Unlike most birthday’s of my past, my 48th this past May 7 was downright unusual. Not bad, just unusual. As mentioned in earlier posts I have started a new gig: shorespeak. In this role I am traveling the country as a speaker/consultant/coach. Timing being what it is I got booked for a job in Baltimore prior to a conference in Washington DC. This meant that for the first time in memory (which is suspect to begin with) I was not home to celebrate.
Instead I spent the day:
- working out – a 90 minute cardio and weight program in the hotel gym
- a long self guided tour through our nations capital
- dinner with my DC based nephew and his girlfriend
The good news: it was a pleasant day albeit one spent primarily alone. But hey, if I can’t be with myself after 48 years then who can I be with?
The bad, self inflicted news: WAY to much good cheer. In fact I was as hung over the following morning as anytime in recent history.
Perhaps we never learn.
As I’m now 2 weeks into the 48 year I have been reflecting on:
- where exactly did my eye sight go and how could it go so quickly – if I do not have the cheaters at the ready I am effectively handicapped. Yes, handicapped. I cannot see shit up close without glasses and it is getting worse quickly. I have finally made an appointment for an optometrist visit.
- working out 2-3 times per week is not enough – I have added yoga to the mix to alleviate stiffness and back pain
- the spark that powered by frenetic career existence for 30 years has dimmed. No not gone out by any means, simply gone down a notch. Making the most money possible as quickly as possible is not the goal anymore. Enjoying what I do and having a schedule that is mine is much more attractive.
- the inevitable decline of parents is imminent – Dad just isn’t the same as he is showing signs of wear at 76 years of age
- marriage is a full time job and one that is damn hard as well as cyclical
- making new friends later in life is exponentially more difficult than when you are young
- cell phones are the greatest invention in the history of communication as well as the greatest curse
- pets are like Valium on four legs…calming
to be continued……………
7 responses so far ↓
1 Rishi // Jun 17, 2008 at 12:09 am
Insightful post! Hope to see more of it soon. =). And also, you should be proud. I’m 20 years of age, and my vital stats aren’t even that impressive. Keep it up!
2 Moon // Jun 19, 2008 at 6:28 am
Does it really feel this way at 48??Or are you just pensive about turning 50 soon?
I am about to turn 30 this year, and have quite a few milestones to my credit (happy and sad), but I don’t feel much different from when I turned 20.
You got me thinking if I should be feeling different or am I too bogged down to feel anything.
3 Not Quite Fifty // Jun 19, 2008 at 8:31 am
Moon » maybe it is pensive heading to fifty, and yes after re-reading post I do feel this way at 48. To your thought though I thought the 20 to 30 transition felt more similar as you observe.
4 Not Quite Fifty // Jun 19, 2008 at 8:34 am
Rishi » thanks for the kind words
5 Stephanie // Oct 28, 2008 at 8:35 pm
So what is age really? It’s what’s in your head that counts!! Who cares if your are 48, 21 or hitting 60 like me!! If you start to think old, you will be old. Enjoy every single day, no matter what age you are. Life is living, not worrying about whether we need to wear glasses, more exercise (heaven forbid!) or chasing that next promotion.
6 49 on Fri 13th // Mar 7, 2009 at 8:31 pm
What? I’m not alone out here/in here? Woo Hoo! Us 1960-born- girlies missed out on everything- ( True “Jones Generation”!) “Bigger Kids” got to be hippies first, then sucessful next- (real “boomers”). We just got stuck with the “bottle green” & polyester gold of the 70’s- yuck! Then we were raising babies while everybody else was getting filthy rich in the 80’s. It’s almost through- ‘the last “yungin” turns 18 the exact same day I turn 50- now what? I still think I’m 25 and just on the verge of makin’ it – I look around and whoops!? It all went by so fast!!!
I loved your post- I see “older” women and think- who are they?- is there no one like me? Then I find out they are my age!! YIKES! Do I look like that? Do I think or act like that?? NOT FAIR! Where did the time go?
It’s My Turn!!
Thanks for the room to rant- keep posting…
7 49 on Fri 13th // Mar 7, 2009 at 8:52 pm
After reading my post- this needs to be made clear- to all of you/ us turning 48/49/50—
This is almost like a second teen-hood, in that all of us “age” at a dramaticially different pace on the outside AND on the inside, and so none of us can really tell how old the next person is! So, unless you are dealing with someone you’ve known all your life or who has for whatever reason divulged thier true age, you cannot tell from the rest of the population who gets it and who doesn’t- do you know what I mean? So, if you are someone who has awakened in the middle of the journey of life and looked up and said, hey, who else is like me on this road? Who has come so far with so far to go? You cannot tell! You really do not know who you can trust/ who you can approach.
‘Nice to find other folks out there who are surprised that they are “handicapped” without thier “cheaters”
-Worried enough about this transition to make a countdown clock- Thanks!
That’s why I googled this site- Keep it going!
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