Getting Old

[Pete]

buggy wheels and cannon wheels. Done them for West Point. Not many of us left around these parts.

[BUB 209]

I saw a Cannon coffee table at a house where I was working. Just a glass top over a wood cannon painted glossy black with gold trim. Looked pretty cool.

[Rick Stein]

Wasn't there an old Neil Young song with lyrics . . .

better to burn out, then it is to burn, hey hey, bye bye . . .

From the late 60's I believe.

rick

[Joseph Crowe]

Just one suggestion, though you might find it a bit strange. If you want to overcome the negative effects, regardless of age, of such activities, get yourself a good book on stretching and do about fifteen to thirty minutes after warming up and before calling it a day....you can do this while listening to music or watching the idiot box if you like. I recommend the book by Aaron Mattes, but Bob Anderson's is not too bad either. It really does work, as I can attest. I'm both a learning woodworker, a fulltime software designer and so forth. If I do the stretching as above, I feel much better afterwards and I am also well advanced into middle age so I understand the factors. I've done all the tilework I ever want to do and what Everett said has a real ring of truth to it.....stretch, you'll be glad you did.

Stretching by Bob Anderson ISBN: 0936070226 Specific Stretching for Everyone by Aaron L. Mattes available at

Respectfully, JCrowe

[Doug Winterburn]

Yup, I found out about all those helping the daughter put in a brick patio over a sand bed. That was almost a month ago, and I think I need to see a bone crusher for the back.

-Doug

[Phisherman]

Good point Barry. I usually walk 5 miles a day. Yesterday I hiked 8 miles in the mountains on a trail labeled as "difficult." I'm 50 and still feel like 30. But, I'd much rather spend an evening in the shop, than a drinking party at night (both are fun).

[Bill Reynolds]

My grand dad could "iron a carrage" when he was 16.

Remove TIE to reply.

[Phisherman]

I hurt my back three months ago. No insurance, so I did not see a doctor. I started a morning yoga exercise for the back, and 6 weeks later my back is okay. But, out of habit, I still do the morning yoga while the coffee maker is doing its thing. Basically, it's a morning stretch, slow and easy. Makes me feel young again. No back pain, no doctor bills.

[Bob McConnell]

Hi Greg,

It's primarily a matter of what you are used to. Since you obviously weren't used to bending over to work near the ground, I would guess you don't do a lot of it. As others have mentioned, there are a number of exercises you can do to improve your overall condition, and if you are going to do more low level work, you should concentrate on lower trunk strength and flexibility.

I will be 54 in a few weeks, and some days I just can't keep up with the grandchildren. But even when I just do some basic calisthentics on a regular basis, I feel much better and last longer. If my son ever returns the treadmill, I might even start to lose some of the extra weight I have put on in the past year.

Keep stretching,

Bob McConnell N2SPP

[David Hall]

" Hey, Hey, My, My...It's better to burn out than it is to Rust... Hey, Hey, My, My" Neil Youg & Crazy Horse - Rust Never Sleeps 1979 Warner Bros. Records Inc.

Dave Hall

[Silvan]

Speaking of which, I did good today. :) Instead of pizza, I had two slices of bread, four carrots, an orange, an apple, and a couple handfuls of assorted nuts.

I like all that stuff. We keep it around. I should eat it more often. It's amazing how few times I'll take a piece of fruit or a carrot out of that drawer and grab a Dr. Pepper and a bag of Doritos instead. Half the fruit ends up getting thrown away uneaten.

No wonder I look like Hank Hill.

[Silvan]

Well, we try to keep stuff in the trunk. If I had my brand new Unisaw in the back seat, I'd probably drive too. :)

That isn't the point really. She could really stand to get some exercise. She's overweight and severely underactive to the point where it's really starting to worry me.

She's the only friend I have in the world, Mark. What am I going to do without her?

[Charlie Self]

Reminds me of many years ago, old carpenter I worked for. By old, I was about

18, maybe 19, he was 70 or spitting at it. I tried keeping up with him, but there was simply no way I could put a bundle of shingles on each shoulder and RUN up a 40' ladder (unless only one section was used: then I had a shot at it). He was driving nails in 2x6 collar ties in a barn we built with one tap to set and aim and one blow after. Took me a bit to realize he was not using a 16 ounce hammer, though. Ah, the joys of youth.

I never considered how ol' Arthur ran in our family, so I did lots of things like jumping a motorcycle (we wan't talk about getting spit off from time to time, because that wasn't usually a problem unless I high-sided and the bike rolled over me. That tended to smart). Now, both knees are total wrecks even after 1 surgery on the left, 2 on the right.

Ah well. It would have been less fun without the excesses.

Charlie Self If God had wanted me to touch my toes he would have put them higher on my body.

[Larry Jaques]

On Fri, 09 Jan 2004 01:16:23 -0500, Silvan brought forth from the murky depths:

A single handful of nuts = 3,000ish calories, so don't fool yourself into thinking you did well, dude. That processed bread probably wan't too good for you, either. Try a better balanced salad next time and forgo the extra carbs.

My sister is helping me to start eating more "live" foods and I feel a lot better for it.

-------------------------------------------- Proud (occasional) maker of Hungarian Paper Towels.

Comprehensive Website Design ======================================================

[Silvan]

I'll try, but I'm not hopeful. That usenet replay thing seems to miss 70% of the posts people refer me to.

Nope. Couple of chairs, a gumball machine or two...

Sucks that nobody carries binaries groups anymore.

[Silvan]

I used to sling around 275 pound entertainment centers, or carry one on each shoulder. Now I feel like my guts are going to pop when I have to push a

400-pound bunk bed.

I'm probably half your age, and I already feel like crap. Bad knees, bad hip, bad wrists, bad shoulder. Bleah. I wish I thought it would get better, but everybody your age is quick to point out that I ain't seen nothin' yet when it comes to such complaints.

Aging is a raw deal.

[Silvan]

I can do that. I put down new sub floor with 2" ring shank nails. Drove a couple thousand of them. I got good at that trick. Aim is everything.

I finally caved in and bought a bigger hammer though. A 22-oz. Estwing I think. (Estwing for sure. 22-oz. maybe not.)

[Mark Jerde]

My wife of 21 years and I have gone through a rough couple of years. (Having two teenagers in the house pushes things to the limit.)

I suggest you try counseling. We have had many sessions. I didn't do a good job hearing her needs, but when the counselor articulated them it helped. Likewise, SWMBO ignored, trivialized, and stomped all over my input, but when the same things were passed though a neutral 3rd party, they were (eventually) accepted.

Our relationship has grown so that we can discuss "important" things.

Your SWMBO may not be able to hear *from* *you*, "Honey, I'm concerned about your health. I want to have you around for a long time. Please take care of yourself." However, if you say it to a neutral 3rd party in the presence of SWMBO, then he or she says it to SWMBO, it could over time make a difference. It's worked for me, and its worked for my SWMBO.

I have been able to write checks to cover the counseling sessions. Based on what you've written in the wreck, you may not be able to. If that's the case, I'm 99.44% sure there is a clergy-person who would be willing to do a session or two or whatever gratis -- whether or not you're a member of their particular franchise.

For more details / recommendations despamify my email addy.

-- Mark

[Edwin Pawlowski]

She could have some serious physical problems. Hormone balance, thyroid, etc. Can you get her to see the doctor? This time of year with the days shorter, depression can easily set in also. Worth he trouble of getting it checked out. Ed

[Cape Cod Bob]

Probably because of all the unnecessary punishment you gave your body when you were younger.