Getting older and our likes and dislikes

[LennG]

I get these types of links all the time, but this one I thought I would present to the group here.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/wellness/22-things-you-begin-to-dislike-as-you-get-older/ss-BB1i4SRx?ocid=msedgntp&pc=HCTS&cvid=7fba2b178ccc4c9b84f47edaecd0da44&ei=10#image=1

 I can't say I agree with this list, but it got me to thinking, as we age, what are some of the things we used to enjoy (not so much in our youth) but as we age, we really don't enjoy or look forward to as much or at all?

Myself, I used to love gardening, but now watering the plants is a pain. Same for lawn work. I used to enjoy it, but now it's time to pay someone else to do it.
Around the house, I was always busy, always looking for things to fix, tinker with, etc. Now I like to sit and think when I MIGHT get to it, and if that never happens, so be it.
Another thing is that, as I age, and get up in years, I feel that if something needs to be said, I have no problem saying it. For example, if service isn't as good as expected, years ago I might have just ignored it, now, never, I speak up and I don't care if anyone thinks it is rude, it just needs to be said.
Give me a chance to really think on this and I will have several more.

[Jolly Blue Giant]

Things that irk me as I am older:

What I don't like:

- Pretty girls addressing me as "sir" and treating me like a grandpa. The first time a pretty girl at Duncan Donuts gave me the "senior discount" without asking angered me. Took awhile, but I've embraced it now

- Cops that look like kids to me. Many are younger than my children and look like they should still be in school

- Energy...where did it go???

- Strength...where did it go???

- I need reading glasses now and I hate them

- Going to funerals of old friends, sucks

- Most of today's music, sucks

- I used to love to run and when in my 30s, would run a mile in the morning before showering and heading to work, and then a couple miles when I got home. On weekends, 3-4 miles in the morning, 3-4 miles in the evening. Now, the only way I'd run is if a bear came after me or a mountain lion or something...all the while knowing I was going to lose that race

- Cell phones...hate them. The only time the phone rings is when I'm showering, going to the bathroom, or at a checkout in a store. I miss not being able to be found and if it's that important, they'll find me. I also hate sitting around the table or in the living room and watching my kids or grandkids stare at their phones

- TV shows and movies that are politically correct, or attempting to show me a false rendition of real life families, jobs, etc

- The bitterness of politics and biased news casting...whatever happened to journalists like Walter Cronkite and Peter Jennings. Now we get shrill from talking heads with a political agenda who distort or falsely report the news
- Death of the local newspapers that reported more about what's going on in my community than obituaries 

What I like:

- Cars require much less repair and oil changes every 7k miles instead of 2k

- The innocence of my grandchildren (especially before they become teens and less interested in family). I shouldn't complain as I was no different when I was a kid. It's just a lot more noticeable when the script is flipped

- The internet. Friggin love it. Places like this message board, games to keep my brain sharp (somewhat), information about anything I can dream up at my fingertips

- Air, rivers, lakes, etc., cleaner than when I was a child. I actually watch Eagles fly by my place, and lots of wildlife that wasn't around when I was a kid

- Unlimited television options...without advertising on movie sized screens and sound that feels like you're in a theater

- Autopay for my bills so I don't have to sit around the kitchen table covered with papers trying to remember who to pay and when

- Something I love: cordless everything...tools of every kind, drills, saws, you name it. I even have a cordless Vacuum Cleaner and a cordless Kitchen Aid hand mixer

[ozzie]

As far as that list goes, I agree with a few of them for sure.
Adverts - Yes. Seems we are being bombarded by commercials every few seconds. You can't watch a 20 second youtube video without having to sit thru a 30 second commercial first. That's just ridiculous.

People - I don't mind crowds really, I just am getting to the point where I just have such a low tolerance for knuckleheads and drama queens. So, the crowd doesn't bother me, it's the make-up of the folks in the crowd. If everyone were to act civilized and respectful and realize that the world DOESN'T revolve around them, I'd have no problems.

