Wow, you talked to the only person younger than you .
Just so that I won't get a needless personal attack by someone, who doesn't know why I said that - ShadySue said a few posts back she was the second youngest at 56

Wrong again.
I said I was the second youngest in my camera club. (And I can talk easily to the lady member who's almost ninety, and the men in their mid-eighties, which are bigger age gaps than between you and me, and the younger guy (late thirties, maybe?). but that's the common interest thing. There are people the same age as me with whom I have nothing in common and I can't even make small talk with them.
The ages were very mixed at the pj course, I was probably the oldest or second oldest;

Wrong again.
I said I was the second youngest in my camera club. (And I can talk easily to the lady member who's almost ninety, and the men in their mid-eighties, which are bigger age gaps than between you and me, and the younger guy (late thirties, maybe?). but that's the common interest thing. There are people the same age as me with whom I have nothing in common and I can't even make small talk with them.
The ages were very mixed at the pj course, I was probably the oldest or second oldest;

When was I wrong prior to that comment?

You see, now we're getting there . That being said it looks like a loosing battle for me, since no one seems to be younger than 45 in this thread. And you being selective about your experiences, sharing only the one suiting the "most of us are seniors" theory

Quote from: ShadySue on January 01, 2012, 19:05

Quote from: wut on January 01, 2012, 18:52

Quote from: ShadySue on January 01, 2012, 18:34

Quote from: wut on January 01, 2012, 18:23

not to mention social newtworks etc.

Ah, there you have me.
I know I haven't to say, "What's the POINT of Twitter?"
Facebook I can see some vague point of, but I'd rather use old fashioned websites and email.
Even blogs, I'm not wild on, as I don't like their back-to-front nature. However I'm definitely a 'bricks up' learner: so that's not an age thing, it's a learning-style-preference thing.

R u sure?

I mean you really can't be, since you can't possibly know how you'd look at things if you were half or a third your age. If such things existed 30+ years ago, you could state it as a fact (because of your past experience,

Yeah, I guess if I was younger, I'd be under some sort of peer pressure to use it, as probably my pals would use it.

I'd say you'd see advantages, not being pressed to use it.

There would only be advantages inasmuch as it seems that many young people use it, so if I wanted to keep up with people, I'd likely have to use it.
Yeah, and my mobile is usually switched off as I seldom use it, then I forget about it and when I need it the battery is flat. I yitter here, not on my mobile 

I usually don't connect with older ppl, I don't have that ability.

You know, it's funny.  I used to feel exactly this way.  When I was younger, particularly in my 20s, and into my 30s, I felt uncomfortable around elderly people.  Not that I had anything against them, just that I didn't "get" them.  

I guess when I hit my 40s I made a realization about myself - even though I look older and I have some back and knee issues which age me, I am still the same person I was when I was young.  On the inside I feel really young - sometimes like a teenager or a 20 something.  

Realizing that I am just a young person in an older body made me understand this is the way most people feel, regardless of their age.  Now I have a number of good friends who are senior citizens.  If you talk to them like they are young, they almost magically transform before your eyes and you can see the younger version of them very clearly.  

For example, I have a good friend who is 74.  He has some back problems, so he moves slowly, and looks like an old man.  But this guy is the coolest!  He and his partner used to hang out in the clubs in Greenwich Village in the 60s!   He and I have the exact same sense of humor (sarcastic and off-color) even though he is 30 years older than I am.  I tell him all the time that of the two of us, he's younger.  

For most people, age is less a state of mind than a state of body.  Inside we all think we're young.    

Oh, on the twitter and facebook thing, my 20 year old is on facebook but rarely wastes time using it.  She has no desire whatsoever to use twitter.  I can't stand facebook, but I'm coming around on Twitter.  It has some useful purposes, like leaving comments for companies you do business with, etc.  Or publicly posting pics of your junk, if you are a congressman in his late 40s  

Quote from: wut on January 01, 2012, 17:32

I usually don't connect with older ppl, I don't have that ability.

You know, it's funny.  I used to feel exactly this way.  When I was younger, particularly in my 20s, and into my 30s, I felt uncomfortable around elderly people.  Not that I had anything against them, just that I didn't "get" them.  

I guess when I hit my 40s I made a realization about myself - even though I look older and I have some back and knee issues which age me, I am still the same person I was when I was young.  On the inside I feel really young - sometimes like a teenager or a 20 something.  

Realizing that I am just a young person in an older body made me realize this is the way most people feel, regardless of their age.  Now I have a number of good friends who are senior citizens.  If you talk to them like they are young, they almost magically transform before your eyes and you can see the younger version of them very clearly.  

For example, I have a good friend who is 74.  He has some back problems, so he moves slowly, and looks like an old man.  But this guy is the coolest!  He and his partner used to hang out in the clubs in Greenwich Village in the 60s!   He and I have the exact same sense of humor (sarcastic and off-color) even though he is 30 years older than I am.  I tell him all the time that of the two of us, he's younger.  

