"I've reached that age when..."

Had a bit of a moment tonight at the house, and it made me feel like my mom, and then I realized, I've reached that age when...

I figured it might be a good topic for others to share.

Anyway my college-age daughter (a junior already? A JUNIOR!?) is home for the holiday break and the two hometown friends she's very close to and who all went out together tonight need to crash at the house (car issue to resolve in the morning).

Anyway, I had a moment a bit ago when they were all together in our living room with our old, OLD beagle, and I damn near teared up. It's just a nice, warm feeling of, "The kids are home."

So, I've reached that age when that hit me in all the feels.

Chime in, please *

(*I've also reached that age when anybody moving slowly - checkout lines, etc.- drive me fucking crazy.)

 

Hell, I've reached the age when I wonder why people are driving like maniacs, when I wonder why a mature adult willinging spends thousands, tens of thousands and millions of dollars a year on their sports fandom. I mean somebody is donating big chunks of dough to these NIL deals.

I've reached the age where I tell my parents they watch too much TV. (Really!)

I've reached the age where I enjoy quiet and getting to bed early. (OMG!!!)

 

I told friends recently I am now “I hate driving downtown at night” years old.

 

I’m at the age where a hangover lasts two days, which means I’m at the age where I stop well before I reach that point.

 

I'm at the age when I walk into a visiting gym, I've told the players that that the last time I was in that building, none of them had been born...and the second time it happened, I could say that about one of the assistant coaches as well.

I'm at the age where the opposing SID is younger than my youngest kid....

 

I’ve reached that age when the hangover symptoms kick in before I actually feel buzzed.

(Yeah, I quit. We think it’s an allergy.)

 

I’ve just reached the age if I even look at something containing cooked tomatoes, I get heartburn.

Also the other day I realized I’d reached the age where I don’t have attachment to any object I own. I’ve gotten my wardrobe down to about a third of what it once was. My phone is nine years old and dying. My wife drives the new car and I drive the beater. Our house is…fine. I really have no emotional attachment to anything other than pictures, perhaps. A backpack of stuff, out the door and I’d miss none of it. Give me access to a good library and a place to sleep and I’d be fine. My wife is freaked out by my downsizing behavior at age 39. I’m like a senior citizen ready to go into a home.

 

I’ve reached the age when I hear the Willie Nelson song “Still Not Dead”, with its oft-repeated opening line “I woke up still not dead again today”, my first thought is, yeah, I can relate.

FYI, this just happened when I was driving to the store last night.

 

I'm sure I will have more, but I know the feeling of having a daughter who is a junior in college. Mine just drove home for the holidays Tuesday. She was having a scheduling issue and I tried to chime in. She threw me out of her room and she was rude about it. She apologized later, but told me she didn't want or need my help. She can do it on her own. She understands the situation better and can handle it herself. Just the way she put it reminded me she is an adult now. Intellectually, I know that, but I need to get a lot better at treating her that way.

 

I have reached the greatest phase of parenting: My kids have jobs and no longer ask me for money (or to solve their problems).

 

Ha! That seems a long way off. That is one reason we are happy we stopped after having one.

 

I have reached the age where my son turned 40.

I have reached the age that I don't get hangovers because I get sleepy before I get that drunk.

I have reached the age that I consider waking up in the morning an excellent start on the day.

I have reached the age that people I admire or find interesting die and while reading their obit I realize they were younger than I am.