Which ties right into the next - Drama and with this I will include Entitlement As stated above. People need to realize that no one wants to listen to your whining. We all have problems and if your Barista got your order wrong, get over it. If your child didn't make the team maybe they need to try harder. I never got an award just for showing up and I didn't want one if I didn't earn it.

As I get older though, I also realize that I enjoy doing more things that I didn't do in my younger days.
Opposite of Lenn, I now spend more time "gardening". I like to get into the yard in the evenings and water all our plants and flowers. I find it a relaxing and peaceful time of the day.
(I do pay some kid to come and mow the lawn now though. Something I never thought I would do!)

This like / dislike list could go on, but those are the major points for me.

Oh, but I will add that I still love going to concerts....even with the potential for knuckleheads in the crowd.
Will be seeing Brian Setzer in a few weeks with my daughter and hopefully the whole family be going to San Antonio in October for Billy Joel!

[Jolly Blue Giant]

I'm with you ozzie, I still like concerts and go to at least 3 a year. Hope you have fun with your daughter and Jump Jive an' Wail to the tunes...lol

I forgot to add one of the things I like in this modern age now that I'm an old coot: Amazon - love it. Now I don't have to walk 5 miles around a Super Walmart to find something, nor do I have to find a place to park, burn 10.00 worth of gas getting there and back, or checking myself out, nor dealing with large crowds of pushy people. I had some big goon run his cart into mine at a Walmart one time, and he said, "if we were in cars, you'd be dead!". He was really angry and I don't even know why. Maybe he thinks I was a guy who cut him off somewhere on the highway (I'm a safe driver and never cut someone off). Still don't know what the guy's deal was. He was waiting for a response and ready to go a round of fisticuffs - something I didn't want. So I said, "sorry if I did something that offended you", which seemed to make him angrier. His wife kept patting his arm and telling him to stop. I just walked away while he jawed at me, hoping like hell he didn't follow me. He didn't. At my age, I don't need that kind of crap from some loose canon looking for a fight

[LennG]

Let me throw a few more things out there.

As I have aged and I can also speak for my wife, we seem to enjoy quiet times a lot more. Well take out the seem, we  DO enjoy the peace and quiet of life a lot more. QWhere we live I have neighbors that if they had to be quiet, play music that only they can hear, ask their kids not to scream all the time, they would curl up and die. As a northeasterner, we still love the winters and cold weather. We enjoy lighting the fireplace and just enjoying it most every night. Maybe this comes with age, but just to sit by the fire, and watch a good movie with someone you love, well that makes it all worthwhile.

Most know I was (and still am to a point) a baseball umpire. I have been doing it for well over 50 years, but for the last 4-5, I have really lost my 'passion' for the game and umpiring in general. I can't really say why, but in years past, if I got rained out, or a game was canceled, I got annoyed, now it is a blessing.

As a young person, I simply loved to drive at night. Fewer cars on the road, things were quieter and I just seemed to relax a lot more than opposed to the hectic pace and moronic drivers that are out most of the day. Now, I still drive at night but rarely get on an interstate as I avoid any sort of high-speed driving at night. Yes, I know my getting older has a lot to do with that, as I am sort of starting to dread driving late at night.

Even though I have more time, I have basically given up reading books. I read online, I get a daily paper which I read, and I don't know why but books seem to have become a thing of the past.

I will also agree with Ric about Cell phones. If the world was without them, I would be overjoyed. I have never really adapted my life to them as so many others have. I could live a very happy and normal life if I didn't own one. I know we are in the minority on this, but when I eat dinner out and see people with their cell phones right at their side, continually looking at them, when I walk down the street and bump into people who can't stop looking at their phones instead of looking where they are going when I talk to people and they are continually looking at their phones while I am talking and I could go on and on, well, I could live without all of this very happily. ( But that wasn't the theme of the topic).

