I am 94 years old and I'm going for 100. AMA.

I'm not doubting her age, but damn she looks good for almost a century old

[Lots of laughs.] You tell them I give them a big hug!

Best change in society you've seen in your lifetime?

Worst change in society you've seen in your lifetime?

If you could change one thing you've done, what would it be?

Best: You know, people are the same. People are the same. There's good ones, there's bad ones, there's rich ones, there's poor ones, there's people who help, there's people who don't care. They're the same the world over.

Worst: Well, children, because the mother's are out working. Because, when I was growing up, the mothers stayed home with their children. Mothers are working and the kids get in trouble.

It's a hard question. My life was hard, but I think it's what I am today. I think that's why I'm able to accept it, and love it. I wouldn't be what I am today if I didn't go through what I did. And many people can't say that. People my age, we've gone through so much. You think this is bad? It's nothing compared what we went through [she's referring to the great depression.] If we can get through that, we can get through this.

My Great Great Grandma just turned 100 last month and she says the exact same thing about mothers in the workforce. It upsets her so much.

Well that's true. Because we were fortunate enough to know that mamma was there when we came home. When you hurt your finger, there was mama. When we came home from playing, there was mama. When the women went to work, they had to go. It wasn't a choice. And once they made that little bit extra money, they couldn't stop. Family life was a completely different thing when mom was home.

What was her favorite music artists in her youth?

I liked the big bands. Harry James, Betty Goodman, Artie Shaw, The Doorsie Brothers, you would know them honey! They're still on Channel 5, their music. And then of course I liked opera. I like all music, really.

Which dubstep artists are your favorite? :)

Do they know I'm 94?

How about female singers? Did/do you have a favorite? My husband is a jazz musician and we listen to a lot of Billie Holiday, Ella, Sarah Vaughan, Andrews Sisters, etc.

Hellen Oconnel, Judy Garland, I could sing you them, but I can't remember their names. I was from the band era. You all missed so much. Fantastic fantastic music. There was dancing every saturday night. I didn't care if I had to stay in all 6 nights as long as I could go and dance every Saturday.

What is her secret for longevity?

What was her best decade?

What does she do to keep her mind active?

What is the best piece of life advice she can impart?

[Laughs] You know that song, Que Sera Que Sera? What will be will be. My mother used to say that when things are tough, let it go let it go. If we can do that, it's a big help. Que Sera, Que Sera. You know, I go to the eye doctor and he asks what my secret is. I said, I don't have a secret. He said, I think you're an optimistic person. They're the long livers. Maybe that's so.

I would say now. I mean, during WWII i had a terrible hurt of losing Al [first husband.] Now, i don't have the burden of caring for young kids. I have a wonderful son and daughter in law. I'm not rich by any means, but I have a comfortable income. I would say now, within the past 20 years.

Listen to all that's going on in the world. I watch a lot of televison, I listen to it. If anything gets interesting, I stop and look. I'm a news person, I want to know what's going on. If you don't know what's going on, what's the sense in living?

I still have to go "fa pasare." Let it pass. If something bothers you, don't fight it, don't try to get even. Let it go. And be thankful for what you got. Lots of people have a lot of things and they don't realize what they have. And they aren't happy, and that's sad.

Is the future what you expected it would be? How is it different? Thanks for the AMA!

Yeah. I'm happy. Again, I have a very fine son. If I had a son who gave me trouble then I couldn't be happy. A lot of my friends are gone, naturally, you have acquaintances but your friends are gone. And my family is gone.

[Reworded question to get the answer that I think J0nny5 was looking for]

I think we all have the same dreams, doesn't matter what era, the same hopes, we want to be happy, we want to be comfortable. I think that's the universal hope and that's what I wanted. I think that anybody wants a comfortable life, good friends, and good family. Today I heard something funny. Pierce Morgan asked someone if it's time to take our money out and put it under a mattress. In the first terrible mess, people did that. They were terrified of banking. IT took a long time to give the trust back. They dug holes in backyards and put the money in a tin can, a lot of mattresses torn up. But it's funny he said that, because I can remember when the first thought was mentioned in about 1930.

Thank you! I should have probably worded it more carefully; when you look at the things around you, such as buildings, cars, fashion, the way that people talk, is it what you expected? Different than your wildest dreams? I'm always curious how the world will turn out, and wish I could peek into 64 years in the future (I'm 30), and see how things turned out :) Thanks again for a wonderful AMA, I hope I make it anywhere near 94!

Nobody imagines what happens. I remember my first crystal radio. Some man built one, and there had to be 50 people in there listening to squeek squeek squeek! First crystal radio, and everyone thought it was a miracle. And look what happened.

