How do you feel about aging or just plain getting old?

[cynatnite]

I'm 43 years and I don't feel old, but I don't have a clue what old feels like.

Does aging scare you? How do you think you'll handle it?

[TheFriendlyAnarchist]

1. Well, I guess it's better than the alternative.

[NightWatcher]

5. 3way jinx

[roguevalley]

101. they have found that 74 is biological middle age. I love aging. I

don't mind because I keep myself up pretty well. Keep your mind going, that is the key. Also, I am not afraid of death personally.

[pnwmom]

171. Uh-huh. How many middle-aged people have Alzheimers?

I don't buy that. After 80, most people are chronically ill with something. That sure doesn't leave much time for "middle age."

[roguevalley]

181. First of all, this is what science considers biological middle age.

Since most people only get the bug about keeping themselves up about the time they get a big illness, it doesn't undermine the scientific determination. In fact, it would give incentives for younger folks to keep themselves in some kind of shape, dropping anything that might be a hazard to their condition, such as smoking, drinking in excess, eating too much and not exercising. None of these things are too hard if you want to have quality of life. As for alzheimers, the percentage of those poor folks is small in the overall population of aging people. They just are such sufferers and the disease is so scary and they are so organized to get funds and awareness out there that it seems they must number in the zillions. They don't.

One is too many, but they are still a reasonably small population.

Chronic illness even with age is not inevitable. it isn't. of course, if people want to believe it is and if they spend years not doing the right things, it is. But the premise is correct. Doesn't mean everyone gets there. They have to be more than passive participants in their own lives.
In my family, people were still shingling their barns and working at jobs in their nineties. They did that because they never quit on taking care of themselves. And, it explains the people in Okinawa (i believe) that live to be extremely vigorous and alert 110 year olds. The largest, wellest and happiest population of centagenarians in the world. They work, eat well and don't abuse themselves and they prosper. Happiness is a large part of their longevity.

[pnwmom]

184. What scientists? The average person born today has a life expectancy

in the early 80's. People who are adults today had even shorter life expectancies. So how can 74 -- a few years before the typical age of death, and a good twenty years past menopause -- possibly be considered "middle" age?

[stlsaxman]

204. A gent at my job is over 80, a vital member of the crew. he stays on because

he wants to give us young guys (I'm 50) shit. He's learning new stuff all the time.

... plus being employed gives him money to go to the boats! ;)

[Subdivisions]

187. Every now and then it'll hit me like a ton of bricks that

someday I'm going to die and no longer exist. It literally shakes me to my core every single time. My heart starts pounding and I feel panicky. I'm only 43 so I don't know how I'm ever going to get past the fear until that day comes.

[bean fidhleir]

195. Have you ever had general anesthesia?

That's what cured my of my fear. I've had it several times for one thing or another. When I was 8 I was given ether while my tonsils & adenoids were taken out. Maybe I wasn't completely under because I remember there being a sort of humming noise in my head and a tedious sense of time passing.

In adulthood, they had changed the type of dope and the experience was completely different: the time I was out was completely clipped out of my life. I went under, I came out, nothing in between.

So I realised that, when I die, it'll be like going under that anesthesia - there just won't be any "me" around to be worried or frightened or bored or anything like there was when I was a kid. I'll just be gone, poof. It's a very comforting thought.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. It sucks, but it's still better than the alternative.

[papau]

67. lol - but true for the moment

[NightWatcher]

3. beats the alternative

[Triana]

4. Well, with NO healthcare and likely NO retirement, NO SS, etc...

...I'm not looking forward to it, for those reasons alone.

PeeEss: At some point - I'd prefer the alternative - euthanasia for humans should not be underrated.

[Crazy Dave]

18. It would be nice to be able to plan your death if you had a terminal illness

Instead of dragging out the pain, the medical bills your family will inherit plus never knowing when. You pick the day, the time, you know it, the family knows it and everyone can be by your side versus say being alone in a hospital at 2am, your family left four hours ago, you wake up in severe pain, you soil yourself, then you die.

[erinlough]

54. Hi, my father did that.....

I felt it took a very brave man to pull it off with the class he did. He was on dialysis, 86, and not doing too well on it. One day he fell and didn't recognize where he was for about an hour. When he recovered he brought us, his daughters, together and explained he had made a decision and was not going to do his dialysis anymore. He knew what that would mean and he asked us to get his grandchildren together so he could explain it to them. And then he died in five days.

I learned more about bravery from that man than I can ever tell you

[Triana]

61. He did the right thing for himself and all of you.

Brave - definitely.

[sammythecat]

94. Brave indeed.

He must have been a wise and thoughtful man as well. That's quite a story.

[Triana]

59. Or when there is no quality of life left...

...it's all misery, pain, inability to do anything - alone, AND just running up bills. We are kind enough to animals to let them go then.

I want the same for myself. I see nothing wrong with it.

[anitar1]

119. Dave, you should move to Oregon--death with dignity. n/t

[Olney Blue]

6. I hate it.

[babylonsister]

7. It pisses me off. I heard my grandmother and now hear my dad,

bemoaning all the people in his life who have died. He's turning 80 this month, so there has been a lot.
Then, when I hear about some of my peers who have died, it slays me. I'm 52, my mom died at 64. I just want to go quick when it's my time, and have all my 'stuff' in order. And to make sure the people I love know it, so I try to do that regularly.

[mahina]

134. Right there with you on that sis.

[Stinky The Clown]

8. Your mind stays 25 years old, but your knees creak, your fingers ache, and the plumbing starts ....

.... to fail.

Getting old sucks.

[cynatnite]

11. My grandmother is 86 and said exactly those same words n/t

[bain_sidhe]

35. I figure it averages out

My mind is 25, my knees are 80, add 'em together and divide by two, and that's just about how old I am.

[Ishoutandscream2]

198. Oh God, the knees

Curse them.

[anitar1]

120. Ah--the plumbing--among other things that crop up each month.

It does suck in many ways, but, I am so old now that I no longer care what I say, Sort of fun, in a weird way.

[MadinMo]

151. Totally "spot on" description.

My 93 year old mother fell and broke her hip yesterday morning. They performed surgery yesterday evening and replaced the ball of her hip. No clue how well she will recover, but it can't be easy when you are 93 and frail already. This concerns me a great deal.

[Crazy Dave]

9. When I'm 75 I want to go to sleep and not wake up

As for now, if I was told I only had a week or a month left to live I'd be cool with that. Kind of like in the movie "Million Dollar Baby". I'm at a peak point in my life, things are good and that's when I'd like to leave versus illness, pills and pain for a dozen years then dying.

[JohnnyLib2]

20. LOL, several in my family set an age like that and then "moved the goalposts."

Luck and genetics can make a big difference.

[Triana]

66. That's pretty much my wish too...

...speaking of which, I STILL need a darned will! Otherwise the idiots will be constantly trying to resuscitate me when I'd rather they just doped me into oblivion and let me die.

[MuseRider]

Not worried about it

but I wish it didn't hurt so much ;). I am 54 by the way.

[crim son]

10. I hate it.

I developed rheumatoid arthritis at thirty, and am now forty-four and feeling the pain. I can't imagine how I'll feel in another ten, twenty years, or what else will pop up to make my life miserable. But then, I was terrified of getting old, and even just of the elderly, when I was a little girl. A phobia, I guess.

[MuseRider]

13. RA is no fun.

I was diagnosed at 35. I am fairing well but it hurts some days like fire in my joints. I hope you do as well with the joint damage. Mine is so far minimal.

[crim son]

37. Mine too, except for my knees

which I no longer expose to the world b/c they are misshapen. I'm sorry you have it too, MuseRider! :hug:

[Individualist]

39. It's the pits!

I've had it for 14 years.

[petgoat]

132. Chronic pain is nature's way of taking the sting out of death. nt

[MuseRider]

162. Sadly that makes perfect sense.

Today is one of those days so far. Hopefully it won't last too long. :)

[mike_c]

12. 'm starting to have some age related health issues....

