# It's official: I'm in my fourth Decade. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 27, 2006, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-official-im-in-my-fourth-decade/381945 "2006-11-27T15:38:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Lobelia\_Overhill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/54ee81/32.png) [@Lobelia\_Overhill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobelia_Overhill)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2006, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-official-im-in-my-fourth-decade/381945/21 "2006-11-27T17:29:39Z")
Welcome to the club! I find it most disconcerting that when filling out a form I have to go to the next age range box along or down, now… ---
**Author:** ![Dob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Dob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dob)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2006, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-official-im-in-my-fourth-decade/381945/22 "2006-11-27T17:35:45Z")
Wow! 40 huh? So do you like remember when you had no electricty? Did you like use candels and stuff to read by? Where you school books on paper or stone?? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![KSO](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@KSO](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KSO)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2006, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-official-im-in-my-fourth-decade/381945/23 "2006-11-27T17:52:52Z")
Happy birthday, Shirley! I hit 40 yesterday, but was too depressed to post about it… I’m humoring one of my (young) assistants today by wearing all black. I threatened to wear a hideous Christmas/cat sweater. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![swampbear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampbear/32/467_2.png) [@swampbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampbear)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2006, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-official-im-in-my-fourth-decade/381945/24 "2006-11-27T18:17:42Z")
**Shirley** you’ll always be a whippersnapper to me. Now, pass me a swig of that Geritol and **GIT OFF’N MUH LAWN!** 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2006, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-official-im-in-my-fourth-decade/381945/25 "2006-11-27T18:49:05Z")
[QUOTE=Dob] Wow! 40 huh? So do you like remember when you had no electricty? Did you like use candels and stuff to read by? Where you school books on paper or stone?? 🙂 [/QUOTE] Listen here, you whippersnapper! I wrote my school papers on something called a typewriter. If you made a mistake you had to use Liquid Paper to fix it. And i walked to school every day, uphill, in my father’s pajamas. But I was happy. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2006, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-official-im-in-my-fourth-decade/381945/26 "2006-11-27T18:52:38Z")
Wishing you a good day, a good year and a great life! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2006, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-official-im-in-my-fourth-decade/381945/27 "2006-11-27T18:56:44Z")
[QUOTE=KSO] Happy birthday, Shirley! I hit 40 yesterday, but was too depressed to post about it… I’m humoring one of my (young) assistants today by wearing all black. I threatened to wear a hideous Christmas/cat sweater. 😛 [/QUOTE] Did you mention a hideous sweater? [4th Knitter of the Apocalypse](http://4thknitter.blogspot.com/) (my brain candy blog) ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2006, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-official-im-in-my-fourth-decade/381945/28 "2006-11-27T19:27:23Z")
Happy birthday, **Shirley**! I’m six months behind you (39 and a half). ---
**Author:** ![cmosdes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@cmosdes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmosdes)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2006, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-official-im-in-my-fourth-decade/381945/29 "2006-11-27T20:06:55Z")
I turned 30 10 in September. My wife claims she is 29 with 7 years experience. Just to prove how senile I’ve become, I’m headed out the door to go play ultimate in the snow. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2006, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-official-im-in-my-fourth-decade/381945/30 "2006-11-27T21:00:59Z")
The nursing home community in Michigan gains another member. Happy happy, **Shirley**. I’m just glad I got out of the nursing home biz just in time. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2006, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-official-im-in-my-fourth-decade/381945/31 "2006-11-27T21:20:14Z")
In the mail today I have received an anonymous Happy Birthday card. No signature. No message. Nothing. No return address. Local ( sorta) post stamp. The hand writing on the envelope is not familiar and written in sharpie. This can only mean one thing. I have a stalker! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2006, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-official-im-in-my-fourth-decade/381945/32 "2006-11-27T21:28:12Z")
I remember turning 40. I was in my first year as a college professor, a career I abandoned some time ago. Time slips away, doesn’t it? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![velvetjones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/5f9b8f/32.png) [@velvetjones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/velvetjones)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2006, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-official-im-in-my-fourth-decade/381945/33 "2006-11-27T21:30:33Z")
[QUOTE=Shirley Ujest] In the mail today I have received an anonymous Happy Birthday card. No signature. No message. Nothing. No return address. Local ( sorta) post stamp. The hand writing on the envelope is not familiar and written in sharpie. This can only mean one thing. I have a stalker! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! [/QUOTE] There is nothing so exciting as a bit of intrigue on one’s birthday. Welcome to the other side of the hill 😃 I hope you have a wonderful birthday! ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2006, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-official-im-in-my-fourth-decade/381945/34 "2006-11-27T22:51:50Z")
[QUOTE=Shirley Ujest] I am 40 today. Where did my 30’s go? [/QUOTE] Happy Birthday! Your 30s have teamed up with my 40s. They’re trying to take the fun out of everything. Don’t let them win! ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2006, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-official-im-in-my-fourth-decade/381945/35 "2006-11-27T22:58:36Z")
Happy Birthday! May the coming year be the best you’ve ever had, and surpassed by each year that follows. ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2006, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-official-im-in-my-fourth-decade/381945/36 "2006-11-27T23:40:54Z")
Happy birthday! You’re like wine, **Shirley** –you just get better as you age. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2006, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-official-im-in-my-fourth-decade/381945/37 "2006-11-27T23:53:03Z")
[QUOTE=Canadjun] Actually 0- **9** =1st decade, 10- **19** =2nd decade… [/QUOTE] The first year is year One. The tenth year is year Ten. That completes the first decade. All subsequent decades begin with the number One. If she is in her forty-first year (forty years having passed, e.g. four decades,) she is in her Fifth decade. And yes, that means that, for example, the 1970’s began on January 1, 1971. December 31, 1970 was the end of the last year of the 1,970th decade. ---
**Author:** ![NJ\_Kef\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b487fb/32.png) [@NJ\_Kef\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NJ_Kef_1)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2006, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-official-im-in-my-fourth-decade/381945/38 "2006-11-27T23:57:13Z")
Surely, you jest. You don’t sound a day over 29. Happy Birthday! ---
**Author:** ![Canadjun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@Canadjun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Canadjun)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2006, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-official-im-in-my-fourth-decade/381945/39 "2006-11-28T00:22:40Z")
[QUOTE=Contrapuntal] The first year is year One. The tenth year is year Ten. That completes the first decade. All subsequent decades begin with the number One. If she is in her forty-first year (forty years having passed, e.g. four decades,) she is in her Fifth decade. And yes, that means that, for example, the 1970’s began on January 1, 1971. December 31, 1970 was the end of the last year of the 1,970th decade. [/QUOTE] You’re confusing calendar years with people’s ages. Since there was no year 0, the first decade AD went from 1 AD to 10 AD, the second decade from 11 AD to 20 AD, and so on. **However** an infant only becomes 1 **after** 365 (or 366, as appropriate) days; prior to that they are 0 years old (plus some number of months, days, etc.) So, notwithstanding how calendar decades, centuries, and millennia are counted, your first decade of life is the ten years 0-9, your second decade is the ten years 10-19, … your fifth decade is the ten years 40-49. ---
**Author:** ![LavenderBlue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e95f7d/32.png) [@LavenderBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LavenderBlue)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2006, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-official-im-in-my-fourth-decade/381945/40 "2006-11-28T05:01:21Z")
Happy Birthday! As I said to my remarkably adorable husband (who passed the 40 mark in June) you don’t look a day over 39 and half. 😃 Six months later I think he’s finally forgiven me for that remark. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-official-im-in-my-fourth-decade/381945.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-official-im-in-my-fourth-decade/381945.md?page=3)