What is your 'I wish I was xx' age?

[Kevin Peacocke]

This is tough question to some degree. Not changing anything going forward, just going back in time. I would say age 22-23. I was living in San Monica, CA with my best friend going to a trade school, that was mainly international students. When not in school we were surfing, biking, rollerblading, skiing, chasing tail and of course having fun on the Hollywood strip. Really no care in the world, almost living for the moment. Fast forward 10 years later, I became a workaholic and have not stopped for 17 years. I finally realizing at 50, I wasted my 30 and 40 not enjoying the simple things and taking time off. 2023 is the year to slow down. I am lucking, I am still in decent shape, pretty good health, have great wife and daughter. Got my daughter first bow this year, she is 8. Actually it is a hand me down 1963 "Little Bear". She calls herself a bow hunter now. I bought her two chipmunks 22 from a AH member she does not know about yet. Cannot wait to take her shooting. And finally I plan on going back to Africa in 23/24 after a 22 year absent.

Years aren't wasted if they bring you to the realisation that you need to enjoy the rest.

 

[Traveler1]

Kevin.. I agree, they were not wasted. I should have step back from to time and smell the roses.

 

[C.W. Richter]

Prior to covid, US market/Administration. 52. And yes, XXX for the post-meno Wife! As you say, we cannot go back. Rather, there is today and if you're lucky tomorrow and the next day, and so on. Enjoy Life! Excepting this lunch break, 'working hard to try and enjoy Oct 15th-Dec 15th largely hunting!!!! FJB

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Prior to covid, US market/Administration. 52. And yes, XXX for the post-meno Wife! As you say, we cannot go back. Rather, there is today and if you're lucky tomorrow and the next day, and so on. Enjoy Life! Excepting this lunch break, 'working hard to try and enjoy Oct 15th-Dec 15th largely hunting!!!! FJB

Are you sure you want the wife to be three X's?

 

[reineke]

I stay with Kevin- even with 78 years under my belt. Going back in time neccessarily means to abandon all the experience in between- and that I would not want to happen.

 

[Happy Myles]

I am 84 and looking back at the rights and wrongs of yore, i am lucky to be alive and have things go as well as they did. As Omar Khayyam wrote:
The moving finger writes; and having writ,
Moves on; nor all your piety nor wit,
shall lure it back to cancel half a line,
Nor all your tears wash out a word of it.

Have not regretted one day spent in Africa hunting when I could have been in the States making money

 

[cpr0312]

30-35, nothing hurt yet, no ailments to speak of, metabolism still worked, and starting to get in a groove career wise.

 

[C.W. Richter]

Are you sure you want the wife to be three X's?

She's "just" my gf, so it's fine! (She's actually a "Nun.")

 

[Neil Molendyk]

Every age has it's positives and negatives. To be 20ish was fun and I survived some pretty treacherous times, by 30 I had found the love of my life and was raising a family, maybe the best time of all but no time for hunting and travel, by 40 to 50 the family was maturing and business was solidifying. The sixties brought the decline in physical health but also the opportunity to travel and journey to Africa and hunt the dark continent. Three times actually and every one a great experience, but again health became an issue, joint replacement, arthritis, both from earlier physical activities I believe and a couple of cancer issues which I believe are just bad luck. Now as 70 is closing in I can honestly say that every age was great. Im still doing most things that I did as a younger man, just a little (or a lot slower). Youthful exuberance and ignorance has been gradually be replaced by treachery and stealth. After a certain age there are three things to heed.

Never pass a washroom
Never trust a fart
Never, ever waste an erection.

Because you will know you're getting old when it either dries up or it leaks

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

The key to good health in old age is good maintenance in youth. Modern medicine is fantastic though, replaceable bits etc, so it is never too late. Excess weight is the enemy, shed it, why give your demise a free ride?

 

[Randy F]

Frankly, after all the stupid $hit I did when I was younger, I should be surprised I’ve lived this long. I probably assumed the same when I was young so I probably didn’t care so much at the time since the invincibility charm was in full force back then. I’m only 56 now but that seemed ancient back then.
As others have said, if I could be 30 again but know what I know now I’d go for it. But since all of it’s made me who I am and where I am, I have to say I like the age I’m at.

