You know you are getting old when:

[MisterCairo]

If businesses wish to give discounts to seniors that is their choice.

Student discounts - same choice. I pay more for my movie ticket than I pay for my nine year old's ticket. That's the theatre's choice; I take advantage of it.

Canadian grocery stores often have "expectant mothers/parent with baby" parking spots beside the handicapped spots - not mandatory, their option.

If you don't like a choice, so be it.

I don't like cauliflower. So there.

 

[ChiTownScion]

We have a blue badge system. It's a large badge you leave on the dashboard of your car. Gives you priority in disabled reserved bays. For some illogical reason, I equate a blue badge holder with a standard, mass produced car. Whenever I see a top of the range Mercedes, or similar, with a blue badge, it annoys me intensely. Totally irrational, but there you go, that's just me.

It used to p*ss me off to no end that my mother in law would milk the handicapped plates/ sticker cow for all it was worth. Her (now ex) husband is disabled, but she used to participate in volksmarching events across the country, 5- 10 km walks in which she'd earn a medal for each event. Then she'd come home, borrow the old man's car, and grab the closest handicapped space lest she have to hoof it an extra 25 feet. Of course, now she actually is disabled because of age related issues, so it's a different situation.

As far as giving a buck off admission to seniors for movies: I see it in the realm of de minimus non curat lex. Gotta figure it this way, Lizzie: if the old farts buy a soda, popcorn, or candy, that's where you'll reap the profit. The entitlement mentality that is part & parcel of it, however, is pretty obnoxious, I'll agree.

My wife will always ask for the senior discount at the theater, but we also try to tip the refreshment counter staff a buck or two with each purchase. That tip jar is a great reminder to me that young people today struggle as I once did, and that as I made it through life to no small extent because others were generous with me, I owe that to others. We rarely tip less than 20% in a restaurant- even for dessert and coffee. Wait staff work their arses off (for the most part) to assure that meal orders arrive promptly and correctly- and (in the US, at least) they're paid a meager wage.

 

[tonyb]

Disabled parking space violators either don't know or don't care that for people who truly need those parking spaces, especially the ones that accommodate a ramp van, the lack of such a space means they won't be going to that store, or that movie theater, or that whatever.

Such spaces are in shorter supply than most able-bodied people appreciate. Using one when you don't need it is piggish behavior. (Apologies to swine everywhere.)

 

[LizzieMaine]

I got in a pretty strong argument with a former theatre director about the tip jars on the counter -- she thought they were tacky and that I should get rid of them for that reason. I pointed out that what was tacky was that the kids hadn't had a raise in three years at that point, and I strongly supported their efforts to make a few extra quarters on the side. I won, she's gone, and I, the kids, and the tip jars are all still there. So there.

I get pretty irritated with able-bodied people who decide they're going to sit in the wheelchair sections in the back of the house because they like the extra leg-room, and then give me That Look when I arrive with a patron in an actual wheelchair and they have to move. I've gone so far as to get a velvet rope type of deal with a sign reading RESERVED with the handicap logo, and close off the section until someone arrives who's actually entitled to use it, but the able-bodied legroom types will either unclip it and lay it on the floor or just step over it.

Once, however, one of these characters got theirs -- he had stepped over the rope to get into the section, and had to get up and go to the toilet during the show. he forgot the rope was there in the dark, and it laid him right out flat in the aisle. Justice triumphs.

 

[Stearmen]

Around here we have Military discounts, though it does vary on requirements. Some it's active duty in uniform only, some it's active, retired and reserve, (I imagine that includes National guard members). Some just ask if you ever served, even for two years.

 

[GHT]

An old friend (I've known him for going on 40 years, and he is indeed old) rails against senior discounts. If you prefer your largesse to be of real social benefit, give the discount to young parents.

Talking of largesse, the UK gives everyone over the age of 60, if they want it, a free travel bus pass. It can be used anywhere in the country, but only on stage carriage buses, not intercity coaches. It took me forever to use mine until I realised the convenience. We were still living in London when I turned sixty, London's bus systems require you to pre-purchase your fare before you board the bus. There's pre-payment machines to do this but most people use the prepaid 'Oyster Card.' Just having to show my senior pass meant no more pre-payment fuss, so apart from the benefit of free travel it made it fuss free too.
My own painful hip has more than underlined the fact that mobility becomes a problem for many as they get older, but I dread to think what the senior's free travel costs our country and I wouldn't dare raise a voice of dissent. Free travel for seniors seems almost as sacred as our NHS, another institution that has become a money pit.

