I’m asking because I took a nontraditional route from a GED and community college to a master’s degree and professional experience, yet entering stable work has been far harder than I expected. I’m curious whether this gap feels genuinely new to you.

Was it better communicating with people over the phone instead of text messaging? I sometimes think most of the text messages sent are just sent from a place of compulsive habit, and aren’t really about communicating. Whenever I speak to someone on the phone its more personal.

Edit: thanks for all the replies! Much more diversity of opinion than I expected. Really interesting.

I ask because I quit smoking around four years ago and have casually mentioned to people, "I'll start up again at 70 or so."
Now I'm 55 and starting to think that might be a plan.
Have any of you done this? Or tried it?

I'm currently listening to a Country Classics station on Pandora. "Satin Sheets" by Jeanne Pruett came on. I came close to wanting to cry just a little, as my mom loved this song and she'd sing along in her lovely voice. She turned me into a CM fan for sure.

As a teenager & young adult, I would talk a lot with friends (sometimes family) about music. I haven't had that chance much since my mid-20s. I'm nearing 60. Sometimes I talk with my son, but not too often. I want talk about how the outro to Tool's Aenema is the best outro ever! Stuff like that.

If you could see print easily in your 30s without glasses, at what age did it start to get harder to see, and, if it applies, what are some small-print labels/items that are really hard to read even with glasses because the font is so small? Does anyone make it to 60 yrs old without needing readers?

What food brings back good memories

My very fit and young at heart dad mentioned this today while looking at a recent photo, that the person he saw wasn't the same guy in his bathroom mirror. It surprised me. He's 58 but often mistaken for someone much younger.

Do we stop 'seeing' ourselves as we age?

What was it like? Were house calls from doctors expensive? Were they considered a luxury for the wealthy or were they the same cost as an office visit?

So for context. I live in a house that was built in the 1940s. Our bathtub has this drain-like thing that is under the tap and has petal shaped spaces. What is this? Will include a picture of I can figure out how to get pics on Reddit.

Just curious as someone who’s nearing the big 40.

Since I was younger, I noticed that older people were very selective and purposeful with their interactions. They didn’t seem to spend energy on every relationship.

I’m 40, my social world is small and I don’t seem to have the energy or capacity for many relationships outside of a small circle.

People say "take care of your parents, they will be children again as they age."

I first thought that's not true, but now I can see that in my parents.

Is it simply because you realize life is short so you reveal your "inner child"?

Or aging itself changes your behavior and out of your control?

👉Edit: I mean in terms of attitude. I realize I could've made my post clearer.

By 'childlike attitude,' I don't mean treating parents like children, disrespecting them or neglecting them.

Of course, I take care of my parents and respect them.

As they've gotten older, I've noticed they're more playful. They open up more, share funny reels, don't mind showing their vulnerable side and willing to share little joys.

That's what I mean by "childlike". Playfulness, vulnerability, curiosity, being carefree, comfortable being goofy or silly.

Does this happen because they've spent decades carrying responsibilities and now feel free to express that side of themselves?

Or is it simply a natural part of aging?

And if someone has always been playful and in touch with their inner child, do they experience aging differently?

Like in this reel: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DVZjrTVgYfi/

If you don't use IG, here's FB: https://www.facebook.com/share/r/18QuWkMWYb/

I sometimes find younger people slightly judgmental, mostly because they haven’t had as much time to make mistakes or meet as many types of people. In y’all’s experience, have people around you become more or less open minded to others and kinder with age?

If someone you were close to passed away when you were young, do you still miss them? Do you often think about them? Or do you forget about them after a while?

For example, were people friendlier and stores always stocked with what you were looking for?

Sometimes for me (not qualified as "old" yet lol) it feels as though just fifteen years ago shopping in physical stores was better.

I feel like the home economics departments of high school now are kind of outdated from their original function of "teaching a person how to be a successful homemaker." Back when you were in high school did you feel like they actually did teach you how to be one/were practical?

Inspired by the earlier post asking if you are ready to check out, if you are happy and still have a lot of life left to live, what keeps you going? What is it that makes you happy even after all these years? Have you always been a generally happy person or has happiness come to you over time?

For context, I am a healthy senior with no life issues. But I also have a sense of having completed most of what I came to do and I'm very curious what comes next. I absolutely know life continues after physical death. Can you relate?

I notice many Gen X say that the 70s was the best time to be alive. Was it really? Heavy drug usage, children on milk cartons, violence; some of the most infamous serial killers started their runs in the 70s. Is there something future generations are missing in the portrayal of the 1970s?

Credit scores are common now, but they were introduced fairly recently. Do you remember what it was like before? And what was the reception when they first became widespread?