Nothing really breaking down yet, but definitely not working as smoothly as when I was younger (I'm 53). That part is a drag. On the other hand, I like myself better now than I like the person I used to be, if that makes any sense. I don't particularly feel any different, but I know I am. Friends who've known me since we were teenagers tell me I laugh a lot more now, for example. I know I'm generally happier.

[MrSlayer]

14. I may be getting older but I can be immature forever.

Aging doesn't scare me. As long as we have Cealis it's irrelevant.

[leftofcool]

15. Enjoying the hell out of it

[Fireweed247]

16. I feel I have aged 60 years in the last 8

Bushco has taken my innocence, my belief in the goodness of people. I though we were an intelligent, caring people that truly had good intentions. Now I see a nation of ignorant selfish pathetic excuses for Americans, an embarrassment to the founders of the country and our great heroes like MLK, JFK and RFK.
Yeah I feel old and it has nothing to do with aging. I feel frightened for the children and the future we are leaving them.

[wellstone dem]

17. My mom is 80 and when I'm her age, I want to be her

She does a regular "newsletter" to her grandchildren about what's going on and memories of what went on. The two of us went to a presentation last night about "voting for the common good." She and my Dad who is 88 went to their precinct caucus a month ago and were elected delegates to their county convention, which they both attended.

She says, "The contents are just as good as ever, it's the packaging that goes down hill."

[GoneOffShore]

28. Good for them

And I'm stealing that line about contents.

I've just turned 60 and didn't realize that warranty expired. And then the "Cranky Old Guy" card came in the mail.

Of course, as others have said, it beats the alternative.

[Lars39]

19. Every day above ground is a good one.

:)

[Breeze54]

45. Old age isn't so bad when you consider the alternatives. ~ Maurice Chevalier

;)

[Solly Mack]

21. I'm of one mind and my body another

I don't feel old but my body makes a persuasive argument with its creaks and groans.

[alfredo]

22. It's interesting. I've never been old before so I am learning as I go along.

Too Pooped to Pop Cliffie Stone


Now here's a funny story
I hope you understand
Listen very closely
If you possibly can
It's a story of
Two popcorn kernels
In a red hot pan
One turned to the other
And said, Hey man

I'm too pooped to pop
And I ain't lyin'
I'm too pooped to pop
Just layin' here fryin'
Salt and and butter's ready
And the fire is hot
But seems like
I'm just too pooped to pop

Too pooped to pop
And I ain't playin' possum
I'm too pooped to pop
And I do want to blossom
Don't like the bottom
Want to get up on top
It seems like I'm
Just too pooped to pop

Iowa's the state
That's where I was born
I really truly came
From a fine ear of corn
My Mama and my Papa
Were a wonderful crop
You should have seen them
Blow up when they
Put they put them in the pot

Too pooped to pop
And I ain't playin' possum
I'm too pooped to pop
And I do want to blossom
Don't like the bottom
Want to get up on top
It seems like I'm
Just too pooped to pop

[bain_sidhe]

23. Well, I've been trying to quit...

but so far, no luck.

[Breeze54]

24. So, have you got new glasses, a new sports car and a new SO yet?

:P

I felt great at 43 too, just a little tired, had a nine year old to chase. ;)

Now ten years later? I'm tired a lot more, can sleep sound at the 11 PM news,

have more gray hair, knee's hurt lately, I have an new 'attitude' that I didn't

have at 43 too... it's something like this, "I don't give a fuck what you think about me!" :P

I do a lot of 'math' about how many years I may have left. I actually think about

arranging my funeral now. Never cared before now. Sometimes getting older scares me

but mostly it pisses me off. I don't know that face in the mirror and it's depressing

if I let it get me down but if there wasn't a war and an idiot in the WH, I'd probably

be in a much better mood and out having a great time, now that my kids are all grown.

I am working on starting this new phase in my life. The newly found 'freedom phase'.

I haven't partaken of the joys of that yet but I plan my escape almost daily! ;)

[cynatnite]

34. I have reading glasses now...

Have a 9 year old at home to chase after. The teenager graduates high school this year. Our oldest daughter has three kids.

I must say that being a grandparent totally rocks and makes everything worthwhile. I think I can handle all the aging stuff just fine as long as I got my grandkids. :)

[SalviaBlue]

201. I just have one piece of advice re the reading glasses:

Only use them for reading.

Never look in the mirror with them. I made that mistake. Shocking. Fuzzy vision is best when looking at one's self.

[Sal Minella]

78. I never bother to look in the mirror because that little old lady in there has nothing to do with me

Also, there's this:
In our twenties, we worry about what others think of us.
In our forties, we realize what other people think of us doesn't matter.
In our sixties, we realize other people aren't thinking about us at all.

And now I can't remember what those things were I was always worrying about.

[Breeze54]

81. Good advice....

Thanks. :hug:

[MuseRider]

127. Totally relate to that!

Turning 50 was about the best thing that ever happened to me! I don't give a shit about what other people think about me now. I do what I want, I don't hurt anyone doing it in fact most of what I do helps others so if someone does not like me for whatever reason that is their problem. I can live with that quite well. I have plenty of friends, life is good.

I don't care for that face in the mirror though. I don't mind the gray hair, not much yet but that saggy neck thing is getting to me! And what is with those extra pounds that simply will not go away???

Oh well, life is good. FREEDOM!

[Itchinjim]

25. 48 and just starting to contemplate being "old"

I don't know, I'll take it as it comes. I keep telling myself that one is only as old as one feels. Physically I feel about 49, but mentally I don't feel much different than I did when I was 20, when I felt like I was still 12. So basically I'm a 48 year old 12 year old and I'm OK with it. 37 year old Mrs. Itchinjim gets tired of my adolescence at times though.

[rocktivity]

26. I tried the entering middle-age, but it just didn't work

so I'm skipping it--right down to bikini shopping and ignoring my AARP renewal letters. If age is a state of mind, I guess my mind just isn't there yet.

:headbang:
rocknation

[glowing]

27. I hate looking in the mirror somedays and not recognizing the increased

wrinkles because I still feel "body-wise" like I am 19.. but I enjoy the wisdom that has come with those wrinkles.

[liberalmuse]

29. I'm going through the 44 dumps bigtime.

I don't mind aging. It's just weird being 44. Supposedly '44' is the age where you hit rock bottom. I've become what I will call a fat, bitter-hag alcoholic this past year. 8 years of Bush and realizing that Americans are truly stupid has done me in. I hate to sound so cynical, but gawd, I never thought things in 'Merica would get this awful. People do nothing but sit there and let this happen. Even on DU people bash the fuck out of each other's candidates and forget that all that matters is that a Republican does not get in office again. My life really isn't all that bad. I'm not miserable, per say, I just don't give a shit anymore. That's not true. I do give a shit, but am helpless to change anything. I've tried. I'm just not special enough to make a difference. The little things make me happy--gardening, sunshine, walking the dog and being in 'The Now'. However, just thinking of Bush makes me want to jump off a building. Can't get more crazy than that. (I hope.)

On edit: I'm more anal, too.

[Breeze54]

50. Cheer up, youngster!

:hug:

"The age of a woman doesn't mean a thing. The best tunes are played on the oldest fiddles."
~ Sigmund Z. Engel ~

;)

[JeanGrey]

30. Well, I'm 53 and I have been fighting death for four years.

I am totally disabled and I can tell you it really sucks. Enjoy health while you have it.

[Breeze54]

33. Keep on fighting!

:hug:

[JeanGrey]

60. Thanks! I'm hanging.

[emilyg]

130. Good advice.

Hug.

[mahina]

135. Good luck with your health JeanGrey,

wishing you healing.

[sorrybushisfromtexas]

31. I'm 58 and

I have had cancer twice and have had two brain surgeries for blood clots between my skull and the dura of the brain. My feet hurt and I am worn out when I get home from teaching.

