# Struck by one of those "signs you're getting older" **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 2, 2010, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/struck-by-one-of-those-signs-youre-getting-older/534786 "2010-04-02T23:35:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![movingfinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@movingfinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/movingfinger)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2010, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/struck-by-one-of-those-signs-youre-getting-older/534786/41 "2010-04-04T04:52:10Z")
Not too long ago I was at the homer of a client couple, making some adjustments in the plans I drew for their addition. The wife introduced me to what I assumed was a sister, or a visiting friend. Mmmm, pretty hot, I thought. Um, she’s your …mother? ---
**Author:** ![Astroboy14](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/df705f/32.png) [@Astroboy14](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Astroboy14)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2010, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/struck-by-one-of-those-signs-youre-getting-older/534786/42 "2010-04-04T17:31:03Z")
My birthday was a couple of days ago, and a co-worker asked me how old I was… Suddenly I’m doing math! Lessee… 2010-1966… umm… ---
**Author:** ![Snite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Snite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snite)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2010, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/struck-by-one-of-those-signs-youre-getting-older/534786/43 "2010-04-05T00:00:39Z")
I’m a US Army squadleader and lately about 80% of my company is younger than me - not something I’m used to at all. Earlier this week one of the privates in my platoon challenged me to a wrestling match because I wreslted in highschool and he was a state champion in the sport. I agreed though I knew I would lose horribly. And I did. My reflexes were shot, my muscle memory was gone, and I couldn’t move fast at all. After the match was over and I was bent over sucking in air I looked over at the private and blurted out at the same time the thought occured to me “T\_\_\_, the last time I wrestled you were 9 years old!” Everyone’s eyes grew real wide. When explaining to another soldier why in the US we promote based on knowledge and experience(well,… that’s how it’s supposed to work) instead of letting new recruits just take a test like in other countries, the soldier asked how much experience I had. That’s when I informed him that I’d been doing combat tours in Iraq since he was in Juniour High. A buddy of mine jumped in “I was in Kosovo when you were in middle school!” The military is the worst place to turn old. You’re just surrounded by young-uns. ---
**Author:** ![kasuo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8c91f0/32.png) [@kasuo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kasuo)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2010, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/struck-by-one-of-those-signs-youre-getting-older/534786/44 "2010-04-05T05:27:38Z")
> [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](#): > > In California, maybe twenty-five. Many people don’t stop wearing shorts until middle age, if then. When I see any 25-year olds here in So Cal who regularly wear shorts, they have problems. This bars the obvious like people who are swimming, the hottest days, or old aging surfers. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2010, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/struck-by-one-of-those-signs-youre-getting-older/534786/45 "2010-04-05T15:42:36Z")
> [@Astroboy14](#): > > My birthday was a couple of days ago, and a co-worker asked me how old I was… Suddenly I’m doing math! Lessee… 2010-1966… umm… 1966? Geez, that’s when I graduated high school… :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2010, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/struck-by-one-of-those-signs-youre-getting-older/534786/46 "2010-04-05T16:10:50Z")
I was on a business trip, and one of the people who reported to me brought her mother along, since she had never seen New York. We found out that it was her mother’s birthday, so I took them out to dinner. During the course of the evening, I found out how old her mother was. One symptom of old age is when your colleague’s _mother_ is younger than you are. And not by a few months. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Unintentionally\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unintentionally_blank/32/5418_2.png) [@Unintentionally\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unintentionally_Blank)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2010, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/struck-by-one-of-those-signs-youre-getting-older/534786/47 "2010-04-05T16:14:33Z")
I’m getting back into working out. Freeweights mostly, with some elliptical and biking thrown in. I used a little too much weight in the squats today. Felt a little pop in my back, left side, right at the base. I shoulda known better, shoulda used less weight…will be walking funny for a little bit. I just got struck by a sign I’m getting older. ---
