Turning 50 kinda sucks.

[wlhequipment]

In my 20s, I thought I knew everything, and could do anything. In my 30's I thought guys in their 20's were idiots (I was right), and I took all the work that crossed my path. In my 40s, I found out I didn't know everything and became a little more selective of the jobs I did. I turned 50 last year, and I've learned I really don't know $hit, I spend alot more of my time in bathrooms, and if I drop that 10mm ONE MORE TIME...

I'm starting to see why every old wrench bender I meet is the grumpiest SOB ever. I'm having a harder time keeping the numbers on the scale where they need to be, and that trend is not going to improve. I really am getting tired of dropping stuff, and my eyes are getting so bad, I pick my sockets by feel. I even carry a small flashlight in my pocket cuz my eyes are going so bad. My back only works from about 9:00 am to 2:00 pm anymore, and those hours are getting shorter and shorter. As is my patience, by the way. My work pace is slower, 2 day jobs can take a week anymore.

I wouldn't trade the life though. I love what I do, and what narrow field I'm in, I'm good at it. People bring stuff to me because I take my time with it, and do it right. There's nothing that leaves my shop undone, and my customers appreciate that. Hmm. Maybe turning 50 ain't so bad after all

 

[cuttin edge]

I used to get annoyed at the old lads at work. Someone said to me last year, there are no old lads left working here. I said because we are the old lads now

 

[Acoals]

I miss those crusty old welders and mechanics that broke me in years ago . . .

 

[sled dog]

I miss those crusty old welders and mechanics that broke me in years ago . . .

When I started so long ago, I asked questions, and I listened, and did what those old guys told me. I wanted to be good on a machine like they were. I got good on yellow iron, and good at welding and good at wrenching. And all those old guys that took the time....well, they're gone now...and we are them...

 

[Vetech63]

Let me tell you..................I felt a lot better at 50 than I do at 60! LOL

 

[BillG]

Man oh man..... wait until you get beyond 70.

 

[Truck Shop]

It's knowing your not needed anymore, your way or ideas are old hat. Your just a
grumpy old bast**d because you don't know the price point and what's trending now. You talk
like a old fart and you even fart like a old fart. Your a PR embarrassment to the office and company.
You tell old corny jokes plus most of the time not politically correct. Your not totally computer
literate. You have been caught drooling at women half your age. Your wife goes to the doctor with
you because she thinks you might hide important medical information. You notice your getting
passed on the highway only to check the speedo to see your doing the limit. You start using old
guy lingo -pancakes are now hotcakes, we're going to get a drop of rain, I had a crust of bread
for lunch. More hair is growing out of your nose and ears than on your head. Your nose and ears
are getting bigger and wrinkles on top of wrinkles.

But old is relative-There's nothing worse than a old stern mechanic--he has no humor. He's pi$$ed
because he sees young mechanics working like he use to. He more than likely thought he never
made a mistake plus can't admit it to himself and never will. He doesn't want to learn new stuff.
He finds where the other old mechanics hang out for early morning coffee to set and swap stories
they've told hundreds of times before. Old is relative it happens to everyone of us. If you didn't
ache in the morning it wouldn't be normal. A mechanics job is a tough one sometimes spending
hours working in a contorted position, straining yourself working long hours. In the end when it
all comes to a halt, if you were a prideful mechanic and did the best you could you have that
to remember. Because as soon as you leave your work place {That damn Ralph did that couldn't
tell him anything} you become the next fall guy.

April 30th will be my last day, the end to 49 years steady mechanic work. Can't please everyone
so to the ones who want to cuss me at work {You Can Kiss My Rosy Red A$$}

Notice folks I never used the term {Tech}----------I'm a mechanic, I don't work on spaceships.

 

[cuttin edge]

I started the gym this year to try and keep the old man away. Got into a groove, started feelin really good, wife thinks my mood has never been better. Try not to look at the young stuff, but those pants they wear.... Anyway got too cocky this week and hurt my foot. Hoping it doesn't put me off for too long, or I might start getting lazy and hateful again.

 

[CM1995]

Turned 50 this year and never felt more motivated at life both personal and business other than my right knee hurts, can't see **** up close or in the dark without a flashlight and I am over due for a colonoscopy.

Getting old beats the alternative Every-Single-Time.

 

[Truck Shop]

50--That's prostate biopsy time ---oh joy oh rupture.

 

[stinky64]

Think I posted this before but, when I started wrenching I was the youngest guy in the shop, full of pi$$ and vinegar and soaked up knowledge from the old timers like a sponge. When I pulled the plug I was the oldest guy in the shop, soak up beer like a sponge and pi$$ vinegar.

 

[Truck Shop]

When I was in high school the slang term for old farts was {Blue Head-on oxygen} now it's been
changed to the politically correct {Old Heads}.

 

[chidog]

It is not fun being one of the youngest in a shop (any shop), nor is it fun when you become the oldest in a shop, especially when you get the jobs that the young kid should have.

