Growing Older

[youthathletics]

So damned true richard. I’m a bit behind you in age, a torn rotator cuff has come back with a vengeance ( sounds like Rice Krispies), an aggravated knee from squats, and I strained some muscle in my back upper from doing shoulder shrugs or bent over rows....hurt so bad last week I didn’t sleep a wink one evening. Oh yea, the plantar fasciitis flared up a few months back and just wont go away this time.

It’s funny how I can recall milestones in aging. First with metabolism, the needing cheaters because my arms were no longer long enough, and now just nagging aches and pains.

[Oldbarndog]

So, just turned 65. Medicare squared away, year removed from a TURP, and had colonoscopy #3 today. Golden years!

Thank the good Lord for grandkids. Keeps me on my "A" game.

[DMac]

Pretty much puts all that horseschidt about age just being a number to bed, eh fellas?
Still waking up every morning, everything still seems to be working (without blue pills)
have never had an operation, don't take any meds. Not bad for a guy who didn't figure
he'd hit sixty but that aint to say it all couldn't end tomorrow. Am 71, THC must be
good for longevity. Always had one good habit, kept myself in pretty good
shape, liked working out, wasn't a chore for me.

[richard]

It was the taking care of myself physically that started the downfall. I was feeling very good and doing stadium stairs.
All the talk about impact exercise should be on every G Ps list of things to discuss. The years of formal sports plus pickups and running et al for exercise is great but it takes its toll big time.

[DMac]

Never was a runner, I'd look at those stairs and say, nope. Was hooked on a rowing machine for years, great cardio, no impact, pretty smooth motion all in all. Weights was always part of the routine too but never went nuts trying to lift
heavy (although I did get a bug to bench 300...influenced by others in the gym) and did it, actually did 305. That aint good for you either, you'll pay the price later. Yes sir, the years catch up to you and you can feel the wear and tear. But hey, age is just a number.

[Farfromgeneva]

Arthritis. Damnable thing.

I get on the city bus and try to find a seat. But before I do all too often the driver is in such a hurry that he/she pulls off the station very rapidly. I have to hold on for dear life or I'll wind up on the ground. A couple of years ago the driver (a woman) pulled out real fast and I stood by helplessly near the entrance as I couldn't move. She yelled at me for taking too long to find a seat. I angrily barked at her telling her that I couldn't move due to arthritis and to stop the d@mn bus*. When we got to the next station I hammered her verbally and not only got her attention but that of every passenger on the bus. Soon enough I found a seat and all was settled.




* in that incident a young couple took the handicapped seating to park their baby carriage. This is illegal in Minnesota but the idiot drivers don't bother to enforce the law. I sent an email to Metro Transit and complained that this happens all too often. I got a reply that the matter would be looked into and corrected at once. Yeah, good luck with that.

That sounds like a real drag. The arthritis and the transit experience. I imagine that must be a great difficulty—we use our hands for so much all through our waking hours. Does the arthritis get worse in the cold?

Arthritis is brutal in cold weather. Worse in cold humid or moist weather. My father had the most severe form of rheumatoid arthritis possible and zero cartilage in his body by the time he was 50, maybe earlier. Consider I was born when he was 38 so it made things like playing ball together super difficult but the guy lived with pain like nobody’s business until he died due to complications from an arthritis driven (second/other) hip replacement (hospital caught cdiff post op) at 70. I had just moved him down to Atlanta a few months earlier form Binghamton NY. He really should’ve gone to Arizona or New Mexico. Toes and fingers curled my entire life. Never complained until an occasional comment in his mid late 60s when it would be - something w windchill in CNY. Had it going back to late 70s/early 80s and medications blew. Had shots of gold, such strong aspirin it gave him an ulcer at one point. Remicade along and that was better but that was like early mid 2000s.

I’ve read we’re getting closer to stopping arthritis in its tracks. I hope so it’s nasty.

[Farfromgeneva]

So, just turned 65. Medicare squared away, year removed from a TURP, and had colonoscopy #3 today. Golden years!

Thank the good Lord for grandkids. Keeps me on my "A" game.

I had my first proctologist exam about a year ago. That made me feel weird for like three days afterwards…

[Farfromgeneva]

Never was a runner, I'd look at those stairs and say, nope. Was hooked on a rowing machine for years, great cardio, no impact, pretty smooth motion all in all. Weights was always part of the routine too but never went nuts trying to lift
heavy (although I did get a bug to bench 300...influenced by others in the gym) and did it, actually did 305. That aint good for you either, you'll pay the price later. Yes sir, the years catch up to you and you can feel the wear and tear. But hey, age is just a number.

