The Countdown begins

Bloomfield · Post by **Bloomfield** » Fri Feb 24, 2006 8:16 am

In ten years' time, turning 50 won't seem so bad anymore, Weeks.

dwinterfield · Post by **dwinterfield** » Fri Feb 24, 2006 8:19 am

Last night my 45 year old baby sister refered to someone having hair almost as grey as mine. WHAT!!! I thought is was blended, salt-n-pepper. The propensity for self delusion does not seem to ebb with age.

Welcome to the club Weeks. Fifty is a great milestone. Most people seem to like it when they arrive. When you realize you're getting closer to the back end of life you begin to understand which things you value most with greater clarity. Speaking of clarity, go see an eye Doc and spring for really good glasses. I ended up with invisible bi-focal, progressive lens, turns to shades in the sunlight, with magnetic clips ons. Lots of fun and I don't need to sit 6 feet from the computer to read Chiff and Fipple. We don't want you stepping in front any speeding 18 wheelers.

Joseph E. Smith · Post by **Joseph E. Smith** » Fri Feb 24, 2006 8:20 am

Personally, I wish more hairs would turn grey, or in my case, white.

burnsbyrne · Post by **burnsbyrne** » Fri Feb 24, 2006 9:28 am

Hey, Weeks, welcome to the 50s. As you can see from my picture over there <-- I passed that milestone years ago. One of the things that really gets me about it is when attractive youngish women call you "Sir" and stand back to let you go through doors first. OMG do I look that old and feeble? And where were all those babes when I was their age?
Mike

Flyingcursor · Post by **Flyingcursor** » Fri Feb 24, 2006 11:43 am

burnsbyrne wrote:Hey, Weeks, welcome to the 50s. As you can see from my picture over there <-- I passed that milestone years ago. One of the things that really gets me about it is when attractive youngish women call you "Sir" and stand back to let you go through doors first. OMG do I look that old and feeble? And where were all those babes when I was their age?
Mike

Even now because of my gray hair people do that to me both men and women.

BTW Weeks, have you managed to find a good curmudgeon trainer yet? You'll need one of course. I'm already starting my curmudgeon apprenticeship so I'll be ready at 50.

missy · Post by **missy** » Fri Feb 24, 2006 11:49 am

Flyingcursor wrote: I'm already starting my curmudgeon apprenticeship so I'll be ready at 50.

mmmmmmm - must not make comment - mmmmmmmm - must not make comment - mmmmmmmmmmmm

Montana · Post by **Montana** » Fri Feb 24, 2006 11:59 am

chas wrote:The eyes thing is what worries me.

I'll chime in here. This past year I've noticed more vision problems and it bothers me. Had a basic eye test from my regular doc and they said I was still 20/20 but I can tell the difference when things are close up. I have to hold things further out before I can read them. I'm doing a lot of computer work these days and I don't think that helps. It causes my eyes to stay focused at a constant distance for long periods of time so I think they're getting stuck that way.

Remember when people would warn you that if you crossed your eyes, they might get stuck that way? Maybe they were right...

Hey Weeks, I hope you plan on celebrating in a big way!

The Weekenders · Post by **The Weekenders** » Fri Feb 24, 2006 6:22 pm

Thanks all, and I liked your poem, Bill.

Yeah, the near-vision thing happened in about six months, when I was 47. Prior to that, my optometrist sadistically informed me that it would happen anytime, after I was about 40, and I kept thinkin' I had somehow cheated her on that particular symptom. But no..

Oddly enough, the grey hair never really bothered me mucn. Hey, for a guy, we don't really have the fashion options with the hair, so some change was okay. The migration, however, from the top of the head, to other places on the body was unexpectedly unwelcome....On the good side, I started wearin' hats all the time outside, which is better on my old hide because of our bright Calif. sun...I went from no hats to many...

Thanks again for good wishes...I think I'm trying that five-ingredient concotion alluded to on another thread tonight....Mebbe I'll have 49 oz. (nyuk).

izzarina · Post by **izzarina** » Fri Feb 24, 2006 6:39 pm

You do know, Weeks, that despite the number of years, only the very coolest people are born on March 5th

But I do admit that my turning 36 is a wee bit better

Denny · Post by **Denny** » Fri Feb 24, 2006 6:48 pm

izzarina wrote:But I do admit that my turning 36 is a wee bit better

been there...done that...

susnfx · Post by **susnfx** » Fri Feb 24, 2006 6:53 pm

Ahhh Weeks...and here I've been showing you some respect because I thought you were slightly older than me!

For some reason 50 was severely traumatic for me--I went into a depression that lasted nearly a year. After that I got more used to the idea and, coming up on 54, I don't much care any more. You know what I find interesting...I have no idea how I look to other people. I mean, I got together with some high school friends last weekend--hadn't seen them in 35 years--they all looked middle-aged! I guess I do too but I have no idea.

Aren't men supposed to handle aging better than women? You'll probably have a great birthday and never think another thought about it!

Susan

dfernandez77 · Post by **dfernandez77** » Fri Feb 24, 2006 7:24 pm

The Weekenders wrote:...I think I'm trying that five-ingredient concotion alluded to on another thread tonight....Mebbe I'll have 49 oz. (nyuk).

I'll have one or two myself and raise the cup for you.

My friends will think I'm strange toasting an invisible friend's birthday...
Wait... they already think I'm strange.

nevermind...

DCrom · Post by **DCrom** » Fri Feb 24, 2006 7:25 pm

Hey, Weeks - I thought we were about the same age. I guess you can call me a whippersnapper if you want to - I've got another 3 years before I hit that milestone.

But it's not the age as such that bothers me. (Much. I think.) The vision thing annoys me (gotta take off the glasses to read, put them on to drive), but I can cope. What *really* frosts me is . . . recovery time. I can still do just about anything I could do 10, or even 20 years ago - but the more demanding it is, the longer it takes before my body recovers.

It used to be I could put in a hard day of physical work, and - maybe - I'd be a bit stiff the next day. Now I can just about count on aches and pains the next day if I go all-out. I try not to complain about it too much - least I still *can* go all out.

The Weekenders · Post by **The Weekenders** » Fri Feb 24, 2006 8:03 pm

dfernandez77 wrote:
The Weekenders wrote:...I think I'm trying that five-ingredient concotion alluded to on another thread tonight....Mebbe I'll have 49 oz. (nyuk).
I'll have one or two myself and raise the cup for you.

My friends will think I'm strange toasting an invisible friend's birthday...
Wait... they already think I'm strange.

nevermind...

Yeah!!

Thanks, too, to Susan for her wishes. When you came out here to CA, I thought you were younger than me so there...

I don't know if its traumatic, it's just supposed to be something, which I can't quite figger out. Hence, the thread.

Excuse me, I have a decoction to concoct.

Charlene · Post by **Charlene** » Fri Feb 24, 2006 8:28 pm

I turned 51 last month.

Started noticing grey hair after my daughter was born nearly 15 years ago, and every time I get a haircut there's more and more grey. I know I could dye it, but dyed hair always looks dyed.

I've always been nearsighted too, but as I've moved into the bifocal years my distance vision has improved somewhat. I am vain enough to go with the progressive bifocals (no lines).

When I really feel my age is when I sit down after being on my feet all day at work, then go to get up. My hips and my thigh muscles do not want to cooperate then.

The best thing is now I don't really care if I impress people (except on a job interview or some such) so I tend to speak my mind more than I used to. I figure it's my turn now.