Have You Passed Your « Best Before » Date?

I always thought Warren said it best

How I know I’m old is I don’t give a shit about getting old…

I used to think old was when hair grew out of wierd places. Now my definition of old is when that ear and nose hairs turn grey.

First of all, it's great to hear @Duracuir1 about your strong comeback from the Big C.

It's funny you brought this topic up...just yesterday I was in a changing room at our local REI store, trying on a potential new hiking shirt. For some reason, I found the mirror image of myself to be particularly shocking that day...standing in front of me was this old, wrinkled, droopy-skinned guy that I hardly recognized. An image of this fellow immediately came to my mind...



To date myself, I apply for Medicare next month, just a few months ahead of a rather consequential birthday (yes, I and the Omega Speedmaster will celebrate 65 years of existence, together).

After yesterday's shocking experience in the changing room, I resolved to never, ever, go shirtless in public again...I will be one of those dudes swimming in the ocean with a t-shirt on.

As a matter of fact, I'm just more thankful for shirts in general 😀

I've always preferred either pocket watches or older (preferably 50s or older) wrist watches, so I've never understood the allure of wearing a big wrist watch. This also means I don't see being drawn to smaller watches as a sign of old age.

I only own two suits (both Brooks Brothers) but I agree that the current trends in men's fashion is off putting. I am not considered to be a fashion maven though, most of my students say I dress like their grandpas.

I'm a ways off from retirement still but I'm now well established and respected in my field.

While I am not old (41) middle age came in and hit me over the head with a chair. I fell off a ladder while replacing my roof, shattering my left heel and ankle then celebrated my fortieth birthday while using a walker (talk about feeling old). That experience and being moderately crippled as a result dispelled any lingering myth that I might still be young.

Thanks for starting this thread and sharing your journey, @Duracuir1. And huge congratulations on your 5 year milestone. This best-before concept has been on my mind more than ever. I’m 59 and will be 60 in August. And yes, until recently invincibility was likewise my friend, too. Fickle bastard, that guy.

I have played drums in punk, pop, rock, fusion, post-punk, progressive rock, blues and rockabilly bands since 1980. I’m still in four groups. Drums, music and my punk rock roots keep me young. At least I like to believe that narrative.

In addition to being a committed road cyclist since I was 17, I’ve been hitting the gym 2-3x a week since the mid-1980’s.

My career trajectory is more like a road map followed by a drunk, yet my adaptive capabilities have enabled me to keep going; now part of the Great Resignation, I’ve just left my position as a digital marketer and event manager for a large international tech company. Too young and not financially ready for retirement, I’ll be hunting for my next work journey when my Dr. gives me the green light. At my age, it’ll be tougher, notwithstanding my youthful appearance. I look 53!!

I swear by Clint Eastwood’s philosophy. Back when he was 88, he was asked how he still manages to keep at it at his age, he replies, “I just don’t let the Old Man in”. Indeed. That’s me. Or was.

________

My very first scare came in 2020 when a routine colonoscopy showed evidence of a mass in my appendix. Thankfully, it was an adenoma, not an adenocarcinoma. I had the appendectomy in January 2021; the mass was benign and I have fully recovered. Phew.

So…..Why do I need my doctor’s blessing to work now?

I spent January 2022 in and out of emergency departments and seeing many doctors trying to kill the explosive bonfire inside my skull that began on Jan. 2. There are headaches and there are migraines. I know them well yet hadn’t had one for ages. Then there’s whatever the f*ck it was that I was experiencing throughout January. My doctor and my wife believe it may be months/years of accumulated stress manifesting itself. Whatever, it was bloody awful. Finally, a neurologist prescribed a pill that eradicated my issue after a week or two. CT and CTA showed no tumours or lesions, thankfully. I had a follow up MRI three days ago. So the headache ended and after getting a full physical a few weeks ago, my doctor told me my blood work reads like some one who is 25! 25! And yet…..