I saw the first Tin Lizzie, Ford's first car. IT looked like a tin box on wheels. You'd come out and crank it up, and by the time you got in the seat it would crank off and you'd have to go crank it again. That's the beauty of my age. Today we're having Hot August Nights here, and you can see all those fantastic cars. The only thing that's bad is that our family life isn't waht it used to be. When I was growing up, it was seldom that anyone leaved the area. They only time that changed was when people went off for war. Then they'd get to a new place and say, "gee I like it here." It's happened in most places. Maybe television shows make people start dreaming and chasing. But that's what life is all about, to keep going, get better.

I used to wash clothes on a scrubboard. Can you imagine washing a sheet on a scrubboard? Monday wash, tuesday iron. You boiled them in a big batch and then hang them up on a pulley that keeps rolling. Maybe two houses would share it. And the rope would break and everything would fall down into mud and show. And then you would go back and do it all again. It was awful.

And not only that, every house, even the rich people, had pulleys in the kitchen at night. And they would pull the rope out and you would hang underwear and socks, whatever you would wear the next day, since there was cold going all night. It was hard, but we didn't know any better. God, it was hard. And you see jokes about people with a big wash in the middle of the night. The first one in gets the clean water, and then it would get dirtier as the kids got in it. As I look back it was fun. But it was tough.

Do politics seem the same now or are they getting worse?

Congrats on a long life.

Oh, a lot worse. A lot dirtier. Then, they weren't like children. The first I remember was Hoover and Al Smith. they had their battles, but today it's kid's stuff. Al Smith, oh my god, governor of New York!

Do you think that the lessening of formality in everyday clothing has been for the better or worse?

I can't explain it. I think that fashions and the public is much more open and receiving than in my time. Much more. Starts with the bathing suit. But I would say that's better, of course we didn't have the communications, but things are so much much worse sexually than they were 40 years ago. And I think that's because America is a little slack. When I was a young girl, before I went out, my mother said how I looked. I don't think that happens today. Girls wear whatever they want.

I do have to make a comment. If you don't stop using all those gadgets in your hands today, within 20 or 30 years, no one is going to know how to speak vocally. They're going to speak with those gadgets. This past Christmas Eve, I had this experience. 5 children, all with these gadgets in their hand, there wasn't a sound. Everyone was busy with their little hoozie. This is CHristmas Eve, a time for conversation and gayity. Even Bingo or singing! Do something! And I just said to myself, Oh my God, how said this is.

Why do you call your grandmother "auntie"?

[It was just the name that stuck. My other grandmother was "Grandma."]

Are you aware of how pretty your granddaughter is?

Ohhh yes. You tell em, by all means!

Do you fear death?

I don't like to think about it, I don't know if I fear it. Sometimes, these thoughts come into your mind and you think of all the ones who have gone. I think of Bob [second husband] and he went so peaceful. That's the way I want to go. I think everyone is curious. I don't know if I fear it, but I don't like the idea of it. But then you have to realize, that you got to go.

With that spark in your eyes, you'll make it to 100 with ease. How about a real challenge like 114?

You tell them that I think they're great.

[direct wording.]

I wouldn't mind if I had to end up in bed, or in a wheelchair. But dear god, I want my mind. If I had my mind, it wouldn't matter if i could walk or not. Having your mind is the best possible gift anyone could have. And I can remember when I got off the boat when I was 3 and a half. Right there at Ellis Island. It's up there on the roster. If you ever go to Ellis Island, look me up! My mother, my father, and me.

[she continues...]I remember the trip. I asked my mother, why are all those men in white suits throwing up all the time? It takes 17 days to get there from Naples to Ellis Island. I think today it takes three. So you can imagine if the waters were rough. I remember the confusion after getting off the boat.

[continues again...] I think we lived at 112 street in NY. Harlem, now.

I do crossword puzzles and play chess. I do a lot of handy projects; I exercise and play music. Trying to keep my mind in shape. So can you tell me what role, if any, alcohol and drugs played in your life? Do you or did you ever smoke?

No. I tried smoking when I was 17, behind a barn with two other girls. She stole the cigarettes from her broth. I nearly smoked and never again. My drinking, it was cocktails like rum and coke or southern comfort. And when I was ready to leave, there'd be half a glass there. I just drank it to be with my friends and listen to piano music in music halls.

[Now, she has COPD because of all the smoke she was around in casinos.]

You were around 40 years old when the Civil Rights movement was getting started and it's been a little over 40 years since it ended. What was it like living through that - the before, the during, and the after?

