turning 40

[bucketmouth64]

Today I turn the big 40. How did you all handle turning 40? I don't feel any different or depressed. I know there are some who take turning 40 kinda difficult. Have you reflected over the years what it was like to be in the 20's and 30's? What do you look forward to in your 40's?

[Guest]

I turned 47 on the 14th, for me it wasn't 40 but 43. It was like hitting a wall. I put on 15lb and the eyesite started to go (reading glasses).
The good side is I no longer waste time running around a softball field on weekend. I now spend time in my fishing boat.
Fishing tournaments pay much better then Softball tournaments.

[New Yankee]

Bucket..

Did that a couple of years ago. You are right, no big shakes. Does get you to thinking. However way you slice it, this ride is half over.

I promised myself I'd fish more, hunt more and worry about the little things less. Sometimes those little things seem pretty important, and they can be - roof over head, etc...., but at what cost?

I've not done a good job at concentrating on the bigger picture myself. Hope you do better.

Kiss the kids a bit more than you scold them, hold the wife a bit tighter at night, and thank the good Lord we're in a country that allows us to do both and the freedom to enjoy the world that he made.

HEY - HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

[Redlantern]

Yankee, I like your advice. Sounds like a couple of country songs I've heard. One was something about in my next thirty years and the other was about living like your dying. I've noticed that as I get older, I don't sweat the small stuff as much. I also don't take fishing as seriously as I used to, now it's more fun to get the kids onto some good fishing than me getting a bunch of fish.

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Erik Torgerson

[Royce Aardahl]

Happy Birthday! Well I get to hit the big Five Oh on august first. I've actually been thinking about this one. Wow, that's a lotta years on this awesome planet. I thank the Lord everyday for the life I have and from here on out it's all a bonus..

[Matt Johnson]

Happy Birthday bucketmouth! You still have a lot more fishing ahead of you!

My dad turned 51 today, we just got back from our yearly trip to Canada and he's as young as ever

Good Fishin,
Matt Johnson

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Matt Johnson Outdoors
Metro Area Ice Fishing, Team Catch-N, and more...

[email protected]
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[This message has been edited by Matt Johnson (edited 07-18-2004).]

[delmuts]

happy birthday ! 40 bothered me for a few minutes, but that was it. as you get older the small problems don't seem as big and you do find more pleasure in things. like a sun rise ! i'm 52 . you don't feel any different than you did at 39 . you start thinking about living each day and all of the plesures that come with it. if you get feeling depressed; just look in the news paper and check out the obituary colum and see how many younger than you don't get the chance to see another day. del

[sami0115]

i turn 39 in December. holy s&&t! i have my 20 year reunion this summer. i sucks to be old! i wish i was 25 again.

[IFallsRon]

Happy birthday.

Just because you've got another knotch on the pole doesn't mean you have to act any differently. Just keep on keepin' on.

[The Grebe]

I turned 56 on June 30th, no big deal? I guess I'am not that philosophical about it as some....stopping to smell the Roses, working less, fishing more, and all that kind of stuff.

Once a persons life span is well on it's way and your sails have been set, you are not going to be able to change your lifes patterns on a dime! If that were the case,
we could all quit smoking at will, or starting eating better, or quit drinking so much, or be a better all around person.

Whats that saying, "You can talk the talk, but can you walk the walk?" As a person gets older, there are some things that they can change, as a matter of course...if you put to much on the plate, it never gets done and only leads to disappointment.

Don't worry about it, let the years flow, do what you can do and when you can't do that anymore, do something else! To a 5 year old, a 7 year old is old and it goes right up the scale.

When you think of the alternative to aging,
turning, 15, 25, 40, 60, 80, looks pretty good!

