Age

wenwilder · #1 (**permalink**) 11-08-2003, 02:38 AM

Do you realize that the only time in our lives when we like to get old is when we're kids?

If you're less than 10 years old, you're so excited about aging that you think in fractions. "How old are you?" "I'm four and a half!"

You're never thirty-six and a half. You're four and a half, going on five! That's the key.

You get into your teens, now they can't hold you back. You jump to the next number, or even a few ahead.

"How old are you?" "I'm gonna be 16!" You could be 13, but hey, you're gonna be 16!

And then the greatest day of your life . . . you become 21. Even the words sound like a ceremony . . . YOU BECOME 21. . . YESSSS!

But then you turn 30. Oooohh, what happened there? Makes you sound like bad milk. He TURNED, we had to throw him out. There's no fun now, you're just a sour-dumpling. What's wrong? What's changed?

You BECOME 21, you TURN 30, then you're PUSHING 40.

Whoa! Put on the brakes, it's all slipping away. Before you know it, you REACH 50 . . . and your dreams are gone.

But wait! You MAKE it to 60. You didn't think you would!

So you BECOME 21, TURN 30, PUSH 40, REACH 50 and MAKE it to 60.

You've built up so much speed that you HIT 70! After that it's a day-by-day thing; you HIT Wednesday!

You get into your 80s and every day is a complete cycle; you HIT lunch; you TURN 4:30; you REACH bedtime.

And it doesn't end there. Into the 90s, you start going backwards; "I was JUST 92."

Then a strange thing happens. If you make it over 100, you become a little kid again. "I'm 100 and a half!" - By George Carlin (Thank you Jim Series for the information!)

Greyhawk · #2 (**permalink**) 11-08-2003, 02:57 AM

The safest answer Wen is, I am as old as my tounge and a little older then my teeth. That way I don't turn, push, hit, pull, or reach anything.

Greyhawk

rocky1 · #3 (**permalink**) 11-08-2003, 03:24 AM

I just envisioned at least three birthdays flying past, staring at my monitor trying to figure out how this relates to Jello and Ghosts!

Wasn't it you that started that last little thread with comments to the effect that "Tomorrow Never Comes" and thus we have no birthday, and we are born today, and therefore we never get any older?

Rocky

tertius · #4 (**permalink**) 11-08-2003, 08:48 PM

Don't forget the cultural aspects of determining age...

When asked for age, in the US, most say "I am nn years old", filling in the number from the last birthday (taking into account the variations described by Wen above...).

In England (and maybe the rest of the UK?) "I will be nn years old", filling in the number for the upcoming birthday.

The Chinese have their own way of calculating age, and I'm afraid I don't understand it well enough to try to explain it. (Any member of Chinese extraction, please do explain it to us!)

How about the rest of the international membership--how does your culture calculate and respond to the answer to the question: "How old are you?"

sightings · #5 (**permalink**) 11-13-2003, 12:28 PM

If we consider an individual to be an "adult" at age 21, and we live to age 75 with vitality and vigor - given modern medicine and nutrition, then there are 54 years of adulthood. Taking half of our years of adulthood (27) and adding this to 21 means that we have arrived at the half-way point of our adult lives at age 48. Just something to think about when you are "feeling" old. Bill

Ralyn · #6 (**permalink**) 11-13-2003, 12:45 PM

When I turned 29 I decided to start going backwards and stay on hold at 25 Ex. when I turned 31 I was 28 for the 2nd time (amazingly most people never caught the words "for the 2nd time"). I continued this manner until I was 26 again. One day as I durring an interview it was brought to my attention that I had the wrong age according to the year I was born. I forgot how old I really was!! I decided then to grow old gracefully. Last Sun I turned 39--I think I'm staying on hold.

redcircle · #7 (**permalink**) 11-13-2003, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sightings

If we consider an individual to be an "adult" at age 21, and we live to age 75 with vitality and vigor - given modern medicine and nutrition, then there are 54 years of adulthood. Taking half of our years of adulthood (27) and adding this to 21 means that we have arrived at the half-way point of our adult lives at age 48. Just something to think about when you are "feeling" old. Bill

Hence the midlife crisis between 40-50

redcircle · #8 (**permalink**) 11-13-2003, 02:10 PM

I'm looking forward to 25 for my car insurance to drop. It's really expensive to have a car that the insurance company considers a sports car.

compumonster · #9 (**permalink**) 11-13-2003, 02:22 PM

The nice thing about getting older is you know for sure that your needs are lessening and the struggle is shortening every day.

thiefware · #10 (**permalink**) 11-13-2003, 02:32 PM

Age is relative. People think that 30 or 40 is getting over the hill. If we could live 1,000, 5,000, or 50,000 years, people would say 400 years old is very young.