For most people, age is less a state of mind than a state of body.  Inside we all think we're young.    

Oh, on the twitter and facebook thing, my 20 year old is on facebook but rarely wastes time using it.  She has no desire whatsoever to use twitter.  I can't stand facebook, but I'm coming around on Twitter.  It has some useful purposes, like leaving comments for companies you do business with, etc.  Or publicly posting pics of your junk, if you are a congressman in his late 40s  

I'm going to try that trick of yours next time I'll have a session with a 50+ year old . I'm not sure, most are that way (old body, young mind), for instance I can joke with my mum more or less the same way as with ppl my age, of course because of the nature of our relationship I leave some things out. But there's lots of dark humour, sarcasm, even poky humour. Which she gets and laughs so hard she's crying at the same time. It's the same thing with her husband. However, it's not with my dad, he just doesn't get lots of this jokes, so I don't use humour with him that often (just some sarcastic remark from time to time, you know you have to tease your parents from time to time, that's what children are for, to raise your blood pressure - or just make you laugh).

It's funny you mentioned that congressman. That is one huge cultural gap (a lot bigger than the age gap we're talking about). Berlusconi is the man, or better said, was for a very long time, because of all those sex scandals. He was considered a macho, masculine. Showing your junk and even worse, not really showing it, since he was wearing boxers, wouldn't even raise an eyebrow in many parts of the world. It's the same thing over and over in the US, everytime some presidential candidate gets ahead, he gets burned with some sexual allegations (like Cain). It's just so easy to ruin someone politically over there - you just pay a witness to falsely testify, or just getting it to the press does the trick. All that being said, Berlusconi is a clown . He should host a talk show, or work somewhere in the entertainment industry (not as a CEO that he is for decades) not lead a country IMO. OK, now we're way off topic, I just thought the comparison was interesting

ETA: just to draw you the clown picture, since some won't understand why I'd say that. One of many stunts he pulled

Silvio Berlusconi humping on police woman (REAL FOOTAGE)

@ Wut

Ah!  Thanks for explaining re the MR.  I am close to someone who lost mental capacity and it's made me feel very protective towards people with such vulnerabilities, so I had to ask.

IIRC (and correct me if I'm wrong), when you initially expressed your 'shock' regarding IT abilities in over-50's, you were referring to attendees at an iStockalypse.  Given that you referred to a group of microstockers, and that you raised this amongst fellow microstockers, it seems appropriate to me that we would refer to ourselves and the people in our own circles and histories in order to help you feel less shocked.

No doubt, in the world at large, you would get a different picture than from people who already make money using digital cameras, post-production software, back-up systems, FTP software etc.  I think though that the very fact that we see in this thread active participation from people in their 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s, that it's not necessarily an 'age thing'.   We are also people who have been privileged to be able to afford the technology required, to be aware of it's existence, to have sufficient good health to pursue the activity and perhaps also to have been around the sorts of people who have supported and encouraged us to take the initial leap of faith.   Not everyone is so fortunate, and for many people their choices diminish as they get older for all sorts of reasons.

Lisa and Sue are right about older people often being young people inside, btw.  Ultimately, we're all just people - each as simple and complex as the next.  

It's a reflection of your great expertise with English that I had no idea it was not your first language.  I will take that into consideration in future posts, as you may be coming across at times as a little more harsh than you really intend to.

@ Wut

Ah!  Thanks for explaining re the MR.  I am close to someone who lost mental capacity and it's made me feel very protective towards people with such vulnerabilities, so I had to ask.

IIRC (and correct me if I'm wrong), when you initially expressed your 'shock' regarding IT abilities in over-50's, you were referring to attendees at an iStockalypse.  Given that you referred to a group of microstockers, and that you raised this amongst fellow microstockers, it seems appropriate to me that we would refer to ourselves and the people in our own circles and histories in order to help you feel less shocked.

No doubt, in the world at large, you would get a different picture than from people who already make money using digital cameras, post-production software, back-up systems, FTP software etc.  I think though that the very fact that we see in this thread active participation from people in their 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s, that it's not necessarily an 'age thing'.   We are also people who have been privileged to be able to afford the technology required, to be aware of it's existence, to have sufficient good health to pursue the activity and perhaps also to have been around the sorts of people who have supported and encouraged us to take the initial leap of faith.   Not everyone is so fortunate, and for many people their choices diminish as they get older for all sorts of reasons.

Lisa and Sue are right about older people often being young people inside, btw.  Ultimately, we're all just people - each as simple and complex as the next.  

It's a reflection of your great expertise with English that I had no idea it was not your first language.  I will take that into consideration in future posts, as you may be coming across at times as a little more harsh than you really intend to.

I can definitely understand you asking, even though you hadn't had such a relationship. I actually despise ppl who'd take advantage of such ppl (as well as children etc).

