# You Know You're Getting Older When ... **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 15, 2010, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-youre-getting-older-when/564202 "2010-12-15T04:37:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dhkendall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a9adbd/32.png) [@dhkendall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dhkendall)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-youre-getting-older-when/564202/1 "2010-12-15T04:37:10Z")
When I was younger, I used the following “handy cheat sheet”: WWII veterans were old men, in their 60s Korean veterans were relatively old men, in their 50s Vietnam vets were “adults”, late 30s, maybe just approaching middle age. Gave me a handy reference sheet when I’d hear of a veteran of a certain war, or if Knew how old someone was (by fact or by looks) I could imagine they were the same age as someone who fought in a given war. Problem with that is that in the 20 years since that served me well, I never bothered updating it, that system is now ingrained in my mind. So when I see an ad for _$#_! My Dad Says\* and Shatner’s character, who I know is to be in his 70s, mentions in the clip that he’s a Vietnam vet, I think to myself: "Now that’s just wrong! He’s in his 70s! No way he’s a Vietnam vet! He’s gotta be from World War Tw … … :smack: … $#\*! I’m Old!" ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-youre-getting-older-when/564202/2 "2010-12-15T05:37:49Z")
You know you’re getting old when one of your kids starts complaining about how old he’s getting. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-youre-getting-older-when/564202/3 "2010-12-15T06:01:21Z")
I’m a Desert Storm era veteran. I’m 45 years old. A child born on September 11, 2001 is probably in the 4th grade this year. ---
**Author:** ![EvilTOJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee59a6/32.png) [@EvilTOJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilTOJ)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-youre-getting-older-when/564202/4 "2010-12-15T07:45:22Z")
… you talk about what you did for Y2K, and your kids don’t even remember it. Now if you’ll excuse me, it’s past Matlock Hour and I just drank a whole glass of Metamucil, I need to get going. ---
**Author:** ![not\_alice](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_alice/32/7283_2.png) [@not\_alice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_alice)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-youre-getting-older-when/564202/5 "2010-12-15T07:53:50Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > A child born on September 11, 2001 is probably in the 4th grade this year. And has never known his or her country at peacetime. In fact, there is a very good chance s/he will reach voting age without having ever known a minute of peace. Beyond that, all bets are off. Excuse me, I think I will go off in the corner to cry now. Anyone else going with me? ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-youre-getting-older-when/564202/6 "2010-12-15T07:55:16Z")
First time this feeling hit me was around the time the US was set to invade Iraq, I was talking with a coworker about the last Gulf War, and how it seemed different – I wasn’t seeing so many large military vehicles in desert camouflage on the streets and on flatbed rail cars going to and fro. His response: “I don’t really remember, I was in elementary school at the time.” And of course, that was something like seven years ago now. ---
**Author:** ![Jennyrosity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@Jennyrosity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jennyrosity)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-youre-getting-older-when/564202/7 "2010-12-15T08:11:25Z")
I had the realisation the other day that the girls I knew who got pregnant at school could very well be grandmothers by now, if their kids had followed their examples and procreated young. _That_ was depressing. ---
**Author:** ![GESancMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gesancman/32/2923_2.png) [@GESancMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GESancMan)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 9:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-youre-getting-older-when/564202/8 "2010-12-15T09:08:57Z")
> [@Jennyrosity](#): > > I had the realisation the other day that the girls I knew who got pregnant at school could very well be grandmothers by now, if their kids had followed their examples and procreated young. _That_ was depressing. I have friends that I went to school with who are grandparents. We’re only 39 years old, for fuck’s sake. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-youre-getting-older-when/564202/9 "2010-12-15T13:58:42Z")
