[Graz]

Well, I turned 39 last November...and now this 40 thing is looming...

I guess I am thinking about it some, but mostly when I do, it's in terms of "how do I FEEL about being 40"? How do I feel right now? And the truth is, I feel nothing. No different "older" feeling...no feeling that I can't do anything that I've ever done before in my life.

All you younger folks out there who think 40 is OLD...I'll tell ya, when you get here you don't feel any different really. You're still <ahem> "active", and in a lotta ways you're still the same person you were 20 years ago, just with more life experience.

I do kinda feel tired of working sometimes. I started working full time when I was 18 & going to school nights. So at 39 yrs old, I now have something like 21+ years of experience in the PC industry (started on 8MHz IBM XT's & even some Apple IIc's in high school). Anyway, 21 years is a long time, and sometimes I do feel like I want to take like 6 months off & do absolutely nothing on a beach somewhere. But other than that, life is great. It's always been a dream of mine to live & work in Asia. That dream came true a little over 3 years ago with my move to Taiwan...I'm really loving it here, even though my Mandarin still sucks.

Anyway, the moral of the story is... ummm... I guess I don't know what the moral of the story is. 40 is nothing to be scared of...everybody makes a big deal & whatnot...but for me it feels like the prime of my life & maybe 40 is just a nice little reminder that the clock is ticking, and I better stay focused on living life to the fullest. I feel like I still have so much to learn & a long way to go.

Peace,

Graz

 

[Zorander]

I remember reading somewhere that life only starts at 40, so ...

 

[Old Pa]

Just before my mom died at 85, she told me she could not believe her numeric age because every new day felt just like it always had to her. I can see what she means. You, sir, are just a young spud, but you will start to feeling yourself go "off warranty".

Just having the first little taste or your own mortality. Good time to check on your health and organize you lifestyle so you enjoy whatever you have got left. And that means all aspects of your existence, physical and mental. The folks I feel sorry for, and now there seem to be as many younger than me as there are older, are the folks who due to a variety of circumstances have lost physical and/or mental capacity to the extent that they are not in positions to get it back. Avoiding these straits are the essence of "taking care of yourself". Bad luck is enough to have working against you without giving it any assistance yourself.

 

[nabwong]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zorander I remember reading somewhere that life only starts at 40, so ...

Who do you think came up with "Real beauty is Inner Beauty" .... kiddin..

 

[Graz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old Pa Just before my mom died at 85, she told me she could not believe her numeric age because every new day felt just like it always had to her. I can see what she means. You, sir, are just a young spud, but you will start to feeling yourself go "off warranty". Just having the first little taste or your own mortality. Good time to check on your health and organize you lifestyle so you enjoy whatever you have got left. And that means all aspects of your existence, physical and mental. The folks I feel sorry for, and now there seem to be as many younger than me as there are older, are the folks who due to a variety of circumstances have lost physical and/or mental capacity to the extent that they are not in positions to get it back. Avoiding these straits are the essence of "taking care of yourself". Bad luck is enough to have working against you without giving it any assistance yourself.

Yup, I just had a thorough health exam & it came back clean...stellar really. I'd put on about 20 lbs. about 2 years back...up to about 180 which was the most I'd weighed in my entire life. I put a stop to that in short order & now I'm doing pushups & situps every day as well as putting in about 6 or 7 miles on the bike most evenings.

Peace,

Graz

 

[gratefulshrink]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Graz Well, I turned 39 last November...and now this 40 thing is looming... I guess I am thinking about it some, but mostly when I do, it's in terms of "how do I FEEL about being 40"? How do I feel right now? And the truth is, I feel nothing. No different "older" feeling...no feeling that I can't do anything that I've ever done before in my life. Graz

I would say you have a pretty realistic attitiude. I turned 43 last November (are you a fellow Scorpio?).

