I Hate Getting Old

[CreatureArt]

Ok, ok. By world standards, I'm not old. By CAA standards... well, anyone younger than me might think I'm getting on in the years as I near 19. I used to think that too. Those older than me might think its funny or annoying that I'm feeling old at the tender age of pre-20.

So, I'm not one-foot-in-the-grave old. But I hate getting old. Why?

I log onto deviantArt every now and then and watch myself get outdone in terms of artistic talent by ten year olds. There's something about watching younger people outdo me that both makes me want to support them and to declare myself old and obselete and join MS DOS in a corner.

I start getting treated like an adult. Now, I'm in that hazy age where no-one can tell how old you are but I tend to get taken for being in my mid-twenties. I've always wanted to be treated seriously but now I want to return all adult responsibilities back to whatever mysterious dimension they came from.

I talk about MSDOS and the eyes of the kids I'm speaking to glaze over. (Though I've got to admit that happens to a lot of old people when I talk about DOS, too. Go figure).

Some kids don't even know what cassette tapes are.

I did not grow up with a mobile phone. A surprising number of 5-6 years use the things like they're a part of their body.

So.... well.... I'm not depressed over becoming older. I mean, there are some fun things about the procceses - such as the way I'm developing deeper, rewarding relationships with people around me.

But this is just a chance for me to moan in a good-natured way.

Does anyone else feel like they're getting old?

[Icarus]

Yep.

For me, it was when I realized that one of the new girls at the Wesley was the age of my younger brother. The fourteen year-old in Diff can be classified as freakishly smart, but a sixteen year old makes me feel that it's time for me to be put out to pasture.

[ChristianKitsune]

Ok, ok. By world standards, I'm not old. By CAA standards... well, anyone younger than me might think I'm getting on in the years as I near 19. I used to think that too. Those older than me might think its funny or annoying that I'm feeling old at the tender age of pre-20.

So, I'm not one-foot-in-the-grave old. But I hate getting old. Why?

I log onto deviantArt every now and then and watch myself get outdone in terms of artistic talent by ten year olds. There's something about watching younger people outdo me that both makes me want to support them and to declare myself old and obselete and join MS DOS in a corner.

I start getting treated like an adult. Now, I'm in that hazy age where no-one can tell how old you are but I tend to get taken for being in my mid-twenties. I've always wanted to be treated seriously but now I want to return all adult responsibilities back to whatever mysterious dimension they came from.

I talk about MSDOS and the eyes of the kids I'm speaking to glaze over. (Though I've got to admit that happens to a lot of old people when I talk about DOS, too. Go figure).

Some kids don't even know what cassette tapes are.

I did not grow up with a mobile phone. A surprising number of 5-6 years use the things like they're a part of their body.

So.... well.... I'm not depressed over becoming older. I mean, there are some fun things about the procceses - such as the way I'm developing deeper, rewarding relationships with people around me.

But this is just a chance for me to moan in a good-natured way.

Does anyone else feel like they're getting old?

I will responde to each of your points with my own points!

First off, I agree!! LOL It's so ODD! I mean I remember when I was the one people were like "You will find out when you are older" and all that stuff, and now it's like I am saying that to younger kids!

For your Deviant Art statement: I AGREE!! However, I am not sure how exactly these kids are learning. Are they teaching themselves? Are they copying anime stuff? Are they going to an art school, are they using a tablet? (which, if you ahve a horrid scanner like me, which like reduces the quality of my work by like 50 percent is a huge plus!) I take all of these into consideration...

[list]just last week I was mistaken for my best Friend's (who is 3 months older than me) mother....=_=]

[Dante]

I hate growing older too, people say that being 20 is the prime age of your life but... frankly it's overrated. I think it's because we're from an anime culture, we suddenly note that no character over the age of 17 EVER gets to save the universe or do anything cool in anime... they only get to help out the main character save the universe... or at most die and sacrifice themselves so that the main character can save the universe... Meh, well at least I have memories...

