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mooser
Trad climber
seattle
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Topic Author's Original Post - Apr 30, 2007 - 10:21pm PT
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So the longer I'm on this site, the more I see that a bunch of us are in the second half zone (assuming we'll all live to 100, of course). This December I'm turning 50. Doesn't seem possible, but the calendar doesn't lie.
My question is to those who already have, or will be soon, turning that corner: What did you do to mark the occasion? Did you set a goal? Train for, and finally send, that elusive 5.7d? Buy your first box of "Just For Men/Just for Women" hair color? Run a 50 mile ultramarathon? Tell your story, if you have one.
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TradIsGood
Happy and Healthy climber
the Gunks end of the country
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Apr 30, 2007 - 10:27pm PT
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Your fiftieth birthday is exactly like your 20th.
You are a day older than you were the day before.
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WBraun
climber
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Apr 30, 2007 - 10:32pm PT
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So you turn 50. Big deal, 1 year old or 100 years old no difference.
You still think you are the body. Big mistake.
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bachar
Trad climber
Mammoth Lakes, CA
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Apr 30, 2007 - 10:33pm PT
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Just did my fiftieth myself...went bouldering and stuff for the day.
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mooser
Trad climber
seattle
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 30, 2007 - 10:37pm PT
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Great shot, JB. Are you back on rock? Seems to me like a great way to spend the day.
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DonC
climber
CA
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Apr 30, 2007 - 10:37pm PT
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I hit that mark a few years ago. I was at my companies user conference (12,000 people) and during one of the major presentations, up comes a slide with the fact that its my birthday. All the lights came on and a big bunch of black ballons were brought down the aisle to me. I don't know how they knew as I certainly didn't advertise the fact.
Other than that, it was just another day. Went to dinner that night with one of my friends, and called my wife later that night for a few minutes.
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Crimpergirl
Social climber
Hell on earth wondering what I did to deserve it
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Apr 30, 2007 - 10:37pm PT
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I'll turn 50 in 7.5 years if I am lucky. I hope to spend it celebrating life. And I hope I'm wearing a tiara. :)
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bachar
Trad climber
Mammoth Lakes, CA
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Apr 30, 2007 - 10:46pm PT
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Werner's right (as usual - except for that "the moon ain't really there" stuff) - you can count the physical years and all, but the spirit lives forever.
DonC - I hear ya'....just another day (except for the bouldering - that's every other day for me).
mooser - thanx man - yeah I'm trying to get my butt up the stone a little. Don't got much power yet and I get pumped a whole bunch but it feels GOOD!
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Apr 30, 2007 - 10:49pm PT
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been there, done that...
... 3 years ago... the only thing I notice is that I don't heal as fast, my hair is getting grey. Having just as much fun as ever before.... or perhaps just like fun only different.
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Ksolem
Trad climber
LA, Ca
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Apr 30, 2007 - 10:51pm PT
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50...?
I will be 54 this year. My reality is that I am older than ever thought I would get. That is like getting all this cool stuff for free!
Just live as well as you can and don't "grow up" and you will be fine. Especially if you are a climber, it is all about the moment.
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Jaybro
Social climber
The West
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Apr 30, 2007 - 11:15pm PT
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" just like fun only different"
G.E.T.S!!
I'll bring the Tiara, if I still know what I'm doing by then.
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healyje
Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
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Apr 30, 2007 - 11:17pm PT
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About to roll over 55 - still climbing. My motto is: if you can't climb harder, climb stranger...
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Raydog
Trad climber
Boulder Colorado
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Apr 30, 2007 - 11:23pm PT
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I will turn 50 this July.
Philosophy or perhaps physical reality aside (WBraun), it is a milestone and for a lot of people a pretty big one too.
50 means you stop dreading the aging process, smile and go with it.
The fifties are pretty strong years - I'm really psyched and looking forward to them and to living life NOT being the stuck up, egotistical, hyper-opinionated, spoiled-brat of my earlier days.
Here's two:
"Old age is not a rumor"
-Eric Hoffer
and, from Celine:
"The future is no joke"
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Jaybro
Social climber
The West
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Apr 30, 2007 - 11:31pm PT
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50 means whatever you want, need, it to mean. kinda like 16, 18, 21,25, 30, 35, 40, etc I would be extrapolating beyond fidy.
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DonC
climber
CA
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Apr 30, 2007 - 11:31pm PT
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The 20's, 30's, and 40's were great, but I sure wouldn't want to go through it all again. I am fine where I am. Been married 29 years, career is strong, and my two sons are grown and happy. Having them both graduate from college in the last two years (with no loans!) is like getting a huge raise. I have more time and money than I've had in years. Life is good.
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mooser
Trad climber
seattle
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 30, 2007 - 11:56pm PT
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I'm diggin' y'all's responses. Thanks!
At 49, I can say that I am stoked beyond words for the fact that I have a wife I still love and like (married 27 years this month), a 15 year old son who brings me major amounts of joy, and I still love to climb more than any single activity.
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couchmaster
climber
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Mooser, you took the words right out of my mouth! Except that the boy is 17 in 2 months and the daughter is 21. The wife and I have been together 27 years so far as well.
Celebrating ideas:
2 years ago, on my 50th, my little brother and I went to Las Vegas to celebrate. He gifted me $500 to blow.
On his 50th, we traveled to Everest Basecamp with some other friends, North side in Tibet - and he was in basecamp on his 50th, which coincided with a full moon.
I'm still remembering my older brothers 40th, where we all traveled to Nepal and treked @ 3weeks up past Namchee to basecamp, south side, for his birthday. Met the wifes in Katmandu later.
I'm still catching some flack for blowing off my big bros 50th where all his buddies, spured on by my lil bro, rented some cabins and skinny skiied in Eastern Oregon. (Went and spent some time in France during that time period with my family).
I'd encourage you to plan something big and make it memorable.
Regards:
Bill
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mooser
Trad climber
seattle
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Topic Author's Reply - May 1, 2007 - 01:15am PT
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Bill: Awesome experiences! Thanks for the post.
Tom
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Jaybro
Social climber
The West
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The cool thing about being 50 ia all the cool sh#t you get to do, see, understand, et al, in the blink of a half a c-note.
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wayne w
Trad climber
the nw
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i did zm in a push the year i turned 50. thanks to my stellar partners! i'll be 55 in the fall, but have already done my first march ascent of el cap, and i hope to do many more...this year and well beyond.
meditation, training hard but sensibly throughout the year, eating a healthy mostly organic diet, being blessed with an amazing girlfriend and great friends, and lots of interests that i am passionate about keep me feeling much younger than i would without them.
happy belated birthday john!
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