Things that drove you nuts when you were younger,

[Chauncey Gardiner]

I hated driving in NYC when I'd visit my in-laws. Loved driving in upstate NY though.

If memory serves me, Seinfeld filmed some of the Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee in upstate NY. It was beautiful.

 

[SCEMan]

i hope 1968 was better for cars then the 70s dang huge enginea that only made. 200 hp lol

It wasn't until about 73' that the smog era motors killed horsepower.

 

[raggie33]

It wasn't until about 73' that the smog era motors killed horsepower.

cool buddy had a trans am with a 6.6 ltter engine and my 4 banger ford exp blew his doors off lol plus i got like 40 mpg

 

[Rob Babcock]

Wisdom begins at 50 and like fine wine gets better with age.
Trouble is, these days many don't want to hear wisdom so elders are considered cast off's.

When I was young and was around elder people who talked slow that drove me crazy. Now days I revel in the fact that a wise person is usually a slow talker who is more than willing to share wisdom to anybody with the patience to listen.

What's the old saying? With age comes wisdom, but sometimes age comes alone.

 

[bykfixer]

When I wore a younger man's clothes I couldn't understand why the world didn't spin the way I thought it should. Why doesn't the population see what I see? How come this person doesn't get excited about music I'm excited about? How come they like Pepsi when obviously Coke tastes better?

One night I was reading a self-help book for folks crippled by addictive behaviors, be it gambling, drink, bad relationships and so on. A chapter called "center of the universe syndrome" grabbed my attention. It spoke of how each person has a unique perspective of life but many cannot understand that others don't understand outside of their internal universe. It doesn't mean they are selfish. Just unique. They are the center of their own universe.

It took some time, but one day the light came on in my head and I learned to imagine what it must be like for other people. A guy in a nice car sees another guy on a bicycle and thinks I sure wish I was on a bicycle, while the guy on the bicycle thinks I sure wish I had a car like that.

It took practice and self-discipline to get it dialed in, but as I got older it became easier to understand that a lot of people simply cannot understand life outside of their internal self. It helped me understand why my mom was so outgoing and my dad so introverted. And allowed me to get a glimpse of who they really were. Warts and all. Best of all it allowed me to understand that they were a lot wiser than I'd known.

It allowed me to get along with people who are polar opposites of me or just accept their quirks and move on. When I was a lad I never would have sat still long enough to read a chapter called center of the universe, but now that I'm older I see my universe is surrounded with other universes and try to understand life inside somebody elses universe. The old saying "you never know what it's like for another man until you've walked a mile in his shoes" makes more sense now.

 

[SCEMan]

If memory serves me, Seinfeld filmed some of the Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee in upstate NY. It was beautiful.

The scenery driving thru Sleepy Hollow and Tarrytown in the Hudson Valley was amazing.

 

[SCEMan]

cool buddy had a trans am with a 6.6 ltter engine and my 4 banger ford exp blew his doors off lol plus i got like 40 mpg

Your EXP wouldn't have fared well against my 70' Nova SS 396/375. Of course I didn't get 40 mpg

 

[Chauncey Gardiner]

Your EXP wouldn't have fared well against my 70' Nova SS 396/375. Of course I didn't get 40 mpg

Back in the day, there was more to the driving experience than MPG. BAAA-WAAAA ERT WAAAAA

 

[jtr1962]

When I wore a younger man's clothes I couldn't understand why the world didn't spin the way I thought it should. Why doesn't the population see what I see? How come this person doesn't get excited about music I'm excited about? How come they like Pepsi when obviously Coke tastes better?

I kind of had the opposite problem. I honestly never cared if other people thought or felt like I do. What did and does bother me no end is when you are made to feel inferior, weird, deviant, etc. because you don't run with the majority. I used to think "I accept your differences, why can't you accept mine?" We even have the phrase "tyranny of the majority". The majority thinks their view is the only valid one, then tries to impose it on those who are different. I talked about this a lot in the Daylight Savings thread regarding night versus day people, just to give one example.

It spoke of how each person has a unique perspective of life but many cannot understand that others don't understand outside of their internal universe. It doesn't mean they are selfish. Just unique. They are the center of their own universe.

Sounds like just about everyone these days. Ever watch the movie The Devil's Advocate? This quote reminds me of where we are now:

"You sharpen the human appetite to the point where it can split atoms with its desire; you build egos the size of cathedrals; fiber-optically connect the world to every eager impulse; grease even the dullest dreams with these dollar-green, gold-plated fantasies, until every human becomes an aspiring emperor, becomes his own God... and where can you go from there?"

It took some time, but one day the light came on in my head and I learned to imagine what it must be like for other people. A guy in a nice car sees another guy on a bicycle and thinks I sure wish I was on a bicycle, while the guy on the bicycle thinks I sure wish I had a car like that.

Well, I never envied someone else's car while riding but there were times I envied having the girl in the car.

It took practice and self-discipline to get it dialed in, but as I got older it became easier to understand that a lot of people simply cannot understand life outside of their internal self. It helped me understand why my mom was so outgoing and my dad so introverted. And allowed me to get a glimpse of who they really were. Warts and all. Best of all it allowed me to understand that they were a lot wiser than I'd known.

Yep, my late father especially just didn't get it when people didn't think exactly like he did. He drove most people away from him. My siblings left before they were really ready on account of him. Even now, I hear both say they wish they would have stayed home a few more years. My father mellowed out somewhat in his last few years. It's a shame that didn't happen when he was younger.

 

[raggie33]

only thing ive learned as a kid is if you order a bigmac at burgerking you get a free whooper and a small coke

 

[JimIslander]

Sitting around relaxing with my parents with friends and family. "How can they sit here doing nothing?!!!" Now it's one of the most enjoyable things I do; never happens enough.

