Does Age Quash Our Spirit of Adventure?

[Alex]

I would love to get a tattoo. I thought of getting a small UPC one on my lower back so if I was ever found dead they could scan me....I thought 'who else would have one?' Well, that idea is outta here since I saw a guy at the swapmeet with one on the back of his neck.

Everybody thinks that is a unique idea. I know I did when I wanted one but then I ran into why you don't see them often. The artist talked me out of it. He said he had several people a week want one but usually succeeded in convincing them it was a bad idea. Since it is just a series of thin straight lines they tend to look like crap after a few years as your skin moves and stretches in sublte ways as you get older. Also uneven fading will be very obvious.

Several other artists I've talked to since all say they also try to talk people out of them.

[MouseWife]

Originally Posted by Alex Stroup

Everybody thinks that is a unique idea. I know I did when I wanted one but then I ran into why you don't see them often. The artist talked me out of it. He said he had several people a week want one but usually succeeded in convincing them it was a bad idea. Since it is just a series of thin straight lines they tend to look like crap after a few years as your skin moves and stretches in sublte ways as you get older. Also uneven fading will be very obvious.

Several other artists I've talked to since all say they also try to talk people out of them.

I hadn't even thought of that aspect of it. Yuck. What turned me off when I saw it on this guy was that it reminded me of inmate numbers....that took the glory away.

So, the other one I am considering {and more in a serious way} is my last name surrounded by bramble bush {is that how you say it, or just bramble?}. I can't decide on the font for the lettering. Not that that is the only thing stopping me...

{I had also toyed with putting Chris Cornells caracature {sp} eyes peeping over my pantline but some people told me that would be hazardous to my sex life. ???}

[lizziebith]

I couldn't listen to the show here at work, but the summary seemed to indicate that we don't crave new experiences so much as we age. I'm not sure if I'd characterize that new experiences as "adventure," or "thrill-seeking," but here goes:

I've never been a thrill-seeker (as in sky-diving, bungee-jumping, etc.) so I can't say I'm less adventurous in that area.

As for music, I still seek out new music...in fact, new art of any kind still interests me. I don't go out as much as I used to due to work, so I "consume" new experiences differently -- I tend to study about things. Yes, that is a mediated experience but it is still exposure to new things and ideas. Whenever possible, I bring them into my home. Different arena, but still new.

I travel as much as possible, and have been to more new states in the last five years than in the previous 40. I also enjoy exploring my new city (moved to L.A. in 2001).

I have a wider variety of friends and acquaintances, so I get to experience more world-views than ever before. I think I've gotten much more open-minded as I've aged, so that has left me more receptive in general. I've jettisoned a truckload of old beliefs and I feel wonderfully unfettered.

I've already got piercings and tattoos, and am interested in more -- but not to the point of doing anything about it yet. I do think it's funny that these things matter! Why not haircuts and colors...other forms of fashion experimentation? I'm doing the fashion make-over of self thing these days.

Food? Well, that's difficult due to my major personal taboo: I hate seafood. Still, at least once a year I try out a seafood dish, to see if my tastes have changed. In fact, once a year I like to try my hand at a new skill, too: dressage, violin, kayaking, French -- these are some things I've tried in the past few. This year it will be fencing. I don't much care if I become proficient at these things...the fun for me is in the trying.

Anyway...I suspect that the LoT denizens will not support this gentleman's thesis.

[€uroMeinke]

Originally Posted by lizziebith

I couldn't listen to the show here at work, but the summary seemed to indicate that we don't crave new experiences so much as we age. ...

Anyway...I suspect that the LoT denizens will not support this gentleman's thesis.

The summary is the guy conducted some surveys to discover some interesting benchmarks;

age 35 was a mark where 95% of the population was no longer interested in listening to new music

at age 39, 95% of the population who had not already tried sushi would try sushi

When it cam e to tongue piercings 95% occured between the ages of 16-23

So, yeah I think this group will skew those results - but these studies just hit 3 areas so I have to wonder if as we age, our interests target us for more adventure in some places and less in others?

There was also a baboon study of older baboons not trying new foods when relocated - I supose you could construct a biological reason for that, but I wonder how music and fashion fit in - as well as travel and other sorts of adventurousness.

[alphabassettgrrl]

Originally Posted by €uroMeinke

age 35 was a mark where 95% of the population was no longer interested in listening to new music

at age 39, 95% of the population who had not already tried sushi would try sushi

When it came to tongue piercings 95% occured between the ages of 16-23

I'm over 35 and while being willing to listen to new music, I find I don't have the energy to seek it out myself. I have been falling away from music entirely lately, and listening to NPR nearly exclusively, with AM1070 as a backup.

I'm under 39 but I love sushi. I'm perfectly happy to try new food though some of the ... "delicacies" make me cringe. I'll try it, but wow. Can't believe some of the things people call food.

Piercings... not so much a fan of them. I have considered a tattoo, but it would have to be something meaningful to me, not just "it was pretty". I work with guys who have "just-because" tattoos and I wonder what they'll think when they are my age. I know I wouldn't want them.

Sky-diving: still on the to-do list.
Shark diving: still on the list.
Bungee jumping: not so much. Not afraid, just not interested.
Scuba diving: certified, just don't like the water all that much.

The newest hobby in the ABG house is biking. Hubby and I bought bikes and since May I've put nearly 700 miles on mine. He's got over 900. Our city is small enough that bicycles are perfect; I can be nearly anywhere in town within 3 miles. Makes me happy though I'm not sure it counts as adventure.