You know you are getting old when:

[Trenchfriend]

But Vanilla "Dane-Moods" are still very popular, here.

 

[ChiTownScion]

You know you're getting old when..

You look at a pic of your classmates from Sixth Grade (11 years old) and nearly everyone you can keep tabs on is either a grandparent, or deceased. The deaths of those you grew up with are always sad, but when you contemplate them in as a group, it's rough- REALLY rough.

 

[GHT]

You know you're getting old when..
You look at a pic of your classmates from Sixth Grade (11 years old) and nearly everyone you can keep tabs on is either a grandparent, or deceased.

Back in 1990, I attended a school reunion, not a smart thing to do, but the lady organising it was a good friend from schooldays, so with a bit of arm twisting, I went along.
So many of my peers, who by then were in their mid 40's, had health issues, and we had already lost two to early deaths. My classmates all turn 70 this year. Apart from the lady who was one of the organisers, I'm not that interested in what the rest have done or are doing now.
I do know though, through that lady, that we seem to have lost more than the average.
It's sad, but it doesn't freak me about my own mortality. When it comes, it comes, no point worrying about it. In the meantime I just have to remember to keep breathing.

 

[Fading Fast]

Back in 1990, I attended a school reunion, not a smart thing to do, but the lady organising it was a good friend from schooldays, so with a bit of arm twisting, I went along.
So many of my peers, who by then were in their mid 40's, had health issues, and we had already lost two to early deaths. My classmates all turn 70 this year. Apart from the lady who was one of the organisers, I'm not that interested in what the rest have done or are doing now.
I do know though, through that lady, that we seem to have lost more than the average.
It's sad, but it doesn't freak me about my own mortality. When it comes, it comes, no point worrying about it. In the meantime I just have to remember to keep breathing.

One thing that shook me at the time and has never fully left is that within four years of graduating high school one girl had died from cancer and another, a boy, took his own life. It was very hard to process that those two - who I knew, but weren't close friend with (but still, I went through several years of school with them) - were dead.

Then, about ten years ago, a girl (woman by then) form my high school who was divorced was killed by her ex-husband in some crazy fit of jealous rage as she was on a date (did I mention, they were divorced). What the h*ll - who does such a thing? I was absolutely stunned and feel so bad. I only knew her as a classmate, but my God, what people do.

Now that I'm in my early 50s, I know only more is coming (or I'll be the next one), but those early ones really shook me.

 

[ChiTownScion]

Two deaths in particular hit me hard. I knew them as school boys: fellow perpetuators of mischief who made school life bearable, even fun. They never harmed anyone. There are times when I think, "Why THEM? All of the miserable, rotten, unmitigated sons of bitches in this world who are abusive to their wives, kids, and anyone else who chances into their paths, and yet, manage to live to a ripe old age... and THESE two terrific human beings are dead?" I try not to dwell on those thoughts... but they do arise.

 

[2jakes]

One thing that shook me at the time and has never fully left is that within four years of graduating high school one girl had died from cancer and another, a boy, took his own life. It was very hard to process that those two - who I knew, but weren't close friend with (but still, I went through several years of school with them) - were dead.

Then, about ten years ago, a girl (woman by then) form my high school who was divorced was killed by her ex-husband in some crazy fit of jealous rage as she was on a date (did I mention, they were divorced). What the h*ll - who does such a thing? I was absolutely stunned and feel so bad. I only knew her as a classmate, but my God, what people do.

Now that I'm in my early 50s, I know only more is coming (or I'll be the next one), but those early ones really shook me.

I still have one classmate from elementary school when I was ten.
She was the prettiest gal in the class and I had a crush on her
so bad it was sickening ....like smoking a pipe of cherry-blend tobacco.

Was very shy, I only admired her from a distance.

Many years later through facebook, we have become friends.

And though the years have taken its toll....when I see her eyes,
I’m back in elementary class.
But too shy to tell her I still have a crush.

The fact that she’s married might have something to do with it.

 

[LizzieMaine]

My class had two suicides within the first three years after graduation, and there have been at least two others since, along with a murder victim, another who was shot to death in an "accident," and one who was run down by a car while he was staggering drunk in the street during a snowstorm. I have no idea how many deaths from drugs or "natural causes" there have been, but I imagine there have been others.

I've never participated in any of the reunions, and don't ever intend to. I saw all of that bunch that I ever want to see while I was in school.

 

[BobHufford]

I've never participated in any of the reunions, and don't ever intend to.

Nor do I. In my mind all the girls are still 18 years old.

 

[Trenchfriend]

Class-reunions are a curious thing. I don't find the sense in it. Why should people meet, which got nothing to say to each other, like in my case of a class of 2001?

 

[Fading Fast]

Class-reunions are a curious thing. I don't find the sense in it. Why should people meet, which got nothing to say to each other, like in my case of a class of 2001?

Two thoughts, I am amazed that you are as young as you are as you sound like an older soul who greatly misses the world he once knew. I have some of that as my parents were much older parents than those of my peers. Also, my dad's friends were, in general older than he was, and they were always around when I was growing up. Hence, my childhood had an "of the Era," "old," "things were better when..." vibe and atmosphere than did those of most kids of my generation.

