37
 

In 5 days I will be 37.
I usually don't freak out about birthdays, but for some reason this one is looming like a vulture in a top hat.
Ever feel like where you are isn't where you imagined yourself to be ten years ago?
I mean 37. That was the age I always thought my aunts were when I was a kid and even now. Yes, they're 50 something now... but 37 always seemed so old to me.
I saw myself as having a house, a husband and a dog. Now I live in a borrowed apartment with borrowed furniture, and an ex who lives with my ex dog. Oh, and yeah, no job.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not in the feel sorry for myself mode here. It just feels like time's flying by.
Yeah, I shouldn't complain about being 37. It's just a number. I've got my health, my life...
This weirdness is just a hitch, a speed bump, intermission... life will go on after it's done.
:)

This isn't going to help (or maybe it will), but you're way older than I thought.

But don't worry about how old you are, that's generally not relevant to much other than how much you need to be putting into an IRA if you want to start investing now and retire at 50 as a millionaire.

Yup. Had that at 30. Was supposed to have a house, a husband, a few kids and a dog. Instead I was living in an apartment, thankful I didn't have a husband or kids (or a dog) and very thankful for my amazing friends.

I hope that your 37 is as awesome to you as 30 has been to me.

37 dicks!?!?! Don't suck any dick on your way out to the parking lot!!!

46 in a month.

I'll be 43 in a few days....

I actually liked the number 37. A good number. And, it isn't a young '30s {so you've been in the 30's hood for a while and have that experience} and you aren't 40 {although my 40th was fun spent at Disneyland proudly proclaiming my age on my birthday sticker}.

Okay. But, honestly, I won't ever ask anyone to guess my age. Ever.

I doubt if I would be as lucky as you are with Alexs' guess. :rolleyes:

I'm sorry you're not where you planned to be but I'm sure there are reasons. Like have you found Mr. Wonderful? I think he's still out there waiting for the right time, for both of you.

I have found you need to readjust your expectations for your life as you get closer to certain ages. Also your hopes and expectations change through the years, as you grow and learn.

You will find your way and your happiness. I know it will!

Now that I'm umm 39 and holding ( ok 41 right now) I find most parts aren't as bad as I expected and occasionally I reevaluate and keep chugging along.

You might be surprised. I pretty much operate on the assumption that everybody I know only online is younger than me.

Which is stupid, since pretty much everybody I interact with regularly online is actually older than me. But I'm finally starting to catch up to the age people have always assumed I am.

It is a little weird to be 37 and not know what you should be doing. At this age, it feels like I should already be 10 years into a career already. I ain't.

I think I'll spend the 10th at the park. Just chillin'. I think Bornieo is going to hang with me. It'll be fun. I'll get a button and some freakin' tortillas.

I totally get that whole readjustment of things at a certain age. I'm at the point where I want to chuck the whole entertainment industry out the window. I mean, I like to write, but I can't stand the industry sometimes.

I hate being in so much turmoil, but I think there's a clarity in chaos. Some of my favorite writing pieces came to me during hard times...
:)
I also hear that the 40's are better than the 30's. I know my 20's sucked.


"Yes, I've been black but when I come back you'll know, know, know!"

geebus...

with but a few notable exceptions, (according to the members list) Im one of the senior citizens here?

and even the exceptions arent by much

wow. matters not in the least but....wow

this is both comforting and disturbing all at once

I need a drink :cheers:

Yeah, every once in a while I have to remind myself you're only a few years older than me. You've got curmudgeonliness beyond your years.

Me, I'm a few months away from 30. I never thought such artificial age delineations would mean anything to me, but I can't ignore the widening gulf between me and teenagers...and more frighteningly, between me and people in their early 20s. So despite (or perhaps because of) the apparent loss of sex appeal with the LoT 'mo crowd, I've been feeling very glad that I finally got brave enough to shave my beard and look 20 again. That's been a self esteem boost that that came as somewhat of a surprise.

I always think people are younger than I am....

Capt. Jack~hmm...I wouldn't guess you to be a 'senior' around here.

GC~LOL Well, the forties are great because when you start to remember all of the things you are 'supposed' to have, or, have done, your memory sucks so you really don't remember what you were worried about in the first place!!!

