
Fifty - urlwolf
http://jacquesmattheij.com/fifty
======
cstross
I hit 51 next month, and that's ... well.

These decadal anniversaries seem to get more onerous each time. 20? No
problem, it just means you're not a teenager any more! 30? Okay, you're
officially a grownup, but you can still party! 40 was pause for concern, but
it isn't what it used to be, the threshold of middle age: that's 50. Oops ...

Well, as Terry Pratchett observed, inside every old man there's an eight year
old wondering what just happened. I don't feel _emotionally_ middle-aged. But
my knees creak in the morning, I've survived medical conditions that would
have killed me if I'd lived a century earlier, I can remember events -- as an
adult -- that happened 30 years ago, and I don't have the physical stamina,
mental agility, or energy of a 30 year old any more. (Mind you, what they say
about experience trumping youth and enthusiasm? It's not exactly true, but the
experience factor makes up for a lot of the gradual cognitive decline that
comes with age.)

Like Jacques, I'm less inclined to put up with fools -- but I'm also less
inclined to get worked up over things. And I'm probably unemployable these
days. (15 consecutive years of self-employment will do that to anyone.)

But the biggest thing I've noticed? What look like big opportunities,
vanishing in the rear-view mirror of age. When you're 30 you can think in
terms of going back to university or forming a new start-up. You've got time
to plan a new career or nurture a business ahead of you. But by the time
you've hit 50, the future is looking cloudy. You don't want to train for a new
career to see you through the next 30 years because who the hell wants to be
working to pay off student loans when they're 80? So you get locked into
whatever track you set yourself running down twenty years earlier. Changing is
hard because you have less of a future ahead of you to change _for_.

If you're under 35, my advice would be to think about that. Do you really want
to be locked into doing more or less what you're doing now when you're in your
sixties? If not, now is the time to change. The later you leave it, the harder
it will be.

~~~
greggman
I'm in a similar place to the OP. I turn 50 in a week. I get told often I look
in my 30s. The majority of my friends are in their 30s. Hung out for 6 months
with 28yr olds forming a startup last year, they asked me to join them. With
few exceptions I don't fit with people my age.

What I find frustrating is the society at large won't let me ignore my age.
You get categorized all the time. Some meetup or dating event is 30-45. Some
form has age categories. Visas to visit countries have age limits (as in we
let students in but you're clearly too old to be a student). Articles all the
time tell you who you should be, behave, for your age. Others tell you if
you're XX age you can't do that anymore. Whatever it is. Can't go back to
school. Can't learn a new language. Can't join a start up. Bla bla bla.

Sure, most people's first reaction is "ignore that" but it's oppressive. It's
a viral meme that eats at your thoughts

Big life decisions are also harder because you start to realize each choice
cuts off others so which choice to make?

~~~
NoCulturalFit
Man I don't look forward of being 50. It's a hard time getting a decent
programming job at 30, imagine 50 :(

~~~
itbeho
50 this year. Never had a problem finding good paying work.

------
cbasoftware
I'm 62. Still excited about what I'm doing. Love the fact that I can write
programs in languages that actually work (as opposed to M$ Basic back in
1980s). Hardware that doesn't fail every 10 minutes, etc. O/S that does what
you expect! I plan to continue creating new apps until 65 or 70. Who knows
what happens then. It keeps me going and is better than hitting a little white
ball into the woods!

Happy Birthday! May you have many more.

------
geophile
I am 58 and can relate to pretty much everything the author wrote, but
especially this:

    
    
        computer programs are now monstrosities of large numbers 
        of layers of libraries cobbled together to create ever 
        more slickly polished user interfaces showing ever more 
        inane content and advertising.
    

I find it difficult to stay motivated to write software these days, for a few
reasons. First, there are specialties. Years ago, you could be a generalist,
and be useful writing software pretty much anywhere. And I'm not talking about
just learning the latest fad language or framework. If you don't have a long
background in neural nets, or transaction processing, or compilers, or you
name it, you aren't going to be doing work that is _both_ useful and
interesting.

Second, as the author says, programming these days is often just taking
libraries, writing adapters, all to serve slightly more relevant ads slightly
faster. What a huge fucking waste of time. After the 2008 financial meltdown,
it was noted that the "best and brightest" young people were wasting their
talents on the "financialization" of the economy, which did nothing good for
nearly everyone. I see the same thing happening now, in software.

Third, like the author, I got tired of working for idiots and wasting my time
on corporate voodoo, so I left for consulting. While that has much to
recommend it, working pretty much by yourself definitely limits what you can
accomplish. On the other hand, I have a lot more time to myself, and I'm
enjoying traveling, visiting family and friends, sleeping late, and generally
just doing whatever I want.

------
jacquesm
Wow, my inbox just overflowed with people mailing me happy birthday, now I get
it :)

Thanks to all!