Mind-wise, we're just beginning to get a little wisdom and smarts, but barely at least for some people. Seems we don't start to get wise until we reach our 60's. By that time bodies are breaking down, and minds begin to stop growing (for many people anyway). It's really sad--Don't wanna get old.

Various scientists are puzzled as to why the human body and mind doesn't keep living on forever.

mikmik · #11 (**permalink**) 11-13-2003, 02:33 PM

Rockster one (good catch) :

Quote:

I just envisioned at least three birthdays flying past, staring at my monitor trying to figure out how this relates to Jello and Ghosts!

Ya, no doubt! I can't believe that it's the year 2006, and people still believe in jello!

sudhani · #12 (**permalink**) 11-13-2003, 02:53 PM

wenwilder>>>

You forgot to add this: when people are 39 they say they are 30+ ....... btw, how old are you ;)

junhoepfner · #13 (**permalink**) 11-13-2003, 07:59 PM

Just that easy!!!
I'm 21...since nn years.
But keep in mind the last part!

wenwilder · #14 (**permalink**) 11-13-2003, 09:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sudhani

wenwilder>>>

You forgot to add this: when people are 39 they say they are 30+ ....... btw, how old are you ;)

I'm 25 with either a few years of experience or awaiting a few years experience, depending on which one you'll believe easier. :)

rocky1 · #15 (**permalink**) 11-14-2003, 01:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Wilder side of Wen

I'm 25 with either a few years of experience or awaiting a few years experience, depending on which one you'll believe easier. :)

Well... if tomorrow never comes, you're going to be waiting a long time dear!

Rocky

Swiss Miss · #16 (**permalink**) 11-14-2003, 05:05 PM

You guys would LOVE living in Europe, where most job ads read: "Job requirements: Age 28 - 32 . . ." The IT industry is particularly bad, but it's certainly not alone. In Switzerland, we just push people off the top of Piz Gloria when they get to 45. It looks better for the tourists.

rocky1 · #17 (**permalink**) 11-14-2003, 08:31 PM

Shhhhh...... Don't tell no one but they do that in America too! It's just illegal to do it here is all!

Rocky

minstrel · #18 (**permalink**) 11-14-2003, 09:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swiss Miss

You guys would LOVE living in Europe, where most job ads read: "Job requirements: Age 28 - 32 . . ." The IT industry is particularly bad, but it's certainly not alone. In Switzerland, we just push people off the top of Piz Gloria when they get to 45. It looks better for the tourists.

That's because the tourists see it and mistake the screaming for yodeling (because of those echoes in the alps) and think to themselves, "Awww... look at that! It's true about the Swiss being as fit at age 65 as most of us in North America are at 25 - and by gum, they sure can yodel!"

Jurgen · #19 (**permalink**) 11-15-2003, 02:04 AM

Swiss, huh... just like cheese, getting better with age, same as wine....

They say 40, and over the hill. Why don't we just start counting like 40a, 40b, 40c...

BTW, I am 51 and I am still going up, not downhill..

Jurgen

rocky1 · #20 (**permalink**) 11-15-2003, 03:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jurgen

BTW, I am 51 and I am still going up, not downhill..

I know that feeling well, I'm 45 and it's been an up-hill battle all the way!

Rocky

matauri · #21 (**permalink**) 11-15-2003, 04:01 AM

I'm 42...and if I make it to another birthday each year...its time to celebrate :-)

While I love to travel down memory lane to years gone past...I can hardly wait to see what around the corner :-)

Age is just something they put on your drivers licence ;-)

Cindy

minstrel · #22 (**permalink**) 11-15-2003, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rocky1

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jurgen

BTW, I am 51 and I am still going up, not downhill..

I know that feeling well, I'm 45 and it's been an up-hill battle all the way! Rocky

Some of us are just slower and it takes us longer to get to the top of the hill... in Rocky's case, lugging fishing tackle and live bait slows him down... in Cindy's case, it's dragging the humiliation of that last loss by her favorite team (over here, we call them Leafs fans)... in my case, it's a bad sense of direction - I keep getting lost.

matauri · #23 (**permalink**) 11-15-2003, 11:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by minstrel

in Cindy's case, it's dragging the humiliation of that last loss by her favorite team (over here, we call them Leafs fans).

Alas yes....I can't believe they fell!! But...at least they fell to 2nd best team in league :-) And we all know who will win in the end...dont we Paul ;-)

Comparing the All Blacks to the Leafs....indeed !!! Them fightin' words ;-)

Cindy