Unfortunately, I think I've found the solution... I should become an anime villian. Anime villians get to acquire their ebil powers at any age... Thus if I start now, I can DESTROY the universe before I'm 60 years old! Bwah ha ha ha ha!!! Of course that is assuming that some pre-17 year old kid doesn't stop me first... Although, if no one ever tries to destroy the universe, than NO ONE will have the joy and pleasure of saving it! Thus, we need more villains... but I think I've found some willing participants (bwah ha ha ha ha!!!). So care to work on your evil cackle with me and discuss ad hoc particle beam cannons and creepy superpowers with which we will eventually defeat our archnemisai (Is this the plural of archnemesis)?

Pascal

[Sammy Boy]

I missed being a teenager too. I used to be able to run on 4-5 hours of sleep on weekends. I could stay up till 4am and still feel energetic and alive.

These days, I have enough trouble staying up past 2am.

I have found out investing some time into LEGO and action figures such as Transformers helps stem the feeling of growing old. Maybe you could try it sometime too.

[CreatureArt]

I think it's because we're from an anime culture, we suddenly note that no character over the age of 17 EVER gets to save the universe or do anything cool in anime...

Good point. Very good point, Pascal. ^^
Becoming a super villain could be key -- but perhaps we should take the middle road and become a misguided villain because then we get to have cool moves and join the side of good afterwards.
Otherwise we could always go for the mentor archetype, and both remain important and stay ahead of the main character for most of the series...

I am not sure how exactly these kids are learning. Are they teaching themselves? Are they copying anime stuff? Are they going to an art school, are they using a tablet?

Well, although Tablets made a huge difference in my artwork it was before that -- when I first discovered a scanner and photoshop -- that I improved artistically. I've been told that a child between the ages of... well, I can't remember exactly but its its about 10 years old... has the most natural grasp of artistic composition, so that could be a factor. Perhaps kids learn so fast at that age that when they are given an opening (e.g. digital art programs and art communities they can learn from and be inspired by) they can develop their skills even quicker.

* just last week I was mistaken for my best Friend's (who is 3 months older than me) mother....=_=]
-_-" I've been mistaken for MY mother. My Mother is 50. The guy was an old friend of hers.

The fourteen year-old in Diff can be classified as freakishly smart, but a sixteen year old makes me feel that it's time for me to be put out to pasture.

:sigh: I agree. My nephew is now 13 years old and becoming so grown up and mature and I can still just remember when he was born...

I missed being a teenager too. I used to be able to run on 4-5 hours of sleep on weekends. I could stay up till 4am and still feel energetic and alive.

Ah them were the days. I've pull all nighters for Uni... but I'm noticing the dire need for triple shot cups of coffee afterward. @_@

I have found out investing some time into LEGO and action figures such as Transformers helps stem the feeling of growing old. Maybe you could try it sometime too.

Actually, that could work. I found that when I was babysitting my second cousin (or whatever the technical name is for a cousin's child) and I read him his book (he's about 3) I actually had fun. But in this case perhaps it was more that his enjoyment was infectious.


...perhaps that is the solution! To do stuff with young people and leech away their sense of youth!!!!

...that seems so vampiric.

[Nate]

Bah! You dang kids with your hula hoops and hackey sacks and Pac-Man video games. Stay off my lawn! *shakes cane*

[Mr. SmartyPants]

Am I one of the few that enjoys getting older?

I'm probably going to start hating it soon.

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

I hope this is tongue in cheek! CA, you are not old. Old is like 26 or something. (lol)
sorry Nate!

[TriezGamer]

I'm turning 24 at the end of the month. It's depressing.

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

I'm 23 and I don't feel old. Though my 'confused' teenager years never really happened and now I'm having to pick up the mess (early 20s are proving to take a lot of trusting God for the future).

[Myoti]

I only turned 18 recently and feel I know what you're talking about. Tis sad... D=

* I log onto deviantArt every now and then and watch myself get outdone in terms of artistic talent by ten year olds. There's something about watching younger people outdo me that both makes me want to support them and to declare myself old and obselete and join MS DOS in a corner.

Yeah, I know what that's like. Though it some cases I get a bit 'amazed' by these facts (well, not always in the 'artistic' sense), such as this one kid from another forum I frequent. I discovered awhile back he was only eleven, yet seemed to be quite mature compared to most of the other members.

* I start getting treated like an adult. Now, I'm in that hazy age where no-one can tell how old you are but I tend to get taken for being in my mid-twenties.