~~~
aagha
You're lucky to know people who remembered. Don't take it for granted.

------
crusso
Nice post, Jacques. Luckily, I'm only 47.5. I've got a long time before I have
your concerns of being 50.

I've found that the hardest part of getting older is the work you have to put
into your mind and body just to slow the decline of age. You go from being in
your 20's and eating all the donuts and burgers you wanted to.... to being in
your 30's where you start having to watch what you eat and limit some
portions... to being in your 40's where now I'm pretty strict with what I eat
and how much. I hardly ever eat sugar or bread, much less the holy combination
of the two in a donut.

One of the most disappointing aspects of getting older is my disillusionment
with medical developments related to aging. When I was in my 20's, I thought
that a lot of problems with aging would be solved within my lifetime. Surely,
I figured, by the time I was 50, they'd have eradicated cancer, cured
baldness, and developed other general techniques for rejuvenating the mind and
body. No such luck, I guess. The older I get and view medicine through the
lense of how it can help me with various aging problems, the more I realize
that medicine is really still in its infancy. Medicine is fumbling around like
the blind men feeling the elephant who don't know what they're touching. At
the rate things have been progressing, fundamental medical miracles aren't
years or decades away - they're perhaps centuries away... but I hope to be
proven wrong.

That said, there are things I enjoy about getting older, like watching my kids
turn into young adults. I hear that having grand-kids is fulfilling, although
I hope to avoid that pleasure for at least another 10 years.

~~~
ijreilly
I completely agree about medical developments. However, as someone getting on
in years (even older than Jacques), I'd just like to point out that ED
medications are a godsend. I am being completely serious. You youngsters don't
understand, but you will eventually.

Before Viagra and the like (or the somewhat older injectable fixes), your sex
life was almost certainly over by 50 or 55. While I may be unusually horny for
an old guy, that is a big fucking deal. I can't imagine facing another 20-30
years not getting laid. And because of advances in public health and medicine,
that would have been an increasingly likely outcome, previous generations just
being dead not too long after the plumbing stopped working. While the medical
fixes are less than ideal, they do work, and I am very happy about it.

~~~
crusso
_I 'd just like to point out that ED medications are a godsend_

Hah, you got me there. Good point.

------
grellas
Getting older gets you to focus. What is on that list of things I just know I
will do someday given the time? Well, whatever it is, it just got smaller. But
that doesn't really even matter. It is not about how much you do but about
doing things well that really counts in life. Not just for yourself but for
others too. And not just at age 20 when you have what feels like boundless
energy but at age 50 (or whatever) when you have a greater degree of wisdom
and wherewithal to offset the energy lapses that inevitably come with getting
older. Don't rob yourself of the joys that come with aging by letting the
limitations overcome you. Each part of life has its distinctive blessings.
Make the most of them and be a blessing to others as well as to yourself. If
you do that, you will do well and you will age gracefully to boot.

Very thoughtful post from a very thoughtful guy. Happy birthday, Jacques.

------
rufugee
I'm early 40s at the moment. I love technology, and love programming and
system tinkering/admin in particular. I'm currently a CTO/CIO in a niche
industry, although I write code almost daily and participate in various
technical trenches many CIOs wouldn't venture into on a daily basis due to
lack of resources.

