# Signs that you're getting old **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 11, 2004, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-that-youre-getting-old/268637 "2004-10-11T14:33:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Tiggrkitty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tiggrkitty/32/17966_2.png) [@Tiggrkitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tiggrkitty)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-that-youre-getting-old/268637/41 "2004-10-11T19:14:33Z")
Okay… I remember that the radios in my parent’s house, only had AM channels. I can’t remember when they actually bought a radio that had FM. (I was born in 1959, which was after FM launched, but it took my parents forever to upgrade their radios!) Now I really do feel old. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-that-youre-getting-old/268637/42 "2004-10-11T19:32:06Z")
Born in 1958 here. I’m moved by the several comments relating to TV to say I’m old enough to remember when cable TV was something you got hoping to improve the reception of the regular channels you were already getting. It was popular among households in canyons and other areas where reception was poor. When we got cable, around 1970, we just got one additional channel–PBS–just in time to watch the saga of the Loud Family. Also wrt TV it’s only fair to point out that there actually were some good things to watch without cable, in those days. Today is quite different–unless you like reality shows it’s pretty much a wasteland. ---
**Author:** ![Caricci](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/85f322/32.png) [@Caricci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caricci)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-that-youre-getting-old/268637/43 "2004-10-11T19:45:00Z")
Here’s a few things that have made me feel old recently: I work in a college and the new freshmen this year were born the year after I graduated. The AAA man asked my little boy if grandma locked the keys in the car (he meant me). I was at the doctor’s having a miscarriage and my youngest sister was in the waiting room. They kept asking me if I wanted them to bring my daughter in. I would correct them and they were unable fully understand that was my sister. ---
**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 11, 2004, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-that-youre-getting-old/268637/44 "2004-10-11T19:49:40Z")
> [@FairyChatMom](#): > > When did 45 start broadcasting? I don’t recall it being an option when I was little - not till I was closer to my teens… OK, so [I looked it up.](http://www.brainyhistory.com/events/1971/april_11_1971_140411.html) They weren’t on the air till 1971. I was a junior in high school when they started broadcasting. Channel 67 came on line in 1969 - that would have been our 4th channel. ---
**Author:** ![rackensack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@rackensack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rackensack)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-that-youre-getting-old/268637/45 "2004-10-11T19:54:09Z")
> [@Spectre of Pithecanthropus](#): > > I’m moved by the several comments relating to TV to say I’m old enough to remember when cable TV was something you got hoping to improve the reception of the regular channels you were already getting. It was popular among households in canyons and other areas where reception was poor. Indeed. The first time we had cable was when we moved to Jasper, Arkansas, in 1976. Jasper’s a little town of 450 or so in the Arkansas Ozarks – and so isolated that it’s the largest town in the county. It’s surrounded on all sides by mountains that rise to as much as 2200 ft. above the valley it’s in (oddly enough, 450 (ft) is also the approximate elevation). Without cable, there was zero TV reception anywhere in town. Some enterprising soul had put a big antenna up on Mount Sherman, just northwest of town, and run cable with amplifiers down into the valley (CATV when it meant exactly that). All we got were the standard broadcast channels, but when the cable went out (which it did pretty regularly), you didn’t even get that. ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-that-youre-getting-old/268637/46 "2004-10-11T20:26:34Z")
> [@FairyChatMom](#): > > OK, so [I looked it up.](http://www.brainyhistory.com/events/1971/april_11_1971_140411.html) They weren’t on the air till 1971. I was a junior in high school when they started broadcasting. Channel 67 came on line in 1969 - that would have been our 4th channel. Thanks for doing the work for me. We didn’t move to Bawlmer till '70, so as far as I can remember, they’ve always been there. I guess you’re too old to remember watching Captain Chesapeake after school. ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Tonya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/4491bb/32.png) [@Queen\_Tonya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Tonya)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-that-youre-getting-old/268637/47 "2004-10-11T20:44:46Z")
I’m no where even close to over the hill yet, but I feel the summit bearing down on me whenever I hear myself saying “for twenty years”. She and I have been friends for over twenty years, I’ve been sexually active for twenty years, etc. Kills me, everydamntime. ---
**Author:** ![katie1341](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/91b2a8/32.png) [@katie1341](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/katie1341)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-that-youre-getting-old/268637/48 "2004-10-11T20:46:40Z")
I have to put on my reading glasses to hook my front- hook bra. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-that-youre-getting-old/268637/49 "2004-10-11T20:56:19Z")