Or, that could just be me. :0)

I know less at 45 than I did at 32. The older I get, the more i don't know......especially what it is I want to be when I grow up. :) (Maybe I just don't want to grow up.)

well, not by a ton. all of those listed are close but none the less slightly behind me in cronological span.

dunno...no ones age had really occurred to me. seeing those just gave me pause and foolishly looked at the listed b-dates

LOL I never try to think of ages myself. Makes it easier to make mine less significant. :D

which is exactly what I should have done.

and will now do

Crikey, you're bloody old, aren't you ?

I bet you watch all those ads on the telly for artifical joints with renewed interest now !

... Once you're 37, 40 seems real close.

Once you're 40 you're near death

...Once you're 42, that's the meaning of life and you start all over again. :cheers:

(guess who's 42)

Maybe we ought to call the board LotB - Last of the Babyboomers

The other day I had to say how old I was to someone on the phone and it took me about 15 seconds to come up with it. I couldn't remember. So I actually had to do the math from my birth year.

When 6 was the last birthday overtly celebrated the significance of the number seems to fall away.

Wilfred Brimley is now talking about Di-betus in my head.

I'll be 48 in October Capt.

GC, my friend, if your 40's are anything like mine have been, they'll be awesome. To sound trite, the wisdom (or not) I have now would never, ever induce me back to my 20's. I do wish I had my 20 year old knees, though.

I am really, honestly looking forward to my 50's as well.

Oh, and GC, you look much younger than 37! :D

I understand exactly how you feel, GC. I'm 31, can count the number of boyfriends I've had on one hand, still not married, still no kids, we pay more for the mortgage on our condo than my friends do on their houses (because, you know, they got married and bought houses and had kids years ago), I still don't earn a decent living, and in spite of my education, ambition, and talent, I seem to be nearly worthless in the job world except for sales, which I can tell you is a hard way to scratch out your living.

But you know what? Unlike my settled friends, I'm free to have an evening out with my swanky friends. So there's something to be said not "being there" yet :cheers:

A man who quotes Dante (Hicks) is dear to my heart. I heart you Cherny!

I'll be 47 by then...hot on your heals dear!
I should pass you any time now.


;)

Legit 39.

Y'know, I turned 37 in January and had some of the same things go through my head. I have the house and family and all the trappings of such and am happy with it all, but 37 sounds oh-so-much closer to 40 than 36 did. I live a good life and don't really want for anything, so it wasn't a sense of not having accomplished what I thought I would. Just a nearness to another decade that I really thought was further away.

"Love Don't Make Things Nice
It ruins everything,,,,,
it breaks your heart,,,,
It makes things a mess,,,
We aren't here to makes things perfect,,,
We are here to ruin ourselves and
to break our hearts and love the wrong
people and die. The storybooks are bullsh*t."

Carry on.

And you're not [i]supposed[i] to be anywhere. People who go places they think they're supposed to go do not find happiness there.

I'm 44, GC. I was about your age when I first met you, if I recall. (I joined MP in 2001).

Good gravy, wenchybeth. We've known each other for 7 years. Holy Schamoley! We need to spend more irl time together.
:)

SL - Moonstruck mojo.
:)

I'm 46 and 3 months

Brad, the 30's are when you just start getting up to speed. In your 40's, you're cruising in the fast lane!

Don't worry about what you "should" have at a given age; it's meaningless. I was almost 38 before I found my sweetiebear and settled down. I still don't own a house... Big deal. I'm me regardless.

Just be yourself. Work to change the things about you that you don't like, but don't sweat the things you can't change. Concentrate on the important things in life (friends, family, health, having fun).

Oh, and finally, I'm a firm believer that your prince will never come while you're looking for him. Once you are happy with where and who you are, he'll appear.

Bad advice, G.C.

(Sorry, but Gemini Cricket and I are in the begining stages of an elaborately contrived Prince Hunt that will take up a not-insignificant amount of time and energy ... but will be tons of fun in the process).


* * * *

I'm always amazed at how consistently people express they would never go back to their 20's. Even me, and I LOVED my 20's, had the MosT FuN EveR ... but would never go back to anything before 32.


Even then ... that's a minimum. I think most of us get better and better and better with age. If you have that to look forward to, then it's all ahead of you no matter what. Because truly it doesn't matter what you have or what you are doing. Concentrate on who you are being, who you want to be next, what to do to better be the person you want to BE. All the fantastic haves and do's will flow from that.


