What to expect when you get old...

11.15.04 (4:52 pm)

So, I have been thinking about turning 43 in a few months. I have noticed that my body has gone through a few changes. If you are not at this age, you may find this blog to be what to expect when you get to my age. 1. Food tolerance: I used to have a stomach of cast iron. I could eat as much of whatever I wanted and I had no problems. Eat a pizza at midnight and go to bed, no problems. Over eat Indian food, no problem. However, last few years, my stomach has been not so dependable. I get a heartburn after eating a pizza late at night. If I am eating Indian food, I'd better be careful on how much I eat or I pay for it later (can be a painful experience). I find myself avoiding really spicy, sour or salty food. 2. Metabolism: Well, the days of eating whatever and how every much is gone. I use to have decent metabolism and if I wanted to lose weight, I could lose 10-20 lbs in few weeks with sensible diet and exercise. Now, I can eat as half as much and exercise twice as much and I won't get the similar results. I almost gave up about weight, just trying to be healthy by eating reasonable and excercise to keep my heart and muscles health. 3. Recovery time: I used to be able to over do exercising or playing and be sore for a day and that was it. Now days, it takes me 3-4 days to recover from over doing it, whatever it may be. Soreness stays on, they don't go away as fast as before. Advil is my best friend. I get a great deal from Costco buying the industrial size bottle. 4. Noise factor: I miss the days when I crank up the volume and rock to the music. Now days, I find myself turning down volume while I am driving or just listening. I find myself listening to more mellow music also (not Barry Manilow level but something less than Guns and Roses). 5. Nose hair: What is the deal with the nose hair? I don't remember them growing when I was young. Now days, I have to trim them every couple of weeks or they protrude out. What is that all about? Nose hair? I used to tease older people who didn't trim their nose hair. Now I find myself with the same problem. Sigh, I just gotta keep remember to check the mirror once in a while. Same goes for the eye brow. I gotta trim that to reasonable level once in a while. Now I can empathize with what women have to go through everyday. 6. Groaning: I used to laugh at my father when he sat down. He would groan everytime he sat down. I thought it was funny for some reason. Now, I am making that same noise when I am sitting down. First of all, I am mortified that I am turning in to my father. Second, I don't know why I am doing it. It's sub-conscious. It's not about pain. It doesn't hurt to sit down. It's just comfort factor I guess. It just feels good to sit down. I hope I don't groan doing something else. Can't imagine groaning while be intimate with someone. That would a sure way to end the date quickly. 7. Time factor: I used to be bored when I was much younger. Bored that time didn't go by fast enough. I coudn't wait until the day was over. Now, clock does indeed move faster. I look up and it's already quitting time. I mean, where did all that time do? Did my brain just shut down long enough where I didn't notice the gap in time? Did I fall a sleep and didn't know it? Last 20 years went by twice as fast as my first 20 years, I swear. 8. Lost body parts: I am noticing that some parts of my body will never come back. That is a sad thing. Like a part of a toe nail that never grew back after my surgery for an ingrown toe nail. Like half the tooth I had to lose to accommodate for the new crown. Like some semblence of muscle around my body. Perfect or near perfect skin that had no blemishes. Instead I gained parts like nose hair. 9. Flexibility: I haven't tried to touch my toes in a while because I hate failing simple tests. I used to be very flexible. I was able to reach things that I can never try now days. I try to stretch because I was told that it helps with flexibility. Well, I tried but it didn't help for me. May be if I lose some inches around me that could help. 10. Energy: Well, this part is what I miss the most. I was able to party in to late hours, sleeping for few hours and function fairly well after some caffein. Now days, I don't even bother going out until late. It just leaves me drained the next day. I hope I don't get an active 25 year old girlfriend soon. I think she will leave me dead and inherit almost $25 I have in the bank. - eben