Arm bikes are legit. Do wonders for shoulders. I like rock climbing (indoor wall) too as a “natural” exercise.

Single rep weight lifting is usually a mistake. Most college athletics programs don’t even go there anymore they use a formula to interpolate a max bench from a number,3-8, reps

[44WeWantMore]

[richard]

So an updated list of old man stuff. Kidney stones. Anybody who has had them I bow down before you. The nurses told me the pain is worse than giving birth. It’s bad but I have no desire to push a watermelon out of any bodily aperture.
A cystoscopy followed by a prostate biopsy. Really sharp pain when they find a stricture then being fisted by a staple gun.
Just don’t go to a urologist. They’re like a tire salesman. They will find more things to do to you than you ever knew existed.

Gotta say that driving myself to the emergency room at 3 in the morning with the stones I looked at some telephone poles and thought they might be the answer.
Ah well I feel pretty good right now. And there was a bunch of good d3 lax on line today.

Go Tar Heel women. Go Larries.

[youthathletics]

So an updated list of old man stuff. Kidney stones. Anybody who has had them I bow down before you. The nurses told me the pain is worse than giving birth. It’s bad but I have no desire to push a watermelon out of any bodily aperture.
A cystoscopy followed by a prostate biopsy. Really sharp pain when they find a stricture then being fisted by a staple gun.
Just don’t go to a urologist. They’re like a tire salesman. They will find more things to do to you than you ever knew existed.

Gotta say that driving myself to the emergency room at 3 in the morning with the stones I looked at some telephone poles and thought they might be the answer.
Ah well I feel pretty good right now. And there was a bunch of good d3 lax on line today.

Go Tar Heel women. Go Larries.

Happy to hear you are on the mend, richard.

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

My father often said, "Never pursue a distancer."

I find it gets easier to refrain from doing that as I get older (early 60's). It's clear who wants to be in your life and who doesn't. I try less and less to reach out to folks who make that clear. Most family and friends don't come right out and say the words, "I don't want to be involved with you." They just don't ever get in touch. Or when you get in touch and say, "Let's get a cup of coffee sometime." They'll say, "Sure, let's do that." but then never follow up. Or they agree to a time and place and then cancel down the road. Just makes those who do want to be in our lives (who we want to be in our lives, of course) that much more valuable.

[youthathletics]

My father often said, "Never pursue a distancer."

I find it gets easier to refrain from doing that as I get older (early 60's). It's clear who wants to be in your life and who doesn't. I try less and less to reach out to folks who make that clear. Most family and friends don't come right out and say the words, "I don't want to be involved with you." They just don't ever get in touch. Or when you get in touch and say, "Let's get a cup of coffee sometime." They'll say, "Sure, let's do that." but then never follow up. Or they agree to a time and place and then cancel down the road. Just makes those who do want to be in our lives (who we want to be in our lives, of course) that much more valuable.

Interesting. I wonder if what your father said applied far more in his era vs now.... I certainly agree with his comment. As an empath, I often find that others struggle with being vulnerable and intamacy (in to me you see), so they often avoid settings to protect themselves. I do not think it is personal, just a nature of staying in the safe lane. And when you do find those acquaintances, friends.....its as if the time apart was mere minutes, rather than years.

Best!

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

My father often said, "Never pursue a distancer."

I find it gets easier to refrain from doing that as I get older (early 60's). It's clear who wants to be in your life and who doesn't. I try less and less to reach out to folks who make that clear. Most family and friends don't come right out and say the words, "I don't want to be involved with you." They just don't ever get in touch. Or when you get in touch and say, "Let's get a cup of coffee sometime." They'll say, "Sure, let's do that." but then never follow up. Or they agree to a time and place and then cancel down the road. Just makes those who do want to be in our lives (who we want to be in our lives, of course) that much more valuable.

Interesting. I wonder if what your father said applied far more in his era vs now.... I certainly agree with his comment. As an empath, I often find that others struggle with being vulnerable and intamacy (in to me you see), so they often avoid settings to protect themselves. I do not think it is personal, just a nature of staying in the safe lane. And when you do find those acquaintances, friends.....its as if the time apart was mere minutes, rather than years.

Best!

