I'm 44, and I have been there when they buried a lot of the guys i knew in my teens & twenties. Spent Sunday morning with another mate who's got cancer of the liver, lungs, spine, brain and pretty much everywhere else. Makes me appreciate everything i've got (although a job would also help at the moment), but family and health are SOOOoooo important. Doin the car thing is also cool, and the one plus of being out of work is having a bit more time, if not the cash to do it.
Mid 57 here and feeling like I'm 20 years younger.. Summer approaching and that always cheers me up. More rods/kustoms on the roads. Have 2 offspring who have left the nest many years ago. Wife is super supportive of my whims and ways. Workwise is great as well. Self employed builder who works just as much as he needs to. Just need to get my Lincoln on the road now and "cruise" .... Couldn't be happier really.
If the idea is there,than go for it! It's your baby and you have to drive it so that's what Old School Hot Rodding is all about...isn't it??If you can dream it...do it!!! Old enough to know better.young enough to not give a rats ass!!!
I'm not really 46, I've just been trying to get to 24 for the past 23 years! I feel like something happened around 1987 that stopped me in my tracks, and I've been trying to catch up ever since. But I think it's happening. The practice is just about clearing the tree-tops, I've got the beginnings of my house, and God willing I'll be getting married (for the first time - at 47!) next year. Then I'll just have to figure out how to stop running around like a mad thing, after spending all that time learning how to start running around like a mad thing, so I can get to work on my car projects. In the meantime I'm designing: dreaming, drawing, doing the math. I've heard it said that prolific authors write because they can't not write, or artists paint because they can't not paint. Designing is what I can't not do.
If you can pursue the crazy dreams and do it safely, not sure what your point even is. Obviously do it. Why wouldn't you? I am 44, married, great wife and 2 little kids. Before kids, different story. After kids, they come 1st no matter what; houses, cars, vacations, everything. Definitely play it a lot safer now and won't have it any other way. But here is some thoughts I try to follow: keep the flames lit, make smart decisions and take smart risks to get to where you want to be. Push a few boundaries when you can. Not taking any risks is the worst kind of risk of all - basically sure bet to failure. But do not throw away a good thing just for the sake of change without a good chance of improving on it. Keep eyes, ears and mind open and take advantage of good opportunities. Try to make opportunities if none are coming your way on their own. Doesn't matter if you are 44, 74 or 14 have kids or not. If you want to make a notable change in life, do your research, think about it and do it if it pencils out to maybe be worth it. Always try to have a decent plan B and even a plan C if possible. Make and keep good friends. Good friends and family can solve almost any problems. Moving somewhere where you have no friends or family will make for a very steep hill to climb unless you are very good at making new ones. At 51, you could realistically live another 40-50 years or more. If you are even asking yourself this question out loud, probably means you need to do something a little different. I say do it, whatever your gut is telling you. But, also at the same time, be careful not to throw out all the good that may not be easy to see so close up. If it is the 25 yr. old hottie down the street beckoning, leave it. You don't need that kind of change. Most of us like boobies, but don't need to squeeze every pair.
An older buddy of mine(89) said, it not the toys, its the stories you have to tell. When you can no longer work on the cars, you better have stories!!
I am 51 and have a 50' Chevy to complete and a head full of ideas. I just need to get off my ass and do it already because life is not going to wait for me.
Where am I? Physically? I am not even to the first cut on my '47 F1 project. All I have done is tape my cut marks. Mentally, it's already finished, and I am tear-assing down the road!
Really. If you are able to post on the internet, quit your bitchen, you have nothing to complain about. I read yesterday about a guy who they thought was in a coma for 23 years. He wasn't. He was fully awake just 100% incapacitated. So for 23 years he just laid there unable to tell anyone that he was indeed "still alive". Some doc figured it out and after a few years of therapy he is now able to just type out his thoughts. So if you are 36, 46, 56, 66 or whatver, quit worrying about. Before long you will indeed be dead and then in a few days after that nobody will care. Nothing you can do about it. Too bad we can't post pics of boobies as then maybe some would quit thinking so much.
Ideas do make me ponder...just gotta always remember to hit the fast forward button, smile real big and do something... Lifes is short yes! oh "mid life crisis" sounds dated and not traditional.
i just turned 50 the 10th and i have lots to do , some might get done and some probally wont , i also have a 17 month old project to get grown!!
No crisis, but all stages of life require some pondering. Now that I have just made 60, I find myself doing so more often. I have been gathering and saving parts for many years. Recently I acquired my retirement papers from the pension fund I belong to. Acquired but not filed. I was planning to retire and then have time to pursue my hot rod building efforts. How ever I was offered and took a job that pays me more than I ever though I could earn. The down side is it will keep me traveling extensivly and leave little time for any thing but work. I still have excellent health and enjoy working. So I may sell all my stuff and buy myself a really nice driver and enjoy it when I can. As one can see ther are indeed things to ponder conserning lifes decisions. If I were even 10 years younger I would not even think of selling, but I am not. So we shall see...