Heheh, I recall being in eigth grade and having some people think I was in college. That was... wierd.

I also sort of hate having a job, now. I work at a seafood restaurant. Problems: I hate seafood and I hate not having more time to do stuff, but I do (naturally) like having money now. *sigh* Tis such a dilemma... =p

I've always wanted to be treated seriously but now I want to return all adult responsibilities back to whatever mysterious dimension they came from.

Indeed. I've had my fun, can I go back now (then again, I do get to rent M-rated stuff now... *grumble* >_< ).

* I talk about MSDOS and the eyes of the kids I'm speaking to glaze over. (Though I've got to admit that happens to a lot of old people when I talk about DOS, too. Go figure).

DOS! I know of DOS! Actually, it's mostly thanks to a bunch of these old gaming CDs I had that run off of DOS (and some 'MUCK's or whatever they're called), but I've always had an odd interest in that program (especially when my friend showed me ways to hack a network with it =3 ).

* Some kids don't even know what cassette tapes are.

I do, and I think I can attribute alot of my knowledge of (slightly) older things to my parents. Alot of the music and stuff they bring up I wasn't even alive to know about, yet I almost feel I was sometimes thinks to how much they use. Heck, we even have one of those 'old-fangled record players.'

* I did not grow up with a mobile phone. A surprising number of 5-6 years use the things like they're a part of their body.

Yeah, I always found that... wierd. My parents only recently bought flip-top camera ones, so they're about as 'hip' as they can be now, but I've never seen a need for me to have one. It also amazes me when they have them at places they're not suppose to (like school and church), especially when these places already have phones they can use. =|

I think it's because we're from an anime culture, we suddenly note that no character over the age of 17 EVER gets to save the universe or do anything cool in anime... they only get to help out the main character save the universe... or at most die and sacrifice themselves so that the main character can save the universe... Meh, well at least I have memories...

Which would be why I'm making most of my main characters (in stories and games) over the age of 21 (I even made one in his fourties, heheh). Nya! =p

[Aka-chan]

Well, thanks for making ME feel old now. XD

I totally know what you mean about those "little kids" who can draw ridiculously well, though. *sigh*

What?? How can you not know what casette tapes are? They're not that old, are they??

[termyt]

Yeah, your lifes are, like, over. Is there a CAA retirement home?

[That Dude]

-_-" I've been mistaken for MY mother. My Mother is 50. The guy was an old friend of hers.

So have I. It's sad when you have a beard and are mistaken for your mother. It was over the phone of course.

Anyway I've almost always been mistaken for being a few years older than I am. So I am kinda feeling the years.

[Kkun]

I don't feel old. I feel like I'm young and being dragged kicking and screaming into adulthood. So, I kind of know what you mean, CreatureArt. Kind of.

[TheMelodyMaker]

I see the positive aspect of getting older: I get to go home to be with my Lord sooner. Woohoo! ^______________^

[QtheQreater]

I missed being a teenager too. I used to be able to run on 4-5 hours of sleep on weekends. I could stay up till 4am and still feel energetic and alive.

Good lord, that's not fair! People my age can actually do that?!?!

I was sunk by the day I turned thirteen. They had to put the cat on my head to get me up(the cat loved to chew on my hair while he was up there...and I'm allergic to cats). It takes all I have just to drag myself out of bed in the morning here at college even...and I do NOT pull all nighters...yet...

I must be aging too quickly. I'm a freaking year older than CA even...

[Jingo Jaden]

Personaly I kinda seem to enjoy it, new school oppretunities, hopefully I will get into 3d and other sections, more and more experiense in different areas. Hopefuly a nice course will make it even better

[ClosetOtaku]

I log onto deviantArt every now and then and watch myself get outdone in terms of artistic talent by ten year olds. There's something about watching younger people outdo me that both makes me want to support them and to declare myself old and obselete and join MS DOS in a corner.

I talk about MSDOS and the eyes of the kids I'm speaking to glaze over. (Though I've got to admit that happens to a lot of old people when I talk about DOS, too. Go figure).

I remember a time before MS DOS, when we used to use stuff like UNIX. I recall text editors like TECO and EMACS. I remember seeing punch card readers in action (kids, look for this in your local museum). I've used a Xerox Alto. I played the first multiplayer networked game (called MazeWar). I know where XYZZY came from. But I don't feel particularly old.

