the wisdom of a ham sandwich

[kakihara]

Hello my Badmovie friends. Its been a long time.
I see that some of the usual cast of misfits still frequent here, that makes me feel good and I hope all is well. Ive been doing ok myself. Lots of life events since we last saw each other. Punctuating the daily rat-race with important adult crap. Some good. Some not so good.

I was thinking this morning and came to a realization; Im getting old. It happens, I know. But it (expletive) sucks! Now, Im still physically fit, and quite handsome I might add. Oh, yeah, I still got it, but there is  this uneasy feeling of just being old, undesirable and just not cool. No, I havent reached the big "4 oh" yet and Im past the age of of  being “cool", but being called "sir" does not feel good. Maybe because it often sounds sarcastic and disrespectful coming from some punk who is bagging my groceries, maybe Im being insecure. Or worse; maybe I am getting old! (expletive)!

Oddly enough, The thing that triggered this self deprecating thought process was a mere ham-sandwich. Never doubt the power of a sandwich. Especially a ham-sandwich. I suspect that the Grains used to make the bread activate some ancient memory or experience stored deep within our DNA that was passed down from every generation. That would explain the visions that I have of nakedly running from a saber-tooth tiger though a wheat field whenever I eat a sandwich, but I digress.

The smell of  that sandwich also triggered some other memories. Memories of  construction jobs. Memories of brutal manual labor. Memories of crusty old broken down men.

I grew up working construction. From an early age my father had me carrying lumber in 90+ degree heat and driving nails in freezing rain for little more than a 100 bucks a week, if that. It was horrible. I can say that at an early age I had worked harder than most people ever will. Back breaking work at a young tender age. Blood, sweat, tears and lots of verbal abuse. Nowadays it would easily be considered child abuse, but It taught me a strong work ethic, so there was a benefit. I had also learned some important skills that I applied to many a construction job, where I would find myself surround by older men. Men who stomped through mud and carried sheet rock. Men who have laid bricks and paved parking lots. Men who have built houses, schools and gas stations. Men with leather skin and callouses. Men with tales of filipino whores and bar fights. Men with back pain and arthritis. Men who hacked and coughed. Men who had not aged well.

It was amongst those men, that I, sitting there with my ham-sandwich, had an epiphany; I don’t want to be like them. Old and crusty.

Now, back to that sandwhich;
I had a flashback When the sweet smell of  bread, mayonaise and processed meat hit my nostrils. I remembered not wanting to be old and run down, then horrified when I realized that I am getting older and there is nothing I can do about it, and someday I too will be old and run down. (expletive!) Is this my fate? Is this all of our cruel fates? To be like the creepy old man from the Poltergeist movie screaming “let me in!”

Maybe, with proper exercise, a good diet. A couple of organic green-tea enemas and some yoga classes. Maybe some avocado yogurt pilates. Maybe, just maybe,  I can atleast delay the crustiness.  Take care Badmovie fiends. Don’t get crusty.

[RCMerchant]

I worked manual labor all my life too. It nearly killed me.
I'm 55, I still smoke, I still drink on occasion, but my bar fighting days are long gone.  I look 55.
But it doesn't bother me. It did at first, getting old. I suppose it scares everyone. But everyone gets old and thats ok. I could care less about being cool or good looking. We all die-I'm gonna die with a drink and a pork chop.

Oh yeah-welcome back! 

[Alex]

Welcome back and as someone who is a little bit over the 4-0 it isn't that bad.

I quit construction when I was looking at men in their 60's and 70's still having to work because they had no pensions, but they did have bad backs so I can totally understand wanting to change that career.

[AoTFan]

As someone who IS forty (in fact, will be past that next month) I can say that, for me, grow old is less depressing as looking around and realizing you haven't really accomplished a whole hell of a lot in terms of career, personal life, goal, etc, etc and, despite that, find yourself semi-wallowing in despair because you don't know how to get out of the hole you're in.  I remember often when I was younger and I'd get depressed, I'd try to comfort myself by saying things would "get better' in the future, but often they seem to have just "gotten". 

Still, I try to just focus on things I'm thankful for, and setting small, daily goals to try and accomplish and not think too hard about what I don't/didn't have.

[indianasmith]

I love hearing you children whine about how old you are.  54 and still a sexy beast here!!!   

[ER]

As someone who nearly died at fifteen and expected to die at twenty-nine and thought I was going to die at thirty-one, getting to forty in December will be an honor and an accomplishment and I have no complaints. 

[RCMerchant]

I like getting old. Think of the things you don't have to do anymore!

I don't have yo keep up with the new music or fashions  (but I never did anyway, so... )
You can walk around in your baggy work pants all day long without changing when going out.
You get to spoil your grandkids- but don't have to raise them!
You get to say to snot nosed punks- "I remember when we only had 3 channels of TV!" "We didn't need video games or computers- we had fishing poles!" "Read a book!" " Miss a text? If we were out and wanted to make a call we went home or used a phone booth!"

[AoTFan]

As someone who nearly died at fifteen and expected to die at twenty-nine and thought I was going to die at thirty-one, getting to forty in December will be an honor and an accomplishment and I have no complaints.  

Whoa... okay, you can't throw out a bombshell like that w/o explanation.  Why/how did you almost die at 15 and think you were going to die the other two times?  

[ER]

As someone who nearly died at fifteen and expected to die at twenty-nine and thought I was going to die at thirty-one, getting to forty in December will be an honor and an accomplishment and I have no complaints.  

Whoa... okay, you can throw out a bombshell like that w/o explanation.  Why/how did you almost die at 15 and think you were going to die the other two times?  

15 internal injuries after a fall.
29 was nothing but I had a nearly lifelong premonition I'd die at that age and halfway expected to.
31...long story but...yeah, no, long story. Not illness.

My life is simple and not mysterious. I bring up my children as best I can, work two days a week with my dad, do some confidential and very boring fulfillment work on a part-time basis for the people I been griping about lately, about fifteen hours a week, and that's more or less it. My life's plain, sedate, mostly happy. If most of you lived it you'd be bored.

[javakoala]

My life's plain, sedate, mostly happy. If most of you lived it you'd be bored.

Oh, god, yes, I would love to be so bored.

But then life is only as boring as you make it.

I spice mine up by posting weird movies on Youtube and then by being amazed how popular the sleaziest titles become. ("Delinquent School Girls" currently has over 5000 views.)

P.S.  Ham sandwiches are awesome, but I prefer mustard on mine, just for future reference.

[316zombie]

pretty sure i'm the oldest person here who still posts fairly regularly, i'm 57 this coming october. and yeah, i'm getting old. my bodyi sn't in the best shape, but that's mostly my own fault, i was a wild child klutz for many years,and in food service/bartending most of it.
  like RC says, i get away with tons of stuff!  just for being a tiny old lady! i'm good with it, and my silver hair, and even my terrible teeth and achy joints. i earned them all by myself. i know too many people who DIDN'T earn the bad stuff,it was inflicted on them. and that sucks. being barri doesn't suck.

[BoyScoutKevin]

I don't know whether any of you want to count me as a regular poster, but I do try to get on as regularly as I can. What you all can count on is that I turned the big 6-6 last month. Damn! That sounds old. Let's just see how much longer I have to go. Hopefully, this board will out last me, as all of you just keep me feeling younger than my true age.

[Alex]

Congratulations and remember you are only as old as the person you feel.

Thus my wife is younger than me. ;)

[316zombie]

hhmm...maybe i should have taken that rich 30 year old up on his offer...
  nah , he just wanted somebody who can cook, lol!