So, do you feel your age? Act your age? Like your age?

[vickko]

So, do you feel your age? Act your age? Like your age?

Me, I'm "just" into my second half-century. But I feel I've always been "out of my age" in activities. For instance:
- did sports "out of the normal age", too young for some (cycling too young), too old for others (figure skating too old).
- got married way late - in my late thirties
- had son late - most dads were much younger
- wife is now pregnant - we're going to break local records for "oldest new parents"!!!
- I'm back at university, with first year students. I'm more than old enough to be their parent

So - often feel "out of sync with age". Sometimes nice. Sometimes not.

You?

....V

[Khan]

Not sure.
Just glad I am beyond w*rk, reproducing, giving a hoot about most things.

[ScottFromUtah]

Wow, Vicko, congratulations on being an old parent, again.

Personally, I feel much younger at age 65 than I ever expected to, especially with seven kids and 20 grandkids. E.g., yesterday, I swam a mile and biked (cycling) 25 miles. Today, I ran five mile. Saturday, I will run 14 miles as I continue my preparation for a June marathon and a July triathlon.

I also have a full head of hair, with no visible gray. Yah, I feel young.

[Tesaje]

I don't really care. I yam what I yam and like what I yam. Close enuf for me and I wouldn't want to go back to my youth for anything.

[plex]

I was, and still am, a lot older, in all ways except physically, than my peers. It has been like that from a very young age, so it was very hard to socialize until recently with those anywhere near my age range. I had no trouble socializing with adults as a grew up.

It can be really bizarre in a lot of ways when talking to my peers, even now, such as if the conversation turns towards where I see myself in 10 years.

This is certainly a big part of the reason why I started investing and planning for FIRE decades before the average person normally starts.

[freebird5825]

Quote:

Originally Posted by vickko So, do you feel your age? Act your age? Like your age? ...So - often feel "out of sync with age". Sometimes nice. Sometimes not. You? ....V

Great questions!
It's funny...when I was a teenager, I had to grow up quickly and be more mature. College bound, w*rking and saving, reaching for the brass ring. The "constantly swimming upstream" c*reer definitely aged me mentally and physically.
All throughout this, I fought to keep my sense of humor and acted any d*mn way I wanted, within reason...um...most of the time. I actually had the nerve to bring laughter into otherwise dull meetings.
Now that I'm 51 and FIREd for almost 3 years, I am redeveloping my inner child. I have lost all the worry lines and people constantly remark at how young I look and how happy I appear.
I feel younger. I refuse to act my age, and I like my age...19 between the ears.

[W2R]

I feel and act like a 61-year-old, and have for the past 60 years or so.

[brewer12345]

Eh, I am a middle-aged salaryman with two kids, a stay at home spouse, and a minivan commuting to a dead-end job from my home in the 'burbs and trying not to grow too much of a paunch. Yeah, I need a vacation.

[Moemg]

I do not feel my age and probably do not act it . I'm always surprised when I meet people younger than me who are so old & stodgy acting . I'm 62 and promise to grow up someday soon !

[haha]

I am amazed at those who can run 5-10 miles/day into their 60s. My ex FIL ran marathons after 65, but by 70 he had two new hips. So maybe not really cool after all.

I walk up and down hills most everyday, almost always between 4 and 7 miles. (5.5 today) If I upped it to 10 miles/day, I doubt I could do it daily. As it is I usually pass out before I get into bed.

I no longer want to take risks at sport, my life satisfies me without those thrills, so why chance injury? I think for most older people what counts is frequency. And I think one should find a way to do intervals or really push once or twice weekly- but only for a short time. Like 6 or 8 (30" by 30")s. Even that I suppose might give you a heart attack.

What I do like to do is what is for me pure fun- dancing, walking around talking to people, looking at stuff and people.

Ha

[cardude]

My wife says I act like a big kid. I'm 45 and I surf, ride dirt bikes, wakeboard and waterski and play all sorts of sports with the kids. I never had any problems doing all this stuff before, but I'm really starting to feel it lately. Was so sore recently after a building a patio and then a 3 hour baseball game with the kids/other parents that I could barely walk the next day.

[REWahoo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cardude I never had any problems doing all this stuff before, but ...

You've discovered a basic truth - the 'but' will inevitably kick your 'butt".

[bbbamI]

Quote:

So, do you feel your age?

Well I've been 52 for a few months now, so yeah I'm gettin' used to it.

Quote:

Act your age?

I'm just a third of the way through being 52...I'll get with ya later...

Quote:

Like your age?

I love my age. It's a wonder I made it to 50. Every year that goes by now is a cause for celebration...

[Gone4Good]

I got married way earlier than others my age. Retired way earlier. At this rate, I figure I should be dead by the time I reach 55.

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

Many people are visibly amazed when they learn DW's and my true ages. I guess we don't act like it. No matter. Like Tesaje said, we am what we am. I will be the oldest kid in the rest home.

[tinlizzy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cardude I'm 45 and I surf, ride dirt bikes, wakeboard and waterski

Be careful...waterskiing can be hazardous to your hamstrings after 40! I forgot how old I was and decided to jump the wake while waterskiing... I did the splits and nearly tore my hamstring off my rear-end! OUCH! I even got Dilaudid at the ER - an old person pain med according to a 20-something nurse I know.

I'm 42, thinner than most people my age but getting very wrinkly from working outdoors my whole life. I wouldn't want to be younger. I act older than my age I think - still no cellphone and no desire to trade up to a bigger, newer, better house but I have seen more of the world traveling than my age group (around here, anyway).

[RunningBum]

I'm in my late 40s, ski every day, and bring down the average age of nearly every group I ski with at my resort. Skied with a guy in his late 80s yesterday. However, I also run marathons and ultras and usually bring up the average age of any age group I run with. I'm learning the age is just a number that doesn't have much to do with how active you can be, though you can't completely ignore that number.

[Moscyn]

Don't feel my age or act my age. I like my age though I don't mind if if I can be a couple of years younger! But the answers depend on comparison. Say for instance, my answer would differ if I compare my lifestyle with my colleagues. I am likely the second oldest in my department of 50 people. I don't think my colleagues suspect that. Their average age is early thirties whereas I'm fifty. We work with the same energy level though I am less commited in the hours. I lead a more active live in terms of exercise, outdoor activities, eating well and they do more night drinks and work overtime. In terms of lifestyle comparison, I guess I am different and acting my age.

[HsiaoChu]

Exercise just gets harder and harder. I tend to have an addictive personality. When I run I have to run pumping(curling) 5 lb weights to chest level or walking with large strides with legs in a crouch position curling 5 pounders to above head.

While it was hard when I was running down the beach in NC with the 7 pounders, its much much harder at age 61 than it was at age 42. And my muscles don't jump back as fast and my feet get sorer quicker.

Plus I have less hair. And the young ladies no longer look at this wanna-be grandpa with anything other than what I did when I looked at my grandmother when I was twenty.

Problem is that in my mind, I'm still about 25.

Z

[haha]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zarathu Exercise just gets harder and harder. I tend to have an addictive personality. When I run I have to run pumping(curling) 5 lb weights to chest level or walking with large strides with legs in a crouch position curling 5 pounders to above head.

I think that is a great exercise, but for the last few years I wind up with elbow tendonitis if I try to do it much.

Ha