Feeling my age

[onthedarkside]

60 is the new 40.

How I wish But in my case that is just not true.

Not sure whether I am having a better time now than in my 40s...I think I am though...

I was relating to health issue/state of body. I would agree that quality of life is better as I have been living here in Thailand for almost 20 years and the warmer climate helps my arthritic joints. I also have a quality life partner, sole mate, and business partner - my long suffering wife

[kevvy]

most of us aren’t happy when we’re young. We’re actually much happier when we’re old. People actually get happier as they get older. Most people’s happiness grows significantly after age 50 and throughout their 60s. Nobody knows why this happens, but it probably has something to do with lower stress levels, fewer responsibilities, and the acceptance of who we are as people. By the time you’re 60, you should realize that people are not looking at you, they’re looking at themselves. So don’t worry too much about the clothes you wear, the car you drive, or the house you live in. Other people aren’t paying attention. You know now not to take yourself too seriously.It’s important to reach out and help others. But do the things you want to do, not the things other people want you to do.I find I am the happiness I have been in my life at this age .

Where is my walking stick gone......damm

[OldChinaHam]

60 is the new 40.

How I wish But in my case that is just not true.

Not sure whether I am having a better time now than in my 40s...I think I am though...

I was relating to health issue/state of body. I would agree that quality of life is better as I have been living here in Thailand for almost 20 years and the warmer climate helps my arthritic joints. I also have a quality life partner, sole mate, and business partner - my long suffering wife

I can relate to that.

[David48]

60 is the new 40.

Humm wise one ...

What then is the '50' ?

50 is the new ... ??

[charlie1968]

Must be the new 30 lol

Charlie

[harrry]

60 is the new 40.

Humm wise one ...

What then is the '50' ?

50 is the new ... ??

50 is the new nothing....it is neither here nor there.

[cmsally]

Or too late.

I backpacked in my early 50s and got a few strange looks from the gap year crowd.

Late 60s will blow them right away.

You wanna bet. I have a good friend who backpacks every year - she is 76.

She is old enough to be my mother but we have often backpacked together.

One of her travelling companions that she picked up was only in his 20's.

He sent her an email saying she was one of the best travelling companions on his whole trip.

Actually through her and another couple of people I have met a huge amount of people over 60 who regularly backpack. More in that age group than my own (who are all home working and paying the bills).

[sceadugenga]

I think that the fair sex get a bit more leeway than a lone older bloke wandering around Asia.

I made plenty of friends in my travels but mainly guys in their 20s, the really young crowd tended to look through me.

My post was a bit tongue in cheek but who knows, if I start traveling that way again I may meet someone whom your friend hasn't already impressed.

[willyumiii]

Turned 60 a few months ago and like you ,am dealing with some serious medical issues that showed up earlier in life.

But.....I find my self feeling good and am in pretty good shape these days.

Part of my medical problem prevents me from putting on weight by eating and if I don't eat a lot, I lose weight!

My remedy to this is exercise.

I have made weights to work out with from a bamboo pole and two buckets filled with cement

I work out with the weights a bout 4 times a week.

I actually gain weight by building muscle.

I'm no Charles Atlas, but I'm in good shape and look pretty good for a 60 year old man.

I find that I sleep better too, but not as long. I sleep about 6 hours a night now, at least 8 when I was younger..

Try pushing yourself a bit, it;s not easy to get started, but feels good after a while and actually becomes a little addicting.

I can honestly say I feel and look better at 60 than I did at 40.

Try it.

Choke dee!. .

[kevvy]

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Very hard for me me to do any fitness. The MRSA actually ate some of my dics away as well as my right hip and done damage to my left one and left knee. Cannot lift my right arm past my shouler high. Some of my organs were also attacked, heart(30%) and kidneys . Cannot walk for any great distance. But heh life is great and love waking up each day life is good

[pomchop]

I think that the fair sex get a bit more leeway than a lone older bloke wandering around Asia.

I made plenty of friends in my travels but mainly guys in their 20s, the really young crowd tended to look through me.

