Mid-life crisis

[MarlowBunny]

Wikipedia defined mid-life crisis as "dramatic self-doubt that is felt by some individuals in the "middle years" or middle age of life, as a result of sensing the passing of their own youth and the imminence of their old age. Sometimes, a crisis can be triggered by transitions experienced in these years, such as extramarital affairs, andropause or menopause, the death of parents or other causes of grief, unemployment or underemployment, realizing that a job or career is hated but not knowing how else to earn an equivalent living, or children leaving home. The result may be a desire to make significant changes in core aspects of day-to-day life or situation, such as in career, work-life balance, marriage, romantic relationships, big-ticket expenditures, or physical appearance."

I have text book mid-life crisis with the exception of extramarital affairs!

Then, wikipedia tells me it's a myth. The hell it is.

I am 42:
dramatic self-doubt: Check
andropause: Check
causes of grief: Check
unemployment: (I just left senior management job to start my own company)
realizing that a job or career is hated but not knowing how else to earn an equivalent living: Check
children leaving home: Soon
desire to make significant changes: Check
change core aspects of day-to-day life: Check
change work-life balance: Check
change romantic relationships: Check
change big-ticket expenditures: Check
change physical appearance: Check

I would add the following:
When I see or meet a lovely young woman (aren't they all lovely), I feel like an investor who has found a golden opportunity but has no money to invest.

I am very sad. Have any of you experienced the same phenomenon? I am past my "use by" date and ready to be chucked.

One last thing: So many of the readers at this site (but not this forum) post comments that harken back to middle school that I half suspect our readers are in middle school. The bizarre thing is that middle school crap didn't bother me nearly as much when I was in middle school as it does now.

I know a guy who traveled cross country to finally meet his internet girl friend in person. He was so joyful that he took pictures of their meeting with his cell phone and posted the pictures to his "friends" via an unnamed social media site. The response he got was so negative that I started to lose faith in humanity. Yes, he is a nerd. Yes, she is pretty. The hate he is enduring is absurd. They say "welcome to the friend zone" and "out of your league" and "then she slapped him" and "won't see her again" and "laughs about you while she fucks real men" etc. It is so disheartening. Where is the "fist bump - score" comment?

 

[sr71plt]

My wife defined my midlife crisis as the day I bought a Thunderbird.

 

[Boxlicker101]

When I was forty, I bought a new car(a Chevette), started college and got married for the first time. Those were all positive changes, and I have never regretted any of them.

In my case, it was finally getting my shit together.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

I don't know about mid-life crises, but when I turned fifty I gave myself an African safari as a birthday present. Since then I have gotten an MA in art, an AA in furniture building, built both a studio and a workshop and am giving serious though to getting an MFA in craft. And I have met lots of attractive ladies in the art department. I wonder if that's what making me think of going back to the university?

 

[bronzeage]

A mid life crisis is a luxury enjoyed by men who find themselves with too much time on their hands.

For the rest of us, it's just the next crisis to come down the line.

 

[lovecraft68]

My wife defined my midlife crisis as the day I bought a Thunderbird.

On my 40th birthday I bought a 72 Nova SS. Wife didn't care then and didn't last year when I added eh motorcycle. She said anything is okay as long as I keep it in my pants, don't grow a pony tail or pierce my ears.

 

[stephen55]

Mid life is what...ages 45 to 55?

40 to 50?

Whatever it is, it's much too long of a time to spend it in crisis. If you're 45 or 50 you've already lived longer than most of humanity gets and in North America, you'll likely live about three times as long as most of your ancestors of only a dozen generations ago.

Whenever my wife says, "We're getting old, honey", my immediate response is "It beats the alternative", which is dying young.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

On my 40th birthday I bought a 72 Nova SS. Wife didn't care then and didn't last year when I added eh motorcycle. She said anything is okay as long as I keep it in my pants, don't grow a pony tail or pierce my ears.

I grew a ponytail after I retired from the Army. I cut it off after two years.

 

[lovecraft68]

I grew a ponytail after I retired from the Army. I cut it off after two years.

Fortunately she didn't add tattoo's

 

[sr71plt]

On my 40th birthday I bought a 72 Nova SS. Wife didn't care then and didn't last year when I added eh motorcycle. She said anything is okay as long as I keep it in my pants, don't grow a pony tail or pierce my ears.

I've had three Novas ('67SS, '73SS, and '78). Must say that I didn't see any of them as "Let's go wild" purchases.

 

[lovecraft68]

I've had three Novas ('67SS, '73SS, and '78). Must say that I didn't see any of them as "Let's go wild" purchases.

Well the 78 was pretty dull. The 72 has always been my favorite had one at 18 so sentimental purchase for me. Besdies the fun is in the restoring of them The next target is a 69 firebird.

 

[JustaSCOUNDREL]

My wife defined my midlife crisis as the day I bought a Thunderbird.

Buying a Thunderbird is a midlife crisis for a guy who spent some portion of his life flying at 100.000'+ at mach 2.5+ where you can see the curvature of the earth and the sky is dead black?

I assume you are a true minimalist.

Mike

 

[stephen55]

Buying a Thunderbird is a midlife crisis for a guy who spent some portion of his life flying at 100.000'+ at mach 2.5+ where you can see the curvature of the earth and the sky is dead black?

I assume you are a true minimalist.

Mike

My guess is that Blackbird owned the Thunderbird.

I doubt he owned the Blackbird. I haven't seen any of them for sale on EBay.

 

[Boxlicker101]

Buying a Thunderbird is a midlife crisis for a guy who spent some portion of his life flying at 100.000'+ at mach 2.5+ where you can see the curvature of the earth and the sky is dead black?

I assume you are a true minimalist.

Mike

In the 1950's, a Thunderbird was as close to an American sports car as you could get. Later, it became just a big sedan. I think buying a Mustang or a Cobra would amount to more.

 

[sr71plt]

I didn't say it was a new Thunderbird. In the late '80s, a restored '56 Thunderbird didn't come cheap. And when I sold it, it pretty much paid for a Mercedes (also not new, however).

 

[Boxlicker101]

I didn't say it was a new Thunderbird. In the late '80s, a restored '56 Thunderbird didn't come cheap. And when I sold it, it pretty much paid for a Mercedes (also not new, however).

Indeed, that would be a worthwhile midlife crisis.

 

[Verdad]

One last thing: So many of the readers at this site (but not this forum) post comments that harken back to middle school that I half suspect our readers are in middle school.

Lit's main demographic are males over the age of 55. Dunno if that throws any light on the high school behavior.

 

[Tyro999]

Indeed, that would be a worthwhile midlife crisis.

Sigh. Mine consisted of five stealth heart attacks, the last one leading to a, fortunately mild, stealth stroke. No cars, no trophy second wife, just $30K+ in medical bills and six weeks in hospital/rehab facilities.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

A real mid-life crisis is discovering you took the wrong path, then making a course correction. Unfortunately most course corrections go off in yet another wrong direction.