I am sadly terrified of getting older. Not because I fear death (well, maybe a
little), but I fear the silver ceiling this industry seems to place on many.
Sure, the CIO/CTO thing might help, but I'm not banking on it. I've seen so
many qualified folks get replaced by younger, unqualified ones just because of
the way IT tends to favor the young.

Now I look at my own daughter, who is very interested in following in my
footsteps and is already programming and Lego mindstorm'ing, and I really,
sincerely hesitate to push her in that direction. I love the craft and think
it's very personally rewarding as a creative outlet, but not only is there
this silver ceiling, but to stay current you are _constantly_ required to be
learning. I spend almost all my spare time working to stay current. I see
friends who are lawyers or accountants, and while I would probably die of
boredom in either field, there seems to be nowhere near the level of effort to
stay current in those fields.

While I don't think the constant learning requirement has a solution, I really
hope to get some time in the future thinking deeply about the silver ceiling
problem. Not just for me, but for my tech friends. I personally employee two
60+ folks on my team, and they're great resources. I wish other companies
would view them in this way. It seems there is something which could be
done...even if it's a company which distinguishes itself by making a point of
hiring senior, aging folks for solving problems which require that level of
experience. However, that of course has it's own difficult problems to solve
(namely, a senior employee likely has a lot of his/her own personal overhead
to cover, so salary requirements will be understandably greater). Still, if
the problems were out there, perhaps a company like that could thrive.
Perhaps.

Anyway, just the ramblings of a early forties techie who thinks/worries a lot
about this. One day I'll take action either way, because there will come a
time where there is no other choice ;)

~~~
tonyedgecombe
"namely, a senior employee likely has a lot of his/her own personal overhead
to cover, so salary requirements will be understandably greater"

I wouldn't assume that, once the mortgage is paid off and kids have left home
the cost of living plummets. In fact there could be a real cost advantage if
nobody else is offering them a job.

~~~
shostack
That's a big and dangerous assumption.

Take the Bay Area...many people living here now that will likely never be able
to buy a home if prices stay even close to where they are (let alone ever pay
it off if they did). So then they have large mortgages or high rents.

There's also increased risk of major medical expenses, the baggage of paying
for things like divorces, college, etc.

~~~
tonyedgecombe
Right now you can assume those with high mortgages are in their twenties and
thirties, someone in their fifties probably sorted their housing problem
twenty five years ago.

~~~
shostack
Again--that's a big assumption. Would love to know what data you are basing
that on.

It is dangerous to assume a certain narrative about a certain demographic like
that.

~~~
tonyedgecombe
It's not a big assumption, or did you think peoples mortgages increased with
age?

------
smoyer
Welcome to "this side" \- the secret is that there are no sides, you might
become a day more experienced today than you were yesterday. I don't feel (or
act) my age and since I don't celebrate my birthday (or even let others know
it's occurred), their guess as to my age is always way low.

In any case, you may not consider yourself employable, but there's almost
always a bias for the "gets things done" person. If your blogging and comments
here on HN are any indication, I don't think you'd have an issue with someone
that's truly looking for the right person. Many institutions are looking for
the politically correct person and like you, I don't have time for them.

Fijne verjaardag :-)

~~~
aagha
I think you hit the nail on the head: "Many institutions are looking for the
politically correct person..."

Politics so often dictates who companies hire and influence factors like
gender, age and sex. Sad.

Though being able to work with people matters and being nice/kind is a good
quality to have, the focus on making sure the right backs are scratched as
become so pervasive in the corporate world that it actually holds back
progress.

------
Afton
As someone in my early-towards-mid 40s, is it really hard to stay employed? I
get that lots of folks are into consulting at this age or other versions of
self-employed, but as a guy who got into this field fairly late, I'm concerned
that I'm going to end up 50 and jobless which will _really_ mess with my
retirement plans.

------
sp4ke
Happy birthday from a 20 years away. I really enjoyed reading ideas from your
perspective and I like the way you think. My only hope for the future, is that
we could still read and comment other stranger's stories on the internet
without violating some bullshit law and without needing to validate our
identity with a DNA sample in order to express ourselves .

