I just turned 48 on November 27, 2017. People say I'm still young, but the only people who say I'm young are much older than me. I look at my former classmates and think, "Wow, they've aged like shit," and then when I look in the mirror, I look just like them. I'm on the final stretch to 50, the age where people just look through you like you don't exist. I'm overweight because I like to eat too much white cheese dip at Mexican restaurants, but aside from that, my mobility's good, I exercise, and I still have most of my hair, but...

When I was a young patrolman in 1994, I bought a W. German P220 that served as my duty weapon. During my first qualification, I shot 490/500, the best in the department. Not because I was good, and they certainly didn't teach me to shoot, but it was only because that P220 was so unbelievably accurate, it made me look better than I really was. That P220 just did the work for me. It was easy to shoot. I carried it as a trusted duty weapon for years.

Feeling all nostalgic recently, I just bought a mint W. German P220 from a super nice fellow SigForum member, and when I opened the box, it was like the diner scene in Pulp Fiction when the robber opened Samuel L. Jackson's briefcase. All those 90s memories flooded over me. I couldn't wait to get it to the range!

But when I did shoot my new P220, something unexpected happened.

My P220 beat me to death. It wore me out. It battered my hands. Jarred my wrists. Made my elbows ache. Broke my support hand grip on every shot. It recoils so much harder than my TRP and Shield .45. I shot well with it, but it...hurt. It wasn't the girl I remembered in my dreams.

And then I realized the cold hard facts of life. The truth dawned on me thanks to that P220. It's not the P220's recoil. It's sure not the .45 caliber.

It's me. I'm now old, and getting older, and I don't like it. Not one bit. Getting old ain't for sissies.

I'm 75 and you ain't seen nuttin' yet!

Be thankful you're 48....I wish I was!

Similar experience here.

Tested 20/10 vision, athletic scholarship etc., etc., now...ha ha ha !

Getting old plain sucks...but if you maintain reasonable health it still beats the alternative.

Wish you all the best and thanks for the walk down memory lane !

Rage against the dying of the light.

Welcome to the club!

But ya ain't old 'til you are EIGHTY

I'm in your same year Jbourne. I too, am noticing some subtle declines. I've noticed also that my efforts to control weight gain and retain muscle and cardiovascular fitness take much more attention than they used to.

Fortunately my guns aren't beating me up too badly yet.

Hang in there, I'm sure some of our "wiser" members will be along shortly to rib you a bit. I look forward to their humorous remarks.

"Old?" *snort*

Best stay clear of .40 S&W and .357 Sig, young man

(Never mind .357 Mag...)

I remember as a teenager looking at my father and and thinking, what is wrong with this old man?
Now I know!
When I look in the mirror, there is my old man staring back at me.
Now when I shoot, my hands don't hurt. I just cant see the sights. And I am deaf.

quote:

I just turned 48 on November 27, 2017. People say I'm still young, but the only people who say I'm young are much older than me. I look at my former classmates and think, "Wow, they've aged like shit," and then when I look in the mirror, I look just like them. I'm on the final stretch to 50, the age where people just look through you like you don't exist. I'm overweight because I like to eat too much white cheese dip at Mexican restaurants, but aside from that, my mobility's good, I exercise, and I still have most of my hair, but...

I could have written this. Thanks for the perspective.

Yep, getting old sucks big donkey balls!

63 here, can hardly remember how much better I felt when I was 48.

68 here, 48 seems like a dream to me. I wish I'd have known back then what I do now == I would have taken on more things while I still had the time and ability! Of course, that is even more true going forward.

You may feel like you are "getting old," but that beats hell out of "done got!"

Old?

I ran my first marathon at 54 and my best marathon at 55. I've now retired from marathon running (I guess it's my age), but I've completed nine, and multiple other distance runs.

My doctors love me like Trump. I take no medications, eat as I want, work two jobs and can still wear my Brooks Brothers suit I purchased 30 years ago.

A couple of wrinkles, some receding hair, the need to wear glasses and the loss of some high frequency hearing let me know that I've gotten older.

But dammit, I still feel like 20 year-old. The women don't think so, but that's their problem, not mine!

I just turned 50 and most of the time I feel like I’m 25 but trapped in a 50 year old body. Looking at pictures of me when I was young is sad and shocking. It’s hard to believe it’s the same person. At least the guns don’t feel like they recoil any worse...yet.

Growing old is better than the alternative.

I went to physical therapy for evaluation for a re-eruption of a pain in the shoulder/arm.

The PT gave me exercises to stretch out my back and straighten my upper spine. She explained that with computer use, my shoulders are pointing forward and so is my head and I'm developing a slope in my upper back. I told her, "you're describing what I see in old people." She didn't answer back.

I think your body doesn't give you an instant feedback of the things you're doing wrong. It waits when you're old when it starts exacting its due.

As far as looks, when I was in my twenties, I looked like I was in my forties. And now that I'm 60, I still look like I'm in my forties.

quote:

Originally posted by Ryanp225:
Rage against the dying of the light.

Indeed.

I ain't goin' without a fight.
And death won't take me alive!

Rage against the age.

quote:

Originally posted by detroit192:
Growing old is better than the alternative.

I like the version a crusty old fellow told me once: "Getting old isn't for pussies."

I'm sure not 48 but I can't complain.
(My wife would agree that I probably behave as if I am 18 years old mentally sometimes).

But I have noticed two directions among my friends as we have aged.

One group doesn't really change much of what they did when they were 30 (aside from hopefully skipping the stupid things). They go out and do things outside, keep active and seem to usually keep themselves occupied. (This even includes the ones who have disabilities/aches from work/service/medical issues/etc).

The other group seems to be telling people they are old and basically throwing dirt on themselves already.

I was down on the Outer Banks in the fall and we had dinner with a group of friends at a restaurant near stores by the water. As we walked out it was a beautiful evening and I suggested we take a walk to the end of the strip and back. It was a pleasant evening and the scenery (wink, wink, nudge nudge) was entertaining.

A couple of the guys (NOT the ones with physical impairments/disabilities, mind you) immediately started complaining about jeeze... WALKING and wanted to DRIVE there. Really???

Oh I hear ya. I am 39. getting old is brutal.

....I used to wonder why my grandpa moved about the way he did....fortunately I paid attention and can now get around pretty good based on his template for living with gravity....