What's it like to be 50?

[craigster59]

As Grandpa used to say, "When I was younger I had to put it under the fence rail so I didn't pee in my face. Now that I'm older, I have to throw it over the rail so I don't piss on my shoes"...

[Superman]

Well okay, I exaggerated. Let's just say that I'm perhaps not as good as I once was, but I'm as good once as I ever was.

At my age, injuries hurt more......and for a longer time. In the olden days, a good hard injury made me close my eyes for five or ten seconds. Today, they stay closed for a full minute.

But I'll tell you this......grey hair and a few face lines appear to signal "don't fuk with me." I get respect pretty much everywhere now.

And here's another thing: I can predict the future. You know when you're sitting around a campfire and here comes a moth....and the moth starts circling the fire and trying to get close, but then backing away because of the heat....but still circling..... You know what's going to happen. That's how I view other peoples' behavior. I can see what's really happening now. Patience. It's YUMMY. And helps underscore the amusement value in other peoples, behavior.

[sjf911]

I noticed more pronounced changes at 40 with changing eye sight, loss of strength (no more 300+ yard drives), and getting on a first name basis with my orthopedic surgeon. I can't run anymore so no more triathlons but that is related to a mountain bike injury. I still do ultra-marathon cycling (only slower), skate ski, downhill ski, mountain bike, etc. Retirement becomes a more pressing issue and I need more sleep than I used to. Parenting seems emotionally easier but physically harder (I have a 3 year old). More things hurt now but not disabled yet. I definitely cannot eat as much as I used to, although I still out eat my 16y/o son.

[WI wide body]

Originally Posted by phred68

Todd's post on your 10 year plans has got me thinking about what my life will be like then.

So to all you 50 year olds, what's it like?
Are you slowing down?
Do you feel like you have more or less time than you did 10 years ago?
Do you feel as old as we think you are?

What's it like to be 50?

50? FIFTY? I would probably give my left nut to be 50 again!

[johnco]

too old for the young ones, too young for the old ones

[SXSMAN]

Originally Posted by tabs

The young stuff no longer checks you out and they call you sir an mr.

Tabs knew he was getting old when he realized that he once turned a girls head .

Now he turns their stomach .

Know what turns my stomach Tabs ?

Two tits in my back........

[Hugh R]

I was walking through UCLA a while back and I remarked to a colleague that the coeds probably thought I was a professor or something. He put his hand on my shoulder and said "Hugh, they don't even see you". Ouch!

[charleskieffner]

turned 50 in barbados last september! and it was a big juan.

quit smoking, work harder, back,shoulders,knees hurt like hell everyday from multiple high speed rollovers in vehicles, massive flying "W" endos on bikes, high siding dirty bikes, launching over dezert washes that are bottomless. too many crash and burns to list or even want to remember

walk around with an unassisted drug induced woody most of the day, cant wait til i need viagra, that will be fun.

investments are investing.

hair still on my head all of it!

waistline hasnt changed.

drink less

lie more

party less

party harder when given chance

do everything for myself because people are no damn good and if i want it done right i gots to do it myself!

smell the roses more often!

wish to hell i had the knowledge i have now back then.

very very very few life regrets!

[dmcummins]

I turned 50 last May. I quit my job, as spending time with friends and family, and doing what I want, became more important than increasing my net worth. At 40 there was never enough.

I planned to retire at 55 back when I was 40. I put together a spreadsheet calculating how much I should be investing and what my net worth target would be year to year. Back in 99 my projections were that I would have around 50 million by now. 2000-2002 was a learning experience. I am much more realistic in my investing now. I get a kick out of the younger guys who think they have it all figured out. Maybe some do, but I dought it.

I'm in good health, but now I need reading glasses. I am also trying to eat healthier. I enjoy doing things that I use to pay people to do. Yardwork, working on the car, home projects, ect.

I'm not in as much of a hurry as I use to be.

[Sunroof]

Geez, I do not feel so all alone here anymore!!!!

I turn 60 in three weeks and 60 is a tough birthday to take unlike 50. Its almost saying I am by calender, bonfide old!! BUT, like so many have said before me here, age is really just a state of mind.

If I were to tell my story I have been through so much in my life so far from a year in Vietnam to quadruple-bypass open heart surgery, quitting my job at 38 and buying a sailboat to cruise the US coast for three years, three children, two wifes, cleaning up more aquifers then I can shake a stick at (I am an Environmental Scientist by occupation), four Porsches, eight sailboats later and witnessing great changes to our country and our world.

What does one feel like at 60? Well, as the years pass, ego takes a back door to giving and sharing, the desire to pass on your knowledge and wisdom is almost an innate tendency and yes, all those possessions although precious in their aquisition become clutter and just THINGS! A window opens and you realize that you are entering a time in your life where you have to really define where you have been and where you are going. I reflect a lot about my children (all college educated and on their own), why the hell I hit my best friend at age 16 over a girl we both liked, never invested in Microsoft when I had a chance and everything else that is behind me now.

I take pride in my accomplishments and realize one very critical aspect of my life that I will pass on to you............it took alot of scrot to take a reluctant wife, two year old son, sell a home and all possessions, leave a secure job and throw that all away to live a dream of moving aboard a 35-foot sailboat and taking off to explore the waters of the east coast for three years.