I start getting treated like an adult. Now, I'm in that hazy age where no-one can tell how old you are but I tend to get taken for being in my mid-twenties. I've always wanted to be treated seriously but now I want to return all adult responsibilities back to whatever mysterious dimension they came from.

Too late. Sorry.

Some kids don't even know what cassette tapes are.

Some kids don't even know what an 8-track tape is. Some kids have never seen a 78 RPM record, let alone a 45 (or 33 LP). I remember when transistor radios were the rage -- only to be replaced by Walkmans two decades later. I recall when the first CDs came out (now they are all but obsolete). But I still don't feel particularly old.

I did not grow up with a mobile phone. A surprising number of 5-6 years use the things like they're a part of their body.

I remember a world without copying machines]Does anyone else feel like they're getting old?[/QUOTE]
I am older, but I'm not feeling like I'm getting old (other than a few physical aches and pains). I suppose that will change when I do really get older. But time has been kind to me so far. I think the less you dwell on it, the less it bothers you. Or, maybe you're just getting old.

[CreatureArt]

I hope this is tongue in cheek! CA, you are not old. Old is like 26 or something. (lol)

It is sort of tongue in cheek. Yeah, I know I'm not old... but I'm turning into an adult now and its a very weird feeling.

Problems: I hate seafood and I hate not having more time to do stuff, but I do (naturally) like having money now. *sigh* Tis such a dilemma... =p

Yeah I absolutely identify. I'm working a full time and a part time job. I'd like to have more free time... but I like money. :sighs:
But at least you know what DOS is, too, Myoti! Good on you for making characters in your stories older!

Well, thanks for making ME feel old now. XD

'Pologies, Aka-chan. ^^"

Yeah, your lifes are, like, over. Is there a CAA retirement home?

Hmm.... *checks the goof off*

TD, if you were mistaken for your Mother, too, then I feel a bit better. ^^

Thanks Kkun, for the empathy. Its good to know that there is another person who feels in the same position.

Uh Melodymaker.... that is meant to be encouraging, right? ]Personaly I kinda seem to enjoy it, new school oppretunities, hopefully I will get into 3d and other sections, more and more experiense in different areas. Hopefuly a nice course will make it even better
[/quote] Ah that's true. And encouraging. ^^ Thanks, JM!

Wow -- punch cards. @_@ Thats cool, COtaku. Its awesome that you don't feel particularly old, too. ^_^ Wow. You've seen a lot of things that I vaguely remember.

I think the less you dwell on it, the less it bothers you. Or, maybe you're just getting old.

That seems like a good strategy. Thanks, ClosetOtaku! ^^

[ShiroiHikari]

I started to feel old when my oldest nephew turned 13 in September. He was born when I was 10. @_@ I've almost been on this earth for a quarter of a century...it's just kind of depressing to think about sometimes.

But I don't feel old all the time. Playing video games and watching cartoons makes me feel like I'm still young. (In fact, I'm watching Rainbow Brite right now. Eh heh.)

Sometimes I feel like a crabby old woman when it comes to teenagers. (No offense to anyone here. XD) Some of them just irritate the heck out of me, and I feel like swinging a cane at them and rambling on about how it was different back in my day. >_>;

[ChristianKitsune]

[quote="ShiroiHikari"]I started to feel old when my oldest nephew turned 13 in September. He was born when I was 10. @_@ I've almost been on this earth for a quarter of a century...it's just kind of depressing to think about sometimes.

But I don't feel old all the time. Playing video games and watching cartoons makes me feel like I'm still young. (In fact, I'm watching Rainbow Brite right now. Eh heh.)

Sometimes I feel like a crabby old woman when it comes to teenagers. (No offense to anyone here. XD) Some of them just irritate the heck out of me, and I feel like swinging a cane at them and rambling on about how it was different back in my day. >_>]
XD' so funny!!

I am actually glad that I am not as young as I used to be...sure I have a lot of growing to do, but I am glad I am not thirteen (although I do miss living at home..)

[Peregrine]

I just have to say, as a "little girl" that old people draw better! I always feel like I'm behind, or something. So there are lots of good old art people.