Hey I am just thankful I am alive and still kicking.

I love teaching, I have an incredible wife (who is a liberal like me), a great son, a wonderful daughter-in-law ( both liberals, 2- fantastic grandchildren, and a 26 year old daughter who is the best in the world (even though she is a Republican.). Every day is a gift that I treasure and am thankful for.


Peace

Aging Hippie

[Muttocracy]

77. glad you're still with us

:hug:

[pnwmom]

172. Life is about love and about learning to let go -- both at the same time.

Have you read Judith Viorst's "Necessary Losses"?

Everyone finally has to let go of the idea that we're in control -- to accept that we're not invincible. Some of us learn it at a younger age than others.

[muffin1]

32. It sucks a big one

I'm turning 47 on Sunday. Not handling it too well. Drinking too much...is it my age, or the age we're in?:shrug:

[liberalmuse]

41. It's the age we're in, honey.

I really do believe that.

[Lorien]

113. A little bit of both

my birthday was two Sundays ago, and I also drank and didn't feel good about it at all. Actually, I'm still in a bit of a funk. I just hope that if we get a Dem in office this time around we will actually see real change and not just more broken promises.

[blues90]

36. never thought about it until I reached 50

Then suddenly the idea kicked in . that was 9 years ago . As long as I have my wife and we are not ill it's ok .

I do worry about which one of us might go first , that bothers me a lot .

[angrycarpenter]

38. Frightening

My recent social security statement says I have to work for 25 more years. All I know is carpentry, what will I do when I can no longer work 8 hours in the hot Florida sun?

I already feel like I am using up my vitality just earning a living. I abuse my body on a daily basis. Breathing dust, lifting heavy loads, UV rays, the potential for serious injury, I will not make it to retirement.

[silverweb]

40. Mixed feelings, actually.

Life's a one-way ticket and there's no turning back the clock, so we just have to deal with it. People on both sides of my family tend to live well into their 80s in reasonably decent health except for heart disease and a couple of cases of Alzheimer's.

My kids have strict instructions should I ever lose my mental capacity and/or become seriously ill. I do fear becoming incapacitated and helpless, but not simply aging or dying. Quality of life is much more important to me than length of life.

I'll be 60 this year and I've never been more content. I quit coloring my hair a few years ago and let it go gray, and I quit worrying about having gained some weight. The struggles and drama of youthful passions and the drive for acquisition are past. I like living very simply and there's not much "stuff" to worry about, but most of my possessions at this point have some memory or meaning attached.

I don't feel old and I'm not afraid of getting older, but I do appreciate life more than I used to. I'll enjoy my simple, uncomplicated life and my children's adventures for as long as I can. Then, like a droplet of sea foam dancing for a brief time on the crest of a breaking wave, I'll rejoin the vast All -- just like everyone else.

[Lint Head]

42. I wake up every morning thankful to be alive and thankful that I

still have the life in me to speak out and act to help make this world better for future earthly beings. :dem:

[bdamomma]

158. ...........

:thumbsup:

[seabeyond]

43. 40, piece of cake, 43 still fine, 45... wait, waz up, ... working on 47 oh sheeit.

starting to see age. and why not i say, i am almost 50. doing just fine

i love me at this age.

i do have vanity issue, i am so fuckin tired of "looks". gotta learn to shrug that off. just enough. a lifetime for females.

but i love my age

i love everything about it... thinkin thinkin thinkin, ya.... i like the age.

except the sags and bags are coming

i am healthy though. and fit. and spry. (lol lol spry must be an "old" person word. first time using. bah hahaha)

cynatnite, it is coming.

[cynatnite]

48. I do feel better now than I have in years...

I quit smoking late last year and compared to the previous twenty years...I've never felt better. Okay, I need reading glasses. That sucks since I'm such an avid reader.

Yeah, I know it's coming and my body's been giving off a few warning signals the last several months.

[seabeyond]

55. i have like 3 reading glasses thru out house. cause i tend to forget

and i dont want to walk alllllll the way thru to find them. lol. the forget thing. i want a recorder to carry around to speak in. then when i get to my hubby i will remember what i was going to tell him, .... instead of standing there just looking pretty.

lol lol

i look at the glasses the same way. just a bit of fuzzy in life. and can be fun... i like it, lots of stories and laughs for those around me... or frustrating if that is how you chose to walk it.

i quit smoking too. jan 17. i dont feel any better. lol. i am waiting to feel better. but guess i felt fine before i quit.

how is that working for you. still want them. i say it is like i am a smoker doing without instead of a non smoker.

[mahina]

136. Good for you!

I quit 19 years ago and I'll admit I miss them every now and again. I just stand near a smoker and inhale once or twice, that's enough for me!

For all the reasons you already know...keep your resistance strong to fight the really bad stuff, ok!

[cynatnite]

148. It took me a while to feel better after quitting...

I stopped on Nov. 17th of last year. It wasn't until the last few months that I could really tell a difference. It's great not to have that damn smoke smell, too.

Not losing my glasses yet...not yet...I'm not sure where they are come to think of it. LOL

[shanti]

170. when the eyes go

yes, that was such a huge deal for me too:( i'm 52, but the eyes started going downhill about 45 and it was big cause i never wore glasses before that, always had 20/20 vision. i do read a lot too and knit, so now am at the point of having to use prescription glasses. it really SUCKS!

:hi:

[Sal Minella]

51. "Spry" is good. And "creaky but still moving" is good too, if that's where you find yourself....

[seabeyond]

56. creaky but still moving" is good too... lol lol lol. hey it is all good, if we chose

yup

[Richard Steele]

44. As my Grandpa Steele always said: "It's no sin to get old, it's just damned inconvenient". nm

That expression holds more wisdom now than it did when I was 8.

[emilyg]

46. I'm "old"

Scared me when I was in my 40-50's. Now I'm just glad to be here. Survived Hitler and cancer. I feel strong even when my body feels weak.

[Renwiick]

47. Aging scares me..phyical aging no...mental aging yes.

[DemoTex]

49. 60

SUX

[Individualist]

52. 65 sux worse

Every time I hear someone refer to the "golden years", I have to restrain myself from spewing a string of epithets. The only ones getting the gold are the doctors and drug companies!

[Lugnut]

57. Who coined the term "Golden Years"?

I'd like to smack that sucker in the chops for being a smartass.

[seabeyond]

62. golden as in the sun is going down, .... all the way down. that is how i

always saw it. the end... lol

[Individualist]

63. I don't know who it was, but I share your sentiment.

[Warpy]

80. I inherited an embroidered fridge magnet from my mother

SCREW THE GOLDEN YEARS!!!

[kineneb]

53. 49...I'm going to cut loose and become my inner child

I have pink stripes in my blond hair, I own my first tie-dye t-shirt, and I wanna' have some fun after watching my husband slowly die.

Surprisingly, I have few aches or pains and feel better about myself and the world than when I was in my 20s. The long-term therapy and psych meds are finally allowing me to find my identity. Of course the journey to get to this point was sheer hell. It is never too late to have a good (second) childhood.

[Sal Minella]

87. Good for you. After many years of terrible depression, it's just gone -- and those of us who have

been through terrible times psychologically or emotionally enjoy the peaceful older years so much more by comparison~! (How could we know how good it is if we'd never found out how bad it can be?!?)

[kineneb]

131. going to be silly on 50th b'day

going to have purple stripes in hair, and a red & purple birthday party, 'cause I get to trade in my pink hat for my Red Hat

if being female and over 40 means being invisible, heck, I can go wild now and no one will care!

The depression I battle will always be with me, and I will never get "well," just better on occasions. But finally accepting it has allowed me to be who I am, rather than what others expect me to be. (I can finally stop pretending to be "sane.")

[burythehatchet]

191. Right with you at 48 (on Monday). Picking up my 1st motorcycle this spring

life seems to be getting warmed up, and I thought I had already lived.:)

[onehandle]

58. I'm sitting in an emergency room with my very ill elderly mother right now.

Typing on my iPhone.