If any one of you has a dream they want to fulfill, follow it now, do not wait. You will get old and you will look back at all those chances you had to make yourself simply, happy.

Bob
1973.5T Gotta love that Sepia

[71T Targa]

Wow, this is great.

So I'll be 40 this year, (July 22 if you're in the neighborhood) and am starting to really look back on my life. There have been some good times and some bad, but here are some of the highlights:
Lost a parent.
Lost a daughter.
Got married to my HS sweetheart.
Got divorced from same.
Have three wonderful kids. (Well, 2 don't talk to me. They take after their mom)
Got married to an amazing friend who is totally hot.
Have 2 amazing step kids.
There is a P car in the driveway. (Covered in snow)
I have and have had a good job that allows me to support my family. But not so good that there is another garage for the P car

Now what do the next 10 years look like? Who knows. But I do know that things just keep getting better. I have a fair amount of debt from the big D, but I will be dug out by then. I want to be in the Seattle area, but that may not happen in the next 10 years. My kids (all 5) will be out of school and on to their next stage of life. And so will I. I think the next 10 years will be an exciting time. And that 50 will be a real turning point in my life.

I can't wait, but I am still enjoying today!

[John_AZ]

"I'm older now, and still running against the wind"----Bob Seeger
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcDCvQbOdig



John_AZ

[targa911S]

I'm 57. Retired at 55. That part is pretty good. When you get this far you really don't give a ****e what other people think. I'm an old hippie so I didn't really care all along. Both my parents are dead now. THAT was an awakening to my own mortality for sure. I'm currently going through the " Well I've got 20 or 30 years to go, what do I do now?" period. My wife has a arthritic condition that limits our mobility, so travel is difficult. I have no debts, own my home and both cars. My pension is meager at this point but enough to get me to SS age and then I will be fat as my annuities will start to pay me also. That said.....

I hurt. Mornings are tough. I have a degenerative disk condition and I am a looking at hip replacement in the near future. Other than that I have pretty good health, and I am as active as I want to be. Advil is my friend. I refuse to let " Big Pharm" kill me with script drugs. They did nothing but screw my wife up so we both learned our lesson there. Lately my goals are to make work around the estate a little easier. I'm looking at a bigger tractor now as I have seen just how much physical labor the little one saves me. A front loader would be nice, and with about 100 trees on the property a Trac Vac would be a huge time and labor saving device. I don't remember things in the short term, smoking a bit of weed in the past most likely didn't help that so it's self inflicted. I have less hair to comb and a bit more to trim. I wish the hair in my ears and nose would grow on my head! The old "plumbing doesn't work as quickly as it used to so I need a little more attention to get it as hard as it used to. Forget the blue steel hardness, only if the blue diamond is present and again I refuse to let Big Pharm run my life. So it takes a little more time...is that SO bad?

I have been a bassist for over 45 years. In the last 10 years I have been down sizing my equipment from an SVT to a Hartke 4X10 to now an Ampeg single 15" The Thunderbird is like wearing a chair by the end of a 4 hr. show but I can live with that as it is the ONLY bass I will ever play. By 4th set I really should sit down but my ego won't let that happen. At least not now. Women still find me attractive, it's just that they are 40+ instead of 20+. That's OK with me too as the youngun's are trouble that I don't need anymore.

One thing I have learned though is the older I get, the more I see my Dad was right. I told him that shortly before he died in Oct. I glad I got to tell him that. My daughter is 30 something and I have one G kid and one on the way. She is fine. Has a good husband and a good job as a teacher. I don't worry about her. My son is 28 today and I want to kill him. He is totally irresponsible and drinks WAY too much everyday. He has a job as a bartender so I guess that keeps him where he is. I am a recovering alcoholic and I would like to save him all the pain I inflicted on myself and family in my past. But you can't save them from themselves. He will hit bottom someday. I just hope he lives to see that day.

In summary. Being over 50 is pretty good, but as with all stages in life it has it's trials and tribulations. I don't think about how old I am. I think that is what makes you old.

[Evans, Marv]

The older I get, the better I was.

[Sonic dB]

If any one of you has a dream they want to fulfill, follow it now, do not wait. You will get old and you will look back at all those chances you had to make yourself simply, happy.

Bob

This is a nice thread...interesting to hear so many varied experiences that you all have had. Thx very much...

[911Rob]

I agree with Sonic dB, a really good read. Thanks guys; inspiring for the most part.
Have a great day today!

[RWebb]

Physically, it sucks (in general).

However, one can take pride in the following:
- beating up teenagers and 20 yr olds in martial arts class
- beating teenagers and 20 yr olds up the mtn. (but only if you are better acclimated and they aren't)
- breaking the headboard with your honey (and then offering to fix it or get it fixed, but she keeps putting off, 'cuz she's proud too)
- finding that you've ruined the new wood floor in 4 places where the bedposts sit - again the honey is proud of it.

Reflexes, endurance, and recovery time are all worse. More exercise and practice can mitigate that but you can't reverse it.

[Rad Hatter]

Well I'm 50 in 2 weeks and my youngest of 4 kids is 5 months- enjoying life to the hilt...

[alf]

My uncle just turned 50 this week, he is 12 years my senior but acts 12 years my junior. It is all in your mind.

[HardDrive]

Dads 63. He climbed four 14 thousand foot mountains in one month last year