My post was a bit tongue in cheek but who knows, if I start traveling that way again I may meet someone whom your friend hasn't already impressed.

I still enjoy going the "backpacker route" of guest houses and old beat up buses and boats from time to time though I don't really carry a backpack anymore. I also can't take more than about five hours on a bus so I just get off and spend the night along the way which often results in some very pleasant memories.

When I was young I backpacked around the world two times and would not trade that experience for anything ever. Today's backpackers TRULY do not have a clue as to how EASY it is now compared to 40 years ago. ATM's everywhere, internet, cell phones, high tech gear, way way more people speak English, travel guides and websites filled with all kinds of info and tips etc etc.....and I think Thailand might be the EASIEST place on the planet to backpack with cheap hotels everywhere, some tuk tuk or songtaeow or bus or train or budget airline to haul you most anywhere you want with ease and cheaply.

I have met and talked with many young backpackers over the past few years and of course try and semi "bite my tongue" when one of them starts to whine about how tough it is to have to walk two blocks to find a banana pancake. Have told a few of them some old backpacker stories about what it was like in the OLDEN DAYS to backpack across Turkey, Iran, and the like. Not sure they even believe me or perhaps just act interested to be polite to the OLD GUY.

The ones that just blow this OLD GUY away are the ones with the massive backpacks ...some even now carry one on the back and one on the front.

WHY OH WHY would you lug all that crap around in a hot climate like Thailand? There are laundries everywhere and IF you plan on going to some cold weather place after Thaiand then you can certainly buy a coat or sweater then. In fact I probably carry LESS stuff for a two week trip than most people take for a weekend. Backpacking to me should be about freedom of movement and trying to carry 50 lbs of stuff around just really isn't all that smart. The other thing I see is the number of backpackers who seem more interested in looking at their phone than the people and places that they have traveled halfway around the world to see. Hint: There will be plenty of time when you get home to stare at phone and computer screens.

Anyway.....I do think that doing a bit of rough type travel helps to keep me a bit younger and I hope to continue with a few trips every year for many years to come.

Edited October 18, 2013 by pomchop

[ripstanley]

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Very hard for me me to do any fitness. The MRSA actually ate some of my dics away as well as my right hip and done damage to my left one and left knee. Cannot lift my right arm past my shouler high. Some of my organs were also attacked, heart(30%) and kidneys . Cannot walk for any great distance. But heh life is great and love waking up each day life is good

You have a great attitude. I enjoy reading your posts.

[kevvy]

You have a great attitude. I enjoy reading your posts.[/quote)

Thankyou for kind words. Really looking forward to visit CR at christmas time
As I love to dress up as Santa and give the kids some goodies.There was a girl who posted on here a month ago ,maybe longer who wanted help with a christmas function. I posted her and we are all excited about Santa meeting the kids.I grew up and was taught better to give than reveive.I do believe in Christmas and what it means
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[Lizard2010]

60 is the new 40.

AH

So that is what im going through

[onthedarkside]

This topic is about 'Feeling my age'. Unfortunately one of our members manged to steer this topic onto rain. All those off topic posts removed.

[sceadugenga]

I'll never get to 10,000 posts at this rate.

[harrry]

I'll never get to 10,000 posts at this rate.

With your advancing age do you feel your ageing finger joints with all the typing get creakier with all the rain?

[sceadugenga]

The rust it causes makes my keyboard stiffer and my aged fingers struggle to type more than a few lines a day.

[billd766]

I am 69 now and I know and accept that I cannot do some of the things I could do at 60. Physical things I did at 50 so easily were harder at 60 and virtually impossible at 69.

When I was in my 20s in the military I was fit . On leave I got a job in a fruit and veg firm and with a mate we could load and unload and stack 5 tons of spuds in 50kg sacks in 20 minutes.

Now just moving one 50 kg sack is difficult unless I pick it off the truck bed around the middle and that one buggers me up for a while. Lifting it off the floor is a no-no.

Now I have learned to cook properly and I am slowly writing about my life and doing things that require less physical effort and that I CAN do.

