So how do you know when you are getting old?

[big Neil]

How about a bit of fun for a Monday morning?

Let me indulge myself by asking this whimsical question. "How do you know when you're getting old?"

I have always considered life a series of bubbles...stages if you like. Birth, infancy, childhood, youth, adulthood, middle age, old age, and death. I have always thought that infancy and old age are mirror images of themselves. One is slowly making one's way up a steep hill, the other is racing down the same hill with no brakes. Yet there are many similarities between the two stages. Dependence on others for existence is high, ability to perform as a high-order mammal is often low. In many cases infants and elderly people have similar requirements...they both need to be looked after. Yet there are acute differences too. Infants have a sponge-like need to learn while the elderly need to remember what a sponge is. Both ends of the spectrum of life are reliant on the brain...one for growth, the other for basic survival.

I guess the benefit of getting old, as against being an infant, is the memories acquired along life's road.

So, is getting old the time when memories have more significance than day-to-day experiences?

Or is getting old the time when one can only wish to be able to do the things they used to do so well?

Is it the time when you can't even remember your own phone number?

Is it the time when you tell yourself "I don't need to write that down, I'll remember it?"

 

Join the fun. Post what you think.

Cheers, bn

 

[JonD]

It's when your body hurts and can't keep up with what your amazing ideas keep trying to get it to do!!!!....Last week I did a 26hr boat session in my boat chasing jews, rained all night as I tried to sleep on the boat floor in a wet beanbag. Got home packed my bags and headed into the the mountains for a 4 day snowy river remote rafting trip. Two more nights or rain and turned out there was a dam mega water release on the second day turning the trip more like a survival adventure to get back downstream to the closest road, with overturned rafts, soggy gear and a big smile. 

Three days on and my hips are so sore I can hardly walk, shoulders crunching and grinding and my neck causing the daily headaches. Im only 59 and suddenly age is starting to show on the inside and outside.

 

 

 

Edited Sunday at 09:59 PM by JonD

[jeffb5.8]

I know age is catching me 48yrs, it takes 2 steps to get going in the morning as my joints creak and crack, I then wonder why my "insert different body part" (Neck, shoulder, knees) hurts and think where my glasses are.

Then I'm up and running and forget all that as i try and keep up with 3 kids, went waterskiing, tubing and cliff jumping for the first time in 10yrs, was great until two days later as i hobbled into work.

P.s

I now have a few more Dr's than normal and take 2 tablets a day, sometimes i wonder how great doing Mutiple adventure sports as a youth was, all the broken bones, pulled muscles and injuries are catching up.

[Peter K]

Every time you post something or reply and I read it, I always re-read this little quote of yours.

I wonder which of your bubbles this best fits into?!

[big Neil]

2 hours ago, JonD said:

It's when your body hurts and can't keep up with what your amazing ideas keep trying to get it to do!!!!....Last week I did a 26hr boat session in my boat chasing jews, rained all night as I tried to sleep on the boat floor in a wet beanbag. Got home packed my bags and headed into the the mountains for a 4 day snowy river remote rafting trip. Two more nights or rain and turned out there was a dam mega water release on the second day turning the trip more like a survival adventure to get back downstream to the closest road, with overturned rafts, soggy gear and a big smile. 

Three days on and my hips are so sore I can hardly walk, shoulders crunching and grinding and my neck causing the daily headaches. Im only 59 and suddenly age is starting to show on the inside and outside.

 

 

 

Fabulous reply Jon. You definitely aren't getting old in your mind, though your body has likely suffered for it. Great pictures Jon...you have my admiration and respect.

Cheers, bn

[big Neil]

1 hour ago, jeffb5.8 said:

I know age is catching me 48yrs, it takes 2 steps to get going in the morning as my joints creak and crack, I then wonder why my "insert different body part" (Neck, shoulder, knees) hurts and think where my glasses are.

Then I'm up and running and forget all that as i try and keep up with 3 kids, went waterskiing, tubing and cliff jumping for the first time in 10yrs, was great until two days later as i hobbled into work.

P.s

I now have a few more Dr's than normal and take 2 tablets a day, sometimes i wonder how great doing Mutiple adventure sports as a youth was, all the broken bones, pulled muscles and injuries are catching up.

Many thanks for the reply jeffb5.8. I can associate with your post. You have a long way to go. Enjoy the ride mate.

bn

[big Neil]

1 hour ago, Peter K said:

Every time you post something or reply and I read it, I always re-read this little quote of yours.

I wonder which of your bubbles this best fits into?!

Aah thanks Peter K. The quote is one that I believe would improve harmony in the world. One that I have tried to live the majority of my adult life by. I believe it even more these days as the years pass by. So which bubbles? All the ones after adulthood...

Cheers Peter, bn

[BaitDropper]

Umm, Big Neil,  Can you please repeat the question.....  😄...