------
davedx
So much of this rings true for me, and I'm a few years away from 40.

As an expat living in the Netherlands who has never really believed in "formal
speech", it really takes some getting used to when people (usually a lot
younger than me) call me "u". I always think "wow, this kid is so polite, how
bizarre!". I still haven't really gotten the hang of when _I_ should use the
formal you, and constantly call strangers "je". I've only ever had one Dutch
person actually state explicitly that I should call him "u". It is maybe not a
coincidence that he was a bit of a jerk in general.

At least living in the Netherlands, our creaking knees will always be able to
bicycle where we want to! No big annoying hills like there seems to be
everywhere back in the UK, or in other countries. ;)

Gefeliciteerd. :)

------
compbio
Thanks Jacques. I first read about you almost 15 years ago. I think you did an
interview about the creation of webcams and starting the first webcam
community. What struck me was the typical Dutch resentment for success and
those that dare to stick their necks out. Commentators would say you were
lying or embellishing or try to downplay your successes. That typical envy. I
hope you are now totally over that.

A few years back you took a few hours to just chat with me, in a period when I
was really depressed and did not believe in myself. Thank for you that. It
really helped and you demanded nothing in return. A very approachable,
commendable spirit -- I hope there are people around you who do the same for
you.

Jacques. Thanks man! Congrats, and here is to many more years!

------
andyjohnson0
I'll be hitting 50 in a couple of years, and like Jacques I've noticed my
tolerance for bullshit and injustice has decreased. I've tentatively put the
former down to a subliminal (mostly) awareness of having less time to waste. I
feel more focused.

I've also noticed that my tolerance for cynicism has decreased significantly
in the last few years. I'm not totally sure why, but I suspect that I've come
to see cynicism (particularly about politics and environmental issues) as the
laziness that fuels injustice.

I'd be interested to know of other people's experiences.

~~~
Frondo
37 here, and that is _exactly_ how I feel. I'm hardly an optimist about how a
lot of things in the world are going, but world-weary cynicism (the world is
shit, it'll never change, everyone is corrupt, etc) grates on me as cloying
and juvenile. I always end up thinking it says more about the person than the
world itself.

These days, I usually find myself starting to argue and push back against
that, and occasionally I do end up coming down to "So the world is shit,
you're not even going to try to do anything about it, what in life do you have
to be proud of about yourself at this point?"

I feel better for not putting up with it, but it has led to some tense
arguments with extended family, friends, hairdressers (haha, seriously).

~~~
jacalata
> what in life do you have to be proud of about yourself at this point?"

I like to think that at least by not killing myself I've made a huge
contribution to the happiness of my friends and family, even if the world as a
whole is a hopeless cluster of growing misery.

~~~
mistermann
I agree - the older you are, the more chances you've had to peek behind the
curtains and see how truly corrupt the machine and people within it really
are. Sure, try to make a difference here and there, but I'd advise not going
too far out of your way, and never put your personal livelihood on the line.
Better to focus that energy on family, friends and community, where you can
make a difference.

~~~
Frondo
Never put your personal livelihood on the line to make the world a better
place?

That's terrible, cowardly advice.

~~~
mistermann
If you're surrounded by cowards / people who will sell out and join the
corruption given the chance, it's neither cowardly nor terrible advice.
Everyone has to learn this lesson on their own I think.

------
skrebbel
> _When I’m in a group of people my own age I feel as though I’m around old
> people, I can’t help it._

This one really rings with me. Unfortunately, many old people act like old
people. I once worked at a software agency where even the more ambitious
_young_ people acted like old people.

Age is just a number, but the only one who decides to fully favour the
comforts of the known to the appeal of the new and risky is you. I know
80-year olds who prefer ipads and I know 25-year olds who prefer IBM
ClearCase.

