Cool Things to Do Before I Am No Longer Cool
December 5, 2022 1:40 PM Subscribe
I turn 40 in eighteen months. What are some things I should do between now and then?
We've got jobs, retirement, and domestic life more or less sorted out - I don't need advice on that.
This question is prompted by going to some cultural stuff lately and realizing I'm quickly aging out of the discounted "under 40" tickets that are offered. I'm hoping to put a list together of things similar to that, where I absolutely could continue to do these things after the milestone birthday but they're cheaper/more convenient/more fun before then. Travel deals, museum passes, online discounts, whatever you can think of.
If you've read the whole question, tell me which bird I should be on the lookout for over the next eighteen months while out walking the dog.
We've got jobs, retirement, and domestic life more or less sorted out - I don't need advice on that.
This question is prompted by going to some cultural stuff lately and realizing I'm quickly aging out of the discounted "under 40" tickets that are offered. I'm hoping to put a list together of things similar to that, where I absolutely could continue to do these things after the milestone birthday but they're cheaper/more convenient/more fun before then. Travel deals, museum passes, online discounts, whatever you can think of.
If you've read the whole question, tell me which bird I should be on the lookout for over the next eighteen months while out walking the dog.
This 53 year old thinks you should kiss his uncool ass. :-)
My advice is to do physical activities while you're young. 40 is young. Go climb a big mountain. Go sleep in a tent in the snow (but learn how to do it safely), hike down into the Grand Canyon, do Angel's Landing at Zion, canoe the Allagash.
Look out for bald eagles. They're back, baby. I've seen more around here in the last five or ten years than I saw my entire life before that.
posted by bondcliff at 2:00 PM on December 5, 2022 [15 favorites]
My advice is to do physical activities while you're young. 40 is young. Go climb a big mountain. Go sleep in a tent in the snow (but learn how to do it safely), hike down into the Grand Canyon, do Angel's Landing at Zion, canoe the Allagash.
Look out for bald eagles. They're back, baby. I've seen more around here in the last five or ten years than I saw my entire life before that.
posted by bondcliff at 2:00 PM on December 5, 2022 [15 favorites]
Goldfinches. I always feel like I've seen magic when I spot one.
(I used 40 as an excuse to take myself with my two best friends on an absolutely sublime trip to the South of France and Italy. I highly recommend using big birthdays--no matter how artificial the construct--to do something you've always wanted to do)
posted by thivaia at 2:05 PM on December 5, 2022 [4 favorites]
(I used 40 as an excuse to take myself with my two best friends on an absolutely sublime trip to the South of France and Italy. I highly recommend using big birthdays--no matter how artificial the construct--to do something you've always wanted to do)
posted by thivaia at 2:05 PM on December 5, 2022 [4 favorites]
I just crossed the 40 barrier a month ago. I say try new things. Random rec center classes, hobbies, community art/theater, check out the local band that's playing a small venue, etc. More experiences are better for generating material for stories to tell when you're old.
Sandhill cranes! Their migration path occasionally passes over, and they are so neat to see up close.
posted by Sparky Buttons at 2:11 PM on December 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
Sandhill cranes! Their migration path occasionally passes over, and they are so neat to see up close.
posted by Sparky Buttons at 2:11 PM on December 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
I bought a 40oz bottle of Bud Light to celebrate my 40th birthday. I found it amusing.
posted by kevinbelt at 2:17 PM on December 5, 2022 [4 favorites]
posted by kevinbelt at 2:17 PM on December 5, 2022 [4 favorites]
Skydiving…I did it for my 35th birthday and that’s the only milestone birthday I remember. Although you go with someone experienced, so there is minimal skill involved on your part except for listening well, there is a physical aspect to the comfort of being strapped to someone and a little bit of physicality to landing properly. So, as I get older, even though I loved the experience, I’m more resistant to doing it just because I’m less tolerant of wanting to think about the physical aspect.
Nuthatch!
posted by hellogoodbye at 2:21 PM on December 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
Nuthatch!
posted by hellogoodbye at 2:21 PM on December 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
Seconding, I've never seen reduced prices for those under 40.
Be as active as you can, forever. Don't stop at 40. I ramped up my activity level after retirement, and it's done me a lot of good.