I feel pretty shitty about it.

[seabeyond]

65. ya... i am sorry. and then this is the sad reality of it. take care of you,

and your mom.

[DemoTex]

70. What hospital?

My brother is at Northside, but he is in New Orleans for Jazz-Fest tonight.

[onehandle]

84. Piedmont. nt

[DemoTex]

85. One of the best in ATL ..

If not THE best ..

[americanstranger]

118. Chin up, 1handle.

Thinking of you, bud.

- as

[burythehatchet]

192. Good luck. Both my boys were born at Piedmont.

[MadHound]

64. I have no problem with getting old

There are advantages and disadvantages to doing so. Yes, you deteriorate physically, but you gain in many other ways. It evens out.

I'm in my late forties now, and while I can still physically do everything I did when I was younger, it makes it a little tougher getting out of bed the next morning.

[limit18]

68. My ambition in life was...

live long enough to become an old man. At fifty-nine I've damn near achieved it.
Life is good!

[Ichingcarpenter]

69. At 43 I climbed 7, 14,000 footers in Colorado

At 56, I climb out of bed without pain and its a victory.
I lost my insurance because of pre-conditions and have
been making gains on a homeopathic course.


My mind is still climbing those mountains
of intellectual challange and that keeps you young
but only with humor in the face of diversity.

[mahina]

137. Just had to say,

stay strong brah. We'll work on that bs precondition thing together. It has got to go. Aloha.

[Blue_In_AK]

71. I'm 61 and I feel as good as I've ever felt,

better than when I was in my 40s, for sure. The psychics tell me I'm going to live to be 93, so I've still got a third of my life left. My hero is Col. Norman Vaughn http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5061204 who was planning his next expedition to the Antarctic when he died just past his 100th birthday in 2005. He was truly inspirational.

[Marr]

72. It beats decomposing.

I'm only 35, but I'd happily live to 200 if I could. I don't care how wrinkley I get. Being dirt was boring-- I did it for a few billion years before this and I'm not looking forward to doing it again.

[Muttocracy]

83. :)

[JohnnyLib2]

73. I just got 2 early birthday cards and a flyer about preplanning my funeral.

--Sure miss all the "attention" that came in the mail last year at 65.....LOL

--Counted up all the presidential elections I've voted in, starting with JFK. Damned Republicans have won too many.

[Connie_Corleone]

74. I was 22 yesterday. Woke up today and I'm 36.

What the hell happened? Where did the time go? I know I'm getting older when I see these stupid reality shows on TV Land about people turning 40 and idiots having a 20 year high school class reunion, and I think, "Oh God, these people are in my generation!"

And I used to make fun of that show Thirtysomething in the 80's. HA!!

[jzodda]

75. I think its all a state of mind

Some 60 year olds are "older" then some 85 year olds. I think being old is of course part physical but even more so mental. If you feel old mentally you will be old. My 84 year old uncle ran and finished the boston marathon last year. He certainly does not act old or feel old.

I think faith also plays a role as you get older. Without any faith at all it must be really scary as dying presents a total unknown. With faith much of the scary part goes away when you believe there is more after death.

As for me? I fear it because I have no real faith, and have type 2 diabetes which makes me wonder what my quality of life will be as I enter my older years. I hope I handle it well but right now I don't think I will. I need to make some serious lifestyle changes and then I think I will be able to handle it better.

[Raejeanowl]

76. The Physical Changes Are Bad Enough

But it's when people start treating you differently, looking past you rather than AT you, or calling you condescending names (like "dear") that it really hits home. You have a year or two at best before that starts, trust me. Ageism is alive and not very well in the USA.

[pleah]

79. I really don't mind.

I worked hard for every gray hair on my head. The only thing I don't look forward to is maybe some day not being able to care for myself. People always tell me they would give anything to be 16 again. I say fuck that. I barely lived through that stage of my life. I do not want to go back. 

[scarletwoman]

82. I love being "old" -- I'm 58. What I love is the length and breadth of my memories.

Yeah, my body is giving me problems, but I deal with it -- what else can you do?

I absolutely love having so many decades of history stored in my own personal memory. I was born in 1949 to parents who grew up during the Depression and whose adult years were defined by WWII (my dad is a veteran).

So, not only do I have my own memories, I'm a repository for THEIR memories, too. I think it's awesome. I've done my best to pass these memories on to my children for their safekeeping.

I was delighted when I turned 50 -- half a century! I thought it was so cool that I had reached a point where my own personal experience encompassed half a century!

I wouldn't trade my years for anything. For sure things suck big time these days, but at least I have a long perspective from which to formulate my view of what's happening now. I love it.

sw

[New Dawn]

86. Death is the predator that is stalking all of us.

There is no way to escape him. He can only be temporarily eluded, often by luck.

That is how I feel about aging.

[NCDem60]

88. Nah

I'm 60 and feel just as good as I did at thirty. I'm surprised too, as just over a year ago I had a major heart attack that included to full cardiac arrests. Had a defibrillator put in last June just to be on the safe side. Got my full release from the doc so I'm playing softball this year in a mens league, and it's not the old farts league either. :) I also bought a new Mazda RX8 and have been learning the art of "drifting". Life is great and I plan on enjoying it as long as I can.

[w8liftinglady]

89. I'm a nurse.There's nothing better than a confident older person

I love old people.I endeavor to be half the patient mine have been..I've learned so much from them.I'm not afraid of getting old.I am going to be one of "those" old ladies...

[burythehatchet]

193. Do you work in a LTC facility?

I used to be an ED at a CCRC

[AzDar]

90. I will be 42 tomorrow (April 11). Being the vain creature that I am, I'm pretty sure

I'll freak when I start LOOKING older (so far, so good) *knocks on wood*.
Some days I feel as though I'm 80 (especially the last 7 years), but I compensate for that by acting like I'm 12 ;-)

[Breeze54]

122. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!

:party: :toast: :bounce:

How young are you now?! :P

Happy Birthday and many more! ;)

:applause: :applause:

[AzDar]

123. Thanks!!

:hi:

[bdamomma]

159. Happy Birthday, ummm.

remember age is all in your mind....

[sammythecat]

91. It's mostly a pain, literally, but you do get used to it.

Even if grudgingly.

On a positive note, I do feel more patient, somewhat wiser, and a little more sensible than I was decades ago. Some things, like experience, just take time. There are no shortcuts.

[Fox Mulder]

92. It scares the hell out of me.

It means I'm one more year closer to dying, buried, gone, forgotten, forever. I hate it.

I seek immortality...

[Dervill Crow]

93. So far, so good.

I just try not to look in the mirror too often because it always surprises me to see an overweight middle-aged woman looking back at me.

:scared:

[Grey]

95. Hey, I'm all for it.

In fact, the older I get the better I like it. It sure as Hell beats NOT getting old.
Now that I am 'officially old' I even get paid for being old!
Old does not feel any different than 27 or 32, Except, now I get to say the
most preposterous stuff and I'm a 'Wise Old Crone" If I had said half the stuff
I do now when I was your age most would have laughed, or told me to "shut up".

Without even half thinking my grandkids know, I'm way smarter that the parents.
They can talk about stuff that they can't with the parents and I'm not judgmental.

Sure I have aches and pains, It's how I know I have lived a full life and now I may
be paying for it, but you know, It's a small price. Some mistakes are so much fun
it's a shame to only make them once.

You need to get a handle on who you are, then age will only be mind over matter,
If you don't mind It won't matter.

[Fumesucker]

96. Just turned 58

Pete Townshend said it best:

I hope I die before I get old..

[Missy Vixen]

97. I'm 47

I want to know who thought up the cosmic joke of men's sex drive peaking in their late teens, and women's in their forties.

I also now completely understand why Aretha Franklin said that she'd gained weight from quitting smoking, and she'd be taking it off with "Slim-Fast and young men".

