.......................... an absolute bee-otch. (some off-off topic musings)

Recently I spent the week at our academy for annual in-service training. Next month we have twenty three members of our agency retiring. This is something of a record, and primarily due to the current state of our upper chain of command. If they can go, they are. So in a very short time I'll be in the upper ten percent of our agency regarding time on the job. I spent an afternoon driving a patrol car around the EVOC course I'd never even sat in before, as they no longer issue what I've been driving. When I hopped in the drivers seat the instructor asked me, "Have you ever driven one of these?" I replied, "Nope, so hang on sonny." I also spent several hours in defense tactics throwing around people half my age, and was asked when I was retiring several times over the course of the week. The kicker was sitting at a table with a dozen other Troopers and Lieutenants at lunch and realizing they were all younger than my two oldest children. Jeez

This last week one of the best partners I've ever had retired after twenty nine years of service. I tried to convince him to stay and not leave me alone with all the youngins' but he wouldn't buy it. I now know the separation anxiety my first partner of thirteen years felt when I transferred. I now work on a shift with men who were largely in grade school when I first put my Trooper pants on. At least my Lieutenant has a couple of years on me, so I've got one other grown up around. :lol: They're all good men and I feel lucky to work with the crew I do, but we aren't really peers. I'm affectionately known as "Ol' Crusty". Shocking, I know. :p I was also forced to change the sights on both my carry and competition guns, as my eyesight has been changing and black on black sights are no bueno now.

And the final kicker? Thursday is my infernal birthday! One more year closer to the big adios. I'm sure the doctor will soon tell me I need to take yet another pill, or some other shot in my ass every couple of weeks. :mad: Youth is definitely wasted on the young. There are a couple of bright spots though. I've been notified that I'll be receiving deliveries from both Albion and Arms & Armor next week, so that eases the pain a little. See, this was about swords after all. ;)

Well, happy birthday to you, though a bit early. :)

Getting old like you are was already aging gracefully. :D

Getting old like I am, being full time on sword profession, no stable income, no stable living.... is a terrifying future.

Aww...Pat....I'm currently in the half-a-hundred club myself. I know you...I've seen you..I only wish I were as big and muscled as you. Do as I do, and lay back and enjoy the years. Give yourself to others, as Gandalf would to a young Hobbit. :lol: Age gives us aches and pains, but the wisdom we receive is what makes us men......and warriors. ;) :D ...Love ya, bro....McM

I've been having a bit of that myself recently. My wife convinced me to head back to school to finish my degree and probably go on to get my Masters. So I find myself surrounded by students who are about half my age. My eyes are going, and so now I have to wear glasses to read... And top it off the oldies station started playing Nirvana and Alice in Chains.

I am valiantly resisting! I will not go quietly into the cold dark night of oldness! Young forev.... <cough> <cough> <wheeeeeeeze>

Happy B-Day!

I was the old guy on my team for a long time. It is funny I did Griffin Groups MMTT twice with people half my age, Bwhahahaha.

My three thoughts

Getting old beets the alternative

Old Age aint for sissies

No one gets out of this alive

Hello
When I turned 29, for the 20th time, I had to finaly accecpt I was 50....traumatic Now I will just have to be 50 for twenty years :-)

"Dont get old...you`ll live to regret it"

I've always thought of you as 'Ol Crusty ...

Happy Birthday! I am still rather a young man at least I tell myself that. I started to feel old when I asked my class of undergrads what they remembered about 9-11.... and only a few of the older students had recollections of it. I'm going to need to get videos or something of people's memories of the event for this section of my class to work in the near future. Time is a very odd thing. Moves really fast it seems the older you get and super slow when you are young. That is indeed sad.

RPM

Well Happy Birthday Pat,

As for the other, been there done that! After watching several years of new kids come in, I looked around and found very few of the old gang left. Procedures were changing for the worse, I refused to change that much so decided it was time to go.

After giving most of my life to the Feds, I pulled the plug a year ago and have found life more enjoyable.

All the best
Robert

I've found that once you get to a certain age, the pill parade begins, and it tends to keep on marching beside you. Maybe you can get rid of one or two of them, but a new one will get added to the end of the line.

