How do you feel about getting older? If you multiply your age by 2, are you 64?
I don't like getting older because I like a lot of stuff I don't typically associate with 'adults'. Videogames, Wrestling, comics, cheesy movies, whatever - I know plenty of adults like these things, but for whatever reason I still refuse to believe I'm like, a grown up, despite being two years older than when my Mom and Dad had me.
I think around the late 20s a figurative finger starts to poke you in the back of the head, asking if you're doing everything you want with your life, if you're happy, making the right choices, wondering why the eff you don't have a wife, a kid, and a puppy named SuperFudge. For the record I'm naming my first kid William Harrison Andrew Meekin, so his initials spell out WHAM. So when he does something wrong I can be like "No Whammy, no Whammy, no Whammy, Stop!"
The two people on the planet who get that joke, will laugh with glee.
That said, I think 'my generation' (which is stupid because anyone who talks about their generation while their generation is under 30 is a pretentious poop head), has been put off marriage and commitment and connection in favor of carnal pleasures. Casual connections, online dating, and all sorts of other things (internet porno) have made a long-term relationship kind of the least prudent way to get lucky.
Here's a conversation that I have with myself pretty often - keeping in mind I don't think myself a super genius, nor would I write such...awkward dialog:
If I multiply my age by 2, I arrive at 54 actually, which is how old my dad is who was splitting wood and mowing the lawn this morning while I was doing much of nothing in bed. My dad plays Minecraft IRL.
I don't like getting older because I like a lot of stuff I don't typically associate with 'adults'. Videogames, Wrestling, comics, cheesy movies, whatever - I know plenty of adults like these things, but for whatever reason I still refuse to believe I'm like, a grown up, despite being two years older than when my Mom and Dad had me.
I think around the late 20s a figurative finger starts to poke you in the back of the head, asking if you're doing everything you want with your life, if you're happy, making the right choices, wondering why the eff you don't have a wife, a kid, and a puppy named SuperFudge. For the record I'm naming my first kid William Harrison Andrew Meekin, so his initials spell out WHAM. So when he does something wrong I can be like "No Whammy, no Whammy, no Whammy, Stop!"
The two people on the planet who get that joke, will laugh with glee.
That said, I think 'my generation' (which is stupid because anyone who talks about their generation while their generation is under 30 is a pretentious poop head), has been put off marriage and commitment and connection in favor of carnal pleasures. Casual connections, online dating, and all sorts of other things (internet porno) have made a long-term relationship kind of the least prudent way to get lucky.
Here's a conversation that I have with myself pretty often - keeping in mind I don't think myself a super genius, nor would I write such...awkward dialog:
If I multiply my age by 2, I arrive at 54 actually, which is how old my dad is who was splitting wood and mowing the lawn this morning while I was doing much of nothing in bed. My dad plays Minecraft IRL.
As someone who isn't even thirty(I arrive at 54 with the magic of multiplication too), I feel the exact same I did at twenty, if a tad more cynical. Though I love the insane amount of disconnect I feel with fellow employees who are only four or five years younger than me. Makes me feel like some grizzled old man who's been living in a single room shack and was just re-introduced to society.
ReplyDeleteNothing makes me feel older then when an athlete I've grown up watching retires. Donovan McNabb for example...followed him at Syracuse when I was in high school, watched his entire career play bout through college and my 20s. It'll be the same "fuck I'm getting old feeling" when a guy like Kobe retires
ReplyDeleteMy "double age" hits 64 in ten months. And no, I don't really feel "older"... it's just another number at the moment. That'll change, but I won't worry about it until it does.
ReplyDeleteHere's the thing: I'm in my 30's, and I tell these young kids that I COULD do all the things that they do, but I don't have the time. I have a career. But what I learned from the OG's in the game that lasted as long as they did was that your body is an investment so take care of it. NEVER blow off doctors appointments.
ReplyDeleteAgreed (said while eating french fries)
ReplyDeleteAs well as I try to eat I'm still going here at least once:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.heartattackgrill.com
(Parallax approved.)
My double age is 66. I thought everything was going to end once I hit 30 but it's just the opposite. I worked hard in my 20s and now I'm enjoying stuff in my 30s.
ReplyDeleteOnly thing is I never dated around much when I was younger and it's looking more and more like I'm going to have to jump in the dating pool. 33 isn't really an ideal age to start this
Psh, just dye your hair a little grey and hang out around Law Schools.
ReplyDeleteIt's crazy to think that Tom Brady is old now. He was a rookie my freshman year of school, and is now 'ending his career'.
ReplyDeleteHell man, I'd have to use some black dye just to make it a little gray.
ReplyDeleteWell then you're golden. If Kevin Kline can get laid in last vegas, anyone can!
ReplyDeleteI'm 32, and stably employable and all that, which is nice. A lot of people are surprised I'm not in the 25-27 range when I tell them that. Part of it is that I know what my interests are, and they don't include, say, golf or khaki pants. And more than half my social circle are musicians and comics, so I don't exactly hang around a crowd that feels like it has to settle down and get serious at a certain age.
ReplyDeleteNice. For some reason based on your profile picture I assume you're in a folk rock band and play songs about your soul with a lot of banjos. \m/ (>.<) \m/
ReplyDeleteHa, no, I'm a comic and sometime electronic musician.
ReplyDeleteDid your SO in a Careless Whisper say call your son William Harrison Andrew Meekin? Did your SO also tell you to Wake Me Up Before You Go Go?
ReplyDeleteI get the WHAM references but not the careless whisper part.
ReplyDeleteCareless whisper is a wham song
ReplyDeletehttp://youtu.be/izGwDsrQ1eQ
ReplyDeleteWhoa, you posted this on my birthday. Weird.
ReplyDeleteI would be 66. I have been in my career for 10 years and out of college for 12 years. I have owned 2 homes (sold them) and am now renting (which I am much happier with). I have been married and tried having a kid when I was married (luckily it never happened); now I am divorced (which I am also much happier with). I realized that the house and marriage and kids were not what I truly wanted. Having kids are a pain in the ass (I know this from being a teacher; I love my job though). Being married is also a pain in the ass especially if one settles in the relationship a bit. Owning a house is also a pain in the ass (in the first year of my last house, we spent about 6-7000 just on major fixes).
ReplyDeleteI realized this year what I truly wanted was to enjoy my life, not get caught up in petty bullshit, enjoy having nice lazy relaxing days like today, and see the world (went on a mediterranean cruise last summer, going to mayan ruins during winter break, going to machu picchu in the next couple years, possibly going to the ddpyoga retreat next summer). I realized I want to get into better shape (thank you ddp), have nice luxuries, and not stress about paying for stupid shit.
totally on purpose.
ReplyDelete(not on purpose)