 

[Chauncey Gardiner]

My older adult sister's behavior. It was driven by sex and drugs and rock & roll. Not necessarily in that order. I remember when she would visit our parent's home while high. It stressed me to no end, and I felt terrible for my parents, who did everything they could to "help" her. I was always trying to make her act normal while she visited us.

Then one day I had an epiphany - I was not responsible for the way she acted. I literally felt a huge weight being lifted from my shoulders.

Ever since that day, I've endeavored to exercise control over the only person I truly have control over - myself.

People that attempt to control others only succeed in making everyone involved miserable.

 

[Bob2650]

The cold war is one of the most important things that made boomers the way that they are. We were forced to take the cold war and nuclear war seriously. One of the things that annoyed me greatly was "don't worry, be happy" , everything from that retard song to the attitude in general was extremely annoying to me.
BUT, as things turned out, that was exactly correct. Mostly because we were actually ready, willing and able to destroy the entire human race. (and still are)
I still find the cognitive dissonance of that situation very annoying.

 

[radellaf]

Getting to a fast food restaurant just after they suddenly said "no more biscuits! Just burgers! If you'd been here 1 minute earlier..."

Now I think most of them don't do that any more. Also, I've largely lost my interest in fast food unless I'm out driving for hours to a vacation spot. Or the rare time I just have a craving for the greasefest that is a bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit.

 

[Chauncey Gardiner]

Getting to a fast food restaurant just after they suddenly said "no more biscuits! Just burgers! If you'd been here 1 minute earlier..."

Now I think most of them don't do that any more. Also, I've largely lost my interest in fast food unless I'm out driving for hours to a vacation spot. Or the rare time I just have a craving for the greasefest that is a bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit.

You're still able to afford a bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit? Well off, you are. $4.39 😃

 

[radellaf]

You're still able to afford a bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit? Well off, you are. $4.39 😃

Oh, I know, the prices for bad food don't even seem like the bargain they were. (+ add doctor bills if you eat enough)

I typically only got the biscuits when they had a 2 for 1 sale. I remember 2 for $2. It's 2 for $4 now.

 

[drewtiger13]

You're useful at 80 or 90, even if all you can do is hold a rifle and walk. Take point and get the first hit, so the guys behind you can get closer to their target. As you said, by that age you've lived your life already, at least the part worth living. Nothing much ahead except decrepitude and a possible nursing home stint waiting to die. Better to go honorably in battle. And send the grannies in too. They already raised their children. I also think sending people who are terminally ill, regardless of age, but still functional, into battle would make the most sense. They're going to die relatively soon anyway. At least they might save lives doing so.

Not ready to die yet at 59, though. Not even close. I honestly haven't lived life much, especially over the last 6 or 7 years dealing with my mother. Once she goes, I'll be making up for lost time. Hope I'm still functional and riding my bike at 100. And ever since watching Lord of The Rings, I've wanted to celebrate my "eleventy-first" birthday like Bilbo Baggins. So don't count me out until at least November 30, 2073!

You forget though that Most people most of the time decide everything by their fears, and fear death the most. Those like us Veterans mostly day you can't make decisions based on fear because you can never tell how it's going to turn out.

As for still here at 100, I don't think I want to be, but that's mostly because of the way the world is going. By 100, my tolerance for IDIOCY (Not Stupidity, but WILLFULL STUPIDITY) I think may well have reached critical mass! Then I would be stuck with everyone else, fearful of whatever comes next because of some things I might do were I to get to that point! I've been indifferent to passing on to whatever's next whenever except for when wondering whether or not my particular youngest of the time is able to deal with it.
Mostly; they're have been times I was MORE that willing to go have words with "management" about some events!

 

[jtr1962]

You forget though that Most people most of the time decide everything by their fears, and fear death the most. Those like us Veterans mostly day you can't make decisions based on fear because you can never tell how it's going to turn out.

I personally try to have rational risk management, not let fear govern me. I look at what I can do to lessen the impact of things going wrong. If the risk is still too high for my comfort zone, I avoid the activity. If not, I do it. It's how I managed to deal with covid. Go to the store every other week when it's nearly empty wearing an N95 mask-acceptable risk. Eat in a restaurant, or go to other places with large crowds-unacceptable risk.

As for still here at 100, I don't think I want to be, but that's mostly because of the way the world is going. By 100, my tolerance for IDIOCY (Not Stupidity, but WILLFULL STUPIDITY) I think may well have reached critical mass! Then I would be stuck with everyone else, fearful of whatever comes next because of some things I might do were I to get to that point! I've been indifferent to passing on to whatever's next whenever except for when wondering whether or not my particular youngest of the time is able to deal with it.

I take a slightly different view on that. I feel we're at the cusp of either destroying ourselves, or finally seeing the light and starting to make the world into the paradise it could be. If the latter happens, I want to be around to see it (and to possibly help it get there). That's also the reason I closely follow life extension research. I personally think people would care a lot more about the future if they were still going to be alive in that future. If we have a Star Trek 23rd century, I'd love to be around to live in it. Beam me up, Scotty! I just have gut feeling though there wouldn't be all these aliens. I don't doubt other intelligent, technological life exists in this universe, but probably not that many at the same time as us. If we develop warp drive and explore this galaxy, I'd say we'd be lucky to meet a handful of other such species. And most of them would be so different than us it would be hard to grasp. We're more likely to meet Kelvans than other humanoid species.

Mostly; they're have been times I was MORE that willing to go have words with "management" about some events!

Yeah, if such "management" really existed, I'd have a lot of choice words, starting with why was my beloved cat taken from me last year. She was literally the only real bright spot in my life.