My next plan in life is to see my son through Uni or Tech what ever he chooses and as he is only 9 it is a bit of a longer term plan.

I only speak to him and his friends in English to teach them another language and he translates for me if they don't understand.

I would love to learn Thai but being partly deaf and tone deaf doesn't make life that easy.

OP my advice is to accept whatever you CAN do and look back at the things you could do and get somebody else to do the hard work.

Both my Mum and my Dad died at 69 and my brother was 6 weeks short of his 82nd birthday when he died so I know I have to do better than that.

And I will.

[TexasRanger]

Every time I see an older guy in good shape I admire their spirit.

You don't have to move mountains but you must continue to move.

F@#k aches and pains, we all have them. Don't surrender, don't give in gracefully, every day is a gift, ask anyone who has dodged the bullet.

Good luck to all.

[kevvy]

I am 69 now and I know and accept that I cannot do some of the things I could do at 60. Physical things I did at 50 so easily were harder at 60 and virtually impossible at 69.

When I was in my 20s in the military I was fit . On leave I got a job in a fruit and veg firm and with a mate we could load and unload and stack 5 tons of spuds in 50kg sacks in 20 minutes.

Now just moving one 50 kg sack is difficult unless I pick it off the truck bed around the middle and that one buggers me up for a while. Lifting it off the floor is a no-no.

Now I have learned to cook properly and I am slowly writing about my life and doing things that require less physical effort and that I CAN do.

My next plan in life is to see my son through Uni or Tech what ever he chooses and as he is only 9 it is a bit of a longer term plan.

I only speak to him and his friends in English to teach them another language and he translates for me if they don't understand.

I would love to learn Thai but being partly deaf and tone deaf doesn't make life that easy.

OP my advice is to accept whatever you CAN do and look back at the things you could do and get somebody else to do the hard work.

Both my Mum and my Dad died at 69 and my brother was 6 weeks short of his 82nd birthday when he died so I know I have to do better than that.

And I will.

I know you will , I too love to cook and Heston Blumenthal is my favourite chef . If you've ever been through a major life transition, physically and psychologically, all of us will experience it several times during our lives, exchanging one identity for another.Instead of dwelling on hopes and fears about an unknowable future, focus your attention on whatever is happening right now.I know I do this. As I have said I am excited about "my new life"

[kevvy]

Every time I see an older guy in good shape I admire their spirit.

You don't have to move mountains but you must continue to move.

F@#k aches and pains, we all have them. Don't surrender, don't give in gracefully, every day is a gift, ask anyone who has dodged the bullet.

Good luck to all.

mmmm maybe you came and visited me when I was in hospital and I told you to go (your avatar) Life is a gift now and I will never forget it. Live it, love it, enjoy it.

[billd766]

I am 69 now and I know and accept that I cannot do some of the things I could do at 60. Physical things I did at 50 so easily were harder at 60 and virtually impossible at 69.

When I was in my 20s in the military I was fit . On leave I got a job in a fruit and veg firm and with a mate we could load and unload and stack 5 tons of spuds in 50kg sacks in 20 minutes.

Now just moving one 50 kg sack is difficult unless I pick it off the truck bed around the middle and that one buggers me up for a while. Lifting it off the floor is a no-no.

Now I have learned to cook properly and I am slowly writing about my life and doing things that require less physical effort and that I CAN do.

My next plan in life is to see my son through Uni or Tech what ever he chooses and as he is only 9 it is a bit of a longer term plan.

I only speak to him and his friends in English to teach them another language and he translates for me if they don't understand.

I would love to learn Thai but being partly deaf and tone deaf doesn't make life that easy.

OP my advice is to accept whatever you CAN do and look back at the things you could do and get somebody else to do the hard work.

Both my Mum and my Dad died at 69 and my brother was 6 weeks short of his 82nd birthday when he died so I know I have to do better than that.

And I will.