[upnorth]

Just because you turned 40 don't mean a thing. Age is more of mind game than anything. I didn't change a thing that I was doing when I turned 40 except I took up Mountain Biking and Cross Country Skiing. Just keep doing the same things you were doing before and have the young guys try and keep up

Happy Birthday

[Animal]

Hit 40 about 12 years ago. As far as I'm concerned it gets better from 40 onward. If you have any bad habits like smoking, excessive use of alcohol, eating too much, spendin too mush time sitting on your A$$, etc.,its time to lose them. These are the culprits that will catch up to you in a few years.

[bucketmouth64]

Hey guys, some wonderful posts! I do see myself not sweating the small stuff, and I really do start appreciating life and the outdoors more. I am not married, but spending time with my teenagers is great. My oldest said he wants to move back home the last 2 years of high school!!! That's next year!!

[Animal]

Raising teenagers can produce a rapid ageing effect. LOL.

[hawkeye43]

an old guy once told me long ago that any day above ground is a good day and if you could go fishing its a great day. As a person nears that 50 you begain to think about life a little differently,

[The Grebe]

Don't be fooled, ageing is more then a state of mind, it's an actual occurrance and some of us are more fortunate then others that it does occurr!

All kinds of things come into play, lowered testosterone levels make you less aggressive and more sedate and that leads to this and this leads to that, cause and effect.

Gravity, heat and cold,ultra violet rays, common deseases, such as arthritus, bone and muscle density loss, eyesight related
problems, injuries, old and new, all combine to slow a person down, it's the way it is!

It's how you recognize and deal with it that counts. Although they have access to better facilities and care then most of us do, look at Roger Clemens 40, Lance Armstrong 38, and a host of other athletes that hit there stride in their late 30's early 40's. Sugar Ray Robinson won a world championship when he was in his mid 40's, Archie moore fought his last fight against Ali when he was over 50! It's how you deal with it and compensate for age related weaknesses.

I believe there is one thing that hobbles alot of people....that one thing is saying "I can't", because to whatever degree, they "Can"!

The flame can burn low and die out in a person, no matter what their age, never, NEVER, let the fire go out! Keep the smallest flame burning, fan the smallest ember, and never say "I can't!"

[Thomas]

you just reached half your life, what are you going to do for the next 40? - it's a long time.

[jonny_redhorse]

just a perspective on "getting up there"...by the time one hits 40...one should have learned all the "basics"....after that(where i am,55)you start "fine tuning" what you've learned in those first 40 years...i 'm finding these years i'm at right now are the greatest years of my life....more insight....deeper perspective on the days i have left...i look at the world more intently then i used to at 25....life is good.....those bull bluegills on the end of my flyrod are ...really" appreciated now...lol!...jonny

[fishinphyl]

My theory is never admit to anything over 29 and remember you may grow older but you don't have to grow up!

Seriously, I think you are as young as you feel and act. My mother always said that she did not like to hang around with a lot of old people because they make you old. I think she was right. If my poor old back just just keep up with my mind I would still be 29 - AGAIN.

Play harder and worry less. Love more and and enjoy the small things. That big fish is not as important as the fact that you are out there having fun.

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Phyl

[Guest]

30 was much more weird than 40 in terms of the "shock" factor.

I wouldn't trade my 40's for anything and I've got 7 more left to go!

Love your wife (and tell every day in some way), spend more time with your kids and live for toady.

Happy 40th and many, many more!

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Chells

[musky hunter]

Since I turn 51 all too soon, I feel your pain! But, 40 is young if you keep yourself in shape. So, the best alternative to mourning over fleeting youth is to keep having birthdays!

[muskybuck]

Having another birthday is sure a lot better than the alternative. My favorite saying is if I knew grandkids were this much fun I would have had them first.

[fishbreath]

Yesterday I turned 39 for the 9th time. I cut back a little on the 2nd job to fish a little more. What good is money if your going to work yourself to death? and can't enjoy some of the money. Yes I'm slowing down and the love handles are a little bigger, but the wife said I still turn her on. Time to start enjoying the finer things in life. Trying to cut back on the stress at work. Enjoy life now.