[Little_Flatty]

One I’ve heard is when you bend down to get something and think ‘what else can I get while I’m down here’🤣

I’m at a similar age to @jeffb5.8 and similar health wise. There are things that I can’t do physically that I could do in my 20s that I can’t now.

I recognise that this is a bit of a reality check for myself as this shouldn’t be the case, because there are plenty my age who are still able to do what they could in their 20s. A bit of stretching, a bit of strengthening and a bit of cardio a few times a week is all that’s needed. Not a big ask.

No word of a joke, I’ve observed that all this luderick fishing is making me fat! It’s far more sedentary than lure chucking. So I really should be doing more lure fishing and all bait (weed) collection should involve the bike or walking.

[Yowie]

6 hours ago, JonD said:

It's when your body hurts and can't keep up with what your amazing ideas keep trying to get it to do!!!!....Last week I did a 26hr boat session in my boat chasing jews, rained all night as I tried to sleep on the boat floor in a wet beanbag. Got home packed my bags and headed into the the mountains for a 4 day snowy river remote rafting trip. Two more nights or rain and turned out there was a dam mega water release on the second day turning the trip more like a survival adventure to get back downstream to the closest road, with overturned rafts, soggy gear and a big smile. 

Three days on and my hips are so sore I can hardly walk, shoulders crunching and grinding and my neck causing the daily headaches. Im only 59 and suddenly age is starting to show on the inside and outside.

 

 

 

At least you will remember this, and try not to do it this way again.

[Yowie]

For the really old ones, now in a nursing home. You start life wearing nappies, and you go back into nappies just before you are GONE. Yes, it is something not to look forward to, but will happen to many of us before the time is up.

On the bright side, do what you can while you can, and while you are physically able. Just go fishing. 

 

[sashkello]

Don't remember the origin of the quote, but here it goes:
 

Quote

 

When you're young, you drink, smoke, do hell knows what all night and in the morning you look great.

Then an age comes when you drink, smoke, do hell knows what all night and in the morning you look like it.

And finally you get old. You sleep all night peacefully... but in the morning you look like you drank smoked and did hell knows what all night long...

 

So, when you feel as if you had a trip outlined above after a nice night's sleep, then I guess you're getting old...

Edited Monday at 04:29 AM by sashkello

[Steve0]

• Advanced old aged is coming out with statements like, "sugar is not a sweet as it used to be".
• Young is nearly choking on your beer as you try not to laugh at Great Grandma when you hear it.
• Getting old is thinking, 'that might be me soon'.
• Middle age is not hearing it because you are standing up and learning that your knees are attached to your mouth via vocal cords.

 

 

[noelm]

Sometimes getting old is not just an age thing, sometimes it’s just actions, like kids on noisy motor bikes become a nuisance, whereas a few years ago, it was nothing. It might be reading the newspaper and whinging about some news (just the act of reading the paper makes you old) it might just be someone parking at an angle that sets you off, it might be thinking twice about bending down to pick something up seems like a mission………all these things are “signs” being chronologically advanced (old) can mean things that were a breeze are now difficult, getting up a ladder, walking around the rocks, sitting on the ground, or even worse, getting back up again. Then there comes the health side of it, dozens of doctors visits, being poked and probed by people conducting “tests” not being about to see a hook eye properly, it’s all a sign.

[riveRecon]

As my body gives off all the signals mentioned above, I personally think I’ll call myself old the day I stop learning! 

[Burger]

18 hours ago, Little_Flatty said:

when you bend down to get something and think ‘what else can I get while I’m down here’

Another is if you drop something stopping to think ‘is it worth it?’, before trying to pick it up….

Lots of good thoughts above, most of which I can relate to…

Must be an ‘older’ crowd 😬😀😉

Edited Monday at 08:45 PM by Burger

[Hill373737]

Every year, on my birthday (so there's been a few), I tell my wife .... "don't worry, I might be getting older, but I'm not about to grow up!!"

[mrsswordfisherman]

16 hours ago, Yowie said:

For the really old ones, now in a nursing home. You start life wearing nappies, and you go back into nappies just before you are GONE. Yes, it is something not to look forward to, but will happen to many of us before the time is up.

On the bright side, do what you can while you can, and while you are physically able. Just go fishing. 

 

It isn't that bad Dave. Plenty of people wear continence aids and are still active! Females have to go through life with more issues that you males!!! 

All jokes aside, yes keep moving both your body physically and your mind. 

Do crosswords, puzzles, jigsaws, read lots and yes fish if able. 

You could read all your posts over and over again from your recliner  (aka reminiscence therapy) 

[Yowie]

1 minute ago, mrsswordfisherman said:

It isn't that bad Dave. Plenty of people wear continence aids and are still active! Females have to go through life with more issues that you males!!! 

All jokes aside, yes keep moving both your body physically and your mind. 

Do crosswords, puzzles, jigsaws, read lots and yes fish if able. 

You could read all your posts over and over again from your recliner  

Yes, keep moving.

Fishing, you are moving about doing something.

