How is age affecting me? Irene, I've been thinking about your question.

I'm not keeping up very well, but then I never did. Dishes pile up in the sink, the carpet is crunchy, I don't have any clean clothes, and the grass is too tall. I have some really rocky days, that's been going on for a long time. I'm still overweight but I've worked the overage way down to less than twenty pounds so kudos to the fluffy girl. I've always run with a short fuse, can't tell much difference. I don't have enough time, so what's new with that? Nothing.

I'm not going to whine about sixteen surgeries (including four spinal), a stroke, a heart attack, and six stents because I sailed right through all that (sailed may not be the right word, ouch!) and I'm still rolling. I take care of my house, mow my yard, do a considerable amount of auditing and MS, and provide extended instructions to my extended family whether they need them or not. I've noticed pain medication doesn't work nearly as well as it used to and the walk back up the hill from the mailbox is steeper than it was. What do you suppose is up with that?

I raised two step children who disappeared on me so I may have screwed that up. My mom always told me I shouldn't think I had problems because I had stepchildren because raising your own was hell, too. That's not exactly what she said but that was the essence of the thought. Oh, well. But, last week one of them came to see me, a sixty year old man I hadn't seen in a long, long time. Will wonders never cease? No! He told me I was getting around real well. So what did he expect, an old woman?

I own two rocking chairs but I don't run them often and not for long at a time. Mostly I plop my butt down in one to put on my tennis shoes so I can hit the road.

Recently I wrote a book and I'm excited about it. I'm in the process of slicking it up but I think it's real close to finished. It's based on family history and I had to wait for this time before I felt free to write it. Since I am now the oldest living person in my family, it's BOOK TIME. Good for me. Lots of members of the forum read for me and were extremely helpful -- so a big thank you to all of you who helped me. Based on your suggestions I made revisions and changes and I believe it is a much better book. Next step is to look for an agent and/or a publisher.

Really, there's not much difference between being young and being old. What happens is that how ever you were when you were young, you are more so when you are older. There are physical changes, such as wrinkles, gray hair, age spots, advanced arthritis, general aches and pains. None of that is really important. I believe that essentially a person is always the same.

The difference I do see in being young and being old is that now I don't have as much responsibility for others. I don't mean I don't care about them, I mean they are deceased so the time to care for them is over. Now I just look after myself and provide moral support and comfort to others but I don't actually take care of them. That's a big difference time wise, so even though I'm moving slower I'm still keeping up about as well as I ever did. If we didn't have too much to do life would be boring, wouldn't it?

Irene, I'm delighted you have a boy friend. Good for you, you go girl! I was married forty five years and it was what I wanted at the time but I don't want it again. I'm pretty sure if I hooked up with somebody he would expect things, like a normal schedule and regular meal times and a carpet that didn't crunch. Sorry, not on the spreadsheet.

Okay, then, so what I think about being old is that it's the very best time ever. Provided, of course, that you took care of business when you were young so you can look back with a sense of accomplishment.

Love your post, Mary.

Mary, you have not lost your sense of humor. I didn't realize your health was fragile, with all the surgeries. I wouldn't have made it, but you do have an extraordinary humor, it is your essence. Aug. 30th. Sat. is my B-day and what prompted me to write this down. I am flying to Sarasoto, Fl, he sent me a ticket, and he plans to show me the sights of Fla., including the
Breakers Hotel....am I excited, you bet......if he doesn't forget to pick me up.... We seniors have a lot to say, and yes,
writing a book is one way, so many memories, so little time. I must say, my biggest advantage is having good genes, my
Grandmother was 98, and my Mom 96 both passing healthy with no pain. I am lucky!! I never thought I'd have a guy in my life, but now, it seems normal and why not. I advise taking care of your health when younger, no smoking, eating healthy at
least 50% of the time, and walking or excersize of some sort, which I now HATE. I just picked up a great restaurant in Sarasoto that I do in L.A. and will take him and my computer.

Happy birthday Irene. Age hasn't affected me at all. But could you use a larger font so that I can read it?

