Forever Youmg
Posted by moocat55@reddit | GenX | View on Reddit | 156 comments
I find it weird that people hear GenX and think "old." To me, being GenX will always reverberate with all the freedom our youth had to offer. Forever rebellious, free and young. I still feel it though those years are long gone. I plan on trying recapture some of it when I retire. So I'm throwing a kegger. lol How many of us can still do it?
inafishbowl17@reddit
Idk. 50 was easy. 59 is totally different. Really went down hill the past year. I imagine it's not going to get better.
OTF98121@reddit
Your 40’s are the elderly years of your youth. Your 50’s are the youthful years of old age. I’m guessing that’s why 50 feels so much different than 59.
pantstoaknifefight2@reddit
Legit question? Are you doing things with your diet, sleep, and exercise to prevent the decline?
I just took an adventure vacation to the same place I went ten years ago and it was a lot harder doing some of the same activities, but I've been making a conscious effort these last couple of years and my goal is to hit my 60s in the best shape of my life. But you know the saying, "Man plans. God/the universe laughs."
inafishbowl17@reddit
Diet and sleep yes. Exercise not so much. Mostly lack of energy.
It's more the loss of strength, mental fog, loss of vision clarity, finger dexterity when working on small items. 50 was the same as 35. 58-59 is...... frustrating.
Brilliant-Trick1253@reddit
I get hit on by 25- 35 year olds constantly. It used to weird me out- I have kids their age. Then I appreciated it- they are youthful and innocent in ways I’ll never be again. And they are far from the menopausal narcissist boss lady my ex wife became. But none of the have the sarcastic snark is Gen X have.
jIdiosyncratic@reddit
Can't believe she divorced you. I would totally keep with someone that imagines 25 yr olds are hitting on them.
Antique-Brilliant535@reddit
(Cough) humble-brag…
Bong_appetit@reddit
Constantly, it doesn't stop.Ever.
Antique-Brilliant535@reddit
Anybody got a stick to beat them off with?
1DietCokedUpChick@reddit
I thought this thread would be about Alphaville.
jIdiosyncratic@reddit
That would be "Forever Young". No M.
daniel940@reddit
A little off-topic, but Forever Young was my junior prom theme.
Cbewgolf@reddit
It was the song at our high school graduation. 1994
Intrepid_Practice956@reddit
Which fy?
Juanfartez@reddit
We're closer to 80 than 1980
Cbewgolf@reddit
CatPurrsonNo1@reddit
My body feels like I’m a centenarian, but my brain is still early to mid teens. Especially my sense of humor, LOL!
I’m on the young side of GenX— my sister is a Millennial. My skin looks damn good, but my hair gives me away. I started getting grays in my teens, FFS.
LissaBryan@reddit
My hair started going gray when I was in highschool, too. I would get these hairs that would stick out that were like fishing line. Very wiry and stiff and translucent, like I was growing plastic.
Now, I'm pretty much completely gray, which I hide with bright, jewel-toned colors. I'm rockin' a fuscia pink right now.
CatPurrsonNo1@reddit
Yup, mine were wiry and stuck almost straight up! Most of them are similar in texture to the rest of my hair now.
I tried coloring my hair several years ago, but the grays didn’t take it up very well.
Weird-Girl-675@reddit
I have a Hello Kitty watch band - and collection I refuse to part with - along with a teddy bear and Barbie - in box - collection. Still play video games and refuse to act like an almost 51 year old fart.
Weird-Girl-675@reddit
Kegger?! I’m there!
Veggyhed@reddit
They don't sell party balls anymore and Spud McKenzie is not around
DangerBird-@reddit
lol spuds.
Intrepid_Practice956@reddit
There was a liquor store near my office in about 1992 that advertised "Kegs...to go!" And I always thought "do you expect people to say no, I'll drink it here"?
fpnewsandpromos@reddit
I was at a dinner party last night with friends from back in the day. Pure genx get together and the subject of party balls came up.
Lickford@reddit
RIP Spuds
whatsupgrizzlyadams@reddit
Kind of hard to feel young when you get a sign up letter for AARP in the mail every other week.
Not to mention if I dont do my yoga everyday I tighten up like a garage door spring.
I have purple hair though.
RealtorRVACity@reddit
I started with a new company and everyone thought I was 45, I am 59. Inside me feels 30. Body 70
Odd-Knee8711@reddit
Word.
Western-Corner-431@reddit
How about “We’re Not Gonna Take It?” We were supposed to be fighting the man not worrying about bad knees and receding hairlines. I look around at our peers and I see a lot of us more worried about our 401k and kids on our lawn than keeping our democracy. So cynical, so disengaged. If you make the kegger a meeting about the revolution, I’ll bring the red cups.
