D
DistrictCyclone
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Heck yes. This, and all of the freedoms it entails. Plus the money, increased knowledge, and a better-looking resume.
Spinoff: What do you like about getting older?
- Thread starter cowgirl836
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Heck yes. This, and all of the freedoms it entails. Plus the money, increased knowledge, and a better-looking resume.
A stable relationship. Having someone you can count on in rough times and really enjoy life when they are otherwise. Getting past the awkward early years and feeling like you are someone's rock and they are yours. This is truly a gift. There are many paths on this one and it is a journey that will be rocky at times as well as smooth and easy. It's really painful when this doesn't happen for folks or it takes so long to find it.
Children and all that goes with it, which is overwhelmingly positive punctuated by moments of negativity (You did what?!) Seeing them growing into decent, solid citizens and knowing you were a big part of that.
Financial stability. Of course, it's all relative but even in these hard times I don't tend to think about rent, car payments. Every single dollar is still spoken for but I like feeling as though I am channeling toward priorities of my own design. Gives one the chance to be charitable and help those in need and that is good for the giver and the recipient.
Career stability like above. Again, it's pretty relative and falls into degrees, but many folks get on a professional arc that develops inertia that can be pretty difficult to veer from or even resist to a great degree. You get 20 or more years in an industry and think back and chuckle at all the hand-wringing and long nights thinking about "What I am I going to do for a job/career?"
Reduced impression managing, like Angie said. Pretty much the freedom to say it as you see it and let the chips fall where they will. Doesn't mean freedom to act like a jack wagon, rather no need to spend energy on "Does that person like me?" filling 'like' with whatever tends to be your personal button be it admire, appreciate, respect, love, or whatever. It's just more being who you are in your own skin, knowing that you cannot make everyone happy with you even if you wanted to and tried.
A modicum of wisdom. Some say that hindsight leads to foresight. You know what I mean. I say a modicum because I haven't done enough to call myself wise at this point. I'm working my way to a 'bit' on my way to 'some'. Like others have said, more thinking through situations and making more well-reasoned choices (despite the fact that I just made and online purchase that seems rash) and less trigger-pulling and picking up the consequences later.
Getting more of a focus on people and less on things and 'stuff'. I thought a lot and spend a lot of my energy in the early years about all the things I 'needed' in life, but as time goes by, those things to matter less and less. It's the time spent with quality people that you long for and those who have gone on before you that were close to you that you miss, not that particular car, television or [insert big boy toy].
I'll stop there as it's getting long, but those are off the top of my head.
Cheers
Children and all that goes with it, which is overwhelmingly positive punctuated by moments of negativity (You did what?!) Seeing them growing into decent, solid citizens and knowing you were a big part of that.
Financial stability. Of course, it's all relative but even in these hard times I don't tend to think about rent, car payments. Every single dollar is still spoken for but I like feeling as though I am channeling toward priorities of my own design. Gives one the chance to be charitable and help those in need and that is good for the giver and the recipient.
Career stability like above. Again, it's pretty relative and falls into degrees, but many folks get on a professional arc that develops inertia that can be pretty difficult to veer from or even resist to a great degree. You get 20 or more years in an industry and think back and chuckle at all the hand-wringing and long nights thinking about "What I am I going to do for a job/career?"
Reduced impression managing, like Angie said. Pretty much the freedom to say it as you see it and let the chips fall where they will. Doesn't mean freedom to act like a jack wagon, rather no need to spend energy on "Does that person like me?" filling 'like' with whatever tends to be your personal button be it admire, appreciate, respect, love, or whatever. It's just more being who you are in your own skin, knowing that you cannot make everyone happy with you even if you wanted to and tried.
A modicum of wisdom. Some say that hindsight leads to foresight. You know what I mean. I say a modicum because I haven't done enough to call myself wise at this point. I'm working my way to a 'bit' on my way to 'some'. Like others have said, more thinking through situations and making more well-reasoned choices (despite the fact that I just made and online purchase that seems rash) and less trigger-pulling and picking up the consequences later.
Getting more of a focus on people and less on things and 'stuff'. I thought a lot and spend a lot of my energy in the early years about all the things I 'needed' in life, but as time goes by, those things to matter less and less. It's the time spent with quality people that you long for and those who have gone on before you that were close to you that you miss, not that particular car, television or [insert big boy toy].
I'll stop there as it's getting long, but those are off the top of my head.
Cheers
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I like having more money. My dad told me he saved his whole life for "whatever may come" and now that he's retired he's trying to find ways to spend that money.
In college I had just enough to cover the bills yet yearned to see the world, do crazy things, etc. Now I have the money but am stuck in one place paying the mortgage, insurance, etc. It seems backwards if you were outside looking in.
I told my wife if we won the big lottery last week I would have no problem giving 95% of it away by starting a charitable foundation to manage. Even I won $20 million giving most of it away would be more satisfactory than having really nice stuff. Last week is when I really realized I was maturing.
