Originally Posted By Schmitty Good Vibes I didn't expect this: I raised my kids to be free spirited, hopefully without spoiling them. I achieved minor success in each area, and it's become much better now that they're out of thier teens. I kind of raised my daughter to be a hippie, I won't go into much other than I exposed her to a lot of the art world. So she took up art, and is persuing a PHD in Art History (which she admits is impressive but sort of useless in the career world). This means she spends a lot of time in Europe, and she's been so self absorbed - no wait, that's not how I wanted to put that - she's been so dogged in pursit of her studies, holding down a couple of side jobs while she goes to college (thre, that's better) that she didn't take a lot of interest in boys..... until Jan. Jan ("Yahn") is a guy from Germany who spent his long summer breaks in San Francisco and she would visit him while in Europe. Knowing my daughter, I expected him to be tatted and pierced and scruffy as all heck. I finally got a picture. He looks like a Wall Street exec. When I saw his picture I yelled "YEEHAW!!" or something like that. That's when I realized...... I'm OLD. Since when did it make a difference to me that my daughter go out with a "clean cut" guy? I don't know when, but it happened. Anybody else have a moment when they realized they'd made a big change?
Originally Posted By friendofdd Good news! However, you ain't old, just older. Soon as I get to old, I'll let you know what it is.
Originally Posted By LuLu BTW, sometime around my 50th birthday, I started questioning if I was now too old to buy my clothes in the juniors department. That was a depressing thought. I have to say, I still prefer to buy jrs clothes, but I am a bit more self-conscious about looking too "flashy"
Originally Posted By RoadTrip I first knew I was getting old when the majority of my pre-set radio stations in my car were talk-radio. My oldness was confirmed when I realized that I have absolutely no desire to ever own a cell phone, much less an iPod. I was officially pronounced over the hill when it was discovered that even though I make my living in Info Tech I have no idea what Bluetooth Technology is and have absolutely no desire to learn.
Originally Posted By gadzuux Your potential future son-in-law seems like he'll be a "good provid-dah". That's not old, that's sensible. And speaking of old, I just had my fiftieth birthday last week, and lots of people kept assuring me that's not "old". This week I got some mail from AARP. I'm still not over it. Pretty soon I'll be checking the senior specials on the denny's menu. It's all downhill from here.
Originally Posted By MomofPrincess I think I realized I was old when these words came out of my mouth, upon hearing my son's choice of music: "Oh for God sakes, can you please TURN THAT DOWN! And what is that screaming?! You can't even understand the LYRICS! They call that MUSIC?!" Yep, ancient. That's me.
Originally Posted By alexbook As a kid, I read and watched science fiction set in the Distant Future of the 21st Century. I turned 40 in the year 2000, and realized that I had somehow survived into the future, which meant that I must be (gasp!) a grown-up.
Originally Posted By TALL Disney Guy Just for the record, I felt old when I put up my Christmas tree. I didn't just "put it up". One night I put the tree up. The next night I put the lights on. The next night I put more lights on. The next night I put the ornaments on. Where are the energetic days when I could do it all in one night and yearn to do even more? *sigh*
Originally Posted By gadzuux Another sign that I'm getting old - I keep the bottle of aleve beside the bed with a bottle of water, so I can take it before I even get out of bed in the morning. Also, johnny mathis is starting to sound good to me.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<Where are the energetic days when I could do it all in one night and yearn to do even more?>> I think it is time for you to venture into the world of the pre-lit Christmas Tree.
Originally Posted By TALL Disney Guy Arrrght, but you can't change the lights! And where's the creativity?? <---Kid at Heart, Old in Energy
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<Arrrght, but you can't change the lights! And where's the creativity??>> I've discovered over the years that no matter how much time you spend on the lights, it always ends up looking pretty much the same anyway. Presuming that you have the usual amount of bead strands, tinsel garlands (we currently use all beads) and ornaments, the lights are really more of a background thing anyway. Previously my jobs in the Christmas Tree decoration process were the lights and the tinsel garlands/bead strings. My wife and daughter hung all the ornaments. Now my job has been cut in half; thus my swearing has been cut in half too. Now if they can just come up with a pre-lit AND a pre-beaded tree my jobs will be done and God's name will never be taken in vain during a ritual meant to honor the birth of his Son. I think it is really better that way.
Originally Posted By sherrytodd LOL TDG. We bought the tree last night and I pulled my Mom's "We can't decorate it tonight it has to fill out first" excuse last night for the first time on my son.
Originally Posted By TomSawyer I felt old in a flash one evening when I was explaining to my niece why pop music from the 60s and 70s was far better than it is today. My wife says I'm old because I keep talking about stuff that used to be there all over the city. I expect to come home from a drive with Anna one day and for her to tell her mom, "Dad was pointing out stuff that isn't there anymore again."
Originally Posted By DlandJB I think it is time for you to venture into the world of the pre-lit Christmas Tree.>>> Ahh..a thing of beauty. Of course this year Doug put up all the trees. I only decorated a couple. He is older than me, but miles younger. I think I was always old. I always liked old movies, classical music and music of the 30s and 40s, Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, good manners, thank you notes (writing them as well as getting them), reading the newspaper, singing the Star Spangled Banner even without sports...I only started to really feel old when I got my first pair of "transition" eyeglasses (aka bifocals without lines). Oh, and also when I put my arms into the sleeves of my coat, and my mother's hands came through them. When did my hands get to looking so old? Oh, and when I looked forward more to 6am than 11 p.m. But while away for Thanksgiving we were told to be home by 4:30 for dinner at the in-laws. Dinner at 4:30...I hope I'm never that old!
Originally Posted By TALL Disney Guy <I've discovered over the years that no matter how much time you spend on the lights, it always ends up looking pretty much the same anyway. Presuming that you have the usual amount of bead strands, tinsel garlands (we currently use all beads) and ornaments, the lights are really more of a background thing anyway.> Not to me. I've always loved Christmas lights, and to me they're equal in importance to the ornaments, if not a bit more. I think it depends on the lights though. See, my grandmother got me a set of computerized lights one year they like they have, and I LOVE 'em. I have my own personal favorite "mix" setting I keep it on nearly all the time, and they do neat lighting patterns at different speeds and "moods". And then there are the stationery lights wth the larger bulbs that are vibrant and very pretty, and my new strand this year of tiny whitish-blue ones which I affectionately call my "snowflake lights". I could lie on my couch and stare at my tress for the longest time, fully entertained and content (is that sweet or sad? lol). What's especially effective to me is irridescent or reflective ornaments hanging about on the tree that the computerized lights really "light up" and reflect their colors in---those are some of my favorite spots on the tree. I don't do tinsel or beads, just ornaments and lights. As long as I have my varied and complimentary lights and ornaments from my childhood and family, I'm a happy Christmas guy.
Originally Posted By poohbear14 >>>I only started to really feel old when I got my first pair of "transition" eyeglasses (aka bifocals without lines). <<< I think you mean progressive lenses. Transition lenses change into mild sunglasses.
