Yeah - vision after cataract-surgery. Such good eyesight now, except for reading. I can take my glasses off while driving - I have implanted corrected vision!
I turn 60 next month. Still working. Hate my job, but it is easy and pays well.
No real physical “surprises.” At 40, I was in my best shape ever. Around 50, I started feeling like an old man. Just a bunch of aches and pains and such. But I hadn’t appreciated how much better I felt in my 30s and 40s. Struck me as amusing when folk would have “over-the-hill” parties and such at 30, 40.
Mentally and emotionally, over the past few years I’ve been impressed at how eager I am to “pass the torch” to a younger generation. For example, at work, I’m no longer the vital pacesetter with an eye on the future. There are no promotions or job changes in my future. Instead, I’m one of the old guys, putting in my time until retirement.
Socially, I no longer feel the urge or incentive to pay attention to current events and try to analyze trends and impact the future. I was pretty pleased when I perceived social progress under a contemporary - Obama. But since then, I’ve been disillusioned, and have become increasingly eager for a younger generation to take over the reins. I’ve been impressed at my inability to effect change even in limited local situations, so I’m instead focussing on simply living what I consider to be a good, ethical, responsible life.
I’m less than impressed at the efforts of my generation - many of whom impress me as primarily concerned with improving their personal comfort. We boomers have not done a terrific job, and have proven lazy, fearful, and selfish. I’m happy to give later generations the opportunity to fuck things up differently! 
I’ve greatly restricted my interests. I’m interested in my immediate family, and an ever-narrowing number of friends. I’m very content in my home/yard/neighborhood. Reading, making music, gardening, golf, walking the dog, and spending time w/ my kids and grandkids is plenty. Gotta save room for naps!
My wife of 35 years and I have gotten to a very good place in recognizing what makes us comfortable and provides us pleasure, and creating an environment to provide same.
One final thing - when my parents died 20 years ago - both somewhat suddenly in their sleep, in their mid-70s, while in full control of their faculties, I did not appreciate it for the relative blessing it was. As I see so many people my age dealing with the lengthy diminishment of their aged 'rents. We keep way too many people alive way too long. I don’t think I noticed this before, because I think it has increased over every passing decade.
Thank you for saying this. I think I may have upset some people in another thread a while back with a similar sentiment. It doesn’t mean you didn’t love your parents, or that you don’t miss them. But I’ve seen the flip side - families emotionally and financially drained by caring for an elderly relative - and it does nobody any favors.
I didn’t see that thread, but I would have agreed with you. My mother died suddenly a few years ago–not in her sleep, but of a stroke that killed her pretty much instantly (and, I hope, painlessly). Of course it was devastating, but it is also true that it was a blessing compared to the alternative. Most of her older siblings had experienced long periods of mental and physical decline, involving years of long-term care, so that was likely in store for her as well. She was in her late 70s, so we had already started thinking about plans for that kind of care.
She herself said many times that she hoped she would pass quickly, rather than have to live through years of having her mind and body gradually fail her.
A flipside, tho, is the difficulty I find empathizing w/ folk dealing w/ their aged parents. Including my wife - whose father is 91 and ailing, and her best friend, whose mother is 91, not well, and living with them. A large part (not all) of me just feels, “Why don’t they just DIE already?! Why are so many resources being wasted on keeping them alive?!”
Yeah, I recognize those are not my most redeeming characteristics. Just observing something that I have personally perceived.
Affects how I feel about my expected life expectancy. A lot of people talk about expecting to live into their 90s or to 100. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not gonna off myself at any point, but even as I approach 60, mid-80s impresses me as a good long life. And I WOULD hope to off myself, if the mind/body deteriorated as much as so many folk being kept alive.
Really shows how much what you’ve experienced affects how you feel. I only know one of my grandps, and he died, in his 80s, when I was 8. Don’t think any of the other 3 made it to 60. I’m pretty confident I am healthier than any of them or my ps, but I obviously do not come from long-lived stock.
Yeah, it’s definitely a dual-edged sword My wife’s mother died at 69 eleven years ago. Her mother recently passed away at 102.
While my MIL was definitely too young, we are frankly relieved we won’t have to go through what my wife’s aunt went through with Grandma. It was not pretty. (All four of our parents are gone now.)
If they could somehow have split the difference, I think everyone would have been better off.
There is reason to believe I’ve got a high chance of living into my 90’s or even 100. In light of that, I’m trying to stay as healthy as possible to maximize the chances of a good old age.
I’m in the position that I have nearly no relatives left and most are older than I am, so if I do become debilitated in old age I’m in trouble. And there is no way I can save enough money/purchase long term care insurance to cover a lengthy and debilitated old age.
Which gives me even more incentive to try to stay healthy, even though I realize luck plays into this far more than I would like.
This is what scares me. I think I’m on the cusp of this - my mom had a liver transplant a few years ago and was diagnosed with cancer last week. We’re starting all the testing, but this will keep happening, possibly more frequently and will certainly be more lengthy, if she survives it - or the treatment. We’re going in to see what her stage is and what her options may look like and I’m so very afraid. I never wanted to parent my mom. Ever. I’ve been doing it since I was little, but never like this. Honestly, the alcoholism was easier to deal with.
You have my permission to be Mrs HoneybadgerDC
My father died suddenly, of a pulmonary embolism, as he was about to play tennis. At the time, a close friend’s mother was slowly dying of cancer. I saw a lot of her at the time, because she liked me, and so when my friend was in town I would visit with them both together.
She was green with envy when she heard how my father died, and spoke at length about it. She bitterly hated losing her physical faculties, as well as some mental decline.
At the time I was devastated, because I was very close to my father. And I still wish I could have had more years with him. But in retrospect, he had a really good death, and I’m grateful for that.
Yikes – I never really suspected the coffee. I drink roughly two 12-oz cups every morning. I’ll be loath to give it up 
Dang. I really thought it WAS just getting old. Hello, decaf!
To hell with that. There are bathrooms relatively near by most of the day. I ain’t givin’ up the bean.
(Me neither) 
I gave up caffeine for a few years and nothing changed. Then I resumed drinking coffee, and it really didn’t make any difference. Caffeine isn’t the problem, at least in my case.
In my case, it definitely is. I’ve done the experiment. I don’t drink coffee, and I can handle about one caffeinated soda per week, but not every week.
I would prefer death.
Fortunately, another thing about aging is that your sense of taste dulls. I used to hate the taste of diet coke. Now I drink diet/no caffeine and it tastes decent.
I’m 59. I guess I didn’t expect a hip replacement last November.
And we have been trying to get my Mom into an assisted living place. My Wife, Mom and I looked, and looked and looked. We finally found a beautiful brand new place (literally just getting finished this fall). Talking fireplace, full kitchen and a balcony off the living room. It has 4 different restaurants a huge pool outdoor areas and even a wine tasting room. I mean the WORKS. But now with COVID… well… Plans have changed.
I drink one caffeinated soda a day, but it ain’t Coke. It’s Manhattan Special. 12 ounces of carbonated espresso, with sugar.
Yes, I have to pee right after. No, I’m not giving it up.