# On turning 60 **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 9, 2009, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-turning-60/485084 "2009-02-09T16:49:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-turning-60/485084/1 "2009-02-09T16:49:36Z")
Well, here it is. Another tenth-century of my life has passed. The earlier decade turns weren’t all that bad; in fact, I wondered why people made such a kerfluffle about them. Waking up on the Big Day as age 30, say, or 40 even, wasn’t such a big deal, didn’t feel any different than 29 or 39. The half-century mark was a bit discomforting, but not enough to knock me off my more or less even keel. Gray hair? I’ve had it since my 30s anyway, and now that the whole front half of the mop has silvered, it’s such a pure white it’s kind of cool actually. Health? Pretty good, all in all; no major worries. Life circumstances comfortable if not opulent, and no major regrets. But today I am 60. Today I mark the day by going to have a Holter monitor applied for a 24-hour wearing to see why my premature ventricular contractions have been kicking up lately.\* Today I feel arthritic twinges in my fingers. Today my knees remind me that they haven’t forgiven me for the stress I’ve placed on them over the course of time. Today I contemplate the physique toting the mind around and ruefully concede that, no matter how many more pounds I patiently, ploddingly melt off, I will never, ever have back the figure of my youth. Or get rid of the old-person’s neck. Now, it’s still not a bad life I’ve got going here. Other than the current internal fuss, my health overall remains good. Both sides of my family tree have demonstrated longevity. I have good friends, dear critter companions, and a satisfying daily round. My self-employment should be sufficiently recessionproof that my income and home won’t be seriously threatened. All in all, I could be a helluva lot worse off. Still… FRAKKKKKKK!!! I’M FRAKKIN 60!!! :eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek: ```auto *Odds are, it's a hiatal hernia which is gigging the vagal nerve which is triggering the PVCs -- bothersome, annoying, and at times downright uncomfortable but not lethal. Still, not good. ``` ---
**Author:** ![Karyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/fbc32d/32.png) [@Karyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Karyn)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-turning-60/485084/2 "2009-02-09T17:01:05Z")
Happy Birthday. I’m going to turn 50 this year and it’s a bit daunting. It used to sound so old but I don’t _feel_ old. Hopefully the shock will wear off and you’ll feel 59 again in no time 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-turning-60/485084/3 "2009-02-09T17:16:07Z")
Happy 60, ETF. I’m there with you - I hit that wonderful milepost last December. Head-on, I think. The worst part of it is that our brain still thinks of us as being about mid-20s, and it keeps making promises that the body has trouble keeping these days. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-turning-60/485084/4 "2009-02-09T17:27:00Z")
Welcome to our organization. Membership is free and we have several chat rooms for your enjoyment, including General Crankiness (GC), Mindless Pointless Stories That We Must Tell (MPSTWMT), Cafes Are Too Damn Noisy (CATD), Barbeque Gives Me Heartburn (BGMH), and I forget the other one. ---
**Author:** ![purple\_haze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/db5fbb/32.png) [@purple\_haze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purple_haze)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-turning-60/485084/5 "2009-02-09T17:27:52Z")
Happy birthday! Where does the time go? I think about that more and more often the older I get. ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-turning-60/485084/6 "2009-02-09T17:32:24Z")
Happy Birthday! Once you’re over the hill, you pick up speed. Welcome to my luge! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Karyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/fbc32d/32.png) [@Karyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Karyn)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-turning-60/485084/7 "2009-02-09T17:33:01Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > The worst part of it is that our brain still thinks of us as being about mid-20s, and it keeps making promises that the body has trouble keeping these days. 😃 [The Birthday Song for those over 50](http://www.last.fm/music/Little+Feat/_/Old+Folks+Boogie) (I can’t find an older better version) ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-turning-60/485084/8 "2009-02-09T17:39:09Z")
Well, you probably won’t have much sympathy for me, but I went to the eye doctor last Friday, and yup, my next prescription is bifocals. At 42 I’m right on schedule, but damn. No more kidding myself that I’m still anywhere close to a young person - I am firmly middle-aged. Happy birthday! ---
