Topic: Officially an old man

[Cobra951]

The common wisdom is that young people think they're immortal.  Reflecting on that now, on my scariest birthday, I think it's an oversimplification.  I didn't think I was going to live forever back then, but perhaps I thought this age I reached today was so far in the future that it may as well be forever.  It's easy to put our limited lifespan out of our minds when old age is subjectively unreachable.  But reach it we do.  I say it's the scariest because it crosses that subjective threshold.  I can no longer pretend I'm young.  From this point forward, advanced age is a given, and additional birthdays will be accomplishments.  The number starts to grow into a badge of honor.  

I don't mean to troll for happy birthdays here.  Trust me, I'm in no mood for celebrating.  I do consider the alternative to turning 60, but it doesn't help.

[K-man]

Every day is a gift.  Happy birthday, Cobra!

[Quemaqua]

You're only as old as you make yourself. Some of the longest-lived people in the world come from a place where power and responsibility come at a much greater age, and they live much longer as a result, because they're waiting for their lives to begin rather than end.

Happy birthday, mate. Stay young!

[TheOtherBelmont]

You can't fool me, Cobra.  I know the movie Highlander was a documentary about you but was cleverly disguised as fictional events.

Happy birthday Cobra, there can be only one.

[idolminds]

You're just trying to get a high score.

[Xessive]

Happy birthday, Cobra You're our sage and font of wisdom!

[Pugnate]

I am about to turn 34 soon and it is quite scary. But look (wow, you know you've played too much Spelunky when your mind asks for the letters to jump to the lower level. WTF?), 60 is the new 50. You sound like you've taken care of yourself.

I think it is high time you share more of yourself. We've all been friends for so long and we don't know what you look like.

We are all ugly so just post your picture Cobra. Also, if you've mentioned your real name, I've forgotten.

[Cools!]

You are part of the community so you get a nice big HAPPY BIRTHDAY no matter your age!

[Cobra951]

I am about to turn 34 soon and it is quite scary. But look (wow, you know you've played too much Spelunky when your mind asks for the letters to jump to the lower level. WTF?), 60 is the new 50. You sound like you've taken care of yourself.

I think it is high time you share more of yourself. We've all been friends for so long and we don't know what you look like.

We are all ugly so just post your picture Cobra. Also, if you've mentioned your real name, I've forgotten.

This is literally my most recent photo, taken 5 days ago.  It's a selfie with an old camera (meaning I can't see what the lens sees).  I took a couple, and this one turned out OK.  We're at St Thomas, US Virgin Islands here.  Our ship was the Celebrity Summit, visible at the top left.  The one to the right of it is from Norwegian Cruise Lines.  I'm leaning back a bit at a scenic overlook (if that isn't obvious).



8^)

You're only as old as you make yourself. Some of the longest-lived people in the world come from a place where power and responsibility come at a much greater age, and they live much longer as a result, because they're waiting for their lives to begin rather than end.

Happy birthday, mate. Stay young!

I hope you're onto something there.  Thanks for the thought.  It's . . . the most appreciated one yet. 

Thank you all for your good thoughts, in fact.  You've brightened my morose day.

[Pugnate]

Jose.

It's time to grow up and be a man. Getting old? My ass! Scariest birthday? Limited lifespan? Boohoo, shit happens. Cry me a river.

But you not having immortality? You kidding me? It's time to take things into your hands and find the fountain of youth. Yes, it's going to be hard and expensive. Doesn't matter, you have to be a man and find the fucking fountain. You'll have to make huge sacrifices, but immortality comes first. You'll have to take on shitty jungle treks, research Mayan culture, but at least you will be with us forever. If you don't do something, you might as well say goodbye to your girlfriend 30-40 years from now, (which is the life expectancy of someone who takes care of themselves).

Apply for visas to every country that may have the fountain of youth. Don't be picky. Go to every embassy. Talk to everyone, including Harrison Ford and Lara Croft. Check every possibly route. With this turning 60 shit you actually have a great cause for the coveted fountain. Go anywhere that is closer to your goal. Live there for as long as it takes for you to get information, then stay or move on. Worst comes, pack your bags, take a plane and request directions once you land. You are a smart guy, known the Indiana Jones movies better than most of us, speak the old tongue, etc. so you already have an advantage.

No more talk of depression. You have your goal, now go and make it happen. Fuck prays and hope. You can do it.

[Pugnate]

This is literally my most recent photo, taken 5 days ago.  It's a selfie with an old camera (meaning I can't see what the lens sees).  I took a couple, and this one turned out OK.  We're at St Thomas, US Virgin Islands here.  Our ship was the Celebrity Summit, visible at the top left.  The one to the right of it is from Norwegian Cruise Lines.  I'm leaning back a bit at a scenic overlook (if that isn't obvious).