I don't understand what you're asking with "If you've read the whole question, tell me which bird ...." I don't see the relevance of birds to your question.
posted by JimN2TAW at 2:23 PM on December 5, 2022 [4 favorites]
Be as active as you can, forever. Don't stop at 40. I ramped up my activity level after retirement, and it's done me a lot of good.
I don't understand what you're asking with "If you've read the whole question, tell me which bird ...." I don't see the relevance of birds to your question.
posted by JimN2TAW at 2:23 PM on December 5, 2022 [4 favorites]
Imbibery gets progressively more painful after 40. Drink with a blue heron. They will hang out with you. Bring bait.
posted by credulous at 2:27 PM on December 5, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by credulous at 2:27 PM on December 5, 2022 [3 favorites]
Who gives discounted tickets to under-40s? In my experience, 25-65 seems to be the "pay full price for everything" demographic.
This isn't the question you asked, but I think after about 35 is when everyone should start experimenting with psychedelic drugs. So maybe look into that.
Watch out for owls, for sure. They are territorial and silent and will steal your hat at best and seriously injure you at worst.
posted by sportbucket at 2:37 PM on December 5, 2022 [3 favorites]
This isn't the question you asked, but I think after about 35 is when everyone should start experimenting with psychedelic drugs. So maybe look into that.
Watch out for owls, for sure. They are territorial and silent and will steal your hat at best and seriously injure you at worst.
posted by sportbucket at 2:37 PM on December 5, 2022 [3 favorites]
Ride the roller coasters while your body still lets you. My mid-40s back won't let me do that anymore, that's for sure. But I'm with all the others asking what is this under-40 cheap discount you speak of? I have never heard of such a thing either.
I just listened to an entire podcast episode about waxwings, so that's my bird vote.
posted by cgg at 2:45 PM on December 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
I just listened to an entire podcast episode about waxwings, so that's my bird vote.
posted by cgg at 2:45 PM on December 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
Oh yeah, multi-day music festivals. They'll probably still let you in after 40, but why take the risk?
Roseate spoonbill.
posted by credulous at 2:51 PM on December 5, 2022 [4 favorites]
Roseate spoonbill.
posted by credulous at 2:51 PM on December 5, 2022 [4 favorites]
Take a train to a town you've never been to, and walk around for a day. Buy a thoroughly silly hat. Take up a new sport - a martial art, preferably. I started fencing after I turned forty and if you can put up with being a slower learner than an 8-year-old, it is a gas. Also, the funny thing about turning 40 is you're no more of a grownup after that, despite the bad press.
posted by Peach at 3:08 PM on December 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by Peach at 3:08 PM on December 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
I just turned 40 and ran my first marathon about a month before (it had been a long-term goal and I’m a runner anyway, but shorter distances. So I got real about training and did it! I’ll do more! It was “fun!”)
posted by jeweled accumulation at 3:15 PM on December 5, 2022
posted by jeweled accumulation at 3:15 PM on December 5, 2022
Response by poster: Just to get it out of the way, the “stodgier” cultural things around here (symphony, ballet) do discounted tickets for younger people so their attendees don’t age out.
posted by backseatpilot at 3:22 PM on December 5, 2022 [8 favorites]
posted by backseatpilot at 3:22 PM on December 5, 2022 [8 favorites]
Between now and 40:
Enjoy watching all your same-age friends run marathons, hike some tall mountain, or otherwise do some milestone physical feat as they attempt to run in terror from aging. It's pretty hilarious once you connect the dots (I did a 100-mile bike ride and raced my bike a few times when I was 39).
Poke and confront your internalized ageism. At this point, it's somewhat selfish, of course. And I don't mean confront your internal ageism by being negative towards younger folks. It's time to be magnanimous towards everyone, and realize that the "you kids get off my lawn" and "stupid old people" shticks aren't worth cultivating. But I mean poke at your internalized ageism by spending some time really reflecting on why and how we put being youthful above so many other things when it's so fully out of our control. Also! I read a study that folks who age best are the ones who have a good attitude about aging. I go with "fake it til you make it" for that one.
