Act your age!

[greatbear]

Okay, I am officially more than 43 years old. Back when I was less than half that age I thought someone 43 years old is, well, old. Not ancient, mind you, but someone who has reached a certain staid level of maturity and set in his ways. Someone who would listen to Muzak-style Living Strings instrumentals, drive the speed limit in the slow lanes, wear a brimmed hat, etc, etc. Fast forward to now. I should at least partially resemble my stereotypical old man from my youth. Granted, I have my own ways of doing things, but I find myself far more open than I thought I'd be.

Should a 43 year old man be picking street races with teens in their slammed Hondas? Blasting Korn or Limp Bizkit at work? Using words like "w00t" or using 1337 5p34k in internet forums? I could go on, but you get the idea.

I dont conciously do these things in some sort of way to hold onto my fading youth or any such nonsense, I just seem to fall into place, as it were. It feels entirely natural, not forced or contrived. I'm just... me.

Is this the putting into practice the old adage "you are only as old as you feel"? Because, especially lately, I feel much older than my years. But at the same time, I am still the big kid at heart. Get me on the biggest rollercoaster you can find and I will stay on it all day, unless there are other cool-ass rides to get on. Gimme video games and I am like a 10 year old in front of the screen. Play the Living Strings' rendition of "The Girl From Ipanema" and I want to leave the room. Likewise, I will do most of the things men my age do, save for golfing, and you already know of all the other things I do to pass the time or better my life.

I guess I will simply continue to be "me", and with it, continue to be rather unclassifiable. The day I finally get old is the day I want to die. I just envision what I would be like in a nursing home. I'd be a little terror.

Comments

[bonkishnurtaz.livejournal.com]

Phil,

Sometimes, I feel like I am 43 going on 63; my best friend is 67. I can't play the pop culture edition of Trivial Pursuit very well. I have no interest in modern music, at least your hip enough to listen to Limp Bizkit or Korn. I do not even play ELP at work anymore. In fact I really don't listen to any music at all, except while I am in my car driving down the road to and from work.

[bearlover.livejournal.com]

Huh? It must be a generation thing. I've never thought of 43 as old. That's sort of prime if you ask me (actually, 43 is a prime number! LOL...sorry). I do, however, see some signs of dementia going on with you. I mean, c'mon, Limp Bizkit and Korn! Dude, you're totally losing your mind. I would rather listen to The Girl From Ipanema. Oh shit! I just realized something. I must be really old for my age. Oh well. Can't do much about that. Enjoy your youth. Someday you'll end up like me ;)

[beg1n.livejournal.com]

It feels entirely natural, not forced or contrived. I'm just... me.

AMEN! Let's make sure we're in the same nursing home together! ;)

[aadroma.livejournal.com]

For the record I never thought of 43 as "old". ^_- I find you staying true to who you are to be quite admirable, as really -- just what is a 43 year old "supposed" to do?

[fredneckteddy.livejournal.com]

Phil,

there are so many factors that figure into today's generation and the socioeconomic environment we live in. For instance, back when we were younger (like in our teens or something like that)if you look at pictures of people in their early 40's, THEY LOOKED ANCIENT! Hell even if you look at those same pics today, they still look older than you currently do at the same age. You have to think of the times that THOSE people lived in....most of them were either wartime or post wartime children. I think the generations are looking younger and younger each year and we're lasting longer because we live in a time where we don't have the worries as our predecessors. so go ahead and race those teens, blast limp bizkit, do what you wanna do because you have the freedom to do it. The standard acceptable behavior has changed over the years in which nowadays, people don't care what you do as long as you don't hurt them LOL. Back in the 50's there was always a moral standard to follow. With the sexual revolution of the 60's and 70's those engrained moral standards are gone and everyone lives free without the constraints of other people telling you how to act.

Remember that old song by the Mamas and the Papas...I think it goes like "HEY, You wanna go where you want and do what you wanna do with whoever you want" the people of today took that as their life's motto and never looked back. Kudos for them! Why spend your life worrying about what other people think about the way you act.....

[le-lapin.livejournal.com]

[daxcub.livejournal.com]

Yer only as old as you feel... Now... Would you like to feel up a 30 year old cub or what? (taps foot impatiently...) *EG*

[dencoartist.livejournal.com]

First off...I am now humming "Girl From Ipanema"..thanks. :)

Somedays I remember how old I am.
I'm going to be 37 in June...I TOTALLY do not feel 37.
I'm one of those wacky reverse-generational people; I love mid-century design; Billie Holiday is MY diva, screw Cher; I'd rather watch TCM than Spike; I'd wear vintage clothes everyday if I could afford it. Then again, I can appreciate new technologies, modern design, and visions of the future.

Oh wait...I'm GAY! Duh. No wonder. :)

You rock, sir.
Forty-three is a great number...you wear it well.

[champdaddy.livejournal.com]

I just got a mental image of you in a nursing home in another 50 years...

dispensing lightening fast wedgies to orderlies, driving a turbo-hemi-whatzit-powered wheelchair, staging riots to demand more Jello, and being restrained for ripping the speaker out of the elevator.

[quirkstreet.livejournal.com]

Yeah. Well, it's been said already in this thread, but: people are aging slower in general. Breeders are staying reproductive longer (and nonbreeders are staying capable-but-not-interested), old people are living longer. Adolescence lasts longer. Young adulthood lasts longer.

And not having kids means lower stress in a lot of ways.

And gay culture focuses on youth, so we have the option/pressure to stay young.

And you have a pretty good outlook on life, as far as I can tell, which the 43 year olds of a generation ago often had pounded out of them.

So: go you! The old rulebooks for some of this are out the window.

My question is about reconstructing old-age homes so that older people's sexuality (gay, straight, or otherwise) will be recognized and supported by the time we get there. It sucks that elders are consigned to celibacy so often, and believe me, when I get into the nursing home with you, I'm not gonna let them stop us from playing, so sexphobia and homophobia gotta go. ;-)

Everyone knows

[liftinmoose.livejournal.com]

To capture eternal youth, you have to keep having casual sex...

[scorpiocub.livejournal.com]

may the child in you never die -- because it will stink to high heaven if he does.

[jn1701e.livejournal.com]

I don't think 43 is old at all. Sounds like to me you are being yourself and doing your thing. I think it's refreshing to know of people who aren't all stuffy no matter what their age is. Just because you're 43 doesn't mean you have to trade in the sports car (or whatever you drive) for a Buick Century and drive sensibly.. hell my father is 53.. listens to hard rock, drag races other guys on the highway and plays video games regularly... he is being himself when he does those things. Put he also falls prey to how he is pereceived to act from time to time.

I think you probably thought of 43 as your "scary" age, age isn't what it used to be. I think once you are a certain age people perceive you to behave a certain way. Honestly.. 40 something guys I think are hot... especially guys like yourself.. who enjoy life and aren't stuffy... I have a hard time getting guys in your age bracket to take me seriously because I am 28... for 28 I actually feel ancient.

[thegreenbear.livejournal.com]

Can I get an AMEN BROTHER!

[beastbriskett.livejournal.com]

You're as young as you feel. Sounds like you're more 23 than 43!