[Macros]

Something struck me as I drove down the road earlier.
I'm getting old, considerably more sensible and, well it depressed me.

In the golden days of yore, when undertaking a journey my silly subconscious mission, that I consciously acknowledged, was to get there as quick as possible beating whatever imaginary records that previously existed. As I steered home from Donegal, I found myself keeping an eye on the mpg and trying to stretch it as far as possible, to the point of slowly easing off going up hills and slowly speeding up down the other side (commonly held as the most economic driving method). As soon as I realised what I was doing I dropped 2 gears and absolutely caned it for about 5 miles. Then realised I was acting like an idiot and eased up again.
I don't know which was more distressing, my slide into adulthood or my pathetically childish reaction to the observation.

Then I sat and really thought about it. I'm 23, when my parents were 23 they were married with two children, a thought which positively terrifies me, not least because I hate children. Over the last while, last.. year or so especially, my personality has been taking a shift, and whilst we all got to grow up sometime, some parts are changing and I don't like it, and the areas I wouldn't mind changing are staying the same, why is this?

I'm considerably more aware of the world than I used to be, I've even upgraded my trashy daily star to the mirror (and the times on a sunday) I consider and ponder important events, follow politics and worry about shit that will likely never affect my life, as its happening in a galaxy far far away.....
This is a good thing, I enjoy knowing what people are talking about, but on the same route, as my horizons have broadened, my vision has with out a doubt narrowed, considerably. Diversity is something I view with a skeptical eye, and deride whenever the opportunity arises (the modern art discussion has made this apparent to me). Whenever I make my mind up on a subject, anyone who disagrees is a raging dickhead who couldn't tell their arse from their elbow, and the more they reason the more I'll dig my heels in.

And being single now bothers me, well not bothers me, I've found myself fairytaling my old girlfriends (last one was a shocking 5 years ago upon consideration) and whenever I meet a girl out on a random night and smooch her, I'll make a proper effort to get her phone number, I've actually been on a few dates this past year, something the 4 years previous were notably lacking.


So old fogeys on the board - what age did you finally begin to grow up at? was a drastic shift in your opinions and outlook on the whole game of life noticed?

[frookenhauer]

Don't worry Mac. What you're experiencing is likely only a temporary glitch and you'll have a resurgence of youth again shortly...

For me, I matured roughly around 26 which was around the time I got married...Stayed mature for about 5 years until I divorced my lovely ex wife. I am woefully immature and will remain so until maturity is thrust upon me. Its the way it should be. Goddammit!

[Aptorian]

Old man macros

[The Drum]

Everyone has oldie moments i'm sure. heck i'm ten years older than you Mac and believe me you never truelly grow up. When i'm with my family, i'm mature, when i'm with the lads it's stupid bets, tasteless jokes etc.

Mind you i must be getting old as i've recently started watching the News on tv, something i've never done til now.

[stone monkey]

As I've never married and never had children, I've also never had to grow up. Which, as a friend who's done both pointed out to me on my last (39th) birthday, means I'm pretty much the same person she met when I was seventeen. Except better looking... and I've learned not to stare at her boobs all the time.

[Vengeance]

I think that I started to think like an adult when I was about your age. However I have retained my driving skills (Fuck mileage I have places to be. If I wanted to look at scenery then I would have taken a fucking train). I have always paid close attention to world events and what not. At least you haven't entered the land of 2 to 3 day hangovers that is when you really know that you are old.

[Vengeance]

stone monkey, on Feb 23 2009, 04:38 PM, said:

As I've never married and never had children, I've also never had to grow up. Which, as a friend who's done both pointed out to me on my last (39th) birthday, means I'm pretty much the same person she met when I was seventeen. Except better looking... and I've learned not to stare at her boobs all the time.

That really means that you are old...shudder...

[The Drum]

Vengeance, on Feb 23 2009, 10:40 PM, said:

I think that I started to think like an adult when I was about your age. However I have retained my driving skills (Fuck mileage I have places to be. If I wanted to look at scenery then I would have taken a fucking train). I have always paid close attention to world events and what not. At least you haven't entered the land of 2 to 3 day hangovers that is when you really know that you are old.

Yeh man, when i was younger i could go out friday, saturday and sunday, starting about 1pm and go on till say 2 am and get up and go to work on a monday no problem.
Now if i take the missus out on a saturday, i'll start about 7pm finish around 1-2am and suffer till tuesday. mind you i don't drink as often anymore.

[Raymond Luxury Yacht]

I turn 30 on march 5 and distressingly have yet to mature in any meaningful way. Well, that's the way it seems anyways, but when I get around younger people I do sometimes feel like the old guy. Getting married matured me some, but I think the big thing keeping me from feeling adult sometimes is my shambles of a career. If I could get a decent "career" job it would go far towards making me feel more like my age.

I still like video games way too much for a 30 year old.

[frookenhauer]

Raymond Luxury Yacht, on Feb 23 2009, 10:54 PM, said:

I still like video games way too much for a 30 year old.

I'm sorry, but this is wrong, wrong, wrong! Video games rock, but its not too often I'm still up at the crack of dawn playing.

[stone monkey]

I'm 40 this year and a good game can still eat great big chunks of my life. I know guys who use their computer game habit as a way to bond with their kids - or so they tell their wives.

[The Drum]

As i grow older i find that the younger generation are completly wrong about everything and i find myself saying 'when i were a lad' way too often

[Cold Iron]

Clive Bromhall thinks you're all gay.

[Slow Ben]

I turn 30 in August and i just recently really started getting serious with my life. For example, i'm actually tryin to save money now, thinking about what i'll be doing in 10 years. It actually started around 26 but isnt sinking in now until i got a serious gf. Its a lot easier to coast through life spending thousands on junk getting hammered all the time when you dont have someone else to worry about. Now I have to worry about "Us" and how i'm going to take care of her. And that makes you grow up pretty quick.

On the plus side she's going to medical school so hopefully in about 15 years she'll be taking care of me and i'll be back where i was a few years ago. Heres hoping!

[Mezla PigDog]

I'm 29 in a couple of weeks. There is no point to 29 as you are just staring 30 in the face, so may as well be 30. I have really noticed myself getting sensible over the last year. I've just got too much to do to be otherwise. The worst thing I noticed, and I would have actively said "that will never happen to me" even 12months ago is that I would actually rather be in work than at home on a week day!!! That's just wrong on so many levels!

Otherwise, I quite like getting older so far. I'm not hung up about as much stuff, have more appreciation of my own abilities, I have more cash, more freedom and am generally having more fun than I had in my mid-20s.

RLY - I was always under the impression that you were older!!

[alestar]

23 is old!?!?!?

Shit, I must be dead...

[RodeoRanch]

Soon the forum will be dead during afternoon nap times for all the old folk here.

[Raymond Luxury Yacht]

Mezla PigDog, on Feb 23 2009, 04:06 PM, said:

RLY - I was always under the impression that you were older!!

And with the steaming nuggets of wisdom I leave piled up around here, who can blame you. I have an old soul. Unfortunately, my old soul is immature for his years, so I'm all mixed up.

I've been accused of being older on this forum before. And British.

[stone monkey]

Nah. I'd never mistake you for one of us.

[Illuyankas]

I'm 24.

My brother started losing his hair at 25.

I am sexual-intercoursing terrified.