8^)

I hope you're onto something there.  Thanks for the thought.  It's . . . the most appreciated one yet. 

Thank you all for your good thoughts, in fact.  You've brightened my morose day.

Awesome. Glad to finally see what you look like. And I love the beautiful backdrop. Nice shades also.

[Cools!]

Hey Pug,

[Quemaqua]

It's funny to think that we haven't seen a picture of you until now. I know I had a bunch of pics of the meets posted for a while, though most of those have been lost to time (I probably still have some of them somewhere in my picture archive, but not online anywhere). Hell, you look better than I do, and I'm just over half your age. Looks like a beautiful place to be, too ... every time I see something like that I get so insanely jealous. I can't express how hard it is for me to get used to being landlocked.

[Cobra951]

Now imagine actually being there, then getting whisked away to a frozen landlocked wasteland once more.  And then turning 60.  That's where I was today.  I know exactly what I'm missing with all of my senses, not just my eyeballs.  Sorting through the pix to upload for sharing was intensely bittersweet.

Hey Pug,

[scottws]

This is literally my most recent photo, taken 5 days ago.  It's a selfie with an old camera (meaning I can't see what the lens sees).  I took a couple, and this one turned out OK.  We're at St Thomas, US Virgin Islands here.  Our ship was the Celebrity Summit, visible at the top left.  The one to the right of it is from Norwegian Cruise Lines.  I'm leaning back a bit at a scenic overlook (if that isn't obvious).



8^)

I hope you're onto something there.  Thanks for the thought.  It's . . . the most appreciated one yet.  

Thank you all for your good thoughts, in fact.  You've brightened my morose day.

What is that hat? "Cincinnati..." something. Not the Bengals' official logo...  Zoo, maybe?  But the words would be offset if it was zoo...

It's funny to think that we haven't seen a picture of you until now. I know I had a bunch of pics of the meets posted for a while, though most of those have been lost to time (I probably still have some of them somewhere in my picture archive, but not online anywhere). Hell, you look better than I do, and I'm just over half your age. Looks like a beautiful place to be, too ... every time I see something like that I get so insanely jealous. I can't express how hard it is for me to get used to being landlocked.

He went to the same high school as my dad and I and graduated three years behind my dad. I believe I saw him as a freshman in my dad's senior year yearbook, though I could be misremembering that.

Anyway, Cobra. Happy belated birthday, for what it is worth. Sorry that its been a weight on your mind and I wish I had something to say that would cheer you up.

[PyroMenace]

Happy birthday man, I don't think you look so bad for your age.

[K-man]

Yeah if I look that good at 60 then I'm doing something right.

[Pugnate]

I was just kidding Cools. Relax.

Cobra you look good.

[Cools!]

Best buds Pug!

[sirean_syan]

Missed this thread yesterday... and apparently a handsome man.

As someone who often feels too old for the game they decided to play* I often feel like I have to hold onto my age as a badge of honor as well. I just now feel like I'm starting to get to a point where I can have a proper perspective on things and that's something pretty valuable.

*Grad school and university life in general is a young person's world generally. I imagine being here does strange things to someone's sense of time as that gap between you and your twenties increases.

[Cobra951]

What is that hat? "Cincinnati..." something. Not the Bengals' official logo...  Zoo, maybe?  But the words would be offset if it was zoo...
He went to the same high school as my dad and I and graduated three years behind my dad. I believe I saw him as a freshman in my dad's senior year yearbook, though I could be misremembering that.

Anyway, Cobra. Happy belated birthday, for what it is worth. Sorry that its been a weight on your mind and I wish I had something to say that would cheer you up.

Good guess!  "Cincinnati Zoo" it is, all in one line.  The angle of the visor doesn't let you see the rest.  There's always a hat on my head in the sun these days.  The natural protection is almost gone.    Not always the same hat, of course.  My favorite is an all-black Bacardi cap I got at their distillery back in '07, when I went to a family reunion in Arecibo.  Or it was, anyway.  I got a denim one at St Thomas that I really like.

We started out the trip in Puerto Rico, and let me tell you, I wish we had spent most of the time there.  We stayed at El Convento, formerly a nuns place in Old San Juan that has been converted into a nice hotel.  We had nearly 2 days before sailing, and OSJ is still as awesome as ever.  The whole island is doing fairly well, though that may change in the years to come.  In contrast, most of the other islands we visited are poor and run down.  St Thomas was the best.  All of them have colorful natural beauty and great beaches, but trips through their interiors are sad.

Again, thanks to everyone for the good wishes and the ego boost.  Now that I'm past the big one, things are starting to look better.

[ren]

Happy Birthday! You were officially an old man long ago in my books.