I really can sympathize with you, Pat. The guys I work with are all young enough to be my children, but I can still work them into the ground. They sometimes ask me--"How the hell do you do it?" I reply--"Somebody's got to be here to wipe your baby @sses."......They call me 'the Veteran'. :lol: Go outside and swing a blade or two. Take that big Dane axe of yours and whack something. You'll feel better. :lol: :lol: I know I do. I can throw my Cawood Viking sword into the air, watch it flip, catch it by the grip, and take out a water bottle in one swat. Not bad for an old guy. :lol: :lol: ----But I still have band-aides standing by... :lol: :lol: .....Happy birthday, Pat!.............McM

I hear ya. Granted I am Only 27, but the other day I found myself visiting home, and At my younger brothers college. While I waited in the student union for him to get out of class I looked around and realized I was surrounded by kids. I sat there going "when did they start letting children into college?" :eek:
Ol Crusty huh? I can see that. ;) I bet you regret telling us that part now huh? :p

I remember on Happy Days when Howard turned 50.
Marion said: "You aren't old, you're middle-aged".
Howard replied with: "how many 100 year-olds do you know?"

Happy birthday Old Crusty :)

Thank you for the kind thoughts gentlemen. In two days I'll be forty eight and the half century mark is rapidly approaching. I don't bounce as well as I used to and I think my days of fast roping out of a helicopter are just about done. On the other hand, I look back at myself at twenty four and wouldn't go back, and while the mistakes of my youth are catching up with me I'm still in better shape than most men my age. My father is eighty seven and showing no signs of packing it in, so they won't get rid of me any time soon. My wife and I are enjoying our empty nest, having sent the last of our brood off to the Navy a year and a half ago. Having raised them since we were kids ourselves, I have to say we're having a great time with just the two of us. I have a steady job with decent pay for as long as I want it, as well as the respect of my peers. No one has any serious medical issues or problems either, so life is pretty good overall. However, as many of you can sympathize, you reach a point in your life where you ask yourself, "Where did that all go?"

Quote:

As for the other, been there done that! After watching several years of new kids come in, I looked around and found very few of the old gang left. Procedures were changing for the worse, I refused to change that much so decided it was time to go.

I feel you Robert. The profession has changed dramatically in the last twenty years, as have the people entering it and societies view of it. I can't say I regret it, but I wouldn't do it again and can't recommend it. I'm rapidly approaching the point where it will be time to move on and leave the business of being societies garbage collector to those younger and less disillusioned than myself. :D

Quote:

Ol Crusty huh? I can see that. Wink I bet you regret telling us that part now huh? Razz

Not at all. Own it! That's what I always say. I'm also known as a "hurter of feelings". Don't ask Master Trooper Kelly for his opinion unless you absolutely and really want it. I even hurt my new Captains feelings about two years ago and got a days suspension for it. On the other hand, the Colonel attached it to my weekend off so I got a long weekend out of the deal. It worked out in the end. :lol: My Major used to be my team leader on the tactical unit so we've known each other since the good old bad days. He told me, "Pat I hope we're never here again." in his best possible official voice. I told him, "We've known each other too long for me to promise you that." He just rolled his eyes and said, "I guess I better take what I can get." We have one of those touchy feely groups within our agency called the Peer Support Group. You know, one of those things where you sit in a drum circle and pass the talking stick around? Every time an opening on the team comes up everyone jokes about me putting in for it. "I can see Pat on the Peer Team.......Are ya dyin'? Then rub some dirt in it and get back to work ya baby!"

According to FedEx, my Principe arrives Thursday, so happy B-Day to me!

Let us know what you think about the Principe!

And happy birthday!!

Happy birthday, Patrick!

I'm old, too. I'll be 45 in June. I don't look so old, though, so there's that. Dating younger women helps, too.

Jeez louise, what a bunch of young whippersnappers! I recently turned 62.

Happy Birthday, Patrick!

--ElJay

Happy Birthday Patrick!

You guys are making me feel old at 51. ;)

I retired from the Army after 25-years and am working civil service for a Defense Agency. The military got too politically correct and the last few waves of new folks plus new policies made me glad to go. I do not miss any of it.