Julie

[Lorien]

115. Hey, when you do find out who came up with that cosmic joke

tell me and we can go kick his/ her ass together!

[Liberal In Texas]

98. 58 here, youngster.

How do I feel? No different than when I was your age. As long as I can keep my health it's all good.

I retired at 55 from a job that got too political and youth oriented, retrained myself, and now make (when I feel like working) between 65 and 150 bucks per hour. I regularly turn down 50 buck an hour offers.

The biggest fear is that I'll blow out a knee or something and can't work. You know, I worry about health, but shouldn't we all? Even at your young age if you get sick, what then?

It's nice to feel that you have a small pension and social security to depend on in a few years. I know there will be a time when I can't work like a dog anymore, and it will be the time to collect the benefits I slaved to make for us all. If the BushCo gets their way, it could all disappear in an Enron or stock market collapse.

Getting old and aging in itself is part of the great cycle of life. You will become more settled and accepting of the changes in you body as you get older. You'll love naps. You will love the quiet. I guarantee you'll stop hitting the fast life. You will prefer Netflix to going to the theater.

It's nothing to fear. It's part of the cycle.

[msedano]

106. 1964, 1965. laborer in a steel mill, 16 hour shifts doubling over,

swing shift to graveyard. shovelling slag from the mill races beneath the slab and plate mills, and the soaking pits. gad, i loved it. start at one end of the raceway on the knees digging and shovelling to the guy behind, who passed to the third guy. overhead, the roll line still hot after 8 hours of being down from rolling red hot ingots for three shifts a day for a month. shovel on knees, bent back until i could crouch. keep shovelling until finally i could stand erect and keep digging that slag in the steamy stinky humidity. get those raceways clean, down to the concrete floor, then drag one's body back to the exit hole, crawl out, punch out, go home, back to a normal shift 8 hours later. repeat monthly. good college boy job. motivated me to stay in school, dang tootin'.

yesterday i moved a portion of my compost heap a few feet and today every muscle in my 62 year old body twinges with nostalgia for the days when i could put in 16 hours behind a shovel.

and i love it. the pain reminds me, i'm alive. getting old? this is me back in 1970. i still fit in that uniform. mostly.



read all about it at http://readraza.com/hawk/

[Liberal In Texas]

117. I must say. That description makes me feel like a slacker.

I don't do near the kind of work you have. But I do feel a bit achy and tired after hauling around some gear, setting it up, and doing the job, and hauling it back. Some days are like 12 hours. And I think that's bad.

And I work in skyscrapers being catered to with coffee and cokes and AC. Almost always there are elevators and ramps and one the things I hate is the coat and tie.

After reading this, I really appreciate the "easy life" I have.

At 62 you should be dandling grandkids on your knee and consulting once in a while if you feel like it. You have paid your dues.

Cheers...
LinTx...
:toast:

[msedano]

174. long time ago that was, galaxy far, far...

i spent most of my working career in an office wearing a clean shirt and tie and mostly getting my own coffee. and wearing a high and tight haircut. now i'm letting my hair grow and enjoying the feeling that every day is a day off. i didn't have to practice much to get good at retirement. in one week, i was a pro.

[Diclotican]

99. cynatnite

cynatnite

At home, my late foster father was always saing. To be old are not the problem, but to be ill, and be send to a nursing home, for a coupe of year, that was something he really feared. And he was the "old school type" of men, where Men are MEN...

And I have to agree in hat prospect. To lie and send to a nursing home when you are just existing, but not living, must be a nightmare. But to LIVE and then die in your sleep.. That would be the best I guess.

So live all, and prosper, the only thing we all are sure about, when we start the clock (birth) it is a no way situation. In the end we would die anyway.. SO it is maybe best to do what we can do best. And do it right. Take care of our family, take care of our wifes, and children. Take care of our life.. And then, when the death arriving, do our best to let it come, in our sleep..

Diclotican

Sorry my bad english, not my native language

[gateley]

100. What I find interesting is that I

still feel young and hip (I'm 55). I'm always surprised when I get the "ma'am" from people. Even though I've gained weight, have gray hair (under the dye) and wake up stiff in the mornings, inside, and in my head, not much has changed.

I still listen to Monster Magnet :7

[Lorien]

116. Well, I've always thought that you sounded like a young woman of 32 or so

in your posts, so you come off as "young and hip" online. That has to count for something!

[gateley]

124. Awww....thanks! nt

[bdamomma]

161. I'm surprised also when I hear "ma'am" too, I say oh jeez,

I still feel and look like a young chick, I also have to watch those gray hairs too!!! thank god for Garnier!!

[Canuckistanian]

102. Yesterday, I found a gray pubic hair

But I didn't "freak out" about it or get upset.

Not like the other people in the elevator.

[Hardrada]

103. I'm 63 and I have too many projects to get done

to effing worry about it much. Just have to work and write and once in awhile look up at the clock on the clubhouse wall. I wish to go out with me boots on (or in the midst of sexual passion).

[Jim Lane]

104. This 54-year-old has only one question about aging....

What's with this hair growing in my ears?

[bluesmail]

105. I tire easily, not as spunky as I was 10 years ago

the * agenda has zapped so much energy out of me, it's not an easy transition from pseudo democracy to all out fascism. I'll probably survive, not sure though. If I knew for sure they would be indicted for crimes against humanity, it'd make it smoother.

[eridani]

107. I've found that it sure beats the alternative

You get used to declining capacities and do what you can. Being active slows the process, but doesn't stop it.

[KillCapitalism]

108. I don't feel very good about it.

I'm just 32 right now, but the way the fucking nation is going I'm afraid to guess what things will be like if I live to be 82. This place will probably be as 3rd-world as Sub-Saharan Africa is now. I'd rather not live all that long unless I can stay healthy. If my health goes to shit then I hope for a quick exit.

[dysfunctional press]

109. i'm 47, but mentally i still feel 24...physically i feel about 72, due to a chronic spinal condition

i wake up in pain EVERY FUCKING DAY. i'm generally so sore that i can't even get out of bed without taking 30mg. of methadone and a couple vicoprofens...well, actually i stumble to the bathroom, piss take my pills and lay back down for 45 minutes before getting back up. and like i said, that's every-fucking-day, and it's only my first dose of the day.

does getting old scare me? fuck yeah- where/how am i going to get my meds when society takes a peak-oil nose dive...?

barring any additional major catastrophes- i predict that we'll see much more communal living in the not-too-distant future, due to the prices of everything, and the scarcity of energy.

i just want to make it to 12-21-2012, to see if those mayans were really turned onto or tied into something cosmic in nature. if we make it through that, i'd like to live long enough to see at least a sizeable chunk of florida reclaimed by rising sea levels. if it's going to happen, i want to live to see it.

[Breeze54]

111. I'm sorry you're in such awful pain... and

you changed your avatar! :P Just noticed. Can't you get an operation to fix that? :wtf:
(your back, not your avatar!) :rofl:

Sorry if I sound lame asking that question. I just feel so bad for you. :hug:

I have had a really bad back & neck injury but I forced myself to 'move' and I weaned

myself off the drugs and I realize there are conditions that can't be fixed.