When I’m asked the “how” questions like “How’s the crop?”, How’s your day?, How’s it going?”, my general answer is “It could always be worse and usually better”. I guess that sums up my accumulation of days at this point as well.

Besides, if I went back I very well might now make it back this far.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I'll just go back to being 40.

Once I hit my 60's health problems started to creep up on me and now at 69 they have hit hard. After my trip to South Africa this past summer I realized that life is going to get harder to keep up with what I enjoy doing if I can keep it up. I had to cancel a Utah muzzle loader hunt due to a couple new health problems. Now I just wonder what they next one that will creep up and smack me between the eyes is going to be.

@JimP
I'm hearing you that's the stage I'm at. After abusing my body with hard work for years so I can be where I'm at it's come back to bite me on the arse big time.
I told my doctor I'm not coming to see her anymore as each time I go there she finds something else that is packing it in.
Despite that I'm enjoying life and still doing the stuff I like even tho it's at a lot slower pace.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

The key to good health in old age is good maintenance in youth. Modern medicine is fantastic though, replaceable bits etc, so it is never too late. Excess weight is the enemy, shed it, why give your demise a free ride?

@Kevin Peacocke
Replacement parts are all well and good but they don't work as well as the original parts. Good maintenance in youth is all well and good nowdays with strict work health and safety rules. Problem is back in the day they didn't exist and hand loading freight like chaff, concrete and produce in 50 to 80kg bags ain't fun. There's 440 50kg bags in 22 ton and we used to hand load that in 2 to 3 hours, tarp upand drive all night just to unload it and do it all again for 6 days a week. That's takes its toll on the body after 30 odd years plus trucks back then weren't the comfort machines of today.
I'm not complaining I wouldn't have swapped those times for anything. Now I work smarter not harder. Kids nowdays think Manual Labour is a Mexican peasant.
Bob

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

@Kevin Peacocke
Replacement parts are all well and good but they don't work as well as the original parts. Good maintenance in youth is all well and good nowdays with strict work health and safety rules. Problem is back in the day they didn't exist and hand loading freight like chaff, concrete and produce in 50 to 80kg bags ain't fun. There's 440 50kg bags in 22 ton and we used to hand load that in 2 to 3 hours, tarp upand drive all night just to unload it and do it all again for 6 days a week. That's takes its toll on the body after 30 odd years plus trucks back then weren't the comfort machines of today.
I'm not complaining I wouldn't have swapped those times for anything. Now I work smarter not harder. Kids nowdays think Manual Labour is a Mexican peasant.
Bob

Yes indeed Bob, that is not the stuff of an easy life. Thanks to the working generation the world was built, and built well. I think all retirees should get a medal, the production medal - or a box of bullets!

 

[Jörg Krüger]

Perhaps several ages.

20 to have a redo and not be a functional alcoholic the rest of my life

35. Injured my back at 27 and age 35 the weight started going up. I wish I could go back and take care of myself better

I am 40 now. Health problems aside, I like the age. Career is beginning its peak and people generally take you seriously

Wow. DeJa'Vu.

 

[Safari Dave]

I'm 57 and things are not that bad.

I guess I was at the top of my physical and mental game in my mid-40's. (could run a 5K, bench press almost 40% more than I weighed, ran a $31 million/year organization, had kids that were wonderful teenagers (who continue to be as adults), etc.)


I retired at 51, draw a really good pension, and now work (just to buy rifles and boat fuel) for a game management agency. (after not being able to get a job as a biologist out of graduate school with the same agency). Still married to the same wonderful lady I met in college 31 years ago.

I've really not slipped much yet. I have to put on reading glasses occasionally, and take 8 medications to keep me alive, but I've had to do that since I was 33.

My mom was alive and healthy when I was 53, so I would probably apply the brakes there, if it were possible.

 

[Buffalo1]

I am comfortable in my skin.