~~~
skrebbel
By the way, Jacques, I'm really curious about that story about not working for
Eckart Wintzen. He died just when I started getting into the software industry
at all, but his writings are very inspiring and he's been a force of positive
change around me even after his death. Did you write that up anywhere?

~~~
jacquesm
No, but I can write it up here and now.

I got to know Eckart because we both invested in the same company (
[http://www.infocaster.net/](http://www.infocaster.net/) ) and one day after a
shareholder meeting we decided to have a follow up with just him, my business
partner Joyce and myself.

Eckart outlined his vision about the things he wanted to do now that he had a
'full toolbox' and lots of time and we saw eye to eye on so many subjects that
it got me thinking.

After leaving with Joyce we went for dinner near Zeist where he had his
offices and I told her that I was totally stunned by how our ideas dovetailed,
only that Eckart actually had the tools to realize his vision.

It's very hard to translate the kind of feeling Eckart radiated but think of
it as total focus on improving the world. This very much shows in his various
investments, for instance Greenwheels, several medical start-ups, a school and
so on, as well as the people that he surrounded himself with (average < half
his age).

One thing led to another, we had a brief phone call where I told him I'd be
happy to shut down my own stuff and work for him even if it meant a
significant reduction in income on my side, he said let's talk in two weeks
(after he had gone to France and returned). The next time I saw him it was
wadded up in burlap bags (ecologically sound) for his funeral... :(

I'm meeting with Sander (the guy who runs infocaster) later today, not a March
passes that we don't think about it. My birthday is the 20th, Sanders is on
the 21st and I'm quite sure that in both cases we're thinking more about what
could have been than our birthdays.

It's a real pity, genuinely nice people are few and far between, I think
Eckart was special in many ways and compared to your average winner takes-all
entrepreneur he was a proverbial (and physical) giant.

All this will sound like fawning adoration to those that haven't actually met
the man, to those that did it will sound like I'm probably not giving him
enough credit.

~~~
skrebbel
Thanks for the writeup!

------
anc84
> March 20, 2015

:P

------
tacon
It takes about ten years to get used to how old you are.

------
nske
The problem with getting old is that one-by-one all the things that you
dreamed of as young and you got to try when got older, feel old and
demystified. Suddenly you look out and see less "magic", less mystery, less
things to make you excited, fewer major surprises around the corner.

I'm only (//already) in my early 30s but it scares me to think how it might
feel, at an older age, to not be able to see anything in the same exciting eye
that a teenager does. And the things that might still feel exciting, to not be
able to try, due to constraints that "grownups" have (health issues, family,
work, other responsibilities, lack of friends willing to participate)

------
fsiefken
Proficiat Jacques, appearently I'll turn 40 next week, it's just another
arbitrary number. For example, you're 42 in base-12 (a much beter base). We're
all in the same boat... you're old enough te remember Bobby McFerrin (now 65)
don't you?
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-diB65scQU](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-diB65scQU)

~~~
jacquesm
> you're old enough te remember Bobby McFerrin (now 65) don't you?

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeW0UcuQKps](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeW0UcuQKps)

~~~
david927
I'll add this favorite:
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CcnDi67qaI](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CcnDi67qaI)

------
caludio
«It doesn't get better: you get better.» (Louie)

