Does Age Quash Our Spirit of Adventure?

[lizziebith]

Ahhhh, finally got to listen to the program. I took notes! [/nerd] I found the connection the neurobiologist made between success in ones (one's?) field and risk-taking to be a most interesting factor. I've hopped about between potential careers over and over...and now that I've finally got financial security I'm more interested than ever in play. The key element is that I don't have any emotion whatsoever invested in my current career. It's fun, I like my colleagues, and the pay is great -- and I don't care if I ever move "up." I didn't train for this job -- in fact I never would have imagined I'd end up as a glorified secretary after grad school and a lifetime of kinda hoping to end up as an artist. But the "being able to walk away" aspect appeals enormously, and bleeds over into a general feeling of freedom. I think that because I've never really "grown up" -- read: taken a permanent job that I truly care about -- I'm able to stay young (childish?) in other areas. The fun part about being older is that I have money now to spend on books, music, travel, new experiences. Maybe the lack of risk is found in the fact that I do things I can afford, whereas younger folks do those same things whether they can afford to or not.

As to the benchmarks?
1) Music -- still seek out new stuff ALL the time. Makes the kid pretty proud.
2) Sushi -- tried in my twenties, but due to my seafood aversion is still out. Isn't an age thing for me.
3) Piercings -- tongue, no. Nose -- did in 84. Still wear it sometimes. Friends have the tongue labret and make clicking noises when they talk...cute, but I can't do it. Navel...well I'd like to!

[innerSpaceman]

Whether or not it's less "adventurous," I don't much like roughing it any more.

While I still want to organize a LoT camping trip for next Spring ... I find I'm more the cabin type than the tent type nowadays.

And if I find myself trekking across Europe, it will be from hotel suite to hotel suite.

But the urge to trek across Europe, and to be close to nature so I can kayak on the river and climb high in the mountains is still there. A bit has changed with age ... but mostly due to creature comfort desires rather than adventure yen changes.

[MouseWife]

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

Whether or not it's less "adventurous," I don't much like roughing it any more.

While I still want to organize a LoT camping trip for next Spring ... I find I'm more the cabin type than the tent type nowadays.

And if I find myself trekking across Europe, it will be from hotel suite to hotel suite.

But the urge to trek across Europe, and to be close to nature so I can kayak on the river and climb high in the mountains is still there. A bit has changed with age ... but mostly due to creature comfort desires rather than adventure yen changes.

Oh, I so hear you on this. I don't know if we can make it if you guys plan the Yosemite thing but while I liked the looks of a big gang of people hooking up at Housekeeping Camp {the set up with lights, tables set up to play cards, music, people next to you that you KNOW} and I even bought gear {but I just like to shop} inside my mind is leaning towards 'No way!!'

Also, I am booking hotels all up the coast of CA/OR and then back down the innerds of CA and when I was younger, price was it. I wanted to save money, I wasn't worried what we would get, as long as it was clean, heck it was only one night.

But, I just CAN'T do it!! I am booking nicer places, even if we are just going to be there to sleep and breakfast.

Is this a sign of age or an indication that I am paranoid of freaks and bed bugs?

[lashbear]

Originally Posted by MouseWife

when I was younger, price was it. I wanted to save money, I wasn't worried what we would get, as long as it was clean, heck it was only one night.

But, I just CAN'T do it!! I am booking nicer places, even if we are just going to be there to sleep and breakfast.

Is this a sign of age or an indication that I am paranoid of freaks and bed bugs?

Actually, my theory is when you travel whilst young, price IS a big deciding factor, and then as you get older with more assets and capital on your side you think "Bugger this, I'm going to get the best accommodation I can, because I've earned it !"

There's also the fact that the world has lost it's innocence and the media breeds paranoia - EG. we were contemplating a camping trip to newnes http://www.lisp.com.au/~newnesk/ and we would have done this in a flash while we were young and didn't think too much about things - but now we're older and wiser, and considering that society is changing for the worse (for example, the likes of Ivan Milat and the Balangalow State Forest Murders), are you all that safe sleeping in a tent with only a bit of material between you and a knife ?

And then there's the thought of child-molesters hanging around campsites to perv on your kids in the communal shower blocks etc...

Let's face it - you can't do things now that you could years ago - like hitch-hike your way around the country, or sleep on the beach, or even sleep in your car at the side of the road !

The more you know about the modern world and the people in it, the scarier it becomes, and the less you want to expose yourself to the danger.

Having said that, we're probably still going to Newnes this year

[lashbear]

Originally Posted by lashbear

we were contemplating a camping trip to newnes http://www.lisp.com.au/~newnesk/ and we would have done this in a flash while we were young ......
......Having said that, we're probably still going to Newnes this year

We're such pushovers !! Having looked at the website we've just booked the caravan for a weekend in September ! Yay - only 1 month to go !!!

[MouseWife]

Originally Posted by lashbear

Actually, my theory is when you travel whilst young, price IS a big deciding factor, and then as you get older with more assets and capital on your side you think "Bugger this, I'm going to get the best accommodation I can, because I've earned it !"

There's also the fact that the world has lost it's innocence and the media breeds paranoia - EG. we were contemplating a camping trip to newnes http://www.lisp.com.au/~newnesk/ and we would have done this in a flash while we were young and didn't think too much about things - but now we're older and wiser, and considering that society is changing for the worse (for example, the likes of Ivan Milat and the Balangalow State Forest Murders), are you all that safe sleeping in a tent with only a bit of material between you and a knife ?

And then there's the thought of child-molesters hanging around campsites to perv on your kids in the communal shower blocks etc...

Let's face it - you can't do things now that you could years ago - like hitch-hike your way around the country, or sleep on the beach, or even sleep in your car at the side of the road !

The more you know about the modern world and the people in it, the scarier it becomes, and the less you want to expose yourself to the danger.

Having said that, we're probably still going to Newnes this year

Oh my gosh. All of the above, I guess. On top of the yuck factor.

Yeah for your plans!!!

[Not Afraid]

Eh, I love camping in a tent, still.

[wendybeth]

Originally Posted by Not Afraid

Eh, I love camping in a tent, still.

I like tent camping, but I use an air mattress these days. (On the rare occasion when I do get to go camping). I really want a tent like the Weasley's- that would be the way to go!

[lindyhop]

There was something near the end of the radio piece (which I'm now going to muddle up) saying that as you get older the changes you have to face make so much of the world feel like quicksand so you crave the solidness of the familiar. I've been thinking about this and I think for me it's the "life's too short" syndrome. Disneyland and I are both in the same decade of life and for me, life is too short to put up with crap or waste time doing things I don't enjoy. So sometimes that translates into not trying something new that I might not like and sticking with the tried and true. (Ah, even the cliches are more comfortable...)

Adventurousness is pretty relative. Compared to this group I'd say I'm mostly unadventurous. But compared to people I spend most of my time with (work, family) I live life in the fast lane.

[Prudence]

I don't mind tent camping, but my "tent" is a enormous center pole hub-and-spoke design (no guy ropes needed; extremely stable) made of campus and a pita to transport/set-up. But when it is set up -- yay! Still haven't finished the slat bed, though. I need to b uy a jigsaw since I moved away from my loaner a few years ago and it's sat half-finished ever since.