Living through it was was very very sad. I lived in Summerville Mass, in a little black area. They kind of held back. They were not themselves during the movement. They felt they were not themselves. Before then, I went to school with black kids. They sat next to me. We shared sandwiches! To me, it was just a matter of color, and it wasn't an issue. Of course, it was the north. When I first came here [Reno], I wanted to choose my hours. I went to the Palace, and they have a sign that said "we can serve who we want" This man came in and wanted $2 in nickel. My boss came to me and said, who sold that money? He said, you're going to have to tell him to give his bills back. So i went to the man, gave him his bills, and then went to my boss and told him I wasn't going to work for him.

I don't care if youre Republican or Democrat, but Obama's in a hell of a pickle. If he were white, he'd get more help. I have never in my life seen people talk to him [president] as they do. I don't care what he is, he's our president. You can think what you want, but you don't say it like that publicly. That's 3/4 of the struggle. Somebody else could get more help. I'm going to vote for Mitt Romney, a mormon from Salt Lake unless Obama pulls himself out. We're still a bigoted country. I remember when the Jews were treated as badly. They were.

Thank you for your courage, our country would be a lot different today if it wasn't for people like you.

Why do you plan on voting for Romney and what do you think Obama needs to do in order to "pull himself out"?

[Referring to Obama] I think he's a very intelligent man. I think he's in a bundle of problems, and I know when I voted for him, I said "this man knows nothing about politics." My son said, "mom, he's older than Kennedy!" I said, "At 2 years old, his grandfather was giving a political speech. The kennedys had politics in their life." Obama doesn't. I hope I'm wrong, but the country's never been looked upon this bad. And for us to lose our rating? That hurts me. I was proud and am proud to be an American.

This is awesomely awesome.

Would you say that the problems in the world nowadays (the debt ceiling, the recession, global discord) are worse than they were 50 years ago, or is it similar, but a different set of problems?

I think its worse today, because we're that much more advanced and we have so much more.

I just wanted to say... I love Aunt Ellie. While reading through this, she reminds me of my Aunt Eula who died at 98 a few years ago. I loved her so much, and I think it's so cool that you love and respect her enough to do this. To Aunt Ellie: When's you're birthday? I'll make you a 100th birthday present. :P Maybe a rainbow cake?

Aww. December the 27. The more I think about it, it's really something. 95 years pass? Wow. My life has been full, more than full, it's been busy. If anyone's listening, just listen to this. My mom was the most wonderful mother. I asked if I could help her, and she would always say nope! When she passed away, I knew next to nothing. ONe time I boiled 4lbs of rice and it was like a fountain. It stuck to everything. I sat on the floor and cried. Life never gives you anything you can't handle. I thought I couldn't handle it, but evidently I did.

[random comment] I respect the work of Michelangelo. No one today has been able to capture his shade of blue. I respect them, I didn't know them, and they all died poor, such great talent. The Trevi fountain? Oh God!

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Oh boy. If I mentioned the movie that was my favorite, I don't think anyone has ever seen it! "Over the hill to the poorhouse." it was about children whose parents who had neglected them. And this was a long long time ago! Poorhouses were the worst. I came out crying, but so did everyone else, young and old I wouldn't advise every one to see it, it's a tearjerker.

But most of my favorites were dance movies. Musicals. Betty Grabel.

What's the most heroic thing you've witnessed in your lifetime? What advice would you give for the generation that's hitting their 20-30s?

Boy, heroic. I'm thinking, I'm thinking. I can't think of anything that would make a big noise, you know what I mean? I could mention kindness, big kindness. My brother Michael was 9 years old and he used to help the milkman. He'd get up at 3 in the morning and do all the running up and down the stairs. The man would be in the truck, and Mickey would go up and down. He'd go to school, sleep for a couple of hours, and one day he fell asleep on the desk. The teacher said he wasn't feeling well and was worried. When she told me, I started to cry and so I told her Mickey had a little job. He would bring home the milk and butter. So she put a desk in the entrance, and put a little desk there. She said, "i teach math in the morning. I will start doing geography and history in the morning and postpone my math class if you will help him with geography and history. then he can get some sleep from 9-11."

It's a whole different generation then when I was 20 or 30. Follow their dreams, I guess. If they have something in mind, work for it, because you'll only be happy when you're doing what you like. Things aren't always easy.

What is the best advice that you can pass along in a single sentence?

Be yourself, and then you don't have to answer to anything you don't want to.

[continues] it's a lot easier to be yourself. If you pretend, there's a lot of lies to keep up with.

I'm always curious and a bit scared to ask this question, especially to Americans, but why not, I should just throw it out there. Do you find it more difficult or easier to believe in the idea that there is a God as you get older?

