Righto, this is nothing new to some of you as it is a generally considered reality that I need help but here's the problem.

It seems I've entered whatever that phase of life is, generally referred to as a mid life crisis. I keep ccatching myself saying things that start with the following:

1) When I was a kid/your age/younger etc...
2) I remember when....
3) It never used to be like this when we used to....

You get the picture.

I also found myself climbing a cypriot Mountain in Novemebr and heard the uncles below asking where the boy was. It suddenly dawned on me that the boy used to bound up these hills (what seemed like yesterday), and the boy was fast approaching 40 and it had already been some 20+ years since I first hunted that location. So all the above starts to sentences were used with a good dose of nostalgia.

Now those of you that know me will know that I like to try an do things "properly" (ish) so I've decided that if I'm to have a mid life crisis then it needs to be done with a touch of va va voom.

So I'm looking for suggestions from those old gits wiser souls, that have been where I am and those with more imagination than I .

Obviously a large portion of this has to be hunting related. But more than buy more guns, (tried that and it doesn't work). I also don't like motorbikes and chasing 20 something bimbo's isn't my thing either.

So how do we do this thing?

K

quote:

Originally posted by Fallow Buck:
It seems I've entered whatever that phase of life is, generally referred to as a mid life crisis. I keep ccatching myself saying things that start with the following:

1) When I was a kid/your age/younger etc...
2) I remember when....
3) It never used to be like this when we used to....

Kiri,

It does not seem to me there is much of a "crisis" in what you are describing. Hey, we all get older and remember how things used to be... Wait until you get 50 or 60... It seems to me you are waiting to be hit be "the crisis", and are wondering whether any of the regular signs of getting older might mean the crisis has finally arrived...

I don't think everyone has to be hit by a "crisis" about acquiring "old fart status". If it does happen, it does not happen at the same time for everybody. For the people who do get hit by crisis, it seems often to have to do with lack of apparent purpose in life. To be honest to you, I have a feeling you might be too busy for that problem. And, perhaps most important, with 2 (or is it still just 1?) small kids, you darn well should be too busy trying to be a good dad, that there will be little time or reason for any crisis for the next 20 years or so. Don't forget, you have to put the little devils through education and all

So just get on with enjoying life, old fart status or not... Look at the bright side, getting older is better than the alternative...

- mike

Hey Mike,

I'm, a bit tongue in cheek with it all but I'm definitely craving some excitement. I have a couple of ideas of my own on that front but thought some AR input might not harm

It's two kids now and they are awesome. But then every proud father thinks that don't they!!

K

quote:

Originally posted by Fallow Buck:
It's two kids now and they are awesome. But then every proud father thinks that don't they!!

Nothing finer in life. Enjoy!!

- mike

Yes interesting. I am 52 and started mine at about the age you are at. Am still in it and in those years I bought a motorcycle, an Aston and several tractors. For what its worth I loved it all. Somethings you just have to do.
I can see from your posts that you have more exciting things in mind but 'the crisis' certainly hit me, and still is doing.

Kiri, I have been in this phase for a couple of years already.

Long term, the Porsches and Purdeys options will be cheaper than the bimbo's...

No answers I am afraid.

It only gets worse, I can't go shooting this weekend as I have kids school stuff to do, and for at least the next three Saturday's.

I might get a stalk on Friday or Saturday evening - if I am lucky.

The itch that I really want to scratch is to build a new house. Did this already, can't really do it again.

That might be it, you need a big project. Sell the London house, buy a few acres, build a nice big house, keep chickens and pigs and stuff.

I am trying to do a deal to buy a couple of acres beside my house. I don't really "need" them, but I want them.

I actually think it is a sort of boredom. You get near 40, hopefully you have the house, wife, family, and career things under some sort of control. You stop and look around for the next milestone, there isn't one. Middle age and retirement.... Any wonder a bloke has a crisis.

I am back into my sell up and relocate frame of mind.

A Vinyard appeals.

quote:

Originally posted by Fallow Buck:
..and chasing 20 something bimbo's isn't my thing either.

What??
You're not that old, mate..
Sorry, can't help you with advice. To young..

Guys, you make me all depressed the way you talk, like getting older is sort of a disaster.
Just turned 66, what the heck can I say.

It sort of moves in on you so easy that you hardly notice.
Up until that day when you realise that you are not as good as you once was, but just as good once as you ever was

Turning forthy was the worst,sort of.
Fifty not that bad, and sixty, what the f...