 

[Bolero]

I can't call anyone in their mid 20s babies if they have been in combat like so many I currently know. But, I will say, they do look so young, and I wonder if I ever looked that young?

Battle of Briton, 1939-40...18 year olds flying Spitfires shooting down German Aggressors...

I flew a Mooney Mark 20 when I was 18 but no Dogfighting...

Age is generally a State of Mind however the Body Betrays us usually...

 

[2jakes]

You know you are getting old when you remember this:

All Polo knows is that his dish bowl is empty!

 

[Trenchfriend]

The problem under my ankle is getting better and better, since two days! I am still cooling as often as I can. And sparing as most as possible, of course.

Two days ago, I was thinking about to find a better way, to walk around with protecting the ankle's area as most as possible. I testet to walk around, with the leg and foot tensed, as I would have the whole leg putted in a cast. And woohoo, it worked and my mood got 1000 percent better!! This way, I can much better walk around and further going to supermarket much better, without risking and tease the sinew too much.

I am hopefully and will further avoid to go to this ...... doctors!

https://t1.ftcdn.net/jpg/00/69/10/04/500_F_69100433_NSNWYJQL42Anj0M0B1p60PUZFAj9RT4f.jpg

 

[2jakes]

^^^^
"Preventive Maintenance” ~ Ankle braces.

They are light & comfortable. I’m very active in basketball, biking & tennis.
Makes a difference, I highly recommend.

Hoffnung haben Sie eine schnelle Genesung haben.

 

[Trenchfriend]

Oh man, why didn't this came to my mind, much earlier?

Of course, I don't press the cooling-pack on my naked skin, but rather with the sock between. So, why not one or two classic handkerchiefs between the cooling-pack and my hand, that I can cool much longer, without killing my hand?

Great, and I think, cooling that way will be much more effective, woohoo!

And again and again additional cool "Kneipp-affusions."

 

[Harp]

I can't call anyone in their mid 20s babies if they have been in combat like so many I currently know. But, I will say, they do look so young, and I wonder if I ever looked that young?

I can recall being stopped from buying a Miller six-pack by a solicitous clerk who asked, "Sergeant, how old are you?" And last week a White Castle cashier threw me a senior discount coffee.

 

[2jakes]

Oh man, why didn't this came to my mind, much earlier?

Of course, I don't press the cooling-pack on my naked skin, but rather with the sock between. So, why not one or two classic handkerchiefs between the cooling-pack and my hand, that I can cool much longer, without killing my hand?

Great, and I think, cooling that way will be much more effective, woohoo!

And again and again additional cool "Kneipp-affusions."

When I use an ice-pack on a sprained muscle
I apply one layer of an “Ace” bandage to the skin.
Next I place the ice-pack in between & continue
wrapping the ace bandage.
This way I don’t have to hold it with my hand.
I don’t wrap the bandage too tight.
Just enough to hold the ice-pack in place.
I only use an ice-pack for a short period.
At times I will take aspirin which relieves the pain.


The bandages I use come in different widths & are elastic
or stretchable cloth-like material which are reusable.
Most sports shops carry them.

On occasions I will take an “ice-bath” when my entire body
muscles are aching from too much tennis.
After a few minutes, my body feels great.

 

[GHT]

On occasions I will take an “ice-bath” when my entire body muscles are aching from too much tennis. After a few minutes, my body feels great.

After a few minutes I'm surprised that you feel anything!

 

[2jakes]

After a few minutes I'm surprised that you feel anything!

If you're out of shape, I wouldn’t recommend it to you !

 

[Stanley Doble]

Canadians of a certain age will get this:

I recall going to the store with a paper dollar and buying four chocolate bars - 25 cents each, and tax free (province of Ontario).

I live in Ontario and not only do I remember paper dollar bills, I remember when candy bars were 5 cents for a small and 10 cents for a large. And I remember when "Frost bite" came in too. Back then it was 3% and they promised it would never apply to the necessities of life like food. What a laugh. Now it's 13% and applies to everything.

 

[2jakes]

 

[GHT]

Yep, also known as: "A Rave From The Grave."

 

[tonyb]

Oldies? Hell, I was well into middle-age when the music the kids call "old school" was current.

 

[2jakes]

OTOH