Forty-Two

8/9/07 | 60Gunner

[60Gunner]

I turned 42 years old yesterday. There are a few ways of looking at this age. A pessimist, of course, would say that I'm already halfway to 84. On the other hand, there is some significance attached to this age. For example:

I'm twice as much fun as a 21-year-old; I'm young enough to be naughty and old enough to appreciate it. My age also happens to be the Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything.

It isn't so bad. Except maybe when I try to get into/out of my car, chair, bed, etc. and make the same oof! sound my dad made when he was 42. That gets a little irritating. And I have noticed that the women who flirt with me older.

But to a 70- or 80- year-old, I am still a "young man." I'll take it where I can get it.

[GeorgefromGeorgia]

I am 59 and 42 seems young to me now. Since I was 42, many wonderful things have happened to me in my life, and I wish you the same good life. My message to you “LIFE IS GOOD.”
This doesn’t mean that you throw away your honor or integrity, or buy a sports car or get divorced or what.
What you can do is what the book “Passages” suggests, is look back on your life and take stock. Learn from your mistakes, everyone makes them, remind yourself of the good and press on to the greater future.
Your life may be different, but these past 17 years have had my children grown up, finished college, I got promoted twice. During my 50s I was able to save a good deal of my income and my Wife and I built our dream retirement home. I am retiring in six months to that home, and will try to work part-time, ride my road bike 120 miles a week, and enjoy my loved ones.
Since I was 42, I have read about 500 books, including some of the best fiction and nonfiction in my life. I recommend:
Anna Karena
War and Peace (I like Tolstoy)
Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (actually six books)
Living in America (by de Tocqueville)
W. Churchill’s “The Second World War”
Anything by Michael Crichton (some light reading is fun)

Also, get medical checkups every couple of years, you want to keep living.
Last but not least, make sure your loved ones know that you love them.

[Red Badger]

Was he in Raise the Titanic? If he was, it is................

[Bob Loblaw]

Happy Birthday.

If you love life, then each birthday -- indeed, each new day is a blessing.

[FortWorthPatriot]

I’m right there with you. I’ll be 45 next Wednesday (August 15th).

[stuartcr]

120yrs!! How could anyone afford to live that long?

[CindyDawg]

You are looking at it all wrong. How can we afford not to live (and work) that long. Who would feed Congress?

[stuartcr]

What could someone 105yo do to generate some income?

[mpackard]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to you both. I enjoyed your descriptions of aging. I’ll be 44 next month and I keep thinking that I’ll have to live to be 88 if I want to call myself middle-aged. I think that this is where I start having to accept that I’m on the down side of the hill.

[MoochPooch]

Wait till you turn 50. Actually, think of every year as progressive.

Happy B-Day.

[Trajan88]

Trajan88 turns 42 in a little over 3 weeks.

ROCK ME... NOW DEBATE ME :-)

[bikerman]

Right on I will turn 64 next month retired at 62 and enjoying every minute of it.Think its time for a brewski yeehaa.

[CindyDawg]

Get elected to the Senate at 50? You could end up a rich old man/woman:’) You wouldn’t have to do anything but talk and could probably even take naps.

[art_rocks]

Woo-Hoo, Still in my 30s till Monday.

[Ax]

I turned 65 about ten days ago. My best year was age 42. But considering the alternative, 65 isn’t bad. FDR was president when I came along. I remember Truman and Ike, and was a couple of years too young to vote for JFK when I was on active duty. Didn’t like LBJ. Learned later what a real snake he was. Spent the worst of the Carter years on base where I didn’t need any gas. Wait! They were all worst years. Welcomed RWR along with my State Department in an apartment in Jeddah. Watched GHWB’s inauguration on AFTV in Buenos Aires. Was very upset with GHWB when he didn’t go into Baghdad; I shamefully admit that as a protest I voted for the bent one, and have lived to regret that. Wrote in Powell/Schwarzkopf in a mock election in 1996 in Havana. Worked hard for GWB in both elections. Hope the next 65 are as good.

[mpackard]

I was almost sure that you were going to say that you were now ready to die, having given up everything.

[ZinGirl]

Hey....*I* am going to be 44 next month, too! I won't accept I'm on THAT side of the hill if you don't.

The funnest part is my 15 yr-old daughter is sounding JUST LIKE ME on the phone...my friends, siblings, nieces, nephews, boss, and even my OWN MOTHER can't tell us apart. ha ha ha. the big question, "do i sound 15 or does she sound in her mid-forties".

[metesky]

You're ooffing at 42? You freakin' kids are softer than a sneaker full of chit.

[Just another Joe]

My Dad always told me, "You don't start living until you're 40. Before that you don't have the experience to know what you really enjoy."
You're just starting, my FRiend.

;^)

[Marie]

Happy birthday fellow Leo! (I turn 37 on Monday!) ;-)

[fieldmarshaldj]

Happy belated birthday.