When I was younger I always enjoyed a drink or two, now I never drink anymore. It's funny, when we travel, especially in Europe, we bring back some exotic liquor as we need nothing. We save it and say we will enjoy it one day. Most of them are still sitting around somewhere, We WILL get to them one day (I hope), but we just don't feel the need to 'have a drink' these days.

 

[LennG]

Since you both chimed in about concerts, officially, we never go to major ones, but in the summer, here on Long Island, they offer many free concerts in parks just about every night, with some nights many choices. We LOVE some of these and we usually attend at least 3-4 a week. But, as times have changed, now we bring our own chairs (as most do) but we try and sit in the back (all of these are outdoors, on some grassy lawn),. We prefer being as far back as we really don't need to be up close and personal with the band, usually, the music is way too loud the closer you get, and we again, like to avoid the crowds that seem to feel the need to be right up front. Plus, bring towards the back, if we don't like it, we just pack up our chairs and leave without disturbing too many people.

[Jolly Blue Giant]

Since you both chimed in about concerts, officially, we never go to major ones, but in the summer, here on Long Island, they offer many free concerts in parks just about every night, with some nights many choices. We LOVE some of these and we usually attend at least 3-4 a week. But, as times have changed, now we bring our own chairs (as most do) but we try and sit in the back (all of these are outdoors, on some grassy lawn),. We prefer being as far back as we really don't need to be up close and personal with the band, usually, the music is way too loud the closer you get, and we again, like to avoid the crowds that seem to feel the need to be right up front. Plus, bring towards the back, if we don't like it, we just pack up our chairs and leave without disturbing too many people.

Knowing you, Lenn, like I think I do...you should join ozzie to a Brian Setzer concert. Seems like your kind of music, but I wouldn't suggest you try to dance like you did when you were a young couple...LOL

[LennG]

Knowing you, Lenn, like I think I do...you should join ozzie to a Brian Setzer concert. Seems like your kind of music, but I wouldn't suggest you try to dance like you did when you were a young couple...LOL

Ha Ric, you really hit a nerve there.    Let me tell you a nice story.
A bit over 50 years ago, I used to go to many of these sorts of mixers/dances that were sponsored locally. After a while of going month after month, you sort of see the same people time after time. So on going alone, one Saturday night and seeing the same crowd, I was ready to leave. As I was on my way out, I saw this cute girl standing by the doorway all by herself. This was the early 70's and she had on the cutest/shortest mini skirt with just fantastic legs, so I felt what the heck and I asked her if she would like to dance. She turned me down. Never one to give up, I started to chat with her and she seemed to enjoy our little chat. After a while, she gave in, and we danced and then after, went out for a late-night snack, and to make this story as short as possible, in a few months, we will be married for 50 years.
I make fun of dancing because I only dance when I have to, like at weddings, maybe at a social affair, but I simply cannot remember when I last did what might be referred to as a 'fast' dance to lively music. If and when I do get up, it is to a nice slow ballad or song, as that is about the only thing I can do on a dance floor. Dancing isn't my forte.
(or couldn't you have guessed?)

Last time we were on a cruise, an inside joke, my wife is always saying I owe her a dance, to try and get me up. I asked her if she wanted to dance (slow dance) and she again said, not at this moment. This time I was relieved and jsut sat and listened to the music.         

[Jolly Blue Giant]

You might not "like" to dance Lenn, but judging by your previous threads and postings on here, you absolutely love watching great dancing, LOL

Sorta like my love of watching great basketball

And that is a great story about how you met your wife. Proof that persistence pays off! Finding love and a loving partner throughout life is a rare wonder and lucky is the man (or woman) who gets to experience it

[Jolly Blue Giant]

My parents were ones that found life long love...married 74 years before my Dad passed away. Funny thing, since I was a child, my parents put on a dance show for us, and through the years...right up until a few years ago in Chicago at my son's wedding, they put on their last show. Always danced to Glen Miller's, "In the Mood", their favorite swing song. I was so worried about my father that I went on the dance floor and stood next to him because I was sure he'd fall. He didn't

An interesting side note, my son loves to dance as does his wife. They hit the floor later on and danced the swing to Setzer's, "In the Mood", so the family show goes on for my great-grandchildren and beyond... My parents didn't like Setzer's version, but the younger folks did

[ozzie]

YES, Amazon! I'm with you, I am spoiled by Amazon and am reminded how great it is every time I try to leave the house to buy something. HAHA!