> [@Queen Tonya](#): > > I’m no where even close to over the hill yet, but I feel the summit bearing down on me whenever I hear myself saying “for twenty years”. Wait till you say “30 years” about _anything_. For instance, August marked **30 years** from when I hooked up with my college bf. **whimpers** ---
**Author:** ![Stuffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@Stuffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stuffy)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-that-youre-getting-old/268637/50 "2004-10-11T21:07:09Z")
I was watching the Johnson Family Vacation (mostly a ripoff of Vacation) I had to explain what an 8-Track player was. I had to finally go get mine from storage to convice them I wasn’t making it up. They also thought my albums were “Big Black CDs”. I also do Bullwinkle impressions all the time and constantly get this expression: 😕 ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-that-youre-getting-old/268637/51 "2004-10-11T21:08:05Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > Wait till you say “30 years” about _anything_. How about when you can say “40 years”? Like, I started playing the piano _ **43 years ago** _. I think I need to lie down now. ---
**Author:** ![SamIAm336](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SamIAm336](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SamIAm336)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-that-youre-getting-old/268637/52 "2004-10-11T21:18:03Z")
my newly turned 21 son bought a beer with his lunch…legally. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-that-youre-getting-old/268637/53 "2004-10-11T22:28:48Z")
[ul][li]As of Thursday, I will have two teenagers in my house. [_]The last time I went to the barber, she offered to trim the hair in my ears. [_]The people I work with never heard of coding in assembler language, or using a card punch. [_]I read the obituaries. [_]At my high school reunion, they spent half the night complaining about all the stairs in the hotel. I fall asleep after dinner in my comfy chair.[/ul][/li] Wheezed the crotchety oldster thru toothless gums. Regards, Shodan ---
**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 11, 2004, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-that-youre-getting-old/268637/54 "2004-10-11T22:32:55Z")
> [@fishbicycle](#): > > How about when you can say “40 years”? Like, I started playing the piano _ **43 years ago** _. > I think I need to lie down now. Yeah, I took accordion lessons 42 years ago. And to this day, I play like I did 43 years ago. :eek: ---
**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 11, 2004, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-that-youre-getting-old/268637/55 "2004-10-11T22:34:15Z")
well, rats - that 42 should have been a 43. By 42 years ago, I was already done with lessons. I took up guitar in '67, and did much better. ---
**Author:** ![SolGrundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbce88/32.png) [@SolGrundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SolGrundy)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-that-youre-getting-old/268637/56 "2004-10-11T23:41:03Z")
One of my best friends was dating a girl who was born the year I graduated high school. One night when we were all out and I was complaining about my lack of success on the dating front, she told me, “That shouldn’t be a problem. You’re really cute and just don’t realize it.” _Wow,_ I thought, _a compliment from a really attractive young woman._ She continued, “You just need to either shave off your beard or dye all that gray out.” ---
**Author:** ![Carm6773](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/2bfe46/32.png) [@Carm6773](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carm6773)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-that-youre-getting-old/268637/57 "2004-10-11T23:52:01Z")
I got a new student in my class a few weeks ago. I recognized the last name as a person I went to Jr. High with. When I looked at him, I knew there had to be a resemblance. I asked him, “Do you have a relative named Misty?”. He answered in the affirmative, so I said “Oh, is she your aunt?”. He replied, " No, she’s my MOM"!!! I also had a student last year who is the exact age of my high school diploma. My oldest nephew will be 21 next June. I remember working with TRS-80 computers in school. I know according to some of you I’m young (my birthdate is in my name), but… how in the heck did I get this old? ---
**Author:** ![testride](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a6a055/32.png) [@testride](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/testride)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2004, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-that-youre-getting-old/268637/58 "2004-10-12T00:16:39Z")
I recently attended a play with an anti-Iraq war theme on a college campus. During an aftershow talk with the cast, a young coed asked, “I don’t know much about Vietnam. Do you know if they did things like this back then?” ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2004, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-that-youre-getting-old/268637/59 "2004-10-12T00:46:14Z")
> [@FairyChatMom](#): > > …I took up guitar in '67, and did much better. [picking on **FCM** mode] In 1967, I was three years old. 😃 [/po **FCM** m] ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2004, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-that-youre-getting-old/268637/60 "2004-10-12T00:52:08Z")
Born in 1957, I’m old enough to remember: - Women who dyed their hair were not respectible - Italians were not considered quite “white”. - Power windows and automotive air conditioning were very high-end luxury items. - Telephone exchanges with letter (MErcury 5-3241) - Driving to New England on secondary roads, as the Interstate System was nowhere near complete. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-that-youre-getting-old/268637.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-that-youre-getting-old/268637.md?page=4)