NFLTG_71@reddit
Ain’t that the truth? I can’t wait till we get a Gen X president. Shit will definitely change.
Starbreiz@reddit
If confuses the heck outta people when I say GenX and that I'm 47. My friends teenager thinks that bc I was born in the 70s, surely I have memories of the 70s and I must be older than I am
liddybuckfan@reddit
I don't know, there is a lot of complaining in this sub about "kids these days."
4158264146@reddit
Weeds out the ones that don't have the Gen X mentality
EveryExplanation8084@reddit
Always feel like a teenager
HearingDue2119@reddit
You don’t have to be retired to throw a kegger
kkbobomb@reddit
butterscotch-magic@reddit
Word.
mp3bear@reddit
Downloaded and upvoted…
LostDepartment4512@reddit
Perfect
Key-Introduction-126@reddit
I’m 53 and feel like I’ve a body of 60 with all the aches and injuries I have from running but the mind of a 15 year old. I know I shouldn’t push myself physically anymore but there’s that part of me that still remembers falling off a roof at 10 and wanting to go back to playing kickball. Hell, my 15 year old acts older than me a lot of the time.
KingPabloo@reddit
Funny, I’m about to turn 60 with the body of a 15 yo due to my running. Exact opposite experience.
Key-Introduction-126@reddit
That’s great! Overall I know all the running and strength training will help me healthwise down the line but it’s just hard to know when to push to and when to stop. Well that’s not true, I do know when to stop but my 15 year old brain doesn’t like it so I keep going. What should’ve been a 8 mile run last week while recovering from a quad strain turned into an 11 mile one. Even as I’m getting ready for my run today, I’m supposed to keep it under 4 miles today because of slight foot strain but there’s that part of me that’s like “well, let’s see how it feels.” I don’t know if it’s a GenX thing. My dad at 88 still doesn’t like anyone telling him he can’t do something since in his mind, he’s still so able bodied. But he’s also has to overcome a lot too so it might just be a resilience thing.
KingPabloo@reddit
I will say I’ve become much better at listening to my body. If I’ve got an issue, I will often not push it. That said, I rarely have any lingering issues and run much more consistently than when I’d push through things.
regeya@reddit
About a year and a half ago, I tripped on a treadmill and ended up getting surgery. Now I get daily, constant reminders that I'm not 15 anymore.
meldawg23@reddit
I tripped wearing flip flops and I broke my heel bone….which I’ve heard is very hard to do. Doc thought I fell off a roof or a bad car accident. Nope, flip flops. 🙃
swordrat720@reddit
I dropped a golf ball onto my middle toe. It broke. My doc laughed.
Key-Introduction-126@reddit
Oh man, hope you came out ok! Funny thing is that I’m an outside runner. Have been for at least the last 20 years even though we have a treadmill at home for my wife. It’s starting to shake apart now that my 15 year old (who by the way is bigger and taller than me now, sigh…) so I’ve been shopping for a new one and settled on a much nicer but more expensive treadmill to replace because I was thinking I’ll do some running on it since it’ll be safer and less taxing on my joints. I do a lot of urban running and always dodging cars who roll through stop signs and red light runners. Now you’ve unlocked a new fear.
CharlieLeigh51@reddit
Gen-X inherited an otherworldly youth gene. Probably from all that hose water! I will be 57 next week and most people think I am mid 40’s. Also I am incredibly immature so that helps.
Mermaid_Lily@reddit
LOL Yesterday I got asked out by a 40-year-old man. I thought "Man! I'm old enough to be your teen mama!"
CharlieLeigh51@reddit
Maybe that’s what he’s looking for? Ha!
tampaforfun@reddit
I am 50 and still lean, muscular and have energy for the most part. I think the key is maintaining muscle for both men and women.
pantstoaknifefight2@reddit
Specifics?
tampaforfun@reddit
https://youtu.be/ipw1LWtStCw?si=LtLmUm31qwYyUpxb
pantstoaknifefight2@reddit
Great video. Thanks. My #1 goal these days is fitness, and my routine follows all of this.
Here's a YouTube summary for the curious:
Progressive Overload: It is never too late to start. Muscles respond to consistent, gradually increasing challenges at any age.
Nutritional Support: Aim for 1.2 to 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily to support muscle synthesis, especially in older adults.
Sustainable Routine: Dr. Alex recommends a simple routine:
Daily movement: 30 minutes of walking or daily mobility practice (e.g., getting up from the floor).
