# Okay, I'm 40. Now what? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 31, 2000, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-im-40-now-what/39065 "2000-10-31T07:27:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2000, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-im-40-now-what/39065/1 "2000-10-31T07:27:15Z")
It is after midnight, so I am now legally 40 years old. So now what? I don’t feel 40. When I was 17 I thought I’d be dead by now from partying. When I was 21 I thought that when I was 40 I’d be stern and mature like my father was. Now I’m 40 and I don’t feel stern or mature at all. I’d rather watch Beavis & Butthead than the evening news, I’d rather ride a skateboard than do my lawn. I’d much rather go to KFC than a fancy restaurant, and while I believe in God I think church is an unbelievable waste of time. All of these things are opposite to what my dad was and opposite to what I thought I’d be when I turned 40. In fact, these are the same attitudes I had when I was 17. And you know what? All of my friends who are the same age are the same as me. So why didn’t we grow up to be strict and stern as our dads? Is it because 40 isn’t that old anymore? Is it because we grew up with rock and roll and our parents didn’t? Oh, I hold a good job, and have 3 kids and a nice house and present myself well in public, but man, I don’t feel 40. I have to force myself to yell at my kids for doing shit I did as a kid,when in reality I want to laugh and tell them how to get away with it next time! Mentally I don’t feel 40. I feel no older than 20! Anyone else go through this when they turned 40. Any advice? Or is it okay to be a goof if you can pay your bills and are still a productive member of society? Anyone else born on Halloween? ---
**Author:** ![DRY](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a87d85/32.png) [@DRY](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DRY)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2000, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-im-40-now-what/39065/2 "2000-10-31T07:32:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by pkbites \* > \*\*Anyone else born on Halloween? \*\* No, but I still frighten the hell out of everyone I meet. As to your questions, I’ve no idea. Ask me in five years (when I’m that age). [sub]And I’ll still have no idea.[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Carina42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/439d5e/32.png) [@Carina42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carina42)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2000, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-im-40-now-what/39065/3 "2000-10-31T11:07:09Z")
Happy Birthday pkbites!! When I turned 40, I felt great, one of the best birthdays ever. I don’t “feel” 40-something, whatever that’s supposed to feel like, and I think that’s a good thing. Don’t worry about it! Is your dad still around? I bet he didn’t always feel stern & mature at 40 either. One of my brothers, and a good friend have birthdays today also. ---
**Author:** ![Spider\_Woman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cdc98d/32.png) [@Spider\_Woman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spider_Woman)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2000, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-im-40-now-what/39065/4 "2000-10-31T12:45:32Z")
And Happy Halloween! ////pkbites\\ ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2000, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-im-40-now-what/39065/5 "2000-10-31T12:53:02Z")
Happy B-day, **pkbites**! I was born the day _after_ Halloween. I was a procrastinater from the begining. ---
**Author:** ![Sunglasses](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5fc32e/32.png) [@Sunglasses](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunglasses)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2000, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-im-40-now-what/39065/6 "2000-10-31T12:56:47Z")
Happy Birthday, pkbites! What’s wrong with feeling young when you’re 40? I turned 40 earlier this year and I feel as young as I ever did. I have two teenage boys and I feel the way you do. Not that I never worry about them or become concerned that they’re doing something they shouldn’t but, mostly they make me laugh and we have a riot together. I’m always telling my best friend at work “Man, I look too damn good to be 40!” I hope I feel this way when I’m 50 and 60. Yeah, being a goof AND a productive member of society are totally compatible. I NEVER want to stop feeling young and having a good time. Have a great Halloween birthday. ---
**Author:** ![ultress](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/7c8e57/32.png) [@ultress](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultress)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2000, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-im-40-now-what/39065/7 "2000-10-31T14:12:38Z")
Happy birthday. It only gets better. Go with your feelings and not with the number. I’m 44, but you’d never know it. ---
**Author:** ![Bumbazine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbazine/32/362_2.png) [@Bumbazine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbazine)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2000, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-im-40-now-what/39065/8 "2000-10-31T16:48:37Z")
We don’t grow up. We just get better at hiding the little kid inside. Well, maybe we grow up a little. I no longer do stupid things to impress women, but other than that… Anyway, **Happy Birthday,** there’s plenty more to do yet! ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2000, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-im-40-now-what/39065/9 "2000-10-31T17:06:51Z")
I notice Ukulele Ike is keeping his nose outta this one . . . He just turned 40, too, and has a wife, kids, house, Big Important Job. And HE doesn’t strike me as being a “grown-up.” Me, I have no responsibilties whatsoever, so I can get as old as I wanna and still not havge to settle down! By the way, Welcome to Middle Age, PK. We think you’ll like it here . . . ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2000, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-im-40-now-what/39065/10 "2000-10-31T17:51:03Z")
I’m closing in on 47, but for the life of me, I don’t FEEL like I’m that old. If you don’t stand close enough to see the wrinkles, you probably wouldn’t guess I’m that old. Goodness knows, I don’t act that old, well, apart from working and paying bills and grounding my daughter as necessary… it’s bizarre to think that at my age, my grandmother had 5 grandkids. Anyway, happy 40 - it’s just a number!! ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2000, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-im-40-now-what/39065/11 "2000-10-31T18:31:02Z")
You’re 40? And you’re still alive? Whoo, you must be old. I’ll bet you can hardly move anymore. \ ---
**Author:** ![The\_Saint](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a8b319/32.png) [@The\_Saint](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Saint)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2000, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-im-40-now-what/39065/12 "2000-10-31T20:02:41Z")
Life begins at 40. That’s why you feel lost, it’s all new. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2000, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-im-40-now-what/39065/13 "2000-11-01T00:19:11Z")
40 is fine. It’s usually when the really young women start taking an interest in ya. ---
**Author:** ![Booker57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Booker57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Booker57)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2000, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-im-40-now-what/39065/14 "2000-11-01T02:58:00Z")
How many grand daughters do you have handy? ---
**Author:** ![Brainz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d9b06d/32.png) [@Brainz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brainz)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2000, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-im-40-now-what/39065/15 "2000-11-01T06:38:46Z")
Get a grip…52 comes before you know it!