Gwinnett Daily Post

How long do you want to live? I know, I know, it's quite a question. And the answer might vary depending on if it's Monday, if the mortgage is past due or when the in-laws are visiting.

There are some days when you wonder if you'll make it another month, and others - like Sunday's picture-perfect day - that you'd like to last an eternity. The answer, you figure, is somewhere in between, but what is your choice?

An Associated Press story is the reason for the question. Georgia's oldest resident, Anne Langston Christopher, died last week. The Rome resident was 112 years old. That's right, 112.

Mrs. Christopher was the seventh-oldest person in the United States, and 11th-oldest in the world, according to a Georgia State University researcher. She was born in 1895, a year that also saw the birth of Babe Ruth and J. Edgar Hoover and the acceptance of women's suffrage by the state of Utah.

Christopher, who witnessed more than her fair share, chalked up her longevity to eating and sleeping well. She was alive for presidents from Grover Cleveland to George W. Bush and for home-run kings from Ruth to Barry Bonds.

She said she had no explanation for reaching her advanced age. But it brings to mind the old Mickey Mantle line: "If I knew I was going to live this long, I'd have taken better care of myself."

We know we're living longer these days - not 112 long, but longer - and we're taking better care of ourselves. There's a mentality to exercise more, eat better and keep physically and emotionally fit. And there's plenty of motivation to keep chugging along.

With so many technological advances, there's much more to keep us busy as we get older. My grandmothers aren't computer savvy, but many seniors are, and the Internet is a great tool for keeping in touch with family, providing entertainment and fighting boredom.

By the time my age group is in its golden years, there will likely be an amazing world of virtual reality, where trips and experiences will be available right there in the den. If we can maintain our health, there should be plenty to entertain us.

So what's your answer? 100? 105? 110?

Me? I want to live long enough to see the Falcons win the Super Bowl. That should keep me kicking for a long while.

E-mail Todd Cline at todd.cline@gwinnettdailypost.com. His column appears on Tuesdays.