I have had the oportunity to fullfill a lot of my dreams.
Sailing, shooting, hunting, diving, mountain climbing, traveling a lot, been in all parts of the world exept Australia / New Zeeland.

Married, divorced, met a few girls after that.
Three kids that´s doing fine, seven grandchildren, lots to be thankfull about.
Had this urge to learn to play saxophone (not a clue why?) but I guess I let it go.

Do as Claret Dabbler say, sell and move to the countryside and build a big house with a spread of land around.(and a big trophy room of course with Chesterfield furniture, dark panneled walls, a huge fireplace, a faint smell of Cuban cigars an a whiff of Ardbeg, Laproaigh and Lagavulin)
And we can drop inn and share those flax golden tales.

Relax mate, it is not that bad at all

quote:

It does not seem to me there is much of a "crisis" in what you are describing. Hey, we all get older and remember how things used to be ..... Wait until you get 50 or 60 ..... It seems to me you are waiting to be hit be "the crisis", and are wondering whether any of the regular signs of getting older might mean the crisis has finally arrived .....

Mike,
A great summary; it doesn't grab you all at once it sorta sneaks up on ya.

Options? ..... there are none ....

quote:

getting older is better than the alternative .....

Anyway, Kiri:

quote:

or 60 .....

The Old Git's Credo .....

Whatever you decide do it gracefully, with Pannache ..... as you mentioned, "Va Va Voom!"

Age is a Helluva price to pay for "Maturity"; which is the correct word.

Never pause on a page in a magazine w/an ad for Viagra ..... keep on thumbing ..... although they're cleverly placed adjacent to the other ads for Cuban Cigars, Wine & foreign Estate Sales.

YES, allow "less mature" fellow hunters to assist you into/outa 4x4's pick-up trucks, over fences, and carry the heavy bits ...... but not your rifle/shotgun .....

NEVER keep hunting clothing that has "shrunk" or somehow magically become a snug fit. I promise you; you'll never wear it comfortably again. Simply purchase new, preferably one size larger, you'll need the extra space quicker than you can imagine. Always check the clothing with elastic waistbands first; saves alot of time. Looking like a saussage in an old suit is acceptable, though.

As you've mentioned; stay away from anything motorized, unlike my Brother-in-Law; who went to a Benefit Charity Auction and walked away a coulpa hours later (Check Book much lighter) with a Fire-Engine Red 1977 Chevrolet Corvette; then spend another $20K building a garage for it.

Always shoot the "plump" pieces if given an option; then as the Trophy Photos ensue causually inspect the choice bits wondering if they'll taste better with a Cream Mushroom Sauce and which Vintage to select?

Avoid Widows, Spinsters & Divorcees at Cocktail Parties, Pubs & Dinners. They're not just chatting you up to be nice; they're evaluating the size of your pocket book and always steer the converation to travel in the hopes you own property abroad.

Make the move from a scrunched up wad of Toilet Roll in your hunting rusksack to Baby Wipes ..... they're not just for wiping the blood off your blade anymore .....

Make an appointment w/your Proctologist regularly ....

Gerry,

quote:

Avoid Widows, Spinsters & Divorcees at Cocktail Parties, Pubs & Dinners. They're not just chatting you up to be nice; they're evaluating the size of your pocket book and always steer the converation to travel in the hopes you own property abroad.

And this is advice from one who robbed the cradle?

Otherwise a very accurate "Old Git's Credo".

WH,

Don

Kiri, if you want excitement, danger and a really queasy feeling cos you're out of your comfort zone then theres really nothing for it but to take up ........ ballroom dancing!

Theres nothing that upsets a man quite so much as some old git with two arthritic knees and false teeth gliding across the floor.

The same floor you have just cleared with your impression of a recently gut shot elephant


You need to live on the edge!

quote:

Originally posted by Nevadan:
Gerry,

quote:

Avoid Widows, Spinsters & Divorcees at Cocktail Parties, Pubs & Dinners. They're not just chatting you up to be nice; they're evaluating the size of your pocket book and always steer the converation to travel in the hopes you own property abroad.

And this is advice from one who robbed the cradle?

Otherwise a very accurate "Old Git's Credo".

WH,

Don

Don, I've seen his leather trousers and it weren't his pocket book getting sized up!!

K

On a serious note, whatever you do, do as much of it with your kids as you can. I have just seen my boy go off to university and its left a big hole. I look back now and regret not having done more with them.