Indeed it is appropriate of you, but it was stretched to the whole generation right after that lypse post of mine (ppl saying I know a 120 year old programmer etc, just kidding but I think it was 70 or so;)

But still, it's impressive. As you say, ppl are different, I know many of that age who don't want to have anything to do with all that new tech. My father is such a person, but he's retired for over 10 years, yo he really never had to use a computer, but still he has no wish to start using it now. He always calls me to set up his TV etc, everything that is electronic. My uncle is even worse, can't use the ATM, even though he hates standing in line at the bank. That being said, they're both very intelligent, so they are not mentally limited to learn those things etc (not saying because it's my family, but because it simply is true)

Tnx for your compliment on my English. I really appreciate it. If you'd hear me actually talking, that would be another story. My accent/pronunciation is horrible, you'd immediately hear it's something wrong with my R pronunciation (saying something you're the most beautiful girl in the world is hard). I'd probably do best if I'd pronounce those words like Scots, they are saying it with those hard Rs. The pronunciation is probably as hard for me as it is for most of you to speak Spanish (I can't speak Spanish, but it's always so horrible to listen to English native speakers speak Spanish - unless they're fluent of course). Indeed, I probably am coming across a bit more harsh than I intend to. In fact I'm trying to tone down over here (and on most big forums where Ppl don't know me), since it's really easy to be misunderstood - and I don't want to fight because something doesn't read as I intend to. In real life, on FB, I'm honest, direct, sometimes blunt and I'd probably get flagged as offensive by some Pol (dark humour, sarcasm and making fun of ppl or some types of ppl - let's say in some cases Al Bundy style:). When ppl get to know me, then I really speak my mind using the words I'd really want to use

Hmm... Maybe my new micro strategy should be to outlast the competition. Kidding. 

Quote from: wut on January 01, 2012, 18:23

BTW, I think some of you're exaggerating. You're naming exceptions as what an average 60 or 70 year old can do and does do. It's like saying 70 year olds run the marathon. Sure they do, but it's 1 out of 100k, not 1 of 100 like someone aged 30. It's not really like that with computer skills etc, but still the ratio between 30 and 70 year old ppl for which using the computer really is second nature is more 10:1 if not 30+:1. This msg board might be an exception, but usually the average age is somewhere between 20-40 on various web sites (forums, web galleries), not to mention social newtworks etc. And why do you think they say traditional newspapers will die with the old generation?

Funny you would mention that.  My dad is one of those 1 out of 100,000.     He turns 80 next month and continues to win national championships in his age group at different distances, including the half marathon.  Proud of my daddy!

 

Wow. Its really great. I like such people and love to interact with young hearted people. I wish to be like him and other jolly people at that age.

I thought it was just a survey.  I didn't realise it was a competition! 

Karimala, sorry I neglected to comment on your father's pics.  He looks amazing and I'm very happy for you.  It sounds as though you have a great relationship too.  Wonderful. 

My dad is definitely an inspiration and he loves every minute of it.  LOL  In my photos, he's actually running uphill on a 7% grade.  That's Daggett Pass outside of Lake Tahoe, Nevada, heading towards Carson City, for those who know the area.  Thought I was going to die just trying to keep up with him for those eight miles, and that was with my sister driving us ahead so I could get the shots!    He shares the record with two other runners winning the XTERRA Trail Run National Championship four consecutive times.  Not bad for an old fart.  

Many congratulations to your Dad. Incredible achievement.

I was thinking also of a group of senior runners (all over 60) I've seen in the Glasgow marathon called Sikhs in the City. I thought they were local to the Glasgow area, but it seems they are a multi-age, multi-faith group, founded in England, in honour of a 93-y-o marathon runner, Fauja Singh.
http://sikhsinthecity.org/5.html

Realizing that I am just a young person in an older body made me understand this is the way most people feel, regardless of their age.  Now I have a number of good friends who are senior citizens.  If you talk to them like they are young, they almost magically transform before your eyes and you can see the younger version of them very clearly.  

For example, I have a good friend who is 74.  He has some back problems, so he moves slowly, and looks like an old man.  But this guy is the coolest!  He and his partner used to hang out in the clubs in Greenwich Village in the 60s!   He and I have the exact same sense of humor (sarcastic and off-color) even though he is 30 years older than I am.  I tell him all the time that of the two of us, he's younger.  

For most people, age is less a state of mind than a state of body.  Inside we all think we're young.      

Something that both the elderly and the very young (teenagers or a little younger) have in common, they don't want to be dismissed. Often these 2 groups want to have a say and be heard, but the other age groups may say to them that they are too old too understand or too young to know. I really like talking to young people and I like listening to what they say, I often feel that I'm not really different and can have a laugh and a joke with them. I also like meeting elderly people who have retained their youth. We're all going to age physically, for sure we will gain knowledge with every year that goes by, but that knowledge should consistently come from all age groups. The elderly people I really admire are those who retain their youthful spark and endeavour to keep learning, rather than thinking I'm automatically right or know more due to the number of years I have.