So since you generally BE better with time, time is truly on your side. Don't fret about 37 as the gateway to your 40's. (Although i had my advance mid-life C at 39, and got it out of the way ... it never came at 40.)


I'm working at not freaking myself at my current 47 as the gateway drug to my 50's, and I admit I'm having problems with it. But it's all relative, and it's all meaningless.


But thanks for freaking at 37, Brad. It makes it seem much easier for me to not freak at 47.

I'm going to turn 48 next week....and I TOTALLY AGREE!

I'll be 34 this Saturday, and still acting like 12. :D

<Harrumph!> I'm only letting you get away with that because you're older than me. ;)

Hah, there's not a true boomer among us. Funny to think of it that way.


--Tangent in my head--
"Usa da booma!"
"Meesa no hava booma!"
"Take-a ooo dis one."


We were watching a movie made in 1969 last night and it shocked me how out of date everything looked. I remember when the 60's were just a whisper away from my own childhood, embedded in my mind by the movies and music that made their way into my head growing up. Now, the 60's are so long ago, it makes me feel old to look at it....even though I wasn't even alive then. Weird.

When I turned 30, I can't say I had a "crisis", but I definitely felt 30. Growing up is still exciting to me and I look at every step as an adventure. (I'm sure this will hold until my hair grays and my joints ache.)

GC, I don't know if anything anyone says here can make you feel better, especially from someone younger than you. However, I do have one question - you're going to take dating advice from iSm? Really? :evil:

Technically anyone born between 1946-1964 is a baby boomer, although "peak year" were 1952-1957. So, there are many Boomers among us (me included) and a few that are from the peak years, but I'm not going to "out" them. ;)

You had to say it, didn't you? In May I will be 49. That's right, 1959. Last child of the fifties. Officially pushing 50. End of the boom.

Funny thing, though. In my twenties, I was married, working to make ends meet, had a daughter, etc. Then I jumped off the treadmill.

I'm looking forward to being in a place in my fifties that most people I know were at in their twenties: single, debt-free, and responsible for no one but myself. I'm actually now physically and emotionally healthier than I ever have been. I feel like Daniel Stern in "City Slickers". My life is a do over.

And I'm just getting started.

I know, it doesn't seem possible, does it? I still (somewhat vaguely, but it's there) recall when I first got up the nerve to start posting, and you were very sweet to this newb. :)

Less than a month to go before we hit your area- fair warning, young man!:cheers:

<takes pitty plate>>

I'm gonna be 38 in May. My motto is that I've been younger but at 37 - this is the oldest I've ever been. It seems the problems of my youth seem farther away and are replaced with newer suckier ones making me with I had the problems of my youth.


<<passes pitty plate - keeps the bills>>

I read that as "less than a month before I hit on you - fair warning, young man!'

We have a cougar in our midst!

WSU, baby. ;)

Okay---so---in January, I turned 47, so, hang in there...you will survive, I promise! ;)

My mental age is about 1/3 of my chronological age. I was told today that I continue to lower the maturity level in my department daily. I am well known in my office.

I was born at the end of 1964 and I never really considered myself a boomer.

Lots of cougars up there, eh?

I can't remember how old I am. I actually had to remember that my brother just celebrated 30 and add 3 (easier than subtraction.)

Maybe this will help: My mom is 50.

My closest sister in age to me is 59, my brother is 63 and my evil sister is 65. My Mom would have been 85 this year, my dad would have been 81. My maternal grandfather would be 129 if he hadn't died at 98.

Oh, yeah.. THAT helps..:p

My living grandmothers are both 71. My living grandfather is 72. My last great grandmother died last year (in her early 90s) but my 12 year old neice personally knew two of her great-great-grandmothers.

I'm a fluke of non-procreation but otherwise my family reproduces young (ironically, if you looked at the chain from great-great grandmother down to my niece it was actually the great-great grandmother that was oldest when having her first child).

Not that any of that is relevant. Let's get back to talking about how old all of you are.

I find this stuff fascinating. I met one grandparent and only 2 were alive when i was born. Forget great grandparents. Who were they? But, my Mom was the born when her mom was 38, I was born when my Mom was 39. So, right there is almost 80 years between only 3 generations. My grandparents were born 2 centuries ago.

