A Conversation for Talking Point: Landmark Birthdays

Milestone or Millstone?

Post 1

MMF - Keeper of Mustelids, with added P.M.A., is now in a relationship.

Are you approaching a 'landmark' birthday? Are you approaching it with dread? Excitement? Complete indifference?!

"Being a Hootoozian reaching the 'alleged' smiley - drumroll Biggie smiley - disco tomorrow, maybe I can give my smiley - 2cents? I am approaching it with smiley - wah. Not from an age perspective, but from the 'Party' perspective."
"I wasn't going to smiley - diva it... I don't celebrate birthdays particularly, (see below) but I didn't want a 'Surprise' Party, as many friends would not have been invited, particularly HooTooans. Also due to deteriorating mobility, it seemed a good point to have a <disco) that I can actually participate in! So I decided to arrange my own. A venue was chosen, after much deliberation. (2 years ago it was a free venue but, alas, no longer!). Invites were drawn up by my Sister and sent out by snail and e-mail smiley - simpost. Luckily I have a reasonable number attending. I have booked the Folk Band I have played with for 21 years as the evening's entertainment but I am just not sure if there will be enough people to dance? smiley - sadface Then I have the smiley - porkpiesmiley - flansmiley - cheesesmiley - crisps to sort... How do I plan the quantities and cover all tastes? Do people expect lots of smiley - flan and/or smiley - cheesecakesmiley - cakesmiley - choc?I really do have smiley - orangebutterflysmiley - bluebutterfly in my stomach. What a smiley - headhurts!"
"Unfortunately I didn't pick a good date to enter the smiley - earth, from a smiley - disco perspective, as many friends, Hootooans, and otherwise, are unable to attend. I shall be smiley - cheers them all, as is the H2G2 tradition, tomorrow."

What was your most memorable birthday bash? Any nice memories you'd like to share?

"I do have a memorable birthday bash and it is where my dislike stems from a disastrous when I was about 8. School friends had been invited but all I remember where scuffles and most of my Batman and Thunderbird gifts were trashed. I decided if that was what parties where all about, I'd leave it to others. My next event was my 21st. I had a choice between that or 18 and decided my 'friends' were not mature enough to attend an 18th, so opted for the 21st. It was smiley - ok as there was a big range of age groups. Shame I cut my wrist badly, with a carving knife which, if you'll pardon the pun, took the edge off it a little!"

Did reaching a certain age have a profound effect on you? Did you change? Did you suddenly start wearing cardigans? Or get a full leather biker's suit and a Harley Davidson?

"smiley - laugh I guess I've been in the 'cardigan' stage all my life. No, as I've always been 'individualistic' and not one to follow the smiley - sheepsmiley - blacksheepsmiley - sheep. Smoked the pipe, fallen off the (push) bike many times, got the cardi and read smiley - thepost down the Pub with a smiley - ale already, and have done for the last 10 years, so I guess I am smiley - senior before my time? smiley - wah Sounds terrible, doesn't it? But I have done a lot over the years and I am content! Tomorrow is but whisper of time in the general scheme of things!

As we generally live longer, the phrase 'life begins at...' seems to apply to increasingly older ages. Is there such a thing as the 'best' age?

"I think the best age is the one that feels most comfortable. For some it is their Teens. A time where youngsters find their feet. They are indestructible! Suddenly they have smiley - 2cents, freedom and... smiley - huh they discover smiley - love and, conversely smiley - brokenheart!"
"Others find their 20's the best. Settling down with a property, spouse and children (or it was in my 20's - Today it is smiley - disco time, and this period is now done in the 30's)."
"I suppose, having reached that smiley - silly period of age 18-80, my best age is 'Now', and probably always has been. My body may feel 90 at times, and certainly behaves like it, my smiley - eureka mind is still acting like a smiley - jester teenager, and hopefully will not change. "

Do you have any general thoughts on ageing, any advice or general wistful reflections? (We love a bit of wistful reflection.) Do we get wiser, happier, more content as our desires generally become more reined in? Or is it all a bit of a struggle, a bit Samuel Beckett: 'I can't go on. I'll go on'.

"I can only reiterate what I said above! I intend to maintain my 'childish' frame of mind as long as I can. Live life fully and with no regrets! I have tried to do that and, bar one major regret, I have succeeded! I do sometimes wish I could have lived life in reverse. Oh! How wonderful it would have been to have an older head on young shoulders. But it is wonderful the new vistas and interests I have discovered as I have got older..."
"So where do I go from here? 50 is the new 30... S.A.G.A holidays await! New interests! When Tomorrow comes does an old chapter close and a new one open? No! I don't think so. All that happens is another page turns, as it always has done and always will do!"

"I will continue to live life with the name of one of Reverend Charles Kingsley's characters on my lips... 'DoAsYouWouldBeDoneBy!' Not a bad philosophy, I guess!"

"smiley - cheers And smiley - cheers to you all, and have a great life, all of you!!! It is out there. Just grab it!"

MMF

smiley - musicalnote


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