Awww...shut up.

[Jester]

In 66 days I will officially be "old" by my definition for the first time in my life: 40.

My new phone has a "D-Day Counter," so I couldn't resist setting it for my birthday.

I don't feel or look my age, I think. I don't get carded as much as I used to (only twice since I turned 39), but I still get bar guests guessing my age at late twenties to early thirties. And since I still have the mentality of a teenager, I don't really care all that much about it....but I just can't believe I am going to be 40.

More shocking to me still is that that means that my ex-fiance, The Brit, just turned 41. I can't even imagine it.

I work with people who weren't even born when I graduated high school, and the birthdate of legal drinkers is a year after said graduation. Those are the two things that really do make me feel old. Sure, some of the hot spring break chicks look kinda young to me, but overall, a hot chick in a bikini is still a hot chick in a bikini, and that has (thankfully) never changed for me. And the day that I get too old to enjoy a hot chick in a bikini, my friends have instructions to empty both barrels of a shotgun into the base of my skull.

So, for my 40th birthday, I don't have huge plans. Do dinner with friends at my favorite sushi place, just like I do every year. I may shave my goatee for that notable day, since I look even younger clean shaven. I may not. Despite the looking younger thing, I like the way I look with a goatee--in the last 11.5 years, I have been clean shaven a total of 12 weeks.

So this 25 year old who is getting "old"? He can kiss my beer-swilling, bikini-watching, practical joke-playing, I-don't-party-like-a-rock-star-they-party-like-ME, silly, juvenile, prankster ass.

I will say this: When I was approaching 30, I often said that if my thirties were half as good as my twenties, they'd be awesome. They were twice as good. So I may be approaching a milestone I'm not too thrilled with, but damn the torpedoes and full speed ahead!

[AdminAssistant]

A dear friend is turning 40, although she looks 28 and acts 21. We've already made plans to go to a cafe that has private room, Japanese-style karaoke (she's a Japanese history scholar). And we've threatened to get male strippers.

[Cookie]

Magpie. Yeah, he's legal. Also, he looks older than I do. I still get asked where I'm going to school all the time. He doesn't.

XCashier, yeah, I think you're right about your definition of a cougar, but that doesn't stop people from incorrectly applying the term to me. Really just a 5 1/2 year difference here and we're both in our 20s.

Misanthropical, good for you! You're right that most of the people who make the comments don't have successful relationships themselves, but yet, they are the "experts". I like your little friend!

[ottid]

I turn 34 in a bit over 2 months, and I've already started going gray

I have the fortune of blaming my mother for starting to go grey at the ripe old age of......17

Yup, we both started going grey in our teens, it isn't so bad yet, but I guess it won't be long before people stop thinking I'm younger than I am

I totally get the "feeling" old thing though. Being able to remember when I met Lee Child on a book tour of NZ, that was about 8 years ago, he's about to start his next one of NZ. Being able to say that it was 8 years ago is kind of scary, that is more than a third of my life! (I'm 21 ), so although I am not "old" sometimes, it just feels that way.

[Andara Bledin]

In 66 days I will officially be "old" by my definition for the first time in my life: 40.

I hit the big 4-Oh next year. Meh, it's just another number to me.

Here's a pic from a year ago while at a family reunion. No prep or anything, just a "smile for the camera" shot one of my relatives took. I don't think I look my age at all, but then, I'm used to the way I look.

As for feeling old. Every time I make some reference about something that was pop culture when I was in school and my co-workers just kind of look at me and blink because they have no idea what the hell I'm talking about... that's when I feel old.

^-.-^

[ottid]

Which means I can make a lot of my classmates feel old I swear I am the youngest one there (I ahve yet to actually confirm that though) most are mid to late 20's early 30's, with a few that are older than that.

[Misanthropical]

At the end of the year, I will be 40, but people always tell me that I don't look old enough to be my big guy's mother. I get this look My son gets the look.

When my husband had to have day surgery the nurse asked him if he wanted his daughter with him. He gave her a look. I told the lady I was his wife and he does want me to go back with him.

So, I guess I don't look old enough to have a 17 year old son or old enough to be married to my husband. It works for me!

[Jester]

A dear friend is turning 40, although she looks 28 and acts 21.

My kind of girl!

And we've threatened to get male strippers.

I've been told I do have a great ass.

[protege]

Hey, be thankful I'm 25, going gray and bald.

It could be worse--my brother is 6 years younger than me...and his hairline has been receding since he was about 22-23

[Magpie]

At the end of the year, I will be 40, but people always tell me that I don't look old enough to be my big guy's mother. I get this look My son gets the look.

My mom was talking with a colleague, and mentioned her daughter going off to university. He gets an odd look and, very tactfully, says "you must have had children very young." Translation: most teen mothers never end up with a professional career. FYI, she didn't get married until she was 25, she had me at 27.