I guess I've said to much now but I don't want you to hurt anymore. :(

:hug:

[Lorien]

110. I turned 43 less than two weeks ago, and I hate it

I don't feel any older than I did at 23, I don't have any wrinkles, but I loathe society's collective stand that I am no longer useful or desirable because of my age-and yes, I know that it will only get worse. I work with a lot of people in their 20s and 30s, and they all feel compelled to make "old" jokes when they are with me. Internet dating has gone from bad to awful. Now the only men interested are as old as my father-and just as bald and obese (I'm into fitness and nutrition, and state as much in my profiles). Men of my own generation will talk to me...until they learn of my age. Clients want younger artists because they think they'll be able to tap into the trends more easily (it ain't so). So yes, I think aging sucks, and I'm really not sure what I have to look forward to at this point. :-(

[mopinko]

112. i thought i would have plenty of time once my kids were grown for a life

of my own. i guess i had too damn many of them. (5) but i counted on the family genes for a hardy, long life. my grandpa dropped dead standing in line for confession at 94. my mom had a good career after we all grew up. i did not expect my health to be a mess at 53. i did not expect to need 10-12 hours of sleep. i did not expect to live in pain. i feel like an old, old lady. i feel stupid for not having grabbed life with both hands when those hands still worked.

and to the comments up thread about dying. i had a dog pass away recently. without a lot of yaya about it, i made the choices for her that i wanted for myself. i hope that i get to do that some day. i can't imagine being a burden on everyone. or being helpless. don't want to go there.

[americanstranger]

114. I'm 54, and I dig it.

I'm gainfully self-employed, been working for myself for over 10 years now. I don't think I could have handled that when I was younger.

I still play just about every weekend with my band - and I'm still loud & proud. And I don't play farty classic rock (well, some) - my band covers the older stuff, but we also do stuff by bands like Foo Fighters, Sick Puppies and newer alternative stuff like that.

I'm a little sore after a gig, but I'm still able to shake it like I did when I was a youngun.

Aging ain't bad. If you let yourself feel old, you'll be old.

Or as I always say, you're only as old as you act. ;)

- as

[undergroundpanther]

121. I am 42

my spine is fucked I have a feeling old age for me will be a slow painful torturous decline. I hope death takes be before that.

Old age is another one of existences senseless cruelties.
Nature isn't happy just killing everyone that exists one way or another, no, it has to make them get old if they manage to live through natural disasters,abuse,accidents,illnesses,ect..Fucking bodies they are a stupid designed thing,nature is sadistic, but impersonally,as if that is any thing to let biology off the hook, We get to decline,break down,grow weaker and fall apart if we manage to not die from something else before than.From the 40's it will only get worse.

I hate this world.I hate the human or more accurately living beings condition here..I hate what existing in this fucked up reality does to innocent beings that are unfortunate enough to be born. Existing in these frail,ugly, weak,miserable ,vulnerable, doomed flesh bags just sucks..I wish life wasn't filled with so much suffering as children we are vulnerable and not all adults are kind to kids,as teens we are socially tormented by peers,as adults we suffer to exist as old people we just decline and suffer until death. Golden years? MY ASS. There are no golden years in this life.

I hate this world..

[historian]

125. well....

Im 61 and my brain is still 20 though my body doesn't seem to realize that. The secret to growing old is to forget about it - theres nothing you can do about it. Just stay in good health and remember to keep your brain busy. Read, study, learn and improve your mind all you can. I had a very minor stroke a few weeks ago, but healed very quickly. Neurologists first question was what i do in my spare time. I told him i read a great deal and he answered that stimulating the brain creates new pathways between neurons and generally re generates the brain.
And please, dont fall for the plastic surgery routine. Its always noticeable and if you are 60 and have surgery you will still be 60!!!!
there are my words of wisdom for what they are worth

[otohara]

126. Lately I Feel Old

and it sucks. I'm 55 and have some medical problems because as a child I got sick and it turned out to be polio. The hormones recently left my body and wow, do i miss real estrogen. Everything is changing and nothing can be done to reverse. Can't exercise it back like you could when you were younger. Feeling weak, saggy, tired, bored, and very worried about my future.

[hayu_lol]

129. Getting old is just another phase of life...

not better than the others or worse, just different and it usually hurts a little bit more.

As many have said, you are still you inside--y'know, the person you grew up with. One advantage of age is that you can say or do almost anything you want and other people accept it. LOL!

Other than some of the special illnesses and conditions that affect the elderly, you somehow find things to do that you can enjoy.

You learn to manage with less energy.

Biggest worry? Mental condition. Becoming a vegetable.

In your 50s, read some gerontology so that you can anticipate the changes that are coming.

poster is 72

[Mari3333]

128. being old is wonderful

and i look forward to the day i cross over and out of my body. it will be great, this i know.

[Nicole]

133. Old age ain't no place for sissies. ~Bette Davis

That's exactly how I feel about it!

[El Pinko]

138. I don't care so much about appearances, wrinkles, etc...

...but the idea of losing mobility and energy sucks, as does the thought of mortality.

I miss the feeling of the novelty of life. I feel like "been there, done that" about most things in life now.

[mahina]

139. Great thread!

How do I feel about getting older?

I'm 48, just turned, my nephew's birthday tonight, it was so great!

likes: Other people are more interesting, Dems, R's, no matter. The world is fascinating. I know there are terrible dangers, (climate change mostly) and we are such a boneheaded species, but I have great and deep hope for humanity rising. I really do.

I like the confidence that I feel, though I am not an arrogant person.

I love the depths of friendships- one thing that would make leaving my community really difficult, at least leaving for good would be hard. Friendships that go back so long, so many. My treasures.


Dislikes: Oh man! the knees? How to get excercise and shake off these lbs when I can't get around so well?

Lack of social space for people our age for fun things like...dancing! meeting new people. That used to be part of life, and is much less so now.

I'm not afraid of dying but I am afraid of dying badly, taking forever, being sick a long time, or any of the lousy ends that we've all helped loved ones through.

Aloha to all of you good people.

[madokie]

140. Just turned the big 60 and I love getting old

it sucks that I don't have the stamina I once did but as long as I still have the memory of when I did thats fine and when I don't have that then that will be fine too as I won't remember to know any better.;-) Getting old is fun to me

[DFW]

141. Hey, I just turned 56, and I'm cool with it. Are you 20 and wondering why? Check this out:

I remember when I was 20, and thinking 50 was the end of the line.

I even had an "over-the-hill" party when I turned 21. There was always
some dreaded point in the future when life as I knew it would be over.
First, it was graduating from college and going out into the "real" world.

But then I got a cool job. Still with the same outfit, now station chief
for Europe, and torture to me would be calling me back home to some dreary
desk job.

Then I turned 30. Life was over. Guys who are 30 don't go out and give
concerts, do they? That's OLD. What was I gonna do with my guitars? Then I
got married. That HAS to be the end of the line, right? Then had children.
Oh, MAN, if that isn't the end of life as we know it, what is? Suddenly I
turned 40. Holy SHIT man, prepare the coffin. First operations for mechanical
problems already behind me (bad knees, ergo arthroscopy). The top brass Stateside
reminded me that it was always better to be over the hill than under it. My kids
actually started going to school and stuff. Parents' meetings. Hey, didn't MY
parents do this stuff? What IS this shit?

Then my dad died. I was 48. Now I was next in line. How's THAT for scary?
At 49, my wife got cancer. THAT really WAS scary. But she beat it. Then the
big 50. My mom died. End of the world. No more parents, I'm next. Well, except
for my wife, my daughters, my friends, my siblings, my work colleagues. In the
meantime, my friends include Howard Dean, Stan Lee, Adrian Cronauer, Helen Thomas
and Dr. Ruth. Plus a whole bunch of really cool normal mortals like me. OK, so not
the end of the world after all. I still play music for people, get to do my job and stuff.

At 52, I had a big scare. Twinges in my shoulder, so I went to see a cardiologist.
He freaks, says do not pass GO, do not collect $200, but get your ass up to the Krupp
Klinik THIS SECOND. I did, found I had 2 forward coronary arteries 99% blocked, was
about to have a major, possibly fatal, heart attack any second. But I didn't. The
head surgeon stuck two stents in there "just in time," told me to change my diet
to fat-free (I did) and take care of myself (well, sorta). No danger since.

So, now I just turned 56. Big fuckin' deal. Yeah, I still feel stuff in my knees,
and this getting up at 4:30 because some high muckamuck in Brussels just HAS to
have me there at 9:30 that morning does indeed get old. But I'll tell you what,
people. Sitting at some desk job in DC or Dallas would get me LOT older, and faster,
too. My wife is still gorgeous, my girls, too. One is about to graduate from her
college in fashion design/business, and the other is in Law School in the States,
just selected to take part in a UN war crimes tribunal in West Africa this summer.