The only birthday in my life that really bothered me was 30. In general, I am not at all vain, nor preoccupied with my age. But somehow, "The Big Three-0" freaked me out, and really made me feel older. Not so much that I was approaching "middle age" (which is a vastly out-dated concept, IMO) as I was leaving my "youth". I do think 30 is a rough cut-off for that point in life when you really are an adult (even if you don't feel like one inside). People really can get away with stuff in their personal and professional lives in their 20's that are harder to justify when you are in your 30's. When such kinds of abrupt life changes occur after 30, they are usually consdiered a "mid-life crisis", even if they really aren't.

I digress. My point was that 40 didn't bother me as much as 30 (although I think there is always a little sadness when you say goodbye to a decade of your life).

I also understand your feelings about work and feeling tired. Let's face it, if you are independently wealthy, then work is for fun or profit, and not something you have to do. I probably wouldn't retire if I won the lottery, but I certainly would take long vacations, and pick and choose my career lifestyle.

And your point that 40 is a "reminder that the clock is ticking, and I better stay focused on living life to the fullest..." is dead on (no pun intended). It's great to be a point in life where you've gathered wisdom and patience, but still have creative energy and interest in actually lving life.

I'm still not sure how I'm gonna deal with 50.....

 

[Old Pa]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nabwong Who do you think came up with "Real beauty is Inner Beauty" .... kiddin..

Forensic pathologist? *also kidding*

One of my favorite pieces of advice for those unmarried at 40 is "It's time to halve your standards and redouble your efforts."

 

[Yeldarb]

Quote:

I'm still not sure how I'm gonna deal with 50

Hey guys,

Don't worry about it. I hit 50 this November and I will deal with that birthday the same way as I did my 40th - I'll just keep going with my life.

Age is in the mind, although our bodies can hint that they see it differently, and there is a view that you are as old as you feel.

For my part I still feel much the same as I did in my late 30s and I have no intention on updating that mindset.

Life is for living, not for worrying about!

Cheers

Brad

 

[gratefulshrink]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yeldarb Hey guys, Don't worry about it. I hit 50 this November and I will deal with that birthday the same way as I did my 40th - I'll just keep going with my life. Age is in the mind, although our bodies can hint that they see it differently, and there is a view that you are as old as you feel. For my part I still feel much the same as I did in my late 30s and I have no intention on updating that mindset. Life is for living, not for worrying about! Cheers Brad

Good advice...from another Scorpio, perhaps?

(I don't why i keep bringing up my Zodiac sign...

)

 

[Graz]

I'm a Saggitarius...that restless traveler type. I seem to nest like crazy no matter where I take up residence...but it's not long before I feel like moving on & starting fresh.

Peace,

Graz

 

[Senn20]

My first computer was an Apple IIe. Apple basic was awesome.

I've felt old since I was 17 and I'm only 20 now. Age is really just a number I guess.

 

[Graz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gratefulshrink I'm still not sure how I'm gonna deal with 50.....

I'm guessing Yeldarb's take: Quote:

Originally Posted by Yeldarb I hit 50 this November and I will deal with that birthday the same way as I did my 40th - I'll just keep going with my life. Age is in the mind, although our bodies can hint that they see it differently, and there is a view that you are as old as you feel.

...will be more or less how I'll feel when 50 rolls around & pretty much sums up where I'm at right now with the 40 thing.

Peace,

Graz

 

[JahJahBinks]

As people say there is a biological age and a psychological age.

 

[gloco]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Graz I'm a Saggitarius...that restless traveler type. I seem to nest like crazy no matter where I take up residence...but it's not long before I feel like moving on & starting fresh. Peace, Graz

Hello fellow sag! It sounds like you're doing the right things in terms of managing your healtth. I'm still a youngin' at 28

 

[rickcr42]

Quote:

I remember reading somewhere that life only starts at 40, so ...

propaganda put out by forty-somethings

Life does not begin at forty nor does it end but man.There is a damn lot of things I could do and for a longer period of time at 20 that at forty i was huffing and puffing to do so if there is a "true" measure it would be "

Life begins at 21 when being legal you are for the first time in charge of your own life even though you have no clue what it is all about and by the time you figure it out you are too damn old to take advantage and why I beleive youth is totally wasted on the young