When airplanes were first invented, I had an airplane ride from England to France.

That's super cool.

What is your name?

My name's Crystal.

My name is Alice.

I'm glad to meet you. Nice to meet you Alice.

What are we here to talk about?

Well I think it might be how old I am.

Do you know how old I am?

No.

I'm in my 101st year.

Did you ever know anybody else that old?

No.

I don't even know anybody else that old.

Did you think you would live this long?

No, nobody in my family ever lived this long.

My grandmother lived the longest and she was only 83 years old.

You broke the family live-long record.

I have the record.

How did you live so long?

I keep very busy.

I write books and I exercise and I eat good food.

I even play Scrabble.

Do you know how to play Scrabble?

No?

No. You should ask somebody to play Scrabble.

It's lots of fun.

Were you around when color wasn't created?

Yes (chuckles).

I was alive when there were no television, no telephones.

My grandparents didn't even have electricity.

Wow, that must have been a long time ago.

It was a long, long time ago.

What would you do for fun?

I had dolls and blocks, but I really liked boys' things.

I liked marbles and tops and I thought boys were much luckier than girls.

Girls had to wear skirts.

We couldn't wear pants at all.

That's messed up.

Yeah, it was very messed up.

What else was hard because that you were a girl?

Well, I wanted to get a job teaching in a college and I found out there was an opening for a job teaching biology, so I called the head of the department and you know what he said to me?

What?

We don't want a woman, and I said well, could I come over and talk for five minutes, so he said well, all right, and I went over and I was so good he said okay, we'll hire you to be a teacher.

The first part was not so nice.

Right, and I taught at Santa Monica College for 20 years.

Sometimes I had 90 kids in my class.

90?

90.

If you had 11 more then it would be your age.

What is the most amazing thing that happened in your life?

Probably when airplanes were first invented, I had an airplane ride from England to France.

The pilot and my grandfather sat up front and my grandmother and I sat in the back seat and it was open.

The wind was blowing.

It was one of the first airplanes in the world.

That's super cool.

Isn't it?

My little brother was very jealous and he said, oh, you were so lucky, so I found out we could get an airplane ride in Philadelphia.

We were supposed to go to the movies and instead I took him to the field where there was a little airplane.

We paid $1.50 a piece.

We got on the airplane.

I bet he was very happy.

Yes.

I really like when it goes up, when this weird feeling comes when you go up and when you land.

I really like it.

Most people don't but I love it.

Can you imagine being in an open airplane with the wind on your hair?

I like that.

Are you afraid of dying?

No, I'm not afraid of dying.

I feel very healthy and happy.

My doctor said maybe you'll just die in your sleep,

so I'm not afraid 'cause I have a good life.

Do you have any advice for me?

Surely.

Study hard.

Aim for something good, and enjoy life and that will be your salvation.

You'll live to be smart and wonderful and have a great life.

Thank you.

You're welcome.