You said you've got domestic life sorted out, but really think about how you want to feel physically when you are 80. What do you want to do then, and what do you need to be doing now to achieve those goals? Do you have any nagging little injuries that never really healed or keep showing up in subtle ways? Get to physical therapy.
Spend some time thinking about your values and what's most important in your life, and think about doing something along those lines for your 40th. Are your friends and community most important? Then plan a big party. That sort of thing.
Also I'm a bit baffled by the "prove you've read to the end thing," but, I don't know, an ostrich? Because that would be pretty surprising to see.
posted by bluedaisy at 3:30 PM on December 5, 2022 [14 favorites]
Enjoy watching all your same-age friends run marathons, hike some tall mountain, or otherwise do some milestone physical feat as they attempt to run in terror from aging. It's pretty hilarious once you connect the dots (I did a 100-mile bike ride and raced my bike a few times when I was 39).
Poke and confront your internalized ageism. At this point, it's somewhat selfish, of course. And I don't mean confront your internal ageism by being negative towards younger folks. It's time to be magnanimous towards everyone, and realize that the "you kids get off my lawn" and "stupid old people" shticks aren't worth cultivating. But I mean poke at your internalized ageism by spending some time really reflecting on why and how we put being youthful above so many other things when it's so fully out of our control. Also! I read a study that folks who age best are the ones who have a good attitude about aging. I go with "fake it til you make it" for that one.
You said you've got domestic life sorted out, but really think about how you want to feel physically when you are 80. What do you want to do then, and what do you need to be doing now to achieve those goals? Do you have any nagging little injuries that never really healed or keep showing up in subtle ways? Get to physical therapy.
Spend some time thinking about your values and what's most important in your life, and think about doing something along those lines for your 40th. Are your friends and community most important? Then plan a big party. That sort of thing.
Also I'm a bit baffled by the "prove you've read to the end thing," but, I don't know, an ostrich? Because that would be pretty surprising to see.
posted by bluedaisy at 3:30 PM on December 5, 2022 [14 favorites]
I rode in a Mardi Gras parade for my 40th birthday.
posted by tafetta, darling! at 3:49 PM on December 5, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by tafetta, darling! at 3:49 PM on December 5, 2022 [3 favorites]
Vy sank you, doktor!
posted by kate4914 at 6:09 PM on December 5, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by kate4914 at 6:09 PM on December 5, 2022 [3 favorites]
Besides skydiving, other aerial pursuits you might try include:
* Glider riding (This is the tamest; you are towed.)
* Hang-gliding
* Paragliding
* Ultralight flying
Other sports you might try:
* Ice skating
* Roller derby
* Rugby
* Sailing (either as part of a crew or on a little sunfish)
* Skiing or waterskiing
* Snowshoeing
* Surfing
* Windsurfing
posted by NotLost at 6:33 PM on December 5, 2022
* Glider riding (This is the tamest; you are towed.)
* Hang-gliding
* Paragliding
* Ultralight flying
Other sports you might try:
* Ice skating
* Roller derby
* Rugby
* Sailing (either as part of a crew or on a little sunfish)
* Skiing or waterskiing
* Snowshoeing
* Surfing
* Windsurfing
posted by NotLost at 6:33 PM on December 5, 2022
Somewhere around 10 years from now, you are going to find that your balance isn't what it used to be. Things that you used to be able to do effortlessly, without feeling like any particular balancing skill was needed - stepping from one rock to another, say - will start to feel a little tricky sometimes. You'll feel as if you could lose your balance in situations where you never even used to think about your balance.
With that in mind, if you don't already do some sport like skating or skiing that requires balance, but you think you might like to, you should start now and keep doing it regularly. Things like skating and skiing feel great and will make your life more fun, so you should do them, but if you wait too late to start they may feel impossible and you'll be more likely to get injured while you're learning.
You should start listening for birds while you're out with the dog, with the goal of learning to recognize the songs and calls of all the birds commonly found in your area (or at least some of them.) It really expands your awareness of the world around you if you can tell what birds are nearby even when you can't see them. One you should listen for is the lively musical song of the Carolina wren. It often sounds like "Teakettle, teakettle, teakettle" but there are a lot of other variations.
posted by Redstart at 7:33 PM on December 5, 2022 [6 favorites]
With that in mind, if you don't already do some sport like skating or skiing that requires balance, but you think you might like to, you should start now and keep doing it regularly. Things like skating and skiing feel great and will make your life more fun, so you should do them, but if you wait too late to start they may feel impossible and you'll be more likely to get injured while you're learning.