I agree--there's certainly an element of that. And maybe they're going through a "bad patch" as well. I guess another way I could say it is--I've become more content in my own skin and keeping my own company (on the whole) as the years go by, so I don't feel as motivated to always be the one to make contact. And rarely try multiple times to get in touch with family and friends after the first attempt. I remember a few years back, I called an old friend whom I hadn't spoken with in a good long while. He was happy to hear from me, but he started the conversation with, "Hey, I was wondering what happened to you--if you were still alive or what." To which I responded, "The phone lines go both ways."

[youthathletics]

My father often said, "Never pursue a distancer."

I find it gets easier to refrain from doing that as I get older (early 60's). It's clear who wants to be in your life and who doesn't. I try less and less to reach out to folks who make that clear. Most family and friends don't come right out and say the words, "I don't want to be involved with you." They just don't ever get in touch. Or when you get in touch and say, "Let's get a cup of coffee sometime." They'll say, "Sure, let's do that." but then never follow up. Or they agree to a time and place and then cancel down the road. Just makes those who do want to be in our lives (who we want to be in our lives, of course) that much more valuable.

Interesting. I wonder if what your father said applied far more in his era vs now.... I certainly agree with his comment. As an empath, I often find that others struggle with being vulnerable and intamacy (in to me you see), so they often avoid settings to protect themselves. I do not think it is personal, just a nature of staying in the safe lane. And when you do find those acquaintances, friends.....its as if the time apart was mere minutes, rather than years.

Best!

I agree--there's certainly an element of that. And maybe they're going through a "bad patch" as well. I guess another way I could say it is--I've become more content in my own skin and keeping my own company (on the whole) as the years go by, so I don't feel as motivated to always be the one to make contact. And rarely try multiple times to get in touch with family and friends after the first attempt. I remember a few years back, I called an old friend whom I hadn't spoken with in a good long while. He was happy to hear from me, but he started the conversation with, "Hey, I was wondering what happened to you--if you were still alive or what." To which I responded, "The phone lines go both ways."

It's funny, I am more of a restrained/inhibited introvert, I like to say I am in extroverted-introvert. Whenever we go anywhere, I always make friends, find common ground, and often find out we have mutual connections..... and it drives my wife nuts. She often says we can't go anywhere without you knowing someone. It's not because I am extroverted across the board, I believe its why I tag myself as I did....I am outgoing in small sided settings.

Not to mention, often, men have a really hard time reaching out, as it can be perceived as weakness. In my leadership role at work, it is my biggest and most rewarding challenge; navigating through all the personalities to draw out induvial growth. To your point, those quick calls for check-in, hey, lets grab coffee, a personal note....have such a monumental impact on our quality of life.

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

It's funny, I am more of a restrained/inhibited introvert, I like to say I am in extroverted-introvert. Whenever we go anywhere, I always make friends, find common ground, and often find out we have mutual connections..... and it drives my wife nuts. She often says we can't go anywhere without you knowing someone. It's not because I am extroverted across the board, I believe its why I tag myself as I did....I am outgoing in small sided settings.

Not to mention, often, men have a really hard time reaching out, as it can be perceived as weakness. In my leadership role at work, it is my biggest and most rewarding challenge; navigating through all the personalities to draw out induvial growth. To your point, those quick calls for check-in, hey, lets grab coffee, a personal note....have such a monumental impact on our quality of life.

Interesting. And I agree--quick check ins are gratifying, not to mention encouraging.

In my case, I'm less and less truly comfortable in groups. If I can avoid them I do. Any company get togethers are avoided at all costs. Even family gatherings are difficult. I'll usually find a spot where I'm comfortable and I'll stay there until the crowd thins out a bit. My appetite is non-existent in group settings. It only comes back when the crowd thins. Much different at work. I work at a blue collar sales counter. I'm interacting with contractors and what we refer to in the trade as Joe Homeowner's all day. I'm in my element there. I enjoy interacting with certain customers. Bursts of laughter, from both sides of the counter, are not uncommon. Very comfortable in that setting.

A friend of mine gave me a definition of introvert (which is completely what I am) in layman's terms. He said there's a group of geese all together and then there's one alone separated from the group. That's the introvert. The one who is more comfortable away from groups.

I've always enjoyed folks like you. Those who make friends everywhere they go. I'd probably enjoy talking to you if I met you, as well.

May I ask--what kind of things do you do/say to draw out individual growth?