Kiri,
Looking back from 20 years further round the curve, I'd say you had a pretty good mix of excitement and action.
You're probably looking back at Amir and thinking the same.
You can work the tides, winds, weather and daylight but you can't beat them.
If you're living most of your life in the here and now, for the here and now, you are doing it right.
Too many dads miss out on the kids growth by working long hours away and too many put off enjoying today in the hope of doing it all the harder when they retire.
The trouble is that, by the time they do, the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.
Carpe Deum....

Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body. But rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, with a beer in one hand, shouting "Whoo, what a ride!!" -

quote:

Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body. But rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, with a beer in one hand, shouting "Whoo, what a ride!!"

+100!

Ahmen, Dave.

There is a story, I heard many years ago.
A man in his late years told his friend.
When I was younger I worked hard, started a family and soon my own company, I newer wasted any time taking holydays or other time consuming breaks that would compromise my build up for the future. Last year I got a good offer for my firm and sold it for a nice profit, the only problem is,
I realized I don’t know my family, and the only thing I life for is;
Will I be able to have a bowel movement to morrow morning.

kiri

you know i am in the same position as you and i am doing this.

DG hunting with big ass double rifles, just the planing is doing me good.

fairgame has gotten this idea that we should be stalking hippo in the reeds etc. well you get the drift.

so this and jousting(you have to be into horses for that) is good for any midlife crises.

best

peter

P.S bring the kids, my 4 year old son, looks at hunting flicks with me now and is pointing out where daddy should hit them for the perfect shot

K

You know the answer

Get your trap gun out of the cupboard and come train with us

Make the Cypriot team and see you in Brazil 2016

Can you imagine if you qualify at age 44

Better than 100,000 Apple shares

your kids will be so proud of you and best of all

no bimbo's

no Harley

no Lambo

no HPPV

plenty of pampers moment

You get to shoot 05 days a week and if you are really good it's all FREE ......

Shooting / hunting contacts in every country you can think of .........

Lots of good advice above. Mine is:
Take flying lessons!
I plan on taking my own advice, Peter.

quote:

stalking hippo in the reeds

Peter

I think we share this passion
Care to PM me about your plans on this fantasy ...?

pm on its way

best

peter

Kiri,
Hunting boar, in the forest, in the moonlight in Lithuania was the biggest rush.

See Saulius on Saturday!

Gerry,
I once heard Billy Connely say:

"When you reach sixty, remember three rules:
Never miss a chance to take a pee,
Never trust a fart
Never waste an erection..!"

quote:

Originally posted by Trapper Dave:

I once heard Billy Connely say:

"When you reach sixty, remember three rules:
Never miss a chance to take a pee,
Never trust a fart
Never waste an erection..!"

Dave, thank´s for a really good laugh

Kiri, I think for an adrenalin buzz, short of Cape Buffalo, I think driven pigs is where it is at....

Don't know why you don't fancy it?

I love the adrenalin rush of hunting critters that can kill you but you only get to do it every now and again. So, whats a 49 year old git do for thrills...

Take up ice hockey. Seriously, there is nothing better than taking a 20 something youngster into the corner, schooling him on how to properly "body check", and then take the puck off him. They may be faster than me off the blocks and can recover faster but experience and treachery whip the crap out of youth and energy every day of the week.

You get to do it every week, its cheaper than guns (wont even go into bimbo costs!) Pain heals, chicks dig scars and glory lasts forever. I promise you, after an hour on the ice, NOTHING matters anymore.

Brian,

I'm not quite sure why it doesn;t switch me on really. At present I don't see the value in the cost of some of the packages to stand a 50-50 chance of shooting a pig. I might have it wrong but I'm sure when it goes right then it's a lot of fun.

I might have to give it a go if for no other reason than I have a suitable gun. Lithuania has been tempting and Salius is going back there in the spring so perhaps we have a contact now that we can hunt with.

SFHR, I used to play Hockey when I was a kid and it is indeed a great sport. I've tried to get back on skates since and that gut shot elephant that someone mentioned before springs to mind... The Graff's I had though were my pride and joy as a teenager even though I never did master the barrel roll

Rgds,
K

So that mist behind your highseat the other day was actually you farting dust?

[IMG]http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4Cb_t7BLaIA/TNR2BXNBrAI/AAAAAAAABgY/pOc_klArkBE/s400/(8).jpg[/IMG]

In all seriousness, it's not a mid-life crisis and all the better, you know about my Dad's one....

