What makes you feel old?

[bulletbiter]

I feel old when I realize it takes a whole lot more work to keep myself in shape as opposed to just a few years ago.

True story - my niece and nephew were visiting from out of town last summer (they're both 10yrs.old) and I took them for a drive around town. They were sitting in the back seat and ,after a while ,one of them said " Oh, look! We can control our own windows! Is this something new,Uncle? ( they never saw a car with roll-up windows before)

[Avalon]

Feeling old is a state of mind in my opinion. Just when you think age is taking youth away, a new thing happens that returns the years thought lost. It could be a touch never felt before....or something as simple as a dandelion flower.

[Eager Beaver]

The other day one of my professors asked the class "Do any of you remember where you were when the Discovery launched in 1988?"

It goes quiet, and someone near the front awkwardly says "uhh... not born yet?" I am positive at least 75% of the class was born in 87 or 88.

The look on his face was very indicative of the feelings described in this thread...

[obgyn65]

Same for me. I feel old when I see all the grey hair falling on my lap at the haidresser !

Quote:

Originally Posted by scrabbler1 When I am at the barber, I see more and more clumps of grey hair on the protective smock,

[Ready-4-ER-at-14]

I feel old when I go into the bank and see how quickly a 20 something can fill in a deposit slip or a form. I had taken in two property tax payments and we were each filling out a form. She was done as I was just getting started. Rather than make her wait, I just laughed and said here you do it so neither of us have to wait. Fortunately I had prewritten the checks at home.

[Walt34]

I remember the five cent candy bars and loading up on those.

A quote that comes to mind is "You can tell how old a man is by what he takes two at a time - stairs or pills".

I can still do stairs two at a time, but my right knee reminds me not to do that too often. And yeah, I'm on some pills.

[Cattusbabe]

Quote:

Originally Posted by veremchuka i am surprised at how many people that are a lot younger than i am are complaining about aches, pains and how doing a minor amount of physical activity kicks their butt. the work i do growing vegetables all spring thru fall not to mention splitting, picking up and moving 3 cord of firewood to the woodshed plus all the other bs i do as a home owner must keep me young. in addition to that a healthy diet of real food, no processed or refined junk that comprises the standard american diet (sad), the way people ate 100 years ago no doubts helps. i will say in my early 30's i had a terrible diet and was starting to exhibit many health problems associated with the way i ate which is why i changed my life style. i did not have gray hair until mid 40's, need glasses until 48 or 49, still have a full head of hair no bald spot, look at least 10 years younger than my age and i am never sick. it may be good genes but i suspect my diet has a lot to do with it plus i never had kids. too much stress with kids, everyone i know that had them was much older, sicker and worn out than me at any given point in time. i hope people don't think what i have said is bragging because i am not, apparently i'm the healthy exception tho i do glow blue in the dark. i said this to express what i have experienced since it seems to be so different than the comments i'm reading. ymmv.

No you are not bragging. You know what your talking about. When I FIRED I started a fitness program lost a little weight, improved my strength and flexability and was feeling better than I did when I quit the job. It was not until I switched my diet last year to the one you described in your post that I saw a dramatic improvement in my health. Aches and pains that I have attributed to being middle age have all gone. Blood pressure back to normal and I'm now off medications. GERD gone. My energy and libido went through the roof. DH has noticed the change and has joined me in the diet change. You can call me a believer.

[mystang52]

I'm a runner. While I was always a slow runner..now I'm really slow. And, I don't care (well, maybe a little)!
My friend, who has always been trim and athletic, summed it up: "When we were younger and got hurt, we'd be better the next day. Now when we get hurt, we stay hurt."

[glippy]

What's wrong with being old?

From the comments people seem to equate "old" with "out of shape/unhealthy/in pain". But that's not what old means. Old just means something/someone has been around for a while.

You could be 90, in good health, happy, with lots of friends and an active mind, but you're still old. So what? I just don't understand the attitude that old=bad. Isn't this just a product of a society and consumer culture that is absolutely obsessed with young bodies, youthful lifestyles and novelty?

I look forward to experiencing a healthy old age myself. It seems like it would be a wonderful phase of life with the right attitude. Rather than desperately trying to pretend you will never get "old" because you go to the gym, have low blood pressure, and use face creams.

[cj]

Getting the senior citizens' discount without asking. (HEY!! I'm only 56, you young punk!)

Then there was the time, a few days ago, when the young whipper-snapper I was training to replace me asked me how long I had been in IT. I said, since 1986. Which, of course, was the year he was born. <sigh>

But generally, no, it doesn't bother me. It makes me laugh most of the time.

