I want to take a bath with sexy-sounding words like sultry, smolder, velvet, and whisper. I seek upbeat words like radiant, zesty, and elated. I like words with x’s like juxtaposition, mixology, or exuberant and even snuck this little-used letter into the names of a few of my hotels like the Phoenix, Rex, and Maxwell. I like trickster words like bamboozle, hoodwink, skulduggery, and wily. I even like confusing words like quixotic, obfuscate, and defenestration, but please keep me away from myriad as I don’t know what to do with that word. I love making up words or phrases like these ones to describe the qualities of politicians I like, one-of-a-kindness, and those I don’t like, crackpottery.
But, despite being a word nerd, I’m still empty-handed when it comes to describing what it means to get older. Yes, I am proud of age-fluid, midlife chrysalis, and (with MEA faculty member Barb Waxman’s help) popularizing middlescence, but so many words about aging are fraught, including some of the reactions we get to modern elder, a term I earned at Airbnb by showing up with just the right alchemy of curious and wise.
What words would you like to introduce that help give a new spin on what it means to get older? Or, for some of you, get smolder or bolder?
Just remember, studies show that our peak age for vocabulary is around age 70, so I’ve still got a few good years ahead of me.
-Chip