I once took an incredibly popular continuing education class through my banking job, and the very articulate instructor greeted the group by saying that his name was Tom, and that after almost forty years in banking he was proud to announce that he was finally on the Sixth Floor– and when he said it, he stood up on his tip toes, straightened his imaginary tie, and then took a graceful bow. The whole crowd laughed and clapped. I hadn’t ever heard age described as a floor before, and I have since adopted his description as my own. So as you may or may not know, I am on the Fifth Floor.
The advantages of having a better view are many! For starters I have five decades of experience under my ever-expanding belt. I haven’t seen or done it all (whatever “it” is), but I ain’t no rookie neither. In fact, I know plenty. Ask me about the price of peaches per pound at any grocery store in my neighborhood. Go ahead, ask! Ask me how long it takes to travel from here to downtown on the 2 train. I can estimate within a minute including the walk to the subway station and the fastest exit to street level! Ask me what restaurant has the best burgers, the best pizza, or the best lobster roll– I’ve been a self-proclaimed foodie for almost 30 years and counting. I know when Nordstrom is just about to announce their half yearly sale. I’m comfortable saying no when the job, task, or situation doesn’t suit me. And my feelings aren’t hurt when an outgoing sales call I make isn’t returned… ever! I don’t have a crystal ball, but I’ve come to recognize patterns of behavior with a certain predictability– even if said behaviors are upsetting.
I’m usually pretty firm in my convictions, although a good counter argument could certainly persuade me to change my mind. Lately however, I’ve decided that I’ve had quite enough of some things and I no longer wish to be silent about my disdain. (The perks of Five are plentiful.) So I’ve been taking action and not just going with the flow. (I have always been a bit of a rule bender anyway, but now I feel a new sense of freedom without fear and it’s Fifth Floor fantastic!) So I handily deleted a rude comment on LinkedIn when a connection of mine made his 2nd obnoxious crack on my feed. Save your sarcasm for someone else– it’s truly the lowest form of wit. Not only did I banish his comment to LinkedIn lockdown, I decided to delete the connection altogether. Anyone smug enough to offer a bevy of negative backtalk does not deserve a place in my already robust rolodex. Another guy made a completely sexist comment on a business post of a mutual contact. He got the boot immediately, too. Maybe these two fellow Fifth Floor residents also feel a sense of freedom– but with me they are absolutely pushing the wrong button.
Confidence is sometimes seriously underrated. So many people say that by the time you get to 50, you’ve taken enough crap so clapbacks and pushbacks become easier and easier. (And let’s be honest right here– jeez they are so much fun!!) I must say that I am a living example of this truth. I’m not planning on losing my filter altogether in some sort of Fifth Floor frenzy, but hell if I’m going to tolerate people who completely cross the line. So I’m pretty happy with my current perspective. And when I finally push the next button to move up a floor, I’m sure the view from there will be even more spectacular. But I have some time. And I’m not in a rush. So I’m not pushing it.
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