Happy belated birthday! I feel so young reading this thread. Did not know there were so many mature shoppers here.

MS and general business ownership has given me purpose and direction in many areas of my life. I can see myself doing this for a long time. The comments here help me to see it's definitely possible!

Mature sounds nice.

I'm 29. Enjoying every moment of my twenties. I hear thirties is pretty awesome. Nonetheless, I love the fact that there is so much wisdom on this board. Age hasn't started affecting me but my friends say that I always seem to have too much on my mind, I tend to get way too involved in my MSing business.

AS Billy Crystal said, I can do anything I could do in my 20's, if I could remember what it was....

I keep getting gfk email shops for 18 to 44. My profile says I am over 50. Sometimes the email even says it is for Male, 18 to 44. What's worse is, I did not see that until I open the email. The heading says, "Restaurant Shops". What a waste of time. Now, when I see gfk, I simply delete them.

Lookwise, I do not look over 45, I look 20 years younger than my age, but I had to be honest in the shop profile. Anyone lie in their shop profile? When I go to a restaurant or any other shop, the wait staff do not see an old lady. The shop requirement, like the TG Friday ones, asked for younger shoppers. I understand that, but I look young. Not a trace of white hair, well.... after I colored it.

Someone said they put a younger age in their birthdate, but keep forgetting what they wrote there. That's funny. MSC's do not check. Maybe I should just do that.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/29/2014 08:22PM by BetteL.

Yes, I'm 72 and still amazed at it. I've retired from a very stressful corporate job and lots of travel. It took me 2 years to be comfortable with retirement...or rather semi-retirement. I'm taking the best and found that a 30 day seasonal job as a boss offered the ego reward, and shopping keeps me in touch with the business world. I especially like the flexibility and this winter I'll be trying to shop in another state as a snowbird.

Now that I am "old" I sometimes play the "old lady card" much to the horror of my adult children. I think it's incredibly funny. I like being open and honest with my opinions and in praising my good friends often. I've always been known as an adventurer and my more conservative friends whisper about my "spy work". When I travel they think I've been sent on a mission. I just smile.

Shopping the Maritime Northwest and soon Arizona

Bearclaw14 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

>As far as the aging I will say I can't hear very
> well, and my sight is going as well.

My sight went when I was about six. Well, I'm not blind but extremely nearsighted. I was one of the first kids in my class to get glasses. My hearing is fine although my seventeen year old daughter insists I can't hear (A hearing test proved her wrong.).

After reading about the health problems others have I feel lucky that all I have is Hashimoto's thyroiditus, mild OCD and asthma which puts me in the ER once in awhile.

Oh, and of course, at around this time last year I turned around after feeding our guinea pigs and became airborn by tripping over the vacuum cleaner that I had forgotten was there. I tackled the floor right shoulder first and knew immediately something was wrong. I called my doctor and they got me in for an appointment almost right away. I got in my car and as luck would have it my right arm would not work well enough for me to shift into high gear. I drove the ninetenths of a mile to my doctor's office in first gear with the hazard lights flashing. Turned out my arm was broken in two places. They immediately sent me to an orthopedic surgeon who determined, thank goodness, that I did not need surgery. I didn't even get to wear a cast because the break was too high up on my arm. I had to wear a sling for six weeks, and then do three or four months of physical therapy. I spent about three months doing phone shops because I couldn't drive my car. My daughter who was sixteen at the time got a lot of practice driving while still having only a learner's permit. My arm is now completely recovered and as far as I can tell I even have my full range of motion back.

I bought another car about a month ago and yes, it is a manual transmission.

On a slightly different topic, I think a key to feeling young is to try new things every so often. Last March I bought a puppy. At the age of sixty two I have become a dog mommy for the first time.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/30/2014 12:15AM by alannajm.

It's been rough, like many of you have had to live. Married to a Vietnam veteran who has PTSD, if you have any knowledge of that, then you'll understand the word, rough. Just turned 66 in July and was quite active with the myst jobs up until last October when I was mopping the floor and ended on my keister while hitting my head on the wall. Was in a wheel chair up until January when I began therapy on my leg.

