 at 12:26 PM ^

Agreed.  15 years ago I married at 40 and my wife was 26. 
Advantages:
1. I understood the depth of connection and commonalities required to make a relationship last decades beyond the blind infatuation that drove countless younger relationships that would have ended in disaster.
2. She thinks I'm old and doesn't want me to die (yet) so she focuses on health and nutrition.
3. Not that her input and wisdom are not major factors, but our age disparity provides me a level of executive deference on key life decisions that I likely would not have with a spouse of commensurate age.
Disadvantage:
1. Had I had him in my 20's, my son would have had 3 more decades with his dad relative to my current life expectancy.
2. I try my best, but I don't have the same energy to play with my son and do things with him were I younger.

Costs/benefits to younger or older.  I wish JJ the best.  Legend forever.

Joined: 09/11/2011

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Wendyk5

January 22nd, 2024 at 12:52 PM ^

I met my husband when I was 28 and he was 30. We got married four years later. I told my kids to wait until they're 30 to get married. So much personal development in your 20's. Figuring out who you are and what you want/need is so important and hopefully happens before you get married. I know a lot of people who got married too young and then realized their spouse wasn't the person to go the distance with. 

Joined: 11/20/2008

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Perkis-Size Me

January 22nd, 2024 at 12:03 PM ^

That's how I thought about it as well, but I'm approaching it from the standpoint that when I was JJ's age, I was nowhere close to being ready to get married. I was nowhere near mature enough, but that doesn't mean he isn't. He's had to handle more pressure in his 21 years on this planet than I've had to handle in my near 35. That probably does a lot to mature a person, and quickly. 

Plenty of people get engaged and married early in their 20s. Many of them are still together. I'm sure JJ and this girl will be too. 

 

Joined: 11/30/2011

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