**Author:** ![ReticulatingSplines](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@ReticulatingSplines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ReticulatingSplines)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2010, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/struck-by-one-of-those-signs-youre-getting-older/534786/48 "2010-04-05T16:21:08Z")
I’m approaching 30, and while I’ve been spared the outward signs of aging so far, I’ve definitely noticed that I don’t heal as fast as I used to. When I was in college, I had all sorts of major injuries, and they all healed so quickly. Nowadays, everything is chronic. Chronic shoulder pain, chronic neck pain, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Pliny\_the\_younger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/aca169/32.png) [@Pliny\_the\_younger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pliny_the_younger)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2010, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/struck-by-one-of-those-signs-youre-getting-older/534786/49 "2010-04-05T16:22:11Z")
Although I will be 50 in several months, I still feel somewhere between 16 and 28. I was fine with age until I hit the downside of my 40s and then it all just got to be weird for me. I look in the mirror and see age spots (horrors!), grey hair appears to be moving southward (if ya know what I mean) and all kinds of fun stuff happens these days. I have a feeling I will always be a dorky 16 year old in my head. ---
**Author:** ![TheFaerie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c57346/32.png) [@TheFaerie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheFaerie)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2010, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/struck-by-one-of-those-signs-youre-getting-older/534786/50 "2010-04-05T21:45:08Z")
I have a very close friend whose mother is my age. When I imagine myself in my head, I’m about 26. In real life, I just turned 43. I really only remember that after I’ve exerted myself and I can hardly move the next day. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2010, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/struck-by-one-of-those-signs-youre-getting-older/534786/51 "2010-04-05T22:55:23Z")
I’m 27. I know, you laugh, but I already keep forgetting my age, can’t get down on the floor without something cracking, and collapse in bed exhausted at 10pm. And I take really good care of myself nutrition and exercise-wise… better care than I ever have, in fact. If this is what aging feels like, I’ll go ahead and pass, thanks. Still, I know I’m not old. And I’m willing to bet none of you are really old. I used to think 70+ was old until I worked in a nursing home. I had a chat today with a guy who was 102. Nowadays someone has to be at least 90 for me to consider them legitimately old. ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2010, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/struck-by-one-of-those-signs-youre-getting-older/534786/52 "2010-04-06T00:17:05Z")
Friends from high school are starting to retire. Flirting with women who have grandchildren and thinking nothing of it, 'cause they’re hot! ---
**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:** [April 6, 2010, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/struck-by-one-of-those-signs-youre-getting-older/534786/53 "2010-04-06T00:41:38Z")
> [@kasuo](#): > > When I see any 25-year olds here in So Cal who regularly wear shorts, they have problems. This bars the obvious like people who are swimming, the hottest days, or old aging surfers. Maybe also guys who are on vacation in beach resorts, too. Be that as it may, I saw a bit of some action movie recently, featuring Matt Damon. In one scene the camera follows him for quite some distance running along the beach, wearing shorts. It should be understood that he isn’t running for exercise, but at top speed either to get or escape from someone, and the shorts aren’t any kind of exercise or swimming apparel, but just casual walking shorts. Until he approaches the camera and you can see who he is, he does look like he’s about eight years old, because of the shorts. ---
**Author:** ![Satchmo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/satchmo/32/4223_2.png) [@Satchmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satchmo)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2010, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/struck-by-one-of-those-signs-youre-getting-older/534786/54 "2010-04-06T00:57:26Z")
I just turned 52 a couple of months ago. My motto is: You know it’s going to be a great day when you wake up and nothing hurts real bad. Of course, in a few years, that will change to: You know it’s going to be a great day when you wake up. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Leiko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Leiko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leiko)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2010, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/struck-by-one-of-those-signs-youre-getting-older/534786/55 "2010-04-06T01:30:21Z")