[molo]

Minor knee issue—major in my wife’s view—has caused me to cut back on running after doing it fairly seriously from my mid20s through late 60, but here’s the basic routine that keeps the BMI under 25 at 72. Resistance work three times a week with 30lb kettlebell, 100 pushups every day, one hour on the stationary bike every day, one to two hour hike in the woods with mixed hound every day. Ok, just a short walk around the neighborhood in today’s snow. With my protector headed across the ocean for the next few weeks, it’s possible that I might trade the stationary bike for a real bike a couple of times. Gotta confer with the hound about that.
On a sad note, in October while I was visiting my daughter her son, and husband in Spain, I met up with a guy with whom I go to a lot of lax games. A Green Beret and golf pro, he ran a couple of sub 3:00.0 marathons when we were younger and has kept in the same relative shape—albeit a tad slower than in our lifeguard days—and was saying during our time in BCN how he never expected to feel so good as he approached 77. He and his wife knocked off about 80 miles of the Camino, matched me on our walking tours of BCN, and took a bike tour of Madrid before heading back home.
He called me right after I got back to the States to reminisce about the trip but to deliver some bad news. Not long after arriving back home. he had a seizure. Examination revealed melanoma that had metastasized to his brain and lungs. This guy who never smoked and hadn’t had a drink in ages is now taking immunotherapy.
Even the best lifestyle and health habits couldn’t stave off the effects of the sun and I assume heredity.
Sometimes age is just a number, sometimes a real complain.

[youthathletics]

It's funny, I am more of a restrained/inhibited introvert, I like to say I am in extroverted-introvert. Whenever we go anywhere, I always make friends, find common ground, and often find out we have mutual connections..... and it drives my wife nuts. She often says we can't go anywhere without you knowing someone. It's not because I am extroverted across the board, I believe its why I tag myself as I did....I am outgoing in small sided settings.

Not to mention, often, men have a really hard time reaching out, as it can be perceived as weakness. In my leadership role at work, it is my biggest and most rewarding challenge; navigating through all the personalities to draw out induvial growth. To your point, those quick calls for check-in, hey, lets grab coffee, a personal note....have such a monumental impact on our quality of life.

Interesting. And I agree--quick check ins are gratifying, not to mention encouraging.

In my case, I'm less and less truly comfortable in groups. If I can avoid them I do. Any company get togethers are avoided at all costs. Even family gatherings are difficult. I'll usually find a spot where I'm comfortable and I'll stay there until the crowd thins out a bit. My appetite is non-existent in group settings. It only comes back when the crowd thins. Much different at work. I work at a blue collar sales counter. I'm interacting with contractors and what we refer to in the trade as Joe Homeowner's all day. I'm in my element there. I enjoy interacting with certain customers. Bursts of laughter, from both sides of the counter, are not uncommon. Very comfortable in that setting.

A friend of mine gave me a definition of introvert (which is completely what I am) in layman's terms. He said there's a group of geese all together and then there's one alone separated from the group. That's the introvert. The one who is more comfortable away from groups.

I've always enjoyed folks like you. Those who make friends everywhere they go. I'd probably enjoy talking to you if I met you, as well.

May I ask--what kind of things do you do/say to draw out individual growth?

Sorry, I missed this.

Usually all based on observation and body language, and when nothing stands out...a simple inquiry about where we are. Just this past Friday, at our local Friday NIght Date Night stop for pizza and a drink. I make eye contact with a woman on our way in as she is having a cigarette outdoors. When she comes back in, she grabs the vacant seat next to us at the bar that was already hers. The bartender brings us our standard drink order we get each week and places our standard pizza order...White with locally provided Italian sausage. Our favorite bartender asks the woman by name 'jackie' if she wants another.....bingo. I then ask 'Jackie" how do you know Nancy, the bartender....it took us awhile be on a first name basis, so clearly you all have known one another for quite some time. She smiles, as if someone removed the padlock from a jail cell she once occupied. Come to find out, we have many numerous friends in out trade and I actually spoke with her over the phone at her last place of work....she too is counter person for a major wholesaler.

