Today I Am Offically Old...

vienna · 12-16-12, 03:20 PM

Today, December 16, 2012, I have officially, in the eyes of the government, become a senior citizen. I don't know what I have done to deserve such an honor, being a very modest person by nature (although I will gladly detail my great modesty and humility upon request). It seems if one does not go out of one's way to get hit by a bus, contract a deadly disease, or attempt to tell one's spouse "Yes, you do look fat in that dress", one can obtain the lofty title of senior citizen...

Here, in the U.S., the age of 62 is the general, and, in some cases, legal, demarcation point between vibrant, youthful life and museum exhibit. There are upsides: a wealth of discounts suddenly become available; the government declares you eligible for a share in the money they have graciously held on to for you over the many years you were actually relevant; priority seating becomes available to you on public transportation; the subject of junk emails changes from enhancement to preservation; one can now loiter in parks and be thought of as that old fellow feeding the pigeons and not be mistaken for a drug dealer, gang member, or other undesirable element. The idea of feeding pigeons appeals to me; I just haven't yet decided to what I will feed the pigeons...

Some years ago, I was called "mister" and "sir" by a child for the first time, an event which made me want to go find a rocking chair and ponder the wisdom in my not having fathered children. Now I can embrace the honorifics of the well-intentioned, but benighted, youngsters, and continue to ponder my wisdom...

Although I am now "old", I wish to clarify some mistaken ideas and perceptions:

It is not true, when I was a child, the Big Bang was merely a "loud pop";

It is not true my birth certificate is a series of petroglpyhs on a cave wall in Northern California;

It is not true, when I was young, my neighbors down the block were Fred & Wilma and Barney & Betty;

It is not true, when I was young, Original Sin was still in "Beta Test Stage";

It is not true, when I was young, we didn’t have the Ten Commandments, but, rather, "a couple of strong suggestions";

It is not true I remember when Jack Benny was really 39 years old (the younger among you may Google that, if you wish);

It is not true when we had rock music, it involved real rocks;

...

Finally, I wish to say I do not intend to "go gently into that good night". There are many, many people I have yet to annoy or tick off (cleaned that up for the moderators) and there are many, many things I have yet to learn, see, and do. My best advice to the world is to keep looking over your shoulder: I may be behind you armed with a wealth of years of devious experience you younger ones do not have and may never have. And, when the power goes out and your electronic gadgets fail, remember, I'm the one of those who knows how to live without Twitter, Facebook, and iPhones…

I leave you with these two songs (with lyrics):

“My Back Pages” (written by Bob Dylan and sung by “The Byrds”):

“Going Back” (“The Byrds” also did a version of this song; this version is by Dusty Springfield):

Oh, by the way, to day is also Ludwig von Beethoven's birthday. If there is anyone's life and talent I envy, it is his life.

And, if Beethhoven were alive today,...

...he would be very, very, very old...

...and I think he would know to what one should feed the pigeons...

<O>

August · 12-16-12, 03:21 PM

Congratulations for making this far.

Takeda Shingen · 12-16-12, 03:22 PM

Happy birthday! I didn't see your name on the bottom of the SubSim page, or I would have started the thread myself. Thanks for being a great guy and a great member.

Herr-Berbunch · 12-16-12, 03:28 PM

Happy birthday old man.

Cybermat47 · 12-16-12, 03:40 PM

Happy Birthday

u crank · 12-16-12, 03:52 PM

Happy Birthday vienna.

Welcome to the club. I got you by six months you pup.

The Enigma · 12-16-12, 03:53 PM

Happy birthday Vienna,
enjoy your 'old' days, weeks and many years to come.

You mentioned something about facebook, twitter and eehhh iPhones.
Are those things Fred and Barney used to play with?

AVGWarhawk · 12-16-12, 03:58 PM

Happy Birthday. 62....you're just getting started.

Jimbuna · 12-16-12, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Takeda Shingen

Happy birthday! I didn't see your name on the bottom of the SubSim page, or I would have started the thread myself. Thanks for being a great guy and a great member.

A most definite....DITTO

Catfish · 12-16-12, 04:50 PM

Happy Birthday, Vienna !

And 62 is not 'old', not today.
Imagine you might even get more Viagra spam than before ..

Sailor Steve · 12-16-12, 05:11 PM

Welcome to the club, youngster!

Quote:

Originally Posted by vienna

There are upsides: a wealth of discounts suddenly become available

And soon you'll learn the awful truth: Senior discounts in restaurants are just like kid's meals - you pay less, but they give you half as much, so you end up paying more per portion and going away hungry.

Quote:

“My Back Pages” (written by Bob Dylan and sung by “The Byrds”)

I was a teenager when that song came out. As with most of their Dylan covers they have great sounding guitars (love that Rickenbacker 12) and great harmonies, but they only play one or two of the six verses. It's a love/hate relationship.

Sailor Steve · 12-16-12, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by u crank

Welcome to the club. I got you by six months you pup.

BOY!

Armistead · 12-16-12, 05:21 PM

Remember the advice given in the "Bucket List" for old age....

Never pass up a restroom.
Never waste a hard on..
Never trust a fart...

Happy Birthday.....

u crank · 12-16-12, 05:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

BOY!

Oh yea, I forgot. You're really old.

RickC Sniper · 12-16-12, 06:21 PM

Happy Birthday Vienna, and welcome to the club.