------
vixen99
Happy Birthday! Prompted by your comment I found this from the Association of
American Publishers: 'In the first three months of 2015 they (e-books) have
plummeted 7.5% from the same period last year. Meanwhile paperback sales have
increased by 8.9% giving further credence that people are switching back to
print in greater numbers than originally thought'. I hope so.

~~~
equalarrow
A few years ago, I was the ultimate fan of ibooks/kindles. Still am in some
regard - when talking about space or moving from place to place, lugging
around any kind of books or physical media sucks. I did this before from one
coast to the other and back (SF -> NYC -> SF). Lugging shit around is stupid..

I remember the first time I went to Japan in 2000. I was a little shocked how
everyone seemed to be buried in their phones on the subways. Seemed a little
weird, but after a while, I was like, meh, it's Japan.

Fast forward to 2015 and everyone has their face buried in their devices in
the states. Walking. Driving (ugh). Bus. Stores. Subway. You name it. I do it
too, of course, but not all the time. I still enjoy my walks around my city
even if it's to re-appreciate the same things along the same route. There's
something about disconnecting now; funny you have to even do this at all.

Books are a part of this. Not only the physical aspect, but words on a printed
page that never change and always just are. It wasn't until recently that it
dawned on me how important physical book authors are to society and culture.
It's so easy to watch videos, movies, tv shows and nothing else. I love
movies, but it's not the same thought process. I feel bad for people who are
not encouraged to read more because they definitely do not know what they're
missing.

To read a book...., _that_ is a bicycle for the mind.

I don't get to read as much as I want to, but whenever I go on vacation (which
doesn't happen much either :-\\) I always being a few hard cover books. Yah, u
lug them around, the additional weight sucks. But, having that book and
picking out that chair or hammock, that's one of the best things ever.

------
paul9290
I just turned 40 and whoa I've never felt such a drastic change previously, as
...

\- Im starting to lose my hair

\- I gained ten pounds a week or two after my birthday (lost it now after
getting back to the gym); 5'10 178 now.

\- I suddenly succumb to a foot disease older men have to deal with... it came
and went, but could come back. WTH?

\- Slight depression from all the above.

I want my 30s back!

~~~
dack
It seems all relative... I'm 29 and wishing I was in my early twenties again.
I'm seeing my younger ambitions slowly seeming less and less plausible. And
yet, I've seen posts from 23 year olds wishing they had done more studying in
highschool/college to get a better head start on their career.

Maybe it would help to try to imagine genuinely being another decade older in
the same situation, looking back on today - and then do the thing you regret
not doing!

~~~
tomjen3
That sounds like an idea worth trying.

Also keep a mens journal (which is just another name for Diary) - it is
surprising and interesting how stupid I was ten years ago.

~~~
joslin01
^ Yes. I love my diary, and some of my entrires go back to when I was 18 (27
now). What gets to me is how drastic a mental change could be from just months
ago to where I am now. I'll read something I wrote months ago and think "Ha,
so young and foolish!" I genuinely think diaries are crucial to personal
development because it allows you to see yourself speak honestly with the lens
of an "outside" observer.

------
jgrahamc
Goddam base-10-centric view of things :-)

Happy Birthday!

~~~
paulojreis
Yup. Just turned out 30; feel depressed as sh*t.

~~~
niklasni1
Hey, hang in there, it's only two more years till you hit your hexadecimal
twenties, which is where the real party is!

~~~
paulojreis
I keep telling myself that the difference between 1441148399 and 1441148400 is
negligible, but to little (or no) avail. :)

------
marincounty
I hit 50 two years ago. I didn't mind turning 50. It was the constant
stereotyping that society(at least in the U.S.) that finally got to me.

I recall hitting 50 and not giving it much thought, but it seemed like when
ever I turned on any from of media, I was reminded of all the pitfalls of
getting older. It's so depressing, I am thing about getting rid of cable. I'll
still watch movies on my devises, but I need to tune out the commercials, and
warnings? And yes, I got it tobacco causes cancer. I smoke one, or two
cigarettes a week, and been around people who smoked; yes--I got it. I raised
my chances of getting cancer. Enough?

I have been kinda neurotic/hypochondrical my entire life; I don't want to be
reminded daily I'm going to die. Oh, those cancer center commercials? I don't
care how sick I was I would never go to one of those centers--just on
principle. I really hope that company goes bankrupt. Actually, I wish we could
ban all medical/Pharmacutical advertisement.

As to getting older, I don't like it. I had better ideas when I was younger. I
guess because my testosterone is startling to go down, the world is definetly
lets say-- a little less colorful? My sex drive is way down, but I'm kinda ok
with that. I can focus on boring stuff better than when I was younger. And I
find web developement boring! Sorry, I don't get excited about this industry.
I'm drawn to it, but never got the romance some of you have for the industry?
I am just a web developer, self employed, and always needed to do other things
to make a living. Maybe that's why? Or, maybe I've never been totally in love
with anything I've done? I have a ton of interests, but I never fell in love
with any of them?

The one thing I really wished I did differently is I wish I made friends with
people younger than myself? I know it sounds selfish, but it seems like so
many people I knew are gone? For some reason, I didn't really like my
generation. I found I had more in common with people who were 15 plus years
older than myself? I had some really good friendships. Friendships that were
solid. Friends that I could trust with my innermost secrets. I don't have that
anymore. I'm not feeling sorry for myself, but don't do what I did. It's
lonely.

That's about it. Oh, yea, if you have an anxiety disorder, getting older does
releave some of the symptmology. When I was younger, I just couldn't relax. I
still can't, but I'm better than I was?

If you ever bump into me, please don't call me Sir. I am still not my father,
and don't think I will ever turn into him. I'm still scared, and don't have
confidence. I still look at the rest of the world, and still don't feel I'm
one of the grown-ups? I am not one of them! I've never fell like I'm entitled.
I don't demand respect. I know I need to earn it. I don't understand
mean/narcisstic individuals. I like some rap, but don't get Kayne, or Beaver?
Don't think I ever will? I think tattoos are fine, but never got one. (I never
got one because I thought they looked like bruises, and reminded me of people
who had liver disease.(platelets not forming as they should?). In other words,
I'm not really that different than the young man I used to be, just look
older.

I sure miss my dogs! I wish they lived as long as we do?

Bye!

