You know you are getting old when:

[tonyb]

You know, you are 30+, when you try hard to remember "What Was The Last Movie You Watched?"

I sometimes wonder if whatever I have some vague recollection of having seen fairly recently is indeed something I actually saw during my waking hours or if it was something that appeared to me in a dream.

 

[GHT]

I sometimes wonder if whatever I have some vague recollection of having seen fairly recently is indeed something I actually saw during my waking hours or if it was something that appeared to me in a dream.

That is so true, you get an overwhelming sense of déjà vu and for the life of you, you cannot remember if it was real or dreamt.

 

[tonyb]

That is so true, you get an overwhelming sense of déjà vu and for the life of you, you cannot remember if it was real or dreamt.

Which says a whole lot about the (un)reliability of eyewitness accounts.

It’s quite eye-opening to read of the widely varying eyewitness accounts of the very same incident.

 

[scottyrocks]

You know, you are 30+, when you try hard to remember "What Was The Last Movie You Watched?"

30+? You know you're getting old when you barely remember 30+.

 

[GHT]

30+? You know you're getting old when you barely remember 30+.

The age for drinking alcohol in the UK is 18. Under 18's are allowed into premises that serve alcohol but they must not try to buy it. It's an offence to serve under 18's with alcohol. Wary of the law, many a bar staff ask for proof of age, no proof, no booze.
So imagine my sister-in-law's delight when she was challenged about buying alcohol. "You don't think I'm 18?" She shrieked. "I love you." Sis was (at the time,) 32, and a mother of three kids. She dined out on that for months.

 

[tonyb]

The age for drinking alcohol in the UK is 18. Under 18's are allowed into premises that serve alcohol but they must not try to buy it. It's an offence to serve under 18's with alcohol. Wary of the law, many a bar staff ask for proof of age, no proof, no booze.
So imagine my sister-in-law's delight when she was challenged about buying alcohol. "You don't think I'm 18?" She shrieked. "I love you." Sis was (at the time,) 32, and a mother of three kids. She dined out on that for months.

The beer vendor at the since-demolished Kingdome stadium was repeatedly cited for selling to underage people. (21 was and is legal drinking age.)

The vendor’s response was to “card” every person buying beer. Every person. I shall always remember the expression on the face of a quite elderly (over 80, easily) fellow on being asked for documentation showing he was more than 21 years of age.

 

[Zombie_61]

30+? You know you're getting old when you barely remember 30+.

I only remember two things about turning 30. First was that so many people seemed to consider it to be some form of "milestone". "Oh, you're 30 now? Wow..." Second, during my 30th year on this rock it was necessary for me to see four different doctors for various reasons, and every one of them told me something to the effect of, "Well, you're 30 now, so..." then proceeded to give me some sort of advice regarding my overall health and how to maintain it as if they were pronouncing a death sentence. "Yep, life as you knew it is now over. You can't do this, that, or the other thing any more, you'll have to watch your diet, eat healthier, get more exercise and more sleep..." and on and on and on. And none of it was true...well, not at 30.

 

[Lean'n'mean]

That is so true, you get an overwhelming sense of déjà vu and for the life of you, you cannot remember if it was real or dreamt.

I often get that with this forum. Since things can't possibly be that repetitive & banal in reality I come to the conclusion that I must be sleeping off a bad bit of cheese.

 

[3fingers]

I often get that with this forum. Since things can't possibly be that repetitive & banal in reality I come to the conclusion that I must be sleeping off a bad bit of cheese.

Yet here you are.

 

[LizzieMaine]

That is so true, you get an overwhelming sense of déjà vu and for the life of you, you cannot remember if it was real or dreamt.

I often have that feeling, especially over the last few years, and I still hold out hope that I'll wake up.

 

[Tiki Tom]

I once had a friend of whom it was said "he's told that story so many times that he has actually come to believe it."
Now that I'm past my "use by date", I'm sure there might be an area or two where that could be said about me as well. I do TRY very hard to be cold-bloodedly honest with myself, but then again, why torture yourself?

 

[BobHufford]

I once had a friend of whom it was said "he's told that story so many times that he has actually come to believe it."

I do this. I also put myself into other people's stories (or at least my wife and kids say I do).

 

[Tiki Tom]

I do this. I also put myself into other people's stories (or at least my wife and kids say I do).

That's how one becomes the most interesting man in the world.

 

[tonyb]

I often get that with this forum. Since things can't possibly be that repetitive & banal in reality I come to the conclusion that I must be sleeping off a bad bit of cheese.