**Author:** ![Tupug\_Anachi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@Tupug\_Anachi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tupug_Anachi)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-turning-60/485084/9 "2009-02-09T17:42:47Z")
Welcome and Happy Birthday. I’m kind of glad to be 60. At least now I HAVE an excuse for the neck goozle and assorted aches, pains, and memory loss. Hell, I’m SIXTY! Dammit! There, I feel better now. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-turning-60/485084/10 "2009-02-09T18:30:09Z")
Wishing you a good day, a good year and a great life! Happy birthday. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-turning-60/485084/11 "2009-02-09T18:41:24Z")
Happy Birthday and congratulations for making it this far. I’ll be 69 next month, so get off my lawn. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-turning-60/485084/12 "2009-02-09T20:16:30Z")
Gee, you guys are making me feel so… So… OLD. 😉 ---
**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:** [February 9, 2009, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-turning-60/485084/13 "2009-02-09T20:44:45Z")
> [@featherlou](#): > > Well, you probably won’t have much sympathy for me, but I went to the eye doctor last Friday, and yup, my next prescription is bifocals. At 42 I’m right on schedule, but damn. No more kidding myself that I’m still anywhere close to a young person - I am firmly middle-aged. You can’t be middle-aged. You’re three years younger than me. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![KlondikeGeoff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@KlondikeGeoff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KlondikeGeoff)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-turning-60/485084/14 "2009-02-09T21:39:33Z")
Well, ETF, I try to sympathize with you, but at 81, it seems to me like you are just a kid. Hell, i wish I was 75 again. 😃 Anyway, Happy Birthday, and may all your aches and pains be minor ones. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-turning-60/485084/15 "2009-02-10T01:58:10Z")
I’m 65 this year, so I can understand where you’re coming from. You’re healthy as a horse for most of your life, and then these little niggling things come around. Happy birthday. ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-turning-60/485084/16 "2009-02-10T02:05:19Z")
What’s this thread about again? Oh, I remember, Happy Birthday, **ETF** , y’old bat. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-turning-60/485084/17 "2009-02-10T04:02:52Z")
I will be 54 February 22. Lord, you guys make me feel better. Bear in mind, age and guile will always overcome youth and beauty. ---
**Author:** ![jali](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecae2f/32.png) [@jali](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jali)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-turning-60/485084/18 "2009-02-10T04:11:55Z")
Happy, happy birthday! Hell yeah! You’re sixty! Yay! ---
**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:** [February 10, 2009, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-turning-60/485084/19 "2009-02-10T07:21:13Z")
I’ve got you beat by three years and four months. I’m already collecting Social Security, and I’ve got only 20 more months til Medicare and semi-affordable knee replacements. They keep telling me 60 is the new 40, but some days it feels like the new 80. Happy Birthday, kid! ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 9:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-turning-60/485084/20 "2009-02-10T09:09:00Z")
Happy Birthday, a little late, **ETF**! I hope it was great! On my sixtieth birthday, I had passport photos made. Start planning something special for yourself. I decided that maybe I wasn’t afraid of flying afterall, so I took my granddaughter to Paris. Oh! la! la! If it matter to you, I would have put you in your thirties by your wit and sharpness. In my mind’s eye you are very, very youthful. I was just fine until I turned 65 last July. I think I need to go in for a lube job or something. I curtsey to **KlondikeGeoff**! You must have graduated high school at an interesting time, Geoff. I hope that everyone was coming home from Europe about that time. Were you sitting under an apple tree with their girlfriends? And **LouisB**! Wouldn’t you love to have a '57 Chevy now? Remember _So Rare_ by one of the Dorsey brothers? Are you going to grumble or celebrate when you turn 70? You’re younger than Redford. He’ll turn 72 in August. And you have astonishing advantages over Paul Newman. **SamClem** , you are younger than you look! I thought about that before I posted it and realized that I’ve never seen a photo of you. Posted it anyway. I guess that you can figure out that you look just like Hal Holbrook. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-turning-60/485084.md?page=2)