Strength training: 15-25 minutes, 2-3 times per week, focusing on major muscle groups (squats, deadlifts, presses, rows).
Consistency over intensity: A modest, long-term routine is far superior to an aggressive program that is eventually abandoned.
Ultimately, building muscle is described as a "lifespan multiplier"
moocat55@reddit (OP)
Working on it but it's getting harder to manage old injuries. Now, things don't heal and excersis is riskier. I'm trying to focus on stretching and walking.
tampaforfun@reddit
My shoulders are really in bad shape. I am doing lighter weight and reduced range of motion.
I have seen videos on how muscle is the best indicator or longevity. You can find them in YouTube
Choosepeace@reddit
My friend’s mom said Gex X were the “youngest old people” generation yet!
I take that as a compliment!
radioactivecat@reddit
50 is the new 30!
pantstoaknifefight2@reddit
And $10 million is the new $1 million
radioactivecat@reddit
lol. Cries in 401k
Visible_Toe768@reddit
I remember my grandparents and even my mother at my age, I know I don’t look/feel/act anywhere near as old as they did. In fact, my kids are catching up to me, lol.
moocat55@reddit (OP)
That's true of me and my older brothers and sisters without a doubt.
nunyabizthewiz@reddit
I don’t know about young, but sometimes I forget that I’m not “cool”. When a banger from back in the day comes on and I can sing every word and dance like I’m in the club - I’m feeling pretty damn cool. I mean seriously how many old people can rap along with Eminem?) But then my kids look at me and roll their eyes…
moocat55@reddit (OP)
I was listening to some new pop song out that incorporates some samples of Madona really well and it brought me back. That's how it works. That's how culture carries on. Wisps of the past maintained in a communial memory.
LittleMsLibrarian@reddit
I was at the gym and a song I'd never heard before came on -- I said to my partner, "Oh my god, they sampled The Stroke." No one else in my class -- the next-oldest girl is 10 years younger than I am -- knew that song or who Billy Squire is. That said, Billy Squire is not Madonna or Nirvana ...
moocat55@reddit (OP)
Doesn't matter. Younger people don't know who was cool. They will select pieces with a much more objective eye.
FeistyMuttMom@reddit
My 13 yo has “discovered” Nirvana. I was not a fan but one does what one must when there is only one FM radio station in town; I learned their more mainstream songs because I heard them multiple times a day.
Turns out I can’t always remember why I came into a room or what the name of the guy who was in the thing, you know, the movie with the girl and they went to the place, but I still know all the lyrics to “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” 🤣
meldawg23@reddit
Please drop them off at school while blaring Dr. Dre.
Kilashandra1996@reddit
Last month, I heard the "musiac" instrumental version of The Greatest American Hero theme song. WTF am I listening to??? ... la, la, la ... Really? Whooo could it beeeee? Whyyyyy would theyyyyy?
digdugnate@reddit
believe it or not it's just meeeeee
regeya@reddit
I worked at a Kmart in the 90s and I associate that theme song with being stuck in limbo at work
Scimmia_bianca@reddit
Hahaha! Yes! Son is not impressed with my 90’s/00’s rap skills.
crashin70@reddit
We are the "youth gone wild" who became old... We were going to party hard and die young... Look at all of us liars now!
moocat55@reddit (OP)
Some did harder than others. A couple of years ago a female friend of mine died from the flesh eating bacteria. She would call herself a success story because she beat heroin. Still an alcoholic though! Sounds like she contracted the virus due to her immune system being suppressed because her liver was failing. Not the first. Another died of lupus and found out during the pre surgical wotk up preppimg for stent surgery,but that was less behavior based and more on bad luck. .
Ordinary_Sail_414@reddit
I agree with this sentiment. My right knee began to differ.
Altruistic-Panda-697@reddit
It’s my left knee!!!
No-Win-2741@reddit
I need both knees replaced! Of course they're also recommending me for a double-lung transplant so there's that.
moocat55@reddit (OP)
Yikes.. consequences
CoffeeJedi@reddit
And my axe!
Key-Regret-7812@reddit
I am young. For short periods. Kinda like when the 14 year old labrador gets the zoomies for 10 seconds. I'll still fight for my right to party. Till 9 or so, then I gotta go.
FeistyMuttMom@reddit
And if parking was going to be a challenge I probably never showed up in the first place. 🤣
Historical_Bath_9854@reddit
Oh I've learned, bus them in so you can bus them out 😏
DaoFerret@reddit
Uber is amazing!
No driving at night (or inebriated).