12-16-12, 03:20 PM	#1
vienna Navy Seal Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Anywhere but the here & now... Posts: 7,711 Downloads: 85 Uploads: 0	Today I Am Offically Old... Today, December 16, 2012, I have officially, in the eyes of the government, become a senior citizen. I don't know what I have done to deserve such an honor, being a very modest person by nature (although I will gladly detail my great modesty and humility upon request). It seems if one does not go out of one's way to get hit by a bus, contract a deadly disease, or attempt to tell one's spouse "Yes, you do look fat in that dress", one can obtain the lofty title of senior citizen... Here, in the U.S., the age of 62 is the general, and, in some cases, legal, demarcation point between vibrant, youthful life and museum exhibit. There are upsides: a wealth of discounts suddenly become available; the government declares you eligible for a share in the money they have graciously held on to for you over the many years you were actually relevant; priority seating becomes available to you on public transportation; the subject of junk emails changes from enhancement to preservation; one can now loiter in parks and be thought of as that old fellow feeding the pigeons and not be mistaken for a drug dealer, gang member, or other undesirable element. The idea of feeding pigeons appeals to me; I just haven't yet decided to what I will feed the pigeons... Some years ago, I was called "mister" and "sir" by a child for the first time, an event which made me want to go find a rocking chair and ponder the wisdom in my not having fathered children. Now I can embrace the honorifics of the well-intentioned, but benighted, youngsters, and continue to ponder my wisdom... Although I am now "old", I wish to clarify some mistaken ideas and perceptions: It is not true, when I was a child, the Big Bang was merely a "loud pop"; It is not true my birth certificate is a series of petroglpyhs on a cave wall in Northern California; It is not true, when I was young, my neighbors down the block were Fred & Wilma and Barney & Betty; It is not true, when I was young, Original Sin was still in "Beta Test Stage"; It is not true, when I was young, we didn’t have the Ten Commandments, but, rather, "a couple of strong suggestions"; It is not true I remember when Jack Benny was really 39 years old (the younger among you may Google that, if you wish); It is not true when we had rock music, it involved real rocks; ... Finally, I wish to say I do not intend to "go gently into that good night". There are many, many people I have yet to annoy or tick off (cleaned that up for the moderators) and there are many, many things I have yet to learn, see, and do. My best advice to the world is to keep looking over your shoulder: I may be behind you armed with a wealth of years of devious experience you younger ones do not have and may never have. And, when the power goes out and your electronic gadgets fail, remember, I'm the one of those who knows how to live without Twitter, Facebook, and iPhones… I leave you with these two songs (with lyrics): “My Back Pages” (written by Bob Dylan and sung by “The Byrds”): “Going Back” (“The Byrds” also did a version of this song; this version is by Dusty Springfield): Oh, by the way, to day is also Ludwig von Beethoven's birthday. If there is anyone's life and talent I envy, it is his life. And, if Beethhoven were alive today,... ...he would be very, very, very old... ...and I think he would know to what one should feed the pigeons... <O> __________________ __________________________________________________ __

12-16-12, 03:21 PM	#2
August Wayfaring Stranger Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 23,197 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Congratulations for making this far. __________________ Flanked by life and the funeral pyre. Putting on a show for you to see.

12-16-12, 03:28 PM	#4
Herr-Berbunch Kaiser Bill's batman Join Date: May 2010 Location: AN72 Posts: 13,203 Downloads: 76 Uploads: 0	Happy birthday old man. __________________

12-16-12, 03:40 PM	#5
Cybermat47 Willing Webfooted Beast Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Australia Posts: 5,408 Downloads: 300 Uploads: 23	Happy Birthday __________________ Historical TWoS Gameplay Guide: http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?p=2572620 Historical FotRSU Gameplay Guide: https://www.subsim.com/radioroom/sho....php?p=2713394

12-16-12, 03:52 PM	#6
u crank Old enough to know better Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Prince Edward Island Posts: 11,744 Downloads: 136 Uploads: 0	Happy Birthday vienna. Welcome to the club. I got you by six months you pup. __________________ “Two possibilities exist: either we are alone in the Universe or we are not. Both are equally terrifying.” ― Arthur C. Clarke

12-16-12, 03:22 PM	#3
Takeda Shingen Navy Seal Join Date: Mar 2000 Posts: 8,643 Downloads: 19 Uploads: 0	Happy birthday! I didn't see your name on the bottom of the SubSim page, or I would have started the thread myself. Thanks for being a great guy and a great member.

12-16-12, 03:53 PM	#7
The Enigma Seer of visions Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Under the surface Posts: 2,315 Downloads: 31 Uploads: 0	Happy birthday Vienna, enjoy your 'old' days, weeks and many years to come. You mentioned something about facebook, twitter and eehhh iPhones. Are those things Fred and Barney used to play with? __________________

12-16-12, 03:58 PM	#8
AVGWarhawk Lucky Jack Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: In a 1954 Buick. Posts: 28,253 Downloads: 90 Uploads: 0	Happy Birthday. 62....you're just getting started. __________________ “You're painfully alive in a drugged and dying culture.” ― Richard Yates, Revolutionary Road

12-16-12, 04:50 PM	#10
Catfish Dipped Squirrel Operative Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: ..where the ocean meets the sky Posts: 17,765 Downloads: 38 Uploads: 0	Happy Birthday, Vienna ! And 62 is not 'old', not today. Imagine you might even get more Viagra spam than before ..

12-16-12, 05:21 PM	#13
Armistead Rear Admiral Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: on the Dan Posts: 10,880 Downloads: 364 Uploads: 0	Remember the advice given in the "Bucket List" for old age.... Never pass up a restroom. Never waste a hard on.. Never trust a fart... Happy Birthday.....

12-16-12, 06:21 PM	#15
RickC Sniper Undetectable Join Date: Sep 1999 Location: Colorado Posts: 1,221 Downloads: 132 Uploads: 0	Happy Birthday Vienna, and welcome to the club. __________________ Support Subsim http://www.subsim.com/store.html