People got only so many anecdotes to relate. And, let’s face it, life is generally boring, repetitive — banal, even. (One person’s insufferable tedium is the next person’s comfortable familiarity.) Unembellished accounts would reflect some of that.

I know the marital status of several of our regular participants, where they reside, their ages (more or less), their occupations and their hobbies. I wouldn’t know any of this if it were mentioned but once.

The common thread is an affinity for the cultural artifacts dating from our earliest years and the first few decades prior to then. In the 13 years or so I’ve been a part of this motley collective, I’ve seen the conversation expand from matters related to the Prohibition era through the end of WWII to include the 1950s and even into the ’60s. It was smart, in my view, for the administrators to govern with a light touch in this regard, to let the range of topics expand organically. After all, those of that “greatest generation” (a designation the roughly middle-aged folks of my childhood acquaintance would never have self-applied) were still young(ish) and vital through the first two or three and even four post-War decades. In my experience, few were misty-eyed nostalgics. The good old days weren’t so great, they’d tell you, even if the cars and the clothes were better looking.

 

[GHT]

In my experience, few were misty-eyed nostalgics. The good old days weren’t so great, they’d tell you, even if the cars and the clothes were better looking.

The car is certainly still looking good, so too is the suit. Alas the driver looks like he needs ironing.

 

[tonyb]

The car is certainly still looking good, so too is the suit. Alas the driver looks like he needs ironing.
View attachment 170287

I’m pretty sure you’ve told of this before, but I don’t feel like digging.

What’s the year and model of that babe? How fresh is that paint?

 

[GHT]

It was first registered in July 1952. It is possible that it could have been partially made pre-war. Designed in 1937, the prototypes were built and road tested a year later. Production commenced later that year but with hostilities looming, the factory mothballed all car production, including it's research and development department. The MG factory made a variety of armaments during WW2. At the end of the war, just before car production resumed, the factory suffered a catastrophic fire, it would be 1947 before car production resumed.

As mine was one of the last to be built, chances are that it never had any of the earlier built components. Much of it's mechanical running gear and braking system was of a new type, learned from war production, much of which went on into the MGB. It's why I like the car, it has the charm of a pre-war appearance but mechanically, it's much more reliable than it's older siblings. The paint work shows it's age close up, having only had a touch up here and there. So too does the seating and upholstery, however, I think that just adds to it's charms.

 

[Zombie_61]

I do this. I also put myself into other people's stories (or at least my wife and kids say I do).

Funny, my wife regularly omits me from stories. She'll be somewhere in the middle of any tale and I'll have to remind her that I was there with her. Yeah, I've clearly made an impact in her memory.

 

[Edward]

As mine was one of the last to be built, chances are that it never had any of the earlier built components. Much of it's mechanical running gear and braking system was of a new type, learned from war production, much of which went on into the MGB. It's why I like the car, it has the charm of a pre-war appearance but mechanically, it's much more reliable than it's older siblings. The paint work shows it's age close up, having only had a touch up here and there. So too does the seating and upholstery, however, I think that just adds to it's charms.

Agreed entirely. The thing avbout most concours-type restorations is that they typically go so far that what you end up with is esentially a replica rather than the 'real' thing. It's nice to see a genuine example that has survived well. Notably, this is an isue for the film and TV industry; those who scout for period cars to appear in productions are often frustrated by the bulk of what is offered being like-new, showroom-fresh when what they really need is an MG Magnette or a MKII Ford that looks like a family car that's been looked after, but is a decade or so old. (Not unlike the old interior decor difference between 'real' homes of 1958, and the wholly MCM Ideal Home Show version....).

I think you totally hit the nail on the head with your appraisal of your MG model - post-war reliability, pre-war style. The Riley RM was asnother motor in that field (one of our German loungers has a beautiful example, as I recall); some years ago my dad had a stunning, cream MKIII (I think) Sunbeam Talbot Coupe from 1959 which was that to a 't'. It's also the real attraction of a Morgan, for those with the spare scratch (I still fancy a three-wheeler Morgan, as I think of it as a sort-of motorcycle and sidecar when one's lady had made very clear she ain't never getting in no sidecar.... ).

 

[GHT]

Agreed entirely. The thing avbout most concours-type restorations is that they typically go so far that what you end up with is esentially a replica rather than the 'real' thing. It's nice to see a genuine example that has survived well.

Thank you, here's an example of which you described. A beautiful restoration for sure, but the model never had wire wheels, not even as an option. It was never available in either metalic or silver, my guess is that could be a late MGB colour, or even a Jaguar paint colour. As you say, it would never get past a film company, even for a long distance street scene shot.