Getting Old

November 29, 2004 3:22 PM

An Octogenarian's Journal Here's what we have to look forward to, if we're lucky.
posted by Photar (9 comments total)

Of the many readers at Metafilter who have read some or all of this journal, how many do you think will live to age 80? let alone be as observant and elegant in writing a journal...
posted by Postroad at 4:00 PM on November 29, 2004

I found it refreshing.
posted by Photar at 4:09 PM on November 29, 2004

Actually, he is a nonagenerian now and has 77 items on Open Diary. How cool is that?

I think we should introduce him to Millie, who has a great blog. She's 79. Found at the ageless project.
posted by madamjujujive at 4:33 PM on November 29, 2004

There's no way in hell I could live that long, especially seeing the slow death of my grandparents. Great stuff, though.

Makes me depressedly think of good ole TS.
posted by NoamChomskyStoleMyFace at 4:52 PM on November 29, 2004

God. May we all be this lucid at his age.
posted by deafmute at 5:07 PM on November 29, 2004

Of the many readers at Metafilter who have read some or all of this journal, how many do you think will live to age 80?

Better yet, who is the oldest Mefite today? Any 70+? 80+?
posted by rushmc at 6:30 PM on November 29, 2004

Just because you're old doesn't mean you're smart:

"I might possibly perceive myself as only able to move in two dimensions--right and left." -- Journal March 26, 2001
posted by betaray at 7:53 PM on November 29, 2004

My knees feel 80, but I'm just 30. 30 is great, btw. I don't see what the big deal is about "turning 30." I'd never go back to being 20... you think you know everything, but everyone else knows you don't. 30 is refreshing because you still don't know anything, but you know you don't know, while everyone is expecting you to know something, so there's a lot of wiggle room for, well, making stuff up.

Mmm, Og love run-on sentence.
posted by socratic at 7:54 PM on November 29, 2004

My knees feel 80, but I'm just 30. 30 is great, btw. I don't see what the big deal is about "turning 30." I'd never go back to being 20... you think you know everything, but everyone else knows you don't. 30 is refreshing because you still don't know anything, but you know you don't know, while everyone is expecting you to know something, so there's a lot of wiggle room for, well, making stuff up.

Thats funny, ever since I was young, I've felt that the world was a big mysterious place. I was very impressed with old people and how they seemed to know everything.

Now, while the world is still full of wonder, I realize that i still don't know anything, and I find it much harder to find people I respect.
posted by Photar at 8:37 PM on November 29, 2004