[LennG]

You might not "like" to dance Lenn, but judging by your previous threads and postings on here, you absolutely love watching great dancing, LOL

Sorta like my love of watching great basketball

And that is a great story about how you met your wife. Proof that persistence pays off! Finding love and a loving partner throughout life is a rare wonder and lucky is the man (or woman) who gets to experience it

You are right Ric, I do LOVE to watch dancing, well, at least, most dancing, in what I do call dancing. Some of the gyrations done these days, to some, might be called dancing, but not to me.

Why is it more often than not, most times you go to a dance, most of the dancers are women, at least at our age. When we cruise, we always go and listen to music by some band and when people get up to dance, 75% of them are women with the men, the Arthur Murray graduates trying to show off their skills. Never bothers me though, as long as the music is good.

[Bill Brown]

Lenn. I hope you watch this and enjoy these young people. The girl in the white top with black polka dots is amazing. The second one has more couples dancing.

And at 76 years old  with bad knees and all the aches and pain that comes with it I must say I enjoy the heck out watching these shuffle dance videos.

But maybe you are so old and in love with Doris that you don't look at pretty young ladies.

https://youtu.be/MQrlBIMTzIM?si=EzDDO5yjdu4Ix2Os


https://youtu.be/sp4VVBmMQcU?si=VMIpa_G1tRxvMWIQ

Bill

[LennG]

Lenn. I hope you watch this and enjoy these young people. The girl in the white top with black polka dots is amazing. The second one has more couples dancing.

And at 76 years old  with bad knees and all the aches and pain that comes with it I must say I enjoy the heck out watching these shuffle dance videos.

But maybe you are so old and in love with Doris that you don't look at pretty young ladies.

https://youtu.be/MQrlBIMTzIM?si=EzDDO5yjdu4Ix2Os


https://youtu.be/sp4VVBmMQcU?si=VMIpa_G1tRxvMWIQ

Bill

Thanks, Bill. While I enjoy looking at ANY pretty girl, doing whatever, I usually like my ladies to be a bit over 15 and even though, as noted, before I've always been a leg man, I also like to look at said lady face while she is dancing, something I found lacking with some of these young ladies.

[LennG]

 I think a few more

For some reason, I would never buy a bottle of water, especially now I am older and can afford it. Maybe it just goes against my principles.

I still like to talk on a landline phone and use an answering machine.
I still use an 'older' GPS in my car and do not depend on my cell phone. I know, I know, the phone gives a lot more accurate trip details, but I just like my GPS and the way it talks to me.
I prefer to use my 35mm camera over any cell phone I ever had. My phone now takes excellent pics but I just love the feel of my camera (even if it is a pain to schlep around sometimes). I do LOVE the digital concept. As an amateur photographer, I can take as many shots as I want of a subject just to get one or two good ones. THAT I love.
I enjoy driving. Sometimes, especially with the newer model cars, you don't even feel like you are driving. I never use cruise control, I just like to feel the car on the road and me driving it.
This is just me, I refuse to over-pay for something, like ice cream, lunch, dinner, whatever, even if I wanted it. My wife and I discuss (argue would be more appropriate) about this. She tells me we are older and if we want something, even if it is more that what we want to pay, go for it. Maybe it is my upbringing (more poor than most), I tell her I just wouldn't enjoy it knowing that I am paying a ridiculous price for it. I would rather not ahve it then, then way overpay for it.