How Ann Curry and NBC are messing with my parents' life

As an observer of all things old, I'm starting to learn more and more about life in the "sunset years." I have acquired an especially keen understanding of what old people don't like. And among all the things that old people don't like, there is one that is particularly egregious. Are you ready? It's earth-shattering, so I hope you're sitting down.

CHANGE is the enemy of old people.

(And no, I"m not talking about pocket change. Old people, especially old men, LOVE pocket change. I used to have an Uncle Bob who jiggled pocket change like his life depended on it. When he did this, I was always tempted to go all "Terry Tate" on him and do an Office Linebacker, but I held back.)

No, I'm talking about things that change. It can be small things like how the refrigerator is arranged or how the dishes are put away. Or sometimes it's big things like ANN CURRY. That's right, I'm talking about the NBC Today Show host Ann Curry. If you haven't seen the news, Ann Curry is getting booted from the Today Show. Honestly, in MY life, that ranks about as interesting as what I had for breakfast. I could care less. It bores me. My parents, on the other hand, are OBSESSED with Ann Curry's departure. We have literally had at least THREE conversations about Ann Curry, and it wasn't about her overuse of the words "Good Morning:"




No, my parents are obsessed with Ann Curry leaving the Today Show because it means that a BIG part of their morning routine will change. Sure, in the past, Ann went on vacation once in a while and somebody filled in...and they almost always had an opinion about that person. But they always knew Ann was coming back. But now, Ann Curry is leaving. How dare NBC go and change my parents' life!

I know they'll survive this change, but it makes me think about everything else in their life. As much as it drives me insane how little they do in a typical day, I'm gradually figuring out that lack of change is their safety net. It's predictable, while their bodies falling apart is not. They may wake up tomorrow and something doesn't work or something hurts or someone their age is dead. The comfort in knowing that Ann Curry and Matt Lauer and Al Roker will still be there every morning is like a beloved stuffed animal.

When I think about what I've put my parents through these past few months, it's nothing short of miraculous how they've handled it. For two people who are really challenged by change, my parents have generally been pretty darn flexible. Kudos to them for that.

If NBC is trying to figure out who to put on the Today Show, they should call my parents. The have a strong opinion...or twelve.