Fifty

Half way to 100

I’m resisting the urge to write about Carrier IQ, the end of the Dell Streak, and a new round of Apple TV rumors in order to write about something of much more universal interest.

Late this year I turned 50. Half a century! Some of my friends felt anxious about turning 30 or 40. Not me. Those ages seemed like no big deal. But 50? I have to admit that 50 is a bigger deal for me. I don't think it makes me "old," but I know that I'm no longer young.

I don’t feel much different from when I was 5 or 15 years old. My inner voice, my sense of myself, is still the same. The same things make me laugh. The same music catches my ear. But I can't pretend that being 50 is no big deal. There are signs everywhere. My life insurance costs keep going up. My annual checkups are more "interesting." AARP wants me to have discount dinners, but the restaurants want me to eat them earlier. I've become invisible, at best, and "way old" at worst, to the 20 year olds that walk around the campus where I work. 

And though I'm not as strong as I once was, my years on the planet so far have served me well. My life experience and the sum total of my reading, of the problems I've seen and solved, and the lessons I've learned from the mistakes I've made, have all helped me to feel like I understand a little more about life and the world I live in.

Being 50 clearly puts me in the later stages of my career. It makes me pause to think about what I've accomplished and what I'd still like to accomplish. It also encourages me to be more interested in the careers of others than ever before. One of the best ways for me to do some long term good is to help those who will still be in the workforce when my time is over.

Reflecting on your days can be worthwhile if it's done with self-improvement and fresh goals in mind. I have several goals for the months and years to come. I'm happy to admit that I'm no longer young. But I'm also quick to point out that I'm not quite done yet. 

Links:

• http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2011/12/apple-motorola-att-sprint-t-mobile-latest-to-be-sued-over-carrier-iq-tracking.ars
• http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/news/2011/12/dell-kills-off-its-last-android-tablet-in-the-us.ars
• http://www.slashgear.com/rumor-apple-tv-will-come-in-three-screen-sizes-by-end-of-2012-05199900/

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