Week prior. Wife and I doing our Friday night thing. sitting at the corner of the bar. Another couple, older than us, on the other side of "L", we have not seen them there before....we've been going almost every Friday for a few years. His wife is buried in her phone and the husband is trying to entertain himself by watching all the TV's and causally looking at his wife's phone. He asks the bartender for another round as they wind down their meal and mentions something about Karate and how he use to travel the globe fighting...Bingo. I ask what kind of fighting did you do, he starts smiling and sits up a bit taller, King Fu. Come to find out he was a 1994 US Champion in Kung Fu for some conference, grew up in our area and we had tons of common friends. He was getting ready to leave after we chatted for about 30 minutes back and forth.....told I'd be out in the parking lot in a few minutes to kick his ass; jokingly. He smiled and chuckled, walked over to shake my hand, and to say nice meeting you, and said "I may be a bit older now, but you I don't think you want do that". We both got a 'kick' out of that.

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

It's funny, I am more of a restrained/inhibited introvert, I like to say I am in extroverted-introvert. Whenever we go anywhere, I always make friends, find common ground, and often find out we have mutual connections..... and it drives my wife nuts. She often says we can't go anywhere without you knowing someone. It's not because I am extroverted across the board, I believe its why I tag myself as I did....I am outgoing in small sided settings.

Not to mention, often, men have a really hard time reaching out, as it can be perceived as weakness. In my leadership role at work, it is my biggest and most rewarding challenge; navigating through all the personalities to draw out induvial growth. To your point, those quick calls for check-in, hey, lets grab coffee, a personal note....have such a monumental impact on our quality of life.

Interesting. And I agree--quick check ins are gratifying, not to mention encouraging.

In my case, I'm less and less truly comfortable in groups. If I can avoid them I do. Any company get togethers are avoided at all costs. Even family gatherings are difficult. I'll usually find a spot where I'm comfortable and I'll stay there until the crowd thins out a bit. My appetite is non-existent in group settings. It only comes back when the crowd thins. Much different at work. I work at a blue collar sales counter. I'm interacting with contractors and what we refer to in the trade as Joe Homeowner's all day. I'm in my element there. I enjoy interacting with certain customers. Bursts of laughter, from both sides of the counter, are not uncommon. Very comfortable in that setting.

A friend of mine gave me a definition of introvert (which is completely what I am) in layman's terms. He said there's a group of geese all together and then there's one alone separated from the group. That's the introvert. The one who is more comfortable away from groups.

I've always enjoyed folks like you. Those who make friends everywhere they go. I'd probably enjoy talking to you if I met you, as well.

May I ask--what kind of things do you do/say to draw out individual growth?

Sorry, I missed this.

Usually all based on observation and body language, and when nothing stands out...a simple inquiry about where we are. Just this past Friday, at our local Friday NIght Date Night stop for pizza and a drink. I make eye contact with a woman on our way in as she is having a cigarette outdoors. When she comes back in, she grabs the vacant seat next to us at the bar that was already hers. The bartender brings us our standard drink order we get each week and places our standard pizza order...White with locally provided Italian sausage. Our favorite bartender asks the woman by name 'jackie' if she wants another.....bingo. I then ask 'Jackie" how do you know Nancy, the bartender....it took us awhile be on a first name basis, so clearly you all have known one another for quite some time. She smiles, as if someone removed the padlock from a jail cell she once occupied. Come to find out, we have many numerous friends in out trade and I actually spoke with her over the phone at her last place of work....she too is counter person for a major wholesaler.

Week prior. Wife and I doing our Friday night thing. sitting at the corner of the bar. Another couple, older than us, on the other side of "L", we have not seen them there before....we've been going almost every Friday for a few years. His wife is buried in her phone and the husband is trying to entertain himself by watching all the TV's and causally looking at his wife's phone. He asks the bartender for another round as they wind down their meal and mentions something about Karate and how he use to travel the globe fighting...Bingo. I ask what kind of fighting did you do, he starts smiling and sits up a bit taller, King Fu. Come to find out he was a 1994 US Champion in Kung Fu for some conference, grew up in our area and we had tons of common friends. He was getting ready to leave after we chatted for about 30 minutes back and forth.....told I'd be out in the parking lot in a few minutes to kick his ass; jokingly. He smiled and chuckled, walked over to shake my hand, and to say nice meeting you, and said "I may be a bit older now, but you I don't think you want do that". We both got a 'kick' out of that.

Nice stories. So interesting how just showing a little interest in another person makes them light up. Had a similar instance with a new customer today. Sometimes it's that one simple question that gets another person to open up and talk about themselves.

[Brooklyn]

She's not getting older, she's getting better:



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UNtMDJIxRA




You go Girl!