If you were to ask 30 people, 70 or 75 years old or older, that they are inclined to be more faithful. Because we don't know. We only know what we've read or learned in church. Knowing that, you only hope for the best. The older you get, the closer you are to God. If you go to church, it's full of older people.

I remember when I was young, I'd sit on my porch in summer, and on Sunday morning, there'd be much more older people going to church than young. Then you remember what you're taught, and you're not sure, so you just try to do the right thing.

If you were to ask 30 people, 70 or 75 years old or older, that they are inclined to be more faithful. Because we don't know. We only know what we've read or learned in church. Knowing that, you only hope for the best. The older you get, the closer you are to God. If you go to church, it's full of older people.

I remember when I was young, I'd sit on my porch in summer, and on Sunday morning, there'd be much more older people going to church than young. Then you remember what you're taught, and you're not sure, so you just try to do the right thing.

Are you a woman of faith? Or how do you view our existence?

I've been in every church except zen budda. And that's because no one has ever taken me to one. I don't know where they are. They all teach the same thing in different words. No church I've ever been in has taught anything but kindness. I live alone and I'm happy. I can't explain it, yes I have faith. And even though I don't make a big issue about it, it doesn't matter to be. I say my prayers every morning, not only for me. And every night. I pray for my son and his wife. I've flied a flag every day since 1945. I put roses in the garden.

What was the most romantic moment of your life?

Well, I'd have to say when I married Harold, my first husband. We were both young and....it was a pretty rough one after he was killed. That one, the first marriage.

What was the rise of technology like? No terminator pun intended.

That phase of life is better now. I think we have more educated people now. When I was growing up, there wasn't any such thing as Scholarships. Especially Harvard and Tufts. It was a dream and it was very very hard to get a scholarship. And that makes a big difference. Education is the key to everything.

Favorite moment as a blackjack dealer in Reno?

I met some pretty important people. One of the nicest men I met, and when you think of his granddaughter, was Baron Hilton. Perhaps one of the richest men in the world. He was 5 years younger than I was. If I wasn't married...he always asked me to get coffee.

I met all the stars. Sinatra, Liberacci, you mention them, we had 'em. I worked on the 7th floor, and that's where the showroom was. Crap tables, roulette, blackjack, very very quiet, very plush.

I just wanted to say that I hope I can look as fabulous as you do at 94 (and, later, 100!)! What is your secret for aging gracefully?

I'm a lousy eater now. I really am, and I know that. I don't eat my vegetables. I'm more inclined to eat sweets than I ever was. I'm not a good eater and I don't know why I look like I do. I eat when I'm hungry. There's no such thing as breakfast lunch and dinner. My breakfast is a cup of coffee, maybe toast, maybe cupcakes, maybe Eggos. Anything that doesn't take a lot of work.

Have you been back to Italy since your immigration

Oh yeah! Five times.

What is your advice regarding the complexity of love and closerelationships?

I think kindness goes along way. I don't pass the little containers of food at the store [donation barrels], the salvation army, it's just a dollar. And it makes me feel good. I knew what it was to be hungry. I knew what it was to be cold. And this dollar I have, it will help someone. That's the way I feel. That's the honest truth.

I think it all boils down to honesty. To be honest. Honest what you say, honest what you mean. Don't pretend. No lies, sooner or later you'll get caught. But I don't want anyone to think I'm an angel! I've had my dark shades too. But I think honesty is the best, because then you don't have to cover anything. Good or bad.

What's your hobby? What do you like to do in your leisure time? What's your favourite book?

In the summer, I sit on the porch and watch people. We have squirrels and quail, and I can almost tell you want they do, what they're saying, what they need. I'm a people watcher. I sit on my porch in the summer maybe half the day.

I think Gone With the Wind. If it isn't my favorite, that's what came to mind right then.

EDIT: [Auntie Ellie gave a random interjection after the book question.] And I have a lot of faith. It doesn't have to be a particular faith, but it has been a big help.

When I was young, I would dance on a nickel if they gave it to me. I like music, I like to listen to music. I have a $30 a month Channel 5, the music channel, it's the greatest channel. Of course, I come from a musical family.

Does grandma speak Italian?

Read it, write it, and speak it.

So cool! Any other languages?

I took french in school for two years. I think if I went there I wouldn't have any trouble. Every so often I talk to a french friend of mine. I took it in school. I was a good student.

You took 2 years of French in school and can still speak almost fluently? That's pretty impressive! I took 4 years of Spanish and can't remember shit after 2 years off now.

[I think just knowing so much italian made it very easy for her.]