My great grandmother lived to 104- her longevity was attributed to bitterness and anger.

maybe this will help...

My dad was born in Dec of 55... My mom is turning 50 in October.. and this might not help but I'm turning 22 in October.

Tonight, I decided to take some of my woes to NirvanaMan's house. We ate Indian food, played with his Wii and has martinis. It was a good night. I feel good now. That nice buzz I had was wonderful. Combine that with playing Rayman and shooting bunny things with a gun that shoots plungers made my night.
:D

I think I'll survive being 37. I guess I'm lucky. My dad went completely grey when he was in his early 20's. I still have mostly black hair on my head. Best of all I know lots of cool people. LoTs of cool people.
;)

A baby. My paternal grandfather would be 131.

Thank you, ozron, for being older than me... by just 3 months.

Longevity is in my genes as well.

When my great grandmother was 105 (and still walking, didn't need glasses and had all her teeth), they found a lump on her breast. Knowing that she would not survive a surgery at 105, they decided to just let nature take its course.

After a few months, it started getting nasty and festering. It was finally determined that even though it would probably kill her, to go ahead with the surgery.

She lived to be 107.

no such genes in my family. 70 is old for my kin.
but as always I plan on bucking the trend as it were

There's longevity in my family...unfortunately it's all on the female side.

My great grandmother on my dad's side lived to be 100. My grandmother on my mom's side is 86 and still going.

Speaking of, my grandmother talked to my mom the other day after a long period of not speaking. My mom was brushing her hair and my grandma caught sight of herself in a mirror. She ran her fingers through her hair, rolled her eyes and said, "God, I'm old!"
I thought that was funny.
:D

Longevity on my Mother's side, she lost her first sibling (of 6) last year at 97-98, her mother lived to be 104. Alas, my Father's side of the family has not fared as well in the longevity department, his mother passed when he was 11 (1933) and his father at 55, my Dad at 54 (2 weeks from 55) and his one full sister also at 55, his half brother did a bit longer, as did his stepmom into her 90s, but that does not count. I do miss Grandma Lulu though, she was a fabulous Auntie Mame kind of grandma. I figure I will be lucky to hit somewhere in the middle!

My mom's mom lived to be in her 70s. Mom's dad died before I was born of a heart attack (in his 40s or 50s I believe). Dad's mom died before I was born of a heart attack. Dad's dad lived to be 87.

Crap. That means I have heart issues on both sides (and diabetes which was no doubt brought on by poor eating habits). My mom has high bp, my dad has low bp and I have ridiculously low bp. That's good.

I don't have any longevity anywhere my family. Uh-oh. In fact, quite the opposite.


BUT, I appear to have sipped from the Fountain of Youth, and what years I have remaining will be in the same youthful spirit (and hopefully continued minus-10 youthful appearance) I've enjoyed forever.


* * * * *

Gemini Cricket is the 2nd person in two days to tell me their 20's sucked. Wow, that's amazing to me. Though it's the decade no one will return to, I find it's the decade most people had a ball during. *

Oh well, I think it's likely easier to accept aging if you didn't like your 20's. It will make your 40's only the second decade you've enjoyed.




* the other person who told me their 20's sucked was zapppop. As you might imagine, since he spent half that decade as my boyfriend, I found this revelation rather distressing. Ah well, he helped make my 40's one of my favorite decades EVER! Thanks, zapp!

I've made the most of my 20s.

I'm 41. My mom will be 70 in a month. I had one grandparent on each side of the family growing up. The others died before I was born. I had two great grandparents. My dad died at around 50. The men in our family don't hang on too long. We did have a lot of great aunts & uncles, and even some great-greats. All my grandparents came from fairly large families.

My Great Grandmother loved pork chops and bacon. She could have been a Loter. And her middle name was Lola. Which made me laugh when I found out. Since she was a far from a Lola as one could get.

The women in my family live a long time. I think the average age at death for my relatively close male ancestors is in the early 50s (my dad dad at 47, my mom's dad died around 40, both of cancer). So I figure I have about 20 years left to me -- though my paternal grandfather is still going strong at 72 -- I expect to continue being boring right up until the end.

I had no problem with my 20s, enjoyed them quite a bit. So far I am enjoying my 30s and see no reason that will change. Of course, my threshold of contentment is remarkably low compared to most people. I also enjoyed high school without being part of any crowd.