You should start listening for birds while you're out with the dog, with the goal of learning to recognize the songs and calls of all the birds commonly found in your area (or at least some of them.) It really expands your awareness of the world around you if you can tell what birds are nearby even when you can't see them. One you should listen for is the lively musical song of the Carolina wren. It often sounds like "Teakettle, teakettle, teakettle" but there are a lot of other variations.
posted by Redstart at 7:33 PM on December 5, 2022 [6 favorites]
If you're looking for cheap deals on classical music recitals, snoop around the University music departments, and try to scoop up some classical/folk/jazz-oriented music newsletters. We got to see some amazing inexpensive recitals from reading the fine print.
Also recommending listening for bird-songs in wooded areas on nature walks. Song sparrows, cat-birds, orioles, and confusing warblers all can have interesting songs. Starlings can be rather noisy but also can sound interesting at times.
posted by ovvl at 10:18 PM on December 5, 2022
Also recommending listening for bird-songs in wooded areas on nature walks. Song sparrows, cat-birds, orioles, and confusing warblers all can have interesting songs. Starlings can be rather noisy but also can sound interesting at times.
posted by ovvl at 10:18 PM on December 5, 2022
Complete healing is a luxury in old age that not all of us experience.
It’s easy to take health for granted, but over the years you will age out of some activities. Now is the time to pursue things that seem easy, while your body can still recover quickly from random injuries or any damage caused by poor technique over a period of time.
Find activities that relate to the five senses, good hand-eye coordination, and general mobility and strength and dexterity. Find activities that require short bursts of energy and also sustained endurance.
Walking is a low-impact sport that doesn’t get enough press. Get the right footwear and start a walking plan as a lifelong activity.
Swimming and biking give similar benefits, but require equipment/locations that may not be available.
Also look for activities that engage both the mind and body.
Walking activities that are also mindful: birdwatching (sounds like I’m preaching to the choir), tree and plant identification, the rocks and dirt under your feet, clouds and weather and seasonal changes, archeology, local history tours, etc.
For birding: it’s probably too cold where you are for chickens wandering around loose in the rural areas. Turkeys?
Around my area it’s ducks and geese (all the Canada geese!)
posted by TrishaU at 3:32 AM on December 6, 2022 [1 favorite]
It’s easy to take health for granted, but over the years you will age out of some activities. Now is the time to pursue things that seem easy, while your body can still recover quickly from random injuries or any damage caused by poor technique over a period of time.
Find activities that relate to the five senses, good hand-eye coordination, and general mobility and strength and dexterity. Find activities that require short bursts of energy and also sustained endurance.
Walking is a low-impact sport that doesn’t get enough press. Get the right footwear and start a walking plan as a lifelong activity.
Swimming and biking give similar benefits, but require equipment/locations that may not be available.
Also look for activities that engage both the mind and body.
Walking activities that are also mindful: birdwatching (sounds like I’m preaching to the choir), tree and plant identification, the rocks and dirt under your feet, clouds and weather and seasonal changes, archeology, local history tours, etc.
For birding: it’s probably too cold where you are for chickens wandering around loose in the rural areas. Turkeys?
Around my area it’s ducks and geese (all the Canada geese!)
posted by TrishaU at 3:32 AM on December 6, 2022 [1 favorite]
Work on getting yourself to stop thinking coolness ends at a certain age.
Hawks - especially if you have a tiny dog.
posted by TimHare at 10:09 AM on December 6, 2022 [3 favorites]
Hawks - especially if you have a tiny dog.
posted by TimHare at 10:09 AM on December 6, 2022 [3 favorites]
This thread is closed to new comments.
Honestly, I'd say do something like a half-marathon in the 'normal' age bracket.
And look out for a goose. My kids like them.
posted by The_Vegetables at 1:47 PM on December 5, 2022 [3 favorites]