SixAndNine75@reddit
This IS the spirit I came looking for
Be well x
swordrat720@reddit
I’ll fight for my right to party, until the streetlights come on. I don’t like driving at night.
butterscotch-magic@reddit
I think it’s weird, too! Dude, I’m only 55 according to my driver’s license. I feel 35 physically. I’m active, I dance, I go out, I have friends of all ages, I travel, I have an interesting job, a good relationship with my 20-something kids, the freedom to do what I like and the wisdom to give zero fucks about the opinions of others. I can tap into that 80s vibe with a playlist. We’re blessed.
KindaKrayz222@reddit
Mentally I feel 22. Physically??
Upstairs-Safety-5191@reddit
To be clear, throw that kegger now, don’t wait! None of us are promised tomorrow!
sherlockjr1@reddit
Well bless your heart whatever you need to tell yourself
Lrgdustbunnybreeder@reddit
Sure, are we playing quarters? If so, just remember it’s not a tea party and drink it!
owzleee@reddit
I’m 58 and still like a lil spliff/ beer at night. Let’s looks at the stars together!
Public-Air-8995@reddit
I’m female and see my also female 30 something next door neighbor as another girl, one of ‘us’.
Then I remember I’m double her age 😳
jackssweetheart@reddit
I just need a couple beers and I’ll laying on your lawn talking about the universe! Let’s do this!
Canthelpit2056@reddit
Alcohol poisoning here we COME!!!
MurderedRemains@reddit
There's an old guy in my mirror, but a young bloke in my soul.
WolfPacker01@reddit
Yep. I look in the mirror and how I perceive my reflection is not how I think most people see me. Any selfie I take shows a middle-aged woman who looks like a miserable old bitch because I was cursed with RBF.
kevtay1969@reddit
Kegger as long as it’s over by 9pm so I can go to bed.
s1l1c0n3@reddit
Boomers probably thought the same thing. We old, dawg.
JuJu_Wirehead@reddit
The GenZ employees under me enjoy coming to my office and talking to me. I am an unfiltered font of information about the late 1900s to them. I feel sorry for them that they didn't get to have the sort of adventures and fun we had because we weren't always being recorded. They can't embarrass themselves at a party without the world knowing.
moocat55@reddit (OP)
I used to try to tell my war stories to millennials at work and they'd stare at me like a deer in the headlights so I stopped. I'm like, yikes, things changed. And then I had a momentray thought about how unhinged my past really was.
JuJu_Wirehead@reddit
Yeah, I have stories from my teens and early 20s that I can't tell kids because it freaks them out. Like, that shit was normal for me and they're horrified. Softies.
swordrat720@reddit
If you haven’t faceplanted the top of a keg, have you really lived?
kevbayer@reddit
We Are The The Young by Psychefunkspus captures what GenX was when we were Young, what we should have become, and what we should still be.
https://genius.com/Psychefunkapus-we-are-the-young-lyrics
Universespitoon@reddit
The song "We are young" by "Fun", speaks to many of us.
similar themes.
Starcat75@reddit
tarmgabbymommy79@reddit
We're becoming old people yelling at clouds. I think I was in my 20s tho 🤔
tvieno@reddit
I remember the Boomers saying the exact same thing about themselves.
SixAndNine75@reddit
I hear u
And feel u
It's all good
Equivalent_Gap_805@reddit
In my mind I still feel 18. My body just laughs at me because it feels 80.
swordrat720@reddit
In my mind, I’m 18. My shoulder, knees, and lower back are telling me it’s gonna rain.
Jas62021@reddit
I feel this down to my achy knees
therealgookachu@reddit
Check out the audio drama, Am I Old Yet? It’ll resonate.
chopper5150@reddit
I’ll 100% be dicking around and if a 30 something walks in I’m like man here come the adults, funs over.
swordrat720@reddit
I’m taking a few night classes at my community college. Had to go to mandatory orientation, saw a girl about my age there for the same thing. She sees me and says “Thank God, another adult!” My reply: “Where?”
Altruistic-Panda-697@reddit
I’m on the older end of GenX and just retired! Now it’s time for a nap…
Rambling-Holiday1998@reddit
I'm the oldest you can be without being a boomer, so I do feel old.
Strong_Medium_6646@reddit
Me too, but I fully embrace my age and life just keeps getting better! I would never want to be younger!
Rambling-Holiday1998@reddit
I think it depends on how you lived. If you lived life well, you probably don't want to go back.
I would take a do-over for sure.
Frigidspinner@reddit
I feel young but hell no to the hangover I would get from a kegger
FeistyMuttMom@reddit
Hubs got a little festive last night and as I was lovingly tucking him in with a glass of ice water and advil on his bedside table I thought “I do not envy you the headache you will have you awake.”
