How Old Is Old?

I heard somewhere that when you cannot double your age anymore, you start to feel old. (For example...at age 20 you can see yourself at 40, 30 at 60, 40 at 80 but at 50....not many people double 50.

Dunno if it's true since I am not yet 30 but...

My mother is 84 and residing in an assisted-living facility.
She says she likes it there, but there's an awful lot of old people.

Old is essentially a state of mind. There are 25 year olds who think that is old and then of course many remember the popular 1960s thinking of 'Never trust anyone over 30' since apparently 30 was so old that the thinking afterwards became warped and twisted.

What I do know is, that as I age the definition of old keeps changing and also varies somewhat from day to day and in a similar fashion, my definition of young changes. Where I found myself 25years ago looking at 20 and below as young I am now at a point where I refer to a 40 year old as young. Does this make me old? You can decide for yourself, I really don't spend a lot of time thinking about it.

I once heard these girls, 15 and 16, talking about boys. One said to the other, you know Mark? I'd like to date him.
No, the other said, he is old! He is, at least, twenty!

I heard some teens talking a few years ago...and one said to the other..."...but 25...God, that's so old! " And I had just turned 25. I almost laughed outloud but refrained and allowed them to bask in their teenage bliss.

I think old is as unique as each individual. To me it is relative to how I feel at any given time and also with the passage of time. The older I become chronologically, the further "out" an age of being old becomes to me.

Remember the time of not being able to "trust" anyone over 30?

I definitely do not see my parents as "old" even though they are 71 and 73. Their zest for life and their energy, stamina and never ending activities often times amaze me. On the other hand I have known people younger than them become very old in a hurry (usually after retirement). It's like some of them are just waiting out their time to die instead of taking full advantage of the time they have left. To me, that is very sad to see.

I have a grandmother who just turned 93 last week. She still lives by herself, goes out to play cards with the girls a couple of times a week, has recently learned how to do Country Line Dancing and makes the trip to the beauty parlour to have her hair done once a week. She's 93! She should be old, yes? I don't see her as that at all.

Personally, I have some days where I still feel 25 and other days when I feel 105. The mental outlook always remains at a pretty constant 25, but the physical realities sometimes pushes the envelope to the 105 mark.

It is then that I always try to affirm that age really is just mind over matter. If you don't mind, then it doesn't matter.

I have been referred to as old as well by teenagers.
Funny, as a teen I thought 30 was old.
Now at my age I think that 70 is old.
In geriatric nursing we break down the word old.

40-60 young old
60-70 mature old
70+ elder.

I have met some 70 year olds who would kick my a__ for saying that.

Hehehe...probably my folks!

18 is too old...

when it comes to picking up hot chix!

Yeah, let's hear it for statutory rape! Can I get a high five?

Anyone?

No?

Ok I'm a loser.

HIGH FIVE!!!

You know what Winger was singing about, baby.

However, back to the topic at hand.

In all seriousness, it's gender-specific. For guys, "too old" is when he's not banging chicks in their 30's or younger.

For women, "too old" is over 40, unless she was a former super model with a ton of plastic surgery.

I like that! That's how I feel about "old".

"I once heard these girls, 15 and 16, talking about boys. One said to the other, you know Mark? I'd like to date him.
No, the other said, he is old! He is, at least, twenty! "

Francis, You must quit asking teenagers for dates. LOL

At 70, I do feel a little old. According to annuity tables, I still have 10.5 year more to live.

never trust anyone under 30...

I hear ya! On some days, I don't want to hear even the OPINION of anyone under 30. Can't help thinking, "you haven't lived long enough to have an opinion."

Hmm, here's an interesting thought. Do you think as one gets older, the more opinionated one gets?

Yep. Experience begets opinions. But the key, as always, is sometimes keeping your opinion to yourself.

The mark of a truly wise person! I guess that let's all of us out here on A2K! :wink:

I remember a rather amusing incident at a Christmas party a few years back.

No...wait. I guess I forgot.