In college I had just enough to cover the bills yet yearned to see the world, do crazy things, etc. Now I have the money but am stuck in one place paying the mortgage, insurance, etc. It seems backwards if you were outside looking in.
I told my wife if we won the big lottery last week I would have no problem giving 95% of it away by starting a charitable foundation to manage. Even I won $20 million giving most of it away would be more satisfactory than having really nice stuff. Last week is when I really realized I was maturing.
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I think if the moment ever comes for me where my wife comes in and says "I'm pregnant", I will still panic and think I'm way too young to be responsible for a kid.
Great part about being older?
1. I have more common sense.
2. Laughing at young people in their 20s' and 30's that think they are getting old.
3. Knowing that my favorite music from the 70's is still the only good music out there and that I can still see all those bands on tour while everything since has pretty much disappeared!
4. Appreciating things in life. I love my job but I'm no longer chasing my career. I love my family and cherish every minute instead of trying to cram everything I can into a day.
5. Friends. At my age you really know who your tried and true friends are. My best friend and I go back to 1975 when we first met. He knows me better than anyone, including family or my wife!
6. Finally, drugs. Good drugs. Drugs that lower my cholesterol. Drugs that make my joints feel better. You can tell your age by the number of pills you pop daily. I'm at five and counting...
Closing note - still appreciating the female form but realizing those 40 and 50 year olds have it going on too!
1. I have more common sense.
2. Laughing at young people in their 20s' and 30's that think they are getting old.
3. Knowing that my favorite music from the 70's is still the only good music out there and that I can still see all those bands on tour while everything since has pretty much disappeared!
4. Appreciating things in life. I love my job but I'm no longer chasing my career. I love my family and cherish every minute instead of trying to cram everything I can into a day.
5. Friends. At my age you really know who your tried and true friends are. My best friend and I go back to 1975 when we first met. He knows me better than anyone, including family or my wife!
6. Finally, drugs. Good drugs. Drugs that lower my cholesterol. Drugs that make my joints feel better. You can tell your age by the number of pills you pop daily. I'm at five and counting...
Closing note - still appreciating the female form but realizing those 40 and 50 year olds have it going on too!
My boss always says when you're a young man and walk into a women's restroom, you get arrested. But as an older man, they just smile and send you on your way.
So I guess I'm waiting for that point. :twitcy:
So I guess I'm waiting for that point. :twitcy:
I didn't mean it that way at all, but things like "free time" and "not sharing your food" and "vacation when/where you want" are not really options, at least not easy options, when you have a toddler. Plus I got my first full blast of the "terrible twos" this week, so that may have skewed my response
As I age, I get more accustomed to the social structure around me and am able to live in it better.
I use to think that I was gaining patience with age. Now, I realize that I simply do not give a rip anymore about most things. If someone likes me and values my opinion--great. If they do not--fine. It is not worthwhile to try to impress anyone and enjoyable to just be yourself. Just sign me as 64 and quite comfortable with life.
I didn't mean it that way at all, but things like "free time" and "not sharing your food" and "vacation when/where you want" are not really options, at least not easy options, when you have a toddler. Plus I got my first full blast of the "terrible twos" this week, so that may have skewed my response
but they're also not things you get to enjoy when you're a "kid" or still in college
........unless you're one of those people the rest of us hated.
Like being retired. No Alarm clock in the morning, but I still wake up about 7:00 every morning anyway. Being able to shop during weekdays when things aren't all crowded with you young-uns. Not having to do TPS reports and always having to be sure I have the latest version of the cover sheets on them (translation: not having to put up with office politics and stupid work requirements). That's one of the things I really noticed as I got older and closer to retirement is that it gets harder and harder to deal with, and conform to, arbitrary initiated and arbitrarily enforced work policies.
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My boss always says when you're a young man and walk into a women's restroom, you get arrested. But as an older man, they just smile and send you on your way.
So I guess I'm waiting for that point. :twitcy:
The problem presents itself because, as an older man, the signs on public restrooms can be confusing. Establishments even try to trick us into entering the Women's room. The problem is that it's happening more often, without the trickery. And I have yet to see something that makes me smile as I walk away embarrassed.
So, did I answer the question? No, but I added a comment about a young man and an old man.
That reminds me of when I was a little kid and we stopped at a gas station so I could do a #1. So I'm with my dad and for whatever reason (other kids in the car? I don't remember) and he sends me in alone. This is long before anyone know or cared about child molesters. So I'm trying to figure out which one is for the boys and which one is for the girls. He tells me to count the letters - it's the one with the fewest letters. What he didn't know was that instead of having "MEN" and "WOMEN" on the signs, they had "GENTLEMEN" and "LADIES". So I, of course, go marching into the wrong rest room. I'm in there doing what little boys do in the bathroom and a couple of girls and women come marching in. My little boy psyche was severely damaged. So I guess one of the things I like about getting older was that I eventually learned to read.
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