 

[Spud_Monkey]

I'm the only mechanic/technician in the shop I am in (yes I said technician cause I do use computers and deal with technical side of problems too) The old one who gave me problems is out to the fields and away from me. Boss is about 26 which is about, no wait oh schit he is half my age never thought I would say that, but only reason he is, is cause daddy gave him the company. Daddy came around barking orders, sure kept them directed at others and kept his distance from me, guess they heard this one bites back.
Those aren't wrinkles, those are story lines and yes each one has a story behind it, no grey hair "YET" and I earned those with my scars. They say one year in infantry in US Army is 3 years of wear and tear on ones body, I'm almost 90 in that regards if you add my current age with years served
Never had any old timers teach me though now I see myself teaching others. The owner/operators do their own maintenance and one today did oil change and said only way he could get filter out is drop it on the ground it's too big and heavy, told him drive a screwdriver through the bottom of it let it drain then drop it so oil isn't going all over the shop.
As for story swapping, eh I keep away from them, not brightest crayons and sub par quality civilians when they crack beers open at 1653 hrs.

 

[John C.]

Had lunch with Excavator today. Nothing better than two gray haired wrenches telling war stories. He's such a gentleman he had his credit card out before I could get my hand close to my wallet. Was a good day!

 

[chidog]

Had lunch with Excavator today. Nothing better than two gray haired wrenches telling war stories. He's such a gentleman he had his credit card out before I could get my hand close to my wallet. Was a good day!

I'd go to lunch with you sometime, and gladly let you pull out your wallet.

 

[chidog]

I'm the only mechanic/technician in the shop I am in (yes I said technician cause I do use computers and deal with technical side of problems too) The old one who gave me problems is out to the fields and away from me. Boss is about 26 which is about, no wait oh schit he is half my age never thought I would say that, but only reason he is, is cause daddy gave him the company. Daddy came around barking orders, sure kept them directed at others and kept his distance from me, guess they heard this one bites back.
Those aren't wrinkles, those are story lines and yes each one has a story behind it, no grey hair "YET" and I earned those with my scars. They say one year in infantry in US Army is 3 years of wear and tear on ones body, I'm almost 90 in that regards if you add my current age with years served
Never had any old timers teach me though now I see myself teaching others. The owner/operators do their own maintenance and one today did oil change and said only way he could get filter out is drop it on the ground it's too big and heavy, told him drive a screwdriver through the bottom of it let it drain then drop it so oil isn't going all over the shop.
As for story swapping, eh I keep away from them, not brightest crayons and sub par quality civilians when they crack beers open at 1653 hrs.

There have been a few times having younger bosses. But only one time having one that was very good, all the rest not so great, and hard to deal with. But then again even some of the older ones were like children, I noticed that alot in the heavy equipment construction business, like big kids with big toys.

 

[Welder Dave]

My thought process on retiring and old age has gone through a bunch of different scenarios. Getting a cancer diagnosis at 57 really throws a wrench in the spokes. My last job less than a year before that was eliminated. It was a pretty good desk job providing technical support for sales people, mostly concerning welding and metal work. Way less physical than welding but almost too much less. While taking some time deciding what I wanted to do got hit with the shocking cancer diagnosis, Multiple Myeloma.
At first thought about just selling my property with the MX and oval tracks thinking I'd be in no condition to do much of anything. All of a sudden money and material things didn't matter too much. I went through quite a bit including a stem cell transplant that really wiped me out and I'm still trying to recover from. I'm a lot better but still ache and get fatigued pretty fast. The cancer has been in full remission for several month's now and has a good prognosis long term. I'm not really interested in selling my property that quick anymore but instead want to try and get the oval track developed so I can have a viable motorsports facility. One of the biggest issues is although I'm more motivated and want to do more I don't think my body and energy level will allow me to do as much as I'd like to. This really sucks but hopefully I can get some more help this year. I need to find a happy medium so I can still be productive without being totally burnt out. I don't want to just sit around doing nothing and still be aching. Actually doing nothing makes me ache more and my joints stiffer. Hopefully I keep improving so I can be more productive and keep running my toys. There's a lot of satisfaction in having an event or even people coming out to practice and saying how good the track was and they can't wait to come back. I had a reputation for doing track prep. at another semi-famous track before I opened mine that I was proud of so want to try and keep that reputation. My dad always said to do the best you can so I'm going to try. F%$#@! the cancer!

 

[Old Doug]

I am 56 i fill like i am in ok shape . If i put in a hard day i can tell it that night. One big thing is sleeping i dont sleep good. The day before i sleep maybe 4 hours got up drove 40 miles cut up scrap for 2 hours drove back home helped mount tires on my sisters Jeep then drove the 40 miles agin 15 on a bad gravel road the rest is very bad black top highway to show stuff to a buyer then drove back home. That road is so bad i would say it compares to driveing 100 miles or more on good roads . When i got home i spent a hour getting the other truck packed and ready to go back friday. I was tired . I do alot of thinking like how should i do this what truck do i use how much can i get done. I belive that is as tiring as working hard.

 

[mekanik]

I'm in pretty good shape for 63 and 45 years of wrenching. I'm still working part time and the body is holding up so far. When I turn 65 in a a year and a half and my pensions kick in I will have a decision to make. I do a lot of electrical and electronic troubleshooting and repairs and I really enjoy the challenge. I get the odd job that makes me question why I am still working though.
A friend of mine in his mid seventies told me "It's amazing how once you are in your seventies you can injure yourself sleeping"