Could be that you subconsciously believe you've run out of things to aim at in life, big serious things I mean like marriage, home, kids, etc?

I mean that I understand, intellectually at least, that eventually I'll have to get married and have kids and things and to mangle Johnson, the knowledge that I am to be hanged in a metaphorical fortnight to some extent determines my lifestyle choices. I do the safari thing, the shooting four or five days a week thing and the partying thing because I know that all that is probably best cut back when the serious responsibilities arrive.

When they do arrive however I can imagine that I would be asking in the manner of but not quite like a suicidal man with a pistol to head, well what next?

Perhaps you feel like now that you have slain the major dragons, what is left to do and work towards.

I think there are only really three answers: alcoholism, biddy-ism or hobbies.

If it helps I'm choosing hobbies!

Still on my list:

The Cresta Run
The Vallee Blanche
The Idatrod
Sailing round Cape Horn
Trade Winds Circumnnavigation
The South Pole by Hilux

Am hoping to go and have a go at this in 2011. Evidence enough that I am still trying to grab hold of something which I left behind decades ago.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VcsbOVQ3IU

Do now what you will not be able to physically do in 20 years time - ie physically hard hunts etc.

Most MLC symptoms disapear with hard physical exercise.

Thanks for the advice guys,

Looks like I'm in Botswana on a Trophy bull Elephant hunt in April 2012 with Dig and Michael.

We will be hunting witht he centenery edition 470Nitro express double rifle that we are building right now and I will hopefully be carrying one of our boxloxk doubles in 450/400 3"

Nothing like a safari show to sort out some action!!

Gerry, I saw Don and he says hi. You kept getting mentioned for some reason....

K

quote:

Gerry, I saw Don and he says Hi. You kept getting mentioned for some reason....

My Best Regards to Don .....

...... it's easy to get honorable mention when everyone wants to take the Wind out of your Sails; and I give EVERYONE lots of opportunity to do so, too!


Have Fun!

Sounds like we're in somewhat similar situations, but I guess I went through some of the worst parts prematurely.

My father died at 48, so I went through a bit of a "midlife depression" in my mid 20's. Was in med-school at the time, so saw most of my friends out making money and advamcing careers while I was looking at another decade of education. Also got divorced in my 30's; got to do some of the living/womanizing I missed out on in my 20's out of my system.

Point of all of the above is to show what I've figured out by age 42:

1. Don't get started with dangerous things like overpowered sportscars, fast motorcycles, or young blondes; stick with safe things like hunting cape buffalo and elephants.
2. More importantly, use whatever money you can to do stuff (especially with family) while still young enough, not to get stuff.
3. Right about now is one of the greatest times in life. Should have the financial ability to afford things you couldn't in one's 20's, and still young enough to do it.

Londonhunter,
I've seen Kiri shoot, I think your asking a lot for 2016.
Is there a veterans sections!

regards
Griff

quote:

Originally posted by griff:
Londonhunter,
I've seen Kiri shoot, I think your asking a lot for 2016.
Is there a veterans sections!

regards
Griff

Oh the pain I feel at the slanderous words!!!

Oh well I'll get over it...

By the way we used both pics of you and jon in the brochre. Jon got a full page but we made yours really small in the centre spread...

Not that I'm nitter or anything!!
K

K

You can make it

Perhaps not 2016 but just to make the team is a great achievement in itself and it's doable

I have shot against cyprus many times they are OK - not world class except skeet

Only condition is that you have to put your purdey into storage ( can I be of assistance)

You need a good coach and you know I can introduce you to the right person without difficulty

If a wannabe nobody like me can cut it in a few years. You can do it as well

Jokes apart it's something one cannot buy unlike a bull elephant or rhino

Hunting is a hobby but doing this is an achievement

Over to you

LH,

OT is without doubt the best game in the world. I used to shoot a bit in Cyprus and it was a lot of fun.

I don't think I'll go back to serious competition again but I'll definitely try and get out for a few rounds with you soon. I shudder to think what my reflexes are like these days!!

K

Glad you are back in one piece

See you next week, do tell us all about your encounters in the states

LH I have some excellent pictures of mounts I saw for your next bear. I'm not sure how your wife will react to a full mounted bear fishing for salmon in your living room but I thought it looked cool!!

Your friend called me today and he is coming down on Saturday for some practice. Let me know if you want to come and join us for some shooting.

K

K

Excellent time had by all in Reno. My best to all the AR'ers in the shoot next weekend, just be careful of blokes in leather britches meeting up in car parks.