Getting old?

I’m one of the older people in our office. This is a new thing for me but I’m quite enjoying it. Don’t get me wrong I’m not surrounded by graduates but it’s fair to say that I’m part of the minority both age and experience wise.

And I’m loving it for the most part.

However the downside rears it’s head frequently, typically during a conversation about TV or music, or any other item that is now referred to as ‘pop culture’. Frankly I’m getting a little fed up of the blank looks and general bemusement that ensues whenever I start talking about things that happened only 10 years ago!!

Like most people who are older than 24, I still feel 24 (feel free to substitute your own “I’m not XX years old, I’m still 20-something” number) but I’m being made increasingly aware of the difference in age. I’m not overly bothered, in fact whilst I write this I realise that the only part of me that cares is that small bit of vanity that I try and avoid.

As for all that tosh about young people helping to keep you young, well perhaps it is true for those really OLD people, you know the ones over 40, but certainly not for a spring chicken like myself.

Hmmm, I seem to be undoing myself here.

Perhaps the word “old” is misleading. I’m certainly more mature and considered (sometimes), and have more experience so perhaps that is the key difference. If nothing else I’ve certainly learned from past mistakes so that has to count for something, right?

Age is a funny thing, particularly when you find yourself in a situation similar to mine where you are seen as “older” in the eyes of many, yet still consider yourself “younger” than others. A middle ground of middle-agedness which, I’m finding, isn’t as bad as it’s made out to be.

Roll on 35!

Comments

  1. A lot of the secretaries in my office are about 19-21, and even though there only about 5 years younger than me, they might as well come from a completely different time. Half the time I haven’t got a clue what they’re talking about.

    Although, to be fair to them, I also haven’t listened to commercial radio for about 4 years, that will probably influence my lack of pop culture knowledge!

  2. This wasn’t a problem when I was in my 30’s. These days there are people on my sales team that are the same age or younger than my own children!

    Good thing you never mentioned that people over 40 were really old within my ear shot. I would have probably been forced to stab you with something. 😉

  3. I used to be in a group of people at my old job that the bosses called Byker Grove or The Young and the Restless. I knew we weren’t young anymore when they stopped calling us that….

    They say you’re as young as you feel. With this hangover I feel about 60 but on the average day, I feel like I’m still in my twenties…

  4. Strange when I worked with you I thought you were older than me, and im 40.

    Funny that….

    But I have children so my daughter seems to fill the gap between the 20 somethings (muse etc) and the older folks (Pink Floyd).

    We also share the same interest in video games GTA IV, COD4, Unreal Tournament.

    My son is 7 and we share an interest in biking, drawing and stories involving bears 🙂

    Best of all when im even older they will have the benefit of either sending me to a nursing home, where my dauhter informs me I will learn Polish, or perhaps Zulu, or keeping me in the basement.

    Oh and dauhter wants me to go and take her to mighty boosh, which I have Tivo’d and its a bit shroomy to say the least…

  5. Well since I’m your WEE sis you will always be old to me! I’m 27 and I don’t feel any wiser or older – I’m still going out at the weekends and dancing like I was 18 – but then my hangovers are a lot worse now and I can’t do two nights out in a row… sign of getting older?!!

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