I new I was growing up when I could understand what the Professor on “Gilligan’s Island” was saying. I knew I was really old, when I started noticing how good looking Mrs Howell was 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-youre-getting-older-when/564202/10 "2010-12-15T14:23:17Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > A child born on September 11, 2001 is probably in the 4th grade this year. A couple of months ago I was out with a woman – who had a few wrinkles, mind you – who I realized was closer in age to 3 of my 4 nieces than to me. And she said that she felt old when she had to explain 9/11 to her college students. After all, they were just kids at the time. ---
**Author:** ![Paintcharge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paintcharge/32/7946_2.png) [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-youre-getting-older-when/564202/11 "2010-12-15T15:46:22Z")
My frickin beard is going gray. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-youre-getting-older-when/564202/12 "2010-12-15T15:56:03Z")
I had a feeling old moment last week when a cashier noticed the [Apollo 8 patch](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Apollo-8-patch.png) I wear on my jacket and asked me if I “worked on that.” And before you ask, she was in her 50s, so she should damn well know when the Apollo project was. > [@Paintcharge](#): > > My frickin beard is going gray. Pfft. My _chest hair_ is going gray. WTF? ---
**Author:** ![Lunar\_Saltlick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/977dab/32.png) [@Lunar\_Saltlick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lunar_Saltlick)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-youre-getting-older-when/564202/13 "2010-12-15T16:06:03Z")
Jimi would be 68 today. Jim would be 67. Janis 67. Elvis 75. London Calling came out 31 years ago yesterday. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-youre-getting-older-when/564202/14 "2010-12-15T16:11:00Z")
When you can no longer outrun someone half your age. When you are no longer being outrun by someone twice your age. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-youre-getting-older-when/564202/15 "2010-12-15T16:16:44Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > I new I was growing up when I could understand what the Professor on “Gilligan’s Island” was saying. I knew I was really old, when I started noticing how good looking Mrs Howell was > 🙂 I do believe this is a classic. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-youre-getting-older-when/564202/16 "2010-12-15T16:17:11Z")
> [@Lunar\_Saltlick](#): > > Jimi would be 68 today. > Jim would be 67. > Janis 67. > Elvis 75. These sorts of things always make more of an impression on me when there’s a comparison: Jimi would be as old now as Barbra Streisand and Harrison Ford. Jim and Janis would be as old now as Christopher Walken and Robert De Niro. Elvis would be as old now as Woody Allen and Donald Sutherland. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-youre-getting-older-when/564202/17 "2010-12-15T16:17:51Z")
For me, it was the realization that if I forgot my reading glasses at home or in the car, I am basically fucked. I can’t see the price of anything without my glasses. I am barely able to navigate debt transactions due to the familiar layout of the machines. Thing is, I can see perfectly fine without the glasses, except for up-close reading. You have no idea how many times I’ve walked into stores and had to turn around and go back to the car to get my goggles. Damn. ---
**Author:** ![Dogzilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@Dogzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogzilla)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-youre-getting-older-when/564202/18 "2010-12-15T16:20:17Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > Pfft. My _chest hair_ is going gray. WTF? Hah. Mu \*pubic \*hair started going gray in my 30s. I am now 41 (female). And now you know why I shave it. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-youre-getting-older-when/564202/19 "2010-12-15T16:20:23Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > For me, it was the realization that if I forgot my reading glasses at home or in the car, I am basically fucked. I can’t see the price of anything without my glasses. I am barely able to navigate debt transactions due to the familiar layout of the machines. About this time last year I had to have someone read a restaurant menu to me. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-youre-getting-older-when/564202/20 "2010-12-15T16:29:02Z")
As of about two years ago, I can no longer read my \*OED without assistance. I can still read my Merriam-Webster so long as there’s sufficient lighting, but I suspect that that ability will be gone in another year or two. \*It’s the two-volume set in really, really tiny print, as it is condensed from 14 volumes in regular. I first noticed my eyesight diminishing about 8 years ago, when I was noticing that the newspaper pasted on the wall a foot in front of me wasn’t as clear as I thought it should be. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-youre-getting-older-when/564202.md?page=2)