The Countdown begins

The Weekenders · Post by **The Weekenders** » Fri Feb 24, 2006 12:06 am

Like Wisely, only before, because I'm better (nyuk), I am perilously close to the dreaded 50th birthday, arriving March 5.

I just felt like saying it out loud somewhere without any eye contact.

I still feel pretty young inside, except losing my near-vision eyesight, which is a constant reminder that the vessel is rustin. Kids, it sucks. Suddenly you understand why so many old people have tons of little cuts and bruises on their hands and arms. It's because they can't see anything up close, unless they use fancy eyeglasses that are like the last part of a cheap wavy carny ride to wear. Had a pair but they got stolen with the car and I can't afford new ones. So I just go around not really seeing anything very close. This will definitely cure you of relying on sheet music.

I like the kinds of music I play because I won't look like certain aging rock stars who are struttin' around stages all wrinkly. Thanks to guys like Miko, it's cool to be wrinkly and reelin.' I draw the line at losin' my teeth to get the really authentic singing sound, tho.

Anyway, the contemplative countdown is official. And, I really don't know what to think....I'd write a song, but nobody wants to hear about it. Or, the only people who can relate don't want to hear about it.

Denny · Post by **Denny** » Fri Feb 24, 2006 12:12 am

Condolences!

The only thing that's worse that getting older is not getting older...

Congratulations · Post by **Congratulations** » Fri Feb 24, 2006 12:18 am

I'm not old, but I'll wish you a happy birthday, anyway (when it comes

).

BillChin · Post by **BillChin** » Fri Feb 24, 2006 12:46 am

The Weekenders wrote:Like Wisely, only before, because I'm better (nyuk), I am perilously close to the dreaded 50th birthday, arriving March 5.
...

Anyway, the contemplative countdown is official. And, I really don't know what to think....I'd write a song, but nobody wants to hear about it.

...

A recent song of mine touches on the subject, maybe I'll work on it some more and polish it up.

I'll Smile For You
Another morning looking in the mirror,
more grey hair, more lines upon my face
Another evening looking at the darkness,
to contemplate my journey into grace

Another day when chance cheated fortune
solitary day dreams in the wind.
Another night of love instead of torture
one chance to dream of good things once again

[chorus]
I’ll smile for you, even though my heart is breaking.
I’ll smile for you, though my spirit feels so weary
I’ll smile for you, through this endless night of darkness
I’ll hold your hand until that morning sun...

>>
My chorus takes the subject elsewhere, however the first verse touches on topic of aging, fading eye sight, and the inevitable mortality.

Cheers.

Flying Cement · Post by **Flying Cement** » Fri Feb 24, 2006 12:50 am

Happy birthday in advance. I am turning 21 in less than a month, so I can't say that I relate to anything you are saying, but anyway, take it easy and congratualtions on finishing the first half of your life.

Innocent Bystander · Post by **Innocent Bystander** » Fri Feb 24, 2006 4:01 am

Ah, you young things!

I liked Tom Paxton's "Not Tonight Marie", as a celebration of the older life.
Incidentally, the Guardian newspaper had a snippet a few days back saying that "Men in their 50s were more satisfied with the sexual activity they had." It didn't say anything about women in their 50s.

But it's just another milestone.

dfernandez77 · Post by **dfernandez77** » Fri Feb 24, 2006 4:37 am

Happy birthday!

It's odd to see the years go by, isn't it?

The other day I realized I will be 46 years old in June - and I was momentarily stunned.

Then I quickly forgot. After all, the white patch in my goatee is very cool.

And as I age, it seems my humility is exceeded only by my increasingly appealing visual aesthetics. haha!

It's so nice to be "self validating" - quoting gonzo.

Joseph E. Smith · Post by **Joseph E. Smith** » Fri Feb 24, 2006 5:28 am

Just remember, it's not the age but the mileage.

Flyingcursor · Post by **Flyingcursor** » Fri Feb 24, 2006 5:50 am

Happy upcoming 50 Weeks. I just turned 47. I told my wife why not just go straight to 50 and get it over with.

Then I can join AARP and get inexpensive term live insurance!!!

dfernandez77, yes the goatee is cool. Now all you need is a slight bit of gray around the sideburns.

missy · Post by **missy** » Fri Feb 24, 2006 5:58 am

Tom calls that his "designer" beard - the patches of grey and white in it....

I just turned 48 (I'm older then Flydood - I'm older then Flydood!!!).

The kids say I'm older then dirt, and Tom is prehistoric........

Tyler · Post by **Tyler** » Fri Feb 24, 2006 6:51 am

Flyingcursor wrote:Happy upcoming 50 Weeks. I just turned 47. I told my wife why not just go straight to 50 and get it over with.

Then I can join AARP and get inexpensive term live insurance!!!

dfernandez77, yes the goatee is cool. Now all you need is a slight bit of gray around the sideburns.

oh, hell, I started to go grey when I was 23, ya bunch of amateurs!

I've totally got the whole younger Steve Martin thing going on here.

Flying Cement · Post by **Flying Cement** » Fri Feb 24, 2006 7:38 am

I mysteriously grew a small patch of grey hair on the left side of my head when I was twelve. My doctor thinks it is because of an extreme amount of stress when I was eleven. It is strange, because it is just one little patch and hasn't changed since then.

chas · Post by **chas** » Fri Feb 24, 2006 7:55 am

I suddenly realized I was greying at a haircut a year or so ago. I looked down and the grey was quite striking against the black floor mat. It didn't look that bad against my head, so I went on the assumption that the barber cut the grey out and left the brown. It's okay, my brother is just about bald; I'll take the grey.

The eyes thing is what worries me. Went to the optometrist yesterday, she said I'm headed for bifocals in a couple of years. I've been having trouble with things like machinist rulers and theodolytes at work; have to look over the glasses at them.

Fortunately the rest of my body began falling apart in my 20's. Bifocals ain't nothin' compared to bad knees and shoulders.

missy · Post by **missy** » Fri Feb 24, 2006 8:03 am

I was nearsighted all my life - had Lasik done 6 years ago. I was pretty far gone - my last pair of contacts had a diopter of - 6.5 and -7. What "E" - I couldn't see the darn WALL!!!!

I had several choices: I could be 20/20 far away, but loose my close up vision, I could be 20/20 close up, but not as clear far away, or I could have on eye done one way, one the other. I took the 20/20 far away (I'm actually 20/15). At my age, I'll be needing reading glasses sooner or later, anyway. I can't see to thread a needle and other very small things - but I still don't need any help on the computer, etc.

But I want to know why, since I was nearsighted, that it wouldn't balance out as I got older and got farsighted, too - and my sight would be "normal"???!!!!

On the gray hair - Nate has had a patch of gray almost his entire life (he's got fairly dark brown hair). It's from where he had eczema on his head as a baby. All the areas on his body where he had eczema do not have any melanin - they stay "white" if he gets tanned. We just call him Michael Jackson!!!

Flyingcursor · Post by **Flyingcursor** » Fri Feb 24, 2006 8:08 am

missy wrote:I was nearsighted all my life - had Lasik done 6 years ago. I was pretty far gone - my last pair of contacts had a diopter of - 6.5 and -7. What "E" - I couldn't see the darn WALL!!!!

-6.5 and -7?

I didn't know they made contacts that strong.

Tyler Morris wrote:oh, hell, I started to go grey when I was 23, ya bunch of amateurs!
I've totally got the whole younger Steve Martin thing going on here.

Me too.

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The Countdown begins

The Countdown begins

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