At 48 i feel the same way like I'm in the middle of a transition and not so much mid-life either just a change over of sorts. I've looked at the past and have some regrets (Anybody who says they don't have regrets is lying) but i don't think i would of changed anything even if i could. I've looked to the future with hopes and dreams of things i want to do and hope for the best. At this point in my life i do what i please, Come and go when i want and am thankful i have my health to do so.
its all up hill from here..but dam the torpedoes full speed ahead! Have done the house renovation thing to a point, finishing off my shop slowly while building #? car ( i cant keep track)..still rasing a child, and got married 4 years ago..im now 46. Had a crazy early life..I decided to settle down a bit, mostly for my wife and kid. But the wild side is still very prevalent.Many years of having my ass in the seat of a Harley over just about every state in the U.S. I was held back due to some stupid choices in relationships, so im playing catch up.. im ready to light the fires and spin the tires, but have to stay grounded some for my girls. Recently took on a very active V.P. role in my families company, in these crazy economic times, and have taken some risks to push it on thru this , and its been a learning experiance. sometimes the "burn out factor" plays a role, but i just take a 2 second time out, and than get refreshed and head back into it. keeping my family prioraties first, job and fun balanced as much as i possibly can without completely losing my mind. really wish i had more time for my love of cars and building..but when, or if i make it to retirement, thats when all bets are off, i just hope my body can keep up at that point pretty deep thread dude
I just turned 51. The older ya get, the faster it goes. Weeks go by like days, days like hours, hours like... There is never enough time. I don't know how you guys with wives, kids, and houses, ever get any car stuff done. Makes me feel like a real lazy bastard. I'm single, rent, and seem likes it takes forever for me to make progress on my project. I am trying to spend more time just doing it, rather thinking about it.
Taking more risks? maybe, but calculated ones. Just turned 45 and still playing with dragsters. Looking to start a new door car build, but not from scratch. Have had too many unfinished projects over the years and this time will start in the middle instead of the beginning. The big change is being out of work and having time to do more with less money. Many things I am doing on my own becasue I can't afford to pay for it and no one ever told me I could not do it so I figure I can. A couple years ago I farmed more work out. That and the fact that we are surviving on less money and still getting by. This tells me I used to piss away alot of money that should have been invested in something. Is this a midlife crisis? I like to think of it as growing up.
I think its just natural,and hell its part of life. When something inside you is driving you to create,,its very hard,,if don't damaging to fight that "urge" ? Yes the dynamics have changed fr many in teh terms of responsibility,but if one can maintain patience then you can still do. The fact that you think about it and question it,,shows that you are safe already ,because you are aware. Many never get that lucky
Is this a midlife crisis? I like to think of it as growing up.[/QUOTE] I agree with you, I'm not having a Crisis at all, I'm just rethinking about many things I want to change with my build and what I'll do different on the next build.
I've lived this philosophy my whole life. At first my parents and friends couldn't understand all the world traveling and the NEED to do alot of the things I've done, especially in regards to my cars. I've got memories and stories of someone twice my age. I didn't want to wait till I was "old" to do some of the things that alot of people wait till they are retired to do....if they are lucky and still around and healthy. I wanted to do those things early in life therefore having the memories now and stories to share. When I'm 90 and sitting in a rocker I know I'll have no regrets that I should have done this or I should have done that cuz I'm doing what I want to do now and not putting it off.
im 16..and im still learning alot,sometimes i get looks from my old man like why in the hell are you doing it that way for? but by the end of the day it gets done, and i learned something else to use for another day..
wow.. what a thread.. I'm 39, haven't worked a real job for some years now (by choice) and just doing what I want to do. Almost ready to go back to work, but then this opportunity to start something from scratch came up, working on that now with a good friend. Have a great wife of almost 20 years a brand new family of 4 kids, working on some very cool hot rods for my son, for the street and for the track and have some great friends to share it all with. Some safe, some not so safe, but exciting to plan, build and drive. For most of these the journey is much more important then the destination! Don't think I would change anything at this exact moment in time.. but tomorrow is another day. Now I'm out of here, taking my 2 youngest ones camping today.
Im 26 i have 2 kids a beautiful wife and a merc in the garage.My job has laid off about over 100 guys and im in the process of buying a house lifes a risk either take a chance or sit on the side lines.
I'm rapidly approaching 48.Married nearly 30 years,have two grown up sons and three wild grandkids.Served my country for 12 years in the military and my community for 10 as a cop.Now a self employed steel fabricator. Currently building the hot rod I've wanted for years and soon to get my first new tatoo since I was 15. Mid life crisis?My ass,I'm having fun! Mark
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