And two, as to reunions, I don't go because I'd have to travel to another state and I'm not that interested, but if I could walk down the block to it, I think it would mildly interesting to see how your classmates - who you knew for several years - grew into adults. Again, not a big passion of mine, but it would be nice to see - but not worth, in my case, the travel involved.

 

[Trenchfriend]

The point is, we 90's kids were not that holding together old-fashion kids, like in earlier days. We were egoistic prosperous-kids in the decade of final german americanization, with nice cheap consume for the masses.

And the old german mentality with total consume is a bad mixture.

 

[Trenchfriend]

like an older soul who greatly misses the world he once knew.

That's not the case, believe me.

The point is, that we all here, interesting in old-fashion (life)style, are more or less living a "romanticism". Got nothing to do with romantic glorification.

Translate it:
http://www.zeit.de/1961/12/leute-mit-den-baskenmuetzen

 

[2jakes]

Murders and suicides...oh my!

I’ve read that an optimist says the glass is half full.
The pessimist says the glass is half empty.

Sometimes I wonder....
who the heck drank the other half.

I grew up in the fabulous fifties & although not “Happy Days”
all the time. I enjoyed it.
Would be nice seeing childhood friends.

But then, I suppose, it all depends on how one sees things.

 

[Inkstainedwretch]

A few months ago I attended my class's 50th year reunion. Mine was one of the first big Baby Boom classes, with 640+ kids, in a school built just five years earlier that was already bursting at the seams with two new high schools being built. It was a small Texas town just north of Dallas that was booming because the new high-tech industries like Texas Instruments had moved in and people from all over the country were migrating in. These were jobs that required advanced education so at the time it was a sort of mini-Los Alamos or Oak Ridge. The school district was one of the best in America for a while.

The last ten years or so I've been catching up with these people on Classmates and Facebook (though I don't like Facebook otherwise) As a pioneer Boomer I find it fascinating to learn about who we were, what we've become and the route we took to get here. We've lost quite a few. One boy drowned within a year of graduation. I believe we lost at least one in Vietnam. Since then, mostly mischance or cancer. When I learn of a passing I put a "d" by the name in my yearbook, for "deceased." It's depressing to see how many ds there are now. But now that we're moving into our 70s many more, possibly most, will be gone in 10 years. American white men (we were all white) mostly die in their mid-late 70s so 20 years from now the only survivors will be a little group of very old women.

I'm not complaining. We had a great run, possibly the best time to be young in American history and now we're fading from the scene as the GenXers and Millennials take the stage. I don't know about you all but I've had a great time.

 

[Trenchfriend]

The point is, that my generation of 1984/85 is practically already redundant. Modern computerized market-economy don't need us. There are more then enough older, waiting for an employment.

So, society is crashing. New times cannabis and cocaine substitutes old fashion alcohol.

 

[2jakes]

I'm not complaining. We had a great run, possibly the best time to be young in American history and now we're fading from the scene as the GenXers and Millennials take the stage. I don't know about you all but I've had a great time.

My sentiments as well!
And I like FB, but like a good chocolate malt,
just once in a while & not on a daily basis.

 

[BobHufford]

You know you're old when "Miss Kitty" on "Gunsmoke" looks young.

 

[ChiTownScion]

I still have one classmate from elementary school when I was ten.
She was the prettiest gal in the class and I had a crush on her
so bad it was sickening ....like smoking a pipe of cherry-blend tobacco.

Was very shy, I only admired her from a distance.

Many years later through facebook, we have become friends.

And though the years have taken its toll....when I see her eyes,
I’m back in elementary class.
But too shy to tell her I still have a crush.

The fact that she’s married might have something to do with it.

Even more odd: my little sixth grade girlfriend and my wife have become the best of friends! She, her hubby, and about five others from the old grade school were at a surprise retirement party my wife held for me a few years back. All through Facebook: for all of its aggravating aspects it still affords one the opportunity to look up long lost friends.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Last September was my 50th class reunion as well. I had never attend one in the past. Had no desire. However, now (after all these years) pretenses and one-upmanship seemed a thing of the past (mostly). A relief that many had matured into a more mellow 'glad to see you' scenario which still continues through social media and even phone calls. Some classmates that I hadn't seen since 1965. It turned out to be well worth the 20 mile drive to my hometown of Fairmount, Ind.
HD

 

[ChiTownScion]

My old high/ prep school holds a reunion every five years. A method of assuring alumni contributions, no doubt. They tend to be combined "Hooray for Everyone!" type affairs, mingling the class of 1972, with the class of 1987, and the class of 1967, etc. Making matters worse, the school went co-ed through a merger a few years ago, so now we also have to deal with the old girl school classes as well. We may rate our own affair on the 50th anniversary coming up in a few years, but until then, we usually meet up and then take off for a restaurant/ bar owned by a classmate where we can be among just ourselves.

Since it was all male in my day I think that a lot of the cattiness and cliques that you'd find among teenage girls is usually missing at these events. There is an element of one-upsmanship that does go on, though. And there are always a small number of wives who feel that they have the ride their husbands' career successes to a certain lever of snootiness. Goes with the territory, I suppose. My wife and I joke that if any fellow's wife is too insufferable, just wait five years: no doubt she'll be traded in for a newer model. Seen that happen more than once.