There, I said it.

[Puguni]

I got mistaken for my sister's mother. Top that.

As for the artist thing, everyone feels that way. I feel that way. But here's something that made me feel better when surfing DA.

Ohh mann have you ever visited a gallery, been blown away by the artwork, and then read somewhere that the artist is about a million years younger then you?

And then you lapse into depression like "Gee. Well that puts a damper on things. "
All your dreams for world domination are suddenly crushed.
Crushed by someone with a smaller fist, even!
No fair. No fair indeed.

Never fear, sweetypumpkins. Though there will always be a bigger fish, or maybe even a smaller fish who can swim faster then you, there will never be someone who is exactly you.

Every artist is important, wether just starting or full of experience, because everyone is a unique person.
And sure, there may be someone who can draw better then you, but what good is that if they don't have the proper imagination to back it up? You might have that and they might not!

And you always have time to progress. Just don't worry about everyone elses pace, just do what you want to do, and if you have a goal you want badly enough, you'll get there just fine

As far as the whole world domination thing goes, well, it takes alot of people to dominate the world and I think we're stronger in numbers, aye? Artists work best together.

[KhakiBlueSocks]

Yeah, I kinda feel the same way myself. Especially when I go into a bookstore and start reading manga. But, I look at it like this--

Getting older is a blessing! You could look at getting older as God's way of saying "Hey, he's following my plan okay. He's still needed down there!"

So don't feel bummed out about it! Though I wouldn't recommend starting any more conversations about MS-DOS...it's kinda extinct now!

[Radical Dreamer]

I know what you mean on so many levels. XD Heck, I'm only 17 and I feel old sometimes. I think the first time was when I realized that there are younger people who have never heard of N'Sync because they didn't grow up in the 90's. XDD THAT was bizzare to me (I never listened to them myself, but my friend did ALL the time, so I got a good glance into that world. XD).

And YES, I hate browsing around DA to find 10-13 year olds who draw like they're 20-something. XD I look at their stuff and wonder why I even bother some days. Then I go draw a picture and work really hard on it to make myself feel better. XD

And I get the cassette tape thing, too. My family didn't have a CD player until...geez, until I was around 7 or 8 years old. And it was this little boom-box thing. XD I guess I'm more familiar with records and albums than some teenagers my age, though. My parents have always had them, and I grew up listening to Fred Waring's Christmas music on a record (though we have it on CD now). XD Another thing that comes to mind, though, is VHS tapes. People who have been born within the past 5 years won't know what they are until they visit their first museum. XD

Also, the cell-phone thing is crazy, too. I didn't get my own cell-phone until like...my Sophomore year in high school. And even then, there were like, 8th graders who had their own cells. Weirds me out. XD Then I think about how some kid's first gaming system will be a Wii, rather than an NES like me or an Atari like my mom. XD

Geez, if I didn't feel old coming in here, I sure feel old now. XD

[Tenshi no Ai]

Also, the cell-phone thing is crazy, too. I didn't get my own cell-phone until like...my Sophomore year in high school. And even then, there were like, 8th graders who had their own cells. Weirds me out. XD Then I think about how some kid's first gaming system will be a Wii, rather than an NES like me or an Atari like my mom. XD

Reminds me at work that all the kids are all about the Game Boy Advances (yeah, still) and the DSs and Wiis, and adults come in and see our "Atari Flashback" systems and go "WHOAAAA!" Ok, Atari was before my time though^^

Another thing is iPods... Man I can't STAND people talking about those things! >_< Overrated things are a pet peeve of mine. Always at work it's iPod this and iPod that and as always, Wii this and Wii that. I just get sick of hearing the name like 10 times a day^^ But yeah little kids shouldn't be trusted with iPods... parents always buying those thign fragile things for their 8 years... it just shouldn't be allowed^^

[mitsuki lover]

HEHEHEH! I have nearly three years to hit the Big 5-0 and people who aren't even
25 are COMPLAINING about growing old!?LOL!!!!:)
Geez guys when I was born Eisenhower was still President.

[TheMelodyMaker]

[quote="CreatureArt"]Uh Melodymaker.... that is meant to be encouraging, right? ]
Of course it is.