Caravanning, some people (not all) sit all day and do nothing.

Heading to Port Stephens late November for several days with the van, the van club xmas function. Will have a couple of rods on board of course.

 

[rickmarlin62]

Jon d  impressive set of antlers

[noelm]

Another side line….I think if/when you retire, you need to keep active, doesn’t matter what it is, just keep moving and thinking. I guess in a funny way, having grandkids keeps you “young” teaching them stuff, playing with them, just generally fooling around. Gardening is another activity that involves some effort, digging and messing around is all physical, you don’t have to be a landscaper, but just general “pottering” is exercise and can be very rewarding. Just like fishing, it takes effort, even though it’s doesn’t seem like going to the gym, it involves “moving” and that is a good thing. A great leveller is some kind of reunion, you see friends you haven’t seen in years and kind of wonder who all these “old people” are, not for one minute considering they think the same about you……next year I am hosting a get together for our “group” people who most went through primary and high school, hung around in our teens and twenties, surfed, fished and just were/are lifelong friends, and we still keep in contact, some I haven’t physically seen for decades, I can’t even imagine how that will go, some I see regularly of course, but lots moved away over the years.

[frankS]

Well getting old and knowing it ?

Up till about 12 months ago I wouldn't face the fact that I am indeed getting old.

I am a little over a week older than @big Neil and recently adapted my lifestyle to a mobility scooter. Best think I ever did.

A little over 12 months ago I got a gadget that assists me to put my socks on, yes it has come to this.

I have been very active all my life and not being able to do the things my mind tells me I can do is very frustrating, but with the scooter and gadget to put socks on I am coping.

To go fishing these days I need someone with me that can do all the manual things needed to launch and retrieve a boat.

Walking to the mail box is about as much as I can do without assistance of some kind.

I have recently got a medical bed that motorizes every which way, so I can lay in bed and watch tele ( not that I watch tele ) just things I have taped so I can skip through the adds.

I still enjoy tinkering around with things in the shed and still have contact with a couple of boats that need attention now and again.

Frank

[Bryant fish]

Aging beats the alternative tomorrow isn’t guaranteed try too enjoy what you have

[mrsswordfisherman]

You still like to give us posts to make us think Neil.

The body is wearing out. Add the next bubble "chronic disease management" 

As reported by WHO “Between 2000 and 2050, the proportion of the world's population over 60 years will double from about 11% to 22%. The absolute number of people aged 60 years and over is expected to increase from 605 million to 2 billion over the same period.”

We are staying alive longer I spose.

@Yowie those people in the caravans doing 'nothing" are actually looking after their mental health by being out in the fresh air and sunshine, reading, doing puzzles, crafts, socialising with others etc. You will have seen all the persons out there with physical disabilities still enjoying time away. Caravanning isn't about running around touring and exploring gorges. Post knee and hip replacements will rein you in with limited movement. 

We have the van and the tinny and all the setup to enjoy travels. It is coming to the time that we will have to sell it all. It is hard work maintaining and cleaning boat, van, car and preparing to go out again. 

We have both had some health challenges recently and find ourselves going to specialists way too much. My mobility is getting past chronic and I will need knee and a hip replacement at some point. Keep moving!!!

Managing this community keeps me on my toes. I read every single post, personally approve all rego requests and answer peoples pm's and emails. That is before breakfast. It is one of those habits that has developed over 20 years 

I am writing a chapter for a book. I am an admin on a fb group. This is keeping me very busy. I just opened my Sydney Girls High school group and we are having a 50th reunion (ugh). The person organising has handed it to, guess who, yep me and another lady. 

We look after our granddaughter, Miss just turned 4 and she is very curious. Love teaching her stuff. Swordie and I walked around our garden and collected various leaves for an activity (see pic). The next morning she wanted to cook me eggs, so we got stuck in! Later, she played totem tennis and kicked a soccer ball with swordie in the backyard. Exhausting.......

To quote you @big Neil  So, is getting old the time when memories have more significance than day-to-day experiences? Fact: as we age we may lose the most recent memories, they peel off like an onion. 

Do the activities, do the reports, take the pics and keep moving!!!

Dave, have a ball with the crew and send us a report from there  

[Little_Flatty]

3 hours ago, mrsswordfisherman said:

Females have to go through life with more issues that you males!!!

I have to agree Donna, and most of it starts long before you get old!

My life vs my wife’s is much easier on a day to day basis, and I’m not talking about careers or housework!

On another note and in line with many members’ experiences, I recently learned a new term: andropause. It captures changes in men as they age (a lot of it is due to hormonal changes), but again is nowhere near as dramatic as menopause.

As for getting older, there’s a lot we could learn from many other cultures where one reveres their elders. We’re not good at this in western culture (but maybe we are a bit better in this community, because as anglers we know more years = more experience = more wisdom ≈ better fishing!). To a point, getting old, caring for the younger generations, acquiring wisdom and having more leisure time then becomes something to look forward to, rather than something just to be feared.