I'll be running over to Cape Cod in the summer for a few weeks, because I need the
down time, and with the dollar in the shithouse, it's cheaper and more tranquil.
But before that I'll be in the States twice (Freedom Toast/Political Idol show in
NYC, daughter's graduation, friends to see in Dallas, DC), in Paris, Brussels, Munich,
Zürich, and who knows where the hell else in the meantime. If I don't conk out first,
that is. If I do, it won't be my problem any longer, will it?

Am I still 20 in my head? Well, sort of, yeah. Wishing I still had a 20 year old body?
DUH. But I would I settle for erasing my life and memories to be 20 again? Nah. There
are a whole bunch of people out there more interesting than I am (2 of them are my daughters)
who need some space to grow into.

I'm 56 and it's cool. Ask me anything.

[bklyncowgirl]

142. I'm not going to worry about something I can't change.

Well I could change it, but since at this time I have no intention of putting my head in the oven, I'm just going to stay active and keep on truckin'.

[deutsey]

143. Deeply mixed feelings

In recent months I've seen the deterioration (mental and physical) of four older people and it's not pretty. I also know people who are in the 80s and 90s and still very active and living independently.

Assuming the proverbial bus doesn't hit me today or I contract some fatal disease in the next month, I know that I'll end up somewhere on the spectrum I describe above. My hope is that I'll keep my mind and body active, that I'll remain engaged in creating meaning in my life and in my family and community.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

144. I never grew up but my body doesn't know that, rebellious thing that it is.

Does it scare me? Not now. Will it scare me? I don't know.

:shrug:

[Perry Logan]

145. I've been very lucky so far. Let's face it, being young is no picnic, either.

[Vinca]

146. It doesn't bother me all that much, but I think I'm living in a fantasy world.

I tool around town in my Rav playing the same tunes I played when I was young - Stones, Beatles. I wear the same kind of clothes and my hair is in the same style I wore when I was 18. My mother died at 42 and my dad at 62, so I expected to be dead by now anyway so every day's a bonus.

[annabanana]

147. Aging? WHO'S aging? I'M not aging!

I am forever young.

. . . . What?

[raccoon]

149. I'm happier now (mid-50's) than I was as a child and young adult.

I've learned to accept a lot of things now (not including the Bush admin).

I appreciate little things a lot more.

But the physical part is a downer. Lots of times I'll think, if I feel like this now, what will it be like when I'm 70?

[PRETZEL]

150. I'm 49 but don't feel it in the least,

I still feel I can play ball with the 20 somethings. I'm more than a step slower and have some difficulty catching with my step son who can really bring it at his age. But I still hold my own.

But time will tell. My mom passed away from complications related to her diabetes when she was 65. That scares me a bit.

But on the other hand, my dad is 84. He still goes down to Florida a couple of times a year to play golf with my brother. He's still very active in his cherished Moose International organization. He'll live to 100. That part is pretty exciting.

It's life. I hope I don't have medical issues like my mom did, but if that happens, then I'll deal with it when the time comes.

[Atman]

152. I just turned 49 a week ago...and I snowboarded 28 days this winter.

Double diamonds at Tahoe, The Front Four at Stowe...I've never felt better. I also just took my first full-time job in over a decade, at an ad agency staffed by almost entirely 20-somethings. The fact that they hired me at all amazed me, but it feels good to be around a vibrant group of people. So many of my friends my age have just gotten old and fat. I think the only that rocks in their lives are their chairs. Not for me. Peter Pan all the way!

.

[madmom]

153. I just turned 54 in Feb, I have high BP, high cholesterol, and have to watch what I eat

because of high blood sugar, but I feel like I'm still in my 30's, it's a mind set I think. I work with "girls" in their 20's and 30's and I have to keep reminding myself that they are my kid's age, we laugh, gossip, have fun.My SO told me yesterday that he's going to retire this summer and now we get "make up for lost time" with the grand kids (they live 400 miles away).So I am truly looking forward to finally getting to be a grandma.

[bdamomma]

154. aging sucks.

but rise above it, and never stop physically moving and keep your mind fueled. I am in my fifties and I don't feel it at all, keeping up with 2-11yrs old and 15 yr. old may contribute.

[LanternWaste]

155. I've been 27 for the past fourteen years...

It's neither good, nor bad being 41. I had thought that on reaching my 40's, I'd be slowing down a bit, but that really hasn't happened (not that I'd ever been 'fast' anyway).

I've recently developed bursitis in my shoulder, and I wear glasses for reading and at the office, but there's still this sense of surprise every day that I'm not actually in my twenties anymore.

The only real emotional change I can observe is that I'm a lot slower to anger, but a lot quicker to become frustrated oddly enough.

I'm certainly not where I thought I'd be financially by this point. I worry about my one day retirement and how I'll manage that; but, all in all I lead a pretty satisfactory life of genteel poverty and picturesque squalor.

it just hit me-- I've got the same friends I've had since I was 17 and 18. We still hang out and get together whenever life lets us. Maybe our interpersonal dynamics keep the flame of youth burning in each other... :shrug:

[DFW]

165. You're lucky to have your friends nearby

Mine are scattered among about 15 countries on 4 continents and
it's always a big deal to get together with 2 or 3 of them, let
alone the whole gang. I'm jealous!

[poppysgal]

156. not hunky-dorey

it sucks.:blush:

[susankh4]

157. I am turning fifty in a few months

and I couldn't be happier!

Getting my red hat soon!!!:bounce:

[kaiden]

160. Since 50 is the new 30, I'm only 35!

I just try to avoid harsh lighting, plunging necklines and hot pants!

[Blue_Tires]

163. when the time comes, i'm just going to "go home", soylent green-style

haven't picked out my movie and music yet, though

[Ohio Joe]

164. I'm 45 and what bothers me the most...

Is the damn hair growing out of my ears and nose at a pace that just cannot be explained.

[AspenRose]

166. What a timely thread

I'll be 40 in 3 weeks. Yes, the "big 4-0."

I'm mixed about it. I just gave birth last year to my second child so I suspect the physical feelings I'm dealing with are postpartum. I also suspect it'll take me longer to recover from the pregnancy.

On the one hand, I think having young kids will help "keep me young," so to speak. But I'd be lying if I said I didn't get tired quickly!

My DH took me out to dinner last weekend and I ordered a glass of wine. The server actually asked to see my ID. I thought, "You must be joking, I KNOW I look over 21..." but I complied anyway. Her eyes grew wide when I handed it to her....which is also what happened when I told our pediatrician (for our kids) how old I was. She didn't believe me. Everyone assumes my husband is older because of his graying hair, when I'm the one who's older.

I've been told I don't look a day over 33. That's all well and fine, I guess. I think I'm more concerned about my health than my looks, though. All I can do is try to take care of myself, maintain a positive attitude and surround myself with positive, active older people who can influence my outlook on life.

I have huge regrets about my education and career choices, and often wonder if it's too late to change course. That is what haunts me.

[Caretha]

167. Old, schmold!

I will be 56 on Sunday and am going to live till I die! I try to keep fit, exercise and eat right (love to cook) and though I live alone I fix a healthy delicious meal for myself every night. I'm a hard core gamer and decided to build my first computer this January - it's one badass gaming machine! I plan to pwn all those noobs XD. My idea of staying young is to try to do as many interesting things as possible with my spare time. I just joined a group of semi-pro Ghost hunters and will be doing the midnight ghost hunting gig when I don't have to go to work the next day.

Sometimes we have to just reinvent ourselves. Life is about changes and adapting to those changes. I will admit that the past 7 years of this fucked up government has taken somewhat of a mental toll on me though - when it gets to be too much to bear, I take a break and try to make my circle smaller. For me, that means spending more time with family and friends, having a glass of wine, being silly and just enjoying the moment.