I feel old when I go back to talk to my high school theatre teacher and the only kids I recognize at the school are my friends’ younger siblings, and (except for those kids, who I think look too grown up) all the students look like children. I was in high school four years ago, when did they start letting little kids in? But a better sign was last fall, when I was in various degrees of leg pain, some enough to make me cry, non-stop but never in the same place for more than two weeks, from the middle of September to mid-November. That was no good. > [@Unintentionally\_Blank](#): > > …Just because I say a line from Ferris Bueller’s day off and the kid looks at me like I’m an old coot. Then I say a line from the Matrix and realize it was out **fourteen** years ago… Only eleven years ago. I know this because I was 11 when it came out, and now I’m almost 22. ---
**Author:** ![Unintentionally\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unintentionally_blank/32/5418_2.png) [@Unintentionally\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unintentionally_Blank)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2010, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/struck-by-one-of-those-signs-youre-getting-older/534786/56 "2010-04-06T01:55:05Z")
> [@Leiko](#): > > Only eleven years ago. I know this because I was 11 when it came out, and now I’m almost 22. Okay. Fine. _ **ELEVEN YEARS AGO!** _ 😃 ETA: Youngun! ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2010, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/struck-by-one-of-those-signs-youre-getting-older/534786/57 "2010-04-06T17:48:35Z")
> [@Snite](#): > > The military is the worst place to turn old. You’re just surrounded by young-uns. Not just young’uns. The physically top-notch young’uns. My friend is 6 months younger than me. Last year he reached retirement age in the Marine Corps. (Although he’s still in. I bet right now the marines are wanting old-timers stay on as much as possible.) And it was a real surprise when the way too young for me hottie started telling me about her students. Yes, I’m too old for the TEACHER. ---
**Author:** ![RalfCoder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@RalfCoder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RalfCoder)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2010, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/struck-by-one-of-those-signs-youre-getting-older/534786/58 "2010-04-06T18:10:53Z")
> [@missred](#): > > Now the head hairs, I can take; that’s been going on since I was in my twenties. I’m used to covering those up on a regular basis. But the eyebrows! For Pete’s sake! My barber calls those “curb feelers”. Then we had to explain what **THAT** meant to my son. > [@Hakuna\_Matata](#): > > I am only 50 but I sort of realized this the other day when I mentioned to my wife that our daughter has never been in a car with windows that you have to roll down. I mean ALL the cars we had when I was growing up had windows you had to roll down and it just sort of gradually changed over the years. I was wondering if my daughter would know what to do if she got into a car that had roll down windows! I can just picture her either looking for a button to push down or pushing on the crank. Those are still available, or were just a few years ago. We bought an ultra-basic model 2004 Saturn Ion for my son to drive when he came home from school. It has AC, a manual transmission, and an aftermarket radio. That’s about it for amenities. But he likes it, so that’s fine. And the stick is actually fun to drive now and then. My own definition of a middle-aged guy is when he can see a carful of teenaged girls drive by, and think, “Look at all the babysitters!”. So even though I’m 53, I’m not middle-aged yet. ---
**Author:** ![Rafe\_Hollister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/fbc32d/32.png) [@Rafe\_Hollister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rafe_Hollister)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2010, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/struck-by-one-of-those-signs-youre-getting-older/534786/59 "2010-04-06T18:46:48Z")
I am 35. In the past year I have started getting a lot of white chest hairs. Also noticed 2 or 3 white ones on my temples. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Nene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/da6949/32.png) [@El\_Nene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Nene)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2010, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/struck-by-one-of-those-signs-youre-getting-older/534786/60 "2010-04-06T19:13:01Z")
I’m only 31 and its the little things that really get to me. I went to get my regular eye exam and after it was done the doc handed me a bottle of artificial tears. He tells me it’s because as we get older, our eyes become dryer. I wanted to gouge his eyes out. Also, I used to be able to just pick a football and toss it around with friends. Now when my son wants to play catch, I have to warm up my arm for 15 minutes or I won’t be able to move it the next day. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/struck-by-one-of-those-signs-youre-getting-older/534786.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/struck-by-one-of-those-signs-youre-getting-older/534786.md?page=4)