As I type, I am lying in agony with what appears to be Polymyalgia Rheumatica, or PMR. It came out of nowhere (literally the day after I was told I am as hematologically fit as a 25 year old), which is typical with autoimmune issues. Hips and pelvic girdle ache, as do my shoulders and neck. Any shift when asleep means being woken up with twinges of pain. Getting in and out of a car is excruciating. Good thing playing drums uses only my wrists and feet. Standing up after playing is no treat, however. It’s like the headache decided to move to a new neighborhood. I know steroids will help, but I am loathe to put my body through that process. I may change my tune soon.

To circle back to the original question, I fear that for the first time, I have no choice but to read the writing on the wall. Notwithstanding eating healthily (36 years a veg/pescatarian), working out, riding bikes and drumming, I must end my delusions of invincibility which, sadly, still includes being attractive to girls. 🙁

Somewhere on my body there’s gotta be a stamp with Best Before December 31st, 2021.

When you dream and you are involved in the dream do you ever dream of yourself at your current age? I never do my dream self always seems to be in his 20’s (mind you he didn’t look that great back then either)
Age is a funny thing. When I see my mother there are unfortunately people in their 50’s on her unit that got early dementia. That’s terribly sad. But then Friday I had a very weird incident.
I’ll just touch on it briefly as it’s too messed up to go into detail but I had to intervene when a 71 y.o. Hells angel member wanted to get at someone at the place I was.
Now this 71 y.o. Was prepared to go through me and several other people to get to this one guy. He had a decades on me but tbh he might have been successful. I also do not think it’s a good idea to go hands on with a member of the hells angels because if by some slim chance you prevail you now have a hornets nest after you.

When the “cops” were mentioned he starting going off on how they didn’t help him when he was dealing with identity theft. I think that right there was my saving grace as I am going through a similar issue and tbh it really is a pain in the behind when the cops tell you to go to another station that’s 2,000 miles away.
Bottom line I don’t think this 71 yo had the typical genetics of most 71 yo. Fortunately I didn’t need to find out how hard he could still punch as we started bitching about identity theft and everyone went on there merry way.

As far as watches I didn’t notice any but his necklace was some type of chain that I’m pretty sure had dual uses. Weird day that was.

It's been said before , the forum needs a different kind of "Like" button.

@mydeafcat, sorry for what you're going through. I too have given up the illusion of being an attractive-to-girls guy...

Also, can't imagine your PMR. Sucks.

It is not how young you are that counts! It is how old you aren’t! Octogenarian is only a word, I keep telling myself. Still waiting for the dreaded “mid-life crisis”.

Saturday night and this just arrived in my in box..... the seeds of old age / I am busted...

But just getting ready to head out anyway.... the oldest swinger in town .....


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Haha excellent thread. I don’t know what my best before date is. I’m 36 but trying to act 21 and not taking myself too seriously by almost always wearing t-shirt and jeans



Drinking from my Uncle Rico mug



And still watch Wayne’s World and other movies that my wife thinks I’m way too old for 😁

Perhaps time to open up, sadly my memory is fading and there is no easy way to hide it. One of the worst parts is when you are continually told " I told you that already"
I am fortunate in that I am still what I would consider extremely physically fit for my age ( three score and ten was a long time ago) but loss of memory is a real **********

One of the undeniable joys of getting older…

Prostate at 20:



Prostate at 60:

My shit isn't f'd up but my sleep sure is! 2-3 hour spells, with 1hr intervals laying there solving the world's problems. In bed by 8 and up at 5.

I get a kick out of you kids, shit, I've got socks older than most of you!
I have watches that have needed service from before you were born!

But I am the luckiest bastard on this forum, I've had a wonderful life and I've been where all you young pricks have been and you will have to be damn lucky to make it to my place.
I don't regret anything I've done but regret a few things I decided not to do.

Sorry about the changes, Stuart, you are a great friend to us and congrat's on the victory, Steve!

Brothers and Sisters, don't miss the final chapters of a great book lamenting how many pages have been turned.

Thanks for sharing your story @mydeafcat , and I sincerely hope you thrash the crap out of that PMR.