Don't hate me for posting this link GC:)

http://www.scenta.co.uk/engineering/...-is-misery.htm

I am 41 next Month....it stinks.

In my 20's I went to school full time, worked 2 full time jobs and still found time to play hockey 4 or 5 nights a week.

Now, if I rake leaves and walk the dog in the same day I need a nap;)

I sorta kinda remember my 20's

good times.....good times...

(I think)

:p

I remember mine, in their entirety. Not earth shattering, but loads of fun and the entire decade, completely sober.:blush:

How old are you? I was obviously really off in my perception of your age.

33.

But nobody has ever guessed my age correctly (like I said I'm finally starting to catch up to what they guess). When I got my first corporate job at Wells Fargo I was 23 years old. One day it came up that people were guessing my age. The average guess back then was around 32. Now it tends to be in the late 30s.

I had no idea you were so close to me in age

Yes, it's a fact, when most of you first met me via MousePad and MouseAdventure, I was but a baby-fresh 25-year-old already with the soul of a near-death octogenarian.

In the years since my soul died.

I thought so once. its seems they can go dormant, appearing almost lifeless.
however, it can be reawakened by the slightest thing
yet remain unmoved by the earth crumbling under your very feet.

surrender not hope

That's ok. I've never believed I have a soul so its passing wasn't tragic.

I used to do drugs in the 80's





Now I do them at any temperature.

I'm really tempted to submit that to quotes!

hmmm... i just finished this thread after reading the healthy living thread,

at this rate of age : pending death, is there any reason to give up corn dogs?

GC: I hope you have an extrordanirily awesome birthday celebration and a terrific 37th year.

and it's true, i wasn't looking for the Prince...(though he was stalking me.)

:-)

Don't - it will only encourage him.

Ha. Just a few years ago I could work out all day and then some more at night. Now, as I sit here with sore legs, a good walk can do me in. I refuse to take a nap, though, unless I am going to be driving or have a headache.

Otherwise, I don't sleep well at night.

I am 43.

If anyone wants to join up at the park for some birthday shenanigans (this Monday - yeah, it's a Monday, can't help that...), you're more than welcome to come on by. The Bornieo-meister and I will be there all day and iSm will be joining us later for dinner.

Wear black.

Oooh. Black. My favorite color.
It's how I like my coffee... and my men.

Sorry, babe. I can't join you on our birthday, I have to work all day. Sigh.

Though I have no idea what I'm doing to celebrate it. I can't come up with anything at all.

Work Shmerk.
It's your birthday, too, I hope you realize.
Every hard working girl needs to play hooky once in awhile.
:D

Psst...her boss reads this board....sort of.

Oh, right. That guy.
Well he knows I'm only joking. Mostly.
:D

Sigh. I guess I'll have to hang out with the real Eeyore then. We'll sit in front of Pooh Corner looking sad, eating Libby's Pumpkin Pie Mix out of the can with wooden spoons.

No, but he's a friend of That Guy.

Obviously, I won't be there, either. Have a great time though!:cheers:

Hey! The park is open until 11 pm on Monday! Please come everyone! That way I don't have to talk the whole time... :p

I'll be working at another park that day.

Recovering from the birthday celebrating on Sunday :)

I'm going to try...but not sure if Hubby will home on Monday or not (he's in Florida again).

I feel the pain of being almost 40. I'm so not ready to be 40, act 40, turn 40 anything 40. If there was a way I could get out of turning 40 I would but so far I can't find any rule book that says I can't turn 40. Its so depressing. I know it shouldn't be but then I find myself thinking that I'm not where I'm "supposed" to be in life - Married with Children.

OOOO well, maybe one day. For now I'll be immature, act like I'm 30 and date guys in their 20s!

We've said maybe a lot of things lately, and then not shown up.


I'm going to say maybe. But it's a quite possible maybe. :)

Yay!

Gemini Cricket has selected Le Jazz Hot Kitchen for the location and cuisine of his THIRTY-SEVEN Deadly Sins Birthday Celebration Dinner (subject to change without notice).


Also, whoever arrives in time for Juice Hour (at a comptely random hour) will get free Jamba Juice, courtesy of the gift cards I'm afraid might soon be worthless.

I have to work Monday too. :(