Can you describe in some way the sensation of years going faster? I'm 30, and they've seemed faster and faster each year. Does it continue like that? To what extent?

I can't imagine that I've lived 95 years. So, in other words, in other words it's taken a normal time. I did a lot of things. I was married twice, brought up a family, married to Bob for 48 years. Worked at Harold's Club for 31 years. Was a stenographer for 15 years. They were so full, and one wasn't going faster than the other. At this point in my life, things are slower. I worked until I was 71. I would still be there if they hadn't closed it [Harold's club.]

What was it like living in the US as an Italian-American during WWII? Was there any stigma? How long did it take to go away after the war?

Not for me, but I came here when I was 3. I went to school here, so I don't know. I didn't see anything. If there was, it was someone I didn't now. We all knew that Jack and Jill and Mary didn't cause the war, so why blame us? Everyone had fathers, no one wanted them to go to war. Everyone had sympathies too.

I was bitter when Harold was killed. My boss was German, and I was mad at him. It was very stupid.

[deleted]

I don't think I'd be able to say it!

What would be your most important bit of advice to share with the average redditor? (Note: average redditor being twenty-somethings)

Also, do you have any favorite Italian recipes you'd be willing to share with reddit? :D

I'm not crazy about eggplant, but when I made my eggplant parm, people would say, "when are you going to make this again?" But i'm not crazy about eggplant and zucchini. I suppose I could make a pretty good spaghetti sauce. A little olive oil. I grind 3 cloves of garlic. A can of peeled tomatoes and a can of crushed tomatoes. And a can of water. And then, a chopped onion so it kind of dissolved. Salt and pepper, celery salt, and let it cook for an hour. And that's it, that's the marinara sauce. If you want to make meat sauce, add hamburger.

If you could go back to when you were in your early 20s, what advice/comments/etc. would you give yourself?

I would want a college education, but that would have been impossible. There was a school in Lowell Mass, for kids who needed help. You had to go to this school and they taught you to teach. I would have learned French and German, and then teach for 5 years. I wanted to be a court reporter. But other than that, things would have been the same.

[contines..]All though I know a lot of people who weren't college educated. Bob wasn't [second husband] and his educated sisters would call him all the time and ask him questions.

[deleted]

I think that people are protecting one another a lot better. As a whole, they're getting better. I think it matters how you treat them and how you act. At least not here [Nevada]. I think America is what people have always said, a melting pot. You get treated as you treat. I think I've lived my life that way.

I think it's getting much better [race and socioeconomic.] I really don't think that matters. Do unto others and you will get along in life. If you can't cope with someone having more than you and better than you, then have nothing to do with them. It's a matter of having to live with circumstances. I've always been lucky. I've always had nice friends.

No, I think that for every bad kid we get two good ones. Yeah we have our problems, serious problems, but you can't say it's all bad. The good doubles the bad.

What (if any) famous events have you attended or had the displeasure of being involved in?

I don't know if there's anything I disliked, because being me, if I didn't like something I wouldn't do it. I just felt like it was a waste of time and I better go do something I like.

Once movies started getting popular, who were your favorite actors and actresses as well as directors? And congratulations on your long life! I have faith in your 100 year goal. Living to be 100 is a long (if not the longest) goal of mine, so your AMA was interesting/inspiring to me. Thank you!

I liked Rhea Garland [sp?], Frederic Marsh, Clark Gable, I love everybody! Andy Hardy, Over the rainbow, what's her name? Judy Garland. I still like movies. They used to cost a dime.

First of all, congrats! You remind me of my grandmother who (recently) passed away, she raised my uncles and father, a cousin and always with a smile and remembered everything till the last day. What would you say to people who, having everything that's important in life, (health, family, love, ok economic situation, work) are still not happy?

Awww. Why aren't hey happy? If they have a good reason, they have a right to it. But I think it's pride. At my worst time in life, we might cry maybe half a day, and then we'd laugh for a day and a half. I think it's up to the individual. You're either a chicken, or you take the bull by the horns.

What do you feel is the best/most important way to go through life?

Kind of hoping for a general philosophy/your perspective on life, what you feel your purpose is (if any) and how it's changed over the course of your life.

I think it could clear things up for a lot of young, confused people like myself.

My 25 year old opinion: Friends, memories, family, and being a good person is what matters most, and finding a career that makes you happy regardless of income.

My mom died when I was 18 and I didn't have to think about a purpose. I was the oldest of 12, and I did my damnedest to bring them up. I think that must have been my purpose. If I was Irene [the next oldest] everyone would have gone to an orphanage. Luckily, my my mom lived until I was 18 and I was old enough to stop that from happening.

[Best way to go through life answered elsewhere]