# It's my birthday. I'm (gulp!) 40. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 12, 2009, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-my-birthday-im-gulp-40/496166 "2009-05-12T15:07:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-my-birthday-im-gulp-40/496166/1 "2009-05-12T15:07:43Z")
Yep, it’s true. I am four decades old today. And if I do say so myself, I never looked better. I must admit that I was dreading this day a little but. But I have the day off work, and have just spent the last hour drinking coffee & watching VH1’s “Totally 80s” videos. It took me back to my teen-aged days in the mid-80s, and made me think of my youth. And after about ten minutes thinking about my life then & now, I felt a whole hell of a lot better about turning 40. I like my life more now. So, anyway, just ‘happy birthday to me!’ ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-my-birthday-im-gulp-40/496166/2 "2009-05-12T15:21:45Z")
Happy Birthday to You! I turned 40 in the fall with a nice dinner with friends collected from near and far and it’s been Ok since. I also have live VH1 80s Greats as my neighbor is learning guitar and has the VH1 Top 100 of the 80s songbook. Imagine my shame when I couldn’t identify “C’mon Eileen” ! :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-my-birthday-im-gulp-40/496166/3 "2009-05-12T15:21:51Z")
Wishing you a good day, a good year and a great life! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-my-birthday-im-gulp-40/496166/4 "2009-05-12T16:06:42Z")
Happy birthday! May your 40th birthday be better than mine. I spent that year in depression because I thought that my life was over and I no longer had any chance of attracting a woman. I am now 45. Not only is life not over; I am in better shape than in years and am now working on something new that may lead to full-time work again. I even had two women interested in me last year! (You have to meet me to know how extremely unusual that is.) ---
**Author:** ![brownie55](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f14d63/32.png) [@brownie55](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brownie55)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-my-birthday-im-gulp-40/496166/5 "2009-05-12T16:16:13Z")
Congrats, but you should probably change your name. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-my-birthday-im-gulp-40/496166/6 "2009-05-12T16:29:51Z")
I thought the same thing, **brownie55** 🙂 “The new and improved [but older] Superman” hehe Happy birthday to you! I think VH1 Classic is doing 80’s all week. So keep tuning in and a week from now you’ll forget about those kids on your lawn. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-my-birthday-im-gulp-40/496166/7 "2009-05-12T16:30:07Z")
Happy Birthday! It sounds like your 40th is going better than mine did a couple of years ago: I was alone (without my GF, I mean) in Detroit, working on the auto show. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-my-birthday-im-gulp-40/496166/8 "2009-05-12T16:52:43Z")
Happy Birthday! It’s a cliche, sure, but you’re only as old as you feel. Make of life what you will. _Carpe diem_. The world’s your oyster. Etc. etc. etc. Anyway, have fun! ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-my-birthday-im-gulp-40/496166/9 "2009-05-12T16:52:54Z")
Get out of my lawn, you whippersnapper! You’re exactly 5 years older than my brother 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleeps_With_Butterflies)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-my-birthday-im-gulp-40/496166/10 "2009-05-12T17:03:29Z")
Happy Birthday!!! ---
**Author:** ![Lanzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Lanzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lanzy)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-my-birthday-im-gulp-40/496166/11 "2009-05-12T17:34:08Z")
Have a happy youngster. I looked pretty good way back then too. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-my-birthday-im-gulp-40/496166/12 "2009-05-12T17:48:20Z")
Welcome to the 40s Club, **New and Improved Superman**. ---
**Author:** ![Myrrajh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/87869e/32.png) [@Myrrajh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myrrajh)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-my-birthday-im-gulp-40/496166/13 "2009-05-12T18:22:12Z")
Happy Birthday! The “Year of Turning 40” was the most exciting year of my life. Heading towards 42 now and still enjoying the fruits of the 40th. Hope you have a fantastic day! ---
**Author:** ![Uncle\_Brother\_Walker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f08c70/32.png) [@Uncle\_Brother\_Walker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncle_Brother_Walker)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2009, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-my-birthday-im-gulp-40/496166/14 "2009-05-13T01:13:40Z")
40+ here as well checking in to say Happy Birthday! 🙂 If you can, try to spend some time with friends. You might have to endure the “Over the Hill” jokes (as we laid heavily upon my friend’s wife when she joined the club), but maybe those close to your age will be able to reminisce with you. My 40th birthday gift to myself: I bought an LP to MP3 converter, broke out the old records I have had since my ‘teens, and started loading up the MP3 player. I spend lots of time rockin’ out to good old 80’s rock and roll! 😃 (although I don’t headbang nearly as much anymore. It hurts my neck and gives me a headache.) ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2009, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-my-birthday-im-gulp-40/496166/15 "2009-05-13T08:03:03Z")
Happy 40th! I remember buying myself my first CD player for my 40th . . . way back in 1985. ---
**Author:** ![Bookkeeper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bookkeeper/32/281_2.png) [@Bookkeeper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bookkeeper)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2009, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-my-birthday-im-gulp-40/496166/16 "2009-05-13T17:47:07Z")
You’re not 40 - you’re 21 with 19 years of on-the-job experience! (Works for me :D) ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2009, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-my-birthday-im-gulp-40/496166/17 "2009-05-13T18:00:36Z")
Happy Birthday! I’m right behind you, August 6th will be the big four-oh for me, too. Gulp. ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2009, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-my-birthday-im-gulp-40/496166/18 "2009-05-13T20:33:58Z")
Happy birthday! It’s all downhill from here! I mean that in a good way. Whee! ---
**Author:** ![Rascal\_s\_Mom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a698b9/32.png) [@Rascal\_s\_Mom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rascal_s_Mom)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2009, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-my-birthday-im-gulp-40/496166/19 "2009-05-14T00:41:56Z")
I turned 50 in February, and I have never been so content. Life is really, truly good right now. ---
**Author:** ![Myrrajh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/87869e/32.png) [@Myrrajh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myrrajh)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2009, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-my-birthday-im-gulp-40/496166/20 "2009-05-14T01:44:38Z")
> [@Rascal\_s\_Mom](#): > > I turned 50 in February, and I have never been so content. Life is really, truly good right now. This made me smile. I’m glad you’re content. I love that word because that’s also how I feel. 🙂 Hope I can also look forward to that when I’m 50. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-my-birthday-im-gulp-40/496166.md?page=2)