I know you will , I too love to cook and Heston Blumenthal is my favourite chef . If you've ever been through a major life transition, physically and psychologically, all of us will experience it several times during our lives, exchanging one identity for another.Instead of dwelling on hopes and fears about an unknowable future, focus your attention on whatever is happening right now.I know I do this. As I have said I am excited about "my new life"

Enjoy your life and make the best of what you can with what you have. If you can't do something one way then try a different way.

When we were building the house and fencing the land one guy was carrying the concrete fence posts. He was skinny as a rake and looked as though a strong wind would blow him away. I still see him around but he doesn't do much humping these days. The time I am talking about was 9 years ago when I was 60 and he was over 70 then. Been a farmer and labourer all his life and it was his skill and what he knew.

On the other hand if you gave him a computer he would be lost. Horses for courses.

[onthedarkside]

8 juvenile posts removed. Keep on track or have the topic closed. Up to you ?

[kevvy]

What i cannot understand is some members write some nasty posts or anything that hurts other members you want to close . why do the ones who want to keep the post open have to suffer. Old age is bad enough and when we like a post that is our enjoyment i get my walking stick now

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[kevvy]

 

I am 69 now and I know and accept that I cannot do some of the things I could do at 60. Physical things I did at 50 so easily were harder at 60 and virtually impossible at 69.

 

When I was in my 20s in the military I was fit . On leave I got a job in a fruit and veg firm and with a mate we could load and unload and stack 5 tons of spuds in 50kg sacks in 20 minutes.

 

Now just moving one 50 kg sack is difficult unless I pick it off the truck bed around the middle and that one buggers me up for a while. Lifting it off the floor is a no-no.

 

Now I have learned to cook properly and I am slowly writing about my life and doing things that require less physical effort and that I CAN do.

 

My next plan in life is to see my son through Uni or Tech what ever  he chooses and as he is only 9 it is a bit of a longer term plan.

 

I only speak to him and his friends in English to teach them another language and he translates for me if they don't understand.

 

I would love to learn Thai but being partly deaf and tone deaf doesn't make life that easy.

 

OP my advice is to accept whatever you CAN do and look back at the things you could do and get somebody else to do the hard work.

 

Both my Mum and my Dad died at 69 and my brother was 6 weeks short of his 82nd birthday when he died so I know I have to do better than that.

  

And I will.

 

I know you will , I too love to cook and Heston Blumenthal is my favourite chef .  If you've ever been through a major life transition,  physically and psychologically, all of us will experience it several times during our lives, exchanging one identity for another.Instead of dwelling on hopes and fears about an unknowable future, focus your attention on whatever is happening right now.I know I do this. As I have said I am excited about "my new life"

 

 

Enjoy your life and make the best of what you can with what you have. If you can't do something one way then try a different way.

 

When we were building the house and fencing the land one guy was carrying the concrete fence posts. He was skinny as a rake and looked as though a strong wind would blow him away. I still see him around but he doesn't do much humping these days. The time I am talking about was 9 years ago when I was 60 and he was over 70 then. Been a farmer and labourer all his life and it was his skill and what he knew.

 

On the other hand if you gave him a computer he would be lost. Horses for courses.

 

I have seen many older men in AUstralia that cannot do half the stuff that the THai men do at the same age . I would like to find out life expectancy here

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[Dancealot]

I have seen many older men in AUstralia that cannot do half the stuff that the THai men do at the same age . I would like to find out life expectancy here

This graph does not show farang.

Given you live, behave and eat like the average Thai man, this should give an indication.

Source.

[edit] I won't search, instead I ask here tactfully, if there is a statistic about foreigners.

Edited October 21, 2013 by Dancealot

[sceadugenga]

I suspect that life expectancy tables have a lot to do with infant mortality rate.

Poor quality water and limited funds for medication would effect this but once a child has survived the first few years I wonder what their life expectancy would be then?

Farang probably out live most farm laborers, we eat better, maybe not drink less in some cases but drink better, have better access to doctors and hospitals and in many cases our families have a vested interest in keeping us alive.

[Garry]

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/th.html

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 74.05 years

country comparison to the world: 115

male: 71.66 years

female: 76.58 years (2013 est.)