I’m not an alcohol snob but damn anything more than a glass of whatever I feel for 3 days.
moocat55@reddit (OP)
Honestly, me too. 😄. It's fun to think about it.
kittyshakedown@reddit
Every time I hear or read “genX” I see the promo pics for My So Called Life. It still hits just right. It was hard to watch Homeland with Claire Danes. I still think of her being Angela. She’s forever 17.
I still have teens at home and their social lives are so different than mine were…it’s like they don’t do any of the same things we did. I have a Gen Z and Gen Alpha. They think everything before 2008 or so is the olden times.
CountHonorius@reddit
Forever Young, like the Rod Stewart song from 1988 😄
Upper_Bodybuilder124@reddit
The first thing i thought if was Alphaville.
Dost_is_a_word@reddit
But maybe Rod Stewart covered it as that is what he does
Moodleboy@reddit
The Alphaville song was my prom song. Early in the night, they played the original (slow) version and we all slow danced.
Later on, after dinner, they played the fast version.
In the middle of the song, the DJ stopped playing and the maître d' got on the microphone and said, "Please get off the tables. If you don't stop dancing on the tables, we will be forced to end this party early."
This was at the Plaza Hotel in Manhattan, by the way.
Good times...
moocat55@reddit (OP)
Now look at him. Yikes! Look at me! Ah!
mp3bear@reddit
I saw the title of this topic…and my mind immediately went to Rod Stewart…oops...mb…
Sweaty-Blacksmith572@reddit
Mine went to Alphaville.
digdugnate@reddit
like, maybe a keg of Coke Zero.
i've got my wife to agree to a mid-life crisis sports car so that's what i'm holding on to. lol
moocat55@reddit (OP)
Sports car!!!!
97Whaler@reddit
I’m in ! Will bring funnel
quantumsparq@reddit
Make sure to include the hose!
97Whaler@reddit
Sorry I forgot guess I’m old
MissDisplaced@reddit
In my mind I am no more than 24 but my back says otherwise. Lol!
meldawg23@reddit
Riiight! I walk around thinking people see me as 35 but I definitely look like I’m in my 40s.
Novel_Pin_6784@reddit
In my head, im still 16 years old. I'm the youngest 60 year old ever!
CountHonorius@reddit
Especially when the right song plays - I'm 20 and in college all over again.
SoOverYouAll@reddit
Especially now, as the weather warms and the car windows are down and a banger from back in the day comes on the radio, and it is such a familiar feeling. So many good times in my teens and 20s started with friends piled into a car, windows down, music up 😊
notevenapro@reddit
My mind feels young but my 60 y/o body has some wear and tear on it. Still active but I am not running a 21 minute 5k like I did when I was 50.
meldawg23@reddit
Haven’t done a keg stand or funnel in a long time. I used to be great at them both. 😁
W_HoHatHenHereHy@reddit
Almost no one of any generation thinks they are old. That’s not a Gen X thing, that’s a human thing.
moocat55@reddit (OP)
Yeah, but its happening to meeeeeeeeeee. 😖
W_HoHatHenHereHy@reddit
Whatever.
moocat55@reddit (OP)
Don't worry honey. Age happens fast and takes your breath away when it arrives. Always too soon. It's coming for you.
tattedj42069@reddit
Youth gone wild
Mkop56@reddit
They call us problem child.
azlmichael@reddit
I am way too immature to ever get old
DangerBird-@reddit
Can’t make the kegger. I have a colonoscopy scheduled for the next morning.
CrispyDave@reddit
No, you're no matter how you feel about it, if you're Gen X you're absolutely no longer considered young by anyone who still has all their faculties.
Upper_Bodybuilder124@reddit
The truth is you'll feel and act young until you don't or can't. My parents are in their 80s. Up until about age 75, they still felt and acted young. Now their world has gradually shrunk and revolves around medical appointments and shopping. They no longer travel at all.
If you want to stay young, you need to guard your health. Everyone will slow done as they get older. The key is maximize your healthy years.
CountHonorius@reddit
100% agreed. My mom learned how to use a tablet in her 90s - made her last years more fun, being able to see what was going on in the wider world.
moocat55@reddit (OP)
That's why I'm buying an exoskeleton for my destroyed knees. Try to stop me from moving through the world. My next step is to start building my digital personality to kick in when the dementia does.
Historical_Bath_9854@reddit
I have property in the sticks I'm planning to build on, and also have an epic vow renewal.
mmmmmarty@reddit
I just did a keg stand last week.