[MikeD]

I look old. My dermatologist attributes it to a lifetime of diabetes. I am 57 but feel 25 mentally and 80 physically. I enjoy being old except for the running out of time part. I would be extremely happy except for the death of my dog/daughter Black Lab Emily two years ago this last weekend. It's the only thing that really bothers me. I still cry almost every day as I miss her so much. We have no children and have been married for about 35 years and Emily was our only child. The diabetes really racks up the mileage on your body. I take 19 prescription medicines (47 pills per day) due to legitimate health problems. I'm pretty sure that helps with the making me feel old physically. But, as my first boss out of college's little sign on his desk said, "I'm so happy, I could just sh!t!"

[W2R]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeD I look old. My dermatologist attributes it to a lifetime of diabetes. I am 57 but feel 25 mentally and 80 physically. I enjoy being old except for the running out of time part.

+1 I am having a great time in my 60's, but the older I get, the more I feel like my days are numbered. I'm reasonably healthy, but still nobody lives forever. Yet. If immortality ever becomes an option, I'd be the first in line. I'm not holding my breath for that one, though.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeD I would be extremely happy except for the death of my dog/daughter Black Lab Emily two years ago this last weekend. It's the only thing that really bothers me. I still cry almost every day as I miss her so much.

I am so sorry to hear about Emily. Death of a pet can be really traumatic, and yet so often others seem to treat it as trivial. Emily was truly fortunate to be your pet and I'm sure she loved you deeply, too.

[calmloki]

Lets see.... trimming long hairs growing on the outer edge of my left ear, ditto nose hair. Shoulders crunching if I do something strenuous like put my arm over my head. Varicose veins that would do the belly of a prize Holstein milker proud. Losing molars - three slated to depart end of month, which will leave me chewing with my canines till implants can get placed in a year or so. Sucky balance which makes me climb ladders and hills with a touch of fear. Hernia belt. Meeting new college student renter's grandparents and being older than they are. Having less concern about outliving our assets and more about the effect of catastrophic health care costs wiping it out.

[Ally]

So sorry, Mike, about your dog Emily. We love our pets so I know how it is to lose your daughter.
I've worked at my job almost 30 years and it's very strange to give VHS training tapes to the college kids and they don't know how to use them. They say "my grandma had some of these when I was a kid."

[Birdie Num Nums]

I felt that I was getting old when Alice Kramden started to look good.

[JakeBrake]

Last week DW and I toured the University of Texas McDonald Observatory At Fort Davis, Texas. It was a great tour, but it did make us feel old. When I bought our tickets, the cashier asked if either one of us qualified for senior tickets. You have to be 65, which we both are. So I purchased the senior tickets and the cashier handed me the tickets (actually, stickers) and two shuttle bus passes. When we started the tour the tour leader asked for a show of shuttle bus passes. DW and I had the only two for the group. Since there would be plenty of seats on the shuttle bus the tour leader asked if anyone else wanted to ride the shuttle bus. There were 3 volunteers in addition to DW and I. This worked out well for us because we rode the shuttle bus with our very knowledgeable tour leader and the shuttle bus parked much closer to the telescope than the other people in the tour who drove their personal cars up the mountain. Once at the telescope you had to choose between the elevator and the stairs (70+ steps). The elevator was small and would have taken 5 or 6 trips for everyone on the tour, so the tour leader encouraged the group to take the stairs. Everyone except the tour leader and the 5 of us who rode the shuttle bus raced up the stairs like a herd of antelope. They were waiting for us when the elevator door opened at the top.

As I said it was a great tour, but it did make us feel old. If you go, plan to spend the day, since it is a long way from anywhere. By the way, we did see plenty of real antelope on that trip. We probably enjoyed the last of the cool weather until next winter.

[Orchidflower]

I feel great and don't feel old.....until it's either going to rain or it's cold where I am and my arthritis starts to hurt and act up. Then I walk like a 110 year old woman and am in pain. Warm weather = you'd never know anything was wrong with my joints at all.
See why I moved to Phoenix? And we had a really cold winter here (for this area, anyway), so I just cannot get away from it totally it seems.

[Avalon]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JakeBrake Last week DW and I toured the University of Texas McDonald Observatory At Fort Davis, Texas. It was a great tour, but it did make us feel old.

That is a great tour. I hope you got to stay at Indian lodge in the state park. That entire area is pretty.

[ksr]

The only thing I can think of that makes me feel old is when I throw my back out. Boy, do I feel like an old woman when that happens! Fortunately, it doesn't happen too often. One of the many great things about leaving full-time w*rk is having more time to work out now. That seems to have helped quite a bit.

[freebird5825]

And a one and a two...follow the bouncing ball...testing testing...

Old is 99

Bronx cheer (google it).