~~~
Lawtonfogle
>It's so depressing, I am thing about getting rid of cable.

Do it. Doesn't matter if you are 10, 50, or 150, get rid of any media that
shoves so much advertising down your throat. So much of it is set to cause the
problems they try to resolve. Take skin cream commercials for teens with acne;
watch how they may acne out to be this horrendous thing you must cure.
Watching those ads do nothing to improve your life.

~~~
noComment
> getting rid of cable WTF??! Goddamn communists! Why don't you just move
> North Korea already?!

My cable gods bring me wholesome entertainment with the naughty bits blurred
or bleeped, so I don't have to feel or think nothing!

And my god man, they have beer commercials! AND pizza commercials! Come to
think of it, why don't they have the beer and pizza commercials combined?

But I digress..

------
jpmonette
Happy birthday Jacques. This is definitely an interesting eye opener article
for a young professional like me, giving a clearer picture about how life can
be for a curious technical person at 50.

------
danieltillett
The bit about not feeling your age is so true. I am a little bit younger, but
I really don't feel that different to when I was 20 - maybe just a little less
angry about the world.

------
amelius
Look at it this way: even an old cat jumps into a tree like it was a young
kitten. It simply doesn't know it is old. So why should we behave any
differently?

------
macjohnmcc
I'm turning 50 on October 1st. Thanks for the reminder!

------
nekopa
Happy birthday Jacques! I am not far behind you, and I have to say that I am
loving my mid forties...

------
tmaly
I have a friend that is 53 that still does triathlons with people half his
age.

~~~
mikestew
Not uncommon, I'm 52 and still beat most of the men who are literally half my
age. I even outright win a race once in a while if I'm not on the west coast
(much more competitive, I've found). Granted, there's a bit of innate talent
and hard training involved.

Frankly, I don't give it a lot of thought, I just run like I always have. It's
not until someone else points it out that I'm like "hmm, I guess that _isn 't_
too bad for an 'old guy'".

As a sibling commenter pointed out, 50-ish is when the kids move out and
you've finally got a little money and vacation time, as well as time to train.
Time for that $7000 Colnago race bike you've always wanted, eh?

~~~
mironathetin
Interesting, isn't it?

I swim (since I was 13, that is > 37 years). I also don't train like a maniac
any more but simply try to improve my style and keep my fitness. But I hardly
meet anyone in the pool half my age who has the slightest chance to keep up.
This is not meant as boasting at all. The good non-professional athletes seem
to be > 40 these days.

Is that a sign that we don't have good trainers? Or do others only start to
work out after the doctor starts to pale while looking at the blood analysis?