[UpInArms]

205. happy birthday sister!

may we live until we die and do it well

[bikebloke]

168. 52 laps around the sun.

And I'm doing great. Physically, I'm still on the same plateau from my 30's. Lifestyle, plus winning the genetic lottery (there are a few strains of kin who lived to their 90's). I had doubts a few years back when I messed up a knee playing soccer in loose sandals - not recommended). Mending, without resorting to the medical profession, was slow and painful, but I worked it out on my own. It feels and works fine again.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

169. Facing one's mortality does tend to put things in perspective.

I'm 64.

Realizing that anything you do, say, feel, is not going to change the world, save humanity, or dislocate the universe brings about a rather pleasant sense of humility and freedom.

It allows you to do the small things that actually make a difference.

Here's one that is a cure for the "I can't do nuthin'" blues.

http://kiva.org/

[Jennicut]

173. I am a diabetic. Every day I get older is a blessing. My life expectancy is naturally shorter.

I pray I don't get complications with my kidneys, liver, or heart. I try to keep tight control on my blood sugars. There was really no explanation why I ended up with it. I had two babies about a year apart and developed gestational diabetes with my second daughter and it never went away. Maybe I was always diabetic, my endocronologist doesn't know. I'm just glad the doctors caught it, if not for the glucose test you have to take when pregnant I might not have ever known. Being told at 29 that you have a lifelong disease is kind of shocking but at the age of 32 I'm glad I'm still healthy and doing well and running after my nearly 3 and 4 year olds.

[devilgrrl]

175. My parents are turning 70, I'm not worried about it just yet.

I turn 45 this year... :popcorn: Sure, the jowls are starting to sag... I was never much to look at when I was younger, what are you going to do? :shrug:

However, I am concerned about my eyes changing, last year I had to get bi-focals and reading glasses. My joints are another issue that I'm sure that I'll have to contend with in the future.

If there's anything that I am worried about, it is employment and the prospect of contending with ageism... what does the future hold for me there? THAT worries me the most.

[Forrest Greene]

176. I've Never Been This Old Before

...& so far, it's OK. I feel more curious than scared about dying, but there's one thing that bugs me, & that is that when I do die, I won't be able to find out what happens next in this Human story of ours. Isn't that odd? As if there'll be some final, formal Resolution of History that I might miss. It's just more curiosity, I guess, & it's balanced by there being a good deal of curiosity about death that perhaps will be satisfied, instead.

[Javaman]

177. Oh man, I'm 44, let me tell you, it gets a lot worse! LOL

:toast:

[ensho]

178. old age is OK as long as you don't look into the mirror

if you do look you won't see yourself, you will see some old person.

disconcerting.

[Iggo]

179. It hurts.

Other than that, it's great.

[WinkyDink]

180. Not for sissies.

[a kennedy]

182. WinkyDink, I heard that when I was younger, and would wonder what

people who said that meant.....I KNOW NOW!!! I'm 57, and to get old, and not complain about your aches and pains, what works, and what doesn't, is the hardest thing I've ever had to go through. Everyday there seems to be "something" new to bother me. Sore feet, knees, shoulder, sheesh......I truly have so much more love and respect for my mother and father now, they both died in there mid 80's and I don't remember hearing so much as a peep about their aches and pains. Hope I can handle old age as gracefully as they did, or h*ll, I might just go kicking, screaming and complaining to the bitter end.

[orleans]

183. ugh. n/t

[onethatcares]

185. 56 here and I feel alot younger than my years

I like to mess with the kids I work with occassionally by talking about smokin the herb and gettin some luvvin. They don't know how to react alot of times.

[Buns_of_Fire]

186. I'm 57, and I feel just as good as I did at 29.

Of course, looking back on it, I felt like crap when I was 29, too.

I figure I'm doing pretty good if I can still laugh at movies like "Weekend at Bernie's" and am still looking forward to the next Futurama movie. I think a semi-sick sense of humor helps.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

188. Old age isn't the same for everyone

I'm younger at 57 than either my mother or grandmother was.

On my parents' wedding pictures, my grandmother is only 50 years old. She looks like an old lady already. Nobody would ever mistake me for 30, but I don't act or dress like a stereotypical old lady.

When I went to England in 2006, my roommate was a very active older woman who is involved in absolutely everything and takes a daily bike ride. I was astonished to learn that she was the same age as my mother, who has allowed her world to become smaller and smaller as the years go by and has undergone a marked physical deterioration in the past year. You'd think my mom was ten years older than this roommmate, not the same age. My brothers and I have noted that even our grandmother, who lived to be 100, wasn't this physically frail at 86.

Having observed a lot of older people in recent years, I think the key is to stay as active as you can within your physical limitations, focus on other people rather than on yourself, and keep your mind active.

Anyway, these positive and negative examples are the reason that I stay active, go to water aerobics even when I don't feel like it, try not to eat junk food, take opportunities to socialize with upbeat people, have an absorbing major leisure pastime (choral singing), keep up spiritual practices, attend cultural events when I can afford it, and volunteer in ways that help alleviate in a tiny way some of the damage done by 28 years of Republicanite and DLC government.

Even becoming a free-lance translator was a life-cycle decision. When I lost my last academic job at 43, I knew I didn't want to stick with academia at all costs, because I had seen too many people who were still "academic gypsies," moving around the country from one temporary job to another, at age 50 or 60.

Instead, I decided to take the leap into free-lance translation, knowing that it was something that I could do 1) anywhere in the world that has Internet connections, and 2) as long as my mind stays reasonably coherent.

The one thing that scares me is getting Alzheimer's, having seen my stepfather deteriorate from it. However, the early stage, when people know they're losing their minds, is harder for the patient than the later stages, when they're almost continuously in some other world.

[mnhtnbb]

189. Aging sucks. I'm 57 and had a hip replacement last year at 56.

I can't read a damn thing without glasses anymore, and I had 20/20 vision until I was in my 40's.
If I look at chocolate, I gain weight. I can walk every day, reduce my calorie intake to 1600/day
and barely lose 2 lbs a week.

My bottom three vertebrae have fused--by themselves. My knees creak going upstairs.

Hubby thinks he's middle-aged and he's 65. I don't know many folks who live to 130!

I think I aged 10 years in the 6 months after our house burned down last year.

Our youngest goes off to college next fall and hubby wants to re-evaluate our marriage. Uh-oh.

[burythehatchet]

190. The day a good crap became more joyful than good sex was the threshold.

[Iggo]

194. Amen, baby. (n/t)

[Cleita]

196. I am old but in relatively good health.

Things are harder to do though. I tire more easily. Thanks to the advances of modern medicine, I am not blind from cataracts and can still drive. I have enough income to get by with and take a vacation now and then if the neo-cons don't mess with my Social Security. Mostly, I feel lonely because my husband is gone. What I really feel is that I'm marking time until I die. There really is no future to look forward to anymore because it's all behind me. I engage in various hobbies to fill my time. I try to be active in my community to make things better for those less fortunate than me. I don't know how I will feel about things when the chronic disease or diseases that are going to lead to my demise comes.

[mbee]

197. About a week ago there was a special on with Barbara

Walters and she had several people over 100 as guests and they seemed in fairly good health and, in fact, one man was 102 and still played music in a restaurant-bar. I guess you're only as old as you feel.

[kittykitty]

199. And one handsome white-haired woman was 100+ and just bought herself a new Cadillac!

edit: spelling

[otherlander]

200. I'm still a teenager

and it scares the shit out of me. :yoiks:

[Zoigal]

202. Geez, folks...most of you are still quite young

in today's world. I was 79 a couple of months ago, and am still
going strong. Opinionated as ever. :D Hang in there. Keep positive. z

[meandbobbymcgee]

203. Stress

I think the stress and worry related to health care and retirement is going to work against all the strides we have made in becoming a healthier aging society.