Being a three time cancer survivor, my immunity level has hit the skids. Two months ago, I ended up with pneumonia and the doctor wanted me in the hospital. I had already agreed to do several jobs and as each day passed, I thought, maybe I can get out of the house and complete them. I did not and was fired. That's all right, I take responsibility.

As my healing began with the pneumonia, I had constant pain under my rib cage; went for the x-rays and now I'm on meds to, hopefully, dissolve the gall stones.

I'm doing my best to pick up odds & ends jobs and hopefully, I'll be able to get back into full swing; if not, I've enjoyed doing these over the years -well, most of them I've met a lot of dedicated employees and some who just don't give a squat.

To give you a chuckle about dealing with hubby's now, dementia caused by the PTSD, before I left for one of my doctor's appointments, I asked him to wash the fridge.

He did ..........with the water hose

God is good and He keeps holding onto me. Whatever my final mission is, He is in charge of it.

Definitely keeps you young and purposeful. Keep looking for your shops and doing that route and you can continue almost forever as long as some young scheduler doesn't consider anyone over 50 "doddering." Blessed with good health and able to remember the important parts of a shop you can certainly offer the competitive edge of "evaluation" that younger people may not be able to command.

Belated Happy Birthday, Irene! Have a lot of fun in Florida.

How is age affecting me?

I'm 43 and going to college for the first time. I love it - I'm taking classes online so it's more flexible. Would love to quit my job and do something else but it pays the bills. At the end of December I felt my age when I slipped and fell and broke my ankle and had to have surgery to correct the break. I guess I don't bounce back like I used to. Not that I am frail, but I have noticed that my footing isn't as secure as it was in my twenties. Not complaining as there are plenty of people who are worse off than me!

I am in my 70's. Age is a whole of a lot better than any alternatives. I have shopped <on and off> since the days of mailing things in. Today is much better.

If you plan and organise with a route you can have days where you make $100.00+. Take a scanner and your laptop with you. Send it in at a wifi spot.! Then, go home, take your meds and plastic leg off, have some beer and wake up across the street (J)

Don

I am so damned old I can remember Roosevelt, ...both of them! hahahaha

Happy Birthday Irene! I love all the posts about your birthday. It's great to know that other "elders" are doing this work.

I haven't been on the forum the past week because my daughter was in a car accident--not her fault--she didn't get hurt but the insurance would only pay for a rental for a few weeks. We finally found her a car and she's back in college 70 miles away. (Thank you lord!)

I'm 66. When I was 47, I went to China and adopted a baby. I assumed that I would get a 3-5 year old due to my age, but instead, we were blessed with an infant. Of course, I acted like a grandmother would, and spent every penny I earned on her--and still spend quite a bit even though she now has a job. She is 19 and a really wonderful young lady who does not do drugs, but likes to drink.

I do mystery shopping mainly because it gets me out of the house, I can use a few extra dollars every month, and I like interacting with people. My mother has dementia and I pray that I can keep that at bay for at least the next 20 years.

Strevel: I was cleaning out my desk and found some EPMS reports that were handwritten. You had to fax them in. I sure had nice handwriting back then!

Turned 58 this month. Sometimes my body slows me down, but not my mind. The Texas summers get a little tougher every year. Walking across asphalt parking lots can make you feel like pot roast in a slow cooker, lol. Got a bad back so I live and deal with the pain just like many of you. I am a firm believer in a positive state of mind and it always helps.

I live in Texas also and I agree about what it's like to walk on hot pavement. I am a senior with health issues that started in my 50's. My mind's young and my body's hurting, but I do what I can. I still drive my l'il red roadster because it keeps me feeling young. I have Rh.Arthritis and it makes it hard to get up in the morning, but I do it. Yep..I do routes that required a few hundred miles of driving. I am a road warrior and I'll continue doing this until I cannot.

I'm turning 25 in a couple of months. Fortunately, I haven't hit a mid-life crisis yet...