GREY AREAS
Have you been surprised to find out you're now on AARP's mailing list? Are you getting unexpected senior discounts, and do you have a growing desire to be home on weeknights? Guess what, it's all creeping up on you. Here's a playful romp through the telltale signs that you've crossed the aging line. Weren't we in our 20s just yesterday? Ah, yes, inching -- careening? -- toward those golden years.
YOU'RE GIVEN THE SENIOR DISCOUNT, ON SIGHT
The first time this happens, it's gut-wrenching. A twentysomething selling tickets at the movies glances up and gives you the senior discount, even though you're a few years shy of the official milestone. But then you realize, "Hey, I am saving money," and it's not so bad.
YOU GET MAIL FROM AARP
Again, the first time it happens, you cringe. Mail from AARP? What, am I 70? They start their pitch early -- but again, you just might appreciate the savings... even though your voice still drops to a whisper when asking, "Do you offer an AARP discount?"
YOU USE OUTDATED PHRASES
You say that you have to wash your "blue jeans" instead of just saying "jeans." Or you say, that a dance is really "hip." You remember how weird your parents sounded with their old-fashioned phrases? Now you're doing the exact same thing.
YOU ASK FOR HELP WITH ELECTRONICS
You were a whiz on the electric typewriter. College papers were a breeze. Today, you can still type at quite a clip -- but you sometimes need an assist when it comes to downloading music, buying an app, or other tasks that seem to come naturally to the younger generation.
YOU DON'T MIND EATING IN
So, your husband or wife suggests skipping this week's trip to the local restaurant. You don't think twice since that means not only some extra pocket money but also no dressing up and no circling around looking for a parking spot.
YOUR CELEBRITY CRUSH IS STILL ANDREW MCCARTHY
You can totally relate to your daughter's daydreaming about the latest celebrity -- been there, done that. You agree with her that Chris Hemsworth is a handsome guy. (She doesn't really need to know that Andrew McCarthy still makes your heart skip a beat, does she?)
YOU HAVE BEEN SPOTTED OUT AND ABOUT – IN PJS
You have decided that running to the corner deli for a quart of milk or dozen eggs for breakfast doesn't mean you have to get fully dressed. Your younger self would likely shake his or her head to think one day you'd be in public in pajamas under that coat.
YOU CRAVE CHILDHOOD TREATS
You have had entire conversations, often with your brothers or sisters, about favorite dishes from childhood. Remember that special cake from the bakery that closed when you were away at college -- or that crazy sundae you got at the local ice-cream stand? Food memories are powerful.
YOU'VE BECOME A REGULAR AT THE LIBRARY
Buy a magazine or book? You can go to the library and get it all for free -- and it's a great place to spend a little time in an easy chair, hear a performance or take in a class or art show. Were these amazing places always here?
YOU REALIZE YOU SHOULD EXERCISE
How many times can you hear about the importance of exercise? You can't ignore that you have to take care of yourself -- and with the onset of a few random pains and strains, you actually start a regime to try to avoid any serious issues.
YOU HATE CROWDS, ALL CROWDS
The mall during the holiday season or the supermarket before a snowstorm... places where there are tons of people -- pushy, annoying people -- are not for you. You have lost your patience for this and would rather run your errands when you have the time and the places are less crowded.
YOU'VE BEEN KNOWN TO SAY 'WHEN I WAS YOUR AGE...'
It used to drive you crazy when your elders compared what you were up to with what they did at your age... and now, you're doing the same thing. So much of aging is about revelations -- and one is that we're all part of a big cycle that repeats itself every generation, right?
YOU ARE NO LONGER ABOUT TRENDS
Still loving last season's pant length? Hey, if it looks nice on you -- and the price is right -- you have been known to buy and wear it. Getting older includes knowing what fashions work for you and having the confidence to create your own "look," not blindly chase the latest trends.
YOU TALK TO YOURSELF
Grandma used to have entire conversations with herself. You'd hear her from the other room when you knew she was alone. More and more, you're doing the same: from "Where did I put those keys?" to "Now, that was a good cup of coffee." As long as you don't answer yourself, we say you're OK.
YOU ARE LOST WITHOUT YOUR READERS
The daily paper is a bit of a blur -- not because you gloss over the news but because you can't see the words without your reading glasses. You combat the issue with multiple pairs, basically one for every room of your house -- plus that spare for work.
YOU STILL OWN A VCR OR DVD PLAYER
Nothing like settling in and cueing up a movie on the ol' VCR or DVD player. Sure, there's that thing called streaming -- but do those services have a decades-developed personal library like yours? Just pray these devices never break down.
YOU SEND GREETING CARDS
Hallmark, Target, or the indie shop downtown -- wherever you see greeting cards, you stop. E-cards will never do it for you. You still treasure cards and letters you've received, so you want to pass the experience along, creating memories for your own friends and family.
YOU ENJOY QUIET TIME WITH FAMILY
Speaking of family, you realize -- after all those teenage years of sassing your mom or rolling your eyes at Dad's "jokes" -- that family is pretty important. And if you're lucky enough to have your own family now, you work to make the bond strong.
YOU TAKE TIME TO PACK YOUR LUNCH
Glance around most offices. The younger employees run out to lunch, spending without a second thought. The older workers pull out what they've packed from home. It's money, it's time, it's just the way it goes.
YOU CAN'T GET OVER HOW QUICKLY TIME PASSES
How often did your dad say, "I can't believe it's already Christmas again"? Um, yes, days turn to months, but wow -- time does fly. You yourself have zipped along from a twentysomething know-it-all to a fiftysomething -- who actually now does know a thing or two. CONGRATULATIONS!!!