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You know you are getting old when:

GHT

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,793
Location
New Forest
When you feel you can say or do things because you are older now.
Things that you probably wouldn’t have when you were younger.

When you hear people express ideas that they think are original
or new but you know that you also had the same ideas when you
were their age....
Today a small gang of youngsters, early to mid twenties, were all talking and laughing at once as they did some shopping in a supermarket. By their purchases, I guessed that they were planning a party. It was a joy to see them, but as I walked by I thought that the only thing that I envy is their energy. I really wouldn't want to be young again. The ravages of time affect us all, haven't got a problem with that, but I do get frustrated that reaching the bottom shelf has become a big deal.
 
Messages
17,215
Location
New York City
Today a small gang of youngsters, early to mid twenties, were all talking and laughing at once as they did some shopping in a supermarket. By their purchases, I guessed that they were planning a party. It was a joy to see them, but as I walked by I thought that the only thing that I envy is their energy. I really wouldn't want to be young again. The ravages of time affect us all, haven't got a problem with that, but I do get frustrated that reaching the bottom shelf has become a big deal.

It's funny, I basically agree, I would like to not have some of the aches and pains physically of growing older, but I have no desire to be young again - I like where I'm at in my life, wouldn't want to go through what it took to get here again.
 

Frank chops

New in Town
Messages
20
Location
Michigan
Today a small gang of youngsters, early to mid twenties, were all talking and laughing at once as they did some shopping in a supermarket. By their purchases, I guessed that they were planning a party. It was a joy to see them, but as I walked by I thought that the only thing that I envy is their energy. I really wouldn't want to be young again. The ravages of time affect us all, haven't got a problem with that, but I do get frustrated that reaching the bottom shelf has become a big deal.
I concur a 100 per cent. Today for the first time, some one refer to me as, 'old timer'. I am 87, look 70 and feel 60. I don't know why, but that remark cut me to the quick. It's some thing l use to hear in 1940 westners.
 

GHT

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,793
Location
New Forest
I am 87, look 70 and feel 60.
Age is in your head, if a remark like old timer resonates like the screech of chalk on the blackboard, then you are not old. It's good that it annoys you, it means that despite the advancing years, you are not ready to throw the towel in yet.
Before retirement, I ran my own distribution business. One of my clients was Virgin Wines, one of Richard Branson's companies. On this occasion, my driver needed to finish early so I had arranged to meet him, give him my car to keep his appointment and finish off his last few deliveries. One of those deliveries was to a house. The gentlemen who answered asked my to empty the wine from the case and put the bottles away. "Why can't you do it?" I asked, having explained that I was busy and didn't have time. "I'm sixty-two," he declared, making it sound like he was a hundred and sixty-two. "Well I'm fifty-seven," (at the time,) I told him, "and if being sixty-two is being like you, I hope the grim reaper calls first." He didn't like that grumbled something about no respect for the elderly these days.
In his head, he was old. So, he was old. If that makes sense?
 

GHT

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,793
Location
New Forest
I want to know why I look so much older and fatter in photographs than I do in the mirror.
Because, like me, you have this wretched altar ego who has a warped sense of humour. It isn't you in those photos, it's the wrinkled old prankster who so enjoys photo-bombing every snap that you should be in. The camera lense gets you in focus, then, just as the shutter comes down, he's there, right in front of you. And then he's gone again. Everyone knows it's not you, because you are, forever eighteen.
 

Stearmen

I'll Lock Up
Messages
7,202
Today a small gang of youngsters, early to mid twenties, were all talking and laughing at once as they did some shopping in a supermarket. By their purchases, I guessed that they were planning a party. It was a joy to see them, but as I walked by I thought that the only thing that I envy is their energy. I really wouldn't want to be young again. The ravages of time affect us all, haven't got a problem with that, but I do get frustrated that reaching the bottom shelf has become a big deal.
You know you are getting old when, you refer to people in their mid 20s as Youngsters! ;)
 

Stearmen

I'll Lock Up
Messages
7,202
From my perspective anyone under the age of 40 is a youngster. Mid-20s? They're babies. :D
I can't call anyone in their mid 20s babies if they have been in combat like so many I currently know. But, I will say, they do look so young, and I wonder if I ever looked that young?
 
Messages
10,939
Location
My mother's basement
I'm playing baseball the other night, behind the plate, and as the inning starts off, make a little small talk with the batter coming up. He was 22-24 or I'd guess. He called me "sir". I wanted to take that stick out of his hands and crack him over the skull with it.

I'm used to it now. And I've accepted that being called "sir" beats being called any number of other things.
 

MisterCairo

I'll Lock Up
Messages
7,005
Location
Gads Hill, Ontario
Canadians of a certain age will get this:

I recall going to the store with a paper dollar and buying four chocolate bars - 25 cents each, and tax free (province of Ontario).
 

2jakes

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,680
Location
Alamo Heights ☀️ Texas
Cameras lie, believe the mirror !
"Magic mirror on the wall...." :)
281yibs.jpg
 
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GHT

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,793
Location
New Forest
Nothing irritates me more than some customer with jewelry on that cost more than I make in a month complaining because she didn't get her lousy $1 off.
We have a blue badge system. It's a large badge you leave on the dashboard of your car. Gives you priority in disabled reserved bays. For some illogical reason, I equate a blue badge holder with a standard, mass produced car. Whenever I see a top of the range Mercedes, or similar, with a blue badge, it annoys me intensely. Totally irrational, but there you go, that's just me.
 
Messages
10,939
Location
My mother's basement
Yesterday at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore I dropped off a tacky chandelier and then bought stuff marked for a combined $60. The young man at the checkout signed me up for their extraordinarily most preferred customer program, which saved me 5 percent, and informed me of their senior discount, which knocked off another 10 percent.

I'm with Lizzie, though -- knocking off some portion of the price solely on account of the patron's seniority is hardly a noble gesture. An old friend (I've known him for going on 40 years, and he is indeed old) rails against senior discounts. If you prefer your largesse to be of real social benefit, give the discount to young parents.
 

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